Temple of Elemental Evil - Part 49 (session 22)
”There’s only one place I can think of to take him.” Milo said after they had recovered from the shock of his discovery.
”Mother Scrang, joy.” Brigit muttered.
”Unless I can manage to dispel whatever enchantments are placed on him.” Milo said. ”I’m not too confident though, I haven’t had much experience in dispelling.”
They set out for the town immediately. Mazi’s disc did a wonderful job of transporting the comatose Duke through the rough underbrush of the forest. Night fell before they made it to the outskirts of town. They set a vigilant watch over the Duke, ever aware of the growing danger of being found by one of the baron’s squadrons. It was obvious now that the Baron was intent on seizing power, that or someone controlling the baron himself. From what they new back in Karemeikos, the Duke was still at the palace. Milo had to wonder how long he had been in the temple, and whether an impostor was in his place as Mazi’s elven entourage before she fled. They eventually slept, each considering the implications of the enchanted Duke’s discovery.
Milo prepared as many dispel magic spells as his god would allow the next morning. Before breaking camp he stood over where the body lay and began casting. Disappointment after disappointment was his only rewards. Three times he attempted to dispel the enchantments, three times his spells fizzled away, battering at the nigh-impregnable wall of the existing spells.
”Whoever did this to him is more powerful than my magic can touch.” Milo said after his last attempt. ”We just have to hope that Mother Scrang has the means to bring him back, and the motive.”
”Aye, Ah still don’ trust her farther than Ah kin throw her.” Brigit said.
”Neither do any of us,” Mazi said, ”but we don’t have a choice.”
Mazi once again cast her Tenser’s floating disc and see invisibility while the others prepared to leave. The rest of the journey to town was quiet. They stopped near the outskirts.
”We can’t all go in looking like we do,” Milo said, ”we’re wanted by the Baron’s troops. I can [change my appearance as usual and turn one of you invisible, but that leaves two of us undisguised.”
”I can make myself invisible too, then all we have to do is find a way to disguise Jeremiah.” Mazi said.
”Well he’s going to stand out like wheat in grass with that clunky armor of his.” Milo said.
Jeremiah bristled at the comment.
”It’s nuthin’ ‘gainst yer armor, Jer. Ya gotta admit ya’d stand out. Yer already taller’n most’a tha people in town.” Brigit laid a placating hand on Jer’s arm. ”We gotta do sumthin’ ‘bout all yer metal.”
”Since we’re just going to town, why not put your armor in a sack? Brigit or Mazi can carry your sword invisible so you have easy access to it.” Milo suggested.
Jeremiah almost looked as if he’d refuse. He was loathe to divest himself of the Windsword much less all his protection. He finally relented when Mazi assured him that she’d hold his sword near his side the entire time. Once his armor was stowed in an empty sack and the various spells had been cast, the four adventurers headed into town. Milo as his bald, portly alter-ego, Jeremiah as a country lad, and the two women invisible.
Milo’s new face was becoming known in town, and he only drew a few double takes for his stranger-companion. Still, Mother Scrang’s shop was an odd relief from the oppressive feelings of watchfulness in the town. The shop seemed deserted at first. The strange stuffed animals were gathering dust on the shelves. The smell of garlic permeated the entire room. At least if he’s really a vampire he’ll have a hard time in here, Milo thought to himself about the duke.
Mother Scrang soon bustled into the room, responding to some unknown signal at their presence. Jeremiah settled himself on a barrel in the corner and kept close watch of the door.
”Ah, if it isn’t me little son-in-law to be! Have ya come for me daughter?” she spoke in her high-pitched voice.
”We come bearing a gift of sorts.” Milo answered.
”Part of me dowry?”
”Not exactly. I think you’ll appreciate this one.”
Mother Scrang looked at Milo shrewdly. ”Ya want somethin’, don’t ya?”
”We’re here ‘cause O’ yer message anyway, Scrang.” Brigit’s disembodied voice rang out.
”Did ya bring ghosts to my shop? Mother Scrang don’t deal in ghosts, minor possessions maybe, but no ghosts.” she cackled.
”Ya know who Ah am. Ya cursed me, sorta.” Brigit shot back.
”Nah, haven’t been givin’ out many curses.” Mother Scrang said thoughtfully.
Ah canna come visible cuz Ah’d have ta leave wi’ a potion.” Brigit complained.
”I’ve got one or two potions that might help with that, show yerself.”
”Ah don’ wanna give ya tha gold neither!”
”Ahhh, ya must be that dwarf. She’s a grumpy one.” Scrang said aside to Milo.
”Aye, an’ Ah thought ya cursed me wi’ some sort O’ business ‘bout yer daughter.”
”Hruda? Never, she can handle herself.”
”An’ can make men’s willies fall off wi’ a glance, Ah’ve heard tell!”
Milo was quick to intercede, ”Ladies! Ladies! Can we get back to the point? Mother Scrang, do you have anything that will allow you to see invisible object?”
Mother Scrang concentrated for a moment before obviously seeing Mazi and the duke.
”Oh, ya got yerself a man do you? Is that the only way ya can get a man, elfie?”
”They don’t argue this way.” Mazi shot back.
”Well then, I guess ye’ll be wantin’ to try on me daughter’s wedding dress then.”
Mother Scrang made a show of studying where the duke lay. Suddenly her face changed, as did her manner. She drew herself up to her full height, some of the wrinkles seemed to disappear from her face and she took on almost a regal appearance.
”Murfles, Otis, get down here now.” she said to the air. She sounded like a completely different person, the screeching was gone and a stately voice issued from her. ”Put him over there.” she indicated a palate in the corner.
”Otis we know,” Milo said, ”Who’s Murfles?”
”You might have known her as my daughter, if you would have stuck around for a bit.” Scrang said sharply.
”No need to be snotty about it, considering who we’ve brought.” Milo said.
Jeremiah made a sound, then the front door burst open. Otis strode into the room. From the back a woman appeared. Murfles, Milo assumed. She wasn’t near as ugly as Otis would have had him believe, but now Milo thought Otis had him believing quite a few things weren’t as they appeared. He also noticed that the three of them had them effectively surrounded.
”Where did you find him?” she asked.
”Where do you think we’ve been all this time?” Milo answered. He then gave her a condensed account of their discovery of the Duke.
”Took a lot of nerve to send us out here to watch the place where they buried him.” Otis spoke.
”Yes it did. So what do we do now?” Scrang asked him.
”Can you wake him?” Otis asked.
”I don’t know, what do we do about them?”
”Well here’s what I’ve found. The elves that I helped, looks like they’ve been infiltrated too. Two kingdoms infiltrated and who knows how many more.”
”I’ll go see if I can wake him and see how long he’s been here.”
Otis turned to the others as Scrang and Murfles slipped into the back, supposedly with the Duke’s body.
”So you found him in the temple disguised as a vampire with a stake through his heart?”
”An’ invisible, wi’ a dead cleric nearby.” Brigit said, still invisible.
”whose side are you on?” Otis asked.
”You know our track record as well as anyone. We have these from the Duke as well.” Milo drew out the title of lordship they each received after the cursed caves of Karemeikos Keep.
”Whose side are ya on yerself?” Brigit asked.
”Who do you think?” Otis said as he studied the title.
Murfles reappeared from the back room. She whispered into Otis’ ear then turned to Milo. ”He’s awake.”
”He also has no idea who you are.” Otis said, ”Last thing he remembers is from 6 months ago. He was out riding, tossed from his horse, apparently got knocked unconscious. We were separated chasing deer on a hunt. I remember that day. It was shortly after that when they sent us here.”
”Who’s ‘they’?” Milo asked.
”The Duke and his advisors.”
”Kind of odd, what with the Duke being in the other room.” Milo said.
”Yes, odd too that your title is only a month old. They’re probably back at the ducal palace laughing at us now.”
”Not for long, now that he’s awake.”
”Yes, now comes the hard part.”
”Convincing others that he’s the real one?”
”So what are we to do with you?” Otis said, focusing on the matters at hand.
”We still have business at the temple.”
”What business?”
”Well do you like the temple? You want us to leave whatever’s in there alone to fester and grow until it’s too late?”
”Do you know what they’ve got buried out there?”
Mazi’s voice came from somewhere behind Milo, ”An ancient evil god, what else?”
”From what I’ve heard they’ve got more than one group operating in there.” Otis ignored her sarcasm.
”Not anymore.” Milo said smugly.
”So, you’ve effectively removed their opposition?”
”We were in the process of removing everything when we found the Duke. We though he was more important at the time. You think we chose poorly?” Milo said, annoyed at their judgment being questioned.
”I can accept that. That fits.”
Brigit spoke, ”Fit’s what?”
”You don’t need to know.”
Mazi spoke as well, ”I think we do!”
”Your people are returned home and are dealing with this.” Otis referred to Lady Tillahi. ”It took six months for them to be replaced. We’re going to have to leave right away to get the Duke reinstated.”
”I don’t want to sound too mercenary,” Milo said, ”but what do you have to leave us?”
”Ydey may be able to help you. Now we have to get him out.”
”Ydey?” Milo asked.
”Scrang is Ydey, Hruda is Murfles. Murfles, get out here.”
Murfles re-entered the room looking considerably better. Milo almost regretted his reticence at Scrang’s insistent advances, almost.
”Murfles, tell Ydey to stock them. We’re getting out of here.”
”Do you mind telling us who you are?” Milo asked.
”The Duke’s master huntsman and trusted advisors. After the misadventure with the hunting trip we were sent out here. We’re being watched. You’re going to have to find a different place for your mounts. There’s no one here to trust. Matter of fact, there’s a gang of river pirates down at the tavern. Don’t go there, especially with valuables.”
”Any suggestions then?”
”Unless you let us take them. We could use them to get back to Karameikos.”
”Will you take care of them? Will we get them back?”
”As best as we can, and if we make it.”
”What do you think guys?” Milo asked the others.
All three gave their assent, Jeremiah last. He was going to miss his horse.
”There’ll be no more smuggling of prisoners after we go.”
Brigit spoke again, ”All that Ah care about is me pa. Whether he’s mah father or not anymore is anyone’s guess.”
”I don’t know anything about that. We’ve got an hour to get out of here. Murfles! Pack the stuff on the horses.”
”Anything else we should know about what’s out there?” Mazi asked.
”Don’t know. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Baron’s little henchman, Bertal, is out there.”
”Yes, you told me about him before.” Milo said.
”What I didn’t tell you is that he’s a powerful sorcerer. They’ve had at least six months having the ‘duke’ look away. If whatever’s out there gets out I wouldn’t want to be in its way. They bit off more than they could chew at the temple. Are you sure you didn’t find the Duke’s sword?” Otis changed the subject.
”Yes. How do we contact you if we do find it?”
”Use a code word with the guard at the capital. We’ll make it ‘Mother Scrang’s son-in-law’. Don’t forget to bring a ring. Murfles is particular about that kind of thing.” Otis chuckled.
”Oh hah hah.”
They could hear the horses pull up outside. Otis made ready to leave.
”How about our help?” Brigit said.
”You’re welcome to whatever you can find in the back.”
”What else can we do to help?” Mazi asked.
”That’s it. We’ll be a completely different group when you see us next.” Otis left to the back room. ”Hurry up, we’ve got to go.” he said to Murfles.
Milo and the others followed Otis to the back room. There were two beds as well as a workbench with all matter of alchemical materials. On one of the beds sat Duke Karemeikos, his head in his hands.
”Ow.” he said, ”It appears I owe you a debt of gratitude. It won’t be forgotten.”
”We just hope that you’ll be alright and that you can win back your kingdom.” Milo said.
”So do I. Ydey?”
Ydey stood behind the Duke. She appeared much more beautiful than they had seen her. She bent over the Duke and applied some makeup to his face. When she stood back they couldn’t recognize the man sitting on the bed. Murfles walked in dressed as a coachman. They led the Duke out through the back door.
Ydey spoke over her shoulder as they left, ”Anything you find is yours. I’m done with this place. Just wait until I get back to my monastery!”
Milo was shocked to learn that Scrang, or rather Ydey, was a priest. After watching the Duke and his caretakers leave the four looked at their surroundings closer. There were stuffed animals all over the back room as well. The source of the smell was revealed as a bowl of peeled garlic on a small table. Next to the bowl was a scroll. Milo found it scribed with three spells, silence, neutralize poison, and raise dead. Brigit found three flasks of holy water and five of lamp oil. Mazi opened a cupboard to find enough rations for the four of them for over two weeks. Jeremiah found a treasure trove of potions in another cupboard. There were two lesser and two greater healing draughts along with five healing poultices that interested Milo greatly.
Wary of suspicion from the townsfolk after Scrang and Otis left, Milo and the others wasted no time in the town. They retreated to the relative safety of the forest to discuss recent developments and plans for the temple.
<violin music>
Ambush we always get ambushed. Well it was quite a fight. But the oger's lighting the net on fire and running away was quite odd. I am curious to see what frog has in store for us in a week.
