"If you help me with what I need, I will pay you 10,000 gold. Of significantly more value, I would be forever in your debt and would be free to travel over or in water again, so could assist you with the Cult directly. I will not require any signed contract for our agreement, though I caution you that if you cross me, you will have made an enemy of power rarely rivalled by those that call this plane their home. What I ask that you recover will be of very little interest to you, anyway!"
He places six potion bottles that look empty on a countertop and nods at them. He then holds up an amulet with a large aquamarine gem in the middle and tells you it will draw his vessel to it as long as it is above or in deep water (literally, not figuratively). He indicates that whoever wears/touches the amulet will instinctively know when the vessel is approaching and know when it is below whatever ship you are sailing on.
He instructs you to not attempt to visit his vessel until the wand has a charge that can be used. He suggests that you approach it just before sunset or sunrise if possible, though that is not strictly necessary. He tells you that the vessel will not be visible to anyone except the person/people in physical contact with the amulet until the amulet touches the vessel. He indicates that you should not touch the body of the vessel until anyone going in is ready to go in, then you should move quickly, as the job will be low risk if you successfully follow his instructions in a timely manner.
Once you are ready, one of you is to touch the vessel with the amulet and a doorway will open. Three water elementals will appear and given that they will recognise that you are not him, they will attack. He indicates that you should be able to kill them relatively easily, as they are mostly a deterrent. He also indicates that they will not move from the place that they first appear, so you may want to keep some distance to take care of them - as long as you take care of them quickly.
After taking care of the water elementals, whoever is going in should swim into the doorway one at a time and then climb out of the water into "the bubble of air" which fills the rest of the vessel. You are to then move quickly to the front of the vessel (the narrower section), next to the "eyes" of the ship and place the amulet in the slot there and a chest will become visible. Five stronger air elementals and three fire elementals will then appear and attack if it is not him placing the amulet. You should immediately use the phrase "Aer et ignis elementum subsisto" they will go dormant. He indicates that you do not have time to fight these elementals and writes down the passphrase, so you don't forget it.
One of you is to then repeat a password phrase "Aperire buxus" and the chest will open. Inside will be a lamp which is the same colour as the amulet and a number of other powerful and valuable items. You are then to use the wand and immediately place the lamp and amulet in the air elemental’s chest and send it back to Faendal. He indicates that if you can grab any other items quickly they would be appreciated and he will reward you, though not to delay sending the lamp and amulet on account of them, nor to spend any significant time before leaving the vessel.
You are then to make your way off the vessel as quickly as possible and drink an invisibility potion on the way out, then swim at least 60 ft away from the vessel and to your ship if possible. You should stop swimming if you detect extra-planar activity (which you will best detect at sunset or sunrise) as long as you are at least 60 ft from the vessel. He indicates that this last part is the only real danger you may face, but if you are quick enough you can entirely avoid confrontation with any powerful extra-planar beings.
Faendal responds "I was born on the wrong plane of existence and refused to "know my place" or accept that my destiny was to be a slave to the Marid Khedive whose court I was born into" then quips wryly "fortunately the problems only follow me when I am not "on earth" or other dry land, only when I am on or very near the open water."
If anyone believes their character would have read books about other planes or specifically about the Elemental Plane of Water (cough... Oden) or genie-kind, they can make a DC16 History check to know some or all of the following:
Hailing from the Elemental Plane of Water, the marids are the most wondrous of genie-kind. Although all genies wield great power, even the lowliest marid sees itself as clearly superior to the flighty djinn, the ground-hugging dao, and the fuming efreet.
Large and piscine, marids are a strange sight to behold, particularly when clad in the finely stitched vests and colorful pantaloons they favor. They speak in voices as soft as the sea breeze or as sonorous as storm waves breaking against a rocky cliff. In flight, their lower bodies transform into columns of foamy water.
Water Lords. Water is a marid’s native element, and the genie can manipulate water in virtually any way it desires. A marid can walk on water and breathe naturally beneath its surface. It can create water or shape clouds of fog and mist from the vapor in the air. It can even transform itself into mist, or use water as a weapon to bludgeon its foes.
Marid Homes. Marids are rare on the Material Plane. They inhabit mighty and majestic coral fortresses located in the Elemental Plane of Water. These citadels float in the depths of the plane and contain opulent, air-filled chambers where slaves and guests reside.
A marid doesn’t expect much from its slaves, simply wanting to have them for the status of ownership. Marids go out of their way to obtain skilled slaves, and aren’t above kidnapping mortal artists, entertainers, or storytellers for use in their courts.
Egotistical Hierarchs. All marids claim a title of nobility, and the race is awash in shahs, sultans, muftis, and khedives. Most of these titles are mere pretense on the part of the self-important marids.
Marids treat all others — including other genies — as inferiors of various grades, ranging from poor cousins to petty annoyances. They tolerate djinn, dislike dao, and despise efreet.
Humanoids are among the lowest of the creatures that marids must tolerate, although they sometimes deal with powerful wizards and exceptional leaders on an almost-equal footing. Doing so has sometimes proven to be a mistake, since wizards have managed to imprison marids in conch shells, flasks, and decanters over the ages. Bribery and flattery are the best means of dealing with marids, to which an obsequious mortal is a creature that knows its place.
Whimsical Storytellers. Marids are champion tale-tellers, whose favorite legends emphasize the prowess of marids in general and of the speaker in particular. Fanciful genies, they lie often and creatively. They aren’t always malicious in their deception, but embellishments suit their fancy. Marids consider it a crime for a lesser being to interrupt one of their tales, and offending a marid is a sure way to invoke its wrath.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Oden pays attention to the instructions and collects the note with the passphrase. "I'll memorize this.". Then he asks Faendal for the charcoal (or whatever he used for writing) to jot down the list of instructions on the other side.
When Faendal answers The Champion, Oden pays attention as he was curious about the same thing.
History: 6
Does Oden believe his story, or is he hiding something? Insight: 13
"It must be hard being hunted like that. I hope you will someday be able to convince the Marid to leave you in peace. We'll do our best to retrieve your items. These must be the invisibility potions.", Oden take one to look at it more closely, then puts it in his backpack.
"I'm glad you got that written down, Oden, because I'm pretty sure I've already forgotten half the steps!" Beatrice says. "So, possible idea for a plan would be to go down to the docks, see what we can do about getting ourselves a ship, then start looking around at shipwrecks for Bryn while we wait for the thingy to charge? Unless anyone remembers anything else we wanna do?"
“That’s an excellent plan, Beatrice. Lead on, I’m interested to see if maybe I can help out with buying the ship. I’ve never done it before, but I’m certain my earlier interpersonal troubles were a fluke. I feel much better now.”
"We still need to take the Wavechaser, or Eurus, to Kenton's employer. Maybe we get to keep it, but if not, there should be lots of ships in Port Damali. Do we need to buy any supplies before we go? At the very least I'd like another potion of healing."
"I knew I was forgetting something, thank you!" Beatrice says. "Supplies would be good - more healing potions and rations would be beneficial, I think."
I'm happy for people to purchase anything they is available from shops already visited without the need to RP it, though I am also happy to RP a shopping trip again if people would prefer.
Aldageam has three potions of healing, half a dozen potions of water breathing and one animal friendship potion. Assuming none of you let her know that you and Three Earrings are no longer allies, she will still sell these for the prices previously mentioned (40gp for healing, 40gp for water breathing and 125gp for the animal friendship).
For the moment Faendal still has the following items, even though his shopfront is closed/closing:
Beatrice will definitely buy at least one potion of healing, since she doesn't have any - I think we should buy all of them, but I'll leave the other two for anyone else who needs one.
Beatrice wouldn't tell Aldageam that we are no longer with Three Earrings, mainly because she'd forget.
How many helmets for breathing underwater do we have? Enough for the whole group?
Kenton will buy a single healing potion, and a single backup water breathing potion for a total of 80 gold.
This is all I need, for the moment, though I'm sure we will return at some point. I would agree that someone should take the extra healing potion - I will do so, if no-one else desires it. He looks eager to get going.
Before leaving the shop, Oden asks Faendal: "About that message that I wanted to send... you said you would have a spell prepared today. Can we do it? I'd like to send a message to my brother who is probably on Bisaft Isle."
If I wanted to make sure we are stocked for rations, water, necessities: how would I do so?
Dillyu has been keeping you all fed and with water (or other beverages) so far from the Wavechaser's/Eurus's stocks and from his fishing expeditions. There is plenty on the Wavechaser/Eurus to get you back to Port Damali and probably for a few weeks after that, though you can purchase bulk rations and basic food for 2gp per week per person including water, or 6gp per week per person including some rum and some nicer ingredients such as spices, pickled vegetables, cured meats etc. Dillyu can organise that if you need it.
Oden asks Faendal: "About that message that I wanted to send... you said you would have a spell prepared today. Can we do it? I'd like to send a message to my brother who is probably on Bisaft Isle."
Faendal indicates "I can definitely try and I have prepared the spell just for that purpose, though I need to be able to picture the person properly in my head to cast the spell. They do not necessarily have to know me - or even me them - but I need to have some familiarity with who they are for this to work. Please describe your brother's features and personality as best as you can and I will attempt to contact him in this way."
[OOC: I looked at this discussion when trying to deal with the caster needing to be "familiar" with the target of Sending, but the target not needing to "know you". Because Faendal is genuinely very powerful and intelligent, I'm going to bend the rules a little and have Oden roll a charisma check and then a luck check (just a d100) to see if it works just with a really good description just on this occasion.]
How many helmets for breathing underwater do we have? Enough for the whole group?
[OOC: Both Oden and Beatrice (as of this level) can breath underwater and there were 4 helmets, so there are enough for everyone including Reguh and Aliez.]
Oden asks Faendal: "About that message that I wanted to send... you said you would have a spell prepared today. Can we do it? I'd like to send a message to my brother who is probably on Bisaft Isle."
Faendal indicates "I can definitely try and I have prepared the spell just for that purpose, though I need to be able to picture the person properly in my head to cast the spell. They do not necessarily have to know me - or even me them - but I need to have some familiarity with who they are for this to work. Please describe your brother's features and personality as best as you can and I will attempt to contact him in this way."
[OOC: I looked at this discussion when trying to deal with the caster needing to be "familiar" with the target of Sending, but the target not needing to "know you". Because Faendal is genuinely very powerful and intelligent, I'm going to bend the rules a little and have Oden roll a charisma check and then a luck check (just a d100) to see if it works just with a really good description just on this occasion.]
Oden does his best to provide a good description...
Charisma: 14 ... but he feels a bit uncomfortable going into too many personal details with a person he barely knows.
"If you help me with what I need, I will pay you 10,000 gold. Of significantly more value, I would be forever in your debt and would be free to travel over or in water again, so could assist you with the Cult directly. I will not require any signed contract for our agreement, though I caution you that if you cross me, you will have made an enemy of power rarely rivalled by those that call this plane their home. What I ask that you recover will be of very little interest to you, anyway!"
He places six potion bottles that look empty on a countertop and nods at them. He then holds up an amulet with a large aquamarine gem in the middle and tells you it will draw his vessel to it as long as it is above or in deep water (literally, not figuratively). He indicates that whoever wears/touches the amulet will instinctively know when the vessel is approaching and know when it is below whatever ship you are sailing on.
He instructs you to not attempt to visit his vessel until the wand has a charge that can be used. He suggests that you approach it just before sunset or sunrise if possible, though that is not strictly necessary. He tells you that the vessel will not be visible to anyone except the person/people in physical contact with the amulet until the amulet touches the vessel. He indicates that you should not touch the body of the vessel until anyone going in is ready to go in, then you should move quickly, as the job will be low risk if you successfully follow his instructions in a timely manner.
Once you are ready, one of you is to touch the vessel with the amulet and a doorway will open. Three water elementals will appear and given that they will recognise that you are not him, they will attack. He indicates that you should be able to kill them relatively easily, as they are mostly a deterrent. He also indicates that they will not move from the place that they first appear, so you may want to keep some distance to take care of them - as long as you take care of them quickly.
After taking care of the water elementals, whoever is going in should swim into the doorway one at a time and then climb out of the water into "the bubble of air" which fills the rest of the vessel. You are to then move quickly to the front of the vessel (the narrower section), next to the "eyes" of the ship and place the amulet in the slot there and a chest will become visible. Five stronger air elementals and three fire elementals will then appear and attack if it is not him placing the amulet. You should immediately use the phrase "Aer et ignis elementum subsisto" they will go dormant. He indicates that you do not have time to fight these elementals and writes down the passphrase, so you don't forget it.
One of you is to then repeat a password phrase "Aperire buxus" and the chest will open. Inside will be a lamp which is the same colour as the amulet and a number of other powerful and valuable items. You are then to use the wand and immediately place the lamp and amulet in the air elemental’s chest and send it back to Faendal. He indicates that if you can grab any other items quickly they would be appreciated and he will reward you, though not to delay sending the lamp and amulet on account of them, nor to spend any significant time before leaving the vessel.
You are then to make your way off the vessel as quickly as possible and drink an invisibility potion on the way out, then swim at least 60 ft away from the vessel and to your ship if possible. You should stop swimming if you detect extra-planar activity (which you will best detect at sunset or sunrise) as long as you are at least 60 ft from the vessel. He indicates that this last part is the only real danger you may face, but if you are quick enough you can entirely avoid confrontation with any powerful extra-planar beings.
[Sorry for the big slab of text, I thought I'd explain Faendal's entire proposal/plan at once.]
The Champion nods along, but raises an eyebrow towards the end. “What on earth did you do to get this sort of problem following you around?”
Paladin - warforged - orange
Faendal responds "I was born on the wrong plane of existence and refused to "know my place" or accept that my destiny was to be a slave to the Marid Khedive whose court I was born into" then quips wryly "fortunately the problems only follow me when I am not "on earth" or other dry land, only when I am on or very near the open water."
If anyone believes their character would have read books about other planes or specifically about the Elemental Plane of Water (cough... Oden) or genie-kind, they can make a DC16 History check to know some or all of the following:
Marid
Hailing from the Elemental Plane of Water, the marids are the most wondrous of genie-kind. Although all genies wield great power, even the lowliest marid sees itself as clearly superior to the flighty djinn, the ground-hugging dao, and the fuming efreet.
Large and piscine, marids are a strange sight to behold, particularly when clad in the finely stitched vests and colorful pantaloons they favor. They speak in voices as soft as the sea breeze or as sonorous as storm waves breaking against a rocky cliff. In flight, their lower bodies transform into columns of foamy water.
Water Lords. Water is a marid’s native element, and the genie can manipulate water in virtually any way it desires. A marid can walk on water and breathe naturally beneath its surface. It can create water or shape clouds of fog and mist from the vapor in the air. It can even transform itself into mist, or use water as a weapon to bludgeon its foes.
Marid Homes. Marids are rare on the Material Plane. They inhabit mighty and majestic coral fortresses located in the Elemental Plane of Water. These citadels float in the depths of the plane and contain opulent, air-filled chambers where slaves and guests reside.
A marid doesn’t expect much from its slaves, simply wanting to have them for the status of ownership. Marids go out of their way to obtain skilled slaves, and aren’t above kidnapping mortal artists, entertainers, or storytellers for use in their courts.
Egotistical Hierarchs. All marids claim a title of nobility, and the race is awash in shahs, sultans, muftis, and khedives. Most of these titles are mere pretense on the part of the self-important marids.
Marids treat all others — including other genies — as inferiors of various grades, ranging from poor cousins to petty annoyances. They tolerate djinn, dislike dao, and despise efreet.
Humanoids are among the lowest of the creatures that marids must tolerate, although they sometimes deal with powerful wizards and exceptional leaders on an almost-equal footing. Doing so has sometimes proven to be a mistake, since wizards have managed to imprison marids in conch shells, flasks, and decanters over the ages. Bribery and flattery are the best means of dealing with marids, to which an obsequious mortal is a creature that knows its place.
Whimsical Storytellers. Marids are champion tale-tellers, whose favorite legends emphasize the prowess of marids in general and of the speaker in particular. Fanciful genies, they lie often and creatively. They aren’t always malicious in their deception, but embellishments suit their fancy. Marids consider it a crime for a lesser being to interrupt one of their tales, and offending a marid is a sure way to invoke its wrath.
Oden pays attention to the instructions and collects the note with the passphrase. "I'll memorize this.". Then he asks Faendal for the charcoal (or whatever he used for writing) to jot down the list of instructions on the other side.
When Faendal answers The Champion, Oden pays attention as he was curious about the same thing.
History: 6
Does Oden believe his story, or is he hiding something? Insight: 13
Oden:
He seems to be telling the truth and you don’t get the sense he is hiding anything.
"It must be hard being hunted like that. I hope you will someday be able to convince the Marid to leave you in peace. We'll do our best to retrieve your items. These must be the invisibility potions.", Oden take one to look at it more closely, then puts it in his backpack.
"I'm glad you got that written down, Oden, because I'm pretty sure I've already forgotten half the steps!" Beatrice says. "So, possible idea for a plan would be to go down to the docks, see what we can do about getting ourselves a ship, then start looking around at shipwrecks for Bryn while we wait for the thingy to charge? Unless anyone remembers anything else we wanna do?"
“That’s an excellent plan, Beatrice. Lead on, I’m interested to see if maybe I can help out with buying the ship. I’ve never done it before, but I’m certain my earlier interpersonal troubles were a fluke. I feel much better now.”
Paladin - warforged - orange
"We still need to take the Wavechaser, or Eurus, to Kenton's employer. Maybe we get to keep it, but if not, there should be lots of ships in Port Damali. Do we need to buy any supplies before we go? At the very least I'd like another potion of healing."
"I knew I was forgetting something, thank you!" Beatrice says. "Supplies would be good - more healing potions and rations would be beneficial, I think."
I'm happy for people to purchase anything they is available from shops already visited without the need to RP it, though I am also happy to RP a shopping trip again if people would prefer.
Stock in shops:
https://5emagic.shop/shop/prawns-pawn-and-general-store-5ac79cf2c (don't forget the 10% discount)
https://5emagic.shop/shop/hektors-hammer-95b9c0357
Aldageam has three potions of healing, half a dozen potions of water breathing and one animal friendship potion. Assuming none of you let her know that you and Three Earrings are no longer allies, she will still sell these for the prices previously mentioned (40gp for healing, 40gp for water breathing and 125gp for the animal friendship).
For the moment Faendal still has the following items, even though his shopfront is closed/closing:
https://5emagic.shop/shop/dread-wrath-and-beyond-803209e67
Beatrice will definitely buy at least one potion of healing, since she doesn't have any - I think we should buy all of them, but I'll leave the other two for anyone else who needs one.
Beatrice wouldn't tell Aldageam that we are no longer with Three Earrings, mainly because she'd forget.
If I wanted to make sure we are stocked for rations, water, necessities: how would I do so?
Paladin - warforged - orange
How many helmets for breathing underwater do we have? Enough for the whole group?
Kenton will buy a single healing potion, and a single backup water breathing potion for a total of 80 gold.
This is all I need, for the moment, though I'm sure we will return at some point. I would agree that someone should take the extra healing potion - I will do so, if no-one else desires it. He looks eager to get going.
Oden buys a potion, too. He now has two.
Before leaving the shop, Oden asks Faendal: "About that message that I wanted to send... you said you would have a spell prepared today. Can we do it? I'd like to send a message to my brother who is probably on Bisaft Isle."
Dillyu has been keeping you all fed and with water (or other beverages) so far from the Wavechaser's/Eurus's stocks and from his fishing expeditions. There is plenty on the Wavechaser/Eurus to get you back to Port Damali and probably for a few weeks after that, though you can purchase bulk rations and basic food for 2gp per week per person including water, or 6gp per week per person including some rum and some nicer ingredients such as spices, pickled vegetables, cured meats etc. Dillyu can organise that if you need it.
It is also fairly easy to buy personal rations (5sp per day), trade goods, perishable food and alcohol.
Faendal indicates "I can definitely try and I have prepared the spell just for that purpose, though I need to be able to picture the person properly in my head to cast the spell. They do not necessarily have to know me - or even me them - but I need to have some familiarity with who they are for this to work. Please describe your brother's features and personality as best as you can and I will attempt to contact him in this way."
[OOC: I looked at this discussion when trying to deal with the caster needing to be "familiar" with the target of Sending, but the target not needing to "know you". Because Faendal is genuinely very powerful and intelligent, I'm going to bend the rules a little and have Oden roll a charisma check and then a luck check (just a d100) to see if it works just with a really good description just on this occasion.]
[OOC: Both Oden and Beatrice (as of this level) can breath underwater and there were 4 helmets, so there are enough for everyone including Reguh and Aliez.]
Oden does his best to provide a good description...
Charisma: 14 ... but he feels a bit uncomfortable going into too many personal details with a person he barely knows.
Luck: 61