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Ardan 26

Our Heroes descend into the laboratory, or an alternate version of the laboratory. This version of the mansion in the Borderland is on fire, but not being consumed.

In the laboratory, Keja activates the "video teaching crystal" which shows a sorceror selecting a pint of a particular solution and injecting it into a bound captive's abdomen.  The victim is then lowered into a pit containing an Erith'sian Wasp, an equs-sized horror. The victim is stung, paralyzed, and then the wasp's mouthparts expand prodigiousy and the vicitim is swallowed whole, passing through the great insect to emerge folded backwards at the waist within a gelatinous egg sac about five feet in length.   The sac hardens and clouds over as the wasp turns it upright and fastens it to the wall of the pit.

We grab and take a few books and texts, including a tome of necromancy (bound, of course, in human skin) which is actively malevolent. Moving downwards, we confront two animated skeletons -- and dispatch them easily. Apparently, these weren't meant to be guards. We look for a way to the basement, and head towards the kitchen. The dining room has a strange sleeping monster; perhaps a bald nightstalker. Through the kitchen, down into the basement through the pantry. 

In the basement, we see Yilderay the Lich talking (in Elder Tongue) with a repulsive, gigantic demon of slime, contained in a large tub. Chained captives are ladling liquid onto the demon. A Farad is standing around, taking notes; we stay hidden. A deep throbbing vibration announces the arrival of the Slavers outside the mansion; Yilderay goes upstairs to negotiate with them. With Yilderay gone, the demon eats the Farad in a fit of pique and calls out to those watching. Our Heroes come out of hiding, and talk with the demon, Alberoth. He proffers a cube, the Mirror of Entrapment; it can trap Yilderay if he looks into it while casting a spell. 

The Traders have come in an "airship", sort of like a windship, but powered by necromancy (specifically, the power of decomposing corpses, ew). Keja sneaks into the room where Yilderay is overseeing the slave transfer from a balcony, and when he turns about on hearing us approach and unleashes a destructive bolt of energy.  The bolt is intercepted by the mirror and rebounds on Yilderay, who is drawn into the mirror and is trapped!

While we stand about, wondering what to do with the Mirror, a barbed imp (or some such creature) attacks Aldak; while it strikes fear into Puliko and Vidan, Aldak is able to smash it.

The Slavers come into the house and upstairs to find what happened to Yilderay; they attempt to negotiate with Our Heroes, feeling little love lost for Yilderay. Their captain gives Aldak a hit of some kind of drug and everyone agrees without saying so that there is little profit in attacking each other.  The parties each loot the mansion in accordance with their own needs.

As we descend towards the basement, Yilderay attempts to negotiate ... Keja goes down to talk with Alberoth, who decides he can now go! Keja barely escapes being dragged off with him, and scampers up to the kitchen ... we decide to check outside, and perhaps create a portal at the graveyard there. A fugitive slave flees into the countryside from behind the house, and is almost immediately devoured by some flying beast. When Keja attempts to create a portal, lightning builds to a crescendo, and an immense dragon attacks! We barely escape back into the house. Apparently, spell-casting (or even existing) outside the house is hazardous.

Trapped in the kitchen, we decide to descend through the basement (past the drain where Alberoth fled) and find a secret door with the sign of Ikon upon it (Benefir had mistaken it for an Aamanian symbol). Keja blows the Horn, which seems to begin destroying the house (or irritate the dragon into doing so); she uses the Star of Solomorrion to open the secret door. It opens, leading to a shrine to Ikon ... statue, candles, benches, etc.

Scrying in a font, Keja and Puliko sense something ... evil ... is trying to tunnel into the shrine, having destroyed the house.  Whatever it is notices it is being watched and turns its attention towards Keja, who quickly disturbs the water and breaks the scrying spell.  Leaving the shrine is as simple as kneeling at the altar and saying a few wishful words to Ikon.  We re-appear at the shrine to Aberon (a demon?) in the real mansion -- hurray. The trapped lich claims that the people in the two "smash lever" cells have dedicated their lives to the demon.

We leave the house -- daytime! Clean up and eat! We decide to make the Mansion our base of operations ... 

On to ... Millhaven - Soul Gems and Good Living