There's a problem. Both Danielle and Amy are aware and have been trying to resolve it. Sort of. Amy has asked folks to gather at the fountain, ready for a trip into cold weather - like icy cold. She's here, wearing her own warm weather gear, with a backpack that has medical supplies, as well as rope, a torch, tinder and flint, and some caltrops type things she figures might help if they have to cross any expanse of ice. She might have the name wrong, as Amy is not a sports type. She has a very determined look on her face, she does, as if she may leave on her own if she has to.

\

Gavin has come dressed for warm weather, armor, and cramons for his shoes. He looks at the othere gathered. His expression isn't as dire as Amethyst as he usually seems more laid back when facing certain danger.

Danielle wears a warm fur lined cloak, a heavy wool gown, some serviceable snow boots and a pack full of supplies including torches and food but realizes they could cross any envirnment getting there. She seems as ready as she can be

Dirk is dressed in white furs that hide him well in an ice field. He has a pack on his back and a sword at his side.

Merrisol just happens by while this is happening, evidently not prepared in the slightest for a chilly holiday away. Hanging back, he waves but only observes from a distance to see if what happens next will tie together all the disjointed rumours he's heard concerning the fountain for a while now.

Maggie was walking a bit faster to catch up to Kerf. Reaching the square, she slows and fetches up near him. Turning, she takes note of the others gathered by the fountain. A brow lifts slowly and she murmers to the man beside her, "Um. Do you know what is going on?" Noting all of their cold weather gear, she unconsciously and unnecessarily tucks her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

It is still chilly by the fountain, which has an odd yurt structure built around it. There's a standing pipe for drinking water not far away, put in place by Filinia, so that water is still available. And while the air near the fountain is still cold, freeze your breath cold, it's no longer freeze alcohol in a bottle cold.

Amy smiles as she spies friends and folks coming. Her voice carries, so certainly Kerf and Maggie will be able to hear her. "Gavin, Danielle, Dirk, thank you for coming." She takes a breath and says, "I don't know how well this will work, but I think Garin is slowly turning into an ice statue - we have to find her if we're going to stop that from happening. So that means we have to go into the fog together. We'll rope ourselves together so we don't get separated in that mess, and then we're going to have to all concentrate to try to get ourselves out of the fog - and hope we can find that ice palace on our own, since the fountain is no longer helpfully snatching us there. Any questions?" She looks around then, to each of the folks with her, catching sight of Kerf and Maggie. It wins a smile and a wave from her, just spying them. "You two are welcome to join us if you want to," she calls.

\

"Please love, don't tell them I've becoming cold in bed." Gavin says as he produces a flask. There's a pleasant smile as he shakes it realizing it's not froze. Then he opens it taking a very deep drink. "That is refreshing." Then putting it away. "Maybe there will be some cider or mulled wine at the inn when we get back." He takes the rope and starts binding himself to it. There's a wave to Maggie and Kerf, "Though you might want to prepare for winter."

\"Not a clue," replies Merri to Maggie's question. "I heard it wasn't that frigid around here anymore. From what it looks like, the fountain is a transit point to a locale that is." He listens to what Amy has to say about their mission, then without missing a beat, calls back to the woman, "Class is still in session. Best of luck to you all, however."

The stench of fine bathtub gin wafts into the square and anyone that might be seeking him out will find Mortimer more than tipsy drunk, nearly giddy as he wanders towards the fountain. A bright smile on his lips, and arms wide out as if seeking a hug from someone, anyone really. Though spotting Dirk and his eyes go wide. "My Loves! What on the blazes are you doing here?" He waves generally at the fountain, then at the end of his fingertips as if expecting a small fireball or a display of fireworks. When neither happens there is a shrug and a look about as he clasps his hands together and rubs the for some warmth. "Seriously, though, what is this about classes in session?"

Dirk looks over and smiles "Hey Mort come snuggle under the furs. We are going to colder climes."

Maggie nods to Kerf, then listens to the rest and answers the call to adventure, "Good luck, all. I would join you, but would need to prepare. Good luck, though..."

Danielle smiles at Mortimer "Welll that were were hoping to go but we lost the tracking tag so who knows where will end up

Amy takes the rope once Gavin is done, and ties it round her own waist. She makes sure all the others are also connected. "This is how we don't get separated in the Fog," she explains, though probably they already all know this. She pauses to look over to Kerf and Maggie, and then she nods. "That's okay, if we're not back in a week, uhm, well, I guess you get to hold the fort then." A nod, though she's more serious than not. Once the group that is going is all ready, she shrugs, hefts her backpack and then grins impishly. "Alrighty then, let's go."

To get into the Fog is easy. It just involves walking the right way, and then stepping into the tendrils of Fog. Once there, as usual, the Fog is thick, black, dark. It's impossible to see anything, but that only makes sounds all the louder. A howl off in the distance - is it coming closer? The sounds of breathing -oh wait, that's just your companions, tied to you by the rope that Amy brought. The group, including Lucafrase, makes it into the fog with no difficulty.

Amy is in the lead, because of course she is. The petite healer is somewhat stubborn. "Alright everyone, make sure you're facing me, so hopefully we all go the same way," she says. Though of course with a bit of pulling, pushing and staggering, they can hopefully all start walking together in a reasonably straight line. "Concentrate with me on ice, and cold, and that palace with the music room," Amy guides the group.

Lucafrase keeps one hand on her section of rope, the other around the handle of her favorite chisel. Rather than pepper Amy with questions, she merely holds her place in line and follows along?

Mortimer gives Dirk a hug then drunkenly takes his hand and leads off towards the fog. No warning, simply a /Let's go this way, eh?/

\

Gavin more hears Amethyst voice and the tug of the rope. He turns to find himself facing the right direction. Then goes along with her. His mind focusing on the ice and the now.

Danielle hms "Everyone with us?" she asks as waits for answers and then focuses specifically on the "unicorn hone, trying to hone in on the power it gives off

Dirk follows along and asks Mort. "Do you think I am a man of loose morals?"

Lucafrase, Dirk, Danielle, Gavin, Mortimer leave, following Amethyst.

The group concentrates hard, and they wander lost through the fog for some time. It could be minutes or hours. Eventually they spy the fog thinning, and head that way, only to find themselves ...

...

...

... .... ....

just outside Amber City, at the large crossroads.

"Bloody!" Amy grumbles, none too pleased. "This is not where we were going!" She turns to glare at the Fog, because this is all the Fog's fault. "Well, are we up to try again?"

Waving his hands in the air, "Sorry! I was thinking of dinner." Mortimer looks towards the rolling farmlands. "Steak is that way right?"

Gavin looks around the cross roads, "we could have just walked down here." He nods, "I think so Mort. Just don't kill a milker."

Dirk pulls Mortimer close to him. "Here bite me if you're hungry. '

Lucafrase looks... dubious. "You're sure we're not, you know, risking life and limb. To be spat out at random? '... and on moonlight nights you can sometimes see a train of ghostly morons tied together?'"

Danielle hms "Well that was a miss" she says "Almost as if someone doesn't want us to suceed" Paranoia. A bit

"Let's try again," Amy encourages. She starts back into the fog.

The fog is just as dark and creepy as before. But the group is a little more tired. Still, Amy leads the way. This time, she reaches for Gavin's hand before she heads into the Fog, holding it tightly. "I never kiss and tell," she comments, very belatedly about his previous joke about being cold in bed. And then there's the struggle through the fog, fighting to keep all together, and to concentrate on where they are going.

Danielle pose only announces "Here" and then focuses all attention on finding the palace

Lucafrase's mind is, perhaps, elsewhere-- but the rope does the job of keeping her feet in line with everyone else's. "Here we go..." she announces, under her breath.

Dirk is singing "what do you do with a drunken sailor." loudly as he concentrates.

Gavin takes Amethyst hand as they slip in the dark. "Good. Don't want to make others jealous." He says with a laugh. Though he squeezes her hand tightly for a moment. "What do you do with a drunken Sailor? Why are you asking that? Shouldn't you be singing about wanting to make snowmen?"

Lucafrase, Danielle, Gavin, Dirk leave, following Amethyst.

Gavin looks around, "Well at least Dirk didn't land us in the bay. Being tied together and chances all of us knowing how to swim may not be healthy."

Dirk says "Why can't I do both?"

This time, through the fog, with all the sweat inducing trouble that entails, and maybe it's Dirk's song? But somehow, they are not at an ice palace.

Amy laughs, as she hears Gavin and Dirk. "Well, this is not an ice palace. But - I don't think I've been here before. Does it look familiar to anyone?"

Lucafrase tugs off in this direction and that, leaning to get longer looks at the furniture or the idols-- perhaps trying to place the culture, if she might recognize it?

Of course, there's nothing to jump out for Luca, nothing obvious here. But perhaps something will trigger in her memory later.

Danielle blinks "This is definitely not familiar but we are definitely overdressed for the environment"

Dirk stays in his warm fur blanket.

Gavin looks around, "I am not familiar with the place. Though it's seen battle." He frowns, "And Dirk, I'm not saying you can't swim and be tied up. I'm not sure I can."

Amy nods to all of the above, amused. "True enough. When I left the ice palace before, I ended up once on an island beach and once in a desert oasis. This is ... different."

Lucafrase *snifs,* inspecting the stonework. "... does anyone think this was Amber? No?"

Gavin shrugs, "Isn't it all Amber? I mean the shadows and such? What makes it more Amber than where we were?"

Dirk shakes his head. "I was thinking about the time I climbed in the eye of the Leviathan and stabbed it from the inside." Totally random Dirk thought. "Hope that's not the case."

Amy looks at the others. "Well, this is not going to help rescue Garin. Should we try again?" she asks.\

Gavin looks at Amethyst, "We're going to have to brave the fog sooner or later. We can't stay here."

Lucafrase ohs to Gavin? "... I can't work on my tan?!" An exaggerated pout!

Danielle hms "I suppose we have to though i wouldn't mind coming back to explore

Once more into the Fog. It's the third time. The group is looking for the ice palace, on a rescue mission. They're dressed for cold weather. But the first time, they ended up back in Amber, the second, they ended up at a ruined temple somewhere barren and not really cold. So here they are, tied to each other, trying once more to get to the ice palace. There's a person's life in danger, they believe, and they're working hard to try to rescue her. "n

Amy is still hand in hand with Gavin, unless he's objecting. The Fog is draining, pulling lots of energy out of them. They are all tiring, but they're back in, trying to make their way to the ICE PALACE. "C'mon, all. We can do this. Concentrate!" That's Amy's stubborn encouragement.

Dirk sings about building snowmen and winter wonderland at the top of his lungs.

Gavin only objects when it's amusing and to Amethyst he hopes. So there's no objecting there. He thinks of the winter palace, dancing in the cold with Amethyst, the sound of a recorded Mortimer playing music.

Danielle sighs but is still quite commited to the goal not knowing how much time garen has, so she musters every bit of enery "Ice palace"

Kyrie isn't always around the others, but when she is, she's happy to help. Not that she loves the fog, but that's where the interesting stuff is. On the other side of the fog, anyway. She's tied to the others, following along and trying to keep from being too worn down.

Lucafrase seems to be wondering if she can plunge Kyrie's beautiful custom woodworking tool into her own eye to stop the singing. It's not that hard to read her face. (... her grip on that chisel is white-knuckle!)

Lucafrase, Gavin, Dirk, Kyrie, Danielle leave, following Amethyst.

This time the Fog fights them. It's hard to move forward, hard to find a way that it thins. It's like the Fog wants to keep them or maybe they're just tired. But eventually they do find a spot where the fog is thinning, and they end up ... back in Amber once more.

"Bloody hell and Unicorn balls," Amy cusses. Not something she does often, but this scenario she feels the need. There's definitely perspiration damping her hair. or maybe that's just leftover fog tendrils. Amy scowls.

Dirk says "Shit."

\

Gavin lets out a sigh that sounds frustraded huff. No cheeky comments about his lady love cursing. He looks around. "I think Danielle might be onto something."

Danielle sighs "Somebody really doesn't want us to suceed.Reinforcing that we belong here,but i never do what i'm told

\Honestly, at this point all Kyrie does is snort quietly. More often than not, she's dumped somewhere she's already been. Not much for it but to try again. "Ooops." she says casually.

"One more time," Amy says, grimly.

Lucafrase, just about ready to untie hers-- "Wait, really?"

The Fog fights, but somehow this has just made Amy mad. Stubborn mad. So she concentrates, and gives herself a headache, struggling with the Fog. They all struggle hard, and eventually they emerge from the Fog, tired, exhausted maybe, and ... in an Ice Palace.

Amy staggers, and then just leans against Gavin, with a sigh. "It's cold here," is her only comment.

Gavin slips his arm around Amy, "I know. And that's good thing." He hopes.

\When they push through to the palace, first Kyrie lets out a breathe in relief. And then there's a shiver. It's cold, after all. At least they dressed with this in mind. She has a brief look around that's habit, just in case there's reason for immediate concern.

Dirk sings "Frosty the snowman!"

Danielle hms "Ok but we ever we end up we're going to have to park awhile. i'm about to collapse

There's nothing moving here, at least not in sight at all. It's all frozen. Cold. Cold enough to freeze alcohol. And they are inside the palace, where a few folks have been before.

"It is good, I think. There's a music room, with pictures of - my dad, and I think his family," she says. "And a phonograph that plays a song Mortimer used to play." For those who missed it all. "If this is the same palace, it should be - this way." Are those footprints on the snowy ground, showing the way?

Dirk bounces along to the music room's general direction.

Kyrie will follow along with the others, her bearing suggesting she's there to make sure there's no reason to be concerned. All things are weird, after all.