The Temporal Mirage Heist

Steal time back from the Month of Aethos.

In the desert city of Sandveil, time itself has been stolen by the mysterious Month of Aethos, a sentient calendar page that appears once every 500 years. It has ensnared the townsfolk in a stagnant loop where days pass without aging—an existential trap. With personal connections to a key city elder, the players are enlisted to infiltrate the Palace of Dunes, where Aethos resides, and reclaim time for the city. The heist requires cunning, courage, and the ability to navigate temporal traps and riddles laid by Aethos.

The World

Context

In a world without magic and at the dawn of technological advancement, the desert is both a boon and a bane. Sandveil thrives on innovation, with gnomes leading breakthroughs in mechanical timekeeping, only to face the metaphysical challenge of a stolen month. The lack of resources pushes the boundaries of innovation and desperation.

Concept

A sentient calendar page steals time itself.

Impact

People live in repeating time loops, disrupting daily life and innovation.

The Plot

Summary

Players must defeat the Month of Aethos before it completes its full cycle, solidifying its time-altering control over the desert city of Sandveil. The adventure begins with the players learning their close friend—a key city elder—is trapped in the loop. They gather intel and supplies from the Clockwork Bazaar, embracing both gnome technology and human resourcefulness. Their infiltration into the Palace of Dunes involves overcoming temporal traps that distort reality and combatting a brainwashed city guard. As they reach Aethos in the fabled Chamber of Sand, they learn Aethos seeks to free itself by manipulating time, promising to release the elder if they aid its escape from its cyclical prison. Players must decide between freeing the city and helping Aethos, facing the moral ambiguity of imprisoning another being or risk larger cosmic ramifications. The mission's stakes rely on navigating these decisions and the personal impact on their relationships with the elder and the town.

Complication

Aethos offers a bargain: help it escape in exchange for the elder's release.

Hook

A close friend is trapped in a time loop.

World stakes

Sandveil descends into chaos, losing all sense of time.

Personal stakes

Loved ones remain trapped in unending cycles.

The Acts

Act 1

Summary:

The players assemble in the Clockwork Bazaar, learning about the city's predicament and gathering resources. They encounter city guards and witnesses stuck reliving the same day, creating sympathy and urgency. They gain a cryptic map revealing a secret entrance to the Palace of Dunes.

Location:

Clockwork Bazaar; unique feature is the Timekeeper's Almanac store.

Challenge:

Avoid detection while deciphering the cryptic map.

Objective:

Understand the time loop impact and find palace access.

Set Back:

Guards delay departure with constant suspicion loops.

Revelation:

Learn of a secret palace entrance.

GM's Guide:

Highlight the stagnation depicted by repeating routines. Ensure players feel the clock ticking towards Aethos's complete cycle. Encourage interactions with NPCs that display personality quirks due to their looped existence.

GM's Move:

Learn the approach deadline as Aethos's influence grows.

Act 2

Summary:

Players navigate the Palace of Dunes, solving intricate temporal puzzles and avoiding looped guards. They witness Aethos preparing a ritual in the Chamber of Sand. Tension rises as they realize Aethos has manipulated their friend to act as its protector.

Location:

Palace of Dunes; unique feature is rooms shifting in time.

Challenge:

Navigate shifting rooms and guards' looped patrols.

Objective:

Infiltrate the palace and reach the Chamber of Sand.

Set Back:

Temporal trap causes players to briefly forget key details.

Revelation:

The friend acts as Aethos's manipulated protector.

GM's Guide:

Highlight the surreal atmosphere with curious architecture bending normal perceptions. Focus on sustainable tension through narrative descriptions and real-time problem-solving events.

GM's Move:

Discover the friend's manipulation by Aethos.

Act 3

Summary:

In the Chamber of Sand, confront Aethos. It offers a moral dilemma: free it to save the elder, risking unforeseeable cosmic consequences, or defeat it, potentially trapping it forever. Each choice affects the players' relationships and the city's fate.

Location:

Chamber of Sand; unique feature is shifting hourglass terrain.

Challenge:

Balance immediate needs against potential cosmic impact.

Objective:

Confront Aethos and resolve the time dilemma.

Set Back:

Decision impacts the friend and city differently.

Revelation:

Aethos is as trapped as the city.

GM's Guide:

Build high stakes with a focus on character-driven decisions. Allow players to discuss options and the potential impact of each decision freely.

GM's Move:

Aethos’s influence nears omnipotence in the chamber.

Climax:

Players decide Aethos's fate, altering Sandveil's temporality.