In the Dimly-lit Chamber

"I must kill this Dragon," said Fred. "These Southern Caves are its domain, it burns and eats the people of my Leige-King, and that must be stopped."

"I, too, must slay this Serpent," said Astra. "It is from these Northern Caves, its demesne, that it slithers into my lands terrifying and murdering my Queen's people."

"Well," said Paladin. "We of the Three Kingdoms are pretty much insulated from the attacks of this Worm, but I'll help as I may... but not until I complete what I have come for, what I am being paid to do: I must find the witch's apprentice."

The three stood in thought for a few minutes while Sir Velus yipped at an orange ringworm bulging out of the wet muddy wall to his left.

"I know," said Paladin. "You two help me find Exotica and then we four shall seek the Drake... she may have a useful spell or two to aid us!"

Velus would have barked at being left out of that equation, but he was too busy chomping on a gold-merangue butterwasp that had just flitted into the dimly-lit chamber from somewhere up above.

"You say that this she-caster is somewhere in that marketplace?" asked Astra.

"That's right," answered Paladin. "My sources told me that she was being held by the pig-headed butcher of lilly-livered snail tendons."

"Uch," coughed Fred. "I didn't know that snails had tendons."

"Only a few of the species," answered Paladin.

Just then Sir Velus floated past the troupe, lifted and propelled by a flourescent puffer-fish whose tail-fin was securely in the mouth of Velus. After grabbing the bewildered boy-dog, the troupe walked back towards the marketplace. After passing the oddly ornated urn of burning coal, they noticed a sign painted in sickly thick red liquid. It read (in three languages, only one of which was known by our four heroes): Enter freely of your own will, the Eye is watching, Pinkerton Place.

"I guess this is the Marketplace Pinkerton," said Fred.

"You're a regular detective," grunted Astra.

"What's this fine print?" asked Paladin as he bent down and stared at the sign.

The fine print read (also in the three languages): toll fifty pence, troll on duty

The four looked up as a shadow overshadowed them. Before them was an enormous troll, some eight feet in height, large and with a belly that could bust rocks. Its skin was lime green and its clothing was a patchwork of rags the colors muave, feucia, evergreen, and turquiose.

"I be YaYa," he (or she) said. "You be meat. Meat pay YaYa. Pay, pay, pay." Then, almost as an after-thought, the troll looked down and said, "Hihi petty doggie. Doggie, doggie, doggie! Booga!"

Although the boy within the dog was disgusted and afraid of this behemoth, the dog within the boy couldn't help but yip, yap, wag and brush itself against said behemoth.

"Aaaaaugh how cute," said Paladin and Fred almost simultaneously. Astra just spit in disgust.

1. Paladin has enough pence to pay for all...
2. Paladin does not have enough pence to pay for all...
3. Suddenly a red-blue fairie with an "S" on its chest flitters by...

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