167: Amazing Jewel. Ry. Piece. Of. Artifact.

## Summary

Rochelle, the old lady, pleads with the party to help find her missing brooch and Raphina immediately takes charge and sets everyone to work. The initial search doesn't turn up much, except a tooth, a pince-nez and a giant caterpillar, but then Hank discovers his mini-clock is also missing and everyone begins to suspect foul play. While the hooded figure seemingly tries to avoid everyone, Batthwack and Will search the bunk room and the latrine (a hole in the airship floor) and Will discovers that the kid Ricky, with the overactive bowels, is also mute.

## Synopsis

Raphina introduces herself to the old lady. *"Raphina Phalangepot at your service. And you are?"* The old lady gives her name as Rochelle and explains that her missing brooch is a green emerald in a fine silver setting. Raphina takes charge of the situation and immediately tells everyone to start looking. She casts *Thaumaturgy* and announces in a booming voice *"ATTENTION PASSENGERS. ROCHELLE WHO WAS KNITTING HAS LOST HER EMERALD BROOCH. BROOCH IS PRONOUNCED BROOCH. PLEASE CHECK ABOUT YOUR PERSON. PLEASE REPORT TO ME, RAPHINA PHALANGEPOT, IF YOU FIND IT, AT YOUR SERVICE."*

Dew immediately pitches in and helps to look. Will settles down in a nearby seat to watch events unfold. Searching around on the ground, Raphina finds a few dried up goodberries under one of the seats. Batthwack, who is also joining in the search, finds a golden pince-nez under one of the tables. Along the wall by the door Dew finds a small, molar tooth originally belonging to a human, which he keeps hold of. He also spots a startlingly large centipede, that scurries away into a crack when he goes near it. Will, who is keeping an eye out for anyone who isn't looking properly, notices that Jocelyn and Ricky aren't there and the hooded figure isn't helping in the search. The captain appears in the cabin, saying *"What is going on here?!"* in their heads. The party explain about Rochelle's missing brooch and Rochelle tells him *"This is a very serious matter. We must find it."*

Will heads into the bunk room. Suddenly, Hank straightens up, patting his pockets. *"I can't find my mini clock! Nor can I find my pince-nez!"* Batthwack hands over the pince-nez he found. Hank describes his clock as a rather standard mini clock, saying it's silver and was attached to a chain, which is missing as well. He explains that it has a little cover that opens up. He notices that he still has the chain's clip on his waistband. Dew is put in mind of the heavy money and wonders if the clock could have been effected also. Batthwack thinks about how Captain Clockface was collecting parts and trinkets for his necklace and goes off looking for Will in the bunk room.

It's very dimly lit in the sleeping quarters. The shades are drawn. Will lights up his billy club to search the bunks, which Batthwack notices. It dawns on him that this is the first time he's seen Will cast magic since leaving Castle Ravenloft. Jocelyn is in there, waiting for Ricky to finish using the latrine. Again. Jocelyn says *"Yes, he's having some issues"* and Will is disgusted. Searching around, Will see there are no brooches or people in the bunks, but he does find a small book, perhaps a journal? Will *Prestidigitates* a knock on the bathroom door to make Jocelyn look the other way, then sneaks a peek at the journal. It has the name Rochelle Alistair on it. Will thinks to himself: *"That's my middle name! I want to tell Batthwack! That's weird."*

   Will wants to check on his own stuff. He'd picked one of the top bunks to stow his things so he climbs up, slightly awkwardly, to take a look. He isn't sure though if any of it is missing. He asks Batthwack if he trusts Dew, and Batthwack says he hasn't made up his mind yet. Will's feeling distrustful and not very happy with the current situation and wants Batthwack to do his job and protect him. Ricky emerges from the latrine and Batthwack goes in.

Meanwhile in the cabin, Hank is getting very concerned and suggesting foul play. *"Do we have a thief on our hands?!"* Dew suggests they shouldn't jump to conclusions. The captain agrees that they mustn't be too hasty and says they must double their efforts and begins moving furniture and lifting up cushions. Raphina suggests strip searching everyone, which the captain isn't so sure about, but Hank thinks it's a great idea. Manet is also pitching in with the search.

The hooded figure goes into the bunk room just as Jocelyn and Ricky are on their way out. Will, suspicious of the boy's constant acting up, attempts to surreptitiously check his pockets as he passes. This doesn't fool Ricky who jumps back, tugs on his mother's arm and stares wide-eyed at Will. He's not talking and when Will questions this, Jocelyn explains that Ricky's mute. Will makes his apologies and manages to convince Jocelyn that he was just retrieving his billy club having dropped it. He says that maybe Ricky thought he was going to hit him with it. Will finds this new information about Ricky very suspicious.

Batthwack searches the latrine room. It's relatively small and pretty basic. There's a lock on the inside of the door and the latrine itself is simply a hole in the airship. There's no sink. Having conducted a brief search of the room, Batthwack doesn't fine anything. The only thing that occurs to him is that a thief could pitch their stolen items down the hole to land in the trees, far below them.

## Quotes

* Eric: *"Hey, you're a young lad. You could vault yourself up in there. Pants are a little tight, so it's hard. The satin lining makes you slip a couple of times trying to get up there."* Greg: *"Will, stop trying to climb the ladder pants first."* KT: *"Awkwardly trying to do it on my knees or on my butt cheek."* Eric: *"Monty, please draw Will climbing a ladder pants first."*

## Trivia

* The episode title quotes Eric setting the scene at the beginning of the episode: *"So Raphina, your help has been requested. She's imploring you to assist her with her missing jewel. Ry. Piece. Of. Artefact. that she has lost."*
* Eric reveals out of game that the captain's name is Captain Ool. Greg had a character in another game who had an owl named Ool.

## Recap Song

Recap to the tune of *On the Good Ship Lollipop* by Richard A. Whiting and Sidney Clare, the signature song of child actress Shirley Temple:

On the good ship Airberry

It's a sweet trip to Carnivar-y

Where the party plays

With a deck of cards that makes illusion-ays

Velvet and satin everywhere

Magic bonfires heat the air

That's buoyant gas

Ricky is a little pain in the ass

See the Paladin making quite a din

With the trapdoor set in the roof

If your armour creaks, ooh-ooh

You'll look like a big old doof

On the good ship Airberry

It's a long trip and the party's wary

Of the hooded one

On the good ship Airberry

On the good ship Airberry

It's a sweet trip to Carnivar-y

Where Barovian gold

Grows in weight about 5 to 10 fold

Grabby triangles everywhere

Whimsical gnomish curses fill the air

The old lady doth approach

And she lets you know she's lost her brooch

She lets you know that she's lost her brooch

## Gallery

*Main article: The Art of Pork Fried Dice*
*"Will trying to climb up a ladder "pants first""* (Art by Monty)
## References

1. ↑ According to the players, this is the third instance of using a bathroom in game! The first being Will's visit in the Durst house - see episode 6: Sacred Flaming is Exhausting