D&D 5E Spell & Crossbones

Quickleaf · Nov 10, 2014

The English gentleman's jibe is just subtle enough to leave du Tourbillon without recourse, his eyes narrowing only slightly as he struggles to maintain his composure. He is old enough to remember the War of the Grand Alliance, after all, and now the so-called Queen Anne's War; it was clear du Tourbillon returned James and Teague's suspicions, after all their countries had known decades of war. His jaw tightens every so slightly when James pours himself a glass from du Tourbillon's bottle of wine. The temerity of these English! At least he didn't touch the calvados! "Messieur Barrington. Well then, if we're discussing terms, be a good chapeau and pour wine for the rest of us?" du Tourbillon pronounces the French word for hat as if he might be simply saying "chap" with a French accent, a jibe at the gentleman's rather showy headwear.

"I am prepared to offer five thousand Louis d'ors (5,000 gp) to cover your initial operating expenses, to be released only once you acquire a ship as a show of good faith. And further funds once you locate the wreck to finance the diving expedition. As your financeir I would receive 8 shares of Lè Gloriosa's treasure. Of course, you would deliver me any news of Emanuel Wynn post haste." He glances casually around the tavern, as if to make sure you don't have any eavesdroppers. As he does, a slight scar above his right brow becomes visible, partly hidden by application of makeup. "I believe some of you met my man Baudoin earlier; he delivered messages of our meeting to some of you. He will accompany you as my representative, an angel on the shoulder of your quartermaster so to speak, and I expect he will receive his own cabin and be treated with respect. You shall find Baudoin most unlike other Frenchmen."

"As for the flag you fly, I would just as soon you adopt one neutral to the current war, or not fly one at all. I understand that is not uheard of in the West Indies? Competition? Hmm. I heard one of your countrymen, a Read Wallace, is preparing for a treasure hunting expedition from Nassau as well, though I don't know the particulars. I assure you, I have been discrete about Lè Gloriosa."

[SBLOCK=The Rules Box]
Gunner Teague - Intelligence (History) check: Teague once ran across whalers who swore they saw the Reigersberg go down off the coast of St. Martin fighting a duo of French corvettes. They said the Reigersberg sank like a stone, in a way no ship should, as if suddenly she was carrying more tonnage than her timbers could bear and just collapsed.

Gentleman Jim - Wisdom (Insight) check: Claude du Tourbillon is hard to read. One thing James can be sure of: much as his own bond involves a degree secrecy, so does du Tourbillon's.

Hugo Van Haan or Gentleman Jim - as current or past quartermasters - can make an Intelligence check (with proficiency modifier) to do some rough math to see how 5,000 gp stacks up to what might be the costs of ship, supplies, and crew.

An Intelligence (History) check recalls a bit of pertinent information about Captain Read Wallace.
[/SBLOCK]

Queenie · Nov 10, 2014

OOC:

History- Emanuel Wynn (1d20+1=13)

History - Read Wallace (1d20+1=8) Oy. Kat must be drunk lol

Wisdom (Insight) - du Tourbillon's Flaws (1d20-1=0) Aye, she is definitely off the rails lol

Katerina shrugs her shoulder, her monkey running down her arm and onto the table. She scurries around until she finds a stray peanut which she then checks over and promptly snacks on. Kat smiles at the monkey, obviously distracted by something.

"I have some," she pauses before letting the word roll elegantly off her tongue, "Preocuparse." She pauses again. "Er... concerns. I am certain you are aware that the men can be superstitious. I'd like to be able to speak to your man Baudoin before we take him on." She taps her lips, considering. "Also, while you do not have to give all your secrets away, give me an idea where this Clarice Chedreu is located. Somewhere in the El Caribe I assume?"

"I would like a few minutes to discuss with my crew and new friends. Surely you are not insulted?" She smiles at him disarmingly.

OOC: El Caribe = Caribbean

Quickleaf · Nov 10, 2014

"But of course Madame del Corazon. I am confident when you meet Baudoin he shall present himself as perfectly suitable for this undertaking. I shall send for him presently. He has a certain panache," du Tourbillon says with a light smile which grows enigmatic with the question of Clarice Chedreu's island. "Oui, in Lè Caribe. Where else? I shall excuse myself and my men to take a quick repaste and smoke. It is a lovely night, after all. You shall find me on the veranda when you finish. Messieurs Barrington, Van Haan, Doctor." At this, du Tourbillon stands up, handing his unfinished wine glass to one of his bodyguards before giving you a half bow and making his exit. The bodyguard left with the wine glass shrugs and finishes it off in one swig while his fellow ogles Katarina before they follow du Tourbillon out the tavern door. All that's left of the man is an open bottle of wine, an unopened square bottle of calvados, eight glasses, and a question of terms.

[SBLOCK=The Rules Box]
Katarina - Intelligence (History): Emanuel Wynn may have started off as a French navy man who turned buccaneer, but Katarina knows him as a pirate who was among the first to fly the Jolly Roger. His flag is a skull and crossbones with an hourglass beneath, and Katarina has heard rumors of it still flying in the Caribbean.

Katarina - Intelligence (History): Captain Read Wallace is a former English navy man turned privateer and often makes berth in Nassau.

Katarina - Wisdom (Insight): du Tourbillon is an enigma. Clearly he is a master of deception or diabolical magic...or Katarina is hung over on rum.

About treasure shares...8 shares is a LOT. For example, usually cannon fodder would receive 1/2 shares, able seamen 1 share, officers 1 1/2 shares, the captain 1 1/2 to 3 shares, and ship owner (if different than captain) 3 to 4 shares.
[/SBLOCK]

Queenie · Nov 11, 2014

Once the Frenchman is gone, she stands and helps herself to some of the wine. She takes a long drink then scrunches her nose. "I never get used to drinking fruit." She places the cup back on the table and pulls out a flask from inside a pocket on her longcoat. After that she removes the coat, throwing it over the back of the chair. She's wearing a tight black leather corset over a white sleeveless shirt that shows off the tattoos on both upper arms, though she wears a bandanna wrapped around her right forearm. She takes a long swig from her flask before sitting back down and speaking.

"I am certain you all realize he is not being as honest as we would like. Perhaps that makes him wise, dealing with the likes of us." She laughs heartily at that. "The boy he is looking for, Emanuel Wynn, is a pirate as sure as there ever was one. I also believe his flag still flies. I could tell him that now but then we've lost out on taking this fool's money. Then again, he is trying to swindle us, we do all the work and face the perils and he takes much more than his fair share. There is something strange about him, I can't put my finger on it." She takes another swig of rum.

"Anyone else have any information or thoughts to share before we decide to take this on?" Though she does not say it out loud, some of them know she will not turn this opportunity down for any reward, save one.

Fenris · Nov 11, 2014

The grizzled old dwarf sat in the corner, his feet up on a chair, while the one he was in was tilted back. He was mostly bald, but what remained of his hair was white, as was his beard. His eyes were closed, perhaps asleep, maybe just resting, he was after all older than all of the others put together, even counting Teague. His hands too, were folded over his belly, like Hugo, maybe it was a dwarf thing. His face and hands were scarred by two centuries of work. As the Frenchman leaves, his chair thumps down, along with a weird thump of his ivory leg. He stands up and limps over to the table and pours himself a drink, downing the pear brandy as if it were grog.

He stands leaning on the table, "Do there be a choice? Is there any other swab offering us money to find the ship? That ship lies at the bottom o' the sea. We wants a ship anyway, and here is a man willing throw his money in after his hat? I have seen swindlers and cheaters aplenty. No one fares well who double crosses me. I says, we takes the offer." answers Old Zef in his gravely growl of a voice. He stumps back over to his chair, stares at it for a moment and waves his hand before a soft feather pillow appears in the chair. He then turns and flops into the chair with an audible sigh. "Now what say you me hearties? Be you in or out?"

[sblock=Rules Block]
Insight 1d20+5=17
[/sblock]

Hannerdyn · Nov 11, 2014

Hugo Van Haan

"Stay your minds that the agreement comes from two dwarves, but the old cudgel has it," said Hugo, sitting up and making himself a clay cup of the calvados and nodding a head at Old Zef. "He's got coin and we wouldn't be here if we weren't looking for work, and he's suspicious, certainly..." he paused a moment as the golden brandy hit his palette, eyes closed. "but he'd be a fool, and a dead one at that were he to swindle sailors, 'specially this bunch."

"Demand money up front, be resolute, act as if you have six suitors all begging your employ... I don't have to tell you lass, you're as keen as they come, I can see," he said, shrugging and quaffing another sip of brandy.

OOC: [sblock]Intelligence roll to work out the math on 5000gp for the hiring of a ship, crew, repairs, stock, etc. 1d20+5=10[/sblock]

Quickleaf · Nov 11, 2014

OOC:

Hugo - Intelligence (expedition costs): While Hugo is more the sort to have organized books, his quick estimation is that 5,000 gp is not enough to buy a ship (a schooner, for example costs upward of 13,000 gp), but it might be enough - if you're savvy with your budget - to charter (lease) or salvage a ship. Chartering a ship is a matter of negotiating with the owner who typically wants some share of the profits. Regarding salvage, Old Zef might be more knowledge being a carpenter and boatswain.

When it comes to 1-month supplies for a 50-man crew and arming them with swords and pistols, you're probably looking at 1,000 gold or half that if you don't equip the crews with pistols. Other necessary supplies depend on the condition of the ship. Regarding cannon shot and powder, Gunner Teague probably can estimate those numbers better than Hugo.

The crew, of course, don't receive up front pay on an expedition of piracy or treasure-hunting, but some share of the score.

Queenie · Nov 11, 2014

"Anyone else have anything further to add before we negoziare? He's asking way to much for his share in trade for what he wants, but what about what he offers to us? Fair funds or not to accomplish our goal?

Does anyone else want to accompany me? I can speak with him outside before bringing him back in here, that may work better on him." She scans the group, her eyes fixing on the newcomers. "Doctor? And, Barrington," she says, struggling with the name, "Was it? Either of you good at the game of persuasión?" She raises an eyebrow and gives them a mischievous half smile.

Unsung · Nov 11, 2014

"Y'might ask him what caused the Reigersberg to sink," Teague mutters, low enough so that only Katarina could hear, knowing she'd take his meaning. Ships did not sink for no reason, nor was a salvage outfit financed out of mere hopefulness. "Cap'n," he adds, though his thoughts had already begun to range, as he considered those sailors he knew who were likely to be currently in port in Nassau: those who were handy in a boarding fracas, who might provide a gun or two of their own impetus, could be trusted to keep the cannons roped and the powder dry [Intelligence check to see how to squeeze the best amount of firepower out of the least amount of cash, 1d20(14) + Int (-1) = 13, unless Streetwise would be Wisdom-based, somehow].

Quickleaf · Nov 11, 2014

OOC:

Gunner Teague - Intelligence (arming ship & crew estimating): Finding a ship with a mostly complete armament of culverins would be a good start, as cannons would be the most expensive element (e.g. a single culverin costs about 150 gp, and a ship might have twenty altogether). One hundred 18-pound shot and powder for a culverin would run 20 gp. Arming a 50-man crew with pistols (and powder and shot) would run 650 gp. There's a Scottish dwarven provisioner in Nassau named Moray who might have the shot and powder you need.

When it comes to men handy in a boarding fracas and looking for work, the ones that come to mind are a group of a dozen French buccaneers led by a shady character named Arnaud, and a group of old English salts who once flew under a ship called The Coral Curse led by Old Beck. However, while looking around the tavern, Teague can't help but wonder about those Latvian mercenaries (the period term would be "Courlandians") who've been laughing and drinking all night - they look like they'd be hardy sorts.