As the party arrives in a city, they struggle to navigate through the streets because of ankle-deep piles of discarded toy lutes. If the players stop to investigate, they will determine that these lutes, although some may have variations in patterns or designs, are largely unremarkable and cheap in construction.
If players ask around, townsfolk will explain that “oh, those are just the common ones that no one wanted” and then direct the party to a well-guarded toy shop.
At the shop, the owner explains that these “lute boxes” are all the rage, and people have become wildly obsessed with them, sometimes turning to thievery and violence to get the one they want. This explains why he’s had to increase the security presence outside his storefront.
For a few gold pieces, the players can purchase a “lute box” themselves, rolling a d20 to determine which small toy lute they receive. Some have interesting painted designs, carvings, or fun sensory effects, whereas others are just carved from common, untreated wood.
Here are some suggestions for lute “prizes”:
- D1-D10 – Common wooden toy lute
- D11 – A blue-painted lute that, when strummed, creates harmless but mildly-distracting bubbles in addition to music
- D12 – A fire-painted lute that, when strummed continuously, slowly raises the temperature of the room by up to 5 degrees (has no effect if the player is outside or in a space larger than 1000 sq feet)
- D13 – A lute with stamped paw-print patterns, when strummed, attracts the attention of all animals within 50 feet of the player
- D14 – A lute that has a slight glow, when strummed, it creates dim light within 20 feet of the player
- D15 – A lute that is completely invisible
- D16 – A lute that, when strummed, causes a slight drizzle to begin (only when outside and not in an arid biome like a desert)
- D17 – A lute that, when strummed, makes everyone within 50 feet of the player uncomfortably hungry
- D18 – A bronze lute that, when strummed, can throw its sound so that it appears to be coming from another source (within sightlines of the player and within a 50 foot radius)
- D19 – A silver lute that, when strummed, allows the player to momentarily view another past-visited location for the duration of the song. While playing the song, anyone within earshot in this past-visited location can also hear the strange melody. Once a player has chosen a past-visited location, this lute can only ever offer a window to that location and none other.
- D20 – A gold-plated lute that sparkles and shines in the sunlight. Even when not in sunlight, it gives off a mesmerizing glow. People will offer the player generous sums of money if they see it; or, if the NPC is of a shadier background, they will try to rob the player of their possession.
If players try to pluck at the tiny strings, in addition to triggering any of the above effects, they will also need to roll a wisdom saving throw or become charmed. While charmed, they will be compelled to buy more lute boxes so long as they have the gold for it.
Investigating further, the party will learn that this is all part of a seedy operation.
The toy factory at the edge of town is being run entirely by satyrs and other fey. They have multiple harpies kept in cages with shaved heads because they are using harpy hair to make the charmed strings for their lutes. If the harpies are freed from their cages, they will first begin attacking the fey (their captors). However, once the fey are taken care of, they will either try to escape or attack the party (since they are chaotic evil, it is unlikely that these monsters can be befriended by your players except with steep persuasion checks).
What would your party do? Try to “collect them all” and auction off your completed set? Take down the fey’s operation? Let us know in the comments.
