Maolmhuire Artor

Six Vials at Midnight Maolmhuire Artor moved to the city with his young fiance Laylia, him to pursue his alchemist career, having recently graduated at a prostigious magic school, his wife had been suffering with ‘the shivvers’ for three years, and it was hoped a cure could be found in the grand libray of which the city is famed. He became the apprentice of an award winning embalmer named Meldrac. Together they worked on translating ancient texts to discover secret arts to embarm the dead.

Unfortunately, rumours of witchcraft and necromancy began sweeping the city, and so cremation, not embalming became the prefered method of disposal of the dead. The practice giving the relatives a sense of security.

It was at this time, Maolmhuires wife took a turn for the worst, whilst his research had yielded promising developments. Maolmhuire did not take Laylias death well, and it was Meldrac who convinced him that she should be the one to try the latest experimental embalming fluid.

The body lay for two hours, as the two scientists rested in another room. Then suddenly they were awoken by the most appalling and daemoniac succession of cries that either of them had ever heard. Not more unutterable could have been the chaos of hellish sound if the pit itself had opened to release the agony of the damned, for in one inconceivable cacophony was centred all the supernal terror and unnatural despair of animate nature. Human it could not have been—it is not in a woman to make such sounds.

Bursting into the room, Meldrac began laughing joyously, and Maolmhuire knew he’d been deceived. Grabbing vials of acidic substances from the shelves Maolmhuire began hurling the glass vials at the undead body. Meldrac reached out to stop Maolmhuire and was burned horribly in the face. The acid splashes broke a burning brazier off the wall which quickly engulfed the room in flames.

Maolmhuire took a curved dagger and dealt a mortal blow to his mentor’s neck, who stumbled and landed in the fires next to the screaming Laylia. Meldrac pulled out the embalming pipe from the screaming body, and began sucking the experimental liquid as the flames engulfed him.

Maolmhuire fled the burning house, and the city. Forever burdened by not confirming the death of his wife.