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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 1840791" data-attributes="member: 20323">Here's your adventure! (part two)6. Cursed CoinsOn the fourth day of your travels aboard the Rogue Trader, you happen upon a small ship broken on hidden reef. Since stripping down wrecked ships is the main income generator for the Rogue Trader, Captain Achu orders you to take a launch with two crewmembers and row over to the wreck to “check for surviving gold coins.” (The Captain designates the least dexterous PC as agile bowman, the one responsible for jumping off the launch first and tying it up, DC 15 Dexterity check or reef wounds for 1 hit point damage, followed by incessant itching after 1 minute. Will save DC 13 or can take no action besides scratching reef wound. Pouring fresh water on the wound negates itching.)The “shipwreck” was set up by Fayruz’s loyal pirates as a trap for Achu’s ship. The ship was loaded with cursed coins that say “bite me” (Clue #2) and smashed on the reef. The pirates hope that Achu attempts a major recovery operation, going aboard the wrecked ship to examine the treasure. The coins exert a powerful charm effect on anyone viewing (DC 18 Will save resists and allows PC to notice the “bite me” written on coins) them as they dream of the incredible value these antiques (fakes made of bronze) will fetch in the market and what they will do with the wealth. While the captain and most of the crew are away, Fayruz plans to hijack the ship. If the PCs don’t call back to the ship to report their discovery, the NPC crewmen will (unless silenced). The PCs may realize that the coins are fakes in two ways. First, passing save vs. charm effect and succeeding on a DC 10 Appraise check reveals the coins are bronze. Second, passing save vs. charm effect and biting a coin reveals that it is made of bronze, not gold. If the PCs fails to notice they are fakes, the Captain and rest of crew come aboard the wrecked ship using the other launch. As they marvel at the gold, Fayruz throws the remaining loyal crew overboard and steals the ship! They are left stranded in a sinking boat with a fake treasure! This is the curse of the coins! If they do discover these are fakes, and the PCs inform the captain, he tells them to bring the coins aboard while crew rig the wreck to be towed.7. Sailor or Pirate?As the Rogue Trader tows the salvaged shipwreck, you have barely had a moment to catch some rest, when a lookout calls just before sun-down “Man overboard!” Jumping to your feet, you see a man floundering in the water, struggling to keep hold of a slippery barrel, 100 paces off the port bow. The poor sailor is thoroughly exhausted and could go under any minute.This man is a member of Fayruz’s crew who was swept overboard in a storm and is as much a surprise to Fayruz as he is to the rest of the crew. As soon as he is aboard, however, there are whispers that he is a pirate, though he denies this. He introduces himself as Huarim, but the crew gives him a cold shoulder. Huarim knows that Fayruz is aboard and won’t blow his leader’s cover, at least not intentionally and not while Fayruz is listening. Fayruz, on the other hand, hopes to use Huarim to lower the crew’s defenses. The captain instructs the PCs to keep an eye on him: Do put both your eyes (gesturing) on this sailor at all times. If he should steal or rob, especially from yours truly, then it would behoove you to tell me with all due haste and without delay. Pirates rob, so if he be a pirate eventually he will rob something. (aside to the PCs) But, if he is a smart pirate he will know not to rob anything, unless his pirating nature gets the best of him. (stands uncomfortably close to PCs) Therefore I will have a game of cards for this newcomer. Each of you sirs will take a seat and talk story with the man. Where is my agile bowman? Ah! (forehead to forehead with the PC) To you I will entrust this signet ring given to me by my grandfather, to be wagered at the very last instant and reluctantly too. Any pirate would, in his loathsome greed, be compelled to rob this ring. (nods off, snoring) If he steals it, he is a pirate. If he does not, he is an honest and true man and worthy of passage.At first, Huarim is hesitant to participate in the gambling game, but eventually he caves in. He is a pirate after all, and has no money to his name. The crew forwards him 5 silver pieces that he may join in the games. The PCs sit to either side of Huarim at the card table, with a large pitcher of whiskey before them. At some point during the card game, Huarim relaxes, and gains the upper hand, gloating over the PCs. “My old captain had a saying whenever you were losing at cards. Suck it up sonny!” (Clue #3) When the ring comes out, Huarim can’t resist and attempts to draw a winning hand by hiding an ace up his sleeve (Spot DC 14), thereby winning the ring. If the PCs catch him cheating and turn him over to the captain, Achu has him tossed overboard. If they lose Achu’s ring to the pirate, Achu is enraged: “Where is my agile bowman? Do you think me a fool? Is there writing on my head that says ‘fool’? Am I not an honest man and true? Have I not been generous? And this is how you repay me, by losing my ring to a scheming pirate? (collecting himself) If you do not get it back, you will be fed to the sharks at sun-down.” With that, Achu grabs Huarim, ties the chest of cursed coins to his torso with a chain and throws him overboard. It is up to the PCs to rescue Huarim and/or recover the signet ring. In either case, the parrot squawks, “End of the line!”DM’s Note: If the players are totally in the dark at this point, have the parrot fly over to Marcus and try to land on him. Marcus pets the bird, saying “I used to have one just like it” when the Ship’s Mate whistles and the bird flies back over to her. This should help them figure things out, but don’t give them the experience points for thinking to ask Ship’s Mate Nyn how she got her parrot, or at the most give them half (50 instead of 100).8. Siren’s BayA week has gone by at sea aboard the Rogue Trader, time slowing down as you tug the shipwreck. It is midday when you hear a boom of thunder from the storm clouds ahead. Captain Achu is trying to beat the ferocious storm coming from the northwest, but it is quickly outpacing the ship. Sprays of water kick across the bow, slapping you in the face. Rain is falling in heavy drops on the open sails. This doesn’t look good.Soon the PCs find themselves in a raging storm. Have them make token checks to stay aboard, perform feats to keep the yardarm, rigging, or sails from being damaged, shout commands to other crew, be ordered by the captain, and the like. At last, Marcus (Fayruz) tells the captain: “Our only chance is the Siren’s Bay! Cap’n, I know those waters, I know the secret passage through the cliffs! You must listen, otherwise it’s the end of the line for us!” The rest of the crew is superstitious about the bay, but Achu has little choice. Fayruz directs them into a narrow passage of rock just as the storm picks up into hurricane strength winds. Soon they are floating in a haunting passage where gloomy ocean waters cast strange light patterns on the rock walls. There is a sinister aura in the air, and many sailors utter quiet prayers. Fayruz has some wax which he has stuffed into his ears, anticipating the sirens. Anyone talking with Marcus (Fayruz) once in the bay may notice this as he will continually say “what?” and “huh?” leaning close to the PCs to hear them. Such a PC is entitled to a DC 15 Spot check to notice the wax.Soon, ghostly shapes appear in the water, luring the sailors. Everyone (except for female PCs and Nyn) who hears the siren’s song must make a DC 20 Will save each round or be lured to the edges of the boat where they will jump into the water on the next round. PCs can attempt to counter the song by singing the … song they learned earlier, putting wax in their ears, or by a skilled bard using countersong.The sirens sing this song, one verse per round, recounting how Fayruz did them in:The Siren’s Song1. In life our beauty was without compareIn death our beauty lingers stillTill all pirates upon the seaDrown within locks of our hair!2. Yes, it is the end of the line for youThough you shall not feel a thingAs our icy hands pull forth your soulAs we drowned, so will you too!3. It was the end of the line he saidAnd our sad song never heardIt was the end of the line said the pirateFor into his trap we’re lured!Anyone falling into the water begins to drown (rules in DMG). If the whole party succumbs to the siren’s, check “Finishing the Adventure” below for other options. Alternately, you can have Nyn rescue the PCs from the sirens. Otherwise, the PCs who resist the charm effect (are female, make their save, or block their ears), face two tasks: 1. Saving their fellow PCs, Captain Achu, and other crew; 2. Capturing Fayruz, who has gone below deck. Fayruz intends to hide below until the Sirens leave and the storm dies down.Things for crew to say during the encounter:- “Look, there’s a woman in the water! Oh, my love, I will lavish you with luscious kisses!”- “I’ve never felt so young before! Gosh, I feel like swimming! Wee!”- “The waves are alive with the sounds of music!”Figuring it out: If the PCs put the 4 clues together, the rats saying “so you’re a funny guy”, the “bite me” written on the cursed coins, the “suck it up sonny” comment made by Huarim, the “end of the line” statements made by the disguised Fayruz and the ghost sirens’ song, they should realize that these are all quips the parrot makes. When asking Nyn where she got the parrot from, she reveals she won it in a gambling match with the pirate-lord Fayruz. Putting it all together, the PCs should realize that all the sayings of the parrot came from watching Fayruz and that it was the pirate who put the rats aboard, setup the shipwreck, and has led them into the Siren’s Bay! Finishing the Adventure: If the majority of the party is lured by the siren’s, you will want to consider that the sirens may not kill them. Perhaps the sirens merely lure men overboard and let them drown on their own; only the PCs’ extraordinary luck saves them and they float ashore on a forbidden island. Alternately, the PCs’ may be taken to a palace under the waves as slaves to a marid or other ocean-dwelling creature. Now they must orchestrate their escape. If Fayruz managed to get away, the PCs (along with Captain Achu) will want to get revenge and have a new enemy. If the PCs capture Fayruz, Captain Achu will interrogate him mercilessly, and congratulate the PCs on a job well down, declaring them “welcome and invited guests with free rights to charter this fine and most admirable ship at a time of their convenience.” In addition, there’s a bounty on Fayruz’s head, which can be collected by the PCs (they’ll be expected to share with the captain and crew), totaling 450 gold. Of course, the PCs, for serving as crewmembers, receive their share of the profits for selling the shipwreck in any case, which amounts to 7 gold, 5 silvers, and 2 coppers each. At the DM’s option, the ship may end up in an entirely different city than the one the PCs were looking for, a result of Captain Achu’s navigational miscalculations. Do they dare charter The Rogue Trader yet again?STORY AWARDS (* only one of these rewards can be had):Getting the group to laugh while negotiating contract or asking questions of Ship’s Mate: 50 expAt cast off, thinking to drop anchor or move crates; or cutting the dock line: 25 expRealizing the rats poisoned the fruit before the rats admit it: 25 expSetting a cunning trap for the rats: 50 expTaking precautions when boarding the shipwreck that foil Fayruz’s plan: 50 exp*When discovering coins, connecting coin’s “bite me” with rat’s “so you’re a funny guy” as being quips said by the parrot: 300 expThinking to ask Nyn where she got her parrot: 100 expConvincing Achu that gambling with his grandfather’s ring is a bad idea: 50 expLosing Achu’s ring gambling and failing to recover it from sinking Huarim: - 50 exp*During game of cards, connecting Huarim’s “suck it up sonny” to the coins’ “bite me”, with the rat’s “so you’re a funny guy” as being quips of the parrot: 200 expRescuing most of the crew and fellow PCs from Sirens: 100 expUnplugging the wax from Fayruz’s ears and offering him to the Sirens to save the crew: 150 expCountering the Siren’s song: 100 expRealizing Marcus is really the pirate Fayruz: 100 exp*In Siren’s Bay, connecting Fayruz’s “end of the line” comment with Siren’s “end of the line” in song, Huarim’s “suck it up sonny”, coin’s “bite me”, and rat’s “so you’re a funny guy” as quips of the parrot: 100 expCapturing Fayruz: 100 exp</blockquote>

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