The next morning the band is summoned to the roof of Hildie’s Keep to meet with Levetar.
Gazing over the parapet using a telescope which Levetar proffers, the band can barely make out a force marching through the woods a thousand feet down in the valley below. Levetar and the Anthologists have received word that a small army of dragon cultists is advancing towards them under the leadership of a shapeshifting young black dragon named Shibelurn.
With only students and old folk present to defend it, Head Antholoigst Levetar Emleck begs for the bands aid in defending The Storied Bastion. In return for their service he offers 2,000gp and a Quill of Transcription, a magical item developed by the scribes of the Bastion.
With 50 or more cultists marching under Shibelurn’s banner, Levetar acknowledges that the odds are stacked against the band. There is one thing they could try to even things up a little, though.
Levetar points out three statues perched on the parapet. These stone winged creatures are exquisitely carved and appear watchful despite their wild, gurning expressions.
These are stone guardians created for the Storied Bastion by a friendly artificer. The guardian statues use gargoyle stats, but they are neutrally-aligned constructs rather than elementals and they can't speak any languages. They are completely loyal to whoever wears the Crown of Stone in its completed form and can be controlled by them telepathically.
The Crown of Stone
Levetar produces a single blue crystal from within his robes. “This,” he says, “is the final piece needed to complete the Crown of Stone. I have kept it hidden for many years out of fear its power may be used against us. My caution proved warranted when the crown fell into the hands of a would-be tyrant. The leader of a pack of troublesome creatures who live in the darker, forgotten corners of our vaults.”
To the Vaults
The band agrees to help retrieve the crown,Levetar asks an initiate to show them down to the Legacy Vaults. He tells them to return to the battlements when they’re done.
The band soon find out the troublesome creatures the Head Anthologist speaks of are dust mephits and their larger cousins the Dust Devils.
Bit of Blindness thrown about, Ekham and Gribble tossed about, with Bo giving Ekham a Glitter Dusting as he flew past her, some friendly fire (Well if Gribble did disguise himself as a dust Mephit, it was not Ekhams fault really)
Midway through the fight Gribble spots a broom he is sure is sulking and tapping its, well foot is wrong, bristles?
Eventually with Gribble sticking his thumb up a Dust Devils Butt to give it a Shocker, Bo and Ekham blasting the Dusties and Bo giving any that came near a mental shove.
After the battle, Gribble becomes attuned to the broom.
Eventually with Gribble sticking his thumb up a Dust Devils Butt to give it a Shocker, Bo and Ekham blasting the Dusties and Bo giving any that came near a mental shove.
After the battle, Gribble becomes attuned to the broom.
Fantasia Broom
Wondrous Item, Rare (requires attunement)
A sturdy wooden broom with a polished handle and enchanted brises that never fray. When idle, it stands upright on its own, occasionally tapping the floor impatiently.Quirks:
- Animated Servant: As a bonus action, you can command the broom to animate. While animated, it has the statistics of an Animated Broom (MM p. 20) but is friendly to you and obeys your verbal commands.
- Walking & Carrying: The broom can walk at a speed of 20 ft. and can carry up to 50 lbs. of gear, tools, or small objects in its bristles or tied to its handle.
- Endless Cleaning: The broom can sweep, scrub, or dust an area of up to a 10-foot square per minute. While cleaning, it magically removes mundane dirt, dust, and grime. It can also clean up liquids, leaving surfaces dry.
- Pass Without Trace (Fluff): If commanded to sweep while walking, the broom erases tracks and signs of passage, functioning as the Pass without Trace spell for up to 1 hour. This feature can be used once per long rest.
- Overzealous Mode: Once per day, you can activate the broom’s “overzealous” mode. For 1 minute, it cleans at double speed but moves erratically, potentially knocking over unsecured objects. Any creature within 5 ft. must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
- Flight: While astride, you have a flying speed of 60 ft. Carrying more than 200 lbs reduces speed to 40 ft.
The broom hums softly when working.
It dislikes being left in closets for too long.
If left unattended for more than an hour, it may start cleaning on its own.
Back on the Battlements
When the band arrives back on the battlements they find Levetar in the midst of a coup headed by his assistant, Allando Keth.
The scene is mildly comical as two fragile old scholars attempt to restrain Levetar, also past his physical prime, while the slightly younger Allando carries on a heated diatribe.
The Band listens in to find out that Allando feels he must act to save the bastion though it pains him. He believes a conflict can be evaded by handing over a certain manuscript to the dragon.
It seems Shibelurn has been embarrassed by a song committed to their archives by a now-deceased bard named Szem.
This was a bawdy tale put to a simple tune and though unlikely to be a true account of Szem’s interactions with Shibelurn, it is incredibly catchy. So much so that it spread from Szem to an Anthologist, then from that Anthologist to their students, then on to some guests at the bastion, then out into the world.
It seems to have finally reached Shibelurn’s ears and incited a violent rage in her.
Levetar protests that they cannot be in the business of destroying art at the behest of tyrants.
Allando insists that the song is hardly art and it’s only good sense to hand it over.
The band side with Allando, Levetar is dragged away and locked in his office on one of the lower floors.
They get the blue gem from him before he leaves. Allando offers to bravely rides out to offer the offending manuscript to the dragon, but the band stop him and insist on taking the manuscipt to the dragon and negotiationg with it themselves.
Crown of Stone
Wondrous item, very rare
A heavy stone crown with three blue gems embedded in its band The wearer of the crown has a telepathic link to the three stone guardians of the Storied Bastion. They may telepathically command each guardian to act as a bonus action on their turn. Maintaining this link requires concentration. If the wearer loses concentration on their turn before they’ve instructed the guardians they must wait until their next turn to do so again.
On route the band make a copy of the song so Arcane Fire can perform this song.
[Intro]
Gather ‘round folks, let me tell you a tale
Of a dragon named Shibelurn, fierce and pale
In the twilight’s glow, where the shadows entwine,
Lives a creature of legend, with a heart made of twilight
[Verse 1]
High in the mountains where the echoes do roam,
There’s a black-scaled dragon, a queen on her throne
Shibelurn is her name, with eyes like the night,
She weaves her enchantment, bringing both solace and fright
[Pre-Chorus]
She tastes of the secrets, the gold wrapped in sin,
With whispers of treasure, where the darkness begins
[Chorus]
Oh Shibelurn, the golden wyrm, spreading the itch with every tryst,
For a handful of gold, she’ll slip through the night, in the warmth of a lover’s mist
With fire in her heart, and magic on her tongue,
The tales of her beauty, from old songs are sung
[Verse 2]
In the valleys below, where the wildflowers bloom,
She weaves her enchantments and stirs up the gloom
A kiss from her lips, a promise of gold,
But tread with caution, for her love won’t be sold
[Pre-Chorus]
She guards her treasures with secrets untold,
In the warmth of her fire, young hearts seek the bold
[Chorus]
Oh Shibelurn, the golden wyrm, spreading the itch with every tryst,
For a handful of gold, she’ll slip through the night, in the warmth of a lover’s mist
With fire in her heart, and magic on her tongue,
The tales of her beauty, from old songs are sung
[Bridge]
But what is a treasure when love turns to ash?
A fleeting embrace, in a shimmering flash
So gather your gold, but pursue with your heart,
For Shibelurn’s true wealth lies in the dance, not the part
[Chorus]
Oh Shibelurn, the golden wyrm, spreading the itch with every tryst,
For a handful of gold, she’ll slip through the night, in the warmth of a lover’s mist
With fire in her heart, and magic on her tongue,
The tales of her beauty, from old songs are sung
[Outro]
So remember dear traveler, as you wander and roam,
Love can burn brightly, but gold’s just a stone
In the heart of the mountains, where the shadows entwine,
Lives the dragon named Shibelurn, forever divine
Appeasing the Dragon
Bo is wearing the crown, and the Gargoyles' follow her.
The band set up on a bridge as the Black Dragon approaches with her cultists.
Using Mage Hand they pass the manuscript to the cultist and then back to the Dragon.
Shibelurn snarls at the offending work, tears it up and then incinerates it with her breath, then orders her cultests to kill everyone in the Storied Bastion, while transforming to her full size.
Shibelurn Attacks...........
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