How would this NPC bad guy react?

[NewJeffCT]

I am running this guy as one of the main villains the current story arc in my campaign, but want to get a good reaction from him in this situation, as he is a bit different than the typical bad guy I run -

This guy is a pirate captain and a total psychopathic killer – Level 10 in 3.5E with high strength, a good CON and CHA and a maxed out Intimidate score (he has the Intimidating Strike feat, among others) – short tempered, obnoxious and just mean overall. Other pirates live in fear of this guy and his equally crazy crew.

The back-story of one of the PCs (a dwarf) is that he came out of retirement to find his missing nephew, whom the PCs later discovered may have been taken by this psycho pirate.

Unknown to the PCs is that the nephew, in shame over his falling asleep at his guard post and letting his companions get captured, joined up with the psycho pirate and crew and hopes to go out in a blaze of glory, taking down as many foes as possible along the way.

The PCs (level 8) are dressed up as pirates and at a huge pirate gathering on the secret pirate island of Liaven – think of it as the D&D version of Tortuga or Mos Eisley.

The players have found out that psycho pirate is on the island, along with his hulking gnoll first mate, but are unaware of the dwarf nephew and suspect he is either dead, or held prisoner somewhere.

So, that comes to the next session. I am guessing that once the session starts, something like this will happen - the players walk into a tavern, and see psycho pirate, his first mate, and (shockingly) the dwarf nephew.

PC dwarf, I am guessing, will likely go up to nephew and say something like, ‘Nephew, I thought you were dead, why are you with these people?”

Nephew responds with something like, “Uncle, I am part of the crew now and not returning to our home, unless it is in my coffin. And, why is my goody-two-shoes uncle dressed as a pirate?”

Psycho pirate captain hears this – what does he do?

1) Go berserk and attack PC dwarf?
2) Wait to hear PC dwarf’s response, then go berserk and attack?
3) Take a swig of ale, rise up and try to Intimidate the PC dwarf?
4) Something else altogether?

As an alternative, if the PC dwarf lays back & observes for a bit, the psycho pirate guy might take a liking to our attractive female PC or an attractive female NPC. Since he is used to taking what he wants, I assume it might cause a fight to immediately break out once female PC turns him down. What else would he do?

 

[GlaziusF]

...is this a trick question?

Your psychopath pirate would attempt to violently murder any "good guy". That's why the PCs are all dressed up in the first place, and I assume their Disguise beat the relevant people's Spot. The dwarf can take one of three approaches. First, he can present himself as a genuine pirate, either using Intimidate to get his nephew to back down, or trying to Bluff and beat both his nephew and the psychopath's Sense Motive. Second, he can attempt to convey "Nephew, you're in some deep , but stick with me and I'll get you out of this" in a way so as not to alert anyone else, which is either Innuendo or Bluff opposed by Sense Motive, depending on which edition you're running. Third, he can admit that he's just disguised himself as a pirate, which will have the same results as failing in the other two approaches: hostile psychopath pirate, at the very least.

If either of the first two approaches succeeds, the psychopath will have what is to all appearances an unknown pirate being friendly with a member of his crew. I assume in this case he would exercise option 3.

 

[hafrogman]

Depending on his level of paranoia, he might decide that the nephew and the party are plotting against him and try and attack the nephew.

Depending on how well crewed his ship is, he might try and intimidate the party into joining his crew. Dress like pirates, you bilge rats will damn well be pirates!

 

[El Mahdi]

Fight them to subdual (if possible, if he has to "break a few eggs", he will). Then Kidnap them and attempt to corrupt them (force them to be pirates, get them acused of a crime, etc.). In other words: shanghai them and coerce or manipulate them into becoming pirates, or working for the pirates (the nephew is good leverage). In his way of thinking; killing is good, corruption is better, and loyalty to him - especially when they don't want to - is even sweeter.

 

[benjamin]

I think you've gotta let the pirate have a speach...

I think he should invite (coerse) (intimidate) the party to have dinner with him... Maybe have a mock reunion... talk about how he's not really a bad priate after all... it is a noble profession after all, propose a working relationship, organise his men to lye in wait for an attack and poison the party...

...presumably most of the party will save verse the poison, so that can start any combat.

I mean, we are all here for fighting, but he sounds like to good a character to miss a bit of roleplay... What self respecting DM would miss the opportunity to go "har har har" a few times...

...Hey also, I would recomend this:

shakespearean insult generator

http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/Shaker/

Truly great at creating NPC banter!

eg.

"Thou spongy motley-minded pigeon-egg! "
"Thou fobbing reeling-ripe nut-hook! "

I like very much...



Ben


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[Oni]

It's seems a little anticlimatic to have this kind of meeting just into rawr he attacks you without some roleplaying.

Maybe he demands the drink with him in such a way to make it clear this isn't going anywhere good.

If this is refused or some other slight is given have him work the crowd a bit really let the PC's know they've gone and stuck their foot in it.

If the PC's are introduced as you suggest, the captain should realize that he holds something pretty valuable over their heads, the nephew. That should give him some leeway to dispence some piratical cruelty.

He's a psycho that's going to flip out, but let the players watch him boil a little bit, sort of an anticipation of the explosion. If you're a psycho pirate you're probably pretty accomplished at taking a slight and really making the most of it.

 

[WayneLigon]

Crazy people who attack at the drop of a hat tend not to live very long, nor do they become pirate captains. They become thugs and attack dogs, used by their betters.

Psycho pirate guy is going to want to have his fun, here, once he figures out what's going on. Especially since he's surrounded by his loyal men and most of the people in the tavern probably are pirate scum as well.

Something like:

Pirate: "Oh my, what's this? A family reunion? Gnarg, isn't that touching?"
Gnarg the gnoll: "..Gnarg.."
Pirate crew: Laughs.
Pirate: "Me last family reunion was with me dear father? What was it he said? Oh, yes. (deadpan) Eargh, no, no, please God stop it, aauugh. Now this, though, our buddy Rockeater deserves a party, right crew?! "
Pirate crew: Hurah!
Gnarg the gnoll: "..Gnarg.."
Pirate: (Eyes female PC) "And I've just found my own party favor here! Seize her, boys, don't bruise her too much... Excellent. Now, the rest of you.. are the entertainment. You look like some strong lads. Mmmm, you two. Fight until one of you stands or the woman dies, slowly. It's been a long time for you, hasn't it, Gnarg?"
Gnarg the gnoll: (tongue drops) "..Gnarg..!"

And go from there

 

[Capulet]

I like the idea of the pirate captain capturing the uncle. "Say, you don't look like a *real* pirate to me. What ship do ya sail on, then? That's what I thought. Ha! Looks like we have an impostor, boys!"

If the nephew argues, the captain might figure that the dwarf is a spy of some sort, and will capture him, too. Just in case.

Now, we've got two (or more, if the other PCs are implicated) captured, surrounded by a small city of pirates, who think they are at the best outsiders who don't deserve their respect, and at worst are spies who are working for the pirates' enemies. What to do with them?

Why, we throw 'em in a cage, over a pool of sharks, and slowly start lowering the cage. Ordering them to fight each other to the last man, who will be spared and given position on a pirate vessel, as a reward for showing he is deserving a job as a cut-throat pirate after all.

That'll make the PCs work a bit, eh?

Then again, the nephew might not take the bait, so to speak, and just the uncle is captured. That's okay. Then you can set up a scene where the nephew has to watch the uncle get tortured for information (or maybe is forced to do the torturing himself?).

 

[LostSoul]

Psycho pirate captain hears this – what does he do?

What does he want?

I'd probably have the pirate captain befriend the uncle.

I'd do something like having the pirate captain take the uncle to some kind of show, like a slave match that's twisted - like drugging a kid, turning him into a raving maniac, then putting him in a pit fight with his father. Then, when the father kills himself to save his son, he's yanked out of the pit and stabilized so he can watch thousands of starving rats dumped on the kid to eat him alive.

And the pirate captain says, "Yeah, this is great, don't you think?"

 

[vagabundo]

In my opinion I doubt he would get involved unless the PC's involve him, then his evil psycho side rears it's ugly head.

What does "dressing like a pirate" mean in this context anyway? We'll I know what it means - striped trous, earring, loose shirt open to the navel, ... but I'm not sure if the nephew would mention it.

I think you need to have a reason for the PCs to interact with the pirate captain or he is unlikely to start anything as there are lots of bandits and pirates and oddballs wandering this island:

- The Dwarf thinks his nephew has gone "funny" in the head. Either through charm magic or just a mental illness. PCs will probably try to subdue him and then the pirates will see it as an attack on their own kind.

- PC's through their exploration of the island find a great Meta-plot and start interfering.

I'm not sure I'd be happy with the motivations of the Nephew, I could see him trying to make amends by joining the pirate crew to track down his companions - he is bluffing the captain - and his uncle might blow the whole gig.

That would certain spark a conflict and I'd have the pirate captain escape and cause continuous trouble for the PC's as they now help the Nephew track down and free his friends - who now fight in the slave pits detailed in the post above.

Anyway, that's my rambling feedback.