The Battle for Confodan (con-foe-dawn)

Have your players choose the soldier or noble background for their characters. recommended to have at least one healer. PCs cannot have firearms. the PCs should be __th level with decent capability for fighting spellcasters. The PCs can have 1 uncommon magic item and a +1 weapon of their choice, and have a budget of 500gp for starting equipment (not including their magic item) (if their starting equipment would normally give them chain mail, they can instead have plate armour at the DMs discretion.) Make sure that the party is aware that they will be infiltrating an archmage's tower in the center of a city so they can make their choices accordingly.   introduction:   The party is in a tavern introducing themselves to each other (atleast 1 minute, they overhear nearby customers talking about the army preparing for a battle.) when a messenger bursts through the door, stating that their presence is requested at Copperhand's Fortress.   The party travel through the city to the fortress, keep description of the city to a minimum, but mention that it is bustling with activity.   The party arrives at the imposing stone fortress, which is surrounded by a field of beautiful pink flowers (see Marlerose page)   As the party steps through the archway and past the imposing square stones on each side of the doorway into the main hall, they see men in armour bustling around the room, the clanking of metal and the cacophony of voices filling the air.    The messenger leads them through the crowd and up the main stairs, then up to a room on the third floor, where the noise from downstairs is muffled.   The messenger leads them into the room and then leaves. The room has a round table with 1 seat across the room from the characters and 6 seats on the characters side. There are gaurds on either side of the door, who ready their swords if the characters make any aggressive moves, but do not attack until commanded to. In two of the chairs on the party's side are two NPCs, in the chair across the table is a thin man named Steward Cackenfod, who says "welcome, adventurers. Take a seat."  After the characters sit, he says "I am Turtion Cackenfod, steward of Copperhand's Fortress. On behalf of Captain Copperhand, I request your assistance in the coming battle." He hands each of them and the two NPCs a paper contract that reads;   I, ____, accept the risk of death and injury and agree to assist Captain Copperhand and the Royal army in their assault on Confodan. I agree to a payment of 200 gold pieces for my services, and agree to fulfill the duties assigned to me to the best of my ability. I will report and bring any valuables that I find during the battle to my superiors, and agree not to take any spoils of war which I am not authorized by my superiors to obtain.    Client signature______   Patron signature______ (The Steward)   After the characters sign the contracts, the steward instructs one of the gaurds to lead them to the skyport private elevator and take them to the top floor.   The skyport is full of officers and other military officials discussing, who glance at the party before going back to their conversation.   They step into the elevator shaft and the gaurd closes the door behind them, before gesturing to a half orc in half plate who starts operating a winch that lifts the elevator.   When they exit the elevator they see a man in an unbuttoned jacket with a hat and a copper arm, who says "Ah, so you're finally here, welcome adventurers, come aboard the ship and introduce yourselves." and starts walking up a gangway onto an airship, which appears to be making its final preparations to depart.