Reference: Search 49 of the Shard of Broken Vows
Quest Details An influential courtier within the floating metropolis of Aethelgard seeks the recovery of a specific historical artifact lost during a recent diplomatic transit. The item is a small, silver-caged obsidian pendant known as the Shard of Broken Vows. It was last seen in the possession of a courier whose air-skiff was forced down over the lower industrial districts following a sudden magical squall. The employer requires the item returned intact and remains indifferent to the fate of the courier or any secondary cargo.
Guild Instructions Interested parties must register at the central desk to receive a temporary clearance sigil for the lower transit sectors. Due to the sensitive nature of the artifact, the recovery must be handled with discretion. Any party attempting to attune to the item or utilize its properties before delivery will forfeit their reward and face immediate blacklisting from the Guild.
Money Reward
- 15 Silver upon successful return of the pendant.
- 5 Silver bonus if the courier’s logbook is recovered alongside the item.
Uncommon Magical Rewards
- One pair of Goggles of the Steady Eye (Grants a bonus to stability and vision during high-altitude travel or steam-heavy environments).
Difficulties and Problems
- The crash site is located within an “Unsafe Area,” resulting in standard defensive capabilities being reduced by half.
- The local scavenger groups are known to be hostile toward outsiders and may have already located the wreckage.
- Residual magical turbulence in the area may cause intermittent “Overwhelm” for those utilizing the Mind’s Eye.
- Identification of the shard is complicated by its void-like surface which may mislead standard visual searches.
Information Contact See Clerk Vaelen at the South Dock Guild Office for sector coordinates and the courier’s physical description.
Expected Environments
- Elevated metallic walkways and scaffolding.
- Abandoned steam-powered textile factories.
- Dense, soot-heavy fog banks.
- Cramped, subterranean maintenance tunnels.
- Unstable wreckage sites.
Tags
- Tier 1, Search Magic, Urban Exploration, Retrieval, Industrial Hazard, Unsafe Area, Illicit Artifact, Investigation, Stealth, Social-Intrigue, Cursed-Item, Scavenger-Conflict, Navigation, High-Magic-Environment, Steam-Power, Asset-Recovery, Information-Broker, Urban-Decay
Registration Protocol Upon approaching the desk, the guild clerk, Vaelen, requires each member of the party to provide a blood-drop signature onto the Guild Ledger. This magically binds the party to the contract, ensuring that no other group can legally claim the reward or interfere with the objective. Once the ledger glows pale blue, the quest is officially “Locked” to the party.
Writ of Questing Vaelen issues a “Writ of Questing” to the party leader. This is a formal promissory note backed by the Guild’s credit. It allows the party to visit local authorized chandlers to acquire mundane equipment necessary for the mission, such as ropes, lanterns, climbing gear, or basic rations. These items are not gifts; the total cost of the equipment is recorded and will be deducted from the final 15 Silver reward upon completion of the quest. If the party fails the quest, the debt remains attached to their guild record, and they will be ineligible for future contracts until the balance is paid through manual labor or other means.
Guild Clerk’s Preparation Advice Clerk Vaelen emphasizes the following preparation requirements:
- Ensure all avatars are at full health before departure, as no benefits are gained from short rests once in the field.
- Acquire heavy-duty gloves or specialized tongs; the clerk warns that touching the obsidian shard directly if it is above one’s tier level will result in debilitating pain and health loss at irregular intervals.
- Prepare for low-visibility conditions. The steam-heavy industrial district is prone to thick, magical soot that can mask the passive signals of the Mind’s Eye.
- Check armor fittings. Since the destination is an Unsafe Area, defensive capabilities are cut in half; the clerk suggests prioritizing mobility over heavy plating.
Distance and Duration
- Distance: The crash site is located approximately 14 miles from the Guild Hall, situated in the soot-choked “Low-Valve” district at the base of the floating city’s support pillars.
- Duration: Travel by foot and steam-lift will take roughly six hours. The clerk expects the retrieval to be completed within 48 hours before scavengers or rival information brokers move the wreckage.
Warnings
- The Void Effect: Vaelen warns that the shard does not reflect light normally. If it appears as a lightless void during recovery, it is actively consuming magical energy; do not stare into it for prolonged periods to avoid mental overwhelm.
- Legal Status: The Shard of Broken Vows is considered contraband by the High City Watch. The party is warned that the Guild’s protection only extends to the recovery itself; if caught with the item outside of the designated quest route, the Guild will disavow all knowledge of the party.
- No Short Rests: The clerk reiterates that any time spent resting will not restore health or mana.
Additional Information
- The courier was a Tier 1 Beast-kin carrying a satchel marked with a broken wax seal of the Aethelgard Ministry.
- A local steam-pipe burst near the site recently, creating slick, high-pressure environments that may require specialized footwear or athletic checks.
- The clerk provides a small lead-lined box for the shard’s transport, noting that keeping the item in a container prevents its passive “Resonance of Dissonance” from affecting the party’s cohesion during the return trip.
The Tome of Perpetual Echoes
Chapter XIV: The Shattering of the Silver Bond
- Upon the world of Saṃsāra where the winds of magic blow, The seeds of ancient treachery within the dark shall grow. A king of gold did strike the stone with grief that had no end, To break the bowl of scrying and the memory of a friend.
- A thousand shards like obsidian rain were scattered to the deep, Where secrets of the multiverse their silent vigils keep. Beware the cage of silver that would hold the jagged grain, For touching what is higher tier shall bring the gift of pain.
- No rest shall grant the Avatar a respite from the strife, The healing comes through length of days or items giving life. Into the mists of Low-Valve where the steam and soot do coil, The seekers of the broken vow shall find a bitter toil.
- The Mind’s Eye gazes through the dark to find the hidden stat, But find a void of anti-light where once a vision sat. For in the Unsafe reaches where the guards no longer tread, The shield of man is cut in half and filled with sudden dread.
- Two souls who share a trusted bond shall look upon the glass, And see the seeds of doubt take root before the moments pass. The shard shall taste the lie within and grow a parasitic cold, To leech the warmth from living flesh and turn the spirit old.
- The hunter becomes the hunted in the city’s metal womb, Where factories of iron power do mimic every tomb. Seek not to wear the splinter till the sixth attunement’s done, Lest Silver Fire be all that’s left when setting is the sun.
- The Ledger marks the signature in drops of crimson ink, A chain of fate that binds the soul before the mind can blink. Retrieve the Shard of Broken Vows from wreckage and the rot, But heed the price of what is gained and what is best forgot.
Guide Manager’s notes:
This quest is a fantastic introduction to the unique mechanical landscape of Saṃsāra. It balances social navigation, environmental hazards, and the psychological tension inherent in handling a cursed artifact. Use the industrial atmosphere of the Low-Valve district to emphasize the steampunk-magic aesthetic, and lean heavily into the Mind’s Eye mechanics to reward players for investigating their surroundings.
Step 1: The Briefing and the Writ
Start the session at the Guild Hall. Have Clerk Vaelen emphasize the importance of the Writ of Questing. This is a great roleplaying opportunity for players to negotiate with the guild-authorized chandler. Since they have to pay this back, watch them agonize over whether they really need that extra 50 feet of silk rope or a second lantern. It sets the tone for the scarcity and “buyer beware” economy of the world.
Step 2: The Vertical Descent
The journey to the Low-Valve district involves using massive steam-lifts and traversing external scaffolding on the city’s support pillars. Use this to establish the scale of the 73 island countries and the floating megacities. Describe the transition from the clean, high-magic upper tiers to the soot-stained, dimly lit industrial foundations.
Step 3: Entering the Unsafe Area
As the party crosses the threshold into the lower districts, remind them that their AC is now cut in half. This should immediately change their tactical approach. They can no longer rely on armor to soak hits, so they must use cover, stealth, and high-ground positioning. The atmosphere here is thick with magical smog, which provides a narrative reason for the AC penalty.
Step 4: Passive Mind’s Eye Scouting
As they search for the crash site, use the passive Mind’s Eye mechanics. Provide them with basic species names and object titles of the local scavengers and industrial machinery. If a player tries to use the active “identify” ability on a complex steam engine or a high-tier scavenger boss, remind them of the potential for Overwhelm and the cooldown period required.
Step 5: The Wreckage Investigation
The air-skiff is wedged into a collapsed textile factory. The environment is unstable. Use the rules for “Normal Areas” here if they find a pocket of stability, but keep most of the factory floor “Unsafe.” They need to locate the Tier 1 Beast-kin courier. If the courier is dead, they find the body in a pool of blood, emphasizing that this was a non-possessed creature.
Step 6: Recovering the Shard
Finding the Shard of Broken Vows is the mechanical climax of the search. Remind the players that touching the shard directly causes pain and health loss (2d4 roll) because it is likely a higher tier than they are, or simply because of its cursed nature. They should use the lead-lined box provided by the clerk. If someone tries to attune to it, remind them that it takes a full minute and carries a massive risk of pain and HP loss.
Step 7: The Scavenger Ambush
Just as they secure the item, a group of scavengers moves in. These are groups of sentient creatures living in the ruins. Since they are likely Tier 1 and non-possessed, they won’t vaporize into sparks when defeated. This combat should be fast and lethal due to the halved AC. The players should feel the “sellers’ market” pressure—the scavengers might try to bargain for the shard instead of fighting.
Step 8: The “Sow a Seed of Doubt” Trigger
If the party lingers or fails a stealth check, the shard’s active magic might trigger if the box is bumped open. Have two players see a distorted reflection in the obsidian. This is a prime roleplaying moment. Give them visions of each other’s “betrayals” based on their backstories. This tests party cohesion without a single die roll.
Step 9: The Long Haul Back
The return trip is an endurance test. Since they gain nothing from a short rest, any HP lost in the factory stays lost. If they are low on health, they might need to stop for a meal (20 minutes of roleplay) to gain that 1 HP back, but every minute they spend in the Unsafe Area is a minute for a random encounter to find them.
Step 10: The Bureaucratic Conclusion
Returning to Clerk Vaelen requires the final handover. The clerk will inspect the lead-lined box. If the party also brought the courier’s logbook, award the 5 Silver bonus. Calculate the debt from the Writ of Questing and subtract it from the 15 Silver reward. The players should walk away with a clear understanding of the profit-vs-risk ratio in Saṃsāra.
Step 11: Tier Advancement Check
If this was the party’s sixth or tenth attuned item, facilitate the Tier advancement process. Remind them that they cannot advance beyond Tier 1 without having memories of a past life. This is where the “Character” and “Avatar” distinction becomes vital for their growth into Tier 2 and the acquisition of their second avatar.