Random Showcase - The Odyssey

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.

The Kingdom of Aresia has long been a rival to the kingdom of Mythos. The two cities have been engaged in dozens of wars over the last several hundred years, which are collectively known as the Aresian campaigns. The reasons for the fighting vary, but one thing is certain: warriors on both sides seek glory in battle. The warrior monks of the eastern shore are amongst the most feared fighters in all of Thylea.

Their children begin training with spears from the day they take their first steps, and every adult is required to serve in the militia. Aresians spend their lives in pursuit of ‘degrees’ in schools of martial philosophy, which have been refined over many centuries of defending their borders. Aresian warriors cultivate an air of rugged austerity out of a sense of pride in their history, but it disguises long hours spent on beauty rituals, poetry readings, and decadent feasting.

The most powerful families in Aresia are those which take the greatest pains to appear ascetic—eating unspiced gruel and wearing little to nothing in public, while lavishing fine foods and luxurious garments on their servants in paradoxical and conspicuous displays of wealth. The highest caste warriors make a point of leading lifestyles that most closely resemble those of their hard-pressed ancestors.

Instigator: Kyrah, Poet Laureate of Mytros

The Heroes of Thylea will now make their way to The Temple of the Oracle to get answers and to find out their destiny. However, a more urgent reason has also appeared.

After the festivities ended after the events of The Corrupted Boar everyone went to sleep and had the same dream. The Oracle appeared to them and said a few faint words sounding as if she was underwater.

"Help....me"

The Heroes of Thylea made their way with great haste. Knowledgeable Eurytus was able to lead them through The Oldwood without large difficulty and they soon found themselves at The Temple of the Oracle.

It's doors sealed and the usual crown of attendants and people hoping to be granted an audience with the the Oracle were missing. Something was quite amiss.

Thankfully, mighty Tryntia knew of a different way to enter the large system of caves and tunnels that made up The Temple of the Oracle and the heroes soon found themselves at an old temple that appeared to have been a temple of Sydon's. Fighting through malevolent steam spirits, animated weapons and soldiers from The Order of Sydon the heroes were able to free the surviving attendants, including Proteus and make their way down to Versi's grotto.

The heroes then rescued the Oracle from the clutches of the witch Heleka, and in the process, they've learned the first portion of what The Fates have in store for them. Now, they must undertake a series of Great Labors in order to prepare for their confrontation with The Ancient Titans. The prophecies can be found in The Prophecy of Versi.

Dryads are associated with the forests and trees. They look like beautiful humans but with rough, bark-like skin that ranges in color from earthy browns and greens to flowery pinks and blues. Of all the nymphs, they have the most trouble adapting to civilization, as they do not cope well with being separated from their birth tree.

Dryad Ancestry.

You are fluent in the languages of beasts and plants, and you have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks in forested regions. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the goodberry spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so after a short or long rest. Starting at 7th level, you can cast the barkskin spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so after a short or long rest

Ismene Neurdagon never fit in well with the rest of the Neurdagon family. An avid worshipper of Volkan, Ismene always sought to create elaborate creatures of artifice. However, Ismene's pursuit of knowledge is incredibly… single-minded. After stealing and killing a stimfay, Ismene became obsessed with the practice of mimicking life through machinery. Unfortunately, her research required a steady supply of living flesh to study, and eventually Ismene's bizarre predilections became hard to ignore.

Ismene eventually set up an underground laboratory, practicing dark experiments in combining flesh with machinery. Eventually Ismene's advancing "science" needed more intelligent subjects, so Ismene began kidnapping and "repairing" the "monstrous" inhabitants of the Nest of the Forgotten. She made a small cabal of half-machine, half-humanoid "prototypes" that she slaved to her will. Her most recent victim was Achradina, a young woman from the Nest of the Forgotten.

When she was attacked, Ismene raved about "progress" and how she is "fixing" the Nests' "monstrous" inhabitants. She was dispacted by Tryntia before she was able to kill all of them.

The river cascades over a sheer cliff and roars into a vast, semi-circular lake, throwing up a white mist. The Great Falls are almost beyond description. It’s as if an entire ocean has spilled over the edge of the world. The sound of rushing water is almost deafening, and the light of the fading day gleams across the water like red gold. Four massive statues of stone hands surround the lake. To the south, the river snakes down from the mountains, through the The Oldwoods, while the snowcapped Mithral Mountains dominate the western horizon.