TLASS3 Chapter 11 Hammerhold

Tatters, accompanied by the deadly Vale sisters, sets out on her mission to track down and recover the Ring of Winter. Their target, it transpires, is located within one of the most potent symbols of Dominion power. 

True to form, things start badly, go downhill from there, and then plummet straight over the edge of a cliff as Tatters experiences a deeply disturbing revelation. 

Links

Transcript: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JcoDyLK43fWihJLgE_I5wzNcUWTMJGwJOXgkaI3s-gM/edit?usp=sharing

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Chasing Adventure: https://chasingadventuregame.com/

Perchance TLA random event oracle: https://perchance.org/tla-randomevent
Perchance TLA ritual generator:https://perchance.org/tla-tatters-ritual-generator

Perchance TLA Mythic 2e GME  https://perchance.org/tla-mythic2e

Perchance TLA OCEANIC NPC generator https://perchance.org/tla-oceanic-npc

Perchance TLA OCEANIC NPC behaviour oracle https://perchance.org/tla-oceanic-behaviour

Perchance TLA Hammerhold Explorer https://perchance.org/tla-hammerhold

Stephanie M’s Fantasy and Modern Themes and Domains: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VjPuV29a5CgMXoUAQldcwvNB1FCsZwko/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13KBv58Pq836vWLwDOK9qGYcCK8asK-O8/view

Followers: 

Mara Vale

• Qualities

• Warrior. They count as +1 Armor when they help you fight, and you don’t have to Command them to fight unless the opposition is terrifying or overwhelming.

• Costs

• Independence. They may follow you for convenience or mutual gain, but they are not truly loyal to you.

• Want

• Protect Lynn

• Methods

• Smash through obstacles

• Make a brutal show of force

• Call on reserves of inner strength

• Conditions

• 3C, sword (1C)

• Armour

• 1

• Descriptors

• Cautious. Careful and methodical; avoids acting rashly.

• Blunt. Prefers a direct, honest, straightforward approach to most things in life.

• Infamous. They’re well-known, for good or for ill.

• OCEANIC

• Openness: 4 - Fairly adventurous

• Conscientiousness: 5 - Very precise, controlled.

• Extroversion: 2 - Slightly reserved

• Agreeableness: 3 - neutral

• Neuroticism: 5 - Anxious, moody

• Interpersonal Disposition: 5 - v positive towards Tatters

• Core Disposition: 1 - v unhappy with circumstances

Lynn Vale

• Qualities

• Cunning, Clever and observant. When they help you Examine, treat a 7-9 as a 10+.

• Costs

• Independence. They may follow you for convenience or mutual gain, but they are not truly loyal to you.

• Want

• Protect Mara

• Methods

• Spring a trap or plan

• Misdirect and confuse

• Lunge with terrifying speed

• Conditions

• 3C, Sword (1C)

• Armour

• 1

• Descriptors

• Athletic. Good at running, climbing, jumping, and physical manoeuvring.

• Stealthy. Avoids detection; often gets the drop on foes.

• Infamous. They’re well-known, for good or for ill.

• OCEANIC

• Openness: 4 - Fairly adventurous

• Conscientiousness: 1 - Very laid back, unstructured

• Extraversion: 5 - Very sociable, talkative

• Agreeableness: 2 - Slightly self-absorbed

• Neuroticism: 5 - Anxious, moody

• Interpersonal Disposition: 4 - positive towards Tatters

• Core Disposition: 4 - happy with circumstances

Mechanics

 

Copilot prompt

 

Genre: magitech. Lord Tortemus has proposed sending Tatters, along with his two bodyguards, the Vale sisters, on a mission to retrieve the Ring of Winter from the leader of the machine cult. Describe the mission parameters, including the keywords Mysterious Vehicle.

 

Mission Parameters: Quest for the Ring of Winter

Objective: Retrieve the legendary Ring of Winter from the leader of the machine cult.

Team:

1. Tatters - The cunning and resourceful protagonist.
2. The Vale Sisters - Tatters' loyal and formidable bodyguards, known for their combat prowess and tactical acumen.

Mission Overview: Lord Tortemus has identified the leader of the machine cult as the current possessor of the Ring of Winter. This ancient artifact possesses immense power over ice and cold, making it a critical asset in the ongoing conflict. The cult has fortified itself within Hammerhold, the city’s greatest forge and arsenal, located in the heart of Chaintop.

Primary Objectives:

1. Infiltrate the Stronghold: Gain access to the machine cult's heavily guarded fortress.
2. Locate the Ring of Winter: Identify the exact location of the Ring within the stronghold.
3. Retrieve the Artifact: Secure the Ring and ensure its safe return to Lord Tortemus.

Secondary Objectives:

1. Gather Intel: Collect valuable information on the machine cult's operations and technology.
2. Neutralize Key Threats: Disable or eliminate high-ranking cult members and their mechanical constructs.
3. Mysterious Vehicle: Investigate the rumored Mysterious Vehicle that the cult uses for transportation and potential escape.

Operational Details:

• Transport: The team will travel via a swift magitech skimmer provided by Lord Tortemus, designed for stealth and speed.
• Entry Point: Utilize an old drainage tunnel as the entry point to bypass the main defenses.
• Reconnaissance: Deploy mini-drones for surveillance and mapping of the fortress interior.
• Engagement: The Vale sisters will handle combat encounters while Tatters focuses on securing the Ring.
• Extraction: Once the Ring is in their possession, exfiltrate using the Mysterious Vehicle if possible, or fall back to the skimmer for a swift retreat.

Potential Hazards:

• Mechanical Sentinels: The stronghold is patrolled by advanced automata designed to detect and neutralize intruders.
• Environmental Extremes: The presence of the Ring has caused unnatural cold within the fortress, creating hazardous conditions.
• Cult Defenders: Devoted and fanatical cultists, equipped with magitech weaponry, will fiercely defend their leader and the Ring.

Mission Success Criteria:

• Successful retrieval of the Ring of Winter.
• Safe return of Tatters and the Vale sisters.
• Acquisition of valuable intelligence on the machine cult.

Failure Conditions:

• Loss of the Ring to enemy forces.
• Capture or incapacitation of team members.
• Incomplete mission objectives due to unanticipated threats.

Mission Commences: 18:00 hours, local time.

 

Genre: magitech. Describe an automated factory stronghold, at the heart of the industrial Chaintop area of Kyras, capital city of the Kyras Dominion.

The air in Chaintop hummed with a low, insistent thrum. Gears ground, pistons hissed, and the glow of arcane forges cast long, dancing shadows across cobbled streets. At the heart of this industrial behemoth stood the Bastion of Gears, a fortress unlike any other.

Appearance:

• Exterior: Hammerhold was a brutalist masterpiece, a symphony of iron and obsidian. Massive, interlocking gears formed the very walls, their teeth catching the light in a mesmerizing display. Arcane sigils, etched in shimmering gold, pulsed with an eerie light, warding off unwanted attention.
• Interior: A labyrinth of corridors, each a testament to magitech ingenuity.
  • Production Halls: Gargantuan machines, powered by a combination of steam and arcane energy, churned out weapons, armor, and intricate gears. Dwarven engineers, their faces grim with concentration, monitored the intricate dance of pistons and pulleys.
  • Assembly Lines: Goblins, their nimble fingers a blur of motion, assembled intricate magitech contraptions. From miniature clockwork automatons to devastating siege engines, each piece was crafted with meticulous care.
  • Forges: Arcane forges, fueled by rare crystals, roared to life, casting a blinding light. Dwarven smiths, their bodies glowing with an otherworldly aura, hammered and shaped molten metal into weapons of terrifying beauty and power.

Defenses:

• Arcane Shields: An invisible, shimmering barrier enveloped the bastion, deflecting projectiles and absorbing minor magical attacks.
• Auto-Cannon Turrets: Ironclad turrets, bristling with arcane-powered cannons, rotated menacingly, ready to unleash a barrage of fire upon any intruders.
• Clockwork Golems: Massive, iron golems, their movements fluid and deadly, patrolled the perimeter, their eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence.

The Heart of Hammerhold:

Deep within the fortress, in a chamber shielded by a dozen layers of arcane wards, resided the Engine of Creation, a masterpiece of magitech engineering. This colossal machine, powered by a captured celestial spirit, was the heart of Hammerhold, providing the raw energy that fueled the entire operation.

Life Within Hammerhold:

Hammerhold was a world unto itself. Dwarves, goblins, and humans, all bound by contracts of servitude, lived and worked within its walls. They were well-fed and well-compensated, but their lives were strictly regimented, their every move monitored by an intricate network of surveillance. Dissent was not tolerated.

Hammerhold was a symbol of the Kyras Dominion's industrial might, its arsenal, a testament to the power of magitech. It was a fortress impregnable, a factory unmatched, and a constant reminder of the Dominion's unwavering pursuit of power.

Scene 1 

Chaos Factor: 6

Scene Description: Night flight to Hammerhold

Scene Test: The scene is Interrupted: Current Context Meaning: Disrupt Protection
* The magical cloaking hiding the skimmers fails, due to Seterra’s interference

 

Scene 2

Chaos factor 7

Scene Description: Rooftop infiltration

Scene Test: The scene starts as expected.

-1 ID for Mara & Lynn

 

Q: Were they seen? Likely: No

 

GM Move: See what they Find d10: 1

Feature: Huge, high-ceilinged room

Danger: None

Location keywords: Clean, Festive

 

Flashback: 

Class Move: Ritual: Scrying on the Voice of the Machine

Is there a source of Great Magical Power on the Night Queen’s Shadow? 50/50: Yes

• No cost, spell succeeds

 

Adventure Move: Examine: where is the Voice of the Machine?

When you closely investigate a charged situation, ask the GM one question about it and

roll+WIS.

DIS for WIS condition, ADV for clean Ritual: 8 1XP

On a 7-9 the GM answers your question truthfully.

• Tatters has a good idea of where he is in Hammerhold

 

Scene 3
Chaos factor 6

Scene Description: Hunting the halls of Hammerhold

Scene Test: The scene is Altered: Increase An Activity and Remove A Character

• Mara and Tatters continue to bicker, only to discover Lynn is missing

 

GM Move: See what they Find d8: 4

Feature: Everyday devices powered by magic

Danger: Locked door

Location keywords: Spacious, Natural

 

Q: is there a reply to the tap? 50/50 Yes

 

Scene 4

Chaos Factor 7

Scene Description: Time to use a magic lockpick

Scene Test: The scene starts as expected.

 

Equivalent Exchange

When you Push Yourself to Evoke a Spell, your Spell also becomes Greater.

 

Evoke a Spell (Roll + SPELL: +2 +1 until next Settle In)

When you unleash your magical talents, choose a Spell you know and roll+SPELL.

On a 10+ you successfully evoke the Spell and its effects come to pass.

On a 7-9 the Spell is still successful but choose one consequence from the list below.

• The Spell’s Risk manifests as well.
• The Spell’s magic drains you. You take -1 Ongoing to Evoke Spells until you next Settle In.
• Using it puts you in danger or draws unwanted attention, the GM will say how.

 

Roll with ADV (DEX condition: Shaky): 10: success

 

Technomancy

You sink your mind into a piece of arcane technology, and gain control over it for the scene. 

Greater: The effect is ongoing, and grants a benefit you had not anticipated

 

Random Event: Move Away from A Thread (End the Civil War in the city)

• Meaning: Move Information or Bleakly Dirty 
• Tatters becomes more aware than she had planned, and sees the war for the city is growing worse
• The event relates to an Item: Arcanicity
• If required, here's a Starforged Action and Theme: Scheme Passage
• And here's a Mythic 2 Descriptor and Focus: Slowly Glorious