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


The Dragon was dead...

(Note: chp = current hit points)
        Navero, male human cleric, 3rd level, chp = -4
        Dania, female 1/2-elf MU, 3rd level, chp = 2
        Rourk Ravensbane, male drow cavalier, 3rd level, chp = 1
        Kortul, male human fighter, 2nd level, chp = -3
        Razuli, male human fighter, 2nd level, chp = -6
        Arlor, male dwarf thief, 2nd level, chp = -1
(Our group plays that you must reach -10 to die; otherwise you are unconcious
and bleeding at 1 hp/round.)


Dania: (stares numbly at dead Dragon)

Rourk: (stares numbly at dead Dragon)

Dania: (stares numbly at dead Dragon)

Rourk: (stares numbly at dead Dragon)

Dania: "Rourk?"

Rourk: (stares numbly at dead Dragon)

Dania: "Are you alive?"

Rourk: "What?  Oh... yes, I believe so."

Dania: "Is anyone else down there?" (Starts limping forward)

Rourk: "I shall see.  Are you injured, mage?"

Dania: "Yes.  Ow.  Nav was carrying the bandages, wasn't he?"

Rourk: "I believe so.  Check him, he looks hurt."

Dania: "Everybody does.  Ow..."

	Wounds were cleaned and bandaged as quickly as could be managed,
splints made for Arlor's broken legs, and Razuli's shredded torso tightly
bound.  Rourk tried to wake Navero for his healing spells, but Navero was 
beyond that.  Then Dania and Rourk went to inspect the Dragon and the hoard.

Dania: "Can I have the head?  It's for my studies."

Rourk: "Hmm...  It is a bit too damaged for display.  I suppose that it could
        fall into your share of the booty."

Dania: "Great.  Thanks."  (Gets head, starts cutting out brain.)

Rourk: "What are you doing there?"

Dania: "Dragon parts are valuable.  Scales, organs, all kinds of stuff."

Rourk: "Indeed.  But I shall not be one to dissect my dead foe.  It is enough
        that my deeds be recognized."

Dania: "Uh-huh."

Rourk: "I shall see about the treasure.  I am a Dragonslayer; my new status
        demands an improvement in my monetary position."

Dania: "Right."

	The treasure pile was quite impressive up close.  Most of the coinage
was silver and electrum, but gold was present in significant quantity.  There
were also several interesting items; swords and rings and necklaces, a staff
and a book, and an odd crystal or glass ball, that seemed to have three
glowing shapes moving within it.

Rourk: (Inspecting sword Razuli used.) "Mage, come here and look at these
       things.  I wish your opinion."

Dania: (extracts brain) "Just a minute."

Rourk: "Patience is a virtue of mine.  Finish your task."

Dania: "Yes, Rourk.  I've always admired your restraint."

Rourk: "Of course you have.  Many do."  (picks up glass ball)

Dania: (Stuffs brain into box.) "Alright, now... what is that thing?"

Rourk: "I have no idea.  It seems to have some things imprisoned within it."

Dania: "Let me see."

Rourk: "Hold.  I have not completed my own examination."

Dania: "Rourk, give it to me.  It's magic, you shouldn't mess with it."

Rourk: "You think me incapable of understanding?  Where I come from..."

Dania: "I don't wanna know about where you come from.  Just give it here."

Rourk: "No.  I expect an apology from you." (walks off)

Dania: "Rourk, you asshole, that thing might be dangerous!  Give it!"

Rourk: "Why?  Do you think it might be especially valuable?  You have given
        me great insult, magic user, and I refuse to speak to you until you
        have apologized for yourself."

Dania: (snarl...) "Alright, I apologize!  Now hand the fucking thing over!"

Rourk: "You seem *somewhat* insincere."

Dania: "JESUS CHRIST, Rourk!  What the fuck do you <censored> want?  Alright!
        I apologize, I'm sorry I ever crossed you!  I'm <censored> sorry I
        ever even MET you!  Now give me the <censored> glow-ball or I'll
        sock you!"

Rourk: "Oh, very well, then.  Catch!" (Tosses glow ball.)

Dania: "NO, YOU IDIOT..."  (Ball slips out of her bloody hands, hits floor.)

	The hollow glass ball almost exploded into many many fragments, each
of which faded into a cloud of smoke.  The wisps silently collected into
three blobs, and slowly solidified into three warriors, each in full plate
covered with exquisite carving, and with great swords at their sides.  They
looked majestic, awesome, enough to take your breath away.

Paladin 1: (Looks about) "Right!  Well, then.  Thanks for killing the Dragon,
           and all that.  *Harumph!* Terribly sorry, but we must be going now."

Rourk: "Hail, great warriors!  I am Rourk Ravensbane.  You are...?"

Paladin 2: "We are The Three Who Do!  Our mission is to rid the whole wide
            world of everything evil!"

Dania: "Who Do what?"

Paladin 3: "Uhrr..."

Paladin 1: "Here now!  Don't confuse him!  It's impolitic!"

Paladin 2: "Look, everyone!  A lady in distress!"

Paladin 3: "WHERE?  I want the experience!" (Draws Chainsword.  BUZZZZ!!)

Paladin 1: "A lady in distress?!  Here now, can't have that!" 

Paladin 2: "She's the one over there who looks distressed."

Paladin 1: "How can she be in distress?  Her captor is dead and her rescuer
            stands right there!"

Dania: "Hey!"

Paladin 3: (Still whirling about, looking.  Careless swipe of chainsword
           takes out a rock column.)

Rourk: "I'm afraid there has been an error."

Paladin 1: "We are The Three!  We are the ultimate embodiment of all that is
            essential to Paladinhood!  We do not make errors, boy!  Only the
            evil and the ignorant insult us so! Do you detect evil on him?!"

Paladin 2: "No."

Paladin 1: "Pity."

Paladin 3: (Still looking.  Cuts Dragon in two and looks inside.)

Paladin 2: "She's over there."

Paladin 3: "Oh?  Ah!"  (Grabs Dania and charges for the exit.)

Dania: "Put me the fuck down, you <several derogatory terms.>"

Paladin 1: "Here now!  She's already been rescued!"

Paladin 3: "Damn!  Hey, look at all those people on the floor, with negative
            hit points..."

Paladin 2: "Sorry.  He gets carried away sometimes."

Dania: (snarls)

Paladin 1: "Right!  Well, then...  Since you were good enough to let us out
            and all that, old chap, perhaps there's someting we can do for
            you, by way of returning the favor, dontcha know."

Rourk: "If you would be so kind.  Some of my companions have been injured
        in the recent battle with the beast you see."

Paladin 2: "What, all these people?"

Rourk: "Yes.  Do you possess any healing arts?"

Paladin 1: "All of these men for one Dragon?"

Rourk: "Well, yes."

Paladin 2: "But it's such a little Dragon."

Paladin 3: "Aw, these guys are wimps!  Heck, I once had a character that
	    killed 23 Bahumats!"

Paladin 1: "Nothing to brag about, old sport."

Paladin 3: "Well, that was before I got my Nuclear Chainsword +50."

Dania: "Uh, MIGHTY warriors, I am most distressed that my brave rescuers are
	lying in puddles on the floor." (Bats eyelashes.)

Paladin 3: "Do we wanna spend spell points on them?  I mean, they're not
	    even in our party."

Paladin 1: "Tut!  Least we can do."

(Flash!  All unconscious characters now have 1 hit point.)

Razuli: "Owwwwww....."

Kortul: "Is it dead?"

Rourk: "Yes, and may I introduce you to The Three Who Do?"

Paladins: (Stand upright and look majestic.)

Navero: "I got soot in my eyes."

Dania: "They aren't very healed."

Paladin 1: "Here, now!  We must conserve our energies for the upcoming
	    battle with our great nemesis!"

Rourk: "Who is...?"

Paladin 3: "Alive, but we'll do something about that!"

Paladin 2: "He imprisoned us within the globe!"

Paladin 3: "We never even got the experience for killing Asmodeus that last
	    time!"

Razuli: "It's dead!  Yippee!  I killed it!" (Brandishes new sword.)

Paladin 3: "With that?  That's just +1, +4 vs. Reptiles.  Why would you want
	    such a wimpy little sword?  No wonder you guys got thrashed; how
	    long have you been playing, anyway?"

Razuli: "Plus WHAT?  Playing?  What are you talking about?"

Paladin 1: "Your sword's special purpose is the slaying of reptilian horrors."

Razuli: "Oh, neat."

Paladin 1: "*Harumph!*  Well, we must go to prepare for the upcoming battle!
	    Good luck to you, brave souls!"

(*POOF!*   They vanish.)

Dania: "Good riddance."

Rourk: "Indeed.  From the looks of all of you, their healing truly was the
	least they could do."

Navero: "Who were they?"

Dania: "The Three morons.  Now lets..."

(*POOF!*)

Paladin 1: "Yes, what is it?"

Dania: "Huh?"

Paladin 2: "The Three appear whenever The Three are called!  Do not call us
	    again unless we are needed!"  (They look displeased.)

Paladin 3: "Neat, huh?  The DM said we could do that when we hit 50th level."

(*POOF!*)

Razuli: "Those looked like some very powerful idiots."

Rourk: "I'm afraid I find myself agreeing with you.  This is truly a dark day."

Razuli: "Of course you agree with me!  I mean, it's the only sensible thing
	 to do.  How much money did we get?"

	We counted the loot; it came to a very large amount.  In addition, we
found three necklaces (none magical), four rings (one magical), two swords
(Razuli's and a two-handed sword, both magical), the staff and book, and a
lot of non-magical gems.  Right then it was early afternoon; with luck we
could make it back to the keep by nightfall.  Placing the most valuable items
in our pockets, we filled our packs with as much gold and electrum as we
could carry, and left.  Or at least, we tried.  What we did do was discover
the source of that cracking heard during the Dragon battle - it was the
bridge over the lava pit breaking up.

Kortul: "Shit."

Rourk: "This is highly annoying."

Dania: "Ok, guys, what do we do?"

Razuli: "Simple!  We take the lightest person in the group, and throw her
	 across with a rope around her waist, then..."

Dania: "Shut up, Raz."

Navero: "I suppose we'll have to climb over.  Unless there's some way out 
	 from in here."

Kortul: "Doubt it."

Arlor: "Umm...  Can we look?  At least?"

Dania: "Fine.  Let's look."

(Prolonged search.  Prolonged mainly by Arlor.  No entrances found.)

Razuli: "I wonder how the Dragon got any food in here?"

Dania: "Who knows.  Well, Arlor, hop to it."

Arlor: "Um...  Did you look on the roof?  Bet it's there, yup."

Dania: "We can't fly.  Now get going."

Rourk: "I would expect this cowardice from a dwarf."

Arlor: "Then YOU go!  I don't wanna!"

Razuli: "Arlor!  If you do it, you can have first choice of magic items."

Dania: "No!  He'll take the staff, and I should have that!"

Arlor: "I can't use it, ya know."

Dania: "You'll sell it.  It's the most valuable thing.  You know how greedy
	these little hairballs are."

Rourk: "I am inclined to agree.  But the sword is obviously worth far more."

Arlor: "I don't like that either..."

Kortul: "Stupid.  Priest!  Get rope, iron spikes for Arlor."

Arlor: "Umm.. I still don't wanna..."

Kortul: "Yes, you do."

Arlor: "Umm..."

Rourk: "You do.  Now go to it!"

Arlor: "Why do *I* gotta climb across!  It's dangerous!"

Dania: "Because..."

Razuli: "Hey, where's Navero?"

Dania: "Oh, no."

	They all ran to the lava pit.  Sure enough, there was Navero, about
halfway across, sliding along the wall on the little bit of crumbly ledge
which was left from the bridge.

Kortul: "Doing pretty good."

Rourk: "I hope he doesn't get himself killed again."

Razuli: "Watch out for that next step, Nav!"

Dania: "Keep going!"

Navero: (Reaches entrance.)

Razuli: (Throws rope to Navero.  He misses it, it falls in the lava.)  "It's
	ok, we got more." (Navero catches second rope.)

	The treasure, and the party, was ferried over on ropes until all were
on the safe side.  Once there, we got the horses (which were still waiting
there) and rode back to town with as much speed as our ruptured bodies could
take, arriving just after sunset.  Navero went to the temple, and everyone
else went to the one tavern, where, for the most part, they all had a long,
uninterrupted sleep.


Dan Parsons       "I hope I never see another Dragon again as long as I live."
NAVERO XVII
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