Water, Water Everywhere

"Water, Water Everywhere" is episode 5 in The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One, released on April 25, 2023. "Turns out a fox is good for some things after all. The killer is caught. A volunteer steps forward with a break in the case. A friendship is bent. Another door of vines opens. Another volunteer steps forward. Further down and deeper still, our work is not yet done."

Synopsis
As the party examines the gruesome scene -- Finley dead on the floor in his illicit magic pawn shop -- they note that the broken window is much too high for anyone to easily jump through. Eursulon checks with his innate abilities to see if any spirits are present here, but finds none.

Ame sends The Fox to chase after whomever may have escaped. Eursulon examines Finley's body to be sure it's really him, and is quickly becomes sure that it is. He then checks the shop for Wavebreaker, but there is no hint of it -- nor of the lining of Stone's cloak, which was with it. Ame then checks Finley's body, and spots several inconsistencies: it's cold, for example, while the blood beneath it appears much fresher.

Suvi notices three doors in the locked doors in the room, and reasons out that one of them likely leads to a larger chamber. She hears a faint sound from that room, and uses a knife to cut the lock off the door -- it's rotted somewhat from the perpetual dampness in this city.

Ame speaks telepathically to the fox, startling him. Ame asks to look through his eyes, and the fox is surprised to find that he can still see while she does. She convinces him to abandon the trash heap he found and search for the murderer she suspects just left. The fox disagrees, saying there is no smell of blood outside. Troubled, Ame informs her companions that the killer may still be present.

Suvi suspects Finley may not be dead, and suggests they cut his hand. Eursulon arms himself with a second sword as Ame cautiously pulls her dagger and nicks the corpse's finger. Though the sound that comes from the corpse is small, Suvi is able to hear it, and excitedly announces that Finley is still alive.

Finley springs to his feet and tries to make a break for the door, still grey and dead-looking. He and Eursulon tangle a bit, and Finley taunts that he wasn't sure he'd see Eursulon again. As they spring apart, Ame commands Finley to halt -- her first curse. Finley freezes in place.

Confident that the situation is now handled, Suvi proceeds into the now-unlocked room. There she finds a workshop, in which she sees the business ledgers, some nicer magical clothing, and a humanoid-shaped form crouched behind a dresser. Most importantly, Suvi finds a massive stone statue covered in candles, which turns its eyeless head to look at her. When it does, all the candles on its head light of their own accord, and it begins to step toward her. Thinking quickly, Suvi uses the prestidigitation spell to blow out the candles, backs out of the room, and closes the door. With her great skill at spellcraft, this seemingly impossible gesture works perfectly; much to Finley's dismay, the statue disanimates as the door closes.

Eursulon pins Finley to the ground as Ame ties his hands. Finley taunts Eursulon a little more, but when he realizes they have neatly stopped him from performing any of the somatic components of spellcasting, he goes quiet. Ame urges Finley to be calm, even as Eursulon and the fox come at him more aggressively.

Recognizing his situation, Finley turns from threats and taunts to negotiation. He says he bought the sword from Eursulon fairly, and that Eursulon was a drunken lout at the time. Suvi threatens to burn the shop down, and Finley mutters that Citadel wizards are often bullies. Nevertheless, he says he sold the sword. When Suvi demands to know who bought it, Finley is reluctant, fearing for his life if he talks. Suvi assures him he's dead if he doesn't, and Finley offers the name Will Gallows, who Eursulon recalls as the most dangerous man in Port Talon. Gallows took a cut from most illicit goings-on in the city, and there was a legend that he moved to Port Talon from the Empire, after being hanged for treason.

Suvi asks about the figure she saw in the next room, and Finley asks if she means Flicker -- referring to the construct. Both Suvi and Ame are incredulous that he would use a word that describes flames on the verge of going out as the name of a construct powered by candles. Finley defensively tells them names aren't that important in magic, which they both find funny. Ame presses for the name of the other figure in the room (having sensed from Finley's tone that he was trying to change the subject). Reluctantly, he admits he has an employee. The party debates checking it out, reluctant to wake Flicker.

Eursulon returns his attention to Finley, asking where Gallows can be found. Finley claims not to know, and repeats the legend that Gallows is dead, or somewhat so. He then asks to be freed from his bonds. Ame and Eursulon elect to leave him tied up, and to leave a blade some ways across the room, the idea being that he will be able to free himself, but only very slowly. Eursulon pushes for the blade to be left a little further, and a little further, pleased to see Finley inconvenienced.

As they handle that, Suvi whispers through the door, asking if the employee inside needs help. The door opens to reveal a small and sickly-looking teen girl; she assures Suvi in a meek voice that she's all right. Eursulon senses spirit on her, though she doesn't seem to be a spirit herself. Flicker moves in the room, but the girl warmly reassures it, and it moves back to its corner. The group introduces themselves, and Eursulon addresses the girl as 'sister'. The girl seems taken by that, and returns his bow with a curtsy. She tells them her name is Ghost.

Finley demands that she run and get the authorities, or Will Gallows, or perhaps both. Though the party quickly clocks that this means Ghost knows where Gallows may be found, Suvi hesitates, reluctant to put her in harm's way. Ghost explains that she simply knows how to leave a message for Gallows, not where to find him. The party offers to go with her. Ghost hesitates, asking Finley for instructions, seeming to be trying to get herself out of trouble with him down the line. Finley, fuming from the humiliation he's enduring, is sharp with her. Ghost's bland reaction suggests she's used to it.

Suvi asks Ghost what she does here. Ghost explains she has a knack for magical machines and spell engines. She also confesses that the things she touches sometimes stop being magical, and that she can't do it deliberately, but it does make it safer for her to take apart magic things. Ame, immediately empathetic, tries to reassure Ghost that her powers are good, and belong to her. Ghost appears reluctant to take such personal advice from a stranger.

Before they leave, Ame asks Ghost about the blue scrap of lining, and she retrieves it from the back room. Ame senses that Ghost will be made to pay for this cloth if she just hands it over, and asks Suvi for the money (since Ame herself has none). Suvi is firmly against giving Finley gold for her own mother's cloak; she goes so far as to try to trick her friends into believing she paid for it. Only once Eursulon asks her to lend the money to him -- money he will pay back when he can -- does she finally agree. Eursulon gives Ghost the money, saying kindly that he made the mistake, so he's the one who needs to pay for it. As they leave the shop, Ame observes that this was a very honorable thing to do, and Eursulon is touched.

As they walk through the rain to Gallows' drop point, Ghost tells them angry people frequently show up at the door, and that Finley often fakes his death when they do. Ame tries to suss out her feeling on Finley, and on her life in general. As Ame reflects, she realizes that while there are parts of Ghost's life she likely doesn't care for, and that it certainly doesn't compare to Ame's life with Grandmother Wren, there are also parts of Ghost's life she likely enjoys. Her situation is both good and bad for her, so easy answers are hard to come by. They approach a sinister-looking home for children, which makes Ghost quickly change direction so she doesn't have to go past it. Ame realizes that Ghost may feel her situation is an improvement over what it once was.

The group chats with Ghost a bit more about what's likely to happen after they leave -- Finley will say mean and resentful things, she says, and then he'll get bored and let her work. Suvi asks if she's ever considered working for the Citadel. Ghost is shocked; it's a much bigger idea than she's ever considered for herself.

Eursulon asks about her connection to spirits. Ghost isn't able to say much, but it's a sore subject for her.

At that, they arrive at a particular lamppost, where Ghost sticks a chicken bone into the soil of a deadened window box. This, she says, is enough to call Gallows to visit Finley, and she should return to the workshop.

Before she goes, Suvi offers once again to introduce her to the Citadel. Before Ghost can answer, Ame gives her a needle and thread, the needle being enchanted with the mending cantrip. She's enchanted just the point, she explains, so Ghost should be able to use it without worrying about accidentally dispelling it. As Ghost thanks her for a gift she truly values, Eursulon's sense of spirits gives him a flash of insight into her story: that her father was a spirit, and though she never met him, she still feels a sense of the familiar from Eursulon. He intuits that Ghost's mother must have told her of her heritage, and when Ghost told other children, they didn't believe her and taunted her for lying. Then came the tragedy of losing her mother.

Ghost then turns back to Suvi. There is a moment where it seems she will refuse Suvi's offer, but then asks if Flicker could come with her. Suvi confirms that he could, and promises to make a way for her at the Azure Battalion. Ghost thanks her, and it seems she's going to try.

Ame asks for a moment alone with Suvi, and Eursulon and the fox decide to catch up since they have a moment.

Ame and Suvi discuss the merits of sending Ghost to the Citadel. Ame worries that Ghost and Flicker will be pressed into going to war, and voices a few lightly disapproving opinions about the Citadel. Suvi quickly becomes defensive about her home, and takes Ame's questions as personal slights. Ame tries to walk it back as she realizes how angry she's made Suvi, and Suvi grudgingly decides to let it slide -- but makes sure to explain how gracious she's being.

As they return to Eursulon, they find him chatting with the fox about Finley. The fox was glad to see Finley restrained, because he was then no longer scared, and could get mad at him. The fox marvels at how much better it is to have friends near, that life is easier that way.

Eursulon spots a window that seemed to have a good vantage on the window box, and everyone decides to check it out, in case Gallows' lookout is up there. As they go, the fox decides to catch up with Suvi, since it went so well with Eursulon. Suvi confirms she isn't doing well, and the fox asks if she's hungry. Suvi realizes she might be. The fox laments that it seems the trash pile has been left behind, and Suvi quickly takes the fox's side. He marvels at Ame's bent toward trickery.

As the group moves toward the building they're looking for, they reach a plaza. They find the entrance to the building they're looking for; it seems to be a pub. The plaza also holds an unusual fountain. In the fountain (which is not working) is a statue of a pair of Great Spirits, a man and a woman, that are dancing. The man has long wavy hair and a long robe; his free hand holds a fishing spear. The woman has a gown formed of vines, with leaves that frame her face and fill her hair. The woman's face is joyous, while the face of the man appears to have been chipped away deliberately. All that remains is the corner of a youthful eye.

Ame asks the fox to climb up the statue and lick the broken face, intending to repair it with her mending spell. Suvi challenges her, feeling it would draw unwanted attention, but Ame insists it is part of her duties as a witch to honor the spirits. With the fox's help, Ame mends the statue. She tastes salt water, then experiences a vision that comes with pain; she crumples to the ground. The vision seems to be of these two great spirits wreaking destruction on Port Talon, then being repelled (or destroyed) first by wizard craft, then by the salt fire that the group sensed upon their arrival here. As Eursulon sees Ame fall to the ground with pain, he hurries over to heal her. Where his hand touches her, vines and leaves spring forth, only to immediately die.

Main Player characters

 * Suvi
 * Ame
 * Eursulon

Returning

 * The Fox
 * Finley

New

 * Will Gallows, a possibly-undead mob boss (mentioned only)
 * Flicker, a candle golem
 * Ghost, Finley's assistant
 * Arleigh Price, one of Gallows' gang (mentioned only)
 * Irami the Cudgel, one of Gallows' gang (mentioned only)
 * Naram the Wave Lord, a Great Spirit (mentioned only)
 * Orima of the Reaching Green, a Great Spirit (mentioned only)

Mentioned

 * Grandmother Wren