Into the Tidelss Expanse IC

[Rattigan]

"Um...I think I might be able to help."

Pale Ocean had been keeping quiet and out of the way while the bombastic duo spitballed ideas, looking over the sketches he had made of the strange obelisk. But they'd been talking long enough that he had been broken out of his reverie.

"I-i-if you don't mind waiting a little while, I know the technique to summon a brine cur, or water dog spirit, that could bear us across on his back. That is, if we're still connected to the Elemental leylines here."

Pale Ocean takes out the orichalcum and stone necklace from where it had been tucked into his robes, and holds onto the watery dark blue sphere set into the largest section.

"This jewel will speed the process, but it will still take a couple of hours

He begins the procedure that has been drilled into him by his father, passed down from his father before him, and his father before him. Of course, they did not have the blessings of the Sun to ignore the requirement for the saltrock and the river dragon bone...

Spoiler: OOC

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Summon (Brine Cur) (2, Charisma, 5, four hours):
An elemental of the desired type is drawn along the
dragon lines of Creation to the caster’s location. Each
ritual summons a different kind of elemental that has
Essence of 3 or less. Thaumaturges have no power to
command summoned elementals, but they may bargain
with them. Some breeds of elementals perform specific
services in return for specific offerings. Others form
private pacts in return for favors from the thaumaturge.
For instance, a wood spider might tell forest secrets in
return for offerings of blood and a plot of cultivated
land allowed to grow wild once more.

Exalted can substitute 2m for each dot of resources for components needed to perform the ritual. It costs Resources 2-3 for an Adept procedure, which this is (denoted by 2 in the bracket) so that is 6m.

My Jewel of Daanad hearthstone halves the cost and summon time for spells or procedures that summon water elementals, so that is 3m and 2 hours to reach out for a brine cur that I can bargain with for passage across the river. Jewel of Daanad also gives +3 dice to influence water elementals, and the Necklace of Solar Charisma gives me +3 dice on Charisma and Appearance checks, like those to summon it and those to convince it to help us.

Sorry I blanked for a plan for so long guys.

Roll of Glorious Divinity 1 has a brine cur in the comic on page 89 and stats on page 124.

[rollv]12d10[rollv]

[farothel]

"Worth a try," Mantis said. She kept a watch out while also keeping an eye out on the ritual. It could Always be interesting to know more about these things.

[Lentrax]

Pale Ocean, gemstone in hand, begins to perform his ritual. After some time spent in the shallows of the river, a small vortex begins to form. From this vortex, a shadow begins to emerge amd soon enough, a large shape, the same color as the water of a cam sea rises up. Water sloughs off the figure, and it emits a deep, low, and long growl.

[farothel]

"Cool," Mantis whispered to herself. She had to learn how to do that. In fact, now that she thought about it, she might have asked the little god of the river to let them pass. She remembered that she was a priest of the Unconquered Sun, which probably meant she could let small gods do her bidding. She kept it in mind in case they needed a plan B.

[Kaworu]

The White Paw just sat nearby, letting Plae Ocean do their thing. After the elemental appeared, he just whistled in appreciation of occult-prowess of the Solar.

- I will pass the river myself, okay? And I would like to get there first, make sure it's safe, and then you can follow, right?

[Rattigan]

Pale Ocean smiles and inclines his head in greeting, his words and every motion conveying friendship with a tinge of authority as he delivers his speech.

"Thank you for answering me, noble hound of the waves, and leaving the salt and sea. We wish to bargain for your assistance with passage across this raging river, and only this. I know you are probably eager to return to the salt, and we have no wish to force you to stay in this fresh water any longer than necessary."

He smiles as he returns the Jewel of Daanad to his necklace, both glinting brightly in the sunlight.

"What would you want if you were to bear each of us safely across the river?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

(11d10)[2][8][1][7][5][10][7][10][7][2][7](66) for Performance, and spending 4m for +2 successes

EDIT: ....so that's a total of 11 successes on 11 dice

[Lentrax]

Long has it been since this isle was accessible. That you are here is signs of tidings grave. Yet. I understand your plight. I can indeed carry you across. This isle was the home to a powerful group of your predecessors. They held many weapons and artifacts of great power. Among these was a device that allowed them to control the tides and currents. This artifact is useful to those of us below the waves. You may summon me when you retrieve it, and I can instruct you in its use for you to leave this island.

[Kaworu]

"Oh? So this isle is NOT a demons' worshippers place? Kinda disappointed, the demon story was much more interesting, but I should not complain as there are artifacts t obe found." - thought The White Paw, although he remained silent, as occult - and history! - was not his area of expertise.

[farothel]

"I'm not really a fighter," Mantis said, "so this is better."
She looked at the spirit.
"What were the names of the Solars and/or Lunars that stayed here before," she asked

[Rattigan]

Pale Ocean's eyes brightened behind the crystal lenses of his spectacles. Solars! This had been a Solar island! Who knows what they could find here!

He waits to hear the Brine Cur's reply, and will politely thank it if it bears them across the river.

[Lentrax]

I am not permitted to speak their names. There are few who are, and they would not be willing to share such information. Will you retrieve the Tidal Mastiff?

[farothel]

"If we can and if we're allowed, we can try," Mantis said, "and if we know what it does. Now, let's get to the other side of the river and we can continue from there. Which reminds me, do you know where those solar's home was on the Island?"
If this spirit could give them a better idea of where to search, they wouldn't have to search the whole Island.

[Kaworu]

- More inportantly - said the Lunar -are there any dangers on this island?

[Lentrax]

They created this island. They conjured it from the seas with a reality engine to be their home. It is above you, below you and around you.

Dangers? Is this not Creation? There are dangers everywhere. Now come. I will take you across the river.

Hours later, you are all across the river, and the brine cur departs, leaving you all on the other side of the river. There is a path leading away from the river, a wide space that was, at some point cleared of the roots and vines and other overgrowth that has taken over the rest of the island you have seen.

[farothel]

"Something cleared this," Mantis remarked, stating the Obvious, "better be careful. It can be just a servant of some sort, but it could be a lot beigger and/or more dangerous. But let's go on. The faster we find what we need, the faster we can get off this Island."

[Kaworu]

- But do we want to, really? - asked the White Paw - They are bound to be adventures there. This is the ancient home of Exalted. And we have our ship destroyed. Do we really wanna leave so soon?

[farothel]

"A lot of that will depend on what we find and how fast," Mantis said, "but I do suggest that we move as quickly as possible. Besides, if there were Solars here on the Island, there might be some form of transportation as well. Bon, let's go."

She started moving into the jungle, following the path leading away from the river. She kept watching out. If there was one thing she did know was that Solars often put traps near their homes.

[Rattigan]

"We don't have to leave, but knowing we have the option is better than being trapped on this island forever. Let's find this item, and search the island."

Pale Ocean will ask his barbarian sailor companions to search around and keep an eye out for trouble as he heads down the path with the others.

[Lentrax]

You begin walking the path. After a half an hour, the foliage begins to lighten. Fifteen minutes later, you are able to see through the canopy to the sky above. And as you look up, you see more signs of civilized people. Large structures, too regular to be natural formations, are perched on the trees. What’s more, bridges seem to connect these structures in what appear to be regular patterns.

There is a city in the trees.

[farothel]

"I expected buildings, but not this many," Mantis said as she looked at the buildings and tried to see how overgrown they were and if they were by any chance inhabited.

[Kaworu]

- Do you suppose we will find their inhabitants? - asked the White Paw, looking up.

[farothel]

"I'm not sure," Mantis said, "and I'm also not sure if I want to. It can be quite akward, or dangerous."

[Rattigan]

"Awkward? We are the Chosen of the Sun! We press on in the face of the strange and unexplained, and don't back down!"

Pale Ocean will look around for anywhere where the trees seem easier to climb, or anywhere there is some sort of way to get up there, peering through his crystal spectacles. He squints and calls out through cupped hands up at the city.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

(3d10)[10][7][1](18)

Pale Ocean is Not Naturally Perceptive.

EDIT: ....but that was a pretty good roll

[farothel]

"Okay," Mantis said as she readied an Arrow on her bow, just in case, while she kept looking around. She would have been a bit more careful, but that was also a way of doing things.

Spoiler: OOC rolls

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I'll also roll perception.
(4d10)[7][9][8][9](33)
EDIT: 4 successes on 4 dice, not bad.