The world did not know them as heroes, nor as adventurers. They were simply “The Mercenaries”—a travelling band of musicians scraping by from tavern to tavern, their dreams of fame and fortune dulled by meagre coin purses and half-empty rooms. Yet, despite the lack of glamour, they endured, their bond stronger than their instruments’ strings.
The Band
- Weeka - A sharp-minded Kenku warlock, self-appointed as the band’s manager. Weeka controlled the coin, ensuring every member was “fairly” compensated, though the definition of fairness often leaned in his favour.
- Nyx - A Changeling rogue who posed as a human, her talent on the triangle often overshadowed by her talent for sleight of hand and misdirection.
- Riteus - A towering Minotaur fighter whose thunderous drumbeats matched his equally thunderous temper.
- Kon - A whimsical Satyr artificer whose panpipes could conjure melodies that danced on the edge of magic.
- Snezze - A nimble Goblin specialising in interpretative dance, whose expressive performances were as captivating as they were bizarre.
Their shows were not headliners, nor were they sought after by nobles or city festivals. They performed in dimly lit taverns, filled with farmers and miners, where the laughter was louder than the music and the drinks flowed thicker than the coin.
The Mistake
The turning point came on an evening much like any other. They had just finished a set at The Rusty Tankard, a tavern nestled in the outskirts of Neverwinter. As they packed up their instruments, a nervous-looking dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker approached them.
He mistook their name—“The Mercenaries”—for something more than a musical troupe. Desperate and in need of escort for a shipment to the frontier town of Phandalin, Gundren offered them a job too well-paid to ignore. Weeka, ever the opportunist, accepted before the others could object.
With instruments strapped to their backs and promises of riches ahead, the band set out the next morning, unaware of the dangers waiting on the road to Phandalin.
Little did they know, the journey that began with misplaced trust and mistaken identity would spiral into legend.
Notes
- Setting: The story begins in Neverwinter and quickly shifts to Phandalin.
- Hook: The misunderstanding that propels the band into a new line of work.
- Foreshadowing: Their musical skills may yet prove useful in surprising ways.