[Audio/Visual] Dude where's our map? [Date TBD?]

[naturaltwohands]

[Drizzt's human hands are holding up some paper, his eyes focused on a note in neat Imperial Calligraphy:

I have your charts. If you want a chance of ever leaving this benighted island, bring me the Bando rebels’ box and give me safe passage back to the Empire.

K

Drizzt's gaze continues to linger on it as he speaks out loud, voice even but laced with anger. Yes, he's got a young teenager's voice. And yes, it doesn't do anger very well. Also yes, shut up.]

As the note says, our sea charts have been stolen. [You know, the ones Drizzt found after they didn't need them anymore?] I found this ransom note on the back of our charter.

Does anyone possess clues that might lead to the identity of the traitor? What course of action should we take? And where exactly would we meet this individual? They've neglected to mention a location with which to meet.

Comments

[loyalrebel]

Our maps matter less than the other ship's.

If someone does get their hands on the box, I can rig an unpleasant surprise for the thief instead of whatever contents they did not mention in their note.

[naturaltwohands]

I agree. Still, it's the spirit of the matter!

Whatever the contents, he or she must not get them. A trap would be far better for his or her troubles, although he or she likely intend to only tell us the maps if they get what he or she desires.

[Someone please teach Drizzt they as a third person pronoun.]

[loyalrebel]

I doubt they thought their plan through very well anyway.

Which is why we should give them a box with false contents, they will think they got what they wanted and give back the charts. Then when they open the box it will quite literally blow up in their face.

I have little sympathy for thieves and traitorous spies.

[naturaltwohands]

And if they wish to check inside the box with one of us present?

[claudiometer]

From the sound of the shouting, the Pulao's charts are gone too. I can pretty much guarantee those weren't the only copy, but anyone close enough to Helena for her to overlay is going to want her stolen property back because it's her property.

The box part is... worrisome.

[naturaltwohands]

It seems the thief has a contingency plan in place.

... I am not certain I wish to know what is in the box. Does anyone know already?

[claudiometer]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say 'an Imperial dragon.'

[naturaltwohands]

A dragon?

[You can almost see his jaw drop with the way he thinks that.]

How big is this box, exactly? [A beat, that makes no sense.] Or is it only a hatchling?

[comebewe]

[And here is where Matthew butts in, with a rather long string of emphatic swearing. Sure, it might not all make sense to anyone not familiar with British curse words...but you can get the idea]

[fruitknife]

There was somebody skulking around the boat the other day. I'd guess a woman but I'm not sure. Dark hair, looked... Polynesian-ish if I had to put it in Earth terms.

Whoever it was, they ain't been on the boat with us before.

[naturaltwohands]

[Drizzt could ask why he didn't stop her, but he's not going to scold at the moment.]

Do you think you could recognize her if you caught sight of her again?

[fruitknife]

[Be...cause all they were doing was skulking and the actual theft happened overnight, while he was in Liminal Space?]

Probably.

[naturaltwohands]

[... Okay that would make it kinda hard to stop them the second time around, huh?]

It's our first hint at whom may have done this, at least.

[theflyingone]

I can meet with you and make a drawing of this person.

[ "Police sketch" is a phrase a little ahead of his time. ]

[fruitknife]

Sure. If I'm not in the kitchen I'm in Liminal Space.

[theflyingone]

There are limits to how often I can make a portal. I would rather save that for an emergency. I hope you are in the Cornu's galley.

[ He's trekking over there anyway, it's not far. Luckily he has his drawing materials on him, as an island is less navigable than a city, and warrants more drawings of it. ]

[memoryandtheft]

If they didn't mention a meeting place, it's because they're watching - either closely enough to see what we're doing, or for any signal we might send up.

If we know what the box looks like, we might be able to create a decoy to lure them out.

[naturaltwohands]

That is very disconcerting.

Does anyone know? I certainly have not set sight on it.

[memoryandtheft]

Me neither. But either they're hoping to get us to put pressure on the other ship, or they've seen someone close enough to know which box they want.

[naturaltwohands]

We cannot let this individual get a hold of a dragon, one that I assume that can be controlled. It will likely be necessary.

[thornsofmalkav]

Zed was on the Pulao. He might have gotten a glimpse of it?

[naturaltwohands]

Even if he hasn't, the Pulao may allow us to see the box if we work together with them.

[theflyingone]

Has anyone volunteered to address the root of our problem? The culprit? Should the thief survive the exploding rune, we need to be ready.

[naturaltwohands]

A back-up plan of assassination, you mean.

[theflyingone]

I am not sure if this 'K' is a highly-ranked figure. Those are the victims of assassination. As far as I know, right now, we are just... responding to being threatened.

I said nothing of killing this person, though that would be what I deem wisest. We could try taking this person alive, but that is far more dangerous.