Simon's Odyssey of the Dragonlords: August 2021

The Aresian Colossus

ODYSSEY OF THE DRAGONLORDS

You are known throughout Thylea as mortals destined to perform great deeds. The citizens of the great city of Mytros already tell stories of your exploits, both real and imagined. Now, it seems, the time has come for you to rise and meet your fate.

Schedule: Wednesdays from 6.30pm

The Heroes of Prophecy

PC Level: 8 Fame: 11 (group) XP: 45,891/48,000

1. Meroë (Μερόη) - Judith. Human female Demigod Monk - Way of the Shield.

2. Aster - Jack. Aurae (Star) Nymph male Lost One Twilight Cleric.

3. Seranfar - Bill. Human male Gifted One Draconic Fire Sorcerer.

4. Leander - Kermit. Human male Vanished One (Dragonlord) Battlemaster Fighter.

5. Elpis - Claire. Satyr female Haunted One Warlock.

6. Artemis - Jelly. Centaur female Dragonslayer Herculean Barbarian.

NPC Companions include

1. Kyrah, Goddess of Music

2. Bullbug the Minotaur

3. Pythor, God of War

4. Vallus, Goddess of Wisdom

5. Volkan, God of the Forge

6. Versi, the Oracle

2021 (September-December)

Session 1 (1-3/3/500) Session 2 (3/3/500) Session 3 (3-5/3/500) Session 4 (5/3/500) Session 5 5-11/3/500 Session 6 11-15/3/500

2022

Session 7 15/3/500 Session 8 15/3/500 Session 9 15-22/3/500 Session 10 23-26/3/500 Session 11 27-28/3/500 Sessions 12-21 28/3 to 16/5/500

Odyssey of the Ultros

Depart Mytros 1/5/500. The Oath of Peace ends in 60 days, on 1/7/500.

(2022)

Day 1 - leave Mytros (Session 17). 1/5/500

Day 2 - reach Fire Island that evening.

Day 3 - explore Fire Island. Fight lizardfolk, meet Jancan smith Steros.

Day 5 - sail for Isle of the Chimera.

Day 7 - reach Isle of the Chimera, kill Chimerae.

Day 8 - Sail for Themis.

Day 9 - Madness of Lutheria.

Day 10 (3/8/22 and 7/9/22) Reach the Isle of Themis. Fight with an Amazon patrol, including rhinos and basilisks. Discover leadership is based on Temple Island. Fight with group of Maenads and Goatlings. Told that Amazon heir Princess Darien is held on Temple Island and likely to be sacrificed.

Day 11 (14/9/22 and 16/11/22) Travel to Temple Island to free Princess Darien. Lots of marble statues on the beach turn out to be golems. Enter the caves on Temple Island and discover a hydra. Free Princess Darien then return to fight the medusa sisters and free Bront, father of Steros.

Day 13 (16/11/22) Finish spreading the news that the late Amazon Queen Thesilea was a medusa, and endorse Princess Darien to take over as Queen.

Day 16 (16/11/22) Arrive back in Mytros (Session 21). 16/5/500

2023

Session 22 Day 17 Debate Mytros Philosophers & investigate the Lady of Coins.

Session 23 Day 17-19 Defeat the Lady of Coins; Artemis is slain, but raised by Morta the Night Hag.

Session 24 (29/3/23) Day 20 Vineyards of Mytros - defeat the wine-stealing Satyr Boreas & his brothers, the Four Winds (1216 XP).

Session 25 (05/4/23) Day 20 evening - Party rescue many kidnapped children from the Temple of Lutheria in Mytros, killing most of the priests (3000 XP).

Day 21 - The Ultros leaves Mytros, bound for the Isle of Yonder.

Gygan

Session 26 (26/4/23) Day 24 - pass through Sydon's dawn storm and reach the Isle of Yonder at noon. Meet the captain of the watch tower. Kill two gygan heroes on the beach; then head inland defeating an attack - Artemis makes friends with another Gygan - and attack the Forbidden Library (ca 3pm). (4140 XP) 24/5/500

Session 27 (17/5/23) Day 24 Battle rages at the Forbidden Library. Many Sydonites fall, but things take a bad turn when Commander Gaius arrives aboard his silver dragon Argyn, blasting Artemis & Leander with dragon cold breath and javelins of lightning. Meroe Elpis & Leander retreat into one of the larger outbuildings, a feasthall and prison, while Artemis takes shelter in the Temple of Sydon.

Kyrah the Muse, Goddess of Music

D&D Beyond campaign site & join link.

Odyssey PCs Excel Sheet

PC XP by Level
Level Total XP
3 900 (campaign start)
4 2700
-----------------------------
5 6500
6 14000
7 23000
8 34000
9 48000
10 64000
--------------------------------
11 85000
12 100000
13 120000
14 140000
15 165000
16 195000
------------------------------
17 225000

18 265000
19 305000
20 355000

Regular advancement stops at Level 20, but Level 20 characters may receive Epic Boons (per DMG) from the gods and other powers. Some may even become gods themselves. Epic Boons may include a Feat or a +2 Attribute boost of the player's choice; Attribute maxima remain unchanged, but PCs who have achieved divinity typically have one attribute at 30.

Introduction

The future of Thylea looks grim. Monsters menace the roads, and corruption threatens the cities. The storm god Sydon demands daily sacrifices at every temple, and his sister-wife Lutheria kidnaps children for her secret rituals. The Five Gods, who once protected the settlers, are silent. And now, the Oracle has prophesied the Doom of Thylea: the death of gods, the destruction of Mytros, and the total annihilation of the mortal races.

You are one of a group of warriors who have been summoned to the Heartlands in an attempt to avert this coming catastrophe. You each have reasons for answering the call, but rumors of your coming have already spread across the land.

The Sour Vintage is a traditional country inn located at a crossroads, a three day walk east from the City of Estoria. The exterior is rustic wood painted black, and the sign hanging from the door depicts a woman carrying a basket full of grapes. Inside the tavern, a haze of pleasant tobacco smoke lingers in the air. You hear the clinking of mugs and the muttering of patrons, most of whom are farmers.

You have been summoned here by a woman named Kyrah who wants to hire you for a ‘difficult task’. She has promised a sizable reward, and more information about the Oracle’s prophecy...

Estoria Region 2 miles/hex

The Heartlands, approx 2 miles/hex. Estoria's new queen is Anora daughter of Pythor, god of War. Mytros is ruled by mortal King Acastus, married to the former ruler Vallus, goddess of Wisdom. Aresia under mortal Queen Helen lies across the Cerulean Gulf. Aresia holds Narsus, god of Beauty.

Estoria Key:

E1. Public Amphitheater

E2. North Gate

E3. South Gate

E4. East Gate

E5. The Agora

E6. Residential

E7. The Dragon Shrine - Reliquary of Balmytria. Keeper Aesop (Elf Priest, Male)

E8. The Dragon’s Tooth Inn. Innkeep Delphion (Human Veteran, Male)

E9. Volkan’s Hall. City Smithy.

E10. TheQueen's Palace. Queen Anora (Human Noble, Female), daughter of Pythor.

E11. The Rock of Estor. Sacrificial rock.

E12. The Northern Steppes

E13. The Estorian Vineyards. Thericles Phobas (Human Scout, Male, adoptive father of Corinna)

E14. 3 miles to Woodhike, Halfling Enclave

The City of Mytros Key

M1. Temple of Sydon

M2. Temple of the Five

M3. Theater of the Gods

M4. The Great Palace

M5. The Academy

M6. The Royal Gate

M7. The Great Agora

M8. The Vault of Thylea

M9. The Courts of Mytros

M10. Bathhouse of Vallus

M11. Neurdagon Estate

M12. The Great Gardens

M13. The Commerce Gate

M14. Colossus of Pythor

M15. The Ruined Colossus

M16. The Dockyard

M17. The Fish Market

M18. The Siren’s Roost

M19. The Saty’r Tail

M20. Temple of Lutheria

M21. The Minotaur Market

M22. Mount Volkan

M23. Vineyards of Mytros

M24. The Soldier’s Gate

M25. The Harp Bridge

DRAMATIS PERSONAE - RUMOURS & TALES

1. Elpis, the Haunted One

A short young satyr with a straggly mop of black hair and pale blue eyes that fail to mask a haunted hollowness within, Elpis is known for being a lone satyr from the Oldwoods. Although quiet and subdued compared to the revelry of other satyrs she seems mostly harmless.

However according to recent rumours..

1. Don't enter a drinking contest or you'll lose more than your coin. She sold her soul to a demon and must trade another's or she will never dance or sing again.

2. She's lost it- satyrs aren't meant to live alone and the strain has clearly driven her mad, making her ramble and rant about imaginary friends and family. Sad really.

3. She's been cursed with a dark and terrible magic - strange sights and sounds have been reported from her part of the Oldwoods and what kind of satyr refuses to play music?

Meroë, daughter of Pythor, the Demigoddess

2. Meroë, the Demigoddess

1. Meroë is the daughter of Pythor, God of Battles, and Ophea. It’s said that Pythor, seeing Ophea in the arms of Lykos the Captain of his Guard, killed them both in a jealous rage. His faithful retainers covered it up by saying Ophea had been kidnapped and Lykos had been killed trying to prevent it. Guilt and melancholy over the killing is the reason why Pythor stays in Estoria.

2. When she was a young girl, under the orders of King Acastus, Meroë was taken to Aresia and imprisoned in a tower guarded by a cadre of hoplites. Single-handedly she escaped and returned to Mytros, leaving the hoplites foolishly guarding an empty tower.

3. Meroë was separated at birth from her twin brother Meron. While Meroë was sent away, Meron’s existence was kept secret by King Acastus in order to give him time to train him to be the first of a new generation of Dragonlords in time for the end of the Oath of Peace.

Meroë (Μερόη)

Aster the Aurae, the Lost One

3. Aster, the Lost One

A nymph from a distant land, Aster appeared in Mytros only a few years ago, crashing to earth on a nearby island. He has spent most of his time studying the constellations and the Gods. Known as “Stargazer” for his habit of staring into the sky at all hours of the day, he has an otherworldly charm which has attracted a lot of attention - though usually unintentionally. He also appears to be far more active in the evening than the day, which has only furthered some of the locals suspicions about him - though he maintains a good relationship with scholars and the clergy.

1. Aster was born from a star.

2. He is a son of the "Silver Queen" Mytros, sent to earth by her to carry out her divine will.

3. The nymph has used his beguiling magic to ensnare several young women, and keeps them on his private island as his thralls and concubines.

Artemis the Centaur

4. Artemis, the would-be Dragonslayer

Hailing from an Arcadian island in the Forgotten Sea, Artemis is the last of her woodland centaur tribe. Rumours relating to Artemis:

- She has learnt fae magic from the denizens of the wild forests she now frequents, and has become addicted to Bacchaen wine.

- Spurned by a lover, she betrayed her tribe to a dragon, who destroyed them all in fire and blood.

- She is the daughter of the Queen of the Amazons and her favourite stallion, and thus is said to be favoured by the God of War.

5. Leander, the Vanished One

Leander is clearly a battle-hardened fighter. He has a bronze breastplate made with a skill that was lost many years ago, and greaves with silver ankle-pieces. A faded, tattered cloak is thrown around his shoulders, and his presence is surrounded by rumours and tall tales including these:

1. He killed his father and two elder brothers in order to take the armour of his grandfather which he wears, but the slaying of his family has brought the wrath of Vallus, goddess of wisdom, down upon him. She has cursed him to wander Thylea searching for a homeland, but has stolen his memories of where he belongs as punishment for his betrayal of his family.

Leander, the Vanished One

2. The Oracle has sent him into the world and has prophesied that he will play a pivotal role in the mortals' battle against the Titans, but she cannot discern whether he will lead them to glorious victory or to their doom.

3. He is the ringleader of a plot to steal the most valuable treasure of King Acastus from the vaults below the palace in Mytros, but the secret has been discovered and the King has sent assassins to find him.

6. Seranfar, the Gifted One

Seranfar the Sorcerer is a former Captain of the Centurions of Mytros. He won acclaim in the last war with Aresia across the Cerulean Gulf.

Rumours relating to Serenfar:

1) He saved his ship by mending the mast during a great storm, allowing him and the rest of the crew to make it back home.

2) During the war he used sorcery to kill his superior, the Mytroan aristocrat Captain Aladec, then used his unearthly persuasion to take Aladec's position.

3) In Mytros he goes round to local houses at night and repairs broken toys and assorted items out of kindness without letting himself be known.

The City of Aresia Key

A1. The Hanging Gardens

A2. The Queen's Palace

A3. Temple of Narsus

A4. The Gymnasium

A5. The Sanctuary

A6. Temple of the Shield

A7. Temple of Tranquility

A8. Temple of the Shadow

A9. Temple of Elements

A10. The Wind Shrine

A11. Temple of the Sword

A12. The Market

A13. City Gates

A14. South River Gate

A15. Gate, Lion's Gate

A16. Gate, Boar's Gate

A17. Gate, Ram's Gate

A18. Noble District

A19. The Red Lotus

A20. Gallery of Paintings

A21. Merchant Coalition

THE ASTRAL SEA

Aurae Nymph

The Astral Sea, or Heavenly Sea of Stars, lies above the World, and is considered the domain of the ascended goddess Mytros, though beyond the Queen's Crown there are still many Titanic monsters and other threats there, such as the Githyanki star pirates, renegades from another dimension, and the terrible Astral Dreadnought, a mighty servant of the Titans. Its counterpart the Nether Sea lies below the World, and is considered the domain of Chaos and the Elder Titans, especially Lutheria. Aurae nymphs are said to sail the calmer islands of the astral sea/sea of stars in their starfaring vessels, and this is the realm of the angelic Celestials, many serving Mytros, great goddess of the Heavens. Most of the fixed stars visible from Thylea are celestial island domains - a few stars are said to themselves be horrible monsters, or like Mystros' personal demesne of Hestavar the Bright City (on the Astral Isle of Elysium/Isle of the Blessed, in the Constellation of the Queen's Crown) they may simply be too radiant for mere mortals to approach without burning up. But the majority of astral domains may be navigated to by star-faring vessels. It is said that on moonlit nights the silvery sea-spray can form shining bridges or star-streams between the astral sea and the seas of the mortal World, though only the master navigators of the Aurae, and perhaps the Gygans, know the secret of their navigation.

Iarila, Aasimar Captain of the astral ship Stargazer

Iarila is a Protector Aasimar Priestess of the dawn goddess Mytros, and a citizen of the Queen's Crown, the ring of astral island dominions that shine in the light of Hestavar, the goddess' own Bright City. She was Captain of the famous astral ship Stargazer, Aster the Aurae her second in command. She was said to be seeking the long-lost Treasures of the Dragonlords in preparation for the soon-coming dark times, when the Oath of Peace finally ends. However three years ago (497 CE) the Stargazer was lost during a terrible storm in the Cerulean Gulf; it is unknown if there were any survivors. Iarila's Game Stats

RULES STUFF

Characters: Use the campaign Player's Guide at eg https://img.fireden.net/tg/image/1554/42/1554428638121.pdf

Character Creation

Use either Standard Array, Point Buy, or roll at table (or GM rolls): best 3 of 4d6 in order, then replace any one attribute with a 15.

Human PCs get both Standard & Variant human benefits, so effectively Variant Human with an additional +1 to all Attributes.

PCs initially start at 3rd level, with 900 XP. This game uses a single party XP tally, so new PCs come in at party level.

Permitted sources are the PHB, XGTE, and the Odyssey Player's Guide. Other setting-appropriate sources will be considered, including appropriate races from VGTM.

Multiclassing is permitted, with a maximum of one spellcasting class per Attribute (Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma).

Characters who start with Heavy Armour Proficiency (eg Fighter, Paladin) as a Class (not subclass) benefit may swap it for this alternate Feat: Hoplon Master (Feat): Requires STR 13+, martial weapon proficiency. The character may wield a Lance (heavy spear, Hoplon) one-handed on foot, as if mounted.

PC Armour Proficiency: Starting Armour

Light: Studded Leather

Medium: Breastplate

Heavy: Breastplate or Chain Mail

New Weapons

Weapon Cost Damage Weight Properties

Simple Melee Weapons

Long Spear** 2 gp 1d6 piercing 4 lb. Versatile (1d8), Reach (10')
Martial Melee Weapons
Mace-Axe 15 gp 1d8 slashing or blunt 7 lbs. Versatile (1d10)
War Spear* 8 gp 1d8 piercing 4 lbs. Versatile (1d10), Thrown (range 20'/60')
Martial Ranged Weapon
Chakram 10 gp 1d6 slashing 2 lbs. Thrown (range 60'/120'); Finesse, Light, Monk weapon

Special: The chakram returns to you when thrown, unless you fumble the attack by rolling a natural 1.

*War Spear may be used with Polearm Master feat.

**Longspear, Pike or Lance used with Polearm Master feat allows opportunity attack, but not bonus attack.

Armor

Armor	Cost	Armor Class (AC)	Strength	Stealth	Weight
Light Armor
Padded	5 gp	11 + Dex modifier	—	Disadvantage	8 lb.
Leather	10 gp	11 + Dex modifier	—	—	10 lb.
Studded leather	45 gp	12 + Dex modifier	—	—	13 lb.
Medium Armor
Hide	10 gp	12 + Dex modifier (max 2)	—	—	12 lb.
Chain shirt	50 gp	13 + Dex modifier (max 2)	—	—	20 lb.
Scale Mail	50 gp	14 + Dex modifier (max 2)	—	Disadvantage	45 lb.
Breastplate	100 gp	14 + Dex modifier (max 2)	—	—	20 lb.
Half Plate	250 gp	15 + Dex modifier (max 2)	—	Disadvantage	40 lb.
Heavy Armor
Ring Mail	30 gp	14	—	Disadvantage	40 lb.
Chain Mail	75 gp	16	Str 13	Disadvantage	55 lb.
Splint	200 gp	17	Str 15	Disadvantage	60 lb.
Plate	600 gp	18	Str 15	Disadvantage	65 lb.
Shield
Shield	10 gp	+2	—	—	6 lb.

House Rules

Classes

Rogues may Sneak Attack with any light melee weapon.

Inspiration

Each player (not PC) can hand Inspiration out once each session to one other player, normally for some cool bit of roleplay. Characters may have multiple Inspiration. It may be used before the roll to cancel Disadvantage or to grant Advantage. It cannot affect a roll that already has Advantage.

Rests

Short Rest A Short Rest resource (Battlemaster Superiority Dice, Monk Ki, Warlock spell slots, etc) may be restored at most 3 times per day.

Long Rest takes 5 Days in the wilderness or on a ship deck, 4 Days in poor habitation such as an inn common room, 3 Days at a shared inn room, ship cabin or similar, 2 Days at a luxury inn room, palace chamber, or temple refuge. A Long Rest restores all hit dice.

A comfortable overnight rest restores 1 level of Exhaustion and 1 hp per level (classed character), or 1 hp per hit die (unclassed).

Combat

The following incur opportunity attacks if done within enemy reach:

Shooting a bow, except a crossbow
Reloading a bow or similar weapon
Standing from prone
Picking up an object (such as a dropped weapon) from the floor and standing back up

The following use up half a character's movement:
Standing from prone (as per RAW)
Picking up an object from the floor and standing back up
Mounting or dismounting a mount.

Grappled Casting: At the grappler's option, a character who attempts to cast a spell (except a cantrip) while Grappled must make a CON save at DC 10 or else lose the spell. If Restrained or Grappled & Prone, the save is with Disadvantage.

PC Advancement

PC level increase requires only a Short Rest. Wizard PCs must take the usual times to add new spells to their spell book.

Caps
Maximum AC & Spell Save DC is 30.
Maximum To-Hit Bonus & Save Bonus is +20.
Skills are not capped, but DCs rarely exceed 30 (Nearly Impossible).

Spell Changes

Summoning & Conjuration

Summoning is generally more restricted in Thylea, though fey are common.

Animate Objects - animated objects cannot fly. Only objects with legs or wheels (or spherical) are able to move and attack.

Conjure Woodland Beings - only usable in forests; typically summons forth several Satyrs (CR 0.5), a local Dryad or two (CR 1), or possibly a Naiad/Nereid (CR2), if cast by a a forest pool. There are no Pixies here! If there are no fey available, the spell fails.

Simulacrum - the created snow Simulacrum is CR 0 with all stats at 10, 10 hp, and no spellcasting ability.

Raising

Gentle Repose - this spell prevents both bodily decay, and the claiming of souls by Lutheria, for its duration.

Revivify - May be employed within the duration of Gentle Repose. Casters often employ other precious stones of equivalent value linked to their nature, eg fire opal for a flame priest, pearl for an oceanid bard.

Raise Dead, Reincarnation, Resurrection, True Resurrection - raising or reincarnating the dead once their souls have been claimed by Lutheria (one hour after death) is generally regarded as impossible (and this game uses a single party XP tally, so new PCs come in at the party level), but there are legends of Heroes venturing into the Underworld/Nether Sea to recover a lost loved one. A few even return.

Clone creates a newborn infant with no memory of a previous life.

Other

Contagion: as per 5e Errata.

Force Cage: victims adjacent to the Cage wall when it forms are allowed to use their Reaction to make a DEX save to get out, moving 5' to just outside cage. Caster can still auto-trap people within the 20x20 version, but not quite as many.

Banishment works normally, but Thylea, her Astral Sea, and her Nether Sea, all count as a single Plane for Banishment purposes, so natives of all three will return to their original location once the spell ends. The occasional recent invader from another Dimension may be Banished normally; however foreign-born creatures that have lived for many years in Thylea may be considered Native.

PCs Starting at Higher Level

Higher level PCs use the rules above, with either the Medium Magic starting items from the DMG chosen by the player, or the High Magic starting items chosen by the DM, at player's option.

PC Level Starting Gold / Starting Items Medium/High

3-4 - / - / -

5-10 500gp+25gp/level / - / 1 Uncommon

11-16 5,000gp+125gp/level / 2 Uncommon / 3 Uncommon + 1 Rare

17-20 20,000gp+125gp/level / 2 Uncommon + 1 Rare / 3 Uncommon + 1 Rare + 1 Very Rare

Replacement PC Epic Path

Choose a different Path than your previous PC. Either an unchosen path, or (with agreement) the same path as another current PC - you share their destiny.

Session Account XP awards by Party Level

For a full session account; partial and vignettes get fractional.

Tier I (level 3-4): 100 XP

Tier II (level 5-10): 200 XP

Tier III (level 11-16): 500 XP

Tier IV (level 17-19): 1000 XP

To earn the XP, post the account (with session number) in the comments section below, or in the Discord Odyssey Game Info channel.

Beyond 20
Level 20 PCs may occasionally receive Epic Boons. An Epic +2 attribute increase also raises the attribute's cap by +2. No more than two attributes may benefit from this raised cap.

Purchasing Magic Items

Crafting Weapons

Crafting Armour

Crafting Magic Items

According to legend, only at the Forge of Volkan may the greatest items be crafted.