[CORE] 2-13 Murder on the Throaty Mermaid (Inactive)

Game Master chadius

cute

The next three days of travel are quite pleasant. Shira is happy for the first time in a long while, and with Anera's fish she cooks some tasty meals.

Turns out Snig knows many, many embarrassing details about the First Mate and Killik and enjoys telling them anyone who wishes to listen. By the end of the first day Marzack and Killik are already begging for mercy. The captured Aquatic Elf doesn't enjoy the rats, either.

Thanzeril and Azuretta have grown surprisingly close - much closer than either expected.

By the morning of the third day, the Mordant Spire is almost within reach, when a large ship sails from the island to board them. A group of masked elves walk onto the ship, and several wordlessly march towards the First Mate's Cabin to retrieve the body. As Captain Veane stammers his way through the explanation, the party notices Thanzeril, who seems quite surprised by the Mordant Spire's leader. "S-Sephirel? Is that you?"

"Ah, Thanzeril. I couldn't tell you, unfortunately." The elf chuckles behind his mask. "Honestly, I expected to be killed in some slum, and not on a ship on the way home! I prepared a very expensive contingency plan in case the worst happened."

"The Spireguard intercepted a group of Aquatic Elf Separatists a few days ago who planned to capsize this ship with a thunderstorm. We routed most of them."

Turning to the group of Pathfinders, he nods. "Do you know what happened to..." he points to the body the other elves are carrying away "me?"

Dumbfounded, Florin gestures to the rest to fill in the 'dead' elf all the while looking out for an owl who loves to drop in on her these past few days....

cute

I was going to have Gwen yell down for help getting down (adrenaline being what got her up there), but she can't really wait 3 days without food or water. ;)

The captured Aquatic Elf doesn't enjoy the rats, either.

"Whoo?"

Obviously Graka helped Gwen down. She was not the best climber there was, but she had the strength necessary and the sea has calmed down considerably. Having her starve to death was not acceptable.

When she sees Sephirel, and hears his words, Graka suddenly breaks out in laughter. She almost falls over and a few tears start to form in her eyes.
"Damn elves and their trickery! We were the bloodhounds of a man who didn't even propably die! Sunshine, I need booze, come drink with me!" She walks over to the other bulky half-orc and uses him as a supporting piller.
"Anyone else wanne celebrate by drinking themselves senseless? Florin, dear? Gwen? How 'bout you dead man?!" She gestures to the other members of her group, including those she didn't specifically list and to Sephirel. She also looks at the dove-eyed pair of lovers, implying that it would be a great opportunity for privacy.

"Uh, somebody did die though. Who were they?" Gwen asks, keeping her question gender neutral, knowing the range of possibilities inherent in magical disguise.

Giovanni clears his throat.

"What I think my colleagues mean to say, is this: The First Mate (who wanted to see the Captain embarrassed, so that he could take over the ship), and the Ship's Cleric (a mercenary fellow who has a rather disturbing fetish for coin) were hired by a bunch of Elven Separatists to murder you, during the distraction caused by a team of elves assaulting the main deck. Fortunately, we were able to 'arrest' all of them; I dare say that you would like to... have a chat... with them. Speaking of chats, I echo my colleague's question - who exactly did end up dying?"

"Who?"

"Hm so no drinks?" Graka asks a little taken aback, still leaning on Gary in a way that makes the impression she were to weak to walk.

"Ah. That explains a bit. Thanzeril always warned me that the Spire is not as safe as we believe, and that the real danger is from within. Ah, we argued so often I thought he would try to kill me!" He chuckles to himself as his bodyguard frowns.

"As for that body, it used to be me. There is a very expensive way to grow a new body for yourself, and keep it on standby in case you perish. I think 3 days ago, I woke up in a water tank on the Spire, which means I died somehow."

"Fortunately, we were able to 'arrest' all of them; I dare say that you would like to... have a chat... with them. "

"Indeed, I will enjoy my discussion with these murderers." Marzack's face turns pale as Anera hands him over to the elves. "And you even found a separatist, too."

"After these events, I cannot guarantee the Mordant Spire will be opened to outsiders anytime soon." He shakes his head. "However! This trip demonstrated that Pathfinders are reliable allies. There will be more communications in the future."

He claps towards the Spire crewmen. "But enough trickery and exposition! Let us celebrate an exciting journey!"

The crew and the party are invited onto the Mordant Spire's ship, where they spend the day feasting, partying, and conversing with the Mordant Spire elves. Thanzeril announces that he plans to travel with Azuretta for quite some time, and Sephirel is the first to congratulate them.

The next morning, the Mordant Spire elves wish you good luck and the Throaty Mermaid departs for the town of Riddleport, where you catch passage back to Absalom.

Well, that was one heck of a mystery.

Thanks for playing, folks! I'll try to add the chronicles in the discussion page either today or tomorrow!

After all the buzz has stopped and the guests have departed, a drunk Graka grabs Gwen shoulder, stammering "I wonder what those Mordant Spire folk did, that there are seppraaatists" her words morph midway into a hickup that shares some alcoholic odor with all at the table."I don't trust'em. Wonder if the guy deserved to die!" And she staggers away, knocking pints and glasses, and even a wine bottle off a nearby table. Her 'walk' is well targeted, as she ends up falling right into Florin's lap. "G'night, was fun"

After all the buzz has stopped and the guests have departed, a drunk Graka grabs Gwen shoulder, stammering "I wonder what those Mordant Spire folk did, that there are seppraaatists" her words morph midway into a hickup that shares some alcoholic odor

prestidigitation --minty floral scent--

with all at the table."I don't trust'em. Wonder if the guy deserved to die!" And she staggers away, knocking pints and glasses, and even a wine bottle off a nearby table. Her 'walk' is well targeted, as she ends up falling right into Florin's lap. "G'night, was fun"

Gwen didn't mind, the way things turned out she hadn't even felt the urge to chastise Graka and Gio about not helping at the wheel. Somehow she felt she didn't need to.

Gwen leans across the table to Florin. "Who knew she was such a lightweight. Need me to get that before it rusts?"

Florin had being drinking. Her first time actually. SHe kinds liked it.

Graka falling into her lap wasn't something she expected and only Gwen's question shook her out of her stupor. With a grunt she stands and hoists Graka up on her shoulders.

"I think I should be fine." her own legs shaky and the effects of that single cup of potent mead attempting to bypass her discipline..............

Graka was able to use the short moment of comfort to fall asleep. When Florin hoisted her up, she pretty much fell onto the ground before her feet like a sack of flour, tumbling into the other woman's legs with a quiet snore.
"Florin's a pretty name ..."

I named my cavalier's horse in the Kingmaker campaign that I recently joined after you :=)
Well, she's got an archetype that got rid of the mount, so it's just a regular horse though, but she'll take good care of it!

Actually didn't realize where I wrote it down :)

I'm a horse? More reason to horse around now neigh you?