Would like to throw this diplomancer/manipulator out for consideration. She was created for a different game that died, so I can adjust point buys and such if necessary, but the fluff and 90% of the crunch should be there.
Search Posts
"I won't mind stealing if I get the opportunity, not from people who have stolen me in the first place. It'll take a lot of stealing before I consider the scales evened. So I'll be sure to keep an eye out", Janis says from her hammock. "As for a weapon, don't worry about me first. Prioritize those who actually want to engage in such activities. You can count on me staying the hell away from any signs of danger." What a coward, eh? "Besides, I'm counting on the fact that these are pirates, and thus they will try to board another vessel at some point, and to use us as fodder they will have to furnish us with weapons then anyway." "As for the officers, I'm sure that none of them bear us any love. Some perhaps less than others, but if it's up to me --" And it will be... "-- they will all be held accountable." Brutally. Janis specifically does not mention how Scourge has been eyeing her uncomfortably.
"I see your point, Mr. Kretch", Janis agrees with a nod as she pulls off her boots before sitting down in her hammock, "and I'm certainly open to any suggestions. Was there any direction in particular that you were thinking of pulling?" She stretches out on the hammock, finding the right balance and enjoying the swaying of the ship. "My name is Janis. Or Ms. Talon, if you prefer."
After having talked to the lashed crew -- whether they allow her to treat them or not -- Janis will spend some time with the rest of the crew before heading to bed early.
You'd figure that Janis' first responsibility was to her own party, but it hasn't really completely formed yet. She's not entirely more bonded with the player characters than the rest of the crew, not yet. And even if she were, she might still do what she's going to do now. That is, she waits until the lashed group's ordeal is over, and waits until the superiors' attention has drifted off them, and then approaches them cautiously. She stops about ten feet away from them, and assumes an apologetic and submissive body posture, trying to appeal to their no doubt wounded egos. Matter-of-factly, she offers, "I have some minor healing magics...if you would like."
After speaking to the lashed crew, Janis will quickly turn in and will take the Sleep nighttime action to make sure she recovers from the fatigue incurred during her rope running.
- Hauling Rope and Knot Work!
Daytime Ship Action:
Janis gets assigned to some rope carrying work, hauling the heavy (and difficult to carry) materials back and forth on the ship for the length of the day. Though she's not used to manual labor, she manages to perform -- just barely -- according to demands, not incurring much punishment for now. The delivery tasks allow her to roam the ship and have brief chats with a wide variety of ship personnel, subtly wheedling little pieces of information out of them as she starts to mentally put together a list of the crew members, a who's who as it were. There's Harrigan, the captain... Plugg, the sadist, and that vile little man, Scourge... Grok the quartermaster, Kroop the cook... Longfarthing, Krine... Quinn, Toppin, Tibbs, Scrimshaw... Bansion, Chumlett, Lonegan..., she ticks a list inside her head, categorizing each and every member of the crew under useful or useless, dangerous or harmless, difficult or easy. At the end of the day's work, she's quite sweaty and exhausted, and when the dinner bell rings, she's probably going to arrive a little late, aching all over.
Janis will move closer to the exit, ready to go as she continues to try to reason with the other side. But she doesn't exit the hold just yet, not wanting to just ditch the situation. "I suggest everyone just stop fighting and move on to the deck... those who want to continue fighting can do so in view of the superiors, so they can see who it is. All right?"
"How many of you are Harrigan's friends, really? I'm not asking you to admit it to me, but think about it and consider admitting it to yourself, at least. You're just being used, expendable fodder to throw into fights that they won't bother with. Is that the position you really want to find yourselves in?"
When Aretta turns away to attack Edmund instead, Janis gives a slight smile of satisfaction. Not so much at Edmund's misfortune of course, but her own fortune. She thinks to herself, Good... Good, Aretta, good. So you can listen. You don't need to be my friend right away. I wouldn't expect you to. Not so soon. But what is valuable is that you do listen. You, my little girl, are fertile ground, and you just got yourself elected. If you are among Harrigan's favored group of little henchmen, then I will need a mole inside that circle. I'll be coming for you, Aretta Bansion. Backing away from the fight, Janis hops on top of some crates on the edge of the room, crouching there and watching the altercation. "I have trouble believing that any of you haven't been mistreated by our superiors. Ladies and gentlemen, to coin a phrase, we're all on the same boat here."
Janis will also resort to trying to talk her way out of her own confrontation with Aretta Bansion, although she will attempt a less sensual tactic and try to make friends instead. "Aretta -- that's your name, right? Aretta? I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to fight you. A crew that fights each other will only wear themselves out and be easy pickings when another predator shows up in the horizon. We need to work together, and I am more than prepared to be on your side. Let's work this out and have some drinks together later, all right?"
Janis will drink the rum.
She stays pretty quiet and muted however, both exhausted by the day's work, and disgusted by the treatment of the unfortunate Jakes Magpie. She will not go out of her way to interact with anyone tonight. Perhaps tomorrow will be less exhausting.
Man the bilges!
Janis is, alone, assigned the duty to head down to the lowest of the low, the bilges of the ship, the most vile and filthy place on board. Cleaning and carrying out the water that seeps in, she focuses diligently on her duties for the day, working her ass off to make sure she delivers a satisfactory performance, putting in a little bit of overtime if necessary just to make sure. She's really making an effort to please, isn't she? Nah, more like she's making an effort to buy time to get her bearings. When she finally, at dusk, emerges from the "basement" of the ship without having been seen for much of the day, she looks quite different from the carefully beautified woman of earlier. Her hair is a mess, makeup smeared, clothes wrinkled and rumpled, maybe even torn in places, not to mention wet with bilge water and her own sweat. She looks quite exhausted, and after finding some food, she will try to go directly to bed to work off her fatigue. Diary: Day 1 Daytime Action: Work Diligently
Day 1 Nighttime Action: Sleep
Hope you can take it, lady. Because I'm not about to join in a full scale uprising. Well...not until I have the lay of the land, Janis thinks to herself quietly. She doesn't volunteer any knowledge of cooking.
Janis observes silently, not getting in the middle of the argument, but noting in the back of her head how the redhead has tried to help them twice already. What is her angle?
Janis was a little surprised at her own performance climbing the mainsail. Must be a good day... All things considered, of course. When Revhi is whipped with the cat, Janis winces inwardly and her face gives the slightest of grimaces. Oh, you like racking up the bill, do you Mister Plugg? Let's see how you like it when it comes time to pay the piper.
This is beneath me, Janis thinks to herself, her nose wrinkling and face scrunching up a little bit in clear distaste that is obvious to anybody who pays extra attention to her. Whether the distaste is at the climbing or at this entire situation in general, is unclear. Still, I have little choice at this point. I'm not going to start fighting a dozen pirates unarmed. But oh how you will pay. She steps up to the mainsail, and grabs on to it. At least I'm wearing pants and not a skirt... No luck for you today, savages.
Janis will play along for now, clearly at a disadvantage and not prepared to push her luck. She'll follow the others to the deck and smolder a little inwardly. She doesn't get the entire concept of pressganging, as she has always grown up finding that you get more flies with honey than vinegar. Why would anyone want employees that are chomping at the bit to backstab you? It boggles her a bit, but well, I guess she's going to find out. She'll stay quiet for a bit now, just doing as she's told and observing how everyone behaves, from the pirates to her fellow abductees.
"Oh my god, a dead bird flying!" Janis' eyes suddenly go wide and she points through the doorway leading to the deck, trying to add to the distracted hubbub.
Janis spends a few moments quietly, and hopefully subtly, watching the reactions of the other abductees, and when Sylvia jumps up, she decides to stir as well. "Fine, you have us at a disadvantage. We submit", she pragmatically acknowledges the situation. For now. But by the gods, just you wait. Just. You. Wait. She stares daggers in the direction of the pirates, and prepares to move in the direction indicated.
A soft groan gradually flows from Janis' lips as she starts to gradually drift back to consciousness. Little by little, she starts piecing things together -- she's not at home...she's somewhere else...the cries of seagulls tell her it's somewhere near the sea. Little does she realize quite yet that she's *at* sea. She wrinkles her nose a little bit at some of the foul smells wafting into her nose. Having lived in Port Peril for a few years, she's no stranger to foul smells, but this is on a whole new level of filth. The creaks of wood...rhythmic. Oh god no, she thinks to herself, and forces her eyes open in a moment of shock. Looking around, she figures she's maybe in a...cargo hold of some sort? And there are others? Before she can put together anything more than that, she hears the footsteps, the creak of wood, and looks toward the pirates entering. Upon seeing the bearded man cracking the whip, she instantly recognizes him. This is not good. So very, very not good.
Thank you! :)
I believe I will find it to increase my fun. The more hell my characters get put through, the sweeter it will be to plot revenge. :D I'll be sure to let you know if I'm wrong about that. :)
Sounds good! :)
I don't mind mature themes, but I'm not sure where you're heading with a "woman among pirates." As a female, I'd rather not turn this into a game where I have to struggle as a female character or put up with chauvinistic themes. I meant towards myself, not others; I find it an interesting theme but would never want to impose it on others. Having said that, since there has been any concern at all raised, I'm good with dropping the topic; forget I said anything. :)
I think it would probably be a good idea to share a few words about the maturity level of the game and make sure we're all on the same page. Since this is a pirate game, and there are a lot of dirty foul and probably chauvinistic thugs on a ship with us, it could be helpful to know how far to take things. Personally, having chosen to play a female character among pirates, I am prepared for, and even hoping for, some uncouth treatment, as I find that to increase the realism and immersion level. Having said that, I wouldn't want to make anyone uncomfortable, if we have for example a thirteen year old player with us, or anyone else who, for any perfectly valid reason, wants a more sanitized experience. So while I for one would like to feel the danger of being a woman among pirates, I absolutely don't want to ruin the game for anyone else.
All right, my alias should be finalized. Presenting Janis Talon, female manipulator with -- perhaps appropriately enough -- an image of a smug as hell Iggwilv as an avatar. My final shopping list, there should be no gold left over after these: Chain shirt
Janis is heavily focused on face skills, especially Diplomacy, so don't expect her to be a big damage dealer. Do expect her to try to talk to NPCs at every possible point and try to swindle them into doing her bidding. If anyone is interested, I'm open to another PC having been screwed over by Janis in some mild, not-deadly-serious way a few months/years ago in Port Peril. Something like, "you owe me for that whipping I got/those weeks I spent in jail because of you". |