Stymphalian Storm

For 6 level 8 PCs, 3 to 3.5 hours, 3 encounters. Enc. 3 is Hard.

Style: Heroic lake-clearing hunt with noisy tools, risky improvisation, and a final airborne brawl.
Win: The flock breaks, the lake reopens, and the last bronze feathers are claimed before they seed a wider plague.
Lose: The birds scatter into farms and roads; the lake survives, but every nearby roof and field becomes a target.
Maguffin: Thunder-Net of Stymphalos · Ally: Itys of the Whistling Reeds · QG: Alkippe Reed-Warden

"Three thunderstones, two weighted nets, and a bad sketch of a reed island marked 'queen nest?'"

Major Beats

A bronze feather punches through a shield like a thrown spear.
Villagers argue for fire while children hide under reed mats.
Thunder answers at exactly the wrong moment.
The matriarch's shadow turns the whole lake black.

Difficulty

Tier	Adjust
As Written ★	6 PCs · APL 8
Library Standard	6 PCs · APL 8 — Identical to As Written — this guide’s baseline is already 6 PCs at average level 8.
Easier	APL 4–6: reduce minion counts ~30%; DCs −2; boss loses one recharge or legendary option.
Harder	APL 10–12: boss HP +25–35%; +1 legendary action; add a lieutenant or extra wave.

ENC 1 — Reeds Under Siege

Enc. 1 - Non-combat route · ~45 min · Flooded village docks, reed huts, half-sunk skiffs, and a bell tower full of bronze scratches.

Run a 4-success DC 15 group challenge using Nature, Survival, Athletics, Persuasion, or Animal Handling.
Every failure costs a skiff, a cache of nets, or 10 HP split among exposed villagers.
Finding the stolen Ares-bronze grants advantage on one Enc. 2 lure or bait check.
Recruit Itys by saving his skiff or accepting his reed-maze shortcut despite Alkippe's anger.

ENC 2 — Thunder, Nets, and Bad Ideas

Enc. 2 - Skill challenge · ~55 min · Open gray water, reed blinds, three lure rafts, and a lightning-struck standing stone.

Need 5 successes before 3 failures at DC 16 to herd the flock toward the rookery.
Good bad ideas count: drums, reflected sunlight, tied shields, spell thunder, or fake carrion.
On a failure, a Razor-Feather Flock attacks for 2 rounds or destroys one prepared lure.
Spending the Thunder-Net here prevents the easiest Enc. 3 payoff but removes one enemy from the finale.

ENC 3 — The Bronze Rookery

Enc. 3 - Hard boss fight · ~85 min · Bone-white island, thorny nest spire, waist-high water, three egg mounds, and storm clouds overhead.

At initiative 20, wind shifts: DC 15 Strength or Dexterity save or slide 10 feet toward water or spikes.
Egg mounds are hazards; destroying them ends adds but worsens Alkippe's settlement politics.
Maguffin payoff: anchor the Thunder-Net during thunder to ground the boss for 2 rounds.
If the boss falls below 35 HP, a successful DC 16 Intimidation or Animal Handling check can break the flock without slaughter.

STAT BLOCKS

Default: 6 PCs level 8; 3 encounters; 3 to 3.5 hours.
Enc. 1/2 can resolve without lethal combat through evacuation, lures, and bird handling.
Enc. 3 is Hard; boss is last in enemy list.
Thunder damage disperses flocks for 1 round.
Maguffin payoff grounds the Storm Matriarch in Enc. 3.

Maguffin

Thunder-Net of Stymphalos

Can capture a scout bird, block a dangerous dive lane, or grant advantage on one flock-control check.
If spread across the nest spire during thunder, grounds the boss for 2 rounds and strips its reaction.

NPC / ALLY

Alkippe Reed-Warden

Reopen the lake before hunger and panic make the townsfolk burn the marsh.
She will not allow the party to poison the lake or torch nesting reeds with families hiding nearby.

Itys of the Whistling Reeds

Recruit Enc. Enc. 1 or Enc. 2: Save his skiff, forgive his theft of bronze bait, or let him lead the reed-maze route.
AC 15 · HP 58 · Reed spear +6 to hit, 7 piercing; once per fight, mimic call imposes disadvantage on one bird dive.

Remember

The flock breaks, the lake reopens, and the last bronze feathers are claimed before they seed a wider plague.

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