We (a regular surface human like everyone, not three kobolds from deep below the earth hiding in a trenchcoat) were exploring the city once more. Klik could smell popcorn and steamed canines – but not from the place of moviegoing. We followed his nose to a “park” – a hostile surface zone, full of trees and grass and plants. While we were very much disgusted by it all, the scent of popcorn wafting on the air drove us onward.

From afar, we could see lights and hear noise made by surface dwellers arguing. As we approached, we saw that we had intruded upon some vile nocturnal festival: surface dwellers were sitting, lounging or standing around a raised platform. On it, a gruesome sight – just as we arrived, we beheld a grotesque spectacle: one surface dweller was decapitated and his head used as a decoration!

Klik was terrified and wanted to flee immediately, but Krak insisted we stay – running at this stage would probably be perceived as weakness and our own safety was not guaranteed from these bloodthirsty barbarians. So we stayed, subtly creeping towards one hearth-on-wheels – should we die, it will at least be with our bellies full.

On the stage meanwhile, three soothsaying crones were reading omens by performing an alchemical ritual – Krak recognized it as the soothsayers chanted:
“Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog…”
Klik again wanted to flee but now our curiosity was piqued and instead we stayed, with Klok gripping the flaps of the trenchcoat harder than he has ever held them before. There was no room for error in our camouflage here.

Events quickly unfolded before our eyes: the vile beheader from before, plotting with his mate-wife, had murdered even more people. Shockingly, the onlookers just consumed treats and watched on – ruthless barbarians one and all. As one murder followed another and the death toll rose and rose, it seemed there would be no end to the bloodlust on show. At least, while all the surface-dwellers were distracted, Klik managed to grab a multitude of snacks left unattended on the ground. He quickly passed them on to Klok who stashed them in the coat’s pockets.

Finally, the mate-wife was slain. Then still more. Then, at long last, the villain himself met his demise.

This seemed to satisfy the onlookers, as they burst into clamor – making loud hand noises, shouts and whistles. We took this opportunity and ran as fast as Klik’s feet would carry us, all the way back to Lair 2B, where we spent the evening feasting on our loot and occasionally looking out the window for any bloodthirsty mobs that might have followed us.

Rat Tail Ratings:

• Krak: 2/5 – “The ritual was sloppy, that is NOT how you boil eye of newt!”
• Klok: 3/5 – “BLOODTHIRST. TERROR. BUT WE ESCAPE, UNHARMED”
• Klik: 5/5 – (Construction of a cauldron has begun, eye of newt humbly requested from the relic of Amma Zone)

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