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Milo Windby's Collected Story Hour
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<blockquote data-quote="Milo Windby" data-source="post: 1674" data-attributes="member: 202"><p><strong>Keep of the Borderlands -part three</strong></p><p></p><p>Keep of the Borderlands -part three</p><p>------------------------</p><p>The night passed without incident. The morning broke, finding the group in much better shape. Jeremiah could walk on his own, though he was still a little shaky. The rest of the party were physically fit if not still saddened by the loss of the mercenaries. Their journey back to the Keep was uneventful. Conversation was limited as all four were lost in their own thoughts.</p><p></p><p>Upon arriving at the Keep Milo noticed the gate was shut and the portcullis down. Fearing the worst, the group approached with caution. </p><p></p><p><em>"Hallo!"</em> Milo called to the guards. Two haggard men appeared at the gate and eyed the crew suspiciously.</p><p></p><p><em>"What business do you have here?"</em> One guard asked.</p><p></p><p><em>"We have returned from the haunted caves with bad news. The traveling priest betrayed us to the goblins, we barely escaped with our lives. There are more in the caves, we've come to warn the Keep and recover from our wounds."</em> Milo responded.</p><p></p><p>Still wary, the guards open the gate. The party was greeted on the other side by more armed guards, all look pale and gaunt. </p><p></p><p><em>"Please come with us. The priest of the Keep would like a word with you,"</em> said the captain. It sounded like a request, but Milo heard the unspoken command and warning. They could decline and risk death at the hands of the guards or they could go peacefully. <em>"Your weapons, please,"</em> prompted the captain, pointing to a large sack one of his subordinates was holding.</p><p></p><p><em>"Now wait just a minute!"</em> started Brigit. She was never one to give up her ax. Jeremiah looked defiant as well.</p><p></p><p><em>"Hang on Brigit, I think it would be a good idea to cooperate right now."</em> Milo interrupted.</p><p></p><p><em>"I agree,"</em> said Mazi, <em>"as much as we don't trust priests now it would be foolhardy to risk death over this. Justice will be done once the truth has been told."</em></p><p></p><p>Grumbling all the while Brigit handed over her ax and bow, Jeremiah likewise with his greatsword. Mazi placed her longsword and beloved Elven bow in the sack as Milo divested himself of his dagger, shortsword, and light crossbow. </p><p></p><p><em>"Very well, follow me,"</em> stated the captain.</p><p>The party trooped after the sickly man, surrounded by over half dozen guards. Milo notices that very few people are about the grounds of the Keep. Those that are look much like the guards, worse for wear and not long for this world.</p><p></p><p>They're taken to the Keep's church, a fair sized functional building. Nothing fancy this far out in the hinterlands. The interior is well kept with the main chapel lit brightly. The pews are all polished and gleaming and the altar is covered in worn velvet. Nothing special, thinks Milo. His father's church was much more impressive. The group is led to a medium sized office where behind a huge oak desk sits a decidedly unfriendly priest. He was getting on in years but still looked strong, thought Milo, unlike many of the unadventurous priests he had met before. The priest muttered something under his breath before addressing the party.</p><p></p><p><em>"I know who you are by descriptions given at the tavern. Where is the cleric and what have you been doing for the past three days?"</em> he asks brusquely.</p><p></p><p>Milo was taken aback by his direct manner. He related their journey and travails to the priest, leaving nothing out of the story. After his tale was done the priest leans back in his oversized chair and lets out a deep sigh.</p><p></p><p><em>"Your story rings true. You should know that I cast a truth spell upon you before you shared your experiences,"</em> After a pause the priest finally said, <em>"I regret that you did not come to me before you ventured to the caves. I have had my suspicions about the traveling cleric for some time now. What do you know of his disciples?"</em></p><p></p><p><em>"Only that they're quiet and depressing. He gave them a letter to pass on to the high priest if we did not return by the end of a week."</em> Milo told him.</p><p></p><p><em>"They have disappeared, and shortly after this plague fell upon the Keep. As you can see many of our inhabitants are ill,"</em> the priest states. Milo thought back on the odd absence of people on the Keep grounds. <em>"I appreciate your honesty and we mourn the loss of the adventures that traveled with you. They will be missed. However they knew the risks when they agreed to join you,"</em> the priest said sadly. <em>"I must ask for your further cooperation in this matter. Please remain at the inn until we can discover more about this issue. You will be sent for when we have completed our investigations and have contacted the duke."</em></p><p></p><p><em>"And our gear?"</em> Milo prompted.</p><p></p><p><em>"You may have your weapons, we only ask you to keep them stowed while at the inn. We don't need to lose any more residents than this plague has already claimed. You may go now,"</em> the priest finished.</p><p></p><p><em>"Before we leave we'd like you to examine this 'holy water' Bordamere gave us. Can you tell if it is indeed blessed?"</em> Milo said hurriedly.</p><p></p><p><em>"Let me see,"</em> answered the priest. Milo dug the holy water out of his pack. The priest took one look at it before making a sound of utter disgust. <em>"This is far from blessed, my halfling friend. This water is cursed. It would do you no good against undead or anything evil. I suggest you dispose of it immediately."</em></p><p></p><p><em>"Perhaps you, being a man of faith, could find a way to dispose of it safely?"</em> Milo asked, <em>"Might you be able to provide us with replacements as well, real holy water of course?"</em></p><p></p><p>The priest took on a pious look, <em>"The church's funds are limited and blessing holy water is a taxing process. Perhaps if a donation to our faith was made we could oblige you."</em></p><p></p><p>This was one time when Milo had no problem forking over a few coins. Milo hated undead, really. The priest sent an acolyte off with a written note requesting four vials of holy water. He dismissed the party after the acolyte returned with the promised bottles.</p><p></p><p>The guards led them out of the church and their gear was returned to them. They were then escorted back to the inn and given a room to share for the duration. Brigit and Jeremiah wasted no time making their way to the common room. As soon as their gear was stowed they were at the bar, reveling in their survival of the goblin ordeal. Milo and Mazi even joined in. Mazi regaled the locals in the inn with the tale of their adventure in the haunted caves. Not one of the party members complained when she exaggerated the number of goblins or the size of the ogre. Her retelling of the arrow that felled the priest may have been slightly over dramatic, but Milo figured she earned it. Besides, it was his skin she likely saved. Her stories seemed to lift the people's lagging spirits. Mazi was quite the spinner of tales.</p><p></p><p>After three days the priest sent his acolyte to the tavern. He brought with him a short letter that stated the party was free to go. The duke had been notified and their names cleared. The four of them discussed their choices. It was unanimously decided that they would return to the caves and finish off the goblin threat. Milo wanted to retrieve the evil cleric's full plate and any other goodies those monsters might be hiding from the caravan.</p><p></p><p>They all prepared to leave for the caves once more. Milo brought the ring and the parchment he found on the cleric to the priest. After another 'donation' the priest identified the ring as mind shielding device and the scroll contained the divine spells 'hold person' and 'silence 15' radius'. "So this is why I could never really figure out the cleric," the priest said, holding up the ring, "Whoever wears this ring is protected from mind reading and the like." Hmm, thought Milo, not something he could use offhand. The scroll he would keep though, divine spells always fascinated him. Mazi decided to wear the ring, she said you can never tell when it might come in handy.</p><p></p><p>With that they left the relative safety of the Keep once again. The road to the caves was empty and they met no resistance. The party camped at the same site they had before the fateful day of the battle. This time Milo slept much better than before. He trusted his companions with his life. The next morning, after Mazi finished preparing her spells and they all had a bite of cold rations, they continued on their way. (Milo knew he'd figure out her mystical quality, he'd heard that all elves had a magical affinity.) They reached the gorge and noticed something a bit different. Not too far from the cave they entered before they could see trampled brush and huge tracks. Obviously the ogre and his goblin entourage came from there. Upon further inspection they found a cave mouth that was hidden by more brush. They all readied their weapons, Milo with his crossbow, Mazi with her Elven longbow, Brigit and Jeremiah with their ax and sword, respectively. Milo decided to do things a little differently this time. For once he tried being quiet as he moved into the cave.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Milo Windby, post: 1674, member: 202"] [b]Keep of the Borderlands -part three[/b] Keep of the Borderlands -part three ------------------------ The night passed without incident. The morning broke, finding the group in much better shape. Jeremiah could walk on his own, though he was still a little shaky. The rest of the party were physically fit if not still saddened by the loss of the mercenaries. Their journey back to the Keep was uneventful. Conversation was limited as all four were lost in their own thoughts. Upon arriving at the Keep Milo noticed the gate was shut and the portcullis down. Fearing the worst, the group approached with caution. [I]"Hallo!"[/I] Milo called to the guards. Two haggard men appeared at the gate and eyed the crew suspiciously. [I]"What business do you have here?"[/I] One guard asked. [I]"We have returned from the haunted caves with bad news. The traveling priest betrayed us to the goblins, we barely escaped with our lives. There are more in the caves, we've come to warn the Keep and recover from our wounds."[/I] Milo responded. Still wary, the guards open the gate. The party was greeted on the other side by more armed guards, all look pale and gaunt. [I]"Please come with us. The priest of the Keep would like a word with you,"[/I] said the captain. It sounded like a request, but Milo heard the unspoken command and warning. They could decline and risk death at the hands of the guards or they could go peacefully. [I]"Your weapons, please,"[/I] prompted the captain, pointing to a large sack one of his subordinates was holding. [I]"Now wait just a minute!"[/I] started Brigit. She was never one to give up her ax. Jeremiah looked defiant as well. [I]"Hang on Brigit, I think it would be a good idea to cooperate right now."[/I] Milo interrupted. [I]"I agree,"[/I] said Mazi, [I]"as much as we don't trust priests now it would be foolhardy to risk death over this. Justice will be done once the truth has been told."[/I] Grumbling all the while Brigit handed over her ax and bow, Jeremiah likewise with his greatsword. Mazi placed her longsword and beloved Elven bow in the sack as Milo divested himself of his dagger, shortsword, and light crossbow. [I]"Very well, follow me,"[/I] stated the captain. The party trooped after the sickly man, surrounded by over half dozen guards. Milo notices that very few people are about the grounds of the Keep. Those that are look much like the guards, worse for wear and not long for this world. They're taken to the Keep's church, a fair sized functional building. Nothing fancy this far out in the hinterlands. The interior is well kept with the main chapel lit brightly. The pews are all polished and gleaming and the altar is covered in worn velvet. Nothing special, thinks Milo. His father's church was much more impressive. The group is led to a medium sized office where behind a huge oak desk sits a decidedly unfriendly priest. He was getting on in years but still looked strong, thought Milo, unlike many of the unadventurous priests he had met before. The priest muttered something under his breath before addressing the party. [I]"I know who you are by descriptions given at the tavern. Where is the cleric and what have you been doing for the past three days?"[/I] he asks brusquely. Milo was taken aback by his direct manner. He related their journey and travails to the priest, leaving nothing out of the story. After his tale was done the priest leans back in his oversized chair and lets out a deep sigh. [I]"Your story rings true. You should know that I cast a truth spell upon you before you shared your experiences,"[/I] After a pause the priest finally said, [I]"I regret that you did not come to me before you ventured to the caves. I have had my suspicions about the traveling cleric for some time now. What do you know of his disciples?"[/I] [I]"Only that they're quiet and depressing. He gave them a letter to pass on to the high priest if we did not return by the end of a week."[/I] Milo told him. [I]"They have disappeared, and shortly after this plague fell upon the Keep. As you can see many of our inhabitants are ill,"[/I] the priest states. Milo thought back on the odd absence of people on the Keep grounds. [I]"I appreciate your honesty and we mourn the loss of the adventures that traveled with you. They will be missed. However they knew the risks when they agreed to join you,"[/I] the priest said sadly. [I]"I must ask for your further cooperation in this matter. Please remain at the inn until we can discover more about this issue. You will be sent for when we have completed our investigations and have contacted the duke."[/I] [I]"And our gear?"[/I] Milo prompted. [I]"You may have your weapons, we only ask you to keep them stowed while at the inn. We don't need to lose any more residents than this plague has already claimed. You may go now,"[/I] the priest finished. [I]"Before we leave we'd like you to examine this 'holy water' Bordamere gave us. Can you tell if it is indeed blessed?"[/I] Milo said hurriedly. [I]"Let me see,"[/I] answered the priest. Milo dug the holy water out of his pack. The priest took one look at it before making a sound of utter disgust. [I]"This is far from blessed, my halfling friend. This water is cursed. It would do you no good against undead or anything evil. I suggest you dispose of it immediately."[/I] [I]"Perhaps you, being a man of faith, could find a way to dispose of it safely?"[/I] Milo asked, [I]"Might you be able to provide us with replacements as well, real holy water of course?"[/I] The priest took on a pious look, [I]"The church's funds are limited and blessing holy water is a taxing process. Perhaps if a donation to our faith was made we could oblige you."[/I] This was one time when Milo had no problem forking over a few coins. Milo hated undead, really. The priest sent an acolyte off with a written note requesting four vials of holy water. He dismissed the party after the acolyte returned with the promised bottles. The guards led them out of the church and their gear was returned to them. They were then escorted back to the inn and given a room to share for the duration. Brigit and Jeremiah wasted no time making their way to the common room. As soon as their gear was stowed they were at the bar, reveling in their survival of the goblin ordeal. Milo and Mazi even joined in. Mazi regaled the locals in the inn with the tale of their adventure in the haunted caves. Not one of the party members complained when she exaggerated the number of goblins or the size of the ogre. Her retelling of the arrow that felled the priest may have been slightly over dramatic, but Milo figured she earned it. Besides, it was his skin she likely saved. Her stories seemed to lift the people's lagging spirits. Mazi was quite the spinner of tales. After three days the priest sent his acolyte to the tavern. He brought with him a short letter that stated the party was free to go. The duke had been notified and their names cleared. The four of them discussed their choices. It was unanimously decided that they would return to the caves and finish off the goblin threat. Milo wanted to retrieve the evil cleric's full plate and any other goodies those monsters might be hiding from the caravan. They all prepared to leave for the caves once more. Milo brought the ring and the parchment he found on the cleric to the priest. After another 'donation' the priest identified the ring as mind shielding device and the scroll contained the divine spells 'hold person' and 'silence 15' radius'. "So this is why I could never really figure out the cleric," the priest said, holding up the ring, "Whoever wears this ring is protected from mind reading and the like." Hmm, thought Milo, not something he could use offhand. The scroll he would keep though, divine spells always fascinated him. Mazi decided to wear the ring, she said you can never tell when it might come in handy. With that they left the relative safety of the Keep once again. The road to the caves was empty and they met no resistance. The party camped at the same site they had before the fateful day of the battle. This time Milo slept much better than before. He trusted his companions with his life. The next morning, after Mazi finished preparing her spells and they all had a bite of cold rations, they continued on their way. (Milo knew he'd figure out her mystical quality, he'd heard that all elves had a magical affinity.) They reached the gorge and noticed something a bit different. Not too far from the cave they entered before they could see trampled brush and huge tracks. Obviously the ogre and his goblin entourage came from there. Upon further inspection they found a cave mouth that was hidden by more brush. They all readied their weapons, Milo with his crossbow, Mazi with her Elven longbow, Brigit and Jeremiah with their ax and sword, respectively. Milo decided to do things a little differently this time. For once he tried being quiet as he moved into the cave. [/QUOTE]
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