The City of Maravillosa

(The Game World)

With the troupe of bards as their escorts, the party made their way towards the village. However, as they drew close to the main gate; a pair of guards crossed their spears and blocked their way. "So sorry for impeding on you, strangers" one guard said in an oddly pleasant tone, "but all newcomers must be properly evaluated before being granted entry."

At first, Ventris and her comrades mistook this as a sign of a threat and were prepared to defend themselves. But then, Mituna called for their attention and assured them that there was nothing to worry about. "This is a common practice whenever we visit new cities or towns, you see" she explained, "upon our arrival, Master Caden shows the guard or whomever is on lookout the proper paperwork; as proof of our status as roving entertainers."

Upon mentioning this, all eyes turned towards Caden; who withdrew a scroll from his tunic and showed it to the guard. "Our services have been requested by the master of your humble community" the young bard stated, "if you desire proof, simply call upon him and he will tell you himself." Straightaway, one of the two guards snatched the scroll out of Caden's hand and began to read it in silence.

Then, after a short while; the guard rolled the scroll back up and handed it back over to Caden. "Everything seems to be in order, Sirrah" both soldiers said in the same oddly pleasant tone of voice, "welcome to Maravillosa, the most joyous city in the realm." With that said, the second guard wasted no time in opening the gate for the troupe.

Meanwhile, Ventris and her compatriots couldn't help but think that there was something...oddly suspicious about how the men behaved. Then, just before they closed the gate; one of the guards raised the visor of his helmet and turned towards the troupe. As everyone took a look at the man's face, they felt an icy chill run up their spines.

His eyes were as wide as dinner plates, his toothy grin stretched wide across his face and while the aforementioned expression gave him the look of happiness; to some members among the party, something about it didn't quite feel...natural. Normally, greeting others with a smile was a sign of respect and/or kindness. But there was something about the guard's Cheshire Cat-like grin that just felt off.

"Please, do enjoy your stay here" he said calmly, "and try and stay out of trouble." With that said, the guards closed the gate and everyone made their way into the city. "Alright...I know we're all probably thinking of it; so, I may as well say it" Ezra murmured, "I don't quite trust that guard.

No sooner had he said this; his sister, Ursa soon echoed the same concerns. "There was something about that fellow's smile that simply made my tail frizz up" she hissed softly with displeasure, "have a look for yourselves." Without pause, she eased her tail passed her right side; showing every follicle on it standing on end.

But in spite of this evidence, Caden insisted that there was nothing to be alarmed about. "When you've traveled about as much as we have; you may come across a few towns or cities that may appear strange, at first glance" he said with a hearty chuckle, "there was one time where we performed for a city of wizards...anytime one of us attempted to do a magic trick, they'd jeer at us." Upon hearing this, Mituna couldn't help but hide her head slightly in her shell out of shame.

"That happened during my first year as a member of the troupe" she murmured, "thus, I wasn't quite accustomed to such behavior just yet." While some parts of Caden's statement had some truth to them; Ventris, much like Ezra and Ursa, also felt suspicious about the guard's..."friendly demeanor." But just as she was about to voice these concerns, they had all found their way into the main street of Maravillosa.

(The Real World)

Back in the game room of Castle Greyhawk, Lori and a handful of her sisters were taking a mental note on what had just transpired within the game. Much like with their characters; they too, felt that there was something...off about this place. But before any one of them could speak up about it, the Game Masters rose from their seats and began to speak.

"As you come into the city; the five of you, along with your bard compatriots, take note of your surroundings" Lynn Sr. explained in his Game Master Acheron voice, "the city appears clean, the scenery is beautiful and the townsfolk seem...just as oddly welcoming as the guard did from earlier." No sooner had he said this, he gave the signal for his fellow Game Masters and even some of the other players at the table to briefly act like the townspeople; all while putting on the creepiest smiles they could muster.

Chunk: "Welcome!"

Ruth: "Welcome!"

Benny: "Welcome!"

Joey: "Welcome"

Becky: "Welcome"

Chaz: "Welcome"

George: "Welcome"

Jordan + Paige + Lincoln + Clyde (in little kid voices:) "Welcome"

If the girls weren't feeling creeped out earlier; then, they certainly were now. Even though they knew it was all a performance to make the game more immersive, something about how each of their friends greeted them just felt...disturbing. "Are you getting chills, girls" Mrs. Johnson asked in her normal voice, "good...that just means that you're getting into the swing of things."

This bit of news seemed to only make the four other Loud Sisters cringe even harder. Meanwhile, Lily simply babbled and/or barked softly like her wolf character in amusement; appearing unfazed by the nature of the game's situation. Meanwhile, all the players that made up Caden's/Benny's troupe of bards seemed to be acting completely normal.

"'Rawr! I like this place'" Simon said in the voice of his dragon character, Xenos, "'everyone here seems very nice, don't you think?'" Sam, while also in character, ruffled his hair and proclaimed that the town did seem like a welcoming place. But at the same time, she hoped that they were as generous as they were friendly.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you" Lori muttered in her normal tone, "but my group and I literally have places to go." Benny smiled at the eldest Loud sibling and, while still in character, proclaimed that there was someone in the city who could be of some help; Count Fastred. "Count...is he like one of those vampires Lucy loves" Leni inquired, "if so, I hope he's a cute one like Blake Bradley." This question caused quite a few players to groan softly in annoyance.

"Leni, we've talked about this before" Lucy grumbled, "not all vampires are cute like Blake...and not all counts are vampires either!" The Council of Game Masters murmured in agreement with the young lady, explaining that the title of "Count" was used as a title of nobility in medieval history; long before the name Dracula was known to society. "So, like...this Fastred guy rules over the whole town" questioned Lana, "I thought only kings could do that."

With a light yet warm smile upon his face, Principal Huggins explained that other nobles like dukes and counts did command authority; just not a large amount like kings do. "Counts are...mostly in charge of a small community or county" Mrs. Johnson added, "think of them as like a...a medieval version of a mayor." The Loud Sisters (mostly those who weren't playing yet) nodded and murmured softly in understanding, after hearing this information.

With that factoid out of the way, everyone reassumed their character roles and got back to playing. "You look around you and take notice of all the people's smiling faces" Mrs. Johnson said in her Agathe voice, "and just like with the guard from earlier, Ezra; your tail starts to frizz terribly with distress." Upon hearing all this, Lana suddenly shivered with fright while holding her fake tail in her hands.

As the game's story continued; the Council explained that, despite the overall...peculiar nature of the townsfolk, Maravillosa looked quite lovely. "The buildings, for those of us who have an eye for architecture, resemble something of a mix between a Romanesque and Gothic style" Rita explained, "every building, every steeple, every tower...even the bricks that make up the road you are walking on is made by the finest of the city's architects; all of it simply gleamed 'perfection.'" Once everyone was able to process her description, Lori and her younger sisters all thought the same thing; that the people of Maravillosa were sticklers towards detail.

"I'm all for style...me being a comic artist and all" Lincoln murmured softly, "but something about the town's description feels...overkill." Luna and Lori couldn't help but agree with their brother, while also thinking that whoever Count Fastred was must be a sort of "neat freak." "Mayhaps, child; your assumption is more valid than you think" Pop-Pop said in his Karuk voice, "but first, we will have to meet him."

(The Game World)

For what felt like ages, the party walked down the main road of Maravillosa; having no other option than to take in their surroundings. Upon doing so, Ventris and her compatriots felt a sudden chill of uneasiness wash over them. While the townsfolk did appear welcoming and the architecture of their city looked equally awe-inspiring; at the same time, it all appeared just a little...too perfect.

Every structure was coated in the same colors of silver and gold. There was little to no signs of imperfections upon the path which they were walking on and the smiles on the people's faces didn't quite sit right with Ventris or her comrades. Eventually; one of the bards, a miss Yoko Spring-Stepper, took notice of their uneasy looks and asked if they were alright.

"Forgive us for sounding impertinent, milady" Ursa said with a light bow, "but...from the oddly perfect look of the city to everyone's peculiar smiles, I cannot help but feel a twinge of dread welling up inside of me." After expressing his agreement towards his sister's words, Ezra questioned why no one among the bard troupe felt as troubled by these circumstances. "When you've traveled about the world as much as we have, you've seen your fare share of odd places" Lyra replied, "thus, we've learned to become accustomed to it."

No sooner had she said this; one of the other bards proclaimed that as long as their hosts paid them well, it mattered little how strange their people or customs might be. "I suppose there is no argument there" Ventris murmured uneasily, "but just to be safe...I shall keep my staff close to me at all times." After taking the she-elf's words into consideration, Caden believed there was no harm in that; he even suggested that she could use her magic to perform for the crowd.

"I am a mage, Sir; not some roving magician" Ventris grumbled, "my magic isn't some parlor trick to be wowed at!" At that moment, realization suddenly struck the young she-elf like a fire bolt to the face. While it was true that she was a mage, Ventris was still seen as a novice and still had much to learn.

Thus, Ventris realized Caden's suggestion would be an excellent training exercise. "I suppose I could perform one...perhaps, two small spells" she sighed dejectedly, "but you're still squandering my talents!" Not long after this; Shadow, Ezra and Ursa also vowed to not let their guard down during their stay in this place.

In time, they reached the end of the path and found their destination; a large multi-level estate that was painted in the same exact silver and gold colors as the rest of the town. The only things that helped made this structure stand out were the banner flags that hung on the outer walls near the front entrance. On both of them, there was only a single symbol sewn on the center; a strange image of a lone red diamond.

"This must be the Count's abode" said Lyra Golden-Mane, "should one of us give the door a knock?" Before anyone else spoke up, Mituna immediately volunteered; adding that she wished to get to know the count as quickly as possible so that they could begin rehearsals. With that, she casually approached the door and tapped her hand upon it four times.

Of course; due to the overall size of a Tortle's fist, her "light tapping" sounded as though she was slamming a hammer up against it. Before Mituna had the chance to make the fourth knock, the door suddenly swung open; startling her. This resulted in her stumbling backwards off the steps in alarm and falling.

Thankfully, her large shell was able to help break her fall...along with a small patch of the walking path. As the rest of the bard troupe tried to help Mituna back onto her feet, a booming voice suddenly rang out from inside the house. "Who goes there" the house's occupant demanded, "who dares to disturb me in my own home?!"

Upon hearing this voice; the troupe immediately stood at attention, wishing to appear as "perfect" as possible for their potential client. When the fellow in question finally stepped outside, Ventris took note of everything about his person. He wore a fur trimmed cloak over his back, sported a doublet with long sleeves, a pair of hand-woven breeches, a pair of silver high boots and Ventris also noticed that he had a pair of gloves over his hands.

From the look of his attire, Count Fastred truly looked like a noble man of his status. But the most noticeable thing on Fastred's person was what he wore around his neck; a long golden necklace with a single yet still quite stunning diamond at the center...a red diamond. "Hmm, how interesting" Ventris thought to herself, "that bauble seems near identical to the one on the banners of his estate."

Meanwhile, Count Fastred was making his way down the steps; when he caught sight of the broken patch of the walkway. Upon seeing the aforementioned spot, the count let out a soft growl; which made the troupe feel quite nervous. "Your Lordship, this was...this was my doing and I apologize" Mituna exclaimed while gesturing at the damaged spot, "I was startled when you opened the door suddenly and I...I fell off the steps and..."

Before she could continue with her apology, Fastred suddenly raised his hand; causing her to fall silent. Then, he proceeded to say that he was more cross about the loud banging earlier than he was about the broken walkway. "I apologize for that as well" Mituna said humbly, "I sometimes, forget my own strength."

For a moment or two, Fastred didn't respond ; which made everyone feel rather nervous. Then, they noticed him looking at the broken piece of walkway and whimpered softly with distress; wondering if he might be cross with them. Finally, Fastred walked down the steps and began looking over each member of the troupe.

For what felt like ages, everyone feared they would go mad from the silence. Then, Fastred held his hands up high and gave them a swift yet sharp clap. Mere seconds later; a group of servants, possibly Fastred's own, arrived outside and asked what their master needed.

"Send out a call to the cleaning crew down at the square" he said with a snobbish voice, "have them tend to this broken patchwork on the road, if you please." Upon receiving their orders; the servants, much to everyone else's surprise, all bowed in unison and proclaimed "it will be done" before one of them made their way into town. With that matter settled, Fastred approached Caden and offered up a courteous bow.

"Welcome, outsiders to my humble city" he greeted with a posh tone of voice, "I am Count Fastred Silverlance III, the master of this estate; to whom do I have the...pleasure of addressing?" As if on cue, Caden stepped forward and presented his scroll unto the nobleman; which he then began to read. "We were tasked by our benefactors to entertain your people" Caden stated, "I do believe my Lord, King Alfonse sent you word of this long ago...did he not?"

After he took another moment to read the notice over, everyone watched as Count Fastred began staring down at each member of the troupe intently; as if he felt suspicious of them. Then, when he came to Ventris and her company; the count's eyes narrowed even tighter. Finally, after giving Caden's notice another look; Count Fastred's expression softened slightly.

"Yes, everything appears to be in order; in terms with the legitimacy of your notice" said the count, "however...I did not expect that the members of your troupe would be so...diverse." Upon hearing the king's words, Yoko stepped forth and offered her defense towards her fellow bards. "As head of our band, Master Caden believes great talent can come from anywhere" she stated, "be it from the skills of humans or other beings of the world."

At first, Count Fastred didn't have much to say; in regards of the young lass' statement. Then, he directed his attention towards Ventris and Company; as he began to look upon them tensely. "And what of this lot" questioned Fastred, "are they with you as well...from the look of their garb, they must think they are wizards." As expected; the count's word utterly offended the likes of Ventris, Shadow and Ezra.

But while their vexations were justified; the trio realized they must remain silent about them, for the sake of their new friends. "In truth, Your Lordship; we are not actually members of Caden's Bardic Company" Ventris said with a gracious bow, "my friends and I are on a quest by order of King Acheron of Avalonis and we just happened to cross each other's paths, along the way." Upon hearing the name of King Acheron; Fastred's demeanor swiftly changed from harsh to soft, in the blink of an eye.

"Ah, is this so" he said in astonishment, "where might your quest be leading you, by chance?" Though Ventris herself briefly hesitated in confessing to the lord; Ezra, on the other hand, wasted no time in telling him everything. He spoke of the Bloodstone Keep, of the villainous queen that ruled within it and how she was said to be using an artifact that allowed her to warp the land in whatever way she saw fit.

"Hold your tongue, Brother" Ursa hissed in a soft yet annoyed whisper, "we are in strange lands and thus, we cannot speak of our quest so openly to everyone we meet!" The young Tabaxi druid immediately realized his error and urged the Count to forget what he had just told him. But Fastred simply smiled at everyone and said they had nothing to fear.

"You say that this queen's power has been twisting the land...I'm afraid, my friends; you're sorely mistaken" he said in a snobbish tone, "whatever has happened to the realms beyond this city has yet to reach us, you see." Despite however much the man's tone of voice bothered her, Shadow couldn't help but think that he might've been right. All around them; the grass, the landscapes, the animals and even the people did not appear affected by the plight that had ravaged each of their homes.

But before anyone could discuss the matter further, Ventris' company watched as Count Fastred placed his left hand upon his necklace. No sooner had he done that, it started to glow an intensely bright red. The whole time this was happening, Ventris wondered what the jewel was and what the count was doing with it.

(The Real World)

Back at the table, Lori and her four younger sisters found themselves quivering with uneasiness at what had transpired thus far in the game's story. From the creepy smiles of the people, the way everything in town looked so painstakingly flawless and the Count's weird necklace; it was clear some bad mojo was going down. "Okay, I think I'll just say what everyone's literally thinking right now" Lori said suddenly, "something about this Maravillosa place just screams bad vibes!"

No sooner had she said this; Lucy, Lana, Lola, Luna and even little Lily sounded off in agreement with their elder sister's concerns. Meanwhile, everyone else appeared to be smiling at them; not in the creepy way that the Maravillosa people were doing but in a sort of...sly, sneaky way. "Sounds like somebody's getting immersed in the gameplay" Sam giggled playfully, "we told you girls it would happen at some point!"

While the blonde rocker's words held some truth to them, the Loud Sisters (mostly Lori and Luna) weren't quite ready to fully admit she was right...not yet, at least. "Okay, maybe I'm getting a little bit into the mood" Luna sighed, "but...if you really want that to happen, brah; I've gotta start getting into my role and showing off some Bard skills." The Council nodded silently in agreement and then, Principal Huggins decided to continue on with the story; both as Game Master and his game character.

"If you and your troupe wish to entertain my people, Master Caden, I must first see your skills for myself" he said in his Fastred voice, "if you are musicians...play me something, if you have other skills...show them to me." The first to demonstrate the bard troupe's skills was Luan, who described that her character would be doing a juggling performance; all while balancing on her shell. "Best get your dice ready, then" Pop-Pop said in his normal voice, "'cause you've gotta make a strong Athletics Check and Performance Check!"

As expected, Luan asked if she would require a D20 die for both rolls; to which everyone responded with an immediate "yes." "But just make sure to do them one at a time, honey" Lynn Sr. advised, "it'll help us keep track of what numbers you got." Luan nodded in understanding, picked up the first D20 with her Tortle gloves and shook them as best as she could.

After giving it a throw; it spun about for five seconds until it landed on its side, revealing the number "19." Next, it was time for Luan to make her Performance Roll; which she hoped would be a good one. "C'mon, you shrimpy piece of plastic" she thought to herself, "show me something good!"

With this thought in mind, Luan gave the dice a toss and crossed her fingers from beneath her gloves. After skipping around for a moment, the dice stopped in place and revealed...A 24! "Those were some very good rolls there, sweetie" Rita said with pride, "with your 19, you manage to stay balanced upon your shell...aside from a brief wobble."

This revelation didn't quite bother Luan, who confessed that she'd seen circus entertainers have a bit of wobbling issues themselves while performing. "As for your 24 Performance/Ability Check; despite your small mishap at the start, your juggling display goes perfectly and amazes Count Fastred." To help drive the point home, Principal Huggins put on the best "shock and awe" face he could make.

Unfortunately, it only made him look like he was having a brain spasm; which caused some of the other players (both young and old) to giggle. "O-Okay...(ahem) The point is, Count Fastred finds Mituna's juggling skills acceptable" Lynn said while trying to hold back some giggles, "next, he asks to hear some music from the musicians among you." As if expecting this; Luna and Sam immediately took out their instruments, while Benny did what he could to prepare his voice.

For their performance, they chose to sing Scarborough Fair; which was often considered a popular folk ballad. In an instant, the other players found themselves utterly entranced by the group's combined musical talents. Benny's surprisingly operatic vocals were astonishing, Luan (while feeling a touch nervous at first) provided some excellent background music with her fife.

As for Luna and Sam's performance; their combined voices harmonized so cleanly, it was as if they were singing in one voice. Needless to say, everyone soon found themselves enamored by the song; particularly Principal Huggins. When the song, eventually reached its end; the whole table couldn't help but break out in applause.

"Wow, Sammy! That was awesome" Simon exclaimed with joy, "it actually made me a little sleepy...maybe because all your voices sound so soothing." Sam giggled softly both out of shy humility and flattery, ruffled her brother's hair and thanked him for the compliment. "Thanks to all you guys for the applause" Benny said with a bow, "we appreciate the feedback...but I wonder if Count Fastred will approve?"

Once this was said, all heads quickly turned towards Principal Huggins; who appeared to be on the verge of falling asleep (much like what happened with Simon.) Upon seeing this; Lily, in the spirit of her character, hopped onto the table and gave the loudest wolf howl she could muster. Miraculously, this was just enough to snap Huggins out of his trance.

"Oh my, I am...I'm so sorry, everyone" he murmured apologetically, "that was just...such a good song, your voices all sounded so hypnotic!" Naturally, this compliment caused the entire group to blush softly; which didn't go unnoticed by the others. "Okay, ladies...and Benny" Lola said suddenly, "it was a great performance but don't let it go to your heads."

Upon hearing this, the other Loud Sisters snickered softly at one another; mentally commenting on how Lola of all people was the one urging others to not get full of themselves. "Moving right along...your musical and performance skills have greatly pleased the count" Pop-Pop said suddenly, "as a result, he approves Caden's request to have his troupe perform in Maravillosa." From here, he adds that the city would be holding a celebration two nights hence; one that honored the city's long history of perfection and prosperity.

"Long history...hold on a second here" exclaimed Lana, "just how old is the Count guy and how long has the city been around?" At first, the Council of Game Masters wanted to make the reveal right then and there. But they soon realized that the surprise surrounding Maravillosa was too big to spoil so soon.

In the end, both Lynn and Rita shook their heads and told Lana that they couldn't tell her everything...yet. "Well, what about the count dude's necklace" questioned Luna, "am I the only one who thinks it looks oddly similar to the one on the city's flag?" In response to this, Pop-Pop suggested that Lori could perform a Perception Check on Fastred's necklace.

"Yeah...Yeah, that actually sounds like a good plan" the eldest Loud murmured, "there's just one problem, won't the Count notice that I'm doing that kind of thing right away?" Almost immediately, the Council said that Fastred would notice something was up...if Lori's character were to use her sorcery during her Perception roll. "But your character has other more natural talents as well, young lady" Mrs. Johnson stated, "Elves are capable of seeing and/or sensing any kind of mystical forces around them, you see."

To explain further; Haiku chimed in and said that an Elf's senses were keener/sharper than those of other creatures. "In short, honey; it's perfectly legal for your character to use her senses on a Perception Roll" Lynn stated, "just make sure you get a big number, otherwise...you'll be outta luck." After letting all the information sink in, Lori took hold of the dice and began to shake it.

"C'mon 20-Sided Dice" she thought to herself desperately, "you were good with two of my sisters earlier, can you show me some of that love too?" For almost twenty seconds, Lori shook the dice vigorously between her hands; even went as far as to blow on the dice for luck. "Go on and roll the dice, Missy" Mr. Grouse shouted from somewhere at the table, "some of us ain't gettin' any younger here!"

Not needing to be told twice, Lori threw her fist forward and sent the dice flying. After skipping across the table for about five seconds, the die stopped itself in front of the Loud Parents; who proceeded to gaze upon it intently. "Okay, Lori; let's have a look see" Rita stated, "it seems like you've rolled...a 16!"

At first, the young teen considered this to be a huge loss for her. But the Council quickly interjected and assured her that it was still a good roll. "You gaze upon Fastred's necklace for a moment, making certain not to arouse suspicion" Lynn described in his Acheron voice, "you sense a glimmer of something, perhaps a mystical aura within it...but you cannot determine it clearly enough." Lori let out a soft grumble of disappointment at this news, thinking that she should've shaken the dice for a few more seconds."

"Lori may actually be onto something, dudes" Luna said suddenly, "anyone else in our group a magic user or anything?" Straightaway, Sam recalled that her character's subclass was also a mage; just like Lori. But then, she quickly realized that the only kind of keen senses a Tiefling had was night-vision and that wouldn't do them much good here.

"Why not just use a Detect Magic spell" Simon suggested, "that could probably be of some help." As much as she didn't like to do it; with a heavy heart, Sam shot down her brother's idea. But before he could feel challenged or upset by it, everyone reminded him of their current situation.

"You're right, dude; either your sister, Lori or Lucy could use detect magic, at this point" Luna stated, "but remember...if they did, Fastred might notice and you'd all get busted." After this, Simon quickly understood the issue and hoped someone else could think of something. "I'm afraid you don't have much time to discuss the matter, everyone" Pop-Pop said in his Karuk voice, "because after feeling so entertained by your demonstration, Fastred offers you all to stay at one of the city's finest inns."

Upon hearing this news; Benny and the rest of his troupe, while in character, cheer with glee. Meanwhile, Lori and her four younger sisters all look at each other with concern. "I dunno, should we hang around for much longer" Lana asked, "we've got a really important quest to get back to."

The instant she said these words, the Council asked her if she was asking this in character or as herself. "Oh, yeah; sorry about that" Lana replied, "what I meant was...uh, 'we do appreciate your kind gesture, Your Lordship...but my friends and I must be going.'" The Council nodded silently at this, appearing pleased with Lana's quickness in reassuming her role.

Then, Lola (while speaking as her own character) said that they were traveling for quite a while and were in desperate need of a rest. "'What say you to this, She-Elf'" Lucy murmured softly, "'should we rest here or continue on our way?'" After scratching her chin in thought for a few moments, Lori gave a nod and decided that they would stay at the inn for the night.

"I can't literally promise will be joining everyone for the festival" she stated, "but we are in need of some rest and refreshment." With that said; Huggins, while in character as Count Fastred, clapped his hands and asked for some servants to act as the troupe's guides. "'Of course, My Lord; we'd be happy to help'" Joey said while sporting a rather creepy smile on his face, "'please, come with me; my associates and I will lead you to your lodgings.'"

(The Game World)

Moments later, everyone was brought to a charmingly rustic looking building in the center of town. While it was painted in the same colors as the rest of the town, its design was more of a delightful multi-level cottage. Upon entering, however; everyone soon discovered that the establishment didn't feel quite as charming on the inside as it looked on the outside.

Everything was eerily neat, tidy, everyone appeared to be sipping their beverages in unison and the only music that could be heard were the musical notes of a hammered dulcimer nearby. Once the door was closed; every patron inside turned towards them, smiled oddly and murmured the word "welcome" in a simultaneous voice. "This is the best lodgings they have" Shadow whispered softly in her telepathic voice, "place looks as bizarre as the rest of the city."

While Ventris and the twins shared in her sentiment, they quickly reminded her to keep her voice down; even though she was speaking telepathically. "Agreed, we should do all we can to remain inconspicuous until we leave this place" Ursa stated, "that means we have to go along with the people's behavior...no matter how disturbing it might feel." While the small band of heroes discussed their business with each other, Caden was acquainting himself with the innkeeper; asking if there was enough space for everyone.

"Of course we do, Sir" the innkeeper's wife said with a "joyous" look upon her face, "in Maravillosa, we never shun away those who are in need of rest or shelter." While the woman's words seemed warm and inviting, at first; there was something about her tone of voice that made even little Lupa's tail frizz with fear. "Come, have a seat" the woman insisted softly, "my husband will assist your compatriots while I prepare some food and drink for the rest of you."

At first, the party felt libel to refuse the offer; thinking it was too much trouble. "Oh, no; not at all" said the innkeeper, "it is customary for us to always welcome visitors to our city with warm smiles and even warmer hospitality." With that said, he called for Caden and his troupe to follow him upstairs; while the wife tended to Ventris' group.

In no time, she had begun to serve them all what she called "the house specials;" which consisted of bowls of pepper stew and small cups of non-alcoholic apple cider. Without hesitation, Ezra immediately delved into his bowl; sipping and slurping down every last drop. Upon finishing it, he eased himself back on his chair and gave a long sigh of satisfaction; all while patting his belly.

Not long after that, Ezra guzzled down his cider in less than five seconds; which left him feeling even more satisfied. That was when he saw it, the odd looks on everyone's faces. But instead of them all appearing joyful and "pleasant" like before, they were all staring at him with supposedly disgusted looks.

Of course, one could not blame them for it; considering how sloppily Ezra sampled his meal. "Oh...uh, my sincerest apologies" he said with a light yet apologetic bow, "we've just been traveling for so long and...and I've been so hungry, I couldn't control myself." Miraculously, the innkeeper's wife didn't appear all that offended by the druid's sloppiness; save for reminding him to use a spoon.

After that, she walked over to a drawer to collect a napkin for him. Meanwhile, Ursa spent this time silently scolding her brother for his bad table manners. "I'm sorry but it's like I just said, I was hungry" Ezra grumbled, "many people act uncouth, when they feel ravenous."

Ursa chose only to roll her eyes in annoyance, rather than offer up a response to this. After that, the innkeeper's wife returned with the napkin and handed it off to Ezra. But the young druid claimed he didn't really need it, that he could use the hem of his cloak to clean up his messes.

"What the...Don't you Tabaxis have any dignity" Ventris gasped in disgust, "no self-respecting spell-caster would use their own cloak to clean any messes or their own faces!" Just as she and Ezra were moments away from getting into a heated argument; the innkeeper's wife suddenly cleared her throat, catching their attention. When Ezra saw the napkin in her hand, he insisted that he didn't need it; which only irritated Ventris even more.

"Please, Sir; accept this" she said in a soft yet insisting tone, "I really think you might need it." In that moment; Ezra couldn't decide which was stranger, the woman's tone or the odd smile that remained plastered upon her face. But regardless of either one, he still did the respectable thing and accepted the woman's napkin.

Just as Ezra was moments away from wiping his lips with the item in question, he suddenly felt Shadow's hand grip him tightly by the wrist; stopping him. "What the devil is wrong with you, Crow" he hissed bitterly, "your nails almost cut into my..." Before Ezra had the chance to finish, Shadow gave a soft squawk and pointed her free hand at the napkin; where everyone could see something underneath the fold.

With steady hands, Ventris snatched away the item and unfolded it carefully. That was when she saw an odd message scribbled inside the napkin which read "after dark, come into basement...do not let others see you." Naturally, this all sounded rather ominous in nature and everyone wondered if it was either the innkeeper or his wife that wrote it.

"Do you think we should do what the message says" questioned Ursa in a hushed tone, "for all we know, it could be a trap." Ezra and Shadow couldn't help but agree, believing that the smiles and pleasantries were all part of some elaborate ruse to eventually overtake them. But Ventris, while remaining slightly indifferent, said that this was something worth looking into.

"Let's meet down here at the bar, just after Caden and his compatriots retire to their rooms" Ventris whispered, "make certain no one follows you, as the message requests...and bring a weapon." With that settled, everyone went back to filling their bellies; all while never taking their eyes off of everyone else in the room.

(Line Break)

Night fell and everyone in Maravillosa had soon drifted off to sleep, including the Caden and his fellow Bards. Meanwhile, after they made certain that no one else was awake, Ventris and her comrades crept out of their rooms and went down to the bar. The moment they arrived, there was no one to be found; which made the room feel even more cryptic than before.

Feeling confused, Ventris began to look around every nook and cranny of the room; hoping to find someone. But after a while, she discovered that that she and her friends were the only ones there. "I knew it, I knew that whoever wrote that note was playing us for fools" Ezra hissed silently in anger, "let's go back to our rooms and try to go to sleep...please?"

After giving the room one final look around; Ventris had, once again found nothing of value and was moments away from granting her friend's request. But then, there came a sudden rattling noise from behind the bar; which caused everyone to almost leap out of their skins. "What the devil was that" Ventris exclaimed, "Lupa...go back there and see what's going on."

After giving out a soft bark in response; the wee wolf pup darted round the bar and spotted something strange, a trap door. When everyone else got a look at it, they suddenly wondered where it might lead to. That was when they heard the same rattling sound from before, which caused Lupa to jump back in alarm.

"There's something down there" Ursa cried out in surprise, "perhaps, it's one of the Count's soldiers; plotting to ambush us!" Before the party had the chance to debate, the door rose up to reveal...the innkeeper and his wife; both of whom appeared to be wearing hooded cloaks. "Good, you are here" whispered the wife, "were any of you followed downstairs by anyone?"

Still feeling confused by the situation, Ventris and her comrades shook their heads in response while Lupa simply growled with apprehension. Upon hearing this, the wife reached into her cloak and brought out a small piece of meat; which she proceeded to offer it up to the wolf pup. Cautiously, Lupa approached the offering and gave it a small sniff; thinking it might be a trick.

The instant the rich aroma filled her small nostrils, however; her attitude swiftly changed and she devoured the meat in one fell swoop. "I suppose this means we can trust you" Ventris said uneasily, "but what is this all about, why are you hiding under your own establishment?" Without pause, the innkeeper explained that the door led down into the cellar; where all their wines and food stocks were stored away.

"We cannot talk here; please, follow us" the wife insisted, "hurry, we will explain everything when we're in private." At first, Ventris felt suspicious of the couple; wondering just what they had to hide from everyone else. But after hearing the innkeeper's wife make another plea to her, she sensed that there was no malicious intent hidden in her voice and decided to follow her.

"Come with me, everyone; it's alright" Ventris whispered, "we can trust these two." For a moment or so, the remainder of the party felt suspicious about what was going on. But after a while, they realized that there was no time to argue over the matter now.

Thus, they had no choice but to follow their companion; in spite of their instincts telling them to do otherwise. After walking down a small flight of steps, Shadow noticed Ventris heading through a wooden door up ahead. Without pause; she, Ezra and Ursa hurried through...just as the innkeeper closed the door shut behind him.

Not long after that, another cloaked figure placed a strange scroll upon the door; one that appeared to be covered in mystic runes. After he touched it, the symbols on the paper began to shine brightly and a blue light suddenly filled the cellar. "I knew it wasn't a good idea to come down here" Ezra hissed, "now, we've fallen into a trap!"

No sooner had he said this, the team quickly drew out their weapons and took a defensive position. That was when they spotted other figures in the room, ones wearing cloaks similar to the innkeeper and his wife. As if Fate had overheard the party's thoughts, the duo in question soon appeared and began to approach Ventris.

"What...What's going on here, what did that scroll just do, why did you bring us here" the elf mage demanded, "tell us now...I will not be held responsible for whatever my friends and I might do here, if no one speaks up!" After that, there was a rather tense standoff; one that felt like it would last for ages. Then, after a while; the innkeeper's wife fell at Ventris' feet...and cried.

"Please...Please, we beg of you" she said between sobs, "you must save our people before it's too late!" Mere seconds after this occurred, all the other cloaked figures fell to the floor and began sobbing as well; all while pleading for the heroes to help them.

(First AN: DUN, DUN, DUN! This is the perfect place to stop things off for the moment. What could the cloaked figures want the heroes to help them with, is Maravillosa as "perfect" as it looks and what secrets are the city and its leader hiding?

Tune in next time to find out, as the adventure continues)

(Second AN: The name "Maravillosa" is actually the Spanish term for "Wonderful." I thought the word would be the perfect name for this chapter's setting, what with its oddly perfect atmosphere)

(Final AN: Speaking of which, I wanted to give the city the sort of look that modern planned communities have; where everything looks nearly identical and there's little to no signs of imperfection seen anywhere. Furthermore, everyone's creepy smiles and "pleasant" demeanors are all based on characters from the MLP episode; The Cutie Map. When I saw everyone's creepy smiles on that, I thought "that would fit perfectly here."

Some might also make comparisons with an episode from The Twilight Zone. In which case, I say you might not be too far off)