Post Battle Affect

Researcher: Dīca Dux
 
 
Research: "Life Adventures from Land to Sea"
 
 
Report:
 
 
Journal: We had won. The tournament was over and we had won. The congratulations was simple enough with us being directed away to collect the earnings while the announcer made a speech about how the common man could use magic via Maestro's devices. People stopped to congratulate us all along the way out. We each got 80gp and a voucher for a victory meal at the local pub. The same pub that was serving a free meal to all tonight. We were also given a pouch with Maestro's seal on it that contained 16 platinum pieces for each of us as per his deal. Knowing that the pub would be hectic we decided to delay a bit before going. Snowball had an appointment to get to and Ravash accompanied her. I wanted to speak with An-core about the grove that Jada mentioned. Of all of the group I've come to know, he is the one I trust with this information. Kar'el tagged along with us to my displeasure.
We arrived back at the Lord's Hall and Jada found us at the entrance. The timing was great, but I still feel awkward around her with everything. Kar'el went to the bar as per usual and us three went back to the group room we rented for the discussion. There I mentioned the Grove to An-core and Jada was able to fill us in on more about the situation. It seems to be a local place where some Simic adapted creatures seem to turn up fairly regularly. So much so that the Enclave recently set up a grove to investigate. An-core also inquired about our relationship of which she explained the incident from years ago. Jada explained our theory of the Dimir sabotage, and I told them of my almost encounter yesterday. Our relationship was complex as she was supposed to arrest me, even though I have given her no explicit evidence yet. Her official title was Arcane Investigator so it seemed she would be more worried about her cases than my legal status. We agreed to visit the grove soon and in the meantime I offered her my help with the missing persons case she was working on.
This surprised An-core as he informed us that two of our own shipmates from the gargoyle had been taken. One of the aarakocra brothers were swallowed by a large frog creature. Jada said that it sounded like the others who had disappeared always near the water, shipyard, docks, ect. They were likely taken by the group known as The Midnight Abductors. With that we had to go inform the others of the investigation and our assistance not to the Boros, but to Jada.
 
We met together in the pub which was still rather packed but we did manage to get a table. For the first bit we just listened in to the gossip. About us, about the tournament, about the fights, about the election, and about Maestro Aethernet thing. It was some sort of mass long distance communication using the ley lines. Ravash was of the opinion the Maestro position was secured due to us with the tournament. An-core stared talking to a guard in the corner for some reason. We used our vouchers and ordered our food. The waitress seemed to be out of it with the crowd, but was still skillful in navigating them. The conversation turned to our abducted and I found out that Guffy had also been taken. After our food, Ravash suggested that we should take a walk and a "nap" back at the Lord's Hall.
Back in our room, Carame had a large strong smelling drink as Ravash told us of Banderhobbs. That they were the creatures that took our missing crewmates. Snowball informed the others that they are darklings, made of flesh and shadow. They are giant frog creatures that transport illicit things by traveling via shadow and that the Banderhobs that grabbed our crewmares were likely a variant since they usually kill on swallow according to Carame. Ravash had used sending to communicate with one of the other aarakocra brothers who was in pursuit somewhere along the southern coast. We discussed about how to get south to help. Someone bought up asking Maestro for help and potentially tempting him to improve his reputation with the Evermist Holdfasts. I would have to inform Jada about our group's decision to investigate since this seems to be related to her cases. Carame also told us about a speed sailing crew he was friend with, the Wave Cutters. They came in third in this years' sailing competition after having been 1st the last few times. He said that he could go ask them for assistance and they could likely be ready at first light as he stumbled out the room. With that the rest of us went to visit Maestro.
 
We arrived at the scholar house to see if he was available. With all the business that was happening with the election, I was a little doubtful. We wanted to visit him about the lent items and help with the abducted. After knocking we were pointed to a more private study than last time by the same dour servant. Ravash and Kar'el decided to rifle through papers on his desk while I just patiently watched out the window. Not long later Maestro showed up. He talked about what some of the papers that they were going through and of what his plans were for his Aethernet. He had a few nodes on the major islands that had some sort of self regulating entity living within the system. He kept talking to someone called "Wire" while telling us about how others don't like his inventions do to potential weaponization, or even them being able to shut out certain people if they are determined to be bad. Kar'el asked him about if he had some sort of transportation to the south as to help of which he didn't, but he did offer one of his sentinels to help us with recovery. He told us that the southern beach was the "fey beach" and was a nature preserve for the fey in general. Well, the gear he had lent to us was our to keep as they had been a great success in what he was working on. The downside was that they had be be recharged from some giant reactor thing in his facility. He opened a part of his desk to reveal things known as aetherports to charge up the gear. He said that he wants to be able to put these charging ports for his gear over the aethernet terminals in the future. I do not really like the idea of our tools being able to be shut off by others' decisions especially given how popularity can wane with something like my faction. There was also a talk of some sort of creature that I missed as he took off urgently. We were left with a few hours of free time to kill before the announcement ceremony for who became head mage. I decided to go back to the Lord's Hall to see if the Dimir agent would show.