冒险背景
镣铐群岛的自由船长们早已是所有内海国家的一根肉中刺,其中切利亚斯的司马昭之心早已路人皆知。但不幸地,由于阿班靼苟之眼—永恒风暴—的狂风怒浪,利用大举侵略的方式一网打尽海盗们几乎是不可能的。自从切利亚斯海军在AR4643年与AR4660年两度被击败后,肃恩家族长久等待复仇及一次消灭海盗同盟的机会。
而这个机会来到了,近期切利亚斯海军抓到了一名镣铐群岛的自由船长,巴拿巴斯.荷李根。他是内海和阿卡迪亚海中的切利亚斯籍商船的长期困扰。在面对自身的处刑与凿沉他的船—苦艾号—的处境下,荷李根与切利亚斯提供一项交易:如果他们可以赦免他过往的罪行,他可以带领一只切利亚斯舰队到镣铐群岛终结海盗同盟的一切威胁。如果他将镣铐群岛交给切利亚斯,他搞不好可以当新切利亚斯殖民地的总督。
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But such plans take time, and Harrigan needed to solidify his own position in the hierarchy of the Free Captains before he could seize power following the Chelish invasion, all the while ensuring that no word got out of his treachery. Fortunately, with the exception of a few close confidantes of the captain, the Wormwood's crew was decimated in the battle with the Chelish navy, but Harrigan needed to replenish his crew with fresh bodies.He returned to Port Peril, the rough-and-tumble capital of the Shackles, to press-gang new hands for his ship—
including the PCs, who now find themselves members of his crew of scoundrels and cutthroats. With a hold full of impressed sailors, the Wormwood left Port Peril and
headed for the open sea, where Harrigan will put his plans into motion. Harrigan's new crew, including the PCs, need to quickly adapt to life on a pirate ship, or suffer the harsh
consequences of pirate justice.
但如此宏大的计划需要时间,荷李根也需要在掌握切利亚斯侵略行动的力量之前巩固他在自由船长们的地位,并在这段期间内不走漏任何有关这次背叛的风声。幸运的是,除了几个他的狐群狗党以外,其他苦艾号的船员都在与切利亚斯海军的战斗死亡。荷李根需要补充新的船员,于是他回到奇险港—镣铐群岛上既危险又混乱的首都—“招揽”新的船员(包括玩家)。苦艾号带着一船被自愿加入的水手航向大海,那荷李根实行他的计划的地方。荷李根的新船员们(包括玩家),必须尽快适应海盗船上的生活,或被无情的海盗正义伤害。
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FIREARMS IN SKULL & SHACKLES
边栏:骷髅与镣铐中的火器
Although rules for firearms appear in Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat, firearms are relatively rare on Golarion—they have been around for little more than 100 years, and are still uncommon outside of Alkenstar. As a result, firearms do not appear in the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path until the final adventure, when the PCs face the Hurricane King,
one of the few Shackles pirates to possess firearms.
For some, however, piracy and firearms go hand in hand, and a swashbuckling pirate Adventure Path would be incomplete without a trusty cutlass and pistol.Fortunately, it is relatively easy to add firearms to your campaign if you want to include them in your game.
Each adventure in the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path will contain notes with suggestions on modifying the adventure to include firearms. In “The Wormwood Mutiny,” there are ample opportunities to not only include characters who use firearms, but also give the PCs access to
those firearms. Perhaps the quartermaster's store (area A9) contains a few firearms that the PCs could steal, or maybe the booty on board the Man's Promise includes a brace of pistols that Captain Harrigan presents to Mr. Plugg, who would naturally use them against mutineers. It's also possible that firearms survived the wreck of the Infernus on Bonewrack Isle, and ended up in the castaway Arron Ivy's stockade (area C8) or were carried off to Riptide Cove (area D) by the grindylows on the island
冒险概览
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Having been press-ganged off the streets of Port Peril, the PCs wake up in the hold of the pirate ship Wormwood and are forced to join the crew of the despicable Captain Barnabas
Harrigan. As they get used to life as pirates, the PCs soon make both enemies and friends among the ship's crew.Gradually, the PCs become the center of talk of mutiny—they might be unwilling crew members on the Wormwood,but they're pirates at heart, and want to control their own destinies rather than serving under Captain Harrigan.As members of the Wormwood's crew, the PCs take part in an attack on a Rahadoumi merchant ship called the Man's Promise, and are chosen as part of the skeleton crew placed on the captured ship. With a smaller crew, and the first mate Mr. Plugg in command, the opportunity to mutiny finally presents itself. Before the PCs can overthrow their pirate captors, however, a powerful storm arises and cripples the Man's Promise, grounding it on a small island at the edge of the Shackles, where the island's monstrous inhabitants attack the ship and kidnap some of the PCs' friends in the crew. As the rest of the crew repairs the ship, the PCs explore the island to gather needed supplies and find their missing friends. When the PCs return to the ship, they and their allies can finally take on Mr. Plugg and those pirates loyal to him to seize control of the ship and finally become pirates in their own right.
在奇险港被招揽后,玩家在海盗船苦艾号的船舱内醒来并被自愿加入顾人怨的船长巴拿巴斯.荷李根的船员之中。在他们渐渐习惯海盗生活时,玩家会在同时在这艘船上找到夥伴或树敌。玩家会渐渐地成为叛变传闻中的主角-或许他们并不愿当苦艾号的船员,但他们打从心底就想当个海盗,想要我命由我不由荷李根。玩家们做为苦艾号的一员,参与了对众诺号——一艘拉哈顿籍的商船——的劫掠,并被选为这艘被抢来的船的船员。随着更少的船员以及原大副普拉格先生的领导之下,叛变的机会终于来临。不过在玩家推翻他们的海贼绑匪之前,海面上升起了一股强大的风暴,袭向了众诺号,使它搁浅在镣铐群岛边缘的一座小岛上,岛上的怪物们趁乱袭击了船舰,抓走了与玩家友好的船员。当剩下的船员修船时,玩家们开始探索整座岛屿以获取需要的补给和找回他们失踪的朋友;接着返回船舰所在地时,玩家与他们的夥伴们决战普拉格先生与忠心于他的船员,夺取船的控制权,最终靠着自身开始真正的当起海盗。
第一部份:苦艾号
这场冒险开始于玩家们在巴拿巴斯.荷李根的苦艾号船舱里醒来。《寻路者冒险之路:骷髅与镣铐玩者手册》(可以从paizo.com免费获得)中的战役背景提供了一些关于玩家为何上船的讯息。如果你(GM)不使用这些背景,那所有玩家都应该要有一个理由来到奇险港,并且应该非常想要(或者最少不排斥)成为一个海盗并冒险在大海之上。玩家互相之间并不需要相识——他们会在登上苦艾号的这几个礼拜互相熟悉。不论他们因为什么原因来到奇险港,任何一个玩家昨晚都会在“悍女”,一家在奇险港臭名远播的酒馆喝酒。这也是古艾号的“招募专员”将他们设为目标的地方。在成功下药给玩家使他们毫无意识之后,“招募专员”将他们丢去船舱睡,玩家很快就会被粗鲁地弄醒。
欢迎加入这清闲的行当
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The PCs wake up the following morning in the dark hold of the Wormwood (area A10). They all remember the night before—the ringing laughter of a wild night, the heady joy of excess, the scents of rich stewed meat and perfume lingering in their nostrils. Then describe the sensations that the PCs feel—a pounding headache, the sickly taste of cheap wine in their mouths, the hard floor, a rhythmic creaking noise, and the feeling of the room swaying, as if
they were still drunk. Before the PCs can do much more than sit up, however, several pairs of heavy footsteps enter the dark room, and the harsh light of a lantern painfully spears the PCs' eyes.
玩家在苦艾号黑暗的船舱中醒来,他们全部都记得昨晚——充满着大笑的狂野夜晚,无尽的欢乐、浓厚的炖肉味和深入他们的嗅觉中的香水未到。接着描述他们的感受到的感觉:剧烈的头痛、嘴中便宜酒的糟糕味道、坚硬的地面、有节奏的“唧—拐—”的噪音˙以及房间在摇晃,就像是在他们还在酒醉一样。在玩家把自己弄起身来之前,会有几道重重的脚步声进入这个黑暗的房间,灯笼那过于刺眼的光芒刺向了玩家的眼中。
人物:史科奇师傅——苦艾号的水手长、警卫长和恶名昭彰的严苛上司——进入这个船舱叫醒玩家并把他们弄上主甲板。六名长的很粗野的海盗拿着木棍跟随着他进来。
史科奇狞笑,威胁性用鞭子打向自己的手,对玩家大吼。
注:这句看不懂只好先把大致上的意思先写出来惹 “太阳晒横桁还在那边躺床?给我起来你们这群菜鸟!在荷里根船长把你们剁成绞肉叫鱼肚把你们煎了当早餐之前,给我上去甲板出公差去!”
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The PCs quickly discover that most, if not all, of their weapons and equipment are gone (see below). If the PCs refuse, even momentarily, to accompany Scourge, he lashes out at any offending PCs with his whip. If necessary, he calls for aid from the pirates, who attack
uncooperative characters with their saps. It should be immediately clear to the PCs that if they don't cooperate,they will quickly be overpowered. Scourge and the pirates herd the PCs up through the middle deck (area A6) and onto the Wormwood's main deck (area A3) to meet the
ship's captain.As the PCs make their way to the main deck, they can begin to adjust to their surroundings and deduce what happened to them. A DC 10 Perception check discerns the aftertaste of oily nutmeg on the tongue. A DC 15 Craft (alchemy) check or DC 10 Knowledge (nature) check recognizes this as a clear sign of oil of taggit poisoning (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 560). Each PC remembers indulging in either spicy food or spicy rum late last night, and those who made the above checks realize that the oil was likely added to their food or drink, and the spices hid the taste of the taggit oil. Any PCs who make a DC 10 Intelligence check remember seeing the face of Master Scourge last night as well, and can piece
together the facts outlined above.
玩家们最先发现的是他们的武器与装备都不见了(参照下面内容)。如果玩家拒绝遵从,甚至在任何一刻不与他合作,他会鞭打冒犯他的玩家;如果有所需要他会寻求其他海盗的“帮助”,用棍子敲打不合作的玩家。这应该会让玩家清楚的知道如果他们不合作,那他们会很快的丢掉小命。史科奇和海盗们将玩家从中层甲板(区域A6)带到苦艾号的主甲板(区域A8)见船长。玩家们可以在途中适应一下环境并且开始推导昨晚到底发生了什么事。透过DC10的察觉检定可以发觉舌头上有股肉豆蔻的油味;透过DC15的手艺(炼金术)检定或DC10的自然检定可以发觉这是一种毒物,塔吉特油的典型特征。每个玩家都会想起昨晚是如何放纵的吃香喝辣,任何一个成功通过下列检定的玩家可以得知这种由应该是被加料到他们的饮食之中;玩家透过DC10的智力检定也可以回想到昨晚有看过史科奇师傅,接着他们就可以拼凑出昨晚所发生的事情。
Master Scourge CR 3 XP 800 hp 32 (see page 21)
Wormwood Pirates (6) CR ½ XP 200 each hp 11 each (see page 20)
可能发展:如果玩家们决定要战,史科奇师傅与海盗们便战。他们会试图卸下任何玩家藏起来的任何武器并尝试以非致命伤害制伏他们。海盗们不会杀了玩家,但当海盗们占上风时(有需要时可以以靠其他船员的帮助),他们会压着玩家——不论有无意识——到主甲板上,他们会在那里立刻尝到苦艾号上惩罚的滋味。玩家们会被绑到主桅上,史科奇师傅会船长出现之前打三鞭。参见第60页“海盗生活”以获得更多在海盗船上的刑罚的细节。
个人装备
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The PCs begin this adventure with virtually none of their starting equipment. Captain Harrigan is no fool, and he is not about to let sailors who have been press-ganged against their will keep weapons and other gear they can use against him.Allow the PCs to purchase starting equipment as normal before the campaign, but to make things easier, ask them to write down their equipment on a separate sheet from their character sheets—then take those sheets away at the start of the adventure. Bear in mind that without certain equipment, some characters—particularly alchemists and wizards—have next to no abilities beyond their skills and feats. Many pirates place little value on the written word, however, so these characters can quickly get their precious formula books and spellbooks back. See page 25 for details on how the PCs can recover their equipment. In addition, the PCs will soon find they have a friend aboard—Sandara Quinn, who has managed to acquire a few choice items of the PCs' gear for them (see page 17). Although the Wormwood's press gang vigorously searched and robbed the PCs while they were unconscious,the pirates likely missed a few items. At your discretion,you can allow each PC to keep one item of equipment that could be easily concealed or overlooked—a holy symbol, a light weapon, a spell component pouch, or thieves' tools would all be good choices.In addition, the following items are so common aboard the Wormwood that the PCs can easily access them at any time: barrels, baskets, blocks and tackle, candles, canvas,grappling hooks, hemp rope (any length up to 200 feet),
lanterns, leather drinking vessels and waterskins, sacks,simple tools or hardware (especially carpentry tools such as hammers and nails), and any other simple items you deem appropriate.
玩家们在这个冒险开始时失去了他们所有装备。荷李根船长不是傻子,他不会让被自愿加入的水手留着武器好让他们随时揭竿起义。同样让玩家们在每场战役开始前购买他们的起始装备,但把事情弄的简单点,叫他们把他们的装备清单与角色纸分开,写在另一张表上,开跑时把装备清单另外收走。需要注意的是,有些角色——比如炼金术师和法师——除了他们的技能和专长会变的很没用。许多海盗会觉得写着一堆鬼画符的东西没什么用,所以这些角色很快会拿回他们的珍贵的公式表和法术书。参见第25页以得知玩家们该做些什么以取回他们的装备。除此之外,玩家将会发现他们在船上有个朋友,珊德菈.葵恩,她有惊无险的获得了少数几样玩家的装备。(参见17页)。虽然苦艾号的招募专员们摸边了当时毫无意识的玩家全身上下,但他们会忽略掉某些物品。在你的决定下,玩家们可以保留一样在装备中,可以被轻易藏起或不引起海盗兴趣的道具:圣徽、法术材料包、轻型武器或者盗贼工具都会是好选择。再者,有些道具可以在苦艾号上轻松找到,玩家也可以随时拿取:桶子、篮子、滑轮、蜡烛、帆布、勾索
、麻绳(最长两百尺)、灯笼、防水的皮制容器、麻袋、简单的工具或五金(尤其是木匠工具,像槌子或钉子)或者任何你觉得适合出现在船上的道具。