321

Everybody knew their Dungeon Master, Brian, had been out of ideas for weeks, but were still too hopeful that he'd get it together and plan the campaign through the end before their next meeting to say anything to him yet.  Brian's campaigns always started out great and he had a solid premise and some fun adventuring ideas, but once the four players had managed to make it through the planned parts, Brian would hem and haw and "Ummm..." after every move.  Brian's ability to "wing it" wasn't nearly as developed as the group's esteemed DM thought it was.  When Mike invited his new upstairs neighbor, Ernie, to the next meeting, everyone in the group, Brian included, was excited when Ernie volunteered to run the next campaign.

It was also a welcome (and, again, silent) relief to have Mike offer his apartment for the new adventure.  Like his campaigns, Brian started great; he had vacuumed and wiped down the table and he had even cleaned his bathroom.  By the third week's meeting, however, his apartment had gone back to its natural state of funk.  Adam and Celia would have offered their house, but they lived outside the city and, of course, it had always been Brian's campaign.  Celia was, perhaps, the most relieved, since the man/cat smell of Brian's apartment, and his rapidly deteriorating bathroom, always affected her the most.  Mike and his girlfriend kept their place spotless, and Lisa was more than willing to go out for the evening with friends.