A Good Day to Bard Hard - Skalintown

Prelude

Arcane Fire led by King Lemog of Richmond are on a quest to find amplified music sound, by seeking the 10 legendary Tomes/Manuals/Books 

This has taken them to Lyric Grove, Eden, Pawney, Conquess, Adaven, and Serylim 

So far they have fought Orcs, Beasts, Worms, Undead, Statues, Plants, Cutlery and Curses 

Lets see if the band stays with the same line up, or will there be more member changes than Whitesnake

This tale inspired a new song:

  

Ten Tomes and a Broken Dream

Verse 1

King Lemog led us out of Richmond town

Arcane Fire burning, we won't back down

Sought the legendary sound, ten books to find

Left our old lives way behind

Fought the orcs in Lyric Grove that night

Statues came alive, we had to fight

Pre-Chorus

Members come and members go

But the quest's the only thing I know

Chorus

Ten tomes, ten tomes, we're chasing amplified dreams

Nothing's ever quite as simple as it seems

From Eden's curse to Serylim's stone

We're searching for a sound to call our own

Ten tomes, ten tomes, will we ever make it through?

Half the band is gone, but I'm still holding true

Verse 2

Worms came crawling under Pawney's ground

Cutlery was flying all around

Conquess took a bandmate from our crew

Adaven showed us what we're heading to

Plants and undead haunting every door

But we keep searching, pushing ever more

Pre-Chorus

Whitesnake's got nothing on our line

Lost three members, still we press on time

Chorus

Ten tomes, ten tomes, we're chasing amplified dreams

Nothing's ever quite as simple as it seems

From Eden's curse to Serylim's stone

We're searching for a sound to call our own

Ten tomes, ten tomes, will we ever make it through?

Half the band is gone, but I'm still holding true

Bridge

King Lemog says we're close now, can you hear?

The final books are waiting somewhere near

I don't know who'll be standing when we're done

But we'll find that amplified sound

Final Chorus

Ten tomes, ten tomes, we're chasing amplified dreams

Nothing's ever quite as simple as it seems

From Eden's curse to Serylim's stone

We're searching for a sound to call our own

Ten tomes, ten tomes, we're almost there, we'll see

The Arcane Fire's gonna set us free

Like all songs, folk or otherwise, "may not depict actual historical events accurately"

Heironimyo The Harmony Monk and Sprits Bard Tortle

Lemmog The Oath of Candor Paladin Orc

Ekham The Celestial Warlock and Glamor Bard Assimir

Gribble The Creation Bard Gnome

Yomi and Simle eloped off together with the Book of Vile Deeds, will this be a problem, will they become the problem, are they the ying the others yang, good vs evil, high vs dark, anyways thats a problem for later, as the band make their way towards Skalintown the band spie a familiar face, Hydrica

Hydrica a College of Swords Bard Dragonborn

Who has with him a Tiefling Eloguence Bard and Fey Warlock

Who introduces herself as BoBop Na'Faksgivan, of the Na'Faksgivan Family Vinyard, but you can call me "Bo", I am a changling, but currently presenenting as a Teifling, do you like this look? I have others?

"Bo" Eloquence Bard and Fey Warlock

Bo also mentions a weird rumour of a strange new College of Bards that are removing sound, or banning sound its odd, its weird, its probably nothing...

Ekam and Hydrica have a spirited conversation on who is or is not Archane Fire, who left who and well if the sky is blue.

This argument continues as they enter Skalintown

Arrival

The band makes their way into Skalintown early in the day.

As they walk through, they can see frightened townsfolk staring out at them through the slits in closed windows. The streets are completely desolate, giving an ominous vibe to the quiet little mining town. 

It remains quiet until a man comes walking out of a building labeled “Jail” with a crossbow at the ready. “We got enough trouble on our hands without any more bandits trying to come into my town. You aren't wearing markings of The Calamity . . . so who are you?” 

The man standing on the steps is in his late forties, human. He has a thick grey handlebar mustache, deep brown eyes, and is wearing a white cowboy hat and a sturdy pair of boots. He speaks slowly and

confidently, introducing himself as Ronald Gardner - The Sheriff

The band introduce themselves and ask what the problem is.

Help Wanted

Once it becomes clear the band is not here to pillage or steal, people become to cautiously walk out of their homes looking relieved. Ron explains the town's situation and The Calamity's impending arrival. Many of the people in town are packing their bags and plan on simply leaving. Others are preparing themselves to battle to protect their homes. Others are drinking so much they might not even remember the raid after the fact. Ron sees that the band are no ordinary folk passing through town and asks kindly that they help them fight back against the impending attack. He does not beg or plead, he merely tries to appeal to their decency to help those in need.

Hironimo and Ekam agree before any negotiation on price can occur, much to the disgust of Hydrica.

The town doesn't have twenty-thousand to spare, but it does have a few thousand they could spare in profits from the mining industry. Ron offers this to the party in exchange for their help - once he gets approval from the Mayor of course.

Hydrica seeing that Hironimo is just about to say they will do it for nothing accepts the offer of 5,000 gold

Ekam asks if they have any prisoners in the jail atm and when told yes, they ask what they are in for and if they could speak with them.

Jeffrey Black

Jeffrey is a shorter man with a blonde goatee that is always immaculately trimmed and styled. His mouth is half-filled with gold and silver caps that make his smile glimmer. 

I was accused of stealing from the church donation bowl, but I was just getting change from a hundred.

I have turned my life around into one free of crime and left The Calamity a few months ago

The Sheriff confirms that Jeffrey is a strange man who has been hanging around town for a few months now. Many in the town want Jeffrey locked up in the jail as they fear he will turn on the townspeople and go back to his roots with The Calamity, but he also knows the appearances of the leaders of the bandits. 

Jeffrey negotiated with the band to get him out of prison so he is free to fight against them and in exchange, he will point out the leaders, as if you kill them, then the rest should scatter.

When the band takes on the job, it is time for the real work to begin. Ron rallies the people around him, shouting for them to gather at Teresa's. It takes ten minutes or so for everyone to flood in but it seems nearly the entire town is in attendance - almost two-hundred people. Ron gives a rousing speech about how Skalintown is their home and it will not be taken from them, that they will fight and they will win. He gestures to the players and declares them as the town's saving grace - its ace in the hole. He instructs the townsfolk to go back to their houses and anyone who is able to fight, be ready to get to work.

A Weary Mayor

The band follows Ron to the oldest house in the town.

Despite its age, it is still is amazing condition and is quite luxurious. 

This is the Mayor's home and Ron walks inside without so much as a knock, beckoning the band to follow him. 

The sheriff leads the band to the parlor where Mayor Skalin is leaned over a large table. The room is dominated by the smell of coffee and it is clear the Mayor has been without sleep for a few days. On the table is a map of the town drawn on a massive piece of parchment. Small figurines are scattered all around the edges - representing barricades, explosives, citizens, and more.

Mayor Skalin looks to them with a weak smile, his eyes sunk into his skull with dark lines at their edges. "So you found some help?" Ron nods and allows the band to introduce themselves. Mayor Skalin thanks the party and speaks again, "I appreciate your willingness to stand beside us in our hour of need, but I’m afraid we have no time to waste. We have only three days until they arrive . . . so if you are serious about helping us, let's get to it." He finishes off a cup of coffee, then gestures to the map and explains the various options available to defend the town.

Making Preparations 

The band had  three full days to prepare for the assault on Skalintown by The Calamity. Each day they choose an action each or their own.

Some actions required specific people to help.

1. Barricade The Entryways 
• There are many entryways into the town, which can be a lot to cover even for the small town. By adding barricades, the enemy can be funneled in through fewer points of entry. Each 10 ft. x 10 ft. segment of these wooden barricades has 25 hit points and an AC of 15.
• Required people: Ron
2. Arm The Townsfolk  
• The townsfolk are ready to fight, but don’t have much in the way of ranged weaponry. Korvoc can craft some light crossbows while Ron trains the citizens in their use. These townsfolk will hide on rooftops and fire down on the enemies every round of combat.  
• Required people: Korvoc, Ron
3. Create Advanced Weaponry 
• Korvoc has the crafting ability required to create some powerful mounted defensive weapons that can be placed around the town to help defend from intruders. These deal massive damage but require constant operation and can be destroyed.
• Required people:  Korvoc
4. Create Thrown Explosives 
• Rysa is a master of explosives and can carefully create bombs that will be sure to deal plenty of damage to any enemies clustered together during the final battle. She has two different types of throwable bombs available to be crafted: 
• Explosive Bomb 
• A creature can use an action to throw an explosive bomb at a point p to 50 feet away. Each creature within 10 feet of the bomb must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d6 fire damage and 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
• Shrapnel Bomb 
• A creature can use an action to throw a shrapnel bomb at a point up to 50 feet away. Each creature within 20 feet of the bomb must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 8d4 piercing on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. 
• Required people: Rysa
5. Dig Tunnels 
• If there is one thing the people of Skalintown know it is digging. By using the skills they know best, the townsfolk can construct systems of underground tunnels between builds in the town or even to create escape tunnels outside of town. This allows defenders to reinforce various locations without exposing themselves to attacks while moving. Required NPCs None - they’ve got this
6. Enemy Intel 
• Jeffrey has specific knowledge on each of the bandit leaders. See their stat blocks and descriptions at the end of the adventure for more flavorful information that you can give to you players. The result of this knowledge is that your group will be better prepared to do battle against these enemies. Unfortunately, the townsfolk are still distrustful of Jeffrey and will grow angrier with each day he is left free (covered later in the adventure). 
• Required people: Jeffrey
7. Brew Potions
• It has been a long time since Teresa has brewed potions, but she still has the knowledge from all those years ago. Fortunately, she also has the ingredients since she first transitioned to the saloon business when she began making alcohol from the components of a healing potions. Unfortunately, she will need the help of multiple assistants to craft these potions under such intense time constraints.
• Required people: Teresa
8. Setup Detonated Explosives 
• Rysa can craft explosives that can be setup on the battlefield to be detonated either by a character or set to explode when an enemy steps upon them. She has two different types of detonated explosive available to be crafted: 
• Explosive Barrel 
• This is an ordinary 2 ft. tall barrel stuffed full of explosives. A creature can use an action to can throw a lit torch at a barrel within 30 ft., causing it to immediately detonate. Each creature within 10 feet of the barrel must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. 
• The barrel can also be rigged with a fuse and explode after a set amount of time. When the barrel is crafted a fuse lasting 1 to 6 rounds can be attached. As a bonus action, a creature can light the fuse. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) the fuse burns. After the set number of rounds goes by, the barrel detonates. 
• Gunpowder Mine 
• When this 1 ft. wide gunpowder mine is buried, it is invisible to anyone not explicitly looking for it. If a creature enters the same space as a mine, roll a d20. On a result of 10 or less, the creature steps on the mine and cause it to immediately detonate. Each creature in that space must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9d10 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. 
• Required people:  Rysa

Day 1

The band all helped with Barricading The Entryways  full covering and strengthening one side of the town.

The First Night

The band is offered free rooms on the second floor of Teresa’s Saloon. After the first day of preparations, the townsfolk seem to be in high spirits and most of them head to Teresa’s Saloon to drink and calm their nerves. They are miners, so they are used to a hard day of work as well as a strong pint of beer. The citizens invite the band to join them for drinks as they head over, which they agree to.

Things start out fine, until one group begins to get rowdy and finally the band hears, “He can’t be trusted! We need to lock him up!” A man stands up and begins to stomp across the room towards another man silently drinking at the bar, a man by the name of Jeffrey Black. 

Ekham ting a lings his little bell and calms the emotions of the man before he can rouse the rabble, and they get him to chill out. the band play a few tunes and Ekham throws out Calm Emotions ever now and then the ensure things do not get too rowdy.

Jeffrey, stays up late with the band to fill them in on the details of the leaders.

Lakira Rain, The First Bandit Leader

Half Elf

Lakira Rain is the first of The Calamity's leaders. 

She is covered in tattoos and is known as a master with a bow. 

Mounted Combatant and can command the wolf pack

Once inside the walls, she will do her best to get to a rooftop and fire down upon others from the high ground, setting her powerful wolf loose to attack party members that may be engaging in melee combat. 

Sal'kin Bloodfist, The Second Bandit Leader

Half Orc

Sal'kin Bloodfist is the second of The Calamity leaders. 

Sal'Kin is a brutish half-orc, far more powerful than the individual units of the scattered bandit groups. His body is covered in scars and there is a large chunk missing from his lower jaw. 

He uses a steel maul to crush through opponents as well as structures and is not afraid of making his own doorways into the homes of the townsfolk. 

He will stick relatively close to the groups of bandits, shouting commands to keep them focused on high-priority targets such as arbalests. 

Voln Elstrum

Human

The leader of The Calamity is a man by the name of Voln Elstrum. 

He started out as a beggar in the streets in a nearby city and was adopted by a gang when he was still quite young. 

He had taken his first life before reaching age ten. Now, almost thirty years later, he is an elite fighter with an esteemed reputation amongst all thieves and bandits. Because of this reputation, he thinks himself too good to dirty his hands with the slaughtering of peasants.

Day 2

Most of the band all helped again with Barricading The Entryways  full covering and strengthening one side of the town.

The rest dug pits and got the Blacksmith to work on some giant cowtraps to throw down the pit to make it a spike pit.

Gribble also started to do plant growth and making the ground fertile, so that the way into town was extremely difficult terrain

The Second Night

On the second evening, Justin invites the band and Ron to his house for a lovely dinner that his wife Mallika has prepared. They are served fine wines, an entire assortment of fruits and vegetables, and even offered fresh baked apple pie. It is quite a delicious meal, but there is important discussion to be had as well. During dinner, Justin proposes that tomorrow evening they take all of the women and children of the town and put them up in the mines to hide. He doesn’t want to see any innocents die and he knows that The Calamity aren’t ones to spare a life, even if it is that of a child. The problem is that many of the women are going to object and want to stay and fight which Ron brings up. Justin believes that the men of the town and the band will be enough to keep them safe, but asks the band if they can help him convince the women to go to safety. 

The band leave dinner a bit early and go to speak with the women, Hydrica starts to try and mansplain why the women should protect the children, realises this is a trap and defers to Bo.

Bo suggests and convinces them that not all need to go and protect, but some must to ensure that the children are protected, and that the women can play rock paper scissors to decide who is protector and who are fighters. The women folk agree to this proposal.

Day 3

Some of the band helped again with Barricading The Entryways  full covering and strengthening one side of the town, three sides total.

The rest got explosive!! working with Rysa to make a load of explosive barrels, Gribble almost blowing himself up in the process, and pulling them onto the roofs so they can be thrown down onto the invaders.

Gribble then also cast illusionary terrain to hide the pits and the plant growth.

The Third Night

There is no drinking on this night. Women (at least some of them) and children will be heading up to the mines since it is unknown when the raid will occur. Many of the other townsfolk cram into Justin’s parlor with the map of the town. Now the table is covered in various decorations representing the preparations made by the townsfolk to ready the town for combat. 

Here the band can make final decisions on where each of them wishes to start the fight, if there is a plan for retreat, when they want to use their explosives if they crafted any, etc… At the end of the night, the Mayor gives an inspiring speech and send everyone off to get some much earned rest before the fighting begins