[PFS] Murder on the Throaty Mermaid (Inactive)

Game Master Curaigh

So Azuretta was not with Thanzeril, according to Mallick? But Thanzeril said he was. And wait a second...!

A frown appears on Dylara's face. She shakes her head when she realizes something. "Mallick, the captain came out of his cabin after the fight. It was you who came on deck to announce the murder. You weren't discussing anything in the captain's room, there's no way. You weren't there."

Dylara gives Melon a quick look before turning back to Mallick. "What are you hiding from us, Mallick? Spit it out."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Mallick growls, "No. Sephreil is in my...." He stops short realizing this is the woman looking for land on the ocean.

Traceni winks. "That'll be our little secret, then. Send him my greetings."

"After we finished discussing the captains lousy discipline I was on my way back to my cabin. *grumble* Which is now the crew's cabin thanks to the elves.*/grumble* I heard the commotion on deck. When I came out I noticed Thanzeril wasn't at his post, so I went to check on the emmissary. That's when I discovered his murder!"

So Azuretta was not with Thanzeril, according to Mallick? But Thanzeril said he was. And wait a second...!

A frown appears on Dylara's face. She shakes her head when she realizes something. "Mallick, the captain came out of his cabin after the fight. It was you who came on deck to announce the murder. You weren't discussing anything in the captain's room, there's no way. You weren't there."

Dylara gives Melon a quick look before turning back to Mallick. "What are you hiding from us, Mallick? Spit it out."

[dice=Sense Motive]1d20 + 4

We don't need a second roll.

@GM: Just Dylara reacting to it in her mind, 'cause it doesn't add up with what she heard earlier :)

"You're lying," Dylara says. "You killed him, didn't you? I know you did."

Bluff: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (13) - 2 = 11

Sounds like intimidate was more fitting :)
Lizzy looks up at Dylara, then at Mallick.

"You know, answering truthfully would be your best bet. She seems verry serious when it comes to being likely framed for murder."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

@Beads: She doesn't actually know for sure, so I picked Bluff instead.

"You bet I am! No way I'm going to answer for someone else's crimes..."

The ship suddenly lurches underfoot. In the night sky it is hard to tell, but dark clouds now cover the sky. With better sealegs than the pathfinders Mallick hardly seems to notice and retorts to the druid. "Killed the emissary and doomed us to death by the elves?! Your crazy! I didn't kill him. Your going to hang for this not me."

Traceni's eyes glaze over. "No, no one's going to hang for the death. We are going to crash."

Malleck seems uneasy, his tail twitching as this discussion continues. With the ship lurching underfoot, he regains his balance and decides to go look what is the cause from the nearest view port

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Dylara was going to try keeping a straight face when talking to Mallick, but screams uncontrollably when the ship goes underfoot. "Eeeeek!!!"

"What happened?!" Dylara looks around warily, and tries to determine the cause of what just happened.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

Mallick laughs at the Pathfinders. "You've never felt a storm coming? The waves are getting high as the sky darkens. This is normal among sea-travel before a storm.

Mallick eyes the sheath at Beads hip. "Ha! Dagger in the night you say? How would you know that unless you did it. You'll find no dagger except on you adventurers." He makes to leave. "I've got work to do."

"Sure, have a nice day," Dylara replies somewhat absent-minded.

"Shall we go eat now, or will we first ask the cook some questions? We may want to ask the cook questions after dinner. What if he poisons us when he thinks we suspect him?"

Branson nods at Dylara, "Indeed, I am hungry at this point, perhaps we can discuss this over a meal?"

The party gathers a couple hours of restless sleep as the sea continues to get darken.

They arrive to breakfast early to see the Shira Acidaxe preparing the meal. This one-eyed dwarf serves as the Throaty Mermaid’s cook and has for the last twenty years. Her time at sea has not been kind to her, and in addition to her tattered eye patch, she sports a mouth of silvered
teeth, a nasty scar on her cheek, and is missing half of her left ear. "What do you want? Food t'aint ready yet." her tongue could burn as her namesake,

[dice=Diplomacy Cook]1d20+8
Ow...i've had better. Any aid on this? :)

Lizzy will ask the same questions to both.

-"During the attack, have you noticed anybody head in the direction of Sephrial's room?"

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

"Oh! Head start! What a wonderful idea!"

Suddenly a plate flies out of the sink, tossed across the room, leaving bits of grime in its wake.

Traceni spins around to look at the sink. She stares at the pile of dishes stacked there.

Calling off into space, or perhaps to the stack of dishes, Traceni admonishes, "What? No. Stop. No, of course she hasn't paid, she doesn't even know you're there! Don't curdle her milk! Oh no, duck!" Traceni falls into a crouch as another plate goes flying across the kitchen.

She spins angrily to Shira, her voice pitch returning to the eerily squeaky sound of earlier. "You haven't been washing your dishes, and now the fairies are mad. They expect good pay for good work. Bad work, ugly, disgusting work done by lazy people, gets you spoiled ingredients. Food that changes flavor. The poison in the wrong dish. Now, were you a lazy, lazy person with the dishes, or were you busy doing something else, like watching that door right there to Sephriel's room, hmmm?"

Another plate lifts off the stack and seems to peek out from behind Traceni's shoulder.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Branson recognizes the falsehood, and interjects, Indeed, thous hast just lied to my friend in earnest, for those dishes have not been cleaned, as well...

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

the cabin of the now deceased is just down they way, so you certainly might have had opportunity to have done the deed, but what would have been your motive?

With that, Branson braces himself for either a logical response answering his question, or for a fury of dwarves epithets! In the back of his mind, he also considers the possibility of armed conflict.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

"I have no clue what fairies have to do with this, but you'd better tell us the truth Shira! We'll notice when you lie, and this woman," Dylara points at Traceni, "is clearly out of her mind. She may snap at any moment."

Intimidate, Aid Traceni: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (19) - 2 = 17

Malleck too joins in, simply looking at the accused. His fangs shown, his claw on his sword
Aid Intimidate: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Wow, these people sure can make grumpy angry faces.

Though the dishes and door are easy to spot, several members of the party also notice some strange vials. Looking closer the vials are all empty, some recently and others for weeks.

Significantly cowed, Shira repeats her story through blubbering lips. "I was washing dishes. All night! Everynight! I washed them, started early. Dishes can't seem to just stay cleaned! Eventually the claws, swords, and fairies change her story. "I turned in early. It's not like their won't be more dishes to wash tonight! I went to bed. I was tired. So tired. Tired of washing everyone's #@&*!# dishes. Just. Tired. Of. Everyone."

Oops, I missed one perception check. But the DC was 18 and most of you made that. :)

"So what are the vials for? Are you a witch, did you poison someone?" Dylara asks, and taunts the cook some more. "Burn the witch!"

"I once heard a witch trial used a scale and a duck. She got convicted too."

"I'm not a witch!" the cook moans. "But. But...." she makes sure none of the crew is in the hold before continuing. "I added those to the crew's food. Have been for weeks." Tfiumphantly she adds, "and noone has died from it!"

"Ah, but why would you poison the crew?
Besides, the elf could have gotten an extra dose and it masked by a knife.
You'd feel best to come clean."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Shira gives no good answer as to why she would poison the crew. Several other no-good answers later it seems the only reason is just spite. Life has not been good to the dwarf and she makes sure to pass on the misery.

"Come clean?" she asks when the knife is mentioned. "You accusing me of something?

"Huh? I didn't say those words. Why, do you know something, somebody who had opportunity?"
I'm assuming the previous roll is used during the conversation?

"Don't you think it's best to admit, Shira? I'm pretty sure you know what we're talking about."

Diplomacy, aid Beads: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (9) - 2 = 7
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

"I ken what your talking about. It's who your taking about I don't like'n want to be clear about. I didnt kill the elf nor no one else. Mind what yer saying."

She's seems as sincere as anyone can after the abuse and threats the party has laid on her.

"How do we know if you don't poison our food next? You probably understand I'm less than eager to eat it now."

Dylara turns to the others and whispers. "I want to go to Ulamon next. Let's put some pressure on him, I dont trust that man one bit."

Traceni visibly relaxes, and pulls her composure together. She starts out of the kitchen, but whispers to Shira, "Leave a saucer of milk out. They'll not give you trouble, then."

She chuckles a bit, although nervously, towards the elf's refusing to eat. She returns to a pot on the stove and stirs it with nervous glances over her shoulder.

Sorry for the long break with no news, I rather enjoyed my weekend away from the computer. :) At this point, might I suggest working a new angle rather than meet with someone already covered? You should re-investigate folks, but it would be helpful to have another line of questions first. Also, you may have narrowed the culprit down & I would be interested to see if everyone has the same shortened list of suspects :)

Marzack has just brought breakfast to the captains cabin.

"He wished to remain incognito. The Throaty Mermaid excels at incognito," Captain Veane answers why this ship was hired by Sephriel. As to why continue sailing he says, "I must deliver something to the Mordant Spire. Without the corpse the elves will blame us for his disappearance and be hunting us for the rest of our very much shortened lives."

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Traceni tilts her head. "Incognito? We were boarded by elves. From the bottom of the sea. It sounds like your secret got out, Captain. Secrets so that, you know... fly away..."

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Lizzy notices the chuckling, and in a clear voice the others can hear;

"Aahh...captain, why do you find the context of "elves hunt" so amusing?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
"There's something you can share with us yes?"

Should he refuse to answer, Lizzy will cast Daze on the captain. (DC15)
Under the question
"Honostly?'
She just "might" repeat doing so several times until the guy gets frustrated and talks.

Marzack is first mate. Veane is captain. ;)
Marzack refuses to answer until well out of the cabin. And even then he only whispers "get's just rewards."

Even with such a marvelous diplomacy roll?
How about the daze-until-he-talks? :)

He answers, just after leaving the captain's presence. :)

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Dylara follws after Marzeck. "Could you explain what you mean by that?" she whispers, "Will he get a reward for Sepheriel's death?"

Diplomacy, aid Beads: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Marzeck draws a finger across his next. "You might say it that way. A just reward."

Traceni cocks her head. "It's almost as if meting out justice for getting us into these waters would be a decent thing to do in any case. Is anyone happy here?"

Well I'm not happy. I fear we chance the hangman's noose ourselves if we can't figure this mystery out, remarks Branson as he shakes his head. Or is it walking the plank?

Traceni listens, and adds, "I'm not even convinced arriving in port at the Mordant Spire is the correct option, at this point. This ship needs to turn around and get itself lost."

We get away from it and torch the thing.....oh wait, though practical that's rather evil isn't it ^^

Self preservation!!!!

Yes...point taken ser Malleck. Plus we'd have to lie/half-lie by merely saying the ship got raided by water elves.

its not lying or even half lie. We were raided. Unsuccessful but a raid non the less

Though usually a raid is a large scale disaster. Gues we'll have to see how this'll turn out. Maybe if Lizzy's absent you guys intimidate the crew into confessing or burning the ship down. ;)

Any attempt to evade the elves is a short lived venture. Some did manage to board the ship in the middle of the ocean. Conversation on deck turns into shouting. The wind has picked up enough to drown out quiet conversations. The ship heaves against a large swell.

A little finger goes up into the air to draw some attention.
"Guys, from the look i think Branson might have noticed as well, but Marzack's grumpyness peaks at 3 things

He also seems quite pleased if the captain reaches Mordant Spire."

Traceni, confused as always, replies, "Why do we make him grumpy? Are we preventing him from completing his plans?"

She holds onto the deck railing and looks out to the roiling sea. "We were boarded by elves, but they were the wrong elves, and that is why they are the right elves."