The Wandering Archipelago (D&D 5e)

[Arch Lich Burns]

To mehr <Oh I am not that excitable, hun. I was trying to draw attention away from you so you do not get in trouble with those noble bandits.>

[spiderwrangler]

I snicker and hop down, heading for the hatch to give Syli a heads up. "Hey Syl, Mehr wants you up top. The guard are here and look to be taking possession of the boat."

((Snickering isn't intended to be mean, just amused. I don't think they lit lights, so moving feeling my way as I need to down the hatch, before calling out softly to Syli.))

[Nioca]

"Sure, sure, just a moment..." Syli says, using her enhanced senses to examine the crate that was glowing more closely, trying to determine if it has any sort of purpose or if it's simply just putting off magical energy.

Arcana aided by Detect Magic (+3): 17
((I figure that doing it with a magic detection spell active will actually tell Syli more about what's in it))

"I've never seen magic quite like this before..." Syli adds as she examines the crate. "Er, the boat, I mean. This whole thing's enchanted, every fiber of the wood. Between the materials and the magic, this ship must be worth a rather large fortune."

Assuming nothing alarming pops up, she'll then follow Korrik back up to the deck. She'll pause on the way though, using her remaining magic detection to determine what (if any) magic aura those statues are putting off.

[spiderwrangler]

"One of the guys looking to board said his interest was in the boat, more than the cargo...
though I'm not sure where he thought he was going to do with it..."

Once Syli is done, we'll head back topside.

[thinkslogically]

Korrik heads down to fetch Syli, who is still enjoying her magic vision. She tells Korrik what she sees and checks the crate. The essence it's giving off feels like it has more potential magic than actual magic in it. She suspects it might be spell components.

Heading upstairs with Korrik, she checks the statues and is dazzled by the glows they are emanating. Whatever enchantment was placed in them is a very high level one, but it seems to be designed to work without a caster being present. This boat must be worth an absolute fortune...

[spiderwrangler]

Feeling a bit like I'm taking care of someone tripped out on [insert psychotropic drug in your setting], I help Syli through the dark as best I can, back up to the deck of the ship.

[thinkslogically]

Ok, moving along if there are no more actions...

The party regroup on deck and are soon joined by Thaqorel, who is wearing nothing other than a borrowed cloak, hastily wrapped around his waist. He kicks the boat with the two would-be pirates hard back into the channel and sends them wobbling grumpily away from the ship.

A few more minutes pass uneventfully before a new party of merchants and guards arrive at the bridge. A rather red-faced and flustered man jumps down from his horse, looking stricken, and starts talking urgently to the guard. You can't hear the full conversation, but those who are paying attention catch the words "bandits", "ransom" and "prisoners". Given the amount of pointing, they seem to be talking about you lot.

An older woman in the group rapidly gets fed up with the talking and kicks her horse forward to the river bank to address the group:

"You! What exactly do you think you're doing on my ship?!"

((Raini is not amongst the new arrivals if you were wondering))

[spiderwrangler]

"Good morning, we're just keeping people with bad intentions off the ship.", I smile pleasantly and bow or whatever is the custom when dealing with uppity nobles.

[thinkslogically]

"Well, get off it!"

The woman starts directing the guards:

"Well, did you think it was just going to float over here by itself?! Fetch a boat! Go!"

Thaqorel wanders towards Korrik, taking care to stay out of sight.

"That's Valeria Morley. She... uh... You should probably do what she says if you want an easy life."

[spiderwrangler]

"If one of you tosses a rope, I'll tie it off!", I call to the guards on the bank.

((Is it easy to get back on the bridge from where the ship is currently?))

[thinkslogically]

Yes, it's tied to the bridge so you can just step off.

The woman impatiently waves her hand at the guard, indicating that he should throw the rope.

He frowns at Korrik. "And don't drop it this time!"

The rope is tossed and caught.

[spiderwrangler]

I smile innocently at the guard... and tie it off, stepping up onto the bridge.

[thinkslogically]

((Consider it done.

I'll let the others decide if they're staying on board or not before moving on again.))

[WearsHats]

Kal will stick with the group, which I presume means moving on. But not before reclaiming his rope, now that we have a new one. I assume Mehriv will want to have a chat with Ms. Morley.

[Dlover]

Mehr steps off the ship, "Madam Morley, a pleasure to meet you. I am of the Turajin clan, Mehriv. You may wish to have words with the Larkhalls. They were rather agitated when I gave them no right to your ship, but I'm certain my reprimands would mean nothing in face of your own."

[thinkslogically]

The party comply and step off the ship (if anyone doesn't, that's fine, but let me know what you're doing on the ship).

Mehriv calls over to the woman, introducing himself and admonishing the Larkhall's earlier attempt to claim the ship on their behalf.

The red-faced man looks up sharply:
"Well! You've got some nerve, behaving that way! The Larkhalls have been friends to our family for many year-"

Valeria Morley snorts loudly:
"Only because it suits them, Dorral. I imagine they thought that recovering this ship would be quite the coup for- Oh no!"

As the boat is pulled in to the shore, the merchants and guard are able to clearly see the dead pilot.

Valeria gasps and puts a hand on the red-faced man's shoulder to steady herself. The guards suddenly come to attention and move protectively in front of the merchants, some readying weapons and apparently preparing to fight whatever it was that shot the pilot.

Dorral's face goes pale, and turns back to the group: "What is the meaning of this!? What happened here?"

((I apologise for the amount of talking that's happening right now. This is the kind of stuff you can skip right through in a table game, but apparently takes ages in a forum. If you have any instructions for Thaquorel you're welcome to give those too))

[Dlover]

"Is it necessary to ask? Somebody shot the pilot. The ship drifted in unmanned, which is why we set to guarding it. Bandits are not unheard of in any parts, but my own curiosities lie with why the one responsible for the shooting left the crates on deck untouched. It seems they were uninterested in the cargo or ship, so perhaps the act was a territorial matter, silencing the pilot who had seen the attacker's location. Or, judging by the attempts to claim the ship once it entered the city, perhaps the plan was for that."

[Arch Lich Burns]

"I'm not quite sure. I was on the bridge and suddenly a boat comes drifting out of control and these heroes tied it off. I know not of whom killed the man, unfortunally but it might be those that wish to get the boat or cargo themselves. There were men with bow and hatchets earlier, but I am unsure if they are the culprits."

[thinkslogically]

((Are you going to open the bridge and have this conversation in person, or are you yelling this at them across the river?))

[Dlover]

Can we open the bridge while we're on it? In person would be preferable if we can.

[thinkslogically]

Yup, the mechanism to open and close it is on the bridge. Thaquorel can do it if you'd prefer not to get your hands dirty

[Arch Lich Burns]

Is it safe now to do so? If it is then Gwen will do so and talk to them in person.

[thinkslogically]

Yeah, thaqorel knows what he's doing at least

[Dlover]

Let's speak to them in person, then. Yelling across a river is rather undignified.

[thinkslogically]

Indeed!

Mehriv waits for the guards to haul the ship to the side of the river, before nodding to Thaquorel to open the bridge again and let you cross. There is a momentary rush of activity as a group of over-eager townsfolk try and rush over the bridge to see the ship up close, but a barked order from Thaquorel keeps them back. It seems no-one is THAT keen to try swimming again...

The town guard quickly set up positions around (but not on board) the ship and along the bridge. The guard-in-charge pauses to speak quietly to Thaqorel.

Mehriv heads towards the ship and approaches the merchants.

"Is it necessary to ask? Somebody shot the pilot. The ship drifted in unmanned, which is why we set to guarding it. Bandits are not unheard of in any parts, but my own curiosities lie with why the one responsible for the shooting left the crates on deck untouched. It seems they were uninterested in the cargo or ship, so perhaps the act was a territorial matter, silencing the pilot who had seen the attacker's location. Or, judging by the attempts to claim the ship once it entered the city, perhaps the plan was for that."

Valeria squeezes her eyes shut as Mehriv speaks and eventually holds up her hand to stop him. She turns to look at him.

"There were others. Did you-"

Dorral rubs his face. "Leia- " his throat catches and he pauses a moment to compose himself. Valeria squeezes his shoulder.
"Leia, and Torrik are our daughter and her husband. They were on board with their son. It was his first trip upriver."

He stops talking and looks as though he's steeling himself to ask a question he doesn't want to know the answer to. It is Valeria who breaks the silence.

"Did you find them on board?"

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