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You might be thinking of Zuca- they're just about perfect for hauling lots of game books. My one critique is that mine doesn't have hard storage compartments but you can also just stick a small tackle box inside to protect delicate stuff. And it makes a great - if somewhat hard and metallic - seat.
Agreed - there are a few different ways that could be hand waved (or maybe even justified): Spoiler:
I sort of assumed the cook was, first and foremost, terrible at making appetizing food. You could play it several ways...
1. As part of the opening narrative, describe the misery on the journey- swelling seas, rain, miserable dampness, and stomach cramps from the terrible food. Assume the cook is doing a bad job of dosing and the poison effects are mild - and not easily distinguishable from the effects of spoilage. 2. The Society generously provided rations that covered much of the journey. If they sample the on ship food, ask for very low fort saves. If they fail, they get stomach cramps with no mechanical impact. A lot of the old factions have current analogues if you feel like applying the mechanics - but a die roll is much quicker! You can also pick the culprit who seems most entertaining.
This is one of my favorite scenarios! Most of the time, I'll have the person the PC's confront bring up other possible suspects. More in the spoiler! Confronting a Suspect:
I prepped a spreadsheet with each suspect, their motive, how they did it, and how they spent the night if innocent. I don't recall there being much in the way of physical evidence or ironclad proof of guilt. IIRC, it's more about the various NPC's testimony.
Since the scenario is designed to allow for several different murderers, many on the crew have really plausible motives. The crew members are also rather gossipy and happy to share their thoughts. If I'm lucky as a GM, the PC's start with a couple "innocents" who might suspect a person other than the murderer. Those first interviews might point places other than the BBG. Having the BBG deflect them towards another crew member (or even one mentioned by the others) won't be *that* suspicious given what they've already encountered in the first interviews. It can be a delicate balance, though - one group joked about wanting to sink the whole boat of miscreants. My main frustration running the scenario is the captain's refusal to accept any evidence presented to him. Yes, it's in character given that the scenario suggests he's got a good chunk of the crew ready to be mutineers but it's incredibly frustrating for the players. One group ended up asking the captain if they could air their suspicions out over dinner, which worked out really well. The PC's presented their convincing evidence at dinner and ended up triggering not just the cook's encounter (she thought they were accusing her) but also the final confrontation. It was a wonderful resolution to the murder mystery- a dinner with courses of accusations, poisoned stew and fierce combat. The players loved the feeling of being in charge of the dramatic reveal. One thing I've found the players appreciate is having separate index cards for all the people on the ship. If you use the flip mat, you can just put the cards in their corresponding locations. It makes navigating the map and sorting the suspects from the non-suspects easier. Have fun running it!
Babble appears to be a tremendously entertaining spell. I plan to give it to my bard ASAP but I also wanted to run my read of the mechanics past the messageboard. Babble is a short range spell, so a 4th level bard would only be able to cast it with a range of 35 feet. Since the subject of the babble fascinates creatures within 30 feet, if the bard isn't careful about moving back, he could end up fascinated by the babbling subject. The babbling subject can also move while nauseated, so the subject could use that move action to rush towards the PC's, babbling and forcing will saves from everybody within 30 feet. Does that sound like the correct read of the spell mechanics? If so, I'll definitely classify this one as entertaining but not necessarily good tactics in all situations. Excellent for distracting a crowded tavern or ruining a rival's performance, though. |
