Chapter 1: A Friend in Need

Amid the bustle of Waterdeep, within the Castle Ward where barristers, nobles, and emissaries battle with word and contract, stands an inn not quite like any other: The Yawning Portal. The place is a stone building with a slate roof and several chimneys. Most of the ground floor is taken up by the tavern’s common room, which contains a 40-foot-diameter open well - the entrance to Undermountain. A rope-and-pulley mechanism is used to lower adventurers into the well and hoist them out. Balconies on the tavern’s second and third floors overlook the well, with those floors accessed by way of wooden stairs that rise up from the taproom. Guests sitting at the tables on the balconies have an excellent view of the well and the action below.

And, it is on the second of these balconies where you find yourselves on this sweltering summer evening.

You sit around a sturdy wooden table lit by a brightly burning candle and littered with plates cleared of food and half-drained tankards. The sounds of gamblers yelling and drunken adventurers singing bawdy songs nearly drown out the off-key strumming of a young bard three tables over.

What has brought you here tonight is the Battle of the Bards competition. It wasn't easy, but you've secured a berth in the Sword Coast's biggest music contest. Tonight is your first performance in the contest, and the house is packed. Success means moving up the ranks, failure means elimination.

You see your competition a few tables over. One band hailing from Skullport calls themselves "Beauty," and they are rumoured to play for The Xanathar to soothe the temperamental beholder's cruel heart. Krentz is their lead singer, who perhaps was once human. His bald pate is covered in stylized eye tattoos, but he himself has no eyes.

The other band, "Black Wyrm," is an up-and-coming band that seems to get all the best gigs. They are all dressed in black, carry the finest instruments, and have impeccable hair. Rumour has it that Zhentarim gold has paved the way for their success. Yagra Stonefist, the band's half-orc manager, looms behind them, an ice-cold stare directed at Krentz's many eyes.

Bonnie the serving maid comes by with a round of ale for the table and big smile for you all.

"I wasn't supposed to tell you, but these are courtesy of Durnan. Liquid courage he called it!"

If you glance over at Durnan, he is conspicuously busy with polishing pewter mugs behind the bar.

"Good luck today!" She says cheerfully, giving Prince a wink on her way back into the busy bar.

The camera in our scene now slowly pans around the table from one character to another. What are each of your characters doing as you wait for your turn to take the stage?

Prince's mouth quirks into a playful moue and he blows Bonnie a kiss as she leaves. Arrayed in brocade and silk even more flamboyant than his usual, the bard dips a beringed finger into his glass of wine and draws a wet fingertip across his lips.

"What'll it be today, Mama?" Prince asks in a smoky drawl, turning kohl-rimmed eyes towards Xelia. "Something soulful, like Diamonds & Pearls, maybe? Or fun and danceable, like Raspberry Beret?"

Alastriona watches Bonnie depart, studying the barmaid's movement between the tables. She returns her attention the newly-delivered ale, picks up the tankard, and immediately drains the contents. Her impassive expression is only briefly interrupted by the loud eyes-wide BRAAP of a burp before returning to her typical look of stoic reservation.

In stark contrast to Prince's dazzling display of silk, Alastriona wears a muted black leathers with bits of chain mail dangling from underneath, and a full chain mail centre-split skirt falls past her knees to end at the thick black boots with metal buckles. A long diaphanous gray shawl covers her head like a cowl and drapes across her shoulders, barely concealing the symbol of a skeletal hand holding a pair of scales. Her skin pale and ashen, she nonetheless has health in her robust body. Kohl lines her amethyst eyes and full lips, matching her dark hair tied loosely in a bun.

Despite matching nothing of Prince's flamboyant style, Alastriona has always accompanied the group's music with her bass lyre, which she wears strapped around her chest due to the larger size and weight. At Prince's question, she looks towards Xelia for direction, relying on the older one for guidance and mentorship.

Butler raises his flagon in a salute in Durnans general direction before downing his ale and going back to quietly strumming at his dulcimer. "Looking at this crowd something lively they can sing along would probably do well, maybe steer clear of the more soulful stuff tonight" he chips in to Princes question.

"My dear boys, let me finish my drink and we'll see just what's in store for us." Xelia smiles and takes another languid sip, leaving the tankards for everyone else as she studies the patrons and competition over the lip of her wine goblet. Her bearing leaves no question as to her place in Waterdhavian society. Her dress is simple but dignified, customized to her exact specifications and in a blueish-grey color that somehow amplifies the reddish tones in her fur. It is similar to one she wore when she was a young girl, as depicted in a famous portrait that hangs in her foyer. She smiles sadly for a moment, remembering the girl she was, before marriage and duty became her only way of life. Is it too late for her? Is it folly to follow her dreams now? No. It's never too late. I'm alive, and I'm just in time.

She idly takes the hand of the dark-haired girl, squeezing it before turning her attention back to the crowd.

With deft movements of his beak, Stitches preened an errant blue feather on his shoulder. The kenku stood barely more than 5 feet tall, and seated he seemed downright small. He was dressed in his usual leathers, his tools and trinkets stowed carefully in pockets and secret folds, far from prying eyes or greedy fingers.

He clapped his beak in appreciation as he took the ale from Bonnie, then downed a few eager gulps before letting loose with a bellowing belch, a perfect imitation of Alastriona's own.

His head cocked a bit to the side as the others bantered, before Prince's voice drifted melodiously out of his feathered throat. "Something soulful, like Diamonds & Pearls, maybe?" Stitches put his hands together and mimed leaning his head on them like a pillow, then made the sound of a saw cutting a log.

He followed it with a snatch of Butler's words, "Something lively they can sing along" and pounded the table for emphasis.

Vatra shakes his head, smiling slightly at the kenku’s mimicking. Never gets old he thinks to himself as he continues his warmup cadence. I wonder if Meloon will be in this evening. His stories always entertain me. Be nice to return the favor.

Threestrings clears the air with a rousing, rapid-fire strumming of his titular lute, summoning everyone's attention to the temporary stage set up nearby your table on the second story balcony.

"Welcome one and all to tonight's instalment of the Battle of the Bards! It is an honour to present to you our most esteemed judge. He is a world traveller just returned from the jungles of Chult, renowned for his tantalizing tales sordid stories. Let us put our hands together for the one and only Volothamp Geddarm!"

Volo takes the stage, favouring one leg over the other, wiping sweat from his brow with a lace kerchief.

"Thank you, thank you! Good evening everyone! Truly, it is an honour to have been selected to be the singular selector of tonight's subjugator from this selective group of sensational songsmiths. Let us begin tonight's performances without further delay! We shall pull numbers from a hat to see who shall go first. Mattrim my dear, the hat!"

He reaches into the hat and pulls out a number:"First off is ... Beauty!"

There are a few cheers and shouts from the audience. Krentz, the one with the eye tattoos, leads his solemn band up on stage.

"Ah, I see your name must refer to your, erm, lead singer! Please, please, take the stage."

Volo sits down, and Krentz and the rest of Beauty set up.

Beauty begins to play a most melodic tune.

I've got hungry eyes
One look at you and I can't disguise
I've got hungry eyes
I feel the magic between you and I

Krentz and his band kills it. People pull out their tinderboxes and are swaying to the melodic tones in unison. You catch an old hill dwarf nearby trying to wipe away tears without anyone noticing. You have your work cut out for you tonight!

"Okay, next up is ...."

He draws the from the hat:"Um, yes it appears to be ... my most sincere apologies, the ink on this ticket is smudged. Black Wyrm will be going last. And the name of the other band is ... ?"

Alastriona adjusts the strap of her bass lyre as she steps onto the stage. She pans her gaze across the audience, trying to get a sense for their mood after the melodic tune. Based on her findings, she looks towards Prince and Xelia to signal her silent appraisal on whether or not they ought to up the tempo and the energy.

When the song starts, Alastriona does her best to set the rhythm and provide the foundation for the other members to show off their talents.

Xelia places her hand gently on Vatra's shoulder, whispering in his ear. "Dazzle them, my dear. Make me proud." She signals to Prince 'Get ready. You're up next.' and nods her approval to Alastriona.

She waits for the beat and energy of the crowd to build before she begins to sway to the music, her graceful form circling around the stage as she invites the crowd to watch or join her in her interpretive dance.

Alastronia's rhythm draws the crowd in like a lodestone to a magnet, and then Xelia's graceful arcs capture them entirely. The audience begins to move to the rhythm! Xelia's moves illicit hoots and hollers! A few succumb to the urge to dance!

Butler watches as the others begin to make it to the stage then from the balcony begins to strum at his dulcimer in time to Alastronia’s rythym. As the tempo picks up he puts a foot against the railing before launching himself over the edge towards the stage.....

Vatra closes his eyes after smiling at Xelia and loses himself in the rhythm with Alastronia. As he plays, sparks begin to burst from the drum heads every time the sticks make contact. Colors across the rainbow appear as fountain sprays.

Visual

Butler layers rich dulcimer chords into to the growing soundscape, but it his acrobatics that really get the crowd rocking!

Then, the crowd is left breathless by Varta's percussion, which sets the entire performance on fire! With Xelia's inspiration coursing through him, he gives a performance of a life time! People will talk about this night for years to come!

From offstage, Prince watches his friends expertly prepare the stage and the crowd. Now it's finally his turn. He bursts onstage haloed in a dazzling display of dancing Dancing Lights, twirling and beating his tambourine. Taking center stage, he begins to sing.

The rain sounds so cool when it hits the barn roof
And the horses wonder who you are
Thunder drowns out what the lightning sees
You feel like a star!
She wore a
Raspberry beret...

Covered in a dark cloak and hood, Stitches moves stealthily behind Prince as he takes the stage, then settles into a corner while the singer dazzles the crowd. When Prince begins the second verse, Stitches bursts into view, seemingly out of nowhere, his cobalt feathers fluffed to the limit. Opposite Prince onstage, he begins to sing, but it's Prince's voice warbling from his throat, singing the harmony of the first verse in time with the second—just like they had all practiced.