[5e] Spell & Crossbones


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[MENTION=51930]fireinthedust[/MENTION] Does Doctor Hawken use an arcane focus or components? I'm guessing your intention was to make his pact blade the arcane focus...which I'm totally fine with so long as he fights with one free hand or wields the blade two-handed (since normally an arcane focus would take up the other hand).

Then technically you guessed *wrong*... for I had not figured that part out yet, and was (as should seem obvious) hacking my way through this unknown jungle. Fear not, many people make the mistake of believing I know what I'm doing (examples: my wife, my kids, those refugees who thought I was a real dentist, or a cop or whatever). You are in good company. :p

Actually, I'm very glad you suggested the pact blade as his arcane focus, that helps a great deal. I was dreading asking for it, but the alternative was a katana in one hand and a wand in the other (ugh, the visual). Having a cursed ninja sword that shoots freaking lasers is much better. (Even cooler than my other suggestion, an electric guitar that shoots prismatic lightning bolts, which I'm glad I didn't make, in hindsight)
 

[MENTION=8058]Queenie[/MENTION]- I'm not on Facebook anymore, but if I ever get back into it, I'll add you, sure. :)
[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION]- Re: the holy symbol, because Mr Teague's 1st level was in barbarian, he didn't have a holy symbol or component pouch in his starting equipment (in exchange for 4 extra hit points and a martial weapon), and then the burning need for a blunderbuss and requisite bullets ate up most of his starting moneys. Of course if you're saying I could have a holy symbol (or component pouch) for free, why I'd be a fool to turn it down...

I'm leaning toward component pouch, because that seems more in line with his magic being miracles granted by a pagan goddess-- a sacrifice to the sea. If he were more of a good Christian minister, I'd totally have the big ornate crucifix made of brass or wood, salvaged from a shipwreck.
 

[MENTION=6781406]Unsung[/MENTION] Yeah, go with the component pouch, that sounds like it would match his cobbled together faith of Keto, Calypso, Neptune, Agwe, Simbi, etc. And yes, I'm saying you can have it for free.
[MENTION=8058]Queenie[/MENTION] [MENTION=2820]Fenris[/MENTION] With the Rogues Gallery, is that the place I should post crew / ship stats and stats for NPC henchmen like Badouin? I ask for your ease of findability.
 
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Great! Thanks. I think Calypso is the name he'd use most often, being the right mix of regionally Caribbean and pseudo-classical, something he'd have heard of as a boy. From a priest, perhaps. It does sound good, and I am going for a very archetypal character with Teague. I wouldn't rule out finding a holy symbol later. I think Teague would be as surprised as anyone to find a physical artifact that proved what he already believed.
 

Also, the NPC Badouin is basically designated as the Ship's Purser (accountant), which is a bit redundant with Quartermaster and that's ok. He's meant to ensure du Tourbillon's interests are represented and keep the accounts honest & accurate. He's also a way for me to interject bits of information about costs/prices as DM and other things of that nature. So, if someone wants to be Quartermaster, great! If not, you can always turn the role over to the NPC Badouin (albeit stripped of inheriting captaincy).

I do not think Badouin should have any formal duties on the ship. He is, after all, the KGB agent on the russian sub in those movies, right? He is there as a witness and we have to keep him alive. I'll post that view IC as well.

Yeah, I think I'll just stick with cook if that's okay with everyone else. I'll change my rotation later today.

Fine by me. Maybe that's where Barrington should go to start? We don't need a first mate per se -- someone needs to be sailing master, but tat job can be done by the Captain as well (and many people are qualified).


I love bad jokes and kid pictures. Let's be friends! :lol:

So I've also found you on G+. Woo.
 


[MENTION=6755061]Kiraya_TiDrekan[/MENTION]- Aw. But who's going to be the spooky, haunted witch-woman of the ship now?

...There's no irony there, by the way. I'm genuinely disappointed. :(
 

I do not think Badouin should have any formal duties on the ship. He is, after all, the KGB agent on the russian sub in those movies, right? He is there as a witness and we have to keep him alive. I'll post that view IC as well.
Hah, yeah basically he is the "inside man." But as you'll find there's a lot more to Badouin than just that. du Tourbillon will insist on him being purser, though of course the extent of his actual access to the ship's books/treasure/cargo while at sea is up to the captain and rest of you.

Fine by me. Maybe that's where Barrington should go to start? We don't need a first mate per se -- someone needs to be sailing master, but tat job can be done by the Captain as well (and many people are qualified).
It works well actually, when you consider that some English and Dutch under a Spanish captain might feel they need "one of their own" to represent them. It makes Jim a bit more of a "man of the people" among the crew. It is also the traditional "runne rup captain" role. And if you all decide to lock up firearms when not in battle, it puts control over when to give crew members guns in the hands of the Lawful Good guy. :)

Hey guys,

As fun as this seems to be, I am not going to be able to keep up. :(

I shall have to drop out.

*pouty faces*
Aww... Too bad!

Good luck with the job search and your other games!
 

So, I know we have started playing, but with permission, I'd like to swap some things around on Barrington's sheet.

1. Rituals. I know we talked about it, but I think no one has taken a ritual book. (Please correct me if I'm wrong). If that's so, then I'd like Barrington to do so. I think it's useful long-term for the group, and helps secure a niche for him and adds richness to his character. In a few levels, it gives the party access to water walking and water breathing as well. Ah, but how does this relate to being Enlightened, I hear you ask! Easy.

Jim lives in a world of magic, but believes in reason. There is much he needs to explain that science has not quantified or measured. The 18th C is a period of attempts at systemization (the "Age of Wonders") and he has more wonders that need explaining. His Ritual book constitutes his original scientific research into understanding the universe. The 18th C. firmly believed in Aether, the medium by which gravity and electricity was conveyed. Part of what Jim is doing is explaining the workings of Aether and other ineffable substances as best he can. He may be right -- that's really irrelevant. He believes he is right, and that reason will explain what those around him see as the workings of magicians, loas, or petty divinities.

The changes to the sheet would be:
* adding the above paragraph to the background
* removing Inspiring Leader and taking Ritual Caster feat (he meets the prereq with Wis, but would have Int-based spells. To my knowledge no Wizard rituals establish a DC based on Intelligence).
* changing the bonus language (Island Carib) to Latin. I had a reason for Island Carib, but this would trump it.
* adding a book with Alarm, Tenser's Disk, and (if I would be allowed a third spell) Gentle Repose. [I'm trying to choose spells without personalities -- no find familiar or unseen servant (yet); if they come, they do so because he has seen their workings and sees that they are "in fact" (i.e. maybe not in fact) operating through the manipulation of aether.]

The main change to play would be:
* the time 1000-1200 in his cabin would be dedicated to scientific researches (and forgery, when needed).
* rituals cast would be expressed in terms of his understandings of aether.
* time spent transcribing spells found (on scrolls, or from wizards) would involve "translating" the supernatural mumbo-jumbo into reasonable and sensible Latin (such rituals would then be an exception to the doubt from his status as being enlightened).

2. Role on Ship. So by removing Inspiring Leader, that reduces the rivalry for the captaincy and eliminates some redundancy. He has not worked with Queenie before, but can take any of a number of positions as desired. He has insight and so can serve as Quartermaster. He can be a Gunner, or Master. There is no doubt he is ambitious and wants recognition, but this removes the obvious conflict with Queenie at the start (and gives it opportunity to grow over time as they have experiences with one another; I think he does *want* to be captain.

3. Fortunes:
a. "At Sea": I never qualified where he learned to navigate with the fortune. Can it be under Ben Hornigold? (He would have served with Blackbeard/Teach, then, possibly when Barrington was known under a different name).
b. "Magic Trinkets"/"Haunted": I think I am interested in adding this pair, if only because magic items are rare. I recognize the value of gauntlets of swimming when at sea, but I think that making the hat-that-keeps-returning to him a headband of intellect means (a) there is an irony in his best scientific researches being driven by a non-scientific (magical) force, and (b) it gives him bonuses to skills he's not proficient in, making him more useful overall but perhaps not unbalancing. (Other stats at 19 would obviously be better for him, but Int has the flavour, and is traditionally granted with headwear.) Jim might not even be fully aware how much cleverer he is when he's wearing his hat. I'm completely fine if this is not okay, given Enlightened. I also know that in 3 weeks there's going to be a full list of uncommon magic items, but this feels right.

4. Maneuvers. Just to be clear:
a. the disarming attack allows you to disarm an opponent. It is my belief that if this happens in melee, I could pick up the object (or at least kick it away) before the opponent gets to act (and pick it up for free).
b. the pushing attack allows you to push an opponent up to 15 feet. I would hope that this could conceivably knock boarders into the sea, and that once they've afield a save and been pushed, they could be knocked into the water.
If those aren't the case, then I'd like to swap them out for Rallying (a kind of mini-Inspiring leader!) and (if necc.) Riposte.

I think that's it. Thoughts?
 

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