Diamondust's Skulls and Shackles

Game Master Diamondust

A campaign following the Skulls and Shackles adventure path with some additions and changes.

Roll 20 player link

Plunder and Infamy Quick Reference
Current Reputation: Unknown
Current Plunder: 0 1 point = ~1,000gp of goods
Current Disrepute: 0 Spend on Impositions
Infamy Score/Next Threshhold: 0/10 MAX = 4 x average party level

Gaining Infamy and Disrepute:

To gain Infamy, the PCs must moor their ship at a port for 1 full day, and the PC determined by the group to be its main storyteller must spend this time on shore carousing and boasting of infamous deeds. This PC must make either a Bluff, Intimidate, or Perform check to gauge the effectiveness of her recounting or embellishing. The DC of this check is equal to 15 + twice the group’s average party level (APL), and the check is referred to as an Infamy check. If the character succeeds at this check, the group’s Infamy and Disrepute both increase by +1 (so long as neither score is already at its maximum amount). If the result exceeds the DC by +5, the group’s Infamy and Disrepute increase by +2; if the result exceeds the DC by +10, both scores increase by +3. The most a party’s Infamy and Disrepute scores can ever increase as a result of a single Infamy check is by 3 points. If the PC fails the Infamy check, there is no change in her group’s Infamy score and the day has been wasted.

No matter how impressionable (or drunk) the crowd, no one wants to hear the same tales and boasts over and over again. Thus, a group can only gain a maximum of 5 points of Infamy and Disrepute from any particular port. However, this amount resets every time a group reaches a new Infamy threshold. Thus, once a group gains 5 points of Infamy and Disrepute in Quent, it can gain no further points of Infamy from that port until it reaches the next Infamy threshold, though the crew can travel to another port and gain more Infamy by
boasting to a new audience.

Plunder can modify a PC’s attempt to gain Infamy in two ways. Before making an Infamy check for the day, the party can choose to spend plunder to influence the result—any tale is more believable when it comes from someone throwing around her wealth and buying drinks for the listeners. Every point of plunder expended adds a +2 bonus to the character’s skill check to earn Infamy. The party can choose to spend as much plunder as it wants to influence this check—even the most leaden-tongued pirate might win fabulous renown by spending enough booty. Additionally, if a PC fails an Infamy check, the party can choose to spend 3 points of plunder to immediately reroll the check. The party may only make one reroll attempt per day, and spend the plunder even if the second attempt fails—some people just aren’t impressed no matter how much loot you throw at them.

Infamy Thresholds:

Disgraceful(Infamy score of 10 or higher)
Disgraceful Characters may purchase disgraceful(10+ Infamy) impositions.
The PCs may choose one favored port. They gain a +2 bonus on all Infamy checks made at that port.

Despicable(Infamy score of 20 or higher)
Despicable Characters may purchase despicable(20+ Infamy) impositions.
Once per week, the PCs can sacrifice a prisoner or crew member to immediately gain 1d3 points of Disrepute. This sacrifice is always fatal, and returning the victim to life results in the loss of 1d6 points of Disrepute.

Notorious(Infamy score of 30 or higher)
Notorious Characters may purchase notorious(30+ Infamy) impositions.
Disgraceful impositions can be purchased for half price (rounded down).
The PCs may choose a second favored port. They gain a +2 bonus on all Infamy checks made at this new favored port and a +4 bonus on Infamy checks made at their first favored port.

Loathesome(Infamy score of 40 or higher)
Loathsome Characters may purchase loathsome(40+ Infamy) impositions.
Despicable impositions can be purchased for half price (rounded down).
PCs gain a +5 bonus on skill checks made to sell plunder.

Vile(Infamy score of 55 or higher)
Vile Characters may purchase vile(55+ Infamy) impositions.
Notorious impositions can be purchased for half price (rounded down). Disgraceful impositions are free.
The PCs may choose a third favored port. They gain a +2 bonus on all Infamy checks made at the new favored port, a +4 bonus on Infamy checks made at their second favored port, and a +6 bonus on Infamy checks made at their first favored port.

Impositions:

Disgraceful Impositions
Yes, Sir!(2): For the next hour, the PCs’ crew completes any mundane tasks they’re assigned in half the expected time. This typically relates to Craft and Profession (sailor) checks made to prepare, maintain, or repair the ship, and cannot be applied to combat or more complex deeds like crafting magic items.
Captain’s Orders!(5): As a standard action, a PC on board her ship can cast fog cloud, heroism, make whole, quench, or whispering wind with a caster level equal to her character level.
Walk the Plank!(5): The PCs may sacrifice one crew member or prisoner to grant themselves and their crew one of two bonuses: either a +2 bonus on all skill checks or a +2 bonus on attack rolls. These bonuses only apply while on board the PCs’ ship and last until either the next day or when the captain leaves the ship. If a sacrificed character is returned to life, the PCs and their crew members take a –2 penalty on both skill checks and attack rolls for 1 day.
Get Up, You Dogs!(10): Every PC and allied character on the deck of the PCs’ ship is affected as per the spell cure light wounds, as if cast by a cleric of the PCs’ average party level. This imposition can only be used once per week.

Despicable Impositions
Lashings!(5): The speed of the PCs’ ship doubles for 1 day.
Shiver Me Timbers!(5): While on board their ship, the PCs and their entire crew can reroll initiative or roll initiative in what would otherwise be a surprise round. The benefit of this imposition can be used immediately, but only once per week.
Besmara’s Blessings!(10): As a standard action, a PC on board her ship can cast animate rope, control water, remove curse, remove disease, or water breathing with a caster level equal to her character level.
Dead Men Tell No Tales!(10): While on board their ship, the PCs can use this imposition to automatically confirm a threatened critical hit.

Notorious Impositions
You’ll Take It!(5): The PCs can spend up to 5 points of plunder in 1 day at 50% of its value (regardless of a community’s maximum sale %). This amount cannot be adjusted by skill checks.
Honor the Code!(5): The PCs and their crew gain a +4 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks made against other pirates for the next 24 hours.
Master the Winds!(10): As a standard action, a PC on board her ship can cast call lightning storm, control winds, mirage arcana, or telekinesis with a caster level equal to her character level.
Chum the Waters!(15): For every Infamy threshold they possess, the PCs summon 1d4 sharks into the waters surrounding their ship. These sharks are not under the PCs’ control and viciously attack any creature in the water.

Loathsome Impositions
Evade!(5): Teleport your ship 100 feet in any direction. This imposition can be used once per day.
You’ll Take It and Like It!(10): The PCs can spend up to 5 points of plunder in 1 day at 100% of its value (regardless of a community’s maximum sale %). This amount cannot be adjusted by skill checks.
Master the Waves!(10): As a standard action, a PC on board her ship can cast control weather, discern location, hero’s feast, or waves of exhaustion with a caster level equal to her character level.
The Widow’s Scar!(20): Choose one enemy to curse. You and your crew gain a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against that NPC for 1 week. The enemy is aware of the curse and who cursed her, and can end the effect with a remove curse spell.

Vile Impositions
10 More Lashings!(10): The speed of the PCs’ ship quadruples for 1 day.
15 The Hungry Sea!(15): A PC aboard her ship may cast elemental swarm, storm of vengeance, or whirlwind as an 17th-level caster.
20 Dive! Dive! Dive!(20): The PCs’ ship submerges and can travel underwater at its normal speed for up to 1 hour. During this time, the vessel is encompassed by a bubble of breathable air and takes no ill effects from the water—even most sea creatures keep their distance. The ship leaves no visible wake upon the waters above, but might be visible in particularly clear water.
25 Summon the Serpent!(25): One sea serpent comes to the aid of the PCs’ ship. This sea monster is under the control of the PCs and serves for 10 minutes before disappearing back into the deep.

Party Loot:

2000 gp(400 each)
Flask of Alchemist's Fire x 6
Cure Light Wounds x 2
Cure Moderate Wounds potion x 3
Invisibility potion x 1
Aegis of Recovery

The Captain and his Officers
Reinald (male human) job: Captain.
Genade (male human) job: Ship's Doctor.
Jord (male human) job: Master at Arms.
Morgan (male half-elf) job: Sailing Master.
Jerieth (female undine) job: First Mate.
Sejanus (male human) job: Quartermaster.
Sandara Quinn (female human) job: boatswain; attitude: helpful(Jerieth).

The Man's Promise Crew

Ambrose 'Fishguts' Kroop (male human) job: Ship's Cook; attitude: Helpful
Owlbear Hartshorn (male human) job: swab; attitude Helpful(Jord)
Rosie Cusswell (female halfling) short, muscular and foul mouthed; job: rigger; attitude: helpful(Sejanus).
Tilly Brackett (female human) a tough joker who likes her rum; job: swab; attitude: helpful(Reinald).
Slippery Syl Lonegan (female human) an unhinged murderer who fled to sea to escape the gallows; job: rigger; attitude: helpful(Genade).

Jiran Conway male human job: Helmsman; attitude: friendly.

Crimson 'Cog' Cogward (male human) Varisian devout follower of Pharasma; job: swab; attitude: indifferent.
Fipps Chumlett (male human) a fat, pushy bully with a shaved head; job: swab; attitude: indifferent.
Jaundiced Jape (male half-orc) a humorless, greedy half-orc mute; job: swab; attitude: indifferent.
Maheem (male human) a big Rahadoumi with a permanent scowl; job: rigger; attitude: indifferent.
Tam “Narwhal” Tate (male dwarf ) an old friend of Master Scourge with a large, ugly nose; job: rigger; attitude: indifferent.

Contacts:

Known Wormwood Crew
Barnabus Harrigan - Hostile - Captain of the Wormwood
Cut-Throat Grok - Helpful(Jord/Sejanus) - Quartermaster
Peppery Longfarthing - Indifferent - Sailing Master
Riaris Krine - Unfriendly - Master Gunner
Habbly Quarne - Unfriendly - Ship’s Surgeon and Carpenter
'Caulky' Tarroon - Unfriendly - Cabin Girl
Kunala (male human) - Friendly - Ship's Cook
Barefoot Samms Toppin (female human) a former fisherwoman from the Sodden Lands who never wears shoes; job: rigger; initial attitude: helpful(Reinald).
“Ratline” Rattsberger (male half ling) a rat-faced half ling with long arms and three missing fingers; job: rigger; attitude: helpful(Reinald).
Conchobhar (male Gnome) honey-tongued and pirate pretender though no true buccaneer; job: rigger; attitude: helpful(Reinald).
Jack Scrimshaw (male human) a young lad talented at scrimshaw; job: swab; attitude: helpful(Jord)..
Giffer Tibbs (female gnome) a bedraggled gnome with one eye; job: swab; initial attitude: friendly.
“Badger” Medlar (female half-elf ) an older woman who shaves her gray hair into stripes; job: swab; attitude: hostile.
Shivikah (female human) a very tall Mwangi exslaver; job: swab; attitude: hostile.