Navero 54

• Navero, male human cleric, 6th level
• Dania, female 1/2-elf MU, 5th level
• Kortul, male human fighter, 6th level
• Kory, male elf bard, 5th level
• Topash, male elf druid, 5th level
• Serga, male half-ogre fighter, 4th level
• Lao Tsu, male human monk, 4th level

The city was called Sireipa, and had an interesting history. It was a very old city, dating back through at least three empires, including the one that currently occupied it now. Much of the architecture of the city was unusual. The streets were narrower, and the ceilings lower, and the decorations on the buildings were strange, and many unknown to us. Of course, there were the usual rumors of other, unknown things, far more ancient than any of the people walking the street during the daytime, but every really old city had plenty of those. All the buildings had dark, and very thick, walls, keeping it warm inside on cold nights, even if they did make walking about outside even more chilling than the winter did.

The city was not a rich one. They made most of their wealth by mining the nearby hills, and cutting timber. The mines, however, had been worked for centuries, and their production had dropped so far that most of the population was filled with gloom. No one was cutting trees much in the bitter cold; demand for it would increase come spring, when people began building houses and ships again, but for now, much of the town was unemployed and facing a bleak future. The town's only theater had closed last month due to a lack of public support, and even Kory couldn't get much out of the locals at the tavern when he played. And no one knew anything about any Orb of Spheres. After a week, we had had enough rest and magic for everyone to have fully recovered, and were willing to call it quits and hit the road again, and damn the weather.

As we'd come from the south, we decided to go out by one of the north gates. The road went through a manufacturing area. There were several workshops by the side of the road, for the manufacture of leather goods, barrels, drills and other mining equipment, and other durable goods. Obviously it was not in the nice part of town.

Topash: "What a dreary little town this was."

Dania: "Why is everyone staring at us?"

Topash: "Ah... yes, they are, aren't they?"

Kory: "Oh, I don't know. We may be the most exciting thing they've seen for quite some time. Though I personally don't think we look that unusual."

Navero: "I think they're staring at Serga."

Dania: "Oh, shit. That's right. Well, pay them no mind. You OK back there, Serga?"

Serga: "I'm fine."

Topash: "You know, it might be a good idea to figure out what we're going to do about Serga when we go into towns. He does stand out, and not in a good way, if you understand me."

Dania: "No shit. Got any suggestions?"

Topash: (Looks back at his humungousness, plodding along on his draft horse.) "Ah... do you know any spells that might disguise him?"

Dania: "Nope."

Topash: "Kory?"

Kory: "Nada here, my friend. We could paint his armor brown and tell people he's a small tree, but that's about it."

Serga: "What?"

Topash: "Our bard is being flippant again. But it does occur to me that this will become a serious problem very soon. We can't avoid it forever."

Kory: (As they exit the gate) "We can avoid it a little longer, though."

(Guards stare as Serga plods through, and look at each other, but don't seem as disturbed by things leaving the city as entering.)

Navero: "We didn't seem to have any trouble coming to this city. If just take the time to explain ourselves, I'm sure that people we meet will be less inclined to act on their first assumptions."

Kortul: (Actually turns around to sneer at Navero.)

Dania: "Yeah, and if Dwarves weren't such shitpots, people wouldn't think they were all boozy hairy losers. No one's gonna just take our word for it."

Kory: "Nav, look at us. Would you trust us?"

Navero: "Well..."

Lao: "One time, a rittre spallow randed on a wise man's shourdel, and said to him, `You ale the wisest of arr the men in the wolrd, and arr of natule lejoices in youl right.' And the wise man said, `What ale you doing? Bilds do not tark rike men!' and he kirred the bild, and flied it fol his suppel."

Topash: (Looks heavenward.)

Dania: (Shakes her head and spurs her horse a bit.)

Kory: "Thank you for enriching our lives. We all feel oh so refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view."

Lao: (Smiles enigmatically.)

Serga: (Looks clueless.) "Um, would you guys like me to just leave?"

Navero: "No, Serga. You're our friend now, and we would never abandon you in crisis. That wouldn't be right."

Dania: "Yeah, stick around. We'll deal with it if anyone gives you shit."

Serga: (Smiles. It's not pretty.) "Thanks."

Topash: (Whispers) "Besides, his breath could kill a goblin."

Kory: (Whispers) "No, that's Kortul. Serga'd just scare 'em to death."

Dania: "I dunno, Serga's pretty good in that department too. But I think he may be smarter than Kortul. You know he can read?"

Topash: "Well, he did say he was raised in an Elvish household."

Kory: "And we all know that automatically makes him superior, of course. But there's only so much environment can do for a kid. Why, look at me! Would you believe my parents were both musically untalented?"

Dania: "Yes."

Kory: "But I... (glares at Dania) "And your parents were probably well-mannered, intelligent people, too. With a real appreciation of the fine arts. But that's not important right now. Does anyone have any idea where we're going?"

Topash: "You know, I don't think that was ever discussed."

Dania: "Hey Kortul, where are you going?"

Kortul: "The next town."

Kory: "Well, that answers that question. Kortul! What's in the next town?"

Kortul: "Don't know."

Lao: "What an enrightened way to tlavel."

Topash: "Kortul, why are we going that way if we don't know what's there?"

Kortul: "Can ask about Orb of Spheres, get this over with."

Topash: "How do you know if anyone there knows about it?"

Kortul: "Don't. That's why we ask, stupid."

Topash: "Don't you think it would be a nice idea to let the rest of us contribute our thoughts on the matter? Stop and lets discuss it."

Kortul: (Stops horse, lets everyone else catch up.) "Fine. Where we going?"

Kory: "Wherever the Orb of Spheres is!"

Kortul: "Where?"

Topash: "That's exactly the problem, isn't it? We don't know where it is. We have to find it, or find someone who does know."

Kortul: "Where we find someone who knows?"

Topash: "We'd be most likely to find such a person in a large city where information from many leagues around concentrates, of course."

Navero: "Some of the local people will also know about hermits and other people who live out alone, and who might know things that the sages don't."

Kortul: "But check cities first."

Topash: "Yes."

Kortul: (Rides off.)

Dania: "Well, that was pointless."

Topash: "Kortul, how do you know there's a city up there?"

Kortul: "The signposts."

Serga: "Do you guys do things like this a lot?"

Topash: "Shut up, Serga."

Serga: "What?"

Topash: "No, what I mean is, I'm afraid that yes, this sort of thing does happen far more frequently than it should. I, for one, am getting tired of letting Kortul make our decisions of where to go and what to do."

Dania: "Since when does he do our thinking for us? He's going that way because that's what we did for the last two cities."

Kory: "Yeah, and look where that got us."

Lao: "Once, a man was sent by his empelor to find a pule white clow, as a sign flom heaven. Fealing his empelor, he rooked high and fal, but found no such clow. And when, aftel many yeals, he letulned and found his empelol dead, he wept, and lejoiced."

Topash: "Lao, thank you. Your stock of parables is truly amazing. You have one for every situation. Now, what about Kortul?"

Dania: "You got any bright ideas on what we do?" (Rides after Kortul.)

Kory: "I certainly can't think of anything better to do. Look, if it bothers you that much, just glare hatefully at his back like Dania does. You'll feel much better." (Rides off.)

Navero: "Topash, I don't think there's very much we can do but ride around and ask people if they know about it. And as you said, cities are the best place to look."

Serga: "And the beds are comfier too."

Topash: (sigh...) "Very well, then. But next time, we decide which direction we want to go before we leave."

Navero: "That would be a good idea anyway."

We continued on in silence. If Topash were upset, he wasn't saying anything. We might have gone on like that all day if Kortul hadn't been suddenly shot.

Kortul: (Looks very surprised as a crossbow bolt thunks into his chest.)

Kory: (Looks around) "Heads up!"

Topash: "Everyone scatter!"

The road ran between hills at this point, and there were no trees to scatter into. We could see the dark outlines of people lying on the crests of the nearby hills, with crossbows. Obviously, these were not kids on a lark, but real bandits or worse. Kortul drew his sword and charged his horse up the hill to the left, where the arrow had come from. The rest of the party scattered this way and that, trying to find some cover.

Kortul: (Takes three more bolts charging up the hill.)

Dania: (Swears an awful lot, watching Kortul charge into the hail of bolts with her staff in his pack.)

Kory: (Goes towards the hills on the right, then notices a line of dark outlines on top of them. Tries to hide behind his horse from both directions, and ride it at the same time.)

Lao: (Dismounts and runs towards the hills on the right.)

Navero: (Looks left and right and left and right and left and...)

Topash: "Oh... Dania, can you get them with Magic Missiles?"

Dania: "You know, a Lightning Bolt or two would come in real handy right now!" (Casts Magic Missile, scattering 3 missiles among 3 of the archers.)

Serga: (Slowly turns horse around, starts riding towards base of hill on the left.)

Archers: (Twang Twang Twang a lot. Crossbow bolts scattered among party members, most everyone hit at least once.)

Kortul: (Reaches the top of the leftmost hills, and the archers run away. Looks down, and sees 6 more archers and an unarmed person with a staff. All archers are aiming at him.) "Shit."

Dania: "Kortul, get back down here and give me my staff!" (Magic Missiles archers on right hill.)

Kory: (Fumbles out bow and arrow while trying to ride in the least targetable manner possible. His horse is becoming very confused.) "Well, this is another nice mess you've gotten me into!"

Lao: (Running towards right hills, trying to hide behind pebbles and blades of grass.)

Topash: (Rides up left hills after Kortul.)

Navero: (Rides up left hills.)

Serga: (Rides to base of left hills.)

Archers: (Reloading or running away. The six archers Kortul just saw all shoot at him, but only 2 hit. The unarmed man casts a spell of some sort.)

Kortul: (Does not notice any effects from spell, charges.) "YAAAHHH!!"

Dania: "Kortul, get your sorry muscle-bound ass back the fuck down here and give me my goddamn staff, you motherfucker!" (More Magic Missiles among the right hill archers. One dies.)

Kory: (His ten thumbs just cannot find the bowstring. Elects for more evasive maneuvers.) "You know Dania, maybe we were a bit hasty. Get up there after him!"

Dania: "Are you crazy!? I'm unarmored!"

Lao: (Runs up right hill, punches out an archer.) "As am I, sholt medium. Pelhaps you wourd rike us to stand between you and them once again, so you may shoot us in the back?"

Dania: "SHUT UP!! Where are they all?"

Topash: (Reaches crest of hill, sees Kortul charging into a pack of them.) "Ah, our unerring sense of direction has disclosed their location. Now, shall we see if we can keep our unerring sense of direction alive for much longer?"

Navero: (Rides up hill, swings and misses at an archer.) "Stop, you! Why are you shooting at us!"

Archer: "None of your beeswax!"

Serga: (Rides around base of hill, comes in sight of pack and person with staff.) "I think the guy with the staff must be their leader."

Archers: (Reloading, or shooting, or running away. Kortul is shot in the back twice. Navero is shot, Lao is shot. The man with the staff casts another spell at Kortul.)

Kortul: (Rides through mass of archers, scattering them, heading straight for the head honcho.)

Dania: (Swearing mightily, charges up left hill.)

Kory: (Manages to load bow, shoots an archer on right hill. He dies.) "Hot damn, I'm good!"

Lao: (Runs towards another opponent.) "No comment."

Topash: (Casts Tanglefoot on head honcho. The frozen flora responds very weakly.) "Oh, my." (Draws scimitar.)

Navero: (Swings again, and misses.)

Serga: (Caves in the skull of a fleeing archer and drops him in one shot.) "Hold on! I'm coming!"

Archers: (Ka-twang Ka-twang Ka-twang a lot more. Kortul does not get shot again, but Dania does. Kory and Lao take bolts. The head honcho jerks his feet free with a small effort.)

Kortul: "RAAAAHHHH!!" (Swings mighty blow at head honcho, who parries with his staff... which fails its save vs. normal blow.)

VV   VV   AAA   DDDDD     AAA   BBBBB   LL        AAA   MM     MM
VV   VV  AA AA  DDDDDD   AA AA  BBBBBB  LL       AA AA  MMMM MMMM
VV   VV AA   AA DD   DD AA   AA BB   BB LL      AA   AA MM MMM MM
VV   VV AA   AA DD   DD AA   AA BBBBBB  LL      AA   AA MM  M  MM
 VV VV  AAAAAAA DD   DD AAAAAAA BB   BB LL      AAAAAAA MM     MM
  VVV   AA   AA DDDDDD  AA   AA BBBBBB  LLLLLLL AA   AA MM     MM
   V    AA   AA DDDDD   AA   AA BBBBB   LLLLLLL AA   AA MM     MM

Dania: "What was that!?!"

Kory: (Shoots an archer.) "I think we're in trouble."

Lao: (Kicks another in the chest.) "Do you really think so?"

Topash: (Momentarily dazzled.) "Dania, I think their chief just exploded."

Navero: (Swings, and misses, again.) "Why do I suddenly feel sad?"

Serga: (Hacks another archer in two with one swat.) "I don't know. Was he someone important?"

Archers: (Those still on their feet turn and run away. The head honcho (formerly a cleric) has been scattered hither and yon by the force of his exploding staff. Which, as the GM told us, was a Staff of Healing. No wonder Navero feels sympathy pains.)

Kortul: (Knocked flat on his ass by the explosion, and not moving. His horse is dead.)

Dania: (Rides over the hill, and charges towards Kortul.)

Kory: "Lao: 10 gold pieces says she grabs her staff before she checks to see if Kortul's alive."

Lao: "I do not gambre. Particuralry with such pool odds."

Topash: (Watches the archers run away.) "Well. I wonder who they were."

Navero: (Is still dancing around his opponent, still missing.) "Hey, why were you attacking us?"

Archer: (Looks around.) "Promise not to kill me if I tell you?"

Navero: "Of course."

Archer: "He hired us to. The priest."

Navero: "But why? Who was he?"

Archer: "Never said why. Said to kill you, and we could take whatever booty you had, in addition to our pay."

Topash: "So, we have an enemy. Dania, is Kortul alive?"

Dania: (Recovers her intact staff, with evident satisfaction.) "Yeah, but just. Navero, get over here!"

Serga: (Leans over archer.) "Are you sure you don't know any more?"

Archer: (Turns very pale.) "I swear, that's all I know! We're just hired mercs, we don't ask questions."

Topash: "You know, Serga the Horrible, I don't think our friend here is telling us the whole truth. Do you think he's telling us everything, Serga?"

Serga: "I think he's a liar." (Cracks knuckles.)

Navero: (Casts Cure Serious. Kortul starts to revive.)

Archer: (Starts dribbling on himself.) "Oh, lordy, I'm not! I'm not lying, it's the gods' own truth that I tell you, I swear on my employer's grave, by all the cash I've ever spent, and every wench I'll ever rent, I know nothing!"

Kory: "Hmmm... I don't think he knows anything."

Topash: "No, probably not. Does anyone recognize that priest?"

Dania: "There's not much left of his face. I think he had the staff right in front of it."

Topash: "Might he have been one of the priests from the temple of death and disease?"

Dania: "Maybe. Your guess is as good as mine."

Kory: "Does he have a whip?"

Dania: "Nope."

Navero: (Casts Cure Serious again.) "He isn't dressed like them either."

Kory: (To archer) "Did he ever run around with a whip?"

Archer: (Looks at Kory kind of funny.) "Not that I ever saw."

Kory: "Ok, fine. Give us all your cash."

Archer: "What for?"

Kory: "Serga, hit him."

Archer: (Forks over cash from several pockets. Also a small ruby, and a 100 gold piece note from a bank in a distant eastern city.)

Kory: "Say, we have gotten around, haven't we? Serga, hit him anyway."

Archer: "Hey!"

Kory: "You weren't quick enough. Serga?"

Serga: "I don't want to hit him. He doesn't have anything else."

Kory: "Well, we have to use him as an example to everyone else who might try to attack us!"

Serga: "But everyone who might be impressed is dead or run away."

Kory: "No, we want to impress HIM."

Serga: "Then you hit him."

Topash: "I don't think that would be as impressive."

Serga: "Well, I don't wanna hit him. Let him go."

Lao: "Pelhaps I courd hit him, if that preases your honolabre roldship."

Topash: "Look, we might as well... hey, where'd he go?"

Kory: "He's buggered off."

Serga: (Points to the archer, running away across the fields.) "There he is."

Kory: "Ah, shoot. Anyone want to get him?"

Topash: "Not really. I think we've made enough of an impression."

Kortul got put on Dania's horse, and Dania rode with Topash. The rest of the ride was dull, and as we approached a roadside inn at dusk, snow was beginning to fall again. We got rooms, ate, and spent the evening downstairs, with a lot of other travelers, marooned for what turned out to be all night, all day and all the next night. (Our GM had to remind us that there are no snowplows in this era. To clear snow, you either have a lot of guys with shovels, or magic, and it's expensive to hire a magician for the tedious work of shoving aside or melting all that snow. Only the rich parts of large cities have it done regularly.)

(End of Chapter 54.)

"Well, I think I was impressive."

"Gosh, I'm so impressed."