Alarm Machine

An Alarm Machine is a unique type of device functioning similar to a Trap, encountered in the Counting House and its docks in Act Three of the game.

Involvement

Alarm Machines are signalling mechanisms, placed in plain sight inside the guarded halls of the Counting House, as well as in several points around its docks.

Alarm Machines look like vertical stands with three trumpets turned in different directions, with a lamp on the top of the whole construction. In an armed condition, the lamp glows yellow, while triggered it glows bright-red. Disarmed, the Alarm Machine's lamp goes out.

Once triggered, an Alarm Machine emits shrilling sound for three turns. This makes all guards in range approach them and become hostile to the party, and includes the Steel Watchers that patrol the dock berths. While triggered, they keep all lured guards around for their activated duration, making them leave their posts or leave patrolled routs.

Should the party wish to ransack the docks, if planned and conducted thoroughly, the functioning pattern of the Alarm Machines can be used to their advantage.

Alarming Machines are not (hidden) traps, so they are not spotted and detected as such with  Investigation or  Perception checks. However, they can still be disarmed with the help of a  Trap Disarm Toolkit ( DC 15 Sleight of Hand Check). Also, being a constantly active means of defence, Alarming Machines are considered restricted objects, and interacting with them openly can lead to unwanted attention from nearby guards.

At the Counting House

There are five machines in and around the Counting House:

• Inside the main hall on the left at X: -88 Y: -172
• Next to the exit towards the docks at X: -112 Y: -201
• On the eastern dock at X: -103 Y: -213
• On the middle dock at X: -127 Y: -232
• On the western dock at X: -151 Y: -201