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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Grimbold
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Spoils of War

Post by Grimbold » Wed May 06, 2020 11:31 am

"Well, they did not put up much of a fight. We might let them go and have them tell the story, leading to more renown for us. Or we just kill them and sink the ship. Or we keep the ship." Rod ponders. "It is not a very good ship, that's true. It was easy to run them down. What do you think?"

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Spoils of War

Post by GuyWithSword » Fri May 08, 2020 9:50 am

"We have to take the ship. We can double our attack capabilities! Or at least we can sell it for fun and profit. Mostly profit I guess."

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Zorbeltuss » Sun May 10, 2020 2:41 pm

"Does the ship have two hot sorceresses willing to join up?" Flavinia replies in her usual half-seriousness, a ship was just a ship, it's attack capabilities depends on what's standing on it's deck. "Could tow it someplace to sell, but where? Port Peril? Anyone with that kind of gold has already spent it on carousing."

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Grimbold » Mon May 11, 2020 9:49 am

"We cannot sail both ships. They won't join us." Rod says. "Either we let them go with their stripped ship, or we sink the ship and let them go on the smaller boat. Agreed?"

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Zorbeltuss » Mon May 11, 2020 6:09 pm

"Sinking would just be a waste" Flavinia had never been one to hide her thoughts. "Leave the ship and it'll keep travelling the trade routes, meaning more plunder for pirates, that's us, by the by."

"Maybe they will send pirate hunters! That would be fun! Maybe with real slaves beneath the mast, they'd probably happily take up the pirate's life over going back!"

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Othniel » Wed May 13, 2020 12:04 am

"This is fine. Send a message that Cheliax is not welcome in these waters."

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Port Peril

Post by Vardaen » Fri May 15, 2020 4:50 pm

Logistically you don't have the crew for two ships, not yet, and your command over the sea is growing, but its not there yet. Soon you hope. So you decide to let the Chelixian's go. You've stripped them of anything of value, and you send them on their way and can only hope to plunder them again in the months to come if they decide to risk the trip here once more.

All hands are back at their stations and you are sailing on wards. A few days pass and you sail into more populated waters. You pass by several other ships, some are clearly pirate ships as yourselves, others are pirates but they fly a flag of a known Free Captain. There is a feeling among your crew that you are better off NOT going after these ships, not so close to Port Peril, there is a unspoken truce in these waters, and your fledgling ship probably shouldn't go rocking the boat just yet.

So it is that you eventually spy Port Peril on the horizon....

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Port Peril is the largest port in the Shackles and its de facto capital. It is situated on the mainland, rather than on one of the outlying islands, on the edge of the Terwa Uplands and overlooking Jeopardy Bay. The city is protected by walls, and the stronghold of Fort Hazard. All manner of vices can be found in its twisting streets, and its busy markets thrive on the sale of stolen goods. Rumor has it that the plunder from decades of piracy is hidden in sea caves beneath the city.

Despite being the capital of the Shackles Pirates, merchant ships sometimes dock here to trade. Those flying the flags of Inner Sea region nations are not welcome, and gain no protection, but unaligned vessels are permitted to dock.

Places of Interest
The harbor is deep enough to accommodate even the largest and most heavily laden of vessels. Visitors to Port Peril are required to dock at the Crescent Harbor, which is overseen by surly harbor-master Tsojmin Kreidoros. There, their vessels have their cargoes inspected before they are allowed to continue on to the main docks.

The city's poorest (and often, toughest) inhabitants live in the Beggarbriar district. Many of them earn a living crafting ropes, sails and other nautical supplies.

Eastwind is another well-known district, and is home to both rich and poor. It is built on the bluffs overlooking the city, and is divided into Low and High Eastwind.

Kerdak Bonefist makes his home in the fortress of Lucrehold, on the bluffs above Besmara's Beacon, the city's lighthouse.
"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 GuyWithSword » Fri May 15, 2020 7:00 pm

"So...what's our objective here?" asks the mermaid, clad in her trademark clam-shell bra. "Offload the plunder we got? Or something else?"

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Othniel » Sat May 16, 2020 9:44 pm

"Sell off our spoils of battle and the treasure, and spend time in the taverns, alehouses, and brothels seeking information on your sister. Talk up our ship and home the Hurricane King recognizes us at some point." Seroneth suggests as she gazes ahead at the port. "Perhaps purchase some fine clothing and armaments or magical items to help us in our endeavors."

"After Port Peril, I strongly suggest we visit Quent as well."

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Zorbeltuss » Sat May 16, 2020 11:11 pm

"What sort of question is that?" Flavinia grins. "It's time to party like there's no tomorrow."

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