Session 26 Project Abyss
The Six of Steel depart with Spiro Sol Orbis as their ally and take the cable car to the shipyards. Guy gawps at the grandiose galleons moored in the clouds on Ingenium’s eastern shore.
Project Abyss Shipyard
The party find Agnes in the queue to Project Abyss. While she intends to enter under the guise of a Nemo Systems employee, Bantonio reveals he has secured an invite from the project’s lead designer. Loronath beckons the party inside, allowing Blythe just enough time to don her disguise. In the foyer, several groups of investors engage in small talk over complimentary sandwiches. One investor, a human with a long, wiry beard, stands out to Blythe. Guy spies the telltale scars of a sailor on the man’s hands, not to mention his pungent salty odour. While Loronath addresses the crowd, Blythe approaches the scraggly investor.
“I know why you’re here.”
Blythe agitates the investor.
The investor’s name tag reads Wesley Pricklebeard. Blythe doubts the man is truly a representative of the Oghma Archive—he was obviously a pirate. Loronath thanks each of the investors and applauds Vetra Bery of the Verbatim Foundation for stepping in to save the project when further funding was required. Blythe’s ears prick up and she glances again at the letter to Camren, signed V. Loronath guides the investors into the factory. Guy’s eyes glow as he examines the sophisticated vessel. The submarine’s upper half is still under construction, yet it is already the size of six houses.
Loronath invites the investors to enter the submarine, but cautions them not to stray beyond the barrier. Speaking with Loronath, Firien learns that the submarine is intended to chart the depths of the Vena Trench. The project’s first submarine was attacked by triton from the mysterious underwater city of Abyssus in 990 PO. Gomruss learns that—much to Loronath’s chagrin—the CSCA, the primary stakeholders, have demanded the project be expanded for military use; hence the need for further funding. Blythe examines a map that shows the proposed route of the submarine’s first expedition. The route strays dangerously close to the remains of Mundi Eversor.
Blythe quickly realises that Pricklebeard has disappeared. Raring to investigate, she advises Firien who agrees to tip off Loronath once Blythe has had ample opportunity to snoop. Blythe envelops Guy and Bantonio in a pass without trace spell, allowing them to enter the staffrooms undetected. The trio discovers Vetra’s office and Guy successfully picks the lock. Open on Vetra’s desk, several documents present candidates for the submarine crew. Many have been dismissed by Vetra in favour of her own candidates. Furthermore, it appears Vetra joined Project Abyss less than one month ago.
Exiting Vetra’s office, Blythe is keen to practise her lock picking skills and snaps Guy’s favourite feather. Their fussing draws the attention of a janitor, who kindly locks the door with a spare set of keys. He must have thought they were staff members. Guy spies bootprints muddying the janitor’s work. The trio follows the prints to the design team’s office where Pricklebeard rifles through a mess of blueprints. When Blythe announces herself, Pricklebeard spins around. A small pistol snaps into his hand!
After a sharp pop, Blythe feels a trickle of blood run down her shoulder. Guy springs into action, slicing at Pricklebeard’s throat and torso. Wounded, Pricklebeard stumbles back to reload his weapon. Guy gives chase, dodging a second bullet. Pricklebeard makes a break for the window but Guy seizes him, placing a dagger at his throat. Bantonio ties up the malodorous pirate while Blythe disarms him. Distressed by the pirate’s callous attitude, Bantonio grabs Pricklebeard by the hairs on the nape of his neck.
“You better tell my friend what he wants to know, or we will start plucking your beard hair by hair.”
“Not the beard! I’ll talk! I was sent to retrieve the blueprints.”
“For whom?”
“Bhaldrom Anchorheart. He’s got big plans for the Manyshells.”
Bantonio and Guy interrogate Pricklebeard.
A shiver runs up Guy’s spine as Loronath bursts into the room alongside several guards. Guy explains that Pricklebeard was looking for weaknesses in the submarine’s design which the pirate factions might exploit should they go to war with the CSCA. Loronath shakes his head. He seems inclined to cease the project until they can secure an alternate source of funds. Vetra steps forward, apparently anxious to continue the project regardless. Summoning the wisdom of an experienced sailor, Guy offers a compromise.
“Why not just make the submarine smaller? You would save money! And for long-range expeditions, you could deploy it from a galleon.”
“You may be onto something there.”
Guy to Loronath.
Pricklebeard is arrested by the guards while Firien tends to Blythe’s wound. With a prickle of magnetism at their fingertips, Firien snags the bullet in Blythe’s shoulder and seals her wound. That’s when Blythe’s sending stone chimes.
“Err hello? Is this Blythe? It’s Tuperk from the Commission. There’s a delivery for Arti at Crowswood Place. Err… Did you order an earthmote?”
Tuperk calls Blythe.