GM Itzi's Skull and Shackles (Inactive)

Game Master Itzi

Hey GM, This is Robert Henry, I presented Tachio earlier, I was looking at your list yesterday, and realized we didn't have a front liner in the mix yet. I wanted to make sure that we have core needs filled so I pulled Onnello out. He was another character that would fit in Skull and Shackles, so I altered him a little to present to you. His background is on the character sheet.

His main role would be frontliner, part of the Vanguard Yeah been watching too much "Black Sails" long term goals, a Master Sargent type. mechanically he will go two weapons with the sawtooth sabre's. His personality will be cautious (due to growing up on Mediogalti) but loyal to friends.

It looks like electricjokecascade is presenting a front liner. Once it becomes obvious that most of those presented on the list are 'support characters' or folks read this, yeah you know who you are :) there will probably be more posted. However, I wanted to put Onnello out there just in case we needed options.

Taicho will be a support character. If we were comparing to the five man band he would be more "the smart guy." the character is built to be comic relief, he is familiar and fun. Onnello, as a frontliner, will be more "the big guy." I won't play him dumb or mute; he would be relaxed, talkative with a very dry sense of humor.

Another contrast in the characters, I would not play Taicho romantically. I always envisioned tengu's having arranged marriages. So while he would drink and celebrate with the crew he wouldn't likely be involved in amorous activity. Onnello on the other hand would have a different view. He will have strong respect for women due to his relationship with his mother and will treat female crew members professionally and with respect, well at least as much respect as he gives the boys :)

As for which character I would rather play: Either would be awesome. I like both equally and would play either happily. I guess the answer to 'which one' is whichever one will fill a needed roll.

Party role, he'd be a front-liner, but more "meat-eater" than "meat-shield." ;) I'm figuring him as an Unchained Barbarian with the sharptooth archetype. I was toying with having him be a full-on natural attacker with the full Beast Totem line and Animal Fury, but I might "just" give him the Animal Fury part, and have his main thing be weapon use. (I considered a shark-based Mooncursed, but I think that has certain logistical issues before getting Hybrid Rage at level 5. "I rage!" (shark flops around helplessly on deck of ship))

Role on the ship, I see him as a sort of "right-hand man," serving as either bosun, or master-at-arms.

Change over time? Although the sea was the calling of his heart, it's still alien territory to a warrior from the plains of Belkzen. So I think he'd start out as a sort of "fish out of water," who over time acclimates to his new climate.

I live in the Eastern US (EST) and I work in logistics. I tend to post once a day, either around Noon (EST) or 7-8 EST, though I can be on at a variety of times depending on what is going on with live games. I am currently playing in one other PBP (Rise of the Runelords) and run one (Mummy’s Mask). I am a player in a Strange Aeons PBP, but it seems to have stalled due to the GM having real life struggles. In real life I also play in three additional games that meet once a month. Along with RPGs, my wife and I tend to play board games once or twice a week.

Eyan was raised as a hunter among his aquatic elf community, spending his time in the deep open waters off the coast of Avistan. Spending days or even weeks away, he and his companions often encountered the other predators of the deep and he learned to revere what he saw as the ultimate hunter, the shark. The elves of his community would often joke that the sharks were the perfect hunting machine, they just swim, eat, and make little baby sharks. Eyan wanted to learn to be like them, and he found on some level he understood them.

During his last trip with his hunting companions, Eyan and his friends gave chase to some large tuna. The fled for the surface with the aquatic elves closing in. The hunt reached the open air, where the hunters encountered disaster. A battle raged, two ships clashed, and they would be caught in the between them. The victors were the crew of the infamous Grinning Pixie, and the mates brought the only surviving hunter, Eyan, aboard. He awoke days later to discover he was much farther south and his entire hunting party was now dead.

Eyan was grateful for his rescuers and soon became friends with some of the crew. A young female half-orc named Calisro was among them, Eyan finding it fascinating to see her enthusiasim for an ancient culture, the Ghol-Gan. Through the years Eyan began to share her obsession and he took her crusade to find and explore any sites and ruins they could find. When Calisro took over as captain, Eyan stayed on and began to research what he could for her. It was this research that led to Eyan’s second close brush with death, an unfortunate affair when he accompanied a team ashore and were captured by a party of Kuru cannibals. Captain Benarry eventually led the rescue, but not before three of the crew were “served up”. Even many years later, Eyan struggles to talk about that time and the thought of cannibals often causes him to shake.

When Captain Benarry was recalled by the Pathfinder Society, Eyan bid fairwell to his friend and his fellow crew. He headed off to continue exploring and learning all he could of the Ghol-Gan. Eventually his search would lead to a meeting, if only he had time to be more prepared.

His personality will be quiet for a time until he gets to know his companions, but I intend to post is “thoughts” and actions even if he is not saying much. He is neutral for the most part due to his reverence of nature, but he tends tries to get along with others if for no other reason than it makes life easier. He has never seen himself as a pirate, though most of his old friends would laugh at that. He has spent so much time now on board ships, that it is almost as natural to him as swimming in the seas, and for another chance to be part of a crew, Eyan would like follow his new friends as devotedly as his old friends.

As for his future, I envision him coming out of his shell with his new friends. His devotion to nature and his reverence of sharks applies to his views of those he has not particular attachment to. When it comes to his friends and family, he follows his heart. He likely will skew towards good as the story progresses. In addition, he will attempt to steer the crew (literally if he’s the pilot) to explore the seas in hopes of finding new lore on the Cyclops and the Ghol-Gan society.

This post is an example of what I feel shows how a player can engage in a scene even if the character is not specifically engaged in the conversation. For a character that is a little shy and less vocal, you can still show you are present. The challenge is to be present but not overbearing or just noise. I feel this captures this well.

This post serves to show some more active posting. As the scout of the group, I have Edamm take charge a little more, leading the group through both actions and words. In addition, I try to give a personality to the relationship she has with her animal companion, Ponok. Finally, it also shows one aspect of the PBP that I love, the ability to use different languages. Edamm gives all her commands to Ponok in Varisian and I use RL Romanian words (or at least close to them) to give it a better feel. Google Translate is an amazing tool for this.

And last, this post gives a good example of a more engaging and significant monologue given by a character in a Curse of the Crimson Throne PBP. I clearly have a thing for Varisian characters, yes, I know.

Sully didn't actually see any action until the last day--hour, really--of his naval service. A pirate ship of some sort--he didn't recognize the flag or the name--with a captain mad enough to take on a Chelish man'o'war in open water. Well, not all that mad, it turned out. The pirate knew something the Captain of the Hammer didn't: the location of some volcanic spires that reached up within a few feet of the surface. The Hammer was holed before the battle could truly begin, and only the encroaching darkness prevented the pirates from picking off all the survivors in the water. As it was, they only managed to obliterate the ship's boat and its cargo of surviving officers with a few well-placed ballista shots.

Sully survived only by sheer luck and fortitude, latching on to a floating sea chest and vigorously defending it with kicks and dagger thrusts at all the fools too water-addled to see that it could only buoy a single survivor. On the second day, he did the same against curious or hungry sea-life (which were entirely more reasonable about retreating after a swift blow to the snout). The third day presented a squall that nearly did him in. The fourth...well, four days at sea with only a few mouthfuls of rainwater has a way of turning a man religious. Very religious. As in the type to pray to all manner of Gods controlling sea, weather, death, or fortune. The type to offer up promises he'd later regret.

Sully could never really be sure which deity answered when land hove into view more than a week later, but he's got a necklace of wooden and silver medallions honoring all the ones he could remember begging to just in case. Making six offerings at a time can be tedious and expensive, but it's certainly better than dying at sea. Especially with the extra gift his savior had thrown in. The sea chest, once hauled up on land and cracked open, proved to belong to the captain of the Hammer of the Nessus himself. Inside was an armored naval jacket, a cutlass, and enough gold and salable trinkets to buy passage to anywhere Sully cared to go.

Realizing that returning home would only put him back on another naval ship, Sully abandoned his old life, using his new haul to make his way to Port Peril. There he found himself saluting his good fortune at the Formidably Maid where he spotted an alluring maid motioning for him to follow her out the door and into the fortuitous night.

Shae is a female half-elf bolt ace "gunslinger." She's been part of a crew all her life but she's not the most sociable of individuals so it might take a little bit of time to warm up to a new crew. She knows her way around a ship but has the eyes to be a great lookout. I could also see her commanding the gun crews. In a party, she'd primarily be a ranged attacker with her crossbow. In terms of character growth, I see her just going where the winds take her. She's still trying to define who she wants to be. Her mother was an adventurous pathfinder, but also a barrister and a proud Chelaxian and Shae has already decided that she's far more interested in the freedom of the wind and the waves. Mechanics-wise, I doubt I'll stick with bolt ace more than 5 levels, and there are lots of different directions she could go after that depending on how she's grown and what the party ends up needing. Potential multiclass options I like the sound of include Hunter, Slayer, or Alchemist.

I live in the eastern time zone. I tend to post at night, though sometimes I have time in the morning or at lunch and will post also.

”I long for the sea. It’s the only place that’s felt like home. You might say I was born to it, and you be right. Literally.

“Ten years now, I’ve sailed with him. Too long, maybe. I’ve thought about leaving a dozen times, but I’ve always shied away from it. Guess that makes me a coward.”

He stares longingly across the bar at nothing as he takes a long sip from his beer.

Volunteering for the army, Tyrlon joined Andoran privateers in their quest to disrupt the slaving trade. He worked as a scribe and ship surgeon for ten years. Until his ship the Winds of Freedom, was sunk by a Chelexian battle ship under the command of a Hellknight named Captain Rolshoda.

Tyrlon was one of the few survivors, pulled from the waves and forced to work on Rolshoda's ship until it made port. He was then sold to a Minor Chelexian noble who treated him well despite his bondage.

The noble, Lord Dravis Crisett gave him room and board in exchange for his services. Being allowed to practice medicine and improve the lives of the servants and other slaves in House Crisett, Tyrlon never once tried to escape.

After another ten years in the house of his enemies. A dark and stormy night ended it all. Delivering Lord Crisett's second wife's first son, there were extended complications, both the woman and child died. Although Tyrlon had done his best, Lord Crisett was a paranoid man and prone to bitter anger. He blamed Tyrlon accusing him of purposefully murdering his family to get vengeance on Cheliax. He ordered him thrown into the dungeon and executed the following morning.

Tyrlon never one prone to violence but in great fear for his life, attacked his guards and managed to escape, fleeing pursuers and hounds to the port. He stole a small skiff and set sail for Port Peril, a place hopefully his life wouldn't find him.

Traits Extremely Fashionable, Memorable, Larger than Life, Called, Eye for Plunder
Drawback Attached (his father's compass)

Skills total (ranks +class +ability +bonus -ACP)
Intimidate +9 (1 +3 +2 +3)
Perception +5 (1 +3 +1) [+1 to find concealed or secret objects, including doors and traps]
Swim +7 (1 +3 +0 +4 -1)
Background Skills
Profession (Sailor) +9 (1 +3 +1 +4)
Sleight of Hand +7 (1 +3 +4 +0 -1)
Languages Common, Elven

Gear pirate clothes (free), jewelry (120 gp worth), compass (10), 10 crossbow bolts (1), light Crossbow (25) Pistol (free), Rapier (20), Studded leather (25), 15 Firearm bullets (15), 9 gold coins

Gunslinger (Mysterious Stranger)
Gunsmith At 1st level, a gunslinger gains one of the following firearms of her choice: blunderbuss, musket, or pistol. Her starting weapon is battered, and only she knows how to use it properly. All other creatures treat her gun as if it had the broken condition. If the weapon already has the broken condition, it does not work at all for anyone else trying to use it. This starting weapon can only be sold for scrap (it’s worth 4d10 gp when sold). The gunslinger also gains Gunsmithing as a bonus feat.
Grit A gunslinger makes her mark upon the world with daring deeds. Some gunslingers claim they belong to a mystical way of the gun, but it’s more likely that the volatile nature of firearms simply prunes the unlucky and careless from their ranks. Whatever the reason, all gunslingers have grit. In game terms, grit is a fluctuating measure of a gunslinger’s ability to perform amazing actions in combat. At the start of each day, a gunslinger gains a number of grit points equal to her Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). Her grit goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than her Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), though some feats and magic items may affect this maximum. A gunslinger spends grit to accomplish deeds (see below), and regains grit in the following ways.
Critical Hit with a Firearm: Each time the gunslinger confirms a critical hit with a firearm attack while in the heat of combat, she regains 1 grit point. Confirming a critical hit on a helpless or unaware creature or on a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the gunslinger’s character level does not restore grit.
Killing Blow with a Firearm: When the gunslinger reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with a firearm attack while in the heat of combat, she regains 1 grit point. Destroying an unattended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the gunslinger’s character level to 0 or fewer hit points does not restore any grit.
A mysterious stranger is a force to be reckoned with. Instead of using her Wisdom to determine the number of grit points she gains at the start of each day, she uses Charisma. This ability works in all other ways like the Gunslinger’s grit class feature.
Deeds Gunslingers spend grit points to accomplish deeds. Most deeds grant the gunslinger some momentary bonus or effect, but there are some that provide longer-lasting effects. Some deeds stay in effect as long as the gunslinger has at least 1 grit point. The following is the list of base gunslinger deeds. A gunslinger can only perform deeds of her level or lower. Unless otherwise noted, a deed can be performed multiple successive times, as long as the appropriate amount of grit is spent to perform the deed.
Deadeye At 1st level, the gunslinger can resolve an attack against touch AC instead of normal AC when firing beyond her firearm’s first range increment. Performing this deed costs 1 grit point per range increment beyond the first. The gunslinger still takes the –2 penalty on attack rolls for each range increment beyond the first when she performs this deed.
Gunslinger’s Dodge At 1st level, the gunslinger gains an uncanny knack for getting out of the way of ranged attacks. When a ranged attack is made against the gunslinger, she can spend 1 grit point to move 5 feet as an immediate action; doing so grants the gunslinger a +2 bonus to AC against the triggering attack. This movement is not a 5-foot step, and provokes attacks of opportunity. Alternatively, the gunslinger can drop prone to gain a +4 bonus to AC against the triggering attack. The gunslinger can only perform this deed while wearing medium or light armor, and while carrying no more than a light load.
Focused Aim At 1st level, as a swift action, the mysterious stranger can spend 1 grit point to gain a bonus on all firearm damage rolls equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1) with all firearm attacks she makes until the end of her turn. This deed replaces the quick clear deed.

Traits and Drawback
Larger Than Life You wield firearms with truly terrifying menace. When you use the Intimidate skill on a creature while wielding a firearm, you are considered one size category larger than your actual size.
Extremely Fashionable Whenever you are wearing clothing and/or jewelry worth at least 150 gp (and not otherwise covered in gore, sewage, or other things that mar your overall look), you gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks. One of these skills (your choice) is a class skill for you.
Memorable When you modify a character’s attitude with the Diplomacy or Intimidate skill, the attitude change lasts 1-1/2 times longer than it otherwise would. Whenever you create a fear or mind-affecting effect that imposes a penalty or bonus with a duration of at least 2 rounds, it lasts 1 additional round after it would normally end.
Called Once per day upon rolling a natural 1 on an attack roll, you may reroll the die and take the second result instead.
Eye for Plunder You gain a +1 trait bonus on Appraise and Perception checks to find concealed or secret objects (including doors and traps). In addition, you begin the campaign with a selection of mundane trade goods worth 50 gp that you were able to scrounge together during your first day on the ship.
Attached You have a strong emotional attachment to a person or object that you’re terrified of losing. Whenever the object of your attachment is either threatened, in danger, or in someone else’s possession, you take a –1 penalty on Will saves and a –2 penalty on saves against fear effects. If the person or object to which you’re attached is ever lost, killed, or destroyed, exchange this drawback for the Doubt drawback.

Misc
Favored Classes Rogue, Slayer
Favored Class Bonus -

As a teenager, Jack served as a cabin boy on several pirate ships, including the Troubadour of Captain Tilly. As a member of Tilly's crew, he visited many countries and ports. However, he became fed up with his hectic life in a pirate family. One night, he snuck by candlelight into the study to consult the Pirata Codex and, coming upon a section on freedom and the need for pirates to make their own decisions, decided, he was completely justified in running away. He packed a bag, stole his father's compass and escaped out the window. Jack stowed away aboard a merchant ship to reach the Mwangi Expanse. His seafaring experience made it easy to join a new crew. Eventually, a rather unfortunate encounter and misunderstanding with some infamous Shackles pirates forced him to abandon the pirate life, flee and take employment in the Chelish Trading Company. After five years of faithful service, during which he sailed across all the Seas, he was given command of the Wicked Wench, a ship owned by Cutler Beckett, the CTC Director for Western Garund. As Beckett's employee, Jack searched for the mystical island of Kirma and its legendary treasure. When he found it, he decided to betray Beckett and keep the island and its inhabitants safe from Beckett and his slave traders. Later Beckett contracted him to transport a cargo of slaves to Westcrown, Jack chose to liberate them and finally steal the Wench from Beckett. However, Beckett's men managed to find him and branded him as a pirate (once again), while the Wench was set aflame and sunk. Jack retaliated and captured the Wench's sister, the Blue Maiden and renamed her the Black Pride and began the pirate life anew. Soon Jack Harrow became one of the Free Captains and a member of the Pirate Council.

Throughout his years as an infamous pirate of the Shackles, Jack Harrow embarked on many adventures, several of which involved gaining items of unique value. On the other side, he often seemed cursed and lost most treasures faster than he could find new ones. Jack was captain of the Black Pride for four years. But when he was after the treasure of Dead's Isle, Jack lost the Pride in a mutiny led by his first mate, Horice Barbooza. A few months later, with the help of some still loyal crew members, Jack retrieved the Black Pride and killed Barbooza, thereby becoming its captain once again.

Over the course of time, Captain Jack Harrow became a center of intrigue as myths and legends have been told of his exploits. Most of these tales, however, were exaggerations, or even fabrications embellished by Jack himself to bolster his reputation. Despite his dishonesty and many deceptions, Jack Harrow did embark on a number of grand and thrilling adventures, some involving the supernatural, pirate lore, magic, and journeys in discovering hidden treasures. Indeed, Jack's ultimate ambition was to have the freedom to sail the seas as a legendary pirate for eternity.

Desna's favor is not with Jack. Two years ago a Kraken attacked the Black Pride and sunk it. Jack had lost her again. While he was used to loosing and winning, this was too much for him. He indulged in the rum and the stories of Jack Harrow faded. He made ends meet as a simple, drunken seaman.

Today he finds himself relatively well off when he got his share of his last voyage’s plunder, and decided to spend a few of his hard-won coins at the Formidably Maid, a popular pirate tavern in Port Peril. Because of his constant state of grogginess, however, he never saw the miscreants who slipped something into his drink, knocking him out cold...