*Splash*
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A sharply presented black-hulled warship pulls into the harbour, siege weapons on display as though on parade, its Andoran flag gently dances in the wind with the stylised eagle motif seemingly in flight. A subdued nameplate reveals the ship as ‘The Raven’.
Moments after it docks, a slightly disreputable and roguish looking Galtan dressed in naval attire begins to disembark with a small party of rough looking sailors, several of the crew are heard to shout to him as they flick off lazy salutes ”Adieu Capitaine!”, he waves back to them with a bit of a flourish as he strides down the gangplank with the surety and confidence of a man used to being in command.
The handsome fellow adjusts his tricorne, ensuring the cockade is well presented, before continuing through the streets humming the national anthem of his native homeland, his feet almost dancing as he makes his way to his appointed rendezvous – detouring only briefly to source a hamper of red wine, fresh bread, and soft cheese.
You have all been summoned to the city of Niswan, in Jalmeray! Some of you were booked passage on a ship, while others made your own way there. You have all gathered on the docks on a beautiful morning.
Please introduce yourselves!
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With the exception of the mutters of “Land lubber!” and worse from the other sailors, the trip out to Niswan was uneventful. Still, the only way to learn something like sailing was experience.
Once ashore, he packed up his equipment and made his way ashore. His scimitar at his side and the massive silver earth breaker slung over his shoulder, he made his way through the streets towards the lodge.
It was nice being someplace where the people didn’t have the pasty complexion typical of the Taldan raiders. Like his homeland of Qadira, Jameray was a place where the djinn were a part of the culture. Here there were many who would see his bright blue eyes and guess at his own elemental heritage.
He looked around, hoping to find the rest of the group he was supposed to work with.
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The morning sun is brilliant on clean white sails as the clipper slides into port. The teak hull has darkened, clearly a ship in use for some time. The prow bears carvings of feathered wings, but not of avians judging by the name engraved on its plaque, bearing the words "Angel Arm".
The crew matches the colors of the sea and sky, sea elves and other amphibious races prominently on display as they secure moorings and run out the gangplank. The only one to disembark is a slim woman with pale blue skin and deep green hair. Her tricorn kicked back at a high angle, she seems to bear little armaments, dressed to explore with numerous pouches slung over the mithral chain. A compass with the Glyph of the Open Road stamped upon it hangs at her belt.
"A welcome change from the frozen north!" Taking a deep breath of the tropical breath, she looks to Sarq. "You look ta be adventurous. Can I assume we've both been summoned for the same mission? I'm known as Maarin, but if you prefer to call me Pirate Queen I won't be offended." She finishes the introduction with a friendly smile.
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Sarq turns and smiles.
“It is likely, Maarin. I am Sarq.” he says as he extends a hand in friendship.
“Yes, I imagine this is a welcome change. I have been fortunate so far, none of my missions have forced me to travel the frozen wastelands of the north.”
Looking at him, you realize he is somewhat short for a human, about 5’ 2”. Still, he looks like a sturdy fellow. His equipment is well cared for and his black hair is tied back in a tight braid.
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A slight man with blue skin stands on a nearby corner, cranking out a jaunty tune on a strange instrument, a hat upturned before him containing a fair pile of coins pitched in by passing strangers. When he sees you assembling he winks, finishes his song with flourish, swooping up the hat and pocketing the coins with a practiced grace as he strides over toward you.
"Howdy, folks! You must be the other Pathfinders I'm here to meet." He sticks out his hand as he approaches, greeting you with a friendly smile. Now that he's closer, you recognize him as an undine. "The name's Daffy, Daffy Johns. And my don't you lot look like the sea-faring types! Any of you passed through Sothis recently? I've been doin' some jobs for the Sandswept Hall there, though I'm still playin' most of my usual gigs in between Pathfinder missions. Anyway, I'm glad to be here. Folks in this town know how to appreciate a good musician! I made more money in an hour on that corner there than I did all last week in Absalom!"
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Nixie pulls herself out of the waters of the bay, where she’d had a nice, refreshing swim. “Hello, everyone!” Then she grins and runs up to Sarq. “Sarq! It’s been a long time!” She gives the bloodrager a damp and soggy hug. Then she blinks, staring at Daffy and Maarin. “It’s not often that so many of our kind is gathered above wave.”
She inclines her head and says, “I am Nixie, I come from the Attwater tribe in the waters near Escobar. I am training to be the memory of my people, and learn how things are done above wave. May i ask whom you both are and from what tribes you hail?”
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Pausing a moment, Sarq admits “Sorry, I’m not sure where Sothis is.”
Holding out his hand, he says “Pleased to meet you Daffy!”
Just as he finishes the pleasantries Nixie comes up and hugs him. It seems he is used to her wet hugs, he just returns the hug and smiles. “Good to see you as well, Nixie!”
He then steps aside so as to give her room to talk with the others.
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Pausing a moment, Sarq admits “Sorry, I’m not sure where Sothis is.”
"You don't know Sothis!? Stormhaven of Osirion? Jewel of the River Sphinx? No?" Daffy scratches his head. "Well I'll be darned. I woulda thought anyone in the Inner Sea would know the capital of Osirion! Well anyway," he adds with a grin, "you should go visit sometime! It's a helluva town."
“It’s not often that so many of our kind is gathered above wave.”
She inclines her head and says, “I am Nixie, I come from the Attwater tribe in the waters near Escobar. I am training to be the memory of my people, and learn how things are done above wave. May i ask whom you both are and from what tribes you hail?”
"Tribe? Oh, I guess the...Johns tribe?" he says with a shrug. "Grew up in Sothis, lived there all my life. Pop wasn't around, and mom never really liked to talk about the past; I never knew any kin besides mom and my brother, and now my niece. Come to think of it, there weren't really any other of our kind 'round the neighborhood, either."
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"This must be the place" a smooth Galtan accent cuts into the conversation "Captain Jaques of The Raven".
"A few extra ships in the harbour, and some of our brothers and sisters from beneath the waves - I have an inkling we are up for some seafaring"
A group of well-presented sailors dressed in the same colours as the good Captain loiter off in the distance, however, their neat attire does nothing to disguise the hard faces, an abundance of tattoos, gaudy jewellery, and well-used swords; pirates, or privateers at the very least.
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Laughing, Sarq admits “I’ve heard of Osirion, but never visited. How do the deserts compare to the stark beauty of the Ketz desert?”
"The Ketz desert? That's in Qadira somewhere, right? Can't say I've ever been there to compare. Heck, before I joined the Pathfinders I'd never left Sothis before, let alone been to Qadira!"
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"Not a lot of reason to sail to Osirion for me, nor did the Society ever see fit to call me to Sothis. Now Qadira, that's another story." Maarin nods back to Nixie. "No tribe of my own, unless the scoundrels of the Shackles count. I was raised amid the storms there and that is where I've plied my sails."
With obvious relief, Sarq laughs and then suggests “Given the company, it may be they thought the group needed a baritone!”
"I'm as game as the rest of you for whatever is asked of us, but the crew has asked me not to inflict my singing on any poor soul from now on!"
The Commerce District of Niswan is packed with storefronts and stands populated with busy merchants and skilled artisans. The scents of spicy marinades and exotic fruits mix with the smell of the sea, and the cacophony of shouts from vendors is almost overwhelming. The crowded streets wind away from the water, eventually leading to a quiet road with a view of Niswan’s famous terraced gardens. The Pathfinder Lodge sits at the end of this road. Inside the lodge, Venture-Captain Rashmivati Melipdra, a heavyset, middle-aged Vudrani woman, stacks books onto a shelf in her new office. Open boxes filled with books, weapons, unusual stones and crystals, and other knickknacks lay strewn throughout the room, and a brightly colored bird sits on a perch in one corner.
"Oh, excellent! You've arrived right on time." She offers you spiced tea and crunchy cookies.
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"My thanks for your kindness and the most generous hospitality, who would ever pass up the famous Jalmerai custom and miss out on such delicacies" -Jaques puts a light emphasis on his words, hoping to guide any companions who may be unfamiliar with the area.
"On the way here I stopped by some fine fare from your local providores, I could not call upon a host without bringing a bottle or two" the Galtan presents the small hamper sourced earlier.
"Oh, wonderful! It's never too early in the day for that." She winks at the group and gets a few glasses.
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Venture-Captain Melipdra reveals a polished, pale gray stone sphere covered in faint ancient writing and runes. “I bought this in the market about a month ago, from fishers who dragged it up in their nets. This is most unusual writing: a combination of ancient Vudrani and Aquan. Not all of the writing makes sense to me, but it does clearly spell out the name “Monastery of Unbreaking Waves.” When I was a student at the Monastery of Unblinking Flame, I always thought it was odd that there were schools for air, earth, and fire, but not water. And now it turns out that there once was! Finding any information about the Monastery of Unbreaking Waves was extremely difficult. I had to call in favors to get access to the private archives of the Monastery of Unblinking Flame, but I finally found mention of the Unbreaking Waves. It seems that over a thousand years ago, the school was destroyed by a magically induced tsunami that swept the buildings into the sea and killed most of the monks. The other schools determined that the Monastery of Unbreaking Waves caused its own downfall and buried most records of it to prevent a future disaster.
“With all due respect to the Houses of centuries past, something about that story isn’t sitting right with me. What could any of the Houses of Perfection have done that was so terrible as to cause such a fate? I contacted Ashasar of the Concordance of the Elements to see if perhaps the marids knew anything about what happened to the school. He learned that a few marids remembered the event, and they agreed it was unlikely that the school brought the tsunami down upon itself. They believe that it was caused by someone else, perhaps someone jealous of the monastery’s power.” Melipdra examines the stone sphere in her hand once more before continuing. “I also spent some time studying the object itself, and I believe that it is a key. More than that, I believe that it is also trying to go somewhere. Watch.” She places the sphere on her uncluttered desk, and after a moment, it slowly but indisputably moves on its own. It very gradually picks up speed until it rolls completely off the desk, but Venture-Captain Melipdra easily catches it. “I’d like you to take this key and find out where it is trying to go, and what it opens. See what became of the Monastery of Unbreaking Waves. I’ve carried it as far as the coast, so you’ll need to take a ship to go further. I’ve arranged for one that leaves tomorrow morning to carry you from Niswan, but I understand you've brought your own? I suspect the key’s final destination lies beneath the water, so prepare yourselves accordingly. I have potions of water breathing for you, along with potion sponges! If you don’t need those, I also have potions of cure serious wounds.”
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“Sometime I would like to hear more about the other monasteries— especially the one dedicated to air. Perhaps you would have time after we complete the mission?”
“Thank yo for the offer of supplies. It sounds like I will need a potion of water breathing and the sponge. Is there any other equipment you recommend?”
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Know (Local)
Know (Geography)
"When it comes to ships, I count we have at least two in the harbour, Angel Arm and The Raven. Our journey takes us into the Obari ocean, beneath the waves we have dragon turtles, sea hags, sharks, and a brine dragon named Hyntheragha. Above the waves we have pirates. Most concerning, at least to me, is that the Obari ocean is home to the Okeno Slavers, ruthless traders of living cargo who target sea traffic. They rig their galleys in distinctive yellow sails and fly their flag of a chain draped black skull on a yellow field."
"A lone ship out there is just asking for needless conflict, even if it is a warship full of 'gentlemen of fortune'. I suggest we take our small fleet instead - it also gives us some redundancy should the worst happen and the Deadly Ocean Passage lives up to its name. Should it come to slavers we'd also be better positioned to send their bodies to Besmara and their souls to Pharasma."
"Suppose I shall also borrow a potion or two, seems prudent"
"After my last outing, fighting underwater was less than a joy - I think I shall purchase something suited to jabbing underwater"
Venture-Captain Melipdra winks at Daffy. "I did indeed. But that's a story for another time, and perhaps another bottle of this! Well, even if you have your own ships, I'd still suggest leaving tomorrow morning. You can spend a little time in Niswan, stock up on supplies, and prepare new spells if you are that type. I look forward to hearing what you find!"
Cheat sheet on underwater rules!
Movement: Creatures with a swim speed can use it to move freely underwater. A creature without a swim speed that succeeds at a Swim check can move up to a quarter of its speed as a move action or half its speed as a full-round action. The DC of this check is 10 unless otherwise stated. If the creature has a surface to walk along, such as the bottom of a body of water, it can move at half speed without a check.
Melee Attacks: Natural attacks or attacks with bludgeoning and slashing weapons take a –2 penalty and deal half damage. Attacks that deal piercing damage don’t take these penalties.
Ranged Attacks: Thrown weapons are completely ineffective underwater. Attacks with ranged weapons except underwater crossbows (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Equipment 39–40) take a –2 penalty on attack rolls for every 5 feet of water they pass through, in addition to the normal penalties from range.
Spellcasting: A creature that cannot breathe water must succeed at a concentration check (DC = 15 + spell level) to cast a spell underwater.
Fire: Nonmagical fire (including alchemist’s fire) does not burn underwater. Spells and spell-like abilities with the fire descriptor are not effective underwater unless the caster succeeds at a caster level check (DC = 20 + spell level). On a success,, the spell produces a bubble of steam instead of its usual effect but otherwise functions as described. A supernatural fire effect is not effective underwater unless its description states otherwise.
Freedom of Movement: The spell freedom of movement negates the penalty on melee attack rolls with bludgeoning and slashing weapons and allows creatures to move freely in all directions as if they had a swim speed equal to their base speed. Such creatures automatically succeed at Swim checks.
Invisibility: An invisible creature displaces water and leaves a visible, body-shaped absence of water where it is located. The creature gains concealment (20% miss chance) rather than total concealment (50% miss chance).
Off-Balance: “Off-balance” is a special state (though not technically a condition) listed in the Combat Adjustments Underwater table on page 433 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook. A creature off-balance in the water loses its Dexterity bonus to AC, its opponents gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls against it, and attacks it makes with piercing weapons are made at a –2 penalty and deal half damage. A creature typically becomes off-balance by failing a Swim check, which makes it off-balance for a round, even if it has a neutral buoyancy and doesn’t sink or rise.
It is a beautiful morning when you set sail the next day. (If people had more shopping to do, feel free to finish up!)
You need to do two things. Someone needs to hold the sphere and determine which direction it's pulling you. You can do this by reading the magical energies with a Spellcraft or Knowledge (arcana) check, or by sensing the small motion of the sphere with a Sleight of Hand or Dexterity check. Someone also needs to steer the ship in the right direction with a Profession (sailor) or slightly harder Survival check. You may aid with any of the appropriate checks, but you can only aid on one of the two tasks, if that makes sense!
I will say that anyone aiding with the sphere itself needs to be on the same ship as the person holding the sphere. The sailing checks can be done from two different ships.
(I will admit, it did not occur to me to write rules for what would happen if the party brought two of their own ships!)
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(I will admit, it did not occur to me to write rules for what would happen if the party brought two of their own ships!)
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Once slipped from the harbour and into the open waters, the dancing Andoran flag is stowed yet no flag is run up in its place. The crew change out of their nice uniforms and into more loose-fitting and ruffian-like attire, one might even draw a conclusion that they were rogues and pirates. Gray Corsairs at the very least.
The crew mutter with excitement as they carry out their duties, the main topic of conversation being the Undine captain on the other ship and they openly speculate about exactly how much of a good omen it is, some suggesting it might just give a better edge on reading the waves, all the way through to wild-eyed speculation that Besmara herself will be carrying the ships in the palms of her benevolent hands. Manewhile, the Bosun
Blackjack takes the tiller of The Raven and follows the heading given by the stone-bearer.
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After leaving the lodge, Sarq wanders the markets looking for items. He finally decides to buy an elixir of swimming and upgrades his protective cloak.
In the morning, he adjusts the setting of his magenta prism as part of his preparations and then makes for the docks. He makes it there with some time to spare before departure.
Not knowing which ship to take, he flips a coin to decide. Looking at the coin, he grins and starts towards the boarding plank of the Angel Arm.
Once on board, he tries to help where he can while being sure to stay out of the way of the more experienced sailors. Mostly he bumbles the job.
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By the time Maarin returns to the docks, the quartermaster has resupplied the ship and the swabs are itching for time ashore. Granting that gives the captain time to prepare another batch of cartridges and ensure her powder horn is full. The workshop lantern burns low before the night is called.
On the morrow, many of the crew are not so spry as the day before. Nevertheless, the Angel Arm sets out along with the rest of the small armada. It takes until the harbor is well cleared for Maarin to appear again, taking over the helm with a barely suppressed laugh at Sarq's antics.
"Bring me that adventure!" she crows, inexplicable optimism filling her veins with excitement.
It is a beautiful day, the wind is filling your sails, and the Angel Arm zips across the sea!
I think Nixie is our sphere-holder! Since Hilary is back today, I'll let you roll rather than bot you.
Botting for Nixie:
The two bards easily sense the direction of the orb, and the two captains guide their ships to match. The day looks to be smooth sailing, when all of a sudden, the orb lights up! A wave of magical energy passes over all of you, and the waves begin to roil tumultuously, as though responding to an earthquake under the water.
I need another round of checks, please! Same things: one check to know where the orb wants you to go and Profession (sailor) checks to go in the right direction. This time, taking 10 is not allowed unless you have a special thing that says you can.