Navero 13

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

When last we heard from the party,

• 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 had just engaged the Orc Chief, an Ogre, and 2 rust monsters. In the battle, Dania was seriously hurt, Razuli less seriously hurt, Kortul got his armor destroyed, and Rourk was liberally coated with brightly glowing fungus juice. (Whatever possessed him to jump in the pool is beyond me, but the DM was kind to us mere mortals.) Navero and Arlor were unhurt. If anyone asks for it, I shall try to put a map in the next posting, as this dungeon crawl may be hard to keep track of without it.

We were badly enough off that we decided to just take the Chief's head and go back to Swamp Keep to rest, and maybe fix Rourk so he didn't look like a 5-foot, spiky tinker bell. Kortul also expressed an interest in some new armor. So we went back north, through the Dead Crayfish room, north to the Glowing Fungus room, and west to the entrance hall. We went in calmly, expecting no trouble: mistake #1.

Game Master: All of a sudden, this incredible stench surrounds you. Will everyone please make a saving throw vs. Poison?

Party: Rourk and Arlor make it. Dania, Kortul, Navero, and Razuli fail, and immedeatly loose their respective breakfasts. They all collapse to the ground and are helpless with nausea.

Game M: You see two vaguely cat-like creatures come out from behind the rock formations and attack the party. (Witherstench, I believe.)

Rourk: "I engage both. I shall soon deal with these rotten things."

Arlor: "I run up and backstab."

Rourk: "Coward." (Swings twice, hits twice, does damage.)

(Generic fight sounds. Rourk is cut up, as they have big claws, but is not too seriously hurt. Other party members recover slowly.)

Rourk: "Barbarian, I would have thought you were better at tolerating strong odors, seeing how you constantly acclimate yourself to them. But your own weakness is merely a product of your inferior background, and I do not begrudge you your lapses."

Navero: "I grab the bodies and run them into the room with the lava. There, I dump them in, so they won't smell anymore."

Game M: You do it alone? Anyone go with him?

Party: If he just runs off, he is alone.

Game M: Navero, are you alone?

Navero: I guess I am. I didn't think to take anyone with me.

(Mistake #2, by the way.)

Game M: "Well, the other one who was hiding in the entrance attacks as you approach. I assume you make a panicked cry for help."

Navero: Uh, yes. "eeep!"

Game M: "It attacks you, and... Oh my."

Navero: What happened?

Game M: (rolls more dice.) "Oh, dear."

Navero: May I intrude? I have some interest in the outcome of this.

Game M: (rolls still more dice.) "Oh my. Sorry, you're dead. Critical strike to the brain, skull penetrated, instant death."

Dania: Oh, fuck. Sorry, Dan.

Navero: (Thud.) (The player, not the character.)

Game M: Well, the rest of the party hears this shriek from out in the hall...

Razuli: "Hey, where's that stupid priest?"

Rourk: "I believe he went to dispose of the bodies."

Party: We all go running up there.

(More generic fight. Witherstench bodies eventually disposed of in lava, by Arlor and Kortul. Party gathers around Navero.)

Razuli: "Well, this is just great! What do we do with him?"

Dania: "Maybe we can get him resurrected."

Razuli: "That costs some serious bucks, magic-user...."

Dania: "Maybe we can get a discount because he's a priest."

Razuli: "Right. Step right up to The Late J. C.'s Body and Fender shop! Special discounts to pure people."

We all got out of the caves with no further incident. Navero was placed over his horse, and we rode back to the keep. The ride back was rather quieter than is usual; the characters seemed somehow preoccupied, although Razuli did try to liven things up.

Razuli: "C'mon! Why the long faces? We got the chief, so maybe we can get them to resurrect Nav as our payment. I don't think we'll get any more money out of them, anyway."

Arlor: "That'd be nice. Great. Yup, I guess."

Dania: "Razuli, shut up. I'm not in the mood."

Rourk: "Indeed. Do us all a great favor."

Razuli: "Kortul?"

Kortul: "What now?"

Razuli: "OK, OK! Jeez..."

We arrived back at the keep gate. It was late evening; the sun was setting behind Swamp Keep like blood splashing into the dirt. Rourk and Kortul gave the guards one look, and they opened the gate without a word. We went to see the official we had been seeing earlier; he had been preparing to go home, but took the time to see us.

Official: "You killed the chief, but one of your number died. I see. Oh, it was that young priest? Truly, this is a tragic loss. He will be honored, of course, in the way of his faith."

Dania: "Actually, we were thinking of trying for a resurrection."

Official: "Well... that is a bit out of my field, but I shall see what I can do. Give me the Chief's head - thank you, keep it in the box, and don't drip on the desk - to show to his lordship, and then... ah, let me see...."

Razuli: "If it's too much trouble, we can get another priest."

Dania: "Oh, please! It's not like they grow on trees."

Rourk: "Your attitude disgusts me, mercenary. Truly, you are beneath any sort of contempt."

Kortul: "May get a competent one, this time."

Official: "Hmm. Truly, he had noble comrades. But take this (hands Dania a token) to Brother Guilern at the temple of Kiliy. Ask of him."

Dania: "Thank you very much, for all your help. You have been most kind."

Guilern, as it turns out, was the high priest of the main temple in the keep. The token got the party in to see him, and he remembered having spoken with Navero, whom he recalled as a well-spoken, if thick-skulled youth.

Guilern: (Examining body.) "Well, perhaps not so thick-skulled..."

Rourk: "Can you do it, o mighty holy one?"

Guilern: "I must consult the goddess in this. He is not of our faith. And naturally, the price for the ritual, both in physical and monetary terms, is very high. By the way, gentle knight; how did you come to be painted with Shimmer Fungus?"

Rourk: "An unfortunate accident. Would you, most wise Cleric, know of any way in which the, uh, Shimmer Fungus might be cleansed from my armor?"

Guilern: "It is extremely tenacious in it's adherence, but alcohol should prove quite sufficient in it's removal."

Razuli: "I think it looks great as it is."

Rourk: "Do be quiet. And thank you, noble Priest."

Arlor: "Go get soused, I guess. Yup." (chuckles.)

Rourk: (Irritatedly leaves.)

Navero did not quite reach his eternal reward; he was halted by a gentle tug. This gentle tug became a gentle wind, unfamiliar but not unfriendly, pushing his drifting soul back to where it once had been. A strange and stoical voice said, "You are called. Go." And with that, Navero opened his eyes, groggily sat up on the bed, looked about him in bewilderment, and threw up.

It is interesting to note that when Rizudo died, nobody even mentioned resurrection; but then, we didn't have the body or the money. (The resurrection did cost a GREAT deal, by the way; most of the money we had.)

Dan Parsons

"Navero, don't ever do anything that stupid again, hear?"