A Paladin among Pirates!! Sevierville players stay out


Skull & Shackles

Liberty's Edge

So... Just started Skull & Shackles and one of my players and really good friend is playing a paladin of Iomedae. I had talked to him going in about how difficult it was going to be, and he understood. We've had one game so far and he is roleplaying it very well. He's making a nice nuisance of himself trying to be honorable and just. He even protested at the keelhauling.

I've been using Sandara to help keep him from getting himself killed on a couple of occasions. So far, he is taking to her very well. She hasn't made it completely obvious that she is a cleric of Besmara yet.

The other players are both good, so I know that once we get them their own ship things will be much easier. I plan on using Story Archer's good(ish) spin on the campaign, and I think it will be very easy to send him after the Chelish Imperial Navy, being that they're devil-worshippers and all.

What I really need some help on is the thing that brought him to the Shackles in the first place. He chose the artifact hunter trait, and I need a little help. I am thinking of giving him an item that can grow with him, that way it doesn't unbalance things. I'm thinking of using either the Weapons of Legacy rules or create kind of an item set.

I know the base item (the one he knows he was sent to find) is going to be a combination of the Azant Pendant from Gods & Magic and the folding plate from Ultimate Equipment. I'm calling it The Eye of Aroden.

The backstory that I've come up with is that it was forged by Aroden for Arazni, but was lost when she was defeated by the Whispering Tyrant. Not sure where it goes from there, but I know it needs to end up on Bonewrack Isle. Maybe it was brought to the Shackles right after Aroden's "death" to see if it could be used to revive him.

I would like some ideas on where to go with this. Should I use the multiple items idea? Maybe have an item specific to Arazni and Iomedae as well? I think Iomedae wants it back because it's a relic of her original patron, and she can use it to make the paladin her champion in the Shackles region. Is that a good enough motivation for her? Enough for the paladin to stick around?

Any input is more than welcome. Thanks in advance guys


Reasons for a Paladin in the Shackles.

I would give a reason beyond McGuffin hunting. This gives him a goal but not a reason to be in the region for the long haul. I would suggest something more like an abolitionist movement. Perhaps he is to meet a contact like Merril Pegsworthy who hopes to use his position to disrupt the slave trade.


1) Maybe he has a calling to assist a kindred spirit halfling hero/Bellflower network/Chellish refugee laying low somewhere on Bag Island. Though you may need more hooks to keep the paladin around after that's accomplished around Part 2 or 3. Maybe it's sufficient to plant the ambition to supplant the Neutral Evil hurricane king and replace him with a more compassionate and law-abiding ruler.

2) Maybe he's quested with the task of bringing justice to a particular demon who committed some atrocity. According to vague divinations, the monster is said to lair somewhere in the Shackles. Maybe the special weapon you plant on Bonewrack Isle is required to beat the fiend's DR. Maybe the fiend is none other than

Spoiler:
Hyapatia, lover to the Hurricane King, featured on pp36-37 and the back cover of Part 6 (no DR that I can see, so maybe some sort of bane special quality to your weapon?)
. Of course, you leave just enough clues to string the paladin along for the whole length of the AP. Voila!

Good luck - have fun!

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder Adventure Path / Skull & Shackles / A Paladin among Pirates!! Sevierville players stay out All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.
Recent threads in Skull & Shackles