Episode 09: Tockworth's Clockworks

JD & the Returners choose to go to the Ironspike Mountains where the residents of the gnome settlement of Little Lockford have been ejected from their home. The reward is a ruby ring worth 5,000gp and an assorment of magic items.

When they arrive the mayor gives them a map and explains the situation. The town's security overseer, an artificer named Tixie Tockworth has gone mad. She has turned the town's security constructs against them, ejected all of the citizens, and killed anyone who has remained behind.

The Returners are tasked with finding the key that will turn off the constructs and allow the gnomes to return to their homes. He also wants the group to bring Tixie in so that she can face justice.

They enter the enormous magma filled cavern that holds Little Lockford. The town is built on a series of five islands jutting out of the molten rock. They are connected by draw bridges, currently up because of Tixie's security protocols. A slagline of buckets also connects the islands to each other.

The party picks their way through the first island, gathering some potions and dust of disappearance from the mayor's office. They ride the slagline buckets to the island that hold Tixie's workshop.

They fight off some gricks and eventually encounter Tixie herself. She sits in a tavern, drinking by herself. When they think they have her on the ropes, her forcefield kicks in and she's able to teleport away.

They get to her workshop and face a shield guardian that blocks the door. They defeat it and prepare to enter.

Tixie Tockworth Worskhop, Autolog Volume 9

Just got asssaulted while drinking. Strange group, must be Kirinali, stank of hex crystals.

Hypothesized they were assassins, but the dwarf and the human tried to get me to surrender. Fools. Trying to take me out of my home, away from my work. The only good thing about them was the dumb look on their faces when my defensive augments shoved them off of me and I came here. Still, they are a problem I need to solve.

How did they get in? Hypothesis, mayor brought them, why did my observers not catch them? I didn't notice them sneaking up on me directly... Details, they had some scratches, grick claws, they must have come in by way of Cavemouth. Unclear how, must send observers... Not that it would make much difference, if some gricks barely stopped them, I'll need a bigger force.

Query, how did they get to Smoldertown? Bridges were up, flight? should've been seen. Slaglines, maybe? Need more data.

Should consider countermeasures, Elf had a bow, there was a panther. The dwarf uses his fists and the human magic. Just more work, bah.

Query, why did they come to the tavern? Hypothesis, they knew a special way in, they know where to find me. They will be heading this way.

How much time would I have? The observer by the workshop entrance hasn't alerted. I cannot communicate with it. Damn, they are so fast.

Hypothesis: The shield guardian by the doorway may stop them. Only way to test is to send clockworks to reinforce the entrance.

Opportunity cost - Can't spend too much time on reinforcements, the workshop must be prepared as well. So much work to do. Still, will get valuable data from this..