Yep, the game devs did not play around when they built that Rum Ration mechanic. I think they wanted something to help with the social interaction stuff for characters not built for it but then maybe went a little overboard on designing the debuff that balances the minigame.
The evening passes without incident, but continues to be humid and muggy with little breeze to break through the stillness. As day breaks the following morning the crew once again gathers for assignments. This will be the last day of assignments until we do a time skip. There is an event today to play through, but after that there isn't another one until day 8...so we will time skip days 6 and 7. I cannot find the post in the PM where I described what the mechanics of the time skip would be, but we have at least few days of posts to resolve day 5 first...so I will spend some time this week looking for it.
Varus: Mainsail Duties: Tough work raising and lowering the mainsail, requiring a DC 10 Athletics check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to avoid gaining a point of exhaustion at the end of the shift.
Ventus: Rigging Repair: The ship's rigging frequently gets damaged and must be repaired, requiring DC 10 Acrobatics or Athletics checks to reach the rigging 30 feet up, followed by a DC 10 Sleight of Hand Check.
Builder: Runner: Passing messages to the crew and officers of the Wormwood in all parts of the ship except officer's cabins (areas A4 and A5), requiring a DC 10 Acrobatics check and a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. Failing the constitution saving throw results in the PC gaining a point of exhaustion at the end of the shift.
Birel: Man the Bilges: Vile and sweaty work cleaning out the bilges (area A11), requiring a DC 11 Strength check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to avoid gaining a point of exhaustion at the end of the shift.
James: Swab the Decks: Backbreaking work mopping the decks and scrubbing them with sandstone blocks called holystones, requiring a DC 10 Strength or Constitution saving throw. Failing this results in the PC gaining a point of exhaustion at the end of the shift. (Just realized you were checking in on Nox before bed, I forgot to post that. I will get it up in a minute in my next post)
Sericea: Cooking: Assisting Ambrose Kroop in preparing the day's meal. If Kroop is just drunk no check is required. If Kroop is insensibly drunk, this requires a DC 10 Intelligence (Herbalism Kit or Cooking Utensils) check. (He is insensibly drunk today)
Go ahead and decide what day time action you will be taking...
Work Diligently: Any one check can be made today at advantage
Influence: Make normal checks for a job's daily task and attempt to influence a single NPC
Sneak: Make normal checks for a job's daily task and briefly explore one area of the ship. The PC can make a single Perception, Investigation or other skill check with no chance of detection.
Shop: Visit the Quartermaster's store (area A9). All checks for today's tasks are made at a penalty of -2.
Shirk: All skill and ability checks for today's tasks are made at disadvantage (no disadvantage on required saving throws). The PC can take time to fully explore one area of the ship. The PC can make a single Perception, Investigation or other skill check with advantage, but must make a check to avoid being discovered.
...and then post your necessary skill checks for today's task as well as any skill checks needed for your day time action.
As work begins aboard ship, whispers of rumor begin to be passed around the crew. Apparently some kind of special entertainment is planned for the evening. Rumor has it Plugg is planning on bringing his 'pet" out for some playtime.
Edit to add: Actually actually, let's hold off on posting anything for Day 5 just yet...consider what actions you want to take since everything above will still apply, but let's resolve James's scene with Nox before we move on.
As you bed down in your hammock you let your senses close and reach out again to Nox. you find him again closed in the closet that makes up Caulky Taroon's room. However, tonight the door is slightly ajar. It may be just enough for him to slip out. Listening for a moment there does not appear to be any noise coming from the adjacent room, Captain Harrigan's cabin. it seems like this is an opportune moment to get a peek in the captain's quarters, and possibly even make an escape from Nox's captivity if all goes well. What would you like him to do?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Founding Member of the High Roller Society.(Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
James will direct Nox to hop through the door and at lest take a look around the captain's quarters. If there is somewhere up high to perch, he will have Nox fly up there for a better view.
Stealth: 14, to move from Caulky's room and into a hidden spot in the captain's quarters. Perception: 16, looking for anything of importance or interest.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Sorry posts have been thin on the ground...work is really busy, and last night I was too tired to post.
Nox finds the cabin abandoned for the time being. He hops in a few paces and then flits to a shelf where he can get a vantage point of the room. He perches next to a scrimshawed statue of a killer whale being consumed by a monstrous creature made of tentacles and teeth. (DC 15 history or arcana check means you know the beast depicted to be a Kraken).
The cabin is richly decorated, with four portholes in the back wall to allow natural light to filter into the room. Two of them are currently ajar to allow a bit of a breeze in. The floor is blanketed by layered carpets and tapestries and a chest sits against the opposite wall. A mattress is currently rolled and set in the corner to reveal a table underneath. The smell of beef (rat) stew suffuses the air, the officers must have just finished their meal and stepped out on deck for a stretch of legs and fresh air.
With a creak of the cabin door, Captain Harrigan steps in. Nox stands stock still, hoping to blend in with the carvings around him, but with a flutter of nervous wings he knocks one of the statuaries over, drawing the Captain's eye.
"What's this then? A stowaway birdie? Not on my ship. Come here you winged rodent." Harrigan strides forward with one beefy hand stretching out to grasp Nox.
Athletics to Grapple 10modifier is being obfuscated for rolling behind the screens purposes.
James, roll me an Acrobatics check for Nox, assuming he tries to avoid being captured. If he slips the grasp he can probably make it out one of the open portholes and escape before Harrigan gets another attempt.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Founding Member of the High Roller Society.(Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
The meaty hand closes firmly around Nox's body as he tries to spread his wings to fly away. "Gotcha ye blighter. Let's go see Peppery, she can tell me if ye be special. If not then I'll put you in with Pluck to make friends."
His captive firmly in his grip now, Harrigan turns to again exit the cabin in search of the ship's caster.
I'll pause here in case you want to take any other actions for Nox. You have time for probably a few more acrobatics checks to slip the grip before he finds Peppery...let's call it 6 checks. With a really good roll from you and a really bad one from Harrigan it is technically possible.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Founding Member of the High Roller Society.(Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
Builder is far less enthusiastic about running messages as doing honest work.
Normal Acrobatics check: 27
Con save: 16
While moving around the ship on his message runs Builder takes time to sneak and check out a portion of the ship he has not been in yet. (DM, I am just going to let you decide where.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Birel keeps an eye out for Plugg and the lot, deciding the not give him an excuse to double her punishment today after yesterday decides to double her work output.
Still earlier that evening, I am going to bank the 6 d20 athletics rolls for holding on to Nox as Harrigan walks to Peppery...in case the little birdie starts to struggle.
1; 4; 7; 18; 13; 9;
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Founding Member of the High Roller Society.(Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
James will have Nox attempt to use his small form to wiggle out from the grapple. If he manages to escape, he will have Nox fly behind the part of the ship where the captain's quarters is to try and break line of sight.
I'll have Nox contest the grapple using Dex(Acrobatics). Acrobatics: 12, 2, 16, 7, 16, 12 Stealth: 22, just in case you need this roll.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Nox wriggles and wriggles and peaks ineffectively at the captain's finger. "Stop it you barning bird...Keep it up and I will squish you into owl paste."
With another burst of energy the owl manages to squeak through the bottom of the Harrigan's closed fist, immediately spreading his wings and flapping away. (That 20 barely beats the 6 he rolled for his athletics check). Watching the bird flap to the back of the ship, the captain apparently has no interest in attempting to chase him. "Plugg, there is a small owl on my ship, probably came aboard in peril with those rats! Set some crew to finding it in the morning, I want it shown to Peppery to make sure it isn't more than it seems. After that you can have Owlbear adopt it or eat it or whatever."
He turns and heads back into his cabin, not waiting for a response from the first mate, who shouts a quick "Aye!" after him.
Nox is now free of his few days of captivity. Go ahead and move Nox to where ever he is going to be roosting for the night. Make a stealth check with advantage for him since he is going to be playing hide and seek with some crew members tomorrow. Unless you just bamph him away...that is an option too.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Founding Member of the High Roller Society.(Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
James will have Nox fly halfway down the side of the ship before bamphing him to his pocket dimension. Once he comes back to his own senses, he will lay in his hammock and breath a sigh of relief. Once his nerves have settled down, James will turn in for the night.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Serciea finds Ambrose in the kitchen, utterly drunk again, and sighs. Her gratitude towards his help with the "beef" is sorely tested by his constant climbing inside the bottle. Still, she rolls her sleeves up, pulls out the cookbook, and starts working in the kitchen. It beats the bilges!
Her mind keeps drifting towards other topics though, such as where the ship is headed, or what was in store for them. When Kroop dozes off in the afternoon, she steps out of the kitchen for a moment. While pretending to be fetching something for the cook, she wanders up to the main deck, trying to overhear anything or look for anything that might tell her more.
Cooking check: Intelligence with proficiency from cookbook: 19
Action: sneak: Investigation 17
Her work in the kitchen turns out pretty well. Perhaps if she ever returns to Port Peril she will open up her own tavern!
The hot muggy day progresses with most everyone doing an excellent job at their assigned tasks for the day. As Plugg makes his rounds he seems almost displeased with the lack of punishments he will be dolling out later in the day.
Varus: During a water break at about mid-day you decide to wander for a bit to stretch your legs. Heading down to the lower decks where the crew sleeps at nights you find it abandoned during the day, the heat outside the ship getting trapped between the decks making for an uncomfortable sauna. Taking some time to look around, you notice one of the crew lockers is unlocked, the hasp hanging ajar and the lock swaying with the movement of the ship. Some rum soaked mate likely forgot to lock it back in their stupor.
Inside you find: (gm rolls and more coming)
A money pouch containing 17 gold worth made mostly of silver and copper coins. And 2 other items:
81
61
12 gold, lets call it 3 gold coins, 85 silver, and 50 copper
The other two items is a set of thieves tools and 4 days worth of trail rations.
You check the other lockers in the hold quickly, but find them all securely locked. The locks themselves don't look very well made though, a deft hand could probably overcome them if they were determined.
In your next post please let us know if you are taking this treasure or leaving it.
Builder coming next...but want to post this so I don't mess up the rolls.
Sericea also turns in, to sleep off 1 more point of con damage. One more night till she's fully sober o_O
Yep, the game devs did not play around when they built that Rum Ration mechanic. I think they wanted something to help with the social interaction stuff for characters not built for it but then maybe went a little overboard on designing the debuff that balances the minigame.
The evening passes without incident, but continues to be humid and muggy with little breeze to break through the stillness. As day breaks the following morning the crew once again gathers for assignments. This will be the last day of assignments until we do a time skip. There is an event today to play through, but after that there isn't another one until day 8...so we will time skip days 6 and 7. I cannot find the post in the PM where I described what the mechanics of the time skip would be, but we have at least few days of posts to resolve day 5 first...so I will spend some time this week looking for it.
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
Got an anti-cheat message, so gonna reroll here instead.
Day 5 Daytime Ship Assignments:
Varus - 3
Ventus - 4
Builder - 6
Birel - 5
James - 3
Sericea - Task: 1 Inebriation of Kroop: 2
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
Varus: Mainsail Duties: Tough work raising and lowering the mainsail, requiring a DC 10 Athletics check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to avoid gaining a point of exhaustion at the end of the shift.
Ventus: Rigging Repair: The ship's rigging frequently gets damaged and must be repaired, requiring DC 10 Acrobatics or Athletics checks to reach the rigging 30 feet up, followed by a DC 10 Sleight of Hand Check.
Builder: Runner: Passing messages to the crew and officers of the Wormwood in all parts of the ship except officer's cabins (areas A4 and A5), requiring a DC 10 Acrobatics check and a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. Failing the constitution saving throw results in the PC gaining a point of exhaustion at the end of the shift.
Birel: Man the Bilges: Vile and sweaty work cleaning out the bilges (area A11), requiring a DC 11 Strength check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw to avoid gaining a point of exhaustion at the end of the shift.
James: Swab the Decks: Backbreaking work mopping the decks and scrubbing them with sandstone blocks called holystones, requiring a DC 10 Strength or Constitution saving throw. Failing this results in the PC gaining a point of exhaustion at the end of the shift. (Just realized you were checking in on Nox before bed, I forgot to post that. I will get it up in a minute in my next post)
Sericea: Cooking: Assisting Ambrose Kroop in preparing the day's meal. If Kroop is just drunk no check is required. If Kroop is insensibly drunk, this requires a DC 10 Intelligence (Herbalism Kit or Cooking Utensils) check. (He is insensibly drunk today)
Go ahead and decide what day time action you will be taking...
...and then post your necessary skill checks for today's task as well as any skill checks needed for your day time action.
As work begins aboard ship, whispers of rumor begin to be passed around the crew. Apparently some kind of special entertainment is planned for the evening. Rumor has it Plugg is planning on bringing his 'pet" out for some playtime.
Edit to add: Actually actually, let's hold off on posting anything for Day 5 just yet...consider what actions you want to take since everything above will still apply, but let's resolve James's scene with Nox before we move on.
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
Retcon to last night: James:
As you bed down in your hammock you let your senses close and reach out again to Nox. you find him again closed in the closet that makes up Caulky Taroon's room. However, tonight the door is slightly ajar. It may be just enough for him to slip out. Listening for a moment there does not appear to be any noise coming from the adjacent room, Captain Harrigan's cabin. it seems like this is an opportune moment to get a peek in the captain's quarters, and possibly even make an escape from Nox's captivity if all goes well. What would you like him to do?
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
James will direct Nox to hop through the door and at lest take a look around the captain's quarters. If there is somewhere up high to perch, he will have Nox fly up there for a better view.
Stealth: 14, to move from Caulky's room and into a hidden spot in the captain's quarters.
Perception: 16, looking for anything of importance or interest.
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Sorry posts have been thin on the ground...work is really busy, and last night I was too tired to post.
Nox finds the cabin abandoned for the time being. He hops in a few paces and then flits to a shelf where he can get a vantage point of the room. He perches next to a scrimshawed statue of a killer whale being consumed by a monstrous creature made of tentacles and teeth. (DC 15 history or arcana check means you know the beast depicted to be a Kraken).
The cabin is richly decorated, with four portholes in the back wall to allow natural light to filter into the room. Two of them are currently ajar to allow a bit of a breeze in. The floor is blanketed by layered carpets and tapestries and a chest sits against the opposite wall. A mattress is currently rolled and set in the corner to reveal a table underneath. The smell of beef (rat) stew suffuses the air, the officers must have just finished their meal and stepped out on deck for a stretch of legs and fresh air.
With a creak of the cabin door, Captain Harrigan steps in. Nox stands stock still, hoping to blend in with the carvings around him, but with a flutter of nervous wings he knocks one of the statuaries over, drawing the Captain's eye.
"What's this then? A stowaway birdie? Not on my ship. Come here you winged rodent." Harrigan strides forward with one beefy hand stretching out to grasp Nox.
Athletics to Grapple 10 modifier is being obfuscated for rolling behind the screens purposes.
James, roll me an Acrobatics check for Nox, assuming he tries to avoid being captured. If he slips the grasp he can probably make it out one of the open portholes and escape before Harrigan gets another attempt.
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
Acrobatics for Nox: 10
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
The meaty hand closes firmly around Nox's body as he tries to spread his wings to fly away. "Gotcha ye blighter. Let's go see Peppery, she can tell me if ye be special. If not then I'll put you in with Pluck to make friends."
His captive firmly in his grip now, Harrigan turns to again exit the cabin in search of the ship's caster.
I'll pause here in case you want to take any other actions for Nox. You have time for probably a few more acrobatics checks to slip the grip before he finds Peppery...let's call it 6 checks. With a really good roll from you and a really bad one from Harrigan it is technically possible.
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
Varus, feeling a bit more alert this day, takes some time to explore the ship.
(Sneak around, not sure to where, probably the middle deck?)
Athletics: 8
Con Save: 22
Perception: 11
Builder is far less enthusiastic about running messages as doing honest work.
Normal Acrobatics check: 27
Con save: 16
While moving around the ship on his message runs Builder takes time to sneak and check out a portion of the ship he has not been in yet. (DM, I am just going to let you decide where.)
Investigation: 26
Birel keeps an eye out for Plugg and the lot, deciding the not give him an excuse to double her punishment today after yesterday decides to double her work output.
Working Diligently Athletics Check: 20
Constitution Save: 21
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
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Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Still earlier that evening, I am going to bank the 6 d20 athletics rolls for holding on to Nox as Harrigan walks to Peppery...in case the little birdie starts to struggle.
1; 4; 7; 18; 13; 9;
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
James will have Nox attempt to use his small form to wiggle out from the grapple. If he manages to escape, he will have Nox fly behind the part of the ship where the captain's quarters is to try and break line of sight.
I'll have Nox contest the grapple using Dex(Acrobatics).
Acrobatics: 12, 2, 16, 7, 16, 12
Stealth: 22, just in case you need this roll.
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Wow! Just goes to show anything is possible.
Nox wriggles and wriggles and peaks ineffectively at the captain's finger. "Stop it you barning bird...Keep it up and I will squish you into owl paste."
With another burst of energy the owl manages to squeak through the bottom of the Harrigan's closed fist, immediately spreading his wings and flapping away. (That 20 barely beats the 6 he rolled for his athletics check). Watching the bird flap to the back of the ship, the captain apparently has no interest in attempting to chase him. "Plugg, there is a small owl on my ship, probably came aboard in peril with those rats! Set some crew to finding it in the morning, I want it shown to Peppery to make sure it isn't more than it seems. After that you can have Owlbear adopt it or eat it or whatever."
He turns and heads back into his cabin, not waiting for a response from the first mate, who shouts a quick "Aye!" after him.
Nox is now free of his few days of captivity. Go ahead and move Nox to where ever he is going to be roosting for the night. Make a stealth check with advantage for him since he is going to be playing hide and seek with some crew members tomorrow. Unless you just bamph him away...that is an option too.
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
James will have Nox fly halfway down the side of the ship before bamphing him to his pocket dimension. Once he comes back to his own senses, he will lay in his hammock and breath a sigh of relief. Once his nerves have settled down, James will turn in for the night.
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Ventus flies up to the rigging, lets out a mighty shout, and then starts working straight away on repairing the rigging.
Working Diligently Sleight Of Hand Check: 16
James will put in double the effort to scrub the decks, trying to make them clean enough to eat off of.
Day action: Work diligently
Con Save: 24
Be excellent to each other, and roll for initiative dudes!
Serciea finds Ambrose in the kitchen, utterly drunk again, and sighs. Her gratitude towards his help with the "beef" is sorely tested by his constant climbing inside the bottle. Still, she rolls her sleeves up, pulls out the cookbook, and starts working in the kitchen. It beats the bilges!
Her mind keeps drifting towards other topics though, such as where the ship is headed, or what was in store for them. When Kroop dozes off in the afternoon, she steps out of the kitchen for a moment. While pretending to be fetching something for the cook, she wanders up to the main deck, trying to overhear anything or look for anything that might tell her more.
Cooking check: Intelligence with proficiency from cookbook: 19
Action: sneak: Investigation 17
Her work in the kitchen turns out pretty well. Perhaps if she ever returns to Port Peril she will open up her own tavern!
The hot muggy day progresses with most everyone doing an excellent job at their assigned tasks for the day. As Plugg makes his rounds he seems almost displeased with the lack of punishments he will be dolling out later in the day.
Varus: During a water break at about mid-day you decide to wander for a bit to stretch your legs. Heading down to the lower decks where the crew sleeps at nights you find it abandoned during the day, the heat outside the ship getting trapped between the decks making for an uncomfortable sauna. Taking some time to look around, you notice one of the crew lockers is unlocked, the hasp hanging ajar and the lock swaying with the movement of the ship. Some rum soaked mate likely forgot to lock it back in their stupor.
Inside you find: (gm rolls and more coming)
A money pouch containing 17 gold worth made mostly of silver and copper coins.
And 2 other items:
12 gold, lets call it 3 gold coins, 85 silver, and 50 copper
The other two items is a set of thieves tools and 4 days worth of trail rations.
You check the other lockers in the hold quickly, but find them all securely locked. The locks themselves don't look very well made though, a deft hand could probably overcome them if they were determined.
In your next post please let us know if you are taking this treasure or leaving it.
Builder coming next...but want to post this so I don't mess up the rolls.
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)