The City of Steam
Session 1
Act 1
The day after the events of Session 0. We begin with Stone in his home in the Common's Slice. [insert description of the apartment] After possibly getting ready for the day, Stone will leave and encounter Catalys, a retired smugler and friend of Stone's. Catalys will give Stone some food for his breakfast, and then Stone will decide where to go next. He can choose to stay in the Common's Slice or enter the Merchant's Slice again for the first time in years. If he stays in the Common's Slice, he'll be approached by Oreganon who will tell him that his "fighter friend" is being hunted by some powerful people. If he tries to enter the Merchant's Slice, he'll be confronted by Scout, who will try to deter him. After seeing what Stone chooses, we'll shift over to Glutious Maximus- I mean Bootius. He will be just exiting his Summer home to head on another adventure, likely heading back to the Gear Hold once again since that is the only place he's ever seen one of his friends. Just before this his father will tell him of a party he and his parents will be attending in four days. As he walks, he might notice a shadow following him with a successful DC 17 Perception Check. This shadow is a member of the Machina Muerte, who've taken notice of him after his display in the Arena last session. When he reaches the Gear Hold, we'll shift to Lazuli. Lazuli will be found asleep in her inn room. As she sleeps, she dreams. She hears a voice, one that sounds similar to her father's, but much older. The voice that sounds like her father's will say, "Hear me, daughter of sapphires. Here my voice and understand." She will then see an image flash through her dream like a aurora borealis mixed with the night sky but ten times more astonishing before waking up. Her room will be described as a modest, grey room adorned with a mahogony table, desk, and drawer. On the desk is a stand with runes carved in for the light spell. The floor is covered in a black carpet that was recently swept. Her bed is covered in a green blanket with relatively thin pillows.Act 2
She then can choose to enter the tavern where Bootius will likely be waiting. They can buy a drink from the bar or immediately leave to meet up with Stone. It can then be decided whether Stone meets them right outside or if they have to go to the Common's Slice. From that point, they will take a street with less public view, where the Machina Muerte member will jump them. He will be described as wearing a navy blue outfit that hides the body, with the symbol of a broken cog embroidered on the right sleeve, and a mask that appears like the eye of a red dragon. They will then engage in combat, with two more members appearing to assist. (They will use a modified rogue statblock.) The two are of lower rank, their masks showing the eye of a blue dragon. (Crucial Note: refer to the other two as either Yzma and Kronk, Abbot and Castello, Jesse and James, or Link and Zelda) (The lead guy has a killer deep voice while the other two have silly voices [mimic Yzma and Kronk as best as possible], the other two are also cowards and will split when their leader is gone, while their leader will fight to the death. If the leader is defeated first, they will fight until one of them takes damage, in which case they will take their leader's body with them and vanish.) If the party wins, they will either have a bunch of Muert corpses to deal with, or a hostage to interrogate. With a successful DC 15 Intimidation check on a hostage, they will be able to gather exactly why the Muerts were interested in them (that explanation being that the thri-kreen Bootius killed in the arena was a possible member for the group who would've been very valuable. When he died, the leader of the Machina Muerte demanded either a replacement be found, or the man who killed their informant's head).Act 3
From that point, they can try to do something about it or ignore it, or simply remain ignorant if they just kill all of them. It will be then that an alarm will sound from the Citadel in the city's center. Stone would recognize this alarm as a signifier of an incoming storm, which means they need to get inside to avoid the storm. This is when the skill challenge starts, where the party has to achieve successful skill checks numbering 6 to avoid the storm and high winds. If they reach 3 fails, then they will be caught in the storm and have to find their way to shelter in the high winds and thick clouds. If they fail the challenge, a DC 10 Perception check/passive will reveal a figure standing in the storm. The players can choose to approach or catch the figure's attention. This figure (roughly 7' tall and notably turns a singular blue eye towards the players), when approached within 15 ft by a player, will vanish into a bright blue flame and be replaced by an undead giant wasp which is immediately hostile towards them. They will be forced to fight this creature or flee it and try to find shelter. Killing the undead giant wasp will reward the players with a black pearl engraved with the symbol of two dragons circling each other.Act 4
If the players succeed the skill challenge, they will manage to escape to Stone's home. They then will have to spend time in said home for 1d4 hours while the storm passes. They can do quite a few things, from eating to taking a nap to having tea or something (this counts as a short rest) until the storm ends and they can return outside. Once walking outside of Stone's place of residence, they will find a space near a window of some kind where the floor is completely dry. A DC 15 investigation check will reveal a residue of blue liquid left behind that when touched will deal 1 necrotic damage. With this mystery shown, this will mark the end of the session.Session 2
Act 1
There are now three days until the party that Bootius was invited to. He can choose to tell the rest of the party about it (preferable option). However, he will have to pull some strings to add them to the guest list. He can do this by either asking his parents or trying to connect to Magnesium, or some other means he thinks of. At this point, each party member can work on preparing for the party however they wish, even not preparing at all (unpreferable option). This will be done in the three days leading up to the party, and be relatively short.Act 2
The day of the party has arrived. The party (not the festival one, but the adventuring one) will go to the home of Count Cornelius Cogsworth I, a Satyr noble born in the city. He is very fond of having new experiences. His head butler is Magnesium, or Magie, who Bootius knows. This can be the first time or second time he's seen her in a long time, depending on his choices in the first act. They will enter the party and do some roleplaying. The guest list: The Maximus Family, [insert other noble family names], Council Master Dynydd, Guild Master Cryomal of the Feline Guild, Guild Master Ivanska, Melko (didn't attend). After some time passes and partying begins, the players can role a perception check to watch Ivanska as he aprehends Cogsworth and declares "Deliver to me what I ask or I'll kill him!" At this point, four of his lackeys will burst in from the cieling, when initiative will start. Ivanska will just stand there holding Cogsworth in place as he watches his lackeys enforce his will. However, if his minions begin to wane in number, he will flee the building with Cogsworth. Magie will run after him, and the party can choose to chase Ivanska or finish fighting the lackeys. If they chase after Cogsworth, a d4 will be rolled to determine the transpiring events. A 1-2 will have Magie be found prone on the ground with wounds from lightning damage. She will be at 1 hit point, and can be healed by the party if they choose to. At this point, Ivanska and Cogsworth would have just exited the building. A 3-4 will result in the party finding Magie facing off with Ivanska, just before he leaves.Act 3
The party then, depending on the result of the 1d4, will face off against/attempt to convince Ivanska to release Cogsworth, or let Ivanska escape and have to find him later. (Ivanska will flee to the Dark Rim of the Common's Slice where he will hold Cogsworth hostage until he recieve his due payment. If the party does not act, Magie will go after him herself). If the party saves Cogsworth, he will reward them with either one hundred gold pieces, or an uncommon magic item. He will also tell them they are welcome back to his estate any time. At this point, if they save Cogsworth, the party will earn more respect from Magie and she can be added as a contact. At this point the session ends, with some more plot points that can be followed.Session 3
Act 1
The players are asked if they would like to accomplish anything in the day before the adventure starts, afterwards we begin with Stone wherever he is. He is approached by a messenger from the Feline Guild, sent by Cryomal who he met at the party. The letter will read as follows:Letter from Cryomal
Hello, господин Stone. I am writing you this following our conversation at the party of Cornelius. Knowing of your current situation, I have an opportunity for you. If you can get a properly sized team together, I have a job for you that can be completed without leaving the city. Please meet me at the address found on this letter. You and your companions will be well payed for your efforts. Sincerly, Cryomal. This letter will effectively introduce the next adventure, and Stone can choose to follow the obvious plot hook or ignore it to do something else.Act 2
If Stone follows the plot hook, he can gather the rest of the party together and they can go to the address on the letter. The address leads to the headquarters of the Feline Guild. It will be found to be filled with Catfolk of many kinds, all from the nation of Russia where the new cat god rules. A large amount of them are merchants that the party can purchase things from, in which case it will be from the list of AAA supply store. After possibly purchasing items, the party can ask for Cryomal. A specific, more well dressed tabaxi will lead them into the building and to Cryomal's office. The office is filled with a singular desk adorned with a few picture frames, and surrounded by just a pile of stuff. The stuff is entirely made of stolen objects, including cups of various value and adornment, jewels, books, vases, boxes, and other mundane objects. Cryomal welcomes the party in and asks them all for their names, except for Stone who he already knows. He then will speak with them about the task at hand, that being he wishes the party to break into Council Master Dynydd's estate and find out what's in her basement. When he asked if she had any cool things in her estate, she briefly mentioned her basement had some artifacts before quickly changing the subject. So, he wants to know. He'll pay the party 100 gp each for their success, and an extra 50 gp if they accomplish it without being seen. He is willing to bargain, for he wants to know whats in the basement as well as how much skill the party possesses in case he may want to hire them again. If the party accepts the deal, he will pay them 25 gp up front and pay the rest after they have completed their task. He also infprms them they can take anything they find in Dynydd's house if they wish, he doesn't really care. The party will have either 2 or 4 days to prepare for the heist.Act 3
After preparations are made, the day of the heist arrives. The party will go to Dynydd's Estate and try to enter. The estate itself has an ugly, boxy exterior with only the image of interlocking wheels as outer decoration and a few windows un-uniformly dotting the walls. The only access on the roof is a chimney where some kind of vapor or smoke is puffing out. All the windows are locked, as well as the exterior doors. The players can either attempt to lock-pick a window or door with a successful DC 12 Thieves Tools check to enter. They can also attempt to enter via the chimney access or (found with a successful DC 16 Investigation check) a trap door that leads to a storage closet on the top floor. Once the players are inside, the next part begins. The building is layed out as follows: The Building has 4 levels, 3 above ground and 1 larger one below ground. The top floor has 5 room connected by a long hall lined with red carpets. The room at the begining of the hall is a stair access and the room at the hall's end is a storage closet with a trap door that leads to the roof.1. Top Floor
The other three rooms are the living quarters of the only three servants allowed in the building. The rooms appear untouched and dusty except for one near the end of the hall, where a servant currently is if the players don't make noise in the closet. The servant is a Yuan-Ti initiate and possesses that statblock, and will attack the party immediately. Her room contains a singular, unmade bed and a desk covered in alchemist's supplies and a successfully made Potion of Poison.2. Floor Two
The floor below has many guest rooms, all leading to Dynydd's Room.3. Dynydd's Room
Dynydd's Room is grandiose and extravagent, but she is not currently within, as she is out of the estate at the time. In the room is a large bed surrounded by purple silk curtains, its covers unmade. A large desk is covered in papers, mostly legal proceedings, deeds to property, and a conspiracy board filled with images and unintelligible text sits near the desk. A successful DC 13 Investigation check will reveal that the conspiracy board is on the question of who the leader of the Mechanites is, and why the Citadel exists. A DC 13 Investigation check on the desk will reveal drawers where a few gold pieces numbering 13 gp in total can be found, along with some ink wells and quills, as well as a key.4. Other Rooms
The other rooms are filled with various valuable objects built in piles. There are golden dish ware and armor as well as armory, studded with shiny jewels. To determine the value of an object in the room, roll 2d10 and add 10. The players can take one or three items from each room without need for a check, but anymore requires a DC 18 Sleight of Hand or Dynydd will notice them and realize people entered.5. Level 1
The level below is a large entry area, the center of the room covered in a purple, fine linen carpet embroidered with the image of golden cogs. A large chandelier hangs from the ceiling, and two ledges are nearby which hold two gargoyles. These gargoyles are activated when characters fail a DC 16 Stealth check, in which they will attack whatever living thing is in the room.6. Dining Room/Kitchen
A door from the entry area opens into a dining room of equal size and extravagance, with 5 tables. The tables sit 6 people each and each place has a plate, a fork, and a knife. There is a tray nearby with 30 spoons on it. If players put a spoon at each place, then the dining ware will shine with orange light, and they will be filled with food by the Create Food and Water spell. The food itself is in the form of salted wafers that when eaten by a player give 1 bonus hp (non-stackable). From the dining room there is an entrance to the kitchen, which has a single cook in it preparing food. She will only notice the party if they critically fail a stealth check or make her known of their prescence. She will immediately surrender to whatever the party wants, but simply asks that she is allowed to keep cooking, or else Dynydd will hurt her. If allowed to keep with her job, she'll thank the part prousely for not getting her fired, then continue cooking like she wasn't interrupted. The room has two rows of counters with four ovens, stove tops, and two sinks. There are cubbards filled with various spices as well as pans and pots.7. Painting Room
This room is entered through the otherside of the Dining Room. It is filled wall to wall with paintings depicting the same image, Dynydd laying on a couch in her room. However, each painting has a slight difference, Dynydd's bottom half is replaced by different things. The paintings are accompanied by a sign written in Dynydd's handwriting, which reads: "The correct depiction is the key. Find them numbered, and the path will be revealed to me." The chamber contains 3 paintings depicting Dynydd with a serpent's tail, 5 paintings of Dynydd with elven legs, 2 paintings of Dynydd with goat legs, 1 painting of Dynydd with centaur's bottom half, and 6 paintings of Dynydd with robot legs. Puzzle Answer: Touching the paintings does something. Touching the wrong paintings or touching the paintings in the wrong number will cause the last painting touched to shoot a bolt of fire 5 ft in front of it, requiring a DC 7 Dexterity Saving Throw, taking 4d4 fire damage on a fail and half as much on a success. However, touching all three serpent tail paintings will open a hole in the floor leading to a platform below.8. The Acid River
The below chamber has a singular, 10 ft by 10 ft platform, and a river of liquid acid in front of it that reaches a depth of 5 ft. The only other object in the room is a boat that's been split in half. The players can try to put the boat back together with a successful DC 17 Carpenter's Tools or Tinker's Tools check, or by casting the mending cantrip. Once the boat is reassembled, the players can use it to get across the river of water, and enter the basement. However, following the flip of a coin where 1 activates the encounter, a warforged by the name of Humann who owns a shop in the Merchant's Shop. He is in the buildimg collecting "Ingredients" as he calls it, and will fight the party to get past. When reduced to half his health, he will flee via smoke bomb and vanish.9. The Basement
The Acid River leads to a singular door in the dark hall, which is locked with a magic lock. The lock can be picked with a successful DC 20 Thieves' Tools check, or with the key located in Dynydd's room. The room opens into a very clean, almost sterile 15 ft by 15 ft room, its walls, floor, and ceiling made of large slabs of white marble. In the center is a singular pole made of steel, and chained to it is Drexel the black dragonborn former Council Master of the Draegek Trite, the title Dynydd holds now. He has been missing for months now, and appears to have been in the room for months, looking very hagard during his stay. He is gagged, so upon seeing the party, he will immediately brighten up and make muffled cheers. If his gag is removed, he will say "Oh, thank goodness that you came! I didn't think anyone would find me and I would die here. Please, please in the name of Primus get me out of here!" The party can then choose to bring him with them or leave him there. If they bring him with them, they'll have to escape out of the estate without being noticed or risk discovery. If they fail the check, the gargoyles with activate and Dynydd will arive in 1d20 rounds. Dynydd uses the Yuan Ti abomination and uses spells from the warlock spell list, including Eldritch Blast. If the players succeed in their DC 19 Stealth Check, however, they will escape without being noticed. Drexel will return to his estate and ask the party to come to him the next day where he wishes to give them more thanks. The party can then report their success to Cryomal and be payed the rest of the promised 75 gp, plus 50 gp extra if they escape without being noticed.Themes
The brightness of the day shifts to foggy darkness as underlining secrets of the city are revealed. The less light there is, the less the encounters will be known about.
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