Navero 52

• Navero, male human cleric, 5th level
• Dania, female 1/2-elf MU, 4th level
• Kortul, male human fighter, 5th level
• Kory, male elf bard, 4th level
• Topash, male elf druid, 4th level
• Serga, male half-ogre fighter, 3rd level
• Lao Tsu, male human monk, 3rd level

Dania made a few more noises about getting her staff back, but she was soundly shouted down by most of the assembled party. Kortul kept his pack on and did not leave his back to her as we went out to track down our horses. Dania's horse had slipped its hobbles, and had to be chased down, but after that was done, we took off down the road back to Lorin's house.

Snow was falling lightly, and the road had not been cleared at all, so our progress was a little slow. By nightfall, we'd made it back to clearing where we'd seen the Will o' the Wisps earlier. We posted a double watch, and Dania and Topash sat down to count out the loot we'd gotten away from the temple.

Topash: "Hundred and five... hundred and ten... 523 platinum. And how much gold was there?"

Dania: "Uh... 450. Not bad seven ways. Wish we had time for the rest of it. That place was pretty rich."

Navero: "Temples of evil often are. They exploit the land and honest tradesmen around them, and only agree to call off their god if they donate money and other things to their temples. But that only makes the god grow stronger, and they must give up more and more to keep his blight off of their land."

Dania: "Yeah, yeah. Ain't religion terrible. What about the magic stuff?"

Topash: "Well, I am quite happy with this scimitar. Serga?"

Serga: "This sword is nice. It has a real sharp edge."

Topash: "Good. The scrolls are already in the hands of the people who need them. After we make a positive identification on the potions, we'll divide those up too."

Dania: "That's not what should be in the hands of the ones who need them."

Kory: (Groans from lookout post in tree) "Dania, are you gonna start that up again?"

Lao: "Rittre medium, why do you need this thing?"

Dania: "I don't need it. It just makes life easier, and it's MINE!"

Lao: "Then it shourd be bloken in two, and frowers wirr grow."

Dania: "WHAT!?!"

Kortul: (Glares at Lao from his watch post.) "Shut up."

Lao: (Smiles enigmatically, and sits down under a tree.)

Dania: (Grumbles and glares at Lao.)

Navero: "Um... maybe it's time we went to sleep. And everyone should be careful about the swamp lights from last time."

Dania: (whispers to Topash) "That is the stupidest idea I've ever heard. Are you sure this guy is reliable?"

Topash: (whispers) "Not at all. He is certainly eccentric, but I believe I understand some of his reasoning. Simple practicality does not seem very important to him."

Dania: "No shit. Do you think he'll want a share of the money?"

Topash: "I can't imagine that he wouldn't. Money is not important, but it is good to have some, and I don't think he has any."

Dania: "If he doesn't, fine with me."

When we got back to Lorin's house, no one was home. We did see a tramp sitting out in the road, and asked him if he'd seen him.

Topash: "Excuse me, my friend..."

Kortul: (Grabs tramp by collar.) "Where's the guy who lives here?"

Topash: (sigh.)

Tramp: "Hey, hey, watch tha material! Father Lorin is consecratin' da fields for da winter!"

Kortul: (Drops tramp.) "He's priest?"

Topash: "I would guess that he is, if he's consecrating the fields. You haven't any idea when he'll be back? We would very much like to speak to him."

Tramp: "Nah. He been runnin' around like crazy since yesterday, doin' da fields and blessin' da cows, ever since they ran out o' da Temple o' Gutrun."

Kory: "Oh, has he? I wonder why that could be?"

Topash: "Yes, what exactly is his relationship with the, ah, temple of Gutrun?"

Tramp: "You stupid?" (looks at Kortul) "Eh, what I mean is, dey hate each other's guts! Lorin's in charge o' here, but when da Gutrunners moved in, dey started layin' coises and blights ever'where dey go! Now dey gone, he's cleanin' up!"

Kory: (Starts laughing.) "In more ways than one!"

Navero: "Excuse me, but have you ever heard of the Orb of Spheres?"

Tramp: "Huh?"

Topash: "Never mind. It appears that we have been misguided."

Kory: (Is still laughing.)

Kortul: (Fumes, fingers sword.)

Dania: "But the Orb of Spheres has to be around here somewhere?"

Kory: "And what... snrmmmf! And what is your reasoning on that?"

Dania: "We never told him we were looking for it. How the hell would Lorin know to mention it to us?"

Navero: "Well, we did talk about it in front of his son, and those other boys."

Dania: " ... "

Topash: (Grins, in spite of himself.) "Oh, dear. I think we have been more than misguided."

Kory: "I think we just got royally suckered!"

Dania: (Fumes...)

Navero: "Well, I'm glad we got them to abandon their temple. I wish Lorin hadn't lied to us."

Topash: "I suspect he didn't think we'd do it out of the goodness in our hearts. Oh, my..."

Serga: (To Lao) "Do you know what just happened?"

Lao: "I berieve oul new fliends have discoveled that they have been foored into doing a good deed, but I may be mistaken."

Topash: "Oh, dear... (shakes head) Well, what should we do now?"

Dania: "Let's track him down and kill him."

Kortul: (Grunts approvingly.)

Kory: "Oh, sure! Somebody makes some farmers happy, and you want to go and kill him because you got upset!"

Dania: "Since when did you give a shit about farmers?!"

Navero: "I think we should resume our quest. Lorin's behavior was not very honest, but I don't think it will be necessary to reprimand him for them. We should go looking for the Orb of Spheres again."

Kortul: "Don't want to reprimand him."

Kory: "No, you want to help him swallow his own leg. But I, for one, am impressed enough with that `dumb farmer' act of his to let this one go. He sure got me! I'll just come back later and pull something on him my own way, that's all."

Dania: "But he... and he... he had the fucking GALL to... aw, shit... let's just get out of here."

Kortul: "No."

Topash: "No?"

Kortul: "Honor must be avenged."

Topash: "Why don't we try the `voting' thing again. All those who want to go feed Lorin his eyeballs, raise your right hand." (Kortul raises his hand.)

Topash: "All opposed?" (Topash, Dania, Kory, Navero, and Lao raise their hands.) "Motion is carried. Let's get out of here."

Kortul: (FUME... then rides off to catch up with the rest of the party as they leave.)

Tramp: (Smiles, and dispels the disguise he was wearing.) "OK, everybody can come out now."

Lorin's family: (Looks out of the cellar.) "You okay, paw?"

Lorin: "Sure, those idjits never knew what hit 'em. Heh! Gotta get up pretty early in the morning to catch me!"