#thylead recap

[badassindistress]

The Thylead (session 22)

Out of sight of the stars we ventured down

To the temple where we battled alone

Against someone with no rights to the crown

I really don’t want us to turn to stone

The portcullis slam shut, the hydra starts to stir from the noise. Azelma, cloaked in darkness and leading the way, manages to find the correct key and open the door. She finds a second door she can open as well. In front of her she sees a room with a couple of beds and two amazons who immediately jump up. They run into the room, Mania Commands one of them to Relax and tells them they’re not here to hurt them, they’re here to save the Princess. They don’t quite believe her.

Thalestris says that Astarte and Zosima sent them. They seem willing to listen to her. They ask why she brought outsiders. Thalestris says it’s a long story, that they come from Mytros and that things are not as they seem with the Queen and her closest people and that the whole island may be in danger.

They ask if the Queen is in danger. The Queen is downstairs. They ask why they didn’t give her the password to pass the Hydra.

Only people with official business should be here. Azelma tries to convince them but they don’t think she’s very honourable. They say they can speak to Thalestris, but the outsiders should be tied up and put in the cells.

Thalestris, finally embodying her own power and position, calmly tells them she trained under the former High-Priestess and her abilities

She asks to speak to the Queen, to the Princess or even Makaila. The amazons raise the portcullis. She says she think it’d be best if Thalestris’ friends wait outside. The queen sees very few people these days, she keeps to her vigils. Thalestris says it’d be dishonourable to let her escort be killed by statues. She asks to look at the cells first, because Azelma might escape otherwise. There’s two lizardfolk in the cells. One has blocked off window, for the Silent Prisoner. Mania says she can’t be locked up in a room with light, since she’s a star. The Amazon glares at her. Thalestris waves them all in the cell corridor. Mania slips through, giving Thalestris Enhanced Ability to lie and charm.

Thalestris says Makaila was concerned she was seeing the effects of oathbreaking on the Queen. She says she has abilities to help and heal. The Amazons seem very concerned and Thalestris seems very sincere and trustworthy.

In front of the cells, Azelma finds keys that match all the cells except for the center one. Iliana sees there’s a modified Darkness and Silence around that door. Azelma picks the lock anyway without a problem. Azelma says “Hi, are you the Lost Princess?” and her words are magically dampened. There’s a woman with a big scar over her face. She gives a tentative bow. Iliana presses a finger to her lips and casts Dispell Magic. Azelma gives her some water to drink.

She asks who they are. Mania explains Makaila, the real Makaila sent her.

Princess Daran 3rd of her name of Themis, she doesn’t quite know what’s going on on the Island and only had her stimfay as company. The Hydra is new, Lutheria sent it when the guards defected from Daran’s mother. She heard them training it, the codeword might be something like “by the Grace of Lutheria”. Cleophe gives Daran the sword from the Amazon, Daran looks at her a bit wide-eyed but takes it.

The lizardfolk are here because they were taken in a raid, but the Amazons wanted their smith.

Their queen would give great rewards for the return of the smith. They ask if they will return for them and the smith, the Jancan. The smith is deeper in the temple.

Jancan, neigbhourspecies of cyclops with 10 fingers on each hand, wellsuited to craft and making magical items. They agree to give them a key if they wait a bit and not betray them to the guard.

Cleophe asks their names. Hesk, Saraza, they serve Queen Vica, long may she reign. The lotus witch lives on cursed scorpion island with the centaurs.

Thalestris has gotten a bit of the layout of the temple from the Amazons. Phryné messages her that they found the princess and to either get them out or talk them deeper into the temple.

No one goes down to see the Queen unless they’re called. The Amazons (Andromeda and Pallas) stay to guard. Thalestris thanks them, she has spent a long time on the mainland and it’s really nice to be back. They nod.

Iliana turns the princess invisible, her sparrow stimfay hiding under her cloak. Mania flirts with the Amazons so they don’t pay attention to the others.

The amazons call out “By the Lady Lutheria’s Grace” and the hydra quiets down. They go down to the third level. Basil scouts ahead and only spots doors. A room full of commerative medals from games and battles and a banner with the creed; “A sisterhood of equals, our strength forged in battle, death before dishonour”

Thalestris hears breathing from her door. They decide the temple is probably not behind a bedroom and go the other way. The next room they find has two goatmen in it who immediately start insulting them. One of them turns into a giant spider. Thalestris closes the door on it and locks it. Azelma firebolts the one who got out anyway. Mania tells it it’s the ugliest thing she’s ever seen and it keels over. They decide to let the spider be and look elsewhere. Thalestris listens to another door, which sounds quiet. Thalestris solemnly apologises for doubting Basil’s earlier check. It seems to be another bedroom, a single petrified statue in the corner. It’s male and looks terrified. Thalestris tries to pass it alone. This room also seems to lead to the other room. They decide to flank the room with the breathing. There is another door round the corner. Now she’s closer, she can hear two people chanting or singing. Thalestris asks Daran if she wants to come in or wait. They explain there’s imposters here.

They decide to let Thalestris go alone and speak to them and if she says Pythor they have to come help her. Thalestris goes through the statueroom and sees two Maenads chanting and dancing. They look at her with aggressive extasy and attack. One of them dances at Thalestris and she begins to dance frantically as well. She breaks free and yells for the others to come help her. Phyrne gives Iliana resistance and calls her spiritual weapon.

The other Maenaed begins to sing to all of them, Iliana begins to sway. Mania starts dancing and singing against them, pulling her friends free form the Maenead’s charm. Azelma firebolts both of them. The Maenaed runs to slash at Azelma. Cleophe kills one. The door to the south opens, some more warrior women rushing out. They look like Lutheria worshipping assassins. They are told to protect the Queen. The maenaed slashes out at Azelma again.

Thalestris calls out they’re here to help. The assassin is completely uninterested. Cleophe intercepts her blows to Thalestris. Another assassin runs in. In the doorway they see Makaila. It looks pretty much like her.

The maenaed goes straight to Iliana and plunges a dagger into her chest. Iliana casts a wave of fire around Thalestris. Thalestris casts Erupting Earth, hitting three assassins but also herself. Two of them burnt.

The Queen, in a beautiful silver helmet, steps out behind from Makaila. She takes off her helmet and turns into a Medusa. Thalestris makes one of the assassins burst into flames, giving her friends Heroism.

Fake Makhaila runs past the spirit guardians and attacks Thalestris but misses. The spirit guardians mess her up, but she doesn’t look as hurt as she should be. Azelma finally kills the Maenaed by cutting her in half with the Shadow Blade.

Iliana, in the gaze of the false Queen, starts to turn to stone. Thalestris on her turn starts to petrify as well.

And that’s the end of this session of the Thylead…

@aporeticelenchus  @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @somuchbetterthanthat @guineamaina

[leomundstinyblog]

This week: Mania plays a song, Mania also resents the concept of empathy (but Phryné empathizes), Cleophē's done, Iliana has an invisible string, Azelma has a new cloak, and Azelma also maybe has a new friend

[badassindistress]

The Thylead (Session 19)

Sweet Citizens of Mytros, will you hear my song

I pray for your indulgence, I won’t be here for long

My name is Mania, I am a fallen star

But now I have been chosen to stop the Titans’ war

The Titans would deceive you, that they are just and fair

But to soothe Sydon's tempest, I had to give up half my hair

So treasure you your kind gods, who would never wish you pain

And distrust those heinous others, who'd use your fear for their gain

So sing a song for Kyrah, pray your thanks to Vallus fair

With the Five and with Thylea, you need never despair

The next morning, Volkan’s weird robot messenger delivers a golden shield. (casts thunderwave as a bonusaction + advantage on initiative and perception)

Thalestris goes to find Makaila, who is jogging. Thalestris informs her that the island can’t wait and she’s going to do something but needs information. There’s not much in the way of cities on Themis, but the last holdout was the sacred temple. It’s probably where she’ll find the not-queens. Thalestris asks if there might be anyone else willing to help. She could ask if Moxenna wants to help. Makaila wouldn’t ask, because she doesn’t know her motives. There’s Temple is on a little island in the bay to the north-east, start there. It’s doubled as a prison in the past, might be where they’re keeping Daran. 13 years ago, it was a narrow space, easy to get guards in and hard to sneak through. It was underground.

Makaila sketches her a quick map of the island. Thalestris doesn’t remember much of Themis. The temple wasn’t a place normal amazons went in and out. Makaila warns her not to try killing them all alone. Thalestris says she’s gonna go ask if the others want to help, but if they say no she’ll figure something else out. Thalestris says that her sister and she are going to be the priestesses of their faith and if another cult has taken over the island it’s her duty to take it back. Makaila tells her to not get herself killed, Thalestris thanks her and says it’ll be fine.

They arrange for Bullbug to ready the ship and go say goodbye to Vallus. Vallus acquired a not-perfectly complete map for them, that shows the relevant Islands. It’s 60 days before the Oath of Peace. I the Peace can’t be renewed, right as the Oath ends would be a good time to strike. Vallus won’t advise playing games with Lutheria unless they’re desperate. Titans are weaker now than they were in the first war, after the Oaths ends their strengths may begin to grow again. She believes striking quickly will be enough. Vallus shows them the 10 islands on the map:

Island of Yonder = library, base for Gaius and the Order of Sydon, might be of use but dangerous because of them.

Golden Heart = The tree and the heart of Thylea, hard to reach, the stars will guide them

Fire Island = lizard people who throw outsiders into volcanos, there’s maybe dragon eggs, try diplomacy, don’t get captured or you’ll get the volcano, they have a bad relationship with the mainland.

Island of the Fates= Vallus doesn’t know which constellation it’s under (one other island is nearly impossible for regular sailors.)

Chimera Island = a small island, home to a rampaging chimera that might have some cool items in it’s hoard

Island of Exiles = for those ostracised, more political crimes than hardened criminals, and also Acastus’ mom was exiled 7 years ago, for Reasons

Scorpion Island = home of centaurs, last known location of the Lotus Witch

Indigo Island = home to a variety of people, recent under attack of a malicious metallic dragon (so not Hexia)

Titan's Folly = Vallus tells them not to go. It is sealed off, which will be obvious should they go there, which they shouldn’t. Phryne asks if that’s a prohibition or advice. It’s both, it’s dangerous for Everyone.

(I think the tenth island is probably the Island of Time, we know this is where the Lotus Witch was exiled from, probably also the island impossible to reach for normal sailors)

The Antikythera can collapse distance between points, it’s 3 days between islands with it. Estor was the last owner of the Antikythera. But the order of Sydon has taken an interest in it, they might find something in the great library of Yonder.

Phryné asks for advice to deal with the Fates. Vallus says bargaining with the Fates is possible but be careful what you agree to, but it can be done. Don’t know how advisable it is to fight them, but it may come to that.

Mania has arranged for all the bards to gather at the Academy and present their songs praising Thylea, the Five and the Chosen Ones. Falana, the popular bard from the Games, brought all her fans and Pancras the Oread came along with all his friends too. Laos has a ballad-like epic, Falana leads her screaming fangirls in a rowdy tavern song. Mania picks a lesser known bard with a sweet song. She makes her promise to guard the harp with her life, to only use it to protect the people of Mytros and to only release it to the Kyrah, Vallus or Mania (and the Chosen, with proof from Mania that it’s really them and not an imposter). Before she hands it over, she promises to show them how it’s done. At her sign, Iliana turns invisible carrying a rope, which she quickly ties around Mania’s ankle. In the rain, kept dry by her new amulet of the desert, Mania starts to glow, levitates herself and sings her song to the people of Mytros. When the last note rings out, she disperses the storms and gentle floats down to the applause of the crowds. Some of them have even gone to their knees in prayer.

On the ship, Thalestris goes to talk to Azelma to apologise for yesterday. It’s nothing to do with Azelma or her family. Azelma says she’s just too used to people assuming things about her. Azelma says she doesn’t trust her grandmother either, but the Oracle gave the necklace to her and she thinks they are the key to something. Thalestris says she thought they were almost friends after the shopping and hopes it didn’t ruin. Azelma says they are friends and they’re going to save the world together. Thalestris says it doesn’t have to be just for that. Thalestris says she’s fun, Azelma says it’s cool when she turns into animals. Thalestris asks if she thinks the group would help her liberate the Amazons and kill the False Queens, it’ll only take a minute probably. Azelma says that Kallis would want them to, so Mania would be into it and the rest would be probably. Also if it’s important for Thalestris. She says they don’t know her, but Azelma says they’ll have time to get to know Phryne is super good, Cleophe is super moral, Mania is… super into promises she made to Kallis… Thalestris says Iliana is her best friend, she’ll help. “If the others say no, would you help me anyway?” Azelma says yes. They’re gonna try on their pretty new outfits.

Thalestris asks them all to help her free Daran and depose the fake queens. They agree to do it, but can’t quite agree on a strategy. Half of them want to try and gain allies on the island first. Mania says Amazons are boring which Thalestris thinks is Mania disagreeing with the plan. Thalestris tries to get them all to agree on not sabotaging the mission by being rude to the reigning powers of Themis, this also doesn’t go very well. {I do not remember who said what here, please fill in if vital things were mentioned here}. They agree on keeping the ship some distance away from port/a smaller island and approaching stealthily with a tender and trying to free Daran first. Then they get interrupted by a sound from belowdecks. Three merrow are trying to bore holes in the ship.

Merrow fight: Phryne with her new shining golden shield, casts a thunderwave at the merrows scratching at the hull. It pushes one of the merrow away from the ship. A merrow takes out a harpoon and starts drilling a hole in the hull, the ship takes damage. Mania Commands it to Flee. Iliana chromatic orb poisons the last one. Thalestris summons 4 reef sharks and gives Iliana a sprig of mistletoe that gives her heroism. Iliana forgot to Mage armour and gets hit by a harpoon. Phryné summons spirit guardian shepherd’s crooks to hit them on the head. Iliana kills one with poison, Mania tells another one to flee as Phryné’s crooks and Thalestris’ sharks attack it. Azelma crisps one (and a reef shark) of them with lightning.

Iliana and Thalestris are hyping each other up while they wait for the Merrow to return. It throws a harpoon to the boat, one of the reef sharks throws itself on the harpoon so the boat is safe. The merrow flees. The sharks pursue and kill it.

Thalestris uses druidcraft to foretell tomorrows weather. It’s going to be light wind and no rain. They elect a sailor to repair the boat with the first repair kit and Mania’s Inspiring flirting while he works. At night, Spectral forms start to appear, but not the big battle and no Estor either. Cleophe’s Divine Sense find no unaccounted for Undead either.

They set up a watch. The next morning, Iliana has learned Fill the Seas and Detect Fish. She sits up on the front of the boat and finds some Fish to take notes and so Thalestris can talk to them. She spots a well-camouflaged octopus. One of the sailors catches a few sardines with her help. Between the fish and the filled sails, Iliana is an immediate favourite with the crew. They should reach Themis early the next morning.

In the captain’s cabin they find Estor’s journal: early parts are records of battles in a victorious tone, rivalries with his brother Telemok. There’s a turning point, where it starts to get kind of rambly and he seems to become obsessed with all the dragons disappearing (around the time he seems to have had a bad breakup with his dragon Arcania) and him thinking they turned on them (they disappeared), this is where he starts thinking about Lutheria appearing in his dreams and promising him immortality if he joins her side. Last entry concerns the journey to Phraxis, Estor’s obsession with the idea that they were abandoned and that this was all a trap. There’s mentions of Kallis and other dragonlords, Kallis was the only one of the Dragonlords still with a dragon left. (Arcania didn’t approve of him killing all the Gygans, that’s why she broke her oath to him. The dragons of Adonis, Rizon and Telemok didn’t disappear when Arcania fought with Estor, they disappeared months later. Right before the assault on Phraxis.)

In addition to Balmytria and Hexia, the dragons who disappeared are Estor's Oathsworn Arkania, Rizon's Oathsworn Sybolkorax, Adonis' Oathsworn Raspytrion, and Tekamok's Oathsworn Tysophalle

Mania takes notes on the battle descriptions for future ballad purposes. Cleophe’s dragonegg is now getting hot to the touch. They rest, Iliana and Cleophe are on the first watch. They see a weird distortion in the air like the gasoline in water effect. A little rift in space appears, some weird clockwork creatures tumble out and fall out of the ship. They keep marching and tumble off the ship again. Iliana magehands one back. It flails with weird little arms and legs. The yellow light tries to encompass the line of creatures. It almost creates a little bubble they’re pushing against. They’re little spears and cubes and triangles. Iliana drags one out, the bubble makes the creatures pop out of existence as the yellow rift closes. It looks at Iliana quizzically with uncanny mechanical eyes. Iliana shoves it in the bag so the light can’t find it. The rest disappeared out of existence with the light. The effect looked like the effect in Cleophe’s house and around Iliana’s resurrection.

And that’s all for this session of the Thylead!

 @aporeticelenchus  @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @somuchbetterthanthat @guineamaina

[badassindistress]

The Thylead (Session 24)

With brilliant fire the Hydra was slayed

The Queen once more holding the Titan’s Bane blade

With sweet songs and welcome we were paid

With such happiness, who could be afraid?

After a rest, with the Medusa securely in the cell, they go down to the forge. There’s half-finished bronze parts of birds, humans and in the corner there are dragon wings.

There’s a twelve foot tall cyclops with 10 fingers on every hand, chained to the floor. They announce themselves as friends. The chain might be locked, only the Queen or Princess have the key. It looks like adamantium. Azelma picks the lock.  His name is Brunt? And he’s too large to fit through the door. He came here about two months ago, blindfolded.

Fire Island is now ruled by King Jancar, he has the Storm God’s blessing. Queen Vica still rules her village, but not the Island, she is not the strongest now. He does still want to go back to fire island that is where he belongs. Iliana asks if he has hydra-bashing weapons, he says slashing and bashing is all the same, unless they use fire. He completed 4 working people robots. He made some swords, a lot of stimfays. They promise to send his friends down and ask him to wait a day. Mania gives him some of her old writing to read. The lizardfolk don’t want to fight a hydra.

The amazon mentioned an underwater entrance. The hydra can’t leave that way, there’s a gate you have to unlock.

They send Basil in and the Hydra immediately shoots towards him and snaps him up. Thalestris casts a Wall of Fire around the Hydra. Thalestris gives Iliana Heroism. The heads shoot out at Cleophe and Mania. It tries to leap into the pool and swim away. two of its 10 heads falls off. Azelma manages to firebolt it under the water. Thalestris conjures four sharks. Iliana sends fire down to the hydra, skipping round the sharks. Cleophe casts shield of faith on herself and clambers into the hydra’s pen. The spirit guardian sheep dives into the water. The sharks try to tear the sharks to shreds. The hydra kills three sharks and swims closer to the surface. Thalestris lets a fire sphere sinks into the water, Phryné foretells the Hydra will not be able to evade it. Phryné foretells that Iliana will hit it with lightning. Cleophe dives into the water and smites it until another head falls off. It’s thrashing and close to death, but manages to bite into Cleophe very badly. It scuttles out of the water to get away from the fire. Azelma fireballs it, all the heads are drooping. Iliana kills it with a scorching ray. Cleophe slashes at the stomach to free Titan’s Bane. It’s a long, rapierlike sword. Thalestris calls Daran in. Iliana and Mania harvest scales, vials of blood, teeth and some of the heart of the Hydra.

They take a rest as Thalestris asks Andromeda how many more followers the false Queen had. She doesn’t know. Phryné goes up to Thalestris to tell her that 1. She doesn’t know how she feels about Thalestris’ gods, but she thinks it’s very interesting. 2. Thank her for allowing Phryné to practice her religion with the bones in this temple. 3. She’s needs help looking for Hexia’s lair and thinks the amazons might help and needs Thalestris’ help to ask them.

Phryné gives Daran her veil to hide her identity. She ask Queen Daran if she can help with the Hexia thing. Andromeda has indeed spotted a green dragon a few times, she always seems to fly off to the Forgotten Sea when they tried to track her. They don’t really like to sail in the forgotten sea, there’s a massive whirlpool that can suck you into the underwold and it moves around. She’s always heading to the constellation of the dragon. Phryné thanks her. There’s also Sydon’s Phraxis tower in the forgotten sea, another reason not to get lost in the sea. There’s been a few more dragons in recent years, which is odd. There was also a metallic dragon on indigo island that was attacking, the amazons are in correspondence with people there. The green dragon is old. The bronze dragon on indigo island is new (an adult, but it might have come from somewhere else.) Indigo island is under the sign of the Queen. (Themis is under the twins). Phryne makes sure to say goodbye to Brunt. Thalestris puts on her vestments to look as much the High Priestess as possible.

Daran calms the marble golems long enough for them to go past. They take their little boat to head to the princess’ camp. There’s clusters of petrified woman, amazons who look like they were chasing something to the north. The statues look new. Thalestris There’s the sound of hoofbeats but deeper. A javelin launches into the tree behind them as they shout warnings. 4 amazons on riding rhinoceri and 2 basilisks approach. The amazon glares at Daran and tells her to surrender. Thalestris tells her this is the Queen of Themis. They throw a javelin at her. They seem to be trying to shield their eyes. Mania lifts Daran’s veil and looks her straight in the eyes, telling them she’s not the medusa. They don’t seem to trust her. Cleophe intercepts their attacks on Daran. Phryné shouts that this is their Queen and they can give any proof they see fit. The Amazons are listening. Thalestris says she can cast a spell that forces people into their true shape. Iliana polymorphs herself into a really big crab and Thalestris dispels it under the Amazons eyes. Iliana turns back into herself. Thalestris does the exact same thing to Daran. The amazons notice she’s not wearing the silver helmet. Daran says she has spoken the sacred words and that the gods and goddesses have recognised her claim. She raises Titan’s Bane. The Amazons say they’ll take them to the others then. They uncertainly welcome her back. Daran names the others her protectors. Azelma asks how they figured out they had a false princess.

Yesterday, the princess’ crown suddenly crumbled and she changed forms. She was able to escape. They go to the campaign and there’s a lot of explaining going around. Daran gives a halting speech and does a mini version of the ceremony in the temple. It impresses the Amazons. Daran says they’ve got the situation under control, they could leave. Leia the Amazon might have fled the island. The Amazons don’t like bending the knee to anyone outside, if she holds Titan’s Bane and controls the Queen she might. They ask if she will ally with the mainland when the Oath of Peace is over. She would consider making a treaty if it was with us. If your homeland is attacked, I will help if you will do the same for mine.

Mania asks for a favour. Any Amazon who calls Themis home should be allowed to come home, even if they aren’t known to them. As long as they are loyal to the Crown and Throne, they should be allowed to come home. Daran asks who she has in mind, but then retracts her question.  She says she would welcome her sisters home.

Thalestris really wants to stay and help. Azelma tells her she can come back again. Thalestris tries to explain it’s not safe yet. Phryné gives her a hug. Daran clasps a hand on Thelastris’ shoulder and tells her she’ll be protected. She doesn’t need to fear for her, and Daran will protect the Island. Daran asks her to keep in touch. Thalestris contacted her sister, who can contact Makaila and send her to the island. Daran says they could have a big coronation party where they’ll all be guests of honour.  Azelma says she/they deserve to be recognised and Daran earnestly agrees.

They get out the casks of wine and word is sent to the other amazon enclaves around the island. Mania finds a lot of cute amazons who fawn over her hydra and medusa fighting skills and who teach her drinking songs in a language she doesn’t know yet. It’s the best day she’s had since they met the oracle.

Iliana talks to Thalestris. She doesn’t want to leave again, especially not before it’s all over. They still don’t know what Iliana puts her head on her shoulder and tells her the Island will be ready for when she’s come back. They drink together. Phryné is getting drunk too. Mania’s new amazons friends are making up impromptu victory rhymes with their names.

Astarte says the false queen made a raid on fire island, the Jancan is a master smith who was going to make them weapons.

Thalestris is going to Daran and hand her a piece of wood she has carved some druidic symbols in. She told her she can ask her sister what this means. There’s a couple of drunk girls who are trying to get cleophe to flex so they can hang off her arms. Another group are making wide eyes at Azelma, wanting to see them do magic. She minor illusions a flying stimfay into the air to great aclaim.

  And that’s the end of this session of the Thylead…

@aporeticelenchus  @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @somuchbetterthanthat @abubblingcandle

[badassindistress]

Thylead Session 15

Ode to the Faithful:

The patient silver moon looks down each night

Searching for those daylight hid from her eyes

Love enduring even when hidden from sight

Only your virtue reaches higher highs

 It is your faithfulness that I admire

Your moral strength, deeper than I can tell

Your enviable might and religious fire

And your biceps please the eye as well ;)

At the end of breakfast, Cleophe tells Vallus that they found a dragonegg in Balmytria’s tomb and that the tomb was empty. Vallus says that they never recovered Balmytria’s body, she was lost in battle. She’s concerned what might be doen tother fody if- and she cuts herself of, wha’t sdone is done. Vallus asks if the egg is alive, Cleophe says her pseudodragon used her magic to revive it. Vallus looks confused and says with a faint sens of awe that her mother clearly watches over Cleophe, she is grateful for her blessing. Thanks her for confiding in her, if she’s willing to let her look at it she can add her wisdom. Mania catches Cleophé at the door, says that she listened to Cleophe last night and that it is unfair she only sings about Kallis. She gives Cleophe a poem inspired by Kyrah’s style and dances off.

Kallis finds Makaila and assures her in the cold light of day that she meant everything she said yesterday. The offer‘s open to fight a ghost boat (sadly they forgot to actually pick her up). On the way out, Kallis pulls Mania aside to ask if she’s mad at her. Mania explains that her songs aren’t all about Kallis, but also the past lovers she left behind. Kallis says she doesn’t need a reminder she left everyone. Mania tells Kallis that it’s okay if she has to leave to be Queen of the Amazon’s, that that’s different than being stuck in a damp cave somewhere where Mania wouldn’t be allowed to love her.

Phryné and Iliana go to the Academy to get help turning the monster parts into potions. Professor Alcmene is willing to help them, but she does expect Iliana to do the heavy lifting for this to count as independent study. Next time she wants to miss class she ought to ask the Oracle for a note. Phryné suggests taking some homework for the road. Alcmene sets up the process for the skull and basilisk eyeballs. Iliana shows her the inkbottle ooze, the Professor says it has an aggressive personality but that she could renew the enchantment to turn it into a library guardian or assistant. She starts that process too. Iliana gets reminded that if she sees 2 of her peers she has to remind them to turn in an assignment on paradoxes Iliana tries to get out of it with the prophecy, but no luck. Phryné  asks if Iliana behaves well in class. Alcmene kindly does not sell Iliana out to her sister and says Iliana has always been a very talented girl. The silent implication is that Iliana will do her assignments in record time. Phryné is incredibly proud and happy of her sister.

Kallis and Mania stroll around the bard campus sharing stories of Mania’s student days until they find a young man with a lyre. Parius is very surprised to see Mania, she tells him she’s been travelling with the Chosen Ones and makes him tell her the rumours about them. The story is they’ve angered Sydon, Mania turns it into Versi angering Sydon. Parius sings a song about Versi in the First War, the daughter of Sydon who turned to protect mortals. Mania says they’re going to soothe the storms and warns him to prepare for a party. She proposes a contest for all bards, the person who writes the most beautiful and full of praise song for the 5 Gods and Chosen Ones and their victory and sacrifice will get to try Mania’s Harp First. He promises to tell all their friends about it. Mania gives him notes on what he should share as Kallis edges away as her praises are bandied about. Mania also cheerfully includes the titbit that the rumoured ghost who haunted the Hall of the Dragonlords is part of the Chosen Ones.

Azelma tells Cleophe not to be mad, but she asked an acquaintance what happened to her family.  She asks Cleophe to look dangerous and imposing and settle in to wait for Laos. When he sidles over he tells them nobody has lived in that house for centuries and that it’s haunted. There’s bits of singing and if you go inside you lose track of time and forget who you are. He gives them a pewter necklace with a dragon figurine that Cleophē recognises as a piece of costume jewellery from one of her sisters.

There’s a little vial inside. Azelma gives him a coin, Laos wheedles until Cleophe gives him a gold. Cleophe thanks Azelma, who awkwardly says she wanted to do something nice. They go and see the house. Azelma boasts of stealing from the noble district, Cleophe is uncomfortable because those are her neighbours. The house seems eerily preserved in time, it feels like something in the house is trying to push them back, but they can enter. Azelma hears fragments of conversation, sees shimmering light, oilslick and with unsettling haze like they saw on resurrected Iliana. Clearly some kind of magic. They hear the voices of the same people at different ages, there’s something weird here with time. Azelma proposes Cleophe’s family never left the house, that they are trapped here. Cleophe recognises the voices as some of her family. Azelma’s bracelet and Cleophe’s gauntlet start to rust before their eyes. Azelma finds a portrait in the hall where none of the faces can be made out. The ground around her is going cold, warmth seeping out of her.  Cleophe sees one of her sisters, Cleoné at 5 years old, standing in front of her for a second. She gives a dazzling smile and hugs Cleophe’s knees before she fades (advantage against next roll of being frightened).

Back assembled at the Palace, Mania announces she has no revenge quest against Estor she just let her emotions run away with her since trees are very important to her. Iliana brings up the rumour that Mania once seduced a tree, Mania is offended, that she would need to seduce trees. She explains that Andromache the drysad was the nymph who found her when she was born and her and Thylea were the first people she loved.

They set off in search of the boat. At the path along the river Lethe the cliffs are actively moving closer together. Mania uses Kentimane’s Stone Hands to push the walls away from each other to give them a little more time. What comes out are not the normal earthen hands, this is a pair of the massive column like hands that litter the countryside. Cleophe and Iliana run through easily but Azelma falters. Kallis reaches the end but goes back to help Azelma out. They start to get banged up. It takes her longer, but Mania runs through with no trouble, Phryne gets pulled along by Basil and Azelma and Kallis make it out together. Mania prays to Kentimane and Thylea to thank them for saving them, but it doesn’t calm her (nat 1)

They find a massive waterfall that makes no noise. Deianeira finds them the path on the map, it seems flooded but she does spot a ship. They wade through the water and suddenly Mania gets polymorphed into an owl, still glowing. Iliana thinks there’s just something weird about eh water, not a spellcaster. Mania starts happily circling around above them. It’s probably temporary. They come to a small lake with still water and a ship with black sails and the prow in dragonform. Kallis recognises the Ultros.

The newly formed flying squad goes in very unstealthily. Mania feels a chill in the air and hears whispers and singing. Something cold brushes against her, a spectral hand trying to grab her but unable to catch hold. Kallis wades to the sip when they do not come back. Azelma follows her but start to turn into water, Cleophe tries to carry her out but she starts to dissolve in her arms. Cleophe Levitates her above the water and not a drop spills. Afrer a minute or so she starts to reform with no damage done. Cleophe tells Kallis to go first, towards the raucous singing on the deck. The figure at the deck raises up a hand and flies at Kallis and Kallis gets possessed. She returns to “her post”. Mania flies down to sit on her shoulder and screech in her ear, Kallis immediately beats her off with her chakram. Mania falls to the deck a nymph again. Kallis starts singing some bawdy off-key songs. Iliana shouts you can’t just posses people, they came here for a conversation so the ghost better get out and talk. Kallis still has all her senses, she’s just not in control of her body. She tries to talk to the pilot in her mind, this was a dwarf man named Davos. Davos does not listen to her request to get the fuck out of her head. Mania tries to tell him Kallis was meant to fly a dragon, not a ship, but fails to get through to him. Kallis starts to tap her foot to the singing. A dragon ghost flies over the boat, starts to breathe out a line of cold. Mania falls to the floor unconscious for the first time. Cleophe lays on hands but she is still frightened. The dragon alights next to Estor Arkelander’s ghost. Kallis asks to talk to him and fights her way free. There is a ghost battle going on. Kallis yells to Mania she’s really sorry and they’ll talk about that later and runs to stand beside Estor Arkelander. The other ghosts attack her, but she deflects with her bracer. She still feels some of the life drain out of her. She recognises Estor’s three trusted lieutenants turning against him. Estor recognises Kallis and asks if she’s finally come to haunt him. Kallis replies she just loves to see him get his ass kicked. He smiles and tell her she’ll be disappointed. He asks if she’s come to help him be overthrown, she says she decided to stand with him this time. He says it’s a bit late for that.

The fight is between the ghosts of the three lieutenants, Metron, Scathos and Davon, and the crew versus Estor, the dragon and now Kallis. Kallis and Estor banter as they take down a spectre of a crewman together. Phryné calls on an aura of life to heal her friends and Azelma runs in to hurl fireballs at ghosts, but they don’t hurt them like they hurt the living. Ghost attack Kallis and she shouts at Estor not to laugh as she sways on her feet, barely standing. Cleophe throws her lightning javelin through three ghosts and the dragon strikes at the dragons around her. The ghost blows a horn and 2 more spectres appear on deck. Kallis tells Estor this must have been such an annoying day to relive as Scathos tries to strangle him. Davos pulls off the skin on his face, scaring 10 years off Azelma’s life. She’s 29 now, only slightly taller and with longer hair and a knee that creaks sometimes.

Iliana yells at them to stop the fighting or she’ll crash the boat, but she didn’t speak loud enough and nobody hears her. Estor gives Kallis 10hp with a touch, tells her this is a very strange day and kills another spectre.

Phryné takes her handcarved wooden symbol and closes her eyes, frighteningly furious. She feels as if there’s a comforting hand on her shoulder and power washes through her. The ghost and spectres flee from her in fear. Only one lieutenant and a spectre remains, the others hurl themselves off the boat to get away from her. Even the Dragon fears her, but since they seem to be on the same side Cleophe hits it to knock the fear out of it, yelling why she does it. Estor succeeds, but Kallis makes fun of him being afraid of the cleric anyway. The last spectre tries to steal Cleophe’s lifeforce but estor chokes the life out of it and throw it overboard. Scathos gets killed by Phryne’s crossbow and Azelma’s fireball sailing through Estor and Estor finally ripping him apart. The dragon fades back into the figurehead of the ship.

Estor turns to Kallis and asks her what brings her to his ship. Kallis says they need to borrow it. Estor expected that, should General Kallistate come back, he would have expected the reason to e be vengeance. Kallis asks how he would like to come to sea with them. She explains that they are sailing to finish what the dragonlords started and they need the only ship capable of that. Estor calls that a touch ironic but he won’t explain why, only saying that perhaps she made the good choice and he can’t stand for his. Mania can’t help but call Estor a dryadkiller, he asks if her hands are clean. She says they are. Gregor Hoarath stashed the last treasure of the Dragonlords somewhere and the Nethersea is the only place he hasn’t looked yet. Estor asks if she’s just going to do it again, back to Phraxis, back to getting their asses kicked. He asks who will captain the ship. Mania won’t let Kallis says she’ll captain the ship, afraid that might transfer Estor’s curse to Kallis. Estor wants to feel the seabreeze again, will let them use his ship and he’ll captain it if they’ll find his sword and drive it through Lutheria’s black heart. He promises not to turn on them in the middle of the Ocean.

The crew comes back every night, they’ll need rituals to cleans the ship and a human crew. In sunlight it would be harder for them to appear, they only come at night. The cavern closes him in, but they might sail out. He shakes on it with Kallis. Estor says that at least this is more interesting than what he’s been doing. He sarcastically tells her he can’t wait to see her tomorrow night. He fades into the ship.

Mania goes to the mast and recognises it as dryad’s wood. The figurehead is the same. She sleeps cuddled up against the mast.

Cleophe shows the pendant vial to Iliana who sees it’s a potion of Cat’s Grace (10 minutes advantage on dex checks and less falling danger)

Azelma looks into the mirror, she looks less like a creepy doll. Phryne tells her she looks different. Azelma tells her she is different and also her knees hurt, but she thinks 29 suits her. Phryné is concerned about lived experience and looking older and whether they might reverse this aging. Azelma says she appreciates her worry but she doesn’t think a few more wrinkles will change her life. Cleophe says she lost 10 years of her life, but Azelma does not seem bothered. Cleophe thinks remove curse of greater restoration and possibly dispel magic could reverse this. Phryné could solve is the next day, but Azelma doesn’t want to  so they argue about lifespans of mortals and elves. Phryné is very concerned.

And that’s all for this session of the Thylead!

 @aporeticelenchus @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @guineamaina @somuchbetterthanthat

[badassindistress]

The Thylead (Session 17)

Azelma has a dream about being chased by a beast she couldn’t see. When she wakes up there is a shadow dog at the foot of her bed.

In the morning, they go to the tavern to collect the 250gp for the chimeras and manticores. Mania buys a mail shirt for 60gp in preparation for the Games.

They got to the theatre where they are invited to sit next to the King and Queen. They decide to sit with Vallus. They watch the opening ceremony. After it, there’s a fight breaking out in the crowd as the opening fight starts. It’s a fight between a minotaur and beasts, but it’s more like a human sacrifice. Phryné calls out that this isn’t right and the Minotaur hears her. He calls out that he heard they need a captain and he’s challenging them to single combat instead of this beast fight. If they win, he’ll sail their boat. Cleophe, Azelma and Thalestris accept the challenge. He introduces himself as Bullbug, says it’s nice to meet them and hopes they do not kill him today.

The fight is very dramatic and played up for the crowd. Thalestris gets charged and flung about, for which Bullbug immediately apologises, but they have to put up a good show for the crowd. Azelma throws a firebolt over his head and then gets him through the chest with her giant shadow sword, which pleases the crowd greatly. Thalestris turns into a giant goat and charges Bullbug, locking horns until she knocks him over. She gets flowers thrown at her while Cleophe carefully punches him in the face. He winks at her and goes down. Azelma asks Cleophe to let her ride on her shoulder so they can do a victory lap together. Iliana magics some extra cheers in the crowd. Cleophe heals Bullbug a little and makes sure he leaves the arena safely. They shake hands on their victory.

The first proper event is the long jump. Mania gives Cleophe inspiration by telling her she’s meant to fly and casts Jump on her with her new harp. The first competitor bites the dust, the second is an Amazon who gets cheerfully booed, she doesn’t do that well. The crowd favourite manages to jump 51 feet. With magical help, Cleophe easily manages 57 feet and wins first place.

The long distance run is second, with Azelma running with Mania’s inspiration and Iliana’s magic support. An Auread friend of Mania is competing as well, next to the Gladiator and Amazon from before. Azelma manages to pull ahead in the first leg, the gladiator keeps up effortlessly and the auraed runs along with them blowing kisses to the crowd. In the 2nd leg the Amazon is falling behind and the gladiator is getting tired, Azelma uses bardic to stay at the top. In the third leg the Gladiator and the auraed get back to the top, Azelma is still doing fine in the fourth leg, neck to neck with the gladiator and the auraed falling behind again. In the 5th leg Azelma stumbles, getting exhausted and Iliana casts Haste, making her twice as fast. The Gladiator is close to winning, but at the last possible moment she sprints and leaps over the finish line first. She wins first place, the Gladiator second and the auraed third. The gladiator shakes her hand and introduces himself as Leiland. He didn’t think she was going to be his competition and invites her out for drinks with the other winners after.

The javelin throw is next, with the fan favourite being a bard who gets roses thrown at her by teenagers. She’s showing off, but she doesn’t get far. The auraed puts on a good show, the Amazon gets help form her stimfay making a windtunnel. Cleophe throws an inspired 32 feet, but Leiland the Gladiator makes the best throw of his life and gets 38 feet. Cleophe wins second place, much ahead of everyone else. She shakes Leiland’s hand as he tells her that was a damn impressive throw. She jokes that she’s glad Azelma didn’t exhaust him too much and they chat a bit about having tiny friends.

Thalestris competes in the discus throw, with Phryné giving her Enhanced Abilities and Mania giving her some half-hearted inspiration. The other competitors are Leiland, the Auread, the noble bard and the the Amazon. The Amazon looks at her confusedly. Leiland manages 27ft, the Bard 24, the Amazon 18 and Thalestris and the Auread both 20 feet, winning them a shared third place.

Before the wrestling starts, Phryne goes into a prophetic trance, fumes and all. With glazed over eyes she says that someone is going to do terribly and someone is going to be above average. She wakes up again and enhances Cleophe’s abilities. Mania shouts that “Cleo should show them those nice biceps” from the stands for some last minute inspiration.

The first opponent is dressed in the cloak of Sydon’s order, like Commander Gaius. Cleophe pins him without much issue. The second is an Aresian monk who gets booed which he does not seem to mind. He pins her quickly, she manages to flip him but in the end he beats her. Cleophe wins third place.

Before the boxing, Mania prays to Kentimane to get his approval for the fight. She gets filled with a feeling of readiness. The first fight is with a female veteran,  who manages to get quite a few hits in, but who is no match for Kentimane’s fists in the end. With the Arms of the Father and her own enhanced ability, inspiration and healing, Mania wins the fight. The second opponent is the Sydon soldier. Mania cheerily tells him her god is better than his and Mania sends him flying with a particularly good right cross in only a few rounds. The third is the Aresian monk who beat Cleophe in the wrestling. He’s far stronger than Mania, but much less luckily. She knocks him out in two rounds and raises all four of her arms in the air to proclaim to the crowd that Kentimane is with them and the Gods support the Chosen Ones. The crowd is delighted.

They all get medals, the gold ones being worth 3000 gold. Mania, Cleophe and Azelma get laurel leaves and Cleophe has gained a lot of fans. Mania and Azelma are very popular too. Leiland the Gladiator invites the chosen ones and the others who placed out for drinks, to party before the relay race the next morning.

On the way to the party, Cleophe asks Mania why she called her Cleo. Mania explains she thought it was cute and that Cleophe merits a nickname that means glory. Cleophe explains it’s kinda funny, because all her sister’s names also start with “Cleo” so no one got that nickname in her family. She has four younger sisters, Cleodora, Cleeia, Cleomestra and Cleone. Mania is delighted to hear more about Cleophe’s family. Cleophe thanks her for beating the monk who pinned her and they talk about how satisfying it was to beat the Sydon soldier.

At the party, Azelma gets drawn into a discussion about proteins and workout regimens with Leiland, she keeps talking up her friends. Thalestris got overwhelmed and hid in a corner, wildshaping into a forg. The taverncat starts playing with her until Cleophe blows on its nose to make it go away. Cleophe invites her to hop on her shoulder and she does. For the entire party Cleophe, Chosen One and Gold medallist of the Great Games has a Shoulder Frog.

The Aresian monk comes up to Mania to ask her if she’s part of Eko’s army, something Mania knows nothing about. Where he comes from, nymphs cutting off their hair is a sign. The nymph Eko has a grudge against the Queen and cut off her hair to show she’s serious. It was something to do with a broken engagement. His name is Psy… and he’s not very talkative. Mania talks to him about the Titans and the Chosen Ones and tells him to carry the tale back to the powers of Aresia.

Bullbug the Minotaur is waving at them from outside. Azelma asks why they wanted to kill him in the first place. Apparently it was traditional to start with a sacrifice to Sydon, but Vallus put a stop to that. However, first combat can still be to the death. Depending on how much they’re willing to pay, he will be able to find them a crew. Phryne makes sure he knows what kind of mission they are one, he says it’s kind of her to warn him, but being a minotaur in Mytros isn’t safe either.

Inside, Mania flirts with the bard and the auread and gets invited to a drinking competition. She outdrinks the other auraed but not the bard lady. They spend the night exchanging getting friendly and furthering Mania’s PR campaign by drunkenly telling stories.

Azelma, happy she’s a winner, holds her locket while she falls asleep that night. She gets a dream of having her hair stroked.

The next morning, Phryne spends some time staring at Thalestris until she finally asks her if she talked to the Oracle too. Thalestris did not get a prophecy so Phryné is concerned she does not know the full scope of what the Chosen Ones are going to do. Thalestris says Makaila explained it to her and asks if Phryne wants her to leave. Phryne just wants her to know she doesn’t have to join them, even though it’s good she’s decided to help. Thalestris explains that she’s been in the Woods learning the ancient traditions, not really helping anyone except for safeguarding the traditions. Phryne says she’s sure the Gods appreciate someone taking the side of good of their own will. Thalestris keeps repeating that she’ll go if Phryné wants her too. They talk about Phryne’s own wishes, independent from the will of the Gods, which she doesn’t think she has. Her feelings are her own, but the follow the Plan of the Gods.

The final event of the Great Games is the relay race with 5 different challenges they divided amongst themselves:

Beach run - Phryne

Underwater  - Thelastris

Cliff climb - Cleophe

Fire dash - Iliana

Harpy Cages – Azelma

Magic support - Mania

Mania gives every runner inspiration and Enhanced Abilities with some words of encouragement. Azelma starts out the race with the beachrun. The moment she encounters roaming lions, she casts Darkness on them, running  past them safely. One lion pounces on the Aresian monk, knocking him prone. The next leg is underwater so Thalestris transforms into a giant seahorse and speeds throught eh water effortlessly, leaving everyone behind. She jumps out of the water dramatically, transforming mid-air and handing the baton to Cleophe for the cliff climb. Mania Levitates her and Cleophe practically flies of the cliff, she climbs that fast. Iliana gets the baton for the Firedash, which is running over hot coals and firesnakes. Ever the wizard, Iliana calculates he could Misty Step one third of the way. Mania casts Jump on her so she can jump further, Iliana summons Tenser’s Floating Disc at the halfway point and jumps from there, dancing through the air far out of reach of the snakes and flames. She hands the baton to Phryne for the last leg, the Harpy Cages. Mania starts singing to disrupt the Harpies’ song. Phryne barely makes it, but she manages to shrug off the Harpy song and she’s the first one across the finish line. The next team did almost as well, but finished with one point less. The Chosen Ones win the Great Games!

They get more laurel wreaths and 5000 gold. Acastus hands out the laurels at the closing ceremony. He seems annoyed at all the attention they’re getting, keeping a little tight smile on his face. Azelma smirks at him. Mania offers her second laurel to Vallus, who is surprised but puts it on.

Thalestris looks at the other Amazon and tells her great job. The Amazon says she doesn’t know her. Thalestres introduces herself as a druid of the old woods and sometime from Themis. She doesn’t actually call herself an Amazon and the conversation ends awkwardly.

They talk to Bullbug about getting a crew and ships’ supplies. A full crew would be 500 gold for a full month’s journey, which they gladly pay.

Iliana meets with Alcmene at the Academy. She’s impressed with Iliana’s Floating Disc. Alcmene pours out a purplish Ooze that can do the more mundane aspects of potion making. She also got 3 vials of potions of water-breathing that also helps your swimming speed, made from hag’s hair.  The clean hags skull is now a Fear skull. (cast the Fear spell without components or spell slots once a day with the saving throw at disadvantage). The eye attached can now be seen through it, but people who spot the eye-spy can move it of course.

Phryne talks to Thalestris again to clarify she doesn’t want her to leave. She starts off with saying that she thinks Vallus thinks Thalestris is cool. It still doesn’t convince Thalestris. Phryne wonders out loud if she’s just incapable of communicating with Amazons. Thalestris says it’s not her fault, she talked with two people in the last 10 years. Phryné replies that she talks to sheep. Thelastris asks if it would help if she was a sheep and when Phryné excitedly says it might, she wildshapes into a sheep.

Mania and Iliana go shopping for ship’s supplies, Mania ostensibly to act as Iliana’s restraint, a task she’s very unsuited for. They purchase:

·       Crew for a month 500gp

·       Anchor of weighing 650gp

·       2 Repairkits 25gp

·       Scroll for fill the sails 75gp

·       Scroll for buoyancy 50gp

·       Fishing gear: tackle&rod 10gp

the rest of the prize money gets divided up so they can buy brooches that keep your hair looking nice and spells that let you locate fish at their leisure.

And that’s all for this session of the Thylead!

 @aporeticelenchus​  @leomundstinyblog​ @m-siecle​ @pioup-pioup​ @guineamaina​ @somuchbetterthanthat​

[badassindistress]

The Thylead (Session 23)

We, in the temple built for unknown Gods,

Beat those who by their words would not be bound

Thalestris, home again against all odds

As High Priestess witnessed the new Queen crowned.

Thalestris shouts to Daran that the false Queen is there and she should do as she judges best. Everyone gets the chance to look away from the Medusa Queen, except Iliana, to whom bad things happen.

Phryné trances and foretells two good events. Faux Makhaila goes into some sort of a rage. She tries to hurt Cleophe but Cleophe strugs everything off, including the Medusa’s glare. {verse 54} The Medusa attacks her with her hairsnakes. Iliana shrugs off the petrification, just like Phryné foretold, and burning hands the imposters. Mania tries to hit the fake Queen with her staff with her eyes closed and fails. The snakehair poisons her.

Cleophe’s spirit guardians hit Fake Makaila so hard she explodes. Nobody knows why. Sadly she takes Basil with her in the flying shrapnel. She seems to have been made of metal. Azelma holds up a handmirror in front of her face to try and reflect the Queen’s gaze.

Azelma hits the wall with her eyes closed. The Medusa slashes her claws at Mania, grapples her and tries to use her snake eyes to make Mania look at her. She uses all her power to make Mania look at her, but as Phryné foretold, Mania withstands her gaze. Mania tells her she has no right to this throne or this island and tries to curse her, but the medusa laughs it off, intimately familiar with curses.

Daran leaps forward with a war cry and slashes at the medusa. She looks her straight in the eye and doesn’t flinch. It makes the medusa let go of Mania. {Verse 55} She gets attacked for it, gets slashed at and poisoned and passes out in the fake Queen’s eyes. The medusa stabs her again. Phryné foretells her own success as she runs to Daran with wide open eyes to cure her.

Iliana burning hands the Queen again, who still has a hold of Daran. The medusa tries to shove her way out. Thalestris runs after her. Thalestris nearly kills her. Phryné runs up close and knocks her out with the hilt of her dagger. Thalestris and Azelma immediately tie her up, Thalestris heals Daran. Thalestris picks up the fake Queen’s silver helmet it disintegrates in her hands. Thalestris remembers the room as the inner altar of the temple. There’s a statue of Lutheria that Thalestris feels a strange urge to touch (not a compulsion).

Iliana takes the makaila-bot’s faceplate and sees that this is very good magical craftsmanship, a robot body with illusion magic bolstering it. It’s probably tied to the Fake Queen’s illusion magic. Phryné gives the medusa a sedative to keep her down. They clean up the room, stashing the other bodies in the bedroom.

Thalestris does not want them to mess around with the altar room. She asks Daran if she feels anything when she looks at the statue. Daran says it’s unsettling. Mania didn’t feel the need to touch it either. It’s a white marble statue of Lutheria with her scythe and onyx eyes. Phryné throws her bones to ask if Daran should say her secret royal words in the room. The bones say it would be good.

Daran thanks Phryné for rescuing her and asks her and Thalestris to come witness with her. Mania helps Daran clean up and they go upwards to find the guard amazons. The guards immediately salute the princess. Thalestris tells them they’re required downstairs In the temple. Mania tells them they’ve uncovered a traitor.

Daran kneels in front of the altar and starts chanting. Power builds up in the room and the statue begins to shake and cracks appear in it. It turns to dust. Thalestris passes out. She has a vision of a glowing golden sphere. As she looks at it, she begins to see holes on it, places that look corrupted and dark and strange on the surface. Her vision zooms out and she seems strange eldritch creatures poking and prodding at the sphere. She sees Thylea inside the sphere, suddenly she sees Lutheria, a glowing golden light from her fingertips, hands up, with a madness of staring too long into the void in her eyes. Thalestris wakes up and continues kneeling. Daran stands up and says “the Gods have recognised me as Queen of Themis. Do you witness?” The two amazons witness and acknowledge her as their Queen. IN the statue rubble is a leather choker with three rings hanging from it. She hands it to Thalestris, it was the old priestess’. Daran explains the evil Queen plot to the amazons, how her Queen-mother made the traitors swear an oath to keep her alive.

(Everyone gets 1 point of honour! Phryné and Thalestris 2 as the witnesses) Daran and her new Amazon bodyguards go and free Astarte and Osima. Cleophe gives them her sword back. They go to put the Medusa in the prison cell. The lizard folk ask if this is a good time to get freed. Mania tells them they should tell their Queen that the Chosen Ones are going to save Thylea and that she’d do well to join their cause. They want to save their smith and they ask them

Thalestris tells Daran about her vision. Daran tells her that there hasn’t been a priestess that had been able to have true vision in such a long time. Thalestris is getting quite flustered. They bond about having to train in solitude and not talking to people. Thalestris tries to give the necklace back to Daran because she won’t be able to go back to the island. Daran says that’s all the more reason to be protected, to win, to be strong. Thalestris says she’ll be strong for her, the island. Thalestris says she has to go again, because the others don’t know much about the things outside this world. Daran agrees those things are not spoken of in the outside world. Lutheria is a guardian of sorts, according to the stories Daran’s mother told her. Daran doesn’t know what would happen if things changed. Thalestris says there must have been a reason Lutheria sent her followers to take over the islands. One of the first things she did was force her followers to feed Titan’s Bane to the Hydra, she didn’t want anyone to use it. Daran promises Thalestris that when she comes back she’ll be stronger, she’ll be a worthy Queen. Thalestris promises to be a stronger priestess. As an afterthought Thalestris asks what Makaila’s symbols on her armour mean. She’s the first one who doesn’t snicker. She says it’s probably a prank and nobody was allowed to prank her. She doesn’t know what it means.

It’s a necklace for druids with spaces for three animal parts. It gives her an extra cool wildshape. She tries to get one of the other amazons to explain makaila’s symbol means. They laugh a little bit, but don’t explain. Iliana dutifully does her homework and takes notes on the medusa. She takes out the little robot, which is beeping and still trying to march. Thalestris spots it and asks what it is.

Thalestris says they should throw it in the ocean. Mania asks why. Thalestris explains her vision, that she thinks that Lutheria is messing around with extra-planar beings. Mania says that can’t be, because Kentimane protects the entirety of Thylea from the outside world. Thalestris thinks the robot is connected to Lutheria. Cleophe says the same effect happened with her family. Thalestris explains that like the underworld is part of our world, but also not. There’s lots of other worlds. Azelma asks about a kind of plane with horrible shadow creatures. Thalestris says there is, Azelma says she saw that as a kid once.

Thalestris asks if they want her to travel with them again, they all say of course, don’t you want to travel with us. Iliana wants to see what makes the robot tick. Thalestris explains they sacrifice to all the gods of all the planes to keep them happy. They don’t actually know the specific gods, it’s just that they’re there so to be safe they sacrifice.

Iliana sees the robot is a construct, infinitely self-powering with some kind of mechanism to change its shape. Thalestris shares that the titan’s blade is inside the hydra. The hydra’s intestinal fluids would damage a person.

(Having the Titan’s Blade might help Daran convince people, it’s the Queen’s weapon. The lizardfolk say Fire Island is under the constellation of the prisoner.)

Mania kneels down with the staff to get a feeling from Kentimane, to see if he’s alright. She gets a feeling of overwhelming tiredness. Then she gets a vision. She sees herself on the lip of a caldera of a volcano and sees herself falling in and massive hands forming from down below and grabbing at her. Mania comes out of her trance weeping. Phryne comes over to hug her and wipe her tears with her veil.

Thalestris says that she couldn’t tell if Lutheria was helping or harming. Mania agrees the prophecy doesn’t say that the twin titans need to be killed.

Cleophe, feeling lost, checks on her egg. She hears a little tapping side, coming from inside. After a minute, there’s a little crack and a tiny dragon crawls out. She recognises Cleophe and nuzzles into her. “There you are again” Cleophe says, as the catsized dragon shakes out her wings. Cleophe Bonds with her and both start to glow as she recites her Oath. Iris is a little silver dragon now. Mania gives Cleophe the bracelet she got her and spends a long time babytalking at Iris and scratching her little chin.

And that’s the end of this session of the Thylead…

@aporeticelenchus  @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @somuchbetterthanthat @abubblingcandle

[leomundstinyblog]

in which: the keys strike again, Cleophē is fun at parties, we meet a cyclops, Phryné attempts to hold a conversation, TEAM FIRE, and combat at the zoo

[leomundstinyblog]

we're back! featuring: azelma taking thalestris shopping, iliana greeting a new ally (with fire), phryne... doing as she says, azelma's grandma, mania receiving a note, and NEW BEST FRIENDS FOR LIFE (and Mouse)

[leomundstinyblog]

in which: Mania gets her harp, we meet Thalestris (who bonks a manticore to death), Iliana is confident, Phryné loves her magic sheep, Thalestris has a thing for bears, and Azelma has a GIANT SWORD

[badassindistress]

The Thylead (Session 18)

The Chosen were victors, rich and renowned

Divine blood flows through them, more than they could know

Crystallised happiness dashed to the ground

Knowing from where Azelma’s blood did flow

The Chosen Ones celebrate their victory with a shopping trip. Thalestris is overwhelmed by her share of the money, Azelma offers to take her shopping. Mania and Phryné tag along, with wildly different levels of enthusiasm.

Mania buys a wand of pyrotechnics for Iliana (50gp) and a dragon bracelet for Cleophe (10gp) and a breastplate for 250gp

Phryne buys a cirlet with a revivify level diamond for Iliana, a diamond to spare and some street food

Iliana buys 2 potions of lightning resistance (150gp each?) spell scrolls for Rope Trick (75gp) and Web (100gp), Detect Fish (50gp) and an alchemy kit

Cleophe buys  ingredients for 3 health potions and good armour (900gp) sells her old one for 200 gold

Azelma buys nice fabric for herself and Thalestris (25gp each) and a Cloak of Protection

Iliana is cramming spells into her head and Cleophe gets a start on potion making. Thalestris goes to find Makaila to ask her advice what armour or weapons she should buy to still look like an Amazon. Makaila says the druids have always done their own thing, but carves something on her staff. Thalestris asks what she could do to help with the island. Makaila says she can’t be the one to help yet, she’s sworn to do her duty in Mytros until the oath of peace is up. Makaila offers to help her buy clothes in her break and shows her to wear the chlamys properly and buys her some pants. (20gp). Thalestris buys studded armour(45 gp) Makaila gives it another traditional amazon symbol.

Azelma asks Phryné to come with her to the temple of Lutheria. Sydon’s temple is high up with the Nekropolis, but Lutheria’s is tucked away. Lutheria’s priests come from a wine family, so the giving out free wine is a bit of double advertisement. They both disapprove of trying to buy people’s faith with stale pastries. The Tiefling Chaundrus is reading a book outside. Azelma’s Grandmother whispers to her that he must be in trouble if he’s here. The Lady never liked this city, no one she liked is stationed there. Azelma tells her the necklace tells her that. Phryne thinks it’s a connection to Lutheria, Azelma corrects her that it’s her grandmother in the locket. Phryné greets her politely and Azelma hears Alyssa chuckle. Phryné asks if Lutheria isn’t her grandmother, just in case. Azelma gets a bit defensive, but can honestly deny it. They get Chaundrus’ attention. Azelma says they’re here to pay their respects. Phryné just bluntly says they’re here to see what the temple is like and what they do here. Chaundrus is preparing to leave soon, he was only here to advise the king in a difficult time. He’s the librarian of the island of Yonder.

Chaundrus says he heard they are going on their journey. He says Lutheria isn’t the Goddess of Death, but more of crossing. He prays to her for every journey. He pulls out a clean silver dagger and asks if they would like to leave a prayer. Phryné just calls it interesting and says that’s not how she does it. Azelma adds they’ll do it the Phryné way. Chaundrus notices her locket, but he doesn’t say anything. Alyssa never spent any time here. “the lady is a bit like a dragon, she likes to keep her precious things near her, at least until she grows bored with them”.

They take their leave and Chaundrus says he’ll pray for them and cuts a big gash in his arm and presses the blood on Azelma’s arm. Phryné swats him away. The blood is absorbing on her, Azelma tries to wipe it off but there’s not enough left to collect. Phryné identifies what just happened, but she does not sense and spells affecting her at this moment. Sadly, curses are not necessarily spells. She tries praying to her dad. Nothing happens.

Azelma asks her grandmother, Alyssa says she thinks he Blessed her. She’s no even more convinced he’s out of somebody’s favour, he’s a powerful priest. She doesn’t say it was good, just a blessing. But the blood in her body he can use to scry on her, but she would be able to sense if Azelma was cursed.

Thalestris asks Iliana to Detect Magic on the carvings Makaila did on her armour. Iliana looks up from her study blanket nest. There is no magic on the armour. Thalestris thinks Makaila was messing with her.

As they gather at the Palace an unknown stimfay with a letter attached

“sorry for leaving, I know it was … rude, I found this for you, I think you need it – Kallistrate”

The package contains a strange clockwork device, it must be the Antikythera.

At the Palace there’s a message and parcel for Iliana. Alcmene sent her a journal and quill and strict instructions to take notes on flora and fauna and submit it for credit (this will give the whole party XP)

Azelma explains what happened with the Priest when she mentions the locket Alyssa’s shadowy figure appears before them. Phryné offers her a chair. Iliana and Thalestris ask if she has something to do with the temple. She says she really couldn’t say. Thalestris sees she’s not lying, but she’s holding something back.

Mania thinks she left the Underworld, it’s more like she never went. Lutheria doesn’t live in the underworld.

“She travels on t eh barge of dreams on the forgotten sea” Azelma says the Barge sounds awesome, Thalestris is upset and turns into a moth. Cleophe can see there’s a faint shimmer of holy something around Azelma. Phryne asks her if she wants to talk to Vallus. Alyssa says they met a few times before but she’s sure Vallus would not remember her. Azelma is getting paler and paler. Iliana is glaring at all the others. Moth Thalestris lands on Iliana’s shoulder. Cleophe asks if that was how she knew to find the shield. They are trying to get her to share.  “My grandmother was the high priestess of Lutheria and I think she had some sort of history with Sydon. I didn’t know until I got the locket. I didn’t want you to be mad, I’ve always disliked them.” Cleophe “Why did you lie then’ Azelma ’you all hate them I can’t just say my family was cool with the Titans’.

Cleophe pulls out the Not Angry, Just Worried. Iliana says her guidance has come from Lutheria

Alyssa ”if it’s any consolation, both of them would destroy me on sight”

“well I stole from them”

Phryne says she’s very angry with her and gives her a hug.

Azelma ”you said you were trying to get their powers didn’t you” Alyssa smiles “as much as I could, I got some, learned some interesting things along the way. She’s flickering.

M: how did you manage to trick lutherie and sydon and could we do the same.

She spent a long time getting lutheria’s trust. Sydon’s easy. He’s not the smart one. The problem with Sydon is that Lutheria tells him what to do and mostly he listens.

When you can really get him excited about something, or when he’s in a bad mood or when you make sure she doesn’t hear about it before he acts you can get him without Lutheria

Vallus spots Alyssa and her palms start to glow with holy power. Alyssa curtsies.

Vallus asks “where is it”. Alyssa says “I couldn’t move the skull, but the egg is on Hagia’s Curse. Gesture of good faith, we’re all on the same side this time I think”.

Mania says it’s Azelma’s grandmother, Cleophe mentions the Blessing. Vallus says she has a stronger connection to the dead right now, or rather a movement between boundaries. She doesn’t know how long it will last. Vallus could try to remove it, but it will probably naturally remove from her system with time. Vallus terms Non-Detection on her (for 8 hours). Azelma thanks her.

Vallus says this has been quite useful, they know the location of another dragon egg now and Balmytria’s skull was whole the last time.

Alyssa says their goals are the same, she doesn’t want to restore Sydon or Lutheria. She calls Azelma a promising little child, sorry, young woman. Iliana asks her what she wants. A body to return to the world, safety, what everyone wants. This does not convince Iliana. Corporality and a nice long old age would be nice. She’s willing to help if they’re gonna trick Lutheria into a game.  She’s visible now probably because of the Blessing. She fades away.

Azelma offers to leave the locket with Vallus, Vallus declines. Vallus says they were at crossed interests but she’d prefer not to have her as an opponent. Vallus knew stories that Sydon fathered a child with her against Lutheria’s wishes and that she stole certain magics and important things from Lutheria’s temple. Lutheria has favourites she keeps close and when she finds new favourites the old ones are told to leave, she can’t imagine Alyssa took that well. Vallus doesn’t think being around her will be a danger for Iliana, Vallus says the real question is if harming Iliana might get Alyssa back in Lutheria’s graces and if she wants that. Azelma says she’d throw the locket in the sea before that happens.

Azelma says they can take Lutheria’s powers away from Alyssa. Thalestris is getting more and more upset. The revolution was the followers of Lutheria, they murdered half the island and forced Thalestris to live in the woods for 13 years.

The argue about wielding divine power and in whose hands it might be safe. Alyssa’s stolen powers might even disappear with her. It gets a little heated, Azelma repeats she promised Iliana will never be hurt again, Thalestris needs a promise to be against Lutheria, Cleophe is concerned with honesty.

Mania doesn’t want to see her favourites fighting and prays to Thylea for insight into Alyssa’s trustworthiness. Phryné throws her augury bones and asks what bringing the locket with them right now will bring. Phryné feels something a little different with Mania praying next to her and the bones come up weal. Mania and Phryné feel optimistic about it. Iliana walks out. Thalestris goes to follow. Phryné runs after her and gives her the circlet with the diamond. Iliana smiles weakly and thanks her. Phryné asks if she’s okay, Iliana says probably not. It’s been a hard few days. Iliana says for someone to be that high up and one of Lutheria’s favourites, that’s not a good person. Thalestris says she has not family because of Lutheria. Phryné tries to explain the difference between trusting Lutheria’s priestess and accepting their counsel.

Thalestris only wants allies they trust, who they know will do the right thing. Phryné says they won’t allow her enough agency to not do the right thing. Iliana and Phryné go back and forth, decide to talk philosophy later and that Phryne will have faith for both of them.

They’ll get the next item from Volkan tomorrow. The next one will probably take a week.

And that’s all for this session of the Thylead!

 @aporeticelenchus  @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @guineamaina @somuchbetterthanthat

[badassindistress]

The Thylead (Session 21)

Lovely Themis, full of splendours unseen

Where men come to die in a stone cold gaze

An island which, unknowing, has lost its Queen

And snake-skinned imposters worship dark ways.

Mania knocks out the Amazon instead of killing her because Thalestris asked to keep everyone alive. Iliana uses Basil’s echolocation to look at the Basilisks without seeing them. She casts Web on it, so it is blinded, being attacked by tiny spiritual dragons and stuck in a web. Sadly it breaks out of both. Phryne nat 20 on saving throw against basilisk petrification. {Verse 52}She kills a Basilisk with a crossbowbolt through the throat. The remaining Amazon tries to run to alert others and runs into Azelma. Cleophe runs through the web to help her. Thalestris summons a Fog Cloud and drags Iliana to safety behind a corner. Mania kills another Basilisk but starts to turn to stone anyway. The basilisks bites as her as she’s slowly petrifying.

The amazon gets downed by the spiritual dragons. Mania breaks through the petrification just in time. Iliana picks her friends to be immune to her fireballs and blasts fire through the corridor she can only see through Basil’s eyes. It toasts two basilisks at once. The web lights on fire and the fight is over.

They drag the amazons to one room, one starts to wake up and Iliana prestidigitates some smelling salts to wake up the other. She tries to spit on Phryné. Thalestris tries to talk to her, explaining that the island is being lied to and that the queen and the princess are not who she thinks they are. Iliana joins in to explain that they’re not here to hurt anyone. The Second Amazon says pointedly that they’re not traitors, Azelma says they are because they’re serving the wrong Queen.

They try to explain the Queen is an impostor. Mania says everyone closest to the Queen is gone, and names the Queen’s and Princess’ Guards. They say Makaila is here on the island, Mania says she’s absolutely not, she’s been making out with her on the mainland. They think it might be another Makaila. Excruciating detail on Makaila’s attractive appearance did not convince them.

Phryné asks why they’re worshipping Lutheria. Astarte says Lutheria has never been an enemy to Themis and sometimes an ally. They respect all the gods, Sydon and Lutheria were the original gods.

Lutheria wass the only one who stopped Sydon from wiping all of themis away. They ask her to explain and she says that when the seabrought first came to Thylea, Sydon thought them a nuisance. Lutheria thought they could be of some use and convinced her brother to stay his hand, she found them amazing, charming even. The wars 500 years ago were what happened when Lutheria changed her mind. Azelma asks why she changed her mind, she gets told she’d have to ask someone more educated. They asks why she’d think they’d lie and get told Themis is a bountiful island, a good strategic position to overrun the other islands.

Mania tries to explain that Sydon’s literal daughter sent them to stop Lutheria and Sydon because they will doom Thylea. They think the Oracle is an oathbreaker too, but a little bit might be coming through. They’re still not convinced though. They don’t fight back when they get searched and get put in the cages. The party get their keys.

Phryne says it’s such a pity that they are so brave warriors and their respect for their queen does them honour, but it’s going to be so sad when they find out that they are wrong. She gets a tiny nod in return, like they’ll see. They short rest.

Mania and Azelma confer about Hydras. Hydra are monstrosities, they have variable numbers of heads. If you cut off a head it will keep regrowing new ones. Standard hydra’s you can try to use fire to keep it regrowing, might not work on some hydra. Average number is 5, but no guarantee. Once a hydras number of heads gets to 15 it starts to actually inconvenience it.. they never truly sleep because one of the heads is always awake. It can also hold its breath for a very long time.

Thalestris tries one more time, asking if they know what happened to the high priestess. She died many years ago, not sure how, that was none of Astarte’s business, doesn’t know how either, dangerous job, things go wrong. Thalestris asks about all the other priestesses of the old faith. She thinks for a while and says she assumed that they all just became the new priestesses of Lutheria. Thalestris says they didn’t, but she guesses they’ll see that (and puts the gag back in). (the other amazon is called Zosima). Phryné gently knocks them out, confident that they will be out for a while.

Thalestris casts Pass without Trace and Basil scouts on ahead super stealthily. He sees a door and a stairway and more holes in the wall. There’s definitely a hydra and a pool behind it. Thalestris spots that it has 10 heads. Azelma casts Darkness around them and they hold hands to manoeuvre.

When they step onto the corridor, three portcullis doors slam shut.

And that’s the end of this session of the Thylead…

@aporeticelenchus  @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @somuchbetterthanthat @guineamaina

[badassindistress]

Thylead Session 20

Under shining stars we sailed through the sea

We landed at Themis before darkest dawn

Walked through a forest made of stone, not tree

Into dead stone’s cold embrace we were drawn

Bullbug tells them the Island is spotted on the southern horizon. They decide to wait till night-time for sneaking purposes. While they wait, Mania approaches Thalestris to ask for some moral guidance. Mania has realised she’s not reacting right to the whole Amazon situation and wants Thalestris to tell her what the right things to feel and do are. Thalestris asks for any context at all and Mania explains badly that she has trouble reconciling her past feelings towards Amazons (either the best person ever or mean to her) with the current situation. Thalestris tries to explain nuance in emotion by comparing Mania to the things people say about nymphs, which doesn’t really clarify anything for Mania. She just wants Thalestris to tell her what to do. Thalestris says she can’t tell her how to feel, which Mania doesn’t understand. Mania tries to explain some more of her feelings. She wants Thalestris to be able to go back to her island because she sympathises with people not being able to go back to where they came from. She explains she can never go back to the stars until she dies, Thalestris shouldn’t have to die to go back home. Thalestris starts out with people attacking our friends are probably bad, not every amazon is automatically bad. Mania happily agrees that she could just kill anyone trying to hurt her favourites. But since this also doesn’t seem like the good solution, Thalestris is an Amazon and noble and moral so she should be able to tell Mania what the noble and moral thing to do is. Thalestris starts stammering a bit, unsure of how to answer. Mania doesn’t mind, since in her mind the question of what she should do is resolved. Thalestris wants to help her people and Mania wants to help her help her people. Thalestris is pretty sure she did not actually answer the question. Mania is content now moral issues will be handled by someone else again and tells Thalestris she’s very happy she’s here, it will be a much more balanced story this way. Thalestris isn’t sure she needs to be in a story, which Mania thinks is nonsense. "You can't be on the big boat with the chosen ones and not be in the story!" Mania starts improvising poetic epithets for Thalestris.

Cleophe makes another healthpotion, Phryne gives Iliana some tea and biscuits, Iliana Detects some Sharks.

They take the tender and make their way into the eastern bay of the island. The island is mostly grassy, with only a few trees. They find their way to a forest of statues of sailors and adventurers, all men. When they walk through, one of them grabs at Thalestris. Phryné goes into a trance and sees that someone will do extraordinarily well and someone will do very poorly. Azelma tries to pull Thalestris out but fails. A statue goes to slam into Iliana, Phryné’s portent makes it fail.

Cleophe hits it with a strong blow of her makaila, but it glances off until she smites it. Iliana Shatters two statues, chipping them. (Cleophe Nat 20 on a magical javelin attack on the statue). Mania shows the statues how it’s done by grasphing them in a great stone hand. Cleophe keeps intercepting blows (Iliana Grasping Hands it’s arm off with a Crit). Azelma acid splashes the one in Mania’s stone grasp to death, melting it’s head.

Mania walks to the spiral staircase and hears general signs of life downstairs. After a while, the broken statue starts moving again, but with a melted head it is blinded and deafened. Cleophe runs past it down the stairs. Thalestris outpaces her and as they all go running down the stairs she spots two amazons. She says hello and gets asked her business, replying that she only just returned. She got asked what she’s doing in the lady’s temple, “you should be back in the mainland, preparing for the war games”. They do not seem to trust her and ask her what’s she’s doing her. She explains she grew up on the mainland, they think that doesn’t make her much of an Amazon. The only amazons who leave are the ones who don’t belong there. (Phryné portents a good honour role). The nicer one says she has a little bit of a chance. This is the holiest site, the Queen is here, praying to the Gods. All the time, that is her role as Queen. She only comes out sometimes. The Princess is overseeing the War Games, Thalestris will have to join one of the camps. They want to know if she knows Amazon fighting styles at least. She asks how to join the camps, the nicer one says she can say she talked to Astarte. Thalestris asks to pray. She’s not allowed in the inner temple, no one is allowed there. Thalestris kneels down and casts Pass Without Trace. Little shadows start to grow out of where she kneels and prays. Mania casts Crown of Madness on the Angry Amazon, who goes into a rage and attacks the other amazon. Astarte spits at Thalestris and calls her a witch.

Azelma goes invisible and tries to crawl/sneak past them. The Crowned Amazon attacks Astarte and Thalestris ostentatiously cures herself and wildshapes into a panther. Iliana goes to sit down in the corner and sends Basil flying past to shocking grasp Astarte. The confused Amazon runs through the door and nearly trips over Azelma. She runs into the other room and starts opening cages to release Basilisks.

Cleophe summons Spirit Guardians and her dragon tattoos start to glow. She gets the basilisk in the face with her eyes closed with Phryné’s portent. Phryné blinds the healthier basilisk. Azelma sends her shadow down the stairs to scout. She sees tunnels, holes in the wall and a snakelike creature in a cave. It looks like there’s one creature with many heads, a hydra.  The holes in the wall are hydra-head sized. She also finds a door at the end of the corridor. (there’s 4 basilisks in the room)

The Amazon slashes at Thalestris until she turns back into a human.

And that’s all for this session of the Thylead!

@aporeticelenchus  @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup @guineamaina @somuchbetterthanthat

[badassindistress]

The Thylead (Session 13)

Let prophecies and games not cloud our minds

I will oft repeat it, lest we forget

No matter who is to tempest inclined

We agree human sacrifice is bad

Volkan and Kallistrate fix Deianeira up so that she can shed light. The leave the axe and shield with him, but Phryne wears the breastplate. Mania buys some fine scissors and Cleophe some potion ingredients. Kyrah accompanies them to Mytros and they pick up Karina and her satyr friend Loreus because she wants to participate in the Games.

On the road they run into a group of bandits lying in wait, one of them is a cyclops. Kallis spots them early enough they can all sneak around them. They sleep on the road just before the storms on the horizon. The city is being buffeted by storms rainds and heavy winds. When they come in they see a massive red eye scanning the horizon, looking straight at them. Azelma tries to make herself more impressive but it’s hard in the torrential rain. Azelma gives Karina directions and agree to meet Kyrah later. She thinks Acastus is a stick in the mud so it’s better to meet him without her.

They get escorted to the palace and find the king on his throne, his advisors one level below him, a tiefling a regal woman and a finely dressed young woman. He welcomes as the heroes of the heartlands but also tries to make chosen ones believe that the people of Mytros blame them and the prophecy for Sydon’s tempest tantrum. His advisors have varied ideas:

Bella, the pretty woman, advises a very good sacrifice.

Chaundrus, the tiefling priest of Lutheria advises that the only way to get on Sydon’s good side is through the Lady of Dreams and she wants new worshippers, new acolytes.

Vallus, the regal woman, proposes the party have dinner with her later because her family might be able to work a miracle.

Azelma brings up Estoria’s sacrifice, no one seems to want a human sacrifice but they don’t completely and vehemently rule it out either. Kallis brings up the harp plan but Acastus doesn’t seem impressed by the fact that they still have to steal it from the wind. The Great Games are delayed. They agree to consider the situation and meet again later. On the way out they get stopped by an Amazon, who’s very surprised to see Kallis. Iliana asks Kallis if she wants to be invisible but it’s a little too late for that. The Amazon is named Makaila and she’s Lady Vallus’ steward. She tells them Vallus want to see them so they follow. Vallus wanted to talk without the advisors present. Gaius lives at Sydon’s temple and has the ear of the king. Azelma asks if she does not also have sway with the king. Vallus says her marriage was a political marriage. The Five Gods minus Mytros could work a miracle to calm the storms, but it would weaken them for a time, they couldn’t do it again soon and would leave them less powerful and more easily drained. But the powers of the 4 combined are moe than sydon’s they could dispatch the storms. The harp could do the same, played once a day it disperses storms. Boreas is as likely to destroy something as to let it go.  Vallus says the city could withstand the storm for ten days more possibly, but the people are restless. Azelma knows the unrest has been building for years. Lutheria is quite popular here for the free wine and bbq they hand out. The thieves guild has changed its activities too, it’s very effective as if it’s under new leadership. Enemies of the guilds end up paralysed, just like people guilty of minotaur enslavement.

Iliana asks about ghostboars and Vallus says they can go incorporeal, connected to the ethereal plane and are led by elders. Ghostboars can be a conduit between plains, there’s stories of people dying in the woods and then boars talking in dead people’s voices. They agree to go out and hunt for one.

Kallis catches Makaila’s eye after the meeting. Makaila tells her she should dye her hair and tells her that the whole getup is nice but she obviously doesn’t know much about amazons because there are no redhead amazons anymore. Kallis asks about the state of the island. Makaila deems Kallis honourable enough to tell her that she’s not been on Themis for 10 years because of politics. Kallis apologises for prying, but Makaila says that Lady Vallus trust in them is enough to make her believe they’re something at least and wishes them good luck. Kallis says she won’t ask her to trust them until they’ve given her something to trust, which pleases Makaila. She asks Kallis what she knows of Themis, Kallis says she’s not been there in a long time either. She asks if the name Moxanna/Moxandra?? means anything to Kallis, it doesn’t. They agree to speak later.

The party find Kyrah at the bathhouse telling stories. She tells them the Kolossus is a mechanical robot, that two kollosi fought a Kraken once, but the other got destroyed. The thieves guild may hide out there now. 50 years ago the group that used it as a hideout all got poisoned.

They go on a boar-hunt. Kallis finds the boar-tracks pretty fast and spots a group of boars early enough they can get Iliana safely in a tree and get into position.  Kyrah immediately fries one of the big ones with lightning. Kallis is a bit shook and drops her chakram. Iliana casts Haste on Cleophe. 3 more boars appear and Phryne gets gored by the huge one badly enough she has to be healed and hide behind Kallis. Kyrah takes another out with throwing daggers. Azelma throws a beautiful fireball and gets charged by the big one, knocking her unconscious where not even Strength of the Grave can help her. Phryne gets her on her feet again and Kyrah takes out a small boar while Kallis kills the big boar. Cleophe kills the last one in three hastened blows. With Kyrah’s bardic help Kallis gets a nice good section of skin and 2 tusks which she gives to Cleophe. Iliana cleans the skin and Kyrah gives Mania an unbelievably amazing haircut. Kyrah disappears with the hair and the skin carefully tucked away and says Volkan will probably send a drone with the finished harp.

Iliana praised Kallis for her ghost-tracking skills which she believes she has. She then asks Azelma to get her gang of thieves urchins on finding the thieves’ guilt. Azelma confesses she has no gang or people whatsoever.

They go to the harbour and the Kolossus. Kallis finds both the service entrance in one leg and a secret entrance in another. She pops into the secret entrance and asks the guard the lady of coins wants to speak to her because she’s Thesilea’s daughter. The guard says he’ll send a message if she gets out.

Iliana finds a magical inscription she can’t make out in the other door. Azelma speaks to Cleophe about where she used to live in the noble’s district. In her head, Kallis hears a message that’s there too many of them. Phryne goes to sit and stare at the sea alone, Mania and Iliana go rediscover their old stomping grounds at the Academy and Azelma spots people in hoods and goes to find some thief friends.

Cleophe and Kallis get told the lady will have an audience with them and their weapons get taken and they’re escorted to the head. The engineering is familiar to Kallis, it’s like Amazonian engineering. Upstairs there is a woman in a cloak that covers her face with snakes writhing. She asks what Thesilea’s daughter wants. The Lady of Coins was an Amazon and thinks Kallis is posing as a daughter of the later Queen to summon an army. Kallis assures her she wants nothing of the sort and the Lady deems her honourable enough that that is perhaps the truths. 13 years ago there was a coup the lady and her sisters took control and the regent’s daughter got detained in prison. They swore an oath, which has become inconvenient. They thought they could take the power and they were right but it ended poorly. Her sister is ruling the island. The lady’s heart wasn’t really in it, but she intends to kill her sister one of these days. She’s hoping Daren, the regent’s daughter, is still alive, she decidedly does not want to be Queen herself. Makaila was a supporter of the old regent so her execution was ordered which is basically the same as exile.

The lady thinks Kallis and Cleophe were sent by someone, possible the nobles to deal with her and they can’t fully convince her otherwise, she’s heard interesting rumours about them all. She tells Kallis that the whole monarchy angle makes for a good story and that this might be a good moment to convince people the Queens are back. Kallis explains she entirely agrees tis the last thing anyone needs right now, she doesn’t know how to prove what she is but she’s not pretending to be anyone she’s not. The lady agrees she does have the bearing of an Amazon and all the out of date details. Kallis says it’s all the better if people in this city don’t believe who she is and they agree to speak again.

In the Academy, Iliana and Mania hit the library. Iliana looks at Arkelander biographies, finds mostly Telemok and some Estor. There’s stories of Ultros sightings, the image of ghosts fighting each other, almost all happened near the Dead Falls, but no clearer pattern. It’s not quite enough information to find it. There’s also a story about Estor and Arkania which claims it ends in a breaking of the oath. Mania looks through religious texts and can’t find anything about Narsus, she’d need more time. But she does find reference to a sungod that’s strange. There’s not much info. She does find some good General Kallistrate stories.

Azelma goes to the Angora and recognises a pickpocket, Laios, who’s had bad business lately and keeps on being denied a guild membership. She asks after Cleophe’s neigbourhood, but he doesn’t believe no one remembers because in this city everything gets remembered by someone. Azelma gives him a gold to keep on ear out for curses that stop remembering. He’s impressed and thinks she pulled a big heist in Estoria. Azelma asks him about the new heroes and he says it’s a nice story but it doesn’t seem like it’s ging anywhere. He likes the Lutheria temple for the free food, but there’s weird chanting from the basement and the two priest are creepy. He thinks Gaius is cool. The agree to meet up again in a few days.

And that’s all for this session of the Thylead!

 @aporeticelenchus  @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @guineamaina @somuchbetterthanthat

[leomundstinyblog]

in which: there was so much combat i couldn't draw much, thalestris almost loses her temper, azelma still isn't a child, iliana wakes the unconscious, phryné tries a literal hail mary, mania starts to turn to stone, and iliana has things under control

[badassindistress]

The Thylead Session 16

Kallista’s tree recovered, haunted still

Kallistrate gone to duties unknown

Brave feats we performed at Vallus’ will

Yet the praise fell for the one on the throne

In the morning, there’s an opening in the cavern, letting through sunshine. Kallis yells at Estor to come sail the boat and suddenly she goes rigid and starts walking towards the stern and navigates their way to the opening expertly. Cleophē calls up a gust of wind to get them moving. Then Cleophē Levitates the sail to lighten the ship so they can go a little faster. They go towards Mytros, they don’t see any storms on the horizon. People cluster around the harbour, a massive silver dragon swoops through the sky and King Acastus swoops through the sky, magical harp in hand. Everyone follows him. One person is left behind, waving excitedly at them. Mid-twenties, looks like she spent every single second out in the sun, golden brown hair, golden brown skin, wearing trousers, amazon-like haircut. She’s a druid and she has a letter for Kallistrate.

They dock the boat and Kallis gets a moment of control back. She confers with the druid Thalestris for a moment, accepts the letter and tells the others she needs to see Moxena and leave for a while. She made some promises she has to keep. She leaves.

They agree to go see Vallus and Kyrah and the king. Iliana notices Thalestris tagging along and remarks on the high numbers of Amazons around here. Thalestris has been in the Old Woods for 13 years, after the rebellion. Makaila sent her to come back to the docks.

Azelma asks her if she was part of the rebellion. The rebellion was the reason she´s been in the Old Woods for 13 years. She tags along to the palace, Iliana warns her they´re gonna argue with the King. Acastus dragon seems to be adult dragon size, they take about a century to mature. It doesn’t show up on Divine Senses, so probably not undead. Cleophē hasn’t seen this dragon before, it’s definitely not a baby but it moves a bit childish, could be a teen. Mania doesn’t see something instantly magical, but takes private notes to consider it later. Vallus is not on the dragon like Acastus is while speaking to the crowd. He hails them as friends, harp in hand. Mania mentions her harp and the sacrifice of her hair to the crowd and he says he used it only to not prolong his city’s suffering. Mania praises his and Vallus’ leadership and asks her harp back. The moment she gets it,l it glows with her, Iliana providing dramatic wind effects. Acastus invites them to be his personal guests at the Great Games, the trials of which will be starting today now the storms have stopped.

They lag behind the crowd to speak to Vallus privately. She apologises that General Kallistrate’s skills are urgently needed elsewhere and asks them to allow Thelastris to join them. If she’s any trouble they are to let Makaila know. Thelastris is an apprentice of the old druidic tradition of Themis, it is important not to lose them. They agree to try and not let her die. Vallus knew Thelastris’ mentor and vouches for her at least, she was a woman of great wisdom.

Vallus gives Iliana an amulet inherently attuned to her (Const+2 and crit hits while unconscious only count as 1 fail) Volkan sent it with the hope that it will keep Iliana from dying. Phrynè asks Vallus about Azelma’s rapid aging. Vallus sees it’s not good magic and being hit with a similar curse might make the effects worse. Vallus can fix it, so Azelma let’s her because it will make her friends worry less. Azelma starts glowing and shrinks a few cm again.

Mania tries to convince Vallus to ditch her husband, she deserves better than how people treat her. Vallus says she “has goals and is pursuing them”. Thelastris finds it all very awkward, Azelma assures her it’s fine and just Mania’s normal flirting. Vallus tells her Mania doesn’t have to worry about being liked, that she’s heard new songs and more positive rumours being spread in the city. It helps to have friends in the Bard College.

The Great Games are comprised of 6 events and a relay race. First place in the events gets 1000gp, 2nd place 500, 3rd 250gp, the relay race gets 6 times that. The games allow for one partner to cast helpful magic on the participant, but not on the other competitors. They decide to try and win the relay race, but they need at least one person to place in the events, preferably more.  They divide the events along their strengths: Discus (Thalestris), Long Jump (Cleophē with Mania's help with the jump spell), Distance Run (Azelma with Illiana's haste), Boxing (Mania with Kentimane’s hands subject to approval), Wrestling (Cleophē), Javelin (Cleophē). Phrynè will magically aid them.

They go to register themselves and their magical weapons. Iliana recognises the arbiter, a Divination Wizard with magic sensing spectacles. They’re asked for a name for their team and when no one pipes up with an answer, Cleophē asks Mania for a name. She names them Thylea’s Beloveds (Or perhaps Thylea’s Beloved’s) which they can choose to change later. Mania registers her staff. The wizard is surprised by it, it’s clouded from his sight. She explains what it does and it is accepted. He speaks of an Aresian fellow who needs to be taught a lesson in the boxing ring, Mania mostly cares if he’s handsome.

King Acastus jovially says there’s no need for them to prove themselves in the first trials so they have some free time. They decide to go to the Satyr’s Tail Tavern where they find a request to slay some chimera’s and manticores. Thelastris finds the first tracks and immediately heads off, leaving the rest scrambling to follow. She tracks a trail of destruction down to a cave. They have time to lay a trap, so Thelastris casts Spike Growth on the cave mouth. Manticores are monstrosity with wings, spikey tails and human faces. Iliana makes a noise ring out to draw them out and manticores fly out, the first two getting caught in the spikes. The other 3 take to the air and fling spikes into Cleophē and Mania’s chest. Phrynè takes out her crossbow and shoots one straight into the face. Thelastris gets whailed on. Iliana burns one manticore to a crisp with a beautiful chromatic orb. Thelastris wildshapes into a black bear and rakes a manticore in the face. It hits her back until she’s human again. To make up for it she calls down a Moonbeam while Cleophē kills another manticore. Thelastris gets another one with shillelagh and as it dies it burst into flames, Blessing all her companions as she sacrifices it to the Old Gods. Cleophē kills the last manticore in a single blow and the fight is over.

While they’re still blessed they decide to stay and see if the fight alerted the chimeras they’re looking for. Mania remembers Kallis talking about how she’d kill chimeras, so she can give them the basics of three-headed fire-breathing lion-goat-dragon killing. Not long after, 2 figures appear in the air. Cleophē gets hit with bad enough to knock her unconscious, especially with her trying to block Phrynè from the worst of it too. Her relentless endurance is the only thing keeping her standing.

Thelastris conjures 4 black bears to distract the chimeras, Azelma gets one with an excellent ray of sickness. Cleophē gets them with the lightning javelin with Mania’s bardic help, Iliana’s chromatic orb kills it as it swoops down on Iliana. The last chimera takes out two bears, Mania runs up and kills it with the staff.

Mania and Iliana work together to get trophy’s and the best potion ingredients from the slain beasts. Chimera loot: horns and hooves from goat, claws from lion, mostly intact voice box of dragon from first, for the second chimera: horn, hooves from goat, lion claws. From the manticores they get 2 small pouches of teeth, one tail with spike attached that could make a whip, one damaged tail and one cut of the wings that could make a very cool cloak.

And that’s all for this session of the Thylead!

 @aporeticelenchus @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @guineamaina @somuchbetterthanthat