Hook 01
The Watchmaker's Retainer
Mara Quill hires the party in her shop at closing time; they are present when she reveals the Sundered Watch is stolen and its borrowed seconds are running out.
The adventure ahead
Campaign Overview
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The Sundered Watch A silver pocket watch has been stolen from the watchmaker's shop in Bramwell Cross, and with it the stolen seconds of a hundred vanished people. The thief, Corvin Sable, flees into the Clockwork Marches, leaving a trail of stopped clocks and frightened witnesses. You are hired to bring the watch back before its stored time is spent. Tone: dark fairy-tale mystery, tense chases, moral choices. Adventure: follow Corvin through Hollow Mill and Verdigris Fen to his workshop beneath the ruined bell tower. Recover the watch, free his captive, and learn that Corvin was only a courier for a far more patient buyer.
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Player Handout
Your Hook Mara Quill, watchmaker of Bramwell Cross, needs you. Her masterwork, the Sundered Watch, was stolen at closing time by a polite stranger with brass-stained fingers. The watch is no ordinary heirloom: it stores borrowed seconds, and those seconds are running out. Mara has paid your retainer; the thief was last seen heading for Hollow Mill. Tone: rain, lantern light, old machines, and choices that cost. Starting hook: You are in Mara's shop when she turns the sign to CLOSED and asks for your help.
Free Act I Preview
The Sundered Watch
Behind the screen
Act I of The Sundered Watch is a level 1-3 hunt for a stolen time-storing watch. Corvin Sable, a desperate clockmaker and thief, stole the Sundered Watch from Mara Quill of Bramwell Cross. He believes it can rewind one terrible hour of his past, but he is already selling it to a patron called the Collector. The party follows Corvin from Bramwell Cross to Hollow Mill, through Verdigris Fen, and into his workshop beneath the ruined bell tower at Sable's Reach.
Along the way they meet witnesses, rescue a captive apprentice, and find the first hints of the Collector, the campaign's greater villain. Corvin is not the big bad; he is a frightened, dangerous courier. Run him with the generated villain sheet, using 2 Bandit and 2 Thug retainers where noted. The watch is recovered at the act's end, but its mainspring is missing, pointing to a larger conspiracy.
Adventure Hooks
Hook 02
A Coin Stamped with an Hourglass
Osric Bell at the Bell and Candle offers a free room and 20 gp for anyone who can explain the hourglass coin Corvin used, pulling the party into the hunt.
Act Structure
Act I: The Stolen Hour
Recommended level: 1-3Mara Quill's Sundered Watch is stolen by Corvin Sable, a clockmaker who believes it can undo a personal tragedy. The party follows him from Bramwell Cross to Hollow Mill, through Verdigris Fen, and into his workshop beneath the ruined bell tower. They recover the watch, free Ned Fletcher, and learn that Corvin was only a courier for the Collector.
Objectives
- Recover the Sundered Watch from Corvin Sable.
- Trace Corvin's route through Hollow Mill and Verdigris Fen.
- Free Ned Fletcher from Corvin's workshop.
- Learn who hired Corvin and what the watch's missing mainspring means.
The Watch That Wasn't
Read aloud
Rain taps the shop window. Mara Quill turns the sign to CLOSED and sets a brass key on the counter. 'The Sundered Watch is gone,' she says. 'A polite man with brass-stained fingers took it at closing. I need it back before its seconds are spent.'
Running this scene
Mara explains the watch stores borrowed time. Corvin Sable posed as a customer, asked to see the watch's mainspring, and vanished with it. Witnesses saw him head toward Hollow Mill. Greta Stone can confirm his description; Osric Bell can reveal the hourglass coin. If the party presses Mara, she admits the watch is dangerous and that its mainspring is already missing.
Checks
- Investigation DC 12: find brass filings and a pawn ticket pointing to Hollow Mill.
- Persuasion DC 13: convince Mara to share the watch's true purpose.
- Perception DC 11: notice a stopped clock in the shop still ticking backward.
Clues
- Corvin Sable was last seen on the Hollow Mill road.
- The watch stores borrowed seconds and is dangerous when full.
- A coin stamped with an hourglass was used to pay for Corvin's room at the Bell and Candle.
Where next
- The Hollow Mill road leads west from the square.
- Greta Stone can mark the safe route on the party's map.
The Mill of Minutes
Read aloud
The mill wheel hangs still. Tamsin Reed raises her lantern. 'He came through at dusk,' she whispers. 'Left a trap and two rough men. My father's still inside somewhere.' Somewhere under the floor, a clock ticks.
Running this scene
Corvin left 2 Bandit to guard the mill and a clockwork snare on the crawlspace door. Tamsin knows the mill's layout and can point out the hidden compartment. Her father, Orrin Reed, hides in the crawlspace and can be coaxed out with a DC 12 Persuasion check. The bandits fight to surrender, not death. The broken chain is in the compartment.
Checks
- Perception DC 13: spot the clockwork snare before it triggers.
- Thieves' Tools DC 12: disarm the snare.
- Persuasion DC 12: coax Orrin Reed out of hiding.
Clues
- A broken watch chain points toward Verdigris Fen.
- Corvin's route map marks a stilt-house in the fen.
- One bandit carries a sealed note signed with an hourglass.
Where next
- Tamsin offers to guide the party to Verdigris Fen.
- The route map shows a safe path through the marsh.
The Fen of Lost Hours
Read aloud
Lanterns float above the reeds. Brother Aldous sets down his ledger and listens. 'The watch hums,' he says. 'The lights follow it. If you carry its chain, they will lead you to the tower. But the fen takes a minute for every step you hurry.'
Running this scene
Aldous explains the will-o'-wisp follows the watch's chain. If the party shows the chain, the wisp guides them along the causeway. If they threaten it, 1 Will-o'-Wisp attacks. Aldous can reveal the name the Collector from his dream ledger. The causeway requires care; a failed check costs time and attracts the wisp's attention.
Checks
- Arcana DC 13: understand the watch's hum and the wisp's behavior.
- Survival DC 12: cross the sunken causeway safely.
- Insight DC 14: tell that Aldous is hiding his fear of the Collector.
Clues
- The will-o'-wisp leads toward the ruined bell tower.
- Aldous's ledger names the Collector as Corvin's patron.
- The watch's hum grows louder near the tower.
Where next
- The wisp drifts toward Sable's Reach.
- Aldous marks the tower on the party's map.
The Minute Hand
Read aloud
The workshop door swings open. Corvin Sable stands at a brass bench, the Sundered Watch ticking in his hand. 'You're early,' he says. 'Or late. With this, it's hard to tell.' Behind him, a young man strains against chains.
Running this scene
Tamsin Reed guides the party here and waits outside unless invited. Corvin fights with his generated villain sheet, supported by 2 Thug. He offers a deal at half hit points: the watch for Ned's freedom. Ned can reveal the Collector's letter and the missing mainspring. If Corvin is spared, he surrenders the watch and his journal.
Checks
- Persuasion DC 15: talk Corvin down with proof the watch cannot undo his sister's death.
- Intimidation DC 14: force Corvin to release Ned.
- Investigation DC 13: find the Collector's sealed letter on the bench.
Clues
- The watch's mainspring is missing.
- A sealed letter names the Collector as the buyer.
- Ned saw Corvin send the mainspring ahead by courier.
Where next
- The letter points beyond the Clockwork Marches, to the Collector's next location.
- Mara Quill can identify the mainspring's maker in Bramwell Cross.
Milestone: Level 2 after clearing Hollow Mill and recovering the watch's broken chain. Level 3 after defeating or confronting Corvin Sable and recovering the Sundered Watch.
Villain Character Sheets
Corvin Sable, the Minute Hand
Corvin Sable, called the Minute Hand, is a lean, precise man in his early thirties with the careful hands of a born clockmaker and the exha…
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Corvin Sable, the Minute Hand Character Sheet
Motivation
Corvin wants to rewind the hour his sister died in a mill fire. He stole the Sundered Watch believing it can return that hour to him, and he is already selling it to the Collector to fund one last attempt.
Personality
Soft-spoken, precise, and apologetic until cornered. He treats violence like a repair job: quick, clean, and regrettable. He lies by telling technical truths and never raises his voice until the clockwork traps spring.
Resources
- A hidden workshop beneath the ruined bell tower at Sable's Reach
- 2 Bandit and 2 Thug retainers
- Clockwork traps and the stolen Sundered Watch
- A patron known only as the Collector
Battle Plan
Corvin opens with clockwork traps and sends his 2 Bandit retainers to slow the party while he retreats to high ground. He uses the watch to reroll one failed save or attack, then fights with a clockmaker's hammer and thrown gears. At half hit points he offers a deal: the watch for his apprentice's freedom. If refused, he fights to unconsciousness, not death.
Defeat or Redemption
Corvin can be defeated, killed, or talked down with proof that the watch cannot undo his sister's death. If spared, he reveals the Collector's sealed letter and the missing mainspring. If killed, his journal does the same.
Running Notes
Recommended party: Four characters, level 1
Session Zero
Discuss dark fairy-tale tone, time-loss and grief themes, and the possibility of sparing Corvin. Use safety tools (lines/veils, pause signal). Establish that investigation, chases, and moral choices matter as much as combat. Confirm the party has a reason to work for Mara Quill and that player characters know each other before the shop scene.
Scaling Guidance
For three players, remove one Bandit from Hollow Mill and one Thug from Sable's Reach; for five or six, add one Bandit or one Thug and let Corvin use the watch's reroll twice. Keep the fen wisp social unless attacked; if the party is level 1, treat it as a hazard and warning, not a straight fight.
DM Advice
Keep clocks ticking out of rhythm and describe borrowed seconds as a physical sensation. Let witnesses be practical and tired, not exposition machines. Foreshadow the Collector with coins, letters, and dreams, but keep them offstage. Reward clever tracking and kindness to the fen wisp; the watch should feel valuable and dangerous, not a simple trinket.
Secrets & Clues
- The Sundered Watch stores borrowed seconds; it does not tell time, and its mainspring is missing.
- Corvin Sable is a courier for a patron called the Collector, who has already received the mainspring.
- The will-o'-wisp in Verdigris Fen is bound to the watch's hum and will guide anyone carrying its broken chain.
- Hourglass-stamped coins trace the Collector's reach from Bramwell Cross to the fen.
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Villain Character Sheets
Corvin Sable, the Minute Hand
Corvin Sable, called the Minute Hand, is a lean, precise man in his early thirties with the careful hands of a born clockmaker and the exha…
Premium Campaign Feature
Free campaign generations include one villain sheet. Additional villain, NPC, and player-facing module character sheets are available in premium campaigns.
Subscribe NowMonsters & Enemies
Premium Campaign Feature
Free campaign encounters use official monster sheets, plus the campaign villain character when referenced. They do not include generated custom monster sheets. Subscribe to create custom campaign monsters and enemy stat blocks.
Subscribe NowVillain Plans
Corvin Sable, the Minute Hand Character Sheet
Motivation
Corvin wants to rewind the hour his sister died in a mill fire. He stole the Sundered Watch believing it can return that hour to him, and he is already selling it to the Collector to fund one last attempt.
Personality
Soft-spoken, precise, and apologetic until cornered. He treats violence like a repair job: quick, clean, and regrettable. He lies by telling technical truths and never raises his voice until the clockwork traps spring.
Resources
- A hidden workshop beneath the ruined bell tower at Sable's Reach
- 2 Bandit and 2 Thug retainers
- Clockwork traps and the stolen Sundered Watch
- A patron known only as the Collector
Battle Plan
Corvin opens with clockwork traps and sends his 2 Bandit retainers to slow the party while he retreats to high ground. He uses the watch to reroll one failed save or attack, then fights with a clockmaker's hammer and thrown gears. At half hit points he offers a deal: the watch for his apprentice's freedom. If refused, he fights to unconsciousness, not death.
Defeat or Redemption
Corvin can be defeated, killed, or talked down with proof that the watch cannot undo his sister's death. If spared, he reveals the Collector's sealed letter and the missing mainspring. If killed, his journal does the same.
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Level Up to Premium!Encounters
The Mill of Minutes
Suggested Level: 1-2
Tamsin Reed meets the party on the Hollow Mill road and points out the bandits guarding the crawlspace. The mill door hangs open; flour dust hides the snare.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Stopped water wheel, slippery millrace, flour dust, broken furniture, narrow crawlspace, and a clockwork snare on the crawlspace door (Dexterity DC 13; 1d8 piercing on failure).
Treasure
Broken watch chain (see magic items), Corvin's route map, a sealed note stamped with an hourglass, 15 gp, and Orrin Reed's rescue.
DM Notes
For a small party, use 1 Bandit and make the snare obvious. For a larger party, add a third Bandit or a second snare on the mill door.
The Fen of Lost Hours
Encounter Builder
Moderate
Suggested Level: 2-3
Brother Aldous warns that the wisp follows the watch's hum. The party must cross the causeway; if they carry the broken chain openly, the wisp approaches.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Sunken stone causeway, deep water, reeds for cover, floating lanterns, and drifting mist that imposes disadvantage on Perception checks beyond 30 feet.
Treasure
Sunken strongbox with a potion of healing, a letter fragment mentioning the Collector, and 25 gp in waterlogged coins; Aldous's Fenlight Lantern if the party helps the wisp.
DM Notes
For level 1, keep the wisp nonhostile and use the causeway as the only threat. For level 3, add a second Will-o'-Wisp or have the wisp call a marsh hazard.
The Minute Hand's Workshop
Encounter Builder
High
Suggested Level: 3
Tamsin Reed guides the party to the ruined bell tower. Corvin waits in his bright workshop with 2 Thug retainers and the watch; Ned Fletcher is chained at the back.
Creatures
Terrain Features
Brass benches, hanging chains, a high walkway, clockwork snare traps (Dexterity DC 13; 1d8 piercing), and cover from ticking clock cabinets.
Treasure
Sundered Watch (quest item), sealed letter naming the Collector, Corvin's journal, 2 potions of healing, and 40 gp in hourglass coins.
DM Notes
For a low-power party, remove one Thug and let Corvin surrender at half hit points. For a strong party, add one Thug and one clockwork snare (Dexterity DC 13, 1d8 piercing).
Magic Items
Borrowed Second
Completed
Borrowed Second
Common
A palm-sized brass gear charm that ticks softly. Once per long rest, when you fail an ability check, you can add 1d4 to the roll, as if borrowing a second from elsewhere.
Location
Act I — Hollow Mill crawlspace
Attunement
False
Chain of the Sundered Watch
Completed
Chain of the Sundered Watch
Uncommon
A broken silver watch chain that hums near stored time. While worn, you know the direction of the Sundered Watch within 1 mile and have advantage on Survival checks to track it; will-o'-wisps do not attack you unless provoked.
Location
Act I — Hollow Mill hidden compartment
Attunement
True — by a creature who has seen the Sundered Watch
Fenlight Lantern
Completed
Fenlight Lantern
Uncommon
Brother Aldous's green-glass lantern. Once per long rest, for 1 minute, it sheds dim light in a 20-foot radius and reveals invisible creatures within that light as faint outlines; it gutters near the Collector's magic.
Location
Act I — Verdigris Fen, Brother Aldous's stilt-house
Attunement
False
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