Down Came a Blackbird - Part 1: Arrival in Moon Lantern

The characters encounter a boy being attacked by a flock of gulls: one of the gang of children who found the peryton egg in the swamps. The boy reveals details of the discovery, and his worries about the troubles that have followed.

INCIDENT AT THE HARBOR

The characters have entered Moon Lantern mid-afternoon and are walking through the harbor district on their way to the town center. Read or paraphrase the following aloud:

"As you arrive in the city, the road leads you directly to the harbor. Strolling along the docks of Moon Lantern is an assault on the senses: from the sloshing of waves against the quayside walls to the heavy smell of fish; the peal of bells on buoys in the water, stall-holders pitching their freshly-caught fare, and the constant cawing of gulls. You notice dozens of workers moving along the docks, mostly humans, and you receive the occasional stink eye from from the odd longshoreman. You watch as they lift and move crates to and from large ships, some by hand and others by large wooden pulley operated cranes the hoist bundles of cargo in nets to the top of larger ships.

You eventually make your way to the other end of the harbor where there are fewer ships docked and limited immediate work, only the occasional colorful character. A few dirty looking children run about, a pair of fishermen with lines in the water, and a drunk seemingly passed out from the night before."

A GAGGLE OF GULLS

After this, the character with the highest passive (Wisdom) Perception score spots a young boy being harassed by a large herring gull. He’s fishing at the very end of the docks and the gull has knocked his hat off. Seconds later, the sky becomes noisy with more seabirds whirling and wheeling overhead. The boy clutches his fishing-rod and swipes at the gulls as they begin to swoop down on him. His cries for help are muffled as the creatures engulf him.

COMBAT ENCOUNTER

The boy is Ham Barleywain, and he has the statistics of a commoner. He’s being attacked by two swarms of gulls.

The gulls focus their attacks on Ham but retaliate against anyone who harms them or who tries to aid the boy. Though the harbor is bustling, no-one intervenes to help. Some look on in fear, but mostly the townsfolk hide or flee.

If at least two swarms of gulls are defeated, the rest of the birds disperse. Characters who succeed on a DC 10 Intelligence (Nature) check know that this level of aggression isn’t typical gull behavior.

Characters who cast the speak with animals spell hear the gulls babble a few words repeatedly: “Boy!”, “Thief!” and “Egg!”. Jetty. The stone jetty is 10-feet wide and 25-feet long, jutting out into deep water.

Swarm of Seagulls

Medium swarm of Tiny beasts, unaligned

Armor Class 12

Hit Points 24

Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft.

• STR 6 (−2)
• DEX 14 (+2)
• CON 8 (−1)
• INT 3 (−4)
• WIS 12 (+1)
• CHA 6 (−2)

Skills Perception +5

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned

Senses passive Perception 15

Languages —

Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Keen Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny raven. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.

Actions

Beaks. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target in the swarm’s space. Hit: 5 (2d4) piercing damage, or 2 (1d4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.

HAM AND THE EGG

Ham should survive this encounter. He squeezes under a fishing crate for cover as the gulls overwhelm him. He’s scratched and shaken but grateful to the characters for coming to his rescue.

He’s adamant that he knows why the birds attacked him and is quick to offload his opinions. Ham reveals the following information:

• Ham and his friends, the "The Moon Lantern Urchins", were looking for treasure in the swamps outside town when they found an enormous egg. They heard it splash into the water as if it fell from the sky.
• Ham doesn’t have the egg; the children have been taking turns to look after it, as each wants to be in possession of it when it hatches.
• Ham thinks the egg is cursed because the birds “started acting funny” ever since they brought it into town.
• Ham washes pots at a local inn, The Snapping Line Inn, and is on good terms with the landlady, Rista Harlock . The boy insists the characters stay there while they’re in town, as they’ll be sure to get free food and lodgings for coming to his rescue at the harbor.

NEXT: PART 2 - A NIGHT IN MOON LANTERN

Parent Plot

Down Came a Blackbird - Overview

Subplots

• Down Came a Blackbird - Part 2: A Night in Moon Lantern