Brief Recap: The party just finished the Tomb of Horrors, retrieving the Obsidian Stone from Thae-Rune Ibn's secret cache and killing its guardian, the lich of Eclavdra. Humphrey Teleported away with the stone, returning after the rest of the party had found their way outside.

Humphrey's Gambit

Bibi stands brooding in the bow of the ship, watching the dim east into which the ship returns, the sun setting at her back. Humphrey has doubtless already been to the east, Galay, and back again using his Teleportation. Bibi doesn't trust the mage. Not one bit.

The others of the company lean on the ship's rails looking both northward for more wyvern, and eastward, to their destination. Mog is below as is Humphrey, praying and studying, respectively.

Bibi replays the events in her head over and over again, she can't help herself. She used one of her white stones in the lich's crypt, and the Obsidian Stone was revealed to them--the coffer in which it lay sprang open, exposing the stone. But before Bibi could get to it or even act, Humphrey had snatched the Obsidian Stone for himself. He wouldn't even let Bibi use it to recharge her amulet. He also refused to allow Mog or another member of the party to carry the Stone.

That really galls Bibi. Hot anger boils up in her again as it has a hundred times since they left the Tomb. If Humphrey is so worried about protecting the stone, why has he taken it from the protection of the party? Surely it was safer with all of them there to protect it. She is sure Thae-Rune Ibn would know where the Stone is--he seems able to scry on them at will. Does Humphrey think it will be safer hid, far away? Safer than there with the company? For all he knew, a brigade of wyvern riders was already laying waste to wherever he hid the Stone.

Replay: She drew her white stone--Humphrey must have known what she was about to do when he saw it--and it showed her the Obsidian Stone! They were linked, her amulet and the Obsidian Stone, and were meant to be together. But No! Humphrey stole it like a thief. And that sneer he gave her after he tucked it away in his robes, along with that crown and scepter--she'd love to wipe that sneer off his face!

Damn him! If it weren't for her using her white stone, he would never have taken it--at least he might not have gotten to it before Blade found it, who was always first to look for treasure. Her anger twists from Humphrey to Blade to herself, to anyone she thinks of. She is near a breakdown. She knows she isn't thinking rationally, but she can't help it.

Her helplessness only aggrivates her more. She can't attack Humphrey, he demonstrated his power numerous times in the tomb. That wouldn't solve anything anyway, though it satisfies her to think of having him at her mercy.

Unbidden, tears start to flow from Bibi's eyes. She is embarrased and mad, and exhausted. The change is near. She replays the scene again. One of the sailors catches her eye as he moves by, and she sees Humphrey grinning at her instead of the sailor. He turns from her, muttering to himself--is he casting a spell?

Fear of the mage's power spikes her anger, and something in Bibi snaps. In the rear of the ship, no one sees her as she slumps to the deck.

The sailor hears a low groan escape her, and looks over his shoulder at her.

"Dear Neptune, preserve us!" The sailor stumbles away from Bibi and falls over a coil of rope, entangling himself. He screams, alerting everyone else on the ship to danger just as a massive slavering panther rises before him where once there had been only a girl.

Humphrey crouches over his bundle in the common sleeping quarters, reading his spellbook by the light of a candle. He wonders what powers the Obsidian Stone has; his mind is distracted by thoughts of the Stone, hindering his study.

Mog sits in zazen position on the other side of the room, eyes closed (or so they seem), facing Humphrey. Like Bibi, Humphrey too remembers the moment he grabbed the Stone. He also remembers seeing Mog prepare a spell, just before Humphrey teleported out of the Tomb with the Stone. He wonders what spell it was, and how dangerous Mog really is. He is an orc after all, but Humphrey tries not to underestimate people.

He is staring at Mog just as the orc's eyes snap open: "Trouble on deck," he tersely states, and springs toward the door. Humphrey heard nothing, but as he opens the door (he is closer than Mog and gets there first) he hears a low feline growl he has heard now twice before.

As he steps on deck, he sees the panther.

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