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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, male elf bard, 2nd level
Topash, male elf druid, 3rd level
The next day dawned bright and clear. Arlor showed up out of the
limbo he had wandered into, and after much searching (and a hint from
the GM) found Kory at the Bristling Bandicoot Inn. Kory, to his great
surprise, got a very early start on his day.
Arlor: (Enters Kory's room) "What are we doin' today?"
Kory: "gmmgfphh."
Arlor: "Who's she?"
Kory: "Wha...? Oh. Go 'way."
Arlor: "Should go visit a sage today, yup. Need that Orb."
Kory: "Tha only Orb ah care about iz tha one whats gonna bounce off
your head in a minit'."
Nameless Female: "mph?"
Kory: "Good morning, my dear. Sorry to wake you."
Nameless Female: "Bet you are. 75 gp for the night, buddy."
Kory: (Suddenly very awake) "WHAT!?! Why...! My honor is insulted!
I had absolutely NO idea! I'm sorry young miss, but I CANNOT, in
good conscience..."
(*THWACK!*)
Nameless Female: "100 gp; you bruised my knuckles."
Kory: "I fink you bwoke my chaw... Gee, you were such a nice little
girl last night..."
Nameless Female: "And what am I now? 125."
Arlor: (Quietly leaves.)
Kory: "Just a moment. I never did play that song for you..."
(*CRUNCH!*)
Kory: "AAHHH! Stop that this INSTANT!"
Nameless Female: "Oh, you're a real charmer, are you? Forget it.
Give me 150 NOW and you can keep your arm."
And so, with the cries of roosters and larks and bards filling
the air, a new day began. One high priority matter was locating the
Orb of Spheres. There were a couple local sage-types, but both
specialized in local affairs (I believe they would be gossip
columnists here) and were unlikely to know anything about magic items.
The city itself probably had more respectable fonts of information,
but that was obviously a last resort unless we could find a way to
enter the city safely, which meant illegally. Doing things illegally
is usually either risky or expensive. So, various party members
happened to meet each other and converge on the low town informtion
bureau.
(Razuli opens door to small shop. Finds it filled with many
indelicate pictures of local nobles, together with names and short
descriptions. A very thin man with a long nose stares distastefully
from the back.)
Man: "Yes?"
Razuli: "Hi! Hurtgo the All-Knowing?"
Hurtgo: "Yes. Welcome to my humble shop, brave adventurer. Do you
seek information or enlightenment?"
Razuli: "Info. What do you know about an Orb of Spheres thing?"
Hurtgo: "Hmph! I am afraid I do not do reserch in artifacts, or
indeed, anything that would be of interest to a person such as
yourself. I am a seeker after higher things, the joys of the
contemplation of matters of the dialectical philosophic. You
would not understand, of course."
Razuli: "What's with the pictures? Real enlightening, if ya ask me."
Hurtgo: (Temperature in room drops 20 degrees) "I ask you nothing. I
merely support myself by following the misdeeds of those in the
public eye. You may go now."
Razuli: "Right. Fuck you very much!" (Leaves)
(Elsewhere. A very worn sign outside a small house reads:
Kilgurian the WISE
Curses Removed Fortunes Told
Magiks of All types Investigated
Knock, ENTER
Kortul knocks, enters, with Arlor following. Inside is a very
crowded room, with papers old and new in a great pile on a large
table. Shelves line the walls, full of scrolls and more loose papers.
A bell sits on the table.)
Kortul: (Rings bell)
(After a long pause, an old man comes through a door in the back
wall.)
Kilgurian: "Yes? What is it?"
Kortul: "Kilgurian?"
Kilgurian: "Yes? What do you want?"
Kortul: "Looking for item. Orb of Spheres. Heard you were sage."
Arlor: "Yup. It's kind of important, sir." (Tries to look pleasant.
Kortul couldn't look pleasant if he tried.)
Kilgurian: "Ah! Information on an artifact! I thought you were
from... eh, let me see... Glorb of Tears?"
Kortul: "Orb of Spheres."
Kilgurian: "No need to shout, no need to shout... mmm... I'm afraid I
can't quite remember anything off hand about it, eh... a bit out
of my specialty, I'm afraid. Did you hear the latest on Princess
Fytalior?"
Arlor: "No."
Kilgurian: "It was a Lizard-man this time. Indeed, I'm really not
sure why his Lordship puts up with it. She is a wilfull lass,
and not at all inclined to listen to her father. So often a
problem among the young these days... why, when I was a lad, I
always listened to my elders, and with RESPECT! Well... we had a
little harmless fun, but nothing like what they do today..."
Kortul: "Hm. Anything here?" (Indcates grand mess)
Kilgurian: "Hmm? Oh, you're still on that Orb thing. There might be,
might be. I'm getting all this catalogued right now, it's not
usually this much of a mess. Um... It'll take a little while to
sort through... Why don't you come back tommorow, and we'll see?
Eh, er, uh, 10gp fee per day, what?"
Kortul: (Gives him 2gp) "Hope for good info. Tommorow." (They leave)
Kilgurian: "Hey, what... oh, well..."
Others spent the day in other endeavors. Armor was dropped off
for repair, swords sharpened, arrows replaced, and backpacks stuffed
with useful items. Kory, after a buying new clothes and a hat, went
into the main city to get another lute (his old one now being
permanently warped out of tune) and to look for training to go up a
level. Navero spent most of his time in the local temple of the
Unalterable Way, praying and working; he enjoyed the time he spent
there very much, but occasionally missed the party and the outside
world. Topash wandered out into the wilderness to commune with the
local natural forces. He was not seen again for some time.
Later in the evening, several party members again gravitated to
the tavern. This meeting carried a slightly different flavor to it,
though. Dania had had a day to rest and recover from the previous
night, and so was not so distracted as she had been before, and Kortul
had joined us. Topash was nowhere to be found, Arlor had gone to do
some investigating on his own, and Navero was off somewhere being pure
in his temple. This left these four alone together in a relatively
unthreatened position, and so with every opporunity to murder each
other in perfect safety. For whatever reason, they did not do so, but
settled down for a drink and a friendly chat.
Razuli: "Wizzerd! Fancy meeting you here!"
Dania: "Hmph."
Kory: "So, Dania, on these Priests of Gothard: I have never been a
religious person, but how would one go about joining this little
group?"
Dania: "Oh no, gods help us all."
Kory: "Amen! Do they allow singing? I understand that sensitive and
dextrous lips and tongue can be quite an advantage in the worship
of the god."
Razuli: "Bard, judging from your pants size, you're not well armed
enough. Ferget it."
Kory: "Oh, so! It's not what you have but how you use it!"
Dania: "I guess you're short on both counts, then."
Kory: "And how would you know? Been fantasizing? Dearest darling
little Dania, when o WHEN are you going to realize you're madly
in passionate love with me?"
Kortul: (*sigh* How did I ever link up with these people?)
Dania: "Kory, be quiet. Just go away. Out of my life. Leave.
Desist, and begone. Slip of this mortal's coil and rid my sight
of your presence."
Kory: "Are you trying to tell me something?"
Razuli: "Yea. She said she loves me and wants you out."
Kory: "She did not!"
Dania: "Kory AND Razuli, get out of my life."
Kory: "Oooh, I love it when you talk dirty to me, baby..."
Dania: "Will you leave me the FUCK alone?!"
Razuli: "What's that? You'll leave to fuck alone if Kory doesn't get
out?"
Dania: "WILL you BOTH get your <censored> assholes off the <censored>
and quit BOTHERING me?!"
Kory: "HA HA! SHE'S BACK TO NORMAL! Hooray! Ah, sweet success, hee
hee..." (To Razuli) "Many thanks, I couldn't have done it without
you."
Razuli: "S'ok, my man. Wish I could say the same about you, though."
Dania: "grrr..."
Kortul: "Are you drinking?"
Dania: "I am now. BARKEEP!! Get your strongest over here!"
Kory: "Aww, you aren't mad are you?"
Razuli: "You know we all love you, doncha?"
Dania: "Keep your fantasies out of my life. Godamn you both."
Kory: "Oh? Barkeep! Bring four of what she's having! Well, Dania
DEAR, if you're that upset, you can at least put your money where
your big fat mouth is. I propose we drink until only one of us
is concious! If it's you, we'll both leave you alone. Ok?"
Dania: "That sounds JUST FINE. Prepare to die, Bard."
Kory: (To Kortul) "You in on this?"
Kortul: "Sure. First to drop pays."
Kory: "Done!"
Barkeep: "My strongest, sirs and lady; White Ice Ale. 2gp apiece, if
you're interested in knowing."
Razuli: "Bring four more back quick. We're gonna have a Drinking
Contest!"
Barkeep: "May not be a good idea with this sir, but have it your way."
(Round 1 *DING!*)
Game Master: Ok... Everybody roll a d20 when you drink. If you get
greater than your Constitution, you go down.
Dania: (Makes roll easy) "Ahhh."
Kortul: (Barely makes roll) "Urk... Rargh! Not... bad."
Kory: "Having trouble there?" (Makes roll) "Hm... interesting."
Razuli: (Makes roll easy) "Next round!"
(Round 2 *DING!*)
Game Master: Now, it's CON-4.
Kory: CON-4? Damn, this is good stuff!
Game Master: Truly his best. Ready?
Dania: (Rolls an unfortunate 19) "*U-URP*..." (thud)
Razuli: "I knew she couldn't hold her liquor!"
Kory: "Oh, she can hold her liquor, but she usually holds him by the
ears, which is just one more reason why elves make the best
lovers!" (Flubs his roll) "Oh, my go..." (thud)
Kortul: (Makes roll easy) "Go."
Razuli: "Ok, ok, don't rush me now." (Makes roll)
(Round 3 *DING!*)
Game Master: Now, CON-10.
Razuli: (Approaches glass rather unsteadily) "Yu an me, yer
buffness... (Rolls an 8) "Aw, shit." (thud)
Kortul: "Hmph." (Rolls a 7, barely makes it) "Very... good..."
Barkeep: "Will that be all?"
Kortul: "... Yep. Shlee's paying." (Makes DEX check to crawl outside
and throw up.)
Daniel Parsons
"Jeff, could you come up with some realistic rules for
drinking contests?"
"I'll try to think up some. I'm pretty sure we'll need them.
But for now, goodnight."