Skulls and Shackles Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Tyranius

"Hmmm... It looks like there is some sort of trap on the stone chest. Let's take a look at the other one."

I don't think we actually have a trap-smith in our party, do we?

Charles then carefully picks up the chests, ready to transport them to the surface.

If I think that will 'set off' the trapped chest, obviously, I won't move it.

EDIT: We should probably detour to area 3 on the way out, and check out that poor mutilated creature, to see if we can get her out.

Charles is able to haul the iron banded chest with a bit of help. Though the stone chest that he noticed the small leak of green gas coming from seems to be cemented to the floor.

"Okay then. I don't want to find out what that gas is. Unless anyone has any idea of how to deal with it safely?"

"No idea, lad. I think we did some good stuff here. Let us collect all we can carry, bring the poor laddy to her folk and get the heck out of here. Who knows how long our spells still last."

Charles nods.

"Agreed."

With assistance the group is able to bring the chest around back to the entrance. Stopping by the room with the mutilated creature they now see that it is gone as are a large portion of the eggs.

Heading to the entrance Charles notices that there is a room that they must have missed. Ascending they reach a point with breathable air. The tunnel rises above sea level here, creating an air pocket in this series of chambers. The floor is sand and a few items of furniture are scattered about, including a table, a poorly repaired chair, a bed with a sagging frame, and a crude fence of driftwood in the rear of the chamber. The entire cavern is overgrown with vines bearing tiny violet flowers that fill the room with a cloying fragrance.

Below the bed is a jar filled with alcohol. It contains the severed head of a vicious looking Tian man with pock marked scars, a tattoo of a kraken on his forehead and all of his teeth broken out.

I can't fail that Perception check.

"Look - there is a wand, and three potions, under the bed... Anyone know what they do?"

you all still here?

Yes - I was hoping someone else would chime in :-/

I would but I don't have spellcraft :(

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 wand 1
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 p1
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20p2
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22p3
"Take them with us? Let us clear this area and do what we planned!"
To identify potions you just need a dc 15 perc check or so

Jack recognizes the wand as a wand of web (37 charges) and the three potions all to be the same thing. With a lick of the bottle he recognizes it as a flavor of potion of water breathing.

You also have the Trident from the boss to identify

Spellc: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
And the Box or chest.
Spellc: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Not today.

Charles shrugs.

"Well, let's get everything back to the ship, and move on. We have a lot of stuff to fence..."

The group takes their time getting the chest and loot back to the ship. Taking a few moments Jack looks over the chest to determine it's properties along with the Trident. Unfortunately he needs to do some research on the items, though Viviana feels better fighting on solid land and fresh air any day.

The chest itself seems to be locked though.

---------------------------------------------------

Level up to Level 7!

The crew swirls all around the new booty that their Captains have brought forth.

Drawing the new Captains to the side Ambrose begins to look a bit worried as his brow furrows. We have obviously been drawing a bit of attention to ourselves with everything w have done so far. I think now would be a good idea for us to head to Port Peril. We need to present ourselves to the Hurricane King of the Shackles, Kerdak Bonefist to become legitimate pirates. - At least in the eyes of the other free Captains.

Charles nods.

"That seems like a reasonable plan. We need to go to a large settlement to handle selling our booty, anyway..."

Sounds excellent", Viviana responds enthusiastically, extremely pleased to be back on as solid ground as she can be, living the pirates life. "IS there something specific we need to do or do we just show up?"

I will post the rest this evening when I get more free time.

Now that we have it 'on land', is there anything *in* the chest? :-)

Sorry, apparently I had clicked the "don't show that there are new messages" thing; I am catching up on the past two weeks of posts now.

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Knowledge (Local, World Traveler reroll): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Aishe does not recognize the original owner of the pirate head. However, she takes it with her in the hopes that one of the crew might.

Spellcraft (Chest): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Spellcraft (Trident): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Aishe speaks up, "We can send a bribe to Fort Hazard, the Hurricane King's seat, to request an audience."

Sorry for slacking on the loot spreadsheet. It has been updated, and there are a couple of items that still have to be detected/identified.

Spellcraft (Wand): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 found here
Spellcraft (Hand and ring): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 found here

...and, rolling again for old equipment
Spellcraft (Rapier): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Spellcraft (Headband): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

No dramas! One slight change - I will be putting the MW Trident back into the general loot pile, as I no longer need it.

Over the next few days Aishe takes a look at the items that they have acquired.

The chest continues to perplex her immensely though she recognizes the trident's abilities.

The Trident is known as Zul. +1 Human Bane Trident It was passed down from chieftain to chieftain within the Sahuagin Tribes. Zul has a three pronged head made of strengthened sea shells, and it's haft is composed of rough, twisted coral. Deals 1 point of damage each time it is grasped unless weilder has gauntlet of natural armor.
As an immediate action after a successful melee attack Zul's weilder can transmute the substance of the target creature into rigid coral. Deals 1d4 dex damage and slows the target as per the spell for 1 round as their flesh calcifies. Dc 16 Fort save negates the slow portion. A target brought to 0 dex is permanently petrified. This ability can be used up to seven times per day.

Looking over the wand she recognizes it as a wand of produce flame with 41 charges left.

Overlooking the ring she feels as if she is extremely close to researching what it does. Maybe another day perhaps. She also still does not recognize the rapier but the headband she does. After a bit of research she recognizes the headband as a headband of Alluring Charisma +2.

Over the next couple of weeks the trip to Port Peril is uneventful. The group tries to open the chest but it still seems to be locked tightly shut as the clasp has a solid lock inlaid into the chest.

On the second week shouts are hear from the port side railing. The crew is looking over and Viviana is able to make it to the railing in time to see a large group of Locathah's similar to the mutilated one that you freed in the Sahuagin caves. Looking at you with bulbous eyes one of the creatures lifts a helm high into the air. Sending a man down in a small vessel he is able to retrieve the helm and bring it to Viviana. The creatures almost look as if the smile slightly before they disappear underneath the water's surface.

You can roll a few more identify checks if want as a ew weeks have passed.

Spellcraft (Chest): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Spellcraft (Ring): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Spellcraft (Ring): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Spellcraft (Rapier): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Spellcraft (Crown): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

The chest is still just out of her grasp. Perhaps if she had an assistant to help her research the chest she might be able to unlock it's secrets.

She recognizes the ring as a ring of animal friendship

Looking over the rapier she finds that it's true name is Bring's Sting. It is a slim +1 rapier with a hilt guard in the shape of a purple writhing sea snake. On a successful hit that deals damage the target must succeed at a DC 14 Fort save or take a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls for 1 round as salty brine drips painfully onto the wound. A new saving throw must be made each time the weapon deals damage. On a critical hit against a creature of the aquatic or water subtype, the target takes an additional 3d6 damage as it's flesh cracks and withers.

Looking over the recently acquired crown Aishe recognizes it as a helm of underwater action!

Within another uneventful week Port Peril soon comes into full view.

Port Peril is the largest port in the Shackles and its de facto capital. It is situated on the mainland, rather than on one of the outlying islands, on the edge of the Terwa Uplands and overlooking Jeopardy Bay. The city is protected by walls, and the stronghold of Fort Hazard. All manner of vices can be found in its twisting streets, and its busy markets thrive on the sale of stolen goods. Rumour has it that the plunder from decades of piracy is hidden in sea caves beneath the city.

Despite being the capital of the Shackles Pirates, merchant ships sometimes dock here to trade. Those flying the flags of Inner Sea nations are not welcome, but unaligned vessels are permitted to dock.

Aishe pulls out a significant chunk of the crew's plunder (4 points, leaving 3). "Okay, if we're serious about being recognized as Free Captains in the Shackles, we've got to be recognized as such by the Hurricane King. This...gift...will grant us an audience, nothing more. However, there's a chance that, with more plunder, he might look more favorably on our application. So, do we rely on our winning personalities, or overwhelm him with kindness in the form of more plunder?"

Charles looks thoughtful.

"I guess that would depend on how persuasive we think we can be. It might not hurt to include a bit more plunder in our 'donation', but I would caution against handing all of our plunder over - it would set a bad precedent, and leave us with nothing to use in an emergency."

"Or they could simply take our money and owe us nothing, its a risk either way, and none of the pirates we actually give any extra plunder to are obliged to grant us a favour in return."

"Viviana, it does not work that way. A minimum of rules must be observed, or otherwise there is no barter, no community and no loyality. And the lady wolf of the seas wouldn´t like that!

The Besmara's Fortune makes port in Port Peril where the crew begins to unload in a flurried frenzy to spend what they have earned.

Do you send a small group of the crew as a messenger with the 4 points of plunder?

That sounds reasonable to me, but I will wait for the others to chime in, too ;-)

I agree - let's let the crew do the legwork.

The group sets forth on sending out a small team with their message.

-4 Plunder for Message

With the messengers sent it looks as if you have the day to yourselves before you hear word. The vast metropolis awaits with more people and vendors than any of them has ever seen.

Good time to do some shopping / selling.

Amen, and we should spend some gold on some fancy clothing. No use going to represent ourselves if we are not in our sunday finest.
Jacks most important buy will be a Magic Composite Longbow fitted to his +2 str. [2600gp roundabout]

Well, we should probably decide what we are going to keep, and what we are going to sell...

I think Jack wants the magical bane arrows. Apart from that keep the wands and for sure the magical astrolabe. Also the shackles of compliance and the steadfast grapple. If charles wants zul, it is a kickass weapon, especially it´s special ability and human bane is almost the best as it also affects half orcs and half elfs. Also take the amulet of nat armor +2

I will push forward on Monday Morning. Give you guys just a little more time to configure purchases.

After you return from shopping for the day you find a sealed not lying on your beds in the inn. Opening the letter it seems that you have gained attendance with the Hurricane King. His First Mate will meet with you first thing in the morning at the docks.

Comments on loot distribution in Discussion thread.

In the morning you head to the docks to meet with the Hurricane King's First Mate.

On your way Charles notices that there seem to be quite the crowd gathered. Standing in the middle of the crowd is a large Half-Orc. The Half-Orc gives a gleaming smile as he holds his hands out. I am Tsadok Goldtooth, the Hurricane King's formal representative. He turns to the crowd as he continues his smile while raising his voice.

It seems that these.... 'pirates'.. with an unknown ship are requesting a Letter of Marque without being sponsored by a Free Captain! The crowd shifts with excitement.

Looking back at the group his eyes sparkle. Pirate Code dictates that the ship's Captain and Officers undergo 'Testing' to determine if yer worthy of becoming Free Captains.

Moving up to Viviana This one here doesn't even look like a pirate but rather a Captain's whore! The crowd begins to laugh and heckle.

Aishe attempts to discern the purpose behind the first mate's insult.

Sense Motive (Familiar): 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 2 = 30

"Beware of her sting, though. Or she is the one doing the impaling!"

Aishe feels that the First Mate is working the crowd.

Tsadok holds his palms up feigning a surprised look at Jack. No need to throw slaps around

Like I said there be three tests. First is a simple climb in the rigging. The second is a simple game of cards and lastly we have to see how well ye do repelling boarders.

He pauses a moment as he slowly turns Though only one of ye can compete in each test with no help or hindrance from the rest of ye group, except for the third test. The third test will take all of ye, the Half-Orc turns back to the crowd ...even the women.

Most of the crowd laughs, though others scowl or remain silent.

Charles frowns in distaste.

"Well then, since our women are every bit as good as our men, it sounds like the first task should go to Viviana!"

Ugh, it ate my post and I didn't realise until now :(

"I bet I could outpace any man Tsadok picks, and make him beg for mercy before the day is out!", Viviana quips, enjoying the idea of a challenge, before turning to her friends and remarking in an undertone "You guys will watch my back when I climb right, this sounds fair too easily and I doubt Tsadok will play fair when his reputation is at stake"

Do we still have those slippers of climbing?

If someone does not have them, then they were sold a long time ago - they were not on the loot list that I used.

I don't recall ever coming across them when I created the loot list. A quick search of the thread doesn't mention any kind of slippers, either...

Must have been my mistake then, fsr I thought we got it somewhere from loot but I guess I must be imagining things.

Anyway I'll be away for the weekend (which is roughly 12 hours from now), so we might need to wait a couple of days before I get back and roll what I assume is a boatload of climb checks, unless I can get it done within the next 4 hours or so.

Looking at Viviana Jack smiles."Climbing seems like your job. Me thinks either Aishe or yours truly will do the card thing!"