[Regin Hardhammer]

Marreth awoke and glanced out of his window. He caught a glimpse of the Elven ship searching for the Stones once more. He smirked with glee while envisioning their mast snapping off, stranding the Elves in the middle of the bay.

Marreth recalled in a haze the unsettling events of the night before: finding the body of his trusted friend slumped over on the deck of the ship, limp and already going cold. The sight had stunned and shocked him so that he did not know what to do. Diera had been one of the most trusted officers who had ever served him. Who could have done such an abominable deed? And how had they managed to do so unnoticed?

Arising from his bed, Marreth decided to return to the body and see if he could gather any clues. Scanning the still body, he noticed the jagged line of the gash, red and inflamed even in death. He bent down to examine it more closely, as his nose picked up the acrid stench of poison. Marreth roared with anger when he realized what must have occurred. He longed to get out on the Bay so his men could get ready to attack the Elven ship as soon as its mast snapped, but this was a matter of even greater importance. No captain who failed to discipline his crew would ever survive.

“Jynne, Jynne,” he bellowed to the cabin boy, “Get Jynne over here instantly. I must talk to him.” The boy nodded and scuttled away, but then returned in a few moments shaking his head and reporting that Jynne had been in his cabin, but had stubbornly told him he was busy and would report when he got around to it.

Marreth bristled and then stormed off in the direction of Jynne's cabin. This betrayal within his own crew infuriated him more than all of his previous failed plans and bad luck finding the Palantiri. Heads were going to roll for this, most certainly Jynne’s.

Coming to Jynne's room, he thrust the door open and bellowed, "You cox-livered peapod, scum of the earth, how did my first mate Diera meet her death? The smell of poison is on her. And I know of no one else on this ship who is fool enough to carry a poisoned blade without my approval. From the moment you came on this ship, you have done nothing but cause trouble. I should slit your throat here and now, but first I will let you answer before I haul you off to the brig." Marreth's fingers strayed to the hilt of his sword....