He says that the conditions of workers are becoming so bad, that if nothing changes there will be profound repercussions. It is likely it is itemised in this letter he sent you. Alsah passes the letter.
"Ah, to be clear, Governor," Juliet says, stepping forward and smiling, an apologetic, flat grin accompanied by a submissive duck of her head, "Alsah is just the messenger. And I believe that Grimsley speaking of repercussions speaks of them in a general sense, not in the sense of a specific threat. Though I could be wrong, I didn't read the letter of course..."
"Now for your part. Governor Stanfield will be here tonight and I need you to pass on a message on behalf of the Docker's Guild. My people are tired of the local police harassing them just because a few of the city’s nobles don’t like being made fun of in tavern songs. Worse than that, some of the boys have been arrested in the past few weeks simply because they refused to work sixteen hour shifts loading and unloading cargo. We're tired and people are getting restless. They’re raring for a riot. I'm trying my best to keep them calm, but if Stanfield can’t take some of the pressure off, I fear that there’ll be blood in the streets before too long."He lowers his hand. "That's not a threat, just the truth. Please let the Governor know."
Stanfield's eyebrows raise. "Well that is important information. I don't have much direct sway over the business community, but if they are putting my city at risk, I'll have to apply what pressure I can. If things are really reaching the tipping point, we might have to look into getting some more police officers into the district. Hmmm... You've given me much to think on. Thank you kindly Constables."
Message delivered, you go about enjoying the party in your official capacity.
Near nine o’clock, about an hour after setting out, the Coaltongue sits anchored just within sight of shore, surrounded by its eight-ship escort. The starry blanket of night hovers overheard, and a quarter moon peeks above the eastern horizon. The crew have set up an outdoor kitchen on the aft maindeck, and are using the interior of the capacitor as a banquet room. The ceiling occasionally flickers with silver arcs of magical energy, which the crowd delights in.
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. The king and his Principal Minister move for the front end of the capacitor/banquet hall, and you overhear the king complaining about indigestion. “One of the local archfey is upset I parked my ship here,” he guesses, laughing it off. “One of the burdens of kingship, the fey can really let me know when they’ve got an opinion. I always get burps that taste like fish when I sail these days.”
Stover Delft detaches himself from a trio of military veterans arguing about small-unit tactics and comes over to you. "You may have noticed that the king's sister hasn’t made an appearance since we left port. I would suggest that someone go below deck, and to check on her. She really should be here and it would be completely in character for her to embarrass the king by hiding during his big speech."
Juliet nods to Delft. It wasn't every day one got to gently redirect nobility. Or maybe just wake them up. "Sure thing. I can go. Perhaps she's asleep. She mentioned wanting to rest."
Ducking into the stairwell, Juliet makes her way belowdecks, running her hand along the wall as she goes, delighting in the cool feel of the corridor on her fingertips.
"I'll go as well. Might as well make sure you have a clear path escorting her back," adds Brynn. Nobles can be particular about the tiniest of inconveniences.
Preach's stomach did a flip when he heard the news. Likely this was nothing, but when the nobility where involved all bets were off.
Torn between wanting to hear the King's speech and ensuring there where no hiccups, he ventured "We probably shouldn't all go in case we're needed here. Still she did ask me earlier so I feel obligated somehow..."
Alex nods to Delft and follows after the other three. She comments to Preacher, "I am sure that there are more than enough individuals to help here if needed and we are just going to escort the Dutchess back from her rest. I was below decks a short time ago, this should not take long."
Having wandered about not to long ago she retraces her away back to where the Duchess should be as she keeps an eye and ear out for trouble.
Compared to earlier, the lower deck is eerily empty, the crew having moved topside for the King's speech.
It doesn't take long for you to find your way to the observation room. A polite knock on the door is met with silence. You knock again more forcefully, but still nothing. With growing concern, you try the door, but find it locked .
Before
Thank you, sir. and Alsah moves off
Just before now
Waking a sleeping duchess. Another glorious day in the RHC Alsah says with a smile, and she heads off with the others.
Now
Alsah looks at the others, perplexed. Is she a deep sleeper?
She knocks again. Your Grace. Are you well?
Alex looks to the others around the door as there are three attempts to knock, "Could there be trouble?" from her belt pouch the woman removes a small leather case of lock picks. She looks to the others and whispers, "I could attempt to bypass the lock?"
With a continued silence and no answer from the room the woman starts on on the lock. She takes up two of her tools and slid them into the lock mechanism. At first there appears to be some difficulty, but she takes up a third picking tool and changes how she has the picking tools and she has the lock with a small click and turns the lock.
She looks back to the others and whispers, "It is open"
"It's the lesser of two evils. Go ahead. I'll keep a look out in case anyone comes by," answers Bryn.
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Constable Stray easily defeats the door's lock and it opens soundlessly on the still new hinges. The room beyond is empty. The great aft window stands open and a stiff sea breeze blows in. Quickly moving to the window, you catch the briefest glimpse of the Duchess standing beside a beautiful sea nymph on a mighty chariot of polished coral, as it slips beneath the waves. You don't get a clear view of the creature pulling the aquatic conveyance, but the dark shape moving beneath the waves is immense. Through the window, you hear the opening strains of the Risuri national anthem coming from the deck above. For the next several minutes, that rousing tune will drown out all but the loudest of noises.
A quick search of the observation room doesn't turn up much, but you do find several odd amulets piled in the room's trash can.
You recognize the fey as Lady Beshela. She serves as steward of the domains of the fey titan, She Who Writhes. Though not a member of the Unseen Court, Beshela bears the title Archfey of the Sea and controls most of the waters along Risur’s north shore. With armies of sea creatures at her command, the beautiful fey is like a queen of her own land, and it is with her permission that ships pass through her waters.
You recognize the amulets as fire wards, magical devices designed to keep alchemical substances from catching fire. You recall from your earlier survey that fire wards such as these were hung in the three rooms of the magazine to keep the ammunition from accidentally exploding in battle.
Where is she...is this a kidnapping?
Alsah quickly casts mage armour
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A nagging sense of duty had driven Preach along with Alsah and Alexandra. Surely escorting the duchess didn't require three members of the RHC but he went none the less.
His face dropped as raced into the room and took in the scene. "Oh no..." he breathed, there was going to be hell to pay for this.
After a quick search he was puzzled by their find, "Where did these come from? Why does she have firewards in her trash?!"
Also he had a niggling feeling that he'd been manipulated somehow. He thought back to his conversation with the Dutchess, could she have intended something like this to happen?
"A kidnapping? Perhaps. Or a conspiracy," Juliet murmurs, ignoring the disappearing duchess and setting about searching the room. Spying the firewards, Juliet's face pales, and she grabs the trash can. "We need to check the magazine. If she removed them, the whole ship could be set to blow!"
Alsah scoops up the amulets and moves to the door.
Then we best check quick
"Lady Beshela, what is she..." the woman considers the implications what is happening, "Doing here with the Duchess."
She looks to the others, "I also doubt that was a kidnapping, that was Beshela, Archfey of the Sea along the shores of Risur. That looked like they were... a little cozy."
Let us check on the safety of the ship, quickly." She joins the others in checking on checking the places that the wards are used for protection.
Looking Alash, "Are those wards still active?"
Alsah pauses, casting detect magic and looking at the amulets
I think so if magical
You hustle down to the gun deck and head towards the forward magazines. The deck is completely empty, which almost immediately strikes you as wrong, as you realize that the guard that had been standing watch outside the storage rooms is no longer there.
Bursting through the magazine doors, you quickly check the chambers. The barrels of fire crystals are still in place and there doesn't appear to be any incendiary devices planted among them. The places where the firewards hung are bare, though. Your rough search does turn up one grisly clue: Stashed behind some of the barrels you find the corpse of the private who had been standing guard outside.
Checking her corpse, you find a small puncture wound beneath her arm. A blade slipped into the arm gap of her armor and into her heart. It was a precision strike and she most likely was dying before she knew what hit her.
"With the wards removed and the guard forcefully removed, we should prepare for an attack. Let's replace the wards as quickly as possible in case another ship starts opening fire as well as look for a bomb of some kind. I'll go notify Stover," says Bryn, as he starts heading to where he last saw him.
Kneeling, Juliet begins to examine the corpse, checking first for signs of life, and then, when that proves fruitless, cause of death. Frowning, the Mystic lifts her arm and points to a small puncture wound. "Look, a blade slipped into the arm gap of her armor and into her heart. It was a precision strike and she most likely was dying before she knew what hit her."
Laying the private's arm across her chest, Juliet closes the woman's eyes and stands. "Yes, let's get the wards back into place. Do we need to examine the ship further as well? The boilers could be tampered with, or worse."
Agreed. But let us make sure we are not walking into a trap
Alexandra nods to others, "Let us get these wards up..."
And she looks to Juliet, "So we have a murder. It would make me feel better to check the boilers. It would be one of the places that would make this place," she motions to the munitions where they are replacing the firewards, "A disaster in the making."
The woman will go about replacing the wards were it is obvious or told to. She than removes her sheathed rapier and takes up one of her extracts, ready for more trouble.
Messer sighed at the sight of the dead guard, his mind flashing back to other times he'd seen something like this. He didn't even know the poor souls name, but he had one more task to do for the nation. "I'm sorry, soldier," he murmured softly as he covered the body - the spirit had no need to see there own corpse - "But I need some answers." Touching the corpse gently over the sheet with his artificial arm, Messer called the spirit back. "We get two questions - any suggestions?"
Who killed you? and how many others were with them? Alsah suggests
"What if she doesn't know who killed her? Will she still provide an answer? Would we be better off asking for a description?" Juliet is genuinely puzzled - although she has a spirit sense of her own, Messer's talents are new to her, and she pays close attention to what the agent does.
"The spirit can only tell us what they knew in life, so 'What can you tell us about your killer' should include a name and a description," Messer explained. "The spirit is likely to be friendly, given the situation, so that might give us a little leeway with questions."
"The sailor, may not even seen who killed her. Perhaps a more broad query, of describing what occurred to them prior to their death?" Alex suggested.
She added, "This could not have happened too long ago, I hope that the crew was vetted for this assignment so must have been someone who came aboard recently
She continue with the fireward placement as best she can.
Preach was horrified by this unexpected turn of events, there was a murder or murderess at large. They needed to track down the Duchess's handmaiden and take a statement.
Quietly he asked the other constables, "We need to track down any possible witnesses. Do any of you know the name of the Duchess's handmaiden? I got a good look at her earlier but a name would be useful."
Preach starts searching for the handmaiden, he'll make his way back up to where the party is, asking any sailors he encounters on the way if they've seen her or a young woman matching her description.
Delft gives Bryn a hard look, "Next time don't bury the lede. I'll let the First Minister know and we'll see about getting the King teleported out of here. Without a concrete threat, let's try to keep things quiet for the moment. There's no need to start a general panic yet. Make sure the munitions and engine are secure and then have someone report back. Let's show these military boys what the RHC can do." Instructions delivered, he goes off to inform Minister Lee of the situation.
Let's check out the engine deck. Any mischief will be there
She heads into the engine deck.
Fished with the fire wards Alexandra and indecision of what to ask the spirit and looks to Messer, "Perhaps once we have cleared below decks, we can confirm information to solidify any case we might have. For now, let us check things out."
With that the half-fey woman moves with Preach and Alsah to search the engine room.
Messer glanced down, then nodded and cancelled the spell before following the others to the engineering deck.
Juliet removes a small jar from her pack and stepping into the hall, away from the crime scene, pulls sand from the jar and creates a circle on the hallway floor. It is slow, methodical work, for the circle must be perfect to pull her ancestor forth from beyond the veil. She'll catch up with the others once Bryn shows and Matilde is summoned.
So much for maintaining discretion...
Bryn turns back to descend below, finding the quickest route back to the group.
"Any luck with the wards? Delft wants us to check the engine and munitions."
Unable to spot the handmaiden topside, Preach quickly returns down below to help search there, telling the others, "If she's still on the ship, the handmaiden must be down here somewhere. Lets check the boiler room and the other compartments."
Climbing down the nearby ladders you enter into the noisy cacophony that is the boiler room. You enter at the bow of the ship, in front of the firegem storage box. Boiler room map
You hear a female voice shout over the noise of machinery, "Flame gem's in. Seal it up before the elemental shows up."
Round 1
23 Preach
20 Juliet
19 Alexandra
14 ???
13 Alsah
12 Messer
6 Bryn
Her lips pursed in concentation, Juliet continues the slow work of drawing a perfect circle on the hallway's ground.
...
Alexi looks to the Alsah and Messer and with a deep breath she says under her breath "This should be fun...
She starts slowly forward...