The party having survived the attack by the Lunar Cultist the caravan makes it the Skeleton Towns. However Randus from a city of clockwork people in this area before and he would like to going looking for them again.
Summary[]
The party wakes up several hours after being attacked by a group of Void Cultists. The caravan starts moving again until it gets to the Skeleton Towns. On the way the party finds empty burrows near cracked geodes like the ones the Monkey-Lizards hatched from in Moonhold. Randus shows off his new assistant which he made out of some Clockwork technology from the first time he was the mystery city. The assistant reports the tunnels go on well beyond his range.
When they get to the Skeleton Towns they find the buildings fairly well intact and the people get to work trying to make homes. Orem asks Randus if he wants to explore for the city of Clockwork people, and the others agree to go along as well.
This starts a Skills Challenge, the details are below
As the challenge ends Orem notices there should be a cove in the rock and the party moves into a area were they see something moving in the distance. As Orem casts light they see a small metal creature. Randus isn't sure what this is but decides to ask his assistant to go talk to it after realizing its one of the clockwork machines. After the Assistant and the creature talk, it reveals that its a Mineral Collecting Unit and that its sorting rocks for there mineral properties. When asked who the Mineral Collecting Unit works for it says, "Commissioned by the Coil Mine Caste, Exilarchy of Cogs."
After this Torq takes the lead as the party moves through the caves. In time the caves stop being caves and become worked stone walls. At this point the party is stopped by a guard. The party asks for answers about the Exliarchy and if they can meet the leader. At which point the guard asks what is the parties name to which Torq reply's, "Torq and Torqletones."
The guard informs the party that one of the Elders has agreed to meet with the party. As they walk, the party asks what the guard is. To which the guard replies he is a construct or machine animated by clockwork mechanism as well as magic. When who created them the guard only says by their creators long ago. In time they come into an amazing clockwork city filled with spiders, birds, buildings and people all the same clockwork style as the guard and Randus's assistant. Through this activity emerges a cog named Arquebus who greets the party.
Arquebus takes the party into room and asks the party why they came to the Exilarchy of Cogs. Torq replies they were just kinda looking around, however Orem adds that on the surface the party discovered burrows and that they were concerned for the Cogs safety. Arquebus take this as confirmation that the Gods of the Moon have come to act. For they are mad Gods and sometimes do terrible things in their madness.
Arquebus shares that for some time he has been trying to get the rest of the Cogs to join the Natural World but many are resistant. However since the Gods of the Moon are on the move again maybe its time to end their hermitage. Arquebus shares there are five gods of the moon and together they comprise the Void, and because the party stopped the tower in Moonhold from destroying the Natural World they are enemies of the Void. When asked if Cogs are also enemies of the Void, Arquebus replies yes, to which Torq says they should form an alliance.
Arquebus invites the party to speak to the other Cogs in hopes of convincing them to action against the Void. To make their case Orem use his Pods of Casting to show all that has happened. Before long one of the other Cogs stands up and says that the counsel will now deliberate and Arquebus leads the party back to the room which they had come from. While counsel debates the party goes through the city, Randus goes into a shop and trades a gold piece for an array.
The group is recalled to Arquebus and he shares that the Exilarchy of Cogs is willing to serve as a haven for people who have been displaced and they can consider the Cogs allies. With that Arquebus tells the party to stay in the room and the city starts transforming then digging its way to the surface. As it digs to the surface Randus asks Smith about whats happening to him. Smith is very resistant to talk about it, despite remembering the events of the last fight and once again states that he was a normal human until the events of the Lunar Event. Orem wants to look at Smith more closely but Smith resists Torq pulls Orem and Randus off of Smith.
As the city comes to the surface it creates a outer ring of buildings surrounding the caravan- it is bigger than Moonhold. Arquebus suggests trying to find the Void cult and destroying it would prevent more death and suggests that best way to do that might be making themselves a target.
Before the party leaves Arquebus shares with them a number of gifts. First he gives Torq a suit of Razor Armor, next for Randus Arquebus asks if he has encountered an elf who took something from the city. Randus hands Arquebus the disc he got from Big Frank in Moonhold before it was destroyed. Arquebus makes some adjustments to the disc and asks Randus to return it when he no longer needs it.
As the party makes its way back to the caravan, there is general disorder and Leon is trying his best to keep things in line. Smith has Leon gather up the people and tell them whats going on and that the Exilarchy of Cogs is willing to protect anyone who wants to stay, to which most take up the offer.
Characters[]
Players Characters:
- Orem Rivendorn - Eladrin Wizard played my Stephen
- Torq - Three-Quarter Orc Warrior played by Matthew
- Randus Duthane - Human Artificer played by Brian
- Smith - "Human" Sorcerer played by Rob
NPC's
- Cog Guard - Cave guard for the Exilarchy of Cogs
- Arquebus - One of the elders of the Cogs
- Leon - Drover of the Caravan.
Skills Challenge[]
Goal is to get down into the mines and learn more about whats going on. DC is 15
- Smith starts out using his Endurance because his clothes are heavy and is very warm. 1st Success
- Randus takes point and used his Dungeoneering to navigate the mine. 2nd Success
- Torq used his Insight to follow Randus' instructions. 3rd Success
- Orem used his Nature skill to learn about the mine and what areas are safe. 1st Failure
- Smith used his Athletics to jump over a pit and misses the jump. 2nd Failure
- Randus used his Perception he helps guide Smith out of the hole. 4th Success
- Torq used Endurance because of all the climbing. 5th Success
- Orem used his History to remember what he knows about deep mines for helping get through the mine. 6th Success
Skills Challenge Successful.
Notes[]
- This is the first mention of Torq and the Torqletones.
- Orem's first use Pods of casting.
- Smith starts having a a inch on the back of this neck.
The disc first taken by the elf and sold to Randus by Big Frank shows up again here. This is the key that lets the Exilarchy of Cogs return to the moon. However this is not known to the party for some time.