Von Kempre's Museum

When the will arrived Charles wasn't really sure who his uncle Van Kempre was. It took a few phone calls to lawyers and a great aunt or two whom he had all but forgotten about before the matter was cleared up. In the end it was proven not to be a hoax and other than the lawyer fees and taxes, he and his family were in the clear.

So now they were on their way to a castle in Northern Europe that they were now the proud owners of. Charles had quit his job with the city--it paid well but was far from the childhood dreams of what he wanted to do with his life--and his wife Stephanie was all but glad to be rid of her volunteer groups as well. She had been with the library and a few school programs teaching abstinance to teenagers but had been disenchanted with the duties as they had become routine and tedious.

Charles looked over at his sleeping wife in the small airplane seat and smiled at her pleasant shape. She was a bit on the plump side but her cherubic face and large breasts had won him over despite his search for the stereotypical leggy supermodel type. At the time that they were dating, his friends were less than rude about her looks but here he was 12 years later and still in love with her.

The taxi at the airport was a bit questionable in its cleanliness but it was quick and the cabbie had whisked their luggage into the trunk before Charles could say anything, so they took the offer and loaded up. The pungent smell of cigar smoke and other mystery odors choked them as they sat down.

"Where to?" asked the gruff driver in a thick accent.

"The Van Kemper mansion, do you know it?" asked Charles.

"Not sure that do. Is it in town?"

"Don't know, never been there actually. We just inherited it."

"Well," thought the cabbie, switching his cigar to the other side of his mouth, "there's that old place up on the hill that is the closest thing to a mansion around here. It's at the end of the red light district, and a bit unsafe but the back side of it faces the touristy part of town so I can take you in that way. Ultimately, though, I'd recommend taking you to the Talon and Hoof tavern. The owner there, Havor, he's a good friend of mine, and he knows a lot about the town. You could have lunch and figure out where to go from here. What do you say?"