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As the party are standing discussing their options at the edge of the caravan staging post, they become aware of a wealthy looking middle aged man approaching them. He is dressed in fine clothing, and has an ornate staff in his hand. Although he has the height of a northman, his facial features place him as a foreigner to these parts. As he walks up, he speaks.

"Well met young folk. I have been watching you for a little while, and I have the impression you might be travelling into the Savage North. Let me introduce myself, my name is Minnerl," he bows low", the once mighty mage, now accursed hawker. Oh, in my time I too was an adventurer and a mage of some renown, I might add, until I ran afoul of Manshoon himself in the Citadel of the Raven. In those days, fools we were. We trusted the Zhents, to remain true in their alliance. And that they did, until they needed us no longer. Most of my comrades died there in the citadel, but me? Manshoon made a laughing stock of me. He cursed me, he did. And since that day, I've been unable to use my magic or my magical items. When I do the one or the other, I become sick. Immediately. Horribly sick."

"I'm doomed now to the life I lead here. The greatest priests have tried to lift this horrible curse, but still to no avail. But I've not given up. No indeed! There's is a great priest of Mystra herself in Arabel, far to the east, they say."

"Adon is his name. I need only to raise a bit more money, and then I'm on my way there to pay for his services. One day Minnerl the Mighty will have his magic again, and Manshoon will learn to taste my revenge."

"But until then, I must raise money by selling my magical treasures, one at a time, until my curse can be lifted. As reluctantly as I must do it, to-day I part with one of my greatest treasures, my fire staff. You young folks look like you are headed into the Wilderness, whither I know not. But if your path comes anywhere near the Troll Moors, my staff could be your salvation."

"Fully 5 charges remain in the staff, and each is sufficient to destroy or seriously maim up to 12 trolls in a blaze of fire. Now, I know that my offer raises your suspicions perhaps. But I'm willing to prove, that my staff is what I say it is. If you'll commit to buying the staff when you see that it works, I'll let you expend one of those charges to test it! What do you say to my offer, are you interested?"

Herod begins to rub his chin. "We can always use help in battle and this staff will provide magical offense that we do not have at this point, i would be interested in purchasing the staff if everyone else agrees

Milo turns to the mage as he looks at his trusty quarterstaff. "Let me feel this weapon. I understand the magic, but does it handle like the real thing?" if allowed. Milo tries out the staff in a series of spins, thrusts and imagined parries. If it holds up, then Milo talks to Herod," I agree that this will help. You as a war priest and me with this staff would provide great protection for the party, would it not?"

"I've heard of this Adon you speak of, old man," Yvandel says after the mage is done speaking. "He might very well have the powers required to aid you. I'm sorry to hear of your fate, yet if Adon will be able to restore your powers with the blessings of Mystra, won't you miss this powerful staff? If it is as powerful as you make it seem, it is truly a wonderful item indeed."

"You are too right," he says wistfully. "If I could use it and re-charge it myself, I would probably not worry to much about the journey I have to make. As a magic user who can't use magic, I feel as useless as a day old kitten, and I daren't travel on any but the safest roads with the strongest protection I can afford. And to afford that, I need to sell my precious magic items. I have already had to sell my ring of spell storing to a mage in Icewind dale, just to afford to make it this far down the coast to Neverwinter!"

Volo/Dolo turns its head towards the group.

(DOLO) "If this man is speaking the truth, it would be wise to not test his word by using one of the charges on this mighty battlestaff. Then again, if his word is not what it seems, we might end up with a piece of wood in our hands during battle, expecting magical aid where there is none. What should we do master?"

Minnerl looks at the puppet talking and back at Yvandel. "You've been taking lessons in that haven't you young man!" he says, complementing Yvandel on his skill.

Yvandel adresses the group. "Should we buy this staff friends? And if we do, should we test it right here or not? We sure could use a staff that will cast balls of fire, as this man tells us. But we also need to use what little money we have as efficient as possible. We're not rich yet..."

Yvandel turns to the old mage again. "How much for the staff, dear friend?"

Lucretia looks at the staff. "Magical HA.........who cares. I would rather have a sword than a stick. We can afford swords. Old man, I do not care what you offer. Unless it makes a sword better. Then I will think about it." Lucretia then turns toward Herod. "Herod, you always were a foul at times. If you think it will help you then fine. But don't ask me to pitch in to help you buy a worthless stick." Lucretia then goes to make sure this horse and equipment are ready.

"I was hoping for 50 gold crowns. That would hopefully afford me safe travel to Waterdeep where perhaps my knowledge alone will allow me to buy further passage eastwards to Cormyr."

Minnerl waits patiently as the party quietly discuss the purchase of the Staff of Fire. After some money changes hands amongst the party, Milo turns to Minnerl and says "the staff feels good in my hands, like it's made for me. Let's see the magic end of this now, so that I may see how I'd like to spend my 40 or so gp. But before we go further, can more than one use it, or is it locked to one individual. You see, we would like to help you, but we would like to have the 3 of us (pointing out the puppeteer and the other priest) to have the ability to call upon its magic power..."

"Only 40 gold you say? I had wanted 50 crowns, 10 for each charge. I suppose as one of these charges is going to be expended in a test, that leaves only 4 charges. But having said that, the charge that we use for testing is of benefit to both of us. To me, as it will seal the sale and I need the money, and to you, as it confirms the power of the staff. Shall we split the difference, and make it 45 gold? As for answering your questions, anyone may use this staff, once they wield it, point the head end at the enemy," he points at the ornate head of the staff, "and then utter the command word."

He continues, "if you want a demonstration of the power of this staff, then we can do so, although it would be wise if we find a suitable spot, after all, I am not sure that the caravan owners would appreciate if we accidently set their caravan's on fire! Perhaps we should walk outside the city walls to an open area to test it, unless you want to simply fire it into the air away from these trees? However, I will only allow you to test it if you commit to buy it once you see it's power!"

Milo agrees to the revised price. "That is a total that can work for us. We must leave soon for Silverymoon, but if we go now we should be able to get back and not hold the Lucky Pears from a prompt departure." Turning to the others, he asks "who will accompany us to behold the power of the staff?"

"I do trust you my friend, but i don't yet completely trust minnerl. I will accompany you" replies Herod.

"Let us be swift, then." The pair head off with the wizard...

As the reduced party walk along the streets towards the south-west gate, Minnerl answers Milo's query on re-charging the staff. "Re-charging a magical item is a time consuming process, and requires that a powerful mage casts a special spell to enchant the item ready to receive spells. Then, within a day, the spells that the item re-creates when it uses it's charges must be cast into the item. Thus for example, a powerful fire spell would need to be cast into the staff once it has been made ready to receive it. This staff can take a maximum of 20 such charges."

The group reach the gate, and step out onto the High Road outside Neverwinter. A couple of farmer's wagons are exiting as well, and in the far distance, a couple of lone riders are heading towards Neverwinter. On either side of the gate, the city walls arc away, and a cold breeze reminds you that for the most of the Savage Frontier, it is still only very early spring. There is a wide open area of scrub in front of the walls before the first of the farmer's fields, and it is towards this that Minnerl walks.

He leads the party a good 100 yards away from the gates off the road, before he stops, and looking around, says "This looks safe enough." Pointing at a group of small bushes only 50 yards further on, he says, "imagine that those bushes there are a bunch of blood-thirsty trolls...". He passes the staff to Milo, and then instructs him again how to use it. "The command phrase is 'Choon Anxe Edd', do not utter it lightly whilst holding the staff!" he cautions!

Milo holds the staff somewhat awkwardly, points the ornate head at the bunch of bushes and tentatively says the command phrase. A small egg sized spark of yellow shoots out from the end of the staff, travelling in less than a second in a straight line until it reaches the bushes, where is suddenly expands to a huge ball of fire with a loud roaring noise. A wave of heat rolls over you, and you all instinctively shy away. A few seconds later, the fireball disappears, leaving a large scorched area and several small fires still burning around the edge. Each of the bushes that you aimed at are no more than piles of blackened stumps and smoking ash, and you can still feel the residual heat from the area, even from this distance. The blackened area looks to be a good 30 yards across. You certainly wouldn't have wanted to be on the receiving end of that!

Minnerl looks rather pale, as if he is feeling queasy, and looks sadly at the aftermath sighing wistfully. "I really need to get to see Adon as soon as possible! - It makes me feel nauseous just being this close to magic going off!." He looks at Milo, his eyes lingering on the staff a little. "Well I guess you just bought yourself a Staff of Fire. Treat it well, and don't break it - if you find a powerful mage, I am sure that he will be able to re-charge it for you when it finally runs out." Minnerl waits for Milo to hand over the money, and then turns with the party to hurry back into the city.

"WOW! That surely is powerful magic!" Withdrawing a few herbs, "Take these, and 45gp. Surely both can aid your health" Taking the staff carefully, Milo looks to the others and says" We must be off. Lets get back to the Lucky Pears."

"Thank you, sir. It will serve us well. Good day! " Milo rushes back to the caravan staging area.