@Laurel Judging from the notion that the Elemental Plane of Water is the source of all water that exists and that it's described in your arcane textbooks as an endless expanse of infinite abyss, it's probably pretty important to prepare for the possibility of deep sea water pressure and/or thalassophobic terror. And possibly the bends.
"Seems a little risky, do I look like someone who would carry a briefcase?" I take the case and let it hang by my side, it's like a match made in heaven
Planar travel would probably be something you could ask around about further. Maybe there's a SECO agent or local magical contact who travels there a lot or is experienced enough with portal-hopping to actually take you there. Alternatively, whether or not there are any historical records of the eldritch books could be interesting to look into for clues. Or maybe there are more past SECO encounters with them that could be hidden somewhere in the cold zone records.
You could conceivably find the right person to get you in there, if you have a good reason for it. It's sort of a "restricted section in Hogwarts" situation.
You do know a friendly neighborhood Archivist and a new field agent friend, too.
If you were interested in purely just "learning to scuba dive/cave dive" training minus the magic component, you could inquire on the Upside - although this isn't exactly an ocean-bordering part of the continent so you might be training on a local beach or at a lake. If you're more interesting in magical water-navigation training that would be something you'd have to put feelers out for, that's a very specific area. Like finding a local water sorceror or a merperson or something.
You could potentially roll to see if you remember past SECO-related encounters with people who have connections to water.
I recall at one point, I think after we spoke to the Archivist, that we knew of some SECO thing that could train us in preparation for planar travel, I believe we also asked Merriment about it but he gave us the briefcase instead
@Laurel The Palo Fresco aquarium jumps into your mind all of a sudden. You can't remember exactly what the case was there, but you remember being with Adrian and there was a scuba diver and something about an awakened sea turtle and the whole thing ended up being a minor B-plot incident. Could potentially be a place to check out for finding magical water-related knowledge, maybe?
By the time the aquarium travel montage takes you there, it's getting to be evening - leaving the SECO building and catching a ride all the way down there through very dense city traffic takes most of the day. The place isn't very busy so you get to all the best fishies very quickly.
There are delightful sea horsies, tropical fishfrens in a variety of colors, starfish, and all manner of small sea critters. It's very relaxing.
The sea turtles are floating around amicably and drift by Seline like ship buoys.
@Laurel You do a slow loop around the tank area and case the joint. Nothing obviously magical jumps out to you - no magic-looking fish or weird-looking creatures, no unusual signs or things that look like they don't belong. There are a few employees hanging around looking pretty bored.
@Hikari You notice the fish movements, and also notice something else peculiar about these particular fish - they seem to move just a little... off? You can't put your finger on it but they almost seem a little too aware. Fish aren't really known for having high IQs so the fact that they're deliberately seeming to notice your presence and react to you is weird.
One of the visitors you saw by the entrance, an older grey-haired fellow with a flat cap, wanders to a fish tank close by and starts peering closely at the fish. He taps a finger on the tank and a fish darts away.
As the magic allows you to understand Bubblespeak, you suddenly hear the African cichlids in front of Seline chittering quietly in high-pitched voices: "She is bright? She so bright! Very bright! Must follow! Pretty!"
It's harder to hear from further away, but distant Bubblespeak is saying things like "Food? Yum? You bring food?" and a deeper bubbling that might be from the turtles: "Duuuuudddeeeee."
"If only life could always be as simple as following a current," he says, moving over to look at some tetra fish. "Imagine how peaceful their lives must be."
It's hard to conceal because it's verbal and somatic, so you'd be making lots of gestures and muttering. You could definitely try but it'd be a high Stealth roll.
