GM WhtKnt's Open Water - A Skull & Shackles Adventure Path

Game Master WhtKnt

Alexander, are you still with us? This upcoming scene needs someone with social graces. Definitely not Chum’s wheelhouse.

If Alexander has left us, we're definitely going to need to do some more recruiting.

Somebody with some healing skills, for certain, and also a new 'face'.

Faengrim has some diplomacy and intimidate. We might be able to get by.

I'm very sorry, I thought I had posted to all my games. I had some RL issues come up which kept me from posting for an extended period. I'm hoping I will be back to normal posting in a day or few now.

Everyone okay?

Yeah, time just got away from me this week. I have three face-to-face games, several other PbP games, and I am writing three adventures for an upcoming convention (in three weeks). Sorry. I completely forgot that I was supposed to bot Alexander.

Going away to Disneyworld until the 5th. If I am in your game, feel free to bot me. If you are in my game, we will pick up at that time.

Have fun! We’ll still be here when you get back!

Out of curiosity, who besides Chumtooth and I are still in this thing?

For the record, I will keep posting until this game is officially declared dead!

I'm still here too.

I'm still here.

Kk. I'll get a new post up tomorrow. Busy day today.

When I click on the map, it still shows the tavern. Is there a different link?

No, ::sigh:: your GM is stupid and keeps forgetting to move the player ribbon to indicate which screen you are on. I fixed it.

Did I make the save? Not sure if I should post additional actions or not.

I'm asking all my folks to forgive me for a few days. I had a friend commit suicide this morning and I need some time to process this. I will be back in a day or three. In the meantime, if you or someone you know needs to talk, PLEASE call someone! Send me a private message if nothing else. I am always willing to listen and I promise that it will remain confidential!!

I'm having a surgery tomorrow and expect to be out of commission for at least a few days. Please bot me as necessary.

I need to apologize to my GMs and players. I have less than two weeks to a local convention on which I serve as the Game Operations Director, overseeing the entire gaming room (which is the largest gaming floor in my area). I also have to make a trip to Dallas this weekend that cannot be avoided and I have possible jury duty starting on Monday next week. Anyway, I will update when I can. I haven't forgotten you, just been very busy.

Hope all goes well, Dax. Good thoughts on this end!

Thank you. It went very well. Still some recovery, but I'm feeling good.

Okay, I'm back. The con was great, but very tiring! We had about 1500 unique visitors, which is pretty good for a convention our size. Guests included Morgan Berry (voice actress), Jay Little (gaming guest), Brendan LaSalle (from Goodman Games), and fantasy artist/gamer Melissa Gay. I found time to run two original Savage Worlds adventures (a fantasy jaunt titled "The Banshee's Tower" and a Weird War II adventure called "The Dogs of War"). Jay Little signed my copies of Age of Rebellion and Edge of the Empire and Brendan signed my copy of How to Write Adventure Modules That Don't Suck. All in all, a good weekend! I'll be getting back into the swing tomorrow.

Have we had time to heal up since our last encounter?

Yes, let's assume that you have.

How close are the ships at this point?

Are any of our ship’s siege weapons currently pointed in the direction of the wizard’s ship?

As of right now, the ships are 120 feet from each other. We can assume that at least two your ballistae are pointing in that direction, yes.

Should I go ahead and post, or are the Satyr's actions going to significantly affect the battlefield?

Gaming at ConCurrent and might not be able to post until Monday.

I'm looking down the barrel of two hurricanes, so if I disappear for a while, that's what happened.

I'm looking down the barrel of two hurricanes, so if I disappear for a while, that's what happened.

Stay safe!

Keep safe.

I hope you and yours ride it out okay.

Should we post again? The creature hasn’t attacked yet.

Playing Dodge'em with hurricanes again. If I'm out for a few days, please bot me (if I'm in your game) or wait for me. This one looks to be a direct hit. See you on the other side.

Just stay safe.

Best wishes for your safety.

Just a quick note to say that I'm still here, but I'm working on cleaning out and reclaiming my man-cave (which has become a household storage/dumping ground). This is a lengthy process (as a couple of my bookshelves had broken and I got replacements). Anyway, I will try to update as possible, but please be patient if waiting on me, or bot me if I am holding things up. This should be done by next week.

I've not forgotten you guys, just been very busy. I should have a post tomorrow or Tuesday.

I am going to be out-of-contact from Thursday, Apr 1 to Monday, April 11. I'm taking my niece and nephew to Disneyworld for their first visit! Please be patient and I will update after my return. I'll try to get one more update in before I leave.

Hey guys. I'm looking at recruiting two new players, one of whom should be posting here shortly (the other I haven't yet heard from). He acknowledges the pace of the game, and I think he will be in it for the long haul!

Sounds good! Looking forward to meeting them.

Hello! I still need to work up a character, but thought I would start with saying hello and see if you all have any thoughts.

My initial though is either a witch somehow tied to the sea, or perhaps a water/weather druid - it seems like you have some muscle but need someone to patch you back up! I am also happy to play a straight up cleric of some sort, but the witch seems more "piratey" to me... Or if you are missing something else more critical, like a rogue, I am really flexible.

I have previously played parts of book 1, so I am not too unfamiliar, although I will need to catch on to the story so far. Otherwise, I have been playing Pathfinder for a few years now, and long ago I played AD&D thru 3.5 (plus a variety of other systems like Gurps, Champions, Traveller, Buck Rodgers, and many more...) So yes, I am a bit older.

Any of those sound good. You like the sea witch, the go with that.

Welcome! I second what Dax said. Go with what intrigues you the most. I think it will help keep you engaged during some of the lulls we hit. The GM does a great job helping us fill in role gaps with NPCs on the ship when we need healing and stuff, so don't focus too hard on trying to plaster over our gaps.

I do miss me some GURPs and Champions!

OK, PJP here again. I circled around a few ideas... witch seemed a little too overlap with Dantes, especially since I would have likely also been a saltbeard! Shaman and druid have some neat things, but as I looked over your characters, I noticed what you really lack is some charisma...

So I am now focusing in on a gnome - bard or oracle. I was still really thinking something weather releated, but then I realized this isn't a particularly "good" group, which made me start exploring my original concept but as one of these options. Anyone's character concerned if I start controlling undead?

So, I am working now on a gnome bones oracle and we'll see where that takes us. I am thinking something akin to Tia Dalma from the Pirates of the Carribean movies, but as a colorful gnome. If it is too dark, it wouldn't take much to refocus as a seasinger bard.

Any rules I need to follow here? Looks to me like straight 20 pt buy, PFS HP, no extra rules. Purchasing guidelines and money to spend?

Any alignment is permitted EXCEPT chaotic evil (it just does not work if played properly), but I encourage you to remember that you are (or will be) pirates.

20-point ability buy.

Core races are preferred. That doesn't mean that you can't have a different race, just that you will have to work harder to convince me to allow it.

Any of the core or base classes is permitted, however, I will tell you that I'm not partial to gunslingers, ninjas, or samurai. Again, I'm not saying that they won't be chosen, just that you will have your work cut out for you. Paladins and cavaliers, for obvious reasons, should carefully consider their reasons for applying.
Archetypes are fine.

No third-party anything. Period. If it isn't from Paizo, chances are I don't have a copy and will not allow it.

Your character should have max hit points at 1st level, and will use the average (PFS rules) thereafter. It just makes things easier.
Characters have two traits; one must be a campaign trait for Skull & Shackles. You may modify the non-mechanical parts of the background to better fit your concept.

I'm a believer in background, and I will probably use some of the PC backgrounds as side treks during this AP. You don't have to write a novel. Three sentences is fine, so long as it intrigues me.

Just an idea: since it combines elements of healing, skills and charisma, an Inquisitor of Besmara (goddess of pirates).

Please don’t take this as anything more than an attempt at being helpful in you making a decision. You are under no obligation to listen to my suggestions, and I will take no offense if you ignore or shoot down this idea.

Thanks for the thought. I did briefly consider an inquisitor, having never tried it either. I rejected it, but that was before I was thinking Charisma based... so now I might reconsider it!

GM - for my oracle curse, I am considering Reclusive. It is Paizo, but a rather obscure reference - Legacy of the First World (which has some other neat gnome stuff as well). It fits the flavor of this character, but I wanted to check first. If not, I will probably go with clouded vision or haunted. You can check it out here, or I can send you the PDF.

Otherwise, I am close to finished with this one... but now I want to go re-read inquisitor.

You can also see my work in progress now in my profile.

I saw a post that WhtKnt made inviting someone else on the Recruitment board and figured I would drop a note asking if he was still recruiting. He said to come over and say hi. So hi!

My first thought was a changeling deep shaman, largely because of the aforementioned lack of healing. An inquisitor would also be interesting, now that you mention it. Just as PJP mentioned that the party is relatively low on Charisma, it also looks low on Wisdom. So I will probably lean in that direction if PJP sticks with the Bones Oracle. That would double up on the divine casting, however, and shamans and oracles have some not-insignificant overlap. Thoughts?

A bit about me and my experience with roleplaying. I started doing PbP stuff on a bunch of old forums back in the late 90s, all system agnostic. Many of those games lasted for years, so I am happy for the long haul. I am also fine with a more relaxed posting schedule. I know I can get to chomping at the bit, excited to keep things moving, but I have plenty to keep me occupied with my current work. So I appreciate the flexibility!

I didn't get into any formal TTRPGs until a friend invited me to join a Pathfinder AP in 2018. Since then I have played a bunch of 1E and 2E games, along with Stars Without Number, Monster of the Week, and some other smaller more esoteric one-off systems like Dialect. I only came to the Paizo boards looking for PbP stuff earlier this year, and I'm having a blast so far.

I am almost completely unfamiliar with this AP, but I've heard fun things about it over the last couple years.

Reading the above, it looks like this group emphasizes playing what will be fun for the player. But I also want to be a team player, and so if you all accept me to join I want to make a character that complements what you all are doing and adds flavorfully both to the party dynamic and to the story. Is there anything in particular that you all are looking for?

Hmmm. Thought I responded already, but the gnome Reclusive curse is fine.

Hello Polyfrequencies, and welcome! Crunch-wise, we are lacking a Party Face, a Healer, and a Skill-Monkey. My character, Chumtooth, has ranks in Rogue (pirate), but more for the sneak attacks and combat feats and not so much for lock-picking, trap detecting and such. Hopefully, between you and Navasi, we can get those bases mostly covered. As for personality/character concept, we are a pretty eclectic bunch already at this point. Go with what you feel like portraying, and work with WhtKnt on making any adjustments, if needed.