Of course there is a shelter there now - of course. Filinia has been building around the delicate trail of red on the fountain. There is now a small wooden frame around it, with cloth tacked on to make minimal walls, and a doorframe and door that are rather more sturdy. The roof is light material on a wooden cone base. There is one bit of metal in the whole thing, a brazier stand which has been securely fastened to the door frame. Filinia even added a latch and a bar.

Filinia is now glaring at her latest creation. It does the job of protection, but it is not pretty. However, she has some wood left over, and she starts dragging that over to the standpipe. She's done for making the fountain different, and is back to changing and mending other things.

Danielle peers at the new structure, which to here make the fountain appear as something of a holy shrine and she's not sure what to make of that, grateful for the means means of communication though she is, she's a bit concerned the structure might impede garen and so her senses are tuned with extra care for signs of the woman's return "Thank you for protecting the fountain" she offers Fil politely

Amy has been working on the hospital, and coming back often to make sure that the fountain is still okay. This may be digging into her other activities, but she does keep checking to see if she can hear anything - if maybe the person they want to try to rescue is there, or not. Like now, as she makes her way to the fountain, pausing to wave at Filinia. "Hey, Filinia, thanks for the help!" And as Danielle has the same idea, it seems, Amy smiles and nods to her as well. "Hey, Danielle."

Filinia grunts in reply. "It needed solving," she says. "I left you a really light structure for when it gets blown apart again, so it doesn't hurt people." Such cynicism in the young!

The door is currently partially open. Floating on the water of the basin are a couple of wooden troughs with holes in for candles. No candles have been provided.

Danielle shrugs at this "We seem ok for the moment, but one never never knows " readily conceding the instability she looks athe troughs "Might as well go all in? Where's the nearest place to fetch candles?"

Danielle waves to amy

Filinia calls over her shoulder, "Market down there," and jerks her thumb at the surprisingly resilient stall-holders.

Because of course they're still there, going strong. Amy grins at Filinia's answer, and then shrugs. "I guess. What are the candles for though?" She's curious as they didn't use any last time, did they?

Danielle shrugs at this "i didn't put the candleholders there. All I see is a puzzle missing pieces and I'm merely hazzarding a guess it may be a sign from Garen" She heads off toward the market after having counted the holes to see how many to buy

Amy tilts her head,and then nods to Danielle. "I guess it might. Maybe a way to let her know we're here?" she offers. There's a moment of thought, and then she moves to pick up one of the candle holders, just to see whether there are any clues on it.

Two troughs, each with two holes. The woman who sells such things tells Danielle, "I'd wondered. Your worker over there was asking what sizes I had." Four short candles, and an oil lamp with spare wicks, are handed over. Meanwhile, Amy stays to look at the troughs, and gets to see that Filinia has branded them with an image of a dolphin fountain, beneath. The woodwork is rough, but the finish is good - no splinters, and enough oil. Basic, but workable.

Danielle lets out a little "Ah" in response to the merchant's information, looking back towards Filinia with a smile-not an illogical assumption by any stretch. She pays with thanks, and back with her wares

Amy eyes the troughs, and then she looks to Filinia. "Why candles, Fil?" she calls out, curiously. Because the workmanship looks like Fil's, right? "They're pretty neat."

Filinia saunters back over to say, "Because getting oil lamps to sit on something's a bit harder. Oil probably saves you money but you don't need that, yeah?" She glances up at the top of the structure. "And this would go up like a bastard if candles fell over onto the frame. And you're GOING to be doing dumb things at night. I bet. So you'll want light and you're gonna want it to be enough to see by."

The woman even offers a flint and tinder box at little extra cost... And then it's back to the fountain for Danielle.

Danielle seems to be pondering something hard. She really isn't certain how any of this works and it sow "Fire and ice..." she murmers aloud as she puts the candles into the slots filinia has made for them but seems far more hesitant to set them aflame

* 'it shows'

Amy will totally set the candles aflame, just to see what happens. "Want a hand?" she asks.

The water surface ripples a little. Perhaps it is waiting. Perhaps it is just windy inside the little hut.

Filinia creeps away the very moment attention is not on her.

Danielle shrugs "Sure" She hands the oil and flint off to amy

Amy nods, letting Fil creep away with a "Thanks, Fil. I think you had a great idea." She accepts the flint and all, and works to light the candles, setting each in place appropriately in the troughs. "Hope this works," she says, as at the same time, she reaches for that image of the pattern. "Garen? Are you there?"

Amethyst rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 20, using occult, pattern meditation.
The result is a success.

The colonel's voice says almost immediately, "Yes. Here." It sounds like Garin, but the dance of the cloud of power is different - it *senses* as cold. The power coming through is not the same as before.

Danielle hms "Are you alright Colonel? New developments?"

Danielle rolls with advantage 1 at difficulty 20, using occult,magic sense.
The result is a failure.

To Danielle, however, things seem largely as they were.

Garin's voice comes through the voice. "Not much that is new. I'm still holed up in the same place. Still got a penguin infestation. I think I've found the bar, though, so life could be getting better."

Amy can't help but smile at that comment. "We have been unable to find our way back to the ice place," she says. "So we wanted to check in and make sure you're okay." She frowns a bit, looking thoughtful.

"Not bad. I've been working on ways I can get back, but I'd need a bigger anchor at your end. Something to hold onto." She sounds like any mage ever, planning a big working.

She finds a piece of paper, in her pack, and writes, "The power feels different, colder." Then she passes that paper over to Danielle.

Danielle reads and frowns. She trusts the intuition of her companionsas much as her own by now. They've certainly earned it over the last year Garen, om the other hand. nonetheless the logical question is asked "What do you think you might need?"

"A better anghor, and some power source at that end," comes her voice. It sounds like her - confident, with slightly accented Thari.

* anchor

"How have you been keeping yourself busy since we last talked? Other than finding the bar that is. We found out that Caine is on the throne here." That seems like a good test to Amy, at any rate.

"Oh god. Well, that's me screwed." Garin's tones snap to mild panic. "... So, you want me to come fight him?"

"Fight him? Why would you ... why would you even want to do that?" Amy asks, curiously. Mind you, to be fair, she's never met Caine.

"Can we change the subject?" Garin hedges. "It's really not a thing I'm happy to talk about. If you can find my history you'll know why."

Danielle hms "Define power source? I'm just trying to get a handle on this"

"Fires, magical beacons - anything I can bring the power out of at a distance. Anything powerful will do, if you can't channel it." Again, it is not *quite* an answer.

Amy frowns. "I suppose, though you did offer," she observes. "I think it's fair to ask why." But she shrugs, turning instead to the idea of an anchor. "So, if you can use this anchor, couldn't someone or something else over there?" she asks.

"Probably. Maybe. I think I made this connection good, but it's hard to tell. Want to set up a pass-phrase?" There is a tiny pause. "Just connect it when I'm ready here."

Danielle thinks "You haven't thought of a way to help us find you? This all sounds rather iffy folk s who are still learning the the ropes, like ourselves

Amy has been thinking furiously as well. "Are you finding it more difficult to move?" she asks Garin. "I'm wondering if that ice world is dangerous, if anyone - someone stays there too long?"

"Trying, here. I've got ice demons trying to kill me, though, and it's weird. The ice itself is... yes, just like that. I'm slowing down a lot." Garin makes a little 'hm' noise.

Danielle hms "Any clue why things are worsening. I mean you've been there a bit of time and you didn't mention an ice demon before"

Amy glances at Danielle and nods, quietly. That's a good question. "Ice demons sound - dangerous."

"No clue," comes the reply. "Maybe that I'm not hiding so much any more. Because I was bloody waiting on rescue."

"that doesn't seem very smart," Amy says slowly. There's a frown on her face now. "I mean, we said we'd try, not we'd be there momentarily."

Danielle gets paper and writes to Amethyst "I'd rather risk myself than the city"

"Yes. Sorry. It gets lonely on my own." It seems that Garin is a mistress of sarcasm.

Amy takes the paper and reads it, and nods. "I can see that. Look, we can see if we can set up what you're asking for, and continue to try to find a way back to the ice palace. I think we'll try both, probably." It's not like they've got anyone who is an expert on either. Amy writes on the paper, "I bet Gavin and Dirk would love to fight some ice demons."

Dirk walks over to the yurt and says "Knock knock."

"Alright. Let's do that." The voice fades for a moment. "Listen, I have a thing or two I have to deal with. Like finding out if I'm going to be a very cold statue."

"If we get there and find your statue, should we bring you with us to a beach somewhere?" Amy asks.

"Beach. Hot cabana boys. With a low tolerance for drink." That would be a yes, then.

The fountain is barely shivering now, despite how it was last time they talked. The air here is perceptibly chilly, but that is all.

Danielle blinks "I ets try to get the becach before any one becomes a statue, hm"

"Got one more question for you, Garin, if you can. Why is it less cold here now? Is that because the connection is stronger? or weaker?"

"I'm not at your end," comes Garin's voice. "But I'd say less leakage. You've got the hair around it, yes?"

"Yeah, maybe, that seems reasonable." She takes a breath,and then amy adds, "Okay, we'll try to speed things up here. Hang tight, and don't get dead."

"I'll try," replies that voice, and then begins to fade. The candles burn suddenly lighter.

Amy stares at the candles for a moment. "Is it me, or did the candle flames just change?" she asks, perplexed.