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I'm sorry guys, I thought I could adopt this but I'm having trouble fitting it into my style and I'm not having fun. I hope you all will be able to find another GM or another Skull and Shackles game. If someone does pick this game back up, they are free to use the resources I've created. Best wishes to all of your future gaming endeavors!
Everyone obediently drinks their run rations, but Lily staggers a bit from the drink. While the other pirates are eating dinner and getting run rations, a cleric of Besmara the Pirate Queen, goddess of piracy, sea monsters, and strife, approaches you. In a hushed voice, she beckons you over to an empty corner of the top deck. She's the pirate from earlier who objected to Mister Plugg's cruel punishment. “Here,” she produces a familiar spellbook and weapon and offers them back to their respective owners. “I told Grok the items were righteous artifacts blessed by Besmara that would bring a terrible curse on those who wrongfully held them.” These are items that some of the party would struggle to cope without. “My name is Sandara Quinn. On a pirate ship, it’s not what you know but who you know that helps you get by. Friends help each other out, enemies cause trouble - on a crowded pirate ship, this fact is essential for basic survival.” She pauses to see if you will accept her token of goodwill and agree to be allies.
After dinner, Tilly Bracket, one of the swabs, sits around a barrel with Maheen, a rigger you all recognize, and the cook, Fishguts. Several others crowd around them taking bets. It seems like the three of them are going to play Heave. The three of them sit around a makeshift table. Maheen scowls, Tilly smirks, and Fishguts rests his forearm on the table, "five gold to the last standin'" and the other two agree placing five gold on the table each. Then, they all chug down a pint of rum. (-2)
"Another" Tilly demands, staring hard into Fishguts' eyes. Someone brings them another round. (-2)
Tilly and Maheen look like they are starting to feel the effects of the rum. Tilly shakes her head and hands as if to keep herself awake. Maheen's scowl seems to slacken. (-5)
"Anothur," Fishguts slurs, resting an arm on his knee for balance. (-10)
Maheen falls off of the crate, hitting the floor. Tilly starts to laugh with the others, but is drunk as a skunk, unable to even pick up another serving of rum. Fishguts moves to stand in his victory, but staggers to the left ramming his shoulder into the ship mast. "Ish win!" He raises his filthy hands into the air.
That's a good question that I'll have to look into. I'm honestly not sure, Brunhild. But casting spells in front of the officers is no bueno. They would see it was aggressive behavior.
No worries, Ming! I'll typically DMPC after 24 hours. I ended up falling asleep early last night! :x This first day might seem a little slow because we are covering a lot of rules, but the other 20-something days will follow the same general pattern. Daily task, rum ration, dinner, evening time.
As dusk approaches, a half a pint of rum is distributed to each crew member. The rum is staggeringly strong. As the party is handed the rum, Tilly will lean over to whisper "the penalty for selling or spilling the ration is six lashes. Best drink up, me hearties." Tilly drinks all of hers in several swigs. From the way the rum is distributed, one might come to the conclusion that the rum ration is doled out more to keep the crew sated and docile than for recreation.
Liz learns the captain’s cabin girl, “Caulky” Tarroon, collects the officers’ food from the galley each evening to take to the captain’s cabin. Fishguts will explain that Caulky tastes everything to make sure it's not poisoned. Poisoning the captain or any officer is a horrendous crime, punishable by a triple keelhauling for the ship’s cook and his mate. Fishguts and Liz bring the rest of the pirates their food after consuming their rum rations. The food is a palatable turtle soup.
In the , Liz meets Fishguts, the Wormwood's cook, and Cut-Throat Grok, the quartermaster. She spends a decent amount of time talking and getting to know the two, but is unable to form a strong bond with Fishguts after only one day. Liz eventually heads up to the top deck, where she spots the rest of the party at work with their various tasks. She's able to give a nod or recognition, but turtle hunting takes up most of her focus as she's just able to procure the animals for Fishgut's recipe. On the , the swabs work on their daily task. Brunhild easily completes the task and is able to make some small talk in the process. Tilly laughs at the question. "Ye could say that. Me favorite plunder is the one that wets me lips. I can drink most of these seadogs under the table." She'll introduce herself as Tilly Bracket. Abel focuses on the task at hand, his back aching each time he has to lean down to pick up another rope. However, his dedication pays off, and he's able to complete the task nearly as well as Brunhild. Due to her excursion down below, Ellie isn't able to complete enough ropes in time. Near the end of the work period, Master Scouge approaches and looks down at her shoddy work and gives a severe verbal reprimand. "Ye son of a biscuit eater! Ye think this acceptable? Ye tryin' to run a rig on me, scallywag?" Master Scouge throws the rope to Ellie's feet. On the , Lily and Ming both complete their daily task while chatting with the fopplish gnome. Conchobhar Turlach Shortstone seems a little unprepared for Ming and Lily's responses. He seems like the over-confident type who is in love with himself. When asked how long he’s been aboard the Wormwood, Conchobhar explains “I made the mistake of gambling and drinking too late into the night when I was pressganged onto this ship. I’ve only been here for about a day, but I’ve always yearned for the sea.” Sense Motive 14 (Conchobhar):
Conchobhar skirts past a few key details. He actually gambled too much and with the wrong When Ellie slips below deck, all the areas she passes and enters seem to be occupied with working pirates. Nobody in the seems to pay Ellie much mind and she enters the without issue. Fishguts will look up from his food prep when Ellie enters, "ahoy. Arrived with Liz, did ye?" The galley is a cramped and chaotic kitchen that holds two wooden worktables, several wooden cupboards, and two small stoves against the port wall, as well as virtually every cooking utensil imaginable and a frightening array of meat cleavers. A score of chickens and three goats wander freely throughout the chamber; the goats are meant to be caged, but have a distressing tendency to escape their bonds. The kitchen is a madness of dirt, food, and knives, and finding anything in here requires a Perception check. The stoves are perpetually lit, and large cauldrons bubble away atop them all times. A huge array of spices mingle with barrels of rainwater, two tuns of rum, cupboards full of ship’s biscuit and salted beef, barrels of sauerkraut, and a small supply of fresh vegetables picked up in Port Peril. Fishguts doesn't seem too concerned with Ellie being in the galley, but he will tell her not to touch anything on account of the captain's wrath.
Y'all are in quite a few games though! Being several games can spread you a little thin at times, ya? :o I really want to play a Kingmaker game from the beginning to end, but I picky. I want my GM to have lots of visuals like RPGGGM's Kingmaker *here.* Actually, I mapped out most of book 1 and made the pairing hex map thinking I could maybe convince someone to run it if I provided visuals. I'm just picky about GMs. Maybe one day I'll find my golden goose Kingmaker GM... I'll nudge forward and DMPC Ming in five hours if needed.
No worries, Lily! If I nudged Gameplay too quickly and you wanted to squeeze in a bit more roleplay, please feel free to do it in a spoiler :) Also, I moved all the NPCs around on the Wormwood. I'm willing to do it for each day. However, if you all aren't interested or are typically too busy to look at the Wormwood slides, please let me know and I won't bother with the extra work/time investment.
At this point of the day, the party splits up to complete their various jobs. Liz heads downstairs to the Galley. Brunhild, Ellie, and Abel report to Master Scourge. Ming and Lily stay with Mister Plugg awaiting instructions.
☸☸☸
Liz makes her way to the Galley and initially finds Ambrose Kroop in a sorry state. His eyes are bloodshot and he reeks of rum. His chef’s apron is stained with a mixture of blood and vomit, some dry, some still wet. A female half-orc appears from the doorway of the quartermaster’s store . She’s wearing dark clothes, the sides of her head are shaved, and she has a huge scar across her neck. She grins toothily at you, “ayy matey, ye look like ye a bin swimmin in the sewers. Ye the new galley slave?” She doesn’t seem to concerned about Fishguts’ condition. “Fishguts, me heartie, ye new assistant is here,” the half-orc prods the cook. “Ye can call me Cut-Throat Grok,” she raises her head and motions to the huge scar across her neck. “I’m the ship’s quartermaster and this ‘ere’s Fishguts, the ship’s cook.” All the talking causes Fishguts to stir. He wipes the back of his mouth with a filthy hand and staggers to his feet. “Ahoy.” Fishguts begins moving around the galley, prepping the meals. You quickly learn Ambrose Kroop is the ship’s cook, nicknamed “Fishguts” by the crew, though whether this refers to the contents of his soups or the stains on his apron is unclear. His job is to bring the ship’s biscuit on deck at dawn for the crew, and prepare and serve the evening meal. Kroop is a drunkard, but not constantly inebriated. Like his friend Cut-Throat Grok, you get the feeling Kroop is from the school of hard knocks, but where Grok has become tough, Kroop has capitulated in the face of endless discipline and violence. “Oh. Need you to go turtle hunting. Fishin’ equipment should be on the top deck.” You imagine days working alongside Fishguts might be pleasant. At least, more pleasant than working under Mister Plugg or Master Scourge. ☸☸☸
Master Scourge immediately gets Brunhild, Ellie, and Abel working once they report to him. “Ye be doin’ repairs. She needs love in her sails.” Master Scourge walks the three to a messy pile of tangled ropes. It seems like the three of you will be splicing rope. Some of the rope is still good, so it will need to be untwisted and then interwoven with equally strong stands. Master Scourge will pickup a rope and form an eye. He only does it once but he calls over another pirate. “Tilly, ye be on repairs today. Show these landlubbers the hempen halter.” A tough looking woman joins you around the pile of ropes. “Aye aye.”
☸☸☸
Mister Plugg has a cruel smile on his face when he explains Lily and Ming will be hauling and knotting rope. The coils of rope and heave and have to be carried from one part of the ship to another. A handsome, honey-tongued gnome wearing a foppish purple hat, an eye patch, and a white silk shirt is on the rigging with you. He has a dandyish cane on his belt loop. His appearance is that of someone pretending to be a pirate, rather than a true buccaneer. He curls his mustache between his thumb and forefinger while looking down at a halfling woman scrubbing the deck. He looks over to you when you two approach. “Hello, doves. I suppose you were assigned to the rigging too?” The gnome introduces himself as Conchobhar Turlach Shortstone.
Just as a friendly reminder: Mister Plugg is a meanie. And I am GM Pirate Ventiine, lover of chocolate and small furry mammals. Two very different characters!
Brunhild is the first to grab the ropes, but struggles to find an initial foothold. Lily and Ellie follow suit, but they have a bit more trouble. Liz, however, struggles the most, panting and sweating during her entire attempt. Mister Plugg laughs at Liz's struggle. Finally, Madame Ming grabs hold of the ropes, passing the other four to the top. However, what normally amounts to Mister Plugg's entertainment, is interrupted by Abel. Abel doesn't resist as two burly pirates (a male half-orc and a big Rahadoumi with a permanent scowl) restrain him on either side, facing him towards the mainmast. The only extent to their kindness is to remove Abel's jacket. Mister Plugg approaches to tear off Abel's shirt from behind. The ruined fabric falls limply forward, exposing Abel's back and shoulders. "Two lashes I think," Mister Plugg sneers. He lifts his well-used weapon and brings it down hard on Abel's back. Just from one lash, the knotted throngs leave angry red welts on Abel's skin.
Mister Plugg and Abel have a small audience. The four other new recruits (a human female cleric of Besmara, a halfling female with a handaxe, a handsome gnome with a fopplish purple hat, and a human male wearing a blue Varisian scarf tied tight around his shaven head) all stare and watch with the rest of the party, helpless to do anything. There are also several other onlookers on deck - a young lad looks up from scrubbing the deck and a human female on the rigs stops her work to watch. You recognize a human male leaning on the railing as one of the pirates who herded you to deck, watching calmly. Mister Plugg raises his weapon and strikes down on Abel's back again. You hear a muffled sob, then the cleric of Besmara steps forward. "Please, Mister Plugg, hasn't-" Mister Plugg backhands her, sending the woman sprawling to the deck. "Avast you wench. Or this is the punishment you'll all be receiving." The two pirates holding Abel laugh. The woman holds her red cheek and glares up at the tyrant. The pirate leaning on the railing smirks. Mister Plugg turns back to Abel and strikes him again.
Then, just when the majority of onlookers think the punishment is over, Mister Plugg leans in close to Abel's ear. "And I'll be giving you an extra one for your girlfriend, shark bait." He brings down the cat-o’-nine-tails a third time.
The two burly pirates release their grip on Abel. The show is over. Mister Plugg looks at Madame Ming. "Congratulations. You work for me now." Mister Plugg smiles cruelly. Everyone regroups on the deck and Mister Plugg has you line up. “Any of you cook?” Mister Plugg eyes Liz, the fattest of the group, as if he's already made up his mind. "You’re a cook’s mate now. Go report to Ambrose Kroop in the galley.” "The rest of you are swabs. Go report to Master Scourge. You too, shark bait." You grimly realize injury doesn't excuse anyone from their job. The party can assume Master Scourge is the first pirate you all encountered upon waking up.
Instead of following orders, Abel is insubordinate and dallies to do math. He even has the audacity to ask for parchment and an ink pen in front of the officer. Mister Plugg's face twists into an ugly smile. "I see we got shark bait. Grab 'im boys." Two of the burly pirates who herded you to deck attempt to grab Abel under the armpits. Mister Plugg cracks his well-used cat-o’-nine-tails, watching as the two restrain the armorless and weaponless Abel.
With everyone on deck, the captain addresses the crew “Glad you could join us at last! Welcome to the Wormwood! My thanks for ‘volunteering’ to join my crew. I’m Barnabas Harrigan. That’s Captain Barnabas Harrigan to you, not that you’ll ever need to address me. I have only one rule - don’t speak to me. I like talk, but I don’t like your talk. Follow that rule and we’ll all get along fine. “Oh, and one more thing. Even with you new recruits, we’re still short-handed, and I aim to keep what crew I have. There’ll be a keelhaulin’ for anyone caught killin’ anyone. Mr. Plugg! If you’d be so kind as to make pirates out of these landlubbers, it’ll save me having to put them in the sweatbox for a year and a day before I make pies out of ’em.” At the end of his speech, the captain walks away, leaving behind the man with the cat-o’-nine-tails. This must be Mister Plugg, the Wormwood’s first mate. He looks down at you and other impressed captives and smiles unpleasantly. “Alright you lily-livered landlubbers, climb to the crow’s nest on the mainmast above the main deck as fast as you can. Do it quick or I’ll let you take a swim in the briney deep. Saavy?” He touches his well-used cat-o’-nine-tails and continues to smile unpleasantly as if daring someone to hesitate or refuse him. Looking up, you can see that the crow’s nest is about 60 feet above deck. It will take four successful climb checks to make it to the top. Climb 10:
You successfully climb a quarter of the way up.
"Ye be on the Wormwood," the leader answers, shoving Ellie towards the ladder. The man and his six pirate cronies herd you through what appears to be a ship and up the stairs to the main deck. As you’re being led, you begin to adjust to your surroundings and may be deducing what happened to you. You remember indulging in either spicy food or spicy rum late last night. Abel can't recall anything about the Wormwood or who its captain might be. Perception 10:
You discern the aftertaste of oily nutmeg on the tongue. Alchemy 15 or Knowledge Nature 10:
You realize you were drugged. The oily nutmeg taste on the tongue is a clear sign of oil of taggit poisoning. Intelligence 10:
You remember seeing the face of the man prodding you to the main deck. He was leading the pressgang!
As you reach the main deck, either of their own volition or under duress, it’s quickly apparent that you are on a sizable ship in the middle of the ocean, far from any land. Port Peril and the mainland of the Shackles are just an ochre haze many miles astern. Figures cluster around the ship’s mainmast, looking up at the higher deck on the stern, where two figures stand. One of them is a broad, muscular Garundi man with a shaven head, a long beard bound with gold rings, and an eye patch - clearly the captain. The other is a younger, balding man with a long black ponytail, wearing a long coat and carrying a well-used cat-o’-nine-tails. To your side, you all notice you're not the only new recruits — four others are standing with them on the deck, set apart by their relative cleanliness and their apparent unease with their newfound situation. A dozen or so other pirates, clearly existing members of the crew, stand about on the deck or in the ship’s rigging. The four other new recuits are a human female cleric of Besmara, a halfling female with a handaxe, a handsome gnome with a fopplish purple hat, and a human male wearing a blue Varisian scarf tied tight around his shaven head. There are a few murmurs on deck, but everyone seems to be waiting for the captain to speak.
Just to gauge the table speed, how often would you all like to be able to post? And are there certain days for you that are crazy busy?
You wake up with a pounding headache and the sickly taste of cheap wine in your mouth. You’re on the hard floor. There’s a rhythmic creaking noise, and the feeling of the room swaying, as if you were still drunk. The memories of the night before slowly wade back into your mind - the ringing laughter of a wild night, the heady joy of excess, the scents of rich stewed meat and perfume lingering in your nostrils. However, before you have time to do much other than sit up, several pairs of heavy footsteps enter the dark room, and the harsh light of a lantern painfully spears into your eyes. Squinting up, you see a sneering man with a braided beard and a mouth full of gold teeth. His body is tall and thin, and even his long coat and heavy boots fail to give any impression of strength or bulk. He’s flanked by six rough-looking pirates, armed with saps. An expression that might be mistaken for pain but which is clearly an attempt at a smile bruises the man’s face as he cracks the whip in his hand and screams “Still abed with the sun over the yardarm? On your feet, ye filthy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Cap’n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!” You quickly discover that most, if not all, of your weapons and equipment are gone! The man cracks his whip again, this time it lands inches from someone’s pinky finger. Two of the six rough-looking pirates flex their arms, eagerly gripping their saps for a chance to discipline filthy uncooperative swabs.
Hello, I’m Ventiine! I am filling in as a temporary GM. I will take this table through the completion of book 1 (levels 1-4) with the hopes katataban will return or perhaps another person will step up to GM. Until I have temporary ownership of this thread, please reference this initial post for resource links:
Expectations
I would like to try to keep a steady pace, but my Ruins of Azlant game will get priority posting over this one. (My Ruins of Azlant game is my baby.) For this game, I will try to average 1 to 2 posts a day. I am mapping out the first book in a “storybook” as I go for my own personal clarity and others viewing pleasure. I take three vacations a year and I don’t have a laptop. Posting during my designated vacation time will be spotty as I’ll only have my phone. I will give notice ahead of time on the Discussion tab. My expectations for players are that everyone will communicate and overexplain when in doubt. No stealing or harming other player characters unless both individuals agree out of game. NPCs are free game, but I should warn you that the majority of them are pretty nasty when the party is just starting. Before you post in Gameplay
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