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.
Here land and sea murder at the whim of ancient gods and men's smiles hide a thousand knives. Those deceived into believing that the Kraken's tentacles are more fearsome than its schemes soon find themselves cruelly enlightened. The Schakles is too vast and its terrors too countless for even the bravest adventurer to conquer. It won't stop them from trying though, and that means good business for me. I thank the gods daily for sending so many fools into this world.
— Saldrin Seaheart, local guide and purveyor of “adventuring suppliesâ€
It has been two days since leaving Rickety's Squibs. After saying in dry dock for a week the ship, once known as The Man's Promise has been changed both in name and lines and is now Besmara's Banshee. She sails the same, and with six new crew member on board she is sailing right and tight.
The crew is happy to be back on the sea, and under new captaincy. So far no grumbles, no complaints. Fishguts Kroop is back in the kitchen with his 'talking' chicken keeping bellies full and Sandara is keeping spirits full with her prayers at meal times. No rum rations, no lashings, no unfair duty rotations, it all leads to a happy crew.
Having headed south out of Rickety's with fond farewells from Rickety and Captain Pegsworthy the Banshee has finally turned west along the Slithering Coast of the Fever Sea.
That's where we finds the officers gathered on the prow, looking at one of the navigational maps....
Welcome to Act 2! This is going to be rather sandbox, random, and up to you guys. You are half way to 5th Level at this point but need a bit more experience as sailors under your belt before reaching 5th.
"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
Together with her fellow officers, Captain Aya, apparently a young human woman looks at the map. Her finger on the parchment near, slowly drawing a line.
"So I think we better pass Firegrass Isle on its southern side. Because if we head north, we might have a harder time to sail and we'd be forced on the way instead of having the option to just head further south if need be," she suggests.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
"But the question is," Maggie adds, "is what our ultimate destination will be. Do we sail around the edges of the Shackles, or do we plunge deep into its belly?"
"Ah... well," Aya looks a bit puzzled for a moment as she replies to Maggie. "I thought that'd be Tidewater Rock. At least that's what we were ponderin' just now, wasn't it? 'It is said that anyone who can claim Tidewater Rock as her own will have good luck, as the castle makes a strategic watch point from which one can strike the nearby shipping lanes.,'" she repeats what Toruk has said not too long ago. "Also, it is not too far away as well, just from Firegrass Isle and Hakin's Reoubt and we ought to be there."
I'm going by a map of the Shackles here. Search for the "web supplement". There's a HUGE map in there: http://paizo.com/products/btpy8qzx
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
Toruk stands straight while folding his arms over one another, "Can you just imagine their faces when words spreads around that those of the Besmara's Banshee cracked the rock!"
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!"
Davok looks at the map and draws the line, "We can wander from here to the Rock, raiding and adventuring as we go. Sailing west generally until we reach Tidewater Rock, then we can crack it open like a coconut and drink its treasured milk!" He laughs and pumps a fist into the air, "Huzah!"
Realizing he's a bit over zealous he calms back down, "Its time we plunder a bit, our boys are itching for some more booty and spirits are up with the new venture, let's not let them down shall we?"
That's a great map, free, everyone go get it. Not sure if some of those things are IC or OOC but its a great map.
"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
"Yeah, I am itchin' for a bit of action myself. After sittin' around and waitin' for the ship to be done we need to get some real good and dishonest work done as soon as possible," Aya looks at the officers. "So we're all in agreement that Tidewater Rock and whatever we meet on our way there is ours to crack open?"
Indeed. And because it's so nice here's our current path:
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
"It's settled then," Aya replies to stand up straight, proud and as tall as five feet and a few inches can be. "We will crack Tidewater Rock and any prey that we encounter." She looks to Maggie. "Get the crew ready, we're setting a course and travel as fast as we can. Lest someone else has the same idea as we do." He glance wanders to Rod, Davok and Toruk. "They, we and the ship should be properly prepared and keep a watch on the horizon. We're on a hunt as soon as we see a fine prize." She takes a deep breath and turns a bit. "My fellow pirates, we're heading west to take our first bounty from the Shackles!"
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."