In this Hupperdook adventure, we follow 4 unlikely companions through the beginning of Dangerous Designs, one of the four mini adventures from Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount. I figured the adventure would be perfect for running a “campaign discovery” series for a group of friends. What is campaign discovery, you may ask?
Campaign discovery includes 4-8 sessions of mixed combat and roleplaying where we test character concepts, try out table/group dynamics, and new settings or themes. It’s a low risk way to introduce some elements of a full D&D campaign but without committing to one in its entirety.
Have you ever fallen in love with a character concept but once you play a few sessions, realize you’re not actually keen on playing them for the next year plus? Maybe they’re super optimized but actually quite boring to roleplay. Or maybe you love your character, but you don’t love how the other players interact at the game table. Maybe you’re just not as into the setting as you first thought you would be. And maybe, you want the character and story development of a full campaign but you really don’t have the time to commit to that right now.
In the spirit of introducing some newbie friends to D&D and testing out dynamics in a low commitment and fun for everyone way, I had each player bring their character concepts to the first session. We started out-of-character building consensus on what everyone wished to get out of the adventure, and then we dove in to Dangerous Designs: “a tale of political intrigue set in the gnomish city of Hupperdook in Western Wynandir”.
A Hupperdook Adventure
Bullwak was a gritty former mercenary, trained in martial weapons and favouring the flail. Since retiring and heading back to the Menagerie Coast, the strong-backed tortle liked to keep to himself and his creature comforts. Until one of his longstanding friends, a tabaxi fruit merchant, asked him to accompany his adventurous daughter across the country. Gold Salt, spry and spirited, with her grey fur and golden eyes, was dead set on finding the tastiest fruit the world had to offer. She had her father’s reputation as the best fruit merchant to uphold. Bullwak begrudgingly agreed to accompany her and defend the young tabaxi on her quest, the true paladin knight he was.
Gold Salt didn’t need her father’s old timer friend, but it was nice to have a familiar face nearby as she ventured out across new lands. Sometimes, she would lie, belly-up across his large tortle shell as he trudged along, and she would daydream. Her curiosity often getting the better of her, they would end up on detours, leading further and further away from their coastal home.
One day, they met up with a talkative and excitable human named Oren. His billowing green cloak had seen better days, but his optimism and eagerness to please was refreshing. Oren carried with him a boastful confidence and a faint scent of the sea. Lute strung across his back, he was always quick to offer up a performance in exchange for a story, bed, or some coin. He wasn’t the most talented lutist or sweetest singer, but he could marry a tune and a jig so well never did he have a performance that ended anything short of a standing ovation. Unless, that is, he was too drunk to sensibly play.
The three made their way across the continent of Wildemount and eventually found themselves looking upon the outer walls of Hupperdook, just as night time was creeping it’s way in to the city. This is where our adventure begins…
The Ironlot Streets
A mysterious stranger
The air was chill, the smell of iron and coal mixed with the scent of a recent rainfall, travellers’ boots squished in the damp muddy path as they made their way up to the city walls. Celebrations in the upper city had already started and the odd firework and cheer could be heard from down in the Assembly Yard below. Oren couldn’t wait to join in on the famed festivities of Upper Hupperdook. He told his travel companions of stories he had heard and drinks he had dreamed about. Bullwak was not very interested, “I just want to go to bed” he proclaimed in his monotonous and deep voice “and keep her out of trouble.” gesturing to Gold Salt who was just waking up from a snooze. As they took stock in their surroundings, they noticed a lone figure by one of the workbenches, tidying up for the evening.
“Ahoy!” Oren shouted, “are you from here? might you be able to direct us to a party?”
The young man paused and eyed the three strangers for a moment, before slowly nodding his head and replying “Yes, I could perhaps be of help.” His thick accent was foreign to the coasters, but he seemed to speak Common well enough. As they got closer, they deemed he must work close to a forge, his face covered in a dusty layer of ash and lightly smudged with charcoal. Despite his workstation being closed down, a soft heat still radiated from the area, it was a nice respite from the damp of the evening air. “You are not from round here, no?” he asked.
“How could you tell?!” proclaimed Oren, wildly looking around.
“Your clothes, are… not so much like in Hupperdook. Also, you look like you are new here.” He spoke each word deliberately without much inflection.
They exchanged names, and the man introduced himself as Warryn. “I am just finishing up for day. After, I can help show you round.”
He finished tidying up his tools and workbench, then guided the others into the street, through the city gates, and towards the entrance to the upper city.
“Is it true you have the craziest parties here?” Oren asked Warryn excitedly.
“Oh yes, though, best be careful not party too hard.”
“And how are your inns?” Bullwak interjected slowly but with weight behind his words.
“Yes, inns too. Some quiet. Some, how you say,” he gestured his hands up and down in a shrugging motion “not so quiet.” Warryn continued to tell the travellers about the city for a few minutes, until suddenly, out of nowhere the evening’s quiet was shattered.
Combat ensues
An explosion that rocked the streets sounded to their left, several hundred yards away. Smoke rose into the sky, mixing with the intermittent fog that clung to the streets and alleyways below. “What was that?” everyone asked. Then, without another moment of hesitation, Gold Salt took off towards the sound. She stealthily hopped rooftop to rooftop, trying and get to a better vantage point.
The others raced after her, Oren and Bullwak with some difficulty in the low lighting. They all sprinted closer to the source of the explosion, when suddenly creatures emerged from the shadows running towards them, clearly fleeing the scene of the commotion. Warryn warned them to halt and lit up the street with flames, but no questions or threats would be slowing these characters down tonight. A gigantic goliath, her hair matted and dark, her broad shoulders and muscular arms bare was at nearly a full sprint. She carried a longsword and led a small group of armoured kobolds down the street.
Words failed, and a bloody battle ensued as Warryn, Gold Salt, Bullwak and Oren tried to stop the runaways. Our adventurers were surprised at how easily the kobolds were slain, and even more surprised when the dispatched ones exploded all over the street. The small creatures seemed to spontaneously detonate violently soon after they were slain, leaving little to investigate after the fact. Gold Salt fired arrows at them from the rooftop overhead, and Warryn flew firebolts as Bullwak and Oren drew their weapons. Eventually, the goliath was able to cast some sort of spell, obscuring her from their vision, and she dashed away from her assailants.
Kobold guts strewn across the wet streets of Lower Hupperdook, and smoke rising from a new gaping hole in the side of the mountain, Bullwak was able to find some curious red clay left by the kobold’s footprints before the city guards, some concerned citizens, and the Watchmaster Bram Gulchswattle showed up on the scene.
A quest begins
Prisoner of War
After some questions and discussion, plus reassurances from Warryn of the newcomer’s merit, the Watchmaster contracted the four would-be heroes to track down the goliath. Sken Zabriss was “a war criminal from the evil Kryn Dynasty”, the gnome explained. Gulchswattle ensured them they would be well rewarded for taking this dangerous foe off the streets “dead or alive”, and was eventually even persuaded to provide half the payment up front. The first place for them to look would be the scene of the crime, gearhole prison, where Zabriss had been locked up.
Gearhole Prison
They weren’t the first on the scene, an elf named Yinra Emberwind, was already there snooping around. She introduced herself as a private contractor and immediately gave off a cocky, mistrustful vibe. Our amateur detectives were wary of her, except for Oren who was dazzled by her impeccable good taste in outerwear. The fiery elf wasn’t much help to them, but did manage to insult their intelligence and stoke some questions around the protective forces in Hupperdook. Oren, Gold Salt, and Bullwak learned of the Crownsguard, whome Gulchswattle represented, the Citizen’s Watch, whom Yinra was collecting payment from, and Starosta Emma Zezbok who was the authority in Hupperdook and the surrounding areas.
Also found in the destroyed prison cell, were remnants of an iron crab-like automaton, and blast remnants giving off the strong smell of sulfur. These clues would lead the characters to a few individuals in town they could question. But first, Bullwak insisted on a good night’s rest. Warryn sent his raven familiar off to tell “Tank” he wouldn’t be home that night, and continued showing his new acquaintances around, promising an early start to the investigation in the morning.
They made their way towards the Infamous Lantern Bar, which boasted the most restful sleep in town. First they ventured up the town’s winch lift “elevator”, an open platform with a short steel railing, powered by a complex looking multi-gear and pulley system. The adventurers from the Menagerie Coast were completely astounded. Warryn had to insist it was the quickest, and safest, way up the cliffside as Bullwak and Oren were visibly concerned. But Gold Salt took the opportunity to soak in the beauty of the city. Hupperdook was gracefully nestled in to the mountainside, lights from the boisterous upper city danced playfully through the mist and across the contours below, and the moonless sky complemented the stillness of the lower city.
Upper Hupperdook
Joys in the streets
Once in Upper Hupperdook, the three newcomers were overwhelmed with how busy the narrow streets were. Candles and lamps lit up the rows upon rows or food vendors and merchant stands. Gnomes, dwarfs, humans of all shapes and sizes were out and about. Warryn had them follow him to a merchant who’s pockets were full of ‘fire sticks’, and introduced his new friends to these thin, metallic, hand-held wands. He lit the ends on fire with a brief touch of his hand, and passed them around. The sticks immediately started sparking, crackling and spitting brightly but harmlessly. “Good fun for the little ones” Warryn smiled.
Gold Salt’s keen sense of smell pulled her and Bullwak through the bustling streets to acquire every tasty treat she laid her eyes on. “I want this, and this, and..OH! Those look good!” Pulling the old tortle this way and that, she stocked up on jerky, tried something called shawarma – which was absolutely amazing, and stuffed herself and her pockets full with sausages and cured meats.
Eventually, Warryn, Gold Salt, and Bullwak realized they had lost track of the bard and thought they better go and find him before checking in for the night. They made their way down the busy street until they came across an especially rowdy looking establishment. A few characters dressed in all black, were leaning on the doorway, smoking long pipes and speaking in soft casual voices. Gold Salt’s ears perked up, “I think I hear him in there!”
Fuse & folly
They pushed their way though a throng of sweaty bodies, the air in the pub thick with smoke and reeking of body odour combined with alcohol. Oren was at the bar swaying slightly, telling anyone within earshot a story.
“And then!” he slurred, reaching out for another shot of something dark brown and syrupy.
“Oren,” Bullwak thundered, “we need to get going.”
“Ah, hello! yes! Just let me…” he took the shot. “Where was I?” turning back to the crowd, he realized no one but his three fellow adventurers seemed to be listening anymore, he sighed and agreed to leave and find the inn with them.
After settling in at the Infamous Lantern Bar, a well-deserved rest was had in the blissful silence of their room.
Investigating the lower city
Master Maker Cleff Tinkertop
Our amateur detectives started their work the next day after a wonderfully scrumptious Full Empire Breakfast of bacon, sausages, eggs, beans, and pastries. They went back down to Lower Hupperdook and made their way outside the city walls to the Assembly Yard. There they were greeted with the sounds and smells of hard industrial work, clanging of metal, banging of hammers, and the varied smells of many forges all firing at once. Now in the daylight, Oren, Bullwak, and Gold Salt were able to clearly take in the magnitude of innovation and development here in Hupperdook. The yard was full of metal constructs, catapults, cannons, and many unidentifiable machines.
“Do you have things like this where you come from?” Warryn inquired.
Their expressions were self explanatory. “We have, some similar things, on ships.” Oren gestured something that resembled a ship’s cannon. “But nothing to this scale, these are amazing.”
Over by one of the work areas, they met the Master Maker Cleff Tinkertop and his assistant Rissa. The two gnomes were deep in concentration working on some sort of metallic glider contraption. Tinkertop was absent-minded and clearly engrossed in his invention, he waved them on to the Firemark Facility down the way to ask more about the sulfurous smell and remnants of blasting powder they had found. But when they showed him the automaton he snapped to attention.
“This… this… Where did you get this?” He squeaked. “May I?” the middle-aged gnome reached for the metal construct to examine. “Interesting… definitely my design… but this, it is definitely not one of mine!”
The four pressed him further, if it was his design, how could they be so sure he wasn’t a suspect. His squeaky voice becoming even squeakier “If you’re implicating me in last night’s crimes, I’ll have you know I had nothing to do with it! See how hastily it’s been put together? Pah! impatient work and poor execution indeed!” Tinkertop showed them weak points in the automaton and offered to fix it for them if they wanted. He seemed believable enough.
“Maybe later,” Oren continued, “But first, we have a criminal to catch.”
“Interestingly though,” Tinkertop was still focusing on the automaton, “this specific craftsmanship does remind me of a former colleague of mine.”
Huron Stahlmast
Cleff Tinkertop told them about Huron Stahlmast, a once a promising inventor within the city’s employ. Hired by the Dwendalian Empire and sent to Hupperdook to lead weapons design in the war efforts against the Kryn Dynasty, the young engineer had been ambitious and eccentric in his experimentation. After years of mixed results and methods many of the townsfolk disapproved of, he was eventually removed of his duties, shamed, and run out of town. No one had seen or heard from him in years.
“I always found he was way too ambitious, and though brilliant, wasn’t as smart as he thought he was…” Tinkertop sighed. “We collaborated on a few designs, but we never agreed on methodology. It’s been years since anyone’s brought him up!”
The gnome briefly pondered on the implications of this new discovery, but his attention was soon pulled back to his glider by the sound of Rissa’s hammering. “Gentle!” he shouted, attention focused again on his latest project.
Tinkertop absentmindedly bade the visitors farewell as they went off in search of their next clue in the city. They wondered where this escaped goliath may have gone, was there any link to this mysterious Stahlmast, and perhaps why any of this was happening in the first place.
This Hupperdook adventure continues in Part II