Admiral Thrune

[XperimentalDM]

I am running council of Thieves and would love to throw out some easter eggs to players that might play skull and shackles with me in the future. I would love to add Admiral Thrune to the NPCs present when the Chelish army arrives in Westcrown. Does this work timeline wise? I know I can obviously change things to my hearts content, but part of me likes keeping certain things internally consistent the dates of the AP releases. Skull and Shackles would be about 2 years after Council of Thieves in that case. Would she only be Captain Thrune at that point?

[Lord Gadigan]

I don't have exact dates to back this up, by my general impression is as follows:

She's likely a rising star in the navy at that point, quickly moving up the ranks but not at the rank of admiral yet. It's noted that she moved up the ranks quickly and was an admiral before

Skull and Shackles:

Harrigan's capture, and there would be some time between that event and the start of Skull and Shackles (what with Harrigan having to be taken to Cheliax agreeing to betray the pirates while captured, returning to the Shackles, and re-assembling his old crew and resources.

. She isn't noted as doing anything major as an admiral before the capture, though, which makes me think she hasn't been one for a huge amount of time prior to that. My best guess is she becomes an admiral about a year after Council starts, but could easily be introduced as some naval prodigy by Vourne or someone else during Council who is likely to be tapped for promotion to the rank of admiral at some point.

[Fitzwalrus]

Spoiler:

In regards to a strict timeline I don't think it is an absolute necessity that Harrigan be returned to Cheliax to confirm his deal. With the spells and infernal contacts available to high-level Chelaxian NPCs I'm sure the terms of the deal could be quickly worked out and confirmed almost as soon as Harrigan made it, right in Admiral Thrune's cabin if necessary.

What I'm still trying to sort out in my own head is the fact there are a number of NPCs who have been with Harrigan for some time, including the time frame of his capture by Cheliax, yet some are aware of his deal while others are not. Why is that? How is that? If Harrigan went missing for any great time where were these NPCs and what were they doing, or if Harrigan didn't go missing how was the fact that a deal had been arranged concealed from some but not others?

The cover story appears to be that Harrigan was/is the scourge of the Chelaxian Navy, was almost captured but escaped, and now continues his depredations against Cheliax - but his raids are actually "cover" to slip Chelaxian funds and troops into the Shackles. It seems the Wormwood is the only ship Harrigan has commanded and the only ship the NPCs have served on while under his command, so sorting out "who knew what and when" is proving to be the primary snarl in the storyline for me at the moment.

These details may be revealed in the final AP module, or they may not. In the meantime, if anyone else has any bright ideas on how to deal with all this I'm more than willing to listen to them ;D

[Trinite]

Fitzwalrus wrote:

** spoiler omitted **

[spoiler]I've decided that the story, at least according to Kroop, is that Captain Harrigan disappeared for a few days while they in port up at Riddleport. Unbeknownst to Kroop, that's when the Chelaxians got to him.

Harrigan came back after a few days with their new crewman, Mister Plugg. Plugg started out as a bosun's mate but quickly moved up the ranks to First Mate. Plugg is actually supposed to be Harrigan's direct Chelaxian handler.

But unbeknownst to both Harrigan and Cheliax, Plugg is actually a worshipper of Mammon, and he's abandoned the mission to seek his own fortune as an independent pirate, figuring that he can live it up until the invasion comes, and then he can make up a convincing story to tell to whichever side wins.[spoiler]

[vikingson]

Fitzwalrus wrote:

.....they may be sorted out....

They are not. Very little info on that, even on Admiral Thrune.

The fate and coordination of the NPCs relevant in several parts of the plot is not really all that.... superior. In fact, given Harrigan's resources in AP-V, it seems like a small miracle that he cannot find a way to slip out of Druvalia's clutches.

[Trinite]

Crap. Sorry for messing up my tags.

[Coinspinner's Song]

vikingson wrote:

Fitzwalrus wrote:

.....they may be sorted out....

They are not. Very little info on that, even on Admiral Thrune.

The fate and coordination of the NPCs relevant in several parts of the plot is not really all that.... superior. In fact, given Harrigan's resources in AP-V, it seems like a small miracle that he cannot find a way to slip out of Druvalia's clutches.

Sorry to revive a 10 year old comment. But I love the idea, and I'm trying to figure out how you would prepare for the PCs vs. Plugg fight with these details.

Wouldn't Plug then offer up this HUGE secret to spare his life?

Even without proof, that seems way too early to drop that Harrigan is working with Cheliax. And becomes it literally comes out of left field, it's something the PCs would be apt to believe!

I'm trying to write a Harrigan redemption plot into this to keep it fresh for myself (3rd time running it now). I've always been bothered by his capture and so far never really needed to explain anything, but this just seems like it would add even more into needing to fill in all those details to know what exactly to say to the players.