**Theme:** _Harmony needs everyone._ **Where:** Ballroom with a huge clock and a choir balcony of animated nutcracker singers. **What they see:** A grand clock is jammed at **11:59**. The nutcracker choir keeps starting carols—but always falls apart into discord. A plaque: **“One voice can sing. Many voices can lift.”** There are **five music stands** on the floor, each with a torn page: _Melody, Harmony, Rhythm, Words, Conductor._ **How it works:** They must perform a “carol” together by assigning roles: - **Melody:** leads tune (Performance) - **Harmony:** supports (Performance or Insight) - **Rhythm:** keeps beat (Dexterity or Performance) - **Words:** speaks/sings lyrics (Performance or Persuasion) - **Conductor:** coordinates entries (Persuasion or Intelligence) They don’t need to actually sing IRL—just commit to the moment. On success, the choir joins, the clock ticks to midnight, and a door unlocks. **Group check:** 5 checks, **DC 12**, need **3 successes** (or DC 14 for a higher-stakes vibe). Creative roleplay grants advantage. **Hint if stuck:** The nutcrackers mimic whoever confidently starts. **Fail state:** Each failure triggers a “wrong note” shockwave (minor thunder damage or knocks over decorations, alerting mansion guardians later). **Grump reaction:** “Teamwork. Ugh. Effective.” ---