Steamridge

250 years ago, a small town dwelled beneath the shadow of a watch factory. Despite their efforts to maintain peace, external forces encroached upon their lives. Political turmoil, illness outbreaks, and famine plagued the community. In an unprecedented move, a small cadre of engineers turned to magic, aiming to liberate themselves and the town by relocating the factory. They anticipated their greatest challenge to be perfecting the machine to provide for the town's needs, unaware that the workers desired more than just relief from grueling labor.

Today, sustained by magic, the now immortal engineers seclude themselves in their towers, tirelessly refining the machine. Burdened by stress, arrogance, and righteousness, they remain oblivious to the plight of those around them. Meanwhile, the workers, oblivious to their homeland and unfamiliar with Avalon, grow resentful and suspicious. Rumors of Avalon's monstrous nature circulate, while nostalgic tales paint the old world as a paradise lost. Amidst this turmoil, Martin, one of the few self-aware robots, grapples with the burden of consciousness.

Run 1

In the unfolding events, Odette Workhelm, representing the workers, and Amélie Lovelace, the chief engineer, make headlines in the newspapers. With the looming ceremony drawing near, the workers resolve to halt its progression. Instead of outright denying the engineers access to vital documents from the old library in the basement, they fabricate a tale of malfunctioning robots obstructing the path. Upon Lovelace's plea for assistance from the adventurers, the workers spring an ambush, utilizing remote-controlled robots in a bid to intimidate them into retreat.

Despite their efforts, the workers' scheme falters, and Odette is apprehended by the party. Thereupon, she candidly elucidates their plight, garnering the sympathy of the adventurers. In light of this revelation, the party opts to pursue negotiation with the engineers. Lagrange, Lovelace's trusted aide, tentatively agrees to provide them with a signed empty paper, asserting the futility of contracts when the workers lack recourse to legal action. Suspecting a similar outcome, Odette accepts the offer and pledges to convey this development to her fellow workers, vowing to refrain from hostility towards subsequent parties that may arrive.

Run 2

The adventurers answered the call for aid in Steamridge, where robots had seized all the workers, locking them inside various homes across the city. Lovelace, the initial suspect, displayed little concern for the situation, finding solace in the ensuing peace and quiet.

Choosing to assist Lovelace in hopes of earning her trust, the adventurers were tasked with repairing the tower that produced water magically, sustaining the city's operations. Despite successfully addressing the issue, their efforts inadvertently flooded the tower's summit, leading to its eventual collapse due to weakened magic.

Further investigation into the robot assault, coupled with discussions with Odette and her younger sister, and a peculiar encounter with a cafeteria plant, revealed the truth. Odette's sister, once mentored by Lovelace, inadvertently triggered the robot uprising by issuing a single command: "take them home safely." Misguided by the belief that she could issue further commands afterward, she pressed the button, initiating the robots' actions prematurely before she could provide additional instructions. The adventurers retrieved the device controlling the robots and delivered it to Odette's sister, who promptly canceled the command, diffusing the crisis.

Run 3

Magic, being delicate, caused strange occurrences when the water stopped flowing in the factory's pipes. A particular intersection of pipes in one room suffered the most, prompting a call for adventurer assistance. With Martin exacerbating the situation, the adventurers faced challenges repairing the intersection; each touch of the pipes unleashed a new disaster, from aggressive spiders to fire. Through careful planning and a bit of luck, they managed to resolve the issue.

The darkness emanating from the last pipe provided Eric, a worker, with an opportunity to pilfer the screw needed to mend the pipes. He urged the party to leave the pipes broken and attempted to flee, but was apprehended. The party then reached out to Lovelace, aiming to convey the workers' grievances.

Intermission (NPCing at Joshes run)

Lovelace, uninterested in reading or writing letters, was found summoned as a witness to a hearing concerning the sabotage of the yellow brick road. In her place, Odette attended the hearing and gained insight into Avalon. While impressed by the island, she found its tribunal judgment system problematic. Reflecting on her contract's value, she concluded that staying in Avalon might not be the worst option.

Run 4

Odette enlisted the adventurers to help uncover whether their old world was truly the paradise she envisioned, or something entirely different. Meanwhile, that evening, Lovelace planned to visit the city to appease the workers and halt the factory sabotage. Seizing the opportunity, Odette tasked the adventurers with searching Lovelace's office for information about the old world.

Following a skirmish and some damage to the factory walls, the party unearthed Lovelace's old diary from her pre-Avalon days. In its pages, she detailed the town's struggles and her family's hardships, culminating in the heartbreaking loss of her daughter. The adventurers persuaded a group of rioters, led by Eric, to abandon plans to burn down the factory, then presented the diary at a town gathering.

Lovelace was devastated to see her innermost struggles laid bare, but the party entrusted Odette with the diary, believing she would make the right decision regarding the convergence spell.

Run 5

In the final stretch, the party rushes to aid Steamridge. Most workers opt to remain in Avalon, leaving the factory in urgent need of repair. Erik leads the last resistance, intimidating the engineers to deter their efforts. He convinces them that the spell will fail due to ongoing sabotage, prompting all engineers but Lovelace to flee to Crystal Heart City.

The party discovers Lovelace trapped in a state of despair, held captive by robots dispatched by Erik to hinder her. After freeing her, they uplift her spirits. Lovelace provides crucial guidance on restoring water flow through the pipes, vital for the ceremony.

In a race against time, they successfully restore water flow and thwart Erik's final attempt to sabotage the pipes.

Epilogue

Will the contract between the engineers and the workers be honored? Will the factory endure in the years ahead? Is there a place like home, even when the address changes? Questions like these weigh heavily on Martin, keeping him awake and troubled at night, but his consciousness isn't going anywhere soon...

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