Grandview University (Episode)

*Another band of adventurers are persuaded to help out Hardy in his entrepreneurial endeavours. This time they have to infiltrate the prestigious Grandview University and undertake 3 special tasks for him. There's only 1 stipulation: They mustn't burn down the campus.*

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## Grandview University

###### ***Characters:***

Frosty Tinklepaugh*,* Rantar, Lavender, Kwi and Teppe

###### ***Locations:***

Topaz Bay (Reality), Lightheart Tavern (Topaz Bay), Grandview University (Reality), Kitchen school room (Reality), Hardy Town (Eternity)

###### ***Encounters / Enemies:***

Encounters with Barton and the Cooking Professor

###### ***Notable Moments:***

Lavender being a #BossBabe with her MLM essential oils, Teppe's friendship test, Frosty's sighs, Teppe's spoon drop

###### ***Episode Synopsis:***

The pattern continues with 5 strangers meeting up at Lightheart Tavern in Topaz Bay. Rantar arrives first, and is enamored with his first time in a port town. He's all smiles as he enters the tavern, looking for work to fill his pockets so he can fill his belly. Frosty is next, but she's been to Topaz Bay before, so she heads straight in to find Hardy. She is a friend, and is actively trying to help him with his tax evasion status...but that's a story for another time. She knows this will probably be trouble, but Hardy is a friend, so let's do this. Lavender is next, but she is always keeping an eye out for new recruits. Seeing none, she enters the tavern as well. Kwi is next, patting out a small fire on her sleeve, accidentally walks into the doorframe, but follows Lavender. Teppe, having seen Kwi, abandons his pickpocketing and approaches her. He does a quick tap on the right shoulder/goes to the left side fake, but Kwi doesn't fall for it. He asks about the fire on her sleeve; she says she just removed her hand too quickly. "Can I put my hand in your pocket?" She slaps his hand back, and instantly Teppe knows he has found a friend.

Again the tavern is empty, except for the table with a pitcher of water on it with empty glasses next to it. Rantar wants a drink, but wants to pay for it first. Frosty bypasses the table and heads straight for the bar, looking for something safe to drink. Rantar, thinking Frosty is the bartender, approaches and offers to get her a glass, to which she promptly shuts the idea down. Lavender decides to make a big show of taking out a vial of her oils, put a few drops in a glass of water, and launches into a seminar of the benefits...keeping you hydrated, getting rid of poisons... Teppe immediately wants to test this, pops the top off a small vial from his pocket and downs it while a flustered Lavender starts backpedaling. "Not all poisons! It can take a while..." Teppe falls to the ground, making a choking sound and holding his own throat. In the midst of the confusion, a toilet flush is heard, and Hardy comes out from a back room to a scene of chaos.

Rantar rushes over to check on Teppe, grabbing the vial, but not recognizing its contents. He tosses it to Frosty to check it out, while Teppe weakly reaches up, cups Rantar's face, and with his dying breath, says "tell my wife...I...I..." and collapses. Rantar doesn't know his wife, doesn't know him...is trying to help, and begins a healing spell, when Frosty stops him. "Yeah, dude, he's fine. This is water!" Teppe pops back up with a "And Scene! You all have passed the friendship test!" Hardy tries to get the group back on track, but Teppe makes it a challenge. Hardy says the word is getting out about his outpost in Eternity, so this group needs to keep everything on the down low...everyone can keep a secret, right? *(looks right at Rantar)* Right?! Hardy asks Frosty to keep an eye on Rantar, and asks Lavender to pause her selling the oils, as there is no insurance here. Lavender agrees. The group prepared, Hardy looks for the hats. There are no hats. Where are the hats, Denis? Denis brings out a bag, and with a weary grunt, dumps it on the table, and shuffles back to the back room, perhaps to make more "prune juice." Hardy pulls out a pointy purple hat, saying there is one for each person. Teppe immediately puts two on his hands, making Hardy even more frustrated, but he continues with the objective. The group will be sent to Grandview University where they will try to blend in. There were just some incidents, like a horse kicking a student...the horse was named Nightwind which is kind of funny, because it's the name of a fart...which goes well with the rider, who is always covered in glitter....wait, forget Hardy said all that. Teppe has been writing everything on his forearm, probably incorrectly. The group has three items to retrieve: The Serenity, The Earth Shadow, and The Spellbinder. The Serenity is an orb found in the Oculus Telescope room; Earth Shadow is a magical dirt found in the kitchen; (Teppe says wizards don't wipe their butts, there's some magical dirt for you!); the Spellbinder is a scroll found in the Mage's room. They will have one hour before being found out, grab as many as you can if you want to be paid. Frosty asks how much? Without actually answering the question, Hardy responds they'll be paid in Hardy Credits. Rantar gets excited about them, but then asks if the people know we'll be taking their items? Hardy responds, "If I say yes but mean no, will you ask me more questions?" Rantar ponders this for a moment, but figures Hardy means all is okay. Getting irritated by Teppe's crazy questions, Hardy starts a portal on top of the table...swirling green with gold following...very unusual. Teppe jumps up, hats on hands, and jumps in with a WHEEEEE! Frosty is next, then Rantar, Kwi next...and as Lavender saw all seemed to be ok, followed with her oils.

They land on a university campus, bustling with students and professors...all wearing pointy hats (some pointier than others) and wizarding robes. They realize they are on the very edge of a FLOATING campus, higher even than the clouds. They figure out the first step is to grab robes...and Teppe offers many, violent possibilities...but Kwi suggests grabbing them from the gym. Teppe asks a small gnome carrying many books where the gym is; Rantar asks where the gnome got his robe, "Orientatation" is the answer, "right inside this castle." As Teppe knocks all the books on the ground, Frosty sighs deeply at Teppe causing chaos again. In fact, he runs back to steal a map from the gnome but doesn't even look at it and shoves it in his pocket.

Entering the castle, they see students lined up at a table getting their robes from an Elf with a clipboard. Lavender asks for her robe under the name Lavender Green, which isn't found on the Elf's clipboard...shocking, I know. Frosty tries to pull her down to another location (away from prying eyes) when Kwi takes matters into her own hands. She trips into the table, knocking it over and sending robes flying. Ever the helpful crew, our adventurers start picking up robes...and stuffing a few under their own clothing in the appropriate sizes. It takes a minute for Rantar to realize Kwi is not hurt... Teppe asks a random male his name, but Lavender flirts with him to actually get it. She also asks where the kitchen is, grabs Barton's map, and the group heads off...just as Teppe tells the Elf that his name is Barton. So when Barton asks for his robe, the Elf, already irritated, said "You already got your robe."

Now the group has their pointy hats on, and their robes...although Rantar's is a bit snug. They scan the area for signs, and Rantar spots the Oculus. Frosty tries to keep the group on schedule, pushing them forward towards it. Lavender suggests splitting up with some going to the Kitchen and some to the Oculus. Frosty considers that leaving Rantar and Teppe to their own devices (especially in the Kitchen) shall we say...problematic...and the group decides to go after the Earth Shadow together. Frosty sighs deeply as they probably won't get all three items, but follows Lavender and Kwi into the kitchen.

Rantar is excited and plops down in the first available seat; Kwi holds back to get the lay of the land; Teppe heads up to the teacher and introduces himself as the Assistant Teacher; Frosty and Lavender head off to search the pantry. The teacher is infuriated to hear he has an assistant, and storms off to confront the Grand Wizard. Teppe assumes the role of teacher at the front of the room, and Frosty and Lavender open the doors of the pantry and are overwhelmed by the aisles and aisles of ingredients. Lavender bumps into Barton, and twirling her hair with a grin on her face, asks if Barton can help find a certain ingredient. Barton isn't sure if the ladies should be in the pantry, but Teppe yells to hurry up, and for the rest of the students to turn their ovens on. Kwi has been waiting to enact another distraction...and she has rolled up paper and started a fire in one of the ovens. Meanwhile, Barton has finally found the large sack of EarthShadow on top of the tallest shelf, about 10 feet up. Frosty calls Rantar over, and he hoists her up, hands around the waist, without much effort at all. Kwi's fire has now taken hold in her oven. While on the same level as the EarthShadow, she also sees a series of small vials, which she pockets instantly. Barton questions Rantar about taking the sack, but Rantar asks Barton if the black smoke should be rolling across the ceiling like that. Frosty sighs, as she knows what is going on, and encourages them to leave the pantry. Teppe tells all of the students to evacuate the classroom and return to their dorm rooms, and ends with "This is Professor Barton, signing out!" and drops a spoon on the floor. He shoves kids out of the way, and Kwi follows suit. Lavender, the real Barton and Frosty hustle out of the smoke filled room, while Rantar pauses just long enough to scribble "We got your dirt" on a piece of paper to leave on the professor's desk. Everyone got out, coughing and choking, just as the real Professor returns. Teppe coughs out the name "Barton," to which Barton responds less than favorably. He sticks his index finger on Teppe's chest, saying "I got nothing to do with this!" Rantar doesn't like to see any friend intimidated, so he tries to de-escalate the situation. Teppe takes that opportunity to throw his pocket sand in Barton's face, blinding him. (Please note: this episode was envisioned without any battle scenes, but as Frosty said, Teppe chose chaos!) Barton tries to swing on Teppe, but as he is blinded, he can't land a punch. Rantar decides to just push Barton out of the way, but as Rantar doesn't know his own strength, Barton is thrown a distance, rolls, and is knocked out. The real teacher comes over to determine the problem, starts berating Teppe & Rantar...as Frosty tries to pull the two physically away. Teppe throws over his shoulder "Your office is on fire" and saunters off. Frosty again sighs deeply, head down, and heads towards the Oculus. A bucket brigade of students is started, and Teppe starts asking random students for their water. They of course ignore him, until Teppe trips one, who falls and breaks his wrist. Lavender tries to sell him a vial of oil (only 3 gold!) while Rantar starts to heal. Rantar sends the student on his way, telling him to watch out for those pesky tree roots!

All of a sudden, four archmages holding VERY large books start closing in on our group. A greenish, golden portal opens up in front of them, and Teppe cannonballs into it instantly. Rantar grabs the bag of EarthShadow and throws it through as he and Lavender cross over. Kwi also jumps through. Frosty is contemplating finishing the mission herself, but realizes that time is up. She sighs deeply, her head lowers, and she reluctantly goes through. They arrive back at a tavern with Hardy waiting for them. Rantar hands over the sack of sweet smelling dirt, and Teppe asks for his payment. Hardy talks about it being like a promissory note, to which Frosty interrupts saying "You PLEDGED us coins?!" Hardy goes on to explain they are in the outpost, everything is getting set up...which catches everyone off guard. Rantar goes to look at the beautiful landscape, Lavender and Teppe concoct a brand new MLM of essential oils in Eternity, Kwi silently contemplates her life choices, and Frosty can't believe she's been schnookered by her friend.