Navero 28

From: dparsons@jarthur.claremont.edu (Daniel Parsons)
Path: jarthur.claremont.edu!dparsons
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Navero XXVIII
Distribution: world
Organization: Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711
Keywords: Navero, of the Correct and Unalterable Way

While we were in town, those who could train did so.

• Navero, male human cleric, 4th level
• Dania, female 1/2-elf MU, 4th level
• Kortul, male human fighter, 4th level
• Razuli, male human fighter, 4th level
• Arlor, male dwarf thief, 4th level
• Kory, male elf bard, 3rd level
• Topash, male elf druid, 3rd level

Kory got training at Eristophanes' Lute Emporium in downtown Propyla; he came back singing Purple Rain, for which he was severely reprimanded. During this time, we went back to see the great wise sage to see if he had any advice for us.

Kortul & Dania: (Enter Kilgurians' shop)

Kilgurian: (Sitting in the midst of the grand mess.) "Yes? What do you want?"

Kortul: "Orb of Spheres."

Kilgurian: "You can't have it! I've given your master enough of my goods! I absolutely refuse to... wait a moment. I don't have one. Ha ha! Of course you can't have it! I haven't got it! Ha HA ha ha..."

Dania: "Uh, no, old master. Yesterday, Kortul came in seeking information on the location of a magic item called the Orb of Spheres?"

Kilgurian: "What?... Hm, well, let me see... A very large, hairy man with a broken nose, smelled bad... I do seem to recall..."

Dania: "Yea. He looked a lot like this guy here."

Kilgurian: "By my soul! The very picture of the man! Well, how unfortunate for you. Did you hear the latest on Princess Fytalior?"

Dania: "Yea. Ug. I'd think all the scales would feel weird."

Kilgurian: "Scales? Oh, no it was a Clay Golem designed long ago by a rogue Priestess of Aphrodite. Terribly interesting what some people do in their spare time. Now... Robe of Sears?"

Dania: "Orb of Spheres."

Kortul: "Anything?"

Kilgurian: "No need to shout, I can hear perfectly well. Well, so, ah. Hm. Ah! Afraid I can't help you. No information on it. Terribly sorry. You may have better luck at Paracelsus' Herbal Market, he keeps up on such things more than I do. Whatever you do, don't go that young idiot over on Adamant Way! He not only doesn't know anything useful, he is crass and boorish and a thief besides! I know personally! I've seen him sneaking about where he doesn't belong, always getting into this and that; no honest businessman, he! Called me a brainless old fidget, he did!"

Kortul: "Untrue. Hardly fidget."

Kilgurian: "Thank you, young man. Hmm... what is that odor? I've only just now smelled it, I wonder what it could be..."

Dania: "Probably a rat. Well, we must be going."

Kilgurian: "Sorry, sorry, payment for my services is expected."

Kortul: (Throws 5gp, leaves)

Kilgurian: "But, but..."

Dania: "Thank you!" (Quickly exits)

Kilgurian: "Oh, well..."

Dania: "Shit, now what do we do? Think we can get into the city?"

Kortul: "No. Some might, those not easily recognized."

Dania: "Which leaves you out. Even that old fart remembered you."

Kortul: "Orb not near, or sages would have something. Find another town. Should look west."

Dania: "Why west?"

Kortul: "Why not? Besides, check out weather."

(Looking to the west, great black clouds could be seen near the horizon. They looked ominous and brooding, and were obviously not natural.)

Kortul: "Something magical that way."

Dania: "Yuck. Something big. How long has that been there?"

Kortul: "Couple days."

Dania: "It's probably not the Orb causing it. I don't see why that way is any better than any other. In fact, we probably don't want to go riding into THAT. It looks NASTY."

Kortul: "Dangerous."

Dania: "Yes... Lots of magic, do you think?"

Kortul: "Obviously."

Dania: "Well, we can go in that GENERAL direction. And ask along the way. Whatever's doing it probably has lots of cash and magic items."

Kortul: "Probably."

Dania: "Well, then..."

The great clouds continued to build during our stay; they became larger and larger, but were never accompanied by any rain or wind. They just spread like a shadow, blocking out the sun. After about a week (during which the aforementioned training took place) they had moved to cover one-quarter of the sky. Grim-faced messengers rode into town from the west; they never stopping at the inns to rest, just rode straight into town as if on matters of all-consuming importance. Rumors abounded: the great witch Taya Haygo had returned, and was reclaiming her lands; the World was ending; a great Vampire was summoning monstrous legions to conquer all of civilization; the God of the Sunset had the worst case of indigestion in recorded history. No one was sure, but everyone was willing to speculate.

Topash returned to us after his stay in the woods and fields. He seemed most agitated, and collected the entire group together in a square for a discussion. Navero was still in the main city, and so was not present.

Topash: "Well, hello again. I hope this city has been treating you well."

Razuli: "Druid, cut the crap and tell us what's goin' on."

Topash: "I wish I knew. Something terrible is coming from the west."

Razuli: "No shit, Sherlock. What's that got to do with us?"

Kory: "Now, now, calm down, give him a minute to catch his breath. Can't you see public speaking doesn't come naturally to him? OK, you can go on now. And stop sweating."

Topash: "Thank you o so very much. Well, I think we should go investigate the disturbance to the west, seek out its source, and do whatever is necessary to alleviate the strain to the natural forces."

Arlor: "Besides, the DM wants us to go over there."

Kory: "Hush. We're not supposed to talk about that."

Topash: "Well, I suppose that settles it. Unless I hear objections?"

Razuli: "Why do we gotta go risking our necks in that mess? Why not just go out and hunt trolls, or kill another dragon, or something easy?"

Dania: "You're forgetting the Orb of Spheres. It might be in there."

Razuli: "Huh? I ain't heard anything about that."

Dania: "Well, the Orb of Spheres is a device allowing travel between the vibratory planes of existence, right? And use is often accompanied by strain to the local continuum, right?"

Razuli: "Huh?"

Dania: "You'd know about these things if you had any education. Suffice to say that the Orb could cause effects very much like those we now see, and the natural conclusion is obvious. Q.E.B."

Topash: "There is no reason at all NOT to go there. It will fulfill two of our purposes at once, and leave you free to go about your own business once again."

Razuli: "All right, all right! Jeez, it's nothin'. Ok, we'll go."

Kory: "Right. I shall locate our dear lost Navero and we shall be on our merry way once again. Oh, Dania: did I tell you I wrote a ballad?"

Dania: "Not interested."

Kory: "Oh, you SHOULD be! It is `Dania and the Priests of Gothard'! I put in a great deal of research, including lengthy interviews with many of those involved."

Dania: "If you dare..."

Kory: "I must remember to sing it to you sometime. You'll LOVE it."

(Dania swings at Kory with her staff. He avoids it and runs away laughing a laugh I cannot describe in text. You'd have to hear it; it's silly.)

Kortul: "Hmph. Meet here, dawn tomorrow."

Topash: "Agreed. Let each prepare themselves in their fashion."

(Group disperses.)

Topash: "Oh, Dania... Q.E.B.?"

Dania: "Quite Elementary Bullshit."

Topash: "Ah..."

The next day, our heroes set forth from the great city of Propyla and rode westwards. There was no sunset to ride into as yet, but we were just starting out. We were riding on a trade route, but there was very little traffic going westwards; occasionally, a man on a fast horse would go by, but little else. Traffic from the east was completely composed of people moving out of the area; there weren't very many of them, though. We were riding for about a week when the first real changes became noticeable - all the brush and grass seemed to be dying, except for one tough, crabgrass- like variety, and many farmhouses had been abandoned.

After 10 days, we reached Etheilia, the second capital as Propyla was the third. (Rumor had it they were named for the emperor's consorts, but you know how reliable rumors are.) The wall around the city had been only partially completed, but work on it seemed to have stopped. There were very few people in town, and those who were there were very unfriendly, and seemed preoccupied with something. We stayed an uncomfortable and nervous night, then left. The clouds now covered half the sky, and looked blacker and nastier all the time; there was never any lightning, or anything you would associate with real clouds, but they did block out the sun VERY efficiently. It was like ink dribbled across the heavens.

One night out of Etheilia...

(Kortul on guard duty. We had a bright campfire, and decided that since there seemed to be almost no traffic, we should camp right in the middle of the road where there were no trees or grass to hide in.)

Kortul: (Whole country feels rotten as a graveyard...)

Kory: (Starts awake) "whazzat?!"

Kortul: "Snake slid under your blanket. Not poisonous."

Kory: "Yahh!" (Throws it away) "Jesus, why didn't you tell me?!"

Kortul: "I'm not Jesus."

Dania: "Kory, shut up and let us sleep..."

Kortul: (Gazes into darkness)

Navero: "Something's wrong..."

Dania: "What?"

Navero: "I can't sleep. It's all too wrong, and it got worse just now."

Dania: "Nav, what are you talking about?"

Kortul: "Shh..."

(Silence. Everyone is awake and listening. Then, rushing footsteps. Many rushing footsteps.)

Kortul: (Unsheathes Sun Sword. Light shows many disgusting humanoids rushing towards the camp.)

Topash: "Ghouls, I believe. They are a violation; Kortul, Razuli, stay back from them, they can paralyze humans."

Dania: (Magic Missiles a Ghoul(?))

Kortul: "Hmph." (Steps forward, butchers one with Sun Sword.)

Navero: "By the Lords of the CorrecOOMPH!" (Ghoul(?) barrels into his gut and drops him.)

Razuli: "Shit, get up!" (Attacks Ghoul on Navero.)

Arlor: (Hides under a blanket)

Ghouls: "Gibber gibber gargle snort drool" (Claw Topash, Navero, Arlor; saves are requested of all.)

Topash: "Oh shit, they're Ghasts."

Game Master: You're paralyzed. Shut up.

(Navero and Arlor are also paralyzed.)

Dania: "SHIT!!" (Melf's Acid Arrow on a Ghast)

Kortul: (Butchers 2 more with Sun Sword)

Razuli: "This is another fine mess you got me into. You really owe me, magic-user." (Slices a Ghast, wounding it.)

Kory: "Did you notice that a lot of these guys are dressed like farmers?" (Slices another Ghast.)

Ghasts: "Gibber gibber <obscene gerund> <racial slur>" (Flee)

Kory: "Hey! Why'd they all run away? I was having fun!"

Razuli: "Must have seen your face."

Kory: "Oh, come on! I could play Dead Mans Party for them!"

Dania: "Oh, shut the fuck up. Get the wounded cleaned and bandaged."

Kory: "YES, MA'AM! Right away, o party leader extraordinaire! Who elected you to the illustrious position of Queen of this chaos..."

Kortul: "Bandage wounded. NOW. Get poison out first."

Kory: "You're no fun anymore. God, nothing around here is fun anymore."

Dan Parsons

"Do you know an interior decorator who does exteriors? This place could sure use some brightening up."