Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

The shipping lanes of Golarion's seas and oceans are filled with fat merchant vessels laden with trade goods both mundane and exotic, as well as the pirates and freebooters who prey on them. Under the banner of their Hurricane King, these buccaneers sally forth from that archipelago of lawless pirate ports and anchorages known as the Shackles, plundering the shipping of countless countries and trade consortiums, then vanishing back into the maze of islands and reefs they call home. The nations of the Inner Sea would like nothing more than to end the pirate menace once and for all, but the eternal hurricane known as the Eye of Abendego has thus far shielded the Free Captains of the Shackles from the threat of retaliation.


In the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path, the PCs take on the role of pirates, but they must make a name for themselves in piracy, plunder, and disrepute to truly become infamous Free Captains of the Shackles.

A Paizo Adventure Path

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Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by Vardaen » Tue May 28, 2013 9:45 pm

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“Sure, kid, I love the sea. I love the salty spray of the ocean in my face, the breeze playing in my hair. Nothing makes you feel freer than riding the waves, the sun dappling the waters. Yeah, I love the sea, but I don't necessarily love what's in it—that's what'll make you lose sleep. All teeth, claws, and tentacles, the terrors that rest in the deep. And don't rest easy when we put ashore on some sunny island either, kid. Just because it can't pull you beneath the water doesn't mean it can't kill you in a second.”
—Henessa Cayhopper of the Shackles, boatswain on the pirate frigate Weeping Trident, to a young shipmate

The last thing you remember was drinking, heavily at the Formidably Maid, the ringing laughter the heady joy of excess, the scents of rich stewed fish and perfume lingering in your nostrils.

Then like the tide it comes rushing at you; the pounding headache, the sickly taste of cheap wine in your mouth, the hard floor, a rhythmic creaking noise, and the feeling of the room swaying, as if you were still drunk.

Before you can do much more than sit up several pairs of heavy footsteps enter the dark room, and the harsh light of a lantern painfully spears you in the eyes. Standing there is the Wormwood recruiter from last night Master Scourge, the Wormwood's boatswain, master-at-arms, and infamous disciplinarian. Six rough looking Wormwood pirates, armed with saps, accompany him. An expression that might be mistaken for pain, but which is clearly and attempt at a smile bruises Scourge's face as he crack the whip in his hand and screams at the top of his lungs at you, “Still abed with the sun over the yardarm? On your feet, ye filthy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Cap'n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!”
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You have a brief moment to get your bearings, you realize right away most, if not all of your equipment is missing. You see familiar faces from last night, Maggie, Toruk, Roderick, Appello, but two others are in the hold right now with you also. A bare chested man with dark olive skin and a wild look to him is waking up as well. He found himself relatively well off when he got his share of his last voyage's plunder, and decided to spend a few of his hard-won coins at the Formidably Maid, a popular pirate tavern in Port Peril. Maybe the shine of his new wealth distracted him, however, because he never saw the miscreants who slipped something into his drink, knocking him out cold. More oddly however is a blue scaled kobold sitting on a barrel watching you all. He came here of his own accord, better than getting hung in Port Peril for arson. You all have a vague recollection of seeing him in the stocks outside The Maid the day before. It would seem he's found some sort of parole.

Before you can do much more Master Scourge lashes out with his whip and cracks it right above Roderick's head, "Up! Up we go you swabs, let's move!"
Welcome to the Skull & Shackles Game! The chapter starts officially! I think since we have a few new faces a description is in order. However, you'll find all your things are missing.

The PCs begin this adventure with virtually none of their starting equipment. Captain Harrigan is no fool, and he is not about to let sailors who have been press-ganged against their will keep weapons and other gear they can use against him.

I'm going to cross out your gear on the sheets, you will have a chance to get things back as we play on. In fact its worth a bit of XP if you can manage to get all your gear back.

Bear in mind that without certain equipment, some characters— particularly alchemists and wizards—have next to no abilities beyond their skills and feats.

Although the Wormwood's press gang vigorously searched and robbed the PCs while they were unconscious, the pirates likely missed a few items. At your discretion, you can allow each PC to keep one item of equipment that could be easily concealed or overlooked—a holy symbol, a light weapon, a spell component pouch, or thieves' tools would all be good choices.

You may have 1 small such item still on you.

Tarc, your Campaign Trait lets you scrape together 50 gps worth of mundane trade goods. This will be reflected later in the day when there is time.
Last edited by Vardaen on Tue Jun 03, 2014 10:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by Trogdor » Tue May 28, 2013 9:53 pm

Grabbing her head with one hand, Maggie pulls herself up into a sitting position. "I feel like my head's been used as a catapult stone," she says in a voice that's half speech and half groan. Then she opens her eyes, sees where she is, and spies Scourge. "Besmara's Bloody Blade!" she mutters. "Caught by the oldest trick in the book. I'm a damned fool." But now is not the time for self-recriminations. "So I'm guessing that we volunteered to serve on the Wormwood," she says in a louder voice, getting to her feet. "Some time after we passed out." She sways a little, and not from the motion of the ship. "What will our duties be, master Scourge?" She tries to remain as polite as she can under the circumstances. Having met men like Scourge before, she knows that baiting the man will do no good - and a great deal of harm.
I'll keep Maggie's holy symbol - her lucky Besmara charm.

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Re: Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by Eilandor » Tue May 28, 2013 10:08 pm

Toruk is tall and muscular with dark blue skin, black hair and limpid blue eyes. While human like in physique, Toruk does maintain some defining traits from his Undine heretage which include fin-like ears and webbed hands and feet.
This guy again... Toruk thinks to himself while rubbing his forehead to ease the pain from the night before.

As the blue skinned Undine makes his way to his feet he realizes most if not all of his possessions are missing. He quickly scans the room and realizes his tavern mates are here as well.

"Seems you were wise enough to enter the room with more than yourself this time...", Toruk says to the recruiter.
I will keep my brass knife
Number Two: "You are number six."
Number Six: "I am not a number, I am a free man!"
Number Two: "Muh ha ha ha ha!"

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Re: Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by Vardaen » Tue May 28, 2013 10:24 pm

*CRACK*

The whip in Scorge's hand lashes out and slams into Toruk's chest knocking the offending Undine back onto his hunches. The boatswain sneers, "You'll keep your mouth shut you tuna tickler! Or next time I won't be so kind." The pirates at his side all laugh and enjoy seeing Toruk struck with the whip, his chest pealed open there from the lash. Master Scourge glances around at the rest of you to see if anyone else dares to speak out to him. He looks at the kobold on the barrel, "Come on Fyzzle, you ain't excluded from this just because you signed on of your own free will."

He looks at Maggie, "Your duties are what Mr.Plugg decides they are! If I have my way you'll be me bed warmer. Now let's go, all volunteers on deck."
Whip: Att Toruk: 20 Hit for 5 Nonleathal Damage

Toruk @ 5 NL (4 more and he passes out)
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by Trogdor » Tue May 28, 2013 10:28 pm

Maggie does her best to help the others up and on deck. Right now playing nice and following orders was the best way to proceed. Later ... well, that was a different matter altogether.

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Re: Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by Eilandor » Tue May 28, 2013 10:30 pm

Toruk regains his footing after taking a lash. Silent this time he stands waiting for the others.
Number Two: "You are number six."
Number Six: "I am not a number, I am a free man!"
Number Two: "Muh ha ha ha ha!"

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Re: Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by Tarciryan » Wed May 29, 2013 3:14 am

Jain is well muscled and hairy, his hair brushing his shoulders and his beard cleanly shaven on his chin. One easily notices the scarring on his face.

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Jain keeps his calm as he wakes up. He hasn't felt a headache like this since he double-shot three cases of rum during the Great Warlord's Run two years ago, however for now that is but a wonderful memory. As he see's the finclad blueboy get the whip, he can't help conjure a wicked smile. One might think this is the first time he finds himself beneath the oily shell of a maggot-ridden heap of garbage like this. He studied the whip..."that one will fit me nicely in time" he thinks to himself.

He looks around the room and sees nothing but strangers. They may come in handy later on, for now he best make sure this ride will not be his last. As he listens to the petty attempts of submission by the female slag-bucket he notices his belongings are gone...and the days when his naked upper torso would scare sailors into submission are as long gone as his pike.
I'm new to Pathfinder, so feel free to correct me should anything be bad RP-wise etc. If possible, I'll keep my dagger
Last edited by Tarciryan on Thu May 30, 2013 11:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by MadVlat » Wed May 29, 2013 5:25 am

Appello grins as he stands and brushes off his clothing, secretly feeling for his tools. Quietly he pulls up his sleeve to reveal a hideous brand upon his forearm as he passes the pissy boatswain. "Have you know that I am not as green to this routine as the sea is blue and if I'm treated well, a better sail man you'll not find soon...
Kept my thieve's tools. I can pick up a knife soon enough...
...And the stone of the earth and the wind in the sky bowed before the wisdom of the Ancient One...

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Re: Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by jigglypuff69 » Wed May 29, 2013 6:05 pm

Fyzzle will keep a vial of acid. But his sticky fingers won't stay still for long... :lol:
On the barrel, a small dragon sits. Only three feet, and YES two inches tall, Fyzzle is a dragon scaled kobold. His slightly webbed hands, feet and flat tail mark him as a decent swimmer, but his leathery wngs are a bit of an oddity. Even though he's a small kobold, it's his draconic heritage that comes through the strongest.

As the boatswain yells, Fyzzle leaps over to one of th emasts, climbing it and turning upsidedown to look at the group, his golden eyes studying them like a bird of pray as his claws dig into the wood for purchase. Once the whip cracking dies down and the mood settles enough to be safe, He spreads his wings and glides down to the deck, landing with a couple of step to steady him.

He looks at the others, then Scorge, "Misterz Scorge, Fyzzle reporting for dutiez...", He turns his head for a moment and whispers to empty air, "Notz now... I buzy..." He looks back over at the large man, "Whatz you have me doez?"
I am the voice of Never Never Land, the innocence of every man, I am the empty crib of Peter Pan. A silent kite against the blue, blue sky, every chimney every moonlit sight. I am the story that will read you real, every memory that you hold dear...

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Re: Book 1 - Act 1 - The Wormwood

Post by Vardaen » Wed May 29, 2013 10:18 pm

FYI you were in the hold, not on the deck, but we can assume Fyzzle does his tricks just in the ship and not on them.
Scourge snaps the whip a foot from the kobold's face, "Fall in line! We are going up to the deck with the rest of the swabs!" The group climbs the ladder from the hold up to the main deck. It is apparent that you are on a large ship in the middle of the ocean. Port Peril and the mainland of the Shackles are just an ochre haze many miles astern. Figures cluster around the ship's mainmast, looking up at the higher deck on the stern, where two figures stand. One of them is a broad, muscular Garundi man with a shaven head, a long beard bound with gold rings, and an eye patch—clearly the captain. The other is a younger, balding man with a long black ponytail, wearing a long coat and carrying a well-used cat-o'-nine-tails. You realize you are not the only new recruits —four others are standing with you on the deck, set apart by their relative cleanliness and their apparent unease with their new found situation. A dozen or so other pirates, clearly existing members of the crew, stand about on the deck or in the ship's rigging.

As you are herded up on deck the captain addresses the crew.

“Glad you could join us at last! Welcome to the Wormwood! My thanks for ‘volunteering' to join my crew. I'm Barnabas Harrigan. That's Captain Barnabas Harrigan to you, not that you'll ever need to address me. I have only one rule—don't speak to me. I like talk, but I don't like your talk. Follow that rule and we'll all get along fine."

“Oh, and one more thing. Even with you new recruits, we're still short-handed, and I aim to keep what crew I have. There'll be a keel haulin' for anyone caught killin' anyone. Mr. Plugg! If you'd be so kind as to make pirates out of these landlubbers, it'll save me having to put them in the sweatbox for a year and a day before I make pies out of 'em.”


At the end of his speech, the captain walks away, leaving behind the man with the cat-o'-nine-tails. This is Mister Plugg, the Wormwood's first mate. He looks down at you all and the other impressed captives and smiles unpleasantly. Plugg has no time for small talk or pleasantries. Bald except for a black ponytail and sporting long, narrow beard, Mr. Plugg somehow looks angry, miserable, and uncomfortable, all at the same time. Bare-chested, he wears an immaculate coat with pearl buttons and carries a cat-o'-nine-tails with him at all times. He clearly takes great pride in himself— everything about him shines, from the polish on his boots to the dome of his head. His teeth are gray and yellow, however, and his face is fixed in an almost constant grimace. He spends a moment to look the group over, giving you a second to get your barrings.
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Main Deck: The ship's main deck runs between the foredeck and poop deck. The mainmast rises from the center of the deck, extending 60 feet into the air and topped by a crow's nest. Rigging connects the mainmast to the ship's other masts and can be crossed. Several strands of thick rope are secured
to the foot of the mainmast for use as a whipping post. The ship's clock, a macabre brass-and copper
object depicting worms writhing through whale corpses, hangs from the mast above the whipping post. Not only does the clock keep time, but its bell strikes at dawn and dusk to signal the beginning and the end of the workday.

Two 10-foot-square hatches sit in the deck fore and aft of the mainmast. These hatches are thick wooden grilles and open onto the middle hold 15 feet below. At the fore of the ship, two doors lead into the officers' quarters while two doors aft lead to the captain's quarters. A large wooden box bound in iron sits just beneath the bridge. This sweatbox, used to torment sailors, has just enough room to hold one Medium creature (and can be altered to confine a Small creature).

A small jolly boat (same statistics as a rowboat) sits on the deck next to the port rail. It has two sets of oars but no mast. Although designed to carry four Medium passengers, the jolly boat can fit six at a push.

I'll start up a map tomorrow.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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