“Shit. Check her sanity, Dreadbear?”

  “Eye for Detail. Oh dear, it’s at two!”

  “Not zero? Good. Zero is how madness happen sometimes. Close one. Too close.”

  “If that’s a mediocre old one I don’t want to see a just-sorta-okay old one,” Garon said, landing by the wagon. “What do we do about her? How do we help her?”

  Threadbare cleared his throat. Then he wrapped Madeline in a hug, and rocked the smaller marionette, like Celia had rocked him, long ago. “With an Emboldening Speech. I know that was scary. But it’s all right. You’re one of the bravest people I know. You’re safe now.”

  Calm washed over the party, as Threadbare’s skill buffed their sanity and moxie. Madeline stopped screaming, curled into him, and tried whimpering instead. For his part, the bear rocked her back and forth until she stopped.

  “What do we do about it?” Garon asked. “Do we beat it up? How much experience do you get for one of those things?”

  “No no no,” Zuula said. “Dose t’ings eat tribes. Uh… Status.” She studied her screen. “Yes, dat work. Got just enough for one of dose. Zuula be back wit’ answer in a bit.” She headed into the back of the wagon, and the toys watched her curl up near Pulsivar. “Dream Quest.”

  “Zuula?” Threadbare asked, placing Madeline gently on the wagon, then clambering up to look in at her.

  “Forget it,” Garon said. “She’ll be out for hours.”

  They looked at the dolmens.

  The ancient stones glimmered with a weird light. Possibly mystical, probably arcane. Definitely eldritch.

  “We need to tell someone about this,” Threadbare decided. “Let’s go to town while we wait and warn them.”

  “I’d really prefer if Mom was awake for that,” Garon said, glancing from her to the dolmens. “And Madeline had more sanity, so our fiery surprise was available if we ran into trouble.”

  Threadbare stared at the stones. “Keen Eye.”

  Your Keen Eye skill is now level 2!

  “Those eyes are still moving, I think,” he said, finally. “It would be nice to wait, but the town could be in danger now.” He made his decision, and the wooden cats clattered to life again. Fluffbear, taken by surprise, ran a bit and hopped up on the back of the wagon. It took a couple of tries before she got a handhold, and squirmed up.

  “Should I put on my armor?” Missus Fluffbear asked.

  “It couldn’t hurt,” Garon said, glancing between the road and the dolmens. “Have you decided on a code of chivalry yet?”

  “I think so.”

  “Good. Might come in handy, a passive defensive buff that builds. Certainly couldn’t hurt. I have the feeling we’ll have to end up fighting that thing.”

  “All right! I pledge mine blade to this Code of Chivalry! I, Missus Fluffbear, pledge to protect my friends, and feed my kitty on time, and beat up bad people! And bad things!”

  For a second she glowed, and then it was done.

  “That’s a big responsibility,” Threadbare told her. “Mopsy eats a lot for her size. And she’ll only get bigger.”

  “That’s okay,” squeaked the little black bear. “I don’t eat anything so it balances out. She can have my share of everything.”

  They rolled on in silence for a bit, following the road. As they went, the toys could see a stockade wall rising in the distance, a wooden curtain that surrounded the town, with torches along it every twenty feet or so. Figures in robes paced along the top, though a small knot formed above the gate, staring as the cart rolled up.

  “Who goes there?” One of them called, his voice high-pitched and wobbly.

  “I bet it’s a trick,” another one of them whispered, so loudly that the toys could hear it.

  “Shut up! Keep the crossbows ready!” A gruff one commanded.

  “Hello there, sirs or madams!” Threadbare made the dummy talk. “I’m Annie Mata, here with a show of animated toys for all ages!”

  There was a long pause. The three heads visible on the top of the wall ducked down. There came a sound of muttering.

  “Come out of the wagon with your hands up, then!” The gruff one said, as one of the others ran off.

  Threadbare controlled his animi, directing the dummy out of the wagon. She held up her arms, yellow sleeves flapping in the darkness.

  Then the runner came back, with a lantern. He waved it down there, and the guards on the wall blinked to see her, clad in all yellow, masked and veiled.

  Comprehension and hope dawned on their faces. “You… you’re…”

  “Wait!” Said the one who’d whispered loudly. “Have you seen the yellow sign?”

  Threadbare thought fast.

  There HAD been a sign on the route, saying “this way to Outsmouth,” and it WAS pretty yellowed with age.

  “Yes, yes I have, my boy or girl.”

  LUCK +1

  The guards relaxed. All save for the gruff one. “Nah! Nah, it could be a trick! Look at them cats! Those is wooden cats!”

  “Well, yes, what of it?”

  “It’s like that one book I read! They’re trying to give us these wooden animals, then they’ll burst open and be full of armies once they’re inside!”

  The three guards on the wall considered the cats.

  “I think that was horses, Daav.”

  “Same thing!”

  “They’re a bit small for armies, aren’t they?” The high-pitched guard mused. “Maybe one soldier. If he was a halven or a goblin or something.”

  “Well maybe they’re smuggling halvens or goblins then!” The gruff one said. “Look, I’m just saying, this could be a trick.”

  “Yeah, and it’s one animator lady against all of us if it IS,” the whisperer in the darkness said. “We did for the garrison, we can do for her if we need to. Besides, her cult’s kin to ours. Bad luck to turn away a fellow seeker.”

  “State your business in Outsmouth?” The high-pitched one asked.

  “I’m just here to put on a show and talk about interesting things. How about that weather lately?”

  CHA+1

  The guards relaxed. True devotees of YGlnargle’blah they might be, but they were fishermen first, and fishermen NEVER miss a chance to bitch about the weather. The tension eased, crossbows were put down, and Threadbare smiled as the nice people spent way too long whining about the local drought.

  Five minutes later, Daav and Phred and Mhorty opened the gate. “Well, if you’re here for a show, Marva could use some help. The blessed children are getting anxious, since most of their parents are having to pull gate duty. Maybe you could go to the church and help her calm them down?”

  “That sounds great, sir or madam! Which direction might it be?”

  They gave her a lot of confusing directions, which included such helpful tidbits as “Turn left at Jarger’s house,” but fortunately Threadbare was smart, as teddy bears went, and thought he could figure it out. Then he directed the dummy back into the wagon’s seat, and held still as he willed the cats forward, through the open gate. The green-robed guards shut it behind him, and wished Annie well.

  “I look forward to seeing your play later!” The whisperer in the darkness called. “I always dreamed of visiting Lost Corcasa!”

  Threadbare had Annie wave back. He had no idea what that was. Then he remembered what he was here for.

  “Oh yes, and there’s an old one stirring under those dolmens to the south! You might want to do something about that.”

  The guards laughed. “We know, isn’t it great?” The high-pitched one yelled. “He’ll call us all home soon!”

  Okay, that wasn’t the reaction he’d expected. Puzzled, Threadbare left the guards behind, thoroughly fooled into thinking that the dummy was a friendly ally of sorts.

  By engaging in successful duplicitous shenanigans you have unlocked the Grifter job!

  You cannot become a grifter at this time.

  Well. That was interesting. Also not helpful at the minute.

  The wagon rolled on through the town, most of it silent and dark. Garon sidled up next to him, and snaked his head around to Threadbare’s fluffy ear. “They’re cultists.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “It’s a job. A bad one. There’s only a few types of cultists tolerated in the kingdom, and those aren’t them. I think… I think we’re looking at a full town of cultists. Or enough of them that they’re in charge.”

  “Are they bad people?” Fluffbear asked anxiously. “I might have to beat them up.”

  “Nnnn…..” Garon’s honesty warred with the realization that if he said the wrong thing, the little bear WOULD march out there and start smiting. “Don’t know. They might just be deluded. Let’s wait and see what the full situation is, here, first.”

  “It’s fahcked and we should run,” Madeline said, clambering out of the wagon to take her place with the other toys. “But we’re in now, so the only way out is through.”

  “Feeling better?” Threadbare asked.

  “Yeah. Still down a wompload of sanity. Gahd I wish we had a way to rest. It’s slow, slow, slow ta come back.”

  “Hm…” Threadbare glanced back to Zuula. “Maybe…”

  His thoughts were interrupted, as letters flashed across his view.

  You are now a level 6 scout!

  AGL+3

  PER+3

  WIS+3

  “Well!” He said. “I guess we explored a fair amount.”

  “This is all new territory, so yes… oh. Party Screen. Cool, congratulations.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Oooh, that could do it,” Madeline said. “I just need ta level up some an’ get my sanity back fast that way.”

  “That works until you get out of the lower levels,” Garon shrugged, twitching his wings. “And it’s hard to rely on. Sometimes the experience doesn’t stack up like you expect. Case in point.”

  “You’ll hit level two dragon eventually,” Threadbare said, then he stood on the wagon’s seat. “Oh! There’s the church. I think.”

  “Oh yes,” Said Missus Fluffbear, as she looked at the stone building by the lake. The windows were green and blue stained glass, and lit from within. “That’s totally a temple to Pau. Yorgum told me about her. Uh, him.”

  “God of the seas, right? And big lakes too, I guess.” Garon nodded.

  “And Goddess of storms. Which is why lightning strikes say his or her name when they hit.”

  As they got closer, they could hear a woman singing inside, barely audible over what sounded like the croaking of a couple of dozen big frogs. Madeline shuddered, and hid back inside the wagon.

  Threadbare thought the woman’s voice sounded rather desperate. And also that the croaking was a bunch of voices, nowhere near as deep as what they’d heard on the hill.

  PER+1

  “That’s not the mediocre old one’s voice,” he said. “The frogs, I mean.”

  Curious, he had the dummy get out of the wagon and knock on the door.

  There was a pause. Everything fell silent.

  Finally, a harried-looking woman, stout and middle-aged, opened the door. Brown hair poked out, frazzled and chaotic, from under her green hood and the hem of her robe had big bites taken out of it. Strands of ropy drool oozed to the ground. “Hello? Is everything… oh! Who are you?”

  Her eyes bulged with fear… then softened, as they fell upon the two bears and the little plush dragon, as they hopped down from the wagon’s seat. “Oh my goodness! An animator show! And these are your little toys, then!”

  Your Adorable Skill is now level 22!

  “Come inside, come inside,” the woman smiled, madness flashing in her eyes. “The little dears will love you! Ah, I’ll just take a break then, while you entertain them, shall I?”

  “Oh, certainly,” Threadbare had the dummy say, as they walked into the church.

  SLAM! The door nearly caught Garon’s tail as the cultist shut it.

  CLICK! A key turned in the lock.

  Feet pounded the pavement as Marva ran for her life.

  And from the darkness, two dozen pairs of green, glowing eyes loomed out of the darkness, as the blessed children of YGlnargle’blah emerged from the wreckage of the pews and the thoroughly desecrated altar, staring at the newcomers, sharklike maws opening and closing as drool spilled to the floor.

  QUICK REFERENCE: THREADBARE’S NEW SKILLS

  ANIMUS SHIELD Level: 10 Cost: 20 San Duration: 10 minutes per level Animates a shield, that moves as if wielded by an invisible warrior. Must be in a creator’s party to do anything beyond defend itself.

  MAGIC MOUTH Level: 10 Cost: 20 San Duration: 10 minutes per level Allow the animator to speak through one of the animi currently in their party, regardless of distance. If the animi does not have a mouth, the voice issues forth from the closest approximate place a mouth would be on a living being of similar structure.

  THREADBARE’S CHARACTER SHEET

  Name: Threadbare Age: 5

  Jobs: Greater Toy Golem Level 11 Cave Bear Level 10 Ruler Level 5 Scout Level 6 Tailor Level 10 Model Level 5 Necromancer Level 10 Duelist Level 3 Animator Level 10 Enchanter Level 2 Golemist Level 5 Smith Level 5

  Attributes: Strength: 101 Constitution: 103 Hit Points: 264(314) Armor: 42(46) Intelligence: 146 Wisdom: 151(157) Sanity: 297(383) Mental Fortitude: 32 Dexterity: 92(98) Agility: 83(95) Stamina: 185(253) Endurance: 52 Charisma: 78(108) Willpower: 129 Moxie: 207(287) Cool: 20(32) Perception: 86 Luck: 66(72) Fortune: 152(208) Fate: 11(17)

  Generic Skills Brawling - Level 25 (+5) Climb - Level 13 Clubs and Maces - Level 9 Dagger - Level 9 Dodge - Level 7 Fishing - Level 1 Ride - Level 9 Stealth - Level 10 Swim - Level 2

  Greater Toy Golem Skills Adorable - Level 22 Bodyguard - Level 6 Gift of Sapience - Level NA Golem Body - Level 21 Innocent Embrace - Level 11 Magic Resistance -Level 6

  Bear Skills Animalistic Interface - NA Claw Swipes - 22 Darkspawn - NA Forage - 13 Growl - 2 Hibernate - 37 Scents and Sensibility - 18 Stubborn - 8 Toughness - 15

  Ruler Skills Appoint Official - Level NA Emboldening Speech - Level 6 Identify Subject - Level 1 Noblesse Oblige - Level 20 Organize Minions - Level NA Royal Audience - Level 1 Simple Decree - Level 1 Swear Fealty - Level NA

  Scout Skills Alertness - Level 1 Best Route - Level 1 Camouflage - Level 1 Firestarter - Level 4 Keen Eye - Level 2 Sturdy Back - Level 6 Wind’s Whisper - Level 5

  Tailor Skills Tailoring - Level 45(50) Clean and Press - Level 9 Adjust Outfit - Level 2

  Model Skills Call Outfit - Level 1 Dietary Restriction - Level 25 (+50 to all pools) Fascination - Level 3 Flex - Level 14 Makeup - Level 1 Self-Esteem - Level 14 Strong Pose - Level 1 Work it Baby - Level 20

  Necromancer Skills Assess Corpse - Level 10 Command the Dead - Level 28 Deathsight - Level 6 Drain Life - Level 1 Invite Undead - Level 12 Mana Focus - Level NA (+10% to sanity) Skeletons - Level 16 Soulstone - Level 24 Speak With Dead - Level 18 Zombies - Level 3

  Duelist Skills Challenge - Level 3 Dazzling Entrance - Level 8 Fancy Flourish - Level 6 (12) Guard Stance - Level 8 Weapon Specialist - Level 10 (Brawling +5)

  Animator Skills Animus - Level 27 Animus Blade - Level 8 Animus Shield - Level 1 Arm Creation - Level 6 Command Animus - Level 7 Creator’s Guardians - Level 18 Dollseye - Level 10 Eye for Detail - Level 17 Magic Mouth - Level 15 Mend - Level 25

  Enchanter Skills Appraise - Level 9 Glowgleam - Level 1 Harden - Level 5 Soften - Level 1 Spellstore - Level 1

  Golemist Skills Command Golem - Level 1 Golem Animus - Level 6 Invite Golem - Level 2 Mend Golem - Level 2 Program Golem - Level 1 Toy Golem - Level 6 Wood Golem - Level 1

  Smith Skills Adjust Arms and Armor - Level 4 Refine Ore - Level 1 Smithing - Level 21

  Equipment Apprentice Tailor’s Apron (+4 Armor, +4 Tailoring) Baggy Pants of Hammerspace (+5 AGL, +5 CHA, Allows hammerspace for one blunt weapon)(+1 AGI, CHA, from WIB) Poor Quality Bling Ringtail Master’s Coat (+5 CHA, +5 LUCK, +5 Armor, +5 Fate)(+1 CHA, LUCK, Armor, Fate from WIB) Rod of Baronly Might (+5 CHA, +5 WIS, +10 Cool)(+1 CHA, WIS, +2 Cool from WIB) Yellow Belt of Bravado (+5 AGL, +5 DEX, +5 to the Fancy Flourish skill)(+1 AGL, DEX, Fancy Flourish from WIB) Toy Top Hat (CHA +10)(+CHA from WIB)

  INVENTORY A Sack of coins. A Finely-Made Dagger (Dagger Level 5) A Dungeon Core Tailor’s Tools A small jewelry box full of reagents and crystals, most minor. Minorphone (Enhances voice and social skills focused through it twice per day)

  Quests Save Celia

  Unlocked Jobs Berserker, Cleric, Cook, Grifter, Spirit Medium, Tamer, Wizard

  Unsafe Sects 2

  The world returned to Zuula. She rose, trying to blink her eyes, before she remembered that she didn’t have eyelids anymore.

  It felt terribly, terribly confining to be trapped once more in such a tiny body, but at least she didn’t ache anymore. No fuzziness from just-waking up. No weird conditions, brought on by the vivid and horrible dreams she’d had.

  Or were there? “Status,” Zuula whispered-

  -and stared at her full pools.

  She’d been low, WAY low on sanity before she went into her dream quest. But now it was as full as if she’d slept a full night.

  The shaman wasn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the burnt-out-barn with collapsed walls, let alone the toolshed, but she immediately understood the value of what she’d found.

  Zuula hopped out of the wagon, and looked at the stars. Not more than a few hours. She was in a town, too, she saw. Outmarsh? Had to be. There was a church next to the wagon, and light glowed through the green windows, as croaking, babbling speech resounded from within.

  None of her party were around. Even the cats were missing. “Party Screen.” Yep, there they were… Fluffbear had been added too. The wooden cats were out, though. Also there was something called “Church Door” on the party screen now.

  And to her surprise, she saw that her toy companions’ levels were higher. Not by much, but something had definitely happened. A fight?

  What had she missed out on?

  Zuula stared at the inactive wooden cats, went back to the wagon, got her spear, and marched up to the door.

  “Is you Zuula’s party mate now?”

  The croaking continued unabated. The door didn’t answer.