The room where Danielle has found herself is a cold place, although she had, in the few hours since she arrived, not frozen. This is unlike the poor unfortunates gathered around the fire, or the barman. The solid, gold-glittering beauty and the deep-frozen destruction make a surreal juxtaposition. The room itself was probably once a... impossible to say. The bar, though, is newer than the rest.

As she looks around, there is a burst of fog from the mirror and Amethyst is unceremoniously expelled from it, to skid over the bar and onto the floor.

Amethyst: this is a room that is obviously one within a grand palace, possible a small bar and refreshments room. There is a wolid-frozen barman, a fire pit with several frozen people around it, and a Danielle. All the mod cons!

*solid-frozen

Danielle blinks "Amy are you alright? She rushes over to the woman. Though she registers surprise at the woman's appearance, it is not shock, as if she's accepted she hasn't a clue what will or should happen moment to mont

Kerplop. There's a very confused Amy. Blink. "Uhm, I was just standing by the fountain - " she starts as she realizes that this is not the fountain area, this is not grey fog, nor is it black fog. "Where - ? Danielle! Are /you/ okay?"

A few icicles fall from the cailing to punctuate the question. They shatter beautifully.

Danielle nods "I'm fine. dirk and I were initially brought here in the same waythe kingdom of the people known as the icebears. I'm not sure he gave it a name, though he said it was a waystation and made repeated reference to someone called hel said there was a long war and the sender of the message we received is long dead though he spoke of he and this hel individual having been friends of oberon. it's damned confusing" She jumped as the icecles fall

The name 'Hel' echoes a little, like it really FITS this world.

The mirror flexes again. This time the fog that it blurts out discards not just one but two people; Mortimer and Gavin are scooted onto the floor and the mirror stops moving again.

Amy looks over the room she's found herself in, the frozen people, the firepit, the bar with refreshments, and then she looks to Filinia as the other woman speaks. "Okay, that's all very confusing, I agree." She sidesteps as the icicles fall, though she was not in danger. Jumpy, a bit, maybe. It at least moves her away from that mirror that she just fell out of, perhaps just in time.

The gold mosaics twinkle under their layer of ice and frost. The lighting has not changed much - it comes through frozen but unbroken windows that might once have been magnificent.

Following suit, Mortimer is expelled from the mirror muttering as he lands upon his rump looking up at the frozen barman. "Well, there might be gin?" Then looking around the room, "Amy. Dani."

The barman winks at Mortimer, unless it's just a trick of the light.

\

Gavin finds himself in a tavern of ice. He looks around for a moment and once settling on the fact Amy isn't in peril at the moment. His expression softens. "YOu know it's cold if the gin is frozen, Mortimer." He looks at the bar keep, "How about a drink for my friend and news of the realm?"

Of all of the things that are cold, it is notable that their breath freezes, but they do not. The cold prickles, but does not burn.

Danielle raises a hand to wave "Hello" and waits to see if the barman will indeed rouse to greet gavin with some hope

Mortimer smirks to Gavin. "Is it safe to have a drink... What I am asking?!" He shakes his head while reaching for the gin over the frozen counter.

Amy's eyes widen as more people arrive. "Mortimer! Gavin! You too?" she asks, a bit dismayed. "I'm glad the cavalry is here, but who is left holding the fort?" she teases. She moves towards the bar to see if there is anything that might be done, at the same time as Danielle does.

The layer of ice over the barman's face gives little hope that there will be anyone mixing drinks for them.

"The fort will survive without us." Mortimer waves his hand a if anything that might happen here couldn't possibly be better nor worse than back outside of the fog. In his other hand is what he believes to be a bottle of gin, though it looks more to be a very slushy liquid and as he waves it about the sloshing noise is enough to have him look at the drink in disgust and put the bottle down. "Welp. The gin? has gone to slush." Looking around the room then to Amy and Dani, "What fun have you found?"

Gavin shrugs, "Well it was at least worth a try." He looks to Morimer, "I don't think the good sir is going to stop you. If safer than that, who knows?" He grins at Amy, "Uhm.... alright this wasn't my most tactical decision. DIrk. Dirks there." That may not end well. Then Gavin raises a hand and waves to Dani, "Hello."

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

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

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

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

A moment on which Mortimer's shadow falls on the bar shows Amethyst a brief detail, carved in there. It looks like a map of stars - a little like the one that was created repeatedly under the fountain, in frost.

Amy looks at the ice on the bar - there's ice everywhere. "There's a carving on the bar, kind of reminds me of the picture the frost kept creating under the fountain?" she offers, giving everyone else an opportunity to look. She frowns a bit, giving Gavin a glance. "Well, maybe he's here too," she observes. There is a door out of this bar, right?

Mortimer rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 15, using Occult,Magic Sense.
The result is a success.

Danielle sighs "i wish dirk were /here/ she says in response "the old man remembered. Even tried to give him some advice "Wake the ships. Remember what we used to do.. Like dirk was supposed to know

To magical senses, there is a strange thing here. Everyone who has arrived is in a tiny bubble of themselves, barely touched by the magic of the area. And the magic of the area is COLD. Sluggish yet murderous. But for some reason, committing no murder... Breath freezes, the gin is slush, but the place is habitable, to a point.

The magic here, and everything else, has probably not moved in a very long time. It might warm, given more people here, but this is a place that has been so long set into ice its nature is ice now.



Gavin, who is oblivious. Has moved to attempt to warm himself by the fine. "Would you like me to try the door?" He asks and raises an eyebrow, "I don't know anything about an old man."

The door, partly open, has footprints through it already. Presumably some belong to Dirk, and others are evidence that Danielle got that far, at least.

Mortimer looks at the map on the bar then looks over to Gavin as he moves towards the fire, his eyes switch quickly to Amy, then Dani. "You're... Wait." He looks across at the mirrors, shaking his head. "Huh. Well that's just weird." He's stuck in a game of his own as he's lightly trying to touch the bar top and the area around him, not really watching what he's touching but as if he's watching something around each of them. Walking over to touch Dani's shoulder with a soft jab. "Cool." He starts laughing a little. "We um. seem to be in our own little bubbles. I'm guessing that this is what is keeping us from freezing right now."

Amy blinks, and then tilts her head. "This is the strangest thing," she says aloud. "I don't even - Wake the ships? We don't even have any ships - wait. is there a harbor here? Are there ships?"

Danielle hms "That is weird. " she nods to Morti then to Gavin "We should be able to get to the rest of the palace from here. I don't know Amy. Our exploration didn't get very far. I wanted to get back to" she gestures to the barman

The barman has moved a little, and has his hand by a bottle. Spooky.

\

Gavin sighs, "I like it better when it's not magic and subterfuge. It's easier to just stab things." Gavin says as he moves to the door and sticks his head out to look both ways through the door.

There is a corridor there that rivals any in Amber, and maybe any in Gormenghast, if either of those places had gold and blue and white mosaics and painted ceilings. The designer was obviously aware of the 'less is more' concept, so as to have avoided it so completely. Here, too, there are footprints in the frost. There are dozens more doors, many warped and broken, most made of rare woods and gilded or silvered or bronzed.

This is not just a bar - it is a bar in a palace like Versaille, or the Hermitage.

\

Gavin lets out a whistle, "We are in a palace, but I don't think it's the Castle in Amber. It's all blue, gold, and while mosaics and painting. He calls out, "And there are foot prints. Do we want to follow?"

Mortimer looks around the room, "Oh we're wandering now?" He looks back to the bar with a small smile and grabs at a bottle of Schnapps. "Something for the walk?"

Danielle agrees "Definitely no amber but please don't encourage anything to manifest monsters" sighs at mortimer

The creak of a doorway and sound of footsteps up ahead says to Gavin that *something* is there.

And no roar of wyvern rage happens. No sudden spiders. No... apples.

Amy eyes the door, and Gavin, and moves along with him. Okay, a little behind, but peeking around him. "We could wander, I guess. I mean, unless you see a reason why not?"

Mortimer takes a healthy sip of his found Schnapps. "I don't see why not. We're here. Make the most of it, no? Might find something more that perhaps the speaking frozen fountain is looking for?"

\

Gavin shrugs, "Well I think it may just be best to ask." He says as he hears a doorway creek and sound of footsteps. Gavin calls out, "Hello!"

Within a few minutes it is obvious that this was once a great place, and then a glacier moved in. Ice is visible through major windows, shows up in unexpected places, drips in frozen motion through the floors above. And off in the distance, there is the sound of a violin.

Amy looks in the direction Gavin is looking, and says, "That seems a good direction to start?"

And then, as they do, the sound of the violin catches her attention. "Do you hear that?"

Mortimer hands the bottle of schnapps to Gavin, "It helps." Then looking to Amy, "Hear?" a small pause, "Oh. That sounds beautiful. Yes. that way."

\

Gavin takes a pull from the bottle, "NOt being sober does help some days." He says offering Amy the bottle. "Lead the way Mortimer."

It is not difficult to follow the sound, once it has been identified. A virtuoso performance, it ebbs and swells beautifully, although the sound has a scratchy quality to it, from time to time.

Amy walks along with Mortimer and Gavin, curiously. She looks here and there, over the ground they are covering. Occasionally she looks to the sky to see what might be there. Ice, ice and more ice. How - cold.

A cold grey sky is visible whereever there is no ice.

Mortimer almost. almost has a slight bounce in his step, chasing down where the sound is coming from, a smile on his face as he turns and walks backwards conversing with Amy and Gavin. "This is at least interesting? Or something different... Still weird as it feels familiar here but not at the same time."

The weak, brave sound dies just as Mortimer's shoulder knocks open a door. There is a small music room here, and a gold and brass music box of some sort just winding down. A wax cylinder recording made the sound, and was amplified by a gold-inlaid wooden horn. There are no footprints in the ice here, no indication of how it started.

\ 5R
GAvin moves to be in line with Amy and slips an arm around her to keep her warm. THen as he sees Mortimer shoulder check a door and find the music room. "Is our musican in there?"

Amy peeks into the music room and chuckles. "It seems maybe? Though why did it play?" she asks. She moves over to see if she can start the music again.

To anybody who knows music, this is a recording of someone really good playing. It needs winding up, and it needs the needle moving to the other end, but that is all. There is a dedicatory plaque here. "To my Muse Princess Dmitrova, on the occasion of your wedding. I dedicate this. Mortimer."

Almost certainly, the smudge of ice on the plaque is over the words 'Of Amber', but would any Mortimer need to identify himself so?

"Just a recording...?" Mortimer looks let down that there is not someone in here actually playing.

\

"By some chap named Mortimer. Now I wonder, who that might be?" Gavin says as he gestures to the plaque.

Amy moves the needle to the start, and winds up the music box, letting it start playing again. "it's very good," she says, seeming to have an ear for music. Well, her father is Random.

Warm music plays out from the distant past once more.

Mortimer has a silly smile upon his face as the music starts to play again. His fingers slowly arching as if remembering the strings and combinations. He turns in the room away from the speaker to listen to the piece. "It's absolutely lovely."

Lisebet turns to face Mortimer at Gavin's comment. "MOrtimer? Do you play violin?" she asks, curiously.

Mortimer turns back to face Amethyst, "I do, or I did? There's times when I listen to a piece and I just know how to play it. My fingers move and I can create a piece from a thought."

\

Gavin shrugs, "If not you then maybe a Shadow or another Mortimer. Though perhaps this has to do with your past?"

Amy, not Lisebet. :(

Mortimer nods a little to Gavin. "Perhaps. Though doesn't stop the piece from being both haunting and beautiful."

AMY looks at the two, and she nods. "It's a very lovely piece, I agree. And somehow fitting to this place all cold and iced over. I wonder though - how long ago this was gifted, and to whom."

"Whom is on the plaque." Mortimer goes to brush some of the ice away from the plaque, "Though who Princess Dmitrova is...was. That is a good question. This Mortimer fellow, good choice in music." He smirks a little, "Now, who's up for a dance? I mean we're here. Might as well make use of the music."

Amy looks back at the music box and then to Mortimer. "I do love to dance," she says wistfully.

\ Gavin laughs, "I think that was directed at you my love and not me." He shrugs, "All I ask is if Mortimer gets a Dance, I get one too before we leave?" He says looking around hte room.

Mortimer looks to Gavin, "I'll even let you lead if you'd like." A small wink to the man as he turns to Amy, with a bow, sweeping his foot behind the other. He stands back up with his hand out palm up to Amy. "M'lady Amehtyst. Would you have this dance?"

Amy's smile lights up her face. She nods to Gavin. "Absolutely, at least until you step on my toes," she teases. And then to Mortimer, "I'd love to dance, yes." She steps forward, offering a very elegant curtsey, as she takes Mortimer's hands. Even if she's not wearing a fancy gown, one might clearly see her wearing one, given that formality.

"She'll get insanely jealous if I dance with somebody that's not her." Gavin says as he studying the room. "I'm only allowed to stomp on her feet."

Mortimer takes a few steps backwards to be more center of the room, then with a small nod starts into a hop leading Amy around in a circle as they bounce and weave to the music. As he gives Amy a spin, he smiles and looks over to Gavin before pulling Amy back for another round of hops in the opposite direction of their circle.

Amy dances well enough, and she doesn't at all seem to notice the cold, though of course, the air is crisp. And doesn't quite freeze them. She steps in time with the music, following Mortimer's lead with the air of one practiced too it. "If you are certain, Gavin," she puts in, eyes agleam with mischief.

\
"That may have came out harsher than I meant. I do not mind you dancing with Mortimer. I was trying to make a jest." Then he slips in take his turn to dance with the princess. He had been taught to dance as it was a courtly activity and he was atheltic so her feet were safe. Was he the dancer same as Mortimer, no.

Mortimer takes a step back to allow Gavin and Amy room for their dance. He looks at the wax player with more interest as it continues to spin and play.

Amy smiles as she might lean a little closer to Gavin, looking into his eyes. Same dance steps, but with a titch more sultry in them.

\

Gavin keeps Amy tight in his arms as he looks into her eyes. He leands them around the dance floor. His hand a bit lower on her hips then proper. There's a twinkle in his eye as he gives her a wink. There's a brief stealing of a kiss. He was a roguish Knight. Then he was gone as he grabs Mortimer and goes to swing him around the dance floor. "Sure you said I could lead. ARe we sure that's wise." There was a hearty laugh as the dance was more of something like a barn dance.

Amy goes from swooon to laughter in the space of a heartbeat. "I wish we had a way to record this sight!"

"Eep!" Mortimer is grabbed with some surprise, though is quick to start laughing as he takes to the steps that Gavin leads them into. With a wink, "I wasn't sure you'd take me up on the dance." He continues to smile and follow, a step there, with a high swing as they bounce around the room.

\

"Well everyone can't be left out. Though I wouldn't mind one of those machine in the inn so I could take Amy dancing whenever she liked." He says lettign the other man go and returning to Amy. His hand wrapping around her. "Is there much more to explore or should we move on?"

"Thank you Gavin." Mortimer bows to him, then looks at the player. "Should we see if it will come back through the fog with us? Or make some detailed notes so we can describe it to Luca, maybe she can make one?"

Amy laughs softly. "Thank you, both of you!" is her comment. "As for the inn, I think the only way back would be through the Fog, but I still wonder where we are."