Session 8: The Inner Sanctum Report
General Summary
The party had just entered the inner chambers within Doctor Elbourne's offices. In it, they found a number of bookshelves containing a collection focused on the occult, primarily on texts (and studies of texts) dealing with the entities of the Elder Mythos. On the wall opposite the door were two large eyes set into flat stone surfaces, which followed their actions un-blinkingly.
There was also a long, low chest along one of the walls. In it were some yellow hooded robes (which Caernwold and Atalia identified as being related to the worship of Hastur). Also in the chest were a Staff of Fire, a Pendant of the Occult, a Bag of Holding I, a Crying Angel Pendant, and an Effervescent ampoule.
On another of the walls, they found a locked strongbox on top of a pile of boxes. Caernwold found the key for it under the strongbox itself; within was a sack, containing 80gp in various coinage.
They began to investigate the contents of the chambers itself, starting with one of the books on the reading stands near the door (an ancient tome titled Signs of Yellow. In doing so, they learned that most of the books and occult trappings that they had found were belonging to cults focused on the worship of Hastur - an ancient sorcerer-king from another world. Hastur has god-like powers, but constantly seeks more power by attempting to find worshippers on other worlds - and to add their power to his own.
As they were researching, a skull on one of the tables in Doctor Elbourne's office levitated and floated into the room, green light spilling from its empty sockets. The skull later identified itself as Finneas, a spirit of knowledge who the late Doctor and his assistant (Samirabo) had bound to their service - and bound to the Offices themselves.
From Finneas, they learned that Doctor Elbourne's interest in the occult stemmed from his time in an asylum in a country to the North-East; the asylum had experienced a paranormal event, and the insane patients had fallen in league with a servant of Hastur. The clarity and power that they gained from their servitude fascinated Doctor Elbourne, and he slowly became obsessed with learning more about the source of that power - and claiming it for his own.
They also learned from Finneas that a place of worship has been established deep underground, below the manor. Doctor Elbourne had been expecting the arrival of another cultist ("the Count") approximately a week before, but that they had never arrived. Communication with other cult members indicated that the missing cultist had vanished without a trace.
When asked which cultists he feared reprisal from, Finneas named four: "the Count" (who was now missing), "the Watcher", "the Shadow", and "the Priest." As Caernwold turned to address "the Watcher" via eyes on the far side of the room, Finneas became terrified and said that they 'should not poke the bear.' Ms. E then put out both of the eyes with their sword, at which point Finneas dropped to the floor, his lights gone out. When the party attempted to talk to him again, his eye-lights flickered dimly and he, in a shaking, scared voice, said that he had warned them to not poke the bear.
The party then left the inner chamber and went to find a "safe place" to put Finneas in the outer offices. Ms. E attempted to hide him inside the helmet of one of the suits of armor, but found a hidden lever inside the armor, instead. Pulling the lever shifted one of the bookshelves in the room, revealing a hidden door. They quickly solved the puzzle (involving a strange, ritualistic dance) and opened the door to reveal a cramped, narrow chamber beyond.
This hidden chamber contained a set of stairs leading down, and an unmade bed - under which was hidden a set of feminine undergarments. Following the stairs downwards, they found themselves on a landing which contained several peep holes (looking out into the living room and the washrooms). Down a second flight of stairs, they found themselves in the basement itself. Peep holes on the eastern wall looked into a large furnace room, with a door leading to the east.
In the basement, they found a lever which - when pulled - revealed another set of cramped spiral stairs leading downwards. The lever also triggered a trap of swinging blades - which, thankfully, did not hit anyone.
Before continuing downwards, they explored the rest of the hidden sections of the basement, finding an ancient crypt. As Aroldus went to inspect one of the sarcophogi, Ms E. ran to the far end of the crypt. A handful of Wights did not take kindly to this, and arose from their sarcophogi. After a pitched (and almost deadly) battle, the wights were felled.
Rewards Granted
Loot
- Staff of Fire
- Pendant of the Occult
- Bag of Holding, type 1
- Crying Angel Pendant
- Effervescent ampoule
- 80gp
Experience
- Investigation and RP: 200xp
- Combat: 100xp
