The Fireball Gazette

Tensions in Fort Murray’s Triumvirate
Once the formalities were concluded, the adventurers headed straight for the buffet, keeping a polite eye out for any assassins (though, thankfully, none appeared). Instead, they met Josephine Edmund, a noblewoman with rather ambitious plans for power. She had her sights set on the Wythynghall family’s government seat, as Arthur Wythynghall was quite old, frail, and unfortunately without an heir. Josephine, a progressive with a vision of a seafaring future for Fort Murray, quickly befriended Mad Matt, who shared her fondness for sailing. As they chatted over tea, Josephine hinted that if Matt could assist her with the “Wythynghall problem,” she would reward him handsomely with one of the finest ships from the fleet. Meanwhile, Mabel was quite discreetly eavesdropping on Madame de Courcillon, who was dancing with a halfling diplomat from Fairview. It became rather clear that de Courcillon was quietly opposed to the war and sought to broker a peace deal. If successful, she could seize control, politely but permanently pushing the Wythynghalls and von Trümmbachs out of the political scene altogether.

Family Drama and Fiery Tempers
As the evening progressed, Mabel and Selah took the opportunity to speak with the frail Arthur Wythynghall. He shared his deep sorrow over the passing of his son, Simon III, and the rather awkward estrament of his daughter, Tiyana. His wife, Olivia, expressed some bitterness, convinced their daughter would never return for tea. Just as Arthur’s despair deepened, Tiyana returned, but her arrival wasn't so much a reunion as it was an announcement that she had no intention of staying. She proposed a plan: to return in a few years to claim her rightful place, provided the Wythynghall family could keep their seat long enough without any further bother. Lysander von Trümmbach, a militarist profiting from the war, would support this, as it kept the current power structure quite intact. But just as the conversation was unfolding, Mad Matt - with rather poor manners - joined in and announced a much darker plan: to kill Arthur Wythynghall to secure a ship from Josephine. Tiyana, absolutely appalled at the suggestion of murdering her father, stormed off, downed a full glass of redberry vodka, and returned to set Mad Matt ablaze. A butler quickly arrived to extinguish the flames - very professional, really - but the tension remained quite palpable.

Plots and a Shockingly Untidy Murder
With the party somewhat split on how to proceed, Mabel sought more information from Lysander, who offered her a position in the army - a suggestion that Mabel, a former war medic for the opposing side, found rather distasteful. Yet it was clear that Lysander wanted to prolong the war, seeing it as the key to his wealth and influence. At the same time, Madame de Courcillon, ever the opportunist, revealed that she would back Josephine if it meant bringing peace to the city. As the night drew to a close, Mad Matt put a deadly plan into action. He lured Josephine to the balcony under the guise of discussing strategy, invited a stylish young man for a smoke, and unleashed his dark powers. Tentacles erupted from the moat in a most untidy fashion, crushing Josephine’s spine and tossing her lifeless body into the water. Matt then proceeded to scream that the young man had pushed her. When the guards arrived, the party - not wishing to cause a scene - corroborated his story, and the innocent man was swiftly arrested.

A New Alliance and a New Ship
With Josephine gone, the Edmunds were no longer a threat, and Arthur Wythynghall’s seat was secure for a few more years, which was quite a relief. Lysander and Arthur agreed to wait for Tiyana’s eventual return while recalling the dockworkers from the front lines. Days later, the party sailed away on their newly upgraded carbon fiber ship, leaving behind a city rife with political plots and lingering tension - though, at least, the weather had cleared up slightly.

An Exclusive Look at an Excerpt from Mad Matt’s Notebook