Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn From: Ari.Huttunen@hut.fi (Ari Juhani Huttunen) Subject: Maud [pet shop/Inn/Gap]: joins the chase of Dougl's kidnappers Message-ID: Date: Wed, 27 May 1992 00:43:30 GMT Characters involved: Maud, shopkeeper and many others soon... >The pet shop itself is an old fashioned building, built according to >some oriental architecture. The eaves are upwards curved and on top of >the door is a plain sign 'Pet Shop'. Through the window can be seen >many pets: exotic spiders from the Great Forest, small fish glittering >in all the rainbow colors from the Great Blue, majestetic falcons from >the Mysty Mountains, as well as more ordinary parrots, kittens and >dogs. Maud enters the shop. At the same instant a mighty rain starts outside. Looking back, he sees someone closely resembling a Keystone Kop going into the Dragon's Inn. Looking around, he sees more and more pets. Looking forward, he sees the owner of this pet shop. "Thank you for entering Maurin's pet shop. Feel free to look around! We accept gold, silver and notes of the Union Bank of Generica!" KREEK! KReeek! A parrot perching near the window frame catches Maud's attention. It shines in all the colors of the rainbow. It is exceedingly beautiful, but it would just draw too much attention on dark alleys. "Polly wants a cracker!" A more plain looking parrot seems to know how to talk. That'd be handy on occasion. And the gold fish are beautiful but the aquarium would be exceedingly difficult to carry around. "LOOK! Something's a'happening", shouts the shopkeeper. And indeed! Through the window Maud sees many people starting to run at various directions. What on earth might be happening? One of them shouts "Quickly! Free Dougl from the Rameshanders!" That settles Maud's mind. Poor little Dougl must be saved, whatever the cost. "Shopkeeper, I want to buy your best sleuthhound! And hurry!" "I am very sorry Sir, but that was sold some time ago. Might you be interested in a younger one, indeed a puppy of our master sleuth?" "Yes, yes. It'll have to do." The next few moments are spent in hard bargaining. Although acting fast it still takes two or three minutes (ed: real days). Seeing that he cannot catch the kidnappers by running anymore, he starts to think alternate plans. Taking a look at the Quick Reference to the City of Generica [available at your local bookstore real soon now] he decides to head towards the Low City. "Shopkeeper! What might be the quickest way to the Low City?" "Ehmm... Hmm..." "OK! Here's two gold coins. Now speak!" "Ehm.. I heard a rumor from my father who heard it from his father that there is a shortcut from the Inn to the Low City through underground tunnels. It is said to be part of the unused Gaps. There used to be a way to get to this Gap from the wine cellars of the Inn. Unfortunately the late owner had that way sealed permanently. Other than that I don't know any safe passage to the Low City." Remembering how that Crunn fellow, the dwarf, dug a tunnel to the wine cellars by mistake, Maud is certain the passage is open again. Maud puts the small dog to a leash and starts running towards Dragon's Inn, stopping just for a moment to pull over his Hawaiian shirt an elven cloak and almost, but not quite, passing out of sight. Some at the Inn seemed to notice a vague form running past them, most didn't. At the wine cellars Maud instantly spots the tunnel dug by Crunn. He lights a lantern and starts down to the Gap. At this time a sword would be handy, but somehow he has always survived without one, and never bothered to get one. Maud heads south-west along the Gap... -- ............................................................................... Ari Huttunen They say the sky high above 90-7285944 is Caribbean blue... (Enya)