The Norv |
Sorry for the slight delay...continuing on!
Rosie grins at Isaac. "Well, there ain't no harm in that tha' I can see! I'll spend th'day with yeh, cappy, if yer so kind as t'ask." And she does--the two of you have a good (if rather boisterous) day with Rosie exploring the taverns and markets of Senghor.
Edward's canvass of the docks and taverns isn't as successful as some he's made, but he does convince a trio of Sargavan sisters to join up: Carrie, or "Ghost;" Vera; and Bella Scoby.
Diana finds that Senghor, bustling seaport that it is, has plenty of shipwrights of both the mundane and magical varieties willing to do some work on the Shrike for the right price. They're pretty well-organized and clearly in communication with each other--the prices don't seem to vary much from one to the next. Still, no mater what you're looking for, you can probably find someone to craft it here!
So the full list of possible ship modifications are on p. 26-28 of the Skull and Shackles Player's Guide, which can be downloaded for free here. That doesn't list how long it would take to install the options, but anything that actually involved remodeling the ship would take at least a couple of days. Just to jump-start a few options, here are some things you guys might be interested in, with costs and times:
I imagine that can get you started if people don't want to download the player's guide! ;)
New Crew: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Alabaster Cain |
Alabaster lets out a hearty laugh as Samms orders the second round.
Aye! Tha' sounds like a good time ta me! Wha' do ya 'ave in mind? Wanna show these fine folk how tha' crew o' tha Silver Shrike be livin'?
He looks around at the room and laughs again.
Or shoul' we be gettin' plenty drunk an' party'n through tha streets?
Alabaster Cain |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Im a big fan of the broad rudder, quick sails, and smuggling compartments
Arhiel |
agree with Alabaster re: improvements
Diana Seamyst |
I like those as well. A ram would also be nice. All four is only half 3500 and we have 5k of cargo....
Isaac Silvermane |
Rosie grins at Isaac. "Well, there ain't no harm in that tha' I can see! I'll spend th'day with yeh, cappy, if yer so kind as t'ask." And she does--the two of you have a good (if rather boisterous) day with Rosie exploring the taverns and markets of Senghor.
Isaac grins. "Thank ye. Now, to show ye th' tim' o' yer lif'." Throughout the trip, Isaac makes jokes and conversation with Rosie. "So, lass, how is th' Shrik' treatin' ye? Ev'rythin' to yer likin'?"
During the next day, Isaac walks to a tavern to help spread word of their exploits.
Bluff to increase infamy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Those upgrades sound good to me.
Diana Seamyst |
That evening Diana finds Isaac and updates him on the possible upgrades for the ship. her eyes shine as she explains what all can be done. Its a good port with many good shipyards. If we can afford to stay put for half a week we can make the ship all the better. She explains the options to the captain then adds Your as good a sailor as I've ever sailed under Isaac, but I have to recommend the Broad Rudder and the Rapid-Deploy Sails. Think how much better she will respond with such. the Smuggling Compartments appeals to me on general principal but I am unsure if we will ever be carrying contraband into ports where they might care. Better I think is to add to the ships strength and offensive capability. I know I am the weapons officer but I the idea of the Ram. Its not only a weapon but strengthens the entire ship against running into anything. I know we want to take ships as prizes but we might need to ram them to do so. And then there is the Sturdy Hull upgrade, and even the possibility of wooden armor for the ship, but both will take cargo space.
Thinking about the options further she adds I love the idea of upgrading our ship so that it is stronger and faster than it looks. I think any armor plating will be too overt to serve us well in our current roll. That might leave the ram out as well.
Unsure how obvious the Ram is and how much cargo capacity is taken by the various options.
The Norv |
Go for it!
Samms grins. "Let's teach 'em how we roll on our own ship, sir!" The night's clearly off to a good start!
Wixa cackles with glee and waves the other man over. A bookie records the bet between the two of you, and within moments the fight is underway. Me'amesa looks uncomfortable, wincing as the desperate, panicked goblin scores several deep gashes in the dog's hide, but Thanh seems to be enjoying himself, grinning broadly as he watches with folded arms. Wixa is totally engrossed in the fight, bellowing and urging the dog on, as the men and women around the pit continue to call out bets and egg on the combatants.
As suddenly as it begins, it's over. As the dog tackles the goblin to the ground, the crude spear snaps in two, and while the goblin continues to scratch and bite the dog from beneath, in a matter of seconds the dog has its teeth on the creature's neck and is shaking it violently. The goblin, cut off mid-wail, goes limp, and a great roar goes up from those who bet on the hound--including you and Thanh.
Thulaka pays his bet grudgingly (to you and, with a heavier-looking purse, to Wixa) and heads into the night; Wixa stays and fusses over the dog as attendants drag away the goblin's corpse. "Well, this I say for certain: you are NOT the Guard," he chuckles over his shoulder. "I think you for helping to make my night more interesting. Tell me, where do you come from? You are a sailor, I guess--who do you sail with?"
You get 10 gold pieces, and a possibly useful contact in Senghor's underground--as well as a chance to make an Infamy check! Let me know if there's anything else you want to do that night besides carouse, but otherwise I'm ready to move forward.
Isaac goes out and shares tales of the Shrike's plundering and pillaging, but he seems to always find the same taverns that Edward was just at...bad luck, that.
Are we going to commit to a purchase of ship upgrades? If so, it shouldn't take too long. The ram is quite obvious but not illegal or anything like that--just a "self-defense" measure. ;) None of the options you mentioned eat up cargo space.
Winner, 60% odds on dog: 1d100 ⇒ 92
Diana Seamyst |
Per above, both Sturdy Hull and Wooden Plating take up cargo space.
Alabaster Cain |
Aye Samms, let's get to it then, eh?
He draws Brineblood, letting the sword bathe the tavern in its crimson light for a moment, until he has the attention of most of the people in the room. Once they have eyes on him and Samms, he drives it into the table.
Listen up ye port rats! Me name be Alabaster Cain, first mate o' tha Silver Shrike, an' blade o' Besmara 'erself! This cutlass be Brineblood, an' blessed by Bessie so I can be keepin' 'er chosen captain, Isaac Silvermane, alive an' well ta be doin' her biddin' on tha seas! Tha's right! Ye heard me! There be a Silvermane in tha shackles again, an' he be sailin' wit me! 'e already be carry in' out 'er will! We jest sailed inta port wit a ship we took wit not a single soul lost on our side! We ain't fer losin', and we ain't fer bein' weak! Tha Silver Shrike be blessed by tha Queen, an' she won't be sinkin' anytime soon! Me friend 'ere be wantin' some fun tonight, since we ain't seen a decent ale since we be leavin' our last port, so I figger we play a game! Iffen ye think yer strong enough ta best me an' take me blade, then come on fewerd and be tryin'! Mayhaps iffen I judge ye fit, I'll let ye on me ship ta sail with a Silvermane!
The priest then steps forward, very conspicuously cocking his pistol and causing it to glow with the same crimson light.
Or ye could jest ask nicely enough, iffen yer scared. Yer call.
Intimidate for Infamy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Really hoping for some roleplay bonuses here... Maybe even an aid another from Samms lol. One things for sure, this is definitely Edward's forte.
Divine Favor and Ice Blessing on my pistol, a +1 warpriest sacred weapon enhancement on Brineblood to make it glow.
As far as enhancements go for the ship, we can always buy the cargo storage enhancements alongside the ones that reduce cargo size in order to offset the loss. Or, capture another ship, and store our excess plunder on that and try to keep it out of combat. Perhaps we could find a crew member in port who's a decent sailor and can steer well enough that we don't have to keep a PC out of a fight to keep our plunder safe?
Isaac Silvermane |
Isaac nods at Diana's suggestions. "Aye. Thos' upgrad's be soundin' lik' good investmen's. Le' us be gettin' 'em. The rudder, th' sails, an' th' ram. We can be sailin' bett'r an' be able to ram oth'r ships mor' effectively. Good suggestion, Diana."
Alabaster Cain |
Isaac, I'm borderline metagaming/player knowledge(ing?) here, but I reeeeeeeeeaaaaalllllyyyy recommend the smuggling compartments. Reeeeeeeaaaaaalllllyyyyy recommend. Like, a lot.
The Norv |
Whoops, sorry, Isaac. Totally missed that. Thanks for reminding me! ALL: To avoid this thread becoming clogged with OOC, let's move the chat re: ship improvements to Discussion.
A hush falls over the crowd when you draw Brineblood, but by the end of your speech most of the tavern have gone back to their drinks, and there are even a few chuckles. One big Caldaru man sitting at a nearby table laughs out loud.
"Ha! You are like a young monkey, whelp. Still with the taste of his mother's milk in his mouth, but thinking you are a great ape." He leans forward. "This is Senghor, boy, not the Shackles. We are miles to the south. What do we care what Hurricane King rules those islands? We have our walls and our ships to defend ourselves. Senghor has stood for thousands of years. You, boy, and your ship and your captain? You are storms in a kettle. The world is bigger than your piracy." He grins mockingly and takes a long pull of his rum.
The next day, Diana brings Isaac to a number of the shipwrights that she met and discussed possible work with. It quickly becomes clear that they don't mind working around each other (though of course all would prefer to do the whole job themselves), so if you hire several of them at once you can be out of port tomorrow evening. With crews hired and payment promised, the Shrike is hoisted into dry-dock and a swarm of carpenters and riggers descends upon her.
But you folks have the rest of the day! Anyone want to sell some plunder? Try to raise some more Infamy? And are you going to shell out 4 points of plunder directly to the shiprwrights, or try to convert it to cash first?
Arhiel |
"We'd have 500 gold in our pockets if we sell the plunder and pay cash for the upgrades... So my recommendation is to do that.. otherwise we overpay for the services... which might get us some goodwill among the shipwrights for whatever that might be worth, if anything."
Alabaster Cain |
If the reroll is allowed...
Alabaster takes in the man's words, and then shoots the man's mug with his pistol. When the glass and ale is done exploding, he speaks again quietly.
It be your concern because I be here tellin' ye it is. Ye think Besmara be givin' a damn abou' yer walls? Abou' yer army? Yer on tha seas, ye port rat! She owns yer port, yer walls, yer armies, hell, where do ye think yer soul goes when ye die? She be judgin' ye, no' one o' yer filthy land gods! An' iffen yer so damn safe, then why me crew an' me ship be here righ' now, sellin' our goods an' bringin' ye word o' our cap'n? Ye might not be near tha Shackles, Bu' ye got me an me crew in yer face, an' we be more dangerous than any o' tha ships tha' be in those waters...
The youth reloads his pistol and smiles.
Bu' iffen ye wanna be tryin' ta take me blade ta prove yer point, an' ta prove me wrong, why do ye be tryin'?
*Hopefully* that applies and Alabaster doesn't look like a moron.
Isaac Silvermane |
Isaac nods at Arhiel's suggestion. "A sound idea. It be doabl'.'
The Norv |
When your speech is done, an instant, shocked hush falls over the crowd. Then it's replaced by shouts and yells. "Maniac!" "What is that thing?!" "Dark magic!" "Call the guard!" "Get him!" The crowd surges toward you, and Samms snatches Brineblood off the table and hauls you backward by the back of the shirt. "I think we better be gettin' outta here, sir!" Seeing an opportune window, the barefoot woman tosses a stool in that direction and jumps out after it through a hail of glass, pulling you along (I'm assuming you don't intend to murder random strangers in a tavern) behind her. The two of you take off down the street, with Samms laughing the entire way. Finally eluding your pursuers, you pause in a back alley to laugh and catch your breath. Samms wipes tears from her eyes.
"Heh heh heh! Yer a cocky one, 'Baster, and no mistake," she says, giggling. "Besmara's bosom, I ain't had that much fun in a few years o' sailin' on th' Wormwood. But then, no surprises there..." She smiles slyly at you. "Y'know what, the streets're gonna be dangerous fer you fer a few hours. What say we head on back t'the Shrike an' find somewhere more private t'catch up?"
As you all head out (to sell plunder?) you notice that Alabaster occasionally gets the odd look and provokes a whispered conversation as he strides the streets of Senghor...
And, you'll all note you have not one but 2 points more Infamy... ;)
Arhiel |
Arhiel heads out to negotiate the best price she can get on some plunder.
haggle: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30
Alabaster Cain |
Aye Samms, tha' be one o' tha' best times I be havin' inna while! Tha looks onna their faces was fer bein' priceless!
His eyes take on a more sly tone, and he nods.
Aye, prob'ly best ta go back to tha Shrike. Don't wanna be gettin' inta more trouble an' havin' Isaac come get us outta jail, right? Besides, I be thinkin' tha two o' us can be havin' more fun iffen we find someplace what ain't no one can be findin' ta be botherin' us, aye?
He laughs, and loops his arm around hers and starts leading her back to the ship.
Alabaster Cain |
The next day, Alabaster heads out with the crew to negotiate the sale of plunder. He waits until Arhiel has found a decent merchant, and begins her haggling before he speaks up.
Aye, she be right as a pirate prayin' ta Besmara about ' tha goods. Fine as any we be seein' out on tha' waters, fer sure.
Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
He casually runs his finger along the grip of his pistol (which is very prominently displayed on his belt) while he talks, and smiles at the man.
Also, me frien', wha' be tha goin' price fer bullets an' powder 'roun' here?
Diana Seamyst |
Diana will also sell plunder
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Isaac Silvermane |
Isaac will also aid in the sale of plunder.
Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
The Norv |
Arhiel and Alabaster head out together and manage to find a good price for the chaos teak from a lumber wholesaler: 1,200 gold pieces. Diana spends several minutes arguing with a supply captain for the guard of Senghor over the price of a package of weapons looted from the Kurstav, and when Isaac weighs in and makes it known just how much trouble the crew went to to get these weapons, the woman finally relents and pays out 1,200 pieces of gold for those as well. At the end of the day, you're well over halfway to having the cash to pay for the repairs underway on the Shrike.
I'm assuming you accept those prices, which nets you 2,400 gp total! Another day like that and you'll have plenty to pay the shipwrights and still have coin left when you sail off. Out of curiosity, are you paying the crew? The AP assumes that you pay the crew 1 point of plunder each time you convert a point of plunder to cash, but it's really up to you how often you do that (for example, my IRL game ruled that points of plunder spent on ship upgrades would not be matched with crew payments; they do that for every point they convert into cash for themselves).
Not meaning to shut any roleplay down, just want to make sure we're not still RPing this first day when you sail off! :P
Samms wraps an arm affectionately around your shoulders and leans into you slightly as you make your way back to the Shrike together. She grins. "Never thought I'd find meself enjoyin' the attentions of a younger man, so much. First time fed everythin', I guess." Once aboard the ship, she takes your hand. "C'mon...I know a place!" Grinning, she leads you belowdecks.
Aaaaand we'll draw a veil of modesty over the rest of the evening...both because these boards are PG-13 and because I want to make sure we're not still RPing this first night when you guys sail away! :P
Jaina Swift |
Intimidate (Boasting to boost Infamy?): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Edward Irmington |
So, let's see.... Edward made a cameo for Sandara.
Which i think Edward didn't give her yet.
Edward goes in search of a jewelry crafter, in hopes they will have a bargain that can get an emblem (holy symbol of Besmara) imprinted on it.
If not, a dagger with the symbol would do.
Diplomacy, haggle with romance story: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26
+1 if the jewelry crafter happens to be a woman.
The Norv |
One of his men is standing by to see you out, and you get the idea that you shouldn't linger. You head back to the ship with Thanh and Me'amesa, thinking that that probably could have gone better...but at least you know where to go if you ever need to smuggle something into or out of Senghor.
Didn't make the check, sadly. Also, not meaning to shut any roleplay down, just want to make sure we're not still RPing this first day when you sail off! :P
Edward finds a jeweler reasonably quickly, and after just a bit of haggling convinces the man to stamp him a pendant with the holy symbol of Besmara on the front and a space for his cameo on the inside. That'll be 4 pieces of gold, please! The goldsmith promises it should be ready by tomorrow, before the work on the Shrike is done.
That night passes peacefully enough, and not long after dawn the next morning you and your crew evacuate in order to let the shipwrights descend once more onto the Shrike. You see the long ram being maneuvered into place as you descend the gangplank back into Senghor.
Last day in port, at least possibly...the improvements to the Shrike will be done tonight. I assume at least a few of you will be selling more plunder?
Arhiel |
Arhiel attempts again to sell some of the remaining plunder at a hefty price.
diplo: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25
Isaac Silvermane |
No problem on the ending to the RP.
Isaac aids in Arhiel's sale, highlighting the good points of the plunder and adding in how they got them.
Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
I like Edward's idea for a gift for his lady love. Maybe I should do that. Like maybe find some song sheets for her to play on her fiddle. Or a weapon.
Jaina Swift |
Jaina seems a bit bewildered by the sight of all the workmen swarming the Shrike, mounting a new battering ram on the bow, attaching new lines to the sails, and hauling a full set of saws, hammers and planks below decks.
"Uh--er, excuse me--g*#**+MIT, that's my toe, you bastard!--What's going on here?!--"
It's somewhat of a miracle that she manages to find her way off the ship and out of the workers' way.
Alabaster Cain |
During a quiet moment Alabaster approaches Isaac.
Cap'n, I been meanin ta tell ye, back on me days o' tha Shinin' Skull, we been had secret spots all over tha ship ta hide tha more... expensive an' sensitive loot, ye see? Mayhaps we be seein iffen we can be doin' tha' to tha' Shrike? Best be makin sure only tha officers an' crew we can be trustin' know where they be, though... Don' wanna thief stealin' or a rat givin' em away iffen we ever get boarded fer an inspection...
Isaac Silvermane |
Isaac nods at Alabaster. "Aye. Tha' does sound lik' a good plan. Let's be informin' th' others an' th' shipwrights."
The Norv |
On your last day in port (in which Jaina has an aggressive run-in with the shipwrights), Arhiel and Isaac manage to sell some more of the chaos teak for 1,100 pieces of gold, and Diana (who I just realized is still camping, but presumably wants to sell plunder) brings in the same amount from some of the weapons you took from the Kurstav. This brings your total cash from the sale of plunder to 4,600 pieces of gold--enough to pay for all of the improvements, including the smuggling cabinets, and still have 1,100 left over! Now's the time to do any last-minute things you care to in port...the Aspis Consortium captain is still shackled in your brig, among other things, and of course you could sell more plunder or try to spread the word about your fame a bit more...but the work on the Shrike is almost complete!
Diplomacy D 1: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Diplomacy D 2: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Isaac Silvermane |
Isaac has a word with the shipwrights about adding in some smuggling compartments to the Shrike.
The Kurstav Captain...
Isaac approaches the former Captain of the Kurstav. He says, "Cap'n. We be in Senghor. Don't worry. We be not killin' ye. Wha' will happen is tha' we be ransomin' ye to th' Aspis. Ye will be fin'." He then takes the man out of the brig and onto the dock. He signals to a couple of his officers to come with him to ransom off the Captain.
Did we release the rest of the crew from the Kurstav?
A Gift for Rosie...
Isaac wanders around the market place. He's thinking about getting a gift for Rosie. He looks for any song sheets for her to play on her fiddle.
Does that require some kind of social check?
Do I have enough time to try and increase our infamy?
Edward Irmington |
I think the cameo was meant to be a broche of sorts, GM. ;)
A bracelet with both an emblem of her deity, and a cameo mounted on top of it, would be tricky.
The Norv |
Brooch is fine, too. ;) Re: the crew of the Kurstav, the plan had been to release the rest of them in port--I assumed you did.
Isaac manages to track down a ransom broker that will take the Aspis captain--after the man takes his cut, you make a tidy 250 gold pieces off the ransom. He also manages to find some sheet music for Rosie, though it's hard to come by--the only reason he finds anything in Avistani notation at all is that he happens to overhear a down-on-his-luck fiddler. Still, after a few silver pieces change hands, he's got a couple of tunes in his coat pocket.
That night passes quickly (but sadly, no, we're all out of time for infamy checks, etc.), and the next morning the crew, eager to set sail again, hoists the sheets and you glide out of Senghor's harbor! On the sterncastle, the officers--you all and Sandara--consult. "Where to next, captain?" the red-haired priestess asks. "Pillagin' the sea lanes? Or have yeh a more specific destination in mind?" She glances down at the crew uneasily. "Also...will yeh be distributin' any plunder to the crew in the near future? It's traditional to give 'em some when they have shore leave, an' while no one resents spendin' some of it on th'ship...it's best to keep everyone in good spirits, aye?"
On that note: splitting the gold from the sale of plunder at Senghor and the ransom of the Aspis man, you each should add 270 gp to your inventories! (I assume you split it evenly.)
Arhiel |
"Yes, we should definitely split plunder with the crew... probably should have done that BEFORE they went on shore leave so they'd have something to spend... but if we do it now, they can gamble a little in the evenings and have something to spend at our next port... what do you all think of that idea?"
Isaac Silvermane |
So, how much silver for the tunes? I'm assuming 3 sp.
Isaac nods at Sandara and the others. "O' cours'. I don't wan' to be cheatin' me crew out o' an hones' job's pay. As fer our destination, I be saying' tha' we go pillagin' th' sea lanes. Bu' iffen anyone' els' has an idea, ye be welcom' to shar' it."
Rosie and the Music...
Isaac moves to find Rosie during some free time. When he finds her, he smiles and approaches. "Ahoy, Rosie. Can I be havin' a moment o' yer tim'?"
Diana Seamyst |
Agree that we should share plunder every time we take a cut ourselves. I'd prefer to assume we did so as we sold the plunder. Does that change our cut. Also, might Diana buy some Diving Scrolls with her cut before we head out?
This is a good port captain. They pay a good price for our plunder and have the shipwrights to repair and upgrade our ship faster than I thought possible. Lets do what we can to keep it friendly to us. I say lets sail north away from this place before we ply our trade. It would be best not to tackle any targets within a couole days sailing of here.
I think we are pretty far south, right? So sail north back into the Shackles proper? And at first I thought this place was more than a week away but it seems like we made it in a couple days so I admit to being confused about distances.
The Norv |
@Isaac: 3 sp is fine. That amount of cash won't make a huge difference at this point in the game.
@Diana: If I recall correctly, it took you about 5 days to get to Senghor from Bloodcove, which wasn't quite the Shackles themselves. (It's slightly further south.)
Sandara smiles with relief. "I'm glad t'hear we'll be rewardin' the crew as we ought, sir. Just let me know how much an' I'll take care o' distributin' it."
When Isaac approaches Rosie, she looks up. "What's up, cappy? A bit busy helpin' yer ship t'run at th'moment!"
I'm going to leave this for the moment to give other people the chance to weigh in on a destination and plunder; I'm assuming that you're rewarding the crew with at least 1 point of plunder. The "expectation" is that you do so each time you sell a point of plunder, which would eat up ALL your plunder...but that's up to you!
Diana Seamyst |
Confunsed. You seem to be saying that every time we sell plunder we give it all to the crew. That makes no sense.
The Norv |
Actually, neither (though the second is closer). Sorry for the confusion. The expectation of the AP is that every time you sell 1 point of plunder, you also distribute 1 point to the crew--in other words, you keep half.
I want to stress, though, that that's definitely up to you guys...as I mentioned earlier, for example, my IRL game decided that they would not count shares of plunder that ended up being totally devoted to ship upgrades in that calculation.
What effects paying the crew more or less than "market rate" has will be nebulous, for now (I think the example I just mentioned is perfectly reasonable). I do think that at least 1 point of plunder per port (assuming you pick up some plunder every time you venture forth) is a good baseline.