Skyfell - The Clockwork Files : Session 1

Introduction

After running a Dungeons and Dragons campaign in my Skyfell setting for a little over nearly two years, I decided to start up a second campaign that I'm calling The Clockwork Files. As with my other campaign, I'm documenting the sessions here. See The Clockwork Files in my Session Index for a complete listing.

The cast is:

Chandler - Poly (male changling celestial warlock)
Daniel - Uldin~gern (male vedalkan wizard)
Jeff - IamTaoOm (male firbolg druid)
Jordyn - Zokia (female goliath fighter)
Mando - DENVer (male swiftstride shifter rogue)

Sinister Secrets - The Clockwork Authority

Preparation

Putting together a new campaign is more than just creating a setting. It’s also about finding the right players. I’ve come to realize that getting a group together is a lot like dating. Sometimes, you really hit it off right away. Sometimes, it’s a slow bonding experience. Sometimes it just doesn’t go anywhere. Sometimes it’s a disaster right out of the gate. A big part of the prep for session 1, then, was gathering the players, feeling out their expectations, trying to get to know them, and wondering if everyone was going to get along. Fortunately, I already knew some of the folks I had in mind. Others came with recommendations. So, it didn’t feel like completely walking into a blind date. 

Next, I needed to get everyone onto my Discord channel. This meant I had to reorganize it a little since it had been geared toward supporting a single campaign. With two campaigns, I just needed to rename some of the existing channels and create a few more. That was probably the easiest task. Learning how to use the scheduling bot took a little more time. Once everyone was on the server, I started threads and direct messages with each person to talk about the campaign in general and their characters specifically.  Part of this included asking them to read the intro to the Skyfell setting and to take a look at at least the geography post about Akima Prime. 

For this campaign, I wanted to focus more on the technology aspect of the setting. My initial concept was for it to be something along the lines of steampunk meets The X Files meets Dungeons and Dragons. Beyond that I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted. As the discussions on Discord started to take off, my ideas started to coalesce to a point where I was comfortable enough to arrange a session 0. This was helpful because it provided a chance for everyone to introduce themselves and to talk about their character ideas. 

It was about this time that I really settled on this idea that the group was going to be working for/with an organization called The Clockwork Authority whose purpose was to investigate events related to technology, gather technology and knowledge related to technology, and investigate crimes or other events where advanced technology was involved. Everyone agreed that this sounded like a great direction and really got into the spirit of it. 

While I want this to be my homebrew setting, I did want to run one or two published adventures, especially out of the Ghosts of Saltmarsh or Candlekeep Mysteries books. So, once the general premise of the campaign was solidified, I started browsing these materials for the first adventure of the campaign. I decided on Sinister Secrets of Saltmarsh, the first adventure in Ghosts of Saltmarsh, because it is the prequel to Danger at Dunwater. Danger at Dunwater was one of the few modules I had collected when I was a teenager in the hopes that someone, anyone, would play. (See my History of a Gamer post if you really want to read all about me and my experience with gaming over the years.)

Danger at Dunwater Module
Source: Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, TSR

Since a vast majority of the NPCs in Saltmarsh are human, I had to tinker with their stats to make set them into other races available in Skyfell. I also renamed the town. I could not make up my mind as to where I wanted the town to be located though. My two choices were Akima Prima or Karadu. Karadu is a continent for which I haven’t even written a geography post. My initial notes from when I first put together this campaign indicate that Karuda was meant to be the home of transplanted populations of lizard folk, grung, bully wugs, and others who escaped the Yuan-ti of Burati. One might think the choice obvious, but placing the story in Karadu would have particular implications that I just wasn’t sure I wanted to visit. Eventually, I settled on placing the town on Akima Prime instead.

I also realized that I’d need to write up some introductory elements and handouts for everyone to help lay the groundwork for session 1. The goal here was to provide a means for the players to sink their teeth into the setting and give them an opportunity to tweak their character ideas to more closely fit the stories we would be telling. I encouraged the players to work together because, unlike the Glutton campaign, the characters we’re brought together on purpose for a specific goal.

Part of this background research included working out the backstory of The Clockwork Authority. I also created a handful of NPCs to start building out the hierarchy of the organization. I even designed a banner and symbol for the organization in the same spirit as that used by other factions, such as the Harpers.

Symbol of The Clockwork Authority

And, true to form, I put together a basic playlist to communicate the overall feeling I would be reaching for during the campaign. You can listen to these (not quite finished) playlists if you're interested.

RPG Mood: Clockwork
RPG Adventure - Clockwork
RPG Combat - Clockwork

All in all, it was a ton of work made all the more difficult to accomplish with real life events and, well, work. I don’t think a dungeon master ever truly feels ready for their sessions let alone kicking off a new campaign. But I did what I could and the rest I left up to the dice. Maybe I’ll write up a separate blog about starting a new campaign if there is any interest. Or maybe I’ll sneak it into my YouTube channel. I don’t know.

Pre-game

I was lazy this time and ordered some pizza for the game. As we ate, I went over some basic in-house rules that we’d be following, including natural 1s and natural 20s on initiative rolls and my poker-chip system for earning experience. I also covered my general philosophy regarding the overall game specifically and roleplaying in general. Basically, let’s have fun because we’re all telling a story together. Hmmm...perhaps that is another blog entry for later. Finally, I explained the intent of the "contacts system" I worked out for this campaign and that we'd probably be refining it as we went along. This system was wholly inspired by Shadowrun.

I also explained that, just as with the Glutton campaign, I would be blogging the sessions and possibly taking pictures. Some of the pictures might include player faces. They all said that was okay. (I feel like this is really important for my players to understand, and if someone doesn’t want their image on the interwebs, I’d rather know ahead of time than after the fact.)

One of the players could not make it to this session. Family commitments made it so that he couldn’t attend. As I always stress with all my players, family and work comes before Dungeons and Dragons. It is only a game and real-world commitments always take precedence over rolling dice. Sorry dice god.

With these preliminaries out of the way, and after taking a deep breath, I started up my brand new campaign filled with excitement and not just a small amount of nervousness.

In-game

IamTaoOm lives in the Rotting Stacks, one of the largest dumps just outside of Folthrax. Several kobold clans "manage" the site, salvaging anything that might be of useful in their Hideaway or could be sold for a few coins. As his adopted home, IamTaoOm has sworn to maintain the delicate balance between technology and nature that has turned the Rotting Stacks into a kind of wild place unlike any other in Skyfell. 

Skyfell Cultural Note
Hideaway is the name kobolds give to the lair in which they live. Every major city has at least one Hideaway though most denizens will not know how to find it. Nor will they even care to. Kobolds are not looked upon with much regard. They are scavengers, living off of others' discarded scraps. They pick through city dumps, troll city streets at night, and hunt in city sewers. Sometimes, as is the case with the Rotting Stacks, a city will write up a formal agreement to allow the kobolds to carry out these activities in an official capacity. For the Rotting Stacks, the agreement is to manage the garbage and other waste coming into the dump. 

While tending to some roof damage on his shanty, IamTaoOm was approached by Snunoot. The male kobold was more than the steward of the Rotting Stacks. He was also a sort of father figure to IamTaoOm and a source of great knowledge.

SnuSnoot, "Steward" of the Rotting Stacks
Source: HeroForge Design by Me

Snusnoot handed over a sealed roll of parchment. IamTaoOm's name glimmered in magical writing on the outside. When he opened the scroll, words wrote themselves across its surface. It seemed that only IamTaoOm could see them. It was an invitation to join an organization called The Clockwork Authority.

The Invitation

Snusnoot encouraged IamTaoOm to go see what this was all about as it might lead to another contract for the Hideaway. The kobold did also caution the firbolg to keep his head down and his snout out of trouble. "All of Skyfell is out to get you. And it's better to keep your head and lose your pride instead of the other way around."

Poly was wandering the streets of Folthrax panhandling for the few meager coins that would mean he got to eat today. He was doing relatively well for once. That got him thinking that he might rent a bed in one of the few inns or taverns that catered to people of his financial status. But a sense that anything above and beyond his basic needs should go to others less fortunate than he put an end to those ideas. Instead, he settled into a spot near enough to a local market so that he had access to the relatively high foot traffic but was still far enough away from the market proper as not to attract the attention of its guard. He knew they had a mandate to "clean up the market streets" so that descent folks could shop in peace. 

He became momentarily distracted by a commotion and when he returned his attention back to the numerous potential benefactors passing by him, someone dropped a sealed roll of parchment into the hat he had strategically placed on the ground next to him. He didn't quite catch who had left behind the object--they blended into the crowd to quickly. His name glimmered on the outside surface of the scroll. Curious now, he unrolled the scroll. Words wrote themselves across its surface as he read what appeared to be an invitation. That nagging feeling returned and he understood that he should at least investigate this Clockwork Authority.

Uldin~gern was where he felt the most comfortable, surrounded by piles of tomes, scrolls, and other literary works in his private study room deep in the basement stacks of the Arcane College's main library. He's fascinated by technology and its intersection with magic and has devoted all of his free time to delving into those mysteries. During his reading, he noted a reference to another volume that he was sure he's seen filed away nearby. He went to retrieve the work and when he returned he found someone a sealed roll of parchment on his chair. His name glimmered on its outside surface. Ever curious, he picked up the scroll and unrolled it. Words wrote themselves across its surface as he read what appeared to be an invitation to a society of some sort called The Clockwork Authority. 

The three invitees arrived separately at Velerex Manor on the indicated date. They were directed to the manor's drawing room where a collection of cold meats, beverage, cheeses, crackers, fruits, and nuts were set out for the guests. The three strangers cautiously greeted each other and discussed how it was that each of them came to visit the manor. They quickly figured out that they had all received the same invitation and all were equally left in the dark as to the real purpose.

In the midst of their conversation, a goliath female, dressed and armored as though ready to depart on an adventure right then, wandered into the chamber. Quietly, she introduced herself as Nokia. The three visitors noticed that she wore a pin of the same design as the symbol printed on each of their invitations. When questioned further, she mentioned only that she was a member of The Clockwork Authority and that it was her job to keep people like them alive.

Soon, the group was joined by a dragonborn noble who introduced himself as Kriv Velerax. 

Kriv Velerax, Lord of Velerax Manor
Source: HeroForge Design by Me

He explained that he was the head of the Velerax family, the owner of Velerax  Manor, and a member of a society called The Clockwork Authority. The Authority charged itself with investigating any strange and unusual events involving technology, securing that technology should doing so prove useful to the greater good of society, destroying it should it prove dangerous, and bringing to justice those who dabbled in illegal or otherwise dangerous activities. The ultimate goal, of course, was to preserve the safety and well being of Skyfell in general and the reign of Tescalain specifically.

He went on to explain that each of them possessed unique talents or interests that would be beneficial to the Authority and so an invitation to audition to become members of the faction was being extended to each of them. Should they pass the test, they would be invited to become full members of the Authority. Of course, as members, they would be compensated for their efforts, allowed to keep what they found during the course of their operations (as long as those items met certain criteria), always have a place to stay at the manor, have an opportunity to uncover lost knowledge, and have a chance to right wrongs and keep the innocent safe from the darker aspects that that knowledge might stir up.

If this sounded like a great idea to them, Kriv went on, there was a simple matter that he wanted investigated as soon as possible. Their performance during the operation would determine whether they would gain membership. If this did not sound like something they wanted to be involved with, they could leave immediately with no hard feelings.

After some questions regarding the nature of the Authority and clarifications on their exact responsibilities, the three invitees agreed that they would give it a try. Nokia was already a member of the authority and so it was more a matter for her to await the briefing before setting out on her first operation as a full member.

With contracts signed, Kriv explained that the Authority had been hearing rumors of a collection of alchemical research secreted away in an abandoned mansion outside a small fishing village called Siren's Cove. There were whispers that the collection included notes unlocking the secret of turning lead into gold. Despite a general dismissal over the notion that someone had actually discovered a process for performing such a feat of transmutation, there was a possibility that the collection might contain other knowledge of interest to the Authority. It would be the party's mission, then, to investigate the mansion and bring back any tomes and other material that would be of interest to the Authority's mission. To help accomplish this, they would be given a bag of holding, a cart and a pachycephalosaurus to pull it, proper gear for their journey, and proper weapons to deal with any trouble. 

Kriv then thanked the group and left them to figure out their next steps.

They decided to spend a day to find any information about Siren's Cove, alchemy, and the mansion that might help them accomplish their mission. They would meet back at the manor the next day to depart.

IamTaoOm returned to the Rotting Stacks to ask Snusnoot whether he might have any useful information. He knew nothing of the town or the mansion mostly because there was no Hideaway in that area that he knew of. He was wholly ignorant of any area that did not have a kobold presence.

Poly returned to town to see if Bruenor Hammerforge, the Sergeant of the Guard in the district where Poly lived, had any information to provide. He knew little of the area other than it was well outside the jurisdiction of Folthrax and that smuggling was common there. He had heard that a contingent of dwarven prospectors from Din Kuldihr (see my geography post about Akima Prime) had been sent to the village under Tescalain's authority looking for precious metals and gems.

Bruenor Hammerforge
Source: HeroForge Design by Me

After acquiring an armful of books from the shelves in the drawing room, Uldin~gern returned to the Arcane College's library to do a little research. Regarding alchemy, he discovered that the pursuit of finding a means to turn lead into gold was a rather well known and often attempted line of research that had never succeeded. He also discovered that there was a whole field of study devoted to the history and theory of the practice. He did find a reference to a dragonborn noble named Harran Nemmonise who had squandered the family wealth in their obsessive pursuit. The family mansion was located just north of Siren's Cove. Regarding Siren's cove, Uldin~gern discovered a genealogy of the area as well as a brief mention of the town in what amounted to an almanac for the area. Apparently, a few years back, a coalition of pirates terrorized the coast. Tescalain had sent a force to deal with them, and a small contingent of those soldiers were still in Siren's Cove to keep an eye out for any further activity. He also managed to find a map of Siren's Cove.

Map of Siren's Cove
Source: Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Nokia used the day to plan the operation. She also needed to requisition the cart and dinosaur for their journey, a week's worth of rations, and explorer's packs for everyone. She met with Qualitinestramervylianreywan Cogbreaker, whom everyone called Q to preserve the structural integrity of their tongues, to find out what the head artificer at the Authority knew about turning lead into gold. The gnome laughed and mentioned that at least two of these sorts of reports came in each year and none of them had ever turned up anything more than wasted resources and broken dreams. She believed this would be no different. She was quick to remind Nokia that the veracity of a rumor had little relationship to the dangers one might encounter while investigating it, and so Nokia should treat this operation with the same seriousness as any other operation.

Q
Source: HeroForge Design by Me

The party reassembled the next day. Before departing, they compared their notes and went over what they planned to do. They then set out northward, through Folthrax, through the surrounding farmlands, and into the wilderness. The first day went by uneventfully. As they were on a major roadway, it was relatively safe. The second day also passed without incident. While they camped through mid-gloom on the second day, however, a trio of pteranodons descended upon the party. Two went after the pachycephalosaur while the third focused its attention on Poly. The melee that erupted was brief but chaotic as a series of unfortunate events and blunders nearly caused the loss of the pachycephalosaur. Eventually, however, the encounter left the party scratched up (and their egos bruised) but otherwise wholly intact.

The party arrived at Siren's Cove as the ambient full-bright light began its slow dimming into mid-gloom. Their uncertainty of what to do next, along with the mandate that they needed to keep The Clockwork Authority's name out of any conversation, led the party through an awkward series of interactions with the locals. They at least learned that their destination, the old Nemmonise mansion, was north of the town. They were also warned that the place was haunted.

Not deterred, our intrepid agents of truth headed north. After several miles march along an unkept road that cut through rolling hills and lowland marshes, they found the mansion sitting atop the highest hill overlooking the Open Sky to the west. (The building sat very near the edge of the continent.) 

The Mansion on the Edge of the Continent
Source: The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh
Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, TSR

It was shrouded in a fog that seemed to roll up from the ground. Through that haze, they could see that the place had indeed been abandoned for quite some time. Its once beautiful gardens were feral sprawls. A fountain that must have at one time been a work of art was slowly crumbling into memory.

The Mansion

The structure's whole being sagged under the weight of years of neglect. Its once colorful paint was worn away, exposing gray wood underneath. Every window had long since been broken out. The front doors were huddled beneath a pillared entry that looked willing to collapse with little encouragement.

The Front Doors

IamTaoOm peaked in through one of the front windows. It opened into a large, empty room with a stone fireplace against one of the walls. Nearby, a cluster of mushrooms had sprung up from the damp floor. 

Mushrooms Grow Near the Fireplace

Leaving their pachycephalosaur out front, they party circled around to the back of the house, planning to enter through a patio they had spotted on their approach. Their reasoning was simple. If they were looking for a secret laboratory, it wouldn't be found through the front door. As they prepared themselves to enter the building, a long, low create pierced the fog as though the entire house were preparing itself to repel these new intruders. 

End Session 1.

Experience earned:

D.E.N.Ver - 15 (15 total)
IamTaoOm - 45 (45 total)
Poly - 45 (45 total)
Uldin~gern - 50 (50 total)
Zokia - 45 (45 total)

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