Finding herself bored with the meeting (for she had the attention span of a gnat) and not being overly fond of Suzy q in the first place (Ophyllia found Suzy a little too sugary-sweet for her taste - and the gods KNEW that Suzy's cookies were TERRIBLE!), Ophyllia was overtaken by the impulse to follow the tall man...

Ophyllia had recognized the tall man as Warder Spindleshanks, a second-rate mage who was also a minor staff-member of the asylum at which she had most recently been a 'guest'... she had learned of his status as one of IR's agents when he had come into her cell one evening and told her in a thick voice of his desire to 'audit' her all night long... Ophyllia had managed to avoid THAT fate by clambering up a wall and belting out a chorus of 'teeny weenie yellow polka dot bikini' at the top of her lungs which had, of course, brought all of the establishments ogrish 'attendants' rushing to see what all the fuss was about! Finding that he was not going to be afforded the opportunity to conduct a private 'audit' of Ophyllia that evening, the warder had abandoned her cell, shaking with rage and vowing to return to complete his examination of Ophyllia's 'finances' at a later time... fortunately for Ophyllia, the asylums head-keeper, a female half-ogre by the name of Euthanasia ratched, had ordered her release the following morning...

Taking Rasor by the hand and pulling him in her wake, Ophyllia nimbly tripped up the stairs in pursuit of the emaciated figure of Spindleshanks.

As they fled Suzy's too-cozy parlor, Danidar shouted "wait for me!"

Ophyllia paused briefly at the top of the stairs to afford Danidar the opportunity to join them and the three entered the street just in time to witness the elongated silhouette of Spindleshanks disappearing around the corner into twinkie alley, just off of little Debbie lane where Suzy Q made her abode. Following quickly and silently (well, as silently as was possible with Rasor in attendance - graceful stealth was never his forte), the three reached the corner just in time to witness Spindleshanks being admitted to hostess hall, the palatial home of bottomburns wealthiest baker, Colonel Keebler (it was rumored that the colonel kept a small army of illegal alien elves working under sweatshop conditions to produce his fabulous confections). Knowing that admittance to hostess hall was limited to the Colonels most devoted cronies, Ophyllia and Danidar wondered what business Spindleshanks might have there (Rasor, being about three beats behind, hadn't yet thought to question the significance of this development).

As the glow of lamplight illuminated a small window at the western corner of the second floor of Keeblers manse, the three could see the figure of Spindleshanks outlined near the window and a shadowy figure beyond, in the interior of the room.

"Wait here," said Ophyllia to her companions, "i'm going to find out what they're up to."

Stealthily flitting from shadow to shadow across the well-manicured grounds of hostess hall, Ophyllia made her way to the western corner of the edifice and effortlessly scaled the wall, pausing just below the lit window. Listening intently, she heard the voice of Spindleshanks speaking in a reverential tone which she had never heard from him before.

"...bought it hook line and sinker, your Munificence. They're sure to be sending a party out to Lake Deepbottom just as soon as they can get enough idiots to volunteer...and of course they'll be headed for the northwest passage. Even as I left, the fools were rushing to sign up!"
"You have performed adequately, wretch," Ophyllia heard a deep rumbling voice intone, "have a cupcake."

"Oh no!", thought Ophyllia, "They're planning some sort of booby-trap! We've got to get back to the sewing circle and warn them!"

At that moment, however, the odor of a freshly baked (by elven hands!) cupcake wafted through the window and Ophyllia found herself overpowered by the urge to have one for herself. Remembering that Mrs. Lovetts pie shop in fleet street was open all night (even on Tipplefastmas!), Ophyllia slithered down the wall and lit off down twinkie alley toward the strand.

Watching from across the way, Rasor and Danidar were dismayed - though not terrifically surprised - to see the bard rushing madly down the alley AWAY from them.

"There she goes again!", said Danidar to his unlikely companion, "come on - we've got to try to follow her! The goddess only knows what sort of trouble shell get herself into wandering off on her own!"