{Illustrated}
Once upon a time Pagne planned parties in a palace of fungus, now he is planning a revolution.
Success requires a cunning plan, hinging on the element of surprise, careful catering, and colourful costumes.
However, an unfortunate ser...
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After a hard bump, Pagne awoke to find himself sharing a Wyverkiiri caravan with Saloonka and his shadowy rat. Duskerro was happily gnawing on a very colourful, patchwork plush with mismatched buttons for eyes. When he noticed Pagne watching, he sizzled viciously.
"You don't want to stare at that, and you won't touch it if you know what's good for you," Saloonka hissed in his ear. "I had a rat named Elvis years ago. He touched Duskerro's Edward FitzStuffing just once."
"What happened?" Pagne asked without taking his eyes off the peculiar toy.
"He exploded in the litter box," Saloonka replied flatly and settled back in his seat and covered his face with his hand. "It's bad enough having to clean droppings out of the bloody thing. But scrubbing chunks of rodent off the walls and ceiling is a whole new level of vile."
Duskerro's eyes blazed as he nodded slowly.
"I would rather not explode." Pagne shifted his gaze to Saloonka, which seemed the safer option. "Does Kyos look like that?"
"Like exploded rat-chunks, dangling from the ceiling? I don't think so," Saloonka said with a shake of his head.
"I meant Edward FitzStuffing, does Kyos look like him?" Pagne frowned. Of course Kyos would not look like chunks of rat.
"I suppose Edward is a bit chaotic too," Saloonka shrugged. "What's that?" He pointed to something outside.
Pagne peered out towards a glow in the distance. "That's Lake Alphernus. I hear there are mushrooms at the bottom that make it glow like that." he said, then leant out the window to talk to their driver. "Could you take a turn to the lake? I would like to take a closer look."
It was a relief knowing they had gone so far. Now out of the city, it was only a matter of time before Saloonka could be set loose among the goblins where he would hopefully find safety, and Pagne's own life could return to normal.
"I thought you would never wake up, Bubbles!" Vrye laughed back heartily. Pagne had not expected the Master to be driving. "I should think we've been on the road long enough to have had two dinners by now with nary a stop for a squat. It has not been kind on my old bones!"
"It hasn't been that long or we'd be in Ysenich by now," Pagne grumbled, then the carriage took a sharp turn that tossed him sidewards. He landed in a heap with Edward Fitz Stuffing draped over his head, causing Duskerro to leap up and hiss savagely. Luckily, Saloonka managed to grab his rat before any damage was done. It was no small relief that the carriage stopped soon after and Pagne did not waste any time on his exit.
Not long after he had climbed out, the other Wyverkiiri caravans pulled up around theirs. It was quite a sight to behold. Each opened out in turn, like fruiting mushrooms with their coloured sails unfurling to make them more spacious for sleeping in.
