ZEITGEIST Cypherblade's Zeitgeist campaign

[Cypherblade]

Hey folks,
In a couple of months I will start with the Gears of Revolution AP for my roleplay group.
So I'm in the middle of preparations and thanks to a lot of people here, I found a huge amount of advice and material to augment the experience of my players.
Thank you all for this awesome content!

On one thing in chapter 12 'The Grinding Gears of Heaven' I didn't find a satisfactory answer on the boards. let me explain....

Spoiler

In Chapter 12 Part 1, the party crash lands on Av and while trying to save some fey, Av breaks apart, consumed by the grinding gears of the Gyre.
In Part 2 there is some reference to Av as being plane 53 on the map which sits all way back, farthest from the destruction of the cogwheels.

How do I have to understand this? Is this a fundamental flaw in the AP? Did I misread this? Or are the remnants of Av thrown across the Gyre and will they be processed again in some distant future?

Thanks for clarification.

Hope to keep you all posted on further developments in short notice.

 

[Len]

I haven't reached this part yet (just started on adventure 1), but since I'll have to run this soon I gave it some thought.

A partial answer could be that Cippiano is such a big deal (head of the biggest crim org in Flint) that he can pay for this deal out of his pocket, without taking up-front money from Gale or whoever. So the deal fell through but it didn't leave him owing anyone.

That does leave the question of why he's not angry at PCs for taking a lot of money or loot from him (assuming they managed to do that).

Maybe, again, Cippiano is such a big deal that he can just write it off as the cost of doing business, and he doesn't blame the PCs personally because they were only doing their job - "it's all in the game." The possible long-term benefit of being on the constables' good side is worth more to him.

How does that sound?

 

[RangerWickett]

Forging a long-term relationship is more valuable than short term losses. Morgan represents a massive global operation trying to get a foothold in Flint, and helping the constables root out the Kell Guild will lead to more long-term profits. Plus, Morgan is, at his heart, sincerely devout to his faith. He dislikes violence and suffering, and wants to see people reach their potential. He believes it's better for crime to be managed by someone civilized, with an eye on a long-term future where people like him aren't necessary.

In most of the campaigns I've seen, the party ends up vibing with Cippiano and accepting his help stopping massive threats for the sake of the greater good, while turning a blind eye to the distributed small-scale crime happening all over the place. If Morgan starts talking about money, then the constables start thinking about money. So he doesn't bring it up.

 

[Andrew Moreton]

Morgan is a business man, he is aware that the police/RHC will break up his smuggling ops on occassion, there is no reason to take it personally. If he got the money and failed a good faith delivery thats fine , if he lost the money well better luck next time.
In the pc's he see's a good opportunity to make good relations with the RHC and hopefully get them to cooperate in the future. He is already aiming at taking down Kell, and the pc's will do that for him.
I did have him try to get his people back but write off the goods as they are gone. He is the Godfather not a mexican drug lord , when things go bad he accepts it not send a team of goons to shoot up the police.
In both cases making deals and helping the pc's worked for him in the long term letting him get control of crime and make quiet money without messing with the law .
wrote all of this before seeing the other answers

 

[Cypherblade]

So here they all are, the party soon to be.

Felix Greenleaf – Investigative Mage & Journalist
A former journalist turned investigator for the Royal Homeland Constabulary (RHC), Felix is known for his incredible luck, natural charm, and erratic magical talent. Though his methods are unorthodox, his ability to uncover secrets and navigate political circles makes him a valuable—if unpredictable—asset.
(Wild Magic Sorcerer/ Skyseer)

Gustav "Gus" Overdrain– Former Sailor & Strongman
Born into an arrogant yet staunchly loyal Risuri family with deep-seated prejudices, Gustaaf spent years as a brawler and informant before serving in the navy. His military service saw him rise through the ranks, though his greatest failure still haunts him. Pushed into the RHC by his family, he started as a sanitation overseer but eventually became an investigator, valued for his brute strength and unwavering loyalty.
(Fighter Champion/ Yerasol Veteran)

Ayleen Fasthands – Elven Gunsmith & Covert Operative
An elven gunsmith raised in Flint’s industrial heart, Ayleen developed a reputation for crafting custom weapons before being caught in an RHC sting. Given the choice between imprisonment and service, she joined the RHC, excelling as a gunsmith before transferring to covert operations. Her intimate knowledge of Flint’s underworld, dexterity, and modified firearms make her a formidable field agent.
(Rogue-Mage / Gunsmith)

Sariä – Deva Druid, Vekeshi Mystic, and Guardian of the Forgotten​

Once a human who witnessed the Great Malice, Sariä was transformed into a Deva, carrying fragments of countless past lives. The trauma of Srasama’s fall drove her into isolation, where she embraced the Circle of the Moon Druidic path and later the teachings of the Vekeshi Mystics. In Flint, she operates in secrecy, blending into urban life with disguises, shapeshifting, and hidden druidic messages for her future incarnations. She stands as a quiet but fierce protector of the vulnerable, navigating the balance between vengeance and mercy, preservation and necessary action.
(Druid of the Moon / Vekeshi Mystic)

Kane "I see dead people" Kelrin – Haunted Investigator & Reluctant Priest of Light​

Once a wealthy merchant’s son, Kane’s life collapsed when his father was lost at sea, forcing him into Flint’s rough Harbor District. There, he discovered his ability to speak with the dead—a gift that terrified him but caught the attention of an RHC detective. Mentored into service, he became an investigator, using his grim talent to solve cases despite his deep fear of ghosts and the dark. His obsession with light granted him priestly powers without a deity, but his eerie abilities keep him an outsider within the RHC.
(Cleric of the Light / Spirit Medium)

 

[Cypherblade]

We will first play "Bonds of Forced Faith" as intro, before using these characters.

 

[MrsMongoose]

Will that give too much away early on? I can't remember... (IIRC we did it as a flashback at some point but not sure)

 

[MrsMongoose]

Hey folks,
In a couple of months I will start with the Gears of Revolution AP for my roleplay group.
So I'm in the middle of preparations and thanks to a lot of people here, I found a huge amount of advice and material to augment the experience of my players.
Thank you all for this awesome content!

On one thing in chapter 12 'The Grinding Gears of Heaven' I didn't find a satisfactory answer on the boards. let me explain....

Spoiler

In Chapter 12 Part 1, the party crash lands on Av and while trying to save some fey, Av breaks apart, consumed by the grinding gears of the Gyre.
In Part 2 there is some reference to Av as being plane 53 on the map which sits all way back, farthest from the destruction of the cogwheels.

How do I have to understand this? Is this a fundamental flaw in the AP? Did I misread this? Or are the remnants of Av thrown across the Gyre and will they be processed again in some distant future?

Thanks for clarification.

Hope to keep you all posted on further developments in short notice.

@Cypherblade Did you get this answered?
It's because there are TWO sets of gears: one at the "entrance" that grinds down a plane to a manageable chunk before it can pass into the Gyre ballpark, (which is why all the "entropic" planes are small and not infinite like usual extra-planar places), and one that - after forming an orderly queue - grinds the essence of the old plane into its component tiny bits, and whatever happens after that.

Think of it like one of those sorting conveyor belts that break down things into their individual types multiple times... but it's a very slow conveyor belt; only the beginning and end are violent. Usually.

 

[Cypherblade]

@MrsMongoose
I don't think it will give away too much, It's about witches on Cauldron Hill. It will give an explanation to my players why there are so many ghosts at this place and why there is so much potential for Witchoil.

As for the survival of the king and party, it might slightly alter their history, but I think I can handle that one


Furthermore, yes I indeed got an answer on that question about the gears, 2 seems logical now.

The prelude is scheduled for tomorrow (if all goes well)

 

[Cypherblade]

I ended up with three players instead of five for this intro, so I decided to give each player two characters. Maybe not the best decision, as it doubled the time needed for everyone to get familiar with their roles. Still, it led to a hilarious moment where Amielle and King Lorcan had a heated debate about Danoran technology—both acted by the same player!

Spoiler

After the introductions, Amielle arrived, the Contessa spoke with the King, and the Chief of Police briefed His Majesty about the skyseer. With no time to lose, the party immediately rushed up the mountain. When the Chief asked what to do about the skyseer, the King replied, "If she hasn’t foreseen that I wasn’t coming, she’s not a very worthy skyseer."


As they entered the woods and climbed toward Pernicity’s cabin, they found one of the Contessa’s spies tied to the trees. Stanfield recognized the unfortunate man as Rudy the butcher—someone he had abandoned months ago during a failed attempt to destroy the witches. Harkover Lee wisely used his black gem to block any scrying attempts, which proved fortunate: they managed to sneak past three groups of ghosts without being detected (lucky dice rolls, I guess...).


At Pernicity’s hut, the party wasted no time and launched straight into combat. Before long, they realized that any damage dealt to the witch seemed to harm the prisoners locked in the cages; they began dying one by one. Acting quickly, the King ordered Harkover Lee to fireball one of the cages, preventing the witch from 'feeding' on the souls. They were doomed anyway—better to die on the King's command than empower their enemy.

Pernicity tried to escape by transforming into a raven, but she hadn’t accounted for the power of the Godhand (Holy Sentinel). Tomas caught her by the tail and slammed her back to the ground. After a second failed escape attempt, the battle ended, and Pernicity’s spirit fled into the darkness.


Realizing they had gained precious time, the party pushed onward. They reached the mountaintop just as the first sliver of the moon began to darken. A quick reconnaissance revealed they faced overwhelming odds...


Unfortunately, it was already very late, so I decided to run the battle narratively. Once again, a group of prisoners huddled together against the cold suffered a fireball—this time to no real effect. But when Amielle decided to throw a grenade at the witches’ kettle, I asked for a roll. She landed a natural 20. With that, the kettle went flying over the edge, marking the turning point of the battle and leading to the witches' defeat.


In the aftermath, the King named Dame Melissa as his successor. And thus, everything unfolded according to canon...

 

[Cypherblade]

reworked pics I used