Tales Told in a Nursery

The party looked at Fred.

"He's gone," said Legoland. "Left here a few weeks ago."

"WHAT?!?" cried Fred.

"That's right," continued Acorn. "The dragon Smog whom your people simply call the Terrible, has left and flown to the evil Empire of Enron."

"Wait a minute," interrupted Dodo. "I thought my Uncle Bilbo killed that beast! He always said, 'Dodo, my son, I cut the Swiss.' That's what he called the dragon, the 'Swiss' though I never understood why."

"Hohoho!" chuckled Loin. "He always was a storyteller! No, little Master, he only forced it out of the Lonely Mountain. He did cut the swiss -so to speak- he cut the cheese and stunk up that lair so badly that not even the great Oakenshield could enter it for weeks. Gawd, but he was pissed. Smog flew on till he found his way here."

"But he's gone from here now..." murmured Fred. "So my quest is at a premature end."

"But," added Grandelf. "As I said before, now that you know what we bear we cannot allow you to leave. You must come with us on our quest: to destroy the dreaded Thimbel."

"I don't even know what that is!" yelled Fred who was still quite stunned to hear that his whole trip to these mountains was a total waste of time.

"Let us explain as we walk," said Loin. "Though these caves were once beautiful, they are now inhabited by slithering beasts. Ah, once proud Khazad-doom! now you are known as the Mines of Mariah Carey... oh, the horror!"

1. What's this? the Southern Dragon gone? a party of Nine within the caves of Mariah, a Thimbel, and an ultimatum? Only YOU can tell what will happen next!
2. Far from that scene, in the tower of i'is'on'guard, an old wizard shakes hands with his newest business partner (when it left, though, he scrubbed his palm hard with soap)

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