Zook's Tales for Dummies. Classical
Literature for Those Without the Time or Motivation to Actually Read It,
by Zook Lazymooch Gerbo of the Clan Pipwhistlion - Chapter Review by
Manicarpe Half-Elven
Chapter 75: Shadow Puppets
The chapter
begins with a lengthy, but unimportant explanation of how Thia's
Troublefinders managed to get themselves ambushed. The party, as
always, wipes out all opponents with minimal effort. However, this time
they are able to get a clue that the Grey Vizier is at the family plot.
The party then discusses how to proceed for an extended period of time.
Eventually they settle that the plot must refer to a cemetery plot.
Zook then goes off on a tangent about undead and how excited he is to
finally get to encounter them. Fortunately even the most obnoxious
literary scholars don't pull test questions from this inane rant.
Eventually the party manages to enlist the help of a rude priest who
repeatedly tells the party to shut up and calm down while he guides the
party to the plot they are after. The party encounters undead in
the cemetery but Zook is far from impressed and the party easily
obliterates them.
The priest eventually takes the party to the plot where they find it is
locked. They struggle with the locked door for a while but
eventually find a way inside. After a few more minor tricks, they
gain entry to the hidden passages under the plot and eventually find
the girl they are looking for. The party then argues about the
best way to proceed and eventually figure that the passages must be
safer than the surface despite knowing that several powerful enemies
are waiting for them. They then continue on and eventually find
there way to the Grey Vizier's hideout. He is waiting for them in
ambush with his shadowy fighter and a few other thugs and summoned
creatures. Zook then goes into tremendous detail describing the
epic battle that ended the way they all do, with the enemy being
utterly obliterated and the party entirely alive.
The party is able to salvage some books, gold, spells and other items
from the Grey Vizier. As it turns out the passage does have
another opening somewhere in town so they are not forced to trudge
through the graveyard again. The girl is returned to her father
and the story has a happy ending. Once again, the author spends
entirely too much ink describing how happy and excited he is to be
adventuring and how happy the girl and father are.
Next Week: Manicarpe reviews Chapter 76: Zook's Worst
Trip Ever!