I agree. TfB would be resisted by Parma, so an AC will help with the penetration. You might be able to use a directed CrIm to speak with a target with Parma as the species isn't resisted. Targeting them will have some of the same issues unless they're in your line of sight. Could you target a frog they're traveling with?
Speaking quietly to Duncan & Magnus in latin "he believes us to be other practitioners, and wants us to stay out of the way of his ritual. I'm going to try a more investigative effect."
OOC: Casting Peering into the Mortal Mind (InMe30) to determine what it is which is holding this ghost here. Why its is haunting/what is it doing? Also will cast Look at Me (CrMe 15) if I need to get it's attention.
- Peering into the Mortal Mind, CT 59 + vs InMe30, rolled a 9. Success, pen 38.
- Look at Me, CT 55 vs CrMe15, rolled a 1, then a 9. Success, pen 58.
A quick check into the ghost's mind shows that he's quite scatterbrained, with large gaps in his memory. His purpose in unlife, however, it clear. It seems to be to maintain the temple in working order. He took an oath to maintain the temple, and he apparently took that oath seriously enough that it lasted beyond his death. He's not working on any kind of ritual himself. Rather he's going about his attempts to keep the temple in good shape and doesn't want to be interrupted in that task.
The eel (Aquarian) will swim around the four sculptures and attempt to enter the regio.
While the others converse with the ghost, Aquarian takes it upon himself to investigate the regio. Having been told that the path spirals around the statues, he swims in a circle from one statue to the other. As he finishes the circuit, a pathway appears in an otherwise blank wall. Through the passage he goes into what appears to be a much finer version of the same temple. Currently the eel-shaped merman is in an antechamber off the main chamber of the temple, the mirror of the one he just left.
Off to the center of the temple he can see a slight glow from what appears to be a blue-green pile of stone or metal. A moment later the pile moves, and opens an eye, revealing that the it's not a pile of stone, nor a pile of metal, but a pile of dragon scales - and those scales are attached to a very live and very aware dragon.
[size=150]"Good afternoon,"[/size] the dragon exclaims in a booming voice, looking through the archway and straight at Aquarian. [size=150]"Who is it that disturbs my slumber? Did I not tell your people that I prefer my privacy. It is not yet time for your tribute."[/size]
The eel shifts to human form, hoping the rules of the regio will allow him to breathe, ready to shift back quickly if that is not the case.
OOC: I never really noticed before, but I guess that, as written, Atlanteans can't breath underwater in human form. I suppose the assumption is that they're fish all the time underwater. That's different from what I imagined. I figured that they were amphibious. I think it makes them much more interesting as an undersea culture if they're not stuck as fish all the time when underwater. How do you make a culture as fish? I'd be willing to let Aquarian fiddle around with his Virtues/Qualities to swap one out for the Virtue/Quality Amphibious, which would let him breathe underwater.
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Seeing Aquarian struggle briefly in the water, the dragon takes quick action. His eyes glow and the exiled Atlantean finds he can breathe underwater as if under the influence of Lungs of the Fish.
[size=150]"I'll need you in this form to get my answers,"[/size] the dragon's voice booms. [size=150]"So tell me. Why have you disturbed me?"[/size]
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OOC: If you take Amphibious as a Virtue/Quality, just ignore the part about Lungs of the Fish.
Atlanteans can communicate with undersea creatures, which I assume includes each other when they are in fish forms... though if this includes dragons I suppose he could have stayed an eel. I was wondering though if the regio itself included special rules to allow underwater breathing...
"I was unaware of your presence, We are exploring this temple, and considering locating a settlement here or nearby. If I might ask a few questions of my own, who normally provides you tribute, when is it due and what is required for tribute, and have any tributes been missed lately?"
I'd say that dragons are more magical creatures than sea creatures.
There does not seem to be anything in this regio that would indicate that it grants the ability to breathe water or otherwise accommodates air-breathers.
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[size=150]"That's a funny question coming from one of your kind,"[/size] the dragon replies. [size=150]"It is your people who bring the tribute. Since you did not know that, I must assume that you are no longer associated with those people. I understand that they are very sensitive about what they consider contamination from the surface world, exiling those with any contact. Perhaps you are one such exile."[/size] If a dragon could shrug, this one does.
[size=150]"But you say that you are considering a settlement here."[/size] It raises its head up and looks down at Aquarian. [size=150]"Now that you know I live here, does that change your intention?"
[/size]
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Yes, I know that you asked a few other questions. The dragon is more interested right now in his own issues than answering the questions of an intruder.
Make an Int + Area Lore check for the Atlantean city Aquarian comes from, You'll get different info depending upon what you roll.
Aquarian smiles "Not every Atlantean is aware of what every other Atlantean does. However the decision is not mine to make, I can only bring usefull information to those who will make a decision and advise them. How would you feel about humans settling here? I should mention their plans would involve raising the land, so I do not believe any more Atlanteans would be coming. Which is why I asked about the form and frequency of the tribute."
[size=150]"So I would trade an infrequent guest for a permanent neighbor," [/size]the dragon says.[size=150] "Not a very promising trade, if you ask me." [/size]He sways his head back and forth. [size=150]"Being on land bothers me not at all, of course, though I've become accustomed to living beneath the sea. Tell me though, what tribute do you offer me? Each year, your people give me three large whales, a hundred weight of silver - or it's equivalent in gold and gems, and one unit of magic for each of the seasons in the year."[/size]
"I will return to the magi and ask them to prepare a counter offer."
He leaves the region and relates what he has found to the magi while the spell remains active, ready to shift to a eel should he sense it stop working.
The spell lasts through the regio exit, and Aquarian can still breathe water when he gets back to the main temple.
The others are treated to the surprise of a humanoid Aquarian emerging from the side chamber.
Aquarian simply launches right in "It would appear there is a dragon in residence who is accustomed to receiving an annual tribute of 3 large whales, a hundred pounds of silver and [strike]12[/strike] 4 pawns of vis a year from a group of Atlanteans, and he wants to know what we offer in exchange for letting us stay."
Ooc: that'd be 4 vis per year, rather than 12.
"For now we ask a few more questions and actually do very little. What else did you observe within the regio? Exits, appearance, size,?"
"It is essentially the same temple as we are in now, but finer."
"A dragon is quite an unexpected bump in the road," Magnus observes. "You were wise to insist on some investigation before we acted, Constantine. But surely we can reason with the dragon. If he was willing to accept tribute before, we can come to some sort of arrangement with it going forward."
"He has already asked what tribute we offer."
"For my part, I say we speak to him and see if he can be reasoned with," Magnus says. "It sounds as if Aquarian has made a good start."
"What do you say, Constantine?"