Rafael swore softly as he read the latest missive from his counterpart in Drakoton. He couldn’t see how Mary could have had anything to do with this but somehow he was certain she was responsible he could still remember the Voice saying ‘... or will be soon’.

So once again Rafael made his way to the High Priest’s office with unsettling news.

“So this Ruutus was assassinated whilst sporting with two prostitutes and no one has been able to figure out how the deed was done, so why does the death of the chief magistrate of Drakoton affect us?”

“Well according to Captain Haz’afsad Ruutus was probably the man behind the release of the pirates and their allies. He lived an exceedingly luxurious and extravagant life and his visible means whilst notable didn’t come close to his expenditure. And I can’t forget Drina’s statement that day, that those responsible would soon be dealt with,” explained Rafael.

“Mmm... Yes, it’s possible, but I think we will assume it has nothing to do with us. But yes, I do think you’re right, please keep an eye on things. Oh, just idle curiosity on my part, but who or what is Hawaii?”

Rafael blinked, then shrugged, “A large island state, part of the realm I originally came from.

“And no I came from Arizona, near half a world away from Hawaii, Arizona is nothing like Hawaii.”

* * *

Mary’s second party of infiltrators and information gatherers ghosted into Port Salvage just after midnight, their pale grey catamaran was surprisingly hard to see and soon hidden in a cranny of the outlet of a disused stormdrain.

They spent two weeks mapping the town from underneath, checking for weaknesses and investigating the many discontented citizens. One of their number was careless and captured by a bored local, the savagery of the captured rat earned it its life.

Blazos was an entrepreneur of sorts and despite his bleeding arms was pleased with his captured mutant rat. The damn thing had a mouthful of ripping carnivorous teeth to complement the wickedly sharp incisors common to its kind. He guessed it would do well in the fight pit.

That evening “Killer” made his début, the patrons of Kracks’ fight pit didn’t find anything strange in yet another rat named Killer to bet on. This Killer was strange, he seemed to evaluate his foes before moving with incredible swiftness, usually taking out one of his foe's eyes before demolishing it from the blind side. Blazos made a killing while “Killer” soaked up gossip like a sponge.

Later when left alone in a cage with some of the other stars of the arena “killer” found it easy to reach through the bars, flip the catch and walk out.

Sixteen days after they had arrived they left for home with everything they had been asked for.

* * *

After the return of her spies Mary rewarded them generously, then she formally named the leaders of each of her two groups of spies. Then after allowing them a few days rest she sent them out again with a similar set of missions to the ones they had been so successful before.

Mary was somewhat frustrated, she knew what she wanted for her Lhankmar inspired rats, but she needed... Yes, she’d use the beep beep adventurer’s guild.

So not long after Pete set off for New Town with a couple of notices.

Mary then informed Blacksand that she had arranged two deliveries to his inn, deliveries to an as yet nonexistent Thomas Felix, and to advise Trisha or Drina if they arrived.

Now back to having fun. She had been unsatisfied when she checked out her new monster class, she did not think humans with a few cosmetic changes and a few minor advantages and disadvantages classified as a new species. But with the lake van cat template and the cat beastfolk template plus what she had recorded from the elites... yes... possibly... almost certainly...”

Trisha sighed, that burst of excitement down their link, followed by a single-minded burst of furious concentration could only mean one thing. Mary was at it again.

* * *

Sildanus the acting guildmaster of the New Town Adventurer’s Guild noted two new posters on the quest board, in fact they were the only two posters on the quest board. Curious he went to check them out. Huh... someone named Thomas Felix wanted a pair of healthy live wolves at the Silver Dolphin Inn in the Blue Lagoon and was willing to pay two imperials. Not bad.

The other, Thomas Felix wanted a healthy were and would pay four mithril Royals... Oh F&%$.

He looked round and sure enough two quest forms, all nicely filled in were lying of the reception desk.

Sildanus grasped the bull by the horns and used the messenger service to send the two quest requests to his regional HQ. Any quest offering a reward of a royal or more merited immediate notification.

Later that day in the Adventurer’s Guild in Garonmouth Sofos Ironfist the Guildmaster authorised the quests despite his qualms regarding the delivery point. In a matter of days thanks to their messaging system the Quest was widely available.

* * * INTERLUDE 1 * * *

Hell’s Mouth breathed a virtual sigh of relief, he was still alive, He and Arbogar planned as well as they could and started forging ever Northwards opening new entrances and then collapsing the old ones and the connecting warrens as they went. They were making good progress but it was still slow going.

* * * INTERLUDE 2 * * *

Sandrinna and Darkmoon weren’t quite sure what to do with the desert eagle Erekosë had gifted them with. It didn’t really fit in the dungeon, not even in the largest cavern in their new third level but it was a large, aggressive and strong. They thanked Erekosë and decided to store it for the time being and went back to planning the setup of the third floor and the best use of their new lizardmen.

* * *

Meanwhile back in Arsouk guildmaster Burritis was contemplating the report his ad-hoc group had turned in. The only troubling point was the groups belief that the dungeon monsters were trying to ignore the tanks taunts. Well, nothing to do now except forward a copy of the report to the regional HQ.

So when a week later Creevar’s Killers waltzed into his shabby guild office he was worried that he had fouled up something, he had not expected to see one of the premier adventurer parties in his this forsaken land again.

Harrassan reassured him that they had no mission regarding his guild, so Burritis, never one to look gift horses in the mouth, decided to enrol Harrassam and his party to conduct a professional assessment of his new dungeon and to accompany and protect old Gressissa the seer who had volunteered to cast a limited divination to gain a magical assessment of the dungeon.

Harrassan didn’t bother to enlighten Burritis, a man he most definitely did not admire but accepted the commission. The dungeon in question sounded remarkably like the one they had chased out of it’s home after all. Not that he could see how it could have moved so far so soon.

He joined his friends at the quest board to see what was holding their attention. Four Royals for a were? Maybe after this mission if it was still available.

* * * INTERLUDE 3 * * *

Mary was on the bus heading home when she felt a tug at her neck followed by an agonised scream. She looked at the young man rolling on the floor of the bus clutching his right hand screaming in agony, the corners of her mouth twitched up. Seeing that the would be thief was the centre of attraction she decided to twitch on the two strings of energy she could see linking the thief with two of the other passengers. She had a hard time holding back a laugh as a wallet and a gold ladies watch slid from his pockets onto the aisle of the bus. The enraged cries of “Hey that’s my wallet” and “my watch! Thief!” were music to her ears.

Later at home she settled comfortably in her favourite armchair, flipped open her phone and made a call. When the call connected she jerked the receiver from her ear wincing at the appalling racket that issued from it.

“Heya Flip were you at, who’s hammerin’ steel?”

“Hi Sis, I’m at the body shop, Fred insisted on showing me an old Jalopy.”

Mary was barely able to make out someone saying, “that’s not nice Phil, it’s a nice car...” presumably Fred.

“Look Flip any chance we could get together later, I want to ask you about those MMRGP things you’re so keen on.”

“Flipping to the dark side Sis, you mean MMORPGs though, sure thing, I’ll pass by later and we can talk.”

“’K ‘bye see ya later then.” And Mary disconnected glad to stop hearing that discordant racket.