Only four survivors make it to shore on an uncharted island nearby.
They are:
Edward Teach – A sea elf bard with a gold complexion and a golden voice who wields the magical power of rock. Edward wanders the seas, collecting tales that he may turn into songs that may be ultimately recorded in the Book of Heavy Metal.Chaser Du L'Eau Profonde – A dandy blue sea elf wizard who has left his undersea home to travel the surface world for the first time. Insatiably curious and inexperienced, Chaser desperately wants to learn the ways of wizardry and surface folk, who he finds fascinating.Cakulha Seaborne – Also known as “Cake,” this squat Obari priest is devoted to Yaluk, a primeval god of lightning and storms. An orphan raised in the brutal ways of a cult temple, Cake is on a vision quest to find his true mother… and to find sacrificial victims to his god.Titus – A dual-wielding half-orc barbarian who sails under a black cloud, Titus has survived more shipwrecks than any man rightly should. A former deckhand of the pirate Capt. Sam Avery, Titus is considering a career move to smuggling to shake his bad luck.
The four survivors acquaint themselves with each other and
gather useful floatsam from the surf. They are marooned on a tropical island with
a wide sandy beach and formidable, harpy-haunted cliffs. Beyond the beach, a swamp
extends into the interior of the island.
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| Bullywugs |
The PCs proceed through the jungle swamp, where they
encounter a tribe of greedy bullywugs. After an initial skirmish, the primitive
frog men offer to barter with the PCs and lead them to a bullywug settlement. There they meet the Bullywug Boss, an imperious tribal chieftain who can speak
Common. The Bullywug Boss offers to trade with the PCs, and offers an assortment
of scavenged junk and treasure, including a captive beach halfling.
The halfling, Fuckin’ Manny, is a member of a group of
pirates who are currently on the island. A spectacularly profane and degenerate
individual, Fuckin’ Manny offers to show the PCs the pirate ships if they free
him.
“Come on bro, quit bustin’ my fuckin’ balls. You gotta get me outta this fuckin’ cage and away from these cocksuckin’ frogs!!”
The Bullywug Boss has one request of the PCs: a giant frog
named Glump, which lurks in the swamp nearby, has devoured many of the
bullywugs. The frog is considered sacred, so none of the tribe can harm it, but
they can no longer tolerate its appetite. However, the PCs could take care of
Glump for them without offending their gods. “Loophole!” declares the Bullywug
Boss.
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| Fuckin' Manny |
The PCs dispatch Glump with comic ease in one round because
the DM forgets how to DM, and they return victoriously to the bullywugs and
collect Fuckin’ Manny and some useful armor and gear.
Fuckin’ Manny explains that he is a member of the pirate Captain
Pox’s crew, sailing on Manticore. After seizing two prize ships – The Celestial
Lotus and Solarr – Pox’s men have retired to their secret island base to plot
their next moves. But dissension breeds among the pirates – Pox wants to use
the recent batch of captives as slave labor to continue excavating a mysterious
cliffside mine in search of some treasure, while others want to ransom their captives
and sell their loot.
Three rival groups have emerged, each wearing a sash to
indicate their loyalties:
- Red Sash Pirates loyal to Pox, who claim Manticore
- Green Sash Pirates like Fuckin’ Manny who are loyal to the rebel first mate Anders, who claim Solarr
- Yellow Sash Pirates who are loyal to the deck witch Griselda, who have claimed The Celestial Lotus. <The DM acknowledges that it's insensitive and uncool to associate the color yellow with Asian culture, and assures you this was not intentional.>
Fuckin’ Manny guides the PCs to a ridge, where they can spy on
the three pirate ships anchored in a hidden lagoon below. Around the cove, the pirates
are broken into different camps. It’s a powder keg waiting to explode – and it’s
also the best way off the island.
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| A sketch of the PC's POV of the lagoon |