The Old Iron Depot
A cavernous structure of blackened brick and rusted steel that looms over the slum district of Ironspire Junction. The interior is a suffocating labyrinth of discarded boilers, twisted rail lines, and mountain-sized heaps of decommissioned gears. Daylight pierces the gloom in sharp, dusty shafts through the collapsed sections of the corrugated roof. Local paupers and desperate tinkers crawl over the precarious piles, picking at the wreckage for usable scrap.
The Old Iron Depot
The air is heavy with the scent of ozone and oxidized metal. A constant, low-frequency grinding sound vibrates through the floorboards, punctuated by the sharp clanging of scavengers hammers. It feels crowded and claustrophobic despite its size.
A cavernous structure of blackened brick and rusted steel that looms over the slum district of Ironspire Junction. The interior is a suffocating labyrinth of discarded boilers, twisted rail lines, and mountain-sized heaps of decommissioned gears. Daylight pierces the gloom in sharp, dusty shafts through the collapsed sections of the corrugated roof. Local paupers and desperate tinkers crawl over the precarious piles, picking at the wreckage for usable scrap.
A weary and cynical man who protects the scavengers from city guards in exchange for a small cut of their findings.
History
Environmental Hazards
The Depot is a treacherous environment for a level 5 party. Piles of scrap are prone to shifting; any character moving more than half their speed across a heap must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone and take 2d6 piercing damage from jagged metal. Furthermore, the air is thick with iron dust, imposing disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell.
The Scavenger Economy
Characters can spend 1 hour foraging to find components for tinker's tools or smith's tools. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check yields 25 gold pieces worth of 'High-Grade Steel Scraps'. However, rolling a 1 on this check attracts a hostile swarm of clockwork beetles or a pair of rust monsters attracted to the party's equipment.
Industrial Security
To prevent total anarchy, Silas Vane has reactivated two 'Junction Sentries' (statistically similar to Shield Guardians but with 60 hit points and no spell storage). These rusted constructs patrol the main perimeter and will only stand down if Silas gives the command or if a character succeeds on a DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince them they are authorized repair staff.
Denizens
A weary and cynical man who protects the scavengers from city guards in exchange for a small cut of their findings.
An elderly dwarf with missing fingers who can identify any piece of machinery by the sound it makes when struck.
A nimble urchin who navigates the high catwalks with terrifying speed to alert the scrap-forgers of incoming tax collectors.
Rumors & Plot Hooks
- 1.A rogue clockwork automaton from the capital is hiding in the deepest scrap pile, repairing itself.
- 2.The metal in the Depot is starting to 'grow' on its own, fusing together into strange, jagged shapes.
- 3.Silas Vane is actually a disgraced engineer looking for a specific missing part to a weapon of mass destruction.
Classified Entry
Deep beneath the pile of decommissioned smelting pots lies a hidden entrance to a forgotten segment of the city's old steam-tunnel network, currently occupied by a colony of rust monsters being 'farmed' by a local thieves' guild.
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