Vayilcor & The Clockwork Castle

**Vayilcor & The Clockwork Castle** is the seventieth episode of *Another Bad Side Quest*. The party TBA .

## Vayilcor & The Clockwork Castle

### **Pre Show Shenanigans**

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### **Summary**

The party felt the familiar weightlessness as Twynn's house left the *Plane of Fire* and arrived back in the *Material Plane,* just on the outskirts of *Vayilcor*. Twynn checked how everyone was doing and, after a quick conversation on teleportation, unlocked the door and showed the party the sight of the city of *Vayilcor* as it resided beside the ocean, accompanied by the plumes of smoke it gave off and it's residents. They also saw the sight of the *Clockwork Castle,* made of stone and copper that shined and glowed almost every color. Twynn made it clear he wasn't going into the city and when Quincy asked if he planned to remain outside or part with them noted he would be there a few more days to let the house reset and then head to *Gilesha*. Alaerith suggested he might run into his son there and Twynn agreed it was possible. Twynn added that if they needed anything he might be able to help before they left. Quincy noted that she wished to head to the docks to see if her family were there and the group, along with Bolton, left and gave their goodbyes.

Quincy led them through the busy city and, contrasted with Alaerith's slowed pace, moved at a quickened one. They arrived at the docks and past ship after ship as Quincy looked for *The Misty Moon*, while keeping an eye for the *Sapphire Star,* but saw no sign of her ship. RX suggested they had to leave somewhere or their location was documented on a ship manifest and the group headed to find the dockmaster. On the way Yashani noticed a water genasi in a double breasted coat she saw back in *Kra'Kash* and pointed him out to the group, while RX saw Damen in the crowd and called out towards him. Quincy immediately magically changed her appearance to the Kylan version of her as the group headed to him and past the water genasi. Damen greeted the group while Quincy kept her sights on the water genasi as he went into the city. Kaz stamped on Quincy's foot to reveal herself before Damen hugged her tightly. Quincy checked if the ship was fine and Damen assured that it was and was in a separate pick up location. Quincy told him they had a lot speak about, but were headed to the *Clockwork Castle* and then the desert and Damen said Kylan would want to know about it. Quincy checked if he was busy and Damen said for the next few hours before pointing out where the ship was. Quincy asked if he wanted to join them or prefer to see them later and Damen explained he was getting provisions before saying he would tell Kylan so the ship could be moved in the regular spot and they could see them there. Quincy also told him 'the star is in the sky' and to be careful and Damen agreed before they parted. Yashani commented on the lack of stars as it was daylight and RX added the question if it was a code. Quincy magically disguised herself again before recalling that she was on the run and certain cities would be harder to hide, though thanks to Bolton could hide better now, who was noticeably keeping a low profile. Quincy added she owed an explanation before suggesting they head to the castle first.

They arrived at the *Clockwork Castle*, which floated above the docks, observed the ships passing through the water surrounding it and headed up the spiralling staircase leading to it. As RX excitedly went ahead Quincy managed to spy out the sails for both ships as they rose up. The party passed through the lit staircase before it led to a wide, square room with a round platform in the center raised from the ground. As the group looked around they heard a pop sound before a 3' tall half Goblin appeared and welcomed them to the *Clockwork Castle*. The group asked who they could speak to for answers and the goblin noted no one knew all the answers, but could point out those who could do multiple answers. Quincy asked for someone who knew about religious history and the goblin led the group to the platform and snapped his fingers causing the platform to rise. Quincy commented they needed shoes and the goblin told them they had a cobbler as well as they had almost anything they wanted in the castle, but had a different touch due to the Æther. Quincy hypothetically asked if the castle could sustain life if under a siege and the goblin said it could and additionally the city could be mobilised. The platform eventually rose into an area surrounded by copper and glass, with light shining in and building all over. The goblin told them they were in the main floor where people shopped and was all related to magic in nature and when Quincy noted they had come into money RX suggested they not advertise that. Yashani recalled that the *Clockwork Castle* housed the signatures of magic used and the goblin told them that was the *Collection Records* and any magic used was funnelled through there and sat atop the poles of the planet. He added they would need to speak to Leopold, that he designed it and didn't want anyone else touching it and when Quincy questioned if it was only related to arcane magic confirmed all forms of magic were registered. Yashani activated *Ob's Charm* to noted that was the first thing they heard of the *Clockwork Castle* and needed to pass by it. Quincy added they wanted to check records of the ruined moon. As they kept rising RX noticed a mix of other less complex constructs, asked if there was a floor for automaton construction and the Goblin told them to go to the seventh floor and meet the technomancer Jelly Bean. As some of the group feigned knowing him they passed the ninth floor where Quincy gave her boots to a cobbler to remove the heel for *20 gold*, which she gave 22 instead before continuing.

As they went higher they noticed every floor became smaller, had stained glass covering the walls and shelves hidden behind glass doors. The goblin told them they had arrived, that he would return when his name was called and that his name was Bunker. Bunker added that he was one of the liaisons or guides to the Clockwork Castle and reiterated to just call his name before he and the platform descended and the floor covered itself up. The party soon found a gnome fiddling with the papers and Quincy suggested Yashani take the lead. Yashani confirmed they were asking about Tollanessa and the ruined moon before the gnome made it clear they could hear them all. Yashani asked for any religious records related to the ruined moon and as they approached saw the gnome stood 2-3.5", getting on in age, had black hair going grey and white, wearing dark gray robe like clothes, was barefoot and his eyes had no irises. The Gnome told them he would need to look way back for that before asking why they were searching for something so old. Yashani said they were interested in an old tapestry that belonged to a wealthy individual. The gnome stopped before one of the glass doors, searched through the leather journals within and opened one out for them. The gnome asked what they wanted specifically, ranging from origin, symbolism, history as a few suggestions and Yashani asked for a comprehensive history. The gnome, after noting is Aetian wasn't the greatest, told them the ruined moon was formally the symbol of the royal line of Belroadine, that over time after it's destruction it's image faded from existence for a could 1000 years ago and showed up time to time. He added that people from the massacre fled and when Quincy asked specifically where it was that it was outside the *Puhan Trading Company* and the end of the *Maltrop Strip*. He also noted there was documents that noted the trip from *Gilesha*, which he was originally from, what they had been up to since and that the mark showed up *Naviq*, the southern end of the *Maltrop Strip*, some areas of the *PTC* and the desert. Quincy asked if he meant the *Chasm of Spire* and when the gnome said yes and they had a separate book for that Kaz asked to read that afterwards. He continued to note the mark showed near the start of the *Skorian Empire*, the beginning of the Aj'Snaga Pantheon, in which it was a sign of support, then during the day of the black sun where it was the direct cause where it became known as an omen for bad luck.

Kaz asked for any names related to the ruined moon or the black sun description and the gnome noted Griffith Swornguard, Velix Rex Ignis, but couldn't read any more as it was in Undercommon. Quincy asked for permission to copy it and the gnome told them they could and that there was an interesting lady in the basement who reads it. Yashani asked if Bolton understood Undercommon after all his time in *The Underdark* and Bolton noted it was name, which Quincy covered as his great, great grandfather's name. Yashani notes that the history says the ruined moon represents destruction as opposed to recreating the original moon destruction and asked the gnome's opinion, and the gnome said he didn't think a moon could fall, but thinking of what could do so disturbed him. He added his belief someone is covering something and that the original Belroadine inhabitants tried to bring the original meaning back, but everytime they did bad things happened. Quincy asked for any names of survivors or descendants of Belroadine and the gnome went off. Quincy activated *Ob's Charm* to note this was bad and Yashani said it was similar to what they already knew. Quincy wondered the room in the *Dusterburyan Lighthouse* was themed around Belroadine or was the place and Bolton said, according to his knowledge, it might be a sliver of what remained of Belroadine.

The gnome returned with a scroll with family histories on it and as he read it Quincy noted they had a bad feeling they would know at least one name on the list. Yashani read along with gnome and noticed the names Hygmire, Swornguard and Vaultanis, just before the gnome said they were the only three on record. Yashani noted those names were a big deal and the gnome countered they were now, but everyone started somewhere. Yashani activated *Ob's Charm* to ask about Swornguard which Quincy said was Esmeria's last name, while Vaultanis was Robert's last name. Quincy asked about an Ilvwinter in the records and the gnome said there was none. Quincy noted they had taken their up time before Kaz asked for the *Chasm of Spire* book. As the gnome left with the scroll Kaz asked Quincy if they were ok as she looked pale. Quincy said they were fine, and they were putting a lot of concerning pieces together, but everyone easily realized something was up. The gnome returned with a leather bound book and told them it was a personal account of someone who signed it Ob. Kaz asked if they could read it and the gnome said they could, but couldn't leave the premises. Kaz picked up the book and saw the first page said 'the diary of Ob'.