Skulls & Shackles (Inactive)

Game Master Foxy Quickpaw

Jessica twitches as the whip lashes... She groans slightly, or gasps.
As the whip stops falling "Thank you." Jessica whispers to herself.

"Now tell me what to expect from this guy. And none of that whining and badmouthing." Besmara demands.

"He believes he can take what he wants. He tried to take me..." Jessica says thinking back. She shudders again "He said he will be here in an hour and will test the ship to see if we are worthy of joining. He said he was going to tell the hurricane king too. He was lying about something of that though." she stops for a moment to think some more. "That is all I can think off."

"Well." Besmara steps out of the room and calls for a meeting with her officers sending crew for those not on board.

Once they are all there she tells them "That Free Captains thing starts tu suck. There is some ass on his way to test if we're 'good enough' pirates to join. Whatever that means. What do you say? Do you still want us to join that club, or shall we scrap it? Are you interested in jumping through the hoops they hold out?"

Jessica stays spread eagled against the wall and waits.

"It might open some doors for us captain. But we can have some fun with it too." Trytton says once he is back on the ship after the bar fight

Meanwhile in the Mermaid's Bucket.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Estelle and Noonan dish out what they have sending a lot of these low lives into the land of dreams. Once the drunk ones are sorted out the rest calms down pretty fast. Only the hard core of the brawlers stand there and are interested in going on. A broad shouldered guy - who by the look of it is from the Mwangi Expanse. And a small lean gal who managed to stay unharmed through all of that by dodging everything and with precise counter-punches knocks out those who insist on trying to hit her.

Lito listens to what the captain says.
I say we hit it a run at being a free captain. That way you don't have to put up with that kind of disrespect any more.

The Half Orc is coming here you say?
Captain, I say we gather some of the crew and let me see if I can get anything more from him over a few tankards of rum.

"Feel free to do as you please. But if he dares to treat me with any disrespect I'll feed him to the fish." Besmara replies.

Tsadok Goldtooth arrives with an entourage of cronies, and many spectators gather to see the entertainment as well. Tsadok starts with introductions "I'm here as the Hurricane King’s formal representative." He plays to the crowd as he explains the situation. "It’s unusual for a new, successful, but relatively unknown ship to request a letter of marque without the sponsorship of a recognized Free Captain. In this case, the Pirate Code requires the ship’s captain and officers to undergo “Testing” to determine whether they’re worthy of becoming Free Captains themselves. The pirate goddes forbid that we give a letter of marque to landlubbers playing pirates."

"Well get on with it then. We are pirates as much as anyone else here." Trytton says. Perhaps he had a bit more rum than he thought he did

Since we knew he was coming, Lito has some of the crew around for backup and Prestidigitation going[/b]

Lito looks up from where he's reclining on the deck.
As he stands up he motions for the crew to be ready in case this turns ugly.

Well if he is going to get a croud, I might was well get them on my side

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33
Unknown? Surely you jest. Ask the people...

He turns to draw the spectators into discussion and rile them up to want to side with the Crew of the Kracken.

Have you not heard stories of crew that destroyed the Ghost ship Deathknell, Captured Tidewater Rock, and Captured the Famished Maine and saved the crew of the Volkstead?

[ooc]Lito uses his Fascinate ability to enrapture Hector and the major of his cronies. (Will 16) He is only trying to keep them from stopping his story.

Lito continues: But the greatest story is the one you have not heard yet. This story starts on a foggy night At the Rock, when ships appear out of the mist. These boats are raiders from The Thresher lead by no other then the legendary Isabella "Inkskin" Locke.

He proceeds to spin an amazing tale of swashbuckling adventure, and Pirate Daring Du, covering the defeat of the Inkskin's crew, the capture of the Treasure of Mancatcher's Cove.

He ends with the raid on the Sahaguin and destroying of their king.
He ends by telling a story and giving a convincing argument to the spectators that the common people that they are safe, and the raids by the Sahaguin should stop.

Then he turns and encourages a response from the croud as he finishes with:
Now tell me, Does that sound like something Lubbers would pull off?

Noonan gets confused and starts a major land-war in Tien-Xa before ending back at the ship. Pluck now has a Peacock mount.

Estelle will have a few extra drink before returning to the ship.

"So did that lass o' yers cap'n get us an appointment with the Hurricane King?" Estelle has some dried blood on her knuckles, Estelle will go and seek out Owlbear to scold him for not being in the fight with her earlier.

Tsadok grumbles at Lito swaying the crowd but tries notto let it show. "The first test is to see whether you are passable sailors, not just “fancy jackets” who found themselves in command of a pirate crew. One of te officers must swiftly climb to the top of a nearby ship’s foremast and complete the tricky task of unfurling and setting the sail from the top yard without assistance, before one of my crew does the same on the mizzenmast. Magic assistance is not allowed. We'll use the Stingray for that."

The Stingray is a brig with two tall square-rigged masts. Competitors must climb 60 feet up the mast’s rigging to the top spar. Climbing the mast requires a DC 10 Climb check for the lower 45 feet and a DC 15 Climb check for the upper 15 feet. Contestants must then make their way along the yard, which extends 30 feet out from both sides of the mast, untying sail as they go. Contestants can use accelerated climbing (–5 penalty on the check) to increase their climbing speed from one-quarter speed to half speed. Moving along the yard requires a DC 10 Climb check, or a contestant can walk along the yard at half speed with a DC 15 Acrobatics check (or move at full speed with a DC 25 Acrobatics check). Climbing or balancing requires one skill check per move action. The sail is tied to the yard at four locations, 15 feet from the mast and 30 feet from the mast on both sides. Correctly unfurling each of the four areas of sail without it snagging or tangling requires a DC 15 Profession (sailor) check and takes a standard action.

Haines Boyne, a pirate Tsadok brought along will be the one challenging you.

"Estelle knows her way around the ship better then anyone else I reckon." Trytton says turning to the fiery headed dame

Estelle looks at Trytton as he voluntells her to do it. Stepping forward to check out the mast, and the sails above her that are tied up.

Prof Sailor: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22

"Aye I think I have an idea about how I could be doin' this quicker than wimpy lookin' lass ye brought with ya."

Intimidation: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

how many checks do I need to make? 2 to climb then how many to unfurl

Three climb checks at dc 15 for the lower 45ft of the mast. Then 1 dc 20 for the last 15 ft. Then a DC 15 acrobatics, dc 15 sail, dc 15 acro, dc 15 sail. Side 1 of mast done. Dc 15 acro x2 back to mid. dc 15 acro, dc 20 sail, dc 15 acro, dc 20 sail. DONE

Climb accelerated: 1d20 + 14 - 5 ⇒ (20) + 14 - 5 = 29
Climb accelerated: 1d20 + 14 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 14 - 5 = 25
Climb accelerated: 1d20 + 14 - 5 ⇒ (12) + 14 - 5 = 21

Estelle climbs with the nimbleness of a monkey rushing up the Mast like she was walking. Reaching the last 20 Feet Estelle takes a quick breath then goes again.

Climb accelerated: 1d20 + 14 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 14 - 5 = 14 Estelle Slips, drying her hands off on her shirt she goes again.

Climb: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16 Taking it slow Estelle jams her hand on a large piece of timber that is sticking out of the mast.

Climb accelerated: 1d20 + 14 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 14 - 5 = 25 Finally reaching the top Estelle goes left to undo the sail.

Finishing the right side Estelle goes back to the mast and pulls on the ropes to unfurl the sails. Taking a quick bow before climbing down.

As Haines Boyne sees who his opponent will be, he decides his sprained ankle he earned this morning in a bar fight is too bad and he can't do this challenge today. Therefore Isabella steps in.

Tsadok waits til both contestants are in positon. "May the better pirate win. Go, go, go!"

Isabella climbs the mast.
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29
Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15
Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Isabella climbs the mast in a reasonable speed, while Estelle goes all in. Which she pays with slipping at the upper part two times. Due to that she is already behind.

Isabella climbs out on the yard and unties the sail.
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Prof(Sailor) DC 15: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Climbing back to the other side she unties another area of the sail.
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
Prof(Sailor) DC 15: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
Prof(Sailor) DC 15: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Prof(Sailor) DC 15: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
"Hey, look there! Someone is playing around with the ropes!" Besmara shouts. "Get him!" she orders and casts returning weapon on her dagger.

The pirate draws a dagger and cuts the rope. This sends the the boom swinging around and crashing into the foremast’s rigging.

Acrobatics Estelle DC20 to not fall from the yard.

Lito looks over at boom falling.
Whats funnier then a pirate cheating? Lito calls up to the competitors.
A pirate that can't climb.

Cast Hidious Laghter on Isabrlla (will 16)

Will Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Isabella doesn't think that is funny.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
Trytton sees nothing

Attack: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (3) + 19 = 221d4 + 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (4) + (2, 3) + 9 = 18
Besmara throws her dagger at the guy who caused that mayhem. "Who are you and why are you interfering here." she shouts at him.

"Do you want me to get rid of him captain?" Trytton asks as he starts to gather power

Acrobatics to avoid falling: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

Estelle Falls again, looking around dumb founded at why she fell.

"Ruddy buggers, I will gut you all and feed ya to the fish."

Estelle pulls out her boarding axe and gets to working climbing again.

Climbing faster: 1d20 + 14 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (18) + 14 + 2 - 5 = 29

Climbing faster: 1d20 + 14 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (20) + 14 + 2 - 5 = 31

Climbing faster: 1d20 + 14 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 14 + 2 - 5 = 16

Getting to he middle part she slows down again to get to the top.

Climbing: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 14 + 2 = 21

Reaching the Top Estelle gets to work.

Estelle is lucky as she falls into the harbour and not on the hard deck. But it costs her a lot of time to get back onto the ship and start climbing again.

"I want him alive to get some answers." Besmara replies to Trytton.

The crowd backs away from “Bilgerat” Jacobi as the dagger flies straight through his shoulder and then back into Besmara's hand.

"I am probably not best to deal with him then." Trytton says as the air around him starts to crackle and water starts to pull up the sides of the boat and pools around his feet

Meanwhile Isabella continues to set the sail. She moves on to the outer yard.
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Prof Sailor DC 15: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Acc. Climb DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24
Prof Sailor DC 15: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
And with careful routine she finishes the job setting the sail.

Estelle races up the mast to catch up with Isabella, but there is no way she can accomplish that. With all her trying she is still working on the last knots as the sail at the mast behind her is fully blown by the wind.

"That is a failed first test. But there are two more to come. So let us continue." Tsadok calls out with a sleazy grin.

"Dream on." Besmara objects. "First we gonna find out what our friend here had in mind when he cut that rope."

That friend jumps overboard and tries to get away with diving under the ship.

There are sparks arching from Trytton's body to the pool of water that is starting to climb his body.
Suddenly the sparks stop as Trytton is overboard to chase the scoundrel

"Such things happen. A good pirate could have handled that without falling from the ship." Tsadok laughs it off. "The next test will be a game of cards. You bring 100pp and we'll play a game of Bastards Fool."

Besmara wanted to say 'get him' but Trytton can read thoughts. "You can set up a table. But first we're going to deal with that guy. Just to make sure the others understand that it is a really bad idea to piss me off by cheating."

Just over a minute later Trytton drags an unconscious body into the docks. "I tried to make sure I didn't drown him."

"Great. Tie him to the mast. Once he is conscious again I have a few questions for him and he'll get a real slow keelhauling." Besmara call to Trytton.

Estelle walks over and squats down next to the man, slapping him in the face to wake him up.

"Yer a lucky bugger I wasn't hurt to badly"

Tsadok sets up a table on the deck of the Kraken and explains the rules. It's like blackjack with covered cards. With the addition that the winner of each round has to drink a shot of rum. Minimum bet to start is 1pp. You may draw additional cards. Then betting is done. Everyone can fold at any stage.

roll 1d20. Then you can add one dice as you please (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12). A gambler can make one of the following checks each hand (all DC 15): Bluff, Profession (gambler), or Sense Motive. A successful check adds +1 to the gambler’s score, with an additional +1 for every 5 points over the DC (even if this pushes the gambler’s final score over 20). A failed check reduces the gambler’s score by 1, with an additional –1 for every 5 points under the DC.

He also brought a guy to deal the cards.

Who wants to play? Who has 100pp?