That night Serenica celebrated with her family. Early the next day she dug up a nice bottle of Eversky Plum Brandy and penned a suitably flowery letter to that well known eccentric Viscount Travanne mentioning how her patron was seeking to set up a lifelike display to show some animals in their natural habitats. She then further explained that her patron has heard of the Viscount’s famed zoological gardens and wondered if he could find it in his heart to part with a breeding pair of badgers for a suitable compensation.

A week went by with an exchange of letters and after suitable directed flattery Serenica was two nobles poorer and playing host to not only two badgers but also six meerkats and two ferrets.

“Um mother what are we going to do with the other vermin? Our client only asked for the badgers and we can’t just dispose of them, the Viscount might be daft but he would find out.”

“Just pass the lot onto Tomcat along with his nibs letter and an explanation. We’re one noble up in return for a couple of letters and a bottle of overpriced brandy so I’m happy.”

Two days later the whole menagerie was on its way on the Sea Sprite.

* * *

Steve for his part was finding himself shorthanded, he and his people were buried in information. He was however perplexed most of it didn’t make sense. The man-rats went over their sources again, they listened in on a few more secret meetings and despite the utter illogic of the arrogant idiots' plans they set out their conclusions and outlined their sources and sent a report to their mistress and revered creator.

The report accompanied the menagerie on the Sea Sprite.

* * *

Mary was just as perplexed by the pirate’s backers plans if not more so, it seemed that if at first you don’t succeed then try again using the same plan but with more numbers. Didn’t those idiots figure that she would have expanded her defences in the meantime?

So, orders to Steve to keep an eye on the arrogant idiots and to check that they wouldn’t just decide to impress shipping for their plans. Secondly to prepare to appropriate their liquid assets at an appropriate time, it had worked with Vinculus it should be even better this time when all the irate ship owners came seeking compensation for their lost vessels.

Next, inform Victoria and Paris of the new assets coming online, she was certain they could find a use for a race of underground burrowers and builders. Also Mary forwarded them Steve’s plans for a hidden docking cavern for the catamarans and asked for suggestions on how to improve it.

Then and only then Mary looked over her cargo and had it transferred to one of her laboratory caverns, she could understand why Serenica had sent the creatures under the circumstances but why did that daft nobleman send her meerkats of all things, bizarre looking desert dwellers but – they were burrowers too.

So Mary amended her letters to her lieutenants to mention two races of burrowers and builders and the potential strengths and weaknesses of both.

‘So... let’s see what I can come up with this time...’

* * * INTERLUDE 1 * * *

Sandrinna and Darkmoon soon were convinced that Halsin was going to get his way; he was making headway in the settlement and was skilful at using his control of her water that she was generously sharing with the villagers to prepare an attack on her.

Sandrinna went ahead with opening a new tunnel from her third level to the rather barren hidden valley her flying scouts had located. Maybe she could still salvage her dungeon she really didn’t feel like starting over again.

Halsin was satisfied, he had managed to contact and persuade a couple of his bandit friends to throw their lot in with him and he had persuaded a band of adventurers to help. A second band of adventurers had balked citing guild policy but he and his minions had been able to kill three and chase the remaining two into the dungeon and one of those was bleeding badly so he still had some time to concoct a story explaining their disappearance.

Sandrinna decided to contact the two fugitives and ordered her monsters not to attack then she instructed Erekosë.

Guzz limped into the dungeon behind his friend Fallan. His leg was badly slashed and as soon as he determined they were not being followed he applied a bandage to his wound.

Fallan looked grim, the damn locals had killed his cousin and he was determined to avenge him. “How bad is it Guzz? Do you need a healing potion?”

“Save it for yourself, you have to get out of here somehow and advise the Adventurer’s Guild and avenge our friends.” Then Guzz noticed just how strange things were in this cavern. Three jackals were moving along the walls headed for one of the entrances while another watched from the entrance. By rights the things should have attacked them hoping to capitalize on his injury.

Then things got stranger, a large – for a kobold – winged kobold wearing iron reinforced leather armor appeared at the entrance and displayed his empty hands. “Greetings. My lady would like to parlay with you as she believes you and she have grounds for an alliance against the villagers.”

Fallon and Guzz looked at each other and nodded.

“How can we help one another?” asked Fallon.

“My lady is planning to withdraw from this level and trapping the access to the second level before diverting the supply of water she has generously allowed the residents of the settlement without. She is in the process of opening another entrance to her domain and she would be willing to escort you to it on the stipulation that you would alert your Guild to what is happening.” Explained Erekosë.

“Can you heal my leg?” asked Guzz.

Erekosë seemed to listen for a minute then answered, “My lady is sorry but no, the only time she had access to powerful healing potions she was so intent on escaping that she was unable to learn how to create them. However she is willing to offer you hospitality on the understanding that our mutual foes might render that offer moot.”

Guzz grimaced in resignation, still things were infinitely better now than five minutes ago. “Fallon take my water bags and rations and head for the guild.”

“My lady can supply water and rations, even a small storage device if needed,” added Erekosë.

Fallon thought about it for a moment, he couldn’t see any way Guzz could get back to Arsouk with that leg. “Right I’ll do it and I’ll expect you to be still alive when I get back Guzz my friend. More water and travel rations would be welcome thanks.”

Erekosë passed Fallon a rough sketch map of the hidden valley the new passage was fast approaching and explained that he should use the second of the exits from it as the nearest exit gave out on a valley that contained a Jackalwere.

Soon Guzz was settled in a small cave containing a pile of furs and a rickety chair and resupplied Fallon was on his way to Arsouk.

* * * INTERLUDE 2 * * *

Dave and Maddy paid their taxi and somewhat hesitantly walked up to the house past the elderly jeep on the driveway. As instructed they headed down the path leading around the house to the rear.

When Dave set eyes on the tall girl filling the two large grills with charcoal he felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle with apprehension. Maddy smiled not noticing her husband’s sudden caution, “Hi I’m Maddy and this is my husband Dave. You must be Mary.”

Mary narrowed her eyes appraising them, first elves she had met and obviously with an appearance tailored to not stand out too greatly among humans. Dave however...

“Yeah that’s me, I kinda see why you wanted to speak with me but how did you spot me in the first place?”

Dave tried out his new evaluate skill earning an irritated look from his hostess and noted that some people were able to sense the use of evaluate. Not that he gained much by it – ‘Race: Human – Class: ??? – Level: ?’

“Well it all started when Dave saw you at the Con, Dave collapsed and joined with his alternate self on Parthia. Um is this making any sense to you?” asked Maddy.

Mary stared at them for a moment, ‘Hey Bluey, what gives, somehow their story seems to make sense?’

« Your soul was divided by one of the gods of Parthia, you now exist on two worlds bound together by a soul link. »

“So that’s what that link is!” Mary exclaimed. “But why...” she fingered her pearl.

« Your soul is being rebuilt in the image of a dungeon’s soul, a dungeon requires a core. »

Mary could almost swear Bluey was enjoying a rare old joke at her expense.

So after taking a few moments to recover she and the Fitzwilliams shared experiences and she was able to teach them how to interact and live with the system. They decided to stay for the barbecue despite the risk of meeting the FBI agents that had been invited.