GM’s Observations
- This was a bridging session that was designed to take the threads from Sessions 279 and 284 etc and enable the PCs (Grant and Ethan) to move forward together. David explained that he would prefer to see the two PCs reunited rather than running separate plotlines and switching back and forth.
- We used Forged In the Dark (Vergence) rules during this session, which essentially uses Fortune Rolls to see how the narrative plays out. I didn’t use the full Vergence FitD ruleset as it isn’t necessary.
- I liked the connection being made between Clockworld (which was created by three Lords of Gossamer: Lucien, Jacob and George) and Hephaestus.
Major Characters
- Grant, Ethan, Tinkerbell
Adversaries
- None
Adventure Hook
- None, this session carries on directly from Session 279.
Background
- When we left Session 279, Grant used one of Jacob’s Keys to find the realm of Avalon and meet Morgan Le Fay. Grant realised that King Arthur Pendragon and Lord Drake are one and the same. We then flashed back to complete the Courts of the Shadow Fey story arc. This story arc concluded with Grant becoming the Shadow King. Hence Morgan Le Fay recognises him as the Shadow King (even though he did not announce himself as such).
- Meanwhile, Ethan and Isabelle are helping Hephaestus.
Adventure Summary - Part 1 - In Avalon
- The interactions between Morgan Le Fay and Grant are cordial and respectful. He has announced himself as a Prince of the Legendary Realm, not as the Shadow King. Morgan does not betray his secret to the court of Queen Argente. Grant learns more about Avalon from Morgan and some of the other nobles that he is introduced to. Lord Pendragon has been gone a long time but they all believe that he will return. The land of Avalon seems idyllic and there are no obvious threats to it.
- Grant accepts the Queen’s offer to stay for a few days. Tinkerbell flits in and out. She is always curious about new places and she reports back to Grant that there are ‘strange beasts’ in the forest. Grant and Morgan talk from time to time, and Grant decides to give Morgan one of his Icons should she wish to contact him. She accepts this favour graciously.
- At the end of their stay, they retrace their steps back through Parry’s Wood and onto the Grand Stair. No one follows them.
Adventure Summary - Part 2 - Returning to Mars
- Grant and Tinkerbell return to Jacob’s workshop in Syrtis Major (Mars). Tinkerbell has numerous half-finished projects which she wishes to dabble in. Grant wishes to learn more about this place that Jacob used as a base for many years. He studies more of the history and reflects upon the Keys that Jacob left behind.
- They decide to visit the Explorers’ Club where Jacob was a member. It is a well known posh gentlemen’s club (gentlewomen also welcome) where the well known explorers (including the famous Red Captains) come to drink, eat and share tales of adventure. Grant and Tinkerbell have prepared documents indicating that Jacob is dead and Grant is his chosen successor. He presents these papers to the club and is welcomed inside.
- Grant wanders around the establishment and finds portraits of each of the famed explorers, including one of Jacob with his etherflyer ‘Theseus’ in the frame. The plaque on the picture indicates when Jacob joined the Explorers’ Club, but there is no year of his death. Grant meets with the management and organises for corrections to be made. A lawyer, Mister Ferguson, begins preparations to organise the transfer of assets to Lord Grant Aitken (Grant’s surname is Aitken).
- At the bar, a toast is proposed in the memory of Jacob. There is only a small crowd there but they enthusiastically drink to Jacob’s memory. One of the gentlemen is a red-faced fellow named Butler. Butler claims that he owns Tinkerbell as she was part of a wager which Jacob reneged on. Tinkerbell blows a raspberry and decides to ignore Butler. Grant asks for corroboration of the story and an accented fellow named Wagner remembers the card game, but does not believe that Jacob agreed to the ‘lady’ being part of the stakes. Butler is incensed and feels that he is owed something. Grant decides to smooth it over - he offers gold coins but this only annoys Butler further. Trying a different tact, Grant introduces Butler to an ‘antiquity’ that he has collected - a small metal plate the same size as a playing card which can be folded into a box. Each time the box is opened, the box holds something different. Butler is quite fascinated by this and asks Grant to show him ‘the trick’. Grant offers him another drink and gifts him the box.
- (GM’s note - somewhere during Grant’s time on Mars, he goes to join the poker game which was covered in Session 284. Then he returns to Syrtis Major.)
- Mister Ferguson works quickly and Barker (the custodian of the ‘Theseus’) is informed that, in accordance with Jacob’s Will, ownership of the etherflyer will now pass to Grant. Grant and Tinkerbell go to the airfield to take possession of the vessel and look it over. While they are inspecting it, Grant receives an Icon contact from Ethan. Ethan points out that they didn’t have much time to talk at the poker game - he suggests catching up for dinner. Grant invites Tinkerbell (who is keen to meet Ethan given that she liked the speeder bike that he built) and they settle upon a time and place.
Adventure Summary - Part 3 - The American Bar
- Grant and Ethan meet at the American bar that they visited during their early days exploring the Stair. (GM’s note - way back in Session 2!) The name has changed (it is now the ‘Touchdown Bar & Grill’) but it still has the same feel. The place is busy so Grant and Ethan have to wait at the bar until a booth becomes available. They have a drink and chat while they wait.
* Image Sourced from Google Images
- Tinkerbell sits on Grant’s shoulder, enjoying all of the hustle and bustle of the place. She has cast a spell that makes the mortals of this place forget her almost as soon as they’ve seen her. They look at her, turn away and forget what they have seen.
- Tinkerbell patiently listens as Grant and Ethan talk. They talk about the False Greywalker who turned up at the poker game. Whoever it was must have been invited. Ethan is surprised that he’s the only one that picked up that this wasn’t Greywalker. He wonders if the False Greywalker was carrying some sort of device to mask his appearance and mimic Greywalker’s. Neither Grant nor Ethan know the truth. Ethan’s Divinations have been unclear, suggesting that he’s asking the wrong questions and that he needs more information.
- Ethan changes the topic of conversation. He explains that he and Isabelle are helping ‘a friend’ and he needs Grant’s help to connect some Doors to the Stair. Grant immediately agrees to this. Ethan goes on to explain that he’s trying to collect aspects (including Courage) to help bolster this individual, and his Divination says that one of those collection events is approaching.
- Ethan knows that Yaeger Zane is heading for the Gates of Night. He will reach there in a week or two, but he will ask for help when he reaches the Gates. Ethan’s Divination spells tells him that things are not going to be ‘pretty’ and he needs Grant’s help as well as Isabelle’s. In fact, he’s certain that if Isabelle is not present that they will fail. He is assuming that this event will enable them to acquire ‘Courage’, but this also suggests that whatever is behind the Gates is perilous.
- The topic of conversation turns to what they know of the Necromancer and what could be beyond the Gates of Night. Grant shares what he has learnt from Jacob’s journals about the Necromancer. Tinkerbell recalls an unusual conversation that she had with Jacob long ago. She says that, in some cultures, doors are feared because they hide what is on the other side, and a door can be a metaphor of the boundary between life and death. Jacob felt that the Necromancer was someone dangerous. Most Lords of Gossamer have limits to the size of armies that they can recruit and control. However, the Necromancer is clearly able to control very large numbers of undead - she’s heard enough about the Necromancer War (in Tyrnador) to know that the ‘Doom of Ventar’ (as the Necromancer is known) is looking for something, and he has vast resources at his disposal.
- A hearty meal is had and Tinkerbell enjoys going through the dessert menu.
- Ethan reveals to Grant that he has accepted the title of Lord Wynterlyr. The fey lord who was imprisoned in the faerie well is dead and Tyland Mills is free of faerie influence. He hopes that the fey will stop coming after him. Grant points out that Beethania was married to the fey lord, not the title, so that should be the last of her as well.
- Ethan asks if Grant knows anything about what Lofwyr (as Dragon Emperor) is up to. He is worried about Abigail - his Divinations tell him that there is something bad coming which will affect her - probably even get her killed. Grant has heard that Lofwyr is focusing on realms of strategic value, and some of those realms are ‘disputed’. He agrees to investigate further and get back to Ethan.
Adventure Summary - Part 4 - A Meeting with Hephaestus
- A few days later, Ethan contacts Grant via Icon and brings him onto Hephaestus’ bronze ship. Grant is astonished at the workshop - it is vast and complicated. It reminds him of Clockworld. Tinkerbell gapes. She sees the similarity as well.
- Grant connects the Doors. In doing so, he catches a glimpse of the Olympian god, Hephaestus and he realises what Ethan and Isabelle are doing. Hephaestus is shyly looking on from a distance, but is too embarrassed to meet Grant. He quickly ducks out of view.
- But Tinkerbell has seen Hephaestus too. Quick as a flash, she flies after him. Despite his discomfort, she greets him warmly as Lord Hephaestus and she bows respectfully to him. Hephaestus asks where Jacob is, and Tinkerbell explains that he’s dead. Hephaestus nods sadly - he didn’t know and he always wondered why Jacob and the others never came back. He’s been feeling abandoned. Grant and Ethan catch the conversation as Hephaestus’ voice is loud - it becomes very clear that Clockworld was derived from Hephaestus’ inventions. Jacob, George and Lucien took the concept even further and used it to stabilise a shattered world, but the technology used to make Clockworld is derived from Hephaestus’ handiwork. Hephaestus hasn’t seen any of that triumvirate in a long time. He assumed that they were alive and still on the Stair ‘somewhere’.
Other Impacts
- Ethan did not reveal that Lady Sophia was rescued from the faerie well where the former Lord Wynterlyr was imprisoned.
GM Comments
- I am keen to move the game to a more episodic style, similar to Blades in the Dark. In that system there is the Hook, Gathering Information and the Score (the actual core of the adventure session). Then a transition to Downtime. We probably won’t use all of the mechanics but I can see value in structuring the game in this way. Having played a lot of Blades in the Dark, Scum and Villainy etc, there is a lot of benefit in being able to move forward the game straight to the action, trigger flashbacks if required and get on with the story rather than be paralysed with plotting/planning.
