Book 1 - Act 2 - The Man's Promise

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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Book 1 - Act 2 - The Man's Promise

Post by Vardaen » Thu Feb 13, 2014 11:29 pm

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They came aboard, all blades and screams. We didn't have any fight in us, and they took our provisions, our extra sails, all of our tools, and our fat sot of a captain's gold. Then they asked who the chief carpenter was. When everyone looked my way, they clapped hands on me and dragged me across to their ship. That was one year, ten battles, and twice as many ports ago. Had I known that I'd be better off on a pirate's ship than on a merchant's vessel...

“Well, it reminds me of part of a song the sailors sang when I used to cut planks for the Shipwrights' Guild: ‘There's a ship that's a leavin' Quent, and on you'll quickly sign. The captain's a tyrant, the bosun's worse, but she'll a-suit ya fine.'”

—Mathis Trevain, Master Carpenter aboard the Emerald Wake

Its been 36 hours since The Wormwood boarded the Man's Promise and you were there for it. A small group of would be pirates were ordered to attack the aft deck and sterncastle and to secure and hold it during the boarding action. This team, your team, did its job and it it well. You took prisoners, stopped anyone from escaping in the ship's boats, and held the wheel for the entire fight. Captain Barnabas Harrigan was mightily impressed, and pleased when a warning shout from Maggie saved him from being ambushed by a Rahadoumi sailor's blade.

You has time to party and celebrate, and to mourn the death of Jack Scrimshaw , Barefoot Samms Toppin and Tilly Brackett, all three of them friends to the group. You now find yourself at dawn, a day plus after the celebration started, and it has finally wound down. The ship's bell sounds, calling all hands on deck.

When the crew is assembled, a long line of captured officers and sailors from the Man's Promise is brought on deck and paraded before the crew. Captain Harrigan addresses the captives first, offering a place on the Wormwood's crew for any who want to throw their lot in with pirates. Serveral of the Rahadoumi sailors step forward; Master Scourge cuts their bonds, and the sailors take their places among the Woodwood's crew.

Harrigan than turns to address the crew, “All right, you scurvy tars! You've done a right good job by me—we've got a second ship now, and she's quite a prize from the looks of her. But I still have only one crew. So here's the plan—the Wormwood will sail on to our planned destination with our new shipmates here, while Mr. Plugg will pick a skeleton crew to sail the Man's Promise to Port Peril, where she'll be worth a pretty penny as salvage."

"As for these fine fellows here”—Harrigan gestures at the remainder of the captured ship's crew—“some of them will no doubt be worth a hefty ransom from their families back in Azir. And for the rest, if the life of a pirate's not for them, they can spend the rest of their lives at sea!”

To make his point, Harrigan grabs one of the Rahadoumi sailors and throws her overboard to the accompaniment of cheers and laughter from the Wormwood's crew. As the unfortunate woman sinks beneath the waves, many of the remaining sailors scramble to swear their loyalty to Harrigan. The officers are led belowdecks and the crew begins to disperse to their daily tasks.

As they do, Mr. Plugg and Master Scourge start to pick out several of the Wormwood's original crew, telling them to be aboard the Man's Promise within 10 minutes to set sail for Port Peril.... they are working their way up the line.
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Welcome to Act 2!!!!

You have a few moments to RP here, feel free to back post a bit on the celebration or the morning right before this scene. Glad ta have yea aboard fer part two!
Last edited by Vardaen on Wed Oct 22, 2014 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"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 1 - Act 2 - The Man's Promise

Post by Hayabusa » Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:24 am

With the coming morning of the day Aya has gotten over herself and returned to the rest of the crew. During the night though she has kept to herself, listened to waves and cheers and watched the snake that had crawled out. The reptile and kitsune were both alone for some time and before long the light grey and black banded snake had slither towards the young bard and even up her arm. Aya was oddly charmed by the creature and let it pass and when it seemed that she was not just an obstacle of the snake on its way somewhere else, she gave it the name of her fallen friend, naming and adpoting it. Luckily during the day there were no assignments so Aya could pick up on some personal tasks she neglected before. She went and wrote down what had happened during the battle, got herself something to eat and drink and cleaned her clothes from the signs of battle with a small spell she picked up from a tavern bard many years ago, so that she could always look presentable and not reek of a day's catch from her father's boat because no one likes a smelly little bard. She even offers to do a quick clean of the other, surviving friends' clothes who fought in her little boarding group because new set of clothes may be a bit hard to come by.

For now Aya just stands in line, the slithering Jack beneath her clothes as she does not want to see some of the crew thinking the snake is a threat and kill it. She watches the demise of one of Rahadoumi with a definitive lack of compassion even cheering when one gets thrown overboard. For all the kitsune cares the captain could throw all of them overboard. She glances at Plugg and Scourge, hoping she will not be picked as a trip under their command on an almost empty boat will be worse than the current situation.
Yarr, captain. Me and me maties are ready for more adventurin'.

As far as I read it Prestidigitation's cleaning stays. And since it's 0-level I think I can do at as often as I want... Not 100% sure though.
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Re: Book 1 - Act 2 - The Man's Promise

Post by Grimbold » Fri Feb 14, 2014 2:46 pm

Rod has been dancing with Maggie and later he just slumps to sleep somewhere on the deck after he has brought her down to her place (if she agrees). He looks happy and enthusiastic but gets reminded of their dire situation when the sailor is thrown overboard. 'Maybe there are some allies amongst the prisoners?' he thinks.

For now, he just stands in line and waits for things to happen.

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Re: Book 1 - Act 2 - The Man's Promise

Post by Eilandor » Fri Feb 14, 2014 7:06 pm

Alone in the galley, Toruk snoops around and finds some interesting items. While stowing them away he eyes some things that are clearly Kroop's. He has thoughts of adding these items to his haul but they are brief. The stuff from the galley would go unnoticed but removing these would be obvious and certainly tarnish any goodwill that has been built up between the two.

Watching the captain toss a sailor overboard to the cheer of the masses is just another reminder of the situation Toruk finds himself in. While getting thrown to the water is about the best punishment that could happen to him, it is very likely the captain is aware of that and would come up with something more creative. It is these thoughts that make him clap and cheer with the others.

As it is revealed they will be assembling a crew for the newly acquired ship Toruk thinks to himself, clearly this ship will need a cook!
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Re: Book 1 - Act 2 - The Man's Promise

Post by Trogdor » Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:14 pm

Maggie watches with a keen eye as the prisoners are attended to and Scourge is commended to select a prize crew. She hopes that he'll select his cronies, but fears that won't be the case. Out of curiosity, she sends Pluck over to see if he can hear anything that Scourge is saying.

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All Aboard!

Post by Vardaen » Fri Feb 14, 2014 11:05 pm

Scourge and Plugg are chatting, as Pluck lands on a yard arm overhead. The two are talking about picking a crew. One by one they pick those members of the Wordwood that you have already come to know, Rosie, Crimson Cog, Sandara even! They select their lapdogs of course man and woman hostile and unfriendly to you time and again. They choose the gnome Conchobar, and Owlbear as well. Even "Badger" and Maheem end up on the Man's Promise, and to your surprise Kroop as well. The Captain actually seems glad to be rid of the Chicken-Talking Drunkard of a cook.

Then Plugg stands before your group, "Fire Crotch, her little sister Aya, Roderick, the brute Jain and our Tuna Tapper here. You are with me." He grins an evil evil grin. Scourge makes the motion of pounding his fist into his hand, "Good idea Mr.Plugg, good idea."

Aya notices that tucked into Plugg's belt is a brace of fine pistols. These prized firearms were with the Captain of the Man's Promise and your Captain Harrigan awarded them to Plugg for his first command.

Plug shouts to his new crew, "You have ten minutes, gather your belongings and be on board the Man's Promise or its three lashes for anyone that's late!"
Before you make it to the Man's Promise Grok intercepts you for a scene, so don't go too fast.

I have updated the Info Sheet with a "People of the Man's Promise" tab like we had for the Wormwood.
Last edited by Vardaen on Sat Feb 15, 2014 12:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: All Aboard!

Post by Hayabusa » Fri Feb 14, 2014 11:41 pm

When selected for the crew of the boat to Port Peril, Aya only thinks how nice it would be to put one of the pistols into Plugg's back for just as long as it takes to shoot them. "Aye, aye," she says as her name is called out. With the Man's Promise at least she now knows pretty clearly that the captain and his new first mate and sadistic friend are clearly standing against them. Neither the gesturing nor his first new order are promising so far. And at the moment she can do little else but take care of the new assignment. The kitsune makes her way towards the locker to get her stuff and get settled in on the Man's Promise.
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Re: All Aboard!

Post by Trogdor » Sat Feb 15, 2014 12:19 am

"Aye aye, sir." Maggie replies. The 'sir' was entirely because of his position as de facto captain of the Man's Promise and certainly not out of respect. But forms had to be observed - and egos fed. Quickly she goes below and gathers all of the meager belongings, ready to return to the top deck as soon as she's done.

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Re: All Aboard!

Post by Grimbold » Sun Feb 16, 2014 4:55 pm

"OK!" Rod exclaims and goes to recover all his belongings. If no one says anything, he keeps the cutlass that had been handed out before the boarding action. Soon, he has his stuff together and walks up towards the other ship...

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Tear Filled Good-Bye

Post by Vardaen » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:31 pm

The group hurries to gather their things, its completely likely that Plugg would send someone to delay you just so he could have Scourge whip you this evening. It isn't one of Plugg or Scourge's bootlicks that stops you however.

It is One Eyed Grok, the half orc quartermaster who will be staying on the Wormworm. She has tears in her eye, as she stops you in the middle decks. "Hold on a minute lad." She wipes her eye, and puts a hand on Toruk's shoulder, "I'm going to miss you Toruk, and the rest of you. You've made this last little outing enoyable, each in your own way. I need you to promise me you'll watch over Kroop while you are away." She seems more than sincere in her emotions, "You have to watch yourselves too, keep your eyes open and your wits about you. I don't want to see what happened to Appello or Fyzzle happen to you. To see that it doesn't... " She produces a sack, "I've collected a few things from the quartermaster store that got lost in the battle. Take them, go, hurry."
She gives each of you 100gp worth of goods. You can spend that on alchemical items, weapons, armor, whatever. But its 100gp, no selling stuff, no trading things in, no combining gold for something bigger. You each get 100 'credit' buy something with it ASAP, and mark it down, PM me what you took.
"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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