The Broad Captain Inn is a favourite gathering place for aspiring adventurers, mercenaries, and sailors due to its low prices, decent fare, and a meticulously maintained bulletin board displaying job opportunities and upcoming events.
Shortly after the PCs arrive, two people walk up to the board to read a prominently displayed scroll.
A tall Mwangi woman with dark hair and a red headband lets out a booming laugh.
Think you can do better this time, Demed?
Better than you and your crew? Certainly! retorts a slender Mwangi man, who pulls out a notebook as he walks to his seat.
The woman snorts derisively before joining him at a table. “If you can avoid falling into the water, that would already be an improvement.
I think you forget that my crew is the only one that managed two victories in a row, sis, the man boasts. This year we’ll do even better, and you’ll eat your words before the day is over.
The siblings smile widely at each other, a fierce love for competition burning brightly in their eyes.
N/N male dwarf barbarian/6 | Init (Search) +11 | HP: 106/106 (10/10 temp HP raging), 3 fire resist, 2 mental resist) | AC: 23 | F/R/W: +14/10/11| Speed: 20' (+10' raging) | Acrobatics +10, Athletics +15, Diplomacy +10, Intimidation +7, legal +10, Medicine +12, Perception +11, Surv +9, Thievery +10 | Active Conditions: Raging if in combat
"Hnck!" he mumbles.
A small man with spectacles seated next to Hancock, speaks up.
"And I am Bruce. I work for Hancock here and speak on his behalf as he, err, has difficulty communicating. He is an expert in large weapon combat and draws power from the blue dragon. I believe you would call him a barbarian, but I do so hate labels."
| Speed: 30 ft| Conditions: None | Hero Points: 1/3 | | HP 86/86| AC 24 {25 w/ shield} | F: +13, R: +12, W: +11 | Perception: +11 {+1 on init} CN Human Figher 6 (archeologist dedication)
A towering red haired woman enters the bar carrying little more than the armor on her shoulders and the sword at her side. After sweeping her eyes across the room she spots an open seat by Bruce.
What a nice little production. Think they're trying to drum up some competition?
LN Male human swashbuckler 3 (Medium, Human, Humanoid) | AC 18 (19 with shield raised)| HP 26/28 | Fort +7; Ref +9; Will +8 | Perception +8
Skills:
Academia Lore +8, Acrobatics +7, Arcana +8, Diplomacy +8, Legal Lore +8, Library Lore +8, Medicine +6, Nature +6, Occultism +8, Pathfinder Society Lore +10, Performance +8, Religion +6, Society +8, Survival +6, Thievery +7
"The prices seem low," says a new arrival spying what he assumes is the menu board. His backpack is clearly laden and the edges of papers and parchments poke out from the gaps within its pockets and straps. The young man share equal parts boyish and bookish charm. He scans the tables of the Broad Captain Inn. "And the fare looks decent. I had heard that there were other members of the Society in town. Perhaps, they have found their way here as well?"
Attempting to ignore the loud cries coming from the table where a bespectacled and tall, red-haired woman appear to be wedged between a boisterous dwarf and half-orc, Abbitus, who prefers more quiet establishments, uncomfortably looks around for a seat when he spots a posted scroll depicting the image of a fish. The scholarly Pathfinder wracks is brain attempted to identify the taxonomic rank of the depicted creature.
LN Male human swashbuckler 3 (Medium, Human, Humanoid) | AC 18 (19 with shield raised)| HP 26/28 | Fort +7; Ref +9; Will +8 | Perception +8
Skills:
Academia Lore +8, Acrobatics +7, Arcana +8, Diplomacy +8, Legal Lore +8, Library Lore +8, Medicine +6, Nature +6, Occultism +8, Pathfinder Society Lore +10, Performance +8, Religion +6, Society +8, Survival +6, Thievery +7
"Silverscales!" Abittus recites aloud excitedly at his sudden recollection. "That is a depiction of silverscale trout!"
Abittus attempts to recall the fish's significance to the locals.
Society:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
"My pardons, my good sir and madame," the Pathfinder inquires of the twins as he rises to his feet. "but I could not help but overhear the two of you describing some sort of competition. Does it, by any chance, involve food?'
Diplomacy to Make an Impression:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Fish is food .... and yes, there's a celebration afterwards. Can't let the catch go to waste
The siblings then explain that they participated in the last four tournaments and are currently tied at two victories apiece. Unless interrupted, they regale the party with an account of the last tournament.
Demed took the early lead thanks to one of his elaborate contraptions, but it soon malfunctioned. Deka laughs as she recounts the device sending Demed’s entire crew flying into the sea.
We love the Silverscale Tournament because its performative aspect encourages contestants to impress the judges by embodying the core values of the Vidric Revolution: dedication, bravery, ingenuity, and collaboration.
After a short while, Deka and Demed move to join a crowd of people heading toward the Lower Harbor for the tournament. They wave for the PCs to follow, and the innkeeper ushers them out as well, seeming just as impatient to join the throng.
You have one Hero Point each
The journey from the inn to the Lower Harbor takes two hours due to the crowds converging along the rocky cliffside path leading down to the harbor. Once they arrive at the docks, you can make their way past the gathered crowds to join the other participants and locate a fishing spot. As stated in the announcement, there’s limited space in the event. By the time you arrive, the contest only has room for one more team, so you must participate in the event together and can’t split into multiple teams.
The docks creak under the weight of the crowd. Mwangi and Chelaxian citizens stand shoulder to shoulder in the midday sun, waiting for the
excitement to begin.
The contestants stand in line with their teammates, waiting for the signal to claim their fishing spots. Some aspiring anglers seem to have already chosen their spot, while others are carefully scanning the waters for a glimpse of the glimmering scales that give the tournament its name. Tall and imposing, Deka stands out from the crowd as she
inspects her reinforced grappling hook. To her right, Demed hurriedly jots down notes before telling his crew to be ready to cast.
A silver-haired Zenj woman wearing a judge’s colorful sash raises her hands to silence the crowd. With a warm smile, she utters a single sentence that unleashes a flurry of activity. Find your station!
Make a skill check to (a) rush to a spot before someone else gets it (Acrobatics/Athletics) (b) ask Deka or Demed for help (Diplomacy) or (c) use your knowledge of fishing (Nature, Survival or Fishing Lore)
One of the twins laugh and points at the spot Clarence, Hancock and Trisha have got to. Hancock had nearly missed it but Clarence managed to secure it - mainly by knocking the unfortunate into the water, presumably by accident. Or was it Rosa? Hard to tell.
The tournament plays out over the course of four rounds, each representing about 15 minutes of activity. During every round, each of you can attempt a single skill check to contribute to the team’s success. The GM should allow players to earn Tournament Points by doing more than just fishing.
For instance, a PC can distract other competitors with a Deception check or impress the judges with a Performance check. A PC that succeeds at a Stealth check can grab fish without disturbing the waters, while those with Crafting, Fishing Lore, or Survival can use improvised traps or baits throughout the competition. The GM should encourage creative solutions and reward especially clever ideas or descriptions with a +1 circumstance bonus to the PC’s check.
The crowd—and the judges—are looking for entertainment as much as a display of fishing skill, growing bored if the PCs attempt the same check multiple rounds in a row. If a PC attempts the same skill check they attempted in the previous round, they receive a –2 circumstance penalty to the check.
Using attack rolls or spells to catch fish is also valid
--- Round 1 ---
Abittus scores a success - and a fish.
(Everyone else gets to roll)
And yes, when I played this, my undine PC did throw fish at the other PCs
| Speed: 30 ft| Conditions: None | Hero Points: 1/3 | | HP 86/86| AC 24 {25 w/ shield} | F: +13, R: +12, W: +11 | Perception: +11 {+1 on init} CN Human Figher 6 (archeologist dedication)
Rosa skirts to the edge of her teams area and draws an unusual sword. With a twist of the pommel the blade collapses into a series of linked segments. Waiting for the neighboring team to pull a silverscale from the water she flicks her blade over to snatch the fish off the line and add it to her teams pile.
Rosa manages to steal a fish from someone else's line while Clarence comes back from a successful hunt with an entire of fish. Meanwhile Hancock attempts sabotage .... but the bank collapses where he steps and he ends up into the water. ((Two more successes and one failure))
Trisha nearly had that one but it slipped away at the last second. It was SO close (failure)
Total of four successes and two failures this round.
Deka, your lines! shouts Demed.
Four lines snap in quick succession, causing those nearby to yell in surprise and frustration. While the crew hurries to pull the remaining line, Deka points at a dark shadow in the water.
The shadow belongs to Linesnapper, a young tiger shark that has been attracted to the tournament by the large concentration of fish.
One PC can attempt an Athletic Check to catch Linesnapper
| Speed: 30 ft| Conditions: None | Hero Points: 1/3 | | HP 86/86| AC 24 {25 w/ shield} | F: +13, R: +12, W: +11 | Perception: +11 {+1 on init} CN Human Figher 6 (archeologist dedication)
Tucking her sword away Rosa keeps her distance from the team. Drifting back into the crowd she starts making comments in the direction whomever is next to her at the moment, cheering loudly when Hancock lands the fish, and building support for the Pathfinder team.
Society:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
My thought is that's she's using crowd mentality to nudge the audience and show the judges her team has mass appeal
The crowd watches in amazement as Hancock grabs Linesnapper and throws him towards the bank. Other competitors grab it and dispatch it but the judges acknowledge that is Hancock's catch, so the point is credited to your team.
There is also a lot of cheering as Linesnapper is flung into the air and onto the bank.
--- Round 2 ---
Trisha - Success
Rosa - Critical Success
Everyone else to roll (yes, that includes you Hancock)
Although Clarence is a mountain of a man, he can act all stealthy like if he needs to. Unfortunately, more often than not, he's not as stealthy as he would like to be.
LN Male human swashbuckler 3 (Medium, Human, Humanoid) | AC 18 (19 with shield raised)| HP 26/28 | Fort +7; Ref +9; Will +8 | Perception +8
Skills:
Academia Lore +8, Acrobatics +7, Arcana +8, Diplomacy +8, Legal Lore +8, Library Lore +8, Medicine +6, Nature +6, Occultism +8, Pathfinder Society Lore +10, Performance +8, Religion +6, Society +8, Survival +6, Thievery +7
Abittus scans the competitors, looking for instances of rule violations that he can use to try and get other teams disqualified or incur fish penalties.
Legal Lore:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
"I must say, sir, several of those fish in your basket look to be several days old. And is the fin of that one sporting a price tag?" he inquires as he points at the basket of a nearby competitor.
Hancock - Critical Success
Clarence - Failure
Abittus - Success Well done for an innovative use
According to the scoreboard so far you have 11 points, Deka has 6 and Demed has 8.
((And this should have been at the beginning of this round - oh well))
Deka curses her luck, inspecting the damage. Almost all of our lines snapped, and we’re out of spares, she growls. With an angry sigh, she grabs her grappling hook and nods to the robust Chelaxian man holding the team’s only remaining line.
Never give up, right? asks the man with a grin.
Never give up, agrees Deka, hoisting her grappling hook. Never surrender
If any of you want to help Deka, roll a Crafting to repair the lines or a Diplomacy to convince other participants and bystanders to pitch in. (one roll only)
N/N male dwarf barbarian/6 | Init (Search) +11 | HP: 106/106 (10/10 temp HP raging), 3 fire resist, 2 mental resist) | AC: 23 | F/R/W: +14/10/11| Speed: 20' (+10' raging) | Acrobatics +10, Athletics +15, Diplomacy +10, Intimidation +7, legal +10, Medicine +12, Perception +11, Surv +9, Thievery +10 | Active Conditions: Raging if in combat
Going from zero to hero, Hancock is feeling a bit generous and, when he spots an injured player with a hook through his finger, jumps in and tries to help.
"Looks ugy. Wanme takalookit?"
Bruce tags along and informs the woman, who happened to be standing in an unwise location during a cast, "Hancock here is actually quite proficient in the science of medicine. You would not know it to look at him, but he has taken a number of courses at society headquarters."
| Speed: 30 ft| Conditions: None | Hero Points: 1/3 | | HP 86/86| AC 24 {25 w/ shield} | F: +13, R: +12, W: +11 | Perception: +11 {+1 on init} CN Human Figher 6 (archeologist dedication)
Using the scraps, discards, leftovers, and extra from helping Deka's team rebuild their lines Rosa builds a net for herself and casts it into the water.
