The ocean voyage was not slow.
Before setting sail, Aaron had visited the temple of Umberlee, the Ocean Goddess, in Baldur's Gate and made a hefty donation. He only stopped when the goddess's finned cleric personally told him, "Umberlee has acknowledged your contribution."
Thanks to Aaron's astonishing Extraordinary Charisma, eight thousand gold pieces were enough for the Ocean Goddess to recognize his sincerity. Umberlee found it amusing that a Chosen of Selûne would ask her for a safe voyage, and asked Aaron whether his Mama Selûne would object.
Thanks to Aaron's donation to the Ocean Goddess, the voyage had been peaceful, without pirates or sea monsters. Yet as their time at sea dragged on, the sailors' complaints grew. Many suspected that Aaron had no plan at all, and that this supposed "Balduran's Isle" did not even exist.
Some sailors began questioning the accuracy of Aaron's chart, others demanded more money, and still others quietly started shirking their duties and plotting something in secret.
Aaron noticed the mood aboard the ship, but there was little he could do. He did not know how to sail, and the Tzeentch Sky-Chariot could only last so long. Faced with the sailors' doubts and discontent, he chose a mixture of kindness and intimidation. He dragged out the loudest troublemaker, transformed him into a frog with magic, and told the others that if they kept causing trouble, they would spend the rest of their lives eating insects.
For the remaining sailors, who had been less vocal, Aaron announced that he would pay an extra commission once they returned safely, rewarding their loyalty and diligence.
The carrot and stick always worked. After Aaron's decisive intervention, the sailors settled down, and the voyage continued.
And so they sailed for more than two months. Aaron spent his days reading,