The sun was setting in Niole Dra, capital city of Keoland, and the mood was festive. The King's Birthday, a week-long celebration, was about to commence. There would be music and merriment and celebration. Later, aristocrats from across Keoland and diplomats from the farthest reaches of the Flanaess would present their gift to the king.
Stevedores were busily unloading the cargos of tribute from the river barges that had been drawn 225 miles up the Sheldovar river. No sea-going ship could navigate against the wind and current and several shallow fords and marshes this far upriver.
Imagine then the surprise of those along the city's barge docks when a breeze picked up from the south, the river's water level began to rise, and a sea-going ship with a stylized raven painted on its main-sail, faintly glowing lightning bolts burned into its hull, and a dragon's skull affixed under its bow sailed its way upriver against the wind and against the current!
Standing on the forecastle of the ship was a half-elven sorceress and a dwarven priest wearing a skull mask. They were waving their hands and arms as if directing the movement of the wind and the water.
It was the Sea Ghost, a cargo ship out of Saltmarsh. It deftly maneuvered up to the barge dock and pushed barges aside as it squeezed into an open spot. The wind suddenly died down and the upwelling of water dissipated. The ship lowered itself before settling onto the river's bottom. It listed slightly to port before coming to a rest against the dock with an audible clunk.
The captain of the ship, a mechanical automaton from a bygone age, called out to the dumbstruck longshoremen, "Hey! Ahoy! Could you throw us a line and tie us off? We've got some cargo to unload for the king's birthday!"
CHAPTER 51
"THE KING'S BIRTHDAY"
The Crew of the Sea Ghost:
- Alot Aname - Neutral Good Warforged Fighter, ancient sentinel of a wizard's fortress, spent several decades deactivated underwater, Captain of the Sea Ghost.
- Avastana "Aella" Kádár - Neutral, Half-Elf Outlander and Storm Sorceress from Ket, daughter of the king of the sea elves, deck sorceress and first mate of the Sea Ghost.
- Craig "Blunderbuss" Oxworth - Lawful Good Dwarven Priest of St. Ogden (Cleric), sailor and shipwright, bosun of the Sea Ghost.
- Cai'luin Manaan - Chaotic Good Sea-Elf Bard, member of the royal family of the tribe of Manaan. Cook of the Sea Ghost.
- Corvid Ravenson - Neutral Good Fallen Aasimar Paladin of Vengeance and Divine Soul Sorcerer, sent to Oerth to avenge those who wronged his angelic "brother", Auric Ravenson. Second mate of the Sea Ghost.
DM Note-
I'm running the adventure "Sing a Song of Sonant Spells". Its a nice short adventure to fill that 8th level dead zone between the Final Enemy and Tammaraut's Fate. It's also fairly light fare and not a deep time or brainpower commitment.
Shore Leave
The city of Niole Dra lies on the banks of the Sheldovar river. Behind it looms a hill atop which is the temple-amphitheater of Olidammara, God of Music. Today begins the King's birthday and the city is filling fast with bards, traders and nobles from across the realms, bringing strange songs and wonderous treasures with them.
The hard cobbles underfoot are warmed by the summer sun as a humid late afternoon breeze blows from the north. The Sea Ghost's arrival coincided with the first night of festivities. Captain Alot granted all the officers and four of the crew of seven shore leave for the night.
DM Note-
The module was originally written for the city of Rex Tumon and the festival of Milil, god of Music. I adapted it for use in Greyhawk. The first part of the module is very loose - the players decide what they do for the festival. Its presented as a skill challenge. The player describes what they do and make a skill check appropriate for that activity vs 15. The idea being if they chose to play instruments they should make a Perform skill check. If they chose to pick pockets they should make a Sleight of Hand skill check. If they chose to drink they should make a Constitution saving throw - that sort of thing. After which I tally up the successes and failures and the results determine how many NPCs they meet, how many rumors they hear, and how many rewards they are offered, or complications encountered. So I asked my players what they wanted to do. Aella and Cai'luin wanted to attend a fancy party, Craig and Corvid attend a religous observance, and Alot does some people watching.
Aella and Cai'luin Attend a Fancy Party
Aella and Cai'luin donned their finest attire and attended an aristocratic ball. They lacked formal invitations but Cai'luin's introduction of PRINCESS Aella of Manaan, along with the notoriety of her ship's entrance, gained them entry. Cai'luin served as Aella's herald through the evening. Aella even ran into some old acquaintances from Seaton - Lord Westland, Lady Moontha, and Lord Woodchild.
While mingling she accidentally bumped into a devil-touched merchant, spilling his drink. The merchant was appalled but a quick introduction and apology by Cai'luin on Aella's behalf calmed the situation. The merchant introduced himself as Cimbri Carrion, a dealer in artifacts and curiosities. Aella told Cimbri of the devil-touched merchant Captain Xendros in Saltmarsh. Cimbri said that he knew her well as they were a part of a vast network that traded and exchanged goods across the Flanaess.
Cimbri complained that this year's festival was a pale imitation of what it used to be. It began as a celebration of the music of Olidammara, god of music and revelry. But in recent years the music has become so boring and predictable. Cimbri invited Aella and her companions to pay a visit to his shop in the morning. It was located in a plaza known as Remo Square.
DM Note-
Aella rolled a natural-1 on her Persuasion skill check and failed pretty badly. The scenario allows one other player character to pick up the slack of a failed roll so Cai'luin stepped in and saved the day with an absurdly high 27 on his Persuasion skill check.
Father Craig and Corvid Attend a Religious Celebration
Father Craig and Corvid decided to attend one of the local religious festivities - a celebration of the god Olidammara with performances of music and song along with a ritual blessing performed by the priests. After the ceremony Father Craig met one of the local monks, a gnomish scribe named Duose Blanc. Duose listened to Father Craig describe the Raven King and was genuinely interested in the rituals and doctrines of this new religious addition to the Flanaess. In return, Father Craig learned about Olidammara and the annual celebration of the king's birthday.
Brother Blanc confided with Father Craig that he was looking forward to hearing a performance by Genevieve Woodstock. She had performed at the last twelve festivals but had declined to be included in the blessing of the performers. This year she was nowhere to be seen. Indeed, her music shop was located next to his scriptorium and she seemed to have locked up her shop and left town. As her friend, he was quite concerned for her. Brother Blanc was so impressed with Father Craig that he offered him a blessing of heroism from Oldimmara. In exchange Father Craig gave Brother Blanc an expensive gift.
DM Note-
I can't remember the gift now. I'll update the blog when I ask Craig's player about it.
Corvid, meanwhile, loomed over the other festival attendees - glowering at their celebratory mood. There was no time for celebration when there was VENGEANCE to be had! Corvid managed to attract the attention of a half-orc captain of the watch. She introduced herself as Captain Cantonal Vaud and asked Corvid if there was going to be any trouble. Corvid began to stare her down as the pair tried to intimidate each other. Father Craig intervened and diffused the situation. Captain Vaud pointed two fingers at her eyes and turned her fingers towards Corvid as if to say "I'll be watching you."
DM Note-
Craig rolled an 18 on Religion. Corvid rolled a 16 for Intimidation.
People-Watching for Alot
Alot spent his evening wandering the streets of Niole Dra observing the revelers and performers. He wandered into a bar and stood in the corner for a while - watching. Eventually, the brusque owner of the bar, a man named Freddy, confronted Alot. Freddy was upset. Apparently, Alot had spent over an hour standing perfectly still and the regular clientele had become wary of the mysterious mechanical warrior standing sigil near the entrance. Alot was scaring away customers. Freddy shouted at Alot and told him to leave. Alot apologized and walked out into the nearby plaza. There he stood a while longer - watching.
DM Note-
Alot rolled a 7 on his Insight skill test.
To Beat the Band
Aella and Cai'luinn were returning to the ship around midnight when they came across Father Craig and Corvid returning from the amphitheater. They were passing a small plaza lit by torches and filled with people even at this late hour. At the center of the plaza was a fountain surrounded by revelers singing in unison. They saw Alot nearby and joined him in observing the late night festivities.
They spoke to one another and compared stories of the night's experiences. The people around the fountain were singing a strange wordless tune that repeated every twelve seconds or so. No one seemed to notice that within a few moments everyone in the plaza was singing the wordless tune in perfect unison, swaying back and forth.
Suddenly someone screamed. More screams followed and the crew stopped talking to investigate. The first two rows of people around the fountain had collapsed and more were falling as if some invisible force was moving through the crowd killing everyone it passed. By this time people on the outside of the plaza were screaming in horror and fleeing in panic. Frightened people cried for help as they ran through the city.
Corvid drew his magic sword and ran into the crowd where the most recent person had collapsed. That person was dead. Strange music emanated from the air nearby with no discernable source - as if someone was playing an invisible flute ten feet away. Corvid moved towards the music and swung his sword through the invisible air. The music became discordant for just a moment. He had done something! He called out to his companions, "It's here! It's some kind of invisible force!"
Aella waved her hands and a magical storm of ice and snow briefly appeared in the spot indicated by Corvid. Father Craig did his best to direct the fleeing townsfolk to safety but few could hear him over the cries of panic.
Alot charged forth and swung his mighty magic dragon hammer at the invisible music. He could feel the resistance as his hammer passed through - something. The invisible thing let out a loud blatt and faded away to silence. It was gone.
A Sour Note
More music could be heard from the nearby tavern and marketplace and people were still streaming out, running for their lives.
Corvid and Cai'luin ran into the tavern to the right. Aella and Father Craig looked at Alot for direction. Alot hesitated, watching the open doorway to the marketplace to the left, "I'm waiting for whatever it is to come through that doorway."
Aella and Craig looked at the doorway and and heard screaming inside the markplace. They nodded to each other and together charged towards the doorway. Alot called after them in exasperation, "No! Wait for it to- let it- let it come to us! Dammit!" He followed a beat behind them, frustrated that his plan was ignored.
Aella encountered the invisible source of the strange music just inside the doorway. She stopped and threw her hands up - creating a bonfire beneath the spot occupied by the music. Craig, meanwhile, prayed to the Raven King to provide blessings to Alot and Aella in their fight. The music moved towards Aella and she could feel the repetitive tune draining her life energy.
Alot caught up to them but Aella blocked the way. He couldn't get close to the music to attack it. He grabbed her arm and physically moved her out of the way, then took her place in the doorway. There, with Father Craig's blessing, he silenced the music with his hammer. More music could be heard in the hallway to the left.
Meanwhile, in the tavern, Corvid and Cai'luin found themselves confronted by three invisible musical - "things" - one loud and two softer.
DM Note-
I said "They're like air elementals that make music - invisible but you can feel their presence in the air near you. They're music elementals."
Corvid soon found himself surrounded while Cai'luin stood on a nearby table and played his own music on his lute. The sea-elf bard peppered his song with stern rebukes towards their opponents.
The paladin of vengeance was a whirlwind of death as his blade sliced the air - destroying the two smaller musical creatures. His fight against the larger one was more desperate but with Cai'luin's musical help and encouragement he was able to finally defeat the invisible force.
So too had Alot destroyed the reaming musical elemental in the marketplace and the crew reunited in the plaza.
Investigation
The plaza was silent and littered with a dozen dead townsfolk. One could more music and frightened screams in the distance in other parts of the city.
Captain Cantonal Vaud, the half-orc captain of the city watch, arrived with a squad of watchmen but they were too late. Alot and the crew told her what had transpired. Freddy the tavernkeeper verified their story. Captain Vaud said that there were outbreaks of these "killer melodies" throughout the city and her guard were stretched thin. She had to run and respond to another situation. She asked Captain Alot and his crew to try to figure out what was going on, if they could.
The crew started with Freddy the Tavernkeeper. Freddy said that the tune kind of sounded like something he'd heard his friend Genevieve practicing in her shop. Except she never played it in public and no one else heard it. Yet it had been everywhere tonight and no one could remember where they heard it. It was just so infectious, you couldn't help but hum it.
Then those "killer melodies" appeared!
Father Craig asked Freddy about Genevieve. Freddy said that she runs a music shop in the marketplace and was a regular at the tavern. He was really worried about her because she had been missing for several days and her shop had been padlocked from the outside. It was highly unusual for her to go missing during the king's festival.
"Where's her shop?" asked Alot.
Freddy escorted the crew into the marketplace - a small indoor alley just off the plaza and adjacent to his tavern. He pointed out Genevieve's music shop, Cimbri Carrion's curio shop, Fineser Galanodel's herbistry, and Brother Blanc's scriptorium.
A thick padlock on the door to Genevieve's music shop prevented entry. Freddy excused himself and said he'd return in a moment He had to help with removing the bodies of the dead.
Left alone, Alot took out his crowbar and easily busted the lock off the door.
Inside they found a music shop with racks of musical instruments. There was a table with loose papers covered in musical compositions. A cabinet displaying a banjolele and some bagpipes.
A look a the papers revealed a note:
Repetition=control Need 5+ singers (kenku?)
Kenku murder ruins
RESIST THE CREATURES’ MAGIC
Reverse=seal/banish
"Did someone named Kenku get murdered in the ruins?" asked Cai'luin.
Corvid looked at the bard dispassionately, "If only we knew someone who studied history and natural science at the bardic college."
Cai'luin replied, "Oh, right! Let me think. Right, Kenku are crow people! Got it!"
Cai'luin looked at the note, "Reverse equals seal slash banish huh." He absentmindedly began playing the magical tune backwards on the lute.
Cai'luin closely examined the cabinet and found that it swung open, revealing a hidden compartment. Within were some gold coins, some scrolls, two potions, and a journal. Father Craig said, "Take the journal but touch nothing else. We are not thieves."
A quick perusal of the journal revealed a great deal of research on "Cadenzas" - a type of mysterious musical elemental - including rituals meant to summon them into existence. Many of the notes were prefaced with, "Duose says..."
"Who's 'Duose'?" asked Cai'luin.
"I know who he is," said Father Craig, "It's Brother Blanc."
Also within was a map of the city and five thin sheets of velum. On each sheet was drawn a single line with a few letters of text:
T V CC F EE O OH E HA E S
When stacked together, the lines and letters overlapped. All five lines converged on the hill overlooking the city. The letters of text formed the words - "THE CAVE OF ECHOES".
Alot said, "I think we should pay Brother Blanc's scriptorium a visit next."
The Scriptorium
They exited the music shop and magically mended the padlock - Good as new. They moved towards the scriptorium and were preparing to break in when they heard music within.
It was the strange music of the cadenza!
Corvid busted open the door and the crew rushed inside. They found Brother Duose Blanc in the psychic thrall of one of the smaller musical cadenzas - his life ebbing away! Corvid's sword and Alot's hammer soon banished the musical elemental. Brother Blanc faltered but Father Craig caught his fall.
Brother Blanc regained his composure and thanked his rescuers.
Father Craig politely asked Blanc about Genevieve and her plan. Blanc denied any involvement.
Father Craig became impatient and grabbed the arms of Blanc's chair, looming over the gnome. "People are dead! For all we know Genevieve might be dead too! Tell us where she is so we can save her!"
Suitably intimidated and shamed, Blanc revealed that Genevieve had become despondent that despite her talent and abilities she had never received the favor of Olidammara for her music. She came to him asking about summoning and binding cadenzas to make her a better singer. Blanc admitted that he gave Genevieve the information she sought and taught her the secrets to bend the music elementals to her will. Enough people singing in perfect unison could open a portal and release a cadenza into this world where it could be bound. But it didn't matter because all the voices needed to sing in perfect unison.
Cai'luin pointed out that kenku are able to perfectly replicate anything they hear. Alot conjectured that Genevieve enlisted the aid of the kenku to perform the ritual.
"Anything else?" growled Craig.
"Yes, she said she found the Cave of Echoes, the site of an abandoned temple to Olidammara, buried on the hill."
Craig rolled his eyes, "We already figured that out, idiot!"
Boots-and-Cats
The crew tied Brother Blanc up so they could give him to Captain Vaud later. The brought him to Freddy and asked him to make sure he didn't escape. They asked Freddy where they might find the kenku.
Freddy said they lived in an decrepit warehouse down by the barge docks.
Alot asked Freddy if he could take them. Freddy said that he couldn't but he knew someone who could. He called out into the darkness, "Hey! Boots-and-Cats! Get your feathered butt over here!"
"Boots and Cats?" asked Alot.
"Yeah, that's his name. You'll see."
A moment later a dark figure warily approached from the gloom. It had the head of a crow on its black feathered humanoid body. It wore tattered clothes and a leather hood. Freddy introduced them, "This is Boots-and-Cats." The kenku repeated a strange noise that sounded like a trap drum, "boots-and-cats-and-boots-and-cats-and-boots-and-cats.."
Alot told Boots-and-Cats they were looking for Genevieve and hoped to save her. He asked if Boots-and-Cats could introduce them to his murder. They had some questions. They knew it was late but it was urgent.
Boots-and-Cats spoke only in repeated phrases and snippets of sound effects but pantomimed for the crew to follow him.
Murder in the Ruins
The kenku led them to a ruined warehouse. Boots-and-Cats knocked on the rotten wooden door. He made three sound effects - a bird, a storm gust, and a bell. The door opened and Boots-and-Cats led them inside.
Within was a broken table resting on a barrel - around which were several kenku playing cards for money. Musical instruments in various states of disrepair lay scattered about.
Father Craig asked, "Which of you is the leader."
One stood up and approached Father Craig. When asked his name the kenku made the sound of coins jingling in a pocket. Craig asked Pocketful-of-Coins about Genevieve. Pocketful shook his head and wagged his talon-like finger. He pointed to the cards on the table. He picked up the deck and dealt five cards to Father Craig and five cards to himself. They compared hands. Father Craig had a losing hand.
Using pantomime and sound effects, Pocketful-of-Coins made it clear that Father Craig had to put up some stakes. If Father Craig won, he would answer questions. If Pocketful-of-Coins won, he would win the stakes.
Father Craig took fifty gold coins out of his purse and put them on the table. Pocketful-of-Coins made a sound of pleasure and applause.
They were each dealt a hand.
Father Craig looked nervous and drew additional cards, giving Pocketful-of-Coins a false sense of confidence in his hand. They showed their cards. Father Craig was bluffing. He had a great hand and Pocketful-of-Coins lost.
Pocketful-of-Coins bowed. The kenku replayed a conversation with Genevieve asking the kenku for help. Four kenku agreed to accompany her. He then replayed the voice of Brother Blanc saying, "If anything goes wrong, leave it to me. The temple of Olidammara has an eternal debt to your people."
At the mention of Genevieve the other kenku began humming the tune of the cadenzas.
Cai'luin asked Captain Alot, "Where to now?"
Alot said, "We head up the hill to the Cave of Echoes."
Corvid said, "FINALLY!"
Cai'luin said, "Should we invite a few of them to come with us?"
Alot said, "Why?"
Cai'luin said, "I'm fairly confident that to close the portal, we need to sing it in reverse, so we need five of us to sing. I know I'm a good singer, but can YOU sing?"
"No, lets leave them here. No need to endanger them. We'll figure it out."
Cai'luin was unconvinced, "Okay."
It was now an hour past midnight. With the sound of fighting and panic and elemental music scattered throughout the city the crew of the Sea Ghost left the city and followed the ancient path towards the Cave of Echoes and the hidden temple of Olidamarra.
To Be Continued...
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