Epilogue: Milo

Milo stayed in Novos for a few months after the events that transpired with the Queen of Ash. He sometimes had nightmares of losing his brother and himself to the red abyss that had been the Feywild. During the time before his departure he did spend some time with the other members of the Hand of Destiny but there was never a formal goodbye. With their ultimate quest completed, they simply drifted apart to take care of various aspects of their personal lives. Milo was no different. 

He spent most of his time on Novos, at the desert village close to the Oasis, helping the female acquaintance they had known on the mainland. She had been part of the gang that had been wiped out by their rival. She was the only survivor, having hidden and disguised herself to move around. The party had teleported her to the desert village despite meaning to have her set off to King’s Crest. Kaladrax had misinterpreted the other’s intentions and had sent her south instead. Once there she had no way of getting the great city to the north, so she had settled in for a rough life. She managed to get work from Dezu and had a long time to think about how she felt about Milo and the way things had gone down back home. She hadn’t exactly forgiven him but she had reached a level of acceptance about the whole ordeal. 

By the time Milo was able to reach her at the desert village she had a fairly comfortable life. It was all lovely but she missed her home and when he asked her to travel back with him she agreed, if only to save on the price of space on a ship. They left, traveled across Novos to Deep Harbor and boarded a ship heading for the mainland. They spent the few weeks aboard the ship together and, along the way, Milo told her of his burgeoning idea. He had been thinking about it for a while but it hadn’t been a solid plan in his head until they had started their journey back. He knew that many halflings were hunted for their ability to fit into small spaces, nimble fingers and reluctance to fight back. They were, by nature, happy go lucky people that just wanted to live in peace. 

Milo wanted to bring the halflings back together again. His old village had been razed to the ground by Dezu and his gang of thugs but he planned to bring the village back as a haven for all halflings. He had plenty of money left from his escapades with The Hand of Destiny and wanted to use it for good. He had also filched the map of all the reported entrances to vaults across the city of Waterdeep a long time ago and planned to raid the remaining vaults for all the loot they could find. Tylo had gone on about a week ahead of the other two. He wanted to scope out the area where their village had been to see how much work they would have to do. He also wanted to make sure it was safe for his brother. 

Knowing what he knew now about Milo’s ordeal at the hands of Dezu, had made all the anger and resentment disappear. He felt so ashamed at the revenge he had sought against his own flesh and blood, vowing to never let them be separated again. None of the old grudges mattered anymore. He just wanted to give his brother and himself the carefree life that had been taken from them so long ago. By the time Milo and his friend had arrived back on the mainland, she was fully on board with creating a haven for her people. She could see that he was sincere in his wish to bring the halflings together and wanted to help. She too let go of the old resentments and began to focus on unity and friendship. 

Milo began the trek to his old home to behold what had become of his village. Right before the site of the village, he encountered Tylo waiting in a copse of trees off the dirt trail that led to their home. Tylo led him to the village and, to his astonishment, he found a bustling settlement instead of ruins. Halflings walked happily in the streets and children ran amok. Laughter rang through the streets as people enjoyed their day. It wasn’t as big as their old village but it had promise and right then and there they vowed to protect the new town with their lives. They walked slowly into town expecting a confrontation or perhaps questions as to who they were. They were instead welcomed with open arms and cheers from other halflings they didn’t know. The warm welcome brought tears to their eyes and, as the sun went down, they were invited to join the town feast. 

By the next morning they were fully fledged members of the settlement. They established a home where Tylo and Milo lived together for a few years. During those years they did indeed raid the remaining vaults in Waterdeep, amassing a large collection of gold, platinum, magical and non magical items. They hid that fortune somewhere beneath the settlement and used it to turn it into a major hub town. Walls were built to keep them safe, a town guard was established and a council was made to oversee law and order in the town. Tylo married first and Milo followed suit not too long after. A couple of lovely halflings maids became their wives. They started out in the one home but not long after their marriages they had to separate to make room for all the children that were being born. 

For years Tylo and Milo protected the town from danger, keeping evil doers and infiltrators away from their precious people. When they became too old and frail to do so, they passed on their skills and jobs to their eldest boys and girls. When it finally came time to fade from the world the two brothers died happy, surrounded by their loved ones and friends. To this day, their hoard of money and items still sits somewhere beneath the town, its people oblivious to the role it played in their prosperity.