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Mask of Temperance
Biotechnological Artifact
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True Name:
Not applicable. These beings are in fact living artifacts of Star Spawn Biolord design, and are not Summonable.
Size:
These small creatures are about six to eight inches in rough diameter.
Source:
Merrow Tale (2012) - B.A. Lee
Description:
I speak of these first because it is these tools that facilitate the creation of the actual
texts of the Necronomicon. This is how they appear to the Gifted. To the Unseeing they are the
cowl of the parish priest or the peaked cap of the general. A fine example of Elder Spawn
biotechnology, experiments on generations of captive volunteers have enabled the Star Spawn Biolords to develop these wonderfully effective communication tools. They are actually derived
from human brain matter, and as such are ideal for communicating directly with a human
cerebellum. When attached to the human nervous system through barbed injector tendrils, the
small entity is perfectly able to translate and simplify for our limited human intellects the
ascendant ideas of our Star Spawn benefactors. As such, sufficiently advanced Elder Spawn are
often in the company of a Brain Crab attached human, when communication with humans is
necessary.
Only Semi intelligent when not attached to a host, this entity serves to drastically amplify human
intellect and sensory capabilities, extending into realms of prescience and extra sensory
perception. The Mask of Temperance is normally covered in a protective shell reminiscent of
some great nautilus, or snail. The brainlike body of the creature is squeezed into this protective
casing with no apparent ill effect. The fleshy tendrils sheath hollow injector barbs, each of which
hides hundreds of smaller tendrils that are orders of magnitude finer than a human hair. These
tendrils bind with human nerve cells. The destruction of the subject’s eyes is necessary to
accommodate the binding of the tendrils to the optic nerves. Similarly, the eardrum is perforated
to allow access to the auditory nerves and temporal lobes. The effect is that, when bound, the
Mask wearer experiences everything through the Mask. All manner of sight, sounds, and a wide
range of senses that are unavailable to unadorned humanity become part of the wearer’s
enhanced experience.
Additionally, computational ability, memory enhancement, and deductive capabilities are greatly
enhanced. Finally, Psionic abilities are enhanced such that lucid communication becomes
possible with the Elder Spawn and their minions. Thus, in this manner, the thoughts,
individuality, and free will of the Wearer are “tempered” in favor of the will of the Elder Spawn.
The strong chitinous legs are bound tightly to the cranium, with barbs set securely into the bones
of the skull to anchor the being in place. In what is thought to be some kind of precautionary
measure employed by the Star Spawn Biolords, interfering with the Mask has the unfortunate result of
causing the powerful anchoring legs to violently flex, messily crushing the cranium of the
wearer. No mask has been forcibly removed without so effecting the death of the wearer. Being
tied intrinsically to the wearer’s life force, the Mask so affected quickly dies and evaporates.
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