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So for those who have the PDF: What are your first impressions of the adventure? Obviously, spoilers ahead.
Mine:
Wow, that's a long adventure! Saltbox ahoy! Lotsa pirate action. This could take a really long time to get through.
Interesting how it presents various ways to take the Rock.
The undersea action at the end is going to take me some time to get my head around.
Still not a fan of putting *some* NPC stats in an appendix, but others in the main adventure text. I'd prefer them to all be at the end, if they're not all going to be in the text.
I don't like not having stat blocks included for the modified monsters with templates. I guess I could whip them up with d20pfsrd's monster advancer, but they ought to be in the text.
Overall, really well-written! Another winner from Greg Vaughn!
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I thought it was pretty awesome! I like the fact that this adventure can be done at any pace the group desires: events can be pushed quickly to occur in a short period of game time or it can be drawn out over a period of months, or perhaps even years! I've never dealt with underwater adventuring so the last part is going to be really interesting to carry out.
I, too, was a bit surprised by there not being modified monster stats in the text, though not overly concerned; I have hero lab and can whip them up pretty quick. Though, I do prefer it this way as it saves precious space for more adventure! Hmmmmmmmmm...perhaps I'll whip up the stat blocks and post them...something to think about.
All in all, this is turning out to be an AWESOME AP!
Don't suppose anyone wants to spoil the general outline of the adventure for us silly people who don't subscribe? I'm really interested in how the general piracy aspect is being handled, especially. I know I should wait another week to be surprised, but all these little tidbits you folks are dropping are driving me crazy!
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My impressions are mixed. (Note: I've only read the first half of the module so far.)
I really like how each of the components are presented. There's just enough information to spark GM interest and get the ball rolling, without an overly drawn-out hand-holding like we sometimes see. It almost feels like a gazeteer-format. It really reminds me of the locations in Kingmaker. These are a ton of fun to GM, as it gives me enough space to "make it my own" without being crowded with too many details.
I like how Rickety Squibs is detailed out via Events that are all somewhat related. It feels very "lived in."
I haven't taken as close a look at Tidewater Rock, but I get the same vibe. It's "here's this area, GM it" much like we saw for the first half of book 1. Good stuff. Really tough for a novice GM, but lots of fun for a veteren.
What I don't like is the connection to Tidewater Rock. How are the PCs supposed to "know" to attack it? The excuse given in the module is flimsier than flimsy. Really? It's a good luck blessing? And therefore we should follow up on it? I can think of a million reasons why the PCs would either write that off or assume that it's a bad idea. (Or alternatively, they have no idea what they are supposed to do after leaving Rickety's, and decide to beeline there, out of a gamer instinct to "follow plot") This will require alteration.
This game might be difficult for novice players - it relies heavily (even more heavily than Kingmaker IMHO) on player-drive and player-initiative. I imagine a lot of players getting stuck.
Some of the encounters smell like trouble to me.
- The accidental-entrapment-scene with the Dominator has the potential to be a boat-TPK, and I really don't know where the campaign goes from there. Normally, if PCs die, you can just recruit others and the campaign survives. But what happens if the boat dies? Do you roll up a new boat? One that has an Infamy score of 0, doesn't know Harrigan/Rickety, but yet is still trying to earn enough repute to get into the Shackles? Seems contrived to me. Other APs don't seem to care who the PCs are, but this one does. And that creates unique problems.
- I doubt how the reappearing ghost ship will play out. Fighting it a second time is a great threat, but a chore to carry through on. I mean, who wants to run the same mini-module at the table twice in a row? The PCs and GM will go "argh! this again?!"
Those are my first impressions. Haven't read the final parts yet.
Fab, what a great adventure.
A bit of a mindscramble for prepping but if done well it will pay off.
I love part 2 and 3, so much choice for players. I think the Map folio will be needed though to run this properly as the Players will need some form of Large map of the Shackles to plan everything. The Shackels guide I can also see getting used a lot too here. Also liking the fact that players can do what they want, if they want to be slavers they can (one of my players has decided his goal is to retire to an siolated island and set up a slving buisness if he survives until the end). As for the Boat TPK Eric mentioned I guess it could be a problem, but I guess the players would just find another if they survive, could be another mutiny on board the ship if they are captured maybe?. I would think the infamy would stay with them as it's based on thier deeds. If the Pc's die as well I guess that's harder to deal with though as it would be like statring form book 1 again.
I also plan on spicing it up a tad and using the treasure hooks on the covers here too, this will give even more choice (and more prep I know). Love the way that Tidewater gives 3 options to get it too. Most useful. However I do agree with Eric in that the connection to Tidewater is a tad flimsy. But all that will need is a small elaberation on the Gm's part, maybe it's tied in to Besmara in some way hence the good luck blessing, shouldn't be too hard to figure out.
All in all a great start so far, lets hope the rest is just as good and it dos't do a serpents skull on us.
looked it over twice now
Initial part : ok, although the entire concept of Rickety Squibs sends me... over the plank^^
Why not simply capture a new ship, get rid of the "Man's Promise" ? Odd.... especially since pirates did just that throughout history ( and with no problems at all )...
"Encounters" . Overall, they seem slightly lacklustre and may need ( severe ) beefing up. I really wondered about the Chelian cutter this far south, too. I mean, are they nowadays trading with Sargava again ?
The "Ghost Ship" is nice, but very heavily dependant upon the "spookiness" provided by a certain NPC (*working up his Phantom voice*). Otherwise, it's just a spooky ship, blah blah..
As for the "Dominator" : not really all that back-breaking, although the entire mechanism of it is just.... sorry, not really smart. Stuff like it has been done since the middle ages ( look up the German "Stoertebeker" pirate ), from outside ships and also shows a massive misunderstanding on how ships work. Simply cram a large iron spike into the rudder under the waterline or Shape Wood...Nevermind detaching the Dominator from it's anchors.... And I mean, the Sahuagin later in the adventure can just do the stuff the player characters are being forbidden ? Right. That will pass over soooo easily with a bunch of intelligent players. This will need some strong rework.
The "finale" - will possibly need a (much) stronger lead in. The underwater part is nice.
What I heartily dislike from the first two adventures : no rules for firearms ( I remember a certain promise of this kind by James Jacobs) and...
...wow, the loot is so massively "pro-melee" by now it really becomes a problem. Clerics and Int-based casters are really looking down the drain by the end of part II, while there are several "exceptional" weapons lying about for everyone else. Anyone checking on that ?
This game might be difficult for novice players - it relies heavily (even more heavily than Kingmaker IMHO) on player-drive and player-initiative. I imagine a lot of players getting stuck.
I had the exact same issue with Skinsaw Murders, last year, and I plan on press-ganging a crew of swabs that've never touched a d20 in their lives. Erp.
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Hm, those are some good points, Erik.
What I don't like is the connection to Tidewater Rock. How are the PCs supposed to "know" to attack it? The excuse given in the module is flimsier than flimsy. Really? It's a good luck blessing? And therefore we should follow up on it? I can think of a million reasons why the PCs would either write that off or assume that it's a bad idea. (Or alternatively, they have no idea what they are supposed to do after leaving Rickety's, and decide to beeline there, out of a gamer instinct to "follow plot") This will require alteration.
Yeah, I could easily seem some players going, "This place seems hard to capture. We don't need it. Let's forget about it." It's the perils of the sandbox.
This game might be difficult for novice players - it relies heavily (even more heavily than Kingmaker IMHO) on player-drive and player-initiative. I imagine a lot of players getting stuck.
That worries me a bit about my players. They don't tend to be the most proactive types.
Some of the encounters smell like trouble to me.
- The accidental-entrapment-scene with the Dominator has the potential to be a boat-TPK, and I really don't know where the campaign goes from there. Normally, if PCs die, you can just recruit others and the campaign survives. But what happens if the boat dies? Do you roll up a new boat? One that has an Infamy score of 0, doesn't know Harrigan/Rickety, but yet is still trying to earn...
Yeah, gee. Hadn't thought about that. That kinda goes for all of the ship combat encounters, too. Better not lose one of those!
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Don't suppose anyone wants to spoil the general outline of the adventure for us silly people who don't subscribe? I'm really interested in how the general piracy aspect is being handled, especially. I know I should wait another week to be surprised, but all these little tidbits you folks are dropping are driving me crazy!
Sure:
Part I: Get your ship re-fitted at Rickety Squibs. Various event-based encounters ensue. Giant wasps! Oh no!
Part II: Time for some piracy! Attack ships, take their stuff.
Part III: Take over a fort called Tidewater Rock. Maybe get married! Then the fort gets attacked, and you get a map to buried treasure from the dead attacking captain.
Part IV: Search for the buried treasure! Fight some Sahaugin underwater! The end.
Thanks! From all of this, it sounds pretty amazing. Can't wait for next week.
So, do we have a picture of the cover lady on it's own yet? Perhaps in Wallpaper format?
I'd second this!
Can't wait for it to come out in the UK. Didn't like the premise of the first one but hoping to run the scenario from this point onwards. Overjoyed it's 'sandboxy' (saltboxy??).
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What I heartily dislike from the first two adventures : no rules for firearms ( I remember a certain promise of this kind by James Jacobs)
Um, doesn't UC have the rules for firearms? I don't think they need to make new rules; you just incorporate what is already written. The AP does give advice as to where you might expect firearms to be. I don't see why there would be a need to have more written on the subject.
What I heartily dislike from the first two adventures : no rules for firearms ( I remember a certain promise of this kind by James Jacobs)Um, doesn't UC have the rules for firearms? I don't think they need to make new rules; you just incorporate what is already written. The AP does give advice as to where you might expect firearms to be. I don't see why there would be a need to have more written on the subject.
Yeah UC has all the rules.
Problem is/was, there was a debate sometime back (app a month) with some people feeling strongly about "firearms + pirates". Personally I'd disagree, but there was the promoise ther would be "indirect" (as in sidebars) advice for those who'd like to in the adventures. *shrug*Personally, I'd care more about the casters. But then I always rearrange stuff.
What I heartily dislike from the first two adventures : no rules for firearms ( I remember a certain promise of this kind by James Jacobs)Um, doesn't UC have the rules for firearms? I don't think they need to make new rules; you just incorporate what is already written. The AP does give advice as to where you might expect firearms to be. I don't see why there would be a need to have more written on the subject.Yeah UC has all the rules.
Problem is/was, there was a debate sometime back (app a month) with some people feeling strongly about "firearms + pirates". Personally I'd disagree, but there was the promoise ther would be "indirect" (as in sidebars) advice for those who'd like to in the adventures. *shrug*Personally, I'd care more about the casters. But then I always rearrange stuff.
But as HangarFlying points out, each adventure so far HAS those very sidebars that I also remember being mentioned. Sooooo, I don't see how Mr. Jacobs failed on that "promise."
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What I heartily dislike from the first two adventures : no rules for firearms ( I remember a certain promise of this kind by James Jacobs)Um, doesn't UC have the rules for firearms? I don't think they need to make new rules; you just incorporate what is already written. The AP does give advice as to where you might expect firearms to be. I don't see why there would be a need to have more written on the subject.Yeah UC has all the rules.
Problem is/was, there was a debate sometime back (app a month) with some people feeling strongly about "firearms + pirates". Personally I'd disagree, but there was the promoise ther would be "indirect" (as in sidebars) advice for those who'd like to in the adventures. *shrug*Personally, I'd care more about the casters. But then I always rearrange stuff.
There are sidebars on Firearms. See Page 7 of Raiders of the Fever Sea for example.
The rules themselves are in Ultimate Combat, the implementation is in the Side-Bars.
There are sidebars on Firearms. See Page 7 of Raiders of the Fever Sea for example.The rules themselves are in Ultimate Combat, the implementation is in the Side-Bars.
Which... ain't much^^ or rather, hoped for more. This is "ideas"... If I lack for ideas, I open the window...
Say : "let's have a sunken cannon lost in Room XYZ replace blah blah blah" or "the wreck of the Sink-me-Now on the reef also has two cannons, requiring heavy work or whatever to lift."... nevermind, with two pages of adventure description something deeper than "the Chelian Dreadnaught may have muskets" might just have been fun. YMMV
I haven't DM'ed a lengthy adventure in a long, long time. So DMing this is going to be fun/challenging.
I absolutely loved the second part of the AP. There seemed to be sufficient direction on how to get PC's to do certain things. I figure I'll have them hear rumors about the treasure while at Rickety Squibs and hear about the good luck of cracking the rock.
The AP notes that you can have checks or an NPC describe how newbie pirates heading into the main part of the Shackles will just be prey for other pirates. I'll probably play this up as a reason why they won't want to sail straight to the rock, as they'll have to bypass major pirate areas. First, they'll want to build up some reputation by hunting down some merchant ships on the outskirts of the Shackles.
I think the Dominator encounter will be a blast. If the PC's end up having their ship destroyed, they can always be arrested by the Chelaxians and an opportunity to escape given to them prior to execution.
I love sandboxes! I love to run 'em! My players love to play 'em!
I am really looking forward to this module in particular.
It strikes me as part Cutthroat Island, part Pirates of the Caribbean, part Treasue Island. All personal favorites of mine.
I do have some concern over the Dominator encounter, but my players usually know when they are overmatched and react accordingly so I have faith my PC's wont take her on in a slugfest.
The ghost ship encounter looks like it might need to be seperated by a few events to become a little more plausible, but that is easily fixed.
All in all, it looks like great work to me!
Once again, hats off to Mister Vaughn and thanks to the entire AP staff for some awesome work on an epic theme!
I want to know more about the Ancient Mariner.
Part IV: Search for the buried treasure! Fight some Sahaugin underwater! The end.
So great to see the 'Devil Fish' getting to be the bad guys for the first time in years
Still reading through this, and enjoying what I've found. One thing, though- and maybe it's just me- but does a 2 page writeup for the Sea Cat seem like a bit of overkill for essentially a CR4 animal? I'd have liked to see either another monster or some different types of Sea Cats for that kind of room (or more Sahuagin mutants). 2 pages with all the ecology and habits seems right for an intelligent creature, or a powerful one, or one with a potentially big role in a campaign, but not for a regular old animal type creature.
Of course, we did get the awesome overview of the seas of Golarion, so it's really a minor complaint.
What monsters are in bestiary section? (beyond the Sea Cat, obviously)
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What monsters are in bestiary section? (beyond the Sea Cat, obviously)Several different kinds of fish. The Sahuagin Mutants. The Canopy Creeper. A big totem-like constructy thing whose name I can't remember.
It's called a Tiberolith, and it reminds me a little of an Easter Island statue -- except of course animated and chockfull of acid and electricity. :)
I like these guys!
I pretty much hated the concept of the first one, and I'm disappointed in the second. I can steal a bit from it for other games, but I don't think they're handling this theme well - especially considering the other AP's I've read. The Chelaxian Dreadnaught ship seems a bit overwhelming and certain decisions the AP assumes the PCs will take seem incredibly arbitary.
The whole thing seems full of good ideas badly realised, none moreso than Isabella. I mean, the PCs have to get a treasure map off the skin of a sexy lady pirate... Is it just me, or could that situation be absolutely loaded with fun possibilities? But no; it has to be combat and death. Talk about missed opportunities...
Is it just me or does the illustration of Isabella have teeth when she's described as having had them all knocked out? Botched art order? Editorial mistake? Regeneration spell?
Is it just me or does the illustration of Isabella have teeth when she's described as having had them all knocked out? Botched art order? Editorial mistake? Regeneration spell?
I can't speak for Paizo's publishing, but at other places the artist might not get information on every little detail. A short description might be all they receive. And while they're busy sketching and drawing, the writer is busy writing, and by the time everything's ready for the printer's, it's a bit late for someone to say "Hey, redraw this!". :)
As for Isabella, I hadn't caught that one. But I have caught a dozen or more other references in this and other APs. Personally, I kinda like 'em. (Especially when they give a nod to my favorite author. Not unexpected, when I know at least one of the Paizo writers is also a fan of his...) :)
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Still reading through this, and enjoying what I've found. One thing, though- and maybe it's just me- but does a 2 page writeup for the Sea Cat seem like a bit of overkill for essentially a CR4 animal? I'd have liked to see either another monster or some different types of Sea Cats for that kind of room (or more Sahuagin mutants). 2 pages with all the ecology and habits seems right for an intelligent creature, or a powerful one, or one with a potentially big role in a campaign, but not for a regular old animal type creature.
Of course, we did get the awesome overview of the seas of Golarion, so it's really a minor complaint.
All monsters in the Pathfinder bestiaries get 2-page write-ups, regardless of CR (the exception is a number of monsters that all fit into one theme, and share a spread together, such as the fish in this volume).
She wears false teeth.
Yeah, but it says she wears huge, pointy wooden teeth.
And she's evidently not in that picture.
Why couldn't the PCs negotiate a look at her maps for new teeth or something?
Isn't it usually better for the game when the PCs can actually use something that's in the villains backstory?
Why does the Matron illustrated on page 44 have breasts? Sahaugin are essentially fish and don't nurse their young. At least it appears that way from the description of their lair and the fact that there are hundreds of fingerlings and thousands of eggs in the hatchery. I don't think every female character needs to be illustrated with breasts. Just makes me say "Why?"
Director of Narrative
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I thought those were just fat deposits where her pectoral muscles turned to flab. Fish can get fat too.
Also, artists are weird. ;)
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The whole thing seems full of good ideas badly realised, none moreso than Isabella. I mean, the PCs have to get a treasure map off the skin of a sexy lady pirate... Is it just me, or could that situation be absolutely loaded with fun possibilities? But no; it has to be combat and death. Talk about missed opportunities...
I agree so very hard. I expected her to be a memorable, interesting enemy. No. The worst part about this book (and it's like finding the bad egg in the basket the golden goose laid) is the sahuagin and how uninterestingly they're shoehorned into the book-- especially because everything about the sahuagin is pretty cool. They're just forced on the PCs, though, and have little to do with the plot. The return of the revenge of the random encounter. And Isabella, a super cool NPC, is basically... the revenge of the random encounter. It's disheartening, especially because my favorite kind of pirate is the ridiculous, bombastic Blackbeard-esque pirate, and I keep building up a hype in my head for "is this new NPC going to be the one" and keep getting let down. I wish there was another really good villain in these APs.
Also, RE: Isabella Locke's backstory:
I'm seriously so very sick of cross-species rape in adventure paths. So extremely utterly sick of it.
Can we stop? Just stop it.
Please. Stop.
All monsters in the Pathfinder bestiaries get 2-page write-ups, regardless of CR (the exception is a number of monsters that all fit into one theme, and share a spread together, such as the fish in this volume).
Ah, okay. New subscriber with this AP, so hadn't noticed that about the Bestiaries yet. Again, a minor quibble to what is otherwise an excellent product.
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Why couldn't the PCs negotiate a look at her maps for new teeth or something?Isn't it usually better for the game when the PCs can actually use something that's in the villains backstory?
The only thing really preventing this is crappy die rolls and/or DM fiat. Especially considering her horrible past, I think she would be a great redemption character...if the PCs don't just say EFF it and just kill her.
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Also, RE: Isabella Locke's backstory:
I'm seriously so very sick of cross-species rape in adventure paths. So extremely utterly sick of it.
Can we stop? Just stop it.
Please. Stop.
Huh, I guess I didn't go all x-rated when I read her backstory, because cross-species rape didn't even enter my mind as a possibility.
I agree so very hard. I expected her to be a memorable, interesting enemy. No. The worst part about this book (and it's like finding the bad egg in the basket the golden goose laid) is the sahuagin and how uninterestingly they're shoehorned into the book-- especially because everything about the sahuagin is pretty cool. They're just forced on the PCs, though, and have little to do with the plot. The return of the revenge of the random encounter. And Isabella, a super cool NPC, is basically... the revenge of the random encounter. It's disheartening, especially because my favorite kind of pirate is the ridiculous, bombastic Blackbeard-esque pirate, and I keep building up a hype in my head for "is this new NPC going to be the one" and keep getting let down. I wish there was another really good villain in these APs.
Also, RE: Isabella Locke's backstory:
I'm seriously so very sick of cross-species rape in adventure paths. So extremely utterly sick of it.
Can we stop? Just stop it.
Please. Stop.
This. Oh This.
Great Cthulhu and all his little cultists, this.
Huh, I guess I didn't go all x-rated when I read her backstory, because cross-species rape didn't even enter my mind as a possibility.Also, RE: Isabella Locke's backstory:
I'm seriously so very sick of cross-species rape in adventure paths. So extremely utterly sick of it.
Can we stop? Just stop it.
Please. Stop.
her timely use of a charm monster spell upon the sahuagin chief Krelloort, who took her as concubine and advisor.
This can't have been consensual. This character is just like, what the hell, her entire backstory is suffering. She goes from being kidnapped and having her teeth hammered out to having her kidnapper get killed by... her new kidnapper. I bet my hat she wasn't motivated by her desire to move up on the social ladder of captors and saw an opportunity for a larger living space.
This thread is all well-and-good, but would someone like to do an official review in the official review location?
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Sniffing out souls and bombarding villages with fireballs is fine, but a little sexual violence and we're all suddenly very uncomfortable.
I don't like the implication that being sexually tortured makes someone chaotic evil.
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her timely use of a charm monster spell upon the sahuagin chief Krelloort, who took her as concubine and advisor.This can't have been consensual. This character is just like, what the hell, her entire backstory is suffering. She goes from being kidnapped and having her teeth hammered out to having her kidnapper get killed by... her new kidnapper. I bet my hat she wasn't motivated by her desire to move up on the social ladder of captors and saw an opportunity for a larger living space.
Yeah no, I didn't read this as her getting raped. She did charm the chief after all. She can't be the one being raped if the other guy is charmed.
EDIT: furthermore, a concubine is not a slave, though a slave could be a concubine. In any case, Isabella is not being raped by Chief Krelloort.
A concubine is generally a woman in an ongoing, marriage-like relationship with a man with whom she cannot be married for a specific reason.
Read through the remainder of the adventure carefully and....
well, two odd location.
For one, the "Watchtower" was build...nevermind..... we build a watchtower to look out for ships at the lowest (!) part of the island...instead of right on top (it's not that big an island after all, but the +100' of height sure add some radius to the "watching") ? And I am not going into the ecology of shingle and such which also seems, being no geologist... but very odd in a flourishing tropical region with coral reefs and islands ahoof.
Nevermind why the scrying was/is not done by ship (or even spells),. Oh. and no map for the island... not necessary but I'd rather live with less florid text on the NPCs (say like the ghost ship captain) then without a small map.
"Mancatcher Grove". Interesting idea. But who thinks one would sail a ship into a bay whose top (!) is overgrown with plants ? Hence... windless ? Not really . Probably someone who only went to sea with an outboard^^.
Either one uses a lifeboat, or simpyly approaches the bay over land. Especially since it is neither very big, nor does one actually have to venture into it. *shrug*
Which means : lot's of rework. Thought that was a thing of the past after "Kingmaker"
The whole thing seems full of good ideas badly realised, none moreso than Isabella. I mean, the PCs have to get a treasure map off the skin of a sexy lady pirate... Is it just me, or could that situation be absolutely loaded with fun possibilities? But no; it has to be combat and death. Talk about missed opportunities...
At least one of my characters would be like "hello there, may I transcribe that from you?" *charming smile of a handsome youth* (he had a fling with Dragon Age Isablea-like mariner NPC). If she's attractive, he would be more interested in "transcribing" than the map itself (3.5 game, Vow Of Poverty from BoED)
Others would be more like charm person or *bash* to unconsciousness and copy the map. None of my current characters (and only one or two I ever played) would kill and tan the skin (which would be required to avoid spoilage and thus destruction of map).
At least one of my characters would be like "hello there, may I transcribe that from you?" *charming smile of a handsome youth* (he had a fling with Dragon Age Isablea-like mariner NPC). If she's attractive, he would be more interested in "transcribing" than the map itself (3.5 game, Vow Of Poverty from BoED)
Others would be more like charm person or *bash* to unconsciousness and copy the map. None of my current characters (and only one or two I ever played) would kill and tan the skin (which would be required to avoid spoilage and thus destruction of map).
While that 'bashing into unconsciousness' would work quite nicely...
So much for any interaction other than obliterating (or maybe dominating) her.
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While that 'bashing into unconsciousness' would work quite nicely... ** spoiler omitted **So much for any interaction other than obliterating (or maybe dominating) her.
What? Why would you play her that way. I've read the adventure and I don't see any limitation to her bargaining.
While that 'bashing into unconsciousness' would work quite nicely... ** spoiler omitted **So much for any interaction other than obliterating (or maybe dominating) her.
What? Why would you play her that way. I've read the adventure and I don't see any limitation to her bargaining.
** spoiler omitted **
Because her tactics line insist that she fights to the death--even when her entire crew abandons her in hostile territory, it says she'll make no attempt to parley, and will, in fact, swallow a suicide pill in the form of a puffer fish spine if captured. A GM can run her any way he likes, but she is written as literally despising mercy, giving or receiving.
At least one of my characters would be like "hello there, may I transcribe that from you?" *charming smile of a handsome youth* (he had a fling with Dragon Age Isablea-like mariner NPC). If she's attractive, he would be more interested in "transcribing" than the map itself (3.5 game, Vow Of Poverty from BoED)Others would be more like charm person or *bash* to unconsciousness and copy the map. None of my current characters (and only one or two I ever played) would kill and tan the skin (which would be required to avoid spoilage and thus destruction of map).
But as Midnight Angel said... YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
Thou.
Shalt.
Not.
Repeat after me; 'this is 3rd Edition. There Will Be Blood.'
Yes, of course it's a wasted opportunity.
I was thinking of taking scissors to the whole thing, have the PCs as corsairs or privateers hunting pirates instead of being them. Plenty of opportunities for diplomacy, alliances and rivalries, and the 'dungeon' elements can be used without any change.
As for Isabella, make her CN so she can do the 'unstable dangerous b%~++' thing while still being open to stealth or seduction. Hell, have her tag along like the untrustworthy Penny Cruz character in Pirates 4.
But RAW.... we can't do that.