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    Default Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Location: Port Peril - Pirate Tavern "the Formidably Maid"
    Time: Just past midnight

    The search for adventure has brought you to Port Peril, probably the most important port of the island group called the Shackles and heart of the privateer problem that vexes the shipping lines of Cheliax.

    Your wanderings have brought you into this charming little tavern that has strong drink served by easy women. Just now your telling of a tall tale of sea adventures and daring do has earned you a large mug of spiced wine and the attention of a sweet little think sitting across your lap and nibbling on your earlobe.

    "Another one", a scurvy looking fellow, with sunken eyes, bad teeth and worse breath has called out to you, encouraging you to drink up and get on with the next tale.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Ryotsu drinks deeply from the mug, a cheeky smile ever present on the kitsune in human form's face."Let me tell you the tale of captain Thomas Songbird, a famed pirate from another sea." He says, leading into his story. He tells to story of the pirate captain (or the first part of it, at least, for it is a very long story), using the tone of his voice to set the tone of the tale. As the swashbuckling begins, Ryotsu climbs out from under the woman, drawing his own rapier and dueling an imaginary opponent; a living prop for his own tale.

    "And just as he defeated the blacksmith's apprentice and his escape looked inevitable, the sound of glass shattering filled the room! You see, the drunken blacksmith had awakened from his stupor and smashed his bottle over the pirate's head, knocking him cold just in time for the guard to arrive and arrest him. Don't worry though, that's not the end of this story!

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    While you stand up to give your performance, you are yourself amazed how vividly you can display the lurching and staggering gait of the pirate in your story. One of your best performances, even if you think it about yourself.

    Only now that you have gotten up, you notice that four of your listeners have a rather sneering grin on their face. You even turn around to see if you have something stuck on your bottom that might cause them to display such evil grins.

    You feel a bit dizzy all of a sudden and an urge for fresh air.
    Yet you see clear enough that the four men in your audience are exchanging looks with each other. Two of them get up and leave the tavern.
    Last edited by Pyrophilios; 2017-10-12 at 12:35 PM.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    "I'm afraid that's all I have for tonight, my friends." Ryotsu says as he take a few uneasy steps to the door. He knew he was able to handle his drink better than this. He had heard stories before of people being slipped drugs and kidnapped against their will but that couldn't happen to him, could it? Either way, as long as he was able to dodge into an alley and slip into his fox form, he'd be able to sleep it all away without any passersby noticing his presence.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    The night air helps clear your head - for the moment at least.

    "Do you have a light?"
    The voice came from the Kitsune's left as he stepped through the door.

    Spoiler
    Show

    You are flanked and flatfooted as the two pirates who left earlier step from the shadows.
    They carry saps and have two dice of sneak attack:
    (1d20)[13]+5
    (3d6)[7]+2

    (1d20)[16]+5
    (3d6)[11]+2

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Ryotsu collapses to the ground, unconscious, before he knew what hit him.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    The blow on the back of your neck is applied with precision and great care.
    The blow to the side of your head is unnecessary and sloppy.
    But before you can think about the relative merits of blows to the head you lose consciousness.

    Some time later

    You awaken, slowly and groaning. You can feel a hard wooden floor under your face. Your head hurts. A very bad, nutty taste lingers in the back of your mouth and one of your eyes seems to have swollen shut.

    A voice cuts snarling into your muddled mind, causing you instantaneously to develop a pounding headache:
    "Still abed with the sun over the yardarm?
    On your feet, ye filthy swabs! Get up on deck and report for duty before Cap’n Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!"


    You realize that you aren't the only one here, where ever you are, because other people start groaning and shaking. The cracking sound of a whip gives you the necessary motivation to look up at the grinning visage of the foul breathed sailor from last night.
    Your armor is gone, as is your rapier. And the man with the whip, has another six people behind him.
    You have the strong feeling that compliance wouldn't be the worst idea for now...

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    "Oh! What a cruel twist of fate!" Ryotsu says dramatically, picking himself off the ground. "But yet, how deliciously entertaining! Tell me good sir:
    Where is this Captain Harrigan? I simple must inquire as to want 'venture I have found myself on."
    Despite the headache, Ryotsu is as chipper as ever. The clever kitsune has already planned his escape from the physical labor of the chain gang, though how difficult it would be to implement remained to be seen.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    How many points of nonlethal damage have I healed in the time I was knocked out?
    Last edited by Eonn; 2017-10-12 at 03:38 PM.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    "We have a life one it seems... and a mouthy one at that. Now listen up you worm: There's no need for questions, because we tell you what to do. Open your mouth without being asked to and I'll make sure you won't close it for a while, 'cause of the screams."
    For emphasize he cracks the whip again, this time nearly missing your left ear.

    Now move your sorry arse, or you'll find out how far from land we are the hard way."


    The other victims are rising also now - probably realizing that there is someone else who just made himself a target.

    Spoiler
    Show

    You still have 2 points of non-lethal damage left

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Ryotsu puts his hand up in a half hearted surrender position. He's willing to play along with them for now.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    The move up the stairs reveals that you are indeed aboard a ship. The fresh breeze comes as a relieve from the oppressive, stinking air below and lessens somewhat the pounding in your head.

    The ship seems large and yet very small within the wast ocean. No land is visible in any direction.
    About 20 people mill around, looking curiously at you and your ill fated companions.

    Figures cluster around the ship’s mainmast, looking up at the higher deck on the stern, where two figures stand. One of them is a broad, muscular Garundi man with a shaven head, a long beard bound with gold rings, and an eye patch - clearly the captain.
    The other is a younger, balding man with a long black ponytail, wearing a long coat and carrying a well-used cat-o’-nine-tails.

    Four of the bystanders seem to be also rather new to the crew, as they look much cleaner and much more uncomfortable than the rest of the crew.

    But before you can ruminate to much about this, the captain addresses you:
    "Glad you could join us at last! Welcome to the Wormwood! My thanks for ‘volunteering’ to join my crew. I’m Barnabas Harrigan. That’s Captain Barnabas Harrigan to you, not that you’ll ever need to address me. I have only one rule—don’t speak to me. I like talk, but I don’t like your talk. Follow that
    rule and we’ll all get along fine.
    Oh, and one more thing. Even with you new recruits, we’re still short-handed, and I aim to keep what crew I have. There’ll be a keelhaulin’ for anyone caught killin’ anyone. Mr. Plugg! If you’d be so kind as to make pirates out of these landlubbers, it’ll save me having to put them in the sweatbox for a year and a day before I make pies out of ’em."


    After this short speech the captain walks away, leaving the man with the cat-o-nine-tails behind that he addressed as Mr. Plugg.

    His smile is unpleasant and hints at more than a fair share of cruelty within the man:
    "Listen you maggots. We ha' more than enough work for all of you, but for now we look if'n you be a rigger or a swab.
    Climb that mast as fast as'n you can. Who gets up first is ta be a new rigger. GO!"


    Spoiler
    Show

    A DC 10 climbing test to reach the crows nest 60ft above ground for a total of 8 tests (quarter speed movement)

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    A test of skill? How fun!" laughs Ryotsu, dashing for the rigging. As he heaved himself up the ropes, his mind turned to the captain of the ship. The kitsune knew magic to make people more friendly, but he'd need to have a moment alone with the man. Until then, it looked like the bard would be learning a new story the hard way.

    Spoiler: Climb Check
    Show
    (1d20+1)[20]
    (1d20+1)[11]
    (1d20+1)[6]
    (1d20+1)[15]
    (1d20+1)[16]
    (1d20+1)[9]
    (1d20+1)[14]
    (1d20+1)[17]

    There's the 8 checks.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    You climb the mast with admirable speed, but you are beaten just by a foot by a surprisingly agile girl with short, dirty blond hair.

    Her grin for having won fades away quickly when she hears Mr. Plugg announce:
    "Well done lass, you'll work directly for me then. Go and get your arse up there again and start patching.

    As for the rest of you, can anyone of you cook? Or failing that does anyone of you like to eat well?"


    Wary of what a positive answer could entail the remaining two other captives stay silent, looking at you and your seemingly untarnishable confidence.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Ryotsu is silent for a moment. He doesn't know much about cooking, besides a few great recipes he's heard in the past, but then another idea crosses his mind.

    "Why, yes!" The kitsune says. "I have traveled the countryside, dining in all sorts of establishments and exchanging stories with their chefs. Unless there is one with actual training aboard, I'm sure I am uniquely qualified for the position."
    Last edited by Eonn; 2017-10-13 at 11:27 AM.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Mr. Plugg answers unimpressed: "Whatever, you are now the cook's mate. It's your task to ensure that the morning biscuit ration gets delivered and that the meal in the evening is ready. Go and present yourselves to Fishguts before I have to kick you there.
    The rest of you are swabs - grab a bucket and clean the deck. Move it."

    As you are dismissed, Mr. Plugg helpfully points you the direction to go with a quick crack of his whip.
    Your way to the small kitchen leads you down the aft stairs into the hold next to the galley.
    You are about to open the door to the ship's kitchen when you hear a cautious: "Psst"
    You look around to see a young woman with fiery red locks and a friendly smile on her otherwise sea hardened face.
    "We can't talk to long, but I think you should know that there aren't only villains here on board. I am Sandra Quinn, cleric of Besmara the Pirate Queen, goddess of the sea. If you want to survive on board, you should quickly start making friends that can watch your back.
    Here, I managed to convince Grok to give me that dagger of yours. The rest of your gear is still with her in the quarter master's cage.
    Hold still for a moment, I want to make sure that swelling around your eye isn't anything serious."


    She touches the side of your head with her finger and although for a moment you feel the searing pain of the bruise, the very next it is soothed by a wonderful cool feeling as the healing spell restores your face to it's previous charming self.

    Spoiler: Sandra Quinn
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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    "Why, thank you." Ryotsu says in a whisper, taking his dagger and hiding it on his person. "Between your warning and what the captain said about killing... what's going on in this vessel?"

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    She looks furtively around and whispers back:
    "I don't know, not exactly. I was press ganged just like you three weeks ago, most of the crew was except for the officers. There must have been a severe battle or some kind of disaster for so many people to have died or gone. Master Scourge and Mr. Plugg are as mean as they come. There is no chance they'll ever be more than a bunch of violent sadists. They'll probably keep on press ganging people, discreetly weeding away anyone they don't like, who is to smart or charismatic to be a threat to them.
    I rebuked quite sternly the advances of Plugg a day ago. That might have reduced my time on the mortal plane somewhat. But as long as they haven't gotten spares we are relatively save. Until then we have to find a solution if you know what I mean. I am sworn to certain codes - foremost I am not allowed to lead a mutiny."

    She looked around again:
    "We can talk later after the bloody hour. For now go to Ambrose and get cooking. If you are in luck, old Fishguts is sober enough to actually work today."

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    "Damn, I'm a charismatic and intelligent individual!" Ryotsu swears after Sandra says what happens to such people.

    By the time she mentions a potential mutiny, the bard is nodding, clearly understanding the hidden implication. "Who are all the officers? And who has been forced here the longest?"

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    "I'll explain later in detail, for now, don't let Mr. Plugg catch you.
    But just so you know:
    Captain Barnabas Harrigan, the first mate Mr. Plugg, the boatswain and master-at-arms Master Scourge are the worst of the lot. Peppery Longfarthing, a sorcerer and close friend of the captain, the master gunner Riaris Krine, the gunners mate Kipper and boatswain's mate Patch Patchsalt are their closest allies and lickspittles.
    Habby Quarne is our "stitchman" - the ship's surgeon and carpenter. He is pretty neutral in all things. "Caulky" Tarroon is the captain's cabin girl and taste tester, the poor thing. And finally the large, dumb brute, Owlbear Hartshorn. Plugg treats him like an animal and if you don't take care he can sic him on you.
    Finally there is the quarter master Cut-Throat Grok - you want to get on her good side asap and your boss Ambrose "Fishguts" Kroop. Both tend to drink together instead of working. Speaking of which, you should get on with it, before someone catches us."

    She nodds upwards and quickly runs off into the shadows of the hold, before you can ask any more of her.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Ryotsu takes note of the dozen people named and heads into the kitchen.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    The galley is a cramped and chaotic kitchen, holding two wooden worktables, several wooden cupboards, and two small stoves against the port wall, as well as virtually every cooking utensil imaginable and a frightening array of meat cleavers. A score of chickens and three goats wander freely throughout the chamber; The kitchen is a madness of dirt, food, and knives, and finding anything in here must be a nightmare. The stoves are lit and large cauldrons bubble away atop them. A huge array of spices mingle with barrels of rainwater, two tuns of rum, cupboards full of ship’s biscuit and salted beef, barrels of sauerkraut, and a small supply of fresh vegetables.

    Within that chaos stands a clearly inebriated man trying to behead a chicken. But his aim is off and you watch him hack fruitlessly for the poor chicken's head without getting any closer to the mark.
    "Come on over here and help me with that devil chicken. Must have been crossed with a hydra - stupid three heads moving all the time and growing back."
    Spoiler: Fishguts
    Show

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Though he thinks it would make an excellent story (a chicken-hydra hybrid, that it), Ryotsu says nothing to the drunken, cleaver wielding man. Instead he quickly comes to his aid, taking one of the many cleavers in the room an decapitating the bird himself.

    "So you must be the Mr. Fishguts I've been told about." The kitsune says, smiling and speaking as elegantly as he would if he were speaking to a noble's daughter. "It's a pleasure. I am Ryotsu, and I have been assigned to be the good chef's assistant. I look forward to making myself useful."

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    "There, there. No need for them highfalutin talk. But at least you seem to know what you do better than the last one. Damn shame. Now, get that bird plugged before Mr. Plugg makes you fly."
    The cook swayed for a moment while his drunken mood shifted between depression and amusement for his own joke.
    More to himself than you he began to mumble:
    "It’s poison, this ship, but don’t let anyone hear you say it aloud. The hull listens, see, and the cap’n hears it all. Poison the Wormwood is, though, rotten to the core. You’ll not meet a more nasty, sour piece of work than Cap’n Harrigan in all your days at sea, and his crew’s the same, ’specially the first mate,
    Mr. Plugg. Vicious little sod, he is. He’d take his own mother’s liver to the butcher to make pies with, he would. But they leave me alone, mostly. They know I can’t ’arm ’em."

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    "You're a fool to anger your cook though." Ryotsu says, halfheartedly. He didn't know what to expect from this Fishlegs character, but this wasn't it. "So what all you do down here? Beside, y'know, cook?"

    The bard listens intently to the man's reply as he plucks the bird. Sandra said to make friends, why not start with the person he'd be working with for the time being?

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Being a good listener turned out to be a very viable strategy to win the cook's trust.

    With the right combination of helpfulness and an ability to cope with the cook's mood swings, it didn't take long to warm the man up to you.

    Spoiler
    Show

    A simple diplomacy check with a circumstance bonus of +2 please, to turn the cook from neutral to helpful
    Also one Profession Cook check DC 10 or Intelligence check.

    You earn 100XP for finishing your first day's work


    While you both worked on the evening meal, the cook explained:
    "Part of your task is helping me getting the meals ready in time. You won't like it if the crew gets to hungry. It's also your job to use the net and go fishing at the foredeck or use a harpoon to hunt for leather back turtles.
    Once the evening meal has been served as well as the rum rations you are free to do whatever, but remember you need to get up early to get the fire going and bring the ship biscuits to the crew."


    One hour before dawn, Fishguts nodded at you: "The bloody hour is upon us. You better go on deck and have a good look, so you know what's what around here."

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Diplomacy: (1d20+10)[30]
    Cooking: (1d20)[3]


    "The bloody hour? What is that?" Ryotsu says. He had heard Sandra refer to it as well, but hadn't thought to ask her about it.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Spoiler
    Show

    Seems like you made a friend for life

    Thanks to prestidigitation you can save the taste of the food, even though it looks pretty vile.



    "You'll see. It's when the captain and his officers administer punishments. Poor Jakes Magpie was caught stealing from the quarter master's store. They'll haul him up from the bilges for a keelhauling. Terrible way to go."
    The cook sighs. Somehow he already has fully accepted you as his friend and confidant.
    "Now move along and don't get into trouble."

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Ryotsu nods solemnly and turns to head to the main deck. He wasn't sure if there was more going on in this case, though Sandra did mention the captain was weeding people out. If Ryotsu could find her, then maybe he could learn more about this Magpie person.

    "Farwell, Fishguts." The kitsune says as he leaves the galley.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    You return to the main deck just in time to be witness to a gruesome display.
    A man with dirty blond hair and a severely beaten face has been tied to a length of rope. Just as you step out you see how he is kicked off the front and vanishes under the keel.
    Mr. Plugg is the one holding the rope. More than a minute goes by before the blond man is pulled up again.
    You notice the relish on Mr. Plugg's face during the punishment.

    It's immediately clear that Jake Magpie certainly won't be a repeat offender - the bloody thing on the rope is barely recognizable as human anymore.
    You get a good look at the body as Mr. Plugg slowly pulls it from the front to the back of the ship, where he unceremoniously unties the wrists and chugs the remains over board.
    He turns around and addresses the crew:
    "I hope everyone here learned their lesson: No stealing on this ship.

    And I see the cook's mate is here too, so time for chow now. Bon appetite everyone!"


    With that, Mr. Plugg vanishes into the captain's quarters.

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    Default Re: Skull's & Shackles Solo

    Ryotsu cringes at the brutal display but steels himself. He spends a few minutes looking around for Sandra, paying attention to any gossip he may over hear as he does. If he doesn't find her, he'll return to the galley assuming that Sandra will eventually find him.

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