Day 50, Evening

   I arrived at Baron Turvin's castle gates to find most my friends there also. Apparently they got invitations also. The only person missing was Draco. Who was out of town apparently.
  "So," I asked the group, " You think the Baron plans on killing us now?"
  "Maybe I plan on killing him now." was Max's reply.
  "I don't think so." Shakes said. "Unar has a man on the inside. I am supposed to deliver a message to him. If Turvin was planning to kill us today Unar would have given me a heads up."
  I didn't know what the relationship was between Unar and Shakes, but I had the impression Unar would feed Shakes to the wolves a piece at a time if it would further his own goals.
  I just shrugged and hailed the gate.
  The gate opened to at least a dozen guards.
  They promptly disarmed us.
  Max growled when they took his axe. Skylar wisely left the sword of Zog behind at his Lodge. Shakes and I knew that if it came to a fight, we would be throwing the heavy blows. As we were being disarmed one of the guards searching Shakes was obviously trying to talk to him but couldn't, Shakes gave me the eye, meaning a distraction would be helpful right about now.
  "Hey honey!' I called to the sergeant. A rather large and brutish looking woman. "You didn't get this dagger I have hidden over here."
  The Sergeant and several of her guards approached me. Giving Shakes the distraction he needed to slip Unar's man a message.
  "Where's this dagger ye have hidden?" asked the burly she guard.
  "It's right here. Down the front of my britches." I said to the laughter of the rest of the guards.
  The sergeant was not, however, laughing. She grabbed me by my crotch and squeezed, causing me to grimace in pain as tears started to form in my eyes. Then surprisingly she let go with a smile on her face. "That's quite the weapon ye have there pretty boy. I'll let ye hold onto that for now. But I may be needin' to get it from you later, after my shift is over. Hope ye know how to wield it."
  "Gulp." I gulped. To all the guards laughter.
  "Thanks." said Shakes as we were marched along.
  "What are friends for." I said, noticing that my voice was an octave higher.
  We were brought before the baron and fed a lavish dinner. Turvin was a gracious host. He was flanked by two very imposing and heavily armed guards. At his feet was the biggest Wolfhound I had ever seen. A very beautiful woman watched from the balconies above. I knew, if it came to a fight, our position was precarious. We would most likely die.
  I was not nervous in the least. I had taken measures to make sure I was avenged.
  Earlier today I had left a letter with Nob, my brightest of the goblin lackeys. I told him if I did not report in by tomorrow afternoon he was to deliver that letter to Gronk, the Goblin leader. The letter stated simply, "Turvin has the Sword of Zog. We inflicted heavy casualties before we died. Now is the time to strike and retrieve it. Become the king you were meant to be."
  If Turvin meant to scare us he failed big time. Not a member of ours at the table was the least bit intimidated. Even disarmed. On the contrary, the Baron was the one who looked nervous. After we had finished our meal Turvin gave us his pitch.
  "Let me be frank." he said. "I am not happy with your sudden rise to fame. As of this moment you are all working for me. You may continue your forays into the dungeons below Thornkeep, but you will take one of my men, and he will report back to me everything that happens. You do not have a choice in this matter."
  "It is very dangerous down there." said Shakes. "Your man will probably die."
  "He will be able to handle himself. And if he dies I will find another."
  We discussed this briefly and agreed to the Baron's terms. He promptly dismissed us and told us to send word when we were ready to make another trip to the Accursed Halls.
  As we were leaving I took note of Turvin's boot size. I have been doing this with everyone I met since the werewolf incident nearly a month ago. I had 46 matches to date.
  The Baron's was 47.
  As the gate closed behind us I asked Skylar how long the werewolf attacks have been going on for?
  "About two years." he said.
  Two years. The same duration as the current Baron's reign. Of the 47 matches I had of the werewolf tracks, 46 had an alibi. I had a new number one suspect.
  As I lay down to sleep, I think I have come up with a a title of a book I intend to write.
  "Nitro's Boys verses Baron Werewolf"
  I know I will have pleasant dreams tonight.
 
 

Day 50, Morning

  I woke up about a half hour before dawn, as I usually do.
  I did my exercises.
  I prepared myself for the day.
  This day I may die.
  If I do not post tonight it is because the baron killed me. Know that I did not go down without a fight. Since this might be my last day on this earth, I decided to to spend it traversing the town, drinking in the sites.
  In Goblin town I visited the forge. I bought the Goblin Lackeys an expensive lunch. Around the market I spread some of my new found wealth. People there love me. I can see adoration in their eyes.
  I know why the Baron wants to kill me.
  I know why he wants to kill us all.
  Our group has gathered many names. 'Champions of the Accursed Halls' and 'The Accursed Champions', 'Saviors of the City', 'Saviors of Thornkeep'. The list went on and on. I listened to them as I traveled about the town. There were whispers that the Baron would kill us very soon.
  One disturbing thing happened on my morning travels.
  A nursery rhyme several children were singing as they danced in a circle holding hands in the market. It went like this.
   "Here comes Mr. Jitters"
   "He is One of Unar's Hitters"
   "He will Smack your Sister, all Around"
   "Knock Your Brother on the Ground"
   "That's What Mr. Jitters Does!"
 The second verse wasn't much better.
  "Here Comes Mr. Jitters"
  "He is one of Unar's Hitters"
   "He Will Punch Your Mom in her Guts"
   "Kick Your Dad, In His Nuts"
   "That's What Mr. Jitters Does!"
 The third verse was the most disturbing though.
  "Here comes Mr. Jitters"
  "He is One of Unar's Hitters"
  "If He Shows, You better pay Now"
  "Or He Will Take, Your Family Cow"
  "That's What Mr. Jitters Does!"
  I had a very bad feeling that these kids were singing about my friend Shakes. I knew he worked for Unar, and I remember him saying something about collecting a cow from some old farmer, but I couldn't see my friend, who had risked his life to save mine time and again and vise versa, as the villain these kids were singing about.
  Oh well what do kids know anyways.
  Hopefully you see an entry from me tonight.

Day 49

   First off, let me say my Goblin Lachey's don't know everything they thought they knew about Elvin females. It's true they don't have any body hair, but it is not because they shave. It is because it is part of their anatomy. Elves do not grow body hair. I read this in a book I checked out in the library called 'Anatomy of a She Elf ' written by some sage called Elminster. I have never heard of this Sage, but if I ever find myself in a city called Shadowdale I will have to look him up, as he seems to be a very learned man. I'm not going to hold my breath waiting to meet this man as I could find no town called Shadowdale on any maps of our known world. I can only surmise this Elminster is from another world or dimension.
  After breakfast we made yet another foray into the area below the Enigma Vaults. We killed a giant two headed snake easy enough and had to run from some invisible ooze that shocked Shakes. It made him even more jittery than normal.
  We split up loot. I for one was happy with my acquisition of the Alien Fungoid Surgeons Tools. Shakes got the Talon of Borva Daggin. It didn't fit right having only three finger spots but Shakes still looked formidable practicing his karate wearing it. Max took the Dragon Saddle and Vickey added the Four Barreled Mithril Rifle to her arsenal. It was broken but I assured her I could fix it if we got our hands on some mithril.
  It looked like the end of a perfect day until I returned to the Goldcloak Tower to find a letter waiting for me. It was from the Baron and it said in no uncertain terms that he was expecting me for dinner tomorrow at his castle, and that only death itself should keep me from attending.
  Uh Oh.