Akkad would have me open one of these. I have to admit to an amount of curiosity myself. Should we do so? In the name of this investigation of course. Admittedly it wouldn't be the best idea, Hellknights are known for being strict disciplinarians of course. But where better to search?
"No! Better handle that carefully, for what we know it could be explosives, poison or whatever. I'd rather not damn this boat when it managed to survive the storm."
Nick picks up the journal from the ground
"What could this be?"
And so he reads.
Then I suppose someone should warn the Paracount. I'll do so. With that she leaves at ahurried pace, weaving through the crowd, ignoring any protests they may have about being touched by an "undead"
Aye, let's not open those... I'd guess this is the halfling's living space. If she's not her, and she's not in the other room, she must have gone out the way we came in. Aye, we should get to the Paracount."
With that, he takes off up to the Paracount's room, albeit at a rather slow pace due to him being a dwarf.
"The tracks lead out there," Arlan says, gesturing toward the door he came in from. "The hall is far too well traveled to determine where they lead though. I vote we explore here later; the conflict here may have incited the halfling to act on her plans early. Desperation feeds false courage, and I fear the paracount may be in danger." he says grimly.
Nymarchemadias sees Nick pick up the journal and is immediately interested. The diminutive gnome stands on his "tippy toes" and hops trying to look over the paladin's shoulder at the journal. He is so obsessed with looking at the journal that he completely ignores the conversations going on around him concerning warning the Paracount.
"The Paracount!"
Azrielan dashes out the door (as fast as her armor will let her), and runs back towards where the Paracount is.
"My lord, the sister of the halfling slave you mentioned is on board. She intends to kill you in return for your cousin killing her sister. We must be wary of any attempt on your life."
"We must go to the Paracount's room now, he is in danger!"
Nicks yells while sprinting to the stairs and heading to where the Paracount is.
Azrielan and Nick burst into the room where Akkad and the Paracount are sitting. With a look of surprise on his face, he listens to what Azrielan have to say and nods. "I see. So that is who... The only matter that needs clearing up is finding the intruder and organizing a trial. Can I trust you to do this?"
"Of course, my lord. I will capture this intruder, and make sure you can put her to justice."
"Is there anything you can remember of this sister? How she operates, any of her traits that may help me?"
"I will gladly help Azrielan. She even stole my bow, and now that we discovered her she may be crazy enough to try and sink the boat. Look at her journal."
Nick handles the journal to the Paracount.
"We discovered it among two barrels labeled with "careful do not open" in a secret room in the storage."
Dominicus thinks for a moment. "From what I can remember, she acted as a nurse in my cousin's household. Very skilled with mediciness and herbology. Because of her training she also seemed to have very steady hands... ah yes, and she has used healing spells in my presence a number of times."
He turns to Nick. "Thank you for this. I'll be sure to post guards near the barrels but for the love of the gods, do not let anyone touch them. I don't know what is in either of them and I don't want to find out the hard way."
It sounds to me that poison may be in play soon as well. I advise caution at the dinner table, dear Paracount. Akkad muses.
Indeed. Medicinal training can be easily turned to use in lethal alchemy. Vimana adds. I hate agreeing with him...
Nick stops and puts his thinking face when the Paracount mentions the halfling's training "Wait. She has arcane abilities? Azrielan couldn't find any trace of chaos where she was and I couldn't smite her so she is neither evil nor a cleric..." His eyes brighten when he arrives at the conclusion: "But she could have disguised herself using her magic! That would explain why she hasn't been seen. Can anybody sense those kind of magic tricks? "
Grunyar arrives soon after the others arrive. After seeing everyone is safe he joins the conversation.
"I can detect magic auras, but they will be long gone before we get back down there, unless it's extremely powerful."
"And what if you try and detect over a group of passengers? Would you know if one of them is using arcane tricks?"
Nick looks back to Azrielan, an idea dancing around his mind.
"I cant sense that kind of things, not I think you can or Arlan for that matter... but Nym and Akkad maybe are capable."
Excited by the possibility of ending this soon and recovering his bow he starts walking around the room.
"If they can we could divide in three pairs and go sense passengers. If one of them pings as using magic we check it."
"This is a tricky situation to be sure,"Nymarchemadias muses aloud,"how does someone disappear on a ship? Magic could surely accomplish that task but we can't assume that is the solution. Do you know that I once saw a snake that blended so well with desert sand that it was nearly invisible? You could look for hours and never see it, until it moved. The trick was making the snake move before you were close enough to get bit."
Oh what delightful mystery and drama! If I were a treacherous halfling desperate to kill a Paracount, where would I hide? Hmmmm....below deck is all fine and good but when would the Paracount ever go down there! No...no...this halfling will not strike from low but will try from on high! Yes, a strike from above would be a most shocking move if she only had a....bow!!!!
"I think we should look up. Check the rigging and places on high because why oh why would she take a bow if not to take a shot?"Nymarchemadias arches an eyerbow dramatically before grinning like a cat that has just discovered a mouse's hole.
...to disarm a man who tried to kill her? Akkad says, stepping away from the widely grinning Gnome.
It's a possibility though. Vimana?
"While it may be that she used nonmagic means of escape, we still need to check every where. Unless someone has a better idea, I'll check down below, make sure the barrels are safe, Nym can check higher, and Akkad can check the mid levels."
With a quick prayer, Grunyar's eyes become able to perceive magic auras around him.
"Abadar, please allow me to find magic so that I may find this murderous halfling."
Grunyar casts detect magic. He'll concentrate for 2 rounds and then go outside, provided he don't see something important.
"I'll pair with Nym. If she is up there with my bow, I want to recover it. I doubt she is strong enough to pull the string, but If she is... well, pray for us Grunyar, because we'll be sitting ducks."
Nick gestures Nym to go with him and heads for the door.
Vimana. Follow the dwarf. I shall take the middle road, as any good leader must keep his allies near him, I will not leave any behind. As Akkad rationalizes being given an order, Vimana follows Grunyar. Akkad castsDetect Magic as well, focusing if something with a strong aura comes up.
"Get out from there!" Azrielan yells, moving over to the bed and attempting to drag the halfling out from under the bed.
"Why the heck are you yelli- SHE'S HERE?!"
"Where is she?!"
Hah! You had the gall to think you could outwit me? Akkad speaks triumphantly.
"She's under the bed.
Abadar, please bless my axe with a part of the perfection of your First Vault." He then takes a step towards the bed, blessed axe and shield in his hands.
"I can't see her!"
Nymarchemadias startles as everyone begins to yell. He is surprised as some of the group rush towards the bed amidst shouts that their quarry is beneath the Paracount's bed. Taking their claims on faith, Nymarchemadias tries to maneuver himself around the commotion onto the top of the bed hoping to flank the "monster under the bed". He chuckles at the irony of the halfing's alleged location.
"Nilfy! Hand over your weapons and stand down, or we use force."
As he says this, a bright, golden aura shimmers into existence around him.
Akkad will step out of the room first, then use SLA summon monster to summon a dog.
"You get over here! Paracount, I have the halfling!"
Azrielan attempts to drag the attempted assassin out from under the bed, so that she can be revealed.
Nick moves near Azrielan and tells to the invisible halfling "Dismiss your spell. If you surrender now things will be easier to sort, I'll put a good word for you because you didn't want to hurt me. Nick signals his bandages.
"I give you my word. Surrender now, please"
Nick runs away from the room and gets back again before even 15 seconds have passed carrying two packages.
Placing one near the bed he signals the halfling to sit in the chair "Please, there's no need for you to stand up while we all talk." He says with a honest smile before sitting in another unfolded chair in front of her.
"I could't understand, Nilfy. Why did you heal me? I was done, a simple stab away from death.... and you bandaged me risking yourself." He seems to wonder the situation for a second "The only explanation to which I arrived is this: You aren't a killer. You may be mad with grief, but you definitely aren't a bad person, nor a killer." He stands up and crouches in front of her again, looking the halfling straight into her eyes "Tell me why you did this, please. I want to understand you so I can defend you. I don't want someone with the potential to change for the better being punished just because nobody understood her."
With measured steps he goes back to his chair and sits. "And please, return my bow... It's a gift from my father, before I left my hometown. There's a high chance we will never go back to Cheliax, so I'd rather have that memento with me until the end, please."
Azrielan releases the halfling with a not too gentle push and steps back, although she does stay within reach of the criminal.
"My lord, surely you recognize the only recourse is execution. That is the law, and she did break it."
As she says this, her hand reaches down to where her mace hangs at her side.
"I, as your second in command, offer my services as executioner."
At Nick's words, Azrielan is incredulous.
"No one understands her? Oh no, I believe I understand her perfectly. Given the chance, she would have murdered the Paralictor without a second thought, and we should not hesitate to treat her with the same respect. With what evidence we have gathered, surely you do not doubt her guilt? She aims to be a murderer, and deserves what she may get."
A slightly disgusted look in his face "No. You know what she did. You know what she planned to do. She is guilty indeed" Nick faces Azrielan "But you know nothing of why. That's the most important question, why? I stand by my choice: I want to hear what Nilfy has to say before I come to any conclusion."
Akkad steps back into the room, his head held high.
I must second a vote against indiscriminate slaughter. If one aims to be better than a murderer, one must adjucate thoroughly. With this he dismisses the dog, and begins to resummon Vimana. Fare thee well, scruffles, I shall have need of you again.
I also must add that simply wanting to kill only a certain person, does not mean that the crime is not worth punishing. At the very least we have a case of aggravated assault to judge.
"At the very least indeed." Azrielan says, looking almost as if she had a look of...agreement with a non-Hellknight for a moment?
"You know as well as I, Nick, that it is not the intent of nor the reasons behind the deed that matters in. The only thing of consequence is the action itself. You, with your own word, said that she intended to murder the Paralictor. I see nothing that would convince me that her intentions were 'good', by any stretch of the word."
At this, Azrielan gestures at the hiding place under the bed.
"And we found her, using concealing magic, under his bed, ready to strike. That reminds me."
She takes a step towards the halfling sitting on the chair, and extends a gauntlet-encased fist towards her.
"Are you armed, criminal?"
"I disagree. The reasons matters, at least for me. She may have planned to kill the Paracount, and I condemn that action, but I want to understand why, what drived her to this." He touches the wound in his abdomen "Besides, she stabbed me without warning. We have a blood debt, and I want to know her better so I can decide how is she to repay me. That reminds me... I harmed you too, are you in need of assistance? That we caught you doesn't mean we shouldn't treat you with dignity, so if you are harmed by my hand I too have a blood debt to repay." He gets another one of his healing potions out and offers it to the halfling.
"I'm all ears, Nilfy."