S1 — Lower Level: Mansion of Ash
To the next keeper of the mansion,
Do not force the Twelvefold Alignment from the hall. The first three rooms must answer one another before the machine will hold: begin at the Ash Intake, carry the mark through the Counterweight Gallery, and finish at the Twelvefold Sump. If the ripples return out of order, stop. The house is listening, and it will close its doors around anyone who mistakes noise for a signal.
When all three rooms answer, turn the final wheel once and leave the keyhole untouched until the bell sounds.
— M.
Challenge 1: The Twelvefold Alignment
Primary CheckThievery, Crafting, or Athletics DC 16 to set a matching mark; Perception DC 16 to call the correct pair.
The party coordinates the Intake, Counterweight Gallery, and Twelvefold Sump as one mechanism. Each round, the caller identifies a mark and the teams set its matching pair. Achieve 6 successes before 3 failures. A failed check raises the flood one step and advances the submerged threat, but the alignment always remains solvable.
Critical SuccessThe water drops immediately after the final pair, the Ash Lift opens, and the party gains a clear route through the basement.
SuccessOne matching pair is set and the next mark becomes available.
FailureThe flood rises one step and the next check is made under worsening footing.
Critical FailureThe mechanism bucks violently. Count 1 failure, raise the flood one additional step, and advance the submerged threat.