Navero 04

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

After a good nights sleep (yes - even for Navero) we all met at the castle gate, and went to see the Keep Master to tell him of our plans and secure his permission in our endeavour. At the door to his chambers, we met a pair of his elite guardsmen.

Guard 1: "Oh, It's those awful people from the gate yesterday. Send them away, please, they gave me a terrible tension headache."

Dania: "Oh, <obscenity>. We are here to see the Lord and Master of this Keep, so that we can get his permission to go out and kill all the orcs in his lands."

The Cavalier: "Open the doors. And do be quick about it; we haven't all day."

Guard 2: "Orcs? Oh, yah, them. You in'rested in 'em, li'l lady? They'd take a real fancy to yu! <uncouth laughter> Now bugger off."

Dania: "Why? You don't want to lose any of your relatives?"

Guard 1: "How did you ever know about that?"

Navero: "Please, please listen to me. Tales of the terrible deeds of this band of pillagers have reached our ears in our own lands, and our hearts do truly go out to you in your plight. We have come here with our only thought to aid you, and promise to you that, by whatever means, these terrible people shall no longer trouble your community with their harassment and evil. We beg of you, please allow us to enter that we may seek the blessings of the castle Lord, and ride as your emissaries."

Guard 1: "Oh, he's sweet."

Rizudo: "And then we'll kill 'em all. And we expect to be paid, too."

Navero: "Killing them should be a last resort, one to which we fall when all hope is lost."

Rizudo: "Yeah, right. C'mon, let us in."

The Cavalier: "Indeed. I am unaccustomed to being kept waiting by servants."

Guard 2: "SHUT UP! I'm wornin' yu, be outa my sight, or I'll set tha dog on ya."

Dania: "A dog? A dog? Oh, watch me quake with fear!"

Rizudo: "I'll watch you shake anytime. Shake and bounce and quiver with.."

Navero: "Uh.... May I please ask you to stop, um... I mean..."

Rizudo: "Yeah, what?"

Navero: "Uh... Never mind."

Guard 1: "Oh, you've frightened him. That wasn't very nice. You're a brute."

Guard 2: "SHUT UP ALL O' YU!! Right! Tha dog it is, then! Rog!! Open the dog's door."

Guard 1: "Are you sure? You know what a time we had getting him back in there the last time you let him out..."

The party heard the clanking of chains and the groan of wood, and looked to the wall beside them to see another door was being opened. A very low growl shook the battlements, and the guard settled back with a satisfied smirk. We all retreated rather rapidly, except for the Cavalier.

The Cavalier: "A dog, then? I hope I can amuse myself with it. And after that, I shall deal with another dog which lies within my view, to his great sorrow, for trying the patience of..."

At this point, Rizudo hit him over the head with a large block of stone, rendering him unconscious, and we all went into a full retreat. We never did see the dog, and I'm not even sure there ever was one, as that guardsman certainly did laugh a lot. I should note that we had to get a private room for bandaging the Cavaliers head; he is a Drow, and normally wears his helmet constantly, and we did not wish to advertise his origins. This altercation left us with few alternatives. Do we go for the Orcs anyway? Do we leave, an hope something better comes along? Or do we all go our separate ways? Navero, of course, pointed out that we would have to go for the orcs anyway, just because it was the only right thing to do. He had spoken to the family he spent the night with about the Orcs, and they seemed supportive of the idea of someone stopping them. Rizudo expressed the hope that they would have enough treasure to make it all worth it, a point on which Dania and the Assassin agreed.

Navero: "I realize that money can be useful, but it shouldn't be the only motive. Why is it that some people will risk their lives for it, but not for each other?"

Rizudo: "Thats because people aren't worth shit, Nav. Someday you'll learn that. Take our insensible companion here..."

Dania: "Best description of him I've heard."

The Assassin: "Most people are useful, in one way or another, but pass away after only a short time. Truly lasting monuments cannot be built on weak flesh, but must be dedicated to something more lasting."

Navero: "But..."

The Cavalier: "Owww.... What struck me? Was it the Dragon?"

Rizudo: "Nope. A very small hailstorm. But it's gone now."

The Cavalier: "By my troth, I do think YOU hit me. You shall answer for it right now, you unworthy..."

Dania: "Please, lie down. I saw quite clearly that Rizudo didn't hit you. It was a horrible beast that moved so fast, it was but a blur. We were barely able to pull you away from it."

The Cavalier: "I did not see it at all."

Rizudo: "That's because you were wearing your helmet."

The Cavalier: "Priest! Do they speak truth? If they do not they shall pay dearly for it."

Navero: "Ummm... No..Ye..N..Ye... Rizudo never touched you. A rock did."

The Cavalier: "A rock?"

Navero: "A rock from the battlements."

The Cavalier: "I was struck down by a stone that fell from the battlements? Mage, I forgive you your lie. I am ashamed to know I was downed by such an ignoble accident. It is good that you thought to spare me the knowledge."

Dania: "Right."

The Cavalier: "Well, I must seek some way to redeem myself. We must go to the Orc den; there may I erase this failure with the blood of evil creatures."

Rizudo: "Ok."

Navero: "Um... Do we have to kill them?"

Rizudo: "Nav, Orcs are not going to sit down and parley."

The Cavalier: "Yes; they are notoriously unreasonable."

Navero: <looks pensive>

Our heroes secured their mounts, and rode off into the swamp in the direction the Orcs usually came from. How easy would it be for an entire band of Orcs to hide in a swamp?

Dan Parsons

"I feel bad about this. I wish Father Lucius were here."