Skull's & Shackles Solo

[Pyrophilios]

Grok seems to be taken by surprise by that question, but rallies quickly:
"Yeah, as a matter of fact. Do you want it? Wouldn't mind having someone play who knows what a melody is unlike that cracker over their. Tell you what: You owe me a favor and I'll get it for you stat."

[Eonn]

"What kind of favor you thinking of?" Says the kitsune, smiling. "Surely getting it into the hands of someone who can play it will be a boon for us all."

[Pyrophilios]

"Tell you what. I'll get you the violin now and you get me some good stuff later - anything but watered down rum. Some whiskey maybe, some chelish wine, eh, surprise me."
With that Grok went back through the kitchen and to her shop.

It took her a few minutes but then she appeared with a small bundle, dropping it into your hands.
Inside you find a small violin, complete with a slightly scuffed bow.

[Eonn]

"Thanks, Grok. I'll make sure I get you something good." Violin in hand, Ryotsu seeks out the halfling.

[Pyrophilios]

The halfing is still where he saw her earlier. She is singing along, but you can tell that only half her heart is in it. When you get close enough for her to notice, she turns to you with a skeptical expression and murmurs:
"What do you want? Fair warning, if you can't keep your hands by you I'll be quite happy to remove them completely."

[Eonn]

"Relax, m'lady." Ryotsu says, offering the instrument up. "Can you play?"

[Pyrophilios]

"My fiddle! Where... how did you get that?
And anyway, what a stupid question, of course I can play."

To prove her point, she picks up the offered instrument, takes a few seconds to tune the strings and begins to play. At first she just mimics only the currently played song, but the longer she plays, the faster her beat becomes and she begins to dance. Her body language tells you that she wants you to join in with the dance.
The other pirates have began to clap in rhythm with her play and even the accordion now manages to keep a tune long enough to be enjoyable.

Spoiler

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Diplomacy check +4 to turn her attitude permanently to friendly

Another +2 if you succeed in a DC 15 perform (dance) test

[Eonn]

Ryotsu tries to dance along. For a bard, he has remarkable little experience in this kind of thing. Once the song ends, he says to her: "All of our stolen things were given to the quartermaster. I promised her some good liquor for it, that's all."

Spoiler: OOC

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Dance check: (1d20+4)[5]
Diplomacy check : (1d20+12)[21]+2 if successful on dance.

[Pyrophilios]

She nodds, than grins. "Thank you. That was very kind of you. My name's Rosie by the way. Rosie Cusswell. Should have known that it's liquor that orc was after. I asked her myself for the fiddle, but...
well, I might have lost my temper a bit. But no harm done in the end.

Now, you might not be the most graceful dancer, but you certainly know how to treat a woman - quite unlike this pompous ass Conchobhar."
Her voice has become louder at the last half sentence, making sure that the gnome with the impressive hat heard her.
The gnome seems to take this as his cue to saunter over to both of you.
"Good evening, gentle lady. I am most distraught by your unhappiness with my efforts. Rest assured that I will redouble, ney, retripple my efforts to woo you, my dear Rosie."
The first time since has begun to speak he spares you a glance. "What are you still doing here? Can't you see that you are in the way of true love, the romance of the century? Can you, in good faith, take responsibility for that?"

Spoiler: Rosie Cusswell

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Spoiler: Conchobhar Shortstone

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[Eonn]

"So you're the Mr. Shortstone I've heard so much about. How about a game of cards?" Ryotsu says, recalling what he was told about the gnome and his gambling problems. "You have some coin on you, right?"

Ideally, so long as he doesn't win too big, he should be able to raise the gnome's disposition of him. Given the problem that Rosie has had with him, he'll need all the sway he can muster to mediate between them. This is especially true since Ryotsu wants them to be able to work together when the time comes.

[Pyrophilios]

"Cards you say? Well... as a gentleman I certainly can't refuse an honorable challenge to a game without losing face in front of Madam Cusswell. Most certainly, how could she ever love me if I backed down from you now?

I commend you, good sir, a well planed move on your part. But you'll soon learn that Conchobhar Turlach Shortstone is as formidable a fighter and lover as he is a master over chance and fate.
Have at it!"

Spoiler

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Profession (gambler) or Sleight of Hand check vs.
[roll]1d20[roll]+7

The difference you win or lose in gold coins (or rather owe him)
Conchobhar will play with you as long as you want. But if you play more than 7 rounds you need to perform Fortitude DC 12 checks to not be fatigued the next day, with every additional round adding +1 to the DC

If you manage to stay within +/-3 gold coins in your games, you get a +4 bonus to your diplomacy check. If he wins by more, you can make an unmodified check. If you win by more than that you are at -4 to do your check to improve his disposition.

[Eonn]

Ryotsu laughs warmly. "Alright then, let's find a table."

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm just going to take it one round at a time. (1d20+3)[10]
I don't know how complicated you want this to be, but is it possible that I could get a bonus from bluff? I also have detect magic, which would make it obvious if he uses magic to cheat, which I could cast discreetly.

[Pyrophilios]

Ah fierce game begins where it becomes quite obvious that both opponents know how to use and recognize any magic or mundane trick to cheat at cards, ironically turning the whole game into a real and honestly fair challenge

Spoiler

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You both are bards with detect magic and a comparable skill list.
This is one of the harder nuts to crack - as always when magic is in play

For now I'll roll a series of seven rolls and you can react to that as you see fit.
1 (1d20)[9]+7
2 (1d20)[16]+7
3 (1d20)[8]+7
4 (1d20)[12]+7
5 (1d20)[9]+7
6 (1d20)[10]+7
7 (1d20)[10]+7

[Eonn]

Spoiler: OOC

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I'll go to round 3 and see where I'm at.
I already rolled a 10 for round 1, which puts me down 6
(1d20+3)[16]
(1d20+3)[21]
Man, he got decent rolls across the board, too.

[Eonn]

Spoiler: OOC

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Now I'm down 5. Statistically speaking, the more I play the more I lose since he's at an advantage. Still, I want that +4 bonus, so I'll keep playing.
(1d20+3)[7]

[Eonn]

Spoiler: OOC

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Now I'm down 17...
(1d20+3)[13]

[Eonn]

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm done, and down a total of 20gp. Should have just listened to statistics, but nooo....

Ryotsu calls it quits when he's down several days of pay and only one winning hand the entire night. He'd be lying to say he wasn't tilted, but he kept up a good face. Honestly, it was more a string of bad luck than anything else that did him in anyways.

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy check to make friends: (1d20+8)[18]

[Pyrophilios]

Despite your loss - or maybe because - the gnome's attitude improves quite a lot towards you. There is still a certain condescending attitude, but it seems that that's just his normal way of dealing with people.
"I have to say, this was quite a lot of fun. Good game, sir. I hope we can play again soon. Until then, try to stay alive, so I can collect on my winnings." Conchobhar winks at you at this sentence, taking out a bit of the sting. He might not be your best friend yet, but at least now he has a vested interest in your survival.

One by one people withdraw to their hammocks and the noise dies down.
The third day begins - again - with the realization that Fishguts is hopelessly drunk and won't be useful for anything but a doorstop.

Luckily, no extra work is asked from you today and so you can concentrate on getting your work done. You actually find a bit of routine now and with a dash of magic it all works out.
Tired, but with no particular trouble you manage to deliver the evening meal and once again get some free time.

This time you make sure to notice where some of the more interesting people are: Sandra is once again up in the crow's nest, while Rosie and Conchobhar are again enjoying music in the hold.
Crimson Cogward seems to look for a fight but so far has had no luck.

Spoiler

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No special trouble, but the cook is drunk again.
You can take ten to deliver a normal meal

You gain another 400XP for earning the trust of two new NPCs

[Eonn]

If he's going to try to win enough people over to take over this boat, his next goal should be Crimson. After the food is served, he seeks this person out.

[Pyrophilios]

Crimson is easy to find: He has hung up a sack that seems to be filled random tightly wound coils of rope and is now in the process of pummeling that sack with his bare fists.
Despite the raw treatment his knuckles are barely bruised.
His stance shows that he has great strength but he isn't as agile as Rosie.

He wears a small emblem that you can recognize as a Pharasma symbol, the goddess of life and death.

When he notices you coming closer, he looks grimly at you and continues to abuse the sack some more.

Spoiler

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Sense motive check DC 12 to gain insight in his nature

Knowledge (Religion) DC 12 to gain insight in the relevance of his symbol

Without those checks, your diplomacy attempt is at -4

Spoiler: Crimson Cogward

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[Eonn]

Spoiler: OOC

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Sense Motive: (1d20)[2]
Knowledge: Religion: (1d20+2)[19]

"Greetings," Ryotsu says as he approaches. "You must be Crimson, right? My name is Ryotsu, pleased to make your acquaintance."

[Pyrophilios]

The dark expression on the man's face is unreadable, but luckily you remember bits an pieces about that specific piece of religious jewelry:
Its from a particular sect of Pharasma scholars that seek to understand their god through the aspect of the morbid, collecting stories of life and death, hopelessness and grim irony.
Their followers call this with more dignified names, but in essence it's for people who like to appear dark and edgy and who like to listen to dark tales and mope around all day.

"What the **** do you want?"

Spoiler

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Yeah, it's pretty likely that Crimson is a bit of a goth and likes gothic tales
Telling him a dark story will improve your diplomacy check by 2

[Eonn]

"My, with a demeanor so pleasant, Scourge and the other must love you. Or be about to shove a dagger in your back. Which on is it, I wonder?" Says Ryotsu, taken aback by the hostile welcome he had received from Crimson. "But that's not why I came here. To keep it simple, I wanted to know if your good in a fight."

[Pyrophilios]

"Good in a fight? You little piss in the wind ask me if I'm good in a fight? I tell you what: You can test it out here, no weapons, just mano-a-mano. You beat me, I'll grant you the right to talk to me, you lose and you keep the **** away from me unless I talk to you. I'll even give you the first punch."

The man cracks his knuckles with an unsettling, yet satisfying crunch.

Spoiler

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Unarmed combat with non-lethal damage only - he hasn't specified for you to get rid of your armor, but he himself doesn't wear any.
Also he grants you the surprise round

[Eonn]

Ryotsu doesn't look impressed. "Good sir, If I wanted to fight you, I wouldn't be speaking with you. I had something else in mind." Ryotsu pauses a moment as a way to build some suspense. "You know Fipps? He went around welcoming the new guys, so I'm sure you've met him. Needless to say, when he got to me I made him look like a fool.

At this point, Ryotsu's voice drops to a whisper. "I've been told he's on the lookout for me. If you like fights, why not make it a brawl?"

[Pyrophilios]

"What's in it for me? I have no quarrel with Fipps. Why should I bat for you?"
Crimson is still not particularly friendly, but you get the impression that he isn't averse to bribery either.

[Eonn]

Ryotsu would have been able to bet that's what his answer would be, and already had a reply thought out for it. "On a scale from 1 to storming the gates of hell, how dangerous do you suppose piracy to be?" With a smug grin, he continues. "I know healing magic, and I have friends who know healing magic. Me owing you a favor could be the only thing standing in the way between you and a visit to the stitch man. Besides, you clearly want to get in a fight."

[Pyrophilios]

To his credit, Crimson actually thought about your words before he answered:
"I can see where that could come in handy, but crossing Scourge's lickspittles very much increases me needing healing in the first place.
I get that you crossed Fipps when you put the mind whammy on him and that Scourge and Plugg hate your guts already. And by now I also understand why.
But if you want my active help, you'll have to give me something better than the mere promise that you'll magic me back together when I take a few stabs to the guts that were meant for you. What is your angle on this ship, besides not getting shanked."

There is still a measure of anger in his voice but there is also curiosity shining through.

[Eonn]

Ryotsu's eyes light up and a dumb grin plasters his face. "Why, adventure, of course! As a bard, I've spent my whole life traveling and swapping stories, but no I get a chance to make one for myself! But it need to be more than the life of a typical pirate. It needs tragedy, and comedy, and romance! And maybe just a dash of treachery... That being said, I would very much enjoy living long enough to pen a book, and I can't do that while constantly being worried about being stabbed in the back by some thug."

Ryotsu pauses a moment, thinking. "Still, I can't expect you to be particularly motivated by my goals... Excuse me, I seem to have gotten ahead of myself there."

[Pyrophilios]

"Eh, I see, no plunder yet. Tell you what: While I keep kneading those ropes, why don't you tell me one of your stories - just so I can see if they are any good. But make it a good bloody one, with some horror if you've got one."

Spoiler

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One perform (oratory) check DC 12 gives you a +2 to to your diplomacy check