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Howard winces.
"Given what was in there... it would need to be some *extremely* seasoned constables. I wouldn't want to send in the new recruits, or even those that have been around a few years; it would be a bloodbath. You would also need significant magical support to deal with those swarms.
No, I am willing to go in and get the job done; however, this time, since stealth is not the objective, I can prepare accordingly."
A thought then occurs to him.
"I would, however, appreciate it if you could point me in the direction of a decent cleric; I have a feeling that it would be wise to get a couple of prophylactic Delay Poisons, just to be on the safe side..."
"I was thinking of calling the Magical Enforcement department in. They've got battle mages and nothing clears out bugs like a good ol fashioned fire. Or fireball." Seargent Henry answers.
"There's a temple of Abadar around just two rows down. Sister Marie should be able to attend to that." He thinks for a moment,then takes out a piece of paper, scribbles something on it, chops a chop on it and puts it it into an envelope."Hand this to Sister Marie. Since it's on cop business you're on, it's right we foot the bill."
"Delay poison, you'll pay for it later - go to Sister Marie if you need any help. We'll foot that too."Seargent Henry tells Howard. "I'm worried about you, Howard, you're a good man. I really don't want you getting killed in what should be our business. But if you're sure you can handle it, then go for it."
"Godspeed and good luck."
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Howard nods.
"Thanks Sergeant, I'll go speak to Sister Marie."
He then moves on to the Temple of Abadar, after restoring his shell (and dismissing it again).
"Excuse me? I was told to ask for Sister Maire? I am in need of two Delay Poisons, and a Lesser Restoration or two. Sergeant Henry told me to ask for her."
Howard presents his note when it becomes relevant.
Howard and Claude hop down to the Temple of Abadar, and Sister Marie, on reading the letter, keeps it, and gives both Howard and Claude Delay poison.
"Lesser restoration too?" Sister Marie reads over the note. "Hmm didn't quite cover that...but ah nevermind, we'll just do it as well, and toss them the bill later."
Howard and Claude then head back to Miacknian Mun's laboratory...
Howard heads back to Miacknian Mun's laboratory, then he shifts into the front door.
The cozy chamber has been pulverized by the large black woody creature and the portrait has fallen off the wall and broken into pieces. The fancy bottles, alchemical objects and cudgel have all been smashed to bits. Howard opens the door to the north.
The furniture and the better part of this room has also been crushed by the massive falling bulk of the large woody black creature. The books now lay scattered, with their pages torn. A drawer lies smashed but the dose of wyvern poison in it has already been spilt all over the place. The lap desk is nothing more then splinters and the wooden leprechaun doll has been turned to kindling. A brass bound apothecary case lies shattered, its contents spilt on the floor.
The room has been partially smashed in by the falling bulk of the large creature. The same Miacknian Mun that Howard had a bout with earlire (identifed by the bite mark)with glowers at the wreckage looking like it might want to punch someone. The moment Howard and Claude appear, it decides to vent its fustrations on them.
Howard manages to land only a bite, and two claws, its skin being strangely resilient.
Claude manages to punch the creature.
The creature flies into a rage and starts pounding Howard.
One of its punches catches Howard on the chin.
Its tough skin resists the better part of Claude and Howard's efforts, but Howard manages to land 3 claws and rends the creature, and Claude claws it once, but it still stubbornly remains standing, continuing to punch Howard, but does not manage to punch through his hide.
Howard manages to rip the creature's throat apart, then the body falls onto the ground.
The worn books lining this room’s shelves are reference works, most of which are about the creation of constructs and alchemical experiments involving flesh and bone. The entire reference library (weighing in at 250 pounds) can be sold to practitioners or collectors for 900 gp. In addition, there are enough alchemical tools and supplies here to count as two complete alchemist’s labs if Howard were to gather them all up. Among these alchemical supplies is a hybridization funnel.
Resting on a shelf is a glass leech bowl with gold tongs depicting frolicking vampires, worth 50 gp, next to a purse that has been made out of a taxidermic cat.
The room also contains a straw-lined wine crate labeled "Product of Taldor."The crate contains 11 bottles of fine vintage and each bottle is worth 40 gp. A nearby wooden case is nailed shut, but Howard smashes it open contains 12 vials of alchemist fire and 12 vials of acid.
The purse made out of a taxidermic cat contains 280 gp and 2 tourmalines of high quality worth 125 gp each as well as four chunks of cloudy amber worth 5 gp each.
This side room contains a small library, and a number of interesting old maps are framed and hang upon the walls. Two comfortable leather captain’s chairs are drawn up to a curious table made from a small preserved owlbear. A decanter half full of red liquid and a leather case lie on the bizarre table. One map is missing from the walls.
The other maps depict various regions of the Inner Sea, and two of these are quite old and fine, depicting Ustalav and Osirion; these two are worth 75 gp each. Pasted to the back of another map is a scroll of raise dead. The table is mounted on the distorted form of an owlbear, which has been somehow shrunk and dislocated so that the creature lies on its back and supports the tabletop with its claws and beak. The macabre table is bulky and heavy, but worth 250 gp. The decanter is made of exquisitely etched crystal containing a superb vintage of red wine, a rare Taldan style. In total it is worth 100 gp; the wine alone is worth 40 gp. The leather case contains seven crystal goblets worth 25 gp each.
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. The elevator can be lowered and raised 10 feet a round.
Howard and Claude ascend the stairs.
Bookshelves stacked with various books and folders, as well as bizarre curios, line two of the walls of this wide-open room. A sturdy wooden desk accompanied by a stuffed leather chair sits in one corner of the room, while a small table in the opposite corner holds a taxidermic monkey posed like it’s playing a tiny violin. Unnerving paintings cover the wood-paneled walls.
The first painting depicts a strangely angular landscape, the second painting a sunken submerged city with strange lights glowing in the sodden streets, the third painting a stage in a grand theater upon which some sort of mad cavorting dance takes place,and the last painting a gruesome cloaked figure standing in a blasted alien landscape.
Howard realizes that the first painting - that of an angular landscape, is trapped - if anyone stares too closely at it, they will feel the sensation of being engulfed and pulled into the painting. Aware of that, he avoids it.
He realizes that the second picture of the sunken submerged city with strange lights glowing in sodden streets is also trapped - anyone staring at it will start suffering from aquaphobia.
Howard looks at the third painting, showing a strange in a grand theatre upon which some mad cavorting dance takes place. There are limbs and stretched faces within, and Howard suddenly has an urge to join them dancing.
He manages to resist the urge to do so, and looks away from the painting.
Howard looks at the final painting, which hangs on the south wall between the desk and the stairs, depiciting a gruesome cloaked figure standing in a blasted alien landscape. Snakes writhe form beneath the folds of its cloak, and it reaches a clawed hand out of its billowing sleeves. Then the creature, a shroudned reptilian nightmare with two pairs of stretched veiny leather wings, emerges from the painting.
Howard realizes he has triggered off a Summon Monster VIII spell.
Howard has no idea what the creature is.
Howard manages to bite and claw at the creature, injuring it, but Claude's attacks, although they hit, do not penetrate the creature's leathery skin.
The creature flies into the air and tries to claw Howard.
The claw strikes do not get through Howard's reptilian hide.
Howard bites and claws into the creature though it ducks out of the way of one claw and continues clawing at Howard.
Claude's attacks hit but do not penetrate its hide.
Howard bites the creature and it dissappears with a pop sound. Then he hears clicking noises and the sound of lapping water mixed with a drawn-out whisper that says, “The blot quivers. The lake ripples. His stain is here.”
Howard looks at the portrait and now finds it blank.
Behind the portrait is a small metal safe built into the wall, which Howard spots. The safe has many levers and labels.
He fiddles with the safe which he realizes is trapped and disables the trap then opens the safe.
The safe contains 2,400 gp split between four thin leather bags, and a treatise on cabal magic (worth 750 gp to the right buyer).
The books and other objects in this study are worth 5,000 gp to a collector.
Howard and Claude then goes up the stairs.
This chamber is a veritable museum. The dozens of books, jars, and glass containers of various sizes placed on nearly every horizontal surface in this lab contain chemicals, unidentifiable sludge, the dissected bodies and alien-looking parts of creatures, and a rainbow of various slimes, molds, and fungi. Some of the largest containers are draped with a thick brown cloth. The overpowering stench of bleach, ammonia, and other unidentifiable chemicals fills the air.
Two hulking things in a patchwork of rotten cloth and grotesque skin, with stray bits of straw poking out the seams attack Howard, together with hideous, buzzing cloud of insects is comprised of black and yellow wasps with hungry red eyes.
Claude strikes at the wasps but they seem to be strangely resistant to his teeth and claws.
The swarm of wasps go after Howard and Claude , one swarm after each.
Howard is nauseated by the swarm crawling all over him.
The remaining skinstitch moves up to Howard and tries to slash at him with its longsword.
The swarms continue to swarm over Howard and Claude.
This time, however Howard is not nauseated by the swarm of wasps.
And the skinstitch continues to try to cut Howard up, without much success.
Claude swells into immensity, his head bumping against the ceiling, then bites and claws into the wasps, but does not manage to slap them with his tail.
The wasps continue to stay on their respective targets.
Howard is not distracted by the swarm.
The skinstitch continues to attack Howard.
Howard manages to rip the skinstitch to shreds, and Claude finishes up one swarm and badly claws up the other wasp swarm, which goes after him.
Claude manages to crunch up the rest of the wasps.
The room is a hive of curious objects, an extended masterwork alchemist’s laboratory, and a large selection of alchemical items including a score of acid vials, a dozen flasks of alchemist’s fire, a half dozen elixirs of fire breath in clay amphorae, a box of 22 vials of alkali flasks, and three green glass bottles of bladeguard. There are also a number of discarded objects, including a leather pamphlet written in Kelish by a traveler to Katheer a dozen or so years ago.
Lurking in a recessed cupboard is an odd object—a sealed brass and translucent green glass bottle that contains what appears to be a human brain. A curved horn made from metal and ivory sprouts from the top of the bottle, and a brass nameplate is stamped onto its base that reads “A. Weigs.” Periodically, the horn emits the quiet sound of whispered lullabies, but efforts to communicate with the brain are fruitless. This bizarre specimen, which seems to be a nonfunctional attempt to recreate a mi-go brain cylinder, is worth 2,000 gp to an eccentric or unscrupulous collector, while the remaining books and
other grotesque objects in this room are worth 5,000 gp in all.
Howard and Claude fly up the hole in the floor to see the sobbing Miacknian Mun still there. And still sobbing.
The smell of chemicals and flesh fill the room. What first appear to be curtains hanging throughout the room turn out to be scores of skins, taken in unimaginable agony judging by the looks on the faces that waft eerily in an unseen breeze.
The Hollow one stares at Howard with deranged, frightened eyes, ” He Waits. Eternity. Fear. Madness. Feeding. Entropy. Oblivion.” It then pulls at its skin, as if trying to unravel itself. The few pieces of paper fall onto the floor like ragged snowflakes on wooden floor. On the scraps of paper are the words, ”The Guardian,” ”Afterwards equip in Okeno – meet with Biting Lash. A ship has been arranged. “ In the margins there are a number of pictures of angels and the words ”Swivel heads in the right direction to delve deeper.”
"The End. Nothingness." The 'Mun' continues to mutter and Howard is not really sure if any of his message got through.
Then Howard sees chaotic image of hundreds of faces all flickering between one another, and hears the clicking voice in his head, "It reaches its tendrils through the minds of those who know of it. It reaches beyond the veil of dreams. It sends its tendrils through their minds to gather its strength, but despite your knowledge you are clean. You can stop it. Don’t let it infect this world and serve it to Carcosa." Then the voice is gone.
Howard ascends the stairs with Claude.
Ivy fills the room—endless trailing vines flow in through broken windows and cover the floor here like a living carpet. The sickening scent of decay hides within the scent of fresh vegetation.
The attic ceiling rises 10 feet overhead, and during the day light streams in through broken windows. The vines snake up the walls and wind around the beams above, coating every surface of this space with a carpet of green leaves. Unlike the ivy outside, the tendrils in the attic are twisted and malformed. Putrid yellow berries sprout like cancerous growths between the leaves.
Hidden among the beams of the peaked attic roof is a small chest.Howard manages to unlock the chest and inside is a leather bag filled with 500 pp, the deed to the old infirmary, and six diamonds worth 1,000 gp each.
Howard and Claude fly down from the viewing hole in the first level.
This wide space has a floor of dingy white tiles and a broad wooden table in its center. Three darkened stained-glass windows overlook the chamber. Each window depicts an angel with her hands inside the body of a patient; a shining light erupts from the wounds of the smiling victims. Neat rows of alchemical gear line the walls. Above, a large viewing hole allows spectators above to watch what goes on at the table.
Howard realizes the window is trapped.
Standing near the eastern stained glass window is a disgusting alchemical golem pieced together from tubing, wire, steel, and vats containing offal held in an oily liquid the color of decaying vegetation. It climbs out of the vat as Howard approaches.
Howard realizes it's an alchemical golem and it has DR 10/adamantine or bludgeoning.
Howard and Claude damage the golem severely with their claws and teeth.
The golem backs away and Howard and Claude strike at it.
Howard manages to rake it with a claw, before it gets out of range and throws a bomb at Howard. Claude does not manage to penetrate its rubbery skin.
Howard is burned by the corrosive acid.
Howard manages to reduce the golem to scrap. Searching the room, Howard finds a towering glass cylinder stands in the southeastern corner of the room, containing a sickly yellow mass of protoplasm, which he identifies as a ochre jelly and decides to let jellies stay in their cylinders.
He finds that the western window has a hidden tunnel is lined with heavy paving stones, and it's walls are green with algae and smells of rotting vegetation.
As Howard flies down to the tunnel, as it turns it becomes really narrow.
Howard shifts out of the tunnel to see a strange sight.
Down the walls of this stinking chamber trickle rivulets of the dark, murky waters of Blackwood swamp. A great hole opens up in the center, and even from a distance it is clear that the hole is quite deep. The sound of flowing water fills the chamber.
6 small blue humanoids hang on chains above the water, while another 10 are standing on a catwalk that surrounds the pool. They all have crossbows in their hands.