Although there's three PC's and NPC's in it, the highlight here has to be the announcement Sir Fumblies makes later on.

Although the meeting between Zed and Father Crimbo is pretty cool.

 
Zed stood in the hallway nursing a sore head and throat, as Jen Pi and Zeala were taken to rooms to recover at the Degrassi outpost. While grateful to have repaid the two princesses so quickly, it seemed the day would never end quietly as all good holidays should. Throughout the garrison, the men-at-arms (and associated ladies of kick-ass) could be gearing up for another excursion, which had delayed Jen Pi and Zeala's departure to continue the St. Boris' Day festivities. Zed was just glad that his efforts alongside Zeala's had diminished the pain in her ankle, allowing Zeala to manage dainty steps with a crafted staff.

Father Crimbo laughed merrily. "Ho-ho-what time's dinner, kid? I haven't eaten in a good ten minutes."

"Seriously, Father Crimbo?" said Zed hoarsely; "Don't you know there are starving children in Ireaca who haven't eaten for days? Please control your appetite just a bit in these trying times. Also, would you mind suggesting a holiday gift for a friend? Said friend probably won't want clothing... or toiletries, for that matter."

"Listen, kid, I was givin' good Ireacan kids fruitcakes and wrapping paper before your ancestors even learned the concept of whorin' themselves out," Father Crimbo scolded. "Besides, we eternal spirits have very specific diets. It's hard motivatin' those lazy elves sometimes. Keeps my reindeer busy."

Zed took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself before he restarted the family mistake of irritating deities. "For some strange reason, I'll be the 'bigger person' and ignore that jibe; now please suggest a good present for Gail, and I'll go off and round up another meal for you, Father Crimbo."

"Sure, kid, send someone to fetch my midday cookie and I'll dig out her list. Let's see, it should be here under the filthy hippie section.."

Zed gave Father Crimbo a cheerful smile, and a couple of pats on the back. "Sure thing, I'll get right on that." He began to walk away whistling merrily to the kitchen, while wondering when Father Crimbo would notice that Zed had hit him with an <Induce Lactation> spell. "Pompous, condescending, obese, … holiday bastard."

He turned the corner and bumped into Crimbo, who smiled vindictively. "Sorry, kid. Not the kinda magic I do. Here's your spell back."

He bounced the spell back at Zed and vanished in a puff of merry joy.

Chagrined at the turnabout, Zed took a detour from collecting the cookies at the kitchen, to first acquire a thick shirt from somewhere.

~~~~~

Elsewhere in the outpost a shadowy figure was watching the scene, taking note of all that was happening. Now that Father Crimbo was in the outpost he would see if the next stage of his master's plan went into effect. It was a few days before the the St. Boris Day Festival but all things were in place for the day to be less than what was anticipated. As he watched he could see that Scaros had headed off to report to Sir Fumblies. With a shake of his head the figure moved back to his studies, having observed what he needed to for the moment.

 
---

After a brief but memorable stop by the kitchen, Father Crimbo felt he was starting to adjust to the oddness of the outpost as he entered Sir Fumblies's spacious Council room of consolation. Fumblies was seated in a large chair looking of a map that was on a table nearby. Standing near the table, Scaros had just given his report about the Slavers having taken Becky Joy and the others. He was just then planning what he was going to do in regards to the news.

Father Crimbo's belly jumbled, like a bowl of half frozen goat's milk, as he approached Sir Fumbiles. His eyes lit up. "Ahhh, I suspect you've another of your Kingdom shattering announcements, haven't you? You always did love the spotlight."

"As a matter of fact I do have an announcement but not every one who needs to hear it is here." Fumblies looked up at Father Crimbo while contemplating if he should give a bit of a tease on what it was about.

"Well, ole' Father Crimbo loves a crowd, almost as much as cookies!" He paused and then added. "I'm kiddin'. This old man don't love nothin' as much as cookies."

"Well I am sure you value your life more than cookies." Fumblies looked over at Scaros with a nod for him to go gather the Princesses and Konall for his announcement. Of course a few others would show up for the announcement but in the end that would help him.

"A little, yeah," Crimbo said, rubbing his sore chest. "So, when is the big party, anyway?"

"St. Boris Day is in a couple of days but I will be making my announcement as soon as the others arrive in this chamber. Then I have a rescue to arrange."

"You're startin' to make me wanna put you on my good list, kid," Father Crimbo admitted.

"Well I would wait until hear my announcement before you make that determination." Fumblies looked up towards the door to see if Scaros was returning yet.

"Oh believe me, he's VERY good." Fahari said as she padded in, grinning enough to show fangs but in a happy way. She wasn't wearing her robes at the moment as she was decked out for the fight to come. She moved to Fumblies's side and stood there.

Fumblies glanced over at her with a smirk glad to see but at the same wondering how she would react to what he was about to reveal. Though taking in her garb he knew that she was well aware of the slaver issue and was ready to take care of them.

"Ahh, poor Becky," Green said with a sigh. "I hope she's okay. Her and my bro and the others."

"Don't worry. I will be leading a rescue soon enough but I something that needs doing first." Fumblies said calmly as he waited for the others to arrive.

"So," Father Crimbo said. "Who wants to hear about the time the legendary metal rock band Pagora's sonata and I saved Crimbo?!"

Fumblies muttered something about Farnsworthy Tower and shook his head, beginning to grow a bit impatient with the Princesses and Konall who were holding up his revelation. Fortunately, he only had to wait another fifteen minutes for the ladies to show.

"And that's when I kicked him in the gonads!" Princess Liona said as they walked through the door. "Sir Fumbiles, we're here as requested."

Fumblies nodded wondering just who just who had earned her painful wrath even while being glad it hadn't been him. As she entered the room, he could see Scaros waiting next to Lady Goblin, whom he believed to be the rightful Goblin Queen. It made him smile as he wondered how she would take the news he was preparing to share. Only a few more guests and important figures were missing then all would be ready for his kingdom shattering announcement.

"This is exciting!" Lady Goblin whispered to Scaros and Princess Liona.

"Naw, you want excitin'," Liona replied. "Then you need to get yourself a dragon to fight. Now that is excitement."

"Ahh, I think I'll stick to politics."

Liona shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Fahari did something uncharacteristic for her before joining the others: she leaned over, licked Fumblies' ear and whispered an indecent proposal, then padded down to the other women. She didn't know nor did she find herself caring what his announcement was - all of her attention was on the rescue attempt at hand. Besides, long years as a monk had shown her the virtue of keeping secrets, and not trying to pry them loose before their time.

Fumblies smiled as he heard Fahari's proposal and nodded slightly but knew that it would have to wait until after the rescue. Speaking of which, as he looked around the room he noticed that Konall had not made it into the room as of yet nor had any of his officers. Well it didn't matter much since only part of what he was about to say would affect his co-commander. So he took a deep breath, looking to Scaros and then around to see where several of his other key officers were scattered around the room before beginning to speak.

"Greetings one and all. I wished I could say that what I am about to tell you was a joyous thing but it isn't. However, I hope that in the end you will all understand what I am trying to do and the reasons for why I did what I did. Part of what what I am about to tell you is known to three others and the rest only to me. First of let me tell you that a great evil lives at Farnsworthy Tower, an evil that has yet to truly reveal its limits."

"What?" someone in the audience asked. "Rise of the stale bread golems?"

Fumblies shook his head slightly as he continued on. "Over the last few months several the realm's Princesses were kidnapped by a an unknown set of forces. Well what many of you don't know is that the man behind it was a being known as Philler. What is also worth noting is that many who were in the area of Seaside Town after the undead apocalypse heard the rumors that ghosts and other undead were still being seen in the area of Farnsworthy Tower. I can confirm these rumors and tell you without a doubt that a necromancer of great power lives there. For a short time I studied under this being but and am in thrall to it due to the knowledge I am about to share with you."

At the back of the room a hooded figure started to move towards the door wondering where Fumblies was going as he had his own orders if things didn't go as expected.

"What kinda sicko mage are we talking here?" Father Crimbo asked. "I hate zombies."

"Ever here the name Leo T. Philler? How about Kwadlin, not to be confused with Konall's sister. Though as I was saying, my training with this entity in the tower has come to an end after I learned that Philler and Kwadlin were one and the same. To answer your question Father Crimbo, as I said earlier we have no idea how powerful this being really is or what his real purpose is. However, on the threat of his revealing what I am about to tell you my orders were to capture Father Crimbo and send him to Farnsworthy Tower for some unknown purpose."

Father Crimbo let out a belly laugh. "No one can capture Father Crimbo, kid. It's the whole 'spirit of goodness' thing. Well done, Sir Fumblies. I tip my holiday hat to you."

Fumlies looked over to where he saw the Uncle Crimbo who was currently doing his best to become the new Seaside Ale mascot. With a sigh Fumblies looked back to Father Crimbo and then started to speak again.

"According to Uncle Crimbo the plan to capture was formulated by a group include a cadaverous large woman dressed in black with red hearts, a egomanical mouse and two others. Not entirely sure why Uncle Crimbo was there in the first place but no matter."

"Crap kid," Father said, his face looking a little whiter. "That might be legit. Thanks for the heads up."

"Kwadlin is trying to black mail me into shipping you off to the Tower of Unlife. Well as you might of guessed I have no intention of doing that. For you to understand this you have to remember that the Goblin King was a power necromancer. Well Kwadlin told me that killing a Goblin King would end the Undead threat that was ravaging Seaside Town."

As Fumblies stateed his intention not to follow Kwadlin's orders the cloaked figure at the back of the room slips out unnoticed.

"Well a group of four us snuck into the dungeons of Cobb's Knob and took care of the problem to prevent the undead from returning on every double black moon. Seaside Town was able to be rebuilt. However, Kwadlin knows which of the four us who went on that mission actually killed the Goblin King."

"Who was it?!" Lady Goblin asked, emotionally shocked by the revelation.

Fumblies took a breath as Scaros pieced together what was being said and when his strange dreams had started. "Think what you will but know that this information is what Kwadlin held over me. By the following words I free myself of his hold over me as I reveal that it was my blade that freed the Goblin King from his captivity in the Feline Empire dungeons. I take no pleasure in that fact but I will not live in fear of what would happen to me once that knowledge became public. Judge me as you will but know that I was lied to by a entity with plans of it own."

"But who were the other three?" Lady Goblin demanded to know. "I demand to know!"

"What does it matter when I was the one who did the deed?" Fumblies asked knowing that it was not his place to reveal who else had been then to see his actions that night. Lady Goblin looked shocked and said nothing. Princess Zeala moved to console her. Scaros stood tight lipped, trying to figure out how to react. After an awkward moment, Fumblies continued.

"The bottom line is that by telling you all this I have defused the need for me deliver Father Crimbo to the hands of those who wish him ill. Though with all of this being said there are other issues that we must deal with. Slavers have been active in the area and have captured several important people that need rescuing. I am going to step out to prepare myself for the rescue mission which allow you all to discuss my revelation."

With that Fumblies walked out of the room almost running into the cloaked Bones. Sure enough, there was a lot to be said and a good deal of heated debate to be had on the subject. Fahari followed him, not sure if it was because she wanted to comfort him- or because she needed him to reassure her of his honor.

The secret is finally out! Almost as importantly, the Fumblies command and company are finally on their way to the rescue, not knowing the ones they intend to free have already gotten free. Under a normal mission, we’d probably see them next in the Finale, but since this was an extra active mission, they’re going to show up again before that.

Next up is a side chapter which ties to the fallout of this chapter.