Stiffen Shaftally

## Description

With their guises secure, the Dragon Friends face their first evening in the halls of the Grundle School. Bobby and Philge search for information, while Banknote and Baston descend into the School's hidden and exclusive depths.

## Synopsis

Philge has enrolled in the Grundle School for Wayward Ladies in the search for Eleanor Grundle. Bobby Pancakes sneaks into the dorm in Switchmeyer House to meet her, and she creeps into the corridor in her school-issue pyjamas, while Banknote and Baston have gone downstairs to the salon. Bobby asks Philge to help him search the upstairs.

Banknote and Baston are admitted into a room resembling a speakeasy, where he is met by Daisy Ribbons, and asks to speak to Eleanor. When he shows her the invitation he recieved, she leads him to a booth to see a "secret show", and tells him that the cover charge is 150 Dragons. Justine Plumber also recognizes Banknote and informs Daisy that Banknote is a benefactor of the school, and invites him up to a bar before asking how how much money he is intending to wager. Banknote states that he doesn't want to gamble, and Justine says that if he doesn't want to gamble he'll have to pay the cover of 150 Dragons. Justine offers him a credit line for 2000 Credits and passes them both a tray of chips, and also offers them a free drink with a choice of "neat" or "royal". Baston decides they should try one of each, and orders the royal while Banknote orders the neat. Justine then ushers them to a table into a smoky room with a wooden fighting ring erected in the middle. Noticing two figures in gothic fashion sitting at a fancy booth in candlelight, Baston asks Justine if that's Eleanor Grundle, and she confirms that it is, and that the man with him is "Lord.. well, I probably shouldn't say". Justine pours some whiskey for Banknote, but after Banknote and Baston repeatedly ask her to hurry up and leave, she becomes upset and leaves two decanters behind on the table and Banknote walks over to the other table to attempt to talk to Eleanor.

Meanwhile, Bobby and Philge have reached the third floor of the school, finding three doors there, one of which leads to a well-appointed personal office with a portrait of Eleanor. Searching the office, Bobby finds a safe hidden behind the painting, and picks the lock; he manages to open the lock, but in doing so breaks a silver filament inside the lock. Inside the safe is a sheaf of papers, a pouch, and a pin with a fire opal on it; he grabs these items, and then hears footsteps in the corridor. Fearing that the broken filament has triggered a silent alarm, Bobby hides behind the desk.

Lionshield makes an awkward attempt to introduce himself to Eleanor Grundle, causing the man she's with to complain about being disturbed, and Eleanor tells him to go away. Meanwhile, Justine offers to freshen Baston's drink before the first bout, and Baston asks how he can place a bit; Justine tells him he need only ask her, and informs him that the first bout is "Claudette Delacure vs. Punch-up". Baston bets 200 Dragons on "Punch-up", while Banknote continues to try to strike up a conversation with Eleanor, introducing himself as Lionshield Banknote, which causes both people at the booth to "visibly stiffen". The man she's with reacts angrily that a Banknote is here, and Eleanor warns Banknote to "stop whatever he thinks he's doing". Banknote returns to his table and shouts at Baston when he learns that he has bet on the fight. She also notices that Baston hasn't poured his drink, and asks if everything is OK. Baston decides to pour the decanter of "royal" out for Banknote, revealing that it holds bright red blood.

Meanwhile, two junior prefects, Maisley and Lymeria Throp, have arrived in the office and seen Philge (although not Bobby). Philge claims that she got lost on the way to the bathroom. Maisley replies that the office is strictly forbidden and she'll have to notify Daisy about this. They send Philge back to the common room, leaving Bobby alone in the office. Bobby searches through the paperwork, finding it to be a collection of legal paperwork, in terms of contracts exchanging information or favors for the forgiveness of debts; and a list of names, dates, and numbers of fluid ounces.

Downstairs, Justine is concerned about Banknote refusing to drink the blood, and asks another prefect to notify her if Baston or Banknote still do not drink in the next minute. Banknote attempts to whisper to Baston that this appears to be a hive of vampires, and are interrupted when Silas - the man who was with Eleanor - wanders over to join the conversation. Banknote decides to drink the glass of blood anyway to attempt to convince Silas that he is a vampire too, narrowly avoiding gagging, while two girls step out into the central ring and draw knives.

## Cast

### Dragon Friends

* Philge
* Bobby Pancakes
* Baston
* Lionshield Banknote
* Flappy, Philge's familiar and sardonic hype.. hawk

### NPCs

* Tiffany Bunderson
* Silas of the Ebon Flame
* Eleanor Grundle
* Maisley and Lymeria Throp
* Daisy Robbons
* Justine Plumber

## Trivia

* The third episode recorded by remote multicasting due to Australia, as with many countries, adopting a national Shelter In Place policy due to the pandemic of COVID-19. This means that there is no studio audience on the episode.

## Quotes

* "I've been fucked by a drink too many times on this adventure."
* "Shall we say Hi to her?" "I think that's a painting."