RRH04 - A Clockwork Noorange

A Clockwork Noorange is the fourth session of the campaign Red Right Hand. In it, the Star-Cleavers travel to the river city of Noore to find recruits, where they run into an old friend and meet a new enemy.

Summary
The party arrives at a city in the desert, Noore, where they are met by a mechanical construct for a guard who informs them that they may only stay for a maximum of twelve hours. An organic citizen informs them where the Mayoress lives, and they try to enter the building but a construct guard stops them, telling them that they don't have permission. Not getting anywhere, the party are approached from behind by Arrus Feign, who invites them into the bar to catch up. In the bar is the Mayoress, who tells the party that the construct guards could not speak until recently, and that they're being possessed by something. If the Cleavers can find out what it is and stop it, the Mayoress will let the clockwork soldiers serve them in their fight against the Blood Queen. Resmi, Eptol, and Ovar go to interrogate the guard who wouldn't let them through, while Iago asks about rumours.

The Mayoress tells Iago that the best place to get the army they need would be The Last Bastion. Resmi is not having much luck with the interrogation, but Eptol shows a strange natural skill at communicating with mechanical things. He tries to disable it using a paradox, but that fails. The soldier orders the party to leave, threatening to use lethal force. Eventually they are forced to fight it, and it proves that it would be a powerful ally in battle, but the party defeat it. They descend into the tunnel he was guarding, defeat a few more, and find a strange box made of glass, cogs, and gears. They step forward to break it, but a giant clockwork golem appars to guard it. The party manages to break the box anyway, and the golem stops working.

They return to the surface where two Steelhold guards are waiting for them. Ovar easily kills one, and the other surrenders. He's very confused and has no memory of before leaving the castle to pursue the Cleavers. His skin starts to bubble before falling away like oil, revealing a black oily substance in the shape of a figure, Jack Catcher. He grabs Resmi and threatens to kill her if the party doesn't let him deliver his message: "The Blood Queen sends her regards". He then jumps into the river, with Resmi in hand. Half the party dive in after her, forgetting that she can fly. After returning safely to land, the Mayoress thanks the group for their troubles, promising to spread the word. The party leaves to head to The Last Bastion. Arrus accompanies them. On the way out, he tells them that their 'friend' directed him to find them - a man in a white mask.

Trivia

 * Introductions: This session introduced the character Jack Catcher.
 * Deaths: In this session, no notable characters died.
 * Notable Events: In this session, Arrus joins the party, and the Cleavers gain the support of Noore and thus the clockwork soldiers.

Quotes
''"No, we're heroes, looking to recruit a holy army against and evil tyrant." "Care to join us?" ''- Resmi and Eptol

''"Thanks for all your help, Mayoress. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go pretend to be a robot." - ''Iago

''"INQUIRY: IF A MALE BARBER SHAVES ALL AND ONLY MEN WHO DO NOT SHAVE THEMSELVES, DOES HE SHAVE HIMSELF?" ''- Eptol