Reference Sheet

Found the campaign on ~3 pillars—entangling them can make things interesting!

 * The rise of Modegier (intrigue)
 * The Clockwork Menace (war-eventually)
 * The power vacuum left behind by the fall of the Pirate Lord (politics)

Use inconsequential NPCs (extras) to give the world flavor

 * A young girl selling kittens offers one for free to the players
 * A simple farmer apprehends a pickpocket and returns the PC's stuff.
 * A town guard, whose wife just gave birth to a healthy baby girl, hands each of the player characters a cigar. (PCs are more inclined to save the world if they care about the people in it.)
 * A tavern regular challenges a character to a friendly arm wrestling challenge (opposed Strength check) or drinking contest (opposed Endurance check). (Win or lose, the NPC is gracious and speaks well of his competitor. The world needs such nice people.)
 * A pair of bickering lumberjacks offers to share their fire with the player characters, or point them in the right direction through the woods. ("Odd couples" provide lots of great role playing fodder.)

Acts I, II and III

 * Act I: How things begin and what needs to happen to drive the adventure foreward.
 * Act II: Complications arise for the PCs, things go wrong, etc.
 * Act III: Likely climax and aftereffects.