Book 2 - Act 3: Tidewater Rock

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

Run by the Pirate King Vardaen
User avatar
Vardaen
Admin
Admin
Posts: 66394
Location: Miskatonic University
Title: Great Old One
User Class: Unshackled AI

No One Cracks Tidewater Rock!

Post by Vardaen » Tue May 08, 2018 3:07 pm

Toruk laughs at her, then channels his power into an even stronger burst, blasting Isabella Inkskin with so much electrical power that her hair burns off, her skin is blackened as if she was struck with a much more powerful spell. Her eyes go glassy, then burst from her skull from the shocking grasp of Toruk. She topples over backwards, and the moment she hits the floor her Hell Hound vanishes!

Your guards on the roof give a Huzzah! Huzzah! They turn to the scaling buccaneers, and fire crossbows and ballista down at them knocking a few to their deaths! Sandara and Maggie look at one another and grab up Isabella, and drag her corpse to the parapet, holding her up over the side they ladies call down, "Your Captain is Dead! Retreat! Surrender! We have bested you!"

Seeing Inkskin dead the enemy pirates turn to flee. Your guards show them little mercy however and fire into them as they repel down the wall and flee to their ships. Out in the bay you can see the enemy ship, the Thresher, turn, and flee out into open waters the moment they realize that the pirates are fleeing and are scattered. Someone on that ship has a spyglass focused in on the corpse of Isabella being held up and displayed as a trophy, and that's enough for them.

Gragol and Royster press out of the door now, and cut down a few more men, then begin rounding up prisoner and captives. The fight, finally, is over.
Toruk: Toruk: CoD: 34 Success, Shocking Grasp: "20" (Crit:23) Critical Hit! 25 + Mind Cloud: x2 Dmg + Dazed 1 Round : DEAD
"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

User avatar
Eilandor
Level 15 Elite
Level 15 Elite
Posts: 4005
Location: The Ninth World
Title: Aeon Priest
User Class: Explorer

No One Cracks Tidewater Rock!

Post by Eilandor » Tue May 08, 2018 3:14 pm

Toruk rushes over to overlook the wall as Sandara and Maggie hold up the corpse of the invading armies leader. Smiling as the tide of battle has turned in an instant, "Turns out there really is something to that cut the head off the snake proverb." Peering down to the ground, he's curious to see how the others have made out and wonders where Aya might be.
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!"

User avatar
Grimbold
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10309
Location: Austria
Title: Professor
User Class: Scholar

No One Cracks Tidewater Rock!

Post by Grimbold » Tue May 08, 2018 8:58 pm

Joyfully, impulsively, Rod hugs Toruk and says: "I think you killed her all by yourself. Really good work, Toruk." He then proceeds to send some arrows at the enemy pirates and helping round up the prisoners. When the adrenaline of battle wears off, he remembers the price paid for the victory and he gets very serious. "Toruk, I think our captain has been killed. I'm sorry. There was nothing we could do." He puts his hand on Toruks shoulder, and suddenly he feels some tears running down his face.

User avatar
AdamDaBomb11
Level 14 Elite
Level 14 Elite
Posts: 3152
Title: Oh look. A title.
User Class: Wanderer

No One Cracks Tidewater Rock!

Post by AdamDaBomb11 » Thu May 10, 2018 4:54 am

Gragol ignores any cheers of victory. He cuts down those who remain with little mercy and then returns to the corpse of his Captain. His face is filled with sorrow as all he can do is stare.
Image

User avatar
Vardaen
Admin
Admin
Posts: 66394
Location: Miskatonic University
Title: Great Old One
User Class: Unshackled AI

A Captain's Rest

Post by Vardaen » Thu May 10, 2018 3:11 pm

Maggie and Sandara, after seeing the enemy flee turn to aid the wounded. Neither has much left in the way of blessings, but together they keep anyone who is badly wounded slipping into a worse state.

After half an hour the prisoners are gathered up, tied up they are sitting on the beach, your guards in a circle around them. There are 13 prisoners, the rest were either slain or escaped in their boat out into bay. Likely they were killed by your sailors on The Banshee. The enemy ship however did slip off and escape to open waters; something you'll have to deal with at a later date.

You have gathered now, Royster is over seeing the prisoners with his guards. The rest of you are on the first level, with the dead and Lady Agasta. Somehow, by the Luck of the God, only one of you were slain. Even your guards that were badly wounded didn't die thanks to Maggie and Sandara. Sandara now still tends to them.

The enemy dead are slowly being gathered, you sent a signal to The Banshee and a dozen sailors with Crimson at their lead has arrived to collect the dead and haul them away to another part of the isle where they can be thrown into the sea. All that is save for Isabella Inkskin, there is more to see on that woman later.

So you stand, Maggie, Gragol, Roderick, Toruk and Lady Agasta holding Roderick's arm, over the slain body of Captain Aya. She has been laid in a peaceful manner, with a half mended sail over her body, but her face remains uncovered. Maggie finishes speaking words of prayer for her soul, "...and find the treasure chests of the afterlife."

You are without captain now.
Wow, what a fight! I'll put loot on the loot sheet and the OOC

Let's deal with Aya, and Isabella
"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

User avatar
Grimbold
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10309
Location: Austria
Title: Professor
User Class: Scholar

A Captain's Rest

Post by Grimbold » Thu May 10, 2018 8:09 pm

Rod raises his voice: "We salute a great captain, and a great friend, who has gone with us through all sorts of hardships and trials. She would have deserved a better fate. But Besmara called her, and she answered. She died with her rapier in her hand, like a true pirate captain. We shall miss her."

When it is time for her to be given to the see, Rod has organized a double salute with the Banshee's guns, even if gunpowder is awfully expensive.

When everyone who wants to has spoken, he continues. "The Banshee needs a new captain. How shall we decide on who will lead us? Shall the officers vote? Shall the crew vote? What do you think."

User avatar
AdamDaBomb11
Level 14 Elite
Level 14 Elite
Posts: 3152
Title: Oh look. A title.
User Class: Wanderer

A Captain's Rest

Post by AdamDaBomb11 » Thu May 17, 2018 4:12 am

Gragol scratches at his beard. "P'rhaps everyone should vote. Officers 'n crew alike. We're all 'n this t'gether."
Image

User avatar
Vardaen
Admin
Admin
Posts: 66394
Location: Miskatonic University
Title: Great Old One
User Class: Unshackled AI

A Captain's Rest

Post by Vardaen » Thu May 17, 2018 4:58 pm

The body of Aya is laid to rest, (the inked corpse of Isabella remains tucked away in a corner).

The Banshee's First Mate looks at Gragol, "I think letting the crew vote is a bad idea, a ship is not a democracy, it is despotism, and we can only hope to have a competent and caring despot. It's like the army, we need authority and respect with a good dose of fear."

She is clearly the next in line, First Mate and all, but she holds her hand up before anyone can mention her. "As First Mate I say that Gragol should be our captain. Rosie Cusswell can take his place as Master Gunner, she has the eye and the disposition for it."

Maggie folds her arms over her chest, and looks at Gragol, "What do you say Gragol Saltliver, will you be our Captain?"
"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

User avatar
AdamDaBomb11
Level 14 Elite
Level 14 Elite
Posts: 3152
Title: Oh look. A title.
User Class: Wanderer

A Captain's Rest

Post by AdamDaBomb11 » Mon May 21, 2018 11:48 pm

Gragol looks surprised. The Dwarf was honestly not expecting his name to be thrown in. He is the most recent Officer and it feels odd for him to be put ahead of the other officers. "Ar' y' sure? I mean some o' y' ave been 'ere longer than I." The Dwarf scratches as his beard in thought while he waits for everyone to have a word on the matter.
Image

User avatar
Vardaen
Admin
Admin
Posts: 66394
Location: Miskatonic University
Title: Great Old One
User Class: Unshackled AI

A Captain's Rest

Post by Vardaen » Tue May 22, 2018 3:57 pm

Maggie nods, "As First Mate of the Banshee I put your name forward. I think you have the guys, the grit and gusto for the job. You have that mix of diplomacy and brutality that any good pirate captain needs. You prove to be a tyrant of the kind that we can't stand we can always mutiny, we've done it before, we can do it again." She is smiling ear to ear now.

She looks around, "What do you say Toruk and Roderick?"

Toruk gives a silent nod confirming.

Sandara the Ships Caplain makes the sign of Besmara, "The Pirate Goddess couldn't find a better captain in this crew."

Davok the Master-at-Arms salutes Gragol, "Orders Captain?"

Kroop is whispering to his chicken, his 'talking' chicken, "Na, I donna thin he would try an et yah dear? No, donna worry, well, maeb." Kroop turns to Gragol, "If'in ya promise that n'one will et may dear Black-Hearted Bezebel, youba my captain!"
"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

Locked