Pirates
Each spring, the light galleons of Chandral travel from the continent of Hobrim, northwards into the arctic waters of the Goordune Ocean. They follow the whales for the most part, and then return in the fall -- passing by Rakore twice in their great journey. The normal whaling hunts were halted with the War of the Undead, and the time has come again for the massive fleets to once again retake their journeys -- for the first time in nearly eleven years.

The event is met with great fanfare in Rakore, particularly at Teras and Gridolin. Unfortunately, pirates plague the fleets -- pirates which may drive off some of the Chandral vessels. Prat managed to scry some of the pirates, hiding out in a cove on the northeastern side of Hallis Island. Most of the Rakoran fleets are already out patrolling the seas for pirates, but this bunch managed to come in from the northeastern side of the continent -- perhaps from the Vridaran shipping lanes with Grucheth. Whatever their origin, the Rattler is the only ship available to take them on -- and Prat spotted a light galleon, with a brigandine escort.

Virgin Nun (Light Galleon) Crew: 75 Officers: 15 Boarders: 200 Marines: 50

Green Demon (Brigandine) Crew: 25 Officers: 5 Boarders: 50 Marines: 15

Grinning Skull (Brigandine) Crew: 25 Officers: 5 Boarders: 50 Marines: 15

Crew: humans; Com1; CR 1; Size M; HD 1d4; hp 7; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +0 melee (shortsword, 1d6, crit19-20x2), or +0 ranged (dagger, 1d4, crit19-20x2, RI10ft); SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0; AL LE; Str 11, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11. Languages Spoken: Common. Skills and feats: Climb +2, Profession (sailor) +6, Spot +0, Swim +3, Use Rope +2; Skill focus (profession), Toughness.

Officers: humans; Exp2; CR 1; Size M; HD 2d6; hp 7; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10; Attack +1 melee (shortsword, 1d6, crit19-20x2), or +1 ranged (dagger, 1d4, crit19-20x2, RI10ft); SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +3; AL LE; Str 10, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10. Languages Spoken: Common. Skills and feats: Alchemy +2, Appraise +4, Climb +4, Hide +0, Knowledge (nature) +5, Listen +3, Profession (sailor) +7, Spot +5, Swim +5; Alertness, Skill focus (profession).

Boarders: humans; War1; CR 1; Size M; HD 1d8; hp 11; Init +0; Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (hide armor); Attack +1 melee (shortsword, 1d6, crit19-20x2), or +1 ranged (shortbow, 1d6, crit20x3, RI60ft); SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0; AL LE; Str 11, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11. Languages Spoken: Common. Skills and feats: Climb +2, Intimidate +2 (+2 Rank), Listen +2 (+2 Alertness), Move silently +0, Profession (sailing) +4, Spot +2, Swim +3; Alertness, Toughness.

Marines: humans; Ftr1; CR 1; Size M; HD 1d10; hp 13; Init +4 (+4 Improved initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 13 (studded leather); Attack +1 melee (longsword, 1d8, crit19-20x2), or +1 ranged (longbow, 1d8, crit20x3, RI110ft); SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0; AL LE; Str 11, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11. Languages Spoken: Common. Skills and feats: Climb +4, Listen +2, Profession (sailor) +4, Spot +1, Swim +3; Alertness, Improved initiative, Toughness.

Held captive by an addition 30 boarders and 10 marines, are some of the crews and hostages from an unmarked merchant vessel, the Scarlet Skies. The Skies was a brigandine en route from Vridara with mage-oriented refugees, but was caught by the pirates, and re-named the Grinning Skull. The Skies was a stolen ship, with only a handful of real seamen. The rest were elves or sorcerors escaping the Inquisition, and refusing the participate in the attack on the Dragon Nation. The leader of the rabble was the Scarlet Skies' cleric, who also served as her Navigator. Vladimir Kushkin convinced the rest of the crew to mutiny with him, though he feels responsible for events that have since transpired.

Vladimir Kushkin: male slate human; Exp3, ex-Clr(Olorin)3; HD 3d6 + 3d8 + 18; HP 53; AC 10; Attack +5 melee, or +4 ranged; SV Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +10; AL NG; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 13. Languages Spoken: Vridaran, Common, Sholin. Skills and feats: Balance +3, Climb +4, Diplomacy +6, Gather Information +4, Heal +7, Intuit Direction +7, Knowledge (nature) +6, Knowledge (religion) +7, Listen +4, Profession (boater) +5, Profession (fisher) +5, Profession (sailor) +13, Spot +4; Alertness; Iron Will, Leadership, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (profession - sailor).

Vladimir's bosun for the journey is permanently attached to him, as a bodyguard and friend - Iosef Katakamchka -- who served as Master Rigger of the Watch abourd the Scarlet Skies, before the mutiny.

Iosef katakamchka: male slate human; Mnk3; CR 3; Size M (6 ft., 1 in. tall); HD 3d8; hp 21; Init +0; Spd 40 ft.; AC 10; Attack +2 melee, or +2 monk, or +2 ranged; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3; AL LG; Str 11, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 10. Languages Spoken: Vridaran, Common. Skills and feats: Concentration +5, Disable device +2, Hide +0, Jump +2, Listen +0, Move silently +6, Perform +3, Profession +5, Spot +0, Tumble +5; Blind-fight, [Deflect arrows], [Improved unarmed strike], [Stunning fist], Toughness, Track.

Seamus' Twin
Seamus is one of two, it turns out. Worse, his twin is a notorious pirate of the seas. When any of the pirates see Captain Seamus up close, they'll freak -- thinking he's the Dread Pirate Antilliahnus, who usually rules the seas west of Grucheth. Only the captain of the Virgin Nun might know where to find Antilliahnus, but any of the crew could point to Grucheth. Just who or what the Dread Pirate Antilliahnus is, remains to be seen.

A Ghost Ship's Patience
The Ice Bitch is back. The converted remains of a heavy galleon, the ghost ship Bitch has some bones to pick with Captain Seamus and his crew. This time, the vampire medusa wants vengeance for spending six long months waiting for the party in the Halls of the Faerie Queen. She may slip, and say that she's tired of fighting with her master, Xemitar, but only if the party can somehow get her to parlay. Otherwise, the fight is on -- and she has added an army of undead to her ship, which are the remains of the other three ships she had with her, before the battles of Thayer's Rock and Gridolin.

Alliya, Servant of Xemitar: vampiric medusa; CR 8; HD 6d12; hp 55; Init +9 (+5 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30ft; AC 24 (+5 Dex, +9 Natural); Atk +10 melee (snakes, 1d4+6+poi, crit20x2) or +10/+5 melee (slam, 1d6+4, crit20x2) or +11/+6 ranged (shortbow, 1d6, crit20x3, RI 60ft) or +15/+10 ranged (daggers, 1d4+4, crit19-20x2, RI 10ft); FR 5x5/5ft; SA Undead, Domination, Energy Drain, Blood Drain, Children of the Night, Create Spawn, Petrifying Gaze, Poison; SQ Damage Reduction +1/15, Turn Resistance +4, Resistance 20 (cold/electricity), Gaseus Form, Spider Climb, Alternate Form, Fast Healing; SV Fort +2, Ref +12, Will +8; Str 19, Dex 20, Con -, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 19. Skills and Feats: Disguise +8, Move Silently +16, Spot +18, Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Martial Weapon Proficiency. Possessions: mirrored sunglasses, Quiver of Ehlonna, 7 daggers, necklace of fireballs I, cloak of elvenkindUndead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage. Petrifying Gaze (SU): Turn to stone for 3d6 hours, 30ft, Fortitude save (DC 15). Poison (Ex): Snakes, Fortitude save (DC 14); initial damage 1d6 temporary Strength, secondary damage 2d6 temporary Strength. Domination (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire's slam attack sufer 2 negative levels (Willpower save, DC 17). Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, inflicting 1d4 point of permanent Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained (Fortitude save, DC 17). Children of the Night (Su): Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day can call forth a pack of 4d8 dire rats, a swarm of 10d10 bats, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standar action. These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour. Create Spawn (su): A humanoid or monsterous humanoid slain by a vampire's energy drain attack rises as a vampire spawn (see the Vampire Spawn entry, page 182) 1d4 days after burial. If the vampire instead drains the victim's Constitution to 0 or less, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or fewer HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under the command of the vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master's death. Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a vampire can assume gaseous form at will, as the spell cast by a 5th-level sorcerer, but can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability. Alternate Form (Su): A vampire can assume the shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf as a standard action. This ability is similar to a polymorph self spell cast by a 12th-level sorcerer, except that the vampire can assume only one of the forms listed here. It can remain in that form until it assumes another or until the next sunrise. Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points or lower, a vampire automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Once at rest in its coffin, it rises to 1 hit point after 1 hour, then resumes healing at the rate of 5 hit points per round.

Bodak: medium-size undead; CR 8; HD 9d12 (58hp); Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Init); Spd 20ft; AC 15 (+2 Dex, +3 nat); Atk slam +6 melee (slam 1d8+1); F/R 5x5/5ft; SA Death gaze; SQ damage reduction 15/silver, fire and acid resistance 20, electrical immunnity, sunlight vulnerability, flashbacks; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7; Str 13, Dex 15, Con -, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: listen +11, move silently +14, spot +13, Dodge, Improved Init, Weapon Focus (slam). Death Gaze (Su): Death, range 30ft, Fortitude negates DC 15. Humanoids who die from this attack are transformed into bodaks in one day. Sunlight Vulnerability (Ex): Bodaks loathe sunlight, for its merest touch burns their impure flesh. Each round of exposure to the direct rays of the sun deals 1 point of damage to the creature. Flashbacks (Ex): From time to time, a bodak sees something that reminds it of its almost-forgotten life. At the start of every encounter, there is a 5% chance that it ntoices something about an opponent (randomly determined, if more than one opponent is present) that causes it to recall its life. If this happens, the bodak takes no action for 1 round and thereafter suffers a -2 morale penalty to all attacks directed at that opponent. AL CE.

Allip: medium-size undead (incorporeal); CR 3; HD 4d12 (26hp); Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Init); Spd Fly 30ft (perfect); AC 15 (+1 Dex, +4 deflection); Atk incorporeal touch +3 melee (incorporeal touch, 1d4 permanent Wisdom drain); F/R 5x5/5; SA Babble, Wisdom drain, madness; SQ Undead, incorporeal, +2 turn resistance; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +4; Str -, Dex 12, Con -, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 18. Skills and Feats: hide +8, intimidate +11, intuit direction +4, listen +7, search +7, spot +7, Improved Initiative. Babble (Su): An allip constantly mutters and whines to itself, creating a hypnotic effect. All sane creatures within 60ft of the allip must succeed at a Will save (DC16) or be affected as though by a hypnotism spell for 2d4 rounds. This is a sonic, mind-affecting compulsion. Opponents who successfully save cannot be affected by the same allip's babble for one day. Wisdom Drain (Su): Those whose Wisdom is reduced to 0 by the allip become helpless until at least 1 point of Wisdom is restored. Madness (Su): Anyone targeting the allip with a mind-control or telepathic ability makes direct contact with its tortured mind and takes 1d4 points of temporary Wisdom damage. Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage. Incorporeal: Can be harmed only by other incorpreal creatures, +1 or better magic weapons, or magic, with a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source. Can pass through solid objects at will, and own attacks pass through armor. Always moves silently. AL NE.

Dire Rats (20): small animals; CR 1/3; HD 1d8+1; hp 5; Init +3 (Dex); Spd 40ft, climb 20ft; AC 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural); Atk +4 melee (bite, 1d4); F/R 5x5/5; SA Disease; SQ Scent; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 4. Skills and Feats: Climb +11, Hide +11, Move Silently +6, Weapon Finesse (Bite).

Skeletons (144): medium-size skeleton/undead; CR 1/3; HD 1d12 (6hp); Init +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Init); Spd 30ft; AC 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural); Atk 2 claws +0 melee (claw 1d4); F/R 5x5/5; SQ undead, immunities; SV Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 10, Dex 12, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 11. Feats: Improved Initiative. Immunities (Ex): Skeletons have cold immunity. Because they lack flesh or internal organs, they take only half damage from piercing or slashing weapons. Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.

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