Where there's a Well...

[Young Grimwold]

Clarity: Not for ordinary humanfolk. For mages maybe - or for airwans.

[Shadow]

*Shadow stares at the candle in bewilderment. Is she not even human?*

W-well anyways, let's see what we can find.

*Shadow carefully lowers the candle down into the dark depths of the well.*

[Young Grimwold]

*The candlelight flickers against the sides of the stony wellway shaft as the candle ventures into the cold recess below. All of a sudden, the flame goes out, sending up a wisp of smoke. It's as if the light was only allowed to penetrate so far...*

[Shadow]

Oh...well that was a bit of a waste. Now what?

[Young Grimwold]

Clarity: Erm... maybe the candle remembered that you blew on it... erm...

*Clarity remembers the pub sign that they passed.*

Clarity: I wonder if there's a dragon's lair down there.

[Shadow]

Oh come on, this is hardly big a space for a dragon. No, I think we should just try and find Percy now.

[Young Grimwold]

Clarity: Erm... Well maybe this is only the dragon's chimney, and he blocked it up because people kept dropping their rubbish down it. Vee did tell me that Smirkenorff had a lair underground. And-and that painting looked very much like him.

[Shadow]

*Shadow thinks if Smirkenorff is really down there, she can grab an opportunity to find out about her purpose.*

Right that's it! I'm going to investigate!

*Before Clarity can stop her, Shadow jumps down into the dark hole. She can hear Clarity screaming above, but for a long fall she lands quite softly, much like a cat.*

[Young Grimwold]

*While Shadow was busy with the leash and candle, Clarity had slipped the Feather of Falling into Shadow's pocket. Partly because she wanted to do something nice for the girl who had kept her company today; partly because she had a feeling that someone with red eyes and fire for breath might just get chased off a cliff by an angry mob one day. It wasn't really Clarity's to give away, but she reasoned that with all the money that had changed hands at the market stall, Shadow had effectively paid for it.

As Shadow leaps into the wellway, Clarity calls after her.*

Clarity: Bring me back a souvenir! And not just one of those rocks. CAN YOU HEAR ME? BRING ME BACK A SOUVENIR!

*Clarity realises she is yelling and, getting no response, gives up.*

Clarity: *To herself* Whatever is hiding down there, we've dropped rocks on its head, shone a light at it and yelled at it, so it's probably in a very bad mood. Oh well. Well! Haha.

*Clarity retrieves the leash, unties the candle and tries blowing on it - but nothing happens. She wonders about Shadow.*

Clarity: Vee won't believe any of this. And Percy won't either. Maybe I'll tell Mister Callimpsest if I see him.

*Leaving the wellway behind, Clarity Seldam makes her way home. Meanwhile, far below, the dungeons deep and caverns dark have a new Shadow.*

[OOC: I'd recommend a continuation in Below Ground.]

[Shadow]

[ModNote: Continued from The girl, Wolf's Howl Inn.]

*After a few minutes of walking, Shadow finally finds the alleyway which leads to the well they are seeking. Lufane and Autumn are following behind her. She also remembers this was the same location where she found the black book. She feels her pocket and confirms it's still there.*

I'll need to read the rest of that later.

*The same de-ja-vou feeling [OOC: Yes I know I keep spelling it differently] hits her again. She looks up and sees the sign with the dragon painted on.*

Hmm...maybe it was this sign that gave me that feeling.

Look up there.

*She points to it so the other two notice it.*

I'm not certain, but I think this is what Smirkenorff may look like.

[Autumn Valory]

*Autumn had been following close behind. She looks up when Shadow points at the sign.*

What, a dragon looking in a mirror? Well, he must like to take care of his image.

[Lufane]

A dragon would never look at a mirror *he says, off-handedly* they are naturally suspicious of reflective objects.

[Autumn Valory]

Aah I see. It's either that or the person who painted this sign just wanted to decorate it a little.

[Lufane]

Artistic liscence, I suppose

[Shadow]

Hmph, maybe.

Anyways, shall we continue?