Skulls & Shackles - Pathfinder Forum Game

[Tallgrass]

Surviving the Shackles

​

Introduction/Story Teaser


Slaves, ev’ry one of ya! Any Shackles pirate’s worth ten o’ you poxy devils, an’ ev’ry Free Captain commandin’ a sloop’ll keep sailin’ circles around any bloated Chelish frigate you send at us. We’ll go on raidin’ yer sea lanes, stealin’ yer silver coins with Abrogail’s pouty gob stamped on them, an’ we’ll cart it all back home, where we’ll sing an’ drink ’til the sea swallows us all! I’m ready to do my dance with Besmara; no regrets for a life lived free on the waves. The worms’ll be better company than you ugly, dung-eating devil’s slaves anyway!”


—Last words spoken by Free Captain Wilihem Wache, moments before his public hanging in Macini for piracy


It's time to set sail in the pirate-infested waters of the Shackles, where bloated Chelish trading vessels, uncharted islands rife with treasure, and other cutthroat pirates await your motley and burgeoning crew.


Gameplay

Pathfinder Ruleset



The game will be using the Pathfinder rules - which for those who haven't experienced it, are essentially D&D 3.75. Most of the core rules are available online at

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/D20PFsrd

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/.

You don't need to be a Pathfinder expert to apply, but a basic understanding of the rules is expected.






Paizo Adventure Path - A little more railroad-y than sandbox-y



This is a pre-written adventure path - this is awesome, because it makes my life as a GM much easier. But it also places some expectations on you, the players. While there is a little sandbox-action later in the AP, the initial "acts" are a little railroad-y. And once we get into the game, you're kind of expected to go with the plot hooks to keep things moving forward.

Non-Good Alignment Characters Welcome



While you don't have to be evil to take part in this AP, it certainly is a nice break from the typical "save the world because we're such noble good guys" adventure.






There are Pirates & Ninjas (& Wizards & Clerics)



You may have guessed this by now, but this is a sea-themed adventure featuring countless pirates. But this is set in Golarion (Paizo's universe), so there are all manner of characters available to you.




A Post A Weekday




I'd like for players to post at least once a day during the week. This will help keep the game moving and help us get through the beginning of the AP, which while important for character building, can get a little tedious if dragged out for too long.




Player Slots & Requirements


I will take up to five players - the strongest submissions will be selected. I base a strong submission on the character concept, backstory and "correct" character crunch.


All characters will use the following guidelines to build their character:


Character Creation

• Players will start at 1st level. 

  
• No alignment restrictions, but you must be able to play well with others - both in-character and out
  
• 20-point ability buy 

  
• Average gold for your class
  
• Max HP for your class 

  
• 3 traits - one MUST be a campaign trait. 

  
• Core races preferred.
  
• All Paizo-created classes are allowed.
  

 

[The Dark Wizard]

Surviving the Shackles

​

Introduction/Story Teaser


Slaves, ev’ry one of ya! Any Shackles pirate’s worth ten o’ you poxy devils, an’ ev’ry Free Captain commandin’ a sloop’ll keep sailin’ circles around any bloated Chelish frigate you send at us. We’ll go on raidin’ yer sea lanes, stealin’ yer silver coins with Abrogail’s pouty gob stamped on them, an’ we’ll cart it all back home, where we’ll sing an’ drink ’til the sea swallows us all! I’m ready to do my dance with Besmara; no regrets for a life lived free on the waves. The worms’ll be better company than you ugly, dung-eating devil’s slaves anyway!”


—Last words spoken by Free Captain Wilihem Wache, moments before his public hanging in Macini for piracy


It's time to set sail in the pirate-infested waters of the Shackles, where bloated Chelish trading vessels, uncharted islands rife with treasure, and other cutthroat pirates await your motley and burgeoning crew.


Gameplay

Pathfinder Ruleset



The game will be using the Pathfinder rules - which for those who haven't experienced it, are essentially D&D 3.75. Most of the core rules are available online at

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/D20PFsrd

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/.

You don't need to be a Pathfinder expert to apply, but a basic understanding of the rules is expected.






Paizo Adventure Path - A little more railroad-y than sandbox-y



This is a pre-written adventure path - this is awesome, because it makes my life as a GM much easier. But it also places some expectations on you, the players. While there is a little sandbox-action later in the AP, the initial "acts" are a little railroad-y. And once we get into the game, you're kind of expected to go with the plot hooks to keep things moving forward.

Non-Good Alignment Characters Welcome



While you don't have to be evil to take part in this AP, it certainly is a nice break from the typical "save the world because we're such noble good guys" adventure.



There are Pirates & Ninjas (& Wizards & Clerics)



You may have guessed this by now, but this is a sea-themed adventure featuring countless pirates. But this is set in Golarion (Paizo's universe), so there are all manner of characters available to you.




A Post A Weekday



I'd like for players to post at least once a day during the week. This will help keep the game moving and help us get through the beginning of the AP, which while important for character building, can get a little tedious if dragged out for too long.




Player Slots & Requirements


I will take up to five players - the strongest submissions will be selected. I base a strong submission on the character concept, backstory and "correct" character crunch.


All characters will use the following guidelines to build their character:


Character Creation

• Players will start at 1st level. 

  
• No alignment restrictions, but you must be able to play well with others - both in-character and out
  
• 20-point ability buy 

  
• Average gold for your class
  
• Max HP for your class 

  
• 3 traits - one MUST be a campaign trait. 

  
• Core races preferred.
  
• All Paizo-created classes are allowed.
  

Surviving the Shackles

​

Introduction/Story Teaser


Slaves, ev’ry one of ya! Any Shackles pirate’s worth ten o’ you poxy devils, an’ ev’ry Free Captain commandin’ a sloop’ll keep sailin’ circles around any bloated Chelish frigate you send at us. We’ll go on raidin’ yer sea lanes, stealin’ yer silver coins with Abrogail’s pouty gob stamped on them, an’ we’ll cart it all back home, where we’ll sing an’ drink ’til the sea swallows us all! I’m ready to do my dance with Besmara; no regrets for a life lived free on the waves. The worms’ll be better company than you ugly, dung-eating devil’s slaves anyway!”


—Last words spoken by Free Captain Wilihem Wache, moments before his public hanging in Macini for piracy


It's time to set sail in the pirate-infested waters of the Shackles, where bloated Chelish trading vessels, uncharted islands rife with treasure, and other cutthroat pirates await your motley and burgeoning crew.


Gameplay

Pathfinder Ruleset



The game will be using the Pathfinder rules - which for those who haven't experienced it, are essentially D&D 3.75. Most of the core rules are available online at

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/D20PFsrd

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/.

You don't need to be a Pathfinder expert to apply, but a basic understanding of the rules is expected.






Paizo Adventure Path - A little more railroad-y than sandbox-y



This is a pre-written adventure path - this is awesome, because it makes my life as a GM much easier. But it also places some expectations on you, the players. While there is a little sandbox-action later in the AP, the initial "acts" are a little railroad-y. And once we get into the game, you're kind of expected to go with the plot hooks to keep things moving forward.

Non-Good Alignment Characters Welcome



While you don't have to be evil to take part in this AP, it certainly is a nice break from the typical "save the world because we're such noble good guys" adventure.



There are Pirates & Ninjas (& Wizards & Clerics)



You may have guessed this by now, but this is a sea-themed adventure featuring countless pirates. But this is set in Golarion (Paizo's universe), so there are all manner of characters available to you.




A Post A Weekday



I'd like for players to post at least once a day during the week. This will help keep the game moving and help us get through the beginning of the AP, which while important for character building, can get a little tedious if dragged out for too long.




Player Slots & Requirements


I will take up to five players - the strongest submissions will be selected. I base a strong submission on the character concept, backstory and "correct" character crunch.


All characters will use the following guidelines to build their character:


Character Creation

• Players will start at 1st level. 

  
• No alignment restrictions, but you must be able to play well with others - both in-character and out
  
• 20-point ability buy 

  
• Average gold for your class
  
• Max HP for your class 

  
• 3 traits - one MUST be a campaign trait. 

  
• Core races preferred.
  
• All Paizo-created classes are allowed.
  

This game is now approved and set to awaiting players.


Once all the players you wanted confirm that they are playing in this thread, we will move you to the Storyteller area to begin the creation process for your game. Just notify me or any of the other staff members when you are ready to proceed.

 

[shepsquared]

I'm in as a sorcerer, either an arcane human or an infernal/abyssal Tiefling (if Tieflings are allowed.)

 

[Hurm]

Confirming my interest, though before I settle on a concept, I must ask about archetypes. Are those (that is, the Paizo-created ones) alright too?

 

[Tallgrass]

Confirming my interest, though before I settle on a concept, I must ask about archetypes. Are those (that is, the Paizo-created ones) alright too?

Certainly. Pretty much anything Paizo-created is ok.


That said, you may want to avoid playing as a samurai, cavalier, or other mount-reliant class. I'm not sure you'd have very much fun or success.

 

[Hurm]

I was always tempted to use the White-Haired Witch archetype. Fighting with your beard, what's not to like? Though the issue with it is that it's not a particularly effective replacement for hexes, and then it was errata'd into an even weaker replacement by turning its abilities into swift, rather than free, actions.


Still, that's an idea. I've got a few others, but it will take me a day or so to settle on one. Got a sort of a backlog of things I'd like to do.

 

[Skrakes]

Certainly. Pretty much anything Paizo-created is ok.
That said, you may want to avoid playing as a samurai, cavalier, or other mount-reliant class. I'm not sure you'd have very much fun or success.

Worth noting: I'm pretty sure most of those classes have archetypes that trade out their mounts for something more feasible. The samurai has the Sword Saint archetype, for example. So you might be able to make it work.


Also? Sharkmount.


Character concept forthcoming.

 

[Unbridled Originality]

I think I'm going to go with a Changeling (Sea Hag ancestry) Oracle, with either the Juju or Waves mystery.


Hmm, though I have been wanting to play a barbarian for a long time. Maybe an Invulnerable Rager Blackbeard kinda character.

 

[Madmal]

Leaning towards a Sea Singer bard currently, they seem to have some skills that would be quite useful on a ship.

 

[Skrakes]

Thinking about a Tiefling Magus who came to Shackle to lose herself from various creditors, devil hunters, and so on. Of course, then she gets clubbed on the back of the head and enslaved, so she did that a bit better than she intended.

 

[SephirothSage]

Samurai is not at all Mount Reliant... Anyway! Present- I've played alot of DND, not much Pathfinder- how different is Pathfinder, from 3'rd Edition, before I get too Interested?

 

[Tallgrass]

I never played 3rd edition (or 3.5), but from what I hear, it's pretty similar. They changed they way grapples work and tweaked some class abilities to make low-level play a possibility (among other things). There also isn't as much bloat (yet), so it's a little simpler to get a viable character up and running.


I found this on the Googles that has more info: Pathfinder and 3.5 Differences

 

[SephirothSage]

Reading... I'm considering.. HEAVILY considering.... A Dhamphir Anti-Paladin, actualy. Either that, or a spellcaster....

 

[SephirothSage]

This forum is where we would be posting Charachter sheets?

 

[SephirothSage]

Name: Alexis Grim


Race: Dhamphir


Class: Anti-Paladin Level 1 (Knight of the Sepulcher Class Kit)


Favored Class: Anti Paladin (+1 Skillpoint Per Level)


Alignment: Chaotic Evil


Religion: Belmara


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Apeareance: He stands at an impressive 6'6, head and shoulders. His physique is sculpted, especialy in his upper body muscles, and arms- though, he is not a towering man. His hair is raven black, hanging to his shoulders in a loose and wavy flow, when not tied up for deck work. His eyes, are a Sea-Green, like a storm-tossed sea, save for the flecks of red, that swirl in them- perhaps, the blood of those dieing in the storm?


His features are all well defined- and he exudes a certain force of personality- though, not nesascarily a positive one.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Stats:


Str: 15 (Mod: +2)


Dex: 13 (Mod: +1)


Con: 12 (Mod: +1)


Int: 10 (Mod: +0)


Wis: 10 (Mod: +0


Cha: 17 (Mod: +3)


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Saving Throws:


Fort: 3


Ref: 1


Will: 2


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Base Attack Bonus: +3


AC: 15 Armored, 11 Unarmored, 14 Flat Footed Armored, 10 Flat Footed Unarmored


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


HP: 14


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Skill List:


Bluff: 1 Rank - +9 Bonus


Knowledge; Religion: 1 Rank - +4 Bonus


Proffesion; Sailor: 1 Rank - +5 Bonus


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Feat's: Toughness


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Traits: Belmara's Blessing; Hard to Kill; Bloodthirsty


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Class Features: Smite Good


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Spoiler

• Ability Score Racial Traits: Dhampirs are fast and seductive, but their racial bond to the undead impedes their mortal vigor. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and –2 Constitution.
  
• Type: Dhampirs are humanoids with the dhampir subtype.
  
• Size: Dhampirs are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  
• Base Speed: Dhampirs have a base speed of 30 feet.
  
• Languages: Dhampirs begin play speaking Common. Those with high Intelligence scores can choose any language it wants (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
  
• Undead Resistance: Dhampirs gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects.
  
• Resist Level Drain (Ex A dhampir takes no penalties from energy drain effects, though he can still be killed if he accrues more negative levels then he has Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels a dhampir takes are removed without the need for an additional saving throw.
  
• Manipulative Dhampire gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Perception checks.
  
• Darkvision: Dhampir see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
  
• Low-light vision: In addition to their ability to see perfectly in the dark up to 60 ft, dhampir have low-light vision, allowing them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
  
• Negative Energy Affinity: Though a living creature, a dhampir reacts to positive and negative energy as if it were undead—positive energy harms it, while negative energy heals it.
  
• Fangs On occasion, a dhampir may inherit his father's lengthy canines. Whenever the dhampir makes a grapplecombat maneuver check to damage an opponent, he can choose to bite his opponent, dealing 1d3 points of damage as if using a natural bite attack. As a standard action, the dhampir can bite a creature that is bound, helpless, paralyzed, or similarly unable to defend itself. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.
  

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Background:


Alexis, is the unfortunate progeny of a woman, who was raped, and bitten, by a vampire who took a liking to her apeareance. And when I say Unfortunate, it is generaly known, that I mean, for his mother, and for those who knew him. Treated with the usual Scorn and hatred his kind recieves- his mother was the favorite whore of many men of his home-town, after all- he was lucky to be taken in as he was, by an elderly priest of Belmara. The Man raised the boy, not out of any kindness- but because he had read the sighns, and notated that his Godess had something in mind, for the Lad- who had been given birth to, killing his mother, on the docks of his hometown- where it had been plannned by her to, if she survived, throw him into the sea.


Unfortunately, his birth did indeed kill her, and the priest who delivered the child, didn't much care for the notion of throwing away a seemingly healthy child- after all, those teeth reminded him vaugely of his favorite beast of the deeps, Sharks. As the child grew, his adoptive father/teacher noted several traits about him. For one, he was remarkably pale, and handsome, despite spending most of his life, out in the sun, laboring. For another, his muscular growth was fast, and impressive- The Old Man, who by this point Alexis knew as "Davy Grim", also noted that he grew slowly.


Indeed, Davy Died of Old Age, when the Young Damphir was in his thirties. He was not really mourned- the Child took his teacher's Holy Symbol, a thing made of Driftwood, his robes, and what money was left in their hovel at the time, and moved out. He found a calling, related to the symbol, in his very being- but the path of the Cleric, or Inquisitor, was not for him.... even his adoptive father, Davy, had not treated him with True Kindness- though he was, perhaps, the only one to ever come close- and the child was a naturaly cruel person. And as the Child Became a Man, he found.... His Own Darkness, singing in his own soul, eventualy- he thrilled at the discovery, at the strength it made him feel- and devoted himself to Belmara, properly. He has sailed a few ships- and found it to be quite a natural thing, for him- though, not near so much so as lieing, or killing... He is still young, and Inexperienced- he knows how to lie, very well- but is not near so good, at trusting... perhaps he will learn to do so, and even lead- or perhaps he will perish alone and twisted, on the stormy seas.


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Anti-Paladin Starting Wealth (Average)= 175GP


Equipment-


Weaponry: One (1) Longsword (15GP Cost), One (1) Boarding Pike (8Gp Cost), One (1) Boarding Axe (6GP)


Armor: Chain Shirt (100GP Cost), Heavy Steel Shield (20GP Cost)


Other: Holy Symbol-Wood (1Gp Cost), Holy Symbol-Iron (5 GP Cost), Outfit-Hot Weather( Free)


Starting Wealth Remaining: 22 GP In assorted Denomination's of Coinage

 

[Madmal]

Well, just rolled on the Back story tables of Ultimate Campaign to refine some of my ideas, and my sleep-deprived brain seems to have elaborated a concept with some curious synergy with the Anti-paladin.


Also, it may have also been caused by hearing "Master of the House" so many times....

 

[Hurm]

After some thought, the most likely classes are a witch (possibly of the white-haired variety, for combat beard), a barbarian (most likely sea reaver, for obvious reasons) or a druid (aquatic, naturally). With the barbarian currently taking the first place on likeliness.


In the end, it largely depends on whether someone else intends to do any of these. I can see a possibility of a barbarian declared already, but no confirmation yet.

 

[SephirothSage]

Well, the Anti-Paladin, I was intended to have develop some form of attachment psychologicaly, to the other PC's, simply for sake of him NOT fucking them all over, for one, and for another to explore the psyche of the charachter- but please, do tell.

 

[shepsquared]

What's the group consensus on alignment? Are we more chaotic, lawful, good or evil. Because it definitely looks like I'm going to be playing a demonic sorcerer, but I'm unsure how to play the character yet.

 

[Skrakes]

I'm leaning toward chaotic. Not really any one moral alignment, but just chaotic overall. I guess that makes me chaotic neutral, but that has a bad reputation.

 

[shepsquared]

Actually, would psionics be allowed? It's 3rd party, but on the srd...

 

[SephirothSage]

I'd say CHaotic, Chaotic Evil- and Chaotic Neutral /can/ be done well, I feel. However, I'd say we're a chaotic Bunch of pirates.

 

[shepsquared]

If I'm allowed, a psychic blue pirate

 

[Skrakes]

To me, Chaotic Neutral suggests someone who follows their own heart to a fault. They can do good with one hand and evil with another, they can vengeful one day and downright saintly with another. A Chaotic Good character does good because that is where their conscience leads them, rules be damned. A Chaotic Evil character does evil because that is what calls to them, rules be damned. A Chaotic Neutral character can do both in the same day.

 

[SephirothSage]

Yeah, Yeah- To me, I feel an Alignment assignment, is a bit more broad, unless your charachter is religously devoted to said alignment. FOr most people, their alignment is sort of.. a general guide. Except, of course, for Divine Spellcasters, Paladins, and Anti-Paladins, y'know?