Tag: RPG

Adventuring as Pirates: Rogues
Character creation is one of my favorite things, which might be why I prefer to DM. By managing the game I get to create hundreds of characters – some fully fleshed out re-occurring NPCs and others are simple one shot monsters. For a friend’s campaign I needed to create a PC, something which I haven’t done often in the past two years (this is my second playable PC). While I do make a lot of NPCs with the rules for standard players, as it helps me think about how the more complex enemies and allies behave.

For my character I wanted to do a few things a bit different. As most of the players are new to 5th edition and some to D&D at all I wanted to be a support caster. I decided on a Cleric. I always like Krynn’s Minotaurs so went with that. Wanting to justify my greater player knowledge I thought about going with the Knowledge Domain. But where does a ocean going minotaur fit into the Forgotten Realms as a Cleric of Knowledge. My answer was as a pirate ship’s quartermaster. As a follower of Deneir Golrian Hershmakil the Quartermaster of Estadia keeps precise records, logs and maps of the Estadia’s forays at sea and land.

Pirate Ship by Carlo Mirante from https://flic.kr/p/oYzCQc

And then I thought, “what role would every archetype have on a pirate vessel?” This launched a ton of thoughts about a piracy campaign, which I have no time to run, but it lets me use creative processes that the current Everflow campaign does not.

Rules of the ‘Pirate All Classes’ game
- Use third level
- At least 50% of the concepts must have Vehicles (Water), Athletics (for swimming, climbing jumping) or Acrobatics (for working in the rigging)
- Some may be Privateers rather than pirates, but the goal is to mostly represent those that were unsanctioned
- Assume no gunpowder
- Recognize that no ship will have every concept created so more than 1 can be a captain
- Recognize that pirate life is as much about life in port as at sea
- Don’t use stat groups, instead show the interaction between class, background and ship role.
Starting with Rogues as they are the most pirate-like by nature. The Player’s Handbook and Sword Coast Adventurers’ Guide includes the following archetypes – Thief, Assassin, Arcane Trickster, Mastermind and Swashbuckler.

Thief of the High Seas

On the ship you are a mild rigger working the sails, scrambling up and down the ropes faster than anyone else. Sure, when your boat needs to board another you are ready, swinging across either sneaking into quarters or taking out lookouts, but it’s in port where you make the real difference. Stealthily listening in on merchant captains, stealing keys or maps, or breaking into that jail to let your people free, you are the eyes, ears and rogue of the crew.

Take expertise in two of Stealth, Thieves Tools and Acrobatics. Also have Sleight of Hand, Deception or Athletics (for swimming) as well. Pick a background like Urchin or Sailor to try and get another way to get one of the key skills so you can make certain to have Perception. It’s great when you are 50+ feet above the ship and can see everything that happens, probably with Advantage.

High attributes should be in Dex and either Wisdom or Charisma depending on how much fencing (the selling kind) you do.

Assassin

Most of the crew considers you the cook, and you do that. But it seems when the ship is at battle you disappear. What you are really doing is seeking out the highest value target on the opposing ship as you swim over to it and get the drop from an unexpected angle. In port you slip into parties to pick up information from the authorities, maybe slipping a little poison into a glass or two.

Take expertise in Athletics and Stealth. It’s also handy to have Insight, Persuasion, Deception and Sleight of Hand. Any background is suitable, try not to be a sailor or pirate. You don’t have sea legs. Noble and Guild Artisan (Cook) can create great cover stories for yourself. Get Gourmand as soon as you can.

Charisma is an important stat with your role on land. A high Dex and Strength can both be useful too, especially if you choose to swim a lot.

Arcane Trickster

Being at sea for days and days and days can be boring. You know what brightens a day? Illusions and parlor tricks. That’s why most of the crew has you around, but the captain and quartermaster know better. They have you around because it’s a lot easier to get a good deal selling the ship’s “merchandise” through Enchantment or Illusion. Swabbie by day isn’t a fun gig, but your Mage Hand helps make the work go quickly, just not too quickly, then they would give you more work to do.

Expertise in Deception, Insight or Persuasion are key. Sleight of Hand can be useful as well. Take the Sailor (Pirate) background so that you know Vehicles (Water).

Charisma will be your key stat, but as for all Rogues one of your top two should be Dexterity.

Mastermind

The crew handed over control of the ship to you a few ports ago. They understand that you understand and know command. The galleon practically leaps at your command. You can find wind where others are helpless. In port you can infiltrate parties, or go as yourself. You have a reputation. When your black flies, people tremble. Other sailors respect you for you have put in the work. They also know that when you are around you Help them.

Expertise in Intimidation, Insight or Deception are key. You are a ship’s Urchin, use the Urchin background, but modify it a bit. Rather than the Disguise Kit take Vehicles (Water) and replace Sleight of Hand with Performance. You grew up on this ship and now it is yours.

Charisma and Wisdom should be your two highest attributes. You do not get in fights, you prevent them or win them so quickly your opponent does not get to attack.

Swashbuckler

As the Master-At-Arms you lead the boarding party. With a blade in each hand you dart in and out of the battle. When not overwhelming those foolish enough to stand up to you are “training” the crew in the art of swordplay. Most of this involves you embarrassing them just enough to try harder. Most of the crew do not like you, but they respect you. You’ll never be a captain, but you will be feared and respected.

Expertise in Acrobatics and Athletics are vital for the fancy moves you do as you tumble from ship-to-ship or swing through the nets and ropes. Intimidation can be handy, and the little flourish with your blades show that you are tricky with your hands too (Sleight of Hand). Once a fancy Courtier (background from SCAG) you are now on a pirate vessel, raising funds so that someday you will have courtiers.

Dexterity and Charisma should be your highest attributes.

Above you have the start of a crew. A captain, a cook, a swabbie, a rigger and the master-at-arms may even be enough for a small sloop.
June 8, 2016
Group 1, Session 21: Death of a Necromancer

Searching for a second Lorebook has consumed much of The Five’s resources. During this search, with a goal of more power and the elimination of the Stench of Sheljar, they have acquired property in the abandoned bog city. They have earned the enmity of the Necromancer, a group calling itself the Proctors of Grace and maybe more of the GobKon. In session 21 one of those enemies dies. Spoiler alert: you already saw the headline.

Session Notes:
Aamar starts at the Inn. His player is present. Mo and Ajhenas start at the Temple. Their players are not present.
Shonie is still in Telse, they think.
Mansaray’s whereabouts are unknown. His falcon is remains at the inn, but seems aggravated lately.

Ghost Dog on the Bridge

As night falls Aamar is worried. His group is caught away from their inn, their safehaven, where no tunneling nightmares have appeared and no undead have come. He decides to leave the inn at night, with the blessing of Quar bringing daylight down from above.

He walks surrounded in the bright light of noon, something foreign in Sheljar with its fog and stench. On the long bridge to the central city island he sees a spectral dog. That dog sees him and runs. The guard at the temple, Ajhenas, also notices the dog as it runs through the wall of the Library of Glight.

Aamar, with the wisdom of Quar behind him, suggests that he join the group as they attempt to corner the Necromancer and take another Lorebook. This will also mean that The Five can use magic effectively, rather than sporadically. Ajhenas and Maurice, with their companions, head back to the inn to assure that none approach across the bridge.

Canceled Repairs

Samul is on the last guard. Up in the bell tower he watches. In the faint light of dawn, through the fogs he sees a couple goliath-sized skeletons approaching with wood, axes and a huge hammer on shoulder. They are accompanied by two human sized skeletons, one with a bow. They are walking towards the collapsed vestibule. They may be merely repairing the trap he’d sprung a few days prior, but they are also armed.

“Waken,” he shouts in his Mehmd accent. “More skeletons come to the entry.”

As the rest of the group rises, not bothering with armor, but grabbing their arms he leaps off the tower to the roof of the nave. He then leaps again attempting to chain-whip the largest skeleton. That attack hits, but throws off his balance and he falls prone, twisting an ankle.

Prior to his allies coming he takes out one of the large walking dead. As they come the little repair crew is ravaged. They cannot stand against the combined group of mystical powers, melee and teknology. Even without their armor they are hardly wounded. Only Samul’s fall is the significant injury.

Death of the Necromancer

It is dawn. A few moments to eat and prepare their armor. Then the group heads back to the Library of Glight. From the ghost dog to the sealing off of other exits they know that the Necromancer is there, though he’d somehow hidden from their previous search. Now they are healed. The power of the Lorebook of Cortez is with them. Aamar’s prayers to Quar continue to gain strength.

This portion of their quest will end for either Sheljar’s master of death, or for our heroes.

They take a frontal assault, but upon entering the Library split up. Behn leaps upon the tops of the bookshelves. Ixnyx, Aamar and Bernie take the hall along the wall closest to Temple. Samul and Boo (in skeletal ripper form) take the center aisle. Saffron turns herself invisible, with a devious plot in mind.

Spotted the Necromancer starts casting spells. Aamar responds. Bernie rushes the man in rather normal robes (the group already has his nicer robes and dagger from when they raided his temple-home). Ixnyx and Behn start shooting with their missile weapons.

Samul and Boo face the spectral dog. That ghost dog charges Samul and disappears into his body. Our Mehmdian Pit Fighter is possessed. Boo runs out of range.

Many blows are traded, some fighting the possessed body of their friend, others fighting the spell-caster, who is still weakened. Eventually Bernie, the bear, Boo, the skeletal ripper lizard, and Samul are down and out. Saffron slipped her Crown of Forgetfulness on the Necromancer as he took more blows from the rest. She also stole his folio sized Lorebook of Rohan.

Aamar, Behn and goblin Ixnyx finish off the Necromancer in a mix of sorcery, prayer and teknology. Much healing is needed. Betwixt vials of the Everflow, Quar’s gift, and Aamar’s prayers the group heals. They flee back to their inn – as conquerors. Four zombies try to stop them and fail.

It is over. They’ve acquired a second Lorebook and one set of robes they have yet to identify. Victory is theirs, just maybe they can control all of Sheljar soon.

April 20, 2016
Session Report: Shipping to the haunted north

Smaller merchants are willing to move goods. Those unfamiliar with local histories and legends are also more willing to move those goods to an area where normal humans would be afraid. This is the tale of a small-time merchant, rare smuggler who took a job that may beyond his abilities.

Session Notes:
This is a first time player who is also testing my Uncommoner concept. They started at 4th level because they will be joining The Five, eventually.
It is also a solo session.

Hiring

Wandering past the Fine Market in Telse, Doceo is approached by another halfling. This one is from the west, probably Telse. She is strong, lithe. Doceo just sold a few goods that he’d picked up on the way, and has yet to approach the House of Quar.

This new one sees the empty cart, points and offers more work. Bargaining takes place with warnings to not be followed, as there is a slaver trying to track the group down. Doceo gets a higher rate via the negotiations.

His cart is loaded. In the next ten days he must head into Sheljar, a supposedly haunted city, to deliver some basic staples. Two messenger pigeons are sent with him and full payment will be given upon delivery.

Attack of the Worgs

Three nights out Doceo and his two mastiffs are attacked. As the previous nights they head well off the main road. On this eve they find some sanctuary. If not for his loyal companions Doceo’s little smuggling operation would be over quickly. But the three of them take down the two worgs. It is a rough fight and takes some time to recover. These are not normal wolves. The Western Wildes surrounding Telse are stocked with the unfamiliar.

Feral orchards

Another day north towards Sheljar, now half way on his journey, Doceo notices an encampment out to the east. This camp with four tents and several fires is at the edge of sight. There are a variety of races present.

He leaves the road and heads into a feral apple orchard. Continuing on lane in the orchard that parallels the road the halfling feels undiscovered, until he notices a raven that stays about four trees in front of the small cart.

Doceo attempts to scare it off, but all that does is get the raven to stay another few trees away. But it still shadows the cart.

At the edge of the apple orchard there is a small rock wall that demarcation about eight inches tall. The next orchard is pears. Doceo notices the old homestead. He sets a false trail to the barn there, starting a small fire as the storm errupts overhead. The heavy rains, clouds and thunders should provide him cover.

Then he hurries off on the real path. At the next demarcation he doesn’t have time to take down the rocks, instead he finds an old cart and uses it as a ramp. The player suggested this in a moment of player agency.

The spaces between the vines runs east-west rather than north-south. Doceo hurries to the west and the gully at the edge of the property heads up a few lanes and then hides inside the vines. Looking back he notices two humans, a scent dog and a raven. They look confused. They’ve lost the trail and Doceo has escaped these hunters.

March 27, 2016
Song for Mehmd

As Saffron gets to know Behn and Samul she wrote a song celebrating their homeland.

Night pours over the rolling dunes.
First, pink and purple, swallowing the sun-soaked sky.
Then red to match the blood-soaked hands.
And a whisper in the wind decries:
nothing remains now
except stars and scars.

Dawn breaks the black horizon.
We are thirst, and thirst is all we know.
We are sand, wind, sun, and burning sky.
We are.

Here, in the desert,
We cannot be claimed nor owned.
Carried by winds,
A mirage of heart and bone
And memories built by hand.

I turn toward emptiness.
I see nothing, hear nothing.
Yet through the silence something throbs.

Here, in the desert,
Ahid wraps tight around our ribs
Preparing us for battle.
We stand at the gates,
Men and women,
Myths and legends.
Ready to fight.

We are Mehmd.

March 17, 2016
Group 1, Session 18: Enter a dragon

The Five keep growing in size, but are far from completing their quest. The fogs of Sheljar have them on edge. They fear another tunneling nightmare striking their inn-home. Furthermore, the dead walk the night and there is the problem of their still hidden master wandering the bog-city.

Session Notes:
A guest player is here on a one-shot. They are playing a non-humanoid.
Ixnyx remains at the inn, working on an unknown project.
Shonie is still in Telse, they think.
Mansaray’s whereabouts are unknown. His falcon is back with Ixnyx.

Inn by Stephen Joy https://twitter.com/mstephenjoy

Stumbling back from the battle at the temple the group is weary. They fear going back to the island with the city center and its Library of Glight. Over the next day they will set a watch. Sure, the Necromancer will have some time to recoup, but the group needs the health and energy, especially if more wights or tunneling nightmare’s show.

During their rest day Saffron goes fishing with her mage hand. Ajhenas’ heron helps gather fish as well. Samul is mourning the loss of Boo, his trusty lizard. Aamar is in the main room of the inn. Behn took a perch on top of the storage shed to paint the faint images seen through fog. Mo is up there as well.

Encounter: Pet Shop Boys

Limping through the thick fogs is a skeletal form. It has a spear it uses as a staff and a cape. Beside it is the ghostly visage of a massive warhound. Next to that is a tiny skeletal creature. Ajhenas is fishing at the base of the bridge and orders the skeleton to stop. This works, just short of the alarm zone.

“Stop!” Ajhenas shouts. The skeleton and its companions stop. “Approach,” the scout from Kirtin says. A few steps forward. The start and stop commands continue. Leaning on the staff like a weak old man the skeleton does not seem threatening.

Ajhenas mistimes his start-stop commands and the non-enemies, they cross Ixnyx’ alarm system. No longer is Ajhenas audience the two halflings on the storage shed, but the whole group, coming out into the courtyard seeing the creatures on the edge of the bridge.

When Samul exits the building the tiny skeletal lizard sprints towards the massive gladiator, leaping up into his leather shirt’s inner pocket. This thing is, was?, Boo.

Mo’s shortbow and Behn’s crossbow remain trained on the human skeleton. Ajhenas notices the cape is from a different light infantry unit than his own, one that was eliminated during the Awakening. Saffron asks the undying soul if it can talk, it shakes its head. She then follows up seeing if it can write.

Through a long conversation with a skeleton carving words in the dirts of an abandoned isle the Five learn that the skeleton’s master is angry about the destruction of the temple, but extends the offer of an animated Boo as a symbol that the two parties may be able to communicate with less violence. They arrange a meeting with the Necromancer. Tomorrow, the Five will see this man across the collapsed bridge that once connected city center to the grand market. There will be a gap between the adversaries, so while missile and spell fire could happen, retreat into the fogs will be possible.

Encounter: Enter a dragon

With time to prepare the Five (it’s not five, but this adventuring party hasn’t named itself) build a second rope bridge over the gap between where the old massive stone bridge fell apart. That rope bridge is about 60 feet above the water. The stone bridge had a massive rise so smaller sea-worthy vessels could round the market isle.

The also construct a couple simple defenses for the ranged fighters to use as cover. They’ll be shooting at shadowy objects through the fogs, but the cover provides some felling of safety. There are two of these. Some of the group is set to prevent a flanking action. Then they wait.

Marching in step two banks of four skeletons walk to the edge of the bridge. Taking a knee and placing their shields in front the first row provides defense for the second row and their bowman. These are all human sized, but the skulls indicate that not all are human. Two mulkon zombies stumble forward from the rear of the military unit to the edges of the rope bridges. Their massive forms holding the giant morning stars that are common among their living race.

These walking dead provide a defense for a large pitch black cloud of darkness that walks forward. This is powerful magic, not some mere illusion but a black that makes night seem like broad daylight. The group of adventurers is tense. If this meeting comes to violence they have a chance, Behn always thinks they have a chance.

Greetings are exchanged. Interrupting the pleasantries is a resounding screech comes from the sky. The skeletons aim their bows up, as does the group. This is something different – a third side to the potential conflict.

A winged form, somewhat related to the flying lizards of Mehmd comes into view, a second screech. There is a rider.

“DRAGON!!!!!!!” screams Saffron and she sprints away, cowering in an abandoned merchant booth.

And the fight starts. Bolts, arrows and spells fly out at the beast. The rider flings spells back. While in the air the wyvern does a spin move to avoid one of Behn’s spells. Its rider is flung aside into the water. Ajhenas runs down to the shore and Maurice leaps off the bridge chasing the stout form.

The rest focus their efforts on the winged beast, eventually slaying it. When it dies the Necromancer and his companions are gone. That group of Behn, Samul, Boo, Saffron and Aamar look down to the water.

Between the quick thoughts and strengths of Ajhenas and Mo they’ve captured the man. He is about 4 feet tall, with broad shoulders and a beard. He is a spell caster, once using a spell to get away from the group, but they recapture him. He has heavy armor, a hammer and is quite angry to find his mount is dead.

While interrogated he declares that he is a “Proctor of Grace.” He displays some contempt for the “pathetic” spells used in the conflict, and disgust specifically for Behn. Some of the group take this Proctor back to their inn. The rest field dress the fallen wyvern and take its venom from the stinger.

They now have a prisoner who can cast spells beyond what they do (he claims), wyvern parts and are no closer to learning the identity and disposition of the Necromancer.

February 13, 2016