Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

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
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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Grimbold » Mon Feb 01, 2021 8:17 am

"Well then," Rod says. "Let's dance." He turns to his officers, whispering. "You saved us last time by finding the cheat. Keep your eyes open this time as well!" He hands his extravagant hat to one of the crew and sits down to carefully inspect the deck of cards that is to be used.
He will attempt to act clumsy, eg. dropping the cards while shuffling etc. to give his opponent a false sense of security. Obviously he keeps a keen eye on his opponent, to see if he tries any tricks, like pulling new cards out of his sleeve etc. If he has any chance of easily cheating himself (like shuffling the cards, then having the other cut the cards and then quickly use the original shuffling.) he will do that (Besmara willing). He might let the other win the first game, and then win when the stakes are high.
Bluff +13
Perception+11
Sleight of Hand+15

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Challenge 2: Bastard's Fool

Post by Vardaen » Fri Feb 05, 2021 8:21 pm

It looks like the Captain is up again, he gives the orders for the crew to help how they can, keep an eye out for cheaters and do what they did before -- save his hide.

A small table is set up on the aft deck of your ship, and Roderick has to gamble against Tsadok himself in a card game called Bastard's Fool. Tsdaok presents 100 platinum pieces, and you have to wager your own coins as well. Rod calls for them out of the ship's treasury. Only Rod, Tsadok and the dealer are allowed on the poop deck making it very difficult to assist Roderick. Tsdaok sneers and plops down with his back to the harbor, which will make seeing his cards from afar that much harder. He bangs the table and two shots of rum are poured, to be drank when called for.

"Ready fop?" He tosses in his first platinum coin to kick things off.

Bastard’s
Fool is a popular game on pirate ships, and is played using a deck cobbled together from several partial decks. Even a down-on-his-luck sailor who doesn’t even have a full deck of cards can play Bastard’s Fool, as each player brings whatever cards she has, and combines them with other players’ cards to create a new deck. Bastard’s Fool is a bluffing game similar to poker, but Tsadok adds an additional “Port Peril” rule to the game: the winner of each hand must drink a ration cup of Gutburn rum.

Each hand, gamblers receive a starting hand and place their initial bets. They may then discard some of their cards and draw more to improve their hand, and bet again. Once all bets are matched, the gamblers reveal their cards and the best hand wins.

Rather than play out every hand, I want you to to describe your basic strategy, I will make several checks, and then give a quick narrative describing how the game initially progresses.

To simulate an actual game of Bastard’s Fool, each player rolls dice, trying to get a score as close to 20 as possible without going over. At the beginning of the hand, each player pays an ante of 1 pp and secretly rolls a d20, representing her starting hand. A round of betting ensues (minimum bet is 1 pp; maximum bet is a player’s entire stake, called “all in”). To represent the discard and draw, each player may then secretly roll another die of her choice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, or d20) to improve her score (the larger the die, the more cards drawn). This is followed by another round of betting. A player can fold at any time instead of betting—in this case, the opposing player wins the hand. If the total of both dice is 20 or less, that is the gambler’s score.

If the total is over 20, the gambler’s score is only the highest number on a single die (representing a poor draw). The highest score wins the hand. On a tie, no one wins. The pot remains on the table, and a new hand begins, with bets added to the existing pot.

Participants may improve their position using expertise, insight, misdirection, or even legerdemain. A gambler can make one of the following checks each hand (all DC 15): Bluff, Profession (gambler), or Sense Motive. A successful check adds +1 to the gambler’s score, with an additional +1 for every 5 points over the DC (even if this
pushes the gambler’s final score over 20). A failed check reduces the gambler’s score by 1, with an additional –1 for every 5 points under the DC.

The gambling PC can also make a DC 20 Sleight of Hand check to cheat and increase her score by 4 points, but failing this check means Tsadok notices the attempt. The consequences for getting caught will come out in the RP.

Each time the PC wins a hand, she must a drink a shot of rum. Each drink after the first requires a DC 10 Fortitude save (the DC increases by +1 for each additional drink). The PC takes a –1 penalty on all skill checks for each failed saving throw. Once the PC has consumed a number of drinks equal to 1 plus double her Constitution modifier, she is sickened (taking an additional –2 penalty on skill checks) for 1 hour for each drink beyond this maximum.

To make it fair, I'll roll my dice ahead, so I don't know what your's are and we can use discord to try and speed things up.
"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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Challenge 2: Bastard's Fool

Post by Grimbold » Sun Feb 14, 2021 9:52 pm

Rod grins as he pretends to almost drop his cards and then looks at them. "Oops, it seems I have not played in a long time."
First roll:
1-3 - roll another 1d20
4-9- roll another 1d12
10-11 - roll another 1d10
12 - roll another 1d8
13-14 - roll another 1d6
15-16 - roll another 1d4
17-20 keep.

If it is lower than 18, roll Bluff for another +1 or +2.

Bet 1pp on a total of 1-15, 1d4 on a total of 16-20.

After drawing new cards again: Fold on a total of 2-6

Rod might bluff once on a bad hand, betting 5pp and hoping the opponent folds.

Everyone else: Does that seem like a good plan? Tell me if you have better ideas.

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Zorbeltuss » Fri Feb 19, 2021 1:20 pm

"I wonder how exactly being good at cards will prove you to be a good pirate?" Flavinia's ability to hold her tongue, or rather, her will to do so, seems perpetually absent.

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Othniel » Sat Feb 20, 2021 4:41 pm

"The ability to think quickly in cards may translate to the theatre of battle perhaps?" Seroneth suggests.

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Zorbeltuss » Sun Feb 21, 2021 6:29 pm

"I think it's more about cheating without getting caught" Flavinia quips "Very important skill for any pirate, especially the part about not getting caught"

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Vardaen » Fri Feb 26, 2021 5:26 pm

A random person in the crowd comments, "If Lady Besmara blesses you with luck at cards, she'll bless you on the high seas."

So the game starts, Tsadok antes up his platinum and so goes Rod. The half orc tosses a few cards and draws a few more. So too does Rod. Both men ante up another 2 pieces, and then reveal.

It seems Besmara isn't sure yet who to favor as both men reveal a 19!
Tsadok 12 + 7 = 19
Rod 7 + 12 = 19

Kitty 6pp
"Tie! Go again."

All the money stays in the pot and another 1 each is tossed in. Rod draws well, but fumbles a bit, and Tsadok plays his cards close to his chest. The two ante a coin here and there back and forth until the pot is up 5 more (18 total). Cards flip and Roderick wins 19 to 18.

Tsadok frowns, then points at a drink, "Drink up fop, let's see if you can hold your rum not like any good pirate should!"
Rod: 19 Hold Bluff to get him to raise 21 vs ?? Success. You bluff him into anting up 5 pp

Tsadok 14 +4 = 18

Rod Wins

Status:
Rod +9pp, 1 Shot of Rum
We can pause for RP tactics, etc, and keep going
"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 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Grimbold » Sun Feb 28, 2021 10:17 am

"Ahh," Rod says, "It must be Besmara herself who is blessing me. Normally I am really bad a cards. How much worse must you be? You must be dismal." He grins.
Intimidate
Rod shuffles and then hands out the cards again.
Stay with the same tacticts for now. Might try a bluff on a low roll this time.

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Zorbeltuss » Mon Mar 15, 2021 8:44 pm

"Or she'll bless you with luck at cards, and take it all away at sea" Flavinia shrugs. "Personally would prefer the other way around".

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Vardaen » Fri Mar 26, 2021 1:33 pm

Because this way more interesting face to face....
Just making some rolls, too many to worry about posting
The game continues, Rod is silver tounged.... Maggie used to be, but Rod picked up a trick or two from his former First Mate. He tricks his foe into a few bad plays. Four more shots of rum later for Rod and two for Tsadok and both are down to only a quarter of their coins left.

Tsadok suddenly has a big smile, "All In!" He pushes all his coins into the middle, Rod can cover it, if he wins he takes it all and wins the challenge if he loses, well he can stay in the game a little while longer. "Call" says Rod.

Tsdaok flips his cards 17! Going to be hard to beat, it wasn't as close to 20 as you might think, but the man's a little drunk so his judgement is off. Rod is most certainly drunk, and he flips his and counts, 23... no not 23, its 19, what was he thinking, bah!

Tsdok howls and flips the table, "You cheat!"

There is some tension, the crowd is on edge, depending on Rod's reply things could go from good to bad....
"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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