Ruins of Azlant Gameplay I

"The distance doesn't look like too bad a swim," Kaimana comments, before realizing who he's talking to. "Um, for Jax and me, anyway. Maybe there's a raft around somewhere...?"

"That's an option," Amissa says with a slight tilt of her head. "I think the most reliable option would be to come back later with a boat, but if we can find something serviceable around, I'd be willing to investigate today."

Kaimana looks out at the tower again. "I don't really want to go back without having explored something," he comments, looking around. "Can we see if we can find something first? If nothing else, Jax and me could swim ahead, give it at least a bit of a look."

"I don't think swimming ahead is a good idea," Aisha comments, pursing her lips. "You both swim well, but so do sharks and sahuagin and other nasties, and if you get caught by something out there that you can't handle there's nothing Amissa and I can do."

"We fight pretty well too," Kaimana points out. "And we'd only need to do well enough to get away, right?"

"I'm not saying you don't fight well at all, just that I really don't like the idea of watching you two swim out there and not knowing if you'll make it back," Aisha insists. "What if you run into something with magic of its own, or something that can hit you just as hard as you hit it?"

Kaimana considers debating this further, but can't think of something to counter this. He decides to focus on seeing if something nearby can function as a raft instead.

Jax offers his help to Kaimana, and it isn't long before the party has a strong raft made from the driftwood littering the area.

The raft serves well enough to transport everyone to the island, where it is left on the beach as the party heads towards the spire. On the way there, a crab-like creature which has the torso and head of a human, one arm ending in a massive claw, and another arm wielding a scimitar is spotted traveling in the opposite direction. It scuttles on six legs that emerge from beneath a massive shell with glinting metal and gems embedded into its surface, taking up a wary position as it sees the party.

Upon seeing it, Aisha steps forwards and raises both hands in the air in a gesture of peace. "Hail! We mean you no harm, we only mean to pass through to the island over there. We come in peace," she calls out in Taldan, then repeats the same message in Aquan.

The creature lowers its weapon slightly as a gesture of peace. "I have no interest in needless bloodshed," it says in common. "Let us both pass through in peace."

"Thank you. In the interest of avoiding that needless bloodshed, let me warn you that we have a colony set up on the south side of the larger island and our people can be reactively defensive at times," Aisha cautions, relaxing slightly upon realizing that physical violence is not imminent.

"Is the colony set up near any major Azlanti ruins?" it asks.

"Not particularly, no," Aisha answers with a shake of her head

"Then there should not be a problem. I will avoid passing through the area where the colony is set up," it says.

"Do you have an interest in Azlanti ruins?" Amissa asks. "I'm personally studying them myself, and I'd love the opportunity to take a closer look at them. Are there any sites you'd recommend visiting?"

"I do not have an interest in sharing the knowledge from my exploration," it says. "However, should you wish to trade Azlanti relics, perhaps we could come to a deal."

"I'll have to check and see what I have available, but I'm sure we could come to some sort of an agreement." Amissa nods. "I bet we both have things that would interest each other. Are you specifically looking for magical relics, or would nonmagical items also be of interest to you?"

"Magical relics are preferred, but I have an interest in all Azlanti artifacts," it explains.

"Wonderful. I'll examine what I have available," Amissa says with a smile. "What would be the best way to meet again to perform any trading? Most of my relics are back at the colony."

"I believe arranging a meeting at some future time and place would be best to facilitate that," the crablike creature says, after a moment of thought.

The group and the creature soon agree upon a date and location at which to meet, then part ways.

As the party nears the crystal spire, two winged humanoids with blue skin swoop down from the skies. They carry shortswords, and though they have not yet drawn their weapons, one has a hand on his, as the other addresses the party in a language no one understands.

"Oh, these are strix!" Amissa comments. "They normally speak their own language, but it's possible they might know some others." She calls out in Common, "Hello! Do you speak Common?"

Jax snaps into a combat stance as the two creatures dive into view. He nearly pounces forward to attack, but arrests his movement when Amissa recognizes what they are. Without a word, he relaxes his stance some, though remains on guard.

"Hm," Amissa muses. "Common doesn't seem to be a language they know..." She calls out again, this time in Goblin. "Hello? Can you understand me?" Switching to Draconic, "How about now?" Still not getting a response, Amissa frowns. "That's all the ones I know that they would normally know... Let me try this." She calls out one more time, this time in Azlanti. "Do you speak this language?"