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The Brass Shepherd of Brindleford

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Mystery

The Brass Shepherd of Brindleford

Lvl Low to mid tier, or any equivalent level appropriate for a medium mystery involving a dangerous construct and environmental hazards.3 to 6 characters1 to 2 sessions· Medium

“Every night, the village loses another animal. Beneath its peaceful fields, an old machine is preparing for a disaster that has not happened yet.”

— Hook · Mystery

R
QuestgiverReeve Mara Venn
Mystery
Generic Fantasy
Medium
Lvl Low to mid tier, or any equivalent level appropriate for a medium mystery involving a dangerous construct and environmental hazards.
3 to 6 characters
1 to 2 sessions
4 NPCs
3 encounters
The Opening

“For seven nights, Brindleford's livestock have vanished without a sound. No blood is found, only warm metal fragments and strange three-toed tracks leading toward the abandoned Crownwater Pumpworks. The reeve asks you to find what is taking the animals before fear tears the peaceful village apart.”

— Hook · Mystery

Set the Scene

The adventure begins at dawn in Reeve Mara Venn's cramped office above the village weighhouse. A farmer has brought in a goat that escaped from the latest disappearance, but the animal is trembling, covered in fine brass dust, and bears a small circular burn mark on its collar. Mara explains that five sheep, two goats, and a prized ox have vanished over the last week. She offers a modest reward and asks the party to begin at the most recent farm, where the ground has not yet been disturbed by rain.

Patron
R
Questgiver

Reeve Mara Venn

Reeve Mara Venn summons the party to her office after hearing that they have experience dealing with unusual threats. She is direct, worried, and willing to share village records, farm maps, and access to the pumpworks if the party agrees to avoid unnecessary damage.

On the Streets · In the Books

Rumours

d6 · table
  1. 01
    A shepherd swears he heard a lullaby played by metal pipes beneath the eastern pasture.
  2. 02
    The old pumpworks bell rings once whenever an animal disappears.
  3. 03
    Master Quill has been buying lamp oil, brass wire, and livestock feed in unusual quantities.
  4. 04
    The village founders supposedly sealed a machine below the reservoir because it could predict disasters.
  5. 05
    A farmer claims that one missing sheep returned briefly at dawn, walking in a perfectly straight line.
  6. 06
    Old Tallow Brigg says the pumpworks were never truly abandoned, only placed in sleep mode.
Stakes

If the mystery remains unsolved, the livestock disappearances will continue and frightened villagers may form an armed mob. If the party damages the pumpworks recklessly, Brindleford loses its irrigation system. If the deeper pressure fault is ignored, the reservoir may eventually rupture and flood the valley.

Ticking Clock·The Brass Shepherd collects one additional animal after each night. After the third night following the party's arrival, the reservoir pressure fault reaches a critical stage and the emergency chamber begins an uncontrolled shutdown.

Background Lore

The village of Brindleford has enjoyed decades of peace beneath the protection of the old Crownwater Pumpworks, a medieval steam engine that keeps the surrounding fields irrigated. Recently, livestock have vanished during the night, leaving behind circular hoof marks, warm metal fragments, and a faint smell of oil. The disappearances are connected to a forgotten maintenance tunnel beneath the village, where an abandoned mechanical shepherd has awakened and begun following corrupted instructions.

What the World Knows

Brindleford is a peaceful farming village supported by the ancient Crownwater Pumpworks. Over the past week, livestock have disappeared at night, leaving behind metal fragments, strange tracks, and frightened survivors. The village reeve hires the party to investigate the disappearances and recover the missing animals before the situation leads to panic or violence. The investigation points toward the abandoned pumpworks, but no one knows whether the culprit is a beast, a band of thieves, or something created by the old machinery.

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