We just finished taking the Man's Promise. That battle itself took nearly a month (real time, of course) and had a couple PCs into the negatives. We started playing in May so if we keep up this pace we should be finished the first book by next summer.
Our group just took Man's Promise, weathered the storm and the ship's grounding. Now they're just beginning to explore the island. Not sure how many sessions we've played. Maybe 5-6 full sessions.
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We are in the third module, Tempest Rising. Been playing about once a week online since April.
Not sure how I feel about the AP. Especially Tempest Rising. The PCs are running back and forth trying to fetch different things...feels very video gamey. Plus, the way it is written is confusing at times.
Also, we have discovered the PCs hate underwater combat. So when they are offered underwater encounters, they are starting to say..."eh, no thanks."
Getting to the mid-point of The Price of Infamy. Should have the whole AP wrapped up in about 5 sessions.
Currently painting minis and building a paper ship. Players are writing back stories. So I guess we are on the 0th book.
10th day. My group just murdered Jape and blamed Mayheen, got him keelhauled. But now the group inquistor might be getting punished...
10th day on the Wormwood. My group just murdered Jape and blamed Mayheen, got him keelhauled. But now the group inquistor might be getting punished...
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We’ve played about 12 3 1/2-hour sessions and are just moving into the final section of book 2 (I expanded the sandbox element of this book a lot).
I consider these 3-hour sessions however because I am DMing an all girl group with ages 14, 16, 19, 20 and 40 where in any given session something happens so funny that takes a half hour to recover. :-)
We're probably one session away from the end of Raiders of the Fever Sea.
Were just starting book 2, but were struggling. My players love the "idea" but hate the whole infamy/plunder thing.
To be honest, they simply aren't pirates. They have no desire to whip the crew, force the work, rape, pillage, etc. But they do want to do ship to ship, explore, take an island and so on.
I think they are (and I say this half joking) more like the Disney pirates. Lots of action, not so much a bunch of SOBs.
I as GM wanted more of a Disney pirates feel myself. I added some alternatives to the more cruel options. I added a more oppressive presence of Cheliax, the Taldorian West Gurundi Trading company, Aspis Consortium and so forth. This created targets that even good guys would want to go after. Second I created an Inquisition against slavery which has lead to not just raping and reaving SOBs but Andoran privateers, Shackles Buckeneers who are tying to make a living but between slavery and oppression make a better living hitting the shipping lanes. Also I added a number of settlements that are mostly slave plantations along the coast again creating targets that not completely evil pirates would want to hit. My hope is that I hit the right balance so that there is room for "Han Solo" scoundrels who are not just killers and slavers and who run a foul of both the "Empire" (Cheliax and userous foreign powers)and the Hutts (cruel evil pirates that are profiteering off suffering).
The actual adventure itself has no reference for players to be evil It seems to me you can play it anyway you want, there is nothing to say that you have to be a real SOB. You dont have to whip,force work or rape anyone to make it work, let them design a ships charter on how they want to run the ship and crew and deal with disiplne this should show you how they intend the be portrayed.
Also its kind of easier I guess not to be outright Evil as it means you have more of an impetus to stamp out the evil Chelish invasion and oust Bonefist form office.
All infamy is is boasting of you're deeds and shows you're reputaion (jack sparrows legends anyone?)maybe some the despisitions need to be dropped or altered though, plunder is gathered from ships you dont have to kill the crew (well maybe the captain if needed) you could just use the crew or take them on board and drop them off in the next port. Just steal the tresure and sell on (Robin Hood style), its only trade goods really. if its not working drop it it wont matter that much, just think of another unit for plunder (without this I think they will suffer as they will need a lot of gold to keep the ship working, pay crew and get new crew though so they will need to get this from somewhere).
My players are not evil SOB's and they are loving it they have an edge but are not out and out evil, I would say lovable rogues like Han Solo really. Let them do it they way they want, the story itself plays out wichever way you play it.
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We are in the third module, tempest rising, but we are a little behind due to a twist for Halloween fun. The crew actuated the sextant (astrolabe?) gained from Locke in module two, but instead of performing how it was described in the book, the item transported the crew and the ship to the Abyss.
In the Abyss, the pirates made a pact with Haagenti and ended up going through a 1/4 section of "a Paladin in Hell" that I grafted into the story.
Needless to say, it was interesting detour from the AP plot, and the crew now mans the "Demon Wing" complete with its portal to the Abyss. The players had a blast and running errands from part two of Tempest Rising feels pale in comparison to the October these guys just had.
I think the AP gets exciting again however after part two of Tempest Rising is finished with.
Almost finished with this AP. On the last chapter and Ive made a few changes to make the ending more cinematic and less dungeon raid. Not a bad AP, but not what I was hoping for either.
Part way through Raiders of the Fever Sea. They've just been rammed by Whalebone Pilk aboard the Deathknell.
For folks playing or GMing S&S right now, how far through it are you?
My party just finished Chapter 1.
We had to reboot, but we just finished the Isle of Empty Eyes. Really had some great moments there.
I am SO considering doing some sort of novelization of our game... this has been the best AP we've ever played and it hasn't been close.