Bartholomew Gudge stands in the market district, jar of pond water in hand. A brass automaton — seven feet tall, steam venting — is stuck in a market stall. Left arm: clockwork manipulator. Right arm: battering ram. Pressure valve at 90%. Two minutes until ram fires in a 20-foot radius. Market guard screaming nearby.

Bartholomew calls on his Befouler background. Roll: 2d6=8, +2 Swampcraft = 10. 10 vs TN 9 — success. He reads the situation: pressure valve at 90%, two minutes to ram fire, guard in radius.

"Do it," the guard says. Bartholomew nods and moves toward the automaton.

Bartholomew climbs debris to reach the valve. Jar slips, shatters. Befouled water spreads toward automaton legs — it twitches. Roll: 2d6=5, +2 = 7. 7 vs TN 11 — failure. Jar broken, water spreading, automaton noticed.

Bartholomew spits pond-tainted acid at the automaton knee joint. Cost: 2 Stamina (8 → 6). Roll: 2d6=9 — the acid sears the brass. Knee joint seizes. Automaton lurches but does not fall. Ram arm still charges.

Bartholomew grabs the guard and runs. Fast enough. Cart destroyed behind them. Guard safe. Automaton angling toward them. Stamina -1 (6 → 5).

"He needs it for what comes next." Bartholomew holds onto his Luck. He chooses not to spend it here.

Bartholomew wedges his walking stick into the automaton gears. Roll: 2d6=5, +2 = 7. 7 vs TN 13 — failure. Stick lodges in gears but automaton keeps grinding. Stick snaps. Bartholomew has no weapons. Automaton is walking.

Bartholomew spends 2 Luck on the reroll. New roll: 2d6=10, +2 = 12. 12 vs TN 13 — success. Automaton lurches, collapses. Steam vents harmlessly. Guard applauds. Bartholomew salvages brass gear, steam valve, 3 copper coins. Final: Stamina 4, Luck 4.

Bartholomew collects automaton scraps — brass gear, steam valve, 3 copper coins. Guard tips a copper penny. He leaves the market with fewer resources than he arrived with, but more puzzle pieces. Jar of pond water gone. He has his spyglass, tattered map, and his wits.