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"I can't see you, but I know that you are there; talk to me, damn it!"
Gregory finds a hidden niche which contains a few interesting objects:
Five Nanite Canisters, a Timeworn Black Nanite Hypogun, and a strange, gun-like object with a reservoir at the back that is the same size and shape as a nanite canister.
Ooo! A Dart Gun! This could be useful...
Pocketing the items, Gregory ignores the pleas of the invisible creature, and leaves the room - his goal: To head to the Choking Tower, and find out what Xoud did with the body...
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It take about a week of scouting, but Gregory is able to find where, exactly the Choking Tower resides within the Smokewood (although to be fair, the constant pall of smoke rising from it helps).
This towering stone structure rises high above the tops of the surrounding trees. The towers walls are made of metal and stone and stained black with greasy soot, and its roof is a metal cone crowded by a forest of pipes and chim neys belching smoke into the sky. The tower's few windows are narrow and slatted with thick metal grills, and its only door is a metal rectangle with rounded corners, twelve feet high and nine feet wide. The door bears no knob or handle-only a two-inch-wide hole in the center, the edges of which are cracked and bent as if a tremendous force wrenched something free. A large number of immense humanoid footprints mar the ground surrounding the tower.
"Huh..."
With a shrug, Gregory tries to open the door.
With a shrug, Gregory tries plan B - using Dimension Door to teleport to the other side.
Nodding is satisfaction, Gregory attempts to disable the trap.
With a sigh, Gregory tries the door to the south, trusting on his chameleonware to keep him safe.
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This wedge-shaped room contains several storage racks and crates, as well as a sickly odor. A door leads to the north and a large alcove to the southwest contains a wrought iron spiral staircase, leading up.
Of more immediate concern are the inhabitants of the room - two humanoid robots wielding warhammers that crackle with energy, and shields of some transparent material.
Although both tense up when the door opens, neither manages to spot Gregory.
Someone didn't want visitors...
Easing the door closed behind him, Gregory tries his luck with the door to north of the initial hallway.
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Schematics of incredible complexity, each mounted in an elaborate wooden frame, decorate the stone walls of this curving hallway. The schematics feature images of metal monsters, strange vehicles, and technological wonders. The hall curves north at the eastern end, rising to the upper floor in a staircase, whilst two doors exit to the northeast and southwest.
As Gregory examines the schematics, smoke begins to pour out of them, coalescing into the semi-translucent image of a middle-aged male with glowing red eyes, who's body dissipates into a cloud of roiling smoke from the waist down.
"Visitors! What a surprise... I haven't had visitors in quite some time - Let's give them a proper welcome!"
Giggling madly, it then moves to attack.
Round 1: Gregory, FX
Letting out a curse, Gregory frantically removes his swarmbane clasp, and pulls out his amulet of mighty fists.
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The ghost, continuing to chuckle, floats away from Gregory, and casts a spell...
...looking extremely disappointed when Gregory appears to be unaffected.
"Ooo! You are a tricky one. Flame may not work, but let's see about mist..."
Flicking its hand disparagingly at Gregory, it causes a cloud of mist to rise up around itself and Gregory.
Round 2: Gregory(-6), FX
Wincing, Gregory slaps his amulet on, and then backs out of the life-sapping mist.
Steeling himself, Gregory pounces on the ghost!
"Clearly I need to upgrade my chameleonware," Gregory mutters darkly.
He then pulls out a wand, and starts to restore his shielding...
...before reinstating his cloaking field, and heading through the door to the southwest.
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This simple kitchen shows signs of long neglect. A pair of stoves stand cold on the north side of the room between tall shelves stacked with jars and dishes. Along the west wall, a wide sink brims with pale mold. The center of the room contains a butcher's table, above which hangs an assortment of knives, cleavers, and pans. An odd-shaped tub protrudes from the southwestern corner of the room.
Gregory is also able to determine that the stove is rigged to explode.
Gregory wrinkles his nose.
"Charming."
He then carefully attempts to disable the trap.
With a sigh of disappointment , Gregory heads for the door to the northeast.
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Dust-covered shelves crammed with all manner of books and scrolls line the walls of this enormous curving library. A large desk, its top cluttered with scrolls and papers, sits at the western end of the room. A metal door leads to the south, while north of it a second door stands slightly ajar, revealing what appears to be a reading nook.
A thorough search of the room reveals a small spellbook bound in green leather (containing a variety of 1st and 2nd level spells), worth 365gp.
The library itself contains a wide variety of materials regarding magical theory and wizardry, covering air magic, the nature of mist and smoke, and theories about swarm behavior.
Gregory also notices that the reading nook appears to be trapped...
Gregory pockets the spellbook, and attempts to disable the trap.
With a shrug, Gregory heads up the nearby stairs to the next level.
Leaving the trapped double doors alone for the moment, Gregory checks out the single door.
Mildly amused, Gregory nevertheless quickly turns his attention to the trapped double doors...
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Gregory safely disables the trap.
This level consists of nearly a dozen small rooms, each opening onto the same cramped internal corridor.
In three of the rooms, Gregory finds three small, cat-sized undead creatures, consisting of grasping arms emerging from a tangled cluster of debris and mechanical parts, with a metal skull hovering above the clanging mess, but none of them notice Gregory.
One room, however, is slightly different:
This room is filled with crates and boxes, the walls covered with shelving holding linens, cleaning supplies, and other mundane tools. A strange cocoonlike object made of tightly wound strips of wire and metal ribbons is affixed to the highest shelf on the curving northern wall.
they spin cocoons like this to preserve their programming until brought within close proximity to the object or location they've been programed to augment.
Huh. Looks like there really *are* a lot of traps in the area...
Interesting...
Gregory collects the cocoon, and continues on up the stairs to the next level.
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It offers a bit of resistance, but with only a modicum of effort , Gregory pulls the cocoon free, revealing a tiny crack in the wall that appears to lead out onto a hidden staircase.
Flights of stairs ascend and descend to this large atrium. The ceiling above the landing is open to the floor above, while doors on the south and east walls of the atrium al low access to other parts of this floor. Short messages have been written above three of the doors, and a glowing panel is present beside each of them. The air in this room smells strangely acrid.
The northernmost door is unlabelled, but the signs above the three doors are: "Lab 1: Alchemy", "Lab 2: Fluid Siphoning Research", and "Lab 3: Gaseous Ooze Research".
Gregory decides to try the unlabelled door first.
Gregory collects the nanite cocoon, and then moves back to explore Lab 1.
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Touching the glowing panel causes the door to spiral out of the way, revealing a 5' x 10' corridor, and another door (also with a panel beside it), this time with a thick crystal window inset into it, revealing the room beyond:
Several tables, a few shelves stacked with jars and baskets, and an empty desk line the walls.
Touching the panel on the inner door causes the outer door to slam shut; a gale-force wind then blows through the chamber, and Gregory notices with interest that all of his clothing is being magically cleaned!
The inner door then spirals open, allowing a foul, chemical odour to reach Gregory.
A vial containing a dose of thick yellow fluid.
A dose of Cureall, three doses of Grade III Haemochem, and four doses of a thick grey sludge.
Finally, there are three Potions of Gaseous Form.
Could be useful, if I need to revive someone...
Amusing, but not really my thing...
Nevertheless, Gregory crates up his finds, and moves to explore Lab 2.
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The wooden and metal furnishings of this room have been smashed to pieces. The fragmentary remnants have been arranged into spiky piles throughout the room, while the bones of a long-dead dwarf lie in a mangled heap at the far side of the room.
As soon as the inner door opens, a creature - a miasmal form roils as barbed tentacles emerge from the central mass, coalescing into razor-sharp talons and claws - rushes the entrance, but upon not finding anything that it can see, starts keening loudly in frustration, before retreating back into the room.
Ignoring the Mihstu, Gregory calmly leaves the room, and moves on to Lab 3.
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The tables and shelves in this large laboratory are all coated with a thin greenish slime. One desk is heaped with pages of notes, and a human skeleton dressed in moldy robes lies slumped over it. A large glass tank atop the easternmost table is shattered and shards of glass litter the floor of the room, while a pale green haze floats in the air.
As soon as the inner door opens, horrid shapes start to form within the cloying green mist, which pulses sporadically and with seeming voracity, as it moves to engulf Gregory!
Round 1: Gregory, ?, HF
Well, we can't have that...
Gregory pounces forward onto the Fog!
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Gregory tears into the mist, dispersing a fair chunk of its volume.
However, as he reveals his presence, he catches a glimpse of a malignant cloud of shadows roiling within the mist, and briefly spots a skeletal maw and a pair of claws...
It starts babbling madly , and pounces forward, attempting to touch Gregory.
The Fog then surges forward, trying to Engulf Gregory!
Round 2: Gregory, ?, HF(-42)
Gregory manages to resist the attack on his willpower, and dodges out of the way of the mist.
"Wonderful. An Allip."
He then tries to finish the Fog off.
Gregory focuses his full attention on the Allip.
Gregory tears into the Allip, which discorporates with a final, gurgling wail.
A thorough search of the room reveals the following:
On the desk, a series of notes describe the writer's research into a roiling mist imprisoned within a glass cage. The reports begin very clinically-enumerating the density, resilience, and indeterminate composition oft he mist she has been tasked to study-but devolve quickly into senseless ravings about corpse-white faces speaking from within the mist. She grew more and more obsessed and secretive, and the last entry reads, "Xoud has stopped checking up on me - it has been days since he stopped by. I think he might be planning to steal my research. I'm out of food, but I dare not exit the lab. I will shatter the tank and join with the hungry fog, and we shall then be as one!"
In addition, there is a Wand of Gust of Wind (18 charges), and a Robe covered in blue, snowflake-like sigils.
"Huh. A bit flashy for my taste, but it will be useful..."
Gregory shrugs on the robe, and, after re-activating his chameleonware, heads up the stairs to the next level.