50 Fathoms - Session 31

25th May 2020

We had skipped Sunday and it was a bank holiday Monday. I was sitting in front of my laptop in my living room and today is time for Matt's 50 Fathoms campaign.

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Location: Baltimus.

I made my excuses to go to the 'gone to the toilet'. Instead I took the opportunity to explore  the upper part of the house. Unfortunately, this yielded nothing.
Before returning downstairs, I ensured that the window in the bathroom was left open a sliver, so we could use it to sneak back in later.

Upon returning to the party I saw that it was beginning to 'wind up' and the guests were beginning to leave.
Soon, other than Bruno and his entourage and us, only a few other people were were remaining. We could not help but notice that they were all good looking.

At this time, the guards retired for the night and we were all led to a different room.

And what a different room it was!

There were drugs laid out on the table like food for a banquet.
There was a copious amount of alcohol here, including a wine fountain!
There were even numerous 'ladies of the night' present.

Bruno and his friends did not hesitate at indulging themselves in the debauchery.
Bruno himself immediately consumed a large amount of narcotics.
Several people, including Baxter simply dipped their faces into the wine fountain.
I restrained myself and watched from a quiet corner.

Meanwhile; Shia began to flirt with one of Bruno's friends, 'Francisco Valorez'. Shia convinced Francisco to show her around the house. 

Francisco took Shia into a side room, just off the room we were in.
It was well decorated with an expansive bed as the room's centrepiece. Shia noticed that on all four walls, there were the dark outlines of numerous weapons such as swords and pistols that once hung on the walls here against the faded wallpaper.
Shia asked about the weapons and Francisco explained that they had been auctioned off. Shia expressed an interest in buying one, but according to Francisco, they had all already been auctioned off
Shia looked carefully at the outlines and spotted one that might match the description of the sword we were looking for.

Meanwhile, in the main room, Bruno was emerging from his drug fuelled stupor. Regaining his wits somewhat, he suddenly grabbed an unaware woman, threw her over his shoulder and lurched for the same door Shia had gone through.

As I made for Bruno, I saw several of his friends turn their heads towards him with looks of contempt. I had hoped to reach him before he reached the door, but I was not quick enough, Baxter followed behind me.

Bruno opened the door, saw Shia and Francisco and shouted at them to 'Get out!'. Francisco looked taken aback, meanwhile, Shia sat on the bed suggestively.

Francisco looked around and was confused, he took his leave as Baxter and I entered. Baxter closed the door behind him
Quickly I stepped forward gripping my dagger, then with the hilt I thumped Bruno on the back of the head. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. I picked up the hapless woman and explain that it seems that Bruno had slipped and knocked his head. She was angry and distressed, but we convinced her to leave the room.

I searched Bruno and I found a key and a metallic disc. The disc was the size of a coin, one side was entirely smooth and the other has some sort of pattern inscribed into it.
When I picked up Bruno to put him on the bed, I noticed beneath the bed there was a circular indentation in the floor.

We hefted the bed to one side and could see that the indentation matched the size of the metal disc. There was also a strange pattern in the indentation, possibly similar to the disc.

I put the disc into the indentation with the patterned side down. Nothing happened? We rotated the coin and there was a 'click', a hidden compartment in the floor popped open!
Searching it revealed a stash of coin, a strange compass and a book, a cursory glance revealed it was Byron's journal! 

As I was occupied with the compartment, Shia quietly poisoned Bruno, who after a few seconds convulsed violently, before becoming still...

Shia left the room and spoke to Bruno's friends, she stated that she knew about medicine and it looked like Bruno had suffered an attack or an 'aneurysm' and had tragically passed away. It was quite convincing.

Bruno's friends did not seem too unhappy or concerned, they certainly did not push the matter with Shia and thanked her for her efforts!

What remained of the party now began to disperse. No doubt, rumours would begin to fly through Baltimus soon enough.
A carriage was summoned for us and we returned to the docks and our ships for the remainder of the night.

---

Late as it was, I spent the next two hours reading through Byron's journal.

For the most part the journal starts of as you might expect. But over time, it becomes darker and darker. Over this time his handwriting also deteriorates significantly.

Byron talks of his regret at the killing of the three Mallus sisters; Mala, Maka and Mana. Who were sentenced to death for killing their sister Mara - for 'dark reasons'.

By this time, the handwriting had become illegible, but I managed to discern one final reference; to the island of 'Sprith'.

On the next day at the break of day, we saw Manny Morkon rowing out to our ships. The news of Bruno's demise had reached him and he had come to thank Shia.
Morkon came aboard and handed over the sword Versalis that he promised.

In return, Shia gives her share of the coin that we 'liberated' from Bruno's house to Morkon and his daughter.
It seemed to us that a weight had been lifted off the man as he rowed away in the dawn light.

We unwrapped the sword and examined it.
The detailing on the hilt and crosspiece was ornate and exquisite. It depicted a map of the world before 'the flood'. It wass also inlaid with numerous jewels and precious stones.

Byron's journal had hinted at the island of Sprith. Perhaps we were one step closer to finding the 'Sword of Amemnus'?