WS3--Needful Things for Old and New Protectors

Below you will find a lot of odds and ends to walk you down Memory Lane if you've played before or fill you in if you're new. Just read the things that interest you. Ask any questions you want at the end, or just comment away!

The Recurring NPC Characters

At the Wayward Squirrel Winton--jovial owner and innkeeper of the Wayward Squirrel Ertrude--his wife and partner, also a minor hedgewitch. Larianne--their adopted daughter, once a bit dim, now very bright. Thorson--resident alchemist; loves lady alchemists OneToo--his talking cyberplate droid cat (AKA Wellington 12 of 14) Morrow--reformed goblin shyster and devoted housegoblin

Wayward Squirrel Friends Vibrissa--Feline Faerie Queen (a winged cat) Grumpkins--her consort and confirmed pessimist Melian--Elven Enchantress, a childhood friend of Winton

At Squirrel McGee's Offtime Saloon--Open 365-24/7 Squirrely McGee--A human size squirrel; loves to dance with True, and anyone else who's game. But True is special! Ingrid--Squirrely's invaluable, and sarcastic, right hand. She is VETAN, not anything else, and don't you forget it. Hansel--Ingrid's beloved rabbit--not a big talker Geranium--Chipmunk waitress, very loving and devoted to her family Branch--her husband and handyman for Squirrely; rescued in WS2 Chester--their son, a baby adventurer, at least in his own mind.

Friends of Squirrely's Mithrandir--the here-again, gone-again travelling Nexus Wizard Lucien Reynard--Fox Captain of the Floating Frenchmen Gaston--his faerie first mate Nutsy--Squirrely's cousin; runs Nutsy's Nefarious Nights detective agency. Francine--Nutsy's Secretary; rejected sleigh reindeer with great legs.

The Crystanians Tanaka Katsuhiro--man of mystery, believed to be a dandy, but proved to be an accomplished warrior. Hayao Katsuhiro--his uncle, a master inventor, creator of OneToo and TwoFer. TwoFer--their droid cat--strongest of the battlecats Izzy MacGuiness--fearless captain of the Victorious Vixen and smuggler par excellence. Off again-on again sweetheart of Lucien Pugnose Q. Abernathy (Pugsy)--Izzy's BFF and mechanic of any century. Gadjet--her droid dog--fastest pup in or out of the Nexus Bearman Jack--Pirate radio captain of the Caroline; another of the Nexus Privateers Nancy (Incomparable Nancy)--Jack's wife and headline entertainer at the Gearwork Goose

(There are a number of new characters for WS3 and veterans will hear news of other characters who won't recur this round. Please don't play for or with these folks in a substantive manner without asking me first, as it may affect the later plot. Exchanging pleasantries, etc. is completely fine.)

Very Condensed Wayward Squirrel 1

So they came, on that warm summer night, through the bowers of morning glories that bloomed even at night. From all the layers of Backers they arrived, some alone, many more already in groups. They were as motley as they were merry, and companions roamed freely among them. They introduced themselves one by one, and showed off the finery of each class. Winton, Ertude, and Larianne welcomed them all to the Wayward Squirrel, and set them up with food, drink, and comfortable suites. Almost as soon as they arrived, they set to work, solving Winton's fuzzball dilemma and helping Larianne with a particularly terrifying palm tree, just in time to discover that the cellar just might be infected with grues.

The Skeletal Cellars

Not to be daunted, down they went, where they found not grues, but goblins everywhere! Some in merchant stalls with exorbitant prices, and others gathered for a world-class event of the WWG (Wild Wrestling Goblique), where the warrior from each team was forced into the ring with Erdoolo, the ginormous rift monster. After some really bloody battles, and even more merriment, the parties emerged victorious, and were marched off to meet the Goblin King. Since his most precious ring had just been stolen by trolls, and only a ghost party trapped behind the solid rock wall nearby knew where it was, the King was not in a very good mood. It was time to blast, lightning bolt, lockpick or otherwise get through the wall to the ghosts, where they not only heard their tragic stories from the ghost party members, but also learned of the Feline Faerie Queen, and how the trolls held her captive. Each party made their own decision whether or not to help the ghosts return home, and were whisked back to the inn, where they figured out the combination to Thorson's abandoned alchemical lab, stocked up on supplies, and rushed into the dawn-vacant Faerie Markets to meet a very strange party of Ambassadors and be shown a secret tunnel to the

Incarcerated Cats

Dashing down the secret hallway, they gained a strange guide in a vaporing cat, who got them across the Goblin King's Throne Room and into Troll Territory. Here, they were confronted by an appalling sight: cases of cats being fattened by the trolls, and a small alcove containing the Feline Faerie Queen chained to a dais and guarded by her faithful, if morose, consort. He explained that more than just cats and his beloved queen were at stake, since the trolls also held an royal elven baby. For the first time, they learned the mastermind behind all this mayhem was an evil necromancer! Well, this rescue required clever bard thinking, but the parties rose to the challenge, defeated the trolls, reunited Grumpkins with his beloved, and saved the elf baby and his lovely governess, obtaining the cursed ring in the process. They then followed the governess to:

The Elven Halls

Here, they were welcomed by the Elven Court, and shown the Janus Glass by the royal cat couple. The parties saw the consequences of their actions with the ring and the effect of those actions on the ghost party behind the wall. They had little time to ponder those actions, though, as they found their Ranger must be stylish enough to be selected for the elite Elven Archer Corps. The rangers were given the use of the Hall of Backdrops to pick a suitable setting for their costume designs, and they performed with much skill. But the elves were a bit tricksy, and the Rangers had to vanish themselves first, to prove their worthiness, and then all the party had to decode ancient tapestries so the Ranger could impersonate the Goblin Queen of Legend, and deal with the nasty Goblin King once and for all. With that triumph assured, the parties were surprised to find out there was a third task (isn't it always three?) and were admitted to the lake to see if they could succeed in creating...

Lost Love Found

Solving a series of tough riddles to clear the fog around the lake for passage, they found a lovely kimono and an exquisite head fan and heard a tragic tale from a devoted samurai who lost his love when she was lured into the waters by an evil enchantress. However, they were aided by the Enchantress of the Lake, who explained that the maid was held in a bubble by the water nymphs that could only be called forth in the correct order of the colors of their realms and natures. This was a hugs problem for the Magic-Users, but not one they couldn't solve, and they did! The maid was called forth and the lovers reunited, destroying the evil cousin and restoring the Enchantress to her rightful position. But, as Spring returned to the land, the Necromancer erupted in rage and cast the parties into...

The Clockwork Corridor

Oddly enough, this place is right under the Wayward Squirrel's Cellar, but the parties couldn't reach the inn and safety, so they narrowly escaped, helping one of the Market Goblins on the way and earning his gratitude. With some technical knowledge, they solved devious problems, and thought they were safe, when most of the parties vanished and the Alchemist was rescued by Thorson and whisked into his secret lab, where they worked together to solve one of the most devious chess problems ever created. With the potions created by the Alchemist and Thorson, brilliant chess strategies, and even a reward from a good deed, Nefario the Necromancer was banished forever, Thorson was free to return to the Inn, and the parties found themselves...

Home? at the Wayward Squirrel

While the parties feasted and picked their prizes from the lavish Faerie Gallery, Winton announced his plans to remodel the inn, adding on a special wing for the new order: Protectors of the Squirrel. Gnome crews are making great progress, and the wing is expanding daily, a tribute to the expectant spirits of all the Wayward Squirrel's staff. And so it sits in glory on the wall next to the "Under Construction" sign for the new wing, a large plaque with, as Larianne would put it, "dear dear names," enscribed in gold and surmounted by a squirrel rampant. Some names have faded a bit, to show that the owners will not be seen for some time, or perhaps ever, but most of the names shine magically in the twinkling lights above, shimmering and waiting for the new adventures to begin.

[spoiler=Very Condensed Wayward Squirrel 2]

Prologue at Squirrelys

It started with a tear in the nexus at Squirrely McGee's Offtime Saloon. The invaders who came through and then left quickly were an odd sort, worth investigating according to Mithrandir, Squirrely's traveling wizard.

Cries of "The Lady Must Prevail" and a strange medallion deepened the mystery further, and led to more an more intrigue surrounding the land of Crystania. The Protectors acquired a number of items, but ended with more question that answers.

In the end, the retrieval and restoration of a mechanical cat, Wellington 12 of 14 led them to embark with Lucien Reynard on the Floating Frenchmen, where they survived a nexus storm and finally arrived once more at the Wayward Squirrel.

The Price of Abduction

Once down from Lucien's cursed vessel, but without his or Gaston's charming company, they proceeded to their newly remodeled "home away from home."

Merriment and feasting filled the night, at least until Winton and Larianne engaged in an argument. This was not only unlike him, but very much a change in Larianne's usually placid behavior.

As might be expected, a man was involved, and Larianne ran out in tears, locking herself in her room. There was nothing left but to get a good night's sleep and hope things would be better in the morning.

They weren't. Larianne was gone, and a search for her revealed that what was supposed to be a portrait of her bore a greater resemblance to Crown Princess Vertilline of a place called Crystania.

The revived cat, now known as OneToo, filled them in one the fact that Vertilline was, in fact, the "Lady" of the invaders from the nexus. Amazed by his tale, the Protectors hear more of the Infernal Hourglass, and begin to realize that Larianne has been kidnapped due to her resemblance to the Crown Princess.

Fire Hill and Beyond

However, before they can mount a rescue effort, the Protectors hear of a disturbance at Fire Hill. With the intelligence they gain from the garden and forest creatures, they learn that a Kobold uprising is at hand.

Since only "critters" are allowed, the Companions must infiltrate the hill. While the Protectors are sad to lose their pets and friends, they realize they must proceed with Larianne's rescue, and so separate challenges begin.

The Companions succeed in freeing one camp full of enslaved critters, and hear talk of a brave band resisting the kobolds. The Protectors wonder perhaps if Branch, Geranium's husband that they promised to try to find, might be among them. For now, though, they have to leave invasion resistance to the Elven and Faerie kingdoms, as Melian and Thorson have opened ways into Crystania.

Corridors to Wolfenhague

Once Larianne's friendship bracelet was found in the Clockwork Corridor, Thorson and Melian wasted no time in creating passages to Crystania.

Now the adventurers had to choose between scouting the black market or trying to hijack a shuttle from the airfield on the outskirts. Each team decided on its own, and went out on different paths without their beloved companions, who remained behind for safety and to help deal the the Kobold problem.

Those who entered the aerodrome were either shanghaied by the unscrupulous Quartermaster or headed for Pusgy's Repairs,, where they met Crystania's oddest, and arguably best mechanic, and her handy assistant dog, Gadjet.

The others who entered the Brass Labyrinth found themselves greeted by Jer Terrabotti, nephew of Marcus Terrabotti, who OneToo knew well.

Alas, Marcus was deceased, and some of the adventurers didn't quite trust Jer, even though he claimed to be the leader of the resistance forces.

Those trapped by the Quartermaster were able to escape by clever thought and a little help from Gadjet, while those in the repair shop were given a shuttle plane by Pugsy.

Whether or not they trusted him completely, the others ended up having tea with Jer Terrabotti, who told them about DeWinter and his plans to use Larianne's resemblance to The Lady, for his own ends, namely, to use her as a dummy decoy who would be assassinated while the real Vertilline would be kept as his prisoner.

Although he had only met Vertilline briefly a few times, Jer was convinced she was completely innocent, and in nearly as much danger as Larianne.

They also learned of someone who might be the biggest danger and traitor of them all: Hayao Katsuhiro's own nephew, Tanaka.

In the end, all of the teams entered Wolfenhague by different routes, armed with new knowledge and a spiked rose.

The Infernal Hourglass

Wolfenhague was hardly the jewel of Crystania, since everything was dismal and caught in the light of the Infernal Hourglass, which they had all learned was now controlling the city's conditions.

Responding to an urchin, Scruff, carrying another spiked rose, they were taken to a high building where they could get a true look at the hourglass and its moorings.

They gained a Brass Coil and learned of a place with that name that they should visit. Then, through clever puzzle solving, opened a case with identity documents that made them all members of the Falcor delegation, complete with diplomatic seals.

With a bit of luck, they could now head into the Dedication Ball and think of a way to outwit Tanaka and free his uncle, Hayao.

But first, a visit to the Brass Coil was in order. This gambling joint was a seething haven for lowlifes, but out adventurers identified themselves by wearing a fox emblem to signify Jer's Foxes and carrying the spiked black rose. In order to dress the part, they went to Letty, a seamstress allied with the rebels, and all passed through the Coil's steamlocks successfully.

Once inside, they were contacted by an operative, and given three ball admissions. They were instructed to contact, and kill if necessary, Tanaka Katsuhiro, but not before getting the information they needed.

As a raid of the Coil happened, the adventurers escaped, but Scruff met them in the alley to tell them Letty had been arrested, and they would have to solve a tough subway challenge to reach the vehicle sent to transport them to the hotel they needed.

The Other Nephew

Safely into the hotel and able to take much needed showers, the adventurers found they would have to split up, with half heading into the ball as Falcorians, as the others tried to infiltrate the place where Hayao was being held prisoner.

The teams split up, and those who entered the ball were quickly found by Tanaka, who was impeccably well-mannered, but who seemed to recognize the black rose. He then introduced them to Djoni, who he identified as "their own" Statsminister of Falcor.

Fortunately for them, Tanaka and Djoni are allies, and they marked the black spiked rose as making you part of their faction. Tanaka then leaves for an urgent mission, telling them to wait for a message.

Djoni takes you into the ball as his countrymen. No traitor killing needed, but a very short time left before Vertilline dies. Just then, DeWinter enters with the so-called Vertilline, who Djoni immediately recognizes as an imposter. Her hair has been darkened and oiled, and her makeup dis

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WS3--Needful Things for Old and New Protectors

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