The Fireball Gazette

Tensions in Fort Murray’s Triumvirate
Once the formalities were over, the adventurers went straight to the buffet, wary of potential assassins but finding none. Instead, they met Josephine Edmund, a noblewoman vying for power. She had her eyes set on the Wythynghall family’s government seat, as Arthur Wythynghall was old, frail, and heirless. Josephine, a progressive with a vision of a seafaring future for Fort Murray, quickly befriended Mad Matt, who shared her love for sailing. As they bonded, Josephine hinted that if Matt could help her with the “Wythynghall problem,” she would reward him handsomely with one of the finest ships from the fleet. Meanwhile, Mabel eavesdropped on Madame de Courcillon, who was dancing with a halfling diplomat from Fairview. It became clear that de Courcillon was quietly opposed to the war and sought to broker a peace deal. If successful, she could seize control, pushing the Wythynghalls and von Trümmbachs out and establishing herself as the sole dominant force in Fort Murray’s political scene.

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 sorrow over the death of his son, Simon III, and the estrangement of his daughter, Tiyana. His wife, Olivia, expressed bitterness, convinced their daughter was never coming back. Just as Arthur’s despair deepened, Tiyana returned, but her arrival wasn’t a reunion – it was a reminder that she had no intention of staying. She proposed a plan: return in a few years to claim her rightful place as heiress, provided that the Wythynghall family could keep their seat long enough. Lysander von Trümmbach, a militarist profiting from the war, would support this plan, as it kept the current power structure intact. But just as the conversation unfolded, Mad Matt triumphantly joined in and announced a darker plan – to kill Arthur Wythynghall to secure a ship from Josephine. Tiyana, furious 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 extinguished the flames, but the tension remained.

Plots and a Shocking Murder
With the party split on what to do, 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 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, crushing Josephine’s spine and tossing her lifeless body into the water. Matt then screamed that the young man had pushed her. When the guards arrived, the party 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. 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.

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