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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Milo Windby" data-source="post: 303678" data-attributes="member: 202">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.</blockquote>

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