>>32402455
You have on your person or on the table nearby:
>One set of durable but well-made clothing
>One Gas-Pistol, three balls in the feeder and good for 6 shots before having to refill and compress the gas-chamber.
>7 King’s Head coins
>A fighting dirk
>A letter from your brother attached to his death certificate.
>A brush and ink pouch for spellcraft

You are:
VERY SKILLED as a Marksman and a Detective.
AVERAGE as a Swordsman, Negotiator, Trader and Thaumaturge
POORLY SKILLED as a Wilderness Survivor

You have 13 Spell Points remaining and no way to naturally recover them in Aergraq, you know how to cast:
>Ring of Truth: 3SP: Creates an area from Doorjamb to Doorjamb in which the occupants cannot tell a falsehood for 3-6 hours.
>Enhanced Senses: 1SP: Increase your sense of Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight, Hearing, Direction, Body Awareness and Balance for 10-30 minutes.
>Memory Bond: 5SP: Allows you to remember every detail, which you personally have been exposed to, about a place or object for the rest of your life.
>Danger Sense: 3SP: Allows you to sense if a person or animal that can see you has hostile intentions towards you for 1-2 Hours.
>Repair Object: 1SP: Repairs one object to be best condition available use the parts nearby, often finicky.
>Sharpen: 1SP: Realigns and straightens edges.
>Energize: 2SP: Causes you to feel as though you’ve taken a 6 hour rest.
>Ignite: 5SP: Causes one flammable object of your description to catch alight.
>Mend Wounds: 10SP: Closes open wounds and stems internal and external bleeding.
>Air to Gas: 7SP: Transforms one object filled only with oxygen into the explosive gas used in most Gas-Muskets and Gas-Rifles.
Each requires at a few seconds to draw the associated sigil and speak the associated words.

What's your next move?
>Wait for her to awaken.
>Get dressed and proceed to the captain
>Give the room another once-over now that it's better lit.
>[Write in]

>First choice to receive 3 votes will be selected.

>>32402455
>You are Russell Jameson, Druid for the Royal Druid Cloiste
>>32402472
>POORLY SKILLED as a Wilderness Survivor

Alrighty, Not sure what's up with the green text in the OP, and I hope you're not the anon that promised an immobile tree quest because I wanted to be a tree damn it.

Anyways,
>Wait for her to awaken.

She's probably a thief, we shouldn't trust her alone with our shit.

>>32402472
Alright I'll bite
>Wait for her to awaken.
And
>Give the room another once-over now that it's better lit.

>>32402580
I should have including a link to the previous thread: https://archive.foolz.us/tg/thread/32385637/#32385637

>>32402472
>Give the room another once-over now that it's better lit.

>>32402472
>Give the room another once-over now that it's better lit.

>>32402472
>Give the room another once-over now that it's better lit.

Last thing we need is for her to be awake. Time to find more clues to her murdering/stealing.

You decided to play it easy, waiting for the woman whose bed you're laying in to wake up before you dart off to have her slapped in chains and carted away. After all a gentleman of the RDC is nothing without manners, not to mention the fact that it will give you more time to examine the room. Shifting in the sheets, you manage a sitting position without too much trouble, casting your well trained eye around the room.

The obvious things from last night catch your attention first, the extremely rare and expensive alcohol, the masterwork chairs, the book in a language Shelly herself can not read and gifted from a Duke in a far off land.

What's more, your scrutiny falls upon a set of playing cards, and in the morning light that fills the private cabin you can see the reflection of the gold backing on them. Purple and royal blue latticework following the edges. You are certain that if questioned she would claim them a gift.

Beside you, you hear the plainfaced woman stir. "Russel?" Her form clings a bit closer to yours as you turn towards her, a sleepy smile on her face. "I was worried you might have left."

>Of course not dear, I was hoping we could spend the morning together before we make land.
>Would you like me to bring you some breakfast?
>We need to talk.
>[Write in]

>>32403085
>>Of course not dear, I was hoping we could spend the morning together before we make land.
>>Would you like me to bring you some breakfast?

Perfect excuse to get something to eat and cast Ring of Truth on the door.

>>32403303
Do we really want to waste a quarter of our mana on that?

>>32403085
>Would you like me to bring you some breakfast?

>>32403085
>Cast Air to Gas on her lungs

>>32403085
>Would you like me to bring you some breakfast?

>>32403359
Truth be told it most likely isn't needed and is just a option.

With a gentle finger, you sweep a lock of her golden hair away from her face, her cheeks redden and she kisses your stomach softly. "Would you like something to eat dear? We could share the morning together before we make land."

She continues her trail of gentle pecks up your chest to your ear. "You're such a sweety. A right proper gentleman." Pulling away she smiles up at you, a face muddled with the remains of sleep and more than a little bit of a hangover, her breath is not as sweet as you recall it was last night.

"I'll be right back." You reply, extracting yourself carefully from her arms as you gather up your clothing, making sure to keep your pistol out of sight.

Not even stopping to get your boots on you exit the room, immediately pressing your back to rough wooden frame as the door swings shut loudly. The crew outside busies themselves for an expected arrive later in the day, but it would seem most of the passengers are below-decks, eating. That's likely where you'd find Captain Aerbrook.

>Proceed downstairs to get some food.
>Make a beeline for the Captain.
>Cast Ring of Truth on the Door frame and make a beeline for the Captain.
>Go to your room to grab your sword and check on your belongings.
>[Write in]

>>32403701
>Go to your room to grab your sword and check on your belongings.

>>32403701
>Go to your room to grab your sword and check on your belongings.

>>32403701
>Go to your room to grab your sword and check on your belongings.

Taking a few, deep breaths, you slip your boots on properly before making your way across the deck, down the flight of stairs into the hull of the vessel, and around several tight corridors until you find your way to your section of sleeping quarters. The small room is packed with stacks of beds one atop the other. A loud cacophony of
voices and metal clattering comes from the other side of the vessel, but you are undeterred.
You are thankful that it is mostly empty, save for the snores of a few layabouts and drunks.

With an now familiar ease you make your way towards the back row of bunks, ducking under the one assigned to you to pull out the front-most lockbox.

Inside the glorified wooden crate you find:
>One Basket-Hilted Backsword, standard issue.
>One Gas-Musket, 10 balls in the feeder and food for 30 shots before having to refill and compress the gas-chamber
>a box of 60 lead balls
>one spare gas-chamber fitting a gas-musket
>two compression pumps
>Enough liquid gas to refill a pistol ten times or a rifle twice.

>What will you take?
Afterwards you
>Proceed directly to the captain
>Get some breakfast for yourself
>Get some breakfast for you and Shelly
>[Write in]

>>32404200
Take the sword.

>>Get some breakfast for you and Shelly

>>32404200
Take the gas and the balls.

>proceed to the captain.

>>32404200
>Take the sword.

>Get some breakfast for you and Shelly
Maybe we can get her to confess before confronting the captain. Right now we have no evidence.

>>32404200
>Get some breakfast for you and Shelly

Grabbing your sword and it's accompanying baldric, you loop the band across your shoulder, from right shoulder to left hip, before tying on the weapon's sheath. Sliding the weapon into your sheath you quickly double check the pistol in your coat holster. Finding it secure, and feeling a bit more protected for it's presence, you close the box, locking it and pushing it back below.

Exiting the room, you beat feet past the two mess halls, unconcerned for the involved hassle of explaining away your weapon. Pushing open the door to the kitchen, you find the cookie's back to you, a round man with hairy arms and a balding head.

Seeing no need to bother him from his work and risk him burning it, again, you quietly take two plates of food from the counter. Each with a few slices of hard bread, some hard cheese and a few slices of salted pork. You also grab a skin of grog from a hook nearby.

Stealing away, you make your way once more past the mess. Perhaps, if you are lucky, you can force a confession before you have to get the captain involved. Finding you way back up and outside of Ms. LeClaire's door, you consider your opening approach.

>Direct. [Negotiation Check]
>Sly [Detective Check]
>Comforting. [Diplomacy Check]
>Ring of Truth. [Thaumaturgy Check]
>[Write in]

>Checks are the highest of 3d100 rolls, plus relevant modifiers. High rolls (those in the 90's) gain an added bonus to the next check or cheapen the cost of a Thaumaturgy Check.

Rolled 49

>>32404869
>>Sly [Detective Check]

Rolled 29

>>32404869
>>Sly [Detective Check]
>>Comforting. [Diplomacy Check]
Can we do both? If not, just the former.

Rolled 71

>>32404869
>Sly [Detective Check]

Rolled 82

>>32404869
>Sly [Detective Check]

Pushing the door open slowly, you see her sleeping on the bed, curled up towards the empty half you were previously inhabiting. Moving towards her, you sit down on the soft matress, internally remarking how much softer it is than the one's in the communal cabin. You face towards her, putting your body between her and your sword as you softly coo to her. "Shelly dear. I brought some food."

Blinking slowly awake, she sits up, bring the sheet with her to hide her nakedness. She seems confused at first before shaking her head, yellow locks bouncing softly as she recalls what happened not minutes ago. "Oh. Thank you Russell."

She gives you a tired smile and takes the proffered plate, going straight for the bread as you fill her cup from last night with the dark beverage you brought along. "So last night. You mentioned wanting to run away from this all."

Thinking a moment, mouth full of food, she nods. "What if I could make that happen."

Her eyes narrow slightly, looking you up and down as she swallows, taking a quick swig of the watered down booze. "And how would we do that?"

"Do you know where he keeps his money?" You try your best to give your grin a disreputable look, one that says that she can trust you, but no one else.

She seemed nervous at first, biting her lip as she thought. Just when you thought she wouldn't take the bait, she spoke. "In his cabin, in a small safe.

She was buying it. "Simple then my pet. I distract the captain when we make port while you slip away in the commotion to get to his safe. We meet on the docks and meet with my brother's contacts. We'll be off and away before he even knows we're gone. We lay low a few days and then..."

"It's out on the next ship in. My, you are a clever one aren't you. Is this what you mean by odd jobs?"

You give a non-committal shrug and cheeky grin. "You in?"

She considers it for a time, but between your sale pitch and her hangover she suprisingly agrees. "Deal."

>>32405477
>Go and inform the captain of the deal, to let her catch her in the act.
>Mislead the captain into finding her himself, keeping your involvement out of it.
>Wait until you make port, then inform the captain.
>[Write in]

>>32405545
>>Mislead the captain into finding her himself, keeping your involvement out of it.

>>32405477
Wait, how was that a detective check? We basically suggested the idea ourself, got her to agree and now we're going to report her?

>>32402455
port arthur is a very strange place to visit. fascinating and surreal at the same time. the curators do a fantastic job or portraying no one as good or bad, just there. i recommend it if you ever find yourself in tasmania.

>>32405620
Implying intrapment isn't police procedure 101.

>>32405545
>>Mislead the captain into finding her himself, keeping your involvement out of it.

>>32405545
>Mislead the captain into finding her himself, keeping your involvement out of it.

"Excellent!" The young woman exclaims, "I had been planning something like this for a while now, but I've been waiting for the right partner." She smiles widely, no clue about the fate that was going to befall her. No one escapes the Druid's watchful pruning.

The deal struck, you and Shelly decide to part ways to keep the rest of the crew off your trail. Your work around the less savory members of society had honed your skill at plotting, and in the process, find ways to poke holes in those plots in just the right places.

Within a few hours, you hear the call of "Land-ho!" and the ship's deck explodes with activity, the crew and passengers alike moving to the deck of the boat to watch the barest edge of land peak over the water. You catch Shelly's eye and she gives you a nod.

A few hours more and the ship eases it's way into the harbor, and you do your best to position yourself nearby the captain, out of the corner of your eye you watch Ms. LeClaire ease away into the captain's quarters while everyone else gawks over the side of the ship at the meager harbor nearby.

Taking a step closer you turn towards him. "Glad to finally make land sir?"

He nods solemnly, hand resting on a pistol at his side. "Aye, but now's the hard part. Over half of these men won't make it back. Shelly's always heartbroken when we make port, bless her heart. Speaking of which, where is that damn girl?" He looks around curiously.

>I think she was heading towards your cabin.
>She said something about wanting to check your documents first.
>Haven't a clue, but who was that going into your cabin?
>[Write in.]

>>32406080
>>Haven't a clue, but who was that going into your cabin?

>>32406080
>Haven't a clue. Maybe it was her who was headed to your cabin earlier?

>>32406080
>She said something about wanting to check your documents first.

>>32406080
>Haven't a clue, but who was that going into your cabin?

"Not sure, she's the blonde girl right? Also, is it standard for people to enter the captain's quarters while he's away?"

"What? Of course not. It's supposed to be locked. One moment Mr. Jameson." Obviously confused, and visably on edge, the Captain makes his was towards his room, hand folding over the grip of his gas-pistol, a single shot version most likely.

You consider backing him up, after all he would trust a Druid to help with the matter. Of course that could shift more of the focus onto you as a result. You consider your options.

>Offer to assist him, you are a Cloister associated Druid, licensed to apprehend, and if need-be exectute, criminals.
>Let the situation play out.
>[Write in]

>>32406080
>Haven't a clue, but who was that going into your cabin?

>>32406384
>Offer to assist him, you are a Cloister associated Druid, licensed to apprehend, and if need-be exectute, criminals.

Thank god. I left, and for a minute after I got back, I was worried you guys were going to waifu her.

>>32406384
>Let the situation play out.

>>32406384
>Let the situation play out.

Content that the situation will work out for the best, you turn away, casting your gaze out towards land. Little semi-permanent structures stand out atop a low rise and you can see some a handful of strong looking porters moving boxes towards the dock in preparation for supply trades. It was no secret that Aergraq was deadly to a degree unheard of back on the main land, and that was likely the cause of the Royal Academy of Thaumaturgy's heavy restrictions on travel to the island. But the second they discovered the Alaeish Ruins, they had jumped at the chance to get as many people in, and as many artifacts out, as possible.

You knew this particular settlement was called Portland Landing, and it was where you'd need to find a guide to the digsite. Which reminded you.

Turning your head slightly to better hear the goings on in the cabin, you can just make out shouting over the crowds excited chatter. What is crystal clear, however, is the ring of a gunshot.

The crowd quickly shifted from joyous excitement to confused worry, quieting only enough to try and find the location of it's source.

Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, a blond haired woman runs full tilt out of the office, a pistol in hand.

>Just watch and try to blend into the crowd.
>Draw and fire [Marksman Check]
>Give chase and tackle her to the ground.

>>32406975
>>Give chase and tackle her to the ground.

>>32406975
>Give chase and tackle her to the ground.

I used to go to school in portland.
I had a guy yell at me, smelling of weed, while waiting to get a penis shaped donut next to a porn theater

Making all haste away from the noise of the gunshot you saw her only escape route was clearly overboard or into one of the small boats that hung on the side of the ship, ready to be lowered down to carry passengers port. She was clearly planning on the former, as she made her way in the opposite direction of the boats.

Moving swiftly, you brace your sword at your side and sprint forward on an intercept course. She'll want to jump as near to land as possible, to shorten the swim, and you manage to weave through the sailors and crewman, managing to place yourself mostly between her and the ships edge. She stops short and looks around at the crowd, then down to the pistol in her hand. A shout catches your ear.

"She shot the Captain!"

>Draw and fire before she has a chance to. [Marksman Check]
>Try and wrestle the firearm away from her. [Swordsmanship check]
>Try and reason with her. [Negotiation Check]

Rolled 80

>>32407494
>Try and reason with her. [Negotiation Check]
She doesn't know we sent the captain in there. We could just say the plan failed and we should turn ourselves in.

Rolled 73

>>32407551
And risk being arrested? Fuck that noise! Draw and fire!

>>32407597
No, we're just trying to get her to stop running. Once she drops the gun we'll tell her we're a cop.

Rolled 46

>>32407494

>>32407835
And what? She tells everyone we were in on the plan? Better safe than anally raped in a foreign prison.

Rolled 31

>>32407494
We're pretty pro Marksman right? Lets go with that.

>>32407871
What were you rolling for?

Rolled 22

>>32407494
>Draw and fire before she has a chance to. [Marksman Check]

Calm as you please, you pull your pistol from your coat, level and fire just as she starts to bring her's to bare. You can see a trace of betrayal in her eye as your weapon leaps in your hand, a blast of flame bursting from the chamber. You watch the spray of blood burst behind her before she even begins to flinch. A perfect hole right through the chest.

Her eyes trace the distance from your weapon to her chest, and as red begins to soak her white undershirt through to her bodice her knees waver. A hand makes to stop the flow just as they give beneath her, and she drops to the deck in a heap.

Meanwhile you are calmly pulling out the metal badge of the RDC, a silver sickle pulling at a black-iron weed, from your coat pocket. You raise the warm metal insignia above your head.

"In the name of the lands and beasts within it, I Russell Jameson, first son of Sir Russet Jameson, constable and knight-errant of the Royal Druid Cloister of Aermense Lae, sentence this woman, one Shelly LeClaire to death for the theft and murder of at least 5 men and women, as well as the murder of Captain Aerbrook."

Those around you stand in awe. A cold hush has fallen around the crowd and all eyes are on you. Calmly, you hit the level on the side of your pistol, loading a new round into place before storing it in your coat.

>Make port, I need to speak to the local authorities
>Make port, these people deserve a proper burial.
>Who is next in command?

>>32408434
>Who is next in command?

>>32408434
>Who is next in command?

"Who is next in command?" You call into the crowd, searching the faces for an answer.

Eventually, a timid looking man steps forward, or more appropriately is pushed forward. He's visibly shaken, eyes locked on the female corpse laying on the deck. You give him time to steady himself before he speaks. "I-I am sir. Jacques Minos."

He breaths deeply and walks towards you, and you step aside to give him the floor, but not before a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Eye stay on you until you file in with the rest of the onlookers.

Jacques clears his throat, trying to stand taller as he straightens his waistcoat. "Get the doctor and some blankets! Get these bodies ready for burial! Everyone else, back to work, let's bring this bitch in!"

Slowly at first, and then with a haste the men and women snap to work, moving about pulling ropes, prepping the rowboats to head to shore and going about covering the two corpses. In the midst of this Jacques exhales harshly, obviously unprepared for so sudden a leadership role.

He turns to you and gives a half-smile. "Best getting ready Mister Jameson. This won't even be the most exciting part of your trip."

>End of Chapter 2.

Thank you all for coming, feel free to leave comments and critiques.

>>32409073
Jeeze, last post and I forget my trip. Embarrassing.

The next game will likely be Friday, 6PM PST. Hope to see y'all there.

>>32409151
Thanks for running

>>32409151
Thanks for running this.

I look forward to the next session.

>>32409560
>>32409222
Glad to hear it guys. It's what keeps me going.

>>32409587
Quick question: How does one "normally" recover spell points? How was it done before we left I mean.

>>32409767
Depending on where one lived it, the leylines typically lining up with rivers and most people living near by to them, you simply absorbed latent mana like plants do sunlight. For those not so lucky, you could always hunt animals that live near leylines, absorbing small amounts through their meat and pelts, or slay a giant or two and harvesting their bones for scrimshaw, giant's having an unusual aptitude for storing mana in their bodies, a trait that lasts even after death. The final alternative is to have a Half-Sentient (Human-Golem crossbreed) servant to store the energies like a walking battery, leaching off of them.

Most people are own aware of the leyline method or hunting leyline animals, only the best educated understanding the connection between giants and mana aside from passing superstition.

>>32409933
Most methods tend to be very inefficient though, thus most people discrediting them. Those that aren't are prohibitively expensive.

Absording latent mana from leylines is usually at a rate of about 1 "SP" per 3 hours, double that if you are asleep. Eating an animal who resides near leylines give between .01 and 1 SP, giant's can typically store up to 3 after death if their bones are untreated and Half-Sents can as much as an average human (8-10) but leaching from them can be very inefficient if done incorrectly.

>>32409998
Note to self: Conserve the fuck out of our SP.

>>32410067
YUP. More or less the entire point is that they are a very good emergency tool, but you can't rely on them the way you would say, a pistol or a sword.