Session 143 - The Garden of Helios
“My third gift - some more time. Don’t go where you have been before.”
The island disappeared. The Chosen found themselves back on the Ultros with a very confused crew. Xan began to order them to get back to work to take them from their daze. As agreed Xan direct the crew to point the Antikythera towards the constellation The Dragon. Calliope, singing about the shop traversing through time tried to keep the crew calm while Xan tells them not to worry about it too much.
Led by Alke, the Chosen speak to Kyrah. She asks them why they did not ask for more time. It was not on the table.
Braz notes they are not sure where the dragons came from. Would they want to find out?
Kyrah reminds them the bond is strong, even when they don’t think so. They are linked to them. Kyrah scratches under Pyxie’s chin and she growls affectionately. The bond is like an imprint and rewrites the dragon to them.
Theo says he doesn’t feel good about using their bond as a way to use the dragons as weapons. They are intertwined with their bonded and will share their choices. It is as if they are children and they don’t want to put them in danger. Kyrah reminds them that they are dragon children.
“While they might not be so talkative now they are talking to each other” she says “a dragon is born as clever as a mortal right from the start. They don’t need to grow up like mortals do.”
Bana asks why they are going to The Chariot.
Hippofiluis tells him they are to head there in their quest to become dragonlords. On hearing this the Ancient Mariner shuffles forward.
“You know the stories of Helios,” he says, drawing a small crowd from the crew “so the tale goes, he had temples all across, old ones. Still a few satyrs and centaurs visit them every now and then. More like shires than temples. Helios controls the only thing outside of Thylea - the sun.
He pulls it across the sky in a mighty chariot. They say everyone is trying to catch him… why does he run? There are so many rumours of why he runs, that he has something worth taking. Different people say different things… sailors rumours. All the gold in the world is in his chariot. The chariot itself. His skin.
Theo chips in starting a discussion on the moral implications of stealing someone’s skin.
Hipofilius brings the conversation back asking if we know Helios is still alive? Kyrah speaks up.
“Well, I know The Charit has never been associated with Helios before - it is with Vallus. There was a young traveller who spent decades on his quest and met a Sorceress. If they were married she would provide him with all the world's knowledge. He refused. The journey to obtain knowledge is just as valuable. She was impressed and granted the priest an understanding of all languages.”
Theo rants about the importance of building knowledge.
Calliope brings them all back to focus.
“What can we bring the god of the sun to make a trade”
Braz suggests they offer him something of the night. Madness and darkness. Something of Lutheria.
Alke reminds them that going with their assumptions is not the right option. They need to be open to discussion. They can offer fame. Braz offers up his gem of brightness as a gift if we need to offer it.
They decide to ask the loom.
Is he a willing ally? No.
Is it within our power to change Helios’ alliance? Yes
Are we physically and emotionally capable of giving him what he wants? Yes
They decide to go in with positive intention, despite knowing that gods tend to have their best interests at heart. The Chosen will enter with reverence and admiration.
Pythor pips up. “He is radiant and blinding to look upon - not as handsome as I thought.”
Time passes, and by the end of the first day the ship is within a bank of fog which cloys around the ship. Hipofiluis mutters Tidree’s name but there is now response.
Note: Pythor will reappear at the Temple of the Five if he dies - that’s a great option if we need to get a message there quickly.
Two days past
They sail close to an island. A rocky island. Shrubs and other plants climbing over the rocks. Strange and exotic beast sounds call through the fog. There are huge cliffs, and it will be a long climb up the cliffs to reach the top. A couple of hundred feet.
Calliope and Hipofilius discuss how to get up the cliffs with flight. They decide between them to go up together, Braz disappearing into the stone and reappearing at the top, Alke and Xan sitting atop a giant eagle, and Calliope holding on to Theo in her arms as she ascends.
The island itself is a basin with a dip in the middle. There are shrubs, no trees and a large lame in the centre, like a spring flowing out to sea. Calliope and Theo land as Braz breaks out from the grass by eating his way through the floor from the rocks. As they look out they can see elephants on the grass, smaller elephants than normal. Xan is baffled by this strange creature.
They are hairy and with long trunks. People are mingling within the elephants, almost shepherding them. The elephants look tiny.
They are not.
Cyclops.
Previous experience tells The Chosen that cyclops are not the best allies, apart from one that was left to look after Theo’s home town Woodhike, as told through stories from The Chosen. Hipofilius makes a call to head towards the Cyclops, but on the way realising after they emerge from the bushes there must be more than one. They find themselves face to face with elephants in close range. Xan is dumbfounded by this new creature.
Hipofilius and the others spot another Cyclops with four arms and less fingers. It takes Xan a moment to realise that her attention should be on the other figure. Hipofilius greets the cyclops kindly.
He turns and shouts a call and the elephants come closer. He points the crook at Hipofilus.
“You won’t trick me, you can’t take the herds. Others have taken the herds. You won’t take it. I am a good shepherd.”
Alke speaks “We are here to speak to Helios.” The cyclops hears the word Helios and throws his hands up up the air as if in prayer. Hipofilius casts a small golder ball and asks the cyclops his name. He responds “Tol the Younger”. Hipofilius joins the shepherd in bringing the elephants back to where they were needed.
The settlement itself has no buildings but there is a small tent. Where the lake is, out of the water there are some ruins. Buildings did exist here at some point but they seem to be taken over by the water - they seem to be gygan in nature. This stood at one point with the lake as a centre fountain, but now it is just a lake.
Hipofilius asks Tol of Helios’ wisdom.
“He is a kind and generous master. He protects us here on this island. He warns us that the outside world is not safe for us. We will be seen as cruel and brutish. We must protect ourselves. He gives us gifts. He ensures our warriors are fit to protect ourselves. And gives us weapons that we could fight - not with the standard of a tree trunk or a rock - but of bronze, of metal, stone.”
They are told that outsiders mean harm to them. Hipofilus assures him that The Chosen do not mean them harm. Tol speaks of sailors who come to the island, attack, steal, butcher them and take what they can. It happens not often, and they cannot recall when this last happened. He hears from his father that it happened to him and years before that. It is not often but enough to let them believe the master Helios.
The outsiders blinded the eldest Tolyphemus.
As The Chosen approach the camp, a band of 6 cyclops approach them. They are wearing bronze half plate armour and carry stone giant hammers. The leader of the 6 steps forward.
“HALT. GREAT SUN GOD WELCOMES YOU.” He shouts. Hipofilius accepts. The guards will take them to the sun god. They turn and walk, lumbering towards the lake where the god is promised. When the cyclops reach the shore, they stop and kneel down on the sand. They raise their hands and put themselves into a praying position. “OH GREAT SUN GOD, WE HAVE BROUGHT YOUR YOUR GUESTS.”
A head of beautiful golden blond hair flicks up from the water, beautiful sparkling eyes and his skin glistening from the water. He seems to glitter as he swaggers out of the pool. The sunglasses provided by Alke seem to do a great job of protecting them from his beauty. As she steps onto the sand he seems to glow. He approaches them, and it becomes apparent that he is almost the same height as Theo.
He touches one of the cyclops heads as if blessing them, taking his hands in his tiny ones. A beaming smile of perfect white teeth ''Thank you! That will be all for now. Perhaps you can do me the honour of being the guards at the feast tonight?”
After dismissing the cyclops, he then turns to face The Chosen.
“Hello, I am Helios” The Chosen gesture to the sky, then to him in a respectful move. Helios dismisses it and thanks them. “You are from the ship?”
“Outsides have not been too welcoming in the past. I have been telling my kin for a good long time that this place has its shortcomings. I must say, there have been many rumours of my skin holding a magical element but it is not something I know of.”
He tells them he is not aware of much of the outside world but knows of stories that they are coming to harm their world. He welcomes them to come and eat in the evening, in the Grove. Within the Grove there is an abode where Helios settles. He invites them to come and eat with him.
Calliope asks him of his small stature and that he can choose it, he thanks them for complementing his choice to be small - a powerful choice in a world of giants. He tells them that they should avoid Tolyphemus, as he is a little nervous around humans.
The Feast with Helios is going to be a Skill Challenge. The Chosen must impress a god.
Xan swims in the water and see the buildings:
The buildings are gygan architecture
It has fallen into disrepair no signs of damage