1902 The Clockwork Man

Wild woods that seem inexplicably well-tended. Rows of wildflowers beside paths. Little bridges span brooks.

• Terrain: Hilly forest (3), Aldweald
• Lost/encounters: 2-in-6
• Ley line Ywyr (p18): Arcane spell-casters perceive the distant moaning of the dead.
• ### The Clockmaker’s House
• Nestled between three hills is a two-storey house of grey,

gloomy stone. Ivy climbs up its damp walls and patches of shaggy moss hang down from the bowing roof. It appears abandoned; the windows are shattered and the front door very slightly ajar.

Approaching: A cacophony of ticking comes from inside the house.

Living room: This spacious room is being slowly claimed by patches of moss and weeds sprouting up from the floor. The room has been ransacked. Cabinets are thrust open, drawers pulled out and emptied. The walls are covered with silly but well-made clocks, still ticking away, including the Backwards Clock and the Merriman Clock (see Unique Clocks). The Merriman Clock chimes suddenly, shortly after PCs enter.

Staircase: Leads up to the bedroom. Three sheets of parchment are strewn upon the stairs; each is a note to a Mr Klepp (p127) in Blackeswell, unfinished past the salutation and some pleasantries.

Bedroom: Simple furnishings, also destroyed. A skeleton is in the bed, lying in a putrid black stain. Wadded up old clothes are piled on the floor in front of an emptied armoire. The Crooked Clock and Mood Clock hang here (see Unique Clocks); if the arm on the Mood Clock is set to “Awestruck,” a secret door in the back of the armoire swings open, leading to the Workroom.

Unique Clocks

Of the clocks on the walls, four in particular stand out for their workmanship and odd qualities.

Crooked Clock: A simple, elegant silver clock whose arms continually twist themselves into angular, crooked shapes. (Worth 300gp).

Backwards Clock: Lacquered wood with a stately, enamelled face. It runs backwards, and staring at it for more than a minute induces nausea. (Worth 150gp).

Mood Clock: Diamond-shaped and fashioned from lead, this piece has a face with only four labels: “Euphoric,” “Awestruck,” “Ticked Off (Pun Intended),” and “Terrified.” Moving the arm to point at a label causes the clock to speak, with tone and varying phrases matching the described mood. (Worth 500gp).

Merriman Clock: Exquisitely detailed wooden piece in the form of a fantastically elaborate cottage. Every hour and half-hour, a tiny wooden merriman (see Animals, DMB) emerges from the attic door, and lies down slowly as if to sleep, all the while singing a haunting, soporific melody. (Worth 750gp).

Workroom

Cobweb-festooned shelves packed with springs, gears, and metal sheets. Tarps cover unfinished and incomprehensible contraptions. A workbench is crowded with the schematics for ridiculous clockwork war machines. The Clockwork Man stands in the corner, dusty and inert.

Examining the man: A plaque on the back of his neck reads “Clockwork Mechanical Soldier.” A large metal key protrudes from the centre of his back.

Winding the key: Sets his works ticking, and his eyes flick open. He struggles with his creaking joints, which must be oiled before he can move properly. Once fully functional, he introduces himself with a groggy “good morning.”

The Clockwork Man

A humanoid automaton made entirely of brass with a rotund torso like a metal barrel. He has no mouth, but his metal moustaches waggle as he speaks.

Demeanour (Neutral): Childlike curiosity. Loyal.

Speech: Tinny, as if echoing on the inside of his head. Mannerly and methodical. Woldish.

Desires: To learn more about the world, and to become more like a real human. He may choose to accompany the PCs for a time.

Knowledge: Does not know what happened to his master. The last thing he remembers is being told to wait here, which he did until his clockworks ran down.

Medium Construct—Sentient—Neutral

Level 3 AC 16 HP 20 Saves D11 R12 H13 B14 S15 Att Weapon (+2) Speed 30 Morale 10 XP 40

Construct: Immune to biological effects (e.g. disease, poison).