The Giants' Crown (One) Ch1 - The Fateful Voyage

[Chineselegolas]

Crow

"I just find the fact he is suggesting that if we don't leave at dawn more of us will, rather interesting." Then looking over at Osprey and Kix, finished "I'm not the only one"

[Mantid]

The elf shrugs. "We were sent a messenger," he replies. "We did send back our insistence to set sail on time. No mystery there. If the captain's death was because of our voyage, then they may kill again to stop us. Its not a mystery."

He turns to Osprey. "And you aren't familiar with Es'teli'on are you? He's a prick. I'd rather die than make him mad."

Osprey

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Alimor is alone, at least he's the only intelligent creature around who isn't a member of the crew. His thoughts seem to be focused on deciding which of the crew he'd prefer to fight when the time comes.

[Wiz]

Osprey smiles, not at all nicely. "Really. Who sent you a messenger to tell you the captain was dead? None of us did. Perhaps an assassin that was hired because... say, for example... the captain was thinking of breaking a contract with someone?"

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Using questions to get him to think about what I want him to think about... perhaps glean any truth in the statements I'm making.

[H Savvy]

Quietly, trying not to disturb whatever Osprey was doin I trust 'is wily brains, Jack tries to take the edge of Crow's anger. Unnerstan'ble, but th'last thing we need is t'fight som'n who's got a contract like theirs wit us.

"Ye know, Crow. He did say 'us'. Not 'you lot.'"

[Solophoenix]

Jack Trader

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"Thanks for your help" Jack says to the gnome as he stands up and leaves, feeling a little dissapointed. He makes his way back to the ship to pick up Crow.

[Mantid]

Alimor returns Osprey's smile with a wicked grin of his own. "If you feel that strongly about it, we can settle things here and now," he says, reaching for the weapon swung across his back.

After a moment he sighs and frowns. "No," he complains, "if I pick another fight before we leave port, Es’tal’en and Besc will have my head. Well, maybe later..."

Osprey

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Most of his thoughts are thinking about how to defeat you. He assumes you are a magic user or monk, and expects he'd have to strike quickly. Perticularly since he's surrounded.

You pick up some fleeting thoughts about someone named Melsitel, who is apparently the groups' rogue, as well as the stray question "Did Agarish tell them?"

[H Savvy]

Jack keeps his mouth shut and wonders. Ye didn't come here t'fight. What're ye after, elf? And can we trust ye? And if we can't, can we trust them other lubbers? Too many uncert'nties.

[Wiz]

Osprey

Osprey shrugs as if the time of the fight is completely irrelevant to him, his mind burrowing deeper each round into the elf's conciousness, "So, beyond a fight... what is it that you and your friends could be looking for that is truly worth so much threat and death?"

[Mantid]

Alimor smirks. "For me, its just some good fights," he replies. "The test of blades, the noise and confusion, death just a sword thrust away. Nothing make you feel so alive.

"Seems like this crew will be a fun one. The ship that brought us to Stormreach... gaw! Such bores! All proper and disciplined. Bleh."

Alimor tilts his head to the side, cracking his neck. "Well I can't go fighting you lot. Meybe I can find some excitement at the tavern. Anyone want to come? See what you can handle?" He grins and regards Crow particularly.

Osprey

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"Power," Alimor thinks. "What else?"

[Wiz]

Osprey

Osprey smiles, this time a condescending one. "Don't mistake confusion and grief for a lack of discipline sir. The crew of the Beggar's Choice has as much discipline as it needs. Discipline is something I insist upon... and something I find surprising, when it is lacking in a member of a race as long-lived as the elves. But you seem remarkably well-informed; who would you say, other than the captain himself, is responsible for Agarish's death?"

[Mantid]

Alimor have a hand dismissively. "Hell if I know," he replies, glaring at Crow and waiting for the Raptoran to step aside so he can leave.

Osprey

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"Hell if I know," he thinks, "and I don't care. Its his own fault anyhow."

[Chineselegolas]

Crow

Taking a small step to the side, Crow said, "And its hell if you don't tell", before taking a few quick steps and jumping back into the Beggars Choice, walking towards the rigging.

[Wiz]

Osprey

Osprey nods, "Please, be on your way, and tell your people that the crew of the Beggar's Choice fulfills their contracts. Make sure your people are ready to uphold their end and follow our rules for passengers. How many were we transportin again? Four?"

[Mantid]

The elf waves his hand dismissively, grins and walks away.

Jack Trader

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As you step onto the dock at which the Beggar's Choice is moored you meet a distinctive elf leaving the dock. The elf grins, greets you with an amused "heh" and continues on his way.

((I think we had a bit of a disconnect... I was thinking you'd just show up when you wanted to, but I guess you were waiting for me. ))

[Wiz]

Osprey

Osprey nods to Trader, "Good evening, captain... I hope your inquiries were fruitful."

[Solophoenix]

Jack Trader

"Not as fruitful as I would have liked, but I have found out that it wasn't anyone local, perhaps the Bilge Rats will know more."

He turns to Crow

"You ready to head off then? Oh, and incidentally, do either of you know what that elf was doing here?"

[Wiz]

Osprey

The ship's mage nods, pitching his voice low. "I have an idea or two captain. Perhaps we should discuss it below in your cabin so you can determine how we want to present matters to the crew."

[Chineselegolas]

Crow

Upon hearing Jacks return, Crow turned about and made his way to the edge of the ship. "Could do with getting away from the weirdness around the ship," Crow said, jumping down to the dock, "And he said he was here to look at our legendary ship. Gave a warning that if we don't leave as planned more will die."
Stopping for a moment to think over what the elf had said he corrected himself, "May be killed"

[Solophoenix]

Jack Trader

Jack listens to both of his crewmembers and then speaks to Osprey.

"Is there anything more than what Crow's just said?"

As he speaks, he looks around to make sure none of the rest of the crew have overheard.

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Spot - (1d20+2)[3]

[Wiz]

Osprey

The ship's mage nods, "Your cabin?"

[Solophoenix]

Jack Trader

Jack nods to Osprey and heads for his cabin.

[Wiz]

Osprey

Once in Trader's cabin, the mage closes the door and turns to face the bard. "I regret that I have no spell of seeing invisibility, it might be useful, because whomever killed the captain might be using magic to hide themselves. I can't think of a more likely explanation for how the captain died, though perhaps you could. By the same token, I have no idea if we are facing foes who can be invisible, if they might not be in this room right now... then again." He speaks several words and makes a few gestures, then slowly scans the room.

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Cast "Detect Magic" and once it is going scan the room several times. Change the scanning direction arbitrarily at several points in case someone is trying to stay out of the 'beam' and also have Trader move at several points so nobody could hide behind Trader's magic. If you could let me know DM when Osprey would be satisfied that there is nobody in the room using invisibility to spy on them.

[Solophoenix]

Jack Trader

While Osprey scans the room, Jack opens the door partway and calls up to Crow.

"Mister Crow, please go and bring Gwen back to the ship, our priorities have shifted."

[Worira]

Kix

Kix slides into the room and takes a seat, a steaming mug in his hand.

[Wiz]

Osprey

Osprey raises a brow as Kix slides into Trader's cabin without asking permission, but he says nothing as it isn't his place. He scans the door the whole time it is open, and does a quick repeat scan once it is closed again. As long as he is certain there is nobody unseen using magic, he will begin. "One of the elves came by while you were out captain... he already had some intelligence about the Captain's death and was making sure we were ready to fulfill our contract with them. I don't know if he knew everything that his fellows were planning, but I was able to glean a few thoughts from his mind." He counts off a finger for each point he makes. "One: the main thought in his mind was which member of the crew he would prefer to fight when the time came; it seemed in his mind that a conflict between their group and our crew was inevitable. Two: when I asked him about whether they could have gotten their information through an assassin who might have been hired because the captain was thinking of breaking a contract, his thoughts immediately went to a member of their group named Melsitel who he thought of as a 'their' rogue, and the worrying thought about whether Agarish had told us. Three: When I asked him what they were looking for that was worth so much threat and death, his immediate thought was, 'Power, what else?' Four: When I asked him if he knew who was responsible for Agarish's death he thought, 'Hell if I know... it was his own fault anyway.'" Osprey shrugs, "What do you make of it, Captain?"

[Mantid]

There is no one using magic in the cabin, other then those who are clearly visible.

[Chineselegolas]

Crow

Hoping back off the ship, Crow glided towards the dock saying "On it" as he made his way to fetch Gwen. Landing he put his bow over his shoulders and put his hands over it, treating it more like a staff as he jogged along keeping his eye suspiciously on any elves.

If all goes well when arriving at the Bilge Rats will look for Gwen, go over and whisper "Slight change of plan. We need to get back to the boat asap", while keeping his eyes on the surroundings.

[Solophoenix]

Jack Trader

Jack paces the room as he speaks.

"So far then, all of our investigations have pointed towards our clients. In some ways, this is excellent, as it extends the timeframe of our investigation, and allows us to keep a close eye on the suspects. The downside is, obviously, that we will be transporting a muderer, or murderers.

I feel our best course of action is to cease our movements for tonight, and when the elves come aboard in the morining, scan the thoughts of either their leader, if they have one, or of this rogue, Melsitel, and try to find out more about the captain's death.

Does anyone else have ideas?"

[Wiz]

Osprey

Osprey nods slowly, "Well, if their leader is a powerful mage or simply highly intelligent, I may not be able to scan him. I certainly felt no problem with this last elf because he was a very simple-minded person. I will try if you order it, but I'd prefer to approach the matter with some self-discretion. Also, we should ask for an introduction of those coming on, to see if we can identify the rogue. If he's not there... I could be scanning the boarding ramp for magic and we could have the cook ready to 'drop' a bag of flour on my signal. If they are trying to get someone on board invisibly (assuming that he's not already on), then that would tip their hand, and perhaps even give us reason to void the contract." He looks thoughtful, "You're the captain, so you set the rules for the ship... we might want to institute a rule that passengers are not allowed to carry weapons and or magic items, and those are to be locked in your cabin. Again, that might tip our hand to them." He tugs on his lower-lip, a habit of his, "I'm thinking that our most potent weapon is what we know that they don't know we know. We should be very thoughtful about sacrificing that. I'm certainly not above playing a crusty old-salt of a ship's mage with an ossified brain; if that helps us get the upper hand with them when the time comes."

[Mantid]

Gwen

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A small wad of paper drops from the rafters to land in your lap, catching the attention of the man who has been observing you. Looking up you see the rat scurrying through some loose boards to make its way outside to the roof.

The black-haired sailor leaps to his feet, jabing a finger toward the escaping rat. "Rat!" he yells, and most of the tavern's patrons snap to attention. "Get 'er ye fools! Go, lest ye wanna be scrapin' thee keel clean 'for we set sail!" With a yell the assorted sailors rushed for the doors, drawing weapons. Their apparent captain pays them only a little attention as they rush by him, instead focusing on you, heading your way after his crew has passed by.

Crow

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As you approach the Leaky Dingy you find it to be in a state of commotion. A crowd of rough looking sailors come barging out the door, shouting with their weapons draw. They circle around the building, paying attention to the roofs.

A couple of the gruff looking sailors turn toward you. One gives you a wary inspection before demanding, "Ya didn't see a rat as big as a dog, did ye?"