After a few minutes of mingling, the Duchess discretely approaches you, looking slightly embarrassed. "Excuse me, constables, I'm sorry to intrude, but it's my understanding that you have some sway over the arrangements of this event. If you could do an old lady a kindness, the air here is leaving me winded, and the company is already giving me a headache. I know my brother's party is going to run late, so I need a room I can nap in. I'd be very grateful if you'd arrange this for me."
"Of course Your Grace, I would be happy to do so, lease allow me a moment to make the arrangements for you." Corynne says with a bow. Getting the attention of two of the plainclothes officers, she heads off to find the first mate, or whoever would be in charge of arranging rooms. Not only would she sweep the room ahead of time, but these two were being posted at the door the entire time the Duchess wes resting.
Curious about the mighty iron vessel and the engeneering that went into her, Miselle approached Geoff Masarde with a small nod of respect. "Chief Engineer," she said, allowing her accent through more than she might normally, "The ship looks quite magnificent."
Eager to impress, the officers assure you that they'll handle the Duchess' request as soon as people are allowed onboard. "Shouldn't be too much longer, ma'am. His Majesty should be arriving soon."
The tiefling gives you a proud grin. "She most certainly is! Once they see it in action, those Danoran bastards will know not to cause us any more trouble." Snatching another glass of wine from a passing servant, he taps it with a wand and chuckles as it frosts over. "Nice toy, isn't it. A gift from one of my Drakarian friends." As he downs the freshly-chilled beverage in a single swig, it's obvious that he has quite the fondness for spirits. Perhaps a little too much.
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With great pomp and grandeur, trumpeters announce the arrival of the king's carriage. Elite guards line the thoroughfare and open the door, and the city governor (Roland Stanfield) emerges, followed by King Aodhan himself. The king offers a one-sided smile to the crowd and is greeted by his Principal Minister and his sister. Children, gathered in advance by royal aides, cheer and sing the traditional crown anthem as the group makes its way to the docks.
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The ceremony goes off without a hitch, thanks to your earlier efforts. The king takes a champagne bottle, announces the ship will henceforth be known as the Royal Naval Ship Coaltongue, and smashes the bottle across the bow. Simultaneously, a steam whistle sounds, and black smoke begins to roll out of the ship's stacks. It's time to board.
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Once everyone's aboard and enjoying some light refreshments on the main deck, Coaltongue sweeps toward the center of the harbor, where eight traditional four-masted ships enter formation with it. Against their white sails, the black clouds from Coaltongue's smokestacks make for a dramatic image. You notice the duchess glowering at the sight, but the crowds onshore seem to love it, as they erupt into loud cheers. Gradually gaining speed, the small fleet sets course out of the harbor, toward the open sea. Your destination: the Ayres islands north of Flint.
Alice stands at bow, marveling at the speed of the steam-powered ship. At the time of the war, we had nothing of the kind. Only some captured dwarven-made vessels like the Khalundurrin. Would the Impetuous have fared better, had fire and steam moved her, instead of fickle wind? No, no, these thoughts are useless. She is lying deep under the Yerasol sea, nothing shall change that. Still, being at sea again is... invigorating. No, it's wonderful, it's magic, it's life. The sea, the fight, companions, I'm alive again. Stars, how I've missed it.
After she's had her fill of salt and sea breeze, she approaches her fellow Constables. "I heard that the Duchess is retiring to a cabin, would someone stand guard over her? I'll do that if you don't want to, but I'd prefer keeping watch over the King." If someone has to catch a bullet for him it should be me. They signed up for upholding the law, I'm the only one who swore the soldier's oath. "He has not yet made his announcement, so be on maximum alert. Trust no one, not even his sister. Ah, I don't know if it might be useful, but her handmaiden is a high elf in disguise."
"I can do that; I don't know ships well enough to tell if something or someone's out of place. Otherwise I'd just be wandering the decks."
Turning, Ellena moves off to find the Duchess.
Miselle nodded to the engineer, although the drinking seemed worrying for someone who had to put together something as intricate that required withstanding such high pressures as a steam engine...
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"A high elf? Interesting." Miselle considered the news, but it wasn't an especially surprising revelation, given the Duchess' philosophical leanings. "I will take a tour of the ship. I think I understand the principles well enough to get some idea if anything is not quite right. And if nothing else, the ship is fascinating."
"I will join you, Miselle! I also am interested in seeing how the ship works! I am not knowing as much of engineering as perhaps you do, but working on firearms has given me greater knowledge than most I think. I would love to see how this behemoth works!"
Miselle grinned at Azaghal. "Oh, friend, I know what you truly wish! You wish to see the gun decks. I hear they have used the latest techniques for casting the barrels on the Coaltongue's cannons. They are works of the metalcrafters arts."
"Don't forget your duty, Constable Fitelle." snaps Alice. "We are not here on a leisure trip. Explore the ship all you want" and get lost in it, for all I care "but keep your eyes open."
She then strides towards the party area, keeping watch for any disturbancies.
With Alice choosing to stay with the king rather than their assigned charge, Corynn stations herself outside the door to the Duchess' room as she rests. Centering her mind and senses, the young constable allows her senses to peer into a deeper level of perception as she stands guard.
Even as she peers around, she occasionally extends her awareness in an expanding wave around herself, seeking any that would attempt to approach unseen.
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Azaghal waves a dismissive hand in Alice's direction. "Is no one saying is leisure trip. We receive same training as you. We know orders. What is harm in learning more about ship layout? It may prove useful, down road."
Miselle nodded to Alice. "We have all been through the Inquisition, and have been found worthy. But we shall remember our duty. And part of that will be making sure the guns have not been sabotaged, yes? A deliberately flawed gun would be a poor start to the voyage." Not to mention a decent method of assassination if someone could keep the king aboard the burning ship. She smiled again. "That such a job is a pleasure..."
Hmph. I remind them not to get too distracted and they get all defensive. What if I had said that I wanted to taste every cake to make sure they were not poisoned?
She lights a cigar as she watches the nobles idly chatting and hides a sigh in a smoke puff. Then again, she's right. Her loyalty was checked, and it's not like it's her fault that she was born in Danor... Stars, I know I don't have the right to judge anyone, not after almost drinking my life away. I just- I can't stand looking at her, hearing her speak, it's like being back in Yerasol. After seven years. Will it ever end?
She turns to Jeb with a grim expression. "Give me a honest answer, Doc. Was I too aggressive towards Fitelle? Should I force myself to be nice to her?"
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It's nearing nine o'clock in the evening when Coaltongue anchors just within sight of shore, surrounded by its eight-ship escort. The starry blanket of night hovers overhead, and a quarter moon peeks above the eastern horizon.
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Petty Officer Aughtbrook leads you to some sleeping quarters in the Gun Deck's observation room, where the (extremely grateful) Duchess and her handmaiden can rest until the king's announcement.
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The R.H.S. Coaltongue has a wooden hull sheathed in 5in-thick iron armor plating engraved with subtle icons of defense and power. The ship measures 220ft-long, with a beam of 45ft and a draft of 20ft. Its steam engine (powered by heating a boiler with burning firegems) has a top speed of 15 knots. All gunports and windows are ringed with a thin layer of gold wire to prevent teleportation.
Excess energy from the engines is stored in thin metallic etchings within its surface and used to power attack spells from the ship's warmages and to charge the Brand. The Brand - so named because it burns an image into anything it strikes - fires a massive blast of pyromantic energy from the ship's figurehead. Although it's range is limited to 100ft, and the capacitor takes several hours to recharge after firing, the Brand is powerful enough to cripple (or outright destroy) almost any vessel. Despite the massive amounts of energy stored within, the capacitor is perfectly safe to walk through, and expansive windows allow it to serve as an impressive venue for ceremonies and celebrations.
As accustomed as she is to people acting oddly around her when they discovered what she could do, the barrage of frankly, wildly inappropriate questions threw her for a moment. "You gain a unique view into how much suffering actually happens in this city, how many deaths occur that go unnoticed or forgotten as life rolls on." she responds.
As he continues on, his questions veering towards interacting with ghosts and their 'parts' one of the less peaceful spirits that tended to gather around her as part of the entourage she'd become accustomed to, manifests just enough to slap his notebook out of his hand. "Well for one thing the spirits of those who have crossed over are all around you most of the time. They tend not to be fond of people discussing their..."naughty bits" she says failing to stifle a smile.
"I... ah... um..." Blushing furiously, Ellena brushes her hair back reflexively and tries to muster an answer. "I.. yes. It's an amazing opportunity."
Happily turning to a new topic once they reach the room, Ellena addresses the duchess. "Is there anything else I can do for you, your grace?"
Alice chuckles and lightly punches Jeb in the shoulder. "You little charmer. Are you saying that I'm fiery and hot like a summer's day? I'm a bit too old for you." she says with a wink.
Watching intently the King, she blinks a couple of times hearing his words. Well, that's... not regal at all. I suppose that, deep down, he's human like the rest of us.
Azaghal is quite interested in the gun deck, asking Massarde how efficient the cannons are, how many times they can fire in a minute, how large the gun crews are, and how many different kinds of ammunition they are capable of firing in a rapid-fire series of questions that quite obviously betray his keen interest in firearms.
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Jeb grins at Alice's response. On seeing her consternation at the king's words he mutters,
"He often makes that remark. Quite clever really, it completely disarms his company making them feel he is more approachable and often elicits responses he would not otherwise have received. I used to take notes at the university banquets he attended."
Miselle enjoyed chatting with the crew, promising to bring down food for Divianne, although she was somewhat less enfused by the come on from Fitzcairn, even if he did seem harmless. Still, the information he provided was enjoyable, and gave her several ideas on how to handle preasure in equipment with her own experiments.
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A whistle from the bridge sets off motion as nearly the entire crew starts to line up around the outer deck, carrying horns, drums, and woodwinds. As this happens, Inspector Delft approaches you. "The duchess hasn't finished her nap, yet, has she? I hope she's not planning on hiding during His Majesty's big speech - that would be embarrassing. How about you go check on her."
"Of course. Right away inspector."
Ellena hurries off to wake the duchess.
Nodding at Corynne, Ellena knocks at the door and waits to be invited in, knocking more insistently if no answer is incoming.
Alice shifts her gaze from the pile of chocolate èclairs on the banquet tables to Delft's face. "Yes, Sir, at once."
Walking alongside Ellena, Alice seems more relaxed. Nothing bad has happened yet and I have the sea beneath me, I was probably just being paranoid.
Miselle nodded respectfully. "Yes, sir, as you wish." She followed behind the others, wondering why the Duchess would be late. Surely her maid would have roused her? Perhaps she was simply indisposed by something simple, like seasickness.
Azaghal snaps off a crisp salute to Inspector before turning and following after the others, thinking that it was a good thing they left Corynne behind to watch after the Duchess.
Things have been quiet and uneventful since the duchess and her handmaiden entered the room. They've locked the door (presumably to make sure nobody disturbs the duchess' rest if you're called away). Other than the sound of a window opening about 15min ago (maybe they needed some fresh air?), you haven't heard much of anything from the inside.
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Heading belowdecks at a brisk pace, you find Corynne right where you left her - standing guard in front of the duchess' room.
Saluting, Ellena knocks on the door - first quietly, then more and more insistently until someone answers.
"Nothing of note so far. They locked the door and about 15 minutes ago someone opened a window, but that's about it." Corynne says as the others arrive.
Saluting the other two guards posted at the door with Corynne, Az gives a curt nod. "Is good there have been no troubles. Still, the Duchess is going to be late if she is not escorted out soon. Inspector Delft has ordered us to see her to the ceremony."
You hear hasty movement inside the room, along with footsteps heading toward where you remember the window was. The Duchess' handmaiden, sounding slightly out-of-breath, responds, "She's still asleep. Can you come back later?"
"I'd advise against it, ma'am." Miselle replied respectfully. "I'm afraid if she rests much longer she may miss the speech tonight. I'm to understand that it is to be quite special."
"Give us another ten to fifteen minutes. Stall if you have to."
There's definitely something fishy going on.
"She's hiding something." Corynne whispers., having moved toward the back of those in front of the door.
Alice whispers back at Corynne. "Agreed. She wasn't the one moving away, there may be intruders or the Duchess herself may be involved in foul play. You open the door," "I'll climb out and try to block the window. Az, Cor, Fitelle, I suggest ranged weapons or magic. Princess, Jeb, stand ready to charge inside and restrain whoever is in."
With these words, Alice walks to the nearby window, opens it and looks outside for some footing to reach the chamber.
"I'm sorry, but our orders are clear. I have to insist you open the door."
While she speaks, she motions to the two plain-clothes to get the door open. Please let them be right about this, if the Duchess is actually asleep this could go so very badly.
Still, they were right. Something felt very wrong. Az, maybe you should cover her?
"Already, I am on it." Az responds, bringing his musket into the crook of his arm, ready to swivel up and fire at a moment's notice.
As Corynne draws her crossbow, the ghostly image of a guard flickers into view behind her for a fraction of a second. Nodding to the larger of the two accompanying police officers to signal the order to breach the door, she whispers.
"Five...four....three....two....one.....go!"
As her colleagues are preparing to breach the room, Alice balances on the ledge, dark seawater below her. Careful now, one slip and I'll have to swim back to Risur once again.
Arrived next to the Duchess' window, she sneakily peeks inside, her hand ready to draw one of her wrist-sheathed daggers.
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As the door bursts open, there's a blinding flash of light. When your vision clears, you see the Duchess' handmaiden sprinting away . She's clutching her gemstone necklace and appears to be heading for one of the lower decks. She's not alone: a cloaked Halfling none of you have seen before steps up and stabs one of the officers in the chest. It's a nasty-looking wound that's dripping blood.
At the far side of the room, the Duchess chants something and (moving inhumanely fast) dives out the window - narrowly missing Alice. From the sea below, a fey riding an enormous squid rises up to retrieve her.
Moving out into the corridor, Miselle knocked an arrow and fired at the fleeing Elf.
"Jeb, warn the Inspector! We can hold them here, the King needs to be put under lockdown!" Drawing her sword, Ellena pulls the wounded guard back and steps into his place.
ignoring the dazzling effect, Corynne glares at the halfling, the ghostly guard behind her lunging forward, passing through other officer to swipe at the man.
As the Duchess sprints past her and the flash goes off in the next room, Alice is flooded with memories of battle. she yells at her, briefly entertaining the possibility of jumping on her. No way. Not with that squid, it would squeeze me dead. But I'm buying a gun as soon as I step on Risuri ground again.
"Stop that elf!" she shouts, entering the room from the window and hustling towards the halfling, rapier ready to draw blood. "We'll deal with the halfman!"