Ravenna seems pleased just to not be in trouble for once.
At dawn, a few hours after the celebration finally winds down, the ship’s bell sounds, calling all hands on deck. When the crew is assembled, a long line of captured officers and sailors from the Man’s Promise is brought on deck and paraded before the crew. Captain Harrigan addresses the captives first, offering a place on the Wormwood’s crew for any who want to throw their lot in with pirates. Several of the Rahadoumi sailors step forward; Master Scourge cuts their bonds, and the sailors take their places among the Wormwood’s crew. Harrigan then turns to address the Wormwood’s crew.
“All right, you scurvy tars! You’ve done a right good job by me—we’ve got a second ship now, and she’s quite a prize from the looks of her. But I still have only one crew. So here’s the plan—the Wormwood will sail on to our planned destination with our new shipmates here, while Mr. Plugg will pick a skeleton crew to sail the Man’s Promise along side us. We are now our own PIRATE FLEET!
"As for these fine fellows here”—Harrigan gestures at the remainder of the captured ship’s crew—“some of them will no doubt be worth a hefty ransom from their families back in Azir. And for the rest, if the life of a pirate’s not for them, they can spend the rest of their lives at sea!”
To make his point, Harrigan grabs one of the Rahadoumi sailors and throws her overboard to the accompaniment of cheers and laughter from the Wormwood’s crew. As the unfortunate woman sinks beneath the waves, many of the remaining sailors scramble to swear their loyalty to Harrigan.
At that, Mr. Plugg and Master Scourge begin to tell off new assignments. All of the player characters, as well as Owlbear Hartshorn, Sandara Quinn, Rosie Cusswell, Crimson Cogward, Conchobhar Shortstone, Barefoot Samms Toppin, Giffer Tibbs, Jack Scrimshaw, Ratline Ratsberger, Tilly Brackett, Badger Medlar, Shivikah, Aretta Bansion, Fipps Chumlett are dispatched to the Man's Promise.
Scourge cracks his whip and says,
"You lot have 10 minutes to get your sorry corpses onto the Man's Promise before we weigh anchor."
I was next expecting that...Ok no time to waste.
Ordrax makes his way to the quarter masters to purchase back his gear.
After getting his gear...
So what else do you have for me this day. What about those there wooden chests, the wooden trunk and that iron one. What do you have to sell from those.
He watches intently if she turns to the chest with the broken lock.
The smile on Grak's face quickly fades to a blank stare at the half-orc's implication. He quietly follows her to the store, confused by her change in attitude having punched him days earlier. "Maybe she's just caught up in the excitement of the battle. I don't think I want to know what she'd do to me. I might not survive." He buys back his equipment and inquires what other items are for sale.
Eager for the chance to overthrow Plugg, Raush passes by the quartermaster, looking around for anything useful for one who doesn't use weapons. Finally, he just grabs two liguid glue bags.
Ordrax will purchase the cure light wounds potion, 3 flasks of acid, 6 alchemist fire as well.
Veltisiel pays a quick visit belowdecks to say goodbye to Grok, and claim his gear from the lockup. "May I see what you have for sale, as well?"
Overall, he decides on buying the six* candles, and the scrolls of Mage Armor and magic missile, before making his way to his new bunk and placing his belongings there.
Grak follows Grok to the store to purchase the remainder of his equipment. Looking over the additional items that are available, he purchases 2 flasks of Holy Water and 20 extra crossbow bolts. With others coming to buy things, he takes the opportunity to quietly return to the party after storing his equipment in his locker.
He gets some food and drink and finds Kipper to talk about the events of the day. After eating, he gets more to drink, talking to anyone who will listen to him tell about how he devastated the sailors with his bombs. Not normally one to drink, he discovers a fruity tasting liquor that is so smooth he can’t even tell it’s alcohol. Carrying the bottle around, his effectiveness in battle increases with each telling of the story as the bottle gets drained. By the end of the night, in his version of the story, he singlehandedly killed all the sailors, only needing the rest of the group to physically hold the stern. With the bottle gone, he can’t really tell who he’s talking to or where he is as the alcohol causes the evening to become a blur.
In the morning, the ship’s bell sounds unusually loud and seems to reverberate in his skull. Laying with his eyes closed, he tries to piece together the events of the previous evening as his head throbs. The end of the night is a blur and he doesn’t recall getting into his cot. As he starts to wake up, he realizes it’s not as loud as he would expect, although he’s not sure if that’s due to the hangover or if he passed out in some corner of the ship away from the rest of the crew.
He tries to sit up, but something across his chest is keeping him prone. Confused, he reaches down and feels a hand at his side with an arm across him. Slowly raising an eyelid, he sees Grok waking up next to him. A wave of terror washes over him, temporarily making him forget about his hangover as he wonders how he got here and the implications of the activities of the evening.
When grok finally returns to his bed. Lying on top of it are two Flask of Acid and five flasks of Alchemist Fire. Ordrax keeps to himself as the set off for the next adventure.
Grok looks sideways at Grak, seeing his fear. She has the benefit of not being hungover due to the fact that she is still slightly drunk. She grins her snaggly grin at the hobgoblin. "And a fine goodbye that will be. You will be joining the crew of the Man's Promise this morning, and I'll be staying here. So I won't have to see your ugly face for a few weeks. Now get the hell out of my bed before someone sees us."
As morning comes, Raush is fighting off a splitting headache and a wave of alcohol-induced nausea. Holding onto his quarterstaff, he goes looking for Grok, hoping that the hobgoblin will be able to put together some Alchemist's kindness.
Grak nods and gathers himself before leaving as quietly as he can, checking to make sure no one is outside the room first. He keeps his head down, partly not to be noticed but also so seeing the motion of the ship doesn't add to his sickness.
He's almost to his cot when Raush finds him. "Ah, I was just out getting some fresh air. Seems we both had too much to drink last night. Let me see what I can do," he says, hoping the ape-man didn't notice he was gone all night.
Grak hears Scourge crack his whip again. "I'll have to look for ingredients on the new ship. I don't think I have time right now," he says as he grabs his things from his locker and heads onto deck to move over to the new ship.
"Fine" grumbles Raush, heading towards the Man's Promise. "I'll just weather it."
Ravenna dithers about on the deck, not entirely sure of what she can really do to prepare for this change in operations.
You make your way onto the Man's Promise and Scourge, now the first mate, doles out tasks for the day. His voice grates against your hangovers and he snaps his whip over your heads, making the consequences for failure clear.
"You all keep the same positions, but the work will be twice as hard with a smaller crew. Cutie, you stay close to me..." he says to Ravenna. "You can be my runner when there are messages to carry, and you can keep me company otherwise. Monkey, you are in charge of the ropes. Cookie, the slop better be better than what Kroop served, or you'll be sorry. The rest of you swabs get to work."
"Aye-aye, Captain" agrees Raush with a grin on his face that is definitely not a result of his assignment. "A storm is coming." he whispers to each of his companions as soon as he gets a chance. "A literal one, I'm not being ominous. I say that now is our best chance to test Gozreh's mercy on Plugg and Scourge. Let's plan later today."
This could be a good time.
"Hmmm... I might be able to arrange for an accident. I say we slit his throat in his sleep- there's no way he's that well-guarded, and from there it would be an easy coup."
Ravenna may be unhappy about being Scourge's new "main squeeze," but she does her best to hide it, somehow managing a dazzling smile in spite of what is clearly not a great position to be in.
As the various scurvy sorts are discussing their plans, Ravenna whispers, "That storm better show up before Scourge tries to put his hands anywhere ill-advised."
Vel spends time as he finds it trying to win over Tilly (and Badger, if he finds the time)
"I'll tell Rosie and Sandara, and try to make Owlbear get it. Tonight then?"
Tilly Brackett is a young, tough woman who fights hard and jokes harder. She doesn't seem to love Veltisiel, but she does not like Scourge or Plugg at all, so she will help you out if she can.
Badger is less willing to rebel. She is an older woman who is thoroughly cowed by the tyrants.
Ravenna finds herself stuck with Scourge, but she makes the most of it - first trying to find out if he just wants her nearby as eye candy, or if he cares to engage in idle banter. She also assumes that he enjoys dominating people, so she structures her conversation to be reactive and to allow him opportunities to gloat.
"Now that you're in charge, is it time to get some plunder? You must have some ideas about what you'll do when you're rich," she says idly during a down moment while she's not running messages.
"This ship aint much as a pirate ship. Sort of a wallering cow. We'll take her down the Slithering Coast to Rickety Squibs and get her fixed up for faster pursuit and a better platform for boarding. Then maybe we'll see about getting out from the Captain's thumb and making some money for ourselves. If a lady like you was to play nice, she could make her way up in the world."
Ordrax goes about his daily job with as much vigor as it takes to get the job done. He then strolls around getting himself acquainted with the ship.
B1. Main Deck: Two 10-foot-square hatches sit in the deck forward of the mainmast and open onto the middle hold. Between the hatches and mast, a steep set of wooden steps descends into the middle deck (area B8) 15 feet below.
B2. Foredeck: The foredeck rises 10 feet above the main deck. The ship’s nameplate on the hull reads Man’s Promise, but a DC 10 Perception check notices a second nameplate beneath it. This second nameplate reads the Motley. Further investigation reveals marks in the wood of the hull that indicate that a previous nameplate existed before that one, but it has long since been removed.
B3. Aft Deck: The aft deck sits 10 feet above the main deck, and steps lead up to an even higher deck behind the mizzenmast. The ship’s wheel stands just before the rail overlooking the main deck.
B4. Sterncastle: This high deck sits behind the mizzenmast, 20 feet above the main deck. A pair of light ballistas sit upon this deck, next to a box containing a dozen ballista bolts.
B5 . Ship’s Boats: Two ship’s boats, a cutter and a gig (see the Skull & Shackles Player’s Guide for statistics), hang from davits on the gunwales just forward of the aft deck. The boats are lashed to the ship and require three DC 10 Profession (sailor) checks or Dexterity checks to launch. Each such check is a full-round action. Each ship’s boat has four oars and a single mast. The cutter can carry up to 12 medium passengers, while the gig can carry up to 8 Medium passengers.
B6. Officers’ Quarters: This tidy cabin has two portholes to allow light and fresh air to enter. A hefty trapdoor sits in the floor, leading to the middle deck (area B8). Mr. Plugg assigns Master Scourge and those piratesloyal to him to this cabin. He also instructs the two NPCs who are most loyal to the PCs to sleep here, aiming to keep an eye on them.
B6a. Officers’ Storage: These two storerooms are both unlocked and hold the lockers and personal effects of those pirates berthed in the officers’ quarters (area B6).
B7. Captain’s Cabin: The rear wall of this luxurious (by pirate ship standards) cabin holds four gilt-framed windows that rise the full height of the chamber. The cabin contains a luxurious hammock, a dining table and chairs, and a few chests and bookshelves. A trap door opens directly into the cook’s cabin below (area B11). The two doors opening onto the main deck and the trap door are locked with good locks (Disable Device DC 30; Plugg has the keys). The windows do not open. Mr. Plugg has claimed this cabin as his own, and has also chained Owlbear Hartshorn to the mast with manacles and a 15-foot-long chain (hardness 10, hp 10, Break DC 26, Disable Device DC 20; Mr. Plugg has the keys),
B7a. Captain’s Storage: These small storerooms do not have doors, but are separated by sliding walls that can also be removed and made into a folding table. The starboard compartment contains a small writing desk and a couple of chests. One of the chests is locked with a good lock (Disable Device DC 30)
B8. Middle Deck and Armory: The middle hold of the Man’s Promise is currently empty, though the weapon racks along the walls only need to be restocked to turn this hold into a working armory. Steps behind the foremast descend into the main hold (area B12). A second set of stairs against the aft bulkhead lead up to the main deck (area B1).
B9. Crew Berths: Ten supporting pillars behind the mainmast f ill this spacious compartment, with room for over a score of hammocks. Plugg assigns all of the PCs and their friends to these berths, except for the two NPCs he wants to keep an eye on (see area B6).
B10. Galley: This sizable galley contains a large stove against the aft bulkhead and a single porthole in the starboard wall. In one corner, a derrick stands next to a trap door that opens into the secure storage below (area B13). The door is locked with a huge, good padlock (Disable Device DC 30). It takes a full round to raise or lower the line on the derrick, which can lift up to 200 pounds of cargo. The galley has been stocked for the journey to Port Peril, but the food is scant at best.
B11. Cook’s Cabin: This filthy cabin contains two dirty hammocks and a single porthole in the port wall. A rickety ladder ascends to a trap door in the ceiling, leading to the captain’s cabin (area B7).
B12. Main Hold: Essentially empty after being looted by the crew of the Wormwood , the main hold of the Man’s Promise contains a large water barrel secured to the starboard wall. Stairs behind the foremast lead up to the middle deck (area B8), while a trap door near the mainmast leads to the bilges, which contains two bilge pumps, forward and aft. If anything, there are more bilge spiders there than in the Wormwood.
B13. Secure Storage: This large compartment aft of the main hold is locked with a good lock (Disable Device DC 30), but is presently empty.
Looking around the ship, Raush hangs for a moment over the nameplate, finding the old one underneath. I like this one much more.
As evening approaches, he passes word about the storm and the plan to Sandara and Rosie, asking them to gather more arms and give any advice they can. "And may the Black Lady shine upon this blatant act of piracy and madness."
As Raush passes along the knowledge of a storm brewing...
If need be I may be able to lock up some of our friends for safe keeping....Most of the locks here will take some time to work on but It may be possible. I will not know for certain until I start to work the tumblers.
Veltisiel busies himself in the galley, shooing away any who try to disturb him other than his fellow conspirators. By the end of the day, the room is spotless, the hinges for the ceiling trapdoor are well-oiled, an unholy symbol of Trelmarixian is carved into the far wall (Vel smiles with the irony), and his daggers are specially sharpened for grisly work.
As they make their final preparations, Vel activates one of his newly bought scrolls, giving himself a protective spell for their mutiny.
Understanding Scourge's implications, Ravenna hikes up her shift and knots it in back, giving her a bare midriff. With her knotted shirt and plumed tricorne hat she seems more like a mascot or a pirate-themed bar wench than an actual sailor, but she seems to have resigned herself to the notion that looking the part that Scourge wants will probably keep her out of trouble. For the moment.
~~~~~~~~~~
Later, as the conspirators are whispering amongst one another, she says, "What do we do about the storm itself? Great chance to strike, but we should also make sure we are prepared for the bad weather to hinder us. We should make sure we have some way to get folks who fall overboard, otherwise one bad wave-and-roll could end everything for us."
Tie yourselves off so that if you do go overboard you can climb back up.
The young Kobold look at every person in the eyes as he looks from on to the next. A plan was coming together but not one that was to everyone's liking. The storm will require us to be on deck and it will do us no good if we are not helping to save the ship that we want for ourselves. So we should work to survive through the storm and take out those that are not on our side. Use spells, cut a rope, or hell even a good shove would be fine. The storm will be a b%%$+ but it can work to our advantage. If the opportunity arises take it. You damn well know they will. So be prepared and keep yourselves tied off.
"Plugg and Scourge are to be our prime targets" says Raush thoughtfully. "Most of those who are on their side are just weak, standing with the biggest fishes. Cut those two off, the rest will likely follow."
"Let's say that Plugg and Scourge survive the storm. I can probably lure Scourge somewhere. Where should I take him when the opportunity arises? And how can I signal you when I've drawn him away?" says Ravenna.
Our wily crew goes about their shipboard business as usual, awaiting the coming storm. Plugg calls all hands on deck as the sky darkens. "Crew, we are about to face another storm spun out from the Eye. We are undermanned and on an unfamiliar ship, so we will need the best from all of you. No sleep tonight as we face this maelstrom."
The storm hits just before dusk, ending the day early and throwing the Man's Promise into the tumult of another near hurricane. Waves crash over the deck, winds shed sails, and you worry for your lives.
Salty and wet winds sweep the ship, but Raush, grown among the Mwangi monsoons, feels at home in the storm, swinging from rope to rope, holding on the lines to keep them from tangling.
making sure to tie himself off to what ever position he is station to, Ordrax keeps moving about with grace.
Veltisiel does his best to keep the ship together, eyeing the structural points key to the ship's structure and trying to keep it all together.
Ravenna clings to the lines, her hat long since stowed below, black hair flowing and whipping in the gale. She can barely hear anything over the storm at this point, so running messages for Scourge is essentially impossible; she can't hear his commands and can't get anywhere even if she could. Instead she stays near Scourge and hangs tight to the ropes, doing what she can to haul them in and keep the sails trim to avoid losing more of them in the roaring winds.
Grak walks around the ship with Vel helping inspect and shoring up any weak spots. As the storm grows near, he ties himself down as best he can.
As the storm increases in intensity, Raush is sent into the crow's nest to keep an eye on conditions and on the Wormwood. Despite the order, Raush soon loses site of the sister ship. The sky turns red and then darkens before the rain conceals the other ship completely. You would not have thought it possible, but this storm is even more treacherous than the previous one. Each of you is lashed to a railing, a mast, a winch, or something else. At one point you find yourself completely underwater. Raush, a friend of the storms, is even briefly frightened as the entire ship disappears beneath a wave.
As you re-emerge from the water, the deck seems almost to materialize beneath you. No one on the deck is paying attention to what you are doing. They are all focused on their own lives. If you want to make a move, maybe now is the time.
Veltisiel tries to cough out a waterlogged verbal spell, his fingers fumbling to manage the snap required, but a patch of grease appears suddenly as a wave is about to hit Mr. Plugg.
Ordrax will keep an eye on his own rope that has him tied down as he looks for those that support Mr. Plugg or Scourge. When he is certain that he has one near him he will take his time to cut the rope in order to allow mother nature to do its thing.
Sickened by the crow's nest waving around, Raush climbs back to the deck, keeping an eye on Plugg and Scourge. It would take so little to push them to Besmara's icy test, but for the ropes tethering them. Without blades, he bides his time, keeping an eye on the situation.