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I am Rhavafiel, a Parmassonmacar of the The Temple of Corellon at Arwen You, my shipmates, may call me Rhava but do not introduce me to others in that way. It is my honour and duty to serve with you, and you may take small liberties with me but others cannot.
This morning I made my devotions to Corellon as I do every day - meditations whilst sword-dancing on the upper deck. It is important to maintain one’s grace in battle. After, I made my way to the Galley to tidy up after Badger, our cook. It is menial work, but I do it gladly. I practice verb endings as I shine the copper pots until I can see my reflection. It is so important to see beauty every day, do you not agree?
I am curious as to what mission the Captain has given us, and see that Flufluns is already bouncing in anticipation.
The mission: harvesting a rare and expensive salt
This morning we learned of our mission from Captain Mori and Mr Jellani. We are to be just four: Fufluns, the tiny monk; Otto "The Deathbringer", one of the ship's soldiers; Grímur Mohr Vatnsdal, the Engineer's Mate; and myself.
We go to Harea Zuritu, an enormous and inhospitable desert in The Plane of Fire. The face of the desert changes constantly, huge sandstorms tear across it wearing away almost everything in their path. Its name means 'the peeling sands' in primordial. It is infested with vermin called Gnolls, Mephits, Elementals and only Corellon knows what else. We shall take a mining hammer to harvest Jainkoen Gatza, a very rare and expensive salt. It is a slightly blue-tinted crystal salt that Badger uses in his cooking, but only on special occasions. There is no a map of the region. The shifting sands make it near-impossible to map, but the caves where Jainkoen Gatza crystals grow are marked by tall spires of rock. The ship will get us as close as possible and we should be able to make our way there.
We have a few days of preparation before we start the mission. I have volunteered to record our journey. I will ask the others for their experiences, where we do not share them.
Supply preparations
I have been charged with carrying the Glory's Bag of Holding [opens new window]. Although the mission is only meant to be a day trip, Badger and I will fill it with water and provisions for three days. I will look to include some mead.
Badger and I discussed menus. He is always keen to try new things and we have a well stocked pantry at the moment so we spent some time experimenting. We have planned and prepared what is probably our finest work yet. Badger is excited at the prospect of fresh stock of "Special Salt"; he showed me the very few crystals that are left and explained how to identify the best ones.
Fufluns and Grímur are working with Finellen Brewhammer to make sure all of the equipment is in order. Otto has been told it would be prudent to speak to his sergeant about avoiding or fighting Gnolls and Mephits.
Later on, I decide it might be a good idea to try and get Fufluns to teach me some Gnomish. It might calm her down a bit. I am looking forward to the mission but I might have to squash her like a bug if she says, "Is it time yet" one more time.
We are out of mead. Otto will be disappointed.
Engineering preparations I (snippet from Fuflun's journal)
For the next four days, we get on with business as usual in engineering, while also checking and rechecking the equipment and tools for the trip. Finellen puts me in charge of protecting the gear from the sandstorms - we can't use oil there because it'll mix with the sand and turn into abrasive paste that'll ruin everything very quickly. I take the mechanical equipment apart, remove all traces of oil from all the components, carefully wax and buff everything, and then put it all back together again. The small, simple tools need to be waxed too, and everything needs to be covered with multiple layers of protective fabric. In between, I follow Grímur around and beg him to tell me stories about Harea Zuritu, and even though I suspect most (or all) of them are entirely fictional, I enjoy them immensely.
The Hammer is large copper cylinder with various welded boxes and contraptions circling around it. I have identified four handles , two close to each end which are probably for carrying it. One end of the cylinder features a hole which is just large enough for me to fit arm into, and I can feel rivets on the inside and some kind of crystal embedded deep within. I do so want to switch it on! The oh-so-tempting switch is on the other end of the cylinder. One of the boxes around the Hammer has a threaded hole which I assume is where the tripod fits.
Every time I see Otto, I beg him for stories too. Being soldier stories, these ones are even wilder than the ones Grímur has been (allegedly) fabricating. I pass every one of them on to Grímur to see what he makes of them. All these stories are great inspiration for Rhava's Gnomish lessons! During the journey I teach her all sorts of ways to describe the terrifying monsters of the Peeling Sands and the horrifying things they're going to do to us.
Engineering preparations II (snippet from Grímur's journal)
Leaving the Captain's quarters, I slowly get to my feet and follow Fufluns from the room. She excitedly skips and dances loops around me as we make our way back down to engineering. Over the next few days I work with Finellen as we check and double check everything to ensure the ship will run smoothly while we're away. As we work to re-calibrate the lift, pitch and thrust levers I question her on what she knows about Harea Zuritu.
Away from the mechanicals of the ship I regale Fufluns with half remembered secondhand tales of Harea Zuritu. The vicious sandstorms that could swallow you up and spit you out hundreds of miles away. The even more vicious monsters that would make you wish the sandstorms had taken you (there was even tale of a monster that would gut you and use your skin for shelter). These do nothing to dull her over exuberant excitement. Back in my quarters I pack a bottle of mead for everyone and immerse myself in books. Searching for anything that might tell us what to expect once we're on the Plane of Fire.
The focused work of maintaining the equipment does help the time pass, Fufluns takes pride in a job well done and a couple of the days roll by very quickly. I'm confident she has ensured the mining equipment is well protected. She hadn't worked with the Mining Hammer before and the thought of turning it on is very exciting – at one point she was very close to flicking the switch simply because it'd be very interesting to see what happens. Luckily I spotted her in time and warned her off it.
Back in my quarters I pack a bottle of mead for everyone and immerse myself in books. Searching for anything that might tell us what to expect once we're on the Plane of Fire.
Finellen is a little nervous about two of her team (both Fufluns and I) heading off-ship, but we're both confident that between her and Mikolaj (the other gearhead) they should be able to tackle any issues. Finellen told me she has been off-ship in Harea Zuritu once, performing this same mission around 60 years ago. She designed the Mining Hammer especially for this job and has made many tweaks over the years. Her experience in the desert was relatively easy-going; the sandstorms were present but not particularly heavy at the time so they weren't ambushed by Mephits.
She describes the mines themselves as vast and cavernous, you descend into the dark beneath the desert and the temperature increases further than even the blistering heat from outside. The salt crystals mostly form in the high ceilings of the cave so it's best to aim the Mining Hammer at their base and have someone ready with sheets to catch them as they fall.
Finding books which might give us more information about the planes isn't easy. Most crewmembers seem to prefer fiction and I have spent some time sorting through and tossing aside various racy novels and swashbuckling adventure books. Just as I was about to give up, I remembered that the ship's Mage has a small collection of books. Anderick is a private man, rarely speaking to anyone other than the officers and his apprentice. He holes himself up in his chambers a lot of the time, studying arcane lore and performing the many rituals required to keep the ship's elementals bound. I decide it can't hurt to speak to him, especially considering how close his quarters are to mine.
"Of course, maybe Anderick could help" I think to myself. I slide my feet over the edge of the bed and drop down to the floor, scattering the pile of books and papers everywhere. It's only a short walk to Anderick's quarters but on my way I begin to have second thoughts. Anderick is usually busy and seems to mostly focus his mind on magical matters. As I walk I think of how I might broach the subject with him. I decide that I'm going to tell him how excited I am to be going on my first expedition off ship, but I'm nervous to be travelling to such a dangerous sounding place. I'm keen to know if he has any advice for how I could make use of my particular brand of magic while off ship or maybe books that might aid us on our journey. The walk doesn't take long. I stop outside his door. I wait there in the corridor pacing back and forth nervously for several minutes, before turning and knocking twice on the door.
I approach and knock at Anderick's door, it's right next to the containment chamber which houses the ship's fire elemental; there's a good amount of heat radiating out of the copper and lead box. The door is wooden and covered in carved runes which I recognised as charms and protection spells. Each rune glows very subtly and momentarily blue as I rap on the door.
After a moment the door creaks open slightly. I've not been inside this room before and smells of incense waft out.
"Yes?", the wizened old man at the door peers out through a gap barely an inch across. I met Anderick before but he's a very private man. I know that he's at least 100 years old, but his half-elven heritage has limited his wrinkles and saved his hairline. His stooped posture brings his height to almost exactly mine, and he uses a staff to travel around the ship on those rare occasions when he's feeling sociable. His light blue eyes still have an almost youthful glint to them as he peers out. I greet him and explain our mission. Throughout the explanation he seems interested but does not open the door more than an inch; standing for an extended period next to the hot containment chamber caused me to start sweating.
When I mention my "particular brand of magic" his pointed ears twitch slightly. I know that this topic interests him greatly. He seems to think for a moment, then closes the door in silence! Just as I assumed he's left, the door reopens and he slides a battered old tome part way through. I reach to take it, thanking him, but he maintains his grip.
"Perhaps a favour for a favour, Grímur?" he speaks in a cracked and high-pitched voice and chuckles after mentioning my name, like it's new to his tongue. "Perhaps yes? Perhaps a deal can be made?".
As I start to respond he cuts across me – "I would like some of the Peeling Sands, just a handful, for my study. Yes perhaps?" He pauses, as if waiting for a reply. But as I do, he interrupts again – "Also! Also! Perhaps the heart of a Magma Mephit?", he grins, "Perhaps two hearts yes?". He pauses again, but I wait longer this time so as not to be interrupted.
When I am finally sure that he's not going to speak again, I say, "I will bring you a little of the Peeling Sands. If we encounter a Magma Mephit I will do what I can. Though I suspect if I cannot extract the heart I may not be coming back at all."
Anderick seems to think for a moment. "Perhaps this will do yes" and thrusts the book out to me, closing the door with a creak.
An Explorer's Guide to the Inner Planes - The Plane of Fire
The leather cover is faded and worn, and scratched gilt lettering reads An Explorer's Guide to the Inner Planes. The author's name is illegible – the bottom edge of the cover has some water damage. I take the book and find a quiet place to read. There's a lot of information and it's hand-written in a scrawl that's difficult to comprehend at times, but at least it's written in Common.
I find the chapter on The Plane of Fire. The introduction speaks of searing heats and parts of the plane where humanoids cannot survive. It is dominated by a blazing sun which hangs permanently in the sky, which waxes and wanes over a 24-hour cycle, ranging from blistering and blinding heat in the middle of the day to a warm evening glow and a red sky. The general landscape is dotted with pools of molten rock, and alternates between vast deserts and volcanic mountain ranges.
I skim through to find more information on the desert of Harea Zuritu. The book explains that temperature-wise it's one of the more mild deserts on the plane, but still swelteringly hot for most people. The main difficulty with travel through the desert is the sand and near-constant sandstorms which rage through, it gets it's name The Peeling Sands from their wearing effect on the skin of travellers. The book warns against travel without loose and hardwearing clothing, suggesting covering of the face and eyes in particular – it's easy to be blinded. Near the centre of the desert, where the storms are the worst, are huge spires of rock which protrude out. Beneath these are caverns and tunnels where Jainkoen Gatza (named by the book as Salt of The Gods) forms. It takes around ten years for a full crystal to form, and they hang from ceilings like stalactites.
I go in search of Fufluns, Rhavafiel and Otto to share with them what I've learned from the book
Defence preparations (snippet from Otto's journal)
After muster call with the squad the day after getting our mission instructions, I head over to speak to the Sergeant if I can learn anything more about our mission. I particularly ask her about weapons and whether we should take any other deterrent equipment.
She's keen to get away after drills, but the Sergeant does take a moment to chat. She recaps on Gnoll tactics, that they're frenzied killers and worship a demon lord named Yeenoghu. If an ally is captured by Gnolls, it is a mercy to kill them before they are eaten alive. Sergeant Aswad also explains that there are different kind of Mephit in the sands. They are small elementals that embody the element that they align with. Dust Mephits have a vulnerability to fire and Magma Mephits have a vulnerability to cold. She also tells you that killing them at close range can be extremely dangerous, as they burst open spewing their chosen element across everyone around them.