Atlantic Ocean: The Fistfight

6) The Fistfight
Atlantic Ocean, November 3–December 1, 1844

A) He Doesn’t Like You!
The first week at sea produces another lively development: one of the NPCs acquires a grudge against one of the player characters. (Beckett and Redburn are the most likely, but Dixon, Quakaloo, or Morgan are candidates, and possibly even Dr. Lowell. Mr Coffin and Rachel Ward are exempt.) The Keeper should establish this antipathy naturally, perhaps emerging from an actual slight: a personal insult or misunderstanding, a lack of seamanship during some shipboard operation, or something triggered by the presence of Rachel Ward. Good candidates for hostile NPCs include Matty Shoe, Henry Swain, Suresh Joshi, or Paddy Garcia; but Virgil Caine’s seen his share of punch-ups, too. In any event, the Keeper should ratchet up the tension through general roleplaying before the situation erupts into violence. The unfortunate player character may be challenged to a fight, or may simply be blindsided by a haymaker. (Obviously this cannot be when an officer is nearby!) (Well, maybe Whipple.)

B) I Don’t Like You, Either!
Although other NPCs initially refrain from jumping in, if another player character joins the fray, all bets are off. Needless to say, such a fracas is most likely to occur in the forecastle or during one of Whipple’s night watches, as Captain Joab, Mr. Pynchon, or (presumably) Mr. Coffin would break up a fight immediately. And of course, if things become too loud or spiral out of control, that’s the likely outcome, with the peeved officer deciding the combatants can best learn to work together by cleaning and greasing the anchor chains.

C) I’ll Be Careful
This brawl should be limited to fisticuffs—any escalation in weaponry must be introduced by the player character. As long as things remain “friendly,” the fight should be non-lethal, inflicting only “regular damage” according to the Call of Cthulhu rules. In other words, damage is temporary, and the first character reduced to zero hit points is knocked out! Lost hit points return at a rate of 1/day, with only a few bruises or a shiner to show for it.

You’ll Be Dead!
Of course, if the player character suddenly pulls a knife or grabs a belaying pin, the fight is no longer “friendly,” and the NPC is free to retaliate in kind. This could escalate the fight, possibly inflicting a Major Wound.

D) Leaving the Cantina
No matter who wins or loses, the aftermath of the fight should be roleplayed naturally. Perhaps the beef is settled? Perhaps the combatants become good friends, and this is a ticket onto Whipple’s crew? Or perhaps the hostile NPC has only deepened his loathing for the player character? In which case, the next fight may not be so “friendly.”

White Leviathan, Chapter 2—Atlantic Ocean
[Back to Encounter 5, The Hen Frigate | White Leviathan TOC | Forward to Encounter 7, Boat Races]

Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 21 March 2022
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
White Leviathan PDF: [TBD]