... he has a thing for half-orc women, what can I say?
I thought Harrigan was evil anyway. Book ones stat block days he's NE and ripping someone's heart out does suggest someone slightly unhinged plus he's working for celiac too
I'm actually playing him up as Neutral to my party (while leaving him NE-ish)...I wanted them to really dislike Scourge and Plugg, and their thugs, and adding Harrigan - whom the PCs hardly see in the first book, despite being stuck on a boat with him - was just too far to try to spread the hate, and for no profit. Meanwhile, if Harrigan isn't such a bad guy in the day-to-day but he's made this really terrible deal with Cheliax, there's a nice complex piece of motive for them.
Hmm the guy's been
Also : Kidnapping crew, leaves some pretty sadistic idiots in charge of his crew to "maintain dispcipline" etc...
Hey he even tosses a Rahadoumi overboard as a "short shrift" way of intimidating the others.
Who really thinks he is a nice guy ? But I like his religious affiliation, which really helps with so many of his crew "not remembering" relevant stuff.
A GM should take note of this development though , if there are some scenes of "let's make contact" in AP-3
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Hrm. I like that Harrigan has the evil God thing going in the background, but I don't think I like Harrigan as a Rogue. As a BBEG he needs to be a memorable encounter since he will have been built up from the very first session and as they've written him I don't see him being that scary. I haven't figured out what I'm gonna do with him yet, but I intend to make him terrifying.
Hrm. I like that Harrigan has the evil God thing going in the background, but I don't think I like Harrigan as a Rogue. As a BBEG he needs to be a memorable encounter since he will have been built up from the very first session and as they've written him I don't see him being that scary. I haven't figured out what I'm gonna do with him yet, but I intend to make him terrifying.
well, also changing tack with the BBEG being massacred in AP-5 to roll out a new BBEG-Mk.II (or two) in AP-6. Might really need to play up the "he is selling us out to Cheliax" angle much more...
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well, also changing tack with the BBEG being massacred in AP-5 to roll out a new BBEG-Mk.II (or two) in AP-6. Might really need to play up the "he is selling us out to Cheliax" angle much more...
Yeah, I'm already playing up the Cheliax angle even in book one. I put a ship's log in Aaron Ivy's stuff so they have more than just inference about the Infernus. They know that it was a scout ship on an advance mission to assess the weaknesses of the Shackles. They also know something strange is going on with Harrigan, but no idea what, yet.
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Yeah, I'm already playing up the Cheliax angle even in book one. I put a ship's log in Aaron Ivy's stuff so they have more than just inference about the Infernus. They know that it was a scout ship on an advance mission to assess the weaknesses of the Shackles. They also know something strange is going on with Harrigan, but no idea what, yet.
Ooh, I like that idea.
looking over Harrigan's stats and backstory, I find it sort of ...odd. Bewilidering. Slightly insane even...... I mean, what he does in D5 and D6, while...
"I his eyes, abusiveness shows weakness" (p.59)
run that past me again !
The guy who
*headscratch*
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looking over Harrigan's stats and backstory, I find it sort of ...odd. Bewilidering. Slightly insane even...... I mean, what he does in D5 and D6, while...
"I his eyes, abusiveness shows weakness" (p.59)
run that past me again !
The guy who ** spoiler omitted **and had Scoure and Plugg whip up anyone at their leisure.... regards abusiveness as "weakness" ???
*headscratch*
Maybe he is betraying and failing his own standards?
Creative Director
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Harrigan's a "do what I say, not what I do" kind of guy. Also kinda crazy. More so after all the stress he's been put under.
Certainly what he does in the penultimate adventure to known NPCs is specifically intended to further push the PCs into the "we really need to take this jerk out" mindset.
I'm thinking they were channeling a little God of War with the illustration of Harrigan on page 53 of "The Price of Infamy". The pose, colors, weapon, baldness are giving a strong Kratos look and feel. Pure coincidence or not?
See, my players won't go for the random bully BBEG. Bullies are boring. The real hook has to be the threat to their livelihood, the freedom of life in the Shackles. My Harrigan sees himself as...a man who has had to make hard decisions. The fact that my players disagree with those decisions is what sets them against him, not the fact that he beats people up. I mean, why would Grok stick around some arbitrary sadistic maniac when there are other ships, other captains?
Aside from all that, I like developing a certain sympathy for the guy, especially as opposed to Scourge and Plugg - whom he's employed because he's hard-pressed more than because he likes them - and then pit them against him.
Still, different strokes, an' all that.
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See, my players won't go for the random bully BBEG. Bullies are boring. The real hook has to be the threat to their livelihood, the freedom of life in the Shackles. My Harrigan sees himself as...a man who has had to make hard decisions.
The threat of the invasion is definitely the real hook - but I want them to have a personal fear/hatred of Harrigan as well. As I'll play him he's not just a guy in a hard place, but an evil man out for himself who doesn't realize he's a pawn. A man who gladly sells his friends for personal profit. A man who would torture or murder anyone if there was something in it for him. A petty man who will take revenge on anyone who slights him - and is strong enough to be able to do it to most folks.
For those who watched Firefly, how would comparing Harrigan to Adelei Niska? The ruthless torture, getting what he wants, very concerned with reputation. I could see it.
I like that comparison. Provides for an evil personality, without falling into the trap of the bland CE foe.
Harrigan's a "do what I say, not what I do" kind of guy. Also kinda crazy. More so after all the stress he's been put under.
Certainly what he does in the penultimate adventure to known NPCs is specifically intended to further push the PCs into the "we really need to take this jerk out" mindset.
I do see the narrative trick. I just have am unsure about it's implementation there and then
Just wondering : how much of the torture aspect would Caulky know off in AP-3 ? It appears to have happened just after the mutiny (according to Peppery "speaking up" on Plugg and the PCs), sooo....
And in way, it is a bit of a complete letdown after the events of AP-1 where one is being told "you really need those NPCs for further development later on". Which means you have to play them rather stand-offish, limiting interaction... and then to have the only scenes with them to be battling them in the naval melee or being served as torture-meat for "motivational purposes". Nevermind with an all-new, never before seen, Admiral as the BBEG . who we get two pages of backstory for that no-one is ever going to know because she is dead ?? Demotivational. Sorry to say so.
I half expected Longfarthing to be "the Eel" or something equally cool and disturbing, or raiding a recent prize under the command of one of Harrigans once-officers. Or having one of the bunch turn traitor to Barnabas and telling the PCs "unbelievable information" about him to kick off some new development in the path. Like "he has Chelian admirals visiting his quarters" bla bla... Or actually trying to capture one of his officers to find out more about his hideout and stratagems. Or capturing a chelian corvette, and have one of his officers aboard as a "honoured guests".
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Regarding vikingson's spoiler...
That all said... an EXCELLENT example of why, whenever possible, a GM should absolutely wait until he has all 6 parts of an AP before he starts the game, so that he can make his adjustments and changes to the adventure from a position of knowledge rather than just guessing.
thanks again, James.
Unfortunately, our previous AP (Carrion Crown) had ended too early by far( nobody was keen on the vampires, after having trudged through each and every other horror franchise =) ), hardly anyone caring for Jade Regent saw us tiding over with some CoC and we were really looking forward to this AP.
And of course, one can refurbish the setting some as the GM. I usually do anyway, and will most certainly twist and extrapolate the arc on this one, although looking back now, one might have played certain scenes on the "Wormwood" differently. Now, let's get the creative juices flowing....
....all of that being said, I am really very happy with a BBEG serving Norgorber, who seemed so much underused throughout all previous APs. And I got my "why is Kroop so forgetful" plotting straight - sorry for griping about it, but a single sentence of "Harrigan is by the league much involved with Norgorber" straight out really would have helped - so in the end....
Now let's see how we can introduce the Eel and the Admiral well ahead.
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For my part I'm going to paint Harrigan as a tragic figure. I honestly thought that the PCs would fight him aboard The Wormwood. That ship is something truly evocative.
I wanted to make it that in order to bind Harrigan to their deal they bound his soul to the clock aboard the Wormwood. Every bloody hour before the mast is twisting Harrigan from a fair-minded Captain to something truly monstrous.
Plugg for his part is a Chelish spy, and that is the reason for Harrigan's favour of that boy as first mate. That's why Harrigan who "believes abusiveness shows weakness" allows Plugg to bully the PCs aboard his ship. Ultimately the PCs will damn Harrigan's soul when they destroy The Wormwood in book 5.
If they capture the Wormwood without destroying the clock, then Harrigan will be unkillable. A constantly regenerating monster, that the PCs will never be able to defeat without discovering Harrigan's dark past.
This is just a preliminary idea now, and I hope to expand it soon.
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For my part I'm going to paint Harrigan as a tragic figure. I honestly thought that the PCs would fight him aboard The Wormwood. That ship is something truly evocative.
** spoiler omitted **
Yes! My players are constantly asking - why is such a powerful guy on such a crummy ship with very little to show for his 15 levels of piracy?
Why give so many BBEG's levels in Rogue when they're so often encountered alone?
Yes! My players are constantly asking - why is such a powerful guy on such a crummy ship with very little to show for his 15 levels of piracy?
They are not alone.
The whole crew around here is absolutely convinced that Harrigan is up to nothing good, sailing around with the insignificant "Wormwood".... With so many officers who seem to serve no real purpose. Not even a siege engine aboard.... They were pestering Kroop about it and tried pestering Peppery once (which earned them a solid series of rope bashes) and by now are of the conviction that Harrigan wanted them OFF the ship, so they could not investigate any further.But I do have a steadily growing list of rumours what Harrigan is doing while off screen (they are planning to ask around in Bloodcove where they are currently headed, dressed as Chelian Navy Lieutenants and a Chelian Commander,... likely implying bad stuff ), and he really needs more "evil effect" upon the campaign, IMHO.
And be it as bad for the pirate influence in Sargava and the Mwangi...
And... Harrigan really seems to have a fetish for dismemberment, doesn't he ?
Actually I was lucky with my start.
Beside that a PC trying to get some benefits from Grok got into a drinking game with Grok that ended with them as "friends with benefits" (and a PC with a Con of 3).
So Harrigan has a the reason to think of both of them as conspirators and I will set it up as that as we go on from now.
Having read everything so far it seems to say the he was captured by the Cheliaxn Navy and had to make a choice.
“Facing execution for his crimes and the scuttling of his ship Wormwood, Harrigan offered Cheliax a deal”
Maybe his time in custody was brutal, remember he was a thorn in their side which is why he was captured in the first place.
He’s an enigma in ep1, barely glimpsed, the one vision we do get his him holding the heart of the Captain of the Man’s Promise.
After this you have his Pize The Man’s Promise taken from him, Plugg has gone missing persumed dead, remember Harrigan likes Plugg a lot. He meets the PC’s at the race with his ship and no Plugg, they beat him.
In my opinion this is where he snaps. His is NE don’t forget so its not too much of a stretch to think his mind gives out and he turns out the way he did. However, maybe his alignment changes to CE between ep3-5, lets face it what he does to some of his crew is from a psychotic mind not a stable one.
It seems a slow build up to me, captured, probably tortured, has to start his fortune from scratch, lost most of his crew, lost Plugg, lost his prize ship, lost in the race to the PC’s whilst all the time more than likely being watched be the Chelixains…SNAP!!
Ooh, I like that idea.Yeah, I'm already playing up the Cheliax angle even in book one. I put a ship's log in Aaron Ivy's stuff so they have more than just inference about the Infernus. They know that it was a scout ship on an advance mission to assess the weaknesses of the Shackles. They also know something strange is going on with Harrigan, but no idea what, yet.
Me too. Add that to the list of ideas to "borrow".... ;D
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There may be a good chance that Harrigan is encountered alone... but he doesn't need friends to get off his sneak attacks. With his Dazzling Display feat and his magic fear-inducing armor, he can frighten or shaken a bunch of foes, at which point his Shatter Defenses feat allows him to treat shaken or frightened (or panicked) foes as flat-footed.
Which means he adds his sneak attack damage to anyone who's frightened or shaken or flat footed.
That's a good point. One thing I'm unsure of, though--if he's invisible and activates his armor, does that count as an "attack" for the purposes of him losing his invisibility?
Secondly, I know not everyone has to be optimized, but (unless I'm missing something) why do NPCs always get light shields? Why not get a heavy steel shield +1 for the same benefit as a light steel shield +2 (and far cheaper)? I mean, if he's worried about the armor check, get a darkwood heavy shield ;-) Or get a buckler +2 if you don't want a heavy shield for some reason?
Also, I think instead of a +3 short sword for Harrigan, I might give him a modified version of the Heartripper Blade. Make it a +1 human bane shortsword with the listed properties of the heartripper blade dagger. Should be about the same cost or cheaper than a shortsword +3, and seems to fit Harrigan pretty well (given his moves in the battle aboard the Man's Promise).
@Dude Meister - I like the way you think...may borrow a deal of that, meself.
The Heartripper might just be nice - I found Harrigan's equipment overall a bit lacklustre, if not bad. Nothing really standing out much. Yeah, that inlucdes the armour.
and mentioning Harrigan's Equipment : how precisely do the Glove of Storing and the Bag of Holding IV interact ? After all, the Glove of Storing has a maximum capacity limit of 20 lbs and the item "must be held in one hand".
A Bag of holding IV has an "always" weight of 60 lbs.. and I really doubt you could "hold" a 60lbs object with one hand. Lift, yes... but hold, for any amount of time ?
giben that most Harrigan's stuff in the bag is "unsorted" and comparatively compact, I'd switch to a Type I, but.... it's already pretty cheesy with a bag inside whose field is supposed to stop working... so whatexactly happens to stuff in that field while it disappears...
I believe I found a mistake as well, but I could be wrong--Harrigan is a Level 11 Rogue, so he should only have one advanced rogue talent. However, he has both Crippling Strike and Defensive Roll.
I'm going to tweak him and his equipment a bit, so when I finalize that I'll post the stats here for anyone who wants to use 'em.
HARRIGAN IS EVIL!
Seems kind of obvious. I mean did anybody seriously look at his picture and think to themselves "clearly this man is a paragon of goodness."?
I believe I found a mistake as well, but I could be wrong--Harrigan is a Level 11 Rogue, so he should only have one advanced rogue talent. However, he has both Crippling Strike and Defensive Roll.
I'm going to tweak him and his equipment a bit, so when I finalize that I'll post the stats here for anyone who wants to use 'em.
I don't have his stats yet, so I can't confirm it myself, but does he perhaps have the Extra Rogue Talent feat? If he took it late, that could easily account for 2 advanced talents.
...Heartripper Blade.
I can hardly say "Yoink!" fast enough to this. Great choice of weapon.
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The way I thought of playing Harrigan is as a kind of "boxed crook": if he complied with his captors, he gets to gain his own infamy by spreading stories of fighting the Chelish navy, then betrays the entire community and gets made a governor after the invasion (or at least that's what they told him). If he didn't, he'd hang. He's been telling himself that everything will work out, at least up until his captors abandon him and those upstart swabs with their meteoric rise break into his fortress and kill everyone in their path.
Also, due to the first couple of pre-written lines involving threats of pies and sausage, I decided to make it a thing where Harrigan's thing is to make food-related empty threats. This will get a humorous response from the sillier PC when he scoffs, before the regatta, "Bah! You folk are hardly worth a loaf o' bread to me!"