BUmping, again, for visibility. We have not yet found a candidate. Please let us know if you're interested.
My new position goes into effect in 4 weeks, and I'd rather not leave Choon high and dry.
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Bumping for visibility.
We have been collaborating on any rules questions via Discord, and trading off who is actively running the game in between encounters. It seems to have been working fairly well from my side, though Choon may disagree. I will note that our group is 6 players. I did convert all of the encounters through the end of the current book (book 2), though.
Storytime! A few months ago, I start a S&S game here on the forums. Things were going well, until my work decided to take on some new clients, and the workload increased. Thankfully, another GM was able to step in and take some of the load off of my shoulders. GM Choon has been an invaluable help to me since then, helping run the game with me side by side. Unfortunately, my work is shaking things up even further, and I will no longer have the time to take care of the game, at all. Choon has gracefully agreed to step in as the primary GM for the, but has requested that we recruit another co-gm to help him out, split the work, spread the load, etc. If you would be interested, we would love to hear from you!
So, as I already informed Choon privately, I had a meeting on Friday with my upper management about the restructuring. I am being fast-tracked for the management position I spoke about earlier. As such, once the transition happens, I won't have the time to keep up on this game. Thankfully, we do have Choon to take the lead, and we'll be seeking out another co-GM to take over so he won't be going it alone. I'll still be around for a bit longer to see the hand off, but I want to announce that, officially, I'll be taking my leave of this game. I do appreciate all of your attentiveness and gameplay so far. You guys have been great. And while I do wish that I could continue further, my real life has to take priority. I wish you all nothing but the best in your gaming endeavors.
I am, likewise, fine with them.
So, as it turns out, there is only one master bedroom. The only other bedroom belongs to the retainers, an elderly couple. Sergeant McCleagh sleeps in the guard barracks when he is not sharing Lady Agasta's bed. That said, the map designers at Paizo and the writers seem to have had a disconnect on what is and is not in the castle and on the island. So I'm gonna say there's actually some extra space on the ground floor behind the keep which holds a storeroom, a bunk room for officers, and a door to the greater island.
Once the officers make it back to the ship, and share the good news with their crew, they are able to celebrate (if any of them, aside from Baolus, still have room in their bellies for libations), but they are also able to sleep peacefully, in a protected harbor that is their own. The next morning, Buhaya approaches the group. She offers her services as caretaker/representative at the rock, in a more permanent role. If needed, though, she is also happy to captain the lugger back to port to sell it and await the Sunset Challenger to come and pick her up. Whatever the group needs. All told, the group's next move is their own. The seas are theirs to sail and plunder, as they see fit...
Hey guys. First off, let me apologize for the silence. Like I said on the 22nd, I have been travelling for work, and have been bone tired. Without giving away any proprietary information, I have no idea how some of these other sites make it through daily business without catastrophic failure. My trip has been extended another week just to try to clean up some of these messes. I'll try to get posts going again, but it may be intermittent or slow for a while. I'll try to get this scene wrapped up, at least. Choon, if you don't mind taking over after that, I would seriously appreciate it. Going forward, though, I have some uncertainty about the future of this game. Or, at the very least, my part in it. Thanks to the complete and utter deficiencies discovered by this audit, there are going to be some shakeups at my job. People are getting let go, other people are getting trained up and shuffled around, and promotions are happening. I'm in line to take a better position, but it would leave me with limited time to continue this game. Nothing is set in stone, yet. So don't start crying fire and brimstone. But a discussion needs to begin on contingency plans for if I am not able to continue. I'll be reaching out to Choon behind the scenes to work stuff out, so don't expect it to be in this thread, but I wanted to make you guys aware of what's going on. And I'll keep you in the loop. In other news, looking at the gameplay thread, we haven't got anything from Madiya or Tamesis in a while. Has anyone hear from either of them?
Lady Agasta nods, though there is a flicker of regret on her face, "Indeed, we do. In that case, I do believe we should welcome the new masters of the Rock. Sergeant, if you would be so kind as to relase the hostage, we can retire for the evening. Unfortunately, as it stands, we do not have any available beds. So you will need to return to your ship, unless you are sleeping on the floor or the roof. In the morning, I will provide you with your dowry." Royster motions to 1 of the guards, who moves down to the kitchen and releases Baolus. He is also given back all of the confiscated gear.
Lady Agasta allows herself a small smile, almost blushing, "I'll admit, I would prefer someone tall and muscular. But a marriage under Shackles law requires no....consummation. It doesn't even require the two partners to like each other, much less develop romance. I have no issue joining with any member of your crew."
Tamesis ordered her to remain on the ship. She actually volunteered to take control of the lugger while the group is in the tower. She sent Urgan in her stead.
Baolus:
The only items in the room are barrels. One might be broken, with effort, but it would also necessitate spilling the contents.
Baolus can hear the activity outside the door as the dinner is taken up to the others. Once the commotion dies down, the lock turns and the guard enters, bringing with him some hard tack and water. The guard says nothing, but watches Baolus closely. Once the food and water is delivered, the guard leaves and re-locks the door. Lady Agasta smiles at Sven, and listens implacably to the others as they speak up in turn. She turns to face Tamesis, searching the tiefling's face for a few moments, but doesn't betray any reaction. Once the pirates re done with their overtures, she speaks, keeping her eyes fixed on Tamesis, "Your people don't mince words, do they Captain? It has been my experience, though, that business should come after the meal,rather than before." She nods to an elderly man standing nearby as Sergeant McCleagh takes a free seat. Four other guards take standing positions in the corners of the room. The elderly man leaves the room, only to return a few moments later, accompanied by an equally aged woman, and presents a feast of boiled crab, butter-simmered sturgeon, goat cheese, and hard bread, washed down with copious amounts of ale and rum. During the meal, Lady Agasta makes small talk, even answers any questions the group has about the history of Tidewater Rock, the loss of her husband, or about herself in general. She deftly avoids revealing any tactical information about the Rock or it's defenses, though. Once the meal is done, and the plates are being cleared away, she smiles again at Tamesis, "Ok, Captain. Down to business. Your people speak of alliance. I am inclined to agree that one would be mutually beneficial, but you will understand if I require some assurances. So, I propose this: A marriage, under Shackles law." Her eyes shift to Sven as she speaks, and a wry smirk tugs at the corners of her mouth. Knowledge: Local DC 15:
This is a somewhat outdated tradition, but still valid. Under Shackles Law, two parties can agree to a mutually beneficial marriage relationship for a set period of time. During that time, each party enjoys the full benefits of marriage to his or her spouse and concomitant resources. Once the agreed-upon time period is up, however, either party can choose to divorce simply by stating as much, and each party returns amicably to his or her own holdings with no further strings attached. This was a particularly beneficial arrangement in the turbulent politics of the Shackles, as a Free Captain could marry a rival captain for a set period of time, thus ensuring that her rival’s fleet would not take action against her own. If love developed under such an arrangement, the marriage could continue indefinitely if both parties agreed to it. Sense Motive DC 14:
Sergeant McCleagh visibly stiffens at the offer, and his jaw locks up. His eyes look to Sven with a viscous, if momentary, glare, before falling to the table. He stays silent. Her gaze remains on Sven, "One year, certain. Though the future can be determined at a later date. In addition, I have some items to offer as a dowry. What do you say?"
Once the time comes near, Baolus is deposited on the front step in front of the door. Once the others retreat to the designated distance, the door is unbarred and opened, and Baolus is spirited inside. The door is closed and barred again behind him. A gruff, older man in armor and 2 younger guards thoroughly search Baolus and remove all his possessions, including his scarf and any jewelry, leaving him with only his basic clothing. The men escort Baolus up 2 floors. He gets a brief glimpse of a kitchen before he is locked in a room full of barrels of water. Outside the door, Baolus can hear the older man ordering a guard to stand watch over the door. He is also explicitly clear that if the alarm is raised, the guard is to enter the room and kill Baolus on the spot. After a few minutes, the door is re-opened, and the rest of the group is beckoned to approach. As they disembark, the gruff older man introduces himself as Sergeant Royster McCleagh, the head of the keep's defenses and Master at Arms. He advises that the pirates are free to keep their weapons and armor, but that the castle defenders will be keeping theirs, as well. He and 2 more guards lead the group up a tight stairwell to a small banquet room. A long oaken table that can seat up to 10 fills this room, over which hangs a heavy iron chandelier. An arrow slit alcove serves as a sideboard and generally holds a tapped keg of ale for meal times and off-duty guards. A wide window—the only true window in the castle—overlooks the picturesque harbor and admits a soft southerly breeze, but has sturdy oak shutters that can be barred from within. The lady who spoke earlier from the battlements is already seated at the head of the table when the group enters, though she stands to greet them as they enter, "Welcome. I am Lady Agasta Smyhtee. Please, have a seat."
I'll get a post up a bit later, Things are nuts at work. I'm also going to be travelling on business for the next couple of weeks, doing audits on other offices. I'll do my best to keep up my once-per-weekday pace, but I might have to miss a day. Just a heads up.
You know what, screw it. Go ahead and take it.
I posted some history of the Rock. If that information would change how your character would vote, I don't see any harm in retconning.
DC 20 Knowledge: Local or History: Tidewater Rock has changed hands several times throughout the years. The keep itself was built over 200 years ago, by a pirate named Magna Stormeyes. She eventually grew in power enough to be crowned Hurricane King, before being assassinated by rivals. Since then, ownership of the island has passed from captain to captain, until the rebellion of Sargava made it's location of less strategic importance. The most recent lord of Tidewater Rock was Bertram Smythee, captain of the Vale and three other brigs. Like his predecessors, he held Tidewater Rock as his seat, but controlled a few other small castles on surrounding islands as well.
Over a decade ago, “Iron Bert” Smythee went to sea with his small fleet in a feud with Free Captain Carola Antiochus and was never seen again. Word came back that Antiochus had lured Smythee into the edges of the Eye of Abendego and ambushed him with the help of a previously unknown ally—one Barnabas Harrigan—and that Smythee’s fleet was cut to pieces between the enemy fleets. Though Captain Smythee managed to sink Antiochus’s Pergador, he was last seen on the deck of the crippled and sinking Vale at the mercy of the Eye’s hurricane winds. Captain Harrigan claimed the remainder of Antiochus’s fleet and took control of several of Smythee’s undefended castles. He made an attempt to take the Tidewater Rock as well, only to discover that Smythee’s able widow had taken charge of its defenses. She managed to fend off his attack with such alacrity that Harrigan decided to leave the widow to rot in her tower.
You reached the island in the early morning, so you've got a few hours. Enough time for the prepared casters to redo spells, I suppose....
The pair move back from the ramparts and engage in a quick discussion, inaudible to the crew on the deck. When they return, it is the woman who speaks, "I am Lady Agasta Smythee. I would invite Captain Tamesis to dinner, tonight, at my table, to discuss the possibility of an alliance. However, we must ensure civility. One of your number must be presented as a hostage prior to entering. I will assure they are treated well, so long as the night remains peaceful. If you accept these terms, please return near sundown. Leave our hostage at the door to the keep, and back away into the harbor." She brooks no further discussion, and retreats from the ramparts, leaving the pirates with their invitation.
Buhayra volunteers to take command of the lugger herself, stating that her lack of diplomatic skill might actually be a liability. She sends Urgan in her place. As the ship coasts into the harbor peacefully, the ballistae on the walls hold fire, though they do adjust to keep aimed at the encroaching pirates. As the ship comes to a rest near the tower, 2 new shapes appear at the rampart, 1 male, the other female. The man is dressed in armor and has a gruff appearance, the woman is dressed more elegantly, almost formal. The man calls out, "State your intentions!"
If it is scouted below the waves, it can be found that there is no entrance to the tower below the waves. The island itself, which is about 2 miles long by 1 mile wide, is almost entirely surrounded by rough shingle and gravel beaches, unfit to beach a ship on. Only the harbor, a 1/4-mile wide channel that runs just south of the tower and ends in a lagoon large enough to safely hold 3 ships, provides a suitable landing area. The door to the keep sits right at the lagoon's edge. Under the water, powerful ebb tides and rip currents make swimming difficult, even for those who are acclimated to it.
Also if we take this place, we could make Blue the castellan of the tower! A good way to use a missing PC, no? That was my original plan. Giant Flying PiranhaLIke I needed more nightmare fuel... Right?
Spoiler:
As Sven flies over the top of the tower, he gets a better view of the tower. There appears to be only a single entrance, at the waterline. The only other openings are a single, small window in the wall and a staircase leading down from the ramparts on the top. The ramparts, which currently hold 2 ballistae, are currently manned by 2 armed and armored men. They are both currently focused on the pirate ships on the horizon, watching them with a spyglass. Their distraction seems to be all that keeps them from noticing Sven buzzing about. He is unable to get a good look inside the tower, however.
It would be really bad formGonna hafta agree with this. Same. And also I was trying to keep things moving.
The ships sail off, leaving the village in peace. On the journey to Tidewater Rock, Buhayra takes Urgan under her proverbial wing. The half-orc's skill at carpentry makes him invaluable to her, considering her own lack. The remainder of the trip is uneventful. Shortly after dawn on the fateful day, Tidewater Rock looms into view. A tower rises like a solid block from the sea at the edge of this island. The pounding surf rolls around its base and partially covers the steps that lead up to its front gate. A few arrow slitspierce its walls here and there, and a single shuttered window opens high upon the face of the fortress. A roof of metal shingles rises from its battlements where sentries keep lookout and siege weapons stand ready on corner turrets.
I do have a plan for having her exit the game, yes. Until then, she'll basically be a background NPC. Of course, Sven's idea is a good one. If you want to send her back to port with the lugger, you can do that, too.
Cog elects to have the majority of the crew stay aboard the 2 ships, in order to avoid any trouble. A few members of the crew petition to be allowed to go ashore, and are granted permission, but the majority stay aboard and prepare to set sail. As the members of the crew going ashore disembark, a group of guards approach. The leader identifies himself as the captain of the local defenders, and requests the identity of the sailors, as well as their intent. Once satisfied that the pirates mean them no harm, they allow the group unrestricted passage to the village itself.
The ship is resupplied fairly quickly and without incident. The scouts report that the village might be able to be looted to the tune of 1-2 points of plunder, though an additional 1 point could be gained by taking villagers and selling them as slaves.
Fishguts smiles sheepishly and returns to the galley. It doesn't take long for the lookout to call out a village. The ships change course and begin to sail in to the settlement. The village is small, and does not hold a dock large enough to handle the Challenger, though there is a sandy beach the larger ship can safely land on. As the ship's approach, the village's defenders can be seen loosely assembling, just in case the visit turns into a raid.
Over the next couple of days, the ships move westward. To the north, the slithering coast begins to make appearances, coming closer and closer with each day. At one point, Fishguts approaches Tamesis on deck, "Cap'n, if I c'n 'ave a word. We're gettin' close t' th' coast, now. There's boud t' be a few fishin' villages along this stretch. Wouldn' be a bad idea t' stop off an' stock up on supplies. Fresh fruit, n' the such. Or, y'know, the villages ain't likely to be tha' well defended. Migh' be a good way t' pick up some extra loot." A wry smile stretches over his face, "I've known some pirates t' do both, y'know? Land and trade durin' th' day, 'en swing back at night an' take 'em by surprise." "It's up t' you, cap'n, as always, but as a point of fact, swe could use some fresh supplies..."
Everyone: Urgan Legsnapper will be joining our ranks, replacing Buhayra. He will be introduced here shortly, in-game. Say hi!
The crew does indulge in Tamesis's offer to celbrate and welcome the new members into their ranks. While it takes some time to warm up, the Apsis sailors seem to unclench once the alcohol starts flowing. Come the morning, work begins on repairing the sails and rigging of the lugger. With the help of new members familiar with the ship's design and the large number of hands able to work, the repairs are done quickly, and the ships are able to sail on. Once crews and officers are split up, the ships get underway, back towards their destination of the Rock.
This whole thing has been my favorite part of this game, so far. A little bit of throwaway fluff to introduce the necklace, and it blossomed into all of this. Serious props to you guys. Kel, in particular. On a sadder note, I'm going to officially deem Buhayra as abandoned as of tomorrow. I'll be spending the day with my partner and his family tomorrow, but I'll try to reach out to some players who posted in recruitment to see if they'd be willing to come on as replacement. If any of you know any of them personally, I won't turn away recommendations.
Thanks to the efforts of Sven and Kehlysch, the entirety of the captured crew agrees to join the pirates. Baolus finds few trinkets on the bodies of the fallen, and even fewer that might be considered good luck. There are a few religious idols, mostly dedicated to archfiends or other vile entities. He is still able to pick up a couple of items, though.
With Tamesis's magically-enhanced aim, she is able to take down the marine with a single shot. Baolus swings twice at the captain, missing both times. Kehlysch wastes no time, however, finishing the job. Sven, meanwhile, finishes his swath of destruction by flattening the final marine. Madiya has no target to fire upon. As the battle settles, the last remaining skirmishes finish up. The battle was apparently devastating, with the Apsis Consortium crew having fought to the death rather than surrender, in most circumstances. There are prisoners taken, but far fewer than past captures. Searching the ship, 3 points of plunder can be found, made up of armor and weapons. The ship carries 1 each light ballista and light catapult.
Baolus fails to disarm the marine, both figuratively and literally. Sven, however, finishes off another marine with ease. Kehlysch, likewise, down his target. Tamesis misses twice, and though Madiya lands a hit, it is not enough to finish the captain. Buhayra attempts to finish the job.
The captain takes the hit, but doesn't drop. The marines step back in practiced discipline, continuing to strike at Sven and Baolus with their pikes. The captain, meanwhile, rushes forward with her rapier, stabbing at Baolus.
As Bailus and Sven rush in, the marines get their readied actions.
It does them no good. Sven utterly obliterates the poor man, while Baolus knocks the other's shortsword away. Kehlysch follows Bolus, wounding the now unarmed man. Tamesis, like Sven, lands an instantly fatal blow on the officer, taking him out of the fight entirely. Madiya lands a solid blow on the apparent captain, but not enough to bring her down. Buhayra follows Madiya's lead, attacking the captain.
The captain remains standing, despite the injuries. She pulls a potion from her belt and drinks it.
The marines move to keep Sven and Baolus at a distance, attacking with their boarding pikes.
Uhhhh. I really don't know. 2-3? Call it 3.
That was my operating assumption, yes.
Have at it, my friends.
As Kehlysch moves the ship to intercept, Tamesis's arrow strikes true, and the sails of the prey ship ignite. With the threat of the burning sails igniting the main deck, the crew of the other ship leap into action to smother the flames. As such, the ship slows to a halt and ceases to evade, providing the Challenger ample time to come about at their leisure and grapple the ship without any further incident.
As the ships are brought together, the pirate crew rushes across to engage their counterparts. Standing ready for the officers are 5 marines, led by 2 ship's officers.
They stand prepared to receive the pirates, but do not move to come across the gap first.
My plan was to wait until the month mark, then start looking for a new player. Probably reach out to one of the people who applied way back when. I do sort of feel bad, since Nairb seems to have dropped out of the world entirely. Like Baolus said, he doesn't seem to have posted anywhere, at least on Paizo. If it was just this game that he had abandoned, I would have started the replacement process even sooner...
Tamesis's arrow again flies wide, missing the mark entirely. Kel brings the ship around sharply and attempts to cut off the opposing ship's path. The enemy ship makes an attempt to swing wide and escape...
...and manages to do so, at least in part. The ship starts to speed up, matching speed with the Sunset Challenger, and starts to pull away, but can't continue it's motion indefinitely. .
Sorry for no response yesterday, I was sick and a little delerious. Still not feeling 100% today, but I'll try to get a post up. Adjusting your speed, ie slowing down, requires the Heave To action. So you'll still be moving at 60' this round, but you increase the DC of the other ship to do aynthing bu sail straight ahead.
Kehlysch: Could I have you clarify the actions you're taking when you post to pilot the ship in combat, please? I get the 90* turn for gaining the upper hand, but the rest I'm not sure about. Just in general, if you could reference the players guide and post what actions you're taking, so I can properly apply the actions. You also have control of the ship on the Roll20 map, so you can move around as you would your own token.
Kehlysch gets the ship moving quicker, and puts the Sunset Challenger directly in the path of the other ship, effectively creating a blockade. The other captain, though, takes advantage of the maneuver, and starts turning their ship to slip BEHIND the Challenger. Tamesis's arrow goes wide, but Madiya is able to line up a much more accurate shot. Iron balls connected by chains tear through sails and rigging. It's not enough to slow the ship down, just yet, though.
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