Bard protagonists are eligible for this guild if and only if they have no other stronghold upon the completion of Rescue Raelis and Haer'Dalis from the planar prison side quest, accepting Raelis Shai's offer will lock away any other stronghold options if available.
Setting the Stage[]
Once you are back in the theater, the owner of the Five Flagons, Samuel Thunderburp appears and asks what’s going on. You can tell him you were given the Playhouse Deed to the theater by Raelis before she left for Sigil. Higgold, the famous director then appears and tells you to bring some money in half a week before he sets off to recruit new actors in the meantime.
A journal entry will be registered to formally begin this questline, as follows:
- Journal entry: Running the Five Flagons playhouse
- The director is a strange little man named Higgold, whom I've agreed to put in charge of staging a play. He said it would take about a week to roust up some actors and a decent play to put into production, and bade me to return after that time... with some coin, naturally, to invest.
From this point forward, wherever you are in the city, a young boy named Meck will find you when your presence is needed, most events are about 4 to 6 days apart, do not delay more than three days in getting back once the messenger‘s talked to you, else the Play Quality (PQ) will suffer due to your absence and negatively affect the amount of money you will earn from it later.
Talk with the actors' backstage. How they react will give a general sense regarding the current Play Quality (PQ) fares, the more confident sounding the better. They have three separate comments: one is really depressed; the other is unsure of themselves and the last they are confident and pleased.
A few days ("half a week") after first speaking with Higgold, return to get an introduction to the actors the director has assembled for the upcoming play. A journal entry will register as well:
- Journal entry: Running the Five Flagons playhouse
- Higgold has gathered together his actors and introduced me to them. His choice of play, "The Sorcerer's Bane," seems to be cursed in some manner, according to the actors. Higgold scoffs at the idea, and hopefully, he's right.
Another journal entry is also recorded after the Ward agrees to what gold amount will be invested in the production, as follows:
- Journal entry: Running the Five Flagons playhouse
- With the matter of financing settled, the play is ready to begin rehearsals. Higgold has said he will send someone to find me if there are any problems that require my attention. Rehearsals should take six to seven weeks, so I suppose I shouldn't travel to any other dimensions in the meantime... that might make me difficult to find, heh.
Event 1: Choose the lead actress, Jenna or Iltheia[]
It’s the choice between the naive Jenna and actress Iltheia. Sure, Jenna might be the sympathetic favorite (PQ+3), but Iltheia will net you a better PQ in the end (PQ+5). Minimum money investment is 1,000 
, but you can spend up to 10,000 . The more you spend, the higher your weekly income will be.
Once the choice is made, then there will be a journal entry registered, the one displayed reflects the actress chosen, as follows:
- Journal entry: Running the Five Flagons playhouse
- Higgold asked me to pick between two actresses for the lead role, Karenina. I chose Jenna, as she seems far less trouble... hopefully, my choice is sound.
- Higgold asked me to pick between two actresses for the lead role, Karenina. I chose Iltheia. While she seems a bit of a diva, she is the better actress by Higgold's own admission... and I am sure I can handle whatever problems she causes.
Event 2: Solve the jealousy between Jenna and Iltheia[]
- If Iltheia is in the lead role of the part Karenina:
- If Iltheia is playing the small role:
- Letting them solve things on their own nets you no XP and cuts PQ (PQ-2).
Event 3: Zaren is improvising[]
- Allow Zaren to rewrite the play for 15,750 XP and improve the PQ a lot (PQ+2).
- Allow him to keep improvising for 11,500 XP and improve the PQ slightly (PQ+1).
- Stop his improvisation and you get no XP and the PQ slips a little (PQ-1).
Event 4: Everyone is rewriting their characters[]
- Have faith in Zaren's changes. If Gorion's Ward has a Charisma of 17 or higher, PQ improves (PQ+1) and you get 11,500 XP; otherwise, it drops (PQ-1) and you get no XP.
- Continue without changes (if you chose no changes in Event 3). If the speaker has a Charisma of 17 or higher, PQ improves (PQ+1) and you get 11,500 XP; otherwise, it drops (PQ-1) and you get no XP.
- Continue as things are and pay the actors 500
as a bonus. This gets you 11,500 XP as well as PQ improvements (PQ+1). - Threaten to let them walk out. This gets you no XP and the PQ drops (PQ-2).
- Rewrite the play yourself. If the speaker has a Charisma of 18 or higher, PQ improves (PQ+1) and you get 11,500 XP; with Charisma of 16 or 17, nothing changes; with Charisma below 16, PQ drops (PQ-1).
Event 5: The curse?[]
Lots of weird things are going on, and a Priest offers to cleanse the theater for 1,000 .
- If you immediately give her the gold, you get 11,500 XP and improve PQ (PQ+1).
- If you pick another option and she talks you back up to paying the full price, play quality improves (PQ+1) but you get no XP.
- If you offer her 500 and have a Charisma of 17 or higher, you get 11,500 XP but no change in PQ; with lower Charisma, you're forced into one of the other options.
- If you ask Aerie, Anomen, or Viconia to cleanse the theater instead, you hurt the PQ a little (PQ-1) and gain no XP.
- If you call her a charlatan, you hurt PQ quite a bit (PQ-2).
- If you can't afford to pay even 500 but have a Charisma of 18 or higher, you can give her nothing and still get 11,500 XP and improve PQ (PQ+1); with lower Charisma, PQ drops (PQ-2).
Event 6: Problems with the music[]
Your musician has vanished.
- Hiring Balmitance, the famous musician, has a great effect on PQ (PQ+3) and nets you 15,500 XP at a cost of mere 500 .
- If you make Marcus write the score because you don't trust your memory, you get no XP and PQ drops a lot (PQ-2).
- Let Marcus play the Harp while you rewrite the score. Results are based on Gorion's Ward's Intelligence:
Event 7: Barbarians have invaded the Theater[]
Sometime later, you meet Higgold on the main level of the Five Flagons. He begs you to get rid of the "barbarian pests" who have taken control of the theater. There is a three-day time limit to deal with them, otherwise this particular event will fail, slightly reducing PQ and awarding no XP. Go downstairs and find five Turmish protesters who are enraged, saying that the Turmish play "Sorcerer's Bane" is a "disgrace to the eldest... Death will come to all who allow such lies to seek the ears of others!" Their Leader says, "We who are exalted shall stop you with our blood, if need be!!" and the group attacks. The Turmish barbarian group is worth a total of 13,300 XP and includes:
- Turmish Leader: Studded Leather Armor +2, Two Handed Sword +1, Helmet, gold, worth 4,000 XP.
- Turmish Thief: Leather Armor +1, Short Sword +2, Light Crossbow, gold, 4,000 XP.
- Turmish Thug (×2): Studded Leather Armor, Bastard Sword, Short Bow, Arrows, gold, 650 XP each, and
- Turmish Sorceress: Bracers of Defense AC 7, Quarterstaff, 4,000 XP. Her spells might include, Spell Deflection, Tattoo of Power - Spell Immunity, Magic Tattoo - Mirror Image, Greater Malison, Contingency: Stoneskin, Chaos, and others.
When the battle is over, speak to Higgold and the party earns another 15,500 XP.
Event 8: Watch the dress rehearsal[]
A day later you attend the rehearsal. Take notes on what is being said…you’ll need them for Event 9—or you can just use the answers provided below.
Another journal entry is registered at this point, as follows:
- Journal entry: Running the Five Flagons playhouse
- Well, the dress rehearsal is done. Higgold tells me that the opening night's performance will be within a week... perhaps a bit more. Either way, Meck will be sent to tell me when it will be exactly, in case I want to attend. All the information has gone out about Athkatla, and Higgold expects this to be a big event. Hopefully, there aren't any *more* problems...
Event 9: Who's the big star?[]
Within three days, rather than the week you were promised, you’re summoned again. Seems a major power at the City Council is going to attend and Zaren is ill.
- You can take up the role of the wizard. You were given clues to your lines in Event 8. They are: 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1.
- You can cancel opening night.
After the show, the Council Member personally speaks. Depending on how you performed, you get:
- 49,500 XP plus Azlaer's Harp (2 mistakes or less).
- 35,500 XP (3-6 mistakes).
- 19,500 XP (7 or more mistakes).
Next, the overall PQ is judged:
- 50,000 XP (near perfection - PQ >= 10).
- 29,500 XP (not quite perfect - PQ 1-9).
- 19,500 XP and 1,000 (not even close to perfect - PQ <= 0).
If you cancelled opening night, or if the play quality was abysmal (PQ <= 0), the theater is closed down and you are given 5,000 . Otherwise, Higgold offers to buy the theater from you for 10,000 .
Several final journal entries are available depending on how things went, and choices made:
- Journal entry: Running the Five Flagons playhouse
- Even though I did my best in playing the lead role (at the last minute, I might add), the play overall was a flop. With Lord Tanislove disapproving, there's no way that the play can continue with any hope of success. Disappointed, most of the cast has signed on with other troupes that are leaving town. Higgold gave me some money from Samuel Thunderburp, who is turning the playhouse back into a cellar, and then he left as well.
- The play was an absolute success! I did well enough, considering I had little notice to play the lead, and the rest of the troupe lived up to their promise and made the whole thing a smash! Curse be damned, the play will continue on to make this playhouse well-established in Athkatla. There is a bright future ahead for it!
- The play went well! Not without a hitch, perhaps, but then I was given little notice to suddenly play the lead before the most important audience the production was to face. I am surprised I remembered my lines at all. Still, the troupe did well enough that the play will be able to continue and remain established within Athkatla.
- As well as the play has done, however, I am not one to continue running it. The life of an adventurer means I never know where I will turn up next... or if I will even be alive. So I sold the playhouse to Higgold for 10,000 gp... he will do far better with the place than I could.
- Higgold offered to buy the playhouse from me, but I'd prefer to remain in charge for now. You never know when having such a place would come in handy... and it may serve as a creative outlet in the future. Who knows, though, where my future will take me? I expect that the theater will draw a regular income, which I should come back to the playhouse from time to time to collect. No doubt Higgold will store it somewhere inside for me.
- Higgold was very disappointed with the fact that I wouldn't assume Zaren's role in the play. It meant that the opening night couldn't go as planned and also angered the councilor... which was embarrassing enough that the play couldn't be done at all anymore. The actors have all accepted positions with another caravan that is leaving town, and Higgold gave me some coin from Samuel Thunderburp... the halfling plans to turn the playhouse back into a cellar. Everyone left, dejected.
Weekly Income[]
If you didn't sell the theater or have it taken away, the theater will generate a weekly income. How much money the theater generates afterwards depends upon how much you invested at the start and the final PQ (see below). If you invested the maximum of 10,000 and had a phenomenal PQ, your share could come up to 1,700 the first week. Every following week, the gold drops by 100 until it hits a static 500 where it will remain. If you started below 500 , the amount will never change.
| Investment |
Reward
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PQ 1-4 | PQ 5-9 | PQ 10-14 | |
| 0 or 1,000 | 200 | 700 | 1,100 |
| 2,000 | 400 | 900 | 1,300 |
| 3,000 | 500 | 1,000 | 1,400 |
| 4,000 | 600 | 1,100 | 1,500 |
| 5,000 | 700 | 1,200 | 1,600 |
| 10,000 | 800 | 1,300 | 1,700 |
Weekly income is deposited into the chest (235.1100) in the ticketing booth to the southwest of the theater near the stairs up to the tavern. The player is alerted by a status message "Gold has been placed in your keep" each week, no matter where the protagonist is on the world map. Monies will simply accrue, until the player has a chance to empty the coffers, and will resume accruing afterwards.
Notes[]
- It is possible to acquire the Playhouse as a stronghold even when the protagonist is not a bard. To do this, the party must first ask for a reward when Raelis has readied the portal and asks for help in fighting off the creatures. This dialogue option is only available if the protagonist is of an evil alignment. Raelis will offer 1,000 and the party must insist that they take the gold now (she will offer the deed to the Playhouse if the protagonist is a bard). Then, when the hunters appear, the party must choose not to intervene and let the hunters capture the troupe. These steps allow the protagonist to acquire the Playhouse as a stronghold without having to go through the Planar Prison area (which will become permanently inaccessible to the player character and thus prevent access to Haer'Dalis as a party member). This also does not prevent the protagonist from acquiring another stronghold.
- Interestingly, when Samuel appears and asks what has happened to the troupe, the party can reply and say that Raelis has given the deed to the playhouse to them, even when she did not.
- On revisiting the Playhouse after this occurs, Raelis' party and the hunters may re-appear alongside a non-functional portal animation. The player will not be able to interact with them nor go through the portal.
- The scripting after the play provides starting amounts even when PQ <= 0, but since the theater will always be shut down, these values will never be used. Likewise, there are values for PQ >= 15, but the play quality can never get that high.
Gallery:[]
Mod content[]
- This section is about unofficial content that is only available via fan-made mods.
Gallery:[]
Portraits from Portraits Portraits Everywhere
Screenshots:[]
External Links[]
- Sigil on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.