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So we finished our Skull & Shackles Campaign this evening - Here's our group's significant experiences through the campaign. There will definitely be spoilers. I'm only putting a synopsis for now, but I'll try to add more specific anecdotes over the next few days.
Main Cast:
East Clintwood (Half-Orc Gunslinger)
Eretria Seaborn (Half-Elf Rogue/Ranger)
Theoric Starhelm (Human[Taldan] Fighter)
Alric Fray (Human[Ulfen] Barbarian)
Supporting Crew (Guest Players):
Jacky Calico (Human[Chelaxian] Rogue)
Davis Howell (Human[Chelaxian] Sorcerer[Starsoul])
Bethany "Bombshell" Bellamy (Dwarf Alchemist/Gunslinger)
Sandara Quinn (Human[Varisian] Cleric of Besmara)
Rosie Cusswell (Halfling Bard/Fighter)
Book 1: The Wormwood Mutiny
The crew is whipped into a group of real pirates aboard the Wormwood. After taking the Man's Promise, and just as Mr. Plugg is putting his plans into motion, he's forced to kill Scourge as a distraction to allow his escape from a mutiny of his own.
Both Plugg and the PCs land on Bonewrack Isle at separate locations and times, but collide at Aaron Ivy's place and are forced to work together to eventually defeat the Brinebrood Queen and her Whale. During this encounter, Plugg is swallowed by the Whale and then rescued by East Clintwood, leaving Plugg an acid-burned shell of a man, as well as the group's prisoner.
They are able to make successful repairs and head for Rickety's Squibbs.
Book 2: Raiders of the Fever Seas
After trying to pry the broken and now insane Mr. Plugg for information about Harrigan's plans and getting nowhere, Captain Eastwood executes Mr. Plugg and stuffs the body in a large barrel with 'BARNABUS HARRIGAN' written on the side in Pugg's blood. Many view members leave the ship at Rickety's because of this.
While there, however, they manage to win some back, as well as some new ones after saving Rickety's workers several times. They also manage to impress Free Captain Merrill Pegsworthy during their encounter with him. His words at the christening of the "new" ship Blarneycock lead the to seek an win Tidewater Rock through the Marriage of Theoric Starhelm to the Lady of the Rock.
A marriage that proved quite profitable for all and eventually lead to the birth of several smaller Starhelms. During their time operating out of the Rock, they made quite the name for themselves and eventually captured Isabella Locke - which eventually lead to the conquering of Mancatcher Cove.
Later, they rescued a sea-stranded sailor whose last words where, "The Bell... We came to fear that Bell... You will too..." Soon, Whalebone Pilk came calling, and the crew faced him down, with Eretria destroying the cursed captain's Bell and sending him to his final end.
Book 3: Tempest Rising
The Players are eventually given a Shackles Letter of Marque placing them under Tessa Fairwind's command after proving themselves to Goldtooth Tsadok and the Hurricane King.
After following dead trail after dead trail, they eventually track down the information they need to prove a spy is leaking information and bring it to Tessa. As a reward, she pays the entry fee into the Free Captains' Regatta.
The Blarneycock finishes neck-a-neck with the Wormwood, the later of which being disqualified for violations of race rules. This leaves the group with an Island to claim, and the chance for a seat on the Pirate Council.
Book 4: The Island of Empty Eyes
After being tasked with the taming of their Isle, the Blarneycock sails forth, delivering them to the Cyclopian Isle.
They eventually put Captain Otangu's soul to rest and make arrangements to begin bringing a population to the Isle.
They quickly decimate the local populations of monsters and rebuild the isle, just in time to protect it from the Eel and his machinations as well as impress the visiting Pirate Dignitaries to become members of the pirate council.
Eventually the Island of Empty Eyes becomes a major Pirate Port and the cyclopean ruins house a bustling town.
Book 5: The Price of Infamy / Book 6: From Hell's Heart (Extreme modifications to story and adventures)
After defeating the fleet sent by Harrigan and Thrune against their Isle, the PCs find a way to Harrigan's lair in the records of the Wormwood, captured in a pitched sea battle.
The players eventually face Harrigan on a stormwracked rooftop as a demonic portal is being opened. Players defeat Harrigan, whose body is sucked through the Portal. It's determined that the only way to close the portal is from the otherside - Someone must sacrifice themselves.
Without time for anyone to react, Theoric Starhelm jumped through the portal, and was last seen fighting devils as the portal collapsed.
Sailing back to Port Peril, the captains are able to intercept the Cheliax Fleet and sink it.
However, the Hurricane King has been missing since the word of an incoming fleet - leaving Tessa Fairwind to try to get the other Free Captains to work together.
Eventually, a showdown with Thrune and several demon lords on the Port Peril Docks leads to the return of Kerdak Bonefist - as Thrune's ally, and with it the revelation that He was the true spy, and that a "cleansing" of the lesser pirates from the Shackles is a good and needed thing.
Once defeated, The council eventually decide that Captain Eastwood would become the next Hurricane King. A crown he held for many years, on a troubled brow. (But that is a tale for another time...)
Captains Eretria Seaborn and Alric Fray traveled north in search of a ship that tales said could "fly across the sky to distant realms." It is generally known they where successful, if only after many more years.
And finally, when all the credits have rolled, fade back to the top of that doomed keep of Harrigan's. A pile of rubble lies where a Portal once was. A few small rocks tumble away, and Starhelm's tattooed arm pushed through the rubble...
-Fin-
Elapsed In-Game Time: Approximately 3 years.
Elapsed Real Time: Approximately 6 Months.
Caffeinated beverages: Unknown.
Beers: A lot.
Cigarettes: Cartons.
Paper: 2 reams
Ink: 3 Black cartridges, 2 Color
Fun Factor: Past Eleven.
Congratulations! My group lost momentum before they even got off Bonewrack Isle, but I hope to run it again in future. A lot of folks seem to feel books 5 & 6 need major work. What did the guy who threw his character through the demon portal do for the last few sessions?
Sounds like fun was had by all! Hope my group has as much. Luckily I have a laser printer.
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Great overview, so glad it was fun! I'm running a group through this AP and we're just getting book 6 underway. It's funny because up until book 5 your overview read fairly similar to how our group gamed, and then because of campaign developments, required a lot of rearranging of books 5 and 6 so it's quite off from what you experienced.
Thanks for sharing this!
Congratulations! My group lost momentum before they even got off Bonewrack Isle, but I hope to run it again in future. A lot of folks seem to feel books 5 & 6 need major work. What did the guy who threw his character through the demon portal do for the last few sessions?
Books 5 & 6 rely heavily on fleet combat, which my group found convoluted at best. So I worked around that.
Theoric's sacrifice was during the final session. For the rest of the evening the played a 'pirate crewman' that was a level 10 ninja I'd had made for the scenario.
I like it! Good length makes for a fun and easy read.
Sounds like you had a great campaign!
One of the best. And my groups' first fully finished RPG campaign, not just their first Pathfinder campaign. (All converts from D&D or new to the game.) our previous campaigns with 3.5 & 4th editions tended to eventually devolve into bull sessions.
There's already talk of a 'second playthrough' type campaign, but I'll be running Rise of the Runelords next, to be followed by Jade Regent.
First awesome anecdote:
Book 1 - "The legend of Tiger-Claw!"
During their time on the Wormwood, Theoric Starhelm (Lvl 2ish at the time) was dragged on deck to fight the Owlbear.
Just as it was looking like Theoric was ready to finish off, what happened next would live on for the rest of the campaign:
Scourge shouts for Owlbear to, "FINISH HIM!" and throws a club to the meaty fisted Owlbear.
A guest player's PC reacted by using Mage Hand to knock the club out of the air, sending it over the side of the ship. Theoric then proceeds to hammer into Owlbear with a series of perfect (double 20 Critical hit) punches while shouting, "TIGER CLAW!" (He later said that he'd "Learned it from a ninja he knew once.")
This drops Owlbear to a 'dying' state, at which point Theoric, to the NPC crews' amazement, spares the crab eating man-child by asking Sandara to heal his wounds. Plugg and Scourge are not amused, and Harrigan has a good laugh at their expense.
This also caused Owlbear to start calling Theoric "Little Brother" and follow him like a puppy from then on. A big, meaty, ham-fisted, crab-eating puppy.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4; Contributor; Publisher, Legendary Games
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Great overview, so glad it was fun! I'm running a group through this AP and we're just getting book 6 underway. It's funny because up until book 5 your overview read fairly similar to how our group gamed, and then because of campaign developments, required a lot of rearranging of books 5 and 6 so it's quite off from what you experienced.
Thanks for sharing this!
If you're already starting book 6 it may be a bit late to be offering extras, but if you're interested in seeing the original manuscript, email me at
If you're already starting book 6 it may be a bit late to be offering extras, but if you're interested in seeing the original manuscript, email me at
I'd Be interested Jason.
If you're already starting book 6 it may be a bit late to be offering extras, but if you're interested in seeing the original manuscript, email me atEmail sent, thank you!
As have I. Thank you, Jason.
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My group just completed its 15-month Skull & Shackles AP last night, on National Maritime Day. :-)
For anyone curious, I finished book 6 last and didn’t rearrange much at all, just wound up reversing the chapters: my group went to kill Bonefist first and then confront the armada as the finale. Also, from the above script Jason was kind enough to send out this last book ran really well. There’s lots of insight there to making Bonefist’s fortress and the Chelish Flagship sections work really well.
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If you're already starting book 6 it may be a bit late to be offering extras, but if you're interested in seeing the original manuscript, email me at
** spoiler omitted **
I'd love to get in on that action! I just recently finished running S&S and loved it enough that I'm planning on running it again for another group (my family). I'm excited to see what the original looked like!
since I do a second rerun (now as the GM) now I'd like a look at the original, too.
would it be possible to gain hold of a copy ?
absehbar at googlemail.com
thanks for the offer
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Elapsed In-Game Time: Approximately 3 years.
Elapsed Real Time: Approximately 6 Months.
Caffeinated beverages: Unknown.
Beers: A lot.
Cigarettes: Cartons.
Paper: 2 reams
Ink: 3 Black cartridges, 2 Color
Fun Factor: Past Eleven.
Wow! You have been doing some serious gaming. We play about once a week and we started last year the day after PaizoCon. We are looking to Finish the Week before PaizoCon 2013.
We have had a lot of fun. I think that Module 5 is my favorite so far. I am running it with:
Barbarian Half Orc
Elven Wizard
Human Cleric/Monk
Human Rogue
Human/Locathah Alchemist/Ranger/Demoniac
Half Elf Assassin/Sorcerer
Human Fighter/Gunslinger
Halfling Fighter Crossbow master