Skull & shackles (Inactive)

Game Master DBH

Please excuse me if I'm putting my foot in my mouth since you already be doing this. :)

GM: if I may...

Have you considered using what is called 'block initiative'?

The GM rolls for initiative for all PCs separately and for all NPCs (some GMs roll for each NPC and average the results and some GMs roll for one NPCs with the average initiative modifier).

All the PCs that beat the NPCs initiative act in Round 1.

Then you act for the NPCs in Round 1.

Then all the NPCs would all act: those that didn't beat the NPCs initiative act for Round 1 and those that beat the initiative act for Round 2.

It keeps going like this.

There are several advantages: a) people with high initiatives act first (respects their ability), b) all PCs act in the same 'break' (no waiting on anyone except for the first round), and c) we don't have to guess what the NPCs do in order for the PCs to act.

More importantly is that it saves time because you are really not waiting on any PC in particular with the exception of the first round.

Thoughts?

Wow. I will be catching up when I get to work in 9 hours.

Please excuse me if I'm putting my foot in my mouth since you already be doing this. :)

GM: if I may...

Have you considered using what is called 'block initiative'?

The GM rolls for initiative for all PCs separately and for all NPCs (some GMs roll for each NPC and average the results and some GMs roll for one NPCs with the average initiative modifier).

All the PCs that beat the NPCs initiative act in Round 1.

Then you act for the NPCs in Round 1.

Then all the NPCs would all act: those that didn't beat the NPCs initiative act for Round 1 and those that beat the initiative act for Round 2.

It keeps going like this.

There are several advantages: a) people with high initiatives act first (respects their ability), b) all PCs act in the same 'break' (no waiting on anyone except for the first round), and c) we don't have to guess what the NPCs do in order for the PCs to act.

More importantly is that it saves time because you are really not waiting on any PC in particular with the exception of the first round.

Thoughts?

I'll look at doing it that way. This time I need to know where everyone is as only Kung said he was joining the game.

Markizio Voralius wrote:

Please excuse me if I'm putting my foot in my mouth since you already be doing this. :)

GM: if I may...

Have you considered using what is called 'block initiative'?

The GM rolls for initiative for all PCs separately and for all NPCs (some GMs roll for each NPC and average the results and some GMs roll for one NPCs with the average initiative modifier).

All the PCs that beat the NPCs initiative act in Round 1.

Then you act for the NPCs in Round 1.

Then all the NPCs would all act: those that didn't beat the NPCs initiative act for Round 1 and those that beat the initiative act for Round 2.

It keeps going like this.

There are several advantages: a) people with high initiatives act first (respects their ability), b) all PCs act in the same 'break' (no waiting on anyone except for the first round), and c) we don't have to guess what the NPCs do in order for the PCs to act.

More importantly is that it saves time because you are really not waiting on any PC in particular with the exception of the first round.

Thoughts?

I'll look at doing it that way. This time I need to know where everyone is as only Kung said he was joining the game.

Like I said. Feel free to tell me to shut up and mind my own business. :)

BTW, Markizio was getting ready to play the nine pin game as stated in post 991.

I remembered that after posting, as always happens.

So how is this combat run then?

Do we wait for Marnir to post and then you post (and then we all post)?

Do we post in order waiting for the people before us to post?

Do we all post assuming some action for the naga?

The Naga is focused on the worker at the moment, ignoring the people on the dock.

The party can all go now. Initiatives are close enough to have a group action, though you can bet money that Kung will leap on the Naga. :)

Who, me?

Questions...

Is the dock worker away from the naga?

Is the naga able to be melee-attacked by standing on the docks?

The worker is away from the Naga now, by about 10 feet. More workers are pulling on the rope and he is moving closer to safety. You can let the rope go without worry.

No you can't melee attack from the dock.

We should use that discount to get a smuggling compartment put in.

That's a good call. We've got the money to get the work done without the discount, so we may as well get something extra done. Ghilda, can you negotiate that with Rickety?

So how far away are the wasps?

Can we strike with melee weapons?

Are they within 5' so we can full round actions?

That's a good call. We've got the money to get the work done without the discount, so we may as well get something extra done. Ghilda, can you negotiate that with Rickety?

I'll take care of the smuggling compartment, after we smack some wasp ass.

So how far away are the wasps?

Can we strike with melee weapons?

Are they within 5' so we can full round actions?

Kung is waiting for these answers as well.

So how far away are the wasps?

Can we strike with melee weapons?

Are they within 5' so we can full round actions?

Yes to all, sorry there is no map, these encounters are all in the module as very minor events, no maps and so I'm not going to micromanage them.

I have a new role at work that has me sitting in a different building, and it seems that the firewall is configured differently. I can read these boards, but can’t post to them. I’ll still be able to post from my phone, but it’s a lot harder to type a quality post without a proper keyboard. My posting between 8:00am – 5:30pm (US Eastern time) will go down because of this.

894.2 gold loot (after Rickety's generous refund for dealing with Selissa)

We can spend 500 to get a smuggling compartment put in. Let me know what you think, Marnir - I think we should.

The rest of the unsold loot will reside on the ship, for the officers to take as needed, with Marnir's blessing.

If this above scheme is OK, I will create a new loot and gold tracking sheet. Please advise.

Sounds like a plan to me. Smuggling compartment might prove useful, and the rest can serve as the beginning of a party fund for consumables, healing, bribes etc.

New page added to loot spreadsheet "Party Loot"

It shows what stuff we have and how much gold. Let me know if you see any improvements needed.

Markizio. Can you please put your stats in your bar. HP, AC, Saves, Init and perception are needed thanks.

Haha; when Kung puts two and two together, it's more likely to be three or five. :)

Hit points: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 Definitely a keeper. Level up details to come.

Not everything is done, i have placed the skill points and just looking at spells and stuff now.

That's it for Rogue; got what I came for.

Goodbye, skill points; how I've loved you so....

Did we ever get around to naming the ship?

Puggs' Last Stand!

or

Knight Rose

HP: 1d8 ⇒ 1 Or as I like to call it, 5.

We didn't get a name yet. I suggest everyone put forward one name they like for a shortlist, then we all pick our favourite.

Also, I need to do some shopping. Still wielding a basic weapon and wearing basic armour at 4th feels not very piratey.

I should be able to get focused back on this on tonight...my apologies, but a project I have blew up, and I'm on a sleep deficit :(

Jane's updated and ready.

HP: 1d8 ⇒ 8

From here on the training wheels come off for the AP. Now you chose where to go and what to do with your ship.

Talking to Captain Pegsworthy and Rickety tells you that you had best stick to the waters of the Fever sea south of the Shackles until you have made a name for yourselves. Heading into the shackles now means you are regarded as fair game by any pirate who comes across you.

Once you reached a certain level of infamy you can head to Port Peril and be put on the list of Free Captains.

As regards crew you are still low in numbers. There are three ports in the Mwangi expanse you can use, both for recruiting, and for selling plunder and captured ships.

They are Bloodcove, owned by the Aspis consortium. Which has it's fingers in a lot of unpleasant schemes, and makes sure to keep any prices in Bloodcove to it's own advantage. If you take an Aspis ship don't ever visit Bloodcove.

Senghor is a major city and turns a blind eye to pirates, as long as they don't commit any piracy in their waters. They also don't tolerate slavery, unlike Bloodcove.

So from now on you chose who you're attacking, and what your goals are.

Southmost of the three is Crown cove, a Sargavan city with a long history of dealing with pirates and smugglers.

All of these ports are accustomed to servicing pirate ships and can provide all the services for repairs, supplies, and recreation that you and their crew might need. Bloodcove is a small city, Senghor is a metropolis, while Crown’s End is a small town.

Sounds nice and sandboxy.

Given previous discussions, slavery is a no-no, so we shan't be visiting Bloodcove. We're relative newcomers so maybe heading somewhere small would be a better start. How do people feel about a trip to Crown Cove, and we can see what happens on the way there?

What level do our Infamy and Disrepute scores start at? My trait adds a bonus of +1 to both of them, but do they only start with that or do we have a base level of notoriety?

One thing to note that is important.

Selling plunder.

You only make a certain percentage selling plunder depending on the size of where you are selling.

Larger ports have more people who can buy your goods.

Thorp 10% (100GP)
Hamlet 20% (200GP)
Village 30% (300GP)
Small town 40% (400GP)
Large town 60% (600GP)
Small city 80% (800GP)
Large city 90% (900GP)
Metropolis 100% (1000GP)

If you have a lot of plunder the bigger the settlement the better. You got full price at Rickety's squibs because it was a straight trade for squibbing.

You can increase the percentage with a skill check. Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or any applicable Profession skill, like Profession (merchant).
The DC and how much more you can get increases with the size of the settlement.

So in a Thorp you can make a DC10 skill check, + 5 per 5% increase.
It works out as a DC20 skill check to make 200GP instead of 100GP.

In a metropolis it goes up to a DC10 skill check +10 per 10% increase.
It works out as a DC50 skill check to make 1400GP instead of 1000GP.

I will keep track of this for you, just remember the size of where you sell counts for a lot.

With those info dumps delivered all you have left to do is name your ship and do any shopping you want. Not that a tiny settlement has much more than the basics to offer.

Sorry, got sidetracked from the original question. as it stands now your Infamy is 2.

You are beginners, a few more ships taken and dirty deeds performed will get it up soon enough.

I deleted the two sheets from "Party Loot" that were accounting for our dealings with Rickety, and so it now just tracks our overall loot and gold inventory (I added 100gp for our reward for finding the lookout).

GM - do you add the six new crew members Marnir recruited to the "Mans promise crew sheet?" How many crew do we need at minimum to sail effectively? How many crew can the ship adequately accomodate?

Good job, thanks Ghilda.

As an aside, everyone is starting to look pretty badass at 4th level!

I was allowed to add a point to my Constitution, and so my HP increased significantly (used to have a +1 mod, now it's +2) - is that legal?

GM - do you add the six new crew members Marnir recruited to the "Mans promise crew sheet?" How many crew do we need at minimum to sail effectively? How many crew can the ship adequately accomodate?

GM - if you could, can you provide a current reckoning of our crew for the ship? Thanks!

Indeed it is. You recalculate your total hit points based on your new Con bonus, which effectively adds one HP per point of new bonus to each level you had before.

Indeed it is. You recalculate your total hit points based on your new Con bonus, which effectively adds one HP per point of new bonus to each level you had before.

Nice! Thanks...Ghilda strong like bull

The crew list is updated, no names yet.

You have 18 crew as Kyra is your navigator. The Mans promise needs 20 crew minimum for efficiency, a pirate crew needs more than that due to the need for attacking other ships, and the casualties that brings.

Ideally you'd want a Ships surgeon, though Ghilda and Sandara can cover that, and someone with the Siege weapon skill as Gunner.

The crew list is updated, no names yet.

You have 18 crew as Kyra is your navigator. The Mans promise needs 20 crew minimum for efficiency, a pirate crew needs more than that due to the need for attacking other ships, and the casualties that brings.

Ideally you'd want a Ships surgeon, though Ghilda and Sandara can cover that, and someone with the Siege weapon skill as Gunner.

Thanks, GM. How much crew can the ship accomodate over the 20 minimum needed for efficiency?

Not counting officers you could get up to 30 crew aboard before it gets too crowded.

Fishguts definitely needs a cooks mate, preferably one who can cook.

While I'm doing this, a Ships carpenter to repair damage would also be vital.

Thanks for the info, GM. Ghilda is a surgeon and a carpenter, and so we may need a carpenter's mate. Need a cook's mate too...

How do we look for crew with these different specialties? Did any of them come aboard with the 6 Marnir found recently, or are those just "normal" crew with no special abilities?

I gave it a 10% chance that the new crew had someone who could serve as a specialist.

Specialist chance: 1d100 ⇒ 6
Specialist chance: 1d100 ⇒ 92
Specialist chance: 1d100 ⇒ 100
Specialist chance: 1d100 ⇒ 23
Specialist chance: 1d100 ⇒ 76
Specialist chance: 1d100 ⇒ 89

Ok, you have a carpenter who was working for Rickety, but now wants to go pirating again. They want enough money to start their own yard.

1 - 2 Gunner.
3 - 4 Surgeon.
5 - 6 Cook.

Specialty: 1d6 ⇒ 2

And you have a sailor who has served as a Gunnery master before.

I'll work out which is which and give them names soon.

You almost got the third as well, soooo close. :)