The Eccles Incursion

 

This adventure follows on directly from the Trip to the Ironwood.

The adventurers will in all likelihood return to Bar-Alda late in the evening, and settle down for a Long Rest.  If so, when they awaken, they find that the patrols from the Elven Village have noted the arrival of a large country estate, comprising gardens and a house in the Taiga, just 2 miles away. 

Nigel volunteered to investigate, with Ruby, but they have been away for several hours now.  

The characters are asked to follow-up on Nigel, and if possible, aid him and his avian steed.

(Note: Whatever the time of arrival, this adventure works better if Nigel and Ruby have had around 2-3 hours start on the players).

The Background

This is a Steampunk-inspired adventure, resulting form a surprising incursion into the land of Orn.

The inventor, Professor Eloise Jones, a few years ago in a universe some distance away in an indescribable direction, discovered how to harness magic, electricity and the local phlogiston gradient to challenge time and space.  After her first trip, taken alone in a prototype vehicle, almost separated her permanently from her family, and also nearly killed her, she decided that if she travelled again she would bring the family, and the family home and estate, with her.

The house and grounds of Eccles, that she purchased with the money from her other inventions, now has the capability to travel time and the multiverse, and Professor Jones and her husband Jonathon have taken their family exploring as an 'educational' experience.  They have gathered information, samples and objects from across time and space.

Recently, however, while journeying, the estate intersected with a chronospatial whirlpool (this happens all the time), with the result that the house and park have been transported to an area of the Taiga, the forest on Orn surrounding the Great Oak, through an unusual feature of an Ornian portal. 

It appears this may all have been part of a nefarious plot, as at the same time Professor Jones' arch-enemy, Colonel Cornelia McMurdo penetrated the grounds with her team.  Currently working for the Time Patrol - and charged with making sure that timelines flow naturally, without anachronisms or corruption - they have the authority to intervene in Jones's experiments.  They have effected a means of entry to the house, and they intend to stop the Professor’s adventures and take over her enterprise.  

The Time Patrol's main objective is to incapacitate and capture the family, and then take control of the house and estate.  One flaw in their plans is that they haven't accounted for the family's retinue, who might cause problems.  They will, if possible, avoid harming 'locals' so as not to unnecessarily disrupt the timelines further.  However, they will fight ferociously if forced.

Nigel arrived at the estate a few hours ago, and after spending some time investigating the Lake (see the Park, areas 6 and 7), has successfully entered the house through the first-floor balcony at the back (see room 8, first floor), and can be found, bemused, with Sebastian, in the first-floor playroom (room 17).

McMurdo’s team entered through a ground floor room, incapacitated Jonathon (Ground Floor Areas 6 and 7), and then attained the first floor via the Conservatory.   They trapped Sebastian and Victoria with an Entrancer (First Floor area 17).   

After initially succumbing, Victoria later broke free of the device, and escaped the House successfully (via area 18).  McMurdo and her team are unaware of this.  They have placed themselves around the House and are on the lookout for the Professor.

As the adventurers enter the building McMurdo’s team will be in the positions described in the text and maps below.  However, the DM should have them react with agility as the situation develops, as they attempt to fulfil their mission.

Professor Jones is at work in the sub-basement and caverns, and is so far unaware of the incursions.  She has, however, noted that the estate has made an unscheduled stop.  At some point she will decide to come upstairs, and will seek out her family.

For detailed descriptions of those present, and more about their motivations, see The Travellers in Time and Space and The Time Patrol.

Finally, and unrelated to the other characters, Samira Khan is investigating the gardens (see the Park, area 8); her steed, a dinosaur, is waiting nearby.

Optional Rules:  Because of its exceptionally unusual nature, and to minimise dangerous effects, Orn has sealed the behaviour of Eccles and its estate into a partial pocket universe, with its own variant physical and magical laws.  Many local creatures are seemingly aware of its clear alien-ness and will not enter the Park.

In the park and house, for the duration of this adventure, magic is somewhat more powerful, as follows.

- Detect spells work over twice the range and have twice the duration.

- Spells related to lightning, steam or metal in any way have double effect.

- Spells related to haste, slow, and time in any manner work at triple effect.

- Other skills and spells related to Dunamancy similarly work with greater effect (see Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, pp 182-190).  For example, an Echo Knight will find she or he has their echo power doubled in range. 

However, it may well prove that characters attempting to exploit these additional powers will find that they have to spend some time getting used to them.

At the same time, local gravitational and time fluctuations mean that ranged weapons do not fly as expected, and have a 50% chance of wildly missing their targets.  Characters may well notice this!

Should the estate remain in Orn for more than a few days, these effects will slowly fade.

Whether or not these options are used, the Park and House are clear of the mists that cover the rest of Orn.  Looking upwards, there is low cloud cover at about 500 feet.

The Family

Professor Eloise Jones, Chaotic good scientist, inventor and explorer. 

Dr Jonathon Jones, Professor Jones’ husband.

Victoria Jones, Their 12-year-old daughter.

Sebastian Jones, Their 10-year-old son.

Their Retinue

The following assist the family and work in the house and gardens.

Ms Whites, The housekeeper, cook and chatelain of the house.  

Albert Worm, The gardener and groundsman

Squirrl, See the Park, entry 4.1. Not officially a member of the retinue, but will always support Victoria.

The Time Patrol

Colonel Cornelia McMurdo, Female human

Major Suzanne Djomo        Female dragonborn

Sergeant Billy,                    Female halfling

Descriptions of Eccles

Following these area-by-area descriptions, there are further details on the Time Patrol, and suggestions for running the encounter.

The Park

The adventurers will be guided to the Estate by a couple of elves from Bar-Alda.  Three or four more are keeping an eye on the estate from outside, but will not enter it.

The House and grounds (the Park) have seemingly replaced the many trees and the undergrowth which previously occupied the area.

 

1	The House.  See below for detailed description. From outside, the building looks to be made of old, blackened wood on a brick foundation.  The windows are difficult to see through (grubby) but lights can be seen coming and going inside. The conservatory occasionally gives forth a blaze of polychromatic light. The drive that circles by the front of the house encloses a raised bed of flowers including roses, tulips, and sunflowers (these are normal, but completely out of proper season). Alongside the drive near the house are a few small fruit trees.
2	Coach House.   A somewhat dilapidated building containing a complex, clockwork four-legged ‘walker,’ and trailer.  The clockwork walker has four seats, and can operate just as a clockwork device.  However, it also includes a small steam engine, which can be lit and started to provide auxillary power and keep the spring wound.  This is Professor Jones’ new ‘hybrid’ autowalker.  As well as transport, it also has a small electrostatic cannon, slung between the front legs.   (6 shots before recharge, range 60/180’ 3d8 damage). The autowalker can also generate a magnetic ‘shield’ – which shimmers purple and provides protection against energy weapons and metallic projectiles. Maximum one hour use each day.
3	Entrance Gates. Iron railings, 10’ high. Mounted with new-looking iron sculptures of a cog and an hourglass. On the wall beside the gates is a highly corroded brass plate saying “Eccles” – the name of the house and park are unchanged from the time before Jones bought them.
4	The Woods.  A rich variety of  deciduous and evergreen trees, including elder, plane, holly, yew, oak, and beech.  The undergrowth is dense. As Eloise and her family have travelled the multiverse, a number of creatures from between the planes have infested the house and gardens, or it may be that their travels have altered their otherwise normal inhabitants.  The following unusual creatures live in or around the woods-     1 Squirrl  -  a were-squirrel.   As a human, appears as a red-haired, ponytailed teenager, with skills in acrobatics and some charm.  She has a small hut with running water and a stove in the woods. Squirrl also has powers of squirrel command. She is friends with Victoria Jones.  Were-squirrel Behaviour and Description 2     Liza, Shambling Mound – while dangerous if challenged, this mound is, in effect,  Albert Worm's personal animated compost heap, and will obey simple commands from him.   He calls it ‘Liza’ (short for fertiliser).  Otherwise as Shambling Mound in 5e MM .    3 The Triffids – a matched pair, usually found near the path through the woods (see area 9 of the Park, below).  They will strike out if approached, but otherwise will avoid any altercations.  Triffid: Description and Behaviour 4         Wilbert the Wisp.   A friend of Sebastian, and neutral, Wilbert hangs around as far away as possible from Squirrl, because she is prone to teasing him.   Otherwise a Will O’ Wisp as 5e MM .   5             Up to six Giant Bees – Their hive is missing, because of the loss of one end of the Park.  The rest of their swarm is elsewhere, or elsewhen, in space and time.  See the following Homebrew page from the D&D Wiki:  https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Giant_Bee_(5e_Creature)  6 Floatbears.  These large bears have developed the natural ability to  briefly nullify gravity, to enable them to easily climb walls and trees.  They will drop on passers-by from treetops.   Otherwise as Brown Bear 5e MM. 7 Phase Budgies  These will visit all parts of the forest from time-to-time, before returning to their aviary. See Large Folly, Area 5 below.  8     Ventriloqual Frogs These tiny creatures will stay hidden in the undergrowth.  They will impersonate the voices of the family, or anyone else they have encountered, to try to lure adventurers deeper into the forest.  Ideally, they will try to entice characters towards one of the more dangerous forest denizens, in the hope of scavenging any remains. AC 10, HP 1, Attacks None - apart from impersonation skills.
5	Large Folly This is a white tower on a small grassy mound.  There are white marble steps up to it, that circle the mound.  The door in reveals an open area, with a spiral staircase up the inside of the tower to the roof area, 30’ above the park. The staircase has no banister. On the roof is an old brass telescope (that still works), and a large aviary.  The door of the aviary is closed, but many budgerigars still appear to be flying in and out of it.  There is cuttle fish, seed, water and a small mirror in the cage. These are Phase Budgies – similar to Phase Spiders, except essentially harmless, they can fly where they like by phasing in and out of the material plane..  If they are fed by a character, or take an interest in them for other reasons, they will pester and distract them for the following hour. There is 10-50% chance of disturbing other activities, depending upon how annoying it is - for example, a couple might perch on the end of an arrow and ruin a bowman's aim. At the base of the spiral staircase, is a hidden lever. Pulling the lever will open up several slabs of stone on the floor, revealing a continuation of the stairs underground.  Pushing the lever back closes the opening.  A similar lever works the slabs from beneath. The underground staircase connects to the sub-basement of the House (see Sub-basement, area 2).
6	The Lake.  This is 30-50’ deep. The lake is covered in lilies, and large goldfish can be seen swimming in the water. Deep down, at the lowest point, live intelligent ancient octopus creatures.  They are philosophers and thinkers, who aspire to live a quiet life.  However, they do know a little about the Jones family, and will be happy to share their knowledge with underwater visitors, if asked.   They are telepathic, and will attempt to evade attack by speedily swimming away (underwater speed 60'). If successfully questioned they will reveal that the family originated on one of the moons of the World of Two Rivers.  However, they won't be able to indicate clearly which universe that is in.
7	The Island Laurel and rhododendron bushes dominate the island.  There is a small stone fort, child-sized.  The island was originally designed as a children's play area. Saying the right secret word will cause a section of the floor to rise up, revealing a staircase down to a reserve store of equipment.  While much of this is tired-looking play equipment, one securely locked trunk holds an epee, dagger and bow - with a quiver of 20 arrows.  These are of strange design, but non-magical. The Island is difficult to leave.  The bridge (that the Professor has named the 'Quantum Bridge'), returns any traveller to the island.  This is warped space, not an illusion.  So ropes thrown across come back, and an arrow fired across returns. Escape requires a password. Or an echo knight, a teleport, or equivalent, or someone to pull them through from the shore. Or they could swim the lake (as Nigel eventually did when he explored the Island).
8	Gardens These are attractively laid-out formal gardens.  Albert Worm's pride and joy. Many of the plants here are relatively normal: agapanthus and wallflowers, violets and dahlias; low topiary hedges.  Some however are more unusual, including: - Yellow Roses covered in small blue spots, which seem to move in the wind even when there are no breezes. - Fractal Daisies, whose petals, when looked at closely, reveal smaller daisies and petals, and so forth to further miniature scales. - Talking Tulips. While they appear as normal tulips, in a variety of colours, on close inspection, the adventurers will see that the petals are moving slightly, and the flowers are speaking quietly amongst themselves.  Although their language is unknown, a  Speak with Plants spell will reveal that they are reciting plant-based love poems to each other.  (These plants are favourites of Sebastian;  he calls them 'two-lips'). Near the exit from the kitchen (see Ground floor Area 10), there is a small kitchen garden.  Mostly, this grows normal looking vegetables - leeks, potatoes, tomatoes, different types of green veg and so forth.  However, there are a group of pumpkins which have been firmly staked down, as they appear to be straining into the air.  If cut free they will zoom uncontrollably into the sky.  Ms Samira Khan is in the garden, inspecting the fractal daisies. Her dinosaur steed is a few feet away.  She is being watched by Sergeant Billy (see ground floor area 13). Samira Khan - see The Technocrats
9	Path through the Woods  This is a winding path through dense, wild-looking woods.  A romantic 'wilderness' created by the previous owners.  Originally, the path ended at the summerhouse, and the Giant Beehives, but these have been lost in the chronospatial whirlpools. If she realises this, Professor Jones will want to leave quickly, to at least try to recover them. The two Triffids are usually found in this area, silent and motionless in the woods a few feet from the path.   Giant Bees also flit through the forest vegetation from time-to-time. The adventurers may use the path as a route into the park, but the forest does look rather forbidding!
10	Gap in the Wall At this point, the unexpected transfer to Orn shattered the outer wall of the Park.  Usually, Eccles and the Park travel together. However, such was the unusual nature of the chronospatial whirlpool that not all of the park arrived on Orn (see also the discussion of the summerhouse and beehives above). The adventurers may well decide to enter the Park through this gap, rather than the main gates.

 

 The House

Each level of the House is separately described.  If the characters first see the house from the gate to the park, they will see the two main floors, the large veranda, the smaller third floor, the tower (with gabled roof), the new building to the left of the main house, and the conservatory.

However, as noted above, they may decide to enter through the gap in the surrounding wall, the forest path or climb over the outer wall at another point, in which case they will see the house from a different angle.

Ruby is tied up to an apple tree at the front of the House, thirty yards from the veranda.  She has been eating apples, and is in a bad mood.  She was abandoned by Nigel for what seemed like ages by the Quantum Bridge, and now he’s tied her up again!

Ground Floor

1	The Time and Space Machine.  This is an extension to the House, clearly relatively new, made from horizontal pine panels.  The only opening appears to be the door to the veranda(2).  This door is locked (DC 15 to pick). Inside is Eloise Jones’ latest Autochronoptipede engine: a huge affair of clockwork and gears, powered by five great springs at its centre (all set at right angles to each other, but you can’t tell from looking, because they are projections from 5D into 3D space).  It is this which moves the house and gardens through the planes and times of existence. The engine is currently idling.  Cogs can be seen slowly moving, and the occasional light flashes.  There is a control point, with valve controls, levers, etc.  If a character adjusts any control, one of the following may happen (D20):   Roll Effect  1 The engine grinds to a juddering halt and requires the Professor to restart it.  2-10  No obvious effect.  11 Local time loops three times (eg they are standing outside the extension, enter, and trigger the machine again).  12     Local gravity is reduced to zero in the extension. Characters will fly to the ceiling - 50% chance of 1-3 points of damage.  13 50% of the party in the extension are frozen in time for 10 minutes.  14-15 Flashes and explosions, but nothing else happens.  16 Throughout the house and grounds, no fires or lightning have effect for the next twenty minutes.  17     A portal is opened in the ceiling, through which a random creature appears. Choose from (or roll D6):   - A small mouse   - An octopus   - A green Faerie Dragon - as 5e MM   - A Spined Devil - as 5e MM    - Four fresh Trout   - A Blood Hawk - as 5e MM   18 A pale blue light suffuses the area, focused on whoever touched the controls.  19 Everyone in the building is transported instantly to: 1-2 the Island; 3-4 The Tower; 5-6 the Top of the Folly.  20     Time vortices rise from the House, and cause the Ship of the Time Patrol to be brought to the ground, with a great crashing roar.  It smashes into the Park near the edge of the woods, close to the Folly. The Ship is half buried, and will be impossible for the adventurers to enter, although the Time Patrol will be able to instruct it to rise slightly and open a hatchway.
2	Veranda.  This wide, roofed veranda includes several seats and tables for lounging and relaxing. Rather antebellum in architectural style. There is a hammock at the corner curve. Anyone lying in the hammock will find themselves dreaming of stars and planets.  If they fail a ST (Con, DC 16), they will fall asleep and dream of flying between the stars and other worlds.  They will gain 50xp if they sleep for longer than 5 mins.  They will need to be shaken awake, otherwise they could sleep, restfully, for 6 hours.
3	Entrance hallway.  This is a large, ornately-carved hallway, with a balcony at first floor level along the left-hand side.  The hall rises above the second floor (over 25’) and has panes of glass in the ceiling providing light. Pictures on the walls depict various family members in different terrains.  David Hardy-style star and planet images can be seen in the backgrounds.  There is a shield with a crossed blunderbuss and epee across it.  The blunderbuss is rusted and nonfunctional, the epee will work as a standard sword. There is a wide, ornate staircase rising up, opposite the entrance doors. This curves to the right and then left again, up to the first floor landing. A door to the left of the staircase leads to the back of the house, and doors to other family rooms are on the right and left. During the chaotic journey to Orn, this area has become infested by five Phase Spiders.   Webs festoon the hall and balcony.  The spiders will attempt to attack anyone who enters, by any door. Phase Spider. As 5e MM .  HP 30, 33, 27, 32, 26.
4	Family Lounge.  Chairs and tables, drinks cabinet and a pianoforte.   Automatic PianoForte.  Will begin to play the music of choice of any character who sits at the keyboard.  This may alert others nearby.  Drinks on the table include serious intoxicants, and a bottle of magical spatial awareness.  This will enable any drinker to spot the secret room on the first floor, and otherwise sense the layout of the house and spot incongruities in areas such as the secret tunnel and the bridge to the island.  The pictures on these walls show the family playing games of various types (croquet, tennis, golf) in the grounds of the Park.
5	Day room  A quiet study, set aside for Jonathon, although Victoria has taken to occasionally joining him there, to read and chat.  Sitting on a table is a copy of a newspaper picked up on their travels: The Sharn Inquisitive – note this does not imply that the family have visited Eberron, merely that they have picked up the newspaper from somewhere, Beside this are three copies of Professor Jones' Handy Spellbook.
6	Jonathon’s Library.  Open window.  Forced, by which the Colonel and her gang made their entrance.  The books are nonmagical treatises on the complex biologies of alien creatures. Another copy of Professor Jones' spellbook is on one of the shelves.
7	Lumber room Boxes, old carpets, mouldy cushions and other lumber fill the room.  Leaning against one wall, Dr Jonathon Jones can be found.  He has been tied up and left by Major Djomo, who is now standing guard in the conservatory.   Jonathon is attempting to pull down the gag, so that he can whistle to his tangleweed tendrils for help (see area 12).
8	Short corridor to kitchen area from hallway.  Functional brick-plastered walls.  Also a hidden door to the dumb waiter (see area 14), and a door leading to steep stairs down to the cellar.  Door to family dining room (area 9).
9	Family Dining Room  A large dining table dominates the room.   While one end is laid for a family meal, the other is covered with papers, showing complicated mathematical and geometric calculations. Doors out to rear veranda and gardens. A Ms Whites is here cleaning the cutlery.  She is aware of Sergeant Billy on the veranda, but is currently ignoring their presence until the Sergeant's intentions become clear. If necessary, Ms Whites' initial action will be to Command the Sergeant to "Flee".  Once the Ms Whites in the Kitchen has replicated, she will consider whether a Dominate Person is needed.
10	Kitchen Well equipped kitchen, with sink (water supplied from the boiler room), range, and many different items of kitchen equipment.    A Ms Whites is here.  She has equipped herself with kitchen knives and a cleaver, and is busily boiling pans of water. If the replica in the family dining room needs to take action, this Ms Whites will replicate herself, and head to support her.
11	Pantry  A store room containing various jars and sacks (pickles, sauces, flour, lentils and so forth), as well as several large pieces of meat, and a tub of apples.
12	Conservatory A hot, humid, wrought-iron conservatory (think miniature, Victorian, Kew Gardens hothouse). A metal table and a couple of chairs stand near the centre, by a small pond, with some scrawled sheets of paper that appear to consider 'the anatomy of an orchid's brainstem'. The table is also strewn with complex calculations of genetic backgrounds and plant breeding charts. In the Conservatory are found Jonathon’s pride and joy, the many plants he has captured, bred and trained on his travels.  And as he always says ‘If they aren’t unusual and dangerous, where is the challenge?’ These include:  -                      Several earthenware pots of Itchweed.  These are fern-like green plants, which if brushed against will cause furious itching for up to 4 hours, causing immense distraction (all saves, attacks and initiative rolls at -1).  ST vs Con (DC 14) to avoid the effect.  -                      Thick tendrils of Tangleweed stretching across one of the paths.   These are carnivorous plants that grapple small animals and drag them to the base of their root system (ST vs Strength (DC 8) to break free).  This particular plant has been trained up by Jonathon to respond to his coded whistles.  (See room 7) -                      A Foambush.  In the presence of fire, this will undergo explosive growth, while fire-retardant sap is sprayed around.  There are small cuttings of this in the children’s bedrooms, and the two uppermost rooms of the house (tower and wider room below). -                     Bell Peppers.  A couple of bushes bearing capsicum-like peppers, coloured blue, green, yellow, orange and red.  If disturbed, they will begin to chime as bells - quite discordantly.  So loud discordantly, in fact, that they will be heard all over the house and basement. -            Fractal Chrysanthemums.  A large bush of pink flowers that give off an enticing scent.  ST vs Wisdom (DC 12) or be attracted to the plant by the fragrance. Upon peering close, anyone so entranced will see more and more exquisite details, and become enraptured with the microcosms revealed.  The effect will last 15 minutes. -                    Spider Plants.  Mobile green plants with red tendrils that resemble large spiders.  There are around a dozen, quietly moving around the conservatory.  From their markings, they appear to have large mandibles. The plants will move towards voices, but they are harmless.   The Lily Pond: Near the centre of the conservatory is a small round pond - 15' in diameter and 4' deep, with a raised rim. The pond contains Inspiration Lillies.  These plants give off a strange scent which, if sniffed for a minute or more, will give the character advantage on Insight, Investigation and Perception checks for the coming day.  If removed from the pond they will wither and die within a week, as they require special nutrients. Flag Irises.  Tall green plants with yellow flowers, rising from the water.  If grasped by a character the colours will change to those of their national flag or family crest, and they will be heartened for next hour (all dice rolls to hit and saving throws at +1). Grasping Waterweed If a character puts their hand, or any other part of their body under the water, tendrils of tough waterweed will grab hold and attempt to pull them underwater.  As the pond is fairly shallow, there is no great risk, but a  ST vs strength (DC 11) is required to break free. Nursery: Beneath the balcony, one area of the conservatory has been designated as a nursery: -                      A baby Carnivorous Orchid.  Feeds on blood.  At this size, it is nearly harmless (-1 to hit 1-2 damage). But will become highly dangerous if it allowed to grow to adult size.  -                      A   Baby Triffid in a plant pot. Currently too young to be dangerous, Jonathon is hoping to train the Triffid as it grows up, to be more tractable than the two dangerous plants in the Forest.   -                  Seedlings of Mind Yams.  These are currently tiny green shoots.  When fully grown, however, these creatures can feast on mental powers and spells which duplicate such powers. -           A small Ice Plant. If touched, it will freeze the person touching it for 1D6 cold damage, and the earth for 6"around it will grow rock hard. In the air above the plants fly a group of Dirigible Aubergines. These intelligent, self-steering flying fruit are essentially harmless, if disconcerting. The Conservatory Windows Many of the glass panes of the Conservatory that look out onto the estate are made of Slow Glass, of varying  degrees of delay – hence each panel may show a different world, plane or universe.  Only a scant few will show Orn.  However, one or two of these will depict McMurdo and her gang sneaking past the Conservatory. Slow Glass: A strange vitrine substance, through which light passes very slowly.  Depending upon the particular makeup of the pane, it may take hours, days or even years for light to pass from one side to the other.  This enables the viewer on one side to watch occurrences on the other side in the past. The conservatory is lit by electro-magic tubes in the ceiling which cause the high temperatures and humidity.
13	Veranda from Dining Room Sergeant Billy is quietly on watch here.  He is aware of Ms Khan in the garden, and is avoiding the Ms Whites in the kitchen area.
14	This is a Dumbwaiter, that can be accessed via a partially hidden door.   (If searching, skill check DC 9.  Or passive perception 12). It can descend one floor to the basement, and also rises to the first and second floors.  It can accommodate one medium or two small creatures. The dumb waiter is operated by rope and pulley behind the door (it can also be so operated by anyone hiding in the waiter).

 

First Floor

1	Upper part of the Extension, see description above. (Ground Floor area 1).
2	Upper part of Entrance Hall, see description above. (Ground Floor area 3). Balcony giving access to Room 3, the Master Bedroom. Festooned with webs, and bedevilled with Phase Spiders.
3	Master Bedroom Pictures. A large four-poster bed dominates the room, also in the room are a couple of large chests (full of old-fashioned men's suits and long women's skirts), several chest of drawers containing shirts and underwear, and a dressing table. By the far wall sits a jumble of strange equipment.  None of this is remarkable, but is simply the necessities for travelling in wildly different climates, including snowshoes and skis, a couple of breathing masks with air tanks, sunshades, sou'westers, gumboots, pith helmets, warm multilayered coats, and so forth.
4	Bathroom All of the bathrooms on this floor are similar in features.   A large array of nozzles which can be pulled out on rubber pipes, to feed water at various temperatures into a deep bath.   There is soap, a loofah, a full length mirror, a toilet, sink, a bath mat, and a large number of bath towels.  There are also bottles of smelly unguents. All nonmagical.
5	Dressing Room Lots of different steampunky garb can be found here - top hats with goggles, extremely long cigarette holders, bubble pipes, swords with ornate handles, pistols that send out smoke rings, long leather coats, multicoloured boots, embroidered waistcoats with brass attachments, etc, etc.
6	Guest Bedroom, with balcony Well appointed, with a large double bed, wardrobe and chest of drawers. All empty. Alongside the controls for the (gas) lights, is a dial which can be used to adjust local gravity in the room, for the comfort of guests.  Currently set to 3G. Any character entering the room will be immediately pulled to the ground (50% chance of 1-3 points of damage; Strength check, (DC 13) to stand up again).
7	Bathroom  As 4
8	Bedroom, with balcony as 6. Similar gravity control, set currently to 1G. The French windows to the balcony have been carefully forced.  This isn't obvious from the outside.
9	Landing and dumb waiter. From the upper landing after the stairs up from the ground floor, one shallow set of stairs rises straight ahead to the corridor that ends in a stained glass window (area 11, see below).   The other set of stairs, on the left leads to this landing area, from which  - a door to the left leads to the balcony over the entrance hall,  - another door gives access to stairs to level 2,  - a third door opens on the dumb waiter, and  - a short corridor leads to rooms 6 and 8.
10	Bathroom As 4
11	Window The window at the end of the corridor looks out over the gardens and the path through the woods.  It is stained glass, and depicts a huge, clockwork spider, planting trees.  The is a town in the background.
12	Victoria's Bedroom  This is 12-year-old Victoria's bedroom. Victoria has recently decided on new decoration for this room.  The carpet has been taken up and floor, walls and ceiling painted matt black.  The curtains are black.  Her bed frame is also painted black.  And her bedding is black. There is a black wardrobe, chest of drawers, table and chair.  On the wall is a scary-looking black dagger (nothing special). At the back of one of the drawers are a couple of princess costumes (Victoria couldn't quite get rid of them).  All the other clothes in the drawers and wardrobe are ... black (or occasionally dark grey, for effect). Her parents think it is just a phase. By the window is a cage holding two white mice.  A small wooden plaque says they are 'Frankie Mouse and Benjy Mouse'.  These are normal, unremarkable white mice kept as pets by Victoria.  However, they may prove a useful diversion for any player prone to metagaming. Sitting on a shelf is a paper mobius strip (in black), and a silver Klein bottle.
13	Bathroom As 4
14	Cupboard for linen Shelves of bedlinen, curtains, tablecloths and towels, etc
15	Balcony overlooking conservatory Major Suzanne Djomo is on guard towards the rear of  the wrought iron balcony, able to look down on the Conservatory.   She will observe, but not engage with the adventurers unless attacked. She will report their movements.  If they approach the balcony, she will exit to the corridor and head for room 6 or 8, aiming to link up with the Sergeant.
16	Upper lounge A calm-seeming room, with several comfortable chairs and low tables.  There are pictures of extensive forests on the walls.  One is a nighttime scene, and there are two small yellow moons and a larger green-blue planet in the sky.
17	Playroom. An Entrancer is playing here, a device shaped like a pocket watch, which when uncovered gives forth a spiralling column of fascinating coloured lights  The adventurer must make a ST vs the lower of Int or Wisdom  (DC 18) or become so entranced that they just sit down and watch it.  Re-save attempt after 30 mins, and then hourly while the device is present.      Sebastian is here, and has been affected.  So was Victoria originally, but she managed to tear her mind away and fled for area (18).  From there, she climbed out of the window and down to the veranda, and hence to the wood to look for the lycanthropic squirrel.  In under an hour, those two will return, driving the hybrid walker. Also here, sitting with his back to the upper lounge, having spent a lot of time exploring the grounds, and having had huge trouble for quite a long time with the bridge to the island, is Nigel, who has walked in and been caught in rapture by the Entrancer.  Otherwise, scattered around the room are various toys and games.  It looks like a game of chess (with deeply unusual figures) was in progress when the Entrancer was deployed.
18	Sebastian’s bedroom A typical young boy's bedroom.  As well as a bed, wardrobe, small bookcase and chest of drawers, there are toys and games scattered haphazardly around the room.  In this respect it is hard to tell where the playroom ends and his bedroom begins. He has a small cage, containing a couple of normal stick insects.  On the table in his room is a construction set... he is in the middle of building a complex castle.
19	Secret Room The Professor has hidden some of her deepest and most worrying thoughts on time travel, and her notes on building her original time machine, in this room.  They are complex, out of order and hard to read.  It would take many weeks to decipher them.  However one page also includes a discussion of the 'Time Barrier', seemingly only a few months into the future, beyond which time travel appears currently impossible. What is causing it? In her absence, to duplicate the time  machine would take many yards of silver and copper wire, a forge and expert woodcarver, rubies to the value of 5,000 GP and the aid of two 14th level dunamantic wizards (see Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, pp 184-190). The door has DC 25 to find (Investigation check)

 Second Floor

 

1

Old Laboratory This was the shared Laboratory, used by both Jonathon and Eloise.  There are alembics, retorts, bottles and jars on three tables across the room, and many more on shelves.  A small kiln sits in one corner, and there is a large tank of water. However, it hasn't been used in earnest for some time, as their fields of study have changed over the last few years. That said, on one wall there is a huge Darwinian family tree of creatures that seems somehow to cross several universes.  And it demonstrates connections between the most unlikely species.  There is a spiral staircase leading up to the third floor room, and a door to the stairs down (to the second floor, area 9).

2

Upper part of entrance hall, see Ground floor area 3.

  

Third Floor

This large room is the highest point the Dumb Waiter reaches.  It has windows on two sides, and the spiral staircase offers a route down to the second floor, and also ascends to the tower. 

The ceiling is 15’ high in this room.

This room is empty.

Fourth Floor, The Tower

There are large windows looking out across the Estate, and a spiral staircase down to the third floor.

A door gives access to a narrow balcony which goes all around the tower.

In the middle of the room is a complex optical instrument, of unknown purpose.  In fact it is an Intercosmos Telescope, used by the Professor to plot new places and times to visit.  It is useless without the bejewelled power pack which controls it, and an intimate knowledge of its operation.

A hidden trap door is in ceiling (Wisdom ST, DC 20 to spot, if looking).  This opens to a small hiding place, which contains the power pack for the Telescope.

The Colonel is here, checking the terrain, and able to support their team.  She is acting as a lookout, and has no interest in the Telescope. She is likely to be aware that the player characters have arrived, and will exit via the spiral stairs or over the side of the tower, if they approach.  If so, she will then link up with the Major or Sergeant.

She will have informed the rest of her team of the arrival of Nigel, and, a while later, the adventurers.

Basement

 

1	Basement, Storage A few nondescript barrels and crates can be found here.
2	Basement and Boiler Room In one corner sits a huge and complex boiler, that feeds pipes leading up through the ceiling.  This supplies hot and cold running water to all of the first floor bathrooms and to the kitchen. The boiler is on, running, and has recently been refuelled.  If the adventurers attempt to identify the source of the water feeding the boiler, they will see that the inlet pipe undergoes a strange kink by the wall, in a direction they can't quite understand.  (In fact, this is a mini-portal. The pipe takes water from the Lake in the Park). Beside the boiler is a large pile of wood, and an equally large mound of coal, to provide fuel for the boiler.
3	Secret Basement Room Beyond a secret door (DC 16 to spot) is an area containing a very large drafting table, covered with papers. Upon inspection, these will appear to be descriptions of a new, smaller chronospatial engine.  They are incomplete. Other plans are rolled up into cubby-holes along one wall.  If searched, the adventurers may find the plans to Eccles.  This will not include area 19 on the first floor, nor the caves. There is a trapdoor in the floor, which leads to a ladder down to Sub-Basement area 1.

 

Sub-Basement

 

1	Secret Basement, below (3) above. This seems to be a workshop in which the proposed new machine shown in the plans in the room above is being constructed.  An octagonal frame, around 20'across, has half-built glass and metal engines at five of its corners, no two of which are alike.  Where cross-beams from the corners meet, a wooden floor has been built, and various devices are under construction. There is a cold larder against one wall containing beer and sandwiches. The Professor is here when Eccles lands on Orn, and is deep in her work.  She will not surface from her deliberations for a few hours.
2	Tunnel to the folly in the park.   The door is secret from area 1 - requiring a (DC 14 to spot).   Although only a few hundred feet in length, this tunnel appears endless, and the characters will believe they have travelled for half an hour in traversing it.  (Optional: Wisdom check DC 20).
3	Caves, Main Area Dusty, grey dust on the floor; rock walls.   If entered without first turning twice anticlockwise, an extremely loud alarm will sound in the entrance hall
4	Minor Cave Empty
5	Minor Cave Lying on ornate beds in this cave, and swathed in rich coverlets are four strange maggot-like creatures.  These are the counterparts of the Ms Whites and enable her to produce the powers she has.
6	Minor Cave Along the back of this cave are long, coffin-like glass caskets.  In each one is a clone of one of the Jones family.   The Professor realises the dangers of the journeys they are undertaking and this is - according to her - 'a natural form of life insurance'!!
7	Stores This area contains strange soups in barrels, to feed the Ms Whites counterparts.   There are also bottles of unguents to massage them.  A Ms Whites will usually tend to the creatures once every few days.

The Time Patrol 

The small team from the Time Patrol have followed Eccles in their ship, after forcing Professor Jones  Estate into the chronospatial whirlpool.  They didn't expect Eccles to end up on Orn, which is a world they would normally avoid. 

Their ship is shaped like a 40' long, bulbous rocket, with short stubby wings. It is a dull red colour, with letters "TP - 0091" on the side in white.  It has no other insignia.  

The ship is controlled by a semi-intelligent clockwork brain.  They have instructed the ship to enter a parking orbit half a mile above the Estate.  However, because of the unusual nature of Orn, it has found this instruction hard to fully obey, and the motions of the ship have become somewhat erratic.  The Colonel and Major have the authority to send instructions to the ship.  If necessary - either to bring the captured professor and family with them, or to escape - they will instruct the ship to land in the Park.. If so instructed, it will do so gratefully and may use its Invisibility power.

Features of the Ship:

                   Time and Space Travel across the multiverse

                   Semi-Intelligent clockwork brain, keyed to devices carried by the Colonel and Major.

                   Blast cannon at front - can deal 6D8 shockwave damage once every four rounds

                   Can turn Invisible for 10 minutes every 2 hours.

The primary goal of the team from the Time Patrol is to capture the Professor, who has been indulging in unauthorised and unlicensed travel across Space and Time, and there is deep concern about possible damaged and impossible timelines resulting from her activities. At the same time, the Colonel volunteered for this mission as a means of seeking revenge, and won't hesitate to use brutal force on the Professor.  

Ideally, they will bring the Professor's family with them, to help clean up the timelines.  Once they have succeeded, a follow-up team will pilot Eccles back to their base.

As reasonably loyal members of the Time Patrol, they will avoid the adventurers as far as they can, unless they get in the way of their goal.  In which case they will use force to defeat them, but will try to avoid killing them... unless absolutely necessary!

Playing Eccles: Further Notes

What happens in this adventure, and in what order, depends heavily on what the players do.  However long they spend in the gardens, eventually it is assumed they will investigate the House. It is unlikely they will access this through the Folly.  If they do, however, they will first encounter the Professor in sub-basement area 1.

Otherwise, if they enter through the main doors they will have to tackle the Phase Spiders in the Entrance Hall (Ground Floor, Area 3)

If they enter through the forced-open window in the ground floor, they will probably find Jonathon quite quickly. 

Both Jonathon and the Professor's first instincts will be to make sure the children are safe, and so will lead the adventurers to the playroom - where they will encounter Nigel and Sebastian.

By this time, the Time Patrol will have realised that the player-characters are exploring, and may well try to dissuade them from helping the Jones family. If they attack, then Ms Whites will aid the family.  

It is down to the referee to devise the best plan for the Time Patrol, based on the information that the Patrol have.  

Halfway through any attack the Professor will appear from the basement workshop, if she has not already been met by the adventurers, and will attempt to resolve the battle. 

The Time Patrol will not summon their craft unless it is absolutely necessary to escape, or if they have won their goal.

If Ms Whites suspects the adventurers of foul play, she will turn on them instead.

Meanwhile, Victoria will have found Squirrl, and they will be cautiously returning to the House in the Walker.  There is a good chance that they will have alerted Albert as well.  Again, the detailed actions of these parties can be decided by the referee.

Generally, the Time Patrol are out-gunned, and are unlikely to win a straight fight - but they are unaware of this.  However, all encounters are likely to be difficult and somewhat chaotic, and almost anything may happen.  The Colonel will retreat, saving whoever she can, rather than fight to the death. If she can return to her Time Ship she can alert the authorities, and summon reinforcements.

If Nigel spots the Walker, there is a chance he will distrust it, and will mount Ruby to charge it, spear in hand.

Once the Professor has saved her family (assuming she can), she will want to depart as soon as possible.  She will instruct the characters and Nigel to leave the Estate immediately. She will give them a copy of her spell book as a reward.

If they have been very helpful, or a character (NPC or player) has died, she will also offer the Walker to the party. One of the family will quickly drive it to the gates.  But the party will have to work out how it works for themselves.

Whatever happens, Ms Khan will stay well away from any combat, and will mount her dinosaur and leave the Estate before the characters.  The elven guards outside the estate may see this, and share the knowledge with the player characters.