Helix: Tower of Mazzah

[Karaunios]

Dougal approaches Mazzah's tower but as he sees he's busy with Cadeweed, he decides to wait outside until his hobbit friend is done.

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

Cadeweed will trade the egg for the right to read the Mazzah the Magnificent (hopefully many) tome's on Necromancy and the Undead with the focus on their powers and how to defeat them.

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

Cadeweed and Mazzah check over the Harpy egg..

The wizened wizard rubs his chin. Incubating and hatching a harpy egg has obvious implications that could land him in a whole load of trouble. He has already had to work on exorcising certain characters of the damnable Charm hold the wretched creatures are able to sing over victims. Even if certain character flaws could be socially engineered out of naturally chaotic creatures, their appetite for flesh and wanton destruction might be more than he can personally bear.

Having said that, he could free the Harpy once fledged and his neighbouring tower has a unique background story. The lower floor is open to the elements rather than having a physical floor, but anyone looking down through the gap sees the interior maelstrom of a tornado and a many thousands foot drop to 'an unknown' place rather than 30'ft to the ground and tree roots.

"Okay. I will offer a deal. A life for a life. I will take and study the egg and then release the Harpy to her fate elsewhere. However, I am not the master of Necromantic affairs or Undead fiends. That would be the preserve of the church. Necromancy covers both healing and diabolic arts.

I can however give you some study notes on adventurers experiences with various necrotic fiends disturbed from the Barrow Tombs. A bestiary of information on monsters from skeleton types to zombies, ghouls and barrow ghasts."

You can show him the 'carbolic soap vs undead' that you carry which he approves off. You have yet to test its voracity. "I sourced some mineral Silvering from my experiments." He produces an ingot of silver. "Take this to the forge, they can craft it over a blade of choice to make it effective against certain undead invulnerable to cold iron."

So to summarise, he will trade you access to an Undead Bestiary tome as asked and give you enough enchanted silver to make a 'silvered dagger or short sword', useful vs wights, wraiths, lycanthropes and vagabonds. (Though you will have to pay the forge to equip the augmentation but you are providing the material. Normally silvering costs ten times base value but this would be halved to 40gp in labour to silver a short sword).

More specific detail on dealing with undead is via the chapel ministers if the above doesn't answer your questions.

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

"I will agree to your generous offer as long as you are okay with me copying much of the information down into my own notes from the Undead Bestiary."

[Spearmint]

that is fine. I will add a note in your forum detailing which undead are in the notebook.

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

Dougal returns during his downtime to enquire specifically regarding enchantments that might give him resistance to any charm attempts.

I've a lot tae thank ye Mr. Mazzah. And yer mushrooms are specially deli-, deli... tehsty.

I wanted tae ask ye, dae ye knae of some sort of incantation that could be imbued in an object tae prevent me from being charmed? I've been already charmed three tames by thaus damend harpies, ye ken?" He says while he tries yet another type of mushroom. One of the seemingly innofensive ones.

Mazzah listens and then taps Dougal on the head. "Wisdom boy. To know which voice to harken to and which pretty face is just a mirage.

If I could teach that, the taverns would be empty and the pews full."

He seems to mull over a few moments, nibbling on another tasty fungi, a lesser spotted violet coloured, ink cap with a shaggy stem. "Shriekers! Awfully noisy, static myconids, need to boil them of the sappy coating and let them dry in the sun. Good for flavouring soups or grinding up as a powder to pepper on hemorrhoids and warts." he speaks as if you would know about either of those (Shriekers or hemorrhoids).

You nibble a mushroom and add a piece to your own collection as you learn more of the Identify Fungi ranger skill.

Mazzah has a habit of meandering conversations. In this case he talks of the sentient mushroom type Shrieker that inhabits dungeons and emits a shriek when disturbed by light or tremorsense. He goes in to say he knows that Bublé the Bard, can silence Shriekers, for all bards learn counter crafts that can sedate irritated or angry creatures and unravel the songs of the sirens. Whilst Dougal may not be the most charismatic of speakers or performers, your other attributes are worthy of note which Mazzah does.

"The ability to recognise a charm and counter it sufficiently may lie within your own creative passions." He suggests engaging the bard at the tavern to teach you some inspirational chants and verses, poetic prose that instills courage in the fearful and ignites the berserker in warriors.

[Karaunios]

Dougal "I daen't see myself singing, taw be honest. But I played saum bagpapes in my yooth.

I'm giving it a try."

He then thanks Mazzah the Mage and takes his leave.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven seeks out Mazzah as soon as his group returns, delivering the undead parts he asked for, and a bit more.

"So, remember when you mentioned that you could use a real live specimen, master? Well, take a look at this guy we found."

He explains the situation with Deucalion, hoping the senior mage has a better idea than simply turning him into some weird farm animal.

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

Mazzah welcomes you with interest and then gets dumfounded with the introduction of Deucalion.

After the feeding frenzy, he calms down once away from any blood or open wounds. He eats lots, trying not to demand food but certainly scoffs more than his fair share (and whatever goes in must come out).

Mazzah gives him an inspection, from a healthy distance. The lifting of curses is not his forte, such spells exist and are attainable by him but he has yet to locate one for his personal study.

He does have the ability to polymorph creatures as you suspect, but such casting is "oh so costly and time consuming in study and materials. You know how it is." Maybe you know it, maybe you don't, but you do suspect he would reasonably cast such a spell upon the willing ravenous zombie or try a dispel magic attempt, but at the cost of reciprocal trade or favours.

Deucalion if course utters every promise under the sun and more but currently destitute, has no means to trade anything except indentured labour.

Mazzah drools over the ghoul organs. He is working on some anti-paralysis constitutional, so these material compounds are eagerly received.

If you have brought him the amphora of ground body parts from the coffer by the crystal statue, he will comment they are much better than the innards you brought when you first met. "Becoming more intelligent I see. Not such a carrot head now."

He offers you both a cigar and gives one to the suit of armour that gestures smoking also though instead of breathing out little loops of smoke or dragon shaped clouds like Mazzah, the suit vents the fragrant tobacco through its multiple seams.

I presume here you give him the ghoul parts but only show him the amphora vase and potentially you could leverage those in behalf of the man.

[OGRE MAGE]

"Becoming more intelligent I see. Not such a carrot head now."

Unaccustomed to being complimented by someone he admires, Sven Jolly has a bit of a breakdown moment after hearing these words. He awkwardly lunges for the senior wizard to wrap his skinny arms around the elderly man, hugging him tightly for a little longer than seems comfortable. “That’s the nicest thing anyones ever said to me.”

Once he snaps out of it, with a little help from the tobacco buzz, he notices the enthusiasm over the ghoul organs, suggesting a compromise. “I am eager to see what you create with these, and will give them to you freely at the simple request that you provide me with a dose or two of any concoctions you can successfully conjure.”

Unsure how to proceed, he simply asks Deucalion what he thinks of Mazzah’s suggestions. “Well, what do you think, Duce? Would Dispelling the magic even work? Would changing you into something else just make you a ravenous animal of choice? I wonder if the Vicar would be able to remove this accursed sickness completely for you instead? I could go explain the situation and see what he suggests, if you’d like a second opinion. I don’t suggest you come along with me though, for obvious reasons. What do you say?”

He can be tied and bagged again, if Mazzah agrees to keep him here momentarily, so he doesn’t eat the old man out of house and tower before Sven returns.

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

Deucalion is eager to try any remedy. He would be nervous to visit the St Ygg's chapel moreso on account of him eating the priest.

He can be accommodated with Mazzah, perhaps behind a wizard locked door in the bottom level of his laboratory tower.

Mazzah shakes hands on the ghoul anti-paralysis potion when the first flasks are produced.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven agrees to the deal and assures them both he will return as soon as he gets some answers from the clergy.

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[OGRE MAGE]

With a dejected look, Sven returns to Mazzah.

"Well, as expected, Othar wont do anything to help. He claims it's a sin to look around for treasures as we do, so it wont do any good to remove the curse if he retains his goldlust, or something like that. That's Priests for ya, eh?"

"I feel responsible for releasing him, so we might need to go back to some of the options at hand, instead."

He looks down at the jar of ground body parts again. "What do you think will work the best?"

[sastaz]

Gerdal enters the tower (this time possibly not at the same time as Sven, for simplicity's sake).

"Master Mazzah, looking healthy as always" she smiles. "How's that back of yours, not too bad I hope? Yes, I did indeed bring some cookies. Not fresh out of the oven though I'm afraid as I just recently returned from an expidition. I wanted to ask permission to use your study once more. There are some manuscripts I found that require both focus and cross referencing with some of the tomes in your library."

Help me out here, I don't remember if Gerdal and Sven already did some favour to get access to the study for a year or so?

"Also, I have managed to track down some pearls with the right spectral qualities needed for arcane analysis. They are hard to get these days, aren't they! Remind me, who can I turn to in order to assert the arcane properties of certain items using them? I mean obviously you know how, but with respect for your time. Do you think Sven can help out?" spoiler: turns out Sven can indeed Identify, just found out after posting this

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

Sven.

You discuss with Mazzah the reception you got from the vicar. It does not surprise him. Perhaps if the unfortunate Deucalion was a famed knight or highly esteemed (and tithing) merchant, the vicar might have more compassion. He probably fears risking the ire of St Ygg by asking for the healing virtue on such a person. It might be granted but at the cost of some quest or another week wearing a hair shirt.

Mazzah offers a trade off. He too is entrepreneurial and takes advantages, the vase of body parts as a dessicated lot worth much more than the ever ravenous and rotting one that Deucalion takes.

"I will try to Dispel Magic upon him. It is a counter spell that has variables, possibly not being effective at all and at worst backfiring in some way. So no guarantees.

In return I will cream off the top, the first six hundred gold worth of sedimentary compounds and dried lungs and he can repay you by indentured labour at your newly acquired place.

A win win for all.

If it works?"

Deucalion offers himself willingly, spouting how much of a handyman he could be, labouring at the building, painting, carpentry, pig farming, whatever.

Mazzah bases 600gp on a 200gp/level equivalent to casting the spell.

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

Gerdal is received.

Help me out here, I don't remember if Gerdal and Sven already did some favour to get access to the study for a year or so?

Mazzah is lucid and absentminded in equal measures. He probably can't remember himself (GM get-out there). His library is rather dusty and full of older tomes and parchments, study papers, some history books, astronomy and astrology thesis, unfinished spell research. It is not voluminous though, so you might need a bigger library such as in Ironguard for specific research information.

He is fine with you giving a day in his library for a day helping in his own alchemy tasks. So count for that among your talky of downtime days.

Broaching Identify, he knows Sven if course can do it (if and when he returns to town) and names a few others who have bought pearls recently. They may or may not be in town but could be if downtimes overlap. Sven, Peaches, Sigrid, Moriartus, Sundance and Cloverfield who are attached to the mercenerary guild.

You could perhaps ask Horace at the Rosy Quartz as he is the pearl middleman for the clam fishers, he might have regular customers.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Tower of Mazzah

Sven.

You discuss with Mazzah the reception you got from the vicar. It does not surprise him. Perhaps if the unfortunate Deucalion was a famed knight or highly esteemed (and tithing) merchant, the vicar might have more compassion. He probably fears risking the ire of St Ygg by asking for the healing virtue on such a person. It might be granted but at the cost of some quest or another week wearing a hair shirt.

Mazzah offers a trade off. He too is entrepreneurial and takes advantages, the vase of body parts as a dessicated lot worth much more than the ever ravenous and rotting one that Deucalion takes.

"I will try to Dispel Magic upon him. It is a counter spell that has variables, possibly not being effective at all and at worst backfiring in some way. So no guarantees.

In return I will cream off the top, the first six hundred gold worth of sedimentary compounds and dried lungs and he can repay you by indentured labour at your newly acquired place.

A win win for all.

If it works?"

Deucalion offers himself willingly, spouting how much of a handyman he could be, labouring at the building, painting, carpentry, pig farming, whatever.

Mazzah bases 600gp on a 200gp/level equivalent to casting the spell.

Sven tilts his head to one side.

“If you are both agreeable to that deal, I say we go for it. Maybe he should be…..restrained throughout the process though? Just in case?”

“I get to watch, right?”

[Spearmint]

The Tower of Mazzah

Mazzah, Sven & Deucalion
"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer a lesser stress life? I have incubating geese, an owl, dish washing octopus, well part octopus and part puss, guardian at my door, chief rat catcher?"

He offers various animal occupations that you guess are 'indentured labourers' or so rumour is had. Settling for normality, you go to the lower reaches of his laboratory. Smokie absent, he is not allowed inside. Putting on a grand show and dressing in his finest high collared cloak and pointy hat, Mazzah points a curly-wurly shaped rod at Deucalion, "Bazaam, alcatrazal, frazzle, alkaseltzer".

Mazzah the less than Magnificent vs 42% [1d100]=77

The effect is startlingly underwhelming.
"Oh!" is all he says, disappointed.

"Not to worry, leave it with me a couple of days. Perhaps an infusion of elderberry wine and a fine tobacco will calm the overthinking."

Two days later ...

Mazzah the less than Magnificent vs 42% [1d100]=21

Deucalion has whatever curse or polymorph magic listed and arrives at the Barrowmaze Reclamation Adventurers Guild HQ as steward and handyman.

I will detail him in your private thread.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven is somewhat shocked to see that Mazzah was able to dispel the magical curse on his Barrowmaze refugee, quite satisfied that the wizard could do what the clergy wouldn’t.

I can’t wait to see his stats. Does he still look the same?

“Well done, master Mazzah! Well done indeed! Very impressive! You must show me how you did that sometime!”

“Say! I have a strange question for you. Do you know if catnip grows wild around here anywhere? Asking for a friend.”

[Spearmint]

to be fair, he had the spell and considered using it on the charmed Dougal but they had less leverage to convince him so he tried another method. Here he failed initially but I considered he wouldn't favour that so did a second and last attempt a couple of days later.

He doesn't know where wild catnip may be found but is convinced Mephistoffol might know so you should ask him.