"Captain Brast," Yamyra interjects, before their concealed conversant has opportunity to retort. "As I and my companions have rather indelicately indicated, up to now, with very few exceptions, the inhabitants of this...
environment have exhibited little interest or even awareness of the greater world beyond the confines of these walls. Yours is the first we have been asked which does not involve violence or degradation to ourselves or others." Pausing for a moment, she muses, briefly. "Although I am uncertain what that blue fellow wanted..."
"We are several while you seem to be singular. It would be quite indelicate of us not to recognize a very real concern on your part. Might a lesser compromise be made, as a kind of, of...
initial step towards a more mutual regard?"
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Lockerbie is silent for a moment as he tries to follow Yamyra's reasoning. Then you hear him reply, "Look, I told you some of the dangers you will run into to show my trust in you. Take it for that at least. I could have let you blunder around here and let you discover that on your own. Have you ever seen green slime devour someone? Not a pretty picture!"
Horven sighs. "Well, let's get to work. Arguing with our shadowy host isn't conducive to any of our goals."
Gared nodded to Horven and bowed apologetically towards the lake before setting off back the way they came.
Horven follows behind Gared. "I don't know if I trust the fellow, but another set of hands couldn't hurt...could it?"
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After deciding to help the captain of the Liza Jane recover his lost brooch, you all return back the way you came here. Crossing the pool on the upper level proves uneventful, you eventually make your way over to the sea stair Lockerbie mentioned. The chamber is as you remembered it.
The salty tang of the sea fills the air of this chilly room. Wall carvings showing soldiers marching to war are encrusted with salt, and a descending stair in the center of the room is filled to nearly floor level with sea water. A thin layer of blue energy shimmers across the surface of the water in the stairwell.
Returning to the observation room next door allows you to pinpoint the location of the sunken vessel easily.
"I believe this is the stair of which he spoke." Yamyra mutters to herself as she contemplates the shimmering barrier.
'Think you can make it there & back?'
Fancy advances toward the stairs leading into the water.
"We have scrolls. This would be the best situation to use them in."
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Gared nodded, looking a bit uncomfortable, though as resolute as ever. "Aye. I won't be able to use me bow down there. What will be able to do if we end up in a fight?"
"Surely we must have something that'll suffice in the meantime," Horven replies.
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Gared nodded, secured his dagger within easy reach, placed his belongings he wished to keep dry in the corner, and waited for the spell to be cast.
Drawing forth one of the aforementioned scrolls, Yamyra examines is carefully before turning to the others. "This should allow all of us to make the journey. Particularly if we feel we can get there, search, and return within an hour. If one of us remains behind, we can take as long as two hours."
Horven looks apprehensive. "Shouldn't...er...one of us stay behind to keep an eye on our belongings?"
"That would be why I brought up the particulars rather than simply reciting the incantation." Yamyra replies, looking out over the scroll at all of her companions.
"Seeing that I am as adept in water as a boulder, I happily volunteer to keep watch here," Horven offers.
"I think I should be the one to volunteer. My armor is heavier, and I fear that I would be near useless in the water." Ganer said, giving a concerned look into the water.
Gared put his hands on hips and scowled. "Bah, remind me to teach ye both to swim when we aren't in the middle of some ruin. The both of ye should stay here, I'd rather have a pair of you behind if any trouble tries to sneak up on ye."
"Fair enough," Horven says, trying to hide a smirk.
"Hmph. Armour" Carmina snorts. "You guys rely way too much on your equipment. I could walk around naked and still be just as good in a fight," she says, then takes on a slightly contemplating expression. "You know, that could actually make swimming easier..."
While Horven waits for Yamyra to chide Carmina, he quickly looks down the hallway to hide his blushing at the thought.
"Lady Carmina! Modesty is a virtue and important to maintain in company!" Gared harrumphed and turned to Yamyra. "I not be looking forward to this, can we just be on with it?"
"We aren't children," Yamyra adds rolling her eyes slightly at Gared's protestations of the importance of feminine virtue, "to go paddling nude as though we hadn't a care in the world."
"Yes, we would likely be far less encumbered were we to doff our clothes before attempting to swim out there," she accedes to Carmina's reason, "but we would also be far less protected, and caution will serve us better than impetuousness. Will you stay, please?"
"Bah, Lady Carmina's one o' the best swimmers out of the lot of ye, and I'd much rather have her along side me if we run into trouble there!"The dwarf glanced uncomfortably over at the tiefling briefly. "Ye just... swim as ye are there..."[/b]
"Fine then," Carmina says, surprised by the strong emotions that an idle thought voiced aloud had brought forth. "You need help with the scroll, Yamyra?"
"So, Ganer and I will stay behind while the rest of you head to the ship?" Horven asks, clarifying.
Gared nodded, impatience finally beginning to show on his customarily stoic face.
Yamyra shakes her head at Carmina's query. "Thank you, no. I'm sure this is well within my capabilities. It's also written in Thassilonian & I'm not as confident of your declensions as I would like to be." She explains before unrolling and reciting one of the scrolls. As the words flow from her tongue, you all feel a sense of...
strangeness, seeping into your forms. The air around you suddenly seems thin, tasteless. Sufficient to maintain health & consciousness, but somehow lacking in character. "That should do it." Yamyra nods in affirmation as she concentrates, directing her attentions between Carmins, Fancy, Gared & herself.
'Be a dear and try it out, will you?'
Nodding in acknowledgment, Fancy begins descending the stairs into the waters of the surrounding sea. She continues until she is completely submerged. Once she has done so, she attempts a breath.
Gared shuddered involuntarily as the spell washed over him. The dwarf took a moment to lovingly lay his bow and quiver down beside his pack before diving into the water, gritting his teeth, and fought his instincts take his first breath.
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The eidolon sinks below the surface of the water and soon finds herself on the bottom of the cove, at the base of a stony underwater escarpment, 40 feet below the surface. Looking upwards she does see the surface still bathed in sunlight which helps light the way to the remains of the Liza Jane. The wreck is actually closer than it appeared at first, about 20 to 30 feet away.
Taking a watery breath for the first time, the sensation of drowning washes over her and she tries to cough the water out, a futile gesture being underwater and all. As the magic from the scroll takes hold the drowning feeling eases and she feels...odd. The water flooding her lungs takes more effort to expel than air does but that is balanced by the length of time between 'breaths'. The others soon go through their own adjustment period, although Gared takes a tad bit longer probably due to his dwarven nature.
Once regrouping and orienting yourselves, you make your way to the shipwreck. Due to it resting on the bottom you can easily make it by walking along the bottom of the cove. You are currently about 20 feet away from it now.
Steeling herself for the journey once it becomes clear the spell's effect has taken hold, Yamyra follows Fancy & Gared down and out into the waters below the bay.
Once they have approached the wreckage, her face takes on a curious expression. Raising her hand, Yamyra attempts a now-familiar gesture & incantation.
As her companion & anchor determines the effectiveness of her only magical attack underwater, Fancy makes her way toward the wreck itself, examining it for means of entrance.
Carmina follows Fancy towards the wreck, joining the eidolon in searching for an opening in the hull.
"That is just a little too strange for my tastes," Horven mutters, watching the others.
Gared ran through verses of scripture as his lungs heaved initially, panic gripping his mind for a long moment before the water finally rushed into his lungs. The dwarf took a moment to orient himself and take stock of his surroundings or any danger before swimming along after the others, clutching at the dagger with a white-knuckled grip.
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Without wasting any time, the four of you move towards the wreck looking for a way inside. From the looks of it, you should be able to access the inside of the sunken vessel by heading to the topside where the deck is/was. As you move towards the opening, a shadowy form passes through the water swiftly heading towards you! By the dimming light it looks like two long eel-like creatures with lobsterlike heads and sharp looking pincers.
Yamyra squeaks in alarm as the creatures flow through the water towards them.
Though caught off-guard by the attackers & the environment, Fancy's flailing blow still struck true.
"They're reefclaws!" Carmina shouts at her companions. "Their claws are poisonous and they can understand Common... Though I doubt they'll want to listen to us after Fancy's punch..."
Gared instinctively reached for his quiver as he saw the creatures coming... and feel into a brief moment of panic as he realized he didn't have it or his bow. All the dwarf's training and knowledge left him floundering the water for just a few seconds...
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The first reefclaw heads directly towards the eidolon, paying the price by way of Fancy's blow. Driven by aggression the reefclaw tries swiping her in return, with Fancy barely able to dodge out of its way.
The other one, drawn by the tiefling's excited yell, heads towards Carmina. One claw reaches out but she is able to duck under the blow.
After managing to avoid the reefclaw's slash, Carmina springs into an all-out attack of her own, although fiding that being underwater makes landing a blow considerably more difficult.
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Fancy's powerful blow leaves her off balance for a successful return strike, while Carmina discovers by bracing herself against the wreck she is able to put force behind her bite, adding to the blood in the water by wounding her reefclaw pretty badly.
Gared fumbles ineffectually with his dagger and is unable to move closer to assist the others.
Yamyra spits out a strange incantation & all companions within the water find themselves curiously accelerated.
Horven watches as the strange creatures engage the others. "Oof...go Fancy! Knock 'em out! Woo, show 'em what's what, Carmina!"
Energized by Yarmyra's spell, Carmina manages to direct one more bite towards the wounded reefclaw.