GMDQ's Skull and Shackles (Inactive)

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A small band of mariners find themselves press-ganged into service on the Wormwood, led by the fearsome Barnabas Harrigan. Will they turn their misfortune to glory on the high seas, or will folly lead them to an ignominious watery death?


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Male Sylph Witch 8 |HP: 47/56| AC/T/FF 20/16/16| F 3 R 7 W 7 CMD 20| Init +5, Per +3, Prof (Sailor) +10

I'm buying Fly for casting on the group, so I guess that depends on whether you folks want to be flying?

Those two spells seemed fun and flavorful, but I'm up for whatever.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Sounds like a plan, Captain!


Male | Hero Points: 1 | Sylph Ranger (Freebooter) 8 | AC 19 / 21 vs ranged T 14 / 16 vs ranged FF 15 /17 vs ranged | HP 80/80 | F +6 R +10 W +4 | Spells: LVL 1: 2/2; LVL 2: 2/2 | Init +3 (5 in urban, 7 in/on water) | Perc +13

Chad would only need flying to get to better shooting positions. Beyond that it would just be on a situational basis.


I've always enjoyed the effects of Haste, I bet Fly will be fun too!


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Folks, I came home from my trip with sinus crud and have spent the day recovering. I am sorry for the delay but I need to continue to rest. Will post as soon as I feel able.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Get well first, game after :)


Yes, healing first!


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20
thermopyle wrote:
Yes, healing first!

If only it worked that way in-game. "I heal you to 300hp over max, that ought to get you through most of the dungeon tomorrow." LOL


Male Sylph Witch 8 |HP: 47/56| AC/T/FF 20/16/16| F 3 R 7 W 7 CMD 20| Init +5, Per +3, Prof (Sailor) +10

Having blue screen of death issues. My posting may be intermittent until I can get this thing fixed.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Not good....


Male Sylph Witch 8 |HP: 47/56| AC/T/FF 20/16/16| F 3 R 7 W 7 CMD 20| Init +5, Per +3, Prof (Sailor) +10

I may have gotten things stable enough that I can do a complete re-image. Earlier today it was blue screening before I could even complete a reboot.


Male | Hero Points: 1 | Sylph Ranger (Freebooter) 8 | AC 19 / 21 vs ranged T 14 / 16 vs ranged FF 15 /17 vs ranged | HP 80/80 | F +6 R +10 W +4 | Spells: LVL 1: 2/2; LVL 2: 2/2 | Init +3 (5 in urban, 7 in/on water) | Perc +13

Get better soon, GM. And I hope your pc problems get better soon as well, Kahuranga.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Thanks for bearing with me, folks. Still tiring easily but doing much better. Kahuranga, good luck with the PC. It's Mercury Retrograde... take it slow. :)


Fun fact: I bought a new computer and it has a bad battery. Swapping it for a new one tomorrow, I hope.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Ok real quick, what should our construction crew build next? I was going to give them Lark's wing next but I'll change those directions at need.


I love our weird LARP-ing dragon emperor ;)

Lathiira - can our dry dock (and attendant facilities) be used to build siege engines? Since we have that skill in the party now it'd be good to be able to use it. Otherwise, captains quarter's works for me.

Also, I do want to transfer our flag to the Fearsome Tide, if we can make it work. So we have to move all our equipment, supplies, the new siege engines, etc. While we're at it, let's bring the Redclaw and Osilir's shell in the hold. If we need plunder to impress the Hurricane King then that shell might help.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Dry docks are meant for ships. Siege engines likely require carpentry skills and a bit of blacksmithing. GM's call.

Over to the Fearsome Tide it is!


Male | Hero Points: 1 | Sylph Ranger (Freebooter) 8 | AC 19 / 21 vs ranged T 14 / 16 vs ranged FF 15 /17 vs ranged | HP 80/80 | F +6 R +10 W +4 | Spells: LVL 1: 2/2; LVL 2: 2/2 | Init +3 (5 in urban, 7 in/on water) | Perc +13

True, but you would still need the capacity on the docks for transferring the completed weapon to the ship and installing it. I would, personally, think you would need both elements (blacksmith/carpentry stations to build the parts, and a drydock with the capacity of performing the installation) but that is just me.

From my own experience, not every port that can support a ship docking to it can support installation of things more complicated than stuff coming up the gang planks (or modern equivalents) and thus are little more than places to get consumables and provide R&R for the crew.


Male Human Druid 6 / Ranger 2 | HP 53/53 | AC 23 FF 18 TO 16 | F +10 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 21 | Init +5 | Perc +14 | Grapple
Whisperer:
HP 69/69 | AC 21+3 TO 14 FF 17+3 | F +12 R +10 W +9 (+4 vs. mind-affecting, poison, fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 23 | Large | Perc +14 LLV BSen SiD
Rusalka*:
HP 61/61 | AC 23 TO 16 FF 18 | F +11 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 22 | Perc +14 LLV | Swim 30 Amphibious

For the engines themselves there's a craft (siege engine) skill, which I assume it's a mix of carpentry and blacksmithing but specific to siege engines. It would still require the materials, and even though the rules don't mention a "shop", my assumption is that we'd need so sort of specially designed place to put them together.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

The drydock includes a workshop and office. I think it's fairly reasonable that non firearms siege engines can be crafted and mounted there. It will still take time to craft them.


Male Sylph Witch 8 |HP: 47/56| AC/T/FF 20/16/16| F 3 R 7 W 7 CMD 20| Init +5, Per +3, Prof (Sailor) +10

I think my computer issues are resolved. I don't really have anything to do during downtime other than study new spells. I can practice casting fly on laborers for 7 minutes at a time. Not much, but enough to get people into tricky positions without ropes or scaffolding.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Thren's the unofficial foreman of all the construction. She says 'make this' and they do it (once paid, of course, and with sufficient resources). I did think of something: we still got that cloth floating around? Maybe Mary can do something with it?


We have "100 yards of especially fine cotton (can also serve as 1 Plunder)." We could use a set of flags for the ships and the fortress. We may not want to fly them until after we're free captains, but we could start getting them ready. I wonder if you could work a lighthouse into a jolly roger design?

I think we're pretty close to ready to head for port peril...


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Maybe a lighthouse with the skull and crossbones on top, eyes lit up?


Male | Hero Points: 1 | Sylph Ranger (Freebooter) 8 | AC 19 / 21 vs ranged T 14 / 16 vs ranged FF 15 /17 vs ranged | HP 80/80 | F +6 R +10 W +4 | Spells: LVL 1: 2/2; LVL 2: 2/2 | Init +3 (5 in urban, 7 in/on water) | Perc +13

Hm... does semaphore exist yet in this realm? Or universal flags and pennants for that matter? If not, we totally should invent it, we have the cloth for it I think.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

I made up a flag for you that's on the ship handout (the link labeled "Besmara's Whim") and you've never noticed. ;)

(You are welcome to make up your own flag of course. I encourage you to do so. :) )

It's been a long time (and of course the newer folks wouldn't remember), but I believe I've referenced flag signaling before, and you and other ships communicating via flags. A sea-trade-and-piracy-based economy that is the Shackles I would say certainly has an established system of flaghoist signaling. It is probably simpler than our current one, but allows to send basic messages such as "parlay" or "prepare to fight" or "we surrender" or "there's a f%!&all giant sea monster over there" etc. (You have to be careful in interpreting them because of course pirates sometimes may use these signals dishonestly, although of course that is to their disadvantage if they are truly in need of assistance or warning about a real sea monster nearby and no one believes it.) I've been taking as a given that Besmara's Whim, having been a Rahadoumi naval ship beforehand and then overtaken by Plugg and crew, is equipped with such flags already. I have always assumed you've flown some form of Jolly Roger (if not my particular design) atop your mainmast as you've been working to gain Infamy.

You can certainly make yourselves more flags, but you are not lacking in them as it is. This said, as Lark points out, your fortress is not so equipped.

I'll get ready to put you in peril... I mean dock you in Port Peril soon.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Uh oh...*Thren starts looking around nervously* ;)


Male Human Druid 6 / Ranger 2 | HP 53/53 | AC 23 FF 18 TO 16 | F +10 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 21 | Init +5 | Perc +14 | Grapple
Whisperer:
HP 69/69 | AC 21+3 TO 14 FF 17+3 | F +12 R +10 W +9 (+4 vs. mind-affecting, poison, fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 23 | Large | Perc +14 LLV BSen SiD
Rusalka*:
HP 61/61 | AC 23 TO 16 FF 18 | F +11 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 22 | Perc +14 LLV | Swim 30 Amphibious

Hey guys,

Posting it on the games I play and host - I'll be leaving on vacations on some days, and will stay a bit out of the internet for some weeks. Please feel free to bot my characters during this while.

Cheers!


Male | Hero Points: 1 | Sylph Ranger (Freebooter) 8 | AC 19 / 21 vs ranged T 14 / 16 vs ranged FF 15 /17 vs ranged | HP 80/80 | F +6 R +10 W +4 | Spells: LVL 1: 2/2; LVL 2: 2/2 | Init +3 (5 in urban, 7 in/on water) | Perc +13

Have fun on your trip, Chakam.

As for me, to quote a line from Warcraft III: "Let me face the peril!"


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Sorry Chad. It's much too perilous. You can't even have a little peril, forget about it. LOL


Male | Hero Points: 1 | Sylph Ranger (Freebooter) 8 | AC 19 / 21 vs ranged T 14 / 16 vs ranged FF 15 /17 vs ranged | HP 80/80 | F +6 R +10 W +4 | Spells: LVL 1: 2/2; LVL 2: 2/2 | Init +3 (5 in urban, 7 in/on water) | Perc +13

lol.... nice Monty Python reference...


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Required, really. Obligatory even.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Folks here's the stats for the Fearsome Tide

FEARSOME TIDE (Sailing Ship)
Colossal ship
Squares 3 (30 ft. by 90 ft.) Cost 16,000 gp
DEFENSE
AC 2; Hardness 9
hp 1,863 (sails 360)
Base Save +6
OFFENSE
Maximum Speed 90 ft. (wind); Acceleration 30 ft. (waterborne speed outside combat is reduced by 20%)
CMB +8; CMD 18
Ramming Damage 8d8
STATISTICS
Propulsion wind or current
Sailing Check Profession (sailor)
Control Device steering wheel
Means of Propulsion 90 squares of sails (three masts)
Crew 20
Decks 3
Cargo/Passengers 100 tons/102 passengers
EQUIPMENT
Modifications: Extended Keel, Armor Plating, four smuggling compartments

(The "armor plating" is a black, coral-like substance embedded into the wood of the exterior hull. It is smoothed down and doesn't impeded the ship any more than normal armor plating does, but looks fearsome indeed!)

I know you guys said you wanted to bring over the siege engines. I halfway overlooked that discussion; I told you the drydock was equipped for it but never really finished the conversation. Which siege engines do you bring over to the Fearsome Tide? All of them (leaving Besmara's Whim weaponless)? Some of them?

ALSO: I screwed up and forgot what a corvus was (I didn't look it up and misremembered what it was). I thought it was a weapon that fired.

Double checking the vehicle rules, sailing ships can only be fitted with direct fire siege engines.

I can accept an argument that you've reinforced the bow such that you installed a ram (and would like to make a concession since I didn't look this up soon enough), but a not a corvus. Yes, it would be nice to have a thing that helps you board other ships. But these are not designed for ships (they'd unbalance the ship because they'd be hanging off one side)--they're for things like getting over a castle wall with a siege tower. Not going to make piracy in a piracy game that easy, sorry. And I am sorry I did not double check things sooner; still catching up after being sick, and work has been crazy. You can get back the gold and/or have bought a different siege engine. If this seems unfair we can chat about it.

Chakam, I'll need a Craft: Siege Engines check with a +6 bonus (from the other crew helping you) for each siege engine you install onto the Fearsome Tide).


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

I admit I like boarding the normal way myself. More piratey, more fun. I reserve the right to swing across to another ship like a swashbuckling pirate at that.


Male Human Druid 6 / Ranger 2 | HP 53/53 | AC 23 FF 18 TO 16 | F +10 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 21 | Init +5 | Perc +14 | Grapple
Whisperer:
HP 69/69 | AC 21+3 TO 14 FF 17+3 | F +12 R +10 W +9 (+4 vs. mind-affecting, poison, fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 23 | Large | Perc +14 LLV BSen SiD
Rusalka*:
HP 61/61 | AC 23 TO 16 FF 18 | F +11 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 22 | Perc +14 LLV | Swim 30 Amphibious

Craft (Siege Engines): 1d20 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 13 + 6 = 22
Craft (Siege Engines): 1d20 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 13 + 6 = 21
Craft (Siege Engines): 1d20 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 13 + 6 = 31
Craft (Siege Engines): 1d20 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 13 + 6 = 28
Craft (Siege Engines): 1d20 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 13 + 6 = 27
Craft (Siege Engines): 1d20 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 13 + 6 = 39
Craft (Siege Engines): 1d20 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 13 + 6 = 35
Craft (Siege Engines): 1d20 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 13 + 6 = 29

I think we just need 3 rolls but I did the others just in case :)

Ramming (page 14) and Corvus (page 21) are both described in the AP player’s guide, including how they’re installed and used in ships. They were used in real life as well (cannons were by far more common, but many pirate ships were reinforced for ramming, and Corvus were used in Corsair ships - but all pirate ships have one way or another to throw crude planks in a rude-like bridge and grapple with hooks and ropes).


Male Sylph Witch 8 |HP: 47/56| AC/T/FF 20/16/16| F 3 R 7 W 7 CMD 20| Init +5, Per +3, Prof (Sailor) +10

Sorry for the delay. I’m under the weather. I’ll get back when I can.


I think we can live without a corvus. Boarding grapples and planks have worked for us before.

How about we retroactively swap in a light ballista in place of the corvus? Our budget will stretch for the extra 400 GP. Then we can put two light ballista, the catapult and the ram on the Fearsome Tide. That leaves just one light ballista on the Whim.


In other news, the students are leaving for spring break and not likely to return soon. My schedule will be about the same, maybe busier as we ramp up infrastructure for distance learning.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Yes, things have been busy at the school of public health, as you might imagine, even though in-person classes have been cancelled. Please bear with me.

Yeah, I'm confused between what Ultimate Combat and what Skull and Shackles PG says about corvuses (corvi?). Honestly, I think it's more fun to do boarding the old fashioned way. Y'all can vote on it. I'm too tired to think right now. Sorry I have not been at my best of late, especially to the new folks.

I said the ram was okay, so there's no need to convince me on that one. (Although the references to "ramming" in the PG isn't referring to the siege engine per se, it's an action every ship can do. Adding a ram just adds dice to the existing ramming damage.)

Will post in game tomorrow.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

I vote the old fashioned way :)

No worries. The virus is making everything crazy.


Male Human Druid 6 / Ranger 2 | HP 53/53 | AC 23 FF 18 TO 16 | F +10 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 21 | Init +5 | Perc +14 | Grapple
Whisperer:
HP 69/69 | AC 21+3 TO 14 FF 17+3 | F +12 R +10 W +9 (+4 vs. mind-affecting, poison, fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 23 | Large | Perc +14 LLV BSen SiD
Rusalka*:
HP 61/61 | AC 23 TO 16 FF 18 | F +11 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 22 | Perc +14 LLV | Swim 30 Amphibious

All good for me on the "old fashioned way" :) Hopefully with my rolls we got it all installed. And I like thermopyle's idea for an extra light ballista - although I'm not sure we have people to operate all these weapons (I can be switching from one to the other to fire more frequently, but we'd still need a crew helping reload etc.).


Forces of Nature Battlemap

Talk of the virus making everyone crazy... I went to the organic grocery store because I was out of paprika, and they have a good bulk spice section. The place had looked like it had been hit by looters, and the line was a mile long with everyone stocking up on tofu and oat milk. You know things are bad when the hipsters are panicking. (No one's buying the immune boosters though, interesting.) And of course all these people in the grocery store together at once is the worst vector of disease. I would have led but I'd already measured out my spices.

Anyway, wrt siege engines: Chakam, you'll have Crimson helping you load. The other crew will man the ballista when the ship is distant and they don't have to act as boarders/repellers. Successful profession siege engineer checks on your part as master gunner will give them a bonus to firing (which will help counter any nonproficiency penalties).


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

They're tearing through unworked pallets and carts at work to find disinfectants and sanitizer every night. Sanitizer if it comes in won't go to the floor; 2 per family per day, max.

Herd mentality and panic are just what we don't need. And do people really need all that TP?


Male | Hero Points: 1 | Sylph Ranger (Freebooter) 8 | AC 19 / 21 vs ranged T 14 / 16 vs ranged FF 15 /17 vs ranged | HP 80/80 | F +6 R +10 W +4 | Spells: LVL 1: 2/2; LVL 2: 2/2 | Init +3 (5 in urban, 7 in/on water) | Perc +13
Lathiira wrote:

They're tearing through unworked pallets and carts at work to find disinfectants and sanitizer every night. Sanitizer if it comes in won't go to the floor; 2 per family per day, max.

Herd mentality and panic are just what we don't need. And do people really need all that TP?

Assuming they don't die, mice/rats don't get to it, and they store it properly... eventually, sure! ;)


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

Not helping there Chad! That just encourages them! Hoarding behavior, even with understandable cause, makes me irritable.

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 8

LOL talking of TP... when I got home from the grocery store, I realized I was legit almost out of toilet paper. And I was like DAMN, everyone's going to be out because apparently people think they can make homemade hazmat suits out of toilet paper. Luckily I found some at the drug store near work today.

I feel like people buy huge loads of toilet paper when they don't know what else to do. But where is this behavior TAUGHT? A weird thing.


Forces of Nature Battlemap

On a note about the game... in this next chapter there are a few NPCs who may flirt with PCs and/or seek dalliances or romance over time. I always feel a little awkward roleplaying such things online, especially with some players I don't know personally. However, I'm game to keep the possible relevant story threads in place. I am, contrary to popular belief, a grown up and can handle some batting of eyelashes in my pretendy funtime games. However, no matter what happens, please do not, first of all, expect anything graphic or distracting from the overall plot.

I also know different players want different focuses upon play, and many too also feel uncomfortable with such subjects in PBP with relative strangers (even if things might be different at a face to face table). PCs too also have their own preferences about how much romance they want in their life. I remember one time a GM being mad at me for not having my lesbian PC flirt back with the male NPC awkwardly hitting on her out of the blue, and moreover because he thought "this would be the sort of roleplaying opportunity I wanted," which was really frikkin' annoying. So I don't want to do that to any of you.

All this is to say -- are any of you a) interested in having NPCs flirt with you; b) do you only want flirtation from NPCs your PC might requite, or is it okay if someone flirts that you might turn down (of course it is always fine to say no) c) what kind of individuals are you open to flirting with (e.g., gender, status, etc.)? No is always a 100% acceptable answer.


Female Elf Bard (scholar of legends) 20

It's fine if Thren gets flirted with. She will likely turn them down. Doesn't matter the gender, status, or whatnot. She'll respond based on who, not the what, for want of a better way to put it.


Male Human Druid 6 / Ranger 2 | HP 53/53 | AC 23 FF 18 TO 16 | F +10 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 21 | Init +5 | Perc +14 | Grapple
Whisperer:
HP 69/69 | AC 21+3 TO 14 FF 17+3 | F +12 R +10 W +9 (+4 vs. mind-affecting, poison, fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 23 | Large | Perc +14 LLV BSen SiD
Rusalka*:
HP 61/61 | AC 23 TO 16 FF 18 | F +11 R +11 W +9 (+4 vs. fey and plant-targeted) | CMD 22 | Perc +14 LLV | Swim 30 Amphibious

It's fine to flirt with Chakam, no matter who or what. But he will more than likely turn down anyone. To be honest, if it's not relevant to the AP or lore, I don't really care for it at all.


Male | Hero Points: 1 | Sylph Ranger (Freebooter) 8 | AC 19 / 21 vs ranged T 14 / 16 vs ranged FF 15 /17 vs ranged | HP 80/80 | F +6 R +10 W +4 | Spells: LVL 1: 2/2; LVL 2: 2/2 | Init +3 (5 in urban, 7 in/on water) | Perc +13

1) I appreciate your being upfront and open about this prior to it coming up.

2) Chad would probably be open to flirting with female NPCs (that said, he would likely keep it at that: flirting. I don't see him pursuing anything beyond that, and he would likely politely turn down any serious advances beyond that.) Male npc flirting attempts would probably be met with a raised eyebrow and a somewhat polite "sorry mate, not interested. best of luck, though".

3) If one of the romance options actually does win through to something more than flirting, I would prefer that it just be an implied thing that maybe gets alluded to when relevant but not in detail.

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