Adventure:Natural event: Song of the Sirens

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Role Playing

This article is Fan Fiction The contents herein are entirely player made and in no way represent official Birthright lore or history. The characters and events listed are of an independent nature and are applied for roleplaying purposes only.

Role Playing

[edit] Overview

A group of three beautiful Sirens (harpies) have taken residence on a tiny rocky island right in the middle of a popular ship route. They are triplets of the famed Harpy that is off of the coast of Binsada. They were banished from home because their mother couldn’t stand to look upon their beauty anymore. In their despair and loneliness, the goddess of the sea took pity on them and gave their combined voices the power to travel great distances and charm any man that can hear them.

This is bad for the PC’s and any other ships that pass within a few miles of their island. Have a captain, fisherman or guild merchant approach the Regent telling them about the Sirens that are calling ships to their doom.

[edit] Rules

Choose a month for the Sirens to start their song. Any ship that is in the same quadrant of the sea (your choice) as the Sirens, will have to make a sail check DC: 20 for as many hits the ship has. If they fail over 50% of the checks it means that most of the men on the ship have fallen under the charms of the Sirens and will steer the ship into the rocks thus killing everyone and losing the ship.

If they make more than 50% of the sail checks then the hull of the ship takes a point of damage per check failed, but the ship gets away with some scrapes on the hull and a few crew members jumping over-board.

[edit] Resolution chart

21+: Resounding Success: Sirens are destroyed. This can only be achieved by a Standard domain action. This will end up costing the PC no money.
16-20: Good: The Sirens have moved to a new location, away from the PC. They could still be a thorn in the side of another nation but they will no longer bother the PC’s ships or merchants traveling from their land.
11-15: Fair: The Sirens have be quieted or perhaps moved but not far. They will be quiet for the rest of the season but the following year they will start singing again.
6-10: Poor: Nothing changes and the next month more ships could be in danger. Roll for any new ships entering the area. Regent gets a -1 loyalty adjustment to any coastal province that is affected by the Sirens for every month the this continues.
Less than 6: Disaster: The situation continues and the Regent loses all of the people and ship that attempted to stop the Sirens. If a lieutenant was attached they will be killed. The Regent will also still have the -1 loyalty on all coastal provinces affected by the Sirens for every month the situation continues.

Standard Domain Action: The Regent doesn’t personally go to the island but make it a court priority. The check should be difficult and make sure the Regent plans correctly for success. Give adjustments according to how well they plan. Here are some ideas.

-5 if the PC doesn’t come up with a way to silence the song. -2 if there is no mage lieutenant joining. +5 if a bard is in the group and can counter the song. -3 if the ship has a sail value lower than 12. +1 if the ship is carrying an additional unit of troops. +1 If lieutenant joining is a woman.

Court domain action: The PC hires outside adventurers to attempt to kill or remove the Sirens from the area. Follow the standard Event Resolution. Make the check at -5 unless the Regent specifically hires a group with a wizard or bard.

Regent domain action: The PC and friends travel to the island themselves to solve the problem. This will turn into a short adventure.

[edit] Adventure

The Regent has decided to handle the problem himself. He/she will need to take a ship to the island. If they haven’t thought to block their ears or cast a silence on the crew then they will need to make sail checks again.

The island is very small so the Regent will have to take a small dingy to a rocky shore. The music of the Sirens will stop once the Regent gets close to the island.

You see an island no longer than a mile. Small jagged rocks jut into the sky but you do find a small rocky shore to pull the boat up on. You see no sign of the sirens and explore around the island until you reach a small flat rocky area surrounded by rocky peaks.

Allow a spot check at this time. If successful they see the harpies perched on top of the peaks ready to pounce and can react accordingly.

You look up to spot three beautiful women looking down on your from rocky outcroppings. Their upper bodies are that of a human woman but notice their lower bodies more resemble a bird. They have large feathery wings and their fingers are piercing sharp claws. They are all identical looking with long black hair and dark tanned skin.

Harpy’s X 2 (Monster Manual), Parthenope, Levcosia.
Bloodline: Tainted (Azrai) 9 Blood Ability: Long Life (Minor)

Aglaope (Harpy/Sorcerer Level 3)

HD: 7d8 + 3d4 (46hp)
Initive: +2
Speed: 40 feet, fly 80 feet (Average)
AC: 13 (+2 dex, +1 natural,) touch 12, flat footed 11
Base Attack: +8/+8
Attack: Club +8 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: Club +8/+3 melee (1d6), and 2 claws +3 melee (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5/5
Special Attack: Captivating Song
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, Spells
Saves: Fort:+3. Ref: +8, Will: +9
Abilities: Str:10, Dex:15, Con 12, Int: 7, Wis: 12, Cha: 18
Skills: Bluff +12, Intimidate +8, Listen +9, Perform +9, Spot +5
Feats: Dodge, Flyby Attack, Persuasive, Alertness
Spells Level 0: Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Message, Ghost Sound
Spells: Magic Missile, Mage Armor, Obscuring Mist
Item: Amulet of Health (+2)
Bloodline: Tainted (Azrai) 9
Blood Ability: Long Life (Minor)

Combat: They will all attempt to charm the group with their Captivating Song. If it is obvious that they have their ears are blocked, or are silenced in some way, they will skip right to combat.

Parthenope and Levcosia will swoop down from their perches and flyby attack anyone in their range with clubs. Aglaope will have already cast Mage armor on herself and will simply pelt the Regents men from on top of a crag with magic missiles and Acid splash. If they need to retreat Aglaope will cast Obscuring Mist and fly off the island.

There are three nests at the top of three rocky peaks. Inside the nests, characters will find dead fish and the bones of humans gnawed upon. They will also find jewelry totaling 5,000 gp, 1230 gold pieces, and 3,460 silver pieces (random nearby country coinage.)

[edit] Results

If the characters killed the Harpies then consider the result excellent. If they kill one or more before they got away then consider it good result. If they all retreat then consider the result fair. Anything less is poor by adventure result.

If the characters spend a domain action to search through the wreckage of ships there is about 5 GB worth of raw material from all of the other ships that have been crashed.

[edit] Follow-up Adventures

Trade Dispute: A local guilder could approach the regent and complain that he/she has taken some of their lost cargo from one of their wrecked ships for profit. They demand compensation of the cargo. They will be thank-full of the success of the regent but still would like some of their cargo or gold value back. Times are tough.

Return of the Sirens: If they all survived then they will find a new place and begin singing again the next month, but if one dies then they lose the power to call ships from a great distance. They might find a location within the lands of the regent and begin charming the local folks. They could cause the loyalty of the province to drop if they charm enough people.