Session 90: 5th April 2022 - Ultros Interlude I
The following are notes from reports from a halfling claiming to have been on the Ultros following the Chosen’s Fire Island antics.
Gifts
Xan and Theo take charge of the ship’s journey, guiding them towards their next island. As they sail, they see a tiny shining object shooting through the sky. A small mithral statue circles and lands on the ship in front of Hipofiluis. It places some boxes before Hippofilius and waits with its mouth open.
As they are steering, Xan stares up to the sky, taking in the blue vastness and breathing in the crisp sea air. She looks out to the horizon and scans it, letting her gut navigate them across the water. Theo was mumbling some spell under his breath, pushing the ship forward and cutting the Frontal Point through the waves.
Helikaon walks up to Xan and throws a long package at her feet, “You asked for something to fight with” and walks off. She reaches with her feet so as not to lose her grip on the wheel, and pulls it closer, hooking it up to reach the package. In it are two spears… dorata. Both are sharp and silver at the top. The design is an intricate tentacle design up and down the shaft, and the top is in a sharp fin shape. There are some words engraved on each of them, different shapes. Xan reads them out but doesn't recognise the pattern - YEET? SHANK? She will ask Theo about them later when he is less taken with his spell. She hugs her new weapons closely with one hand and smiles proudly out to the horizon.
The Gold Storage
Over the week on the boat Estor’s room slowly became a very cold gold storage. Estor watches over the gold, like some kind of spiritual security guard. Others on the boat are too scared to enter, which is only helped by the Chimera heads resting on a shelf as you enter the room. Xan, being housed below the room, adds to the security of the room, as if you step over her head when she sleeps, you have every risk she will race down the corridors and be in the room before you know it.
Where to next?
While Bana takes over the steering and Theo heads to bed to rest, the rest of Chosen have joined together in the galley for some food. They discuss the next location for the Ultros to visit. Kyrah, Pholon, Pythor, Loreus, Versi and Moxena join them for a discussion. Moxena wears a soldier's helmet, she mentions she is wearing it for “their own good” as she doesn’t want to turn them to stone. Very dramatic.
Hippofilius takes the room and outlines their predicament. Where will they go next?
The centaurs on Scorpion Island may be in a good place to join them in battle. They are warriors. A lot on the island are young and untested - there is a curse that affects the people of Scorpion Island. If they do not bond with another they are cursed to transform into a giant scorpion, doomed to roam the edges of the island. Both Pholon and Hippofilius are from this island.
Braz suggests they may understand the true cause of the curse, and be able to form alliances with those affected.
Pholon had lost his bonded person before, in battle. He was bonded with an Eresian who was proved worthy, but after this was forced to leave the island and never return. Every member of the Scorpion Tribe is feared as a warrior.
Pholon describes Theo and himself as two fingers making a fist. Xan imagined Theo in war, screaming at the top of his lungs, as if charging into a battlefield on the back of Pholon,. She stifles a laugh under her breath.
Moxena speaks up. “I can guarantee allies on Themis”
Once, the Amazons of Themis were another of the barbarian tribes on the Indigo Isles. They were feared. Themis was the largest of the islands and was most feared by others in the area. When the dragonlords came, the Amazons fought with the Themis. They modernised and joined the war. After the war, there were few men left, and those that were left were pretty useless. The females took charge - they are always better than the barbarians because of this.
Lucretia the Lawless was their queen. She ignored tribal law that kept them apart and brought them all together - although there were minor differences.
Tribe of the Griffin - taking after the dragonlords, forming bonds with Griffins, air force
Tribe of the Basilisk - stealth and deception
Tribe of the Rhino - the cavalry
Tribe of the Eagle - scouts and hunters
Tribe of the Kraken - sea marauders and navy
Tribe of the Lioness - tactics and defensive warfare, but are now the personal guard of Vallus - they are exiles from Themis.
Tribe of the Hyena - taming wild beasts of the planes
Although they have their own autonomy, they are a unified front with their own older laws which they follow. They are all female led, but they are not all the size and stature of legends.
Moxena came from the “tribe of the Hydra” but they have rebranded to The Tribe of the Basilisk.
The current queen is Thessily the Sixth (who are actually both of Moxena’s sisters). But this is the throne that Moxena lays claim to. Moxena says if we are clever and careful we can take the throne, if not it will take an army.
She suggests we infiltrate the tribe, kill the sister as Thessily the Sixth and Moxena can take her throne. After this she can control the tribes and they can be put back as they should be. She says she can turn the loyalty to her.
There is no city on the Indigo Islands. Amazons are nomadic - the 2000-3000 Amazons move and travel around the islands. However there is a sacred temple which is the only fixed structure on Themis. It is on a tiny island in the Eastern Bay, well defended and constructed in a rocky cragg. Most of it is carved under the waterline and serves as the principal place of worship, a palace and their prison.
If we can take this island down, we will not have to have a war with the rest of the tribes. It is difficult to get to the island, but Moxena knows there are two small underwater entrances. They would need to shrink down to fit in the entrance.
Within the cave there would be members of each tribe. Amazons fight in pairs - they have their stimfey and they have their bonds with their lifemates. If you kill one you must kill the other quickly for they would rage. Moxena, talking about her sister's life-mate, seemed pointed. They are both from the basilisk tribe.
The Chosen speak on getting into the island, they need time to prepare themselves before taking on the Isle of Themis. They not only must access the island, but they must also prepare for a fight with a medusa.
----------------------------------------BONUS----------------------------------------
The 4 Winds by Kryah
“This goes back hundreds of years. Mytros had a plan. Then it was Vallus’ plan. Pythor was off fighting. I didn’t want to just work for Vallus in making this come about. Values does not like to be told she is wrong.
I wanted to do things differently. She and I fought and stopped speaking.
I decided that all the others had their own ‘thing’, all I had was stories. I wanted to tell my own story. I felt I couldn't tell mine as part of the Five, so I gave it up. I quit. I wasn’t as flamboyant as Narcus. I just said ‘deal with it yourself’ and I went and say Thylea - saw the world.
I played in every tavern, joked and performed everywhere. Made friends. A few lovers. Got into too much trouble. And I created a new life for myself.
I met with the others and we formed the 4 Winds. It was a good and simpler time.
Over the years I realised that I was… not running from Vallus, not wanting to have my own life. I was shirking my responsibility. Trying to hide from what was coming.
So that is when it ended, and I started to work for Versi. I was never going to go back to work for my sister. I wanted to contribute in my own way.
But I felt bad about taking the instruments. I left them clues, rumours about where they were
Just because I had left the band, it doesn’t mean they had to. They tried to find a replacement for me in the band but they couldn’t do it. I feel responsible but they made their own decisions too.
This is a beautiful gift, but these instruments were always better when they were played by others with different destinies.”
Eggs for breakfast
The following morning Helikaon is stood on the deck when Xan surfaces. He holds an egg, not sure what to do with it. Xan approaches him, not sure how to help.
“Can we ask it?” she wonders “With magic? Do eggs have brains?” Helikaon walks quickly away towards below deck leaving Xan to take over her shift on the wheel.
They make their way to a small island in the North, after Helikaon shouted up to redirect, the only explanation being: “Egg.”