"High Tides, Higher Tempers"

"High Tides, Higher Tempers" is the first episode of The Shrouded Isles (arc). The group is, once again, hired by Thog to slay a monster.
==Plot Synopsis==
The episode begins after the group's arrival on Thog's ship. Ashe, in an attempt to ease Markus' uneasiness over being at sea, takes him to the side of the boat to lecture him on what is hidden beneath the surface of the water. 
Before she can begin, she and Markus are quickly shoved away from the edge of the ship by one of the sailors, who feared they'd break the fragile vessel, and then proceeds to break it himself to demonstrate the ship's fragility. 
Though Ashe's lecture comes off as both boring and silly to Markus, he and Gregor do take interest in the notion of sea monsters brought up by one of the sailors. Gregor, in his excitement over this, mistakes his shadow for a sea monster multiple times.
One of the sailors then states that Thog will see them now. They head to his quarters upon clarification that it relates to their payment, but still retain their suspicions.  
Once the group is below deck with Thog, he informs them he misplaced the contracts from the Meadshire job, but they will get paid by Aftin, who is now the king of Altreia. Markus and Ashe are shocked upon learning this. Thog goes on to say they now only need to sign the contract binding them to him and they will be officially released. Gregor snatches a pen from the table. 
Ashe leafs through the contract and Markus summons an imp to thoroughly read it. Gregor hands his newly-signed contract back to Thog, Markus doing the same shortly afterwards. Ashe reluctantly follows. Thog tells the three that since they are no longer employed by the Alaran Empire, and the ship they're on is made for Alarani employees, they should be thrown off. Ashe explodes with anger, attempting to strangle him, but is restrained by Markus.  
Thog states he's tempted to give them another job, but Markus and Ashe are quick to say they'd much rather jump off the ship. He eventually persuades them to join, showing them some artifacts he'd give them as rewards and also a chest full of gold. Markus takes one of the artifacts, an obsidian fife, and blows on it, the horrible sound prompting the others to make him go outside, to which he obliges.  
Thog then tells Ashe and Gregor they'll be going to the former nation of Grius, also known as the Shrouded Isles to slay a sea monster. This is because the creature is blocking trade with many countries, which is, of course, unfavourable for Alaran. They leave the lower deck after some more talk, Ashe flipping Thog off on the way out. 
The two find Markus on the top deck, still playing the fife. He stops playing and starts rambling about the instrument, but is interrupted by the yelling of sailors, who are trying to stop a suicidal sailor from jumping off the deck. Ashe tries to get Markus to give her the fife, but is not successful. 
Some time passes and we see Markus performing sleight of hand magic to the sailors and thugs, trying to earn some money from them in the process. Ashe stops him from tricking them with her magic, while Gregor watches on. Thog then gives Ashe a sleeping bag without explanation, simply telling her to rest. She checks it for traps. Markus ends his performance and the episode ends. 
==Trivia==
* Gregor says he's used to sleeping on floors.
* Ashe states she's from Meathe in this episode.
* High Tides, Higher Tempers is the name of Markus' nautical drama romance novel.
==Quotes==
* Thug: "Hey! Hey you kids, hey! That's extremely fragile!" 
* GM: He grabs you both around the neck.
* Markus: "T-the boat?"
* Thug: "Yes!"
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* Markus: "Hell is basically made of bureaucratic red tape."
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* Gregor: "I mean us as a group, we're good at that. I'm best at killing monsters, Markus is the looks.." pauses to think
* Ashe: I glare at Gregor. "No, just- stop, okay? You don't even have to."
* Markus: I chime in: "And Ashe is the charm!"
* Gregor: "And Ashe is a charm!"
* Ashe: sighs
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* Gregor: "I'm very susceptible to positive encouragement."
* Ashe: "Yes, I've noticed." pauses "You're doing great, Gregor."
* Gregor: silently, excited "Yeah!"
Category:The Shrouded Isles episodes