Professor Shoelacey

**Professor Shoelacey** is a curator and scientist at The Ransom Museum of Unnatural History, located in Ransom. He is described as "A tall, thin gentleman" with very Fine but untidy clothes. He is very interested in unnatural history, and his latest interest is in a very potent pocket-watch that has the power to store years of a person's lifeforce. He appears to the Guild (and Hengist) as a seemingly innocent and bumbling nerd.

## Watch Out!

Prudence, Corazón, Merilwen and Hengist meet him when he puts out an advertisement for adventurers wanted, with the reward of "gold, and beyond gold". He offers 600 gold and the gold's weight in rubies as the reward, with 200 more gold for quick delivery. He explains to the Guild that a pocket-watch he tried to buy at an auction for the museum vanished after he bought it, and he suspects a local shop-owner, Erasmus Symes, is behind it and recruits the Guild to get it back. He doesn't care for their methods to get it back.

The pocket-watch was indeed at Erasmus's Antique shop in a locked safe box which was smashed open by Hengist after defeating Erasmus. Sensing how powerful she and her bond with Cthulhu is, the magic of the pocket-watch calls out to Prudence, telling her about "old power, such old power". It latches onto her and reverses her age, turning her into a baby, but one who still regained her adult consciousness.

Trying to find a solution, Hengist picks up the now inert pocket-watch and Corazón puts her in a sling. Even though Corazón doesn't trust Professor Shoelacey, Hengist explains that if they keep Prudence as a baby, it will bring pain and tragedy to other children. They return to Professor Shoelacey, who is shocked that the magic of the pocket-watch worked. He claims not to know if he could reverse the magic, but asks for the pocket-watch to try, with Corazón giving him a fake one with Minor Illusion cast on it. Merilwen tries to assure Corazón that Professor Shoelacey is just a big nerd, and is really harmless, but tells him that he can still hand over the fake watch.

Professor Shoelacey then hurries back to his study to study the pocket-watch and holds it over a purple solution that can detect magical objects. When the fake watch dissolves, he is at a loss and reveals that Prudence may forever be stuck as a baby. Merilwen tries to pick-pocket Corazón for the pocket-watch, which fails and they have to reveal that they gave him a fake pocket-watch.

Upset that the Guild did not hold up their end of the bargain, he tries to back out from their deal. Merilwen reiterates that she doesn't think he'd do anything bad, and gets Hengist to hand over the real watch.

Under the guise of trying to open it, he warns the others to stand back and he turns over to his desk and presses a switch that lowers a metal wall in between him and the guild, with only a tiny hatch that he could speak out of. He reveals that he was not once fooled by the fake pocket-watch and that he has no such aspirations to attempt to turn Prudence make into an adult, and congratulates them on giving him proof that it works. He also reveals the true magic of the watch; it stores time, and he can drain the ages from Prudence and others in order to live forever. He begins performs a blood ritual to steal Prudence's lost years.

A fight begins, with Hengist (under Prudence's guidance) trying to smash his hammer against the metal, and Corazón running to steal Bracers of Incredible Strength. Merit, a Mummy and Merit's Bodyguard reanimate to attack the team. Merit's bodyguard attacks Corazón and Prudence, dealing 10 points of damage to Corazón (reduced to 5 with Uncanny Dodge). Merit attempts to attack Merilwen but misses and hits a wall. Prudence attempts to cast Agonizing Blast (pronouncing it Elwditch Blawst) but isn't able to aim her beams properly, with the recoil propelling her into the air and shooting her off around the room.

Merilwen attempts to cast Poison Spray into the panic room, but Professor Shoelacey manages to close the grill before he can take any damage. Merilwen gives him a rude hand gesture.

Hengist attempts to cast Sacred Flame on Merit, but Merit is able to dodge out of the way, jumping up to the ceiling. Corazón is able to parkour over Merit's bodyguard and grab the Bracers, giving him enormous strength. He then hides behind a triangular lamp. Not seeing Corazón and not being able to reach the still flying Prudence, Merit's bodyguard makes his way to the study and fails to hit Hengist, breaking his arm on his shield. Merit is also not able to break through Hengist's shield, not being able to reach past it to Hengist. Using the remains of her Blast, Prudence shoots herself towards the study, grabbing Merit's bodyguard's bandages and unravelling him. Merilwen, annoyed at her trusting of Professor Shoelacey, casts MoonBeam into the panic room. A brilliant light appears, and Professor Shoelacey screams in pain. Merilwen shifts it away from him on the verge of death and begins to move it towards the mummies. Hengist pulls out his anvil, his holy symbol, and casts Turn Undead on both mummies, who leave the room towards Corazón. Corazón punches both mummies to death, punching Merit's head off and smashing through Merit's bodyguard's chest.

The team returns their attention to Professor Shoelacey, who is in a bad way, with his flesh burning off from the leftovers of the Moonbeam, and Corazón breaks through the metal walls of the panic room. They tell him that if he is to have any hope of recovering, he has to turn Prudence back into an adult. Pointing at a button on the pocket-watch, he tries with little success to describe the solution. Hengist uses his anvil to cast Preserve Life. Professor Shoelacey is then able to explain the process. Corazón follows the instructions, by pressing the button and opening the pocket-watch, and winding the hand back. The pocket-watch shudders and the years stored in it leave it, recovering Prudence back to being an adult.

Corazón kicks Professor Shoelacey and he dies.