Hard to Bard - Killer Queen - Do you want to build a snowman

The band leave Hammonds house and head back towards the Red Oak Tavern, on the way they pass through the Kings Square again, this time though they notice that the 15 foot-tall bronze status of King Richmond, standing on a 15 foot square marble platform, instead of  Richmond’s coat-of-arms, the shield is emblazoned with the symbol found on Chapter 2 of the Bards’ Tale.

The statue bears the following inscription: “King Richmond, Vivace. May his strength fall to us when we hear the drums of war.”

Heironymo playes the 2nd chapter of the Bards tale to the statue and causes a secret passage to open in the marble beneath the statue. The passage opens onto a staircase that goes down to the vault below.

Vault of King Richmond 

As the band rush in the entrance closes 30 seconds later but they spot that it can be opened from inside with a simple lever. 

The vault is a stone-walled room as old as the statue itself. A marble archway covered in sylvan runes occupies the left wall. At the back of the vault is an altar bearing an ornate shield similar to the one held by the statue above. Next to the altar is an iron chest. 

Lemmog just rushes over and opens the Iron Chest, no safety checks for a being like Lemmog!!

The chest contains petty cash funds set aside by King Richmond. Inside are 28 gold bars weighing 1 lb. each, worth 1400 gp in total.

Ekam and Sister check out the writing on the wall, which forms a marble archway similar to the one found in Richmond’s Tomb, bearing the symbol found on the second chapter of the Bards’ Tale and the inscription: “Life is full of doors, and music is the key.”

Heironymo without dark vision keeps asking the others what is going on.

Lemmog then spots the Sheild and picks it up, and in the short time he is looking at it becomes attuned to it.

Shield of the Forest 

King Armor (shield), legendary (requires attunement) 

The Shield of the Forest King is a unique bronze shield once worn by King Richmond himself. 

While holding this shield, you have a +1 bonus to AC, in addition to the shield’s normal bonus to AC. 

The shield also has the following properties: 

Harmonious. Attuning to this item takes only 1 minute

Cymbal Clash. Immediately after a creature hits you with a melee attack while you are holding the shield, you can use your reaction to force that creature to make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 thunder damage and be pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed. 

You may use this property a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus. 

You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. 

Forte. You are resistant to thunder damage. If you already have damage resistance to thunder from another source, you gain the following feature instead: 

Fortissimo. You are immune to thunder damage. 

Magic of the Bard. If you are a bard attuned to the shield, you gain the following benefits: 

• You gain proficiency with shields if you did not have it already. • You can use the shield as a spellcasting focus for your bard spells. 
• While holding this shield, you gain a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls and to the saving throw DCs of your bard spells. 
• You can use your spell save DC as the DC for the shield’s Cymbal Clash property.

Red Oak Tavern

The band head up to Jacob Morrison, a former royal official Room and with a letter from Hammond and some persuasion, Ekam switches places with him.

Lemmog hides in Morrisons Room

Heironymo with Sister and a now snoring Hydrica protect Morrison in their own room.

Late at night, four shadow fauns sneak across to attack Morrison at the Red Oak Tavern. 

Heironymo spots them as they use their ability to walk through shadow to enter his room and attack.

The fauns’ aura of silence makes it next to impossible for anyone outside the tavern to realize there is a fight going on.

The fauns are despatched quite quickly, but not quick enough for Ekam who got booted from pillows to post.

Ekam leaves a note in the desk from Arcane Fire and the Three fake Bard Tale Chapters.

Exhausted the band go to bed, and miss Morrison leaving to Hammonds house.

They awake to Hammond knocking on their door and praising them but apologising that the bards tale chapter has been stolen by Madeline’ agents, and that he has sent his family into hiding and will join General Warner’s side.. 

Ekam suggests to Hammond that he needs to check Morrison has packed up all his things, then Ekam and the band leave Albyn, in a hurry, in a very big hurry.

On the Road again

On the Road to Richmond, Bianca is more aware of danger ahead and reports that some Jade Senitals are hunting for them in the Woods.

Avoiding them takes a bit of time but the band arrive back a Richester.

The True Royal

You ask of fragments? 

I do not sense fragments, I sense the whole of the song, though it twists and turns with different voices in the chorus. 

Perhaps you mean to say that the ballad speaks of many feelings. 

What is a story but a feeling encapsulated? 

You can feel anger, or you can feel my-life-was-stolen-from me-and-I-was-banished-to-a-catacomb. 

You can feel jubilation, or you can feel overcoming-a-troubled childhood-and-founding-a-juster-kingdom. 

You can feel tranquility or you can feel secure-all-your-actions-are-for-the-greater-good-because-heroes-must-be-beautiful. 

You can feel sorrow, or you can feel walked to-hell-and-back-to-save-a-love-but-failed. I feel all of these things, but I can not tell you where to find them, you must experience each story at its own pace.

The Story Tree

The Bards’ Tale, Reformed 

Now that the band have recovered all of the chapters of the Bards’ Tale, they have access to incredible power to shape the ending of Nevernever’s story. 

To truly invoke the potential of the Bards’ Tale the characters need to trek back to Richester Keep and perform it in the Throne Room for all to see so that the royal magic can take hold. 

The people that they’ve befriended or vilified along the way and the choices they’ve made will drastically change how this plays out. 

Gathered Allies 

The allies that the band have made during their journey in Nevernever have been summoned by the Twins, they are aiding them by keeping mobs away fighting in the background.  

Returning to Richester

The gates open as you make your approach. Suddenly, bells begin to ring and the people cheer as you make your way down the street. Frozen flower petals rain gently from the sky and the minstrels sing your praises. 

Arriving at the Gates

As the band make their way to the keep, they see that most of the townspeople aren’t walking about the city as they usually do. 

They learn that Queen Madeline is beginning her coronation and made it available for the public to witness. 

Once the band reach the Courtyard of Richester Keep, two knights in black armor stand in place of the guards that stood there before. 

Their eyes glow a ghastly blue and they attack the band on sight.

The band despatch the Knights and head into the Throne Room

Throne Room

The band arrive just in time to see Queen Madeline performing her ritual and the Ghost of King Richmond appear in the room.

The band are set upon by 4 Shadow Fauns that appear right beside them.

The Ghost of King Richmond is attacked by two of the Winter Knights

Rachefus, an Archmage sets about attacking both King Richmond and the band

Queen Madeline winter blasts the Ghost of King Richmond.

The band are not sure whats going on, but resolve to despatch the Fauns as quickly as they can while The Ghost is fighting the Queen and her minions.

Lots of heavy spells are thrown about and couterspelled.

It was a bit a time warp for a bit, but the band manages to step to the left.

As the ritual concludes you see Madeline’s elven form transform into that of a being that evokes cold and calculated splendor. Her eyes have turned to an icy pale blue and her body skin is pale white and covered in frost. She examines her new body for several moments and speaks out, “I am the eternal ruler of this kingdom, which I now dub Frostvale. I am the Queen of Winter

Queen Madeline transforms into the Winter Queen

With her Bloodline Ritual Complete the Ghost King recognises her as his bloodline and disappears wondering what he was doing there in the first place.

Ekam did kill a load of innocent bystanders, hunting and killing Rachefus

Heironymo died and came back again, and again

Lemmog was on his lasts legs for a lot of the fight and only with hydrica and Sisters help did he survive at all.

Ekam was almost downed a few times.

Finally Fully tapped out of spells, Kia and other abilities the Queen was killed.

Queen Madeline has Died.

The ice and frost that has taken over the keep retreats rapidly and the onlookers begin to change back into their original forms. They begin to scream as they realize what has transpired and that their Queen has died as a result of her ritual. 

As their Allies bring order around Richester, Lemmog sits and rests on the Throne.

Ekam examines the dead queens body and finds a magical ring that he identifies.

Lemmog is finding the Throne rather comfortable and too his taste.

Hmm.. Taking the Crown

If the band (well Lemmog) desires to take control of Richester, then performing the Bards’ Tale is the best shot they’d have convincing the people of the kingdom that they’re fit to rule. 

The complication arises in that the Bards’ Tale as it’s written will only reveal the true heir to Richmond.

Hmm Complications Complications.......

Ekam then informs Lemmog and the band of what the ring does.

The Ring of Want 

Artifact (requires attunement) 

In the days of an age long forgotten, this ring was used by a monarch to assume complete control over their realm. In an act of desperation, their enemies seized the ring and flung it through time and space with the power of lost magic. Somehow, it found itself in the possession of Rachefus, Queen Madeline’s court wizard, who then gave it to her so that she could pursue her plan to become the true ruler of Richester. 

When you attuned to this ring, you must succeed a DC18 Wisdom Saving Throw or take 8d10 Psychic damage and become Lawful Evil or half as much on a successful save. 

This does not affect characters that are already Lawful Evil. 

While wearing this ring, you can use an action to expend 1 of its 3 charges to cast the wish spell from it. 

When all three charges are expended, you cannot use this ability again. 

While attuned to this ring, you gain effects of the spell Glibness. 

Random Properties. 

• 1 minor beneficial property. 
• While attuned to the artifact, you gain proficiency in one skill of the DM's choice (Religion).
• 2 minor detrimental properties. 
• While attuned to the artifact, you emit a sour stench noticeable from up to 10 feet away.
• While attuned to the artifact, you can't smell.
• 1 major detrimental property.
• When you first attune to the artifact, it gives you a quest determined by the DM (Will work this out as will probably be a hook for Season 3). You must complete this quest as if affected by the Geas spell. Once you complete the quest, you are no longer affected by this property.

Taking the Crown

Lemmog does not ponder the consiquences for long and takes the ring to attune to during a short rest on the Throne.

Rather than casting a wish to change his bloodline (which is what the Queen done, and caused the Ghost of Richmond to rise), Lemmog casts a wish to alter the Bards’ Tale.

He then convinces the band to put on the performance so that the Bards Tale can have it name the rightful heir to the throne, destroying anyone else’s claim.

Much to Sister's suprise and Ekam's horror it names Lemmog, who is now the undisputed King of Richmond!

Will Richmond recover, will the Revolutionaries back down now a new King holds the throne.

Another Story Begins 

The fate of Richester is determined by the the band now.

The Unseelie Court. Madeline had dealings with the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, which was not given to the Unseelie Court as was promised....

Ruling the Kingdom. The band must now deal with the fragile political situation in Richester and fend off those who would seek to do harm. Parley with other kingdoms, scheme endlessly, or just frequent the theatre.

Asmodeus Records Infernal Contract. Orianna and Mordakai Mafisto remind the band that Asmodeus Records shall receive 50% of all future musical royalties, and ticket sales earned by the signatories. As the Kingdom was won by the bands performance, then as per the contract 50% of the Kingdom is property of Asmodeus Records.

Tune in for Season Three of Hard to Bard - Bard Harder to find out..