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
Zorbeltuss
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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Zorbeltuss » Tue Aug 04, 2020 5:30 pm

"Do we pass the test of patiently waiting for the men to be done with their mating games?" Flavinia doesn't ask that question *that* loudly, mostly just for Seroneth's ears, though she did not exactly have much of an indoor voice to begin with. Or more to the point, only when it suited her, and that was mostly when they were setting ambushes or something.

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by GuyWithSword » Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:36 am

Meri has been partying hard with some of the others, learning some of the ways of humans. The previous night was especially long and tiring, as she serviced both the crew of the ship and had fun with handsome men at the local tavern. She yawns and slithers onto the deck, seeing what's going on. Only when Seroneth or Flavinia remind her, does she seem to realize that she forgot her sea-shell bra.

As she puts those in place, she answers Goldtooth, "Are the tests for all of us? Or just the captain? I'll have you know that we are quite multi-talented when we work together!"

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Vardaen » Fri Aug 21, 2020 6:43 pm

"A woman after my own heart! No more playing, right to it!"

He rolls his shoulders, "Let us see if you are passable sailors first and not just some fancy jackets who found themselves in charge of better men!" He smiles at Meri before she covers her set. "Some will be solo, some as a crew lass. This is a solo test."

He points across the harbor to a call brig with two tall square rigged masts. "That be the Stingray, test one will be a race. One of my men verse one of you. You will climb up to the top of the foremast and complete the tricky task of unfurling AND setting the sail from the top yard without assistance before my man does the same on the mizzenmast."
This will require climb and acrobatic checks. Magic use like summoning or flying is not allowed
"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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Othniel
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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Othniel » Mon Aug 31, 2020 1:40 am

Seroneth shrugs and looks at the captain for guidance. While passable at climbing, the Elf prefers to fly.

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Zorbeltuss » Thu Sep 03, 2020 6:33 pm

Flavinia also shrugs, that stuff is for dumb muscle.

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Grimbold » Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:42 pm

Ah, it's a task for elegant gentlemen, not scrawny girls, Roderick thinks.
Rod is good at acrobatics (+15), but his climbing is not too good (+7) He does have his slippers of spider climb, which is ...hmmm... not summoning of flying magic. (Would that be allowed?)

If anyone has better chances, go right ahead. Else Rod will try it.

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Vardaen » Fri Oct 16, 2020 8:21 pm

The Captain decides he will take the first challenge. There is much shouting from the gathering crowd and among your crew and the others. You are brought down off your ship across the harbor, with a crowd trailing like a hungry dog, to a large ship called Stingray, a brig with two tall square rigged masts. You are given the rules, you must climb the 60 foot fall mast's rigging to the top spar. There you must make your way along the yard, which extends two feet out from both sides of the mast, and untie the sails. The sail is tied in four places, two on each side (15, and 30 feet out).

You are loaded on the deck with the rest of the crew and others who stand to watch the race.
We will run this in a few stages, up, out, unfurl, but I'll try and keep it to a minimum
"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 » Fri Oct 16, 2020 8:27 pm

Rod unbuttons his cloak and hands it to an aide, then hands over his weapons (keeping only his silver dagger), and stretches extravagantly, getting ready for the task. "I hope you are up to the task, boy. You must know you are facing Roderik Belmonte!" He says with a flourish. "The sinker of the Deathknell!"
Try an intimidate on the other man, but then get ready to do the task.

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Re: Book 3 - Act 1: Perilous Waters

Post by Vardaen » Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:01 pm

Haines Boyne, the man who is going up against Roderick, narrows his eyes. He tilts his head, "Master of Tidewater Rock?" That seems to get into the man's head, and for the moment you can sense he's impressed and a bit thrown off his game.

The two men get ready, and at Tsadok's shout you are off. Haines makes to climb the mast as fast as possible throwing all caution to the wind, if Rod wants to keep up he'll need to do the same.
Intimidation: 15+13 = 28 Success

The guy has -1 to all his rolls as long as Rod is winning. If Rod falls behind he will get his nerve back.

Profession Sailor: A contestant who succeeds at Profession (sailor) check realizes that untying all of the sail on one side of the yard will cause loose sailcloth to flap about in the breeze, making the job of setting the remaining sail more challenging.

Rod Success
Flavina Success
Seroneth Success
Xie Success
The Climb Up: Haines uses Accelerated climbing

Lower 45 Feet Haines: [Success 15ft, Success 15ft], [Fail, Success 15ft]

Upper 15 Feet, [Fail, Fail], [Success 15ft]

Rod can, using his slippers, scale the 60 feet in 1.5 Rounds! Yikes.
Haines Takes 3.5 Rounds.

Rod is 2 Rounds ahead when he reaches the Yard Arm

Contestants must then make their way along the yard,
which extends 30 feet out from both sides of the mast,
untying sail as they go. Contestants can use accelerated
climbing (–5 penalty on the check) to increase their
climbing speed from one-quarter speed to half speed.
Moving along the yard requires a DC 10 Climb check, or
a contestant can walk along the yard at half speed with a
DC 15 Acrobatics check (or move at full speed with a DC
25 Acrobatics check). Climbing or balancing requires
one skill check per move action.
The sail is tied to the yard at four locations,
15 feet from the mast and 30 feet from the
mast on both sides. Correctly unfurling each
of the four areas of sail without it snagging or
tangling requires a DC 15 Profession (sailor)
check and takes a standard action.
Rod reaches the top of the mast well ahead of Haines, he's clearly cheating and some of the crowd is screaming it, "Cheat! Cheat!" Others, who bet on Rod, are shouting with joy.

Tsadok is snarling and folds his arms over his chest. Only Seroneth notices the man give a sly nod to another man in the crowd, a shady and shifty looking character. The bilgerat of a man winks back and starts to move through the crowd.
"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 Othniel » Tue Nov 17, 2020 12:20 am

The Elf's eyes narrow at the voiceless exchange between the two men and starts to nonchalantly follow the sneak.

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