<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=208691.msg11657793#msg11657793">Quote from: Autocad on 21-09-2015, 16:43:08</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">"Slow down, Muni! We'll have plenty of time to see all the sights later. For now, we should register at the College first thing and secure lodgings there. If that falls through, we'll still have time to find some other place to stay for the night. I suppose we'll visit the Immaculate Repository somewhere along the way to make the necessary payments. <em>Then</em> we can hit the Bathhouse. If we still have time afterwards, we can try one of the Pathfinder lodges, if it's not the right one I'm sure they'll be more than happy to point us the right way."<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"Sounds like a good idea," Munira replied.  "We can sample the tourist traps once we get our affairs in order."<br/><br/>She took a deep breath.  "Wow, it's still sinking in.  I can't believe we're really here."<br/><br/>After finishing the tea Munira tipped the waiter a few silver pieces before the pair went on their way.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;"><strong>College of Dimensional Studies</strong></span></span></div><br/>Located in the Inner City, this section was surrounded by a massive sandstone wall.  Many old buildings stood here, some said to be thousands of years old.  Munira had her nose buried in the brochure.  "This is the oldest of Katapesh's districts, as well as the headquarters of the Pactmaster, the masked lords who watch over this city.  As far as rulers go, they have a rather light hand."<br/><br/>The College was a peculiar building, notable for its complete lack of doors.  Looking around the building, including the alleyways, proved fruitless.<br/><br/>"Hmmm, perhaps it's a test of some sort," Munira mused.  "Try out one of your spells, Neferi.  See if you can find anything."<br/><br/>And yet no doors.  A nearby robed young man snickered.<br/><br/>"What's so funny?" Munira asked in an exasperated tone.<br/><br/>"You don't know?  You're supposed to teleport inside.  You can't be admitted as a proper student unless you find a way inside first.  Otherwise the College has no need for fledgling apprentices."<br/><br/>"I'm not a spellcaster," Munira said.  "Would a scroll suffice?"<br/><br/>"As long as you teleport inside, be it by spell, item, or inborn ability, you're admitted.  Until then..." the man shrugged his shoulders.  "But you two seem like nice girls, so I'll give you a hint.  If you have the money, try asking around the Glass Pyramids.  They were once created by two powerful wizards ages ago to control ley lines, and adventurers and scholars regularly stop by to learn of its secrets.  Nobody is successful yet, but you might find someone with the required magic to help you out.  That, or the many rich stores in the Dawn Gate district."<br/><br/>The man performed a gesture and said "Zao-ray," and with that he suddenly disappeared.  Neferi is wise enough in the arts of spellcraft to recognize that as a genuine teleportation.<br/><br/>"Well shit," Munira swore.  "That's the kind of thing they're supposed to tell us beforehand!  Well, a teleport scroll ought to cost a pretty penny, so we should probably stop by the Immaculate Repository to get some funds."<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;"><strong>Immaculate Repository &amp; Dawn Gate</strong></span></span></div><br/>The Dawn Gate district is home to Katapesh's middle class.  Most buildings are two stories and many resident can afford to hang flowerpots off their windowsills.  Many of the local businesses were well-guarded and sold all sorts of fancy wares.  The pair even passed by a magic trinket shop.  The owner was a bespectacled gnome who carried on a conversation without even taking his eyes off the scroll he was currently working on.<br/><br/>"A teleportation scroll?  I don't have such a thing in stock, but I can create one within 24 hours if you pay the requisite costs up front."<br/><br/>"Yay!" Munira cheered.  "How much?"<br/><br/>"One thousand one hundred and twenty-five gold pieces, ma'am."<br/><br/>Munira's face turned pale upon hearing this.  "I don't even have one-tenth of that!"<br/><br/>"Sorry," the gnome said, "but I can't go any lower.  But I'll likely be here whenever you do get the money."<br/><br/><hr/><br/>The Immaculate Repository seemed less a temple and more a bank or law firm, although that was most likely the point.  Stalls and tents packed up in front, each containing the emblem of a decorative key.  Inside, priests and priestesses sold jugs of holy water emblazoned with Abadar's symbol, and stamped signet rings of the same decoration on paper documents upon completion of contracts.<br/><br/>"Heh, the shrines back in the City of Glass didn't have such pomp and circumstance," Munira said.  "I wonder if they lure new converts with discounts."<br/><br/>Neferi and Munira faced a long waiting queue, but fortunately some nearby scroll pamphlets were there to read to pass the time.<br/><br/>"There's certainly a lot of advertisements for neighborhood services on these," Munira mused.  "I can only wonder how many of them are honest..."<br/><br/>Neferi's number on her card was called, and soon they were face to face with a priestess clad in white and gold robes.  She nodded at every piece of information the marid told her, looking through notes in myriad different languages all the while.<br/><br/>"You'll be able to make a withdrawal, yes, and we do have records of the al-Samara family, but as this is your first time here and the amount of funds you requested is significant, we can dole it out in increments of 100 gold pieces per week."<br/><br/>"That's nearly three months," Munira said.  "We can't just hang around Katapesh without getting into the College.  Is there a way to speed up the withdrawals?"<br/><br/>The banker-priestess shook her head.  "Sorry, but rules are rules.  You will be able to do so once you're members for over a year and-"<br/><br/>what followed was a bunch of business jargon.<br/><br/>Munira had her hands on her hips and a frown on her face.  "I don't think we'll be able to survive in Katapesh on that alone.  And the best and most secure hotels are out of our price range.  Ugh, I hate to say it Neferi, but we'll need to find a loan.  Let's go looking around for one.  Hopefully the ones around the temple are reputable enough, law and order and all that."<br/><br/>The marid twins found a man of middling years more than willing to deal with them.  He was a Taldorian man decked out in purple garments and wore a feathered hat, which would otherwise be highly distinct in other cities of Garund but no so much in Katapesh.<br/><br/>"Hello there, my name is Francisco Delemor, financial analyst!  I must say, I've never seen women with your...unique appearance before.  If you don't mind, may I ask the name of your homeland?"<br/><br/>"The Elemental Plane of Water," Munira replied flatly.<br/><br/>"A land of water, to even hear its name fills my heart with envy in a land such as this!  Fortunately I can conjure drinking water at will thanks to the gift of magic, but the dull spellwater pales in comparison to natural springwater.  I can only imagine your Elemental Plane has drinks as refreshing!"<br/><br/>It was clear that Francisco was trying to butter them up and possibly flirt with them (Claudia told Neferi once that Taldan guys have a lust for "exotic" women), but he seemed the only figure around willing to pony up the required cash.<br/><br/>"I can get you 1,125 gold pieces easily!" Francisco exclaimed.  "Naturally you'll acquire interest, as is the case with all loans, but as women of modest means and skilled talent you should be more than able to keep up.  Just sign the papers and I can get you the money in two days' time!"<br/><br/>The records seemed to be in order, albeit intentionally confusing and in three different languages (Common, Kelish, and Osiriani).  Munira's face was one of puzzlement: she knew even less about its specifics than Neferi did.<br/><br/>"You were always the more educated one," Munira said.  "I'll trust your judgment in this."<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: andale mono;"><strong>Trillia's Bathhouse</strong></span></span></div><br/>In spite of being located near the docks, the bathhouse was a sight for sore eyes after today's failed excursions.  Advertised by the sign of a copper tub, with an open-air spring along with many private chambers, Munira encouraged Neferi to try the springs which were cheaper; apparently the recent expenses made her a lot more money-conscious.  She spent no time at all in getting naked and diving into the water.<br/><br/>"Aaaah, so refreshing!"<br/><br/>The pair of marid were not alone.  Two human women were engaged in an impromptu splash-fight, one more enthusiastic about the affair than the other.<br/><br/>"Hee hee, with but a touch I can jaunt you out of here and into the streets!  How's that for revenge?"<br/><br/>"Don't even joke about that, Miyako!" the shorter-haired one responded.  "You know how I feel about that last mishap!"<br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/xVfFJsS.jpg?1)<br/><br/>This conversation caught Munira's interest.  Swimming over and beckoning Neferi to follow, she introduced herself.<br/><br/>"Sorry to cut in, but I couldn't help overhear you talking about 'jaunts.'  By any chance do you mean teleportation?"<br/><br/>"Yup!" the long-haired woman proudly boasted, hands on hips and chest thrust out.  I'm Miyako, a mage; Haruka and I came all the way here from the lands of Shokuro.  It's complicated spellcraft gobbledegook, but once I acclimate to a certain area I can venture there easily.  It's a great way to channel goods across the world and make good coin doing so."<br/><br/>"And I'm the Haruka, Miyako's sister.  I attend to our more divine needs where arcane magic cannot carry forth so easily."<br/><br/>"Interesting.  My name is Munira al-Samara, and we're also sisters too, Neferi and I."<br/><br/>Haruka shook their hands and gave a slight smile.  Miyako pretended to cast a touch-range spell as she did the same to Munira, then laughed at her shock.<br/><br/>"You've got to stop doing that," Haruka sighed.  "Anyway, did you wish to ask us about something?"<br/><br/>"Yes," Munira answered.  "You see, the two of us are newcomers to Katapesh, seeking lodgings at the College of Dimensional Studies.  Sad thing is, one needs to teleport to get inside, by a spell or scroll, and right now we lack the means to do so or the funds to secure the latter.  I was wondering if you could help us in exchange for something."<br/><br/>Miyako twisted her hair around her index finger, contemplating.  "Well, normally I don't like to talk business while relaxing, but the two of you seem interesting people.  I'm afraid to say that having another cast a spell for you isn't going to get you far: not just the entrance, but<em>all</em>the College's rooms require teleportation to maneuver inside.  And unless you have hundreds of thousands of gold pieces to burn, your best bet is to either study spellbooks for at least a decade or do some extraplanar being and hope that your children inherit great sorcerous potential."<br/><br/>Munira frowned.  "So it sounds like I won't be able to lodge with Neferi then."<br/><br/>Turning to her sister, Munira had a sad and defeated look on her face, in spite of her best efforts to hide it.  "I...I know that this is important for you, and it can help, but I don't want to spend our time in the Material plane apart.  I must sound selfish right now, but we probably need their resources, as well as the Pathfinder Society's."<br/><br/>She turned to the human sisters again.  "Thank you for your help."<br/><br/>"Don't mention it!" Miyako exclaimed.  "Hey, don't be so down in the dumps!  I was self-taught and turned out great!  You don't need no stinkin' college to become a great mage!"<br/><br/>Miyako splashed up a wave of water in Munira's direction.  "Splash fight!"<br/><br/><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: georgia;">Environment:</span></strong><br/><br/>Haruka has 57 hp, 13 AC (10 ff).  Miyako has 47 hp, 13 AC (10 ff).  Neferi has a list of available stunts to perform in this pseudo-combat:<br/><br/><strong>Strength of the Marid:</strong>Recalling some arcane facets of knowledge, Neferi gains limited control over the ley lines running beneath the bathhouse.  With a successful DC 20 Knowledge (Arcana) or DC 25 Spellcraft check, Neferi can create a shallow whirlpool dealing 4d6 points of "damage" and knocking everyone in the springs prone (save for Neferi).  A failed check results in Neferi catching herself in the whirlpool and nobody else, suffering the damage and prone condition.<br/><br/><strong>Rat Towel:</strong>Neferi rolls up a wet cloth and snaps it like a whip at the target's backside.  This is resolved as a melee attack, dealing 3d4 + str "damage" and stuns the opponent for 1 round due to embarassment.<br/><br/><strong>Tickle:</strong>Should Neferi get her opponent in a grip, she can tickle her target in areas weak to such attacks.  With a successful CMB vs. their CMD (Haruka has 18, Miyako has 16), Neferi can deal 5d6 points of "damage" and grants her opponent the exhausted condition due to the torturous tickling.  A failure causes Neferi to fall victim herself as her opponent turns the tables!<br/><br/><strong>Splash Attack:</strong>Neferi creates a miniature wave with an arc of her hand.  On a successful CMB vs. their CMD (Haruka has 18, Miyako has 16), Neferi can blind her opponent for 1 round as they shield their eyes from the water with their arm.<br/><br/><strong>Peeping Tom:</strong>On a successful DC 20 Acrobatics check, Neferi causes either herself or her opponent to go flying into the wooden dividing wall segregating the springs.  A small hole forms from the impact, causing a few men to peer into the ladies' section.  On a successful check, they catch a peep at Neferi's intended target, dealing 5d6 points of "damage" from sheer embarrassment before a thrown bucket knocks their faces back.  A failed check means they see Neferi instead, who takes the damage!