Adventure in the Open Skies: The Liralen Irregulars (Eberron, Updated 5/10)
- Thread starter PhoenixAsh
- Start date
PhoenixAsh
First Post
Update #18: An Obnoxious Victim
So update soon turned out to not be so 'soon'. I think I owe the following disclaimer to readers: Storyhour is subject to chaotic runs of update.
But this storyhour will definetly not be laid to rest! This particular section is one of the more difficult ones for me to write, which has had as much to do with the long delay as anything.
Anyways, enough with the excuses, here's the next update and I'm already at work on the next!
Oh, and thanks again to Mysie, who continues to make writing this much easier than it would be otherwise.
***
Entertainer wizards of House Phiarlan do not take an idle approach to the performing or the arcane arts. Any prospective wizard’s days are spent in rigorous vocal, kinetic, and performance exercise, while their nights are spent in intense arcane study. Half-elves, already rare in the House, are rarer still in the program, forced into a far more accelerated program than full-blooded elves, and with fewer waking hours, only a handful have completed the program in its long history. Ruel’s completion of the program was no small feat.
The discipline and focus that imparted pays unforeseen dividends, and what would have otherwise broken Ruel’s placid, genuine expression barely twitches a muscle in his jaw.
“You know, this is good, but I can help you make it great.”
Jasper’s interest is piqued and the he soon has the love note to the Liralen’s other entertainer in hand, with a promise to ‘refine’ and ‘discreetly’ deliver the note to Kashandi’s possession. Ruel smirks as he considers the proper verses for his rival.
***
The Liralen’s next port of call is the city of Bluevine, currently in the midst of a summer festival. Most of the passengers and crew depart to enjoy the event, with some exceptions. Loki and Alexandre remain behind to haul in the food and goods the ship’s quartermaster acquires from the local markets, while some of the guards remain to watch over the ship, including Elisa. Fortunato remains onboard as well, keeping the kitchen open while inventorying the new foodstuffs brought onboard.
Elisa sighs restlessly as she paces the ship’s holds. The sights and smells of the festival dangle just out of reach, and she will get only a scant couple of hours to enjoy them. Worse yet, Vijaya d’Jorasco has insisted on checking her wound from the fighting with the kobolds and warforged. Elisa’s protests at the healer’s mothering fell on deaf ears.
The distinctive thunk of a projectile striking one of the target boards in the sparring room draws her attention. Coming around to the door she sees the hobgoblin, Uuka, taking in some target practice with his throwing daggers. Elisa watches Uuka line up a throw and toss it, the blade sinking deeply in the target, dead on the bull’s eye.
“What’s going on?” Elisa calls out by way of introduction.
Uuka sneers as he moves forward and yanks his daggers free, inspecting the target with satisfaction. He walks several paces back from the target and looks at Elisa with a smirk, before lining up another toss. “It stinks up there. I am getting some… fresh air.”
“Why aren’t you enjoying the festival?” the guardswoman challenges, undeterred.
“It stinks there too.”
“What about your quarters, does it stink there too?”
Uuka looks to her with a quick glare, and then laughs loudly. Sheathing his daggers, he ambles slowly past her, bumping shoulders. Elisa’s hand clenches and she has to restrain the urge to draw her greatsword as the hobgoblin taunts her with his slow retreat back to the passenger deck.
Elisa moves in to examine the sparring room briefly. The target has seven distinctive dagger marks, all clustered at the center of the target. Other than that, nothing seems disturbed. She returns to the hold to see Loki and Alexandre hauling up a large crate. They set it down on the deck and begin prying the collected goods open. With a brief nod to the two men, she returns to the deck to watch for the other guards’ return.
They are late, laughing and nibbling on skewers of meat as they saunter agonizingly slow back to the Liralen. Elisa storms past them and to the healing bay. Perhaps sensing the fragile state of the barbarian’s patience, Vijaya doesn’t take a long time to inspect the new, pink skin where Elisa was struck, and sends her on her way in just a few minutes. Elisa bumps into one of the passengers on the way out, just one of the female merchants looking for a snack, Nyla Lanyon. She points her towards the kitchens where Fortunato lingers and she finally heads out to the fair to enjoy herself.
***
The Liralen departs before sunset, on its way to Thrane and its next port of call, the city of Passage, and from there Aruldusk. There she will discharge all of her passengers save for one and proceed to the border of the dangerous Mournlands, the site of Rose Quarry. All six members of the expedition group slated to first explore the site are resting in their quarters when a commotion from the opposite crew quarters startles some of them awake. The rest awaken when a bleary-eyed Kashandi walks in and tells Ruel, “Your little friend is in trouble.”
Ruel is the first on his feet and out the door, but the party is quickly on his heels in varying states of half-dress. Cautiously the party files into the crew quarters to find the cabin boy Errol, Captain D’Meryl and Niall Goldsmith in the midst of an argument, with Adjutant Tagotah, captain of the ships guard watching with a stern expression locked on his face. Tagotah looks towards Elisa, first inside with her greatsword drawn, and nods to her. She lowers her weapon as Ruel files in behind, followed by the rest of the party.
Niall Goldsmith is screaming at the cabin boy, whose arm is firmly in the grasp of Captain D’meryl as he tries to calm down the irate wizard.
“Sir, I need you to calm down, the crew and myself will handle this matter!”
“I just want to know where that little thief stashed my wands, they are more valuable to me than someone like him could ever know!” Niall snaps.
“I didn’t take anything, I didn’t even go by your cabin!” Errol pipes up, trying to tug his arm free from the unyielding grip of the captain.
“I do intend to search the boys quarters, and if nothing is found I will put in inquiries with House Medani when we get to Passage.” D’meryl directs the boy by Tagotah, and the adjuant lays two heavy hands on the boy’s shoulders while the captain finds the key to the boy’s locker and unlocks it. After a minute of searching, his back straightens and he stands, looking hard at Errol. “What do you know of this note, Errol?”
“I’ve never seen it before, sir. What does it say?”
Ruel, keeping a close eye on Niall, interrupts, “Now is not the time to be hurling spells around I think, good sir, desist at once!”
As all eyes turn on him, Goldsmith glares at Ruel but drops his hands out from under his cloak and into plain sight.
The captain clears his throat. "Errol, it seems to contain evidence that you are indeed involved in this theft. I am yet to be convinced fully, however for the time being it would be best for you to accompany Adjutant Tagotah to the brig until we can set about clearing your name."
“Do not worry Errol, we will get to the bottom of this.” Ruel reassures the cabin boy as he is led away. Errol's face looks pale but he nods and is escorted out of the room by the adjutant. As he leaves Niall snaps, "What does the note say? I have a right to know!"
D'meryl faces the wizard, "I have reason to suspect that this note may have been planted. If Errol has never seen it before, a Medani official who can cast Detect Thoughts will be able to tell if he does indeed know its contents. That would secure his guilt and House Lyrandar can go about investigating the whereabouts of your missing items. If the note is indeed true, it is very probable that your possessions are no longer aboard this ship."
"Detect thoughts" is a relatively easy spell - within a few hours meditation, I could interrogate the boy for y..."
“No.” Elisa states flatly.
Before Niall can snap at her for her tone, Captain D’Meryl steers the conversation back on course. “Lord Goldsmith. I do believe you probably could cast the spell, and I appreciate your offer. However, I am not positive that your judgment is unclouded in this matter - I think you could understand that I prefer to work with the officials in Passage."
"You may regret that choice, Captain." Niall sweeps back through the crew quarters and heads to his own rooms.
Captain D'meryl, looking at the empty space the wizard left in the room, mutters to himself. "I very much doubt it." He then turns to the crew present.
“Clearly you know the lad and believe him to be innocent. I don't trust this set of circumstances either. One of the boy’s uniform buttons was found in Lord Goldsmith’s stateroom. And I found these in his trunk.” D’Meryl hands over the party a note and a coin pouch, with Goldsmith’s initials. “Please do not mention the contents of the note to Errol. I believe the boy's statements are truthful and you all know my plans there. As I told Lord Goldsmith, if Errol has knowledge of the note it will prove his guilt to a point. I am hoping the reverse will be true as well.
Yet, I fear for the boy. I know his past is less than honest and the regulators may see that as enough evidence to incriminate or charge and hold the boy. The officials in Passage are known to be rather rigid in their interpretation of the law.
Even more than Errol, I trust Lord Ravien's judgment in placing him aboard. You may search thoroughly any crew and cargo spaces and the public areas of the ship as long as you can do so unobtrusively. I cannot allow you access into a passenger's private compartment unless you have serious proof. More than one of our passengers would react as Lord Goldsmith has. Please keep your eyes and ears open concerning this matter. I would be very grateful if you can turn up more information that may clear this matter
up."
D’Meryl leaves the party who stands in silence as everyone thinks over the problem. Audric takes the note and Errol’s button, reading the note aloud and examining the button one more time. “There are a couple platinum pieces in the wax here. It reads: ‘At one bell into the first watch outside of Ghalt drop the goods over the side. You will be well paid.’”
He turns to the rest of the group. “Errol lost four buttons yesterday in the bar fight. One of the passengers or crew there must have taken one of the buttons and planted it in Goldsmith’s quarters when they stole the wands.”
Ruel nods. “The thief must have been one of the people who were there. Who was at the bar that night?”
Dox rubs his chin. “Well, Seaghan MacCune, that Bligh fellow you beat up Audric, and the hobgoblin Uuka...”
Elisa brightens and interrupts, “Hey! I saw him sneaking around the cargo holds and the sparring room when everyone was out at the festival, maybe he did it!”
Audric nods. “Possibly. But do not forget other people were there. That young man, Denneth ‘ir Lain, he brought Errol into the bar in the first place, remember? And the women were there as well, Jewell d’Lyrander, Sarenti d'Orien and Nyla Lanyon.”
Dox nods. “And Princess Wrel, she tried to sneak under the bar with me.”
Ruel glances aside at Dox. “I somehow doubt the Princess is involved, though I hear she does have a reputation as a trouble maker.”
Elisa snorts. “Well I think it was that Uuka guy. I’m going back down there to check it out.”
“I will go with you.” Both Ruel and Elisa file off below decks.
Audric looks to Dox, “Come on; let’s see if we can find anything else at the bar.” He glances at Alexandre. “Are you coming?”
He blinks and looks up at the monk. “Yeah, yeah sure I’ll tag along I guess.”
As he follows Dox and Audric upstairs he sighs and mutters under his breath, “Should have stayed in bed.”
So update soon turned out to not be so 'soon'. I think I owe the following disclaimer to readers: Storyhour is subject to chaotic runs of update.
But this storyhour will definetly not be laid to rest! This particular section is one of the more difficult ones for me to write, which has had as much to do with the long delay as anything.
Anyways, enough with the excuses, here's the next update and I'm already at work on the next!
Oh, and thanks again to Mysie, who continues to make writing this much easier than it would be otherwise.
***
Entertainer wizards of House Phiarlan do not take an idle approach to the performing or the arcane arts. Any prospective wizard’s days are spent in rigorous vocal, kinetic, and performance exercise, while their nights are spent in intense arcane study. Half-elves, already rare in the House, are rarer still in the program, forced into a far more accelerated program than full-blooded elves, and with fewer waking hours, only a handful have completed the program in its long history. Ruel’s completion of the program was no small feat.
The discipline and focus that imparted pays unforeseen dividends, and what would have otherwise broken Ruel’s placid, genuine expression barely twitches a muscle in his jaw.
“You know, this is good, but I can help you make it great.”
Jasper’s interest is piqued and the he soon has the love note to the Liralen’s other entertainer in hand, with a promise to ‘refine’ and ‘discreetly’ deliver the note to Kashandi’s possession. Ruel smirks as he considers the proper verses for his rival.
***
The Liralen’s next port of call is the city of Bluevine, currently in the midst of a summer festival. Most of the passengers and crew depart to enjoy the event, with some exceptions. Loki and Alexandre remain behind to haul in the food and goods the ship’s quartermaster acquires from the local markets, while some of the guards remain to watch over the ship, including Elisa. Fortunato remains onboard as well, keeping the kitchen open while inventorying the new foodstuffs brought onboard.
Elisa sighs restlessly as she paces the ship’s holds. The sights and smells of the festival dangle just out of reach, and she will get only a scant couple of hours to enjoy them. Worse yet, Vijaya d’Jorasco has insisted on checking her wound from the fighting with the kobolds and warforged. Elisa’s protests at the healer’s mothering fell on deaf ears.
The distinctive thunk of a projectile striking one of the target boards in the sparring room draws her attention. Coming around to the door she sees the hobgoblin, Uuka, taking in some target practice with his throwing daggers. Elisa watches Uuka line up a throw and toss it, the blade sinking deeply in the target, dead on the bull’s eye.
“What’s going on?” Elisa calls out by way of introduction.
Uuka sneers as he moves forward and yanks his daggers free, inspecting the target with satisfaction. He walks several paces back from the target and looks at Elisa with a smirk, before lining up another toss. “It stinks up there. I am getting some… fresh air.”
“Why aren’t you enjoying the festival?” the guardswoman challenges, undeterred.
“It stinks there too.”
“What about your quarters, does it stink there too?”
Uuka looks to her with a quick glare, and then laughs loudly. Sheathing his daggers, he ambles slowly past her, bumping shoulders. Elisa’s hand clenches and she has to restrain the urge to draw her greatsword as the hobgoblin taunts her with his slow retreat back to the passenger deck.
Elisa moves in to examine the sparring room briefly. The target has seven distinctive dagger marks, all clustered at the center of the target. Other than that, nothing seems disturbed. She returns to the hold to see Loki and Alexandre hauling up a large crate. They set it down on the deck and begin prying the collected goods open. With a brief nod to the two men, she returns to the deck to watch for the other guards’ return.
They are late, laughing and nibbling on skewers of meat as they saunter agonizingly slow back to the Liralen. Elisa storms past them and to the healing bay. Perhaps sensing the fragile state of the barbarian’s patience, Vijaya doesn’t take a long time to inspect the new, pink skin where Elisa was struck, and sends her on her way in just a few minutes. Elisa bumps into one of the passengers on the way out, just one of the female merchants looking for a snack, Nyla Lanyon. She points her towards the kitchens where Fortunato lingers and she finally heads out to the fair to enjoy herself.
***
The Liralen departs before sunset, on its way to Thrane and its next port of call, the city of Passage, and from there Aruldusk. There she will discharge all of her passengers save for one and proceed to the border of the dangerous Mournlands, the site of Rose Quarry. All six members of the expedition group slated to first explore the site are resting in their quarters when a commotion from the opposite crew quarters startles some of them awake. The rest awaken when a bleary-eyed Kashandi walks in and tells Ruel, “Your little friend is in trouble.”
Ruel is the first on his feet and out the door, but the party is quickly on his heels in varying states of half-dress. Cautiously the party files into the crew quarters to find the cabin boy Errol, Captain D’Meryl and Niall Goldsmith in the midst of an argument, with Adjutant Tagotah, captain of the ships guard watching with a stern expression locked on his face. Tagotah looks towards Elisa, first inside with her greatsword drawn, and nods to her. She lowers her weapon as Ruel files in behind, followed by the rest of the party.
Niall Goldsmith is screaming at the cabin boy, whose arm is firmly in the grasp of Captain D’meryl as he tries to calm down the irate wizard.
“Sir, I need you to calm down, the crew and myself will handle this matter!”
“I just want to know where that little thief stashed my wands, they are more valuable to me than someone like him could ever know!” Niall snaps.
“I didn’t take anything, I didn’t even go by your cabin!” Errol pipes up, trying to tug his arm free from the unyielding grip of the captain.
“I do intend to search the boys quarters, and if nothing is found I will put in inquiries with House Medani when we get to Passage.” D’meryl directs the boy by Tagotah, and the adjuant lays two heavy hands on the boy’s shoulders while the captain finds the key to the boy’s locker and unlocks it. After a minute of searching, his back straightens and he stands, looking hard at Errol. “What do you know of this note, Errol?”
“I’ve never seen it before, sir. What does it say?”
Ruel, keeping a close eye on Niall, interrupts, “Now is not the time to be hurling spells around I think, good sir, desist at once!”
As all eyes turn on him, Goldsmith glares at Ruel but drops his hands out from under his cloak and into plain sight.
The captain clears his throat. "Errol, it seems to contain evidence that you are indeed involved in this theft. I am yet to be convinced fully, however for the time being it would be best for you to accompany Adjutant Tagotah to the brig until we can set about clearing your name."
“Do not worry Errol, we will get to the bottom of this.” Ruel reassures the cabin boy as he is led away. Errol's face looks pale but he nods and is escorted out of the room by the adjutant. As he leaves Niall snaps, "What does the note say? I have a right to know!"
D'meryl faces the wizard, "I have reason to suspect that this note may have been planted. If Errol has never seen it before, a Medani official who can cast Detect Thoughts will be able to tell if he does indeed know its contents. That would secure his guilt and House Lyrandar can go about investigating the whereabouts of your missing items. If the note is indeed true, it is very probable that your possessions are no longer aboard this ship."
"Detect thoughts" is a relatively easy spell - within a few hours meditation, I could interrogate the boy for y..."
“No.” Elisa states flatly.
Before Niall can snap at her for her tone, Captain D’Meryl steers the conversation back on course. “Lord Goldsmith. I do believe you probably could cast the spell, and I appreciate your offer. However, I am not positive that your judgment is unclouded in this matter - I think you could understand that I prefer to work with the officials in Passage."
"You may regret that choice, Captain." Niall sweeps back through the crew quarters and heads to his own rooms.
Captain D'meryl, looking at the empty space the wizard left in the room, mutters to himself. "I very much doubt it." He then turns to the crew present.
“Clearly you know the lad and believe him to be innocent. I don't trust this set of circumstances either. One of the boy’s uniform buttons was found in Lord Goldsmith’s stateroom. And I found these in his trunk.” D’Meryl hands over the party a note and a coin pouch, with Goldsmith’s initials. “Please do not mention the contents of the note to Errol. I believe the boy's statements are truthful and you all know my plans there. As I told Lord Goldsmith, if Errol has knowledge of the note it will prove his guilt to a point. I am hoping the reverse will be true as well.
Yet, I fear for the boy. I know his past is less than honest and the regulators may see that as enough evidence to incriminate or charge and hold the boy. The officials in Passage are known to be rather rigid in their interpretation of the law.
Even more than Errol, I trust Lord Ravien's judgment in placing him aboard. You may search thoroughly any crew and cargo spaces and the public areas of the ship as long as you can do so unobtrusively. I cannot allow you access into a passenger's private compartment unless you have serious proof. More than one of our passengers would react as Lord Goldsmith has. Please keep your eyes and ears open concerning this matter. I would be very grateful if you can turn up more information that may clear this matter
up."
D’Meryl leaves the party who stands in silence as everyone thinks over the problem. Audric takes the note and Errol’s button, reading the note aloud and examining the button one more time. “There are a couple platinum pieces in the wax here. It reads: ‘At one bell into the first watch outside of Ghalt drop the goods over the side. You will be well paid.’”
He turns to the rest of the group. “Errol lost four buttons yesterday in the bar fight. One of the passengers or crew there must have taken one of the buttons and planted it in Goldsmith’s quarters when they stole the wands.”
Ruel nods. “The thief must have been one of the people who were there. Who was at the bar that night?”
Dox rubs his chin. “Well, Seaghan MacCune, that Bligh fellow you beat up Audric, and the hobgoblin Uuka...”
Elisa brightens and interrupts, “Hey! I saw him sneaking around the cargo holds and the sparring room when everyone was out at the festival, maybe he did it!”
Audric nods. “Possibly. But do not forget other people were there. That young man, Denneth ‘ir Lain, he brought Errol into the bar in the first place, remember? And the women were there as well, Jewell d’Lyrander, Sarenti d'Orien and Nyla Lanyon.”
Dox nods. “And Princess Wrel, she tried to sneak under the bar with me.”
Ruel glances aside at Dox. “I somehow doubt the Princess is involved, though I hear she does have a reputation as a trouble maker.”
Elisa snorts. “Well I think it was that Uuka guy. I’m going back down there to check it out.”
“I will go with you.” Both Ruel and Elisa file off below decks.
Audric looks to Dox, “Come on; let’s see if we can find anything else at the bar.” He glances at Alexandre. “Are you coming?”
He blinks and looks up at the monk. “Yeah, yeah sure I’ll tag along I guess.”
As he follows Dox and Audric upstairs he sighs and mutters under his breath, “Should have stayed in bed.”
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MavrickWeirdo
First Post
Nice opening paragraph. 
I get the impression that the "party" spends most of it's time "split up".
Of course with 2 DM's that might not be as tedious as it would be in some games.
I get the impression that the "party" spends most of it's time "split up".
Of course with 2 DM's that might not be as tedious as it would be in some games.
MavrickWeirdo said:Nice opening paragraph.
I get the impression that the "party" spends most of it's time "split up".
Of course with 2 DM's that might not be as tedious as it would be in some games.
Yes, the opening paragraph was nice, but it's nothing compared to the scene in game. My wife (Micah) was running the session, and she didn't expect the note to fall into Ruel's hands. The look on her face when PhoenixAsh came back with the "This is good, but I can make it great" line was priceless.
Ahh, yes. PheonixAsh keeps us on our toes.
Acutally, the party is together most of the time. Most of the story hour sections where they're not is due to out-of-session emails.
This session was the exception, however. It was entitled "To Catch a Thief" and is more of a standard clue-style mystery. There was no combat. Instead, we set up scenes on board the ship where we dropped clues; the party now has to figure them out before time runs out for Errol.
PhoenixAsh
First Post
Allow me to set the scene here...
When Elisa wanted to look around for another PC to read the note to her, Tmaas called for a D20 roll for everyone's proximity. I roll, natural 20! Audric's player rolls, natural 20! In the roll off, his player gets the nod. (Much to my disappointment, of course)
But when Audric read it and decided not to talk to Jasper, Elisa had to find another PC to confront him. Initially she was going to bring it to Dox, but he rolled a natural one and Micah said it would take a long time to find him. So she went for the next closest PC, which happened to be Ruel.
So not only did Elisa's determined interrogation of Jasper wreck this attempt to set up another lead for us to investigate later with "To Catch a Thief", but the note ended up in Ruel's hands through some very improbable circumstances.
Poor Micah. And poor Kashandi.![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
We do some splitting up, but most of the more individual efforts are between game emails and such. We all have busy schedules and play monthly, so we try to maximize the time we have for sessions with everyone together. Tmaas and Micah do a great job of keeping things moving.
When Elisa wanted to look around for another PC to read the note to her, Tmaas called for a D20 roll for everyone's proximity. I roll, natural 20! Audric's player rolls, natural 20! In the roll off, his player gets the nod. (Much to my disappointment, of course)
But when Audric read it and decided not to talk to Jasper, Elisa had to find another PC to confront him. Initially she was going to bring it to Dox, but he rolled a natural one and Micah said it would take a long time to find him. So she went for the next closest PC, which happened to be Ruel.
So not only did Elisa's determined interrogation of Jasper wreck this attempt to set up another lead for us to investigate later with "To Catch a Thief", but the note ended up in Ruel's hands through some very improbable circumstances.
Poor Micah. And poor Kashandi.
We do some splitting up, but most of the more individual efforts are between game emails and such. We all have busy schedules and play monthly, so we try to maximize the time we have for sessions with everyone together. Tmaas and Micah do a great job of keeping things moving.
MavrickWeirdo
First Post
tmaaas said:
Husband & Wife DM Team? Running an Eberron Game? In Wisconsin? Why are all the really good games so far away? (Of course I do live less than 40 miles from piratecat.)
tmaaas said:
Heh, well since we are sharing game moments. . . . As far as the actual game went I was playing Jasper and Jasper was pretty reluctant to tell Ruel who the note was for even with fair diplomacy rolls from our wizard-entertainer. But Jasper did know one thing - he wasn't born a poet - he was born an innkeeper. When Ruel offered to improve the note, he broke - albeit after I picked my jaw off the floor.
It was only after he'd (Ruel) offered to help with the note that Jasper told him who it was for. And while Ruel might only have had a muscle twitch in his jaw - I got a much better reaction from his player. I believe it was an initial groan of "oh no" followed a split second later by an emphatic "oh yes!"
I dearly wish I had PhoenixAsh's ability to quickly process and respond to situations.
PhoenixAsh said:Poor Micah. And poor Kashandi.
It's certainly been worth the laughs I've had over it. And the revenge. . . .
PhoenixAsh - thanks for writing this account. I am constantly amazed at how well you capture our players, and how much this account enhances my own enjoyment of the game. With that in mind I am willing to offer an incentive to see a few more installments.
I hate fudging die rolls - but if you can post the rest of the "To Catch a Thief" session before our next game. I will "adjust" the numbers on Kashandi's last saving throws. Should you not be sure about what I'm referring to - it had to do with a series of events including Captain D'meryl and a punch bowl. The results would favor Ruel I believe as long as she keeps the sense motive roll she had.
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PhoenixAsh
First Post
Update #19: A Fruitless Search
Alright Micah, you're on!
***
Elisa and Ruel search amidst the crates and stores in the cargo holds and re-examine the sparring ring. Stifling a yawn Ruel announces, “I do not think there is anything to find.”
Elisa frowns and shakes her head. “Well its obvious Uuka was here. I think I can even see a footprint here that looks like his, see?”
Ruel cocks an eyebrow, “Are you sure you are not just seeing what you want to see? It does not look like anything to me.”
Elisa sighs, “Errol’s your friend, work with me here!” She goes out to the crew access passage and looks around for a minute while Ruel contemplates the dust on the hold’s floor. “I don’t see any footprints out here… hey wait, what’s this Ruel?”
Ruel follows Elisa out and studies a scuff on the lower part of the passage’s wall. “Now that looks like a heel mark from a women’s shoe.”
Elisa looks up at Ruel, “And you can tell that how?”
Ruel smirks. “I have actually been around a few proper ladies in my time.” He shakes his head. “But this puts us back to square one. If we have Uuka’s prints and a heel mark here, it does not rule out anyone. Though it is suspicious that the heel mark is in this passage, it is supposed to be for the crew only.”
Elisa rolls her eyes but is forced to agree, “Alright, let’s go see what the others have found.”
***
“After exhaustive searching, we found a button.” Alexandre sighs, leaning against the bar.
Audric nods. “So we have two buttons missing and a male or a female sneaking around in the hold. That does not put us very far from where we started.”
Dox rubs his chin. “Well, only a few of the passengers stayed behind to help clean up after you beat up Bligh. There was just Denneth and all three ladies. Bligh was out cold, though I guess he could have grabbed a button from Errol’s coat in that struggle. Uuka was hauling Bligh out, and Seaghan stumbled out with them. I don’t think they would have had the time to pick up stray buttons.”
“Maybe, but that does not prove anything.” Audric frowns.
“Hey, what did Errol do to get Bligh so mad at him anyways? Why did Bligh grab his coat?” Elisa stares at Audric.
“I’m not certain.”
“Let’s go talk to Errol, I want to know why Bligh was grabbing him.” Elisa strides purposely towards the brig and the rest of the party hurries after her, struggling to keep up.
The party finds Errol locked in the cell, playing checkers with the Bo’sun through the iron bars. He looks up hopefully as the party approaches, but his face falls at their somber expressions. Ruel comes forward and speaks quietly to the boy, “Errol, why did you come up to the bar the other night?”
“Denneth asked me to, he said he wanted to show me somebody.”
Ruel leans in, “He wanted to show you somebody, who?”
“He said a friend of his, he said he wanted me to meet…” Errol frowns and looks up from the checkerboard. “I don’t know, he was pretty pushy though.”
“And was he near you the whole time?”
“No, once we got to the top of the stairs he stopped being pushy. Maybe he was looking for his friend or somethin’. I don’t remember him getting close after Bligh grabbed me.”
Ruel smiles gently. “You did not forget to lock your chest, did you? You still have the key?”
Errol shakes his head and displays a small brass key. “No, I didn’t forget and I have the key right here.”
Dox nudges Alexandre, whispering, “This ship may be state of the art, but those locks are as cheap as they come.”
“Remind me to buy a better lock on our next shore leave.” Alexandre replies, rubbing his eyes. “Look, I don’t think we’re going to learn anything tonight, let’s do this in the morning when the people who could have done it are actually awake.”
Ruel nods, “Thank you Errol, are you going to be okay?”
The cabin boy manages a smile, “I’ve slept in worse places than this.”
***
As the party files back up the stairs towards their quarters, Ruel draws Audric aside, “Do you think this is the same thief who took the Vidari’s money?”
Audric nods slowly. “It seems likely. I don’t think that a casual thief would concoct such an elaborate fiction to frame Errol. It would rule out Wrel and Denneth… though I do not suspect either of them myself.”
Ruel shakes his head, “Then why do you think Denneth was so eager to get Errol up to the bar? Could not Bligh and he have had some sort of arrangement?”
“Perhaps, but I think it is most likely that Denneth was just trying to get close to Princess Wrel. He has been trying ever since he got onboard, with no success. He has the look of a love struck lad, not a criminal,” Audric reasons.
“Oh. Oh! Wrel did say Errol seemed kind of cute at dinner, I suppose you may be right.” Ruel covers a yawn. As the pair approach Audric’s guest quarters, Ruel continues down the hall to the crew cabin, calling after the monk. “We will catch the thief, but that will have to wait for the morning. Good night Audric.”
“Good night Ruel.”
Alright Micah, you're on!
***
Elisa and Ruel search amidst the crates and stores in the cargo holds and re-examine the sparring ring. Stifling a yawn Ruel announces, “I do not think there is anything to find.”
Elisa frowns and shakes her head. “Well its obvious Uuka was here. I think I can even see a footprint here that looks like his, see?”
Ruel cocks an eyebrow, “Are you sure you are not just seeing what you want to see? It does not look like anything to me.”
Elisa sighs, “Errol’s your friend, work with me here!” She goes out to the crew access passage and looks around for a minute while Ruel contemplates the dust on the hold’s floor. “I don’t see any footprints out here… hey wait, what’s this Ruel?”
Ruel follows Elisa out and studies a scuff on the lower part of the passage’s wall. “Now that looks like a heel mark from a women’s shoe.”
Elisa looks up at Ruel, “And you can tell that how?”
Ruel smirks. “I have actually been around a few proper ladies in my time.” He shakes his head. “But this puts us back to square one. If we have Uuka’s prints and a heel mark here, it does not rule out anyone. Though it is suspicious that the heel mark is in this passage, it is supposed to be for the crew only.”
Elisa rolls her eyes but is forced to agree, “Alright, let’s go see what the others have found.”
***
“After exhaustive searching, we found a button.” Alexandre sighs, leaning against the bar.
Audric nods. “So we have two buttons missing and a male or a female sneaking around in the hold. That does not put us very far from where we started.”
Dox rubs his chin. “Well, only a few of the passengers stayed behind to help clean up after you beat up Bligh. There was just Denneth and all three ladies. Bligh was out cold, though I guess he could have grabbed a button from Errol’s coat in that struggle. Uuka was hauling Bligh out, and Seaghan stumbled out with them. I don’t think they would have had the time to pick up stray buttons.”
“Maybe, but that does not prove anything.” Audric frowns.
“Hey, what did Errol do to get Bligh so mad at him anyways? Why did Bligh grab his coat?” Elisa stares at Audric.
“I’m not certain.”
“Let’s go talk to Errol, I want to know why Bligh was grabbing him.” Elisa strides purposely towards the brig and the rest of the party hurries after her, struggling to keep up.
The party finds Errol locked in the cell, playing checkers with the Bo’sun through the iron bars. He looks up hopefully as the party approaches, but his face falls at their somber expressions. Ruel comes forward and speaks quietly to the boy, “Errol, why did you come up to the bar the other night?”
“Denneth asked me to, he said he wanted to show me somebody.”
Ruel leans in, “He wanted to show you somebody, who?”
“He said a friend of his, he said he wanted me to meet…” Errol frowns and looks up from the checkerboard. “I don’t know, he was pretty pushy though.”
“And was he near you the whole time?”
“No, once we got to the top of the stairs he stopped being pushy. Maybe he was looking for his friend or somethin’. I don’t remember him getting close after Bligh grabbed me.”
Ruel smiles gently. “You did not forget to lock your chest, did you? You still have the key?”
Errol shakes his head and displays a small brass key. “No, I didn’t forget and I have the key right here.”
Dox nudges Alexandre, whispering, “This ship may be state of the art, but those locks are as cheap as they come.”
“Remind me to buy a better lock on our next shore leave.” Alexandre replies, rubbing his eyes. “Look, I don’t think we’re going to learn anything tonight, let’s do this in the morning when the people who could have done it are actually awake.”
Ruel nods, “Thank you Errol, are you going to be okay?”
The cabin boy manages a smile, “I’ve slept in worse places than this.”
***
As the party files back up the stairs towards their quarters, Ruel draws Audric aside, “Do you think this is the same thief who took the Vidari’s money?”
Audric nods slowly. “It seems likely. I don’t think that a casual thief would concoct such an elaborate fiction to frame Errol. It would rule out Wrel and Denneth… though I do not suspect either of them myself.”
Ruel shakes his head, “Then why do you think Denneth was so eager to get Errol up to the bar? Could not Bligh and he have had some sort of arrangement?”
“Perhaps, but I think it is most likely that Denneth was just trying to get close to Princess Wrel. He has been trying ever since he got onboard, with no success. He has the look of a love struck lad, not a criminal,” Audric reasons.
“Oh. Oh! Wrel did say Errol seemed kind of cute at dinner, I suppose you may be right.” Ruel covers a yawn. As the pair approach Audric’s guest quarters, Ruel continues down the hall to the crew cabin, calling after the monk. “We will catch the thief, but that will have to wait for the morning. Good night Audric.”
“Good night Ruel.”
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