As the dust settles, rather than retrete to find a secluded place, the band work with Odeon to help him complete his Epic Opus
Odeon informs the bands that he has been working on an Epic that he believes will heal Laduguer’s heart.
He came close to finishing it by studying the intricacies of his chapter of the Bards’ Tale but the song is still lacking the magic required to help Laduguer, which Odeon learned the last time he attempted to perform for him, resulting in his body being turned to slime, and his head only being saved as the Bardic Tale chapter was stuffed in my skaif.
Odeon tells the band that he thinks that he needs a better insight into who Laduguer is at a personal level.
The band agree to try and help Odeon finish his song.
Odeon's Epic
The band required five successful skill checks.
If they fail on three checks before succeeding on five, they fail to complete the Epic.
Chitinguts is with the party and shares his backstory with Odeon, giving him insight on Laduguer
Success 1 Fails 0
Charisma (Performance) - Ekam attempts and fails to play a brilliant melody to inspire Odeon to add some more layers to the song.
Success 1 Fails 1
Intelligence (Arcana) - Sister shows Odeon how the magic of music can be amplified using simple wizarding techniques.
Success 2 Fails 1
Wisdom (Animal Handling) - Lemmog fails to demonstrate the power of the natural world and the animals living within in it to Odeon
Success 2 Fails 2
Charisma (Nature) - Ekam manages to make a convincing epitath on the order of nature and that Laduguer is in conflict with the natural balance of things
Success 3 Fails 2
Intelligence (History) - Sister recounts the origin of the Duergar and how their god, Laduguer came to be banished and slain.
Success 3 Fails 3
Wisdom (Insight) - Sister tries to shed light on his emptiness and contempt for the other deities Laduguer must have.
Success 3 Fails 4
work is never done”. The phrase “Never done” uses the dwarven word nthulithk, which can also mean “undead” depending on context.
The band perform Odeon's Epic Opus Laduguer.
It’s petals are shades of green, yellow, red, and purple, and it glows with a faint iridescence.
All the band realise that the flower is a rare species that would be highly valued by collectors. However Sister also notices unusual small, sharp protrusions around the flower's petals, and the vines around its base seem to move slightly on their own.
Before King Richard reached his thousandth year, he knew he must create his magnum opus and ensure that his legacy would be upheld. With all of the resources available to him, he spent the next 30 years leading to his thousandth name day creating the work that would be boldly dubbed “The Bards’ Tale”.
While the contents within are simply an epic account of his many achievements and victories, weaved within the paper itself is a magic that’s connected to the magic of Richester itself. When Richmond built the city, he made sure to weave a bit of himself into every brick, statue, and tile. When the song was sung in its entirety, it’s said the trees dance and sway to the tune and the very architecture of the theatre changes to resemble the tone of what’s being played.
Thus, it has only been performed once on the day before Richmond passed.
Five Chapters. The tale is composed of five chapters that each resemble a chapter of Richmond’s story and each one is a powerful magic item in itself.The first chapter of The Bards’ Tale reveals the locations of the other chapters to whoever reads it in the form of a map of Nevernever.
Queen of Sun. This verse is about Korray and her infinite beauty. While sung, allies within 30 feet of the performer have resistance to cold damage.
While sung, allies within 30 feet of the performer can use the dash action as a bonus action.
While sung, allies within 30 feet of the performer add 1d4 to each attack roll and saving throw they make and all enemies within the area must succeed on a DC15 charisma saving throw. Whenever a creature that failed this saving throw makes an attack roll or a saving throw, they must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the total.
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 13
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR 15 (+2)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 1 (-5)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 3 (-4)
Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages --
Challenge 1/4
Proficiency Bonus +2
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the snake can't constrict another target.
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 60
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR 19 (+4)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 1 (-5)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 3 (-4)
Skills Perception +2
Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Passive Perception 12
Languages --
Challenge 2
Proficiency Bonus +2
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the snake can't constrict another target.
Strength (Persuasion) - Lemmog bolsters Odeon with courage, reassuring him that his song will save his people.
Success 4 Fails 4
Dexterity (Acrobatics) Heironymo tries to perform some inspiring acrobatic feats for Odeon, to show the fullness and spring of life that Laduguer is missing
Success 5 Fails 4
Well the Epic is complete, but has some bum verses in it, the band head off to Boss Laduguer’s Office as the mine starts filling back up with workers.
The office is enclosed by a pair of obsidian doors inlaid with golden runes in Dwarvish that read “Thework is never done”. The phrase “Never done” uses the dwarven word nthulithk, which can also mean “undead” depending on context.
The band enter Boss Laduguer’s Office
Boss Laduguer’s Office
The darkest, coldest part of Hammertown is an office for the God of Toil.A throne of mithral rises up between hunks of black shale covered in papers and ink. Shale lines the walls, engraved with monumental, angular runes and lined with oil lamps.
A brightly-hued flower sits in a glass display on one desk.
A hard-eyed duergar sits at the throne, his work shirt rolled to the elbows, intoning orders to a drudge priest.
This is the inverse of a penthouse. Boss Laduguer works here, directing orders to his faithful managers.
The runes along the walls tell the history of the duergar’s struggle, Laduguer’s liberation, and the eternal work of Hammertown.
This is the inverse of a penthouse. Boss Laduguer works here, directing orders to his faithful managers.
The runes along the walls tell the history of the duergar’s struggle, Laduguer’s liberation, and the eternal work of Hammertown.
Laduguer ignites the oil lamps with a snap of his fingers, creating orange flames that make the shale and mithral iridesce blue-green, and making the office smell like petrichor and burning hair.
Boss Laduguer is a mortal avatar of a lost god. He wears a white work shirt rolled to the elbows and a black silk vest over a silver chain shirt. Laduguer sees something beautiful in Korray because he once fought with his life to see the sun, but he is not the idealist he once was.
Laduager threatens to kill the band unless they can prove that they mean business.
Laduager asks them to retrieve Odeon’s head to prove that they are worthy of their labor-free stay in Hammertown, with which Lemmog smugly holds the head aloft like a trophy.
The band perform Odeon's Epic Opus Laduguer.
A DC30 Charisma (Performance) was needed (accounting for the bum verses in the Epic)
Chitinguts helps providing a +5 bonus
Guidance is provided giving a D4 bonus
Inspiration is provided giving a D8 bonus
Total including all bonuses - 32, phew
Laduguer’s heart warms, and he realises the error of his ways. He embraces the warmth that lies deep within himself and he agrees to turn Hammertown around for the better as well as free the souls that he has indentured into labor.
Laduguer’s heart warms, and he realises the error of his ways. He embraces the warmth that lies deep within himself and he agrees to turn Hammertown around for the better as well as free the souls that he has indentured into labor.
The workers from Arathill are allowed to return to their lives in Feywild and Hammertown becomes a worthy afterlife for the Duergar who live there.
Boss Laduguer will once again earn the respect of his followers and become an ally to the band.
Korray promises to return home to Arathill, ending the winter and also becomes an ally to the band.
Boss Laduguer reforms Odeon’s body. Who then bestows a copy of The Song of Odeon.
The band with Korray head back to Arathill, where they are welcomes warmly, they spot that the archway the Feast Hall is built around contains they same symbol as chapter 4 of the bards tale.
Boss Laduguer will once again earn the respect of his followers and become an ally to the band.
Korray promises to return home to Arathill, ending the winter and also becomes an ally to the band.
Boss Laduguer reforms Odeon’s body. Who then bestows a copy of The Song of Odeon.
The band with Korray head back to Arathill, where they are welcomes warmly, they spot that the archway the Feast Hall is built around contains they same symbol as chapter 4 of the bards tale.
The Band also realise that when they left shadowfell
The Raven on Heironymo is gone
Lemmog's resistance to fire is gone
Blinky and Immith Chargoba darkvison has returned
Ekam and Sister still have their Winter Wines and Hydrica still has his Twist of Fate
The Fates have left them.
Talking with Bianca, they plot a course to the Theatre, avoiding most of the Enchanted Forest, and make good time before they have to re-entre the Forest.
Where amid a thicket of vines and vegetation looms a massive flower, nearly six feet in diameter.
It’s petals are shades of green, yellow, red, and purple, and it glows with a faint iridescence.
All the band realise that the flower is a rare species that would be highly valued by collectors. However Sister also notices unusual small, sharp protrusions around the flower's petals, and the vines around its base seem to move slightly on their own.
This information does not stop Heironymo and Lemmog who march right up to the plant, with Lemmog reaching out an touching it.
Horrifying Shambler
The shambling mound rears up, lets loose vines with smaller flower heads, and screeches what almost sounds like the words “Feed me!”
The Band battle the Shambling mound and the vines, mid way through the battle, Lemmog takes a swipe at Sister, but misses her head.
Even after the flowers have all been cut up (despite only some of them being able to "heal" by the wounds they inflict, cause they could not hit for toffee), Lemmog then goes on a rampage towards Sister and Heironymo, Ekam can only look on in shock.
Sister tries to calm Lemmog down, but when that fails, banishes him to another plane of existance, where he returns 1 min later none the wiser of what occured.
There is then a moment of Benny Hill where Ekam and Sister are chasing Lemmog trying to remove his axe and/or curse from him.
Lemmog does not trust the band not to steal his axe, his precious, that he stays up all night and suffers a level of exhaustion and no benefits of a long rest.
Magic Items
The Bards’ Tale
Wondrous Item, LegendaryBefore King Richard reached his thousandth year, he knew he must create his magnum opus and ensure that his legacy would be upheld. With all of the resources available to him, he spent the next 30 years leading to his thousandth name day creating the work that would be boldly dubbed “The Bards’ Tale”.
While the contents within are simply an epic account of his many achievements and victories, weaved within the paper itself is a magic that’s connected to the magic of Richester itself. When Richmond built the city, he made sure to weave a bit of himself into every brick, statue, and tile. When the song was sung in its entirety, it’s said the trees dance and sway to the tune and the very architecture of the theatre changes to resemble the tone of what’s being played.
Thus, it has only been performed once on the day before Richmond passed.
Five Chapters. The tale is composed of five chapters that each resemble a chapter of Richmond’s story and each one is a powerful magic item in itself.
The map can be projected onto surfaces or into someone’s mind.
Chapter 1 Coming of Age
- This chapter is about Richmond’s formative years.
- The creature that holds this chapter looks about 10 years younger than they are and has a +1 bonus to persuasion and performance checks.
- Additionally, this chapter can magically reveal the locations of the other chapters on the same plane of existence to the reader.
Chapter 4 One Regret
- This chapter is about the only time Richmond’s heart was truly broken, the death of his first wife who was a human.
- He tried to resurrect her from the dead, but the gods refused to allow an elder soul to live again.
- The creature that holds this chapter may cast Resurrection without material components.
- This ability cannot be used again for 100 years.
Bloodline Keeper. The entire arrangement can be performed when all five chapters are combined.
To perform the entire arrangement, you must concentrate and use your action to attempt a DC17 Charisma (Performance) check for three consecutive rounds. If at least two of the three checks were successful, the arrangement will have been completed. When this happens, the heir to Richester by blood is revealed to all who can see. While performing, you are granted the following benefits:
When the motif of the corresponding chapter is performed, the magic of the music will cause a secret to be unlocked, normally in the form of a secret door opening or a room reshaping to a more favorable form.
To perform the entire arrangement, you must concentrate and use your action to attempt a DC17 Charisma (Performance) check for three consecutive rounds. If at least two of the three checks were successful, the arrangement will have been completed. When this happens, the heir to Richester by blood is revealed to all who can see. While performing, you are granted the following benefits:
- Whenever a friendly creature within 30 feet of you must make a saving throw, the creature gains a bonus to the saving throw equal to your Charisma modifier (with a minimum bonus of +1).
- You have advantage on Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration.
- Hostile Creatures within 30ft. cannot cast the wish spell.
When the motif of the corresponding chapter is performed, the magic of the music will cause a secret to be unlocked, normally in the form of a secret door opening or a room reshaping to a more favorable form.
Song of Odeon
Wondrous item, Legendary
The Song of Odeon is a parchment bearing a bardic tale of the God of Toil and his underworld. Anyone who is proficient in Performance can recite a verse of the song as an action, granting its effect. The performer can continue to sing as a bonus action for up to 1 minute, repeating the same verse or adding new verses to the song for additional effects. When the song is performed this way, it loses effect until the next dawn.
There are different verses available in the song, depending on which choices were made during the bands’ time in Hammertown.
Available verses
Liberator of the Deep. This verse about how Laduguer freed his kin from the mind flayers.
While sung, allies within 30 feet of the performer add 1d6 psychic damage to the first melee attack they make each turn.
This verse is gained by learning about Laduguer’s past.
King of Stone. This verse is about Laduguer and his never-ending stubbornness.
While sung, allies within 30 feet of the performer can’t be knocked down. This verse is gained by meeting Laduguer.
Light and Darkness. This verse is about hope.
While sung, allies within 30 feet of the performer can see in magical darkness as if it were dim light.
This verse is gained if the characters healed Laduguer’s frozen heart.
Unwritten verses - you don't know and cannot get to know these
This verse is gained by meeting Korray before singing the Epic.
Stand Up. This verse is about the revolution and worker reform in Hammertown.
This verse is gained by successfully starting the revolution in Hammertown.
Death of a God: This verse is about Laduguer’s fall.
This verse is gained by slaying Boss Laduguer.
Netherworld Wand (Hydrica has this)
Wand, rare
A wand circled by black and white stripes with a red tip that was once owned by Chitinguts. The wand holds 6 charges and regains 1d3 charges each nightfall.
While holding it, you can use an action to cast the fear spell from it by expending one charge. You can also use an action and expend two charges to transform the wand into either a snake or a giant constrictor snake that follows your mental commands. It transforms back into a wand after 1 hour or until you use a bonus action to end it early.
Constrictor Snake
Large Beast, UnalignedArmor Class 12
Hit Points 13
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR 15 (+2)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 1 (-5)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 3 (-4)
Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages --
Challenge 1/4
Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the snake can't constrict another target.
Giant Constrictor Snake
Huge Beast, UnalignedArmor Class 12
Hit Points 60
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR 19 (+4)
DEX 14 (+2)
CON 12 (+1)
INT 1 (-5)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 3 (-4)
Skills Perception +2
Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Passive Perception 12
Languages --
Challenge 2
Proficiency Bonus +2
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the snake can't constrict another target.
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