tcepsa | Make Believe

Roleplaying has too many connotations for me right now. It's like it has to have rules and hitpoints and stats and I don't want to have to deal with that all the time. Sometimes it's a lot of fun, but for some reason I find myself right now wanting to just play--just create a story with some friends. I used to do this all the time as a kid, but I haven't done it in years and I miss it! I think Halloween really started it this year.

margoeve,

elkor, and I did kind of a pirate theme (yes, the pumpkin I carved was Captain Jack o' the Lantern Pirates). I had placed one of those things that's kind of like a plasma globe only shaped differently in the upstairs window and we told people that we had rented out our crow's nest to a mad scientist. Something about trying to do experiments with St. Elmo's Fire...

Anyway, I've been thinking about that more and realizing that it's a really good setup for an actual adventure.

There we were, Captain Jack, First Mate Margo Eve, and swabbies Elkor and Tcepsa, standing on the gangplank of our ship, the Feral Felines, which we had moored for the night at the Woodbridge docks. Dr. Trick had apparently managed to finally capture some of that special lightning that he was always going after on our mainmast; there was a brightly glowing jar of it up in the crow's nest and we could occasionally see a bright flash or hear him cackling about how he could finally get his experiments underway. Hopefully before the night was over he'd have figured out a way to harness it as a weapon...

"'Ere comes another band o' marauders, Cap'n!" I cried as a group of zombies, ninjas, football players, and princesses converged upon our brave ship.

"I'll take care o' these scurvy landlubbers," called Elkor as he leapt to the end of the gangplank, his arms wrapped around the largest bowl we had.

"An' just how d'ye expect ter fend 'em off wi' that?" Scoffed Margo, a look of extreme skepticism crossing her face, "Clunk 'em upside their undead skulls?"

"Belay that talk, matey," said Cap'n Jack, "let's see what 'ee's got planned."

There was a very long moment where we all turned and stared in disbelief at the Captain.

"What're ya lubbers lookin' at?" Grumbled the Cap'n as he glowered at us through his good eye, "It be my decision, don't it?"

"Er, aye, Cap'n," I stammered, "It be just that, well, we wasn't expectin' ye ter actually talk."

"Not talk?" He bellowed, "I'm yer bloody Cap'n, an' here yer expectin' me ter not talk?! I ought ter keel-haul the lot o' ye!"

"In 'is defense," called Elkor from the end of the plank, "an' meanin' no disrespect Cap'n, ye are a pumpkin, an' they're usually more on the quiet side."

"Arrr, ye have a point there. I'll overlook it this time, but don't let it be happenin' again! Now, look lively me hearties!" For, sure enough, the first of the marauders had reached the gangplank. Instead of immediately attacking Elkor as I had feared they would, they were carefully edging closer and casting furtive glances at the bowl in his arms.

"HALT, YE MANGY CURS!" Bellowed Elkor with such force that those nearest him were knocked back a step. One of them teetered on the edge of the plank for a minute, but to my disappointment he managed to regain his balance. Elkor levelled a menacing glare at them, "What do ye say?"

The band of marauders seemed taken aback. They considered this odd question, exchanging muttered comments and subtle hand gestures as they deliberated the best plan of attack, since their attempt at storming the gangplank had apparently been thwarted.

"Quick, do somethin' while their guard be down!" Hissed Margo, but just as I prepared to leap to the attack, the horde seemed to reach some sort of decision.

As I ran down the gangplank they drew their collective breath and hollered, to a man, "TRICK OR TREAT!!!" Stunned, it was my turn to teeter on the edge of the plank, and to my disappointment I was unable to right myself and instead fell towards the dark waters of the Occoquan. I managed to catch hold of the plank with my hands as I fell, but I was too busy climbing back up to see what happened next.

By the time I regained my footing the band of fierce marauders had turned and was fleeing towards the next ship, Elkor was walking back up the plank with a satisfied, cocky grin that would make any pirate proud, and the First Mate was fuming.

"Ye be givin' away our hard-earned, ill-gotten booty!" She screamed at him, "Cap'n, do something! String 'im up! Feed 'im to the fishes!" The Cap'n just looked on impassively as she implored, "At least clap 'im in irons!"

"Arrr, stow it matey. The treasure's safe an' sound in the chest, right where ye left it. See?" Elkor held out the bowl for our inspection. It was full of candies wrapped in bright, shiny paper.

"Ah, er, well, from 'ere it looked like... in the torchlight... an' it be shiny..." the First Mate muttered, appeased and somewhat mollified.

"Nicely done, matey." Cap'n Jack grinned. Then, turning to look at me, he said, "Swabbie, run down ter the galley and fetch the best rum an' cider we've got on board--this calls fer a celebration!"

"Aye aye, Cap'n!" I headed for the galley...

And that's all I've got for now for writing. There are so many places this could go, though. I mean, there's a mad scientist in our crow's nest that I haven't even started with! The adventure's hardly even begun...