DM NomadSage's Skull & Shackles (Inactive)

Game Master nomadicc

Welcome to the Wormwood
Date: Unknown, 4714

The first sensation you recognize is pain... a horrible throbbing ache in your head, as if some nightmare creature from the Dark Tapestry were consuming your brain. Nearly as awful is the sickly tang of cheap wine that pollutes your mouth. A rancid bilious stink fills your nostrils, but you cannot find its source.

Everything is dark, but enough light breaks through wooden beams overhead for you to make out your surroundings. You lie on a hard wooden floor in a cramped, low-ceiling room. The room sways slowly from side-to-side, and you can hear rhythmic creaking in the distance.

Around you are four others in a similar hungover state, slowly coming to.

"Unnnh, someone get the name of that orc that ran me over?" the flame-haired man says as he sits up.

Tan looks around and takes stock of his inventory looking first for his rapier and second for his hat. Finding neither, a dark look crosses his face. "Any of you three know where we are?"

Tan is a tall, slender handsome man with skin the color of burning embers and wild unkempt red hair that moves and flows as if like flickering flame. He exudes a slight scent of charred wood and wears billowing yellow pants tied with a red sash and a loose black shirt but no shoes (assuming we still have clothes).

Clades groans as he struggles to wake up.

"Ugh..." Clades pauses as he tries to stands, looking like he is trying not to vomit, "I don't remember drinking anywhere near enough to be this hungover."

Clades glances around at the rest of the people in the room, "Who the hell are you?"

Clades is a tall, powerfully built human with a bald head and a large black beard. He has many scars along his arms and chest and across his scalp down across his left eye which is cover by an ornate eye-patch. He is wearing a leather vest and a stone amulet with unique markings on it.

Clades starts to check his pockets to take inventory of anything he has left on him

You find that all of your gear, weapons and valuables are gone. You just have whatever normal clothes you were wearing at the Formidably Maid.

Any chance that we had things that we would have hidden on our person? Like a lock pick or something of the sort or did they search us too good for that?

Also...HURRAY FOR PIRATES!

Dis gunna be good

Mahlugul growls at the the red haired man, "We're on a ship of course. The better question is how we got here. I don't remember anything after my first bottle of whiskey. Which one of you got me into this?"

Mahlugul looks around for his gear and curses upon finding it missing. "Nobody steals from Mahlugul the Marauder. Somebody is going to die for this!"

After taking a moment to scan the room with his dark vision, Mahlugul stands up to test the door.

Once his eyes adjust to the light Mahlugul recognizes his brother amongst the prisoners. "Zevo, they got you too, eh bro? This is some sort of conspiracy. Do you remember anything?"

Mahlugul growls at the the red haired man, "We're on a ship of course. The better question is how we got here. I don't remember anything after my first bottle of whiskey. Which one of you got me into this?" Mahlugul looks around for his gear and curses upon finding it missing. "Nobody steals from Mahlugul the Marauder. Somebody is going to die for this!" After taking a moment to scan the room with his dark vision, Mahlugul stands up to test the door.

"Your command of the obvious is astounding, but perhaps we figure out which ship or more importantly whose ship we are on before we rampage through it"

Tan runs his fingers through his hair as he stands up and looks around.

"We are in this together, I believe, and likely to not have any friends here. I suggest we stick together."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Clades grunts, "I agree with Red here, looks like we might have been press ganged, and sadly you lot are going to be as close to friends as I may find on this boat," Clades pauses, before saying, "That don't make us friends mind you, I ain't going to be taking no knives meant fer any of you, and I don't expect you to do it fer me." He glares at each of you, "But until we get off this ship, I agree to work together to make sure most of us get out alive, who's in?"

Clades walks over and shakes the other two awake, he isn't gentle but he isn't mean either...firm, he's firm about it.

"On yer feet you schloobs! Thar be plans t' be made!"

Why does my head hurt so much. Hey where is my stuff. how am i suppose to heal anyone without my stuff!!!!!

Hi I am Vanyel, i am an alchemist with a bad headache. i am good at two things healing people and making fire bombs.

so who do i talk to about getting my stuff back. All they had to do was ask me to come aboard, i was looking for ship to join.

Why does my head hurt so much. Hey where is my stuff. how am i suppose to heal anyone without my stuff!!!!!

Hi I am Vanyel, i am an alchemist with a bad headache. i am good at two things healing people and making fire bombs.

so who do i talk to about getting my stuff back. All they had to do was ask me to come aboard, i was looking for ship to join.

"Probably means it's not a ship you want to be on. You seem a bit soft, better stay behind these other two else you may get gutted. Keep on about healing, though. May keep you alive ... longer," Tan mentions as an afterthought as he continues to split time between his surroundings and the folks he's literally been thrown together with.

He looks back at Vanyel, "Hey, any chance you know how to make a hangover cure? That could be handy. I'm Tan ... and I think we're starting a gang." He looks around with an approving glance.

"Arrr!!! My head is killing me! Who are you and why am I here? Maghul, is that you? Damn did I really drink that much....I do love the Port of Peril, she is a fine lady!"

Zevo is a tall Half-orc, brother to the Mauler. He has black hair, greenish skin and his eyes...well, they are just magnificent!

Zevo then stands up. "Have any of you heard any sounds or noises? Do we know whom are captors are? Oh I guess I should lend you all my name. I am Zevo-gark, call me Zevo."

Mahlugul nods at Clades, "We've likely been drugged and press ganged. Without our weapons we're at a disadvantage to our captors, whoever they are. We'll need to work together if we're going to escape. And by working together, I mean you skags work for Zevo and me. Understand?"

"Think again, boyo. You can try and muscle your way to success, and I'll sit back and watch you get yourself slaughtered or you can enter this arrangement as equals and free men. Otherwise, you're no better than those that took us. You don't want to start off making enemies." Tan's hair dances and waves as he speaks.

-Posted with Wayfinder

You hear the thud of heavy boots and the door unlatches and opens. A harsh, piercing light re-doubles the pain in your heads, and after a few moments you realize it is only a bright lantern. The man holding it has a short dark beard and holds a coiled whip. A look of pain crosses his face, but it seems to be a sad attempt at a smile. Behind him, you spot seven rough-looking pirates holding saps at the ready.

"Thought I'd heard ye wakin' up... The sun's already over the yardarm, ye lazy swabs. Get up on deck and report for duty 'fore Cap'n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!" He cracks the whip, a thundering retort to your sensitive skulls. "Move!"

Page 5 in the Player's Guide has a pic of Master Scourge.

You hear the thud of heavy boots and the door unlatches and opens. A harsh, piercing light re-doubles the pain in your heads, and after a few moments you realize it is only a bright lantern. The man holding it has a short dark beard and holds a coiled whip. A look of pain crosses his face, but it seems to be a sad attempt at a smile. Behind him, you spot seven rough-looking pirates holding saps at the ready.

"Thought I'd heard ye wakin' up... The sun's already over the yardarm, ye lazy swabs. Get up on deck and report for duty 'fore Cap'n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!" He cracks the whip, a thundering retort to your sensitive skulls. "Move!"

Page 5 in the Player's Guide has a pic of Master Scourge.

i get up and follow the others out.

Do you have any healers aboard? now you do bosun.

Mahlugul nods at Clades, "We've likely been drugged and press ganged. Without our weapons we're at a disadvantage to our captors, whoever they are. We'll need to work together if we're going to escape. And by working together, I mean you skags work for Zevo and me. Understand?"

Mahlugul go threaten someone else my head hurts to much to argue with you. don't make me mad or i will let you die on the deck when you get your ass kick

"Saved by the bell ..."" Tan mutters with one final glare at the horc.

"Nice to meet you ... sir" Tan says flippantly as he heads up the stairs. "Have we met before? You look familiar ..."

-Posted with Wayfinder

What do i have on me?
How many bottles,

See post #5 above.

Clades stares at Mahlugul for a moment, shakes his head and chuckles and the move towards the door

Zevo gets up and walks over to Mahl..."This is not the place, let us work together and maybe we can leave here with our own ship!" Zevo smiles as we walks toward the captors.

"Now who is ye captain that you say?"

Mahlugul turns his fury on the man with the whip. "You press ganged the wrong pirate! Don't you know who I am? That's right, I'm the son and prodigy of none other than Zorusk Black Tusk - the most blood thirsty Orc captain that ever sailed these seas! Release me now and I'll spare your miserable life!"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Mahlugul gets no more than three words out before Master Scourge snarls and cracks his whip again, snapping it inches in front of Mahlugul's face. "Stop yer tongue waggin' and get on deck, NOW!" The other pirates close in, ready for trouble.

Clades just continues to move out the door. He's not being aggressive, but he's holding his head up proud and ready for trouble.

"Grrrr....I will remember yer face, and you will mine as the last that you will see" Zevo walks past him to the deck

Mahlugul shrugs and smiles an evil grin at Scourge, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

He winks at the guards and then walks to the upper deck.

You are guided through a shadowy cargo hold and up a flight of narrow steps. As the hatch opens, you are again assaulted by bright light, this time from the unforgiving sun. It takes a few moments to wince your way through the blinding light and pain. Your suspicions are confirmed, and you are indeed on the deck of a ship at sea. Land is a hazy blur many miles astern.

The ship is a three-masted sloop, approximately one hundred feet long and thirty feet wide at midship, with a raised foredeck and quarterdeck. You are gathered at the middle of the main deck. Two men stand near the railing of the quarterdeck. One is a tall Garundi man with a ragged goatee, red coat, gold earrings, and long hair bound under a bandana and tricorn. The second is a younger, balding man with a long black ponytail, wearing a long coat and carrying a well-used cat-o'-nine-tails. A number of other officers stand behind them.

(Pic of the captain is on the front cover of the Player's Guide. Also, a Pic of Mister Plugg)

You see that you are not alone on the main deck. Four other new 'recruits' stand with you: a red-headed human woman flashes a nervous smile, a female halfling who sneers at the watching crowd, a Varisian man wearing a tightly-bound head scarf, and a dandy-dressed gnome with an eye patch. About a dozen other ship's crew watch from the foredeck and rigging overhead.

Master Scourge and the other pirates move to stand below the quarterdeck. The bald man turns to the Garundi, who nods, his stony expressing betraying nothing. The former then steps up to the rail and speaks in a scratchy voice. "Listen up, landlubbers! I am Mister Plugg, first mate and second-in-command of the Wormwood, by grace of Barnabas Harrigan, Free Captain of the Shackles." As if on cue, the crew bellows out a ragged hail. Plugg nods his head, indicating the Garundi. "That's 'Capt'n Harrigan, to you... not that you will ever address him, should you value your skins."

"The Captain thanks you for volunteering to crew his fine ship. You ain't worth much of anything now, but we'll turn you land-locked swine into something useful to a ship, even if its just to chum the waters for shark meat! There aren't many rules on the Wormwood, but here are a few important hints: Do your job. Don't slack. Don't whine. Don't talk to a superior officer unless spoken to first. Stay off the quarterdeck. Stay out of officer's cabins. No stealing or fighting from your mates... and no killing. We are short-handed as it is!"

"Minor offenses earn the lash, then more lashes, then the cat... then the sweatbox. If you're persistent at being a moron, then a keelhauling is in your future." Plugg grins with the last words, almost as a challenge.

Mister Plugg glances back. Captain Harrigan nods his approval and turns to join his officers. With a salute, Plugg hops down to the maindeck. "Master Scourge, get the lackabout crew to work!" Scourge moves off, shouting the crew back to their duties. Plugg looks you over with a disappointed sneer. "Now lets see what you swine are good for. Line up along the larboard bow, now!"

This one took a while to type out...

Clades will scan the deck while the speech is going on, see if he can see anyone who is as irritated about this situation as he is, not including the 4 people I was with this morning.

Perception - 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

After the speech he will move up to the larboard bow and wait.

Zevo will also follow his orders and line up at the larboard.

Zevo looks around while waiting, looking to see how well armed the crew is. Does every mate on the ship have a weapon? What sort of weapons to they carry in common? Do I recognize and of the other recruits, perhaps from where I was the night before?

Mahlugul lines up next to Zevo. "We got to stick together, bro."

Following orders
lining up at the larboard

Tan groans, "Free Captain's ship ... really? Just my luck."

Given directions, he proceeds to follow them but finds his way over to the red headed woman offering a friendly smile as he approaches with a quick whisper, "My newfound friends and I were just discussing about keeping together given we are in such similar straits. Looking to expand that net, and you and your three look to be in a similar situation. You in?"

-Posted with Wayfinder

Zevo looks at Mah "Yes we do....I see things getting bad before they get better. We should change our tactic, we should stop being resistant and try to be helpful. That may give us access to weapons if we are smart about it."

Mahlugul sighs, "We'll try it your way then. I wager we know more about pirating than any of these fools. It won't take long before we're running this ship."

Mister Plugg's eyebrows raise at Mahlugul's boast. "Oh? I didn't realize we had a master among our new recruits. My apologies for not recognizing you sooner. I'm sure you can regale us with the tales of your conquests, the ships you've defeated, slaves taken, plunder seized... and what dire tragedy led you here." He scoffs and shakes his head, not waiting for an answer. "Arrogant and stupid won't get you very far in this business, son."

"Listen up, scum!" Plugg addresses the group. "I haven't got time to lollygag and banter. Know this: you are worthless to me. Less than worthless, really... you take up space and consume resources where empty air would serve me better. I'll have no qualms about casting you off if you're a pain in my arse, so do what you're told, do it well, and keep your flytraps shut! Simple, huh? Do that, and you'll earn your fair share of the booty. Do it not, and being bait for the sharks will seem a kind mercy..."

"Now, I will assign you your duties. It seems a few of you have been on a ship before... You ever worked the rigging, or were you just cabin boys? Anyone know how to cook?"

"Speak up!"

"I'll hold you to that." Tam whispers as he backs away spinning to catch the last words of Plugg.

"I'm a right fine climber ... ser." Tam speaks up in response to the mate's question. "What's on the list to do?"

-Posted with Wayfinder

i can cook

"I can work the rigging whether it be the shrouds or the cleat, I can do it all. This is not my first trip on a ship. What exactly would our fair share be exactly, even split?"

"How about a basic weapon in case we encounter other pirates that need a lesson to be learned, what say you?"

"I have cooked before, as long as you don't mind the mash a little lumpy I can do just fine."

Mister Plugg nods, but then takes an incredulous look as Zevo blathers on. "What part of 'keep your flytraps shut' made you think it was okay to ask me questions?" He gestures to Mahlugul. "You two must be brothers, or are all horcs so bloody stupid? ... Don't answer that!"

To the group, "Lest it was unclear before: if I ask you something, you answer it, and it alone. If the ship is on fire, let me know. Otherwise, I don't want to hear you speak!" The next person to talk out of line earns three lashes, got it?"

Plugg releases a great, annoyed sigh. "Now, if we can stop wasting time... our esteemed cook needs an assistant. You two volunteered, so I'll pick one of you in a minute. All of you," he shouts, pointing straight up. "Climb to the crow's nest, now!"

DC 10 Climb checks, total distance 60 feet. Each check is 1/4 your speed, or can move double that (1/2 speed) with a -5 penalty on the check. Failure = fall. Roll as many checks as you need to reach the top. First up wins! =)

In short, if you have a 30 ft move rate, it will take 8 total successful checks to reach the top, normally.

With a laugh and a toss of his hair, Tan takes a run at the rigging starting off climbing as fast as he can and then after he gets about half way without falling, he starts to slow down not wanting to come crashing down when it's a bit more dangerous.

Climb Accel: 1d20 + 5 - 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 - 5 = 18
Climb Accel: 1d20 + 5 - 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 - 5 = 8
Climb Accel: 1d20 + 5 - 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 5 = 13
Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

That's 8 successes after 8 move actions if the accels count as 2

Tan arrives at the top and whoops aloud laughing as he feels the wind rip by.

Mahlugul curses and takes off after Tan up the rigging.

Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

At the top, Mahlugul leans in to talk to Tan. "I'm no man's slave. Plugg and the rest of these officers need to die. I say we play along for now and strike when these fools lower their guard. We need to recruit others to the cause."

Still laughing and swinging on the ropes, Tan states easily, "Agreed on that need for others and the patience to strike when time is right, but when that time comes I have one condition"

Without slowing his acrobatic horseplay or changing the tone of his voice he simply says, "I get to kill Plugg."

-Posted with Wayfinder

With a robust laugh as Tan takes off Clades responds, "If'n it's a race ye be wanting Red, a race we'll be have'n!"

Throwing caution to the wind, Clades takes off after Tam

Acc Climb Check - 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 8 - 5 = 12

Acc Climb Check - 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (2) + 8 - 5 = 5

Acc Climb Check - 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (17) + 8 - 5 = 20

Acc Climb Check - 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (11) + 8 - 5 = 14

Acc Climb Check - 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (11) + 8 - 5 = 14

Acc Climb Check - 1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (17) + 8 - 5 = 20

After trying a dangerous grab after his first 15' Clades fails to grab the rigging correctly and falls, after landing with a grunt he heaves himself back up into the rigging and attempts to catch Tam

Make it in 6 with a fall at 15'

Is there a check I can do to try and not take damage from the fall?

Climb
1d20 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (7) + 2 - 5 = 4

1d20 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (7) + 2 - 5 = 4

1d20 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 2 - 5 = 2

1d20 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (18) + 2 - 5 = 15

1d20 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 2 - 5 = 13

1d20 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (20) + 2 - 5 = 17

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11