One thing I can tell you is that I will not be available at 5:00 est on Wednesdays when the next semester starts, I have an in person class on Monday and Wednesday that ends at 5:25. On Tuesday and Thursday I have one class that goes from 12:00 to 1:20. I expect work to be scheduled in the mornings of Mon-Thurs and then 5 hours on Friday. Leaving me open at a little before 6 on Monday and Wednesday, any time after 2:00 on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
Ahh okay. I'm totally fine for later as long as that works for Ferret and Laurel. That way I can make dinner before session and have time to relax after work.
Currently my only days I'm not fully available are Thursdays (I have a lovely D&D group) but sometimes Tuesday and Wednesday (Pokémoning days with wifey)
@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.
