Skull & Shackles by Faol Mhor
Game Master Faol Mhor

I realize there are a lot of Skull and Shackles campaigns looking for recruits, however as I really enjoy this AP I'd like to offer those interested another opportunity to play it.

So I'm opening recruitment and looking for four players.

here is a link to my character creation rules for anyone interested.

Character Creation Doc

One thing to note is that I will be using firearms in this campaign and most siege weapons will be replaced with cannons. If black powder and big cannons are not your idea of fantasy I understand but I feel a pirate campaign needs cannons.

I'm hoping to find people who are willing to post often, once a day is preferred.

Character Submission guidelines:

Rough outline of character class, race etc. (fully put together character sheets are great as well)

At minimum 1 paragraph back story and reason for being in port peril.

Letting me know your character's motivations and your personal play style is a bonus.

And also maybe let me know what roll or position you could see your character fulfilling on a ship long term, captain, 1st mate, cook, master at arms, boatswain, carpenter, surgeon, master gunner, quartermaster, etc.

Finally:

I don't make any claims of being a highly experienced GM but my goal will be to give you a consistent and fun adventure. I am fairly new to PBP so I may not always do things the best or run things the smoothest but I am learning and am open to suggestions at all times.

Totally dotting for a human gunslinger (musket master)

Concept is an undercover Andoran Privateer who is looking for leads on the recent increase in slave trade in the Mwangi Expanse. He will stay on as a pirate, but will act as the voice of reason to the party as he will be LN. That sound resonable?

Also, what level of firearms are you using? I would like to upgrade to a rifle at some point if I can.

Been trying to get into one of these, he is a lore warden fighter. If you dont allow it, i can change it. He would probably be first mate, offering advice to the captain. He will be the first one to board a ship, cutlass in hand, hacking away at the enemy.

Hi Tierce, I like the concept a lot.

As for firearms I'm hoping to stick to black powder, early firearms, that sort of thing. I am open to perhaps moving to a rifle if warranted later in the campaign, but all the weapons that NPC's will use are going to be early firearms so acquiring one from loot probably won't happen.

Alright, I'm ok to stick with a musket, I can still get reloading as a free action with a musket, just takes longer.

I'll write up the concept and make the crunch shortly

I'd love to toss myself in for this if I could. It looks to be an amazing campaign, I had been hoping to get someone in my tabletop group to run it, though the other guy who DMs is moving away so this might be a great shot to try the campaign.

I've had an itch to play a wizard again for a bit now and had been thinking this could be a great campaign for it. Someone who focuses a lot of having scrolls for preparedness. I figure he would do well as first mate, better at giving advice than directing things, however something like quartermaster would work well since he had practice as a scribe.

He'll be a human wizard. I am tossing back and forth the idea of the scrollmaster archetype just because I love the imagery of it, but will probably just be plain wizard.

I'm a pretty experienced player(read old-fogey to RP) though I DM far more than I run a character. I've been away from the boards for a while, but am back in full force now and am quite active. I am able to be online and work and so can post throughout the days as long as nothing is actively broken, Saturday is the one day I normally will only be able to check the boards either in the early morning or late night(PST) because of my home game.

I think the tactical parts of gaming are important and I enjoy the combat, but my real love is the interaction between characters and NPCs and building upon them. My char looks to be pretty team focused, ready for any situation type of caster with his spell list leaning towards battlefield control, then buffing, before being a damager. He'll be friendly and chatty but has spent enough time with his nose in books that he is much more likely to try and be an adviser than actually take a direct leadership role.

Background

I'll have an actual character sheet up for you to look at some point today.

Just to give people a time frame here, I'll recruit for about two days, maybe a little longer, and then close recruitment to make final decisions of those still interested.

Felix - I'm okay with the lore warden as an Archetype and I like the idea of a rogue pathfinder so I am okay with you submitting this character.

I would be interested. I have never done a pbp before, but I've been looking to get into one. This seems like a good jumping on point.

Character concept would be either a Queequeg style islander barbarian who eats those he has vanquished. Master harpooner and hunter of great sea beasts. I'm not sure how to back all that up mechanically yet.

Alternately, if no one else wants to aim for the captaincy, I'd be willing to play a halfling bard who uses a whip. Maybe he is an escaped Chelaxian slave who uses the whip of the overseer he killed to escape. He would have a bigger motivation to prey upon the Chelaxian navy and merchants in particular.

I'll throw in a human cleric of Besmara. Just need to work on the background.

Would I be able to exchange my free starting uses of black powder and bullets (50 of each) for 45 simple paper cartriges? it's the same price equivilant

Dotting for interest...I love me some pirate-y goodness >:3

I have a couple of concepts in mind, for a con artist sort of bard (or maybe rogue), or maybe for a quirky paladin of some sort. Although I've been itching to try the Magus as well...
Since I usually GM for my rl group, I have a ton of character concepts xD I will write something up when I get home a bit later, depending on what the group might be missing.

.

Since I usually GM for my rl group, I have a ton of character concepts xD

I feel you there, GA. Its rough being the GM all the time and getting all kinds of ideas and having to work to be able to fit them in.

Just to give people a time frame here, I'll recruit for about two days, maybe a little longer, and then close recruitment to make final decisions of those still interested.

Felix - I'm okay with the lore warden as an Archetype and I like the idea of a rogue pathfinder so I am okay with you submitting this character.

Sweet. Since firearms are martial weapons, i might aim for sword and pistol feat, but ill definitly swing a sword

As mentioned, I finished whipping up my character. Going to be gone for a few hours, but hope you enjoy him. I can flesh out the background more if you'd like and add some more specific allies and rivals from his past as you mentioned in the character creation document once I get back.

As mentioned, him being a scrollmaster is hardly necessary for who he is, I just thought it was a nice flavor touch. Its in the ultimate magic if you actually want to look at the archetype. Since I lose arcane bond and am not built to be a front line fighter it probably actually weakens me a bit unless we make it to 10th level(which is forever in a pbp!) so let me know if its a concern in either direction of the power scale.

Character

I'm thinking about an Aquatic Druid Goblin to work as a Carpenter. Take the alternate racial feature to get a climb speed so I can crawl around on the outside of the ship to fix it.

Dot! I'll swing back in with a submission later tonight (GMT+10). I'm interested in playing a Mwangi islander, a Sinbad-esque Keleshite, an ex-navy type or a non-human of some kind, depending on what the others settle on. There's something to be said for being unique. I'd like to play a rogue or full caster of some kind. I've got three fighters in games right now and it's getting stale quickly...

Good luck to everyone!

dotting an interest. just started a S&S game that has been dormant for 24-25 hours now (no posts from anyone) will give it some more time then will submit that character over here.

Dotting on interest.
Thinking of a skill monkey. Probably a bard. I could have fun making up sea shanties.

Tarlane - I'm okay with the Scroll master Archetype but one concern might be that this is a water based campaign, which could result in some damage to your primary weapons if they are paper or parchment during storms or if you end up in the water. Cloth would be okay.

I would be interested. I have never done a pbp before, but I've been looking to get into one. This seems like a good jumping on point.

Character concept would be either a Queequeg style islander barbarian who eats those he has vanquished. Master harpooner and hunter of great sea beasts. I'm not sure how to back all that up mechanically yet.

To make that character concept work I'm sure you could create a Mawangi fighter with weapon training in spear. It might be a cool and unique concept.

I was looking at a catfolk bard in another Skull & Shackles game, but I couldn't get the concept to work for me.

I'd like to try an Undine Oracle of Life or Nature. Would the Amphibious alternate racial trait be available?

Do you have preferences as far as Oracle's Curses are concerned? I've wanted to play a Deaf Oracle, but I'm not sure it would do well on a ship.

Character sheet done and a basic idea for her background up. I'll flesh it out more tomorrow, long day and ready for bed now.

I was looking at a catfolk bard in another Skull & Shackles game, but I couldn't get the concept to work for me.

I'd like to try an Undine Oracle of Life or Nature. Would the Amphibious alternate racial trait be available?

Do you have preferences as far as Oracle's Curses are concerned? I've wanted to play a Deaf Oracle, but I'm not sure it would do well on a ship.

I like the concept of the undine Oracle and the Amphibious trait would be fine, I want to try and let people play the character they want to, my one concern is how to tie you ship and the other characters. Essentially it starts with you kidnapped, with the amphibious trait to get away you just need to jump overboard and swim away.

Of course I think I could still work with that and create a reason for you to stay. It could be interesting...muhahaha...

Almathea - the concept is looking good, I look forward to seeing it fleshed out.

Would I be able to exchange my free starting uses of black powder and bullets (50 of each) for 45 simple paper cartriges? it's the same price equivilant

Sorry meant to respond to this earlier. Just realized I hadn't yet. Yes Tierce, I'm okay with that change. I think the gunslinger can be hampered a lot in early levels so that trade would be fine with me.

Well, even with the ability to breathe underwater and a swim speed, I'd still have to make con checks to keep swimming after a certain point or start suffering non-lethal damage.

Although, they might just slap a ball-n'-chain to my leg...

Otherwise, instead of being all for myself, I might just be staying aboard to find a way to help the other people on the ship.

Also: I'm going for the spot of Cook.

dotting.....

Well, even with the ability to breathe underwater and a swim speed, I'd still have to make con checks to keep swimming after a certain point or start suffering non-lethal damage.

Although, they might just slap a ball-n'-chain to my leg...

Otherwise, instead of being all for myself, I might just be staying aboard to find a way to help the other people on the ship.

Also: I'm going for the spot of Cook.

Yes, like I said I'm very open to it, there really isn't a better campaign for that racial trait either. I'm even fine with people playing gillmen or merfolk as well.

What about a Human Wizard of the Fire School?

It's a bit counter intuitive... but, he gets people's attention and they tend to come around.

Fun stuff like Spark, Burning Hands and Flaming Sphere. Sure you have to be a bit careful. But, good times.

He's not a pyromaniac, not in a bad way.

Stat Block - 12, 14, 12, 19, 8, 10

Also somewhat focused on Crafting Magic Items, for buffs, etc... Figure there will be treasure/money. And, on board a ship... time.

Poor Zogmabble(the goblin Druid) would not like you if you burn the ship he works so hard to keep repaired. Or at least until you killed something trying to hurt him.

See, getting people's attention already.

Half orc ranger, crunch and fluff are on profile. he is a trained helmsman but would like to be his own boss if at all possible. play style unknown at this time, just starting up on play by posts style, so we will see.

Alestone Rockridge
Male Dwarf

Alestone has been cook on various vessels pretty much his entire life. As of late he's been having trouble finding work though. It seems as though he's gotten a bit of reputation as being bad luck. See, the last 3 ships he served on all sank, earning him the nickname "Rockbottom". Despite this recent string of failures, and the fact that he drinks a prodigious amount of ale, Alestone is both an accomplished sailor and cook who also seems to have bits of wisdom for the new salts and would be a quite valuable member of a crew. He has recently arrived in Port Peril, his last ship sunk having been sunk nearby, by of course pirates.

Alestone is built like a traditional Dwarf without much of the muscle to back it up. His salt and pepper hair has mostly receded, leaving a huge bald spot although his pure white beard is immaculately kept.

I like clever problem solving, tough combats and detailed set description. I'm new to PbPs here on Paizo, and am envisioning a cook but could rework the character a little bit and go with surgeon instead.

Also as a note I am getting married on August 5 and will be out of contact until ~August 9th. If that is a dealbreaker please feel free to ignore my application.

So far I've got two concepts vying for my preference.

The first is for Alexander Hart, a con artist who tends towards arrogance, and a bit of self-centered debauchery, going completely contrary to the angelic heritage of his Aaismar blood. Leaning towards bard for Alexander, although he could work as a rogue as well.

The other is for the sion of a minor family of the Chelaxian aristocracy that met its downfall during a power play between several of the more influential houses. Exiled to Sargrava, the young nobleman took his fate into his own hands and jumped ship before reaching the colony. Driven by his familial pride and the right to rule granted by his birth and upbringing, Nicodemus seeks to re-establish his family outside of the Chelaxian empire and carve out holdings of his own. Although proud and firm in his belief in his place in the world, Nicodemus is an honorable and loyal man who believes as much in the ruler's responsibilities to the subject as vice versa. Probably would be going for Magus with him, or possibly something tanky if we need one.

I'll flesh out whichever one is more useful to the group :)

I like clever problem solving, tough combats and detailed set description. I'm new to PbPs here on Paizo, and am envisioning a cook but could rework the character a little bit and go with surgeon instead.

Also as a note I am getting married on August 5 and will be out of contact until ~August 9th. If that is a dealbreaker please feel free to ignore my application.

Getting married isn't a deal breaker. We all need time off for important things now and again and getting married kinda counts :-)

The character sounds fun. I'm guessing from the write up that he's more a monk in that he's a fist fighter than as a lifestyle? Kind of skinning the monk into a fist fighting cook?

GrimApotheosis - I like the back story and motivation of Nicodemus.

As for Alexander I don't mind players playing an arrogant character like Alexander but I try to have consequences for player actions which can often mean harsh responses to arrogance, especially in this AP. Not that I'm against them at all, I just don't want a player to start trying to play an arrogant character only to feel that I'm coming down on their character too hard.

I'm thinking about an Aquatic Druid Goblin to work as a Carpenter. Take the alternate racial feature to get a climb speed so I can crawl around on the outside of the ship to fix it.

Sounds like an interesting character, I'm all for people coming up with odd characters, the main thing for this one would be backstory. How he got to port peril without being killed, why he's living with humans etc.

What do you think you'd want take as an animal companion?

I'd love to play a Dwarven using the new, sea associated, alternate racial traits for Dwarf. He would be going for the Ship's Surgeon trait and that would be his function on board, he'd also be skilled enough to assist the carpenter/shipwright when needed.

I haven't settled on class yet as I can't decide. One option would be an Alchemist using the Chirurgeon archetype but I'd also be interested in a Cross Blooded Sorcerer with Empyreal and Stormborn as his bloodline.

He would have been a ship's surgeon for all his life, originally working for the Andoran Navy, which also is his employer when he gets "drafted".

Ornotck - Like the back story and the character focus on being the helmsman. A lot of the "roles" that people might want to fill may not all be available from the start of the campaign but I like that they give a character a purpose and the helmsman would in the long run be an important role for sure.

Tarlane - I'm okay with the Scroll master Archetype but one concern might be that this is a water based campaign, which could result in some damage to your primary weapons if they are paper or parchment during storms or if you end up in the water. Cloth would be okay.

I definitely appreciate the thoughts. I had considered the fact and had included both two scroll cases and a waterproof bag in my equipment, but honestly while I like the flavor of it all, if the scrolls are actually ever in use as my primary weapon(meaning I am actually in melee) we are probably in an awful lot of trouble anyway. However, since I already have picked up both cyphermage feats and the cyphermage trait, I think I'm just going to drop scrollmaster. Its probably more trouble than its worth, I already have the flavor and having a bit more casting via the arcane bond is likely much more useful.

As for allies and enemies, I took the cyphermage backer trait which should give me a good built in ally. I suspect it will never actually be a useful trait in the campaign(it is based on Riddleport and I have no idea if we ever go there), but I thought it would represent the wizard I apprenticed to before I set out on my own who has remained a friend.

I had been rolling around in my head who might make sense to be an enemy to him and I was thinking that he may have made an enemy of the person who commandeered the ship he arrived at port peril on. While he is willing to be a bit fast and loose with morals on the sea, he is one to be true to his word. When the ship he arrived on was claimed to pay off its captain's debt, the crew may have been 'encouraged' to continue work under its new owner. Seeing that as betraying the man he signed on to work under, his delivery to the port may have been less being left behind and more diving overboard and swimming to shore to avoid being keelhauled for refusing the rule of the new captain. That can be adjusted however needed if there is a ship we may encounter later that fits the bill.

Updated Character(basically just with scrollmaster removed)

I settled on an Alchemist using the Chirurgeon archetype. His bombs would mostly be a tool for when fighting other ships as on your own deck would be folly. For that he'll grab the discoveries to change the damage type as soon as possible.

He would be a Gray Corsair who's ship landed in Port Peril under a pirate flag in order to investigate some leads they got on a large slave deal about to go on on one of the other isles in the Shackles.

So here's the fluff. I'll get the crunch up for review later, but I'd like to get a bit of feedback on it sooner rather than later.

I would be playing a elven inquisitor of Besmara named Lex Sequitur, hailing from the settlement of Lilywhite who left after Chelish slavers took his wife, who then died shortly before he found her after tracking the slavers down. Since then he has been wandering the Shackles aimlessly, finally being drawn to Port Peril by Besmara, telling him he would find his destiny there (Besmara's Blessing trait).

Lex is a taciturn man slow to trust, but once he does, you have a loyal friend for life.

In terms of class specifics, he is an elf with the Lightbringer alternate racial trait (immune to light based blindness and dazzle effects and has light at will as a spell-like ability, replacing elven immunities & elven magic). He is an inquisitor of Besmara (Black Powder Inquisition as his domain).

Lex would be a good master-at-arms or master gunner. He has sailed on many vessels in his wanderings and worked the cannons during pirate raids on the merchant ships he travelled on.

I'm new to PbP but am excited to try it!

Also, do we get our full Hit Die value on the first level?

Uh oh, Fire Wizard a bad idea? Or just requires no comment?

Was it something Zogmabble said? :)

Here's the Crunch sheet for my character:

I assume for the Black Powder Inquisition, the DC is 10 + Inquisitor Level + Wisdom modifier. I decided to go with Touched By the Sea trait and Spirit of the Waves alternate racial trait (elf) since they made more sense in this campaign. :)

Are you still looking for players?

Garrett

Her is the fluff for Marn Stonewood, Dwarven Alchemist, Ship's Surgeon and shipwright (focus on the first). He'd be gunning to become the ship's surgeon though he also has a passing interest in siege engineering and carpentry.

His goals at the moment are simple: Enjoy life at sea and help people while doing so. He also is an abolitionist but understands that while he'd save every slave he can he can't save them all. He's no fool.

Here is Tierce's gunslinger. Crunch and Backstory are in the Alias. I am reusing a name from a defunt campaign as I really like the name

I would like to submit a ranger. I am thinking of one of three races. Either a Merfolk, Half-Elf with the water child alternate trait, or a Gillman. Since I have never played a Merfolk or Gillman before I want to try one and make a good background that ties him into the story.

I haven't decided on an archetype yet. I may or may not choose one based on my character concept.

If you don't want the Merfolk or Gillman please let me know.

Uh oh, Fire Wizard a bad idea? Or just requires no comment?

Was it something Zogmabble said? :)

Lol, just thinking about it. It might be a bad idea though to be honest. Fire spells are going to require aoe and I have found in another Skull and shackles game that boarding action is so tight that aoe can tend to get your own crew and yeah there is also a large chance that you are going to set the ship on fire or be fighting in water which will reduce your effectiveness.

I'm not opposed to evocation wizard at all, but if the character remains focused on fire than the house may burn down...which might be fun in its own way. The nice thing is a wizard has flexibility in what he learns so even if he starts fire focused he can still become versatile.

I think for me I'd need to know a bit more of the fluff around the character, but yeah I guess I do have my initial doubts about his effectiveness on ships and in water.