Skull & Shackles: Glittering Riches and Bloody Blades (Inactive)

Game Master DancingShadow

Starting up the gameplay thread for later use.

Posting in here so I can get notified when there are new posts in this campaign. :)

DOT!!!

It may take me a bit to put the initial post up. I want to give the new people time to respond, plus I'm currently running my RL Jade Regent game.

Hi everyone, looking forward to joining in. I'll just level up to 2nd and get my gear purchased. Should we be familiar with each other at this point or are we going to meet up in game?

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..

Someone here requested my services?

Let's get this ball rolling. It's mostly taken from my other S&S game.

We're rewinding just a bit to keep Avakor out of the game. He'll be staying on the Wormwood when you cross over to the Man's Promise.

Day 22 - 23 Sarenith 4712

The party winds down, with pirates stumbling up onto deck at the sound of the ship's clock, the haunting bells of the Wormwood's clock resonating through the wood of the ship.

As the crew assembles, the rahadoumi prisoners are paraded in front of everyone. Captain Harrigan addresses them first.

"Any of you lot willing to sign on as a pirate and ply the sweet trade in the merchant lanes, rather than rot? If so, step forward and take your place amongst the Wormwood's crew."

Several of the rahadoumi step forward. Master Scourge cuts their bindings with a dagger and they take their place amongst the crew of the Wormwood with the rest of you.

Captain Harrigan turns to address the crew now, "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 to Port Peril, where she’ll be worth a pretty penny as salvage. 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." He pauses for a moment and turns to look at the remaining captives, "But for the rest, if the life of a pirate’s not for them, they can spend the rest of their lives at sea!"

Harrigan glances over towards the mast for a moment, before pulling his blade and stalking over to the rahadoumi captives. He selects one of them, seemingly at random, and plunges the blade through her gut before shoving the woman off the blade and the deck. The unforunate sailor screams as she hits the water and quickly sinks beneath the waves.

The rest of the rahadoumi rush to pledge themselves to Harrigan, while the rahadoumi officers are led back below decks, likely to be ransomed off later. Mister Plugg and Master Scourge begin picking through the crew, pulling aside those that they choose to take with them, while Riaris Krine starts to hand out tasks to others.

Master Scourge sneers as her passes down the line with each of you. "You lot are on th' Promise with th' rest o' us. You got ten minutes by th' reckonin' of th' ship's clock ta get your things and be on th' Promise. Any later and I'll beat you bloody!" He cackles and walks off.

By your reckoning, you can see that most of the Wormwood's original crew is going over to the Man's Promise. Other than Plugg and Scourge, Fishguts is the only officer that is leaving the Wormwood.

Immediately upon boarding, you're beset with commands to ready the ship for departure. It takes a good half hour to get the lines in order and make the ship ready for sail. When the Man's Promise is ready, the planks and lines are pulled free and the two ships separate. Mister Plugg gives orders and Master Scourge shouts them to the rest of the crew, applying his whip when he feels someone isn't moving fast enough. After the ships part a reasonable distance, Plugg has everyone gathered together. The only one missing is Owlbear, who's chained up again in the upper hold. It's now that Four Skulls and Jove notice that Avakor isn't present.

Taken from Faol Mhor's game.

"I'm not as forgiving or nice as Captain Harrigan. We've two weeks of sailing to get back to port in Port Peril, and I expect no slacking off! If your caught, it's the cat for you!" He turns to Master Scourge and nods, "Assign their tasks and get them about to it!" Master Scourge grins, "Of course, sir!" He passes out the day's jobs, saving the worst and most despicable for your group, mainly working in the bilges or manning the mainsail.

Night eventually comes around, but there is no entertainment to be found. Supper and rum are given, but once finished, everyone, save for Aretta, Jape, Maheem, Syl, and a few of the rahadoumi that were brought on board, are ordered below decks. "No foolin' around! Get ta' sleep and rest up for tomorrow!" Scourge commands.

Conchobhar is pissed. The angry gnome looks around at the rest of you, "I'll be damned if I do nothing but work, sleep, and eat!" He looks around, "Anyone up for a game? Anything?! We'll keep it down here with just a little light. Nice and secret like." A few others grumble about the happenings above and join Conchobhar in a quiet game of cards.

For those imprisoned in the bilges:

It's hot, but dank and dark down here. The cobwebs of bilge spiders hang overhead, almost completely covering the ceiling. The fist sized spiders stare down at you all impassively.

There are four of you here: a one-handed man, a tian woman, an ulfen man with a heavily scarred throat, and a solid shoanti man.

The three newcomers to the game saw Gan, the one-handed man get dragged down into here and locked into his shackles shortly after the sounds of combat stopped.

By the looks of it our situation have become even worst. Better clean up my act. Four Skulls tosses away his run when no on is looking. Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
He joins the card game more for the company than the actual game. At the table he wispers to no one in particular.
Damn, I get a feeling we were better off at the Wormwood.

I apologize. It should be Day 23 - 24 Sarenith 4712. Slight mess up on the dates. The party lasted the rest of the day and through the next night.

[spoiler=Bilge Buddies]
Noche'Wa looks in silence at the newcomers, his eyes going back to his stump from time to time, visibly impressed by the wound. He gathers his traditional cloak around his massive amber shoulders as he bends closer, his emerald eyes digging deep in the man, is stony jaw clenched as he almost spits out his words: "You are with them then... You're the same kind that captured me and put me here! A Man's Promise! What nonsense. Man should not be locked. Man should be free. I don't know this Harrigan. Is he the new captain? I heard fighting..."

It seems the one-handed man is wounded.
A red-haired woman closes up to you, as she smiles you can see her fang teeth are a little pointed and there seems to be something foxish about her.

Now, now, did someone get hurt there for being too rash at the wrong time? Maybe you should make sure next time the others thin the same way you do before. What´s your name? Mine is Ayaki Hu, but they call me the red fox. Now hold still so i can help you, i can´t grow that hand back though.

With these words the woman lays the palm of her hand on your forehead and begins a singsang, which makes you feel better.

You heal: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Bilge Buddies:

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 Forgot to roll it on my last post.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

Ayakis smile fades and her face suddenly turns into something snoutlike. She snarls at Gan Laccaran: You don´t want to get on my foxy side untill your craving to find out why exactly they call me red...Seems like you didn´t see enough of your own blood lately. I think you will be fine with calling me Hu.

So what about those friends of yours? Can they fight? I don´t want to be sold. Perhaps we should start with showing them that we can be pirates just as they are.

I heard he stayed in the Wormwood. the shoanti says while folding his losing hand annoyed. Damn cards.

Day 23 - 24 Sarenith 4712

How about we get out of here first and see if we can find some weapons? Perhaps we can surprise Plugg and take him out quickly.

I go to inspect the entrance of the bilges, take a look at the lock if any and if there are people or guards nearby.

After the card game the shoanti retires to his hammock for the night, murder in his mind. His sleep filled with the usual nightmares.

DM Shade are we going to play the usual day/night actions and run fort saves aboard this ship during our working hours? If so I would like to try some sneaking around.

I´ll be trying a trick and start to do some sleazy storytelling, yelling before to attract attention of the crew around. I hope to crew will be entertained that way and grow friendlier with us. Especially me though.

perform oratory: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

After listening to the winds, he declares to the people at the card table. It's going to be good sailing weather tomorrow: clear skies, calm waters, and a good breeze. At least we have that going for us.

After the card game, Jove curls up in his new hammock, Zephyrus sleeping, head under wing, on Jove's stomach, resolving to rise early the next morning to climb the rigging and catch the sunrise after communing with Zephyrus and preparing his spells.

Where is every body?

In case I forgot to mention it, for those in the bilges, you're manacled and chained in bilges with long chains. You can move around in it, but not leave the bilges.

@Four Skulls: My plan is not to begin again with the shifts mechanic, but rather to move along in scenes, noting the change between days. Feel free to note anything you're doing in the time between though.

Deeply annoyed Four Skulls follows Cusswell. After looking around to see if the commotion didnt attract unwanted attention, he kneels at the bilges entrance.

On the top of the bilge's small stairs is a young man of the shoanti people, tall, broad shouldered with a deeply tanned skin tone and a tribal tattoo that cover most of the right side of his torso. His black hair is braided into a mess of small plaits, mwangi style and his dark eyes are set deep inside his skull with a tired and haunted look. He wears the usual worm out rags of a sailor.

Your monkey is a pain in the @$& Laccaran. seeing the other prisioners I see you ve got company.

He looks at Ayaki. Women, you should keep it down. If Plugg or Scourge gets down here your tongue is going to have the same fate as Gan's hand. he gives the other man's stump a meaningfull look.
After a pause.

How are you holding up varisian? he asks while examining the newcomers.

Hold it down? I want to get out of here and i bet i´m not the only one here! So you´re his friend? I nod in direction of Gan. How do you like it up there? Going to join us soon here or do you enjoy ducking down and licking the spittle of Plugg´s or Scourge boots? I once heard rumors of the shackles pirates being free folk, must have been a far fetched rumor. What i see here is more like a slavers ship with the crew being slaves themselves.

I smile pleased to see Skulls. "I'm doing fine Shaoti, well as bout as good as I can get having lost my favorite trigger finger." I look over at Hu and just give a good chuckle. "Phew you guys are gonna have to forgive foxy here. She's a little impatient and wants out of here. In fact, I believe the rest want out of here too. Seems to be a decent lot. We all have the same goal in mind. Freedom."

I look at Rosie for a moment and shrug."Bet your tired of getting pushed around too eh Rosie?" I turn back to Skulls. "Way I understand it, that monster Harrigan isn't on the ship no more. Plugg's in charge. You remember what he did to the others right? Felix, and the rest of them? Keep me posted would ya. I'm not looking to make a mess yet but if Plugg starts to endanger other crew members needlessly, come find me and we'll work something out. We can't sit around just to be killed off by that paranoid little man. Otherwise, I plan to escape at whatever port we come to next, provided Plugg will actually let me survive the trip. I am still very concerned about the crew, I've made a lot of friends, you included and I don't want anything bad to happen to you guys like with Felix and Sabina[ooc]Whatever happened to her anyways[/ooc. Harrigan's too strong but I get the impression Plugg is just a scared little man hiding under his captain's influence. I'm sure he's nothing on his own. Anyways you should get back up there before your missed. Again, keep my in the loop, I'd like to help if need be. Also, see who else may stand with us if we need to make a stand. I picture the guys down how will make good allies, there is also my good mate Samms and my buddy Fishy. Syl, eh I'd like to think were friends but don't confront her unless we are actually going to make a move. She will be a strong ally or our first victim. See if you can make any new friends okay. It'll help in the long run mutiny or no." I look over at Hu. "Can't promise there won't be anymore disturbances but I will try and keep the pup quiet." I hold up my Shackles. "But my hand is tied."

Couldn't quite get the formatting to work with all the spoilers- so I'll just put it up and trust everyone outside the bilge to pretend they don't know.
Bilge Buddies (pre-Four Skulls' arrival):

The Ulfen man looks confused or puzzled by Noche-Wa's apology. He nods before extending a hand to the Shoanti. With his opposite hand he points with two fingers to the Shoanti's eyes- watch- then taps his own lips.
"Ruhgnuh.", he says slowly, lingering on each syllable so that his lips can be properly read. He taps his own chest and does it again. "Ruhgnuh Stuhlln-Vuhz."
Translation:

Ragnar listens passively to Gan's speeches but says little. After a point he approaches the man. He points to the stump of Gan's hand, then to the scar on his own throat.
"Uh huhd suhmthuhn stuhlln...", he begins before leaning in with an intense stare, an almost crazed gleam in his storm-grey eyes,"... uhn ruhvuhnj uhz swuht. Fuhguhvnuzh uhz fuh cuhwuhds- uh'll hup yuh puhnt duh suhz ruhd."
Translation:

And he smiles viciously, producing a pair of brass knuckles from his fist for the other captives to see then giving his chains a rattle.
"Uhn whuht luhk! Uh'm uhlruhduh uhmd!"
Translation:

The pup eh? Think you had it all before do you? At least i was clever enough not to loose a part of myself yet. Once we get out of here we will who´s da better sailor, stumpie. And i will get out of here alive.

Obviously pissed and not liking to be called names, Ayaki retreats to the other corner and prepares to get some sleep.

I raise my eyebrow at the Ulfen. "See there, this group is all rarin ta get the party started. Relax fella, you'll get your chance. Nice to know we got a solid fighter amongst us. Step one, an armed combatant in the bilges. Complete."

Ragnar crosses his arms again, palming his knuckles and squatting on his haunches. When Rosie and Four-Skulls arrive he simply watches without comment, getting the impression that it isn't time for his bloody business yet.

Tousle-haired and groggy, Jove scoops Zephyrus into his hands and onto his shoulder, puts on his belt (with spell component pouch) and boots, and heads down to the bilges to see what the ruckus is about and to make sure Four Skulls doesn't get jumped like he heard Lex was. Jove is a tall, fair-skinned sylph with faint blue patterns on his skin (which are natural to sylph skin and not tattoos). His hair is platinum-blonde and shoulder length and flows as though in a slight breeze, even though the air in the bilges is stiflingly still.

He walks in right about the moment when Four Skull is warning the Fox. Jove steps beside him and nods fervently. He'd only cut your tongue out when he's in a good mood like today, being put in charge and all. Any other day he might kill you, from what I heard.

I'm Jove and this is Zephyrus, my thrush. He can talk, by the way, so don't panic.

Zephyrus, a greyish-brown thrush, opens his wings and lowers his head in a bow. Zephyrus, at your service!

I met Gan and Four Skulls at the battle between the ships--decided to throw my lot in with the pirates rather than take my chances as the Rahadoumis' newest prisoner--only got caught that morning. Things have been rocky among us because of a small quarrel about warning the captain of an impending attack, but hey, I'll help overthrow the establishment. Plugg seems about as pleasant as a centipede bath. Anyway, I suggest we all go back to sleep. I'll send Zephyrus down here sometime tomorrow to pass you messages. Can't do it too often, or it might look suspicious.

Noche'Wa smiles at Ragnar and grabs his hand: "Well met Ragnar."

He simply smiles as the others seem to have tense words. As the Shoanti gone Mwangi makes his appearance, Noche'Wa can't help but stare at the man in wonder. "Brother, what tribe are you from? You don't wear the signs..." The words are said almost as a reproach, but soon his attention is drawn to the Sylph. As an Oread, something doesn't sit well with him about Jove, and yet, he can't pinpoint why. He watches the bird, amazed as he listens to it speak. Is this some kind of trick? "How can a bird talk? Is it still a bird?"

Noche'Wa's body seem to retract. Too many people, too many voices, too much violence... He doesn't know what to do and steps back, yet deep inside he knows he must get free.

I look at Jove with a concerned expression. "So you got in good with the captain and now you want to turn too? Sorry bout taking a shot at you, but I was more concerned about the opportunity. I am glad you see just what I was so upset about. I hope when things get crazy we can agree to work together from then on. I'd be willling to try to be friends. You seem a decent sort.

Yeah, I see now the captain is better off dead, though it looks like killing him would be mighty difficult. Your shot didn't even faze him. I think Plugg and Scourge will be easier to face, though. Yeah, we can try to be mates. You seem a decent sort too. Jove offers his hand to shake.

Zephyrus turns to Noche'Wa and puffs out his chest. Of course I can talk. I'm a bird, aren't I? I was amazed to find out when I bonded to Jove and magically learned Common that you two-leg-walkers could talk, too.

Oh, Zeph, don't be too hard on him, he's only a 'two-leg-walker.' Jove laughs, and appraises Noche'Wa, then speaks again to Zephyrus. He's an oread--an elemental like me, only earth instead of wind. Jove furrows his brows in thought. Kinda surprised to see you so far from solid ground, to be honest. How did you come to the sea? Scratch that, we can tell stories later. Plugg will throttle us if we're caught down here, and we're not going to be much help if we get chained down here too. So either way, we'll have plenty of time for stories later. Jove makes a jaunty little salute, then heads back up out of the bilges to his hammock.

"Ahahah! Well met Zephyrus. The world is full of wonders for you and for me as well it seems!" His laughter pauses and he suppresses a sad expression as Jove mentions his connection to the elements and the pain it brought in his mother's life comes to the surface. "Something about the Sea I guess." Is all he wishes to offer for the moment as he looks away.

Day 24 - 25 Sarenith 4712