Since I can't go to Gen Con, I will be...
...disassembling the drain line from the kitchen sink here, and replacing parts as needed.
OK, Saturday, 6 August, 2011: finished.
(The flexible "sewer-snake" tool works wonders: no longer does the drain line clog--instead, it drains freely now.)
Special bonus:
Yes, I did do it right. That leak? Simple! The 71-year-old galvanized iron pipe had corrosion: the water was leaking out of the side of the pipe, where the unused pipethreads were (that the slip-joint nut didn't cover). The ultimate solution would be to tear it all apart and replace with new. That didn't happen this time, but temporary patching worked.)
Game-related: More D&D! I need to improve my imagination, so things such as that don't surprise me so much anymore.