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I don't know if there's already a thread like this, but I sure couldn't find one. Basically, this thread is for you to share the homebrew things you added to your S&S campaign, be they characters, locations, etc.
Here's a list of my additions:
Locations:
Red bay
This trading town in one of the inlets of the mainland was added mainly to give the party a place to sell their loot and purchase supplies so that they wouldn't go all the way to Port Peril. It then developed into it's own little location, with signature shops and shopkeepers and a few unique features, like the thick beds of crimson algae that gives the town it's name. The PCs loved it and they seem to consider it their home port now.
Besmara's C++%
This oddly named location consisted of three narrow straits connecting one piece of sea to another. When I described it to the party as "Three narrow openings in the coastline", they burst out laughing and started cracking vagina innuendos. My response was to tell them that, yes, this place was known as Besmara's c$*+, a treacherous and difficult passage for most ships. then I had them make some Profession(Sailor) checks to navigate the narrow waters. They did succeed, but the place still stuck in everyone's minds.
People and groups:
"Flamewave" Robinson and the Creeping Beast
This character was made up off the cuff when one party member decided to check out a bounty board in hopes of a way to get some easy cash. He then became gradually more complex as I thought more about who he was and what he could do. Now he's a half-fire elemental pirate captain who walks with a crutch and likes to personally board his quarry and convince the crew to abandon their former commanders and join him.
His ship has two exhausts on the aft, near the rudder by the waterline. These are connected to huge barrels of oil with small ignition-devices. Whenever Robinson decides he needs to awe the s@+! out of someone, he'll order his crew to dispense flaming oil from these pipes, leaving a floating trail of fire behind the ship. Since his ship is already charred and blackened, this gives people the impression that the ship is somehow cursed by fire, something that scares your average superstitous sailor.
Lo Shei Wen's fleet
When my player's decided to go to Cho-Tzu, I started planning for them to get in trouble with one of the local pirate lords. They eventually did piss off some agents of Lo shei Wen, which led the lord to send one of his ships to enact vengeance upon the party. The twist is this: Lo Shei Wen is a ninja and his fleet reflects that.
All of his ships have a multitude of hidden functions and clever mechanisms.
The ship that chased my party down had the following:
*Pitch-black sails and hull, making it blend into the night more easily.
*Hatches to below deck that, when closed, were almost impossible to find. Some of these hatches were fake and led to dead-end rooms filled with traps.
*Hollow mast rigged with explosives for when things go really bad
*Hidden hatches along the side of the ship, to allow the crew a way to escape if an enemy boards the main deck of the ship.
*A hatch in the bottom of the ship to allow the crew to perform sneaky underwater shenanigans.
The crew consisted of ninjas, most of them with wands of disintegration. When they caught up to the players, they had a small crew on deck that pretended to attempt boarding the player's ship. In the meantime, a small group of ninjas snuck out through the bottom hatch of their ship and started disintegrating away huge chunks of the party's ship's hull below-water. It was only through sheer luck that the ship didn't sink that day.
When the players managed to beat the fake boarding crew, the ship was blown up and the remaining crew swam away underwater, unnoticed.
That's all I can think of at the moment. Looking forward to seeing what other GMs have come up with!
D3
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some "unnatural" stuff from our campaign
Flatbottom Fish :
Any archipelagoe with a sandy lagoon. Crew had heard of "stinger" island, and also heard of some ships stranded - presumably with cargo. Island was reportedly a "ship sinker", and wrecks could be observed from outside the encircling reef.
Sandy bottom of the bay contained dozens of Stingrays though (up to "huge" size) which made swimming or paddling through the shallow waterway very dangerous indeed, with huge stingers rammed straight through the dinghy's bottom when they disturbed the ever-shifting rays who objected at the disturbance.
Ship of Worms :
Taking some inspiration from Age of Worms, this ship was both pretty rotten, sitting in the lee of an unnamed island. Decks had plenty of opportunity of dropping people to the hold below... which was filled with rot grubs and the remains of several previous pirates and the load of metal the ship had carried. Basically a one trick pony, though, but having the PCs drop through the deck into a hold filled with squirming maggots... priceless.
"Nominal Island"....
remainders of a smaller volcanoe since sunk beneath the waves, close to Drakhar Island. Posing a significant risk since only the reef remained, offering a good chance to rip out the keel and planking, depending upon time and tide. Sunken temple spotted in the deths, as yet unexplored (once a shrine to Drakhar, now populated by Deep Ones ?)
Position got noted down with the express idea of drawing any overwhelming force towards the reef and use it as a shipsinker.
Dinosaur cliffs :
Cavalier (Half Orc) in Group wanted a Pteranodon as a mount, mut got wary at some reports about Raptor Island. Player looked for any pinnacles or cliffs nearby where Ptenarodons might lair. Having dive-boming Petaronods shredding through their rigging and plunging onto deck to pick up crew... another priceless moment. very popular mount came off this though, as "Spotty" the mount has become one of the keenest eyes on the crew and is considered the RGDS (Rapid Gnome-Deployment System )
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I have yet to flesh the idea out and I mentioned it in a previous thread but I was thinking of having an uncharted island (probably movable) that was a tweak of Neverland from Peter Pan. A heavy fey touched island with a small colony of children.
I am trying to work out if it is a twisted place where it is evil crazy weird fey in which case I see Peter Pan being something like a "Spring Heeled Jack." Or if it is a place very much like Neverland where lost children of shipwrecks have been saved by Besmara (There has to be a reason she is not completely evil right). The island would of course be full of natural hazards and creatures the residents know to avoid.
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So my players elected the NPC Sandara to be Captain, and have been doing away missions without her. I had Sandara go on her pilgrimage to Besmara's Throne, wrote a whole Captain's log of it, and left them wondering.
Now they're about to head out for Aiger's Kiss. We have a Rogue in the party that recently gave me a 73 for his stealth roll (whilst wearing a ring of invisibility and being still) and I figured as this rogue uses Short-swords, Norgorber meant for him to take it.
I'm planning on having a one-on-one talk with the player, saying that Norgorber is giving him permission to claim and wield the sword, in exchange for information and a future service.
I have no idea what to ask for though. I'm going to give it some thought, but I wondered if anyone has a suggestion for Norgorber's Price.
Please note: It's beginning to look a lot like the rogue in question will end up being the personal bodyguard and right-hand man of the future Hurricane King.
I'll probably use Slip (from book 2) as the mouth-piece to deliver the message, "My Master gives permission for you to Claim Aiger's Kiss, if you agree to his terms: You must give information of a valuable nature to my Master if asked for it by myself or one that knows the secret phrase. [Words come unbidden to your mind] and you must perform a service for my Master that he will decide in the future. If you claim Aiger's Kiss, he will consider the agreement binding. If you do not take, nor touch, nor wield the blade, he will consider you... not his ally. Either way, you would do well, to not assume all members of my Master's faith are friend."
Or something... :/
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Our DM created a powerful Hellknight to become a rival against our crew. The Hellknight's reputable enough to be feared by pirates of the Shackles. When our crew captured one of his ships (coincidentally the Chelish ship mentioned in Raiders of the Fever Sea), he made us a target.
Wasn't until after my character (the captain) had rigged the now-squibbed ship with a trap consisting of 15 bottles of alchemist fire stuffed into a smuggling compartment with an explosive rune written on it with invisible ink that would trigger when the bacteria found in humanoid mouths (in other words, when someone breathes on it) and sold it to the nearest group of upstart tools that he got VERY interested in dragging us to Egorian for a summary trial, torture, and execution. Only two sessions ago we barely survived a scrap with him. Thankfully, these lawful types take their words very seriously and if "I won't be stranded from my ship" is their word then all you have to do is start separating him from his ship and make your escape. Doubt that'll work twice, though.
Overall,Hellknight Terthule Grandidius is one of those enemies our group has to bide its time against and get stronger to eventually defeat. He's probably going to be merged with the Chelish plot.
My group suffers from several curses, some of them selfinflicted. It suits the whole supernatual pirate theme, and sometimes works to their advantage.
They took Tidewater Rock by a combination of trickery and force, but could not prevent the Lady of the Rock from throwing herself of the tower, thus cursing the island. Now it's the center of a very small hurricane, and they have to roll for storm dangers every time they sail to or from the island.
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@Movin, hmmm, I was thinking of having him be given permission to take the sword if he will allow Luccaria (Norgorber chick from Harrigan's place) a chance to escape. If she dies does Norgorber get the secrets and information she had? Presumably he can claim her soul from Pharasma's boneyard and wring anything useful out of it? It makes sense to me that Norgorber would have several church heads, as eventually he will need to replace them as they get too close to his own secrets and past.
My player would not be enamoured of the Father Skinsaw section of the church at all, however the information gathering/assassination for business and pleasure side would be more up his darkened alley. The player says his character has enough problems without involving religion.
In this case they are going after a publucly recognisable icon of the church of Norgorber (ie. Aiger's Kiss) and the church cannot have any Tom, Dick or Harry owning it. Even if the character doesn't worship the god, in this case the god has taken notice of the character.
[to the tune of cops] Bad rogue, bad rogue; whatcha gonna do? What cha gonna do when they come for you? Bad rogue , bad rogue...[/theme]
@ Mrs. Camelot She wouldn't have to be the head of a cult following Father Skinsaw. If she has any knowledge in alchemy, she could become part of the Blackfinger aspect of Norgorber while still dealing in information trading.
I'm planning on having a one-on-one talk with the player, saying that Norgorber is giving him permission to claim and wield the sword, in exchange for information and a future service.
I have no idea what to ask for though. I'm going to give it some thought, but I wondered if anyone has a suggestion for Norgorber's Price.
Please note: It's beginning to look a lot like the rogue in question will end up being the personal bodyguard and right-hand man of the future Hurricane King.
Well, Norgorber being pretty evil and underhand, some ideas (which should make the player blanch a bit ) :
- kill an important subordinate (especially one who trusts the PC crew), or one who has put up pretty good faith with them. Say, Rosie, Kroop, possibly Sandara or whoever rings abell n your campaign. Norgorber asks for ruthlessness and readiness to betray (especially at his whim ). Even better ask the player to do it underhand and keep it a secret from his allies.
- promise to slay two other pirate lords, through assassination, their names to be revealed by the God. Then have Norgorber ask for them to slay an important ally in AP#5, throwing their coalition into disarrays: perhaps not the master of the Gales... or alteratively, slay the High Priest of Besmara or somesuch to weaken her faith ?
- Establish the defenses, natural hazards and layout of all important pirate ports in the area (down to manstrength etc.) and betray them to the temple of Norgorber to help them infiltrate the Shackles.
- Spy vs Spy : have the Assasin go one-on-one with a high-ranking assassin of the Red Mantis, to test his mettle and competitiveness. then sacrifice the head of slain opponent. And of course escape with his life and no blemish on it....
Nasty enough ? Because, after all, the assassin in question would be asking for a relic in return, so no sense in making it easy
@Movin, hmmm, I was thinking of having him be given permission to take the sword if he will allow Luccaria (Norgorber chick from Harrigan's place) a chance to escape. If she dies does Norgorber get the secrets and information she had?
Wouldn't they normally be inclined to do so, in order to gain a valueable (if nefarious) ally ? No idea how "thankful" individuals in the service of Norgorber are in your campaign
I use this each time there is a new departure from a port, I was going to weave in the harrowing adventure so I wanted them immersed in it already, the harrow deck so this is how I did it.
They had an option to have a Varisian Port Harrower do a minor or major reading, according to reputation and payout.
Binding the anchor, a tradition when leaving port or claiming a ship at sea.
When Varisian ships leave port for fishing a reading based on two cards is paid for by the captain. These are "the danger you won't see" and "the bounty to be shared by all aboard" which are drawn from a full deck of harrow cards and pegged into the eyes on the front of the ship.
When vessels leave dock or are departing from being taken at sea, tradition dictates that the anchor is laid horizontal and flat and one by one cards are laid on specific parts of the anchor and bound on with ribbon or rope to signify the crew's brave acceptance of their journey ahead.
The cards are first shuffled one half lifted and rotated 180 degrees, and reshuffled. The captains cArd is placed first sideways on the shank betwixt the eye and the stock. It is tied on, and then the officers' card is placed sideways on the left arm of the stock betwixt the bands there. It is bound on with one loop per officer. Next the sawman's card is placed on the right of the stock betwixt the bands and bound on with one loop if there is one person who is both doctor and carpenter, and two loops if this job is divvy'd. At the crown of the anchor is again sideways placed the sailor's card, and it is double looped in an "X"
On the rear fluke is laid and pierced on the bill is "the most useful tool", after this the same is done to the front fluke with "the most useful part of the ship". Next a card is laid and bound to the palm of the rear fluke as "the wind at the crux", and the same on the front fluke's palm is "the guide card".
Now the cards are laid on lined up from the shank near the stock to the shank near the throat of the anchor. They are bound on with four loops down and three loops spiralling up and signify "journey's beginning", "at sea", and "the hard weather card". Two cards are laid on the rear and front arms and bound from Palm to throat, these are the "danger you won't see" and "the bounty to be shared by all aboard.
The very last card is pierced at its top and tied to the anchor's ring, it is " the ring tag" and signifies how the journey will end, and it rests on the captain's card.}
Okay so here is the full meal deal dealt at sea when mans promise first departs the wormwood. It an example to show that you can tip your hand as much or little as you like.
Lachlan's eyes are locked on the Captain's card for a moment too long before he puts on a bluff of enthusiasm, relief and joy as he begin's his reading. Derwyn is no Harrow card reader but he thinks to himself it is the very worst binding of an anchor he has ever heard about, he thinks how fortunate that the new captain and first mate are frauds or they would know it too.
"Okay, great! The Captains card is (the twin) ...um right, well that means the captain and the first mate shall work together as one to guide the ship." He reaches out with his musical instrument to tap the card he is talking about.
" the officers' card is [the betrayal] gone sideways! which mean that if we ration with austerity we shall end up with some to share. The sawman's card is [the desert]...oh goody! That means we shall not need them very much as we will all be healthy with only sniffles and scratches..."
The captain and first mate were watching Harrigan's boat pull farther and farther and were just going through the motions of listening now.
"Sailors's card is [the Mute Hag ] which means no gossip rumours or intrigue on this nicey nicey trip. Most useful tool is the [Unicorn] upside down, so that means we might have spare time to do the extra mending, see how it's horn is like a canvas needle for crewel work? Okay now the most useful part of the ship is the (here he gasped and closed his eyes) Teamster, that means the capstan which is what I'm sitting on right now. I guess I will be singing fun work songs all day long to help us enjoy all our light work."
Derwyn reached out and gave Lachlan's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"Okay the wind of the crux is [the Beating] which as everybody knows means that we will have nice strong winds to give us great speed on our journey." The real sailors who knew the twin card as first card meant that the reading must be an opposite or it would all be ten times worse, all feigned joy and nodded maniacally.
" the guide card is the Demon's Lantern, that means that a crooked path is the right one to avoid troubles and makes a troublesome journey easy. The setting off card is [the Uprising] which means the powerful wind will show up right as we begin! Off to a good start then. The at sea card is [the Survivor] upside down! which means we will all arrive safely and the captain may even gain new friends on the way! Lucky you captain! The hard weather card is [the Sickness] which of course means we may help to prevent illness by pressing on through hard weather. The rope or ending card is [the Wanderer] which means we will find a treasure where others find junk. The danger you won't see card is the empty throne" here all eyes joined the officers gaze at the disappearing Wormwood.
" [the empty throne] means restless and vengeful ghosts from your past mistakes will haunt you... But of course this is the one thing you won't have to worry about as that is a danger you won't see. The bounty all aboard will share at the end is [the Keep], signifying that the weak will be kept from temptation by the powerful and inflexible. Wow! What an incredible forecast lies before us! I have never seen its like! Truly good fortune smiles on us this day! Three careers for our good captain Hip Hip Hooray!..."
When the forced and manic cheers were done no one seemed quite sure what to do until the captain yelled at everyone to get to work and get them moving, never once looking at the anchor, but all the while watching and waiting for the Wormwood to slide over the horizon.
To bring in two new players as the mans promise arrives at bonewrack isle, I had two Cheliaxan survivors of the sunken ship hiding in the beacon, but could have set them zombie survival ready in the Villiage huts too.
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Tidewater Rock Mistress says that she used to have more towers under her control ,but they were taken via other pirate conquests or disrepair. So I have made up a few side missions that involved some of the older towers. In one of them the party had to prevent one of the towers from burning down. So they had to race up a burning tower rescue some items and the race back down the tower WITH EXPLOSIONS OF FIRE! Very Michael Bay like.
Druvalia Thrune, an excellent villain, deserved some more screentime in my eyes. So I rebuilt her some to be an Eldritch Archer/Hexcrafter Magus, as a sort of mirror to the captain, Moiria Helgrove (witch healer). I then built her an entire crew, with counterparts to each of the named crew (A Bloodrager against the Dragon Disciple, a Mesmerist against the Bard, an Inquisitor of Dagon against Sandara Quinn, etc). I named her ship the Chained Maiden, to mirror theirs, Freedom's Toll. Then, the day after Helgrove was named a Free Captain, I had her blow up Port Peril, and had all of her crew isolate all of Helgrove's, and ran one-on-one encounters that all of the party either lost or ran from, culminating in Druvalia having a gun to Moiria's head, and not pulling the trigger (there's a ton of crap going on in the background with Moiria's witch patron too that explains why this is all a thing). It has left... a lasting impression on the crew.