You decide to ignore the small hole and continue crawling forward through the pipe on the opposite side and eventually you come out to where you were before into the top of a cistern, filled with 9 feet of water. You see the exit which leads to the well and also the other tunnel where you originally came in from.
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Maudril climbs through the water grumbling and when he gets out he will pull out his blades and wipe them down with a light oil and then dry them and put them away and do the same with his armor he is wearing as best he can and then look and see they are back where they came and say to the fish:
which way know esteemed fish?
"Hmm. I... do not know how to swim."
Chipluck brings the rope across the cistern and then the group follows him across by climbing hand over hand on the rope. You then continue back towards the well bucket and individually make your way out of the well.
Luckily, the guards have left but Babazadeh and Khaled are in the Bazaar.
Babazadeh sees you first and says, "The Calipha be praised, you have found my beautiful fish, thank you kindly for your service!"
The fish says, "Please return me to the sea."
"I am glad to be out of there!" opines Fadilah.
When Babazadeh speaks up, Fadilah says, "This is no fish, but a person! She speaks, she thinks, her home is the ocean but she is a person just as much as any of us."
"Since you did not purchase her at the slave market, she is no more your property than I am."
The fisherman says, "I caught that fish. The boy stole the fish and threw it in the well. It is mine to do with as I pleased. You agreed to find it for me."
"We found her," says Fadilah. "It is up to her what she chooses to do next."
The fisherman says, "In Muluk, your word is your honor. You said you would find it for me and you have found it and have decided to keep it for yourselves. The guards are still looking for your pilfering friend, shall I call them?"
"I am keeping nothing. The fish decides to go where she will. If she wishes me to accompany her, then I may or may not, as is my whim; but I own nothing, I take nothing. We found the fish, as asked. She then asked to be taken to the ocean. Or do you mean to tell me that you are a slave-taker and you hope to take this talking person as a slave? Are you licensed to do so? The city frowns on people who take slaves without appropriate training and approval," replies Fadilah. "Fish, where do you want to go? Do you want to go with this fisherman? Or to the ocean?"
Nabila laughs. "My friend here is correct. This is no mere fish, and that means that my companions were given this task under false pretenses. Now, good sir, in addition to that, I would like to point out that myself and this...large, burly half-orc here, we made no such agreement with you and we were quite instrumental in recovering this majestic being, so we have a say in it's disposition as well." She looks very seriously at the man. "She goes home."
"I did indeed give my word to return the fish, but that was before I knew that it could speak and reason. I'm afraid that I quite agree with my companions. This is no mere fish to be butchered and eaten."
"While I care not one whit about a fish, talking or otherwise, one might begin to wonder exactly where you caught said fish. Surely, the bodies of water here are not flush with such creatures, and I know that in my homeland such things are stewarded by people who protect nature; or, are you perhaps saying that you are such a person, and not a simple fisherman as you appear to be?"
The man says, "I caught it in the sea with my net. Like I have caught thousands of fish before. In the Land of Fate, we do not have things like that effendi! Since when has being able to reason had an affect on whether someone could be enslaved? This outlander has somehow spoiled your values. I was going to sell it because my family is starving we have had bad luck for last two months."
The fish says, "He is correct. He caught by his net in the sea. I would very much like to go back to the sea and soon or I will sort of drown." as it flops in Chip's hands.
"If it is money you wish to resolve this, perhaps a gold crown will convince you that this is not worth the trouble?" Orven holds out a since GP in as inviting a manner as possible.
The man says,"Do you have 2 dinars? If so, I will be able to feed my family for a few days."
Chipluck is able to put together enough money for a loaf of bread and maybe some low quality shashlik for himself but not enough for a family.
Orven will sigh and give the man two gold crowns, minted with the treasury seal of Amn.
He grabs both coins and bites down on them sees they are genuine and then says, Sharmuta..." and leaves.
Nabila mutters under her breath questioning the man's parentage before saying, "Let's hurry."
You make your way out of the Grand Bazaar southwesterly through the slave market. You see many slaves of all kinds, mamluks, and many others. Outside of the slave market, there are merchants but mostly they are selling items from the river but also here and there they are selling purple dye.
After about an hour you are able to get to the mouth of the Al Zalim River with the Great Sea and you toss the fish into the water.
The fish says, "Thank you very much for assisting me."
Nabila smiles and waves, "It was our immense pleasure, but you do not have to thank me personally. Najm sparked my curiosity and led me to save a life. Give thanks instead to great Najm, my dear! May you always have the currents at your back!"
She glances to the others. "You are all blessed people. Even you, beggar."
"Well... perhaps," says Fadilah indecisively in response to Chip's offer.
"What a strange experience. I hope that the people whose basements we broke through are not terribly put out!"
"Strange, indeed. Talking fish, strange women who speak in reverse, what is next?" Nura wonders aloud.
The fish says, "Give me a moment."
She dives underwater and you see a greenish light underwater and then you see a mermaid swim deeper and then in about three minutes time the mermaid emerges.
She says, "I am Silana. For your trouble, I offer you this."
She levitates a kelp bound bundle your way.
She then continues, "if you ever need me, feel free to meet me at this spot and call my name four times."
"Thank you, Silana," says Fadilah with a bow. "I will remember your story!"
"What a delightful bit of transmogrification magic!" says Orven as the fish turns into a mermaid.
You make your way to a secluded place where you can reimburse Orvan. You then open the bundle Silana gave you and inside you find a dozen beefy oysters.
"I doubt it, but they might have pearls," suggests Fadilah to Chip.
"Pearls could mean some nice tender lamb...I do not think I will want seafood for a little while."
"Agreed, my friend," Nura says to Nabila. "I suppose introductions are in order. My name is Nura Hamdani, sailor by trade."
"Mmm. I see what you mean," says Fadilah. "I am Fadilah, and I am a sha'ir, student of a sorcerer from the City of Wands."
GM Rolls
Chipluck inhales the first oyster with a large pearl as well.
You are able to find another ten pearls of varying sizes.
"I am, as mentioned previously, Orven the Magnificent, arcanist."
"An arcanist; a practitioner of magic? Do you command the jinn as well?"