Kat picks up that scent and immediately jumps to work. "No time for dawdling. She's here. Or been here."
Kat finds a hidden switch that turns off the trap and easily picks the lock on the door.
Beyond the door is a cozy chamber with a curiously carved wooden coatrack topped with stuffed stirges, among which hang several fine garments that suggest their wearer is a gentleman of some standing. Numerous fancy bottles, strange alchemical objects, and a hefty cudgel sit on recessed shelves. Directly opposite the door is a fine portrait of a thin man in his fifties, with neat blond hair and immaculate attire. A chemical scent fills the air.
As you enter the man pictured in the portrait enters from one of the two doors that lead deeper into the reclaimed infirmary. "My deepest apologies but I'm currently terribly busy working on an experiment for the Taldan Navy and to receive visitors at this point would jeopardize its delicate nature. Please call again tomorrow and I will be free then."
Dervak moves into the room.
"We need to speak with you about Count Haserton Lowls and the Necronomicon. It cannot wait."
Theophilus floats into the cozy chamber. The Tailor notices the fine garments on the beautifully carves coatrack. Making clicking sounds with his tongue as he examines the inferior workmanship, Theo sadly shakes his head at the gentleman as he enters.
Apologies, my good man; but, we cannot have this! You are on the precipice of perfection; and, that only allows for the most finest of attire for the unveiling!
Theo lazily floats about the room. He grandly exaggerates his movements, as he takes outs his tailoring implements.
The Taldan Navy must be not just impressed by your work; but, also by your appearance! This will not do!
He begins making measurements; speaking nonstop about thread color, fabrics and cuts.
Mara thought that Mun was probably trying to put them off, and would need some convincing. She addressed the gnome politely, "Hello, Mr. Mun, my name is Mara. I apologize for the intrusion; we will be brief. Our employer — Haserton Lowls of Versex County, Ustalav — left his lands without explanation, and we're trying to locate him. We understand that he intended to come here to speak with you about a rare book, the Necronomicon, that my friend speaks of. Can you help us?"
The man smiles apologetically, "I sincerely regret to inform you that Count Lowls for Katheer a few weeks ago. I unfortunately could not help him with his inquiries. Now I implore you to please leave me to my experiments before they are ruined."
Kat Senses something is off by how painfully polite Mun is being. He's hiding something and not being honest.
Kat, Mara, and Theo note that the chemical smell is coming from Mun. Its subtle but the way he moves suggests something other than muscle and bone lies beneath his skin. He is unsettling to look at closely.
Kat sees Mun for what he is some sort of alchemically created construct.
Kat puts her hands in her pockets and tilts her head, leaning in slightly. "Is that so, bruv? See, I've got a good nose on me. Like a bloodhound, if you feel me. And the scent I'm picking up says that this all fails the sniff test. Now, we can call it water under the bridge if you are up for it, that is, if you are up for giving it to us straight this time. How's that sound, bruv?"
Mara could tell that there was something off about Miacknian Mun; exactly what she couldn't quite place. Kat was clearly alluding to something significant. Mara pressed Mun, "Was Count Lowls successful in obtaining the Necronomicon for you? I believe that is what you discussed, was it not?"
She observed the alchemist, trying to get a read on him.
Dervak is generally aware that Kat doesn't think this fellow is on the up-and-up.
If it were up to him, he wouldn't have given Mun another chance to lie, preferring to just go for a Grapple, but instead he waits to see if the man chooses to cooperate.
A bead of sweat drops from "Mun's" brow and he pulls on his collar, "I'm sorry but... I don't know what you mean ma'am. I implore you please call again tomorrow."
Theophilus floats lazily about the opulent chamber. He picks up random items; a silver candleholder, a well crafted coaster, a worn leather bound journal. The gentleman casually caresses each item before setting them in different places around the chamber.
When the man forfeits the second chance that Kat gives him, Dervak decides enough is enough. He grabs hold of the man's arm.
"Stop lying and answer them. The fate of our world is at stake."
Dervak clutches the man's arm but finds that it gives way and collapses. His grip holds but is surprised to find that he's tugging on loose skin.
Placing another randomly gotten item down on an end table, the startled Witch gasps
Well, that escalated quickly!
The White Rabbit (sipping a cup of tea; pinky finger properly in the air) chokes and coughs out the beautiful blend!
Mara warn't sure what to do about this sudden turn of events. She blessed Dervak with some good fortune and wondered what to do next.
"Mun's" face in a flash switches from pained to rage and he screams, "Let go you rude monster!" He tries to tug away from Dervak, but too late Dervak realizes that its not trying to break the grab, its a distraction. "Mun" clobbers Dervak with a force that's far more than he expected.
Theophilus makes a disapproving sound at their Host!
He floats a bit away from the racus.
Kat sighs at the construct man as she quickly identifies weaknesses in his defense "I was trying to be nice, bruv." She pulls out her manacles with one hand and spins into a leg sweep to send Mun to the ground and make him easier to hold.
Dervak tries to pin 'Mun.'
If this guy is tougher than he seems and that isn't enough to maintain the hold, then Dervak will Rage (as a free action) and draw the Furious Falchion (as a move action).
Mara granted Kat good fortune, and started chanting. She was worried about the consequences of assaulting the respected alchemist, but it was too late to back out now.
With Dervak holding "Mun" Kat manages to knock him on the floor but he uses the momentum expertly and wrests his hand free.
Theo's curse find little purchase to hold onto, like "Mun" is only half there. "Mun" leaps up trying to bash the bloodrager as he lands on his feet. Fortunately "Mun" completely misjudges where Dervak is and his strike goes into the wall with a loud thud.
Theophilus blushes. The gentleman proceeds to brush off his lapel; as He returns serve!
Kat rears back at the display of strength the would-be Mun makes against Dervak. "All...right." She reflexively bashes the construct with a fist.
She snaps her manacles back on her belt and takes a fighting stance.
"Bruv, you really should stay down. Can't really knock you unconscious, so you're leaving one option. Really don't want to hurt you. Just want some answers, right?"
Dervak brings his falchion down on "Mun." The alchemist had proved far stronger than he thought, and restraint had gotten Dervak nowhere.
He doesn't understand Kat's claim that Mun cannot be knocked out. He sees Kat striking with her fists, not her spear, but resolves to ask her later about the reason.
If he is down but not dead, I'll let him live and she can try to save him.
Then he swings again as Kat knocks the foe prone again.
He follows up with two more strikes.
Theophilus and the White Rabbit stand clapping in awe!
Dervak slices the man as he stands and finds that there is nothing but empty air underneath his skin. No organs, muscle, bone, or blood, he's completely empty.
Kat punches "Mun" and its like punching a hanging tapestry. She trips him and punches down but he rolls out of the way. His roll takes him directly into Dervak's falchion cutting ribbon after ribbon of flesh away from him until he is just a loose pile of motionless skin and clothing.
Astonished my the results of the combat, Mara examined the remains of the alchemist, "What exactly is, or was he?" What did this all mean?
She searched the office for useful documents.
"Yeah, and how could he be strong enough to break my grip like that when he didn't even have any muscles?"
Dervak ends his Rage, but keeps the falchion in hand.
"We know that Mun provided the drugs to put us in a stupor for Lowls to sacrifice us in the Dreamlands.
And we know he promised to help Lowls translate the Necronomicon. For the ritual to bring our world into Carcosa."
Dervak hesitates.
"I don't think we can just knock out people and hand them over to the authorities for a fair trial. We'd have to present evidence about... about the fact that there is a book with a ritual to do something like that... about everything we have found. Word gets out about things that should not be known. And we'd have to slow down our hunt for Lowls, waste time testifying.
I don't trust the authorities that much. They could have cultists among them. Or just a bailiff of the court who talks too much when he drinks.
And then if those we capture are talking in prison? Spreading the word of Xhamen-Dor?
I know Kat and Mara don't want to be bloodthirsty. I get that. I'll get my hands dirty.
I'm guessing this was not the real Mun. I do not plan to leave the real Mun alive when all is said and done. Unless you have a very good way to ensure his silence.
I think we are in a situation where 'Turn them over to the authorities' does not help."
"People who aren't involved in that stuff, like Glower, fine, that's different."
Mara examines the remains and the only other strange thing she finds is a tiny bit of brain matter attached to the inside of where its skull should be.
Mara finds a silver-stoppered potion of invisibility, 3 PP, and a small clay pipe in the coats. There are no books or other clues in the vestibule.
Theophilus casts Detect Magic; peering about the area. He then checks the doors for traps.
Theo finds no traps.
Theophilus closes his eyes. He begins to twirl, swirl and spin. He randomly opens a door....
"Yeah, and how could he be strong enough to break my grip like that when he didn't even have any muscles?"
Dervak ends his Rage, but keeps the falchion in hand.
"We know that Mun provided the drugs to put us in a stupor for Lowls to sacrifice us in the Dreamlands.
And we know he promised to help Lowls translate the Necronomicon. For the ritual to bring our world into Carcosa."Dervak hesitates.
"I don't think we can just knock out people and hand them over to the authorities for a fair trial. We'd have to present evidence about... about the fact that there is a book with a ritual to do something like that... about everything we have found. Word gets out about things that should not be known. And we'd have to slow down our hunt for Lowls, waste time testifying.
I don't trust the authorities that much. They could have cultists among them. Or just a bailiff of the court who talks too much when he drinks.
And then if those we capture are talking in prison? Spreading the word of Xhamen-Dor?
I know Kat and Mara don't want to be bloodthirsty. I get that. I'll get my hands dirty.
I'm guessing this was not the real Mun. I do not plan to leave the real Mun alive when all is said and done. Unless you have a very good way to ensure his silence.
I think we are in a situation where 'Turn them over to the authorities' does not help.""People who aren't involved in that stuff, like Glower, fine, that's different."
"I wasn't planning on turning him over to anyone! I wanted him to just answer a bloody question! And he can't exactly do that now, eh? I am under no illusions as to what our situation is. I thought maybe if we got him bound up so he couldn't get away, he might realize how serious we are. He was a construct, and you can't subdue a construct by hitting it without destroying it."
She takes a breath. This whole situation would be stressful enough for her if it wasn't compounded by her getting Mari's scent. She returns to her normal calm demeanor.
"I wasn't lying when I said I sniffed something. Mari has been by here. And just to be clear, I'm not mad at you for taking him down, Dervak. You made a judgment call and if he hadn't been a...gods know what...it would have worked. And then he didn't leave us any choice. Just don't act like I don't know what the stakes are here, right?"
"Ohhh..."
Dervak is somewhat confused.
Can you scare a construct into talking? Does it even fear destruction?
"I understand your concern for Mari. I hope we find her alive and in her right mind."
Mara ignored the hypothetical speculation about what to do with the "real Mun" — she would worry about that when (or if) it came up. She commented, "You would think there'd be records or notes of some sort here, but I'm not seeing any. Perhaps in another room?
"How long would Mari's scant persist? Does that give us any clue about how recently she was here?"
Theo brazenly opens the door to the right. A small side room contains a quartet of comfortable horsehair seats arranged around a mahogany table. The chamber is crammed with oddments, some of an alchemical nature and some of a more medical bent. An overstuffed bookshelf sits in the corner.
One book jumps out at the party, Algernon Muthwait's Diagrams of the Human Form, a lavishly (if ghoulishly) illustrated book showing the makeup of humanoid anatomy. The text is valuable, 450gp.
Among the oddments is a teak lap desk carved to depict rabbits gamboling in the meadows. The lap desk contains a dozen lucky rabbit's feet, a scattering of teeth, and eyes mounted on platinum pins. The pins are worth 250 gold. Also there is a very old wooden leprechaun doll with obsidian eyes, movable arms, straw hair and beard. The artwork would fetch 200 gp.
A brass bound apothecary's case contains several bottles, one of which is a potion of haste.
A single door leads further into the infirmary turned alchemist's house.
The White Rabbit screams at the ghoulish sight of his kin's foots spread out like someone's stamp collection!
Theophilus quickly grabs a sofa covering to cover the grotesque findings. He hands the emotionally distraught Rabbit a handkerchief.
This is an absolute outrage! He is certainly not human; and, he needs to end!
Mara searched what appeared to be some sort of meeting room. Maybe there were records in here?
She intoned a prayer and scanned for magic auras, discovering a potion. After finishing up with the room, she checked the unopened door for traps.
Mara finds no traps. In the room beyond the door:
This large room has an odd opening in the center of the floor, though a series of worn handrails prevents careless falls to the ground below. The chamber is filled with books and intriguing objects of a medical nature. The room below is 15 feet down, the room below you has dingy white tiles and hole offers you clear view of a broad wooden in the room's center.
The room's books are reference works, most of which are about the creation of constructs and alchemical experiments involving flesh and bone. There are enough tools and supplies here to count as two complete alchemist's labs, but it would take some time to gather them. Among the supplies is a a hybridization funnel, 12 vials of alchemist's fire and 12 vials of acid. A crate labeled "Product of Taldor" contains 11 bottles of wine. Resting on a shelf is a glass leech bowl with tongs depicting frolicking vampires next to a purse that has been made out of a taxidermic cat, the purse contains a collection of coins worth 525 gold.
A door leads to a small room in the corner, another door leads back towards the front of the building, and stairs lead upwards. Kat smells Mari's scent up the stairs.
Mara started looking at some of the books, hoping to discover if there was anything related to occult mysteries. She also scanned for magic auras, just in case. She commented, "A lot of books here, but I'm not sure we should be taking any, unless a volume seems especially relevant to our quest."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Dervak looks at the crate of wine and thinks of Rowan. Well maybe he did need to dry out a bit. Just for a month or so.
Dervak will stash whatever he is asked to in the Handy Haversack.
He looks at the leech bowl with the frolicking vampires, and the purse made out of a stuffed cat. He thinks back to the collection of rabbit feet in the previous room. "I agree with Theophilus, this guy has to die for his bad taste."
Theophilus grabs a bottle. He opens it, pours some onto the floor and he takes a long pull.
He passes it around.
Dervak will also pour some out for Rowan and take a swig of the wine. He waits for Kat to give the "All clear" on proceeding in any particular direction.
"Let's see what's all this then, eh."
Kat finds no traps.
Dervak opens the door to the small room in the corner.
This velvet and mahogany lined chamber contains a brass chain and pulley hoist. Mold splotches run along the lower parts of the velvet wall covering.