So this is a cross collaborative between two other threads (rhennee Religion and Zilchus Discipline).. Got me to thinking about a situation coming up in a game of my own....
I have a PC that has stowed away on a Rhennee Barge without booking passage. He made the appropriated hide and stealth roles, but is unlikely to remain hidden for the 7 day trip.
So I need some "creative" Rhennee methods for dealing with Stowaways....
Researching "Pirate/ Gypsy" Lore I come up with the Following, but would like some unique Rhennee flavors.
*Scratch-o-Cat* Flogging with Cat of nine Tails
*Kiss the Keel* Keel Hauling
*Ride the Spar* Person is strapped and dunked into the water via the Spar
*Walk to Shore* Of Course, with out stopping to dock.. tossed over.
And this is my 500th Post!! Yeaaa I'm Catchin up with you Lanthorn
And this is my 500th Post!! Yeaaa I'm Catchin up with you Lanthorn
In due time, you may eclipse me.
Your ideas all have merit. You could also have him dragged behind the boat, tied to the mast (or sails, dangling like a pinata), stripped of all his gear and tossed overboard (to swim to shore, if he can even swim), or left marooned somewhere.
I have to differ with the suggestion of making the character "the governor of an island" (marooning). That was a means of settling disputes amongst members of a company, not for stowaways. Also, taking the time to find an island, stop at it, and drop off the character seems rather solicitous on the part of the Rhenee, unless they simply find a sand bar at low tide. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marooning
If you are feeling particularly merciful, you could make the character forced labor for the crew, and confine him when not at work with bread and water. He would of course be subject to random beatings, spitting, and humiliation, but he would survive, and reach some sort of destination eventually.
On the other hand, since stowing away for the Rhenee would essentially be house-breaking, they might not be inclined to mercy... I know I would not.
It also depends on the disposition of the leader of the barge but as a suspicious and secretive people I'd imagine they'd consider that privacy violated. They also seem to like to get something for nothing - if you want to avoid a situation of corporal punishment how about the wise-woman places a geas on the PC to compel him to perform a task for the barge?
Or if the PC is unlucky maybe he gets a curse AND a punishment!
If a Rhennee doesn't kill another Rhennee, then it isn't murder -- just ask any Rhennee.
I think that the punishment would be severe and quite probably deadly. Your PC is a complete "outsider" and has no protection what-so-ever under Rhennee "law."
Whenever faced with such a situation -- as a DM -- I always stress the severity of the situation to my player:
"You're not dealing with 'civilized' people, where everybody has 'rights.' Only members of the tribe have rights here. You can be killed outright and no one will care."
Anyway, that's how I play it, as that's how I "read" the "Canon." It's one of the reasons that the Rhennee are always in trouble with "the law," where ever they happen to be stopping over. The laws of "others" don't apply to them. _________________ Mystic's web page: http://melkot.com/mysticscholar/index.html
Mystic's blog page: http://mysticscholar.blogspot.com/
Totally forgot that angle DUH!!!! Was too focused on the literal, and not the magical.
Any ideas on some creative ones?? I like the kind in this case that impact the Single PC, since it is not the parties fault he's being stupid.
Wolfling wrote:
It also depends on the disposition of the leader of the barge but as a suspicious and secretive people I'd imagine they'd consider that privacy violated. They also seem to like to get something for nothing - if you want to avoid a situation of corporal punishment how about the wise-woman places a geas on the PC to compel him to perform a task for the barge?
Or if the PC is unlucky maybe he gets a curse AND a punishment!
As to disposition, I would AGREE EXACTLY WITH MS ABOVE...
Further, to build MC Rhennee as apart from society, they begrudgingly speak common (or any other language), not they don't understand it, its just their way of controlling how others can deal with them. So I use the old "Thieves Cant" pocket dictionaries from Dragon Issues #37 & #39 almost exclusively when speaking Rhennee. It adds a bit of flavor and forces my PCs to utilize language skills. And since it has been out of publication since before most of my players were alive... it makes it hard to goggle.
But they are not totally without hope, they do have a 1/2 Elf (1/2 Rhennee) Bard traveling with them to serve as mediator. This, unfortuately, is a problem for one player who in turn lets it surface thru his PC. He feels like he can't control the situation so has a tendancy to take matters into his own hands so to speak.
During the course of the past year when things have not centered on his wants and desires as a player, he sulks and becomes disruptive to the rest.
I have been patient, but my patience is now thin.... I DM in the context that all will have thier collective turn in "The Lime Light", but his particular style of play doesn't support that. Too much solo WOW or Pool of Radiance I guess?? I guess he pines for a place where you can control everyone and everything.
So, am I concerned with killing him off.. Naaa... though I am not actively hunting him either. To me if your play is not supportive to the group... this in time shall pass...
It will be interesting to see what the Bard, the paladin, and the 1/2 Orc who thinks he's a paladin will do once the Rhennee discover their 'new' passenger. I just want to keep it entertaining and in line with the culture, and not ONLY about whacking a Player who is being stupid with his PC.
In closing to this Player Rant ... I will play it based on the collective reactions of all.
So as DM I plan for all contengencies.
I see
The Bard could do nothing, knowing how her kinsmen will view this and not wanting to lose passage for all, OR She could negotiate using her knowlege of their customs.
The Paladin will look at this as a breach of contract and thievery on the PCs part and will likely side with the Rhennee though she (being a Paladin of Mayaheine) would not be totally in favor of the Keel Hauling.
The 1/2 Orc Fighter (that thinks he's a Paladin) will have to decide if he wants to embrace his "paladin-esk" desires and virtues, or defend his companions less than honorable actions.
The Druid of the Vesse will likely seek to find an amicable trade that all parties can live with.
And LASTLY.. the Offender, Human Fighter / MU can
(a) Beg for Mercy
(b) Fight it out
(c) Flight (which means as a DM I now have two pathes to manage for abit)
(d) Negotiate
(e) Plead ignorace that he thought someone else had paid them.
So, That is the potenial story lines Im fleshing out.
Sounds good, but bare in mind that there is even more potential for trouble in the fact that the decision as to what to do with the "stow-away" is the sole decision of the Rhennnee "Lord" who owns the barge and not -- necessarily -- with "the tribe."
Everyone may want to show "mercy," but the "Lord" decides to kill him anyway. The tribe will not go against the "Lord." Now, all your PCs may have a fight on their hands -- the Paladin included.
Disruptive players can really push your DMing skills to the limit! I sympathise with the 'WoW gaming style' problem. I have a similar player.
From the Rhennee perspective, with an armed party on board they be more amenable to negotiation - Although they have many laws and rituals I think they are generally are more Neutral people as opposed to Lawful. Is exacting a punishment worth a fight that could result in the deaths of some of their fellow Rhennee? Of course - like you say the player may force your hand. Also - if the rest of the party are happy to leave the PC to a more severe punishment then go to town!
Otherwise, perhaps immediate eviction of the PC from the boat thus ending their more rapid transport, the demand of some kind of appeasement - money, goods and a good old curse - the PC cannot step aboard a boat or maybe even approach water without losing control of his motions and being wracked with nausea, PC is compelled to pay tenfold the passage requested for any journey, just as the PC has shied from respect and manners so shall respect and manners shy from him (he finds people always rude and disrepectful to him - wizards wont teach him new spells, innkeepers have no room for him, children throw mud). Have fun to make the PC's life a misery until he repents or finds a way to break the curse.
Have fun to make the PC's life a misery until he repents or finds a way to break the curse.
Makes for all sorts of interesting side adventures, doesn't it?
As an aside: My description of the Rhennee disposition applies to all tribal peoples in my game.
I haven't had this exact "trouble" with the Rhennee, but I've had it with the Suel Barbarians.
The North American Indian tribes offer a interesting perspective on this: If you walked into their village of your own accord . . . you could not be harmed. Even if you were a known enemy of the tribe. Once you left the village, however, all bets were off! Well, to clarify, once you were out of sight of the village, then . . .
So I play it similarly: As long as you are Respectful and Polite, everything is just fine. You may well be allowed to go your way in peace, even once out of sight of the village.
Regarding keel-hauling: Bugsy is correct that it was usually fatal. However, a Renee barge is neither as large, nor as deep-drafted as a Medieval sailing ships, so that punishment need not be fatal in this case. It should do quite a bit of Hit Points of damage and force the PC to make Saving Throws, or other checks as appropriate to the rules edition you're using to hold his breath long enough not to drown. That will make the punishment subject to his own dice rolls as well as DM adjudication.
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... I will play it based on the collective reactions of all.
