Hoist the Colours—a Skull & Shackles / Freeport / Razor Coast Pirate Campaign


Campaign Journals

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Session 14:

The next morning, Aakin, Silas, and Hakhan went up to the top battlements to see if they could spot any passing merchant ships from Tidewater Rock before taking the Tamarind into port. In spite of using the farglass Silas and Hakhan were a little too hung over to see clearly, but Aakin spotted a Rahadoumi vessel at the edge of his visual range. He also saw a human-headed winged lion flying about near the ship. The manticore verified the ship as the Sanbalot.

The Risky Venture set out to take the Rahadoumi schooner. As soon as they approached, the Sanbalot turned and attacked. The ships began maneuvering around each other trying to improve their shooting arcs. Isobel enlarged Chauncey and got ready for the Rahadoumi’s approach. The first shot fired over the Sanbalot’s bow, but the schooner managed a solid hit to the Venture’s bow.

The Sanbalot proved itself a formidable foe, gaining the weather gauge and hitting solidly with each pass. The manticore attacked and Chauncey rose up to fight it. Isobel hit the manticore with glitterdust, temporarily blinding it as Chauncey approached. The dragon and manticore tore at each other, with the manticore getting lucky and striking well in spite of its blindness.

Aakin pelted the manticore with arrows but it still did enough damage to Chauncey to cause him to retreat. It also hit Isobel with his tail spikes. Hakhan went to retrieve the tail spikes for his alchemical research. The extraction caused even more damage causing Isobel to demand he not come near her again. After some deliberation over whether to shoot Hakhan or the manticore, she shot the manticore.

Will then swung out and landed on the back of the manticore. The manticore then tried to roll in midair to dislodge Will. Will held on in spite of this. His spikes hit Chauncey rendering the dragon unconscious. Aakin killed the monster in mid-roll and Will found himself underneath a dead manticore falling into the sea. Fancy Will then jumped free, rolled into a swan dive, and entered the sea without leaving a ripple.

Hakhan pulled a spike out of Chauncey and damaged him. Minerva then spoke to Hakhan about “leaving the bodies alone.” Silas managed to steal the weather gauge and began to press the advantage. Minerva healed Chauncey and he flew off to pick up Will from the sea. In the middle of the battle a strong discussion began on to whether they needed a backup boatswain for when Will pulls this sort of crap. Dahryen stepped in to act as boatswain for the rest of the fight.

After the pounding that both ships had taken, the Sanbalot turned and tried to run. The Risky Venture maneuvered in for a broadside against the rear of the ship. They finally caused the Sanbalot to stall somewhat. They were now close enough that Aakin was able to begin sniping members of the opposing crew. They then crossed the T and smashed the Sanbalot’s rudder. She was dead in the water because of the drag. The Risky Venture moved in and grappled.

The crew swung and jumped over to the Sanbalot and found themselves in a difficult fight. Isobel was hard pressed and in trouble. Will and Chauncey arrived with Will striking the enemy captain. Isobel fell unconscious to the deck and Chauncey vanished. Will and the female captain began to duel. Aakin finally shot her and took her down while she was distracted. The rest of the crew were subdued pretty quickly after that.

Minerva stabilized and began treating all the wounded from both ships. The crew of the Risky Venture celebrated their victory as Minerva swore loudly and began working on fixing the ships. They returned to Tidewater Rock and spent the next two days repairing the ships. They then set course for Senghor.

They stayed in port for two days and Isobel looked into making her quarters luxurious. The cost was too great for the time being, so she deferred the expense and labour ‘til some later date. Will spent his time in port looking for leads on his former governess Adula, but had no luck.

On the last day in port, a well dressed woman with two guards asked to come aboard. Hakhan invited her aboard claiming to be captain, but she was not fooled as Captain Tharkidor had informed them of the crew compliment including the quartermaster’s tendencies to boldly lie. She introduced herself as Lady Marguerite, adjunct of the Aspis Consortium. Hakhan tried to wake Dahryen up, but he told Hakhan to go away as he was “busy” with Sandara. Minerva created a drink out of water for their guests and Lady Marguerite said that she had information and a business deal for Captain Carthagnion and Will Telastrum.

Minerva went looking for Captain Isobel and Will. She first found Isobel, Aakin, and Silas before continuing the hunt for Will. She mentioned to Will that a lady wished to speak with him. Will dashed out immediately and beat Isobel and the others back to the ship.

Lady Marguerite explained that the Aspis Consortium had a lead on Adula’s whereabouts and were curious to know what the crew—and Will in particular—thought that information was worth. Will immediately started in with everything he has before being pulled back into reason by the others.

She stated that they were willing to give the information for a favour. The Aspis Consortium wanted them to transport “goods” to Port Shaw on the Razor Coast. In return they would give the information, complete forgiveness for their piracy against the Consortium, and free port fees in Bloodcove. They were still concerned about the mysterious “goods.” She stated that no one was hurt by the production of this material, it wasn’t living, and that the only laws in question were Chelaxian. The crew drew back for an officers meeting to discuss in private what they should do.

Hakhan was in favour of taking the deal while Will was quite hesitant. Everyone pointed out that he wanted the free docking fees while he insisted it was his desire for the information on Will’s governess, honest. Silas was ready to go for the chance to thumb their noses at Cheliax.

When they returned to Lady Marguerite and expressed their concerns, she agreed to explain that cargo of opium—illegal in Port Shaw—an important medicine in healing. Governor Hargrove used to be amenable to gratuities in order to let this sort of thing slide. But lately he has been less “reasonable” where the Aspis Consortium was concerned. So they wish the Risky Venture to make the run and let them know how it went so they can begin their trade again.

Aakin finally agreed to support the idea on one condition: that the Consortium guaranteed that the drugs carried by the Venture were only used as medicine and that this would be a single time only. Reluctantly, Lady Marguerite agreed to send word and make this happen, but only if they agreed to return to Bloodcove when back from the Razor Sea and report all events and dangers involved. The pact was made and the Risky Venture received her cargo, placing the 100 units of opium in the smuggler’s hold except for 10% which was negotiated for Minerva’s surgical work. And so she gave the information:

The Telastrums were “disappointed” with Adula’s fulfillment of her duties. They sold her into slavery to Gellius Baradin—a Chelaxian aristocratic gambler—as a servant. To flee his debtors he took off for the Razor Coast and Port Shaw, disappearing into the back alleys. He still and his slaves with him at that time. Will placed Baradin at the top of his enemy list, swearing that he would kill him on sight. Hakhan pointed out that Baradin might be the only one who would know where Adula was. Will corrected his plan to questioning Baradin first, then killing him.

The concern over the fact that Port Shaw was a Chelish port—not exactly welcoming to a pirate ship—was considerable. Hakhan and Minerva worked out a plan to build a rotating nameplate for their ship for contingencies such as these.

After stopping at Tidewater Rock on the way out, they travelled towards Gozreh’s Passage. Eight days later, as they approached the Passage, they spotted a whaler crossing against the setting sun running against the wind. At sunset the next day a thick bank of fog rolled in. A rusted ship’s bell sounded near the ship. A large whaler appeared out of the fog named the Deathknell before it’s rotted bow disappeared into the gloom.

They realized that they were being hunted by Captain “Whalebone” Pilk and the Deathknell. Silas knew the story of the ghost ship. He told them that on the third night, the crew of the Deathknell would attack and render then crew of the Risky Venture for their blubber and then be consumed.

The next night they encountered the ghost ship again. The Risky Venture tried to flee but soon realized it was pointless. Chauncey launched himself at the enemy ship and was severely injured though he was able to help damage Pilk. Silas tried a fancy maneuver to avoid being rammed and utterly failed. The Deathknell rammed the Venture from behind and the undead began to board.

Among the zombies was an undead monkey, which caused Isobel to freak out and become much less effective. Pilk boarded them and attacked Isobel, but Minerva hit him with a searing light. He glared at her and then vanished into the mists along with the rest of his crew and the Deathknell. The crew sighed with relief as Minerva went below and began repairing the holes.


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They are now 6th level, so I will be putting up the stats soon.

I should note that the light sensitivity thing on Silas' stat blocks was a computer error. Feel free to ignore it. I do! :)


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Session 15:

The first task after repairing the ship was completing a revolving nameplate and coming up with two alternate names for the Risky Venture: the Unicorn and the Titan’s Mistress. Hakhan and Minerva set to work and completed the changes over the next four days.

Soon after they began moving through Gozreh’s Passage the crew spotted an Andoren merchant ship moving much slower ahead of them. The Risky Venture fired a warning shot across her bow. The crew of Blostin’s Second Chance prepared to receive boarders. Isobel recognized the ship as a merchant trader from Andoran that traded with Sargava.

The pirates attacked and were met by a single brave sailor and a tired old dog. Chauncey landed on the edge of the ship to help intimidate the “opposition”. Hakhan demanded they hand over their flag and stuff. Will then swung over and tried to intimidate the crew as well. The single sailor and Duchess the dog were not going to back down. Isobel tried to negotiate an end, but also failed to dislodge the sailor.

Silas swung across and tried to intimidate the sailor and dog and finally got them to surrender. Captain Blostin came out from hiding waving a white flag. The demoralized crew of the Blostin’s Second Chance watched as the cargo was seized. Minerva carved a “Third” over the “Second” on the nameplate. Isobel managed to recruit five more sailors and Duchess the tired old hunting dog.

To compensate for the humiliating loss, Will gave Captain Blostin a courtier’s outfit to make him dress as a captain should and cheer him up. It didn’t work. The crew of the Risky Venture left Blostin enough money to get some new cargo (so they could hit his ship again later).

After sending Blostin’s Third Chance on it’s way, the Risky Venture continued on towards the Razor Coast with the cargo it would now use to disguise its nature for the period of time it would be passing as the Titan’s Mistress.

It took them four days to pass through Gozreh’s Passage and they ran into a tropical storm as they entered the Razor Sea. Though they had some slippery decks and a few mishaps, Aakin’s experience with the Eye of Abendego allowed them to pass through unscathed.

They passed the cesspool Carcass to the northeast, avoiding it as the reputation was so horrid. Two days out from Kai Bay they encountered a four-masted Chelish ship. They made themselves the Titan’s Mistress and flew the Rahadoumi ensign. Minerva rendered Will unconscious with a drug to avoid problems with the bluff they were about to try.

The Bonedeuce’s Pride, a forty nine-gun Chelish frigate out of Port Shaw, pulled up alongside the Risky Venture and asked their cargo and destination. They passed on the lie of cereals and manufactured goods for Port Shaw. Captain Gregory Bonadeuce came aboard with twenty Chelish marines and proceeded to search the ship as a “security precaution” against smugglers and pirates.

The crew were familiar with the legend of Captain Bonadeuce and Jacob Razor taking out Garr Bloodbane, the Pirate King of the Razor Sea. As the greatest of all Chelish pirate hunters, Bonadeuce set the entire crew on edge.

Although this was intimidating to Captain Isobel and her crew, Bonadeuce smiled and was quite friendly. They got along quite well as Minerva kept Fancy Will unconscious down in the surgery and out of the Chelaxian’s way. After searching the ship and not finding the smuggling hold, they parted peacefully, with Bonadeuce wishing them a good sail.

They pulled into Port Shaw two days later, a pilot coming out to the ship and tried to charge them twenty gold to bring them in. Silas realized this was a lie and growled that he would give him twenty of something. The pilot took them in without another word. They docked alongside the Dominator of all ships.

Silas gave the pilot five gold to make nice, however Hakhan picked the man’s money pouch as he left the ship. Captain Isobel, Silas, Minerva, Hakhan, Will, and Aakin set out to find someone to sell their trade good to and to make contact with whoever was in charge of the Temple of Quell to offload their quasi-legal cargo. Minerva went off to find a bar.

They overheard a debate about whether a black shark exists or not. The younger men dismissed the tale as nonsense. Old Craw—an ancient sailor with a hook hand and two peg legs—confirmed the existence of a black shark and no one would contradict him.

When Hakhan tried to play up the story, Old Craw stated that he recognized them as the crew of the Risky Venture based on their reputation. He then ignored them. They were eventually directed to Old Fish, a supply store proprietor, who connected them to people who would buy their supplies.

There were a couple of other people in the shop discussing a murder case. One said he believed Harok McFarrows’ tale of a man-shark devouring his village while the other one believed that he murdered his wife and family for the love of another woman. After concluding their business with Old Fish, they realized that Minerva was missing.

Minerva found a bar called the Broken Skull and went in. There she watched two half-orcs fighting in a gladiatorial match. The rest of the party headed out to find Minerva and discovered her in the bar. Silas was particularly interested in the pit fight going on between the two half-orcs.

Since the food consisted of “meat” at 1 cp a scoop, they decided not to eat there. When one of the half-orcs fell, Hakhan and Minerva decided to talk to the loser to possibly recruit him to the crew. Belok Talorg was recognized by Aakin as a member of the Wave Riders, a group of heroes who tried to kill the krakenfiend the haunts the waters of the Razor Sea.

Minerva tried to get Belok away from his drinking. He said he wasn’t interested. Hakhan brought up the kraken, but did it diplomatically enough that Belok told him to go away before he broke Hakhan’s face. Minerva helped Belok get a better drink and he thanked her.

They headed out to find the Chapterhouse of Quell. They found Zalen Trafalgar, a handsome young cleric of Quell, who was willing to accept their opium for medical use as he was in favour of its use for non-recreational medical treatments. They arranged to drop it off at night.

Zalen talked to them a while about his mission to reopen the Chapterhouse. Two months ago both the man who ran the temple and the man replacing him went missing. Zalen was concerned, but had no way of knowing what happened to Archibald Noeliss or his replacement Dalang Jalamar.

Will began making enquiries into Gellius Baradin and found out he was last seen betting at the Broken Skull. Hakhan told Will to try and talk to Belok and definitely for Will to ask about the half-orc’s kraken story. Will was soon beaten unconscious and Minerva had to make the amends and then heal Will when she got him far enough away from Belok.

As the rest of the crew prepared to offload their cargo, they overheard some rumors about Garr Bloodbane’s gold, the krakenfiend, and an ill-fated expedition by some rich twits. Then a schooner crashed into the docks, covered in blood. A single survivor was found on deck, a young boy unconscious at the wheel.

Back at the Broken Skull, Will stood up on a chair and asked who knew Gellius Baradin. When asked what he wanted Baradin for, Will declared himself Baradin’s worst nightmare. The bar pointed in the direction of the Jade district. Minerva got better directions and then the two of them set out.

The found him in a hovel between the Tide district and Jade district. William challenged Baradin saying that he would kill Baradin after he answered Minerva’s questions. Minerva asked what he did with Adula. Will then said he would kill Baradin, but Minerva pointed out that they would never learn about Adula if he did that. So Will corrected himself and said that Baradin would answer Minerva BEFORE Will killed him.

Baradin refused and decided to kill them both. They began to duel, with Minerva helping heal Will as the fight went on. When things became desperate, Baradin threw a used chamber pots contents at Will’s head, blinding him. Will fought on. Then Baradin threw the chamber pot over Will’s head, but Will still managed to disable the villain with an instinctive and well-placed strike.

They disarmed him and tied him up. When woken up, he finally answered that he sold Adula to a brothel up the coast at White Moon Cove. Will slit his throat, showing Minerva the dark side of the Telastrum family in Will for the first time.

Meanwhile, the crew smuggled the opium to Trafalgar under cover of the confusion around the crashed schooner at the dock. Minerva and Will returned to the ship, and Minerva brought the young boy from the bloody schooner aboard the Risky Venture and treated him. He woke up shouting about how black sharks had killed everyone. His name was Eddie, and he couldn’t say much more about what happened as he fell at the beginning of the attack.

They did some investigating and discovered that Eddie was from Harok McFarrows’ village. No one else in Port Shaw wanted anything to do with Eddie as a result, so Minerva took him in. They set sail for White Moon Cove as Bonedeuce’s Pride came in to port.


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Session 16:

En route to White Moon Cove, the ship passed close to the Pearl Eye Atolls. Understanding that the treasure of the Pirate King Garr Bloodbane was generally believed to be buried somewhere in the island chain, they decided to check out an island without a chart or map and “hope they get lucky.”

Not having a chart proved to be important as the Risky Venture ran aground on a hidden shoal some fifty yards off the shore of a large island. Minerva went to work repairing the minor damage from the hit. As they got ready to push off, a large group of small humanoids ran out of the jungle and began swimming rapidly out to the ship.

Careful observation revealed them to be a form of undead common to the Razor Sea called fah-jee (a shorted name for their real more complex name, but essentially meaning Undead cannibal pygmies). The crew prepared to defend themselves.

The fah-jee swarmed up onto the ship and began to try and devour Chauncey. Hakhan lit and threw a bomb: apparently his studies in alchemy had born destructive fruit. Minerva, Silas, and Will were swarmed by them, but the bombs from Hakhan—doing a little friendly fire—helped weaken them greatly and Aakin’s arrows took them down quickly.

The crew took the respite to begin scouting the now deserted—they hoped—island. They arrived on the shore and began searching for signs of human activity when a true monstrosity slowly lumbered out of the jungle: a fah-jee totem warrior. This mass of heads, torsos, and limbs covered in blood and viscera promptly took Chauncey down to a point that Isobel dispelled him rather than have him fall.

At this point, the party decided to leave the island immediately. They got in the row boat and began moving as fast as Hakhan, Will, and Silas could row. Aakin used his bane arrows, Minerva used sound burst, and Isobel used rapidly killed summoned celestial sharks to whittle down the creature while it pelted them with body parts.

Eventually they defeated the grotesque undead construct, but they determined to skip trying for any more islands without an actual map. Some days later they discovered a large number of barrels marked the Queen Alcia floating tangled in a small mass of weeds on the sea lanes.

Hakhan remembered that the Queen Alcia was a pirate hunter/privateer out of Cheliax. Investigating the broken ship boards revealed large sucker marks, possible indicated the kraken-fiend was responsible. The forty barrels were well sealed and contained confiscated loot from various pirates. They took the plunder aboard as a freebie and continued on their way.

The ship pulled into White Moon Cove another six days later as the Titan’s Mistress. At the docks they were greeted by Barro Godwyn—head of the village council—and Galen Nrek—the constable. The asked Captain Isobel and her crew what their business was.

Will stated that they were there to rescue a damsel in distress from their horrid brothel. The confused officials stated that there was no brothel in White Moon Cove. He then said “Adula! Now!” They said that Adula could be found at Dorna’s Fishmonger’s Shop down the docks.

Will started off and the rest of the officers followed. After kicking in the door and threatening an innocent fisherman, he was sent to see Dorna. Dorna said that she did actually know Adula and who was he to ask? When Will stated who he was, Dorna and her girls were delighted and began making a fuss over him as Adula had told them all about him.

Adula showed up and there was a very happy reunion. Adula was a plump, pretty woman in her mid to late thirties who had been staying at the fishmonger’s shop after Dorna had freed her from Gellius Baradin in return for her working for Dorna. She had been making knitted and sewn clothing for the community, her specialty being water resistant ponchos for people; she gave one each to Aakin and Hakhan.

Will and Aakin decided to pay the crew’s wages for the port stay as a rescue had proven unnecessary. They decided to stay in port for a day so that Will could have a good visit with Adula. Aakin began investigating any unusual activities in the area, as he felt that the community was too good to be true.

He met with Kandra, the quiet and kind priestess officiating at the priestess of Quell. She was able to allay his fears because of the town’s attempt to build a peaceful relationship with the Tulita. The only real problem was the tax situation with Port Shaw. Each time the village thought it had a grip on the tax rate, Hargrove would up it. The bimonthly shipments were getting progressively worse.

She also talked about the sahuagin activity centred on the Sunken Pyramid, an underwater structure either natural or artificial in nature. Raids and occasional disappearances were concerning, but usually interrupted by the constabulary before these get out of hand.

In the middle of the night, screams rang out on the docks. Silas, Aakin, Chauncey, Will, and Hakhan came out on deck to see a massive sahuagin raid in which people were killing and capturing people. Minerva and Isobel began following as they could after being awakened.

They began fighting the sea devils who were using wands to subdue villagers and began dragging the unconscious people under the water. Aakin stunned and burned them with a blistering invective spell. The sahuagin began to flee while some tried to hold the line and let the others escape.

The party soon dispatched most of the sahuagin near their ship, with a second blistering invective finishing off most of the remaining sea devils. A spell caster proved more difficult, but arrows, bombs, and spells finished him off as well.

Soon the sounds of battle were replaced by moans and crying of the village survivors as the last sahuagin fled into the sea.


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They levelled a couple of sessions ago, but I wanted to wait until Hakhan’s level in Alchemist was no longer a secret before posting! So here are our “heroes” at 6th level:

Minerva Wood, Ship’s Surgeon/Carpenter
Female human (Chelaxian) cleric of Cayden Cailean 6
NG medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +3
----- Defense -----
AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 46 (6d8+12)
Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +8
Defensive Abilities +2 vs. Charm, Compulsion, and Emotion Effects; +2 Trait bonus vs. mind-affecting effects for 1 hour after drinking alcohol
----- Offense -----
Speed 40 ft.
Melee mwk rapier +7 (1d6+2/18-20) or
+1 morningstar +7 (1d8+3)
Special Attacks Channel positive energy (3d6)(4/day) (DC 14)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6h; concentration +9)
6/day—rebuke death
Spells (CL 6th; concentration +9)
0-level—animate tools, light, mending, stabilize
1st-level—air bubble, bless water, cure light woundsD, enhance water, remove fear
2nd-level—consecrate, cure moderate woundsD, drunkard’s breath (DC 15), remove paralysis, sound burst (DC 15)
3rd-level—cure serious woundsD, searing light, symbol of healing, water breathing
Domains: Healing, Travel
----- Statistics -----
Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 12
Base Atk +4; CMB +6; CMD 17
Feats Drunken Brawler, Endurance, Lightning Reflexes, Self-sufficient, Turn Undead (DC 11)
Flaw Choke Under Pressure
Skills Acrobatics +1 (+5 Jump), Appraise +1, Bluff -1, Climb +2, Craft (carpentry) +13, Craft (ships) +6, Craft (siege engines) +5, Diplomacy +1, Heal +17, Intimidate +1, Perception +3, Profession (sailor) +10, Sense Motive +12, Spellcraft +6, Survival +6, Swim +4
Traits Anatomist, Fortified Drinker, Principled, Ship's Surgeon
Drawback Doubt
Languages Common, Polyglot
SQ Agile Feet (6/day) (Su), aura (good)
Gear Masterwork studded leather armor, +1 morningstar, masterwork rapier, masterwork artisan's tools (Craft [carpentry]), artisan's tools (Craft [ships]), artisan's tools (Craft [siege engines]), backpack, belt pouch, flint and steel, healer's kit, hip flask, holy symbol—wooden (Cayden Cailean), holy water, signal whistle, silk rope, 13 gp, 2 sp

Hakhan, Quartermaster
Male human (Chelaxian) alchemist 1/rogue (smuggler) 5
CN medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses Perception +8/+7*
----- Defense -----
AC 16/18*, touch 13, flat-footed 13/15* (+3 armor, +3 Dex/+2 natural*)
hp 40 (1d8 + 5d8)
Fort +3, Ref +9/+11*, Will +0/-1*
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee brass knuckles +6/+8* (1d3+2)
or improvised junk +8/+10* (1d3+2)
Ranged improvised junk +8/+10* (1d3+2)
or pistol +6/+8* (1d8/x4)
Special Attacks Sneak attack (+3d6)
5/day—Bomb +7/+9* (1d6+4 fire)
Extracts (CL 1st)
1st-level—bomber’s eye, cure light wounds
----- Statistics -----
Str 12, Dex 16/20*, Con 10, Int 19, Wis 8/6*, Cha 16
Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 17/19*
Feats Brew Potion, Catch Off-Guard, Combat Expertise, Exotic Weapon Training (firearms), Improved Dirty Trick, Point-Blank Shot, Throw Anything, Weapon Finesse
Flaw Distractible
Skills Acrobatics +11/+13*, Appraise +9, Bluff +11, Climb +6, Craft (alchemy) +13, Craft (tools) +11, Craft (traps) +10, Diplomacy +11, Disable Device +14/+16*, Escape Artist +8/+10*, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (local) +8, Perception +8/+7*, Profession (navigator) +6/+5*, Profession (sailor) +3/+2*, Sense Motive +7/+6*, Sleight of Hand +14/+16*, Stealth +11/+13*, Swim +7
Traits Dockside Brawler, Grim Optimism, Improvisational Equipment, Surprise Weapon
Drawback Pride
Languages Common, Kelish, Osiriani, Polyglot, Varisian
SQ Alchemy (+1 to alchemy checks and analyze potions and alchemical items), bribery +1, conceal item, distraction, firearm training, grim optimism (1/day, +2 bonus vs. fear and pain effects for 1d4 rounds to all allies within earshot), mutagen (+4 Dex, -2 Wis, +2 Nat AC for 10 minutes), obfuscate story, uncanny dodge
Gear Masterwork studded leather armor, brass knuckles, pistols (x2), alchemical acid (x1), animal glue, backpack (satchel), belt pouch, black ink, camouflage netting (urban), candelrods (x2), chalk (x2), charcoal stick (x2), compass, dice, false-bottomed cup, gear maintenance kit, hip flask, inkpen, invisible ink (average), mess kit, parchment (x5), powder (x1), scroll case, sealing wax, shaving kit, silk rope, sunrod (x2), tindertwig (x2), twine (50’), 26 gp, 10 sp, 6 cp
*with mutagen

First Mate Dahryen Moon
Male human (Kellid) bard (buccaneer) 6
CG medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +9
----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 50 (6d8+6+5)
Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +5
Defensive Abilities +4 vs. bardic performance, sonic, and language based attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 boarding pike of repelling +8 (1d8+4/x3)
or +1 boarding pike of repelling +6/+6 (1d8+3 (x3)/1d6+3 (x2))
or longsword +6 (1d8+2/19-20)
or osiriani short sword +6 (1d6+2/19-20)
Special Attacks Hilt bash, knock out (+3 bonus to hit, +6 nonlethal damage)(1/day), song of surrender (DC 14)
Spells (CL 6th; concentration +9)
0-level (at will)—dancing lights (DC 13), daze (DC 13), detect magic, ghost sound (DC 13), mending, prestidigitation
1st-level (5/day)—feather fall (DC 14), grease (DC 14), hideous laughter (DC 14), silent image (DC 14)
2nd-level (4/day)—cacophonous call (DC 15), glitterdust (DC 15), invisibility, silence (DC 15)
----- Statistics -----
Str 15, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16
Base Atk +4; CMB +6; CMD 19
Feats Arcane Strike, Dazzling Display (boarding pike), Double Slice, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (boarding pike)
Flaw Spell Futility
Skills Acrobatics +12, Appraise +1, Bluff +11, Climb +8, Diplomacy +11, Disguise +3, Escape Artist +3, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (engineering) +5, Knowledge (local) +8, Perception +9, Perform (comedy) +9, Perform (oratory) +11, Perform (sing) +11, Profession (sailor) +7, Sense Motive +11, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +8, Swim +4, Use Magic Device +9
Traits Acrobat, Buccaneer’s Blood, Osirion Staff Fighter, Reactionary
Drawback Hedonistic
Languages Common, Hallit, Osiriani
SQ Bardic Performance (17 rnds/day), countersong, distraction, fascinate (2 targets, DC 16), inspire competence +2, inspire courage +2, song of surrender (DC 14), versatile performance (oratory,singing), well versed
Gear Masterwork studded leather armor, +1 boarding pike of repelling, longsword, osiriani short sword (appears similar to a khopesh, but no special abilities), backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, explorer’s outfit, fine spices (cinnamon, cumin, ginger, pepper, allspice, basil, rosemary), flint and steel, grappling hook, rope, soap, waterskin, 5 gp,4 sp

Captain Isobel Imperia Novennia Charthagnion
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) summoner 6
Init +2; Senses Perception +0
----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor {mage armour}, +2 Dex)
hp 39 (6d8)
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +5
Defensive Abilities Shield ally (+2 AC/Saves when within reach of eidolon)
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +4 (1d4-1/19-20)
Ranged pistol +6 (1d8/x4)
Spells (CL 6th; concentration +11)
0-level (at will)—detect magic, guidance, mage hand, message, read magic, resistance
1st-level (6/day)—enlarge person (DC 16), grease (DC 17), mage armor, shield
2nd-level (4/day)—bull’s strength, glitterdust (DC 18), haste,lesser evolution surge (DC 17)
Spell-like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +11)
8/day—summon monster III
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 19, Wis 10, Cha 20
Base Atk +4; CMB +3; CMD 14
Feats Augment Summoning, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms), Extra Evolution, Spell Focus (Conjuration)
Flaws Nonathletic
Traits Merchant, River Rat, The Governor’s Child, World Traveler (Sense Motive)
Drawback Maimouphobia
Skills Appraise +13 (+14 when bargaining), Bluff +5, Climb –3, Diplomacy +15, Disguise +5, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (geography) +13, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (nobles) +8, Profession (sailor) +9, Ride +8, Sense Motive +10 (+11 when bargaining), Spellcraft +8, Swim +7, Use Magic Device +9
Languages Common, Draconic, Halfling, Osiriani, Polyglot
SQ bond senses (5 rnds/day), eidolon link, life link, maker’s call (1/day), share spells with eidolon, shield ally
Gear boots of the cat, masterwork dagger, pistol, 10 bullets and powder, scroll of mage armor, wand of mage armor, spell component pouch, 421 gp, 5 cp

Chauncey
This large blue-black lizard’s head is the size of a dog with a glowing rune on its forehead and wings on it’s back. It has a very short rounded snout and it’s big eyes make it almost nauseatingly cute.
Chauncey
N Medium Outsider
Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8
----- Defense -----
AC 21, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +8 Natural)
hp 48 (5d10+10)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +1
Defensive Abilities +4 vs. Enchantment Spells and Effects, evasion
----- Offense -----
Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee 2 claws +9 (1d6+4) and bite +9 (1d8+4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks pounce (full attack after charge)
----- Statistics -----
Str 18, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11
Base Atk +5; CMB +9; CMD 22
Feats Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Power Attack
Skills Acrobatics +6, Climb +4, Fly +12, Knowledge (planes) +6, Perception +8, Swim +9
Languages Common
SQ evolutions (ability increase (STR), bite, claws, flight (wings), improved natural attack (bite), improved natural attack (claws), improved natural armor, limbs (x2), pounce, push (claws))

William Eudonius “Fancy Will” Telastrum III, Boatswain
Male human (Taldan) swashbuckler 6
CG medium humanoid (human)
Init +6; Senses Perception –1
----- Defense -----
AC 19, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +4 Dex, +2 dodge)
hp 61 (6d10+12+4)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +1
Defensive Abilities +1 shield bonus to AC when fighting with two weapons
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier of battlefield movement +14/+9 (1d6+6+6/15-20)
or mwk dagger +12/+7 (1d4+2+6/17-20)
or rapier of battlefield movement +12/+7 (1d6+6/15-20) and mwk dagger +10 (1d4+1/17-20)
Ranged mwk dagger +11 (1d4+1+6/17-20)
----- Statistics -----
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 19
Base Atk +6; CMB +7; CMD 23
Feats Dazzling Display (rapier), Dodge, Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier), Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting
Flaw Blatant
Skills Acrobatics +13, Bluff +2, Climb +10, Diplomacy +4, Disguise +2, Escape Artist +13, Intimidate +12, Perception –1, Profession (sailor) +7, Sense Motive –1, Stealth +2, Swim +9
Traits Fencer, Rich Parents, Touched by the Sea
Languages Common
SQ Charmed life (4/day), derring-do, dodging panache, kip up, menacing swordplay, nimble +1, opportune parry and riposte, panache (4 points/day), swashbuckler finesse, swashbuckler initiative, swashbuckler weapon training +1
Gear Masterwork studded leather armor, rapier of battlefield movement, masterwork rapier, masterwork dagger, potion of cure light wounds, potion of cure moderate wounds, courtier’s outfit with jewelry (50 gp), silk scarf, 2x belt pouch, hip flask, 317 gp.

Silas Rand
Male half-orc brawler 6
CG medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +2; Senses Perception +12
----- Defense -----
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +1 natural, +2 dodge, +2 Dex)
hp 53 (6d10+12)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +10/5 (1d8+5)
or brawler’s fury +8/+8/+3 (1d8+5)
or +1 short sword +11/+6 (1d6+5/19-20)
or dan bong +10/+5 (1d8+5)
----- Statistics -----
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +5; CMB +9; CMD 23
Feats Alertness, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Enforcer, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, Toughness
Flaw Blatant
Skills Acrobatics +10, Bluff –3, Climb +10, Diplomacy +4, Disguise –3, Escape Artist +7, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +11, Knowledge (history) +4, Knowledge (local) +7, Linguistics +4, Perception +12, Perform (oratory) +6, Profession (navigator) +10, Profession (sailor) +10, Sense Motive +12, Stealth +0, Swim +10
Traits Bare-knuckle Fighter, Bruising Intellect, Ease of Faith, Skilled Crewman (Knowledge (geography))
Drawback Attached (Belt Buckle with Family Crest & Symbol of Desna)
Languages Common, Ghol-Gan, Jistka, Osiriani, Polyglot
SQ Brawler strike (magic), dirty trick training, martial flexibility (6/day, swift action), martial training
Gear Mithral chain shirt +2, amulet of natural armor +1, +1 short sword, dan bong, bed roll, belt buckle with crest, belt pouch, compass, dice, pathfinder chronicle (Knowledge (geography)), tanglefoot bag, waterproof bag, 391 gp, 4 sp

Aakin
CN Medium Male Tengu Inquisitor 6
Init +7; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +11
----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 35 (6d8)
Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +9
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee tidewater cutlass +6 (1d6+2/18-20) &
bite +0 (1d3) or
bite +5 (1d3+1)
Ranged composite longbow (Str +1) +8 (1d8+1/x3)
Spells (CL 6th; concentration +10)
0-level (at will)—brand, create water, detect magic, disrupt undead, guidance, light
1st-level (5/day)—cure light wounds, divine favor, interrogation (DC 15), peacebond (DC 15)
2nd-level (4/day)—blistering invective, cure moderate wounds, hunter’s lore, tongues
Spell-like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +10)
At will—detect chaos/good/evil/law;
6 rnds/day—discern lies;
1/day—hydraulic push
Inquisitor Domain Conversion Inquisition
----- Statistics -----
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 10
Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 18
Feats Coordinated ShotB, Duck and CoverB, Focused Shot (+2), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot
Flaws Slow Runner
Traits Besmara’s Blessing, Cheat Death, Hurricane Savvy, Zealous Striker
Drawback Headstrong
Skills Bluff +12, Climb +8, Diplomacy +12, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (local) +3, Knowledge (nature) +6, Knowledge (planes) +6, Knowledge (religion) +11, Linguistics +7, Perception +11, Profession (cook) +11, Profession (sailor) +16, Sense Motive +15, Stealth +5, Swim +10
Languages Common, Ghol-Gan, Osiriani, Polyglot, Tengu, Tulita
SQ Bane (6 rnds/day), cunning initiative; detect alignment; judgement (2/day); judgement of Sacred Destruction +3, judgement of Sacred Healing 3, judgement of Sacred Justice +2, judgement of Sacred Piercing +3, judgement of Sacred Purity +2, judgement of Sacred Protection +2, judgement of Sacred Resiliency 2, judgement of resistance 6, judgement of Sacred Smiting (Chaos, Magic); monster lore +4; solo tactics; stern gaze; teamwork feat; track +3
Gear Masterwork studded leather armor, tidewater cutlass, composite longbow (Str +1), 20 arrows, Besmara’s tricorne, 5 ft. pieces of rope (x5), backpack, candle, canteen, cooking kit, fishing kit, flint & steel, wooden holy symbol (Besmara), mess kit, whetstone


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Session 17:

After the battle, some of the more level headed villagers began calming the situation and keeping the more passionate from doing rash things like jumping into the sea to pursue the sahuagin and their captives. As Will ran off to check on Adula, the crew pondered whether they should get more involved or not.

Then Will came running back stating that Adula was kidnapped by the sea devils and that he intended to rescue her. However, the crew wanted to negotiate their fees for heroic actions with the town council without Will undermining their position. Silas told Will to check to see if Adula wasn’t hiding under her bed. Distraught and not thinking, Will agreed that she might be in hiding as Adula has always had a problem with thunderstorms and ran off to check.

They offered Barro Godwyn, the head of the town council, to help for whatever reward they may be able to fund. Godwyn offered 500 gp plus whatever they could find in return for attempting to rescue the stolen villagers. Will came running back and said Adula was definitely missing. Hakhan tried to bluff that the deal was 400 gp, but Isobel was aware of this and held him to the real deal.

They waited until morning before setting out to the area of the Sunken Pyramid. As they set out, some of the crew seemed nervous, as though they wanted to go nowhere near the pyramid. They promptly encountered the Mermaid’s Mistress, a single-masted cutter showing damage, coming into port.

The crew of the Risky Venture hailed the ship and the two vessels came along side each other. The captain of the cutter, Markessa, came aboard and greeted Captain Isobel. Her ship had been attacked by sea devils and took some of her crew. When she learned that they were heading out on a rescue mission she provided some goods to help them rescue her crew including Allyseth, her first mate and lover.

She verified that they had been near the Sunken Pyramid when they were attacked. She also explained that the pyramid was involved in mariner’s tales going back centuries, explaining why some of the crew was so nervous. Kraken were part of those tales, so Hakhan made it clear that he had been lying about the Kraken. A passing giant squid grabbed a few sailors off the ship as it passed while he was making this statement, undermining the confidence he was rebuilding considerably.

The Mermaid’s Mistress left them and limped into White Moon Cove and the Risky Venture continued on. They arrived near the Sunken Pyramid in the waning hours of the day. The water was very murky, making it difficult to see anything very clearly. There were quite a few sharks around, raising some concerns.

They dove in after Minerva cast water breathing on the party and Isobel gave Chauncey a potion of water breathing. Minerva promptly sank, showing a decidedly bad ability in actual swimming. The pyramid was obviously of intelligent design close up, and the party began looking for an entrance. They failed to find one across the top surface.

As they began searching the sides a pair of sahuagin hunters returned from the deep with a dolphin carcass. They spotted the party and swam into the top of the pyramid. Most of the party were able to swim back up to the top of the pyramid, but Minerva was aided up by Will. She conked him on the head for his presumption. Though they saw where the sea devils entered, there wasn’t anything there when the party got there. They found an illusionary wall covering a passage down.

The party descended to a chamber and met in battle a number of sahuagin, prepared for them. The battle was joined quickly, but Minerva set off a sound burst which was so powerful underwater that she alerted the entire layer of the pyramid that the party was here. It also damaged the entire party as well as the sahuagin. It stunned a number of sea devils—killed one—as well as stunning Hakhan, Will, and Aakin. Will and Aakin let go of their weapons and Aakin’s bow began to float away.

Feeling guilty over the shocking result, Minerva swam forward and healed Chauncey as he was weakening. When Hakhan overcame his stun he swam forward; he picked up Will’s rapier and proceeded forward to attack, killing one. Will was handed his rapier by Hakhan and moved back into battle. Chauncey took a terrible blow and Isobel absorbed it to keep him in the battle.

Two new waves of sea devils arrived and joined the battle along with two small sharks. Things began getting quite grim. Hakhan handed a sahuagin attacking him a bomb saying, “Here, hold this!” The startled sahuagin actually took it and it blew up in his face. Silas began taking so many wounds, he fell to the edge of dropping, his native orc ferocity keeping him up. He freed the sahuagin he was fighting from his grapple as Aakin swam in and healed the half-orc.

The enraged sahuagin fighting Hakhan began tearing into the smuggler, so Hakhan used some alchemical substance to create a blast in the face of the monster and blinded him. Suddenly Minerva cast calm emotions and managed to cause all the sahuagin to stop fighting for a short duration. She and the party used the respite to heal up and reposition for when it wore off.

After binding their wounds and setting up, the battle resumed in full fury. Isobel once more absorbed damage from Chauncey to save him. Silas successfully hog-tied a sahuagin, making him helpless. Aakin, Silas, Will, and Chauncey cleaned up the remainder quickly while Hakhan began scouting around for any sign of other sahuagin and/or loot.

He found the larder, which only revealed that they didn’t share the sea devil’s tastes in food. In the next chamber they found some weapons and eight niches in the floor filled with various valuables (art pieces, money, and gems), some junk, and some flasks of Caydenbrew Whiskey from Absalom (claimed by the Ship’s Surgeon).

They found a chamber to the side that had skulls adorning the walls and pictures of a half-sahuagin/half-shark type creature. They noticed that the floor had been disturbed, which was strange as inhabitants swim not walk. Hakhan located a hidden niche that was difficult to open. Silas tried to open it and slipped. He then tried to pry it with a spear and broke the weapon. Minerva then used a spear and succeeded.

They found some shark teeth, coins, masterwork decorated trident, and a necklace that had three crystals—each crystal with a butterfly embedded inside it. They moved on down the corridors and found a chamber with stone chests and a corridor leading down further into the pyramid. They found a small bag with some art pieces, magical bolts, and coins. Then they descended down into the dark with the first hour of their two hour water breathing exhausted.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Session 18:

The party descended into a large circular chamber with five exits. Every surface in the chamber was covered in writing, symbols and pictograms. No one, not even Aakin with his linguistics skills, was able to translate the writing.

They chose a tunnel across from their entrance began exploring. They began fighting sahuagin they encountered as they passed through some of the living quarters of the tribe. They looted as they went and began comparing the treasures they found with their old loot. Minerva found a forgotten ring of swimming. She immediately claimed it and became much more competent in her swimming ability.

After fighting their way through the habitat, they encountered a hasted sorcerous sahuagin in a magic laboratory. The battle was difficult as Silas and Chauncey both were blinded by the creature. The sorcerer kept moving about, trying to avoid being overwhelmed. He also tried to attack Isobel to eliminate her and Chauncey from the field. Isobel used her ability to connect with the dragon to guide him in combat.

The battle moved back and forth with the sorcerer trying to kill Isobel and take out the dragon. Silas used blind-fighting techniques learned in the gladiatorial pits to great effect. The sorcerer used vampiric touch on Will and began healing himself. Finally it went berserk and attacked Isobel with claws and fangs. Shortly thereafter, Silas killed the sorcerer even though blind.

After looting his body, the party studied the room and the various apparatus. They found some pink pearls, some acid, a cure potion, and a shark tooth amulet. This magic item would allow them to add to their time water breathing. Chauncey was dismissed until Minerva would have the opportunity to heal the dragon.

They moved on and ran into the hatchery and began fighting the guards of the eggs. They quickly took them down. Isobel summoned a shark and the sahuagin promptly overthrew her control and the shark turned on the party. The shark bit Silas without doing damage. Hakhan helped Silas destroy the shark.

Isobel now summoned three celestial octopi which promptly attacked the sahuagin. The party promptly finished off the guarding sea devils. They moved on to the next chamber filled with bones. They there encountered Hizcopaal, an oracle of Dajobas. He asked them why they had come and Will stated they had come to kill all of the sahuagin—until Minerva reminded Will about saving Adula and Will corrected himself before Minerva reminded him that he wasn’t supposed to speak underwater at all.

Hizcopaal agreed to help the party if they agreed to kill Nahuatal—a monster shaped like a great shark that had drawn the sahuagin away from the true faith. The party agreed to kill the monster and it’s cleric, No’chilok, while sparing as many sea devils as possible. The oracle cured Silas’ blindness and helped heal the party. He also gave them another shark tooth amulet. Isobel summoned Chauncey and Minerva prepared and cast a remove blindness spell on him.

He then gave them information on the lower level and how to get to the temple. He advised them to avoid the arena where most of the warriors were. He also advised them to avoid the throne room. The captives were being held in a chamber next to the Sacred Deep that Nahuatal uses as his lair. The captives would start being sacrificed in two days’ time and would continue for another five days after that.

They would have to be swift in order to get out without too much notice. So they set out and descended down into the lower level. Moving as quietly as they could, they came to a large intersection and turned left. They noticed a tunnel to the left off the main path they had been told to take. Hakhan investigated and discovered a sahuagin inspecting the end of the twenty foot tunnel that appeared to have been excavated recently.

Hakhan snuck up on the sahuagin and stabbed him from behind. The rest of the party then swam in and attacked killing the sahuagin before he could react. They looted the body and proceeded back into the main hall where Silas was able to determine the sounds of twelve warriors and some small sharks in battle in the arena from the sounds drifting back from there. One warrior seemed stronger than the others and did not sound sahuagin.

Hakhan took a potion of invisibility and snuck down to check out the brawl. There he saw a large chamber with many sahuagin watching a battle between a group of sahuagin warriors and a single triton. Hakhan remembered the Old Bastard that he once served under used to torture people in a similar manner.

Hakhan decided to swim up behind a large stone shark statue and removed a keystone and pushed from behind to drop the statue into the arena. He then swam down into the confused sahuagin and deployed an oil of darkness to create a cloud to hide his conversation with the triton. He handed the triton another potion of invisibility and then told the wounded warrior to swim away.

The rest of the party now got quite concerned by the sudden crash from the arena. The party began rapidly moving towards the temple as they heard concerned noises coming from the direction of the throne room. Hakhan and the triton swam out into the intersection and Hakhan gave his companion information on how to get out. They split up and the triton headed out of the pyramid while Hakhan went to rejoin the party. He rejoined the party as the invisibility effect wore off. The entire sahuagin force followed the blood trail of the triton away from the party.

They arrived at the temple and encountered some sahuagin studying a huge calendar stone on the far wall. Using the noise from behind them to keep the fight from being noticed by the general sahuagin population, the party moved into to attack. Battle was joined and the temple guards attacked Will after he charged into their midst.

A priestess attacked with an unholy blight that had a limited effect, but Will was sickened. The fight switched to deal with this new threat. Chauncey charged in and received a touch of evil from the priestess, sickening him. They soon overcame the remaining opposition and defeated the temple priestess. They then prepared to study the chamber and find the entrance to the Sacred Deep.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

This last session was quite momentous, so let’s get to it:

Session 19:

The party looted the dead sahuagin and then began searching the area for any sign of the passage to the Sacred Deep. They found a number of valuable shark idols and a sacred stone tablet with sayings from the sahuagin life philosophy engraved on it. Aakin translated it and agreed with some of the sayings, but drew the line at imposing order over chaos.

They then began searching the walls and floors for secret doors. Silas searched the large stone tablet in the centre of the far wall of the temple. Aakin identified it as a calendar stone. Silas located a secret door in the centre of the stone. When he opened it, he set of an unholy blight trap effect that affected only him.

Behind the door Silas discovered a cramped chamber with a broken spear, stone tablets, and a gigantic shark tooth. The stone tablets were worn almost smooth from the eons they had been existence, but Aakin was able to identify faint images of aboleths on them. Aakin gave measurements on the shark as about forty foot long. Minerva cast mending on the spear and made it whole again.

They proceeded to search the floors and walls and found nothing (scratching themselves and the like) until Chauncey—watching in disgust—sighed and opened up the secret door he found to the side of the calendar stone for them. This revealed a stone corridor leading down into the dark.

The followed the corridor down into a massive dark chamber filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Chauncey observed a sahuagin peeking out from behind a stalactite at the edge of his darkvision. Isobel began enhancing Chauncey with magic and the party with haste. A hollow voice echoed in their minds asking who was disturbing the Sacred Deep.

Will stated that he would answer, but he wasn’t allowed to speak underwater. Then he charged into battle against the hidden sahuagin. As he passed the stalactite, he saw another creature, apparently half-sahuagin/half-shark, readying for battle near the first sahuagin. Silas and Hakhan moved in to help Will. Minerva moved towards them as well, keeping back a little.

A huge shark suddenly appeared in the middle of the cavern, it’s eyes glowing with malice. The first sahuagin cast blindness on Will, complicating the battle. Aakin targeted the shark and moved close enough to use his bow. The were-shark attacked Will with a powerful trident and Will proved effective in battle in spite of being blind, striking back true.

Isobel enlarged and strengthened Chauncey who attacked the shark. Nahuatal breathed out a massive blast of cold water, knocking Chauncey, Isobel, and Aakin back as it damaged them. Chauncey charged back in and began tearing into the beast. Silas began engaging the sahuagin priestess and had great difficulty taking her down as she continually healed herself.

Will was rendered unconscious by the were-shark and Minerva began healing him to keep him in the battle. Hakhan moved in and flanked with Silas to begin taking the beast down. Aakin moved in and began healing Will as well. The were-shark entered blood frenzy and tore Hakhan apart with his claws and teeth, killing the quartermaster. Will got back in the fight and began doing serious damage to the were-shark warrior.

Chauncey was bit by the devil-shark and held in it’s maw. With a mighty gulp, the shark swallowed Chauncey whole. Chauncey tore at the interior of the shark, but Nahuatal destroyed the eidolon’s form and then moved to attack the rest of the party.

Isobel blinded the were-shark with glitterdust, evening up that fight considerably. She then summoned two celestial octopi to engage the massive shark. Nahuatal began tearing them to shreds as they were able to hurt him in spite of their small size. Isobel then summoned an electric eel to strike the shark. The shark killed it immediately.

Finally Will parried and riposted an attack by the were-shark followed by a critical thrust through the beast’s heart, finally killing it. A second eel finally reduced the monster shark to disabled with it’s electric shock as Chauncey had done enough damage to almost take it out. A second shock as the shark tried to withdraw finished it.

Silas managed to pin the priestess after a series of failed attempts, but the death of Nahuatal sent her into a blood frenzy. She cast slay living on Silas, but he managed to shrug off most of the spells effect. The party then combined their efforts and Silas finally snapped her neck.

After determining that Hakhan was all-dead and not just mostly-dead, they went through his clothes and pouches for gear and loose change. Minerva claimed Hakhan’s pistols for herself. They then looted the bodies of the sahuagin and began searching the chamber for the prisoners. Silas found an illusory wall that hid a small tunnel going upwards, possibly out of the pyramid. The stalagmites and stalactites were carved with glyphs that Aakin identified as aboleth marks.

Minerva went to an opening in the ceiling that led to the prisoners, all still alive thanks to magic. There were the crew of the Mermaid’s Mistress including the first mate Allyseth, Adula and the villagers, some locathah, aquatic elves, and a mermaid princess with her lady-in-waiting. They were manacled to the walls. Silas broke the manacles with a crowbar.

The party took Hakhan’s body, led the prisoners to the hidden tunnel, and began to ascend. They came out the side of the pyramid through another illusory wall. As they swam towards the Risky Venture, they saw a large number of bodies in the water, both sahuagin and not. The force that had pursued the triton apparently attacked the ship.

The triton—Azurel—was speaking with Dahryen when the party arrived. Dahryen explained that they had been attacked by a wave of sahuagin including a four-armed brute that the first mate killed himself. Eighteen crew had been killed, including the dwarf “Narwhal” Tate from the Wormwood.

The crew pulled the remaining non-aquatic prisoners aboard. Azurel spoke of his respect for Hakhan and that he would praise him to his tribe. The royal mermaids were joined by another mermaid who had been captive of the sahuagin chief and after thanking the crew they went on their way. So did the locathah and aquatic elves.

The ship headed back to White Moon Cove, though five of the villagers were recruited into the crew. Captain Markessa was overjoyed at the return of her crewmates and lover, proclaiming that if ever they needed her help she would be there. They were paid the five hundred gp and Adula said goodbye to Will. The ship then set out to return to the Steaming Sea and Bloodcove. They decided to preserve Hakhan’s body with gentle repose and hold a funeral for him at Tidewater Rock, as he was the husband of Lady Agasta Smithee.

Aakin was promoted to quartermaster for the time being. Minerva determined that the were-shark’s trident was an unholy trident, and she dumped it overboard at the soonest opportunity. Two days out from the Razor Coast, a nor’easter whipped up and the bell of the Deathknell could be heard in the fog. The ghost ship got the upper hand on the Risky Venture and rammed into her side.

A mob of brine zombies clambered onto the deck while Whalebone Pilk hammered away on his bell. Silas, Aakin, Will, and Chauncey attacked the zombies that had come aboard and drove them back. Thalios fired three cannons at the Deathknell, but they were sighted long and missed. Pilk attacked Minerva with his harpoon and prepared to pull her to him. Silas ripped the harpoon out of her body and stuffed it into a brine zombie killing it with a critical hit.

Pilk pulled back the harpoon and discarded the zombie body. Silas fired off a cannon at Pilk and struck him, nearly destroying the body of the undead monster with a single shot. Aakin moved forward onto the Deathknell and fired off his hydraulic push from the tidewater cutlass on Pilk, knocking the fiend back from his bell.

Chauncey crossed over to the ghost ship and attacked the undead monkey next to Pilk’s bell. Will ran over and attacked Pilk directly. Minerva cast sound burst on Pilk (avoiding Will). Pilk glared and vanished into the fog along with his ship. Aakin, Will, and Chauncey were taken back aboard from the sea. The crew discussed tactics and decided that the next time the ship showed up, they would target the damned bell and see what that did.

The Risky Venture took another two weeks to get to Tidewater Rock. As they prepared to inform Lady Agasta about Hakhan’s death, they were signalled from the fortress. Apparently there was some sort of attack shortly before their arrival. They came ashore and found out that some sahuagin had raided the Rock, killing a guard and wounding a goatherd.

Minerva went to work and repaired the leg of the goatherd, following it with divine healing. Lady Agasta was grateful for the assistance and glad for the return of Hakhan’s body for burial. This was something she wasn’t able to do with her first husband. Sandara oversaw a double funeral that was held for the guard and the Lord of the Rock.

Lady Agasta told Isobel that she was still considered a friend and the captain was welcome to come to the Rock whenever she wished. At the end of the day—as the gates were being closed—another group of sahuagin attacked and tried to get inside. The party joined in the defence and swiftly killed the sea devils. They came to the conclusion that hunting down the sahuagin and killing them might be worth considering.


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RIP Hakhan.

Your pranks, impulsive fun, and general chicanery will be greatly missed.


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Hakhan's player here. He was an enormously fun character to play, but a character so impulsive is not likely to survive long and I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. Due to fortuitous timing, he died a hero, which (believe me) was never his intent.

I think my favourite Hakhan moments from the campaign were scoring a critical hit with a thrown crab, defending the lifeboat in that big battle, and if course handing a bomb to a sahuagin and bluffing him into accepting it. Boom!

I can only hope my new character Lillit is half as much fun to play.


Fifth Element wrote:

Hakhan's player here. He was an enormously fun character to play, but a character so impulsive is not likely to survive long and I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did. Due to fortuitous timing, he died a hero, which (believe me) was never his intent.

I think my favourite Hakhan moments from the campaign were scoring a critical hit with a thrown crab, defending the lifeboat in that big battle, and if course handing a bomb to a sahuagin and bluffing him into accepting it. Boom!

I can only hope my new character Lillit is half as much fun to play.

While Hakhan insists he was defending the lifeboat, most the senior crew believe he was hiding in said lifeboat.

Those moments you've chosen are good ones to remember him by. His consistent desire to place Will in harm's way will be missed as well.


Silas Rand wrote:

While Hakhan insists he was defending the lifeboat, most the senior crew believe he was hiding in said lifeboat.

Those moments you've chosen are good ones to remember him by. His consistent desire to place Will in harm's way will be missed as well.

Well, did they capture the lifeboat? I think not. Ergo, mission accomplished. And besides, it was more napping than hiding, really.

I forgot the whole Slippery Syl thing as well. Carving the "Will You Be My First Mate?" token was also a highlight.


Feros wrote:
Finally Will parried and riposted an attack by the were-shark followed by a critical thrust through the beast’s heart, finally killing it.

Sounds like a tremendously great session. My sympathies for the loss of Hakhan. Am I right in assuming that he will be replaced by a new character or is there a resurrection miracle around the corner?


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MrVergee wrote:
Feros wrote:
Finally Will parried and riposted an attack by the were-shark followed by a critical thrust through the beast’s heart, finally killing it.
Sounds like a tremendously great session. My sympathies for the loss of Hakhan. Am I right in assuming that he will be replaced by a new character or is there a resurrection miracle around the corner?

Yep, new character coming in. Where she will fit into the crew I have no idea, but it is a cool character!


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Session 20:

Before setting sail the next day, Silas did a full search and inventory of Hakhan’s cabin. He didn’t find anything, but determined to search again later. As they approached nightfall on the first day travelling to Bloodcove, a nor’easter came down again and the bell of the Deathknell could be heard again. They changed the cannons on the Risky Venture to grape shot to help with blasting zombies.

The Deathknell gained the weather gauge over the Venture and began to close in. Silas took advantage of its maneuver and swung the ship around to come up alongside the derelict and Thalios opened up with his cannons, but failed to do much damage. Pilk threw his harpoon at Silas and hit him, sticking the harpoon into his flesh.

Chauncey charged into battle and began ripping brine zombies apart. Will swung across and tried to knock over a zombie, but the zombie remained upright. Even so, he engaged the enemy in earnest. Aakin charged over onto the {i]Deathknell[/i] and attacked with his cutlass. Isobel cast spells and shot her pistols into battle as support. Minerva fired off a searing light spell at the bell of the Deathknell and began to damage it.

Pilk hauled in the harpoon and Silas with it, at which point Silas pulled the harpoon out of himself and stood up just below the wheel and Whalebone Pilk. Pilk sent a disembodied hand into Silas’ chest and began trying to suck the air out of the navigator’s lungs. Silas resisted this first attack. Isobel cast haste to speed up the group and intensify the attacks. Minerva cast sound burst and took out some zombies while ringing the bell.

Silas began pummeling the bell in an attempt to break it. Then Pilk attempted the breath stealing attack again and began killing Silas. Aakin moved up to attack Pilk and defend Silas. As the fight began getting desperate, Minerva remembered they had two [/i]javelins of lightning[/i]. She began throwing lightning bolts at the bell. She took out some zombies along the way and the bell began to crack.

The zombies swarmed towards Minerva, opening up themselves to the rest of the party to attack. Silas kept hammering at the bell and managed to crack it. Pilk began to desperately attacking Silas with his claws to get him off the bell. Aakin knocked Pilk off the bridge with a hydraulic push from his tidewater cutlass. Minerva blasts the undead with pure energy. Then Silas smashed the bell and broke it in two. Pilk screamed and vanished, along with the brine zombies.

As the derelict whaler began to sink, they quickly checked below decks to see if anything else was left and found a mass of pirate treasure. They officers commanded the entire crew to loot as fast as they could from the rapidly sinking ship. It was all gems, coins, art objects and jewelry. They got what they could then got off before it sank belief the waves. Aakin picked up the broken pieces of the bell and took it as a trophy.

The ship sailed on towards Bloodcove. The crew began calling Silas “Iron Fist” after what he managed to do to the Deathknell’s ship bell. Silas seemed quite content with this sobriquet. As they passed to the north of a small archipelago three days later, they spied a number of ship sails near Tarin’s Crown. Apparently the blockade on Jared Tarin’s island had been implemented and was still going on. Isobel and her crew decided to go there after completing their business in Bloodcove.

They arrived two days later at Bloodcove. Among the roots of the mangrove trees, they set into port and were greeted by Tesha Umbertine, the dwarven Dockmaster of the port city. She told them that they were expected and that all docking fees had been waved. The crew should wait for Lady Marguerite who would be along within the hour.

Lady Marguerite was asked about the fact that the cleric wasn’t expecting them. She pointed out that they were the ones who wanted an honest contact. Had they wanted someone who actually was expecting them they wouldn’t have been able to keep the trustworthy level high. They explained the situation on the Razor Coast and Port Shaw in particular, going into some detail about the whole smuggling operation.

Lady Marguerite was impressed with their skills and pointed out that if they didn’t want to be involved in the drug trade, they could try smuggling lumber, chocolate, whale oil, and gems out of Port Shaw without paying the export duties. The Consortium would pay very well for that sort of service. Their principle contact in Port Shaw was a man called Old Fish. Since they had already had some dealings with Old Fish, it was entirely satisfactory.

When Isobel suggested just taking ships coming out of the Port, Marguerite applauded as that would up their profits considerably. Using Old Fish for targeting was perfectly acceptable. She stated that if they brought any goods from Port Shaw to Bloodcove, they would get premium rates (as if they were in Senghor, but without the docking fees).

While this was happening, Minerva headed to the Witchlight, an Inn down on Warehouse Row. Once there, she overheard Maheem the rigger discussing introducing a woman in long robes and cloak to the Risky Venture’s Boatswain about joining the crew. Minerva intervened to avoid the embarrassment that Fancy Will was almost certainly going to bring and asked why the woman was interested in sailing with them.

The woman introduced herself as Lillit and she wanted to join because of the ship’s encounters with sea monsters. Lillit was studying such monsters and was particularly interested in the sahuagin. Minerva asked if Lillit had any experience aboard a pirate ship and she stated that yes she had been on a number of them over the years. All that remained was to ask if she had any pets or such as the Captain was not fond of monkeys. Lillit admitted to having a monkey statue (which has gills for some reason) and a monkey tattoo. Minerva said that was fine and took her to introduce Lillit to the Captain.

As Lady Marguerite left the ship, Minerva and Lillit arrived. Minerva introduced the woman to the crew and Captain Isobel. Isobel was dressed to impress in full courtier’s gown, making Lillit wonder what sort of pirate ship she was joining. The appearance of Silas reassured her that it was a real pirate vessel. When Dahryen and Isobel began questioning her about her abilities (and Fancy Will tried to dissuade her from joining a pirate crew as she was a lady), Lillit informed them that she was quite capable of working most positions on a ship—or any trade for that matter—except for rigger. She then pulled back her robes and revealed that she was missing her right arm.

Thalios decided to test her versatility by giving her a gun crew and asking her to load a cannon with them. Lillit shrugged and proceeded to order the loading of the cannon swiftly and competently. While Lillit went to the task, Minerva informed Isobel that she had checked the new recruit for monkeys and she didn’t have any. Lillit then volunteered to act as Quartermaster, since she heard from Minerva that the Risky Venture was lacking one and she had the skill set required.

Since quartermaster was one of the most important positions on a ship, Silas and Isobel were reluctant to hand that responsibility over to a new recruit. Silas suggested that Lillit could be supervised by Aakin in the role until competency—and trust—could be proven. Lillit agreed that this was sensible. She admitted that her prime reason for coming aboard was the sea devils they were encountering. She despised the creatures and was curious as to why there was so much more activity from them lately.

Silas asked how much experience she had with the sahuagin and Lillit admitted that she had no experience at all. She had seen a number of coastal villages destroyed by them however. Isobel and Silas asked what ships she had served on. Aakin began using his discern lies ability on Lillit but did not detect deception. She served on the Noble Hurricane, the Hell’s Wave, and the Crimson Warlock. Silas asked about her fighting abilities. Lillit explained that she had some arcane power but was not a scholarly caster.

Aakin determined alignments for Lillit and the crew. Then the crew spent a day in port and restocked the ship, Lillit’s first day and job as quartermaster under Aakin’s supervision. Silas did a final search iof the quartermaster’s cabin before assigning it to Lillit, and found the secret cache of gold pieces that Hakhan was sneaking from the crew. It wasn’t much, but at least it was recovered. Will went shopping at the Free Trade Square for what he considered to be proper female attire for Lillit. This did not go over well and Will found himself in the dress when he woke up the next morning after drinking with Lillit and Minerva the previous night.

Two days out from Bloodcove the ship arrived at Tarin’s Crown to find the blockade was up to twelve ships led by the Ravishing Ruby under the command of Captain Aurora “Cyclops Jane” Henley. She fired a catapult shot past the Risky Venture as a warning shot. The Venture raised a white flag for parley and came in close to allow boarding. Captain Henley greeted Captain Carthagnion warmly and asked if the Risky Venture had come to join the blockade.

When asked if they could go to the island, Henley said that no one would stop them. If they tried to leave with the Pirate Queen’s Pearl then there would be a problem. The reason for the blockade became apparent when the crew observed the island through their farglass: sea walls forced a ship to enter the lagoon by a slow and set path that put them in direct fire of two large catapults set on top of the center pear of the island next to a small tower. Any ship trying to navigate it would be disabled and seized by the crew of the Silver Narwhal, Red Skewer Tarin’s ship.

So the pirates were blockading the entry so that Tarin would be starved into giving up the prize. Whichever ship in the fleet was strongest would be able to seize the Pearl at that time. Asked if there was another landing point, Henley just laughed. The reason Crown Isle had been avoided for so many years was because of the lethal jungle that destroyed anyone foolish enough to try and claim it. She pointed to a ship from their blockade that had decided to try through the jungle. It was in close to the island and was being plundered for wood and supplies for the rest of the blockade. “The crew vanished into the jungle and we haven’t seen them since.”

Henley was fine with the crew of the Risky Venture going for it, but informed them that she would not accept them leaving with the Pirate Queen’s Pearl. She needed the relic for her own purposes and this was non-negotiable. She then bid them good day and returned to the Ravishing Ruby. The crew of the Risky Venture then retired to the Captain’s Cabin to discuss strategy.


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The longest post yet. Almost like the material spoke to me somehow…

Session 21:

Various strategies were discussed including magical flight, running the seawall, and parley. They finally settled on sailing around to the southern side of Tarin’s Crown and setting towards the cliff face through the jungle. As they travelled into the dense, dark foliage they began hearing clicking, tapping, and drumming all around them. They moved forward cautiously.

Silas sensed movement right before an ambush attack in a dank thicket about one hundred feet into the jungle. A large party of vegepygmies charged in with spears and then backed off to throw javelins at the party, injuring Minerva, Lillit, and Isobel. One of the plantmen moved up and clawed Silas, staying in close. On his second attack, he managed to infect Silas with russet mold. Chauncey and Will attacked the leader vegepygmy and destroyed it. Silas then shook off the effects after taking some damage.

Lillit unleashed an ice storm and destroyed five more vegepygmies. The surviving plantmen threw their javelins at Lillit, injuring her. Isobel unleashed black tentacles on the survivors and soon they were grappled and struggling. Will charged in to kill one and got too close to a hidden patch of russet mold and inhaled a spore burst. Will immediately began to feel the effects of the mold on his body.

Minerva Channeled energy and healed the group, except for the damage done by the mold. Lillit used a wand of magic missiles on a vegepygmy and killed it. The tentacles finished them off. Will began going downhill fast, the mold taking hold. Minerva cast lesser restoration as Will continued to decline. The sounds of vegepygmies clicking and drumming began to fill their ears. Will was in terrible state when he finally shook off the infection. The crew decided to retreat over Aakin’s objections and returned to the ship.

Minerva cast restoration on Will back on the ship and they began discussing a new strategy. They discussed sneaking over by the seawalls and walking up the beach of the lagoon to the path and dock. Since they would be seen by the Silver Narwhal, they decided to wait until nightfall to make the attempt. They continued to discuss details as there was great concern over running into jungle without trail. They even considered walking in underwater with water breathing. This was rejected as they needed a boat for removal of loot.

They finally came up with a plan: they would go in by the long boat created by Aakin’s Besmara’s tricorne at low tide during the night so they would remain hidden by the tall seawalls. They would then try and row to the west side of the lagoon without being seen in the light of a half-moon once they got inside the seawalls. Minerva decided to cast an augury to determine whether this plan was a good one. With Cayden Cailean as her god, she swirled her mug of ale and checked the foam. It came up a perfect head, so they knew this should work.

The Risky Venture rejoined the blockade. They rested for eight hours and got in top shape before setting out under the cover of darkness. They rowed in to the seawalls undetected and navigated through to the lagoon. They waited at the entrance for twenty minutes for a cloud to move over the half-moon and hugged the inside of the western seawall when they went to the beach. Once ashore Aakin restored his hat and they proceeded towards the Silver Narwhal skirting the edge of the jungle for stealth.

On deck of the ship they saw three bedraggled pirates on watch. They could see that other pirates were aboard below decks. The party decided to walk up to the boat and see if they could negotiate with the crew there. If it didn’t work, they would have to deal with them through violence and keep an armed party from being behind them when they went for the tower. They kept Chauncey back at the edge of the jungle in reserve.

The watch saw them approaching and called an alarm. The crew came up on deck led by a light brown skinned woman who asked who they were. Isobel introduced herself to the woman who was unimpressed having never heard of Captain Carthagnion or the Risky Venture. Silas asked if they wanted the embargo lifted and the woman replied of course they did, they were starving. Immediately, Minerva produced a large number of bottles of ale and offered them to the crew. The delighted crew gratefully accepted and the woman led the party below decks to discuss the situation in parley.

The woman introduced herself as Alsindra Devrol, the first mate of the Silver Narwhal. Isobel asked permission to go up to the tower unmolested by the crew. Alsindra was reluctant to betray a friend like Tarin even though times were tough. She offered to pay them to bring in supplies, help them escape, help fight through the blockade, anything. Minerva pointed out that the Pirate’s Queen Pearl was the problem and getting rid of it was the solution. Alsindra stated that she already made that suggestion and that it didn’t go over well.

The first mate said that if they wanted the Pearl, they would have to do something very big for the pirates in trade. Minerva suggested that the Pearl seemed to be harming Tarin in some way, but Alsindra disagreed. She said it was Tarin’s own paranoia and a weasel of a half-elf navigator named Gren Trevak. Trevak had been filling Red Skewer’s head with lies and building the paranoia to a point where Tarin only trusted the navigator. Tarin now believes that he was betrayed from within and he seemed to suspect Alsindra.

Alsindra and those crew who believed that Gren was screwing everything up so that he could become captain were exiled from the tower to the Silver Narwhal. They lost a number of the crew travelling down from the tower without sacrifices to the jungle, leaving Alsindra with only twelve pirates loyal to her and the ship. Minerva and Isobel eventually persuaded Alsindra to let the party move on without incident on condition that they promise to attempt to get a surrender and keep bloodshed to a minimum. She described Gren as a half-elf having white hair, a goatee, and dressed like a fop. Everyone glanced at Will as the description was close except for the goatee and elf-blood. She also encouraged them to try and reason with Tarin, but she conceded that he may be too far gone at this point. It might be a mercy to put him down.

Alsindra wasn’t interested in the Pearl herself and stated that if it was gone—and the blockade was lifted—the Silver Narwhal would sail away from Tarin’s Crown, never to return. Isobel said they had a deal. They shook on it and headed out. Aakin seemed very upset and when asked what was amiss he made it clear that they were interfering in the running of another pirate crew. This broke the spirit—if not the exact letter—of the Pirate’s Code. He had difficulty reconciling it and controlling his emotions over it.

They moved up the winding trail through the jungle in single file. Lillit cast a light spell on a coin to help them navigate their way. About half-way up the trail Silas heard someone following the group. As they stopped a group of toxic assassin vines attacked the party. One of the vines grabbed Isobel and began to crush her. Then the plants in the area started to grab and hold at the party’s feet. Silas and Minerva began attacking the vines as the rest of the party were surprised by the vines.

As the party began to respond to the vine attack, a female half-elf came out of the jungle from behind them and began aiding the party. Lillit was grabbed by a second vine as Isobel began to fail. Chauncey immediately came to the aid of his mistress. Will managed to rip one vine apart with his rapier fairly quickly. Isobel began being slowed down by the toxins from her contact with the vine. Shortly thereafter they finally finished off the vines.

The half-elf introduced herself as Pielanga, a pirate from the Cheated Admiral who sent her in to infiltrate the pirates of the Silver Narwhal—replacing one of the pirates taken by the jungle and disguising herself as that pirate—and get tactical information for an assault. The rest of her crew were supposed to hack their way in to the lagoon and she would meet them. The crew informed her that the crew of the Cheated Admiral had indeed come ashore three days ago and vanished into the jungle. The rest of the blockade were stripping the ship for spare materials.

Depressed at the loss of her crew and the dreadful status of the Narwhal pirates, Pielanga asked Isobel if she could join the crew of the Risky Venture. Will suggested that as a lady she should be a homemaker and that this was no life for a pretty lady. Lillit stated that if she have to put up with that sort of crap from Will if she joined them. Aakin used his discern lies ability and determined that she was being honest. Minerva asked if she was a drinker and Pielanga said not heavy, so Minerva was ok with that. Isobel accepted her into the crew.

Lillit began flying ten feet off the ground the rest of the way to the summit to avoid contact with the foliage. They arrived at the small two-storey tower and found no one outside of it. Silas and Pielanga heard the pirates inside the door talking about the possibility of making a run for it and trying to break the blockade. Lillit floated up to the top of the tower, but found no entrance had been made there. Silas tried to climb up to help her search, but was unable to get a good purchase on the wall and jarred some stones loose when he slipped. The pirates in the tower went silent.

The party heard a banging noise that sounded like a table being flipped on its side come from within the tower as Lillit returned to the ground. With any stealth lost, Silas decided to knock on the door. Someone inside asked who they were and what did they want. Silas asked if Gren was there and a lighter voice replied asking again for what they wanted. Then he asked the party if the traitor Alsindra sent them. They tried to bluff Gren Trevak by stating that they didn’t know who Alsindra was. They didn’t fall for it and refused to unbar and open the door.

They informed the pirates that they had a dragon, but they still refused to believe them. Isobel tried to get Chauncey to roar, but it came out as a high pitched “meep” sound. Chauncey glared at Isobel as she was the one who gave him form. There was a lot of laughter from inside the tower. Lillit gave up caring and hit the door with a lightning bolt, splintering it. Aakin then fired an arrow into the room and tried to intimidate the pirates. He succeeded in shaking their resolve, but they fought on.

Chauncey charged in and found the pirates taking cover behind a large overturned table. He moved to attack to one side of this barrier and encountered Gren Trevak with two pirates, ready for battle. Silas joined Chauncey in attacking the half-elf. The pirates opened up with their crossbows, hitting Will as he came to the door. Some bolts came down through murder holes in the ceiling and struck Chauncey, one was poisoned. Pielanga and Will moved in and struck but it proved difficult to find a target. Lillit used spells as Gren used magic to enhance his weaponry to begin taking down Chauncey.

Minerva used dimension door to take Aakin and herself to the upper floor to confront the crossbowmen firing through the murder holes. There they encountered Captain Jared Tarin and five of his pirates. Tarin declared they would never take his island or the Pearl and attacked with his rapier. Aakin used his bane ability and shot three arrows into Tarin doing massive damage, but not taking him down. Tarin struck Aakin with his poisoned rapier in response for the arrow assault.

Meanwhile Lillit used hypnotism to fascinate a couple of the crossbow wielding pirates and Chauncey shook off the poison. Isobel then dismissed Chauncey and summoned a celestial dire boar to attack the pirates from behind. Aakin drew an attack from Tarin in order to fire his bow again and pierced the pirate through the heart, killing him. The five remaining pirates were shaken by this, but did not surrender.

Aakin drew his cutlass. He and Minerva managed to take down a few more of them and then Minerva cast calm emotions to get them to surrender. Below the dire boar and Lillit made quick work of three more pirates, while Will flipped in the air, swung off a chandelier with his feet hooked in it, landed behind Gren Trevak, and ran him through while telling the pirates to stand down. At last the pirates surrendered and the tower was taken.


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Feros wrote:
Will flipped in the air, swung off a chandelier with his feet hooked in it, landed behind Gren Trevak, and ran him through.

This is exactly why we should all play a 'pirate' campaign. Classic!


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They levelled up so here are our “heroes” at 7th level:

Captain Isobel Imperia Novennia Charthagnion
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) summoner 7
Init +2; Senses Perception +0
----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor {mage armour}, +2 Dex)
hp 47 (7d8)
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +6
Defensive Abilities Shield ally (+2 AC/Saves when within reach of eidolon)
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +5 (1d4-1/19-20)
Ranged pistol +7 (1d8/x4)
Spells (CL 7th; concentration +12)
0-level (at will)—detect magic, guidance, mage hand, message, read magic, resistance
1st-level (6/day)—enlarge person (DC 16), grease (DC 17), mage armor, shield, unfetter (DC 16)
2nd-level (4/day)—bull’s strength, glitterdust (DC 18), haste,lesser evolution surge (DC 17)
3rd-level (2/day)—black tentacles, greater invisibility
Spell-like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +12)
8/day—summon monster IV
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 19, Wis 10, Cha 20
Base Atk +5; CMB +4; CMD 15
Feats Augment Summoning, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms), Extra Evolution, Leadership, Spell Focus (Conjuration)
Flaws Nonathletic
Traits Merchant, River Rat, The Governor’s Child, World Traveler (Sense Motive)
Drawback Maimouphobia
Skills Appraise +14 (+15 when bargaining), Bluff +5, Climb –3, Diplomacy +16, Disguise +5, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (geography) +14, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (nobles) +8, Profession (sailor) +10, Ride +8, Sense Motive +11 (+12 when bargaining), Spellcraft +8, Swim +8, Use Magic Device +9
Languages Common, Draconic, Halfling, Osiriani, Polyglot
SQ bond senses (7 rnds/day), eidolon link, life link, maker’s call (1/day), share spells with eidolon, shield ally
Gear boots of the cat, cloak of resistance +1, masterwork dagger, 2 pistols, 10 bullets and powder, scroll of mage armor, wand of mage armor, spell component pouch, 421 gp, 5 cp

Chauncey
This large blue-black lizard’s head is the size of a dog with a glowing rune on its forehead and wings on it’s back. It has a very short rounded snout and it’s big eyes make it almost nauseatingly cute.
Chauncey
N Medium Outsider
Init +7; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
----- Defense -----
AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+3 Dex, +10 Natural)
hp 59 (6d10+12)
Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +2
Defensive Abilities +4 vs. Enchantment Spells and Effects, evasion
----- Offense -----
Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee 2 claws +10 (1d6+4) and bite +10 (1d8+4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks pounce (full attack after charge)
----- Statistics -----
Str 19, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11
Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 23
Feats Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Power Attack
Skills Acrobatics +6, Climb +4, Fly +13, Knowledge (planes) +7, Perception +9, Swim +10
Languages Common
SQ evolutions (ability increase (STR), bite, claws, flight (wings), improved natural attack (bite), improved natural attack (claws), improved natural armor, limbs (x2), magic attacks, pounce, push (claws))

.

First Mate Dahryen Moon
Male human (Kellid) bard (buccaneer) 7
CG medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +10
----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 59 (7d8+7+6)
Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +5
Defensive Abilities +4 vs. bardic performance, sonic, and language based attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 boarding pike of repelling +9 (1d8+4/x3)
or +1 boarding pike of repelling +7/+7 (1d8+3 (x3)/1d6+3 (x2))
or longsword +7 (1d8+2/19-20)
or osiriani short sword +7 (1d6+2/19-20)
Special Attacks Hilt bash, knock out (+3 bonus to hit, +6 nonlethal damage)(1/day), song of surrender (DC 14)
Spells (CL 7th; concentration +10)
0-level (at will)—dancing lights (DC 13), daze (DC 13), ghost sound (DC 13), mending, prestidigitation, read magic
1st-level (5/day)—feather fall (DC 14), grease (DC 14), hideous laughter (DC 14), identify, silent image (DC 14)
2nd-level (4/day)—cacophonous call (DC 15), glitterdust (DC 15), invisibility, silence (DC 15)
3rd-level (2/day)—confusion (DC 16), slow (DC 16)
----- Statistics -----
Str 15, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Acrobatic, Arcane Strike, Dazzling Display (boarding pike), Double Slice, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (boarding pike)
Flaw Spell Futility
Skills Acrobatics +14, Appraise +1, Bluff +11, Climb +9, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +3, Escape Artist +3, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (engineering) +6, Knowledge (local) +8, Perception +10, Perform (comedy) +10, Perform (oratory) +12, Perform (percussion) +7, Perform (sing) +11, Profession (sailor) +7, Sense Motive +12, Sleight of Hand +8, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +8, Swim +4, Use Magic Device +9
Traits Acrobat, Buccaneer’s Blood, Osirion Staff Fighter, Reactionary
Drawback Hedonistic
Languages Common, Hallit, Osiriani
SQ Bardic Performance (19 rnds/day, move action), countersong, distraction, fascinate (2 targets, DC 16), inspire competence +3, inspire courage +2, song of surrender (DC 14), versatile performance (oratory,singing), well versed
Gear Masterwork studded leather armor, +1 boarding pike of repelling, longsword, osiriani short sword (appears similar to a khopesh, but no special abilities), backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, explorer’s outfit, fine spices (cinnamon, cumin, ginger, pepper, allspice, basil, rosemary), flint and steel, grappling hook, rope, soap, waterskin, 5 gp,4 sp

.

Minerva Wood, Ship’s Surgeon/Carpenter
Female human (Chelaxian) cleric of Cayden Cailean 7
NG medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +3
----- Defense -----
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 56 (7d8+14)
Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +8
Defensive Abilities +2 vs. Charm, Compulsion, and Emotion Effects; +2 Trait bonus vs. mind-affecting effects for 1 hour after drinking alcohol
----- Offense -----
Speed 40 ft.
Melee mwk rapier +7 (1d6+2/18-20) or
+1 morningstar +7 (1d8+3)
Ranged pistol +6 (1d8/X4) MF 1
Special Attacks Channel positive energy (4d6)(4/day) (DC 14)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7h; concentration +10)
6/day—rebuke death
Spells (CL 7th; concentration +10)
0-level—animate tools, light, mending, stabilize
1st-level—air bubble, bless water, command, cure light woundsD, enhance water, remove fear
2nd-level—consecrate, cure moderate woundsD, drunkard’s breath (DC 15), remove paralysis, sound burst (DC 15)
3rd-level—cure serious woundsD, searing light, symbol of healing, water breathing
4th-level—dimension doorD, holy smite
Domains: Healing, Travel
----- Statistics -----
Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 12
Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 18
Feats Drunken Brawler, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms), Lightning Reflexes, Self-sufficient, Turn Undead (DC 14)
Flaw Choke Under Pressure
Skills Acrobatics +1 (+5 Jump), Appraise +1, Bluff -1, Climb +2, Craft (carpentry) +14, Craft (ships) +7, Craft (siege engines) +7, Diplomacy +1, Heal +18, Intimidate +1, Perception +3, Profession (sailor) +10, Sense Motive +12, Spellcraft +6, Survival +6, Swim +4
Traits Anatomist, Fortified Drinker, Principled, Ship's Surgeon
Drawback Doubt
Languages Common, Polyglot
SQ Agile Feet (6/day) (Su), aura (good), healer’s blessing
Gear +1 studded leather armor, +1 morningstar, masterwork rapier, masterwork artisan's tools (Craft [carpentry]), artisan's tools (Craft [ships]), artisan's tools (Craft [siege engines]), backpack, belt pouch, flint and steel, healer's kit, hip flask, holy symbol—wooden (Cayden Cailean), holy water, signal whistle, silk rope, 13 gp, 2 sp

.

William Eudonius “Fancy Will” Telastrum III, Boatswain
Male human (Taldan) swashbuckler 7
CG medium humanoid (human)
Init +6; Senses Perception –1
----- Defense -----
AC 20, touch 17, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +4 Dex, +3 dodge)
hp 70 (7d10+14+5)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +1
Defensive Abilities +1 shield bonus to AC when fighting with two weapons
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier of battlefield movement +15/+10 (1d6+9+7/15-20)
or mwk dagger +13/+8 (1d4+2+7/17-20)
or rapier of battlefield movement +13/+8 (1d6+7/15-20) and mwk dagger +11 (1d4+1/17-20)
Ranged mwk dagger +12 (1d4+1+7/17-20)
----- Statistics -----
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 19
Base Atk +7; CMB +8; CMD 25
Feats Dazzling Display (rapier), Dodge, Fencing Grace, Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier), Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting
Flaw Blatant
Skills Acrobatics +14, Bluff +2, Climb +11, Diplomacy +4, Disguise +2, Escape Artist +14, Intimidate +14, Perception –1, Profession (sailor) +7, Sense Motive –1, Stealth +2, Swim +9
Traits Fencer, Rich Parents, Touched by the Sea
Languages Common
SQ Charmed life (4/day), derring-do, dodging panache, kip up, menacing swordplay, nimble +2, opportune parry and riposte, panache (4 points/day), superior feint, swashbuckler finesse, swashbuckler’s grace, swashbuckler initiative, swashbuckler weapon training +1, targeted strike
Gear Masterwork studded leather armor, rapier of battlefield movement, masterwork rapier, masterwork dagger, potion of cure light wounds, potion of cure moderate wounds, courtier’s outfit with jewelry (50 gp), silk scarf, 2x belt pouch, hip flask, 317 gp.

.

Silas Rand, Ship Master and Master-of-Arms
Male half-orc brawler 7
CG medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +2; Senses Perception +13
----- Defense -----
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +1 natural, +2 dodge, +2 Dex)
hp 61 (7d10+14)
Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +11/6 (1d8+5)
or brawler’s fury +9/+9/+4 (1d8+5)
or +1 short sword +12/+7 (1d6+5/19-20)
or dan bong +11/+6 (1d8+5)
----- Statistics -----
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +7; CMB +11; CMD 25
Feats Alertness, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Enforcer, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, Toughness
Flaw Blatant
Skills Acrobatics +11, Bluff –3, Climb +11, Diplomacy +4, Disguise –3, Escape Artist +7, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +11, Knowledge (history) +4, Knowledge (local) +8, Linguistics +5, Perception +13, Perform (oratory) +6, Profession (navigator) +11, Profession (sailor) +11, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +0, Swim +10
Traits Bare-knuckle Fighter, Bruising Intellect, Ease of Faith, Skilled Crewman (Knowledge (geography))
Drawback Attached (Belt Buckle with Family Crest & Symbol of Desna)
Languages Aquan, Common, Ghol-Gan, Osiriani, Polyglot, Tengu
SQ Brawler strike (magic), dirty trick training, grapple training, martial flexibility (6/day, swift action), martial training
Gear Mithral chain shirt +2, amulet of natural armor +1, +1 short sword, dan bong, bed roll, belt buckle with crest, belt pouch, compass, dice, pathfinder chronicle (Knowledge (geography)), tanglefoot bag, waterproof bag, 391 gp, 4 sp

.

Aakin, Cook’s Mate and Ship Mascot
CN Medium Male Tengu Inquisitor 7
Init +7; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +11
----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 38 (7d8)
Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +9
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee tidewater cutlass +7 (1d6+2/18-20) &
bite +1 (1d3) or
bite +6 (1d3+1)
Ranged composite longbow (Str +1) +10 (1d8+1/x3)
Spells (CL 7th; concentration +11)
0-level (at will)—brand, create water, detect magic, disrupt undead, guidance, light
1st-level (5/day)—cure light wounds, divine favor, interrogation (DC 15), peacebond (DC 15), sanctuary (DC 15)
2nd-level (4/day)—blistering invective, cure moderate wounds, hunter’s lore, tongues
3rd-level (2/day)—burst of speed, cure serious wounds
Spell-like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +11)
At will—detect chaos/good/evil/law;
7 rnds/day—discern lies;
1/day—hydraulic push
Inquisitor Domain Conversion Inquisition
----- Statistics -----
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 10
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 19
Feats Coordinated ShotB, Duck and CoverB, Focused Shot (+2), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow)
Flaws Slow Runner
Traits Besmara’s Blessing, Cheat Death, Hurricane Savvy, Zealous Striker
Drawback Headstrong
Skills Bluff +13, Climb +8, Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nature) +6, Knowledge (planes) +6, Knowledge (religion) +11, Linguistics +10, Perception +11, Profession (cook) +11, Profession (sailor) +17, Sense Motive +16, Stealth +5, Swim +10
Languages Aquan, Azlanti, Common, Draconic Elven, Ghol-Gan, Jistka, Osiriani, Polyglot, Sahuagin, Tengu, Tulita
SQ Bane (7 rnds/day), cunning initiative; detect alignment; judgement (3/day); judgement of Sacred Destruction +3, judgement of Sacred Healing 3, judgement of Sacred Justice +2, judgement of Sacred Piercing +3, judgement of Sacred Purity +2, judgement of Sacred Protection +2, judgement of Sacred Resiliency 2, judgement of resistance 6, judgement of Sacred Smiting (Chaos, Magic); monster lore +4; solo tactics; stern gaze; teamwork feat; track +3
Gear Masterwork studded leather armor, tidewater cutlass, composite longbow (Str +1), 20 arrows, Besmara’s tricorne, lesser bracers of archery, 5 ft. pieces of rope (x5), backpack, candle, canteen, cooking kit, fishing kit, flint & steel, wooden holy symbol (Besmara), mess kit, whetstone


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

On Monday or Tuesday I will get up the stats and Bios for our two new characters, the probationary quartermaster Lillit and Isobel's new cohort, Pielanga!


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

By taking the Leadership feat, Isobel now has six of the crew as followers and picked up a cohort. So here is that cohort, the half-elf spy Pielanga!

Pielanga, Captain’s Steward
Female half-elf (shoreborn) rogue (spy) 5
CN medium humanoid (human, elf)
Init +3; Senses Perception +11 (+15 on overhearing conversations, traps, and secret doors); Low-light Vision
----- Defense -----
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 26 (5d8)
Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +0
Special Defences +2 vs. Enchantments
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk rapier +7 (1d6+1/18-20)
Ranged mwk dagger +7 (1d4+1/19-20)
Special Attacks Sneak attack (+3d6)
----- Statistics -----
Str 13, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 12
Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 17
Feats A Life at Sea (Razor Coast) (Profession [sailor], Perception), Pass for Human, Sea Legs, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +13, Bluff +9, Climb +7, Diplomacy +9, Disable Device +13, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +11, Knowledge (local) +11, Perception +11, Profession (sailor) +9, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +10, Swim +11
Languages Aquan, Common, Elven, Osiriani, Polyglot
SQ Canny observer, elf blood, elven immunities, evasion, honeyed words (2/day), keen senses, low-light vision, poison use, skilled liar, uncanny dodge, water child
Gear +1 studded leather armor, masterwork daggers (3), masterwork rapier, alchemist’s kindness (x5), arsenic (x5), masterwork backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, bloodroot (x1), blue whinnis (x1), flint & steel, heatstone (x2), hip flask, mess kit, mirror, poison pill ring, silk rope, masterwork thieves tools

Age: 21, Height: 5’ 6”, Weight: 120 lbs., Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown, Skin: Fair

Pielanga is a moderately pretty half-elf with a sardonic smile. She has a flair for fancy dress, though her disguise skills allow her to dress to blend in with any setting.

Pielanga was born in the port city of Ilizmagorti on Mediogalti Island to the northwest of the Eye of Abendego. The daughter of a broken down pirate named Ferrick and an aquatic elf maid he bought from some slavers, she was not raised in a happy home. Indeed, her father saw Pielanga as a useless burden and drain on his few remaining coins. He made Ildasriel and her daughter—he never treated the girl as his—work at taverns and fish mongers shops to help him get by. The small half-elf was constantly bullied and did her best to pass unnoticed by others. As time progressed, Pielanga found she had a gift for mimicry and blending in, becoming skilled at ferreting out information without anyone else knowing or realizing that she was ever there. This skill became very valuable, as they learned of Ferrick’s plans to sell mother and daughter for extra drinking coin long before he could finish the terms of the deal.

Ildasriel made up her mind and escaped with Pielanga that night, swimming out into the bay and helping her daughter as she could. Although Pielanga could not breathe underwater as her mother could, her innate connection to the sea made her an exceptional swimmer. Together they managed to get much farther out to sea than a normal person could ever hope to reach. Pielanga was picked up by a merchant ship on its way to Eleder. They believed her story of being washed overboard by a sudden squall from the Eye, and agreed to take her with them to Sargava. Ildasriel remained hidden and returned to her people, though she had told Pielanga how to contact her if she needed anything. It was only later that Pielanga would hear of her father being found the morning after their departure with his throat cut from ear to ear, apparently in his sleep.

Pielanga took to sailing like a fish to water and by the time the ship arrived in Eleder, the captain hired her on as one of the crew. She enjoyed her time as a sailor yet her delicate frame was continually a source of derision from the other crewmen. When in port, she would disguise herself as a burly male human to avoid trouble and became so good at it that she fooled even members of her own crew.

A few years ago, their vessel was overtaken on the Sargavan run by Free Captain Reginald Stiles and the Cheated Admiral. A ruthless man, Stiles gave the crew two options: join his crew or walk the plank. Pielanga was pragmatic and joined the crew. Stiles taught her everything he could about piracy, and she found that she enjoyed it even more than just being a merchant sailor. He taught her about poisons, how to use them to help drug sailors and weaken crews before they set sail from ports thus making those ships easier targets. She used her disguise and information gathering skills to get the departure and arrival times of prime targets, honing her skills to an exceptional degree. The pirate crew prospered.

Then a few weeks ago, Stiles got it into his head to join the blockade at Tarin’s Crown and see if they could get the Pirate Queen’s Pearl. As usual he sent Pielanga in surreptitiously to get information. If she wasn’t out in a week, the crew of the Admiral would come ashore and rendezvous with her at the Silver Narwhal. If the whole crew went, it wouldn’t be as dangerous crossing the jungle as they would have large numbers. When after a week she didn’t return, Stiles and his crew sailed in close and disembarked. Pielanga never saw them and the jungle claimed its own.

Now that the crew of the Risky Venture have successfully raided the Crown and taken the Pirate Queen’s Pearl, Pielanga is glad to be out of there and with a competent pirate crew. Although pragmatic, she values loyalty as she has had so little of it in her life. Captain Isobel’s acceptance has been a boon for the half-elf, and she is glad for the opportunity to serve the young pirate. Her knowledge of dressing and deportment—necessary parts of her information gathering abilities—has made her indispensable as hand maiden to Isobel’s gentrified sensibilities. So now Pielanga is acting as the Captain’s personal assistant and steward. If Isobel proves to be generous and loyal, Pielanga will be as well. If not…well, she knows many ways to leave unnoticed; some without killing people.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Session 22:

Aakin and Minerva sent the surrendered pirates down to join their comrades in the main room then began searching the upper floor. They found the Pirate Queen’s Pearl as well as some other magic items on Tarin’s body. The Pearl went into Aakin’s pack. They found a trapdoor to the roof of the tower that had been camouflaged to help prevent invasion by flying opponents. They also searched what appeared to be the officers’ quarters and found some old sea chests with several bottles of cheap cologne as well as garish aristocratic clothes.

They then proceeded down the hall to Tarin’s personal quarters. There they found an opulent room that had descended into squalor. The cabinet contained Tarin’s clothes, but they were more interested in the large locked sea chest. Unable to open it, they were still able to determine that there were some conjuration magic auras inside. They decided to wait for the others before opening it in case they damaged the items inside.

Down on the ground floor, Isobel, Silas, Pielanga, Lillit, and Will began searching the bodies and the cellar. There wasn’t much on the ground floor or cellar—except for Gren’s gear—but the pirates did appear to be very well equipped. They took what they wanted from those that had died and waited for the report of the upper level from Aakin and Minerva. After they came down and reported what they had found, the party began wondering if the reputation of Tarin’s treasure hoard were greatly exaggerated. Then Aakin and Minerva remembered the locked sea chest in Tarin’s room and they went upstairs to let Pielanga try and open the lock.

Pielanga took twenty minutes to open the lock. They found all the treasure in the chest—gems, gold & silver coins, jewelry—and the opulent furnishings added up to a massive haul. The size of the haul was so great that they decided to wait a few hours until after dawn before challenging the jungle path to the Silver Narwhal. The remaining pirates helped take the loot down to the lagoon where they met up with Alsindra. She asked about Tarin and was sad at his loss. But now she asked about how they intended to get off the island and through the blockade.

After some debate, they came upon a plan: They would divide the treasure among three longboats, the Besmara’s tricorne and two off the Silver Narwhal. Waiting until night, they would slip out to the exit from the sea walls. Minerva would cast darkness on the tricorne boat and they would row out with Aakin at the tiller guided by Chauncey, who could see through the darkness. The other two boats would use the darkened boat as cover to hide behind as they rowed to the Risky Venture. Minerva would have to cast the spell a second time in order to make the journey.

They would then unload the cargo out of sight from the other ships. They would return the boats to the seawalls the same way. Then Aakin would return the boast into hat form and Minerva would transport Isobel, Aakin, and herself to the Venture using a dimension door. Chauncey would be dismissed and re-summoned when they were back aboard. The Venture would then “give up” on the blockade and leave. After one day Alsindra would spill the beans about the deception to the pirates in the blockade through parley. That would send the ships in pursuit of the Risky Venture and free the Silver Narwhal from the island.

The plan worked well at first and they made it to the Risky Venture undetected. They got the plunder on board working slowly and carefully. Silas rendered Will unconscious before he was able to yell out “We made it!” and then unloaded him onto the Risky Venture. They went back to the sea walls and took their leave of Alsindra and her men, with Minerva giving them another bottle of the good stuff as a final token of friendship. When they got back on board the Venture, however, they heard one of the lookouts on another ship in the blockade shouting that he had just seen something odd on the water near the entrance to the lagoon.

Thinking quickly, they had Dahryen cast a silent image on the water where the other crews were looking. Isobel suggested a kraken in honour of Hakhan and Dahryen ran with that. Tentacles and a great eye emerged in the moonlight from the surf before submerging. Flag signals between ships were begun. When the Ravishing Ruby signalled the Venture inquiring about what was going on, the crew responded with only one word: ”Kraken!” An immediate panic struck the blockade as the crews furiously began maneuvering their vessels away from the entrance. They didn’t give up the blockade, but gave the lagoon a wide berth until they could be sure it was safe. In the ensuing chaos, the Risky Venture left the blockade entirely. Intent on the threat of a kraken, they didn’t notice how very low she was running in the water. They headed towards Bloodcove and sailed until over the horizon before changing course and heading towards Senghor.

Slow and sluggish it took them four tense days of sailing to get into port. They paid the crew double and told them to get what spending they wanted to do as quickly as possible as they would be sailing as soon as they could dump off the plunder. They sold everything they could and provisioned the ship. They purchased some magic items, restocked their gunpowder & cannon shot, and ordered two 12–pound cannons. It would take four months before they would arrive in Senghor from Alkenstar. Fancy Will got some caviar, which no one else on the ship was interested in. Minerva went to a liquor merchant to get supplies for a lengthy period on the Rock. She purchased fifty bottles of oldlaw whiskey, one case of Corentyn wine, and fifty bottles of Caydenbrew. The merchant was so happy, he gifted her ten bottles of dwarven stout.

They left at the end of the day with a good price for the plunder. They decided to head for Tidewater Rock and get their help defending against the pursuing pirate ships. They didn’t encounter anything during the six days en route. They were welcomed with open arms. The Tamarind was working well as a supply ship as no one wanted to try and take a ship with nothing but provisions while flying the colours of Tidewater Rock. They had heard of the Risky Venture’s success on Tarin’s Crown while getting provisions, and threw a small celebration for the pirates. They then spent the next ten days at Tidewater. Dahryen took the watch from the top of the tower from dawn to midday, Silas took the watch post from midday to dusk, and Aakin took the overnight watch. Will finished training some of his small rigger friends how to be swashbucklers, improving the fighting abilities of the crew.

At 2 AM on the night of the 4th of Lamashan—the new moon—Aakin had a brief glimpse of a dark ship with black sails through the night mists. Just before the ship slipped again into the concealing gloom, he caught sight of a pirate flag upon its mainmast. It was moving right at the edge of the harbour. The watch sounded the alert for the tower while Aakin sent a note attached to an arrow into the main mast of the Risky Venture near the lookout on the crow’s nest. The Venture’s lookout then woke up the ship to get the crew on deck and ready to fight.

As they got onto the deck, all the crew could see was a strong mist rolling in from the ocean. Moving through the obscuring mists Silas and Aakin were able to make out two longboats full of pirates making for the docks. Aakin fired a shot into a pirate and a female voice commanded the pirates to row faster, though no one could identify where the order came from. Minerva blew the mists away, showing a female pirate wearing little but tattoos giving the orders. Isobel summoned a pair of sharks and sent them out to swim near the two longboats. Lillit let loose with an ice storm and managed to kill the pirate hit by Aakin, damaging many more. The crew got down into their own longboat except for Lillit who jumped into the water for her own reasons.

Aakin kept sniping out ice storm targets as the longboats approached the docks. Isobel tried to blind the enemy captain with glitterdust, but only succeeded in blinding some of her crew. Will got the boat to the dock and jumped off to receive the incoming pirates. The attackers pulled in to the dock, but their leader vanished as they arrived. Pielanga joined Will on the dock and prepared for attack. Lillit fired off a lightning bolt and took out some more pirates. Minerva cast a wall of stone over the entrance to the castle to slow down the assault and Isobel cast enlarge person on Silas then they both joined the others on the dock. Silas charged the boat that the woman was on and began knocking heads.

The battle swiftly turned in the party’s favour. Isobel cast haste on everyone except Aakin, who was out of range. Silas knocked a pirate into the water where he was devoured by the sharks. Then Aakin and the ballista crews on the top of the tower were hit from a lightning bolt cast by the now flying invisible commander of the assault force. She was now visible floating just next to the top of the tower. She killed everyone except for one guard who was out of the blast zone and Aakin, who was still so badly hurt he collapsed and began dying.

Minerva immediately grabbed Pielanga & Will and cast dimension door, porting them up to the tower top right next to where the sorceress had landed. Lillit flew up to the tower top to aid in the fight. Minerva withdrew from the fight and went to aid Aakin. Isobel dismissed the sharks and summoned a celestial grizzly bear to aid in the fight. The sorceress knocked the remaining guard over the side when he tried to attack. She then cast a spell on Fancy Will, but he shook off the effects of the charm and attacked.

Silas and the bear finished off the attacking pirates. Pielanga, Lillit, and Will engaged the sorceress. Minerva healed Aakin who rose to one knee and put a bane arrow right through the sorceress’ heart, killing her. She fell forward with a thud, revealing what appeared to be a treasure map tattooed on her back. Silas broke through the thin stone wall that Minerva had made to reopen the entrance to the tower. When he looked out to see if he could locate the pirate ship that the attackers had sailed in on, he saw the ship slipping away into the night. Minerva promptly used her surgical skills to peal the tattooed skin off the corpse. She picked up the skin and held it up in front of her slightly shocked and disgusted crewmates. “What?”


What an exciting battle with Inkskin.

My PCs also flayed the map off Inkskin' back. It's like one can't pass that up.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

The only downside is that Inkskin, who is such an intriguing character, makes such a short appearance. She would make an excellent recurring villain.


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Session 23:

As they looted the bodies and prepared for more funerals, Minerva cast gentle repose on the “map” and took it to Isobel and Silas for analysis. She also brought with her Svingli’s Eye—a magical astrolabe—for Silas that she found on the slain woman. They looked for the ship that had brought the pirates into the attack, but apparently it had slipped away in the dark. Lillit recognized the tattooed pirate as Isabella “Inkskin” Locke, a vicious pirate captain with an affinity for sahuagin. Her ship, the Thresher, was a bane of the Fever Sea.

The map consisted of a half sun, some islands, a monstrous eye, and an aged bearded face. It was accompanied with a crude verse:

From blue bight’s embrace
Spy the Grave Lady’s prize tooth
With the Dawnflower’s first kiss
Climb the Captain’s wayward orb
To claim old king’s hoard

Silas recognized it as being a copy of the map to Cyrus Wolfe’s legendary treasure hoard at Mancatcher Cove. Cyrus Wolfe was a very successful Free Captain of the Shackles that had plied the Fever Sea nearly a century ago. He spread out his hoard in various caches about the Shackles, all of which had been looted over time save one. Mancatcher Cove was said to have the largest share of the treasure and was guarded by a beast from Hell itself. The cove’s whereabouts were unknown; those that had found maps and followed them to the cove were never heard from again.

Lillit recognized the island shapes as an unnamed archipelago in the Shackles north of the Ushinawa Isles and west of Besmara’s Throne. These islands lay 110 miles northwest of Tidewater Rock, near the Sahuagin Coast of Shark Island. Aakin realized if they managed to get this treasure, their reputations would be solid enough to successfully navigate to Port Peril without much difficulty and apply for a Free Captaincy. If they let the people on the Rock know what they had planned, it would spread throughout the Shackles after their next port run.

Isobel was concerned as to why Locke had attacked Tidewater Rock. Minerva cast speak with dead on Locke’s corpse. The corpse resisted answering as to why she attacked at first, but finally succumbed. She told the crew that she had attacked out of revenge for her ally Krelloort, the chieftain of the sahuagin living at Mancatcher Cove. The Risky Venture was responsible for killing the chieftain’s son and took his deep platinum necklace. Lillit carried the deep platinum items they had found in her pack for extra security until they could be sold without them realizing the significance.

The crew decided to go for the treasure. They thought about copying the map onto something less disgusting, but decided it would take too long, so they relied on gentle repose. Silas began working on the verse and tried to figure out the clues, but got little beyond having to start the hunt from within the cove itself (From blue bight’s embrace). The “Grave Lady” seemed to refer to Pharasma and “Dawnflower” to Sarenrae (most likely the sun).

They set out the next day. After two uneventful days they arrived at Mancatcher Cove at midday. They found the cove itself in the western most island of the atoll which was covered in dense jungle. The sounds of masses of spider monkeys could be heard from the island, unnerving Isobel somewhat. There were lots of shark fins around. They sailed into the cove and found it to be a natural formation called a blue hole, an incredibly deep eroded pit filled with sea water. The vines of the jungle had spread across the top of the cliffs surrounding the cove creating a shaded area.

They attempted to “spy the Grave Lady’s prize tooth”, but couldn’t spot anything. Lillit realized that the second verse (With the Dawnflower’s first kiss) they had to search at dawn. The Risky Venture began to pull out of the cove to keep their maneuverability up in case of trouble while waiting for the next day. Aakin, Dahyren, and Pielanga all heard some odd sounds coming from below decks. Aakin was certain it was down at the bottom of the ship and that it sounded like something was being dismantled down by the rudder.

Lillit went down into the water and saw a number of sahuagin riding hammerhead sharks taking the rudder apart. Minerva cast water breathing on the command crew before Will dove in. Lillit blasted the sharks and sahuagin with a lightning bolt as more swam up from the depths. Isobel cast enlarge person on Chauncey before he and Aakin dived into the water. Lillit began being torn apart by a sahuagin and shark so Silas power dived down to her aid and slammed into a sahuagin. Pielanga dived in to help Will and Chauncey. Minerva dove in and began checking the damage on the ship.

They rapidly took down the attackers and Minerva was able to ascertain that the damage done was negligible. The crew got back up onto the deck and they sailed the Risky Venture out of the cove. The put up a double watch—just in case—and waited until just before the following dawn. They sailed back into the cove in the morning twilight and Aakin shouted an alarm: they were under attack by winding tendrils sweeping down onto the deck from a mass of vegetation up in the vine canopy.

Chauncey and Will got grabbed by a tendril each, pulling them up towards a beak in the central mass and being drained of vital fluids as it pulled. Lillit recognized the plant from her travels as a rare canopy creeper, a very dangerous and nasty carnivorous jungle plant. Being tropical, she decided to use cold effects on it. Aakin fired off a bow shot and then took cover under a cannon to protect him from tendril attacks. Fancy Will attacked his tendril and forced it to let him go. He then did an amazing diving roll to catch a loose rope and then swung into the rigging without harm.

Lillit hit the central mass with an ice storm and moved lower onto the main deck. Isobel cast grease on Chauncey to help him try and escape. Isobel promptly was grabbed by another tendril and yanked into the air. Chauncey got free because of his slippery hide. Will riposted tendril attacks from up in the rigging, protecting the rest of the crew down on the deck. Lillit kept slamming the creeper with ice storm spells until she had exhausted them. Chauncey slashed the tendril holding Isobel and she started falling. Lillit saved the captain with a feather fall spell then Isobel joined Aakin in taking shelter under the aft cannon. She then cast haste on the crew in range.

Will got caught by another tendril and was yanked upward. Lillit followed up with magic missile attacks to try and wear the plant creature down. Chauncey now flew straight at the creeper’s central mass and began slashing at it. Will cut himself free and began climbing up the tendril to get at the central mass even as the tendril continued to pull itself. Lillit flew up sixty feet and cast burning monkey swarm on the central mass. Unfortunately the quasi-real swarm of burning monkeys caused Isobel to begin to freak out as well as confusing Chauncey and Will in addition to the damage done to the plant. In his confusion, Will accidently cut himself.

Chauncey took another bite as the canopy creeper fought Will and the dragon. When Chauncey was entangled again, Minerva cast liberating command on the dragon and freed him. Lillit realized that she had made things worse, so she dismissed the burning monkey swarm and hit it with another magic missile which finally killed it. Will immediately began to fall towards the deck of the ship, 100 feet below. Will swept himself out with a somersault like maneuver and dove down into the water of the cove. He then easily swam aboard.

With the Beast of Mancatcher Cove defeated, they rested and Minerva began healing the troupe. Dawn’s light shone into the cove and revealed a skull like formation on the cliff face with what appeared to be a golden tooth. The crew rowed to the beach beneath where the skull appeared. The slick cliffs were difficult to climb, so Lillit flew up to the gold tooth with a rope. There she found it to be fool’s gold that had been placed there. Rethinking the verse, Lillit remembered that Captain Wolfe lost his right eye in battle. So the “Climb the Captain’s wayward orb” verse indicated she should go to the right “eye socket.” There she found a narrow cave leading to a tunnel with a very steep incline. Lillit attached the grappling hook to the cave mouth and signalled the others to come up.

Silas carried Isobel as she wasn’t very good at climbing. At the top of the tunnel, they found themselves just below the surface of the island and a large tree with a mass of roots coming down to block their way. The bark resembled the face of an old man wearing a crown with the mass of roots his beard. They interpreted this to be the “old king” from the “To claim old king’s hoard” section of the verse. They searched the roots and the ground around the base of the root mass. Aakin discovered a humanoid skull amongst the roots, its eye sockets directed at the earthen floor in front of the root mass. When he searched where the eye sockets were looking, he found that the earth had been moved there at some time in the past. At this point they realized that they hadn’t brought any shovels or picks on their buried treasure hunt. Lillit flew back to the ship and returned with digging tools.

It took them about an hour of digging to get down to the bedrock and a six inch layer of wooden planks. It took them a further twenty minutes to get through that barrier to reveal a sinkhole dropping another thirty feet into water. There were some wooden structures that had rotted and fallen in here and there. Chauncey went down and checked out the dark cave and discovered an underwater tunnel leaving the chamber. The rest of the group then descended into the water after Minerva used her shark tooth amulet to cast water breathing on the group.

Chauncey moved ahead down the tunnel and was ambushed by a large group of sahuagin. Chauncey was badly hurt, but not destroyed. Isobel dismissed Chauncey and cast black tentacles on the sea devils. The ambush didn’t last much longer past that, with the few who did manage to break free running immediately into Fancy Will and being wiped out. Isobel then re-summoned Chauncey. The party chose to ignore an upward sloping tunnel and proceeded onward. They found a side chamber with a giant rock crab standing over something shiny buried in the silt on the floor. Lillit’s knowledge of sea life allowed them to maneuver around the crab and check out the broken trident that the party chose to leave.

Continuing on they encountered more sahuagin accompanied by hammerhead sharks. The battle was brief and uneventful. The party now found themselves in a chamber with two exits, one of which sloped downward.


Looks like it was an exciting fight with the canopy creeper. Well written too.


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MrVergee wrote:
Looks like it was an exciting fight with the canopy creeper. Well written too.

Thanks! And yeah, the canopy creeper fight was great.


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Session 24:

They descended down the sloping passage into a large chamber with many exits where they saw a number of sahuagin in a feeding frenzy. Because of the frenzy, even Will and Silas—who are terrible at stealth—were able to sneak into position and strike suddenly with surprise. As they began taking down the sahuagin warriors, the non-combatants fled into a chamber off to the side and more warriors came out from an entrance down the far end of the chamber.

The incoming warriors attacked as a mass group, running into the party who had finished off the first group and had readied for an attack. They began taking them down quickly, but more and more sahuagin were pouring into the chamber. Isobel cast black tentacles on the last group coming in to slow them up and keep the numbers manageable. They rapidly despatched the remaining sahuagin warriors in the melee and the black tentacles finished off the rest.

The party then began exploring behind various seaweed curtains that covered entrances to other chambers and corridors. They found a number of non-combatant sahuagin in a common living are just off the central feeding chamber, a sort corridor that led to another small chamber, and a long corridor with open areas along its length filled with various sahuagin food items—including the bodies of a locathah and a sahuagin. The other two exits did not have seaweed curtains. One of these exits went up into the dark and the other was more horizontal from which the extra warriors came from.

They decided to check out the chambers beyond the short corridor. They found the sahuagin nursery and ran afoul of a hideously large sahuagin who attacked the party on sight in defence of the nursery. The Matron tore into Chauncey and nearly ripped the dragon apart. The dragon responded and took her down quickly. Minerva wiped out the eggs and fingerlings with a sound burst spell.

They searched the Matron’s chamber and found under a loose stone a string of small pearls and a soapstone figurine of a sea dragon. Aakin recognized the figurine as representing Kelizandri, Elemental Lord of Water, also known as the Brackish Emperor. The moved on to search the larder and discovered the rotted head of Jack Scrimshaw and “Badger” Medlar’s scalp. In rage, Captain Isobel sent Chauncey into the community area and slaughtered all the remaining non-combatants. The picked up some extra crossbow bolts from a spot in the larder where some weapons had been dropped. They discovered one bolt was actually a wand of produce flame.

As they moved on Pielanga noticed a secret door at the end of a long wide chamber. They didn’t have time to check it out as the chamber was a shark coral. Six Shackles hammerheads moved to attack. Chauncey moved in to fight a shark and was promptly surrounded. Will moved in to help by stabbing one of the sharks, but Chauncey got in trouble quickly. Aakin, Silas, and Pielanga got in and began killing sharks quickly and saved the dragon.

After the fight, Pielanga searched the secret door for traps and then opened it. Near the back wall of the darkened cave, a ship’s anchor had been driven into the ground with its chain coiled about the skeletal remains of a sea captain, his rotten captain’s coat still hanging on his frame. The corpse rose up and attacked. Chauncey, Isobel, Pielanga, and Will were all paralyzed with despair from the ancient mariner’s aura. The mariner knocked Pielanga aside and moved out of the cave. Lillit recognized it as a mummy of the deep and that it was a very tough form of undead.

Lillit hit it with a lightning bolt spell and Minerva with a spear of purity spell. Silas and the others waited for the skeletal figure to leave the chamber and attacked hard. The ancient mariner pounded Chauncey as Lillit used storm step to pass through the mummy and damaged it. Silas finally smashed the undead captain down.

The pendant around the undead’s neck was made of deep platinum and was cast to resemble a chaotic cluster of tentacles and fluke tails. Will glanced at it without understanding, while Isobel appraised it and was momentarily shaken by the disturbing images. They proceeded through a tunnel on the opposite side of the area the sharks were in and descended down to another chamber. There they encountered a number of sahuagin warriors and a tojanida, a bizarre cross between a turtle and a crab.

Will, Chauncey, and Pielanga swam in to the attack the tojanida, hurting it. The sahuagin used their crossbows to attack Isobel and Lillit, wounding the two spell-casters. Silas swam in to get in position to strike at the sahuagin. The tojanida produced a massive ink cloud, obscuring the party’s vision. It then took Chauncey down with it’s claw attacks. Will killed off the creature with a single thrust then moved to where he remembered Silas was.

Minerva moved in to heal Pielanga and extend the range of water breathing provided by her shark’s tooth amulet. Aakin then used his hydraulic blast from his cutlass to clear the ink away, enabling the rest of the party to see. Isobel dismissed Chauncey to protect him while Lillit attacked them with magic missile spells from her wand. Will then took a number of sahuagin down in a dazzling display of rapier work. Minerva then healed the party by channeling energy. Aakin then took out two sahuagin with two critical hits through the eyes with his bow in rapid succession. Silas then finished off the last sea devils.

They followed another tunnel down to find an exit into the blue hole that was blocked by a jellyfish swarm. Isobel tried to clear the swarm with sharks. She then watched as the sharks were promptly damaged enough by the swarm that Isobel dismissed them. The party then decided to backtrack to the next tunnel going up and proceeded in that direction. There they entered a large chamber and found a huge hammerhead shark. It attacked them, but the party attacked in unison and slew the great fish. They then travelled on into a massive throne room. There they met Krelloort, the four armed tribal chieftain. He shouted that he would have vengeance upon them in sahuagin and was joined in his attack by four more sea devils.

Krelloort stabbed Silas with a trident and Silas’ body began to be turned painfully into coral. Lillit continued to support the group with magic missile spells from her wand, but otherwise was depleted in power. Will moved in and struck rapidly with his rapier and finished off Krelloort before he could get truly destructive. Silas moved about striking rapidly and took down one of Krelloort’s concubines. Lillit used another wand to summon a water elemental to flank with Minerva, who slew her opponent with a well-placed rapier strike. Aakin finished off the remainder.

They looted the bodies and then began searching the area. After finding various treasures, they studied the throne. Silas recognized the throne from his days in exploring ancient ruins as a relic of the ancient cyclopes empire of Ghol-Gan. As they searched they discovered that there was a hollow space beneath the throne. They worked together, with Isobel casting enlarge person and bull’s strength on Silas and a rod they found in the bedchamber off the hall to move the 8000 lb throne off the hole to see what was below.

They found two chests, one made of stone and one sea chest that was highly decorative with skulls and chains. The sea chest proved to be magical and further study revealed it to be a captain’s locker, an incredibly valuable item that can hold more items than it appears and included the size of any hold it is placed in. Pielanga searched the sea chest for traps and located the key to the lock in a small crevice in the wall. The second stone chest Pielanga confirmed was nothing but a massive trap, so they left it.

They opened the sea chest and found a massive amount of treasure—the treasure of Cyrus Wolfe. It included magical fan feather tokens, a magical masthead figure that they determined was a powerful item called Besmara’s bones, magical slippers, two old cannons from the early days of Alkenstar that had been magicked to be self-loading the size of 9-pounders but were actually 6-pounders. On top of that was a mass of coins, luxury goods, gems, and jewelry.

Taking the treasure chest with them, they proceeded back up the halls of the sahuagin lair to see if there was anything that they missed. They came to one corridor they had bypassed and discovered a wounded Locathah matriarch whose legs had been removed by the sahuagin. She was being forced to leg eggs as a source of slave labour and food for the sea devils. The party agreed to help her leave with her eggs once they had finished exploring.

They travelled back to close to where they had dug down to get into the sahuagin’s lair and found a passage that led up out of the water into what appeared to be a bed chamber covered in some flowering vines. The violet flowers filled the room with a heavy fragrance. One of the vines blasted out pollen which seemed to be poisonous and Lillit cast burning hands on the vines as the vegetation moved to the attack. They began tearing the vines apart trying to stop any more pollen bursts. Then four vines blasted pollen at the same time putting Will, Isobel, and Pielanga asleep.

After another round of tearing up plants, one of the xtabays moved onto Will and began trying to place its roots into him. Minerva killed the plant and smacked Will at the same time, doing a little damage. She said how good that felt—though she was quick to say killing the plant and not smacking Will. Perhaps a little too quickly.

They then searched the area while Isobel, Pielanga, and Will slept. They found a preserved head of a tattooed man who had all of his teeth knocked out. Lillit recognized the head to be that of the Tian pirate Soshimira, captain of the Dragon’s Dishonor, who disappeared on the Fever Sea decades ago. They also found a coffer with three potions of water breathing. Having completed their search they returned to the Locathah matriarch and led her back to the exit to the blue hole. Lillit used a web spell from another wand and pinned the swarm against the wall to open a passage out. So the Locathah matriarch thanked them and left. The party ascended back to the Risky Venture.

As they began to set sail Isabella Locke’s ship, the Thresher, sailed in and moved to the attack. Trapped in the cove the Risky Venture had to pull out in order to be able to maneuver, taking damage from the cannons and ballistae of the Thresher. Aakin concentrated on crew morale and getting them out to fight; as a result he was unable to play a significant role in ship battle. Silas snidely suggested, “Just like normal.”

This chronicler takes no responsibility for the afore-mentioned statement.

The bow was damaged heavily from a full broadside as they pulled out and Thalios loaded the cannons. Minerva hurried below decks with her crew and began to start repairing. She also worked to heal and stabilize injured crew. They pulled out of the cove as the Thresher swung around for another pass. Thalios opened fire as he could, but only gave a glancing blow.

They pulled up to full speed and Will began working the rigging with his crew to give Silas as much maneuverability as he could get. Silas began shifting the ship’s path to get some distance and get ready to attempt their own broadside. Moving quickly, Isobel and Silas maneuvered to steal the wind for the Thresher’s sails and gained the weather gauge on her. They then broadsided the Thresher’s stern and damaged her rudder.

Lillit fired off a web spell from her wand and tied up the Thresher’s wheel. The Thresher kept on travelling in a straight line while Silas tried to swing the ship around to cross-the-T using the cannons on the port side of the Risky Venture on the enemy ship. Lillit cast aggressive thunder cloud on the enemy helm and killed the helmsman. Thalios fired the cannons on Isobel’s command and blew out the Thresher’s rudder and most of her stern.

Taking on water, the Thresher was effectively stopped dead and they began maneuvering using sweeps to try and get a shot off. They managed to fire a shot into the Venture’s rigging. Silas was still able to maneuver the Risky Venture in close enough for Fancy Will to swing from the rigging onto the Thresher’s deck. Will encountered Knuckles Grype, the new captain of the Thresher. The brawler had spiked gauntlets dripping with poison.

Pielanga led the other crew in swinging across and entered the fray. Will parried and riposted Knuckles first strike. Silas slammed the Risky Venture into the side of the Thresher to stop the ship and caused many people to stumble around from the sudden impact. Knuckles hammered into Will, poisoning him and slamming him back. As soon as Silas swung across and Knuckles saw the famous pit fighter from Widowmaker Isle, Knuckles immediately surrendered and offered to join their crew.


Wow, you got this much roleplay out of just one session, did you? It must at least have been a long one, not the three to four hours that we normally play.


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MrVergee wrote:
Wow, you got this much roleplay out of just one session, did you? It must at least have been a long one, not the three to four hours that we normally play.

We play regularly four to five hour sessions. That way we get multiple combats and good roleplaying each time we play.


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With certain revelations in the last session, I can now give you the stats of Lillit, our new quartermaster and ancient ruins explorer! Though created by Iain at 6th level, I am giving first level stats here to match up with the other characters as they were presented:

Lillit
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) witch 1
Init +0; Senses Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 10 (14), touch 10, flat-footed 10 (14) (+4 armor mage armor)
hp 8 (1d6+1+1)
Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +3
Resistances DR 1/— vs. electrical creatures and attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger –1 (1d4–1/19-20)
Ranged dagger –1 (1d4–1/19-20)
Spells (CL 1st; concentration +6)
0-level (at will)—daze, light, read magic
1st-level—burning hands, hypnotism, mage armor
Spell-like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +6)
At will—know direction
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +0; CMB –1; CMD 9
Feats Alertness B, Amateur Investigator, Fast Learner, Improvisation
Flaws One Arm
Traits Ancient Explorer (Knowledge (local)), Shackles Seafarer, Storm-Touched, Worldly
Drawback Superstitious
Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +7, Bluff +6, Climb –3, Craft (all) +7, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +0, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +2, Fly +2, Handle Animal +6, Heal +5, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (nobles) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, Linguistics +7, Navigation +7, Perception +5, Perform (all) +6, Profession (sailor) +5, Profession (all) +3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +2, Spellcraft +9, Stealth +2, Survival +3, Swim +4, Use Magic Device +6
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Infernal, Polyglot, Tengu
SQ empathic link, inspiration pool (5/day), sea creature empathy (+5), share spells with familiar, superstitious (50% chance of rolling a save vs. harmless spells)
Gear dagger, masterwork backpack, belt pouch, pot of black ink, ink pen, journal, mapmaker’s kit, waterskin, 22 gp, 9 sp

Jib-Jub
N Tiny Magical Beast
Init +2; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 Natural, +2 size)
hp 4
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +4 (1d3–4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
----- Statistics -----
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 6
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Perception +5, Stealth: +10, Swim +6
SQ Improved evasion

Age 29, Height 5’ 5”, Weight 140 lbs., Hair Black, Eyes Silvery Blue, Skin Tanned

There is nothing noteworthy about Lillit at first glance. She's not tall, nor is she short. She's not slim, or hefty. She could be described as pretty, but certainly not exceptionally so. Her hair is dark, but not striking. Though quite hardy, she has little strength and no particular grace.

She does have two notable physical features, but they are difficult to detect at first. For one, she is missing her right arm. This is hidden from most people; Lillit wears a dark, heavy cloak as a matter of course and uses it to conceal her lack of a limb. She sees no particular reason to draw unwanted attention to herself. There remains a short stump, which appears to have been scorched at the end, above which she has a small tattoo of a monkey. More subtle are Lillit's eyes, which appear to be an unremarkable blue colour, but anyone gazing into them for a period of time will notice streaks of silver in them, which move as if alive. And when she is angered, these streaks become very bright, and her eyes literally shine.

Lillit's strengths are in her personality. She is a kind, empathetic, pleasant, jovial person, even to those he has only just met. Her unremarkable appearance is greatly enhanced by her wisdom and caring, leaving a much greater impression on people after they have spoken to her. But she also does not suffer fools lightly, and is not to be trifled with being very forceful when necessary. The force of her personality matches her sharp mind and quick wits. Underneath the surface there is always a storm brewing. It can take a good deal to anger her, but when enraged she will unleash a fury that most would not expect her to be capable of. This is one reason Lillit does not wish to draw attention to herself.

Lillit was born into a poor family in the port town of Crown’s End in Sargava. She had been left to essentially fend for herself as a child and was paid little attention by her parents, who were too busy eking out an existence to worry about a needy child. Being raised by the streets of a smuggler’s port developed Lillit’s self-reliance and gave her skills in many different disciplines. The superstitious and treacherous natures of the pirates and sailors she met and conversed with affected her as well, and even today she has difficulty with others casting spells upon her from lack of trust and a degree of fear towards magic that is not under her control.

The tales of the seas and travel inspired the young girl and she was taken with wanderlust. As soon as she could fend for herself Lillit left home. She then spent much time exploring the Mwangi Expanse, often taking time to care for sick or injured animals, consciously rejecting (or perhaps suppressing) any bitter feelings that her upbringing might have created. She has now been a traveller for many years. She has seen a great deal of the world (or more properly, the region), mostly by ship, including several stints accompanying pirate crews. She finds the thrill of the chase often exhilarating, and sees the world as a dog-eat-dog place where anything that can defend itself is fair game.

On one fateful day she stumbled upon an ancient stone idol deep in the jungle. Carved in the shape of a monkey with gills or slits on either side of its neck, it had clearly not been disturbed for some time. Compelled by an indistinct voice in her head, she reached out with her right hand and at the slightest contact her mind was flooded with unbearably bright images of a spirit realm. The same silent voice spoke to her, but she could not understand it. After what might have been mere seconds—but could have been hours—a bolt of lightning came from the sky, striking Lillit and the idol.

When she awoke, Lillit found that the lightning had destroyed her right arm, though she felt no pain. Confused and looking about, she saw a small monkey siting on the head of the idol. The creature took an instant liking to the young woman, as though they belonged together. Jib-Jub became Lillit's close friend and companion, and they have been inseparable ever since. The monkey is indeed vital to the mystical powers that Lillit slowly discovered over the next several months of her travels. She found that this experience only increased her desire to travel and explore, and to learn. She possesses a great deal of curiosity about the world and all its wonders. She feels that whatever the spirit was that touched her that day it had a reason for putting her on this course and she intends to follow it wherever it may lead. But she feels it is her path alone, and while she may travel with others at times and may provide aid to them she worries that accepting direct aid from others on her spiritual journey may be a jinx. She feels this especially since her greatest successes in life have been achieved on her own or with Jib-Jub.

Though she has not heard the voiceless words since that day, she believes she has some kind of purpose, that she has been blessed with a reason to travel and explore. Lillit is driven to learn all she can about the region, the seas, and in particular dangerous aquatic creatures such as sahuagin. She learned several obscure planar languages, in the hope that one of them might provide clues to what the voice did not say to her on that day, but to no avail. She has since accepted that she will never know what actually happened, but is determined to carry on the path she sees for herself. She has learned how to convert Jib-Jub into a small copy of the original idol for safe keeping when in dangerous areas, letting him out only when she knows it is safe.

While in Bloodcove enquiring about sea going vessels that had encounters with sahuagin and other sea-monsters, Lillit heard of the Risky Venture and the battle they had with an entire colony of the sea devils. Intrigued and hopeful of furthering her studies, Lillit decided to approach some of the crew of the pirate ship and see if a position was available. She met Maheem and Minerva Wood in the Witchlight, an inn down on Warehouse Row. They invited her back to meet Captain Isobel Cathagnion and see if she would fit in to the crew. As part of the crew of the Risky Venture she is hopeful she will encounter more sea monsters and ancient threats to the Shackles region. Her odd quest and journey can now continue.


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And here is Lillit, from 2nd through 7th level!

Lillit
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) witch 2
Init +0; Senses Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 10 (14), touch 10, flat-footed 10 (14) (+4 armor mage armor)
hp 14 (2d6+2+2)
Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +4
Resistances DR 1/— vs. electrical creatures and attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +0 (1d4–1/19-20)
Ranged dagger +0 (1d4–1/19-20)
Spells (CL 2nd; concentration +7)
0-level (at will)—daze (DC 15), light, message, read magic
1st-level—burning hands (DC 16), hypnotism (DC 16), mage armor, unseen servant
Spell-like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +7)
At will—healing hex (1d8+2 1/day per creature healed), know direction
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 10
Feats Alertness B, Amateur Investigator, Fast Learner, Improvisation
Flaws One Arm
Traits Ancient Explorer (Knowledge (local)), Shackles Seafarer, Storm-Touched, Worldly
Drawback Superstitious
Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +7, Bluff +6, Climb –3, Craft (all) +7, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +0, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +2, Fly +2, Handle Animal +6, Heal +5, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (nature) +10, Knowledge (nobles) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, Linguistics +7, Navigation +7, Perception +5, Perform (all) +6, Profession (sailor) +6, Profession (all) +3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +2, Spellcraft +10, Stealth +2, Survival +3, Swim +5, Use Magic Device +9
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Infernal, Polyglot, Tengu
SQ empathic link, healing hex, hexes, inspiration pool (5/day), sea creature empathy (+6), share spells with familiar, superstitious (50% chance of rolling a save vs. harmless spells)
Gear dagger, masterwork backpack, belt pouch, everburning torch, pot of black ink, ink pen, journal, mapmaker’s kit, spell component pouch, waterskin, 22 gp, 8 sp

Jib-Jub
N Tiny Magical Beast
Init +2; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +1 Natural, +2 size)
hp 7
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +5 (1d3–4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
----- Statistics -----
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 7
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Perception +5, Stealth: +10, Swim +7
SQ Improved evasion

.

Lillit
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) witch 3
Init +0; Senses Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 10 (14), touch 10, flat-footed 10 (14) (+4 armor mage armor)
hp 20 (3d6+3+3)
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +4
Resistances DR 1/— vs. electrical creatures and attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +1 (1d4–1/19-20)
Ranged dagger +1 (1d4–1/19-20)
Spells (CL 3rd; concentration +8)
0-level (at will)—daze (DC 15), light, message, read magic
1st-level—burning hands (DC 16), hypnotism (DC 16), mage armor, unseen servant
2nd-level—burning gaze (DC 17), carry companion
Spell-like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +8)
At will—healing hex (1d8+3 1/day per creature healed), know direction
3 minutes/day—comprehend languages
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 10
Feats Alertness B, Amateur Investigator, Extra Hex, Fast Learner, Improvisation
Flaws One Arm
Traits Ancient Explorer (Knowledge (local)), Shackles Seafarer, Storm-Touched, Worldly
Drawback Superstitious
Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +7, Bluff +6, Climb –3, Craft (all) +7, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +0, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +2, Fly +2, Handle Animal +6, Heal +5, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +12, Knowledge (nature) +11, Knowledge (nobles) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, Linguistics +7, Navigation +7, Perception +5, Perform (all) +6, Profession (sailor) +6, Profession (all) +3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +2, Spellcraft +11, Stealth +2, Survival +3, Swim +6, Use Magic Device +10
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Infernal, Polyglot, Tengu
SQ deliver touch spells through familiar, empathic link, healing hex, hexes, inspiration pool (5/day), sea creature empathy (+7), share spells with familiar, superstitious (50% chance of rolling a save vs. harmless spells), tongues hex
Gear masterwork dagger, masterwork backpack, belt pouch, everburning torch, pot of black ink, ink pen, journal, mapmaker’s kit, spell component pouch, waterskin, 2 pp, 22 gp, 8 sp

Jib-Jub
N Tiny Magical Beast
Init +2; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +2 Natural, +2 size)
hp 10
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +5 (1d3–4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
----- Statistics -----
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 7
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Perception +5, Stealth: +10, Swim +8
SQ Improved evasion

.

Lillit
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) witch 4
Init +0; Senses Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 10 (14), touch 10, flat-footed 10 (14) (+4 armor mage armor)
hp 26 (4d6+4+4)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +7
Resistances DR 1/— vs. electrical creatures and attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +2 (1d4–1/19-20)
Ranged dagger +2 (1d4–1/19-20)
Spells (CL 4th; concentration +9)
0-level (at will)—daze (DC 15), light, message, read magic
1st-level—burning hands (DC 16), cause fear (DC 16), hypnotism (DC 16), mage armor, unseen servant
2nd-level—aggressive thundercloud (DC 17), burning gaze (DC 17), carry companion
Spell-like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +9)
At will—feather fall, healing hex (1d8+4 1/day per creature healed), know direction
1/day—levitate
4 minutes/day—comprehend languages
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 21, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Alertness B, Amateur Investigator, Extra Hex, Fast Learner, Improvisation
Flaws One Arm
Traits Ancient Explorer (Knowledge (local)), Shackles Seafarer, Storm-Touched, Worldly
Drawback Superstitious
Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +7, Bluff +6, Climb –3, Craft (all) +7, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +0, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +2, Fly +5, Handle Animal +6, Heal +5, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +13, Knowledge (nature) +12, Knowledge (nobles) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, Linguistics +7, Navigation +7, Perception +5, Perform (all) +6, Profession (sailor) +6, Profession (all) +3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +2, Spellcraft +12, Stealth +2, Survival +3, Swim +11, Use Magic Device +11
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Infernal, Polyglot, Tengu
SQ deliver touch spells through familiar, empathic link, flight hex, healing hex, hexes, inspiration pool (5/day), sea creature empathy (+8), share spells with familiar, superstitious (50% chance of rolling a save vs. harmless spells), tongues hex
Gear cloak of resistance +2, masterwork dagger, masterwork backpack, belt pouch, everburning torch, pot of black ink, ink pen, journal, mapmaker’s kit, Pathfinder chronicle (Knowledge (nature)), spell component pouch, waterskin, 4 pp, 22 gp, 8 sp

Jib-Jub
N Tiny Magical Beast
Init +2; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +2 Natural, +2 size)
hp 13
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +5
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +6 (1d3–4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
----- Statistics -----
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 8
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Perception +5, Stealth: +10, Swim +9
SQ Improved evasion

.

Lillit
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) witch 5
Init +0; Senses Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 10 (14), touch 10, flat-footed 10 (14) (+4 armor mage armor)
hp 31 (5d6+5+5)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +7
Resistances DR 1/— vs. electrical creatures and attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +2 (1d4–1/19-20)
Ranged dagger +2 (1d4–1/19-20)
Spells (CL 5th; concentration +10)
0-level (at will)—daze (DC 15), light, message, read magic
1st-level—burning hands (DC 16), cause fear (DC 16), hypnotism (DC 16), mage armor, unseen servant
2nd-level—aggressive thundercloud (DC 17), burning gaze (DC 17), carry companion
3rd-level—bestow curse (DC 18), burning monkey swarm (DC 18)
Spell-like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +10)
At will—feather fall, healing hex (2d8+5 1/day per creature healed), know direction
1/day—levitate
5 minutes/day—fly, tongues
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 21, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Alertness B, Amateur Investigator, Evolved Familiar, Extra Hex, Fast Learner, Improvisation
Flaws One Arm
Traits Ancient Explorer (Knowledge (local)), Shackles Seafarer, Storm-Touched, Worldly
Drawback Superstitious
Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +7, Bluff +6, Climb –3, Craft (all) +7, Diplomacy +6, Disable Device +0, Disguise +6, Escape Artist +2, Fly +5, Handle Animal +6, Heal +6, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (nature) +13, Knowledge (nobles) +7, Knowledge (planes) +9, Knowledge (religion) +7, Linguistics +7, Navigation +7, Perception +5, Perform (all) +6, Profession (sailor) +6, Profession (all) +3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +2, Spellcraft +13, Stealth +2, Survival +3, Swim +12, Use Magic Device +12
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Infernal, Polyglot, Tengu
SQ deliver touch spells through familiar, empathic link, flight hex, healing hex, hexes, inspiration pool (5/day), sea creature empathy (+9), share spells with familiar, superstitious (50% chance of rolling a save vs. harmless spells), tongues hex
Gear cloak of resistance +2, wand of cure moderate wounds (26 charges), masterwork dagger, masterwork backpack, belt pouch, everburning torch, pot of black ink, ink pen, journal, mapmaker’s kit, Pathfinder chronicle (Knowledge (nature)), spell component pouch, waterskin, 5 pp, 22 gp, 8 sp

Jib-Jub
N Tiny Magical Beast (aquatic)
Init +2; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +3 Natural, +2 size)
hp 15
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +5
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee bite +6 (1d3–4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
----- Statistics -----
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 8
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Perception +5, Stealth: +10, Swim +10
SQ Amphibious, gills, improved evasion

.

Lillit
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) witch 6
Init +0; Senses Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 10 (14), touch 10, flat-footed 10 (14) (+4 armor mage armor)
hp 37 (6d6+6+6)
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +8
Resistances DR 1/— vs. electrical creatures and attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +3 (1d4–1/19-20)
Ranged dagger +3 (1d4–1/19-20)
Spells (CL 6th; concentration +11)
0-level (at will)—daze (DC 15), light, message, read magic
1st-level—burning hands (DC 16), cause fear (DC 16), hypnotism (DC 16), mage armor, unseen servant
2nd-level—aggressive thundercloud (DC 17), burning gaze (DC 17), carry companion, gust of wind (DC 17)
3rd-level—burning monkey swarm (DC 18), lightning bolt (DC 18), storm step (DC 18)
Spell-like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +11)
At will—feather fall, healing hex (2d8+6 1/day per creature healed), know direction
1/day—levitate
6 minutes/day—fly, tongues
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 21, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 12
Feats Alertness B, Amateur Investigator, Evolved Familiar, Extra Hex, Fast Learner, Improvisation
Flaws One Arm
Traits Ancient Explorer (Knowledge (local)), Shackles Seafarer, Storm-Touched, Worldly
Drawback Superstitious
Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +7, Bluff +9, Climb –3, Craft (all) +7, Diplomacy +9, Disable Device +0, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +2, Fly +7, Handle Animal +9, Heal +8, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +15, Knowledge (nature) +14, Knowledge (nobles) +7, Knowledge (planes) +9, Knowledge (religion) +7, Linguistics +7, Navigation +7, Perception +5, Perform (all) +9, Profession (sailor) +6, Profession (all) +3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +2, Spellcraft +14, Stealth +2, Survival +3, Swim +12, Use Magic Device +15
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Infernal, Polyglot, Tengu
SQ deliver touch spells through familiar, empathic link, flight hex, healing hex, hexes, inspiration pool (5/day), sea creature empathy (+10), share spells with familiar, speak with familiar, superstitious (50% chance of rolling a save vs. harmless spells), tongues hex, water lung hex
Gear circlet of persuasion, cloak of resistance +2, wand of cure moderate wounds (13 charges), masterwork dagger, masterwork backpack, belt pouch, everburning torch, pot of black ink, ink pen, journal, mapmaker’s kit, Pathfinder chronicle (Knowledge (nature)), spell component pouch, waterskin, 6 pp, 22 gp, 8 sp

Jib-Jub
N Tiny Magical Beast (aquatic)
Init +2; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +3 Natural, +2 size)
hp 18
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d3–4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
----- Statistics -----
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 9
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Perception +5, Stealth: +10, Swim +10
SQ Amphibious, gills, improved evasion

.

Lillit
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) witch 7
Init +0; Senses Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 10 (14), touch 10, flat-footed 10 (14) (+4 armor mage armor)
hp 42 (7d6+7+7)
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +8
Resistances DR 1/— vs. electrical creatures and attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +3 (1d4–1/19-20)
Ranged dagger +3 (1d4–1/19-20)
Spells (CL 7th; concentration +12)
0-level (at will)—daze (DC 15), light, message, read magic
1st-level—burning hands (DC 16), cause fear (DC 16), hypnotism (DC 16), mage armor, touch of the sea (DC 16), unseen servant
2nd-level—aggressive thundercloud (DC 17), burning gaze (DC 17), carry companion, gust of wind (DC 17)
3rd-level—burning monkey swarm (DC 18), lightning bolt (DC 18), storm step (DC 18)
4th-level—divination, ice storm
Spell-like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +12)
At will—feather fall, healing hex (2d8+7 1/day per creature healed), know direction
1/day—levitate
7 minutes/day—fly, tongues
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 21, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 12
Feats Alertness B, Amateur Investigator, Evolved Familiar, Extra Hex, Fast Learner, Improvisation
Flaws One Arm
Traits Ancient Explorer (Knowledge (local)), Shackles Seafarer, Storm-Touched, Worldly
Drawback Superstitious
Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +7, Bluff +9, Climb –3, Craft (all) +7, Diplomacy +11, Disable Device +0, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +2, Fly +7, Handle Animal +9, Heal +8, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (engineering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (local) +16, Knowledge (nature) +15, Knowledge (nobles) +7, Knowledge (planes) +9, Knowledge (religion) +7, Linguistics +7, Navigation +7, Perception +5, Perform (all) +9, Profession (sailor) +6, Profession (all) +3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +2, Spellcraft +15, Stealth +2, Survival +5, Swim +14, Use Magic Device +15
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Infernal, Polyglot, Tengu
SQ deliver touch spells through familiar, empathic link, flight hex, healing hex, hexes, inspiration pool (5/day), sea creature empathy (+11), share spells with familiar, speak with familiar, speak with simians, superstitious (50% chance of rolling a save vs. harmless spells), tongues hex, water lung hex
Gear circlet of persuasion, cloak of resistance +2, wand of cure moderate wounds (13 charges), masterwork dagger, masterwork backpack, belt pouch, everburning torch, pot of black ink, ink pen, journal, mapmaker’s kit, Pathfinder chronicle (Knowledge (nature)), spell component pouch, waterskin, 6 pp, 22 gp, 8 sp

Jib-Jub
N Tiny Magical Beast (aquatic)
Init +2; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +4 Natural, +2 size)
hp 21
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +6
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d3–4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
----- Statistics -----
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 9
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Perception +5, Stealth: +10, Swim +12
SQ Amphibious, gills, improved evasion


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Now that Lillit has been added, here is the primary crew of the Risky Venture at 8th level:

Captain Isobel Imperia Novennia Charthagnion
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) summoner 8
Init +2; Senses Perception +0
----- Defense -----
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor {mage armour}, +2 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 55 (8d8)
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7
Defensive Abilities Shield ally (+2 AC/Saves when within reach of eidolon)
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +6/+1 (1d4/19-20)
Ranged pistol +8 (1d8/x4)
Spells (CL 8th; concentration +14)
0-level (at will)—detect magic, guidance, mage hand, message, read magic, resistance
1st-level (6/day)—enlarge person (DC 16), grease (DC 17), mage armor, shield, unfetter (DC 16)
2nd-level (6/day)—bull’s strength, glitterdust (DC 18), haste,lesser evolution surge (DC 17)
3rd-level (3/day)—black tentacles, dimension door, greater invisibility
Spell-like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +14)
8/day—summon monster IV
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 22
Base Atk +6; CMB +5; CMD 16
Feats Augment Summoning, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms), Extra Evolution, Leadership, Spell Focus (Conjuration)
Flaws Nonathletic
Traits Merchant, River Rat, The Governor’s Child, World Traveler (Sense Motive)
Drawback Maimouphobia
Skills Appraise +16 (+17 when bargaining), Bluff +6, Climb –3, Diplomacy +18, Disguise +6, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (geography) +16, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nobles) +9, Profession (sailor) +19, Ride +13, Sense Motive +12 (+13 when bargaining), Spellcraft +9, Swim +9, Use Magic Device +10
Languages Common, Aquan, Draconic, Halfling, Osiriani, Polyglot
SQ bond senses (8 rnds/day), eidolon link, life link, maker’s call (1/day), share spells with eidolon, shield ally, transposition
Gear amulet of natural armor +1, boots of the cat, cloak of resistance +1, headband of alluring charisma +2, potion of cure moderate wounds, masterwork dagger, 2 pistols, 10 bullets and powder, scroll of mage armor, wand of mage armor, spell component pouch, tricorne hat, 32 pp, 2gp, 5 cp

Chauncey
This large blue-black lizard’s head is the size of a dog with a glowing rune on its forehead and wings on it’s back. It has a very short rounded snout and it’s big eyes make it almost nauseatingly cute.
Chauncey
N Large Outsider
Init +6; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
----- Defense -----
AC 23, touch 11, flat-footed 21 (+2 Dex, +12 Natural, -1 Size)
hp 71 (6d10+24)
Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +2
Defensive Abilities +4 vs. Enchantment Spells and Effects, evasion
----- Offense -----
Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Melee 2 claws +12 (1d8+7) and bite +12 (2d6+7)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks pounce (full attack after charge)
----- Statistics -----
Str 25, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11
Base Atk +6; CMB +14; CMD 26
Feats Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Power Attack
Skills Acrobatics +5, Climb +4, Fly +6, Knowledge (planes) +7, Perception +9, Swim +13
Languages Common
SQ evolutions (bite, claws, flight (wings), improved natural attack (bite), improved natural attack (claws), improved natural armor, large size, limbs (x2), mount, pounce)

Pielanga, Captain’s Steward
Female half-elf (shoreborn) rogue (spy) 6
CN medium humanoid (human, elf)
Init +3; Senses Perception +12 (+16 on overhearing conversations, traps, and secret doors); Low-light Vision
----- Defense -----
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 30 (6d8)
Fort +2, Ref +8, Will +1
Special Defences +2 vs. Enchantments
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee brine’s sting +8 (1d6+2/18-20)
Ranged mwk dagger +8 (1d4+1/19-20)
Special Attacks Sneak attack (+3d6)
Spell-like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +7)
3/day—prestidigitation
----- Statistics -----
Str 13, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 12
Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 18
Feats A Life at Sea (Razor Coast) (Profession [sailor], Perception), Pass for Human, Sea Legs, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +14, Bluff +10, Climb +7, Diplomacy +10, Disable Device +14, Disguise +10, Escape Artist +12, Knowledge (local) +12, Perception +12, Profession (sailor) +10, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +12, Stealth +10, Swim +11
Languages Aquan, Common, Elven, Osiriani, Polyglot
SQ Canny observer, elf blood, elven immunities, evasion, honeyed words (2/day), keen senses, low-light vision, minor magic (prestidigitation), poison use, skilled liar, uncanny dodge, water child
Gear +1 studded leather armor, brine’s sting, masterwork daggers (3), alchemist’s kindness (x5), arsenic (x5), masterwork backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, bloodroot (x1), blue whinnis (x1), flint & steel, heatstone (x2), hip flask, mess kit, mirror, poison pill ring, silk rope, masterwork thieves tools

.

First Mate Dahryen Moon
Male human (Kellid) bard (buccaneer) 8
CG medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +10
----- Defense -----
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 65 (8d8+8+6)
Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +6
Defensive Abilities +4 vs. bardic performance, sonic, and language based attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 keen boarding pike of repelling +12/+7 (1d8+5/19-20/x3)
or +1 boarding pike of repelling +10/+5/+10 (1d8+4 (19-20/x3)/1d6+4 (x2))
or +1 boarding pike of repelling +10/+5 (1d8+4 (19-20/x3)) and osiriani short sword +7 (1d6+3/19-20)
or longsword +9/+4 (1d8+3/19-20)
or osiriani short sword +9/+4 (1d6+3/19-20)
Special Attacks Hilt bash, knock out (+3 bonus to hit, +6 nonlethal damage)(1/day), song of surrender (DC 15)
Spells (CL 8th; concentration +11)
0-level (at will)—dancing lights (DC 13), daze (DC 13), ghost sound (DC 13), mending, prestidigitation, read magic
1st-level (5/day)—feather fall (DC 14), grease (DC 14), hideous laughter (DC 14), identify, silent image (DC 14)
2nd-level (5/day)—cacophonous call (DC 15), glitterdust (DC 15), invisibility, silence (DC 15)
3rd-level (3/day)—confusion (DC 16), haste, slow (DC 16)
----- Statistics -----
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16
Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 22
Feats Arcane Strike, Dazzling Display (boarding pike), Double Slice, Quarterstaff Master, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (boarding pike)
Flaw Spell Futility
Skills Acrobatics +12, Appraise +5, Bluff +13, Climb +10, Diplomacy +14, Disguise +3, Escape Artist +3, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (engineering) +6, Knowledge (local) +9, Perception +11, Perform (comedy) +11, Perform (oratory) +14, Perform (percussion) +7, Perform (sing) +13, Profession (sailor) +7, Sense Motive +14, Sleight of Hand +8, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +8, Swim +5, Use Magic Device +9
Traits Acrobat, Buccaneer’s Blood, Osirion Staff Fighter, Reactionary
Drawback Hedonistic
Languages Common, Hallit, Osiriani
SQ Bardic Performance (21 rnds/day, move action), countersong, dirge of doom, distraction, fascinate (2 targets, DC 16), inspire competence +3, inspire courage +2, song of surrender (DC 14), versatile performance (oratory,singing), well versed
Gear +1 mithral chain shirt, +1 keen boarding pike of repelling, longsword, osiriani short sword (appears similar to a khopesh, but no special abilities), backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, explorer’s outfit, fine spices (cinnamon, cumin, ginger, pepper, allspice, basil, rosemary), flint and steel, grappling hook, rope, soap, waterskin, 6 gp, 8 sp, 9 cp

.

Minerva Wood, Ship’s Surgeon/Carpenter
Female human (Chelaxian) cleric of Cayden Cailean 9
NG medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +4
----- Defense -----
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 61 (8d8+16)
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +10
Defensive Abilities +2 vs. Charm, Compulsion, and Emotion Effects; +2 Trait bonus vs. mind-affecting effects for 1 hour after drinking alcohol
----- Offense -----
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 rapier +9/+4 (1d6+3/18-20) or
+1 morningstar +9/+4 (1d8+3)
Ranged pistol +7 (1d8/X4) MF 1
Special Attacks Channel positive energy (4d6)(4/day) (DC 15)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8h; concentration +12)
7/day—rebuke death
Spells (CL 8th; concentration +12)
0-level—animate tools, light, mending, stabilize
1st-level—air bubble, bless water, command, cure light woundsD, enhance water, remove fear
2nd-level—consecrate, cure moderate woundsD, drunkard’s breath (DC 16), sound burst (DC 16), spear of purity (DC 16)
3rd-level—cure serious woundsD, prayer, searing light, speak with dead (DC 17), water breathing
4th-level—cure critical wounds, dimension doorD, holy smite (DC 18), ride the waves (DC 18)
Domains: Healing, Travel
----- Statistics -----
Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 12
Base Atk +6; CMB +8; CMD 19
Feats Drunken Brawler, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms), Lightning Reflexes, Self-sufficient, Turn Undead (DC 14)
Flaw Choke Under Pressure
Skills Acrobatics +1 (+5 Jump), Appraise +1, Bluff -1, Climb +2, Craft (carpentry) +15, Craft (ships) +8, Craft (siege engines) +8, Diplomacy +1, Heal +20, Intimidate +1, Perception +4, Profession (sailor) +10, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +6, Survival +7, Swim +4, Use Magic Device +2
Traits Anatomist, Fortified Drinker, Principled, Ship's Surgeon
Drawback Doubt
Languages Common, Polyglot
SQ Agile Feet (7/day) (Su), aura (good), dimensional hop (16 5ft. inc./day), healer’s blessing
Gear +1 studded leather armor, +1 morningstar, +1 rapier, masterwork artisan's tools (Craft [carpentry]), artisan's tools (Craft [ships]), artisan's tools (Craft [siege engines]), backpack, belt pouch, flint and steel, healer's kit, hip flask, holy symbol—wooden (Cayden Cailean), holy water, signal whistle, silk rope, 13 gp, 2 sp

.

William Eudonius “Fancy Will” Telastrum III, Boatswain
Male human (Taldan) swashbuckler 8
CG medium humanoid (human)
Init +6; Senses Perception –1
----- Defense -----
AC 23, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor, +4 Dex, +3 dodge)
hp 79 (8d10+16+6)
Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +1
Defensive Abilities +1 shield bonus to AC when fighting with two weapons
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier of battlefield movement +17/+12 (1d6+9+8/15-20)
or mwk dagger +14/+9 (1d4+2+8/17-20)
or rapier of battlefield movement +15/+10 (1d6+9/15-20) and mwk dagger +12 (1d4+1/17-20)
Ranged mwk dagger +13 (1d4+1+8/17-20)
----- Statistics -----
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 20
Base Atk +8; CMB +9; CMD 26
Feats Dazzling Display (rapier), Dodge, Fencing Grace, Greater Weapon Focus (Rapier), Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (rapier), Weapon Specialization (rapier)
Flaw Blatant
Skills Acrobatics +15, Bluff +3, Climb +12, Diplomacy +5, Disguise +3, Escape Artist +15, Intimidate +16, Perception –1, Profession (sailor) +7, Sense Motive –1, Stealth +2, Swim +10
Traits Fencer, Rich Parents, Touched by the Sea
Languages Common
SQ Charmed life (4/day), derring-do, dodging panache, kip up, menacing swordplay, nimble +2, opportune parry and riposte, panache (5 points/day), superior feint, swashbuckler finesse, swashbuckler’s grace, swashbuckler initiative, swashbuckler weapon training +1, targeted strike
Gear +2 mithral chain shirt, rapier of battlefield movement, belt of tumbling, masterwork rapier, masterwork dagger, potion of cure light wounds, 2x potion of cure moderate wounds, courtier’s outfit with jewelry (50 gp), manticore chopsticks, silk scarf, tengu feathers, 2x belt pouch, hip flask, 317 gp.

.

Silas Rand, Ship Master and Master-of-Arms
Male half-orc brawler 8
CG medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +2; Senses Perception +14
----- Defense -----
AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 18 (+6 armor, +1 natural, +1 deflection, +2 dodge, +2 Dex)
hp 81 (8d10+24)
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +5
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee unarmed strike +13/8 (1d10+6)
or brawler’s fury +11/+11/+6/+6 (1d10+6)
or +1 short sword +14/+9 (1d6+6/19-20)
or dan bong +13/+8 (1d8+5/19-20)
Special Attacks Jabbing Style (+1d6 on 2 sequential strikes, +2d6 on 3), Knockout (1/day, DC 19)
----- Statistics -----
Str 20, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +8; CMB +13 (+14 Dirty Trick, +17 Grapple); CMD 28 (29 Dirty Trick, 32 Grapple)
Feats Alertness, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Enforcer, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Jabbing Style, Power Attack, Toughness
Flaw Blatant
Skills Acrobatics +11, Bluff –3, Climb +14, Diplomacy +4, Disguise –3, Escape Artist +7, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +11, Knowledge (history) +4, Knowledge (local) +8, Linguistics +6, Perception +14, Perform (oratory) +6, Profession (navigator) +12, Profession (sailor) +12, Sense Motive +14, Stealth +0, Swim +12
Traits Bare-knuckle Fighter, Bruising Intellect, Ease of Faith, Skilled Crewman (Knowledge (geography))
Drawback Attached (Belt Buckle with Family Crest & Symbol of Desna)
Languages Aquan, Common, Ghol-Gan, Osiriani, Polyglot, Tengu
SQ Brawler strike (magic), dirty trick training, grapple training, martial flexibility (7/day, swift action), martial training
Gear Mithral chain shirt +2, amulet of natural armor +1, belt of giant strength +2, cackling hag’s blouse, cloak of resistance +2, potion of cure moderate wounds, ring of protection +1, +1 short sword, shackles of compliance, Svingli’s eye, dan bong, bed roll, belt buckle with crest, belt pouch, compass, crowbar, false manacles, dice, pathfinder chronicle (Knowledge (geography)), tanglefoot bag, waterproof bag, 26 gp, 4 sp

.

Aakin, Cook’s Mate and Ship Mascot
CN Medium Male Tengu Inquisitor 8
Init +8; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +15
----- Defense -----
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +4 Dex)
hp 47 (8d8)
Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +10
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee tidewater cutlass +8/+3 (1d6+2/18-20) &
bite +2 (1d3) or
bite +7 (1d3+1) or
+1 short sword +8/+3 (1d6+2/19-20)
Ranged composite longbow (Str +1) +13/+8 (1d8+1/x3) or
composite longbow (Str +1) +11/+11/+6 (1d8+1/x3)
Spells (CL 8th; concentration +12)
0-level (at will)—brand, create water, detect magic, disrupt undead, guidance, light
1st-level (5/day)—cure light wounds, divine favor, interrogation (DC 16), peacebond (DC 16), sanctuary (DC 16)
2nd-level (5/day)—blistering invective (DC 17), cure moderate wounds, hunter’s lore, tongues
3rd-level (3/day)—burst of speed, cure serious wounds, righteous vigor (DC 18)
Spell-like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +12)
At will—detect chaos/good/evil/law;
8 rnds/day—discern lies;
1/day—hydraulic push
Inquisitor Domain Conversion Inquisition
----- Statistics -----
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 10
Base Atk +6; CMB +7; CMD 21
Feats Coordinated ShotB, Duck and CoverB, Focused Shot (+2), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow)
Flaws Slow Runner
Traits Besmara’s Blessing, Cheat Death, Hurricane Savvy, Zealous Striker
Drawback Headstrong
Skills Bluff +14, Climb +8, Diplomacy +14, Heal +8, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nature) +7, Knowledge (planes) +6, Knowledge (religion) +12, Linguistics +11, Perception +15, Profession (cook) +11, Profession (sailor) +18, Sense Motive +21, Stealth +6, Swim +10
Languages Aquan, Azlanti, Common, Draconic Elven, Ghol-Gan, Jistka, Osiriani, Polyglot, Protean, Sahuagin, Skald, Tengu, Tulita
SQ Bane (8 rnds/day), cunning initiative; detect alignment; judgement (3/day); judgement of Sacred Destruction +3, judgement of Sacred Healing 3, judgement of Sacred Justice +2, judgement of Sacred Piercing +3, judgement of Sacred Purity +2, judgement of Sacred Protection +2, judgement of Sacred Resiliency 2, judgement of resistance 6, judgement of Sacred Smiting (Chaos, Magic); monster lore +4; second judgement; solo tactics; stern gaze; swaying word (1/day, DC 18); teamwork feat; track +4
Gear Pirate Queen’s Pearl, Masterwork studded leather armor, tidewater cutlass, composite longbow (Str +1), 20 arrows, Besmara’s tricorne, lesser bracers of archery, 5 ft. pieces of rope (x5), backpack, candle, canteen, cooking kit, fishing kit, flint & steel, wooden holy symbol (Besmara), mess kit, whetstone

.

Lillit, Quartermaster (probationary)
N Medium Female Human (Chelaxian) witch 8
Init +0; Senses Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +2 natural)
hp 46 (8d6+8+8)
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +9
Defensive Abilities DR 1/— vs. electrical creatures and attacks
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +4 (1d4–1/19-20)
Ranged mwk dagger +4 (1d4–1/19-20)
Spells (CL 8th; concentration +14)
0-level (at will)—daze (DC 16), light, message, read magic
1st-level—burning hands (DC 17), cause fear (DC 17), detect secret doors, hypnotism (DC 17), touch of the sea (DC 17), unseen servant
2nd-level—aggressive thundercloud (DC 18), burning gaze (DC 18), carry companion, detect thoughts (DC 18), gust of wind (DC 18)
3rd-level—burning monkey swarm (DC 19), lightning bolt (DC 19), silver darts (DC 19), storm step (DC 19)
4th-level—divination, ice storm, mass daze (DC 20)
Spell-like Abilities (CL 8th; concentration +14)
At will—feather fall, healing hex (2d8+8 1/day per creature healed), know direction
1/day—levitate
8 minutes/day—fly, tongues
----- Statistics -----
Str 8, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 22, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +4; CMB +3; CMD 13
Feats Alertness B, Amateur Investigator, Evolved Familiar, Extra Hex, Fast Learner, Improvisation, Persuasive
Flaws One Arm
Traits Ancient Explorer (Knowledge (local)), Shackles Seafarer, Storm-Touched, Worldly
Drawback Superstitious
Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +8, Bluff +9, Climb –3, Craft (all) +8, Diplomacy +11, Disable Device +2, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +2, Fly +7, Handle Animal +9, Heal +8, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (engineering) +8, Knowledge (geography) +8, Knowledge (history) +16, Knowledge (local) +18, Knowledge (nature) +17, Knowledge (nobles) +8, Knowledge (planes) +13, Knowledge (religion) +8, Linguistics +8, Navigation +8, Perception +5, Perform (all) +9, Profession (sailor) +6, Profession (all) +3, Ride +2, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +2, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +2, Survival +5, Swim +15, Use Magic Device +18
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aquan, Celestial, Infernal, Polyglot, Sahuagin, Tengu
SQ deliver touch spells through familiar, empathic link, feral speech, flight hex, healing hex, hexes, inspiration pool (5/day), sea creature empathy (+10), share spells with familiar, speak with familiar, speak with simians, superstitious (50% chance of rolling a save vs. harmless spells), tongues hex, water lung hex
Gear circlet of persuasion, cloak of resistance +2, wand of cure moderate wounds (13 charges), wand of magic missiles (24 charges), amulet of natural armor +2, bracers of armor +2, masterwork dagger, masterwork backpack, belt pouch, everburning torch, pot of black ink, ink pen, journal, mapmaker’s kit, pathfinder chronicle (Knowledge (nature)), spell component pouch, thieves tools, waterskin, 6 pp, 17 gp, 8 sp

Jib-Jub
N Tiny Magical Beast (aquatic)
Init +2; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +5
----- Defense -----
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +4 Natural, +2 size)
hp 23
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +7
----- Offense -----
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee bite +8 (1d3–4)
Space 2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
----- Statistics -----
Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 10
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Perception +5, Stealth: +10, Swim +13
SQ Amphibious, gills, improved evasion


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

MASSIVE amounts of role-playing and story makes for our longest entry ever! So long I’m breaking it up into two parts:

Session 25 (Part One):

Minerva used her final channel energy ability of the day to heal the party a little. Will began suffering the effects of the bloodroot poison on Knuckles’ spiked gauntlets. Minerva aided him and kept him from suffering too much. Having tended their wounds as far as they could, they then checked over the captured Thresher for valuables and confiscated Knuckles’ belt of giant strength for Silas. Silas remembered Knuckles from Widowmaker Isle and took the belt as a trophy, just like in the fighting pits. With the addition of the Thresher’s crew, they were now fully crewed and no longer had to recruit. They then spent the next 24 hours repairing the two ships for the voyage to Port Peril. Minerva complained that they should stop smashing up ships as it just made work for her.

Minerva tried to get Silas to look at what he did by smashing the side of the Risky Venture into the side of the Thresher, but he chose to ignore her. Minerva begrudgingly removed the coral from Silas the next day before they set out. Charting a course through the Shackles for the first time, Silas made a small error and sailed a bit too close to Dahak’s Fang. They spotted Aashaq the Annihilator in one of her rare flights over the island. The massive red dragon would be able to see them easily from where she was flying.

A quick conference among the officers came up with a plan. Dahryen was not happy; he had once tried to accomplish the Fellhope Run through Dahak’s Fang and didn’t want to be back there. They decided to use the silent image ruse that got them away from Tarin’s Crown. Since a kraken would draw fire, they tried to come up with another illusion. They decided to create a mirror covering the two ships, hoping the distance between them and the dragon would cover any odd mistakes or the reflected waves. They did it and Silas maneuvered the ships carefully behind the illusion. Because of the distance, Aashaq failed to notice them. Once they got out of range and could no longer see the dragon, they dropped the illusion and went to full sail to move as fast as they could. Silas suggested a lot of treasure could have been got if they hit Dahak’s Fang just to yank Dahryen’s chain a bit. The First Mate was not amused.

A week after setting forth from Mancatcher Cove, the Risky Venture and the Thresher pulled into Port Peril and docked in Crescent Harbor. They passed the island of Lucrehold on top of which they spied the fortress of the Hurricane King, Fort Hazard, making it clear how hard the port would be to take. Although Aakin was familiar with the way most Free Captains joined the brotherhood of the Shackles—through sponsorship by an established Free Captain—he wasn’t up on the procedure for those who boldly came in and claimed it on their own merits. He had heard there might be tests, but that was it.

Lillit was familiar with the procedure from tales she heard aboard one of the pirate vessels she had previously served on. First they had to send a bribe in the form of a sizable amount of loot to the Hurricane King, Kerdak Bonefist. Then he will grant them an audience at his convenience. They paid the crew double their normal pay, making the Captain very popular. The officers decided to send the Quartermaster (Lillit) and Silas as messengers to deliver the loot. They headed to the Harborhorn, the harbormaster’s tower, and requested passage to Lucrehold with a token for the Hurricane King. Tsojmin Kreidoros, the stern dwarven harbormaster agreed and took them out to the island.

They were greeted by a couple of pirate guards at the dock. Lillit requested a meeting with Bonefist and to help with this they had brought a token of esteem. The pirates were very impressed and took the treasure up to the fortress after asking them to wait for them. Kreidoros grumbled about lost income while on this errand while waiting for the guards to return. A messenger came down after a half-hour to an hour and said that the King would grant them an audience the following evening. So they returned to Crescent Harbor and reported back to Isobel. Minerva took the rest of the day to mount the magical masthead Besmara’s Bones on the front of the Risky Venture.

Isobel asked the crew to scout out and see if any ships they knew were in harbor. They spied the Wormwood at the far end of the docks, as well as the Ravishing Ruby and the Strix—though only by Free Captain Merrill Pegsworthy’s flag as Rickety did a fine job in squibbing her. They felt very happy they had to stay close to the ship, although they would have liked to meet Pegsworthy again.

The next morning a large crowd gathered around the Risky Venture and a burly looking half-orc in a nice red coat and sporting a golden tusk-tooth on his left side stepped out of the crowd and hailed the ship. He introduced himself as Tsadok Goldtooth, Kerdak Bonefist’s first mate. He called to meet with the officers of the Venture on the dock as the Hurricane King’s representative. He pointed out how unusual it was for a bunch of sea rats to come into Port Peril claiming to be pirates. The Pirate Code required that the crew be "proved” before being seriously considered for Free Captaincy.

Tsadok called them “fancy jackets” and “fancy hats”, derogatory names for people who were just pretending to be pirates. He was especially dismissive of the 18 year old Captain who looked like a strong wind could blow over. He called her “Fancy Lass” and some of the crowd roared with laughter in appreciation. Others in the gathered crowd scowled and grumbled at these gibes however, not seeming to like Tsadok too much. The half-orc went on to say there was no was a little slip of a girl could take down all the ships that the Risky Venture claimed.

Isobel retorted that size isn’t everything to which Tsadok replied the he was sure a little girl like her would say that. He then set forth the first test: one of the officers of the Venture would have to swiftly climb to the top of a nearby ship’s foremast and complete the tricky task of unfurling and setting the sail from the top yard without assistance, before one of Tsadok’s crew did the same on the mizzenmast. The ship used for the challenge was the Stingray, a brig with two tall square-rigged masts.

The officers talked together and decided that their boatswain, “Fancy Will” Telastrum, would be their competitor. The officers and spectators watched from the deck of the Stingray. Will climbed up to the top of the foremast at double normal climbing speed and began to work the sail while Tsadok’s man was still climbing. Will walked effortlessly along the yardarm to each of the connection points. While this was going on, Silas noticed a bald sailor moving around on the deck and was acting suspiciously. Silas alerted Aakin about this in Tengu and let Aakin move towards the bald sailor.

Aakin watched as the bald sailor began to untie a knot that secured the Stingray’s forestay boom as Will arrived at the end of the yard. Aakin got close and used his swaying word ability to dominate the sailor and get him to watch the spectacle above. Will rapidly finished unfurling and setting the sail just as his competitor got up to the top and began work on his sail. Will then cut a line and swung down to land perfectly on the deck.

Tsadok admitted that the crew were sailors after all and began calling Isobel “Dainty Lass” instead of Fancy. He now challenged whether they had the luck and skill needed to be great pirates and challenged one of their number to a game of Bastard’s Fool, a card game popular amongst the pirates of the Shackles. Bastard’s Fool is played using a deck cobbled together from several partial decks. Even a down-on-his-luck sailor who doesn’t even have a full deck of cards can play Bastard’s Fool, as each player brings whatever cards she has, and combines them with other players’ cards to create a new deck. Bastard’s Fool is a bluffing game similar to poker, but Tsadok added an additional “Port Peril” rule to the game: the winner of each hand had to drink a ration cup of Gutburn rum.

The crew chose Minerva as her ability to read people and her strong resistance to alcohol made her an obvious choice. A small table was set up on the aft deck of the Risky Venture, and they put up a stake of 100 pp for her. Tsadok did the same. A dealer then began shuffling and laying out the cards. It started slow, with Minerva winning each hand and drinking her ration cup. Tsadok kept the bids low at first, but Minerva began to up the stakes and push the amounts higher. She read the dealer and Tsadok so well, that she knew when they were cheating and adjusted accordingly. The alcohol had virtually no effect on her.

Finally she went all in. Minerva watched the dealer carefully and kept him from slipping another card to Tsadok without being seen. She scored a perfect 20 and took the pot. Tsadok reluctantly let them keep his 100 pp. Minerva graciously gave him a bottle of Caydenbrew as a consolation. He thanked her with a sneer, but took the bottle.

Now he granted that they were sailors and they had luck and skill. But pirates needed to be able to fight. So the rest of the crew of the Risky Venture went ashore and Minerva, Isobel, Pielanga, Silas, Aakin, Will, and Lillit were left to defend the ship from boarders. They placed themselves to get ready wherever they wished. When they were prepared they wheeled two covered cages out onto the dock. Isobel summoned Chauncey and kept him hidden back away from the dock, prepared to charge. Tsadok stood between the cages, grabbed hold of two bars and the covers, and in one motion pulled the covers back and opened the cages. There stood two marsh giants that Lillit recognized as Fishpork and Clawhammer—favorites at several of Port Peril’s fighting arenas.

Aakin fired off shots into Fishpork, right before the giant engulfed the central mass of the Risky Venture in a cloud of fog through some innate magic ability. Lillit, Will, and Aakin were outside this effect. Clawhammer picked up one of the large rocks that Tsadok had thoughtfully placed for the giants in each of their cages and threw it at Will. Will side stepped it and the stone smashed in the door to the forecastle. Minerva sighed and muttered to herself as she heard the splintering wood. Isobel cast bull’s strength on Chauncey and sent the now large dragon to the attack. The crowds gasped as a dragon exploded out of the mists and slammed into Clawhammer. There was great applause.

Lillit flew down from where she had positioned herself amongst the masts and landed on the forecastle so she could be in closer range for her spell casting. Silas downed two potions: enlarge person and bull’s strength. He then bull rushed Fishpork and as Silas moved past the Tengu, Aakin dropped down out of the fog and cast righteous vigor on Silas. Silas slammed into Fishpork and knocked him and the cage off the dock into the water. Will and Pielanga swung down onto the docks and joined in the fight. Minerva moved out of the cloud and cast a holy smite spell on Clawhammer, blinding and damaging the giant.

Fishpork climbed back onto the dock while Clawhammer kicked the cage he was in over the side and assaulted Chauncey in spite of his blindness. Isobel moved to the edge of the deck and cast haste on everyone except Lillit. Lillit cast mass daze on the giants and managed to daze Clawhammer. Aakin moved out of the fog and began sniping the giants with his bow. Will leapt up, jumped off Fishpork’s gut, did a somersault over the giant’s head, and landed perfectly on the other side to thunderous applause from the watching crowds. Silas immediately took the opening provided by Will’s fancy maneuver to move in and attack Fishpork with a devastating series of blinding fast blows. Will then struck, throwing the marsh giant off balance. Minerva cast a deadeye’s arrow spell into Fishpork and finished him off. Lillit hit Clawhammer with spell damage including magic missiles, weakening the giant enough that Chauncey was able to tear Clawhammer to bits.

To Be Continued


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber

Session 25 (Part Two):

The crowd cheered and Tsadok came forward to talk to the Isobel and her crew. The half-orc thanked them and said that they were good sorts. He then stepped forward and addressed the crowd. He proclaimed that the “Dainty Lass” and her crew were indeed deserving of becoming Free Pirates of the Shackles, which received boisterous cheers from the crowd. Tsadok further announced that Hurricane King Kerdak Bonefist himself will grant Isobel her letter of marque that very evening. This announcement received much less applause and enthusiasm.

The crew discussed the lack of enthusiasm for Bonefist as they prepared for the evening feast and Minerva repaired a door. Kerdak Bonefist had been Hurricane King for nearly forty years and showed no signs of slowing down. He had famously stolen the sun orchid elixir from Ezaliah Thrune as it travelled back to Egorian twice now, keeping him physically young. Some people were beginning to murmur that Bonefist has become too complacent and new blood may soon be needed.

Isobel dressed in fancy pirate dress rather than nobility dress and Pielanga made sure they all looked their best. Lillit changed her statue into a monkey with gills. She said his name was Jib-Jub and that this was his normal form, but she kept him as an idol for safety. She couldn’t resist letting him out for a feast, however. Isobel was highly unimpressed, but the rest of the crew pointed out that Lillit kept Jib-Jub under wraps usually and thus this shouldn’t be a regular problem. Isobel relented, but remained highly agitated.

A jollyboat came to their ship to take them directly to Lucrehold. As they travelled up the hill to Fort Hazard for the feast, they overheard people talking about their test earlier that day. They heard terms like Fancy Will, Dainty Lass, Blackbird Aakin, and Iron Fist Rand, and tall tales exaggerating their accomplishments. They left Chauncey back on the ship as it would be a problem in the crowded feast hall. Still suspicious of their fellow pirates, they kept a message spell handy if something went south at the feast.

When they arrived, the revelry was already in full swing: tables were laden with roast meat and flagons of ale, mead, and rum, and loud, drunken buccaneers swaggered and staggered around the main hall. Hurricane King Kerdak Bonefist presided over the revelry from his gold-chased, teakwood throne. As they were being escorted to the throne, Isobel was stopped by an angry man who forced his way across the room and accosted Isobel. Pellius Charthagnion, the head of the council of representatives of Port Freedom in Sargava, demanded to what his daughter was doing there. Fancy Will stepped forward and assured Isobel’s father that he was protecting her honour and would not allow any man to besmirch her reputation while he lived. The pirates began laughing to burst over the entire scene.

To this Pellius asked what Isobel was doing consorting with that Taldan scum and acting like a pirate. He pointed out that riff-raff like her crew—especially the monstrous half-orc and the filthy bird—were not appropriate comrades for a proper lady. Isobel responded by asking Pellius what he was doing there, as he had never taken any of the tribute ships to Port Peril himself. He revealed that he had spoken to five ship captains before he found the one that had agreed to transport her to Port Peril. Once he knew where she was, he journeyed with the latest tribute ship to the Shackles capital to try and locate her. “You’re coming home with me, young lady!” he said and produced another round of laughter from the pirates.

Minerva then intervened asking whether the Captain wanted the man removed. Pellius was indignant at Minerva and asked the “young lady” who she thought she was? Will responded, “This is no lady.” To which Minerva got indignant at Will. Isobel overcame her own surprise and became cross, pointing out she didn’t think he would care about her now that he had a proper heir. The crew and pirates all went “Ooooh.” Pellius told Isobel to leave her brother Encarlo out of it, as he was promising to turn into a good and upstanding citizen of Sargava unlike Isobel who had walked out on a very good marriage he had arranged for her with a young noble of Eleder. Minerva praised Isobel for that act, while Will said that she should have taken her father up on that. In disgust, Isobel replied to Will that she would rather marry him!

At this point Minerva withdrew and went off to have a drink.

At this point Pellius demanded that Isobel stop this nonsense and grabbed her by the arm. Silas got serious and made a strong suggestion that Pellius remove his hand from his daughter. Pellius tried to retain his dignity and asked why he should obey some worthless piece of crap from the Shackles. Silence descended on some of the nearby pirates who began grumbling and glowering at Pellius. A number of them began thumping their mugs do give warning. Isobel drew herself up and told her father that the feast was in her honour and that he should hold his tongue. Stunned, Pellius released her and backed down. He informed her that they weren’t finished with this and then went back to sit at a table in the crowd.

Isobel got a big cheer and the pirates went back to their revelry. Will said that he and Isobel had more in common than he thought and that he would consider her marriage proposal. The Captain rolled her eyes and allowed herself and her crew to be directed up to the throne. Already well into his cups, the Hurricane King blearily stared down at Isobel and her crew as they were brought forth for introductions. Bonefist repeatedly roared for silence, only to be ignored, so he finally resorted to firing his pistol into the air to establish a deathly silence after its thunderous echo faded. He glared fierily about the hall until, with an apparent change of mood, he smiled and spoke in a calm voice. He stated that the crew wanted to join up as Free Pirates, but he wanted to hear some tales as to how they got the plunder in their hold before he would grant them their letter of marque. The inebriated pirates drew closer to hear Isobel and her crew speak.

Lillit was something of a tale-teller as her research involved collecting odd stories and legends. So she volunteered to entertain the pirates and used her intimidating presence to bolster the adventures the crew had on Tarin’s Crown and Cyrus Wolfe’s treasure of Mancatcher Cove. Aakin and Silas were a little concerned when Lillit was talking about Tarin’s Crown and the Pirate Queen’s Pearl as Aurora “Cyclops Jane” Henley, the Captain of the Ravishing Ruby and head of the blockade of the Crown, was in the crowd looking very angry. Silas thought it was better and more gutsy doing in her presence in the end.

As Lillit got to the part where the crew had been forced back from the jungle when facing the vegepygmies, Henley spoke up and mocked them for cutting and running after getting so close. Will, feeling his honour challenged, drew his rapier and began flicking it about; he asked Henley if she would like to step outside to discuss this further. Henley grunted that she didn’t mean anything by it, scowled and backed down.

As Lillit got to the point where they negotiated with Alsindra Devrol and the crew of the Silver Narwhal, another heckler voiced that instead of being bold and fighting their way, they just cut a deal with a bribe. Lillit responded that it wasn’t a negotiation: it was don’t get in our way. The heckler backed off looking a little chagrined. When Lillit got to the part where they fooled the blockade with the kraken illusion and snuck out she made fun of the blockaders and how easy it all was. That got some laughs out of the crowd.

As Lillit described the battle with the beast of Mancatcher Cove, a snide comment came from yet another pirate that a plant couldn’t have been that dangerous and guffawed that they must have gone and snipped it off at its roots. Silas simply walked over to the pirate and—looking down at the fellow—asked him if big things did not intimidate him? The pirate looked as though he wanted to crawl into the floor and shut up. Lillit finished her story without any further interruptions.

At the end of her tale, Bonefist called for a show of approval and the crowd shouted “aye” in their favor. Bonefist then officially presented Captain Isobel Carthagnion with her letter of marque in front of the approving assembly. Now officially recognized as a Free Captain of the Shackles, Isobel was now free to explore Port Peril and enjoy the sights and entertainments of the pirate capital. The feast now turned into an outright celebration as “Dainty Lass” Carthagnion joined their ranks. Aakin scanned the crowd for those who were “less than pleased” with this result. Isobel’s father looked fit to be tied and Cyclops Jane was swearing under her breathe, but otherwise everyone seemed genuinely pleased and ready to have a good time.

Minerva decided to spend the rest of the evening getting drunk, while Will went over to Isobel’s father and began discussing how William came from a good family and would be very careful to protect his newly betrothed from any dishonour; he also made some inquiries as to what sort of dowry was involved and that he wouldn’t hold her Chelaxian heritage against her. In the process he managed to cause the man to turn from white to red very quickly. Isobel went around accompanied by Silas, Aakin, and Pielanga introducing herself to the crowd, using the skills that her father made sure she was trained in to make friendly connections. Captain Pegsworthy came over and gave Isobel a big hug and a hearty congratulations. Lillit picked up some loose tall tales and enjoyed the evening with Jib-Jub.

Minerva spent most of the evening making conversation with the Master of the Winds. When Jib-Jub was full, Lillit returned him to stone form. Isobel finally felt she had introduced herself enough, excused herself and her crew, had Silas carry Pielanga out, and headed back to the Risky Venture. Pielanga snored horribly all the way across the harbour. The next morning Minerva helped Isobel and Pielanga get over their hangovers. They then set to work getting the ship outfitted as well as selling off the Thresher and their plunder. They then set out into the city to sell off extra treasure and make purchases.

Isobel took Chauncey with her to a saddle maker to get some exotic saddles and tack modified for him. Will recruited both Lillit and Minerva to help him buy a gift for Isobel, now that she was his betrothed. Lillit and Minerva tried to convince him that it wasn’t what he thought it was, but made no progress. As such they decided to go along with him and try and keep him out of trouble—although they began talking monkey pendants.


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Session 26:

Aakin headed out into the port town looking for unusual activity in the off chance that he might find some leads towards his investigation or some other anti-piracy plot. Will decided to have a custom platinum engraved grooming kit made, though the artisan stated it would take a month. In the meanwhile, he purchased a silver inlaid mirror and brush as a gift for Isobel, as well as some bath oils and cologne for himself. Lillit, Minerva, and Will also considered purchasing a mithral waffle iron, but ultimately considered it too expensive for a non-stick pan. After Lillit and Minerva left to purchase some magic items and find a tavern, Will bought Lillit a prosthetic arm and Minerva some surgical tools as gifts. The rest of the group went out and purchased various magic items to supplement what they had.

Lillit and Minerva found themselves in the Riptide Alehouse. The Riptide was a boisterous and rowdy establishment, full of pirates and freebooters of all stripes, though most of the activity seemed friendly enough. About a half-hour after they arrived, Silas wandered in for a drink and joined Minerva and Lillit at their table. They talked about going and getting their remaining friends off the Wormwood, but Silas advised against it as it might reveal to Captain Barnabas Harrigan who they were and what the Risky Venture actually was. Aakin noticed someone he thought was “Caulky” Tarroon, Captain Harrigan’s cabin girl on the Wormwood, but lost her in the crowds. He moved around to see if he could find her again.

When Will got back to the ship, he decided to prepare and take a bath. So he set up the portable tub. While this was going on, Aakin picked up Caulky’s trail a few times but finally lost her near the Riptide Alehouse. He continued to mill around in case she showed up again. Silas noticed that Caulky had entered the barroom as they were ordering another round of rum. He began watching her as closely as he could in the crowded tavern, alerting Lillit and Minerva to her presence. Minerva noticed her trying to slip something into a pirate’s grog as he was distracted.

As Minerva rose to confront Caulky and her press gang attempt, a handsome one-eyed pirate came over to their table and introduced himself to Minerva as Free Captain Pierce Jerrell of the schooner Salty Flagon. He wanted to know who Minerva was and what ship she was sailing with. Minerva was confused as to why he wanted to talk to her, but he said he was just interested in having a drink with her. Silas pointed out to the baffled Minerva that Pierce was hitting on her.

This discussion attracted the attention of Caulky, who’s eye-widened in recognition of Minerva and Silas. She immediately started to move towards the exit. Silas began moving to intercept while Minerva tried to figure out what to do with Pierce. One of the pirates who’s drink had been tampered with realized what had happened and loudly declaring that someone had tried to drug her promptly threw her mug over the back of her head onto a large, burly buccaneer who immediately roared in rage. He stood up and smashed the closest person to him from the direction the mug had been thrown. Very quickly the whole tavern joined in the brawl.

Aakin noticed the sounds of a barroom brawl and got caught in a crowd of onlookers who were rushing in to join the fun. He fought and ducked his way out of the crowd and proceeded to high tail it out of there as he had enough of bars in his time. However, he encouraged people to go to the bar pointing out that a great brawl was going on. Up the street, Isobel, Pielanga, and Chauncey noticed the fight starting. Pielanga pleaded to be allowed to go and join in, so Isobel let her go while she continued to negotiate over some wands and scrolls.

About this time Will poured the hot water into the bath, adding the scented bath oils and bubble bath.

Caulky tried to blend in with the crowd in the barroom, making it difficult for Silas to locate her. Silas leaped off the raised area they were sitting at and landed on another brawling pirate to break his fall and get closer to the last place he had spotted Caulky. Pierce remained curious as to why they seemed so concerned over the girl with the eye-patch. Lillit excused herself and moved around to try a more moderate approach to the main floor of the barroom while keeping back from the main brawl. Pierce ducked under a blow levelled at him, but Minerva got hit with another brawler’s mug to her face that splashed ale on her. She reciprocated with her empty mug after chastising the brawler for wasting alcohol. Pierce applauded her for having her priorities straight. Minerva wondered what was wrong with him.

Silas relocated Caulky and noticed that she was heading towards the stairs at the back of the tavern. Silas ran across the room, bobbing and weaving through the melee and taking a number of glancing blows against him as he went. As he got close to Caulky, she pulled out a pepperbox pistol and shot him, just grazing him in the shoulder. Silas got in a shot with a fist but she ran up some steps and kicked out a support, sending full rum barrels rolling down at Silas. A couple of brawlers charged Lillit and smashed into her, as she didn’t seem to want to join in the fun. Pierce cast haste on Lillit, Minerva, and himself, but Lillit resisted as she doesn’t like having spells of any sort cast on her.

It was roughly then that Will put his hair in curlers and applied moisturizer to his skin.

Aakin began scanning the somewhat emptied streets and detected that he was being followed by someone very skilled at remaining hidden. He began to move down to the docks to get a boat over to Eastwind and the shrine and temple of Besmara to see if his shadow would follow and perhaps reveal himself. Isobel wanted to go to another shop, but as she moved away from the direction of the brawl she and Chauncey encountered a troupe of spider monkeys playing in the shade awnings over the street and halted her progress in fear. Chauncey tried to scare the monkeys away, but his pathetic “meep” only got him chittered at and crap flung at him. This produced a large growl out of the dragon and finally scared them off. He then informed Isobel that it was all clear so they could proceed.

Silas leapt over the rum barrels and pursued Caulky and grabbed her before she could make it to the window. Caulky fired her gun over her shoulder wildly as a last resort, clipping Silas’ ear. Lillit cast hypnotism on her brawlers and some others in the area and told them to stay put as she ran back to Minerva and Pierce; but she enraged another a little way off who followed her with a cry of “bad form!” Pierce and Minerva continued to flirt—after a fashion—as they dealt with their brawlers.

Silas pinned Caulky and hog tied her. He then removed her gun as Caulky protested and begged to be let go. Lillit fled back to Minerva and Pierce as Pielanga moved through the crowd into the barroom and saw Lillit and Minerva fighting across the room. She then moved towards them to help. Minerva took down her brawler with a chair smashed over his head. Pierce then asked her what ship she was on. When Minerva mentioned the Risky Venture, Pierce was impressed and asked about Cyrus Wolfe’s treasure. The brawler he was fighting also stated he was impressed right before Pierce smashed him in his mouth with brass knuckles.

Silas picked up Caulky and walked back into the brawl with her over his shoulder. Lillit used storm step to jump away from her attacker to between Pierce and Minerva. Lillit’s attacker came at Minerva while she talked about the taking of Wolfe’s treasure. Silas knocked out a brawler in his way with one punch and proceeded back to their table, where he dumped Caulky onto the floor. He then threw a stool at the last standing brawler and took him down with help from Minerva.

Lillit began using detect thoughts near the end of the brawl to see if she could get a read on Captain Jerrell. She failed, but picked up from Caulky’s panicked thoughts that she was afraid the crew was going to kill her and Harrigan was not aware that the Risky Venture had been the Man’s Promise. In the lull in the fighting, Minerva introduced Pielanga, Lillit, and Silas to Pierce and spun the pepperbox Silas handed her and pointed it at the helpless Caulky and asked her what she doing there.

The Port Peril militia showed up to end the brawl, so Pierce led them out the back way. He then kissed Minerva’s hand and headed off to his own ship. Caulky asked to have her life spared, promising to join their crew if they let her live. She had only thought to curry favour with Harrigan by informing on them; she had no real loyalty to their old Captain. They untied her and placed the shackles of compliance on her then took her back to the ship.

Meanwhile, Will finished his bath and shaved leaving a small—but fashionable—moustache. He then dressed up in his finest courtier’s outfit and headed up onto the deck. There he set up a hammock in the shade of the sails and placed some cucumber slices over his eyes and laid down to take a nap. He had forgotten to take the curlers out of his hair, resulting in many a snigger from the crew as the worked quietly around him.

Aakin arrived in Eastwind and finally identified his shadow as a Charau-ka, a demon-worshiping monkey-man from the Mwangi Expanse. Aakin moved onto a Besmaran shrine and deposited a few silver pieces for luck before heading to the Berth of the Sea Wraith, a holy site of Besmara and the closest thing the pirate goddess has for a temple in Port Peril. As he did so he decided to walk straight at the Charau-ka. The small monkey-man realized that he had been made, so he broke off his tailing of Aakin and fled over the rooftops of Eastwind into Scrimshaw. Aakin decided to leave off following the monkey-man, visited the holy site, and then returned to Crescent Harbor and the Risky Venture.

Silas, Minerva, Lillit, and Pielanga returned to the Risky Venture with Caulky in tow and found Will still asleep in his curlers. Dahryen was a bit concerned over Caulky being brought aboard and made himself scarce. Isobel returned and saw Will, but before she could comment Pielanga reported to her that they had a prisoner from the Wormwood. Isobel unpacked her purchases in her cabin before the interrogation and found Will’s gift of a silver mirror and brush.

Minerva discovered the surgical tools gift from Will and grudgingly accepted them. But the note was so insulting, that she decided to test the sharpness of the scalpel on Will’s moustache. Lillit stopped the evilly giggling Minerva before she could perform the task. She then went to her own cabin and discovered Will’s gift to her. Lillit promptly took it to Silas and had him throw the arm off the ship. She targeted it in mid-air with a burning hands spell and sent the smoldering ashes into the harbor.

Aakin arrived back on the ship in the early evening to see Will waking up in his curlers. Will greeted Aakin and wondered about the strange look on the Tengu’s face. It was then that he realized he still had curlers in his hair and tried to nonchalantly get off the deck to remove them. The entire crew broke out in great guffaws of laughter.

Interrogating Caulky did not reveal much, other than the loss of the Man’s Promise and her crew had made things hard aboard the Wormwood, and Caulky’s position of privilege was long gone. She agreed to join the crew of the Risky Venture and signed the Articles that night. After dismissing Caulky, Aakin told the officers about the Charau-ka that had followed him. Lillit told them all about the monkey-men and their allegiance to the Gorilla King. They couldn’t understand why it would have followed Aakin or who it was working for.

The next morning, the Wormwood left port without incident. Captain Isobel got a message from Captain Tessa Fairwind inviting Isobel and her officers to dinner at her townhouse in Port Peril the following evening. Pierce Jerrell began sending gifts to Minerva, including a silver necklace. Minerva sent a badly worded note in response, wondering what this was all about. Will intercepted Eddie before he could deliver the note and turned it into a ridiculous acceptance of Pierce’s advances. Lillit intercepted that note and changed it to a simple thank you note. As a result, that evening Minerva received a lovely case of wine from Pierce. That was a gift she could appreciate. She reciprocated with some bottles of whiskey and an indication that she wanted to be friends.

Aakin continued his general observations to see if he could pick up his tail again, but there was no luck. Isobel picked up Chauncey’s saddle and bridle, then flew over the harbor on her dragon’s back. Pierce arrived at noon the next day and spent some time gabbing with Minerva. He revealed that he did indeed lose an eye, but put a cracked incandescent blue sphere ioun stone in his empty socket.

After Pierce’s visit, the officers prepared themselves for the dinner with Tessa Fairwind. Isobel, Lillit, Will, Dahryen, Minerva, Aakin, Silas, and Pielanga travelled to her townhouse in Port Peril and were seen up to Tessa in her dining room by her retainers. Tessa introduced herself and congratulated Isobel on being named Free Captain. She asked them what they knew of the current political situation in the Shackles. As they talked, it became apparent that she was sizing them up and testing whether they might by agents of Cheliax. Since they just appeared, it could have been an opportunity for the Chelish to infiltrate the Shackles.

Aakin soon confirmed that she was being honest and that she was concerned that they may be a part of a Chelish conspiracy. Recent whispers she’s been hearing about Cheliax’s designs on the Shackles have unnerved her. She felt that Bonefist and the Pirate Council were being too complacent int the face of a possible threat. Aakin determined that she was opposed to the Chelish and revealed his mission, sharing his evidence of a Chelish plot with her.

In face of that, Tessa offered an alliance: they would secretly join her fleet and carry her flag while investigating the rumors. She was much too well known to be able to discreetly follow up on anything. She then gave them two avenues of investigation which they could follow. The first was the House of Stolen Kisses in Quent, a temple of Calistria and one of the best information brokerages in the Shackles. The temple’s high priestess, Dindreann would help them when introduced as her agents with a note she gave to the crew. The second was the Temple of the Hidden Name, a secret temple of Norgorber said to operate in the city of Port Shaw on the Razor Coast. If anyone knew of Chelish spies, it would be the followers of the Reaper of Reputation.

When asked by Aakin about Charau-ka, Tessa stated that she had heard of a Charau-ka member of Kerdak Bonefist’s crew. Bonefist’s hold over the fractious pirate lords is perhaps not as strong as it might appear, and he had hoped to shame the newcomers to make himself look strong. The fact they overcame this minor challenge most likely bothered him so much that he was undoubtedly looking for a reason to show them up through some untoward activity. Will made some comments about manners and behaviour that Tessa fully agreed with, rendering the swashbuckler completely smitten.

Isobel and her officers agreed to the alliance and Tessa gave them some magical charts to help them navigate the Shackles and the Razor. They parted in friendship with pirate lord. Tessa kissed Fancy Will goodbye and cemented his heart. He then began contemplating how to let Isobel down in a proper manner. Will decided to send Tessa a masterwork rapier and a box of chocolates. Asking advice from Minerva on how to break it off with Isobel, she told him to just “be himself.” They prepared the ship and set out of harbor the next morning.


I'm confused, is there a mechanical reason Lillit's familiar can be a figurine? I looked at the feats but can't seem to find anything.


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sunbeam wrote:
I'm confused, is there a mechanical reason Lillit's familiar can be a figurine? I looked at the feats but can't seem to find anything.

It's a spell she picked up along the way: carry companion

Can be found HERE. It's from the Player Companion Knights of the Inner Sea.


Ah ok. Thanks.


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sunbeam wrote:
Ah ok. Thanks.

You're very welcome! :)


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Session 27:

The first thing Will did was “break off the engagement” with Isobel, trying to let her down gently. Captain Isobel took it exceedingly well and was in a good mood for the rest of the day. They decided to head to Senghor first and see if they could pick up the cannons they ordered. That way they might possibly pick up a stray merchant ship and gain some plunder.

After navigating their way through the Shackles the Risky Venture sailed out into the Fever Sea. Three days after leaving the Shackles, the lookout called out that he spotted a sail off their stern and it was coming fast. They soon discerned the flag as that of the Ravishing Ruby, the ship of Free Captain Aurora “Cyclops Jane” Henley. She was obviously still upset over the breaking of the blockade at Tarin’s Crown.

The Ruby opened fire on the stern of the Risky Venture and smashed her rudder off into the water. Minerva then went to work shoring up the stern hull. With the Venture’s manoeuvrability heavily compromised, Silas coordinated with Will to change the course of the Venture using the sails while an enlarged Chauncey went into the water and retrieved the rudder. They managed to shift the ship’s course to port and gave the cannons a clear shot. Thalios fired the cannons and began slamming the Ruby.

Lillit hit the Ruby with a lightning bolt and killed a number of Henley’s crew. Silas kept the ship steady and moved the Venture closer to the attacking pirates. Thalios held his fire until they had a clear shot. Aakin began sniping some of the enemy crew with arrows. Chauncey finished pulling the rudder up onto the deck. At this point a sorcerer on the Ravishing Ruby cast a fireball on the Risky Venture’s wheelhouse. Pielanga, Isobel, and Silas were caught in the blast as the stern castle of the ship was set on fire. The Ruby then cracked the bow of the Risky Venture with a catapult shot.

Lillit responded to these attacks by casting a burning monkey swarm on the Ruby’s wheelhouse. Isobel could see the monkeys, however, and was unnerved by the sight. Still, she organized a bucket brigade and managed to put out the fire. Silas managed to command the crew to manoeuver the ship into grappling range of the Ruby, at which point Fancy Will swung over into the rigging of the attacking ship. A large half-orc climbed up into the rigging to attack him. Pielanga swung across to flank the pirate with Will.

A dwarf fired two crossbow bolts into Isobel, badly wounding her. In response, she drank a potion of cure moderate wounds. The sorcerer then hit her with two scorching rays. A hasted ‘Cyclops Jane’ Henley swung over to the Risky Venture and took down Isobel with two strikes. Chauncey vanished. Lillit cast an ice storm onto the enemy craft damaging as many of the enemy crew as she could. Minerva charged up onto the deck and upon seeing Isobel about to be slain, ran up to the wheel and came to Isobel’s aid.

Silas moved in to help and tried to grapple with Henley. Aakin began targeting Henley as well, bringing his judgements and banes to bare against her. Isobel tried to cast a spell after regaining consciousness, but Henley wounded her in the middle and the spell was spoiled. The enemy sorcerer tried to immolate Minerva, but only managed to do a little damage. Henley split her attacks between Minerva, Silas, and Isobel.

Will ran the half-orc barbarian through the heart and her corpse fell to the deck. Lillit finished off the enemy sorcerer with a second ice storm. Pielanga swung down to the deck and attacked the dwarf crossbowman. Silas began hammering Henley with her fists as quickly as he could punch and killed her. Aakin shifted his target to the dwarf crossbowman and took her down. With their officers down, the remaining crew of the Ravishing Ruby surrendered.

The crew of the Risky Venture began searching and looting the Ravishing Ruby. They found a secret hold with bolts of silk in addition to the rest of the treasure they were able to loot. They found a number of magic items, including some dust of dryness. This they armed for use in fire fighting. They also met two prisoners: a female half-elf named Dreya Littletoe and a male halfling by the name of Lew “Swiftblade” Swailen. They claimed to be victims of the evil pirates and were being held for ransom. Aakin perceived they were lying about the second part, and they soon revealed under his stern gaze that they were wanted for crimes in Ollo.

Upon further interview they determined that Dreya was a con artist and Lew was something of a sociopath who killed because “he felt like it.” They decided not to turn them in to Ollo as Avimar Sorrinash, the werewolf Pirate Lord of Ollo, tends to punish criminals by setting them loose in the jungle on a full moon and hunting them down with his lycanthropic crew. They recruited Dreya and gave Lew a longboat from the Ruby. Silas pointed him in the direction of an archipelago to which he could travel to lay low for a while. He conveniently left out the hostile vegetation that Lew would find on Tarin’s Crown.

In some hidden ledgers, they discovered that Captain Henley had once had in her possession a fist-sized ruby that, when held to the eye, revealed a tiny treasure map somehow etched into the interior of its facets. This map would lead a person to a power source that would make them immortal. She lost it to another Free Captain, Havalas Grudd, who had been her sponsor and whom she had betrayed. A captain loyal to Grudd stole it from her and gave it to him; now Grudd holds it in his personal possessions in Oyster Cay, his homeport. Henley had wanted the Pirate Queen’s Pearl to aid her in the recovery of the ruby. Though intrigued by the ruby, the crew decided they had enough to go on with for the moment and would leave it alone…for now.

The Risky Venture travelled on uneventfully to Senghor with the Ravishing Ruby in tow. They paid the crew, sold off their plunder, and picked up their cannons. They then set sail and passed an uneventful journey to the port of Quent on Motaku Isle.


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Session 28:

After docking in Quent the crew were paid out of the ship funds and the officers headed to the House of Stolen Kisses, both a holy temple to Calistria and a brothel. A scantily clad acolyte greeted them and asked how they could be of service. When they asked to see Dindreann, the crew was informed that she was very busy and would only be available on appointment. They presented the acolyte with the note and the acolyte took the note away. She returned and a group of acolytes escorted them through sensually decorated corridors to the chambers of the temple’s high priestess.

Dindreann pleasantly greeted them, and offered them comfortable seating and some lemonade. Minerva added some additional “support” to her glass, and Dindreann smiled and welcomed the cleric of Cayden warmly. When they were seated and refreshed, she asked what service she could render to associates of her “dearest friend Tessa.”

The asked if she had any information on Chelish spies. Dindreann confirmed that the House of Stolen Kisses had leads on such information, as many people share their secrets with the temple’s sacred prostitutes in the heat of passion. But these secrets are shared in confidence, and the temple could not simply give them away for free. If the crew of the Risky Venture were to perform a service for the temple, however, they could expect such knowledge as payment.

Dindreann told them of the Lady’s Sting, a ship owned by the temple that had gone missing. It was last seen leaving the port of Quent not long ago and has not been heard from since. Divination magic had revealed that the ship had been taken by a group of wreckers, pirates that lure ships into danger so that they can salvage the cargoes of the resulting wrecked ships.

Piracy is a fact of life in the Shackles, but the Lady’s Sting had a relic of the church of Calistria aboard—a gold-plated wasp statue known as the Golden Vespal. The temple wanted revenge on these wreckers who would dare attack one the faith’s holy vessels, as well as the return of the Golden Vespal. The faith had been unable to locate the wreckers that attacked the Lady’s Sting and if the Risky Venture could find the wreckers, destroy them, and return with the Golden Vespal Dindreann would share the information she had on Chelish agents acting in the Shackles.

Silas and Lillit knew that wreckers are a not uncommon hazard in the Shackles, and finding the specific crew that attacked the Lady’s Sting would be a difficult task. However, it’s possible that the Temple of the Hidden Name of Norgorber in Port Shaw might have some information that could lead to the wreckers. Isobel and her crew agreed and they prepared their ship for departure on the next morning tide.

They travelled west through Gozreh’s Passage and began traversing the Razor Sea. As they passed by a small series of islets, they rounded a small island and saw a massive five-masted merchant vessel run aground on a partially submerged sandbar. She had a Chelish flag for an ensign and her crew were running about the deck trying to get her free. The lookout of the Risky Venture called down that he could see three vessels flying Chelish colours—a naval escort—coming back towards the beached vessel, but they were tacking against the wind and would be some time in arriving to help.

Silas soon confirmed that the escort ships would not be able to arrive until another half-hour passes. The beached ship was identified as the Emperor’s Hand, which Lillit recognized as the principle treasure ship of the Chelish armada. A quickly assembled meeting—in which they consulted the Pirate Queen’s Pearl and it glowed brightly—had them coming up with a plan: they would raise the Chelish ensign and approach as if to help, then at the last moment drop the flag, hoist their colours, and attack. That way they could avoid most shots from the Hand’s guns.

They were able to convince the Hand’s crew that they were the Chelish vessel Unicorn up to they saw the Tengu and lack of uniforms. They got off one cannon shot before the Venture got in close enough to swing across. They weren’t able to get in next to the ship without endangering them running aground as well. They swung over and fought the officers and some Chelish marines. The first mate was a skilled fencer and challenged Will to a fight. He managed to disarm the swashbuckler, but the Captain of the Emperor’s Hand got wounded by Silas and Aakin. The fight didn’t last long after that as the wounded Captain Alban Thekros surrendered and ordered his crew to do the same.

Pressed for time, they jumped into action. Isobel enlarged Chauncey and Silas had his strength enhanced to carry as much they could. Silas rigged up a net system between the two ships to speed up the transfer of the loot. They then went to work quickly searching as many areas as they could while most of the crew grabbed what they could and transferred it to the Venture.

They started searching the Captain’s Quarters and found an imperial seal touched by Her Infernal Majestrix, Queen Abrogail II of the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune herself that was very valuable. In the Captain’s Lounge they found among the clutter in the closet there were many nautical charts, and Silas recognized part of a detailed but unlabeled old and worn map as part of the coastline of southern Garund. Marked on it were several small islands and even a city unknown to modern sailors.

In the armory they found a cache of masterwork weapons. They found the pay chest buried in the junk of the forward compartment and a found the best quality stuff thorough searching of the main hold. Silas used his crowbar and finally broke open the Private Storeroom in half a minute, but found out it was empty. In the Senior Officers’ Quarters they found a hidden cache of pearls.

Now out of time, they grabbed everything they could and got back aboard the Risky Venture, disconnected the nets, and began to pull away. Their hold (even using the Captain’s Locker) was completely full. Minerva left behind a number of bottles of Caydenbrew with a note: “Compliments from the crew of the Risky Venture.” Isobel and her officers pushed the crew hard to move at faster speed over the pursuing Chelish and soon left them far behind.

They decided to sell their loot at Freeport rather than the Chelish base of Port Shaw. So they headed north and sailed across the Razor Sea to the island of A’Val in the Serpent’s Teeth. They were helmed into the docks by a local pilot passed the Hulks, decommissioned ships used as a prison colony at the edge of Freeport harbour. They debated as to whether they should investigate the Salt Curse and possible ways to exploit it for money, but contented themselves to selling off all the cargo that would have been identified with the Emperor’s Hand.

After staying in port a day without travelling into the city, they headed out to Port Shaw. Five days en route they spotted a massive shadow in the water running parallel to the Risky Venture. Lillit recognized it as a blue whale. The ship got bumped and they realised they were in a rare pod of blue whales. Lillit went under the water and spoke to one of the whales, asking them to watch out for the ship. The whales were eating krill that were being stirred up around the hull of the ship, but were willing to watch out for the Venture if the ship could keep a steady course.

That was when the wind shifted. Silas had a hard time keeping a steady course and ended up smashing the bottom of the ship into one whale by accident. The bilges began taking on a large amount of water. Minerva and Knuckles Grype went down into the bilges where he worked the pumps while she repaired the leaks. It took them a half hour to get it repaired, by which time they were neck deep in bilge.

They were slowed by this and the whales moved on. But soon the lookout was crying out “Sail ahoy!” and pointed to port. They soon recognized a Chelish warship, specifically the Dominator. She hailed the Titan’s Mistress as the Venture was currently named. They heaved to and let her come along side at which time Captain Paracountess Axia Lorvika and her new First Mate Commander Ryvan Kain. They saw a family resemblance to the old boatswain of the Dominator that they killed long ago, Kyan Kain. They soon learned he was the younger brother of that man and the nerves began to get strained.

They decided to play Isobel as a nervous young captain. Because Isobel was a lousy actress, Lillit let Jib Jub loose so she wouldn’t have to pretend to be unnerved. Pretending to be young Captain Wilhelmina Crispin, Isobel looked nervous and cowed as she brought the Paracountess below decks and into the Captain’s quarters to talk. Captain Lorvika ordered her First Mate to inspect the ship, but some of the Risky Venture’s crew heard her speak under her breathe to “make sure it’s done properly.”

Captain Lorvika and “Captain Crispin” had discussions on what they were actually hauling for cargo and who they would be trading with, whether they would be picking up cargo, and what they would be using to purchase cargo. The Paracountess apologized for the questions and assured Isobel they were only because they were trying to fend off smuggling. They had a pleasant chat for the half-hour and the inspection came back all clear. They wished the crew a good journey and left.

After another day of the journey they began a thorough search of the ship. Rosie Cusswell brought up that Commander Kain had gone back around the Quartermaster’s Store. Everything looked the same and all inventory was accounted for. Still suspicious, Lillit cast detect magic and one of the extra belaying pins glowed. They discovered an arcane mark hidden amongst the glow of the whole pin.

Dahryen used identify and was able to find that the arcane mark had been obscured with a secret page spell. But a second belaying pin he found to have had an arcane mark disguised by using magic aura to eliminate the magic aura all together. They surmised that the second one was in case the first one was discovered. Lillit and Isobel realized that these marks could be used to locate a ship anywhere using certain high level spells.

They decided to sail on to Port Shaw and figure out what to do with them then. They arrived to see the Dowager Queen being loaded up to sail to Cheliax. After trading out their cargo and paying their crew, they headed into the town to see if they could find the Temple of the Hidden Name. They came upon an old Tulita man standing on an empty crate by the dockside preaching to passersby about how they were destroying the whales and other creatures that were sacred to the spirits that held Dajobas, the Shark God, from returning.

His outbursts attracted the attention of the Municipal Dragoons. The leader of this particular patrol called to the old man to stop pestering people and move on. The old man’s eyes grew wide as he saw the dragoon leader. He drew a scrimshaw knife and attacked him saying that the dragoon bore the “Kiss of Dajobas” and that the he would save the soldier.

Seeing that the old man was about to be hauled off by the dragoons or worse, Minerva cast calm emotions on them to end the combat before it began. The old man stated that he had to save the dragoon and tried to move forward again. Lillit cast sow thoughts and suggested that the old man might have friends nearby who could help. He looked to the party and asked for their help in saving the dragoon’s soul.

Lillit convinced the now calm dragoons that they would take care of the old man and keep him from creating more of a disturbance. They talked to the old man while Aakin went off and used subtlety and hints to try and find the Temple of the Hidden Name. The old man introduced himself as Milliauka, Kamaau of the Tulita. He said that the big man he accosted had the “Kiss of Dajobas” on him and would go mad if he is not treated. A follower of Dajobas had bit—“kissed”—the man and spread the curse. He explained that the man needed to be wounded and a poultice placed in the wound. Then the curse could be lifted with divine aid.

Lillit and Minerva volunteered to do this for him as they were foreigners to and might have more luck talking to the man; then Minerva could cast a remove curse when it was done. Milliauka thanked them and asked them to hurry: he did not believe the man had much time. They left on this mission and Milliauka returned to his people. The rest of the group met up with Aakin, who had been told of a warehouse down off the docks that might have what he sought.

They noticed a few watchers who were well concealed or casually walking as they arrived. They entered the warehouse and were met by a halfling dressed in the black clothing of an indentured servant of an aristocratic household and wearing a cherubic mask. He bowed low and guided them to a discreet soundproofed room in the back of the warehouse. The halfling introduced himself simply as “Slip” and asked how the Temple of the Hidden Name could be of service.

They asked Slip about wreckers operating in the Shackles that might have taken the Lady’s Sting, Slip says that it is no secret that many such groups operate in the Shackles, but he has knowledge of one crew that claimed to have successfully attacked a Calistrian vessel. He demanded another secret from the in exchange. Aakin explained about the belaying pins that the Chelish were using. Though they had known about the first pin, they did not know about the second. Slip took this plus 500 gp and then told them that the wreckers they seek were led by a half-orc wizard named Vakarla, and operated from a hidden island base southeast of the Rampore Isles.

They then asked about Chelish spies in the Shackles. When asked, Slip stated that they knew of the negotiations they made with Dindreann. As such, they would like to negotiate a service for this information. Slip told them that a famous ship called the Brine Banshee mysteriously disappeared several months ago. The Brine Banshee was said to have been one of the fastest ships in the Shackles, with unparalleled handling for a vessel its size, which many believed were the result of several potent spells woven into the ship. If they could find what happened to the Brine Banshee, and discover the secret of its unprecedented speed and maneuverability, they could trade this knowledge for the information they seek.

Isobel knew that the ill-fated Brine Banshee disappeared west of Shark Island after leaving the port of Ollo. The ship did visit Quent on its way to Ollo, so perhaps the House of Stolen Kisses has a lead on the Brine Banshee’s fate. They decided to accept the deal and went back to their ship to await the return of Lillit and Minerva.


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Session 29:

On their way to Fort Stormshield, Lillit and Minerva encountered a thick crowd of people near the docks. The murmur through the crowd was that the Dragoons were bringing in Falken Drango, notorious pirate captain of the Nightslink. He was accused of slaughtering his own crew and trying to take all his ships plunder himself.

As Drango arrived on the dock in chains, he was accosted by a lieutenant of the Dragoons. As the lieutenant mocked the pirate to make himself big for the crowd, Drango dropped the manacles he had somehow managed to free himself from and laid out the stunned officer with one punch. He then launched himself into the crowd to try and escape.

Lillit had heard of Falken Drango and knew him to be an honourable pirate who never killed needlessly. That he should kill his own crew seemed impossible. Suspecting that he would not get a fair trial regardless, she and Minerva decided to act. Lillit cast sow thought to indicate to Drango that the one armed woman and her friend were willing to help him escape. Minerva cast sound burst well away from everyone in the air and caused everyone to look towards the bang. As the crowd and the dragoons were distracted by the sudden blast, Minerva and Lillit linked arms with Drango. Minerva then used dimension door to take them to a nearby alleyway.

On the Venture Aakin and Silas recognized the sound of the blast as a sound burst like one from Minerva. They exchanged looks and silently agreed not to mention it as they watched Dragoons running all over the docks looking for an escaped pirate. Drango thanked Lillit and Minerva and then asked to whom he had the pleasure. They introduced themselves as crew of the Risky Venture and Drango recognized the ship as one that had fooled the Dominator. He pledged them a pirate’s debt owed and suggested they lay low and get out of the port as quickly as possible in case they were recognized by someone for helping him. He then bid them good day and fled away into the alleys of Port Shaw.

They made to Fort Stormshield and were stopped by the Dragoons on guard. They stated that they had to see Sergeant Darenar, but were refused entrance. The guard did subtly indicate for the right price they might be escorted to see the sergeant in the barracks and escorted out again. Minerva tried a gold piece that almost led to offense until Lillit responded with a platinum piece which got the guard to escort them to see Darenar. They were watched and had an escort of two heavily armed guards the entire time and were moved so quickly they couldn’t even get a good view of inside the fortress walls.

They found Darenar and he recognized them from the incident down on the docks. He demanded to know what they wanted of him. They asked if he had any wounds or recently made marks, which he promptly denied. However, Lillit noticed that his right arm was bandaged below his sleeve. He apparently was trying to hide it. When she asked about it, he told them he received a minor wound from a small hammerhead shark while pearl diving. He boldly claimed he had killed it his adamantine warhammer, which he showed them with great pride.

They told him the shark bite might be cursed, but he didn’t believe them and began getting irritated. Lillit told Darenar that there was a spell that would reveal if the wound was cursed or not, if he would let her cast it. He reluctantly agreed with heavy doubts; she then cast arcane mark on the wound and used the visible mark as proof of the curse. She then dismissed the mark.

Darenar believed the lie and grew very concerned. He asked if there was anything that could be done. Minerva then explained the procedure of cutting into the wound and applying a poultice on it, which should be left for a few hours. She would cast remove curse once the poultice was in place and he would be fine. Darenar wasn’t impressed with being cut and was even less thrilled when he found out that Minerva was a cleric of Cayden Cailean and not Asmodeus or some other Chelish favored deity. But he was worried enough about the curse that he allowed it as the guards watched carefully.

Minerva expertly made the incision and the applied the poultice—to which everyone in the room recoiled as it smelled like ass. Minerva apologized and got on with the job. She finished it, was thanked rather half-heartedly by Darenar, and then she stated that should he have any problems to ask her about it. Lillit got them moving before details on where they could be found were related and they were escorted out.

As they had to pass where the escape occurred, Lillit cast threefold aspect to appear as an old crone leaning on Minerva’s arm all the way back to the ship. As they went, they overheard some rumours that people claiming to be Nightslinks—Falken Drango’s crew. Although concerned, they realized they couldn’t do anything without talking to Drango and continued back to the Risky Venture. Silas and Aakin asked no questions as they got back aboard, patiently waiting for the women to speak about their adventures ashore.

To keep their cover as a merchant ship, Lillit used threefold aspect to pose as a teenager and accompanied Captain Isobel to a nearby plantation where they bought up the left over stubble from the sugar cane fields. The plantation foreman took them for the naïve young fools they appeared to be rather than pirates trying to keep under cover. They couldn’t get anything better as most of the remainder was placed on the Emperor’s Hand. They got a good price, but the bulk that the stubble took up in the hold made it very inefficient and would have been unprofitable overall.

As they left port with the evening tide, Silas dumped the enchanted belaying pins overboard so that they couldn’t be traced. They decided to dump the name Unicorn as the raid on the Emperor’s Hand revealed that identity as the Risky Venture. They decided on the Red Prince and they could pass Dahyren as the captain. This way not they wouldn’t use a young woman as captain for all their identities, improving the disguise. He settled on Captain Kai Fianna as a fake name and kept some pretty young ladies as his personal “staff”, allowing Isobel to pose as a cabin girl and be present for all discussions the “Captain” participated in. Captain Isobel seemed unimpressed, but acquiesced as it was a good plan.

Lillit and Minerva revealed their part in the escape of Falken Drango once they were out of port, to very few people’s surprise.

The crew of the Risky Venture decided to see if they could take the Dowager Queen. They moved more quickly than the Queen and spotted her off the port bow before they left Kai’s Bay. They decide not to take her in the bay, but sailed past and prepared a plan of attack. They sent up an illusion of a large fire, burned some of the sugar cane stubble to create actual smoke, and acted as though they were in distress. They began lowering people overboard into long boats on the starboard side, opposite of the side the Queen would be approaching from.

They loaded their port side cannons with chain shot and aimed high so as to disable the Dowager Queen on the first broadside. As she pulled in close to the apparently derelict ship, they bound their sails and hailed the Risky Venture to see if she needed aid. They responded with the affirmative. As soon as the Queen had slowed to a near halt and was in position, the Risky Venture hoisted her colours and opened up a full broadside, shredding sails and masts. With the Dowager Queen effectively stalled the longboats under Rosie Cuswell’s command began to row as hard as they could, pushing the Risky Venture sideways towards the crippled ship.

Isobel rode Chauncey across the narrowing gap between the ships and assaulted the Dowager Queen’s captain, taking him down. The first mate of the Queen took command. Aakin then took a number of arrow shots at the first mate, taking her down. The disordered and shaken crew of the Queen immediately surrendered. They didn’t even get off a single shot.

Minerva healed the wounded of the Queen’s crew, and began taking a tally of the cargo. They found a magical estoc that Will began studying with to try and learn how to fight with it one handed. They decided to take the ships to Freeport and sell off the plunder and ship there. They learned that pirates all throughout the Razor and Fever Seas were dumping the magic belaying pins if they had them on board. It was as if those with connections to certain underworld dealings were using a secret that had been sprung. They ransomed off the officers and then headed out through the Serpent’s Run, back to the Fever Sea.

They sailed to the southeast of the Rampore Islands. There they began looking for signs of the wreckers who attacked the Lady’s Sting. They spotted a sail, a small Rahadoumi merchant sailing ship with a nameplate that read Shining Star. Upon using the farglass, they heard creaking rigging and a panicking crew. The crew of the Star were trying to raise the sails as quickly as they could. Not interested in taking a small unarmed ship—but looking for information—the crew of the Risky Venture decided to run up the white flag for parley.

It was then that Silas began noticing something odd—not only did they ignore the white flag, but the Shining Star seemed to riding in the water a bit too smoothly for a ship her size. Suspicious, they lowered the white flag, hoisted the colours, and then fired a shot into the Star. Though it splintered as it should, there was just enough wrong for Lillit and Silas to realize that the ship was actually an illusion.

They decided to veer course to starboard to avoid heading in the direction the bait had been set. Chauncey and Isobel flew up in the air to try and see if they could locate anything. Minerva cast air walk on Aakin and sent him up as well. They had just gotten off the deck when the ship smashed into what appeared to be an invisible barrier, bringing them to a sudden halt. Everyone on board got smashed about. The crew were rendered mostly unconscious or unable to fight. Dahryen would later claim he fell from the rigging and fell unconscious that way, though many of the crew would attest to him being knocked out from a falling bookcase on his bed along with Aretta and Sandara.

As Minerva began moving about, tending to injured crew, a group of orcs and half-orcs began climbing up onto the ship. Aakin began shooting targets on the deck from his elevated position, trying his best to protect other prone crew. The orcs were moving abnormally fast, as though hasted. Pielanga was severely injured in the first attack and Minerva used dimension door and then used her channel energy to heal as any of the crew as she could, including Peilanga. Will then swung into action and began striking hard, killing one. Pielanga rolled away from her attacker and stood up.

At this point, the entire ship was covered in a fog cloud. Aakin and Isobel began searching for the location of the leader of the wreckers, which Slip had told them was a wizard. Silas began smashing into the orcs surrounding him, seething in anger. Lillit moved herself to relative safety in the rigging using a storm step. Isobel and Chauncey descended into the cloud and began slashing at orcs as he could perceive them. Minerva then used a fan feather token to blow away the fog, freeing up the combatants’ sight.

Those on the deck were affected by a fear spell, but only Pielanga was panicked and began to cower. They began taking down the orc wreckers before Minerva cast a sound burst in the general area above the ship that she heard the spell-casting from. The flying half-orc female wizard appeared above the deck with a monkey on the shoulder. She cast a spell on Isobel which made the captain see a giant monkey on the back of Chauncey and attacked the captain. She was shaken up by the terrifying attack, but resisted the full effect of the phantasmal killer.

As an orc began climbing up to attack Lillit, she cast a flame strike off a scroll and struck the wizard…and the top mast, setting it alight. Isobel cast glitterdust upon the wizard and then Chauncey leapt into the air striking before the target could go invisible again. The wizard died, but the monkey survived by grabbing the rigging as it fell and then hid somewhere aboard the ship. The remaining orcs fought to the death, but were swiftly overcome.

Aakin put out the flames using his hydraulic push from his cutlass. They now determined that they hit a wall of force which they could back away from easily. They then spent the next day repairing the ship; the ram would have to be completely replaced the next time they were in port. After eighteen hours the hallucinatory terrain vanished, showing a reef with two wrecked hulls, completely picked clean, that they would have hit had they continued after the illusory ship.

After searching the reef they found nothing, making it apparent that the wreckers’ lair was somewhere else. They used speak with dead on the wizard to determine that the actual base of the wreckers was concealed on a small rocky island several miles away. Hidden from the shoreline, the base was a ramshackle series of thatched huts surrounded by a flimsy wooden palisade. When they got there they searched the entire encampment. They found a chest buried under the sand of the wizard’s cabin. They found the Golden Vespal stuffed in an otherwise empty barrel wrapped in oil cloth. After they collected all the plunder and treasure they could—including a magical Shackle’s Ensign—they set sail to Quent.


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Session 30:

Upon arrival at the House of Stolen Kisses, they were taken immediately to see Dindreann. She asked them for the Golden Vespal and they handed it over to her delight. She thanked them and asked if the wreckers were all dead. When that was confirmed, she lived up to her end of the bargain, and told them that one of the temple’s patrons, a half-elf scrimshander in Drenchport named Jaymiss Keft, claimed to have knowledge of a spy operating in the Shackles. Isobel and her crew would have to seek him out to learn the name of this spy.

When the crew asked about the Brine Banshee, she told them that a retired ship’s doctor in the port of Ollo named Haneilius Fitch claimed to have a means to locate the Brine Banshee and was looking for someone to bankroll his expedition. The crew discussed their next move and decided that they should follow up the lead on the spy before searching for the Brine Banshee. Given where they were going, Isobel bought some rain gear.

They sailed to the island of Tempest Cay and the damp and gloomy city of Drenchport, making their way ashore as heavy rain washes the streets. Aakin refused to come ashore for “personal reasons” that he refused to discuss. They immediately headed to the Drowned Dwarf—this sturdy, two-story tavern famed across the Shackles for two things: the alarming murder rate in its common room, and its sinfully delicious (and potent) black kelp beer. Asking the dwarven sisters who ran the establishment for the whereabouts of Jaymiss revealed that the gray-haired old half-elf spent most of his time by the fire in the Carvers’ Hall, a communal building where Drenchport’s scrimshanders work together on larger projects and sell their finished works.

At the Carvers’ Hall, they found the middle-aged half-elf carving a shark’s tooth. Isobel and Minerva showed appreciation for the scrimshander’s work and introduced themselves. Isobel flirted with Jaymiss and asked him if he knew anyone who was trying to gather information about the Shackles. The scrimshander revealed that he had suspicions about a man named Haddon Pike, a beachcomber, fisherman, and occasional smuggler. He said that many of Haddon’s supposed smuggling trips down south in a hired boat didn’t actually involve moving goods. Jaymiss knew the black market in Drenchport pretty well and he’d noticed that Haddon seldom bought or sold anything before or after these trips. He directed them to Pike’s cabin, just outside the outskirts of Drenchport.

Isobel purchased some of Jaymiss’ scrimshaw items—as they were quite good—before leaving. As it was getting dark, the crew decided to wait until morning before heading out. That way they could use Aakin as a guide if they could persuade him to accompany them.

That night, Aakin slipped over the side and went to see his mother in the Drenchport tengu rookery. She was delighted to see him, as she had assumed that he had died with the other members of the Grinning Demon’s crew. He gave her enough money to make sure that she would be comfortable for the rest of her life. He then enquired about the Master of the Gales and his attitude, considering the manner that he and old friend Tully had behaved in his youth when they were a gang on the streets of Drenchport. She said that the Master had expressed the opinion that it was a shame that some good people had gone down with the incompetent, traitorous scum aboard the Demon.

Taking that as a good sign, Aakin went to see the Master of the Gales who happened to be aboard his ship, the Kraken, in the morning. The Master was very forgiving and glad to see Aakin with a competent crew for a change. Once Aakin was assured there were no lasting bad feelings, he enquired about the Brine Banshee, and if the Master knew anything of her fate. The Master of the Gales said that while the Banshee undoubtedly used some form of magic to get its abilities, he had never discovered the secret. He did speculate that she might have fallen prey of Hirgenzosk, a massive dragon turtle that usually plied the waters off Tempest Cay. He reminded Aakin what he always said on the topic: All unknown islands are Hirgenzosk until proven otherwise.

The Master of Gales asked Aakin if Isobel was considering running in the Free Captain’s Regatta. The Master had won it the last five years, but was sitting this one out. With a prize of an island and a seat on the Pirate Council, it was worth the risk of passing into the outskirts of the Eye of Abendego where the race would be taking place. Aakin thanked him for the information and then returned to the Risky Venture. The crew then set out to find Pike’s cabin.

Pike’s small driftwood cottage was perched on the rugged coast just outside of Drenchport, exactly as Jaymiss described it. They sent Will around the back of the cottage to keep anyone from exiting the back window. Will called out that there appeared to be a dead body in the cabin. Pielanga picked the lock and they went into the room. His head was submerged in a fish tank, where a piranha-like creature with frilled spines, huge eyes, and lots of teeth, which had consumed most of its master’s exposed flesh. Lillit was able to talk to the fish—apparently named “Grinner”—and found out that Pike has been dead about a week.

Minerva examined the body and found two bullet holes in the back of his skull. She extracted some tissue and determined that there had been poison on the bullets and they came through the open window. They found a piece of driftwood in his hand that was carved like a tengu. Silas searched the cabin and realised that it had been searched. He found a secret compartment under the fish tank. Inside was a waterproofed bag containing some coins and a scrimshaw walrus tusk scroll case. Inside the case were several rolled up scrolls of sheet music and lyrics written in Infernal. They decided to return them to the ship and ask Dahryen about the music, assuming it was some sort of code.

Minerva cast speak with dead, but was stunned as the spirit of Haddon Pike screamed and was torn apart from what appeared to be blue hellfire. Lillit gave it some thought and realised that something had physically interfered and acted on Pike’s spirit. Minerva inspected the poison off the bullets and discovered a simple poison coupled with some alchemical agents that kept the soul from being able to talk. They released Grinner, threw Pike’s body into the sea, and left the door open. Silas searched the area around the cabin and discovered a broken vial that was eighty feet away in a location with a good view of the window.

They returned to Drenchport and showed the music to Dahryen. When Dahyren looked at the sheet music he recognized it as a Chelish opera from about a century ago. Problem was, that was before the rise of the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune to the throne. It was not written in Infernal. Beyond that he was of little help. They then went to talk to Jaymiss again, and told him about Pike’s death. When they showed him the tengu carving, he mentioned that Pike had a regular shipmate and accomplice: a tengu named Corlan. The carving could represent Corlan, who lived in Hell Harbor on the island of Devil’s Arches.

As they prepared to leave for Hell Harbor, Aakin informed Isobel and the others the little bit he had found out about the fate of the Brine Banshee and the Free Captain’s Regatta. Aakin pointed out that they needed to enter the race; a seat on the council and the race itself would be invaluable in observing all the Pirate Lords and other prominent Free Captains. This would help his investigation immeasurably.

They arrived at Hell Harbor and set out to find Corlan. After checking around they were directed to his apartment house on the edge of the city’s tengu rookery. When they knocked on the front door, Corlan came out, but all interaction with them was cut short as a bullet slammed into the tengu’s chest. They turned swiftly and located the sniper on a rooftop opposite them. He fired off a second shot and finished Corlan off. Minerva and Lillit used there dimension door spells to get everyone but Aakin up to the roof as the assassin tried to escape. Aakin fired covering shots as Chauncey flew up to attack.

Silas, Will, and Pielanga charged forward over the rooftops and attacked, hammering the assassin hard. He backed up and swiftly reloaded his musket. Isobel recognized the man as Giles Halmis, an extreme racist who resigned from the Carthagnions’ service as a guard as they were dealing with non-Chelish and non-humans like “people.” Enraged by the appearance of what Halmis took to be a race-traitor, the guard tuned assassin opened fire on Isobel, wounding her seriously. He then mounted a bayonet on his gun and prepared to fight in melee.

Lillit managed to daze Halmis with a spell while Isobel cast haste on the group speeding up everyone except Lillit, who resisted. The melee combatants moved in and managed to force Halmis to his knees and knocked him unconscious. They searched him and removed his weapons. They found a note from someone directing him to assassinate three people and to use the specially prepared poison with the hits: the names were Haddon Pike, Roweena Kellet, and Corlan. The first two names were crossed off. The instructions were signed with a “Z”. After removing his gear, they woke Giles up and began to interrogate him as to who his contact was.

Giles revealed his current contract was to eliminate Haddon Pike, Roweena Kellet, and Corlan. His main contact was a Mwangi woman named Zarskia Galembar at the Jasperleaf Apothecary in Port Peril, who gave him his contracts and payments. Giles also admitted that asking for “two pounds of powdered thileu bark” at the apothecary was a code phrase to quickly obtain admittance into a secluded meeting room. He was contemptuous of Zarskia, a “savage” he resented working for. When asked about Chelish operatives, Disgusted with him, Will was allowed to send Giles on to Pharasma’s justice with a strike through the heart.

Minerva used her healing skill to expunge the poison from Corlan’s body. She then cast speak with dead and got information from the tengu. He knew little about the spy ring’s operations or other members besides Haddon Pike, Elliece Farhaven, or Roweena Kellet, but he received almost all of his instructions from Zarskia Galembar at the Jasperleaf Apothecary in Port Peril. Elliece and Haddon were spying on ship strengths and fleet sizes, especially of Tessa Fairwind, the Master of the Gales. They passed this to Roweena who used Corlan as a messenger.

They then went to check on Roweena Kellet and found her to be a harbor quartermaster in the employ of Arronax Endymion, lord of Hell Harbor and a former admiral in the Chelish navy. Roweena managed two of Endymion’s smaller trade warehouses, but she’d recently gone missing. Searching her now empty home and warehouses led to the discovery of a list of Pirate Lords in the assassinated woman’s office, each with a large number beside it. Isobel recognized the numbers as estimated bribes, either to have the named pirates lord turn traitor, or to have their followers overthrow them. Arronax Endymion entry had only a dash, rather than a number, after his name.

Taking the evidence with them they set out for Port Peril and the Jasperleaf Apothecary.


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Session 31:

After docking in Port Peril, they decided to find out all they could about the Jasperleaf Apothecary before they went to the building. They discovered its location and that it had been recently closed. They also learned some alternate passwords to get in to see some contraband merchandise.

They also overheard that the Free Captains’ Regatta had its date set three days prior: the 10th of Kuthona, just twelve days away. This was startling, as normally there is about a month or more between the announcing of the date and the actual race. A lot of speculation abounded as to why this was so different this year, the most popular being that Bonefist didn’t want to splurge on two parties in rapid succession and timed the race celebration to occur on Ascendance Day which is always a big excuse for a drunken bash.

They went to the apothecary shop and knocked on the old manor house’s door. A sliding peep-hole opened in the door and a gruff voice said, “Yes?” As the crew mulled over which phrase would work and what the exact wording was, Fancy Will asked for two pounds of powdered thileu bark. The pirate guards opened the door and escorted them to a private room to meet with Zarskia Galembar, the apothecary. Chauncey was required to stay outside as the dragon was simply too large to easily fit.

They waited in the cozy meeting room for ten minutes until Zarskia arrived. She greeted them and asked how she could be of assistance. They pointedly asked for modified deathblade poison, the same as had been used on Haddon Pike without mentioning his name. Zarskia became concerned and asked what special circumstances would require a deadly poison like deathblade to be augmented. Aakin responded that sometimes they needed a poison that even kept the dead quiet. Zarskia admitted that she might have something in that area, but it was expensive and that she would need to see some money up front.

Silas then put the note with Zarskia’s instructions to Giles Halmis on the table for her to see saying that this would act as their “promissory note.” Zarskia now got quite angry and asked why the fool (Halmis) had not even tried to burn it as instructed. Isobel pointed out that Zarskia should have been more careful in discerning the personalities of those the spy master hired. Zarskia swore about Halmis’ ancestry in Polyglot and then asked if they wanted the poison or cash as payment for their silence.

They stated that they wanted information on her employers, to which she stated that she needed more than their silence for that information. Aakin then made a direct threat on her life for the information. Zarskia backed away towards the door, declined their offer and drank an extract from her belt while calling for help. Aakin immediately ran across the room to block the door as she drank a second extract and turned invisible. The others moved in and tried to hit her, but couldn’t connect. Isobel called to Chauncey, who struggled to get inside. Guards began moving in to assist and set something up outside the door.

Aakin heard a hissing noise right before the explosion knocked in the door. He was able to get out of the way without taking too much damage. Silas got hit with the brunt of the blast coming straight at him, but took the damage easily. The crew kept trying to locate Zarskia while fighting against the oncoming guards. In the tight corridors, it became difficult to concentrate their attacks. Lillit used a wand to summon a wolf to the attack and Isobel dismissed Chauncey and summoned a lion to attack the guards.

Aakin used multiple blistering invective spells to weaken the guards considerably. Isobel then cast enlarge person on Silas, to improve his strength and reach. Minerva used a dimensional hop to appear in the hall and cast sound burst to deafen and stunned one group of guards, although she was now surrounded by the pirate guards. She then cast a searing light spell on another pirate guard before joining the battle with her morning star. Will then tumbled and jumped through the stunned guards in the hall to strike at them from behind.

The guards flanked Minerva and severely injured her so she came within a hair’s breadth of dying. She came to just after Silas moved out into the hall and stood protectively over her. After defeating all but one of the guards, the last guard surrendered and told the crew that Zarskia was most likely upstairs before fleeing for his life. Minerva channelled energy to heal herself and the crew. Isobel and her band then proceeded upstairs to search with Aakin keeping a distance to avoid getting caught in a possible ambush.

Silas opened some double doors he discovered on the next floor and found a ruined dining room. He then investigated it with Pielanga and Isobel. They found in a different chamber off the side what appeared to be a giant litterbox. Aakin maintained cover at the top of the stairs while Minerva and Lillit investigated a door of to the side of the landing. Will checked out a flight of stairs upwards and charged up alone.

As Isobel, Silas, and Pielanga moved into another side room they were attacked by a kamadan, a strange leopard-like monster with six snakes emerging out of its back. Pielanga was able to act and interposed herself between the beast and her captain. The kamadan breathed on them and Pielanga passed out. As the battle was joined below, Will encountered a blade trap and got poisoned while setting off an alarm. Lillit rushed to help Will while Minerva and Aakin moved to aid Silas and Isobel.

Silas, Minerva, and Aakin began to attack the kamadan. Silas took some snake bites before it breathed a second time, rendering Isobel unconscious. Lillit treated Will’s wounds and tried to help him with his poison. Silas slammed into the beast and crushed its skull. Minerva treated Silas’s poisoned wounds and then continued exploring while Pielanga and Isobel slept. Silas carried them until they woke up. They found Zarskia’s quarters as well as more poison traps.

They opened a door near the stairwell and discovered the rotted body of a demon. Out of it emerged two mandragoras and attacked Pielanga and Minerva. One of the mandragoras shrieked while the other bit Pielanga, while the shriek caused Isobel, Aakin, and Pielanga were nauseated. The madragora that bit Pielanga began draining her blood. Will charged in to help. Silas checked with Minerva and Aakin to see if they needed help before he went back downstairs to study the locked door in case Zarskia used the opportunity to escape. They assured him they could control the situation so he went. Lillit joined Silas at the door and cast knock to open it up.

Will parried an attack by a madragora and riposted to kill the evil root. Aakin shook off the nausea and then perforated the other root with a series of arrows, killing it and saving Pielanga. They continued to explore the dwelling, looking for Zarskia in her quarters and lab. All the while they encountered traps with poisons and acids. They still couldn’t find her.

Finally, Aakin found a shaft in the fireplace in Zarskia’s chambers that led down to the basement. The party reassembled at the shaft and began descending the shaft one at a time. When Silas got to the bottom, he saw a dingy cellar with an iron gate blocking an escape tunnel, a blocked set of stairs up to the ground floor, and Zarskia just finishing burning a mass of papers on a table. Seeing Silas entering the room, she threw a bomb at him that exploded with great force and flame. Silas rolled and put out the flames, then he charged across the room to grab Zarskia and then pinned her to the grate.

Will then followed into the room and tried to stab her, but it bounced of the ironskin effect she had. She then fired off a bomb without throwing it, damaging both Will and Silas. Silas used his orc ferocity to stay up long enough to tie her up and then passed out. Unable to escape, Zarskia finally surrendered.

The rest of the party descended into the room and Aakin healed Silas while Lillit put out the flames. The papers were almost all destroyed; recent instructions stored in a waterproof satchel survived almost completely. Written in Infernal, they instructed Zarskia to sell her business and end the spy ring. She would then go to Nisroch in Nidal for further instructions.

Silas put the shackles of compliance on Zarskia and Aakin began questioning her. Zarskia revealed that her handlers served a noble house for the Umbral Court in Nidal. She did not know who the agent was that was mentioned in the papers who served her handler’s interests. They searched the entire house for loot and any additional evidence. They found some more traps and treasure before they were satisfied they had found everything, taking the rest of the day and into nightfall. All told they now had enough evidence of the spy ring to bring back to Tessa, so they took Zarskia alive to Tessa’s townhouse with their information.


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Session 32:

The arrived at Tessa’s and were brought up to her. They handed Zarskia over to Tessa and revealed everything they had discovered about the spy ring, including the fact that it was done collecting information and was being destroyed even as they had investigated it. Tessa found that very concerning, but was glad that she had the evidence to present to the Pirate Council whenever Bonefist decided to finally have the next one.

Tessa thanked Isobel and her crew for the information and rewarded them with trade goods and booty that she transferred to the Risky venture. She then promised them her support and her vote in the Pirate Council, should they ever need to call on her. She then offered them all celebratory drinks as Zarskia was carted off to a holding cell. Will and Tessa spent the next hour or so flirting in the style of Taldan nobility while the others waited until the polite time to leave arrived.

On their way back to the ship, the crew were suddenly attacked from all sides by a band of cutthroats. One of them cried out to Isobel, “Time for you to go home to your Papa, where you belong!” They concentrated on Chauncey as the dragon seemed the most dangerous figure in the battle and they came close to killing him outright. Isobel clambered onto Chauncey and flew him up to a nearby roof top. She then began casting spells to support her crew.

At first things looked grim as Lillit and Pielanga both suffered severe wounds, some of which were poisoned. But Will, Aakin, and Silas began wearing the thugs down while Minerva worked hard to keep everyone on their feet. Some well-placed lightning bolt spells from Lillit finally reduced the numbers enough to cause the survivors to flee. After the traditional looting of the bodies, Minerva found a note signed by Isobel’s father. The instructions were to capture Isobel alive but kill all her companions. Minerva healed up the party and they returned to the Risky Venture.

They set sail with the next morning tide and took three days to travel to Ollo on Shark Island. The port of Ollo was a miserable hole and its residents were close-mouthed and generally uncooperative. Their fear of Avimar Sorrinash and from sahuagin raids has led to questions from outsiders often being met with anxious and suspicious silence. Even the crew of the Venture refused to go ashore in the port, though the party decided to pay them anyway to keep up morale. After some fruitless enquiries they were at last directed to the offices of Haneilius Fitch, the man Dindreann told them was trying to fund an expedition to find the Brine Banshee.

After knocking, a gray haired gentleman with a Taldan accent answered the door. He introduced himself as Haneilius Fitch, a retired ship’s physician, and asked how he could be of service. Silas asked about the Brine Banshee, but Fitch claimed to know nothing about the ship. Isobel quickly realised that the old man was not telling the truth. After explaining that they were there to help him find the missing ship, Fitch became excited and told them what he knew. He held up a glass tube containing a human leg bone suspended in preservative solution. This leg was a part of a man named Vargus Brack, one of, Haneilius’ old shipmates. After Haneilius retired, Vargus went on to join the crew of the Brine Banshee and he had stopped to visit Fitch before they set out on their last voyage. He had told Fitch something of the course they were setting, so Fitch knew the direction. On top of that, Fitch knew of a type of magic that could pin-point the location of a corpse so long as the user had a piece of the body themselves and were relatively close to it.

After agreeing to give Haneilius and equal share of the loot of the Brine Banshee, he explained to the crew that there was a magic ring called the ring of the iron skull that would allow them to find the corpse. A current owner of just such a ring was a pirate named “Milksop” Morton, who regularly sailed his sloop Dryad’s Grave between the Smoker and Shark Island. If they set out, it would take less than a day to encounter this independent pirate who preyed on Free Captains as well as merchants.

The Risky Venture set out to encounter the Dryad’s Grave and encountered her on her regular course about noon. Morton pulled within hailing distance and asked to parley. He asked who they were and where they were headed. He then demanded a ransom for allowing to continue traveling within “his” waters. When they refused, he opened fire on them. A springal targeted the Venture’s helm, hitting Pielanga, Isobel, and Silas. The Dryad’s Grave moved in and grappled the Risky Venture with the masthead of the Gravecoming to life and using a ballista with a chain attached to its ammunition to help real the Venture. Living grapnels fired out and attached themselves to the ship and pulled the now captive Risky Venture in.

Morton cast a tiny hut spell on himself and his helm, helping to hide him from Isobel and her crew’s attacks. He then sent his now fully animated masthead over to attack Isobel and her crew. He cast solid fog to further slow and hinder his opponents. As the crew fought off the large construct, Morton cast confusion on Will and Chauncey, causing the dragon to bite Will.

Finally Minerva used air walk to get out of the fog and begin attacking the spell caster. Lillit began casting spells into the hut to try and overcome the spell caster. Chauncey was dismissed by Isobel who then summoned a rhinoceros on the deck of the Dryad’s Grave and sent it into the tiny hut to attack Morton and his familiar. Will soon threw off the effects of the confusion and charged in as well, finally doing some damage to the magic wielding pirate as Silas and Pielanga took down the living masthead and the grapnels. Morton, now badly wounded, at last surrendered.

Morton gave up his ring and whatever booty Isobel and her crew wanted in exchange for keeping his ship. They agreed and demanded that he get out of the Shackles or they would take him down again. After that they returned to Ollo and Haneilius with the ring of the iron skull.

Haneilius Fitch suggested the they begin their voyage in Ollo and follow the Brine Banshee’s last course. Once their ship cleared the strait between Shark Island and Raptor Island, Fitch announced to Isobel that the Brine Banshee’s last course wasn’t northwest as many in Ollo believed, but north-northeast—the captain intended to skim the fringes of the Eye of Abendego to raid merchant ships in the waters near Botosani. The Brine Banshee’s course followed a line from the two islands north of Shark Island to the Eye’s edge, cutting between the Eye and the eastern coast of Mediogalti Island and into Rahadoumi waters.

Following this course led them on for two days before the ring of the iron skull indicated that they were right over the remains of Vargus Brack. Using shark tooth amulets and water breathing spells, Isobel, Chauncey, Silas, Will, Minerva, Lillit, Pielanga, and Aakin descended into the water. They found the bow section of the Brine Banshee next to a rift in the ocean floor with no sign of the stern. As they got ready to search the vessel’s remains, they were attacked by a savage merman and a pack of sharks.

The merman cast dispel magic on Chauncey to stop the water breathing effect on the dragon, but the shark tooth amulets kept him alright. Silas swam out to attack the merman and he got a dispel magic on him as well, and being too far from the amulets got into trouble. As the sharks fell to Chauncey, Aakin, and Will’s assaults, the merman transformed into a large great white shark and attacked Silas. Silas grabbed onto the transformed merman and tried to hold him while the others restored his breathing ability and killed the renegade merman and his sharks. Silas was cut up a bit from the sharkskin, but came out alright.

They inspected the wreckage and found signs of massive claws, suggesting that the Master of the Gales theory of Hirgenzosk had some merit. They searched the wreckage and found a few items, including a heavily locked chest and some oil of slipstream. But in the bow cargo hold they encountered a giant jellyfish which lashed out at Pielanga and began stinging her to death. She was able to kill off the jellyfish with the help of the others and Minerva helped Pielanga deal with the poison in her system before it killed her by giving her a potion of neutralize poison.

In the hold they found several small, sturdy metal drums containing fine oils and a number of carefully padded packing cases holding sealed bottles of potent liquor made from the leavings of rum production (even more intense than regular rum). They took these plundered items up to the Risky Venture. Pielanga inspected the chest and found it was double locked and secured with an arcane lock. The decision was made to allow Silas to break it open with his crowbar. Dahryen and Minerva drank potions of bull’s strength and aided Silas in opening the chest. They broke it open and found a lot of money. They then decided to get ready and descend into the rift below to find the stern of the Brine Banshee.


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Session 33:

Because of the pressure and cold, the crew were very concerned over surviving at the bottom of the rift 180 feet below the surface. Lillit talked to a school of fish and discovered that something bad was located in the stern of a wreck. They decided to wait eight hours until early evening so they would be at full strength. They relied on an endure elements and freedom of movement spells provided by Minerva, but these could only help three people. Aakin had the Pirate Queen’s Pearl, so he was OK. Minerva was able to protect Lillit, Will, and Isobel. Pielanga would be left behind while Minerva, Chauncey, and Silas would tough it out until the wreck was clear of any threats before ascending. Lillit used a darkvision wand to give everyone the ability to see clearly. Then they descended.

They went into the dark and cold and found the stern of the Brine Banshee landed upright at the bottom of the rift. As they arrived a massive blackwater charda emerged from behind the wreck and attacked. As the party attacked it with ranged strikes and spells it tried to bull rush Silas but he was able to resist. Badly injured, the charda expelled its black bile to cover most of the party in cold damaging goo. He bit Silas once before Aakin finished off the beast.

On the poop deck they found a moldering corpse lashed to the wheel. The corpse had a magic ring, and the ship’s wheel proved to be magic. They removed the corpse from the wheel, but Lillit warned them to treat the corpse with respect and leave him at the helm. They could take his stuff, but they should leave him at his post. They moved out into the open area near the break point on the ship and descended to the hold, doing brief checks by Minerva with a detect magic spell to locate items of interest as quickly as possible before Silas, Chauncey, and Minerva had to ascend.

As they approached the main hold a huge shark swam out of the dark and entered the hole. The party moved to attack, but most of the party soon recognized it as an illusion after their attacks passed through it. Fancy Will continued to fight it for some reason. Lillit cast detect thoughts to try and locate the caster. Minerva ignored the illusion and travelled up to the gun deck to search for any sign of the caster where she was grabbed by a darkforest anemone. Chauncey and Silas moved up to aid her and began to attack. Minerva used her dimensional hop ability to get out of there.

Pale, eyeless fish glowing with luminescence entered the main hold and began flashing like a hypnotic pattern spell. Lillit located thoughts near the back of the hold—very alien thoughts. Then a three-eyed fish-like creature with four long tentacles and its green body glistening with thick, clear slime appeared at the back of the hold—an aboleth. Chauncey, Silas, and Minerva moved to attack the aboleth. The anemone began slowly charging to attack—taking multiple rounds to do so.

Will proved to have been dominated by the aboleth and attacked Chauncey, severely wounding him. Isobel moved to help Chauncey and was dominated by the aboleth. Chauncey took a swipe at Will as he knew soon he would fall. Silas swam in and knocked Will unconscious. Lillit’s spells determined that the aboleth was actually a projected image and she remembered that an aboleth can cast illusory wall spells at will. So she fired a lightning bolt spell through the wall, finally damaging the creature. Isobel was then commanded to dismiss Chauncey and followed it up by casting black tentacles on Aakin and Lillit.

Minerva cast dispel magic on the black tentacles removing them while Aakin started to attack the real aboleth. Silas disarmed Will as the swashbuckler began took come to. Will tried to get back his estoc as the aboleth moved in to try and attack with its tentacles after failing to dominate Lillit. Lillit cast daze on Will and Isobel, keeping them from attacking as they tried to take down the aberration. Lillit was hit with a tentacle, but was unaffected by the slime. At last the darkforest anemone arrived at the battle.

Silas pummeled the anemone as Lillit used storm step through the aboleth and out of its attack range. She then used her wand of magic missiles on the aboleth. Isobel was commanded to give her masterwork dagger to Will and then begin moving away. Minerva moved to stay beside Isobel. Aakin used his cutlass on the aboleth and damaged it enough to cause it to try and flee with its slaves. Silas managed to slam it as it passed and killed it. Silas then turned and killed the anemone with his strikes.

With the wreck cleared of all serious threats, Silas and Minerva ascended back to the Risky Venture. Fancy Will, Aakin, Isobel, and Lillit began searching the wreck. They found several timber boxes holding ivory; crates containing gold and silver ingots; a wand of gust of wind; a board game called Wyvern’s Race with pieces finely crafted from citrine and bloodstone; as well as jewelry, coins, and other belongings. They determined that the magic wheel—called Jalhazar’s wheel after the captain of the ill-fated Brine Banshee—allowed any ship it was mounted on to maneuver easily at high speed and was the secret of the Banshee’s legendary speed. They immediately mounted Jalhazar’s wheel to the Risky Venture’s helm.

They then travelled on to Tempest Cay and let Haneilius Fitch off at Drenchport with his share of the plunder from the Brine Banshee. They sold off enough loot to keep their maneuverability at full value for the Free Captain’s Regatta and then proceeded to Cauldron Rock for the start of the race. They deposited their entry fee of 500 gp and joined in the celebrations with the race fleet anchored just northeast of the island. The captains of most of the 15 other competing ships disallowed shore leave for their crews, but the numerous spectators (including Tessa Fairwind, Pierce Jerrell, Merrill Pegsworthy, and Alsindra Devrol) made merry on their in spite of intermittent rain and wind from the giant hurricane to the north.

The afternoon before the race, the Master of the Gales called a meeting of all competing ships’ captains and their senior officers aboard his xebec, the Kraken. One of the competitors was Barnabas Harrigan and the Wormwood. The Master of the Gales explained the rules including no deliberate interference with each other’s ships. Magic is allowed, but not to be heavily relied upon unless it benefits everyone (making it pretty useless). He laid out the route: travel from Cauldron Rock to the Iris’s Splinters—two jagged shafts of rock—and pass between the rocks entering the hurricane of the Eye of Abendego. Then they will pass through the strom and around the towering spire of rock called Pinnacle Atoll which is surrounded by Sharkskin Reef to the north. They then make for the tiny island of Coaming Point just outside the edge of the eternal storm.

The next day Tessa Fairwind and the crew’s other friends come aboard and wished them luck. The Master of Gales waited until the ships got into position and then let off a flashing bolt of lightning down into the surf, signaling the start of the race. At that point he transformed into an albatross and followed over the race participants to monitor rules breaking. The wind shifted just as the race started, forcing the ships to maneuver to avoid crashing into each other. The Risky Venture was one of the few to make it out of the initial scrum unharmed.

They went full speed through the Silted Shrouds—an extensive series of shallow sandbars formed by the continuous action of the Eye of Abendego. They moved through them easily and moved on into the low-lying coral reefs known as Raker Shoals, a well-known hazard to ships in this region. Using Aakin’s keen eyes at the front, they navigated them easily. Silas used his maneuverability to let following ships believe they were taking one course, then made sudden maneuvers to avoid reefs. One ship scraped and slowed down and one ran upon the reef, taking the Sea’s Largess out of the race.

They moved on through the swirling wash of powerful ocean currents called Gozreh’s Flow which sweep out of the Sodden Lands along the southern fringes of the Eye. They navigated through it easily and approached the Iris’s Splinters among the front running ships. Suddenly, a gigantic turtle-like behemoth surfaced ahead of them. As they watched, the beast smashed into the Sullied Strumpet with a bellow, capsizing the light sloop. Hirgenzosk decided to use the race as a source for snacks. They decided to use a nearby fog bank and some fancy maneuvering to get around the gargantuan dragon turtle. Successful, they left Hirgenzosk bellowing behind them and threaded the Iris and entered the storm.

The Risky Venture now skimmed through the outer edge of the titanic maelstrom that is the Eye of Abendego, tacking against the powerful northwesterly storm winds created by the cyclone’s counter-clockwise rotation. Aakin’s experience was of great help in keeping them on course and handling the storm’s effects. Lightning struck the foremast and set it on fire, forcing Minerva and a recruited crew to climb up and jury-rigged the sails to keep them through the race.

They got to Sharkskin Reef and Pinnacle Atoll, where Minerva and Lillit both cast control water and raised the water level, making it much easier to navigate the reef and getting right up to the atoll as the passed by. They then sped on towards the edge of the storm, letting the water level return to normal as they moved on. As the Risky Venture head out of the Eye of Abendego, an unnatural electrical squall struck and a lightning elemental formed near the top of the mainmast. The crew moved to fight the creature as Silas strove to keep the ship on course.

Chauncey flew up and charged into battle, engaging the elemental. Aakin, Chauncey, and Will did enough damage with his arrows to disrupt it and free the ship from the threat, though Chauncey took enough damage to be dispelled. They emerged from the storm and found that the only other ship out of the storm was Captain Harrigan’s Wormwood. It was trailing them by quite a distance and though Harrigan made a determined effort to catch up, he had no chance of winning. The Dainty Lass and her Risky Venture crossed the finish line the clear winners.

After waiting for all surviving vessels to make it to the finish line, a ceremony was held aboard the Kraken. As the winner of the Free Captains’ Regatta, Isobel received the regatta’s rich prize purse of 8,000 gp. More importantly, she gained a seat on the Pirate Council of the Shackles. The Master of the Gales attached a broken, silver-plated manacle on her left wrist as a symbol of this honor, representing Isobel’s freedom from the constraints of other nations’ laws and authority, but also the responsibility that now binds her to the welfare of the Shackles and its people, whom she now represents. Finally, the Master of the Gales presented Isobel with a deed granting her lordship over a small island in the north of the Shackles. They then set sail with the race fleet for Port Peril to enjoy the post regatta feast.


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Hoist the Colors: Second Verse
Some men have died and some are alive;
and others sail on the sea.
With the keys to the cage
and the devil to pay,
we lay to the fiddler's green.

Yo, ho, haul together,
hoist the colors high.
Heave ho, thieves and beggars,
never shall we die.

Lyrics by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio

Session 34:

After arriving in Port Peril, the crew disposed of their remaining loot and paid the crew double as reward for their great work. They prepared for a lengthy stay at sea before going to the fete thrown in honor of the Risky Venture’s victory by the Shackles’ Pirate Council. The Master of the Gales did not partake in the victory revels, and at one point during the celebrations he pulled Isobel and her officers aside to explain their prize—an entire island that they could call their own, located in a remote archipelago north of the Rampore Isles called the Island of Empty Eyes after the strange eyeless statues that dot its shores.

The island was uninhabited and dangerous, but they would have to tame it in order for Isobel to keep her seat on the Pirate Council: even the chaotic pirates of the Shackles are smart enough to not leave the governorship of their nation to race winners. They would have to show they could be proper pirate lords before Isobel would have a full vote. In three months some Pirate Lords would show up and judge their progress and be feted by Isobel and her crew. If they judged Isobel fit, then she would be recognized and join the Council. Otherwise she would keep the island, but not the seat. The Master of the Gales made it clear that it wouldn’t be the first time someone had failed to live up to expectations after the regatta. He gave them a map of the island with few details and let them return to the celebrations.

After partying through the night, the crew finished selling and provisioning the ship (including Fancy Will picking up some fine linens and table service sets) for the voyage and conquest of the Island of Empty Eyes. The journey took 3 days, and shortly after dawn on the 15th of Kuthona the lookout cried out, “Land ho!”

A high plateau formed the north and central portions of the island, surrounded by 500-foot high cliffs. Two long peninsulas jutted from the plateau to the southeast and southwest, producing two sheltered bays: a large one to the south and a smaller bay to the east. In addition, a number of beaches where boats could land lined the shores. Scattered along the beaches and cliffs of the central plateau, were large statues of giant cyclopes of great age, but their single eyes were just empty holes.

Isobel was very happy with it simply because she calculated that her island was much larger than all her father’s lands together. They observed the island at a distance before choosing which bay to enter. They noticed a small bay next to the southern large bay, but it was a dark green that they eventually determined to be choked with kelp. The decision was made to enter the large, southern bay.

As they approached the island, they discovered a number of low-lying shoals and barrier reefs just offshore. At first they decided to use ship’s boats to reach the island, and determine a route into the bay that way, but a misdirection to Rosie by Silas resulted in the boat running aground and sinking. They were forced to swim back to the ship and losing the boat Hakhan has so bravely defended in the attack on the Man’s Promise so many months before.

Using Chauncey as a flying guide, Isobel and Aakin flew overhead and scouted out the route that way; they managed to navigate the Risky Venture successfully into the southern large bay. The bay stretched nearly two miles in every direction. To the north, a massive waterfall plummeted from an escarpment. A seaside fort with white stone walls was on the western shore with a single tower crowned with a fixture of crystal.

As the crew took in the view, tentacles emerged from below the water and began grabbing at the crew. It grabbed Lillit, Minerva, Pielanga, Isobel, and Rosie Cuswell. They began being pulled overboard as Will dived overboard into the water and attacked the giant spyglass octopus. Silas tried to free Pielanga, but failed to stop any of the grabbed victims from going overboard. Chauncey charged down and assaulted the octopus.

Minerva used a dimensional hop to free herself and then cast water breathing on herself, Pielanga, Rosie, and Isobel. Lillit used her own water breathing ability, Isobel used a wand of magic missile to attack the octopus, as Pielanga fought with Brine’s Sting. Silas and Will renewed their attacks and the octopus fired off an ink cloud and jetted away from the Risky Venture, taking Rosie, Isobel, Lillit, and Pielanga with it.

Chauncey followed Isobel’s instructions and travelled to where the octopus was located. Minerva used her dimensional hop to get up on the deck along with Silas and Will. Seeing where Chauncey was she then cast dimension door and took herself, Silas, and Will to the octopus and her crewmates. Lillit managed to cast a storm step spell to injure the octopus and free herself, killing the badly weakened octopus.

They then swam back to the Risky Venture and moved in closer to the fort an dropped anchor. As they prepared the remaining ship boat to head ashore, Aakin made it clear that he would remain aboard the Venture as he had something he had to do. He was very vague about this, but seemed concerned about something. They shrugged and took the boat ashore.

The abandoned fort was constructed of 15-foot-high outer stone walls with multiple watchtowers. These walls joined a giant-sized tower of different construction than the walls. Silas recognized that the tower was a ruin of Ghol-Gan and someone had built Chelish style structures and fortifications into it at some point in the past.

As they approached the fort they saw obvious signs that the structure had been attacked and the walls broken through. Beyond the fort’s shattered gates stretched a courtyard, overgrown with weeds and surrounded by multiple buildings, all showing signs of damage and broken windows. They began exploring the northern most buildings and found an abandoned storeroom at one end next to what appeared to be a forge.

They searched the forge and found some masterwork artisan tools. Moving on to the next building, they found a half-collapsed building filled with the stench of decayed flesh. A large hole was in the eastern wall and four cages lay broken amid the rubble. Will went in to check out the cages and was attacked by four giant crawling hands.

Minerva channeled positive energy and burned the undead horrors. The hands attacked Will, with one of the hands grabbing the swashbuckler. Pielanga tumbled through to flank the hands with the rest of the party, stabbing a hand. A stream of vile pus came back at her though she was able to avoid the spray. Minerva then channeled energy again and destroyed a hand, but the others pulled Will down to the ground. One held him there while the other two pummeled and choked him.

Chauncey moved in and bit one; he then had to spit out the pus of the now destroyed hand. Silas then moved in and smashed one into goo, freeing Will. Will kipped up to standing and then finished the last one off with Pielanga and Isobel’s help.

Searching the building revealed nothing else other than a breach through the forts stone walls. Moving on they found a ruined building that had been completely levelled. Silas poked around in the rubble and had to leap back out of the danger as the floor collapsed showing a thirty foot deep pit which was once a cellar. Minerva cast detect magic into the bottom and determined that there were some magic auras below. Silas climbed down and found an iron chest with some potions and money in it. They then prepared to move on to the other buildings.


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Session 35:

They moved on to what appeared to be an old Chelish chapel from 120 to 150 years before. When they looked inside they found it mostly empty except for a few pews and a large gold symbol of Aroden hanging from the vaulted ceiling. Realizing that the symbol could be of value to collectors, they went inside to appropriate the dead god’s symbol. They were surprised by four phase spiders which emerged from the ethereal plane and bit Lillit, Silas, and Chauncey, poisoning all three. After striking, they vanished back into the ethereal.

The party began to flee outside to give them more room to maneuver. Isobel mounted Chauncey and got ready to fly. They prepared to strike if the phase spiders reappeared. The phase spiders reappeared so that they were out of range of the melee combatants and attacked again. Will struck with a thrown dagger, Silas a tonfa, and Minerva fired a shot from her pistol. They injured the spiders who tried to bite again, but found the party harder targets than before. Chauncey charged in and began tearing at one of the spiders and killed it with a powerful wing buffet.

Isobel shot a phase spider twice with her pepperbox while Lillit used magic missiles from the wand. Will brought his rapier to bear and with two rapid strikes killed another phase spider. The two remaining phase spiders went ethereal and the party prepared for their return. Chauncey took flight as the spiders didn’t seem to be able to fly. Minerva channeled energy and healed the party a little. One phase spider came back and was injured by the readied actions of the party. The phase spider then attacked Lillit and grabbed her, pulling her with it into the ethereal.

The phase spider couldn’t hold Lillit on the ethereal, but Lillit used the opportunity to try and use her tongues hex to talk to the creature in order to delay it from attacking again before she popped back to the material. Lillit started with ,”Parley?” The phase spider was confused and told Lillit that she and her companions shouldn’t be in the fort. The phase spiders were there on the orders of their mother, Paeta, who was working for some unamend entity. The party was interfering with the phase spiders getting the information they needed. Lillit then returned to the material plane and her concerned crewmates.

After Lillit revealed what she had discovered, they went back in the now unguarded chapel and took the old holy symbol. They then moved into the next building and found a kitchen. After searching it, they moved south into the next room, a mess hall. Disembodied voices began whispering in the party’s heads, echoing questions to which they had no answers. The voices were asking for a “stone of dreams” and they began getting more aggressive.

Two strange creatures manifested in the hall, looking like partially formed beasts or humanoids. Isobel identified them as animate dreams, dreams that had become sentient and were used by creatures from the ethereal plane or haunted the places they formed. They began feeding on the crew’s living energy and they caused Will to fall asleep.

The incorporeal nature of the animate dreams proved a challenge, so Isobel used a lesser evolution surge spell to give Chauncey’s natural attacks magical capability. Minerva cast a spiritual weapon rapier and used it to strike one of the dreams while Lillit found that the wand of magic missiles was useless as the dreams were resistant to spells and the wand was simply not powerful enough.

Silas, Will, Chauncey, and Isobel began feeling the effects of the cursed touch of the animate dreams. Horrifying visions began plaguing Will, Chauncey, and Isobel, weakening them considerably. Will managed to wake up from the deep slumber he had been suffering from. Isobel cast haste on the group, although Lillit shook off the effect as she refused the magical aid. Chauncey had a devastating attack on one dream, causing it to use a phantasmal killer effect to slay the dragon eidolon, causing him to disappear. The other cast fear and only got Silas in its cone. Panicked, Silas fled the building.

Minerva cast a searing light spell and combined it with a solid hit with her spiritual weapon. Isobel summoned a bralani azata which immediately attacked an animate dream with his scimitar. The others wore down the dreams and Minerva cast restoration on Will, restoring the swashbuckler. Lillit cast break enchantment to remove the curse off those hit by the dreams. Will finally did enough damage with his magic rapier to kill one and Minerva finished the other off with her magic morning star.

Silas managed to throw off the effects of the fear spell while swimming out to the ship. He returned to the group as Isobel got the Bralani to cast cure serious wounds on herself and on Minerva. Minerva then began healing the rest of the party’s wounds. They went upstairs and found what appeared to be an abandoned brothel and nothing else. They then left the building and moved on to the next building over.

They skipped around the northernmost room and entered a small office that had at some point been ransacked. Finding nothing of interest, they then moved over and entered the northernmost room which had stairs going up. They headed up the stairs and set off a shocking floor trap that injured Silas, Will, Minerva, and Isobel.

They proceeded upstairs and inspected the balcony and found nothing. Going into the room to the east of the stairwell, Silas was struck with two scythe-like blades. Now fairly cut and burned, Silas stepped aside to allow Pielanga disarm the trap. After inspecting the room and finding it entry, they decided to let Pielanga check the southern door before trying it. Pielanga found no traps on the door, but she did hear someone moving in the southern room.

Lillit cast detect thoughts and determined that there were two thinking beings in the next room, one a very smart animal and the other a person. She realized from the crazed thoughts that they were dealing with a paranoid schizophrenic spellcaster and his monkey familiar. She also got from reading his surface thoughts that there were several traps on the floor of the room.

Silas kicked in the door and Minerva cast a sound burst into the room to shake the wizard up. Lillit cast charm person on him to see if they could end the fight quickly. The wizard told them to stay back in a frightened manner. He said that the dead come to get him at night. Calming him down, Lillit was able to discover that his name was Ederleigh Baines and that he was one of Bikendi Otongu’s crew. Silas recognized Otongu as a Mwangi pirate who led a pirate band that vanished about a year ago.

Ederleigh revealed that Bikendi was trying to make a stone to turn the pirate into a living dream, but the “one-eyed giants” killed the entire crew before he succeeded. Ederleigh then got confused and the party began discussing how to heal Baines of his insanity. Lillit convinced Baines to return with her and Minerva to the ship via a [teleport spell. Isobel, Silas, Pielanga, and Will continued to explore the top level of the building. Pielanga discovered an arrow swarm trap in the next room and disarmed it.

Finding it otherwise empty, they decided to return to ship so that they could tackle the rest of the buildings with a full complement. Back in the infirmary, Minerva and Lillit put the confused Ederleigh into the hospitality’s hammock to help him rest. Minerva and Lillit healed up the party so that with a full night’s rest they would be at full strength as soon as the rest of the shore party returned to the ship.

Ederleigh was resting well in the hammock with Minerva and Lillit watching, when three phase spiders emerged from the ethereal by them. Two were the survivors from the first battle, but the third was a red haired phase spider who looked very angry.


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Session 36:

Paeta, the red-haired phase spider spoke to Lillit & Minerva and demanded they give Ederleigh back. Lillit began negotiating with Paeta in Aklo so the other spiders would understand what was being said. Lillit asked what the spiders wanted with Ederleigh and was told again that they needed information from him. Lillit pointed out that their attempts to ferret out information from him had failed and that the pirates might have better luck. Paeta was concerned about what they would do with the information, but Lillit assured her they had no interest in the “stone of dreams” and would be willing to trade that information to avoid being attacked.

Paeta conditionally agreed as she didn’t want to lose any more daughters. The phase spiders departed with a temporary truce in place. The next morning Lillit and Minerva informed the rest of the officers of the truce and began discussing ways to help Ederleigh Baines and get the information from him. Minerva stated they needed a greater restoration or heal scroll to cure Ederleigh. They would have to go to Port Peril or Senghor to get one.

Minerva teleported with Lillit to Senghor to see if they could purchase such a scroll. They appeared outside Minerva’s favorite wine merchant shop and purchased some new “supplies” before setting out to the Temple of Gozreh to try to find a scroll. They had it and they offered some other magic items that they passed on for the time being. Picking up their liquor, they teleported back to the Risky Venture and cured Ederleigh of his insanities.

Ederleigh thanked Minerva and Lillit profusely. He had been living a nightmare for the past year with no apparent way out. Minerva asked if he would like some rum and they began to ask him about the phase spiders and the information they wanted. Ederleigh stated that he was unaware of the phase spiders as they had never shown themselves to him.

When asked about the “stone of dreams,” Ederleigh looked rather uncomfortable and told them of the immortal dreamstone, a heartstone created from souls by the night hag Lodhotha for his old captain Bikendi Otongu. Bikendi intended to use it to transform his soul into an immortal dream spirit and live forever in a paradise of his own imagination. He stole a perfect gem from the cyclopes and used that as the basis and the souls of captives taken on raids for Lodhotha.

Eventually Lodhotha and Bikendi tried to betray each other, with Bikendi coming out on top. He then went to work on his ritual. However, a huge cyclops with a horn in the centre of his forehead led a massive assault on the fort and broke through the pirates’ defensive lines. The cyclopes slaughtered all of the pirates except for Ederleigh, who had been able to hide.
Ederleigh then got vague; he was unsure of what he dreamed and what was real during the following months. He thought he had at one point dragged Bikendi’s body somewhere, but couldn’t be sure. He had no idea where the dreamstone was and didn’t want to have anything more with any of it. He also reported that Bikendi was performing the ritual in the ancient tower of the fort and that was the last place he had seen the immortal dreamstone. He then requested to join the crew of the Risky Venture.

Isobel accepted Ederleigh so long as he kept his monkey away from her. Isobel, Pielanga, Chauncey, Silas, Lillit, Minerva, Fancy Will, and Aakin travelled back to the fort and continued their explorations of the buildings to make sure nothing crept up behind them when they went into the tower. They split into four groups and stationed themselves by each of one of four doors entering the main room below where they had met Ederleigh. Minerva and Lillit took the west door, Chauncey, Isobel, and Pielanga to the south, Will to the east, and Silas to the north. Aakin positioned himself by the east window to look into the room and cover them if necessary.

They entered the room carefully, but Will marched directly into the centre of the room and was promptly attacked by an animate dream. Aakin saw it and moved into the room to strike at it with his tidewater cutlass, but the dream assaulted Will and did horrible damage to the swashbuckler with its cursed touch. The animate dream cast a fear effect and panicked Will, Isobel, and Chauncey.

Will, Isobel, and Chauncey fled the room as Minerva cast a dead eye’s arrow to attack the animate dream but missed. The dream tried a phantasmal killer effect on Silas, but the illusory monstrous orc only wounded Silas. The group that remained began hammering on the dream with Lillit continuing to try to use the magic missile wand to little effect and Minerva casting spiritual weapon to much better effect.

Chauncey threw off the fear effect and went to help Isobel as Minerva unsuccessfully attempted to dismiss the animate dream. Then Silas finally slammed his fists into it and took it down. They waited until Will and Isobel calmed down and got Minerva and Lillit to do healing before descending the stairs to the cellars. There they found some empty cells with barred doors. They searched the four cells and the central room. Pielanga discovered a secret door leading to a narrow tunnel to the south.

They followed the tunnel which turned west and shortly came to a door. It opened on a long, low chamber with a variety of small chests, crates, and sacks. A corpse of a Mwangi man lay on the floor among the containers. As they entered, a bluish spirit manifested itself in the center of the room: the ghost of Bikendi Otongu.

The ghost requested their aid in recovering the immortal dreamstone and bringing it back. He would then possess one of them and complete the ritual. He offered all his worldly possessions and the location of a treasure in a sunken shrine as payment for this service. When the phase spiders were mentioned, Bikendi informed them that he was aware of them and that they were in service of Haetanga, a night hag and sister of Lodhotha. He also told them that the cyclopes had taken the immortal dreamstone in their attack; they would still have it.

As the crew waffled over whether to accept the deal or not, Bikendi became irritable. Lillit pointed out that they were his only hope, so maybe he should be a little polite. Chagrined, the ghost apologized and pleaded for aid. He mentioned that possession did no lasting damage, as he possessed Ederleigh with no ill effect to drag his body into this room. Ederleigh’s insanity came later from repeated effects beside that.

They conditionally agreed to consider his proposal and would get the stone first, then decide. Bikendi warned them not to decide against him and that the phase spiders will not be happy about this discussion. He then vanished.

Leaving the treasure untouched, they proceeded back to the courtyard and continued their explorations. They found some slave stockades and a garrison building. They found nothing in the stockades and the lower room of the garrison, and so proceeded up the stairs. There they found a storeroom and a locked armory. After Lillit used a knock spell on the locked door they searched the rooms and found a number of weapons, some of which were masterwork.

They explored the fort walls and found some dead pirates nailed to the battlements by cyclops sized crossbow bolts. The whole structure of the gate towers appeared to be rickety and Minerva confirmed that they should go nowhere near them. They proceeded into the tower and found it open in the center and moved up the stairwell to the top.

They found a large rose quartz with some odd magic controls. The whole thing radiated evocation magic. They soon determined the spell was sending, and Lillit remembered that the ancient empire of Ghol-Gan used towers like this to communicate with other towers of the like throughout the region. They could not know what the other towers it was connected to could be.

They descended and proceeded towards the basement. As they approached the stairs down, Paeta and her two remaining daughters appeared. She challenged them over their agreement to Bikendi. Lillit pointed out that they had made no promises to the ghost. Bikendi then manifested himself and challenged them as well, warning of dire consequences should they refuse him.

Lillit pointed out they still needed the crew to get the stone. Both Bikendi and the phase spiders glared and vanished. As the party discussed the taking of the stone, it was pointed out that the phase spiders could get near the stone without being seen. Paeta appeared, smiled at the crew, and then vanished again.

They proceeded down to the tower cellar. Moving around the rubble centered near a single support pillar, they searched for and found a secret door that matched up to the chamber with Bikendi’s body. There were two large tunnels that led out of the tower that were both filled with rubble. Since it would take a long time to clear it away they decided to leave the tunnels until they had more time. With the initial reconnoiter of the fort complete, they proceeded back out of the tower and talked of what their next move should be. As they moved out of the fort, the sun began to set. A change in the wind alerted Silas and Minerva that a haunt was building up to affect the crew. Minerva used rapid bursts of channeled energy to disrupt the haunt, and then they high tailed it back to the ship.

In the dead of the night, the watch cried out once before an enchanting and unearthly song floated across the deck of the ship. As Isobel and her officers arrived on deck, they saw six giant, horned, one-eyed harpies singing and attacking the ship. Dahryen began singing a countersong to keep the crew from succumbing to the harpies’ song. Isobel summoned another Bralani to join Aakin in peppering them with arrows as Lillit inflicted pain on one of the harpies. Silas and Will moved up into the rigging so they could swing out to attack the flying monsters. Minerva fired off a crossbow and hit one, then Aakin responded quickly and finished the harpy off.

The harpies attacked on the run, swooping in, striking, and then flying off. Their main target was Dahryen, trying to stop him from countering their song. Dahryen cried out and made it clear that they had some sort of aura that hurt good people. Lillit began attacking the ones attacking Dahryen with magic missiles. Fancy Will swung out on a rope and attacked a harpy in mid-air, letting go of the rope and landing on the creature. Silas followed and jumped down onto one of the harpies, slamming her into the deck and killing the harpy. Will proceeded to kill his, jumped off and grabbed a rope to swing back to the rigging. Aakin and the bralani continued to drop another two of the harpies.

The last harpy turn tail and fled. Aakin was determined and fired off arrows into the fleeing harpy. The bralani joined him and the two of them proceeded to take the harpy down. Then Isobel dismissed the bralani and everybody went back to sleep. The next day it was decided that an overview of the island would be somewhat necessary. Isobel saddled up Chauncey and took him flying over the island to see if she could locate any points of interest and maybe the cyclopes community where the immortal dreamstone would be located. She took Pielanga with her to add extra eyes to the scouting mission.

They headed out for the western edge of the high plateau. As they passed a lake to the north of the fort, they noticed a very large corral on the north edge of the lake. They didn’t fly lower to get a better look. As they hit the western edge, they saw a tall tower similar to the one in the fort, with two massive statues of cyclopes on either side. They were fired at with cyclops sized crossbows. They flew away at a higher height and following a road eastward from the tower. They found a series of low mountains and the overgrown road trailed through a narrow valley. They circled to see if they could notice something and discovered a shining object, but being unwilling to descend they noted it and moved on.

They passed over a large bridge with cyclops statues on guard at each end. Following on, they passed a long ramp that went down to a smaller bridge off the plateau. The road led to a ruined cyclops port or dock with cyclops sized catamarans and canoes. Isobel then turned back towards the ship, and noticed some trees seemed to moving about on another tall hill on the way back to the southern bay. As they got to the bay Pielanga noticed a very nice grotto, with beautiful aquamarine water on the northeast side of the bay. They then returned to the ship.

While this reconnoitre was going on, Lillit tried to draw on the spirits and gain a divination on the location of the immortal dreamstone. The spirits returned with the stones location: in the ruins of Sumitha, lost community of Ghol-Gan, in the mountains at the centre of the plateau. This matched up with the shining object that Isobel had observed, giving them a location.

They decided to investigate the pretty grotto first as it seemed harmless and was quite nearby. When they got there by ship boat, they saw some footprints in the sand and heard some singing from within the grotto. Concerned that it was a siren or harpy, Silas put in some earplugs. They followed the human looking footprints to the edge of the grotto and encountered a beautiful woman with pointed ears and completely nude, surfacing in the water.

Silas, Aakin, and Will became dumbfounded. Lillit recognized her as a nereid, an aquatic fey creature of great beauty. She introduced her as Sefina and smiled at the reactions of the men. She suggested the males back up so as to not be negatively affected by her beauty. She was delighted to talk to the crew and was really interested in any stories or songs they may have. The crew made a mental note to keep Dahryen as far away as possible, lest he meet his unwitting doom.


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Session 37:

From a short distance, Silas began telling the story of how they came to be in command of the Risky Venture to Sefina which became difficult as she leaned in to listen and brought herself within 30 feet of the navigator. He got the story out before he became a drooling idiot over her. Sefina made another suggestion for Silas to back up. The crew began discussing blindfold or goggles to help mute Sefina’s aura effect.

After entertaining the nereid, Isobel and her crew began asking Sefina about various things they had observed about the island. When asked about the cyclopes, Sefina said that she avoided them as they were very aggressive. But that was OK as they rarely came to this side of the island; the jungle treants resented the cyclopes and actively worked against them. She also mentioned some very large crabs lived in the northern bay, so she rarely travelled that way.

Sefina warned them about the large lizards that roamed the island especially the flying ones. Lillit recognized them from her travels in the Mwangi Expanse as pteranodons—flying dinosaurs. She also talked about the giant one-eyed harpies (that the crew had already killed), some form or seaweed monster in the kelp fields, and some very large snakes. Sefina asked how many of the harpies were killed, and when she was told she confirmed that they had killed them all.

Taking their leave of Sefina, the crew decided to seek out the giant corral and see if they could locate the creatures for which it was built. Lillit identified the tracks as belonging to very large beasts, which shortly arrived: two triceratops which promptly charged the crew. Chauncey intercepted them and was trampled though he got some solid swipes in. While Aakin fired in arrows, the rest of the crew spread out to minimize the number of them that could be hit by a charge.

Chauncey continued to tear into the dinosaurs while the rest of the party tried to keep their distance and attack with ranged strikes and spells. Will charged forward and jumped up onto the back of one of the triceratops while Isobel cast glitterdust on the other beast, blinding it. Will struck his triceratops behind the head, confusing it. Silas slammed his fists into the blinded dinosaur and injured it greatly. It attacked back but missed due to its blindness. Chauncey finally killed the one Will was riding on. As the triceratops fell, Will did a flip and slid down smoothly off the crest to the ground.

Teaming up on the last remaining dinosaur, the crew managed to kill it with Silas performing the killing blow. Thinking of the meat as a possible delicacy, Minerva began casting gentle repose spells to preserve the meat for the feast in three months’ time.

Being close to the mountain ridge where the harpies had their lair, the crew decided to climb up the mountain and see what was there. Sadly, after spending a good chunk of the morning climbing the cave was barren of any treasure except for humanoid and cyclops bones. They then descended and cut across north to where Chauncey, Isobel, and Pielanga had located an overgrown highway descended from the plateau to the lower jungle. They found a gigantic staircase that they climbed up to the high plateau. Most made it OK—Isobel rode Chauncey—but Pielanga got very tired with the climb.

They decided to proceed to the tower which held the cyclopes that fired at Isobel during the reconnaissance by leaving the road and approaching it from the jungle. When they got close, they decided to wait until nightfall to approach as it was over an open clearing and they would have been very exposed. Also this allowed Minerva to cast a nap stack spell so they could fully recover and be at full strength before the assault. Aakin stood watch.

Isobel cast enlarge person on both Chauncey and Silas before they approached the tower, also giving Chauncey as many enhancement spells as she could think of. When they came within 120 feet, a mass of howling cyclopes came charging out of the doors. Aakin remained in the shadows and cast righteous vigor on Silas. He then moved through the shadows and remained hidden. Silas gave a battle cry and moved towards the cyclopes as Chauncey closed the distance.

Minerva used her dimensional hop to get in close and cast prayer to further strengthen the party while weakening the cyclopes. The party maneuvered to deal handle the charging cyclopes and strike back. Isobel cast haste, helping everyone except Lillit and Aakin. The cyclopes launched their crossbow bolts and then got their greataxes out, charging into melee. Lillit reacted immediately, casting a mass pain touch on all nine cyclopes.

Melee was joined between the crew and the cyclopes with Aakin striking from the shadows with arrows. Silas began punching and slamming the axe wielding cyclopes with great abandon, knocking a head of one cyclops right off his body. Will flipped around, jumping off axes and bald heads to stab with great accuracy. Isobel used glitterdust to blind one of the giants. Lillit cast mass daze and the cyclopes were forced to use their flash of insight abilities to keep from losing their actions.

The blinded cyclops managed a massive hit with his greataxe that nearly killed Silas. Will parried and riposted a potentially lethal axe strike with his rapier, hitting the cyclops’ vitals instead. A few more strikes and the battle ended with all nine cyclopes dead on the field. Minerva began healing the crew’s wounds while the rest checked the bodies for valuables.

They explored the lookout tower and found that the crystalline top was the same as the one at the old Chelish fort. Therefore they had the ability—should they learn how to use it—to communicate between the towers. Since someone would be needed at both towers to have this work though. They crew decided to spend the night in the tower. The night was uneventful and the next day they set out along the overgrown highway towards the mountains where they believed the ruins of Ghol-Gan lay.

Travelling along the road they eventually entered a mountain pass about midday. There they found a flagstone path heading north into a steep gully that seemed well used. They proceeded into the valley with Aakin cautiously trailing behind at a distance. The path led past alabaster columns and a pair of tall trees. Large stone buildings weathered by time filled the valley. The path continued north between the structures to a set of stairs leading up to a monument.

They kept their eyes open for an ambush and Silas became certain that he heard some breathing nearby from some very large creatures. Unfortunately he failed to see the large net trap that fell on them as they reached the trees. The entire party was trapped except for Aakin who remained just back of the trap.

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