Envoy rides through a portal to Ashtoreth, arriving at Gateway Island, where she is taken to the embassy of the College Esoterica, and tells a diplomat there about her quest. She learns of a Prince-Captain Rashad who has a small urgan and who might be able to take her to the location she speaks of, in search of a sunken ancient vessel known as Sutaranakh, and rumored to be full of treasure. Rashad seems keenly interested in the prospect of employment (and also in Envoy's looks), and shows Envoy his vessel – a strange altered creature that is both living animal and submersible vehicle – named the "Coy Mermaid". When he hears that Envoy is looking for Sutaranakh, he is at first angry at the thought that she might be playing a joke on him, but once she shows a chart and indicates that she's quite serious, his spirits lift dramatically, and he agrees to take her.