I love Gezza, but I vote to try something new since there seems to be a disconnect between our fun and the fun the AP is offering.
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I agree with most of the points noted here. It seems like S&S was a good idea that got a little out of hand. I dig Gezza, but I'd be open to trying something new. I've run Rise of the Runelords twice now from start to finish: once in 3.5 and once in PFRPG. Love it. I suppose with the revised Curse of the Crimson Throne coming out, that's an option too. The new version looks promising. (And I ran a converted version of that as a PbP on these boards. Fun, but lord above Scarwall is a dungeony slog.)
Strange Aeons... Excuse me, my keyboard shorted out from the drool.
Gezza stands barefoot on the deck, Mister Legs perched on his shoulder, chittering wildly. Periodically Gezza laughs, clearly sharing some secret joke between him and the spider. "What's that about? Seems a bit in a hurry, doesn't it?" he asks the nearest companion.
"Aye, might as well sell it. Lucre's not doing any good just sitting there, is how I see it."
Gezza nods. "If you can calm it long enough for us to search belowdecks, I'd count it good enough." He turns to the others. "Heal up, lads. As soon as Sandara puts these ghosties to sleep, we need to search and search quick. Double-time, check the usual smugglers' holes and spots and get out. No time for dawdling, men." Gezza will head downbelow and let Sandara put the haunt to sleep, then he'll join in the quick search of the usual spots for loot and booty.
Gezza catches his breath. "Fish-men attack. But more threatening, ghostly crewmen. They came out and assaulted everyone, fish folk included. Can you ask Besmara to grant them rest, or some such?"
Gezza sighs deeply, holding his hand over the worst of the cuts. "'Fraid not, Cargas. Those blighters were a little busy taking pieces out of me for me to notice much."
HP 13/22 "Besmara's Teats! Where did this lot come from?" He grunts as the trident and teeth do their bits, and he stumbles backwards, barely standing! HP 1/22
Gezza hits the two in front of him with a color spray!
Gezza climbs across as well, peering about. "Well, lads. It looks like something tried to clean up, which means it was smart, and probably had hands." He pitches his voice loudly to carry to the Murder. "Listen up! All hands on alert! Stay in pairs onboard and keep yer eyes open, lads! Something might be lurking and we don't want to do its job for it, do we?" He looks at the others and conjures mage armor on himself. "Let's look belowdecks. Be ready."
Gezza stares at the derelict. (Ship, not Cargas.) "Bring us close enough to rope 'er. Let's see if they left any plunder aboard when they fled, shall we?"
GM:
A quick question. Can I, in retrospect, have taken a splinter from the ship we left behind? I have knowledge of a spell called track ship, and it would useful to check on where she's headed. If not, no worries. I'll be sure to steal a bit from any new ships we encounter and let live. "Let's consult the charts. Ought to be a port near by, eh?"
Gezza looks at Brood and nods, slowly. "Alright. Noted, all of you. If you want to, we can send a couple fire arrows back there and let them burn before they sink. But they surrendered. I won't kill them as can't fight back. It's not in me. Unless they're mad dogs who need to be put down, I won't kill the defenseless. I figure a man's got to have a line, and that's mine." He sighs, the burdens of decision-making weighing on him. "Now, let's see who's worth keeping as crew and make sail for the closest port. We'll put those who aren't worthy or willing ashore, and then we hunt again. Savvy?"
Gezza smiles at Brood. "Dead Chels tell no tales. If you want a reputation, you leave someone alive to tell the tale. Besides, if we slay every sailor who follows his officer's order, are we any better than Harrigan and Plugg? If you wish to lead, say the word and I'll let you murder your way across the sea. If not, I'm not ready to kill for the sake of it. Not yet."
Gezza nods to Hrista. "Very well. As you were the ones harmed by them, your wish will govern. Lock them below and cut their ropes. If they want to get home, let them work for it. And if you do, Chels, I suggest you spell my name properly. G-E-Z-Z-A. Thank your dark gods you've been shown more mercy than you lot deserve. Murderers! Let's cast off!"
Gezza nods to the chef. "Haul off the loot from the ship and remove any weapons. Lock these damned Chels in their hold once it's done. They attacked these fine sailors, let these fine sailors decide if they're to die or not. Any man jack of you lot are welcome to join the Murderin' Murder and her crew, where we don't kill in cold blood... WE WAIT UNTIL WE'VE WARMED UP A BIT!"
Gezza calls the officers together. In a low voice, he says "First we figure out what we have. Let's not build a fleet yet. See if there's anything of value on here and let's leave the marines on it once we strip it. The sailors have the option of joining up or we can drop them at the nearest port."
Gezza considers. "Keep them over there for the moment. Put our dear apish friend on them. He ought to be able to encourage them to behave. Then let us see what surprises Besmara has for us onboard this ship, shall we?"
Gezza strikes a thoughtful pose. "Mercy? Very well. Order your men to stand down and drop their arms and we'll show mercy."
Gezza winces a little internally as the Marine goes up into a cinder. "Surrender Chels, and you'll keep your lives! All we're looking for is plunder, sweet plunder! Hells, if a couple of you fancy a life of adventure, you're welcome to join!" He shouts!
Gezza makes a single move toward the railing and tries to pick out the highest ranking Chel he can. for fire damage! for an additional fire damage?
Gezza holds aloft a borrowed cutlass and roars a battlecry. "Cry havoc lads and let's sink these naval bastards to the bottom of Besmara's sweet blue sea!" He then casts mage armor on himself...
Gezza glances at the dogs and sighs. He casts protection from arrows on himself.
"Kill only if you must. Anyone caught raping will be keel-hauled! We're here for plunder, mates, not for blood. TAKE WHAT YOU CAN, DAMN THE REST!" Gezza cries out, and realizes he has no good piratical weapon to hold aloft dramatically. He resolves to change that. "Hit the wooden buildings, leave the huts. No one keeps good swag in huts. Haul away what you can carry and take the choicest bits." Gezza will point toward the farthest wooden roofed building to the west and leads his band of cut-throats there.
Gezza smiles. "Very well. I'm Captaining, for now." Gezza stands a few feet apart. "I'm your Captain now, lads. Let's take a swing past that village and see what we're dealing with. Hoist the colors, lads and let's let them stew when they spot us!"
I walked into that, didn't I? I will need help with the bluffin' as Gezza's not strong at it...
Gezza motions for the officers to huddle. "Listen, I'm with the Captain. I have no taste for killing innocent souls. But the crew needs an outlet and if we don't give it to them, there's liable to be violence here. Let's sail close and get a sense of the village. If there's possible plunder, we'll keep the crew's bloodlust to a minimum and use your theatrics to put on a good show, eh?"
I think we can be a cross between Captain Shakespeare's ship from Stardust and the Dread Pirate Roberts, but it's going to take a LOT of roleplaying.
I nominate Cargas. Maybe it'll stop him from making up nautical terms?
Gezza speaks in an undertone to the Cap. "Captain, we have a crew of bloodthirsty scoundrels looking for plunder. We can keep them from killing except in great need, but a raid on a village might take their minds off fish today, fish tomorrow. And a little looting will up our reputation. Rep's important, but when you're building it, sometimes you have commit some minor war crimes."
Gezza nods slowly in agreement with Brood. "Perhaps a fine prize or two to show the crew the rewards for choosing better officers?"
"Swankdankler?" Gezza murmurs, moving to the Captain's side. "Gods help us, one day I'm going to figure out what he's talking about. I don't look forward to that day..." Gezza shakes his head and heads off to make his rounds, checking the wooden ribs of the ship and keeping a weather eye on the horizon.
Gezza grins. "Aye aye, Captain! To victory and treasure!"
Gezza frowns at Aretta's tone. "Belay that sarcasm, mister! The sea gives and the sea takes away. First catch was a dud but we're on a good ship with a good crew: we'll find a new prize and she'll make sure we prosper. After all, we're so damn pretty how could we not prosper!"
Gezza shrugs. "You heard the Captain! Either fish your officers out or let them float. It's your choice. Remember the next time you're offered a choice between life and death, encourage your officers to choose life." He shouts to the crew of the Baide.
Gezza will do his best to subdue them without killing them, using his color sprays, but if they get slain, they had their chance to surrender without violence. Still, afterwards Gezza moves among their crew first, stopping any bleeding before helping the enemy crew.
Gezza moves to join the boardin', should the boardin' be called for. In the meantime he slips a couple spell components into his hands and waits for the captain's inspiring speech.
"We are desperate for an audience, to be sure." Gezza grins at Nim.
Gezza hangs back, keeping a weather eye on the other ship. However he stops when he notices the bosunning that Cargas is doing. "Damn fine bo'suning. Damn fine." he admirs.
That's a cool story. I hope everything goes better than you can hope for and all the dogs and cats and animals get happy homes. I'm a big believer in shelter animals. I currently am owned by three shelter cats.
Who's adopting what, Cargas?
"We were ambushed by fish men. Light injuries, no dead. We repelled them, but there's no telling why they attacked. Sandara's up top healing." Gezza reports, in a matter of fact tone.
Gezza looks around and notices the Cap'n not among them. He nods at Nimrod. "Take watch, will you? I'll check on the Cap." He heads below to ensure Budos is alive and well, and to fill him in if he is.
Gezza frowns and casts the bit of magic he figured out earlier while laying in his bunk. Elementary stuff, really, it staunches the flow of blood by constricting the...
Gezza lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding as Cargas cuts down the fishy-man. He looks around, trying to spot any more attackers and keeps his spellfingers flicking, just in case.
Gezza continues his rebel yell, which sounds more like a frightened scream and steps back five feet. He quickly casts hydraulic push and aims to knock the lizard back five feet south, over the railing!
Gezza casts mage armor on himself!
Gezza shouts as loud as he can shout while leaping to his feet! |