So... the great adventure of the first part of the plot is "taking the ship to port"... after having been beat up by the monkeys and lubbers aboard.
No idea how the group will (ever) re-merge with Captain H's band of adventurer's. I mean, just asking. H is handing the P and S pretty much the hand on their own ship, and that is.... all ? No "higher officer" to go along ?
Consider me a bit flabberghasted, but when exactly has a captain handed the reigns to the "second" ship (nevermind it being far better than the Wormwood ) and told his officer "go there and there and... " yeah we will pick you up sometime soon ?
Especially with someone as untrustworthy as P ? That's like handing Fletcher Christian the keys for "the second ship" and exepct him to meet you "off Tahiti" in seven months.... Looking at people like Bartholomew Roberts or Harry Morgan, such stuff has rarely, if everat all, worked out, so what precisely is going on here ?
Any plot behind it ? Or did quite a bit of stuff between H and P slipped from the book, making this seem... unlikely ?
H has his own plans.
I think it's just a case of under-estimating Mr. Plugg. Harrigan assumes that his fearsome reputation will keep Plugg inline. He thinks that Plugg is kowtowed into following his orders; that Plugg doesn't have the courage to defy him. Obviously, this comes back to bite him.
Amusingly, Plugg is the same way with the PCs. He thinks that he can kill them/keep them down. We all know better than that.
I think it's just a case of under-estimating Mr. Plugg. Harrigan assumes that his fearsome reputation will keep Plugg inline. He thinks that Plugg is kowtowed into following his orders; that Plugg doesn't have the courage to defy him. Obviously, this comes back to bite him.
Amusingly, Plugg is the same way with the PCs. He thinks that he can kill them/keep them down. We all know better than that.
So what ? How does he assume P and Co will (ever) travel back to him ? Basically he hoists off all the "original" crew to P, then disappears ? P should have some stuff on where they are supposedly meant to meet.
What if the crew actually want (!) to work with H ? Here is you ship back btw, and sorry for Mr. P, he tried to mutiny so we had to put the silly sod down....
That is the main question. Or rather, lack off ?
What if the crew actually want (!) to work with H ? Here is you ship back btw, and sorry for Mr. P, he tried to mutiny so we had to put the silly sod down....
Who would the Captain assume mutinied, your loyal officer or a bunch of random folks you press ganged a month ago? Especially when Plugg and Scourge have been whispering poison about you to him for most of that time. I'd imagine, even if the PCs didn't think of this, the rest of the crew would press that going back was a bad, bad idea. The Captain would think you were settling a score or trying to move up the ranks and kill you right there.
If they decide to do it anyway, you are just firmly in "off the rails" territory. Like if the PCs decide they don't care about the main villian, hate the quest givers, or toss the MacGuffin in a lake. No AP can chart all possibilities, after all. All you can do is play up the captain as a jerk and hope things work out.
Oh right, because there is little or no chance to show the captain that actually P was wrong, right ? I am not going to spoiler the final fight but.... there are so many chance for the players to actually spoil the pot for P and S before that, it is actually creepy. Have you ever wondered just how deadly a "grease" spell aboard a sailing ship is maybe ? Or a tackling block dropping out of the rigging after a quick nudge here or there ?
No, it's not a question of "where is the captain" ? Let's say to avoid him... Let's say to "set things right" with him...
And this till don't answer why the group is left alone with a bunch of scallywags who have no chance of really rejoining the H, ever. I mean, this is not the royal navy where they are supposed to go home for the prize money, right ?
Oh right, because there is little or no chance to show the captain that actually P was wrong, right?
Plugg is referred to as having a "ruthless devotion to Captain Harrigan's orders," which is responsible for his "meteoric rise." The PCs could certainly try to convince Harrigan, but it isn't exactly like he is going to take their word for it, with his "ruthlessly devoted" first mate and all your enemies dead. Given that he also kidnapped you, like, a month ago, it seems like a very weird choice. While it might happen, it is outside the reasonable assumptions of the AP. Not every possibility can be addressed, especially one that takes the campaign in a totally different direction.
I am not going to spoiler the final fight but.... there are so many chance for the players to actually spoil the pot for P and S before that, it is actually creepy. Have you ever wondered just how deadly a "grease" spell aboard a sailing ship maybe ? Or a tackling block dropping out of the rigging after a quick nudge here or there ?
You might want to re-read the "Welcome Aboard!" section. It is the GMs job to make sure the other NPCs emphasize what a terrible, terrible idea it would be to try to move directly against Plugg. Landing in the ocean isn't a death sentence (DC10 to climb back up), but getting caught attempting to murder the first mate would be. In the second half, the "Bringing to a Slow Boil" sidebar addresses what to do if the PCs decide to act sooner rather than later. It may be a comparatively harder fight, but the module works just fine with a little deviance in this.
And this till don't answer why the group is left alone with a bunch of scallywags who have no chance of really rejoining the H, ever. I mean, this is not the royal navy where they are supposed to go home for the prize money, right ?
I honestly don't know what this "no chance of really rejoining" thing is. You are supposed to go to Port Peril. Harrigan will rejoin with Plugg and the rest there. Harrigan assumed Plugg would be loyal enough to do this. Or at least afraid enough to. That he was wrong doesn't mean it was a totally nonsensical twist.
The AP does actually detail how Mr Plugg has been toadying to Harrigan so that the captain thinks he's completely trustworthy. That's how he managed to become first mate in less than a year.
The problem I saw with the 'Capturing a second ship' sequence is that Harrigan unloads almost his entire crew onto the new ship and leaves himself with just the senior officers and his newly captured prisoners who would mutiny against him at the first opportunity. The way the adventure is written, Harrigan doesn't leave himself with enough crew to work his own ship.
As to the possibility of dealing with Mr Plugg or Master Scourge early in the AP, I saw a bunch of possibilities for that as well. I think the biggest oversight in this publication is the lack of stats for Harrigan and the other senior officers as they might factor into some of those plans.
I think the biggest oversight in this publication is the lack of stats for Harrigan and the other senior officers as they might factor into some of those plans.
Not sure if it's fair to call it an oversight, but I see your point. This is one of the reasons why I'm waiting until all 6 of the AP modules are out before I attempt to run the campaign.
Oh right, because there is little or no chance to show the captain that actually P was wrong, right?Plugg is referred to as having a "ruthless devotion to Captain Harrigan's orders," which is responsible for his "meteoric rise." The PCs could certainly try to convince Harrigan, but it isn't exactly like he is going to take their word for it, with his "ruthlessly devoted" first mate and all your enemies dead. Given that he also kidnapped you, like, a month ago, it seems like a very weird choice. While it might happen, it is outside the reasonable assumptions of the AP. Not every possibility can be addressed, especially one that takes the campaign in a totally different direction.
Right. For one, he obviously does not travel back to Port Peril. Or why exactly are we splitting up ? Because ...he.... does not. Which ist just , to say it again, stupid.
Second : who precisely brought back the boat to him ? Right !
Just saying, this AP is very much dependant on the players wanting to play pirates and play them precisely by the rules...
You might want to re-read the "Welcome Aboard!" section. It is the GMs job to make sure the other NPCs emphasize what a terrible, terrible idea it would be to try to move directly against Plugg. Landing in the ocean isn't a death sentence (DC10 to climb back up), but getting caught attempting to murder the first mate would be. In the second half, the "Bringing to a Slow Boil" sidebar addresses what to do if the PCs decide to act sooner rather than later. It may be a comparatively harder fight, but the module works just fine with a little deviance in this.
the "oh, fugg captain, we just lost P / S or whoever, captain turn back ! Because falling into those waters, at any reasonable speed of turn (and yes, funnily enough ships do not turn smack on the spot), most people in the water will a) be dead, b) if they could ever be spotted before (I am talking like 10-15 minutes, in the drink, at rough seas ) c) will still have no necessary knowledge what precisely happened .. "I got woozy on the mainmast, sorry cap...." somehow not likely to cut it with H, right ?
Nevermind the ship has no watches (who is sailing it at night ?), and, most fun of all, no working doctor besides a human healer.....
And this till don't answer why the group is left alone with a bunch of scallywags who have no chance of really rejoining the H, ever. I mean, this is not the royal navy where they are supposed to go home for the prize money, right ?I honestly don't know what this "no chance of really rejoining" thing is. You are supposed to go to Port Peril. Harrigan will...
Ok, one small aside in a minor paragraf. With still the captain not sailing to Port Peril. Which still makes it "supremely stupid". Then again, not noticing the ship is sailing south-east instead of north is another of those stupidities. "oh look, the sun is in an entirely different place all the time..."
Of course we are missing some stuff from "Treasure Island", but all that much, actually...
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It isn't stupid to not specify something. Harrigan is going to, as he he even says himself "his current destination" with his remaining officers (including more than enough people to kill anyone who gives him guff from the captives.) He turns over the crew he -trusts- to the first mate he -trusts- to sail Port Peril to salvage the ship.
If Harrigan had a stop to make and then wanted to get back his crew it would be logical to assume that after his current task he would sail back to Port Peril. And why wouldn't he assume that is going to work out? Plugg shines his shoes, laughs at his jokes and kisses his ass. He just made this mess of people a s$*% ton of money and he thinks he is a terrible tyrant of the seas to be feared. He has every expectation to think that his crew will sit and wait for him, especially if they are watched over by people he believes are loyal.
Sure the players could kill Plugg or Scourge and could claim it as an accident but the players are some spit shining level 1-4 s&&$s who he picked up in a port a month ago. Kill them and get new crew members, why even let a shadow of doubt rest on the PCs loyalty? "I did it for you captain, they were bad." or "it was an accident"/"He is missing I had NO idea!". Uhm right but I told you the penalty for killing folk is keelhaulin. No special exclusion for people being bad...on a pirate ship. or An accident huh? Well a bunch of my swabs and officers who I trust more than you were friends with Plugg and said you had it in for him...I'm gonna throw *you* in the drink just to be sure I have not betrayals on my ship...
Same things go for bringing back the ship. "Hmmm I am a pirate... do I "trust" these a~%%!~+s who are sailing my ship back to me or assume its a trick after they killed my valuable and trusted men? Probably should just kill them for good measure and grab some other people."
The AP specifically says Plugg waits to change course until the Wormwood is out of sight. And yes the AP assumes to an extent that these people want to be pirates and aren't going to smile warmly on going back to the guy who abused them for his own profit when they can take their own destinies into their own hands.
But hey if your players manage to throw the entire thing upside down and go back to Harrigan then let that go on. At that point you aren't running the AP so who cares? Its a *path* not "the eventualities guide of every player action that could possibly be considered."