Location: High Forge, Market Ward – “The Cog and Steam” Tavern
Party Members#
- Hellasana Doomfall – Electric lute-playing bard and frontwoman of Doomfall.
- Silas – Scheming halfling rogue and manager of the band.
- Bru – Goblin artificer and chaos gremlin with a flair for pyrotechnics.
- Red (formerly Blue) – Goliath cleric, pacifist healer, and protector.
- Olivia – Elderly paladin with a cop-like sense of justice.
- Elspeth – Artificer gunslinger with a mechanical companion, BoxBox.
Opening Scene: Chaos at the Tavern#
The party is split between eating dinner and running a shell game when a Goliath barges into the Cog and Steam tavern shouting about “Bartley P. Thatch.” Chaos breaks out:
- A beer stein brains the Goliath.
- A full-on brawl begins.
- Bru magically engineers fart-scented peanuts and lobs them into the crowd.
- Olivia tries to intimidate the crowd but is punched and takes 4 damage.
- Silas steals 10 silver during the commotion and stealths away.
- Elspeth tries to back Olivia up with intimidation and BoxBox tackles a brawler.
- Red nervously assesses the situation and casts Guidance on Olivia.
- Bru sets off a fireworks cannon that creates fire-show chaos, followed by him throwing chairs and shouting “Fire!” while Kevin runs around screaming. Eventually, the tavern clears out thanks to a fire suppression system and Olivia and Elspeth’s crowd control. They leave the tavern in disarray.
Post-Brawl: Recruitment Offer#
Outside, a figure named Dirk from the Stephen Guild offers the party a job:
- Guard a caravan along the Gold Road to Eldoran.
- 500 gold for the job.
- Meeting time: 6 AM at the Garages Café near the caravan bays. The group is noncommittal and skeptical about the rate.
Evening Activities#
The party splits up:
🎸 Hellasana#
- Investigates The Little Hovel, a dive metal club.
- Signs up to perform a set at 1 AM after scoping out terrible opening acts.
- Gains the attention of Sandra Talks, a sharply dressed talent agent scouting for a show.
🎲 Silas & Bru#
- Run a card cheating scam on local gamblers.
- Bru acts as spotter (poorly); Silas uses psychic dice and sleight of hand to win big.
- They win enough gold to buy burgers and reflect on their sloppy success.
🕶️ Red & Elspeth#
- Tag along to the Little Hovel to watch over the group.
- Red awkwardly wallflowers but eventually joins the others near the stage.
- Elspeth probes for underground racing contacts but doesn’t find much.
Concert of the Century#
Hellasana headlines the final act at The Little Hovel with support from Bru and Red:
- Bru engineers stage pyrotechnics synced to the set.
- Red uses Thaumaturgy to enhance the flames with purple coloration.
- Hellasana delivers a transcendent metal performance enhanced by Guidance and Enhance Ability from Red.
- Audience members’ eyes glow purple, magic fills the air, and a surreal, euphoric concert atmosphere takes over.
- Performance rolls exceed 24. The show is an unforgettable success.
Massive Payday#
- Silas negotiates a last-minute, high-profile gig with Sandra Talks for 10,000 gold:
- 1,000 gold up front in a suitcase.
- 6,000 upon arrival at the show.
- 3,000 after the show.
- The group is now flush with resources, contemplating splitting the gold and debating tour logistics (stay in van or book lodging).
Cliffhanger & Next Steps#
- The group has conflicting commitments: a 6 AM meeting with Dirk and a high-paying concert the next night.
- They are now recognized as elite talent and might have choices to make between fame and duty.