Session 7: Gears and claws 2
Opening Frame
The party remains at the Cranes camp, fractured after confrontations with Tharian, Ludwig’s family, and Folium’s arrest. Rumors of beasts, stolen children, and fractured loyalties hang heavy in the air. Session 7 begins with the camp under tension, but with paths open: deeper into the Cranes themselves, or outward toward the abandoned farmlands and Grove outskirts.
Session Focus
- Primary Threads:
- Explore the Cranes district (taverns, carts, overview office, prison yard, broken machinery).
- Discover more about last session’s objectives: Serrat’s child, Bramthurim’s imprisonment, Oriria’s death, political splits in camp.
Plot points/Scenes
Prison yard
Tharian Caesin’s Speech:
“Little brother. You come home, and what do I find? You dragging outsiders with you, druids among them, magic in your veins. Our Order was founded to stand against corruption — not embrace it. You shame our name.” (Silence, then a gesture toward the treeline)
“The beasts grow bold. An owlbear stalks the outskirts, striking near the old Caesin farmstead. One of my farmhands is dead, my parents displaced. If we do not cull it, more will follow. I will send hunters to bring back its head.”
Turning to Ludwig Caesin and the party: “But perhaps you would prove yourselves useful. Take your druid with you. If you can bring order to the wild, maybe you are not entirely lost.”
On Bramthurim Ironeater: “This one was caught skulking near the Cranes. A Herd druid, reckless, raving about machines. He is dangerous. Leave him to rot until I decide his fate.”
- Bert Embervein glances uneasily at the cart: “Commander… some of us wonder if he is what he claims. Maybe—”
- Tharian Caesin snaps: “Enough, Bert Embervein. Your doubts make you soft. Captain Vorrak Vexun listens too much to settlers already.”
Captain Vorrak Vexun’s Camp
A quieter corner of the Cranes camp, near the edge of the trainyard. Soldiers spar in silence, equipment well-kept. Disciplined but not fanatical.
Entry Variants:
- Guided by Bert Embervein: If you want someone who’ll listen, try Captain Vorrak Vexun. He isn’t blinded by Tharian Caesin’s fire. Careful though — he’ll want reasons, not rhetoric.”
- Pointed by Korark or Gitsoen: “We can’t stop Tharian Caesin alone. But Captain Vorrak Vexun… yes, talk to him. He knows the people, and the people trust him. Convince him, and we might yet keep the cranes standing.”
- If sought directly: Guards straighten but step aside. “The Captain will see you.”
On Tharian Caesin: “Tharian Caesin believes only in steel and obedience. He inspires loyalty, yes… but loyalty born of fear burns out quickly. I won’t see my soldiers broken chasing his ghosts of tradition.”
On the Settlers: “They’re not warriors. They want the Cranes to live again — perhaps foolishly, but at least they’re looking forward, not back.”
On the Owlbear Hunt:
- Neutral: “If the beast is slain, Tharian Caesin gains more sway. If you fail, settlers lose hope. I will not throw my men into a gamble without cause.”
- Persuasion/Insight (DC 14): Convince him their presence stabilizes the camp, or that supporting them shows he protects settlers too.
- On Success:
- “Very well. Two of mine will keep order here in your absence. And I’ll send a scout with you against the beast — not to serve Tharian Caesin, but to watch your backs.”
- On Failure:
- “No. If you want this done, do it yourselves. I won’t waste blood for a commander’s pride.”
On Oriria’s Death (if asked): “Whispers say Tharian Caesin struck her down. I’ve heard others blame a beast. Truth is, neither side dares admit weakness. But I’ve seen soldiers who still wake screaming — whatever killed her, it wasn’t clean steel.”
Overview Office
Gitsoen (tidying a ledger):
“Three wagons still look serviceable… more than I expected. But not enough to hold you all, unless you link them. The small crane arm could help, if it still swings.”
Korark (tapping a rusted wheel):
“Some are cracked, but steel remembers. Patch a line, hammer a pin, and they’ll roll again… slowly, perhaps without brakes, but roll they will.”
Gitsoen (flipping notes):
“There’s something about the rails themselves… they carry power like veins. The first spark is hardest, but once the current runs, each leap grows easier.”
(→ minimum DC + bonus per 5 mechanic)
Korark (gleeful):
“If you had one of the old manuals, you wouldn’t even need to force the first spark. You’d just… sing the rails awake. Without it, you’ll have to shove magic into them raw.”
(→ manual removes minimum DC requirement)
Arcane Ledger Cue:
- Indigo light leaks from satchels or packs, faint scratching audible.
- Whisper: “Accounts unsettled. Flows unmeasured.”
- One player may feel a name tug at the back of their mind.
Magical Cart
The reinforced wagon hums with faint runes. Inside: a squat, filthy dwarf, beard tangled in twigs and wires. A goose perches overhead, a rat scampers across his chest — both making faint metallic clicks.
First impression: feral druid. Closer inspection: faint arcane seams, mechanical grafts.
Bramthurim Ironeater:
- Whispers:
“Sap is oil, oil is sap. Root is pipe, bone is lever. Gond turns the wheel, and the wheel turns us all…”
- If Players Saw Gond Statue (Overview Office):
“Ah, my lord’s bones… the shrine still hums? Then the Cranes may yet walk!”
(→ Advantage on Persuasion to calm him)
- If Offered Tools/Parts:
- Treats them reverently.
- Speaks lucidly for 1–2 minutes.
- Key Truths:
- Identity: Bramthurim Ironeater, priest of Gond, once keeper of the Cranes’ shrine. Distant kin of the Commune’s Ironeater line.
- The Ritual: Knows rites to recharge the Cranes. Without him, restoration is guesswork.
- Lore of the Closing: Struck by Gond’s backlash at the sealing of the Gates. Mind fractured.
- Philosophy: Sees nature and machinery as one: “Every oak is an engine, every gear a flower. Gond knew.”
Market
- Atmosphere: Suspicious traders, mixed barter, subtle magic.
- Currency: Food, favors, and stories often outweigh coin.
Sample Goods:
- Jar of Pickled Nightroots — Food preservative. Eat = advantage on saving throws vs poison (1h), but disadvantage on Persuasion (bad breath).
- Goatskin of Bitter Cider — Drinking grants advantage on saving throws vs cold until long rest.
- Frost-Etched Dagger — Normal dagger; once per long rest deal +1d4 cold damage.
- Lantern of Old Patrols — Blue glow; illusions distort; advantage on Investigation checks against illusions.
- Hollow Reed Pipes — Children’s toy; if Performance DC 12, grants advantage on Intimidation vs beasts (else just owlbear screeches).
Backdrops
Past Events
- The city,the machine
The Elven Twin
- “That elf hiding in the inn, he’s a twin, right? Funny thing, no one’s seen the other one for weeks… maybe he never existed.”
- “Used to be two of ’em, like mirrors. Now it’s only the quiet one. Won’t even look you in the eye.”
- “He pays in gems, too polished for a refugee. Makes me wonder where the coin’s coming from.”
Priests & Rituals
- “A few priests from the temple are passing through. Exotic lot, they burn powders and chant in tongues I’ve never heard. Say it’s to ‘cleanse’ the Grove.”
- “They wash folk in cold ash water — makes your skin crawl but they claim it drives out beast-spirits.”
- “I heard one of the rituals made the ground glow, then crack. Don’t trust priests with tricks that loud.”
The New Liquor
- “There’s a new drink in the Pulley — thick and sharp, burns twice going down. Never had anything like it since the Gates shut.”
- “Came from the Bowls, they say… others swear it’s from the Hill of Seats. All I know is two mugs and you’re laughing like a fool.”
- “Saw a man who couldn’t put the cup down — eyes wide, grinning like his jaw was unhinged. That ain’t just liquor, mark me.”
Wells & Weeds
- “The wells around the outskirts are choking up. Roots and vines sprouting overnight, thick as rope.”
- “Some say it’s the Herd cursing the Order, others that the Grove is just hungry.”
- “One lad swore he saw the weeds writhing like snakes, reaching for his bucket.”
