GM --- Skull & Shackles's page

Bad luck all around.

The night passes slowly as the ship sways from the added motion from the more powerful waves. Thunder rumbles in the distance, coming closer and a few of the pirates awaken, their sleep uneasy. The night is barely halfway through when a loud boom of thunder awakens most of the crew, the increased pitching and rolling causing fitfull, half-sleep.

A loud voice booms down into the hold, the voice of Master Scourge.

"ALL HANDS ON DECK!"

The ship suddenly pitches, causing a few of the pirates to tumble out of their beds, onto the ground.

Everyone needs to make an Acrobatics check to either stay in their hammocks, or land gracefully on the ground.

Amerdan sits down somewhat forcefully beside Chonchobhar. Amerdan looks at the halfling dandy with a deadpan expression.

"Your clothing is very colorful," Amerdan states plainly.

"Would you like to be friends?" The sea witch's now-squinted eyes do not blink, which the halfling may or may not consider unsettling.

[dice=Diplomacy]1d20-1

Of course.

Gnome, actually.

"My, my!" says the dandy. "I'd love to continue our conversation but it looks like I need to be getting down below for my beauty rest. We wouldn't want the First Mate to be upset with my work on the morrow. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Amsterdam. Yes, indeed you should!" he says as he scurries off.

Jasmine will follow Grok, hopefully a a bit of distance, trying to be steatlthy but act a bit sluggishly drunk. Attepting to determine if Grok makes it to the store or not.

[dice=Stealth Untrained]1d20+3

If she fails she tries to act drunk bouncing off a wall.

Bad luck with the 6's.

Grok does notice you and shoos you back down to the crew quarters, too drunk to be too suspicious, but you shouldn't try your luck much further. You do notice that she locks up the store before stumbling towards her quarters.

As Ned's fist connects with Owlbear's kidney the big man staggers back and his lower lip trembles before he bursts into tears.

"No more! No more! Please, no more hurt!" he blubbers as he stumbles away from Ned, trying to get away. The circle of pirates, most of them lickspittles for both Plugg and Scourge, push him back roughly towards the Besmaran cleric.

"Go on, ye big cry baby! Finish the lubber off!" yells out Plugg, disgust and scorn, moreso than usual, drips from every word. Owlbear turns his pleading, red-rimmed eyes towards Ned and cringes as he cries even harder, his face covered in snot and tears.

"Please! Don't hit me no more! I be good!" he says in a fear-choked, childlike voice.

He spent his round picking the weapon up and feeling all proud of himself.

Gah! I found a laptop that I want to pick up via kijiji, but I won't know if it's still available until I get a response. Hopefully I'll have something within the next few days and then we can get back on track.

Well. At least theoretically. I'm also picking up Diablo 3 so we'll see how much of my soul it eats.

Ned's first swing manages to miss Owlbear and the counter-attack doesn't even come close to touching the priest with his wild, and slow, swing. It's evident that Seijiro wasn't knocked out by skill but by pure, dumb luck on the brute's part. Ned's fist connects easily with Owlbear's stomach and he responds with a jab a foot off from where Ned is bobbing and weaving.

"Stand still so's I can hit you!", whines the big man.

Unfortunately not, and probably not for some time.

Sorry about the late update, didn't mean to let it drag so long but the two times I had a post set the damn laptop froze up. NOT INCONVENIENT AT ALL!

You would have easily found someone to bet against you. Odds are pretty much 1:1 since everything is pretty spontaneous. Plugg's reward isn't so much a bet as an incentive to get you guys to fight Owlbear.

Gods. That was a shitty set of rolls against Seijiro.

Sorry?

Just as an update: My cat knocked my laptop off the couch a while ago, giving it a nice big crack and it now will freeze at the drop of a dime, randomly blue screens and overheats as the fan isn't working. I really don't have the cash to fix/replace it at the moment so my posts will become even more sporadic as it just finds the worst time to stop working. I'm also going to be hit with even heavier work hours, so bare with me on the slow updates.

The waterproof pouch is, essentially, a belt pouch designed to (mostly) protect its contents from water, so it can hold up to 10 lbs. or 1/5 cubic ft. worth of items.

Unless anyone has anything else to do, the rest of the day is fairly uneventful. Plugg just sends you back to your respective jobs when you report your success and Scourge looks disappointed that whatever was down there didn't eat you. Jack Scrimshaw seems impressed with you guys, having been bit by the "monster" in the bilges and quickly spreads the story of how your group slew the creatures lurking below deck (for this evening, everyone receives a +2 circumstance bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks due to your temporarily elevated status).

Once the sun sets and the "Bloody Hour" comes about, both Lucky Ned and Cog are slated for lashings, the former for destroying some rigging earlier in the day. Cog receives 3 lashes and is swooning with pain at the end of it, glaring death towards Scourge before he stumbles off to get his evening meal.

Ned is secured to the post and lashed into unconsciousness and unceremoniously dragged off and dropped on deck.

The next thing he knows is he feels the tingling spray of warm sea water as Sandara finishes weaving her curative magic into him (regain 11 hit points). "T'was a nasty lashin'. Yer lucky t'have me aboard t'patch ye up." she says with a wry smile.

That's correct. 1500 to go!

If you post a lookout, you can actually sift through here for a couple of hours before anyone even bothers to come by and see what's taking you so long, so everyone can effectively take 20 on the Perception check to search the bilges.

The group spends 40 minutes sifting through the crates, hay and the dark waters to see what they can come up with...

In the crates there is a suit of studded leather armor, 3 heavy maces, and 12 silver pieces. Searching the water takes more time but by the time you've all sifted through the murky liquid from one end of the bilges to the other, you've managed to find a buckler, a finely crafted (masterwork) handaxe, a vial of holy water, marked with Besmara's skull and crossbones, and a waterproof pouch containing a tanglefoot bag, 2 tindertwigs, and 21 gold pieces.

Jasmine's electrical attack cooks the flesh from the two rats flanking her and Seijiro makes quick work of the last dire rat.

The smell of burnt fur and cooking meat mingles with the already terrible scent. The few rats that didn't die outright twitch under the bilge water, drowning.

Everyone gains 200 XP

Jasmine can target 3 rats without taking any attacks of opportunity, including the one already injured. Electricity spreads from her body and electrocutes the creatures, which shriek in agony, and one of them passes out from the pain.

Seijiro follows by moving with deft surety across the bilges and dodges behind one of the rats before burying his dagger into its spine. It falls into the water, unconscious.

The remaining four rats move to swarm both Seijiro and Jasmine, two on each of them and one leaves itself open to the kitsune's attacks (I took the opportunity to roll your AoO; if you'd like me to avoid it in the future, let me know). He pierces the rat's lungs with his weapon and it drops. One of the rats attempts to bite Seijiro, who dodges out of the way. The other two snap their teeth at the elven woman and while she avoids one of them, the other bites into her flesh painfully (Jasmine takes 2 points of damage and must make a Fortitude save).

There are three rats left, two are severely injured, the other is at full health. Two are flanking Jasmine and the third is behind Seijiro. The other three are dying.

End of Round 1. Back at the top with Amerdan.

For combat, I'm going to suggest that everyone post what they're planning on doing for their round (and one alternative set of actions, should it be applicable) and I'll resolve things as they come. In the future I'll also roll initiative to speed things up.

So, example: The dire rats are going to move up to Jasmine and bite her (1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22; 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 damage [minimum 1 nonlethal]), attempting to avoid provoking all AoOs. If that's not possible, they'll move to flank the nearest target and swarm them.

Amerdan's scream ripples through the dire rat but it manages to shake off the majority of the spell, though not without suffering agony (3 points of sonic damage).

6 dire rats still remain, 1 has taken 3 points of damage. .

These are dire rats. The thing to worry most about these creatures are their bites, which can infect unlucky people with filth fever.

Seijiro's sharp eyes make out the form of around six creatures, around two feet long, that look like giant rats, moving in the water. They're attracted by the movement and light and start to converge on Seijiro!

Enemy Initiative 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Players can attempt a DC 10 Knowledge (nature) check to identify the creatures.

The creak of the ship and muffled sounds of moving crew are the only things that break the silence as you open the hatch to the bilges with some effort (DC 10 Strength check). The smell is terrible, a horrific mix of brackish water, mould, urine and worse wafts up from the hold, and the few alchemical lanterns in the hold with you do little to pierce the gloom in the room below you. Worse yet, you can feel the oppressive sweltering heat of the bilges below, far worse than the sunny weather above.

The area below is 30 feet by 20 feet at the widest point, with a bilge pump directly 7 feet to the stern of the ship. 6 feet to the aft of the ladder is a piller. The floor is covered with a half-foot of foul smelling, brackish water and discarded crates and boxes packed with straw litter the area. Its easy to discern movement in the ripples of the water before entering as something, or somethings move about under the surface.

The bilges are considered very hot (environmental condition) at the moment.

Jasmine groans, and not the type of groan "Unlucky Ned" would like to hear escape from her pouty lips. Jasmine moves down the stairs first to Grok's store to see if there is weapon to be had.

Jasmine will inquire about the cost for two daggers, Grok mentioned he had daggers yesterday - Get one for me and one for Amerdan that Sirijo seems to have a few already, - and if he had a club. She would try to negotiate the price down, if possible.

[dice=diplo w/o the trait modifier]1d20+5

As far as clubs go, you can find discarded timber in the holds that does the job just fine and you can purchase a pair of daggers from Grok for 2 gold pieces.

Yeah, I've become very busy at work and I also work 6 days a week and am in 3 games (not including this one) on top of everything else so my free time has been cut just a tad but I try to get things posted when I have a minute or twenty to spare.

After downing his spirits, Amerdan approaches the carpenter-surgeon once more, empty cup of rum in hand. He sets himself down next to him and looks the man squarely in the eyes.

"I don't believe we got off the on the right foot earlier. I didn't mean to imply that you were unfamiliar with the herbs I mentioned, of course you are. I, however, know nothing of surgery and didn't want to ask to learn from you while offering nothing in return. I believe only in fair bargains. Is there anything I can offer you in return for a share of your knowledge?"

Can Amerdan use Sense Motive to get a hint of what might get him on the carpenter's good side?

Sense Motive check 1d20+2

Diplomacy check, Cha +0, circumstance +2 1d20+2

Habbly is deep in his cups and in the midst of a game of dice, but he seems much more patient now then he was earlier. "Word of advice, lad. If ye can keep from becomin' a sawbones, step away. Keep to yer herbs. Learnin' the tools can take months, a hard stomach and I don't have the time right now for an apprentice." he pauses for a moment. "Ye prove yerself a useful member of the crew, ye stay alive long enough an' ye show ye'd have the stomach fer it, I'll think on it, alright?"

Grog check for Jasmine, she spent her day influencing Ambtrose to loan her coin.

1/2 Effect rolls for Grog

[dice=Cha]1d2 Jasmine's eyes are bluer no an she even more flirtation. Her tatoo looks as if it is moving around, sweeping up her leg.

[dice=Fatigued]1d4 She is touch more tired from being the center of attenton

[dice=Con]1d2 but it not doing her much physical harm

[dice=Fort or Addition]1d20+0 and nobody need tocarry her off ot the hammocks as she has retained her wits about herself.

After her nightly consumption of her grog, Jasmine will get up and look for Riaris Krine – Master Gunner, peg leg, foul mouth, female with dark skin. Attitude - unknown. Jasmin would strike up a conversation with Riaris, flirting if it will work, batting her eyes, and letting her wind blows air look seductive.

[dice=DIPLO]1d20+6 Chaatting about places I've been and the fun that was had there. Apparently she doe not like me.

Maybe it was something you said, maybe it was something you did, maybe she's just had too much alcohol but the result of your conversation was her chasing you and threatening to kill you while a few fellow officers restrained her and calmed her down.

Having read both the text in the profile and the one about Jobs on the Wormwood, I have a few questions if you won't mind:

So could I take this late afternoon to Influence a certain red-haired NPC?

When would you want me to declare the actions and roll the check? And what is that check anyway?

You can take it as your "nighttime action". Basically it's a strait Diplomacy roll to increase your party's standing with the NPC. She's already as influenced as she can be with the party starting out (sitting at Helpful). So when the rations come about you just let me know what action you're taking and I'll weave it in. In the morning Ned will be assigned a job. Since Allysen is MIA you'll end up being the cook's mate, which is potentially both the easiest and hardest job on board.

Amerdan smiles weakly at Ned's response, pleased that the cad can at least recognize his own shortcomings. When Cut-Throat comes by, Amerdan goes for the straight rum and makes a show of it. The witch chugs it hard and slams his cup down on the table.

Bonus to Charisma-based skill checks 1d4

Fatigue duration in hours 1d4

Constitution damage 1d3

Fortitude to resist addiction, DC 5 1d20+1

Grok laughs in amusement and the crew members who are witness to Amerdan's show of bravado cheer. He may not be the most social of folk but few have the stomach to take the rum ration strait and down a full half pint.

The bonus is to Charisma, not the skill checks, but you do have another +2 circumstance bonus on all Charisma based skill checks to influence the crew due to your show.

He gets up and walks over to young Jake Scrimshaw and sits by him, and starts talking to him about his carvings, eventually coming round to asking him to carve something into the face of his harmonica, which might just be whalebone, not ivory, but it's still carvable. He talks to Jake a bit, asking how he came to be aboard the Wormwood and shares his own tale of woe on arriving here.

If Jake agrees to carve something into his harmonica, he'll hand it over to him with a smile and a word of thanks. If Jake wants to be paid for his work, he'll offer him gold for his work and negotiate with him generously.

basically trying to befriend the lad, so diplomacy? 1d20+1

Jake was press ganged a few weeks ago and is the son of a fisherman. He's fairly skilled with his carvings, a few of the crewmembers already carry some of his pieces around as good luck and will happily agreeing to put a carving into the harmonica.

"How 'bout a beautiful mermaid, so ye'll always have a pretty lady on yer lips when ya make yer sweet music?" he asks. "Or a swallow t'help ya find yer way home when lost?"

Hey Ned-go through my profile. There's some handy info for the players there if you haven't seen it yet.

No retcon, I'm really not a fan of doing that. Right now she's MIA as far as the crew is concerned. Nobody has seen her and she's presumed either overboard, or hiding somewhere.

Everyone seems to be pleased with Seijiro's performance and a few sailors join in by making up bawdy lyrics for the tune, and others start to pick up at each new line.

"Once there was a tavern wench
In the Black Swan Hostel,
Her mistress was a lady
And her master was a swell.

They busted every maidenhead
That came within their spell.
But they never made the wench
From the Black Swan Hostel..."

He's clingin to your dodo for dear life!

Hanging off a piece of flotsam for dear life is a man with dark hair and a beard, dressed in a long black coat. He is completely soaked and barely conscious, almost indiscernible in the rapidly darkening waters. A few of the sailors bring alchemical lamps closer to shine at the man and Plugg starts to shout orders to the crew. Captain Harrigan watches with dark amusement as the sea seems to have provided him with yet a new crewmate...

Also, so you're in the same "boat" as the other players, as it were, you'll have your holy symbol and one weapon. The rest of your gear is down in the depths. Don't worry, you can get equipment the same way as everyone else.

I know I'm springing this on you but essentially, Ned, you're the man overboard, hanging on semi-conscious for dear life on some flotsam from a scuttled ship. We can work out the details later on how this happened, but you're "Lucky Ned". You're lucky! And this isn't the first time this has happened.

Alright, we have our next recruit on his way, shouldn't be too long now. Maybe then people will find out who is overboard...

Eddard Stark... err... Sharp, please make your way to the discussion thread. ;)

As everyone is settling down, a loud voice splits across the ship as a pirate's sharp eyes catch sight of something in the water.

"MAN OVERBOARD!"

The crew is up on their feet, quick as you will, and move to the starboard side to see what was spotted.

"MIND THE TRIM! WHAT ARE YE? LUBBERS?!" screams out Mister Plugg in irritation at the sudden surge of bored pirates finally seeing something out of the ordinary on this quiet voyage.

ThatEvilGuy wrote:

I'm giving the player about 12 hours to get back to me before I do the switch so people have about that much time to submit.

So is this still open?

It is. I've been busy at work and with another game for the most part so I haven't had too much time to review yet. Thankfully, I'm free for a few hours right now.

Yeah, I saw she was in another game and I prefer filling a slot with someone who isn't playing the campaign already to give players a chance to experience it.

Should we assume that we continue our respective jobs as usual?

Knowing that he needs to get his healer's kit returned to him soon and that the ship's carpenter could easily fashion him a quarterstaff, Amerdan attempts to buddy up with Habbly Quarne.

If Amerdan can find the man, he'll approach him with the following:

"You are called Habbly, am I right? I understand that we share a common interest in medicine. While I have little experience in surgery, I am a practiced herbalist and I can help sedate your patients before surgery. I also know the herbs that soften pain, bring on sleep, and speed recovery. Perhaps we could both benefit from an exchange of our knowledge?"

Diplomacy check: *gulp* 1d20-1

Well, here's hoping he has a huge Charisma penalty.

"What do ye take me for? A novice surgeon? I know about those herbs, I even use them on my patients sometimes. Don't you have a job to do or were you assigned to bother me? Get back to work before I let Scourge know you're slacking!" replies the Stitchman, obviously irritated.

Daily tasks are allotted to the crew once everyone is on deck, as usual.

Amerdan has been assigned repair duty (DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity check) which is comprised of sewing sails, splicing rope and other such duties. Jasmine will be doing rope work today (DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Strength check. You must make a DC 10 Constitution check to avoid being fatigued at the end of your shift) such as tying and untying knots in the ship's ropes and moving heavy coils of rope from one part of the ship to another. Seijiro will be on mainsail today (DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Strength check. You must make a DC 10 Constitution check to avoid being fatigued at the end of your shift) which is raising and lowering the mainsail upon command.

Just bumpin' the thread.

Seijiro tries to slip over to the Quartermaster's office before breakfast. I assume this will count as his action for the day. If Grok is there, he will try to buy that rapier, whether it was originally his own or not.

It's 20 gp and it is your rapier. Buying back your stuff. What profit!

Also, I'm going to put a hold on until we get player #4 chosen again. I got a PM from Ally letting me know that he's gotta drop out to take some time away from the forums. I'll have things starting to run again within the next 6 hours or so, hopefully.

What might work is have you guys group your rolls based on blocks of days where nothing much happens and then throw in the events where big things do happen.

So perhaps having a (@charname: job + DCs) then wait for everyone to tell me what their action is and then set up the RPs?

The Wormwood
Day Four

Weather: Clear
Course: Southwest, passing to the east of Dahak's Teeth

Another day on the Wormwood begins and the crew begins to make its way up onto the main deck. The routine has been established and the amount of discipline both Plugg and Scourge enforce, as well as the nightly grog, has kept the crew relatively quiet despite how most of them are victims of impressment. Sandara and Rosie both say hello to the group and Cog, despite having an ugly look on his face, at least doesn't glare at them as he makes his way on deck.

I hear ya loud and clear. I'm going to try and get more posting done, I've been pretty busy lately.

On another side note, Allysen's player has been MIA from this and my girl's game, but I've heard that cons are big this time o' year so that could be what's going on.

If worse comes to worse, I think Ally's alt. is in another game so I may be looking at another recruitment. What's the usual "allotted" time that player's are allowed? I don't want to be a dick and go "YOU ARE REMOVED FOR NOT POSTING!!!111" but I also want to get things moving a little faster.

Would Scourge in anyway know who my father is?

Highly unlikely, especially if he sailed a long time ago. Scourge isn't exactly a student of history.