"Can you not read the armband?" - Villainy at sea.

[The Grackle]

By the way, the title is in reference to arm bands one of the PCs had commissioned. They read, yellow text on a black background, "Murderers."

You know, most criminals have to have something like that branded on them.

At least they're up front about it.

 

[Fimmtiu]

By the way, the title is in reference to arm bands one of the PCs had commissioned. They read, yellow text on a black background, "Murderers."

Classy. Real classy.

I get pretty nervous around people who can do those kind of things without batting an eye. I've always been of the opinion that your habitual behaviour in roleplaying games or computer games says a lot about you as a person. This sort of overtly bloodthirsty banditry would give me the heebie-jeebies something fierce. First of all, I'd try talking with them. Explain that they're freaking you out, and see if they have any useful feedback.

Otherwise, I agree with FreeTheSlaves: take the kid gloves off. No ports will let them land, wanted posters are everywhere along the coast, and bounty-hunting high-level assassins are just itching for a chance to get the drop on them. Amputations, years-long imprisonment, hanging in chains... whatever it takes to get across the idea that even though it's all imaginary, actions still have reactions. A couple of PCs later, they might get the message.

Look up the historical punishments for pirates... there's a lot of stuff out there to put the fear into them.

 

[RangerWickett]

Oh, they know I don't like them being criminals, but . . . it doesn't feel right to just talk to them. That's too easy. They'll say they're just playing their characters, and nothing will change.

So I kill them, and start a new game with alignments. Bloody bleeping bleeps, always wanting to play neutral (with very very very evil tendencies), just because I don't make them choose an alignment. Grr.

 

[ThoughtBubble]

Personally, I'd be all about the toying with them. I mean, they're bound to start attracting notice from someone, right?

You can have those aforementioned pirate lords using the body as backstabbery tools. And you can have blackmail, and annoying heroes trying to stop them, and annoying villians. I'd play up the whole "Everyone's out to get you" aspect for a while, then bring the game to a quick, rolling boil, throw in some pasta, cook well, and call the game done.

Unless, of course, you're really enjoying it and just want a bit less villiany?

In which case, make sure they run across a lot of weaker evil guys with smart mouths.