Overview:
The Spread of Sappho marks the beginning of a monumental communal project—one conceived in secret by Overseer Rayna, who believes Sappho’s way of life must extend beyond its borders. The Spread represents both physical and philosophical expansion: the creation of two great works, the Triskelion Tram and the Turning of the Light, each meant to connect, empower, and eventually carry Sappho’s message of matriarchal unity, peace, and free love throughout the Willamette Valley.
The morning of the announcement, Rayna sits with Aiva in quiet conversation, coffee steaming beside parchment sketches. Around her are crude drawings of tram lines curving in a full circle around Sappho’s heart, and notations detailing how a great wooden-and-metal water wheel might turn the McKenzie’s strength into power. Within the hour, she will gather every class from the Harvest Hall to the Sacred Circle and share her dream aloud for the first time.
Rayna’s idea is ambitious but clear: harness the McKenzie River to power a circular tram system linking the key districts of Sappho. It is to be seamless, natural, and serene—structures of wood, bronze, and stone that grow from the landscape rather than intrude upon it.
At this stage, no construction has begun. The first task for all classes is alignment—each understanding their role in transforming concept to craft.
Franz:
Simulate the morning meeting in the Harvest Hall where Rayna unveils her vision.
Allow classes and key players to discuss, advise and ask questions about how their class might assist in the design.
The Shapers lead this stage as the engineers and architects. They draft the tram’s structure and design the water wheel that will turn the McKenzie’s flow into current. They must calculate slope, strength, and sustainability, always guided by Sappho’s ethos of harmony with the land.
The Sweatworkers begin crafting prototypes—small wooden models of the tram rails, wheel joints, and triskelion-shaped hubs. They scout sites where the tram will anchor, measuring soil and terrain.
The Sellers and Scavengers split routes—Sellers to barter for copper, bolts, and mechanical remnants; Scavengers to recover glass, gears, and wood from the old world’s bones. Sharpshooters accompany both groups, ensuring safe travel through the valley’s wild paths.
Franz:
Scouting missions, negotiations, and exploration events.
Skill challenges for terrain assessment or salvaging rare parts.
Within two moons, construction begins. The Sweatworkers lay the first sections of track, shaping the rail path around Sappho’s perimeter. The Shapers oversee the installation of the half-wooden, half-metal water wheel, testing early flow redirection from the McKenzie. Every element must blend with nature—timber smoothed by river stones, rails framed by moss and wildflowers.
The Sellers coordinate steady supply runs, while the Scavengers maintain salvage lines to supplement shortages. Both share the message with outlying areas of what Sapphos plans are. Stillers, Sowers, and Servers increase production—brewing more spirits, growing trade crops, and preparing goods for export to fund the Spread.
The Seductresses take up a different but vital labor: keeping the morale of the commune high. They organize evenings of song, celebration, and shared rest, ensuring that joy remains the rhythm of work.
Franz Hooks:
Construction site management and progress events.
Communal celebrations, morale scenes, or special Seductress-led feasts.
Small mechanical puzzles—repairing, balancing, or tuning the water wheel. Roll for success.
After four to five moons of building, both systems near completion. The first tram circle runs through Sappho, linking each hub for the first time in history. The wheel begins to turn, humming faintly with captured current.
The Shapers refine the power conduits. The Sweatworkers adjust tram speed and balance. The Sellers and Scavengers venture further—now to distant settlements—procuring what will be needed for the next stage: external tracks connecting Sappho to the valley. They continue to spread the word of the Spread of Sappho.
Franz:
First test rides of the tram—symbolic and technical event.
Challenges of weather, unstable soil, or minor system malfunctions. Roll for success vs. set back.
Opportunities to expand diplomacy with neighboring settlements.
With Sappho’s circle connected, attention turns outward. The tram will branch beyond the commune—toward the river routes, the Breezeway, and other valley settlements. The McKenzie’s power will carry more than motion; it will carry message. The Spread becomes both literal and symbolic—the transmission of Sappho’s ideals through shared trade, shared energy, and shared peace.
Within the year, the project aims to create the first open line between Sappho and the valley’s allied enclaves. The Spread will make travel and commerce faster, yes—but more importantly, it will make Sappho’s influence inevitable.
Franz:
Long-term expansion arcs: diplomacy, settlement alliances, regional trade.
Special events: valley fairs, new routes opening, first contact missions.
Player-driven contributions to design, decoration, or governance.
Obstacles & Challenges: Dice Rolls should determine outcome.
Limited metal resources (requires multiple expeditions).
Weather damage delaying construction.
Minor engineering setbacks with the water wheel or tram track alignment.
Diplomatic hurdles when expanding beyond Sappho’s borders (not conflict—just negotiation and trust-building).
Closing Note:
On the morning of the announcement, Rayna prepares in quiet resolve. Her napkin sketches now scatter the table like fallen leaves—small, imperfect, but alive. She takes one last sip of her coffee, turns to Aiva, and says simply:
“Here we go, lets change herstory.”
Soon, all of Sappho will gather in the Sacred Circle to hear her dream:
The Spread of Sappho has begun.