The Diamond Kingdom’s symbol is drawn on the walls in Warden Holt’s blood
The symbol is drawn incorrectly (clockwise instead of top to bottom) — not in the way that a true Diamond citizen would draw it
There are no signs of struggle or forced entry
There are traces of magic (magical footprints) that circle around and lead out of the room
Illusion magic
The Body
Warden Holt was sitting at her desk when she died, no signs of struggle
Warden Holt’s throat was slit, and then she was stabbed in the back
We did not check for belongings or investigate the body further
The Knife
Unlike any standard-issue knives made in Diamond or Clover
Slightly curved at the very end, and has a straight handle. Very rudimentary but also custom-made knife made of bone
The Map
The map was torn into pieces. Although Mending was cast on it, at least half the map is missing
The parts that are missing contain the red sigils which indicate exact enemy locations and information
Camille will walk around the boat and cast Mending on the parts of the map that we do have to see if we can locate the missing pieces (and see who has them/where they are)
The Encrypted Book
Written in a cipher that is a combination of both Dwarvish and Infernal
Obtained during an infiltration mission in Diamond
Contains unknown information
Stolen (assumedly by the assailant)
The Decoder
Found on the floor of the navigator’s/Warden Holt’s room
Showed 3 decrypted words of the cipher when acquired: “DIAMOND”, “ DOESN’T”, “WANT”
List of suspicious people (or people that could be in the know), provided by the Captain
Sentinel Vayla (she/her): usually oversees the deckhands. Not that she’s suspicious, but she’d likely have more information
Warden Voss (he/him): the quartermaster. He’s usually checking the ship’s inventory late into the evening. He’s also the only one to know if something went missing from the ship’s inventory
CONCLUSIONS
The assailant is:
A spellcaster of some kind, since they were able to get behind Warden Holt without arousing suspicion
Either a Clover sympathizer or Clover military personnel
Likely rich and relatively high-up in the military (i.e. NOT a Journeyman), since they could afford a custom bone knife
Further theories:
Warden Holt was assaulted by either an invisible spellcaster who slipped in when she left the room OR she tried to share her findings with a traitor disguised as someone she trusted.
The assailant could be connected with the suspicious citizen who reacted strangely to hearing Cal’s name at the docks.
Current plan of action:
Limit the number of people who can view the body (Tiny Hut was ritual cast by Camille, and Vallen will guard the body to be extra safe)
Speak with the people from the list provided by the Captain
Limit movement around the ship and lock down peoples’ locations (quarantine them?) after the Captain announces the murder
If necessary, use Speak with Dead to talk to the body and get more information (after the next long rest)
Session Begins
We discuss who to speak to first
Kaya theorizes that the knife could’ve been gifted to a Journeyman, but also acknowledges that it’s not super likely
It’s currently 8 AM, we have 4 hours until the Captain announces the murder
We decide to invite the list of people the Captain gave us to breakfast (+ the Captain himself) and interrogate them there
The Captain agrees to our plan, and is off to order the list of people to join us at breakfast — it should only take 10-ish minutes
Camille asks for a list of the guards on shift last night (list acquired!)
We will be dining in our quarters (guest rooms) 😎
The Captain grabs some papers from his desk, shuffles them into his bag, and then heads off with us
The Captain uses Sending Stones to text some people
As we arrive at our room, the Captain makes himself comfortable on our couch, and we agree that the cook (Bram Trsk) will bring us breakfast
Camille asks the Captain what his name is: Finnigan Seamus
10 minutes after we arrive, people start filing in
There are papers scattered over the desk with some Sending Stones
Camille casts Mending. Nothing changes on the map
Camille suggests that Cordelia cast Detect Magic before we leave the bottom floor to check for any traces of suspicious magic
Cordelia investigates the papers on the desk (Investigation 16)
She sees decoded messages from the Merchant’s Guild
Nothing of a ton of note
Both the Dwarvish and the Infernal alphabets are laid out
Cordelia casts Detect Magic to look for traces of Illusion magic
She sees some traces of magic - as if Journeyman Delaine has cast magic before - but there’s nothing that stands out
HOWEVER she sees magic that is not classified as a school of magic
There’s also nothing in the desk drawers
Journeyman Trsk (Chef’s Quarters)
Right next to the mess hall
He has a personal kitchen for himself, the bed isn’t super made, and all the furniture is a little lower to the ground since he’s a Dwarf
Cordelia doesn’t see anything with Detect Magic
Perception (3), but her PP is 15
She sees the same footprints. They go from the door to his closet, then back out the door
Cordelia looks in the closet
It’s filled with personal bags
Camille tries to look around, but rolls a Nat 1 on Investigation :(
Cordelia pokes around, and finds some traveling clothes and a small box of knives — there’s an empty indent whose shape matches the knife in Warden Holt’s back. All the knives look custom-made
Cordelia looks under the mattress
Investigation (NAT 20!): She sees that he has a few weapons (standard Dwarven weapons)
Camille casts Mending. Nothing happens
We try to follow the footprints.
They go down the hallway and lead to the stairs which go to the bottommost level of the ship
They look like they originated from a side broom closet, and ended there as well
Cordelia realizes that the magic looks more potent when the footsteps start, and it looks less potent when they return
Warden Vayla’s Room
Basic-ass room. Spartan as hell
Camille casts Mending
A FEW SCRAPS FLY BACK TO THE MAP!!! We now have the parts with Mossley, but we’re still missing the parts with the mountains
The pieces came from under the rug that she has
Cordelia doesn’t sense any notable traces of (Illusion) magic in this room
Cordelia and Camille discuss the possibility that Warden Vayla is being framed, since it’s odd that the scraps of the map were tucked away in such an easy-to-locate place (and only a small portion of the map at that)
Warden Voss’s Room (Quartermaster’s Quarters)
There are some folks out and about, moving crates and stuff — obviously Voss’s subordinates
Voss’s room is also located at the bottommost level of the ship
Camille casts Mending. Nothing happens.
Cordelia looks around with Detect Magic
There are very faint traces of Illusion magic around the room (unable to tell if it’s THE illusion magic or just other Illusion spells)
Camille’s passive perception (15) reveals:
THE WINDOW IS OPEN???
The latch seems intact — like it was opened purposefully
Cordelia takes a closer look at Voss’s desk
IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE’S BEEN PRACTICING HOW TO DRAW THE DIAMOND EMBLEM
Cordelia sends a message to Kaya via Sending Stone
Message asks Kaya to get everyone’s handwriting (specifically to write “Diamond”)
Kaya and Cal: Back to Breakfast
Kaya inquires as to which of the group are spellcasters
Journeyman Delaine, Journeyman Trsk, and Warden Voss
Warden Voss: Illusion and Transmutation (he was originally a Sorcerer)
Kaya passes out pens and papers and asks our suspects to draw the Diamond insignia + write some stuff down
While this is happening, Kaya and Cal look real close at our suspects to check for whether or not anyone is particularly nervous
Delaine and Voss are both right-handed, Trsk and Vayla are left-handed
The younger ones are a little more nervous, but that could be chalked up to inexperience
Everyone draws it wrong: Trsk, Delaine, and Voss draw it counter-clockwise, Vayla draws it clockwise
Remember: the symbols drawn in the navigator’s room were drawn counter-clockwise
They also acquire everyone’s handwriting!
Cordelia and Camille: Back to Investigating
We go back to the navigator’s room
Vallen’s there! We catch him up a little (he now knows about the extra map pieces and where we found them)
Cordelia checks Warden Holt’s pockets
2-3 GP in her left pocket
Her right pocket is turned inside-out — as if something was inside and taken out
Cordelia checks the wounds
NAT 20 INVESTIGATION
Whoever did it is left-handed
Camille checks for open windows
THEY’RE OPEN!???!
Vallen opened them 😭😭😭
CAMILLE CONNECTS THE DOTS!!!
They theorize that the killer COULD be a Changeling
Vallen notes that Changelings use Fey magic
Vallen ALSO theorizes that Changelings use Illusionary magic, and that magic occurs instantaneously — so the footsteps being stronger in the closet is likely because a Changeling used magic to change
There’s a moment where Vallen says “Changelings can change their form -” and Camille responds with “I don’t 😐”
Camille says that there’s a spell called Detect Evil and Good that helps detect Fey
Vallen doesn’t have it :(
Reuniting!
Camille and Cordelia head back to our quarters, leaving Vallen behind
The gang goes to a different room and shares their findings!
Cal says that he could threaten people, but Camille counters and says they can just cast Zone of Truth
Cordelia analyzes the sheets of paper with the Infernal and Dwarvish alphabets
It looks most similar to Voss and Delaine’s handwriting
We theorize that Voss is trying to frame Vayla
Camille also says that Voss’s window was open, so he probably threw out the remaining pieces of the map
Camille tells our suspects that they’re casting Zone of Truth
Everyone is willing to submit, and they all (probably willingly) fail their saves
The party chooses to fail their saves as well
Cal fails the Zone of Truth, but twists his words and says that we found pieces of the map under her rug 👀
CORDELIA SEES VOSS AND DELAINE EXCHANGE A GLANCE!!!!!!
Cordelia whispers this information over to Cal
Vayla says that she didn’t kill anybody
Cal says that Trsk’s knife was missing, and his knife was missing
Trsk says that he didn’t do it — Insight check reveals that he’s telling the truth
CJ asks us to roll for Arcana and Perception
Everyone rolls higher than a 10 on Arcana except for Camille
Camille and someone else (forgor) rolls higher than a 19 on Perception
Camille asks Voss what he was doing last night and where he was
Rolls Perception (dirty 20) and History (19)
CAMILLE REMEMBERS: the weapons crates were being freshly unloaded near Voss’s room while we passed by
They ask why he was checking the crates when they were just unloaded — he was also only unloading them for 10 minutes
EVERYONE NOTICES HIM USE A SUBTLE SPELL!!!
EVERYONE BUT CAMILLE REALIZES THAT IT WAS A MODIFY MEMORY SPELL_
After he checked the crates, he went to Delaine’s room
Camille questions him more: they fucked. Camille does not care.
While they were hanging out, they worked on some decoding something using the Infernal and Dwarvish alphabets
Cordelia presses Delaine for more details
They were trying to learn the alphabets to help in the morning
Delaine says that she doesn’t have the book, and neither does Voss
Camille just straight-up asks if they know where the book is.
SILENCE!! BOOKED AND CLOCKED AND BOOKED!!!!!!
They say that they can ask an easier question: “Are either of you changelings?”
MORE SILENCE!!! GOT THEIR FUCKING ASSES
COMBAT BEGINS
Pre-Combat
Voss and Delaine take on their true forms
Cal tries to warn them to back down, since they might survive if they do (they don’t)
All the other crew members back up and get out of the way except for the Captain, who readies up to fight
Initiative Order: Cordelia, Voss, Delaine, Captain, Camille, Kaya, Cal
ROUND 1
Cordelia
Casts [Web] as far away as possible, so she doesn’t affect the party
DEX save: Delaine fails, Voss succeeds
Voss
We establish that Camille probably isn’t wearing their armor :( so their AC is 13
Casts _Inflict Wounds and deals 23 necrotic damage
Delaine
Throws a knife at Cal for 7 pts of damage
SHE HAS DAGGERS OF RETURNING?? BITCH!!!
Captain
PULLS OUT 2 GUNS???
MISSES WITH ONE BUT HITS VOSS WITH THE OTHER FOR 12 DAMAGE!!
Camille
Casts Protection from Evil and Good, so the Changelings will have disadvantage on attacks against them
Backs up, incurs an AoE (Voss misses)
Kaya
Gives him the ole one-two for 15 points of dmg as an action
Bonus action hits him a third time for 6 pts of dmg
Cal
Attacks Delaine with advantage with THREE ATTACKS!! First attack is a nat 20 👀
42 TOTAL POINTS OF DAMAGE!!! KING SHIT
ROUND 2
Cordelia
Casts Acid Arrow on Voss, for 17 points of dmg
The arrow sinks into his stomach — like he’s ABOUT to die
Voss
His eyes begin to glow, forcing everyone to roll a CON save
Everyone passes except for Kaya 💀
We feel a tinge in our brains — he just read our thoughts via Detect Thoughts
HE KILLS HIMSELF IN FRONT OF US, THEREFORE CHANGING THE COURSE OF OUR LIVES FOREVER
Delaine
Tries to break away from Cal, triggering an AoE
Cal tries to Grapple her (nat 1)
JUMPS OUT THE WINDOW
COMBAT ENDS
Post-Combat
Camille casts Spare the Dying on Voss, and asks for help tying him up before they heal him
Kaya helps to tie him up
Camille talks to the Captain and says that they’d like to heal him up — the Captain says they can heal and question him once he’s thrown in the brig
They agree to this and try to pick Voss up (Strength 3) and they CANNOT
The Captain helps out
Camille says that if Voss dies (they hope he doesn’t) they’ll still be able to talk to his body come tomorrow (the Captain is like !?!?!?!?!??? 😟💥⁉️)
The Captain says that he’ll find us a different room to stay in before he leaves
Where the party goes:
Cordelia goes to inform Vallen that he doesn’t need to guard the Tiny Hut anymore
Cal IMMEDIATELY goes to the kitchen???
Kaya sneaks after Cal out of a morbid sense of curiosity
SIDE NOTE: CJ PRETENDS TO SUCK DICK 3 TIMES
Cordelia Visits Vallen
Camille informs Vallen that there were two murderers, and that one of them killed herself
Cordelia says that there’s a lot to talk about, and suggests that we go downstairs to review everything with Vallen
Camille excuses themself, saying that they’re going to look through Voss’s room for more clues
Cordelia and Vallen are left alone for like 10 seconds…… silence
Cal enters the bubble, grabs the knife, and leaves, whistling to himself and flipping it as he walks 😊🎶
KAYA’S STILL FOLLOWING HIM LMAO
Cordelia and Vallen debrief. Vallen now knows:
That it was Voss and Delaine, and they were Changelings
They chat and have a little banter
Vallen just kinda leaves (they notably DIDN’T brush shoulders)
Cordelia follows
THEY ROLL PERCEPTION FOR SOMETHING??? IDK
Cal TV Time
Mans goes to the kitchen with his new bloody knife!!
He sees Trsk chopping veggies on a wooden cutting board
Cal throws the murder knife on the cutting board (Trsk is happy to have it back, but throws out the board bcs it has blood on it now)
Cal gives Trsk his knife back!!!
Trsk actually spent money on the materials to make this knife!!
He found some materials in the woods
They banter! They chill!!
Trsk asks Cal how he can repay him
CAL WANTS EGGS????? HE SAYS HE’S RUNNING LOW
KAYA’S WATCHING IN HORRIFIED FASCINATION
Trsk gives him a small box that can keep things fresh BUT it’s like, pocket-sized and is big enough to hold 1 (one) egg
Cal is like “I won’t need these anymore!” AND DUMPS DOZENS OF FERMENTED EGGS OUT FROM HIS RING
KAYA AND TRSK ARE LIKE:
Kaya manages to stay hidden from Cal
KAYA MAKES EYE CONTACT WITH THE BARMAID
SHE WOULD’VE ASKED FOR A ROUND 2, BUT THE EGGS PUT HER OFF!!! LOVE LOSES ☹️
