The following morning, London used his divine senses to detect evil on the mysterious book recovered from the previous encounter—but found none. The tome’s exterior was a worn brown leather cover, with a musty smell and an inset purple gem. It did not appear to be made of human skin.
Audrey Rose received the will from Sabrina and examined the book herself. Bound shut by three metallic clasps shaped like cricket legs, the book radiated an eerie cold. Using improvised tools from her alchemy kit, she managed to open it, though the process was delicate. Sabrina, uncomfortable with the book’s presence, excused herself and sent Audrey Rose to Zita instead.
Audrey Rose knocked on Zita’s door and showed her the book. The title page read:
The Pnakotic Manuscripts
There may we, the Keepers of the Oldest, prevail over the scourge of simplistic thought and lesser minds.
— Signed by Rutman Meyer, Glen Baskerwell, Walder Crove, Soul Marshon, and Arland Hive.
Audrey examined the table of contents. The manuscript resembled a spellbook, heavily focused on conjuration magic, with numerous esoteric topics beyond her current understanding. The three women—Audrey Rose, Sabrina, and Zita—decided to seek out Bosley for additional insight.
They found Bosley entering the inn alongside London and brought him up to Zita’s room to examine the tome. Despite his scholarly knowledge, Bosley was just as mystified as Audrey Rose. However, he did recognize a key reference: “The Oldest” likely referred to the Eldest, potent fey entities—and potentially beings from the Plane of Madness.
With this troubling connection in mind, the group decided to keep the book’s existence secret. Audrey Rose tucked it safely into her bag.
The party then made their way to Carrion Hill’s Town Hall at its peak. Sabrina bluffed their way past the guards and into Mayor Heggry’s office, where aides bustled in and out with messages and reports. Though unfamiliar with the Townsand Agency, the mayor was open to hearing their findings.
Zita presented a concise report of their investigation. Impressed, the mayor rewarded them with a basket of potions: ten Cure Moderate Wounds and five Lesser Restoration. Each party member received one of each, with the extras added to the group’s shared inventory.
Mayor Heggry also provided information on the signatories of the manuscript:
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Glen Baskerwell: A hunchbacked potion brewer living a day south along the river.
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Walder Crove: Head of the local asylum in the city’s rough quarter.
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Rutman Meyer: Operator of the Mittenstone Mill, known to use undead labor.
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Arland Hive: A sage and historian.
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Soul Marshon: A recent arrival to Carrion Hill.
An older newspaper article mentioned a naturalist, Carsenni Rhun, researching local cattle mutilations, though the mayor hadn’t seen him recently. Unfortunately, the locations of the other magical seals remained unknown.
Intent on following leads, the group visited Meyer’s residence, marked with a sign reading “Rutman Vats.” A foul stench filled the air, and another sign declared the business “Closed Until Further Notice.”
Zita knocked—no response. She cautiously opened the door and entered. To their surprise, the interior was well-lit but reeked of decay. Three rotting ogres stood guard: two by the stairs and one patrolling the main floor.
Bosley immediately cast Raining Stones, initiating combat. Audrey Rose hurled a flesh-eating bomb at an ogre, while London brandished a radiant squeaky toy, bisecting another with a flash of light. Sabrina charged into melee, and Zita flanked and finished off the last of the three ogres with her twin daggers.
A fourth ogre struck London with a heavy blow, and four more undead lumbered in. Audrey Rose lobbed another bomb, hitting two of them. From the rear of the building, a shadowy figure—likely a necromancer—fired a blast of acid at Audrey Rose.
Zita performed an acrobatic maneuver, plunging her blade into one of the ogres. A zombie slammed into her, while another attacked Sabrina and missed. Bosley turned his attention to the advancing ogres. Audrey Rose responded with another explosive bomb, setting the zombies ablaze.
The necromancer briefly emerged to fire a spell that missed. London continued his assault, while Zita eliminated another zombie—mostly stealing London’s kills, to his amusement.
Audrey Rose incinerated two more zombies with a well-placed bomb and shouted at the necromancer, claiming they were investigating on behalf of the mayor’s office.
London surged forward to engage the final ogre. Audrey Rose invoked a bizarre chant—“Zap, zap, candy cane hat!”—and a bolt of lightning surged out, striking the ogre, Zita, and the necromancer. A voice from the enchanted hat erupted:
“Haha! Cheaters never win!” followed by a cacophony of noise.
London charged again. Zita landed a critical strike, doubling the ogre over and finishing it.
As the dust settled, Sabrina cast Suggestion on the retreating necromancer.
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