Milo Windby's Collected Story Hour

[Milo Windby]

Re: who cares about mermen anyway?

A third! on the the cynicsm . Am interested in the changes after 'amnesty week' also.

Who needs mermen indeed! I don't think a lot is going to happen with Milo through the amnesty. I've got him pretty much planned out as I want him. I'm sure Mazi will have some changes since she started out wanting to be a prestige class that doesn't appeal to her as much anymore. Brigit is undecided on what she wants to do though. As far as Jeremiah, it's anyone's guess. His player isn't exactly "hands on" anymore.

It appears that I won't be able to write up any more story hours at work due to my current workload. Since I get a couple of hours during my daughter's naptime throughout the week I'm going to try to get caught up then. I think we're only two sessions behind on the story hour now. I don't know how regular the updates will be once I get caught up. Frog's schedule is about to change again and we'll see then how often we play.

 

[Milo Windby]

Temple of Elemental Evil - Part 43 (session 19)

The battle-weary heroes returned to the cool refuge of the forest for some much needed rest after the life-sapping ordeals of the water temple. Milo used what divine energy he could muster after the battles to heal his comrades. They camped early that night, eager for a bit of rest.

The next day Milo tended to their wounds with a refreshed spirit. His spells and growing skill at healing restored the party to full vigor. They decided to spend one more day in the quiet solitude of the woods so Mazithra could identify some of the goods they had found.

Mid-afternoon Mazi returned from her studious and exhausting research of the items and explained each one.

"This rope," she hefted the coiled cord between her hands, "is a rope of binding, as I'm sure Milo can attest."

"That I can, not a very enjoyable experience I might add."

"The word to activate the enchantment is 'sysyfus'. I know that Milo and I already have a rope of climbing each. Which one of you wants this thing?"

Jeremiah shrugged indifferently. Brigit however looked upon the rope with a mixture of greed and trepidation.

"It'd be nice ta bind up one O tha baddies fer a change. Ah'm always gettin slapped wi' them hold spells, mebbe I kin return tha favor wi' tha'."

"It's yours then," Mazi tossed the stout rope to Brigit.

She turned and walked two steps to stand before the rest of the items, neatly arrayed on the ground. Weapons, armor, and potions lay at her feet, the sun glinting off the polished metal of the dagger and short sword they found with the werewolves. Chainmail, a full set of platemail, and a large steel shield were stacked neatly to the side. The wooden handled warhammer, trident, and mace were beyond the pile. Milo still had a hard time concentrating his gaze on the mace. Two philters were set atop the pile with a ring lying in-between. Milo's pulse quickened when he saw the ring. He'd love to get his hands on a ring of invisibility. Milo could only dream.

"I can see what you're interested in Milo. It's a ring of free movement. The wearer can move regardless of impediments, magical or otherwise. It even works underwater."

Milo couldn't hide the disappointment on his face. "Well that'd be good for Brigit I think. She has the hardest time getting around with all of her armor and gear that she's packing around."

"If ya don' want it, I'd be glad ta wear it."

"Now there are two potions. One compliments the ring. It's a potion of water-breathing. The other is a healing potion."

"Well Brigit should take the waterbreathing potion to go with the ring. I can heal anytime I want so I don't need the healing draught."

"I've got a couple of healing potions left." the winnowy elf said, "That and I think we all know who is in the need of them the most."

Three pairs of eyes turned on the tall barbarian. Jeremiah turned a light shade of red from the attention. He shrugged again before snatching the potion from the pile and stowing it carefully in a pocket of his pack.

"Now to the weapons. We've got a lot." Mazi pointed to the dagger first. "This has an enchantment similar to the one you already carry, Milo."

"Great, they'll make a fetching set."

"Okay, this short sword also has a similar enchantment, but it is specially tuned to werewolves and their ilk. I can tell that it would be especially effective against lycanthropes."

"Well there's only one O us tha' could use such a lil' pig-sticker."

"True, I'll take that as well Mazi." Milo reached for the smaller blade.

"Fine, fine. The warhammer is a bit stronger, probably twice the enchantment of the dagger and short sword."

"Ah could use tha' 'gainst tha odd skellie we run across, so's long as ya don' object Jer?"

Jeremiah didn't seem to mind. He already had an enchanted hammer. She pulled out her mundane bludgeoning weapon and replaced it with its magical counterpart.

"The trident is strange. It's the handle alone that is enchanted. It's hard to place what it is. The enchantment actually seems to be inside the haft."

"Brigit, will you do the honor? Milo asked as he handed the trident to the puzzled dwarf.

Milo made a motion as of breaking a stick over his knee then gestured at the weapon. The light of understanding dawned in Brigit's eyes, as she comprehended what Milo was trying to say. She lifted the rod in both hands and raised her knee. Her hands came down fast and there was a loud crack as the weapon met her armored leg. Two perfectly even pieces were in either hand. They could then see that the lower piece was hollow. Inside the cavity a tightly rolled scroll was barely peeking out the top.

"You may as well, Milo. My identify didn't show anything arcane within the haft."

Milo withdrew the parchment from the shaft of wood and carefully unrolled it. Sure enough, there were familiar markings on the scroll. He recognized a couple of protection spells. Milo left the scroll for later perusal since Mazi was already moving on to the next item.

"It's not evil, though it may as well be." she was standing above the water priest's mace. "It's a mace of terror. Any who look upon it won't see the wielder as they really are, but as the most frightening being they can imagine. It explains why poor Brigit was stopped dead in her tracks during the fight and why the rest of us were shaken from the shock."

Milo shuddered at the memory. It seemed to him that the priest transformed into a putrid undead lich before his very eyes. The living corpse shifted its watery gaze to look straight at him. It took Milo a few moments to shake off the illusion, but he still had trouble concentrating on the fight after that. He could only imagine what scared Brigit enough to stop her cold.

"There is one upshot about someone using the mace though," Mazi continued, "Every once in a while the mace exacts a payment for its use. The wielder looses a part of his force of personality to the mace. If used enough he could conceivably become as appealing and persuasive as a warty toad. At least that's how I like to think of the water priest."

"Well I don't think I'd like it, even if it wasn't a little big for me." Milo said.

A credit to her courage, Brigit spoke up, "Ah'll hang onta it 'till we can get rid O it elsewhere. Ah don' like what it kin do. Ah think Ah'd be more comfortable keepin' it out O other hands."

Mazi nodded and carefully handed the mace to Brigit. She then turned to the small pile left.

"The armor and shield then. The shield is like all the others we've found so far. Same enchantment and it’s nothing special from what we have already. The chainmail and the plate mail have stronger enchantments though. The plate mail is certainly stronger than what you're wearing right now, Jer." She said as she lifted the breastplate. "And the perfect size, I might add."

"None O us wear chainmail tho. Looks like we got another barterin' piece fer when we get ta a real town."

"True, I don't think we'd find much of a market for it in the village. I suppose we'll just split up the rest and hang onto it until we can trade." Milo said.

They spent some time divvying up the non-magical goods and stowing various items here and there for future sale. Milo had used all of his spells for the day in healing the others and himself. They decided to wait one more day before venturing back into the temple.

 

[Milo Windby]

Temple of Elemental Evil - Part 44 (session 19)

Newly armored or armed, they set out the following morning. The water temple was their first destination. Fully rested, they decided to tackle the riddle of the merman. Rather than enter the room through the secret door close to the pool they chose the double doors to the north. The main room of the temple still contained the rotting corpse of the dire octopus. The room reeked of dead fish, much like a fish market might smell if fully stocked and abandoned for a few days. Brigit looked at the mound of octopus once, looked at the others, then sighed. She loosed Trollgrater from her belt and started in on the huge mass of blubbery flesh. Milo looked on with a bemused expression, from a safe distance to the flinging chunks of gray gore.

Brigit was finished a few minutes later and the way to the double doors was open. Milo bolstered himself mentally for the assault on his mind that he knew was imminent. The huge doors swung easily on their hinges, not making a sound. Watery light danced along the walls and the ceiling. They couldn't tell if the great crystal set in the ceiling reflected the water or if it was the other way around. The blue torches still burned on the walls, casting odd shadows on the carving of the ten-armed octopus. From a certain angle the outstretched tentacles almost looked alive, thought Milo.

As soon as they set foot into the room the mental barrage began.

They could each hear the merman whisper in their minds, "Ohhh, you have returned! Pleeeaaase, save me!"

They ignored the ignoble pleas. The room seemed too much like a trap for them to blindly wade in and rescue the bound merman. If that's even what he was, thought Milo.

"Ya kin call me crazy, but Ah don' trust statues much anymore."

Brigit had drawn her bow and aimed it dead center on the grasping octopus jutting from the wall. The arrow sped from her bow with a whisper. It nailed the body of the sculpture with a loud chink. The only effect was a fair-sized divot of stone that chipped off with the arrow strike.

"Ya never kin be too sure." Brigit said, not meeting the amused gaze of her companions.

"Please! You must help me!" the persistent echo of the merman's increased pleadings hammered in on the four. "I can save you from him!"

"Forget it, let's go. There's nothing in here we need to take care of." said Milo.

"You must save me! Don't leave me here again! He's coming!"

"An' why should we save ya?" Brigit asked, a little fed up with the incessant noise.

"He'll torture you! I can save you from him!"

"Who'll torture us?" she asked.

"The beast! The beast! The beast!"

"What beast might tha' be?"

"The beast on the wall!"

"Uh huh, tha vicious beast tha' just broke one O me arrows on account O his stone hide I suppose? An' how will he torture us?"

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" came an anguished scream in their minds.

"Fair enough, then how do we get rid O tha beast on tha wall?"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"All you're doing is giving me a headache." Mazi broke in.

"Yeah, let's get out of here." said Milo.

Brigit shrugged at the merman and they turned to leave. As they crossed the threshold the screaming in their heads abruptly stopped. Brigit threw one disgusted look over her shoulder before they left the water temple.

"It seems to me that there's only one thing on this level we haven't found." Milo said.

They had stopped for a brief conference outside the water temple.

"Aye, tha Temple O Air. It's gotta be here somewhere." Brigit said.

"I'm sure it is. Look at all of these doors we've left for later. They all seem to lead into one central chamber." Mazi said pointing to her map.

"Let's go then, I'm ready for anything." said Milo.

The nearest set of double doors was to the east of the water temple. The doors were set right in the middle of a long twenty-foot wide hallway that led to the fire temple. The doors opened as smoothly as the matching set in the water temple. Stairs led down into a cavernous chamber. The chamber was deeper than it was wide, it stretched at least a hundred paces to the north and over thirty to each side. The ceiling rose to peak in a dome directly above a huge pit that dominated the chamber. They couldn't see the bottom of the pit from where they stood, but the floor seemed to sink as their gaze neared the dark pit. The effect was completed by a thick swirling mist that rose from the stones of the floor to fall around the edges of the pit. As he concentrated on the mist, Milo could make out an odd glitter within. An otherworldly light glinted off the corner of a bronze altar. The block of metal stood four feet high and eight feet wide. Two knives and a bowl were arrayed atop the gleaming metal.

"Alright, who's turn to touch the altar?" Milo said.

"Ah'll do it, we've desecrated everthin' else in this place already."

"Me too." Jeremiah said.

"Before you do," Milo began.

Milo fell into a low chant. A mystical energy flowed from his fingertips into Brigit, warding her from elemental damage from air. He chanted a similar spell and warded Jeremiah. Confident in Milo's protection, they approached the altar. Brigit reached out and gingerly touched the bowl set between the knives.

The rushing of wind could be heard as if in the distance, steadily growing louder. The mist around Brigit and Jer's feet began to swirl. Suddenly they were caught in a whirling maelstrom. Had anyone besides the two warriors in heavy armor been in the midst of the storm they would have been flung into the pit. As it was Milo could make out a dull glow as his spell activated and protected the two from the scathing winds. As suddenly as it appeared, the whirlwind died.

The huge chamber grew unnaturally quiet for a short moment. A quiet chiming began, barely audible at first. As they stood still, listening, the chiming grew louder. A light tinkling joined the chiming as it increased in volume. Milo quickly spoke a prayer to bolster them in battle.

The chiming reached a crescendo and they could see a ghostly form appear at the north end of the chamber. It wafted through the wall and drifted slowly towards them.

"Milo, ya know yer undead, what is that?" Brigit said.

"I have no idea. Mazi?"

"Well it's not a ghost, or a spectre. I think it is undead."

"Jus' tell me if Ah kin hit it!"

"We'll know soon enough, here it comes!"

The ghostly form reached Brigit and Jeremiah. They both took the opportunity granted and swung at it. Brigit's axe seemed to drag through the apparition, causing an unnerving screech from its incorporeal throat. Jer's sword swiped through its form though, doing no damage whatsoever. The phantasm dived for Brigit, furious at her assault. It swiped ethereal claws right through her armor. Brigit could feel the icy touch of the grave pass through her skin. The color drained from her face and her resolve faltered for a moment. Her steel fortitude saved her and she moved to attack.

Neither she nor Jeremiah could place another blow on the insubstantial creature. Mazi fired a couple of arrows its way as well, only to see them pass through its body, barely disturbing its form.

Milo concentrated hard on the holy symbol he fashioned. He brandished it high. He hoped for the same effect that he had on the ghouls long ago. He felt the divine power coursing through his veins and culminating at the holy symbol in his uplifted hand. The white light poured from the symbol to wash over the ghostly apparition. And did nothing. The phantasm didn't even look his way. Milo lowered his hand in disappointment.

"Guess we'll do this the hard way."

The apparition slashed its claws at Brigit again, passing through her armor and cutting deep with its icy touch. This time Brigit was not able to resist the undead's steady drain. She could feel the life pass from her. She staggered back a half step and went ashen white. It was almost as if she shrank within her armor. Milo began to worry.

Mazi threw down her bow and gathered her arcane powers about her. Her fingers formed inscrutable signs as she cast her spell. Soon a crackle of electricity formed about her hands. She pointed at the apparition and a bright, jagged lightning bolt streaked towards the apparition. The magical electricity ripped through the creature, dragging more of its substance away. The screeching grew louder. As if to silence the creature, Jeremiah took one mighty swing of his sword through its floating midsection. One last scream pierced their ears as the apparition dissolved away into the swirling mist at their feet.

"Ohhhhh." Brigit groaned.

Milo raced to her side to assess her situation. He could see right off that the damage dealt was beyond his aid. Her life had been permanently drained.

"Judging from your wounds I'd say that was a wraith. I've never seen one, but I've heard of them. I'm afraid I can't help you, Brigit." Milo shook his head sadly. "It pains me to say it but I think we'll have to get you to Mother Scrang. If she can't help you maybe we can go back to Specularum."

"Mother Scrang then," Brigit said weakly, "Jus' get me outta here."


Edited for content

 

[Brigit Deeperdown]

Mother Screng

A wraith, a frelling wraith, totally hosed my day. I honestly thought I was going to die. I never knew one thing could cause so much chaos. 12 points of constitution gone. Man that was a nasty battle.

 

[Broccli_Head]

Yup! Energy draining undead are nasty....that's why I love 'em. Them and shadow dragons!

 

[frog]

A wraith, a frelling wraith, totally hosed my day. I honestly thought I was going to die. I never knew one thing could cause so much chaos. 12 points of constitution gone. Man that was a nasty battle.

Critical hit paid off in a big way. Consider it payback for all of the minor "grunts" that you have retired.

 

[Milo Windby]

Temple of Elemental Evil - Part 45 (session 19)

The next day Milo set out with a considerably gaunt Brigit. Her skin held the same pallor that the wraith had bestowed on her with its touch of death. Her face was gaunt, her eyes sunken and her cheekbones protruding. The fine red hairs that made up her light beard had begun to fall out. The night had been no kinder to her than the day.

Before reaching town Milo stopped Brigit.

"From what we've been told the town's not too friendly for strangers right now." Milo told her, "I'm going to disguise myself and you're going the rest of the way invisible."

"Fair 'nuff." Brigit said weakly.

Milo called upon his god's domain of trickery. Divine energy coursed over his skin. The coruscating light played across his features, momentarily obscuring them. His long braid drew up, eventually absorbed into his scalp. His girth increased and his armor changed in appearance to a brown tunic and brown vest. In moments a short, plump, bald human stood before Brigit.

"Humph, purty good trick, Milo. Can we go now?"

Once completely transformed by the change self spell, Milo turned to Brigit. He again called on Usimigaras' trickery and cast invisibility on Brigit. The air around the dwarf shimmered, like the air on a hot day across the plains. Milo could see through bits of her at first. The empty holes widened until they joined, making even larger spaces of nothingness. Soon Brigit was completely invisible. Satisfied, Milo turned towards town, trusting that Brigit would follow.

They arrived at Mother Scrang's unmolested. Milo entered, leaving the door open long enough to feel Brigit brush by. The familiar and musty smell of Scrang's cottage cum shop enveloped him. Dusty shelves lined the walls, full of bottles and flasks crowding each other for room. Milo chose not to dwell too long on the contents of any one bottle. The few he had recognized convinced him that it was not a worthwhile endeavor. Bat's spleens, newt stomachs, dried skin from a salamander born under a gibbous moon in November on a leap year. He wasn't interested in the rest.

They didn't have long to wait. Mother Scrang soon bustled into the room. Her wrinkled features split into a wide grin when she spied Milo standing near the door.

"Back for some more goodies are we?" her piercing cackle followed her statement.

"You could say that." Milo began, "Brigit, you can drop the spell."

"Ah can?" came the confused reply from a disembodied voice.

"Yes, just concentrate on becoming visible. It's pretty simple actually."

The air shimmered next to Milo and suddenly Brigit was standing there.

"Eh? Who's yer lady friend, little man?" Mother Scrang screeched. "What's she want, a shave? again the cackle. "She looks a scrawny one. Whatcha want hangin' round with 'er sort? Me daughter's much better for ya, believe you me!"


Brigit was too weak to take offense at Scrang's comments. She merely glared at the witch.

"Be that as it may, Brigit is my good friend and she's in trouble."

"I can see that much jus' lookin' at 'er. She needs some meat on them bones. What kinda dwarf do ya fancy yerself, walkin' round like that?"

"That's just it, we ran across a pretty harrowing fight with a wraith. I'm afraid Brigit was wounded and her being drained."

"Now whatcha doin' gettin' inta trouble like that, little man? My daughter don't wanna be slummin' round with no ruffians. Tho come ta think of it, she do like bein' rough sometimes." Scrang's screeching cackles threatened to break the many glass jars in the shop as she laughed at her own joke.

"Well now, maybe I am a bit too much of a ruffian for your daughter." Milo quickly replied, jumping at the chance to get out of the relationship that Scrang dreamed up for he and her daughter. "But can we get back to the problem at hand? Do you have anything that can restore Brigit to her old self?"

"Mebbe I have, mebbe I don't. I think yer gonna have ta let us ladies talk about this. Ya go make yerself scarce an' me an' the dwarf'll get down ta business."

"Fine by me. Brigit, will you be okay here?"

"Ah'll be okay if'n she kin help me. Ah don't fancy a trip all tha way back ta tha capital right now."

"Very well ladies, I'll be at the stables when you're done."

"Now that we're alone dwarfy..." Milo could hear as the door closed behind him.

The high ceilings and wide space of Otis' shop was much more welcoming to Milo. Otis' shop was combination smithy, stable, and store. The counter stood in front of shelves lined with general goods. To the left of the counter the shop stretched back into a decent, if small, smithy. A wide door led into the stables, making it easy to bring horses in for shoeing. This was exactly what Milo found Otis doing.

"Otis! How are you?" Milo said.

The burly smith looked up from his work to see a short, fat, bald man looking back at him. His brow furrowed for a moment as he tried to place Milo's voice with his face. Suddenly recognition dawned on his face.

"Milo! That disguise of yours is pretty good."

"It has its uses." Milo grinned sheepishly. "How are the animals?"

"Well I haven't sold them yet, if that's what you're asking."

"Sold them!? Why would you do that. Are you asking for more money?"

"Nah nah nah, nothing like that. It's the Baron. He and his men have been in the area and they're snatching up all the mounts they can get."

"The Baron? That's just lovely. What's going on?"

"He's been requisitioning a bunch of armor and weapons too. They came round here but I couldn't help them much. I'm more used to shoeing horses and the like."

"Blacksmithing and mounts. That's not a good combination, not in quantity."

"Tis true, a lot of us can see the writing on the wall," at this Otis lowered his voice and leaned closer toward Milo. "The Baron's got a wormy court wizard hanging at his elbow everywhere he goes. Folks say he's a necromancer." Otis signed a ward against the evil eye.

"Really? Do you know anything about him?

"His name is Bargul. He's an old wizard, long bushy beard. He looks of death warmed over though." Otis leaned even closer to Milo, nearly whispering. "I don't know if he's been poisoned by the wizard or if he was born this way, but that Baron's got venom for blood. I don't know why the Duke puts up with him. Even being blood, there's only so much you can ignore."

"True, true. We'll have to watch out for him."

"You'd do well to make yourself scarce. Strangers are viewed with more suspicion than usual."

"I'd love to, but Brigit is with Mother Scrang right now. She got beat up pretty bad."

"Mother Scrang again, eh? Women like that just don't die. She's good for them potions and ointments. I pity the man that gets saddled with her daughter though."

"Don't talk like that. She's forever trying to get me together with her."

"Hruda? You'd do even better to stay away from her than the Baron!" Otis's voice returned to normal and he sat back up. "They say she stopped an invasion with her face alone. Forces took one look at her and the wails of ten score men could be heard racing through the hills."

Milo stood with a look of mute horror on his face.

"Heh heh. You're looking a little pale there Milo. Anyway, you see these gray streaks in my hair?" Otis went on oblivious, "The first one was from the first time I saw the girl. This other one was from the second time I saw her. You can be sure I avoided her like the plague after that!"

Just then door to the shop opened and in walked Brigit, hale and hearty. She looked better than Milo remembered her in a long time. Milo breathed a sigh of relief, both for her health and for her interruption. He noticed that she wore an extremely worried expression though. She barely acknowledged Otis before addressing Milo.

"We may have a problem."

 

[Nail]

Re: Temple of Elemental Evil - Part 45 (session 19)

<Brigit> barely acknowledged Otis before addressing Milo.

"We may have a problem."

A cliffhanger! Yer gettin' a bit Rat-Bastard yerself, Milo.

BTW, does Frog take a player aside fer this, or is it all done in front of the whole group?

 

[Milo Windby]

Re: Re: Temple of Elemental Evil - Part 45 (session 19)

A cliffhanger! Yer gettin' a bit Rat-Bastard yerself, Milo.

BTW, does Frog take a player aside fer this, or is it all done in front of the whole group?

Heh heh, thanks Nail. I try.

Frog does the interactions in front of everyone. Since Milo wasn't actually in the shop with Brigit I decided to let Brigit's player write up the scene. Not to mention the fact that I was running after our daughter during the entire encounter. Kinda hard to pay too close attention.

Keep tuned for Brigit's "deal" with Mother Scrang from her own mouth.

 

[frog]

BTW, does Frog take a player aside fer this, or is it all done in front of the whole group?

It would be nice to do that, but unfortunately the circumstances surrounding our gaming night don't allow us much flexibility with things like that. As Milo said, his daughter is there (1 yr), my daughter is there (2 yr), my older son is there (6 yr), and our newborn son is there(4 months) all crammed into a little apartment...we are lucky to get any roleplaying at all done some nights between diaper changes, putting kids to bed, eating, and changing videos for the children.

I hope that the gaming experience for them is worth the difficulties that we have getting together