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  By Richard Pett
  
  The Buzzard's Bounty
  Shipwreck in a Bottle
  Fisherman's Folly
  The Lost Messenger
  = Rumored Treasure
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  The Shackles
  Fever Sea
  Motaku Isle
  Dahak’s Teeth
  Jeopardy 
  Bay
  Slithering Coast
  to Bonewrack Isle
  Port Peril •
  Devil’s Arches
  Widowmaker 
  Isle
  Tempest 
  Cay
  Fever Sea
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  ADVENTURE PATH • PART 1 of 6
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  credits
  Creative Director • James Jacobs
  Senior Art Director • Sarah E. Robinson
  Managing Editor • F. Wesley Schneider
  Development Lead • Rob McCreary
  Editing • Judy Bauer, Christopher Carey, Patrick Renie, and James L. Sutter
  Editorial Assistance • Jason Bulmahn, Mark Moreland, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, and Sean K Reynolds
  Graphic Designer • Andrew Vallas
  Production Specialist • Crystal Frasier
  Cover Artist
  Daryl Mandryk
  Cartographers
  Jason Engle and Robert Lazzaretti
  Contributing Artists
  Mariusz Gandzel, Mikaël Léger, Emiliano Pretrozzi, Daniel Rizea, Craig J Spearing, Doug Stambaugh, and Tyler Walpole
  Contributing Authors
  Jesse Benner, Robin D. Laws, Richard Pett, Sean K Reynolds, Steven D. Russell, and F. Wesley Schneider
  Publisher • Erik Mona
  Paizo CEO • Lisa Stevens
  Vice President of Operations • Jeffrey Alvarez
  Director of Sales • Pierce Watters
  Sales Assistant • Dylan Green
  Finance Manager • Christopher Self
  Staff Accountant • Kunji Sedo
  Technical Director • Vic Wertz
  Campaign Coordinator • Mike Brock
  Special Thanks
  The Paizo Customer Service, Warehouse, and Website Teams
   
  This product makes use of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2, 
  Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide, and Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Combat. These rules can be found online as part of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game 
  Reference Document at paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd.
  This product is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game or the 3.5 edition of the world’s 
  oldest fantasy roleplaying game.
  Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not 
  Open Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, etc.), dialogue, plots, storylines, locations, characters, artwork, and 
  trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content or are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.)
  Open Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo Publishing game product are Open Game 
  Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content 
  may be reproduced in any form without written permission.
  Paizo Publishing, LLC
  7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120
  Redmond, WA 98052-0577
  paizo.com
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #55: The Wormwood Mutiny © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
  Paizo Publishing, LLC, the golem logo, Pathfinder, and GameMastery are registered trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC;  
  Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Module, Pathfinder Player Companion,  
  Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Society, and Pathfinder Tales are trademarks of Paizo Publishing, LLC.
  Printed in China.
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  table of contents
  Foreword	
  4
  The	Wormwood	Mutiny	
  6
  by Richard Pett
  NPC	Gallery	
  52
  by Richard Pett
  Skull	&	Shackles	Treasures	
  58
  by Richard Pett
  The	Life	of	a	Pirate	
  60
  by Jesse Benner, Richard Pett, and F. Wesley Schneider
  Besmara	
  68
  by Sean K Reynolds
  Pathfinder’s	Journal:	The	Treasure	of	Far	Thallai	1	of	6	
  74
  by Robin D. Laws
  Bestiary	
  80
  by Jesse Benner, Sean K Reynolds, and Steven D. Russell
  Campaign	Outline	
  90
  Preview	
  92
  
  Black-Hearted Miscreants 
  or Daring Scoundrels
  Welcome to the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path, where 
  piracy is the rule, and plunder and infamy fill the seas of 
  Golarion! In this month’s adventure, “The Wormwood 
  Mutiny,” the PCs find themselves unwilling members of 
  a pirate crew. The adventure assumes that the PCs all were 
  in Port Peril, the capital of the Shackles, and that they 
  fell afoul of a pirate press gang. They wake up the next 
  morning in the hold of the pirate ship Wormwood, where 
  the adventure begins. The campaign traits presented 
  in the Skull & Shackles Player’s Guide (available for free at 
  paizo.com) provide hooks for each PC that describe the 
  circumstances of their capture.
  It’s important to manage your players’ expectations for 
  this Adventure Path right from the start. Most importantly, 
  they should all want to play pirates of one stripe or another. 
  The PCs came to Port Peril to become pirates, to earn 
  fortunes, to be adored by men and women, and live lives 
  of fame—or perhaps infamy—at sea. They could be scurvy 
  knaves who would slit a throat without a second’s thought, 
  or they might be dandy swashbucklers with hearts of gold 
  in search of fame and glory on the high seas. Whatever 
  course they choose, piracy should be in their blood. This 
  doesn’t mean the players can’t play good characters, but 
  they should be scoundrels, more interested in plunder and 
  high-seas adventure than heroics and saving the world.
  Likewise, you should make sure that your players are 
  ready and willing for the unique challenges this adventure 
  presents. The first part of “The Wormwood Mutiny” takes 
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  ON THE COVER
  This month’s cover gives us the notorious Free Captain 
  of the Shackles Barnabas Harrigan, captain of the pirate 
  ship Wormwood. Although he is destined to become one 
  of the PCs’ greatest rivals in their quests to become Free 
  Captains in their own right, the PCs will have to wait until 
  they’re more infamous pirates themselves before they’re 
  ready to face him. For now, Harrigan is just a figure to be 
  hated and reviled, the tyrannical captain who holds the 
  PCs’ fates in his hands.
  place aboard the Wormwood, a pirate ship filled to the 
  gunwales with dangerous cutthroats, and the PCs wake 
  up in the ship’s hold as little more than prisoners, with 
  next to no equipment. Played right, this can be a fun way 
  to start an adventuring career, but your players need to be 
  onboard with the assumptions of the adventure.
  THE BiRTH of AN ADVENTURE PATH
  Although I’ve been the development lead on the past three 
  Pathfinder Adventure Paths—Serpent’s Skull, Carrion 
  Crown, and Jade Regent—Skull & Shackles represents 
  a first for me in several ways. Serpent’s Skull, and to an 
  even greater extent, Jade Regent, were the brainchildren of 
  James Jacobs, and though I developed all of the adventures, 
  it was James who outlined the Adventure Paths, and my 
  development process involved a lot of consultation with 
  him to ensure that the individual adventures matched his 
  original concepts for the overall plots of the campaigns. 
  Likewise, it should be no surprise that the Carrion 
  Crown Adventure Path and all of its gothic horror was 
  Wes Schneider’s baby, once again requiring significant 
  contribution on his part during the development process.
  But with Skull & Shackles, I finally get an Adventure 
  Path all my own. Just as James created Ameiko Kaijitsu 
  way back in Pathfinder #1 in preparation for eventual 
  reappearance in the Jade Regent Adventure Path, and as 
  Wes had originally created the nation of Ustalav to be a 
  setting for what would eventually become the Carrion 
  Crown Adventure Path, I’ve wanted to work on a pirate AP 
  since my very first freelance assignment for Paizo, when I 
  got the opportunity to write four of the countries detailed 
  in the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting, including the 
  pirate isles of the Shackles.
  As we brainstormed ideas for the Adventure Path to 
  follow Jade Regent, I threw out my pirates idea, and was 
  apparently passionate enough about it to get the rest of 
  the team excited about it as well. Since this was a new 
  idea, of course, and not one of the secret projects held and 
  nurtured for years in the minds of James and Wes, it fell 
  to me to do all of background work to get this AP off the 
  ground. I made copious notes, wrote an outline, and with 
  lots of feedback from the rest of the team, revised it several 
  times, until we had the best ideas that incorporated all of 
  the pirate themes we all know and love from fiction and 
  movies: attacking ships at sea, raiding coastal settlements, 
  naval combat, digging for buried treasure, being marooned 
  on a deserted island, ghost ships, storms, sea serpents, 
  sunken ships, and many, many more.
  At the same time, of course, I got the chance to populate 
  the Adventure Path with characters I had created back 
  when I first wrote about the Shackles. James may have 
  Ameiko, and Wes has Ailson Kindler, but now Tessa 
  Fairwind, Avimar Sorrinash, Arronax Endymion, and the 
  Master of the Gales will get their time in the spotlight 
  as well, not to mention new characters such as Captain 
  Barnabas Harrigan, the despicable Mr. Plugg, and Isabella 
  “Inkskin” Locke.
  But an outline is only the first step. I still needed authors 
  for the six adventures of Skull & Shackles. As usual, our 
  freelancers stepped up to plate, with Richard Pett taking the 
  helm of the first installment, “The Wormwood Mutiny.” I 
  don’t know if it’s because of “Rule, Britannia!”, or maybe 
  because I’ve read too many Horatio Hornblower novels, 
  but it seemed fitting that an Englishman should write 
  our inaugural high-seas adventure, and Mr. Pett has done 
  an outstanding job. Perennial Adventure Path author 
  Greg Vaughan has also stepped in, as well as two RPG 
  Superstars, Neil Spicer and Matt Goodall. And finally, 
  stalwart adventure writers Tim Hitchcock and Jason 
  Nelson agreed to round out the all-star cast of authors. 
  If you’re reading this foreword, it means the Skull & 
  Shackles Adventure Path has finally been born, and is 
  set to lead a full and adventurous life at the table of you 
  and your players. Skull & Shackles might be my baby, 
  but I leave it now in your capable hands, to create tales of 
  swashbuckling adventure and piratical legend for years to 
  come. As always, stop by the messageboards at paizo.com 
  to tell us what you think and how the campaign has turned 
  out in your game, or to get more ideas from other great 
  GMs running the Adventure Path.
  So down your cup of grog, hoist the sails, and set a steady 
  course for the Shackles, where plunder and infamy galore 
  await those who can seize it!
  Rob McCreary
  Developer
  rob@paizo.com
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  Part three: Bonewrack Isle
  Part one: the wormwood
  Part two: the man’s PromIse
  The PCs get a firsthand look at the life of a pirate when they wake 
  up in the hold of a pirate ship and are forced to join its crew of 
  cutthroats and scoundrels.
  The PCs get their first taste of real piracy when their ship attacks a 
  merchant vessel and they are assigned to the skeleton crew that will 
  sail the captured ship back to port.
  Driven aground in a terrible storm, the PCs must explore a tropical 
  island in search of missing crewmates and supplies for their ship, 
  before seizing both the ship and their own destinies.
  Page 7
  Page 31
  Page 39
  “The Wormwood Mutiny” is 
  designed for four characters and  
  uses the medium XP track. 
  The PCs should be 4th level by 
  the adventure’s end.
  The PCs begin this 
  adventure at 1st level.
  1
  When the Wormwood 
  attacks the Man’s Promise, 
  the PCs should be 2nd level.
  2
  The PCs should be 
  3rd level before they 
  descend into Riptide Cove.
  3
  advancement track
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  The
  
  adventure Background
  The Free Captains of the Shackles have long been a 
  thorn in the sides of the nations of the Inner Sea, and 
  no country has chafed under their predations as much 
  as Cheliax. Unfortunately, removing the threat of the 
  pirates by invasion is made almost impossible by the 
  howling winds and treacherous currents of the Eye of 
  Abendego, the permanent hurricane that rages just north 
  of the Shackles. Since the defeat of two Chelish fleets in 
  4643 and 4660 ar, respectively, the House of Thrune has 
  longed for revenge and the chance to eliminate the pirate 
  confederacy once and for all. 
  This chance finally presented itself when the Chelish navy 
  recently captured Barnabas Harrigan, a Free Captain of the 
  Shackles who had long plagued Chelish merchant shipping 
  in the Inner Sea and Arcadian Ocean. Facing execution for 
  his crimes and the scuttling of his ship Wormwood, Harrigan 
  offered Cheliax a deal—if they gave him immunity from his 
  past crimes, he would lead a Chelish fleet to the Shackles 
  to put an end to the threat of the pirate confederacy once 
  and for all. And once he had handed the Shackles over to 
  Cheliax, perhaps Harrigan could get himself appointed 
  governor of the new Chelish colony there.
  But such plans take time, and Harrigan needed to 
  solidify his own position in the hierarchy of the Free 
  Captains before he could seize power following the 
  Chelish invasion, all the while ensuring that no word got 
  out of his treachery. Fortunately, with the exception of a 
  few close confidantes of the captain, the Wormwood’s crew 
  was decimated in the battle with the Chelish navy, but 
  Harrigan needed to replenish his crew with fresh bodies. 
  He returned to Port Peril, the rough-and-tumble capital 
  of the Shackles, to press-gang new hands for his ship—
  including the PCs, who now find themselves members of 
  his crew of scoundrels and cutthroats. With a hold full 
  of impressed sailors, the Wormwood left Port Peril and 
  headed for the open sea, where Harrigan will put his plans 
  into motion. Harrigan’s new crew, including the PCs, need 
  to quickly adapt to life on a pirate ship, or suffer the harsh 
  consequences of pirate justice.
  Adventure SummAry
  Having been press-ganged off the streets of Port Peril, the 
  PCs wake up in the hold of the pirate ship Wormwood and are 
  forced to join the crew of the despicable Captain Barnabas 
  Harrigan. As they get used to life as pirates, the PCs soon 
  make both enemies and friends among the ship’s crew. 
  Gradually, the PCs become the center of talk of mutiny—
  they might be unwilling crew members on the Wormwood, 
  but they’re pirates at heart, and want to control their own 
  destinies rather than serving under Captain Harrigan.
  As members of the Wormwood’s crew, the PCs take part in 
  an attack on a Rahadoumi merchant ship called the Man’s 
  Promise, and are chosen as part of the skeleton crew placed 
  on the captured ship. With a smaller crew, and the first 
  mate Mr. Plugg in command, the opportunity to mutiny 
  finally presents itself. Before the PCs can overthrow 
  their pirate captors, however, a powerful storm arises and 
  cripples the Man’s Promise, grounding it on a small island 
  at the edge of the Shackles, where the island’s monstrous 
  inhabitants attack the ship and kidnap some of the PCs’ 
  friends in the crew. As the rest of the crew repairs the ship, 
  the PCs explore the island to gather needed supplies and 
  find their missing friends.
  When the PCs return to the ship, they and their allies 
  can finally take on Mr. Plugg and those pirates loyal to 
  him to seize control of the ship and finally become pirates 
  in their own right.
  Part one: the wormwood
  The adventure begins as the PCs wake up in the hold of 
  Captain Barnabas Harrigan’s Wormwood. The campaign 
  traits from the Pathfinder Adventure Path Skull & Shackles 
  Player’s Guide (available for free at paizo.com) provide 
  FIREARMS IN SKULL & SHACKLES
  Although rules for firearms appear in Pathfinder RPG 
  Ultimate Combat, firearms are relatively rare on Golarion—
  they have been around for little more than 100 years, and are 
  still uncommon outside of Alkenstar. As a result, firearms 
  do not appear in the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path until 
  the final adventure, when the PCs face the Hurricane King, 
  one of the few Shackles pirates to possess firearms.
  For some, however, piracy and firearms go hand 
  in hand, and a swashbuckling pirate Adventure Path 
  would be incomplete without a trusty cutlass and pistol. 
  Fortunately, it is relatively easy to add firearms to your 
  campaign if you want to include them in your game. 
  Each adventure in the Skull & Shackles Adventure 
  Path will contain notes with suggestions on modifying 
  the adventure to include firearms. In “The Wormwood 
  Mutiny,” there are ample opportunities to not only include 
  characters who use firearms, but also give the PCs access to 
  those firearms. Perhaps the quartermaster’s store (area A9) 
  contains a few firearms that the PCs could steal, or maybe 
  the booty on board the Man’s Promise includes a brace of 
  pistols that Captain Harrigan presents to Mr. Plugg, who 
  would naturally use them against mutineers. It’s also 
  possible that firearms survived the wreck of the Infernus on 
  Bonewrack Isle, and ended up in the castaway Arron Ivy’s 
  stockade (area C8) or were carried off to Riptide Cove (area 
  D) by the grindylows on the island.
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  information about how each PC ended up on the 
  Wormwood. If you’re not using those traits, the PCs should 
  each have a reason for being in Port Peril, and should 
  be eager to embrace (or at least should not have strong 
  opposition to) a life of piracy and adventure on the high 
  seas. It is not necessary for the PCs to know each other—
  they’ll have plenty of time to become acquainted during 
  the coming weeks aboard the Wormwood. Whatever their 
  reasons for being in Port Peril, each of the PCs spent 
  the previous night drinking at the Formidably Maid, a 
  notorious drinking establishment in Port Peril, where a 
  press gang from the Wormwood marked them as targets. 
  After drugging the PCs into unconsciousness, the press 
  gang dumped them in the ship’s hold to sleep it off, where 
  the PCs soon get a rude awakening.
  Welcome to the SWeet trAde
  The PCs wake up the following morning in the dark hold 
  of the Wormwood (area A10). They all remember the night 
  before—the ringing laughter of a wild night, the heady 
  joy of excess, the scents of rich stewed meat and perfume 
  lingering in their nostrils. Then describe the sensations 
  that the PCs feel—a pounding headache, the sickly taste 
  of cheap wine in their mouths, the hard floor, a rhythmic 
  creaking noise, and the feeling of the room swaying, as if 
  they were still drunk. Before the PCs can do much more 
  than sit up, however, several pairs of heavy footsteps enter 
  the dark room, and the harsh light of a lantern painfully 
  spears the PCs’ eyes.
  Creatures: Master Scourge, the Wormwood’s boatswain, 
  master-at-arms, and infamous disciplinarian, has 
  entered the hold to wake the PCs and get them up to the 
  main deck. Six rough-looking Wormwood pirates, armed 
  with saps, accompany him. An expression that might be 
  mistaken for pain but which is clearly an 
  attempt at a smile bruises Scourge’s face 
  as he cracks the whip in his hand and 
  screams at the PCs.
  “Still abed with the sun over the yardarm? 
  On your feet, ye filthy swabs! Get up on 
  deck and report for duty before Cap’n 
  Harrigan flays your flesh into sausage skins 
  and has Fishguts fry ye up for breakfast!”
  The PCs quickly discover that most, if 
  not all, of their weapons and equipment 
  are gone (see below). If the PCs refuse, 
  even momentarily, to accompany Scourge, he 
  lashes out at any offending PCs with his whip. If 
  necessary, he calls for aid from the pirates, who attack 
  uncooperative characters with their saps. It should be 
  immediately clear to the PCs that if they don’t cooperate, 
  they will quickly be overpowered. Scourge and the pirates 
  herd the PCs up through the middle deck (area A6) and 
  onto the Wormwood’s main deck (area A3) to meet the 
  ship’s captain.
  As the PCs make their way to the main deck, they can 
  begin to adjust to their surroundings and deduce 
  what happened to them. A DC 10 Perception 
  check discerns the aftertaste of oily nutmeg on 
  the tongue. A DC 15 Craft (alchemy) check or DC 
  10 Knowledge (nature) check recognizes this as a 
  clear sign of oil of taggit poisoning (Pathfinder RPG 
  Core Rulebook 560). Each PC remembers indulging 
  in either spicy food or spicy rum late last night, and 
  those who made the above checks realize that the 
  oil was likely added to their food or drink, and the 
  spices hid the taste of the taggit oil. Any PCs who 
  Master Scourge
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  make a DC 10 Intelligence check remember seeing the 
  face of Master Scourge last night as well, and can piece 
  together the facts outlined above.
  Master Scourge 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  hp 32 (see page 21)
  Wormwood Pirates (6) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 11 each (see page 20)
  Development: If the PCs decide to fight, Master 
  Scourge and the pirates attack, attempting to disarm 
  the PCs of any weapons they might have concealed and 
  subdue them with nonlethal damage. The pirates will not 
  the kill the PCs, however. Once the pirates have the upper 
  hand (with the help of additional crew, if necessary), they 
  take the PCs—conscious or unconscious—to the main 
  deck, where they get an immediate taste of punishment 
  on the Wormwood. The PCs are tied to the mainmast, and 
  Master Scourge gives each of them three lashes before the 
  captain’s address. See “The Life of a Pirate” on page 60 for 
  details of punishments on a pirate ship.
  PerSonAl equiPment
  The PCs begin this adventure with virtually none of their 
  starting equipment. Captain Harrigan is no fool, and he 
  is not about to let sailors who have been press-ganged 
  against their will keep weapons and other gear they can 
  use against him.
  Allow the PCs to purchase starting equipment as 
  normal before the campaign, but to make things easier, 
  ask them to write down their equipment on a separate 
  sheet from their character sheets—then take those 
  sheets away at the start of the adventure. Bear in mind 
  that without certain equipment, some characters—
  particularly alchemists and wizards—have next to no 
  abilities beyond their skills and feats. Many pirates 
  place little value on the written word, however, so these 
  characters can quickly get their precious formula books 
  and spellbooks back. See page 25 for details on how the 
  PCs can recover their equipment. In addition, the PCs 
  will soon find they have a friend aboard—Sandara 
  Quinn, who has managed to acquire a few choice items 
  of the PCs’ gear for them (see page 17).
  Although the Wormwood’s press gang vigorously 
  searched and robbed the PCs while they were unconscious, 
  the pirates likely missed a few items. At your discretion, 
  you can allow each PC to keep one item of equipment that 
  could be easily concealed or overlooked—a holy symbol, a 
  light weapon, a spell component pouch, or thieves’ tools 
  would all be good choices.
  In addition, the following items are so common aboard 
  the Wormwood that the PCs can easily access them at any 
  time: barrels, baskets, blocks and tackle, candles, canvas, 
  grappling hooks, hemp rope (any length up to 200 feet), 
  lanterns, leather drinking vessels and waterskins, sacks, 
  simple tools or hardware (especially carpentry tools such 
  as hammers and nails), and any other simple items you 
  deem appropriate.
  AnimAl comPAnionS And FAmiliArS
  Waking up in the hold of a pirate ship can present 
  another problem for certain PCs—namely, those who 
  have animal companions or familiars. The best way 
  to handle this potential complication is to discuss it 
  with your players beforehand, and arrange for them to 
  acquire their familiars or animal companions during 
  play, aboard the Wormwood. A variety of animals already 
  exist on the ship: the parrot Pluck in area A2, the 
  livestock in the hold, rats, and even the bilge spiders 
  in area A11. Aquatic or f lying animals can easily be 
  encountered swimming or f lying along with the ship. 
  Other animals can be part of the ship’s cargo, held in 
  cages in the ship’s hold (area A6) and awaiting rescue 
  at the hands of the PCs. Because they’re roleplaying 
  meeting their companions during play, PCs should not 
  be required to spend any additional time or money to 
  acquire these animals or familiars with this option.
  Alternatively, if you or your players want to begin with 
  animal companions and familiars before the adventure 
  starts, it’s easy enough to say that PCs’ familiars 
  followed their masters on board and are hiding in the 
  various nooks and crannies of the ship until the PCs 
  awaken. This is probably the best option for those PCs 
  whose familiars are necessary for their class abilities, 
  such as witches. With this option, the PCs’ animal 
  companions were captured along with the PCs, and 
  are now held in cages in the middle hold (area A6), the 
  quartermaster’s store (area A9), or even in the galley 
  (area A8), if they’re of the edible variety. Freeing their 
  companions or familiars from their captivity can be a 
  fun side adventure for the PCs.
  meeting the cAPtAin
  When the PCs reach the main deck, either of their own 
  volition or under duress, it’s quickly apparent that they 
  are on a sizable ship in the middle of the ocean, far from 
  any land. Port Peril and the mainland of the Shackles are 
  just an ochre haze many miles astern. Figures cluster 
  around the ship’s mainmast, looking up at the higher 
  deck on the stern, where two figures stand. One of them 
  is a broad, muscular Garundi man with a shaven head, 
  a long beard bound with gold rings, and an eye patch—
  clearly the captain. The other is a younger, balding 
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  man with a long black ponytail, wearing a long coat and 
  carrying a well-used cat-o’-nine-tails.
  At this point the PCs also notice that they are not the 
  only new recruits—four others are standing with them 
  on the deck, set apart by their relative cleanliness and 
  their apparent unease with their newfound situation. A 
  dozen or so other pirates, clearly existing members of the 
  crew, stand about on the deck or in the ship’s rigging.
  Once the PCs are on deck, the captain addresses the crew.
  “Glad you could join us at last! Welcome to the Wormwood! 
  My thanks for ‘volunteering’ to join my crew. I’m Barnabas 
  Harrigan. That’s Captain Barnabas Harrigan to you, not that 
  you’ll ever need to address me. I have only one rule—don’t 
  speak to me. I like talk, but I don’t like your talk. Follow that 
  rule and we’ll all get along fine. 
  “Oh, and one more thing. Even with you new recruits, we’re 
  still short-handed, and I aim to keep what crew I have. There’ll 
  be a keelhaulin’ for anyone caught killin’ anyone. Mr. Plugg! If 
  you’d be so kind as to make pirates out of these landlubbers, 
  it’ll save me having to put them in the sweatbox for a year and 
  a day before I make pies out of ’em.”
  At the end of his speech, the captain walks away, 
  leaving behind the man with the cat-o’-nine-tails. This 
  is Mister Plugg, the Wormwood’s first mate. He looks 
  down at the PCs and other impressed captives and 
  smiles unpleasantly. Plugg has no time for small talk 
  or pleasantries. His intention is to get the new recruits 
  working on the ship as soon as possible. He immediately 
  begins his own unique and cunning evaluations to test 
  the PCs’ abilities. Mr. Plugg is introduced on page 20.
  mr. Plugg’S teStS
  After Harrigan’s recent difficulties, the Wormwood is 
  seriously undermanned, and Mr. Plugg has a number 
  of positions to fill on the ship. Whether or not the 
  PCs are ideal candidates does not concern him in the 
  slightest, as he assigns jobs first, then worries about 
  making the PCs fit their roles afterward. Plugg is not 
  remotely interested in who the PCs believe is best, or 
  whether, for example, the best climber makes a couple of 
  bad rolls and loses out to a lucky non-climber. The PCs 
  can deliberately try to fail a test, however, by making a 
  Bluff check opposed by Plugg’s Sense Motive skill to get 
  away with it. If the check fails, Plugg smells a rat and 
  immediately gives that PC three lashes with the cat (see 
  page 66) as punishment.
  Plugg’s first test is to see how good the PCs are at 
  climbing, as he needs another sailor to work in the 
  rigging. He instructs the PCs to climb to the crow’s nest 
  on the mainmast above the main deck as fast as they can, 
  coldly cursing them if they hesitate, and cruelly taunting 
  them if they fall. Climbing the rigging requires a DC 10 
  Climb check to reach the crow’s nest, 60 feet above the 
  deck. Remember that the PCs climb at one-quarter their 
  normal speeds (or half speed with an accelerated climb) 
  so each PC will need to make several Climb checks. The 
  first PC to reach the crow’s nest is the winner. In the event 
  of a tie, the PC with the highest final Climb check is the 
  winner. PCs who refuse the test are whipped by Scourge 
  until they climb. The PC who wins this test is told that he 
  or she is now a rigger, and works directly for Plugg, who 
  assigns that PC the first day’s duties at the conclusion of 
  the second test.
  Plugg’s second test is one of necessity—he knows the 
  ship’s cook, Ambrose “Fishguts” Kroop, has a drinking 
  problem, and he’s fed up with eating rubbish. This test 
  is simple: Plugg asks each PC in turn whether they can 
  cook, and if one of them says yes, that PC becomes the 
  new cook’s mate. If Plugg gets to the end of the line 
  without an affirmative answer, he simply picks the 
  fattest PC (Plugg assumes that character likes food the 
  most) and says, “You’re a cook’s mate now,” and tells that 
  PC to report to Ambrose Kroop in the galley (area A8). If 
  more than one person claims to be a good cook, Plugg 
  picks the fattest.
  The remaining PCs are all assigned to be swabs, under 
  the command of Master Scourge, who immediately gets 
  them working. See A Pirate’s Day on page 22 for details on 
  the tasks associated with the PCs’ new jobs. For the cook’s 
  mate, see page 21 for details on that PC’s first meeting 
  with Ambrose Kroop.
  Welcome AboArd!
  The PCs are about to spend a significant amount of 
  time on their new home, the Wormwood. While there is 
  much for the PCs to do and learn, there are characters 
  and places aboard the ship that are far too dangerous for 
  PIRATE GEAR
  Many of the characters encountered in this adventure, and in 
  subsequent volumes of the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path, 
  are equipped with a variety of new pirate-themed weapons 
  and equipment. In most cases, all of the information you 
  need to run such characters is already included in their 
  stat blocks. For your convenience, the weapon qualities for 
  several new pirate weapons are presented in the Skull & 
  Shackles Player’s Guide, but for full descriptions and statistics 
  for the pirate gear referenced here, check out Pathfinder 
  Player Companion: Pirates of the Inner Sea, available at fine 
  gaming stores and at paizo.com.
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  low-level characters to deal with, and it’s important for 
  you to emphasize this. Aboard the Wormwood, tangling 
  with the wrong person or triggering one of the ship’s 
  many traps can be deadly.
  Some players might assume that low-level adventures 
  are designed to allow them to interact with, and perhaps 
  overpower, all foes they encounter, and might struggle 
  with the concept of potentially fatal punishments, superior 
  locks, and 16th-level adversaries in a 1st-level adventure. 
  The adventure contains several broad hints about the 
  relative strengths of various parts of the ship and crew 
  within it, but take care that your players don’t assume 
  that Harrigan and his crew are there to be defeated. Many 
  of these characters appear in “The Wormwood Mutiny” 
  not as enemies to be killed, but to make the PCs’ time 
  aboard the Wormwood more memorable, and to instill in 
  the PCs a healthy fear and loathing of Harrigan and his 
  crew, several of whom will reappear later in the Skull & 
  Shackles Adventure Path. As a result, if your players prefer 
  more straightforward challenges, consider completely 
  removing access to the more dangerous parts of the 
  ship (through continual guards, magical locks, or beast 
  guardians, for example).
  Be sure to read through the following sections and 
  familiarize yourself with the locations, characters, and 
  activities aboard the Wormwood. The ship is not a static 
  dungeon to be explored and cleared room by room; it is 
  more of a “sandbox” that the PCs can wander through 
  and scrounge for equipment, and in which they interact 
  with the colorful NPCs aboard, both to gain allies and 
  acquire enemies.
  The Wormwood can be a dangerous place, and there 
  are plenty of opportunities for the PCs to slip up and 
  get in over their heads. Allow them to make mistakes 
  and enjoy the experience, but be wary—if your players 
  continually get beaten by Mr. Plugg or Master Scourge, 
  they’ll soon lose their tempers and simply try to kill the 
  NPCs. Have friendly NPCs warn the PCs against taking 
  such actions (for now) and counsel the PCs to bide their 
  time. Revenge is a dish best served cold, and sooner or 
  later the chance will come to serve it. The PCs may also 
  have fun occasionally humiliating rival NPCs from a 
  safe distance. A slippery f loor, a bucket of bilgewater 
  propped above a door, or a foul-tasting dinner are all 
  good ways for the PCs to have their revenge without 
  killing anyone.
  Almost all of the lesser crew aboard this ship, with a 
  few exceptions, are there for the PCs to interact with in 
  any way they see fit. This adventure deliberately allows 
  the PCs to take any approach they wish in dealing with 
  the NPCs they meet, but be aware that the more enemies 
  the PCs make while aboard the Wormwood, the tougher 
  the final encounter of the adventure will be.
  the WormWood
  The Wormwood is a three-masted sailing ship, 100 feet 
  long from stem to stern, and 30 feet wide amidships. 
  Statistics for a sailing ship (as well as other common ship 
  types) are detailed in the Skull & Shackles Player’s Guide. 
  The ship needs a minimum crew of 20, and presently 
  has just in excess of that number (including the PCs). If 
  the crew falls below 20 people for any reason, the work 
  becomes harder, and the DC of all checks for work-related 
  tasks (see page 23) increases by +2.
  Unless otherwise indicated, interior walls on the ship 
  are of wood, 2 inches thick (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 20).  
  Doors are of good wooden construction (hardness 5, hp 
  15, Break DC 18). Interior rooms are unlit during the day 
  (except for those with windows or portholes), and usually 
  have a single hooded lantern for light at night, providing 
  either normal or dim light (open flames are dangerous on 
  a ship at sea). Many doors and chests are trapped to keep 
  them off-limits to swabs and common sailors (such as the 
  PCs). The following traps may currently be found on the 
  Wormwood (see individual encounter areas for the locations 
  of these traps).
  Crossbow Trap 
  CR 6
  XP 2,400
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 15; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset manual; Bypass hidden lock (DC 25 
  Perception, DC 30 Disable Device)
  Effect Atk +15 ranged (1d10 plus purple worm poison/19–20)
  Harpoon Trap 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 15; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch; Reset manual; Bypass hidden switch (DC 25 
  Perception)
  Effect Atk +15 ranged (1d8+8 plus greenblood oil/×3)
  Shocking Grasp Trap 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Type magic; Perception DC 26; Disable Device DC 26
  EFFECTS
  Trigger touch (alarm); Reset none; Bypass hidden switch 
  (DC 25 Perception)
  Effect spell effect (shocking grasp, Atk +6 melee touch, 5d6 
  electricity damage) 
  The Wormwood is crowded with pirates constantly 
  moving about the ship, so it is not a static location, and any 
  place on the ship can contain a variety of NPCs to interact 
  with. The various cabins and compartments on the ship 
  are therefore described below rather than being presented 
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  The Wormwood
  Upper Deck
  GameMastery Map Pack: Ship’s Cabins
  1 square = 5 feet
  A1
  A2
  A3
  A6
  A10
  A11
  A7
  A8
  A9
  A4
  A5
  A4a
  A5a
  A4b
  A5b
  Main Deck
  Middle Deck
  Lower Deck
  Bilges
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  as individual encounter locations. Certain NPCs frequent 
  certain areas (such as private cabins) on the ship, and 
  these NPCs are mentioned in the descriptions that follow. 
  Full information on all of the NPCs present aboard the 
  Wormwood can be found beginning on page 16.
  A1. Foredeck: This raised deck stands some 10 feet 
  above the main deck (area A3), immediately behind the 
  bowsprit, which is shaped like a rearing dragon. The 
  foremast rises 30 feet above this deck.
  A2. Poop Deck: This raised deck stands 15 feet above 
  the main deck (area A3). The mizzenmast rises 30 feet 
  above this deck. The ship’s bridge protrudes forward of 
  the mizzenmast, and holds the ship’s wheel. The wheel 
  is 3 feet across and has 10 spokes decorated with silver 
  inlays, its bolts carved to resemble kraken heads. An iron 
  cage hangs from the side of the mizzenmast, containing 
  the body of Harmak Gruft, a pirate who beat the captain 
  at dice. Gruft is dead, but his ugly parrot Pluck perches 
  atop the cage, still waiting for its master to awaken. The 
  aptly named Pluck, which has lost more than few of its 
  feathers, could make a good pet or familiar if it can 
  be lured down (such as with magic, a successful wild 
  empathy check, or a DC 20 Handle Animal check). Pluck 
  is considered unfriendly and possesses a considerable 
  vocabulary of appalling curse words.
  Captain Harrigan and Mr. Plugg spend most of their 
  time on this deck. When the captain is on deck, the poop 
  deck is off-limits to everyone but officers.
  A3. Main Deck: The ship’s main deck runs between the 
  foredeck and poop deck. The mainmast rises from the 
  center of the deck, extending 60 feet into the air and topped 
  by a crow’s nest. Rigging connects the mainmast to the 
  ship’s other masts and can be crossed with DC 10 Acrobatics 
  or Climb checks. Several strands of thick rope are secured 
  to the foot of the mainmast for use as a whipping post. An 
  Escape Artist check (DC 20 + the binder’s CMB) is required 
  to escape the bonds. The ship’s clock, a macabre brass-and-
  copper object depicting worms writhing through whale 
  corpses, hangs from the mast above the whipping post. Not 
  only does the clock keep time, but its bell strikes at dawn and 
  dusk to signal the beginning and the end of the workday. 
  Two 10-foot-square hatches sit in the deck fore and aft 
  of the mainmast. These hatches are thick wooden grilles 
  (hardness 5, hp 30, DC 25 Strength check to lift) and open 
  onto the middle hold (area A6) 15 feet below. At the fore of 
  the ship, two doors lead into the officers’ quarters (area A4), 
  while two doors aft lead to the captain’s quarters (area A5). 
  A large wooden box bound in iron sits just beneath the 
  bridge. This sweatbox, used to torment sailors, has just 
  enough room to hold one Medium creature (and can be 
  altered to confine a Small creature). It is locked with a 
  good lock (Disable Device DC 30); Captain Harrigan and 
  Mr. Plugg have the keys.
  A small jolly boat (same statistics as a rowboat) sits 
  on the deck next to the port rail. It has two sets of oars 
  but no mast. Although designed to carry four Medium 
  passengers, the jolly boat can fit six at a push.
  A4. Officers’ Quarters: The ship’s officers occupy the 
  hammocks and sleeping mats in this cramped cabin. A 
  set of steps descends sharply into the middle hold (area 
  A6) below. The two narrow doors leading to the main 
  deck (area A3) are locked with good locks (Disable Device 
  DC 30; all of the occupants have keys), and are trapped 
  with harpoon traps (see page 11). The officers store their 
  possessions in footlockers, each with an average lock 
  (Disable Device DC 25). Roll on the Crew Lockers sidebar 
  on page 14 for the contents of the officers’ lockers.
  Mr. Plugg, Master Scourge, Riaris Krine, Peppery 
  Longfarthing, and Habbly Quarne sleep here at night, 
  and at least one of them may often be found here at any 
  given time during the day as well.
  A4a. Armory: This tiny chamber is crammed with chests 
  and neatly ordered weapon racks. The armory is secured 
  with a good lock (Disable Device DC 30) and trapped with 
  a harpoon trap (see page 11). The weapon racks hold 20 
  clubs, 12 heavy crossbows, 20 cutlasses (see Pathfinder Player 
  Companion: Pirates of the Inner Sea), 50 javelins, 12 shortspears, 
  and 20 grappling hooks each attached to 50 feet of rope. 
  Two chests contain 500 heavy crossbow bolts each, while 
  three other chests each hold 12 flasks of alchemist’s fire. 
  Four other chests each contain a breastplate, chain shirt, 
  and buckler. The ship’s master gunner, Riaris Krine, is 
  meticulous in her job and quickly spots any obvious thefts, 
  in which case an immediate search of the crew’s lockers is 
  made. Anyone found in possession of stolen items from the 
  armory is given six lashes with the cat for a first offense, or 
  is keelhauled (see page 67) for a second offense. 
  A4b. Peppery Longfarthing’s Laboratory: The ship’s 
  sailing master and resident sorcerer, Peppery Longfarthing, 
  uses this chamber as her laboratory. The cramped cabin 
  is overwhelmed with curious and often unsettling objects 
  that Longfarthing is studying. The door is secured with 
  a good lock as well as an arcane lock spell (Disable Device  
  DC 40; only Longfarthing has the key), and is trapped with 
  a shocking grasp trap (see page 11).
  A5. Captain’s Cabin: Captain Harrigan’s cabin is richly 
  decorated, its walls covered with intricate carvings depicting 
  krakens devouring whales. A quartet of portholes allow 
  light to drift in, and a bed that can double as a navigational 
  or dining table when the mattress is rolled up sits against 
  the aft bulkhead with a chest at its feet. Two rich carpets 
  flank the bed. A flight of steps leads down to the middle 
  hold (area A6). The two doors leading to the main deck (area 
  A3) are trapped with shocking grasp traps (see page 11), while 
  the door on the stairs is trapped with a crossbow trap (see 
  page 11). All of these doors have superior locks (Disable 
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  Device DC 40; Harrigan has the only key). The portholes are 
  very narrow, but a DC 30 Escape Artist check would allow a 
  creature to squeeze through. The chest is locked (Disable 
  Device DC 30) and contains Captain Harrigan’s personal 
  possessions, including a selection of nautical charts (which 
  grant a +2 circumstance bonus on Knowledge [geography] 
  checks made within the Shackles).
  Captain Harrigan usually entertains his officers for 
  dinner here, and sleeps here at night.
  A5a. Cabin Girl’s Quarters: The captain’s cabin girl, 
  “Caulky” Tarroon, sleeps on a small cot in the starboard 
  compartment.
  A5b. Captain’s Storage: The captain stores his personal 
  booty in the portside compartment, locked with a superior 
  lock (Disable Device DC 40). Inside is a pair of iron chests, 
  covered in a thin wood veneer. Both chests have superior 
  locks (Disable Device DC 40) and poisoned dart traps (Core 
  Rulebook 420), and they contain coins, jewels, and other 
  treasures worth almost 10,000 gp in total.
   A6. Middle Hold: This is the ship’s main cargo hold. The 
  hold is mostly empty at the start of the adventure, save for 
  the 14 pigs; normally kept caged, they periodically escape 
  and run loose within the hold. In the forward section, a 
  flight of wooden stairs climbs up to the officers’ quarters 
  (area A4), while a second set of stairs descends into the lower 
  hold (area A10). Owlbear Hartshorn is invariably chained 
  to the foremast here to keep him from causing trouble and 
  to keep people out of the officers’ cabin. Another flight of 
  stairs in the aft section next to the galley leads up to the 
  captain’s quarters (area A5), but it is common knowledge 
  among the crew that the door is trapped. Stored near the 
  mainmast are two light ballistas, a disassembled light 
  catapult, and 12 barrels containing 20 gallons of oil each.
  A7. Quartermaster and Cook’s Cabin: This tiny cabin 
  contains two beds and two footlockers. The Wormwood’s 
  quartermaster, Cut-Throat Grok, and ship’s cook, Ambrose 
  “Fishguts” Kroop, share this cabin with several of Kroop’s 
  chickens. Grok sleeps here at night, as does Kroop, who 
  is found here during the day as well if he is insensibly 
  drunk. See the sidebar on this page for the contents of 
  the lockers here.
  A8. Galley: The galley is the domain of Ambrose 
  “Fishguts” Kroop, the drunken ship’s cook. The cramped 
  and chaotic kitchen holds two wooden worktables, several 
  wooden cupboards, and two small stoves against the port 
  wall, as well as virtually every cooking utensil imaginable 
  and a frightening array of meat cleavers. A score of 
  chickens and three goats wander freely throughout the 
  chamber; the goats are meant to be caged, but have a 
  distressing tendency to escape their bonds. The kitchen 
  is a madness of dirt, food, and knives, and finding 
  anything in here requires a Perception check. The stoves 
  are perpetually lit, and large cauldrons bubble away 
  atop them all times. A huge array of spices mingle with 
  barrels of rainwater, two tuns of rum, cupboards full of 
  ship’s biscuit and salted beef, barrels of sauerkraut, and a 
  small supply of fresh vegetables picked up in Port Peril. 
  Despite the chaos, the entire galley functions as a set of 
  masterwork tools for Profession (cook) checks.
  Several items of value are lost among the ruin and squalor 
  in the galley, each requiring a DC 10 Perception check to 
  discover: a masterwork dagger being used as a butcher’s 
  knife, a pair of handaxes used as meat cleavers, 11 knives, 
  a short sword, a vial of holy water, a good lock hanging 
  unused off a pantry cupboard, 2 pounds of soap, four 
  CREW LOCKERS
  Each pirate on the crew is assigned a locker with a poor 
  lock (Disable Device DC 15) to hold their personal effects 
  (though some characters have provided their own better 
  locks). Each pirate’s locker contains coinage (mostly 
  silver) worth 1d20 gp (unless that character is currently 
  gambling) and 1d3 objects from the following list. Pirates 
  refer to this cache as their duffle.
  d% Roll 
  Locker Item
  01–05 
  An extra 2d10 gp
  06–10 
  An extra 1d10 gp
  11–15 
  Flask of acid
  16–20 
  Flask of alchemist’s fire
  21–25 
  Flask of holy water
  26–30 
  Tanglefoot bag
  31–35 
  Thunderstone
  36–40 
  Bedroll
  41–45 
  Silver ring worth 5 gp
  46–50 
  Gold earring worth 15 gp
  51–55 
  Bullseye lantern
  56–60 
  Thieves’ tools
  61–65 
  Masterwork tool
  66–70 
  Common musical instrument
  71–75 
  1d2 agates worth 10 gp each
  76–80 
  1d2 hematites worth 10 gp each
  81–82 
  Lucky rabbit’s foot
  83–84 
  Bicorne hat
  85–86 
  1d6 days of trail rations
  87–88 
  Bottle of brandy
  89–90 
  Bottle of wine
  91–92 
  Fancy peacock feather
  93–94 
  Battered tankard
  95–96 
  Brass knife
  97–98 
  Sealed flask containing 1 dose of small  
   
  centipede poison
  99–00 
  Vial of antitoxin
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  waterskins, a barrel of poor wine, six bottles of good Chelish 
  brandy worth 20 gp each, three bottles of magnificent rum 
  worth 12 gp each, a large cookbook worth 125 gp (using the 
  tome while cooking grants a +1 circumstance bonus on 
  Profession [cook] checks), a prosthetic leg made of wood and 
  edged with a silver band worth 45 gp, and 12 sp fallen behind 
  a cupboard. In addition, a trio of harpoons (see Pirates of the 
  Inner Sea), a spear, and Kroop’s steadfast grapple (see page 59) 
  hang on the walls. 
  A9. Quartermaster’s Store: This cramped storeroom is 
  detailed below.
  A10. Lower Hold and Crew Berths: Sixteen pillars 
  support the deck above this spacious hold. At night, 
  the Wormwood’s common pirates tie their hammocks 
  between the walls and pillars and sleep until dawn. Two 
  of Mr. Plugg’s toadies, Kipper and Patch Patchsalt, have 
  claimed the far forward section of the hold as their own, 
  and their hammocks are strung between the foremast 
  and the stairs leading up to the middle hold (area A6). 
  A trap door just behind the mainmast opens onto the 
  bilges below (area A11), and requires a DC 10 Strength 
  check to lift. The hold is currently empty of cargo, but 
  several footlockers line the walls. Each member of the 
  crew has a locker, equivalent to a small chest. At the start 
  of the adventure, only 18 of these lockers are in use (see 
  the sidebar on page 14 for their contents), while 22 empty 
  lockers are stacked along the walls.
  A11. Bilges: This deck is detailed below.
  A9. quArtermASter’S Store
  The ship’s quartermaster, Cut-Throat Grok, can usually 
  be found in this cramped, crowded storeroom containing 
  numerous barrels, boxes, and chests. The door is locked 
  with a superior lock (Disable Device DC 40; Grok keeps 
  the key), and features a 3-foot-square serving hatch (also 
  with a superior lock) . 
  The quartermaster’s store acts as a kind of unofficial 
  shop aboard the Wormwood. While any plunder stored 
  there technically belongs to the captain, this is a pirate 
  ship after all, and everything has its price. Any equipment 
  stored within is for sale at the normal price listed in the 
  Core Rulebook. 
  Items found on the ship (or won from other pirates) 
  can also be traded at the store for other merchandise. 
  Bartered objects are generally worth 50% of their normal 
  value when traded for goods. 
  While the store is, in theory, open at all hours, it’s 
  usually only open from dawn to about 3 p.m., when Grok 
  starts drinking. She only opens the door outside these 
  hours to friends. Grok has a tendency to get drunk in 
  the afternoons and closes the store before heading to 
  the deck for the evening meal. After supper, Grok carries 
  the crew’s rum rations in a bucket to the main deck. She 
  often forgets to lock the door or the hatch at this time, an 
  oversight that occurs 75% of the time.
  Treasure: The quartermaster’s store contains two tuns of 
  rum (each holding about 105 gallons at the start of the journey) 
  and six other containers. The contents of these lockers, along 
  with information about their locks and any traps, are detailed 
  below. Grok knows the value of the majority of the items 
  in the store, but she is unaware of the value of those items 
  marked with asterisks or thinks they are mundane, and sells 
  or barters those items at their standard list prices.
  At the start of the adventure, the PCs’ starting equipment 
  is held in one of the lockers, as described below. See 
  Recovering Gear on page 25 for how the PCs may regain 
  possession of their gear.
  1. Wooden Locker (simple lock, Disable Device DC 
  20, no trap): Contains a random selection of mundane 
  adventuring gear with a value of 10 gp or less. 
  2. Wooden Locker (simple lock, Disable Device DC 20, 
  no trap): Contains the PCs’ equipment, Rosie Cusswell’s 
  masterwork fiddle (see page 17), a starknife, 3 flasks of acid, 
  6 flasks of alchemist’s fire, four sets of thieves tools (one of 
  which is masterwork*), and a battered iron box containing 
  six candles, one of which is a candle of truth*.
  3. Wooden Chest (broken lock, arrow trap [Core Rulebook 
  420]): Contains a potion of barkskin, a potion of cure light 
  wounds, a potion of haste, a masterwork climber’s kit, a 
  disguise kit, 4 flasks of holy water, a magnifying glass, a 
  set of manacles, and two tanglefoot bags.
  4. Wooden Chest (average lock, Disable Device DC 25, 
  arrow trap [Core Rulebook 420]): Contains a masterwork 
  light crossbow, three cutlasses (see Pirates of the Inner Sea), 
  31 daggers, three masterwork daggers, 43 masterwork 
  darts, four saps, a masterwork sap, 120 arrows, 20 
  masterwork arrows, six +1 arrows, and 200 crossbow bolts
  5. Wooden Trunk (good lock, Disable Device DC 30, no 
  trap): Contains a suit of banded mail, a breastplate, two chain 
  shirts, masterwork leather armor, three suits of studded 
  leather armor, 12 bucklers, two masterwork bucklers, and a 
  small cash box containing 231 cp, 99 sp, and 103 gp.
  6. Metal Trunk (good lock, Disable Device DC 30, 
  poisoned dart trap [Core Rulebook 420]): Contains a +1 animal 
  bane dagger* (Grok thinks this is just a normal +1 dagger), 
  a +1 short sword, a masterwork warhammer, scrolls of cure 
  moderate wounds, mage armor, magic missile, scorching ray, and 
  summon swarm, and a wand of bless weapon (16 charges).
  A11. bilgeS (cr 1/4)
  The lowest deck of the ship, the bilges are a foul, damp 
  place with thick cobwebs above and 1–2 feet of dark, 
  brackish water that stinks abominably below. A ladder 
  leads up to a trap door that opens in the lower hold 
  (area A10), and a single bilge pump rests near the stern. 
  The bilges also double as the ship’s brig, and six sets of 
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  masterwork manacles with average locks (Break DC 28, 
  Disable Device DC 30) are fixed to the bulkheads in the 
  forward portion of the deck.
  Creatures: At the start of the adventure, a pirate named 
  Jakes Magpie is held here awaiting his punishment (see 
  page 26). In addition, the cobwebs on the ceiling are 
  home to countless large, hairy spiders known as bilge 
  spiders, which occasionally drop on someone working in 
  the bilges. For every day a character spends working in 
  the bilges, there is a 25% chance that a single bilge spider 
  drops down and attempts to bite. Once attacked, a spider 
  flees back into the webs.
  Bilge Spider 
  CR 1/4
  XP 100
  Variant scarlet spider (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 120)
  hp 4 each
  Treasure: A number of discarded crates and boxes 
  packed with straw lie in the bilges, among which can 
  be found a suit of leather armor, three heavy maces, and  
  12 sp. In addition, a DC 15 Perception check turns up 
  the following in the dark waters (one item per successful 
  check): a buckler, a masterwork handaxe, a vial of holy 
  water, a tanglefoot bag, two tindertwigs, and 21 gp.
  the WormWood’S creW
  The Wormwood is a busy place, and the PCs are in 
  constant close proximity to their shipmates. In such close 
  quarters, friends and enemies become very important—
  enemies might attack at any moment, but friends can 
  help watch your back. In addition, the PCs’ relationships 
  with their shipmates become crucial at the end of the 
  adventure when the PCs lead a mutiny against their 
  oppressive masters. The players might not immediately 
  realize that friendships are important, but a few of the 
  events beginning on page 26 are designed to emphasize 
  the importance of influence aboard the Wormwood. As the 
  PCs make friends, friendly NPCs can further emphasize 
  the importance of friendships.
  At the start of the adventure, 18 pirates serve aboard 
  the Wormwood (in addition to the ship’s officers and the 
  PCs). Like the PCs, most of them were impressed onto 
  the crew, but some have been aboard several weeks now. 
  These pirates come from diverse backgrounds and vary 
  enormously, and have very different initial attitudes 
  toward the PCs that reflect their personal histories. 
  Some of these characters are just plain nasty and hostile 
  (particularly those who toady up to Mr. Plugg and Master 
  Scourge), while others are more friendly, but even the 
  most hostile NPC can be befriended with luck or chance.
  With the exception of most of the ship’s officers, the PCs 
  can interact with any of the crew NPCs during their time 
  on the Wormwood. Each NPC’s initial attitude to the PCs is 
  listed below, and the PCs can attempt to change an NPC’s 
  attitude using Bluff (to pretend to be friendly), Diplomacy 
  (to be genuine), or Intimidate (to frighten an NPC into 
  submission). These checks are treated as Diplomacy checks 
  to change a character’s starting attitude (regardless of the 
  actual skill used), but they take time. Each check requires 
  a ship action (see page 24), and a PC can only attempt one 
  such check each day against a given NPC. There is no right 
  or wrong way to approach these characters, but some NPCs 
  have characteristics that influence their thinking, which 
  can be discovered with a DC 15 Diplomacy check to gather 
  information or a DC 15 Sense Motive check. Changes in an 
  NPC’s attitude remain in place unless the PCs change it 
  again through some action. 
  Friendly NPCs help out their shipmates during the day. A 
  friendly NPC can provide a +2 bonus on any single job task 
  skill check made by a PC (see page 24), provided the NPC has 
  ranks in the appropriate skill. Helpful NPCs provide aid not 
  only during the day as above, but also at night, providing a 
  +2 bonus on checks to influence other NPCs, or on checks 
  for pirate games and entertainments. Helpful NPCs are 
  also happy to lend money or equipment (up to half their 
  ready cash) or perform other actions at your discretion. If 
  a PC abuses a helpful NPC in any way (such by attacking or 
  cruelly duping the NPC), that character becomes hostile for 
  the remainder of the adventure. Hostile or unfriendly NPCs 
  tend to stick together with Mr. Plugg and Master Scourge in 
  the evenings, where their talk is at the expense of the PCs and 
  their friends. Be sure to keep track of the PCs’ relationship 
  with each NPC as this will become much more important 
  later in the adventure, when talk turns to mutiny.
  With so many NPCs in this adventure, be careful not 
  to get overwhelmed by trying to track all of them. Let 
  the PCs decide whom they interact with, and be sure to 
  emphasize that Master Scourge and his cronies are also 
  interacting with others at the same time. 
  The four NPCs below are, like the PCs, recent “recruits,” 
  and make natural allies (or perhaps rivals). Their jobs on 
  the ship and initial attitudes to the PCs are presented before 
  their stat blocks. The remaining crew listed in the Other 
  Crew section have been with the Wormwood for varying 
  lengths of time, though most came aboard fairly recently. 
  Several of the NPC descriptions presented below include 
  the contents of the NPCs’ lockers in area A10. NPCs never 
  lend their locker keys to anyone, including friendly PCs.
  Story Award: Each time the PCs make an NPC helpful 
  (other than Sandara Quinn), award them XP as if they had 
  defeated that NPC in combat.
  SAndArA quinn
  Sandara Quinn is a cleric of Besmara the Pirate Queen, 
  goddess of piracy, sea monsters, and strife. Impressed on 
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  the Wormwood like the PCs, Sandara takes an immediate 
  liking to them, the result of a recent altercation with 
  Master Scourge. She is a potential ally for the PCs from the 
  very start—the only one aboard the Wormwood initially.
  Before the start of the adventure, while the PCs were 
  sleeping, Sandara visited Cut-Throat Grok and convinced 
  the quartermaster to return her personal equipment, 
  claiming the items were righteous artifacts blessed 
  by Besmara that would bring a terrible curse on those 
  who wrongfully held them. She also managed to acquire 
  two items of use to the PCs. These items should be ones 
  that two PCs would struggle to cope without, such as 
  spellbooks or formula books, holy symbols, thieves’ tools, 
  or, if no PCs have such requirements, two light weapons. 
  If the PCs don’t already know her, Sandara approaches 
  them as soon as she can on their first day on the Wormwood 
  to return their equipment and offer her friendship. She 
  explains that on a pirate ship, it’s not what you know but 
  who you know that helps you get by. Friends help each 
  other out, enemies cause trouble—on a crowded pirate 
  ship, this fact is essential for basic survival. Sandara is 
  detailed fully in the NPC appendix on page 56.
  Job: swab
  Initial Attitude: helpful
  roSie cuSSWell
  Short but fierce, Rosie Cusswell has more muscles than 
  most of the crew, and a fouler mouth than all of them put 
  together. Rosie is from Port Peril, and like the PCs was 
  impressed onto the Wormwood’s crew. She has been on 
  board 3 days and has already made her mark by threatening 
  to chop off the hand of anyone who messes with her with 
  her beloved handaxe. She has a healthy hatred of Mr. Plugg 
  and Master Scourge, who did not take her threats kindly. 
  Rosie loathes the attention of Conchobhar Shortstone (see 
  page 18), but secretly quite likes his style.
  Like many halflings, Rosie loves food, drink, and tall 
  tales; anyone who provides her with them gains a +2 
  bonus on all checks made to influence her. At the start 
  of the adventure, Rosie is missing her fiddle, and has 
  been unable to convince the quartermaster Cut-Throat 
  Grok to give it back to her (having lost her temper when 
  initially trying to do so). Any PC who can get Rosie’s 
  fiddle back becomes her firm friend, and her attitude to 
  that character permanently changes to helpful. 
  Job: swab
  Initial Attitude: indifferent
  Rosie Cusswell 
  CR 1
  XP 400
  Female halfling fighter 2
  CN Small humanoid (halfling)
  Init +6; Senses Perception +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +1 size)
  hp 17 (2d10+2)
  Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0; +3 vs. fear 
  Defensive Abilities bravery +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 25 feet
  Melee mwk handaxe +7 (1d4+3/×3)
  Ranged sling +5 (1d3+3)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Rosie likes to tumble through fights to gain the 
  advantage. She is fearless and fierce in battle unless alone, in 
  which case she fights from a position of strength and safety.
  Morale Rosie withdraws from combat if reduced to fewer 
  than 5 hit points. If cornered, she fights to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 16, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 10
  Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 16
  Feats Fleet, Improved Initiative, Power Attack
  Rosie Cusswell
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  Skills Acrobatics +4, Climb +9, Intimidate +4, Perception +1, 
  Perform (string) +1, Profession (sailor) +3, Stealth +6
  Languages Common, Halfling
  Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, potion of invisibility; 
  Other Gear leather armor, masterwork handaxe, sling 
  with 20 bullets in a leather purse, 3-pint drinking stein 
  with a silver lid depicting halflings riding dire badgers 
  and slaughtering goblins (worth 25 gp), long red silk scarf, 
  masterwork fiddle (currently stored in area A9); Locker  
  2 flasks of acid, 2 flasks of alchemist’s fire, tanglefoot bag, 
  30 feet of silk rope
  crimSon “cog” cogWArd
  Crimson Cogward (so called after the color his 
  neck turns when he’s angry) is a loner, and 
  prone to incredible rages and dark moods. He 
  wears a blue Varisian scarf tied tight around 
  his shaven head to hide the scar left when his 
  ear when bitten off in a bar fight. Cog gets 
  pleasure from little other than combat and 
  is quick to get into fistfights, whether 
  because of a chance remark or simple bad 
  luck. A devout follower of Pharasma, 
  Cog prays regularly (particularly 
  after combat) and participates in 
  all Pharasmin religious festivals if 
  possible. Cog actually volunteered to 
  join the crew of the Wormwood. He 
  has spent his first few days aboard 
  stealing and secreting away goods 
  for barter.
  Cog loves dark tales. A PC who makes at least a DC 
  10 Perform (oratory) check focusing on dark tales gains 
  a +2 bonus on checks to influence Cog for the next 24 
  hours. Similarly, fighters and other warriors (as well as 
  more aggressive characters who favor muscle over talk) 
  who intersperse their talk with grisly details of fights 
  gain a +2 bonus on Bluff and Diplomacy checks with 
  him. However, a failed check is likely to elicit a violent 
  response from the angry sailor.
  Job: swab
  Initial Attitude: unfriendly
  Crimson Cogward 
  CR 1
  XP 400
  Male human ranger 1/rogue (thug) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced 
  Player’s Guide 135)
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +4
  DEFENSE
  AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +1 Dex)
  hp 19 (2 HD; 1d10+1d8+5)
  Fort +4, Ref +5, Will –1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee cutlass** +4 (1d6+3/18–20) or
  dagger +4 (1d4+3/19–20 plus poison) or
  unarmed strike +4 (1d3+3)
  Ranged composite shortbow +2 (1d6+3/×3)
  Special Attacks favored enemy (humans +2), sneak attack +1d6
  TACTICS
  During Combat Cog fights like a cornered boar, caring little 
  for his own safety.
  Morale Cog does not fight to lose—he fights to win, or 
  dies trying.
  STATISTICS
  Str 17, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12
  Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 15
  Feats Improved Unarmed Strike, 
  Intimidating Prowess
  Skills Appraise +4, Climb +7, Disable 
  Device +4, Intimidate +9, Knowledge 
  (local) +5, Perception +4, Profession 
  (sailor) +4, Stealth +5, Swim +7
  Languages Common
  SQ frightening*, track +1, wild empathy +2
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, 
  black adder venom (1 dose); Other Gear 
  studded leather, cutlass**, dagger (coated 
  in black adder venom) in a darkwood sheath, 
  composite shortbow (+3 Str) with 31 
  arrows, long waxed coat with several 
  pockets, thieves’ tools, silver ring with 
  symbol of Pharasma worth 75 gp, silk 
  Varisian scarf worth 15 gp; Locker (average lock, Disable 
  Device DC 25) potion of haste, potion of neutralize poison, 
  scroll of scorching ray, wand of magic missiles (18 charges), 
  alchemist’s fire (2 flasks), 2 bottles of wine, 2 small silver 
  mirrors, tanglefoot bag, 39 gp, 132 sp
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  ** See Pirates of the Inner Sea.
  conchobhAr turlAch ShortStone
  Conchobhar Shortstone is a handsome, honey-tongued 
  gnome who wears a foppish purple hat, an eye patch, 
  and a white silk shirt, and carries a dandyish cane. 
  His appearance is that of someone pretending to be a 
  pirate, rather than a true buccaneer. Conchobhar is a 
  professional gambler who made the mistake of drinking 
  with the Wormwood’s crew one night and failed to notice 
  the cosh in a crew member’s hand until it was too late. 
  He has been on ship less than 24 hours at the start of 
  the adventure. Conchobhar is resigned to his fate but is 
  determined to make the most of it, as he’s always yearned 
  for the sea anyway. One thing dominates Conchobhar’s 
  thinking—himself.
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  Conchobhar is also a serial womanizer, and female 
  characters gain a +2 bonus on all checks to influence 
  him. He finds Rosie Cusswell (see page 17) magnificent. 
  Job: rigger
  Initial Attitude: unfriendly
  Conchobhar Turlach Shortstone 
  CR 1
  XP 400
  Male gnome bard 2
  N Small humanoid (gnome)
  Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +7
  DEFENSE
  AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size)
  hp 14 (2d8+2)
  Fort +0, Ref +5, Will +3; 
  +2 vs. illusions
  Defensive Abilities defensive 
  training
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 feet
  Melee sword cane* +2 (1d4)
  Ranged shortbow +4 (1d4/×3)
  Special Attacks bardic performance  
  9 rounds/day (countersong, 
  distraction, fascinate, inspire 
  courage +1), hatred 
  Gnome Spell-Like Abilities (CL 
  2nd; concentration +5)
  1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound 
  (DC 14), prestidigitation, speak 
  with animals
  Bard Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +5)
  1st (3/day)—cause fear (DC 14), cure light wounds, hideous 
  laughter (DC 14)
  0 (at will)—daze (DC 13), flare (DC 13), know direction, light, 
  summon instrument
  TACTICS
  During Combat Conchobhar prefers to talk rather than 
  fight. If he must fight, he lurks at the edge of combat, 
  preferring to flank or attack with his bow.
  Morale Conchobhar flees if reduced to 7 hit points or fewer, 
  but he fights to the death for any female character he is 
  on friendly or better terms with.
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 17
  Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 12
  Feats Martial Weapon Proficiency (sword cane*)
  Skills Acrobatics +7, Appraise +5, Climb +5, Perception +7, 
  Perform (sing) +8, Profession (gambler) +7, Sleight of 
  Hand +7, Stealth +10
  Languages Common, Gnome, Halfling, Sylvan
  SQ bardic knowledge +1, gnome magic, versatile 
  performance (sing)
  Combat Gear oil of animate rope, wand of mirror image (11 
  charges); Other Gear shortbow with 12 arrows in wood 
  quiver, sword cane*, black silk gloves, bottle of musky 
  perfume worth 35 gp, fake eye patch, foppish clothing, 
  outrageously foppish purple hat, yellow silk handkerchief, 
  key to locker hidden down left boot; Locker (average lock, 
  Disable Device DC 25) elixir of love, 42 gp
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  other creW
  The Wormwood’s remaining crew members are 
  listed below, along with their jobs on the ship 
  and initial attitudes. The further down 
  the list one goes, the more hostile 
  toward the PCs the pirates are, 
  and conversely, the friendlier they 
  are with Mr. Plugg and Master 
  Scourge. Even though many of 
  these pirates are of different races, 
  you can use the generic stat block 
  below to represent all of these 
  pirates for ease of play.
  Barefoot Samms Toppin (CG female human): a 
  former fisherwoman from the Sodden Lands 
  who never wears shoes; job: rigger; initial 
  attitude: indifferent.
  Giffer Tibbs (NG female gnome): a 
  bedraggled gnome with one eye; job: 
  swab; initial attitude: indifferent.
  Jack Scrimshaw (N male human): a 
  young lad talented at scrimshaw; job: 
  swab; initial attitude: indifferent.
  “Ratline” Rattsberger (N male halfling): a rat-faced 
  halfling with long arms and three missing fingers; job: 
  rigger; initial attitude: indifferent.
  Tilly Brackett (N female human): a tough joker who 
  likes her rum; job: swab; initial attitude: indifferent.
  “Badger” Medlar (N female half-elf): an older woman 
  who shaves her gray hair into stripes; job: swab; initial 
  attitude: unfriendly.
  Shivikah (N female human): a very tall Mwangi ex-
  slaver; job: swab; initial attitude: unfriendly.
  Aretta Bansion (NE female human): a bad tempered ex-
  harlot with big ears; job: swab; initial attitude: hostile.
  Fipps Chumlett (NE male human): a fat, pushy bully 
  with a shaved head; job: swab; initial attitude: hostile.
  Jaundiced Jape (CE male half-orc): a humorless, greedy 
  half-orc mute; job: swab; initial attitude: hostile.
  Maheem (LN male human): a big Rahadoumi with a 
  permanent scowl; job: rigger; initial attitude: hostile.
  Slippery Syl Lonegan (CE female human): an unhinged 
  murderer who fled to sea to escape the gallows; job: rigger; 
  initial attitude: hostile.
  Conchobhar Shortstone
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  Tam “Narwhal” Tate (NE male dwarf): an old friend of 
  Master Scourge with a large, ugly nose; job: rigger; initial 
  attitude: hostile.
  Jakes Magpie (N male human): a thief caught stealing 
  from the quartermaster’s store and sentenced to 
  keelhauling on the PCs’ first day (see page 26); job: swab; 
  initial attitude: hostile.
  Wormwood Pirates (14) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  Male or female warrior 2
  Medium humanoid
  Init +2; Senses Perception +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex)
  hp 11 each (2d10)
  Fort +3, Ref +2, Will –1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 feet
  Melee cutlass* +3 (1d6+1/18–20) or
  dagger +3 (1d4+1/19–20) or
  sap +3 (1d6+1 nonlethal)
  Ranged dagger +4 (1d4+1/19–20) or
  throwing axe +4 (1d6+1)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Wormwood pirates fight according to their 
  loyalties. They always look out for themselves first, but aid 
  those they are helpful to next.
  Morale A Wormwood pirate withdraws from combat when 
  reduced to 6 hit points or fewer, and flees when reduced 
  to 3 hit points or fewer.
  STATISTICS
  Str 13, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8
  Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 15
  Feats Athletic, Skill Focus (Profession [sailor])
  Skills Climb +7, Intimidate +4, Perception +1, Profession 
  (sailor) +6, Stealth +3, Swim +7
  Languages Common
  Other Gear throwing axe, cutlass*, dagger, sap, basic pirate 
  clothes*, personal effects such as cheap earrings, leather 
  belt, lucky rabbit’s foot, hat with a parrot feather plume, etc.
  * See Pirates of the Inner Sea.
  the WormWood’S oFFicerS
  Captain Harrigan’s vicious temper and strict discipline 
  ensures a regular turnover of fresh faces among his crew, 
  and his officers are no exception. While the PCs should be 
  able to befriend some members of the crew, the majority of 
  the ship’s officers are too important and distant for the PCs 
  to influence. In particular, Mr. Plugg and Master Scourge 
  are the primary villains of the adventure, and both men 
  automatically dislike the PCs. Of the remaining officers, 
  only Ambrose Kroop, Cut-Throat Grok, and Owlbear 
  Hartshorn can be influenced by the PCs, following the 
  rules presented on page 16.
  mr. Plugg
  Mr. Plugg is the Wormwood’s bullying and sadistic first 
  mate. He is Captain Harrigan’s second-in-command, and 
  his word is law on deck. He takes an immediate dislike to 
  the PCs and any friends they make among the crew. Plugg 
  is terrified of Captain Harrigan, however, and has more 
  things on his mind than just the PCs. He’s suspicious of 
  everyone on the crew, and while he grows to hate the PCs, 
  he does not sully his hands with fighting them unless they 
  attack him, in which case he fights with relish, calling on 
  his allies for aid in dealing with the “mutineers.”
  Plugg is a figure to be hated, though the PCs have little 
  opportunity to get their revenge at first. By the end of the 
  adventure, however, the PCs finally have the opportunity to 
  give him (and his toady, Master Scourge) their just rewards. 
  Mr. Plugg is detailed fully in the NPC appendix on page 54.
  mASter Scourge
  Master Scourge is the Wormwood’s boatswain and master-
  at-arms, and Mr. Plugg’s right-hand man. As boatswain, 
  he is in charge of all activities and sailors on deck, and 
  as master-at-arms, he is responsible for discipline. 
  Master Scourge is a sneering man with a braided beard 
  and a mouth full of gold teeth. His body is tall and 
  thin, and even his long coat and heavy boots fail to give 
  any impression of strength or bulk. A sadistic coward, 
  Scourge uses his association with Plugg as protection 
  and in return has no morals when it comes to the tasks 
  his master sets. He is bold and violent when the odds are 
  stacked in his favor, happily kicking a dying dog in the 
  street if asked to do so. But should that dog get up and 
  bite, he quickly flees.
  Master Scourge is a key villain in the early part of the 
  adventure, and his whispered words further poison Mr. 
  Plugg against the PCs. Scourge’s relationship with the 
  PCs is a crucial one. He immediately senses something 
  out of the ordinary about them, and his dreams of rank 
  and fortune soon begin to unravel. Like most bullies, 
  Scourge is a coward at heart, and sets out to discredit and 
  ultimately kill his rivals.
  This enmity is personal, and primarily directed at a 
  single PC, though how this manifests is ultimately up to 
  you. Scourge was recently rejected by Sandara Quinn (see 
  page 56), and any object of her affections is sure to earn his 
  jealousy and hatred. Likewise, Scourge might be jealous of 
  a handsome and talented PC and fear for his own position 
  on the ship. While Scourge focuses his hostility on one 
  PC, he is also happy to intimidate and victimize the other 
  PCs, as well as seeking to discredit the PCs’ friends. He 
  avoids the PCs as a group, however, and immediately goes 
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  to Plugg’s side if threatened. If actually attacked, he also 
  goes to Plugg, who may have the PCs disciplined.
  Playing the bully requires you to temper the PCs’ anger 
  while ensuring they recognize Scourge as a deadly enemy 
  with far too many allies to simply be killed. Terrified as 
  he is of Harrigan and having no desire to be keelhauled, 
  Scourge won’t try to kill the PCs—at least, not at first. 
  Instead, he seeks to poison the other crew members 
  against the PCs, and is likely to succeed with his own small 
  band of admirers, whom the PCs will find hard to convert. 
  In essence, this group becomes a rival adventuring party, 
  but with one crucial difference: these rivals also enjoy the 
  support of Mr. Plugg. It’s not until events move on to the 
  Man’s Promise in Part Two that Plugg and Scourge decide 
  to have done with the PCs, but they’ll eventually get their 
  comeuppance at the hands of the PCs in Part Three.
  Master Scourge 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Male human fighter 2/rogue 2
  NE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +7; Senses Perception +1
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex)
  hp 32 (4 HD; 2d10+2d8+8)
  Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +3; +1 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities bravery +1, evasion
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 feet
  Melee whip +6 (1d3 nonlethal+2) or
  mwk handaxe +7 (1d6+2/×3) or
  punching dagger +6 (1d4+2/×3 plus black adder venom)
  Ranged shortbow +6 (1d6/×3)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
  TACTICS
  During Combat Scourge prefers intimidating opponents 
  to fighting them. Once in combat, he attempts to attack 
  from behind, flanking with his allies.
  Morale If reduced to 10 hit points or fewer, Scourge flees 
  and tries to make good his escape. A man who bears 
  a grudge, Scourge is certain to try to slip dark reaver 
  powder or oil of taggit into the meal or drink of anyone 
  who humiliates or injures him when the chance comes.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
  Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 18
  Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (whip), Improved Initiative, 
  Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Weapon Finesse
  Skills Acrobatics +8, Bluff +6, Climb +9, Disable Device +8, 
  Intimidate +8, Profession (sailor) +8, Sense Motive +6, 
  Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +8
  Languages Common
  SQ rogue talents (bleeding attack +1), trapfinding +1
  Combat Gear potion of blur, potion of cure light wounds, black 
  adder venom (on punching dagger); Other Gear leather 
  armor, punching dagger, masterwork handaxe carved 
  with notches for kills, shortbow with 12 arrows in leather 
  quiver with a buttoned shutter to protect them from the 
  elements, whip, boatswain’s call, corked dark green bottle 
  containing 8 doses of oil of taggit, six gold teeth worth 
  5 gp each, hefty waxed coat with many hidden pockets, 
  leather snuff box with a diamond stud worth 100 gp 
  containing 1 dose of dark reaver powder, silver wedding 
  ring worth 25 gp, 14 pp, 29 gp
  AmbroSe “FiShgutS” KrooP
  Ambrose Kroop is the ship’s cook, nicknamed “Fishguts” 
  by the crew, though whether this refers to the contents 
  of his soups or the stains on his apron is unclear. His 
  job is to bring the ship’s biscuit on deck at dawn for the 
  crew, and prepare and serve the evening meal. Kroop 
  is a drunkard, but not constantly inebriated, and is a 
  potential ally for the PCs. His unpredictability makes 
  him a frustrating but ultimately useful friend. Like his 
  friend Cut-Throat Grok, Kroop is from the school of hard 
  knocks, but where Grok has become tough, Kroop has 
  capitulated in the face of endless discipline and violence. 
  However, as the adventure progresses and he becomes 
  closer to the PCs, he becomes an increasingly useful ally. 
  Kroop is detailed fully in the NPC appendix on page 52.
  When the PC assigned as cook’s mate first meets 
  Kroop, be sure to emphasize the cook’s sorry condition—
  he is drunk, but not insensibly so. He describes the job 
  of the cook’s mate, which basically entails helping him 
  prepare meals, and actually acquiring food for meals by 
  fishing on a fairly regular basis. At some stage during 
  this initial discussion, Kroop makes the following point.
  “It’s poison, this ship, but don’t let anyone hear you say it 
  aloud. The hull listens, see, and the cap’n hears it all. Poison 
  the Wormwood is, though, rotten to the core. You’ll not meet a 
  more nasty, sour piece of work than Cap’n Harrigan in all your 
  days at sea, and his crew’s the same, ’specially the first mate, 
  Mr. Plugg. Vicious little sod, he is. He’d take his own mother’s 
  liver to the butcher to make pies with, he would. But they 
  leave me alone, mostly. They know I can’t ’arm ’em.”
  While Kroop is indifferent to the PCs at the beginning 
  of the adventure, he is, at heart, a friendly salt, and soon 
  becomes attached to any character who makes a modicum 
  of effort as the cook’s mate. In general, Kroop likes to 
  cook and drink rum. He is usually insensibly drunk in 
  his quarters during the evening, rarely venturing onto 
  deck after serving the evening meal. Kroop’s cook’s 
  mate gains a +2 bonus on all checks to influence the 
  quartermaster Cut-Throat Grok. Kroop is also happy to 
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  lend his mate any equipment from the galley, though 
  stealing it without his permission is easy enough.
  Initial Attitude: indifferent
  cut-throAt groK
  Cut-Throat Grok (N female half-orc fighter 5) is the 
  Wormwood’s quartermaster, a no-nonsense character with 
  a huge scar across her neck. Growing up among pirates is 
  tough for anyone unusual, and Grok got her scar fighting a 
  gang of cutthroats in the alleys of Port Peril who robbed her 
  and left her for dead when she was only 11 years old. Grok 
  is a reedy half-orc who favors dark clothing. She carries a 
  notched greataxe and an array of throwing axes hangs from 
  her belt. Grok frequently grins toothily, and uses appalling 
  curse words, particularly when drunk. Grok is renowned for 
  being tough, and she doesn’t suffer fools, but she is a close 
  friend of Ambrose Kroop, whom she sees as someone who’s 
  had even worse luck than she’s had.
  Grok is usually found in the quartermaster’s store (area 
  A9) during the day. In the evenings, she locks the store and 
  carouses on deck, drinking and gambling with the other 
  pirates before returning to her cabin (area A7) to sleep it off. 
  Grok loves unusual drink and fine songs, and a 
  character who provides her with at least 20 gp worth of 
  alcohol that isn’t rum or who makes a successful DC 15 
  Perform (song) check gains a +4 bonus on all checks made 
  to influence her. If Grok is made friendly, she allows the 
  PCs into the quartermaster’s store after normal hours, 
  where PCs can negotiate for equipment with her with 
  additional Diplomacy checks. Recovering a PC’s starting 
  equipment is considered simple aid (DC +0), a loan of 
  goods worth up to 150 gp is considered lengthy aid (DC 
  +5), and a loan of 300 gp worth of equipment is considered 
  dangerous aid that could result in punishment, since she 
  might get keelhauled herself for theft (DC +15).
  Initial Attitude: indifferent
  Story Award: Award the PCs 400 XP if they make Cut-
  Throat Grok helpful.
  other oFFicerS
  In addition to the major NPCs detailed on these pages, 
  a number of other officers serve aboard the Wormwood. 
  Although most of these characters play little or no role in 
  this adventure and cannot be influenced, the PCs may spot 
  them aboard the ship or hear about them from their fellow 
  pirates. Be aware that some of these NPCs do reappear 
  later in the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path, so you 
  should try to avoid forming any strong relationships 
  between these characters and the PCs at this point. 
  Barnabas Harrigan (NE male human fighter 5/rogue 11): 
  captain of the Wormwood
  Peppery Longfarthing (CN female human sorcerer 8): 
  sailing master and old friend of the captain 
  Riaris Krine (NE female human fighter 7): master gunner
  Habbly Quarne, the “Stitchman” (N male human 
  fighter 4/expert 3): ship’s surgeon and carpenter 
  Kipper (CE male human rogue 6): gunner’s mate and 
  bootlicker for Plugg and Scourge
  Patch Patchsalt (CE female gnome rogue 3/fighter 3): 
  boatswain’s mate and sycophant of Plugg and Scourge
  “Caulky” Tarroon (CN female human commoner 3): 
  the captain’s cabin girl
  Owlbear Hartshorn (N male human fighter 2): 
  simpleton and “pet” of Mr. Plugg (see page 27)
  A PirAte’S dAy
  The Wormwood works on discipline and routine. Captain 
  Harrigan’s philosophy is that a busy swab is a tired 
  Cut-Throat Grok
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  swab, and tired swabs don’t pick fights with each other. 
  After breakfast, the crew work at their allotted jobs until 
  dusk, when they gather on the main deck to witness 
  punishments (the “Bloody Hour”), eat dinner, and receive 
  their rum rations. After punishment time and the 
  evening meal, the crew can do what they wish until dawn 
  bell the next morning. See “The Life of a Pirate” on page 
  60 for more details on a pirate’s daily life.
  Each day, the PCs are assigned tasks to complete, based 
  on the their jobs (cook’s mate, rigger, or swab). Roll 1d6 on 
  the following tables to randomly determine the daily tasks 
  for each PC who’s a rigger or swab. See The Cook’s Mate 
  below for details on tasks assigned to the cook’s mate. Each 
  task represents a day’s hard work and requires at least one 
  successful skill check to complete. Failing a task’s required 
  skill check results in punishment. The punishment 
  for failing a check by 4 or less is merely a severe verbal 
  reprimand, or at worse, a rope bash (see page 66). Failing 
  by 5 or more results in three lashes. The number of lashes 
  increases to six if this is the second such failure in a row, to 
  nine lashes for three failures in a row, and so on. 
  Work takes place under the watchful eyes of Mr. Plugg 
  and Master Scourge, and getting away from them is not 
  easy. If a PC refuses to work or is unable to work, he or 
  she receives a dozen lashes for the first such offense and 
  a dozen lashes with the cat for the second. A third offense 
  results in the character being put in the sweatbox (see 
  page 66) for 12 hours. 
  Rigger Tasks
  1 Rigging Repair: The ship’s rigging frequently gets 
  damaged and must be repaired, requiring DC 10 
  Climb checks to reach the rigging 30 feet up, followed 
  by a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity check.
  2 Line Work: Hard work hoisting and lowering sails, 
  requiring a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity 
  check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution 
  check to avoid being fatigued at the end of the shift.
  3 Upper Rigging Work: Work in the upper rigging, 50 
  feet up, requiring DC 10 Climb checks, followed by a 
  DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity check.
  4 Rope Work: Handling the ship’s ropes, including 
  coiling them, stowing them, and securing them to 
  cleats and single and double bollards, requiring a DC 
  10 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity check.
  5 Lookout: A climb to the crow’s nest 60 feet up, 
  requiring DC 10 Climb checks followed by a DC 10 
  Perception check.
  6 Mainsail Duties: Tough work raising and lowering 
  the mainsail, requiring a DC 10 Profession (sailor) 
  or Strength check. The PC must also make a DC 10 
  Constitution check to avoid being fatigued at the end 
  of the shift.
  Swab Tasks
  1 
  Man the Bilges: Vile and sweaty work cleaning out the 
  bilges (area A11), requiring a DC 12 Strength check. 
  The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution check to 
  avoid being fatigued at the end of the shift.
   2 Rat Catcher: Catching rats and other vermin belowdecks, 
  requiring either a DC 10 Stealth check, Survival check, 
  or Dexterity check to catch and kill enough rats, 
  cockroaches, and beetles for a good day’s work.
  3 
  Swab the Decks: Backbreaking work mopping the 
  decks and scrubbing them with sandstone blocks 
  called holystones, requiring a DC 10 Strength or 
  Constitution check. Failing either check results in the 
  PC being fatigued at the end of the shift.
  4 
  Hauling Rope and Knot Work: Tying and untying 
  knots in the ship’s ropes and moving heavy coils of 
  rope from one part of the ship to another, requiring 
  a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Strength check. The PC 
  must also make a DC 10 Constitution check to avoid 
  being fatigued at the end of the shift.
  5 
  Runner: Passing messages to the crew and officers 
  of the Wormwood in all parts of the ship except 
  officers’ cabins (areas A4 and A5), requiring a DC 10 
  Acrobatics check and DC 10 Constitution check. 
  Failing the Constitution check results in the PC being 
  fatigued at the end of the shift. A PC with the Run feat 
  automatically succeeds at this task.
  6 
  Repairs: Things constantly tear or break aboard the 
  ship and need repairs, whether sewing sails or splicing 
  rope all day, requiring a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or 
  Dexterity check.
  the cooK’S mAte
  The PC who ends up as the cook’s mate is in for an 
  interesting life. The ship’s cook, Ambrose Kroop, spends 
  half of his time drunk. At the start of each day, there is a 
  50% chance that Kroop is insensible and no help during 
  the whole day. Otherwise, he is merely drunk, but not 
  helplessly so. If Kroop is insensible, Mr. Plugg supervises 
  the cook’s mate instead.
  Each day, roll 1d6 on the table below to randomly 
  determine the cook’s mate’s daily task. When Kroop is 
  sober, he automatically makes the skill check for the day’s 
  cooking, with the PC’s assistance. When the cook is drunk, 
  the cook’s mate must make the day’s meal for the pirates 
  by herself, in addition to her normal duties for the day. If 
  the PC has to hunt or slaughter the food as well as cook, all 
  checks for both tasks are made with a –4 penalty. In such 
  cases, if the cook’s mate takes any ship action (see page 
  24) during the day other than working, all work checks 
  automatically fail (the cook’s mate does not receive the +4 
  bonus for working diligently in this case; see page 25). On 
  a failed check, the angry crew soundly berate the cook’s 
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  mate and administer several rope bashes to Kroop and 
  his lazy mate. Regardless, food is still food, and the crew 
  generally eat what they are given, no matter the results of 
  the cooking checks (though they are still likely to complain 
  loudly and frequently).
  The captain’s cabin girl, “Caulky” Tarroon, collects 
  the officers’ food from the galley each evening to take 
  it to the captain’s cabin. She tastes the food for poison 
  before serving the other officers (you can’t trust anyone 
  on a pirate ship). Attempting to poison the officers is a 
  horrendous crime, punishable by a triple keelhauling for 
  the ship’s cook and his mate.
  Cook’s Mate Tasks
  1 or 2 Cooking: Assisting Ambrose Kroop in preparing 
  the day’s meal. If Kroop is sober, no check is 
  required. If Kroop is drunk, this requires a DC 10 
  Profession (cook) or Intelligence check.
  3 
  Fishing: Catching tonight’s supper using the ship’s 
  nets. A DC 10 Profession (fisherman) or Survival 
  check provides enough fish. A failed check results 
  in a day in the bilges as punishment the following 
  day (see the swab task Man the Bilges on page 23).
  4 
  Turtle Hunting: Hunting leatherback sea turtles 
  with harpoons, treble hooks, and nets. A DC 10 
  Profession (fisherman) or Survival check provides 
  enough food. A failed check results in a day in the 
  bilges as punishment the following day (see the 
  swab task Man the Bilges on page 23).
  5 
  Bull Session: Drinking with Ambrose Kroop and 
  listening to his stories. The cook’s mate must 
  drink an additional rum ration, but is able to take 
  an additional ship action during the day.
  6 
  Special Occasion: Captain Harrigan is celebrating 
  something today, and wants one of the ship’s 
  pigs butchered and cooked for dinner. The PC 
  must make a DC 10 Profession (cook) or Survival 
  check to slaughter the animal, then help Kroop 
  to clean, cut, and prepare the carcass. If Kroop is 
  sober, no additional check is required. If Kroop is 
  drunk, this requires a DC 15 Profession (cook) or 
  Intelligence check.
  ShiP ActionS
  In addition to their normal jobs on the ship, the PCs 
  can also utilize their time during the day (and night) to 
  explore the ship, scrounger for gear, interact with their 
  shipmates, or attempt to influence NPCs.
  With the PCs potentially scattered across the ship 
  working at their jobs, however, there is a danger that early 
  events in the adventure might focus too much upon the 
  actions of individual characters. Some PCs might have 
  more time on their hands and act accordingly. To avoid 
  this, the PCs’ activities aboard ship—carrying out their 
  assigned tasks; exploring the ship; robbing, bullying, 
  or befriending shipmates; working; or playing—are 
  performed as part of ship actions. These actions reflect 
  the time required to set up or complete an activity, such 
  as gathering enough crew to play a game, scouting out a 
  room to make sure it’s empty, and so on. Remember that 
  even the cook’s mate has a job to do during the day, and 
  ship actions are meant to reflect the available time a PC 
  can carve out from his or her work time without going 
  into too much detail.
  Each PC can normally take two ship actions each 
  day, one during the day and one at night. A PC can also 
  attempt to take up to two additional ship actions during 
  the middle watch in the dead of night (any nighttime ship 
  action marked with an asterisk), but to do so the PC must 
  make a successful Constitution check (DC 10, +4 per extra 
  ship action taken) or be fatigued for the next day.
  A list of possible ship actions is presented on the 
  following page. As always, use your judgment as to when 
  these actions are appropriate. 
  Story Award: Award a PC 100 XP for winning his or 
  her first pirate entertainment aboard the Wormwood. The 
  first time a PC succeeds in entertaining the crew, he or 
  she should also receive an award of 100 XP.
  VOYAGE OF THE WORMWOOD
  In preparation for his long-term plans (see the Adventure 
  Background), Captain Harrigan wants to strengthen his 
  position among the other Free Captains of the Shackles, 
  but he first needs to increase his funds by plundering the 
  shipping lanes. He tells only his closest allies (including Mr. 
  Plugg) where they are heading, and tells no one why. After 
  leaving Port Peril, Captain Harrigan takes the Wormwood 
  north across Jeopardy Bay, then steers southwest, passing 
  to the east of Dahak’s Teeth on the fourth day and Motaku 
  Isle on the seventh day. At this point, a storm strikes, 
  driving the Wormwood southeast. Once the storm blows 
  over, Harrigan tacks east, keeping his vessel well away 
  from the Slithering Coast, sailing into the open Fever Sea 
  for the remainder of the voyage, where Harrigan hopes 
  to pick up merchant vessels from Bloodcove, the Mwangi 
  Expanse, and Sargava. The Wormwood encounters the 
  Man’s Promise (see page 31) on the 20th day of its voyage 
  and attacks within a few hours. 
  A DC 15 Knowledge (geography) or Profession (sailor) 
  check enables the PCs to identify the countries and regions 
  the Wormwood passes on its voyage, while a DC 20 check 
  enables them to identify individual islands or settlements. 
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  Daytime Ship Actions
  Work Diligently: Gain a +4 bonus on any one check for a 
  job’s daily task
  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 check or other skill check with no chance 
  of detection)
  Shop: Take a –2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task 
  and visit the quartermaster’s store (area A9)
  Shirk: Take a –2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task 
  and take time exploring one area of the ship. The PC can 
  take 10 on a single Perception check or other skill check, but 
  must make a check to avoid being discovered (see below).
  Nighttime Ship Actions
  Sleep: Go to bed early and sleep through the night 
  (automatically recover from fatigue)
  Gamble: Play or gamble on a game of chance or pirate 
  entertainment (see page 67)
  Entertain: Make one Perform check to entertain the crew 
  (see page 67)
  Influence*: Attempt to influence a single NPC
  Sneak*: Take time exploring one area of the ship. The PC 
  can take 20 on a single Perception check or other skill 
  check, but must make a check to avoid being discovered 
  (see below).
  Steal*: Attempt to open a locked door or locker. The PC 
  must make a check to avoid being discovered (see below).
  theFt, PilFering, And Secrecy AboArd 
  the WormWood
  The Wormwood is a pirate ship, filled with dubious and 
  murderous characters at best. Theft is common, but the 
  key is not getting caught.
  To perform any action unobserved, a PC must generally 
  make an opposed skill check, such as a Sleight of Hand 
  or Stealth check against an NPC’s Perception check. 
  On a crowded ship, however, it’s not practical to make 
  opposed checks against potentially dozens of NPCs. 
  Instead, the PC should make an appropriate skill check 
  (usually Sleight of Hand or Stealth) to represent a typical 
  situation, using the following guidelines to set the DC of 
  the check.
  Attempting a stealthy action in a crowd, such as casting 
  a spell with verbal or somatic components without being 
  noticed: DC 20.
  Attempting a stealthy action where there is a chance 
  of discovery, such as visiting the quartermaster’s store 
  during work, exploring a room during the day, or 
  attempting to open a chest in a room while its occupants 
  are sleeping: DC 15.
  Attempting a stealthy action under cover of a suitable 
  diversion, such as attempting to open lockers when 
  the rest of the crew are working or on deck enjoying 
  themselves: DC 10.
  Failing this check by 4 or less means the PC attempting 
  the action is merely disturbed and is unable to complete 
  the action. Failing the check by 5 or more means the PC is 
  caught red-handed by a random crew member, and might 
  be turned over to Master Scourge for discipline.
  recovering geAr
  One of the first challenges the PCs are likely to face is 
  getting back their starting equipment, as well as adding 
  to it. Everyone aboard the Wormwood knows that the 
  quartermaster, Cut-Throat Grok, oversees equipment and 
  booty, which is what the PCs’ possessions currently are. 
  Grok often sleeps and works in the quartermaster’s store 
  (area A9), an unofficial shop of sorts aboard the ship. 
  When the adventure begins, Sandara Quinn has managed 
  to acquire a few of the PCs’ items from Grok to return to 
  them (see page 17). The rest of the PCs’ equipment is held in 
  one locker in area A9, as detailed in that area’s description. 
  Grok is used to dealing with impressed sailors’ requests for 
  the return of their personal equipment, and always tells 
  such characters that their goods are now the captain’s booty. 
  However, Grok can be bluffed into believing that items are 
  cursed or should otherwise be returned. On a successful 
  Bluff check (opposed by Grok’s Sense Motive check; she 
  has a +1 skill modifier), Grok returns 10 gp worth of a PC’s 
  equipment for every point by which the PC’s Bluff check 
  exceeds her Sense Motive result. Grok is also incredibly 
  superstitious, and anyone using superstition to bluff the 
  quartermaster gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Bluff 
  checks against her. A PC cannot try to bluff Grok more than 
  once in a 24-hour period. 
  The PCs are also free to purchase or barter for items 
  from the quartermaster’s store, as outlined in the 
  description for area A9. 
  The PCs can also try theft, but stealing from the store 
  is very risky. That said, Grok’s memory has become 
  progressively worse over the last few years, and she 
  sometimes forgets to lock the store when leaving it, as 
  described in area A9. If Grok is drinking with Kroop, the 
  cook’s mate might easily slip away for a few minutes to 
  have a look around the store. Unless obvious evidence 
  of theft is left behind (such as broken locks, triggered 
  traps, or dead or unconscious characters), stealing from 
  the store is likely to succeed, as long as the thief isn’t too 
  boastful or foolhardy. A PC who steals goods from the 
  store and attempts to barter or sell them back to Grok 
  discovers that the quartermaster is likely to recognize 
  stolen goods for what they are, unless she is very drunk 
  at the time. If Grok finds evidence of theft, a full search 
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  of the ship and crew’s lockers is launched, carried out by 
  Mr. Plugg, Master Scourge, and six of their most loyal 
  pirates. If stolen goods are found, the penalty is usually 
  keelhauling, even if such booty is planted.
  Story Award: Award 200 XP to each PC who manages to 
  recover all of his or her equipment.
  dAy 1: A KeelhAuling For JAKeS mAgPie
  The PCs’ first day aboard the Wormwood sets the pattern 
  for the succeeding days, as they get used to the routine of 
  the ship and her crew. In general, days always follow the 
  following format of work, leisure, and rest, unless other 
  events take precedence as detailed below.
  Arrival: The PCs wake up in the hold of the Wormwood. 
  Master Scourge and his mates lead them on deck, where 
  Captain Harrigan welcomes the PCs aboard and Mr. 
  Plugg assigns the PCs jobs on the ship.
  Work: The PCs spend the day at their assigned jobs. In 
  addition, each PC can take a single daytime ship action.
  “Bloody Hour”: The crew gathers on deck at dusk to 
  witness the keelhauling of Jakes Magpie, a pirate caught 
  stealing from the quartermaster’s store the night before. 
  After a brief interrogation at the hands of Mr. Plugg 
  and Master Scourge, Jakes admitted his crime, and is 
  now brought up from the bilges (area A11) to be slowly 
  keelhauled before the evening meal. A DC 15 Perception 
  check notices the relish with which Mr. Plugg, in 
  particular, tugs at the rope as the unfortunate Magpie is 
  dragged under the ship for 12 rounds. What appears on 
  the other side has been cut to shreds and is soon thrown 
  overboard to feed the sharks. A PC who examines the 
  body before it is dumped can make a DC 15 Heal check to 
  estimate that the unfortunate Jakes took about 24 points 
  of damage from the punishment and drowned as well. 
  Witnessing Jakes’s keelhauling should help impress upon 
  the players the deadly nature of pirate punishments.
  Leisure: After dinner and the rum rations, various pirate 
  entertainments (see page 67) take place on deck or below, 
  for as long as people are sober enough to participate. In 
  addition, each PC can take a single nighttime ship action.
  Rest: Provided they’ve drunk their rum rations, the 
  PCs can retire to their hammocks in the lower hold (area 
  A10) whenever they wish. The PCs can take additional 
  nighttime ship actions if they have the energy.
  Story Award: Award 100 XP to each PC who successfully 
  completes his or her first day’s work.
  dAy 2: lAying doWn the lAW (cr 3)
  This encounter occurs at dawn on the PCs’ second day 
  aboard the Wormwood in the crew berths (area A10). 
  Creatures: Mere seconds after the bell tolls to summon 
  the crew on deck, four pirates—Aretta Bansion, Fipps 
  Chumlett, Jaundiced Jape, and Slippery Sy Lonegan—block 
  the PCs’ path. “In a hurry?” one says, and laughs, pushing a 
  random PC in the chest. Master Scourge has already talked 
  to the four, telling them he doesn’t like these new swabs (the 
  PCs), and that the sluggards need to be knocked into shape. 
  Scourge has instructed the pirates to give the PCs a bit of a 
  beating and prevent them from getting on deck in time for 
  their shift. The pirates want a fistfight, not a knife fight, 
  and approach the PCs without weapons drawn. Meanwhile, a 
  handful of other sailors loiter on the stairs to watch the fight.
  Wormwood Pirates (4) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 11 each (see page 20)
  Melee unarmed strike +3 (1d3+1 nonlethal)
  TACTICS
  Morale The pirates fight for 8 rounds, then run on deck. If 
  the PCs draw weapons, all of the pirates back away except 
  WEATHER
  The Wormwood encounters different types of weather as 
  it progresses on its voyage, which can affect work on the 
  ship, as detailed below.
  Days 1 through 5: normal weather
  Day 6: heavy rain
  Day 7: building storm (–2 on all work checks for rigger)
  Day 8: storm (see page 28)
  Day 9: weakening storm (–2 on all work checks for rigger)
  Days 10 and 11: normal weather
  Days 12 and 13: heat wave (save DCs against fatigue 
  increased by +2)
  Days 14 through 21: normal weather
  SEASICKNESS
  Characters unaccustomed to life on board ships run the 
  risk of getting seasick. Such characters must succeed at a 
  DC 5 Fortitude save or become nauseated for the rest of 
  the day. On the following day, the character is entitled to a 
  new save. On a success, the character is sickened instead of 
  nauseated. On a failure, the nauseated condition persists 
  for another day. Each day thereafter, a character is entitled 
  to another Fortitude save. Making two successful saves in 
  a row allows the character to recover from seasickness for 
  the duration of the voyage. The DC of seasickness increases 
  to 15 in rough weather, and those who succeed at a check to 
  stave off seasickness for a day must make an additional save 
  if conditions change for the worse. Characters with 1 or more 
  ranks in Profession (sailor) are never subject to seasickness. 
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  Fipps Chumlett, who draws a dagger. If faced by two 
  armed characters, however, he backs down. In this event, 
  Fipps can no longer be influenced by the PCs and remains 
  hostile for the remainder of the adventure.
  Development: If any character is killed, Mr. Plugg 
  launches an investigation, and keelhauls the murderer. 
  Any characters who arrive late on deck (whether PCs or 
  NPCs) are sentenced to three lashes for laziness. Mr. 
  Plugg adds three more lashes if they are impertinent.
  dAy 4: Something in the bilgeS (cr 3)
  The PCs should not be assigned duty in the bilges today. 
  If such work is indicated, roll again to find new tasks for 
  the PCs.
  At about mid-morning on the fourth day, young Jack 
  Scrimshaw rushes onto deck. Any PCs on deck can make 
  a DC 10 Perception check to notice his ashen face as well as 
  overhear what he reports to Mr. Plugg. Jack was below on 
  rat-catching duty when something big swam out of the bilge 
  water and bit him. Plugg immediately looks for volunteers 
  to investigate, and selects all of the PCs (including the cook’s 
  mate), telling them to get down to the bilges (area A11) and 
  not bother coming out until whatever is down there is dead.
  Creatures: Six dire rats have gnawed their way out of 
  a dodgy consignment of barley the captain picked up 
  in Port Peril on the cheap, and have taken up residence 
  in the brackish water in the bilges. Today the weather 
  is so blistering that the bilges are considered very hot 
  (Core Rulebook 444). The water provides the rats with 
  concealment against the PCs.
  Dire Rats (6)  
  CR 1/3
  XP 135 each
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 232)
  Development: After they have dealt with the rats, the 
  PCs have the chance to explore and ransack the bilges for 
  gear (see area A11). If the PCs spend more than 4 hours 
  in the bilges, Mr. Plugg sends one of the pirates down 
  to tell them if they can’t deal with one tiny creature in 
  half an hour, they each get three lashes. If the PCs fail to 
  kill all of the rats, they’re likely to bite someone else, an 
  event that earns the PCs three lashes each. In that case, 
  the following day Mr. Plugg automatically assigns only 
  one PC (to prevent time wasting) to the bilges again. 
  dAy 5: the oWlbeAr (cr 1)
  This encounter occurs during the fifth evening of the voyage. 
  Creature: Mr. Plugg’s “pet,” a simpleminded, hulking 
  brute called Owlbear Hartshorn, is usually kept belowdecks 
  in the middle hold (area A6), but Plugg brings him out on 
  special occasions, such as when he wants someone killed 
  or taught a lesson. Plugg and his cronies lead Owlbear onto 
  deck just after the evening meal “for a bit of sport” and 
  dare one of the PCs to take him on—bare-knuckle fists or 
  wrestling only, no magic tricks, and the last one conscious 
  wins. To make it interesting, Plugg tosses down a purse of 
  100 gp as a wager on Owlbear. The PCs can choose which of 
  their own will fight Owlbear, and can bet on their chosen 
  champion—the winner takes the entire pot.
  Owlbear Hartshorn is a large man with meaty fists. 
  He’s a bit simple, and the rest of the crew enjoys having a 
  laugh at the poor fellow’s expense. To try to make friends, 
  Hartshorn has taken to clowning, laughing, and crying 
  out random phrases at the top of his voice, as this seems 
  to make people laugh. Owlbear likes to eat live crabs, 
  breaking the shells with his teeth and fingers, and his 
  Owlbear Hartshorn
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  shaved skin still shows signs of the tarring and feathering 
  the crew gave him as a cruel joke not so long ago.
  Owlbear Hartshorn 
  CR 1
  XP 400
  Male human fighter 2
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init –1; Senses Perception –2
  DEFENSE
  AC 9, touch 9, flat-footed 9 (–1 Dex)
  hp 24 (2d10+9)
  Fort +5, Ref –1, Will –2; +1 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities bravery +1
  Weaknesses blind in one eye
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 feet
  Melee unarmed strike +5 (1d3+3 nonlethal) or 
  club +5 (1d6+3)
  Ranged barrel +1 (1d6+3) or
  club +1 (1d6+3)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Owlbear fights with his fists, dealing nonlethal 
  damage until reduced to 15 hit points or fewer (see Morale 
  below). If grappled, he attempts to break the grapple, but 
  goes to back to using his fists as soon as he is free.
  Morale If Owlbear is reduced to 15 hit points, Plugg hurls a 
  club in his direction. Owlbear naturally picks up the club 
  and continues the fight with the weapon. If reduced to 10 
  hit points or fewer, Owlbear cries and tries to back away, 
  but is pushed back into combat by Plugg and his mates.
  STATISTICS
  Str 17, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 6, Cha 10
  Base Atk +2; CMB +5; CMD 14
  Feats Catch Off-Guard, Intimidating Prowess, Throw 
  Anything, Toughness
  Skills Climb +8, Intimidate +8
  Languages Common
  Other Gear handful of live crabs
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Blind in One Eye (Ex) A character who makes a DC 10 
  Perception or Sense Motive check notices that Owlbear is 
  blind in his left eye and very slow. If his opponent notices 
  this and attempts to fight Owlbear from that side, that PC 
  can make a DC 10 Acrobatics or Bluff check each round to 
  easily avoid Owlbear’s clumsy blows.
  Development: If the PC defeats Owlbear, that character 
  gains a +2 circumstance bonus on all future checks 
  (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Perform) to influence 
  the NPCs on the ship for the remainder of the adventure. 
  This circumstance bonus stacks with other bonuses. 
  If the PC backs away when Owlbear does, he gains an 
  even more valuable boon—Owlbear’s friendship. The 
  towering hulk is not used to being treated with respect 
  and kindness, and becomes helpful in attitude to that PC 
  for the rest of the adventure. Although Owlbear is kept 
  belowdecks most of the time, he can be a useful ally when 
  the PCs mutiny at the end of the adventure.
  Mr. Plugg keeps a close eye on the PCs, and if anyone 
  attempts to fix the fight with magic, or if the PC fighting 
  Owlbear draws a weapon, the offending character is given 
  six lashes for the transgression. If the PCs kills Owlbear, 
  the punishment is a dozen lashes with the cat.
  Story Award: If Owlbear is defeated (or the PCs gain his 
  friendship), award the PCs his full XP value.
  dAy 8: the Storm (cr 2)
  After a day of heavy winds and rain, a storm well and 
  truly hits the Wormwood on the eighth day. The ship is 
  tossed about on the high seas and all hands are called on 
  deck to work, including the cook’s mate. All of the crew is 
  required in the rigging, and the PCs are assigned random 
  tasks from the rigger task list. The DC of all such tasks is 
  increased by +2. The crew must stay up all night battling 
  the storm—there is no evening rest or entertainment, 
  and after the evening meal (ship’s biscuit only, on this 
  occasion), assign the PCs new tasks from the rigger task 
  list. The PCs must make DC 14 Constitution checks to 
  avoid becoming fatigued at the end of their second shift; 
  PCs who are already fatigued and fail this check become 
  exhausted and drop to sleep at work, an act that earns 
  them each six lashes the following day as punishment.
  At some point during the storm, a friendly NPC (your 
  choice, but not Ambrose Kroop or Sandara Quinn) goes 
  overboard. Swimming in stormy waters requires a DC 20 
  Swim check. The NPC must make two consecutive DC 20 
  Swim checks within 12 checks or the Wormwood vanishes 
  from sight and the character is lost at sea. The PCs can try 
  to rescue the overboard NPC by tossing rope to them. To 
  get the rope close enough, a PC must make a ranged touch 
  attack against the character in the water (range increment 
  10 feet). On the first round, the NPC is 10 feet away. Each 
  succeeding round, the NPC drifts 1d3×10 feet farther away 
  from the ship. If the attack misses, the rope lands too far 
  away to help and must be drawn back and thrown again 
  or a new rope must be thrown (use the rules for splash 
  weapons [Core Rulebook 202] to see where the rope lands). If 
  the attack hits, the NPC in the water gains a bonus on his 
  Swim checks equal to twice the total Strength modifiers 
  of those hauling the rope. Up to three characters can add 
  their Strength modifiers to help in this way. If the NPCs 
  fails the Swim check by 5 or more, he loses his grip on the 
  rope and it must be drawn back and thrown again or a new 
  rope must be thrown.
  When the night shift ends, the next day’s work begins, 
  and new tasks are assigned using the normal task tables. 
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  The PCs must make DC 18 Constitution checks to avoid 
  becoming fatigued or exhausted as detailed above.
  Story Award: Award the PCs 600 XP for surviving the 
  storm. If they rescue the NPC who falls overboard, award 
  them XP as if they had defeated that NPC in combat.
  dAy 11: trouble in the Sun (cr 3)
  Approaching the Slithering Coast, the waters become 
  shallow and navigation is tricky. As the afternoon 
  wears on, Mr. Plugg calls the PCs together on 
  the main deck. At his feet lie four crab pots. 
  Plugg informs the PCs that the captain wants 
  fresh crab for supper. Plugg points to a reef 
  lying some 200 feet north of the ship and 
  instructs the PCs and one of the NPCs 
  friendly to them to swim to the reef, fill 
  the pots with crabs, and swim back. Plugg 
  brooks no further discussion. 
  The waters are calm (DC 10 Swim checks) 
  and clear (visibility 100 feet). The initial 
  swim across the open water passes 
  without event, and the PCs soon 
  approach a superb coral reef, 
  measuring approximately 100 
  yards square, lying between 5 
  and 30 feet below the surface. 
  Many crabs inhabit the reef, and 
  each round, each PC can make a DC 
  10 Perception or Survival check to spot a 
  crab, followed by a DC 10 Swim check to swim down and 
  catch that crab. Four crabs are required to fill a pot. 
  Creatures: Two reefclaws lair in the reef. They swim 
  out from the cover of the coral to attack 1d4 rounds after 
  the PCs arrive at the reef, eager to get a rare taste of 
  human flesh.
  Reefclaws (2)  
  CR 1
  XP 400 each
  hp 13 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 234)
  TACTICS 
  Morale The reefclaws are tenacious in combat and fight to 
  the death, wanting to feast upon these tasty new morsels. 
  Treasure: Reefclaws make very good eating, and a single 
  reefclaw fills a crab pot. If the PCs bring back any reefclaws 
  for the captain’s supper, the captain rewards them by 
  returning all of one PC’s equipment. If the chosen PC has 
  already reclaimed his or her equipment, the captain rewards 
  the PCs with a potion of cure moderate wounds instead.
  dAy 14: boArding School
  The PCs are excused from their regular work today, as they 
  are to be trained in boarding. This training is carried out 
  under the watchful eye of Riaris Krine (NE female human 
  fighter 7), the Wormwood’s master gunner. Krine’s skin 
  is darkened from countless days on deck under the sun, 
  and her nose has the appearance of having been broken 
  several times over. One of her legs has been replaced with a 
  wooden peg leg, the result of a wayward catapult shot that 
  took off her leg below the knee. She may be the most vile-
  tongued wench the PCs have ever met, and her language 
  makes Rosie Cusswell sound like a nun.
  Grappling hooks are an essential part of 
  piracy, used to grapple enemy ships and draw 
  them closer for boarding. Being able to use 
  them is therefore considered a vital pirate 
  skill. Krine orders the jolly boat on the main 
  deck (area A3) to be launched at dawn for the 
  day’s work. She takes two characters out at 
  a time to instruct them in using grapples. 
  The exercise consists of the characters in the 
  jolly boat throwing grapples onto the Wormwood 
  from 40 feet away, tying the rope off, and then 
  boarding the Wormwood by climbing 
  along the rope. To make it interesting, 
  however, Krine has instructed four 
  random crew members to hurl 
  objects at the boarding characters 
  in an attempt to knock them off, 
  simulating a real attack.
  Throwing a grappling hook (Core 
  Rulebook 155) requires a ranged attack roll,  
  treating the hook as a thrown weapon with a range 
  increment of 10 feet. The Wormwood’s rail is AC 5. At 40 
  feet away, the PCs have a –6 on their attack rolls. Once 
  the hook is set, the PC must tie off the rope as a move 
  action, then shimmy along the rope, requiring DC 15 
  Climb checks. As they climb, the four pirates aboard the 
  Wormwood hurl a variety of rotting food, garbage, empty 
  bottles, and buckets of bilgewater at the PCs. These items 
  (which count as improvised weapons) do no damage, but 
  any character struck must make a DC 10 Reflex save or 
  lose his grip and fall into the water. 
  Krine is determined to make the characters learn this 
  exercise. If any character fails to reach the Wormwood, she 
  makes that character do it again, but this time alone, with 
  the four pirates on the ship throwing things solely at that 
  character. After three attempts, regardless of the results, 
  Krine is satisfied that the character knows what to do.
  Development: Any character who is knocked off the 
  rope three times is given six rope bashes after the exercise. 
  Make a note of the PC who performs best in this task. In 
  a few days, that PC will lead the other PCs onto the Man’s 
  Promise as part of the boarding party in Part Two.
  Story Award: Award each PC who successfully completes 
  the boarding exercise 100 XP.
  Riaris Krine
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  dAy 17: unPleASAnt dutieS 
  At this stage of the journey, the PCs and their allies and 
  Scourge and his followers have become more polarized. 
  Decrease the attitude of any NPC not on at least friendly 
  terms with any PC by one level. NPCs who are already 
  hostile to the PCs can no longer be influenced by the PCs. 
  Scourge has also wholly convinced Mr. Plugg that the PCs 
  are trouble, no matter what they have done.
  Mr. Plugg begins making more appearances at this point, 
  taking a personal interest in the PCs, soundly abusing 
  them, carefully noting each mistake for punishment, and 
  generally bullying and trying to humiliate them. 
  With the exception of the cook’s mate, you should no 
  longer roll for random tasks each day. From now on, Mr. 
  Plugg assigns the PCs the worst duties or the duty they 
  most hate every day. 
  dAy 19: riSKy gAmeS in the bilgeS (cr 2)
  The PC whom Scourge hates the most (or a random PC, 
  if no one particularly stands out) is assigned to the bilges 
  (area A11) to help pump them out. The other PCs are 
  assigned tasks as normal, though no others are assigned to 
  the bilges. On the way to the bilges, the PC bumps into Mr. 
  Plugg and Master Scourge, who search the PC for hidden 
  weapons and forcibly remove any the PC might have.
  Creatures: Three characters man the pumps—the PC 
  and two hostile Wormwood pirates. Each pirate carries a 
  hidden dagger. The PC can make a DC 12 Perception check 
  to spot the hidden weapons. After a few minutes, one of the 
  pirates accuses the PC of slacking. The other pirate quickly 
  joins in and attacks the PC, intending to kill the PC away 
  from prying eyes and make it look like an accident.
  Wormwood Pirates (2) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 11 each (see page 20)
  Development: Keelhauling is the normal penalty for 
  killing a member of the crew, but if they kill the PC, the 
  pirates topple several barrels over the PC’s body, claiming 
  the death was a terrible accident. If the PC kills the 
  pirates and the deaths are discovered, the PC is locked in 
  the sweatbox to await keelhauling on the following day. 
  Fortunately for that PC, the Wormwood encounters another 
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  ship before the punishment can be carried out, and the PC 
  is released to join the boarding party (see Part Two).
  dAy 20: SAilS on the horizon
  A lookout cries “Ship ahoy!” late in the afternoon, and 
  Captain Harrigan immediately turns the Wormwood to 
  pursue its prey. As the evening wears on, the Wormwood 
  gradually gains on the other ship, and by dawn, less than 
  half a mile separates the two.
  dAy 21: PirAcy!
  The Wormwood closes on the ship sighted the previous 
  day. Proceed to Part Two.
  Part two: the man’s PromIse
  The PCs are about to get a taste of real piracy as the 
  Wormwood closes in upon a Rahadoumi merchant 
  vessel called the Man’s Promise. As soon as she spots 
  the Wormwood, the merchant ship flees, but her sails 
  are no match for those of the pirate ship, which closes 
  over a period of 12 hours. During the last hour, Captain 
  Harrigan instructs Kroop and the PC cook’s mate to 
  slaughter half a dozen pigs, slit their throats, and throw 
  them overboard to attract sharks to the scene of the battle.
  The Skull & Shackles Player’s Guide has rules for ship-
  to-ship combat, which will be utilized in future volumes 
  of the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path. As lowly swabs, 
  however, the PCs have little influence upon this battle 
  until the two ships are close enough for boarding. As a 
  result, the ship-to-ship combat rules are not used for 
  this battle. The Wormwood automatically closes with the 
  Man’s Promise and grapples it, allowing the Wormwood’s 
  crew to board the Rahadoumi vessel. If you wish to play 
  out the ship-to-ship combat using the rules in the Skull 
  & Shackles Player’s Guide, you may do so, but bear in mind 
  that the safe capture of the Man’s Promise is an integral 
  part of this adventure.
  The battle between the Wormwood and the Man’s Promise 
  is presented as a series of events, with the two ships closing, 
  followed by grappling and boarding actions, and finally 
  the fight between the two crews on the ships’ decks. Once 
  shipboard combat begins, the focus of the battle shifts 
  to the PCs, with events transpiring round by round, as 
  detailed below.
  bAttle APProAcheS
  As the Wormwood closes to within half a mile of the 
  Man’s Promise, Riaris Krine summons the PCs to the 
  Wormwood’s poop deck (area A2) to give them their task 
  for the upcoming battle. The PCs’ orders are as follows. 
  “The ship’s wheel is on the aft deck, just below the sterncastle. 
  You’re going to grapple over, kill the guards on the sterncastle, 
  take the wheel, and guard the ship’s boats. Kill anyone who tries to 
  get away on one of the boats. Don’t move from the wheel until the 
  fighting’s done, or you’ll have to answer to me. Oh yeah, as we get 
  close, it’s going to get foggy. Just stick to what I told you to do.”
  Krine puts the PC who performed best in the boarding 
  training (see page 29) in charge of the boarding party, and 
  issues any PC who still has not acquired a weapon a single 
  weapon (excluding alchemist’s fire) from the armory (area 
  A4a). The PCs can make a DC 15 Bluff or Diplomacy check 
  to convince Krine of the importance of their mission and 
  choose two NPC pirates to accompany them, but characters 
  such as Grok, Kroop, and Owlbear are all busy elsewhere. 
  The PCs can choose two hostile or unfriendly NPCs if they 
  wish—people do die in battle after all.
  cloSing For boArding
  The two ships soon enter into reasonable firing range (120 
  feet) and close together at a speed of 30 feet per round. The 
  crew of the Man’s Promise begins to bombard the Wormwood 
  with missiles, mainly crossbow bolts, but also with two 
  ballistas on the sterncastle attacking the Wormwood’s 
  rigging in a futile attempt to slow the pirate ship. At the 
  same time, banks of heavy mist suddenly envelop the 
  enemy ship. From now until the conclusion of the battle, 
  combat aboard the Man Promise takes place within multiple 
  fog cloud spells cast by Peppery Longfarthing (CL 8th).
  As crossbow fire is exchanged between the two ships, 
  the PCs are free to act against the rapidly approaching 
  ship. Their closest targets are the Rahadoumi sailors on 
  the sterncastle of the Man’s Promise (see Round 1 below). 
  Sailors on a ship (including the PCs) have partial cover (+2 
  to AC and +1 on Reflex saving throws) while those in the 
  sterncastle have cover (+4 to AC and +2 on Reflex saving 
  throws), as well as total concealment (50% miss chance) 
  from the fog cloud.
  If the PCs fire or cast spells at the other ship, they have a 
  chance of being targeted themselves. Each round, there is a 
  40% chance that the PCs are attacked by 1d4 heavy crossbows 
  from the Man’s Promise (Atk +1 ranged, 1d10/19–20). 
  After 4 rounds, the two ships collide, and the pirates 
  begin hurling grapples and lowering planks to board 
  the Man’s Promise. The ships remain locked together, as 
  depicted on the map on page 32, until the battle ends.
  Although the PCs have only a relatively small part to 
  play in this fight, try to give your players a cinematic 
  experience of the battle. Describe the noises of fighting 
  that drift out of the mist, which occasionally parts to 
  give the PCs a glimpse of the larger battle. As pirates and 
  Rahadoumi sailors fall or are thrown into the sea, let the 
  PCs hear their screams as they’re ripped apart by sharks. 
  Finally, describe the hush that falls over the two ships as 
  the battle finally nears its end.
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  Boarding Action
  1 square = 5 feet
  GameMastery Flip-Mat: Pirate Ship
  A2
  A1
  A3
  B1
  B5
  B5
  B2
  B3
  B4
  A. The Wormwood
  A1. Foredeck
  A2. Poop Deck
  A3. Main Deck
  B. The Man’s Promise
  B1. Main Deck
  B2. Foredeck
  B3. Aft Deck
  B4. Sterncastle
  B5. Ship’s Boats
  the SeA (cr vArieS)
  During the battle, the sea around the ships is calm (DC 10 
  Swim check). Characters who fall overboard can make a 
  DC 10 Climb check to climb back aboard a ship.
  Creatures: Six sharks swim in the water around the two 
  ships, drawn to the site of the battle by the slaughtered pigs 
  thrown overboard by Kroop and his mate. Characters who 
  fall overboard are not likely to be alone for long. Each round 
  a character spends in the water, there is a 1 in 3 chance of 
  being attacked by a single shark. After one successful attack 
  (either from or against a shark), the blood in the water makes 
  it a 1 in 3 chance that two sharks attack, and so on.
  Sharks (6) 
  CR 2
  XP 600 each
  hp 22 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 247)
  TACTICS
  Morale If two sharks are killed, the others ignore other prey 
  in the water to feast upon their own kind.
  round 1: boArding Action (cr 4)
  The PCs must cross from the Wormwood’s poop deck (area 
  A2) onto the aft deck of the Man’s Promise (area B3). They 
  must first grapple the Man’s Promise, as described on page 
  29, then climb or jump across to the other ship. The PCs 
  are considered flat-footed for the first round they are on the 
  Man’s Promise, because of the difficulty of climbing over the 
  ships’ rails and finding footing on the enemy deck.
  Creatures: Six Rahadoumi sailors guard the aft deck 
  of the Man’s Promise (two on the aft deck [area B3] and 
  four on the sterncastle [area B4]). They attempt to repel 
  the pirates at all costs. Sailors on the sterncastle are 
  considered to be on higher ground and gain a +1 bonus 
  on melee attack rolls against opponents on the aft deck.
  Rahadoumi Sailors (6) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  Human expert 1/warrior 1
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +3
  DEFENSE
  AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +1 Dex)
  hp 11 each (2 HD; 1d8+1d10+2)
  Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
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  Melee short sword +2 (1d6+1/19–20)
  Ranged heavy crossbow +2 (1d10/19–20)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The sailors fight in a well-organized way, 
  firing their crossbows at any PCs attempting to board or 
  cutting the grappling ropes as the PCs are attempting to 
  cross. Once the PCs reach the deck, the sailors attempt 
  to bull rush boarders over the side, then draw their 
  short swords to defend their ship, working as a group to 
  outflank opponents.
  Morale If reduced to fewer than 6 hit points, a sailor 
  withdraws to the sterncastle (area B4) but continues 
  fighting with his crossbow. If reduced to 3 hit points or 
  fewer, a sailor flees or surrenders.
  STATISTICS
  Str 13, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8
  Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 13
  Feats Athletic, Rapid Reload
  Skills Acrobatics +5, Climb +7, Heal +4, Perception +3, 
  Profession (sailor) +4, Swim +7
  Languages Common, Osiriani
  Gear studded leather, heavy crossbow with 20 bolts, short 
  sword, 10+1d6 gp
  round 3: the cAPtAin’S bAcK
  Whether or not the PCs have defeated the sailors on the 
  aft deck, at this point the fog parts, allowing the PCs to 
  see Captain Harrigan and two officers rushing madly 
  for the doors to the captain’s cabin below the aft deck, 
  slashing and hacking as they move. Have the PCs make 
  DC 10 Perception checks. If successful, the PCs notice a 
  Rahadoumi sailor sneaking up behind Harrigan.
  If a PC attacks and hits the sailor or alerts Harrigan, 
  the captain turns just in time and slays the sailor. 
  Harrigan glances up at the PC who acted and nods in 
  recognition. If the PCs take no action, the sailor hits 
  the captain from behind. Although Harrigan survives 
  the attack (and immediately kills his attacker), he looks 
  around and notices the PCs who could have warned him. 
  The repercussions of this event are detailed at the end of 
  the battle (see page 34).
  round 5: exPloSion!
  An explosion rocks the Man’s Promise, as Kipper sets 
  off a barrel of alchemist’s fire somewhere belowdecks. 
  Although badly burned, Kipper survives the explosion.
  round 6: Fleeing SAilorS (cr 2)
  Creatures: Three Rahadoumi sailors appear out of the 
  fog, hoping to board the starboard side ship’s boat (area 
  B5) and escape the battle. The sailors must make three 
  DC 10 Profession (sailor) checks or Dexterity checks (each 
  a full-round action) to release the boat. 
  Rahadoumi Sailors (3) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 11 each (see page 32)
  roundS 7–10: the bAttle turnS
  Through the fog, the PCs can see the Rahadoumi crew 
  scattering or surrendering. Below, Captain Harrigan 
  momentarily appears, gripping what appears to be a 
  human heart in his hands.
  round 11: AbAndoning the ShiP (cr 3)
  Creatures: A senior Rahadoumi officer and two sailors 
  appear on the main deck, intent upon fleeing in one 
  of the ship’s boats (area B5). The officer makes for the 
  starboard boat (if it’s still there; otherwise, she heads for 
  the portside boat) and attempts to untie the boat. If the 
  fleeing sailors in round 6 managed to partially untie the 
  boat, the officer needs less time to launch it.
  Rahadoumi Officer 
  CR 2
  XP 600
  Female human ranger 3
  LN Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +6; Senses Perception +6
  DEFENSE
  AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex)
  hp 24 (3d10+3)
  Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 feet
  Melee boarding pike of repelling +6 (1d8+4/×3) or
  mwk short sword +4 (1d6+2/19–20) and mwk short sword 
  +4 (1d6+1/19–20)
  Ranged heavy crossbow +5 (1d10/19–20)
  Special Attacks favored enemy (animals +2)
  TACTICS
  During Combat The officer orders the two sailors with her to 
  attack the PCs while she tries to release the boat. She uses 
  the extended reach of her boarding pike of repelling to keep 
  attackers at bay.
  Morale If reduced to 5 hit points or fewer, the officer decides 
  to take her chances with the sharks and dives into the sea.
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 12
  Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 17
  Feats Blind-Fight, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Improved 
  Initiative, Two-Weapon Fighting
  Skills Climb +6, Intimidate +7, Perception +6, Profession (sailor) 
  +6, Sense Motive +3, Stealth +6, Survival +6, Swim +6
  Languages Common, Osiriani, Polyglot
  SQ favored terrain (water +2), track +1, wild empathy +4
  Gear chain shirt, boarding pike of repelling (+1 boarding pike; 
  see page 58), heavy crossbow with 20 bolts, masterwork 
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  short swords (2), colorful clothing set with small pearls 
  (worth 75 gp)
  Rahadoumi Sailors (3) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 11 each (see page 32)
  AFtermAth
  After 16 rounds, the battle ends with the pirates victorious. 
  The fog dissipates, and a line of prisoners from the Man’s 
  Promise is paraded before Captain Harrigan and the 
  cheering crew of the Wormwood.
  Aboard the Wormwood, a party begins as the pirates 
  celebrate their victory with fine food and drink from the 
  Man’s Promise’s hold. Captain Harrigan holds a meeting 
  with his top officers and divvies up the plunder from 
  the Man’s Promise among the crew in the early evening. 
  Bolstered by gold and good drink, the party lasts for 36 
  hours, well into the next night. Naturally, no work takes 
  place during the party. During this time, the PCs can 
  take up to 5 ship actions of their choice, or do nothing 
  but drink and revel like most of the pirate crew does.
  Treasure: Each PC receives 150 gp in coinage as his or 
  her share of the booty, modified by the following factors. 
  •	 If	 the	 PCs	 took	 the	 aft	 deck	 and	 sterncastle	 within	
  6 rounds, they receive three potions of cure moderate 
  wounds and a potion of invisibility, and each is awarded 
  an additional 100 gp.
  •	 If	 a	 PC	 warned	 Captain	 Harrigan	 as	 he	 was	 being	
  attacked in Round 3, the PCs receive an amulet of 
  natural armor +1. If the PCs also killed the attacking 
  sailor, they receive a +1 short sword as well.
  •	 If	the	PCs	did	not	warn	the	captain	when	he	was	being	
  attacked, each PC receives only a half share of plunder 
  (75 gp). 
  •	 For	each	Rahadoumi	sailor	killed	by	the	PCs,	the	PCs	
  receive +25 gp to divide among themselves.
  •	 If	the	PCs	killed	the	Rahadoumi	officer	in	Round	11,	
  they receive an additional 100 gp to divide among 
  themselves. This reward increases to 200 gp if the PCs 
  managed to capture the officer alive.
  •	 For	each	pirate	accidentally	killed,	deduct	150	gp	from	
  the party’s reward.
  Development: If any PCs did not take part in the battle 
  and are discovered, they are accused of cowardice and given 
  a dozen lashes with the cat before the plunder is distributed. 
  Such characters forfeit their share of the booty.
  SKeleton creW
  At dawn, a few hours after the celebration finally winds 
  down, the ship’s bell sounds, calling all hands on deck. 
  When the crew is assembled, a long line of captured 
  officers and sailors from the Man’s Promise is brought 
  on deck and paraded before the crew. Captain Harrigan 
  addresses the captives first, offering a place on the 
  Wormwood’s crew for any who want to throw their lot 
  in with pirates. Several of the Rahadoumi sailors step 
  forward; Master Scourge cuts their bonds, and the sailors 
  take their places among the Wormwood’s crew. Harrigan 
  then turns to address the Wormwood’s crew.
  “All right, you scurvy tars! You’ve done a right good job by 
  me—we’ve got a second ship now, and she’s quite a prize from 
  the looks of her. But I still have only one crew. So here’s the 
  plan—the Wormwood will sail on to our planned destination 
  with our new shipmates here, while Mr. Plugg will pick a 
  skeleton crew to sail the Man’s Promise to Port Peril, where 
  she’ll be worth a pretty penny as salvage.
  Rahadoumi Officer
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  “As for these fine fellows here”—Harrigan gestures at the 
  remainder of the captured ship’s crew—“some of them will no 
  doubt be worth a hefty ransom from their families back in Azir. 
  And for the rest, if the life of a pirate’s not for them, they can 
  spend the rest of their lives at sea!”
  To make his point, Harrigan grabs one of the Rahadoumi 
  sailors and throws her overboard to the accompaniment 
  of cheers and laughter from the Wormwood’s crew. As the 
  unfortunate woman sinks beneath the waves, many of 
  the remaining sailors scramble to swear their loyalty to 
  Harrigan. The officers are led belowdecks and the crew 
  begins to disperse to their daily tasks.
  As they do, Mr. Plugg and Master Scourge pick out 
  several of the Wormwood’s original crew, telling them to 
  be aboard the Man’s Promise within 10 minutes to set sail 
  for Port Peril. The PCs are chosen to join the skeleton 
  crew as well, and Scourge smiles evilly at them as he picks 
  them. The PCs have little time left on the Wormwood, 
  but allow them to gather whatever gear or loot they may 
  have acquired, and give them one last chance to purchase 
  supplies from the quartermaster’s store. If any of the PCs 
  have befriended Cut-Throat Grok, she cries as they leave. 
  If she was made helpful, she gives them a gift worth 100 
  gp from the stores on parting.
  The skeleton crew of the Man’s Promise includes Mr. 
  Plugg, Master Scourge, Owlbear Hartshorn, and all of 
  the surviving members of the Wormwood’s original crew 
  of sailors, as well as the PCs, Ambrose Kroop (whom the 
  captain is glad to be rid of), Conchobhar Shortstone, Rosie 
  Cusswell, and Sandara Quinn. At this stage, ensure that 
  there at least eight Wormwood pirates loyal to Plugg and 
  Scourge (meaning unfriendly or hostile toward the PCs) 
  aboard the Man’s Promise. If there are not enough loyal 
  pirates, make up the numbers with Rahadoumi sailors 
  who are naturally grateful to Mr. Plugg for sparing them 
  and allowing them to join his crew. Once everyone is 
  aboard with their gear, the Man’s Promise sets sail.
  the mAn’S PromiSe
  The Man’s Promise is a three-masted sailing ship, 105 
  feet long and 30 feet wide (see the Skull & Shackles Player’s 
  Guide). A minimum crew of 20 is required to sail her. 
  Unless otherwise indicated, interior walls on the ship are 
  of wood, 2 inches thick (hardness 5, hp 20, Break DC 20). 
  Doors are of good wooden construction (hardness 5, hp 
  15, Break DC 18). Interior rooms are unlit during the day 
  (except for those with windows or portholes), and usually 
  have a single hooded lantern for light at night. 
  The decks and compartments of the Man’s Promise are 
  detailed below. The crew of the Wormwood has thoroughly 
  ransacked the Man’s Promise, and besides those features 
  listed below, the ship is empty beyond common items 
  such as hammocks, lanterns, rope, and a few other 
  mundane objects. At the start of the voyage, Mr. Plugg 
  and Master Scourge assign the crew to berths and cabins 
  on the ship; these assignments are included in the room 
  descriptions below.
  B1. Main Deck: Two 10-foot-square hatches sit in 
  the deck forward of the mainmast and open onto the 
  middle hold. Between the hatches and mast, a steep set 
  of wooden steps descends into the middle deck (area B8) 
  15 feet below. 
  B2. Foredeck: The foredeck rises 10 feet above the 
  main deck. The ship’s nameplate on the hull reads Man’s 
  Promise, but a DC 10 Perception check notices a second 
  nameplate beneath it. This second nameplate reads the 
  Motley. Further investigation reveals marks in the wood 
  of the hull that indicate that a previous nameplate existed 
  before that one, but it has long since been removed.
  B3. Aft Deck: The aft deck sits 10 feet above the main 
  deck, and steps lead up to an even higher deck behind the 
  mizzenmast. The ship’s wheel stands just before the rail 
  overlooking the main deck.
  B4. Sterncastle: This high deck sits behind the 
  mizzenmast, 20 feet above the main deck. A pair of light 
  ballistas sit upon this deck, next to a box containing a 
  dozen ballista bolts.
  B5. Ship’s Boats: Two ship’s boats, a cutter and a gig 
  (see the Skull & Shackles Player’s Guide for statistics), hang 
  from davits on the gunwales just forward of the aft deck. 
  The boats are lashed to the ship and require three DC 10 
  Profession (sailor) checks or Dexterity checks to launch. 
  Each such check is a full-round action. Each ship’s boat 
  has four oars and a single mast. The cutter can carry up 
  to 12 Medium passengers, while the gig can carry up to  
  8 Medium passengers.
  B6. Officers’ Quarters: This tidy cabin has two 
  portholes to allow light and fresh air to enter. A hefty trap 
  door sits in the floor, leading to the middle deck (area 
  B8). Mr. Plugg assigns Master Scourge and those pirates 
  VOYAGE OF THE MAN’S PROMISE
  The Man’s Promise commences her voyage in the Fever 
  Sea, approximately 100 miles southwest of the Slithering 
  Coast, and heads northwest toward the Shackles and 
  Port Peril. Once out of sight of the Wormwood, however, 
  Mr. Plugg changes course and heads northeast for an 
  isolated estuary on the Slithering Coast. Just as the 
  Slithering Coast appears on the horizon, a storm strikes, 
  driving the Man’s Promise away from the coast and 
  shipwrecking the PCs on Bonewrack Isle.
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  The Man’s Promise
  1 square = 5 feet
  GameMastery Flip-Mat: Pirate Ship
  B1
  B7a
  B6a
  B6a
  B7a
  B6
  B7
  B5
  B8
  B9
  B12
  B13
  B10
  B11
  B5
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  loyal to him to this cabin. He also instructs the two NPCs 
  who are most loyal to the PCs to sleep here, aiming to 
  keep an eye on them. 
  B6a. Officers’ Storage: These two storerooms are both 
  unlocked and hold the lockers and personal effects of 
  those pirates berthed in the officers’ quarters (area B6).
  B7. Captain’s Cabin: The rear wall of this luxurious (by 
  pirate ship standards) cabin holds four gilt-framed windows 
  that rise the full height of the chamber. The cabin contains 
  a luxurious hammock, a dining table and chairs, and a few 
  chests and bookshelves. A trap door opens directly into the 
  cook’s cabin below (area B11). The two doors opening onto 
  the main deck and the trap door are locked with good locks 
  (Disable Device DC 30; Plugg has the keys). The windows 
  do not open. Mr. Plugg has claimed this cabin as his own, 
  and has also chained Owlbear Hartshorn to the mast with 
  manacles and a 15-foot-long chain (hardness 10, hp 10, 
  Break DC 26, Disable Device DC 20; Mr. Plugg has the keys), 
  instructing him to kill anyone who enters. Owlbear carries 
  out this instruction unless a PC has befriended him, in 
  which case he follows his friend’s lead. The hammock is a 
  hospitality’s hammock (see page 58).
  B7a. Captain’s Storage: These small storerooms do 
  not have doors, but are separated by sliding walls that 
  can also be removed and made into a folding table. The 
  starboard compartment contains a small writing desk 
  and a couple of chests. One of the chests is locked with 
  a good lock (Disable Device DC 30) and trapped with an 
  electricity arc trap (Core Rulebook 420); this chest holds 
  Mr. Plugg’s share of the booty from the Man’s Promise, 
  worth 2 points of plunder (see page 61).
  B8. Middle Deck and Armory: The middle hold of the 
  Man’s Promise is currently empty, though the weapon racks 
  along the walls only need to be restocked to turn this hold 
  into a working armory. Steps behind the foremast descend 
  into the main hold (area B12). A second set of stairs against 
  the aft bulkhead lead up to the main deck (area B1).
  B9. Crew Berths: Ten supporting pillars behind the 
  mainmast fill this spacious compartment, with room for 
  over a score of hammocks. Plugg assigns all of the PCs 
  and their friends to these berths, except for the two NPCs 
  he wants to keep an eye on (see area B6).
  B10. Galley: This sizable galley contains a large stove 
  against the aft bulkhead and a single porthole in the 
  starboard wall. In one corner, a derrick stands next to 
  a trap door that opens into the secure storage below 
  (area B13). The door is locked with a huge, good padlock 
  (Disable Device DC 30). It takes a full round to raise or 
  lower the line on the derrick, which can lift up to 200 
  pounds of cargo. The galley has been stocked for the 
  journey to Port Peril, but the food is scant at best.
  B11. Cook’s Cabin: This filthy cabin contains two dirty 
  hammocks and a single porthole in the port wall. A rickety 
  ladder ascends to a trap door in the ceiling, leading to the 
  captain’s cabin (area B7). Ambrose Kroop sleeps here, and 
  he has also stashed a small barrel of rum he managed to 
  secure from Cut-Throat Grok before leaving the Wormwood.
  B12. Main Hold: Essentially empty after being looted 
  by the crew of the Wormwood, the main hold of the 
  Man’s Promise contains a large water barrel secured to 
  the starboard wall. Stairs behind the foremast lead up 
  to the middle deck (area B8), while a trap door near the 
  mainmast leads to the bilges, which contains two bilge 
  pumps, forward and aft. If anything, there are more bilge 
  spiders there than in the Wormwood.
  B13. Secure Storage: This large compartment aft of the 
  main hold is locked with a good lock (Disable Device DC 
  30), but is presently empty.
  dAy 1: neW ShiP, old ruleS
  As the Man’s Promise sets sail, acting captain Mr. Plugg and 
  his first mate Master Scourge gather the crew together to 
  inform them that although this is a new ship, the rules are 
  the same, though discipline on the Man’s Promise will be a 
  good deal harsher than on the lackadaisical Wormwood—
  all crimes are now punishable with the cat instead of the 
  whip. All of the crew keep the same jobs they had before 
  on the Wormwood, but they will have to work a good deal 
  harder, as the crew is smaller. From now on, the DC to 
  avoid fatigue for a daily task increases by +2, and PCs must 
  now make DC 8 Constitution checks to avoid fatigue for 
  those tasks where no fatigue chance previously existed. 
  Master Scourge ensures that the PCs continue to have the 
  worst jobs of the crew for the remainder of this journey 
  (you should assign the PCs the worst duties or the duties 
  they most hate every day rather than rolling randomly).
  As night falls, the sails of the Wormwood disappear 
  over the horizon. Mr. Plugg does not believe in crew 
  entertainment or rum rations, and anyone caught above 
  decks after dusk without leave gets six lashes with the cat. 
  At your discretion, gambling might still go on belowdecks, 
  but it is quite likely that Plugg and Scourge will hear about 
  it and act accordingly. That night, Plugg, Scourge, and 
  those pirates loyal to them hold a secret meeting in the 
  captain’s cabin (area B7), where they plot to sail the ship 
  not to Port Peril, but to a dry dock on the Slithering Coast 
  called Rickety’s Squibs, where they can make the Man’s 
  Promise their own and engage in piracy for themselves. 
  Plugg and Scourge want only the most loyal crew with 
  them, however, and plan to do away with the PCs and their 
  friends as soon as Rickety’s Squibs is in sight.
  dAy 2: WhiSPerS oF mutiny
  Friendly NPCs begin whispering their concerns to the 
  PCs on the second day of the voyage. If the Man’s Promise 
  is sailing back to Port Peril, what is to become of the 
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  group of press-ganged crew? Rumors begin to spread 
  among the friendly NPCs that Mr. Plugg might decide to 
  claim the Man’s Promise for himself and establish himself 
  as a pirate captain in his own right. These rumors 
  become more certain when a friendly NPC deduces (if 
  the PCs haven’t already) that the ship has changed course 
  and is heading east toward Bloodcove, a notorious port 
  on the edges of the Mwangi Expanse. If the PCs have not 
  considered staging a mutiny themselves, friendly NPCs 
  begin making that suggestion for them, but only when 
  the time is right.
  During the evening, Kroop suggests to the PCs that he 
  knows where the Man’s Promise might be heading—to a 
  seedy, isolated dry dock on the Slithering Coast west of 
  Bloodcove called Rickety’s Squibs. For a price, old Rickety 
  Hake completely refits ships into “squibs,” providing 
  new identities by changing ships’ lines, silhouettes, and 
  general appearance to be unrecognizable to their former 
  owners or anyone else familiar with them.
  dAy 4: A Storm And A Slithering hoSt 
  by night (cr 4)
  A storm hits the Man’s Promise in the early hours of the 
  fourth day. The wind blows with incredible force, driving 
  the Man’s Promise far off course. The ship is tossed about 
  on the high seas, and all hands are called on deck to work, 
  including the cook’s mate. All of the crew is required in 
  the rigging, and the PCs are assigned random tasks from 
  the rigger task list. The DC of all such tasks increases by 
  +2. Toward dawn, as the sky begins to brighten almost 
  imperceptibly, the storm redoubles its ferocity, and dark 
  shapes loom out of the sea all around the ship—small 
  islets and coral reefs that dot this area. 
  Unknown to the crew, the Man’s Promise is approaching 
  the shores of Bonewrack Isle (detailed in Part Three). The 
  island’s grindylow inhabitants see the beleaguered vessel 
  and approach it in the raging seas, subtly slithering 
  aboard to capture a few tasty sailors. At this point, the 
  storm is considered a powerful storm with strong winds 
  (Core Rulebook 438–439), and visibility is practically zero, 
  making Perception checks all but impossible. The stormy 
  water requires DC 20 Swim checks, but the grindylows 
  can easily take 10 on their checks, and a small number 
  manage to climb aboard and spirit away two of the ship’s 
  crew, likely without any of their shipmates seeing.
  Creatures: The success of the kidnapping emboldens 
  the grindylows, and six more of the creatures climb 
  aboard in search of prey, only to run into the PCs. The 
  grindylows immediately attack, attempting to trip 
  opponents and knock them overboard into the churning 
  waters, but once half of them are slain, the remainder 
  flee, slithering over the side in a squall of green tentacles 
  and vanishing into the stormy sea.
  Grindylows (6) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 148)
  dAy 5: ShiPWrecKed 
  As the storm begins to abate, the Man’s Promise hits the 
  coral reefs surrounding Bonewrack Isle and runs aground. 
  As the sun rises and the tide goes out, the members of the 
  crew slowly come to terms with their predicament. The 
  Man’s Promise is holed in the main hold (area B12) on the 
  starboard side near the ship’s water barrel. A DC 15 Craft 
  (ships) or Profession (engineer) or (sailor) check is enough 
  to surmise that although the ship is not in immediate 
  danger of sinking, she’ll eventually sink unless repairs 
  are made, even if the bilge pumps are operated 24 hours 
  a day. Mr. Plugg immediately instructs several of the crew 
  to begin dismantling the ship’s deck to repair the vessel.
  Early in the morning, Mr. Plugg calls the roll of the 
  crew, and two of the ship’s sailors are discovered to be 
  missing. One of the missing crew members is Sandara 
  Quinn; the other should be chosen randomly from 
  among those pirates most friendly to the PCs. If the PCs 
  search the ship for clues, a DC 15 Perception check or  
  DC 20 Survival check finds signs of where the grindylows 
  clambered aboard, as well as Sandara’s holy symbol of 
  Besmara on the deck, dropped when she was captured by 
  the grindylows.
  BRINGING TO A SLOW BOIL
  The adventure continues with the PCs sailing away 
  from the Wormwood and allegedly heading toward Port 
  Peril. However, the ship is soon blown off course in a 
  storm and grounded on an isolated island. Keeping up 
  suspense in the closing stages of the adventure requires 
  you to perform a tricky balancing act. 
  As written, the adventure assumes that the PCs and 
  their friends stage a mutiny and overthrow Mr. Plugg 
  and Maser Scourge at the conclusion of the adventure. 
  If the PCs decide to mutiny beforehand, you can go 
  along with their plans, play out the mutiny to its logical 
  conclusion, and then have the Man’s Promise run aground 
  on Bonewrack Isle as written. Alternatively, if you wish to 
  follow the adventure as written, it’s a simple matter for 
  some of the PCs’ allies to have second thoughts about 
  mutinying, especially while the Wormwood is still feasibly 
  within striking range. These friendly NPCs should urge 
  the PCs to take their time and plan such an attack so that 
  it’s most likely to succeed. 
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  Mr. Plugg is dismissive of the two pirates’ fate, declaring 
  that they were washed overboard during the storm. If the 
  PCs suggest that the grindylows were responsible or propose 
  a rescue mission, Plugg immediately forbids it, claiming that 
  it is better to lose a few expendable scum and get the ship to 
  Port Peril than to risk crossing Captain Harrigan.
  At the same time, the crew discovers that the ship’s 
  water barrel burst when the vessel ran aground and is 
  now empty. Mr. Plugg orders the PCs to take the ship’s 
  cutter (see area B5) and a couple of empty barrels and 
  find fresh water and supplies on the nearby island. Plugg 
  refuses to consume any magically created food or water, 
  fearing it might be poisoned. He tells the PCs that the 
  repairs will take a day and a half, and that the ship will 
  sail at the first high tide thereafter. That gives the PCs  
  48 hours to get to the island, find supplies (and rescue 
  Sandara), and return, or the ship will leave without 
  them. In fact, Plugg has had enough of the PCs and 
  intends wait for their return to kill them before 
  sailing. See page 50 for the events that take place 
  when the PCs return to the ship.
  Part three: Bonewrack Isle
  The Man’s Promise has been holed on the edges 
  of a coral reef surrounding a small tropical 
  island, called Bonewrack Isle. A huge ridge 
  towers over the island’s western portion. A 
  single raised tor glowers across the isle at the 
  imposing ridge, with miles of jungle lying 
  between the two. 
  A tribe of grindylows have lived in 
  caverns beneath the isle for decades, 
  but the island is well off the normal 
  shipping lanes, and receives few 
  visitors. Three years ago, however, 
  the Chelish scout ship Infernus ran 
  aground here. While most of her 
  crew was lost to the weather, a small 
  group of survivors managed to make 
  it to shore. Most of the survivors soon 
  fell victim to ghoul fever (see area C5), 
  but one castaway, a man named Arron 
  Ivy, survived longer than the others and 
  even managed to ransack the wreck of the 
  Infernus. The futile efforts of his last days 
  still remain on the island at area C8.
   With the arrival of the Man’s Promise, 
  the grindylows were able to sneak aboard 
  and make off with two prisoners—
  Sandara Quinn and another shipmate. 
  These unfortunate sailors now await 
  rescue by the PCs in the grindylows’ lair, 
  Riptide Cove (area D).
  boneWrAcK iSle FeAtureS
  The waters around Bonewrack Isle are crystal clear 
  (visibility 320 feet), but the island is surrounded by coral 
  reefs, which lie between 5 and 25 feet beneath the surface 
  and grant a +5 circumstance bonus on Stealth checks 
  made within the reef. Despite the beauty, however, the 
  tides around the island are vicious, particularly along the 
  western shore. Even on calm days, the DC of Swim checks 
  is the same as in rough water (DC 15), and creatures that 
  fail a Swim check by 5 or more are dragged farther out to 
  sea at a rate of 30 feet per round by the strong currents.
  With the exception of the swamp to the east (see The 
  Swamp on page 40), the majority of the isle is covered 
  in thick jungle—considered dense forest with heavy 
  undergrowth. Unless they are using one of the few 
  narrow paths traversing the jungle, characters 
  traveling through the jungle must make DC 16 
  Survival checks to avoid becoming lost.
  The rocky cliff that towers over the island to the 
  northwest is some 500 feet high and covered by trees 
  in many places, particularly the more shaded 
  northwest slopes. A DC 20 Climb check is 
  required to scale the cliffs, but in places of 
  significant vegetation (as indicated on the 
  map on page 42) the Climb DC is reduced to 15. 
  A single path ascends the cliff as well, leading 
  to the castaway’s stockade atop the summit 
  (area C8). Simple steps have been carved into 
  the cliff and the vegetation has been cleared 
  along the path, requiring only a DC 5 Climb 
  check to reach the top.
  All along the perimeter of the island, 
  the grindylow inhabitants have left 
  “shepherds”—small, twisted “statues” 
  made of the sinew-twined, scrimshaw-
  covered skeletons of their prey. These 
  statues lurk in the shallows of the sea and 
  on the edges of lagoons, and hang from 
  palm trees on the fringes of the jungle. 
  No two are alike; each is the product of a 
  twisted imagination. The bones show signs 
  of trauma and gnawing, a fact obvious to 
  anyone who makes a DC 10 Heal check 
  while examining one of the creepy statues.
  If the PCs approach the island in the 
  Man’s Promise’s cutter, they discover there 
  are no safe landings along the island’s 
  west and northwest coasts. They must 
  sail around to the island’s eastern side 
  to find a safe landing. The two most 
  likely sites to make a safe landing are 
  the abandoned fishing village (area C3) 
  and Crab Palm Beach (area C6).
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  the SWAmP (cr vArieS)
  A swampy salt marsh covers the eastern end of the island, 
  functioning as a deep bog (Core Rulebook 427). A path 
  crosses the swamp from area C3 to area C5, and then into 
  the jungle, and is used by the ship’s whores in area C5 to 
  hunt on most nights. 
  Creatures: Each day the PCs spend in the swamp there is 
  a 50% chance of encountering a mosquito swarm carrying 
  ghoul fever. In addition, at night there is a 50% chance of 
  encountering 1d3 of the ship’s whores from area C5 out on 
  a hunt. The ghouls travel as far as area C7 but no farther, as 
  they fear the ankheg that inhabits the fields.
  Mosquito Swarm 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  hp 31 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 193)
  Special Attacks disease (ghoul fever, DC 13)
  Ship’s Whores (1–3) 
  CR 1
  XP 400 each
  Male or female ghouls (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 146)
  hp 13 each
  c1. the mAn’S PromiSe
  The holed merchantman-turned-pirate vessel rests on 
  the edge of the coral here, lodged on the reef, which lies 
  but 5 feet beneath the water’s surface at low tide.
  c2. the FiSt
  A glowering fist of rough granite rises from the jungle on 
  the eastern end of the island. The Fist is approximately 50 
  feet high and is fairly easy to climb (DC 10 Climb check). 
  The summit of the Fist commands not only a fine view 
  of the sea and the Man’s Promise (area C1), but also of the 
  fields that form a break in the jungle (area C7), as well as 
  the castaway’s stockade on the ridge to the west (area C8), 
  which can be seen with a DC 15 Perception check. 
  An old beacon fire also sits atop the summit. The beacon 
  is some 10 feet across and consists of trees, branches, and 
  old ship’s timbers, but is unlit. PCs who succeed at a DC 
  15 Perception check discover a store of six torches and a 
  pair of tindertwigs in undergrowth nearby.
  c3. AbAndoned FiShing villAge
  A small gathering of collapsed mud huts sits on the 
  island’s northern beach. The village has not been 
  inhabited for decades, ever since the grindylows first 
  came to the isle. A path leads away from shore into the 
  nearby swamp toward the mire (area C4).
  c4. the mire (cr 4)
  The pathway slips suddenly into a large green bog. Remnants 
  of an old wooden bridge cross the bog, but only short timber 
  platforms on either side remain, leaving just the pilings 
  jutting from the mud.
  A salt river oozes through the swamp here, forming 
  a solid barrier of quicksand and marsh some 70 feet 
  across (see the map on page 42). This is the only place 
  to cross this stretch of the swamp, unless the PCs want 
  to climb the cliffs at the swamp’s western edge (Climb 
  check DC 20). The mire is composed of quicksand (Core 
  Rulebook 427), making it dangerous to cross, but PCs 
  who succeed at a DC 10 Perception check notice the 
  tree canopy overhanging the mire. The PCs can climb 
  through the branches some 20 feet above the mire with 
  a DC 20 Climb check, or they can climb up a tree (Climb 
  check DC 15), lash a rope, and swing across with a DC 
  10 Acrobatics check. The PCs can also jump across the 
  pilings sticking out of the mud with DC 10 Acrobatics 
  checks as well. 
  Creatures: A pair of giant frogs make their home in 
  the mire. The frogs stay submerged in the mire until 
  characters attempt to cross it, then attack with their 
  tongues, hoping to pull opponents into the mire. The 
  frogs are hungry and fight until killed.
  Giant Frogs (2) 
  CR 1
  XP 400 each
  hp 15 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 135)
  GHOUL FEVER-INFESTED 
  BOTFLIES AND MOSQUITOES
  The Chelish scouting vessel Infernus (area C9) was 
  carrying some unpleasant passengers when it ran 
  aground on Bonewrack Isle—a small pack of ghouls used 
  as shock troops by the captain. These ghouls escaped 
  the wreck and subsequently infected the local botflies 
  and mosquitoes with ghoul fever. These vermin are not 
  normally dangerous—they rarely swarm and generally 
  only come out at night, but the disease they carry makes 
  staying on the island dangerous.
  Creatures spending the night anywhere on the island 
  that does not have a substantial body of flowing water 
  beneath (such as the hulk of a ship or on a raft) must make 
  a DC 10 Fortitude save or be bitten by a botfly or mosquito 
  carrying ghoul fever. Creatures that are bitten must make 
  a DC 13 Fortitude save to avoid contracting ghoul fever 
  (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 146). Normal means to prevent 
  insect attacks, such vermin repellent (Pathfinder Player 
  Companion: Adventurer’s Armory 11) or spells such as repel 
  vermin, keep the flies at bay. 
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  c5. WhoreS’ boudoir (cr 4)
  A terrible stench fills the swamp here, a fetid odor of cheap 
  perfume and rotting flesh. A huge tree stands in the middle 
  of a clearing in the swamp, draped with some sort of huge 
  tent. Lurid, painted faces cover both the tree trunk and tent, 
  and both are decorated with rotting humanoid body parts and 
  carpets of squirming insects.
  When the ghouls aboard the Infernus escaped the wreck, 
  the local botflies and mosquitoes quickly spread their 
  affliction among the surviving crew. The three ship’s 
  whores fell victim to ghoul fever first, transforming into 
  ghouls and turning on the rest of the crew. The ghouls 
  devoured the survivors one by one, but were unable to reach 
  Arron Ivy, fearing the cliff paths leading to his stockade 
  (area C8). The three whores now lair in their boudoir, the 
  remnants of a considerable tent lashed around a great tree 
  (see the map on page 42). Inside the tent are more rotting 
  human remains, a huge pile of filthy clothes, and a vast 
  bed of moldering cushions at the base of the tree. Clouds 
  of flies dance above the decay.
  Creatures: Three ghouls, the rotting remains of the 
  experienced harlots from the Infernus, occupy the tent 
  during the day, dressed in decaying silks and vermin-
  infested dresses. At night, the three whores go on the 
  hunt, following paths across the isle looking for prey.
  Ship’s Whores (3) 
  CR 1
  XP 400 each
  Male or female ghouls (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 146)
  hp 13 each 
  Treasure: Among the piles of revealing clothing inside 
  the tent are a potion of cure moderate wounds in a leather hip 
  flask depicting a crocodile (worth 25 gp), three very sharp, 
  oft-used daggers (one of which is masterwork), a chest 
  containing six flasks of alchemist’s fire, two barrels of very 
  cheap perfume worth 25 gp each, a wedding dress inlaid 
  with pearls and set with three tiny rubies (worth 400 gp), a 
  whalebone corset set with mother-of-pearl inlays worth 20 
  gp, a dozen silver hatpins set with tiny obsidians worth 5 gp 
  each, scattered gems worth a total of 250 gp, 56 gp, and 97 sp.
  c6. crAb PAlm beAch (cr 2)
  Towering palm trees stretch along a white sand beach 
  for a mile or so, each around 50 feet high and crowned 
  with a wide canopy of palms brimming with coconuts. 
  Shattered coconuts litter the beach beneath three of the 
  trees, noticeable with a DC 10 Perception check.
  Creatures: Among the many normal coconut crabs 
  inhabiting this beach are three crabs that have reached 
  great size. These crabs can generally be found in the 
  upper reaches of the palm trees surrounded by the 
  smashed coconut shells. Although the crabs inhabit 
  separate areas of the beach, they use the same tactics. 
  If they spy a likely looking fleshy meal passing beneath 
  their trees or are disturbed in any way, the crabs quickly 
  descend the palms and attack.
  Giant Crabs (3) 
  CR 2
  XP 600 each
  hp 19 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 50)
  c7. the FieldS (cr 3)
  A clearing in the jungle contains overgrown fields of some 
  sort of corn. The crops have gone wild, creating a high barrier 
  wafting gently in the breeze.
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  Bonewrack Isle
  1 square = 1/5 mile
  C4. The Mire
  1 square = 5 feet
  C9. Wreck of the Infernus
  1 square = 5 feet
  C5. Whores’ Boudoir
  1 square = 5 feet
  C1
  C2
  C3
  C4
  C5
  C6
  C7
  C8
  C9
  D
  C8. Castaway’s Stockade
  1 square = 5 feet
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  These fields were planted by the castaway Arron Ivy in 
  his first few days here, but attacks from the ghouls from 
  area C5 drove him back. Having no interest in crops, the 
  ghouls left the fields alone and now a sizable area covering 
  just over a square mile lies neglected here. There is only 
  one track through the cornfield, but it requires a DC 
  15 Survival check to follow. The cornfield has grown to 
  over 8 feet in height and provides concealment for those 
  within it, reducing visibility to 5 feet. Characters making 
  a DC 25 Perception check notice the occasional exposed 
  jawbone or other skeletal remains of a humanoid taken 
  by the creature living below the fields.
  In several places, Ivy erected scarecrows topped 
  with the heads of dead sailors as a warning to 
  the ghouls, but these rotting fetishes had 
  no effect upon the undead. Some eight 
  heads litter the fields next to the main 
  path, each impaled on a crude staff  
  6 to 9 feet high. These rotting heads 
  are now infested with botflies carrying 
  ghoul fever, which swarm around 
  the heads in ugly black clouds. 
  Creatures that strike, remove, or 
  otherwise tamper with the heads 
  release a swarm of botflies that 
  immediately attacks. 
  Creatures: In addition to the botfly 
  swarms infesting the heads, an ankheg 
  lurks beneath the soil. The ankheg uses its 
  tremorsense to locate passing creatures, burrows 
  beneath the prey, and attacks from 
  below, trying to use its grab attack to pull 
  victims into the ground. The ankheg 
  does not have a network of tunnels 
  beneath the fields, as game is scarce here, but because 
  visibility is so low, the ankheg might be able to attack, take 
  its prey, and disappear without anyone else noticing.
  Botfly Swarm 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Variant mosquito swarm (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 193)
  hp 31 
  Special Attacks disease (ghoul fever, DC 13)
  Ankheg 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  hp 28 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 15)
  Treasure: The bodies of several who visited the island 
  over the years lie throughout the fields, but an extensive 
  search is required to locate all of the booty without magic, 
  as the treasure lies with separate bodies throughout 
  the area. A DC 25 Perception check is required to locate 
  each body with valuables. One body has a potion of water 
  breathing attached by a metal hook to a rotting leather 
  belt with a gold buckle worth 25 gp. A second body has a 
  rusted iron dagger in a scabbard inlaid with pearls worth 
  75 gp. A third body still grasps a purse containing 45 gp 
  and 3 small obsidians worth 10 gp each in a skeletal hand.
  c8A. cAStAWAy’S StocKAde (cr 4)
  A well-built timber stockade surrounds a small lodge in a 
  jungle clearing. Vines wrap and strangle a great tree 
  that rises next to the lodge, blocking light from 
  above. Beside it is a bubbling spring.
  The castaway Arron Ivy, the last 
  survivor of the crew of the Infernus, 
  built this stockade (see the map on 
  page 42). The stockade gate is ajar 
  and the walls are made of sharpened 
  wooden stakes 7 feet high. A DC 10 
  Climb check is required to clamber up 
  the tree. The small spring next to the tree 
  is the only available source of fresh water on 
  Bonewrack Isle (and the reason Arron Ivy built 
  his stockade here). The PCs can get as much water 
  here as they need to replenish the water barrels on the 
  Man’s Promise.
  In addition, a DC 10 Perception check notices a 
  weathered spyglass fixed onto the stockade wall. The 
  spyglass is pointed at Riptide Cove (area D1) and a 
  DC 15 Perception check is enough to 
  recognize that the spyglass has been 
  deliberately fixed in that position. If 
  the PCs look through the spyglass, they 
  can catch a glimpse of pair of grindylows cavorting in the 
  water of the cove. A DC 20 Perception check notices that 
  one of them is wearing Sandara Quinn’s tricorne hat—a 
  clue as to the missing pirates’ whereabouts.
  Creatures: Two vine chokers hide in the branches of 
  the tree 10 feet above the ground. These chokers have 
  camouflaged skin that helps them hide in the trees and 
  have adapted to life in the jungle, but they are otherwise 
  identical to their subterranean cousins. The chokers 
  attack anyone passing under the tree, attempting to draw 
  victims up and strangle them.
  Vine Chokers (2) 
  CR 2
  XP 600 each
  Variant choker (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 45)
  hp 16 each 
  Treasure: The spyglass affixed to the stockade wall is 
  weathered but still functional, and is worth 750 gp. The 
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  chokers’ lair sits 70 feet above the ground in the uppermost 
  boughs of the tree. It contains a potion of water breathing, a 
  trio of silver shoe buckles worth 5 gp each, a ghoul finger 
  with a gold wedding ring on it worth 50 gp, and a silver 
  hatpin worth 5 gp.
  c8b. StocKAde lodge (cr 4)
  The wooden door to the lodge is of good construction 
  (hardness 5, hp 15) but is currently ajar. Inside is a single 
  chamber, crowded with a large amount of furniture looted 
  from the wreck of the Infernus, including a comfortable 
  bed (formerly the captain’s), a small writing desk, cooking 
  gear, and several barrels of rotting food. The stench of 
  rot is overpowering and flies swarm within the room, 
  particularly around the hooded corpse hanging from a 
  chain off a beam in the middle of the room. A stool lies 
  on the floor nearby where it was kicked. 
  Creatures: Arron Ivy, the last survivor of the wreck 
  of the Infernus, is the hanged man. Alone on the island, 
  beset by the ship’s ghoulish whores, and already suffering 
  from ghoul fever himself, Ivy decided to take his own life 
  using a Chelish hangman’s collar, a wide leather collar 
  attached to a chain, designed for more efficient hangings. 
  Unfortunately, the device didn’t function properly in 
  Ivy’s amateur hands, and the castaway was left hanging 
  for days as he eventually succumbed to ghoul fever.
  Now transformed into a ghast, Ivy has been unable 
  to free himself from the collar and its rusty iron chain 
  (hardness 8, hp 8, Break DC 24). He dreams of escape, but 
  upon hearing the PCs in the stockade, he remains still 
  until someone comes within striking distance, at which 
  point he attempts to grapple the person. If he manages 
  to grab an opponent, Ivy uses his victim to lift himself 
  and try to escape the collar, which he manages with a DC 
  15 Escape Artist check (Ivy gets a +4 bonus on the roll). 
  Without such a lever, escape is impossible for the undead. 
  Once freed, Ivy attacks with bite and claws. If unable to 
  free himself, he lashes out at anyone within his reach 
  with his claws. Ivy fights until destroyed.
  Ivy’s stench fills the entire room, and the reek of his decay 
  has drawn a swarm of ghoul fever-infested botflies to his 
  body, which attack any living creature entering the lodge.
  Arron Ivy 
  CR 2
  XP 600
  Male ghast (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 146, 294)
  hp 17
  Botfly Swarm 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Variant mosquito swarm (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 193)
  hp 31 
  Special Attacks disease (ghoul fever, DC 13)
  Treasure: Among the furnishings in the lodge are a 
  suit of leather armor, six spears, and eight finely tailored 
  courtier’s outfits, worth 30 gp each. A DC 15 Knowledge 
  (nobility) check identifies the clothes as Chelish in 
  style, while a DC 15 Perception check finds a silver ring 
  of swimming in the pocket of one outfit. In addition, the 
  lodge contains a spice cabinet holding 5 pounds of pepper 
  in waxed bags (worth 10 gp total), a silver tankard worth 
  30 gp, and a silver locket depicting a beautiful, buxom 
  young blonde woman (one of the ship’s whores from the 
  Infernus) worth 45 gp.
  c9. WrecK oF the inFernuS (cr 4)
  The rotting hulk of a shipwreck leans in a bed of coral just off 
  the shore.
  The wreck of the Chelish scout ship Infernus lies on a 
  reef in shallow water here, some 20 feet below the surface 
  at low tide (see the map on page 42). Although the Infernus 
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  is badly damaged, its gargoyle figurehead still glowers 
  from the seabed and its nameplate can be found with a DC 
  10 Perception check. A close inspection of the hulk and 
  a DC 15 Knowledge (geography) or (history) or Profession 
  (sailor) check identifies the ship as Chelish. A large rusty 
  cage, big enough for three Medium creatures, can be easily 
  seen among the sunken remains of the Infernus. The cage 
  is still locked, but its iron bars have been pried apart by 
  force. The cage once held the ship’s caged ghoul pack.
  Creature: A young giant moray eel now lairs in the 
  barnacled, seaweed-infested hull. The eel hides in the 
  seaweed until likely prey swims by, at which point it 
  attacks. If reduced to fewer than 20 hit points, the eel 
  swims away, returning to its lair the next day.
  Young Giant Moray Eel 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200
  hp 38 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 119, 295)
  Treasure: In addition to several rusted, useless weapons, 
  the following items are buried in the silt among the wreck 
  (a separate DC 15 Perception check is required to find 
  each): three bottles of fine Chelish perfume worth 15 gp 
  each, a pair of chopsticks made from manticore spikes 
  worth 15 gp, and three wax-sealed clay ewers containing 
  the ashes of the Infernus’s last three captains, their carved 
  names now worn away by the waves.
  d. riPtide cove
  The grindylows of Bonewrack Isle inhabit a series of 
  flooded caverns on the island’s southwest shore. Led 
  by a twisted druid called the Brinebrood Queen and 
  her beloved son, a freakish and bloated giant grindylow 
  called the Whale, the grindylows have kidnapped a pair of 
  pirates from the Man’s Promise. The creatures have been 
  busily interrogating their prisoners and soon learned 
  everything there is to know about the grounded ship. The 
  grindylows are always hungry, so they eagerly await any 
  rescuers, such as the PCs. The grindylows know of the 
  human weakness called friendship, and though it is alien 
  to them, it is a tool to feed their sadism and hunger.
  If the PCs do not discover Riptide Cove while exploring 
  the island, the Brinebrood Queen sends a pair of grindylows, 
  clearly carrying some of the captured pirates’ possessions, 
  to lure more sailors into Riptide Cove. These grindylows 
  spot the PCs on the island, and attempt to signal them 
  from the safety of the water (at least 300 feet from shore), 
  beckoning them slowly back toward Riptide Cove.
  If the PCs do not follow them but instead return to the 
  Man’s Promise to sail away, the Brinebrood Queen orders a 
  full attack, leading all of her followers (except the Whale, 
  who is too big to fit through the narrow tunnels) into 
  battle against the ship and its crew.
  riPtide cove FeAtureS
  Riptide Cove is a series of low natural tunnels and caverns 
  around a deep central chamber known as the Cauldron 
  (area D8). Save for tiny air pockets above some of the 
  larger caverns, the complex is completely submerged 
  at high tide, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the 
  underwater combat rules on page 432 of the Core Rulebook. 
  At low tide, the tunnels are mostly free of water, but many 
  of the caverns remain half-flooded.
  The tunnels are littered with partially eaten bones 
  sucked clean of flesh. The grindylows decorate these 
  bones with strange scrimshaw, and tie them together 
  with sinew to create revolting “sculptures” resembling 
  lurking horrors and twisted sea creatures from the 
  depths, the product of sadistic and almost alien minds. 
  Other features of the caverns are detailed below.
   Lake of Hooks: In various locations throughout their 
  lair, the grindylows have rigged up floating hooks in 
  the seaweed. These cruelly barbed hooks are attached to 
  pieces of cork by thin, strong sinews and float between 
  1 and 3 feet from the floor. While they deal no damage, 
  the hooks grab the clothing and armor of those passing 
  through them. When entering such an area on foot or by 
  swimming through the seaweed, the PCs must make a 
  DC 10 Reflex save or be snagged by the hooks and become 
  entangled. A snagged creature can escape with a DC 10 
  Escape Artist check or by breaking the hooks with a DC 
  10 Strength check. The only way to avoid the hooks is to 
  swim above them or clear them from an area (hardness 2, 
  hp 12, Break DC 18 per 5-foot square).
  Riptide: The caverns are deep, but still subject to the 
  tides. The caverns are almost completely flooded at 
  high tide, which occurs twice per day at roughly 12-hour 
  intervals. The side-view map of the caverns shows the 
  water level at low tide. The waters are very murky because 
  of the endless tides, with a visibility of 10 feet. Unless 
  otherwise indicated, Swim check DCs are 10 while within 
  the complex.
  Seaweed: Seaweed grows thick on all cavern floors 
  between 5 and 8 feet deep. The DC of all Acrobatics checks 
  made to walk on such surfaces are increased by +5.
  d1. riPtide cove (cr 3)
  High cliffs surround a deep cove churning with dark seawater.
  The cliffs around the cove vary in height from 40 to 
  80 feet. A DC 15 Climb check is required to scale them. 
  The cove is deep, nearly 50 feet in places, and the tidal 
  waters churn considerably, requiring a DC 15 Swim check 
  to navigate. A DC 10 Knowledge (geography) or Profession 
  (sailor) check is enough to notice that the cove’s dark 
  waters indicate the absence of rocks below the surface. 
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  Riptide Cove
  1 square = 10 feet
   
  = Lake of Hooks
  D2
  D1
  X
  Side View
  D3
  D4
  D5
  D6
  D7
  D8
  D8
  Low Tide
  High Tide
  D3
  D4
  D6
  D7
  D5
  The PCs can dive directly into the water from above with 
  a DC 15 Acrobatics or Swim check (DC 20 if the leap is 
  from higher than 50 feet). A PC who succeeds at the check 
  takes no damage, while a failed check results in 2d3 points 
  of nonlethal damage plus 1d6 points of lethal damage per 
  10-foot increment dived beyond 40 feet.
  Creatures: Eight stirges nest on the cliffs 20 feet above 
  the sea, at the point marked X on the map. The nests are 
  built on a narrow ledge beneath a steep rocky overhang, 
  making them difficult to see from above. The stirges 
  attack anything above the surface of the water that passes 
  below them. Only four stirges attack at any one time, 
  swooping down to latch onto opponents. The stirges 
  are cowardly, and if struck, they flee back to their nests, 
  calling pitifully.
  Stirges (8) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 260)
  d2. the necK (cr 3)
  A narrow tunnel runs between the sea and the open cove 
  (Area D1). The tunnel is just over 100 feet long and is flooded 
  at all times. The ocean churns in this narrow space, which 
  requires DC 15 Swim checks to traverse. A character who 
  fails her Swim check must make a DC 10 Reflex save or 
  take 1d3 points of damage from the deliberately sharpened 
  walls of bladed stone lining the tunnel.
  Creatures: Four grindylows are on watch near the ocean 
  entrance. Their job is to watch the seas for intruders, 
  not the island itself. If the grindylows spot intruders, 
  they flee to the Cauldron (area D8), alerting the other 
  grindylows on the way.
  Grindylows (4) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 148)
  d3. the FrondS (cr 5)
  The tunnel leading into this natural tidal cavern is decorated with 
  the jawbones of numerous frightful-looking fish, resembling 
  the throat of some hideous aquatic creature.
  The seaweed on the floor of this cavern is 8 feet deep.
  Creatures: Eight grindylows watch the entrance to the 
  caves here. They attack any intruders, using the seaweed 
  for cover and attempting to swarm opponents. The 
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  grindylows attack as few targets as possible; they flank with 
  each other, and use their jet ability to quickly escape as a 
  group in various directions, regrouping for another attack 
  as soon as they can. The grindylows fight to the death.
  Grindylows (8) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 148)
  Development: Some of Sandara Quinn’s equipment 
  has been given to the grindylows in this cavern, most 
  notably her Besmara’s tricorne (see page 58), as well as any 
  of her other possessions that you deem appropriate.
  d4. the meSh (cr 3)
  The walls of this small cavern display strangely ribbed markings.
  Unlike many of the decorations in these caverns, 
  the markings here are simply the result of wave action. 
  Hidden beneath the carpet of seaweed and visible with a 
  DC 20 Perception check are a series of metal bars spaced 
  approximately 18 inches apart. These bars form the 
  cavern “floor” and are wedged in place, requiring a DC 25 
  Strength check to remove.
  Creatures: Two sailors from the Infernus are trapped 
  below the bars. Fleeing their fellow shipmates who had 
  succumbed to ghoul fever, the sailors drowned while 
  attempting to escape the island. Unfortunately, they had 
  already contracted the affliction and were transformed 
  into aquatic ghouls called lacedons. The ghouls lash out 
  at anything that swims or walks across or near the bars, 
  though the grindylows are aware of the lacedons and 
  avoid them.
  Lacedons (2) 
  CR 1 
  XP 400 each
  Aquatic ghouls (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 146)
  hp 13 each 
  Treasure: One of the lacedons still wears the sodden 
  remains of a battered greatcoat with five large silver 
  buttons worth 2 gp each. One of the buttons has a secret 
  compartment (DC 25 Perception check to find) containing 
  an anchor feather token. In addition, 120 gp in assorted 
  coinage lies among the decaying crab shells, dead fish, 
  and seaweed at the bottom of the chamber.
  d5. the cAtArAct (cr 4)
  The tunnel opens into a wider cavern decorated with hundreds 
  of leering skeletal parts, wriggling with worms. Four dark 
  circular openings exit the chamber.
  Creature: A devilfish lairs in this cavern, acting 
  as a guard to the Brinebrood Queen in area D8. The 
  grindylows regard the devilfish as incredibly beautiful, 
  and revere the creature as a wise and powerful ally. The 
  worms are small, harmless eels that preen the devilfish, 
  devouring any algae that grows on it.
  Devilfish 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200
  hp 42 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 88)
  TACTICS
  During Combat As soon as intruders enter the cavern, the 
  devilish uses its unholy blood ability to provide it with 
  concealment. It attacks any stragglers with its tentacles 
  and savage bite. 
  Morale If reduced to 20 hit points or fewer, the devilfish 
  retreats to area D8 to join the Brinebrood Queen.
  Treasure: Among the distended skeletal jaws decorating 
  the walls is a dull metal bracelet snagged upon a jawbone. 
  The bracelet is a single lesser bracer of archery. If its twin can 
  be found in area D8, the pair functions normally.
  d6. the droWning cAve (cr 4)
  Seaweed fronds sway gently in the current in this broad cave.
  Trap: A heavy spiked iron grille, cleverly disguised 
  with barnacles and aquatic plants, hangs from the ceiling 
  of the chamber, poised to fall on intruders and trap them 
  beneath the water.
  Drowning Spikes Trap 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200
  Type mechanical; Perception DC 20; Disable Device DC 25
  EFFECTS
  Trigger location; Reset manual
  Effect Falling iron grille (6d6 damage, DC 15 Reflex save avoids); 
  multiple targets (all targets in a 20-ft. square). Anyone hit 
  by the trap is trapped beneath the grille. Trapped creatures 
  must make a successful DC 15 Escape Artist check or DC 20 
  Strength check, or destroy the portcullis (hardness 10, hp 30,  
  Break DC 28) to escape. Up to six Medium creatures can 
  attempt to lift the portcullis at one time.
  d7. the gullet (cr 5)
  This cavern has been carved to resemble the interior of some 
  great sea creature, its ribs towering over and around the chamber.
  The waters of this cavern are deep and form a small 
  eddy of conflicting tides, resulting in a light riptide. The 
  seaweed on the floor of the chamber is 5 feet deep.
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  Creatures: Eight more grindylows lurk in this chamber. 
  They attack using the same tactics as the grindylows in 
  area D3.
  Grindylows (8) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 5 each (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 148)
  Treasure: Among the countless smaller skeletal fetishes 
  here are a scrimshawed hammerhead shark skull with a 
  piece of driftwood thrust through it. The skull is worth 
  250 gp, while the driftwood is a wand of mirror image (23 
  charges). There is also an ivory walrus tusk set with gold 
  with a scrimshawed map of the Shackles worth 400 gp, 
  and a curious harp made from the jaw of an orca set with 
  pearls worth 500 gp.
  d8. the cAuldron (cr 6)
  Hundreds of remains float in this large bowl of water, which 
  churns with bones, scraps of flesh, and the carcasses of 
  strange, almost alien fish. Just visible through the roiling stew 
  are humanoid bodies floating in the water, wan corpses drifting 
  near the bottom of this cauldron like sleeping guardians.
  The water churns and seethes in this cavern, giving 
  occasional glimpses of its contents but mostly concealing 
  anything beneath its surface. Visibility is generally 5 feet 
  or less in the water.
  Characters tripped within the Cauldron must make a 
  DC 10 Swim check or begin sinking to the bottom of the 
  chamber at a rate of 15 feet per round.
  Two figures hang from the ceiling above the churning 
  water, bound hand and foot with thick strands of seaweed 
  and sinew and weighted with heavy ingots of silver—the 
  kidnapped sailors from the Man’s Promise, including 
  Sandara Quinn. Both characters are wounded—Sandara 
  is currently at 10 hit points, while the other NPC has but 
  1 hit point remaining, having been partially eaten alive 
  by the grindylows.
  Creatures: The Brinebrood Queen, matriarch of the 
  grindylows of Bonewrack Isle, lives in this cavern with 
  her beloved son the Whale. The Brinebrood Queen claims 
  divine descent from Lamashtu, a patent lie, but her devoted 
  followers believe anything that the unhinged aberration 
  says and worship her as the divine get of gods. When the 
  Brinebrood Queen was blessed with the birth of a son, her 
  focus changed to feeding her progeny, for the Whale never 
  stops growing, and the Brinebrood Queen endlessly seeks 
  sustenance to keep her precious child fed.
  The Whale is an obscene, bloated monstrosity with 
  a gaping, toothy maw, now grown more than twice as 
  large as its mother and her followers—so large, in fact, 
  that it can no longer fit through the tunnels exiting 
  the Cauldron. The Queen regards the Whale’s freakish 
  growth as a divine blessing, as well as a warning to keep 
  her precious cherub close.
  In addition, two lacedons are chained to the bottom 
  of the cavern with masterwork manacles. The aquatic 
  ghouls attack anything that sinks to the bottom of the 
  Cauldron, but are unable to reach farther than 10 feet 
  up. The pair were formerly sailors on the Infernus, and 
  one of the lacedons bears a tattoo of a five-pointed star 
  being eaten by a whale on its naked body. Anyone making 
  a cursory examination of the lacedons notices the tattoo, 
  while a DC 15 Knowledge (history) or (local) check can 
  identify the tattoo as the symbol of the Majestrix Malus, a 
  scouting arm of the imperial navy of Cheliax.
  As soon as the PCs enter the Cauldron, the Brinebrood 
  Queen screams in hunger and cuts the bonds holding the 
  two captive pirates above the water. The weight of the silver 
  ingots immediately drags them beneath the surface, and they 
  sink to the bottom of the Cauldron the round after. Unless 
  PCs help them, they are quickly attacked by the lacedons on 
  the bottom. Meanwhile, the Queen and her son concentrate 
  their attacks on anyone remaining on the surface.
  The Brinebrood Queen 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Female grindylow druid (aquatic) 4 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 
  148, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 98)
  NE Small aberration (aquatic)
  Init +2 (+4 in aquatic terrain); Senses darkvision 60 ft.; 
  Perception +8 (+10 in aquatic terrain)
  DEFENSE
  AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)
  hp 26 (5d8+4)
  Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +9; +4 vs. water spells and aquatic or 
  water subtype abilities
  Defensive Abilities resist ocean’s fury
  OFFENSE
  Speed 15 ft., swim 30 ft., jet 200 ft.
  Melee vindictive harpoon +7 (1d6+4/×3)
  Ranged vindictive harpoon +7 (1d6+3/×3)
  Special Attacks icicle (1d6+2 cold damage, 6/day), tangling 
  tentacles
  Druid Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +7)
  2nd—barkskin, chill metal, fog cloudD
  1st—entangle (DC 14), hydraulic push*, longstrider, 
  obscuring mistD, speak with animals
  0 (at will)—detect magic, flare (DC 13), guidance, resistance
  D Domain spell; Domain Water
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  TACTICS
  Before Combat The Brinebrood Queen casts barkskin and 
  speak with animals before combat.
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  During Combat The Queen uses her wand of summon 
  nature’s ally II to summon an octopus (she never summons 
  a squid) to attack foes, then casts entangle against groups 
  and chill metal against any armor-wearing opponents. 
  The Queen stalks prey through the rot-infested soup of 
  her lair, flanking with the Whale and attacking with her 
  vindictive harpoon.
  Morale The Brinebrood Queen fights to the death so long as 
  her beloved child survives. If the Whale is slain, however, 
  she uses her jet ability to flee Riptide Cove for the deep 
  waters of the sea.
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 12
  Base Atk +3; CMB +4 (+8 trip with tangling tentacles); CMD 
  16 (24 vs. trip)
  Feats Combat Casting, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (harpoon), 
  Power Attack
  Skills Escape Artist +8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge 
  (geography) +4 (+6 in aquatic terrain), Knowledge (nature) 
  +8, Perception +8 (+10 in aquatic terrain), Spellcraft +4, 
  Stealth +16 (+18 in aquatic terrain), Survival +5 (+7 in 
  aquatic terrain), Swim +16 (+18 in aquatic terrain)
  Languages Aquan
  SQ amphibious, aquatic adaptation, natural swimmer, 
  nature bond (Water domain), nature sense, wild empathy 
  (aquatic) +5
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, 
  wand of summon nature’s ally II (12 
  charges); Other Gear vindictive harpoon 
  (+1 returning harpoon; see page 59), 
  lobster pot containing grindylow flensing 
  knives including two masterwork daggers, a 
  masterwork silver dagger, a rusting 
  masterwork cold iron sickle, 
  a scrimshaw blade of great 
  workmanship depicting an 
  octopus worth 125 gp, and  
  12 other blades of varying 
  shape and quality
  The Whale 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  Male advanced grindylow (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 148)
  CE Large aberration (aquatic)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15 (+6 natural, –1 size)
  hp 31 (3d8+18)
  Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +3
  OFFENSE
  Speed 15 ft., swim 30 ft., jet 200 ft.
  Melee bite +6 (1d8+7 plus grab)
  Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
  Special Attacks swallow whole (1d8+7 damage, AC 13, 3 hp), 
  tangling tentacles
  TACTICS
  During Combat The Whale’s distended mouth enables it to 
  swallow opponents whole, and its hunger drives it to this 
  action, though it may regret doing so later. If a swallowed 
  The Brinebrood Queen
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  victim deals damage to the Whale, the giant grindylow 
  vomits up its undigested meal on the following round as 
  a free action.
  Morale Unable to leave the confines of the Cauldron, the 
  Whale fights to the death. If the Brinebrood Queen is 
  slain, the Whale flies into an incredible rage, focusing its 
  attacks solely on the character who killed her, ignoring 
  any other threats to avenge its dead mother.
  STATISTICS
  Str 20, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 9
  Base Atk +2; CMB +8 (+12 grapple, +12 trip 
  with tangling tentacles); CMD 18 (26 vs. trip)
  Feats Improved Initiative, Toughness
  Skills Stealth +6, Survival +6, Swim +19
  Languages Aquan
  SQ amphibious
  Lacedons (2) 
  CR 1 
  XP 400 each
  Aquatic ghouls (Pathfinder RPG 
  Bestiary 146)
  hp 13 each
  Treasure: Dozens of scrimshaw objects 
  litter the chamber in various nooks and 
  crannies carved into the walls. Although 
  many of these items are merely curious, 
  repulsive, or both, among them are the 
  jawbone of a shark carved with scrimshaw images of a vast 
  octopus eating whales and containing a dozen silver and 
  gold rings hammered into it (worth 250 gp), a huge hooked 
  tooth from some colossal sea creature with a seaweed-
  plugged cavity containing six pearls worth 75 gp each, 
  and a whale skull weighing 25 pounds whose scrimshaw 
  carvings function as arcane scrolls of alter self, black tentacles, 
  blur, color spray, daylight, enlarge person, hypnotism, slow, touch 
  of idiocy, and vampiric touch.
  In addition, a total of eight 4-pound silver ingots are 
  attached to Sandara Quinn and the other captive pirate, 
  each worth 20 gp. The rest of their equipment lies 
  scattered on the floor among the lacedons’ masterwork 
  manacles, along with four +1 heavy crossbow bolts, a silver 
  spearhead, an iron bracelet (a single lesser bracer of archery, 
  the twin of the one found in area D5), 211 sp, and 136 gp in 
  assorted coins.
  Finally, Sandara Quinn gives the PCs her Besmara’s 
  tricorne (see page 58) as a token of her gratitude for 
  rescuing her.
  Story Award: Award the PCs 800 XP for successfully 
  rescuing Sandara Quinn.
  Development: If the PCs rescue the second captive 
  pirate, that NPC immediately becomes helpful toward 
  the PCs and throws in his lot with them, regardless of his 
  previous attitude. If the NPC was an ally of Mr. Plugg, he 
  also tells the PCs of Plugg’s plan to kill them when they 
  return to the Man’s Promise. 
  mutiny! (cr vArieS)
  The PCs can lead a mutiny against Mr. Plugg and Master 
  Scourge at any time, of course, but the most advantageous 
  time is likely when they return to the Man’s Promise after 
  exploring Bonewrack Isle. If the PCs have not 
  already made such plans, Plugg and 
  Scourge decide to take the PCs out 
  of the picture anyway, and attack 
  the PCs as soon as they return 
  from the island.
  Creatures: Mr. Plugg and 
  Master Scourge lead at least 
  eight Wormwood pirates loyal to 
  them (those unfriendly or hostile 
  toward the PCs), though this 
  number might vary depending 
  on the PCs’ actions and influence 
  on the crew. Owlbear Hartshorn 
  joins them as well, unless he was 
  befriended by one of the PCs, in which 
  case he supports the PCs. Ambrose Kroop 
  and Sandara Quinn fight on the side of 
  the PCs, along with any of the Wormwood 
  pirates who are friendly or helpful toward 
  the PCs. Any NPCs who are indifferent toward the PCs do 
  not participate in the battle. Remember that the advantage 
  goes to the side that acts with surprise, and if the PCs 
  don’t act first, Mr. Plugg and his loyal crew attack the PCs 
  and their allies with missile fire as the PCs approach the 
  Man’s Promise from the sea.
  How this battle works out depends upon the 
  circumstances of the mutiny. As the identity and abilities 
  of both allies and enemies depend upon the PCs’ actions, 
  the resolution of this battle likely requires some planning 
  on your part, based on who is loyal to whom. If the 
  PCs have overwhelming numbers, Plugg and Scourge 
  might challenge the PCs to face them directly, just the 
  PCs against the two of them. That said, if the PCs have 
  worked hard to befriend the majority of the crew and get 
  those NPCs on their side, then an easy fight between the 
  PCs and their many allies versus Plugg, Scourge, and just 
  a few supporters can be considered the PCs’ just reward 
  for their hard work and success in befriending the crew. 
  However the battle plays out, those Wormwood pirates 
  loyal to Mr. Plugg attempt to flee when reduced to 4 hit 
  points, and surrender if Mr. Plugg is slain.
  Mr. Plugg 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200
  hp 47 (see page 54)
  The Whale
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  Master Scourge 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  hp 32 (see page 21)
  Wormwood Pirates (8) 
  CR 1/2
  XP 200 each
  hp 11 each (see page 20)
  Infamy: Increase the PCs’ Disrepute and Infamy scores 
  (see page 62) by 2 for successfully mutinying and taking 
  command of the Man’s Promise.
  concludIng the adventure
  Regardless of when the PCs stage their mutiny, the crew has 
  finished repairing the Man’s Promise by the time the PCs 
  return to the ship. But the adventure does not necessarily 
  end when the PCs leave Bonewrack Isle. The PCs might 
  still need to resolve a mutiny, and if the PCs failed to deal 
  with the grindylows on the island, the creatures attack the 
  Man’s Promise in force before it can set sail.
  The Brinebrood Queen lives for her son, and if the 
  PCs defeated the Whale but the Queen escaped, she vows 
  revenge. The Brinebrood Queen flees in madness and 
  anger into the deepest trenches of the darkest oceans, 
  where light is unknown. In that dark abyss she whispers 
  to obscene things of the night, calling them to the surface 
  to avenge her beloved son, the grandson of a goddess. 
  This gives you a great opportunity to plague the PCs with 
  a returning foe in later adventures.
  Assuming the mutiny is a success and Mr. Plugg and 
  Master Scourge are defeated, any surviving pirates are keen 
  to remain aboard under the PCs’ command, regardless 
  of their previous affiliation. After all, it’s better to serve 
  a new captain than be marooned on a monster-infested 
  flyspeck of an island.
  The PCs’ new crew does, however, point out that the 
  moment Captain Harrigan hears of their mutiny he is 
  bound to seek vengeance. Unless the PCs suggest it first, 
  one NPC (such as Ambrose Kroop) suggests following 
  Plugg’s plan of taking the Man’s Promise to Rickety’s Squibs 
  for a refit to prepare for a new life on the ocean waves. 
  The adventure concludes with the PCs sailing their own 
  vessel into an uncertain but exciting future. This future, 
  filled with the PCs’ adventures as pirates in charge of their 
  own destinies, begins in the next volume of the Skull & 
  Shackles Adventure Path, “Raiders of the Fever Sea.”
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  Ambrose “Fishguts” Kroop
  Ambrose Kroop is technically one of the ship’s officers, but the Wormwood’s drunken cook has 
  more in common with the ship’s press-ganged sailors than with its cruel officers. 
  Ambrose “Fishguts” Kroop 
  CR 2
  XP 600
  Male middle-aged human rogue 3
  N Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +2; Senses Perception +3
  DEFENSE
  AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+1 armor, +2 Dex)
  hp 20 (3d8+3)
  Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +0
  Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee dagger +3 (1d4+1/19–20) or
  frying pan +3 (1d6+1)
  Ranged dagger +4 (1d4+1/19–20)
  Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
  TACTICS
  During Combat Kroop is no fighter, and prefers attacking 
  opponents from behind, preferably with a sneak attack, 
  rather than facing foes in a fair fight.
  Morale When the odds are against him, Kroop fights like a 
  cornered dog. He feels he has nothing to lose, and rarely 
  backs down. If protecting a friend, he is fiercely brave, and 
  fights to the death.
  STATISTICS
  Str 13, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 13
  Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 15
  Feats Catch Off-Guard, Great Fortitude, Skill Focus 
  (Profession [cook])
  Skills Appraise +6, Bluff +7, Climb +5, Diplomacy +7, Disable 
  Device +6, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (local) +8, Perception 
  +3, Perform (oratory) +7, Profession (cook) +8, Profession 
  (sailor) +5, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +6, 
  Swim +5
  Languages Common, Orc, Polyglot
  SQ rogue talents (resiliency), trapfinding +1
  Other Gear padded armor, daggers (4), frying pan (improvised 
  club), steadfast grapple (see page 59), bottle of rum, chicken, 
  clay mugs (2), gold earring worth 5 gp
  Most people think Ambrose “Fishguts” Kroop gets his 
  nickname from the stains on his apron or the contents of 
  his infamous stew, but few know he earned the sobriquet 
  as a competitive eater in the low bars of Port Peril. As 
  a young man, it was said that Kroop could eat more of 
  anything, and faster, than anyone. Folks still talk about 
  the night that Kroop devoured an entire bucket of boiled 
  eggs in the Salty Swab by the docks.
  Kroop was trained as a professional chef at the Lobster’s 
  Armor, one of Port Peril’s most popular (and expensive) 
  restaurants, but when he was thrown out for inappropriate 
  behavior with his assistant, he ended up plying his 
  trade with several sailing vessels in the Shackles before 
  embarking on Captain Barnabas Harrigan’s Wormwood, 
  where he has served as ship’s cook for the past 3 years.
  An affable fellow, Kroop loves his food, and has 
  more recently developed a taste for rum, a habit that’s 
  only encouraged by Cut-Throat Grok, the Wormwood’s 
  quartermaster and Kroop’s best friend aboard the ship. 
  Sadly for Kroop, his drinking led him to bet his own life 
  against Captain Harrigan in a card game one drunken 
  night 2 years ago. Kroop lost, and his life became 
  Harrigan’s to do with what he would. Harrigan now 
  thinks as little of Kroop as he does a bilge rat, but he’s not 
  yet killed the cook because drunk as he is, Kroop is still 
  a better cook than anyone else on the Wormwood, and the 
  captain is partial to his cooking.
  Kroop’s days begin with blearily handing out ship’s 
  biscuits to the crew on deck before retiring to the galley 
  to prepare the evening meal (almost always fish stew) in a 
  big pot. Then he cozies up with a bottle of rum (sometimes 
  mixed with raw eggs) and waits for the rest of the day to pass. 
  Nevertheless, Kroop is a skilled chef, though few of the crew 
  beyond the captain and his officers ever get the chance to 
  sample Kroop’s more palatable fare.
  His only joy, aside from drinking and swapping yarns 
  with Grok, are his chickens. Kroop loves his poultry and 
  collects any rare breeds he comes across. Anyone with a 
  background in farming finds Kroop friendly, while those 
  who truly know their birds quickly discover a helpful 
  friend. Kroop’s favorite bird, a large black cockerel named 
  Black-Hearted Bezebel, often perches on the cook’s 
  shoulder and even talks to him, or so Kroop occasionally 
  drunkenly claims.
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  Kroop is a large, some would say fat, man, weighing 
  well over 200 pounds and standing only 5 feet tall. He 
  exudes an air of neglect, perhaps even despair, from the 
  bushy tufts of black hair behind his ears, to his rotting 
  teeth, to the stains on his filthy apron. He walks with 
  a wallowing waddle, particularly when drunk, but is 
  capable of surprising acts of strength. Kroop talks with 
  a thick Shackles accent, which some people find hard 
  to follow. He’s had so many lashes that his back is like 
  tanned leather, and he claims to not even feel the bite 
  of the lash anymore. After 44 years in the school of 
  hard knocks, Kroop is a man who clearly cares little for 
  himself or what people think of him. Nevertheless, he 
  is at heart a kind man, and does his best to protect his 
  cook’s mate from punishments brought on by mistakes 
  made by either of them.
  Gossip
  The PCs can learn the following about Kroop with 
  successful Diplomacy checks to gather information.
  DC 5: “Fishguts” might once have been a famous chef 
  at that fancy place in Port Peril, but now all he cooks is 
  fishgut stew. He’s so pickled in rum now, bilgewater is 
  all he can make.
  DC 10: Remember the last cook’s mate? Nobody 
  does—only when he disappeared. Just up 
  and vanished, that one, like he was spirited 
  away, or maybe dropped in a pot...
  DC 15: Kroop was so drunk once that he 
  bet his life in a game with the captain, and 
  now he’s little more than Harrigan’s slave.
  CampaiGn Role
  Ambrose Kroop begins the adventure as a cynical, 
  washed up drunk who is insensibly intoxicated half of 
  the time, dreaming of a better life. However, he is also an 
  obvious potential friend and ally of the PCs, as he loathes 
  the captain and crew of the Wormwood and longs for a 
  chance to escape. Kroop makes an excellent NPC to plant 
  the idea of mutiny in the PCs’ minds. He is not a risk-
  taker, however, and can, like Sandara Quinn (see page 56), 
  act as a voice of reason as the PCs plan their actions.
  If the PCs manage to befriend Kroop, he can become 
  a useful ally for the PCs in the future. Besides being a 
  fine cook, he has handy communication skills and can 
  also help out in a fight if needed. Kroop has also plied 
  his trade in the Shackles throughout his life and has 
  an excellent knowledge of the region and its perils, 
  personalities, and possibilities.
  As the adventure progresses, Kroop’s interactions with 
  the PCs begin to give his life purpose, to the extent that 
  by the time the PCs move to the Man’s Promise in Part 
  Two, he begins drinking much less. Away from the sour 
  atmosphere of the Wormwood, Kroop’s spirits lighten, and 
  he is only drunk 1 day in every four. When the PCs finally 
  mutiny, Kroop is sober for the event, and aids the PCs as 
  best he can. If the mutiny is successful, Kroop announces 
  that his new friends have inspired him to turn over a new 
  leaf. If the PCs are cutthroats, Kroop throws his lot in 
  with them to begin a new life. If they are kindhearted 
  dandies, Kroop sees in them a more honorable way of 
  life. Regardless, he offers his services as ship’s cook to the 
  PCs. His lapses into drinking become less frequent—he 
  is now drunk only 1 day in every week—and continue to 
  be so throughout the rest of the Adventure Path.
  It is unlikely that the PCs will make an enemy of Kroop, 
  but should they do so, he gladly assists anyone who wants 
  to kill the PCs. Having had a taste of possible freedom, 
  he wants to punish those who let him taste it before he 
  crawls back into the bottom of a rum bottle to die.
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  Mister Plugg
  Mr. Plugg 
  CR 4
  XP 1,200
  Male human fighter 5
  NE Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +3; Senses Perception +2
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+1 armor, +3 Dex, +1 natural)
  hp 47 (5d10+15)
  Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; +1 vs. fear
  Defensive Abilities bravery +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee tidewater cutlass +8 (1d6+6/18–20) and mwk cat-o’-
  nine-tails +6 (1d4+1 nonlethal) or
  tidewater cutlass +10 (1d6+6/18–20) or
  mwk cat–o’–nine–tails* +8 (1d4+2 nonlethal)
  Ranged light crossbow +8 (1d8/19–20)
  Special Attacks weapon training (heavy blades +1)
  TACTICS
  During Combat Mr. Plugg always enters combat with his 
  cutlass and cat drawn, and has no compunctions about 
  fighting dirty. He regularly uses Combat Expertise (–2 on 
  attack rolls, +2 AC) to increase his AC, and if he finds that he 
  is unable to hit opponents, Plugg drops his cat-o’-nine-tails 
  and attacks with only his tidewater cutlass.
  Morale Plugg fights bravely, but if reduced to fewer than 25 hit 
  points, he backs away. If reduced to 12 hit points or fewer, 
  he attempts to flee, hoping to fight another day. He has no 
  loyalty to his captain, crew, or allies, and abandons them 
  without a second thought if it means saving his own skin.
  STATISTICS
  Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 10
  Base Atk +5; CMB +7 (+11 disarm with cat-o’-nine-tails); CMD 
  20 (22 vs. disarm)
  Feats Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Intimidating 
  Prowess, Iron Will, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus 
  (cutlass), Weapon Specialization (cutlass)
  Skills Climb +7, Intimidate +10, Perception +2, Profession 
  (sailor) +7, Sense Motive +2, Swim +7
  SQ armor training 1
  Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, screaming bolts 
  (3); Other Gear tidewater cutlass (+1 cutlass; see page 59), 
  masterwork cat-o’-nine-tails*, light crossbow with 10 bolts, 
  amulet of natural armor +1, bracers of armor +1, shackles of 
  compliance (see page 58), leather drinking cup, betting stash 
  of 100 sp and 200 gp
  * See Pirates of the Inner Sea.
  Mr. Plugg is an angry young man. He’s always furious 
  about something, but somehow his rage simmers like a 
  stew, and even when he loses his temper he quickly seems 
  to gain control again. A sadist and bully, Plugg has had 
  a hard, desperate life—few places are more dangerous 
  to grow up than the dockside streets of the Shackles. 
  Only 21 years of age, the memories and scars of Plugg’s 
  formative years are very fresh, and now he intends to have 
  his revenge.
  Plugg is also incredibly ambitious—he intends to 
  captain his own ship someday, and he joined the crew 
  of the Wormwood purely for his own ends. Thanks to 
  his ruthless devotion to Captain Harrigan’s orders, his 
  rise has been meteoric. In just 11 months aboard the 
  Wormwood, he has wormed, blackmailed, and murdered 
  his way to the position of first mate, in truth a job well 
  beyond his abilities. He masks his own inadequacies by 
  pointing out those of others. 
  Everyone on board the Wormwood knows that the first 
  mate is the captain’s right hand when it comes to dealing 
  with the ship’s crew, but Harrigan’s other officers form 
  a close inner circle that Plugg can’t seem to penetrate, a 
  fact that vexes him to no end. Nevertheless, Harrigan is 
  sure to punish anyone who attacks Plugg, a fact that every 
  member of the crew is acutely aware of.
  To Mr. Plugg, honor, friendship, and teamwork are 
  alien concepts. He believes that discipline is the only 
  thing that matters at sea, and that the constant threat of 
  ruthless punishment is the only thing that can keep a crew 
  of cutthroats and scoundrels in line. He strikes first, and 
  asks questions later. Plugg is not a forgiving man, and if 
  someone does get the better of him, Plugg takes time to 
  plot his revenge in the cruelest way he can think of.
  Bald except for a black ponytail and sporting long, 
  narrow beard, Mr. Plugg somehow looks angry, miserable, 
  and uncomfortable, all at the same time. Bare-chested, he 
  Mr. Plugg is the Wormwood’s first mate, second in command to Captain Harrigan himself. A 
  brutal and sadistic bully, Mr. Plugg has no love for the crew serving under his harsh command.
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  wears an immaculate coat with pearl buttons and carries 
  a cat-o’-nine-tails with him at all times. He clearly takes 
  great pride in himself—everything about him shines, 
  from the polish on his boots to the dome of his head. His 
  teeth are gray and yellow, however, and his face is fixed in 
  an almost constant grimace.
  Gossip
  The PCs can learn the following about Mr. Plugg with 
  successful Diplomacy checks to gather information.
  DC 5: If Scourge is a bastard, then Mr. Plugg is his 
  mother and father. One piece of advice—do as he says.
  DC 10: First mate? He’s barely been on board a year! 
  The apple of the captain’s eye, that one. Harrigan treats 
  him like a son—but not a legitimate one, of course.
  DC 15: That cutlass of his is magical, see, no doubt 
  about that, and he wields that cat like it was his own arm. 
  I’ve seen him using both in combat. Despite his pettish 
  looks, he’s some fighter by all accounts.
  DC 20: People who cross Plugg end up dead—stabbed, 
  poisoned, throttled, thrown overboard. Take your pick, 
  they always end up dead. He has friends everywhere, high 
  and low.
  CampaiGn Role
  Mr. Plugg (and to a similar extent his repulsive sidekick 
  Master Scourge) presents a challenge for you as GM. He 
  is the main villain of the adventure, yet at the beginning 
  he has considerable influence and is practically 
  unassailable. The challenge is to make the PCs 
  loathe him without pushing them to openly 
  attack him, an act that results in keelhauling. 
  The penalty for murder on the Wormwood 
  should be enough to keep a lid on your 
  player’s desires, but be careful not to overuse 
  his bullying. Plugg oversees the punishments 
  for infractions on the ship, and does so with 
  relish, but it is Master Scourge, his toadying subordinate, 
  who actually carries out most of the disciplining and 
  poisons the first mate’s mind against the PCs. Again, 
  be careful not to overplay the bullying and sadism, but 
  make sure it is prevalent. With care, you can develop a 
  brooding hatred in your players for this nasty piece of 
  work, and they’ll relish their final encounter with him 
  when the chance eventually presents itself. 
  If your players are more unequivocal, however, 
  and likely to bring things to a head before leaving the 
  Wormwood, you should bluntly remind them of the 
  consequences of murder. If the keelhauling of Jakes 
  Magpie on the first night aboard the ship doesn’t do the 
  trick, you can have an NPC whom the PCs are growing 
  close to kill someone early on in the adventure, and be 
  keelhauled as punishment. 
  Mr. Plugg’s burning ambition leads him to make a 
  return later in the Adventure Path should he somehow 
  survive this adventure. At the table, adventures often take 
  a step away from the predicted plot, and “The Wormwood 
  Mutiny” is no exception. The PCs’ mutiny aboard the 
  Man’s Promise may transpire earlier than is written, or 
  circumstances might dictate that Plugg and some of his 
  cronies somehow escape. Plugg is certain to brood upon 
  his lost influence, while avoiding his former captain 
  at all costs. Harrigan is certain to be unforgiving if he 
  finds that Plugg has lost the Man’s Promise and yet still 
  lives. Plugg limps away and broods on his failure, slowly 
  whispering words to the powerful and great as he plots his 
  revenge. He can appear again as an accomplice of one of 
  the more powerful pirate lords or as a Free Captain in his 
  own right, with a handpicked crew of cutthroats 
  and a dozen disciplinary officers aboard his 
  new ship, the Severe.
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  Sandara Quinn
  Though a devotee of the Pirate Queen Besmara, Sandara Quinn has only recently taken up the 
  pirate’s life, when she was press-ganged and forced to join the crew of the Wormwood. Positive 
  in outlook and warm hearted, Sandara is quick to make friends with the PCs.
  Sandara Quinn 
  CR 2
  XP 600
  Female human cleric of Besmara 3
  CN Medium humanoid (human)
  Init +1; Senses Perception +2
  DEFENSE
  AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex)
  hp 20 (3d8+3)
  Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 30 ft.
  Melee mwk rapier +4 (1d6+1/18–20)
  Ranged heavy crossbow +3 (1d10/19–20)
  Special Attacks channel positive energy 5/day (DC 13, 2d6), 
  surge (+5)
  Domain Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +5)
  5/day—copycat (3 rounds)
  Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +5)
  2nd—instant armor* (DC 14), slipstream*D, summon monster II
  1st—command (DC 13), doom (DC 13), inflict light wounds 
  (DC 13), obscuring mistD
  0 (at will)—bleed (DC 12), create water, purify food and 
  drink, stabilize
  D Domain spell; Domains Trickery, Water (Oceans 
  subdomain*)
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  TACTICS
  During Combat If she is expecting combat, Sandara casts 
  instant armor, which increases her AC to 17. Sandara takes 
  every fight seriously, and once she gets started, she finishes 
  things. She targets her opponent with doom and summons 
  a small elemental or 1d3 dire rats to fight by her side.
  Morale Sandara is almost foolishly stubborn, a quality 
  that might very well get her killed someday. She won’t 
  surrender and doesn’t back down from a fight unless 
  totally overwhelmed.
  STATISTICS
  Str 13, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 14
  Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 14
  Feats Athletic, Combat Reflexes, Scribe Scroll
  Skills Appraise +4, Bluff +6, Climb +3, Heal +6, Knowledge 
  (religion) +4, Profession (sailor) +8, Stealth +5, Swim +4
  Languages Common
  Combat Gear scrolls of cure light wounds (2), scroll of cure 
  moderate wounds; Other Gear heavy crossbow with 20 bolts,  
  dagger, masterwork rapier, Besmara’s tricorne (see page 58), 
  clay pipes (3), ebony holy symbol of Besmara, pouch of Old 
  Deep Rum-soaked pipe tobacco, tindertwigs (10); Locker 
  35 gp
  Life is never easy, and Sandara Quinn’s life has been 
  typical of that truism. The daughter of a poor fisherman 
  and a seamstress, Sandara was raised in Hell Harbor. Her 
  overworked parents had little time to spend with their 
  daughter, and Sandara grew up on the port’s hard streets, 
  where she quickly learned to look after herself. She worked 
  on the docks when she could, carrying out what jobs 
  she could get, and soon developed a keen eye for trouble 
  and a reputation for standing up for herself. She began 
  frequenting the bars and taverns of Hell Harbor by the age 
  of 9 and was learning the ropes of sailing by the age of 12.
  Sandara’s calling came one night when a fleet of 
  fishermen, which included her father, was lost in a 
  powerful storm. Sandara prayed to Besmara the Pirate 
  Queen, the goddess of piracy, strife, and sea monsters, 
  and when her father returned the following day, weather-
  beaten and half-drowned but still alive, Sandara knew the 
  goddess had answered her prayers. Soon after, Sandara 
  began devoting her time to the worship of Besmara, 
  eventually setting up a small chapel on the Hell Harbor 
  docks dedicated to her.
  Just 3 weeks ago, Sandara’s beloved father died, and 
  she took to the sea, determined to live her life to the 
  hilt, not rot away in some forgotten port. She only made 
  it as far as Port Peril, however, before she fell afoul of 
  Captain Harrigan’s press gang and ended up aboard the 
  Wormwood. There are worse places to be than a pirate ship, 
  however, and Sandara has taken to her new surroundings 
  like a fish returned to the sea from which it was born. 
  She still bears the raw scars of grief from burying her 
  father, but knows enough to mask that grief on a vessel 
  such as the Wormwood. Sandara plans to make the most of 
  her present situation, intending to spread the word of her 
  goddess while expanding her horizons at the same time.
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  Crowned with a mane of fiery red locks, Sandara looks 
  like someone not to be crossed. Yet the smile lines at the 
  corners of her eyes and the easy way she holds herself 
  hint at a lighter side. She dresses to accentuate her figure, 
  and her whole appearance speaks of the sea, from the 
  seagull feather in her tricorne hat to the sailor tattoos 
  on her arms and the clay pipe thrust into the corner of 
  her mouth.
  The night before the adventure starts, Master Scourge 
  made a pass at Sandara, and she responded by slapping 
  the boatswain and making it clear that she finds him 
  repulsive. This event has set up a mutual enmity between 
  the two, while also making her a natural ally of the PCs, 
  should they accept her friendship.
  CampaiGn Role
  Sandara is designed to give the characters an automatic 
  friend among the Wormwood’s crew—in all likelihood, the 
  only one to begin with. How the PCs first meet Sandara is 
  up to you, but two suggestions might work well. The PCs 
  might already know Sandara before the adventure starts, 
  and she is press-ganged at the same time. Alternatively, 
  Sandara can immediately try to befriend the PCs during 
  their first day on the Wormwood, regarding them as 
  kindred free spirits who have been brought aboard 
  against their will. Having already had a falling out with 
  Master Scourge, Sandara is concerned about her own skin 
  and believes the PCs might make for helpful allies.
  Sandara hasn’t been aboard the ship long, but she already 
  has a good idea of its layout and has heard the other pirates 
  talking, and can share much of this information with the 
  PCs. Use Sandara as a voice of reason between the PCs and 
  the crew, counseling them to avoid attempting anything 
  too dangerous or attracting the ire of Mr. Plugg or Captain 
  Harrigan. She can use her magic to heal injured PCs, and 
  assist them during workdays by adding a +2 bonus on any 
  single check made by a struggling PC, as appropriate. 
  As the adventure progresses, Sandara has greater roles to 
  play—first as a prisoner of the grindylows on Bonewrack 
  Isle for the PCs to rescue, and later as an invaluable ally of 
  the PCs when they finally mutiny against Mr. Plugg and 
  Master Scourge at the end of the adventure. She can even 
  become a romantic interest for a PC, if you wish.
  Too Good To Be TRue?
  If met by chance, a character like Sandara might naturally 
  arouse players’ suspicions. Not only is she immediately 
  helpful, but the fact that she returns the PCs’ equipment 
  and happily casts healing spells upon her newfound 
  friends may seem too good to believe. Sandara is free of 
  any sinister motives, however, and is just as she seems.
  Suspicion can be a powerful tool for roleplaying, but 
  be careful not to overdo it and accidentally push the 
  PCs into becoming enemies with Sandara. She is a font 
  of useful knowledge and information, but try not to 
  make her too clever or wise. Sandara likes a drink and a 
  gamble, and these qualities can be used to make her seem 
  vulnerable as well as smart. She can play a significant 
  role throughout the entire Adventure Path as a trusted 
  friend of the PCs, and by starting off well you can quickly 
  make her an important NPC ally.
  It’s extremely unlikely that the PCs make an enemy of 
  Sandara, but if they do, she can become a recurring rival 
  or foe of the PCs. The PCs might very well not be heroes, 
  and their actions may horrify the cleric into joining up 
  with their enemies to oppose them, or might teach her 
  the lesson that no one can ever be trusted, in which case 
  she moves on without them.
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  Skull & Shackles Treasures
  The following unique treasures can be found in “The Wormwood Mutiny.” Player-appropriate 
  handouts appear in the GameMastery Skull & Shackles item card set.
  Besmara’s Tricorne
  Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th
  Slot head; Price 2,600 gp; Weight 1 lb.
  DESCRIPTION
  This black leather tricorne hat is weather-beaten and salt-
  stained. It grants its wearer a +2 competence bonus on 
  Profession (sailor) and Swim checks.
  If Besmara is your patron, once per day you can speak 
  a command word to transform the hat into a small ship’s 
  boat such as a cutter, jolly boat, or longboat (see the Skull & 
  Shackles Player’s Guide). The boat is 20 feet long, has two pairs 
  of oars and a single mast with a square sail, and can carry up 
  to 12 passengers and crew. Upon command, or after 8 hours, 
  the boat returns to hat form, dumping out any occupants. 
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, guidance, shrink item, 
  creator must have 5 ranks in Profession (sailor); Cost 1,300 gp
  Boarding Pike of Repelling
  Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th
  Slot none; Price 4,308 gp; Weight 9 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  This +1 boarding pike (Pathfinder Player Companion: Pirates of 
  the Inner Sea 18) is an 8-foot-long pole topped with a tapered 
  metal spearpoint and a backward-facing hook, used to draw 
  vessels closer together or repel boarders. A metal skull caps 
  the butt of the pike. On command, a boarding pike of repelling 
  can be extended as a swift action, giving its wielder a reach 
  of 20 feet for 1 round. While the pike is extended, the wielder 
  does not threaten adjacent creatures or creatures up to 15 feet 
  away. A boarding pike of repelling can also be extended in this 
  way to draw vessels closer together for boarding.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, wood shape; Cost 
  2,308 gp
  Hospitality’s Hammock
  Aura faint conjuration; CL 5th
  Slot none; Price 5,000 gp; Weight 3 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  A luxurious crimson silk hammock embroidered with gold 
  thread and gold fringed tassels, a hospitality’s hammock 
  is a beauty to behold, but no self-respecting seaman 
  would ever be caught using it. Aside from the hammock’s 
  considerable looks, a single night’s rest in it eliminates any 
  sign of seasickness (see page 26). Additionally, a hospitality’s 
  hammock is so comfortable that those who sleep in it for 
  a full 8 hours regain hit points as if they had an entire day 
  of bed rest. Climbing into or out of the hammock is a full-
  round action. A successful DC 5 Dexterity check reduces this 
  to a move action.
  The captain of the Man’s Promise was particularly 
  susceptible to seasickness, and commissioned this item to 
  make his long voyages away from home more comfortable. 
  Although he would never admit it to those under his 
  command, Mr. Plugg was pleasantly surprised to find the 
  hospitality’s hammock in his cabin when he took command of 
  the Man’s Promise, and has slept in it every night since.
  The hospitality’s hammock originally appeared on page 72 of 
  Necromancer Games’ Dead Man’s Chest.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, cure light wounds, remove 
  disease; Cost 2,500 gp
  Shackles of Compliance
  Aura faint enchantment; CL 3rd
  Slot none; Price 2,810 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  These battered iron manacles magically adjust themselves to 
  fit around the wrists or ankles of any creature from Small to 
  Huge size and automatically lock. A creature wearing shackles 
  of compliance becomes more susceptible to intimidation. 
  Any creature attempting to intimidate or demoralize a 
  target wearing shackles of compliance gains a +4 bonus on 
  Intimidate checks. In addition, the holder of the manacles’ 
  key can cast command (DC 25) on the wearer of the shackles 
  three times per day.
  Shackles of compliance have hardness 10 and 10 hit points, 
  and a DC 30 Disable Device check is required to pick the 
  shackles’ lock. A manacled creature can break free with a DC 28 
  Strength check or DC 35 Escape Artist check, or the lock can 
  be opened with a DC 30 Disable Device check. 
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, command; Cost 1,470 gp
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  Steadfast Grapple
  Aura faint transmutation; CL 3rd
  Slot none; Price 5,000 gp; Weight 9 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  This iron grappling hook is attached to a 50-foot length of silk 
  rope. When a steadfast grapple is thrown, it automatically hits 
  and attaches to any targeted object or structure within range 
  of its rope. Against creatures, the wielder must make attack 
  rolls as normal. Once attached, a steadfast grapple can only be 
  removed with a DC 30 Strength check, the command word, or 
  magic such as dispel magic.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, animate rope, true strike; 
  Cost 2,500 gp
  Tidewater Cutlass
  Aura faint evocation; CL 3rd
  Slot none; Price 3,395 gp; Weight 4 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  The blade of this +1 cutlass (Pirates of the Inner Sea 18) is 
  spotted with rust, and its basket hilt is cast in the likeness of a 
  grinning skull. Once per day, a tidewater cutlass can be used to 
  cast hydraulic push.
  Tidewater cutlasses are not uncommon weapons among 
  the pirates of the Shackles, at least for those who can afford 
  to buy one or who manage to loot one from someone who 
  can. Mr. Plugg acquired his cutlass from a seasoned old tar 
  aboard the Wormwood who had the temerity to point out 
  the first mate’s insecurities, and was beaten to death for his 
  impudence. When more traditional discipline techniques 
  prove ineffective, Mr. Plugg has been know to use his 
  tidewater cutlass to “accidentally” push impertinent sailors 
  overboard to drown in the Wormwood’s wake.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, hydraulic push 
  (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 228); Cost 1,855 gp
  Vindictive Harpoon
  Aura moderate transmutation; CL 9th
  Slot none; Price 10,305 gp; Weight 16 lbs.
  DESCRIPTION
  This +1 returning harpoon (Pirates of the Inner Sea 18) is 
  made from the jagged, scrimshaw-carved tusk of a narwhal 
  attached to a 50-foot length of woven sinew. Unlike most 
  thrown weapons, a vindictive harpoon functions as well 
  underwater as on land, and its wielder takes no penalties on 
  attack rolls underwater.
  CONSTRUCTION
  Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, freedom of 
  movement, telekinesis; Cost 5,305 gp
  Besmara’s 
  Tricorne
  Tidewater 
  Cutlass
  Steadfast 
  Grapple
  Shackles of 
  Compliance
  Vindictive 
  Harpoon
  Boarding Pike 
  of Repelling
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  The Life of a Pirate
  T
  hey came aboard, all blades and screams. We didn’t have any fight in us, 
  and they took our provisions, our extra sails, all of our tools, and our fat 
  sot of a captain’s gold. Then they asked who the chief carpenter was. When 
  everyone looked my way, they clapped hands on me and dragged me across to 
  their ship. That was one year, ten battles, and twice as many ports ago. Had I 
  known that I’d be better off on a pirate’s ship than on a merchant’s vessel…
  “Well, it reminds me of part of a song the sailors sang when I used to cut planks 
  for the Shipwrights’ Guild: ‘There’s a ship that’s a leavin’ Quent, and on you’ll 
  quickly sign. The captain’s a tyrant, the bosun’s worse, but she’ll a-suit ya fine.’”
  —Mathis Trevain, Master Carpenter aboard the Emerald Wake
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  hose sailing under the fearsome flag of a pirate 
  vessel live by different guidelines than those 
  protected by the laws of the Inner Sea’s nations. A 
  pirate’s life, for the most part, depends upon a foundation of 
  respect and reputation, a scallywag’s propensity for daring 
  raids or flaming ruin having aftershocks extending far 
  beyond the decks of his own ship. In the Skull & Shackles 
  Adventure Path, characters find themselves thrust into the 
  cutthroat lives of pirates. Their success, and potentially 
  their survival, will depend on reputations garnered from 
  their decisions, outrages, and panache. The following 
  presents details and subsystems allowing GMs to track 
  their PCs’ increasing reputation, which has ramifications 
  throughout the Adventure Path, as well as several other 
  systems and side games to help simulate the day-to-day 
  responsibilities and dangers of being Shackles pirates.
  Plunder & Infamy
  The acquisition of wealth and the spread of grim 
  reputations motivate pirates to deeds of daring and 
  depravity. The following two subsystems present GMs 
  with ways to gauge and track their PCs’ success at achieving 
  what all pirates desire most. Although the PCs’ situation 
  in “The Wormwood Mutiny” prevents them from gaining 
  much in the way of plunder or infamy in this adventure, 
  their fortunes rise considerably in future adventures.
  Plunder
  There’s a difference between plunder and the gold pieces in 
  a pirate’s pocket. While gold doubloons and fabulous jewelry 
  can be plunder, pirates are rarely lucky enough to encounter 
  a ship with a hold full of such treasures. Typically, there 
  are trade goods, foodstuffs, spices, and valuables of a more 
  mundane sort. Such takes can fetch significant prices, but 
  for scallywags more interested in looting than the specifics 
  of what they loot, this system provides a way for parties to 
  track their plunder without getting bogged down by lists 
  of commonplace cargo and their values down to the copper 
  piece. Aside from streamlining the collection of riches, 
  this system also allows characters to increase their infamy, 
  paying off crew members and spreading their wealth with 
  more appealing dispensations of loot than what was aboard 
  the last merchant ship they robbed.
  Winning Plunder: What gains a group plunder is largely 
  decided by the GM or is noted at the relevant points 
  throughout the Skull & Shackles Adventure Path. Typically, 
  at any point the PCs claim a ship’s cargo, conquer an enemy’s 
  hideout, or find a significant treasure, there’s the potential 
  for a portion (sometimes a significant portion) of that 
  wealth to translate into plunder. Plunder means more than 
  five wicker baskets, a barrel of pickled herring, three short 
  swords, and a noble’s outfit; it’s a generalization of a much 
  larger assortment of valuable but generally useless goods 
  (and serves to help avoid bookkeeping on lists of random 
  goods). Rather, a cargo ship carrying construction timber, 
  dyed linens, crates of sugar, animal furs, and various other 
  goods might equate to 4 points of plunder. Just as when 
  awarding more standard forms of treasure, a GM doling 
  out plunder should consider the challenge of winning the 
  plunder and the actual value of the plunder if the PCs cash 
  it in (see below). As a rule of thumb, GMs seeking to give 
  the characters a minor reward might give them 1 point of 
  plunder, while a major reward would be 5 points of plunder.
  Plunder is not meant to serve as a replacement for 
  more standard forms of treasure. GMs should still award 
  characters gold and magic items to keep them prepared 
  to face new challenges, whereas plunder serves as a 
  useful shorthand for what varied mundane treasures are 
  discovered and can be sold for values in gold. Characters 
  can also buy plunder if they wish, though those who do 
  so risk becoming known as merchants rather than pirates.
  Value of Plunder: Plunder is valuable for two reasons: It 
  can be sold for gold pieces, and it helps you increase your 
  Infamy (Infamy is further detailed below). In general, 1 
  point of plunder is worth approximately 1,000 gp, whether 
  PLUNDER & INFAMY  
  QUICK REFERENCE
  The following terms feature prominently in the plunder and 
  Infamy subsystems, and are called out for ease of reference.
  Disrepute: The amount of Infamy the PCs have accrued 
  through successful Infamy checks, which can be spent on 
  impositions. Costs measured in Disrepute are marked 
  with a price.
  Infamy Check: A Bluff, Intimidate, or Perform check 
  made to gain Infamy and Disrepute. The DC of this check 
  equals 15 + twice the group’s average character level. 
  Spending plunder grants bonuses on this check.
  Impositions: Incredible deeds and outrageous acts that 
  grant the PCs a variety of benefits or impose crippling 
  consequences on their victims. Higher tier impositions 
  become available as PCs reach higher Infamy thresholds.
  Infamy Threshold: Ranges measured in Infamy. Upon 
  achieving new Infamy thresholds, additional impositions 
  become available for purchase.
  Plunder: An approximation of valuable but non-useful 
  cargo. One point of plunder is worth about 1,000 gp, and 
  takes up 10 tons of cargo capacity, unless otherwise noted.
  Infamy: The highest total number of points of Disrepute 
  achieved by making successful Infamy checks, representing 
  the PCs’ total reputation. This number cannot exceed the 
  PCs’ average party level × 4 but rarely, if ever, decreases.
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  it be for a crate full of valuable ores or a whole cargo hold full 
  of foodstuffs. Regardless of what the plunder represents, 
  getting the best price for such goods is more the domain 
  of merchants than pirates, and just because cargo might 
  be worth a set amount doesn’t necessarily mean the PCs 
  can get that much for it. Exchanging 1 point of plunder for 
  gold requires a PC to spend 1 full day at port and make an 
  applicable skill check. Regardless of how much plunder the 
  PCs have, one PC must spend a full day trading to exchange 
  1 point of plunder for gold. The PC trading also must be 
  the same PC to make the skill check to influence the trade. 
  The larger the port and the higher the skill check, the 
  better price the PCs can get for their plunder. At smaller 
  ports there’s little chance of getting more than half value for 
  plunder, unless a PC can employ a skill to make a better deal. 
  At larger ports, the chances of finding a buyer willing to 
  pay a reasonable price for cargo increases, and PCs can still 
  employ skill checks to make even more lucrative bargains. 
  PCs seeking to win a higher price for their plunder can make 
  one of the following skill checks and apply the results to the 
  table below: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or any applicable 
  Profession skill, like Profession (merchant). A poor result 
  on a skill check can reduce the value of plunder. If the PCs 
  are not satisfied with the price they are offered for their 
  plunder, they need not take it, but a day’s worth of effort is 
  still expended. They can try for a better result the next day.
  The table below explains how much PCs can expect 
  to get for their plunder in communities of various sizes, 
  the skill check DC required to increase this amount by 
  a set percentage, and the maximum amount buyers in a 
  community can be convinced to buy plunder for.  Each 
  column is explained in brief here.
  Community Size: The size of a community is determined 
  by its population, noted in every community stat block and 
  further detailed in the Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide.
  Base Sale %: Every community is willing to buy plunder 
  from the PCs, but not necessarily at its full value. This 
  column lists the percentage at which a community is willing 
  to buy 1 point of plunder (along with that percentage’s 
  expression in gold pieces). 
  DC to Increase Sale: This is the skill check DC required 
  to increase the sale percentage a community offers for 
  plunder. Every community can be convinced to offer more 
  for plunder (to a maximum sale percentage listed in the final 
  column of the table below), but this requires the PCs to make 
  a skill check. The DC of this skill check is 10 + an amount 
  determined by how much the PCs are trying to increase 
  the sale percentage. For example, if a PC is unwilling to 
  accept a mere 20% of the value of his group’s plunder when 
  attempting to sell it in a hamlet, he can attempt to increase 
  this percentage by 5% by making a DC 15 skill check. If he 
  wants to attempt to increase the percentage to 30% (the 
  maximum amount the hamlet can possibly pay), he must 
  make a DC 20 skill check. Failure results in no increase, and 
  this skill check can only be made once per day. In larger 
  communities, the DC to increase these percentages rises, 
  but the percentage also increases, as does the maximum 
  percentage buyers can be talked up to.
  Maximum Sale %: This is the highest percentage at which 
  a community can be talked into buying 1 point of plunder. 
  Merchants in a community will never buy plunder for a 
  higher price than this. Additionally, this column lists the skill 
  check DC required to haggle buyers up to this percentage, 
  and how much the percentage is worth in gold pieces.
  Spending Plunder: In addition to its value in gold pieces, 
  plunder is vital to increasing a pirate crew’s Infamy. See 
  the Infamy subsystem for more details.
  Buying Plunder: Although gold typically proves more 
  valuable and versatile than plunder, some parties might 
  wish to exchange their traditional wealth for plunder. 
  In any community, a party can buy 1 point of plunder 
  for 1,000 gp. What form of goods this plunder takes is 
  determined by the GM.
  Infamy and dIsrePute
  Some pirates only do what they do for the promise of wealth, 
  being little more than brigands of the waves. Others do it 
  for the reputation, fearsomeness, and power that comes 
  with numbering among the most notorious scallywags on 
  the seas. That’s where Infamy comes in. Numerous times 
  over the course of their careers, the PCs—as members of 
  a single pirate crew—will have the opportunity to recount 
  their victories, boast of the treasures they’ve won, and spread 
  tales of their outrages. All of this has the potential to win 
  Community 
  Base Sale % 
  DC to Increase 
  Maximum Sale %
  Size 
  (GP for Plunder) 
  Sale 
  (Max DC & GP for Plunder)
  Thorp 
  10% (100 gp) 
  10 + 5 per 5% 
  20% (DC 20; 200 gp)
  Hamlet 
  20% (200 gp) 
  10 + 5 per 5% 
  30% (DC 20; 300 gp)
  Village 
  30% (300 gp) 
  10 + 5 per 5% 
  40% (DC 20; 400 gp)
  Small town 
  40% (400 gp) 
  10 + 5 per 5% 
  60% (DC 30; 600 gp)
  Large town  
  60% (600 gp) 
  10 + 5 per 5% 
  80% (DC 30; 800 gp)
  Small city 
  80% (800 gp) 
  10 + 10 per 5% 
  90% (DC 30; 900 gp)
  Large city 
  90% (900 gp) 
  10 + 10 per 10% 
  120% (DC 40; 1,200 gp)
  Metropolis 
  100% (1,000 gp) 
  10 + 10 per 10% 
  140% (DC 50; 1,400 gp)
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  the PCs Infamy, but that alone isn’t the goal. At the most 
  basic level, infamous pirates have the potential to press-
  gang unfortunates into their crews, get repairs to their 
  ships in nearly any port, and win discounts from merchants 
  they’d prefer not to rob. As a crew becomes more and more 
  infamous, however, its legend stretches across the seas, 
  allowing it to garner support from other pirate lords, win 
  more favorable vessels, and even rally whole pirate armadas 
  under its flag. This system allows characters to track how 
  their legend is growing over the course of the campaign, 
  along with providing them tangible rewards for building 
  appropriately piratical reputations.
  Infamy and Disrepute Scores: In a method similar to the 
  tracking system for Fame and Prestige Points detailed in 
  Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Pathfinder Society Field Guide, a 
  party has two related scores, Infamy and Disrepute. Infamy 
  tracks how many points of Infamy the crew has gained over 
  its career—think of this as the sum of all the outlandish 
  stories and rumors about the PCs being told throughout 
  the Shackles. Infamy rarely, if ever, decreases, and reaching 
  certain Infamy thresholds provides useful benefits and 
  allows others to be purchased using points of Disrepute. 
  Infamy is limited by actual skill, however, and a group’s 
  Infamy score can never be more than 4 × the PCs’ average 
  party level.
  Disrepute is a spendable resource—a group’s actual 
  ability to cash in on its reputation. This currency is used to 
  purchase impositions, deeds others might not want to do 
  for the group, but that they perform either to curry the 
  group’s favor or to avoid its disfavor. This score will 
  likely fluctuate over the course of a pirate crew’s career 
  and can go as high as the group’s Infamy (but never higher), 
  and at times might even drop to zero. This isn’t something 
  to worry about, though, as a low Disrepute score has no 
  bearing on a crew’s overall reputation—on the contrary, 
  it merely means they’re making use of the benefits their 
  status has won them. However, it does represent that even 
  the PCs’ legend can only take them so far, and if a group’s 
  Disrepute drops lower than the Disrepute price of a benefit, 
  the crew must spend time building its Disrepute back up 
  before it can purchase that benefit.
  Winning Infamy and Disrepute: A few things are 
  required to gain Infamy: an audience, a deed to tell about, 
  and a flair for storytelling. Proof of the group’s deed in the 
  form of plunder doesn’t hurt either.
  To gain Infamy, the PCs must moor their ship at 
  a port for 1 full day, and the PC determined by the 
  group to be its main storyteller must spend this time  
  on shore carousing and boasting of infamous deeds. This PC 
  must make either a Bluff, Intimidate, or Perform check to 
  gauge the effectiveness of her recounting or embellishing. 
  The DC of this check is equal to 15 + twice the group’s average 
  party level (APL), and the check is referred to as an Infamy 
  check. If the character succeeds at this check, the group’s 
  Infamy and Disrepute both increase by +1 (so long as neither 
  score is already at its maximum amount). If the result exceeds 
  the DC by +5, the group’s Infamy and Disrepute increase by 
  +2; if the result exceeds the DC by +10, both scores increase by 
  +3. The most a party’s Infamy and Disrepute scores can ever 
  increase as a result of a single Infamy check is by 3 points. 
  If the PC fails the Infamy check, there is no change in her 
  group’s Infamy score and the day has been wasted.
  Occasionally, deeds of exceptional daring or depravity 
  might win a party increases to its Disrepute. This sort of 
  discretionary bonus to Disrepute is noted in the context of 
  an adventure or determined by the GM.
  Infamy and Disrepute per Port: No matter how 
  impressionable (or drunk) the crowd, no one wants to hear 
  the same tales and boasts over and over again. Thus, a 
  group can only gain a maximum of 5 points of Infamy and 
  Disrepute from any particular port. However, this amount 
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  resets every time a group reaches a new Infamy threshold. 
  Thus, once a group gains 5 points of Infamy and Disrepute 
  in Quent, it can gain no further points of Infamy from that 
  port until it reaches the next Infamy threshold, though the 
  crew can travel to another port and gain more Infamy by 
  boasting to a new audience.
  Plunder and Infamy: Plunder can modify a PC’s attempt to 
  gain Infamy in two ways. Before making an Infamy check for 
  the day, the party can choose to spend plunder to influence 
  the result—any tale is more believable when it comes from 
  someone throwing around her wealth and buying drinks 
  for the listeners. Every point of plunder expended adds a 
  +2 bonus to the character’s skill check to earn Infamy. The 
  party can choose to spend as much plunder as it wants to 
  influence this check—even the most leaden-tongued pirate 
  might win fabulous renown by spending enough booty.
  Additionally, if a PC fails an Infamy check, the party can 
  choose to spend 3 points of plunder to immediately reroll 
  the check. The party may only make one reroll attempt 
  per day, and spend the plunder even if the second attempt 
  fails—some people just aren’t impressed no matter how 
  much loot you throw at them.
  Spending Disrepute: A group’s Disrepute can be spent 
  to buy beneficial effects called impositions, though some 
  impositions might only be available in certain places—
  such as at port—or might have additional costs—like 
  forcing a prisoner to walk the plank. Spending Disrepute 
  to purchase an imposition requires 1 full day unless 
  otherwise noted. When Disrepute is spent, the group’s 
  Disrepute score decreases by the price of the imposition, 
  but its Infamy (and, thus, the group’s Infamy threshold) 
  remains the same. The prices of impositions and the 
  Infamy threshold required to make those impositions 
  available are detailed below.
  Infamy threshold
  The following benefits are available to groups that 
  achieve the listed amount of Infamy.
  Title & Infamy  
  Required  
  Benefit
  Disgraceful 
  Characters may purchase disgraceful 
  (10+ Infamy) 
  impositions.
   
  The PCs may choose one favored port.  
   
  They gain a +2 bonus on all Infamy  
   
  checks made at that port.
  Despicable 
  Characters may purchase despicable 
  (20+ Infamy) 
  impositions. 
   
  Once per week, the PCs can sacrifice a  
   
  prisoner or crew member to immediately  
   
  gain 1d3 points of Disrepute. This  
   
  sacrifice is always fatal, and returning 
   
   the victim to life results in the loss of  
   
  1d6 points of Disrepute.
  Notorious 
  Characters may purchase notorious 
  (30+ Infamy) 
  impositions. 
   
  Disgraceful impositions can be  
   
  purchased for half price (rounded down). 
   
  The PCs may choose a second favored  
   
  port. They gain a +2 bonus on all Infamy  
   
  checks made at this new favored port  
   
  and a +4 bonus on Infamy checks made  
   
  at their first favored port.
  Loathsome 
  Characters may purchase loathsome 
  (40+ Infamy) 
  impositions. 
   
  Despicable impositions can be purchased  
   
  for half price (rounded down). 
   
  PCs gain a +5 bonus on skill checks  
   
  made to sell plunder.
  Vile 
  Characters may purchase vile 
  (55+ Infamy) 
  impositions. 
   
  Notorious impositions can be purchased  
   
  for half price (rounded down). Disgraceful  
   
  impositions are free.
   
  The PCs may choose a third favored port.  
   
  They gain a +2 bonus on all Infamy checks  
   
  made at the new favored port, a +4 bonus  
   
  on Infamy checks made at their second  
   
  favored port, and a +6 bonus on  Infamy  
   
  checks made at their first favored port.
  RUM RATION
  Aboard many ships, half a pint of rum is distributed to each 
  crew member at dusk. The rum is staggeringly strong, and is 
  often watered down to make grog. Characters drinking the 
  ration are affected as though they had taken an addictive drug 
  (see page 236 of the GameMastery Guide for details on drugs 
  and addiction). The rum ration is doled out more to keep 
  the crew sated and docile than for recreation. The penalty for 
  selling or spilling the ration is six lashes, or six lashes from 
  a cat-o’-nine-tails for a second offense. Deliberately tipping 
  away rum on board a crowded ship without being seen 
  requires a DC 10 Stealth check. While on merchant or navy 
  vessels rum rations are strictly limited, on pirate ships, crew 
  members can often request more rum if they please.
  Shackles Rum Ration
  Type ingested; Addiction minor, Fortitude DC 5
  Price 2 sp
  Effect variable; +1d4 alchemical bonus to Charisma and 
  fatigued for 1d8 hours
  Damage 1d3 Con 
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  ImPosItIons
  The following benefits can be purchased by groups that 
  spend the listed amount of Disrepute and have achieved the 
  requisite amount of Infamy. Over the course of the Skull & 
  Shackles Adventure Path, characters might find other ways 
  to spend their Disrepute. GMs are also encouraged to create 
  their own impositions using the following as guidelines.
  Infamy Cost Imposition Benefit
  Disgraceful Impositions
  2  
  Yes, Sir!: For the next hour, the PCs’ crew 
  completes any mundane tasks they’re assigned 
  in half the expected time. This typically relates 
  to Craft and Profession (sailor) checks made 
  to prepare, maintain, or repair the ship, and 
  cannot be applied to combat or more complex 
  deeds like crafting magic items.
  5  
  Captain’s Orders!: As a standard action, a PC 
  on board her ship can cast fog cloud, heroism, 
  make whole, quench, or whispering wind with a 
  caster level equal to her character level.
  5  
  Walk the Plank!: The PCs may sacrifice one crew 
  member or prisoner to grant themselves and 
  their crew one of two bonuses: either a +2 bonus 
  on all skill checks or a +2 bonus on attack rolls. 
  These bonuses only apply while on board the 
  PCs’ ship and last until either the next day or 
  when the captain leaves the ship. If a sacrificed 
  character is returned to life, the PCs and their 
  crew members take a –2 penalty on both skill 
  checks and attack rolls for 1 day.
  10  
  Get Up, You Dogs!: Every PC and allied character 
  on the deck of the PCs’ ship is affected as per 
  the spell cure light wounds, as if cast by a cleric of 
  the PCs’ average party level. This imposition can 
  only be used once per week.
  Despicable Impositions
  5  
  Lashings!: The speed of the PCs’ ship doubles 
  for 1 day.
  5  
  Shiver Me Timbers!: While on board their ship, 
  the PCs and their entire crew can reroll initiative 
  or roll initiative in what would otherwise be a 
  surprise round. The benefit of this imposition can 
  be used immediately, but only once per week.
  10  
  Besmara’s Blessings!:  As a standard action, a 
  PC on board her ship can cast animate rope, 
  control water, remove curse, remove disease, or 
  water breathing with a caster level equal to her 
  character level.
  10  
  Dead Men Tell No Tales!: While on board 
  their ship, the PCs can use this imposition to 
  automatically confirm a threatened critical hit.
  Notorious Impositions
  5  
  You’ll Take It!: The PCs can spend up to 5 points 
  of plunder in 1 day at 50% of its value (regardless 
  of a community’s maximum sale %). This 
  amount cannot be adjusted by skill checks.
  5  
  Honor the Code!: The PCs and their crew gain 
  a +4 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks 
  made against other pirates for the next 24 hours.
  10  
  Master the Winds!: As a standard action, a PC 
  on board her ship can cast call lightning storm, 
  control winds, mirage arcana, or telekinesis with 
  a caster level equal to her character level.
  15  
  Chum the Waters!: For every Infamy threshold 
  they possess, the PCs summon 1d4 sharks into 
  the waters surrounding their ship. These sharks 
  are not under the PCs’ control and viciously 
  attack any creature in the water.
  Loathsome Impositions
  5  
  Evade!: Teleport your ship 100 feet in any direction. 
  This imposition can be used once per day.
  10  
  You’ll Take It and Like It!: The PCs can spend up to 
  5 points of plunder in 1 day at 100% of its value 
  (regardless of a community’s maximum sale %). 
  This amount cannot be adjusted by skill checks.
  10  
  Master the Waves!: As a standard action, a PC on 
  board her ship can cast control weather, discern 
  location, hero’s feast, or waves of exhaustion with 
  a caster level equal to her character level.
  20  
  The Widow’s Scar!: Choose one enemy to curse. 
  You and your crew gain a +2 bonus on attack and 
  damage rolls against that NPC for 1 week. The 
  enemy is aware of the curse and who cursed her, 
  and can end the effect with a remove curse spell.
  Vile Impositions
  10  
  More Lashings!: The speed of the PCs’ ship 
  quadruples for 1 day.
  15  
  The Hungry Sea!: A PC aboard her ship may 
  cast elemental swarm, storm of vengeance, or 
  whirlwind as an 17th-level caster. 
  20  
  Dive! Dive! Dive!: The PCs’ ship submerges and 
  can travel underwater at its normal speed for 
  up to 1 hour. During this time, the vessel is 
  encompassed by a bubble of breathable air and 
  takes no ill effects from the water—even most 
  sea creatures keep their distance. The ship 
  leaves no visible wake upon the waters above, 
  but might be visible in particularly clear water.
  25  
  Summon the Serpent!: One sea serpent comes 
  to the aid of the PCs’ ship. This sea monster is 
  under the control of the PCs and serves for 10 
  minutes before disappearing back into the deep.
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  roles aboard a PIrate shIP
  A pirate crew is more than just a mob of cutthroats on a ship; 
  all crew members have specific roles and responsibilities, 
  with harsh punishments being meted out upon those who 
  shirk their duties. Listed here are some of the standard 
  roles aboard a typical pirate ship. Not all of these roles 
  might be represented on every vessel, but such details can 
  help players understand their characters’ daily duties.
  Boatswain: The boatswain, or bosun (pronounced 
  “bosun” either way), is responsible for the upper deck of the 
  vessel and above. This makes the boatswain accountable 
  for all rope, rigging, anchors, and sails. At the start of the 
  day, the boatswain and those under her weigh anchor, raise 
  the sails and report on the general condition of the ship’s 
  deck to the captain. As she oversees many of the ship’s 
  basic daily labors, the boatswain is often responsible for 
  keeping discipline and dispensing punishment. 
  Cabin Boy/Girl: Servant to the captain and other officers, 
  this low-ranking and typically young crew member assists 
  other sailors in their duties and runs various errands 
  across the ship, requiring him or her to gain a measure of 
  understanding of almost all the ship’s roles.
  Captain: The ultimate authority on any ship, his word 
  is law to all on board. The captain chooses where to sail, 
  what to plunder, and who fills the other stations aboard 
  the vessel, among many other command decisions. 
  Leadership often proves perilous, however, as a captain is, 
  above all, meant to secure success for his ship and crew. 
  Failing to do so increases the threat of mutiny.
  Carpenter/Surgeon: No matter what enchantments or 
  alchemical unguents augment a pirate ship, its heart and 
  bones are still wood. This simple fact makes the carpenter 
  one of the most important positions aboard any vessel. 
  Carpenters are chiefly responsible for maintaining the 
  ship below the deck, finding and plugging leaks, repairing 
  damage, and replacing masts and yards. As the crew 
  member most skilled with the saw, the carpenter typically 
  serves as a ship’s surgeon as well—bones cut just as easily 
  as timbers. 
  Cook: While the quartermaster normally allocates the 
  rations, the cook and his apprentices make and distribute 
  meals to the crew. Although some better-outfitted vessels 
  employ skilled cooks to attend to the captain and the 
  officers, many cooks are drawn from crew members who 
  have suffered crippling injuries, allowing them to still 
  serve even after such trauma.
  Master-at-Arms: Concerned with the security of the 
  ship, the fitness of the crew, and the dispensing of justice, 
  the master-at-arms typically is one of the most feared and 
  dreaded of a ship’s officers.
  Master Gunner: The master gunner is in charge of all 
  shipboard artillery, ensuring moisture and rust don’t ruin 
  the weapons and that the crew knows how to use them. On 
  board ships with firearms, the master gunner maintains 
  the vessel’s cannons, firearms, and powder supplies; on 
  ships without such weapons, she maintains the ballistas, 
  catapults, and so on.
  Quartermaster: The quartermaster oversees the supplies 
  and items stored aboard the ship. She maintains the 
  supplies of food and weaponry, oversees the disbursement 
  of food to the cook, and doles out the rum ration to the crew.
  Rigger: Riggers work the rigging and unfurl the sails. 
  In battle, next to that of a boarding party, the riggers’ job 
  is one of the most dangerous, as they pull enemy vessels 
  near enough to board.
  Swab: Any sailor who mops the decks. Also used as slang 
  for any low-ranking or unskilled crew member.  
  PIratIcal PunIshments
  To maintain the obedience and effectiveness of their crews, 
  most captains enforce strict schedules and shipboard laws 
  upon their vessels, all maintained by the swift dispensation 
  of brutal punishments. The following presents (in order 
  of severity) the game effects of a variety of typical nautical 
  punishments, which the PCs have the potential to face 
  or inflict during their piratical careers. Most of these 
  sentences are meted out just before the evening meal, at an 
  event typically referred to as the bloody hour. Victims are 
  tied to the whipping post on the main deck and their backs 
  stripped for punishment—with penalties doubled for those 
  who resist. Although the victim is bound, the punishers 
  simply lash their victims, and are not allowed a full-round 
  action to make a coup-de-grace. A roll of  1 on such an attack 
  is treated as a non-damaging fumble that still counts as a 
  strike, much to the amusement of the crew. 
  Rope Bash: Little more than an admonishment—and 
  occasionally used as a sign of endearment—a rope bash 
  is a single attack with the hefty, sealed end of a ship’s rope 
  that delivers 1 point of nonlethal damage.
  The Lash: This is an attack using a whip. Damage dealt 
  by the lash during bloody hour is typically nonlethal.
  Cat-o’-Nine-Tails: This is an attack using a cat-o’-nine-
  tails, also referred to simply as a cat—a Medium version of 
  which deals 1d4 points of slashing damage on a successful 
  hit. See page 18 of Pathfinder Player Companion: Pirates of the 
  Inner Sea for more details on this weapon.
  Confined in the Sweatbox: A cramped metal box left 
  on deck and exposed to the sun, a sweatbox is terribly 
  confining and replicates unbearably hot conditions. Each 
  hour a character spends in the box, she must succeed 
  at a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw or take 1d4 points of 
  nonlethal damage. The DC of this save increases by +1 for 
  each consecutive hour the character spends in the box. 
  Any creature with fire resistance is immune to the effects 
  of the sweatbox. Victims typically spend 8, 12 or even 24 
  hours locked up in the sweatbox. 
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  Keelhauling: The most frightful of pirate punishments 
  is keelhauling, as it generally ends in death—often by 
  decapitation. Being keelhauled involves being tied to a rope 
  looped over a ship’s keel and dragged down one side of a 
  ship, underwater across the barnacle encrusted hull, and up 
  the other side. Keelhauling takes several rounds and can be 
  done either fast or slow. If done fast, the barnacles cut deep 
  and flense the victim, dealing 1d6 points of damage per 
  round. If done slow, shallower cuts are incurred, dealing 
  1d3 damage per round, but the risk of drowning increases 
  (see page 445 of the Core Rulebook). In either case, the victim 
  can make a DC 20 Reflex save each round to take half 
  damage. How long keelhauling takes typically depends on 
  the vessel, with a keelhauling on a ship like the Wormwood 
  taking 6 rounds if done fast and 12 rounds if done slow.
  PIrate entertaInments
  With time on their hands and precious few places to go, 
  Shackles pirates have come up with an astonishing array 
  of pastimes. 
  One way pirates amuse themselves is through songs and 
  stories. Pirates love a good sea chantey, and characters with 
  Perform skills quickly find themselves popular members 
  of the crew (although pirates aren’t generally big on Chelish 
  Opera). If a character succeeds at a DC 20 Perform check, he 
  gains a +2 circumstance bonus on all Charisma-based skill 
  checks made to interact with any listener among the crew 
  for the next 24 hours. A Perform result of 9 or lower, however, 
  indicates that the next time he attempts to use Perform to 
  entertain the crew, everyone ignores him unless he makes a 
  successful DC 15 Bluff or Intimidate check before doing so.
  Aside from telling stories, singing songs, and other 
  recreations (all of which might be simulated with 
  the Perform skill), these pastimes have two things in 
  common: they are dangerous, and they are played for 
  money. When betting on any of the following games, the 
  minimum bet is 1 gp, and the maximum ready cash any 
  NPC in the lesser crew is likely to have is 20 gp. Some 
  people are bad losers—the ramifications of this are left 
  for the GM to decide. 
  Arm Wrestling: Not merely typical arm wrestling 
  bouts, such matches are usually conducted on a barrel top 
  covered in broken glass, knives, or caltrops. Participants 
  make opposed Strength checks, with the higher result 
  determining the winner, and the loser taking an amount of 
  damage equal to 1d2 + the winner’s Strength modifier as his 
  hand and arm are pushed onto whatever lies on the table. 
  Hog Lob: Participants lob a lead ingot covered in 
  a greased piglet skin, the “hog,” as far across the deck as 
  possible. This game is resolved by d20 checks between any 
  number of players, who agree on a bet beforehand. The hog 
  counts as an improvised weapon, imposing a –4 penalty 
  on all rolls using it unless the thrower has the Throw 
  Anything feat. Checks are resolved as attack rolls using the 
  character’s CMB. Characters toss the hog a number of feet 
  equal to their adjusted rolls; for example, a character who 
  gets a result of 22 throws the hog 22 feet. Some pirates claim 
  to have participated in games played against Asmodeus 
  using a live hog.  
  Heave: This potentially deadly drinking game is played 
  with rum and takes place between any number of pirates, 
  who bet to predict the winner beforehand. Each pirate 
  drinks a half pint of rum in one swig. Doing so forces 
  participants to make a successful DC 15 Fortitude save or 
  have the damage dealt by the rum ration increase by +1 
  (see sidebar; this is in addition to the normal effects of the 
  rum ration). This DC increases by +3 for each consecutive 
  drink. Pirates then take turns drinking until only one 
  is left standing. Some tales tell of entire crews drinking 
  themselves to death through this game, leaving ships of 
  drunk ghosts wandering the shipping routes.
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  The Life of a Pirate
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  Besmara
  B
  esmara (bes-MAR-uh) is the goddess of pirates and sea monsters. 
  She is brash, lusty, confrontational, and greedy, but follows a code of 
  honor and is loyal to her crew and allies as long as it serves her interests. 
  She cares little for senseless murder or other unprofitable acts, but is 
  willing to take risks to attain great prizes. Even the most irreligious pirate 
  captain throws a share of treasure overboard now and then as tribute for 
  the Pirate Queen. Mayors of port cities and captains of merchant vessels 
  curse her name, for her followers are a direct threat to legitimate trade. 
  She has little power or interest in the mortal world beyond the sea and 
  its immediate reach.
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  O
  riginally Besmara was a powerful water spirit 
  with an affinity for manipulating sea monsters. 
  She gained fame among primitive tribes for her 
  willingness to drive these creatures toward rival coastal 
  villages; later, when tribes began boat-raids on other 
  settlements, they found she could be bribed to fend off these 
  attacks with her monsters or arrange for predation-free 
  sailing for the aggressors. With 
  this long history of playing 
  both sides, she leveraged power 
  for herself by destroying and 
  consuming rival spirits of wood, 
  gold, and battle, and eventually 
  became a minor goddess of 
  piracy, sea monsters, and strife. 
  She is comfortable with her 
  current level of power and 
  notoriety, and knows she cannot 
  unseat a major deity such as 
  Abadar or Gorum (though if she 
  had an opportunity at such a 
  prize she just might take it), so 
  she entertains herself by raiding 
  the outposts of celestials, fiends, 
  and minor deities.
  Besmara’s existence as a deity predates the Age of 
  Enthronement by several centuries, and as a spirit millennia 
  before that. Her power as a goddess has waxed and waned 
  in response to the naval power of coastal empires, but even 
  when at her most vulnerable she has found ways to escape 
  capture or destruction. She doesn’t care about good and 
  evil, only pursuit, battle, and reward. She grants spells 
  to righteous privateers battling the Chelish navy and to 
  murderous buccaneers who give no quarter to defeated 
  opponents—much like the war god Gorum, her interest 
  is in the conflict, not the consequences of its resolution. 
  She enjoys strife more than peace, as when two nations 
  squabble she has more opportunities to plunder both sides 
  and blame her attacks on the victim’s rival; her followers 
  have been known to stir up trouble by sailing aggressively 
  (or even attacking) while using a temperamental nation’s 
  colors or falsely claiming to be “legitimate privateers” as 
  they attack in peacetime.
  In her interactions with sea monsters, she doesn’t play 
  the motherly, brood-creating role that Lamashtu does, 
  but rather the clever bully who keeps other bullies in line 
  through physical threats and force of personality—her 
  monsters are like vicious dogs who reluctantly obey her 
  command to heel only because she can hurt or kill them, 
  rather than loyal beasts who comply out of respect, love, 
  or devotion. She has few priests, for pirates are more 
  superstitious than religious, but she counts among her 
  followers anyone who has made a desperate prayer to her 
  when facing death on the sea or given tribute to gain her 
  favor. Aquatic races usually venerate their own gods and 
  avoid attracting her attention, for her monsters prey under 
  the sea as well as upon it.
  Besmara has a buccaneer’s heart and mind. She gives 
  chase if she wants something, or lets her prey escape for a 
  time if she wants the challenge of giving it a head start. She 
  retreats from a superior force 
  if she doesn’t think she can 
  win, but doesn’t believe fights 
  have to be fair. She is loyal to 
  an ally as long as that alliance 
  serves her interests, and thinks 
  nothing of betraying someone 
  who is no longer useful to her, 
  teaming up with an old enemy 
  for a common purpose, or 
  fighting against a former ally. 
  Her personal code of conduct 
  is simple and straightforward, 
  and 
  most 
  pirates 
  follow 
  something similar, even if 
  they don’t worship her as 
  their patron. She hates anyone 
  who tries to restrain her, her 
  activities, or piracy in general, putting her in opposition 
  to blockade fleets and most countries’ navies. Though she 
  is quite competent at winning battles involving only a few 
  ships, pirates rarely command entire fleets, and she makes 
  no claims of being a war deity.
  It is common practice for pirates to throw a treasure 
  chest or two overboard before a risky battle as tribute 
  to the goddess, though this is never a guarantee of her 
  favor. Isolated caches of this tribute litter the sea floor, 
  left alone by aquatic races (who understand to whom it 
  belongs) and usually guarded by strange creatures of the 
  deep sea sent by the goddess or her agents. Such creatures 
  usually have no interest in these treasures, but watch over 
  them because the loot attracts tasty surface-dwellers, and 
  because serving the Pirate Queen in this way means she 
  is less likely to find another, more dangerous task for 
  them. The greatest of these sites contain sunken ships, 
  either deliberately sunk by wary pirates or lost because of 
  great battles, whose crews have transformed into draugr 
  (Bestiary 2 110). If these caches are ever stolen, the goddess’s 
  reaction ranges anywhere from sending a scourge of sea 
  beasts after them, to cursing the responsible party to 
  drown at sea, to allowing the looter to retire in luxury—all 
  depending on the thief’s reputation, her mood, and any 
  sentimental value she may have for the lost treasure.
  Nearly all of Besmara’s followers are pirates or pirates 
  by any other name. The rest are folks who profit from 
  strife (such as war profiteers, dog fighters, and similar 
  “Carve your name on the ever-changing sea 
  with a saber of terror and triumph.  Fight 
  for plunder, fame, and glory, and earn your 
  place among the legends of the sea.”
  —Besmara’s Code
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  low-class folk), officials in “pirate towns,” a few intelligent 
  sea monsters, pirates’ spouses, and prostitutes whose 
  clientele comprises mainly pirates. Even such strumpets, 
  harlots, trollops, and rent boys who rarely or never set foot 
  on pirate ships indirectly profit from successful piracy, 
  and pray to Besmara that their favorite buccaneers return 
  with lust in their hearts and many coins to spend. Some 
  of these consider themselves “sacred prostitutes” of the 
  goddess, though this devotion often consists of little more 
  than a “pirate queen” costume and roleplayed seduction 
  (the goddess herself laughs at these mortal antics). Male 
  prostitutes among the faithful are often referred to as 
  matelots (a term also sometimes given to the male spouse 
  of a pirate).
  Besmara appears as a brash, raven-haired pirate captain 
  of any race she pleases, dressed in a stereotypical costume—
  typically colored pantaloons, black boots, a blousy shirt, 
  and a hat (a bicorne, tricorne, or bandana), with gaudy 
  jewelry and perhaps an eye patch, and carrying a rapier, 
  saber, or cutlass. Sometimes her skin is greenish or even 
  bluish, and she may sport one or more scars on her face and 
  neck, either from a blade or the suckers and beak of a great 
  squid. She may have slow-burning matches braided into her 
  hair, or breathe wisps of blue-green fire that ignite nearby 
  combustibles. Despite her inhuman origins, she does not 
  take monstrous form, even when angered, though swarms 
  of crabs, predatory fish, and tentacled monsters have 
  crawled out of her clothing, nearby water, or even thin air 
  to do her bidding. Those who oppose her on the water feel 
  seasick; those who oppose her on land feel hung over.
  Besmara intervenes in the form of gold coins spinning, 
  seabirds flying in odd patterns, mists concealing one’s 
  approach from enemies, enemies dropping weapons or 
  having their weapons misfire, and opposing ships’ sails 
  tearing or burning. She shows her anger through stored 
  food spoiling in a matter of moments, potable water 
  turning to sludge, peg-legs splintering and hooks growing 
  burrs against the wearers’ stumps, dead seabirds falling 
  from the sky, sudden growths of barnacles on hulls, the 
  wetting of black powder, the tearing of sails, foul-smelling 
  winds, and an increased presence of sea monsters.
  Besmara is chaotic neutral and her portfolio is piracy, 
  sea monsters, and strife. Her favored weapon is the rapier. 
  Her holy symbol in most seas is a skull and crossbones on 
  a black or red field, though Ulfen pirates often use a viking 
  helm with crossed swords behind it instead of the design 
  familiar in southern waters. Her domains are Chaos, 
  Trickery, War, Water, and Weather. Nearly all of Besmara’s 
  priests are clerics or rangers, with a few bards and druids, 
  and every few decades an antipaladin champions her more 
  destructive aspects. Her most common title is the Pirate 
  Queen, though she is also known regionally as the Black 
  Lady, the Sea Banshee, and Sailor’s Doom.
  Rather than having a defined deific domain, Besmara 
  wanders the chaos of the Maelstrom aboard her idealized 
  pirate ship, the Seawraith. While depictions of her vessel 
  vary with the source, reflecting the observer’s cultural 
  notion of a warship—everything from a galleon to a 
  longship to a junk—the Seawraith uniformly inspires 
  fear and respect. She can change its appearance or 
  configuration at will, as well as the environment around 
  and within it, just as any deity in its home realm. However, 
  this power only extends about a hundred yards from the 
  ship itself, requiring her to use conventional methods 
  of battle when she raids planar outposts. Fortunately, 
  the ship’s mobility and her chaotic powers make it very 
  difficult to find should she wish to be hidden, and several 
  vengeful divine entities have sought her in the Maelstrom 
  for centuries, only to give up in frustration. Sometimes 
  Besmara leads an armada of petitioner-crewed ships, or 
  drags floating wreckage, loot, and crazed, undying sailors 
  in her ship’s wake, or even the Kelpie’s Wrath, her herald. 
  The Seawraith is also a constellation in Golarion’s sky.
  Besmara’s followers are greedy folk. While some take to 
  the seas in search of adventure or the joy of exploration, 
  most people with that mindset gravitate to more benign 
  deities, leaving those who lust for gold above all things as 
  the predominant members of her flock. Such followers 
  covet the belongings of others—whether actual riches, 
  property, titles, fame, or lovers. If someone has something 
  they want, they think it’s fair to take it. Most are chaotic and 
  love their personal freedoms, avoiding tyrants who prey on 
  the weak not because they disagree with this philosophy, 
  but because they don’t like someone else telling them 
  what to do. Her followers hate staying in place from day 
  to day, and are usually content with a few days in town to 
  carouse before returning to a ship and heading out again. 
  The Pirate Queen’s followers have many superstitions 
  about good luck (cats, figureheads with open eyes, pouring 
  alcohol on a deck), bad luck (whistling on deck), and evil 
  spirits (wearing gold jewelry wards them off) in addition 
  to other pirate traditions and beliefs.
  There are no formalized rituals common to all churches, 
  but services are generally upbeat, with singing, boot-
  stomping, dancing, and the lighting of incense or matches 
  (particularly slow-burning matches and fuses). Burials 
  are one of the few somber occasions, marked by a short 
  prayer and either burial at sea (weighted down with a chain, 
  cannonball, or a heavy but inexpensive treasure) or burning 
  a rowboat or raft bearing the corpse. Most priests consider 
  it undignified to abandon fallen allies to be eaten by a sea 
  monster unless doing so would save other crew members 
  from an early death (such as giving sharks dead bodies to eat 
  so living crew members can safely escape a sinking wreck).
  As is befitting a chaotic pirate goddess, the church 
  has no official stance on marriage, breeding, or raising 
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  children. Some pirates never marry, some have many 
  spouses, some have children, and some choose to 
  acknowledge or train them. Very few in the faith embrace 
  celibacy, save those with an obvious disfiguring condition 
  or venereal affliction.
  Temples and shrines
  Given the small numbers of Besmara’s priesthood, there 
  are few with the time and interest to build temples to 
  her. Most of her temples are repurposed buildings or 
  shipwrecked hulls, some of which are half-submerged. 
  A public temple always displays a jolly roger flag, and—
  much like a thieves’ guild providing services—its priest 
  sells healing, local nautical charts, and hideout tips, or 
  fences goods. In places where piracy is frowned upon, 
  the temple has a public purpose (such as selling rope or 
  barrels), and knowledge of its true nature is shared among 
  pirates by word of mouth.
  Far more common than temples are shrines to the 
  goddess. In port towns, these shrines may be little nooks 
  between buildings with a pirate flag and a carving of 
  Besmara’s face or an old ship’s figurehead, a carved mast 
  jutting from a pier, or a whittled idol of a woman holding 
  a cup. These shrines usually have a place to hold a stick of 
  incense or a match, or a place to pour a cupful of rum or 
  grog. The shrines with cups are designed so that when the 
  visitor pours the drink into the cup, it trickles out of a hole 
  in the bottom or through a channel in the figurine’s arm 
  so it appears the goddess is drinking the offered beverage. 
  A priest living on a ship usually owns a portable shrine 
  that doubles as an altar, and may store it in her quarters 
  or display it on the deck where suddenly pious pirates can 
  mutter a prayer mid-battle.
  a priesT’s role
  There is essentially no hierarchy within the church—
  each priest crafts his or her own title and recognizes no 
  authority other than the goddess. Priests do not report to 
  anyone, though they may defer to a mentor’s decision if 
  there is no compelling reason not to do so. Rarely does a 
  particular ship have more than one priest on board, and 
  even then they may be rivals. Every few years, a charismatic 
  priest-captain may unite other like-minded priests under 
  his or her banner, creating an armada with the leading 
  priest as the admiral, but this is an exception. Most priests 
  consider themselves entirely independent of each other.
  Most priests are practical folk rather than zealots, using 
  their magic to gain strength on the water. This is not to say 
  that a typical priest’s belief isn’t sincere, but there is a marked 
  difference between the crazed devotion of a Lamashtan cleric 
  or noble serenity of an Iomedaean paladin and the utilitarian 
  faith of a Besmaran priest. As long as the goddess is respected 
  and gets her fair share of tribute, she is content with little 
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  more than lip service, and her priests know this. By using 
  her magic to gain wealth, power, and fame, they serve her 
  interests and demonstrate her greatness.
  Like lay worshipers, Besmara’s priests are either pirates 
  or folk whose business directly relies on piracy. Their 
  personalities run the gamut from dashing privateers to 
  rapacious murderers, and some in the middle may play 
  both roles as the mood or pay suits them. They bless 
  pirates and ships, heal crews, act as go-betweens for those 
  looking for work or workers, guard pirate ships, chase 
  off or bind sea monsters, and always try to profit from 
  their activities. They consider the tithe-based survival of 
  religious monks and priests to be incredibly humiliating 
  and would rather accept a common share swabbing a deck 
  than take a handout from someone else. They work until 
  they’ve earned enough gold to retire, and go back to work 
  if they spend it all before they die.
  Priests of Besmara are usually skilled at Heal and 
  Profession (sailor). Most have ranks in Acrobatics, 
  Appraise, and Intimidate. Canny ones also have ranks in 
  Diplomacy, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), 
  Knowledge (local), and Knowledge (nature). Priests don’t 
  have any set routine, though most follow the normal cycle 
  of activity on ship. Daily prayers are short and to the point.
  holy TexT
  The Pirate Queen’s holy text is Besmara’s Code, just a few 
  pages detailing treatment of crew, treasure, and captives. 
  Most priests who can read make copies in their own hand; 
  those who cannot read memorize the text’s key points and 
  ignore what doesn’t concern them.
  aphorisms
  These three phrases are the core of the goddess’s code, and 
  any person familiar with her faith should recognize them 
  and understand what they mean.
  End Your Quarrels on Shore: Whatever disagreements 
  one sailor has with another, onboard a ship is not the 
  place to settle them, for everyone’s survival depends on 
  the crew working together. If one member of the crew has 
  a disagreement with another, the place to settle it is on 
  shore—whether this is a port or just a sandy beach.
  Thirty Stripes Lacking One: The traditional punishment 
  for a serious infraction on the ship is thirty lashes on the 
  bare back. The captain or boatswain, however, may choose 
  to reserve the last (30th) lash as an act of mercy if the target 
  is repentant or unconscious. Still, the captain always has 
  the option to make that last strike at any time—a threat to 
  ensure better behavior from the target. Usually this “lash 
  debt” is canceled once the ship makes port, and always if the 
  target leaves the crew.
  Truce Ends at the Horizon: While pirates recognize 
  the need for parley, any truce is only valid until the 
  opposing ship is past the horizon. This gives the weaker 
  captain a head start should he fear the other captain’s 
  intentions. Breaking this part of the code is seen as not 
  only unsportsmanlike, but a threat to all pirates.
  holidays
  The church of the Pirate Queen has no official holidays. Her 
  old role as a master of sea monsters (many of which have 
  seasonal hunting grounds) means that in Garundi lands her 
  faith is remembered more at certain seasonal events. Thus, 
  some tribes may associate her with the return of reefclaws in 
  the summer or the ebbing of sahuagin attacks at the start of 
  winter. Besmara has grown beyond that role, however, and 
  doesn’t care about the old rituals as long as she is respected.
  relaTions wiTh oTher religions 
  Besmara is a thorn in the side of many lawful powers and 
  a casual ally or enemy of just about everyone else. Like her 
  followers, she interacts peacefully when it suits her, but may 
  betray an ally when it is convenient or profitable. She has 
  been known to associate with Cayden Cailean (who considers 
  her dangerously attractive), Gorum (who treats her like 
  CUSTOMIZED SUMMON LIST
  Besmara’s priests can use summon monster and summon 
  nature’s ally spells to summon the following creatures in 
  addition to the normal creatures listed in the spells.
  Summon Monster II
  Reefclaw* (Bestiary 2 234) (CN)
  Summon Monster/Nature’s Ally V
  Saltwater merrow (Bestiary 2 189) (NE)
  Summon Monster/Nature’s Ally VI
  Tylosaurus (Bestiary 2 91) (N)
  * This creature has the entropic simple template (Bestiary 2 292).
  BESMARAN FAMILIARS
  A cleric of Besmara may give up one domain in exchange 
  for a bird, blue-ringed octopus (Ultimate Magic 117), king 
  crab (Ultimate Magic 119), monkey, or any of the familiars 
  presented in the Core Rulebook. The cleric uses her cleric 
  level as her effective wizard level for this purpose. A ranger 
  who worships Besmara may select any of the creatures 
  listed above as a familiar instead of choosing an animal 
  companion. The ranger’s effective wizard level for this 
  ability is equal to his ranger level – 3.
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  an untrustworthy mercenary captain), and Gozreh (who 
  calls her sister, lover, monster-tamer, or all of the above). 
  Erastil loathes Besmara because she is a threat to families 
  and doesn’t adhere to his idea of a woman’s role, Iomedae 
  dislikes her because the Pirate Queen has a corrupt sense 
  of honor, Abadar abhors her because she is a disruption 
  to naval trade, and Asmodeus despises her because she 
  has no sense of order, dares interfere with his plans, and 
  is a female who disrespects him. Because her home is in 
  the Maelstrom, she has frequent interactions with protean 
  cabals and their mysterious lords, but has bargained and 
  bribed them into accepting her presence.
  new divine spells
  Clerics of Besmara may prepare lesser geas as a 3rd-level 
  spell and curse of disgust (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 
  215) as a 5th-level spell, but can only use them to cause an 
  aversion to boats, ships, or open bodies of water.
  Advanced Scurvy
  School necromancy [disease, evil]; Level cleric 1, druid 1 
  (Besmara)
  Casting Time 1 standard action
  Components V, S
  Range touch
  Target living creature touched
  Duration instantaneous
  Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell 
  Resistance yes
  The subject contracts an advanced 
  form of scurvy. He becomes 
  constantly fatigued, suffers from 
  bone pain (–1 penalty on Strength- 
  and Dexterity-based checks), wounds 
  easily (add +1 point of damage 
  to any bleed effects affecting 
  the target), experiences 
  loose teeth, and is slow to heal 
  (natural healing occurs at half 
  the normal rate). Scurvy can be 
  treated magically or can be overcome 
  with proper nutrition; eating the right 
  foods ends the fatigue and bone pain 
  within 1–2 days and provides a full cure 
  2d6 days after that.
  Cloud of Seasickness
  School conjuration (creation) [poison]; 
  Level cleric 2, druid 2, sorcerer/
  wizard 2 (Besmara)
  Casting Time 1 standard action
  Components V, S, M (a piece of seaweed)
  Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
  Effect cloud spreads in 20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high
  Duration 1 round/level
  Saving Throw Fortitude negates; see text; Spell Resistance no
  This spell functions like stinking cloud, except as noted 
  above and that the vapors make creatures sickened instead 
  of nauseated.
  Cloud of seasickness can be made permanent with a 
  permanency spell (requiring a 9th-level caster and costing 
  2,500 gp). A permanent cloud of seasickness dispersed by wind 
  reforms in 10 minutes.
  planar allies
  Besmara is the patron of sea monsters, and all of 
  her best-known minions are great beasts from 
  beneath the waves. All Besmaran priests know of 
  dead pirate captains who are legendary in their 
  hometowns and may call them with the right 
  bribe, but most prefer to conjure nightmare 
  creatures to drag enemy sailors to their 
  deaths. Her herald is Kelpie’s Wrath, a 
  haunted ship that is a living being (see 
  page 86). The following are well-known 
  supernatural servitors of Besmara, 
  suitable for conjuring with planar 
  ally or similar spells. 
  Blackwarn: This tentacled 
  thing resembles a bear-sized 
  aquatic decapus (Pathfinder 
  RPG Bestiary 2 77) encrusted 
  with barnacles. Stealthy 
  and contrary, its preferred 
  payments are gold, squid 
  brains, or gnome flesh.
  Old 
  Vengeance: 
  This 
  ancient charybdis (Pathfinder 
  RPG Bestiary 2 56) has been under 
  Besmara’s thumb since before she was 
  a goddess. Though weary and decrepit from 
  age, it persists out of spite and the hopes 
  that someday it will see the Pirate Queen 
  destroyed. It loves the taste of creatures 
  drowned in holy or unholy water. 
  Rusizi: Alternately described as a 
  turtle, a crocodile, or a dragon 
  turtle with a crocodilian head, this 
  huge creature is a vicious man-
  eater and is sometimes worshiped 
  as a god by lizardfolk, goblins, and 
  other primitives. Long used to eating 
  humanoid flesh, it prefers virgins, 
  though its service can be bought 
  with gold and adamantine (which it 
  eats, making its shell even harder).
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  Hell Come Ashore
  Pathfinder’s Journal: The Treasure of Far Thallai 1 of 6
  A
  s we dropped anchor, Moonplum burned. 
  Blanketing smoke rose from the outpost’s 
  ruins. Caught by a rare westerly harmattan, 
  it drifted out over the blue-gray waters of the Fever Sea. 
  Warm soot fell like hail onto the Aspidochelone’s foredeck. 
  Seagrave, the saltiest of my four unwilling adjutants, 
  offered me his spyglass. Lines of grime incised his bloated 
  face. Shells, clay beads, and bits of golden coin hung in 
  the tangles of his beard. His night-blue greatcoat, worn 
  in cussed defiance of the tropical heat, smelled of mutton 
  grease, old blood, spilled rum, ordure, and the combined 
  sweat of several decades. He wore stink as a wizard wears 
  a warding spell.
  “Looks like the Whelk, ma’am,” he said, pronouncing the 
  word in the sailor’s manner, so that it verged on mum. As 
  fully as Siren Call had bounded his will, I could never stop 
  Seagrave from calling me that, to say captain as he ought. 
  Where once I would have corrected him, now I recognized 
  my annoyance as small-minded. To withhold from him 
  this tiny rebellion would be ungiving.
  “Who commands it?” I asked. No fact concerning a ship, 
  captain, or crewman of the Shackles eluded Seagrave’s 
  mind. He absorbed the scuttlebutt of our piratical isles as 
  a fish breathes through its gills.
  “Josiah Common,” answered Seagrave. “Otherwise 
  known as Josiah Tongue-Cutter, Sy the Fork, or Tragic 
  Joe.”
  “The one with the glass eye?”
  “Aye, ma’am. Some say he has two glass eyes. But that’s 
  only a jest.”
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  “And to which of the pirate lords does he owe his charter?”
  “Used to sail for Tessa Fairwind. These days, the Wolf.”
  Seagrave meant Avimar Sorrinash, lycanthrope 
  commander of a lycanthrope crew. My argument today was 
  not with him.
  “Does this Tragic Joe league himself with our man?”
  “They ran starboard-to-port against the Rahadoumi 
  navy, and in raids as far north as Varisia.”
  The Whelk was a low-slung war sloop. Spiraled tiles on 
  its prow mimicked the shell of the predatory mollusk that 
  was its namesake. A mere handful of sailors patrolled its 
  deck. They spyglassed us as we spyglassed them.
  Seagrave licked his sun-chapped lips. “Shall we blast it 
  with fire-spitters, or just come along and board?”
  “Neither.”
  He communicated his disappointment in a basso 
  profundo grunt. It would have carried great weight, were he 
  still a captain.
  “If the internal peace of our free pirate nation is to be 
  disturbed, it won’t be our doing,” I told him. “But if the 
  Fork’s crew come at us...”
  A grin surfaced from the dark sargasso of Seagrave’s 
  beard. “Aye, ma’am.”
  The crew rowed ashore in five boats—I in one, one of 
  my adjutants in each of the others. The debris of charred, 
  shattered piers drifted by. We beached our boats near a 
  mixed stand of palms and cottons. 
  Rira, the only woman among my adjutants, stalked 
  toward me, boots sinking into silty soil. The pounding 
  sun highlighted each strange detail on the mask that 
  forever concealed her face. It grimaced at the world with 
  a sea monster’s features: goggling eyes, fanning fins, and 
  flaring, toothy lips. A green patina darkened its dull gray 
  surface. Behind it trailed a bleached and dreadful mane. 
  From the neck down, Rira affected the prideful finery of 
  a pirate queen. Her neckline plunged aggressively, daring 
  others to stare. Tattoos whorled across her burnished skin. 
  With the tip of her cutlass she gestured down the shore. 
  She moved with an exaggerated deliberateness, as if the 
  magic of my ancient sword yoked her physically. “I found 
  the Whelk’s boats. We’ll scuttle them, yes?” 
  I shook my head. “If we want Common’s crew to go, we 
  must preserve their means of departure.”
  Rira balled her fists.
  “Were there signs of other boats?” I asked.
  “Come and gone, Challys Argent.” Where Seagrave 
  tweaked me by calling me “mum,” Rira dropped 
  honorifics altogether, insisting on my full name. This 
  odd expression of contempt washed over me now, as it did 
  with the old salt.
  I permitted myself a curse—a weakness acquired from 
  my crew. “Then we’re too late.”
  “We’re not turning around? Your crew keen for action.”
  I led the procession into town. “We may not have him, 
  but we can find out where he went.”
  As the burning structures of Moonplum grew clearer 
  through the smoke, I saw how great an overstatement 
  it was to call the place a town. It was less a port than a 
  hope for the future. A sparse collection of storehouses and 
  cottages huddled down the length of a muddied laneway, 
  not far from the ruined docks. The lane terminated at the 
  foot of a wooden temple, its vivid paint not yet scourged by 
  alkaline air. 
  An earlier self might have mourned the folly of 
  Moonplum’s founders. Its location near a wide river 
  mouth would seem favorable for shipping, with ready 
  access to riches hewn from the Mwangi Jungle. Instead, its 
  accessibility to the sea merely placed it within easy grasp of 
  my sea-raiding compatriots, whose home islands lay only 
  a few hundred miles to the northwest. Well-placed ports 
  were farther away, and better defended.
  The attacking fleet waited till the aspiring magnates of 
  Moonplum had taken in goods worth stealing, then landed 
  with swords and fire. Only a single wonder pertained: that 
  they’d disciplined themselves long enough for the locals to 
  build this much.
  A series of screams cut short my postulations.
  At one time the terror and pain in them would have 
  sliced through me as well. In the Shackles I learned to 
  hide such reactions, which serve only to announce oneself 
  as prey. Over the course of my years on the Aspidochelone, 
  I perfected this concealment. Now my pity is so well hid 
  even I cannot find it. I have transformed myself into a 
  grouping of angles and calculations.
  I sped my pace to a cautious trot, cutlass at the ready. 
  The faint heat of the four active geas crystals in its hilt 
  radiated into my hand.
  Otondo loomed at my left, grinning. “A scrap,” he drooled.
  Otondo, once captain of the brigantine Ravager, stood 
  ten and a half feet tall in his shaggy boots. A bony ball of a 
  bottom-heavy head, all jaw and little cranium, balanced on 
  a frame of rippling muscle, with no neck visible between 
  them. Corded veins crisscrossed gray-green flesh. They 
  pulsed so strongly that an astute visitor could count out 
  his heart rate simply by looking at him. Black pinprick 
  eyes stared from beneath a thick and rolling brow. Otondo 
  carried the largest cutlass I had ever seen, specially 
  smithed for his ogre-sized hands. He was as heavy as my 
  next three biggest men put together.
  “Remember,” I said to him, “the Rule still applies.”
  His blunt-toothed smile faded. “I hoped you wouldn’t 
  say.”
  “It always applies, universally.”
  “How about a little leeway, Cap’n?”
  The ogre’s attempts to ingratiate would induce shudders, 
  were I still the shuddering type.
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  “No leeway whatsoever. No eating.” I brandished Siren 
  Call’s hilt. His crystal, the one that held a sliver of his soul, 
  brightened. Otondo’s complexion dulled. He shrank back, 
  his face that of a scolded dog.
  “One day...” he growled.
  When I increased my step, he fell back, muttering. A 
  mocking chuckle whispered through the group. It could 
  only be Adalbert Aspodell, the fourth of my murderous 
  aides. Otondo responded with a canine growl. I plunged 
  on; it was me their jockeying was meant to goad.
  For a complement of fifty, we proceeded with admirable 
  silence. The first of the buildings we passed had been 
  reduced completely to smoldering planks. Up ahead, 
  crew from the Whelk—and, for all I could tell, stragglers 
  from departed vessels—lurched between still-extant 
  structures. Each hunched under the weight of something 
  looted: jugs of rum, kegs of ale, casks of salt fish. One 
  pirate bore on his shoulders a plush, outsized chair. Two 
  of the men carried young boys. Their immediate fates I 
  declined to contemplate in detail. If they survived, they 
  too would become pirates aboard the Whelk, perhaps one 
  day completing the circle with like abductions in a similar 
  doomed town.
  Drunk on brandy and bloodshed, the crew of the 
  Whelk took us in with molasses-slow comprehension. It 
  dawned on them that they were dispersed, while we of 
  the Aspidochelone stood in good formation. That they were 
  tired and dulled, while we were square awake.
  Otondo was at my side again. “A little provocation, Cap’n?”
  Were incipient violence a perfume, he’d have reeked 
  with it—as would the other three.
  “At this revel, we are uninvited guests,” I told them. “Let 
  us act with matchless etiquette.”
  A portly, mutton-chopped pirate dropped an ornate 
  sandalwood box and lunged our way. With one hand he 
  wiped at his mouth; with the other, he drew his blade. 
  “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
  “I am Challys Argent, captain of the Aspidochelone, and 
  this is my crew.”
  He squinched his face in disapproval. “The Pathfinder 
  captain?”
  I bowed. “The same.”
  He spat. The wind blew his sputum toward me. Otondo 
  tensed. He checked my boots. The missile had landed 
  short of its target. I held out my free hand to him, keeping 
  him in check.
  The Whelk crew assembled themselves behind their 
  spokesman.
  “You did not sign on to our raid. You are nothing but 
  late-lilies. We did not fight and die so that a pack of sea 
  hyenas might show up to trump our loot.”
  “I would surmise that you fought and your victims 
  died. Regardless, you may rest assured. We are not here to 
  steal from fellow fliers of the black skull flag. Such would 
  contravene the code of our Hurricane King.”
  “Save your lies for fools. Why else would you come here?”
  “For what Pathfinders always seek. Information. Where 
  is your captain?”
  Mutton-chop straightened his spine. “I am captain of 
  the Whelk.”
  “I am told that honor belongs to Josiah Common. And, 
  as everyone knows, one to two of his eyes are made of glass. 
  Whereas yours, one as bloodshot as the other, do not fit the 
  description.”
  “I am Captain Strane Trafton. Joe Fork-Cutter met his 
  final tragedy in the course of the raid. We now mete out 
  vengeance, for the crime of undue resistance.”
  “And I don’t suppose Josiah might have been done in by 
  a confederate’s blow?”
  “What do you insinuate?”
  “Was your raid not designed and led by Kered Firsk?”
  The name had scarcely left my mouth when a line of 
  flame burst from the back ranks of the Whelk crew. I caught 
  a flash of a brass spell-spitter—fashioned, as per the local 
  vogue, not as a normal wand, but with a grip like that of 
  a crossbow or pistol. I ducked the burst, though it grazed 
  the brim of my tricorne hat, setting it ablaze. As I pulled 
  the burning item from my head, battle cries rang and 
  the two sides ran to engage. My hair flew free, impeding 
  vision. I leapt back to miss the arc of an incoming ax. It 
  was Trafton, engaging captain to captain with a most 
  uncaptainly weapon. 
  I weaved and turned in search of a patch of unimpeded 
  ground. The Moonplum laneway became the stage for a 
  wild scrum. Though the battlers had as much room as 
  could be desired, they fought like pirates, instinctively 
  clumping themselves into a space the size of a galleon’s 
  deck. But here there was no rigging to seize, no railings 
  to climb upon, no shark-filled waters to heave the foe into. 
  Flashing my cutlass in a series of unpredictable feints, I 
  forced Trafton back. My blade caught his weapon hand. He 
  shrank from me, grimacing in pain. A white line across 
  his knuckles transformed into a red one. I planted a boot 
  on his leg and sent him toppling. He landed on his spine 
  in the mud and slid, coming to a halt near Otondo, who 
  exchanged blows with a burly counterpart. The ogre 
  glanced back to note the rival captain’s presence. Trafton 
  saw his vulnerability and tried to roll. As he thrust at his 
  primary foe with his enormous cutlass, Otondo casually 
  stepped on the new captain’s throat. Trafton’s larynx 
  cracked, sending a qualm through friend and foe alike. As 
  he choked and died, the melee resumed. The death of a 
  second captain in one day buoyed my crew with homicidal 
  glee, and the Whelk’s with vindictive rage.
  This fight offered us nothing. I needed distance from it, 
  to see if I could call it to a truce. Sidestepping an incoming 
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  rapier thrust, I leapt onto the porch of a smoldering, emptied 
  warehouse. Charred planks wobbled beneath my heels.
  My crew arranged themselves to support their four 
  most potent killers. They gave Otondo a wide berth as he 
  muscled his way through the opposition. He sliced a man’s 
  head clean off, then kicked the decapitated body to down 
  a second enemy. The ogre speared his cutlass through the 
  slaughtered man and into the live one, who then joined his 
  comrade in death.
  Seagrave waded into the thickest concentration of foes, 
  parting them as a prow cuts through waves. He took 
  blows unflinchingly, the armor hidden beneath his foul 
  greatcoat turning blades aside. The old salt leveraged his 
  bulk to power his blows. Striking as often with elbows, 
  fists, and kicks as with his sword, he bowled down pirates 
  to and fro.
  Crew from the Aspidochelone ranked around Rira to 
  protect her spell-weaving hands from jostling distractions. 
  She conjured balls of multicolored force and sent them 
  spinning through the fray. They unerringly sought her 
  chosen enemies. With each anguished cry or welling 
  bruise, a spiteful chuckle echoed from her mask.
  Adalbert Aspodell, who favored a nobleman’s rapier 
  over the expected cutlass, danced lithely around the 
  fight’s periphery. With a dolphin’s grace he stabbed 
  opportunistically. His attacks set aside force in favor 
  of cruel precision. He flicked his blade’s 
  razor tip between ribs, across throats, into 
  eardrums. Throughout the display he held his 
  high-cheeked, mocking features in an attitude 
  of wry detachment.
  Led by these four, my crew sent the Whelk’s reeling. 
  As one, the losers dispersed. Bruised and bleeding 
  pirates ran for the beach, for the jungle, and into the 
  remains of buildings.
  “We hunt them down?” Otondo asked.
  “Only him.” I pointed. A tall pirate of elven aspect 
  dashed for the palms, silk tunic billowing. 
  From a scabbard on his hip, the hilt of his 
  spell-spitter gleamed. It was he who tried to 
  set me aflame. “He’s one of Firsk’s, I’ll 
  wager.” Rira sprinted after him, 
  followed by Otondo. “Keep him 
  in condition to talk!” I called.
  The crew fell to looting, 
  plucking up the prizes dropped by our rivals. As rightful 
  as these appropriations were, I tasked them to delay in 
  favor of a search for survivors. They took the wounded 
  to a warehouse the fires had only lightly touched. 
  Our priests, Jeffret and Cold Bendani, attended the 
  injured. They venerated green-haired Gozreh, the ever-
  changeable god of seas and sailors. They incanted her 
  healing magics, sealing wounds and washing away pain. 
  I left them to their work. The raiders had dealt with their 
  victims savagely; it seemed unlikely that any would be in 
  immediate shape to speak.
  Alert for reprisals, we strode to the temple. The 
  four sides of its tower bore the colorful sigils of deities. 
  Gozreh’s faced the coast, as is customary, represented by 
  an inward-curling length of seaweed. Also represented 
  were the golden key of Abadar the merchant, the blue 
  butterfly of Desna the traveler, and Erastil the provider, 
  who was locally symbolized by a golden boat, its sails filled 
  by Gozreh’s winds. 
  “I enjoy being teased as much of the next man,” said 
  Adalbert Aspodell. “More so, in fact. Yet isn’t it past time 
  to tell us what you’re after here?”
  “We seek Kered Firsk,” I told him.
  “Yes, yes, that you’ve said. But there must be a good 
  reason behind this. You don’t follow the wake of the 
  Monster Captain on a whim.”
  “Otondo isn’t pretty, but 
  he’s effective.”
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  “I’ll tell all when fact has been sifted from speculation.”
  A laugh purred in his throat. “You think me a gull.”
  “In what sense, Aspodell?”
  “You might tell something. Never all.”
  A foreboding creak issued from behind the temple doors. 
  They hung askew on their hinges. The sound mingled a 
  wooden groan with a metallic clatter.
  I stepped into a vandalized foyer, over the shards of a 
  mirror knocked from its frame. A version of myself stared 
  back at me from each of the pieces. In this strange context 
  my own features surprised me. I saw hollow cheeks, raised 
  veins, wires of muscle, and gold-flecked eyes. My face was 
  all edges and planes, its former softness jettisoned long 
  ago. Years under the pitiless sun of the Fever Sea had 
  bronzed my skin and worn into its surface a network of 
  tributary 
  wrinkles. 
  What 
  I beheld, I did not dislike. 
  On the deck of a pirate ship, 
  austerity 
  begat 
  authority. 
  Yet there had to be swagger, 
  too, and this was supplied 
  by a cascade of coppery hair. 
  Garments of fine fabric and simple cut 
  bespoke both wealth and practicality. 
  Top salts will sign on with 
  a hard captain, but never 
  a poor one.
  Velvet curtains 
  clung tenuously to 
  a bent and broken 
  rod. When I beheld what 
  waited inside, I swayed as if 
  physically struck.
  Nearly a dozen people hung from the temple rafters, 
  suspended on lengths of chain. Rust and gore reddened 
  the links. The victims had been stripped bare, or 
  nearly so. Then their skin had been flayed from their 
  bodies. Most had none left at all. A few had been flensed 
  selectively, as if their torturer had grown bored or 
  distracted partway through.
  The tableau of carnage summoned a tumble of buried 
  recollections. With them coursed phantom sensations: 
  the cooler ocean breezes that swept the coast of Varisia, 
  and the goosebumps they brought. I pictured myself as 
  but a strip of a girl, kneeling on the rocky shores near the 
  towering archive where I was born and raised. My mind’s 
  eye laid them out before me: dozens of lifeless bodies, 
  blood soaked through their scholars’ robes. My mother, 
  my father, my uncles and cousins and friends. The raiders 
  had come when our protectors were gone. They sacked 
  the tower, burned the books, threw the tapestries into the 
  sea. They destroyed that which was priceless, and exulted 
  over the few coffers of coins they pried from our meager 
  treasury. For murder’s sake they murdered. Of all of us, 
  only I had successfully hidden from them. 
  I chilled in that hot Moonplum temple, feeling the 
  ghost touch of the rain that pelted my skin so long ago as I 
  waited for the return of the Pathfinder ship. I heard again 
  the vow I mouthed when finally they appeared. No longer 
  would I follow the tradition of my family and my ancestors, 
  seeking truth in the pages of books. I would be like our 
  patrons, the men and women of the Pathfinder Society, 
  who went out into a brutal world, seizing knowledge with 
  sword and spell. And along 
  the way, when I found those 
  who followed the creed of 
  pillage and destruction, I 
  would visit their cruelty upon 
  them tenfold.
  “Hooves of Asmodeus!” 
  Aspodell’s exclamation pulled 
  me from memory. His face had lost 
  its usual sardonic aspect.
  “Not quite,” I said. “This was certainly 
  homage to an evil deity. But not the God-
  Fiend. It was a priest of Rovagug that did this. 
  Note the patches of exposed bone.”
  “I’d prefer not to.”
  “No?”
  “A man of my proclivities respects certain boundaries. 
  Butchery of this ilk goes far beyond them. I would not like 
  to do this to anyone. Except you, of course, when the magic 
  of that damnable sword lapses and I’m free to avenge my 
  enslavement. But that goes without saying.”
  I treated the provocation as unworthy of reply. Pushing 
  away revulsion, I peered closely at one of the hanging 
  bodies. There I saw a sigil I despised, a yawning mouth 
  from which the legs of a spider sprouted. “Whoever did 
  this carved the sigil of Rovagug into the surface of their 
  bones. While they lived.”
  “Ghastly.” Aspodell swallowed. “And the fellow who did 
  this—you’re sure we wish to encounter them?”
  “That I am.”
  To my shock, a splutter vented from one of the supposed 
  corpses. Blood spurted from his nose and into his mouth. 
  He moaned, barely conscious.
  “Get the priests,” I told Aspodell. He slipped from the 
  temple; I remained with the survivor. He was young and 
  had been well muscled before the flayers started in on him. 
  Blood obscured his features, and the extent of his injuries.
  Unintelligible words spilled from the wretch’s 
  faltering lips.
  “Do not try to speak. Let us heal you first.”
  “Ww-wwon’t l—lll...”
  I searched my mind for soothing words but found none.
  “Won’t live...” he managed.
  “My crew may hate me, 
  but they cannot defy 
  Siren’s Call.”
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  “Hush, boy.” Had there been a part of him that was safe 
  to touch, I would have laid a calming glove on it.
  “Twill,” he said.
  “Twill?”
  “Www—wanted to know...”
  “He was looking for a man named Twill?”
  He assayed a slight nod of the head.
  “Had Twill been here?”
  His next gesture I took also for a nod, though it could 
  have been a twitch.
  “But he was not here when the pirates came.”
  He seemed to shake his head, then stopped moving 
  altogether. I took him for dead, but when Jeffret and Cold 
  Bendani arrived, they set to work reviving him.
  “Better without the chains, Captain,” said Jeffret, a wan 
  man with hair the color of a pantry moth.
  “I’ll see to that, ma’am,” said Seagrave, who had returned 
  with the healers and Aspodell. “No luck so far finding 
  the fire-thrower,” he said incidentally as he sized up the 
  arrangement of columns, joists, and rafters. Withdrawing 
  a pair of spikes from his belt, he hugged a wooden pillar 
  and began to shift his bulk improbably up its length. I had 
  seen him perform acts of unlikely balance many a time 
  before, never ceasing to marvel at his agility. He reached 
  the rafter and swung himself up on it with graceless 
  ease. The rafter trembled, setting the suspended bodies 
  to juddering. He clambered on hands and knees till he 
  reached the chains that held the perhaps-living victim. 
  With his left hand he found a new equilibrium. With his 
  right, he pulled loose his cutlass. “Ready down there?”
  “Aye,” replied Jeffret. He and Cold Bendani positioned 
  themselves to catch the poor fellow. 
  Seagrave brought his cutlass down on the chain. Sparks 
  flew. The magical blade howled like a mistral wind, and the 
  chain fell in two pieces. The sea-priests took the wretch’s 
  weight. On contact, he convulsed, without regaining 
  consciousness. They carried him out of the temple on a 
  sling of scavenged canvas, and the rest of us followed as 
  Seagrave shinnied back down the column.
  “Another dead end, then?” asked Aspodell.
  “Quite the contrary,” I said. “Before we lost him, he said 
  the one word that explains all: Twill.”
  Aspodell knocked drying muck from his boots. “The 
  significance of which you will now go on to explain.”
  “Twill can only be the famed lockbreaker Twill 
  Ninefingers. No other Twill could be worthy of Kered Firsk’s 
  attention. He’s the best lock man within a thousand miles.”
  “I believe I heard him spoken of as such, back in 
  Drenchport,” interjected Seagrave. “Never met him.”
  “And what does it tell you,” asked Aspodell, “that he 
  seeks this locksmith?”
  “When Kered Firsk returned to the Shackles, a rumor 
  came with him. Right, Seagrave?”
  “Word has it,” gruffed the fat pirate, “that he dug himself 
  up a legendary treasure, out on some far atoll.”
  “If he seeks Twill Ninefingers, I know what it is. The 
  Treasure of Far Thallai.”
  Aspodell’s pose of studied disinterest melted away. “Thallai?” 
  Seagrave’s features widened. “Thallai,” he whispered, 
  as if it were a name that did not bear too loud an airing. 
  “Many have sought it.”
  “So much so that doubt pertains to its existence,” said 
  Aspodell.
  “The sea coughs up many a wonder,” said Seagrave.
  “A golden cask with an impregnable lock?”
  I nodded. “Impregnable to ordinary folk, but to one as 
  skilled as Twill...”
  “Which, if opened,” continued Seagrave, “becomes a 
  gateway to an unearthly paradise. Where untold wealth lies 
  scattered about, gold and gems as common as sand, ready 
  for any man brave enough to scoop it up.”
  “And there is nothing a worshiper of Rovagug, who is 
  mindless destruction personified, would like more than 
  to find and completely despoil an untouched paradise,” 
  said Aspodell.
  “Absolutely so,” I answered.
  Aspodell lit up with uncharacteristic rapture. “If legend 
  is to be believed, Far Thallai is much more than a beach 
  scattered with gold and gems.”
  “You say that like it’s nothing,” said Seagrave.
  “Thallai is a place of innocence and beauty,” said 
  Aspodell. “Inhabited by beings of stunning physical 
  perfection, to whom distrust is foreign and wariness 
  perverse.” He drifted into a pensive pause, then started. 
  “We cannot allow Firsk the Flayer to open that cask.”
  “Naturally not! We must be the ones!” A fresh flood of 
  sweat boiled from Seagrave’s sooty face. It ran in rivulets, 
  soaking into his noisome greatcoat.
  I moved upwind of him. “I’m not sure I’d trust you, 
  Aspodell, with lissome beings incapable of suspicion.”
  The ex-nobleman scowled. “I was not always corrupt, you 
  understand. In a place like Thallai a man could remake 
  himself.” His voice grew faint. “Perhaps that’s what Kered 
  Firsk seeks as well.”
  “You would reform, in Far Thallai?”
  “After my last bad act—which, my dear, would be gutting 
  you.”
  In the hilt of my sword, his geas gem glowed. I reached 
  for it, prepared to exert its discipline on him, but he stilled 
  himself. “At any rate, you can now explain what Kered 
  Firsk seeks, but we are no closer to finding him.”
  “Not so.”
  “No?”
  “The way to get Firsk the Flayer is through the man he 
  seeks. Instead of chasing the Monster Captain, we find 
  Twill Ninefingers.”
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  Hell Come Ashore
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  Bestiary
  N
  ot all born to the deep stay there contentedly. Just as a starving man 
  dares the surf to look down with hunger, so too do furtive things 
  steal to the borders between sea and shore to cast black gazes up from 
  the waves—knowing nothing of the world above except that it exists to 
  supply an end to their appetites. Their ways are more ancient than ours, 
  subtler, more efficient, but like us, they are not without their tricks, their 
  experts, and their innovations. There is revolution in the water, and the 
  waves mark the invincible border of our realm no more. 
  —Joachim Nolvel, Breath in the Depth
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  A 
  tidal wave of terrors begins to swell in this 
  month’s entry into the Pathfinder Bestiary. Every 
  month for the entirety of the Skull & Shackles 
  Adventure Path, expect a new surge of sea monsters, island 
  denizens, and pirate legends made flesh. This month, 
  low-level threats, piratical companions, and the herald of 
  Besmara, goddess of pirates, wash up on deck.
  ShipS, SailorS, and other VictimS
  Aquatic beasts, wandering denizens of the deep, and low-
  level sea monsters fill this month’s random encounter 
  table, a collection well suited to scallywags just starting 
  out on their piratical careers. These encounters are scaled 
  with the assumption that the PCs are facing them alone 
  and not with the full force of their shipmates brought 
  to bear. If such is not the case, most of these encounters 
  might not prove much in the way of threats at all and the 
  experience gained from each should be split among all 
  who participated in the battle. Even though such situations 
  aren’t a fantastic way to award PCs extra experience, there’s 
  nothing wrong with demonstrating how formidable an 
  entire pirate crew can be. 
  Aside from sea monsters, the PCs might also encounter 
  other vessels in their travels—the ships of merchants and 
  other pirates, or stranger craft. Even though the PCs don’t 
  have control of a ship for a significant portion of this month’s 
  adventure, that’s not to say they won’t have the opportunity 
  to charge into battle against other crews of seafarers. The 
  following presents three ships the party might encounter 
  at any point during the adventure, giving the PCs the 
  opportunity to gain a bit more experience and plunder on 
  the front lines of a pirate attack. GMs using the plunder rules 
  presented on page 61 of this volume should award the PCs 1d4 
  points of plunder for any ship they successfully raid.
  Additionally, GMs who haven’t already checked out 
  GameMastery Flip-Map: Pirate Ship or GameMastery Map 
  Pack: Ship’s Cabins might want to look into such game aids, 
  which were specifically created to aid in encounters for 
  this Adventure Path. 
  Blostin’s Second Chance: The vessel of captain 
  Bormandu Blostin sails from Augustana in Andoran to 
  Eleder in Saragava, trading northern cereals, metal wares, 
  and textiles for southern spices, exotic animal pelts, native 
  crafts, and other mundane items—hoping to avoid the 
  notice of pirates by not trading in richer goods. The small 
  ship is crewed by 21 shipmates (Pathfinder RPG GameMastery 
  Guide 294), Captain Blostin (use the stats for a shopkeep on 
  page 284 of the GameMastery Guide), and the captain’s tired 
  hunting dog Duchess (use the stats for a normal dog on 
  page 87 of the Pathfinder RPG Bestiary). Only Duchess and 
  1d4 shipmates will fight to defend the ship—the cowardly 
  captain surrenders at the first sign of danger in the 
  desperate hope of not garnering the pirates’ ire.
  Ginger Belle: From the charming Taldan co-captains 
  Velvarisa and Bethany and the ship’s spotless decks, 
  most never guess the Ginger Belle is actually a slaver 
  ship. Putting in at various ports in Qadira, Rahadoum, 
  and Cheliax, the captains pride themselves on selling 
  servants of the highest caliber to the well-to-do of the 
  Shackles, making regular stops at Port Peril and Hell 
  Harbor. The 28 members of the crew consist mostly of 
  shipmates and two guards (GameMastery Guide 294 and 
  260, respectively), while the captains have the same stats 
  as slavers (GameMastery Guide 266). Only the captains and 
  the guards fight in defense of the ship, making this a CR 
  6 encounter. Five slaves currently languish in the ship’s 
  hold, each having the same stats as a farmer (GameMastery 
  Guide 309).
  The Pelican: This Nidalese vessel recently picked up 
  a pair of stowaways when it put into port at Greenblood 
  in the Sodden Lands—two crystal oozes (Bestiary 166). 
  These aquatic gray oozes slipped on board and devoured 
  most of the ship’s rowers before the guards realized what 
  was afoot, but by that point their disorganized resistance 
  was doomed. The rest of the crew and the ship’s captain, 
  Kelizmar Dragnazz, dissolved soon after. Lethargic after 
  their meal, the two crystal oozes still linger in the bilges of 
  the Pelican as it drifts toward its inevitable end.
  LOW-LEVEL OCEAN ENCOUNTERS
  % 
  Result 
  Avg. CR Source
  1–5 
  1d4 merfolk 
  1/2 
  Bestiary 204
  6–11 
  1 fuath  
  1 
  Bestiary 3 142
  12–16 
  1d4 grindylows  
  1 
  Bestiary 148
  17–21 
  1 squid  
  1 
  Bestiary 259
  22–27 
  1d6 dolphins  
  2 
  Bestiary 88
  28–32 
  1d6 locathahs  
  2 
  Bestiary 2 179
  33–36 
  1 adaro  
  3 
  Bestiary 3 7
  37–40 
  1 bunyip  
  3 
  Bestiary 2 50
  41–44 
  1 wereshark  
  3 
  Isles of the Shackles 54
  45–51 
  1d8 stingrays  
  3 
  Bestiary 2 232
  52–56 
  1d4 reefclaws  
  3 
  Bestiary 2 234
  57–62 
  2d6 grindylows  
  4 
  Bestiary 148
  63–67 
  1 sea hag 
  4 
  Bestiary 243
  68–72 
  1 cecaelia  
  5 
  Bestiary 3 49
  73–78 
  1d4 draugr pirates  5 
  Isles of the Shackles 62
  79–83 
  1 giant moray eel  5 
  Bestiary 119
  84–88 
  1 globster  
  5 
  Bestiary 3 131
  89–92 
  1d6 sahuagin  
  5 
  Bestiary 239
  93–96 
  1 jellyfish swarm  
  6 
  Bestiary 2 170
  97–100  1d8 sharks  
  6 
  Bestiary 247
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  dragon, tidepool
  This small draconic creature seems better suited for the waves 
  than wind, its wings sweeping along its body like massive fins. 
  Light from the water refracts off its resilient-looking cerulean 
  hide as it snaps crustacean-like claws. 
  Tidepool Dragon 
  CR 3
  XP 800
  CN Tiny dragon (aquatic)
  Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9
  DEFENSE
  AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)
  hp 30 (4d12+4)
  Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +6
  Immune paralysis, sleep
  OFFENSE
  Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (average), swim 60 ft.
  Melee bite +6 (1d3), 2 claws +6 (1d3 plus attach)
  Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
  Special Attacks breath weapon (5-ft. line, 2d6 fire damage, 
  Reflex DC 13 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +6)
  3/day—freedom of movement (self only)
  Spells Known (caster level 4th; concentration +6)
  2nd (4/day)—slipstream*
  1st (7/day)—hydraulic push*, obscuring mist
  0 (at will)—acid splash, dancing lights, daze (DC 12), detect 
  poison, mage hand, touch of fatigue (DC 12)
  * See the Advanced Player’s Guide.
  STATISTICS
  Str 11, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 14
  Base Atk +4; CMB +3; CMD 13
  Feats Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes
  Skills Fly +12, Knowledge (nature) +6, Perception +9, Survival +9, 
  Swim +15
  Languages Common, Draconic
  SQ amphibious
  ECOLOGY
  Environment warm coastlines
  Organization solitary, pair, or clutch (3–6)
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Attach (Ex) When a tidepool dragon hits with a claw attack, it 
  automatically grapples its foe, dealing automatic damage 
  with that claw each round.
  Breath Weapon (Su) When a tidepool dragon uses its 
  breath weapon underwater, it creates a 10-foot cone of 
  superheated water rather than a line of fire (as noted 
  above). This effect deals the breath weapon’s damage to any 
  creatures in the cone’s area, though victims can still save to 
  take only half damage.
  Aquatic dragons similar in size and fickleness to faerie 
  dragons and pseudodragons, tidepool dragons rule as 
  whimsical tyrants over miniature realms comprising 
  coral forests, sand dune mountains, and low-tide 
  menageries. Preferring to inhabit coastal regions 
  throughout the world’s warmer climes, these dragon-kin 
  make their lairs amid balmy lagoons and hidden coves, 
  favoring any seaside setting devoid of stronger predators. 
  A combination of chitinous shell—similar in shade to 
  that of a blue crab—and scales the color of clear tropical 
  waters covers every tidepool dragon, the shade deepening 
  through twilight hues to a shade as dark as a ocean abyss.
  Tidepool dragons typically measure about 2 feet long 
  and weigh approximately 14 pounds. They are known to 
  live for about 300 years.
  Ecology
  Despite their size, tidepool dragons are hardy and well 
  suited to their environment. Their sweeping fin-wings 
  work equally well both above and beneath the water. 
  While underwater, these dragons use their fins to make 
  languid, powerful strokes, propelling them forward in 
  graceful bursts, but the strong, flexible musculature 
  beneath the fins also allows them to make quick, 
  dramatic turns essential in pursing eels, small fish, and 
  other agile prey. Above the water these same appendages 
  work like wings, the membranous skin spreading 
  over bones and cartilage to catch currents of air. Many 
  observers who have glimpsed these creatures both above 
  and below the waves claim that they do not fly so much 
  as swim through the skies. The tiny dragons’ dense 
  muscle mass, particularly in their tails, allows them to 
  create momentum strong enough to break the surface of 
  the water and send them skyward in their characteristic 
  glides. Although they prefer to eat fish, tidepool dragons 
  often use their flight to chase seabirds off the surface of 
  the waves and high into the sky, while the small, tough 
  teeth that line every tidepool dragon’s mouth can easily 
  crack the hard shells of crabs and other shellfish.
  The tidepool dragon is amphibious, possessing both 
  gills and lungs, and can exist outside of water indefinitely. 
  While it is in flight, muscles stretch its gill slits so they 
  lie flat along the body, decreasing resistance to the wind. 
  At the apex of the dragon’s complex respiratory system, 
  near the base of the creature’s throat, a pair of small 
  bones hang down. Tidepool dragons can vibrate these 
  bones at an almost unthinkable speed, and the furious 
  motion gives off intense heat. They can then draw water 
  through their bodies from their gills and push it out of 
  their mouths. As this torrent of water passes the vibrating 
  bones, it heats to temperatures beyond scalding, capable 
  of burning flesh and even melting glass. Even when not 
  submerged, tidepool dragons can draw moisture from 
  the air through their gills to power their breath weapons. 
  But despite the potency of a tidepool dragon’s breath 
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  when used in flight or on land, these creatures usually 
  employ their breath weapons while underwater. When 
  the dragons are submerged, their scalding gout of water 
  diffuses into a small cloud of boiling water, allowing 
  them to affect entire schools of fish or other groups of 
  prey in a single boiling burst. 
  Habitat & SociEty
  Tidepool dragons get their name from their tendency to 
  frequent small coastal pools, where they bask and sleep 
  because they are usually safe from other predators there 
  and their shell-like hides blend well with the brilliant 
  colors of local aquatic fauna. Those attempting to 
  capture or otherwise contain a tidepool dragon find it 
  a challenging task, as the creature’s freedom of movement 
  ability makes most nets, ropes, and simple attempts to 
  grab it near useless. “Slippery as a tide wyrm” is a phrase 
  often bandied about by sailors and other seafarers when 
  trying to cross treacherously wet decks or wrestle the 
  rigging of a loose and blowing sail. 
  Despite being almost impossible to catch, tidepool 
  dragons can be bargained with rather readily, as their 
  interests, while fickle, are quite simple. Those seeking 
  tidepool dragons’ favor—or, at least, hoping not to incur 
  their mischief—can make offerings to the dragon, 
  typically in the form of coins, gems, or particularly shiny 
  shells so that the miniature wyrms can mimic their larger 
  kin. Additionally, most tidepool dragons enjoy rare fish 
  that cannot be found in their home waters, or fruits and 
  vegetables from far inland that they’ve never sampled. 
  Capricious and self-serving, these miniature dragons 
  possess a less savory reputation than their faerie dragon or 
  pseudodragon cousins, making enemies as easily as they 
  make allies. Highly territorial, most tidepool dragons 
  take offense if the waters and coasts near their lairs are 
  intruded upon, blasting trespassers with their breath 
  weapons or perpetrating various pranks upon them. If 
  satisfied, though—typically by being bribed with shiny 
  baubles or salty food—tidepool dragons can prove quite 
  helpful, serving other creatures for the promise of more 
  rewards. Clever sailors have been known to leave trails of 
  enticing foods in their ships’ wakes in an effort to draw 
  the attention of tidepool dragons. If successful, a vessel 
  can gain a valuable helper, capable of acting as a lookout 
  both far above and far below the water.  Several aquatic 
  species, such as merfolk, tritons, aquatic elves, and even 
  sahuagin, also recognize the benefits of keeping tidepool 
  dragons as allies, and some explorers have recorded 
  colonies of such aquatic humanoids where well-fed 
  clutches of these dragons act as sentries or scouts. 
  When left to their own devices, tidepool dragons live 
  in small coastal caves, usually in mated pairs or related 
  family clutches. These lairs always contain exit shafts 
  into the sky beyond since tidepool dragon eggs and new 
  hatchlings are a favorite prey of bunyips. Tidepool dragon 
  eggs are about the size of a chicken or crocodile egg, but 
  are marked with the same colors that will eventually 
  grace the hatchlings’ scales. Parents hatch their young 
  and then raise them until they are capable of surviving 
  on their own, around age 3. At that point, young tidepool 
  dragons set off to find mates and indulge their species’ 
  rampant curiosity. Single youths also band together to 
  form non-familial pods for hunting and adventure.
  tidEpool dragonS aS FamiliarS
  Although difficult to approach, tidepool dragons 
  sometimes choose to serve as the familiars of unruly 
  spellcasters and those who go out of their way to feed 
  them rich or exotic foods. Spellcasters of 7th level or 
  higher with an alignment within one step of chaotic 
  neutral can gain a tidepool dragon as a familiar by taking 
  the Improved Familiar feat.
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  incutiliS
  This strange nautilus drags itself forward on oversized tentacles, 
  its crimson-streaked flesh textured like the surface of some 
  exposed, alien brain.
  Incutilis 
  CR 2
  XP 600
  LE Tiny aberration (aquatic)
  Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8
  DEFENSE
  AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +3 natural, +2 size)
  hp 18 (4d8)
  Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +5
  OFFENSE
  Speed 5 ft., climb 5 ft., swim 60 ft.
  Melee 2 tentacles +3 (1d4+2 plus grab)
  Special Attacks puppetmaster
  STATISTICS
  Str 15, Dex 15, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 8
  Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 15 (can’t be tripped)
  Feats Improved Initiative, Step Up
  Skills Bluff +3, Climb +10, Disguise +3, Perception +8, Stealth +17, 
  Swim +17 
  Languages Aboleth, Aklo, Aquan, Common, Undercommon 
  (cannot speak); telepathy 30 ft.
  SQ amphibious
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any oceans
  Organization solitary, pair, colony (3–12) plus enslaved puppets
  Treasure standard 
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Puppetmaster (Su) As a full-round action, an incutilis can 
  drive its lesser tendrils into any helpless Small or Medium 
  creature it occupies the same square as, and pump the 
  victim full of poison and chemicals. The victim is killed 
  instantly and becomes a zombielike creature under the 
  incutilis’s control. This zombie is not treated as being 
  undead, and is immune to spells and effects that only 
  affect undead (like damage from positive energy). The 
  incutilis is attached to this zombie—typically by the 
  head—occupying the same square and moving along 
  with it. The incutilis can make attacks with its tentacles 
  independently of the zombie’s slam. It can also retract its 
  tendrils as a move action, but doing so causes the zombie 
  to collapse and revert to a normal corpse. The incutilis 
  must retract its tendrils before it can move away from a 
  zombie it’s attached to. Any attack that deals damage to 
  the zombie also deals 1 point of damage to the incutilis, 
  regardless of how much damage is dealt to the zombie, 
  while area-affecting spells affect both the puppeteer 
  and zombie. A character can attempt to attack just the 
  incutilis, but takes a –4 penalty on the attack roll. Killing 
  the incutilis destroys the zombie.
   
  Scholars know life began in the sea, and some—
  either paranoid or visionary—claim that the sea has 
  manipulated the course of humanoid life through ages 
  beyond reckoning, citing the incutilis as evidence of 
  this. A strange sort of sea creature that appears to be 
  little more than an oversized cephalopod, an incutilis 
  hides a significant intelligence behind its unassuming 
  appearance. Though most incutilises live their entire lives 
  amid the deepest trenches of the darkest seas, some venture 
  to the border between water and land, revealing terrible 
  control over land-dwelling flesh and an alien disregard for 
  sentient life. Limited in their ability to cross this border 
  and travel on land by their aquatic physiologies, these 
  aberrations overcome this hurdle with a lethal solution, 
  slaying land dwellers and commandeering their flesh to 
  bear the incutilis on shore. To what ends these beings seek 
  to explore the surface remains a mystery—perhaps they 
  do so out of hunger, perhaps out of curiosity, or perhaps 
  because they were sent.
  A typical incutilis weighs approximately 25 pounds, 
  30 with its shell, and measures 4 feet from the tips of its 
  longest tentacles to the top of its shell. 
  Ecology
  Although incutilises can live as bottom feeders, their 
  favorite foods seem to be higher life forms—sharks, 
  whales, and sentient ocean dwellers—and they appear 
  to make little distinction between the living and the 
  dead. They also make no obvious distinctions between 
  sentient and nonsentient victims, a trait that comes 
  across as either an extreme form of racial arrogance or 
  total ruthlessness. At the same time, incutilises exhibit 
  strong self-preservation compulsions, going out of their 
  way to avoid dangerous predators and large groups of 
  other sentient beings, and preferring instead to operate 
  from the shadows. 
  Incutilises’ most remarkable physical process is their 
  ability to invasively take over dead flesh. So long as a body 
  is relatively intact, the aberration can extend the smaller, 
  more delicate tendrils it typically keeps retracted into its 
  shell. These tendrils are covered with myriad tiny barbs 
  and smaller fibrous filaments it can wind into even the 
  finest internal apertures of a living body with shocking 
  speed and ease. Once the tendrils are in place, the strange 
  chemical laboratory that makes up a incutilis’s internal 
  organs allows it to secrete strange chemicals and toxins 
  directly into the body’s muscles, causing deliberate 
  contractions, releases, and convulsions that give freshly 
  dead bodies the semblance of life, while those longer 
  dead appear undead. This process requires the incutilis 
  to be latched onto its victim, directing its every motion. 
  If it retracts its tendrils, its host body collapses back into 
  a pile of dead flesh. 
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  Despite the remarkable nature of incutilises’ corpse 
  animation process, it is far from subtle. An incutilis 
  cannot easily hide its prominent tendrils and gleaming 
  shell, meaning that any corpse looks far from normal in 
  well-lit conditions. In the dark or at a distance, however, 
  the illusion can prove somewhat convincing, though still 
  unnerving as the body twitches and jerks with the spasms 
  caused by its aquatic master. Typically, witnesses who see 
  a corpse animated by an incutilis believe it to be some sort 
  of waterlogged undead, a misidentification that has led to 
  the demise of more than one well-intentioned cleric.
  Incutilises can survive both on land and at sea, though 
  they are at an obvious disadvantage out of water, as their 
  bodies are specialized for swimming, not dragging 
  themselves along dry terrain. This limit to their mobility 
  seems to be the primary reason they seek out corpses to 
  take control over or unsuspecting humanoids or animals 
  to overwhelm, claiming their bodies as convenient 
  conveyances. Despite this, their actions rarely seem 
  deliberately malicious, but rather result from a decision 
  made out of dispassionate necessity. Whether they realize 
  that their method of taking over the bodies of other 
  living creatures is an affront to such beings or even have 
  any concept of what death means proves entirely unclear.
  Habitat & SociEty
  Those few aware of incutilises rarely know the creatures by 
  name. Rather, tales of their terrors—of shambling, flesh-
  garbed cephalopods and whole villages overwhelmed by 
  invaders from the deep—spread through ports and among 
  crews of sailors, the stuff of tall tales and the lies of drunks. 
  But regularly enough, coastal fishing communities or the 
  fortresses of petty pirate kings turn up deserted, their 
  occupants vanished except, occasionally, for a few strange, 
  oversized nautilus shells.
  Incutilises can turn up in nearly any body of 
  saltwater, but seem to favor warmer climes. 
  More than even seeking warmer waters, 
  however, these aquatic aberrations most 
  frequently appear near deep undersea 
  trenches. This is possibly because of some preference for 
  the pressure of the depths or the darkness, but some also 
  propose that incutilises are natives of the Darklands and 
  inhabit the lightless seas of that realm in numbers 
  unprecedented in the seas of the surface. This 
  somewhat unpredictable range of habits has 
  resulted in rumors of incutilises  appearing 
  in the most unusual places, like freshwater 
  ponds, inland fishing holes, even wells.
  Incutilises prove highly logical in their 
  decision-making, seeming to know nothing 
  of or care nothing for emotion or sympathy. 
  This causes many who first encounter them to 
  believe they’re nothing more than ravenous creatures, 
  f lesh stealers driven to hunt beyond their native 
  environments. In truth, groups of incutilises act with 
  great efficiency and deliberateness. Such bands also 
  gauge the potential of a possible new food source before 
  acting to claim it, avoiding acts that would eliminate 
  their entire food source too quickly. They might kill off 
  a few coastal communities, but avoid wiping out entire 
  coastal populations in a region. In other cases, a group 
  of corpse-riding incutilises might capture a significant 
  portion of a community’s population, trapping their 
  victims in sea caves where the incutilises can come an 
  go as they please, where others of their race can come 
  and collect bodies to use on land, or where their prey are 
  sequestered like herd animals. 
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  Kelpie’S Wrath
  The skull of some many-fanged sea monster adorns the bow 
  of this ominous pirate vessel, a grim ship made all the more 
  disturbing by its apparent lack of a crew.
  Kelpie’s Wrath 
  CR 15
  XP 51,200
  CN Colossal outsider (chaotic, extraplanar, water)
  Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., keen 
  scent; Perception +23
  DEFENSE
  AC 30, touch 6, flat-footed 30 (+5 deflection, –1 Dex, +24 
  natural, –8 size)
  hp 297 (18d10+198); fast healing 10
  Fort +22, Ref +5, Will +13
  DR 10/lawful; Resist acid 30, cold 30, electricity 30, fire 10; 
  SR 26
  OFFENSE
  Speed swim 60 ft.; rush
  Melee 3 incorporeal touch +25 (3d6 plus 3d6 electricity and 
  3d6 fire)
  Ranged telekinesis +21 (varies)
  Space 40 ft.; Reach 30 ft.
  Special Attacks keelhaul, swallow whole (1d10+7 damage, AC 22, 
  29 hp)
  Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th; concentration +21)
  At will—commune with nature, dancing lights, know direction, 
  telekinesis (DC 18)
  3/day—charm person (DC 14), cloudkill (DC 18), control winds, 
  invisibility sphere, major image (DC 16, within its reach 
  only), plane shift (DC 18), seeming (DC 18, other creatures 
  only), teleport, water breathing, widened fog cloud
  1/day—summon (level 7, 11–20 draugr [Bestiary 2] 100%)
  STATISTICS
  Str 40, Dex 8, Con 32, Int 9, Wis 15, Cha 17
  Base Atk +18; CMB +41; CMD 55
  Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Disruptive, Greater 
  Overrun, Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Power 
  Attack, Spellbreaker, Stand Still
  Skills Knowledge (engineering) +11, Knowledge (nature) +11, 
  Knowledge (planes) +11, Perception +23, Sense Motive +14, 
  Survival +23, Swim +44
  Languages Common; telepathy 200 ft.
  SQ fighter training, no breath
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any water
  Organization solitary
  Treasure double
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Fighter Training (Ex) The herald counts its Hit Dice as fighter 
  levels for the purpose of qualifying for feats and other abilities.
  Keelhaul (Ex) If the herald hits a creature with two or more 
  incorporeal touch attacks in 1 round, it can perform a 
  reposition combat maneuver as a free action without 
  provoking an attack of opportunity. If the herald moves 
  the target into or through a square adjacent to it (including 
  over or under itself), the target takes 1d6 points of slashing 
  or bludgeoning damage (herald’s choice) for every 5 feet of 
  this movement. If this movement results in the target being 
  underwater, the target must hold its breath or begin to 
  drown. Alternatively, if the herald can reposition the target 
  to the center of its space, it can attempt to force the target 
  into its cargo hold and snap the doors shut, holding the 
  target in place as the swallow whole ability. The herald can 
  hold up to four Medium or smaller creatures or one Large 
  creature with this ability.
  Rush (Ex) Once per minute for 1 round, the herald can move at 
  a swim speed of 150 feet, even downward.
  Telekinesis (Su) The herald makes ranged attacks by 
  telekinetically hurling objects or creatures on its deck as 
  weapons. This ability functions as the spell telekinesis (CL 
  18th). It can use the ability on objects or creatures of up to 
  375 pounds, dealing 1d6 points of damage per 25 pounds of 
  the hurled object or creature. If the herald attempts to hurl a 
  creature with this ability, that creature can resist the effect with 
  a successful Will save (DC 18). The save DC is Charisma-based.
  Besmara’s herald is Kelpie’s Wrath, a haunted ship that 
  is a living being. It looks like a storm-battered pirate 
  vessel with the skull and spine of some great sea creature 
  mounted on the prow, with eerie lights flickering on its 
  deck and streaming from its masts. The ship is the source 
  of many horror tales of abandoned ships found in the ocean 
  or spectral ships crewed by ghosts, but it is actually an 
  independent creature with a malign, vengeful intelligence. 
  On the rare occasions when it comes to the mortal seas 
  at Besmara’s bidding, it usually does so to punish some 
  buccaneer for a horrid blasphemy against the Pirate Queen. 
  Far more often it is left to its own devices, sailing mortal 
  waters, the Ethereal or Astral Planes, or strange dream-
  realms in search of plunder, danger, and glory.
  The ship’s origins are mysterious and legends about 
  it are contradictory. In some stories it was originally the 
  flagship of a notorious pirate king who swore to forever 
  serve Besmara, and when he finally died she merged 
  his spirit with his ship so he could continue his service. 
  Other tales tell of a demon-tainted kelpie that grew to 
  a monstrous size and was kept as a beloved pet by the 
  goddess like a mad dog until it was slain by adventurers 
  and resurrected in this form to continue its predations. 
  Still others speak of a devout priest-captain of Besmara 
  who swore to bed no other woman so he could service the 
  goddess in the afterlife, but then fell in love with a girl 
  in a coastal village; according to this tale, the goddess 
  cursed the priest to always roam the sea and never touch 
  land so he would always pine for the love he could not 
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  have. The ship does not answer queries about its origin, 
  and if pressed on the matter it has a habit of grabbing its 
  interrogators, diving hundreds of feet under the water, and 
  casually watching them gasp out the last of their air before 
  it tears them limb from limb.
  The ship is completely animate and needs no crew—
  it can tie and release its lines; raise, lower, and adjust its 
  sails; open or close all of its doors; and so on. It moves 
  about foreign objects (such as cargo) using telekinesis, and it 
  sometimes does the same to its rare passengers, slamming 
  doors on hands or throwing people overboard if it feels a 
  lack of respect. Though it has a wheel and rudder, it resists 
  mortal attempts to steer it as if it were a mundane ship—
  something it considers very disrespectful.
  Ecology
  Kelpie’s Wrath has no need to eat, drink, or even breathe. 
  Because it can “swim” in any direction, including 
  underwater, it may be found on the surface, cruising deep 
  beneath the sea, or even skimming the bottom of the 
  ocean. If facing an opponent it cannot easily defeat, it is 
  likely to retreat deep underwater (assuming its foe cannot 
  easily follow) or use teleport or plane shift to reach a safe 
  place. It prods old wrecked ships for loot, storing its prizes 
  within itself and only relinquishing its treasures when 
  the goddess desires something it carries. Many loot caches 
  on the sea floor actually belong to the ship, buried and 
  marked in its memory for later counting.
  When called by mortals, it demands treasure as payment 
  for its services, preferring chests full of gems and gold 
  coins. It has a lecherous, voyeuristic streak, however, and 
  has been known to lower its price if arrangements are made 
  for mortals to perform carnal acts on its decks—while it 
  telepathically murmurs approvingly. If properly bribed, it 
  serves with grudging loyalty until the task is done, then 
  leaves. It is best suited for tasks requiring the destruction 
  or terrorizing of enemy ships or fleets, though it can easily 
  transport dozens of people or tons of cargo anywhere in 
  the world or even to another plane. It is also willing to 
  serve as a lure or decoy, disguising itself as a slow, loot-rich 
  merchant vessel or mysterious shipwreck in a cove. 
  The ship is fully mobile in waterlike environments on 
  other planes, including the Ethereal and Astral Planes. It 
  enjoys sailing the “waters” of the ethereal sea and raiding xill 
  settlements, or changing through clusters of soul-predators 
  in the Astral Plane. It also finds pleasure in the bizarre 
  seascape of the Maelstrom and has ventured into watery 
  parts of the Abyss, though it is always ready to plane shift if 
  it suspects a trap or a shift in the terrain that would trap it.
  Habitat & SociEty
  Kelpie’s Wrath sometimes follows Besmara’s ship, the 
  Seawraith, at a respectful distance on its travels through 
  the planes, like a well-heeled dog afraid to attract too 
  much attention to itself. When commanded by the 
  goddess, it immediately complies, mixing a need for 
  approval with an abject fear of punishment for any 
  perceived disobedience. The ship acts like the only thing 
  it cares about is the goddess, and is willing to sacrifice 
  itself for her approval—it would swim through lava or 
  acid, or run itself aground on a beach of adamantine 
  spikes to please her.
  Though the ship has no need of crew, it sometimes 
  offers to save drowning sailors in exchange for a number 
  years of service. Those who accept vanish and are not seen 
  again—unless the draugr it summons are actually the 
  revenant forms of these rescued sailors. Whether these 
  souls think half-life at the ship’s beck and call is better 
  than actual death is unknown, for they do not speak of it. 
  Some pirate-priests believe the ship is searching for a soul 
  great enough to take its place, becoming the new mind in 
  charge of the living ship and freeing whatever controls it 
  to live again or pass on to Pharasma’s Boneyard. 
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  pirate FamiliarS
  Adventure-seekers, explorers, and pursuers of strange 
  tales, pirates often come into contact with strange 
  creatures as they sail the seas, occasionally taking them 
  as pets or, in the cases of some spellcasters, as familiars. 
  Presented here are four new creatures bound to make 
  popular pirate companions.
  dodo
  This plump, gray flightless bird waddles about on ungainly 
  looking legs, fearlessly bobbing its prodigious beak.
  Dodo 
  CR 1/4
  XP 100
  N Small animal 
  Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
  DEFENSE
  AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 11 (+1 size)
  hp 6 (1d8+2)
  Fort +4, Ref +2, Will –1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft.
  Melee bite +1 (1d3–2)
  STATISTICS
  Str 3, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 9, Cha 6
  Base Atk +0; CMB –3; CMD 7
  Feats Weapon Finesse
  Skills Perception +3
  ECOLOGY
  Environment warm coastlines
  Organization solitary, pair, or huddle (3–6)
  Treasure none
  These flightless birds typically inhabit isolated tropical 
  islands devoid of predators. Their size and unfamiliarity 
  with natural dangers contribute to a kind of racial 
  boldness—or what some would call stupidity—causing 
  them to bumble into precarious situations and making 
  them easy targets for other creatures. The birds can easily 
  be caught and slain, but their meat has a most unpleasant 
  taste. Few shipwrecked sailors would turn it down, however.
  dwarF caiman
  This lithe, green-scaled reptile looks like a miniature crocodile 
  with a stunted muzzle. 
  Dwarf Caiman 
  CR 1/3
  XP 135
  N Small animal 
  Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +0
  DEFENSE
  AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+3 natural, +1 size)
  hp 6 (1d8+2) 
  Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0
  OFFENSE
  Speed 10 ft., swim 30 ft 
  Melee bite +1 (1d4)
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 2
  Base Atk +0; CMB –1; CMD 11
  Feats Sill Focus (Stealth)
  Skills Stealth +11 (+19 in water), Swim +8; Racial Traits +8 
  Stealth in water
  Languages none
  ECOLOGY
  Environment warm water
  Organization solitary, pair, or bask (3–12) 
  Treasure none
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Hold Breath (Ex) A dwarf caiman can hold its breath 
  for a number of rounds equal to 4 × its Constitution score 
  before it risks drowning.
  Sprint (Ex) Once per minute, a dwarf caiman may sprint, 
  increasing its land speed to 20 feet for 1 round.
  Dwarf caimans are a small species of crocodilian predators 
  that live primarily amid the fast-running streams of 
  tropical rainforests and nearby coastal waters. While 
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  hunting birds, lizards, fish, and other small prey, these 
  patient predators sometimes lie in awkward positions 
  for hours before they strike, their mottled scales making 
  them appear to be nothing more than floating wood. 
  giant iSopod
  This beetlelike crustacean is the size of a sewer rat; a row of 
  overlapping plates protects it as it scuttles about on fourteen 
  rapidly moving legs.
  Giant Isopod 
  CR 1/8
  XP 50
  N Tiny vermin (aquatic)
  Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +4
  DEFENSE
  AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (–1 Dex, +3 natural, +2 size)
  hp 6 (1d8+2)
  Fort +4, Ref –1, Will +0
  Defensive Abilities curl; Immune mind-affecting effects
  OFFENSE
  Speed 20 ft., swim 10 ft.
  Melee bite –1 (1d3–3)
  STATISTICS
  Str 5, Dex 9, Con 14, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
  Base Atk +0; CMB –3; CMD 4 (28 vs. trip)
  Skills Perception +4, Swim +5; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any oceans
  Organization solitary
  Treasure none
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Curl (Ex) As a standard action, a giant isopod can curl 
  into a ball, increasing its natural armor bonus by +2 but 
  preventing it from taking any move actions. Uncurling also 
  requires a standard action.
  Giant isopods are carnivorous scavengers that scour 
  the ocean’s floor. They vaguely resemble the common 
  woodlouse in appearance, though they can grow to be up to 
  2-1/2 feet long and weigh nearly 4 pounds. Their unusual 
  size and insectile appearance cause many humanoids to be 
  wary of them, despite their relative harmlessness.
  SEal 
  This sleek, aquatic mammal has a pair of flippered limbs, a 
  powerful tail, and a muzzle full of small sharp teeth.
  Seal  
  CR 1/3
  XP 135
  N Small animal 
  Init +1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +5
  DEFENSE
  AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)
  hp 4 (1d8) 
  Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +1
  OFFENSE
  Speed 10 ft., swim 60 ft.
  Melee bite +2 (1d4)
  STATISTICS
  Str 10, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
  Base Atk +0; CMB –1; CMD 10 (can’t be tripped)
  Skills Perception +5, Swim +8; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception 
  SQ hold breath
  Languages none
  ECOLOGY
  Environment any oceans
  Organization solitary, pair, rookery (3–24) 
  Treasure none
  SPECIAL ABILITIES
  Hold Breath (Ex) A seal can hold its breath for a number of 
  minutes equal to 6 × its Constitution score before it risks 
  drowning.
  Sleek-bodied aquatic mammals, seals spend the majority 
  of their lives in the water, whether in the harbors of 
  tropical ports or amid wandering icebergs. They prefer 
  rocky beaches, upon which they rest, raise their young, 
  and dive to hunt fish, squid, sea birds, and other small 
  aquatic creatures. They are well known for their vocal 
  communications consisting of barks, grunts, and flipper 
  slaps, traits that cause many humanoids to remark on their 
  intelligence and the ease with which they can be trained.
  SMALL AND VERMIN FAMILIARS
  Some of these familiars break several of the rules and 
  assumptions of the familiars presented in the Pathfinder 
  RPG Core Rulebook.
  Small-sized familiars threaten the areas around them like 
  Small creatures, and can be used to flank enemies, though 
  both familiars and their masters are often loath to use such 
  tactics as the result is often a dead familiar. Small-sized 
  familiars are also harder to keep on a master’s person than 
  Tiny or smaller familiars. Often they require some form of 
  magic item, like a bag of holding, for such a feat to work.
  The process of making a vermin into a familiar grants 
  it an Intelligence score and removes the mindless trait.
  Vermin familiars communicate with their masters and 
  other vermin of their kind by way of a strange combination 
  of behaviors, slight changes in coloration, and even the 
  excretion of scents, subtle and otherwise. As with other 
  types of familiars, other creatures cannot understand this 
  communication without magical aid.
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  Seas of Fortune
  T
  he Free Captains of the Shackles have long menaced 
  the sea lanes of the Arcadian Ocean off the western 
  coast of Garund, striking fear in the hearts of 
  merchant captains across the Inner Sea. No nation, however, 
  has felt the sting of the pirate lords’ lash more than Cheliax. 
  In 4640 ar, Baron Grallus of Sargava, who had backed 
  House Davian in the Chelish Civil War, turned to the Free 
  Captains of the Shackles for help in defending the colony 
  from House Thrune. Three years later, the Thrune imperial 
  fleet suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the pirate 
  lords, though the blow was not enough 
  to extinguish Cheliax’s ambitions. In 
  4660, the Chelish navy again sailed 
  forth to reclaim Sargava, only to be 
  driven into the Eye of Abendego by the 
  Free Captains and dispersed. In the end, 
  Baron Grallus’s annual “stipend” to the 
  Free Captains paid off.
  House Thrune still longs for revenge 
  against the pirates. Long has their anger 
  brewed, but facing off against the Free Captains has been 
  nothing but a dream for many years, as Hurricane King 
  Kerdak Bonefist has increased the reach and power of the 
  pirate fleet beyond anything in its history.
  Now, however, the Chelish navy’s capture of Barnabas 
  Harrigan, a Free Captain whose predations have taken 
  a deep toll on the empire’s merchant shipping, has 
  given House Thrune a means to secure the pirate lords’ 
  annihilation. Rather than face execution, Harrigan 
  offered Cheliax a deal they couldn’t refuse—give him 
  immunity for his past crimes and, utilizing his privileged 
  knowledge of the Free Captains’ inner workings, he will 
  lead a Chelish fleet to the Shackles to put an end to the 
  pirate confederacy once and for all. And once he has 
  handed the Shackles over to Cheliax, Harrigan suggests, 
  perhaps his overlords might appoint him governor of the 
  new Chelish colony there.
  GMs can find more information and tools in Pathfinder 
  Campaign Setting: Isles of the Shackles, Pathfinder Player 
  Companion: Pirates of the Inner Sea, the Skull & Shackles 
  Item Cards, the Skull & Shackles Poster Map Folio, and the 
  Pathfinder Adventure Path: Skull & Shackles Player’s Guide, 
  which is available for free at paizo.com.
  The WormWood muTiny
  By Richard Pett
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #55, Levels 1–3
  When the PCs are press-ganged off the streets of the 
  Shackles’ Port Peril and wake up in a ship’s hold, they find 
  themselves unwilling crew members aboard the pirate 
  ship Wormwood, under the ruthless command of Captain 
  Barnabas Harrigan. The PCs need to think on their feet if 
  they’re going to survive among the cutthroat buccaneers 
  who make up the Wormwood’s crew, for if altercations with 
  thugs aboard the ship don’t do them in, the drinking and 
  gambling stand a good chance of doing so. Even worse is 
  their treatment under the scrutinizing 
  eye of the ship’s brutal taskmaster 
  and boatswain, Master Scourge, who 
  at every turn seeks to tarnish the PCs’ 
  image before the Wormwood’s first mate, 
  Mr. Plugg. Throughout it all, the PCs 
  must try to get back those possessions 
  confiscated from them when they 
  were press-ganged.
  When the Wormwood attacks the Rahadoumi merchant 
  ship Man’s Promise, the PCs find themselves charged with 
  sailing the new ship back to Port Peril. Just as the PCs 
  think it’s the perfect time to stage a mutiny, a powerful 
  storm arises and cripples the ship, grounding it on a 
  small island. Mr. Plugg orders the PCs to go ashore and 
  seek much-needed water and supplies, where the PCs 
  encounter the undead victims of an earlier shipwreck and 
  confront the grindylows that have abducted two missing 
  crew members from the Man’s Promise.
  When the PCs return to the ship, the cruel Mr. Plugg 
  decides it’s time for him to get rid of the troublemakers 
  under his command. After a fierce showdown with Plugg 
  and those loyal to him, the PCs take control of the ship, at 
  long last pirates in their own right.
  raiders of The fever sea
  By Greg A. Vaughan
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #56, Levels 4–6
  Having acquired their own ship, the PCs can now strike 
  out as pirates themselves. As mutineers, however, the 
  PCs can’t simply sail into the Shackles. They have to 
  prove themselves before the buccaneers of the Shackles 
  will accept them as equals, by attacking merchant ships, 
  raiding settlements, and squabbling with other pirates. 
  First and foremost, however, the PCs must rechristen and 
  refit their ship to conceal their mutiny.
  While battling a rival pirate named Isabella “Inkskin” 
  Locke, the PCs discover she has a treasure map tattooed on 
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  her body. The PCs follow the map to a small island, where 
  they do battle with a group of sahuagin. Afterward, the 
  PCs dig for the buried treasure shown on the map, which 
  is really the entrance to a flooded dungeon. Exploring 
  this dungeon, they confront its fearsome inhabitants and 
  claim the map’s treasure, finally gaining enough plunder 
  and infamy to enter the Shackles as true Free Captains.
  TempesT rising
  By Matthew Goodall
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #57, Levels 7–8
  To solidify their reputations, the PCs travel to the Shackles 
  capital of Port Peril to present themselves to the Hurricane 
  King and officially gain recognition as Free Captains. One of 
  the leading pirate lords on the Pirate Council, Tessa Fairwind, 
  takes an interest in the PCs. Impressed with their actions so 
  far, Tessa invites them to join her fleet. She suspects Cheliax 
  has designs on the Shackles, and asks the PCs to investigate. 
  The PCs have the opportunity to explore Port Peril before 
  embarking on their investigations in the Shackles.
  Finally, the PCs must race their ship in the Free Captains’ 
  Regatta, an annual race along the fringes of the Eye of 
  Abendego. In addition to facing treacherous weather, 
  currents, reefs, and sandbars around the Eye, the PCs must 
  also contend with hostile monsters, as well as their fiercest 
  competitor, their old nemesis Captain Barnabas Harrigan. 
  If the PCs can overcome these obstacles, they win lordship 
  over a small island and a seat on the Pirate Council.
  island of empTy eyes
  By Neil Spicer
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #58, Levels 9–10
  Having won the Free Captains’ Regatta, the PCs must now 
  claim their prize: the Island of Empty Eyes. The island is 
  uninhabited and dangerous, and the PCs must explore 
  it before they can build a port there, face the degenerate 
  cyclopes inhabiting a ruin of ancient Ghol-Gan, then clear 
  out the island’s ruined fort and claim it as their own.
  Once the PCs have settled into their new home, they 
  have another duty to attend to—as newly minted pirate 
  lords, they must host a feast for the leading pirates of the 
  Shackles. Trouble assails the festivities when the PCs’ 
  archrival, Captain Harrigan, sends a mysterious agent 
  called the Eel to sabotage the feast, and the PCs must stop 
  the Eel’s treachery and protect their powerful guests. If 
  they fail, they will lose the respect of their guests as well as 
  their status as Free Captains.
  The price of infamy
  By Tim Hitchcock
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #59, Levels 11–12
  The PCs now have an island, but they’ll need to attract other 
  pirates to their flag to form a fleet. Once the PCs bring their 
  new followers back to their island, their old rival Captain 
  Barnabas Harrigan decides to get his revenge by attacking 
  the PCs’ island with his own fleet. The PCs must defend the 
  island against Harrigan’s pirates, culminating in a battle 
  between the PC’s ship and their old vessel, the Wormwood.
  After defeating the enemy fleet, the PCs sail to 
  Harrigan’s island, intent on finally defeating their old foe. 
  If they succeed, the PCs discover that Harrigan is a traitor 
  who has sold out the Shackles to Cheliax in exchange for 
  immunity for his crimes and a chance to rule what’s left 
  of the pirate isles. Worst of all, they learn a Chelish fleet is 
  already on its way to the Shackles.
  from hell’s hearT
  By Jason Nelson
  Pathfinder Adventure Path #60, Levels 13–15
  The threat of the approaching Chelish navy looms on the 
  horizon, and the PCs must prepare for the defense of the 
  Shackles. Hurricane King Kerdak Bonefist is unconcerned, 
  believing the Shackles to be safe, so the PCs must use 
  diplomacy, intimidation, and any other means necessary to 
  gather more allies and build a fleet to repel the Chelaxians.
  After readying their new fleet, the PCs sail north to 
  engage the Chelish navy in an epic naval battle inside the 
  Eye of Abendego, facing off against the Chelish flagship 
  Abrogail’s Fury and its defenders, including Chelish 
  marines and summoned devils, as well as Admiral 
  Druvalia Thrune and her Hellknight bodyguard.
  If the PCs defeat the Chelish fleet, the plunder they 
  have seized and the infamy they’ve accrued are enough 
  that the Free Captains consider them capable successors 
  to the Hurricane King. The PCs sail back to the Shackles 
  to attack Port Peril, invading Fort Hazard in search of 
  Kerdak Bonefist. After fighting through the Hurricane 
  King’s minions, the PCs find that Bonefist is not there. 
  They must enter the sea caves below Fort Hazard, where 
  a tribe of weresharks guards the Hurricane King’s most 
  prized treasures, and then face off against Bonefist and 
  his flagship, the Filthy Lucre, one of only a few ships in the 
  Shackles outfitted with cannons. With the defeat of the 
  Hurricane King and his ship, and the acclaim of the Free 
  Captains, the PCs can finally claim the Hurricane Crown 
  of the Shackles for themselves.
  SPOILER WARNING!
  What follows is the background and outline for the Skull 
  & Shackles Adventure Path. If you intend to play in this 
  campaign, be warned! These pages spoil the upcoming 
  adventures as thoroughly as possible.
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
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  Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave 
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  Pathfinder Adventure Path #55: The Wormwood Mutiny © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; 
  Author: Richard Pett.
  Open game License Version 1.0a
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  Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the 
  RaideRs of the feveR sea
  by Greg A. Vaughan
  Now masters of their own ship, the PCs can become pirates 
  in their own right, but they must first rename and refit 
  their stolen ship. To be considered equals by the pirates 
  of the Shackles, they’ll have to prove themselves worthy 
  of the name. When they discover a treasure map tattooed 
  on a defeated pirate rival, the adventurers go in search of 
  buried treasure—if they can find it, they’ll have enough 
  plunder to name themselves true Free Captains!
  toRag
  Learn the secret ways, peerless techniques, and ancient 
  traditions of Torag, god of the forge, protection, and 
  strategy. Torag is more than just a god of dwarves—the 
  Father of Creation’s hammer defends all he deems worthy.
  oceans of golaRion
  Take a trip beneath the waves of Golarion in this planet-
  wide look at what creatures, cultures, people, and perils 
  lurk under familiar waterways and in the distant deep. 
  An entire hidden world of danger swims beneath the 
  surface of the seas! 
  and MoRe!
  Discover the perils of bargaining with the savage cyclops 
  warriors of Butcher’s Rock in the second chapter of Robin D. 
  Laws’ Pathfinder’s Journal, “The Treasures of Far Thallai.” 
  Also, sea monsters and pirate-made menaces bubble up 
  in the Pathfinder Bestiary.
  subscRibe to PathfindeR adventuRe Path!
  The Skull & Shackles Adventure Path has begun! Don’t 
  miss out on a single volume—sail your ship over to 
  paizo.com/pathfinder and subscribe today to have 
  each Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Campaign 
  Setting, Pathfinder Player Companion, Pathfinder 
  Module, and GameMastery product delivered to your 
  door! Also, be sure to check out the free Skull & Shackles 
  Player’s Guide, available now!
  
  The Buzzard's Bounty
  They say not even the privateers of 
  Rahadoum could keep the wily Captain 
  Rorenet from hiding his plunder—no mean 
  feat after those privateers sank the Blue 
  Buzzard near Tempest Cay. Divers never 
  found the Buzzard’s booty, but legends tell 
  that the giant clams of the Cay sometimes 
  open to reveal more than just pearls. 
  Fisherman's Folly
  Taproom tales never seem quite sure, but Chiminnie Ebbs 
  either loved a mermaid or hated mermen so much that he 
  saved for 20 years to have a wizard craft him a suit of armor 
  that would allow him to walk beneath the waves. Ebbs 
  walked into the waters of Drenchport one day and never 
  came back. No one’s ever cared enough to miss Ebbs, but if 
  it worked, that armor sure would be something special.
  Shipwreck in a Bottle
  Poxy “Peg” Pearls always had a vicious sense 
  of humor, and most who met her called 
  her a witch, a bitch, or worse. Aside from 
  bringing cabin boys to tears, she had a 
  talent for crafting not just ships in bottles, 
  but shipwrecks. Eventually, she was run out of 
  Ollo after someone examining her work claimed 
  to see gold spilling from one of her wrecks, along with a miniature crew 
  desperately signaling for help.
  The Lost Messenger
  Although he started as a Taldan jeweler, Liat Murks 
  eventually made a name for himself among the crew 
  of the Deprived, who claimed the scrawny man could 
  fix anything. By night he endlessly tinkered, eventually 
  creating a shiny silver toucan of springs and cogs. One 
  morning he loaded the metal bird with a rescue plea and 
  set it loose. But so convincing was the device—even 
  to itself—that it flew into the jungles near Mgange 
  Cove and was never seen again.
  
  h
  h
  h
  h
  h
  Printed in China. PZO9055
  paizo.com/pathfinder
  P
  irates take whatever they please, whether it be ships, plunder, or people! The adventurers wake 
  to find themselves press-ganged into the crew of the pirate ship Wormwood, the vessel of the 
  nefarious Captain Barnabus Harrigan. They’ll have to learn how to survive as pirates if they’re to 
  have any hope of weathering rough waves, brutal crew members, enemy pirates, ravenous beasts, and 
  worse. But when fortune turns to their favor, it’s up to the new crew to decide whether they’ll remain 
  the pirate’s swabs or seize control and set sail for adventures all their own.
  This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path launches the Skull & Shackles 
  Adventure Path and includes:
  • “The Wormwood Mutiny,” a Pathfinder RPG adventure for 1st-level 
  characters, by Richard Pett.
  • Details of life aboard a pirate vessel and rules for becoming the 
  most infamous scallywag to sail the seas, by Jesse Benner, Richard 
  Pett, and F. Wesley Schneider.
  • Revelations on the daring faith of Besmara, goddess of pirates, strife, and sea 
  monsters, by Sean K Reynolds.
  • Death and plunder in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Robin D. Laws.
  • Four new monsters, by Jesse Benner, Sean K Reynolds, and 
  Steven D. Russell
  Captives of Fortune
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Pathfinder/1st Edition/Adventure Paths/PF055-060 - Skull & Shackles/Skull & Shackles - 01 - The Wormwood Mutiny.pdf