Thanks for the game, GM. I've loved your style of running things. If you ever decide to pick this up again, or start a new game, let me know. Hope things get easier for you soon.
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Looks like it.
Checking in.
GM, I have a whole bunch of Roll20 art assets, including a couple nautical packs. If you want, I could whip up a full-scale battle map on my account and promote you to GM.
Nivain's straightforward call to action and Johara's enthusiasm were infectious. Sandman's usual caution was cast aside and a rare smile crept over his face. His scars rippled and hardened.
Sandman peered over the water, but his eyes weren't good enough to make out the markings. "Who are they?"
I'd prefer to keep Fargrim. He's great. If retraining to other classes doesn't appeal, there's also the VMC option as a way to pick up a Hex. That lets anyone join a coven. It's hard on feats, but the trade off seems worth it in the end. Those coven powers are tasty.
They do. Any character with the Hex class ability can take Coven Hex.
I think that's a great plan. Having either of the two of them make a Hex user would also round out our coven again.
Reign of Winter seems like it's been slowly choking for quite a while now, and I don't think it has a lot to do with you as a GM. The party isn't terribly cohesive and we kinda lost the plot a while ago. I can understand wanting to let that one end. This game gathers momentum extremely easily, and has an impressively cohesive group. I can see it being difficult to run just by virtue of having tons of crew NPCs to worry about, and being so open ended and player driven at this point that it's hard to plan ahead for what's going to happen next.
That would work. I was thinking that Nivian would take you as an apprentice and give you the crash course or something.
I've loved this game. Thanks for all your efforts, GM. I hope things get sorted out soon. If you ever decide to run something again, let me know. I'd jump at the chance. I'm also in favor of trying to find a GM willing to pick up the game. This party is too much fun to just let things go. I think we might have lost Baltzar too, so our Coven needs a third. If we can get a new GM to sign on, would Johara or Fargrim be interested in retraining into a class with Hexes to complete our circle?
Great. Where are we keeping track of that stuff?
I'd like to know some details about the logistical side of things. How much money did we make from selling the ship we captured? How much did it cover our debt to Rickity? Did we have enough left over to pay the crew? Besides that, my priority is still getting the ship fully crewed. Here's my thoughts- Hunt down 1 more ship and sell the plunder. Then go to a decent sized port and try to do some hiring.
Checking in.
"Her guns aren't deployed. She's not going to attack. She's here for parlay."
Checking in! I thought I did this earlier. I guess the post didn't go through.
Before he left the Covenant, Sandman went down to the bilge where he'd dragged the bones of the manticore after Mister Kroop had butchered it. He hung his mask on it's customary nail and let it work. Slowly, the suffering the manticore had wrought, and what it had endured, were absorbed by the mask. As it worked the bilgewater brightened and the remnants of flesh vanished. Hours later, only clean water and bones remained. By the time Sandman returned, the bilge was the cleanest space on the ship. He was beginning to accumulate quite a collection of bleached bones down in the bilge. Two humans, a giant boar, a few giant wasps who's empty carapace had been hung in hammocks to keep them out of the water, and now a manticore. Eventually one of the crew would break his standing orders not to go down there, and there would be some explaining to do, but today was not that day. With luck, it would not be an issue until the fruits of his labor could be revealed.
Once off the ship he gladly lets Nivian and Baltzar take the captain's hat, playing the role of ship's doctor and relaxing.
Sandman agreed. "I'm partial to contrasts myself. Blue with red accents sounds rather nice."
Sandman hadn't left the top deck in days. He worked tirelessly through he day, and at night he paced the deck with his mask down, glaring balefully out into the mist and dark. He never slept and he never slowed. Still, in spite of his seemingly endless endurance, he visibly relaxed and breathed easier when Rickety's was called by the lookout. As they neared the docks Sandman gave Conch a sack of coins and had him dole out spending money to the crew so they could enjoy their shore leave right away without having to wait for all the trade to finish.
As he passed Conch the money he said "Nivian will be handling the trade of our captured ship and the plunder we're carrying. Once she's done she'll take our cut and pass the rest to you. I want the Covenant fully stocked on fresh water, salt, dried fruit, rum, soap, and bandages. Get a list from Mister Kroop about what he needs for the galley. Once all that's done, pick up a few bolts of cloth and any tailoring supplies you need to start making some decent clothing for the crew." "Pay the crew from whatever's left over. When you're done, leave the ledger with Nivian and the ship's manifest with Fargrim. You're on shore leave after that."
Sandman listened gravely to Fargrim's tale. That night he addressed the crew during their evening meal. "Lookouts, bosun's mates, all hands are to be called to arms on any nearby fog sightings, starting now." "All hands are to keep weapons within arms reach at all times, even while off duty. If you've have armor, you're to wear it while on duty until told otherwise. I'd recommend you wear it off duty as well." "Mister Kroop, see me after you're finished with evening mess."
"Mister Kroop, are you familiar with Ghost Salt?"
"Nothing I have heard of." Sandman said staring after the Deathknell.
Can I get names and basic stats for our new crew?
"That ship is not moving naturally. No wind drives it." Sandman said, squinting into the glare. Sandman spent the early part of the night tending to the wounded. The crew ate well, feasting on Manticore steaks. Conchobar was asked to come up with some suitable clothing and armor for their new crewmen.
Sandman Knelt and started working. Alchemical blue sand numbed the pain and caked to form a fast scab beneath the bandages. With their drinks they each received a wad of herbs that amplified the alcohol's painkilling effects. As the blue sand leached into the skin it dyed the healing tussue. The impact marks from Fargrim's knuckles would be stained a bit darker on the skin, like a leopard's spots, forevermore. "Well fought. Fargrim's respect is not easily won." Sandman said while he worked. "Let's move this to the ship."
When he was finished he scattered a burst of sand towards Fargrim. It swirled and bound to his gashes. It hurt, but shortly after he began feeling much better.
By morning, Fargrim would have his own collection of blue-tinted scars.
Nivian's stance is that we're all just acquaintances thrown together by fate and kept together by mutual interests. That's fine by me. Some people take a long time to form deeper bonds. (Given Nivian's history it makes sense) Sandman's not really much for sharing his feelings, but he's very in tune with other people's pain, so he gets where she's coming from. If we keep saving each other's lives and showing we are genuinely looking out for each other she'll come around eventually. No use in trying to push the issue.
Sandman winced at Fargrim's tirade. He understood what the dwarf was trying to do, but those words would be a long time to heal. Not good in building camaraderie with new crew.
Sandman stood nearby leaning on his massive war club, enjoying the show but ready to move in if anyone was close to death.
"We have a pile of weapons from the disarmed slavers. Let them take their pick." Sandman suggested.
Sandman nodded. "Please come here." he said in Polyglot. "I'd like to check your wounds."
"Tell me how you were injured."
"I doubt there are wolves or sheep on this island," Sandman said with a chuckle. "She means predator or prey," he explained to the village elder. "She speaks true though. If you have any who are too hurt or too angry to happily remain, we can offer them a place with us."
Sandman had taken off his mask and returned to normal size. He focused on treating the injuries of the freed slaves, letting others do the talking
Sure, sounds good. We should probably maroon them after we check out the island.
Freeing the slaves is a given. It is up to them if they want to work for us or not. The rest can be dropped on this island or at the next port. I'd really like something horrible to happen to the captain. As for the rest of the captain's crew, marooning them gets them out of our hair. I am not interested in any of them joining our crew.
The nightmare man stepped away from the crowd and brought his massive club down on the manticore.
Woot! Merry Christmas to me!
I just found the spell Scarify. It's very Sandman. It's pretty much how I imagined his cure spells working already. Any issue with it being added to Sandman's list? I'll swap another spell out if necessary.
Since when do you care about drama?
Sandman came down from the helm to the main deck, marching to the prow and putting on his mask and causing the void of night to swirl in his scars. As they closed the distance, he grew in size. "We need a ballista." he mused absently.
Sandman was thoughtful for a moment. "I disprove of random punishment. A simple choice of fight or swim seems simpler."
Sandman is slowly accumulating a collection of masterwork sailing tools. Basically, he's keeping a first and second level spell slot open, and at the end of any day that he doesnt need to do other things with them, he is taking 15 minutes to memorize Blood Money and Masterwork Transformation. Then he's using them to transform a ship's tool. Each day he takes 1d6 damage and 1 point of strength damage, which are healed up by morning. So over two weeks, about a dozen nets, sail darning needles, pulleys, rope ladders, mops, and other commonly used items are super nice, and decorated with Sandman's lovecraftian/tribal asthetic. The first things given the ritual treatment are Conch's tailoring stuff, and the lock on the Quartermaster's chest. After that, it's Rosie's violin and a few of Kroop's cook pots and knives. Those are the "quality of life" things that will benefit everyone. Once I start running out of communal/specialty equipment, I'll start working my way through the crew's weapons. This will be in lieu of payment until we have some real coin to spread around.
"The ship first? The island is not going anywhere." Sandman said conversationally to Nivian.
Or do mean to say I'm getting ahead of ourselves there and we nore even supposed to go there before the end of book 2 or something?[/ooc]
"I defer to your expertise in such things." Sandman said. "If that is your plan, we still need to acquire additional cargo to sell in port while you spread your rumors. Let us find more prey and fill our hold."
Fine with me. Rhemus was a fun character to play with. Wasn't he left on the Wormwood though?
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