2 Sirens, Battle of the Bards

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2 Sirens, Battle of the Bards

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Sirens, Battle of the Bards 3
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4 Sirens, Battle of the Bards

 History of Salvata
“The gods have always sought to inspire mortals, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a sense of humor.
Leave it to those fickle deities to drop a fountain of literal divine inspiration in the middle of a desert and
make us dance for it. Little did they know, us Bards know how to turn any location into the sexiest city on
this plane. Or maybe they did…” -Mirin, Author of the ‘Salvata’s Salacious Taverns’
Salvata blooms like an exotic flower growing in an inhospitable
corner of the world—nestled where only the clever could find.
Despite its remote location, the cities fame has spread across the
cosmos. Adventuring to Salvata is sure to earn several tales wor-
thy of a tavern song, no matter the plane of existence the trav-
els began in. Just like the artisans that built the impossible city,
Salvata itself has its own story displayed with its statues, tributes
to the trials and tales of legend, each paying homage to its illustri-
ous past. For stories within Salvata can make any creature richer
beyond their wildest dreams, even if they embellish a little.
So how did the City of Bards become a perpetual party and trib-
ute to the very heavens? That depends entirely upon whom is
asked. The Salvata of today is very different than its origins, and
upon each of its vaulted discs, a different legend holds greater
weight. It is often found that each of its nine districts values
their contribution greater than those below. For the curious
or cunning, tracing Salvata’s true origins involves assembling
each piece and viewing the entire canvas. Amidst the galleries
and colleges of art culture, interpretation of an architects’ mo-
tives and the culture at that point in history are often lively (and
sometimes violent) spectacles.
Yet the serene central garden that sources the very water which
gives the city life offers the least embellished tale of Salvata.
This city is an oasis, not just in a harsh desert, but across mul-
tiple elemental planes. A work of art inspired by the divine and
given life by mortal hands, and it was the most unlikely group
of artisans who began it all. For druids are certainly not famous
for their artistic craft.
Nearly a millennia ago, long before even the first tent was built,
the lush desert was a place of natural beauty. Flowers from ele-
mental planes bloomed freely and the night sky was a beautifully
painted constellation that inspired a circle of Druids who wan-
dered into its welcome embrace. How or why those fateful druids
stumbled upon the exact oasis Salvata would be built upon just
in time for an eclipse that happens once every hundred years is a
mystery, whose answer is known only by the gods. But once the
eclipse began, the druids were inspired to perform as the rain of
the divine water fell from the open night sky—replenishing the
oasis that gave life to all creatures.
When the gods saw the circle of Druids paying homage, they were
inspired to infuse even more of their divinity into the sacred wa-
ters, as if welcoming the Druids to their new home. The Druids
had found their purpose, interpreting this gift of water as a re-
quest and blessing. Every hundred years from that evening for-
ward, they would conduct a grand invocation upon this oasis to
pay tribute to its creators. Such a tale of dancing for water can be
found in many cultures, and would otherwise have been washed
away by the erosion of time if it wasn’t for the nature of this water.
The water was magical.
A true fountain of arcane energy with the essence of magic in-
fused into its very nature. It allowed the Druids to channel great-
er works of magic and even learn to sing with the very land itself.
Moving rock and turning the oasis into a catered grove was a
task made trivial thanks to this power. This, as history would say,
only added to their righteousness.
During the first century, the founding Druids wove great stat-
ues to memorialize the great eclipse and called more of their
kind to appreciate the beauty of what was created. As the next
eclipse came, a far larger crowd gathered within Salvata’s oasis
to watch the dance. The heavenly rain flowed. Life continued…
and a seed of inspiration was planted within the Bards in atten-
dance. Salvata, they sang, could be a place of such beauty, and
Bards across all planes dreamed of performing for the gods.
Convincing the Druids to let them chronicle the sacred grove
was easy for a people born of such charisma.
And so, construction began for the next Grand Invocation and
the City of Salvata was officially born. In unison, the Bards and
Druids worked together to create the second district and pre-
serve the natural beauty of the desert. It stood without debate to
all involved, that the next eclipse performance would have to be
grander than the last. Surely the gods would reward mortals for
their tributes and take great pleasure looking upon the Druids
creations. When fortune favored the second Grand Invocation,
the celebration that followed is still sung in Salvatan taverns to-
day. Let’s just say, there was a sudden spike in population growth
and a very large community of half-elves emerged that are still
native to Salvata today.
The construction of the third district was a true union of Bardic
Inspiration and Druidic stonecraft, and the last of the discs to be
constructed over the oasis itself. For a century, teams of artisans
worked to build the next stage for the Grand Invocation, and the
magical properties of the water allowed for truly astonishing feats
of architecture. They still preserved the natural beauty of the des-
ert, even if they drew more heavily upon the oasis to achieve their
vision. And for the last time in Salvatan history, the Druids per-
formed their Grand Invocation on the Eclipse—and nothing came.
Panic, doubt, and civil strife planted their seeds when the divine
waters did not descend from the heavens. The Bards whispered
that the Druids were to blame for following a rote ritual three
times in a row. The Druids, however, blamed their bardic allies
for their very presence, claiming the bards had defiled the sacred
Sirens, Battle of the Bards 7
grove. Despite their bickering, neither solved the very real prob-
lem they all faced—they needed water to live.
By the third century, Salvata had grown in scale and size. The city’s
population relied upon the heavenly waters for all aspects of their
culture. Facing failure, the architects could not build any higher
and would have to try again. A voice of reason suggested they di-
vide their efforts: let the Bards focus on the performance, and let
the Druids focus on building. An innocent request that seemed
reasonable to all involved, while also laying the groundwork for
the Emerald Cabal to thrive in the cities shadow for centuries to
come. Dehydration, starvation, and violence filled the third dis-
trict with the smell of desperation. Scrolls and tombs are filled
with the suffering of Salvatan souls who lived during this dark age.
Out of this suffering, bore one of the most beautiful performanc-
es in the history of Salvata. After a century of hosting contests to
find the perfect entertainers, the Bards put forth a young human
violinist with her choir. Flush with the last drops of remaining
enchanted water, she played a piece that is said to have made
the gods cry. The heavens opened their bounty and Salvata was
rewarded. The rains fell heavier that eclipse than ever before.
The city was saved.
From that night forth, Salvata was the City of Bards.
The rest, as they say, is history. After three centuries of cohabi-
tation, many of the Druids had become master artisans. All in-
habitants of Salvata knew they needed to give everything they
have in dedication to their art, lest the gods not bless them again.
Salvata was to be a tribute—a grand flower growing where no
city had any right to exist. Those who visited were able to drink
of the water and perform feats never before imagined possible.
And yet, a cycle had been created and the city was bound to a
way of life. The granted enchanted water was to be used not for
preserving the land but to cultivate the impossible.
As if sent on divine wings, Calrath was approached by a secret soci-
ety known only as the Emerald Cabal. These mysterious nobles had
unlocked the secret of immortality and promised to share its bless-
ing with Calrath and the council of Salvata at a price. In return for
immortality, the Emerald Cabal required a position of power and
prestige in the city so they too could help Calrath usher in a new
era of greatness. With the promise of such prosperity, archwizards,
sorcerers, fighters, and adventures from all walks of life were lured
to make Salvata their home. Their stories and trials fueled the Bards
and everyone stood to make more than a little profit.
Salvata of today is very different than its humble druidic begin-
nings, yet no less beautiful. Now in the contemporary age, cosmo-
politan cultures collide—a diverse array of art, architecture, dec-
adence, and danger can be found in every district. The enchanted
waters empower truly inspiring feats of magic and art, and have
now, due to the Emerald Cabal’s influence, been siphoned by the
powerful into the higher districts of the city leaving the less for-
tunate without. The aristocracy claim that under Calraths reign
Salvata has been brought into a golden age. However, growing
dissonance in the lower levels sings a very different song indeed.
Regardless, even a devil-infused performance can find a tavern
to perform within, and creatures from other planes have been
drawn to Salvata’s fabled archways. With so much at stake, on
the eve of this monument’s millennium, the capping stone of
Calrath’s vision is finally coming to fruition. But who’s vision
will truly be enacted? Calraths? The Emerald Cabal’s? Or a par-
ty of adventurers as to yet unknown? Here in Salvata, a band of
fellows filled with inspiration and creativity can turn the tide of
fate, dictating the lives of all within this holy place. For this is
truly a city of bards, by bards.

The next two centuries reinforced this ideology. The planes’ great-
est architects were sought out, constructing discs off-site, mining
the desert’s riches to bring their vision to life. No expense was
spared in their construction before using magic to move the next
district into place. A generational promise of glory for what the
next century would bring. Meanwhile, the contest of the Grand
Invocation began in full. A competition of the world’s greatest
artists to see who could inspire divinity to smile upon them. The
vessel of creativity comes in many shapes and sizes. Victors were
not just limited to the epic and well-seasoned Bards, but even the
young with a clever idea and a sharp tongue can inspire greatness.
And each time, they were rewarded by the gods with the recharg-
ing of the divine well buried deep below the city’s oasis.

When a young Calrath helped divine the best performance, his re-
ward was to assume the role of Chancellor of Salvata. Elevating the
city each century would be impossible, and despite the dreams of
everyone involved in this massive party, all good things must come
to an end. Calrath and his wizards divined that the gods would
only bestow ten boons upon Salvata, and the tenth age was nigh.
Calrath devised a plan, knowing the end was near he organized
the city’s artisans to architect on the 10th disc a majestic capstone
that would enable Salvata to generate its own magic and recharge
its well source independently. To shepherd this multigenerational
plan to fruition Calrath knew he needed to extend his life.

8 Sirens, Battle of the Bards

Vlahnya Um’Vairar
 The Spymaster
“I’ve seen this world, your world, and even that bartender’s world; this gives me perspec-
tive. Every world has stories worth preserving. Stories are your legacy; they define us and
shape history. So before we begin, have a seat, and tell me how you want your story to be
written. Because no matter the tale, I have a mission for you.” – Vlahnya Um’Vairar
Heroes refuse to sit idly by while evil lurks in the shadows, and
Vlahnya has long learned that the justice of law isn’t always the
best solution—a delicate touch in the shadows is sometimes re-
quired. When corruption winds its way into a beautiful city of
inspiration, information is stronger than steel when cutting out
the rot and preserving that which glitters. An ever-determined
elf, born between realms in the frozen north of Yon’Cath, Vlahnya
has been unraveling and foiling the plans of the Emerald Cabal
for decades. Yet with each string she plucked, her threads led
most often to knots. Vlahnya’s years of searching had finally led
her to her destiny. Adventure after adventure, she finally found
the root of the Emerald Cabal in the decadent City of Salvata.
Vlahnya is an adventurer, artist, and that one friend who seems
to know everyone. An experienced bard who studied—and even
taught—the College of Whispers in taverns and academies across
the realms. Ever drawn to a mystery or a puzzle, she intuitively
picked up that greed wore many faces and wickedness often hid
in plain sight. Early on in her career, she discovered a vile un-
derground organization—The Emerald Cabal—which captured,
tortured, and slaughtered magical creatures to harness and sell
their sacred power. Nobles were bankrupting themselves for a
potion that would restore their youth, called The Elixir the Gods.
When their vaults went dry, these nobles would extort the work-
ing class, siphoning off their wealth like leeches and bringing
ruin to the very cities they lived in. Raining justice down upon
one noble would have been easy for Vlahnya but uprooting an
entire conspiracy that wound itself into the fabric of the world
was a task she knew she could not do alone.
Luckily, bards make for excellent spies. Vlahnya created a world-
wide network of informants to enact her surveillance and espi-
onage. The Sirens were the shining jewel of her network, most
adept at fighting back this hidden threat against the good people
of the realms. She needed teams who could be invited into elite
parties and be, simultaneously, the center of attention but ignored
entirely once off stage. The plan worked. The Sirens and their
peers eventually discovered that, by selling The Elixir of the Gods
to key people in the world’s governments, The Emerald Cabal was
not only making a fortune but infiltrating and gaining control over
the most powerful people in the realms. Worst yet, The Emerald
Cabal was doing all of this under the direction and influence of a
powerful Demon Lord. To try and stop this, the Sirens destroyed
multiple manufacturing facilities, but this only scratched the sur-
face of the Emerald Cabal’s nefarious endeavors. Knowing she
needed to strike at their heart, Vlahnya searched for the source of
their operations—and found all weaving threads lead to Salvata.
Such a beautiful city, filled with art, spender, and mystique, be-
came the stronghold of The Emerald Cabal. Vlahnya fell in love
with Salvata, and it pained her deeply to have found the cities no-
bles to be under the control of her age-old nemesis. Originally, she
planned only to cut off the head of the Emerald Cabal but now
has also dedicated herself to save the beautiful city of artists.
Within Salvata, she has also found allies in The Salvata Salvation
Rebellion. These underground rebel freedom fighters, although
lacking in-depth knowledge of the Emerald Cabal, have struggled
against the corruption of Salvata’s nobles for years. Although the
methods utilized by the rebellion are uncouth, Vlahnya has added
them as another node within her grand network.
With the stage set, and Vlahnya now fully embedded within
Salvata, she is forced to contemplate and enact her complex
schemes in a way that dodges Calrath’s divinations. Creating a spy
network within a city ruled by a Diviner Wizard is difficult work,
and Vlahnya has been forced to keep most of her agents, allies,
and Sirens in the dark, lest Calrath divine her true intentions. Each
of her network’s nodes receives a fragment of the plan, akin to a
shattered mirror that only tells a complete story when assembled.
Vlahnya wishes to stop the Emerald Cabal at all costs so that they
are unable to usurp the final Grand Invocation and usher in an era
of unfathomable darkness and destruction, with effects reaching
across not only this world but all planes of existence.
The Emerald Cabal needs to be stopped, and Vlahnya is cashing
in every chip and favor she has in this final gamble.
Roleplaying Hints
Vlahnya has always felt pulled by an unseen destiny—even as a
child when she fled her home in The Shadelands by taking a leap
of faith and tumbling through a planar portal. The mysteries and
wonders of the world are a calling that is impossible for her to
ignore. Behind every corner and each set of eyes is a story begging
to be heard—a story that leads to a world of new possibilities. No
place has ever truly felt like a home to her. Because she under-
stands this feeling of not belonging in any one place, she strives
to improve the lives of others so they can feel at home. Someday,
on some plane, she dreams of finding where she belongs—and
Salvata is the closest she’s come yet.
Although Vlahnya spends most of her time operating in the shad-
ows, she shines as bright as a star. Despite practicing the most dis-
trusted of Bardic arts, she exudes a powerful aura of good. If she
doesn’t know a clear answer, Vlahnya will always fall on the side
of what feels right to her, trusting her intuition. Even if that places
her on the wrong side of the law—as it often has. For laws are
often written to keep those who have power, in power.
Vlahnya is larger than life. In her youth, she was a bardic rock star
whose enthralling performance was desired by many. Now, she is a
powerful spymaster wizard whose network and influence can be
felt across the many realms. These days, few besides her Sirens and
most trusted agents ever see her in person. When they do, they see
Vlahnya as over six feet tall, garnet-haired, Glau’bjurn elf, equipped
with combat platform heels and dripping with jewel-encrusted
treasures gathered over centuries of adventures and across many
planes. She always wears her iconic blue and purple gown, woven
with gold and gems. All her glorious bedazzlement, however, is still
unable to outshine the star that is Vlahnya Um’Vairar.
Sirens, Battle of the Bards 11
The Emerald Cabal
 Secret Society
“What is fair? In nature, there is no such thing. Some are born stronger, smarter, or faster than others, but
what is even worse is the concept of death. Races are born with more ability to accomplish than others, while
some of the most ambitious and adaptable are laid to rest before achieving all the greatness they can do. I
believe in fairness, and I believe in making the world fair by whatever means necessary.” - Emerald
The Emerald Cabal’s name invokes images of clandestine meet-
ings in gilded towers, attended by well-dressed puppet masters
who gaze upon the districts where they hold sway, sipping on
the magic of Salvata and deciding the fate of all. While this is
a fitting portrait of current events, The Emerald Cabal’s origins
are far more humble.
The Emerald Cabal’s story starts with a mysterious, young, hu-
man cleric nearly a thousand years ago. Their name and gender
have been annulled from the tombs of time; however, their story
has been immortalized in Emerald Cabal lore for hundreds of
years. This cleric was devoted to the god of life and prosperity,
yet was unable to come to terms with the nature of existence,
for heavenly inequity was everywhere they looked. From the
cleric’s perspective, chief among these injustices was that some
races lived far longer than others and for no apparent reason
other than “luck of birth.” It seemed that no matter what ambi-
tion and drive an individual had, their race—a purely arbitrary
factor—dictated how long they were granted life by the gods.
As the years passed, the cleric’s bitterness and anger grew until
they eventually abandoned their faith, vowing to rebel against
the inequity of nature itself.
Knowing they could not accomplish this task alone, the cleric
adopted the name Emerald and took to gathering like-minded
individuals who also saw the divine imbalance that the gods
bestowed upon the races. Allies were eventually found: two re-
nowned bards codenamed Topaz and Diamond, an ambitious
Wizard referred to as Onyx, and a clever alchemist known as
Garnet. This cabal dedicated themselves to balancing the scales
and defeating death. Through years of trial, error, and many
grotesquely failed attempts, they found that certain ingredients
from magical creatures could extend life temporarily; however,
all attempts to combine them for permeant effect proved fatal.
Emerald knew the Cabal needed divine inspiration to achieve
their objective. Clearly, no god would dare approve of their
goal, so they turned to more nefarious powers. Emerald called
upon a vicious fiend, beseeching aid and assistance for the key
to immortality, and summoned a Grand Demon. They asked for
the keystone for their alchemical work—the correct recipe for
combining the many magical creatures across the planes into an
elixir of eternal life.
The Demon, however, greatly amused, asked what the former
Cleric was willing to sacrifice for this immortality—certainly
not their own soul, lest their immortality would be worthless.
Having long anticipated this question, Emerald immediately
turned upon their cabal and forcibly bound each of their com-
panion’s souls into an Emerald reliquary. With trembling fin-
gers, Emerald then offered it up to the Demon in sacrifice and
exchange for the alchemical recipe to everlasting life.
Duly impressed by the betrayal, the Demon bestowed the knowl-
edge of the Elixir of the Gods, a vile, ritualistic concoction creat-
ed from siphoning not only the essence of magical creatures to
prolong the life of the drinker but most importantly—and the
key which had been missing—their eternal souls. To perform
this heinous task, the Demon gave Emerald a piece of its True
Name, allowing Emerald the ability to sacrifice these creatures
directly to the Demon, in exchange for life and longevity. Armed
with this newfound power, Emerald went about creating a new
cabal, a secret society dedicated to not only harvesting all the
necessary ingredients for immortality, but using this defiled
boon to gain control over all world governments and societies.
And thus, The Emerald Cabal was truly born.
Over the span of a thousand years, The Emerald Cabal spread
across the land like a plague, harvesting creatures, consuming
the magic of their bodies, and offering their souls to their de-
monic master through the use of a shard of its True Name. To
this day, the true identity of Emerald is known to none except
Emerald and the Grand Demon—however, many within the ca-
bal’s inner sanctum know the shard of the Demon’s true name.
Moreover, The Emerald Cabal yearns to learn more of it so that
they will no longer be bound by the Demon, and instead reverse
their role of servitude and bind the Demon to their will.
Three hundred years ago, this aim brought The Emerald Cabal to
the great City of Salvata. Upon discovering that by using Salvata’s
divinely infused oasis waters of Ke’Sava as the base of The Elixir
of the Gods, its powers would be intensified, The Emerald Cabal
turned all its efforts to infiltrating the city and gaining control of
such a powerful resource.
Wielding The Elixir of the Gods as a tool of espionage and sub-
terfuge, The Emerald Cabal began their political conquest of
Salvata by infiltrating the nobles and eventually gaining the fa-
vor of the Great Chancellor, Calrath. Invitations to the Emerald
Cabal are a secretive and exclusive affair. Although anyone with
enough coin can buy The Elixir of the Gods, hungering after the
promise of immortality and power—only the select few are giv-
en the opportunity to join the Emerald Cabal’s official ranks.
Each recruit is hand-selected to serve a particular purpose for
the organization. Wealthy nobles are chosen to provide resourc-
es, charismatic orators are selected for their ability to persuade,
mercenary commanders for their endless supply of enforcers,
and so on. When a member of the nobility accepts the invitation
to join the Emerald Cabal, they are taken in by a dark ceremony
where they swear an oath to the Great Demon and the ideals of
Emerald himself. And those who do not hold the Cabal’s ideals in
their heart suffer the same fate as Emerald’s initial compatriots.
In modern times, the Emerald Cabal rules as spectral overlords in
their respective districts of Salvata, governing from the shadows
and hiding behind decadence, propaganda, and the promise of
eternal life. There is not a place within the city that the Emerald
Cabal’s hand has not been felt. To solidify their domains, the
Emerald Cabal has worked tirelessly to hamper and lockdown
inter-district travel leaving the city divided and distrusting one
another. Additionally, they have taken to limit the expression of
the city itself; it is outlawed to create or perform satirical art
Sirens, Battle of the Bards 13
against the city, the Emerald Cabal, the nobility, or Calrath him-
self. Well-armed security enforces these mandates with extreme
prejudice, and those who are not silenced or coerced are often
never seen again.
There are two hands of the Emerald Cabal itself: the nobles
who seek a stranglehold on the city and their mercenaries who
wear Emerald masks when carrying out the will of the nobility.
These mercenaries come in all shapes and sizes, be it bugbears,
demons, or trained soldiers, with many of them now being sup-
plied and orchestrated by the mysterious Herald.
The Emerald Cabal knows that their so-called immortality is still
just prolonging the inventible so long as their Demon overload
may revoke his boon. With this in mind, they hope to lure the
fiend through Salvata’s grand portal and use his True Name to
chain it in place so as to harvest its power and their own im-
mortality freely. Thus, on the eve of this great Invocation, the
Emerald Cabal move their final pieces into place, their goal fi-
nally in their grasp—the Demon poised to be their chained god
instead of their grand overlord. With a nearly unlimited supply
of Ke’Sava at their fingertips, The Emerald Cabal are the hidden
players behind the curtain—they are benefactors of many, and
their power is near unlimited.
14 Sirens, Battle of the Bards
Roleplaying Hints
The Emerald Cabal should be felt and seldom seen. They are the
secret society that controls much of the city and are responsible
for Salvata’s harsh punishments and social coercion. Emerald
sought a better world where people would not be bound to the
lifespan of their race, and now their entire cabal is willing to do
anything to accomplish that goal—regardless of the means.
When meeting members of the Emerald Cabal, the Storyteller
should present a wide range of personalities for the characters.
The group should be played as morally ambiguous at first glance,
with some traces of pure evil sprinkled in. Some members will
genuinely believe that the end goal is truly just and good for the
world, while others are in it solely for their own personal pow-
er and wealth. Above all, this group will do whatever it takes to
accomplish its goals, no matter how corrupt or immoral. They
are not above assassinations, deformation, blackmail, or oth-
er actions of the sort. This is a faction that has ground magical
creatures to dust and sacrificed souls to their demon lord—all to
extend their own immortality. Evil with justification is still evil.
The Demon that the Storyteller decides on will color the flavor
of the Emerald Cabal itself—whatever theme that Demon has
should be echoed in all things this faction does. The Storyteller
should keep in mind that the influence and propaganda that the
Emerald Cabal has put out is vast. Many bards of promise signed
away their talent to eat another day, and their performances
have started to sway the people. Everyone knows the Emerald
Cabal exists, but very few know what their motivations are or
what they genuinely want. Many look upon them as the creators
of superstars or the heroes of order. Talent is hard to cultivate,
and many bards give up their freedom for coin.
The Emerald Cabal are ideologues who at one point had truly
noble intentions to allow folk to be long-lived, to balance the
scales. However, their deeds to accomplish this goal have led
them down a dark path—many of them still view themselves
as heroes who will save the world, but always remember they
abandoned morality a long time ago.
Vajra Ajey Virendra
 Battle Mage Demon Hunter
“I will regain the stolen power of my people from these vile fiends even if I must hunt
them across every Naraka Hell Realm imaginable.” -Vajra Ajey Virendra
The mysterious elf known as Vajra Ajey Virendra comes from a distant
plane, located far from the city of Salvata. In his homeland, he was born into
sacred royalty, heir to a kingdom that was once a place of divine grace and
beauty but has long since fallen to ruin and corruption. Trained by the most
skilled arcanists in his realm as a powerful battlemage, the would-be-king
spent years honing his body and mind, forging himself to be a living conduit
for the numinous powers that governed his people and their sacred land.
Ages ago, the light of Vajra’s realm was a beacon in the heavens, a place where
the forces of entropy and creation were in perfect harmony. Though the light
of the virtuous always attracts creatures of a darker type, and for this realm,
it was the fiends. In the generations before Vajra’s birth, these beings of rav-
enous hunger and cruelty descended to feast upon the realm's divine radi-
ance. When the demons invaded, none were prepared for the insidious and
soul corrupting nature of their touch. Warriors of the realm fought valiantly
to push back the darkness but were ultimately forced to watch as the sacred
power of their home was stolen and tainted. As time progressed, the realm’s
hallowed light was siphoned and defiled, ultimately plunging into stagnation
from suffering. As the world was stripped of its former glory, only scattered
remnants kept the spark of hope alive. These few noble mages, entitled The
Order of the Coiled Serpent, trained Vajra in the sacred arts of The Battle Mage.
Upon the completion of his tutelage, Vajra was tasked with a twofold mis-
sion. The first was to regain the hallowed power of the realm by destroying
the fiends responsible for subjugating his home and befouling his people.
The second was to locate Anaya Tara Rachana, his betrothed and soul-
bound. Anaya, the would-be queen of their realm, had been lost at birth, and
even the greatest seers within the Order could not divine her whereabouts.
Through the assistance of a powerful Planes Walker known only as The
Mother of Mirrors, the young monarch left his home in self exile to hunt
the fiends in the realms where they were weakest. After untold battles
with demons and devils, through lands as varied as stars in the sky, the
would-be king-in-exile had grown from a youthful elf filled with pride
and purpose, into a hardened warrior of cold vengeance.
Locked away from his homeland as his people suffer, the elf’s heart car-
ries a heavy burden. Each day that passes, the corruptive power that
courses through his realm infects more of the world with a sickness of
body and soul—a sickness to which the monarch is not immune.
With each fiend's soul he consumes, Vajra grows closer to saving his peo-
ple—but also closer to the very corruption he detests. Separated from the
former purity of his realm, Vajra finds himself at times consumed by sor-
row and rage. His people have been enslaved by fiends and he is unable
to ease their suffering or bring light back into his realm. While these dark
and destructive moods can plague his mind and throw him into a violent
fury as he pursues his goals, the memories of his people have thus far been
able to pull him back from the brink of despair and soul-consuming ha-
tred. However, each time, it becomes a little harder.
In Vajra’s realm, the act of destruction brings about the possibility for cre-
ation and purification. However, should he fall into darkness, Vajra feels
as though he would become worse than the demons he hunts. Instead of
a noble king, he would become a powerful tyrant of cruelty—a being of
pure entropy and corruption, defiling instead of purifying, craving only to
consume the souls of the living with no purpose other than to fill an end-
less hunger. Because of this, the elf clings to his quest, painfully cognizant
of the risks he takes with each life he ends. Though his quest is noble, his
journey had been long and hard, and now the methods used to achieve
goals can appear callous or without mercy. Each step he takes carries him
closer to the abyss; the demons he hunts understand this, hoping he will
damn himself and fall, even it means that Vajra would rule over them as a
hell-bound emperor of suffering—The Lord of Destruction.
Despite this, the king-in-exile walks on, treading a narrow path that tee-
ters between salvation and damnation. Vajra’s only solace in the face of
such peril is the dream of completing his quest of rescuing not only his
people but also his beloved, Anaya.
Roleplaying Hints
The burden laid at Vajra’s feet is one he was born into and had no choice
but to take upon his shoulders. With no one else powerful enough to
achieve the liberation of his realm, the crownless king walks a lonely path,
knowing he is the last hope of his people. At times, he can come across
as callous or uncaring—after all, his entire realm and his betrothed are
currently suffering under a regime of cruelty that has shaken the heavens.
Smaller concerns such as the death of a single person tend to seem less
important when compared to the suffering of an entire world.
Still, the elf is not without compassion. Within each being, he can see the spark
of the divine. He can even feel this light within the fiends he hunts across the
many realms of existence. For the light shines through all creation, no matter
how deeply it is buried under darkness, filth, and corruption. Being able to
feel this beauty in all beings, even those who perform atrocities, fills Vajra with
resolve and purpose despite the horrors to which he has witnessed.
Harkening back to his tutelage with The Order of the Coiled Serpent, Vajra
also has an affinity for teaching and mentorship, going out of his way to
nourish younger generations toward the light. In this vein, he never allows
the cries of help of the youthful or families to go unanswered. If there is
someone in genuine need, he will do what is necessary to protect them,
bringing the full might of his power to bear in enacting vengeance against
those who harm women or children. His punishment for such transgres-
sions is brutal and severe, for the horrors which Vajra has seen in the
planes of Hell still haunt his nightmares to this day.
When Vajra speaks, it is always for a reason. His voice comes from a place
of wisdom gained through experience and pain. Due to this, he often cuts
to the heart of an issue wasting little time for idle chatter. Like any mon-
arch, Vajra is accepting of advice and will take counsel with those he re-
spects, but will ultimately make his own decisions free of persuasion.
And once Vajra has made his choice, he is resolute and unwavering.
Clad in a sleeveless, magical trench coat, with chest bare and adorned in Runic
tattoos, the muscular blue-haired elf cuts a striking figure. His features are
well-chiseled, his eyes a rich azure, and along the shaved sides of his head,
mystical tattoos are etched into his flesh, creating the appearance of an invert-
ed crown. The battlemage is never without his Oblivion Rune Blade. Vajra car-
ries himself with the undeniable presence of a hardened Demon Hunter, filled
with the regal bearing of an heir to a once great and now forsaken kingdom.
Because of this, the exiled king moves confidently, both in battle and in
social situations, never showing fear or hesitation. His trust, however, is
a thing not easily earned, for he has felt the sting of betrayal many times
during his long and harrowing journey—and those who cross him never
make the mistake a second time.
Sirens, Battle of the Bards 17
The Herald
 Voice of a Demon Lord
“Hack and shred my body. Slash and rend my soul. It matters not. I will endure. For even as you flay
me, I will sing the song of my Lord’s coming, and all shall submit to his fury.” — The Herald
Those who encounter The Fiend’s Herald will feel helpless under
the might of his imposing presence. Being within The Herald’s
powerful aura is akin to being forced to admire the beautiful el-
egance of the razor’s blade. The Herald’s true purpose in Salvata
is to force all to know the savagery of the butcher’s cleaver. Make
no mistake: The Herald is pure evil, barely restrained. Behind
the mask he wears burns the green eyes of a man who has been
enveloped by pure, unadulterated malevolence.
Who is The Herald? Where did he come from? What brought him
to Salvata? Questions such as these have but one answer: Power.
It defines him, it crafted him, it sent him, and it is his sole pur-
pose for existence. Who The Herald was before, where he lived,
what he cared about—all of this has been lost into the dark
oblivion of his Master. All that remains now is a commanding
figure, standing nearly seven feet tall, clad in magic, and encased
in obsidian leather armor, accentuated with battle warn bronze
plates that move akin to defiled dragon scales. A hooded mantle
of nightmare black leather shrouds most of his form, the ethe-
real ends of which stir endlessly in an undetectable wind, as if
an invisible doorway stands open behind him—or rather, that
he himself is the doorway. The voice within The Herald’s mask
reverberates with unfettered power as he brokers his deals with
the Emerald Cabal or commands his armies of nether fiends.
pursued him and the evil he represents across multiple planes. Now,
he too finds himself within Salvata. Were it not for the widespread
corruption in Salvata and the dark machinations of the Cabal, Vajra
would have had an easier time rooting out The Herald and posed
much more of a threat to the coming Ritual. But as things stand now,
not even Vajra can stop what has already been set in motion.
The only chance Vajra and any who would dare to help him, have
of stopping The Herald, is to uncover the pieces of the Fiends
True name, something that The Herald will not allow to be dis-
covered with any semblance of ease.
Roleplaying Hints
As the storyteller, you will have already decided the Five Aspects
that define The Fiend’s true form and the subsequent runes that
comprise its true name. For example, if you decide that the de-
mon is pure Spite, Cruelty, Recklessness, Ambition, and Excess,
then do you represent these attributes in The Herald’s words
and actions? In other words, does he embody The Fiend he seeks
to set free upon the realm? Is he The Fiend itself, here and now,
in the mortal world? Or is The Herald his own man, with his own
attitudes and behaviors, separate from his master’s aspects? Is
he simply a servant who works on behalf of the demon?

And so, The Herald has come to Salvata to sing a song of de- The Herald serves as an emanation of his Master.
struction. He works with the Emerald Cabal—not for them, al-
though they may believe otherwise—to see the Ritual reach a The Sirens campaign will be written with the latter idea in mind:
much darker climax than originally intended. He has come to The Herald is The Fiend’s agent, working tirelessly to see his
herald the arrival of Salvata’s glorious end, to orchestrate a sin- master’s manifestation in Salvata, and ultimately the city’s an-
ister symphony of manipulation and sublime destruction. He nihilation. However, savvy storytellers may find creative ways to
sees The Emerald Cabal as a tool that will enable his master to deviate from this template and allow The Herald to embody the
devour Salvata and consume its holy Ke’sava. The Herald plays aspects of The Fiend in order to provide additional hints about
along with The Emerald Cabal’s trite schemes, plots for scraps its nature, and thus, perhaps its true name.
of power, and their visions of so-called “order” only for as long
as he needs to. The Herald and The Emerald Cabal have reached
a mutually beneficial understanding: they prepare the materi-
als needed to rip open the fabric of reality, and The Herald sup-
plies them with mere slivers of his Master’s power in the form of
deadly fiends, mighty artifacts, and arcane, eldritch knowledge.
To strike this bargain, however, The Herald relinquished one
piece of The Codex, a tome of immense power and the only re-
pository of his Master’s True Name.

The Emerald Cabal has precisely one-fifth of the Name, more than
enough demonic power to influence Salvata and corrupt the rul-
ing class to dance to their song of control and manipulation. The
Emerald Cabal has infiltrated all parts of the city using the mag-
ical life-extending properties of The Elixir of the Gods, rallying
Salvata’s powerful to their cause. This is all part of The Herald’s
plan, and when the prattling nobles of The Emerald Cabal no lon-
ger prove useful, they too will be consumed by his Master. Fearing
this, The Emerald Cabal will do all they can to gain access to ad-
ditional pieces of The Codex, all in order to gain control over the
Herald’s Master and solidify their grip on Salvata.

There is another, not quite so subtle danger, threatening The

Herald’s plan. The Battle Mage, Vajra Ajey Virendra, has tirelessly

Sirens, Battle of the Bards 19

Calrath
 The Vision of Salvata
“Artists have dreams, politicians harbor ambitions, the nobility cling to schemes, but all must drink. While
everyone else is dazzled by the stars, I focus on the waters below, and like the spring that quenches this
city’s thirst, I won’t be missed until I’m gone.” —Calrath, Chancelor of Salvata
The government is a party planner, overseeing thankless work
behind the scenes so revelers can have their fun. As Salvata’s
head of government, Calrath has kept the festivities roaring for
over three hundred years, presided over two Grand Invocations
and the subsequent construction of the city’s eighth and ninth
discs. He has ruled Salvata longer than many of its citizens have
been alive, a full third of its existence, but ask him the secret to
his longevity and he will insist there is no secret.
“What do you desire,” he asks, “that I haven’t delivered?”
Beauty, drama, and clean streets—Calrath provides all in spades.
To the average citizen, he’s the ultimate hitmaker whose attention
artists crave. His tastes are eccentric and fluid, but he broadcasts
whoever catches his eye into crystal orbs in every store and home,
minting celebrities overnight. Many treat his voice as a drug, drop-
ping everything to hang on every word and savor the rush of con-
suming his newest offering. He has a presence that is both thrilling
and reassuring, a unique combination that makes him easy to trust.
During his accent to greatness, the nobility wasn’t enthusiastic
about Calrath’s rise. He started as an agent to aspiring bards before
making the leap to hosting his own entertainment show, which he
then leveraged for his first political campaign. Everything Calrath
did succeeded, and every plot against him failed, for it turned out
he was a powerful diviner who was nigh omniscient. Luckily for
his opponents, Calrath’s dream was to protect the city, to connect
Salvata to an endless source of magical energy to ensure its in-
habitants never deplete its resources. He displayed no interest in
eliminating potential rivals or engaging in petty power plays, so
the nobles’ demenor eventually changed to that of gracious sup-
port. Calrath’s success brought more territory, more people, and
more ventures for them to covet, and he left them alone so long as
their machinations steered clear of his grand plans.
Salvata has thrived under Calrath, and he has promised the next
Grand Invocation shall be the grandest of them all, one which
will bring unlimited bounty to the city. It is a time of joy border-
ing on ecstasy, of breathless anticipation, of hopes higher than
Salvata’s highest disc—but something isn’t right. An undercur-
rent of unease runs through the city. Some fear they’ve grown
complacent, immigrating with lofty dreams only to settle for liv-
ing vicariously through the delights broadcast into their homes,
while others of a more philosophical bent ponder the nature of
freedom in a city whose ruler not only knows everything hap-
pening in it but also sees the possible outcomes of every action.
This city has never been afraid of transformation. Every hundred
years, Salvata faces a challenge that its citizens band together
to overcome. From the crisis emerges a new disc that recasts
the entire city, giving it newfound purpose, new strength—new
goals. But now that Calrath has spent three hundred years build-
ing Salvata to suit his vision, many believe that he has lost sight
of the people he supposedly serves. On the eve of his triumph,
Calrath’s visions have become murky, and one possible future
recurs in his dreams where a shadowy figure confronts him and
asks if in saving the city, he has damned its soul.
Roleplaying Hints
Calrath is an exercise in dualities. In public he is a showman—
theatrical, unpredictable, and always interesting—but he’s a
bureaucrat at heart who obsesses over details and can talk all
day about logistics. He appears charming and sharp in personal
interactions, but part of his mind is always divining, adrift in the
infinite outcomes that could result from his next possible action.
He is certain he is right, but there are so many futures where he’s
remembered as a villain, and though he’s descended from the
original druids who built Salvata, he has no interest in reaching
out to the druids of the rebellion, seeing them as unruly children
lacking the sophistication to be partners in his project.
The greatest danger of ideologies is that, to them, the ends justify
the means. In all the possible futures Calrath has seen, only a few
results in him successfully using the upcoming Grand Invocation
to renew Salvata’s energy source permanently. Most end with the
city depleting the energy source and falling to ruin. The futures
with the greatest probability of success require dark sacrifices,
and Calrath hasn’t hesitated to go down that path. For starters,
most in the city believe he is an elf, but he is, in fact, a half-elf,
meaning he would have died of old age over a hundred years ago
if he hadn’t made a deal with the Emerald Cabal for their Elixir of
the Gods to keep him alive. He would sacrifice anything and any-
body, including himself, to save the city—and whilst it may not
seem as though he is informed of the elixir’s origins, he is more
than aware. However, his need to see his plan come to fruition is
worth any price. No matter how eccentric or silly Calrath may act,
this knowledge is the foundation of his persona.
But Calrath puts on a fun façade. The elixir keeps him looking
in his prime, and he embraces his public image as the host of
the reality show that is Salvata. He has a winning smile and
soulful eyes accentuated with makeup to make admirers swoon
and remind detractors that he sees all. When he visits a disc, he
wraps his long, dark hair in an intricate bun around a hair stick
carved in the shape of that disc’s statue, evoking the city’s sil-
houette. His flowing wizard’s robes are a tapestry of scenes from
Salvata’s history, transforming him into an embodiment of the
city, and he travels on a giant animal—his favorite being a white
tiger—so the outfit may wave in the wind like a flag.
Sirens, Battle of the Bards 21
 Chapter 1
Introdution
“Adventuring brings its own form of fame and renown. For the
successful, it is a form of immortality gained at the edge of a
blade. But those who fail? Only upon causing a catastrophe are
they remembered.” – Calrath
Welcome to the first official quest in Sirens: Battle of the Bards.
There may have been other adventuring hooks or even sidequests
that led your party to this point, but once you begin this chapter,
there is no turning back. From this point on, the party’s fate will be
inexorably tied to the future of Salvata—for better or worse. Each
choice the players make will have consequences that can impact
the city’s future and the fate of its citizens. Time is of the essence,
and even if your party decides their true calling is to perform in
taverns and drink themselves into a stupor—the drums of the
Salvatan revolution will still beat. A deity, a fiend, of another kind
of being, will be called down from the heavens regardless.
For storytellers, the responsibility of immersing the party into the
setting falls upon our shoulders. We cover how to run the entire
campaign, the themes, the villains, and the main cast in their re-
spective sections. For this chapter, however, make sure you have
a handle on the featured cooperative skill challenges (page xx). If
you are the kind of storyteller who skips right to the action and
landed here—don’t worry; the skill challenges aren’t complicated.
By this point, your party should have run through all prior downtime
actions and session zero play. Everyone should know they are to meet
Vlahnya’s assistant, Alice, and have accepted the spymaster’s call to
action. After all, riches and fame await. The most important thing the
party will need is their Band Name—even if they aren’t comprised of
bards. The earlier chapters showcase a session zero that can help the
party create one, but if you are running this chapter as a one-shot:
randomness has never failed to generate some badass names.
By its third act, chapter one will place the party in a crucible of
difficult choices that will test them. These encounters can chal-
lenge the PCs skills in combat, exploration, or even roleplay. You
are encouraged to embrace the spirit of Salvata by facilitating
different types of resolutions and creative solutions the PCs
bring to the table. The consequences and rewards for each will
unlock and lock other options in later chapters in this campaign.
Of course, no force is more chaotic than a party of adventurers,
and they may hunt for third or fourth paths—or even try to do
both encounters at once. Fear not, we’ve got you covered.

Synopsis
“The art of performance is the art of creating a moment. The
catch is that you should make every moment fabulous.” – Vlahnya
In act 1, the party will meet Alice, Vlahnya’s Tiefling assistant, in
The Silken Veil Tavern in Salvata’s first district. The party is here
just long enough to get fed, focused, and marked with the entry
sigil for the Grand Invocation before they are whisked off for an
on-the-road debriefing. Nobody expects the party to win the con-
test; they just need to enter so the Emerald Cabal doesn’t steal yet
another spot in the contest. Alice has been hard at work uncover-
ing support networks that might be willing to help the party put on
a convincing show. Plus, it’s a stellar opportunity for Vlahnya and
Alice to cross a few names off their list of Emerald Cabal plants.
The party will learn information about the Grand Invocation by
talking to these support groups and recruiting who they can in the
Amphitheater. Whom the party picks to speak with and pass over
will be important later, so taking notes might be helpful.
In act 2, the Grand Invocation’s first bracket officially begins,
and the party will have to perform in front of an audience. Of the
three acts in this adventure, this one is the shortest but gives the
storyteller the most room to expand or contract time based on the
length of their session. After some truly epic bard acts, the play-
ers are expected to bring their best performance—one worthy of
the gods. Hopefully, they recruited some good help in the first act.
The skill challenge presented here is meant to warm the party up
for the Grand Invocations later in the campaign. It is important to
note, however, the party will not get to finish their performance.
In act 3, the party’s performance will be cut short as castings
of meteor swarm and dimensional gateways open upon the
audience members unlucky enough to be in attendance. While
backstage, the party members see assassins killing other band
members. The party is faced with a difficult choice: lend their
efforts to saving the mass of innocent citizens in attendance or
chase the assassins as they flee. No matter which choice they
pick, Vlahnya and teams of Sirens bring reinforcements to help
the party after their encounter and then escape
to her Conspiracy Room where she informs the
party that, “this is just the beginning...”
SCAN THIS QR CODE TO LIST TO THIS SECTION'S SOUNDTRACK

Three Pillars of Play

Every group enjoys different aspects of an adventure at the table. If you wish to lean into these concepts,
here are some quick tips over different aspects showcased in this chapter.

Social: Alice is the featured NPC early on in the
adventure. If your party wants more social role-
play, focusing on her backstory and personality
early on can help create impact for events later
in this chapter.
Exploration: Salvata is an affluent city. For players
that wish to explore a bit more, allow the group
to wander around the first district prior to meeting
Alice in The Silken Veil. The setting of Salvata offers
many off-beat locations and interesting NPC’s they
could meet before this adventure begins.
Combat: The chapter will naturally end with a
large action scene detailed at length. However,
there are other opportunities to build tension by
playing up hostility with other bands being angry
at their entrance to the games.

Sirens, Battle of the Bards 23

 The Setting
“If every bard with a dream could fly, then the sun would be
eclipsed forever. Luckily, we are here to cull the chaff from the
wheat.” – Emerald Cabal
The entire chapter and its three acts take place in Salvata’s first
district. A seductively inviting district designed to showcase a
sample of what each district has to offer. Even though the first
district is Salvata’s oldest, it has been renovated multiple times
throughout the millennia. The entire district is currently over-
crowded with tourists, all here to witness the shows and events
of the Grand Invocation.
If you want some fun with your party, overload them with some clas-
sic tourist traps throughout the chapter. Rooms at an inn might cost
upwards of 10 gold a night per bed, and that’s the cheap room! This is
also a great chance to bring your party into their characters by touch-
ing on their backgrounds. Nobles, for example, might have been in-
vited to stay in the second district, while criminals might know a guy
who has a hideout near the Amphitheater. Regardless of the price,
Alice will always pay… even if she complains a bit. The party is here
for a mission, not to be copper-and-silvered by the games.
Alice is staying at The Silken Veil Tavern, a small boutique lounge
nestled off the main boulevard on District One. A worn sign wel-
comes the party as they pass through a violet curtain and enter
an open-air courtyard filled with the sultry voices of solo-act
bards who sing of star-crossed love. This safe haven of the re-
sistance is featured briefly before its meteor-swarmed demise
if the party chose to chase after the assassins in act three. If the
party chase the assassins, feel free to describe the pile of ash that
remains, with only a single surviving scrap of silk.
Timeline
Throughout this campaign, you’ll find this timeline section be-
fore every adventure. Its purpose is to make your job running the
campaign easier by letting you know each major cast member’s
location and actions during each adventure. Players often wan-
der, deviate, go shopping, or just plainly walk around in ways we
can’t predict. This section allows us to have some reference on
what everyone is up to so we can improvise when needed.
During the first mission, Vlahnya is located on District One try-
ing to check in with her rebellion contacts and has discovered
that a few of them are acting strangely. While she intended to
meet with the party initially, she has been waylaid due to her
allies being in jeopardy. Vlahnya’s worst fears are being con-
firmed. Somehow, her contacts have fallen under the control of
others, and she needs to save them and find out why they have
been corrupted before it’s too late.
Calrath is working within his sanctum on District Seven during
this act. The kickoff for the Grand Invocation is an important
ceremony, but as an Archwizard and Grand Chancellor, his atten-
tion is currently required elsewhere. Not only must he address
thousands of crystal balls and broadcast the performance, but
he is also preparing his plans for the future of Salvata after the
final Grand Invocation. Unfortunately for Calrath, his attention
24 Sirens, Battle of the Bards
The Belladonna Amphitheater is where the majority of the chap-
ter takes place. Named after the Solanaceae, or nightshades, the
Belladonna Amphitheater is where dreams in Salvata are made—
or slain. This open-air amphitheater features a glorious view of
Salvata and all the districts that ascend to the night sky. Strict
building codes prevent any structure from rising above two sto-
ries anywhere near the theater. As the first bracket of the Grand
Invocation begins, the lights of all nearby buildings will dim, and
all candles will be extinguished throughout Salvata, allowing the
twinkling night sky to inspire all within the city. Yet, surrounding
the amphitheater, merchants, hucksters, and out-of-work adven-
tures all seek to make a quick coin in a manner best befitting their
trade. If given enough time, a skilled shopper could locate just
about anything in the markets outside of the Belladonna.
The third location (and only featured if the party chooses to give
chase) is The Great Siphon. A massive hollow cylinder of porous,
white sandstone, covered in arcane runes plunges into the un-
seen depths of the oasis below and rises high above, shooting
water all the way up to the tenth disk. Behind the glamour of
Salvata, where the cities infrastructure lies, the assassins are
sent to destroy the aqueducts that grant a measly amount of
Ke’Sava (the magical waters) to the first and second districts in
the hope of strangling the rebellion. Unlike the other aspects of
Salvata described, this portion of the setting can be older and
feel much more industrial. The deafening sounds of water, shak-
ing pipes, and the hum of arcane energy is ever-present as the
party peeks behind the veil of Salvata and witness the ancient
machinations of this divinely inspired city.
has been focused exclusively on these tasks, and he has not had
a moment to foresee the events that are to come.
Meanwhile, the Emerald Cabal is in their secret Elixir of the Gods
manufacturing facility on District Three, readying the creatures
and fiends that will be used for the attacks. Many others in their
network are watching the broadcast—readying themselves to
sow seeds of discontent against the rebellion in preparation to
blame them for the attacks and cause a lockdown within the city.
The Herald, overseeing the attacks, is perched on District Two
with a clear view of the Belladonna Amphitheater. From this tac-
tical vantage point, he proudly watches his orchestra of violence
unfold and curiously studies Vajra, investigating the central pil-
lar below—when all other eyes are on the games.
Sirens, Battle of the Bards 25
 Act 1
“Music is raw energy. Purer than divine magic burning through your soul. Oddly
enough, depending on the bards in question, it can, however, be just as painful.” -Alice
When the time is right, the party needs to meet their contact,
Alice, at The Silken Veil in the center of District One. The Silken
Veil is a hidden lounge with a worn sign at its entry. The central
streets of District One are brimming with crowds getting ready
for the first round of the Grand Invocation. The party needs to get
their assignment and need to be there at least two hours before
the show begins. As performers, being fashionably late is accept-
able but will cut into their time talking to others before the show.
The opening entry into Salvata’s main roads is a massive stone
bridge over the oasis. Surrounding Salvata is a barren desert
filled with sands that have been colored by the setting sun.
Deep oranges cascade into magenta and paint the entire land-
scape surrounding this city of bards. The bridge is teeming with
crowds from all across the world. Tourists, adventurers, mer-
chants, and art aficionados have made the pilgrimage for the
greatest seven-day party in the planes. Among their ranks are
hardly just the rich and wealthy, but a truly diverse crowd with
no rhyme or reason to their backgrounds. As the chaotic crowd
is funneled by Salvatan city guards down the festival streets, the
smell of cinnamon-spiced roasted nuts and samplings of bless-
ed Salvatan Tonics are given to attendees by half-elves who are
dressed more in skin and glitter than actual clothes.
Massive waterfalls cascade through the hands of statues that
flank the archways. The statues’ bodies hold aloft entire neigh-
borhoods and tell the story of their triumphs in their poses.
Nestled lower in the sky are large prismatic windows and crystal
holograms of dancers projecting their incredible acrobatic feats
for all to see. Occasionally, some of the prismatic windows dis-
play the crowds moving or even cut to a speech of Calrath, the
Grand Chancellor, conducting the opening ceremonies from high
above in District Eight.
Tucked away from all this splendor between two buildings, the
entrance to The Silken Veil is marked only by a violet curtain.
Once in the vicinity, any of the neighboring merchants can point
the party in the right direction and, when they cross the sim-
ple cloth, the sound of the festival almost instantly fades away. A
long alleyway filled with lush green vines that bloom silk-white
flowers greets the entourage. As they move deeper, the party
hears a sultry song in orcish dialect about star-crossed lovers
being performed further inside. The Silken Veil’s main stage is
an outdoor venue, with balconies looking down upon the small
courtyard. Dancing lights flicker about the wooden beams above
for atmosphere, and, like most places in Salvata tonight—there
is standing room only.
The party doesn’t have to search for their contact.
The second they step into the courtyard, one of their hands
is grabbed by Alice as she whisks them over to her table in a
rush. Alice is a short Tiefling with multi-colored pixie cut hair
and several piercings along her horns. Adorning her outfit are
spell-component pouches and more belts than are needed, with
a large spellbook that flops along her hip, bound in small chains.
Once seated, Alice will be nothing short of happy the group
made it in time (even if they are late) and will constantly offer
26 Sirens, Battle of the Bards
appetizers and food to the characters. Take care of the basic in-
troductions and, once the party is ready to get down to business,
read the following:
Alice nods to your group before she beings. “Right. Actual
work. Okay. I’m not sure how much Vlahnya has filled you in,
but here are the details for tonight. The Grand Invocation is
in several days, and every hundred years, Salvata puts on a
contest to determine who will perform for the deities on the
highest disk. It goes without saying that whoever wins those
games gets not only a divine reward, but also massive influence
throughout the city. Each century, the stakes keep getting high-
er and this is the thousandth year and last invocation. Most
groups have been trying to qualify for one of the thirty spots
in the contest for decades now. Vlahnya has gotten you one of
those spots—ahead of the line. Your job tonight, is to keep that
spot warm and put on a passing performance. Even if you don’t
have an ounce of talent in your whole group, we just need you
to get on stage tonight. The Emerald Cabal has been buying
up most of the slots to rig the event in their favor, so we had to
poach one while we could.”
Alice barely finishes her last sentence before she’s already drag-
ging the party back onto the main street, leading them to the
Belladonna Amphitheater. As the group walks, Alice will explain
that many bards tried to qualify but were unable due to the
Emerald Cabal’s match-fixing and are furious about it. Alice has
been hard at work recruiting support from these disfranchised
bards in the hope that they will enhance the party’s perfor-
mance. The party, however, needs to meet with these groups and
cut their own deals for this plan to succeed.
If the party feels like asking some questions along their journey
through the main street, here’s a bullet list of things Alice can
offer up while she ushers them along.
• Alice knows that Vlahnya picked the party because they are
adventurers. They needed someone who could act quickly on
their feet and take action.
• When it comes to payment, Alice will mention she’s booked
the group rooms at The Silken Veil. Upon the successful com-
pletion of this event, the party will be given one hundred gold
pieces and more work to follow.
• If pressed, Alice will state that Vlahnya is very generous in
her rewards but that there are also other benefits of their sit-
uation too. Namely, the further the group goes in the games,
many personal doors will be unlocked for them, including the
potential of being the final group to perform before the gods
and earn a divine boon—an opportunity people have, and
will continue, to kill for.
• Alice will refuse to talk openly about their enemy, the
Emerald Cabal. Their eyes and ears are everywhere, and they
are best discussed under a warding circle. What she can say is
 that both she and Vlahnya are aware this is last minute. They The Four Horsemen
saw an opportunity and took advantage (the truth is Vlahnya
Potential Favor Gained: -1/+0 Fame, -0/+1 Calrath, -0/+0 Rebels, -0/+0
waited until Calrath was busy and could not scry or divine Emerald Cabal
her actions).
Four bards, each infused with one of the principal elements, make up this
crew of backup musicians. They have been trying to qualify for the past
two years, and by all accounts, they should have succeeded. They are the
Alice pulls out an old sundial and taps it three times. “Right, perfect match for a party that needs a group that can solo on stage and
we’ve got enough time to make introductions to a few groups, drives a crowd crazy.
but not everyone. It’s up to you what kind of act you want Boon: The Four Horseman can grant the party up to (4) advantage tokens
to put on. Beyond that, I… can help pay if it’s simple coin or on any type of Performance roll while on stage by enhancing their per-
some spellcraft they need. But uh… most of these people can’t formance with a well-timed solo. One of these advantage tokens can be
be bought, so you’ll have to get creative. Forming an alliance used to allow a party member to jet off stage for a few quick rounds as a
would go a really long way.” distraction in case something nefarious happens backstage.
Desire: The Four Horseman are bitter over the qualification rounds. The
party will need to convince them with a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion,
Once the party reaches the Belladonna Theater, Alice will usher Intimidation, Deception) check (or all three). After a successful check,
the Four Horseman reveals they really want to get into the Salvatan Bard
them past security as crowds cheer the party on. If anyone in the
College. A favor that can be earned by putting in a word with Calrath
party already has some fame, feel free to have a fan recognize
when the party gets the chance.
them and cry out, calling them by name, excited that they are here.
Fame & Renown: As Salvatan natives, recruiting the Four Horseman will
If the party is so emboldened, a DC 14 Charisma (Performance)
grant Calrath’s faction +1 Renown. Since they are so skilled on stage and
check is enough to excite the crowd and get some cheers. can solo, they take your first potential +1 Fame during any encounter in
which they are present.
Six different groups are waiting and available for the party to talk
to. Of the six groups, the party only has time to talk to three, and
of those three groups, they can only recruit one. We’ve included Half-Elf Hype
three sample groups below, and feel free to create others to suit
Potential Favor Gained: -0/+1 Fame, -0/+0 Calrath, -0/+0 Rebels, -0/+1
your campaign. What follows next is a social encounter to recruit
Emerald Cabal
support for their performance and earn some allies for the rest
This large group of hype performers is the ultimate crowd-pleasers. A
of the campaign. Each group has a buff they can grant the party
one-stop-shop of gorgeous dancers, acrobats, and merch-sellers that
while they are on stage, and it comes at a price. Additionally, if bring the performance off the stage and into the crowd. If a group is look-
the party recruits a group, there may be fame or faction points ing not just to perform but get rich doing so, this is the crew to run with.
that are gained. Just keep a tally of who makes the cut, and after Boon: Half-Elf Hype brings in the coin… and a fair bit more. After ev-
the mission, you can update your GM notes. ery successful performance, all players will be allowed to roll for an
Uncommon Magic Item representing acquired goods. Additionally, take
Again, the party only has time to recruit one of three groups be- the best performance roll throughout the entire act and award that check
fore the performances begin. Yet nothing stops the party from x100 in gold pieces during the Grand Invocation.
recruiting the others later. Once the party recruits their ally Desire: Half-Elf Hype never had a chance to qualify in the games even
group, usher the party and their new allies backstage and head though they are bards. They are focused on doing this for a living, not for
on to act two. the sake of art. They want the first pick of one magic item after each act
and 200gp per performance.
Fame & Renown: This group is a double-edged sword. On the one hand,
Pixie Power the act that performs with this group gains +1 fame, but the Emerald
Potential Favor Gained: -0/+1 Fame, -0/+0 Calrath, -0/+1 Rebels, -0/+0 Cabal earns +1 renown in secret.
Emerald Cabal
A group of stage technicians comprised entirely of Pixies; these feisty
companions are the ultimate stagehands. With their tricks of Superior
Invisibility, they can help make anyone look like a star.
Boon: Pixie Power is adept at preventing sabotage, particularly of a magi-
cal variety, and compensating where needed. While performing on stage,
the party has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magi-
cal effects. In reality, it’s their tiny allies swooping in and fixing anything
that is going wrong and drawing the audiences’ eyes to where their faerie
fires are highlighting.
Desire: Pixie Power may be invisible on stage, but most acts don’t even take
them seriously. They want the party to not only credit them in interviews
but also hook them up with referrals when appropriate. Additionally, the
party must always pay their bar tab for the rest of the Grand Invocation’s
brackets. It turns out these Pixies run up expensive bills. Easily twenty
gold a night. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check can give the par-
ty a clue about this, and a successful DC 18 Charisma (Persuasion) check
can get them to put a limit on it at best.
Fame & Renown: Any band that performs with Pixie Power generates +1
Fame on their chart. Additionally, Chicky Blue and her Rebellion faction
will gain +1 Renown.

Sirens, Battle of the Bards 27

 Act 2
“Stage fright at the Belladonna is so common, they have invented a themed Bag of
Holding to purge into right before you perform. I picked one up for myself and I’m
not even going on stage!” -Alice
As night descends upon the Belladonna Theater, the Salvata
government extinguishes all lights from nearby buildings.
Throughout Salvata, every crystal ball, prismatic screen, and pri-
vate scrying party is focused upon the first district. The Grand
Invocation has begun. Hanging low in the sky, the moon sits al-
most full, living out the last few hours before the once every hun-
dred-year eclipse happens, darkening the desert and bathing it
in a deep array of colors.
For the party, however, backstage is filled with chaos. Thirty
bands are making the final preparations for their acts. Even the
most experienced bards are shaking their hands in anticipation.
The best among them appear stoic, while the worst are taking
full advantage of custom devouring bags.
Alice checks the party in and takes care of all the logistics, and
after a short rest, she returns with a long cylinder of radiating,
gold-infused water. As she pours the glowing liquid into glasses
on a platter, she explains that this Pure Ke’Sava Tonic is the sa-
cred magic that runs through Salvata, and this special dose is of
the most powerful form. Gifted from Calrath himself to all bards
who seek to compete in the Grand Invocation, drinking is cus-
tomary, and those who refuse are unable to keep the liquid.
“As you place the cup to your lips, you see the glowing, gold
speckled amethyst swirl around within the crystal glass. The
tonic seeps into you, rejuvenating your very essence and tastes
of a divine sweet ambrosia that would leave anyone breathless.”
Behind the scenes, the benefit for this particular brew of Ke’Sava
Tonic is a buffer for the upcoming encounters. The Pure Ke’Sava
Tonic given before this event provides the effects of a long rest
while also granting one of four possible additional effects at ran-
dom by rolling 1d4, or at the GM’s discretion:
• Spell Attack & Save DC increase by 1d4 for 24 hours.
• The player may concentrate on up to two spells at once for
1 hour.
• The effects of the haste spell for 1 minute (applied once the
party starts their performance).
• The player gains 4d8 temp HP.
If your party is higher level, feel free to scale the effects down
and provide the benefits of a long rest and grant them Bardic
Inspiration (1d12) for their performance under the guise that
the entire party had to split a single vial of Pure Ke’Sava Tonic,
thus diluting its effects per party member.
As the first band begins performing on stage, it becomes clear
that their competition includes some epic level bards. This band’s
28 Sirens, Battle of the Bards
Charisma (Performance) checks for the opening act range in the
30’s. The opening band, gifted with the honor of kicking off the
first bracket of the qualifiers, is a group of six bards by the name
of Violet Magick. With sound amplifying magic and the power
of Ke’Sava behind them, they practically glow on stage as they
channel the divine energies of Salvata into their performance.
They play a fiery song depicting a Queen’s army standing strong
in the face of an Abyss opening beneath them.
The second act is something different entirely. A College of
Illusion bard puts on a seemingly solo show with an epic tale of
a gold dragon hunting red dragons until he has killed so many
his scales are stained red with blood—and is hunted in turn. The
show is accompanied by amazing feats of practical magic, a fair
bit of comedy, and illusionary terrain that brings the entire au-
dience into the story. Yet backstage is a different matter entirely.
The party can see this solo act bard has a full party of support.
Some work rope-pullies, others are racing to get familiars in
place at the right time, and some even change outfits to slip into
the audience when required. The performance is truly a team
effort, even if only one quirky human bard is on stage.
Then… it’s the party’s turn. Alice has practically chewed off her fin-
gernails at this point, and the party’s allies are nervous but excited
for this chance. Taking their cue from the stagehands, the party is
ushered near the stage curtain regardless of if they are ready or not
and are forced to begin the encounter by rolling initiative.
GM Note
The skill challenge DC’s below are for a Tier 2 party. If you wish to
increase the scale (and scope) of this skill challenge for a higher party,
you simply need to increase the stakes. In Round 1 - The First Shock
below, stage fright relates to the Belladonna Amphitheater audience,
however, a higher Tier party might realize their performance is being
broadcast across all planes, or they may seek to impress and gain the
attention of Calrath himself with their incredible stage show—thus
raising the DC for The First Shock.
Encounter - The Belladonna
Amphitheater Continued:
“Save the Audience”
Potential Favor Gained: -0/+2 Fame, -1/+2 Calrath, -0/+0
Rebels, -0/+0 Emerald Cabal
Terrain: 40ft by 20ft Stage and 40ft by 10ft Backstage. Refer to
map on Appendix X.
The goal of this encounter is two-fold. Let the party shine with
whatever kind of performance they wish to put on, and then cut
them off before the end of the act. Throughout this encounter, the
party will aim to work together through several rounds in order
to hit the highest “Performance” check they can achieve even
though they are using more than just skills or rolling Charisma
(Performance) checks. Every group will have a unique act, and so
we’ve provided guidelines for you below, but the storyteller will
need to improvise based upon their group.
The goal of this encounter is two-fold. Let the party shine with
whatever kind of performance they wish to put on, and then
cut them off before the end of the act. Throughout this encoun-
ter, the party will aim to work together through several rounds
in order to hit the highest “Performance” check they can
achieve even though they are using more than just skills or roll-
ing Charisma (Performance) checks. Every group will have a
unique act, and so we’ve provided guidelines for you below, but
the storyteller will need to improvise based upon their group.
• Round 1 - The First Shock: Stage fright is a very real problem
when faced with such a large audience. As the group prepares
to take to the stage, have every party member make a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, an affected character suf-
fers disadvantage on their next roll in round 2.
• Round 2 - Enter Stage Right: Have each player explain how
they enter the stage. Do they go out individually or as a group?
Do they use any class or race features? Spells or Cantrips to
impress the audience? Allow your players to describe their
entrance cinematically. Attacks, spells, or skills, whatever
they use must succeed as a Performance Check (Ability of
their choosing) DC 12. If they do a particularly good job at
this with a group DC average of 18+, the crowd goes wild, and
the party receives a +1 in fame.
groove (or wishing that their torment would end), describe
the popping sounds of dimensional gateways and streaks of
fireworks starting to descend from above. Any curious party
member may use their action to make a DC 16 Intelligence
(Investigation) Check to notice a scream backstage, or a DC
16 Intelligence (Arcana) check to correctly identify incoming
meteor swarm spells. However, they may not realize the peril
that is about to befall them. Choosing to use their action on
stage in this way will grant them a boon in the next encounter.
If they continue their performance, however: ask for one final
set of ability check rolls but with a DC threshold of 18. If the
majority of the party makes the save, record the highest.
• Conclusion: Take the recorded average of the last four rounds
to determine how well of a show the party put on. Anything
below a 12 marks the group as imposters and will lower their
renown by -1, earning them the ire of other bands. Anything
above a DC 18 places the group as serious contenders, raising
their renown with Calrath by +1. Higher tier characters hitting
40’s (or low tier characters with great support) become instant
sensations and gain renown and fame by an additional +1.
Unfortunately for the party, chaos erupts before their set finishes
as the meteor swarm spells rain down upon District One, shak-
ing the entire amphitheater and turning buildings to rubble in an
instant. Dimensional doorways pop up around the Belladonna,
where packs of demons and fiends start swarming the amphi-
theater’s seats, attacking the fleeing citizens. Backstage, the par-
ty hears Alice scream as a winged beast plucks her up into the
night sky and tears her limb from limb as it heads to the center of
the district. Already several bands have been killed, and the back
door is still swinging open on its hinges.

• Round 3 - Getting Started: Let each player, in turn, describe The party faces a critical choice: Chase after the backstage assas-
their part of the show. Treat this as an encounter and allow sins or race to save the audience before they all are slaughtered.
your party members to take actions, bonus actions, and Head to act three.
movement. The base DC to woo this audience is a DC 15. If
someone scores a critical success, describe the crystal orbs
centering upon them. Calrath will ignore any botches, but the
live audience will certainly react to rolls above 25 or below
10. Record the highest number from any individual.

GM Note
Lean into the “Rule of Cool” and allow the players to think of unique
ways to spin their features. A rogue might use their bonus dash actions
to slide across the stage to help their friend for example. Thaumaturgy
can be used to enhance your singer’s voice or Mold Earth could raise up
a party member during their solo.

• Round 4 - Achieving Harmony: Next, the party will work to-

gether as a group. This time, allow them to weave their ac-
tions further into their act with a primary focus now of per-
forming together. When party members help each other, they
each gain advantage on the skill checks they choose. If three
or more players work together, they get “Triple Advantage”
and can roll 3 d20 and take the highest roll. The DC to succeed
in this round is 18. If the majority of the party hit the thresh-
old, record the highest number. If the majority of the party did
not hit the threshold, record the lowest number.

• Round 5 - Finishing Act: Just as the party is getting into the

Sirens, Battle of the Bards 29

 Act 3
“When you bring forth chaos, you conjure delightful opportunity.” – The Herald
As chaos descends upon District One, the Belladonna
Amphitheater quickly becomes a battlefield full of carnage be-
fore the party’s very eyes. Their contact Alice has been plucked
away by a winged fiend and is torn asunder by its acidic claws
before the party can react. But the assassins have left a trail out
the backstage door… heading somewhere.
Yet the Belladonna Amphitheater is under attack, and thousands
of lives are also at risk. Will the party leap into the legendary
encounter to save lives, or will they pursue the band killers to
their next objective?
There are two separate encounters in this act, and the par-
ty must pick one or the other. If the party attempts to split, use
their backup group as a warning against doing so. The sheer size
of the crowd means a handful of party members will be entirely
ineffective against the encounter, and if they pursue the assassins
as a split group—remind them that someone is casting 9th lev-
el spells. One acceptable outcome would be a stealthy character
sneaking off to gain information about what happens at the Great
Siphon encounter. Yet that person alone will be unable to stop the
Emerald Cabals attack and might even earn false information that
they are rebellion members orchestrating the assault.
The Belladonna encounter is not intended to be a deadly encounter—
to the party. The focus in that encounter will be trying to save as many
people as they can by whatever means necessary. The Great Siphon
encounter should be a deadly encounter for the party, and we’ve in-
cluded guidance on how to scale that encounter in that section.
No matter which encounter the party picks, Vlahnya will find the
group after the encounter and race them to her private conspira-
cy room on District Two to close out Chapter 1. Those details are
listed after both encounters.
Encounter - The Belladonna
Amphitheater Continued:
“Save the Audience”
Enemies: CAPTIVATED CROWD, THE EMERALD CABAL
ASSASSINS, SUMMONED FIENDS.
Potential Favor Gained: -4/+6 Fame, -1/+0 Calrath, -3/+0
Rebels, -0/+0 Emerald Cabal
Terrain: 40ft by 20ft Stage; 40ft by 10ft Backstage; Stadium
Seating, 10 sections (50ft x 100ft) with 20 rows (5ft x 50ft)
per section, and 10 seats (5ft x 5ft) per row. Refer to map on
Appendix X.
Saving the audience is a task worthy of all tiers of play—from
level 20 adventurers with epic magic to even level 1 characters
who save people one at a time. We’ve designed the Captivated
Crowd as a legendary monster with regional effects and special
traits that will affect the story. The goal of this encounter is to en-
dure 10 rounds of assault and save as many people as possible.
30 Sirens, Battle of the Bards
GM Note
To adjust difficulty, lower level characters can easily distract the
Summoned Fiends. Additionally, The Emerald Cabal Assassins dressed
as “Salvata Salvation” rebels can, when pressed, try to escape to pre-
serve their identity, making the encounter easier.
The two monster groups—The emerald cabal assassins and
the summoned fiends—should primarily focus on easy-to-kill
helpless audience members rather than fighting to the death
with player characters. Higher level characters will find the
monster groups easy to kill but still require actions to do so.
GM Note
If you enjoy using props at your table to create a sense of immersion,
we suggest you light ten tea candles in front of your screen. Every time
the Captivated Crowd suffers enough damage to take them below a
threshold, blow out a candle and describe the event listed in their
traits with great detail. Every time the party manages to save or help
evacuate enough people, give the candle to the party with its flame
still lit. The candles represent the lives they’ve saved. Of course, feel
free to use coins or another prop, but we encourage you to use some-
thing more than a D10 to reflect their percentage of hit points.
The encounter ends after 10 rounds. By that point, Calrath has
managed to establish a magical lockdown and mobilize the city’s
defenses. The encounter can also end early if the party works
together and helps the captivated crowd use its Evacuate re-
action by clearing and making exit paths for the audience. Exit
paths can come from various means; even spells such as teleport
can remove portions of the crowd rather quickly if the party has
access to such means.
Additionally, as the crowd loses hit points, many of its partici-
pants die. The consequences of this are felt throughout the dis-
trict—the details of which can be found in the Life of the Party
table detailed in this section.
One of the captivated crowd’s regional effects (described be-
low) is a fantastic way to showcase your party’s valiant feats
during this encounter while simultaneously rewarding them
fame for assiting the captivated crowd. When a crystal orb
observes a party member succeeding on an ability check with
a DC 20 or higher, the image of the success is displayed across
Salvata. When this occurs, the party gains +1 fame. The party
cannot benefit from this effect more than 5 times.
 or descending into the crowd from ropes. The party will notice
Life of the Party Table they are dressed like Salvatan Salvation resistance members,
Salvatan druids, or even other bards they’ve seen on the streets.
Crowd Hit
Consequences • Round 3: A new group of summoned fiends equal to the
Points number of PCs -1 magically appear in unoccupied spaces
The crowd panics, becoming frightened around the amphitheater and tear into the crowd. It might
90 – 81 hit feel hopeless to the players to see so many creatures…
of the nearest creature for as long as
points
it has line of sight to that creature.
• Round 4: The first group of summoned fiends is entirely
90 – 81 hit The Silken Veil Tavern and Belladonna banished and dispelled by the Salvatan Guard.
points market are destroyed.
• Rounds 5 thru 10: For these rounds, you should read the table
70 – 61 hit The Four Horseman ally group is to determine how many more summoned fiends appear, or
points caught in the crossfire and perishes. the emerald cabal assassins groups sneak in. Neither group
should ever appear in as many numbers as in the opening
The crowd becomes desperate and rounds. This encounter should be deadly for the captivated
60 – 51 hit crowd, but not the party. Let the players be heroes and pull
violent, become enemies of all crea-
points off epic feats to save whomever they can, but without the par-
tures it can see in that round.
ty—a grim fate awaits the audience.
50 – 41 hit The Pixie Power ally group is caught
points in the crossfire and perishes. • Once the fight is resolved, move onto the conclusion portion
of this chapter.
40 – 31 hit All drink vendors and bartenders with-
points in the Belladonna are shattered. GM Note
If the party has chosen to go to the Great Siphon encounter, then the
30 – 21 hit The Half-Elf Hype ally group is caught Belladonna Theater will be completely destroyed. The other bards and
points in the crossfire and perishes. competing bands flee for their own lives rather than race into action.
The party will lose -1 fame and -1 renown with Calrath.
The Captivated Crowd is comprised more
20 – 11 hit of demons and fiends than people. Any
points allies left will perish, and the Captivated The Captivated Crowd’s Lair
Crowd becomes hostile to anyone.
The Belladonna Amphitheater is where the assembled masses that
10 – 1 hit The Belladonna Amphitheater is reduced comprise the Captivated Crowd have gathered. A large open-air the-
points to rubble, and all terrain is difficult. ater with stone-sung tiers for seating, and a stage weaved together
from precious gems and metals. Crystal orbs and screens float random-
The audience is annihilated, and ly over the crowd, capturing and broadcasting highlights and interest-
0 hit points ing events. At no point within the Belladonna, is a person far from a
the party suffers -3 to Fame.
vendor selling overpriced custom cocktails. Yet, once the chaos begins,
the crowd is its own worst enemy. Turning a once beautiful venue in the
The rounds begin with large numbers of enemies, but they will heart of Salvata’s District One into a showcase of violent survivalism.
quickly begin to dissipate as the fight wears on. This is because
the Heralds attention slowly turns to the encounter at the Great Lair Actions
Siphon which is happening at the same time. There are always
more monsters than what is listed in each round. Those extra On initiative count 10 (losing initiative ties), the captivated
creatures are handled by other adventures or guardsmen in the crowd takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects.
background for cinematic effect.Round 2 - Enter Stage Right: For dramatic effect, these can be determined randomly unless
Have each player explain how they enter the stage. Do they go the party verbally directs a specific lair action).
out individually or as a group? Do they use any class or race fea-
tures? Spells or Cantrips to impress the audience? Allow your • A blazing orb of fire plummets to the ground in two random ar-
players to describe their entrance cinematically. Attacks, spells, eas within the Belladonna, simmering ominously for a moment
or skills, whatever they use must succeed as a Performance before exploding the following round. Each creature within a
Check (Ability of their choosing) DC 12. If they do a particularly 20-foot radius sphere must make a Dexterity saving throw DC
good job at this with a group DC average of 18+, the crowd goes 15 or take 2d10 fire damage and 2d6 bludgeoning damage on a
wild, and the party receives a +1 in fame. failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save.

• Round 1: A number of summoned fiends equal to the num- • A swarm of people race to the nearest creature that doesn’t
ber of players +1 appear at the outskirts and all exits of the look hostile for their own safety but ends up causing Difficult
Belladonna and begin their assault. Terrain in a 30-foot radius around the creature.

• Round 2: A number of the emerald cabal assassins group to- • The very district under the Belladonna trembles from meteor
gether equal to the number of PCs, either appearing backstage swarm impacts elsewhere in the city. All creatures within the

Sirens, Battle of the Bards 31

 Belladonna must make a Dexterity Saving Throw DC 12 or fall Emerald Cabal Assassin
prone. If the Captivated Crowd fails this check, they will also Medium humanoid (any), neutral evil
become paralyzed until the next initiative count of 20.
Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
Hit Points 71 (13d8 + 13)
Regional Effects Speed 40 ft.
The first district of Salvata is built around the Belladonna, and while STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
the Captivated Crowd is within its lair, the region is blessed by the 12(+1) 19(+4) 12(+1) 8(−1) 11(+0) 8(−1)
crowds’ influence, which creates one or more of the following effects. Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +2
Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +3, Sleight of Hand +7,
• The crystal orbs constantly hunt the region for random acts Stealth +10, Survival +6
of inspiring performance or unique fashion. When a creature Damage Resistances poison
in the region succeeds on an ability check with a DC 20 or Senses passive Perception +3
higher, and that check is observed by one of the crystal orbs, Languages Abyssal, Common
the image of the success is displayed across Salvata. When Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
this occurs, the creature responsible gains +1 fame. A party
cannot benefit from this effect more than 5 times. TRAITS
Assassinate. During its first turn, the assassin has advan-
• Inspiration can be found around every corner in the immediate tage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken
region. Any act of true kindness is likely to be blessed by a Salvatan a turn. Any hit the assassin scores against a surprised crea-
bard and granted Bardic Inspiration (1D12 that lasts for 8 hours). ture is a critical hit.
Emerald Venom. A creature poisoned by the assassin be-
• Normally within the Belladonna Theater, patrons can pur-
comes infected with emerald venom for the poison’s du-
chase exotic cocktails and various ales within 30-feet of their
ration. While poisoned in this manner, a creature takes 7
current location for triple the normal price. However, during
(2d6) poison damage at the end of each of its turns. If a
the chaos of battle, drinks flow for free and can be retrieved
creature poisoned in this manner would become poisoned
by a creature within reach (no action required).
by this venom again, this damage increases by 7 (2d6), to a
maximum of 21 (6d6) poison damage.
Captivated Crowd Sneak Attack. (1/Turn). The assassin deals an extra 14
Gargantuan swarm of medium humanoids, chaotic neutral (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and
has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 105 (10d20) 5 ft. of an ally of the assassin that isn’t incapacitated and the
Speed 0 ft. assassin doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA ACTIONS

19(+4) 13(+1) 11(+0) 8(-1) 6(-3) 15(+2)
Multiattack. The assassin makes two shortsword attacks.
Skills Athletics +7, Perception +3
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, para- one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 15 (5d6)
lyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned, unconscious poison damage. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution
Senses passive Perception 13 saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute.
Languages Common, plus five other languages Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus
15 (5d6) poison damage. The target must make a DC 15
TRAITS
Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute.
Evacuate. At the end of each of its turns, the crowd attempts
REACTIONS
a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check to flee the area. On a suc-
cess, roughly 10% of the crowd escapes, and its hit points Relocate. As a reaction when targeted by an attack, the as-
cannot be reduced below 10. This effect is cumulative. sassin may move up to its speed and take the Hide action.
Mob Vitality. Thanks to its vast size, the crowd is extreme-
ly durable. When the mob takes 6 or more damage from a
single attack or effect, it instead takes 5 damage.
Swarm. The crowd can occupy another creature’s space
and vice versa, and the crowd can move through any open-
ing large enough for a Medium humanoid. The crowd can’t
regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
ACTIONS
Mosh Pit. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 0 ft.,
each creature in the crowd’s space. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) blud-
geoning damage.

32 Sirens, Battle of the Bards

Summoned Fiend
Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil The Grand Siphon Encounter
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 161 (17d10 + 68) – Aqueduct Battle
Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Enemies: IMPOSTER SALVATA SALVATION REBELS, HIRED
21(+5) 14(+2) 19(+4) 6(-2) 17(+3) 14(+2) ARCANE MERCENARY, NAYA THE CHOSEN.
Potential Favor Gained: -0/+0 Fame, -0/+0 Calrath, -0/+0
Saving Throws Str +9, Dex +6, Wis +7, Cha +6 Rebels, -0/+3 Emerald Cabal
Skills Intimidation +6, Perception +7 Terrain: Great Siphon inner wall entrance, 30ft by 15ft. 3-tiered
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, scaffolding ladders (15ft high) to 3 platforms (5ft x 20ft). Refer
piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons to map on Appendix X.
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned This encounter is for the party that wants information. Assassins
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 17 have eliminated other bands from the competition and are clearly
Languages Abyssal, Common on the run. It’s entirely possible that the players might assume the
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Salvatan guard can help save the audience and chase after the as-
TRAITS sassins. Sadly, this is not the case. The guardsmen are able to help
save the entire district from being destroyed, but there are con-
Conjured Creation. The fiend is bound to the mortal realm
sequences for abandoning those caught in the opening massacre.
by a tenuous thread of magic. At the end of each of its turns,
roll a d6. On a roll of 5 or higher, the fiend vanishes as it is
If the party chooses this encounter, they will have a chance to un-
pulled back to its home plane.
cover the first hints of the Herald, witness Vajra in action, and gain
Easily Distracted. The fiend cannot attack a target more more access to Ke’Sava throughout the rest of the adventure. If the
than once in a single turn. party does not choose the Grand Siphon Encounter, however, they
Magic Resistance. The fiend has advantage on saving will not gain this critical information. Because of this, the city of
throws against spells or magical effects. Salvata will blame the rebellion for the attack and begin locking
down the city under martial law.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The fiend can make either two Devouring Bite The Grand Siphon runs vertically through the very center of
attacks or one Hellfire Blast. District One. It houses an anti-gravity controlled geyser of Oasis
water running through all Salvatan districts and contains the
Devouring Bite. Melee Weapon Attack +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., purest source of Ke’Sava. The central gardens are construct-
one unfortunate creature. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage ed vertically along the interior wall of this warded construct.
plus 10 (3d6) acid damage. If the target is a flesh and blood Altered-gravity enchantments have been woven into the very
creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving fabric of the chamber and surrounding gardens which allow
throw or have its flesh torn off by the attack and consumed visitors to easily ascend or descend between the different dis-
by the fiend. When this occurs, the fiend gains advantage on tricts—and even view aspects of Salvata’s history.
attack rolls until the start of its next turn.
Hellfire Blast. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 60 ft., This encounter, however, takes place in the very bowels of Salvata’s
three different creatures. Hit: 12 (2d8 +3) necrotic damage infrastructure. Below the glitter and glamour of the central gardens,
and 7 (2d6) fire damage. closer to the base of District One, itself. Water is surging upwards
at a deadly pace, sprinkling those who walk on the sandstone and
metal maintenance staircases. In the very core of the Grand Siphon,
arcane wards hug a stream of pure Ke’Sava, guarding against any
who would dare steal Salvata’s precious resource.

The party is able to track the assassins in a chase throughout the

city to this location, where they rendezvous with their allies for
the next phase of their plan: destroying the aqueduct junctions
that grant the first district their ration of Ke’Sava. The Emerald
Cabal knows this will be repaired in time, but the repairs won’t
be finished before the Grand Invocation is over—meaning their
allies will have greater access to Ke’Sava, and thus, an advantage.

All of the mercenaries in this encounter appear to be Salvata

Salvation rebellion members at first glance—and some of them
indeed are. These double agents have been corrupted by the
Herald and are used as pawns to frame the rebellion. Among
their ranks, there are also some hired mercenaries, given coin by
Salvatan nobles for this attack. Victory in this combat will allow
the party to investigate the corpses or interrogate members and

Sirens, Battle of the Bards 33

find plenty of coin among the culprits. Ideally, you should let the
party roll on a Treasure Hoard table for all the acquired loot that
is found upon these newly rich mercenaries. Be generous with
monetary and jewel rewards appropriate to your player’s levels.
GM Note
When the party either searches corpses or begins interrogating their
potential captives, they should find this letter or information: “When
the chaos begins, meet at the central gardens to direct the worthless help
we’ve hired. They’ll follow your commands, and you will gain your first taste
of becoming a noble. Just make sure you disrupt the Ke’Sava flow and direct
the unworthy. If successful, we will see you at the masquerade later. Burn this
letter when you are finished reading.” Only the characters’ targets were
foolish enough to carry their letter with them rather than burn it.
This combat is a vertical fight along maintenance stairways and
deadly flowing water. If any character or enemy somehow manages
to break through the protective Arcane Wards, they will get sucked
into the water and subjected to the force of the Great Siphon’s cur-
rent. Any creature exposed to this effect must succeed on a DC 21
Strength saving throw or be restrained within the current. While
restrained in this manner, a creature takes 45 (10d8) bludgeoning
damage at the end of each of its turns. A creature restrained in this
manner can use an action to attempt a DC 21 Strength (Athletics)
check, ending the restrained condition on a success.
During this fight, flanking the Imposter Salvata Salvation Rebels
should be difficult unless the party has access to movement
effects to change their location. High ground advantage and
low ground disadvantage should play into effect here, as well
as chasing people up stairwells while being fired upon. The
Salvatan guard and Vajra are also at this location, and they are
focused on fighting other groups of enemies in the background.
Vajra can be seen fighting a high-level sorcerer in the distance
and is preoccupied for the entirety of the encounter.
Tier 1 or 2 characters will fight Imposter Salvata Salvation Rebels,
one Hired Arcane Mercenary, and a Tier 2 version of Naya, the
Chosen. Tier 3 characters will fight the Tier 3 Naya, three Imposter
Rebels, and two Hired Arcane Mercenaries. Tier 4 characters will
fight the Tier 4 version of Naya, two Imposter Rebels, and one
Hired Arcane Mercenary. Variations of Naya not listed in this en-
counter are included in the Appendix section Foes and NPC’s.
Regardless of your party’s tier, combat will ensue around them.
For example, Tier 2 Characters, while fighting the Imposter Salvata
Salvation Rebels, will see Salvatan Guards battling another sor-
cerer. Once the party has defeated Naya, they also witness Vajra
valiantly performing the finishing blow upon his own sorcerer
enemy with his great rune blade before slipping into the shadows.
Naya is a believer in the Emerald Cabal’s propaganda. Specifically,
that Salvata has been wasting Ke’Sava on the many rather than
the deserving few. Her objective is to destroy the lower portion of
the Grand Siphon, framing the rebellion and cutting off the minus-
cule supply of Ke’Sava that District One receives. Naya is not yet
an Emerald Cabal elite. This mission is her way to gain entrance to
the inner circle of The Emerald Cabal, and she will stop at nothing
to accomplish this goal. Naya is an eighty-year-old human female;
however, she has become newly addicted to the Elixir of the Gods,
34 Sirens, Battle of the Bards
which has reduced her practical age to forty. The expense of this
is crippling. However, inner members of the Emerald Cabal have
greater access to The Elixir, and therefore Naya will do anything to
earn favor within the Cabal so that she may stay young. Below are
some tips for Naya’s behavior in this chaos.
• Any round in which Naya is not targeted, she will use dispel
magic on the arcane wards protecting the aqueducts related to
District One only. After 5 rounds, she will have dispelled all pro-
tections temporarily.A swarm of people race to the nearest crea-
ture that doesn’t look hostile for their own safety but ends up
causing Difficult Terrain in a 30-foot radius around the creature.
• On the 6th round, if she has been left alone long enough, a
well-timed shatter will deal enough damage to explode the
section of the aqueduct which leads to District One.
• Should the party engage or converse with her, she has no
problems trying to recruit the party to her cause as a distrac-
tion for other mercenaries or sorcerers nearby to achieve the
same effects as above.
• In roleplay or conversation, Naya will appeal to any character
whose species has a limited life span—lamenting how it’s not
fair that those imbued with magic from birth are given more time
to achieve their goals or experience this world. She’s not fighting
out of hatred but out of righteousness and self-preservation.
• If the party actually warms up to her speeches, she will tell them
to go back with their rebellion and wait. The Emerald Cabal will
find them when ready. Resolve the rest of the encounter as if the
party were not here: the aqueducts explode, and the rebellion is
framed. This gains the party +3 renown with the Emerald Cabal,
and it will undoubtedly attract the attention of the Herald.
Once the fight is resolved, move onto the conclusion portion of
this chapter.
Conclusion
After the party is done with either encounter, Vlahnya and several
members of her Sirens (Brig, Ghost, and Girasol) will find the party
at their respective location. She will explain that they need to quick-
ly get off the streets, and she’s got a safe location for them. Together,
the crew will run back to a small library hidden in the back of a
burlesque theater on District Two. This is one of Vlahnya’s many
hideouts throughout the city and serves as her base of operations.
Once there, Vlahnya will remain silent as she pulls three candles
to reveal a hidden room behind the bookshelf. A 20ft tall, two-
story-high, mahogany-lined grand room with a latticework of red
threads, linking names, pictures, and more, all tracing the connec-
tions between the Salvatan nobility and the Emerald Cabal.
“I never expected an attack like today…” Vlahnya stresses as she
observes her wall and moves pins around. “You each performed
so wonderfully, and everyone in the city is bound to thank you. I
thank you. Unfortunately for us, this is just the beginning. We’ve
got a tangled web to unweave in order to stop those who are
stealing destiny for their own gain—and little time to do it in.”
End Chapter 1.
Chapter Expansion
Chapter Expansion: Combat
Chapter 1 already features one major combat, but if the party is
hungering for more and wishes to explore further combats—let
them have some encounters on the way to the conspiracy room.
None of them should be deadly or particularly epic, but it is a
good chance to stop looters and get a feel for saving the city after
the catastrophe in act 3.
Additionally, witnessing signs of which fiend is feasting off the
energies created would be good to play up in these combats. Just
a taste of the fiends’ influence starting to spread throughout the
city should be enough.
Chapter Expansion: Exploration
There is little room for the party to roam in the opening acts of
the chapter, but after their act 3 encounters is a good time. If the
party went to the Great Siphon, let them return to Belladonna
Amphitheater to see the ruin and carnage that happened there.
Imposter Salvata Salvation Rebels
Medium humanoid (any), neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (studded leather)
Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15(+2) 16(+3) 14(+2) 14(+2) 11(+0) 14(+2)
Skills Athletics +4, History +4, Perception +2
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, plus two other languages
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
TRAITS
Maneuvers (1/Turn). When the imposter hits with a me-
lee weapon attack, it can choose to apply a maneuver to that
attack. The attack deals an additional 5 (1d10) damage, and
the imposter chooses one of the following effects.
- Disarming Attack. The target must succeed on a DC 15
Strength saving throw or drop an object it is holding of the
imposter’s choice. The object lands at its feet.
- Distracting Strike. The next attack roll against the target
by an attacker other than the imposter has advantage if that
attack is made before the start of the imposter’s next turn.
- Trip Attack. If the target is Large or smaller, it must suc-
ceed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or fall prone.
Corrupted Rebellion. There is a 75 percent chance that an
imposter is a rebellion member who has been controlled by
the Herald. After they have been killed or captured, these
members will decay and perish from the corruption in ten
minutes when the Herald no longer has a use for them.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The imposter makes two melee weapon
attacks.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10+3) slash-
ing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Or, if the party saved the audience, let them hear and see the flow
of water to the first district get cut off as they travel with Vlahnya.
Additionally, in the aftermath of either encounter, there are am-
ple exploration opportunities for the party to sort through dam-
aged areas looking for survivors or injured. Perhaps they may
even wish to go find the remains of Alice.
Chapter Expansion: Social
The public relations game of the Emerald Cabal is strong, and
Calrath is absolutely watching District One for signs of the cul-
prits. Let the party witness how the prismatic screens and the
Salvatan elite start spinning the attacks by framing the rebellion.
Crystal orbs that once scried upon acts of inspiration and great
art in the city are now exploring back alleyways and looking for
further culprits as the city guard is mobilized. Depending on the
party’s fame and performance, let some of their social activities
bleed into the public conversation among District One.
Hired Arcane Mercenary
Medium humanoid (any), neutral evil
Armor Class 11 (14 with mage armor)
Hit Points 25 (5d6 + 8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
9(-1) 12(+1) 14(+2) 16(+3) 10(+0) 10(+0)
Skills Arcana +5, Perception +2
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common, plus two other languages
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
TRAITS
Spellcasting. The mercenary is a 5th level spellcaster. Their
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to
hit with spell attacks). The mercenary has the following
wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): firebolt, mage hand, message,
prestidigitation
1st level (3 slots): burning hands, fog cloud, mage armor,
thunderwave
2nd level (2 slots): scorching ray, shatter, web
3rd level (1 slot): dispel magic
It’s just a job. The Hired Arcane Mercenary’s task is to dis-
pel the five wards and blow up the aqueduct. After the job is
done, they retreat from any fight.
ACTIONS
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +1 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d6-1) bludgeoning damage, or 3
(1d8-1) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands to
make a melee attack.
Sirens, Battle of the Bards 35
Naya, the Chosen, Tier 2 Naya, the Chosen, Tier 3
Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil
Armor Class 16 (breastplate) Armor Class 16 (breastplate)
Hit Points 72 (9d8 + 36) Hit Points 117 (13d8 + 65)
Speed 30 ft., 30 ft. fly (hover) Speed 30 ft., 30 ft. fly (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16(+3) 13(+1) 18(+4) 15(+2) 15(+2) 20(+5) 20(+5) 13(+1) 20(+5) 15(+2) 15(+2) 20(+5)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +8, Wis +6, Cha +9
Skills Arcana +6, Intimidation +9, Persuasion +9, Religion
+6, Perception +6
Damage Immunities necrotic, radiant
Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Elven
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +9, Wis +7, Cha +10
Skills Arcana +7, Intimidation +10, Persuasion +10, Religion
+7, Perception +7
Damage Immunities necrotic, radiant
Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Elven
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)

TRAITS
Favored by the Gods. When Naya rolls initiative, she is sur-
rounded by a nimbus of holy energy. This effect grants Naya
75 temporary hit points, and while she has temporary hit
points from this effect, she has advantage on attack rolls,
saving throws, and ability checks.
Elixir of the Gods. Naya consumes Elixir of the Gods on a
regular basis, and as such, is immune to any attacks or ef-
fects that affect her age.
Spellcasting. Naya is a 9th-level spellcaster. Her chosen
spellcasting ability is Charisma (+9 to hit with spell attacks,
spell save DC 17). Naya has the following spells prepared,
which she can cast without material components.
At will: light, mending, sacred flame, thunderclap
1st level (4 slots): charm person, comprehend languages, in-
flict wounds, magic missile
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, shatter, levitate, spiritual
weapon (a scepter)
3rd level (3 slots): crusader’s mantle, counterspell, fireball
4th level (3 slots): banishment, polymorph
5th level (2 slots): commune, wall of force
ACTIONS
Multispell. Naya casts two spells, one of which must be a
cantrip. Naya can forgo cast a spell in this manner to instead
use her Wand of Dispelling action.
Royal Scepter. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+3) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8)
necrotic damage.
Wand of Dispelling (7/day). Naya casts dispel magic as a
3rd level spell.
TRAITS
Favored by the Gods. When Naya rolls initiative, she is sur-
rounded by a nimbus of holy energy. This effect grants Naya
100 temporary hit points, and while she has temporary hit
points from this effect, she has advantage on attack rolls,
saving throws, and ability checks.
Spellcasting. Naya is a 13th-level spellcaster. Her chosen
spellcasting ability is Charisma (+10 to hit with spell at-
tacks, spell save DC 17). Naya has the following spells pre-
pared, which she can cast without material components.
At will: light, mending, sacred flame, thunderclap
1st level (4 slots): charm person, comprehend languages, in-
flict wounds, magic missile
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, shatter, levitate, spiritual
weapon (a scepter)
3rd level (3 slots): crusader’s mantle, counterspell, fireball
4th level (3 slots): banishment, polymorph
5th level (2 slots): commune, wall of force
6th level (1 slot): harm, sunbeam
7th level (1 slot): divine word, plane shift
ACTIONS
Multispell. Naya casts three spells, two of which must be
a cantrip. Naya can forgo cast a spell in this manner to in-
stead use her Wand of Dispelling action.
Royal Scepter. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+3) bludgeoning damage plus 9
(2d8) necrotic damage.
Wand of Dispelling (7/day). Naya casts dispel magic as a
3rd level spell.

36 Sirens, Battle of the Bards

Naya, the Chosen, Tier 4
Medium humanoid (any), neutral evil
Armor Class 18 (plate)
Hit Points 247 (26d8 + 130)
Speed 30 ft., 30 ft. fly (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20(+5) 13(+1) 20(+5) 15(+2) 15(+2) 24(+7)
Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +11, Wis +8, Cha +13
Skills Arcana +14, Intimidation +13, Persuasion +13,
Religion +8, Perception +8
Damage Immunities necrotic, radiant
Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Elven
Challenge 18 (20,000 XP)
TRAITS
Favored by the Gods. When Naya rolls initiative, she is sur-
rounded by a nimbus of holy energy. This effect grants Naya
200 temporary hit points, and while she has temporary hit
points from this effect, she has advantage on attack rolls,
saving throws, and ability checks.
Spellcasting. Naya is an 18th-level spellcaster. Her cho-
sen spellcasting ability is Charisma (+10 to hit with spell
attacks, spell save DC 18). Naya has the following spells
prepared, which she can cast without material components.
At will: light, mending, sacred flame, thunderclap
1st level (4 slots): charm person, comprehend languages, in-
flict wounds, magic missile
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, enhance ability, levitate,
spiritual weapon (a scepter)
3rd level (3 slots): crusader’s mantle, counterspell, fireball
4th level (3 slots): banishment, polymorph
5th level (3 slots): commune, creation, wall of force
6th level (1 slot): harm, sunbeam
7th level (1 slot): divine word, plane shift
8th level (1 slot): earthquake
9th level (1 slot): meteor swarm
ACTIONS
Multispell. Naya casts three spells, the combined spell level
of which cannot exceed the 9th level.
Royal Scepter. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+3) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8)
necrotic damage.
Wand of Dispelling (7/day). Naya casts dispel magic as a
3rd level spell.

Sirens, Battle of the Bards 37

 The Silken Veil Tavern

38 Sirens, Battle of the Bards

Vlahnya’s Secret Hideout

Sirens, Battle of the Bards 39

 The Grand Siphon Encounter

40 Sirens, Battle of the Bards

 The Belladonna Amphitheater Stage

The Belladonna Amphitheater Encounter

Sirens, Battle of the Bards 41

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42 Sirens, Battle of the Bards