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====== Echoes of the Spark ======
^ Go back to [[roleplaying:bitd:cultists_in_the_dark|Cultists in the Dark]] |

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 **Setting:**

The scene takes place deep within the submerged tunnels and abandoned dockyards of Doskvol's eastern waterfront, where the sea and shadows intertwine. A secret meeting is arranged in a hidden chamber beneath a dilapidated warehouse, illuminated faintly by flickering electroplasmic lanterns. The air hums with the residual energy of arcane experiments.

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 **Background:**

Mateas Kline, injured and masked, has summoned the crew—members of the Circle of the Void, a cult devoted to the worship of the sea and the primal forces of the Void Sea. They’ve been approached to undertake a delicate task: retrieve a lost relic from the ruins of a sunken vessel that supposedly contains a fragment of electroplasmic energy, believed to be a remnant of Kline’s own failed experiment.

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 **Scenario Outline:**

 **1. The Meeting**

- The crew enters the clandestine chamber, where Mateas Kline waits, seated with his cane, his mask reflecting the flickering electroplasmic glow. His prosthetic exoskeletons hum softly with arcane power.
- He greets them cautiously, acknowledging their reputation and emphasizing the importance of the relic—not just for his research, but for the broader struggle against the encroaching darkness of the Void.

 **2. The Offer**

- Kline explains that the relic is located in the wreckage of *The Siren’s Embrace*, a sunken merchant vessel lost in a storm decades ago, now haunted by deep-sea spirits and corrosive electroplasmic currents.
- He offers a substantial payment—arcane artifacts, knowledge, or favor—depending on the crew’s inclinations. But he warns that the ruins are dangerous, and the spirits are restless.

 **3. The Stakes**

- As the crew prepares, Kline reveals that the relic is a fragment of a larger electroplasmic core, potentially capable of amplifying or destabilizing arcane energies. Its loss or misuse could threaten the city.
- He hints at his own obsession: if the crew succeeds, they’ll be aiding both his research and perhaps gaining insights into his own injuries and the secrets behind electroplasm.

 **4. The Approach**

- The crew must navigate underwater tunnels, avoid or confront deep-sea spirits, and contend with environmental hazards—corrosive currents, collapsing debris, and the haunting echoes of the ship’s past.
- Kline’s knowledge may provide advantages—if the crew can decipher his cryptic clues about electroplasm or manipulate arcane devices embedded in the wreck.

 **5. The Climax**

- At the wreck, the crew faces a guardian spirit—perhaps a deep-sea leviathan or a vengeful electroplasmic entity guarding the relic.
- Kline’s presence could influence the encounter—his mask and prosthetics might be keys to calming or manipulating the spirit, or perhaps his injuries are linked to the spirit’s curse.

 **6. The Aftermath**

- Returning with the relic, the crew and Kline might forge a fragile alliance, or their relationship could turn tense if Kline’s ambitions or secrets are threatened.
- The relic’s power could be a boon or a curse, setting the stage for future conflicts involving their cults and the wider city.

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 **Key Themes & Hooks:**

- **Mystery & Science:** The blend of arcane technology and deep-sea mysticism.
- **Personal Stakes:** Kline’s injuries, secrets, and obsession with electroplasm.
- **Sea & Shadow:** Underwater hazards, spirits, and the haunted wreck.
- **Potential Betrayals:** Kline’s true motives, the relic’s dangerous power, and the crew’s loyalties.


**Mateas Kline’s Exposition Dialogue:**

*The flickering electroplasmic lanterns cast shifting shadows across the chamber. Kline leans forward slightly, his voice low and measured, each word weighted with significance.*

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**Kline:**  
*“Ah, you’ve come. Good. I’ve been expecting you.”*  

*He pauses, examining the crew with sharp eyes behind his mask.*  

*“There’s a wreck beneath the waves—*The Siren’s Embrace*. A merchant vessel lost to a storm decades past. But it’s not just ruins and wreckage down there. No, something remains—something powerful enough to catch the attention of spirits and arcane seekers alike.”*  

*He gestures subtly toward a faint glow in the shadows—perhaps an arcane device or a fragment of electroplasmic energy.*  

**Kline:**  
*“Within that sunken vessel lies a relic—a fragment of a much larger core of electroplasm. A piece of raw, unstable energy that I believe can be harnessed, or at least studied. It’s been calling to me, haunting my thoughts… a fragment of what went wrong during my own experiments.”*  

*His voice grows a touch colder, more intense.*  

**Kline:**  
*“Your task is to recover this relic. But be warned—this isn’t just salvaging old metal and wood. The ship is haunted by deep-sea spirits—guardians, perhaps, or echoes of the storm and the electroplasm’s fury. They will defend what’s theirs.”*  

*He leans back, adjusting his mask slightly, voice tinged with a mixture of admiration and warning.*  

**Kline:**  
*“I can provide you with some knowledge—arcane insights, tools, perhaps even a way to calm or manipulate the spirits. But the storm and the currents are unforgiving, and the wreck is a trap for the unwary. You’ll need courage, skill, and a bit of luck.”*  

*He pauses, eyes narrowing behind his mask.*  

**Kline:**  
*“And if you succeed, you’ll not only earn coin or favor—you’ll be helping me inch closer to understanding what happened to my body… and perhaps, find a way to heal the scars of both flesh and spirit.”*  

*He leans forward again, voice softer but urgent.*  

**Kline:**  
*“Fail, and the spirits may claim you as they did the vessel. Or worse—my research, my secrets, lost forever in the depths. So I ask—are you prepared to face the abyss for a chance at discovery?”*  

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 **Challenges & Threats for "Echoes of the Spark"**

 1. **Environmental Hazards (Major Threat)**
**Description:** Underwater currents, collapsing debris, and corrosive electroplasmic currents threaten the crew’s progress.

**Clocks & Resolution:**
- **Current & Debris Navigation (Long Clock, 4-6 segments):**  
  *Trigger:* Crew attempts to navigate through underwater tunnels and debris fields.  
  *Resolution:* Successful navigation allows safe passage; failure results in delays, injuries, or being pushed off course.  
  *Complication:* Time running out due to oxygen limits or rising currents.

- **Corrosive Currents (Moderate Clock, 3 segments):**  
  *Trigger:* Crew must disable or bypass electroplasmic flows damaging their gear or themselves.  
  *Resolution:* Cutting power or rerouting currents, risking equipment or attracting spirits.

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 2. **Supernatural Guardians (Major Threat)**
**Description:** Deep-sea spirits or guardian entities that defend the wreck, potentially hostile or vengeful.

**Clocks & Resolution:**
- **Spirit Encounter (Long Clock, 4-6 segments):**  
  *Trigger:* When close to the relic, spirits awaken or become hostile.  
  *Resolution:* Use arcane knowledge, stealth, or negotiation to calm or distract spirits; failure may lead to combat or spiritual afflictions.

- **Spirit’s Wrath (Trigger during confrontation or neglect, 3-4 segments):**  
  *Trigger:* If the crew mishandles the spirits—such as disturbing their resting place or failing to appease them—they may unleash their wrath, attacking the crew or causing environmental hazards.

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 3. **Damaged Equipment & Arcane Devices (Moderate Challenge)**
**Description:** Electroplasmic devices or arcane mechanisms in the wreck are unstable or malfunctioning.

**Clocks & Resolution:**
- **Device Stabilization (Medium Clock, 3-4 segments):**  
  *Trigger:* The crew needs to disable or repair a device to access the relic safely.  
  *Resolution:* Successful repair grants safe access; failure risks explosion, attracting spirits, or damaging the relic.

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 4. **Reclaiming the Relic (Major Challenge)**
**Description:** The relic is protected by a spiritual or arcane lock, requiring specific actions or knowledge to retrieve.

**Clocks & Resolution:**
- **Unlocking the Relic (Long Clock, 4-6 segments):**  
  *Trigger:* The crew must decipher arcane runes or manipulate devices to unlock the relic.  
  *Resolution:* Success results in retrieval; failure may cause the relic to trigger a trap or release a burst of unstable electroplasm.

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 5. **Kline’s Secrets & Internal Tension (Narrative Challenge)**
**Description:** During the mission, Kline’s presence and past may influence events—either as a helpful ally or as a potential source of betrayal.

**Clocks & Resolution:**
- **Trust & Secrets (Medium Clock, 3 segments):**  
  *Trigger:* Crew members discover hints about Kline’s injury or motives, risking secrets leaking or alliances shifting.  
  *Resolution:* Successful roleplay or investigation can deepen trust; failure may lead to distrust or Kline’s manipulative interference.

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 **Additional Threats & Challenges**

- **Oxygen or Air Supply Limits:**  
  *Time pressure clock—crew must complete key objectives within a set number of segments before suffocation or exposure.

- **Booby Traps or Arcane Locks:**  
  *Triggering traps could cause injuries, alert spirits, or damage equipment.

- **Hostile Underwater Creatures or Rivals:**  
  *Other treasure hunters or cult agents pursuing the relic could arrive, leading to conflict.

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 **Summary of Clocks:**

| Challenge / Threat                  | Size / Segments | Trigger / Resolution                                    |
|-------------------------------------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| Navigating currents & debris      | Long (4-6)     | Success: safe passage; fail: delays or injuries     |
| Corrosive currents                  | Moderate (3)   | Success: bypass; fail: damage or attract spirits    |
| Spirit Guardians                    | Long (4-6)     | Success: calm/distract spirits; fail: combat/curse  |
| Device malfunction                  | Moderate (3-4) | Success: repair; fail: explosion or detection        |
| Unlocking the relic                 | Long (4-6)     | Success: retrieve relic; fail: trap or release energy|
| Kline’s secrets / trust            | Moderate (3)   | Success: trust deepens; fail: betrayal or suspicion|