The homunculus' smile slips. It points to its mouth and shakes its head.
"Well, you're in luck, my smaller friend," says Temperance to the homunculus,"We're here to relieve you. You may end your watch. Please let us know what you've observed."
The homunculus nods and points at the viewing chair.
"Ah. And do we have special viewing instructions?"
The homunculus nods and points at the chair again.
Temperance shrugs, and inspects the chair.
"I appreciate your vow of silence, brother," he says as he sniffs at the chair. "Rowane, can you view this?"
Temperance sits in the chair.
As the gnome sits in the chair, a thunderclap and smell of ozone heralds an electrical discharge through his body.
The homunculus cackles silently, but is so distracted that everyone will be able to act before it.
Round 1:
Initiative order
Rowane
Nezos
Master Temperance
Arien
Construct
"Well, if that isn't grounds for retaliation," Nezos says, weapons ready but waiting a second to do anything more than step forward.
Rowane is unable to dodge the electric blast. "That was not very nice. Go ahead Nezos, once he is scrap. I am pretty sure it will sell for a copper or two"
"Ouch," says Temperance, and staggers from the chair, drawing his sword and stabbing at the homunculus.
The construct draws a wand and rubs at it furiously, but nothing apparently happens. Then it closes with the party, flying by the gnome and trying to gore him with its horns. It misses the Master, but is not so fortunate as to avoid attacks from Nezos, Arien, or the monk. Somehow it's still flying after all three hits, though it doesn't look good.
Round 3:
Initiative order
Party
Construct
Nezos steps around, then drops his sword a little. Instead of falling, it rockets upward at the homunculus before spinning gracefully back to his hand.
Nezos' sword flies true from his hand, neatly decapitating the homunculus.
The homunculus was only carrying the wand. In addition to the telescope and related apparatus, there are some fifty star charts, an exquisite platinum astrolabe, a half-dozen ancient Taldan astronomy texts, and two handheld telescopes.
Temperance arches an eyebrow at Rowane and Arien. "Are they asleep, Nezos? I shouldn't have sat in that chair."
"I don't you sat down for that long," Nezos replies, clearing up the homunculus. "Can you make heads or tails of any of this? It looks very nice, expensive and good for some sort of magic, too."
Knowing about the trap on the chair, Arien is able to permanently disarm it. That concludes the mission as far as the upper floors are concerned, leaving you with two remaining issues to resolve in the basement: the shae needs to be freed and the accuser devil needs to be banished.
Despite being abandoned for a day or so, the devil keeps its sworn word. When you break the circle that binds it, the creature immediately returns to the infernal realm and doesn't even threaten to attack the party.
Temperance gazes at the telescope longingly. "We still didn't figure out the planets," he says.
Having completed their assigned task, the party exits Hunclay's mansion and reports to Baroness Devy."Well done, and thank you all. We'll be holding the auction three days after the assessment is completed, and you're welcome to bid on anything you might find of interest."
Arien takes her pay and decides to leave while she still can. "I don't feel like taking any more chances for a while, and this is enough to buy some serious relaxation."
Cora, you were passing through Belhaim on your way to the druidic grove on the Isle of Arenway when you heard about the upcoming auction of a dead wizard's estate. As it happens, you have a passing acquaintance with one of the adventurers who secured the estate, a half-elf investigator you'd worked with some years before. She'll be leaving town before the auction, but introduces you to the rest of the party.
The rest of you were still unable to figure out the properties of the piece of paper you found in Hunclay's bedchamber. By great good fortune, though, there's a Magaambayan adept in town, and you seek him out.
At Arien's invitation, Cora had come to meet the Magaambyan adept and the half-elf's companions. The imperial inquisitor was rather curious about what had happened to the tower that had clearly only recently collapsed. Not being on a mission of desperate importance, she was free to indulge her curiosity. There was always the chance something of import to the empire could be in play.
She has the bronze skin typical of a Taldan, and long dark hair that on closer inspection turns out to be a crest of sleek, tiny black feathers. And what at first seems to be a feathered cape actually turns out to be sleek, iridescent black and purple wings draped over her shoulders. Her eyes are a rich golden color that gleam in the dark, an obvious sign of her inhuman heritage. She is beautiful but her features are subtly inhuman and feel a little bit off, a little alien and cold. Having had time to change since she got off the road she is dressed in the latest fashion, like any self-respecting Taldan.
She nods to Arien's companions. "Hello. Cora Soutil. I've worked with Arien before and she said that since she has to leave you might be in need of someone with similar skills. I'd be glad to help out if you'll have me."
Machi-e, late from the Baroness' estate, bows at the assembled group. He is a rather tall man with a rich deep hue to his skin, and his hair is shaved, save for a knotted mohawk that descends into a braid. He wears a hooded shrug with the gold and red colors of the Bas'o, and the well made, simple green robes of the Magaambya.
"I am Machi-e Mmeremikwu," he says, smiling shyly. For someone of his size, his voice is somewhat high, with a little rasp. "I have heard you were searching for me. I must commend you for your explorations of the late Hunclay's manse. I am sorrowful to hear that he came to a bad end."
He bows. "I am at your service, on behalf of my organization's Consanguinity of Outreach."
"Good to meet both of you," Nezos says warmly. "I don't know how I feel about Hunclay's passing. Haven't heard much good of him, so my opinion is based on his estate. Which I didn't care for. Too much in the department of hostile furniture and wards." He proffers the paper to the new pair. "And yet, they didn't cause as much trouble as this damnable scrap. Perhaps you could help us there?"
"Ah some fresh faces." Rowane says with a smile. "I am Rowane, a humble cleric from the Abadarian Church."
"Nezos speaks the truth, we were lacking in arcane magic."
Cora murmurs something under her breath and looks closely at the piece of paper.
Whoops! He's level 4 now.
"I grant you, Hunclay was an evil man; I mourn that he was not able to come to a better understanding and change his ways. Now his soul is lost to the dark reaches of the Planes," says Machi-e, nodding in seeming agreement with Nezos.
Machi-e also peers at the paper, casting in a low intonation filled with rich vowels and whispers.
Cora has no idea what the page is, other than that it exhibits a faint aura that she's unable to type. However, she's able to discern enough that with her comments Machi-e can determine that the aura is one of transmutation.
Cora shrugs. "The Lady of Graves judgment will be just. There isn't much use in dwelling on what comes after." She shakes her head at the piece of paper and looks at Nezos. "What do you think might be on there? It's magic, for sure, but why do you think it's noteworthy?"
"Hmmm...a secret page."
Machi-e rubs his cheek. "Something is hidden behind this much more mundane manuscript." He winks at his alliteration. "Regrettably, dispelling the dweomer is beyond my capabilities. Unless you have a scroll of Dispell Magic available, or if you came across a special word in your exploration of the late Hunclay's manor."
The Magaambyan looks expectantly at Nezos and Rowane.
"We did locate Hunclay's spell books. I think one of them had words scribbled in the margins."
"Ah, may I see them?"
Machi-e, Hunclay's spell books are impressive. Of particular interest, though, is the bit of marginalia next to the secret page spell. Four words are written there: "Eox," "Aucturn," "Carcosa," and "Dominion." The first three are crossed out.
"...planets and...a place? an organization?" Machi-e frowns at the last two, especially at the last one. "These certainly look like key words, unless it's something related to another subject. Well."
Machi-e places the page a good distance away from the group, on the tiled floor. "I believe secret pages can hide an explosive rune, if I am not mistaken."
He then says, in a clear voice, "Dominion."
The bawdy limericks writhe and reform into other writing
The writing is as follows:
Conjure accuser devil re disguising text of Secrets of the Dreaming Dark.
Animate Dominion remains as guardian for cave.
Repair hinges of secret door in clockwork lab.
Attempt second contact with Dominion via book's ritual before loan to A.
Confirm demolition date with A's kobolds.
"Demolitions and kobolds, in the same sentence or otherwise, sounds annoying. Clockworks, distressing. And considering the rest is likely going over my head..." Nezos shake his head a little. "We're in for it, I can only suspect."
Cora frowns at the sheet. "Someone controls the kobolds and has a book to perform rituals to commune with dark powers. I wonder who this 'A' is."
"Did the kobolds say who led them? A dragon? A demon? They are cowardly little folk, usually led by a larger monster of some sort," says the arcanist. "We may be 'in for it', Nezos, but forewarned is forearmed. We know we must deal with constructs and guardians. Constructs can be tricky if they are golems," says Machi-e. "Pushing them off a cliff is usually the best solution."
He finishes with a grin.
Cora, the book title means nothing to you.