Chumtooth shrugs. "We can try this. Do not murder anyone, though. Port Peril has too many people who work as agents and informers. Kill the wrong fishmonger, and we may end up earning the ire of one of the Pirate Lords. Find discarded bodies in sewers, alleys or near the docks."
Carmelia admits some curiosity with Navasi's plans.
"I'll be busy with a hammer, but if you can catch me on a break I would appreciate seeing your work. I rarely commune with the Spirit of Bones."
"The undead make poor slaves, but could prove useful when the crew's strength begins to wane."
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Finding "discarded" bodies proves to be not difficult in Port Peril, and you are able to amass a selection of corpses for your collection.
Faengrim (or anyone else who wants to try), please make either a Bluff (to trick them aboard), Diplomacy (to convince them to join), or Intimidate check (to pressgang them) (DC 20) for each day you want to spend seeking out crew. Each success nets 1d4+2 new crew members.
With two weeks to use, Faengrim will use his natural charisma and charm to fill out the crew. The second week will be spent in drilling the crew to prepare them for the regatta.
Pressgang Crew
Pressgang Crew
Pressgang Crew
Pressgang Crew
Pressgang Crew
Pressgang Crew
Pressgang Crew
Crew Gain
Chumtooth uses the downtime to bolster his and his crew's reputation, and also find out which other Free Captain's have entered the race.
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Chumtooth finds out that some of the other ships participating include (but are not by any means limited to), the Albatross, Barnacled B!#%$, Bonny Witch, Chimera’s Teeth, Darcy’s Pillage, Kelizandri’s Favor, Pharasma’s Price, Promise’s Bounty, Redcap, Sea’s Largess, Skullduggery, Stormrunner, Sullied Strumpet, Wave Wraith, and lastly, the Wormwood, which you immediately recognize as the vessel belonging to your old nemesis, Captain Barnabas Harrigan.
Any other details that you wish to take care of, or shall we fast forward to race day?
Faengrim will do some scouting of the other ships from underwater. Do they have any defenses? Can he perform acts of sabotage to the rudders of some of them?
"Harrigan will be racing in the Wormwood," Chumtooth says to the others, then elaborates for the benefit of Carmelia and Navasi. "The Kiss of Vengeance was a prize taken by Harrigan not long after we were press-ganged onto his crew. We were put on the prize crew, headed by his first mate and bosun. We mutinied and took the ship for ourselves. It's been long enough for Harrigan to know this. He will know our faces," he says, gesturing to Dantes and Faengrim. "He will know we killed his men. He will want vengeance. If there is one ship that will be a threat to us in this race, it is the Wormwood."
Carmelia listens to the story with a bit of disgust. Harrigan sounds like a right bastard.
"I'd prefer to consult with spirits designed to improve our chances navigating the Eye, but if you would rather I prepare some additional firepower in case this Harrigan decides to try something stupid, I'm sure I can manage. Then again, our Dwarven quartermaster may be better suited to the task of fireworks than I am."
Carmelia excitedly tours the Captain around the ship, showcasing the modifications she has made and explaining to relevant crewmembers how to take good care of the newest additions. She also notes the significantly expanded--both living and otherwise--crew. She prepares two Bountiful Banquets for the crew, enough for all serving (living members) of the Kiss, ensuring that they will be able to focus on sailing the next day instead of being bothered by hunger pangs.
About two days before the Regatta, Carmelia goes and finds some incense and a nice bottle of rum, worth about 25 gold, and sits down to commune with the spirits of the sea.
"Other than the weather and typical hazards of the sea around the Eye of Abendego, will we encounter other dangers during this year's Free Captain's Regatta?"
Finally, Carmelia has a few small baskets of berries, secured and properly labeled to be available for about the next week and a half. She makes it clear to people that they should avoid eating more than eight berries in a day, to take from the first basket first, and to use the berries in instances of injury or hunger.
potential points of healing for the crew
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A week before race day, the announcement flies through the city that the Master of the Gales has declared Cauldron Rock, the northernmost island large enough to be marked on most maps of the Shackles, as the race’s starting point. A huge flotilla of racers and spectators sets sail northward out of Jeopardy Bay.
Arriving at Cauldron Rock, the race fleet anchors northeast of the island. The captains of most of the competing ships disallow shore leave for their crews, but numerous spectators (including many of your friends and allies, such as Tessa Fairwind, Merrill Pegsworthy, and Pierce Jerrell) make merry on their ships or on a small sandy beach nearby, in spite of intermittent rain and wind from the giant hurricane to the north.
The afternoon before the race, the Master of the Gales calls a meeting of all competing ships’ captains and their senior officers aboard his xebec, the Kraken. An imposing man with tanned and weather-beaten skin and long, windblown hair and beard, the Master of the Gales outlines the course of the race to the competitors and supplies a simple route map to each participant.
Designed to test even the most rugged crew, the regatta will take ships along the fringes of the Eye of Abendego and even into the storm itself, ending at a small islet called Coaming Point. Fixing each contestant with an icy blue stare, the Master of the Gales reminds everyone that the Free Captains’ Regatta is a nautical race, not a battle or an opportunity to avenge past slights. He announces that he will be monitoring the race, and any ship caught attacking or unduly interfering with another competing vessel will be disqualified, or if necessary, sunk. Nature itself will be the most dangerous enemy the contenders will face, a fact the gathered captains would be wise to remember if they hope to complete, much less win, the regatta.
How do you wish to plot your course?
How about the Wormwood then?
And a few of those I know are racing? I presume those named will be the most prestigious and likely to win.
You can also exclude any who are allies to Fairwind or are just so powerful that it would be plain stupid to mess with.
Carmelia shares what she learned from her Divination with the others. "The spirits seem to believe that there will be some element of foul play afoot during the Race, and with someone we know. Or at least that some of us know. I will prepare most of my magic to assist our course during the race, but it would behoove us to be prepared to fight off the Wormwood. Whatever the Master of Gales intends, I would rather be prepared for treachery than rely on his reputation to save us."
We should try not to sail too close to the other ships. Harrigan will want vengeance, and try to hide his treachery in the crowd. We should either seek to move fast, and get ahead, or hold back, and follow behind until we near the end of the race. Only then should we speed ahead," Chumtooth suggests.
Captain Chumtooth, shall I try?
Carmelia shrugs as Faengrim asks again about sabotaging the other ships. She repeats the instructions given by the Master of Gales.
"Any ship caught attacking or unduly interfering with another competing vessel will be disqualified, or if necessary, sunk." She taps a long, sharp nail on her chin. "I suppose it depends on how legalistic the Master of Gales is, though I don't think there are many Asmodean druids. Are we considered part of the ship? Very likely, yes, unless there is a deliberate removal of an officer from the ship's roster. So perhaps you could interfere if you did not participate in the race, though there would likely still be consequences."
Another tap, and a sigh. "And for that matter, if we are considered part of our ship, then the crew of another vessel would be likewise party to her. So poisoning the crew would probably be considered interference as well."
The witch leans back in her chair. "I'd rather have a chance to race than be knocked out before we set sail. Although--" she leans forward conspiratorially "--if it's something that won't give us any advantage, it could be delightful." She pauses for a moment, then deadpan replies, "We could paint his ship pink."
Dantes will check with Koops. "I'm sure you've seen many of these regatta over the years, or at least heard about them. Do you know if anyone has been caught trying to cheat? Or is rumored to have cheated and gotten away with it?"
"Killing a crew might be considered bad form, but getting them TOO DRUNK" {air quotes} "to sail will surely not be looked askance at."
"Now there's an idea," Carmelia replies, her lips curling into a devilish smile. "They don't know me. Or Navasi, for that matter. And I'm sure that I could convince more than a few of them to buy me a drink if they're permitted shore leave. And when sailors buy a lady a drink, they almost always buy their own as well. We just have to encourage that behavior..."
"Remember to keep your own heads clear," Chumtooth says, nodding at the plan. "Water your drinks, or spill them into their mugs when they are not looking."
Carmelia nods, taking it as an order. "I'll be in right shape to sail on the morrow. I'll just start with a party trick like I did with you lot, the old turn a barrel of rainwater into a barrel of mead, and let the glory flow. Whaddya say, Navasi: girls night out?"
Dantes nods in agreement with the plan forming. "I'm not sure what help I could be in that regard. But I will take some time to go around and buy all of the alchemist's kindness that is out there, to make it hard for others to buy it in the morning. And I'll stay on the ship to help ward off any attempts to sabotage our fine vessel."
Carmelia claps lightly, especially at the addition of buying out a stock of alchemist's kindness. "Get them drunk, stay sufficiently sober ourselves, and then trounce them in the race while they're all hungover with no remedy! All in a night's work."
Carmelia goes to change into something more comfortable and then walks around with Navasi to figure out where Harrigan's sailors might be drinking for the evening.
"I will stay with the Kiss while Dantes buys the remedies, and will stand guard with him when he returns," Chumtooth says.
An enjoyable evening was had by all!
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The next morning, everyone is up bright and early, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (at least on your vessel). The race begins first thing in the morning, under leaden skies and sudden squalls of driving rain. Tessa Fairwind comes aboard the Kiss to wish you smooth sailing and good luck, as do other friends and allies.
After over an hour of shouting, cursing, and jostling for position, the contenders arrange themselves in rough formation behind the starting line drawn between the Kraken and another ship, the Ocean’s Revenge. All eyes look to the Master of the Gales, who stands atop a rocky promontory on Cauldron Rock. He raises both arms to the sky and unleashes a flashing bolt of lightning down into the surf, signaling the start of the race.
As the Master of the Gales transforms into an albatross and flies over the participants, the wind shifts sharply and unnaturally from northerly to easterly, throwing the competitors into chaos. You must pilot your way clear of the milling ships by making two successful DC 25 sailing checks.
Whoever is manning the wheel can make the checks, at a +3 bonus to each for the charts of the fairwinds.
As morning comes, Carmelia sits with Hap and communes with her spirit animal, beckoning the Spirit of the Wind to join her for the day. She prepares spells that she believes will be useful for dealing with the Storm, along with a handful in case they encounter trouble of a more sentient nature.
Wandering Hex: Wind Sight (Su): The shaman ignores the penalties on Perception checks caused by wind and the first 100 feet of distance. At 7th level she can, as a standard action, hear or see into any area—as clairaudience or clairvoyance, using that spell’s range—provided that there’s an unobstructed path for air to travel between the shaman and the target area. This doesn’t require line of effect, meaning the path can turn corners and go through spaces as narrow as 1 inch in diameter. The shaman can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to her shaman level, but these rounds do not need to be consecutive.
4th (2+1)--control water, ride the waves, river of wind (S)
3rd (3+1)--call lightning, fly, protection from energy, water breathing (S)
2nd (4+1)--barkskin, gust of wind (S) x2, neutral buoyancy, resist energy
1st (6+1)--alter winds (S) x3, bless, tear to wine x3
0 (4)--create water, guidance, know direction, mending
She also humbly offers to take the wheel for the first leg of the journey, knowing that the Captain may be needed elsewhere to provide orders, or that they could switch off as needed.
Shortly before the race begins, Carmelia stands at the wheel of the Kiss, confidently drumming her fingers on the wheel. She pops a grape into a nearby barrel of water and dips a mug into it. The uninitiated would think that she was imbibing a bit of the hair of the dog. The truly knowledgeable recognized that she was maintaining her sharpness for the first leg of the race.
In anticipation of the immediate start, Carmelia prays to the Spirits of the Winds and the Waves for a bit of Guidance into the fray. And then--chaos.
The woman grits her teeth and gauges the movement of the other ships. She begins spinning the wheel and whispers out recommendations to Chumtooth to relay to the rest of the crew in charge of rigging the sails. And then she sails hard.
Carmelia's octopus scuttles down from around her neck and positions himself underneath the wheel, passing up small tentacles to either carry the wheel along faster or slow it down when a course-reversal is needed.
Chumtooth nods in admiration at Carmelia's piloting skills, as she quickly and deftly turns the wheel.
He barks her adjustment recommendations up to the crew in the rigging, as well as to those scurrying about on deck.
He also keeps an eye out for trouble from any nearby ships, especially the Wormwood.
The next morning, Dantes casts see invisible and checks the ship for stowaways. He'll also go into the water, checking the hull (above and below the waterline), casting detect magic to check for any skullduggery that it might reveal.
When the race is ready to start, Dantes stands close to his captain, ready to augment the Kuru should combat arise.
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Coming clear of the opening chaos, the Kiss takes an early lead, followed closely by several other vessels (the Wormwood among them). The race start has left a number of ships entangled and more than a few sinking.
The Silted Shrouds are an extensive series of shallow sandbars formed by the continuous action of the Eye of Abendego. There are no up-to-date charts of the Silted Shrouds, as new channels and sandbars continuously form and wash away. You must make four successful DC 25 Survival checks to navigate your way through. Characters with at least 5 ranks in Knowledge (geography) or Knowledge (local) gain a +2 bonus on the checks.
You can also make three DC 25 sailing checks to increase your race score. The race score is an artificial count that is used by the GM to determine how well you are doing in each stage of the race. At the end of the race, your overall race score will determine how well you did.
Carmelia is thrilled to have such strong initial good fortune as the race kicks off, and she hums an old sea shanty as she spins the wheel around. "Besmara watches over us," she muses.
As they approach the Silted Shrouds, however, Carmelia lets out a string of curses. "Our second obstacle," she announces. "Does anyone have any bright ideas for avoiding the sandbars? They're rather hard to see from the wheel."
While the witch waits for good ideas, she peers ahead and tries her best to navigate.
Faengrim is ok to aid in those rolls, but should not be the primary roller.
Faengrim helping out.
After trading off with Chumtooth, Carmelia communes with the spirits of the Wind and Waves to peer through the growing wind and direct her capable captain.
Faengrim can auto aid the survival check.