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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Olaf the Stout" data-source="post: 6250062" data-attributes="member: 13703">Session 8 – The ObservatoryAs scribed by Roku GimballCirian informs us that the small creature is a Tomb Mite – and it is so fast that it manages to bite Traeven before Ezio can kill it.We move up the stairs ahead and find ourselves on a wide landing facing 2 huge wooden doors covered in dark blue mould.  An enormous round jabbering face is carved in their surface.Traeven unlocks the door and I enter first – my ability to see well in these dark places has enabled me to spot 3 skeletons inside.  They are hiding behind a rough barricade of debris and broken furniture in the room – but we advance and kill them quickly.On close inspection of their bones it is obvious they have died of the Red Death.  Perhaps they are the missing members of the Land family?But, if so, there is still one member missing, whose remains we must find if we are to fulfil our promise to Alastor.  We gather up their bones – but alas, Traeven is rapidly becoming very ill. The speed with which he lapses into a senseless stupor is startling.On Cirians advice we decide to abandon our quest temporarily.  Traeven is clearly in the throes of some insidious disease.  We head back to town – hide the bones – and try and find a healer who can assist us.Unfortunately it is the middle of the night – so we wait a short time while I prepare spells to help Traeven, and at first light I am able to remove the affliction from him.  Then we return quickly to the Observatory.We begin to check out the various rooms -finding some small items of value and dispensing of the odd skeleton as we go – but finding none showing evidence of Plague.Eventually we find ourselves in a large dining room.  A disgusting stench of rotting flesh assaults our nostrils.  A large dining room set for 10 dominates the room.  9 places are set with large heaped plates of fresh food and filled wine glasses.  But the 9 chairs are each occupied by decomposing bodies of various races and gender.Noticing tiny movements in some of the bodies, we suspect they might be in some stage of animation – so I suggest killing them all without delay.  It’s agreed, and we complete this grisly task with all speed.A search finds nothing of value – so we continue to another large well-furnished room with lovely rugs, and a large comfortable bed in one corner.  Against one wall stands a small form wrapped like a Mummy, and wearing a fancy waistcoat and a top hat.  In its hands is a silver platter on which stands a severed head, the protruding purple tongue supporting a solitary platinum piece.Against another wall is a massive white stone statue – almost angelic in appearance – with a beatific smile of great beauty on its face. Across the base of the statue is emblazoned the word – FILGE.  Clearly the inhabitant of the bizarre place has a somewhat distorted image of themself.We search the room thoroughly – finding papers with information pertaining to surgery, and undead.  Others contain only the mad scribblings of a crazed mind.We find a scroll – and 4 tubes containing liquid coloured blue, red, yellow, and white with black streaks.  2 more tubes are missing from this container.  The work “Necroturgen” is hand written on them.  What does this mean?The liquid appears to be moving slightly in the tubes.  There is a pelt of an adult Llamasu on the floor – a flying lion, and a most holy beast.We also find a note –“Filge,I need you in Diamond Lake, my boy.The cult situation has grown worse.  Deep within Dourstone Mine they’re studying things brought in from the southern hills.  Green worms and unkillable zombies.  I nicked one of the worms for you to study.I’ll put you up in the Old Observatory.  Show this letter to the big white half-orc at the Feral Dog.  He’ll help you get settled.  I trust you’ll find these coins sufficient to cover your travel from the Free City.S.”It seems clear this note is written by Smenk.We know that Kullen is in his employ and we know that Smenk’s men have been seen working to fit out the Observatory for habitation – this was reported in the newspapers.But the tone of the note does not suggest that Smenk knows about the evil behaviour of the inhabitant of this place – presumably Filge.  Perhaps Filge is deceiving Smenk??We go up a final flight of stairs to the top floor.  A large room confronts us – mirrors in all corners and a sunken area in the centre with an operating table set in the middle.  4 large glass tanks at each corner of that, each containing a slowly writhing humanoid figure covered with a pale yellow liquid.  A dark figure stands in the operating area, a skeleton at his side. He is singing softly in a low hacking voice.Noticing our arrival – he says in disgust “Seriously, can I not work in peace?? Why are you bothering me??” – Then he mumbles “Arise my beautiful monstrosities!!”3 trogolodytes and a bugbear emerge from the tanks and the final battle of the Observatory begins.We are far too strong for this force and kill them all with relative ease.  Late in the fight Filge attempts to save his own life by offering us information.  We spurn this suggestion, and Traeven sends him to Hell with no remorse.I borrow Traevens dagger and remove Filges eyes, ignoring the concerns of my companions.  I have plans for these items – and I am not yet ready to speak of them.We search the room thoroughly – finding a number of useful items.  A dagger, an amulet with a bird skull on a leather thong, a key, a spell book, various silver implements of value, and a glass tube containing a slim green worm – identified as part of an undead creature “The Spawn of Kyuss”.The skeletons bones show clear signs of having died of the Red Death Plague – hopefully the final member of the Land family – so we gather them up and prepare a rapid return to town.</blockquote>

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