Thanks for the feedback, everybody.
The first few sessions of this campaign have been a little rudderless as I've been trying to feel my way around and establish background, but I think I've finally got some traction.
As I said, my wife's character, Stella, is young woman studying engineering at a university. She originally came from a mining community in the province of
Franklin, and so she's using her interest in clockwork automata to try to invent a mechanical beetle that can test air quality in mines. I've been letting her put together the prototype bit by bit.
A handsome young man named Tad, who is the captain of the school's rowing team, has been courting her. He delighted Stella, (and scandalized Stella's landlady) by picking her up for a dance in a steam automobile.
On their latest date, he took her to an automobile race he had entered. Shortly before the race started, however, a group of toughs waylaid Tad and beat him up, breaking his arm and rendering him unable to drive; forcing Stella to take his place. It was a fun, exciting race and my wife enjoyed my descriptions of the other cars.
After the race, Stella meets Tad's father, an influential senator, and some of his father's friends, including a mysterious elvish count from Bohemia. These men are part of a cabal, which will become important later.
The Count takes an interest in Stella and persuades her to accept first a ride back to town, then dinner at a restaurant, and then...
Well, this is a family board so we'll just leave it to say that Tad is going to be really annoyed.