The heroes awoke to find that the conditions in the Stygian Row had worsened considerably. Water was everywhere, up to their boots and the streets were full of people desperately trying to stop the floodwaters entering their homes.
In any case, their quest called them to the Palace district, far above the floodwaters. Passing the Royal Gate, they found themselves in the Royal Courtyard where they were confronted by 6 powerful heavily armed Amazon warriors. They confronted the heroes and explained that they were queen Vallus’ royal guard led by the Amazon Makhaira, and that the heroes were to be on their best behaviour, especially Aella. After they left Aella confessed that for leaving the Island of Themis, Queen Thesilea, who not only knew Aella but appeared to have been betrothed to her, had ordered her captured and brought back.
Praxos chose to visit the temple of the five Gods where he met Efterpi, the woman that they had saved from the ravaging boars, now having become a priestess of the five. They conversed and he found out that two years ago an Amazonian ship crashed into the docks and twelve Amazons were captured. A month later they became the new queen’s guard to everyone’s surprise. Rekken and Eurytus went to the temple of Sydon while Aella and Tryntia chose to remain outside. Eurytus engaged a high priest of Sydon in some theological debate but found the man rigid and unyielding to new information.
Centurions finally escorted them through marble colonnades of the palace and into the Royal Hall, where the king awaited them. In it, they were surprised to find a great silver dragon sleeping on a hoard of coins in the centre of the room. The only way to go before the king was to pass the creature and as they did so it awoke and its majesty intimidated Rekken and Eurytus into near stillness. Tryntia met its challenge with her own presence and the Dragon took note of her. His name was Icarus and he was the most magnificent creature alive in the world he told her. But he liked her and greeted her as an equal. And thus our heroes now stood before King Acastus, a middle-aged man with a powerful build siting on a gilded throne. Flanking him were a beautiful ageless woman of regal bearing which was clearly Vallus, a soldier dressed in a cerulean cloak which was the recently glammed up Commander Gaius, a Stygian wearing a black robe who introduced himself as Chondrus, priest of Lutheria, and finally a finely-dressed young woman, Bella, the King’s concubine.
Acastus told the heroes he summoned them here as he had heard of their exploits and wanted them to resolve the storm that was ravaging the city. Due to the oath of peace the hands the gods were tied. He inquired whether the heroes had the ability to control the weather and was disappointed to find that they did not. Queen Vallus spoke up then and explained that there was an option, a risky one but now that they were here, one with great potential. Vallus wanted to save the city by joining the remaining four Gods together to counter the magics that was producing this storm. Such an act would exert the gods but as long as they did not strike in anger but only in self-defence the oath should stand.
Chondrus proposed that making seventy children take the black and become acolytes of Lutheria would appease the Goddess enough to intervene but Vallus shot him down. Gaius wanted the temple of the five razed and salted but the heroes did not hear him out. Finally, Bella enquired why they could just not sacrifice oxen the normal way but apparently the amount needed would bankrupt the city and the heroes, to Acastus disappointment, did not have a great amount of treasure. Tryntia grew heated when Acastus pridefully showcased his order of the “new” Dragonlords with Praxos calming things down by asking more about them.
Praxos gave a speech, that both molified most present and focused everyone on the issue at hand. There was still much debate to be had but with passions tempered the desision was made to follow Queen Vallus's plan, even though it risked breaking the Oath of Peace. Vallus spoke and started to summon the other Gods. Volkan, was hesitant but was convinced. Pythor was a mess but was eventually prodded and battered into helping. And finally, Kyrah was revealed to have been in the room the whole time and was in fact their dear friend and companion Kyrah the Poet Laurate of Mytros. This came as a complete shock to the heroes who were awed to be in the presence of one so mighty. (This statement may require further factchecking). Tryntia echoed the lesson Xander gave her to the Gods and they begun the ritual at the Sunken temple of Mytros.
Moved by Praxos speech, the new Dragonlord, Tarchon "Big Man" appealed to King Acastus that he and a selection of the Centurions of Mytros would join the heroes and together with Makhaira and the Queen's Guard protect The Five Gods while the ritual commensed. The King, forbade risking the Dragon Taranas but was okay with Tarchon "Big Man" assisting. When the ritual begun it was as if the very sea and wind attacked them but the heroes, with the help of some valiant Mytrosian captains and the Queens Guard were able to hold the elements back. At that Talieus, son of Sydon descended from the sky full of threats and bluster but after being baited by Pythor in almost striking him (thus breaking the oath) he fled vowing revenge. Vallus though exhausted by the ritual was able to summon enough of her godly power and resurrect those who had fallen in battle.