Skull & shackles (Inactive)

Game Master DBH

You awaken to the feel of your uncomfortable bed swaying under you.

Your head aching, your stomach queasy you blink in confusion?

Slowly you realize you are on a ship, but you can't remember how you got here?

Barnabas II and Kung. The last thing you remember was enjoying an evening at the Formidably Maid Tavern.

Make a perception test.

Ghilda and Dorgan. You both recall you were wandering Port peril the last evening, until a blow to the back of your heads sent you to sleep.

Struggling to rise you find you have been stripped down to little more than your clothing, no weapons, armor, spellbooks or holy symbols. Any coin you had is long gone also.

As you finally reach your feet you realize you are not alone, looking around you can see four others in the same state as yourself?

This is where you can introduce yourself to each other. I will bot Jane until I know if she's playing or not.

Barnabas. Bosley is still with you, whoever stripped you of everything you owned obviously didn't think a Turtle important enough to bother with.

Ghilda, As you reach your feet Chorley emerges from where he has been hiding in the wooden beams. Chattering with relief and joy to see you awake.

Here goes - RP for real

Ghilda finds herself in the familiar sway of a hammock, and then is comforted by Chorley's chatter and presence by her head. Looking around, slightly rising up, she sees a fellow dwarf. "Wow - on what boat are we?"

Barnabus feels worse for wear than he ever has, though in an unknown situation he is comforted by the familiar slow small heartbeat of his familiar Bosley....

Today he had intended to seek a ship and continue his exploration of the islands in the area, though it seemed unlikely in his current state of being...

Hazily Barnabus opens his eyes...
Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Barnabus smelled himself and little else, though usually he could sleep in the moving waters and the fish would clean him as he rested...That would be nice to sleep again in the cool waters, weightless and silent...with the brooks babble carrying some distant voice around to other places.....working in ventriloquism and silence....

@Ghilda. Hammock? Someones feeling important. Your unconscious body has been dumped on the deck of the hold you're in.

@Barnabas. No luck with the perception check.

Doragn sways, rubbing the bump on the back of his head, "Ouch tha hurts." He looks at his companions, "Anybody know where we are or what ship?"

Well, I am a lady!

Ghilda gains her feet, leans against the bulkhead and surveys the other unfortunates, realizing all she is left with is the monkey and bag of healing ointments and herbs. "You dwarf there, you're not a mate on this boat? Of course you're not - you look like a real landlubber. I am Ghilda, servant to Besmara." Ghilda smiles at the other captives, while Chorley climbs to her shoulder.

Whoops - thought Dorgan was still a Dwarf LOL

Kung groans as he comes to. He looks around to his new companions. "Yes, Besmara. She's good; the best. Where are we? I was drinking...."

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Barnabus hears the other voices as he regains his senses....

"Who is it? Gildah? I am Barnabus an explorer o tings lost in time."

Tries to rise, quickly checks himself for injuries....

"I only remember stepping outside the Formidably Maid, seeing a young girl asking for help, and then lights out for me." Rubbing the back of her neck, Ghilda mutters, "The bastards could have nicely asked me to join their crew, if that is their intention."

@Kung. You can taste an oily nutmeg flavor at the back of your mouth.

Knowledge (Nature) or a Craft (Alchemy) check.

@Ghilda. You can see you and the others have been dumped on the deck of a ships hold. Obviously used for crews quarters by the hammocks lining the sides. It's swaying because the ship is moving

@Ghilda. No, you don't have your healing bag. Everything but your clothing and Chorley have been taken from you.

Kung smacks his lips. Tastes like holidays.

Craft (Alchemy): 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (5) - 2 = 3

"Aye. I had hoped tah exchange mah services fer passage to tha islands o tha shackles."

@Kung. No luck. Are you mentioning what you noticed to anyone?

@Ghilda. No, you don't have your healing bag. Everything but your clothing and Chorley have been taken from you.

The S&S Player's Guide says that with the Ship's Surgeon trait,

"Although the majority of your equipment was taken away
when you were press-ganged, you managed to hang on to
a fully stocked healer’s kit, and you begin the campaign
with it, regardless of your starting circumstances."

Your call, though, boss.

Kung looks at Ghilda. "I was at the Maid. Ale was bad. Tastes...." he smacks his lips again and sniffs. "sweet? Nutmeg?" He loses interest in that as he looks around at the ship and frowns. "This is the wrong ship." He gets up, concern growing on his face, and begins looking around the space for his missing gear. "I need my things. We have to go back. I won't get paid!"

@Ghilda. In that case you do have it, I missed that part.

@Everybody. Give a quick description of your character when you start talking. It helps others get an image of your character to interact with.

@Ghilda. In that case you do have it, I missed that part.

Thank you - updated my profile to show only healing kit and cleric's vestments

Barnabus appears as a Human Male you guess to be about 18 years old,
5'7 to 5'9 weighing around 150 lbs. with green eyes and long black hair that hangs down over his face. His complexion is dark like some of the natives. He is wearing an explorers outfit but has likewise been stripped to only clothing a sturdy splotchy dark grey cloak hangs over his shoulders.

"Do you imagine tha captain will listen tah reason o proper werk fer us tah do?...was mah intent tah get on wit a ship, I ave lore tah find."

Ghilda is a red-haired (in a braid) dwarf, very young (for a dwarf). She is clothed in a black cleric's robe with a white skull-and-crossbones insignia in the center of her chest. Her tiny brown and white monkey, Chorley, is on her left shoulder, scanning its surroundings. A healer's kit hangs on her side, strapped across her body like a messenger's bag.

Replying to Kung, "Nutmeg? Clearly poisoned, but with what, I'm not sure..."

"Barnabus, I hope these scoundrels will have some honor and pay us for our services, despite the rude recruitment!"

@Everybody. Now that Kung has mentioned what he's tasting you can make either a Knowledge (Nature), or a Craft (Alchemy) check

knowledge nature 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 ⇒ 20

knowledge nature 1d20+9

Now Kung has mentioned the taste you can also taste the flavor at the back of your throat.

You recognise it easily as Oil of Taggit. You remember how strongly spiced the food and drink you had last night at the Formidably Maid was and suspect that is where you were drugged.

Oil of Taggit is an ingested poison that causes unconsciousness and has a strong aftertaste of nutmeg. Normally only 1d3 hours, so you were probably dosed again to keep you under. It's a common trick of press gangs wanting quick crew.

What does Jane wake up to?

Kung continues to search around the berth for his gear. The half-Orc, short for his race at 5 1/2 feet, has vibrant green skin and black, stringy hair. Far more notable, however, is the knotty wooden peg leg he moves about on--particularly for the way it fails to hamper him. A half-speed hollow wooden thump follows his movement around the room as he searches, the wooden leg drumming against the wooden floor.

"Oil o Taggit concealed in tha spicey foods o tha evenin. I knew I might regret tha cargo bay surprise."

Barnabus looks around for a stick or club or anything useful....

"Is any one wounded err hurt beyond a bruise err cut?"

"It is apparent we ave been repeatedly dosed so no tellin how far out o port we err now."

Ghilda scans the area for any of her gear or items of use. "I seem to be fine - just a bruise. I'd like to know who did it though..."

Eyeing Kung's peg leg, "That is a fine leg, Kung! Do you recall the surgeon who made that for you?"

What does Jane wake up to?

Jane wakes up on the hold deck with the others, with her Alchemy skill she immediately recognises the after effects of a strong dosing with Oil of Taggit.

Lifting and shaking a couple of hammocks, Kung ends his search. He looks over at Ghilda. "No surgeon. Carpenter in Drenchport. Starts with B, I think. Near the square." He shakes his head. "I'm bad with names. Had a leg since I was small. Chalk Harbor. Don't remember who made the first." He looks at the group. "So this was poison? Press gang? We're in the shit then."

Let me know if language is a problem....

Looks like Paizo filters it anyway. Good to know.

"Well, you're in luck, orc-man - I'm skilled with flesh, bone and wood. If you need a new leg, I'll give you a good price, if we get out of this mess! I cannot find my tools! These bums better give us our stuff back!" Ghilda continues looking around the hold.

"The gnome stirs! She must have been drugged too - no sign of any injury to her."

Jane curses like a sailor, "Someone slipped us some Oil of Taggit." as those around her look at her in confusion, "It's something that low lives use to get lucky with women. I've had to kick a few sailors off of my ship after i found out that they've used it in town." she smiles. "Also gave them about 20 bounds of dry rice, tied to their waist to keep them fed. Not my fault if they chose to drop it or not."

Data flies down and lands on Jane's shoulder. "Ah, there you are. Do you have the tools?" she asks her little friend, who somehow manages to hind a few small items. If it's allowed, other wise, it would be somewhere indecent for Jane to retrieve.

Jane curses like a sailor, "Someone slipped us some Oil of Taggit." as those around her look at her in confusion, "It's something that low lives use to get lucky with women. I've had to kick a few sailors off of my ship after i found out that they've used it in town." she smiles. "Also gave them about 20 bounds of dry rice, tied to their waist to keep them fed. Not my fault if they chose to drop it or not."

Data flies down and lands on Jane's shoulder. "Ah, there you are. Do you have the tools?" she asks her little friend, who somehow manages to hind a few small items. If it's allowed, other wise, it would be somewhere indecent for Jane to retrieve.

It's fine, I decided not to go through the stress of making those with familiars and animal companions have to pick only from what's available on the ship. Which is what the guide suggested? So yes Data can be holding your tools to keep things PG rated.;)

Before you can talk anymore heavy footsteps enter the room, and your eyes are assaulted with the light of a lantern cutting through the darkness of the hold.

A tall man, wearing a heavy black coat is grimacing at you, he appears to be in pain, though a closer look tells you it's his attempt at smile.

Master Scourge. Pg 5 of the Players guide for his image.

He cracks the whip in his hand and screams at you. "“Still abed with the sun over the yardarm? On your feet, ye filthy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Cap’n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!”

If his attitude wasn't enough the six crewmen with him, all holding saps in their hands tell you that obedience is required.

They seem to be experienced at dealing with people's responses to being forcibly recruited.

Your actions people?

Being on a ship before, Jane snaps straight up and responds in fashion. "Ai Ai Captain." without even thinking too much. Data hiding in her hair, around the back of her neck.

Chorley hisses at this stranger. "Harrigan's ship, is it? He's all talk - he may even be fair to us," Ghilda says in hopes of winning favor.

"Aye, Aye, one tinkerer reporting for duty."

Barnabus sings a little song he once heard...

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor,
Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief,
Old Man, Young Man, Barrister, Jailer,
Captain, Pirate, Fisherman, Chief,
Plowman, Cooper, Farmer, Teacher,
Banker, Gunner, Gardener, Cook,
Burglar, Boxer, Baker, Preacher,
Writer, Politician, or Crook

Perform 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (17) - 2 = 15

Kung looks at the crew boss with an unfriendly eye. He glances around the room to get a read on other people's reactions. You get the feeling that it would only take the smallest spark to spur him into action.

Dorgan is a slim half-elf with long black hair and twinkling blue eyes.He disdains robes like other wizards instead likes pants shirt and cloak of his traveling outfit.

Doargn looks at the crew boss with flinty eyes and and "Aye Hargian's ship it must be, ready for duty!"

When you reach the main deck, it’s quickly apparent that you are on a sizable ship in the middle of the ocean, far from any land. Port Peril and the mainland of the Shackles are just an ochre haze many miles astern.

Figures cluster around the ship’s mainmast, looking up at the higher deck on the stern, where two figures stand. One of them is a broad, muscular Garundi man with a shaven head, a long beard bound with gold rings, and an eye patch, clearly the captain.

The other is a younger, balding man with a long black ponytail, wearing a long coat and carrying a well-used cat-o’-nine-tails.

At this point you also notice that you are not the
only new recruits, four others are standing with them on the deck, set apart by their relative cleanliness and their apparent unease with their newfound situation.

A dozen or so other pirates, clearly existing members of the crew, stand about on the deck or in the ship’s rigging. Once you are on deck, the captain addresses the crew.

“Glad you could join us at last! Welcome to the Wormwood! My thanks for ‘volunteering’ to join my crew. I’m Barnabas Harrigan. That’s Captain Barnabas Harrigan to you, not that you’ll ever need to address me. I have only one rule—don’t speak to me. I like talk, but I don’t like your talk. Follow that rule and we’ll all get along fine.

Oh, and one more thing. Even with you new recruits, we’re still short-handed, and I aim to keep what crew I have. There’ll be a keelhaulin’ for anyone caught killin’ anyone. Mr. Plugg! If you’d be so kind as to make pirates out of these landlubbers, it’ll save me having to put them in the sweatbox for a year and a day before I make pies out of ’em.”

At the end of his speech, the captain walks away leaving behind the man with the cat-o’-nine-tails. This is Mister Plugg, the Wormwood’s first mate.

He looks down at you and the other impressed captives and smiles unpleasantly. Plugg has no time for small talk or pleasantries. His intention is to get you working on the ship as soon as possible.

A map of the Wormwood, and a look at Barnabas Harrigan can be found in the campaign info page

Mr Plugg clearly has no interest in what your actual abilities are.

Sense motive from anyone with the skill?

Pointing to the mainmast he tells you to climb to the crows nest, Fast scum. Or you'll feel the lash!"

The mainmast is sixty feet and is a DC 10 climb check. You climb at a quarter your move speed, so it's 6 climb checks at DC 10.
Failing by 4 means you make no progress and are clinging on. Failure by 5 or more means you fall!

You can climb faster, but it's a DC 15 climb check, and only 4 climb checks

Before he climbs, Kung scans the horizon, looking for the Eye; can he see it?

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Dorgan looks around

sense Moyive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Before he climbs, Kung scans the horizon, looking for the Eye; can he see it?

[dice=Sense Motive]1d20

@Kung. No sign of the eye. As I said, Port peril is just in sight behind you, you're still a long way from Tempest cay.

Kung notes the way Plugg's hand is flexing on the whip he thinks that Plugg is hoping for an excuse to use it.

@Dorgan. You don't pick up anything at the moment.

Jane will try to remember any details that she can about this ship and it's captain. Knowledge History: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

She turns towards Mr. Plugg, "Sir, I've been around ships all my life and can be more use than a look out or some skur that needs to swab the decks."
diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Ghilda tries to read Mr. Plugg - Sense Motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

"I too, Mr. Plugg! I am a surgeon and a carpenter! Much better use for me in those departments!" Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Ghilda racks her brain for any knowledge of Harrigan and the ship - Knowledge (History): 1d20 ⇒ 19

Sense motive 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Barnabus gets to climbing, carefully as it is not his strongest activity

Climb
1d20 ⇒ 20
1d20 ⇒ 9
1d20 ⇒ 20
1d20 ⇒ 11
1d20 ⇒ 15
1d20 ⇒ 11
1d20 ⇒ 20

Kung shrugs his shoulders and begins climbing.

climb: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
His peg leg almost slips off the first rope he steps up on, but he catches himself and progresses up.
climb: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
He continues, not showing much of his usual grace, but still making progress.
climb: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
And finally, he misses the next step entirely and falls back to deck.

I know that means falling damage....

Groaning, he pushes himself up to his waist. He looks up at Plugg, gesturing towards the wooden limb. "Maybe something on deck is better for me?"

All I had to do was avoid a "1"

Barnabus slides back down to the deck hoping to reach the half orc in time....

"Is he alive?"