The Night-Engine Conspiracy

Uncover the deadly secret behind the vampire hunters' night engine.

The streets of Bellora, a bustling Renaissance city, hide a deadly secret: a group of relentless vampire hunters powered by advanced clockwork technology. Recently, vampires have been disappearing, and those who remain live in constant fear. The players, some with connections to the remaining vampire community, must uncover who is funding these hunters and what powers their mysterious 'night engine,' said to be the key to their success. Suspense mounts as the party unravels this conspiracy, leading to a final showdown at a towering mechanical relic. Will they save their vampire allies and restore balance to Bellora?

Campaign Image

The World

Context

In a Renaissance city where vampires coexist with humans—albeit in the shadows—a leap in clockwork technology has allowed humanity unprecedented power. However, power attracts dread and manipulation, as seen with the rise of clockwork technology instruments designed to hunt and eliminate vampire kind. The clash of ancient beings and human ingenuity fuels the city's undercurrent of tension.

Concept

Clockwork technology harnessed for vampire hunting through intricate machinery known as night-engines.

Impact

Vampires fear humans' mechanical prowess, leading to secretive alliances and internal power struggles among both groups.

The Plot

Summary

In Bellora, vampire hunters have developed a secret machine called the 'night-engine,' which is devastating to the nocturnal beings. The party discovers from a vampire contacted by NPC Eliana, a spy in the vampire hunter's ranks, about the night-engine housed in the Clockwood—a giant clock tower. Initially, the PCs gather intelligence at a masquerade hosted by a mysterious patron rumored to sponsor the hunters, unearthing plans indicating the clock tower's centrality to the night-engine. Mid-mission, they realize the extent of the device is far greater, drawing power from enchanted artifacts stolen over decades. As they break into the Clockwood, alliances are tested, truths revealed, and escalating conflicts result in a race to disable the night-engine before it's deployed city-wide. With the discovery of a mole within the vampire community, trust wavers even as they work to dismantle the machine, revealing the artifacts' true nature. Success sees peace returning to their nocturnal allies, while failure means vulnerable vampires at humanity's mercy.

Complication

The night-engine is powered by stolen ancient artifacts from the vampire community.

Hook

Vampires disappear amid whispers of a 'night-engine.'

World stakes

Vampires are hunted to extinction, changing the city's balance.

Personal stakes

PCs lose allies or directly linked vampires.

The Acts

Act 1

Summary:

Players start by contacting NPC Eliana, gaining insight into the vampires' plight. They learn of a masquerade ball held by a suspected patron of the vampire hunters. At the event, they'll have the opportunity to gather clues about the patrons' plans and who might be funding the hunters. Here they must decide: ally with certain patrons for information or forge risky paths independently. As they dig deeper, they uncover the existence of the night-engine and its mechanical origins.

Location:

Masquerade ball in a lavish, clock-themed manor.

Challenge:

Negotiate information without revealing allegiances.

Objective:

Uncover patrons supporting vampire hunters.

Set Back:

Reveal a potential ally's betrayal at the ball.

Revelation:

The existence of the night-engine.

GM's Guide:

Keep the tension high with spy-like intrigue and careful timing of information leaks. Encourage players to interact with a range of unique guests at the ball to gather various tidbits that cohere into the central conspiracy.

GM's Move:

Learn about the night-engine's threat.

Act 2

Summary:

With key information on their hands, the PCs must navigate Bellora's underbelly to find details on the nocturnal machine. They visit an old clockmaker-turned-inventor, unwittingly involved in the night-engine project. Here, decisions are crucial as they must gain his trust to learn more or risk a direct confrontation. The inventor reveals partial plans—pieces lacking without enchanted components, withheld to cover any involvement. As the pieces fall into place, they must deal with hunters tipped off about their snooping.

Location:

Tinker's cluttered workshop in town's fringe.

Challenge:

Convince or bypass the skilled clockmaker.

Objective:

Piece together the night-engine's workings.

Set Back:

Parts of plans are missing, slowing progress.

Revelation:

Artifacts power the night-engine.

GM's Guide:

Highlight the mechanical allure and danger; emphasize the clockmaker's moral grayness to provoke debates around ethics and trust.

GM's Move:

Hunters track the PCs after info leaks.

Act 3

Summary:

The PCs infiltrate the Clockwood, facing traps and timed challenges designed to activate the night-engine at dusk. As they reach the heart of the mechanism, a dramatic revelation uncovers the artifacts inside—the true powers behind the night-engine. Amid combat with hunters, the PCs must disable the engine before it spreads its influence city-wide. They confront the mastermind, who reveals deeper vampiric issues to exploit. Balancing confrontation with quick thinking, the PCs must decide the fate of both technology and allies.

Location:

Clockwood tower with panoramic city view.

Challenge:

Time-sensitive disablement of night-engine.

Objective:

Disable the night-engine before activation.

Set Back:

Underestimated machine's complexity.

Revelation:

Night-engine fueled by vampire artifacts.

GM's Guide:

Dramatize the ticking clock with high stakes. Create urgency through dynamic environment shifts, emphasizing the mechanical and magical clash.

GM's Move:

Final confrontation with hunters and mastermind.

Climax:

PCs disable the engine, saving vampires and uncovering truths.