Jack Thimble, Jr.'s page

Amid the clamor and bustle of the busy port town, Jack was delighted. Stepping off the deck of the Grizzled Grindylow, the trade vessel that had carried him all the way here from Devil's Arches, Jack tipped his tricorn hat to the boatswain before strolling down the dock, whistling a jaunty tune. Port Peril, along with all its dangerous delights, awaited him!

From the grinning cutthroats to the bar toughs, he could see that this place was the spitting image of a pirate port. Rapier at his side, he sidled into a tavern whose appealing-seeming sign bore the image of a buxom serving maid with the type of bosom a charming young halfling man could get lost in. "Formidably Maid," he thought to himself. "That's either a good pun or the spelling's a bad joke."

As his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the busy tavern, he sidestepped past a serving wench carrying a platter of drinks and made his way to the bar. It wasn't long before he caught sight of a beautiful red-haired human beauty with a gleaming cutlass at her hip, whose fierce glare told the drunken mass to keep its distance. That obviously didn't apply to Jack, he reasoned, so he downed his drink, ordered two more, and strolled over to her table with both of them. In the hours that followed, the two of them learned a great deal of things from one another. She learned that size isn't everything, and one should never judge a halfling by his cover. Jack, on the other hand, learned that you shouldn't trust strange pirate women you meet in bars, as he was ambushed by several thugs leaving her room, and knocked unconscious before he could even draw his sword.

Jack's been in a few Skull & Shackles adventures before, all sadly failed after a few pages. You can click here or here for samples of how I roleplay him. He's not cruel, but he shows no quarter when there's good cause for ruthlessness. He'd fit well into a pirate crew of any alignment.

Thank you for all your hard work, GM Zimmer - you've been a very enjoyable GM, but I've decided to drop out of this game. Good luck to whoever still remains!

Gotcha. I'm glad it's being divided up - mismatched leveling is always awkward.

Amid the clamor and bustle of the busy port town, Jack was delighted. Stepping off the deck of the Grizzled Grindylow, the trade vessel that had carried him all the way here from Devil's Arches, Jack tipped his tricorn hat to the boatswain before strolling down the dock, whistling a jaunty tune. Port Peril, along with all its dangerous delights, awaited him!
From the grinning cutthroats to the bar toughs, he could see that this place was the spitting image of a pirate port. Rapier at his side, he sidled into a tavern whose appealing-seeming sign bore the image of a buxom serving maid with the type of bosom a charming young halfling man could get lost in. "Formidably Maid," he thought to himself. "That's either a good pun or the spelling's a bad joke."

As his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the busy tavern, he sidestepped past a serving wench carrying a platter of drinks and made his way to the bar. It wasn't long before he caught sight of a beautiful red-haired human beauty with a gleaming cutlass at her hip, whose fierce glare told the drunken mass to keep its distance. That obviously didn't apply to Jack, he reasoned, so he downed his drink, ordered two more, and strolled over to her table with both of them. In the hours that followed, the two of them learned a great deal of things from one another. She learned that size isn't everything, and one should never judge a halfling by his cover. Jack, on the other hand, learned that you shouldn't trust strange pirate women you meet in bars, as he was ambushed by several thugs leaving her room, and knocked unconscious before he could even draw his sword.

Jack has been in and out of various recruitment threads and half-started S&S campaigns (none quite getting very far... yet). I'll make a new alias for this game if selected, to keep his character sheet distinct between campaigns. He's a charming halfling scoundrel who's got more daring than sense, but his incredible luck gets him out of trouble as often as his recklessness gets him into it.

While swashbucklers do wear light armor, Jack is in every sense a front-line fighter, and loves showing up bigger and stronger duelists with his speed, agility, and good fortune.

Jack grimaces as the foul liquid practically rots his insides. "Rotting teats of the Sea-Queen!" he exclaims, expecting an unpleasant taste, not a crippling poison. He silently resolves to follow Rosie's example and dispose of the 'rum,' rather than use it to dispose of his organs. Staggering to the rail, he vomits up whatever he can, desperate to get the liquid out of his system. Appreciative of Rosie's sympathy, he quirks an eyebrow when she mentions her fiddle. "It be Grok who's got yer fiddle, then? Well I'll keep me eyes peeled for a chance to nab it back for ye. I'd like to hear ye play it sometime." He thinks back to the morning. "That be the same gnome on deck this mornin'? I'll tell 'im."

Too concerned about recovering his health from the poison, Jack turns in early, taking no additional night actions.

Having GM'd this adventure before, does Jack get any XP for having successfully influenced an NPC to Helpful?

At work at the moment or I'd put up some more details. I'll get into the RP some more when I'm at home!

Amid the clamor and bustle of the busy port town, Jack was delighted. Stepping off the deck of the Grizzled Grindylow, the trade vessel that had carried him all the way here from Devil's Arches, Jack tipped his tricorn hat to the boatswain before strolling down the dock, whistling a jaunty tune. Port Peril, along with all its dangerous delights, awaited him!
From the grinning cutthroats to the bar toughs, he could see that this place was the spitting image of a pirate port. Rapier at his side, he sidled into a tavern whose appealing-seeming sign bore the image of a buxom serving maid with the type of bosom a charming young halfling man could get lost in. "Formidably Maid," he thought to himself. "That's either a good pun or the spelling's a bad joke."

As his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the busy tavern, he sidestepped past a serving wench carrying a platter of drinks and made his way to the bar. It wasn't long before he caught sight of the gaggle of talkative bar patrons, and sidled over to join in the conversation. "So what be bringin' all ye loudmouths to Port Peril then, eh?" he says with a charming grin, showing he clearly means no offense. "Me name be Jack Thimble Jr., if'n ye be wonderin'. Ye look like an entertain' bunch to say the least!"

Awesome. :)

Awesome... I just hope the others can all reply soon too.

So... how 'bout recruitin' some new pirates? Because I like you as a GM and I'd love for this campaign to come back to life.

*gently prods thread with a long stick*

Careful not to make it seem like he's following her around the ship, Jack tangentially involves himself in whatever pursuit Rosie takes up after hours, whether it's gambling or other entertainment (spectating if necessary, as gambling's hard with no coin). Once the opportunity presents itself to chat with her one-on-one, he relaxes into his usual friendly conversation - getting to know her better without being too forward, and although he doesn't proposition anything, it's clear the handsome young swordsman is attracted to her. If she seems to be warming up to him, he asks, "So ye've been aboard this ship longer than I. Aside from that yellow-bellied cur of a bosun an' the officers, who's the ones t' watch out for? It seems I be lucky I've found someone aboard this vessel worthy of talkin' to."

Diplomacy with +3 Luck Bonus: 1d20 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 3 = 22

Jack will use one of his daily +3 luck bonuses on the saving throw for rum rations when it comes time for that.

"Hah! Figures his fat fingers couldn't handle a halfling-coiled line. Many thanks for the tip, Rosie." Jack is sure to make use of her advice throughout the ship, continuing to chat her up as he does.

Jack chews his lip throughout the keelhauling, looking not at the rope but at the pair pulling it. His eyes narrow at each grin from the sadistic duo, realizing just how cruel they are. They're like to be sharks themselves, these two, he thinks. I'll not be findin' any favor with them unless I be as bloodthirsty as they, and Jack Thimble's no sadist. They be the real threat aboard, and I'll either be watchin' for them or become chum myself.

At night, is Rosie available to influence again?

I'd like to be a little more lenient, asking three posts per week instead of one per day. My own schedule makes it very difficult to post on Tuesdays and Thursdsys, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I also don't want to re-recruit so soon after the original recruitment closed.

That being said, this has been a long drought, and since I'm already GMPCing one PC, I might as well do two. Expect a post this evening moving things along.

Cool. As long as we have an agreed-upon posting cadence, I'm happy! I'm obviously available to post very, very often, so I'm comfortable with almost any speed the group is okay with. Three times per week sounds good to me.

I think we should replace Simon. He seems to be able to post only very infrequently - unfortunately, such a slow pace makes the already-sluggish pace of a Play-By-Post drag out to a standstill.

Simon, if you're there, we'd love for you to come back, and post regularly - but we need to get things moving. A one-post-per-day rate is pretty standard on the boards - if the others are comfortable with this (with an exception for weekends), I'd love it if we could accelerate to that pace.

I think we may need you to GMPC him if he's unable to post frequently - this slowdown is grinding the action to a halt. If he's not able to return, is anyone opposed to looking for a replacement?

What is it people are waiting on here? Posting in this game is at about one tenth the rate of every other PbP I've been in. Are people checking the thread and feeling that they're not "up" next? Or are people just genuinely too busy to access the forums?

If you don't have Sleight of Hand, it's a simple dexterity check, since that skill can be attempted untrained.

"Aye aye, sir!" Jack replies with gusto. The day I be takin' romancin' advice from the likes of him be the day I give up the chase for good, he thought, smirking as he turned away. He cast a glance at the opening to the hold below - now that all eyes weren't on him, he'd love the chance to explore a bit and see if he couldn't find his sword. The temptation of the halfling lady he'd be working with on deck, though, demonstrated that Jack had clearly learned nothing from his experience on shore about tangling with pirate women, and he approached with a smile. "Mighty fine blade ye got there," he remarked, clearly admiring of its craftsmanship. "Jack Thimble, Jr. at your service. We're to be workin' together - mind showing me the ropes?" He smirked at the little joke, and maintained the light banter as he coiled and spliced the ropes. Years of working aboard ships made the task nearly effortless, as he focused his attention on getting to know the young woman.

Jack takes ten on Profession (Sailor) and gets a 15.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 3 = 25 Jack is always lucky with the ladies, and one of his uses of adaptable luck goes to this skill check for a +3 bonus.

Sounds good to me, thanks for the reply!

Jack asked you a question.

If people aren't posting in 24 hours, I think it's appropriate for the GM to make an update so things can keep rolling.

So...

Jack coughs as the foul-mouthed priest's odor washes over him. Besmara's bosom! He smells like a gutter. He pulls the dwarf over the side into the crow's nest, and looks down just in time to see the human take a nasty spill, wincing as he hits the deck. "Me name be Jack Thimble, by the way." he says, glancing over his shoulder. "What should I call ye?"

Once he gets the dwarf's introduction, he swings himself over the side, climbing down at a much slower pace. He helps the dwarf if he seems to need it, but if he waves off any aid, Jack leaves him to climb alone. The halfling makes it to the deck and approaches Plugg, giving Tiesa a sympathetic glance as he passes, and offers Simon a hand to stand up.

Jack listens to the captain's speech, sizing up the gigantic man with a keen eye. So that's the man responsible for all this. Someday, there'll be a reckoning, and as my mother always said, 'The bigger they are...' He glances around at the others as Plugg explains the challenge. If I'm first to the top, it's likely they'll be wantin' me on ropes duty. Rigger's a good job, if a bit dangerous. Anything's better than swabbin' though - I'll not last long with that sort of work. With a grin, he dashes off towards the mast, moving with a speed hardly to be expected for his size. He scurries up the mast like a cat, hardly stopping to check for handholds, and trusting lady luck to see him through any slip-ups.

Perched at the top, Jack surveys the surrounding sea from the crow's nest, straining to spot any specks of land (or sails) in the distance. If any of the others make it to within his reach, he will reach down to assist them. He will aid another on anyone close enough to the top, if they choose to continue climbing.

Shielding his eyes from the bright sun as he clambered up onto the ship's deck, Jack ground his teeth at the lack of his favored hat. Blaggards best not have mishandled the damned thing, he thought, idly wondering if he'd be able to get it back. He kept his eyes peeled as he examined any crewmen he saw on deck, in case he spotted any of his belongings. He had little hope though - what full-sized pirate would need halfling-sized equipment? If they're anywhere, they're probably stowed in the hold, he thought.

cctodd? We're waitin' on you in the gameplay thread now. You ready?

"Ugh... cram it with yer prattlin'! They not be here to listen to us bleatin'!" The strong and confident voice comes from a tiny halfling, picking himself up off the floor as his head clears from its haze. His hand reflexively reaches for his sword, though he hardly expects to find it on him. Press ganged! Well, Jack, you've done it this time! Why couldn't you see that lass was trouble? Practically had it written all over her. He brushes himself off, straightening his clothes as a pretense to check what possessions he still has on him. Down to some scraps o' cloth and a backup blade at best. Looks like the most valuable thing down here... is these others. Better press ganged with friends than alone, after all. "Up! Methinks they not be tellin' us twice!" Jack offers a hand to help up the human still slumped on the ship's deck, but scurries up the stairs without further delay, hardly wishing to join the back-talking dwarf in a pile of sick.

Glad to be here with all of you. It seems we have a proper pirate crew - a bunch of low-life scoundrels and disreputable types!

"Well blow me down! Fortune's smiled upon me at last. Many thanks upon ye, Zimmer!"

I'm honored to be selected. Thanks very much! I look forward to it!

Thank you for your consideration. I'm glad that the perceived disagreement was a result of the medium - it's hard to tell sometimes what the intent of an internet post is without contextual clues like one would get when conversing in person.

I strongly feel that the Swashbuckler's mechanics are simple and straightforward - the most complicated of which, by far, is the Parry and Riposte deed, which you already pointed out a basic understanding of. Beyond that, the mechanics are comparatively simple, such as the ability to stand up from prone without provoking, or the ability to use intimidate as a swift action upon striking an enemy.

I don't plan to take any non-Swashbuckler levels - the class epitomizes the dashing swordsman archetype I'm interested in, and doesn't lend itself particularly well to multiclassing. The halfling luck feats will help me round out my design, letting Jack truly trust fate when it comes to the daring life of adventure on the high seas. I don't anticipate taking any restricted material beyond the Advanced Class Guide.

I look forward to seeing your selections this Friday!

"Besmara bless me. Methinks ye just critically hit me with a 9th-level wall of text spell."

...would you happen to be a lawyer in real life, by chance? That was mind-boggling.

My approach to it is this... look, Swashbuckler is a really fun way to play the mechanics of an active, dashing swordsman. Honestly, the level of detail you're hoping for in my... dissertation defending the character has made me rather intimidated and unsure what level of restrictions you'd want on his build. I'd expect the freedom to take whatever feats suited my concept (including the Dex to Damage feat he currently possesses at level 1, Fencing Grace).

Jack's other theme is luck. He plans to take several of the Halfling Luck feats, in particular Adaptive Fortune.

I understand that this may be a dealbreaker, but I don't feel that I should have to write an essay to get the class made legal - you seem to understand its mechanics very well, and I don't feel that it is my responsibility to justify my choice, at least not to the level of exacting detail you've requested. I want to play a Swashbuckler, and as long as that's not disruptive to the game, your enjoyment, or the enjoyment of the other players, that should be all that matters. It's not important that I prove, in a legalistic format, that a Swashbuckler is the absolute best way to do so. I feel very strongly about this, and if you disagree, then I feel that Jack would be best saved for a different Skull & Shackles campaign, with no hard feelings.

Would you consider allowing a Swashbuckler from the Advanced Class Guide? Jack's been dying to get into a Skull & Shackles for months and months now - he got on board one of them, but it ended before the first combat. The Swashbuckler class is a great fit for a pirate campaign, and I love the idea of a halfling swordsman showing up grizzled pirates twice his size using his wits and daring. I find normal martials too straightforward and boring - the Swashbuckler gets a lot of cool tricks with his Panache class feature that make the prospect of being a swordsman a lot less dry and uninteresting to me.

I will rebuild him or make another character if he is not acceptable. He will need some adjusting if the class is acceptable, since he was built for a 20 point buy game with above-average gold.

"Ah well, if that be what Lady Luck has in store for me, 's probably for the best. Good fortune t' ye all! If luck's not bringin' me aboard, I fear for all o' ye! Probably get press ganged or something equally terrible..."

"And don't be lettin' the dashing Jack Thimble slip yer list either, matey! I be intendin' to join this voyage, for gold and glory! And booty. Ye dogs be knowin' what kind I mean!"

Amid the clamor and bustle of the busy port town, Jack was delighted. Stepping off the deck of the Grizzled Grindylow, the trade vessel that had carried him all the way here from Devil's Arches, Jack tipped his tricorn hat to the boatswain before strolling down the dock, whistling a jaunty tune. Port Peril, along with all its dangerous delights, awaited him!

From the grinning cutthroats to the bar toughs, he could see that this place was the spitting image of a pirate port. Rapier at his side, he sidled into a tavern whose appealing-seeming sign bore the image of a buxom serving maid with the type of bosom a charming young halfling man could get lost in. "Formidably Maid," he thought to himself. "That's either a good pun or the spelling's a bad joke."

As his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the busy tavern, he sidestepped past a serving wench carrying a platter of drinks and made his way to the bar. It wasn't long before he caught sight of a beautiful red-haired human beauty with a gleaming cutlass at her hip, whose fierce glare told the drunken mass to keep its distance. That obviously didn't apply to Jack, he reasoned, so he downed his drink, ordered two more, and strolled over to her table with both of them. In the hours that followed, the two of them learned a great deal of things from one another. She learned that size isn't everything, and one should never judge a halfling by his cover. Jack, on the other hand, learned that you shouldn't trust strange pirate women you meet in bars, as he was ambushed by several thugs leaving her room, and knocked unconscious before he could even draw his sword.

Jack's been in a S&S already which fizzled after only a few posts. I've been dying to get him back on the high seas, and this campaign looks really promising!

Amid the clamor and bustle of the busy port town, Jack was delighted. Stepping off the deck of the Grizzled Grindylow, the trade vessel that had carried him all the way here from Devil's Arches, Jack tipped his tricorn hat to the boatswain before strolling down the dock, whistling a jaunty tune. Port Peril, along with all its dangerous delights, awaited him!

From the grinning cutthroats to the bar toughs, he could see that this place was the spitting image of a pirate port. Rapier at his side, he sidled into a tavern whose appealing-seeming sign bore the image of a buxom serving maid with the type of bosom a charming young halfling man could get lost in. "Formidably Maid," he thought to himself. "That's either a good pun or the spelling's a bad joke."

As his eyes adjusted to the gloom of the busy tavern, he sidestepped past a serving wench carrying a platter of drinks and made his way to the bar. It wasn't long before he caught sight of a beautiful red-haired human beauty with a gleaming cutlass at her hip, whose fierce glare told the drunken mass to keep its distance. That obviously didn't apply to Jack, he reasoned, so he downed his drink, ordered two more, and strolled over to her table with both of them. In the hours that followed, the two of them learned a great deal of things from one another. She learned that size isn't everything, and one should never judge a halfling by his cover. Jack, on the other hand, learned that you shouldn't trust strange pirate women you meet in bars, as he was ambushed by several thugs leaving her room, and knocked unconscious before he could even draw his sword.

Third time's the charm! :P I'll put up the rest of the details soon.

Grrrr... how dare you make your setting so awesome I consider playing something other than Jack... :P

*sigh* Yeah, he's not coming back. I tried to get him to post again but he isn't going to at this point. Sorry everybody.

Jack Thimble will likely apply for your game, Peggy. :)

He is still alive and I am trying to get him on to post (I know him IRL). Sorry everyone for the delay. :/

He has been very busy lately. I am encouraging him to make the time to post. :P

"Aye aye, Mister Plugg! Me name be Jack Thimble. I be off to the ropes then!" Jack saunters over to the ropes and gets to work, clearly experienced at the task. Ropes are easy. I should have no trouble getting this done quickly and taking some time to have a look-see around this ship. He keeps a keen eye on Plugg as he fastens the ropes, looking for an opportunity to get in some scouting. The moment Plugg leaves the area, Jack is gone, vanishing belowdecks to see about this quartermaster.

Profession (Sailor): 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 - 2 = 19 (Rushing his rope-tying duties in order to "Shop")

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16 (Stealth check to make it into the quartermaster's hold undetected.)

Ok, sounds good.

What areas of the ship can we choose to explore?

Can we take ten on daily checks? There's both pros and cons for that, heh.

And what NPCs are there to influence? (No need to tell us their names yet, just a description will be plenty.)

Plane's about to take off so this will be brief.

Jack scurries down the mast, taking ten to travel down at a leisurely pace. He rejoins the group down below in time to hear Sandara's introduction, compliments her in a low voice for helping the fat one, and introduces himself. He's hardly overt with it, but he definitely lets it be known he's admiring of her attractiveness without being too forward or crude.

Failing the save while exhausted should make you unconscious for sure. :P

Also, the Cha bonus DEFINITELY needs to not stack. Not only does nothing stack with itself, +8 charisma is INSANE. That's like a 250,000gp item right there, for the cost of one gold piece worth of alcohol. And believe me, I don't get more charismatic past my second drink.

The reason why it shouldn't stack is just as you described. It's heavily watered-down rum. I can (and have) consumed FIFTEEN TIMES the rum in your example (since mine isn't diluted) and enjoyed myself, without even a hangover, and I probably have an 11 con at the most.

The fatigue and exhaustion seem perfect, but the con penalty stacking is excessive and crazy. Maybe add in "sickened" for 12-18 hours if you exceed a certain number of failed saves/drinks.

Blessed Besmara this one talks a lot! Jack's head spins with the onslaught of conversation unleashed upon him. He takes it in stride and gives the bird a tip of his hat. "I suspect ye'll be havin' to fight for the cook's role with the pudgy 'lubber down there. Fella seems he could eat the whole galley and look fer seconds!" Jack looks down bemusedly at Ostarian's efforts (whenever he's finally able to post again! heh). "Methinks this one best have some useful talents if he be to survive the week!"

"So that be what ye meant by 'apothecary.' I'll be sure to keep me eyes peeled. Me rapier's gone missing too, and I be not half the fighter I'd be otherwise without it." He grins at the comment about height. "It'd merely throw me balance all off if I'd be yer size! Small size be havin' its own slew of advantages. Least of all be sneakin' about, looking for misplaced books and swords." He gives another wink as he helps the next climber up top, and repeats his introduction.(Likely Ri'el, since Peggy was almost on Iogorian's heels.)

Dear gods, he's creepy. That smile. How can a mouth open that wide? I think he's looking at me with hunger.

Outwardly, Jack responds with his characteristic grin and a wink. "Glad t' hear it! Be ye as good with a scalpel 'n saw as ye claimed belowdecks? It be a good sign to have a surgeon aboard."

FYI, tomorrow I will be out of town for two days. I plan to bring my iPad and at least my work laptop, but I will be slightly less active in posting until Monday evening.