Somewhere in the lower city, behind a ramshackle building, an interesting puddle of water has been found beside a bunch of boxes stacked up and leaning against the building. The boxes mostly hid a hole that leads downwards into the building. Our intrepid heroes have moved the boxes, exposing the hole! And thus, the adventure continues.

Danielle eyes both puddle and hole dubiously and appears to be waitng to see if anyone else will take leas. She does however reach out to see if she can sense magic and gain further information of what waits within

Kynan moves closer to the hole, peering in. "A bit dark for my taste, and dinner is yet to be served. I might have a remedy for that." He taps the base of his staff on the ground, and a ball of fire builds around the head of it. "Fire is for more than roasting wyverns, after all."

\

Gavin glances at Kynan and raises an eyebrow. "That is one cook out that I will pass on repeating for a bit. It wasn't the most pleasant smell." He looks down the hole and waits for somebody to suggest a marching order.

Vitas wanders onto the scene, setting down his shield and cloak now that he's finally off - duty. Not that 'duty' has been much work, what with the state of the Palace and all. Ahah. So, here's the place, eh? Well, let's see what happens next! "Ah! So, -here- it is then? Does anyone have an idea what's down there?" Vitas wonders, looking about at each of those gathered from behind warm friendly green-hazel eyes.

Amethyst rolls with advantage -1 at difficulty 15, using no talents or gifts.
The result is a success.

Amethyst rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using healing.
The result is a success.

Danielle rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using occult and spending will.
The result is a success.

Danielle rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 15, using occult,sorcery and spending will.
The result is a failure.

Amethyst is standing there, staring at the hole for a long moment. She tilts her head, glancing at everyone, and then she wrinkles her nose. "Do we have any rope?" she asks, first. "And do we have any light other than Kynan's - I " A pause and then her attention turns to Vitas. "who are you? I don't think we've met?"

Kynan says, "It is but a torch, unless I want it to be more than that. Which could be useful at a time like this."

\

Gavin lets Amethyst be the soical butterfly of the group to Vitas. He looks at Kynan for a moment, "I don't know if I'm quite ready for a fire rope. No matter how practiced you are at it." He shakes his head, "I'm sorry Amethyst, I came with no rope and no torch."

Danielle hms "If you wanna go first with tge light she says to kynan. i think we'll be" but she pauses and turns to regard the new arrival at amythyst's greeting "danielle of amber" she greets him

Vitas regards Amethyst with a soft 'whuff'-ing sigh and a bit of a shrug of clear consternation. "-Have- we met? Blasted if I know, in all honesty. Having trouble remembering things." Vitas shrugs. "And me not even concussioned nor drunk, neither," Vitas concludes, with a bit of a grump-frown at that. Vitas does seem to think it's just a wee bit unfair that he's having to pay the cognitive price for an alcohol bender that never did happen. "I think my name is Vytos. Or something. In any case, I did bring rope." Vitas helpfully holds aloft an inch-thick cord of hand-woven hemp, replete with hangmans' noose at one end. "S'got a handy loop at one end, see, so as we can lower folks down into the hole with. Tied it myself. They teach us that knot." Because, well, yes, of course they would teach that. Vitas returns each greeting in turn. "Hello Danielle. Pleased to mee you. I'm Vytos."

Amy blinks a bit, and then she says, "Welcome to - wherever here is, maybe Amber, maybe not. I'm Amethyst, but mostly folks call me Amy. I also don't remember meeting you." She turns to smile at Danielle. "That's a great idea, I guess Kynan can go first, with the light, and then the rest of us can follow? And it seems that someone will have to be last? Any volunteers?"

Amy reaches a hand to pat Gavin on the arm. "I didn't either, so don't be sorry. It's okay."

Kynan looks back for a moment at Vitas. "Hmmm, nope, you do not ring a bell, or tie a knot. But a rope is good, thanks." He turns back to the hole, and moves in front of it, sticking the flamey end of his staff through first. "I might as well see what is up. Or what is down, sideways, and forward. He sticks his head through rather boldly.

\

"Gavin." The man dressed as a knight flicks a thumb at himself. Then eyes the knot. "Feet yes. Necks no." Then he moves, "If you don't mind I will help lower Kynan down the hole." He reaches down taking Amy's hand when pats his arm. He gives it a brief squeeze and lets go.

Danielle nods "Memory problems seem to be a thing here. It's not just you. We're trying to find a shutoff for a broken fountain in the middle of town. There appears to be leakage. also some oddness on the second floor. there may or may not be some sentience causing oddness on a a routine basis... I

Danielle says, "I'll take the rear"

Kynan rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 15, using occult,sorcery.
The result is a success.

Vitas obligingly hands the rope he'd brought on over to Gavin, so that Kynan can get 'footnoosed' fancy-free. Upon a moment's consideration, Vitas then picks up his Kingsguard shield. Just in case. In case of what, exactly, perchance? Vitas has no real clear idea. But he's gotten used to the feeling of not having clear thoughts. Not a great feeling, but it is what it is. Vitas settles back on his haunches, at that point, his angular head cocked a bit to one side as he peers down into the darkness below. Vitas' brain is busily trying to parse out the meaning behind Danielle's recent comments about 'sentient oddness.' Vitas tries to ignore that for now. His brain is often not-super-helpful.

Gavin rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using Athletics.
The result is a success.

Gavin takes the rope and then dangles it out so that Kynan can slip a foot into the noose. Then he when the wizard is ready Gavin slowly but steadly lowers the wizard down. He looks at the new arrival. "Are you a member of the Kingsguard?"

Vitas thinks a bit, re:Gavin's query. "Well, yessir, that it does seem so. Both me and my brother, we joined up together.

The flickering torch that is Kynan's staff lights up the bottom of the hole. it's only a little damp at the bottom, dark of course. On one side, under the alleyway, it's a small cave that goes nowhere. There are broken bricks visible on each side and then the hole expands into a basement. The ground is wet, and there's a sound of dripping water off in the distance. Water is slowly trickling down from the ceiling over on one side, coming down the wall. This is what's making the floor damp. There are no people here, and it's currently quiet other than the sound of the water. Continuing forward into the basement shows torches affixed to the walls, and a closed door at the far side.

Kynan says as he slips his foot into the rope, "Here goes nothing. Well, hopefully not. Though that would prove to be interesting as well." As he is lowered, he calls out. "It is fairly wet down here. And nothing seems to be eating me for the moment. All the better."

\

"Intresting, do you know anything of the King? His nightly ride into the city to the south gate?" Gavin asks of Vitas. Though he looks to the others at the sounds of Kynan being uneatten down there, "Who would like to go next?"

"I'll go," Amy promptly volunteers, and she moves to the rope to put her foot in the loop.

Kynan starts to look around the area, holding his flaming staff up to provide light as other come down. "Nothing to see here, move along."

Vitas, at his turn, more or less eschews the rope, simply grabbing hold of the lip - edge of the opening with two large strong hands and lowering himself slowly down into the basement. Shifting to an overhand grip, he hangs down from the opening, extending his long limbs and lanky tall frame downward, from whence he can simply just drop the remaining 3-4 feet down to the dirt floor to land on whatever spot he'd noticed looked stable. Vitas lands and fluidly folds to a soft crouch on all fours as he waits for his eyes to adjust to the gloom. His whiskers and his keen nose twitch as his soft fuzzy ears perk up and point forward to investigate his new environs -- his more reliable senses instinctively scanning the darkness while his eyes are taking their good 'ole time adjusting. No. Wait. No they don't. His ears aren't like that. He doesn't -have- whiskers. Just felt like he ought to, there, for a moment. His nostrils flare, but thats about it. Vitas quickly stands upright, nonplussed. To Gavin: "Unknown, good sir. 'Tis mostly just a nondescript shadow that sits upon the throne these days. Couldn't say for certain that it isn't a Queen, neither."

Vitas rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using athletics.
The result is a success.

Amy gets lowered down, and Vitas makes his own way. While Danielle and Gavin make their way down, Amy flashes a grin at Vitas. "Seems about what we've seen, honestly." She glances around, wrinkles her nose briefly, and then she tilts her head. "Looks like we need to go through that door," she says, heading over to examine it.

\

Gavin secures the rope top side then comes sliding down it. "FIgured we might need a way out." He says drawing his own kite shield. His sword held up, "This seems to fit with what we know. I was hoping perhaps you might have more insight."

Kynan turns towards the door, bringing his light to bear. "Then forward we go. Unless backwards we must."

Vitas nods to Gavin and Amy, strides forward, and opens up the basement door, lending a hefty shoulder to those efforts should the door itself prove recalcitrant.

The door is remarkably unguarded and unlocked.

Through the door, there's a hallway, dimly lit. Down to the right, there's a brighter light, and the sound of voices. To the left, the hall way gets more and more wet, and ends in stairs, with water trying to be a small waterfall, pouring down them.

Amethyst rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using occult.
The result is a success.

Amy looks down the dark hallway, then over towards the light, frowning. "Okay, if we want to stop the water from that fountain, which way do we go?" she asks, glancing to her companions.

Gavin rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using notice.
The result is a success.

Kynan says, "One could wonder how so much water would not run dry eventually. But then again, it stands to reason that it would not be much of a fountain if it did. And if this is indeed the source. Water, water, everywhere, and not a drop to spray. Did anyone see any pipes down there?"

Vitas follows along after Gavin, stepping around the puddles where possible. A light scent of ozone alerts him to the fact that it's now raining upstairs and outside. Water everywhere indeed! Vitas pauses to listen for a second, before catching on back up to the others. He wonders, conversationally: "Has anyone else been havin' odd Dreams?"

\

"Magic or perhaps it's tied into an underground lake or stream? Who knows the maddness of Engineering." Gavin says as he moves to the lead. "I guess its time to go trudging through the water." Gavin says as he goes to walk up the wet stairs. That or prehaps the Wet bandits were on the loose.

Amy follows along, but seems willing enough to let those with shields take the lead. Then again, the petite healer probably shouldn't be the one in the lead, should she?

Up the stairs, there's a large room, probably built into the side of the mountain. Except there'sa big tank there, with pipes that go into the ground. And there's fog swirling ominously right beside a crack in the tank that seems to be the cause of the water running everywhere.

Kynan had followed second, as he was providing light for Gavin's lead. Once in the room, he heads for the fog. "Very curious, this fog. I presume this was what we sensed below, given we seem to be otherwise alone. He does stop a yard or so from it. "I have been meaning to get a better look at some of this. Has anyone ever tried to burn it away?"

Kynan rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 15, using occult,sorcery.
The result is a success.

Kynan shrugs, and grips his staff tightly, the ball of fire brightening considerably as it intensifies. "Take that, you nasty, evil fog!". However, he eschews explosions for a simple thrust of his staff, bringing the ball of fire into contact with the fog.

Vitas nods at this new idea, squnching up his nose in approval. Fire is -very- effective at hurting stuff, even or especially when almost nothing else would do discernible or lasting damage. It's an uncomfortable bit of knowledge, this, and it seems to him to feel oddly . . . personal. Strange. But even still, Kynan's sentiment certainly stands the test of reason. "Might very well be worth a shot, if you'd care to try it . . . " Vitas then leans back half a pace. Just in case. 'Cause, y'know: Fire. While whatever happens next takes place, Vitas tries to notice how the problematical crack might be forced back shut.

Amy watches, quietly, as Kynan tries to burn the fog away. The fire on his staff burns brighter, hotter, and stronger, and it does impact the fog, which is damp, dank, and eerily fluid. It moves in eddies and swirls. Where the fire hits it, it seems to recoil, pulling back a bit, and it catches on fire, but only for a moment before the fire fizzles out. While some fog near Kynan has been vanquished, a bit more appears higher up.

Gavin rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using no talents or gifts and spending will.
The result is a success.

Danielle hms "Can you use a concentrated flame to melt the pipe together? Who was asking about dreams?

\

Gavin extends his blade at the fog then his eyes narrow as if he's locked in a mental battle with the fog. "Away!" He grunts determinded.

Danielle rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 15, using occult,sorcery.
The result is a success.

"Filominia wants us to turnt he water off here, and she's planning to use fire to do something to fix the pipe below. So I guess we need to find out if there's a way to stop the water from going - uhm - downstream?" She's not quite sure, Amy isn't. "So maybe?" she answers Danielle.

The roiling menacing fog seems to almost balefully be sending out tendrils and pulling them back, not willing to get near the fire of Kynan's staff. As Gavin starts to concentrate, willing the fog away, there's a bit more of a reaction, the fog seemingly starting to get a bit more and more transparent.

Kynan says to Gavin, "Whatever you are doing, that does appear to be more effective than the fire. Perhaps if I filled the room with fire, it would have nowhere to go, but then again, neither would we."

Vitas elaborates on his earlier query to Danielle, all the while keeping both eyes on the Fog. "T'was I who'd been askin'. I mean, 'bout the Dreamings: Dreams that seem so real to you that you wonder if -this- . . . " (at which point Vitas pauses to vaguely wave a meaty paw all around the scene, encompassing the fog and the squalor and the dripping and what - not) ' . . . -is- the dream, and the other the Real." Vitas watches the unfolding panoply of fog and fire and water and noise. He stops short, and then he asks Gavin: "Gavin, how're you doin' that?"

Gavin frowns as he continues to concentrate and then through gritted teeth, "I am applying my will against it. Reach out with every fiber of your being and will it to be GONE!"

Danielle extends a hand to the fog likewise "Enough of you" she says "Just concentrate. it seems to respond at times and no not dream as such but i had a. a vision..i could see something at distance..a glowing spider in a web

Danielle rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 15, using occult,sorcery and spending will.
The result is a success.

Amethyst rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using no talents or gifts and spending will.
The result is a failure.

Amethyst rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using occult and spending will.
The result is a success.

Amy too pauses to concentrate. The fog continues to fade out, but there does seem to be a little flash, and then there's a pair of eyes visible in the fog. Then another. And a third. It seems there might be quite a few eyes watching. The fog vanishes but it leaves behind

...

... spiders. lots and lots of spiders.

Kynan stops his poking about, and rests the heel of his staff on the floor. He closes his eyes, and mutters. "Be gone... farewell... auf Wiedersehen... goodbye..." Well, concentration is not his strong suit lately. The fire flickers in intensity as his concentration grows and ebbs.

Vitas nods firmly at Gavin's rejoinder, gathering steam giving vent to frustration: "See now, it's stuff like just exactly -that- effect that leads a sane man to finally wonder what's in his own head and what'd be outside of it. To ask which be the Dream and which, in fact, is the actual shi- . . . " (Here Vitas catches his tongue upon the very precipice of a vulgar profanity, appropriate perhaps to the Guardhouse Barracks but not, perhaps, to present company here. Vitas quickly transitions some syllables, completing his 'verbal save' no worse the wear save for a long telltale 'shhh' sound) " . . . shhhhhhape of reality."

The spiders, some of them fist sized, some a bit bigger, and possibly a wall full of them, start to march down the wall, clacking their little spider legs and heading towards our heroes.

Gavin rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using combat.
The result is a failure.

Kynan's concentration being somewhat lacking, he spies the spiders during one of his less-concentrating moments. "Whoa Nelly! Where did they all come from? Not fog! Bad fog!" He pulls his staff into a more flamethrower stance, and the ball of fire turns into more of a jet that he begins to sweep the floor with in front of them.

Gavin rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using combat.
The result is a success.

Gavin rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using combat.
The result is a failure.

\

Gavin sweeps out with is sword smashing bugs and splaying one of the big ones, "I think I preferred the fog." He looks at Kynan, "When would you like to set these things on fire?"

Kynan rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 15, using occult,sorcery.
The result is a success.

Vitas, having now gotten himself all worked up and hot and bothered from witnessing a man making sentient fog go away just by thinking "go away, fog" at it, whirls and informs the army of spiders:"Y'all lot better piss right off, hear, lest you want to get Set on Fire, eh?" Luckily, in animal tongues, this sentence translates to "Grrr." _Much_ shorter. Handy, since likely spiders are fast. "Grrrrr..." explains Vitas, to the arachnids.

Spiders ... they're seeming to multiply at least until Jax's sword starts to cut them in half, and Kynan's fireball sweeps through them. There's still a few left, but their numbers are shrinking rapidly.

Amy doesn't shriek or try to hide, but she does back up to the edge of the stairs.

Kynan seems to be idly whistling softly. "Welcome to the barbeque, gents. How would you like yours done?"

Kynan adds, "and ladies, of course."

"In this case well roasted." Gavin says stepping back to let Kynan roast the spiders. "Though forgive me if I don't sample this particular dish." He looks back to Amy, "Are you alright?"

Amy nods to Gavin, with a slightly crooked smile. "I'm fine," she says. She's out of range of the spiders, it seems, at least for the moment.

The remaining spiders seem to make a beeline - well two of them. They don't like Gavin and Kynan, so they try to rush at Amy and Vitas.

Vitas, having gotten himself all worked up and hot and bothered and nigh unto questioning his own very sanity as a result of having just witnessed a man make -sentient fog- go away just by thinking "go away, fog" at it, whirls and informs the remaining few spiders:"Y'all lot better piss right off, hear, lest you want Mr. Wizard to Set You on Fire." Luckily, in animal tongues, this sentence is easier, being simply pronounced "Grrr." Much shorter; saves time. Handy, since likely these spiders are fast. "Grrrrr..." explains Vitas, to the remaining arachnids, shoveling them off with the back of his shield.

Vitas rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using athletics.
The result is a failure.

Vitas' warning falls on deaf carapace, as, somehow, the beeline of spiders gets through. "Argh," explains Vitas, as spiders pour over him. Sometimes it just doesn't pay to work Overtime ...

Vitas rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 15, using athletics,summoning.
The result is a failure.

The spiders do indeed start to crawl over Vitas. Which has Amy go a bit pale. "I was fine," she yelps, backing up a bit. "Gavin - they - Okay fog spiders, go AWAY," she tries, with a yell. Not that it works, but she tried.

Amethyst rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using no talents or gifts and spending will.
The result is a failure.

Kynan rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 20, using occult,sorcery.
The result is a success.

Kynan hears the commotion behind him as he finishes off the last spider in front of him, and spins around. "Hey! No, no, baddd spiders. You do not get a pass, you do not pass go, you do not... whatever...." Bolts of flame fly off towards the ones menacing Amy.

Gavin rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using athletics.
The result is a success.

\

Seeing the spiders make they're way towards Amy, Gavin moves at a run to stand between the spiders and her. His blade slashing out again. "She is not for dinner either foul beasties."

Vitas rolls with advantage 0 at difficulty 15, using athletics.
The result is a success.

Vitas rolls over and over, around and around and around on the ground, attempting to encourage the gaggle of spiders to get off of him. Or, if that fails, maybe just squish them. He's massive. They're not. That sort of thing . . . well, it -usually- works. After a moment or two of such antics, Vitas stands back on up from all fours, closing his eyes tight and *shake shake shake* -ing a spraying cascade of mostly-dead spiders on out of his fur. Fur? Wait, what? _Cloak._ Not fur. Cloak, . . . right? Why did he just think 'fur' instead? Weird.

With sword, fire and ... erm ... shake shake shake, the spiders are vanquished. Amy breathes a bit easier. "Thank you," she says. "Vitas, are you okay?" Well, he seems to be the only one the spiders got to, after all. "Gavin, Kynan, you didn't get bitten did you?" she adds, a tad worriedly. Then seeing as the path is clear, Amy walks over to the huge tank, and she turns the knob that's there right at the lower right corner. It squeals a bit, in protest, but turns. And in so doing, it turns off the downstream water flow, so that way down the way (like 3 blocks away), the fountain slowly runs dry. "I think that's our goal accomplished," Amy says.

Of course this brings a very sudden shout from down the stairs. "HEY! What are you guys oing here!"

To be continued next time.


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In the lower city, for apparently no reason at all, a certain fountain that has garnered much interest of late suddenly has its water run dry... There surely must be a reason for it, but who knows what that might be?
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