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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 3947577" data-attributes="member: 16069">Why thanks for that, finished work early for the festive season- nothing to do till Jan, so time aplenty for a few more posts.You are of course right about the DM's Interludes- it shall be done, excellent suggestion.Merry ChristmasAnd on we go...Dungeon Crawl Classic #24 Legend of the Ripper Level 1-3 (Scaled to level 4)Turn 63: A secret meeting.Bec picks up the Grimbo Graph, the local paper, spreads it out on the table, takes another bite of his monstrous sandwich and reads the headlines, and then the story beneath.“The Ripper is Dead.”“Last night saw the end to the reign of destruction that has rocked The Nunny community these last few weeks, with the death of the terrible beast The Ripper at the hands of The Goodman Gang, employed to hunt down the murderer by the famous Grimbo City Watch. Some time in the small hours the brave party members ventured deep into The Nunny, and to the Ten Bells Inn, the haunt of the first Ripper, there the dedicated warriors and wizards battled through traps and fiends to finally destroy the ghoulish beast.A high ranking member of the Watch informed this reporter that the reign of terror had finally come to an end this morning. He went on to say that the inhabitants of The Nunny were now able to go about their law-abiding business under the guaranteed safety of the City Watch, once again peace reigns in The Nunny.No members of the Goodman Gang were available for comment, although this reporter managed to secure a few details:- Lord Casimir La Frond, a Paladin of the Church of Pelor, much loved by both the rich and poor of Grimbo for his good deeds, he may be romantically involved with the Belle of every Ball, Lady Arabella Ross. Priestess Ala of the Church of Correllon, an emissary of the strange and seductive Elven people. Jim Bowen a local Woodsman from Lowth, quite a catch, the young man seems to have a way with women and wild animals, his boyish good looks and simple charm able to tame the mightiest of beasts.Anya’Drea, the beautiful Wizardess, little is known about this enchanting beauty, a hit at Grimbo College, Professor Toomes has high hopes for her.Beck, a mighty warrior of extremely limited intellect, originally from Grimbo, his past is shrouded in mystery.And last, but by no-means least, Tadpole, a brave Gnome… ahem Lockpicker.”Bec reads on, “Tadpole”, the big man whispers and grins, takes another bite of his sandwich. Farmer Giles mooches into the kitchen, looking for something to do.“Sandwich?” Bec offers, holding up his monstrous construct.Farmer Giles shakes his head and wanders off again.Meanwhile Cas and Ala sit opposite Arabella Ross, her father’s huge desk separating them. “I’m sooooo, sooooo grateful; once again you have come to my rescue Cassy Wassy.” Arabella gushes.“That’s…” Cas starts.“And the rest of you of course.” Arabella offers a peremptory nod in Ala’s direction.Ala nods back, “Thanks.”Arabella moves around the desk, hitches up her skirt and plonks herself down before the pair, intimidating one, and arousing the other.A vast expense of leg and thigh fills Cas’ vision.“That’s… er… fine. Is there anything else we can do?” Cas finds himself saying, much to Ala’s chagrin, she stares at her companion, hard.“That is…” Cas starts up again.“It’s funny you should say that… I’d like you to attend a ball I’m holding here this evening, there’s somebody I want you to meet, or rather they would like to meet you, Cassy Wassy.”“That’d be…” Ala edges into the conversation.“Alone, of course. Shall we say eight- I’ll send my carriage to the Inn.”“What…” Ala goes for it again.“It’s the Wheatsheaf Inn isn’t it, room twelve, the curtains there are awfully thin, otherwise it’s… adequate.”And that’s it, the interview is over.Newt makes his way to The Nunny, he’s got some training to undertake. In fact every member of the Goodman Gang, except for the good Paladin, spends some time advancing their skills.At some point in the week, they decide not to head back to the Ten Bells and the Undine straight away, a member of the Grimbo City watch catches up with the Gang and delivers a small chest packed full of gold coins, one thousand coins in total.Anya even has time to make good use of Newt’s chemistry set, she spends time and money, prepares a few Potions.Time passes, particularly slowly for Cas who has nothing to do, except attend a ball with lady Arabella Ross.And thus it goes.In his best bib and tucker Cas arrives at the Ross residence, for eight. It’s a swanky affair, the great and the good of Grimbo, mostly those with money to burn.Arabella looks…Arabella looks…She looks…There isn’t a word, or phrase for that matter, to adequately do justice to how she looks.And yet for the entire of the evening she sees fit to leave the Paladin alone, he has no friends here, or so he thinks.And so it comes as quite a surprise when at around midnight the party comes to an end.Arabella’s not even about to wish him goodbye.A coach comes to take him home; he’s about a quarter of the way back to the Wheatsheaf Inn when the vehicle suddenly stops, the door opens and Major Khan gets in.“Hello, Lord La Frond, hope you had a pleasant time this evening?”“Very nice, now what do you want?” Cas replies.“First of all I’d like to say thank you for helping us out with the Ripper, much appreciated, we couldn’t have done it with out you.”“You couldn’t have done it?”“That said it seems our business has not been concluded, I have a story to tell, and I think you’ll want to hear it.” Major Khan leans back into the shadows of the carriage.Cas waits a while, “ok, let’s hear it.”“Beneath the Ten Bells Inn is a prison, a prison for a creature of pure Evil, an Undine, an Aquatic Elf that was captured several centuries ago and entombed alive there. The creature came to Grimbo to destroy the city, although it was nothing more than a very large village then- it, or rather ‘she’, failed- as you can see.” Khan gestures out of the window, and grins.“That’s interesting, what’s it got to do with me, us?”“Well, we believe that you are in an ideal position to help us, you have of course found the entrance to the prison…”“How do you…”“I sent some Watchmen to the Ten Bells, a small matter, you’d have to stupid to miss it, and your not stupid are you, it would be stupid of me to think so. It of course helps that the Undine seems to be able to alert those close by to her situation, she’s calling for help you see. It’s very probable she has escaped her prison- I would therefore like to hire you and your compatriots to investigate this matter, and more importantly to put an end to the Undine’s threat, believe me it is the people of Grimbo who will suffer should she escape her prison. The people will suffer badly, actually they’ll die in their droves, should she escape.”Cas thinks about it.“I’m not stupid Lord La Frond, I know you’re a man of the people, I read the paper.”“You…”“Desperate measures Lord La Frond; of course we’ll pay you, 1000 gold coins for the death of the Undine.”Cas stops to think about it again, takes his time, mulls it over.“What can you tell me about the Prison?”“Nothing.”“What?”“Nothing, other than it will probably be packed full of traps, and other terrible obstacles… Nothing you can’t handle of course. I read it in the paper so it must be true.”“Anything else?” Cas asks, disgusted, again.“One more thing, we’re sending some guards in with you, they’ll protect your back. Make sure nothing dangerous gets out of the Prison… alive.”Cas stirs in his seat, sits up.“Probably safest, you’d agree, to seal the Prison behind you.”The carriage stops.“Well, enjoy the rest of your evening.”Cas grabs hold of Major Khan, it could get ugly.“Do you know what you are?”Cas pulls the Major in so they’re face to face.“You’re a spineless, cowardly…”“There a problem here Major?”A squad or two of the Grimbo City Watch melt out of the dark and shadow, easily two dozen well armed, and armoured, men.“No, no problem.” Khan states prising Cas’ hands off of him, he brushes himself down, then heads off into the night.“G’night Casimir. Sleep well, don’t have nightmares.” And he’s gone.Time passes.Next Turn: Catch Up</blockquote>

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