Storverse 69 Subplots: Barm's Bane

[Grognardsw]

Storverse 69 Subplots: Barm's Bane

An account of Barm's descent into magicks diabolical

~•~•~

On Barm's second Sunday in Vancia, a cloudy Day of the Jackal, the elf arrives back to his rooms to find a raven reading his scrolls.

The bird turns to Barm and speaks: "Our master requests your presence."

~•~•~

Shrue the diabolist is peeling the skin from a dove when Barm the apprentice arrives. Incense burns in the dimly lit chamber.

"Hand me one of those boy," whispers Shrue to the elf. Barm is probably older than the sorcerer, but  Shrue persists in calling him boy. Barm reaches for one of the phosphorescent worms crawling through red dirt in a glass jar.

Shrue places the worm into the dead dove's mouth. It bores down the bird's neck.

"I have need of some rare spell components," says Shrue. "Mushrooms of the fey, collected under a full moon. Blood quartz found in the caves of duergar in the Foothills of Folly. The scales of a lizard-hawk nesting in the tallest trees of Thanatos Woods."

"Upon your return I wish to hypnotize you in an effort to access the dragon soul," continues Shrue. "I can also implant knowledge of a spell you desire."

[Dizlexus]

Barm arrives with the scrolls burgled from Yara's desk.

The halfling in my party absconded with these papers and these spells as we fled from a flesh golem. Finding no interest in them he surrendered them to me.

I have felt this dragon's presence within me recently.

I thought you would like to know. It agitates my mind.

Barm notes the 3 components requested and says,

I'll secure these items soon. My party wishes to visit the Foothills of Folly, by coincidence.

I have interest in the invocation known as "Alarm". And to for martial concerns, the "Stinking Cloud" and the classic "Fireball" would be of great use.

Did you know Master, that because of my familiar, I can catch flying insects with my tongue?

[Grognardsw]

Shrue the diabolist takes the scrolls. "You are wise to share these with me. It is a sign of trust." He smiles, which doesn't make Barm feel any better.

"Your dragon second soul will only gain in awareness and communication. We must monitor this carefully."

The wizard takes out a pipe, the bowl of which is a small skull of a rodent. He crushes purple lotus petals and packs them into the pipe.

"I will prepare those dweomers you mention after you return with those spell components."

He lights and draws deep from the pipe. His eyes glow purple.

"Even the most humble Familiars can hold hidden surprises," comments Shrue. "With that tongue of yours you could be quite the cunning linguist."

Shrue puffs a smoke ring that orbits his head continuously. "I must meditate now. Go study the 13th chapter of the grimoire I gave you, and feed the death flowers. They need more blood."

[Dizlexus]

Barm acknowledges his instructions: Aye sir he intones faithfully.

Barm leaves and as soon as he hears the door close he grumbles to himself, Mushrooms of the F***ing Fey? What the hell is that? I'm a f****** elf and never heard of that. Now I have to go on a danm nature hike in the frikn moon light! Danm it! Lizard Hawk scales, a Duergar's blood stone?! Sounds perfectly freakn' safe . . . That old, purple eyed bastard had better be worth the coin and the ass pain soon. Cunning linguist to be sure . . . At least, he did give me this grimoire.

Having vented to himself, and overcome Master's trumping of his joke, Barm looks for his party. They wanted to visit the stupid puppet show rather than study. Perhaps he can spoil the day for Marcanus again -- the thinks -- as he steps quickly -- putting distance between himself and Master Shrue, as he forgot to blood the flowers.

[Grognardsw]

Chapter 13 of the grimoire contains several odd magicks.

1d3 dweomers. Roll 1d12 three times.

1. Liquefaction of Bone
2. Phran-dahl's Face Eraser
3. Malicious Marring of the Exquisite
4. Excellent Ray of Nudity
5. Oxfam's Handy Head Expander
6. The Stench of Unknown Origin
7. Twelve Dancing Centipedes
8. Xix's Automatic Nervous Breakdown
9. Phreen's Humiliating Rictus
10. Ray of Obsequiousness
11. Fong's Expeditious Beard Lengthener
12. Galadigrius' Esoteric Inquiry

Source: Dungeon Dozen

[Dizlexus]

[1d12] = 8
[1d12] = 4
[1d12] = 5

[Grognardsw]

It is the next day after the puppet show. Was the Court of Chaos just a nightmare? Barm's wounds say otherwise. Clerical healing is procured. Marcanus seems to have disappeared.

Shrue the Diabolist, none the wiser about his apprentice's planar jaunts, greets Barm the next day.

"I have perused the scrolls you acquired from the Necromancer in Khromarium," says the dark wizard. "They are fascinating reading for one schooled in necromancy. I shall sell them a colleague who studies that School, and give you a finder's fee for the scrolls."

"How are those components coming?" he asks.

[Dizlexus]

Master, Barm intones with a humble voice, I have not sought a component as I was distracted by astral travel last night. Perhaps I can seek mushrooms of the Fey tonight. My party soon travels to the Foothills of Folly, where I can procure the other 2 items you request.

I object, master, to your plans for my scrolls. They are my property. I am afraid that a "finder's fee" is not appropriate. I would like to sell them myself and derive the full pecuniary benefit from them. Our arrangement included nothing concerning your controlling property that I acquire.

My property, moreover, is not mine alone. Those scrolls are held in common by 4 people, of which I am only one. It is not in my authority to take a "finder's fee".

Master, I am missing a Halfling. If you were missing a Halfling, where would you look?

[Grognardsw]

Shrue smiles. It conveys no happiness to Barm, rather a sense of predatory scheming much like a wolf smiling.

"Of course, I understand, that wouldn't be right," Shrue comments about the scrolls. "Such honesty and consideration is... admirable."

The wizard draws a pipe, packs it and begins smoking.

"This halfling, does he want to be found?" Shrue asks. "Perhaps there was a mishap and he lies dead in an alley."

[Dizlexus]

It is possible that he does not wish to be found - never mind him. Perhaps we can focus on my studies. I lose more spells than I add as of late. I grow weaker rather than stronger since I hired you. This grimoire, shall we discuss the contents.

[Grognardsw]

After two days of study, Barm the elf visits his dark master to express concern. The sorcerer's chamber is smoky from strong pipe weed, mixed with burning incense. A woman's voice captured in a bottle is moaning a dirge. A raven perches above the door, about to quote.

"Ah boy," says Shrue the diabolist to his student Barm, "the apprentice chafes under the wisdom of his master. I thought elves had more patience, taking the long view that great age affords. It is still only dawn."

The wizard talks as he grasps the head of a two-foot red snake and pricks its fangs into a cloth covered glass jar. Venom drips into glass.

"But I was once young too and  understand your impatience," Shrue continues. "Three new spells have been revealed to you from the grimoire. While certain magicks are more difficult to perform given your new focus on the invocation/evocation School, in time you will see advantage outweigh disadvantage. Return with those components, and the spells you seek will be granted. We shall also undergo that hypnosis I mentioned earlier, to hopefully tap the dragon soul within you. To demonstrate my good faith, here is a gift."

Shrue draws a scroll from his wall of scroll racks. Barm unfurls it and sees that it is an Alarm spell.

[Grognardsw]

"Congratulations on completion of the Run," says the Guild Lieutenant. "This will improve your standing within the Guild. Your scope of thief targets and nature of job will widen."

Assassin's Run is an early Ed Greenwood creation from Dragon Magazine, August, 1982.

A great Hildebrandt cover.

[Grognardsw]

Inside Shrue's occultorium...