TheRedWatcher — Roleplayer Guild

Clive The Reaper of Knaves

Before you know the man. You must understand where he came from. This story starts here in The Blooded Archipelago. Given such a name by sailors who told stories of a chain of islands run by a renegade society formed by a so called “Raider King” in a town created by prostitutes, stolen daughters from farms on the mainland, pirates, bandits escaping the gallows, con men, and children who learned to scam and steal.

In the Blood Archipelago are tales of Mather’s Lighthouse said to lure sailors trading goods from one mainland to the next to their dooms. Purposely luring them to dangerous waters near rocky crags. While the most feared place is the Deadman’s Port. 

Where lost merchants, lost sailors, and even soldiers from the mainland had met unsavory fates setting foot on the ports of several little towns all connected by their ships. Each given a name and earned a reputation based on the captain who's made a name for himself.

There’s no imperial law here. Only raider law. The law designed by the Raider King, old Butcher Mad Eyes. Whose reputation trails all the way back to his younger years like breadcrumbs. Ruthless, cutthroat and said to have at least three wives. And many children. He’s spurred a generation of psychopathic nutso that all claim the rocky crags, stormy seas, and sea cliffs as their home.

No prey, No Pay

A ratty, faded placard hangs up in the Leaping Fish Tavern to remind raiders what they have agreed to in staying Deadman’s Port as a sanctuary from the mainland’s gallows. 

I - Every man sitting next to you is an equal in affairs. Every man has a right to share the claims of goods, fresh provisions or liquor at his pleasure, unless the rarity of said item is in question. 

II- In regards to law, every man at your side has shared value to say. But if a conclusion cannot be decided by the crew, the Captain or Leader has final say. His vote may be questioned by his Quartermaster if the final word is considered unfair in any circumstance. 

III - Every man is to be called fairly in turn by list on board to receive his prizes, every man is given clothes for his days on board with no questions, but if any man is founded to defrauding the company to the value of money in plates, jewels, or money he must serve the punishment. His ears and nose will be slit as a message to any incoming boats that may try to pick him up. He will be left somewhere that will ensure hardship before a pain and slow death.

IV - You do not cheat your equal. There will be no gaming at cards or dice for money among your fellows.

V - All lights and candles should be put out by nine o’clock and if any man wants to drink after the lights are out, he must do it on the deck or on the bay side port.

VI- Your weaponry must be clean and fit for service. And may not be used to dispute disagreements among your fellow while on deck or in city. Affairs will be decided by the crew, and will not be deadly, unless the crime befits the punishment.

VII- No boy or woman is allowed on deck or to raid with the party. No boy allowed onto a raid until he is considered befit for the job at hand. No woman disguised and snuck on board, nor to engage the latter sex on board. To do so with the latter sex is punishment of death, sterilization or marooning. Choice is subjected to the Captain or Quartermaster. No fellow should have a say. If a boy is found among the crew, he is subjected to marooning and must find his way on his own.

VIII - No man should abandon his ship or quarters in battle. To do is death or marooning. Punishment is subjected to the Captain’s final word.

IX - No man should retire until he has shared one thousand pounds with his fellows. If any man should lose a limb or become cripple in their service he is to have seventy six hundred pounds paid to him out of the public stock and for lesser injuries proportionally to the injury.

X - The Captain and Quartermaster are to receive two shares of a prize, all medicines go the ship doctors and anyone caught stealing or trying to take medicines from the ship doctors quarters will have their right ring finger cut off and marooned. The master, boatswain, and gunner to receive one share and a half, and other officers one and quarter.

XI - No fellow is to steal another fellows woman. Unless he pays out his fellow based on the value of the woman. A woman’s value will be based on who she has mated where she is located in the port, the value of the fellows home, and the value on the woman’s beauty compared to the fellow. The woman may contest the buy out if she has a feasible reasoning, either pregnancy, already have children with the fellow, and or in some way devalues the marriage by buying herself out more than the sum of the men then the fellow must forfeit the woman. If he tries to take her afterward, he will be marooned or may be feasibly killed by the fellow whose woman was taken. 

XII- A boy who wants to accompany a raid must complete determination of his manhood. Often a task given to him by the Captain or Quartermaster of the crew he wishes to join. The task is an individual task subjected to the Captain and/or Quartermaster’s discretion. 

XIII - A boy may accompany a crew, against VII if he is given a suitable task for his age. He may not join in on raids or be given any prize or reward. But may earn prizes or rewards for the crew. He is not to be able to claim these rewards for himself. If he tries to claim the rewards for himself may lose his pointer finger, and marooned. The boy has no rank in the crew, no word, and may not speak out against even the lowest of crew members till he has earned his title, or his manhood.

XIV - Any traveler who comes to the island is greeted by a swift death. Unless he or she provides some set of service. Bards and entertainers will be welcomed among the fellows and treated with the same discipline we show our fellows.

XV - If a Fellow is dead and has a claim on a woman. She is to receive one quarter of prizes from the public stock. This is one hundred and a quarter when she is considered too old to provide children. 

These were the rules and laws everyone born or brought here were expected to follow. Or they were left out on islands, marooned for punishment. And any crew that tried to pick up an exiled crew member were subjected to long disputes. 

Now that you understand the place, who is Clive the Reaper of the Knaves? He was born to Cleve the Shark, officer on Darrius the Menace’s ship Portside Stalker. 

His mother a mistress at the Shipwrecked Brothel where he was raised by several whores and the lady of the house until he was deemed old enough to start serving a crew without claims. 

A young boys duty was to learn and imitate the behaviors he saw the Fellows perform on a daily basis. To learn the Captains and their Quartermasters name. In hopes that one day they would claim the name of the Captain they would work under when they entered manhood. 

Age: 35

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Alias: The Reaper of Knaves

Age has not slowed down Clive. In fact you could argue the man is exactly in his prime. His age has only given him more experience and made him more determined towards his indiscriminate actions. Wearing a long layered cloak over his clothes, the man sports a crew cut with very little hair receding at the top. His skin is actually quite tan from the years in the sun.

He stands at 175cm, 5’9”. He weighs 58 kg, 130 pounds. While he may not be muscular, he is quite toned, and fit. His frame is actually quite stocky and compact, but lean. His irises are steel gray. 

Clive is not a complicated man his words are like the steel of a blade, they get to the point quickly, in a rather matter of fact way. He speaks with clarity for a man born on an island of anarchy and raiding. A clarity that makes him understandable to others, but what he has to say may shake their sense of sensibility.

Personality: 

The Shark may have been his father, but The Menace was his mentor.

Cunning and calculative for a man people would claim is nothing, but a no good killer from an island of anarchy. Mainland educated for a man people would claim he was not raised by anyone civil. Clive is a rather respected man among his Fellows. 

While the Knight Captain who wanted to capture may have painted him as some daft winded idiot, Clive is a lot more than some daft retard from the seas. Just because they were pirates, raiders, schemers and con men didn’t mean he wasn’t educated.

Clive’s a man who likes to get straight to the point of things. Which may seem ironic considering the man doesn’t fight considerably in the front lines, but he doesn’t like to bullshit or dance around a subject. He hates bullshit and worse he hates dumb twits, who don’t know the difference between their own dick and another man’s dick, trying to lie to him.

He hates an idiot who thinks they can con him. He hates an idiot who thinks they can manipulate him. He also hates the idiot who doesn’t think he knows a thing or two because they think he’s just a barbarian. Crude in his mannerisms, unashamed of his past life, Clive comes off a merciless, cutthroat. Which is not a wrong assumption. 

A cunning mastermind, who prefers tactical thinking over rushing in. He may fight from the shadows, but he fights with just as much teeth and claws as someone in the front lines would. Maybe even more as his methods are ruthless, barbaric, and he seems to get some sick satisfaction watching something squirm in pain. 

With that said he might be the sociopathic killer everyone paints him off to be, he does have a few soft spots. He has a code of honor that he follows. Whether or not that redeems him is a question the company has to ask themselves. A complicated moral and ethical system, he plays by a different set of rules. And while he may be ruthless at least for now it seems he is loyal to his latest company in the Order. 

He won’t betray someone that is a part of his crew. No matter the current circumstances. 

Weapons:

Mayhem and Madness; Razor’s of the Wretched

Every blade has a tale. Every tip has burrowed into someone’s flesh. Blood is just as much a part of the steel that crafted the blade. 

Mayhem and Madness are dual combat knives that sit behind him in a sheath that looks like a scroll. It is obvious to any onlooker that these blades were not something he could have afforded even on his piracy salary. Instead they were one of the many items he helped himself to after a raid. He named them Mayhem and Madness. Others called them the Razor’s of the Wretched. 

They belonged to some wealthy bloke that they terrified into submission somehow. And helped themselves to the wealth of his goods in his wagon. Mayhem and Madness since then though have been well taken care of, polished, sharpened, cleaned. As per the rules of when one wants to lead their services for a crew. 

Death’s Kiss 

There are very few things Clive has that have sentimental value. Death’s Kiss being the blade given to him by his father after he became a man. While Clive has no real feelings towards his father. He has feelings towards the sense of pride he felt when he completed the task given to him. Death’s Kiss ended up have more sentimental value towards his own pride than compassionate love towards his father. He sees it as something he finally earned.

Various Throwing Knives

A various set of throwing knives with unbalanced and balanced knives for different occasions.

Clothing:

It’s clear to anyone that Clive is not a man meant to fight in the frontlines. In fact he is majorely an ambush support fighter. He provides backup to his team with his various bombs, oils, throwing knives, poisons, and cleans up weakened enemies for the final blow with his dagger. Because of this he rarely is seen in anything cumbersome to wear, for easier movement. 

Considering he’s a still well known wanted man for his assassinations despite his clearance from the Order three years ago, in the city he tends to wear a cloak over his clothing in order to disguise himself from the Guards or some sort of nosy sort. The cloak is gray and rather tatty looking. He doesn’t seem to mind it.

-Black Tabard with hood
-Metal arm guards
-Hide boots
-Black breeches
-Tan tunic

Around his waist. Carries 5 potions. Pouches for various usages. 

Carries his bombs 

Equipment:

What he cannot break with strength, he annihilates with poison, uses various oils, and bombs. Which he carries in his pockets and or his worn satchel.

He carries with him flask that you’d associate with alchemy, a pestle and mortar, various ingredients and their recipes, and smaller empty vials that he places in his pocket. Too often stash his stache somewhere else while he is ambushing his prey.

Bag doesn't come with him on missions in fact it often stays at camp. 
Poisons 

3 vials to coat on his blade in combat 

1 bottle to pour into his vials out of combat 

Ingredients 

2 Nightmare Leaf - 2 leaves left

3 Fiendish Thorn - 1 root left

2 Slug Stalk - 4 roots left

If you ever wished for your body to feel like it’s on fire then Fiendish Fire is your wish. A deadly poison that quickly processes through the body, it has the victim of it’s effect have a sudden sense of neuropathy in less than four to five minutes.

While the pain may not kill you, victims in agony have done lethal and deadly things to themselves in order for them to not experience the pain of the poison any further. Fiendish Fire is perfect in use for interrogations.

3 vials to coat on his blade in combat

2 bottles left to put in his vials out of combat

Ingredients 

3 Bleeding Spore - 3 Bleeding spore mushrooms left

3 grams of Bonemeal - 1 gram left 

3 Shrew Seed - 1 Shrew Seed left

1 cup beast blood - 0 

4 grams axiom powder - 2 grams left

It’s all in the name. The Necron Toxin is not something you wish even on your worse enemies. While it is a slow acting poison, there is little cure for its deadly effects. Once the poison enters an open wound there is little in the way of help as it begins to eat away at healthy tissue at an unnerving quick rate. While a poison it acts far more like an infection of gangrene and rot. 

And while it’s victims may be able to live without a limb or two, it’s not a guarantee that they will survive the amputation of the rotting away arm or that the Necron Toxin has completely left their symptoms. Victims who have lost a singular limb from the poison, may find themselves months later with another dying leg or foot or hand.

1 vial to coat on his blade in combat

1 bottle to pour into his vials out of combat 

Ingredients 

1 Lost Petal - 2 petals left 

4 grams Axiom Powder - 2 grams left 

3 Grave Seed - 3 Grave Seed left 

3 Wicked Spore - 4 Wicked Spore mushroom Left

4 Bleeding Spore - 3 Bleeding Spore mushroom Left

1 Blistering Grudge - 0 Blistering Grudge mushroom left 

Do not let the name fool you into believing this is a love potion. In fact it’s one of the more lethal poisons he has in his arsenal. The Heartache poison will make you wish it was a lovers potion as it enters the body it attacks the sinuses. Quickly moving to the victim’s eyes, it blinds them first, then within a few short minutes it begins to destroy the sinuses. 

Due to the fact that the sinuses are being attacked, the tear ducts begin to work over time, like when you’re being attacked by allergies stuffy nose and watery eyes, the victim dies looking like they cried themselves to death from heartache.

Not even a full bottle. 

Ingredients 

8 Shavings of silver - 0 left

1 Divine Petal - 0 left 

1 Divine Stalk - 0 left 

½ cup Basilisk Water - 0 left 

1 Pandemonium Flower

This is not your traditional poison. In fact it has two properties. The first property is that it acts as a poison for any undead creatures. It often kills them in the same way healing or light magic may kill them. As the Divine Flower and Basilisk Water are so often used for their healing components. Because of this the poison may act as a healing salve for any non undead being instead. 

Because of the small components of silver it does seem to also affect incorporeal beings in an unusual way. It often makes them flicker between corporeal and not for a few short seconds. It’s not the most effective against them, but it works in a pinch. It’s mainly a poison meant to damage the undead.

Half a bottle 

Ingredients

1 Ember Bloom - 0 Left 

4 Leaves of Queen’s Weed - 1 Queen’s Weed Left

8 Water Barberries - 1 Barberry left 

1 Mountain Clove - 0 left

4 Golden Blooms - 0 left

2 teaspoons Cinnamon - 1 teaspoon left

5 Teaspoons  Nutmeg - 0 left

Not everything in Clives arsenal is deadly. And his allies should be lucky. The Pain Soother is less a poison or a potion and more like a bitter, but sweet tea that is a medical antidote. The Pain Soother does as it’s name implies, it soothes pain. 

While it doesn’t heal wounds, it does cut off someone’s mind from feeling the pain of their wounds. Allowing them enough time to amble to medical treatment or in order to sooth them before they pass. The Pain Soother is probably the kindest thing Clive has.

He also carries a small bottle of oil, that he can douse on his enemies for errr explosive results with his bombs. While it may not cover a whole area, even the smallest of area catching fire is enough for them to light up like a fucking kindling.

Bombs 

The last of Clive’s arsenal is in his bombs. Which he throws into battle with indiscriminate glee. He tries his best to not throw them in an area close to his allies. But sometimes it’s less his throw and their situational awareness. Or that’s what he tells them. 

Traditional gunpowder bombs ,about the size of a baseball, he carries with him. In his side bags he can carry at least five or six bombs. And he tends to chose a various set. His regular gunpowder bombs are often infused with runes for different results. Fire infused bombs cause a burst of flames with the natural explosion as well. Perfect combo with his oil and one of his personal favorites. 

Light runes allow him to throw them and make wraiths and ghost become incorporeal for a short period of time. A dark rune allows him to weaken monsters in the area with the initial explosion. 

Skills:

Sabotage and Ambush

In his younger years, Clive was the smallest boy on Menace’s ship. And while they were not allowed to raid or pillage with the crew nor had any claims to the rewards and items. Clive was small enough to squeeze into windows and unlock doors. There he had to learn also not to be detected by whomever would be in the homestead, farm, or even estate. Using all these tools of the trade as he got older into his own style.

He used his ability to trick the idea or sneak around others to use it support the other Fellows, who fought frontlines, from behind. Throwing bombs, using knives for combat, and daggers. To only slip back into the shadows by falling behind his enemies blind spots.

Knife Fighter

The Deadman’s Port had always been sort of a hub for other sailors and other sailing individuals to meet up. Other unsavory types from the other sides of the world would come and bring interesting inventions and gadgets.

 Annie Razortooth, one of the few woman who earned a rank among the Fellows only due to her own personal history, always tended to bring back interesting skills and things from other parts of the world. She rather explore the open seas than go back to the mainland. One of those things she brought were a few people with slanted eyes, their knives, and they taught them to any curious boy. 

Clive of course being that curious boy learned to throw knives from the slanted eyed individuals. And learned how to fight with the knives. 

Quiet Step

What would the Raiding Pirate Assassin be if it wasn’t mentioned his quiet step? At an early age he was already exploring the boundaries of the world. Being that he wasn’t allowed on raids and pillages, he often found ways to entertain himself. One of his favorite games was sneaking up on squiiddish animals like deer. It became sort of a game to see how close he could get. 

This game became less and less of a game the more and more useful it became to the Fellows. It’s the skill that allowed him to complete his task in the first place. Years of practicing walking softly and surveying the landscape for the quietest depressions. 

Alchemy 

Clive learned a few things here and there from the Deadman’s Port doctors. When he wasn’t out on the seas with the Fellows he tried to find ways to entertain himself. Knife fighting lessons with Fast Fingers and Annie. Potion creation with Ansley Three Fingers. And he indeed had three fingers. 

Sailing and Marine Navigation

Being a Fellow meant a lot of time on the sea. And escaping the mainland meant knowing the ocean deeper than anyone. He knows how to set the sails, and work a boat. He also knows how to navigate the seas better than anyone beside probably a sailor doing it longer than him.

History:

It is not a man’s early life that makes the man’s name. His early life seems to be a drop of untouchable innocence that is the seed to grow. Except Clive’s life was never really innocent. As a young child he was learned to scam, con, spot a cheater and a liar, he was taught how to sneak into homes, watched violence. Saw blood woven into the soil. 

He was taught the savage truth about a society raised on the edge of anarchy. He grew up a cynical child, exposed to brutality since he was very young. There’s nothing special about that man back then. Young and only learning there’s nothing more that can be said. 

What changes a boy to a man? Is actions that highlight their path. 

The difference between a Fellow and just a boy imitating a Fellow is the task they are given and how they complete it. The Menace had high expectations for Clive. Not because he was The Shark’s son, but because Clive had set an expectation of someone who could someday lead a group of Fellows. 

To prove his worth among the Fellows and climb through the ranks he was asked to steal Lady Cecilia's ruby necklace. An impossible task many Fellows said, no one had ever been able to raid, let alone sneak into Crescentwood Chateau. Some say Lady Cecilia’s husband, Earl Romford had insulted Darrius the Menace many years ago.

He was fifteen at the time. The Shark, Colborn Razor Darrius’ quartermaster had decided and agreed upon the task for Clive. It was then asked by Darrius to Clive, that if he could he had a target for him to eliminate as well. 

That being Earl Romford himself. Romford had hidden for many years in his impenetrable mansion for too long. To kill Romford was only really an optional step. Though Clive never really questioned any shameful act he had been witnessed to for the fifteen years he had lived.

Clive then proved himself. Not only taking the ladies necklace, but managing to kill Romford. Though his work then at fifteen being sloppy. Considering the amount of security he had to kill. And nearly getting caught on his way in and out. But the success of that task is what separated and define Clive as a child and as a man.

He spent many of his years after that climbing the ranks. Earning rewards. Taking out people who insulted the Fellows to send messages to those who owed them money. He earned the nickname Reaper in his late teens and early twenties by the Fellows. He was a bruiser among them, though the mainland commonly mistook or called him an assassin.

In his mid twenties he had earned enough recognition that at least eight years ago began to run his own crew of Fellows. He was said to be a cunning mastermind. A cutthroat who lacked remorse for his actions. He never seemed to weep nor care for the lives he took. Many of them were messages he sent to those who had insulted him somehow, many of them were messages to the mainland to fear his Ravagers. 

And for many years they did. No one could catch sight of this so called bandit reaper and his knaves. The Knight Captain Dunnam at the time scoured the mainland looking for the Ravagers. To find no trace nor clue of them. At Deadman’s Port Clive was beginning to earn himself some mild success. Some saw him as someone who would be a great captain of history someday. 

But fate has a strange way of changing.  Roughly three years ago, at the age of thirty-two Clive and his Ravagers were caught. At least a few of them. Knight Captain Dunnam who had been madly searching for the group had finally found them by sheer accident as they were gearing up to leave the mainland with their goods. There was no due process. No negotiations. Willy One Eye was sentenced to death as well as Clive at the gallows. While Jimmy the Swindler and Calypso the Danger were given “mercy” if being torn apart by the Knights hunting dogs is considered merciful.

Even then Clive showed no shame nor remorse for his actions. He still doesn’t know where to find that. And it doesn’t bother him that he doesn’t feel it. He would have died three years ago if not for the Order who had him released into their custody. Who found his skills useful. Not only had he evaded being caught for seventeen years. Ran the most successful criminal group even among the Fellows. And had managed to leave a trail of blood with no trace of himself or his Ravagers. 

In the Order he is not been allowed to contact his Fellows at Deadman’s Port. But he has been given his freedom and allowed to walk peacefully among the civilian cities. He provides the Order his perspective, but don’t think that’s some deep philosophical pondering.
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