Session 7

Supplement:

Accretio (Unique):

Large Pack Animal

Solves:

Job Contract – Slab Cutters

Multipurpose/adaptable: kitchen, transportation, sleeping quarters, living landscape

Compelling mysterious origin

Painted Plate Conduit

Controllable (temporary)

Obligations:

Outstanding debt

Unwieldy

Ill omen

Unsubtle

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Can we just cut straight to the tavern?

The Guilds Axel Ward is probably the only area you’ve seen where businesses have prevalent branding and signage. You pass a series of imposing buildings, vaulting through the sky above you and squeezing the paths that string around them. There is a tavern front at the base floor of each one, all with decorated facades making bids at being inviting in their own ways.

Most have broad windows showing off ambient candlelight and cheerful diners. Most have music jaunting out of decorated rectangular cabinets, with large plates spinning in their centers, wires running to musicians and their instruments.

There are broad, covered loading bays carved into the backs of most of these buildings, so you’re able to pilot Accretio around these wider back streets until you find the Jolly Malt.

From the outside it doesn’t particularly stand out, but once you’ve parked Accretio and found your way inside, you see proudly exposed on raised platforms behind the kitchen is an exhaustingly well equipped brewery. Grand barrels line most of the walls. Odd funnels, gauges and tools decorate the walls. There are large bodies handling larger sacks of grain and the like.

You sit at a table with Joist and their contact, another timberborn. He’s less finely crafted as Joist, with a lot of bark showing on his skin. His limbs are thick woven branches that show some moss growth and a few unshorn branch buds stick out here and there.

“Their whole selling point is that they use absolutely no plate-assisted tools or equipment in their brewing process. Not even the farmers growing the grain or the yeast breeders use them.”

His face is not painted on, like Joists, but instead his features are exposed wood carved into his pale bark face. His nose, a thick straight twig, two pale nostrils carved where they meet his stumpy head. His mouth actually moves as he talks. His voice is wispy and droning. The sound of wind piling leaves.

I would have ordered food. And drinks.

You do that. And he’s already agreed to cover the tab.

He introduces himself as Cribbage, from The Wheelwood, which occupies the three positions down-spin of the Market. Says he’s a Warden, but doesn’t get into too much detail beyond that. After a few pleasantries, he starts peppering you with questions.

Where you from?

“Speculation City. In the Wastes.”

Where did you find Accretio?

“In the woods, looking for seeds.”

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

We haven’t heard of anyone from out that way in quite a while. Did you ever get down into those dig sights?

“I worked in one.”

He’s heard there are some real horrors under the wastes. They able to keep things under control out there?

“They were when I left.”

Can I tell what he’s trying to accomplish here? Is he just making conversation with these questions or is he trying to get something out of me?

Social deduction talent:

2(1d6)

Curious wooden man:

4(1d8)

His questions are rapid fire and his disposition is difficult to discern, given the limited facial movement range of a timberborn. You think with a little more time, or if you were to play along for a while, you might be able to get a better read on him.

And what about Joist?

She’s been pretty quiet. She made a quick introduction but seems more timid than your previous interactions. Maybe deferential.

I say “You wanted to look at Accretio, right? We can go right now if you want.”

He follows you to the back, where there are small, stand alone cottages built on stilts above different styles of animal pens. Accretio is packed tightly beneath a budget room with a single cot and not much more that you’ve rented.

I pull him out and let Cribbage look around, but not if he tries to get to close up. I watch him closely.

Accretio: Compelling mysterious origin

5 (1d8)

7 total vs 4 (curious wooden man) + 3 (leads on materials)

He asks some cursory questions about Accretio while pacing around them. He scratches his chin and pours ale from his tankard into his mouth void. It soaks the bark and drips off of his chin.

Watching his behavior now, you sense a thinly concealed desperation about him. He seems to be casting a wide net, trying to fish for a detail that will help him with something potentially urgent he doesn’t want to talk about.

You also realize that he would’ve had Joist watching out for someone like you. That perhaps he’s been waiting or anticipating the arrival of someone like you. What exactly you possess or what criteria you meet you’re not sure, but your initial meetings with Joist now seem less happenstantial than you may have thought previously.

“This is quite the creature, Mr. Elk.” He stops pacing and hangs his empty tankard on a knot that spikes out of his shoulder. “There is a multitude of information I might extract from you on the topic, but first I think I can hold up my end of our meeting. There were some materials you’re looking for.”

I say, “Yeah, I’m building a little city on Accretio’s back.” I have a slip of paper where I’ve written the names of the items I need.

He responds, “I’m glad we’ve got a little privacy. The patrons within may have intruding questions if they were to hear speak of such material. I have to wonder where a game seller would have heard of such things. You said he was in the Markets?”

“He makes his own game pieces.”

“Assuredly. I’ve heard that is where the most enjoyment is to be had with such… hobbies.” He spots the city base you’ve planted in Accretio and moves to take a closer look.

I let him.

“The materials you want can be found in the Loom Void. You have likely heard of such a place by now. It is up-spin of the Guild. A lost place. Chaos runs rampant amidst the lost looms. Plates can not be taken, so wild magic runs through them and into the land around them. Strange new plants and beasts are born.”

“Do you know where exactly to look for them?”

“I do not. I’ve only seen the names on inventory lists. There are researchers actively recovering ground and documenting the things they excavate, harvest, and butcher.

Sounds Familiar.

“It’s difficult to find passage into the Loom Void, but I can do it. There’s a research grant that I’m a fringe member of. I’d like to send you and your beast in there. The way it interacts and incorporates our plate technology is fascinating, and I believe it would make for some unique interactions in the void.”

I say “Okay.”

“If you fail to find what you’re looking for, I can pull some from the index.” He pauses. “You know, some of us in the Wheelwood believe we may lose our looms one day, even though we were the first ones here.”

He pulls aside the cloak he has draped around his torso. Embedded in his chest is a plate, spinning slowly.

“We are born of this place.”

The paint has a chaotic hand to it, impossible to replicate by hand. Likely it was painted through some natural process.

“I staunchly disagree with these speculations and worryings, but if we are to better understand how the lost looms behave, at the very least we can gain insight into our own place on the wheel.”

I said Okay.