« So Pete how are things going in New Town lately, how are they finding the dungeon delving side of things? Still happy? »

“I think they are satisfied, I arrways refuse any offers to join a party, Wife with kids on the way after arr.”

« Ah yes, is Shirley happy? I don’t have to assure you again that neither of you are going to die do I? »

“No, my survivarr rraid that fear to rest. Can you do something about this accent, this rr business sucks.”

« Think so. Oh, warn Shirley there will be a lot fewer eggs than with normal octopi, it was necessary to ensure Shirley could survive. You will both be around to look after the young ones after all. »

“Thanks for the warning. As to the adventurers in New Town, they are happy with the rewards but a bit frustrated at their rrack of progress.”

« Sigh! ... They’re barely scratching my outer defences as it is, can’t they handle teamwork! Look Pete, can you sneak in another notice? I think they need to be informed that if teams of five or six can’t cut it I wouldn’t object to double or even triple teams. I suspect however my next layer of defences would stop even an enlarged team in its tracks. »

He he he he! “Yes I courrd, their defences are not set up with me in mind.”

So two days later when Sildanus arrived to open up the adventurer’s guild he found a poster lying on the reception desk, it read:

‘Attention Adventurers of New Town

Be it known that the Blue Lagoon Dungeon

will not object to teams of up to eighteen individuals.

But please be aware that the next layer of defences

are considerably more dangerous.

Signed: Mary Silvestre

Blue Lagoon Dungeon.’

Sildanus made a copy and used the guild messaging system to send the copy with an attached note explaining how he came by it in the first place to his regional HQ.

Then he called in his friends and teammates to decide what to do about this unexpected notification, and about the fact that the bloody dungeon had agents that could just waltz into his guild building unannounced and undetected.

They displayed the poster clearly in reception and took another copy for their records.

The first combined party left to challenge the dungeon later that same day but got little further than usual as teamwork broke down completely, they returned to lick their wounds in the tavern, enrich the local alchemist and make plans.

* * *

Paris Wolfman and his minions soon settled in a partially burnt out house that according to the man-rats was currently ownerless. They started to clean it up and patch some of the worst of the damage. They made themselves welcome amongst the somewhat singed locals of the area by helping out occasionally and sharing food with some of the worst off.

When reinforcements arrived they claimed a small burnt out lot that seemed to have no claimants and stated to build a store with attached habitation and barracks. A set of cellars were dug and the lower levels were turned over to the man-rats.

The leader of the most successful gang battling for supremacy was assassinated in his sleep causing his fraction to fragment amidst power plays and recriminations. Paris needed the chaos to continue, it was giving his people valuable experience and gaining them popularity by keeping the worst of the fighting out of the rapidly recovering dock and its associated commercial area.

Already Paris was getting feelers from other areas of the town. It was taking time but his plans were going well, Victoria’s man-rats were truly invaluable and she was really shrewd. Pity she was so small.

However, he knew the easy times were coming to an end, he sent a message to Mary asking for more fighters. The people he had been able to recruit were not really up to facing the pirates, and while the tactics and discipline Mary insisted on seemed to work in small engagements he was not sure what would happen in the big brawl that was coming.

* * *

Creevar, god of spies, shadows and secrets had been keeping an eye on the dungeon, or rather her activities since his meeting with Ocidon. He was truly impressed with the activities and abilities of the man-rats. He managed to get one of his priests to meet one, the recruiting drive failed miserably as he had expected. It irked, Ocidon was the God of the seas and earthquakes, not spies and here he was with a race of almost perfect spies. Time to send someone to bargain with Mary Silvestre.

* * * INTERLUDE 1 * * *

A small settlement had sprung up outside the new dungeon, several groups of adventurers had ventured within, the assortment of creatures that populated the first level didn’t cause much trouble but the tactics of the kobolds and jackals on the second level had everyone stopped.

Sandrinna had used the energy from the delvers to excavate a further two levels though she had yet to decide how to populate them.

Erekosë and Ermizhad’s nocturnal scouting flights kept her appraised of local conditions and the growth of the settlement that was currently entirely dependant on her for its water. It looked like the settlement was going to surround her only known entrance.

Sandrinna and Darkmoon sensing the local’s frustration decided to modify her dungeon when she hit level six by adding an easier second level and moving the remaining levels down.

* * * INTERLUDE 2 * * *

Friday saw Mary awake and waiting in the Mauni Lani lobby before seven, proof that it was not the hour but the proposed activity that motivated her. She was not going to miss the proposed Snorkel Tour on the Kohala Coast with the Kohala Divers aboard the Namaka.

Mary relegated her snorkel and mask to the boat finding it easier to see and dive without them. The fish were plentiful, and a few turtles were spotted. The real excitement was the appearance of a pod of dolphins who inspected the swimmers and hung around frolicking through the waves until the swimmers returned to the Namaka.

Quarter to one saw her back in the con and talking with Flip and – to her surprise – Dr Cassiopeia Merrow and a couple of Flip’s friends. The second time someone almost poked her she sighed and said, “Hey guys, you don’t have to poke the screens, just look at the option you want and think the response.”

“That can’t possibly work, the tech wouldn’t be able to...” said Flip.

“Hey, that works, thanks Mary,” exclaimed one of the anonymous males.

Flip squinted, then blinked, “yeah it does, how can they pick up that kind of signal?”

“Brace yourselves guys, they’re not special effects,” she paused for a few seconds. “I suspect we’ll be living with them for a fair while.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Cas.

“Um... the blue boxes,” explained the other anonymous male.

“Blue boxes, right! Hey girl you coming to the Young Creators' Share-a-thon?”

“Do they have anything of interest?”

“Not really Mary but there are a few people I think you should meet,” replied Cas.