Pathfinder 1E mechanics of building fortifications?

[RUMBLETiGER]

My buddies and I are starting the Serpent's Skull adventure. Please, no spoilers, I'm a player and I'm pleased to go along with the story surprises.

We've been shipwrecked and are on the beach. the ship itself is present but outside of the ability of any of us to repair, we are all level 1 PCs with some NPCs tagging along. It has been made clear that we'll want to build camp against the dangers of enemies, heat and illness. We've made a makeshift camp in the classic style of tarps and tents, but I'd like to do something better.

I've convinced my buddies that we should rip the ship apart for materials to build a more solid fortification. Large portions of wood for walls, the mast and crow's nest embedded into the ground as a watchtower, possibly even transporting sections of the captain's cabin as an enclosure.

How does one do this mechanically? What craft checks, tools needed, (level 1) spells used, etc, could accomplish tearing a ship apart and putting pieces together onto the shore? How about harvesting lumber and vines from the jungle nearby? If you were my DM, how much time would you figure such a project would take? I want to have an educated conversation with our DM and the other players about making this happen, so any of your thoughts would be appreciated.

We've got a large party: Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, Alchemist (me), Witch, Magis, Paladin, Monk and Druid. There are also 7 (I think) NPC's with us, so we're not short on manpower, just need the method.

Thanks in advance!

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Not having real-life experience with this, I can only give one pointer: abatis.

Cut down trees, and do not remove the branches and leaves. Point the "heads" of the trees away from the camp. Anyone moving toward you effectively has to move through difficult terrain (unless they've got a climb speed or maybe forest walk), the branches make noise as enemies go through them, and you can hide spearheads and other such traps in the abatis.

 

[Starfox]

I think the Pathfinder campaign guide has some information that could be used, but common sense should go a long way.

 

[howandwhy99]

OD&D included sample fortifications. So did a lot of early D&D. I think 3.0 had a book on strongholds too. And a few during the d20 boom era. There were also plenty of books written outside of D&D throughout RPG history on building castles and kingdoms.

• Think in terms of materials used. Solids, gases, and liquids. Stone walls, airy passageways, and a well to the water table below are all pretty common.
• Common inhabitants include fungi and other plants, insects, rodents, and plenty of actual CR-level monster challenges depending on food supplies within or nearby.
• Remember, traditional underground dungeons are fortifications too, but not all are created by monsters. Some are simply cave systems commonly created by liquids like water or magma.
• Intelligent monsters build traps, defenses (like barricades, doors, and locks), escape routes, memories and/or drawn maps of their lair.
• All living things capable of movement wander for the supplies they need to survive. If water dries up, they need to find another source. Same with food, air, and basic shelter from environmental challenges.
• Built fortifications are usually also built to control and shape the environment. This means defense and removal of exterior environmental challenges. Cold, heat, rain, snow, diseases, and usually lots of other creatures too.
• Culture includes a race or tribe's specific fortification designs. If they could build rockets and a moon base, they would. If they know how to build huts from the trees in the jungle, they will use those. If they know how to cut rock and mix mortar, they will build stone walls. And so on.
• Even when you are done creating your fortifications, once the game starts they will change. The creatures who live within will change and will change their building as needed. Perhaps they learn new techniques. Or now they are Mule-Folk, not the humans from before. Or perhaps it is simply a bear and the environment is no longer staved off and creeps back in.