Navero 22
From: dparsons@jarthur.claremont.edu (Daniel Parsons) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp Subject: Navero XXII Reply-To: dparsons@jarthur.Claremont.EDU (Daniel Parsons) Distribution: world Organization: Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA Keywords: Navero, of the Correct and Unalterable Way
Finals are over. I guesss I'll get one off and then go home for Christmas.
- Navero, male human cleric, 4th level
- Dania, female 1/2-elf MU, 4th level
- Kortul, male human fighter, 3rd level
- Razuli, male human fighter, 3rd level
- Arlor, male dwarf thief, 3rd level
- Kory Silvertongue, male elf bard, 2nd level
When last we saw them, our heroes were poling up the swamp runs in a skiff. We were sadly inexpert, as was apparent to anyone who saw us. But soon, we left the jeering spectators behind, and as morning wore on into afternoon, an uncomfortable silence settled over the swamps. Fortunately it was the beginning of winter; it was damp enough, but not hot, and the insect density was tolerable.
Dania: "Quit splashing."
Razuli: "Jezuz H. fuckin' CHRIST, magic-user, YOU steer, then!"
Kortul: "Shut up, both of you."
Kory: "And who elected you, bright eyes? I fail to see your qualifications for the position of courageous leader."
Arlor: "I feel sick."
Dania: "So dive in and cool off. There aren't any crocodiles nearby."
Kortul: "Some over there, elf. Leave Dwarf alone."
Navero: "Dania, why do you not like Arlor? I haven't seen him do anything to make you mad at him."
Dania: "I don't hate him, Nav. Lighten up. It's just this useless little hairy geek gets on my nerves. Didn't anyone ever tell you about Dwarves? They chop down forests to make charcoal for their damn forges and mines. Whole forests."
Arlor: "Um... You only use dead wood for that."
Dania: "Well, it's sure as hell dead when you get through with it!"
Navero: "They make some very useful and nice things, I know, Dania."
Dania: "Oh, sure, yeah, dead things, that decay, or just gather dust! Oh, what do you know? You'll never live to see it, anyway."
Arlor: "Forests don't last either."
Dania: "Not with you around, that's for sure."
Navero: "Please, why are you angry? Maybe the Dwarves clear away deadwood, and use it to make other things, that wouldn't exist otherwise. Making things must have it's place in the world."
Dania: "Tell HIM! THEY'RE the ones who went wild and went chopping down trees and killing people just so they could get more GOLD, and go around killing everything beautiful in the world and..."
Kortul: "WIZARD!"
Dania: "WHAT?!"
Kortul: "Pointless, stupid. Wizard, steer. Razuli, take priest's pole. Priest, sit there." (Indicates between Dania and Arlor.)
Kory: "No, no, let them go on. This is highly amusing."
Dania: "Why the FUCK should I listen to you?!"
Razuli: (Leaves steering oar.) "Come on, take the steering. Navero, why don't you have a talk with these two?"
Dania: (Glares, grumbles, takes steering oar.)
Razuli: (Aside to Kortul) "What's with you? You spoke several sentence fragments in a row. For such a long speech, she must be finally getting to ya, huh?"
Kortul: (Glares) "Women down here uppity, don't know to shut up. 'Specially elves. Talk too much. Everyone talks too much."
Razuli: "It's those pert little buns, isn't it? The heaving breasts, the fiery eyes; a woman you can't tame..."
Kortul: (Glares)
Razuli: "OK, OK! Sheesh, you're no fun at all, ya know?"
Kory: (Laughs.)
Along the way, we met a most extraordinary person. During a lull in the conversation, we saw a small man in woodland colors, waving to us from the side of the river. We went over to investigate.
Small Man: "Hello. I could not help but hear you as you came up the river. I was wondering at your purpose, as I can see that this is not your usual mode of travel."
Razuli: "We're going to kill a dragon. Wanna come with us?"
Small Man: "How kind of you to offer. I had entered this area with an intent of scouting out such a beast, which threatens the order of this lovely green. However, with the company of such obviously capable and industrious people as yourselves, I may be able to do more to correct the unbalancing of natural forces."
Razuli: "Huh?"
Small Man: "Yes, very capable and industrious. I am Topash Raycin; I am a member of the Green Brotherhood of the Wood."
Navero: "Don't you worship trees?"
Topash: "Hah. No; we work with the forces of nature to preserve the balance of the world. We do not worship anyone; we coexist."
Dania: "Great. Glad to have another elf on board. Come on in."
Topash: "Elves, humans, dwarves; all have their place in the balance. But before we move on, I think perhaps some advice on how to handle a skiff is in order..."
And so we went on into the swamp. The afternoon passed uneventfully.
Game Master: Damn. I expected you to walk in. You're floating past all the encounters I set up.
Party: Sorry 'bout that. What a shame.
GM: I guess I'll just have to wing it.
(*SPLASH!* Skiff tilts, entire party goes into the drink.)
Kory: *Glub!* "Oh no! I'll get my instrument wet!"
Razuli: "Worry about your manhood some other time. There's nothing around here that would want it anyway."
Arlor: "I can't sw..."
A huge, greenish, yucky-looking humanoid had come up under our skiff and toppled us into the river. Fortunately, it was shallow in the swamps, and only Arlor went under. More humanoids appeared from the bracken along the shore, and they rushed clumsily to the attack.
Kortul: (Draws sword, moves to Troll 1 by the skiff.)
Dania: "I think it's Trolls!" (Magic Missiles Troll 2)
Topash: (Entangles two Trolls in bracken)
Razuli: "Get a fire going! Navero, do it!"
Navero: "But my tinder and flints are all wet!"
Arlor: (*Blub*)
Kory: "I can't play a wet lute. Take that, putrescence! (stabs Troll 3) Mess with me, eh? I'll teach you to " *WHAM!* "... on de udder hand, I could always use a bit o' education myself..."
Troll 1: "Harruuugat! Kill! Fuud!" (Much swinging of claws, etc.)
Kortul: "Ha!" (Criticals, removes Troll 1's head. It falls in river, body begins looking for it blindly.)
Navero: "Hang on, hang on..." (Staggers to shore, gets out flint and steel, starts looking for dry tinder.)
Razuli: "Quit playing with your instrument, bard." (Hits Troll 2.)
Kory: "Oh, ha ha. At least I have one, human!" (Misses Troll 3) "Fuck it."
Dania: "Are you that desperate, Kory?" (Magic Missiles Troll 3.)
Arlor: *BLUB!*
Topash: "Is this how you usually do battle, brave adventurers?" (Hits Troll 4)
Trolls: (Three Trolls still fighting. Razuli clawed twice, Kory bitten, one moves in on Navero.)
Navero: "eep!" (Runs from Troll 4, Troll 4 chases.)
Topash: "It's good to see a group of people who can cast aside their personal differences and cooperate so well." (Hits Troll 3.)
##### ## ## ## ##### ##
## ## ## ## ## ## ## ##
Arlor: ##### ## ## ## ##### ##
## ## ## ## ## ## ##
##### ###### #### ##### ##
Razuli: "What the fuck was that?"
Kory: "I believe it is our Dwarven companion, attempting to alert us to one of the hazards associated with shortness. Go see to him, my good fellow; and do be quick about it."
Kortul: (Takes large chunk out of Troll 3.)
Dania: "Oh, let him walk ashore." (Magic Missiles Troll 3, finishes it)
Trolls: (Two left. One bites and claws Razuli, other still chasing Navero.)
Razuli: "Oww... My cue for a strategic retreat." (Breaks away, goes to look for Arlor.)
Kortul: (Comes ashore) "Priest! Quit playing; get over here!"
Navero: "Ahhh!!" (Hits patch of very moist ground, falls. Troll 3, strangely, does not follow.)
Kory: "Does anyone have a fire started yet? Children, children, do I have to take care of everything?" (Stabs Troll 2.)
Dania: "Oh, shut up." (MM's Troll 2.) "Kortul! We need you on this one!"
Topash: (Hits Troll 2.)
Arlor: *GASP!* (Pulled up to air by Razuli.)
Trolls: (Headless Troll has found it's head. Troll 3 starts to come back up out of river. Troll 4 leaves Navero. Troll 2 claws Dania, Kory, misses with bite.)
Navero: "I'm sinking!" (Indeed, he is sinking into the damp ground.)
Dania: (MM's Troll 2, it falls.)
Razuli: "Nav, it's quicksand! Lie still!"
Arlor: "I'm not never goin' in a boat again, yup, that's for sure."
Dania: "Yes, you are. Now do something!"
Razuli: (Notices Troll 1 putting it's head back on. Promptly knocks it off again. It tries to bite and falls into the river.)
Kortul: (Criticals, cuts Troll 4 in half.)
Topash: "Hmph." (Comes ashore, starts to work on fire.) "Everything's wet."
Kortul: "Common enough in swamp."
Trolls: (Troll one resumes search. Troll 3 moves to Dania. Troll 4 squirms. Troll 2 stays on river bottom. Trolls 5 & 6 starting to break out of the Entanglement.)
Kortul: (Drags Navero out of quicksand by his vestments.) "Not going well."
Topash: "Patience... Got it!" (Fire started.)
Dania: "Great! Now do something with it!" (Smacks Troll 3 with her staff, it falls.)
Razuli: (Puts Arlor in shallow water, goes looking for Troll 1's head.)
Kory: "Ah, good! Someone besides me displays signs of competence! I am greatly encouraged; now, if only my lute weren't ruined..."
Navero: "Ugh! The two halves are growing!"
Arlor: "They do that, yup. Disgustin'"
Trolls: (Troll 1 still looking. Troll 3 goes down, Troll 2 hasn't come up. Troll 4 still squirming, Trolls 5 & 6 break Entanglement.)
Navero: "That fire's awful small."
Topash: "The wood is quite damp."
'Kortul: (Moves to Trolls 5 & 6.) "Get over here!"
Dania: (Webs Trolls 5 & 6; it just misses Kortul.) "Ha! Got 'em!"
Arlor: (Wades ashore.) "I hate water."
Razuli: "Any luck with the fire?" (Finds Troll 1's head, sticks it on his sword.)
Topash: "Some. There; if anyone has any dry torches, we can begin. But be careful not to let the fire spread."
The skiff had fortunately not been capsized, merely tipped, so our supplies are still dry. With the help of some lantern oil, Trolls 5 and 6 were soon roasting. As other Trolls come back up, they are sectioned and burned; some party members take damage during the fight. After healing, everyone is moderately OK, although muddy and very wet. Of course, with this many Trolls, there is probably a lair nearby; a few hours search reveals the only likely candidate, a large cave near the water, under an overhang. We took torches, and went in, Kortul at the point.
The cave went in for about 25 feet; the floor was earth packed down by huge feet; tree roots poked through the roof. At 25 feet, the tunnel took an abrupt dog-leg turn, and around the corner, waited 2 more Trolls.
Troll 1: *SMACK!* (Hits Kortul with a Longsword, bites.)
Kortul: (!?) (Shoves torch in its mouth.)
Navero: (Starts Chanting)
Troll 2: (Tosses flask of oil onto Kortul.)
Kortul: (!?!)
Troll 1: "Gon' burn now?! HahahAhaAhA!"
Razuli: "Oh, fuck."
Kory: "Duy, duy, this one's got a brain somewhere! We should remove and donate it to science!"
Dania: "Kortul, back off and let me web 'em!"
Troll 1: (Claws, bites Kortul.)
Kortul: "RRRAAAHH!!!" (Swings twice and criticals once. Troll 1 goes down.)
Topash: "Very impressive. Now get out and let us burn the other."
Troll 2: (Grabs Kortul, hugs him close, sticks tongue out at party.)
Dania: (MM's Troll 2)
Arlor: (Has snuck behind Troll 2, stabs it in the knee, distracting it.)
Kortul: (Squirms away from Troll 2) "Hit it!"
Topash: (Lights the oil that rubbed off of Kortul onto Troll 2.)
After much sound and fury, the two Trolls were dead and burned. The air within the cave is quite fouled, but we explored on nonetheless. Within, we found a lot of bones, a lot of rocks, and very little else. It being nearly nightfall by this point, we set up camp a short way up the river; any bits of Troll we had missed did not come to bother us, and the night passed uneventfully.
Dan Parsons
NAVERO XXII
"Oh, goody! My instrument seems to be in working order!"
"Kory, quit playing with yourself and go to sleep. You can lay Dania in the morning."
