Skull and Bones Campaign Help - Mind's Eyers Keep Out

[Byrons_Ghost]

Hmm, pirate-type ideas...

We've already covered the obvious "capture the skull from a ship" angle. Other possible locations for the skull are the Spanish fort (or perhaps a mission where the priests are keeping it safe), buried as part of a pirate's treasure (preferably in a cursed swamp full of zombies), or in a sunken ship (possibly also with zombies, or perhaps one big underwater nasty).

Another idea for the assault on the Spanish fort: it could be built on the site of the vampire's old village, which is the "home soil" she needs to sleep in during the day. So, a precisely-timed dawn raid would go past the changing guards and after the vampire who's (presumably) just gone to sleep.

As for the rest of the campaign direction, I suggest a race for the skulls. The vampire wants the admiral to assemble them so that he can do the ritual to destroy them, freeing the lords. Meanwhile, the PCs are trying to get them for someone who wants to "lull" the skulls back into sleep. Introduce some sort of secret society or wizardly-type NPC that can fill the PCs in on the background. It could be a voodoo cult, the last Mayan sorcerer, a secret Jesuit cell, whatever.

Possibly, this group could be instrumental in rescuing the PCs from their desert isle- perhaps they were following them in the hopes of recovering the skull, but the admiral got there first. This gives the PCs the opportunity to get the background of the campaign, and they'll naturally want to go after the admiral already because of what he's done to them. And not everyone in the group might be all that interested in in working with the society; some of the shadier types might be willing to entertain better offers from the admiral or the vampire...

As an aside, just in case it hasn't been said before: anyone who's planning running S&B needs to get a copy of Tim Powers' novel On Stranger Tides. Unfortunately, it's out of print. Hopefully the new popularity of pirates will warrant another edition.

 

[trilobite]

I helped edit the book, and believe me when I say that I want to play in your game! Wow - great plot. you aren't in Boston, are you?

Wow! P-Cat wants to play in my game! I am honored!

I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area.

 

[trilobite]

Hmm, pirate-type ideas...

We've already covered the obvious "capture the skull from a ship" angle. Other possible locations for the skull are the Spanish fort (or perhaps a mission where the priests are keeping it safe), buried as part of a pirate's treasure (preferably in a cursed swamp full of zombies), or in a sunken ship (possibly also with zombies, or perhaps one big underwater nasty).

Another idea for the assault on the Spanish fort: it could be built on the site of the vampire's old village, which is the "home soil" she needs to sleep in during the day. So, a precisely-timed dawn raid would go past the changing guards and after the vampire who's (presumably) just gone to sleep.

As for the rest of the campaign direction, I suggest a race for the skulls. The vampire wants the admiral to assemble them so that he can do the ritual to destroy them, freeing the lords. Meanwhile, the PCs are trying to get them for someone who wants to "lull" the skulls back into sleep. Introduce some sort of secret society or wizardly-type NPC that can fill the PCs in on the background. It could be a voodoo cult, the last Mayan sorcerer, a secret Jesuit cell, whatever.

Possibly, this group could be instrumental in rescuing the PCs from their desert isle- perhaps they were following them in the hopes of recovering the skull, but the admiral got there first. This gives the PCs the opportunity to get the background of the campaign, and they'll naturally want to go after the admiral already because of what he's done to them. And not everyone in the group might be all that interested in in working with the society; some of the shadier types might be willing to entertain better offers from the admiral or the vampire...

As an aside, just in case it hasn't been said before: anyone who's planning running S&B needs to get a copy of Tim Powers' novel On Stranger Tides. Unfortunately, it's out of print. Hopefully the new popularity of pirates will warrant another edition.

On Stranger Tides was one the first books that I got when I started researching my Skull and Bones game. It is pretty cool. I got it from my local public library.

Thanks for the great input. It really helps me with my game planning.

I was thinking that the only way to stop the Lords of Death from excaping is to return the skulls to the Underworld.

The sunken ship idea is great, specially when one of the players is half merfolk (he doesn't know that though) and he can breath underwater. And I have a giant octopus mini just for the occasion.

I need to have some other way to inform the PC's about the threat other than the villains gloating about it to them. I was thinking about having one of Cortez's men who found the skulls or one of the pirates that originally took the Spanish treasure ship has been driven mad and given an unnaturally long life span through contact with the skulls. I could have him hanging around Tortuga or Port Royal as a crazy old coot that rambles on about treasure, ghosts, and such.

 

[Henry]

I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area.

Good news for Wil Upchurch and crew, bad news for me or Piratecat.




I have nothing to add, at the moment, but I'll give it some thought.

 

[Old One]

Sounds fun...

Ancient Invertabrae,

Sounds like loads of fun...I agree with Pkitty...I want to play, but DFW is quite a hike. Many of the ideas posted thus far are excellent!

A couple of random, disjointed thoughts:

(1) A Cross-Caribbean Scavanger Hunt would be lots of fun. Plenty of chances to include all the elements you mentioned. Perhaps the skull the PCs have is the very first one the Admiral recovers. The PCs, once they find out about the other skulls, have to beat the Admiral and the MVC (Mayan Vampire Consort - brilliant) to the other skulls (or at least some of them) to save European Civilization. If you do imprison them (I agree that Havanna and potential hanging offers alot more fun than being marooned on a desert isle), then you could introduce an NPC to (a) help spring them and (b) apprise them of the importance of the skulls. Possible candidates are: (1) The Admiral's fiery Spanish daughter from his first marriage. She dislikes her step-mother (who, of course, killed her mother) and chafes under her father's direction. Possible love interest for one (or more) PCs, she has also stolen a map showing the location of several skulls and is she joins the PCs, the Admiral will take it personally. (2) The LMS (Last Mayan Sorcerer), mentioned above. An incredibly ancient and decrepit old man and the last survivor of the guardians of the temple when Cortez invaded (more on him in a minute). (3) A renegade or defrocked Jesuit who discovered an old journal from Cortez's priest warning about the Skulls with a prophecy from God. He couldn't get his superiors to listen to him and has been outcast from the Jesuits.

If you like lots of fun NPCs, use all three !

(2) Take advantage of the MVC charm abilities to make the PCs very paranoid. Erstwhile companions, allies and friends become turncoats

(3) If the LMS becomes a guide for the PCs, give him his own agenda (not to be revealed until late in the campaign). Not only does he want to retrieve the Skulls and return them to the temple, but he wants to use them in a ritual to (a) Cause a terrible plague to strike down all those with European blood that now inhabit Central and/or South America. He harbors a great hatred for those that destroyed his civiliaztion and although he normally keeps it in check, the PCs may see flashes of it from time to time. (b) Cause the Spirits of the Amazon Forest to rise and drive the Europeans from ancient Mayan lands, returning the area to an unspoiled tropical paradise. This could be a nice late campaign twist that would set the PCs against their former ally and guide.

(4) This has a high cheddar factor (OK...sue me...I loved Pirates of the Caribbean) but might work if done right. The PCs have a secret ally who stays in the shadows (ie, glimpsed briefly from afar or on the night of a full moon). It is the undead shade of Cortez...doomed to wander in torment until the Skulls are returned to their rightful place. He may or may not be able to take much direct action, but could help guide the PCs through clues, help them escape by dropping the keys to the gaol within reach, causing an enemy ship's sail to fall at a critical time or other intereference. To make the PCs even more paranoid...they can "feel" him, hear him (the faint "clink" of conquistador armor) and maybe even smell him...but they rarely, if ever see him. They know that someone, or something, is helping them...but can't figure out what it is...it will drive them crazy !

I will post other ideas if I think of any...

~ Old One

 

[trilobite]

MVC before and after pictures.


Before

After

 

[trilobite]

Ancient Invertabrae,

Sounds like loads of fun...I agree with Pkitty...I want to play, but DFW is quite a hike. Many of the ideas posted thus far are excellent!

A couple of random, disjointed thoughts:

(1) A Cross-Caribbean Scavanger Hunt would be lots of fun. Plenty of chances to include all the elements you mentioned. Perhaps the skull the PCs have is the very first one the Admiral recovers. The PCs, once they find out about the other skulls, have to beat the Admiral and the MVC (Mayan Vampire Consort - brilliant) to the other skulls (or at least some of them) to save European Civilization. If you do imprison them (I agree that Havanna and potential hanging offers alot more fun than being marooned on a desert isle), then you could introduce an NPC to (a) help spring them and (b) apprise them of the importance of the skulls. Possible candidates are: (1) The Admiral's fiery Spanish daughter from his first marriage. She dislikes her step-mother (who, of course, killed her mother) and chafes under her father's direction. Possible love interest for one (or more) PCs, she has also stolen a map showing the location of several skulls and is she joins the PCs, the Admiral will take it personally. (2) The LMS (Last Mayan Sorcerer), mentioned above. An incredibly ancient and decrepit old man and the last survivor of the guardians of the temple when Cortez invaded (more on him in a minute). (3) A renegade or defrocked Jesuit who discovered an old journal from Cortez's priest warning about the Skulls with a prophecy from God. He couldn't get his superiors to listen to him and has been outcast from the Jesuits.

If you like lots of fun NPCs, use all three !

(2) Take advantage of the MVC charm abilities to make the PCs very paranoid. Erstwhile companions, allies and friends become turncoats

(3) If the LMS becomes a guide for the PCs, give him his own agenda (not to be revealed until late in the campaign). Not only does he want to retrieve the Skulls and return them to the temple, but he wants to use them in a ritual to (a) Cause a terrible plague to strike down all those with European blood that now inhabit Central and/or South America. He harbors a great hatred for those that destroyed his civiliaztion and although he normally keeps it in check, the PCs may see flashes of it from time to time. (b) Cause the Spirits of the Amazon Forest to rise and drive the Europeans from ancient Mayan lands, returning the area to an unspoiled tropical paradise. This could be a nice late campaign twist that would set the PCs against their former ally and guide.

(4) This has a high cheddar factor (OK...sue me...I loved Pirates of the Caribbean) but might work if done right. The PCs have a secret ally who stays in the shadows (ie, glimpsed briefly from afar or on the night of a full moon). It is the undead shade of Cortez...doomed to wander in torment until the Skulls are returned to their rightful place. He may or may not be able to take much direct action, but could help guide the PCs through clues, help them escape by dropping the keys to the gaol within reach, causing an enemy ship's sail to fall at a critical time or other intereference. To make the PCs even more paranoid...they can "feel" him, hear him (the faint "clink" of conquistador armor) and maybe even smell him...but they rarely, if ever see him. They know that someone, or something, is helping them...but can't figure out what it is...it will drive them crazy !

I will post other ideas if I think of any...

~ Old One

I had the same idea for your LMS. Basically thats why he lead Cortez to the temple/gateway to the underworld so they would get the skulls and bring death and plague to the europeans.

I love your idea for a ghostly Cortez. Also I just thought of making the crazy old pirate who knows whats going on Cortez. It would really shock the PC's to find out that the crazy old man is in truth a 250 year old Cortez.

 

[barsoomcore]

MVC before and after pictures.

Yes. That's entirely correct.

I may be stealing this and running it myself. A couple of notes: have you read this month's Dungeon? Good adventure with a sunken ship, zombies and trapped on an island. Likewise there's a downloadable Skull & Bones adventure with not only zombies but a pirate captain who's been turned into a monkey.

Named Bobo.

I want to run a Skull & Bones game just for that reason alone. Bobo.

 

[trilobite]

Yes. That's entirely correct.

I may be stealing this and running it myself. A couple of notes: have you read this month's Dungeon? Good adventure with a sunken ship, zombies and trapped on an island. Likewise there's a downloadable Skull & Bones adventure with not only zombies but a pirate captain who's been turned into a monkey.

Named Bobo.

I want to run a Skull & Bones game just for that reason alone. Bobo.

Yeah I got that adventure too. Love the monkey! Did you notice that there is a crystal skull in it also!

Thanks for the tip on this month's Dungeon, I will have to pick it up.

 

[GMSkarka]

I helped edit the book, and believe me when I say that I want to play in your game!

Hell, I was one of the designers, and *I* want to play in his game!



GMS