EPISODE TWENTY-SEVEN: Neglaford

(door in narrator's booth opens & closes, footsteps approach microphone)

EVIL RAY: "Damn it! Where the hell is Stephen?"

(pans camera around & locates party; sees Stoner Stephen in cart with TRITHAL smoking from a water pipe.)

EVIL RAY: "There he is."

(Jumps down from narrator booth, catches up with party, joins circle with TRITHAL and Stoner Stephen)

(a while later, Jeremy comes to narrator booth & sees Evil Ray, Stoner Steve and TRITHAL riding in the cart, getting high)

Jeremy (thru narrator's microphone): "Hey you fuckers! What the hell are you doing down there?"

naked couple in hammock off-camera to the left: "None of your damn business!"

Jeremy: "Not you!... I mean Evil Ray and Stoner Stephen!"

Evil Ray: (stoned) "Huh?"

Jeremy: "Damn it, Ray! You're supposed to be writing.... and Stephen, you're supposed to be up here narrating!"

TRITHAL: "Why? There's absolutely nothing going on down here!"

Stoner Stephen: "Yeah... what's the point? Besides, Trithal found some awesome KB earlier!

Adeth: "Yeah, man! This shit's pretty good! You should come down here and toke up with us!"

Evil Ray: (stoned) "Huh?"

Jeremy: "Come on! We're wasting time! You've killed a whole day already! What kind of a story will we have if it ain't written or narrated correctly?"

Evil Ray (still stoned): "We'll have 'Wind Earth Fire Water volume 2 -- the Draconian Uprising'. That's what kind of story we'll have, man!!"

Jeremy: "Pssh! Whatever! You two get back up here and get to work!"

Stoner Stephen: "Damn! Buzzkill!"

Evil Ray: "Woah... I can't move, man!!"

(Stoner Stephen attempts to help Evil Ray up & walk him off-set, but can't lift him.)

Stoner Stephen: "Damn! This dude's heavy! Hey Trithal, can you help me carry him?"

(TRITHAL and Stoner Stephen pick Evil Ray up and help him back into the narrator booth and lays him on a couch. Stoner Stephen takes his position behind the microphone, and TRITHAL returns to the party)

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NENGO 327年11月19日 6:45 PM - 42 Days Until Culmination

After a day and a half of travel, the party finally reaches the Dralani encampment of Neglaford. As the party enters the tent city, they are eyed suspiciously by several myrmidons sitting at a small campfire near one of the many tents in the camp. One of them stands up and approaches the party.

some guy: "Who dares to enter the land of the Grynak Tribe?"

THRAX (as he is removing his hood): "Greetings, Xaklafor! It's been a while! I haven't seen you since Gwharlihim sent me to the Labyrinth!"

Xaklafor: "Thrax? So, you have returned. Are you here for more training, or are you answering Vankar's call?"

THRAX: "Neither. My friends and I are on a quest to try and resolve the situation without widespread slaughter. As much as I would like the Sabretooth Royal Family to be put in their place, there are better ways than a massacre to get the point across."

Xaklafor: "Hmm, I see. So you are going to take the high road on this situation, are you? Well, to each his own I say. Personally, I think Midus needs to die. Of course, so does Vankar. But that's a whole different thing entirely."

THRAX: "Yeah, I know how you feel. There are many in the Badlands, and in the United prefectures, who would love to see Midus dead. I think that is a little extreme. He just needs to be removed from power, not killed."

Just then, another one of the myrmidons walks up.

Myrmidon: "So, Xak, who the hell are they?"

Xaklafor: "Well, Jarsar, I don't know who the rest of these people are, but this is Thrax."

Jarsar: "The halfling? Pah! He doesn't deserve the title of Myrmidon Warrior! What do you want, Thrax?"

THRAX: "First of all, I don't have that title yet. I'm still a warrior-in-training. Second, what I want is simple; for my friends and I to be given quarter for the night. It has been a long day, and we are weary from our travels."

Jarsar: "Well, you'll have to get permission from Lord Janxion if you wanna sleep here tonight."

The party dismounts and Jarsar escorts THRAX to the main tent, where the camp leader is quartered. The tent flaps are opened and THRAX enters.

Janxion: "Who are you, and what business do you have in Neglaford?

THRAX: "Greetings, Lord Janxion. I am Thrax the Hell-Fire. My friends and I are traveling to Okremafort. My only desire is to be allowed to rest in Neglaford for the night."

Janxion: "Thrax the Hell-fire? The rumored human descendant of Xanatos?"

THRAX: "Yes sir, that's right."

Janxion stands up, walks to the tent flaps and looks outside to the waiting party, then says, "How many are in your party?"

THRAX: "There are eight of us, sir."

Janxion: "Why, pray tell, would a group of humans be heading for a place like Okremafort? ... Nevermind, It's of no consequence to me. Alright. You can stay the night on one condition: we have so little entertainment in such a remote place, you see, so you and your friends shall entertain us! If you want to stay here, you must choose two of your companions to compete with you in the Dragon Trials."

THRAX: "What, exactly, will that involve?"

Janxion: "Nothing too hard. The three of you will each go through two challenges individually. In the final challenge, the three of you will be competing against each other at the same time. Don't worry... any lost HP or SP will be completely replenished at the end of each challenge."

THRAX: "Well, that sounds all well and good but, we are all weary from traveling, and none of us are fit to compete in anything right now."

Janxion: "Relax, kid! The entertainment can wait until tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I suggest you rest up. Tomorrow promises to be quite entertaining!"

THRAX: "Very well, Janxion. I will accept your challenge. I shall see you in the morning. Good night."

Janxion: "Sleep well, little Thraxy-boy. Mwuha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

And with that, THRAX leaves Janxion's tent and returns to the party.

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A while later, the sun has set, and the party has set up their campsite and were having dinner cooked over a campfire. THRAX fills everyone in on the events scheduled for the next day...

TRITHAL: "You mean we have to compete against each other for their amusement in order to stay here? How degrading!"

THRAX: "Well, beggars can't be choosers, Trithal. From here-on-out, the path ahead of us will be full of Dragonetties and Dralani and such... all of which aren't too friendly with humans. We need all the support we can get; even if it costs us our dignity for a moment."

Danika: "So, who will be the ones to compete tomorrow?"

TRITHAL: "Well, Thrax obviously has to. Maybe the Dude... he could use the exercise since he was locked in a rock pillar for a while. And....I guess Axem, just for the hell of it."

AXEM: "I think it'd be silly if you competed too, Trithal!"

THRAX: "I'm for it. The three of use haven't done anything just us in a while."

TRITHAL: "Sure, why the hell not? It sounds interesting."

So it was settled. TRITHAL, AXEM, and THRAX will compete in the Dragon Trials the next morning. Everyone finished their evening meal and turned in for the night.