"Controls for the fountain perhaps. Some sort of pump room. Perhaps we can stop it from here."
"It bears looking into, at very least."
"Well, let's see what they do then." Kyrus walks over to the one lever that's pulled down. "Be ready to run if this goes horribly wrong." He pushes it up to see what happens.
When the northern switch is pulled up, several concealed fountain mouths open up and pure water starts flowing into the pool and into the crack. The polluted water is being diluted, but not enough to make any significant difference...
"Well, that's a good start. And nothing is trying to kill us, so I'm going to call that a win. Which one should we hit next?"
"Hold up." Says Tyler, getting an idea.
"Pulling a lever up activates it, and since the E,S & W levers were already up that means one of them may control the flow of polluted water?"
Tyler will try lowering each of the levers one by one to see if it cuts the flow of the polluted fountain.
When Tyler pulls the east switch down, the fountains of contaminated water are reduced, but not stopped. The clear water continues to also flow from the other fountains. When he pulls the southern switch down (assuming he follows a pattern), there is a change in the sounds of the running water and the machinery, but there is no other obvious effect. Pulling the western switch down shuts off the polluted water altogether. Now, with all switches down, the only water flowing is pure and clean.
First Tyler will mix up some Alchemists glue and use it on the levers so they can't be moved. He has solvent if we do need to get them them working again.
"I still think we need to look around more, perhaps find out the source of the pollution. Maybe we can stop it completely?"
Also he takes a sample of the polluted water in a vial for examination and testing.
"I want to find source, too! Is shame to come all this way and not finish looking around."
"And it's not like this could have been done by accident. Someone would have had to set the levers as they were. Let's keep looking around and see what we find."
OK, then to recap, the party climbed up to a balcony about 20' from the bottom of the pool surrounding a floor-to-ceiling pillar in the center of a huge room one level below where you entered the mountain. You are in a 10' x 10' room inside the pillar, with a door to the south leading to the balcony and another door on the western wall.
Bryn fully absorbed with the architecture of the place is oblivious to anything happening around her.
"Hmm...Úlf is thinking the mixing probably happened somewhere deeper in mountain."
"Then the real source of the problem isn't here. These haven't been used in ages, so perhaps we need to be more worried about the source of the poison than the fountain letting it flow out. Let's keep going and see what we can find."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
"Should we report back first? While I'd rather not die down here, if we do, they may need to know what we've done with the levers?"
"Actually, that's not a bad idea. Nothing says we have to do this all in one day. We can always head out, tell them what we've found so far, then come back tomorrow and head deeper."
You make your way back to the next level and back to the entrance. In the large entry hall you encounter a group of three dwarves and a gnome magic user of some sort. Like the group you encountered before, they appear to be on patrol. Unlike the other patrol, this group can see perfectly well in the dark and so you stumble upon them quite suddenly.
"Halt and identify yourselves! You are trespassing in the halls of King Devin, but you wear the sigil of our clan," the lead dwarf calls, and points at the amulets given to you by Derval Ironeater back in Daggerford. "Why are you here?"
"We hail from town of Daggerford, and your crest was given to us by one of your own, Derval Ironeater, after we save his life! There is no threat to our town, some kind of poison that is in the water, and we are trying to find source of it. We mean no offenses; we only try to stop poison water from hurting us or others again."
The party listens intently to you, and one asks, "Ah, Derval, yes. His family is known to us. How did you stop this poison water?"
On a positive note, their weapons are lowered - but at least one of them is always looking over your shoulders or back behind them, clearly on edge about something else coming around a corner and not wanting to be surprised...
"We had to fiddle around with the fountain a bit. We managed to stop the poison water from coming out and get the regular water flowing properly, but we're worried that the source of the poison is still lingering around here somewhere. If you know this place, perhaps you can help us."
Ami mirrors the watchful dwarf on her own side, better to not be surprised, there may still be orcs or other things around.
"The fountain? On the level below us? What about the gargoyle?" the gnome asks. He looks over at Kyrus, sees his multiple claw wounds, and then nods. "Oh, I see..."
One of the dwarfs then asks, "Where do you go now? What are your intentions?"
"We intend to report that we have a temporary resolution in place, and then return, see if we can find what happened to the source of the water. Of course, if you have a prior claim here, we will work with you - I'm sure clean water is in all our interests."
"Yes, these are our ancestral halls," the dwarf answers. "You are welcome to return and help us clean out the scum that has infested this place. When you return, look for our patrol to the southwest of the fountain room below us. As for the water source, as far as we know it comes from deep within the heart of the mountain..." If there are no other questions, they will escort you to the great double doors leading to the outside, and ensure they are closed after you leave.
================================
Once you are outside, you are greeted by two elves who were watching the entrance. They offer to take you to their camp for healing and rest before you return to Daggerford. King Melandrach is very interested to hear about your adventures under the ground...
Leon continues following quietly, we should report in and return, can't let this happen again. besides i'm not a fan of temporary solutions
"It was quite the... odd trip," Kyrus says, telling a brief overview of their trip into the caves. "We ran into a group of adventurers who were looking for treasure, some other dwarves who seem to be connected to the old city, and there were signs of orcs but we never met them. We managed to stop the poison from flowing out, but we didn't find the source yet so it might not be over yet. I find myself agreeing with Leon. Our job isn't done yet."
Úlf is pleased that the council is in agreement that a more permanent solution is required and is certainly happy to make a return trip to implement it.
He also makes sure to go and visit Derval and let him know that his amulet helped avert a potentially bad situation, but he also wants to know what else the smith can tell the group that may help when they go back.
The dwarf nods and invites the group to come in to his home and sit. He offers refreshments and light snacks (meaning enough food to fill your stomachs for the rest of the day...) "Yes, my brother is Korin Ironaxe, leader of my kinsmen under Illefarn." he says. Our family has tried to protect Illefarn since the main body of dwarves left many centuries ago. My ancestors occupied Illefarn for hundreds of years until about a century ago when I felt our numbers were too few, and brought my wife and sons out to take up residence here in Daggerford."
"But Korin and I disagreed. He felt that dwarves should occupy Illefarn, so he led all the allies he could find back into the warren about three years ago. When he did, he found that orcs had occupied part of it. So now he has his hands full eradicating these beasts. He is also interested in recovering the crown of Devin, the ancient dwarf king, and bringing it out of Illefarn to honor it in a more defensible place. Unfortunately, our family has lost track of just where the crown is located..."
"If you are indeed heading back, give my brother my regards, and if possible, can you bring a shipment of food and supplies to him? He will appreciate the support," Derval finishes.
"It seems like he's gotten himself into quite the project," Kyrus says as they chat with the dwarf. "But we'll do what we can to help. If the orcs are dug in, they might be part of the problem causing the poison water. We'll have to look into it when we head back in." He absently munches on the meal as he talks. "And we'd be happy to deliver whatever you need. It's not like we're not going back anyway. And maybe we can get permission from the militia commander to help him with his mission in some way. Surely removing a nest of orcs so close to the town would be in everyone's best interests."
Militia or not, we don't need permission to help or adventure...We'll need to start doing things on our own eventually, this could be the right time to start Leon comments quietly
"Is too bad we don't yet have magics that allow us to send long-range messages...would make this much simpler. In most cases I would agree, Leon, but this is different I think. We do not have authority to send shipment of supplies like this. We can recommend it be done, but that is all."
"I think Derval is providing the food and supplies?" Tyler suggests. "He just would like us to take it to his brother."
"Yes, yes. I have the supplies, and was planning a trip myself, but the injuries I sustained in the earthquake delayed that. If you are heading back to Illefarn and can take them to my brother, we would both appreciate it!"
You also know that as free citizens of Daggerford, you always have the right to explore and adventure on your own. (Of course, the city has no responsibility to rescue or recover you when you are out on your own...but that hasn't stopped others before or after you!)
"Well, we don't need to ask to go adventuring, but we should probably make sure that they don't need us to do anymore militia duties if we're going to run off. It could end badly if we were needed to protect the town from something and we weren't around."
Kyrus smiles at the dwarf. "Then we'll be on our way as soon as possible. And we'll try to help your brother out if we get a chance too."
"Perhaps, we should resupply ourselves as well if possible. That gargoyle was certainly difficult for us given our current weapons."
"Ah! Is my misunderstanding, then! Yes, this sounds like good plan to Úlf. Bryn makes good point, though. Is maybe good idea to be a bit more prepared in future."
Soo...crafting?? Buying? You have three days total so the militia and Derval can get their respective shipments together. They also provide the pack animals to carry the load, but expect the animals back. The town council has approved payment of 2,000 gp each for your heroic deeds (upon your successful return from fixing the cracks to prevent any further poison streams from exiting into the valley.)
After a few days to collect supplies and acquire enchantments, the party heads back to Illefarn with four pack horses loaded with building materials, food, ale, various weapons/armor and other items for the dwarven contingent. The elves in Laughing Hollow inquire about the supplies, but your explanations about your expedition to clear out the caverns are all that is needed to satisfy them.
Arriving back under the mountain, the dwarf scouts are grateful for the supplies from Derval. They escort you back down to the room with the crack and the fountain. At this point they continue to the southwest corner of the room and through a door, waving as they go.
Úlf does what he can to contribute to the repair of the crack, hoping to make sure it doesn't ever prove to be a problem again.
Ami has no relevant skills to offer, so will keep watch and gopher.
Leon begins casting the spell mending to help as he also has no other relevant skills.
Kyrus does whatever physical labor he's instructed to do, but he doesn't really know anything useful and just follows Ulf's orders.
Luckily, the dwarves send a few of their fighters to aid in your reconstruction efforts. Together, you make a reasonable wall that, with some alchemical cement, should hold back any water. Barring another earthquake, or intentional destruction, of course...
Once this task is done, the dwarves lead you to their portion of the underground lair for a feast that has been prepared from the supplies you brought. You are greeted warmly by Korin Ironaxe, who thanks you for bringing his brother's gifts back and for repairing the poisoned fountain. He offers you sanctuary in his rooms as long as you agree to help him eradicate the other two factions vying for control of Illefarn.
"Two factions? We heard about the orcs, but what other group is down here causing trouble?"
"There is a necromancer and his group of thugs and mercenaries here, looting everything they can get their hands on. They aren't as bad as the orcs and goblins, of course, but they are stealing our family treasures."
Korin spits on the ground and adds, "Plus, the whole 'bringing the dead back to life' thing is creeping us out..."