The Clockwork Caravan: Oakrit
By Isaiah Lee
A Novel Set Within the Iron Accord Universe
The kids weren't supposed to find him.
And Oakrit wasn't supposed to wake up.
When the steam-powered traveling caravan stalls in the quiet, crooked town of Vale Hollow, four kids are left restless and unsupervised-a dangerous combination in any world, but especially in one held together by copper gears, oddball science, and leftover circus magic.
Gialen, the compulsive tinkerer who can't keep his fingers off broken timepieces.
Madseline, the fearless mapmaker whose sense of direction is as offbeat as her inventions.
Crayden, the loud, impulsive thrill-chaser who jumps first and laughs later.
Koleth, the quiet thinker with a knack for spotting patterns no one else can see.
Together, they uncover something half-buried in the overgrowth outside town: a dormant machine-creature with rusted limbs, flickering lights, and a warning stamped into the metal plate at its base:
Property of M.E. // Do Not Awaken
But awaken it they do.
His name is Oakrit-a twitchy, half-glitched scout-beast built for protection, memory tracking, and long-forgotten missions. His memory banks are fractured. His voice box is cracked. His trust subroutine... highly skeptical. But when he bonds with Madseline, calling her his "Command Holder," the real journey begins-and it starts with hiding him before the town authorities can scrap him for parts.
As the kids work to repair Oakrit in secret, they draw the attention of:
- Zephyrella, a regal, blink-and-you'll-miss-her feline automaton who seems to know more than she's telling.
- Whiffle, a scent-mimicking fox with a trail of secrets and a habit of stealing buttons.
- Mohawk Enigma, a flamboyant and elusive ex-ringleader rumored to have once created a line of automata so clever, they dreamed their own dreams.
- And Captain Marlowe Smidge (or "Smalls"), a pint-sized chihuahua with a massive ego, unwavering loyalty, and a perfectly tailored officer's coat.
Soon, the children find themselves entangled in a mystery bigger than Oakrit's rusted shell. His memory glitches aren't just corrupted files-they're visions. Places that don't exist anymore. Voices that shouldn't be remembered. And something else... moving beneath the dirt.
They say the earth never forgets. But some things were buried for a reason.
The Clockwork Caravan: Oakrit is a steampunk-inspired, all-ages adventure filled with strange machines, soft humor, emotional honesty, and a pulsing heart that beats loud enough for anyone who's ever felt small in a big world. This is a story about friendship, trust, and what it means to be seen-even when you're a little broken.
- There is no profanity.
- No death.
- Only adventure, warmth, and mechanical wonder.
Perfect for readers who love:
- Howl's Moving Castle
- The Wild Robot
- The Mysterious Benedict Society
- Steam-whimsy, mystery-solving, and magical machines
Episode One in the Clockwork Caravan series
Each entry is a standalone adventure, but together they build a larger journey. And at the center of them all is the Caravan itself-a massive, gear-grinding procession of invention and story, always moving, always carrying something new.
Sometimes it's cargo. Sometimes it's secrets. And sometimes... it's hope.
"The Clockwork Caravan never stops. And neither should your imagination."
