Milo Windby's Collected Story Hour

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty (session 5)

The party woke the next morning with no more visits from the evil denizens of the woods. Milo stretched and surveyed the scene. There was an area of crumpled grass and brown stains that the party had avoided sleeping on. The clearing was empty save the group and their gear. They set about donning armor and eating cold rations for breakfast. All four adventurers shared a bit with the two guards. They decided to stay at the camp rather than venturing back into the caves with the group. Milo shrugged and wished them well. He didn't have too much confidence in their chances, but they refused to go back into the den of creatures from which they so recently escaped.

Another half-day journey brought them back to the gorge. The ominous presence remained throughout the small valley. It was as though a blanket of doom covered the gorge, oppressive and bleak. The sooner we destroy those cups, the better, Milo thought.

The next cavern had rough, natural walls. They could hear the same leathery flapping they heard in the bugbear cave. Milo just hoped they were done with giant bats. They approached an intersection, more of a branching of two passages from one. A slightly disorienting feeling washed over the party. Milo felt a little sick to his stomach.

Ignoring the discomfort Milo asked the others, "So shall we take all left turns? Keep ourselves from getting too lost at least."

His friends agreed and they took the left. Milo noticed that the others had the same discomforted expression he wore. He shrugged and tried his best to ignore it. They came to a slight widening of the tunnel and the leathery flapping increased in volume. Ever paranoid, Milo glanced up at the ceiling. He was just in time to see a cluster of giant insectoids detach themselves from the cavern roof and swoop down on them.

Milo fired off his loaded bolt and watched it tear into the translucent wing of an approaching bug. The missile left a ragged hole through the membranous tissue. The mosquito-like insect came on.

Mazi fired her arrow directly into the body of one that was buzzing towards her. The flying bug faltered in the air for a moment before recovering itself and continuing its dive.

Brigit waited patiently for the insects to come to her. "Stirges," she said as they moved closer. "Used ta get tha nasty buggers inna caves back home. Don't let em latch on wi' them needlenoses, ye'll be weak fer days." Three of the stirges attacked her at once. She swatted one away with the flat of her axe then turned the motion into a full swing at the next. The stirge fell in pieces at her feet. It was barely noticed as her weapon continued to cleave through the air. The third stirge that attacked her fell in pieces as well. The first insect buzzed angrily around her, looking for a spot to land.

The stirges broke away from each other, three on each of the adventurers besides Brigit. Two swooped at Milo, buzzing above his head as he leapt away. The distraction caused by the stirges above prevented him from spotting the one behind. The large flying insect landed hard on his shoulder, immediately plunging its proboscis into his arm. The bug was the size of his head and his vision swam as his blood was forcefully pulled from his veins.

Mazithra was busily fending off the stirges attacking her when Milo was hit. She was unable to move to his aid as she spun and ducked the swooping stirges. One grazed her arm, its sharp footpads seeking purchase. She wrenched her arm away and rolled to the side, safe for a moment.

Jeremiah watched the insect approach him and readied his sword. One stirge swooped at him from the front as another attacked from behind. He stepped sideways, avoiding the stirge aimed at his back, but the other swerved to match his position with blinding speed. The bug attached itself to his arm and plunged its needle-like snout down. Jer stumbled a bit, narrowly avoiding the third insect swooping down at him. He roared and slashed at the attached stirge, slicing its snout off and dropping it in one blow. His sword caught the hind side of the stirge he just dodged. That insect dropped as well. Jeremiah paused to pull the proboscis from his arm and looked around for another target.

Milo fought down panic as he struggled to reload his crossbow for another shot at the wounded stirge attached to his shoulder. He carefully pulled out the bolt from the hipcase and notched it into the string. He took aim at the huge bug on his shoulder, careful to avoid hitting himself, and fired. The bolt skimmed over its insectile head, causing no damage. He cursed and reached over to load another bolt.

Brigit ignored the last stirge buzzing over her head and turned to Milo. Her axe came dangerously close to Milo's neck as she swung at the insect on his shoulder. Milo ducked and threw a terrified glance back at the dwarf.

"Kill the stirge, the stirge! Not me!" Milo shouted.

"Hold still, halflin! I canna kill tha stirge wi' ya bouncin round like that!" Brigit shouted back.

Mazi turned from her current target, an angry stirge buzzing above her, to see Milo with one of the insects latched on. She shifted her aim with a smooth movement and released the bowstring. The arrow pierced clean through the stirge, the arrowhead stopped a mere inch from Milo's neck. He gave a startled exclamation and pushed the giant insect off his shoulder before making a thumbs up signal to Mazi.

Mazi's move cost her dearly. All three stirges circling the elf swooped in, swarming over her. They alighted on her, two on her shoulders and one in a tenacious lock on her arm. Mazi almost fell over from the attack, her already pale elven skin turning white.

Jeremiah and Milo avoided the stirges tailing them as they turned to help their comrade. Milo rolled under a particularly vicious dive. Jeremiah merely batted a stirge aside as he made his way to where the beleaguered elf stood. Jeremiah took careful aim and ran the stirge on Mazi's arm straight through. He lifted it off of his friend and flung the corpse at the other buzzing insects.

Milo aimed at one of the stirges on Mazi's shoulders. He fired his bolt and hoped that Mazi would stand still before it reached her. The quarrel sunk into the stirge. It paused its draining of the hapless elf momentarily, but continued on.

Brigit swung her axe at Mazi in much the same way she had when Milo was in a similar predicament. This time the heavy weapon ground through the huge bug. The sharp snout flew from her skin as the stirge was propelled across the cavern from the force of the blow.

Mazi herself managed to strike the final stirge before it could continue its grisly drain. She pierced the wounded insect and it dropped at her feet. She nodded her thanks at the others quickly then turned to take aim at any remaining insects.

Milo had looked down to reload his crossbow when he felt the foul touch of a stirge on his back. He shuddered as the insect's proboscis sunk into his back, through his chain shirt. Another stirge swooped down and landed next to the first, also plunging its snout into Milo's back. He cried out softly as he felt the life being drained from his body.

Jeremiah was no more fortunate. He swung at one of the grotesque insects in vain. The mosquito-like stirge zipped to the side with blinding speed before diving towards the barbarian. He too shuddered as the bug landed on his upper arm. The stirge began sucking his blood as soon as it had landed.

Jer scraped at the giant insect and snapped off its snout. The stirge fell to the ground dead. Jeremiah pulled out the proboscis, his second during this fight. The others could tell Jer had no more patience for these insects. Neither indeed did they.

Milo shot his crossbow over his shoulder, tearing through the membrane of a stirge's wing. The creature continued to sap his strength, oblivious to the pain caused by his quarrel.

Brigit stepped up behind Milo, "Now hold still, halflin!"

She swung her axe just a hairbreadth away from Milo's chain shirt. The sharp dwarven steel sliced cleanly through the wounded stirge before exploding into the second. Two halves of a stirge fell amid the giblets from the second insect. Milo turned and glanced at Brigit's work with approval.

The last stirge swooped at Brigit. Her plate mail protected her beautifully. A sharp "CLANG" could be heard echoing through the cavern as the insect rammed nose first into her breastplate. Brigit grinned as she watched the stirge flop to the floor. It's wings flailed around as it struggled to right itself and take back to the air. Brigit didn't give it the opportunity. Her axe flashed from the light of Milo's lantern as it swung straight down, chopping the stirge in two.

"Okay, it's official. I don't like stirges at all!" Milo stated.

"Aye laddie, they can be a serious threat, no doubt. Ya gotta get em offa ya quick, 'fore they start ta suck out yer innerds." Brigit answered him back. "I don' fancy none O these comin' back at me undead an' the like." Brigit walked to another stirge corpse and hacked it beyond recognition. Milo was quick to help. Milo hated undead, really.

Their grisly work done, the adventurers took stock of the situation. Considering that all of the stirges had been removed before they could do serious damage, they were all feeling relatively good. The party decided to venture deeper into the disorienting cavern.

After two more left turns past seemingly identical intersections, Milo spotted a strange, somehow familiar glow. The chittering and scrabbling sound of insect feet approaching them refreshed his memory. He alerted the group just as two of the same type of glowing beetles they had fought previously emerged from a three-way intersection ahead.

Milo shot off a bolt at one. He remembered to aim low, under their glowing carapace. The beetle emitted a high-pitched keening when his missile found its mark. It continued to advance, too stupid to notice the pain over its hunger for their flesh.

Jeremiah strode forward, meeting the two beetles up the corridor. They reared up, moments away from lunging to attack. Jer was waiting for their move. As soon as they reached full height he swung his great sword in a wide horizontal arc. Both beetles exploded in gray and green ichor, splattering the cavern walls. The barbarian strode back to the group with a smug look on his face.

"No work for you Brigit, already cut in two." said the normally silent human.

Brigit shook her head in mute amazement. Milo laughed and clapped Jeremiah on the back.

"Was that a joke, my reticent friend? I'm impressed!" Milo said. Jeremiah actually seemed to blush a bit.

They moved on, always turning left at any intersection they reached. After three more turns they came to a familiar room with five entrances. One of them led to a door. This was the same cavern they left in the bugbear's lair, Milo realized.

They decided to take the next left out of the familiar cavern and continue on. Three more lefts brought them right back into the room with five passages. Mazi moaned in frustration. Her impeccable mental map didn't make any sense at all. She shared her information with the group who had already come to the realization that they were definitely lost.

"We've tried turning left at every intersection and it hasn't worked. Tell you what, let's go through the same passage here," he said as he pointed to the tunnel they had entered earlier, "and we'll turn right at the next intersection. Sound good?"

They all nodded affirmative so Milo led the way down the next passage. As they came to the next intersection they veered right, hoping to break the circle they were running in. Not far down this passage they came to another intersection. Figuring they were in a different part of the caves, they returned to the all-left pattern. They heard an ominous noise mere feet into this passage. A heavy, animalistic breathing emanated from the tunnel ahead.

"Well, we're certainly not alone here guys," Milo said quietly. "I'm willing to bet that's no beetle or stirge. Everyone get ready for a biggun." Milo had a bad feeling about the rhythmic breathing. He readied one of his favorite chants, thanking his unnamed patron that he had prepared it that morning.

The passage ended in a large room after about another ten feet. They had barely entered the natural cave when a rumbling bellow echoed towards them. From the other end of the room a huge humanoid charged. The large male figure had the head of a bull and a fierce battle-axe. Milo's lantern reflected off the finely sharpened tips of its horns.

"My dream!" Jeremiah said breathlessly.

Milo shuddered inwardly, thinking about what those horns could do in front of that powerful head, neck, and body. He called the mantra from the front of his mind forth and gestured fiercely at the charging minotaur.

The minotaur's bellow was cut short, ending in a slightly quizzical tone as it slowed to a halt. Its muscles seemed to freeze after Milo finished his incantation. The great beast's axe was raised high above its down-turned horns, frozen in place like a statue.

Jeremiah loosed a hoarse cry of his own and charged at the minotaur before he knew what was happening. He was caught by surprise as the beast stopped dead in its tracks. His sword sliced into the minotaur's abdomen, severing muscle but not killing it.

Brigit walked up to it and set her axe to its waist, much as if she were about to chop down a tree. She pulled her arms back, turning her whole body before swinging back. The dwarven waraxe bit into the minotaur unlike any axe to a tree. Brigit finished her movement facing the opposite direction, practically spinning 180 degrees. The minotaur's legs and waist fell to the ground, on top of its torso and head. She turned and gave a jaunty salute to Milo.

Jeremiah looked somewhat disappointed. Apparently he had never finished the fight in his dreams and this wasn't quite what he expected. Milo gave him a pat on his back and told him to keep watch for any other minotaurs that might live here.

He very much doubted that there were any more. Right as Brigit made her fateful attack Milo noticed the disorienting feeling lift. He guessed that the minotaur had some sort of constant enchantment that prevented them from finding their way through the labyrinthine caverns. Probably to weaken them by the time they found their way to the middle, the lair of the beast.

At the far end of the cavern Milo found the minotaur's sleeping area. It was obviously a fastidious beast. There were bones stacked neatly from the floor to level with his chest. Skulls topped pyramids of bleached bones. He found a dwarven waraxe, it was in remarkable shape and looked sharper than Brigit's, if that were possible.

Before he could show his discovery to Brigit he heard her exclaim. She had found an odd section of wall. She discovered a large loose rock that slid away from the wall easily. Behind the rock was a shallow alcove with a small chest, a suit of plate mail, and a long stick.

Jeremiah looked very interested in the plate mail. It looked just his size. Milo was more concerned with the chest and stick. He checked the small box for traps, eyeing the lock carefully. He noticed a tiny needle just inside the mechanism. It was perfectly placed to snag anyone too careless as they tried to force the lock. He withdrew his tools and set about disarming the spring-set needle trap. As careful as he was, the trap sprung as one of his tools slipped. He steeled himself for a quick poison or a sick sensation. A slight shudder coursed through his system but he was able to shake it off. He guessed the poison was a low grade. One more attempt at disarming the trap and he was successful, pulling the needle out carefully with tweezers.

The lock was no match for his lock picks after he was warmed up with the trap. The lid sprung open and three bottles met his gaze. Under the bottles was a pile of gold and electrum, with a bit of jewelry poking through. Mazi looked over his shoulder at the sparkling, very interested in the colors of the stones.

Brigit volunteered to taste the potions, relying on her dwarven constitution to prevent any complications. She described the first liquid as slightly smoky. Milo noticed that she appeared slightly hazy around the edges as she sipped.

"That's got to be some sort of gaseous form potion. You could change to smoke and slip through cracks after drinking that!" Milo exclaimed.

Brigit shrugged and tried the next. She described the same refreshed feeling that she felt after she drank healing potions. They stowed that one as a curing draught. The last potion seemed the most alarming. After sipping a bit an alarmed expression appeared on her face.

"My armor is too tight! Ack, I canna breath!" Brigit said with shock.

The sensation was only temporary. Mazi theorized that it must be an enlarge potion. If Brigit had drank the whole thing her armor probably would have grown with her. They stowed the three potions for later use.

Milo turned his attention to the long stick. It was sturdy and had some runes carved into it. Neither he nor Mazi could figure out what it might be used for. They both agreed that it had to be magical, whatever it was. Mazi stowed the staff since it was much too large for Milo to haul around comfortable.

The adventurers discussed their finds with excitement. They decided to camp again to ready themselves for the last two caverns. Mazi also mentioned a spell she had been researching that would identify magical items. If she only had a few more hours to devote to it she thought that it might be ready for use.

Their course decided, the friends set out to find their way through the maze. Without the disorienting magic they found their way without a problem. No more beetles or stirges bothered them on the way out.

 

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty-one (session 5)

A horrible sight awaited the party back at the camp. The two caravan guards had been slaughtered, their heads and limbs severed from their bodies. They found the appendages far from the corpses. Milo was both sickened and furious.

He pushed his anger to the back and forced himself to think clearly. They needed a new campground, which was obvious. The guards were buried in shallow unmarked graves. He was sad that more could not be done.

Their new campsite was farther up the trail to the gorge, but not so close that the trees had become twisted and black. They found a small clearing in the forest and began shedding gear. Mazi needed time to finish her research and meditation before they could begin to identify the items they found. She immediately went to work, pulling out her spell book and various components.

Milo took Brigit aside and started a conversation about her armor. She expressed her interest in moving with a little less noise. Milo showed her some of the secrets he learned in his own training, placement of feet, bits of cloth between plates to muffle the clinking metal, how to pack gear for a minimum of noise. Brigit was a fast learner, she sneaked up on Jeremiah twice without him hearing a whisper of sound. Milo was very impressed in his apt pupil.

Brigit mentioned his skill with the lock pick and trap disabling tools. Milo enjoyed having a student and was glad to teach her the basics. They used one of the chests they had found. He would lock it, show her step by step how he used his picks to trip the tumblers, then let her try. Her hands were amazingly dexterous considering her short fingers and stocky frame. Milo gave her his backup set of lock picks as a gift when she showed that she was able to pick the lock without any of his help. He was proud of his student.

Disabling traps was much harder to teach, without any complex traps to demonstrate on. He gave her some basic tips on finding and recognizing different traps. As well as how to disable said traps. He also tried to impress upon her the importance of success and the drawback of failure. He didn't think she'd be able to dodge a sprung trap very well with her heavy armor, but he did know that if there was anyone of them that could take the punishment, it was she.

Mazithra had finished her research by the time Milo was done teaching Brigit. She waved them over excitedly and showed them her discoveries. She had found much more about the dwarven waraxe than she thought her spell would reveal. She told her three friends the following:

Trollgrater
Description: Trollgrater is a magic waraxe that inflicts double damage against trolls and other regenerating creatures and in addition, trolls are unable to regenerate limbs severed by Trollgrater. Trollgrater's blade never dulls and always feels warm and pulsating (like a heartbeat) to the touch.

History: This was the battle-axe used by Mesmira Jericho during the Virago campaign against "Eve of the Poisoned Nails" and the Orcs of Tyr Bannon. She lost it somewhere on the Astral plane after a brief encounter with minions of the Greater God, Za'adun. During the Forgotten Isle invasion of Nuria, it was recorded that a great warrior wielded a powerful, magical battle-axe that fits the description of Trollgrater

Brigit was in awe. She vaguely remembered hearing about the Trollgrater when she was younger. She picked up the axe reverently, with a wide-eyed look on her face.

"Thank ya, Mazi. Ya don' know how much this means ta me. This axe served me ancestors well, I'll do it justice by them, I will." She said to Mazi.

Mazi waited for a moment before picking up the staff. She turned to Milo and told him in hushed tones that it was a powerful healing staff, with multiple magical spells embedded in it. The staff could cast a great healing spell, it could cure disease, magical blindness or deafness, it could restore weakened minds, bodies, and will. Mazi carefully handed the staff to Milo before she told him the word to activate the effects. "Abercromby" she said. Milo gave her a quizzical look before shrugging his shoulders and looking back down at the staff. It was as though Mazi's spell had awakened some power within the staff and he could feel a peaceful emanation of power from it. She warned him that there were eighteen more charges within the staff and to use them wisely. Milo nodded gravely.

The last item Mazi had before her was the rope that tied the orc's bag. It turned out that the rope was almost sentient. It would obey simple commands to attach itself to almost anything, releasing only after a command from its wielder. It would tie knots in itself for climbing as well as hold an impressive load before giving out. It was indeed a useful little item to have around.

While Mazi studying and Milo was training Brigit, Jeremiah had been training himself as well. He showed Brigit a new maneuver he discovered that could possibly allow him to cleave through not just one enemy, but multiple enemies in one attack. Brigit was very impressed. Jeremiah had been practicing in the magic suit of plate mail they had found in the minotaur's cavern. Though the magic allowed him to move freely, Brigit could tell he was still somewhat clumsy in the hefty armor. Before een they set up watch she instructed Jeremiah in some of the finer points of fighting in heavy armor. Jer was a quick learner and was soon moving agilely about in the full plate. He was considerably louder than Brigit, but he would be much harder to wound.

They set up watch, paranoid of midnight visitors after the attack from the dire bat the night before. None of them slept too soundly, but they were refreshed enough the next morning. Milo and his friends journeyed back to the gorge and its cursed caverns.

They decided to skip the next cavern down the row. It was set high up along the gorge, straight back from the entrance. They figured that the robed man probably entered that cavern during the lightning bolt attack from a few nights ago. They chose instead to enter the cave set lower and farther over from the entrance in question.

Once again, Milo led their way into the darkness. His hooded lantern shedding light into the rough cavern tunnels.

 

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty-two (session 5)

Dawn broke over gray skies the next morning. No creatures disturbed their rest and the group felt refreshed and prepared for the day. Milo found a quiet corner to pray while Mazithra prepared her daily spells. Finished with their preparations, they set back out for the caverns.

They reached the gorge a couple of hours before midday. After a quick rest and a few bites of trail rations, the party steeled themselves for the challenges ahead. There were only two visible cavern mouths that were unexplored. One at the very rear of the gorge, near the top, and the other to the south and lower. Milo swore the robed figure was heading towards the upper cavern before the lightning bolt hit those many nights before. They couldn't be sure, but decided to take the lower cavern to be on the safe side.

Milo tread softly as they entered the cave. Brigit and Jeremiah led the way with Milo and Mazithra following behind. Brigit practiced her new skills at detecting hidden traps. Milo kept his eyes on the walls, floors, and ceilings. There was no way he was going to be taken by surprise and trigger any traps. Just then a crossbow bolt whizzed by, barely missing Brigit. One was followed by another, Brigit was ready for it this time and raised her shield to intercept.

"That's what I git fer payin attention to tha walls." Brigit could be heard to say as she readied her axe for the inevitable charge.

A hyena-like howl rose from four inhuman throats down the tunnel. Two humanoid creatures charged from the darkness, Milo recognized them immediately as gnolls. Their slavering jaws dripped with drool and their fur was matted. They brandished old battleaxes. Two other gnolls dropped heavy crossbows and drew their own axes.

Milo fired a crossbow bolt of his own at the approaching dog-beasts. His bolt flew past his target, as did Mazi's arrow. Both drew their next missile with grim determination as the gnolls clashed with Brigit and Jeremiah's steel.

Jeremiah reveled in his new armor. Every blow that the gnoll landed caused a brief glow to spread out from the impact. Not one to dwell too long on novelties, Jer brought his great sword into play. He was a daunting figure, clad head to toe in shining steel with a great two-handed sword swinging at the bestial gnolls. His sword bit into gnoll hide and kept going. The two gnolls attacking Brigit and Jeremiah fell in pieces.

Brigit immediately advanced, her magic waraxe raised high. The sorcelled axe head came down hard into the breastbone of the crossbow wielder. Brigit cursed at her luck, heaving at the lodged axe. The other gnoll was still drawing its axe as its beady eyes focused on the struggling dwarf.

Milo had reloaded by that time and he fired another bolt. His quarrel sunk into the gnoll's thigh, drawing a hoarse howl from the creature. Mazi fired her next arrow at the noisy beast. Her missile found its mark as well.

The wounded gnoll raised its battleaxe, fury shone in its red-rimmed eyes. Its axe glanced off Brigit's shield, causing sparks to fly from the hardened steel. She had just pulled out her axe and brought her shield around in the nick of time.

Jeremiah rushed behind the gnoll and slashed down with his sword. The wounded gnoll fell with a severed spine. The four adventurers paused, listening intently. They worried that the commotion may have alerted other cavern dwellers. A few moments passed with no audible effects. Amazingly enough it appeared that no other gnolls heard the howling of their brethren.

Milo and the others stooped over the corpses to check for valuables. Each of them carried a few pieces of gold. Their battleaxes were worn and rusty. Not worth the effort to haul them out. Their armor was in similar disrepair. The party ventured on.

They soon came to a guardroom of sorts. It was more of a widening in the tunnel than an actual room. A couple of stools and a small table indicated the room's purpose. Milo and Brigit searched the room for any secrets. Finding none and hearing nothing down the hallway, they continued.

The passage narrowed past the guardroom before curving to the north. A long tunnel stretched before them. They moved as quietly as possible, no mean feat considering the amount of metal the party carried. The adventurers came to a staircase leading up the passage. At the top of the passage they could see the tunnel continue to the north as well as a branch to the east.

The northern tunnel widened ahead into a room. They decided to investigate that area first. Their stealthy approach was somewhat ruined by the clanking of their armor. Three growling gnolls awaited the party in the rough-hewn cavern. Milo loosed his crossbow, the bolt raced towards one of the three and sunk into its hide. Another howl rang through the cavern.

Jeremiah charged at the cluster of creatures with his sword trailing behind. He brought the huge weapon around and cleaved straight through the two leading gnolls. Their torsos severed, the corpses toppled to the ground. The third gnoll hacked at Jeremiah with his axe, but couldn't get past his armor. The mystical glow spread from impact to impact as the gnoll pressed its attack.

Brigit moved into position next to Jeremiah, bringing her own axe into the fight. The gnoll was no match for her expert axe wielding. Just as she dispatched the furry beast, five more gnolls could be seen approaching from an irregular outcropping of the cave wall. They howled in a high pitched keening after they saw the bodies of the slain gnolls. These were females, and they were angry.

Three of the females cast their spears at Brigit, the closest culprit. The weakly thrown weapons rang off her armor as she turned to face the new threat. The females growled deep in their throats and continued to approach.

Milo caught sight of the gnolls as they rounded the outcropping and fired his bolt. It ricocheted off the rock, narrowly missing the lead female. The bolt splintered against the wall and fell to the ground, useless.

Jeremiah waited for the females to reach him before lunging into action. His sword sliced deeply into the gnoll Milo missed. The ugly gash that trailed his blade was fatal, the gnoll toppled. His sword swung mere centimeters from the face of the next female. It blinked its beady eyes at the barbarian then continued to advance.

Mazithra loosed her bowstring at the females. Her arrow performed a similar ricochet off the rock near the gnolls. It too shattered from the force of hitting the wall. She grumbled under her breath as she quickly drew another arrow from her quiver.

Two of the gnolls reached Brigit. They didn't get a chance to attack the dwarf before her magical axe whirled through the air, lantern light gleaming off its polished edge. It soon reflected red as she hacked through first one, then another gnoll. She cut them down to her height with her powerful blows.

Two gnolls remained with spears brandished. They howled their anger at the group and ran at Brigit with spears raised. Milo let another bolt fly, aiming low at the charging females. His target's howl faltered and she fell back an inch before continuing on with a bolt lodged in its arm. Jeremiah stepped before Brigit and met their charge. His sword moved quickly as it sliced past their meager guard to pierce their matted hides. The gnolls fell at his feet, their lifeblood pooling beneath them.

The bodies had a few gold apiece. The party quickly divested them of their valuables. A single door led out of the room they were in. They could see a side room past the outcropping of rock where the females had dwelled. As they were examining the room and its wall hangings Milo came across an exceptionally fine quality hide. After a closer look he determined it to be made of sable. The hanging turned out to be a cloak of excellent craftsmanship. They stowed the garment for later use or sale.

Milo searched the door for traps but found none. He did discover that it was locked. None of the bodies had a key so he reached for his lock picks. His nimble fingers worked the small tools into the narrow space of the lock. The mechanism was stuck, perhaps slightly rusted. His lock picks slid out of place and he lost the progress he had made through the stiff tumblers. He heard someone clear her throat behind him and turned to address the interruption. Brigit stood behind with an almost pleading look on her face, holding the bigger training lock picks he lent to her. He shrugged and stepped to the side before bowing with a flourish before her, gesturing to the lock in a deferring manner.

Brigit grinned and moved forward to try her hand at the stubborn lock. After a few seconds of fidgeting with the lock picks they could all hear the familiar click of the tumblers falling into place. She withdrew her tools and smirked at Milo.

"Sure, after I've loosened it up for you!" Milo whispered with quiet mock indignation.

Inside was a supply closet. All that was of value was a dwarf-sized suit of chain mail. The rest of the supplies were either too old to bother with or of an unfamiliar origin. They grabbed the suit of chain and turned to leave the room.

The party moved to the other passage outside the room, heading east. An entryway opened on the northern side of the passage ahead of the group a few feet. They readied themselves, assuming that whatever was in the room would be ready for them. They rounded the corner and were met by a room packed with gnolls.

Rather than jumping in and wading through the gnolls, risking attacks from every angle, Jeremiah waited for the slavering beasts to approach his position. He didn't wait long, the males in the fore charged at Jeremiah and Brigit with their axes high. The full plate armor that the fighters wore protected them from the gnolls' attacks.

Jeremiah returned the attack but met no more resistance than air. The gnoll had jumped back with blinding speed. Brigit's attack found a similar lack of contact. These gnolls were more agile than the last.

Mazithra loosed her bowstring at the gnoll attacking Jeremiah. The arrow skimmed by its head, barely missing its neck. She didn't even pause as she pulled another arrow from her quiver and set it to the string.

Milo fired his bolt at Brigit's assailant. It howled at the pain a crossbow quarrel causes when it punctures the chest. The gnoll turned its baleful gaze on the halfling, intent on squashing the annoyance that just made itself known. The gnoll couldn't reach Milo through the heavy fighting before it.

The gnoll attacked Brigit instead. The sturdy dwarf ignored the clumsy swing and readied her waraxe to show the gnoll how much damage they could really do. The other gnoll attacked Jer, trying to penetrate the defense provided by his steel and his armor. Jeremiah batted the axe aside and slashed down. The gnoll jumped back a moment too late as the sword tip traced a bloody line across its chest. The wounded gnoll wavered but did not fall, determined to kill the dwarf.

Another bolt flew from Milo's crossbow. It skimmed past Brigit's assailant, trailing blood as it grazed its snout. The gnoll shrieked and threw itself at Brigit in an attempt to reach Milo. Brigit's axe was waiting. She thrust her axe into the gnoll's abdomen, slicing through its stomach. Her axe emerged from its side to hack through the gnoll Jer wounded. Both gnolls fell with their hands clutching their guts.

Jeremiah seized the opportunity Brigit's attack provided. He jumped into the gap left by the ex-gnolls and slashed at the waiting enemies. Jeremiah's companions were amazed at the carnage. Jeremiah's sword flashed in the lantern light as he slashed away at gnoll after gnoll. Three dead and one narrowly missed. The gnolls were just as shocked as the adventurers were. A red mist settled around the barbarian.

With an outraged howl the gnolls pressed in to attack Jeremiah. Their blows rained down futilely. His magic armor protected Jeremiah from the axes his sword did not. A single female moved in to attack Brigit. She scoffed at the beast as she swatted its axe to the side.

Mazithra and Milo aimed for the hapless female. Both loosed their weapons at the same time. Milo's bolt sunk into its chest, causing it to grunt from the impact. Mazi's arrow flew by its snout, barely missing a fatal blow.

Brigit ignored the weak attacks from the female and strode forward. She spun 180 degrees, her axe trailing behind her. The blade eviscerated first a female that charged her as she moved then the original female that attacked her. They both dropped without so much as a groan.

Jeremiah continued the carnage farther into the room. He sliced through another male, his sword barely missed the next victim. The beasts were cautious of this gnoll-killing machine.

The gnolls circled Jer warily. Four of the hyena-headed beasts surrounded him. They all attacked simultaneously. Only one was able to do any damage to the hardy human. He groaned as an axe sliced his arm in-between the plates of his armor.

Brigit was busy with more of the females that seemed to fill the cavern. She dodged a blow and returned the attack. The gnoll facing her was not as quick as she was. It fell to the ground, joined shortly by one of it's kindred. Brigit hacked through the gnolls as quickly as they came at her.

Mazithra and Milo tried to choose their targets carefully. By now there were no enemies that were not fully engaged in combat with Jeremiah or Brigit. Milo fired at the group surrounding Jeremiah but was unable to hit the fast moving beasts. Mazithra shot at the other side of the group but had the same problem Milo suffered. The gnolls moved too quickly to hit without firing directly into the fight, risking further injury to Jer.

For his part Jeremiah lunged at the nearest gnoll. His blade sunk hilt deep into the breastbone of the hairy creature. He pushed at the corpse with his booted foot, but was unable to dislodge it. He let the gnoll corpse hit the ground and tried to use the additional leverage to pull his sword out, to no avail.

One male and three females still bracketed Jeremiah. He dodged lithely while trying to pull his sword out. Two of the attacks landed but had no more effect on Jeremiah than the glow they caused from his armor.

Meanwhile Milo and Mazithra heard a commotion from the eastern passageway. More gnolls approached. Two large males in higher quality armor and one huge gnoll, towering over the rest. Four females followed closely with spears of their own. It appeared the party attracted the leader of the gnolls and his entourage.

Milo spun around and fired his crossbow bolt at the approaching gnolls. They saw the bolt fly and had plenty of time to dodge. Mazi calculated the distance between the gnolls and their position, did some quick math, and decided to draw her long sword. She looked excited to get into the thick of battle finally.

Back in the room Brigit faced two more females. She blocked an axe with her shield and swung her own at the gnoll. She felt the satisfying crunch as her axe sliced through bone and muscle. The gnoll growled before it fell dead.

Jeremiah finally wrestled his sword out of the gnoll corpse, just in time to dodge more attacks from the remaining gnolls. He saw Milo and Mazithra turn to face a new threat and redoubled his efforts to dispatch the gnolls in the room.

The reinforcements arrived enmasse. The two that must have been lieutenants or sons of the leader converged on Mazi, putting their considerable bulk behind their axe swings. Mazi dodged one but was clipped by the other. She hopped back with a wound dripping blood from her arm. She noticed with gratification that the gnoll had a similar wound on its own arm.

Milo bounced and tumbled as he dodged the gnoll leader's surprisingly fast battleaxe. He sprung to his feet and stowed his crossbow, opting to fight the burly gnoll with his short sword.

With his great sword swinging, Jeremiah spun in a full circle. The gnolls around him fell back, flung by the force of the huge barbarian. All four of the gnolls that surrounded him lay dead. Brigit paused for a second to whistle in amazement. She had never seen such a lethal blow. Once again a red mist settled around the barbarian who grinned in its midst.

The last female in the room made a feeble attempt to wound Brigit. She nearly batted its axe from its grasp with her parry. Beyond the room in the hallway a pitched battle was at hand. Mazi barely avoided the large gnoll plaguing her. Her sword nearly slipped from her grasp as she spun to the side. She recovered her grip before it caused disaster.

Milo moved as fast as his small limbs could carry him. The other large gnoll focused its attention on him instead of Mazi. Milo dodged its axe only to roll practically into the leader's grasp. The huge gnoll's axe whistled through the air before it sliced a deep gash in his arm. He sucked a sharp intake of breath through his teeth at the wound.

Time to even the odds Milo thought. He tumbled past the two sons into the open hallway. As he did so he bumped their legs, not quite getting a proper start to the maneuver. Both gnolls hacked at him, barely missing the lithe halfling. He flipped around and stabbed one in the back, scoring a critical hit to its vital organs. The gnoll fell with a rattle from its lungs. The leader saw its son die and growled deep in its throat before yelling something in gnoll at Milo.

Brigit and Jeremiah converged on the final female in the commons room. She was no match for their charge and fell before Jeremiah's blade. Both turned to aid their friends in the passageway.

The leader thought better of chasing the small halfling and turned instead to Mazi, alone in the corridor to the room. The leader's axe swung down and sliced into Mazi's shield arm. She gasped at the severe wound that opened. She turned a steely gaze onto the gnoll, intent on its death.

One of the females in the hallway moved past the leader and engaged Milo. She thrust her spear at Milo. He sidestepped and ducked the son's blow as well. Milo was hoping Jer and Brigit would finish up in the room soon.

Milo stabbed at the axe-wielding son but his short reach prevented him from scoring a hit. Mazi tried to slice the leader with her long sword, barely missing the agile gnoll. It growled defiance at her and pressed in. Brigit moved to block his advance, thrusting down with her axe.

Jeremiah moved forward to join the battle in the hall. He shouted as he heaved his sword at the leader. The gnoll howled in pain as the blade bit through its thick matted hide. It slashed blindly at Jeremiah, he blocked the axe with his great sword.

The leader's son and the female continued to attack Milo. He hopped and weaved about to dodge the blows. The female's spear snagged a ring from his chain shirt but he was able to jump back before the weapon could inflict any more damage.

Milo moved in close and slashed at the large gnoll. The quick beast parried his move. It raised its lip in a sneer and pressed back at the halfling.

The leader's son failed to notice the plight its father was in. Mazithra and Brigit overwhelmed the huge gnoll as they struck in unison. Mazi's sword bit into his chest while Brigit's waraxe sliced through its belly. The leader snarled as it fell, dead before it hit the ground.

Jeremiah moved past the corpse to attack the leader's son. It didn't see the blade coming as he cut it from buttock to shoulder. The gnoll turned with a yelp to face its new assailant. It hacked at Jeremiah ineffectively as another female moved to close the gap. Its spear was no more successful as it clanked against his armor. Milo continued to dodge the female that harried him, finding it much easier with only one enemy to focus on.

Milo's sword snaked past the female's spear and tagged its leg. Blood soaked through its legging and it snarled at Milo. What it didn't see was a full steel clad dwarf move behind and take a mighty swing with her axe. The female spontaneously split in two from Milo's vantage. The leader's son fell as well just moments later from the deadly dwarven forged steel.

Jeremiah turned back around to face the last three females. He growled at them in a close approximation of the leader and jumped with his sword flailing. The females cowered back from the daunting figure, obviously cowed.

They stabbed uselessly at the towering barbarian. He scoffed as Brigit moved up next to him, her devastating axe slicing through the air. Two more gnolls fell to her furious assault. Jeremiah stabbed at the last female. Her death cry turned to a gurgle as the blood filled her lungs. He kicked her off of his sword and stood up straight, surveying the scene with satisfaction.

Milo noticed Mazi panting slightly as she leaned against the wall. She had taken a nasty hit from the leader's axe. Milo moved up to her and chanted a healing mantra. He placed his hands on her wounds and the bleeding stopped. The wounds themselves remained open but appeared a bit healthier than before.

She waved Milo away and stooped down to retrieve a silver armband from the leader's thick wrist. Milo noticed a matching armband on the other side and removed it for Mazi to inspect. He also found a hefty coin purse on its belt, full of gold. Brigit found necklaces on each of the leader's concubines. They looked valuable so the party stashed them. The two sons had a few gold pieces in their coin purses as well. Each of the other gnoll corpses in the room had silver in various pockets and purses.

They decided to check out the hallway the leader and his entourage emerged from. A short distance down the tunnel led to an open door. Inside they found crude furniture and a fireplace. The furnishings were lavish compared to what they had seen so far. They figured the leader must have lived in this room.

Milo set about searching the room. He was quick to remember some of the valuables they had found in other rooms similar to this. He discovered a loose flagstone which, when lifted, revealed a literal pot of coins. Gold, silver, copper, and electrum winked back at the happy halfling.

Meanwhile Brigit was giving the far wall an odd stare. Mazi recognized the same look from the orc cavern and the incredibly concealed chest Brigit had found in the stone work. After some long minutes Brigit moved forward slowly and pushed at a single stone with her axe head.

The stone moved in a fraction of an inch and a deep rumbling sounded. The wall before her swung outward, stone scraping on stone. Milo was impressed, he had completely missed that secret lever. Brigit never ceased to amaze him. His thoughts were cut short at a startled exclamation from Mazithra.

Just inside the revealed passage was a broken body. It had been there for a long time, its skeleton belying the cause of death and its race. It was obvious that it was once an elf, and judging from its clothing, a very important one. Its left leg was broken, the injury apparently kept the elf from escaping the tunnel.

Mazi knelt reverently before the corpse, she retrieved a finely tooled scabbard. Elven runes were set into the well-preserved leather. She slowly drew the sword. Looking closely Milo noted that it appeared to have wood grain down the length of the blade. More elven runes were etched into the sword itself.

Mazi held the blade before them and spoke softly of the sword:

This is Sylvanglade, it is an elven sword made out of the wood of a tree sacred to elves (the tree is nourished with a fertilizer with a high-mithril content, and the wood, once shaped into weapons, is indistinguishable from steel. Sylvanglade (and its twin Greencopse which was destroyed, or so say the legends) is a silvery Longsword with an ornate golden crossguard to protect the hand. The hilt is wrapped in silver wire.

It's said that the blade is masked from detect magic, dispel magic and even anti-magic shell will not negate the powers of this elven blade. The blades were used for ceremonial battles between the champions of elven kingdoms. The blade has one unique ability; it temporarily negates the enchantment on the blade of the opponent
(thus, if the opponent has a long sword +5 it operates as a simple long sword. If there is more than one attacker then only the first attacker of the round has his/her "plusses" negated if Sylvanglade's wielder does not specify otherwise. The blade functions as a +2 magical blade with regards to Damage Resistance/what it can hit.)

Mazi was gently stroking the blade as she spoke, the reverence and awe in her voice was apparent to all. Milo noticed a pouch on the skeleton's belt as she finished speaking. He scooped it up and peered inside to find a dozen gems. He guessed their value to be about fifty gold apiece.

Mazi had sheathed the blade and reached down to the skeleton's hand. She retrieved a signet ring and explained to the group that there would be no problem with her wielding the blade since she had the signet ring. She stooped over the elf one more time, removing exceptional fine elven boots. Milo whistled at their craftsmanship. He figured boots like those would be quieter than a cat's tread. Too bad they didn't come in his size.

While Mazi was looking over the skeleton, the others peered down the new passage. Tired after the grueling battles with the gnolls, they decided to leave it for the next day. Perhaps it led to a back way into the robed figure's inner sanctum.

After Mazi finished her work the group started back. Brigit stopped at each group of corpses to hack off the arms and legs. She remarked on the keen edge of the Trollgrater. It hacked through the corpses in a fraction of the time of her unenchanted weapon.

The friends emerged from the gnoll cavern at dusk. They made their way from the gorge to a new campground, not willing to take a chance and lapse into habit. They found another clearing a good distance from the caverns and set about making camp.

Mazithra found a quiet spot and grabbed Milo's handaxes. She wanted to identify them after her other discoveries. She didn't think they'd be normal weapons like his enchanted dagger. Milo shrugged, he wasn't quite sure how to use the unwieldy axes anyway.

They set up watch and slept, each taking their turn until near morning when Mazi finished her spell and had a few hours of meditation. She woke Milo and the others excitedly. She had found some background information on the axes as well as what they were enchanted with. She told them in an excited voice:

Reft and Rend, the Axes of Ambidexterity
Haft of bone
These weapons are a matched pair. When used individually, they confer the Feat of ambidexterity upon the wielder, he is able to fight with an additional (one-handed) weapon in either hand. When used together, the wielder maintains the Feat of ambidexterity, and each axe functions at +3.

History: These weapons are probably of Duergar origin since the symbol to the entrance of every Duergar Place of Power is a relief of the crossed Axes of Ambidexterity.

Milo whistled as he took the axes from Mazi's outstretched hands. He turned them over in his hands, examining them as if he had not seen them before. To think, one of those was buried in his shoulder not too long ago. He would have to give some serious thought into learning to use these weapons.

 

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty-three (session 6)

Milo stowed his handaxes, there'd be time later for practicing. They had some cups to find. Milo and his friends struck camp and prepared for their next assault on the caves. He hoped it would be their last. The pervading evil of the gorge seemed to be spreading across the countryside. It made him nervous.

They talked as they journeyed back to the caves. Only one cavern remained completely unexplored. There was also the secret passage they discovered in the gnoll cavern. Mazi theorized that the secret passage could be a back way into the other cave complex. Whether it was or not, none of them felt right leaving it unexplored. They decided to head into the secret passage and find what lay in store.

They ventured into the gnoll cave cautiously. No dismembered corpses littered the floor. No gnolls attacked them from the darkness either. The cave was eerily quiet. The only sounds they heard were from their own armor and gear. They made their way to the secret door that Brigit found the day before.

She triggered the catch and the door once again rumbled open. The skeleton of the elf lay exactly as they had left it. No obvious signs of passage were evident. It seemed that this hidden path was not known to the other denizens of the caves. The party carefully moved forward, all senses straining to hear or see anything out of the ordinary.

The passage led them to another secret door. They were on the other side of the camouflage and found the catch easily. Before opening the door Brigit listened carefully through the solid rock. Milo smirked and made a comment about listening to a brick wall. Brigit cast a nasty glance back his way and opened the door.

On the other side were stacks of supplies. They were in a small room with an open entryway. Boxes and crates were lined up along the sides and in the middle of the room. Just down the hall they could hear a faint sucking, slurping noise. It almost sounded like a child playing with his gelatin dessert in a bowl, magnified tenfold. It dawned on Milo.

"Gelatinous cube!" he whispered loudly to the others, just as a translucent square of jelly rounded the corner outside the room and started to flop towards them.
"Probably the hallway cleaner, it's stupid, but it will attack if it senses us. Don't let it touch you, you'll be paralyzed."

Milo and Mazithra took the initiative by firing their range weapons before the creature could reach them. Both hit the cube, their arrow and bolt sinking deep into its mass. They sat suspended like fruit in a fancy upper crust dish.

Brigit also wasted no time. She began pushing at a couple of crates, blocking the entryway before the cube could reach them.

"Brilliant idea Brigit, only now I can't see the thing to shoot it!" Milo said. The crates were about a foot taller than the diminutive halfling.

Brigit shook her head and ran to a small box, positioning it so Milo could hop up and see past the blockade.

While they worked on the makeshift stool, Mazi had knocked another arrow to fire at the cube. Jeremiah had also drawn his bow and readied an arrow. They let them fly. The large mass of gelatin made an easy target and both plunged into the cube. The arrows made ugly puncture marks but otherwise just hung in the middle along with the other missiles.

Milo crawled onto the box Brigit positioned for him and fired his crossbow. His bolt joined the rest in the center of the goop. He hoped the thing was being damaged as it flopped up to the barrier and began to ooze over the top.

The adventurers backed away from the blockade, Milo hopping down right after he finished loading his crossbow. After two steps backward he aimed and fired again. The quarrel burst through the membrane of the gel and the entire cube collapsed. Thick jelly poured through the holes their arrows and bolts had created. A large puddle formed on the ground before them, stinking of decay and chemicals.

Crinkling his nose, Milo toed the edge of the puddle with his boot. No reaction, these gelatinous cubes weren't corrosive like the slimes from the other cave. At least not after they were dead.

The party regrouped. There was nothing of value they could find in this room and the corpse wasn't exactly anything Brigit could dismember. They hadn't made a lot of noise in the battle so they hoped that nothing was alerted to their presence, yet.

They moved into the hallway. Milo noted that the stonework was deliberate, much more so than the other caverns. Brigit remarked on the same, her trained dwarven eye noticing the obvious labor that was put into carving the walls. After a few feet the party came to the bend that the cube emerged from. Around the corner was a long hallway punctuated by a door midway.

The friends approached the door cautiously, Milo leading to watch for traps. There was something odd about this portal. The door was bolted on their side. A quick discussion followed about whether it was to keep something out of the tunnels or something inside a room. They remembered the bolted door in one of the first caverns, merely leading to the outside.

They decided to check it out anyway. Brigit removed the bolt and rigged the door so it could not be locked on them after they entered. They peered into the darkness, unable to see far even with Milo's lantern. After a few feet they came to stairs leading down as far as they could see. Something made Milo feel that this staircase would be better left for later. He told his friends and received no objections. They walked back out the door and Brigit bolted it shut. Whatever dungeon awaited them down the stairs would be visited later.

The group moved down the hallway, rounding the corner cautiously in case more cubes or worse were waiting for them. An even longer hallway stretched before them. Two passages led to the right and left at different points before the passage curved back off to the right. The checked the right hand passage first, it was closer and they decided to clear out what was at hand before venturing down any further.

The branching passage continued for a ways before cutting to the right. There was a door at the corner, on the left side of the hallway. They moved to search the area, Milo checking for traps on the door while the rest kept watch. The door was unlocked and untrapped. Milo pushed it open.

Inside was a furnished room. Hangings adorned the wall, depicting grisly scenes, demons, sacrifices, unholy symbols. There were beds as well. Filth littered the floor. If it weren't for the garbage Milo thought this looked like a guestroom in some demon lord's estate. He shuddered at the evil that seemed to fill the room. There was nothing of interest in the room. No secret caches or hidden compartments were behind the hangings and beds.

Moving out of the room they continued down the hallway. It cut back to the left and led down a steep staircase. They decided to clear out the level they were on before heading down the stairs or behind the bolted door in the other hall. Before they left Milo listened intently at the top of the flight. He heard nothing.

Back in the main passage the group moved to the left hallway. It too went for a few feet before cutting, this time to the left. Another few feet and it cut back to the right. At the end of the hallway was a door set into the stone to the left. It was solid metal with bars set up about human eye-level. Obviously it was a prison of sorts.

Jeremiah and Mazithra were the only ones tall enough to peer through the bars. Jer moved forward and looked into the room. He described skeletons hanging from shackles on the wall. After a second he exclaimed in surprise. He could just barely see a girl hanging in a corner. She had her head down and he couldn't make out much, but she looked alive.

Milo grabbed his picks and set himself at the lock. He had the door open in a flash and moved aside to let Brigit and Jeremiah lead the way. Brigit walked in with a stride, ready to rescue the girl. A hissing came from the corner where the girl hung. Brigit stopped suddenly froze in her tracks. Jeremiah nearly walked right into her. He stopped himself short and began to ask Brigit what was wrong. Before he had the chance to utter the first word they noticed a strange change coming over the dwarf. Her skin started to pale, her position remained the same, axe raised and in mid-step. Seconds later a stone statue stood in Brigit's place. A perfect replica of their dwarven friend in every way, down to the braids in her hair and the whisper of beard on her chin.

"Oh no! Medusa! Everyone come back into the hallway, we've got to think about this one." Milo said hurriedly.

"Help me pleassssssse." came a sibilant plea from the 'girl'. "I have a potion ssssssss it will change your friend ssssssssss back to fessssssssssh."

A quick look at each other told Milo that neither Jeremiah nor Mazi trusted the medusa farther than any of them could throw her, which was nowhere while she was shackled. That gave Milo an idea.

"Hey, if it's chained to the wall, we can pick it off from a distance. I can fire my crossbow over my shoulder without looking at it, or getting close to those snakes in its hair." Milo said to his friends. "But I'll have to shoot blind. It can't move much, but I'm not going to be able to see it. Maybe you guys can tell me how close I'm getting? Hmm, that wouldn't work either, you'd have to look at it to see."

"Eep!" Mazi exclaimed with an excited look on her face. She took off her pack and started to rummage through her belongings. "Ahah!" she stated as she pulled out a polished mirror.

"Mazi, your vanity will never cease to amaze me! I'm glad you're with us." Milo said with a grin as he slowly shook his head side to side. "Okay, you stand to my side and hold up the mirror and I'll fire at the abomination." he finished.


Mazi and Milo sidled past the statue of Brigit and took up position next to the wall opposite of the medusa. Mazi held up the mirror and Milo looked into the face of a medusa for the first time.

"I sure hope you've got that potion, spawn of hell." Milo said to it.

"Pleassssssse help me." came the reply.

Milo didn't answer. He set his crossbow over his shoulder, aimed as best he could, and fired. A shriek answered his shot. The bolt pierced the medusa's belly. Milo could see the snakes in its hair writhe and hiss at his direction. The medusa was impotent to protect itself.

He fired again, this bolt slamming into its shoulder. He tried to aim closer to where he hoped her heart was. His next bolt missed, breaking against the stone wall under its armpit.

Milo cocked the crossbow and fired a fourth shot. The bolt protruded from the medusa's chest. It shrieked again, writhing in agony. He reloaded and took aim. His next bolt missed. It was trying to move now, its lithe body swayed back and forth erratically. Milo had a hard time aiming at the wildly flailing creature in the mirror.

He fired again and again and again. Three more bolts shattered against the rocks. His next bolt struck true. The quarrel plunged into the medusa's chest, straight to the heart. The medusa stopped thrashing and hung limp. Milo fired another bolt into the body, to make sure it wasn't trying to trick them.

The medusa didn't so much as twitch when the bolt thunked into it. Milo turned around slowly and approached the body. He kept his eyes squinted, just in case it moved. He hoped he could shut his eyes before it could work its fell magic on him. He prodded the body with his loaded crossbow, certain that a point blank shot would finish things if it were still alive.

Nothing at all happened. He breathed a sigh of relief and examined the body. He was still careful to keep from looking directly at its face, just in case. He found a vial tied around its neck, concealed by the rags it wore. He removed the potion and walked over to the statue that was Brigit.

"I hope this works, I certainly can't haul Brigit out and we won't be able to make it to the keep with her through that undead army."

Milo pulled out the stopper as he held the vial away from his body. He slowly tipped it over Brigit's arm and let a drop fall to her stone skin. The color immediately returned to her flesh, just a spot of living tissue in the middle of the statue. He handed the vial to Mazi carefully and pointed at Brigit's head.

Mazithra took the vial and poured its contents onto Brigit's helmet. The steel shine returned immediately and spread down. As it reached her forehead the pink of flesh showed through the stone. The color flushed through Brigit's body in a wave.

"What the!?" The startled dwarf exclaimed. "What in tha blazes is goin on? Milo, Mazi, how'd ya git in front of me. What's with tha bolts in tha girl. I just stepped in an..." realization dawned on Brigit's face. "I was - I was - that thing -" she pointed at the medusa with her axe. "A medusa!?" she finished.

Milo giggled and nodded. He explained what happened to the dumbfounded dwarf. She pounded him on the back and thanked him for risking his and Mazi's life to bring her back. Milo stumbled from the impact but stood back up grinning.

"Well, ready to brave more doors, Brigit? We're not done here."

 

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty-four (session 6)

Before they left the room Brigit kicked apart the skeletons and dismembered the medusa. They certainly didn't need an undead medusa chasing after them. They left the prison cell and returned to the main passage. Brigit was ready to crack some live skulls after her experience with the medusa. They decided to check out the staircase beyond the 'guestroom'.

At the bottom of the long staircase they learned what the guestroom was for. It was a visiting station for the torture room below. Torture racks lined the far wall. An iron maiden stood in the corner, open wide with its rusty, bloodstained spikes ready for another victim. Torches were guttering in brackets at random points along the walls. Various torture tools hung from the sidewall. In another corner sat a low bed with a very large man. He wasn't sitting still either. As soon as the four entered the chamber he was up and charging with his battleaxe.

Milo reacted quickly, he shot a bolt at the fast approaching bulk of the torturer. The missile skimmed past his head as he charged on. The burly man reached Mazi first. He brought his battleaxe down on the slight elf, cutting a shallow wound in her arm. She danced back as she stowed her bow, readying her longsword for melee.

Jeremiah and Brigit moved up to engage the dealer of pain. He dodged quickly out of their range. His dexterous movements were startling for his size. Milo stashed his crossbow while he circled behind the large human. He drew his shortsword and approached the torturer from behind.

He was attentive and he caught on to Milo's game. Down came the battleaxe, this time wounding Milo. He took the vicious blow to his side, sparks flew from the axe as it sliced into his chain shirt.

Milo's distraction was enough to allow Mazi's sword to bypass the torturer's defenses. Her grace belied the deadly accuracy of her blade as she cut through the torturer's armor. Blood appeared from the wound she inflicted under his arm. The large human whirled around. In a freak happening his battleaxe tangled with Jeremiah's incoming great sword. The two wrestled for a split second before Jer's sword was flung from his hands. The large blade clattered to the floor and skittered to a stop next to a torture rack across the room.

The torturer was about to follow through on his advantage against the weaponless barbarian when Brigit's axehead emerged from his chest. Brigit had swung from behind and buried her axe in the torturer's back. She had learned another of Milo's maneuvers, taking advantage of distracted or unaware foes. Brigit kicked against the body, pulling her axe out as it fell to the floor.

Milo congratulated his apt student. Brigit caught on to his lessons quickly. He was very impressed with how far she had come in just a couple of days. He stooped over the body of the human and looked through his person for valuables. The torturer carried nothing but his battleaxe.

Jeremiah had retrieved his great sword and was sheathing the weapon when he spotted a coin bag on the torturer's bed. Inside were well over a hundred gold and a finely crafted golden bracelet.

The only other thing they found in the torture chamber were the tools of the grisly trade the dead man had plied. Brigit once again butchered the body, feeling vindicated knowing the atrocities the torturer had likely practiced in the macabre room.

Luckily there were no current victims in the room. All of the tables and devices were empty. A slow day in hell perhaps, Milo thought as they left the chamber.

The resolved to clear out the other dungeon behind the bolted door after they saw what that staircase revealed. The party moved back to the original passage and approached the door.

Brigit once again slid the bolt off and opened the door. Before they began down the stairs she rigged the bolt to remain open. They didn't like the idea of being trapped with whatever was down there.

At the bottom of the stairs the tunnel opened into a long room. They emerged in the middle of one lengthwise wall. All along the walls were coffins, dusty and old. Milo immediately thought of undead creatures, crawling out of the coffins and reaching for him. He gave an inward shudder before bracing himself. He was going to clear out all of these coffins, dead or undead.

Milo moved to the nearest coffin and heaved at the lid. He had a hard time reaching the lid from his precarious perch on the coffin pedestal. Brigit moved to help him and they managed to pry the lid up and back. Inside was a withered corpse, long dead and completely undisturbed. Milo shrugged and moved to the next coffin. Brigit went with him and helped him lift that lid as well.

Half expecting another undisturbed body, Milo and Brigit jumped back as a grey decrepit humanoid sprang out of the coffin. It bared its fangs and claws at the two and made to attack them.

Milo felt a surge of divine power and holy inspiration. He stood to his full height of three feet and raised his hand. A bright light shone from his outstretched palm that seemed to sear the undead creature. It wailed in a pitiful voice and cowered in the coffin.

Brigit had her axe at the ready, she hacked down at the undead abomination. Her weapon chopped clean through its arm, severing it from the body. It wailed again and turned to flee. The only way it could turn was to the foot of the coffin as Mazi and Jer had taken up position on the other side.

Mazi struck out at the aberration as it tried to slink away from Milo's outstretched palm. Her sword bit through the grey, tough skin and hit the creature's backbone. It severed the spine and the beast fell into the coffin. Dead for good this time.

Milo explained that the creature was a wight. He had learned about them in his studies at the Keep's chapel. They were particularly nasty undead that could actually turn a living being into undead after it killed.

The group was a little taken aback by his display of light. Milo couldn't explain that phenomenon as easily as the wight. He tried to tell them more about the power that seemed to infuse him at the time and the sudden insight, but couldn't quite convey his meaning properly.

He gave up after looking into their blank stares for a few moments and turned to examine the coffin the wight had sprang from. The wight had been on top of a false bottom. Milo lifted out the plank and gazed down at the trove of gear. Inside was a polished helm, a great sword, a scroll, and a silver dagger encrusted with gems.

Jeremiah had his hands on the great sword before Milo could turn to tell him. He was admiring the beautiful craftsmanship of the blade and the amazing balance. He turned to look at the helmet and would have reached for that too had his friends not stopped him.

"How about we find out if these are magical and what they might do before you use the sword or helmet, Jeremiah?" Mazi said to the eager barbarian.

"Aye laddie, that helm er that sword mayhap is cursed. We wouldna want ya down 'n out when we need ya tha most, now would we?" Brigit further explained.

Jer looked crestfallen, but understood the need for caution. He put the sword back with the others. Mazi chanted a brief cantrip and looked across the gear. She pointed to the sword, the helmet, and the scroll, indicating that they each had a magical aura. She picked up the scroll and looked over the text. Unable to read it properly she figured Milo might have more luck.

Milo glanced over the parchment. It was definitely divine. He recognized it as a ward against evil. He told the others about its effect and stowed it with his other evil protection scroll. Jeremiah put the helm and sword in his pack and Brigit put away the jeweled dagger in her gear.

After all was accounted for they moved to the next coffin. Surrounding it, they heaved open the lid. Underneath lay another withered corpse, nothing special. Each of the remaining coffins revealed the same. It appeared there were no more undead for Milo to hate in this room.

They trooped back up the stairs and into the corridor. Nothing seemed to have disturbed the door or bolt. Brigit returned the door to its original condition and they carried on.

 

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty-five (session 6)

The four adventurers moved back into the long hallway past the wight room. At the end was a right hand turn and stairs leading up. They each readied their weapons and climbed the flight of steps. Around another corner they came to a sturdy oak door. Brigit tromped up to the door, being the first to reach it, and started looking about for traps. While she was scanning the edges of the door and its latch she could hear faint sounds on the other side. She described them as groaning and shrieking, muffled as though they came from a far distance. This didn't exactly fill any of her friends with confidence.

She finished up her search for traps, declaring the door clean. It was also unlocked. She and Jeremiah stood side by side at the door and opened the latch. The portal led into a cavernous tunnel, twenty feet wide with vaulted ceilings. The walls were rough hewn and a sooty black. A strange ore ran through the rock in blood-like veins. Milo shivered, this place was evil. The tunnel stretched off to their left and turned a sharp corner to the right of the door before it continued straight ahead. They couldn't see anything or anyone down either hall. They hoped that they had arrived unnoticed.

They could see another door to the right, just another ten paces in. Figuring it to be a good place to start as any, they approached the stout door. Brigit once again searched for traps, putting Milo's lesson to good use. She found none and was about to try the handle before Milo stopped her. He moved past Brigit and placed one pointed ear to the rough wood of the door. Inside he could hear muffled voices. They sounded human, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He informed his friends and they prepared for a hostile encounter.

Milo moved back to stand with Mazi as Jeremiah and Brigit approached the door. Brigit raised up a steel-clad boot and kicked in the door. Four men in deep black robes waited for them. They were prepared for the intrusion, as one raised a finger, pointed at Jeremiah and shouted, "DIE!" A stunned look appeared on Jeremiah's face and he fell backwards, stiff as a post. He lay on the floor with his eyes wide open, staring unseeing at the ceiling. One of the other men jumped at the prone barbarian. He brought his mace down on Jer, bruising his arm.

Another of the robed men pointed at Brigit and chanted a profane litany. Brigit shivered and a wild look came to her eyes. She looked as if she were about to flee for a split-second before she shook off the effects of the spell cast on her. The fourth robed man sprang at the dwarf, swinging his mace. She let the blow ring off her shield and swung her axe around to end his life. Milo wasn't sure if she was still shaken by the fear spell recently cast on her or not, but he noticed that her grip slipped on the axe. She almost lost hold of the weapon as her swing went wide.

Milo held back to allow Mazi room to attack the priests. She leapt over Jeremiah's body and stabbed at the man that clubbed her friend. He yelped in pain and shrunk away from the fast-moving long sword. Behind her Jeremiah was coming to. He shook his head and groaned as he struggled to his feet. Milo was relieved to see that the Word of Power was a lesser version and not capable of truly killing.

The same fell priest that spoke at Jeremiah pointed at Brigit. Again he shouted, "DIE!" Brigit glared at him and shouted herself, "Put a cork in it, wizzie. I'll get to ya soon enough!" With that she side stepped a blow aimed at her skull and whipped her axe around. The magically sharpened blade sliced into her attacker and spilled his lifeblood. He sank to the ground with his hand over the deep wound, he died in seconds. Brigit didn't wait to see the result of her blow. She carried through to the mace wielding man that was attacking Jeremiah. He had just swung at the now standing barbarian and didn't see the axe flying towards him. A sickening crack could be heard as Brigit severed the man's spine. He dropped his mace to the ground and fell, the light of life fading from his eyes before he reached the floor.

Mazithra and the fourth priest circled each other. She speared her sword at the robed man, tearing at the cloth but not piercing his flesh. He swung down at her exposed arm and scored a hard blow. She withdrew, her arm already turning purple from the impact.

Meanwhile Milo had been biding his time to get in a shot at the dark priest that started it all. He brought up his crossbow and aimed carefully at the black-clad human. When the opportunity presented itself, he fired. His bolt sped from the crossbow and planted itself deep into his skull, right between his eyes. Milo crowed with his critical blow.

Mazithra and the last priest were still locked in combat. His mace came down again, bruising Mazi's shoulder. She danced back a half step and rotated her arm, loosening the muscle that was brutally assaulted. Before she could engage the mage, Brigit moved in behind and buried her axe head into his back. The priest coughed blood and then fell with a thump to the floor. Brigit hauled her axe out and spat on the corpse.

"Good riddance, finger-wiggler" She muttered.

Mazi massaged her shoulder as she moved further in the room. There were four cots, a desk, and some shelves in the room. She looked over the books on the shelves, hoping to find some useful spells or formulas. She grumbled in disgust on finding the grotesque nature of the volumes. They outlined various rites and rituals of the evil persuasion. She tossed the book she was perusing back onto the shelf, complaining about the contents. Brigit walked to the shelf, pulled out her tinderbox, and lit a spark to the dry, dusty pages before anyone could say anything.

"If they be evil, they're better left unused by anyone." was all she said to the party's perplexed looks.

Milo shrugged and stooped down over the body of one of the priests. They had nothing but an amulet around their necks. He felt revulsion when he focused on the devices. He couldn't bring himself to even touch one. He left the amulet where it was and searched through the robes. He found nothing, not even a copper piece.

By then the smoke from the books was filling the room. They decided to leave and shut the door behind them. The shelf was isolated and not likely to start a major fire. Even if one started, the materials in the room would burn themselves out upon the rock floor.

They turned down the left hall. Milo noticed that the red veins of ore seemed to pulse in the rough black rock. A few paces further a branch opened to the left. Down the new tunnel they could see the light of day. They figured that they were looking out at the final cave opening in the gorge. They continued down the main hall. The cavernous path branched in a "Y" further down. Deciding to stay with consistency, they chose the left branch. The hall continued on for a few paces before veering sharply to the left, almost a switchback in the huge tunnel. There was a caved in passage leading off to the right before the sharp turn. Just looking at the rubble Milo guessed there were tons of rock blocking the way. Brigit told them it was likely an old deadfall trap for some escaping force, that or an earthquake long ago.

Down the tunnel to the left they saw the hall open into a large cavern. The vaulted ceilings were even higher than in the great hall. They could see a dais at the end of the hall with a grand throne. Milo could see the sparkle of jewels from the other end of the throne room. Lining the walls were skeletons, standing with swords. They appeared to be guardians of some sort. At the time they were still. Milo didn't trust that, he knew as soon as they set foot in the room, or approached a skeleton, or approached the throne, whatever, that they would spring to life and attack. Milo hated undead, really.

Milo loved jewels more than he hated undead though. He volunteered to investigate the throne and risk the chance of the skeletons attacking. There were six on each side of the room, evenly spaced and ominous looking. The other three stayed near the entrance as Milo tread softly into the throne room proper. There was no reaction from the skeletal sentries. He approached the dais cautiously, still nothing. He put one foot on the raised platform-

The room burst into life. All at once the skeletons lurched forward, their swords lifted. Milo groaned. The skeletons looked around the room, spotting the trespassing halfling as well as his companions. Six moved towards Milo and the other six turned towards the others.

Jeremiah gave a battle cry and ran at the two closest skeletons. His great sword bit into white bones, causing shards and chips to fly in all directions. The first skeleton he cleaved to pieces at its waist. Jer recognized the single spine as a weak point to exploit. He swept through the first skeleton and into the second, likewise severing it in two at the waist. Both skeletons tumbled to the ground, inert piles of bones.

Milo said a silent prayer and lifted his hand as he had against the wight. The light shone from his palm again and some of the skeletons slouching towards him opened their jaws in silent screams. A couple of the skeletons approaching his friends did likewise. Six of the undead constructs turned immediately and made for the only exit in the room.

Two skeletons made their way to Milo's position on the dais. They swung their swords at the nimble halfling. Both missed as Milo dodged and weaved. Two others attacked Brigit, one sword made it past her shield and bit into her armor. The rusty blade came back with her blood. Brigit grimaced and hacked at the offending skeleton. She aimed for the neck, her axe skimming clean through the neckbone. The skeleton's head flew off its body and landed some feet away, spinning on the rock floor. The body fell to a pile at her feet. She pressed her attack on the other skeleton, but her axe found no purchase on its skinny bones.

It occurred to Milo that they would do better with something a little more blunt against these undead, as he watched Jeremiah slice into another skeleton. The skeleton collapsed as Jeremiah maneuvered his sword past its guard and into its spine. The great sword didn't cut all the way through this time though. Jer grunted in frustration as the blade lodged into the skeleton's spine and he lost his grip.

Milo focused on his current situation. The two skeletons were pressing in on him and he felt slightly unprotected. He chanted a protection against evil and felt the power surge through his body. The skeletons attacking him seemed unable to land their blows, almost shying away from his presence.

Near the entrance Mazi was waiting for the fleeing skeletons. Jeremiah had already destroyed one of them, but five more were on the way to the hall. Her blade was a blur as she attacked each of them as they shambled by. She missed only one but her long sword reduced another to a pile of whitened bones. The skeletons seemed oblivious as they continued on.

Two passed close enough to Brigit for her to make a couple of opportunistic attacks. She hacked at the skeletons that Mazi had wounded and watched them crumple to their own separate heaps. She turned back to the skeleton that was not fleeing and slashed down on its arm, severing the limb at the shoulder. The skeleton continued on, using its good arm to wield its rusty weapon.

Jer lost precious seconds as he wrenched his sword out of the spine of the fallen skeleton. Up on the dais Milo switched to his short sword. He recognized that his crossbow would have even less effect on these undead than the slashing weapon he was drawing. The skeletons continued to attack him, causing him to bound about wildly as he attempted to stow his crossbow and unsheathe his sword.

Near the entrance Mazi had pursued the fleeing skeletons. She reached one and slashed down at its retreating form. Her sword sliced through its ribcage, reducing the undead creature to another pile. One other skeleton remained to flee. Her sword snaked out to cut through its leg as it shambled forward. It didn't fall, but lurched with a pronounced limp, still trying to get away from the room in which Milo stood.

Brigit dispatched the last skeleton that faced her. She ignored the single arm wielding the sword and aimed for the tried and true weak point under the rib cage. The skeleton toppled to the ground in pieces, its sword clattering atop the bones.

At the other end of the throne room Jeremiah had finally recovered his sword and ran to assist Milo. He cut into one of the skeletons from behind. A few bones flew from the impact of his attack, but the skeleton remained standing. It turned to face the barbarian, swinging its rusty sword in his general direction. Jer easily avoided the blow but raised his sword to guard against any further attacks.

Milo moved in quickly to the other skeleton and scored a minor break on its leg. The skeleton attempted to return the attack but couldn't land a blow on Milo as he about moved swiftly.

Mazithra ran after the last fleeing skeleton as it limped past the entryway. She reached the stumbling construct and slashed down through its shoulder and ribcage, reducing another skeleton to a heap of bones. Brigit, upon seeing that all the nearby skeletons were destroyed, charged towards the two attacking Jeremiah and Milo.

She reached them a moment too late as Jeremiah's great sword turned one skeleton's skull to powder and completely demolishing the second's structure. All that remained standing besides the adventurers were small mounds of bones.

Milo grinned at his compatriots and gave a thumbs-up sign. He turned to the throne and got a closer look at the shining gems. Four large red jewels adorned the fancy throne. He drew his magic dagger and pried at the closest one. It popped easily from its setting into his open palm. He whistled as he looked over it. He concluded that it must be worth at least 400 gold if a copper. He passed it to Jeremiah and pried off the next red stone. He handed this one to Brigit. By the time he had the third stone pried Mazithra had made it to the dais. He handed that gem to the elf as she stepped up on the raised platform. The fourth jewel he kept for himself. He may be roguish, he thought to himself, but he was always fair.

They searched the rest of the room, finding it to be rather bare for the apparent importance of the throne and the protected dais. The adventurers left the throne room and backtracked to the main cavernous hall.

 

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty-six (session 6)

Back at the "Y" intersection Milo and his friends turned left, up towards the other passage. There was still no sign of alarm throughout the cavern. No sentries roamed the hall. Milo guessed that the undead didn't care. He did wonder about the mastermind of the caves though.

His musings were cut short when they reached another cavern. The passage terminated in a long room. As soon as they entered, the inhabitants came alive. Four zombies on either side of the cave shuffled forward as soon as Jeremiah's foot crossed the threshold.

Milo groaned again. Milo hated undead, really. He uttered another quick prayer and waited for the zombies to close in. Jeremiah was not as patient. His sword gleamed in the lamplight as he slashed into the nearest oozing undead. He gouged a great deep cut through its flesh but it kept shambling on, intent on damaging the intruders. The zombie clawed at Jeremiah, its fingers scrabbling against his armor. He kicked the zombie away as another heaved its bulk at him. He dodged the zombie and glanced over to his friends.

Mazi moved forward, next to Jeremiah, and slashed at a zombie as it grew near. Her sword inflicted a lighter wound than Jeremiah's. It would have given any live opponent reason to pause, but the zombie shambled forward, a low moan emanating from its putrid mouth. It swiped its heavy arms at Mazi, trying to slam and disorient her. She spun lithely out of the way. Another zombie lurched at her but was likewise gracefully avoided.

Milo chose that moment to raise his hand and call on the power of his deity. Nothing happened. No light shone forth, the zombies didn't even pause in their advance. Milo shook his hand and looked at it in puzzlement.

He didn't have much time to wonder as two zombies converged on his position. They took clumsy swipes at the nimble halfling. He jumped out of the way and readied his short sword. I guess we'll do this the hard way, he thought.

Two more zombies shuffled forward and Brigit met them. She hacked at the lead zombie with her war axe. The head bit deep into the foul creature's flesh, buried into its chest for a moment. The zombie groped for her while she struggled to free her weapon. She kicked it away in time to deflect the other zombie's attack.

Milo had a sudden revelation. He had read in his studies at the keep about another way to combat undead. Their negative undead energies were the exact opposite of the healing energies he used to cure wounds. He chanted his most powerful healing spell and reached out to touch one of the zombies. Just as he was about to place his hand on the creature he was forced to dodge the other. The healing spell discharged into the air. Milo cursed his luck. It was the sword or nothing then.

Farther in the room Jeremiah was a sight to behold. His great sword sped into the wounded zombie, chopping off its half-rotted head. His sword continued into the torso of the next. The unholy construct was weakened, but continued on. Jeremiah narrowly avoided the zombie as it tried to slam into him.

Mazithra pirouetted around a clumsy attack and sunk her long sword into the zombie's flank. Already limping, the zombie persisted in its offense with a definite angle to its awkward gait. The other zombie swiped at the agile elf. She continued in her spin, neatly avoiding the zombie altogether.

Both zombies beset Brigit simultaneously. They threw themselves on her, attempting to bypass her rock solid defense. She kicked one away with her steel-booted foot. The zombie stumbled and fell. It moaned horrifically as it struggled to regain its footing. Brigit shrugged the other off her shield. It slid down and backwards before starting to surge forward again.

There were still two zombies pressing in on Milo. He slashed at one, wounding the enemy for the first time in the battle. It moaned and struck at him. He switched focus to the other zombie only to see it turn to fight Jeremiah. Jeremiah slashed at the zombie he had wounded, again scoring a dire hit on the putrescent construct. The zombie hammered at him again, only to be deflected by his adept swordplay. Jeremiah wielded his great sword in an impressive display, dealing damage as well as preventing it.

Mazi's sword was equally occupied. She parried a blow from one zombie before turning the blade to strike the already wounded foe before her. The creature groaned and buffeted her with repeated blows, each expertly fended off. The zombies were slowly wearing down the adventurer's defenses.

Brigit only had one zombie to deal with at the time. The other was still striving to attain an upright position from where she had kicked it down. She blocked the pounding fists of the zombie with her magical shield as she readied her own strike. She brought her axe down in a mighty arc but narrowly missed the oozing beast before her. The zombie had just lurched backwards in an attempt to get a bigger swing of it's arms as it assaulted the dwarf.

Jeremiah and Milo fought side by side. Three zombies assailed their stand. In a splendid display of teamwork Milo reached in and sliced at one of the moldering creatures as Jeremiah swung his own sword. Both blades met the foe at once and the zombie fell to the floor in a rank heap. Jeremiah continued his attack and brought down the other zombie that had attacked him. His sword dripped black and green muck from the wounds he had inflicted.

One of the two zombies fighting Mazithra turned at the happening and struck at Milo. He found his position very perilous all of a sudden. He ducked under the blow and fended off another from his original assailant. For her part Mazi slashed down at the one zombie that continued to attack her. Her sword sliced into the unwounded construct. It oozed green slime from the fresh wound across its chest. The injury did not prevent it from pounding at Mazi. She stepped away from the zombie's swinging arms just before its meaty fists pummeled her.

Brigit swung hard at the wounded zombie, finally driving her axe home. The creature all but exploded in a shower of decomposed flesh. The other zombie bashed at Brigit as she pulled back her axe. Its large fists bruised her through her armor. She roared at the pain and brought her axe back around, slicing deep into the zombie's hide. The construct faltered but did not fall.

Milo and Jeremiah continued to work together. Milo slashed in at the zombie, wounding and distracting it, while Jeremiah brought his sword into play. The huge blade sliced deep into the zombie and it fell, twice dead and never to rise again.

Mazi moved slightly to work with Brigit. Her long sword sliced deep into the zombie's flesh, causing green and grey ichor to leak from the grotesque humanoid. Brigit weighed in with her axe then, chopping through the creature like so much soggy firewood. The zombie could not withstand their combined assault and fell as the rest.

Two remaining zombies faced the females. They had different ways of avoiding the damage, but both brought about the same results. Brigit stood stoically in the path of the oncoming zombie, warding against its blows with her magic shield. Mazithra was a picture of grace and elegance in the ugly background of the grisly battle. She spun and danced around the zombie's clumsy blows as though in tune with an inner music.

Milo moved in to assist his friends, stepping behind one of the zombies. He slashed ineffectively at the zombie, his sword slashing at the tatters that were the remains of its clothes during its living days. Jeremiah moved in likewise. His great sword was much more effective against the zombies than Milo's shorter weapon. The blade sliced down upon the shoulder of one of the wounded zombies. It sunk as far as its breastbone before the creature slid to the earth, unmoving. Mazithra, still twirling to the beat in her mind dealt a similar blow to the last standing zombie. Her sword did not sink quite as deep but the final effect was the same and they all watched the last zombie slump to the ground, truly dead.

The four friends were all breathing heavily when the battle was over. The zombies proved to be formidable opponents. Jeremiah actually looked disappointed that he wasn't able to use his technique to mow through the enemies like he had in the past. Milo stooped over one of the stinking corpses to do a quick search. As he had suspected there was nothing on the bodies worth noting. Not many pockets in the tatters they wore. It seemed the room was merely a guardhouse of sorts. The zombies had stood lining the walls until they were needed, not requiring food, sleep, or other upkeep.

The room was empty save the bodies of the undead. Milo and Brigit searched the walls for any secret catches or doors but came back to the others with no news. After a brief assessment of their condition it was decided that they would continue on. Though the zombies were hard to kill, none had dealt much damage to the crew. Milo conserved his remaining spells in case they were needed for more vital matters.

They followed the hall all the way back to the door they had entered through. Around the corner past the smoking room where the mages books and belongings still burnt they trooped. The hall opened into a wide intersection. The rough walls continued in its blood vein pattern, the veins of ore seemed to become more numerous as they continued. The pulsing through the ore was very disconcerting.

They looked either way down the new hall. The vaulted ceilings spanned down to the left and opened into a large room. Milo mentioned that the room was probably full of skeletons like the other. They could see two doors down the other way, both on the right side, before the hall curved to the right. Never one to pass up a closed door, Milo voted for the right-hand hall. The group agreed and they set off for the nearer of the two closed doors. An open invitation if Milo had ever seen one.

 

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty-seven (session 6)

Milo crept up to the door and placed his ear against the wood. He motioned for his companions to be a quiet as possible as he strained to listen. He heard muttering and movement inside. He thought it sounded human. He considered the fact that besides the medusa and gelatinous cube, everything else in this cave complex had been human or undead. Milo checked the door for traps and locks. It had a simple untrapped and unlocked latch. He lifted the latch and stepped aside as Brigit and Jeremiah moved into the room.

Following close behind with Mazi, Milo found himself in a short corridor leading into a large room, some kind of living quarters. Just inside were four more black robed priests, waiting and ready for them as the others had been before. Milo wished they could be quieter as they trooped about the hallways.

Milo fired the bolt that was already strung in his crossbow. It whizzed by Jeremiah and Brigit to land squarely in a bedpost between two of the robed men. He muttered and reached for another quarrel. Jeremiah ran at the closest man, his sword up and behind him, just as he moved to swing the blade down upon the priest, the man shouted. "SLEEP!" Jeremiah's sword clattered to the ground behind him shortly followed by his considerable bulk. An almost comical snoring emanated from the floor where he lay.

Another of the evil priests chanted for a second before pointed ominously at Brigit. She paused for a second then shouted at him. "Ha! Yer buddy already tried that 'un on me. I ain't scared of ya now, any more than before ya cast yer spell!" With that she charged forward and brought her dwarven waraxe down on the priest. She hacked clean through his breastbone, stopping his heart instantly.

The other two men advanced with their maces. One stood over Jeremiah's prone form with his weapon brandished high. Milo winced as the mace crashed down on his friend but was relieved when he saw that the blow glanced off Jeremiah's mystical armor. His attention was brought quickly to the other priest as a mace whistled a scant space from his face. He finished cocking the crossbow and fired at his assailant. The bolt tore through the folds in his robes just under his mace arm. The priest barely seemed to notice the shot. A bloodthirsty gleam shone in his eyes as he pulled back his mace for another blow.

Down on the floor Jeremiah was coming to. He shook his head and opened his eyes. He seemed slightly disoriented. Brigit had moved to defend her friend and blocked a blow from the mace-wielding priest that stood over the barbarian. Jer scanned the ground for his sword as he struggled to get on his feet. Just as he reached for the large weapon Brigit came crashing down atop the blade. The priest that shouted the Word of Command at Jeremiah had just done the same to Brigit. She lay on the ground snoring as he had moments ago.

Mazithra parried a vicious attack from the robed man she was locked in combat. She turned the parry into an impressive riposte, stabbing the priest between two ribs. His crazed battlelust faded as he gurgled blood from his lungs. He fell dead from the wound.

Milo managed to reload again as he ducked another swipe of the mace. The robed priest's offensive was daunting. The crossbow was difficult to aim at point blank range. He fired at the priest. The bolt tore through the loose fabric of his robe again, but missed the priest himself. Mazithra moved near Milo to aid him against the merciless onslaught of the priest. Her first attack would have rained down on the human's unprotected skull had he not lifted his mace to block.

Jeremiah shook Brigit who was gradually returning to consciousness. She sat up slowly and Jer was able to reach his sword. He grabbed the hilt and whirled around just as the priest's mace came down. He took the brunt of the blow on his gauntlet-clad arm, sustaining some damage from the block.

He ignored the pain as he gripped the hilt of his great sword in both hands. His muscles bulged as he put all their considerable power behind his stroke. The sword carved a perfectly straight and deep diagonal gash from shoulder to hip. The priest toppled to the ground, his mace made a dull clank against the rock floor.

Milo dodged another strike from the last standing priest. His face was fixed in a crazed grimace as he swung again and again. Milo fired another bolt at the fiercely swinging madman. The quarrel skimmed by his head, barely missing. It seemed to cause him to pause for a second though. The maniacal expression dulled marginally and his swings slowed.

Mazi chose just that moment to plunge her long sword into the priest. The magical Sylvanglade drove deep into his crazed heart. He died with a grim rictus affixed to his face. Milo slapped Mazi on the back for her amazing aim and attack.

"Evil priests, who needs em?" Milo quipped.

"I could sure use without em!" Brigit said gruffly.

Milo chuckled and crouched next to the body of the fallen priest. Once again there were no valuables on the corpse, just a single amulet around his neck. Milo tried to examine it more closely but felt the same revulsion as he had earlier.

"Pure evil. I don't even want to pick that thing up." Milo said as he pointed at the amulet.

No one else seemed interested in examining the pendants so they left the bodies and searched the room. A set of copper dishes and a few copper belts were all that they found of value. The dishes looked to be worth anywhere around 150 to 175 gold pieces. They were worth enough to haul out. Along the same side of the room from which they entered they found another hallway. The passage led to the other door they had seen in the main hall.

Again no alarm had been sounded and there were still no patrols in the passages. They decided to investigate the large room at the other end of the hall before checking out the angled portion of the main hall.

 

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty-eight (session 6)

They approached the wide opening into the large chamber with trepidation. It seemed that they all felt that something momentous was waiting for them. From a distance Milo could make out four large pillars stretching to the vaulted ceiling. Three robed figures had their backs turned to the entrance. As they drew near Milo could hear them chanting. A queer shiver crawled up his spine and he felt somehow defiled by just the sound of the words that were being chanted. He could see the figures hunched over some kind of desecrated altar.

As they entered the room, weapons drawn, the chanting stopped. The central figure's hooded head raised and he turned around slowly. Grey skinned fingers reached up and pulled the hood back to reveal a face that none of them thought to see ever again.

It was a kindly face at one time. Once rosy cheeks were fallow and dull. The smile it wore was much different than the welcoming, friendly grin that it had once shown. There was no doubt who the figure was, he had a gaping hole right at the center of his forehead where one of Mazithra's first arrows had once lain. Bordamere, the rogue cleric stared back at them.

"At last! Do you have any idea how much this hurt?" came the raspy voice from the figure as he pointed at the grisly wound in his head. "I miss the taste of wine! But I have learned to love the taste of flesh!"

With that he gestured at Mazi, hate gleaming in his eyes. Mazi stiffened, it appeared she was being held magically. As suddenly as she went still she was moving again though. The ring she had taken from Bordamere's body weeks ago was now burning hot on her finger. She grinned at the undead cleric and began her own incantation.

"ARRRGGHHH!" Bordamere shouted in inarticulate rage.

The other two figures had turned and started to approach the party. They were still shrouded in their robes. Milo chanted as well. He finished before the cowled figures reached them and touched Brigit. A glow passed from his hands to suffuse her body before fading away.

"Evil will have a hard time harming you now Brigit, go get em!" He said to her.

The figures reached the group and attacked. Their hoods fell back as they both threw themselves at Jeremiah. Their faces were familiar as well. It was Paul and Charles, the mercenaries that fought with them in the goblin caves those many days ago. Milo felt a pang of guilt for leaving the bodies of the once stalwart warriors. Now they had been twisted to evil. Jeremiah was successful in fending off the initial attack of the undead mercenaries, their sharpened fingernails clawed ineffectively at his armor.

Jeremiah was unable to bring his great sword to bear. He kicked Paul away to make room for his weapon. Paul stumbled back just as Brigit swung her axe. The axe head bit deep into the dead man's side. He kept clawing despite the deep wound.

Behind the battle Mazi had finished her incantation. Two bright orbs or light formed on her hands. She shot her arms out at Bordamere and the spheres flew straight at him. The light impacted with force into the undead cleric, wounding him and drawing another cry of outrage.

Bordamere tried a different tack. He completed another chant and pointed at Brigit. She paused in the battle for a split second, shivering in her armor, before throwing the effects of the spell off.

"Hah! Yer lackeys already tried that 'un Bordy! It ain't gonna work on me." Brigit scoffed.

"ARRRGGHHH!" came again from the evil cleric in frustration.

Milo raised his hand and willed the power of his deity forth. The light shone from his palm, but the two undead mercenaries seemed completely unaffected. Milo look quizzically at his hand, he didn't understand why it wasn't working.

Charles and Jeremiah were locked in a brutal battle. Charles clawed at Jer, scratching his face and drawing blood. Jeremiah roared in anger and swung his great sword into the undead mercenary. The blade cut deep into his shoulder, leaving one arm truly lifeless at his side.

Paul and Brigit were in a more cautious fight. It was as if the soldier could feel the effects of the spell Milo placed on the stout dwarf. She taunted Paul with her axe. He sprang at her, trying to claw past her shield. He jumped back as quickly as he had jumped forward, Brigit's axe tore through the fabric of his tunic. Paul held the hand that scratched Brigit's shield, as though attacking her hurt him.

Behind it all Mazithra finished a different chant and formed her hands in a strange symbol. A large badger appeared behind Bordamere, glowing faintly. It immediately attacked but its bite was unable to pierce his armor. Bordamere turned to the badger and swiped at it with clawed fingernails. The badger died instantly, shriveling as if its life force had been sucked out.

Milo raised his hand again. The light shined yet again, but still there was no effect. He was getting frustrated, thinking that perhaps his god had already abandoned him.

Right in front of him Brigit blocked another clawed attack with her magic shield. She did not pause as Paul cringed back nursing his fingers. Her axe fell in a vicious arc, cleaving into the undead mercenary. The light of unlife faded from his eyes as he fell. He looked almost peaceful, as if Brigit had released him from a great pain.

An inhuman scream came from Charles as he leapt for Jeremiah's throat. Jer swung his sword in a desperate attempt to keep him at bay. The blade tip slashed through his tunic and gouged into his grey flesh. Charles screamed again, a high-pitched, piercing cry.

From across the room Milo saw the badger stir. He thought that maybe it was made of sterner stuff than he was aware. He was sorely disappointed as he noticed the feral attitude of the once celestial beast. It was wightspawn, which meant Bordamere was a wight.

"Don't let Bordamere touch you, he can turn you undead if we're not careful!" Milo shouted to his friends.

Bordamere growled and gestured at Jeremiah. "DIE!" he said in his gravely voice.

Jeremiah didn't even notice, he was deeply involved in his battle with Charles.

"ARRRGGHHH!" yelled Bordamere again.

Milo almost laughed in spite of the situation. Good old Bordy couldn't get a break. He grew serious as he raised his hand again, determined to turn these undead away. For a third time the light shone from his palm with no effect whatsoever. Milo was disheartened as he watched the wightspawn badger approach.

Next to him Mazi finished a minor incantation she memorized especially for that day. She gestured at Bordamere. The undead cleric convulsed for a few seconds. Whatever Mazi had cast at him had disrupted him severely.

The undead badger reached and bit at Brigit but was unable to penetrate her armor. She kicked at the beast before stowing her axe and drawing her bow to fire at Bordamere from a distance.

Next to her Charles and Jeremiah struggled back and forth. Jeremiah fended off claw after claw but couldn't quite get in an attack of his own. His sword always seemed one second behind the undead mercenary. He was surprised by the soldier's dexterity.

Mazithra chanted the same cantrip and pointed at Bordamere. The evil priest was ready for her spell this time. He made a sign with his hands right as Mazi gestured. The convulsions didn't affect him this time. He screamed at his enemies and jumped towards Brigit. His claws found no purchase in her armor as she shrugged off his attack.

"ARRRGGHHH!" he screamed impotently.

Worried about the relative proximity of the wight, Milo chanted his protection spell again, this time conferring its defenses to Jeremiah. Just in time it appeared, for Charles made it past his defenses and scratched at Jeremiah. The spell prevented the undead creature from damaging the barbarian. Jer once again pushed Charles back, this time his sword found its mark. Charles fell with a brutal thrust to his chest. Jeremiah pulled his sword back and thrust again, this time at Bordamere. The cleric's full plate armor protected him though. The sword skittered off the breastplate.

Brigit drew her axe and shield to attack the undead priest hand-to-hand. Mazithra gave up her spell casting for a space and leaped into the battle with her sword brandished. She circled behind Bordamere and slashed at his back. The wight was well armored though, and her blade caused no wound.

Bordamere sidled away from Mazi and attacked Brigit again, his claws scratched at her shield and armor, but no damage was caused. Milo ducked and rolled to get behind the cleric. His tumbling was clumsy and as he brushed past the wight he reached down a claw. Half-lucky, Milo rolled safely past him. He sprang to his feet and whirled around to fire his crossbow. The bolt bounced off Bordamere's plate mail.

Jeremiah moved up to Bordamere's flank, he was quickly becoming surrounded. Jer thrust in his great sword again, this time puncturing the steel of the undead wight's armor.

"ARRRGGHHH!" Bordamere shouted one last time.

Brigit cut his anguished cry short with a brilliant sneak attack to his unguarded waist. Bordamere fell to the ground, dead again.

"And stay dead!" Mazi said with a nod.

 

[Milo Windby]

Keep of the Borderlands -part twenty-nine (session 6)

The group had no time to celebrate their victory. No sooner had Bordamere fallen then a gong from the corner of the room sounded loudly. Milo looked around and spied the altar Bordamere, Paul, and Charles had stood at. Upon it stood three goblets, crusted with blood.

Milo grabbed Brigit and ran towards the altar, fishing out his holy water on the way. Mazithra heard, or rather felt, a deep rumbling. She looked down the hall and saw what caused it. Two score skeletons and zombies were marching in step up the main hall, straight towards them.

"We've got company!" She shouted back to Milo and Brigit. "Lots and lots of company!" She pulled a scroll from her pack. It was one she had been hoping to save to scribe into her spell book, but it would serve them well now.

Milo carefully emptied his holy water into the three cups. He was sure not to touch the goblets or the altar as he split the blessed water evenly between them. All the while the marching was getting louder. He pulled out the sanctifying spell scroll the Keep's priest had given him and quickly read over its contents. It was easily cast. He cleared his mind of all distractions. No easy feat considering the rumbling he felt under his feet. He chanted the word of the spell and watched as the holy water within each goblet began to sparkle. The specks of light began to coalesce and grow brighter and brighter. The cups themselves began to glow, it was as if the light was cleansing them physically, pure white shone under the dirt, grime, and dried blood that covered them.

"NOW Brigit!" Milo shouted.

Brigit had readied the blessed hammer before they even reached the altar. With a powerful blow she shattered the first goblet, holy water and shards flew everywhere. She moved to the second cup and smashed it as well. The gong in the corner of the room sounded softer. Brigit moved to the last cup, raised the hammer high, and brought it down with amazing force. The cup shattered with a brilliant flash of light.

The gong stopped suddenly. The rumbling under their feet did not.

"Here goes nothing!" shouted Mazi over the din.

She read over the scroll one last time before reciting the incantation. The scroll turned a red orange in her hands before catching on fire. Mazi let go and it floated in the air in front of her, crisping and curling. When it had curled completely into a small flaming sphere she thrust her hands towards the horde of undead approaching them. The fireball flew forward, over the heads of the first four ranks of zombies. A giant conflagration sprouted from the center of the army, spreading out in all directions. An intense wave of heat washed over the adventurers as the blast reached its maximum size.

In moments the smoke cleared. Charred skeletons and zombie corpses littered the grand hall. Milo whistled, he was very impressed. Through the smoke shambled three zombies, still smoldering. Behind them eight skeletons advanced. The fireball destroyed most of the forces but there were still some to mop up.

They decided to let the undead come to them. Milo pulled out another scroll, this one a protection spell. He cast it quickly on Mazi. All four of them would be protected from evil, undead and otherwise. Mazi cast a spell of her own. She chanted the same cantrip that had disrupted Bordamere and gestured at the closest zombie. The creature convulsed but moved forward after a few seconds.

The four friends formed a line, four abreast, and drew their weapons, waiting for the zombies and skeletons to reach them. The three zombies and one skeleton shambled forward and attacked. Not one blow landed on the protected adventurers.

Jeremiah's sword sprang into action. He mowed through the zombie to his left, cutting it completely in half. His blade continued on to sever the spine of the skeleton in front of him without slowing a fraction. He completed his swing by burying a good foot of the sword into the zombie to his right. All three undead fell before his attack.

Brigit swung her axe at the only remaining zombie. It sunk deep into the burnt flesh of the undead construct. The zombie slumped to the floor as Brigit jerked her axe out of its corpse.

As more skeletons advanced to take the place of their fallen comrades Mazi chanted her cantrip again. The skeleton before her convulsed, rattling its bones together and loosing cohesion. It recovered enough to slash at her with its sword, but Mazi wasn't there. She dodged the blade deftly. The other skeletons attacked. Milo ducked under a horizontal slash that came his direction while Brigit and Jeremiah used their armor and weapons to deflect the blows aimed at them.

Milo and Jeremiah attacked the same skeleton. Milo's shortsword bit through bone seconds before Jeremiah's sword finished the job. The skeleton crumbled to a heap. Jeremiah's great sword cleaved into the skeleton before him. The tip struck bone and knocked a few out of place, but the skeleton still stood.

Brigit made short work of the skeleton facing her. Her axe slashed down at an angle, cleaving through neck and shoulder. Bones littered the floor and flew through the air from her attack. The Trollgrater continued its deadly arc through the spine of the skeleton to her right. More bones scattered as it fell to pieces.

Mazi slashed at the skeleton Jeremiah wounded. Her sword chopped through the ribcage and into the pelvic bone. The skeleton flew apart, the magic holding it together dissipated.

Three skeletons remained. They advanced on their enemies, compelled to attack. The magical protection that Milo's spells afforded kept Jeremiah, Brigit, and Mazithra safe. The skeletons couldn't quite focus on the adventurers.

Milo and Jeremiah worked together again. Milo's sword weakened the skeleton, causing it to lose its coherence. Jeremiah slashed down at the wounded undead and shattered another set of bones. He continued to the next, his strike growing even more powerful in the follow through. The skeleton flew apart, the bones that met the sword powdered instantly.

Brigit aimed for the spine of the last skeleton. Her dwarven axe cut cleanly through the bone. The final enemy fell into a heap at her feet. They all stood back and surveyed the wreckage. Bones littered the floor and zombie corpses still smoldered down the grand hall.

"WOO Hooo!" Milo crowed. "Take THAT undead!"

His friends grinned at Milo and they turned to look back into the foul altar room. Everything was still. Brigit and Milo approached the body of Bordamere.

"Poor sap just couldn't learn when to quit." Milo said to no one in particular as he shook his head slowly side to side.

"Aye, he looks good wi' that hole in his head, don't he Mazi?" Brigit said.

"Heh heh, that he does. Let's make sure he doesn't come back, okay?" Mazithra suggested.

The four set about removing his plate mail. They noticed an amulet matching the priests around his neck. They left it and finished removing the armor. Once he was stripped to his tunic and leggings Brigit went to work. She chopped his arms, legs and head off.

"I don't think you can raise undead twice, but I don't want him coming back either." said Milo as Brigit butchered the corpse. "Well, we finally got those cups! Good job with the hammer Brigit. I don't know if that stopped the armies marching on the Keep. I hope they're okay. I'm certain that Bordamere wasn't the mastermind behind this. I bet whoever did all this is still here."

They left the altar room and headed down the main hall. Mazi picked her way carefully past the smoldering remains of the undead horde. They made it past the scene of carnage and came to the curve in the passage. It straightened back out and opened into another large throne room.

The ceiling stretched far higher than the grand hall, completely carved in the manner of some of the throne rooms in castles Milo had been to in his youth. Curtains adorned the side walls but the far wall is what drew their attention. The wall was slightly translucent and reflective. It was a deep red color and had the appearance of depth. Other than the curtains, the jeweled throne, and a few candelabras the room was empty.

They adventurers approached the wall cautiously. The black candles in the candelabras lit as soon as they stepped into the room. They jumped collectively and readied their weapons. Nothing sprang from the curtains or from behind the throne. They continued in, candles lighting with every step they took.

Drawing closer to the wall they could see it pulsed rhythmically. A red glow beating in time with the ore veins in the rock walls outside the throne room.

"Does this remind anyone else of a heartbeat?" Mazi asked. Her voice sounded quiet in the huge space of the grand throne room.

"Too much-" Milo started before cutting himself short. Brigit had walked closer to the wall and was reaching out to touch it. She suddenly stood stock straight and began to mumble in a strange tongue. All three of her companions tackled her, breaking the contact with the wall.

"How about we leave the wall of evil alone for now? I don't want to lose any of you to that thing." Milo said in relief as Brigit shook her head clear of whatever overcame her. "What would you bet that this is how Bordamere was subverted? This thing is pure evil. I wonder if we could destroy it?"

"Mayhap, but let's come back to it later. I wanna find that robed scoundrel what started all this. We owe 'im big." Brigit said after a few moments.

They all agreed and set about searching the room. The throne was the main attraction. One large red gem adorned the high back near the top. Milo pried out the jewel and handed it to Brigit. She estimated the weighty stone to be worth at least a thousand gold. She remarked on the crystal clarity of the stone as Milo worked on the smaller gems that encrusted the throne. He was able to pry ten opals and ten rubies from the arms and sides of the cushioned seat. He guessed the rubies to be worth around five hundred gold apiece and the opals around a hundred each.

There was also a single door near the entrance, on the right wall. Milo searched it, finding no traps. They entered the room, Jeremiah and Brigit in the lead. A short passage led into a long waiting room of sorts. From the garments and gear littering the room they could tell this was some sort of preparation chamber. Another door led to a passage that ended behind a curtain leading into the main room.

A further search of the curtains around the side walls revealed another secret passage, this one leading to the side of the mirrored wall. They followed the passage into a well-lit, well-furnished waiting room.

Three zombies rose to their feet as they entered the room. Milo and Mazithra leapt to attack the undead creatures. They each scored a hit, slicing into the grey, rotting flesh of the zombies. Brigit moved past Mazi and hacked into one. It fell before it could even attack. Her axe struck the unwounded zombie next. It caused a wound the width of its body deep into its torso.

The zombie didn't even notice as it swiped at Milo, who was standing near. Milo jumped back and gave Jeremiah room to move in. The other zombie moaned and swung its fists at Jeremiah. Once again Milo's spell protected him. The zombie wasn't able to strike the large barbarian. Jer roared as he swung his sword into the undead creature. The zombie fell, its head severed from its body. His sword continued through, chopping straight into the wound Brigit had started in the other zombie. Its legs and waist stood for a moment before toppling over to join its torso on the ground.

They looked around, wary of any other undead approaching. No other enemies made themselves known. A door led out of the room to the left. They searched the contents of the waiting room before they checked the door. On a table in the corner were an ornately carved flagon and a set of gold goblets. They looked askance at the cups before handling them. Not completely certain that they were done with cursed vessels.

Milo braved it and picked one up. It was a normal drinking goblet, with a bit of wine still at the bottom. They poured out the remaining wine in the cups and stowed them along with the flagon for later.

Brigit searched the door for any traps. She didn't find any, nor was the door locked. She kicked it in and she and the rest stormed into the room. A robed man waited for them. As soon as Brigit and Milo entered a voice spoke in their mind.

Milo heard, "I can give you anything you desire...you fear the Undead? You can become their Master. Riches untold can be yours in a heartbeat.
Anything you desire...

all you have to do is give me the Elf woman and they will be yours."

Brigit heard, "I can give you anything you desire...I know the secret desires of your heart.
Your sister? I can reunite you with her. You wish vengeance on those who slaughtered and enslaved your Clan? I can give you the one who planned it and carried it out.

Anything you desire...

all you have to do is give me the Elf woman and they will be yours."

Milo and Brigit didn't even consider the offers.

"Not a chance, she's my friend and you can't have her." Milo said.

"Aye, she's not fer you, finger-wiggler" Brigit agreed.

The wizard didn't say a word. He raised his hand and darkness fell. Milo was disoriented for a second. He heard a crash come from the corner of the room where the man was standing. He chanted a cantrip quickly and light blossomed from his short sword.

The robed man was gone. There was a screen near where they saw the man last. Behind it was a passage and a door. Brigit swung the door open and a secret panel sprung open from the ceiling. A shower of small gems and jewels rained down on the party. They ignored the riches and charged through the door. The emerged back in the grand hall just in time to see the robed figure turn the corner. They gave chase, Jeremiah pulling forward quickly, his lanky form and muscles propelled him down the hall after the wizard.

They rounded the corner and saw the man turn to the right. It seemed he was heading for the other throne room. They ran after him, not quite fast enough to catch up. He ran down the slanted portion of the hall and took the left branch at the "Y" intersection.

They near end of the intersection in time to see the robed figure stop in front of the rock fall. He laughed ominously before chanting a spell. His form went hazy, then smoky. He seemed to dissipate into thin air. The smoke left from his outline moved unnaturally. It seeped into the rocks of the deadfall.

"He's getting away!" Milo shouted.

They ran to the wall as the last of the smoke seeped through the cracks. Milo considered the potion of gaseous form they still had. Perhaps Jeremiah could drink it and catch up to the wizard. That gave him pause. They knew the wizard was powerful, he wouldn't want to face him alone. He was pretty sure that the robed spell caster had some tricks in store and he didn't want Jeremiah coming to a foul end while they were trapped on the other side of the rock fall.

"That's it. We almost had him!" Milo said in disappointment. "You can bet he'll be back again."

"What was that all about? You said 'she's my friend and you can't have her' Milo. What did he want?" Mazi asked.

Milo and Brigit explained what they heard in their minds when they entered the room. Mazi looked concerned but thanked them for their loyalty and protection.

They made their way back to the secret door leading into the wizard's room. The passage was littered with small gems. Milo was careful to get them all. He may not have been greedy enough to stop for them earlier, but he was of the firm believer of 'waste not, want not'.

Upon entering the wizard's chambers the group noticed a full size mirror standing in a corner. The mirror was full of smoke. The smoke solidified and a stranger stood in its midst. He reached forward and passed his hand through the glass. In it was a piece of parchment. He dropped it and smiled at them. The smoke began to fill the mirror again before it shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. Milo examined one of the shards, all he saw was his own reflection.

Mazithra picked up the note. It was written in a unique handwriting.

"I await you beyond the Black Mountains.

Do not disappoint me."

She shrugged and handed the note around. None of them recognized the man or the handwriting. They all exchanged puzzled looks. Milo shrugged too, pushing the mystery to the side to search the room. He found some papers on the wizard's desk. He read through them before handing them to the others.

In the same handwriting as the note that was passed through the mirror was this:

"All has gone according to plan. Do not be concerned that you have been discovered. Have faith in Me and all will proceed as it should. You may now destroy them. Leave only the elf woman. She MUST NOT BE HARMED or I shall be most displeased. Take her and bring her to me."

Two other notes were on the desk. Both in different handwriting.

"L,

The merchandise has been delivered to the Baron. The gold has been deposited in your account in Luln. The girl is with me as per our agreement and the spell is working as advertised. There was no sign of the sister. I am going to lay low for a while 'til the heat is off. I think Snurre is due for a visit.

O"

The other note was more of a list:

"2,000 Cavalry
4,000 Light Infantry
4,000 Heavy Infantry

350 Giants
150 Air Cavalry
500 Undead

10,000 Auxiliary Units

300 Wagons
500 Extra Mounts
45 Ballistae
50 Light Catapult"

Brigit's breath caught in her throat as she read the note about the sister. Milo deduced it must be in reference to her sister. The man named "L" had offered her reunion.

"I think we all need to talk. There are sides of each of us that we haven't shown. It may be time to let down some walls." Milo said seriously to his friends.

"Aye, I think yer right, halfling." Brigit agreed.

"Perhaps, but I don't think this is the place to do so." Mazithra indicated the room.

Jeremiah nodded his agreement.

"Very well. Let's make our way out of here and camp for the night. Tomorrow we'll make our way back to the Keep. I only hope it still stands." Milo finished.