Description
The gateway manifests at the bottom of the deepest channel in the Tidal Expanse, a circular aperture of swirling darkness ringed by coral that glows with an otherworldly blue luminescence. Looking into the portal reveals not the sandy bottom one would expect but an infinite expanse of deep water stretching in all directions, lit by bioluminescent creatures and strange geometric formations that defy terrestrial logic. The boundary between planes shimmers like oil on water, and those who pass through feel a moment of profound pressure before emerging into the endless sea beyond.
The Plane of Water connected through this gateway is not hostile to air-breathers, thanks to careful negotiations conducted during the portal's creation. A bubble of breathable atmosphere surrounds travelers for up to one hour after passage, and the planar natives have agreed to treat visitors from the Tidal Expanse as honored guests rather than prey. This diplomatic achievement required offerings of the settlement's finest pearls and the personal intervention of Tangaroa's priests, who spoke on behalf of the Vaitafe people to the elemental lords who rule the endless depths.
Beyond the gateway lies access to resources and knowledge unavailable in the mortal world. Rare minerals form in the crushing pressures of the deep plane. Creatures of pure water offer services and information in exchange for items from the material realm. Libraries of coral contain knowledge accumulated over eons by beings who measure time in geological ages. The Vaitafe have only begun to explore the possibilities, sending carefully prepared expeditions through the gateway to establish trade relationships and gather intelligence about this vast new frontier.
A gateway keeper maintains the portal and manages traffic between planes. This position requires someone comfortable with the alien logic of elemental beings and capable of negotiating the complex protocols that govern inter-planar relations. The keeper also monitors for threats; while the immediate area beyond the gateway is safe, the Plane of Water contains dangers that could devastate the settlement if allowed to pass through unchecked. Wards carved into the coral ring prevent hostile entities from using the gateway without permission.
Benefits
The gateway allows travel to and from the Plane of Water at will. Travelers gain water breathing for 1 hour after passage. The settlement can trade with elemental merchants, accessing exotic materials worth 500 gp per month. Once per month, the Duke may request an audience with a minor water elemental lord to seek information or negotiate services. Creatures summoned from the Plane of Water by settlement residents arrive with a +2 bonus to initial attitude. The settlement gains +8 Prestige as one of the few mortal communities with stable planar access.