[Back in the forests west of Barovia - So sorry, dear reader, for all this chopping and changing! I really must sort out my note books!]
Ah, dear reader, I have neglected to mention something else that happened while we were in Barovia. Not to me, but to my wonderful wee rat that I love so much - Rolanda.
I mourned Badger every moment of every day back then, so it was of some comfort to have Fluffy and Rolanda with me.
When we had been back at the town, burying Kolyan Indirovich, the Burgomaster of Barovia, Rolanda had been sent down into the cellar of the mansion to get a bunch of keys to lock the place up.
'Some of the windows and doors haven't been locked in decades,' Ireena had explained. 'But they should all be locked up now if I am to leave the place empty. The keys are in an old wooden box with the family crest on it. It shouldn't be too hard to find and I think a ... ahem ... rat should have no trouble carrying them back.'
This is the story as related to me later by Rolanda;
''
Well boss, you know, I'd been feeling a bit weird lately. I thought it was just some bad cheese but it seems like I can cast a spell or two now! Nothing as big and impressive as you or Tie-Pie but you know, a magic missile or so. Good eh? I don't know where it's coming from but I'm not complaining!
It sure came in handy when I went down into that cellar. I had a sniff about and the first room I went into had a giant ant in it! I was so frightened that a magic missile just shot out of me!
Up until that point I had no idea I could do it! I think the giant ant was just as amazed as I was. Well I managed to kill it anyway but it did bash me about a bit.
Then in the corridor outside I saw a sleeping gnome.
'Here!', I said. 'What are you doing snoozing away in her Ladyship's house?'
'I mean no harm, little talking rat,' said the gnome. 'My name is Roywyn and I am a gnomish singer and lute player. I came through a tunnel. I was hiding from the undead who had attacked me on my way to town.'
'Fair enough,' I replied. 'Well, make yourself useful and help me find these keys!'
Together we roamed the cellar, finding more rooms and more corridors and many more of those annoying giant ants. We made a good team, sort of I suppose, but those ants were really mean
and we had just about had it when we finally came across the chest with the keys in it.
It was just as well, since Roywyn had only two Cure Light Wounds potions and we had used them both.
Well, you know the rest boss, I didn't tell you until just now, on account of how Roywyn wanted to stay hidden in the cellar for a while longer and I didn't know how Ireena would take to gnomes in her under-rooms. You know how badly gnomes smell right? No one wants that.
Got any more cheese?
''
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