The Crystal Retort

Surface Establishment - The Crystal Retort

The Upper Crystal Retort is housed in a sturdy two-story stone building. The ground floor has few windows, and those present are small and barred. Thick, translucent glass is set back from the bars.

The second floor has larger windows and numerous bronze chimneys of various sizes protrude through a grey slate roof. Keeping the chimneys company are a few strange weather vanes and other odd devices with no obvious function. On the street in front of the shop, a wooden sign hangs displaying a faceted Retort.

The interior of the upper shop is well appointed and what one would expect of such an establishment. Many pigeon holes line the back walls behind a long counter. All manner of oddities overflow from these compartments as well as hanging from the ceiling in boxes, cylinders, cages and various other containers. The smell can be inadequately described as ‘exotic'.

In addition to a wide range of legal alchemical wares, one can purchase supplies and raw materials, though at what one would consider somewhat high prices.

A notice is placed prominently advertising coin for the remains of magical creatures, as well as a price list for the remains of other rare creatures.

Staff

None except Het and Manzred know Hachnar exists, much less his name.

Eldrid Longshanks - Health/Enhancement specialty alchemist
A tall,thin, balding neurotic individual. He is always moving or fidgeting and will talk a mile a minute to any customers. He never wants to actually see, or Gods forbid, touch any health issue. He requests a simple description, nothing more and then suggests an appropriate remedy. Eldrid has a secret passion for elves.

Terick Corun - Pyrotechnics specialty alchemist

Where Eldrid is a flurry of motion, Terick is simply glacial in his actions. He never rushes and does all things, including speaking, very slowly and carefully. He is generally unremarkable in appearance, dark haired and slightly portly. He does, however, appear have several fingers replaced by articulated wooden replacements. Either by careful craftsmanship, or strong magic, they appear to have all the dexterity of the original. He will not speak of them, nor how he ended up needing them -though given his vocation it may be obvious.

Vlense Richmon - Poison specialty alchemist

Strangely enough for one of his specialty, Vlense is a people person. He will be the first to greet new customers and show them around the establishment. He is short, medium build with short-cropped red hair and beard. Even if poisons are legal, he will approach the topic obliquely. He will use euphemisms constantly, or be overly technical - perhaps even anachronistically so. In truth, Vlense hates people and enjoys selling poisons.

Manzred Othmuz - Ex-Soldier guard

This dour figure generally stands about dispassionately watching everything that happens in the above-ground establishment. Of all the surface employees, he knows the most of what is going on and is a loaned enforcer from the underworld. He will not engage in conversation and the staff will try and redirect visitors from him.

Het(Hetamar) (Homunculus of Hachnar)

This strange creature appears as a gnome-light figure with oversized features (even for a gnome!). He wears a red, iridescent robe. He acts as the manager of the above-ground facility, being literally the eyes and ears of Hachnar. He is capable of minor magics and Hachnar can channel spells through him. He leaves dealing with customers to the other alchemists, only becoming involved if they cannot handle it, or if Hachnar becomes interested.

Wares

Most normal potions and alchemical substances appropriate to the world. Poisons are available as well, but carefully presented and subject to local laws.

Security Measures

The above-ground store is physically well built and protected. Building materials are laced with powdered silver and cold iron. All of staff have weapons and alchemical devices readily at hand to defend the establishment if needed.

Subsurface Establishment (The Imps Apothecary)

The underground operation is known through the underworld as The Imps Apothecary (in reference to Eth the Homonculus).

The lower establishment been sealed off from the upper establishment - the shaft that once linked them has been closed off by stone melded by magic. It is accessed through specially concealed secret doors within the sewer system of the town.

Magic and non-magic defences

Much of Hachnar's initial investment of time and gold was devoted to making the location as detection and intrusion proof as possible. To that end, the walls are shielded by thin layers of lead and silver, and cold-iron nails are imbedded into the outer walls at 6' intervals. More active magics are also used to conceal the location of Hachnar himself.

Hachnar has either constructed or purchased a large number of automatons of all description, including a scrap-iron golem which guards the main laboratory. Unless activated, it is scattered through the lab as simple debris (treat as an Iron Spike Golem). Other types include small dog-sized bipedal constructs with glass spheres filled with alchemical substances for heads. Hachnar makes no use of undead or demons in his defences.

Staff

Hachnar T' Velstrad- See the full submission.

Eth (Ethamar)(Homunculus of Hachnar)

Eth is identical to Het in most aspects, apart from knowledge and social contacts. Eth does all of the interaction between underworld contacts and Hachnar, and even these are often through ‘cut outs'. Eth is distinguished by a huge ring of keys used to open the various storage compartments in the Parlor.

Melric Styr - Assistance Alchemist

Melric is a heavily scarred and somewhat crippled young man. He rarely talks and often breaks into coughing fits, the results of inhaling too many vapors. He has been involved in many lab accidents, and is alive only through strange luck. Currently he only assists in less volatile and dangerous work.

Gronus Thakwire - Assistant Alchemist

Gronus is the current workhorse of the lab. A prematurely bald, beardless dwarf, his exceptional toughness has proved a boon in his current line of work. Gronus is also exceptionally cruel, and in truth engineered many of the ‘accidents' which have crippled Melric. Gronus eventually wants to kill Melric, for nothing more then heartless amusement. In truth he is the most evil being in Hachnar's business, Hachnar included.

Ledrick Ostimer - Lab assistant and craftsman

Ledrick is a very capable jack-of-all trades who does much of the fabrication of normal items, glasswork and other manual labor in the lab. Being a very large and strong person, Gronus has not harassed him. He tends to hyperfocus and would be unlikely to notice intruders when working.

Campaign Usage

These establishments can serve multiple roles in a campaign, possibly more then one at the same time.

Employer/Buyer

Depending on their contacts and world view they could be employees of either establishment or supplying exotic monster parts.

Customer

The most likely scenario is the PCs seeking goods from either establishment - again, depending on their contacts.

Criminals

Some heinous act has been perpetuated by one of Hachnar customers and this may lead them to investigate the business.

Its not easy being green...

The enchanted outgassing portal has directed waste into a sensitive area (Elves village, Druid Grove, etc). The injured parties contact the PC's to investigate and stop the emissions.

Mother Lode

The PC's may attempt to rob the joint, but may find it a more difficult nut to crack then they thought..