Ultros Interlude V
Session 147 - “Do not mourn me”
22 Vallion
Islands to add to the map
The Blacksmith (Island of Time) right hand side
Garden of Helios at the bottom above the A on the map
Praxis is down at the bottom of the map on the right
Before the party left the island, Hipofilius and Calliope sent a message to the cyclops assuring them their island was safe, leaving them a carving on a stone tablet.
“Do not mourn me, I left to make sure no one can force you to.
Do not mourn your fate; you are bound to this place so you
might be free. And know always though my spirit wanders;
I am here with you.”
It holds a hidden message, a guide to the island of the furies where the spirit of Helios is held.
In the preparation for sending the message, the ship holds a talent show of sorts where Kyrah and Loreus both trial their best Helios voices, while Chondrus is put out and mumbles from the sides. Others on the boat start a small bet on voting who will best the competition. Chondrus is the only one who makes away with any wealth, seeing as he was the one who set the books.
The message on the stone tablets are sent with Braz on the chariot. He says the words “moosh” and the chariot takes flight, whooshing across the sky in a haphazard fashion. After a wobbly start, Braz gains control of the chariot and lands in a spiral straight towards the crowd and through the lake. The chariot whips through the water and grass and briefly stops, and then heads over the horizon. As they regain their sight they see the talbot sticking out of the grass (the right way up) with the message clearly stated for them.
NB: the horses are called Ian, Iian, Iiian and Ivan.
The ship sets sail out of the cove unseen by the cyclops.
22 Vallion
A day passes
Xan is on first shift at the wheel, she notices that the horizon bends into an unexpected shape. She nudges Theo to rouse the crew but before she can get her bearings a huge wave pulls them into a swell. Xan commands the crew to brace themselves for impact and attach themselves to the ship. The crew follow suit and attach themselves to the boat. Xan steers from her position with her hands tied to the wheel.
Xan spots Pyxie under Braz’s arm as he dashes across the boat. She’s got into the saffron, again and is a bright scarlet red.
The ship moves through the wave and takes a little damage, as they pass through the wave they see a large monster titanic in size, with multiple heads. It glances at the ship but takes no notice and lets the ship pass. It seems to be made from heads and long necks with humanoid hands. Kyrah speaks up as they hit more smooth sailing.
“I haven’t seen him active in a long time?” Kentimane. The stories speak of monsters who eat the broken ships, he is a protector of Thylea. He is the hundred headed, hundred handed. And is an ancestor of Hipofilius.
Xan makes a snide remark about their ancestors being irrelevant to the people they are now.
Alke asks if he is involved in this conflict - if we were to kill his children he may call for revenge. But Kyrah says no.
She gives advice to avoid his hands - he hits back.
He sees mortals as something so low beneath him that he doesn’t think of them at all.
Braz asks about the stories - was there a being who brought the mortals to life - we only hear stories about the gods. Kyrah says she is not sure. There was Thylea, and people came to protect her. She ascended and became the lands - had the children and the twins manipulated their way into power, by stealing from the other siblings.
Braz makes a good point - there is only a use of dreams and death if you are able to cause people to dream and die. Chondrus says that one of the dark ladies' siblings made all the races, crafted the mortals.
Children of Sydon named after these Titans
Hergaron - Titan of strength
Chalcia - Titan of Swiftness
Telaus - Titan of Forge
Yala - Titan of Beauty
Goloron - Titan of Wisdom
Versi - Titan of Prophecy
When the Oath ends, the titans intend to elevate their children to join them as fully fledged gods. They have already earmarked what their pantheons will be. Even though one of them is mad. He inherited the madness of his mother.
Braz asks if Telaus would have any desire to maintain his mortal creations, but Kyrah says he may not be around any more.
Chondrus says that he was a perfectionist. He made the sirens, the satyrs, the centaurs. But not the humans.
Kentimane’s storms didn’t affect the mortals coming to Thylea as they could pass without him even taking notice. He was not concerned when others came in, and allowed them to join Telaus’ creations of the mystical beings.
The Dragon (S147-)
24 Vallion - Dawn
The boat approaches a tropical paradise. A pink sandy beach, a mountain and a jungle. Beautiful waterfalls into a central location. The second the beach ends it is thick, vine-laden jungle with a canopy above. A smell of sweetness dances through the air. More like bright coloured flowers than sugar and honey. A warning smell.
Everything about the bright colours is telling the party there is poison abound in flowers and the wildlife.
Bana drops anchor in a clear bay and the crew jump down onto the soft pink sand. Looking out into the jungle seems almost ominous. A feeling of uneasiness in the thick trees creeps out.
Braz sniffs the air and identifies a number of poisonous things, there is definitely a challenging ecosystem in place.
The chosen begin to walk the perimeter of the island, to try and find an opening in this poisonous barrier.
Braz returns to the boat and asks Pythor if he is familiar with the island. He has nothing of note to say but that Hexia left him, she decided it was over between them, and could not stomach what he had done. He says she made sure that he wouldn’t be happier again and has taken every lover he had ever had. The plays depict him leaving her but it was the other way around. He claims he was enamoured with his own mother, and followed her rule rather than thinking for himself. Braz discovers that she found a passion in arts, performance, poetry, gardening and creations. Nature can be made into art but never thought she had it herself.
NB: Hexia is obsessed with musicians and artists - she had a connection to Moxena who can petrify. Were the men being sent to her island after being petrified?
Braz asks if there is any world where Hexia may fight alongside allies of Pythor.
“Not out of the goodness of her heart, as that does not exist anymore. She could be persuaded but I don’t think the cost is something any of us would be willing to pay.”
Alke heads to Kyrah and asks her what they are up against with Hexia.
“A malicious vengeful green dragon. And my sister in law”
“How did Pythor and Hexia get together?”
“In the heaven we were involved in other conflict. In those one was an ancient green dragon terrorising a city. We put an end to that and my father saw a young dragon in the shadow of her mother. He looked at that and saw it as the inverse of ours. He thought ‘this is not right’ the child cannot be - she cannot be held to the same crimes as her parents. Maybe she could be rehabilitated. And we did for a time. Some more than others, and Pythor took her on, in more ways than one.
She tried, she was good for a while… I don’t think it was her nature but whatever we attempted it did not stick. She felt a betrayal and that betrayal unlocked a side of her that she had learned from her mother and was left long dormant until it was embraced… and has done for the last 500 years. She is a threat to all but mostly to Pythor. If you need him not fighting and looking over his shoulder, then she has to go. He cannot take her out himself. He will fair
He may think he is the god of war but he is so sloppy.”
Hipofisis asks if she can wield magic. She is capable but is naturally better at other things. Perception Stealth. Mind games and what is the most painful circumstance for people.
“500 years of people that were entangled with Pythor were taken by her, but only the ones he loved or at least connected with.”
She tells them Chosen they need to approach the island and face her. Not like Helios. He wanted us there but Hexia does not. We will need to go in fighting.
Plan
Creating something that protects them from the flowers and the venomous animals.
Plant some reasons on why she should talk to us, Calliopes #1 Bard Medal