"I've found the names and locations of several pirate shamans who should be able to teach you a spell for locating shipwrecks. The Shackles are also a good place to acquire a ship, should you need one for some reason."
As the party crafts items, catches up on any correspondence they might be carrying out, and Anaxian digs skeleton cages, the Crimson Stranger prepares a modified teleport spell that will send an additional target in the Caster's place.
She points out to Anaxian that the spell will only be powerful enough to carry a single large creature, and he should pick his favorite skeleton; if the rest remain behind, they might prove useful should more Erinyes attack the ruins. Currently, your home base is nothing more than the large foundation stones and wall slabs of a ruined city, with some strategically buried treasure and bones, though presumably a Drow caravan laden with steel and lumber will arrive in 3-4 weeks' time. Malefeasance is nowhere to be found, having been apparently whisked back to hell by a Phistophilus devil after the battle of Lavosha; Iranaset is presumably still murdering her way through an entire forest of vegepygmies for the fun of it.
The spell, according to scries, should take you to an isolated stone beach in the Sodden Lands, about one days' walk Northeast of Port Peril, where you should be able to find a pirate shaman specializing in shipwrecks.
Port Peril is a rather rowdy city, and Illia-'s usual disguise is the only one likely to stick out; the corsairs of the Shackles have little love for the Chelish Navy and by extension all devilkind, while Inevitables are also not known for their fondness towards piracy. Most of the local Elves belong to savage and remote Mwangi tribes, with Drisquar and Meredian likely passing as standard Elves to the average townsperson; Sir John's armor is likely to pass as a daring fashion statement. Anaxian might turn heads in his large dragon form, but could probably pass for an unusual pet.
Once in Port Peril, it should cost only around 100 gp to buy a coracle and a scroll of Call Animal; this should let the party row out to sea far enough to catch and murder a mid-sized whale, an encounter simple enough that I don't think it needs rolling.
Illia- decides not to opt for her usual disguise, and decides to be a Bralani. A rather grumpy Bralani, but that might not be part of the disguise.
Noting everyone disguising themselves Meredian dramatically raises her hand. Her clothes melt into something even a surface elf would call pedestrian. Her skin and hair coloring changes to that of a surface high elf.
Looking at her appearance and not looking particularly pleased
"How droll. *sigh* I suppose the situation calls for it, but I dislike looking so common. How the pesants live like this is beyond me. "
Imagining pirates dont see much in the way of heavy armor, Sir John will transform his armor's appearance (glamer) into something more fitting. Perhaps considered high fashion among landed nobles centuries ago, his armor changes to look like fine black cloth with small, black, coin-shaped medallions sewn on at regular intervals. His chest prominently features a large black pectoral, thick for protection of the heart. From his waist, a black armored kilt hangs over his black pants. He still sounds the same when he walks, due to his armor still technically being there, and a viewer immune to illusions would see his full armor.
Anaxian's new body's candle-flame eyes shifted from purple to red. A moment later Anaxian's original smaller form crawled out of the larger body's abdomen, like a marsupial cub from its mother's pouch.
"This new form is not subtle. We have not yet taken the necessary precautions to make this form unassuming. This body has some short-term options for disguises, but nothing that would last longer than an hour or stand up to basic divinations."
The new body had a rich, rumbling baritone voice. It was the first time any present had heard Anaxian speak out loud.
"As such, this body will stay submerged with the Belier until business in the town is concluded."
Anaxian's much smaller form continued seamlessly in mind-voice. This body will accompany the group.
From his own stomach pouch Anaxian retrieved a small, rolled up bundle of fur with a cat's head resting on the top. It unrolled itself and Anaxian donned it like a cloak, the animated skin adjusting itself around him until the tiny dragon was gone and in it's place was a house cat.
From his own stomach pouch Anaxian retrieved a small, rolled up bundle of fur with a cat's head resting on the top. It unrolled itself and Anaxian donned it like a cloak, the animated skin adjusting itself around him until the tiny dragon was gone and in it's place was a house cat.
"Disguisting yet fascinating. Like vile little nesting dolls. " Meredian says casually
The party arrives, without difficulty, on a stony beach overlooking a swamp at the edge of the Sodden Lands. With a bit of scouting, there are no apparent witnesses.
The City of Port Peril lies forty miles away, skirting the Terwa Highlands through barren coastal hills. Occasionally party members spot lizardfolk scouts or sailing ships on the horizon, but these keep their distance.
The group marches into the city uneventfully, after close to a day of walking, arriving at mid-day. People treat you with respect in the streets; despite the obvious wealth conveyed by Sir John's strange clothing, the two Bralani have a dangerous and magical-looking edge that commands fear and respect from the locals. This is the Shackles, and anyone powerful enough to see through one of the group's disguises would have little interest in what they saw.
Port Peril is full of chaos, and Pirates; a strange place, though Illia- might feel at home. To a group as observant as yourselves, it is a city of contradictions. There are no slaves in the Shackles, but there is still slavery. Port Peril is Golarion’s greatest capital of piracy and crime, yet there are still laws here, governing or strongly suggesting civilized conduct. Murder and robbery are banned, but killing and theft are often encouraged. The city’s patron goddess, Besmara, is never worshipped or venerated, though she is prayed to frequently, in gambling halls and taverns instead of temples or festivals. In the streets you pass merchants, orcs, lizardfolk, evangelists of fictitious gods like Shimye-Magalla and Ydersius, and even the occasional dripping locathah.
You've been given names and addresses of three local spellcasters specializing in recovering shipwrecks. The first, 'Canter Grigory, holds office above a general store in the Merchants' district. His door is open, and the shop is no more than a single room, with shelves nailed to the walls carrying rows of talismans, navigation tools, and miniature ships.
"'Canter Grigory, lost treasures found," intones a short bald man sitting behind a desk of warped and smoky glass. "How can I help you?"
Stepping up unprovoked Meredian says,
"We need to find a ship. What kinds of items, scrolls and such do you have available?"
"Well, that depends on the details," the man replies. "If you have a piece of the ship, it's a simple spell; if you don't, it becomes trickier, especially if the thing is sunk."
"Well, that depends on the details," the man replies. "If you have a piece of the ship, it's a simple spell; if you don't, it becomes trickier, especially if the thing is sunk."
"What's the trickier option?"
"Then we're talking researched spells of my own design. If you've sailed on the ship before, that's not too hard; if you know the name of the ship, that also helps. In the case of a shipwreck, it's easier if you know when and how the ship sank; I can work from a description alone, but it's expensive."
Umm.... What do we know about the elephant ship again?
Little, beyond the fact that it was partially made of elephants. That may be enough.
Do we know where it was built? We might find out more clues that way.
That was not information we were provided. We know he left Escarra with the intent to cross the ocean to the west.
John, do you have any additional information?
To the shopkeep
"A ship made of elephants. "
"That is about all we know about it. Supposedly laden with treasures and all that, but I bet that comes with the territory given we want to find it. Should be a very old wreck too, maybe completely rotted away or buried."
"Unique enough?"
"Elephants?" The man squints, and rubs his forehead. "I've never heard of something like that; should be unique enough to pick out with magic."
"It's a good thing you came to a specialist, if that's all you know. I can craft you a compass that will always point to the ship you seek. It would take a week, and six thousand gold, half paid up front. Otherwise, I can teach you a spell—one which would point to one ship, and that ship alone—for a thousand pieces, but it would take a decent wizard to learn and cast."
"Elephants?" The man squints, and rubs his forehead. "I've never heard of something like that; should be unique enough to pick out with magic."
"It's a good thing you came to a specialist, if that's all you know. I can craft you a compass that will always point to the ship you seek. It would take a week, and six thousand gold, half paid up front. Otherwise, I can teach you a spell—one which would point to one ship, and that ship alone—for a thousand pieces, but it would take a decent wizard to learn and cast."
"Can you make a scroll of this spell? I have a wizard."
Dris stays quiet, peering around the shop of this unique business man.
Mentioning Jiator's name might help, unless our plan is to be ultra-secretive about it. Sleuthing isn't my prime area of expertise.
Probably wouldn't hurt, it's unlikely the name means anything to him, and if it does, we should find out why.
"Can you make a scroll of this spell? I have a wizard."
Oh, do you now... Anaxian said, more amused than upset.
"Can you make a scroll of this spell? I have a wizard."Oh, do you now... Anaxian said, more amused than upset.
"I thought it sounded better than 'my cat can cast it.'"
"Does the owners name 'Jiator' help?"
The man shrugs. "I don't know the name. Doubt he's local, but it's not my place to ask. Scroll or spellbook, doesn't matter, same price either way."
Drisquar, meanwhile, notices nothing especially unusual about this shop, other than the fact that it appears to have a single employee and no obvious security, which is a little unusual in a pirate city.
Merrdian asks for whichever one Anaxian telepathically indicates he wants.
A scroll is fine.
"A scroll will do."
Alright! Do we want to visit the others too just for overkill or try this first?
I would like to start with this. If the information I receive seems inadequate we can check elsewhere.
"Alright, I'll get to work. Come back in eight hours, with a thousand gold pieces—I don't do loot or barter."
"Alright, I'll get to work. Come back in eight hours, with a thousand gold pieces—I don't do loot or barter."
"See you then. "
Meredian leaves and ushers everyone out as well.
When the group is alone,
"Now what?"
Telepathically:
"If we have the gold we could pay the man if we're looking to keep a low profile. Else we just murder him. Either way. meredian shrugs.
No sense just slaughtering people like demons. We are above such behavior.
As loath as I am to part with treasure, I am even more adverse to drawing attention to myself. A thousand gold coins is trifling and he has earned his share.
As loath as I am to part with treasure, I am even more adverse to drawing attention to myself. A thousand gold coins is trifling and he has earned his share.
"Agreed."
We'll wait 8 hours then pay the man.
The man thanks you, and hands you a scroll.
Casting the spell in question points Northwest, to the other side of the Eye of Abenego; Anaxian, with his high intelligence, is able to triangulate the signal by walking across the city, suggesting you're looking for something about 400 miles away, located in the Arcadian Ocean and about a day's sail west of the Arch of Aroden.
Anaxian needed to find a secure location to study and work for a time so he led the group to an inn along the docks and directed Meridian to get them a room for the evening.
Once in private, the cat skin unrolled itself and layed like a rug beneath him while he worked.
First he carefully studied the scroll. Then he removed his own wing and carefully tattooed the thin membrane with a copy of the arcane sigils. At the end he cast the spell to transfer the magic. The scroll burst to ash and the wing runes glowed for a short time.
Once complete, he worked another spell that rendered the runic tattoos invisible. Then even the magical aura left behind by the fading runes vanished to arcane sight. He reattached his wing with a flare of purpleish fire that sealed the wound and rendered him whole again, then brought back the invisible runes with a telepathic command. A quarter hour later he had memorized the newly acquired spell and cast it.
Once the spell had taken effect and he had spent a short time consulting a map of The Shackles he finally addressed the group.
I have a direction and approximate location. However, I would like to be able to better prepare of this endeavor. I have a plan which would likely gain us a great deal more information, but it will take a number of weeks. As we are in no significant hurry, I would like to propose we stay here until my work is complete.
"Weell, more information is niiice.. But we've got a profile now. We've conquered a city. It's now possible people will eventually start moving against us or the city. I'd rather move."
"Weeks? What kind of additional information?"
"Weeks? What kind of additional information?"
"Same question." meredian asks as as she sips from a wine glass
There is a spell commonly known as Legend Lore. It is useful for gaining obscure or lost information. It is a lengthy process to properly prepare and cast. It may help us pinpoint the location of the ship further, and give us information about what happened to it.
It is a more powerful spell than I am currently capable of casting, but I am positive I could work from a scroll. To gain the most information possible, i would use two scrolls. The second casting would be significantly faster than the first. A matter of days rather than weeks.
"The ocean is a vast place and there are many of us. Why not do both? While you cast some or all of us look for the ship. If we find it we return and tell the group where. Sound good?"