Navero 11

From: dparsons@jarthur.claremont.edu (Daniel Parsons)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Navero XI
Reply-To: dparsons@jarthur.Claremont.EDU (Daniel Parsons)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA
Keywords: Navero, of the Correct and Unalterable Way

(Sorry it's been so long since Navero X, but I have been very busy. I hate theses. And it might be a while before Navero XII too.)

When last we saw our heroes... (and heroine)

• Navero, male human cleric, 2nd level
• Dania, female 1/2-elf MU, 2nd level
• Rourk Ravensbane, male drow cavalier, 2nd level
• Kortul, male human fighter, 2nd level
• Razuli, male human fighter, 1st level
• Arlor, male dwarf thief, 1st level

... they were in the large cavern just beyond the staked barrier in the Orc caverns. There were entrances in the north and east, with the entrance they came in the west. The cave was dry, dead, and uninteresting. We decided to continue; there was an immediate disagreement about which way to go, but it was eventually decided to go north. We trekked up there, and discovered another cave, only there was no floor. Instead, there was a pit filled with bubbling molten lava. The heat was quite intense, and the sulfurous gases produced almost unbearable. Another entrance was visible, about 20 feet to the left, but we elected not to try for it. At least, most of us.

Arlor: "You want me to what?"

Razuli: "C'mon! It's simple! We just tie a rope around you, and you climb the wall over the lava until you reach that exit! Then, we follow you over on the rope."

Arlor: "Um... climb a smooth wall over boiling lava?"

Rourk: "Whatever is on the other side is sure to be very interesting. Else, there would not be any lava. Surely you do not believe it could have occurred naturally in these regions! Or perhaps you do. But that does not matter; I will not allow a dwarfish coward to keep me from glory and renown."

Kortul: "Too risky. Fumes could kill us. Go other way."

Navero: "I don't want Arlor to go. We should go the other way. It smells very bad."

Dania: "Right. Come on."

Rourk: "I see. As I am outvoted, I shall go along with it. Don't say I am insensitive my companions' fears."

Razuli: "Why don't you go in, Rourk? Maybe it's just an illusion and if you try, you can walk right across."

Rourk: "Superior vision is well known in my family. I would not be fooled by some craven spell."

Dania: "Riiiiight."

So we went back to the entrance cave and went to the east. This passage was quite narrower, and so we decided it would be best to go single file. Again, the problem of marching order was resurrected.

Rourk: "I do not believe such a large blade would be of much use in a small passage. This requires a delicacy and agility you lack. Besides, if you guard the rear of the group, there is less likelihood the enemy will smell us coming."

Razuli: "Kids, kids! We've been over and over this before. Can't you just go in?"

Kortul: "Elf incompetent. Already shown that."

Rourk: "Incompetent? You have managed to impress me; that had 4 syllables in it, and I had thought such to be beyond you. But then, you would be familiar with a word used so often by those around you."

Kortul: "Yes. Been around you a month, now."

Dania: "Oh, Jesus Christ. Will somebody get the fuck in there?"

Razuli: "Get my fuck into where?"

Rourk: "I shall lead." (Strides off)

(Pause.)

Dania: "Do you think we should follow him?"

Navero: "Well, he might meet something that might try to kill him. And we should be there."

Razuli: "Yeah. Then we can all sit and laugh at him."

Kortul: (Grumbles) "Come on."

We all went down the eastern passage. After a short time, we saw a glow up ahead. This was coming from a pool of luminous liquid in the middle of a small cave. On the ceiling above this, there was a cluster of luminous fungi; every so often, a drop of the glowing, gummy liquid would drip off and PLOP into the pool. There were exits in the east and south.

Rourk: "There you are! Humbled by my example?"

Kortul: "You make good scout."

Rourk: "I am the advance guard. Come here and see this discovery of mine. These mushrooms are obviously magical; what do you know of them, Mage?"

Dania: "Nothing. Why should I study funguses?"

Navero: "Actually, they look more like slime mold than mushrooms."

Game Master: What's a slime mold? How many hit dice?

Navero: "Uh... I was a gardener at the monastery. They're harmless fungi. Please don't kill them."

We quickly deduced that we could dip something in the sticky fluid, and it would cling; coating an entire torch easily produced an illumination that equaled the lantern. Now having a better light source, we put out the lantern and continued on to the east. (Navero held the light, BTW.)

We went walking east; the passage was wide enough for two at this point, and so there was little argument abut marching order. We went down the dark passage, which curved gradually northwards and became very dirty as it did so. We were going up a slight incline, when all of a sudden, the dirt beneath our feet burst open, and something leaped out and attacked!

Rourk: "Cleric! Keep the light up!" (Cuts, hits the main body.)

Navero: "I got dirt in my eyes!"

Dania: "FuckingshitgoddamnbastardwhatISit" (Casts magic missile)

Kortul: (Chops. Hits. Crunch.)

Razuli: "A tunneler worm! I saw one in a farmer's field!"

Navero: (Shoves glow-torch between it's mandibles.)

Razuli: "Keep out of it's way!" (Shoves Navero into wall.)

Navero: "OOF!"

Thing: (Sprays acid, torch dissolves.)

Rourk: "GLORY AND DEATH! GLORY AND DEATH!" (Cuts into a leg.)

Dania: "WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP?!"

Thing: (Dives back into the ground.)

Kortul: "Shit. Not dead."

Razuli: "Quiet!"

Rourk: "I refuse..."

Razuli: "We can hear when it comes back!"

We waited, still and listening, but it did not come back. We never did find out what it was, and had to go back for another glow-torch. Further up the tunnel, we discovered a large quantity of animal bones, crocodile and boar and such. Nothing here was very interesting, so we continued on. The passage was running almost straight north at this point, and began to narrow. Kortul, in a rare moment of quickness, took the lead, and was the first to notice the spider-webs.

Kortul: "Big spider."

Rourk: "You are afraid of insects? Very well then; stand aside."

Razuli: "Navero, light a torch."

Dania: "We don't need more light, Nav."

Razuli: "That's what you do with spiders. Roast 'em. To a nice crackly crunch."

Dania: "It would be better if we kept, uh, open flame to an absolute minimum, you know? I mean, we might hit a gas pocket, or catch somebody's clothes on fire, or something."

Razuli: "What are you so bitchy about? Too young for PMS."

Dania: "Fuck you. It's too dangerous."

Razuli: "It's too dangerous to fuck you? Well, I..."

Navero: "Please stop saying things like that."

Razuli: "What was that?"

Navero: "Please stop saying things like that to Dania."

Razuli: "Well, EXCUSE ME!"

Dania: "You're excused. Bye."

Rourk: "Will you all stop this annoying bickering. You try my patience as it is. Priest! Light a torch."

Navero: "Dania thinks we shouldn't."

Kortul: "Get torch lit."

Dania: "But fires are dangerous! Fuck the torch..."

Razuli: "You're the only one here who can do that, Wizzerd."

Dania: "Say that again and I'll blast your face off."

Navero: "Uh..."

Arlor: (Appears from tunnel ahead of us.) "Um..."

Rourk: (Jumps a bit, recovers.) "What is it?"

Arlor: "There are big spiders in there, yup. Big as me."

Dania: "Oh, that's no problem, then."

Kortul: "See anything else? Money?"

Arlor: "Um, nope. Nope."

Navero: "Perhaps we should leave them? They're not hurting anything."

Rourk: "I agree. There is little honor in slaying bugs, particularly if they have nothing of value. Let us return, and go another way."

Dania: "Aye."

Razuli: "I what?"

Dania: "Shut up."

We all returned to the glowing fungus cave, prepared another couple of glow-torches, and set off to the south.

Dan Parsons

"Why can't we run into something simple, like another Dragon?"