Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies: The Peppersmoke Players

25 June 11, Saturday, 9 am: Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies: The Peppersmoke Players

• GM: Evan Torner
• ??? (I've played with him before. I think his first name is Philip): Chatterbox Chang, Ilwuz (pirate), Stagehand, crushing on Fatima
• Patrick: Captain Misra Naftali (female), Art Connoisseur, pining for Fatima
• Me: Magnus Fire Dancer, Master of Arms, Veridian, wishing he were anything but. Often plays women, and fights better when he dresses as one. Has an It's Complicated relationship with (potential PC) Nell. Very lazy.
• Prati Gupton: Fatima the Fearless, 1st Mate, magician, can't act (and does know this)
• Seth Gupton: Aesop du Champ, Crail, buffoon player, owns an opera house, one leg and one iron leg

Potential PCs that were NPCs:

• Sajimus Fausti: Stowaway, method actor
• Nell Stufields (?sp), Veridian, Leads, Sailmaster, danged good at math, prim and proper, usually plays male roles
• Rembrandt Silver: Koldun mage, master at guns, 5 tattoos (used to do magic), special effects guy, Barathi (Think Renaissance Italy)

In addition, there were 2 mooks: Abraham and Dustin, doing various odd jobs on the ship

The world of Swashbucklers of the Seven Skies consists of floating islands. Most folks worship or at least pay lip service to Vaoz. Mages are called Koldun, and, among other things, they are the only ones who can make the best gunpowder, True Blue. There's a lot more background both in the book and online, but those are the basics.

The crew were smugglers and actors. Well, the Captain wasn't an actor, but she was a patron of the arts. And Fatima couldn't act. She knew this, and was happy to contribute her talent on musical instruments instead.

The ship was going to Crail, where the best theaters were. There, the play would debut Chatterbox Chang.

GM: And where is the morning's rehearsal?

Captain: On the quarterdeck, of course.

This was also where a regular meeting of the crew was occurring, so it would save time. The meeting's agenda was the routine of getting to Crail. Abraham was at the helm, and Dustin was in the crow's nest.

And what obstacle did the bold crew face? Why, the question of what to perform, of course!

As this matter was debated, a stowaway was found and brought to the captain. His name was Sajimus, and he said that he was a marquis who had fled from Barathi. Magnus was convinced that Sajimus the Stowaway was actually from a rival theater company. Clearly, the man was well acquainted with the theater!

Sajimus: Actors? What are you performing?

Aesop: The Tragedy of Malthusium.

Sajimus: Where are you getting the buffalo?

Aesop: We were thinking of using ducks.

And what, you might wonder, was the Tragedy of Malthusium? Certainly, we all were, especially Evan. In it, an elder patriarch died, and his heirs vied for the succession. The youngest succeeds, aided by his (her?) pet buffalo. Or such was the very rough outline of the play. The details, clearly, would vary from performance to performance. And certainly, our heroes would be doing a better job than their rivals, the upstart players of Sir Edward!

Sajimus was pressed into service as both crew and cast, and proved willing and able in both roles, deepening Magnus's conviction that the stowaway was from a rival company.

• Aesop: Patriarch
• Nell: Male Romantic Lead
• Chatterbox: Role with bum leg -- Owl
• Magnus and Sajimus: Twin sisters. Actually, there were triplets, but the third triplet was missing.

Nell (I think, and I completely forget the contexts, but she was probably talking to Magnus): Oh, you would say that!

The play was about Nature, and the Villainy of Siblings! It would be High Art, with show tunes! The twins were vying for the love of Nell's character, but he did not realize he was wooing twins, rather than one woman! And, at one point, all of the birds would "die", but at the end, they would wake up and sing!

Fatima was pressed into playing her instrument, which was fine with her, and playing a bit part, which had her worried. She was well aware of her limits. Indeed, with the exception of Chatterbox Chang, everyone was.

Aesop: How many lines would you like?

Fatima (nervously calculating): ...Six.

Aesop: How about _three_?

Fatima (delighted): Perfect!

Some of the lines from the play follow, although I do not remember who spoke them.

• By Vaoz, you look as beautiful as a duck, but are as strong as a buffalo (who has wings and a beak and is vaguely duck shaped).
• Do you possess a strong proclivity for the enjoyment of tepid moss?
• Do you, sir, enjoy a proclivity for the enjoyment of tepid moss?
• I do enjoy moss, sir.
• But, tepid moss, sir?

Act 3 would be a siege, where the castle's occupants would be trying to break out.

The discussion with Fatima may have taken place in Aesop's room. Aesop's player described it thus: It has silken wall hangings, crumbled strewn papers, treats to sample. The ship's sway is counteracted by goblets full of mead.

This was Good Form! It merited a chip / drama point / whatever it is we call it in S7S.

The Captain was concerned (and had been for some time) with what Aesop's counterweight system in his cabin was doing to her ship. She needed to recalibrate.

I forget the context of this, but it may have been an argument, possibly between Nell and Magnus, possibly not:

It's brilliant material for the play!

Good Ghod! They're killing each other!

Chatterbox Chang gave out the parts, deliberately giving to Fatima the part of one of the twins, I think -- certainly giving her a part far bigger than she had requested.

GM: Good form!

So, the question for the actors was: Do you follow the script or not?

Magnus: I probably follow the script cuz I'm too lazy not to!

Chatterbox was strapped to something, and, as the Owl, was to say something inspired by the music. The idea was that the Owl was giving information to the twins, but did not realize that there were two people. So, part of the information went to one twin, and part to the other. The twins got distracted by the romantic lead, played by Nell.

There was a dead king, a healed queen, and the castle, home of the twins, surrendered to the besieging army, which, at some point, we realized, was led by Nell's character.

The Captain cringed. She was secretly in love with Fatima. and didn't have the heart to tell her to get the hell off the stage. Good form!

Fatima (as per the script Chatterbox gave her): The purple monster flies at midnight, but love will cure that dastardly rash! (fires the gun!)

(More flapping)

(Looks away and back to audience)

After the play:

Fatima: Captain, what do you think?

Captain: ...

Someone: Good form!

Just then, the ship came under attack! The Captain was allowed to give four orders per round.

Captain: Battlestations!

GM: Battlestations is a freebie.

Magnus (in his dress, sword in hand, yelling to the enemy ship): Take your best shot!

Someone: Good form!

But, who were the attackers? Why were they firing on the Peppersmoke? Once Upon a Time, the Peppersmoke's Master of Guns was Aldritch Nimh, a Zoltanesta who fell in love with the captain.

Captain: Jerk.

He was a good master of guns, but too obsessed in his pursuit of the captain. Harsh words were spoken, and vengeance was vowed! And now, Aldritch Nimh was the captain of the Hidden Cobra! And it was clear that he had put a lot of money into making his ship good.

Aesop: Stow the buffalo!

Me: Good form!

I forget the context of the following:

Make way for explosive --

The only way to spare yourself fiery death is to deposit all your coin on our deck!

The captain was able to give four orders because her ship was better. My notes indicate that Fatima fixed it. I'm not sure if this was before the battle or during it, in which case, Fatima fixed it before the number of orders allowed dropped below four.

The captain's orders were:

• Rembrandt -- Prepare broadside!
• Nell -- Keep us out of line with their forward guns! (i.e., evasive maneuvers)
• Fatima -- Move to starboard rail to prepare to board!
• Magnus -- Repel borders!

And, we wondered who among the crew knew Nimh. Clearly, Sajimus did not, nor did Rembrandt, as he was the replacement for Nimh. Chatterbox was too new. But, Fatima, Nell, and Magnus did.

Fatima boarded the ship.

Fatima: Nimh, you traitor!

The player described her with a sword in one hand, a pistol in the other. After firing the pistol, she stuck it back in her belt, drawing another without breaking stride. Definitely good form!

Nimh brought his portable canon to fire on Fatima:

Me: Bad form!

GM: Yes, exactly.

Fatima: Nimh, you coward!

Aesop (swashbuckling his way behind her): Fatima! We need to discuss your performance!

The captain's next set of orders:

• Rembrandt -- The cannons were now loaded. "We need to shoot back!"
• Sajimus -- Make yourself useful or we'll be flying backwards!
• Captain -- Repair the ship.
• Nell -- evasive: Wake up and decide whether you need to be above or below -- just pick one!

Magnus: That's what we said during rehearsal!

Two guys with swords attempted to board the Peppersmoke, rushing Magnus.

Magnus (jumping on the railing): I said this was a private rehearsal!

GM: Good form!

Sajimus took out three would-be borders. There was nothing to see, until, suddenly, all three dropped.

Fatima's player: Sajimus is kind of scary!

GM: Yes, he is.

Captain: Glad it's working out in our favor.

One boarder, realizing how outnumbered he was, jumped overboard. Magnus waved as the man swam off.

The captain gave the order: Take out their Snakehead!

This, of course, was the figurehead of the ship.

Aesop methodically took out key crew members on Nimh's ship, then disguised himself, I think going to the man at the helm.

Disguised Aesop: Orders from Captain Nimh! You are to go join him. I'll take over here!

GM: Good form!

Fatima parried the ball from the portable cannon, splitting it in half. Each half hit one of Nimh's crewmembers.

Fatima! Fight like a man, Nimh, you rat!

Then, there was a see-saw effect whose details I'm vague on. I think it involved Fatima jumping down on a plank, causing something to go up and then down on top of Nimh, thus causing Fatima's end of the plank to lift her up so she could jump to where she needed to be.

Helmsman (returning): I was not asked for at the (realizing the deception) oh! (Aesop knocks him out.)

A captured Nimh was brought before a furious Captain Misra.

Nimh: Misra, where did we go wrong?

Magnus: You interrupted a rehearsal. Again!

Nimh (looks sheepish) But I made improvements - on - (spotting plunder that was taken from his ship): That's my gold shiny!

Misra: Aldus, we never went wrong. We never went! You need to go away -- and never, ever come back!

Fatima (to Aesop): This would make a great tragedy.

Aesop: True.

Fatima's instrument had been broken in the initial volley, so she searched Nimh's ship for musical instruments, finding a good sitar!

Fatima (delighted): I have to learn how to play this, so I won't have _time_ to learn those 3 lines.

Meanwhile, the captain went to give credit where it was due.

Captain: That was very impressive.

Sajimus: What was very impressive?

Captain: The way you took out those three borders.

Nimh was released, although the plunder was not. The crew went back to work, but the next rehearsal was disastrous.

Someone: Right, cuz the first wasn't?

Me: Magnus is not there. He's napping.

GM: Rembrandt is distracted.

The captain was doing paperwork for entry to Crail. She also managed to duck Fatima's questions about Fatima's performance, despite Fatima's repeated request that the captain be completely honest. Fatima was repairing the ship and arguing with Chatterbox.

Once the ship was in port, Aesop, who owned an opera house in Crail, went to his accountant, an 80-year-old man who used to be part of the crew, but was quite happy to have his sailing and smuggling days behind him.

Accountant: Master, you're back!

Aesop: Indeed, we are here to put on a performance -- we'll take Crail by storm!

Accountant: The opera house is already rented.

Aesop: Clear them out.

The accountant did so. The renter may have been Sir Edward, planning to have his rival troupe perform. Certainly, when he and his minions found Magnus, Sir Edward spat and ran off.

Magnus (to minions as they retreat slowly enough to keep him from accosting Sir Edward): Tell your master he's a coward!

GM: It's right there on his sheet!

Meanwhile, Aesop was able to find an actual buffalo! A harness for wings was added, and a beak. Aesop, and perhaps Chatterbox, discussed the merits of the buffalo shooting fire.

Aesop: If you want that tragedy to be about Nimh's love, we could totally add that in!

Magnus: _That_'ll be the sequel.

Aesop (to the captain): There are large parts of the Peppersmoke which you don't actually need --

Captain: No!

Aesop: But --

Captain: No!

And so, the Peppersmoke Players had a non-firebreathing buffalo. Fatima, meanwhile, had outstanding debts in Crail. Chatterbox had a lot of money. Fatima approached him about her problem.

Chatterbox: Whatever you ask, Fatima -- the money is yours!

Fatima: Really? Well, in that case, I have this debt.

The crew discussed how to get feathers on the buffalo.

Aesop: Or get, like, eight feather pillows.

Chatterbox: Patch the feathers with (flammable) poop, then shellac them.

Aesop: I don't want to lose the opera house -- again!

Chatterbox tried to convince the captain.

Chatterbox: We took a secret vote and agreed --

Captain: That's nice. I'm the captain. I'm not running a democracy.

Flush with money, Fatima did what came naturally.

Fatima's player: Fatima's a gambler. She's not gonna go back till Chatterbox Chang says "Opening in 20 minutes!"

She did, however, talk up the play in taverns and gambling dens.

Fatima: The Tragedy of Malthusium like you've never seen it before!

Captain: I think that's safe to say.

By now, the plot of the play had more or less come together. There were triplets, but the third one would not appear during the play. Nell's character loved two identical women, Twila and Tweela, but did not know that there were two of them. And, the buffalo with duck wings visited Magnus's character, the first sister. She became impregnated by the buffalo.

Captain: Please tell me it happens off stage.

Magnus: It happens off stage.

Sajimus: I could play that!

Captain: Offstage! We'd get kicked out of Crail!

Nell's character besieged the castle in great jealousy, as he did not realize there were two women or much of anything else. Magnus's character gave birth to a monstrous creature, a one-legged owl, the nursemaid of Vaoz. The Owl advised the twins (well, the 2/3 of the triplets) how to break out of the siege, but each one only received half of his advice.

Sajimus: I'm not pregnant? Because I'd have to meet pregnant women.

Magnus: No, I'm the one who's pregnant.

Sajimus (relieved): He looks more pregnant than I do.

Magnus (concerned): I'm getting fat?

Captain: Let's focus.

Aesop: I haven't yet figured out how it ends.

Magnus and Sajimus discussed playing pregnant women and women in general. Magnus was still quite suspicious of Sajimus, still convinced that this was not a Barathi noble on the run from a feud, despite Sajimus's insistence that acting was not much different than having to play a part as a Barathi noble. But, the two found potential common ground, despite Sajimus being more of a method actor (I think).

Sajimus (to Magnus): Feel the weight of your uterus.

Captain: This is getting more disturbing.

Sajimus (to Magnus, as one actor to another): We're professionals. We can agree to disagree. I'm going to paint my nails.

Magnus (and honestly, I'd been waiting to say it all game): I'm going to brush my hair.

Captain: I'm going to pray.

I forget who said this, or whether it was a line in the play: I wish to transcend my form!

Aesop, and possibly Nell: Your _what_?

Someone: Good form!

The audience for opening night in the Opera House included several Barathi nobles, and also Captain Aldritch Nimh. Captain Misra was furious, but Nimh had purchased a ticket.

Captain Misra: If you make trouble in my play, you will die!

All went well until the second act, where the buffalo got a little out of control and charged into the audience. To her disgust, Captain Misra found herself teaming up with Nimh to herd the buffalo out with minimal damage.

Captain Misra: But I still don't _like_ him -- he's just doing the right thing!

Magnus (as one of the twin / triplets, to keep up the idea that it's All Part of the Show): Not just a buffalo, but two fine young men!

And, amazingly, the buffalo was herded off without further problem. The audience loved it! The audience loved it even more when they were told they could have free steak with sides of duck.

Fatima: But, what do we do for buffalo _tomorrow_ night?

Captain Misra: Why did they choose a real buffalo?

Nimh: You have a very ambitious show!

Captain Misra: Shut up! Just shut up!

As Chatterbox went on stage as the dancing gimpy owl, Sajimus was nowhere to be found! To her horror, Fatima had to play his role. She struggled to remember which woman that was.

Chatterbox as Owl: Do you possess a proclivity for --moss?

Someone: Style point.

Fatima: Line? Line?!

Meanwhile, one of the Barathi nobles had been murdered! Assassinated! Aesop had the body discreetly brought backstage so that he could investigate.

GM: I love it that you are doing forensics on a body offstage -- and herding buffalo off to be slaughtered!

If my notes are correct, the body was that of an Imperial Spider, which means the dead man was an elite Barathi spy / assassin. This could be ascertained from the spider tattoo on the body. Sajimus had clearly used the crew of the Peppersmoke to complete a mission of assassination.

Meanwhile, Chatterbox Chang as the Owl addressed Fatima, saying that she was neither Twila nor Tweela, but the peerless, incomparable, talented Fatima!

Captain Misra: Rembrandt! Blow up something!

This earned the player a style point from GM, and brought the play to the end of act three.

Act Four was interrupted by Sir Edward, telling the audience to come to a better show, i.e., his. A furious Magnus attacked him. If Sir Edward wanted to provide entertainment for the Peppersmoke's audience, so be it!

Magnus (still in the dress, of course): Dance for us, man, dance!

Magnus's attack did ranks of damage to Edward's reputation, literally destroying it. Sir Edward's minions formed a pyramid of pain to let their boss escape. Magnus accused him of sabotaging the Peppersmoke's show, hoping to get all problems for the opening night performance blamed on Edward.

The audience loved it! Fatima and Aesop joined the show to drive Sir Edward off, and this became the siege scene.

Fatima: I, Tweela --

Magnus (improvising): You are not Tweela -- but the third sister!

Captain Misra: Just shut up and get 'em off the stage!

Aesop: Okay. You have no more lines. I'll do the monologue.

And, on revelation of the existence of the third triplet, Nell's character died of shock. The audience applauded wildly.

GM: After all, you fought off a bunch of guys.

And with that, we all decided on final epilogue scenes.

Aesop: He rebuilds opera house. He rewrites the play, cutting Chatterbox's part -- and it all comes together.

Fatima: She buys sky sailing supplies to upgrade the Peppersmoke. She plays her sitar, a little sad about the lost acting opportunity, but mostly relieved.

Magnus: He hunts down Sir Edward, throws him into a pile of manure, and spits on him, but does not otherwise hurt him. Why bother? He plays both of the twins / 2/3 triplets for the remainder of the run.

Chatterbox: While bound and gagged, he does his gimp legged owl stage jig to rave applause.

GM: Your debut didn't go so well.

Captain Misra: She made money on the buffalo steak.

Nimh: I prepared that steak for you.

She also puts out word to all of her contacts about Sajimus.

Captain Misra: I don't like being used for assassination.

As for her relationship with Nimh...

Captain Misra: It's complicated.

Nell (looking at Magnus): Well, I know just how your feel, dear!

The Captain and Nell had a bonding moment as the session ended.