Part of: D&D Campaigns

The Broken Automaton

Adventure 1 Level 1 1-2 sessions 1-4 Players

Adventure 1: The Broken Automaton

Level: 1 Players: 1-4 Duration: 1-2 sessions (3-6 hours) Theme: Introduction to magical technology

Adventure Summary

A farming family on the outskirts of town is being terrorized by their new mechanical scarecrow, which was supposed to help protect their crops but has gone haywire. The party must investigate what went wrong, deal with the malfunctioning automaton, and discover it’s actually a prototype from HamoTech that was never meant to be sold.

Learning Goals for Junior DMs:

  • Practice describing settings and NPCs
  • Balance combat with investigation
  • Give players multiple solution options
  • Introduce the campaign world naturally

Adventure Hooks

Choose one or more based on your party:

  1. The Job Board: Mayor Copperkettle has posted a reward (25gp) for anyone who can help the Thornberry family with their “scarecrow problem.”

  2. Personal Connection: One PC knows the Thornberry family (or stayed at their farm once) and receives a desperate letter asking for help.

  3. Overheard Rumor: At the tavern, people are gossiping about “old Thornberry’s scarecrow coming to life and attacking people.”

  4. Direct Encounter: The party encounters young Tim Thornberry on the road, fleeing from the automaton in terror.

DM Note: Use the hook that best fits your party’s background. If they’re new to the area, use option 1 or 3. If they have local ties, use option 2 or 4.

Part 1: Meeting the Thornberrys

Location: Thornberry Farm

A modest farm about 2 miles outside of town, with golden wheat fields, a small vegetable garden, and a weathered but well-maintained farmhouse.

Read-Aloud Description:

“The Thornberry farm sits at the edge of rolling wheat fields, the stalks swaying gently in the breeze. A well-worn dirt path leads to a modest farmhouse with a thatched roof and shuttered windows. Nearby, you see a barn, a small vegetable garden, and what looks like several crop fields. But something seems off - the fields appear trampled in places, and you notice deep furrows in the earth as if something heavy has been dragging through the soil.”

DM Note: Let players describe how they approach. Do they knock on the door? Search the fields first? Call out? React to whatever they choose.

Meeting the Family

The Thornberry family consists of:

Marcus Thornberry (male human, age 52)

  • Appearance: Weather-worn farmer with callused hands, thinning gray hair, worried eyes
  • Personality: Practical, hardworking, protective of family, embarrassed about the situation
  • What to say: “Thank the gods you’re here. That blasted scarecrow - I thought it’d help us, keep the crows away, maybe even help with some of the heavy work. But three nights ago it just… changed. Now it’s tearing up our fields and attacking anything that moves after dark!”

Elena Thornberry (female human, age 48)

  • Appearance: Kind-faced woman with flour on her apron, graying brown hair in a braid
  • Personality: Warm, nurturing, tries to stay optimistic, worried about Tim
  • What to say: “Please, be careful. Our son Tim tried to shut it down and it nearly took his arm off. We’ve been hiding in the house after sunset. We can’t keep living like this.”

Tim Thornberry (male human, age 16)

  • Appearance: Lanky teenager with bandaged arm, freckles, nervous energy
  • Personality: Curious, brave but reckless, feels guilty, knows more than parents
  • What to say: “I found it, actually. Well, found the box it came in. By the old creek bed about a month ago. It had instructions and everything - said it was a ‘Agricultural Assistant Model A-7’ from some company called HamoTech. Seemed too good to be true, but… we activated it and for weeks it was amazing! Then it just… broke.”

DM Tip: Let players ask questions. Tim is the key to information. He’ll reveal:

  • The automaton was found, not purchased
  • It came in a metal case marked “PROTOTYPE - DO NOT DISTRIBUTE”
  • He has the instruction manual (it’s in his room)
  • The automaton seemed to get more “aggressive” each day
  • Three nights ago, it started attacking

Part 2: Investigation

The Instruction Manual

If players ask for it, Tim retrieves a water-stained manual:

Read-Aloud: “The manual’s cover shows a detailed technical drawing of the automaton. The HamoTech logo - a gear with a heart in the center - is prominently displayed. Stamped across the top in red ink: ‘PROTOTYPE A-7 - FIELD TEST ONLY - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE.’”

What players can learn (DC 10 Intelligence check or just by reading carefully):

  • The automaton requires a command word to activate/deactivate: “Harvest’s End”
  • It has a “behavioral learning protocol” that adapts to its environment
  • There’s a warning: “If behavioral anomalies occur, immediately deactivate and return to HamoTech Research Division”
  • A page is torn out - the troubleshooting section

DM Note: The torn page is at the automaton’s nest (see Part 3).

Searching the Farm

If players want to investigate before confronting the automaton:

The Fields (Investigation DC 12):

  • Deep tracks leading to/from the barn
  • Damaged crops in a systematic pattern
  • Pieces of straw and metal filings

The Barn (Investigation DC 10):

  • The automaton’s original charging station (a metal platform with arcane runes)
  • The metal case Tim found it in (waterlogged, lock broken from inside)
  • Tools scattered about - the automaton was taking them

The Creek Bed (Investigation DC 13):

  • Where Tim found the original case
  • Evidence of a wagon crash (old wheel, broken crates)
  • More HamoTech crates, all empty except one with inert mechanical parts

DM Tip: The crash was an accident during transport. The case with A-7 was damaged, exposing it to water which corrupted its programming.

Part 3: Confronting the Automaton

When Does It Appear?

Option A - Daytime Search: If players search the far fields during the day, they’ll find its “nest” - a pile of stolen tools and farm equipment. The automaton is dormant but will activate if approached.

Option B - Night Ambush: If players wait until nightfall, the automaton emerges from the fields at dusk and begins patrolling. Players can ambush it or it will eventually notice them.

Option C - Draw It Out: Players can use bait (make noise, use magic, etc.). DC 12 Intelligence check to create effective bait.

The Automaton’s Nest

Read-Aloud: “In a trampled section of wheat field, you find a circular clearing. At its center is a bizarre collection of farm tools, scrap metal, and broken equipment, all arranged in concentric circles. In the middle sits the scarecrow-like construct, perfectly still. It’s about 6 feet tall, made of brass and steel, with a pumpkin-shaped head that has glowing blue eyes. Its arms end in wickedly sharp farming implements instead of hands. Clutched in one hand is a torn piece of paper.”

The Torn Page: Contains warnings about water damage and instructions to reset the behavioral core - requires a DC 13 Arcana check to understand, gives advantage on deactivating it peacefully.

The Automaton (Combat Stats)

Agricultural Automaton A-7

  • AC: 13 (metal plating)
  • HP: 22 (4d8+4)
  • Speed: 25 ft.

Stats: STR 14 (+2), DEX 10 (+0), CON 12 (+1), INT 3 (-4), WIS 8 (-1), CHA 1 (-5)

Damage Immunities: Poison, Psychic Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned

Actions:

  • Scythe Arm: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) slashing damage.
  • Harvester’s Sweep (Recharge 5-6): The automaton spins, targeting all creatures within 5 feet. Each must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) slashing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success.

Traits:

  • Malfunctioning: At the start of each of its turns, roll 1d6. On a 1, the automaton targets the nearest creature (even allies) instead of following its normal behavior.
  • Deactivation Port: A creature within 5 feet can use an action to attempt a DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check to deactivate it. On success, it shuts down. (DC reduced to 12 if they read the torn page.)

Tactics: The automaton prioritizes creatures that damage it. It uses Harvester’s Sweep when surrounded. If reduced to half HP, it attempts to flee to its charging station in the barn.

Non-Combat Solutions

DM Note: REWARD CREATIVITY! Here are some possibilities:

  1. Command Word: If players learned “Harvest’s End” from the manual and shout it, the automaton makes a DC 10 Wisdom save. On a failure, it deactivates immediately.

  2. Deactivation Check: As described in combat stats.

  3. Lure to Charging Station: DC 13 Intelligence check to rig the charging station to overload. If the automaton is lured there, it shuts down but is damaged beyond repair.

  4. Water Vulnerability: Since water damaged it originally, creative use of water (create/destroy water spell, dumping a water trough on it, etc.) forces a Wisdom save (DC 12) or it becomes stunned for 1 round.

  5. Calming Magic: Spells like Charm Person don’t work, but Command, Hold Person, or similar might (it’s a construct, so DM’s choice to be generous to creative players).

DM Tip: If players are struggling, have Tim shout “Try the command word from the manual!” or have Elena bring water to “help.”

Part 4: Resolution & Rewards

After the Automaton is Defeated

Immediate Aftermath:

  • The Thornberry family is incredibly grateful
  • Marcus offers the promised reward (25gp) plus a home-cooked meal
  • Tim feels guilty but relieved
  • The automaton can be scrapped for parts or kept

The Letter from HamoTech

The next morning, a messenger arrives with a letter:

Read-Aloud: “The messenger, a young gnome with oil-stained goggles, hands you an official-looking envelope sealed with the HamoTech gear-and-heart logo. ‘Heard you folks dealt with the A-7 unit,’ she says cheerfully. ‘Dr. Hamilton asked me to deliver this personally.’”

The letter reads:

To the Heroes of Thornberry Farm,

We at HamoTech extend our deepest apologies for the trouble caused by Prototype A-7. The unit was lost during transport and was never intended for civilian use. We take full responsibility for this incident.

Your quick thinking and bravery in protecting the Thornberry family has not gone unnoticed. Please accept the enclosed compensation for the Thornberrys' losses and your own efforts in recovering our prototype.

Should you ever need assistance, or if you're interested in helping ensure such accidents don't happen again, please don't hesitate to contact our field office in [nearest city].

With gratitude,
Dr. Hamish Hamilton
Founder, HamoTech Innovations

P.S. - My colleague Zephyr is mortified that her transport route was compromised. She's the one who delivered this letter. Buy her a drink sometime and she'll talk your ear off about proper prototype handling procedures.

Enclosed: 50gp compensation, and a brass token engraved with the HamoTech logo (can be used to request aid from HamoTech in future)

Meeting Zephyr

Zephyr (female gnome, age 32 in gnome years/~20s in human maturity)

  • Appearance: Wild curly hair, oil-stained goggles, many pockets, always tinkering with something
  • Personality: Enthusiastic, talks fast, easily excitable, feels personally responsible for the accident
  • What to say: “I am SO sorry! I was transporting three prototypes through the area when my wagon hit a rock - or was it a pothole? Doesn’t matter - and one of the cases flew off into the creek and I didn’t notice until miles later! I came back to search but couldn’t find it and I felt TERRIBLE and got in so much trouble but not as much as I deserved because Dr. Hamilton is really nice but I should have been more careful and—” [she keeps rambling unless stopped]

DM Note: Zephyr is a recurring NPC. She can provide basic information about HamoTech:

  • They make magical technology to help people
  • They’re based in [major city] but have field offices everywhere
  • They’re always looking for field testers and protectors
  • She’s never heard of Felix Five (won’t come up until Adventure 2)

Scaling for Party Size

1-2 Players:

  • Reduce automaton HP to 16
  • Remove the Harvester’s Sweep ability
  • Have Zephyr arrive early and offer to help (she has stats of a Scout but won’t fight directly - she’ll provide advantage on Arcana checks)

3 Players:

  • Use stats as written

4 Players:

  • Increase automaton HP to 30
  • Add a second smaller automaton (AC 12, HP 11, only has Scythe Arm attack for 1d6+1 damage)
  • OR give it a ranged attack: Seed Shot: Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage.

DM Preparation Checklist

Before running this adventure:

  • Read the entire adventure once
  • Decide which hook you’ll use
  • Print/prepare the NPC descriptions (or bookmark them)
  • Have automaton stats ready
  • Prepare a simple map of the farm (or sketch one)
  • Think about Zephyr’s personality - she’s comic relief but also helpful
  • Decide what HamoTech’s role will be in your campaign going forward

Possible Complications

If you want to add drama or extend the adventure:

  1. Tim is Hiding Something: He activated the automaton even though he could read the “DO NOT DISTRIBUTE” label. He could be feeling guilty or rebellious. Roleplay this if your players engage with him.

  2. The Automaton Escapes: If the party fails to stop it, it could flee to the wilderness, requiring a tracking sequence.

  3. Second Automaton: Another damaged unit from the crash could activate during the fight.

  4. Rival Adventurers: Another group shows up to claim the bounty, creating competition or potential allies.

DM Tip: Only add complications if your party seems to be breezing through and wants more challenge.

Key Takeaways for Players

By the end of this adventure, players should:

  • Understand that magical technology exists in this world
  • Have heard of HamoTech (positive impression)
  • Have a contact (Zephyr) they can reach out to
  • Have a token that might be useful later
  • Feel heroic for saving the farm
  • Be interested in what else is happening with magical tech

Next Adventure Hook: If players express interest in HamoTech or magical technology, that leads naturally into Adventure 2. Otherwise, let them do side quests and bring them back to the main plot when they’re level 2.

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