DM Mako

Keepers: @Henley Lytton d’Sivis), @Helios, @Jinnis, @Tilly d'Kundarak, @Belladonna Tanglefoot) @N-D311

The spread of Nadai, a mysterious drug affecting users differently based on their ancestry, continues to infect the streets of Sharn. Some experience sedation, while others are driven to violence, and its distribution remains an enigma. Seeking answers, the Accord Keepers turned their attention to House Phiarlan, whose influence in the city’s entertainment and magic trades made them a potential link in the Nadai trade.

Their inquiries led them to Rosalina, a talented goblin bard under the sponsorship of House Phiarlan, who was demonstrating a peculiar innovation—magically enchanted guitar picks capable of appearing non-magical on command. Even more concerning, these picks could be remotely activated with a simple phrase. The implications were alarming: such a method could be used to smuggle magical contraband, including enchanted drugs like Nadai, past detection.

Rosalina, wary of speaking too openly within House Phiarlan, extended an invitation. If the Keepers could earn enough tickets at the upcoming Night Market, they would be granted VIP seating at her benefit concert, where she could speak more freely.

The Sharn Night Market was a marvel spanning both upper and lower districts, with towering courtyards and airships circling above, each offering a dazzling variety of goods and experiences. The Accord Keepers explored its many offerings, encountering vendors like:

• Scrumptious, a confectionery run by Syrup & Sugar, selling sweets infused with magic.
• The Hattery, where the gnome Greenfoot crafted elegant and whimsical hats, advertised by animated clockwork mice.
• Better Safe, a shop run by Gertrude, specializing in hyper-specific protective charms—such as one warding against being stampeded by one’s own cattle spooked by thunder on a moonless summer night.

Amidst their explorations, the Keepers turned to the carnival games to earn their VIP tickets. They proved their skills in various contests:

• Helios emerged victorious in a Liar’s Contest.
• Tilly triumphed at the dunk tank.
• N-D311 and Henley devised an unconventional strategy for the rat race—N-D311 took the form of a rat, while Henley, magically shrunken, rode as jockey, securing an easy win.
• The entire party participated in a hot soup eating contest and a game of Telestrations, finally amassing enough tickets to secure their place at the concert.

The concert was meant to be the culmination of the evening’s festivities, a chance for Rosalina to raise awareness about the dangers of Nadai and its growing influence in Sharn. However, the night took a dark turn when an unknown spellcaster attacked.

Two contest winners, standing on stage alongside the Keepers, were struck by a Crown of Madness, instantly killing them and twisting their corpses into violent puppets. Panic swept through the crowd as the creatures lashed out, forcing the Keepers to engage them in battle. In the chaos, the assailant—a medium-sized humanoid with tanning skin and yellowed teeth, their features hidden beneath a hood—slipped away, vanishing into the fleeing throng.

After restoring order, the Keepers finally had their promised meeting with Rosalina. She confided her fears regarding her brother, Dim, the very craftsman behind the enchanted guitar picks. While she could not say for certain if he was complicit, she worried that his creations were being used for a more sinister purpose.