The shimmering portal on the northern wall, some five feet in diameter, shines a cold silvery light across the room... Periodically a small torrent of water, with the occasional small specimen of sea-life, pours from the inter-dimensional door - beyond the fact that the water that comes through is close to freezing, there is little clue as to where the portal comes from / leads to. Yasmin's examination of the portal determines that it has been open for a long time, channels in the wall have been carved out by the passage of water over time...
Rallos and Grayface's examination of the crates stacked high on the tables reveals two snorkel type devices, a crystal vial of a blue liquid (with a slowly oscillating transmutation aura for those who are able to see it) and four loose leaf journals filled with Aquan text, strange diagrams that may be maps and row upon row of numbers recorded against dates.
The metal hatches in the southern alcoves have grilles in them allowing a flow of water down through them... Neither of the hatches seems to be locked and, through the grilles it is possible to see shafts descending around ten feet to a floor below (the floor being beneath approximately twelve feet of water).
The second burst of healing energy from Ea brings the fading Undine back from the brink... His prone form suddenly convulses before he coughs and spits ingested water. Looking up at the cleric with narrowing eyes, he moves to a seated position and, without offering gratitude or indeed talking at all, starts to examine the extent of his wounds.
"I wonder if this is a portal connecting to the elemental plane of water," speculates Yasmin. "I'll have to ask Royst about this." She takes a few notes about what she sees.
Then, as the Undine stirs, Yasmin mentions, "I'll have to ask this fellow as well." She makes sure to remove any valuable implements that the man might have, including spell casting components and other magical goods.
"Adakah ini rahsia yang anda fikir adalah bernilai mati untuk? Saya tidak mempunyai pergaduhan terhadap anda, tetapi saya benar-benar, benar-benar tidak menghargai yang hampir koyak untuk bit dengan air yang unsur, dan kemudian diberitahu saya perlu bekerja untuk anda. Saya mempunyai lebih daripada mengisi saya menjadi alat seseorang. Mengapa kamu berkeras pada menjaga tempat ini kepada diri sendiri, daripada belajar dengan orang lain?"
after Yasmin is done talking to the fallen undine, he hands her the pages he and Gray found...
I can't make any sense out of these...perhaps you can? This vial as well. And these breathing devices might be useful....
Ea studies the portal carefully, listening to Yasmin. The sorceress was better at words than her, but it was always nice to hear Aquan and other otherwordly languages, as an intellectual challenge
She was about to congratulate Yasmin for her magical prowess, but change her mind
No need for this undine to know how close he was to defeating us.
She touches briefly their prisoner on the shoulder
Ea’s continued examination of the portal doesn’t reveal where it leads to…the shimmering water-like surface of the gate and the occasional gushing of water suggests that it does lead to an aquatic environment, which may well be the Plane of Water - however the Pharasmin cannot confirm it by a simple visual examination.
As the Undine moves to sit against the wall, he moves very slowly so as not to aggravate the burns across his body. Begrudgingly, realising he is captive, he starts to talk in a language that all can understand, ”And if I came to your home or your place of learning…and demanded to walk through it, would you let me through? Really? This place resonates with extraplanar energy Air-breather, gates open here spontaneously between your world and the Plane of Water…powerful and stable gates. I seek to understand these gates to further the cause of my Undine brothers and sisters... The knowledge to be gained here is extraordinary - why would I not protect my right to it?”
With an air of resignation, he continues, ”It seems that I am in no position to negotiate…you may have your passage through – go and seek your audience with Klarkosh, tell him Jorqual sends his regards”
I respect knowledge, and those who seek it, Jorqual. Could you tell us more about this place, please? We'll tell you the reason we are here, and you will understand, hopefully, that we can coexist, and maybe even cooperate. We are not bloodthirsty, but we are ready to defend ourselves, as you've seen.
"Well, actually, we were welcomed through the home of the Troglodytes to arrive at this level, so really it's not that strange to show hospitality. Should we expect Klarkosh and your other brothers and sisters to be as hostile as you were? As Sister Zalinsel says, we are not bloodthirsty but we will defend ourselves. And she showed you a lot of mercy in sparing you for a time from the Lady of Graves."
Jorqual looks at Ea with barely disguised contempt, ”Why would I cooperate with you? Why would I share my learning? Go on - make your way through this place but do not presume to expect my assistance… Let me go, I will return home with my sisters and fight no more”
Turning to Yasmin, ”Klarkosh seeks to build an army with his automata…he will not welcome you into his new home – you should be prepared for a war if you wish to travel farther”
The fighter silently disagreed with his female companions -- he was indeed bloodthirsty. The sweet sting of melee combat had become the meaning of his pitiful life for the last...well, since he took his freedom back.
He was no indiscriminate murderer however, and so had no malice toward this particular creature, though he did retain a healthy dose of caution considering their less-than-warm welcome.
As so often was the case, Grayface stood by impassively, letting those with more honeyed tongues conduct the diplomatic banter. His mere presence was often enough to fortify the notion that he and his friends were a powerful fighting force when they chose to be.
...and with the creature's retort to Ea, the fighter changed tack. He put away his longbow, drew his massive sword and stared at the water creature with hate in his eyes.
"Well then, we don't need you for anything, do we?"
"Go ahead Human... I have nothing to fear - you and your friends, who state that they are not bloodthirsty, have already killed me the once... I know what awaits me in the next life. All that awaits you here is a slow death beneath the water", the Undine juts his head forwards with defiance... Almost challenging you to execute him.
The tall warrior look from the pitiful creature to his friends. Looking everyone in the eye, one by one, he asks a troubling question, "Now what? We can't leave him behind because he'll stab us in the back first chance he gets. Dragging him along as a prisoner would be a liability, especially the moment we find ourselves up against another foe. I think he is more trouble that he is worth, while alive. He tried to kill us, and so I say his life is forfeit. To let him go or to keep him prisoner -- either path could mean our deaths. Anyone disagree?"
Yasmin doesn't seem particularly troubled by what she says next. "I was ready to let him live because he commanded the water elemental to release me, probably preventing me from dying. I was going to overlook the fact that he just wanted to take me hostage. But given his attitude, my sympathy has completely evaporated."
Pertreeko gazes dispassionately at the Undine. "Let's end him and move on," is all he comments, narrowing his eyes in mistrust at the bold water-dweller.
As far as I am concerned, his fate is in Yasmin's hands.....I care not about him either way. And I trust him as far as I can throw an ogre....
I won't interfere with his Fate. I gave him a chance to amend. If he doesn't want it, I respect his choice. I'll pray for your soul, Jorqual. If there is something you want to say about the way your body should be treated after your death, now is the moment.
As the mood within the group darkens and it looks increasingly likely that Grayface will turn executioner, the Undine stutters at Ea, ”Why would I trust you to respect my wishes after your man has done his work? Leave my body here…let it return to water”
Unfortunatly for the Undine, Ea wasn't the most sensitive person in the room.
Nevertheless, she rises her hand, signaling to Grayface to wait. Her grey eyes fix the undine.
I know that look in your eyes,undine. It's the look of those who fear death. I've seen it so many times...If I ask how to dispose of your body after you die, it's not because I'm kind. I'm not doing that for you personnaly or as a favor, Jorqual. I would do it because it is my holy duty, as a priestess of Pharasma, to ensure respect is shown to the dead. I am not a cold hearted killer. You attaked us, but you showed some kind of mercy because you didn't killed my friend. Why would I do less for you? Why shouldn't I show compassion and mercy now that you are defeated, and no more a threat? What good would your death do to me? I healed some of your wounds. All we ask for is to be allowed to explore this place as peacefully as possible, to map it, to pass through it to continue our exploration and to report the new knowledge to those who send us. You told us you were a seeker of knowledge, that this place is linked to the Elemental plane of water and you want to use it. As long as you pose no threat to us, to the nearby town, why wouldn't I let you do your research? And I don't bluff, because I don't know how to. I have nothing to lose in telling you the truth, as far as I know it. You can still save your life. But don't think I'm foolish. Don't think I'll trust you blindly. Don't think you can cheat Fate. We offer you and your kin a truce. It's litterally for you, a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Grayface's eyes wane from hateful to simply stern. He respected the fine words of his companion. His pragmatic side wanted this water-dweller dead, but his conscience agreed with Ea. As is usual, his pragmatism barked inner unheard insults at his conscience, stating how foolish it was and how it was going to get them all killed!
The fighter awaited the creature's response.
I would seriously consider the offer Jorqual....weigh the alternatives and choose wisely.
”Very well Pharasmin, my sisters and I will depart this place for a time…and you may make your way through. The way will not be easy for your kind though… it is beneath water from here until the stairs in the reservoir. Allow me to go ahead and I will tell my sisters that you intend no harm”
Yasmin weighed Jorqual's words carefully, making sure there was no deception. It was hard for her to tell, but he seemed like a forthright man in his own strange way.
Yasmin - Jorqual certainly seems to be beyond deception... He is a proud and arrogant fellow but, at least in his suggestion that he and his sisters will leave, he doesn't seem duplicitous.
Yasmin simply nods in agreement as Jorqual makes his leave, not wanting to spoil the situation with any more words.
Once he's gone, she turns and smiles at Ea. "It's fascinating - you can be quite the skilled negotiator, Ea. You deliver your words so calmly, yet with such gravity and weight. It's quite different from the flourishes I learned in the bazaars of Katapesh, but it seems to work all the same." She then pauses and assesses the situation. "Well, if we really need to go underwater to get deeper, then I suppose we should be prepared with some way to breathe water? I'm nearly spent after all that fighting, and wouldn't mind going back to town, or finding a good place to hole up for a while."
"We might not need such magical assistance -- he said it is underwater until the stairs in the reservoir wherever that is. Maybe it is a short swim, one where we could hold our breath."
we have these things that look like masks....I think they would let us breathe....but there is onlly 2 of them. Perhaps a rest is in order. We should be at our top form going on....especially if we do not know what is ahead. Or we could rest upstairs.
With a nod of gratitude, as if finally realising how close he came to death, Jorqual opens the eastern-most hatch, "I meant what I said about Klarkosh... He will not welcome interruptions to his work... His plans are bigger than just the Spire". And then, the Undine is gone, slipping beneath the surface of the water - down the shaft and quickly out of view...
And I thank you for your warnings, Jorqual. If Klarkosh poses a threat to the Spire and the surroundings, we'll do our best to stop him.
She lets the undine go, then turns to Yasmin, her fac expressionless.
I'm not good at emotions, Yasmin. I never open my heart to anyone living, only to the eyes of my goddess. I might seems sometimes odd and cold to you, and I suppose I am. No one told us that we should kill everything in sight in the Spire. Death will happen, sooner or later, for one of us or for our foes. You nearly died into the elemental clutches, my friend. If we can avoid some fights and lessen the risks, that's better for everyone. Sure, that means less loot at the end of the day, but no magic weapon, no mass of gold has ever been much confort inside a coffin, six feet under the ground...
After a pause to let her words sink
We should rest, and think about a strategy to continue our travels. It's not because the undines have gone that the place is without danger.
Pertreeko nods solemnly at Ea's words. "You speak wisdom, Pharasman. In the time that the rest of you were returning to Fort Inevitable, I mastered the use of some animal shapes that might assist us in what you're talking about." The avian spreads his arms, gesturing at the different corners of the room. "If I were to take the form of one of the smaller members of the People, I could scout ahead for us and prevent another bloody battle from happening before it starts. Still, I agree that we could use some rest to bind our wounds, that water elemental possessed monstrous strength."
"That's a great idea! Pertreeko, if you can quietly scout ahead a little right now, I think it might help us figure out what magics to prepare when we rest."
Pertreeko nods in agreement. "I am happy to help. In honor of the sacrifice of my petit payaso, the viper, killed by that undine, I will share the scales of that water-dwelling serpent species for a time."
Pertreeko's wing-like arms press against his body, and his bones melt together and reshape themselves as the druid becomes a Viper.
He is able to navigate the flooded areas easily, and will report back what he finds to the others. He will stay in animal form for as long as possible - 4 hours - before returning back to the others. What does he find? Do you need perception/stealth rolls?
Slipping into the water and surging downwards, Pertreeko finds himself in a corridor that, to the west, ends in a closed door (the open grille in the door that allows water to flow across is too small to allow even Pertreeko's slender form through) and to the east leads to a series of turns before running directly west for over a hundred feet... the current in this completely flooded corridor leading west is strong but Pertreeko finds himself to be a capable swimmer... Three closed doors lead to the south from the tunnel - once again, Pertreeko is frustrated by these...
...following the corridor to the end, the water splills out into a large room... Pertreeko daren't access the room though - the water crashes down from the tunnel in a waterfall that would be difficult to climb back up and, more pertinently, there is something large and metallic swimming in the water...
...there is no sign of the Undine...
I believe my Spirit Senses should remain active in animal form. Are they highlighting the metallic swimmer?
The metallic swimmer doesn't tingle Pertreeko's Spirit Sense...
I'd like to surface as close to the closed underwater doors as possible, and regain humanoid form. Once that's done, I'd like to hold my breath, swim down the submerged hallway and see if I can get any of those closed doors open now that I have hands again.
Gray looked to his friends, searching their eyes for any similar anxiety that he was feeling. He admired the courage it took for the druid to literally dive in and look for clues and ways through this dungeon.
He patiently waited for his feathered friend to resurface, hoping for the best.
Impatient with concern, Rallos dons one of the snorkel devices and peers beneath the water, looking for Pertreeko.
Diving back in, Pertreeko makes it around to the first door in the corridor...pushing on it, he finds it to be unlocked and, furthermore, when it swings inwards he finds himself looking at a vertical surface of water... It seems that some form of enchantment is preventing water from passing into the room beyond the door - but a tentative exploratory check confirms that he can push his hand through... Indeed, he can walk straight through onto a dry balcony.
Standing there dripping gently, he finds himself in a room that is dominated by a pool - apparently empty, the surface is inches below the platform that hugs the western wall before joining into an adjacent room... This neighbouring room is also dominated by a pool with, to the north and west, doors that are accessible along the platform...
...and then the druid notices the shape swimming in the bottom of the pool... A large shape lazily exploring the perimeter of the pool... Thus far, it does not appear to have noticed Pertreeko...
Ea waited, silent and immobile.
There wasn't anything she could do to help Pertreeko right now. He accepted his Fate, and so should she.
Pertreeko rubs his beak thoughtfully with one feathered hand as he examines the large, amorphous underwater shape. He knows he should return to his friends and report, but he's overcome with curiosity. Besides, describing it as a "big thing" didn't hold much weight.
He thinks back to his studies among the Menhir Order, trying to recall his Bestiary classes. He was always a good student...
- The creature swimming near the bottom of the pool is undoubtedly a bunyip - while bunyips vary in appearance, all possess similar basic physical structures. The bunyip's head exhibits strong seal-like features, save for its shark-like jaws. Its upper torso is thick and muscular, with long, fin-like limbs. Some species even have a single, shark-like dorsal fin - the remaining portion of the body extends into a long tail.
The bunyip is a fierce and avid hunter, possessing a primal ruthlessness that seems almost evil in its rapacity. A bunyip typically inhabits large freshwater inlets or sheltered coastal sea caves where food is plentiful—the bunyip is equally at home in fresh or salt water. It prefers feeding on small animals, though it isn't averse to eating humanoids when presented the opportunity. Bunyips are quite territorial, and readily attack when intruders threaten their hunting grounds. Bunyips mate annually, during the late spring. During this period, bunyips become even more aggressive. After mating, couples split, with the female wandering off to find a place to birth a small litter of four to six pups. Females watch their pups for a few days, until they become independent enough for the mothers to move on.
That's probably plenty of intel...we know we should avoid this bunyip's domain unless we want a big fight on our hands. I should get back to the others.
So thinking to himself, the druid turns his back on the pool before him and dives back through the water barrier, seeing if he can make it back to the others before his breath runs out and hoping that he can.
Pertreeko’s swim back is against the current in the corridor however it isn’t far and within less than a minute he is swimming up the shaft into the room where his companions await him…
Yasmin is thrilled to see Pertreeko's familiar beak pop out of the water. "Thank goodness you're back! We were all getting worried about you. What did you find?"
She uses a bit of magic to help Pertreeko dry off.
Pertreeko's eyes narrow in pleasure as his feathers are cleaned, as if from a giant blowdryer. Brushing a feathery finger over his head, he clears his throat and explains everything that he has seen, paying special attention to the three doors, the straight up-and-down wall of water, and the bunyip.
"Awesome work Pertekkio. I see you swam back not in snake form, so is it an easy swim? Do you think we can all make it?"
Gray ponders the information provided by his druid friend, thinking about what to do and where to go next.