AEGEAN: BOOK OF EMPIRES

STOO GOFF

www.aegeanrpg.com
 CREDITS

GAME DESIGN AND WRITING

STOO GOFF
(@STOOGOFF)

C OV E R A RT
ELEONOR PITEIRA
( E L E O N O R P I T E I R A . S Q U A R E S PAC E . C O M )

G R A P H I C D E S I G N / L AY O U T
SIMON CLARKE
(@SIMONSBRAIN)

INTERIOR ART
GARETH SLEIGHTHOLME
(@HESIR)

ADDITIONAL DESIGN
DEBRA CHAPMAN
( M I S E R Y M A K E S S H O P. E T S Y. C O M )

C A M PA I G N W R I T I N G
STOO GOFF JUDE REID
(@STOOGOFF) (@SQUINTYWITCH)

ELEANOR HINGLEY C H R I S T O P H E R E D WA R D S
(@MAGPIE_ELLE) (@PLUMPWITHEVIL)

E D I T I N G A N D C U LT U R A L R E A D I N G
DR LENA LIAPI
(@LENALIAPI)

© 2023 STOO GOFF. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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 TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .......................................................... 6

K R E TA

CHAPTER 2: K R E TA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
P L AC E S O F K R E TA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0
P E O P L E O F K R E TA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
THE COURT OF KNOSSOS........................................ 27
NEW PC OPTIONS ..................................................... 31

CHAPTER 3: KNIVES IN KNOSSOS ............................................... 36

BACKGROUND ............................................................. 37
AC T I : A R R I V I N G AT H E R A K L E O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 8
AC T I I : AT T H E C O U R T O F K I N G M I N O S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2
ACT III: REVEALING THE TRUTH ............................ 57
IN THE FUTURE ......................................................... 63

T R OY

CHAPTER 4: T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4
HISTORY: THE MANY CITIES OF ILIUM ................. 66
S T R U C T U R E : T H E C I T Y O F T ROY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 8
THE TROAD ................................................................. 72
D I P LO M AT I C R E L AT I O N S H I P S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 3
T ROY A N D T H E G O D S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 6
T H E R O YA L F A M I LY O F T R O Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
B E Y O N D T H E WA L L S O F T R O Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 6

CHAPTER 5: A THOUSAND SHIPS ................................................. 89

H OW TO U S E T H I S A DV E N T U R E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 0
KUDOS ......................................................................... 91

CHAPTER 6: AC T 1 : A T I M E F O R M A N Y WO R D S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2
BACKGROUND ............................................................. 93
D AY 1 : S PA R T A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 5
D AY 2 : T H E N E G O T I A T I O N S B E G I N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 6
D AY 3 : P R E PA R E F O R WA R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 1
ACCOUNTING ........................................................... 103

CHAPTER 7: AC T 2 : T H AT G A L L O F A N G E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 4
THE SEARCH FOR AKHILLES ................................. 105
BECALMED ................................................................ 108
SACKING THE TEMPLE OF APOLLO ....................... 111
N AV I G A T I N G T H E H E L L E S P O N T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 4
T H E F I R S T BAT T L E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 5
D OW N T I M E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 0
CHAPTER 8: A C T 3 : T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 1
T H E Q U E E N O F LY R N E S S U S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
A R ROW S O F A P O L LO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
S A B O TA G I N G T H E S U P P LY L I N E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
THE SHIPPING NEWS .............................................. 130
P O I S O N I N T H E WA T E R - H O L E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 3 3
STORY SEEDS ............................................................ 135

CHAPTER 9: AC T 4 : A R M E D I N G L E A M I N G B RO N Z E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 4 0
THE BEGINNING OF THE END ............................... 141
T H E F I N A L BAT T L E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

T H E G R E A T WA R

C H A P T E R 1 0 : T H E G R E A T WA R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 4 8
CHAPTER 11: HELLAS ..................................................................... 152
MAJOR POLEIS .......................................................... 153
THE HELLENIC GODS .............................................. 157

CHAPTER 12: LANDS OF THE EMPIRE ........................................ 158

S AT R A P I E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

CHAPTER 13: GODS OF THE EMPIRE .......................................... 164

BABYLONIAN RELIGION ........................................ 165
KEMETIC RELIGION ................................................ 166
PERSIAN RELIGION.................................................. 167
PHOENIKIAN RELIGION ......................................... 168

CHAPTER 14: SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE................................... 169

T H E AT H Á N ATO I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 1
I M M O R TA L C O M PA N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 2
I M M O R TA L A N AU Š A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 3
M A G I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 74
H Y DA R N E S T H E YO U N G E R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 5
M I L I TA RY U N I T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 6
S PA R A B A R A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 6
ARCHERS ........................................................... 176
T H E TA K BA R A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 6
THE KARDAKES ................................................ 177
CHARIOT ARCHER ........................................... 177
H O R S E C AVA L R Y ............................................. 177
CAMEL ............................................................... 177
E L E P H A N T, WA R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 8
PERSIAN TRIREMES .......................................... 178
ANDROPHAGI ........................................................... 180
JAINI ................................................................. 180
KARGADAN ....................................................... 181
MARTIKHORA .................................................. 182
SHAHMARAN .................................................... 183
ZAHHAK ........................................................... 184
CHAPTER 15: AGORA PHASE ......................................................... 185
WA N D E R I N G H E R O E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
KUDOS ....................................................................... 186
T H E T H R E E PAT H S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8 7
ENEMY ACTIONS ...................................................... 188
MEDISM ..................................................................... 190

C H A P T E R 1 6 : A C T 1 : T H E F I R S T I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 1
NAXOS BURNS.......................................................... 192
T H E I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
THE SIEGE OF ERETRIA ......................................... 195
T H E BAT T L E O F M A R AT H O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 9 7

C H A P T E R 1 7 : AC T 2 : T H E C A L M B E F O R E T H E S TO R M . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 0
ADVENTURES ........................................................... 202

C H A P T E R 1 8 : A C T 3 : T H E S E C O N D I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S . . . . . 2 1 0
C A LC U L AT E F I N A L K U D O S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 1
EVENTS OF THE THIRD ACT .................................. 213
A F T E R M AT H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

APPENDICES

C H A P T E R 1 9 : WA R FA R E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 6
CLASHES .................................................................... 217
OUTCOME ................................................................. 218
CLASH EVENTS ........................................................ 219
FORTUNE ROLLS ..................................................... 220

CHAPTER 20: HEROES ................................................................... 223

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
 INTRODUCTION

The BOOK OF EMPIRES contains setting and adventure

information to take your heroes across the shores of the
Aegean Sea and includes larger scale events which effect them
and their home polis.

K R E TA

Kreta offers a look at the largest island in the Aegean and provides a
guide to the island, it’s cities and prominent people, including the
many immortals who live there. New player options are provided,
including rules for competing in the Bull Dance—a contest unique to
Kreta. In Knives in Knossos the heroes are unwittingly caught up in an
attempted assassination and are ordered by King Minos to uncover
the would be murderer.

1 / INTRODUCTION
T R OY

In the Troy section you’ll find details on the city, its history and the
important people who rules there. It includes new gods from Anatolia
and a new mystery cult for the heroes to join. In A Thousand Ships war
with Troy looms and the heroes are caught in the fighting, but on
which side will they find themselves?

T H E G R E A T WA R

In the Great War the campaign moves to a historical period—the

Persian invasion of Greece from 490BCE to 480BCE. Details are
provided for the lands, peoples, and gods of Persia as well as an
updated guide to the Aegean during this period. This followed by a
campaign set during the war with opportunities for the heroes to fight
on each side—or remain neutral.

NOTE: Numbered page references in the margins which are prefixed

with “AC” refer to the Aegean Core rules.

7
K R E TA

CHAPTER 2

K R E TA
 K R E TA

The island of Kreta sits in the southernmost region of the Aegean Sea;
it provides a last port for those leaving for the south and acts as a
gateway for those arriving. At roughly 240 kilometres long and from
about 12 kilometres to 50 kilometres at its widest, it is the largest
island in the Aegean. In the waters around Kreta there are many small
islands, some large enough to host a single village, others uninhabited.
Some may hold an ancient shrine which still has a yearly pilgrimage
while some serve as getaway palaces for wealthy nobles.

The island is arid and mountainous in the interior with many winding
gorges and valleys hiding small villages. Much of the landscape is
scrubland, with cedar forests to the east, and many bright flowers
dotting the landscape. Patches of farmland surround the villages,
though these tend to be small and herding—goat, sheep and cattle—is
more common than crop farming. The exception is the Messara Plain in
the south which is well watered and grows olive trees and vineyards
and many of the crops for the island.

Of the wildlife on Kreta, goats are the most common and can be found
in the mountains, both wild and as part of a herd. Cattle and sheep
are also commonly seen though these are domesticated and the court
and its bureaucracy have records of ownership for every single one.
Snakes abound, the most common being the leopard snake which is

2 / K R E TA
used by many households to deter rodents as it isn’t harmful to
humans. Hunting is a popular activity amongst those who can’t afford
a herd. Some train wild cats to hunt waterfowl and smaller mammals,
while others use dogs to hunt deer or boar. Lions roam the wilder parts
of Kreta but it’s rare to find a hunter who doesn’t avoid them. Many
types of birds of prey live in the mountains, including buzzards, falcons
and eagles, none of which pose a threat to humans.

Earthquakes are frequent in Kreta, though for the most part they tend
to be small shakes and low-level rumblings. Poseidon is angry with King
Minos and many people visit his shrines and temples in an effort to
appease the god of earthquakes, for their own safety if not for that of
the king.

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 BOOK OF EMPIRES

P L AC E S O F K R E TA

Kreta is home to many villages and towns, much like the rest of the
islands of the Aegean. What sets it apart from the rest is its ancient
palace complexes. First built many centuries ago, these have expanded
to enclose entire villages and form both a home for the royal family as
well as the common folk and servants who provide for them.

KNOSSOS

The largest settlement on Kreta is the palace of Knossos, though

perhaps palace isn’t quite the right term. In the days of King Minos’s
youth, Knossos was little more than a remote farming village and a
small shrine to Rhea, mother of Zeus, Hera and the other eldest
Olympian gods. When the king moved his court to Knossos he had the
central palace built to celebrate his marriage with Queen Pasiphae.
Over the centuries the palace has been rebuilt many times, its borders
expanded to swallow nearby villages and farmsteads. As it has grown
to accommodate both those who wish to live close to the royal family
and the servants, guards and bureaucracy that runs the palace itself,
the extended palace has become a city—a multi-level warren of a city
that visitors struggle to navigate. Many of the oldest buildings still
remain occupied below the new, with the poor and middle-class making
their homes there. The upper levels, with free access to the sun and sky,
are reserved for the nobles and the wealthiest bureaucrats and
merchants. While the lower streets are devoid of direct access to the
sky, channels are built into the upper structures to provide light to the
lower streets without resorting to oil lamps or torches.

PLUMBING
It would be easy to think an ancient city of such population density
with multiple levels would quickly devolve into a cesspit but Knossos
has three separate systems of terracotta pipes running through all
levels of the city. These pipe systems are used for sewage, to drain
waste out of the city to the rivers and the sea, to direct water overflow
from rains, and to bring fresh water into the city. Aqueducts channel
water from springs at nearby Arkhanes some seven or eight kilometres
to the south and fountains throughout the city provide fresh water to
everyone. Some say the water systems were devised by Daidalos even
though they were built centuries before the birth of the inventor.
Daidalos does nothing to discourage the rumours.

For new-comers walking through the city without a guide can be a

dangerous affair. Roads meander up and down as well as left and
right, going over older dwellings and under the new. A road might
start from a wealthy taverna in the upper streets, with views across the
top of the city, but quickly descend into the gloom of the undercity.
Even the locals may hire a guide if travelling in a part of the city
they’re not familiar with.

10
 K R E TA

T H E T R U S T WO RT H I N E S S O F G U I D E S
Many guides in Knossos are trustworthy but some aren’t above fleecing
their customers, especially if they are foreigners to Kreta. Some will
lead their followers to the wrong location, feigning confusion and offer
to take them to the correct location for an additional fee. Others will
lead them down dark alleys and leave them to thugs and robbers.

In the centre of the city-palace the original shrine still stands but the
temple district has built up around it. There are temples dedicated to
many of the Olympian gods as well as to other, lesser-known deities.
Smaller shrines, often to ancestor-heroes of the local people, or to gods
of far away places, fit in between the larger structures. As with many
other cities, the temple district is filled with market stalls selling votive
items and sacrificial animals to cater for the worshippers visiting the
temples. Dotted around the temples and shrines are the homes of the
priests and merchants that work in the district. While filled with a
cacophony of people and braying animals, this is one of the few
publicly available areas with views of the sky.

Access to the ancient shrine to Rhea isn’t available to the public, being
reserved for the prayers and sacrifices of the royal court, though only

2 / K R E TA
Minos and Pasiphae are said to use it. Of course, that doesn’t mean
the priests can’t be bribed if someone really wants to worship there.

On the edge of the temple district is the palace proper. The palace is
ornately decorated in bright reds and blues, with frescoes depicting
the life of the king and queen painted across the exterior walls. Three
stories of the palace tower above the surrounding buildings, but no-
one but the most curious occupant of the palace knows how much
further the palace descends. Access is by invitation only and the outer
walls and gates are heavily guarded day and night. Despite the
security, gaining an invitation is relatively simple. Anyone, no matter
their station, can put in a request with the palace bureaucracy for an
audience, though it may take months for the request to be processed.
Even if an audience is gained through the proper channels, it’s not
guaranteed that the petitioner will see the king or queen. There are
many levels of functionaries and court advisors that are available to
speak to visitors, depending on the nature of the request.

Surrounding the palace and the temple district the city spreads. Near
the northern entrance to Knossos is one of the largest of the agoras. It
has easy access to the rest of Kreta and farmers from the surrounding
villages and farmsteads travel into the city to trade their produce.
Merchants from further afield do the same, trading between the
villages and ports, especially Herakleon located four kilometres to the
north. There are many smaller marketplaces throughout the city and
both Uncommon and Rare items are readily available. East of the
palace is the Grand Arena, the largest of the arenas within the city.
Here the games are held, following a format and set of events that is
common throughout the Aegean Sea. An addition to the games is the
bull dance, an event of danger and athleticism found only on Kreta. Bull Dancing, 31

11
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

MECHANICS
Without a guide, travelling through Knossos is fraught with danger and
is more a matter of luck than anything else. The Knowledge and
Survival skills can be used to find a route through the streets, combined
with the Cool or Insight characteristics. The skill check is against a base
Difficulty of 4 and is an extended skill test. The total number of
successes required is up to the GM and depends on how far the PCs are
from their destination. It could vary from 4, for a location nearby, to 10
for somewhere on the other side of the city. The size and prominence of
the location can also modify the Difficulty, e.g. anyone can tell you
where the Royal Palace is (Difficulty 2) but finding “Milo’s house in the
south quarter” with no other information would be Difficulty 6.

After every roll the GM should roll 1D10 on the following table and +1
per failed roll.

ROLL RESULT

1–3 No event. The PCs continue on their journey.

A guide approaches them from a side alley and offers to take them
4–5 wherever they need to go. Succeed at a Difficulty 0 Standing roll to hire
the guide or continue as they were.
In amongst the winding streets of the city they discover a small agora.
6–7 Any Common items can be bought here and the merchants can advise
them on the route to take, giving them +2D on their next travel roll.
After clambering up a worn and winding staircase the PCs find
themselves above the surface and able to spot a shortcut to a nearby
8
landmark. Add 2 successes to their journey track. If this completes their
journey then the landmark they can see is their destination.
In a deserted subterranean alley the PCs are cornered by a group of
thugs demanding money. They can pay 2 drakhmae per PC and give up
9 any obvious displays of wealth (Rich or Fine items that aren’t hidden) or
fight the thugs. There is a minion group of 2 Bandits per PC and 1 Bandit
Leader (pg 210).
The road ends in a wall with no way to pass or climb over. The PCs must
10–11 backtrack and find a new way round. Increase the number of successes
they need to complete their journey by 2.
It has been an hour or more since the PCs have seen the light of day or
another traveller. The streets smell musty, they pass boarded up doors
12+ and rubble and are accompanied by the scurrying of rats. In the distance
something bellows. Somehow they have done the impossible and found a
way into the Labyrinth beneath the city.

As the GM, how much you want to engage with the travel rules is up to
you. It can make for a fun chunk of play and make the PCs wary of
travelling through Knossos unguided, especially if they’re searching for
someone, or something. However, making it impossible to get anywhere
and progress the story can be tedious if it drags on too long. Use at
your discretion.

12
 K R E TA

The lowest levels of the city are the home of the Minotaur and its
passage beneath the streets can be tracked by the shaking of the
buildings above. Beneath the publicly accessible areas of the city
passages have been blocked off under the instruction of Daidalos to
prevent the Minotaur from escaping, thus giving it free reign of the
labyrinth beneath the city. As far as everyone is concerned, the
labyrinth is the home of the Minotaur and only the foolish—or those
punished by the king—would venture there. Everyone feels safe in the
knowledge that the only entrance to the Minotaur’s lair is through the
Grand Arena, but they only have Daidalos’s word that all the other
entrances are blocked off.

PEOPLE ON THE STREETS OF KNOSSOS

◆ Strymon: An ageing merchant who trades jewellery at the main

gate and transports it to the larger agoras throughout the city.
They are always looking for new wares to sell and guards to
accompany them. (shrewd, abrasive, cautious)
◆ Tyro: A scrawny boy of twelve who makes his living showing
merchants through the city. He can often be found loitering in
alleyways looking for lost travellers. He is not afraid to fleece his
customers if they appear rich; all his earnings keep his father in

2 / K R E TA
wine. (charming, quick-witted, fast)
◆ Gallus: A small-time criminal who runs a protection racket for the
guides near the north gate. Many of the guides pay him to
ensure their safety as they travel through the city. (polite,
sinister, watching)
◆ Anteia: A bull dancer who has trained for the arena since she
was fourteen. She can be found practising in the training
grounds near the Grand Arena or joking around with the other
competitors. (competitive, funny, show-off)
◆ Theno: Once a soldier aboard a ship of the Royal Fleet, she
“retired” to the life of a temple guard after taking an arrow to
the knee. The pay is better and the life easier, but sometimes she
misses the roar of the waves. (stubborn, wistful, storyteller)

PLOT HOOKS
A merchant needs to move goods from the north gate to one of the
larger agoras in the south side of the city. In the past, they have had
bad luck with guides leading them into traps and wish to hire the PCs
to vet the guide and to protect them on the journey. Will the PCs
accept the offer? Which guides are available to show them the way
and how will the PCs find an honest one?

A criminal gang is charging the local guides protection money and

those who don’t pay disappear. One of the guides is looking for her
missing brother who refused to pay and wants the PCs to confront and
depose the leader of the gang. Who leads the gang? Where can they
be found and what has happened to the missing guide?

13
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

THE LABYRINTH

Travelling the labyrinth beneath Knossos is a dangerous business.

Unlike even the lowest levels of the city above, there are no shafts for
light and no breeze carried from above. The air is dark and stale and
carries with it the scent of despair. The stone and earth not only
dampen nearby sounds but also cause distant sounds to echo. Like the
streets above, the labyrinth isn’t built on a single level, it’s a
meandering realm going up and down, through ancient streets and
abandoned homes. Some of the older buildings that make up the
labyrinth are unstable, many shake and fall at the Minotaur’s passing,
while other parts are destroyed during its many rages. The true size of
the labyrinth is known only to Daidalos—and, perhaps, to the
Minotaur—but it covers a similar area to the city above. With no light,
no means to tell day from night, and a three dimensional maze which
keeps changing, it ’s all too easy to get lost beneath Knossos. It is
rumoured that even the gods fear to walk its paths, while anyone who
dies down there in the dark will remain there, their shade lost and
wandering, unable to find a path to the realms of the dead without
Hermes to guide them on their way.

While finding a path through the labyrinth is nigh impossible, finding

the Minotaur is relatively straightforward: make lots of noise. Once the
Minotaur has heard human voices in his domain or gained their scent,
he will never lose track of them and finding them is inevitable. The
hungrier the Minotaur is—and he’s always hungry—the quicker he will
come upon his unsuspecting victims. The Minotaur is not a sneaky or
subtle creature and will make his presence known by bellowing or
scuffing his hooves as he approaches, expecting that his prey’s fear will
heighten their taste. He will give his prey the opportunity to run, but he
knows the paths beneath the city better than anyone and will always
find them. If they block a route, he knows another way around; if they
find a hole too small for the beast to enter, he will knock through the
wall from the larger room next to it.

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 K R E TA

MECHANICS
All characters entering the labyrinth immediately gain 2 Risk. Without
any source of light all skill checks relating to vision suffer a -5D penalty.
All skill checks relating to sound suffer a -3D penalty. Navigating to a
location in the labyrinth requires a Difficulty 5 Survival skill check using
the Cool, Cunning, or Insight characteristics. Marking the walls with
chalk or similar reduces the Difficulty to 3, as long as a light source is
available to read the markings. Having a ball of yarn or similar to
follow removes the need for a roll as long as the yarn lasts, but feel free
to spend a point of Hubris to have it snap or to have part of the path
buried at a dramatic moment.

The only known entrance in or out of the labyrinth is through the gate
at the Grand Arena. This is locked from the outside and guarded day
and night. The only time it is unlocked is during the yearly games
where the attendance of the Minotaur is encouraged. While no other
entrances are known, some believe that the undercity is too complex to
navigate even for a genius such as Daidalos. He must have missed
something and any day the Minotaur may break free. Or so they say.

PLOT HOOKS

2 / K R E TA
Few people want to walk the dark paths of the labyrinth, though many
have reason to send others. Those entering frequently carry treasures
or family heirlooms away with them and many would pay handsomely
to have thοse returned. Getting inside requires bribing—or fighting—the
guards at the gate, or finding someone who knows of another, secret,
entrance. Entering is almost certain doom, even if the Minotaur doesn’t
find you. What price might make such an endeavour worthwhile?
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

HERAKLEON

A bustling city on the northern coast, Herakleon is the largest port on

Kreta and one of the largest trading hubs in the Aegean Sea. The city
is, in some ways, typical of many of its kind throughout the Aegean,
though larger, more vibrant, and more cosmopolitan than most. In its
docks can be found ships from city-states from further afield than just
the Aegean, with ships, goods, and people coming from as far away as
Phoenikia in the east, Tartessos in the west, or Aegyptus in the south.

Immediately south of the docks is the merchant’s agora. Here, goods

are auctioned off to the wealthiest Kretan merchants who jealously
guard their right to trade inland. While there’s no law preventing
anyone from selling their wares in the Herakleon public agora or even
travelling further across the island, the local merchants are protective
of the profits they can make and are bullish in enforcing the long
standing tradition of trading at the merchant’s agora first. The
majority of the successful merchants will take their newly acquired
wares straight to Knossos where they can make a greater profit,
leaving the public agora at Herakleon somewhat bare for its size. The
auctions can be an overwhelming experience for the first-time trader in
Herakleon and many, except the most determined, will come away
having made a loss from the unexpected bullying and underhanded
tactics of the locals. Those who return—hopefully with a thicker skin
and more business acumen—can make a profit in the long term, and
some have managed to gain access to the inland agoras through sheer
force of will and desire for profit.

South of the merchant’s agora is the public agora with the temple
district overlooking it. The agora is large enough to accommodate the
city and as busy and bustling as you would expect but it has none of
the Uncommon and Rare goods that are usually found in a city of this
size. The temple area beside the agora is dominated by the temple to
Poseidon. This grand structure is dedicated to the god of the sea and
earthquakes, whose favour is always sought after in Kreta, and
features an ancient statue of the god carrying his famous trident. The
temple district is much like that of any other city of the Aegean and
features its own small agora primarily selling animals for sacrifices and
votive tokens.

PLOT HOOKS
Goods are ready to be transferred from Herakleon to Knossos but
someone wants them stopped. Who wants them stopped and why? Are
they stolen? Or do they bring doom to the city or potential buyers?
Where are the goods stored and how will the PCs retrieve them?

A merchant has had a shipment of fine cloth held up by the Herakleon

bureaucracy for weeks and they have hired the PCs to find out what
has happened to the shipment. Is it still in Herakleon or has it
mysteriously disappeared from the warehouse? Who might be blocking
the shipment and why?

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 K R E TA

ARKHANES

To the south of Knossos, a short ride away, is Arkhanes. This small town
in the foothills of the mountains is the source of the fresh spring water
flowing into Knossos. The ancient stone aqueducts dominate the vista,
shadowing the central agora which would otherwise be unremarkable
in any mountainous area across the Aegean. While it is small
compared to Knossos, it is still busy, ironically with many visitors trying
to get away from the crowds and noise of the capital.

On the outskirts of Arkhanes with a view down to the sea and away
from the aqueducts is the Summer Palace of the royal family. This is
brightly decorated in the style of the palace at Knossos, though not
nearly as large or as ostentatious. Despite its name as the Summer
Palace, members of the royal family make their home here throughout
the year—ostensibly to retire from the politicking of the Knossos court
but often to escape from their feuding relatives.

Many visitors come to Arkhanes to seek a more personal audience with

a member of the royal family, and both Minos and Pasiphae are said
to use it to hide their lovers from each other, while other travellers
come to see the palace itself. Although it is deemed inferior to the
palace at Knossos it is easier to admire in full as it is less secluded.

2 / K R E TA
While Arkhanes is small, the importance of the aqueducts and the
Summer Palace means there is a large guard presence here. There are
two barracks in the area, one in the town itself by the agora and one
to the south at the source of the aqueducts.

PLOT HOOKS
To most, poisoning the water supply for Knossos would be unthinkable
but, without Talos to guard the island, an invading enemy force might
consider it. Who is the enemy that would do such a thing and are the
PCs helping them or trying to stop them?

It is rumoured that either Pasiphae or Minos has taken a new lover

and is holidaying with them at the palace of Arkhanes. Which of the
royal couple is having an affair? Who has sent the PCs to spy on them
and what benefit do they hope to gain? What will happen to the PCs if
they are caught?

PHAISTOS

Once a fortified palace and small city sitting on a ridge overlooking

the southern coast of Kreta, most of Phaistos was destroyed by an
earthquake some forty years ago. At the time, the palace was the
primary retreat of the royal family from the hustle and bustle of
Knossos, as it had been for centuries. After the birth of Asterion it
became the permanent home of Pasiphae and her new baby and
Minos refused to return there, shunning the palace in favour of
Arkhanes. As the boy grew and his rages became more destructive,
earthquakes became more frequent in Phaistos, leaving lasting cracks

17
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

in the palace walls and in the fortifications of the city itself. Eventually
Pasiphae removed herself from the palace, unable to cope with what
her son had become, and left him to be cared for by the palace staff.
After ten years without the caring hand of his mother, the young man’s
rage consumed the palace—though many claim this was the anger of
Poseidon. The palace fell, along with much of the city surrounding it.
Many people fled from the ruins of their homes with little more than
their lives and what they could carry and most swelled the surrounding
fishing towns or made the long trek to start a new life in Knossos.

PLOT HOOKS
Since the earthquake a monstrous creature has moved into the ruins of
Phaistos and the PCs are asked to clear the city. When the PCs arrive
they find no signs of a monster, only a growing community of runaways
from the king’s justice using superstition to keep intruders at bay.
What have the people done that they need to hide from the world?
Will the PCs keep their secret or return them to the authorities?

A beggar on the streets of Knossos or Herakleon claims to be of noble

birth but all wealth and proof of the family’s noble lineage was lost
during the earthquake and the abandonment of Phaistos. They ask the
PCs to travel to Phaistos and find evidence of their birthright. What do
they require as proof? Are they lying to the PCs or is their claim
genuine? Who might want the truth to remain hidden?

TA LO S

Until recently Talos was a giant automaton made of bronze by the god
Hephaestos. Talos was imbued with life by the skill of the divine smith
and by the ikhor—the life-blood of the gods—flowing through his veins.
Standing some 30 metres tall, the living statue waded through the
waters surrounding Kreta, completing a circuit of the island every day.
Talos’s watchful eye has kept Kreta safe for centuries, his looming
figure on the horizon a significant deterrent to would-be raiders.

Sadly Talos is no more. He was defeated through the cunning of the

sorcerer Medea on her journey with Iason. Lost on their way from
Kolkhis, the crew were caught unawares by the giant and forced to
fight, though most cowered in terror. If it hadn’t been for Medea, the
crew would have been destroyed, the Argo sunk beneath the waves.
She transfixed the automaton, ensnaring it in her magic, and thus
giving Iason the time to pull the nail from Talos’ ankle, which let the
ikhor drain from his veins.

Since his destruction—or some would say death—the body of Talos has
lain off the western coast of Kreta submerged beneath the waves. The
anguished face of the giant can still be seen when the waters are clear.
Many athletes test their mettle by swimming down to touch the lifeless
bronze face of the one-time protector of Kreta.

18
 K R E TA

PLOT HOOKS
Ikhor, the life-blood of the gods, once flowed through the veins of
Talos. A vial would be a valuable prize to many sorcerers or priests and
there may be some left in the giant’s inner workings. Who might send
the heroes to retrieve it and what do they plan to do with it?

The machinery which allowed Talos to move is beyond the

comprehension of all but the most clever mortal. Perhaps only
Daidalos can understand its workings. Unable to leave the palace of
Knossos, Daidalos sends the heroes to retrieve whatever pieces of the
machinery they can bring back. What do the heroes find and what
does Daidalos plan to do with it?

MOUNT IDA

The highest peak on Kreta is Mount Ida in the centre of the island.
Here, it is said, Zeus was raised by the nymphs Ida and Adrasteia at
the behest of his mother Rhea. After Rhea had given birth to the first
five of her and Kronos’s children, their father had promptly swallowed
them whole. Fearing the same fate awaited her next child, she tricked
Kronos into swallowing a stone and gave baby Zeus into the care of
the nymphs and the goat Amaltheia. They raised Zeus to godhood in a

2 / K R E TA
cave on Mount Ida. To mask the cries of the infant Zeus a band of
Kouretes, a tribe of immortal warriors, guarded the cave, bashing their
shields and performing their war dance day and night.

For their service Adrasteia, Ida, and Amaltheia were set amongst the
stars as part of the constellation of the bear. While most of the
Kouretes have long since departed to serve elsewhere, their captain,
Pyrhikhos, still lives deep within the Idaen cave where Zeus was raised.
The cave itself is now a sacred site and many of the priests of Zeus
make their homes nearby, while the younger members are taught the
mysteries within the caves. The soldiers who guard the sacred cave and
its priests name themselves after the Kouretes who once guarded Zeus,
though few, if any, have been trained in the war dance by Pyrhikhos.

PLOT HOOKS
Pyrhikhos is ancient and immortal and once protected Zeus from his
father Kronos. Training with him in the childhood home of a god would
provide insight beyond mortal reckoning. How would Pyrhikhos be
found and what would he want in exchange for such tutelage?

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 BOOK OF EMPIRES

MOUNT DIKTE

Mount Dikte lies towards the eastern end of the island and is second in
height only to Mount Ida. There is a cave on Mount Dikte which some
claim was the true home of Zeus growing up, and that it was here that
he was raised by nymphs and guarded by Kouretes. On Kreta they tell
a different story. They say on Mount Dikte lies the grave of Zeus in his
aspect of Zeus Velkhanos, a god of vegetation and rebirth. Unlike the
common depiction of Zeus as a middle-aged man, bearded and full of
vigour, Zeus Velkhanos is said to be a youth. He is born and raised in
the cave on Mount Ida in the spring and with him grow the plants and
vegetation of Kreta. By winter Zeus Velkhanos grows old and comes to
the cave on Mount Dikte. There he is sacrificed and laid to rest in the
depths of the cave, and, with his death, the plants of Kreta wither and
die ready to return with the rebirth of Zeus in the spring.

Outside of Kreta, worship of Zeus in his aspect of Velkhanos is rare,

with his role of bringer of life and vegetation belonging to Demeter
and Persephone. Many outside of Kreta would consider it to be
blasphemous to even think of the death of almighty Zeus, king of the
Olympian gods, condemning the worshippers of Velkhanos to death.
Others dismiss the existence of such a cult as lies and foolishness.

As with the cave on Mount Ida, the cave on Mount Dikte is considered
a sacred site and a small community of priests make their homes in the
foothills. There they provide teaching and instruction into the Cult of
Zeus Velkhanos and perform sacrifices at the end of the summer. In
times of plentiful harvests, a sheep, goat, or boar is sacrificed with the
harvest—bulls on Kreta being reserved for sacrifices to Poseidon. In
times of drought, a scapegoat is chosen from amongst the young men
of Kreta. The man, usually aged between mid teens and early twenties,
is renamed Zeus and showered with wealth and luxury for the rest of
the summer. When the summer is over and the harvest brought in
“Zeus” is sacrificed and laid to rest in the cave, as is said to happen
with the god himself. Those who consider the death of Zeus to be a
blasphemy would be horrified if they witnessed this ritual.

Of the priests to Zeus who live and worship at the Diktaean cave, the
oldest and wisest is Epimenides. The philosopher and seer is ancient,
grey-haired, cantankerous and bent double with age. Said to have
slept for fifty years or more in the cave, Epimenides is not the chief
priest of Zeus but has seen many chief priests come and go.

PLOT HOOKS
Some claim the wisdom of Zeus can be found deep within the
Dikatean cave, but only the priests know the secret to surviving the
night there. What wonders might be found, what knowledge gained
and what trials overcome?

It is said that Epimenides has two prophecies left to give. What future
might he predict and who for? Will it be for the benefit of Kreta or will
it see the end of King Minos’s rule?

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 K R E TA

P E O P L E O F K R E TA

KING MINOS

King Minos (paranoid, vengeful, ambitious) is said to be the son of

Zeus and Europa and has ruled Kreta for years beyond reckoning.
Stories spun by the elders tell of a wise and just king who looked out
for his people, but the tales spread by his fleet as it exhorts taxes far
and wide across the Aegean Sea are of a paranoid and vengeful
coward who sees enemies in every corner. Some claim this King Minos
is not the wise king of the old tales but his great-grandson, a weak-
willed descendant of the son of Zeus. But these people are far from
Kreta and have never set foot upon its shores.

In truth, Minos is the same king of the old tales but living a span of
many mortal lifetimes, age kept at bay by his godly heritage and his
wife’s sorcery, has taken their toll on his mind. While he is as ambitious
and determined as ever, the centuries of political manoeuvring and
infighting with his queen and his court has left him paranoid, fearful,
and cruel. He trusts few people in the palace, keeping his family at
arm’s length and only one or two old friends as advisors.

2 / K R E TA
While in private, the king is secretive and paranoid, in public, the royal
family projects an image of harmony. At religious ceremonies and the
bull dance, Minos sits beside Pasiphae and they smile and wave at
their subjects. Their joyous portrayal of a loving couple keeps the
kingdom beyond the palace walls stable and at peace. When they
smile and whisper to each other from their thrones above the Grand
Arena’s sands the crowds cheer, not knowing the hate-filled words
which pass between the king and queen.

The relationship between Minos and Pasiphae hasn’t always been so

fraught. Over the centuries they have had many children together with
four—Deukalion, Androgeos, Ariadne, and Phaidra—still living. While
Minos’ paranoia keeps his daughters from his side, believing them to
be tools of his wife, he dotes on Androgeos and keeps him amongst his
councillors. He, and all his followers, wear the bull symbol of Poseidon
somewhere on their person.

Q U E E N PA S I P H A E

Pasiphae (jealous, confident, scheming) is the daughter of Helios, the

titan god of the sun, and Perse, an okeanid. She is a great sorcerer,
like her siblings King Aeetes of Kolkhis and Kirke of Aiaia, and has
been worshipped throughout the Aegean as a bringer of light,
alongside her father, and as an oracle.

In ancient days she was married to Minos, an offering made by her

father to appease Zeus. At first she relished her time in the mortal
world, the warmth of the sun, the smell of the waves, experiences felt
more keenly than they had been with the okeanids. She enjoyed her
husband and her status as queen and her cult grew in power.

21
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

Unfortunately, this didn’t last. Her husband, much like his father, has a
roving eye and his infidelities grew too great to ignore. She used her
sorcery to punish him and thus began centuries of back and forth—one
year Pasiphae and Minos are in love as if the past was but a dream,
the next she is cursing him and his new lover, and the following year
she has taken a lover of her own.

As an immortal, Pasiphae has not suffered the turning of the years in

the way her husband has. She has not become paranoid or callous at
the continuous scheming and political infighting with the king and the
rest of the court. She appears as young and vital as ever. If anything,
her jealousy of her husband’s affairs has driven her towards greater
scheming, and, while Minos’s word is law, it is through the filter of
Pasiphae that it reaches the ears of his people.

While her cult is in decline and she no longer deigns to provide oracles
to her priests, she is still a great practitioner of magic and can be a
teacher for those wishing to join the Cult of Hekate. Pasiphae wears
the symbol of her father—the sun—embroidered into her clothing or
engraved in her jewellery and her followers do the same.

DAIDALOS

Daidalos (intelligent, scared, talkative) is an architect, artist, smith,

and inventor; a cousin of the royal house of Athens. In his youth (so he
claims) he was tutored by Athena herself in the arts of creation and is
said to have invented many things at her side. Glue and the saw are
said to be amongst his inventions.

He left his home in Athens one night and has never returned nor has
he had any contact with his family at the Athenian court. Rumour has
it he murdered his niece, Perdix, in a fit of jealousy. Those spreading
such rumours claim many of Daidalos’ inventions were actually the
invention of his twelve-year-old niece. However, no one at the Athenian
court has sought justice or revenge on the inventor but neither has he
sought to return.

After leaving Athens, Daidalos made his way to Kreta where he has
lived ever since. He was appointed to the position of Royal Architect by
King Minos and planned the means to keep the Minotaur captive—the
twisting, turning labyrinth beneath the city of Knossos. While many
talk of how Daidalos designed the labyrinth himself, in reality he
mapped the undercity and worked out which disused streets and
buildings to barricade to secure the prison.

Since the death of his wife, Daidalos dotes on their son, Ikaros, and
spends much of his free time making animated toys for him and for
the other children of the court. However, he has lost the favour of
Minos and fears for his life. If he could, he would flee the island but he
knows too many of Minos’ secrets and is under constant guard “for his
own protection.” So he puts on a brave face and plots and schemes,
looking for another way out for him and his son.

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 K R E TA

PRINCES AND PRINCESSES

Over the centuries, despite their enmity, King Minos and Queen
Pasiphae have had eight children together, with four still surviving.
Despite their immortal parentage none of the children have been
immortal themselves, though all have shown longevity and look far
younger than their true age.

Deukalion (cynical, doting, happy) is the oldest of the surviving

children and appears to be a robust man in his forties. After decades
of being used as a tool in his parents’ bickering games he trusts
neither of them, contenting himself to the luxury of court life and his
wife Kleopatra and their young son Idomeneus. Deukalion wears no
symbol about his person, forgoing the rivalry of his parents.

Androgeos (confident, easy going, flashing smile) is an athletic man

seemingly in his thirties. He is the only member of the royal court to
still partake in the bull dance and is a frequent victor at the games.
Many of the court, including the king, love him for his prowess and
charm, while many others are jealous of the glory won by the prince.
Androgeos wears the bull symbol of his father at all times, usually in
lavish gold or bronze rather than clay.

2 / K R E TA
Ariadne (direct, forlorn, searching) appears to be in her early twenties
and is a dedicated priestess, officiating many of the rites at Knossos,
primarily to Demeter and Poseidon. She is the chief priestess of
Demeter on the island. She has learnt some sorcery at the feet of her
mother and is a dedicated athlete, even though Pasiphae forbids her
from competing in the bull dance or other games any more. Ariadne
wears neither of her parents’ symbols, favouring her own symbol of a
snake, usually worn as a brooch bracelet.

Phaidra (bright, cheerful, devious) is the youngest of the children of

Minos and Pasiphae and is only twelve years old. She enjoys the toys
that Daidalos has made for her and often plays with the inventor’s son,
Ikaros. Phaidra wears the sun symbol of her mother carved into a clay
disc on a necklace.

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 BOOK OF EMPIRES

ASTERION

Few outside the court know the name Asterion but everyone has heard
of the Minotaur. Half a century ago, King Minos prayed to Poseidon to
send him a snow-white bull as a sign of his favour. When the creature
rushed out of the sea the common-folk watching were struck by the
bull’s beauty and by Minos’s piety since the king had promised to
sacrifice the bull in Poseidon’s name. Unfortunately, Minos was not as
noble or pious as he or his people thought. The king decided to keep
the bull for his own herd and sacrificed another bull in its place,
hoping to deceive the god of earthquakes. Unfortunately for Pasiphae,
Poseidon saw through the king’s ruse and, unwilling to punish his
nephew for fear of his brother, he punished the Queen instead. Upon
seeing the beauty of the bull Pasiphae fell in love. To satisfy her lust
the queen climbed into the training bull used by the bull dancers—a
mechanical device built to move with the athletes’ leaps and
turns—and used it to entice the object of her desire.

Asterion was the outcome of her union with the bull of Poseidon.

A monstrous creature, humanoid in form but with the head and hooves
of a bull, Asterion stands 7 feet tall and can only be sated by human
flesh. After the destruction of the palace at Phaistos, it was Daidalos
who planned Asterion’s confinement in the labyrinthine tunnels
beneath the city of Knossos where the Minotaur has remained ever
since. Beneath the city, Asterion bellows and rages. His voice can be
heard from the depths and the ground shakes with his passing. No one
is ever allowed to forget that the Minotaur is beneath their feet
although few know the true nature of the city’s curse. Once per year
Asterion is allowed to see the sun. The gate in the Grand Arena is
opened and, if he chooses to venture forth—because no one could ever
compel him—he becomes the centre of the final event of the yearly
games. Criminals bound to stakes in the arena floor are used to entice
the Minotaur to the surface. Waiting for him are the best of the year’s
bull dancers, eager to prove themselves in the ultimate
challenge—leaping the horns of the Minotaur. Those who make the
leap and survive are awarded every luxury the king can provide for the
coming year. Those who fail are broken beneath the hooves of the
Minotaur and become its next feast.

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 K R E TA

T H E M I N OTAU R LEGEND

Tactics: The Minotaur is a mighty foe and is contemptuous of all opponents. It

prefers to target the toughest-looking opponent in the group as it perceives this
to be the greatest challenge and glory. It will use its Mighty Roar to harm all of
its enemies as its first Action before charging the toughest.

Characteristics Skills Attributes

Might: 6 Athletics: 3 Armour: 3
Reflexes: 4 Awareness: 2 Shield: 0
Cool: 1 Brawl: 5 Parry: 0
Insight: 1 Melee: 4 Endurance: 12
Cunning: 4 Survival: 4 Standing: n/a
Vigour: 5

Abilities
Charge: This creature gains +2 damage on any Brawl or Melee Harm attack
Action if it makes a Move Maneuver immediately before the attack.
Fearsome: Anyone facing the Minotaur for the first time gains 2 Risk and must
make a Cool (Vigour) Resistance roll with a Difficulty of 1 or suffer a -3D penalty
to all skill checks while facing the Minotaur. A failed roll can be repeated at the

2 / K R E TA
start of the character’s next turn.
Ferocious: The Minotaur may take two turns each round. It can’t choose itself to
go next in the same round unless all other characters in the conflict have acted.
Mighty Roar: This creature may spend a point of Hubris to use Might (Vigour)
to make a Harm attack Action against all opponents within Medium range. Each
success causes the target to gain 1 point of Risk and the attack has the Stun
property.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Labrys Melee 10D 3 6 Cumbersome 1, Heavy, Savage

Gore Brawl 11D 2 6 Pierce, Stagger
Mighty Roar Vigour 11D Medium 0 Stun

25
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

EPIMENIDES

A philosopher and seer, Epimenides (old, impatient, belligerent) got

lost in the deepest depths of the Diktaean Cave in his youth and was
unable to find his way out. Alone in the dark, he made himself
comfortable and went to sleep, hoping to be rescued in the morning.
When he awoke, he found a dim light shining down from the mouth of
the cave far above. Following the light source, he eventually climbed
his way out from the depths and found his way back to his village and
to his parents—now ancient. He saw them, but barely recognised them,
though they recognised their son. Epimenides had slept for fifty-seven
years and during his sleep had gained the wisdom of Zeus and the
gift of prophecy. Shocked by the things he now knew and grieving for
the loss of friends and relatives and the time he had missed, he left
Kreta to travel the world.

Epimenides travelled the Aegean and beyond. He is said to have

advised on military matters at the court of Sparta and to have
purified Athens—though the nature of the purification is unknown. His
most famous saying “all Kretans are liars” has sparked philosophical
debate world-wide and some contempt from his homeland. After fifty
years or so of travelling he returned to Kreta and joined the
priesthood of Zeus, though he has nothing but loathing for the cult of
Zeus Velkhanos. He has served as advisor to the chief priest for the
better part of two centuries and has taught many who have risen to
power and long-since died. He is old and cantankerous, has little time
for pupils these days and no ambition to become chief priest.

Scrawled across his grey and wrinkled skin are all the prophecies he
has ever made. Epimenides claims to have only two prophecies left
which have yet come to pass—one on his left foot, the other on his
inner right thigh. When he has seen them come to fruition he expects
to finally rest.

PYRHIKHOS

The last surviving Kouretes on Kreta is Pyrhikhos (ancient, patient,

unknowable), an ancient and immortal warrior who, in ages past, was
given the duty of guarding Zeus as a baby. Pyrhikhos has lived in the
caves around Mount Ida since before the Olympian gods were born
when the titans still walked the earth. He once led the Kouretes in their
war dance, stamping of feet and bashing of shields to drown out the
cries of Zeus from his father, and has remained long after his
companions have departed. He has watched as humans came to Kreta
in their small bands of herders and has seen the rise of their cities. He
was wandering the mountains when Zeus, his one-time charge, seduced
Europa, and was present for the marriage of Minos to Pasiphae.

He is ancient, but doesn’t consider himself old. He mostly keeps himself

apart from the brief humans who have settled on his island, rarely
seeking out their company and never fully able to understand them
when he does—just as they are unable to fully understand him.

26
 K R E TA

Pyrhikhos looks like a man in his prime, his skin tanned from years in
the sun. He is athletic, being both strong and exceptionally fast. He is
prone to losing himself in thought, reminiscing of the past, and
moments of thought may stretch to hours—an inconsequential amount
of time in his vast existence. Pyrhikhos is prepared to train warriors in
the ancient war dance of his people, if a warrior can find him and
prove themselves worthy of his teaching.

THE COURT OF KNOSSOS

The Court of Knossos is ancient and divided. It revolves around the

immortal king and queen who, after centuries bound together in
marriage, can barely tolerate each other. Their many indiscretions are
public knowledge but unspoken, except in the briefest whispers in the
deepest recesses of the palace. Their children—those they have had
with nobles or servants or visiting dignitaries—have long since grown
up and had children and grand-children and further descendents of
their own, forming two core factions within the court—those who claim
descent from Minos and those who claim descent from Pasiphae. Each
faction wears the token of their allegiance engraved on a small stone
which is worn on a cord at wrist or throat—a bull’s head for Minos and
a sun for Pasiphae. While there are other factions at court—other

2 / K R E TA
noble families vie for power, as do members of the priesthood and
bureaucracy—they are marginal compared to those of the royal family.
Out of the public eye, the royal court is a strange place where the
youngest servant may be the sibling of the oldest bureaucrat and the
bloodlines of the immortal patriarch and matriarch flow through
almost all of the people there. While each faction bickers and vies for
dominance in the name of their immortal ancestor this is often based
on their own whims and past grievances and not at the behest of
Pasiphae and Minos.

BUREAUCRACY

The ritual and bureaucracy of the court is endless. As one of the

earliest civilisations to develop writing, the court has kept records of
every minutiae of trade and stock-taking within its walls. Who has
purchased what from whom and which guard is on duty where and
when is carefully carved into tablets and stored away for future
reference. Many of the store rooms in the labyrinth beneath Knossos
are still filled with stone tablets from centuries past though most have
been smashed in recent years by the minotaur. The record keeping and
bureaucracy of the palace keep many people employed in the
recording and retrieval of data, though it makes anything going
through the court—whether a request for more grain in one of the
villages or arranging an appointment with the king—a slow and
arduous affair requiring persistence from the requester. Of course, if
Minos or Pasiphae demand something then the careful structure of the
bureaucrats falls to pieces as their faction rushes to satisfy their
wishes. So while the court is ordered, structured, and patient for the
most part, it frequently erupts into chaos.

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 BOOK OF EMPIRES

E D U C AT I O N

Due to the bureaucratic nature of the court, the education system

within the palace focuses heavily on literacy and numeracy, and this
extends to the larger cities across the island. More traditional
education—philosophy, oratory, and athletics—are still taught as they
are throughout the Aegean but the focus on numeracy and literacy at
the court means that many of the citizens of Kreta can read and write,
something which is not common elsewhere.

Despite the focus on literacy at the court and the obsessive recording
of data, writing isn’t used to record anything else. It would be
horrifying to scholars and bureaucrats to write down stories, songs, or
the rituals of the gods. It is believed these things would be debased if
written, as if the magic would be removed from them. While anyone
who has gone through the Kretan education system can recite stories
of the gods or songs of worship and has the ability to write these
things in clay, none of them have done so.

RITUAL

If writing and the education system is the foundation of the royal

court, it is ritual which provides it with structure and purpose. Prayers
are offered in the morning to the gods and most of the servants and
nobles attend. Poseidon, god of the sea, bulls, and earthquakes, is the
first god sacrifices are offered to, with a bull sacrifice taking place in
the palace temple every morning. The meat from the sacrifice feeds
the royal family, the priests, and nobles throughout the day. Zeus is
the second most popular god in the court, which may seem strange
considering the parentage of the king. He is predominantly worshipped
in his aspect as Zeus Velkhanos, rather than as the father of the king
or the familiar figure worshipped throughout the rest of the Aegean.
After Poseidon and Zeus, Rhea, the mother of the Olympian gods, is
worshipped on much of the island, though this is slowly being
superseded by worship of her daughter Demeter. As an agricultural
goddess, the worship of Demeter has become tied to that of Zeus
Velkhanos and she is the one who presides over his birth and death.

The remaining Olympian gods are infrequently worshipped on Kreta.

Small shrines to them may be found in parts of Knossos but temples
are rare. Some of the smaller cities may have a shrine to individual
Olympians, but they are more likely to have a single shrine for worship
of any of the gods.

The court observes many of the festivals that are held throughout the
Aegean with the addition of a yearly games to appease the Minotaur.
Technically, the games are in honour of Poseidon, but as the
Minotaur’s hunger grows its rages in the labyrinth beneath Knossos
grow ever more violent and the quakes through the city grow stronger.
Late in the year, after the harvest, the Grand Arena fills and the
games begin. The final event, the bull dance, is held at dusk with the
arena lit by torchlight. After the bull dancers have competed and a
victor is announced human sacrifices are dragged into the arena and

28
 K R E TA

chained to rings in the sandy floor. Guards cautiously remove the iron
bar which locks the door before scurrying away as fast as they can.

As the crowd watches with baited breath, the Minotaur, its breath
steaming, emerges from the dark tunnel which leads to the labyrinth
beneath the city. King Minos watches on from the royal sets, his face
grim. Pasiphae excuses herself every year, before her son appears. The
victor of the bull dance, whether a single bull dancer or a team, steps
forward. They have the opportunity to perform a single leap over the
horns of the Minotaur as he enters the arena seeking his meal. Once
the leap is performed, they flee to the iron gates which block the other
entrances to the arena—if they survive.

After the leap is performed, the Minotaur approaches its feast. The
sacrifices are usually criminals whose crime warrants death, but some
years, and more frequently in recent years, these are those who have
displeased the king in some fashion—conspirators at court, rebellious
lords and the like. In his crueller moments, Minos has been known to
have relatives of the sacrifices perform the Minotaur Leap, whether
they have earned that ‘honour’ or not. The bull dancer attempts to
distract the Minotaur for as long as they are able to keep the beast
from eating their kin—often sacrificing themselves instead.

2 / K R E TA
When the Minotaur feasts it may do it publicly in the arena, to the
delight of many of the crowd and the disgust of others. Otherwise, it
may drag its victim screaming into the dark gate of the labyrinth.
Some years the Minotaur doesn’t arrive at the gate and the crowd,
even those disgusted by the festival, return home disappointed.

In lean years, the sacrifice of Zeus Velkhanos is performed. In the

spring, a young man is chosen from the poor families of the city and
brought into the royal court. He is renamed Zeus and showered with
wealth, treated as if he were a son of the king and queen, though none
of the royal family will have anything to do with him—beyond what is
required for the ritual. The boy Zeus leads all of the ceremonies and
festivals through the summer and sits beside the king and queen
during the games. At the end of the summer when the harvest rites are
performed, the boy Zeus and King Minos travel together to the cave
on Mount Dikte, a public procession which anyone can join. In ages
past, it is said the King Minos walked the path from Knossos with the
boy, but these days the king rides in a chariot or is carried in a litter.
Once at the cave, the king sacrifices the boy, in the hope that the
death of Zeus will bring new life to the island. It is a solemn affair, and
once the ritual is complete the boy is buried in the grave of Zeus with
all of his predecessors.

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 BOOK OF EMPIRES

M I L I TA RY

The bureaucracy that powers the court keeps the cities and towns of
Kreta in line. While the king and queen bicker and play games, the
facade they show to the outside world has kept their rule absolute
across the island. The royal court, the temples, and the cities have their
guards to maintain order and to protect the royal family but there is
no standing army to enforce peace amongst the other cities.

While this is true on Kreta, Minos’s ambitions have turned to the rest
of the Aegean. The wealth of the court is spent enlarging the Kretan
fleet and training its mariners. With the death of Talos, Minos feels
exposed and seeks to bring more of the Aegean under his control. So
far no conquest has begun, as the Kretan fleet, with its sails of golden
bulls heads on black, contents itself with hunting pirates in its waters.
However, its reach is beginning to spread east towards Karia. As the
navy comes into contact with more pirates—and stretches its definition
of the term—it is only a matter of time before Minos takes the next
step and claims a new land under the banner of the golden bull.

MEMBERS OF THE COURT

The Royal Court is filled with idle aristocrats, advisors, priests, captains
of the navy, as well as the ever-present bureaucracy who maintain the
status quo. Below are some of the people you might meet at court.

◆ Akadios: The high priest of the temple of Poseidon is ageing and

resentful as no-one comes to him for advice. Worshippers would
prefer to seek out either the ancient Epimenides or Princess
Ariadne for their wisdom. (pleasant, resentful, condescending)
◆ Haidee: Once a small-time thug on the streets of Herakleon, she
joined the navy after she crossed someone dangerous. She fell in
love with the sea and the soldier’s life and found she was good at
it—good enough to train with Pyrhikhos. Years later, she has risen
from soldier to captain to Admiral of the Royal Fleet and
military advisor to the king. (weathered, commanding, devout)
◆ Orthis: The head of the palace bureaucracy comes from a long
line of famous bull dancers. Unfortunately they learnt the hard
way that they don’t have a talent for it—and after twenty years
still bear the mark. They have since made a comfortable life for
themselves leading the people who manage the resources of the
city and palace. (meticulous, idle, educated)
◆ Patrobas: Cousin to Orthis and owner of an esteemed bull
dancing school in Knossos. He hasn’t danced in the arena nor
trained anyone in years, still, noble families shower him with
wealth to have their children in his school. (wealthy, lazy, vain)
◆ Korythia: The Peristeri family were once rulers of Phaistos, long
before its destruction and their subsequent exodus to Knossos.
Korythia is the chief of the family, and while considered too
young for her position by many, she grew up in the Royal Court
and is steeped in its shifting politics and eternal games.
(deceptive, watching, charming)

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 K R E TA

NEW PC OPTIONS

GAME EVENT: BULL DANCING

While the games in Kreta offer many of the same events as found
throughout the Aegean, the event Kreta is famed for is the bull dance.
In the arena, the bull dancers, either singly or in teams, stare down a
charging bull and attempt to grab its horns and leap over its back.
The leap can be a simple jump but more experienced bull dancers
attempt more and more complicated acrobatics to win favour with the
crowds. The spectacle, the bravery and athletic achievement of the
competitors is undeniable and the bull leapers are lauded more than
any other athlete. The bull dance and leap is usually performed as a
spectacle rather than as a competition, but when it’s performed
competitively the victor is the team that completes the most impressive
and dangerous leap. This often comes down to the whim of whoever is
presiding over the event and bribery—either directly in the form of
money or goods, or indirectly in the form of favours—is commonplace.

In earlier times, bull dancing was considered a noble sport and the
ranks of the bull dancers were filled with the young men and women of
the court. Over the centuries fashions have changed and the nobility

2 / K R E TA
are no longer prepared to risk the lives of their children in the arena.
Instead, the bull dancing schools are filled with athletes from across
Kreta and Thera and—more recently—from the tributes offered by
cities seeking to appease Minos and his ever-expanding naval reach.

Competing in the bull dance uses a two phased approach, similar to

the rules used for a duel. The difference is in the type of actions the
primary bull dancer is able to perform and the role of any team mates.

During phase one, the bull dancers can use the Observe, Taunt, and AC: Observe,
Feint actions as they are presented in the core rules. Team mates who Taunt, and
aren’t performing the leap frequently use the Taunt or Feint Actions. Feint 155,
The bull takes no Action in phase one.

At the beginning of phase two all bull dancers gain 1 Risk while the
bull dancer attempting the leap gains 2 Risk. During phase two, team
mates can assist the leaper, using the standard assistance rules. The
primary can only attempt to make a Leap Action while the bull
attempts to gore its opponent.

Leap (Phase 2)
The bull dancer attempts to leap over the horns and across the back
of the charging bull. The bull dancer makes a * (Athletics) skill check
opposed by the bull’s Might (Brawl) skill. If the bull dancer wins the
opposed roll, they successfully leap over the bull and have won the
contest. If the bull wins, they inflict damage from their gore attack on
the leaper (including the bonus from their Charge ability) and can
invoke the Fates to activate the gore attack’s Stagger property. On a
tied roll, the bull dancer doesn’t make the leap, falling instead to one
side. They take falling damage from Engaged range but aren’t gored.

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 BOOK OF EMPIRES

If the bull is successful or the result is a tie, start a new round. Neither
the bull nor the leaping bull dancer may take a phase one Action but
any team mates may.

During the Leap Action, the leaper has the option to perform a more
difficult, complicated, and dangerous leap. Before they make the
opposed roll, they may choose to gain up to 5 points of Risk. For each
point of Risk gained, the bull gains +2D to its gore dice pool. If the
leaper is successful they gain 1 point of Glory per point of Risk gained.

Catch (Phase 2)
Anyone in the team who didn’t perform a phase two Action or assist
with the leap can attempt to catch the leaper if they fall. To do this
they need to succeed on a Reflexes (Athletics) skill check with each
success reducing the Risk gained by the falling leaping by 1.

B U L L S A N D B U L L - L I K E C R E AT U R E S
To make the bull leap more varied the stats for the bull can be
modified to represent a younger and more vigorous bull or one which is
older and slower. Adjust the bull’s dice pool by up to 2D and its
damage by 1. This can be an increase or decrease giving a bull 6–8D
for its gore attack and 5–7 damage (including Charge).

Facing the Minotaur in the Grand Arena is a challenge even the most
experienced bull dancers shy away from. When the Minotaur enters the
arena, its Fearsome ability immediately takes effect on anyone in the
team. It can also make a phase one Action just like the PC. This is most
often a Feint using Cunning (Brawl) but can be its Mighty Roar ability
if a Hubris point is available. Anyone in the team facing the Minotaur
gains 1 Glory. Succeeding at a leap over the Minotaur’s horns is worth 1
Glory (plus any from making the leap more difficult).

CAREER: BULL DANCER

Many palaestrae on Kreta offer training in the bull dance, in addition

to more common forms of athletic training. The wealthiest palaestrae
use a mechanical bull to train on—perfected by Daidalos, the wooden
and metal device is carved in the likeness of a bull and, while fixed in
place, bucks and turns with the motions of the leaper. While it doesn’t
prepare the leaper for facing a real bull, it is a good starting point.

Training as a Bull Dancer

The Bull Dancer career can only be taken by training in one of the
schools on Kreta. Spend 5 drakhmae and use a Train downtime Action
to train with a mentor at one of the schools. The 5XP can be spent to
gain the Bull Dancer career at the normal price.

Choose the Bull Dancer career if you want to excel at the Bull Dancing
contest and at other athletic events.

The Bull Dancer career works well with the Athlete career as they have
similar skills and ranked talents.

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 K R E TA

Requirements Specialisations
There are no city requirements to
take the Bull Dancer career. ◆ Athletics:Acrobatics
◆ Athletics:Catch
Skills ◆ Athletics:Jump
◆ Vigour:Recovery
◆ Athletics
◆ Manipulation
◆ Vigour

B U L L DA N C E R TA L E N T S

LEAPER

◆
1 Guts or Glory — 5xp
When performing a complex Leap
Action reduce the bonus dice
gained by the bull by 1 per rank in
the Guts or Glory talent. When
falling, add +1D per rank to an
Athletics roll to reduce Risk.
◆
4 Fearless — 20xp
When forced to make a Cool
(Vigour) Resistance roll to face a
fearsome adversary gain +2D.
Once per session when forced to
gain Risk through fear or tension,
reduce the Risk gained by 2.

◆ Red Rag — 10xp ◆ Enduring — 25xp

2 / K R E TA
2 5

You gain +2D when using the Permanently increase your base
Taunt Action with the Endurance by 1 point. This talent
Manipulation skill. may be bought multiple times.

◆
3 Roll With It — 15xp
When taking falling damage
reduce the Risk gained by 1 point
per rank in the Roll With It talent.

DA N C E R

◆
1 Roll With It — 5xp
When taking falling damage
reduce the Risk gained by 1 point
per rank in the Roll With It talent.
◆
2 Sponsored — 10xp
During downtime you may use a
downtime Action to gain a
number of drakhmae equal to
your Athletics skill.
◆
3 Crowd Pleaser — 15xp
When rolling Standing while on
Kreta you gain +2D.
◆
4 Guts or Glory — 20xp
When performing a complex Leap
Action reduce the bonus dice
gained by the bull by 1 per rank in
the Guts or Glory talent. When
falling, add +1D per rank to an
Athletics roll to reduce Risk.
◆
5 Dodge — 25xp
You gain a Dodge defence equal
to ranks in the Dodge talent. This
can be used as a Reaction to
defend against a ranged or melee
attack and works the same as
Shield defence.

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 BOOK OF EMPIRES

M Y S T E R Y C U LT : K O U R E T E S

Finding someone who can teach the ancient fighting arts of the
Kouretes is difficult as few of their number remain. Pyrhikhos on Kreta
is the last known Kouretes, though there may be others scattered
around the Aegean under differing names. On the island of Euboea
the Kouretes are known as Korybantes, on Samothraki they are called
Kabeiroi, and in other places, such as Troy, they are known as Daktyls.
In these regions where the Kouretes have spread, they remain secret
and avoid humans, and many have given up their war-like ways,
turning their hands to metalworking, shepherding, or beekeeping.

Joining the Cult

Once a Kouretes is found, trials will be presented to the initiate. For
the first test, the Kouretes stares at the initiate, their piercing gaze
attempting to penetrate the soul of the warrior. The PC gains 1 Risk
and must succeed on a Cool (Vigour) skill check with a Difficulty of 3.

If the PC passes the first test, they are deemed worthy to continue by
the Kouretes. Next they must disarm the Kouretes in a duel. Make a
standard Disarm Action using Insight (Melee) using the Kouretes’
Melee skill of 5 as the Difficulty. If the PC passes both tests, they must
spend 5 Glory and their next downtime training with the Kouretes. This
is treated as an away from home downtime and the PC can’t take any
downtime Actions as their time is spent learning the war dance. After
the downtime is complete, the PC is a full member of the Kouretes and
may purchase the talents from the two available talent tracks.

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 K R E TA
WA R R I O R T A L E N T S
◆
1 Overreach — 5xp
As an Incidental when using a
melee weapon, you may gain 1
Risk to add +1 to your weapon’s
Reach. This bonus lasts until the
start of your next turn. If your
opponent’s Reach was the same
as yours, you count as having the
Reach advantage.
◆
2 Riposte — 10xp
Whenever you use a weapon
Parry and your attacker fails in
their attack they gain 1 Risk per
rank in the Riposte talent.
B L A D E DA N C E R TA L E N T S
◆
1 Rhythmic Blow — 5xp
When attacking with a melee
weapon you gain +1D per rank
when you attack a target or
minion group who you successfully
attacked on the previous round.
◆
2 Hammering Blow — 10xp
When making an attack using the
Melee skill your strike gains the
Stagger property.
35
◆
3 Debilitating Blow — 15xp
On a successful attack using the
Melee skill that causes the target
to gain Risk or take a Wound,
invoke the Fates to cause your
target to suffer a -2D penalty on
their next Action.
◆
4 Rhythmic Blow — 20xp
When attacking with a melee
weapon you gain +1D per rank
when you attack a target or
minion group whom you
successfully attacked on the
previous round.
◆
5 Warrior — 25xp
Once per session, you may re-roll
the failed dice on a Brawl or
Melee skill check.
2 / K R E TA
◆
3 Goading Blow — 15xp
On a successful attack using the
Melee skill, whether or not the
target gains Risk or takes a
Wound, invoke the Fates to grant
+2D on the next attack Action
against the same target.
◆
4 Riposte — 20xp
Whenever you use a weapon
Parry and your attacker fails in
their attack they gain 1 Risk per
rank in the Riposte talent.
◆
5 Improved Parry — 25xp
When using a weapon with the
Parry property it gains +1 to its
Parry rating.
 K R E TA

CHAPTER 3

KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
 K R E TA

While returning to Kreta, Prince Androgeos, the favoured son of King

Minos and Queen Pasiphae, becomes the target of an assassination
attempt. The PCs witness to the attack and are almost accused by the
king who, ultimately convinced of their innocence, tasks them with
finding whoever is behind the plot to kill his beloved son.

Unfortunately for the PCs, the prince’s youngest sister, Phaidra, is the
mastermind behind the attack. Accusing her, or other members of the
royal family, would be a risky undertaking and the PCs must decide
between seeing justice dealt or finding a scapegoat to take the fall.

BAC KG RO U N D

Princess Phaidra of Kreta is bored. Her parents ignore her while her
father, King Minos, showers praise and attention on her older brother.
She is alone in the palace surrounded by people but with no friends,
except for her confidant and half-sister Ianthe. Having seen the way

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
her parents bicker and fight, she resolves to attract their attention and
gain their praise in the one way her family deals with these things—by
murdering Androgeos, her older brother. Ianthe dotes on the child and
has seen firsthand the rivalry, politics, and murder that goes on
between the nobles and the royal family. She doesn’t exactly approve
of Phaidra’s plan but in the palace of Knossos it seems almost normal.

I N V O LV I N G T H E P C S

Kreta is a popular destination for travellers as many ships from

outside the Aegean Sea stop here before sailing north. The PCs’
reasons for travelling to Kreta could involve something from your
existing campaign or any of the following:

◆ They may wish to participate in the yearly great games and

witness the bull dancers leap over the horns of the mighty
Minotaur. The creature is a legend known throughout the Aegean
and many travel to see it and shower glory on the bull dancers.
◆ Their home polis may be trying to open trade negotiations with
Kreta. It is a wealthy nation and controls much of the trade in the
south, making it a valuable ally. The PCs could be handling the
trade negotiations, or could be escorting their city’s ambassador.
◆ There are several sacred sites on Kreta, such as the caves at
Mount Ida and Mount Dikte. A pilgrimage to one of these, either
at their own choosing or at the behest of an oracle, is possible.
◆ As a centre of trade, Kreta has items available from across the
world, including some Rare items never seen in the agoras of the
Aegean Sea. It could be the PCs are here to find such an item.
◆ There are many travellers to Kreta who need bodyguards during
their stay. The PCs could be hired by a merchant selling wares in
Herakleon, a noble seeking an audience in the capital, or a
playwright hoping to perform a new play at the games.

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 BOOK OF EMPIRES

AC T I : A R R I V I N G AT H E R A K L E O N

S C E N E 1 : A K N I F E I N T H E C ROW D

Late in the summer the PCs’ ship approaches the docks in Herakleon,
the largest port in Northern Kreta. It is mid-afternoon, the sun is
shining and the port is busy. There are many ships moored along the
stone jetties and cargo is being loaded and off-loaded, with labourers
moving deftly through a growing crowd of onlookers and well-dressed
soldiers. Behind the crowd can be seen the unmistakable form of King
Minos, raised up above the crowd on a litter and resplendent in the
finest clothing and gold jewellery.

Amongst the ships docked is the Erynis, a well fitted pentekonter with
a black sail with a shimmering golden bull’s head in the centre,
glistening in the sunlight. Disembarking from the Erynis is Androgeos,
Prince of Keta. As he steps on to the docks, the crowd cheers “Prince
Androgeos has returned!” The PCs step from their ship at the same
time and are caught up in the crowd as it swells towards the prince.

PRINCE ANDROGEOS
The prince is a man in his prime—he appears to be in his 30s with dark
hair and a flashing smile which brings a light to his eyes. He is fit and
athletic and a frequent contender in the games and, occasionally, the
bull dance, when his father allows it. He is the favoured child of King
Minos (but not of Pasiphae) who pushes him towards positions of
authority and glory and includes him in the council—something he
denies his other children.

Prince Androgeos is calm and relaxed, the privilege afforded to him

giving him an easy confidence. He spends time with the citizens of
Kreta and is personable and well-liked by many, though some find him
arrogant and condescending, considering him to be disingenuously
courting the favour of the common folk. He is unwed and has his
father’s roving eye, so he has had many dalliances with the young men
and women of the court and amongst the common folk.

He is always richly dressed in the latest fashions—in fact he sets the

fashions for the young noblemen and wealthier citizens on the island.

All of the PCs should make Insight (Awareness) rolls as they are jostled
by the crowd of onlookers. If anyone is successful, they spot the glint of
a metal blade in the crowd moving closer to the prince. However, the
crowd is too dense to easily see the person carrying the knife and 3 or
more successes are required to see the face of the would-be assassin. If
the PCs try to make their way through the crowd to get closer to the
prince they should make appropriate rolls, such as Might (Vigour) to
push their way through, Cunning (Vigour) to try and squeeze through
the gaps, or perhaps Cool (Diplomacy) to politely move people aside.

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If they try to shout to attract the prince’s attention a successful Might

(Diplomacy) roll with a Difficulty of 2 is required, due to the noise.

Whether the PCs are successful in reaching or alerting the prince, the
next thing they hear, drowning out and silencing the crowds, is the
scream of the prince as the knife is plunged into his chest.

THE ASSASSIN
It is hard to make out the face of the would-be assassin amongst the
crowd as she is wearing a plain but worn cloak with a hood pulled up
which shadows her face. Under the cloak her clothing is well made and
of rich design—possibly that of a rich merchant, favoured servant of a
wealthy house, or that of a minor house. It isn’t obvious at a glance, but
if the PCs get a closer look at the assassin, she has a necklace with a
stone disc hanging from it. Carved into the red stone is a sun—the
symbol of a servant of Pasiphae. If the PCs have the opportunity to
search the docks they may find the stone disc cracked and wedged in
the boards of the jetty with a successful Difficulty 3 Insight

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
(Awareness) skill check.

There is pandemonium as the crowd reacts. Some of the citizens of

Herakleon rush forward to protect their prince, while others rush away.
Thirty soldiers rush forward along the jetty, pushing citizens aside,
some stumbling onto the moored boats, others falling into the harbour.
The assassin disappears amongst the crowds. Some of the soldiers
gather around the prince to protect him from further attack, while the
rest try to arrest anyone carrying a weapon larger than a makhaira.
The PCs—strangers in a foreign land and likely armed and
armoured—are caught up in the arrests and accused, along with a
handful of others, of attempting to kill the prince.

The soldiers aren’t trying to kill anyone here, their first efforts will be to
arrest any suspects before moving them to a secure location for
questioning. The PCs may surrender or try to talk their way out of the
situation and should have ample opportunity to talk rather than fight.
If they choose to attack there are five groups of 5 temple guards each
led by a temple captain. If any of the soldiers are killed by the PCs,
more soldiers will be summoned and they will attempt to incapacitate AC: Temple Guard, 223
the PCs with overwhelming force. AC: Temple Captain, 222

The intention here is to bring the PCs before the king. They may be
captured for a short time but not for long. It should appear as if
they’re in a small amount of danger, but the danger should be short-
lived—it is, after all, a misunderstanding and they haven’t done
anything wrong, their weapons are sheathed and unbloodied.

FOR THE PRINCE!

As the life of their prince is in danger, each Champion and Minion
group attempting to defend Prince Androgeos gets a point of Resolve
which can be spent to invoke the Fates as if it was a point of Hubris.

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SCENE 2: BULL KING

Once the PCs are captured, they are taken to the palace at Herakleon.
This is smaller in scale than the palace at Knossos but follows a similar
design. The outer walls are painted with bright frescoes depicting the
history of the city and the early lives of the King and Queen. Inside
the walls is a courtyard with several buildings, including the main hall.
The PCs are brought to the hall and questioned by King Minos. Minos
sits on a simple throne on a dais, two steps above the floor. Guards
stand on either side of him, along with servants holding a krater of
wine. Minos is stern and glares at the PCs as they are brought in. He is
a robust man with greying hair and beard, richly dressed and
bejewelled, appearing to be in his fifties. He is gruff and paranoid.

You were near my son when he was attacked. My guards tell me you
were not the one who attempted to murder him. But you were there.
What did you see? Who tried to kill my son?

If the PCs took a more active role in preventing the attack on

Androgeos, Minos will instead say:

Thank you for helping to save the life of my son. What did you see of
the attacker?

The PCs can answer the questions however they see fit, however any
attempts to lie to the king require a Difficulty 3 Cunning (Diplomacy)
or Cunning (Manipulation) skill check. Attempting to get a better
understanding of the king requires an Insight (Diplomacy) skill check.
A success reveals Minos to be deeply concerned for the well-being of
his son. Two or more successes show the king is forcing himself to
remain calm, but is simmering with rage.

S I B L I N G S O R R E L AT I V E S
If one of the PCs is a child of Zeus or one of the other Olympians,
Minos will acknowledge them as relatives, but offer no special
treatment. He is impressed by deeds in others, not words or bloodlines.

If the PCs ask after the wellbeing of Androgeos, Minos will tell them
the wound was not fatal and, despite the poison on the blade, the
prince is recovering. He will have a scar, but it isn’t the first.

If the PCs have a healer amongst them, they may wish to see Prince
Androgeos to examine him. Minos can be convinced of this with an
appropriate Diplomacy or Manipulation skill check. Minos is not easily
impressed by brashness or cunning. Anyone using the Might or
Cunning characteristic for this skill check has a Difficulty of 3. If
successful, Minos, accompanied by a group of guards who always
stand between the PCs and the king, leads them through a side door,
down steps and along corridors to the bedroom of the prince. Prince

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Androgeos lies resting in bed. He is pale but hearty. The bedroom is

luxurious, painted frescoes depict the life of the prince and his
escapades as a young man. If the PCs were quick enough to try and
save the prince, he thanks them.

Anyone examining the prince, under the watchful eye of the guard,
should make an Insight (Medicine:Poisons) skill check. A successful roll
shows the prince is injured but on the road to recovery. He appears to
be robust, like his father, and better than would be expected for
someone who was stabbed that very morning. Two or more successes
show that a poison was used on the blade—there is a pungent smell to
the wound and an odd discolouration to it. The poison used is rarely
found outside of Kreta or Eastern Anatolia, but three or more
successes will show it to be an ingestible poison from the kolkhiko
flower—a purple-white leafed flower native to Kreta. The ingestible
nature of the poison is significant here: it would only have a mild
irritant property if administered to the blood, enough to irritate the
wound but not enough to kill or even inhibit the victim in any way.

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
A successful Insight (Lore) or Insight (Survival) roll provides more
information about the kolkhiko—it was originally found around Kolkhis
on the Black Sea, but has flourished on Kreta since it was brought here
as a wedding gift to Pasiphae from her brother Aeetes.

Androgeos can describe his attacker in detail, if asked, though she is

not someone he recognises. He saw the symbol of his mother’s
supporters on the necklace but won’t mention it to the PCs in the
presence of his father. A Difficulty 3 Insight (Diplomacy) skill check is
required to realise he is holding something back.

An idea occurs to Minos while he speaks to the PCs: as outsiders they

are innocent of the machinations of the court and he is convinced it is
a member of the court who has attempted this. If he could only
persuade the PCs to investigate the attempted murder of his son…

Minos knows why the PCs are here and will offer them a reward based
on their reasons for visiting Kreta if they will bring the would-be
assassin before him in his court in Knossos. This could include opening
trade routes with their polis, or royal seats at the Grand Arena for the
next games. Minos is honest in his intentions here, but will reduce the
value of the reward if he doesn’t like the outcome of the investigation.
If they refuse his request, he will make veiled threats concerning the
success of their visit to Kreta and their state of welcome on the island.
He is convinced that any attack on his son is a preamble to attacking
him, so will do everything in his power to get the PCs to work for him.

After meeting with the king, the PCs should travel to Knossos where
they are invited to stay at the king’s service. They will each be given a
bracelet with a reddish stone disc carved with a bull’s head inlaid with
gold. This will show their loyalty while in Knossos and grant them
access to the palace. Whether they go directly to Knossos or explore
Herakleon or other parts of Kreta is up to them, but they shouldn’t
wait too long before setting out for Knossos.

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AC T I I : AT T H E C O U R T O F K I N G M I N O S

SCENE 1: THE BUSTLE OF KNOSSOS

The road from Herakleon to Knossos is wide and well made, with fitted
stones with deep wheel ruts in them. It is busy with many travellers
along the way as well as guard patrols to ensure the safety of the
travellers. After a day’s travel through the foothills of the mountains,
passing many small farms along the way, the PCs arrive at Knossos.

The wall that surrounds the city is rough, with cracks and missing
stones, but impressive in its size. Beyond the walls, many buildings can
be seen, some small huts raised high, others towers and temples
looming above the walls. From outside it’s hard to get a sense of
Knossos as the city is unlike anything the PCs have seen before.

The main gate to the city is guarded, but few, if any travellers, are
turned away. At the gates the PCs can ask for directions to the palace
and, if they show their tokens from the king, they will be provided with
a guide to take them to the palace. Once inside the walls and through
the gatehouse, they see a bustling market with many shops and tinkers
selling their wares, shouting to attract the attention of anyone entering
the gates. Along with the shopkeepers and tinkers are many eager
guides, ready to escort newcomers through Knossos. After the calm of
the countryside, the agora inside the gates is an assault on the senses.
The noise of the traders, the braying of animals, the stench of
thousands of people and animals, the bright colours of the items for
sale, all serve to overwhelm a newcomer to the city. All PCs should gain
2 Risk when they first enter Knossos.

Once out of the small agora, the streets quickly lead to underground
routes unlike any other city in the Aegean. If the PCs don’t have a
guide, they quickly become lost in the subterranean streets of the city.
Knossos Events, 12 Roll on the Knossos random event table then have the PCs make
Insight (Survival) rolls to find their way back to the gates where they
can hire an honest guide to take them to the palace.

S C E N E 2 : T H E C A L M O F T H E PA L AC E

The street leading to the palace rises up out of the subterranean

routes and forms a broad road with a colonnade running down on
either side, offering shade. After the dim and oppressive nature of the
city below it is a—literal—breath of fresh air to be on the surface with
the sun shining. The palace is in the distance and rises above the rest
of the city. Its red stone walls are painted brightly, depicting the life of
King Minos on the left hand side and the life of Queen Pasiphae on
the right. In the centre above the gate is a depiction of their marriage.
The frescoes are repainted regularly to keep the colours fresh and to
stop them from cracking in the sun. The style of the paintings hasn’t
changed over the centuries and to the PCs they look somewhat
primitive compared to the art produced in Athens or Korinth.

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As they get closer, they can see a line of guards standing beneath the
frescoes, shaded from the sun by the overhanging roof above them. By
the gates two of the guards are stopping people as they enter. There
are always people coming and going from the palace and the road to
the gate is never empty during the day. The busiest times are in the
morning and late afternoon, as the many bureaucrats who work in the
palace start or end their day’s work.

If they show the bracelets King Minos gave them they will be admitted
into the palace and taken by a servant to a small courtyard to wait for
their time to see the king. The courtyard is a pleasant place with
benches along the walls and olive trees and high walls to provide
shade, while still being open to the sun and air. They will be offered
water or wine while they wait.

After half an hour or so, with refreshments brought at regular

intervals, a well-dressed palace administrator will arrive and introduce
himself as Niarkhos.

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
Unfortunately good King Minos is unable to see you at present. I,
Niarkhos, have been instructed to assist you during your stay in Knossos.
Rooms have been prepared for you in the city and I have been informed
of the nature of your visit. I can arrange meetings with any member of
the court you wish to speak to.

Niarkhos (reserved, polite, disdainful) can answer any immediate

questions they have, though he is initially reluctant to divulge too much
information about the court. He will answer common knowledge
questions about the court that the PCs may not be aware of:

◆ King Minos is the son of Zeus,

◆ Queen Pasiphae is the daughter of Helios,
◆ They have ruled together since ancient times,
◆ The names of their children, Royal Children, 23
◆ Yes, sometimes they fight, all families fight,
◆ No-one would want to kill Prince Androgeos, he is much loved,
◆ I don’t know where someone would procure such a poison.

Anyone with a keen eye and a successful Difficulty 2 Insight

(Awareness) roll will notice the red disc with an engraved sun on a
bracelet at his wrist. If they ask him about it he will say it is meant to
honour his queen.

They will be taken from the palace and lead to their new quarters in
the wealthiest part of the city. Niarkhos will take them, accompanied
by a group of four guards. If stats are needed, use councillor for AC: Councillor, 213
Niarkhos and peltasts for the guards. Their accommodation is a few AC: Peltasts, 217
streets from the palace and is on the upper levels of the city. It is
wealthy and consists of a central courtyard with a dozen rooms built
around this. It is richly furnished, open to the air and includes
appropriate servants to cook and clean during their stay. Niarkhos will

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leave them to get settled and to rest, promising to return in the

morning. The guards will be left behind “for their protection”. If PCs
wish to leave their villa to explore some of the city, they’re free to
leave but at least one guard will go with them to act as a guide and
as protection.

In the morning, Niarkhos will join them while they’re having breakfast.
He will inform them King Minos is hosting a symposium that evening
which they are to attend. Minos has arranged this to give the PCs the
opportunity to speak with the important members of the court and to
subtly question them regarding the attack on the prince. Niarkhos will
also inform them that both Queen Pasiphae and Prince Androgeos
have requested their presence today at their own convenience.

Run either Scene 3: Sun Queen or Scene 4: Favoured Son next, unless
the PCs have other things they wish to attend to first.

SCENE 3: SUN QUEEN

Queen Pasiphae resides in a suite of rooms on the east side of the

palace. They are large and spacious, though less grand and ornate
than many of the other rooms in the palace. Such finery as is on
display is more to put a visitor at ease than to impress or overawe
them. Pasiphae’s suite includes a garden which overlooks the city and
faces the rising sun. Here—when she’s in residence—she greets her
father every morning.

When the PCs arrive, they are led by servants to the garden where
Pasiphae sits in her favourite spot drinking a hot tea made of thyme.
There are worn indents in the stone leading to her seat which exactly
match the size of her feet and her gait.

Pasiphae is dressed in a red-orange peplos decorated with the sun

symbol worn by her followers, embroidered with purple and yellow
thread. Her hair is golden and she smiles easily; she offers the PCs tea
as they sit down. Compared to their earlier meeting with Minos, this is
a much more relaxed and informal affair. She is forthright and upfront
and will call out liars directly. She is otherwise happy and of an
amenable nature.

The queen will begin the conversation with polite small talk. She will
ask them about their lives, their home, and their exploits, before
moving onto the reason she has called them here.

You are here to investigate the attack on my son, aren’t you? Why has
my husband chosen you?

She listens attentively to everything they say and pays utmost

attention to their words. Anyone trying to lie to Pasiphae will find it
difficult—she is a centuries-old goddess who has seen everything
humanity has to offer. A successful Difficulty 5 Cunning (Manipulation)
roll is required to lie to her. Trying to better understand Pasiphae is

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also difficult—she weaves layer upon layer of falsehood, keeping her

true beliefs obfuscated. A successful Difficulty 5 Insight (Diplomacy)
roll will make the PC aware of this along with her true motivation—she
is bored and, while she cares about the life of son, this is all a game to
her and she seeks the upper hand.

What evidence have you found so far? Who do you think is to blame?
Has my husband ordered you to accuse me?

If they mention the poison found on the prince’s wound she can tell
them its source purely from the description. She can even tell where it
might be found in the wild and how to create a poison from it. She
doesn’t know if the plant or its poison can be bought in the city, but
she can describe how to prepare it, if asked.

Ah, that is the poison of the kolkhiko plant. A gift from my brother on
my wedding day. Crushing the leaves of the plant and preparing a meal

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
with the paste is a sure way to kill someone. If one were so inclined.

Once she has her answers, she will turn the conversation around and
try to convince the PCs to work for her instead. She will gladly match
Minos’s offer and add anything she thinks might sweeten the deal,
such as better trading terms or more money if she thinks this will
convince them. She’s not above seducing a PC if it will further her
cause.

CONSENT IN GAMING
Bear in mind your players’ preferences when it comes to running a
romantic, or even sexual, encounter with Pasiphae. If this is something
your players have discussed during session zero and would rather
avoid then ignore any potential seduction from the queen.

Once Pasiphae has answers to her questions she will dismiss the PCs as
she has “court matters” to attend to. In reality, the PCs have served the
current purpose that Pasiphae has for them and she is bored.

S C E N E 4 : F AV O U R E D S O N

Androgeos can be found in the city, watching the bull dancers train for
the upcoming festival in honour of Poseidon. In one of the more
prestigious schools in the upper city, with a scaled down arena open to
the sky, he sits under a canopy, shaded from the bright sun. In the
centre of the arena the athletes practise leaping and tumbling over
one of the wooden training bulls. With the prince sit two of the school’s
trainers, all three commenting on the performance of the athletes.

When the PCs arrive, Androgeos greets them warmly. He stands, a

little stiffly, to shake their hands. He is jovial and good natured, has no

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idea why anyone might want to kill him, and treats his whole life as a
game. He has rarely had to suffer the consequences of his actions and
has no ambition beyond following his father’s wishes. His moral
standards are shaped by those of the king and the example he
provides. The prince is well-dressed in a fine blue khiton, his arms
jangle with gold bracelets and gold bull brooches are used to pin his
khiton in place. His hair is dark, like his father’s, while his eyes glint in
the sunlight.

Ah, my friends, I hear it is you I have to thank for saving my life. You
have my gratitude and anything I can offer you while you are on Kreta
is yours. Come, sit, we have much to talk about.

Whether or not the PCs intervened to prevent the attack on

Androgeos, he believes—as told by his father—that they did.

The prince nods to the trainers and they leave to focus on their
students, leaving the PCs and the prince in relative privacy. Androgeos
will ask them who they think made the attempt on his life. He will
dismiss any suggestions that a member of his family or of the royal
court could have anything to do with the attempted assassination.

I am well loved here, by the nobles and common folk alike. None of
them would raise a hand against me. My family, well, they bicker at
times as I’m certain others do, but they mean no real harm, it is just fun
and games and no one would stoop so low as to hire assassins.

A successful Insight (Diplomacy) skill check to get a better

understanding of the prince shows him to be exactly as he appears. He
is honest and dutiful. He never questions what he is told by his father
and obsequious courtiers and is generous to those he considers friends.
Anyone will have an easy time lying to him and Cunning (Diplomacy)
or Cunning (Manipulation) rolls are at standard Difficulty.

If anyone was trying to kill me it’s probably a lover I had to leave

behind or their wife or husband. See this scar here, he points to a long
white scar across his forearm and laughs. A merchant in Athens gave
me this after she caught me in bed with her husband.

Once his questions about the assassination have been answered,

Androgeos will regale the PCs with tales of his exploits, talking
extensively of his exploits, both as a lover and a one-time bull dancer.
He won’t ask them about themselves or any of their achievements and
will talk all day if they let him.

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SCENE 5: AN EVENING SYMPOSIUM

In the evening, King Minos has arranged a symposium. This is a small

and intimate affair by Kretan standards, but includes some dozen or
so guests and around fifty servants carrying food and wine. The
symposium is held in the palace in a large open-air courtyard around a
central fire pit. Surrounding the fire pit is a small manicured garden
which is in turn surrounded by a roofed colonnade, with seating and
tables for the guests.

When the PCs arrive, they are led down a corridor by Niarkhos, past a
waiting line of guests, all finely dressed, who stare at them and whisper
as they pass. Two guards stand at the door, which they open at
Niarkhos’s instruction. As the PCs walk through the doors, Niarkhos
announces their presence and remains at the door. At the far end of
the courtyard sits King Minos and Queen Pasiphae on simple thrones.
On the queen’s left stand their children: Deukalion, Androgeos,
Ariadne, and Phaidra. Deukalion is accompanied by his wife,

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
Kleopatra, There are no other guests present.

The PCs are offered cups of wine by servants and instructed to stand
to the right of the king. When they are in place, the doors are opened
and the guests make their way inside, announced by Niarkhos.

Minos has invited people to the symposium who he thinks are likely to
have attempted the assassination on Androgeos. While he would never
say this out loud, some of the guests will have realised what is going
on and will be cautious.

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I M P O R TA N T G U E S T S
The following are the most important guests at the party, the ones who
have something to say about the assassination. Some of them will be
alone but others may have a spouse, assistant, lover, bodyguard, or
other attendant with them.

Daidalos, 22 ◆ Daidalos, chief architect of the court. Minos no longer has much
use for the inventor and thinks that Daidalos is plotting his
downfall. The king has invited him to the symposium in the hope
that he will slip up in some fashion and reveal his (imagined) plot
to overthrow the king.
Haidee, 30 ◆ Haidee, admiral of the Kretan navy. Haidee has risen through
the ranks to become admiral quicker than the king would like. As
someone who sees plots and counterplots everywhere, Minos
suspects that Haidee seeks the throne or is working for a noble
house who is vying for the throne.
◆ Myrine: The most famous bull dancer in all of Kreta, Myrine
successfully leapt across the horns of the Minotaur at the
Festival of Poseidon last year. She is the first in some time to
survive the encounter. Being a supreme athlete, she has been
showered with wealth and attention over the past year. Her
arrogance since her “Great Leap” is palpable. Androgeos was one
of those who was appreciative of her athleticism and the two
were lovers for a brief time before the prince broke it off. Myrine
is convinced she has been invited because the prince wants to
reignite their affair and is unaware of the attempt on his life.
(arrogant, athletic, oblivious)
◆ Pelikles: A wealthy merchant from Athens who petitioned
Androgeos for an audience with the court. He is hoping to secure
trade negotiations with Kreta and travelled on the Erynis with
the prince on his voyage home. He has only been in Knossos as
long as the PCs but has heard the rumours that are going
around and while he was initially pleased with his invitation, he is
growing more worried by the second. (jovial, nervous, shrewd)

Once all of the guests have been announced and have a drink in hand,
Pasiphae will rise and announce her daughter Phaidra.

Welcome, gracious guests. As part of tonight’s festivities, our youngest

daughter Phaidra has asked to recite a tale of myth and wonder for
your entertainment!

Phaidra takes to the centre of the courtyard as the crowd politely

claps. She is around twelve years old and finely dressed, as is befitting
a princess of the royal court. An observant watcher who succeeds at an
Insight (Awareness) roll will notice she wears a small necklace with a
clay pendant hanging from it. Carved on the disc is the same sun
symbol that her mother wears.

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Phaidra stands in front of her audience and speaks, initially with a

slight quaver in her voice. She tells the story of her cousin Medea and
how she helped Iason steal the golden fleece from her father. As she
warms to her tale, which she has composed herself from news she’s
overheard around the court, her voice grows stronger, losing its
hesitation. She recounts how Medea poisoned her brother with lilac
flowers and escaped with Iason and the Argonauts. Phaidra delights in
the gory detail and her face brightens as she describes how Medea cut
her brother Apsyrtos into pieces and threw them into the sea to slow
down her grieving father. Her tale ends in a climactic fashion with the
Argonauts arriving in Kreta and Medea killing Talos.

The court is somewhat stunned by the end of the tale. Everyone was
expecting a simple tale from a child, not a blood-filled recounting of
Medea’s fratricide and her attack on the island’s guardian. There is a
half-hearted applause at the end as the smiling princess is led away.
Anyone listening to the tale can make an Insight (Knowledge) roll to
realise there’s no mention of Medea poisoning Apsyrtos, common

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
knowledge claims she stabbed him with a knife. Anyone who succeeds
on an Insight (Diplomacy) will see Minos scowl at his daughter as she
finishes her story. He doesn’t clap and seems pleased when she leaves.

Once Phaidra has completed her recital, she is escorted from the
symposium by a servant. The PCs now have the opportunity to mingle
with the other guests and question them. They will also be able to
recite tales of their own adventures, if they wish. It’s worth breaking up
the PCs a little to give them all the opportunity to speak to different
people, rather than having one person question everyone. If any of the
PCs have the Performer career they should be encouraged to flex some
of their social skills and wow the crowd with their exploits.

K I N G M I N O S A N D Q U E E N PA S I P H A E
The king and queen sit together on their thrones throughout the
symposium. They don’t mingle, instead expecting their guests to come
to speak to them. If the PCs approach, the queen will ask if they are
enjoying the event while the king will ask them directly what they have
uncovered so far. Minos is gruff, Pasiphae is charming. They bicker with
each other and will try to get the PCs to pick favourites between them.

If the PCs ask about Phaidra’s recital, Minos will grow angry. Pasiphae
will squeeze his hand to remind him he is in public. He will calm down
a little, and talk with disgust about the destruction of Talos, the
island’s guardian. Pasiphae will call it the work of an overactive
imagination and say no harm was meant.

ANDROGEOS
The prince will appear much as he did when they spoke to him earlier.
He is charming and happy to talk for hours, as long as the subject is
his royal self. He will mention his love affair with Myrine and will ask if
the PCs know why she is here. If they ask about Phaidra’s recital, he
will laugh and say his sister likes bloody stories and fancies herself a
witch like their cousin. He will finish with “Shame about Apsyrtos.”

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D E U K A L I O N A N D K L E O PAT R A
The eldest child of the king and queen stands apart from the rest of
his family, keeping with his wife. He looks torn, as if he is both afraid
to leave his wife alone with his family and afraid for her to leave him
with them. Kleopatra is resolute. She has been part of the royal family
long enough to know how precarious these events can be.

If the PCs speak to them, they are both courteous and will answer any
questions they can about the other guests. They suspect why they have
been invited here and have no opinions to share about the
assassination attempt. Deukalion knows his younger brother is the
favourite and is happy with this state of affairs. A successful Insight
(Awareness) roll will show neither Deukalion or Kleopatra wear any
symbols of the royal house. None of their jewellery or clothing has a
bull or sun insignia anywhere to be seen.

They will make their excuses and leave the symposium once the PCs
have spoken to them.

ARIADNE
The eldest daughter of the king and queen is also the chief priest of
the temple of Demeter in Knossos. Her clothing is simpler than that of
the rest of her family—she foregoes the extravagance of the court,
preferring the plain dark robes of a priest. Her peplos is pinned with a
bronze snake brooch and a successful Insight (Awareness) roll will show
no bull or sun symbol anywhere on her person. She is in attendance
with some of the junior priests of the temple, many of whom think of
Ariadne as a goddess. They worship her and many have bracelets with
her snake symbol carved into a clay disc. They are reluctant to leave
her side for long so any questions—unless the princess trusts the
PCs—will need to be asked in front of her attendants.

Ariadne will be dismissive of the attempt on her brother’s life. This sort
of thing happens all the time and she has had many attempts on her
own life in the past. If her brother didn’t want people trying to kill him,
he should be more discreet in his dalliances. She is somewhat jealous of
Androgeos. He is favoured by their father in ways that she and her
siblings are not and he is given more freedom than she has ever been
afforded. While she is a prominent figure in the city, and clearly
worshipped by her attendants, her life is stifling.

If the PCs ask about the other guests she knows about all of them,
except for Pelikles. She can give reasons why any member of the court
might try and assassinate her brother and why they might not.

◆ Pasiphae holds her husband in contempt and is not above faking

an assassination attempt to spite him, however she loves
Androgeos and wouldn’t put his life in danger.
◆ Deukalion is jealous because he should be the heir, however he
tires of court life and wants to spend time with his wife and son.

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◆ Daidalos is afraid of Minos and worried about the safety of his

own son. The confusion caused by the attack would give him
opportunity to plan an escape, however his fear of the king has
paralysed him.
◆ Haidee wants Kreta to extend its power and an attack on the
prince would make the paranoid king go to war with anyone.
However, she has been a trusted advisor of both the king and the
prince for years.
◆ Myrine obviously resents Androgeos for leaving her, however she is
so full of her own pomp and people are falling over themselves to
please her, so she likely doesn’t care.

Ariadne can answer any questions about her sister’s recital and can
provide a possible deeper meaning for the piece. Phaidra is clearly
jealous of the attention provided to Androgeos and wants to provoke
her father to receive even a small amount of attention—whether good
or bad. The focus on Medea is a reminder that powerful witchcraft
runs in the family and that a scorned witch has no limits. The addition

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
of the kolkhiko flower which was inexpertly used in the assassination
attempt is to show that Phaidra knows what is going on at the court
and shouldn’t be overlooked.

If an astute PC asks what reason Phaidra might have to assassinate

her brother, Ariadne will suggest—as her attendants gasp in
shock—that her sister is the most jealous of Androgeos as he is their
father’s favourite and Minos spends no time with her at all, fearing she
is a pawn of their mother. However, she is a twelve-year-old girl who is
watched constantly and has no means to organise such a thing.

DA I DA LO S
The ageing inventor and architect is enjoying the party—at least on
the surface. He is well aware that his days at court are numbered. He
has done much to benefit the island and its king but he knows too
many of the king’s secrets and is aware that his usefulness is coming to
an end. But, for now, he is enjoying the food, the wine, and the
company. He’s happy to answer any questions the PCs have but he
knows little of the social workings of the court. He knows the names of
the members of the court who are present and can describe their role,
but he knows nothing of Myrine or Pelikles. Daidalos understands that
he was invited because the king thinks he may have orchestrated the
assassination attempt but he knows he is innocent and the invitation
makes him no more scared of the king than he already was. He hasn’t
considered that the other guests may also be suspects of the crime.

If the PCs ask about Phaidra’s recital, he can tell them about the
factual inaccuracies in her tale, specifically around the use of poison to
kill Apsyrtos, but will dismiss it as the imagination of a child. He will
wonder aloud how Medea killed Talos before talking about the nature
of ship building and the structural quality of the Argo.

He will happily talk about architecture and invention for the rest of the
evening and many of the guests avoid him due to this. If anyone

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mentions the parentage of the Minotaur and his involvement with its
conception he will glare, dumbfounded, before making his excuses and
leaving.

DAIDALOS’S ESCAPE
If the PCs seem trustworthy to the inventor and you want a side quest
involving him, he could ask the PCs to aid in his escape. He wouldn’t
ask directly but he could give them some errands to run—eagle
feathers to find, a certain type of glue to acquire, etc. Daidalos is well
known throughout the Aegean and his inventions could be a boon to
the PCs’ polis.

HAIDEE
The admiral is here under the assumption that the PCs have already
found the person behind the assassination and that she will be asked
to apprehend whomever it is. She’s quite looking forward to it. In
reality, Minos considers her a potential suspect and wants her
questioned just like all the others. She knows a little about everyone
present but only a few of them personally. If asked, she distrusts
Pelikles the most as he’s an outsider, she is suspicious of Daidalos who
keeps making trips into the mountains, but considers Myrine the most
likely culprit. She can tell them where Pelikles is staying / being kept,
that she picked the guards herself, and that Daidalos is only allowed
out of the city because she has guards on his son Ikaros at all times.

Haidee can offer no insight into Phaidra’s recital but will say it’s stupid
of Minos to allow her to talk publicly about the death of Talos, the
island’s greatest means of protection, without being punished.

MYRINE
The most renowned bull dancer in all of Kreta is a little tipsy from
drinking too much wine. She has a strict training regime which is
usually controlled by her trainer or the noble house that sponsors her.
Being away from under their stern eyes, she drank more than the rest
of the guests would consider wise. She has a few theories about why
she’s been invited to the symposium which she will cheerfully share,
whether asked or not:

◆ Androgeos, suddenly aware of his own mortality, realises he loves

her and wants her back in his life, and his bed. She merrily
presents this as the most obvious reason for her invitation here and
expects everyone would agree.
◆ The queen, keen for her son to settle down, wants to bring her and
Androgeos back together in order to rekindle their old relationship
and to marry. Of course, the queen wants what is best for her son
and Myrine is obviously the best thing to have happened to him.
◆ The king is well known to have a roving eye and to appreciate
beauty. Of course he wants her here so he can be close to her. He’s
seen his son’s infatuation and is obviously jealous.

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If anyone suggests she might have hired the assassin she will laugh at
them for several minutes. Training is everything to Myrine and she
doesn’t have the free time to even find an assassin. If the PCs ask her
about anyone or anything else in the room, she will lose interest. She’s
only interested in talking about herself, going as far as asking if the
PCs have heard of her in Athens or Sparta. She doesn’t care that they
do not hail from those cities.

PELIKLES
The wealthy merchant from Athens is in over his head and he’s only
just realising how perilous his situation is. He has been in Knossos a
similar length of time to the PCs and arrived on the Erynis with
Androgeos. He had assumed that he was about to make his big break
with new trade in Kreta but has been under close guard since the
attempt on the prince’s life. The prince treats him as a friend and
speaks with him frequently but he has heard rumours of whom the king
suspects and he can see their faces in this room. He has had one cup
of wine since his arrival—a little too fast—but has refrained from any

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
further drinking and only picked at the offered food.

He will gladly answer any questions the PCs have and will quietly insist
upon his innocence. He doesn’t know much about anyone here, except
what is common knowledge. He can answer questions about the prince
and he did witness the attack, so can give a better description of the
attacker, including the necklace she wore with the sun symbol. The
attacker has dark hair and is in her 40s. Pelikles is certain he would
recognise her if he saw her again.

THE END OF THE EVENING

Once the PCs have had a chance to speak to those they want to and
provided any entertainment to the court you should wrap up the
symposium. Minos isn’t expecting the PCs to solve the crime
immediately; he’s just presenting them with his list of suspects.

S C E N E 6 : A S TA B I N T H E DA R K

After the symposium, Niarkhos escorts the PCs out of the palace and
back to their villa. The night is cool and the moon is shining brightly.
Niarkhos will ask them how their evening went, what they thought of
the other guests and if there is anything they want to report back to
the king at this stage. If they decline to answer, he won’t press the
matter but will listen intently if they discuss the suspects in front of
him.

When they arrive at the villa the guards open the gate for them and
Niarkhos departs. As the doors close with a resounding thunk, the PCs
should make either Insight (Awareness) or Insight (Diplomacy) rolls. A
successful Diplomacy roll indicates something slightly off with the
demeanour of the guard while a successful Awareness roll spots a
small patch of dark liquid on one wall—a small patch of blood.

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The guards in the villa have been murdered and replaced with
assassins, their bodies stashed in the cellar along with the tied up
servants. They plan to murder the PCs and will attack as soon as
opportunity strikes—or if the PCs appear too suspicious. Use peltast
AC: Peltast, 217 stats for the would-be assassins. There is a minion group of two per PC
AC: Peltast Captain, 218 plus a peltast captain. The aim of the assassins is to silence the PCs,
but they’re not fanatical and will attempt to flee when half their
number is defeated. They know Knossos far better than the PCs and
can disappear into the maze of streets and quickly lose their
pursuers—as long as they can get out of the gate.

If the PCs have the opportunity, they will find all of their attackers
have a clay disc on a simple leather strap hidden about their person.
Carved into the disc is the symbol of the sun worn by Pasiphae and
Phaidra. If the PCs capture one or more of their attackers they can
question them. Successful * (Manipulation) rolls are required to get
any information from them. The Difficulty is equal to the Vigour of the
captive (3 for the captain, 2 for the rest) and should use a
characteristic appropriate for the approach they take. With one
success the captives will only say “she commanded us”. With 3 or more
successes they will say “the princess commanded us” but will die before
offering any more information.

S C E N E 7 : T H E L I G H T O F D AY

The PCs have several options when Niarkhos returns to them in the
morning. They should tell him about the assassins. He’ll be shocked
about the attack and glad to hear they survived. He will be incredibly
apologetic and summon new guards—eight this time, all hoplites and
all bearing the bull symbol of Minos painted on their shields. Niarkhos
will have any surviving attackers taken away to the prison for further
questioning and can tell the PCs about the symbol they all wear—it is
the symbol of the queen.

The PCs may not trust Niarkhos and may wish to keep the attack from
him. If they do so, they need to make successful * (Manipulation) rolls
to convince the servants not to talk, with a failure having one of them
pass information about the attack to Niarkhos. If Niarkhos learns of
the PCs’ deception he will be very apologetic but also disappointed in
them. This information will make its way to King Minos.

What the PCs do next is up to them. They have permission to question

any of the guests from the symposium and can visit them during the
day to talk privately. In this way, they may be able to gain information
in private which would not be forthcoming in the symposium.

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THE USUAL SUSPECTS

◆ Androgeos can again be found watching the bull dancers

training. He is paying close attention to Myrine and is pleased to
see the PCs but can provide no further information.
◆ Ariadne can be found at the shrine to Rhea along with her
attendants. She will dismiss them when the PCs approach and is
more amenable to questions away from her parents. If they
mention their attackers or the sun symbol she will explain it to be
the symbol of her mother and sister—her sister is too young to
have her own symbol yet and her servants wear the same device.
◆ Daidalos can be found in his workshop with his son. He is
constructing a leather harness of some unknown function for the
boy. If they ask, he can tell them the sun symbol belongs to
Pasiphae or, if pushed, to Phaidra. He won’t answer questions
about his work but an astute observer (Insight (Awareness)
Difficulty 2) may see the charcoal drawings of bird wings on the

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
bench. If asked more about the situation at court, he will say it is
a dangerous place and many deaths are caused by the royal
family’s games, though they themselves are never harmed, no
matter who is responsible or who suffers around them.
◆ Deukalion and Kleopatra can be found at home in their private
villa to the south of the palace. They are playing with their son
Idomeneus. In private the couple will suggest that this is business
as usual at the court, even the attack on the PCs, and if they
were wise, they would never have agreed to help Minos. It’s too
late for them to back out now as Minos would hold a grudge if
they leave, but they should be careful whom they accuse: if the
answer displeases the king, this is unlikely to end well for the PCs.
◆ Haidee can be found in the barracks of the palace training the
soldiers under her command. If she has been made aware of the
attack on the PCs (if Minos knows, she knows) then she will
congratulate them on their victory and treat them with
marginally more respect than the night before. She has no other
information but will warn them that incriminating a member of
the royal family would be a risky undertaking. If she learns that
she is one of the suspects, she will be distraught, possibly enough
to confront Minos directly.
◆ Pelikles is quartered in a villa similar to that of the PCs only with
more and better guards. He hasn’t left the villa since the
symposium and is nervous. He can provide no new information
but will try to solicit the PCs’ aid to escape from his confinement.
He will bribe them with the location of his trade goods (1 Stater
worth of pottery and statuary from Athens) if they will only help
him leave Knossos. He is earnest and scared.
◆ Myrine is training with her bull dancing team under the
watchful—and admiring—gaze of Androgeos. The PCs will find
little opportunity to speak with her privately as whenever she
stops training, Androgeos approaches. If he sees the PCs
speaking with her he will send them away. The prince is adamant
that Myrine would never try to have him killed.

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SPEAKING TO PHAIDRA
The PCs may wish to speak to Phaidra. They may have enough clues to
suspect the young princess or they may just wish to enquire about her
recital. Phaidra can be found in a private courtyard in the eastern side
of the palace not far from her mother’s rooms. The garden is lovely: it
catches the sun and has perfectly manicured foliage. Anyone who
succeeds on a Difficulty 3 Insight (Survival) skill check will spot a patch
of purple leafed flowers as they walk through the garden. The
Difficulty can be removed if the PCs have the opportunity to look
closely at the flower beds.

Along one wall, painters are working on a new fresco depicting the life
of Medea and her journeys with Iason. In the centre of the courtyard
sits Phaidra practising the lyre under the supervision of Phintias, the
court musician. Stationed around the courtyard, twenty guards watch
the PCs cautiously. Standing by Phaidra is her servant Ianthe, a dark-
haired woman in her 40s. She is the one who attacked Androgeos,
following Phaidra’s orders of course.

When the PCs approach, Phaidra will put aside her lyre and Phintias
will be dismissed. Ianthe will stand within earshot and offer figs and
water flavoured with the juice of oranges—a rare flavour that the PCs
are unlikely to have tasted before. If the PCs ask for Ianthe to leave so
they can talk privately, Phaidra will refuse. Anything that can be said
to the princess can be said to her servant. A successful Insight
(Awareness) roll shows Ianthe is wearing a very new looking pendant
with a gold chain and a delicate sun symbol made of fine gold wire. It
is an expensive-looking necklace.

IANTHE
Ianthe is a dark-haired woman in her forties and is the daughter of
Queen Pasiphae and a long dead minor noble the queen had a
dalliance with. She is fit and strong and has a golden complexion
inherited from her grandfather. She has spent all her life as an
overlooked servant in the palace working variously in the kitchen or as
a handmaiden to minor nobles.

For the past decade, she has served Phaidra as a handmaid, confidant,
and caregiver. She loves her half-sister deeply and would do anything
for her. This is in stark contrast to her relationship with her mother, who
barely remembers that Ianthe is her daughter. Phaidra, in turn, loves
her Ianthe and feels she is the only person in the palace she can trust.

Phaidra will happily answer questions about her recital. She is envious
of the life of adventure her cousin has had and wishes to travel and
have adventures as she has done. If they ask here about a deeper
meaning or why she chose that particular story she will say it’s just a
story of adventure that she likes. If they show parallels between the
death of Apsyrtos and the attack on Androgeos she will laugh and act
innocent, claiming not to have realised.

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If the PCs outright accuse her she will say in a condescending tone:

Oh well done! My father was right to choose you. Or is it my mother

you work for now? But however will you prove what you claim?

After this confrontation, she will dismiss them. If the PCs refuse to
leave or are remiss in their behaviour at any point, there are four
peltast captains and sixteen peltasts ready to escort them out.

AC T I I I : R E V E A L I N G T H E T R U T H

By now, all of the available evidence should have been presented to

the PCs but is it enough for them to uncover the mastermind behind
the plot? If they know who the culprit is, are they going to risk
accusing Phaidra of planning the attack? Such an action would be
stupid without solid proof. Or will they find a scapegoat to blame?

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
What happens next will depend on whom the PCs accuse, the evidence
they have, and the approach they take to the accusation. Whom they
present the accusation to—King Minos, Queen Pasiphae, or even
directly to Androgeos—may change the outcome. Some suggestions are
presented below but you may need to mix the different outcomes (or
make something up!) depending on the choices of the PCs.

If the PCs want to make their accusation publicly to the court, then
Niarkhos can arrange an audience for them. The PCs will be brought
to a hall within the palace, with the king and queen sat on thrones at
the far end and some two hundred courtiers present and anxiously
awaiting the verdict—including the rest of the royal family.

S C E N E 1 : AC C U S AT I O N S

The most likely outcome for any accusation is someone will be locked
away until the Festival of Poseidon. During the festival they will be
stripped naked and marched through the streets of Knossos to the
Grand Arena where they will be chained in the centre. At the end of
the festival, after the bull dance is complete, the Minotaur will be
summoned. A favoured bull dancing team will attempt the leap over
the Minotaur’s horns and—whether they succeed or not—the Minotaur
will feast on the chained victim in front of a cheering crowd.

Who becomes the sacrifice to the Minotaur will depend on who is

accused. If the PCs accuse a member of the royal family then the PCs,
either all of them or the one making the accusation, depending on
their approach, will become the sacrifice. There may be exceptions to
this, noted in the individual entries. If they accuse anyone else then
Minos will have the accused dragged away to become the sacrifice.
The PCs will be invited to attend the Festival of Poseidon and given
places of honour sitting next to the royal family. Again, any exceptions
are noted below.

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PHAIDRA
Anyone accusing Phaidra publicly will be laughed at by the entire
court. No one will believe a twelve-year-old child would have the ability
or desire to plan the murder of her brother. Convincing the court of the
truth without any proof requires a successful Insight or Cunning
(Manipulation) skill check with a Difficulty of 5. If Phaidra is present,
she will start to cry and be taken away by her nurse. The court, and
especially the queen, will look on the PCs with ill favour while Phaidra
will smirk at the PCs when no one else is looking. If the PCs can
present proof of Phaidra’s involvement then succeeding on a
Manipulation skill check with a Difficulty of 0 will convince the court
that Ianthe is behind everything. Even with the evidence available, six
successes are required to convince the court that it was Phaidra’s plan.

THE PROOF
There are a few items that can be used to try and prove Phaidra’s
involvement, unfortunately they all point strongly at Ianthe and not at
Phaidra herself.

◆ Pelikles will recognise Ianthe as the attacker if he sees her.

◆ If the PCs had the opportunity to search the quay after the
attack they may have found the sun disc pendant that Ianthe
dropped, which indicates a servant of Pasiphae or Phaidra was
involved. This, coupled with Ianthe’s new pendant of loyalty,
offers some evidence, however this can easily be rebuked.
◆ The kolkhiko flower used as the poison grows in Phaidra’s garden.
Ianthe or Phaidra would know of their poisonous properties (their
mother would have told them) but wouldn’t know that it’s only an
ingestible poison.
◆ The guards that attacked the PCs have the sun disc that shows
loyalty to Pasiphae or Phaidra. Having this on its own isn’t really
proof—this could be faked and there are many guards with those
discs. If the PCs managed to capture one or more of them they
could be brought in front of the court and forced to confess by
Minos or Pasiphae.

Accusing Phaidra privately to Androgeos or Pasiphae will be met with

scorn and derision. Neither will ever believe this could be true unless
they heard a confession from Phaidra herself. Unfortunately for the
PCs, Phaidra knows they have no power over her and would never do
this. If the accusation is made to Pasiphae she will have the PCs
dragged to prison and they will become the next victims of the
Minotaur. They may be able to convince Minos of their innocence but
this will require a Cool (Manipulation) roll with a Difficulty of 3.

If the PCs accuse Phaidra to King Minos, he will be shocked but

immediately jump to the conclusion that Pasiphae is the one who has
pushed Phaidra to do this. Minos won’t punish the PCs for this, nor will
he exact any immediate revenge on his wife. The PCs will receive their
expected reward and may have the privilege of working for Minos
again in the future.

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O T H E R M E M B E R S O F T H E R O YA L F A M I LY
Accusing any of Ariadne, Deukalion or Kleopatra will meet with a
similar outcome as accusing Phaidra. Publicly accusing any of the three
will be met with scorn and ridicule and, as there is no proof of their
involvement, will most likely result in the PCs being imprisoned.
Accusing any of them privately to Minos, Pasiphae, or Androgeos will
have the same result.

If the PCs decide to accuse Pasiphae publicly, they will find themselves
dragged to the gaol before becoming food for the Minotaur. The same
would happen if they’re foolish enough to accuse her privately. If they
accuse her privately to Minos then it’s the same outcome as if they
accused Phaidra: the ever-paranoid king believes them, even though he
doesn’t immediately act against his wife. The PCs will receive their
expected reward and may have the privilege of working for Minos
again in the future.

The PCs may consider the whole thing to be a plot orchestrated by

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
Androgeos, though there is no evidence for this. Accusing the prince
has the same result as accusing his siblings.

IANTHE
The majority of the evidence available points to Ianthe as the assassin;
in truth, she is the one who made the attempt on Androgeos’s life,
although she wasn’t the mastermind behind this scheme. If the PCs
accuse her publicly and present the evidence, everyone will believe
them and Ianthe will be taken away to await her execution at the
hands of the Minotaur. Pasiphae will be upset that her daughter is
involved in the crime and Phaidra will be distraught at the loss of her
confidant. Tears in her eyes, she plead with her father for Ianthe’s
life—but she is not heartbroken enough to admit to orchestrating this
assassination attempt.

Accusing Ianthe privately to Minos, Pasiphae or Androgeos will have

the same result, although without Phaidra’s tears.

DA I DA LO S
While the inventor is innocent of this crime, he is scared and his recent
actions are making the king suspicious. Minos will immediately believe
the PCs and both Daidalos and Ikaros will be locked in the inventor’s
workshop and sentenced to death in the Grand Arena. If the PCs
accuse Daidalos to Androgeos or Pasiphae, neither will believe the
inventor would do such a thing. Androgeos will tell them they’re wrong
and should keep looking, while Pasiphae will do anything to protect
Daidalos. She will publicly accuse the PCs to Minos and they will
become the Minotaur’s next meal.

If Daidalos and Ikaros are incarcerated, two days later they will be
seen flying on feathered wings above the city and heading north.
Minos will be insensate with rage and will send ships to try and follow
them. Fortunately for the PCs, he doesn’t blame them for the inventor’s
escape and they will still receive their expected reward.

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HAIDEE
Accusing Haidee is a risk, as she will challenge her accuser to single
combat to prove their claim. If the accusation is made publicly before
the court, then she will demand the single combat is held publicly at
the Festival of Poseidon. She and the accusing PC will be kept apart
and under guard, but not locked away, until the festival where they will
fight in the Grand Arena before the final bull dance with the Minotaur.
The fight will be until someone yields or dies, however the loser, should
they live, will become the next sacrifice to the Minotaur. The PCs may
wish to attempt a daring escape before the festival, though this will
not bode well for them or their polis.

If the accusation is made privately to Minos, he will summon Haidee

and accuse her. Again, she will demand the right to prove her
innocence in single combat but instead of this happening in the arena
it will happen immediately. If she wins the combat and the PC lives
they will be locked up to be the Minotaur’s next victim. If the PC wins
and Haidee still lives then she will be locked up. However, soldiers loyal
to her within the palace will help her escape. There will be a night of
quiet violence and in the morning she will be gone. Fortunately, Minos
won’t hold the PCs responsible for this but they have made a powerful
enemy who has access to a pentekonter and a crew of soldiers. This
plays out the same way if the PCs privately make the accusation to
Androgeos who will take the accusation to the king.

If the PCs privately accuse Haidee to Pasiphae then she will believe
them but won’t confront Haidee directly. A couple of nights later
Haidee will disappear, assassinated by an agent of the queen. Minos
will be annoyed by the outcome but placated by his wife. Pasiphae will
happily reward the PCs with whatever she promised them—she has
successfully removed a powerful and loyal supporter of her husband.

AC: Hoplitis Captain, 214 If needed, use hoplitis captain stats for Haidee with the Overreach
Warrior Talents, 35 and Debilitating Blow talents from the Kouretes mystery cult.

MYRINE
There’s no evidence pointing to Myrine and, despite her relationship
with Androgeos, she bears him no ill will. The PCs may consider
accusing her if they have no other options they feel are viable. If they
accuse her publicly or to Minos or Pasiphae directly she will be
imprisoned until the festival. Rather than being chained to the floor,
Myrine will be forced to perform the leap over the Minotaur’s horns
solo, without the backing of her team. No-one has ever achieved this
and Myrine will die on the arena floor.

If the PCs accuse Myrine privately to Androgeos, he won’t believe

them. He won’t pass the information to his father and will be angry
with the PCs for suggesting such a thing. A few days later, Minos will
summon the PCs to find out how their investigation is going. If they
accuse Myrine now, the result will be the same as if they’d accused her
publicly though Minos will lessen the reward due to the delay and
Androgeos won’t forgive them for some time.

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PELIKLES
Unfortunately for Pelikles, he is a perfect scapegoat for the crime even
though there is no real evidence against him. He is unknown in Kreta
to everyone except Androgeos, who is unlikely to mourn his death, and
he comes from Athens, a city that Minos desires.

If the PCs accuse him to Minos directly or in public, Minos will believe
them and the poor merchant will be dragged away to the gaol until
the Festival of Poseidon in a few weeks time. Minos will happily reward
the PCs with everything he promised them. The same will happen if
they make the accusation privately to Androgeos. The prince will be
surprised at Pelikles but he will turn the merchant over to his father’s
justice.

If the PCs make the accusation privately to Pasiphae she will be

shocked and whoever is presenting the evidence will need to succeed
on a Cunning (Manipulation) skill check to convince her that the
accusation is truthful. If they succeed, then Pelikles will be dragged

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
away but the queen will be suspicious of the PCs and the reward they
receive will be less than what she promised. If they fail the roll, then
Pelikles will be dragged away but will mysteriously escape one night
never to be seen on Kreta again. Any favour the PCs may have gained
with Minos will be lost as Pasiphae convinces her husband that the PCs
were behind it all along.

AC C U S I N G N O - O N E
The PCs may decide that caution is wise when dealing with the king
and the court and choose not to accuse anyone. They may consider the
crime unsolvable or they may see no course of action which doesn’t
end in their doom. If they decide to do this and tell Pasiphae, she will
surprisingly take such a solution in her stride. She has lived through
centuries of bickering and politicking and knives in the dark so this is
only to be expected; she will assume it was an attempt by some minor
house. She will offer the PCs no reward in this case.

If the PCs tell Minos that they can’t find the attacker, he will be angry
at their incompetence. They will need to succeed on a Difficulty 2 Cool
or Cunning (Manipulation) roll to convince him that the attack was
nothing. If successful, he will offer them no reward for their service and
refuse any future trade negotiations, unless they can prove themselves
to him. If they fail, they will be taken to the gaol ready for the
Minotaur’s imminent feast.

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SCENE 2: A DARING ESCAPE

There’s a high chance that if things go badly, the PCs would end up
imprisoned after making their accusation. If this is the case, it shouldn’t
be the end for them. They may have made friends in Knossos who are
willing to take the risk to help them escape or it may be possible to
bribe some of the guards. If none of these things are possible, then
making a run for it while they are being escorted to the Grand Arena
has a reasonable chance of success—it’s very easy to get lost in the city
and find a smith who is willing to break the manacles binding their
wrists.

During the procession, the PCs will be escorted by a minion group of

two temple guards per PC. A successful Reflexes or Cunning (Vigour)
with a Difficulty equal to the guards’ Awareness of 2 is required to slip
away from them. Running through the crowds while being chased
requires Reflexes or Cunning (Athletics) extended check with 6 total
successes. The guards (and some of the crowds) will catch them after
three skill checks. If the PCs manage to escape their pursuers they
should make Cunning (Survival: Stealth) rolls to hide in the dark of an
underground alley. Once the heat is off, Knossos is a large city and
there are plenty of places for them to hide for a couple of days before
making it over the walls and escaping to the coast.

R E WA R D S

If the PCs make an accusation that is believed by the king then Minos
will honour any rewards offered, possibly offering a lesser reward,
depending on the situation. Pasiphae will do the same. Successfully
accusing someone who is sacrificed to the Minotaur is worth 1 Glory.
Stories of what the PCs have achieved will spread and their
relationship with the royal family of Kreta is something to be talked
about. However, accusing anyone other than Phaidra or Ianthe also
gains the PCs 1 Hubris or 2 Hubris if they accused Daidalos.

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IN THE FUTURE

Many of the myths surrounding the Minotaur make for excellent

inspiration for a campaign. In the myths, Androgeos is eventually
murdered after competing in the Panathenaic games. In some versions
he won all the prizes at the games and the Athenians murdered him
out of jealousy. Other versions differ, including his death by the Bull of
Marathon. All agree that after his death on Athenian soil Minos
sought revenge. In a rage, Minos waged war against Athens but was
unable to take the city. Instead, the Athenians offered a tribute of
fourteen young men and women of the city every seven or nine years.
These became sacrifices to the Minotaur.

After some time Theseus, the son of King Aegeus of Athens, travelled
to Kreta as part of the tribute. Ariadne fell in love with him and
helped him to enter the labyrinth and slay the Minotaur. The two
escaped together to Naxos, the island sacred to Dionysos. After one

3 / KNIVES IN KNOSSOS
night there Theseus left, leaving Ariadne alone on the island. She is
said to have married Dionysos.

Meanwhile, Daidalos and Ikaros escape using bird-like wings made by

the inventor (the harness Daidalos is making in this adventure). Ikaros,
in his joy and hubris of the flight, flies too close to the sun, melting the
glue holding the feathers in place. Distraught at the loss of his son,
Daidalos takes refuge in the court of King Kokalos of Kamikos in Sicily.
Minos, ever resentful, abandoned his kingdom to search for the
inventor. He offered a riddle in every city he stopped in—to thread a
string through seashell—knowing that only Daidalos would be able to
solve it. And he’s correct. After presenting the riddle at Kamikos,
Daidalos solves it and Minos demands for the inventor to be brought
to him. Kokalos refuses and either he or his daughter kill Minos.

When Phaidra grows up, she marries Theseus, becoming his second
wife after Hippolyta the Amazon queen (or Antiope in some versions).
Phaidra falls in love with Hippolytos, Theseus’s son from his first
marriage, and things get messy. After Hippolytos rejects her advances,
Phaidra is humiliated and curses him. A bull sent by Poseidon rises
from the see and scares the horses pulling Hippolytos’s chariot,
dragging him into the sea to drown. Distraught at what she’s caused
Phaidra kills herself.

After the death of King Minos, his grandson Idomeneus, son of

Deukalion and Kleopatra becomes king of Kreta and leads the Kretan
army during the war with Troy.

There is no record of what Pasiphae does after the death of her

husband and dissolution of her family. Perhaps she lingered in Kreta
advising her grandson during his rule. Perhaps she returned to her
father’s halls.

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CHAPTER 4

T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
 T R OY

Helene and Priam look out over the war-torn plain of Ilium from the
Skaian Gate, as Helene lists the heroes who fight to return her to
Sparta and her husband Menelaus.

Akhilles drags Hektor’s body behind his chariot through the dust around
the walls of Troy, the great and virtuous warrior demeaned and
mutilated by the rage of Akhilles.

The great wooden horse of Odysseos stands before the impregnable

gates, the last gambit of a desperate army.

Images of Troy are inseparable from the Trojan War’s highest moments
of drama, and few cities have been so vividly depicted in myth. The
walls of Troy and the Palladion of Athena embody protection wrought
by the gods themselves, and the famous figures of Troy, such as
Hektor, Paris, Priam and Kassandra, have personalities that still loom
large, before and after their deaths. The history and mythology of Troy
is inseparable from the tragedy of its fall, but even with the knowledge

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
of what is to come, Troy is a lively setting for an Aegean game.

A game set partially or entirely in Troy gives GMs and players the
opportunity to delve into the largely unexplored continent of Anatolia,
as well as the islands scattered around the edge of the Aegean. Many
small cities and communities sprung up in these areas, growing wealthy
from the trade goods that passed through them across the Aegean.
They have been influenced by the many cultures of Anatolia and
Greece, as well as potentially further afield, in Phoenikia and Aegyptus.
Troy is a city with two faces: the cosmopolitan trade hub filled with
merchants from across the world and the fortress-city with walls built
by the gods and protected by Athena.

In the Aegean supplement A Thousand Ships you can find a detailed

campaign based around the Trojan war, in which you can play
characters from the Akhaian or Trojan sides. You will recognise a
number of characters from this supplement in that campaign and the
city guide can be used to support a campaign of A Thousand Ships.
You can also use it to run a campaign set in Troy before the war or as
part of a campaign based elsewhere in which the characters visit Troy.

Here you can find the stats for running Troy as the characters’ home
Polis, perfect for telling the story of a wealthy city expanding its
influence and protecting its people. Alternatively, they could be settlers
from Troy travelling deeper into Anatolia or building an outpost under
Troy’s control on one of the Aegean islands or the Hellespont. If you
decide to use A Thousand Ships as part of the story of your campaign,
the characters could be Trojans who were sent out to Phrygia to bring
help from King Midas, refugees from the war or even Akhaian soldiers
who decided to build something new where Troy once stood.

Stories around Troy could include exploration into Anatolia, managing

the drama of Priam’s large family, diplomatic relations with other
powerful states in the area and seeking out rare and unusual trade

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goods from the less travelled parts of Anatolia. The local deity Kybele
holds sway here alongside the Olympian gods, and the relationship is
not always an easy one. If you wish to include the Trojan War, you can
plant the seeds of it through the NPCs the characters encounter.
Perhaps they met Paris before he saw Helene, Hektor before his death
at Akhilles’ hand, Priam before war came to his city and Kassandra
before she received the gift and curse of prophecy. You might decide
to have the characters avert the Trojan War based on the bonds they
have built through trustworthy service to Priam or Agamemnon in the
past. They might even avert the Judgement of Paris, incurring Eris’s
wrath upon Troy and the characters’ Polis.

E X P LO R I N G A N ATO L I A

If the characters are visiting Troy, it could be as a starting point for

heading to one of the surrounding regions. Much of Anatolia is still
unexplored in this period and it grows more dangerous as you travel
further from the colonised west coast, with Amazons, centaurs and
monstrous creatures such as gryphons populating the uncharted areas
of the map. While the dominant approach of Hellenic settlers has been
to conquer these peoples, the resistance of the nomadic Amazons to
Hellenic ideas of settlement means that trying to set up trade routes,
build roads with agreements of safe passage and using other peaceful
and cooperative approaches is likely to have more success than
military attempts. Bear in mind that this can run into uncomfortable
narratives of colonialism, and that the Amazons and Anatolian peoples
had their own cultures that settlers threatened to overwrite so their
anger at Hellenic settlers is often understandable.

H I S TO RY : T H E M A N Y C I T I E S O F I L I U M

Troy is not just one city but many cities. Called Troy, Ilium and Ilion, it
has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, always rising again.
Standing proudly on a hill four miles from the Aegean Sea in north-
western Anatolia, Troy commands a powerful strategic position and
has unique access to the trade routes from Anatolian cities such as
Gordia, as well as the sea routes across the Aegean to Greece and the
many islands scattered across the sea. The brief history below gives
suggestions for roleplaying in these eras of Troy.

FO U N DAT I O N

Troy’s founding has a rich history beginning with Dardanos, a son of

Zeus, who founded the city of Dardanos, just to the north of where
Troy would eventually stand (called Dardania thereafter). His son
Erikthonius was famed for the horses he raised, the rarest of which
bore the foals of Boreas, the North Wind. Tros, the son of Erikthonius,
established the kingdom of Troia. His son, Ilos, travelled to the
neighbouring region of Phrygia to take part in a wrestling contest
before the King of Phrygia himself. The prize for Ilos’s victory was 50
young men and 50 young women, as well as a spotted cow.

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The King of Phrygia advised Ilos that he should let the cow wander
across the Troad Peninsula and where it lay down, there he should
found a new city. The cow’s resting place became the foundation of
Ilion, named after its founder, a wide fertile plain at the meeting place
of the rivers Skamander and Simoeis. Ilos prayed for a sign from Zeus
and was rewarded with the Palladion, a wooden statue of Pallas
Athena. Ilos built a temple for the Palladion and as long as the statue
stood within the city, Ilion could never fall.

Over time, it became known as Troy. From a modest settlement to a

bustling trade hub, Troy grew in power, prestige and might under the
watchful eyes of its rulers. Ilos’s brother Ganymedes was so beautiful
that he was taken by the gods to be Zeus’s cup-bearer. In exchange for
taking one of his sons, Zeus sent Ganymedes’ father Tros a herd of
divine horses, which were famed across the Aegean but became a
source of contention with Herakles. Troy enjoyed unusual respect
among the cities of Anatolia, visited by the Persian King Xerxes on his
way to attack the Greeks. As his army camped on the plains, Xerxes
sacrificed 1,000 cattle to Athena in the hope that he might benefit

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
from the protection the warrior goddess provided the city.

Running a game in this era of Troy is likely to focus on the adventures

of Ilos as he founds the city: perhaps the characters accompany him to
Phrygia and foil a rival who would have robbed him of his victory and
the fated cow, or protect him from Amazons who are determined to
take the prince of Dardanos hostage. They could keep him and the
spotted cow safe until they find the place where Ilion will be founded
and see the early rise of the Polis, treating it as a young city that
needs their help as experienced adventurers, warriors and diplomats in
building the city’s strength and trade links. They could be instrumental
in the gift of the Palladion to the city and gain the Favour of Athena
for their part in protecting the statue before it reaches its place in the
temple, as such a prize is most vulnerable before it is safely ensconced.

F O L LY

Ilos’s son Laomedon was not as wise as his father. Apollo and Poseidon
disguised themselves as labourers to test Laomedon’s virtue and the
king offered the gods a reward for building the walls of Troy. When the
time came to pay, he refused. Apollo sent a terrible pestilence among
the people while Poseidon caused a great sea monster to fill the
nearby bay, cutting Troy off from its valuable sea trade routes. The
Oracles told Laomedon that the only way to remove these curses upon
his city was to sacrifice his daughter Hesione. Laomedon had Hesione
bound to a rock as a sacrifice to the sea monster. Herakles was in the
area and offered to slay the sea monster in return for one of the divine
horses Laomedon’s grandfather had been given by Zeus. Laomedon
agreed and Herakles rescued Hesione, killing the sea monster, but
once again Laomedon refused to keep his side of the bargain. In a
rage, Herakles returned to the city with an army and killed Laemedon
and most of his family.

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Laomedon was the most foolish king in the history of Troy and the city
reflects that: in this era, the characters are dealing with the whims of a
wealthy and powerful Arkhon who believes that he can brazenly grift
gods and heroes without consequences. The characters themselves
could offer to remove the sea monster, only to be dismissed as
incapable by Laomedon in favour of the heroic and famous Herakles.
The characters could be sent to treat with Apollo and Poseidon,
earning the gods’ favour once more through a bold quest, only to
return to the city in the wake of Herakles’ vengeance to find that their
new priority is protecting and guiding the young King Priam as he
rebuilds his city from the ruins.

REBIRTH

The only survivors of the royal family were the Princess Hesione, who
went with Herakles’s friend Telamon; Tithonus, who was swept away by
Eos, the goddess of Dawn, to become her lover; and the young Prince
Podarkes. Hesione made a bargain for her brother’s life, giving
Herakles a golden veil. Alone in the ruins of Troy, Podarkes took the
name ‘Priam’, meaning “bought”, and resolved to rebuild the city.

King Priam did indeed rebuild Troy to become an even greater city
than it had been before. He has married many times and has many
children including his heir and Τroy’s greatest warrior, Prince Hektor.

This era takes place in the years before the Trojan War. This could be
when Priam is an old man ready to hand the burden of rulership to his
son, Hektor, or it could be earlier when he is young and vital, leading
an army to Phrygia to aid their fight against the Amazons. This city
guide focuses on Priam’s rulership of the city as an old man, shortly
before the Trojan War, with plot hooks focussing on that era.

S T R U C T U R E : T H E C I T Y O F T R OY

Its position just south of the Hellespont gives Troy unique control over
the flow of trade and travel to northern Anatolia. The Hellespont is a
desirable launching point for any invasion of the region and a highly
defensible place, easily fortified in the event of an invasion from the
west or east. The city holds a commanding position atop and around a
low hill on a fertile plain, where the rivers Simoeis and Skamander join.

Troy’s initial founding was the stones by which Ilos marked its
boundaries after the spotted cow had chosen the site on the plain
bounded by the River Skamander. Troy’s rapid flourishing of wealth
and power due to its advantageous position meant that it became
necessary to expand the Polis to a lower residential area that could
cope with the rapid growth of the population. Given Troy’s desirability
for warlords, bandits and invading armies from neighbouring cities, a
wooden palisade wall quickly became necessary to protect the nascent
Polis. Despite fire, earthquakes and the destruction rained down by the
gods and Herakles, the city survived and expanded, leading to a
cluster of densely-packed buildings on the summit of the hill and the

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Lower City sprawled across the plain below, bounded by the great
stone walls built by Poseidon and Apollo themselves. Wooden buildings
have been replaced with grander stone ones and the wide main
thoroughfares are filled with trade carts, people and the soldiers of
Troy in their recognisable plumed helms.

Troy is divided into the Upper City, perched upon the hill where the
polis was founded and the site of the Temple of Athena, Priam’s
Palace and the Tholos, and the Lower City, which holds the Agora and
the majority of the residential and mercantile population. All are safely
held behind the walls of Troy. Within the city, there is little civic
disobedience and a high military presence, so travel between the lower
and upper cities is only lightly restricted. Troy has three gates that
allow trade and citizens to pass in and out of the city, most notably
the Skaian Gate to the South, also called the Dardanian Gate, which
commands the best view of the plain and is used for ceremonial
occasions by the royal family.

T H E WA L L S O F T R O Y

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
The legendary Walls of Troy were built by Apollo and Poseidon, mighty
stone walls that ring the entire city, encompassing its spread across the
plain. The disadvantage of sheltering behind impregnable walls for
multiple generations is that the city has become crowded, unable to
cater to the population increases that come with its prosperity. As a
result, fires were common in areas of the lower city where buildings
were crammed together until the wooden buildings were replaced with
stone ones. While Herakles’ attack on the city was a terrible tragedy
for the citizens and royal family, it has allowed Priam to rebuild more
efficiently. Nevertheless, the walls still have buildings leaning right up
against them and the narrow streets off the main thoroughfares are
always crowded. The square towers along the outer wall give the city’s
defenders excellent lines of sight in all directions and the heavy
wooden gates can be bolted shut, making them impossible to breach.

T H E T E M P L E O F AT H E N A

Situated at the crest of the hill on which the Upper City of Troy was
founded, the Temple of Athena is one of the oldest and most
venerated buildings in the city. Built shortly after the gift of the
Palladion to the founders of Troy, the temple is a centre of worship
and the literal and symbolic heart of Troy, as the streets radiate out
from it like beams of light. Along with Troy’s impregnable walls and
heroic strategists, the temple symbolises Troy’s status as a thriving and
cosmopolitan city. The Palladion is the centrepiece of the temple, a
statue of Athena in her war regalia. Unlike the grand statues of gods
elsewhere, this is made of wood and is only a few feet tall. Still, it
radiates divine power and the reverence in which it is held matches the
marble and gold statues of any other polis. The priests of Athena here
are influential, their knowledge of tactics respected by Priam and
Hektor, themselves highly skilled strategists. It is known as a place of
refuge and protection, and many warriors pray here before battle.

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PA L L A S AT H E N A

A key part of Troy’s history is the Palladion, a statue of the goddess

Athena in her most warlike and protective form of Pallas Athena.
Athena was raised side by side with another young woman, Pallas, with
whom she trained. After a tragic accident in which Athena killed
Pallas, the goddess took Pallas’s name as an epithet as a way of
honouring her. In her form as Pallas Athena, Athena was both
protector and warrior. Anyone who seeks sanctuary within the Temple
of Athena is under the goddess’s protection and those who violate that
protection bring down the Disfavour of Athena upon their heads and
anyone near them.

N E W D OW N T I M E AC T I O N : PA L L A D I O N
If you pay 5 drakhmae and pray at the Temple of Athena, you roll
2d10 and take the highest whenever you roll Initiative during the next
adventure as Athena guides your strategic mind.

T H E PA L AC E O F P R I A M

A graceful and impressive structure atop the hill of the Upper City,
Priam’s Palace is large and airy with wide steps leading to an entrance
porch flanked by columns. The vestibule beyond leads to the huge
throne room arranged around a central round hearth where smoke
drifts upwards through a circular hole in the ceiling. The walls are
richly decorated with bright colours and murals depicting the history of
Troy. Beyond the building continues into a large complex where the
extensive royal family is housed and honoured guests of the royal
family are given lodgings. The palace complex is rarely quiet: Priam’s
extended family and a large number of servants mean that there is
always someone around.

THE AGORA

A wide marketplace in the Lower City, the Agora bustles with people
trading wares from across the Mediterranean. Here you can find richly-
dyed silks, pottery in many different shapes and styles, plenty of gold
adornments set with precious gems from the area nearby, and spices
that scent the air with the smells of distant lands. Many of the
merchants are visitors who make circuits of the Aegean or travel the
cities of Anatolia and set up their wares whenever they come through.
There are recognisable faces but also plenty of new people every few
days, with a shifting population of traders. Troy has its own well-
respected artisans and the merchants who live here tend to prosper as
they have access to a wealth of materials not found elsewhere.

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SKAMANDER RIVER

The River Skamander, called Xanthos by the gods, springs forth from
two places outside the walls of Troy. One of these sources runs cold
and the other hot, meaning that Trojan citizens can be found beside
the hot springs washing clothes or relaxing. The Skamander is bridged
in several places and is a major element of the Trojan defensive line,
as any attacking army must navigate either the Skamander or the
Simoeis rivers. The river has shrines to Skamander along its banks,
thanking the river god for making the area fertile and prosperous.

TROJAN AESTHETICS

Troy is a rich city with access to trade routes across the Mediterranean
and deep into Anatolia, meaning that Trojan artisans have access to a
wide range of dyes, spices and metals. While the dominant style and
language is still very much that of the Hellenic world, Troy also has
influences from the many traders from different places that move to
this flourishing trade hub. Troy’s buildings are beautiful and strong,

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
balancing form with function and safe behind their sturdy divinely-
built walls. Trojans see no reason to disguise their wealth and the rich
practically drip with gold. The Troad and nearby Mount Ida are rich in
metals, both precious and functional, and the elite of Troy wear
earrings, necklaces and headpieces of gleaming metals and precious
gems. Given the wealth of the city, there are few poor within the city
itself and the nearby countryside has an abundance of excellent land
for pasture as well as coasts rich with fish, so even the lowlier citizens
within Troy have clothes made of finer cloth and dyed with
brighter colours than in many other cities. Food
draws on the availability of animals and fish nearby,
as well as more unusual dried fruit and spices from
further afield. This variety is seen through the
pottery of Troy as well: while there is a distinctive
style of Trojan pottery and decoration, travellers
have brought their own styles with them and
any eating place has a variety of vessels in
which to serve their wares.

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T H E T ROA D

The wider region around Troy has a number of smaller cities and
pastures that are excellent for livestock. The horses bred in this area
are famous, from stock originally bred by Priam’s great-grandfather
Erikthonius, who then had foals by the North Wind himself. Farming is
a major food source for Troy and the rivers of Troy, the Skamander
and Simoeis, make the nearby fields immensely productive. Given the
proximity to the coast and the Hellespont, fishing is a large industry in
these parts as well as trade, with ships crossing the Aegean and
caravans of traders heading out of Troy to the northern cities, Ephesus
to the south and Phrygia to the east.

Unlike some of the other parts of Anatolia that are still inhabited by
centaurs, Amazons and local tribes, Troia is comparatively safe to
travel through. The wealth of the city means that few feel the need to
turn to banditry, and the unassailable walls and powerful military led
by Prince Hektor quickly crush any threats to the citizenry. Sea trade is
a different matter, however, as piracy is common along the coast. The
Hellespont is a sheltered waterway that links the Aegean Sea with the
Black Sea. Troy has control and responsibility for protecting this
valuable strait, but it is also an area where pirates and smugglers can
thrive. While Troy has a good relationship with the Karian Pirates to
the south, they are constantly vigilant for threats to their sea routes.

The local peoples of Anatolia have rich and varied cultures, but they
have been displaced many times over and most of their languages
have disappeared in the face of the overwhelming Hellenic culture, as
the settlers of Anatolia came across the Aegean. Small pockets of
Hittite and Persian-influenced culture still survive, but they are often
isolationist and have been forced to make concessions to the wider
Hellenic culture to survive.

IDA VS. IDA

The history of Troy is closely linked to the region around it, as this part
of Anatolia shaped the greatness the city has attained. One of the
most notable natural landmarks is Mount Ida, located to the south
east of Troy. While Mount Ida is comparatively far from the city, it has
influenced the history of Troy greatly. Kreta also has a Mount Ida, and
the two have strange parallels, such as the presence of their own
Daktyls. Any references in this City Guide are to the Anatolian Mount
Ida, not to the Kretan Mount Ida, but many of the same stories
circulate around the Aegean about both of these mountains.

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D I P LO M AT I C R E L AT I O N S H I P S

Troy has complex relationships with many cities and settlements across
Anatolia, the Hellespont and the nearby islands off the coast, creating
a web of politics that gives full scope for diplomatic stories. Here we
have detailed a few of the most important relationships with major
cities, but surrounding cities such as Lyrnessus and Thebe Hypoplakia
have strong connections to Troy as well, which a campaign set around
Troy could explore. You can find more information on these powerful
factions and locations in the AEGEAN Core Book.

P H RYG I A +2 STATUS

Bordering Troia is the rich land of Phrygia. The histories of Phrygia

and Troy are deeply intertwined, as it was in Phrygia that Ilos, the
founder of Troy, won the cow that led him to where he would
eventually establish his city. During King Priam’s reign, the relationship
between the two regions was strengthened when Priam brought his

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
armies to reinforce Phrygia against the nomadic Amazon warriors.
Phrygia benefits from Troy’s trade routes as well as its military
strength, trading wine and lending their highly skilled cavalry to Troy
and the Hellenic cities far across the Aegean.

Positioned on the main crossing of the river Sangarius, the Polis of

Gordion is a rich city brimming with trade goods from across Anatolia
and northern Syria. Phrygia holds extensive lands in Anatolia and has
pushed to expand them until recently.

King Midas: Following an unwise prayer to the gods, Midas was

granted the supposed blessing of the Golden Touch. Initially taking this
to be a blessing, he quickly learned that gold meant nothing if he
could not eat food or embrace his own daughter. Now he lives a cursed
life, embittered and alone, still honouring his commitments to his allies
but taking no pleasure in life. (bitter, greedy, lonely)

P LOT H O O K : A L L T H AT G L I T T E R S I S N OT G O L D
Midas’s bitterness is affecting his partnerships with other cities and
Priam fears that a more warlike leader might cause a coup. With
Gordion’s great army and wealth of resources, there is the risk that a
different king could turn greedy eyes towards Troy’s Phrygian trade
routes. Priam asks the heroes to travel to Gordion and find some way
to resolve Midas’s curse, whether it is by convincing the king that he
must demonstrate humility, regaining the Favour of Dionysos, or
returning Midas’s beloved daughter to life again so that she could
intercede with her father.

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AMAZONS +1 STATUS

Despite the lengthy war the Amazons have waged upon Troy’s ally,
Gordion, and Priam’s own part in bringing soldiers to it, the Amazons
have a good relationship with Troy and wish to improve it. The
Amazons can be negotiated with to provide safe access to areas that
would otherwise be prohibitively dangerous to merchants and could
even guard certain roads or trade routes if they have enough incentive
to do so.

Penthesilea: A legendary queen of the Amazons and sister of Queen

Hippolyta, Penthesilea wishes to look to the future rather than the past
of the Amazons. She is diplomatic and proud but highly protective of
her people. While she wishes to have peaceful negotiations with Priam,
she cannot ignore the suspicion that has kept her and her people alive
for so long. (imperious, detached, analytical)

P L O T H O O K : T H E WA R R I O R Q U E E N ’ S V I S I T
The Amazonian leader Penthesilea visits Troy to negotiate with King
Priam, sent by her sister Hippolyta. Her visit is interrupted when a
member of her retinue is mortally wounded in a fight with a mysterious
assailant in the city. The Amazon has been wounded with a rare poison
found deep in Anatolia, and if she dies, Troy will once again be at war
with the Amazons for the first time since Priam brought his troops to
aid Phrygia as a young man. The characters must keep things calm
between Penthesilea’s retinue and the forces of Troy while investigating
the poisoner. The would-be assassin is from Gordion, sent by one of
Midas’s ministers who is taking advantage of Midas’s deteriorating
state to wage a war against the Amazons and sabotage the
negotiations between Troy and Penthesilea’s people.

THE HERAKLIDES -1 STATUS

The children of Herakles were always going to make poor friends to

Troy, with the old animosity between them following Laomedon’s
refusal to pay Herakles and Herakles’s subsequent sacking of Troy.
Priam has never forgiven Herakles for killing his family and
kidnapping his sister, and the children of Herakles consider Troy to be
as treacherous and unfaithful as Laomedon once was. While this
alliance of siblings rarely causes direct problems for Troy, they may
well interfere with the actions of Trojan diplomats abroad.

P L O T H O O K : S I N S O F T H E FAT H E R
The heroes are sent as diplomatic envoys to Trikala in Thessaly,
seeking a cure from the Theraputae of Asklepios there for Hekabe,
who has been struck down with a fever. Herakles’ grandson Kleodaeus
secretly uses his grandfather’s fame to pressure the priests of Asklepios
to turn the Trojan diplomats away.

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K A R I A N P I R AT E S +1 STATUS

Troy has certain agreements with the Karian Pirates to allow them safe
passage through the Hellespont and along their coastline in return for
safety for Trojan trade routes. This agreement is entirely pragmatic,
but it has the danger of causing tensions with other cities that are
more directly affected by the pirates’ predations.

PLOT HOOK: ENEMY OF MY ENEMY

A group of merchants from Naxos are caught up in complex trade
negotiations. In response to the increasing activity of the Karian
Pirates, Naxos has demanded that any cities this wealthy merchant
group trades with provide no safe harbour for the pirates and forsake
any existing agreements with them. Troy relies on its agreements with
the pirates to safeguard their trade routes, in return for giving the
pirates passage past the Hellespont. They have become increasingly
greedy recently. The heroes are sent to the Hellespont, where many of
the pirates shelter, to uncover the reason for the raids. Why have the
pirates increased their raiding? Are they trying to expand their power

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
base or is someone—or something—threatening their territory?

BISTONES +3 STATUS

One of the many children of Priam and Hekabe, Ilione was sent to
marry the king of the Bistones tribe in Thrakia. The marriage has been
happy and the relationship between the tribe and Troy has been
fruitful for both sides. The Bistones have become wealthy and powerful
to the extent that they are one of the dominant tribes in Thrakia, and
it has opened up new trade routes for Troy. Not everyone in Thrakia is
as happy with the arrangement as the Bistones, though.

P L O T H O O K : T R O J A N PAT R O N A G E
Ilione sends an urgent message to Hekabe through the goddess
Hekate: she is deeply concerned that her husband Polymestor is seen
as weak by the Bistones for his relationship with Troy and that
someone is plotting to kill her and her husband so they can take over
leadership of the tribe. Ilione loves her husband, but he will not believe
her that anyone would want to harm them with the amount of wealth
their union has brought to the tribe. The heroes are sent to protect
Ilione and learn that Diomedes, the grandson of the previous king, has
put a plan in place to assassinate both Ilione and Polymestor.

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T R OY A N D T H E G O D S

Troy has a complex relationship with the Gods. The settlers who
founded Dardania were led by a son of Zeus, Dardanos, and when his
descendent Ilos founded Troy, the nascent Polis was blessed by Zeus
with the Palladion. As a result, both Zeus and Athena were deeply
invested in Troy’s success. Athena is not always on the side of the
Trojans as a people but she still protects those who directly seek her
sanctuary in the temple.

Skamander and Kybele are both local gods with a strong following
among Trojans. Kybele’s worship is common across most of Anatolia
and she is the patron god of the city of Gordion, while Skamander has
a small but devoted following in the city itself.

Poseidon still holds a grudge against Troy after Laomedon’s

disrespect, but Apollo’s ire is turned elsewhere easily. Both gods are
held in great respect within Troy and its environment: as god of the
seas, the sea traders and fishing communities along the coast do their
best to keep Poseidon from causing any major disasters, and the
nearby city of Lyrnessus has a major temple to Apollo with its own
priesthood. If someone was able to regain the favour of Poseidon and
Apollo on behalf of the Trojans, it would safeguard the Trojans’
investments and help them expand their influence.

KYBELE

Kybele has been worshipped across Anatolia Favoured Skills:

long before the Olympian gods reached the ◆ Craft
shores of the Troad. She is also known as ◆ Lore
the mountain mother and is a goddess of ◆ Survival
wild places and cities alike. She retains a
great deal of power among her worshippers Symbols:
across the peninsula and deeper into
◆ Mountains
Anatolia, but her power wanes in the face of
◆ Tympanum
the Olympian gods’ dominance in Troy and
◆ Lions
other cities. Only Gordion has remained
◆ Birds of prey
faithful to her, though as Midas loses his
grip, Kybele risks becoming irrelevant. She is
known to arrive in a chariot pulled by lions,
followed by her worshippers, called the
korybantes, in an ecstatic frenzy of wine
and dance. Kybele’s anger is greatly feared
as she brings the wild places into even the
most protected city. This is still her land,
and she will not be denied, much as she
allows the followers of other gods to build
their polis upon it.

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A S A PAT R O N
Kybele is not as demanding as many of the other gods, but this should
not suggest that she is ignorant or uncaring of her followers’ actions.
She communicates with them through the stones of mountain and city,
though she may also make contact through her servant Attis, a young
man who appears as a Phrygian shepherd. Her concern is most likely
to be piqued when her followers or sacred places are threatened,
whether it is the Daktyls of Mount Ida, the Anatolian tribes or her
worshippers within the Hellenic cities. Kybele’s priests can be of any
gender and her temples, like those dedicated to other mother
goddesses, are called metroa. Worship often involves drunken revels in
the wild places of the world. She may wish for a new metroon to be
founded to better anchor her influence and provide her worshippers
with a focus for their faith.

F AV O U R
Kybele reinforces her followers with endurance and health, making
them as solid as the stones of the mountain. They find it easier to

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
befriend, hunt or tame animals and are rarely lost in natural
environments, able to call upon nymphs to lead them to safety.

D I S F AV O U R
The very ground shakes beneath the feet of those who have angered
Kybele. They might become overwhelmed with ecstatic revelry without
drinking or become lost in wild places. Wild animals see them as easy
prey and are more likely to attack them. She brings plague to those
who harm her priests.

PLOT HOOK
A metroon (temple) of Kybele in a cave beneath a mountain has
become flooded and trapped Kybele’s worshippers. The stones of Troy
and Mount Ida cry out for her people’s lives with deafening wails. The
people trapped in the temple are running out of time unless the heroes
mount a bold rescue.

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M Y S T E R Y C U LT : C U LT O F K Y B E L E

Worshippers of Kybele are spread across Anatolia, often found in

shrines built in wild places or in caves at the foot of a mountain. They
are largely found within Anatolia, but the practice has begun to
spread, with cities as widely flung as Athens beginning to found their
own metroa. The cult is not as secretive as many others but they are
uncompromising in those they accept, choosing people who understand
Kybele’s duality as a goddess of wilderness and city together. The
stones of both speak to them. The difficulty can sometimes be in
tracking the cult down, as they rarely advertise their presence and
many move between different sacred places with the seasons.

Initiation
Those initiated into the Mysteries of Kybele undertake processions laid
out by the goddess, often through wild places, around the walls of
cities or up mountain slopes. These are rapturous and energetic affairs,
with cultists carrying torches, playing loud music particularly on the
tympanum and shepherd’s flute, and raising their voices in songs
punctuated by ululating cries. They dance in the styles handed down
throughout Phrygia and might find that in the ecstasy of their worship,
they walk in dreams, heal, gain insight into the future or are blessed
with a deep wisdom usually only known to the gods. As they reach the
end of the procession, often the top of a mountain or the depths of a
cave, they receive a vision of deep, wild wisdom spoken by the stones
themselves.

To complete the initiation ceremony the PC gains 1 Risk for the dance
into the mountains or along the city walls. If the initiation is taking
place in the wilderness they must succeed on a Difficulty 1 Might
(Survival) roll; if they’re in a city use the Vigour skill instead. As they
perform the dance on their journey, they must succeed on a Difficulty 2
Reflexes (Perform) skill check to complete the steps and enter into the
trance-like state which allows them to commune with the goddess.
Succeeding on both rolls allows the PC to join the Cult of Kybele and
to purchase talents from the Stones of the City or Stones of the
Mountains talent tracks.

While this completes their initiation, the PC may wish to attempt to

commune with Kybele herself and explore the dreams offered. To do
this they gain 1 Risk and must make a Difficulty 3 Insight (Lore) roll.
This counts as having consulted an oracle during downtime and allows
the PCs to store the successes for a future roll.

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S TO N E S O F T H E C I T Y TA L E N T S TA L E N T S
◆
1 Daktyl’s Hammer — 5xp
Speak to the form already
existing within a material for
crafting and gain +1D per rank to
Craft skill checks.
◆
2 Ring of Stones — 10xp
The stone walls of your polis add
structure of 3 per Populace rather
than 2 and provide 4 Morale.
S TO N E S O F T H E M O U N TA I N TA L E N T S TA L E N T S
◆
1 Beast Speech — 5xp
You can understand the language
of birds and animals although
they can’t understand you. Roll
Insight (Survival) to glean
information of what they may
have witnessed in the last few
hours.
◆
2 Weathered — 10xp
You never suffer penalties or
harm from extreme weather.
79
◆
3 Daktyl’s Hammer — 15xp
Speak to the form already
existing within a material for
crafting and gain +1D per rank to
Craft skill checks.
◆
4 Riches of the Mountain — 20xp
During the agora phase, if your
polis has a mine, any Resources
skill check gains +2D.
◆
5 Tortoiseshell — 25xp
When wearing any form of
armour you add +1 to your total
Armour rating.
4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
◆
3 Voice of the Wild — 15xp
You better understand the speech
of undomesticated animals and
birds and they can also
understand you. You gain +2D to
any rolls made to convince or
befriend animals in the wild.
◆
4 Roots Go Deep — 20xp
When you would be knocked
Prone, you can choose to gain a
point of Risk to remain on your
feet.
◆
5 Wild Heart — 25xp
You can never become lost in the
wild and gain +2D to all Survival
rolls.
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

SKAMANDER

God of the river that feeds the fertile plains Favoured Skills:
of Ilium, Skamander is a benevolent and ◆ Athletics
nurturing presence, content to leave the ◆ Diplomacy
Trojans to flourish on his banks. Skamander ◆ Vigour
is one of the innumerable river gods, who
are children of Okeanos and Tethys. He Symbols:
provides life and protection through his
◆ Two springs:
waters to the people of Troy. His children’s
one hot, one
history is intertwined with that of the city,
cold
with many marrying into the royal family.
◆ River water
The presence of Trojan bodies or blood in
◆ Forked
his waters provokes him into a raging
branches
torrent that sweeps away even the greatest
◆ Symbols of Troy
of heroes. In his rage, he can be held back
only by the gods themselves. Shrines to
Skamander are dotted along the river
banks and many Trojans hold him in great
respect and affection, knowing that without
him, their lands would be dry and barren.

F AV O U R
While Skamander’s most direct influence is limited to the Troad, the
sibling bonds of the rivers across the world mean that his Favoured
may gain some measure of his blessing further afield. Skamander and
Idaia have been lovers in the past, and those with Skamander’s Favour
may find it easier to court the favour (or deflect the displeasure) of
the mountain nymphs. Those blessed by Skamander find that water
tastes sweet to them and cannot be marred by poison or pollution.
River currents bring them what they need, and if they die in a river,
their enemies are doomed to die by water unless the gods intervene
directly to protect them. When the Favoured of the river god pours the
waters of the Skamander upon barren earth, it imparts a small portion
of that river’s fertility, no matter how far it might be from Troy.

D I S F AV O U R
The rivers are siblings and so waters rise up against those who have
displeased Skamander, sweeping people off their feet and even
drowning them.

PLOT HOOK
When a Trojan is murdered upstream of Troy and the corpse is thrown
into the waters, Skamander floods the plain with blood-red water in
anger. Cut off from their roads and farmlands, the citizens of Troy beg
the gods to tell them how they have angered their benefactor. The city
is filled with panic and the heroes are sent upstream to the source of
the Skamander to commune with the god to solve the mystery of who
has so polluted his waters with the blood of a Trojan.

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T H E R O YA L F A M I LY O F T R O Y

Troy is ruled by a stable and tight-knit royal family, descended from

Ilos, the founder of Troy, and from a son of Zeus, Dardanos before
that. While there might be conflicts between King Priam’s children,
they are loyal to Troy and recognise that Prince Hektor will make as
wise and kind a king as his father is. The politics of this city are in
many ways a family saga: Priam as patriarch, perhaps grown a little
too complacent after decades of a largely peaceful rule, Hekabe as
the insightful queen trying to protect her loved ones, Hektor the
golden prince, beloved by all but loyal to his city and family to a fault,
impulsive young Paris who brings ruin on his people, Kassandra and
Helenus, the siblings torn apart by cruel events, and Andromakhe,
Hektor’s wife who becomes the lightning rod for Akhaian vengeance.

Priam definitely has a weakness for nepotism, putting his children into
major roles in the military and government of the city. If anyone is at
odds with one of Priam’s line, they are likely to find themselves blocked

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
from certain positions and might struggle to get support for their
ideas. As with any great family, Priam’s line has rivalries with other
legendary families: the historical conflict between Laomedon and
Herakles has left the descendents of Herakles, the Heraklides, with a
grudge against the city’s rulers and citizens.

KING PRIAM

Ruler of Troy for many decades, Priam (unfaithful, bitter, insightful)

was the only member of his family who remained in Troy after
Herakles tore through the city with his army. He is only alive because
his older sister Hesione bought his life with a golden veil before she
left with Herakles’ companion Telamon. Priam was left as the sole ruler
of Troy. Despite not being the heir to the throne, Priam took on the
responsibility of his kingship quickly. Troy’s mighty walls had survived
Herakles’ onslaught but the citizens were still reeling from the ruthless
attack. Priam was the king the people of Troy needed to lead them in
rebuilding the city. He forged a strong alliance with King Mygdon of
Phrygia after bringing his own forces to defend Phrygia against the
Amazons, and restored Troy to its position as a wealthy trade hub.

Priam has had many wives and subsequently many children, from the
princess Arisbe, daughter of the Seer King Merops from Perkote, to the
north east of Troy, to his most famed and beloved wife Hekabe, with
whom he has a number of children including Hektor and Paris. Priam is
in his later years now, having seen his city rise from the ashes, and
takes a philosophical view of the blunders of youth.

R O L E P L AY I N G P R I A M
Priam is growing weary of the responsibilities he has shouldered. He is
looking forward to the days when his son Hektor takes leadership of
Troy, but he also finds it impossible to give up control of the city that
he built from ruins. He has lost his family through his father’s lack of

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 BOOK OF EMPIRES

wisdom and clings ever tighter to his children as a result. He is willing

to forgive them nearly anything, but when it comes to the city, he
makes any hard choices without flinching.

PLOT HOOK
Priam is overprotective of his youngest son Polydoros, but the boy
hero-worships his eldest brother Hektor and wants desperately to show
that he should be allowed to become a soldier. After a huge sea
serpent is spotted off the coast of Troy, destroying any ships that
approach, Polydoros disappears. Priam, who is dealing with a trade
delegation from Thrakia, becomes completely distracted with finding
Polydoros until Hekabe intervenes and asks the heroes to track him
down. After making enquiries, they learn that Polydoros has recruited
his own band of fighters to go and slay the sea serpent. They must
reach the bay before he throws himself into danger, and might even be
able to help him slay the serpent so he can prove himself to his father.

QUEEN HEKABE

Hekabe (tough, shrewd, devout) is a startlingly intelligent queen who is

painfully aware of the limitations of her husband. She knows his
bitterness and his sentimentality over his family, and more than any of
his other wives keeps the city on course even when Priam is not the
king he needs to be. A daughter of King Dymas of Phrygia, she is
adept at playing the political games required of her. She is a priestess
of Hera and Hekate and keeps a small circle of devoted faithful
around her as part of a more personal worship. She works closely with
Andromakhe, Hektor’s wife, to ensure the safety of their family.

R O L E P L AY I N G H E K A B E
Hekabe pulls the strings of the Trojan royal court, her sharp eyes
taking in everything that happens (and a great deal that goes unsaid).
She is a brilliant diplomat and can charm a visiting envoy while also
watching his retinue for spies and assassins. She can be brusque with
her children and those lower down the social hierarchy, but she
recognises the value in competent people.

ANDROMAKHE

The wife of Prince Hektor, Andromakhe (quiet, diplomatic, ruthless)

was born in a city down the coast from Troy, daughter of a king. While
the marriage was one that was politically fortuitous for both her father
and Priam, Andromakhe and Hektor have a close and supportive
marriage. She has proven herself to Priam and Hekabe as a highly
competent spymaster, coordinating agents across the city and in other
cities. As Hektor marshals the armies of Troy, Andromakhe quietly
arranges matters to ensure things go smoothly. While Hektor is aware
of much of what she does for the city, Andromakhe keeps some things
even from him. They have a young son called Astyanax. Andromakhe is
far from a shrinking violet, matching Hektor’s determination and
courage with her own and will make a fine queen of Troy some day.

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 T R OY

R O L E P L AY I N G A N D R O M A K H E
Andromakhe is less visible than Hekabe and spends a lot of her time
talking to people across Troy. She maintains a network of servants,
traders and travellers who feed her information in return for special
dispensations. She is serious but maintains a graceful and kind
demeanour. Nevertheless, beneath her diplomatic facade, she has a
will of steel and will do anything to protect her family and her city.

PLOT HOOK
Hekabe and Andromakhe have heard from their informants that an
agent of Antiklea, Queen of Ithaka, is in the city to try and undermine
some of Troy’s trade routes across the Aegean. Hekabe wants this
agent killed without hesitation, but Andromakhe wants to interrogate
him and potentially turn him into a double agent against Ithaka. They
employ the heroes to help, leaving the decision in their hands.

PRINCE HEKTOR

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
The eldest son and heir of King Priam, Hektor (noble, popular, loving)
is the golden hero of Troy, a handsome warrior with a deeply-held
sense of loyalty to his people. Son of Priam and his most beloved wife
Hekabe, Hektor takes the responsibilities of Troy’s leadership seriously
and has proven himself as a highly competent military commander on
many occasions. His noble profile can be seen around the city often
and he never considers himself too good to speak with his people.
Unlike some of his siblings, Hektor is not given to drinking heavily or
outbursts of rage, though the passion with which he inspires his troops
is legendary. His wife, Andromakhe, is often by his side when he walks
the streets of Troy, with their young son Astyanax.

R O L E P L AY I N G H E K T O R
Hektor is the pinnacle of what a soldier, prince and hero should be. He
is not always as understanding towards his siblings as he could be,
demanding better of them. Nevertheless, he is protective towards his
family and his people, and stands by them even to the point of
sacrificing his own life.

PLOT HOOK
Hektor has heard that one of his soldiers, Aikaterene, has been stirring
up dissent in the ranks. He is most concerned but cannot investigate it
himself without risking the dissenters going deeper underground, so he
asks the player characters to find out what they can. Aikaterene came
to Troy from one of the nearby Anatolian settlements that existed
before the peoples of the Aegean moved into the peninsula. She knows
that a rich and influential merchant who moved from Korinth to Troy
recently is planning on mining for gold beneath a grove sacred to the
goddess Kybele and that Priam will undoubtedly send some of the
military to defend the mining operation. She is worried that the
soldiers will invoke the wrath of Kybele and she will be forced to
choose between defying Kybele or abandoning her siblings in arms.

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PA R I S

The youngest son of King Priam and Queen Hekabe, Paris (beautiful,
bored, lustful) is a hopeless romantic with a desire to wander the world.
Where his older brother, Hektor, is the daring and stalwart military
hero, Paris is a diplomat through and through, able to charm anyone
with his silver tongue. Hektor despairs at how impulsive Paris is, but
Paris acts on his feelings far more than his brother and his handsome
demeanour means that he is beloved by his people. While pregnant
with Paris, Hekabe dreamed of a burning torch and learned from an
Oracle that the unborn child would be the ruin of Troy. Priam and
Hekabe could not bear to kill Paris once he was born. Paris’s weapon
of choice is a bow and arrow and his aim is known to be true, but he
also struggles to live up to the example set by his fearless older
brother. Paris married Oenone, an Oread nymph of Mount Ida, after
meeting her in the pastures there. He pledged his love to her forever,
but her insights into his future make her less certain of his fidelity.

PLOT HOOK
Oenone asks the heroes to accompany Paris and protect him as he
travels up to the highest slopes of Mount Ida to visit her father, the
river-god Kebren. This is secretly a test of Paris’s fidelity: Oenone is
haunted by the fear that her handsome prince will someday betray her
and in doing so bring the horrors of war to his people. He refuses to
speak to her on these matters, so she has arranged for the other
Oreads of the mountain to tempt him as he travels and see if he strays
from the path.

KASSANDRA

A daughter of Priam and Hekabe, Kassandra (perceptive, clever,

forthright; tormented, intuitive, visionary) was once a beautiful and
outgoing young woman, but after Apollo cursed her with the gift of
prophecy that would never be believed, she became tormented by the
need to understand the nature of her visions. She finds support in her
brother Helenus, but even with his deep love for his sister, the curse
means that he can never believe her. Kassandra has spent a lot of time
in the Temple of Athena ever since she was young and is fascinated by
the gods.

PLOT HOOK
Before she encounters Apollo, Kassandra wishes to win the favour of
the Goddess Athena. She is clever and clear-sighted but is rarely in a
position to prove herself as Priam keeps her out of military or
governmental matters. He tells her to enjoy being a child and she
suspects that she will eventually be told to travel to another city as his
envoy. She is keen to prove herself now and wants to sneak into a
contest of debate held by some of the others in the city: normally
people immediately give up because they do not want to risk angering
a princess, so she will have to disguise herself in order to show what
she can do, and asks the heroes for help.

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HELENUS

Twin brother of Kassandra and son of Priam, Helenus (protective,

careful, avoidant) is particularly close to Hektor and gets on well with
his wife Andromakhe. He is quiet and supportive but not as brilliant as
his twin sister. Unlike Kassandra, he is quite happy to just live a happy
life in Troy, perhaps eventually settling down with someone and
safeguarding Priam’s line for the future. Hektor finds him a grounding
influence and wants to keep Helenus close by.

T R O I L O S A N D P O LY X E N E

Troilos (immature, kind, supportive) and his twin sister Polyxene (wise,
quiet, practical) are Priam’s youngest children by Hekabe. They are still
young and venture far from the city to explore the nearby countryside.
Troilos is a dreamy youth who often gets lost in his thoughts and seems
not to notice the attention his peers pay him, as his beauty causes
others to seek his approval. Polyxene is highly intuitive in the ways of
people and finds it amusing that her brother is oblivious to how many

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
of their friends are charmed by him. She is a good listener and gives
common-sense advice to people about their troubles.

P O LY D O R O S

Priam’s youngest son, born of Laothoe, one of Priam’s consorts.

Polydoros (hopeful, brave, naive) hero-worships Hektor and trains as
hard as he can to follow his older stepbrother into battle. Despite
encouraging his other children in their martial efforts, Priam is highly
protective of Polydoros and has banned him from joining the military.
Hektor has reluctantly obeyed his father, trying to discourage
Polydoros as gently as possible but is privately concerned that his
youngest brother will get himself killed trying to prove that he should
be allowed to fight.

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B E Y O N D T H E WA L L S O F T R O Y

GANYMEDES

Brother of Ilos, the founder of Troy, Ganymedes (exquisite, influential,

detached) was taken by Zeus to be his cup-bearer on Olympos. He has
retained a certain sympathy for his brother’s city and the region of his
birth and might be persuaded to intervene on behalf of other Trojans.
He is a young man of startling beauty, who looks at home amongst the
gods. While the gods may have initially favoured him because of his
appearance, Ganymedes has learned the art of managing Olympian
politics in his time as Zeus’s cup-bearer and can whisper the right word
in the right divine ear for those he wants to help.

HELLESPONTINE SIBYL

An oracle on the Hellespont, across the strait from Troy, is known far
and wide as the Hellespontine or Trojan Sibyl. The oracle on the
Hellespont has a close relationship with the royal family of Troy and
advises them on many matters. The oracle foretold before his birth
that Paris would bring ruin to the city. What other revelations Priam
might have hidden from the rest of his family? The Hellespontine Sibyl
is known for a library of oracular texts that are unmatched anywhere
else in the Aegean but few are allowed to view these.

PLOT HOOK
Khryses, the High Priest of Apollo at nearby Lyrnessus, tells the heroes
that he has foreseen the theft of the oracular texts from the oracle of
the Hellespont. Apollo is most displeased that anyone would dare to
steal from his oracle and Khryses sees an opportunity for Troy to
regain some measure of the god’s favour by preventing this theft.

STEED OF THE NORTH WIND

One of the descendants of the horses bred by Erikthonius, fathered by

Boreas, the North Wind. Impossibly fast as though borne along by
Boreas himself, the Steeds of the North Wind are highly prized horses.
They can jump greater distances, run faster than any others of their
kind and even skim the surface of the sea at a full gallop. Their
pedigree is shown in their glossy coats and fine dark manes. The gift of
one of these steeds is a mark of great respect from the Arkhon of Troy
and is a rare blessing. To steal one is a terrible crime, and while many
might claim to sell authentic Dardanian horses, true Steeds of the
North Wind are rarely sold and only for high prices.

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OREAD

The mountains nymphs who live on the slopes of Mount Ida are curious
about mortals and shepherds often find themselves lured away by the
teasing of nymphs who want to learn more about them. For the most
part, Oreads are not aggressive, but they are guardians of the
mountain slopes and don’t always understand mortals. They might
guide a mortal into a ravine without understanding the consequences
of their actions. Some, like Paris’s wife Oenone, leave their mountain
home to be with a mortal lover and live in the city. The most powerful
of the mountain nymphs is Idaia, who rules Mount Ida and has been
the lover of Skamander in the past. They may give prophetic insights
to those who amuse them or pluck at their heart strings.

Idaian Oreads use the template for Nymphs with the following
additional ability:

Oread: A gift from Kybele, the Oreads have prophetic insights that
mean they are impossible to surprise.

4 / T R OY : C I T Y G U I D E
PLOT HOOK
A shepherd has gone missing on the slopes of Mount Ida during a
season where terrible storms wrack the land. His mother travels to Troy
to beg for King Priam’s help, fearing that her son has fallen prey to
wild animals or bandits. Knowing something of the ways of the Oreads,
Oenone offers to travel to Mount Ida and recruits the characters to go
with her so they might discover what the Oreads have done to the
young man and negotiate for his release.

P H RYG I A N I RO N

A substance used by the Daktyloi smiths of Phrygia. They were some of

the first to discover the secrets of making iron weaponry through the
guidance of Hephaestos, using iron found deep in the darkest groves
on the slopes of Mount Ida. Weapons made by these powerful artisans
still retain unusual properties: any item made with Phrygian Iron
automatically gains the Fine 2 property.

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DAKTYL

Mysterious smiths who use the divine blessings of Hephaestos and the
special iron found deep in the groves of Mount Ida to forge weapons
unlike anything else in the world. They were born when the nymph
Ankhiale dug her fingers into the mud of Mount Ida. They serve Kybele
but, apart from rare contact with mortals, they keep to themselves.
However, humans who seek out their forge caves have been known to
be gifted weaponry or knowledge by the smiths.

PLOT HOOK
A group of smiths who provide the Trojan army with weapons are
struck with a strange affliction causing them to act in wild, ecstatic
ways, lashing out at people or rambling through the streets as though
drunk. Hektor is concerned this will impact the army’s supply of
weapons and may spread to others. The heroes are sent to investigate
and find one of the smiths, Zenobios, stole Phrygian iron and the
knowledge to craft with it from the forge of a Daktyl on Mount Ida.
Zenobios and the other smiths he has supplied are cursed by Kybele:
Zenobios is turning into a lion like those that pull Kybele’s chariot.

I DA E A N DA K T Y L CHAMPION

Daktyls may be equipped with any weaponry. All their weapons have the Fine 2
property as they are forged of Phrygian Iron. Any equipment taken by force or
deception from a Daktyl risks carrying with it the Disfavour of Kybele.

Tactics: Daktyls have little interest in fighting but if they are forced to, they lure
their enemies into cunningly-wrought traps or cause rockfalls in caves. Their
weapons are finely-wrought and capable of cutting through armour and flesh
with ease.

Characteristics Skills Attributes

Might: 5 Awareness: 2 Armour: 5
Reflexes: 1 Craft: 5 Shield: 0
Cool: 3 Lore: 3 Parry: 2
Insight: 3 Melee: 3 Endurance: 5
Cunning: 3 Survival: 2 Standing: n/a
Vigour: 4

Abilities
Divine Craftsman: The GM may invoke the Fates to add any property to a piece
of equipment they wield. For instance, they might add Pierce to their own
weapon, even if it does not normally have the Pierce property. Properties with a
rating (such as Parry) have a rating of 1 when gained in this way.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Fine Kopis Melee 10D 2 5 Fine 2, Parry 2, Pommel Strike, Savage

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CHAPTER 5

A THOUSAND SHIPS
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

In A Thousand Ships the PCs take part in the Trojan War, from the
defection of Helen of Sparta to the climactic final battle for the city of
Troy. Negotiations, political scheming, service and sacrifice to the Gods
and heroic combat will all be required to see them safely through to
the other side.

Though the campaign draws inspiration from the story of the Iliad, it
follows a path of its own. While many characters will be recognisable
from the classics, others have been changed to better reflect the ethos
of AEGEAN: in particular, the role of many women in the story has
been altered to give them equivalent agency, martial prowess and
influence to the men. Nor is the overall story arc fixed: a key design
feature of the campaign is allowing the PCs to affect the course of the
story, giving them the opportunity to direct the course of the war and
determine its outcome.

H OW TO U S E T H I S A DV E N T U R E

The adventure is designed to form a framework for GMs to run a

campaign based around a group of heroes taking part in the events of
the Iliad. Without a much larger book, it would be impossible to cover
every event and eventuality in complete detail, and therefore the book
offers scene-by-scene breakdowns of several key events, and offers
suggestions for side quests away from the battles and main events of
the epic. A sourcebook can only ever be a framework—it is the GM’s
unique creativity and responsiveness to their players that makes a
campaign truly great.

WHEN IS A THOUSAND SHIPS SET?

In the AEGEAN setting, Helen of Sparta is still a child, and Menelaus

and Agamemnon are not yet kings. A Thousand Ships begins some
years later, when Menelaus has succeeded his foster father and Helen
is a well-respected naval commander.

W H A T C H A R A C T E R S S H O U L D P L AY T H I S G A M E ?

In keeping with the wider AEGEAN rules, the default origin for players
in this campaign is Akhaians. However, it is possible for the campaign
to be run for Trojan heroes or allies of Troy, and variant scenes and
adventures are offered for both sides. During the course of the story,
characters may change their allegiance from one side to another, or
abandon both in favour of a third course of action.

The campaign works well for PCs who are relatively inexperienced and
unknown at the start, gaining glory and responsibility as they take
part in the events of the war, but if the GM wishes to run it for an
established group then it can be easily adapted—perhaps by starting
the PCs as diplomats themselves rather as part of an entourage.

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P L AY E R A G E N C Y

When playing in a campaign based on such a well-known legend, it is

essential to keep the players in the thick of the action, and for their
decisions to direct the course of the story. By the end of this Iliad, the
players should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Helen, Odysseos,
Hektor, Andromakhe and the rest as the greatest heroes of their time.

KUDOS

To keep overall track of the course of the Trojan War, a new

stat—Kudos—is used, and should be kept private by the GM. It starts at
0 for both factions, and will rise or fall in response to player actions,
the will of the gods and the wider events of the world. The GM should
keep track of the score for both sides as it’s used for as the starting
Nike score for many battles during the campaign. In the final battle of Nike, 217
the siege of Troy, the difference between the two side’s Kudos score is

5 / A THOUSAND SHIPS
used as the starting Nike score so having a high Kudos is only
beneficial if the opposing side’s score is low. It’s not enough to do well,
your enemies must do badly!

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CHAPTER 6

ACT 1: A TIME FOR MANY

WO R D S
 T R OY

Act 1 begins as the players arrive in the court of King Menelaus of

Sparta, for negotiations between the Akhaians and the Trojan Empire.

BAC KG RO U N D

Tensions are high between the Hellenes and the Trojan Empire. For
some years, the trading routes to Asia Minor have been a point of
contention, with both sides claiming their ships have been obstructed,
attacked, and on occasion sunk by the others. In order to ease tensions,
King Menelaus of Sparta has offered to host negotiations between
representatives of the city states of Greece and those of the Trojans.
The heroes are here as part of the delegation from their polis, sent to
ensure their diplomat arrives at the negotiations and returns home in
safety. The mood is tense. No one is quite sure who can be trusted, and
who is working for the other side—all that is certain is that everyone

6 / A T I M E F O R M A N Y WO R D S
has an agenda of their own.

THE WILL OF THE GODS

The heroes may choose to consult the augurs or otherwise commune
with the gods for guidance on the task ahead. The Gods are distracted
and excitable, clearly relishing what is to come.

A storm brews at the centre of the world.

Helen of Sparta, greatest of Menelaus’s generals
Holds the fate of men and gods in rope-worn hands.

T H E C I T Y O F S PA R TA

The greatest Polis of Laekedamonia lies on the Eurotas river; it is built

in tiers up a steep hill and overlooks the plains below. Elegant marble
pillars enclose spacious courtyards where young warriors are wrestling,
throwing spears and training with horses, while the port is filled with
ships from other poleis.

Representatives from all of the major Hellenic powers, and many of

the minor ones (particularly the island poleis) are present at the
delegations. Some of the major players are listed below.

If the hereos’ polis has any notable rivals or enemies, don’t forget to
include a representative from them!

HELLENES
Agamemnon, King of the Mykenai (arrogant, ambitious, callous).
Brother of the King of Sparta, Agamemnon has been pushing for war
with Troy for several years.

Menelaus, King of Sparta (complacent, arrogant, hot-headed).

Younger son of the house of Atreus, Menelaus acquired many enemies
when his foster-father, Tyndareus of Sparta, named him as heir instead
of any of his own children.

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Penelope, Queen of Ithaka (gracious, wise, playful). Accompanied by

her husband, the adventurer-king Odysseos (cunning, ruthless, devoted
to his wife), Penelope is a moderate and thoughtful voice amongst the
Akhaians.

Patroklus, son of King Menoetius of Lokris (youthful, serious,

insecure). Sent as the envoy of King Peleus of Phthia, whose own son
Akhilles is mysteriously absent from the negotiations.

Helen of Sparta (resentful, capable, warlike). Daughter of King

Tyndareus of Sparta (though rumoured to be a daughter of Zeus) and
Navarkh of the Spartan fleet, Helen was long considered the most
devoted of his children and most likely to inherit his crown. Despite
this, she has supported her foster brother as King of Sparta—so far.

TROJANS
Andromakhe, Spymaster of King Priam of Troy (quiet, diplomatic,
ruthless). Married to Priam’s oldest son Hektor and visibly pregnant
with their first child, Andromakhe is a capable diplomat, sent to
represent her polis in the negotiations. To her displeasure, she has been
sent to ensure the defection of Helen of Sparta to the Trojan cause,
and to offer anything the navarkh desires in exchange for her service.

Paris, Prince of Troy (beautiful, bored, lustful). The youngest son of

Priam of Troy, Paris is present nominally as honour guard to his sister-
in-law, but in fact as an offering to Helen of Sparta.

Briseis, Queen of Lyrnessus (charismatic, peacemaker, concerned).

Lyrnessus occupies a vulnerable position to the west of the Trojan
empire, threatened by the Hellenes and increasingly beholden to Priam
of Troy for its defence. Briseis wants peace, and is willing to concede
valuable trading rights to ensure the protection of her people.

Teutamides, Prince of Larissa (adept negotiator, for sale). The city of

Larissa is famous for regularly changing its allegiance between the
Trojans, Persians and Akhaians. Cosmopolitan and diverse, its people
consider the flexibility of its loyalties a point of honour; while its King
Amyntor may be despised by Agamemnon as a turncoat, no one could
doubt the King’s loyalty to his people.

NEUTRAL
Penthesilea, sister of Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons (patient,
deadly, quiet). The amazons have sent a delegation to witness the
negotiations, but they have expressed their intention to remain neutral.

Khryses, Priest of Apollo (aged, dutiful, fearful). High Priest of Apollo

in the city of Lyrnessus, Khryses has accompanied Queen Briseis, but
professes neutrality in the negotiations. His priority is to remind both
sides that their primary goal should be to serve their shared gods, not
to pursue their own glory.

Other major players include Ajax, Prince of Salamis; Sarpedon, Prince

of Lykia; Aeneas, Prince of Troy and son of Aphrodite.

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D AY 1 : S P A R T A

The first day is taken up with arrivals, settling the diplomats into their
quarters, arranging security and anything else the heroes might want
to do in preparation for the negotiations. They may choose to explore
the city, visiting its bustling agora, the graceful temples to Athena, the
armoured Aphrodite and other Olympian gods; or the play-houses and
dockside drinking holes. Anything a hero could desire is here, all with a
strong militant flavour.

IPHIGENIA

Late in the evening of the first day, a messenger in a state of

agitation finds the heroes, saying that a group of young nobles are in
trouble in the lower city, and asking them to come with all haste and

6 / A T I M E F O R M A N Y WO R D S
discretion. The messenger leads them to a downmarket taverna from
which the sounds of a squabble are emerging.

Inside, Iphigenia (likeable, vulnerable, naive), the eldest daughter of

King Agamemnon, is in trouble. Disguised as a commoner, she sneaked
away from her guards with two teenage members of her retinue and
has been recognised as a noblewoman and robbed of her jewellery.
She is being held hostage while two groups of ruffians fight over what
they should do with her. One group advocates ransoming her back to
her father, while the other is fearful of Agamemnon’s wrath and would
rather slit her throat and dump her body in the river before making off
with the stolen goods.

As soon as she sees the heroes, Iphigenia will beg them for help. There
are many ways they can try to take control of the situation—by bribing
her captors, siding with one group against the other and then turning
on them, convincing them to surrender Iphigenia and return her goods
is the only way to avoid her father’s legendary wrath, or fighting them
all in a chaotic bar brawl. While the fight is underway, one or more of AC: Bandits, 210
the ruffians might attempt to escape with the jewellery, leading to a
chase through the narrow alleyways of the lower city.

If she is rescued, Iphigenia will be effusively grateful, rewarding them

richly with items of her personal jewellery (if returned) and begging
them not to tell her father about her “foolish mistake”. The closer a
bond you can make between her and the heroes at this stage, the
more agonising the choices they are forced to make later will be.

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D AY 2 : T H E N E G O T I A T I O N S B E G I N

The heroes’ first duty of the day is to deliver their diplomat safely to
the negotiations. There they are dismissed at the door by King
Menelaus’s guards and left to their own devices until the feast that
evening. As they leave the palace, Odysseos of Ithaka approaches
them and introduces himself.

Boring business, isn’t it? My wife’s in there, negotiating with the big
dogs. Could have done without the trip myself, but apparently we can’t
have Mykenai and Sparta dividing the Aegean up between them. It’s all
a formality anyway. Whether it’s this year or the next, Agamemnon’s
going to find a reason for war. He just needs to make sure he can take
the rest of us with him.

He will cheerfully gossip about the other delegates and their

motivations, and ask the heroes about their polis and what they hope
to get out of their visit to Sparta.

Look—between ourselves, those negotiations aren’t going to be over by

the feast. As soon as the wine’s drunk they’ll be back round the table,
arguing all night. And since I can’t bear to go to bed without my wife,
I’ve arranged a game of dice with a few friends tonight—you’d be more
than welcome to join us. The Ox’s Head, after the feast. No obligation,
but it’d be good to see you there.

Perceptive characters will notice that Odysseos is clearly planning

something—but then, Odysseos is always planning something.

T H E D E S E C R AT E D S H R I N E

While the negotiations are in full flow, the heroes have the opportunity
to take a walk around the city. Their wanderings eventually lead them
to a quiet cove, from which they overhear a shouting voice. Success on
an Insight (Survival) roll allows them to notice that the river is flat and
glassy up- and down-stream, but here it is in turmoil, with dark and
turbulent waves. They arrive just in time to see a young man—Patroklus
of Phthia, who should be in the negotiations—storming out of a shallow
cave, shouting as he goes.

I N S P E C T I N G T H E A LTA R
Inside the cave, there is a small altar with an overturned bowl in a
puddle of salt water. Insight (Lore) reveals it to be a shrine to Thetis, a
Nereid; with one success, they can refill the bowl and utter a short
prayer to reconsecrate the altar.

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S P E A K I N G T O PAT R O K L U S
Patroklus is agitated and upset, and can only be persuaded to talk
with a successful Cunning (Manipulation) or Insight (Diplomacy) roll,
depending on the approach they take.

I should be in there, negotiating for Phthia, but how can I when she will
not leave me alone. She hounds me, day and night, looking for an oath I
cannot give her.

If asked what Thetis wants, he will rub his eyes, clearly frustrated.

She wants me to swear I will never speak with her son Akhilles again. I
understand she is driven by love for him, but… I have sworn an oath
already, and I will not break it. Not for her. Not for anyone. I did not
intend to desecrate her shrine, nor to leave my duty. Only—this endless

6 / A T I M E F O R M A N Y WO R D S
torment. The roar of the sea in my ears. The taste of salt, day and night.
More of this and I will go mad.

Patroklus knows that Akhilles has been placed in hiding at the court of
Lykomedes in Skyros, but it will take a remarkable negotiation
(Difficulty 5) on the heroes’ part to get the information out of him.

They can choose to escort Patroklus back to the negotiations, attempt

to intercede with Thetis on his behalf to lift the curse (particularly if
one of the heroes is a child of Poseidon), or leave him there.

THE FEAST

The evening feast is a splendid affair, with the diplomats seated in

order of precedence and their entourages accommodated elsewhere in
the room. Menelaus is a gracious host, but the perceptive will notice
friction between him, his brother Agamemnon and his navarkh Helen.
Once everyone is in place, Menelaus stands and makes a toast with a
magnificently jewelled golden chalice.

Trojans, Akhaians! Welcome to Sparta! May these negotiations be

blessed in the sight of the Gods, and bring prosperity and peace to all
peoples of the Aegean.

Andromakhe raises her glass. My thanks for your welcome, and your
hospitality, King Menelaus. May these negotiations proceed in peace
and good faith.

Various kings give various speeches, generally praising Menelaus.

Agamemnon’s speech is notable for mostly praising himself, though he
takes the opportunity to talk about how the Hellenes are one people,
and how an Akhaian Empire could conquer the whole world, given the
right leader. It’s clear he means himself. During the speech, Odysseos

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catches the eye of one of the heroes, and pulls a face. Helen of Sparta
waits her turn to speak, then gets to her feet.

My honoured lords— she begins, but Agamemnon talks over her.

Surely there have been enough speeches tonight, sister. We have spent
all day on the business of seafarers. Shall we not speak of better things
until we are called to council again?

Helen smiles tightly, but she is clearly furious.

I have held my peace, King Agamemnon, but I will not be silent any
longer. You may not see the armies that gather in the east, but I assure
you they are there. The Akhaemenids turn their eye towards the
Aegean, and in a few years they will—

These are matters for kings, Agamemnon says smoothly. Not for naval
commanders.

Helen looks to Menleus for support, but he ignores her, clearly

embarrassed. She flushes scarlet, and for a moment looks as though
she might vent her anger, then nods, and returns to her seat.

During the feast, the following events occur:

◆ Helen and Menelaus exchange a few words. It’s not clear what they
say, but it ends with Helen excusing herself from the table and
leaving the room.
◆ Odysseos and Penelope have several quiet conversations in the
corner of the room. Again, it’s not clear what they’re discussing.
◆ Patroklus is making an effort to talk with all of the envoys, but he
spends a surprising amount of time with Andromakhe of Troy.
◆ A little time after Helen leaves, Andromakhe and Paris also excuse
themselves and leave.
◆ Menelaus summons a servant and asks for his drinking cup—there
is a notable flurry of activity from the servants, and a cup is
provided. Astute heroes will notice it is not the one that Menelaus
made his toast with at the start of the meal.

The heroes also have the chance to meet and discuss the negotiations
with anyone they want to, though no one is willing to show their hand
at this stage.

THE GOLDEN CUP

As the meal draws to a close, a successful Insight (Awareness) roll

leads the heroes to overhear a panicked conversation between a
huddle of Menelaus’s servants—his golden cup is missing, possibly
stolen. The cup was a gift from Priam, King of Troy, and the Trojan
delegation will expect to see it in a place of honour. The heroes can
choose to:

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◆ Ignore this,
◆ Attempt to recover it without the help of the servants, or
◆ Offer to assist the servants in recovering it.

If they are assisted by the servants, they will be told that a servant
named Tibios has also gone missing. It’s possible he’s using the cup to
buy passage home with the Trojan fleet. If not, they will have to sneak
around the palace to find clues to the location of the cup—they might
overhear servants gossiping, question members of staff or find physical
traces of Tibios’s escape over the palace walls.

The clues lead to a dockside pawn-shop, where they find Tibios the
servant (desperate, homesick, terrified) pleading with Thratta the
pawnbroker (suspicious, avaricious) to buy the golden cup.

There’s two problems with this, Tibios. One, I can’t give you what it’s

6 / A T I M E F O R M A N Y WO R D S
worth. No broker in Sparta could. Two, where could I sell it? Everyone
knows where it came from.

You could melt it down, Tibios says. The gold and gems alone are worth
ten times what I’m asking…

The heroes have a few options:

◆ Intervene on either side,

◆ Attempt to arrest Tibios, in which case he will snatch the cup and
run. His Reflexes and Athletics are both 2, giving him 4D for an
opposed Athletics roll, or
◆ Do nothing, in which case Thratta will eventually be convinced to
buy the cup for a fraction of its value.

If they help or capture Tibios, he will throw himself on their mercy,

showing him the scars on his back from many years of whipping.

I’m begging you, please. I was taken as a slave when I was a child and
have spent my life in servitude. All I want is to go home to Paphlagonia.
The money is to buy passage on a Trojan ship. King Menelaus has a
thousand golden cups. I only have this one chance.

They can choose to help him escape (with either the cup or coin to pay
his bribe to the Trojan’s), or arrest him and take him back to Menelaus.

As they leave the docks, a successful Insight (Awareness) roll draws

their attention to activity in the harbour. A number of ships, both
Trojan and Akhaian, are heading out, only the faintest glimmer from
hooded lanterns onboard. There’s just time to get Tibios onto a Trojan
ship, should they choose to; alternatively they can attempt to raise the
harbour chains with a challenging Might (Vigour) roll to prevent some
of the fleet from leaving, while arrows rain down on them from the
departing ships.

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TROJAN OR ALLIED HEROES

A messenger from Andromakhe arrives, breathless and panicked.

Where have you been? The fleet is leaving! Your diplomat is already on
board. There isn’t time… you have to come, now!

Menelaus’s guards are mustering; shouting and running footsteps are

heading towards their position. They must flee or hide—they are heavily
outnumbered, and fighting will lead to capture… (though the
opportunity for heroic escapes should be presented, of course.)

AKHAIAN HEROES

Once the ships have departed, Odysseos approaches them, and

beckons them to a quiet side-street.

I suppose this means we won’t get that game of dice after all.

Behind him, Penelope is also waiting, disguised with a plain cloak

wrapped around her. She already knows that Helen has defected to
Troy.

It was only a matter of time. We weren’t expecting it to be tonight, but it

seems she’s finally had enough of Agamemnon. War’s been brewing for
a long time. I hoped we would have longer, but the Gods have ordained
otherwise.

She will let the heroes talk, answer any questions with reasonable
honestly, then make them an offer.

I must return to Ithaka. My people are not warlike—at least, not by

comparison with Mykenai and Sparta—but we must do our part. My
husband has a journey to make. Andromakhe of Troy will be rallying all
of Anatolia to her cause, and we cannot hope to prevail against them
without strong allies. I will ensure the safety of your diplomat if you
accompany my husband to seek the support of the other poleis. Do not
answer now. Tomorrow there will be another meeting, but I think it will
be a council of war and not of trade. Inform my husband of your
decision when the talking is done.

The heroes can:

◆ Accept her offer, and join Odysseos in a wild dash around the
islands to drum up support for Agamemnon and his war,
◆ Decline her offer, and return home to their polis to help prepare its
own forces for war.

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D AY 3 : P R E PA R E F O R WA R

IF THE HEROES ARE AKHAIAN

The meeting and the palace are in uproar. Agamemnon has pushed his
brother to one side and is mustering the Hellenes for war—and in the
wake of Helen’s treachery, even those less well-disposed towards him
are inclined to agree.

Join with me, and we will tear down the walls of Ilium and share out the
spoils. We must teach these upstart Anatolians that none can defy the
Akhaians and live!

The rest of the day passes in planning for war, each polis seemingly

6 / A T I M E F O R M A N Y WO R D S
keen to gain favour in Agamemnon’s eyes by committing more
resources, more ships and more soldiers to their collective cause.
Penthesilea takes an active interest in the meeting, but will not commit
to joining the Akhaians; the priest Khryses maintains his neutrality, but
is treated with suspicion as an ally of Troy, and will eventually leave.

Agamemnon, King of Mykenai, you would do well to remember that for

all that you command the Akhaians, you still must serve the Gods!

These negotiations provide a good opportunity for the heroes to

discuss their own feelings about the upcoming war—if necessary, rivals
or allies might strike up a conversation (either bellicose or peace-
loving) to get them to form or discuss their own opinions. Their polis’s
diplomat is resigned to the war, more out of a sense of obligation to
their fellow Akhaians and an awareness of the realpolitik of the
situation: those who do not fight alongside Agamemnon are likely to
see their political standing vastly diminished in the years to come.

IF THE HEROES ARE TROJAN

The fleet has spent the night putting as much distance as they can
between themselves and Sparta. The sailing is good, with clear skies
and sparkling waters as they head across the Aegean. For all that
Helen’s actions have enraged the Akhaians, it seems Poseidon has not
taken offence.

The diplomats are invited to Andromakhe’s flagship, where she, Helen

and Paris meet them in small groups along with their bodyguards,
including the heroes.

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I understand that many of you have concerns about the events of the
last day. I assure you that I did not come to Sparta with treachery in
mind. However, all of you have borne witness to the scale of the
disrespect offered to Navarkh Helen—a daughter of Zeus!—by the Kings
of Sparta and Mykenai. The auguries are clear: if Helen joins us, as
commander of King Priam’s fleet, Troy will command the greatest fleet
the Aegean has ever known, and the gods will look kindly upon us in the
war to come.

A success Insight (Diplomacy) roll will reveal Andromakhe is lying.

Helen’s defection has been planned for months, though Andromakhe
herself is not happy about it, or about the need to lie about it. She is
also overplaying the positive message of the augurs—victory has not
been promised by the gods.

I ask you all to treat Helen as one of our own—as a daughter of Troy.

Paris takes Helen’s hand and smiles.

Navarkh Helen and I are already married, our union blessed by Hera.

Various diplomats express their concerns—the representative of the

heroes’ polis should take a position in direct opposition to theirs. There
is significant concern that this will lead to war with the Akhaians.
Andromakhe continues:

War is inevitable, it has only been a matter of time. But with Helen and
the Spartan fleet on our side, victory is within our grasp. But we must
gather our allies. I would ask each of you to consider sparing members
of your entourage—those who have already proven themselves—to serve
Troy directly in the months to come. Ilium has many allies, and we must
ensure that all are aware of the coming storm, and of their obligations
and favours owed.

The heroes can:

◆ Accept her offer, and commit to assisting Andromakhe in recruiting

allies for the war.
◆ Decline her offer, and return home to their polis to help prepare its
own forces for war.

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AC C O U N T I N G

At the end of Act 1 the following bonuses and penalties should be

applied to both factions Kudos score and to the heroes polis.

EVENT AKHAIANS TROJANS

Helen defects to Troy, taking the Spartan fleet -2 Kudos +2 Kudos

The heroes prevent part of the fleet leaving +1 Kudos —
Going with Odysseos to recruit allies +1 Kudos —
Assisting Andromakhe with recruiting allies — +1 Kudos

If the heroes chose to prepare their polis for war they gain +1 Military
but the opposing faction gains +1 Kudos as they recruit allies from
across the Aegean Sea.

6 / A T I M E F O R M A N Y WO R D S
BREAKING THE RULES
Helen’s defection to Troy is one of the fixed events of the campaign,
and as written no matter what the heroes do, they are unable to stop
her. However, as with everything in AEGEAN, the GM should feel free
to follow the rule of cool and play through the consequences of their
actions if that suits your campaign. If your players come up with a plan
so brilliant that they prevent her leaving with the Akhaian fleet, then
roll with it and have fun thinking up the consequences. Maybe the
attempt is enough to make the Hellenes declare war anyway. Maybe
Paris of Troy is captured or killed along with Helen, and the Trojans
muster their own fleet and sail to besiege Sparta, and the war is
fought on Akhaian soil instead.

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CHAPTER 7

AC T 2 : T H AT G A L L O F
ANGER
 T R OY

Act 2 begins with the heroes searching for allies and preparing to
travel and ends with the opening battles of the campaign.

THE SEARCH FOR AKHILLES

A few months have passed since the declaration of war in Sparta, and
the heroes have either been helping their polis prepare for war, or
accompanying Odysseos as he travels around the various poleis
drumming up support for Agamemnon and his war. If they are in their
own polis, Odysseos comes to visit, disguised as an old shepherd, and
finds them at one of their usual drinking holes or homes. If not, then
simply start the conversation as they leave another polis with promises
of participation in the coming war.

Ah, my friends, how good it is to see you again. And how glad I am that
your polis is preparing itself for war. I think it will not be long now before

7 / T H AT G A L L O F A N G E R
King Agamemnon launches his fleet. A thousand ships or more, they say.
Surely Troy cannot withstand that. And yet…

The Trojan heroes are the greatest the world has ever known. We shall
need heroes of our own—in addition to yourselves, of course, but you
cannot fight all of Troy on your own. Do you remember Patroklus, who
came to Sparta as the envoy of King Peleas of Phthia in the absence of
his own son? That son is Akhilles, son of Thetis, and if what the oracles
say is true, a warrior so great that even the gods are jealous, without
whom there can be no victory in this war. Agamemnon has requested his
presence—and his father’s Myrmidons.

Odysseos can answer any questions the heroes may have. Akhilles is
young, still in his late teens, and has been living in the court of
Lykomedes of Skyros.

And of course Patroklus will be coming with us.

The heroes might need a reminder of Prince Patroklus, son of King

Menoitius, who they met in Sparta and who was seemingly cursed by
Akhilles’s mother, Thetis.

They travel into the mountains to the Kingdom of Skyros, where they
are received warmly into the presence of the king and his numerous
veiled daughters, but they are told that Akhilles is not present. Indeed,
he left several months ago. Insight (Awareness) reveals that one of the
“daughters” is considerably larger and more muscular than the rest, but
the GM should leave it up to the heroes ingenuity in terms of how they
decide to unmask Akhilles. As a last resort, Odysseos can use the ruse
from the Iliad (using his soldiers to feign an attack, and watching to
see which of the young women leaps to pick up weapons with the
greatest skill) but care should be taken to keep the heroes involved.

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Once unmasked, Akhilles reveals himself to be a stunningly beautiful

youth in his late teens, already with the bearing of a demi-god.
Patroklus is tongue-tied and stammering in his presence in a state of
clear adoration. Akhilles tells them:

Well, it seems you have found me, but you must return to Agamemnon
empty-handed. My mother has told me that if I go to Troy I will die, and
look—I have so very much to live for. But please—my father-in-law has
offered you his hospitality. You will surely not dishonour us by refusing.

Odysseos agrees to stay. In a few private moments at the impromptu

feast that follows, he impresses on the heroes how important it is for
them to convince Akhilles to join them.

We shall stay a few days. Try to convince him—I will work on Lykomedes.

AC: Lion, 234 Akhilles will invite them hunting, to slay a magnificent lion that has
been killing the herds nearby. Patroklus will accompany them, and is a
AC: Physician, 218 hopeless combatant but a skilled physician, should any of them be
injured. He and Akhilles are old friends—Patroklus is clearly in love with
Akhilles, and a successful Insight (Diplomacy) roll reveals Akhilles
reciprocates his feelings, though he is married to Lykomedes’s
daughter Deidamia (as a condition of his place in the King’s court).
They will feast and drink that night, and the heroes will have a chance
to convince Akhilles to change his mind. This is an extended task with 6
successes required; the heroes can use any relevant skill to contribute
to the roll and gain an extra success for each of the following:

◆ If they convince Patroklus to ask Akhilles to come with them. He is

unwilling, knowing that Thetis fears for her son’s survival if he goes
to Troy, but a good way of convincing him would be to emphasise
that it is in his interest for Akhilles to be away from his wife…
◆ If they fight impressively in the battle against the lion.
◆ If one or more of them is a child of Poseidon.
◆ If one or more heroes is a seer or otherwise contacts the gods for
advice, and receives and delivers a prophecy—“If Akhilles fights in
Troy he shall not return alive but his name will live forever: or stay
and his name will die, but it will be long ere death shall take him.”

IF THE HEROES ARE TROJAN

There are several alternatives for Trojan heroes. They can travel to
Phthia on Andromakhe’s orders, to attempt to recruit Akhilles to their
cause—they find him surprisingly receptive, if they can convince him
that he will be accorded a place of great honour amongst the Trojans.

If you prefer not to change history so dramatically, the heroes could

instead be sent to recruit Memnon, King of the Aetheiopians, son of
Eos, goddess of the dawn, and nephew of Priam of Troy. While he is
willing to come, he asks the heroes to help him slay the Liqimsa: a pair

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of great elephant-like beasts which have been threatening his people.

Once the beasts are slain, he will send his soldiers to Troy. Use
Elephant stats for the liqimsa but increase its Cool and Cunning Elephant, 178
characteristics and its Brawl skill to 3.

W H AT I F T H E Y FA I L ?
The players will probably succeed, but they might not! If they don’t, you
can decide how much of the prophecy is true—can the Akhaians win the
war without Akhilles or not? Your alternatives at this point include:

◆ Returning in failure. Agamemnon is not amused. (+1 Difficulty to

all skill checks using the Trade characteristic as Agamemnon
sidelines their polis for their failure)
◆ Lovesick and miserable, Patroklus takes Akhilles’s armour and
pretends to be him. How long can the heroes help him keep up
the deception?
◆ A PC takes Akhilles’s armour and pretends to be him

7 / T H AT G A L L O F A N G E R
◆ Odysseos convinces or somehow blackmails Akhilles into coming
with them—but this will have consequences later, and is best
saved as a last resort—the big decisions of the campaign should
be in player hands.

ACCOUNTING

If the heroes successfully recruit Akhilles, their faction gains +2 Kudos.

If they didn’t recruit Akhilles but have taken his armour and Patroklus
or a PC is pretending to be Akhilles, they gain +2 Kudos as long as the
deception is maintained.

If the heroes are Trojan and instead recruit Memnon, the Trojan
faction gains +1 Kudos while the Akhaian faction gains +2 Kudos as
they recruit Akhilles.
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

BECALMED

The heroes return to Sparta from Skyros to find the fleet is finally
assembled. Sun glitters on the sails of a thousand ships, ropes and
timbers creaking as though the vessels themselves are eager for war.
And yet, the air is perfectly still. No wave stirs the water. The fleet is
becalmed.

Insight (Lore) rolls reveal that surely a god is angered, though not
which. If any of the heroes are children of the gods and supplicate to
their divine parent, or are oracles, the god will reveal that Agamemnon
has angered Artemis by hunting and killing her sacred deer. Only the
sacrifice of something as dear to Agamemnon will placate her.

If the heroes tell Agamemnon, he falls into a black rage, emerging

several days later with a plan. He will have his daughter Iphigenia
brought from Mykenai under pretext that she is to marry godlike
Akhilles, and sacrifice her on the altar of Artemis. (If they haven’t
recruited Akhilles, substitute another famous Akhaian hero—or one of
the heroes, if they’ll go along with it) Odysseos is made responsible for
bringing her from Mykenai, and he sends the heroes in a rowing boat
of their own to collect her.

WA T E R S S M O O T H A S G L A S S

The journey is long and arduous. Rowing through becalmed waters is a

poor substitute for swift sails, and the heroes are soon aching and
sunburned. Their water supplies are quickly exhausted, and they must
come ashore to drink from mountain streams or beg local fisherfolk to
use their well in the coastal villages.

This part of the campaign allows the GM to show the attitude of the
common folk to Agamemnon’s war. Village children may be excited by
talk of war, fighting imaginary Trojans with willow switches, while wise
old heads shake in despair at the slaughter to come.

The GM can tempt the heroes into side quests—slaying a beast that
has been plaguing a village, clearing a once-sacred grove, seeing off a
group of bandits that have taken advantage of the exodus of local
soldiers to prey on the village. All of these acts will be rewarded with
coin and gratitude—but the longer they dally, the more irate
Agamemnon will be on their return.

It is quite likely that the heroes will be deciding on what they are going
to tell Iphigenia—or deciding whether they are going to bring her for
sacrifice or not. Local villagers will speak of her with love and
respect—she has visited from time to time with her mother, bestowing
gifts on the local children and leaving offerings at their sacred grove.

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IN THE HOUSE OF THE KING

As Agaemmnon’s envoys, the heroes are warmly welcomed into the

King’s home, and are brought to Klytemnestra (generous, trusting,
motherly), wife of Agamemnon and mother of his children. Their son
Orestes is with his father, but their three daughters, Iphigenia (playful,
beautiful, vivacious), Elektra (sullen, quiet, deceitful) and Khrysothemis
(a cheerful toddler) are seated with their mother.

Klytemnestra will bid them welcome, and after a great feast will ask
upon what business they have been sent. How the scene proceeds
depends on what they tell her.

If they tell the truth, she will look horrified and send her daughters
from the chamber.

I will do as my husband commands, though it breaks my heart. Give me

7 / T H AT G A L L O F A N G E R
one last night with my dearest girl, and you may take her in the
morning. But do not tell my daughter of her fate, not yet. I would not
have her make the journey in the knowledge of what is to come.

The following day a veiled maiden in Iphigenia’s clothing is presented

to the heroes. She is the serving maid Astyne, dressed in Iphigenia’s
clothes—Klytemnestra has sent her daughter into hiding in defiance of
Agamemnon’s will. She will not remove her veil until they are far out at
sea; a successful Insight (Awareness or Diplomacy) roll reveals that this
is not the same girl as they saw at Klytemnestra’s side. If they return to
Klytemnestra at this point, Iphigenia is long gone.

If they offer to help Iphigenia escape, Klytemnestra will tell them

her plan to replace Iphigenia with a serving girl.

My husband pays no heed to his daughters, he will not notice.

There is a strong resemblance between Iphigenia and her

substitute—astute heroes will pick up on the fact that the girl, Astyne, is
Agamemnon’s illegitimate daughter. Whether they collude in sending a
lowborn but innocent girl to her death, of course, is another question…

If they collude in the lie about the wedding, Klytemnestra can be

easily manipulated into sending her daughter with the heroes. The
palace comes alive with preparations, as costly textiles, clothing, gifts
and offerings are prepared for the heroes to take with them.
Klytemnestra insists that she will come too. Iphigenia is shyly intrigued
by what is to happen to her.

Tell me of this Akhilles. I have heard that he is handsome, and fights like
Ares himself upon the battlefield—but what of his other virtues? Why
has he chosen me? Will he be kind?

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LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

If they are willing to bring a girl for sacrifice, on their return

Odysseos is waiting to escort whichever girl they have brought to
Agamemnon. He is clearly unhappy about what is to come, but
resigned as to the necessity of the sacrifice.

Whichever of the girls they present to Agamemnon, whether Iphigenia

or Astyne, will be taken and sacrificed, either willingly or unwillingly.
This should be a distressing experience for the heroes to witness,
particularly if the heroes have lied to her.

You told me I was here to be married! I trusted you!

If Iphigenia has been convinced to be sacrificed, she dies with dignity,

but her mother Klytemnestra has to be physically restrained from
stopping the ceremony.

My curse on you, Agamemnon, and on all who brought my daughter to

her death!

The moment the girl’s blood stops flowing, a cool breeze stirs the air,
and the Akhaian fleet sets sail.

T H E FAT E O F I P H I G E N I A
If child sacrifice is something you want to keep out of your game, there
are variations of the myth where Iphigenia doesn’t die at the sacrificial
altar. Instead she is whisked away by Artemis and a deer left in her
place. Artemis takes Iphegenia to Tauris where she becomes high
priestess to the goddess where she remains until her brother, Orestes,
arrives. In other versions she becomes the goddess Hekate or is taken
to the island of Leuke where she marries Akhilles.

A F T E R M AT H

If the sacrifice has been performed, the opinion of the Akhaian soldiers
is divided. Some believe that Agamemnon should incur the wrath of
the Furies for slaughtering his own kin. Others believe that her death
was a regrettable necessity to further the cause of their war, while
some consider the sacrifice of one over-privileged girl to save an entire
army a reasonable price for the return of the winds.

◆ How do the heroes feel about their part in this?

◆ Did they all agree, or did some voices go unheard?
◆ What gods were watching as they told their lies?
◆ Are they proud of what they did, or ashamed? If ashamed, how will
they atone?

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A SACRIFICE DENIED

If the sacrifice is not performed, the heroes will have to find another
way to appease Artemis. Lesser offerings will only incur her wrath; the
offence caused by the death of her deer was great. Things she might
accept include the burning of Agamemnon’s flagship, an oath of
chastity to be sworn by every woman in the Akhaian army (including
the heroes!), the ritual flogging of Agamemnon himself (a notion that
he will actively resist). All of these cause the Akhaians to lose 2 Kudos.

IF THE HEROES ARE TROJAN

The Trojans are delighted to find the fleet becalmed, but when word
reaches them that Agamemnon is bringing a sacrifice to restore the
winds, Andromakhe dispatches them to ensure that Iphigenia does not
reach the Akhaian army. If they replace of the envoys sent by
Agamemnon and either capture or kill Iphigenia, they cause the

7 / T H AT G A L L O F A N G E R
Akhaians to lose 2 Kudos.

S AC K I N G T H E T E M P L E O F A P O L LO

After weeks of travel, the fleet reaches the Hellespont, and the Troad
comes into view for the first time. Villages and towns are scattered
along the hillsides, bright white trails of stone leading down to the sea.
The waters are clear and full of fish, though as the fleet approaches
they can see labourers fleeing from the fields and boats hurrying into
harbour. From Agamemnon’s flagship, the scarlet flag goes up, and
orders are given: to attack and to sack the villages for provisions.

The heroes’ ship turns towards the shore, in the direction of a small
village, built around a graceful white marble temple to Apollo.

If any of the characters are a child of Apollo, or have his favour, or are
an oracle, they will receive a vision of a burning sun, and hear the
following prophecy:

This is a time of war. Spill what blood you will upon grass and stone, but
let none touch marble.

The ship reaches shallow water, and the Akhaians head for the shore,
the heroes with them. They are met with surprising resistance—anyone
of an age to carry a weapon is preparing to fight, though the only
building likely to contain anything of value is the Temple to Apollo,
towards which the majority of the Akhaian soldiers are heading with
intent to plunder. If they wish to save it—or indeed to loot it
themselves—they will have to be quick.

The PC can roll once each on this random table for what they
encounter on the way—or pick your favourites.

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ROLL EVENT

A farmer and his teenage daughter are defending their home from a group of
Akhaian soldiers who are demanding they hand over everything they own. They
1 are unarmoured, but carry vicious-looking axes, but the soldiers will make short
work of them. Inside the house is the farmer’s wife delivering a child, and a
midwife. There is nothing else of value.
A group of locals are fleeing into the mountains, carrying a heavy chest. No
one else has noticed them. If the heroes can reach them, they can defeat the
2 locals and take the treasure. Inside the chest is 3D10 drakhmae, and a dagger
sacred to Hekate. They can later gain the favour of Hekate by giving it to a
worshipper or returning it to her temple.
A lone Akhaian soldier—Kallisti—has been cut off from her fellows, and is
surrounded by a dozen locals armed with fishing spears. If the heroes can
3
defeat the attackers, they earn an ally in Kallisti who will gladly return the
favour in the future.
A row of houses have been set on fire. Inside, a child is screaming. If the heroes
4 can rescue the child, either by putting out the fire or bravely rushing in, they
find a three-year old boy, and two corpses who presumably were his parents.
A group of soldiers have chased a local towards a grain silo and the heroes
spot a flint and tinder in her hand—she is planning to explode the grain silo,
taking out valuable supplies, and almost certainly killing the unit of soldiers in
5
pursuit. There’s time for a single arrow or slingshot—can the heroes take her
down before she reaches it? For maximal tension, add a friend or enemy of the
heroes to the group of pursuing soldiers… (+1 Produce if successful)
A Trojan warship is visible in the bay, bearing down on their ship, unnoticed by
the remaining crew. If they can reach high ground they can signal their ship to
6 warn them—but the route lies through a pitched battle that they must dart
through. If they fail, the Akhaian fleet will deal with the Trojan warship, but not
until after it has destroyed the heroes’ ship. (-1 to Akhaian Kudos if they fail)
A small group of locals have managed to catch a unit of Akhaians unawares,
7 and have them retreating in disarray back to their ship. Rally the soldiers,
otherwise they will suffer heavy losses. (-1 to Akhaian Kudos if they fail)
Building a Hero, 223 An enormous warrior strides forth from the melee, raises her weapons and
bellows a challenge. “Surely one of you has the courage to fight me?” They can
8
decline the offer without penalty, but if they break the terms of single combat
once agreed, they each gain 1 Hubris. (-1 Trojan Kudos if successful)
Most of the fighters are simple townsfolk, but there are a few hoplitis scattered
throughout them. One of them is giving orders, and doing a passable job of
9
AC: Hoplitis, 214 manoeuvring their troops. If the heroes can defeat him and his honour guard,
AC: Hoplitis Captain, 214 the tide of battle will turn in their favour. (-1 to Trojan Kudos if they succeed)
A group of magnificent white cattle have been cut loose from their pen, and
are heading for the hills. Capturing them and their white bull would be a prize
10 indeed—something that would keep the Akhaians in milk and meat for many
months. The heroes must disengage with the fighting, chase down the herd and
rope them to bring them back. (+1 Produce if successful)

AC: City Folk, 212 Use City Folk for the people of the village, replacing their makhaira
with axes, javelins or dori.

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THE TEMPLE OF APOLLO

Once the heroes have fought their way through the skirmish, they have
a clear view of the elegant marble facade of the Temple of Apollo.
Some of the acolytes have been killed, but no blood has been spilled
on the steps of the temple. A unit of Akhaian soldiers are advancing,
led if possible by one of the heroes’ enemies.

“Surrender and you shall all be spared!” their leader is shouting. A

successful Insight (Diplomacy) roll reveals that they are lying—they
may spare some of the younger or more useful acolytes, but they have
no intention of taking the old priests.

If the heroes decide to fight them they are faced with a Minion group
of 2 peltasts per PC, lead by a peltast captain. They will be seen doing AC: Peltast, 217
so, and will have to talk their way out of this apparent act of treachery AC: Peltast
using Cunning (Diplomacy or Manipulation) to be believed. If they fail Captain, 218
they will be taken captive and dragged before Agamemnon. Should

7 / T H AT G A L L O F A N G E R
they choose to flee without giving any explanation for their actions, a
successful Reflexes (Athletics) roll is needed to escape into the
mountains with the refugees.

If they allow the Akhaians to continue, the soldiers will drag out the
high priest and cut his throat, spilling his blood on the marble steps.
Instantly the marble cracks, turning black where the blood touches it.
The soldiers bring out the young acolytes hiding in the temple, and
drag them away to be slaves. Any character with a link to Apollo feels
his instant and obvious displeasure, and all gain a point of Hubris.

IF THE HEROES ARE TROJAN

If the story is being told from the other side, one possible place to set
this sequence is their home polis. It is unlikely that the polis would
survive a direct assault from Agamemnon’s army, but holding off the
attackers long enough to evacuate the majority of the citizens to Troy
would be possible. The rolls on the table can still be used with minimal
adaptation—in some the allegiance of the combatants can be changed
from one side to the other, or the heroes’ goal can be turned on its
head—for example, they might be forced to shoot a pursuing Akhaian
soldier in order for their ally to reach the grain silo and destroy it,
denying the Akhaians their supplies, or kill a band of Akhaian soldiers
before they can warn their warship of an incoming attack.

Once they have done all they can to evacuate their people into the
mountains, a messenger arrives from the Temple of Apollo: the high
priest and his young acolytes are trapped inside, surrounded by the
enemy. If the heroes can rescue them, they gain the favour of Apollo
(or lose his disfavour), but they must fight their way through a mixed
unit of 20 Akhaian peltasts and hoplitis to do so. If they fail, Apollo is
not angered by their actions—he reserves his rage in this regard for the
Akhaians.

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N AV I G A T I N G T H E H E L L E S P O N T

The fleet advances up the Hellespont towards the magnificent walled

city of Troy. Even from the water the defences can be seen; inside,
unbeknownst to the Akhaians, King Priam has used his time to provide
every household with sufficient grain and oil for at least a year, with
preserved meats and fruits laid in the city’s stores. Their defences are
tall and sound, the great gate barricaded. Troy is ready for a siege.

As the Akhaian ships approach, sails unfurl ahead of them, and the
Trojan fleet led by Navarkh Helen surges forward. Most likely none of
the heroes are sailors by profession, and therefore their role will chiefly
be to support the ship’s crew as they engage in maritime battle. Roll
once on the table for each hero and play through what happens.
Results on the table can apply equally to Trojan heroes.

ROLL EVENT

Fire! A blazing incendiary slams into the deck, setting the deck alight. The
1 heroes must make ten successes on suitable rolls to put out the flames before
the ship sinks in three rounds.
Boarded! The vessel is boarded by the enemy and the heroes must see them off
2
or lose their ship.
Run aground! In the attempt to avoid an oncoming vessel, the ship grinds onto
3 rocks. The heroes must leap ashore and heave the vessel from the rocks in three
rounds before approaching ships cut them off from the rest of the fleet.
Sinking! The ship has been holed below the waterline and is sinking fast. The
4
heroes must swim to freedom through volleys of arrows.
Surrounded! Their ship has been hemmed in by enemy vessels. The heroes must
5 lead a boarding raid onto an enemy vessel, kill or capture the crew and move it
to allow them to get their ship free.
Crew killed! Several key members of the crew die to arrows. The heroes must
6
learn to fill their roles—and quickly…
Opportunity! An enemy vessel draws close and the ship’s crew manoeuvre to
7
allow the heroes to board the ship and sink it.
Raging Storm! Poseidon’s wrath at the battle is made manifest, destroying
8 Trojan and Akhaian ships alike. The heroes can help the ship’s crew outrun the
storm, or attempt to appease Poseidon.
Sea Monster! Thrashing tentacles break the water, tearing Trojan and Akhaian
ships apart. Attracted by the sound of battle, the Trojan Ketos rises from the
9
AC: Drakon, 239 waves to wreak devastation (use Drakon stats). The heroes must drive it away,
either in combat or by offering up a human sacrifice.
Treasure! An enemy ship is sinking, its crates of cargo floating away on the
10 surface of the water. If the heroes are quick, and sufficiently good swimmers,
they might recover 3D10 drakhmae of treasure.

AC: Pirate, 219 If the heroes fight enemy sailors use Minion group of 3 pirates per PC,
AC: Pirate Captain, 220 led by a pirate captain. Fighting on the deck of the ship gives a -1D
penalty due to difficult terrain. If the heroes lose their ship their side
loses 1 Kudos.

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T H E F I R S T BAT T L E

The siege of Troy truly begins when the Akhaian fleet reaches Troy.
The preparations of over a year, and a month-long voyage have come
to a head, and with a day to go before the fleet reaches the shore,
Agamemnon calls a council of war. The heroes have sufficiently
distinguished themselves to be invited onto the great black-sailed
flagship (or perhaps Odysseos has pulled a few strings on their
behalf), and are summoned to Agamemnon’s table. Also present are
Menelaus, Odysseos himself, Nestoria—a retired military commander
too old to fight, but she is still possessed of a sound tactical mind—and
godlike Akhilles. Patroklus is in the room at Akhilles’ insistence, but
contributes little to the discussion.

If the heroes were involved in bringing the acolytes from the temple of
Apollo to Agamemnon, he is particularly well-disposed towards them.
Either way, a young woman bearing the characteristic tattoos of an

7 / T H AT G A L L O F A N G E R
acolyte of Apollo is acting as the king’s personal slave, pouring his
wine and combing his hair as he talks. Insight (Diplomacy or Perform)
reveals that she is putting on a show of obedience, but is privately
furious at the state in which she finds herself.

Ah, the heroes of the hour. Well done! Here, take your seat at my table
of war, for none can say you have not earned it! Now, I would hear the
advice of warriors such as yourselves. Ahead of us lies the City of Troy,
the pearl of the Aegean. For too long has its Kings controlled the
Hellespont, a stranglehold on all trade from the Euxine Sea. For
Akhaians to prosper, the city must fall. But how best to do it?

A successful Insight (Knowledge: Warfare) roll reveals that the Trojans

are likely to retreat behind their walls. They will have supplies for
several years, while keeping Agamemnon’s fleet supplied with food and
water will be a challenge. All Priam has to do is wait… unless they can
be coaxed outside. It’s possible that if Agamemnon hides the strength
of his troops, the Trojans could be lured outside the city walls to drive
them back into the sea as they arrive. If he holds back some of his
strength until the Trojans commit and then deploy them from cover,
they might deal a significant blow to the Trojan army before Priam’s
forces realise how many of them there are.

They could also try and trick the Trojans out from behind their walls.
Priam’s eldest son Hektor is known to be an honourable man, and
might be willing to duel in single combat—certainly his loss would deal
the Trojans a blow from which they would not readily recover.
Alternatively, Menelaus could accuse Paris of abducting his sister
against her will—that isn’t the truth, but it would provide pretext for a
duel of honour and could open up negotiations.

Nestoria points out that Priam is a reasonable man, and might be

willing to pay handsomely to have the threat of war removed from his
doorstep. Agamemnon is adamant—he will accept the destruction of

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Troy and nothing less. How they achieve it is of no importance to him,

but he will see the city burn.

Menelaus is sullen and silent. Perceptive heroes may notice that the
shine seems to have worn off the war for him. Akhilles seems entirely
bored by the conversation. If they ask him directly for his thoughts, he
will laugh.

Sail your ship to the beach and let me off. I and my Myrmidons will kill
any Trojan who dares face me.

If the heroes argue for any particular course of action, a Difficulty 1

Cunning (Diplomacy or Knowledge: Warfare) roll is needed to convince
Agamemnon, otherwise he will simply order a full frontal assault. If the
plan is particularly sly or involves tricking the enemy, Odysseos will
assist, adding +1D to the roll.

T ROY

If the heroes have acquitted themselves well in the early stages of the
King Priam, 81 invasion they will be given a place of honour in Priam’s council of war.
Queen Hekabe, 81 Present are King Priam (unfaithful, bitter, insightful), his wife Hekabe
Hektor, 83 (tough, shrewd, devout), his eldest son Prince Hektor (noble, popular,
Andromakhe, 82 loving), Andromakhe, Helen and Paris, along with Memnon of Ethiopia
and Sarpedon of Lykia. Priam begins solemnly.

Agamemnon is here at last. No matter. We stand behind walls that

have stood for a thousand years, while his rag-tag band of Akhaians
have no supplies except those they can steal. In a few months his
soldiers will desert, and those who remain will succumb to disease. We
have nothing to fear from him.

Andromakhe answers him.

You may be correct. But their mere presence here blocks our route
through the Hellespont, strangling our trade route to the Euxine Sea.
We cannot afford for this to become a siege. If we strike them before
they have fully disembarked, we may deal them a blow from which they
do not recover.

Of the others, Hektor, Sarpedon and Memnon favour a battle, while

Helen is more wary. If the heroes wish to convince Priam to allow an
assault on the disembarking Akhaians, they will need to succeed on a
Difficulty 1 Cunning (Diplomacy) roll, otherwise there will be no battle
and the siege will begin.

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AUGURIES
The following auguries are available, either to heroes with the gift of
prophecy, or via councillor or directly from consultation with the priests.

◆ The first of the Akhaians to set foot on the shore of Troy will die.
◆ Agamemnon has angered Apollo. Vengeance is coming.
◆ Hera looks with favour on the actions of the Akhaians (and will
respond favourably to supplications from the heroes for her aid
in the coming battle). The rest of the gods, with the exception of
Thetis, are neutral or opposed to the Akhaians, and are unlikely
to provide any help at this stage.

FUTILE DIPLOMACY

Odysseos and Andromakhe will be sent out on behalf of their

respective armies, with a small entourage (including the heroes).

7 / T H AT G A L L O F A N G E R
My greetings, Andromakhe of Troy. I come with a message from
Agamemnon. His demands are simple—the return of the faithless
Navarkh Helen, the stolen Spartan fleet, and half of King Priam’s
treasury. With reparations paid his fleet will depart in peace.

It is clear that Odysseos knows that Priam will not accept.

Honoured King of Ithaka. It is a year since we spoke in Sparta, and

much has changed. Tell Agamemnon that Troy’s foundations will outlast
his rage. If he agrees to go in peace, we will supply food and water for
the journey, so that the good Akhaian soldiers under his command will
not suffer for his folly.

Odysseos laughs.

Now that’s out the way we can speak of happier things. How are you?

Even the grave and serious Andromakhe is entertained by Odysseos.

They have a pleasant friendly conversation, ask about the health of
each others’ spouses and children, then part ways to return to their
respective sides.

If the heroes attempt to sway either side through diplomacy, they are
listened to respectfully, but it is clear that neither Andromakhe nor
Odysseos have the power to change the plans as they stand. However,
particularly good attempts at diplomacy might pave the way for later
conversations…

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FIRST BLOOD

The Trojan army can be drawn into a fight outside its walls, either
through the cunning of the Akhaian forces or by the blood-lust of King
Priam’s people. If the Trojans can’t be compelled to leave their walls,
run the battle as presented in The Siege Begins, below.

When the battle begins, use the difference in Kudos scores of each
Nike, 217 faction as the starting Nike score. This could be negative for the
heroes, depending how their earlier recruitment and battles have gone.

Both sides have similar troops for the battle and the suggestions in the
battle rules are all suitable. If Agamemnon was convinced to hold
troops back instead of committing all of his forces immediately, the
heroes gain +2 Nike on the second clash.

THE SIEGE BEGINS

Unless Agamemnon has been convinced otherwise, he will order an

attack on Troy. If no cunning stratagem has been employed to lure the
Trojan forces out, or if Trojan heroes have convinced Priam to keep the
army behind the safety of the city’s walls, the Akhaian advance falters
at the walls of Troy.

The siege begins, but the Akhaian army finds it difficult to bring its
troops to bear. If the heroes are fighting for the Akhaians, they begin
the battle with -5 Nike and ignore any rolls on the Opportunities or
Boons tables. The Akhaians will be facing skirmish troops such as
AC: Archer, 209 archers, slingers and peltasts during each Clash and will suffer a -2D
AC: Slinger, 222 penalty on all attacks, due to the city walls. However, they can
AC: Peltast, 217 disengage during a Clash at any time.

If the heroes are Trojan they have the luxury of fighting from the
relative safety of the Trojan walls. They begin the battle with +5 Nike
and ignore rolls on the Malediction tables. They will be facing archers,
AC: Hoplitis, 214 slingers, and peltasts as well as hoplitis. All attacks against them suffer
a -2D penalty and they can disengage during the Clash at any time.

Ignore or reroll any Clash events that don’t make sense for a siege.

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A F T E R M AT H

As the sun sets over the Hellespont, pyres are lit on the beach and on
the walls of Troy. Oxen are sacrificed as both sides dedicate their
victories to the gods, and the Kings of both sides address their people.

Agamemnon stands in front of a blazing pyre, an overflowing goblet in

his hand.

Soldiers of Akhaia! Today we have won a great victory! The sands are
soaked in the blood of our enemies, and soon the walls of the city will
crumble at the might of our army. Tonight we drink and we feast—and
soon you will return to your homes laden down with Trojan gold!

He is liberal in his distribution of gold (each hero gains D10

drakhmae), and the night soon turns into a bacchanalia.

7 / T H AT G A L L O F A N G E R
In Troy, Priam addresses his people from the balcony of his palace,
surrounded by his family with Hektor at his right hand.

People of Troy! Agamemnon’s army has come, as we knew it would, but

our months of preparation have not been in vain. We have withstood
stronger powers than theirs, and they too will break like waves against
the walls of Troy. I cannot promise you peace or plenty in the months to
come, but have faith. The gods will not forsake you, and nor will I.

The day draws to a close, and with it the first part of the campaign.
Blood has been spilled, lines have been drawn, and the long war has
begun in earnest.

If the Akhaians attempted to besiege the walls of

Troy they lose 2 Kudos. Otherwise, if either side
suffered a conclusive defeat in the first battle,
they lose 2 Kudos.

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D OW N T I M E

Each polis has been allocated an area of Agamemnon’s camp or a

sector of Troy. Larger and more powerful poleis will have more soldiers,
better access to supplies and the ability to build stronger defences. To
calculate the stats for each camp, take the stats of the corresponding
polis and subtract one from each, bearing in mind that if a camp has
0 in any stat it cannot take Actions based on it. It also influences the
standing of the polis in the eyes of their allies—a camp with Military 0
will be seen as weak and insignificant, while a Culture of 1 would mark
the heroes and their camp out to their allies as savages and fools.

During the war, downtime will occur between each mission, and the
camp’s actions can be resolved as though it was a polis, with a few
exceptions. In place of the arkhon, the camp has a diplomat—in the
AC: Bureaucrat, 110 case of the heroes they are a bureaucrat. The GM can introduce new
characters, or the PCs themselves can decide who they have brought
with them. Make sure they have plenty of rivals as well as allies in
positions of power!

Buildings can be raised in the camp with the following exceptions:

◆ Akademia ◆ Hippodrome
◆ Docks ◆ Theatre
◆ Harbour ◆ Temple

The heroes are encouraged to come up with appropriate reasons for

their new resources—a herd might be captured from a local nomadic
farmer, or the extra resource might represent knowledge of the best
fishing waters off the coast.

T H E C O S T O F WA R

At the end of every downtime, increase the polis’ Risk by 1. The camps,
whether inside the walls of Tory or not, aren’t safe places.

D OW N T I M E E V E N T S

AC: Random Events, 186 Downtime events should be resolved as usual. When rolling on the
random events table, the GM can tailor the result to be appropriate
for the campaign setting—a result of raiders might reflect the enemy
successfully disrupting a supply train, while offence taken might mean
a breakdown in relations with another military group.

THE HOME FRONT

If and when the heroes return home, the stats for their polis are
updated to match the stats for their camp at the end of the campaign.
War is a costly business, and sending soldiers to fight may well have
squandered resources, food and political capital.

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CHAPTER 8

AC T 3 : T H AT B LO O DY G R I N D
O F WA R
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

A grisly stalemate is reached between the Akhaians and the Trojans:

the city walls cannot be breached, nor can the Akhaians completely
encircle them, and the Trojans are outnumbered in a pitched battle. It
is, of course, impossible to play through every moment of a ten year
campaign, so instead it is suggested you play through one set of
events and resolve one downtime for each year. The Queen of
Lyrnessus should be run before The Arrows of Apollo but can be
interspersed with other adventures. The adventures are designed to be
playable as either Akhaians or Trojans, with only the inciting incident
and a contact being different. The choices the heroes make during
each may have consequences for the progress of the campaign. Five
longer annual adventures are provided below, along with ten shorter
adventure hooks as sparks for your own ingenuity.

T H E Q U E E N O F LY R N E S S U S

As the war continues, Agamemnon sends his troops to raid easier

poleis. One such polis is Lyrnessus, home of Queen Briseis. A small city,
Lyrnessus lacks the military strength to defeat the Akhaian soldiers in
open combat. Its only hope is to hold out long enough for its
messengers to reach neighbouring city states and ask for
reinforcements; Priam, however, has ordered his allies to Troy itself, and
is deliberately sacrificing Lyrnessus to buy himself time.

Menelaus is sent in command of the attack and he sends a messenger

out on the first day. If Briseis opens the gates of Lyrnessus to the
invading army, only the men and women of fighting age will be put to
the sword. She declines his offer, and Menelaus, knowing his brother
will be angry if he returns empty handed, begins his assault.

THE AKHAIAN MISSION

For the first week, the walls hold. Then, on the eighth day, Odysseos
invites the heroes to a meeting with Menelaus’s council of war. He has
a plan. While the attention of the Lyrnessans has been on the harbour
approach to the city, he has had a unit of sappers digging tunnels
beneath the city walls. The Akhaian army will attack, while a small
band of heroes will make their way through those tunnels and into the
city to capture Briseis.

If the heroes are Akhaian, the events of the adventure should be

played in the following order:

1. Breaching the Tunnel

2. Sneaking through the City
3. The Agora
4. Into the Palace
5. Inside the Palace

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THE TROJAN MISSION

Priam, unwilling to commit his forces to defend the allied city has sent
the heroes to assist with the evacuation and to bring Queen Briseis
safely to Troy. Centuries ago Lyrnessus had an escape tunnel dug
beneath its walls in case of a siege. Despite not being used in
decades—and all but forgotten by the rulers of Lyrnessus—the tunnel is
remarkably intact and only the final stretch is blocked.

If the heroes are Trojans, the events of the adventure should be played
in the following order:

1. Breaching the Tunnel

2. Inside the Palace
3. The Agora

8 / T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R
4. Sneaking through the City

BREACHING THE TUNNEL

The heroes must sneak around the outer walls of the city and through
the tunnel beneath the walls. The last few feet of rock remain to be
broken, and whoever is first must make a Might (Vigour) roll to breach
the hard-packed earth through which they can all scramble into the
city proper. The tunnel brings them out just inside the city walls in the
slum district, overlooked by guard-posts and regularly patrolled.

SNEAKING THROUGH THE CITY

If the heroes are Akhaian they must sneak through the city to the
palace, avoiding the guards who patrol the streets. If the heroes are
Trojan they must sneak back through the city with the Queen—and any
refugees they may have with them—avoiding Akhaian soldiers who
have breached the walls.

Sneaking through the city requires a Cunning (Survival: Stealth) skill

check with a Difficulty of 2 to avoid the roaming soldiers. If the heroes
are spotted they must fight a Minion group of peltasts equal in AC: Peltast, 217
number to themselves. If they cannot silence or disable the guards
within a single turn of combat, the alarm is raised, and all subsequent
stealth rolls suffer a -2D penalty. If the heroes fail to sneak after the
alarm has been raised a peltast captain will accompany any troops AC: Peltast Captain, 218
they face. The heroes must make three rolls to cross the city.

THE AGORA

The agora, home to the many shops and markets of the city, is all but
deserted. Shops and homes have been boarded up, and the residents
have either thrown their lot in with the soldiers defending the city, or
are hiding inside the walls of the palace. As they sneak through the
agora, they catch a glimpse of an elderly woman standing in the door
of her shop, attempting to see off a band of looters with a broom. If
the heroes are Akhaian the looters are citizens of Lyrnessus, taken to

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looting from their neighbours before Menelaus’s forces breach the

walls, otherwise they are the first Akhaian troops through the gates.

If the heroes decide to intervene they must deal with a Minion group
AC: Bandit, 210 of three bandits per PC. If the heroes do nothing, the looters roughly
shove the old woman aside and loot her shop.

I N TO T H E PA L AC E

If the heroes are Akhaians they will need to defeat the palace guards
to get inside—unless they can think of another way! The guards consist
AC: Hoplitis, 214 of a Minion group of two hoplitis per PC as well as a Minion group of
AC: Archer, 209 three archers.

I N S I D E T H E PA L AC E

Once inside the palace they can find Queen Briseis in the royal
apartments, surrounded by children, men and women too old to fight,
wounded soldiers and pregnant women, praying at a shrine to Apollo.
Briseis will come forward to speak to them as they approach. If the
heroes are Akhaian she will say:

I assume you are here for me, Akhaians? Look around you. Are these
the fabled warriors of Lyrnessus, are these children a threat to
Agamemnon? There are passageways beneath this city that will see
them to safety in the mountains. If you will permit them to leave, I will
come with you and Agamemnon may do with me as he pleases.

Briseis is gambling with an empty hand, and she knows it. If the heroes
take her and leave the civilians to be taken hostage, as they leave the
palace they see people throw themselves and their children to their
deaths rather than wait for the Akhaian soldiers to arrive.

If the heroes are Trojan she will insist they help to escort the civilians
with her. The size of her entourage means the heroes suffer a -2D
penalty to all rolls to avoid enemy soldiers. At this point they hear a
cry from outside the palace: Akhaian soldiers have breached the walls.

LY R N E S S U S FA L L S

As the heroes take Briseis from the city they should be confronted with
the appalling brutality of the sacking of the city. Men and women of
the Akhaian army are taking slaves, burning temples, killing anyone
old enough to carry a weapon and butchering anyone in their way.
This is an opportunity for the GM to confront the heroes with the
horrors of war, and their part in it.

If the heroes successfully return with Queen Briseis their faction gains
+1 Kudos. If they fail, the opposing factions gains +1 Kudos. No matter
the outcome, the Trojan faction loses 2 Kudos for the destruction of the
city of Lyrnessus.

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A R ROW S O F A P O L LO

As the Akhaians make a fortified camp along the shoreline, Apollo’s

displeasure becomes apparent. The first victim of the plague begins to
cough, and before long, the plague has spread through the ranks,
causing coughing, vomiting, purging of the bowels and a raging fever.
At the beginning of each day, each hero must succeed on a Might
(Vigour) roll, or become infected. While infected, the character gains
one Risk per day, which cannot be removed with the usual night’s rest.

There will be no further attacks unless the heroes initiate them, but the
heroes must still raise fortifications, nurse their ailing companions, deal
with their rivals and their gods, and bury the numerous dead. As time
passes, a sense of despair should build, with dissent spreading through
the ranks of Akhaian soldiers. If this continues, it’s highly likely they will

8 / T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R
desert.

An Insight (Lore) reveals that this is the displeasure of Apollo, though

the exact nature of the offence will not be identified without talking to
the gods directly.

If they speak to Agamemnon, he will fly into a rage.

A few deaths, and suddenly your courage fails you! Diseases are a
common thing—not a summer passes in Mykenai without another foul
vapour. This is no godly vengeance—this ailment will winnow out the
weak, and leave our army all the stronger!

A successful Difficulty 1 Cunning (Diplomacy) roll must be made to

convince Agamemnon that he must accept this as a divine punishment
and undertake reparations.

After one week, Khryses, Priest of Apollo, will appear at the border of
the Akhaian camp. The heroes are summoned, and he demands to be
taken to Agamemnon. Khryses (weary, dedicated, desperate) will
submit to chains without argument, wishing only to plead his case. His
daughter, an acolyte of Apollo, has been taken as a slave by
Agamemnon, and Apollo is demanding the girl’s safe return. A
successful Insight (Diplomacy) roll reveals that it took Khryses a great
deal of persuasion to make Apollo care, and that the god might be
appeased in other ways.

Agamemnon will order the heroes to an impromptu council of war. His

default action is to defy the gods, and it takes a Cunning (Diplomacy)
roll to convince him to take any other course of action. The heroes can:

◆ Intercede with Apollo on his behalf. Favoured or children of Apollo

could undertake a quest to remove his curse—slaying a mythical
beast, recovering a lost artefact or challenging the champion of
another god. As a starting point, Apollo will demand the return of
his acolyte Khryseis.

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◆ Counsel him to return Khryseis to the temple. Agamemnon will

demand compensation for this in the form of Briseis, who was
given as a spoil of war to Akhilles.
◆ Agree that they should continue to defy Apollo, and refuse to
return the acolyte or attempt any further appeasement. If they
choose this course of action then the Akhaians cannot win the war
against Troy, and the army will slowly diminish as the soldiers die
or desert. The heroes’ camp must reduce all of their stats by one
point per year until Apollo is appeased.

If he is deprived of his spoil of war, Akhilles flies into a rage and

refuses to fight for Agamemnon any more. The Akhaians take -2 Kudos
until Akhilles, and his Myrmidons, return to the fray.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

1. A potential problem arises if Briseis has not been captured in the

earlier part of the campaign. The easiest way to resolve this is to
have Khryseis given directly to Akhilles as a spoil of war, and for
Agamemnon to demand her return to her temple. Alternatively
Akhilles could be forced to surrender some other valued spoil of
war for Agamemnon to save face—a glorious set of Trojan
armour, a blessed spear or command of his
Myrmidons—something equally valuable that will offend him
deeply to give up.
2. If Agamemnon defies the gods, and does not return Khryseis
(and therefore does not deprive Akhilles of his slave), then surely
Akhilles has no reason to go off in a sulk, right? Wrong! Akhilles
is quick to anger, and by this stage in the campaign is annoyed
enough with Agamemnon that he will seize any opportunity to
take offence. In these circumstances, Akhilles is disgusted that
Agamemnon is allowing his soldiers to die rather than make
amends for his crimes against the gods, and refuses to fight for
that reason.

Akhilles taking offence is a key event of the campaign, and therefore

cannot be changed regardless of PC action… unless the GM wants to! If
the players’ actions lead to Akhilles staying and fighting for
Agamemnon, then it’s up to you where the story goes next. Maybe
Akhilles leads the Akhaians, storming the walls of Troy and bringing
the war to a triumphant victory. Maybe he decides things would be
better with him in charge, and asks the heroes to help him kill
Agamemnon and Menelaus, before either continuing the attack,
making peace with the Trojans or simply ordering the fleet home.
Deviating from the story at this point takes you into uncharted
territory—but if that’s where you choose to go, enjoy!

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TROJAN OPPORTUNITY

Apollo’s disfavour has fallen only on the Akhaians, and the disease
ravaging their ranks is Troy’s gain. King Priam is content to sit back
and enjoy the disaster striking his enemies, but if the heroes are
willing, the situation could be turned to Troy’s advantage. Andromakhe
and Hektor will meet with them and discuss their options:

A direct attack. Under cover of darkness, a small group of Trojans

could strike a heavy blow against the wounded Akhaians. -1 Kudos to
the Akhaians, if successful.

Supply run. The heroes could use the distraction to defend a hunting
party in the mountains in the attempt to bolster the city’s supplies of
salted meat.

8 / T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R
Diplomacy. Troy has allies on the other side of the Hellespont. A fast
ship could reach the Euxine Sea and return with a fleet to deal with
the Akhaians. Negotiations would take a skilled diplomat and a
sizeable concession of Troy’s resources, but it might be worth it. If they
agree, Helen will go with them. There are three possible cities with
power to help, any of which might require the heroes to slay local dire-
beasts, assist the military in local operations or help with internal
power struggles before they are willing to offer help.

◆ Khele, led by Arkhon Sofia (friendly, helpful, poorly armed). +1

Kudos if recruited.
◆ Kallatis, led by Arkhon Teleon (hostile, well-armed, grasping). -1D
to all Diplomacy rolls, will demand sizeable trade concessions, +2
Kudos if recruited. Presently at war with Sinope, will not fight
alongside them.
◆ Sinope, led by Arkhon Metreus (neutral, mercenary, militant). Will
request the heroes aid in an act of sabotage against Kallatis
before offering aid, +2 Kudos if recruited.

Even two fleets from the three cities will not be enough to destroy the
Akhaian fleet, but along with Helen’s remaining ships they will be
enough to prevent Agamemnon from monopolising the shipping
through the Hellespont.

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S A B O T A G I N G T H E S U P P LY L I N E S

Life on the Trojan shore or under siege in the city is hard at the best
of times, but the omens are clear—a hard winter is ahead. Much of the
summer is spent in gathering food by any means—the raids on Thrakia
are particularly successful—and as winter approaches, ice and snow
lock around the land like a grasping fist.

In the winter of the second year, an opportunity arises to disrupt the

supplies coming into the enemy through a secret mountain pass. The
weather conditions will make the journey perilous, but if the heroes
succeed, they will strike a tangible blow at their enemy.

FINDING THE AMBUSH SITE

Six days of hard travel lead the heroes into the mountains. Travel is
relentlessly hard, and on the way there are several near-misses as they
come close to the edge of steep precipices and step through snowy
cornices. The climbing becomes harder as they get higher, requiring a
successful Difficulty 2 Cool or Might (Vigour) roll to continue or incur 3
Risk. On the fourth day a successful Insight (Survival) roll detects
monstrous, human-sized footprints. Following them leads to a cave
filled with rotting carcasses, and a vast sleeping humanoid giant clad
in furs. They may choose to ambush the giant or attempt to sneak
away, but cowardice has its consequences. If they leave the giant alive,
the first time they trigger an adverse event in the mountains, the giant
ambushes them and gets a free attack before combat begins.

I N T E R C E P T I N G T H E C A R AVA N

A successful Insight (Awareness) roll allows the heroes to detect the

slow and steady approach of the caravan. As well as a unit of ten
caravan guards, there are five children in the innermost caravan. The
heroes may choose to set an ambush, attempt a frontal assault or use
their ingenuity to improve the odds in their favour, such as causing a
rockfall or avalanche to block the path. The soldiers will fight with
increasing desperation, guarding the caravan with the hidden children
to the death. Once the heroes have overwhelmed them, they are
confronted with the sight of five children spanning a range of ages
between two and twelve. The eldest is Anthea (frightened, trying to be
brave, protective of her siblings).

Cunning (Diplomacy) and a gentle approach might convince the

children that the heroes mean no harm, though the sight of their dead
guards may hinder that unless the heroes take time to hide the bodies.
If they have gained her trust, Anthea will explain that they are
peasant children whose village was destroyed. Cunning (Knowledge)
reveals she is clearly lying—they are simply dressed but her bearing is
not that of a peasant child. If she is coerced or threatened into telling
the truth, she will lose her temper and confess her origins.

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My mother is Rhea of Thrakia! If any harm comes to us, she will kill
every last one of you!

These children could be a valuable bargaining chip in the war… but

first they have to get off the mountain alive, and the snowstorm is
worsening by the hour.

MAKING IT HOME

The heroes can take the supplies and/or the child captives from the
caravan. If they do, the GM should note down five points of supplies
and captives and keep track of them as they make the journey home.
To make it home, the heroes must each make six consecutive Survival
rolls, with each roll representing a slow day of travel back to their

8 / T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R
base—the player can choose which stat applies. A player who fails the
roll can spend one point of supplies for a success (this represents food
consumed, wood burned or supplies lost or abandoned), or gain one
Hubris by sacrificing one captive: this represents abandoning one of
them to starve… or worse. If one or more heroes fail, an adverse event
is triggered. Regardless of how many of them fail, only one event roll is
made per day.

ROLL EVENT

Avalanche! All heroes must make a Difficulty 4 Reflexes (Athletics) skill check
1
or gain 5 Risk.
2 Wolves! The heroes’ journey has attracted a pack of starving wolves. AC: Wolf, 237

3 A bear! A vast, lumbering bear stalks out of the blizzard and attacks. AC: Bear, 227

Slow progress. Increase the total number of Survival rolls to be made by one as
4
the heroes struggle to keep up the pace.
Lost item. One of the heroes loses a valuable piece of equipment. If they can’t
5
choose who or what, the GM can choose for them or roll randomly.
Frostbite! A particularly savage frost causes frostbite in a random extremity of
a PC who failed their roll. This is a 3 point Wound with the penalty 9–10 on the
6
Critical Injury table. If they roll this event again, part or all of the limb must be
amputated on their return.
Escape! Unnoticed in the blizzard, Anthea of Thrakia grabs her youngest
7 sibling and takes their chances in the storm. The heroes must track them, hunt
them down and return them before something terrible happens…
Starving. Lost supplies mean that everyone goes hungry. All rolls are made
8
with a -1D penalty until the heroes reach home.
Enemies! The heroes blunder into an enemy patrol. If they do not all succeed in
a Cunning (Survival: Stealth) roll to hide, they must fight a fresh, well-equipped
9
band of enemy soldiers. If the heroes win, they can add +1 to their supplies; if AC: Hunter, 215
they lose, they are captured but their captors are in the same predicament.
A cave! Fleeing the blizzard, the heroes stumble into a cave. Seated at the
back is a robed figure who makes them a deal—safe and instantaneous
10
passage home, in exchange for a favour. Who the mysterious figure is and the
nature of the favour is up to the GM to decide…

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After six gruelling days, the foothills of the mountains come into sight,
and beyond them, Agamemnon’s camp/ the walls of Troy. If all of the
children have survived, Anthea will ask the heroes for a favour.

You are honourable, for all that your people are our enemy. Deliver us
to our allies as my mother intended. I will ensure no harm will come to
you, and that my mother knows of the great favour you have done her.

The heroes can attempt to give the children to an enemy patrol or

deliver them to the enemy camp (Cunning (Diplomacy) required to
convince their enemies that this isn’t a trap of some kind), or they can
choose to take them to their own side as hostages.

WRAPPING UP

If the heroes have successfully disrupted the convoy, gain +1 Kudos and
the opposing faction takes -1 Kudos. If supplies remain, any points can
be added to their camp’s Food stat.

THE SHIPPING NEWS

Rumour reaches the heroes that friendly ships bearing reinforcements

and food have been sunk in the Hellespont and they are asked to
investigate and retrieve what they can. They are allocated a small
boat and an oarswoman, Eirene, a local fisherwoman, and are
encouraged to leave the coast under cover of night. A successful
Cunning (Survival: Stealth) roll is required to choose an unobtrusive
route and escape the notice of the enemy—failure results in them being
followed.

Eirene will suggest hiding the boat in a cove she knows, and waiting to
see what the enemy are up to. A little after dawn, they see an Akhaian
ship approaching from the Aegean side of the Hellespont, and a
Trojan ship on the other side. A successful Difficulty 1 Insight
(Knowledge) roll allows the heroes to notice two areas of disturbance
in the water—one the roiling tentacles of a submerged sea-monster, the
other a whirling undertow.

WA R N I N G T H E F R I E N D LY S H I P

The heroes must act with speed to warn the friendly ship before it gets
too close to either threat—they might choose to scramble over the
rocks and race to a vantage point (Reflexes (Athletics)), light fires as a
signal (Cool (Survival)), sail directly for the friendly ship (Cunning
(Diplomacy) to avoid being treated as an enemy!) or come up with a
plan of their own. Success allows their allies to withdraw, while the
enemy ship should be graphically torn apart by tentacles. However,
both hazards are still blocking the Hellespont, preventing the much-
needed supplies from getting through.

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DEALING WITH THE MONSTER

Though inadvisable, the heroes could attack the monster from their
tiny vessel but Eirine will take some convincing to risk her life and
livelihood. They could attempt to draw it to land by providing bait.
Anyone who makes a successful Insight (Lore) roll knows creatures of
this sort enjoy the taste of human flesh, the younger and more
innocent the better. Alternatively, they could row out to the friendly
supply ship and attempt to convince Captain Androkles (pragmatic,
conservative, mercenary) to sail his vessel close enough to the monster
to allow the heroes to attack. Use Drakon stats for the sea monster. AC: Drakon, 239

If the monster is forced to take a wound, it will attempt to dive into the
depths, taking any ships in the vicinity with it. The heroes have a few
moments to hack their vessel free of its tentacles, but if they do not

8 / T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R
succeed then the ship will be broken apart, plunging them into roiling
water, requiring a successful Might (Athletics: Swimming) roll to swim
to safety.

To kill the beast, they will either need to find a way to tether it to
multiple ships to stop it from diving, or lure it into shallow waters to
prevent it from diving. It’s very possible they will be defeated in their
first attempt, and return with more ships or a better plan on a second
occasion.

RECOVERING THE LOST TREASURE

An Insight (Awareness) roll allows a PC to notice the sunken enemy

ship. There may well be resources on board of use to their camp, or to
the wider military campaign. Once the sea monster has been dealt
with, it is possible for the heroes to dive down and explore the wreck.
Use the “drowning and suffocation” rules to work out how long they can AC: Drowning, 151
stay under water,

The ship has come to rest on a shallow sandbar. A large hole has been
torn in its lower hull, through which the heroes can enter and search
the interior, a shadowy, nightmarish warren of passageways leading to
dead ends but dotted with shallow pockets of air. Much of the food the
ship was carrying is spoiled, but there are still chests of money and
weapons that would be of considerable use to the war effort.

There are ten accessible chambers inside the ship. Roll a D10 every
time the heroes enter a new space, rerolling any duplicates. The GM
should keep track of the position of each compartment, for the
purpose of tracking their air supply and exits. All combat rolls are
made at -2D to reflect the difficulty of fighting underwater in a
confined space, unless they have water breathing or are a child of
Poseidon in which case they incur no penalty.

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ROLL EVENT

Survivors! An air pocket in this room has allowed a small group of panicked
1 enemies to survive. The heroes can choose to fight them, convince them they
mean no harm and will take them to safety or leave them to their fate.
Treasure! This room is filled with water, but a small chest filled with coins lies at
2 its deepest point. If they can move the heavy chest, they can choose how to use
the coin: +1 Kudos, +1 Stater to their camp, or personally gain 6D10 drakhmae.
Supplies! In an air-filled compartment, several sacks of grain are floating. Some
3
have burst and spoiled, but a sizeable quantity could be salvaged for +1 Food.
Poseidon’s Gift! Glittering in the depths of a submerged compartment is a
4 golden trident. It is easy enough to reach but heavy and difficult to lift causing
the carrier to take a -2D penalty while in the water.
AC: Snake, 236 Eels! The heroes enter a lightless compartment, and find it full of angry flesh-
5
eating eels. The eels will pursue them even if they leave the compartment.
6–8 A water-filled compartment.
9–10 A compartment with an air pocket large enough to recover their breath.

POSEIDON’S GIFT
This golden trident is well balanced and has the Fine 1 property. The
heroes may keep it or gift it to their leader to gain +1 Kudos and +1
Status with their leader’s faction. They could go on a mini-quest to find
the temple of Poseidon it was destined for and give it the priests in
exchange for a boon, the favour of Poseidon or to lift a curse.

When the heroes choose to leave, or when they have explored each
compartment of the ship, they can return to the surface. If they remain
underwater long enough for all of them to fall unconscious, they will
recover lying on the rocky shore with a tall, green-robed figure
standing over them. This is Thetis, a goddess of the sea and mother of
Akhilles. She speaks in a harsh rasp, and smells of salt water.

You have stayed in the depths too long. That is… not wise. I have saved
you. In exchange for your lives, I will have a favour, to be repaid at a
time of my choosing.

If they refuse, they feel their lungs flooding with salt water as Thetis
revokes her gift. The GM should feel free to call in Thetis’s favour at a
highly inconvenient time in the future. Her primary objective is to
protect her son Akhilles and she is likely to appear and demand the
help of the heroes when Akhilles is in trouble.

WRAPPING UP

If the sea monster has not been slain, subtract -1 Kudos, -1 Food, +2
Risk, and +1 Difficulty to all skill checks using the Trade characteristic
to all allied camps. Otherwise they return in triumph, gaining +1 Kudos,
+1 Morale, plus anything else they may have retrieved from the depths.

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P O I S O N I N T H E WA T E R - H O L E

A series of skirmishes over this year leave the battle-lines unchanged,

until a virulent sickness spreads through the camp. At first everyone
suspects that Apollo is the cause, the heroes uncover a mundane
source for the contagion: poisoned wells. First the water must be
purified, then the culprits—traitors working from within—must be
tracked down and dealt with.

Patroklus has been working as a physician to the Akhaian army, and is

available to assist the heroes and provide insights should they need his
help; if Trojan, support can be provided by Priam’s youngest daughter
Laodike (driven, independent, vain), who is gifted in the healing arts.

THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM

8 / T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R
The heroes are dispatched to investigate the source of the contagion
spreading through the camp. The following clues can be found by
asking around:

◆ The contagion is affecting warbands from multiple areas of the

camp, seemingly at random.
◆ It causes violent purging of water from both ends, and sufferers
usually die or recover at the end of a week of symptoms.
◆ Those camped around the mouth of a minor river are unaffected.
◆ The first victim, Damon, is from the heroes’ own polis. His lover,
Attikus, lives in one of the other camps, but often spent the night
in Damon’s bed as well as caring for his lover until he died—and
yet is unaffected. Attikus belongs to a mystery cult of Akheloos
(Insight (Lore) to know that he is a minor river god) and has sworn
a divine oath to only ever drink fresh river water.

Oracles and divine consultations reveal that this plague is of mortal

origin, not divine. Insight (Medicine) and examination of a victim will
reveal that the plague appears to be water-borne, that it does not
pass from person to person, but that cases do occur in clusters. Putting
the clues together, they should be able to work out that the source of
the contagion is water-borne—specifically contaminated wells.

I N V E S T I G AT I N G T H E W E L L S

Each camp has its own water supply. Those close to the mouth of a
river drink its waters, while others have dug wells. Those affected have
all drunk from one of three wells. When they investigate them
(involving an unpleasant and claustrophobic squeeze down a deep
well) they find rotting human body parts polluting the water supply.

The heroes could place obvious guards at the affected wells, however
this scares off the poisoner—for now. In a few months, when the level of
vigilance has dropped, the poisonings will begin again.

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They have a better chance of finding the poisoner through secretly

watching the wells. If they keep watch over an unaffected well they will
see a shadowy figure dropping objects into the water. They can pursue
and try and catch the poisoner using an opposed Reflexes (Athletics:
Sprint) versus 5D. If he gets away they will have a chance at different
wells on subsequent nights—the poisoner seems dedicated to spreading
contagion to every well. When they eventually capture him, he is
unmasked as Mopsus, a boy of ten or eleven who belongs to their own
Polis.

They’ve got my sister Mellite. She’s all I have since our parents died, I’m
only here because of her. She was captured in the first battle. She’s alive
but they will only let her go once I’ve poisoned the wells. They said as
long as I do as they say, she won’t be harmed.

The heroes can hand him over for punishment, at which point the
poisonings will stop. Mopsus will be executed, and the fate of his sister
will remain unknown.

RESCUING THE PRISONERS

The prisoners are being held in a well-guarded area, kept separate

from the main enemy population. The camp is heavily guarded with at
least 40 armed soldiers on duty. A direct assault on their own would be
dangerous, but not impossible. Careful and cunning observation of the
enemy soldiers will give the information that the prisoners are likely to
be moved soon—an ideal opportunity to overpower the guards and
facilitate an escape, especially if their polis has troops that can assist.

If they manage to free the prisoners, their side gains +1 Kudos and
their polis gains +1 Military.
 T R OY

S TO RY S E E D S

The following adventure hooks are provided for the GM to make use of
in the ongoing years of the siege. Use and adapt them to suit your
campaign and resolve a downtime after each one.

1. ALLIES AND AMAZONS

Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons, has maintained her neutrality

throughout this conflict. However, information reaches the heroes that
Athena has commanded her to pick a side. In response, she has sent
messengers to both Akhaians and Trojans, inviting their champions to
compete in feats of arms, athleticism and the arts. The winners will
return with a unit of Amazons to fight at their side, and a pledge that

8 / T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R
the Amazons will join them in the fight against their enemies.

CHALLENGES
◆ The Amazons prize courage, skill Success: +1 Military
with sword and bow, and skill in the +1 Status Amazons
saddle above all things. What +2 Kudos
challenges will they set for the
heroes to prove their worth? Failure: -1 Status Amazons
◆ Who have their enemies sent, and +2 Kudos opposing side
how will both sides react when they
meet? What alliances and enmities
will be forged that will influence
future events?
◆ Will their enemy play fair, or will
they cheat?

2 . C AT T L E R A I D I N G

The heroes’ food supplies are dangerously low and they must raid the
surrounding villages of their cattle.

CHALLENGES
◆ The longer the war, the more Success: +1 Herd
desolate the surrounding lands;
Failure: -1 Morale
how far must they travel to find a
village with supplies, and what do
they encounter on the way?
◆ War has hardened everyone and no
village is without protection; what
opposition do they face?

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3. EVERYTHING IS POLITICS

One of the heroes’ rivals in a position of power in their camp has been
secretly badmouthing the heroes and their plans. The city would be
more efficient, they say, if someone else was in charge—namely them.
Suddenly the heroes find themselves treated with disdain, and, if they
continue to lead, suspicion. Rumours abound that they are working
with the enemy and plan to betray their polis…

CHALLENGES
◆ Who is behind these rumours? Success: +1 Morale
◆ What do they want; power and
Failure: -2 Standing within their camp
revenge, or something more
sinister?
◆ Whom do they serve; their own ego,
the enemy army, a secret cult?
◆ How will the heroes draw them out,
confront them and put an end to
their schemes?

4 . T H E FA L L E N T E M P L E

Driven by the displeasure of one of their divine Patrons (or Demeter if

the GM prefers) the PCs are sent to investigate rumours of a
desecrated temple a few miles down the coast. The priests have fled
and the altar is broken, but a trail leads to the forest where the
surviving acolytes are being cared for by the local nymphs and naiads.
They tell a grisly tale—a band of soldiers desecrated the temple, stole
their supplies and their sacred golden sickle. From the description they
give, the PCs recognise one of their enemies (or allies). They must
recover the sickle and punish the guilty, or risk the displeasure of
Demeter falling upon their army.

CHALLENGES
◆ Why did the soldiers desecrate the Success: Favour (Demeter)
temple? Simple greed or hunger, or
Failure: -1 Kudos
something more?
◆ What will it take to get the sickle
back? Why is it so valuable, and
how could it turn the war to their
advantage?
◆ Who will be punished, and how?
◆ What form would the harvest
Goddess’s displeasure take when
aimed at a whole army?

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 T R OY

5. A HUNDRED WHITE HORSES

Negotiations with Thrakia have paid off, and the famously proud and
quick-to-anger Queen Rhea has agreed to send one hundred of her
famous white horses. The heroes are sent to bring them safely in.

CHALLENGES
◆ What challenges do they face on Success: +1 Kudos
the way? Who else wants the white
Failure: -1 Morale
horses, and why?
◆ Queen Rhea herself rides with her
soldiers and her herders. What will
she do when the heroes’ part in her
childrens’ kidnapping or rescue is
revealed?

8 / T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R
◆ What will the enemy do to stop the
heroes getting the aid of such
potent allies?
◆ Are all of Queen Rhea’s advisors
happy with this arrangement, or
are some planning to sabotage it?

6. A TORMENTED SOUL

The heroes’ camp is disturbed by the nightly apparition of a murdered

soldier, streaked with blood. Morale suffers badly, and the heroes must
find out who was killed and where her body lies in order to perform the
appropriate funeral rites, and uncover the murderer.

CHALLENGES
◆ The victim was murdered some Success: +1 Morale
distance away. The apparition
Failure: -1 Morale
might lead the heroes to her
remains, but what threats do they
encounter on the way?
◆ How was the victim murdered? A
simple attack, or is there evidence
of a strange ritual?
◆ Who murdered them and why?
What lengths will they go to in
order to hide their crime?
◆ Whom will the killer strike against
next? What allies do they have?
How deep does the rot go?

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7. IN SEARCH OF WINE AND SONG

Soldiers are deserting from the heroes’ polis—and a little investigation

reveals this to be a widespread problem. The missing soldiers can be
tracked to the woods, where they have been taken by a band of
maenads who have plied them with wine and earthly pleasures, and
refuse to return them.

CHALLENGES
◆ What do the maenads want with Success: +1 Kudos
the soldiers?
Failure: -1 Military
◆ Have the soldiers been ensorcelled,
-1 Kudos
or are they in their right minds?
◆ What divine intervention is
required to return the soldiers, and
what will the gods want?
◆ Can the maenads be recruited to
their cause; if so, at what cost?

8 . G I F T S O F H O LY W I S D O M

The priestess Amphithoe (or one of the heroes, if you prefer) has
received a vision from Pallas Athena. Whoever raises a shrine of white
marble to her name will receive her blessing, a blessing that will extend
to their whole camp—but only the first to do so will be blessed. The
news spreads like wildfire through the camps, and the heroes may
choose to take on such a challenge on behalf of their people. And as
fate would have it, a neutral ship bearing a cargo of white marble is
on its way through the Hellespont, bound for Athens.

CHALLENGES
◆ How will they get the marble they Success: +3 Morale
need---theft, negotiations, money?
Failure: -2 Kudos
◆ Whom else will they have to fight
for it---the enemy, rivals from other
poleis or their own?
◆ Who will build the shrine, and what
must they sacrifice to do so?

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 T R OY

9. LAND GRAB

An allied camp has taken control of a feature of the heroes’ camp and
have claimed it as their own.

CHALLENGES
◆ Which “ally” has made the grab for Success: +1 Morale
land and what feature have they
Failure: -1 Morale
stolen?
Loss of one city feature
◆ How can the heroes reclaim it?
Appeal to a higher authority or
through bloody violence?

8 / T H A T B L O O D Y G R I N D O F WA R
1 0 . C O M M A N D E R F O R A D AY

The soldiers of the heroes’ polis are on patrol when they are ambushed
by an enemy force. Unfortunately, the unit’s commander (if not one of
the PCs) is wounded in a volley of stones and arrows, and one of the
heroes must take charge.

CHALLENGES
◆ Who is the heroes' leader and how Success: +1 Morale
badly is their wound? -1 Kudos to the enemy
◆ Who are the enemy forces and who
Failure: -1 Kudos
leads them?
-1 Morale

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CHAPTER 9

ACT 4: ARMED IN GLEAMING

BRONZE
 T R OY

In the final stages of the siege of Troy things quickly come to a head
with the death of Patroklus. Akhilles returns to the fray seeking
vengeance for the death of his lover and leaves the battlefield awash
in Trojan blood and broken bodies. Eventually, Hektor takes to the
field and the two champions face each other—Akhilles rides away in his
chariot dragging the desecrated body of Hektor behind him. Soon
after, the Akhaians return their ships and begin their voyage
home—leaving behind a wooden horse, standing alone on the beach.

Of course, your campaign may have taken different twists and turns
and the ending may not be quite the same as history remembers.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

9 / ARMED IN GLEAMING BRONZE

When you are ready to move into the final stages of the campaign,
have the heroes return from their most recent adventure to find
everything in uproar. Akhilles is leading a charge and the Trojans are
sending troops out to face him! After years of stalemates and minor
skirmishes, both armies are taking to the field.

T H E D E AT H O F PAT R O K L U S

The two armies face each other on the plain in front of the walls of
Troy, the gleaming armour of Akhilles in the centre of the Akhaian
ranks for the first time in years. Opposite him stands Hektor,
resplendent in the colours of Troy.

Run a mass battle as normal. During the second Clash, instead of Warfare, 216
rolling for an event the entire battlefield pauses to watch Hektor and
Akhilles as they face each other in single combat. Heroes should make
Insight (Melee) rolls as the two champions circle each other and strike.
If successful, something looks off to them. Akhilles is the best fighter of
his generation, but he appears sluggish, his blows inaccurate and his
parries desperate. A swift strike from Hektor slices through his neck
and he falls to the floor gasping. His helm falls off revealing Patroklus!

A gasp goes up from the watching soldiers—even those who don’t

recognise Patroklus know it isn’t Akhilles lying in the sand. Hektor is
dumbfounded and he exchanges words with an Akhaian commander,
perhaps Odysseos or one of the PCs.

Enough blood has been spilled for one day.

The two armies, listless, return to their homes.

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T H E D E AT H O F H E K TO R

Eventually the news is broken to Akhilles, most likely by Odysseos but

it could be the heroes, if they’re Akhaian. Akhilles screams and weeps
with rage unabated through the long night. If the heroes are Akhaian
they witness Akhilles arm himself in the morning, his face rigid, his eyes
red. He prepares his chariot and rides away. If the heroes are Trojan
they hear “Hektor!” screamed over and over outside the gates of the
city. The cries only stop when Hektor rides out on his chariot to meet
Akhilles. They face each other in single combat, with the walls of Troy
thronged with its citizens and its royal family. Andromakhe, Priam, and
Hekabe look on in fear.

The combat is brief. Both men fight well and valiantly but it is clear to
all watching that Akhilles is the more skilled, quicker, more powerful.
Hektor dies in front of his people and they watch on as Akhilles thrusts
hooks into his ankles, ties him to his chariot and rides away.

THE MISSION

When Akhilles returns to his tent he begins the slow desecration of his
enemy’s corpse, while mourning for his lover, whose body remains on
the battlefield.

If the players are Akhaian, Odysseos invites them to a quiet meeting.

A valiant attempt, but Patroklus’s ruse achieved nothing. Akhilles refuses

to leave his tent. Perhaps the burial of his lover will bring him
closure—but the Trojans have his body. Bring back his remains, we will
have them burned with all ceremony then perhaps Akhilles can be
coaxed out to complete his revenge.

If the players are Trojan, a haunted-looking Andromakhe meets them

in private.

The Akhaians have my husband’s body. They will deny him burial and
condemn his spirit to wander the shores of the Akheron, unable to pass
into Haides’s realm. Find him. Bring him home that we may send him to
his rest with honour.

FINDING THE BODY

Under cover of the darkness, the heroes creep towards the enemy,
dodging patrols and creeping through ditches and rivers to avoid
notice. An appropriate roll (Insight (Awareness) or Insight
(Knowledge)) gives them the information that most of the enemy dead
have been dumped in a charnel pile some distance away from the
main living areas.

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The low buzz of flies fills the air as you approach. The smell is
appalling—a rank combination of rotting meat and human waste. The
bodies have been thrown carelessly in a tangle of limbs, dead eyes
staring blankly at the skies, flies crawling across faces and dogs tearing
at exposed viscera. All of these men and women have been denied
burial rites, and will be denied their place in the afterlife. An old woman
is hunched over at the edge of the pile, picking through the dead
soldiers’ effects.

They can search for some time, but the corpse they seek is not among
them. All heroes who have participated directly in searching through
the pile of bodies gain one point of Risk.

To really twist the knife, make one of the unburned dead an ally of one

9 / ARMED IN GLEAMING BRONZE

of the heroes, the closer a friend the better.

They can track down the old woman and question her without
difficulty. She will deny any knowledge of the corpse’s whereabouts
unless they bribe her.

Oh, that one. The one in the fancy armour. Too good to rot with the rest
of them. Priests came, they dragged him off the pile and took him away.

She gestures towards the heart of the enemy camp or city. A successful
Insight (Lore) roll allows identification of the priests from the
description of their robes—if the heroes are Akhaian then the priests
belong to Hekate; if Trojan, they are priests of Hades.

THE TEMPLE OF THE DEAD

With stealth and misdirection, the heroes can gain access to the
temple area, stern and forbidding in the torchlight. Temple guards
stand vigil over the doorway of the temple they seek, while inside
robed figures move back and forth as they perform their duties. The
heroes can fight their way in, sneak in through a side entrance, or
disguise themselves as guards or acolytes—or even allow themselves to
be captured and brought before the High Priestess.

Fighting the priests earns the heroes involved a point of Hubris each, AC: Priest, 220
but allows them to escape with the body—Insight (Medicine) gives the
information that the body has not started to decay, miraculously
rendered incorruptible.

Alternatively, they can make a deal with the priests to exchange

bodies: Hektor’s for Patroklus’s. Skilled negotiations will be required to
convince their respective commanders to agree (Akhilles is particularly
resistant—“How do I know they even have his body? Those Trojan
bastards give their dead to the dogs!”) but if they have had a good
relationship with Akhilles and Patroklus in the past, Akhaian heroes

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can roll Cunning (Perform or Diplomacy) to convince him. If they fail

to convince him, they could try to steal the corpse from their own side.

If their efforts bear fruit, a peaceful exchange of corpses is made, and

the dead are burned with great ceremony.

Smoke rises into the air as the flames consume the body. Those who
loved him stand and weep and swear vengeance on those who have
wrought this. The air is stiflingly hot, the scent of incense and cedarwood
not enough to cover the smell of burning skin. The army shifts like a
beast in harness. They are ready for war.

If the players are Akhaian:

Akhilles steps forward and throws a braid of his hair onto the pyre.

This war has taken the best years of our lives. Our lovers. Our friends.
Our youth. But we are unbroken, and we are ready. Tomorrow we drive
our spear point through the walls of Troy. Tomorrow this ends.

If the players are Trojan:

Andromakhe, her face smeared in ash, stands at the head of her

husband’s pyre.

For ten years we have waited for this. Outside our walls, Agamemnon
stands, his captains like a pack of squabbling dogs. They have bled us
dry. They have taken from us that which we held most dear. No longer.
Make yourselves ready for tomorrow we drive them back to the sea.

T H E F I N A L BAT T L E

Before the last battle, take stock of what has happened already and
the state of the heroes, their polis and the Kudos score for both sides.
Find the difference between the Kudos of the PCs’ side and that of the
opposing side. This number (which might be negative if things have
gone badly for the heroes) is referred to as the Kudos Modifier, and is
Nike, 217 used as the starting Nike score for the final battle. The GM should use
this to inform the environment in which the battle will take place—are
the heroes ready for war, or are they broken by years of disease and
famine, seeking an end at any cost?

Helios rises over the field of battle, glinting on the walls and towers of
Troy, on the bronze spears and shields of the Akhaian army. Beneath
each helmet, faces are set hard with resolve. Today the war will be
decided.

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Unlike most battles, which consist of three Clashes, the bitter

desperation in the last days of the ten year Trojan War cause both
sides to continue to fight beyond all reason. This battle consists of five
Clashes. The first, second, and fourth clashes are run as presented in
the Mass Battle rules while the third and fifth Clash have special
events which take centre stage. These are detailed below.

THIRD CLASH: AKHILLES’ HEEL

A brief gap in the fighting gives the heroes the briefest glimpse of
godlike Akhilles, locked in combat with eight Trojans. If they are allies,
he barely recognises them through his mask of blood as they
approach, almost cutting them down.

If the heroes are Trojans, there is an opportunity for an archer to shoot

9 / ARMED IN GLEAMING BRONZE

him, should they happen to have a poisoned arrow and make the shot
to his heel. Otherwise in order to take him down they must fight him in Akhilles, 226
combat. If poisoned, he will continue to fight as the poison takes effect,
intent on taking as many of the heroes with him as he can.

If the heroes are Akhaian, they can fight alongside Akhilles who will
lead them into the thick of the fighting. They must fight a hoplitis AC: Hoplitis
captain each, while a Minion group of three archers, armed with Captain, 214
composite bows, attacks each of them from the walls of the city. At the AC: Archer, 209
end of the first round, Akhilles kills one of the heroes’ opponents. At AC: Composite
the end of the second round he is struck with an arrow to the heel. He Bow, 85
is pinned, unable to move and more soldiers are approaching, hoping
to be the one kill the famed warrior. A opponent, either a hero, Heroes, 223
amazon champion, or hoplitis or peltast captain, arrives at the end of AC: Amazon
each round for the next three rounds and the PCs have the option of Champion, 208
staying and defending Akhilles or retreating. AC: Peltast
Captain, 218
The Trojans gain 2 Nike if Akhilles dies, while the Akhaians lose 2 Nike.

If the heroes owe Thetis a favour, she will appear on the battlefield
and demand they spare Akhilles (if Trojan) or keep him safe (if
Akhaian).

FIFTH CLASH: THE TROJAN HORSE

A huge battering ram shaped like a horse’s head is being carried

towards the gates of Troy. Both sides know that if it is successful, it will
strike a major blow for the Akhaians. Trojan heroes must stop it
reaching the gate, while Akhaians must ensure it gets there at any
cost. Both sides must fight through enemy soldiers and champions to
reach it.

Heroes each face a Minion group of four hoplitis lead by a hoplitis

captain (or a champion of your own devising). Once these have been
defeated the heroes can try to destroy the battering ram, if Trojan, or
bash down the gate if Akhaian.

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When the battering ram reaches the gate Akhaian heroes can attempt
to bash through. This is an extended Might (Vigour) roll requiring a
total of 20 successes to complete. Every round the heroes roll they are
each targeted by a Minion group of three archers from the walls.

To destroy the battering ram the heroes must complete an extended

Might (Vigour) roll requiring a total of 20 successes to complete. After
every roll a Minion group of three bandits attacks them.

If the heroes destroy the battering ram or smash down the gate their
side gains +2 Nike.

T H E O U T C O M E O F T H E WA R

The finale Nike score at the end of the battle determines the
campaign’s conclusion.

Crushing defeat. The heroes’ efforts have come to nothing, and their
side is overwhelmed with casualties. Each PC takes a one point Wound
AC: Critical Injury, 146 and rolls on the Critical Injury table, in addition to any Wounds they’ve
received during the battle. Subtract -3 from all of their polis’s stats, to
a minimum of 0. The war has been a costly disaster from which it will
take many years to recover.

◆ If they are Akhaian, Agamemnon and Menelaus are killed and

their heads mounted on a spike on the walls of Troy. Odysseos
flees. The heroes lose many friends and allies.
◆ If they are Trojan, the walls of Troy are shattered and the Akhaian
army surges in, raiding, looting and slaughtering. Priam and
Hekabe attempt to intercede on behalf of their people and are cut
to pieces in the streets. Paris is killed in the fighting; Helen is
returned to the Akhaians to face judgement for her betrayal. It is
said that Andromakhe throws herself to her death from the
topmost tower, but her body is never found.

Marginal Defeat. The battle goes badly. The PC’s commander is killed
but by taking command, the heroes ensure a retreat is made in good
order. Subtract -2 from all their polis’s stats, to a minimum of 0.

◆ If they are Akhaian, Agamemnon is killed and his body is

ransomed back to his brother.
◆ If they are Trojan, Paris is killed in the fighting, and Helen is
returned to the Akhaians. Troy is captured and much of its wealth
is taken, though its people are allowed to live. King Priam
abdicates shortly after, in favour of his grandson, with
Andromakhe as the boy’s regent.

Stalemate. The battle is fought to a stalemate. Heroes are killed on

both sides, but honour is served. The surviving commanders declare an
uneasy peace. The Akhaians resolve to return home; there has been
significant damage to the walls of Troy and its people, but neither
force is destroyed. Subtract -1 from all polis’s stats, to a minimum of 0.

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◆ Regardless of who wins, Menelaus and Paris are killed in the

fighting, but Helen remains in Troy. Agamemnon retreats to lick his
wounds, but the matter is far from settled. King Priam abdicates
shortly afterwards in favour of his grandson, with Andromakhe as
the boy’s regent.

Inconclusive Victory. The heroes’ side wins, though at significant cost.

Heroes are killed on both sides, but there is a clear winner. The
defeated army retreats, and it will be years before they will be a
military power again. The spoils of war gained compensate for the
massive expense, and the polis’s stats are unchanged.

◆ If they are Trojan, Paris is killed in the fighting, and King Priam
abdicates a few months afterwards.
◆ If they are Akhaian, Agamemnon is killed and his body is

9 / ARMED IN GLEAMING BRONZE

ransomed back to his brother.

Decisive Victory. The winning army crushes their opposition entirely,

killing most of the soldiers and taking the civilians as slaves. +1 is
added to all of the polis’s stats, and the heroes gain an additional
point of Glory and 3D10 drakhmae each in plunder.

◆ If they are Trojan, Agamemnon and Menelaus are killed and their
heads mounted on a spike on the walls of Troy. Odysseos flees.
◆ If they are Akhaian, the walls of Troy are shattered and the
Akhaian army surges in, raiding, looting and slaughtering. Priam
and Hekabe attempt to intercede on behalf of their people and
are cut to pieces in the streets. Paris is killed in the fighting; Helen
is returned to the Akhaians to face judgement for her betrayal. It
is said that Andromakhe throws herself to her death from the
topmost tower, but her body is never found.

FINAL MOMENTS

The sun is setting, and the battle for Troy is over. The earth has been
soaked with the blood of heroes, and the gods are appeased. For now…

The GM should offer the heroes an opportunity to tie up any loose

ends—to talk with surviving allies, to work through the ramifications of
victory and loss, and to commune with any divine patrons in the
aftermath of the battle. After long years of war, they are ready to
return home, and the auguries promise calm seas and a quick voyage…

…or do they?

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CHAPTER 10

T H E G R E A T WA R
 T H E G R E A T WA R

This campaign sourcebook covers the Persian invasions of Greece

(historically about 490BCE to 480BCE). It is written as three Acts
covering the three major stages of the invasion, but you don’t have to
use all three or stick to the historical timeline. The campaign assumes
that the heroes are based on an island in the Kiklades and that their
polis will be under Persian control during most of the campaign
timeline, but if this doesn’t fit with your group’s backstory then there’s
plenty of material for the GM to pick and choose from.

The major thrust of this campaign will be the heroes deciding if they
want to fight the empire directly, attempt to undermine them from
within, or to actively throw in their lot with the invaders.

Openly defying the Persians will be a hard but glorious road. The
heroes’ polis will be under enemy control and their Arkhon will be
forced to exile them. It will mean an epic period of wandering the
courts of Hellas, honing their skills and making alliances against the
Persian oppressors.

Secretly resisting the Persians will require guile and caution. They will

1 0 / T H E G R E A T WA R
have to learn about the empire’s weaknesses and then exploit them,
while at the same time making sure the Persians don’t notice their
treachery. They’ll be in a difficult position of trying to make contact
with other dissidents and rebels while being viewed as “Medist” traitors
by most Hellenes.

Supporting the Persians is a route to enormous wealth and power. The

empire richly rewards those who serve it well, and there are many
opportunities for travel and adventure. In time, their polis could
become one of the mightiest in the Aegean. The price will be the
hatred of many Hellenes and possibly incurring the wrath of one or
more Hellenic gods.

This sourcebook is intended to provide a sandbox environment for

groups to make their own legends in. So rather than a narrative
“railroad-track”, you will find short adventures, roleplaying hooks and
information on places, NPCs, military forces and the grand sweep of
historical events. There are also resources detailing the deities and
monsters of Persia, along with their part in the war.

A C T O N E : T H E F I R S T I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S

This details Darius’s attempt to destroy Athens. This Act opens with the
burning of Naxos as the Persians begin to seize the Kiklades. The
heroes must decide at this point whether to accept the Persians, resist
them in secret or go into exile to fight against them.

AC T T WO : T H E C A L M B E FO R E T H E S TO R M

This period deals with life under Persian rule, and the many benefits
and hindrances it presents. Those who wish to adapt will find the
Empire has potential for great wealth, travel and adventure. Those
who wish to gnaw at the roots of the occupation will have to move very

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carefully, making secret alliances and striking from the shadows. Those
who wish to oppose the Persians openly will have to wander the courts
of Hellas, gaining sufficient glory and recognition to help unite the
Hellenes to drive the invaders away.

A C T T H R E E : T H E S E C O N D I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S

Xerxia has assembled the largest army the world has ever seen, and is
preparing to attack. The Hellenes remain fractious and divided, and it
will take true heroes to unite them. Victory for Persia will see Hellas
swallowed up, while Helenic victory will completely upset the balance
of power across the Aegean. Heroes who aid the Persians in winning
will surely find themselves richly rewarded with lands and titles, but
those who fight against them will gain glory spoken of in legend, and
potentially free their polis from foreign control.

SETTING CHANGES

This book is set in a slightly later time than the core AEGEAN rulebook.
It also assumes that the Empire has been spreading westwards for
several decades, having conquered the Ionian colonies and made a
client-state of Makedonia. Troy has fallen some time ago, and is now
only a shadow of its former power, having been absorbed into the
Persian empire. The book also assumes that the politics of many of the
Hellenic cities has moved on from the original period—Athens is now a
fairly new and vibrant democracy, while the rulers of Sparta have
changed several times. Ultimately, it’s up to the GM to choose how
much of the default they keep, but there are new options presented for
most of the major poleis.

Persia is the largest Empire in the world, and its might seems
unassailable. Given the fractured nature of Hellas, nobody seriously
thinks that it can resist the Empire for long. However, that
fractiousness is also its strength; because Hellenic poleis spend so
much time and effort competing, they have some of the best-equipped
and trained military forces in the world. Also, Hellas is a hard land,
and its people have become ingenious at wringing every obol of
advantage out of scarce resources. The Hellenes are on the verge of
discovering their own greatness, and forging a national identity which
will allow them to change the entire world. But these are just the
dreams of a possible tomorrow, all too easily smothered in their crib if
Hellas is claimed by the Persians first.

The Persians are not “the bad guys”; in fact, Persian culture is generally
quite honourable and enlightened for the time. They regard it as their
divine duty to bring all peoples into their Empire, but they mostly rule
with a light touch and show enormous respect to the religions of those
that they conquer. It’s true they can be ruthless, but that usually only
comes to the fore when they have been provoked, disrespected or
betrayed—their initial conquests are often notably far more merciful
than the locals would be in their position. The Persian empire is also

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extremely diverse, with peoples of almost any culture capable of rising

to high-ranking positions. In fact, Hellenes are well-regarded in the
Persian courts, and many of their most senior nobles and advisors are
Hellenic. This is Persia at the height of its power and glory; its armies
are numberless, its holdings endless and its treasury bottomless. Darius
and Xerxes can hardly be blamed for believing that the gods have
mandated their rule.

PERSIAN RULE
While the Persian Empire is regarded as fair and merciful by many,
including by many of its subject states, to the Hellenic way of thinking
Persian rule is despotic. A single king ruling a vast multitude of states
is anathema to the Greek way of thinking. Their fierce independence
and pride in their small, localised city-states is at odds with the Persian
hegemony. While the Hellenes will join together to fight against
Persian rule this is a loose alliance which will disband back to city-
states once the war is over.

1 0 / T H E G R E A T WA R
ONE LAST NOTE

While I’ve really enjoyed learning about this period of history, I’m not a
historian, and Aegean by its nature is a mashup of a lot of different
time periods, as well as fact and myth. Consequently I’ve taken some
liberties (and undoubtedly made some mistakes) with various bits of
culture and mythology to make them fit. “Coolthentic” is the phrase a
friend of mine used to use for historical gaming, and I think that’s
probably about the speed I was going for. TL;DR—please don’t set the
history police on me!

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CHAPTER 11

HELLAS
 T H E G R E A T WA R

This setting assumes an indeterminate amount of time has passed

since the core AEGEAN book, and that many changes have occurred
during that time. The GM should feel free to use or discard any of this
information—the campaign can still be run with the basic setting.

MAJOR POLEIS

Not all poleis are created equal. Some stand above the others,
controlling colonies or strings of allied poleis in leagues or
confederations. These are the main political players in Hellas in the
current age; each one jockeying for leadership and territory. Many of
these have changed from the basic rulebook, with different rulers and
relationships due to the passage of time.

AEGINA

Historically the greatest sea power of Hellas, Aegina has been growing
alarmed with the rising naval power of Athens. It currently has no real
desire to fight Persia, and hopes that making offerings to the empire
will allow them to continue with its own schemes for naval domination.

11 / HELLAS
ARGOS

A historically powerful polis of Argolis, Argos faced a crushing defeat

by Sparta shortly before the beginning of the campaign. The resulting
political chaos has left it paralysed, maintaining a lonely isolation. If
somebody could unite Argos, they’d find a powerful ally, though many
suspect that Sparta’s actions may have pushed Argos towards the
Persian camp.

Telesilla, Warrior Poet: Once a sickly child, she was instructed by the
Pythian oracle to devote herself to the muses and has become a
famous poet. After the slaughter of the Argian army by the Spartans,
she led the citizens in defence of the city and shamed the Lakonians
into withdrawing. (brave, wise, wordy)

AT H E N S

Athenian democracy is still young and untried, and the internal

factions of the city are still grappling with the implications. The nobility
who provide the majority of the hippeis—the newly formed Athenian
cavalry—are losing ground, while the commoners are revelling in their
newfound power. This doesn’t mean that the nobles dislike democracy,
merely that they want to see the city’s resources flow to the army.
Athens remains at the forefront of Hellenic culture and innovation.

Aristides the Just: An Athenian noble and hippeus, Aristides is a

gifted general and a devout patriot. He is strongly opposed to further
funds being devoted to the navy. Despite his many victories, he does
not have the social skills (or inclination for lies) necessary to sway the
masses. (formal, honest, honourable)

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Kimonia: With her broken nose and scarred knuckles, Kimonia looks
more like a pankratiast than a politician. An audacious war leader,
she’s inherited her family’s chequered reputation and impulsive
nature—many Athenians disparage her as a “Lakonist” due to her
support of Sparta. While devoted to her father, Miltiades, she is firmly
in Themistoklea’s political camp. (bold, coarse, lusty)

Miltiades the Younger: This bluff older man has played many roles in
his life; tyrant, Persian vassal, rebel and latterly strategos of Athens.
His skill as a general and knowledge of Persian tactics are undeniably
effective, but his chequered past and political enemies mean that his
opponents are just waiting for him to make a mistake (self-
aggrandising, overconfident)

Themistoklea: A commoner and populist politician, Themistoklea is

renowned for getting what she wants. Not above sacrificing the careers
or reputations of others, she shamelessly panders to the lower classes,
playing them off against the nobility. Although a capable strategos,
her real gift is naval tactics—she passionately believes that sea power
will be the key to defeating the Persians. (ambitious, cunning, ruthless)

KORINTH

This massively wealthy polis is one of the great cities of Hellas and a
well-respected military power, although less directly expansionist than
Athens or Sparta as they have the money to persuade others to fight
for them. Korinth is famed for its great Temple of Aphrodite, where the
hetaira offer entertainment, companionship and physical delights to
any that can meet their prices.

Lais: High priestess of Aphrodite and leader of the hetaira, Lais is

renowned throughout Korinth and beyond for her beauty, wit and
sexual prowess. Through their clients, the temple gathers enormous
amounts of information which she uses to subtly exert control over the
politics of the polis. (enchanting, beautiful, intelligent)

ELIS

This polis controls a swathe of valleyed lands and islands, including

Olympia where the games are held. They are led by an oligarchic
council known as the vouli. Almost everything about Elis is infused with
fervour for sport and competition—the vouli even meets in a
gymnasium. Originally a close ally of Sparta, Elis’s increasing wealth
and power has changed the dynamic of the relationship, and now the
two great poleis regard each other with suspicion.

Hippias: A famous sophist and public speaker, Hippias claims to be

able to hold forth knowledgeably on any subject under the sun. His
speaking tours are wildly popular, although he tends to annoy many of
the less “showy” academics. (verbose, preening)

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ERETRIA

“The City of Rowers” is an independent Ionian polis and long-term ally

of Athens. It was heavily involved in a failed rebellion on the Ionian
peninsula and is now deeply worried about Persian retribution. The
people offer many sacrifices to Apollo in hopes of aid—his great
temple has been under construction for many years and is almost
completed. The city has impressive walls, but vacillating leadership
means their military forces tend to remain on the defensive.

RHODOS

The “Island of Roses” has a sphere of influence over a group of

surrounding islands and colonies. With the Persian conquest of Karia,
Rhodos is no longer troubled by pirates, but the expanding Persian
navy is a sword hanging above their heads.

S PA R TA

The Lakonians have long been considered the most powerful land
army in Hellas, and their success is down to relentless physical training

11 / HELLAS
and unswerving obedience to the laws of their polis and priesthood.
When the Spartans act, they do so in concert and with terrifying will.
Spartan culture can be cruel, but without Spartan might and courage
there would be little hope of Hellas repelling Persia’s vast armies.

Queen Gorgo: When Leonidas requires counsel or diplomacy, he turns

to his wife. A canny political operator and public speaker, she can be
hard as steel or soft as velvet, depending on her audience. Her skills
give Sparta an unexpected political edge previously lacking in their
negotiations with other poleis. (tough, persuasive, educated)

King Leonidas: The royal house of Sparta has intermarried for a long
time, and Leonidas only came to the throne after his half-brother,
Kleomenes, went insane. Leonidas is everything a Lakonic ruler aspires
to be; brave, loyal and skilled in battle. (brusque, direct, unflappable)

Pausania: Spartan royalty, Pausania is an excellent general, but her

ambitions are greater than Sparta—or even Hellas. She’s willing to
make a deal with anyone who can advance her personal power, but
she’s no fool, and will only strike when the odds favour her victory.
(arrogant, cunning, power-hungry)

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SYRAKUSE

This city is quite distant from the rest of Hellas, but is large and
powerful, traditionally allied to Sparta and Korinth. This period is
politically turbulent for Syrakuse, as the ruling class have been
reinstated under the Tyrant, Gelon. The city is being lavishly rebuilt,
and while Syrakuse has a powerful fleet and army, it has little
inclination to go to war.

Gelon: The Tyrant of Syrakuse also holds power over many other poleis
and islands, and is a formidable general and ruthless politician.
However, he’s also notoriously elitist, despises proles and wants the
other poleis of Hellas to recognise his leadership. (brilliant, cruel, vain)

THEBES

Known as “Seven-Gated Thebes”, this polis controls a loose

confederation of around a dozen poleis known as the Beotian League.
While nominally resistant to Persian rule, the Thebans are keen to
avoid bloodshed for fear that it might tear their league apart.

King Oedipus: Now old, blind and full of regrets, the king of Thebes is
a shadow of his former self. The only person he responds to
enthusiastically is his daughter, Antigone. (mournful, confused, broken)

Antigone: In court the princess sits beside her father, and often helps
him when he becomes confused or emotional. A dutiful daughter, she
does her best to let her father keep his dignity, and while his
commands may require interpretation, she tries to obey as best she
can. (intelligent, patient, loyal)

OT H E R N OTA B L E M I N O R P O L E I S

Megara: Originally a Korinthian colony, Megara has long since won its
independence. Closely allied to Miletus, its citizens have been incensed
by the destruction of that polis during the Ionian revolt. Although not
a major polis, the ruling oligarchy are ardently anti-Persian.

Platea: this Beotian polis only remained independent of Thebes with

Athenian help, and ever since then has held to an unbreakable
alliance; whenever Athens goes to war, Platea stands by their side.

Tegea: This polis currently acknowledges Sparta’s sovereignty, but has

successfully defeated the Spartans more than once in the past.

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THE HELLENIC GODS

For the most part, the gods of Hellas are either unsure about how to
respond to the Persians or simply don’t care. The Hellenic settlements
already held by the Persians continue to offer honour and sacrifices, so
it seems that there’s no risk of them being forgotten. Unusually, Zeus
and Hera have declared that unless the Persians offend the gods, the
contest is to remain a mortal one.

Athena is firmly opposed to Persia, partly because she relishes the

challenge of seizing victory in such a mismatched contest and partly
because she knows that the Persians plan to raze Athens to the
ground. It is largely due to her interference in Ionian politics that
Persia has become so incensed, and while she regrets nothing she does
want to protect the people of Hellas from the ravages of war.

Hermes sees the Persians as bullies and is determined to take them

down a peg or two. Of course, there’s only so much he can do without
drawing Zeus’s ire, but he’s not above giving matters a little nudge
here and there.

Ares actively wants a fight: the bloodier the better. He wants to see

11 / HELLAS
Sparta lead Hellas to victory on the field of battle, thereby cementing
their right to rule. He’s not foolish enough to openly defy his parents,
but neither is he capable of resisting his urges for long.

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CHAPTER 12

LANDS OF THE EMPIRE

 T H E G R E A T WA R

Stretching from Libya in the west to the Indus Valley in the east, the
Persian empire is the largest the world has ever known. Its strength
rests upon three pillars. Firstly, the Persians are generally honourable
and magnanimous with their defeated foes. Once a kingdom or polis
acquiesces to Persian rule, it retains relative freedom to manage its
affairs as long as it pays tribute in taxes to the Empire. Secondly, the
Persians not only allow freedom of religion, they often endow new
shrines and temples to existing deities when they conquer a region.
Thirdly, the Empire’s civil service is second to none, and provides
enormous benefits in terms of trade and infrastructure.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the empire is how quickly it
has risen. Kyros the Great raised his banners against the Medes a few
decades ago, and now Darius holds the largest empire in the known
world. The Persians truly believe that the gods favour them, and Kyros
himself claimed divine heritage from the Babylonian war-god, Marduk.
While Darius is not a direct descendant, he too claims the blessing of

12 / LANDS OF THE EMPIRE

Marduk, and his skills in battle and diplomacy certainly seem inspired.

When the Empire goes to war, their client kingdoms are expected to
raise troops to fight alongside them. Standing Imperial armies keep
the peace, but peace can be fragile across such a vast territory, and
rebellions do flare up—especially during times of political instability
such as when the Emperor is absent on campaign. The Immortals are
used as a threat to keep rebellious regions in line; if they are
unleashed, no mercy can be expected.

Emperor Darius: While he came to the throne under questionable

circumstances, nobody can deny that Darius is almost the equal of
Kyros as an Emperor. An excellent strategist, capable administrator
and beloved leader, under his wise rule the empire has expanded to its
greatest heights. The Ionian revolts have convinced Darius that Hellas
is a threat that must be dealt with, and has patiently gathered his
forces to enact its conquest.

Xerxia: Unlike her father, Xerxia has a direct blood descent from
Kyros, and hence shares some of Marduk’s divine heritage. However,
she’s only one among dozens of potential claimants for the throne, and
isn’t sure if she even wants it. Unlike her father, she’s more interested in
maintaining and improving the existing empire than adding new
territories. General Mardonius and King Demaratus both see her
potential and are grooming her for the throne.

S AT R A P I E S

Conquered territories are formed into satrapies—administrative

divisions broadly following the borders of a conquered kingdom. Each
satrapy has a satrap appointed to administer it, usually a high-ranking
Persian with some blood ties to the royal family. There are dozens of
satrapies across the Empire—the ones presented here are those where
the heroes might venture, or which are likely to have an immediate
effect on the outcome of the war, but there are more in the east.

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A R A B AYA

Only a small part of this satrapy is truly conquered—the rest is

inhabited by a variety of tribes and kingdoms who pay homage to the
Persians with offerings of frankincense. The aid of these tribes was
vital in the Persian conquest of Kemet, and they are occasionally paid
to fight under the banner of Persia.

BABYLONIA

The Babylonians are one of the most ancient civilised cultures in the
world; their poleis have been built and rebuilt throughout the ages.
Since their conquest, they have spent a great deal of time and effort
instructing their Persian overlords in literacy, leadership and culture.
While Persian heads may wear the crowns, many say the real power
lies with the cunning civil servants and administrators, most of whom
are Babylonian. However, Babylonian pride is not dead, and there have
been revolts in the region in recent memory.

Babylon: When Kyros led his Persian armies in conquest, Babylon

wisely opened its gates, recognising a chance for fresh glory. In return,
the gods of Babylon were shown great honour by the conquerors.
While it chafes the Babylonians to be advising rather than ruling
directly, Babylon the mighty is once more at the centre of the civilised
world. This polis is sacred to the warrior-god, Marduk.

Susa: One of the capital cities of the empire, Susa has seen enormous
changes under Persia, including the construction of an elaborate
winter palace. While Babylon remains staunchly Babylonian, Susa has
become a showcase for the new imperial culture. This polis houses the
main civil service headquarters for the entire empire.

EBER-NABARI

This satrapy is a mixed bag of largely Phoenikian poleis, each of whom

competes against the others (much like Hellas itself). It has been
administered by the Babylonians for some time now, and the efficient
civil service hardly missed a beat when the Persians took over. The
Imperial navy’s great success is mostly attributed to the enormous
number of Phoenikians it employs.

Sidon: The “mother-city” of most of the Phoenikian colonies in the

Aegean. An ancient polis, Sidon has seen many conquerors come and
go, each leaving their mark. It is a major religious centre of the
Phoenikians, being sacred to the goddess Ashtart.

MEDIA

The Medes are closely related to the Persians, and as such are greatly
honoured in the empire. Most Hellenes think that Media is the seat of
the empire (hence the term “Medism”) but the Persians were actually
subjects of the Medes until Kyros led them in a rebellion.

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Ecbatana: The capital polis of Media was one of Kyros’s first

conquests. Sitting at the crossroads of trade and defended by
impressive fortifications, it is vital for the economy of the empire.

KARIA

This satrapy is mainly composed of Hellenic colonies, but is staunchly

pro-Persian. While no longer dominated by pirates, it remains a potent
naval centre, and is an important source of crew and ships.

Halikarnassos: This proud seafaring polis controls the islands of

Kalymnos, Kos and Nisyros. Queen Artemisia is one of the most
capable admirals in the Persian navy, and commands a powerful fleet.

KEMET

Another powerful ancient kingdom under Imperial rule, Kemet was only

12 / LANDS OF THE EMPIRE

conquered after a long and bloody campaign. Now its fertile flood-
plains are the bread-basket of the empire, supporting the vast armies
of Persia as they advance on Hellas. Kemet’s defeat caused many
nearby kingdoms and poleis to surrender, but the nobles of Kemet are
proud and there have been several bloody uprisings since then. High
taxes and the conscription of Kemetian crafters for projects in the
imperial heartlands are currently causing great discontent.

Men-nefer: The capital is an ancient polis that has been restored and
expanded by the Persians, who keep a large garrison to oversee the
satrapy. The great rivers of Kemet provide access to this inland city.

Aryandes: The satrap of Kemet is a corrupt and self-serving overlord

who finds every opportunity to line his own pockets. Technically, the
Persian emperor is also the pharaoh of Kemet, meaning that the
satrap here has unusual amounts of leeway. (greedy, conniving)

KILIKIA

One of the earliest satrapies, Kilikia was conquered and established by

Kyros the Great. It pays a high level of taxes, but is rewarded with
enormous amounts of laxity, and has prospered under Persian rule.
Kilikia is the site of the Imperial navy’s headquarters on the Aegean.

Tarsos: Supposedly founded by the hero, Perseus, Tarsos is a wealthy

polis with fertile agricultural holdings, expansive trade and abundant
natural resources. The polis actively venerates Herakles, and sports a
massive statue of him crushing a winged lion beneath his foot.

L I B YA

This Phoenikian kingdom was conquered by Kambyses, son of Kyros,

following his conquest of Kemet (but before madness claimed him).
Despite being Phoenikian, it also has several Hellenic colonies within its
borders.

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Karthage: First colonised by Tyre, this polis has seen explosive growth
and is rapidly gaining in power locally. It is casting hungry eyes at the
trade routes they hope to take from Hellas once its fleets are burned.

Oyat: A large maritime polis with good supplies of lumber and

enormous experience in shipbuilding, it has become the main
construction centre for the new Persian navy. Day and night the
shipyards ring with the sounds of axe and hammer, churning out ever
more vessels for the Persian fleet. This has brought vast wealth to the
city, and ensured that the Persians keep it well guarded.

LY D I A

The Hellenic colonies of the Ionian peninsula recently revolted against

the empire (with assistance and encouragement from Athens) and
were utterly crushed in response. However, the peace settlement has
generally been seen as fair and generous. While some resentment still
simmers, there are numerous Ionians serving in the armies of Persia.

Miletus: This former Athenian colony was utterly devastated by

Darius’s forces after the recent rebellion. Many residents were enslaved
and much of the city’s population fled to other poleis or formed new
settlements nearby. Miletus is now a mere shadow of its former glory,
with various groups squatting in the ruins. If there are any of the
Ionian rebels left, Miletus might be a good place to start looking.

Sardis: The imperial capital of Lydia has recently been rebuilt after
being destroyed during the revolt. The satrap is keen not to see blood
flow again, and currently Sardis is well-guarded. The city also functions
as the imperial mint, and there are usually large amounts of gold and
silver in its treasury.

Artaphernes: Nephew of Darius and a military officer, Artaphernes is

granted the satrapy of Lydia (including the Kiklades) after Act 1. He’s
a rather rigid figure, who enjoys formality in most of his dealing, and
finds Hellenic culture chaotic and disrespectful. He strongly believes in
Persian destiny to rule the world. (unimaginative, dependable)

PERSIS

The Persian homelands are still relatively untamed; the Persians were a
nomadic people with no written records, and such cities as they now
possess were mainly seized from others. Their culture is fiercely proud
and faithful, placing emphasis on honour and truthfulness. The skills of
archery and horse-riding are highly valued in these lands, and a hero
who can’t do both will gain little respect among Persians.

Pasargadae: The original Persian capital was established by Kyros

after his great victory over the Medes. Although it has been
overshadowed by Persepolis, it still houses the royal tombs.

Persepolis: Without doubt the grandest settlement in Persia, this is

really a titanic ceremonial complex rather than a proper city. For the

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most part it is tended by priests, with important visitors coming to

make offerings. When the royal family are in residence, the entire court
often comes with them, transforming Persepolis into a bustling
metropolis for a short time.

P H RYG I A

This ancient kingdom has been reborn as a satrapy, sitting at the end
of Darius’s “Royal Road” that stretches all the way to Susa. With this,
troops can walk from one end of the empire, and a fast messenger
service can transit the entire length in nine days.

Troy: The topless towers of Ilium have long since burnt down.
Thoroughly sacked during the epic siege of legend, Troy has never
recovered the glory it once held. Instead, it has come to function as a
regional capital for the Persian empire, housing many of the
bureaucrats and tax collectors. The Trojans fervently pray for the day

12 / LANDS OF THE EMPIRE

that Hellas is brought to heel, and their ancient insults are avenged.
Troy hosts a major temple to Athena, which travellers often use to
make sacrifices before crossing the Hellespont.

SKUDRA

This satrapy is a fairly recent addition to the empire, formed from the
two Hellenic states that are under direct Persian control.

Makedonia: Caught between Persia and the rest of Hellas, Makedonia

attempting to profiteer from both. While Makedonian forces fight
beside the Persians and advise them, they are also feeding information
to the free Hellenes at the same time. Until recently Makedonia was
more of a client state than an imperial holding, but this changed when
Darius began to prepare his invasion of Hellas.

Thrakia: This Hellenic kingdom has been claimed by the Persians for
some time now. Despite being given the opportunity, they did not
participate in the Ionian revolt, as they felt that they had more to fear
from Hellas than Persian rule.

COINAGE

The Empire mints two types of coin in Lydia, the golden daric and the
silver sigloi. Twenty sigloi equals one daric. However, many satrapies
rely on their own traditional coins, such as Babylonian shekels. The
Persians themselves have only recently been introduced to coinage,
traditionally using barter or silver bullion in their own dealings. The
Emperor is extremely touchy about the right to mint coinage, and only
the imperial mint can produce official imperial specie—even Persian
satraps are not above this law. Persian coins have a very high value
and can be spent almost anywhere due to their extremely pure metal
content.

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CHAPTER 13

GODS OF THE EMPIRE

 T H E G R E A T WA R

The Persians are rigorous about ensuring religious freedom for their
subjects, and will go out of their way to make offerings to the deities
of regions they conquer, even renovating their temples. Hellenic deities
are widely worshipped through the western satrapies of the empire.

BABYLONIAN RELIGION

Babylon’s temples and religions are ancient, and many of their deities
now ignore the activities of humans. Their gods often employ a level of
formality that seems at odds with the brash young Hellenic deities.

MARDUK

Chief deity of the Babylonians, Marduk is a Favoured Skills:

wise ruler and a great warrior. He protects ◆ Accuracy
humanity by battling a variety of monstrous ◆ Diplomacy

13 / GODS OF THE EMPIRE

beings. Since fathering Cyrus, he has taken ◆ Lore
a fresh interest in mortal affairs; even
helping Darius claim the throne of Persia Symbols:
rather than see the empire descend into
◆ Dragon
chaos. Marduk is cultured and sophisticated
and endeavours to show good manners and
respect, even to his enemies. He appears as
a bearded prince with a dragon at his side.

NERGAL

An unpleasant deity of war, death and Favoured Skills:

disease, Nergal rules over the Babylonian ◆ Manipulation
underworld. The terror that Nergal inspires ◆ Melee
is often used to provide protection for ◆ Vigour
homes, cities or armies in the field. He
appears as a giant robed figure with a Symbols:
mace and sword, crushing others beneath
◆ Lion-headed
his feet.
Mace
◆ Sword

T I A M AT

A monstrous sea-goddess, Tiamat is mother Favoured Skills:

to many of the gods and monsters of the ◆ Athletics
Aegean. More a creature of chaos than evil, ◆ Brawl
she is capable of causing great destruction, ◆ Survival
and Marduk regularly has to intervene to
stop her rampages. She usually appears as Symbols:
a vast sea-serpent, capable of devouring a
◆ Serpent
whole trireme with a single bite.

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KEMETIC RELIGION

These gods are generally hostile to the Persians, partly due the actions
of Kyros’s son, Kambyses, who purportedly killed the sacred Apis bull
of Hathor and was cursed with madness and death as punishment. The
act seems strangely out of character for Kambyses, and some believe
the anger of the Kemetic gods has more to do with the fact that he
reduced the vast government subsidies granted to their temples.

APOPHIS

An evil, chaotic deity that dwells in the Favoured Skills:

underworld of Kemet. Every night he uses ◆ Brawl
cunning and force to try and defeat Ra. ◆ Lore
Should he ever succeed, Kemet would be ◆ Vigour
plunged into endless darkness! Apophis
commonly takes the form of a giant Symbols:
crocodile or serpent.
◆ Snake

H AT H O R

This goddess is consort or mother to many Favoured Skills:

of the gods of Kemet, and holds a place of ◆ Knowledge
high honour in their pantheon. Aside from ◆ Manipulation
her feminine charms she also has a vengeful ◆ Perform
aspect, which she uses to protect Ra. She
appears either as a horned woman or as a Symbols:
sacred cow.
◆ Cow
◆ Horns with Sun-
Disk

RA

The sun god claims to have created the Favoured Skills:

world and watches over it by day, making ◆ Awareness
sure that all is in its right place. During the ◆ Craft
night, he sails through the underworld, ◆ Medicine
being relentlessly attacked by Apophis.
Each day he wins and the sun rises once Symbols:
more. Ra takes a multitude of different
◆ Sun Disk
animal forms depending on the time of day,
but often appears as a human with the
head of a falcon.

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PERSIAN RELIGION

The Persian faith, Zoroastrianism, has a dualistic notion of the universe

that seeks to categorise gods and fit them into a complex
philosophical worldview. They believe that all spiritual beings can be
classified as either Daevas (false gods, beings unworthy of worship) or
Yazata (true gods, worthy of worship).

AHRIMAN

The dark reflection of Ormazhd, Ahriman is Favoured Skills:

chaos, deceit and evil personified. ◆ Lore
Thankfully, he rarely gets involved directly ◆ Manipulation
in the world of mortals, relying on his armies ◆ Melee
of Daevas to do his bidding. Ahriman
seldom appears as anything other than an Symbols:

13 / GODS OF THE EMPIRE

impenetrable shadow.
◆ None

MITHRA

Playing much the same role as Hermes for Favoured Skills:

the Hellenic gods, Mithra mediates and ◆ Awareness
serves all the gods (both Daeva and ◆ Diplomacy
Yazata) as messenger and judge. ◆ Knowledge
Unflinchingly just, he oversees contracts and
oaths amongst mortals. Mithra usually Symbols:
appears dressed as an archer and wielding
◆ Torch
a dagger.
◆ Dagger
◆ Slain Bull

ORMAZHD

A benevolent and perfect deity who brings Favoured Skills:

order to the universe. Being more of a ◆ Diplomacy
personification of a primal force, Ormazhd ◆ Knowledge
rarely interferes directly, but is served by ◆ Lore
divine beings known as Yazatas. Persian
priests would say that Ormazhd is always Symbols:
present in some fashion—one merely has to
◆ Outstretched
have eyes to look.
Wings

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PHOENIKIAN RELIGION

Many tribes have contributed gods to the Phoenikian pantheon, and in

turn many of their gods have found places in other lands. Generally
uncivilised, Phoenikian deities neither know nor care about how mortal
societies work.

A S H TA R T

Patron goddess of the Phoenikian nobility, Favoured Skills:

Ashtart delights in battle, hunting and ◆ Athletics
indulging her lust. A creature of swift ◆ Melee
passions, she grows bored easily and can be ◆ Survival
dangerous to mortals. She is also
worshipped in Kemet and Babylon (where Symbols:
she’s known as Ishtar.) She commonly
◆ Lion
appears as a beautiful naked woman,
◆ Dove
sometimes with wings, surrounded by a pack
◆ Bee
of fawning lions.

GAD

This strange deity controls the forces of luck Favoured Skills:

and destiny, and is said to be able to grant ◆ Lore
it to those they choose, for good or ill. Gad ◆ Manipulation
usually carries a knife, and those wishing ◆ Medicine
their favour may have to choose something
personal to sacrifice. Gad has no set form, Symbols:
instead appearing as a random mortal.
◆ Unknown
outside their
mystery cult

YA M

This sea deity dwells in the deepest ocean Favoured Skills:

abysses, and revels in the wild, untamed ◆ Brawl
power of sea and storm. Cast out by the ◆ Survival
other gods of his pantheon due to his ◆ Vigour
belligerent temper, he is still widely
worshipped by Phoenikians, who pray for his Symbols:
mercy more than his blessing. Yam is almost
◆ Serpent
certainly related to the Babylonian deity,
Tiamat, and he too manifests as a giant
sea-serpent.

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CHAPTER 14

SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE

 BOOK OF EMPIRES

The vast military of the Persian empire is known and feared

throughout the world. Composed of disparate forces drawn from
thousands of tribes and cities across a huge area spanning from
Europe to India, it seems impossible to resist such a force.

However, these warriors are only raised into armies at need, and most
are completely inexperienced at large-scale warfare. Permanent
military units are far fewer in number, meaning that Persian military
forces have highly variable training, specialisations and ability to
coordinate. The civil service takes enormous pains to try and field a
suitable mixture of warriors for each campaign in order to provide field
commanders with a flexible force. While on campaign, commanders will
often rearrange the tribal forces as they learn the strengths and
weaknesses of each unit.

As with many things in Persia, the Imperial court relies on spending

coin to make up for any shortfalls, whether that is supplies or qualified
mercenaries. Hellenes are particularly well regarded as tacticians and
mercenaries, and there are a great number of them serving in the
Persian forces. The permanent military units of the empire are mainly
drawn from the Persians themselves, and form the core around which
most armies are constructed. This provides consistent training and
leadership, but they still rely on tribal levies for the majority of the
soldiers.

General Datis: During Act 1, Datis is the foremost Persian general in

the Hellenic theatres of war. Along with Darius’s nephew, Artaphernes,
he replaces Mardonius and successfully crushes the Ionian rebellion,
before beginning the first invasion of Hellas. An expert on Hellenic
tactics and culture, Datis is an excellent commander. (decisive, clever,
perceptive)

General Mardonius: Nephew of Darius, Mardonius is a capable

general but a career politician who dreams of one day becoming
satrap of Hellas. While currently out of favour, he is scheming hard to
be reinstated. Mardonius knows the value of allowing the provinces of
the empire to maintain their dignity, and does his best to remove
corruption or tyranny—purely from a self-serving perspective, so that
he won’t have to deal with later revolts. (wily, ambitious)

King Demaratus: After falling foul of politics in Sparta, Demaratus

made his way to the Persian court, where he was well received. He
continually counsels the Persians that they are underestimating the
Hellenes. He spends a great deal of time tutoring Xerxia in warfare,
and the two are quite close.

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T H E AT H Á N ATO I

Most Hellenes have heard of these fearsome warriors, but understand

little of the so-called “Immortals”. The most renowned military unit in
the Empire, the Immortals serve as Darius’s elite infantry force. Many
credit them with magical powers, and some say they can’t be slain at
all. Their presence on the battlefield signals that the throne is taking a
personal interest in matters. They are frequently used to quell
rebellions, and very seldom lose a battle—whole nations have
surrendered at the mere sight of their banners.

At their core, the Immortals are a warrior cult dedicated to the

Babylonian god Marduk, in his aspect as a Yazata of Ormazhd—and
therefore a powerful champion of order and civilisation. With so many
warriors under their banner, the Empire has little need for more

14 / SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE

fodder; the Immortals serve a different role. Patient and impassive,
they wait while enemy forces are ground down under mass assaults.
Only once a weakness or opportunity is exposed do the Immortals
enter the fray as an unstoppable tide, breaking enemy lines and
taking vital objectives. They fight in eerie, quiet discipline, and display
little emotion in battle. Merciless and fearless, they will not retreat
unless ordered to do so.

The Immortals themselves are actually composed of three groups; the

Companions who form the bulk of the forces, the Anauša who serve as
the elite core of the army and the Followers who support the Immortals
on the campaign trail.

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I M M O R TA L C O M PA N I O N MINION

These are aspiring Anauša, professional soldiers drawn from respected families
across the Empire. Most of their number are Persian, but there are also Medes
and members of other cultures. It matters little; from the moment one joins, all
past loyalties are discarded. Companions are ruthlessly drilled, and expected to
perform flawlessly in combat; cowardice or incompetence are grounds for instant
execution. They are proficient in most weapons, and carry many into battle. Only
those who prove themselves worthy will be offered the chance to join the Anauša.
There is quite a high turnover in Companions, and fresh recruits arrive regularly
to reinforce them.

Tactics: Companions are expected to act as shock troops, vigorously assaulting

enemy forces while the Anauša manoeuvre to deliver a decisive blow. They are
unlikely to retreat unless ordered to do so, but they are only human.

Characteristics Skills Attributes Equipment:

Might: 3 Accuracy: 3 Armour: 6 Scale armour,
Reflexes: 3 Athletics: 1 Shield: 3 helm, greaves,
Cool: 3 Awareness: 2 Parry: 2 2 ammo loads.
Insight: 2 Melee: 3 Endurance: 5
Cunning: 2 Vigour: 2 Standing: 4

Abilities
Helm: Treat characteristics as 1 rather than 0 when Stunned.
Charge: The Companion gains +2 damage on any Melee Harm attack Action if
they make a Move Maneuver immediately before the attack.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Dori Melee 6D 4 5 Pierce

Dori (thrown) Accuracy 6D Medium 5 Pierce
Kopis Melee 6D 2 5 Parry 2, Pommel Strike, Savage
Hoplon Melee 6D 1 3 Shield 3, Stagger
Composite Bow Accuracy 6D Long 5 Insight, Pierce

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I M M O R TA L A N AU Š A CHAMPION

Companions who serve well may be inducted into the inner mysteries of the cult,
their bodies made nigh-immortal through the consumption of sacred food
prepared by the magi. As long as they continue to fight in their master’s name
they will not age and, in time, can recover from almost any illness or injury. There
are only ever one thousand Anauša, as this is the maximum number that the
Empire can support. However, there is a cost for such power; the Anauša can only
eat the sacred food—should they be starved, they steadily become slower and
slower, until eventually they turn into a lifeless stone statue.

Apart from being the tip of the spear in Persia’s army, the Anauša also serve as
a personal guard to the emperor and his favourites.

Tactics: The Anauša fight with eerie silence, making no cries of pain or anger.
They pursue a single tactical goal, focusing on that even if it leaves individual

14 / SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE

members exposed. They will not retreat unless ordered. They do not die unless
physically dismembered.

Characteristics Skills Attributes Equipment:

Might: 5 Accuracy: 3 Armour: 6 Scale armour,
Reflexes: 3 Athletics: 1 Shield: 3 helm, greaves,
Cool: 5 Awareness: 3 Parry: 2 2 ammo loads.
Insight: 3 Lore: 2 Endurance: 6
Cunning: 3 Melee: 4 Standing: 4
Vigour: 3

Abilities
Helm: Treat characteristics as 1 rather than 0 when Stunned.
Regeneration: This character recovers 1 Risk at the end of their turn.
Starved: If this character is starved of divine food, they take -3D to all actions
and lose their Regeneration ability.
Unnerving Silence: Characters who face these eerily silent warriors suffer a -2D
penalty to any action they take unless they make a successful Difficulty 3 Cool
(Vigour) Resistance roll at the start of their turn.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Dori Melee 9D 4 5 Pierce

Dori (thrown) Accuracy 8D Medium 5 Pierce
Kopis Melee 9D 2 5 Parry 2, Pommel Strike, Savage
Hoplon Melee 9D 1 3 Shield 3, Stagger
Recurve Bow Accuracy 8D Long 6 Accurate, Insight, Pierce

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FO L LOW E R S

The Immortals are supported by a particularly large and lavish

baggage train referred to as the Followers. This massive group
contains slaves, entertainers, magi, concubines, weaponsmiths, haulage
animals, supplies and everything needed to create a sumptuous camp.
The heart of this camp is where the magi prepare the sacred food for
the Anauša each night. The Immortals are heavily reliant on resupply
from the Empire for this, and carry no more than a few weeks of
sacred food with them.

MAGI CHAMPION

Persian priests, Magi are responsible both for bringing glory to Ormazhd, and
for the propitiation of any local gods that have been deemed Yazata. An ancient
and cloistered group, they carry many secrets and treasures. Their ceremonies
are usually held around a large, open flame. Magi tend to wear long robes and
cover their faces.

Tactics: Magi aren’t warriors, but they will stand near them and inspire them with
their words. Persian forces will fight with great vigour to protect or avenge a
magi. Magi encourage moral rectitude, and soldiers will act to a higher standard
of honour around them, eschewing trickery or wanton slaughter.

Characteristics Skills Attributes Equipment:

Might: 1 Lore: 3 Armour: 0 Makhaira,
Reflexes: 2 Melee: 1 Shield: 0 rich robes.
Cool: 4 Perform: 3 Parry: 1
Insight: 4 Endurance: 5
Cunning: 3 Standing: 2

Abilities
Voice of Ormazhd: Each round the Magi can make a Cool(Perform) roll as an
action. For each success, they can give +1D to all Persian human forces in Short
range when pursuing virtuous action (by Persian lights.) Persian human forces
acting dishonourably take -1D to all rolls instead.
Sacred: If a Magi is struck down, all Persian human forces in Medium range
reduce their Risk by 2, but must attack whomever killed the Magi for the next
round if able.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R / R DMG. PROPERTIES

Makhaira Melee 4D 1 3 Cunning, Parry 1, Pommel Strike

Makhaira (thrown) Accuracy 1D Short 3 —

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H Y DA R N E S T H E YO U N G E R CHAMPION

A Persian noble of high rank, Hydarnes (proud, loyal, brave) commands the
forces of the Immortals in the field. He is thoroughly devoted to the empire, and
considers the safety of the current ruler to be his personal responsibility.
Hydarnes himself is not one of the Anauša, but he fights alongside them, and is
an excellent warrior in his own right.

Characteristics Skills Attributes Equipment:

Might: 3 Accuracy: 4 Armour: 5 Rich scale
Reflexes: 3 Athletics: 2 Shield: 3 armour, cap,
Cool: 3 Awareness: 1 Parry: 2 greaves,
Insight: 3 Diplomacy: 3 Endurance: 8 2 ammo loads.
Cunning: 2 Melee: 4 Standing: 4
Vigour: 3

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Abilities
Riposte: Whenever the character uses a weapon Parry against an attack Action
and doesn’t gain Risk or take a Wound the attacker gains 2 Risk.
Concentrated Fire: As a Maneuver you may spend an ammo load and nominate
a target. Anyone, including yourself, who attacks the target with a ranged or
thrown weapon gains a +1D bonus to their skill check. This bonus lasts until your
next turn.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Kopis Melee 7D 2 5 Parry 2, Pommel Strike, Savage

Hoplon Melee 7D 1 3 Shield 3, Stagger
Recurve Bow Accuracy 7D Long 6 Accurate, Insight, Pierce

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M I L I TA RY U N I T S

S PA R A B A R A MINION

These are part-time soldiers drawn from full-blooded Persian families across the
empire. While not professional soldiers, they are well trained and courageous.
They wear armour of quilted linen and fight with large rectangular wicker shields
and long spears. Due to their light armour, they tend to fare poorly against
hoplites.

Tactics: Companions are expected to act as shock troops, vigorously assaulting

enemy forces while the Anauša manoeuvre to deliver a decisive blow. They are
unlikely to retreat unless ordered to do so, but they are only human.

Characteristics Skills Attributes Equipment:

Might: 3 Accuracy: 2 Armour: 2 Spolas, cap.
Reflexes: 2 Athletics: 2 Shield: 4
Cool: 3 Awareness: 2 Parry: 0
Insight: 2 Melee: 2 Endurance: 5
Cunning: 2 Vigour: 3 Standing: 2

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Dori Melee 5D 4 5 Pierce

Dori (thrown) Accuracy 5D Medium 5 Pierce
Tower Shield Melee 5D 2 3 Shield 4, Stagger

ARCHERS MINION

These are drawn from the nations within the empire that excel at
archery, and tend to be organised along tribal and national lines. They
typically deploy in rows of nine protected by one line of Sparabara.

AC: Archer, 209 Use the archer stats from the AEGEAN rulebook, but give them
AC: Composite Bow, 85 composite bows.

T H E TA K BA R A MINION

Raised from the central Persian territories, the Takbara perform the
same function as peltasts. Wearing armour of linen and leather, they
typically fight with a crescent-shaped wicker shield and sagaris axe.

AC: Peltast, 217 Use the peltast stats from the AEGEAN rulebook, but replace their
AC: Axe, 81 weapon with an axe.

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T H E K A R DA K E S MINION / CHAMPION

These foreign mercenaries are some of the most potent infantry forces
available to the Persians (aside from the Immortals, of course.)
Largely drawn from Hellenic or Balkan subject territories, they display
a wide variety in equipment and training levels. This is a recent
innovation in Persian strategy, one that will be tested in the campaign
against Hellas. As mercenaries, they work for coin rather than personal
loyalty, glory or patriotism.

Use the hoplitis or hoplitis captain stats from the AEGEAN rulebook, AC: Hoplitis, 214
but reduce their Cool by 1. AC: Hoplitis Captain, 214

C AVA L R Y

The Empire has a vast array of different types of cavalry to call on,

14 / SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE

potentially giving them a huge advantage over the Hellenes if they
can force them to battle in open terrain.

CHARIOT ARCHER MINION

Drawn from wealthy families, these warriors are extremely well-

equipped, and each chariot has a wide variety of weapons on board.

Tactics: Tending to be overconfident glory-hounds, Chariot Archers are

rich kids playing at war, and this has caused more than one Persian
defeat.

Use the archer stats from the AEGEAN rulebook, but give them a AC: Recurve
recurve bow, a Rich chariot and any two other weapons. Both archer Bow, 85
and horses wear scale armour. Scale Armour, 179

H O R S E C AVA L R Y MINION / CHAMPION

Again, only a wealthy family can afford to outfit a warrior in this way,
with both horse and rider wearing scale armour. Typically equipped
with wicker shields and short spears, they may also carry swords or
bows.

Use the amazon or amazon champion stats from the AEGEAN AC: Amazon, 208
rulebook, but replace their composite bow with a recurve bow. Both
rider and horse have scale armour. Scale Armour, 179

CAMEL MINION

A step down from horse cavalry, camels are widely used in the more
arid regions of the Empire. The rider is typically equipped similarly to
horse cavalry, but camels are only lightly armoured if at all.

Use the Draft Horse entry from the AEGEAN rulebook, but reduce AC: Draft Horse, 231
Might to 3, and add +3 Survival in any kind of arid environment.

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E L E P H A N T , WA R MINION

There are only a small number of these creatures in the Western armies of
Persia, brought from conquered territories far in the east. Due to a keen sense of
self-preservation, Elephants are not easy to direct in battle, but can cause
enemies to scatter when they charge.

Tactics: Elephants are used to cause panic in enemy formations. Given their huge
size and frightening appearance, few warriors will stand their ground against
them. A phalanx that holds its nerve can usually defeat an elephant quite
handily with their spears.

Characteristics Skills Attributes

Might: 7 Brawl: 1 Endurance: 8
Reflexes: 2 Awareness: 3 Armour: 4
Cool: 1 Vigour: 3 Dodge: 0
Insight: 2
Cunning: 2

Abilities
Charge: This creature gains +2 damage on any Brawl or Melee Harm attack
Action if it makes a Move Maneuver immediately before the attack.
Stomp: This creature can invoke the Fates to attack all creatures in Melee range
using its Trample attack.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Tusk Brawl 8D 2 7 Pierce

Trample Brawl 8D Melee 5 Stagger

T H E I M P E R I A L N AV Y

A recent innovation, the Akhaemenids are the first empire to deploy a

true professional navy. Naval commanders are drawn from the highest
ranks of the Persian nobility, but most of the sailors are Phoenikians,
Kemet and Hellenes. The main Imperial naval base is in the Satrapy of
Kilikia, and it is from here that the invasion of Hellas and the resupply
of Persian forces is coordinated.

PERSIAN TRIREMES

After learning from earlier Phoenikian ship designs, the Persians have
begun to mass-produce their own triremes, primarily at the shipyards
at Oyat in Libya. There are massive numbers of vessels in service, and
the Imperial Navy has become adept at using them to perform
complex manoeuvres, such as linking them together to form bridges.

A typical Persian Trireme is armed with grappling hooks for boarding,

two mangonels for launching stones or flammable substances and a
bronze ram or blade at the waterline of the prow. Each one can
transport several hundred soldiers, under rather cramped conditions.

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PERSIAN EQUIPMENT

C O M P O S I T E A N D R E C U RV E B OW
With archers drawn from across the Empire the quality of bows available to the
Persian army is superior to those found anywhere else across the Aegean. The
availability of the Composite Bow is Common in Persian territory while the
Recurve Bow has an availability of Uncommon.

SCALE ARMOUR W I C K E R TOW E R S H I E L D

Cost: 5
Availability: Rare (Uncommon in
Persian territory)
Scale armour is common amongst the
Persian nobility, and, while not quite
as tough as a breastplate, it provides
Cost: 1
Availability: Common
The tower shield is a large,
rectangular shield of a similar size to
the dipylon and covering the whole of
the warrior’s body. Commonly made

14 / SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE

better protection than most warriors
can hope for. Made from bronze or
iron scales linked together and sewn
to a leather or cloth backing, scale
armour is supple and protective. Scale
is usually ornately decorated and
Persian nobles keep it brightly
burnished to display their status.
of wicker and sometimes reinforced
with leather for additional support,
they are light and provide good
protection but are somewhat fragile
compared to a hoplon.

NAME AREA ARMOUR PROPERTIES

Scale Armour Body 3 Cumbersome 1

NAME REACH DMG. PROPERTIES

Wicker Tower Shield 2 3 Shield 4, Stagger

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ANDROPHAGI

The empire has many monstrous creatures inhabiting its borders. While
the military takes great pains to hunt them when they venture close to
settled lands, they also capture and train them for use in war. Such
beasts are a double-edged sword, as they are difficult to control and
often turn on Persian forces once unleashed. When carefully managed,
they cause devastating panic and destruction amongst enemy forces.

These Androphagi only eat human flesh, and their feeding is a

gruesome chore that uses convicted criminals and enemy warriors. The
creatures spend most of their time drugged on lotus-petal extract, and
only become fully alert when needed for battle. The Androphagi are
under the command of Zahhak, who disciplines them and keeps them
ready to fight. Once the Androphagi are deployed, the Persians will
keep their distance until the monsters have sated themselves on
human flesh—only then can they be recaptured safely.

JAINI CHAMPION

These powerful beings have only a semi-solid form, and are capable of dissolving
into a mist or cloud of sand particles. Persian priests know chants and charms to
drive these creatures into clay pots, binding them where they can do no harm. In
war, these pots can be launched from mangonels at the enemy, unleashing the
Jaini to wreak havoc amidst the troops.

Tactics: Jaini are extremely strong and delight in warfare and slaughter, and are
hard to harm except during the moment when they are in their solid form. As
such, they simply wade into the densest clump of enemies and start pummelling.

Characteristics Skills Attributes

Might: 6 Brawl: 2 Endurance: 6
Reflexes: 4 Vigour: 3 Armour: 3
Cool: 2 Dodge: 8
Insight: 1
Cunning: 1

Abilities
Sandstorm Form: The only point that a Jaini is vulnerable is the split second
when it materialises to deliver an attack. There is no limit to how often the Jaini
can use its Dodge during a round and it is immune to the Pierce, Savage,
Stagger, and Stun properties. Jaini can pass through small cracks and go
anywhere a grain of sand can without hindrance.
Clobbering: Any creature struck by the Jaini when the Stagger or Stun
properties are activated must make a Might (Vigour) Resistance roll with a
Difficulty of the Jaini’s Might or gain 1 Risk and be knocked back to Short range.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Stone Fists Brawl 8D 3 4 Stagger, Stun

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K A RG A DA N CHAMPION

A beast akin to a rhinoceros, but much larger and possessed of a malevolent

cunning. The rampage of the Kargadan is an act of unstoppable fury that can
shatter stone and grind bones to dust. The beast’s horn is as long and sharp as a
sword blade. Although it has poor eyesight, the Kargadan has a sense of smell so
acute that it more than makes up for it.

Tactics: A kargadan will attack anything that annoys, blocks or startles it, and is
completely fearless in battle. It generally opens by charging as fast as possible
at the biggest target, trying to impale them with its horn. It then tramples and
bites any remaining enemies.

Characteristics Skills Attributes

Might: 7 Athletics: 3 Endurance: 9
Reflexes: 2 Awareness: 2 Armour: 5

14 / SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE

Cool: 1 Brawl: 3 Dodge: 0
Insight: 1 Survival: 2
Cunning: 2 Vigour: 4

Abilities
Charge: This creature gains +2 damage on any Brawl or Melee Harm attack
Action if it makes a Move Maneuver immediately before the attack.
Keen Nose: Gain +2D on all Awareness rolls using smell.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Horn Brawl 10D 3 6 Pierce, Stagger

Stomp Brawl 10D 1 4 Stun

Arcane Lore
The horn of a Kargadan can be used by anyone with the Arcane Lore talent to
create a magical potion which gives +3 Might and -1 Insight for a single scene.
The potion can be prepared as a downtime Action and requires a successful Cool
(Craft) roll to make and an Action to drink. The potion has a single use and is
activated by being consumed.

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MARTIKHORA CHAMPION

These vile creatures have a human face with rows of sharp teeth, the body of a
lion and a stinging tail like a scorpion’s which they use to hurl poisonous spines
at their victims. They are also capable of perfectly imitating any voices and
words that they have heard, although they themselves don’t use language or
understand the meaning.

Tactics: Cruel and despicable, Martikhora enjoy tormenting their foes. They
prefer to soften enemies up with poisoned spines from range, hopefully
paralysing their victims so that they can eat them alive.

Characteristics Skills Attributes

Might: 4 Accuracy: 4 Endurance: 8
Reflexes: 4 Athletics: 3 Armour: 3
Cool: 3 Awareness: 3 Dodge: 3
Insight: 3 Brawl: 3
Cunning: 3 Perform: 3
Survival: 2
Vigour: 2

Abilities
Claws: This creature may make two claw attacks per turn against one or more
opponents at Melee range.
Paralytic Venom: Any character poisoned by the Martikhora’s spines adds their
current Poison level to all Critical Hits they roll.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Poison Spine Accuracy 8D Medium 6 Pierce, Poison 2

Claws Brawl 7D 2 4 Savage

Arcane Lore
The quills of the Martikhora remain poisonous for some time after death. Anyone
with the Arcane Lore talent can spend a turn harvesting the spines and make a
Cool (Craft) roll to create an ammo load of arrows. The ammo load can be spent
to give the attack Poison 3 with the Martikhora’s Paralytic Venom ability.

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SHAHMARAN CHAMPION

This creature has the upper body of a human and the lower body of a giant
serpent. Unlike other monsters, Shahmaran are extremely intelligent and highly
versed in the ways of medicine and alchemy. Several of them are included in the
Followers of the Athanatoi as healers and advisors. While they do consume
human flesh, they are not wanton murderers or gluttons, using table manners
every bit as civilised as the courts of Persia.

Tactics: Shahmaran are the last of their kind, and hence very keen to stay alive.
They will spinelessly assist whoever represents their best chance at survival. They
are fascinated by medicine and will enjoy talking to anybody who has an
interesting case for them.

Characteristics Skills Attributes

14 / SOLDIERS OF THE EMPIRE

Might: 2 Diplomacy: 2 Endurance: 5
Reflexes: 4 Knowledge: 3 Armour: 2
Cool: 4 Medicine: 5 Dodge: 4
Insight: 4
Cunning: 4

Abilities
Alchemists: When encountered, Shahmaran always have a Herbalist’s bag and
sufficient ingredients to produce one dose of any standard potion.
Shed Tail: When attacked, a Shahmaran can shed its tail once per battle and
make one free Disengage Action to ignore any damage taken. The tail continues
to fight as a constricting snake for the remainder of the scene.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R / R DMG. PROPERTIES

Makhaira Melee 4D 1 3 Cunning, Parry 1, Pommel Strike

Makhaira (thrown) Accuracy 2D Short 3 —

Arcane Lore
Shahmaran blood is rich in mystical properties, and can be transfused to allow a
patient to recover fully from all injuries. This process is lethal for the Shahmaran,
and may have strange side-effects for the recipient…

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ZAHHAK LEGEND

This demigod claims to be the daughter of Ahriman himself. Zahhak (cruel,

inhuman) would be beautiful, if her skin was not as pale as that of a corpse and
if venomous serpents did not occasionally burst from her body to lash out at
anything nearby. She is in charge of the Androphagi in the Persian train, as she
is the one being they fear and obey. As long as she serves a purpose for Persia,
the Magi tolerate her presence but keep her under constant surveillance. Zahhak
serves her father by making Persia more tolerant of cruelty and fear as weapons.

Defeating Zahhak is worth 1 Glory, and will bring the heroes to the attention of
both Ormazhd and Ahriman.

Tactics: Zahhak has no interest in fighting personally (that’s what minions are
for), but she has no fear of it either. If forced to battle, she simply walks among
her foes, allowing her serpents to strike out at them. She does enjoy pitting her
“pets” against heroes, though.

Characteristics Skills Attributes

Might: 3 Accuracy: 2 Endurance: 10
Reflexes: 6 Athletics: 1 Armour: 5
Cool: 4 Awareness: 3 Dodge: 4
Insight: 4 Brawl: 5
Cunning: 4 Vigour: 3

Abilities
Serpents: This creature may make three serpent attacks per turn against one or
more opponents at up to Short range. When used in Melee, Zahhak can decide
the Reach of each serpent.
Sunlight Weakness: In direct sunlight, Zahhak suffers a -2D penalty on all rolls.
Venomous Blood: Zahhak is immune to poison of all kinds, as her heart pumps
nothing but venom. Any time she takes a Wound, all creatures in Melee range
must make a Reflexes (Athletics) Reaction roll or gain Poison 1.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R/R DMG. PROPERTIES

Serpents Brawl 8D 1–5 6 Pierce, Poison 1

Serpents (Ranged) Accuracy 5D Short 6 Pierce, Poison 1

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CHAPTER 15

AGORA PHASE
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

As the heroes will also be seeing results of their actions on the overall
political sphere across the Aegean Sea, there are some necessary
changes to the Agora phase of the game.

WA N D E R I N G H E R O E S

If the heroes are openly defying the Empire, they lose access to their
polis as a base of operations. They do not gain the benefits of its
buildings or economy, and cannot enhance it. Unless they have a
patron, or join another polis, then they will suffer -1 Standing for
purchasing goods or services, and will not receive any regular income
except what they work for in Downtime.

PAT R O N A G E

The heroes may choose to bind themselves to a patron during the

conflict. This will allow them to retain their full Standing, and to receive
an income, as well as useful intelligence and political contacts.
However, patrons will expect the heroes to perform missions promoting
their own goals, some of which may be unsavoury.

KUDOS

Act 2, 200 During Act 2, both sides of the conflict will have a chance to prepare,
and the heroes will have a defining effect on this. Both factions have a
Kudos score, which measures the level of cohesion and preparation
Act 3, 210 they have achieved prior to Act 3. Both Hellenic and Persian Kudos
begins at zero, and can go as high as +10 or as low as -10. The heroes
will be trying to increase their own nation’s Kudos and decrease their
opponents’ Kudos.

Not all missions offer the same scope for harming the opponents or
directly helping your nation.

After each mission that the players attempt in Act 2, the GM should
decide on the effects of the heroes’ actions (or inactions) on the two
nations and adjust their respective Kudos scores using the most
appropriate choice from the five options below.

Calamity! -2 Kudos: The nation has suffered a terrible loss that has
deeply and materially affected their ability to prosecute a war. The
prospects of victory have become much more distant, and defeat has
become much more likely.

Loss of a major polis, destruction of an army, death of a national hero,

open rebellion or internal warfare, angering many of their own gods

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Setback, -1 Kudos: The nation has suffered a serious blow which has
temporarily put it in disarray. Both nations are strong enough to
absorb many such setbacks, but not forever.

Loss of a minor polis, military defeat, death of an important leader,

supply chain problems, banditry or corruption, angering one of their own
gods.

Status Quo, +0 Kudos: The heroes have achieved nothing except the
maintenance of the existing state of affairs. In some cases, against
overwhelming odds, this can still be a respectable achievement in and
of itself.

The heroes failed to materially improve their nation’s situation.

Praxis! +1 Kudos: The heroes’ actions have resulted in strategic gains

for their nation, increasing its prestige and unity. Slow, steady progress
has been made towards victory!

15 / AGORA PHASE
Gain a minor polis, military victory, heroic deeds, capture of spoils,
diplomatic gains, achieving a task for a god, etc.

Nike! +2 Kudos: The heroes actions have changed the course of the
entire war, bringing final victory measurably closer. Their nation has
achieved a great increase in power and prestige.

Gaining a major polis or alliance, achieving a victory over a much

greater force, glorious events (such as the Olympic games), bringing
great glory to the gods.

T H E T H R E E PAT H S

Open Defiance: The heroes’ main goal should be to increase Hellenic

Kudos and decrease Persian Kudos. The heroes have no control over
their polis.

Secret Defiance: The heroes’ goal should be to increase Hellenic

Kudos and decrease Persian Kudos. The heroes have control over their
polis for as long as the Medism level stays above -5.

Open Obedience: The heroes’ goal will be to increase Persian Kudos

and decrease Hellenic Kudos. The heroes have control over their polis.

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E N E M Y AC T I O N S

At the end of each Agora phase, roll 1D100 to see what action your
opponents’ nation has taken, and how it has affected the Kudos. It’s
worth noting that on average this chart only results in a +1 overall
change in Kudos, but it is possible for a series of lucky or unlucky rolls
to cause major upset. You may prefer to say that none of these results
can be rolled twice, or to simply pick a result. Try to tailor the general
outcome to include people and places that your heroes have interacted
with. If the roll says that a hero has risen from the enemy ranks, make
it the valiant enemy soldier that they duelled in the last mission. If a
coastal polis has been burnt down, make it the one that welcomed
them with open arms. The game works better when the players care
about the stakes.

Until the start of Act 3, Kudos is just a rough guide to how

their nation is faring. At the start of Act 3, the GM will figure
out exactly what results the Kudos has brought about.
 T H E G R E A T WA R

ROLL ACTION KUDOS DESCRIPTION

-1
Botched Your opponents have badly misjudged an operation,
01–05 enemy
Operation throwing away lives and resources for no gain.
nation
Your opponents have committed a vile act that
Disgraceful +1 your
06–10 brings the people of your nation closer together in
Deeds nation
hatred towards the barbarous outlanders.
The gods do not favour this operation, and it
11–20 Ill Omens —
languishes until the omens are better.
Problems with transportation, communications and
Confusion
21–30 — supplies bedevil the operation, meaning it misses its
and Delay
chance to depart.
-1 your The enemy stages a raid on a coastal polis, causing
31–40 Raid
nation damage and destruction.
+1 A new hero has risen from the ranks of the enemy,
A Hero
41–50 enemy inspiring them with bold acts and gaining the favour
Rises
nation of their gods.
The enemy has exploited a grievance between your

15 / AGORA PHASE
Weakness -1 your
51–60 own people and used that to cause discord and
Exposed nation
strife.
+1 The enemy has completed a series of fortifications to
61–70 Fortifications enemy protect their holdings, meaning they can spare more
nation soldiers for the upcoming war.
One of your enemy nation’s greatest military leaders
+2
Victorious has completed a lengthy campaign, crushing enemy
71–75 your
Campaign forces and leaving their armies ready to assist when
enemy
the invasion comes.
-1 your
nation, One of the friendly poleis at the borders of the
76–85 Betrayal! +1 Empire has switched sides in an unexpected act of
enemy betrayal.
nation
Enemy forces siege and burn a polis loyal to your
Scorched -2 your cause before a relief effort can be organised. The
86–90
Earth nation people of your nation wonder fearfully who might be
next…
+1 The enemy has launched an attack which gives them
enemy, a stranglehold over several important supply routes.
91–95 Stranglehold
-2 your This is bleeding your naval forces dry and filling the
nation enemy coffers.
+2 Enemy spies have successfully completed a series of
enemy missions across your nation, gaining blackmail
96–100 Spies nation, material and access to sensitive information. When
-1 your the war begins, your enemies will be well armed with
nation this information.

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MEDISM

If the PCs are in control of their polis, they will certainly notice
changes in fashion, food, culture and religion going on under Persian
control. This is measured in “Medism”, the level of cultural assimilation
that their polis has undergone. Medism is measured on both a positive
and negative scale, with positive being an affinity for Persia, while
negative being a distaste for it.

Medism begins at 0, and can go as high as +10. Every Agora phase

the heroes’ polis remains under Persian control, it will gain +1 Medism
by default. They may undertake actions to try and reduce (or increase)
Medism if they wish.

If the Medism level reaches 5 or more, the people have become

accustomed to Persian culture, and lifestyle, and many prominent
citizens will see themselves as Imperial. If the heroes are based in their
polis, they will gain a reputation for Medism which will cause problems
for them when dealing with free Hellenes. However, Persians will find
this very pleasing—proof that their system works. The satrap will almost
certainly want to invite the heroes to his court and present them with
gifts for their polis.

If the Medism level reaches 10 or more, the people have become fully
assimilated, regarding Persian culture as civilised and Hellenic culture
as boorish. If the heroes are still based in the polis, they will find that
Free Hellenes will regard them as enemies by default. However,
Persians will view them extremely favourably—similarly to the Medes
who they see as near-equals. The heroes will now be publicly fêted by
the satrap, and find themselves eligible for high-ranking positions
within the empire.

Should the Persians lose the war at the end of Act 3, then having a
high Medism score will mean that the heroes’ polis will suffer
retribution and suspicion.

B E WA R E T H E P E R S I A N S , B E A R I N G G I F T S

As the civil service and satraps are always keen to demonstrate the
glory of Persia to their subjects, this means that their polis will
frequently be offered opportunities to play host to examples of foreign
theatre, philosophy, food and so on. These bring advantages, but come
at a cost in terms of the weakening of traditional Hellenic culture in
the city.

Asserting Hellenic culture can reduce Medism, but is likely to upset

Persian dignitaries and reduce their trust in the polis.

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CHAPTER 16

A C T 1 : T H E F I R S T I N VA S I O N
OF HELLAS
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

For many years Athens has been actively encouraging the Ionian
territories of the Akhaemenid Empire to throw off their chains. Darius
(himself a usurper) has had his hands full in stamping out the flames
of rebellion, but now turns his attention to Hellas.

In a brief military campaign, Thrakia and Makedonia are forced fully

into the yoke of the Empire, and ambassadors arrive in every polis and
kingdom of the Hellenes. They demand offerings of earth and water as
signs of obeisance to Darius’s rule. Most comply, but Athens and
Sparta refuse, executing the ambassadors.

Enraged by this insolence, and wishing to punish those who have

defied his rule, Darius orders a full assault. Assembling a mighty fleet
and army, they strike first at the island polis of Naxos, burning the city
and enslaving the inhabitants. His fleet seizes the rest of the Kiklades
and pushes on towards Eretria, which they raze after a short siege.

Things come to a head at Marathon, where the Athenian army, aided

only by the forces of a few loyal settlements, stands ready to repel the
might of Persia. With Spartan reinforcements still days away, the
Athenians are outnumbered two to one. Furthermore, they represent
the entire military strength of Athens—defeat here would leave their
city completely unprotected. The bold Athenians gamble on an attack.

NAXOS BURNS

As dawn breaks, the breeze carries ash and the smell of burning to the
heroes’ polis. The morning sun reveals a single, heavily damaged
trireme approaching the port, the symbol of Naxos visible on its
scorched sails. Being the wealthiest and most powerful polis in the
Kiklades, it is strange to see a vessel of Naxos humbled in this way. As
it draws nearer, it becomes obvious that the ship is crammed with
hundreds of civilians, many of whom seem to be injured or in distress.

No sooner does the ship make port than the refugees disembark and
the weary-looking sailors lift themselves from the oars. It is obvious
that Naxos has sustained some kind of disaster which has compelled
its citizens to flee. A wealthy-looking older woman strides forward and
introduces herself as Councillor Leontia (imperious, sustained by pride)
of the royal court of Naxos, and demands to be taken to the polis’s
Arkhon. She declines to be drawn any further until she is presented to
the Arkhon and the polis’s council, at which point she confirms the
worst: Naxos has been destroyed.

The Persians struck yesterday, arriving with overwhelming force. They

captured or sank almost the entire Naxian fleet, before an army
disembarked onto the island. The city has been sacked and burned, the
remaining inhabitants taken into slavery. It can mean only one
thing—Darius has decided to conquer the entire Kiklades, and Naxos
will stand as an object lesson in resistance.

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Leontia is a proud woman, but she asks to allow her people to join the
heroes’ polis. She then intends to take the remaining ship of Naxos to
Hellas, with the intention of petitioning Athens and the other powerful
city-states for help in driving off the Persians. She does not ask, but it
is obvious that her vessel is in poor condition and would benefit from
repairs and supplies in order to make such a long sea voyage.

The Council are shocked and sympathetic, and offer Leontia quarters
and a chance to rest while they debate the matter. The heroes are
asked to attend and allowed to speak, but do not get a vote unless
they have an official position.

The council starts by deliberating the matter of the refugees.

Taking on so many penniless citizens in a short time will put a strain on

1 6 / T H E F I R S T I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S
the polis’s food and housing. This will require some belt-tightening and
discomfort for most citizens. It will take time and resources for these
newcomers to become productive (although many of them are skilled
professionals, they have no tools or stock to start businesses here.)
There is debate on who should bear the financial burden of this. If the
polis pays, then the treasury will be required to levy an eisphorá tax on
the wealthier citizens. If the costs are passed on to the newcomers,
then they will end up in debt bondage. Alternatively, the trireme that
brought them here would be valuable enough to pay for establishing
the refugees, but that would trap Leontia here and mean she cannot
flee to Athens. The councillors are divided on the issue, and a hero who
makes eloquent speeches can sway their decision on this matter.

EFFECTS
Taking in the refugees gives the polis +1 Population. Taxing the polis
to cover the costs would cost 2 Stater, while forcing the refugees to
suffer the debt gives -1 Morale.

If the polis seizes the trireme, they gain it as a Retainer but Hellenic AC: Trireme, 123
Kudos is reduced by 1.

They then move onto the elephant in the room: Persia.

The empire has already demanded obeisance from every polis in

Hellas, including the heroes’, and there is no doubt now that they
intend to press their claim. If the great fleet of Naxos couldn’t repel
them, then what chance does your tiny polis have? Passions run hot
here, as some council members are vehemently opposed to Hellas
being absorbed into a foreign empire, while others are terrified of
seeing the polis destroyed for vainglory that will achieve nothing. More
moderate voices counsel the Arkhon to bide their time and wait for an
opportunity to win freedom, while a few believe that the empire may
well represent greater wealth and security for the polis. At any rate,
after much debate it is decided that, at least publicly, the polis will
submit to Persian rule without bloodshed. The council then asks the
heroes, as the champions of the polis, to vote together on a decision
and to all abide by the outcome.

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Firstly, if they wish, the heroes may depart for the mainland before the
Persians arrive. They can then wander the courts of Hellas trying to
petition support to free the Kiklades. This will be an onerous task, since
their polis will have to publicly exile them and disavow their efforts.
The heroes will receive no overt support and will be unable to return
home unless they can free the Kiklades. If Leontia has been allowed to
keep her trireme, she can take the heroes onwards to Athens.

Secondly, they can opt to feign loyalty towards Persia while covertly
acting against the empire. This is risky for more than just the heroes—if
they are discovered, then the entire polis will suffer. Such a route will
involve slowly forging networks of sympathisers and committing acts of
sabotage and skulduggery, while at the same time also striving to
improve your standing with the invaders. Free Hellenes will denounce
you as traitors, never knowing what you do in the shadows.

Thirdly, the heroes could choose to support the empire. The Persians
are actually quite beneficent as rulers go, and Hellenes are well
regarded in the empire. With access to foreign ports and the
protection of such a powerful patron, it’s entirely possible that your
polis could rise to replace fallen Naxos as the grandest city of the
Kiklades. The Persian treasuries are said to be limitless, and the war is
sure to require mercenaries and supplies in great quantities, creating
boundless opportunities for adventure and profit.

L E O N T I A D E PA R T S

If her ship has not been confiscated then Councilor Leontia departs for
Athens the following morning. If the heroes are going into exile with
her, then she will offer to serve as their political patron. She intends to
gather coin and intelligence from sympathisers in Athens, and says
that she could use them as agents.

T H E FA L L O F T H E K I K L A D E S

Over the next few days, the Persians begin to arrive at every port in
the Kiklades. News of the fall of Naxos has spread, and few poleis are
foolish enough to fight. Within a few weeks, the islands are entirely in
Persian hands. Depending on how warmly they are received, the
Persian forces seize ships to add to their navy and hostages to ensure
compliance. They make public proclamations that as long as the public
peace is upheld and taxes paid, the Persian empire guarantees
religious freedom and a high degree of autonomy. They also make a
massive offering to the Olympian gods at Delos, which sways many
members of the priesthood.

If the heroes are in Athens with Leontia, she will quickly become
embroiled in the local political situation. Her position and eloquence
mean that she gains a great deal of sympathy, and many leading
politicians are keen to be seen with her or to use her for their own
political ends. Aristides treats her well because of her noble blood.
Miltiades wants her to grant him the rulership of Naxian colony of

1 94
 T H E G R E A T WA R

Pharos, which he believes is his due, and is willing to back sending an

Athenian fleet to help. Themistoklea is making hay with the power of
the Persian navy, and trying to gain support for expanding the
Athenian navy. None of them are exactly helping her out of the
goodness of their hearts, but she’s deft enough to keep them all happy
for the moment. While the state may not be acting, many individuals
are taking matters into their own hands. Gossip about the Persian
forces’ advance spreads like wildfire through Athens.

T H E I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S

Under the leadership of Admiral Datis and General Artaphernes,

Persian forces begin to take town after town without a fight. The first

1 6 / T H E F I R S T I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S
polis to resist is Karystos, which is besieged with overwhelming force
and quickly capitulates after its farmlands are ravaged.

If the heroes have accepted Persian rule, they will find themselves
levied to fight in these battles in order to prove their loyalty.

THE SIEGE OF ERETRIA

This Athenian colony was heavily involved in the Ionian revolts and the
Persians are determined to humble them completely. Being situated on
an island peninsula and seen as a symbol of resistance to the empire,
it’s obvious that Eretria will be one of their major targets.
Consequently, many heroes of Athens travel to Eretria to help defend
it when the inevitable attack comes.

DEFENDING ERETRIA

Councillor Leontia and many Athenians will look favourably on the

heroes if they assist in the defence. However, the undercurrent is clear:
Eretria is too isolated to defend in the long term. Any attempts to do
so are intended to dissuade the Persians and unite the Hellenes. Even
a temporary victory at Eretria may force the Persians to reconsider the
cost of the invasion and allow time for the Hellenes to prepare.

The defences of the city are strong, but they are unprepared for a
siege of such magnitude and lacking in military leadership. Arkhon
Kallon bickers with his generals, and the city’s council is in disarray. If
the heroes are sufficiently capable and demonstrate good leadership,
they may even find themselves in charge of the defence of the city
(neutral outsiders being more acceptable than political rivals.) An
experienced military commander can tell that the city cannot win this
fight, but it is possible to exact an extremely heavy toll on the enemy.
The city has strong walls and a well-trained militia, but most of the
settlement lies outside the walls, and there simply isn’t sufficient food,
shelter or water within the walls for all the citizens. Hard choices may
help the city’s chances in a siege, but it would be a grim matter to
consign the old and the weak to the enemy’s hands.

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AT TAC K I N G E R E T R I A

The Persian navy appears in sufficient numbers to force the Eretrian

forces back to their harbour, and then lands an enormous number of
soldiers. General Datis spends several days surrounding the city,
setting up earthworks and building siege engines while the citizens
cower inside the wall. During this time, there will be fierce house-to-
house fighting in the outer city, as partisan forces seek to hinder the
attackers—inevitably many civilians will end up dead and much of the
outer city reduced to ash.

For his part, Datis makes only one offer—surrender and accept
enslavement as punishment for their crimes. If they do not, then any
who lift a hand against the Persians will be put to death. Irrespective
of their answer, the city is to be burned afterwards, although Datis will
vouchsafe the artefacts of the temple of Apollo being transported to
Delos with full honours.

Attacks begin with ballistae and mangonels, followed by showers of

arrows, siege towers, ladders and attempts to tunnel under the walls to
destroy their supports from beneath. Should the defenders manage to
hold out for a week or more, then Datis will eventually order the
release of a ferocious Kargadan to smash the gates (or even the walls)
open. Once this happens the city falls and the sack of Eretria begins.

The only hope any defenders have of survival is to sneak through the
enemy lines and escape into the Euboean countryside, evading patrols.

If the heroes want to be particularly effective, they could help

evacuate the treasures of the temple of Apollo, but that would involve
getting a wagon of valuables and priests through the enemy lines—an
order of magnitude harder.

A F T E R M AT H

Datis is true to his word; captured Hellenic soldiers are mutilated and
executed, and the civilian population is carried off in shackles to the
Persian heartlands.

Letting the Kargadan loose is no small matter—it kills indiscriminately

and remains a threat. The Persians will need somebody (new slaves or
new subjects) to recapture the beast by feeding it lotus extract.

The treasures of the temple of Apollo were evacuated on a cart as the

city fell. Recovering them for the priests at Delos or Athens will garner
enormous goodwill. But tracking and recovering a wagon filled with
gold through war-torn countryside will be hard work—especially as the
other side are after it too.

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T H E BAT T L E O F M A R AT H O N

The Persians land on the Attic peninsula, and begin organising to

march on Athens itself. Although the Athenians send out messengers
asking for aid, Sparta is busy with religious ceremonies, and won’t be
able to reinforce them for many days. Only loyal Platea sends a
military force to help the Athenians, although handfuls of volunteers
and heroes appear from many other nations.

In a risky gamble, Athens sends its entire army to confront the

invaders on the plains of Marathon. This is a strategic consideration,
as Athens can control the exits to the plains, and the marshy ground
will mean that the Persians can’t use their cavalry. But it leaves the

1 6 / T H E F I R S T I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S
Athenians and their allies to face the most powerful army in the world.

For days the two armies confront each other on the plains, the Persians
vastly outnumbering the Hellenes. Datis sends delegations demanding
surrender, which are rebuffed. For a time, both sides are content to
wait; the Persians are buying time for their other forces to attack
Athens while their defenders are elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Athenians
are hoping to delay long enough for the Spartans to join them.

AT H E N I A N P O L I T I C K I N G

Amongst the strategoi, Miltiades has the most experience when it

comes to Persians, and he counsels attack. The other strategoi prefer
to bide their time, waiting for Spartan reinforcements. Helping to rally
the other officers to (or against) Miltiades can result in useful political
capital. If the battle is delayed too long then when the Spartans arrive,
a second force of Persians may already have attacked Athens, forcing
the Hellenes to retreat or allow their city to burn. But if they attack
and lose, then the strength of Athens may be crushed for a generation.

SCOUTING AND SKULDUGGERY

Each night both sides send out pickets and scouts to assess enemy
positions and harass their flanks. Solid information on the composition
and disposition of enemy forces could prove vital in the coming battle.
Furthermore, for a truly daring hero, there’s the opportunity to sneak
in and attempt to kill some of their commanders—such as the reviled
Hippias, former tyrant of Athens who is now advising the Persians, or
the traitor Miltiades who turned against Persia to help Athens.

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RELIGIOUS OFFERINGS

There’s a local grove dedicated to Athena in the hills nearby. Desiring

every possible advantage, the heroes are given a large amount of coin
and asked to round up a dozen cattle to be sacrificed at the shrine
there. Local farmers have little use for coins (relying mainly on barter),
and depend on their meagre herds for sustenance—parting them from
their animals amicably will take a persuasive tongue. The other side
also covets the good graces of the goddess, and has sent a
detachment of soldiers to seize the grove for their own rituals.

T H E BAT T L E B E G I N S

By the fifth day (unless the heroes have politicked hard against him)
Miltiades has gathered sufficient support, and the Athenians attack
the Persians. As the Persian army is larger, the Hellenes have to
spread out so as not to be enveloped. This leaves the central line,
facing the professional Persian soldiers, a little thin. The Persians have
placed their levies and tribal forces on the wings, and are relying on a
huge number of archers. The only route to Hellenic victory is to close
the gap as quickly as possible. The heroes should choose where they
wish to be stationed for the battle—the centre is definitely the more
dangerous area.

The Hellenes begin their charge from just outside of arrow range,
moving quickly so as not to be an easy target for the Persian archers.
Thankfully, the Hellenic hoplites’ armour and shield turns out to be
extremely good protection against the arrows, and the Hellenes reform
before striking the enemy lines. All charging heroes should make an
Athletics roll or suffer an arrow attack.

FIGHTING ON THE WINGS

The Persians have mainly tribal levies of archers protected by thin
lines of sparabara, but their units are highly varied. In general, they
are neither as disciplined nor as well-equipped as professional soldiers,
and once they start to take casualties they will scatter. At the point
that the wings begin to collapse, the iturn their forces to the centre
rather than pursue, so as to surround the Persian soldiers. This will be a
hard fight for either side, but harder for those on the Persian side.

FIGHTING IN THE CENTRE

The centre is a brutal battle. Here the Persians have many sparabara
and Takbara, as well as several companies of the Immortals. This is
also where the Hellenic line is thinnest, and only the heavy armour and
long spears of the hoplites can stand against it. Even so, it is a bloody
slog, fighting on until the wings are defeated. This is initially a hard
fight for both sides, with advantage swinging first to the Persians and
then the Hellenes.

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THE ROUT
Once the Persians realise they are surrounded, they break and run for
their ships. At this point, it becomes a test of stamina for the Hellenes
to chase down fleeing opponents, while Persians attempt to board their
ships and cast off before being slaughtered.

FORCED MARCH
As if that weren’t bad enough, the weary Athenians now have to make
a forced-march back to Athens, to stop the Persians simply landing
their fleet. It is a gruelling few days, but the Persians are unable to
make a landing and withdraw, abandoning a direct invasion of Hellas
for the moment.

1 6 / T H E F I R S T I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S
A F T E R M AT H

For the Hellenes this has been a momentous victory. The forces of just
one polis have defeated the seemingly invincible Persian empire.
Hellenic pride and perhaps even national spirit begins to kindle. Many
of the poleis who swore fealty to Darius begin to reconsider.

Any hero who fought on the Hellenic side of this battle gains +1 Glory
on top of any regular awards.

For the Persians the campaign has still been successful. Thrakia and
the Kiklades have been conquered, and Makedonia has been brought
much more closely into the imperial fold. Although general Datis falls
out of favour, Darius immediately begins planning a new campaign to
finish the conquest once and for all.

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CHAPTER 17

ACT 2: THE CALM BEFORE

THE STORM
 T H E G R E A T WA R

The Akhaemenid empire is once more plagued by internal revolts,

gaining Hellas a reprieve as their attention shifts elsewhere. For the
moment, the heroes’ polis remains under Persian rule in name at least,
although the Satrap seldom pays much attention to them. Many of the
islands are hostile to the invaders, but few dare to openly attack them.
A half-hearted attempt is made by the Athenian fleet to reconquer the
Kiklades, but this is mismanaged and ends poorly.

P O L I T I C A L I N S TA B I L I T Y

Athens experiences political instability after an abortive campaign to

conquer the Kiklades island of Paros, which has sided strongly with the
Persians. With the death of Miltiades the Younger, the politicians
Themistoklea and Aristides vehemently disagree about the best way to
direct the city’s resources. Eventually, the noble Aristides is Ostracised

17 / THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

(exiled for a period of 10 years), giving the populist Themistoklea a
free hand to dramatically increase the city’s naval power. This becomes
increasingly important as Athens begins a long, inconclusive naval war
with Aegina, requiring a much more powerful navy.

In the meantime, trade with the Empire provides many benefits; wealth,
foreign cultures and exotic foods reach Hellenic ports. Hellenic
mercenaries are in high demand, and there are plenty of chances for
the heroes to gain titles and wealth by venturing forth.

TRADE ROUTE
The heroes’ polis gains a new Trade Route to one of the Persian-
controlled poleis on the Aegean. This gives the polis +1 Trade and
makes all weapons and armour in the Persian Equipment section
available to the polis.

In fact, the heroes can simply continue with life as before if they want
to. There’s nothing stopping their polis from growing under Persian
rule, nor stopping them adventuring across all of Hellas and Persia. As
long as they don’t draw the eye of the Satrap by being too outspoken
in defiance of the Persians, they are largely left to their own devices.

Over time, their polis may begin to experience a cultural shift, however,
as new merchants and settlers move in to take advantage of the
island’s position, bringing their religions and traditions with them. The
Empire may well want to spend money on public works glorifying their
Emperors, or strengthening their military. How will the people of the
polis react to this? And more importantly, how will the Gods react?

T H E D E AT H O F DA R I U S

Darius’s preparations to conquer Hellas are interrupted by a revolt in

Kemet, and he dies shortly afterwards. His daughter, Xerxia, takes the
throne and successfully crushes the rebellion. She too wants to fulfil her
father’s ambitions in Hellas, but this time she is determined that the
attack will be so overwhelming that no Hellene will dare resist.

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Preparations for this invasion are vast, involving the stockpiling of

massive amounts of resources and several enormous construction
projects. It will take years before Persian forces are ready to attack
Hellas once more.

S AT R A PY

The Kiklades are added to the Satrapy of Lydia, under the command
of Artaphernes. Although the satrap himself seldom leaves his capital
of Sardis, he does occasionally inspect his Kikladian holdings. In the
meantime, the ever-efficient Persian civil service begins to arrive in
ever greater numbers across the Kiklades, making all kinds of
assessments and recommendations.

B E T R AYA L

Demaratus, the once-king of Sparta, finds his way to the court of

Xerxia, and becomes a close advisor to the Empress.

A DV E N T U R E S

Historically it took ten years for the Persians to return to Hellas, but
unless you have an extremely dedicated group of gamers, it’s unlikely
you will want to play that many sessions. Instead, we suggest that the
group undertake ten adventures (each of which may well stretch over
multiple sessions) during Act 2 to represent the passage of an amount
of time that suits the GM.

Each of the ten “years” has an adventure that’s available, however the
GM may wish to nominate one or more other opportunities that are
also available, and make the players decide between those which are
the most important for their nation and those that will gain them the
most personal power and glory. Alternatively, they may wish to add
more personal side-quests to these missions, making them even more
complicated.

If the heroes have a patron (such as Councillor Leontia), then this is a

great way to get them the information they need for the missions. The
missions as presented are very “bare bones”, with only the basic setup
and essential beats of what the players are trying to achieve. It’s up to
the GM to fit them around how the group has decided to play the
setting. These missions have outcomes which can affect the balance of
power in the Aegean, and effectively give the heroes the opportunity
to influence the odds.

Agora Phase, 185 As per normal, after each adventure the heroes take an Agora Phase,
however there are some new mechanics, and others may be absent
depending on what path they chose to play.

The ten listed adventures are numbered, but don’t have to be run in
any particular order. They can be rolled randomly on a d10, or just run
in any order the GM sees fit.

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1. REBEL PURGE

Persian agents are stalking the remaining rebels still hiding in the ruins
of Miletus. These rebels are likely to know the names and locations of
other survivors across the Ionian peninsula. The Satrap wants these
men and women, and has offered a bounty for them—dead or alive.

HELLAS: HELPING THE REBELS

◆ Make contact with rebel agents Success: +1 Status Miletus
◆ Keeping the rebels safe from
Failure: -1 Status Miletus
Persian agents
+2 Medism
◆ Get them out of the city to safety

PERSIA: HELPING THE EMPIRE

17 / THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

◆ Help the Persian agents hunting Success: +1 Status Satrap
for the rebels +2 Stater
◆ Capture the rebel leaders
Failure: -1 Status Satrap
◆ Interrogate captives to find the
names and locations of other -2 Medism
resistance members

2. HEIST OF THE CENTURY

The Imperial Mint at Sardis is back up to full production, and is about

to release a huge shipment of gold and silver coins to be used to raise
armies for the empire. The Hellenes have gotten wind of this, but to
successfully strike at such a target would take foolhardy courage and
precise timing. Rumours reach the heroes that the children of Herakles
have decided to attack the shipment as the first step in establishing
their own poleis.

HELLAS: HELPING THE HERAKLIDES

◆ Gather intelligence on the Success: +1 Glory
transport route, times and guards +3 Stater
for the shipment
Failure: +1 Hubris for all heroes
◆ Cause a distraction or create
another advantage to allow the
shipment to be ambushed
◆ Ensure an escape route and evade
capture

PERSIA: HELPING THE EMPIRE

◆ Infiltrate the Heraklides and report Success: +1 Glory
on their plans +1 Stater
◆ Lead them into an ambush
Failure: -1 Stater through lost trade
◆ Help defeat them

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3. THE EYE OF RA

The gods of Kemet have no love for the Persian occupiers, but their
current Satrap, Aryandes, is a particularly corrupt and unpleasant
individual who squeezes every last coin from the people (coin that
should be going to the temples!) Ra has become so distracted by his
annoyance that Apophis managed to bite him and has left a festering
wound. Since then, the sun has been rising late in Kemet recently, and
many of his priests seem to have lost their minds.

The people have no idea what has caused this calamity, but they
tremble in fear and a famine may be imminent. The goddess Hathor
has stated that only heroes willing to “cleanse the wound” will cure Ra
and restore Kemet, but her words are cryptic and so far all comers
have been refused. Aryandes himself has been embezzling imperial
funds and minting coins in his own image, both of which are
treasonous offences—if they can be proven to a high-ranking Persian
official, he’ll be executed.

HELPING KEMET
◆ Travel to the shrine of Hathor in
Memphis and make a suitably
flattering offering to the goddess
◆ Enter the underworld and protect
the sickly Ra from Apophet for a
whole night
◆ Bring the scheming Aryandes to
justice (either Persian or natural)

HELLAS
Success: +1 Status Kemet Failure: -1 Status Kemet
+1 Glory +1 Hubris for all heroes

PERSIA
Success: +1 Status Kemet Failure: -1 Status Kemet
+1 Glory +1 Hubris for all heroes

4. A THOUSAND SHIPS

The great shipyards of Oyat are churning out vessels for the imperial
navy. Being quite close to Hellas, this makes it a tempting target, but
the naval forces in the area are too strong for anything but a fully
committed armada to tackle. Some of the more wily Hellenes have
pointed out that shipyards, being full of timber and pitch, are naturally
flammable places. Bitterly outraged by the Persian treatment of their
ally-state, Miletus, the oligarchs of Megara have sponsored a team of
spies to enter Oyat and burn as much of it as possible. While
ordinarily Hellenes would stand out in a Phoenikian polis, there are
many Hellenes living in the area and working in the dockyards. Aware
of the problem, the council of Oyat has decreed a curfew in the docks
and the Persians have doubled their foot patrols.

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H E L L A S : B U R N O YA T
◆ Work on the docks and observe Success: +1 Status Megara
patrol routes, warehouses with -1 Status Libya
flammable materials and potential
Failure: -1 Status Megara
escape routes
◆ Arson! Burn as much as you can
without being caught
◆ Escape the polis and its guards
while the fire spreads

P E R S I A : S AV E O YA T
◆ Work on the docks and use it to Success: +1 Status Libya
observe the Hellenes working there -1 Status Megara
◆ Uncover any spies and what their
Failure:

17 / THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

-1 Status Libya
plans might be
◆ Stop and catch the spies before
they cause any damage

5 . T H E B E S WAV E R S

Increasingly worried about losing power over the Beotian League,

Thebes has secretly opened negotiations with the Persians to enter
formally into the empire. Persian ambassadors are en-route to the city
to finalise the details. General Epaminondas has decided that he
cannot let this stand, and has sought out some Hellenes to quietly
assassinate the ambassadors before they reach Thebes.

HELLAS: KILL THE AMBASSADORS

◆ Find and kill the ambassadors and Success: +1 Status Thebes
their guards +1 Stater
◆ Another ambassador was travelling
Failure: -1 Status Thebes
in disguise! Assassinate this one
inside the palace with guards
everywhere
◆ Caught! The PCs are dragged
before the aged Oedipus and his
daughter, Antigone. Sway the court
or escape

PERSIA: PROTECT THE AMBASSADORS

◆ Escort them across Hellas in secret, Success: +1 Status Thebes
protecting them from assassins
Failure: -1 Status Thebes
◆ Keep them safe in Thebes while
negotiations continue
◆ Escort them back across Hellas to
Persian territory, along with the
sealed documents

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6 . AT TAC K O N PA R O S

Ever a risk-taker, Miltiades the Younger convinces the assembly of

Athens to gamble on a naval attack on the occupied Kikladhian island
of Paros. His political rivals have ensured that he only has the bare
minimum of resources to achieve the job, and Paros is well-protected.
As this island was a client polis of Naxos, Councillor Leontia will be
extremely enthusiastic in her support for this mission if she’s present.
Similarly, the Persians will be very grateful to any local forces willing to
help defend the island, as their fleet is currently busy elsewhere.

This mission is a lengthy raid by a large naval force on a well-fortified

town and the surrounding island. The Athenians aren’t really equipped
for a siege, and are happy to be paid off. Hampered by the walls, they
spend their time looting and burning in the countryside. Miltiades
wants the defenders to either surrender or to pay them off with 100
talents in tribute.

H E L L A S : AT TAC K I N G PA R O S
◆ Seize the town outside the walls Success: +1 Status Athens
◆ Rescue Miltiades after he’s injured +1D10 drakhmae per hero
◆ Find some way to breach the walls,
Failure: -1 Status Athens
force surrender or get the tribute

P E R S I A : D E F E N D I N G PA R O S
◆ Help evacuate the citizens inside Success: +1D10 drakhmae for each hero
the walls +1 Status with Paros
◆ Organise and rally the defenders
Failure: -1 Status with Satrap
◆ Find a way to repel the sieging
forces as food runs short and the
island burns

7. PLUCKING THE ROSE

Queen Artemisia has led her fleet from Karia to harass Rhodos,
sinking its trade vessels and raiding its ports. Unable to defeat this
wolf-pack, Rhodos has offered a reward for anyone able to rid them of
this “pirate queen”. A disgruntled vassal (King Damasithymus of
Kalymnos, although that isn’t widely known) sells the location of the
secret island harbour where Artemisia’s five triremes are currently
anchored, to Rhodos, who ask Athens for aid.

Athens will only send a decisive number of vessels if Aegina either

matches them or swears to forego hostilities. Information about the
negotiation leaks and Persian loyalists have a narrow window to
reinforce Artemisia’s fleet before it is destroyed.

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HELLAS: HELPING RHODOS

◆ Convince Aegina to help (or at Success: +1 Status Rhodos
least not to attack Athens)
Failure: -1 Status Rhodos
◆ Rally Hellenic warriors and ships
◆ Battle Artemisia’s elite naval forces

PERSIA: HELPING KARIA

◆ Convince Halikarnassos or one of Success: +1 Status Halikarnassos
its vassal poleis to send aid
Failure: -1 Status Halikarnassos
◆ Rally Persian warriors and ships for
a rescue fleet
◆ Battle the vengeful Hellenic naval
forces besieging Artemisia’s island

17 / THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

8. ORDER TO GO

Gelon of Syrakuse has discovered that the Immortals only eat a special
food which grants them immortality and the ability to recover from
almost any injury. Persia produces very little of this food, and it is sent
to the Immortals in regular shipments. Gelon has discovered there are
three separate shipments en route to Ionia, and has hired mercenaries
to attack the three shipments and bring the sacred food to him. He
reasons that enough to feed a thousand for a month will be enough to
keep him alive for almost a century! He won’t need to ever worry about
old age or giving up his throne. Of course, anyone eating the food
can’t eat anything else ever again, so there are some downsides…

HELLAS: RAID THE SHIPMENTS

◆ Attack the shipment travelling on Success: +1 Status Tarsos
the Royal Road +2 Stater
◆ Attack the shipment being
Failure: -1 Status Tarsos
transported by ship to Karia
◆ Attack the shipment currently
being stored in Tarsos

P E R S I A : R E C OV E R T H E S H I P M E N T S
◆ Find out where Gelon has stored Success: -1 Status Tarsos
the sacred food +1 Status Immortals
◆ Steal the sacred food from under
Failure: +1 Hubris
the noses of his guards
◆ Return it to the Immortals in Ionia

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9 . A R G O S WAV E R S

Having been treated extremely cruelly by Sparta, the polis of Argos

has scheduled a large public debate on formally joining the Persian
empire. While the council has final say, they will be closely judging the
public reaction to the debate. Arkhon Telessila has publicly stated that
she will remain neutral on the subject, and serve her city no matter
what they decide. As the heroes’ polis has fallen under Persian control,
they are invited to speak at the council and offer their opinions. The
council will be particularly interested in the pros and cons they have
encountered, but the heroes will also have to sway the masses if they
want to force the issue.

Meantime the Spartans have resolved that this will not stand, and are
marching a small army towards Argos once more. If the Argians decide
to join the empire, Sparta intends to burn the polis to the ground as a
lesson in the costs of medism.

S W AY I N G A R G O S
◆ Navigate backroom deals as local ◆ Deal with the Spartans; the
political figures try and sway the Spartans will require either careful
heroes with offers of wealth or handling if the vote went against
friendship Persia, or to be actively resisted if
◆ Public testimony and debate---the it went against Hellas.
heroes are questioned by the
council of Argos and then allowed
a chance to make a public
presentation

HELLAS
Success: +1 Status Argos Failure: -1 Status Argos
+1 Status Sparta -1 Status Sparta

PERSIA
Success: +1 Status Argos Failure: -1 Status Argos
+1 Status Satrap -1 Status Satrap

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1 0 . PA R T Y C R A S H E R S

The great temple of Athena in Troy is hosting a lavish festival to ask

for the goddess’s blessing for a contingent of Persian forces who are
about to cross the Hellespont. Gifts are being brought into the temple
and stacked high before the altar. Always respectful of “Wise Yazata”,
the Persian nobles will be ritually bathed and spend time making
offerings and prayers to the goddess. Seeing a way to kill two birds
with one stone, Ares has commanded his followers to “Bathe the temple
floors in the blood of these foreigners”. Although she has no love for
Persia, Athena will not stand by and see her temple desecrated nor
respectful visitors murdered.

Should Ares’ followers attempt this, the two gods will clash directly

17 / THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

above Troy, filling the sky with the thunder and fury of combat. This
will be more than the weakened walls can survive, and large chunks of
stonework will rain down on the city.

H E L L A S : I N F I LT R AT I N G T H E T E M P L E
◆ Find a way into the temple without Success: +1 Status Troy
being spotted Disfavour Ares
◆ Protect the priests and foreign
Failure: -1 Status Troy
dignitaries from the berserk cultists
◆ Flee the collapsing temple Disfavour Athena

If the heroes choose to murder the enemy dignitaries in the temple they gain +2
Hubris as well as the Favour of Ares.

P E R S I A : P ROT E C T T H E D I G N I TA R I E S
◆ Convince the priests or dignitaries Success: +1 Status Troy
to invite you to the ceremonies (or Disfavour Ares
find another way inside)
Failure: -1 Status Troy
◆ Defeat the berserk cultists
◆ Help evacuate the temple as the Disfavour Athena
battling gods collapse the walls

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CHAPTER 18

ACT 3: THE SECOND

I N VA S I O N O F H E L L A S
 T H E G R E A T WA R

At this point, the GM should consult the charts below to see what the
mood and preparedness for war is like in both nations. It’s possible
(although unlikely) for the war to be averted altogether, either
because the Persians aren’t able to invade, or because Hellas simply
surrenders. Most campaigns will likely fall between these two extremes.

It’s probably worth noting that the majority of outcomes still leave the
Persians with a vastly larger force. However, the Hellenes enjoy better
quality soldiers and tacticians, and have the advantage of fighting on
their home turf. Hellenic admirals and generals strive to deny the
enemy the advantage of their greater numbers by seeking battle in
constrained situations where the superior armour and training of the
hoplites can defeat large numbers of Persian soldiers.

C A LC U L AT E F I N A L K U D O S

1 8 / T H E S E C O N D I N VA S I O N
After years of preparation the die is cast, and the invasion begins. It’s
time for both sides to check their final Kudos standing.

A low Kudos score for the Persians indicates forces being diverted to
deal with rebellions, supply-line issues and divided leadership. A high
score indicates high morale, strong supply lines and harmonious
leadership.

For the Hellenes, their Kudos score indicates how many of the major
poleis have firmly committed to the alliance against Persia, and the
general level of trust and coordination between members. A low
number leaves Athens and Sparta as the only major poleis in an
alliance riven by distrust. A high number indicates that many of the
major poleis have joined, and that grievances have been set aside to
make common cause against the invaders. Historically, only about a
tenth of the Hellenic poleis formally joined the alliance.

KUDOS MODIFIER

Find the difference between the Kudos of your nation and that of your
opponent. This number (which might be negative if things have gone
badly for the heroes) is referred to as your Kudos Modifier, and is used
as the starting Nike score for all battles throughout Chapter 3. The Nike, 217
number of battles the heroes choose to participate in is up to them,
but at a minimum they should be present at Platea, since this is the
final battle that decides the outcome of the war. No matter what the
difference in Kudos, the Persians still greatly outnumber the Hellenes.

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T RO O P S D E P L OY E D

The final stages of the campaign involved several battles between the
Hellenes and Persians. Depending on the choices the heroes have
made will dictate what types of troops they’re facing in the upcoming
battles. The tables below provide troop options for skirmish, main, and
elite forces. Where the troops are Minions, the number is the amount
per Minion group.

SKIRMISHERS

HELLENES PERSIANS

6 Slingers 4 Archers
4 Peltasts 4 Sparabara
Hunter 4 Takbara
2 Amazon Cavalry 1 Chariot Archer

MAIN FORCES

HELLENES PERSIANS

6 Peltasts 6 Takbara
Peltast Captain 3 Kardakes
3 Hoplitis 2 Chariot Archers
2 Amazons 4 Camel Cavalry

ELITE FORCES

HELLENES PERSIANS

4 Hoplitis 3 Companions
Hoplitis Captain Immortal Anauša
3 Amazons War Elephant + 3 Archers
Amazon Champion Androphagi Champion

COMMANDERS
Commanders are unique and if defeated in a battle, can’t be faced
again. All commanders are accompanied a Minion group or champion
from the elite forces tables per PC.

HELLENES PERSIANS

King Leonidas of Sparta General Mardonius

Regent Pausania Hydarnes the Younger
Aristides the Just Empress Xerxia
Kimonia Zahhak

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E V E N T S O F T H E T H I R D AC T

T H E S E C O N D I N VA S I O N

The storm breaks as Xerxia slowly leads her massive force of ships and
soldiers into Hellas. Kikladian poleis under Persian control find their
fleets commandeered to assist with the war effort. The earth itself
seems to tremble under what some say is an army a million strong.

THE HELLENIC ALLIANCE FORMS

About a tenth of the Hellenic poleis send representatives to Korinth to

formalise an alliance against the invaders. Many fear that Athens or
Sparta will use this conflict as an excuse to seize power over their
neighbours, and delicate negotiations are required to ensure that no
polis feels slighted. The Hellenic Alliance is born.

1 8 / T H E S E C O N D I N VA S I O N
T H E F I R S T BAT T L E

The first attempt to meet Xerxia’s armies is abandoned after

Alexander Philhellene of Makedonia warns the allies that they can be
flanked, and that the force is too large to meet head on.

THE GRAND PLAN

Themistoklea proposes to meet the enemy on two fronts: on land at the

narrow pass at Thermopylae and by sea on the Straits of Artemisium.
This would mean only a small contingent of Persians can fight at any
one time, and stops reinforcements from flanking the Hellenic forces.

T H E BAT T L E O F T H E R M O PY L A E

Unfortunately, the Spartans are once again engaged in religious rites,

and only their king, Leonidas, and his bodyguard of 300 are sent to
Thermopylae, although they do gather up many Peloponessian and
alliance soldiers along the way. The allies fortify the pass and await
the Persians. The ensuing battle lasts for two days, repelling several
assaults—including by the vaunted Immortals. However, it becomes
obvious that the Persians have found a way past the defences.
Leonidas dismisses most of the alliance forces and leads his soldiers on
a suicidal assault into the Persian army to buy time for their escape.

T H E BAT T L E O F S A L A M I S

At sea the Hellenes have paid a heavy price in constant battle with
the Persian fleet, and when news comes of the retreat from
Thermopylae, they wearily withdraw to Salamis. Enraged by this
defiance and slaughter, the Persians fall on the largely-evacuated polis
of Athens and burn it to ashes. It is particularly hard for the Athenian
sailors to sit and watch their polis burn, but the strategy for overall

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victory rests on luring the Persian fleet into a battle on Hellenic terms.
They get their wish; the gigantic Persian fleet is unable to manoeuvre
in the narrow Straits of Salamis, and the Hellenes inflict a crushing
defeat on them.

T H E E M P R E S S W I T H D R AW S

This leaves the way home to Persia vulnerable, and Mardonius

convinces Xerxia to retreat, leaving him with the finest picked troops in
the army to complete the conquest. On paper, most of Hellas has been
captured, and it seems like the task can be accomplished. Xerxia
withdraws with the bulk of the Persian army.

THE ALLIANCE TEETERS

Over winter the alliance begins to falter as the Athenians feel the
Spartans, with all their vaunted strength, have achieved little, while
Athens has sacrificed its polis to win a great victory. Still, they reject
peace overtures from Mardonius brought through Alexander of
Makedonia.

T H E BAT T L E O F P L AT E A

Their pride stung, the Spartans assemble a large army and march to
fight the Persians, gathering allied reinforcements along the way. Wily
Mardonius retreats towards open ground, hoping to use his cavalry
decisively. Under the command of the Spartan regent, Pausanias, there
follow several days of tense manoeuvring. Botched communications
mean that the Hellenes end up spread out across several hills and
Mardonius exploits the opportunity by attacking. To his surprise, the
battle goes disastrously wrong as the heavily-armoured hoplites break
the Persian line, kill Mardonius and rout his army completely. Soon
afterwards the allied fleet manages to destroy most of the remaining
Persian navy off the coast of Mykale. These decisive battles ensure
that Persia’s ambitions are thwarted and sets the stage for Hellenic
dominance of the entire Aegean.

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 T H E G R E A T WA R

A F T E R M AT H

HELLENIC VICTORY

Individual battles continue for several years afterwards, and the

hostility between Hellas and Persia persists for decades, but the defeat
of Xerxia is the last time the Persians will attempt an invasion.

Two years after Xerxia’s defeat, the heroes will be called to Delphi to
witness the dedication of a great tropaion to commemorate the
Hellenic victory. Surrounded by the greatest leaders and champions of
Hellas, the oracles and priests will thank the gods for victory, and
name the great deeds done in the war. The tropaion itself is composed
of a great bronze column over seventeen cubits high and crafted to
look like three coiling serpents. It is supported by a gold sacrificial
tripod and accompanied by a golden cauldron.

1 8 / T H E S E C O N D I N VA S I O N
Live On In The Stars: Heroes who have established their dedication to
the freedom of Hellas beyond doubt in this campaign will never die.
Instead, when death comes for them, the gods will lift them into the
heavens and turn them into a new constellation, so that their glorious
deeds will never be forgotten, and continue to inspire others long after
they have left the world of the living.

In the meantime, while the Kiklades may be freed, they are soon bound
together into a new political formation, the Delian League. At first this
is aimed at continuing to oppose Persia, but over time it becomes an
Athenian empire in all but name. It seems that the Kiklades have
swapped Persian tyranny for Athenian tyranny, but this will likely be a
problem for the heroes’ children and grandchildren to deal with…

PERSIAN VICTORY

Should Persia win the day, Xerxia is magnanimous in victory. While

Athens and several other poleis are destroyed, Sparta is spared and
given back to Demaratus to rule. All hope of freeing the Kiklades is
lost as Persia now effectively controls the Aegean.

Queens, And Ancestors To Queens: Heroes who have accrued great

glory working for Persia will find themselves granted rulership of a
polis, or perhaps even a satrapy. At the very least they will be invited
to the Persian court to become an advisor. As the empire continues to
expand, their family line will only continue to increase in power and
prestige. Whether history will remember them as civilising champions
bringing order to a fractious state or bloody-handed tyrants who
turned on their own people, only time will tell.

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APPENDICES

CHAPTER 19

WA R FA R E
 APPENDICES

Warfare is a surging, chaotic situation, and both sides will field

disparate forces. Exactly what enemy units the heroes face is in the lap
of the gods, but their Nike score, tracked throughout the battle, will
impact how hard and how bloody the conflict is likely to be. These rules
expand on the PC options during the battle and should be used
alongside the rules presented in the AEGEAN Core book. AC: Warfare, 143

CLASHES

Each Battle is split into three Clashes, representing hours of fighting

interspersed with lulls as the generals seek victory. Each Clash begins
with a Battle Roll to see what forces the heroes face, followed by a
Fortune roll to see what other conditions are present. Opposed Military
(Vigour) rolls should be made after every Clash and unit damage
calculated. The GM or player commanding an army can invoke the
Fates on a roll to increase the Nike score. They can also spend a point
of Nike to add +1D to the Military roll. All of the available Nike can be
spent in this way. If any of the heroes are in command of their army
they can decide to retreat or continue after each Clash. At the start of
the Clash, any heroes involved gain Risk equal to the Military

1 9 / WA R FA R E
characteristic of the opposing force.

NIKE

The heroes’ Nike score is a measure of the success throughout the

battle. The higher their score the more likely their victory. The starting
Nike value depends on the relative strengths and morale of the
opposing forces, as well as the circumstances of the conflict.

SITUATION NIKE SCORE

Superior forces +1
Favourable omens +1
Advantageous position +1
Ambush +2
Vastly outnumber +2

The same Nike adjustments can be used as penalties if, for example,
the heroes’ forces are outnumbered.

After each Clash the heroes participate in, add +1 to their Nike score.
The more Clashes the heroes participate in, the better chance they
have of claiming victory in the battle.

AUGURY

Before each Clash, the heroes may attempt to appease the Gods and
gain valuable insight into the currents of battle. One hero can make
an Insight (Lore: Augury) roll and, if successful, gains +1 to their next
Fortune test per success.

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RESTING

After each of the first two Clashes, the heroes have a short opportunity
to treat wounds, craft simple potions, or repair or replace broken
AC: Recovery, 147 equipment. Each hero can make a Recovery roll to reduce Risk and one
other skill check, such as Medicine or Craft. Instead of resting, heroes
may use this time to scavenge for fallen enemy gear and loot. A
successful Cunning (Awareness) roll recovers loot with a value of 1
Drakhmae per success.

W I T H D R AW I N G

After each Clash, the heroes may choose to withdraw, either to gain
the benefits of another resting period, or to leave the Battle
altogether. For each Clash the heroes do not fight in, they lose 1 Nike.

OUTCOME

After three Clashes are completed it is time to determine the victor. If

one side surrendered after a Clash their opponents claim a decisive
victory, no matter the Nike score, otherwise the final Nike score is used
to determine who won.

NIKE OUTCOME

<0 Crushing Defeat

0–3 Marginal Defeat
4–5 Stalemate
6–9 Inconclusive Victory
10+ Decisive Victory

Crushing Defeat: The heroes are defeated in battle and will lose
appropriate wealth or other resources, depending on the situation. Roll
a D10 for any unit at zero Health. On an 8+ all of its soldiers were kill
and the unit is destroyed. Any benefits it provided are lost.

Marginal Defeat: The heroes are defeated but it was close, it may go
the other way if they fought again. The heroes and their polis lose
some wealth or other resources.

Stalemate: There are gains and losses on both sides but at the end of
the battle, no clear victor. The heroes and their polis gain nothing.

Inconclusive Victory: The heroes defeat their opponents, but the

victory is marginal. If the battle were fought again it might go the
other way, depending on the whim of the gods. The heroes gain some
of the rewards available from the battle.

Decisive Victory: The heroes defeat their opponents and there is no

doubt they would do the same if they faced them again. All possible
rewards are available, the dead are looted and prisoners ransomed.

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 APPENDICES

CLASH EVENTS

For each Clash the heroes choose to participate in, roll 2D10 and add
their Nike score to find out what they will be facing. The chart shows a
deliberate difficulty curve, with the easiest results being in the middle.
This is because the leaders are only likely to be encountered towards
the end of the battle when victory is close. The GM should determine
the types of troops the heroes will encounter in each category,
depending on the nature of the enemy army. Small groups should
contain a Minion group of 2–4 per PC while a large group would
contain 4–6 troops. A Minion group can be replaced with a leader for
some variety. Some suggestions for troop types are provided.

Less than 10: Swamped: Things are going badly and you are facing
multiple waves of enemies at once. Make two Battle Rolls with no
modifier—you must fight both encounters one after the other without a
break in order to win this Clash.

10+: Skirmish Forces: You are engaging the skirmish units around the
flanks of the enemy army.

1 9 / WA R FA R E
Skirmish forces include archers, bandits, slingers, or a small group of
peltasts. They could have a Bandit Leader or Peltast Captain as a
leader. A pair of chariots with archers or slingers in one and a leader in
another could also be used.

15+ Main Forces: You are facing the troops that compose the main
body of the enemy army.

Main forces include peltasts or a small group of hoplitis but could also
include larger groups of skirmish forces. If the enemy has cavalry this
can be represented by amazons. They could have a Peltast Captain,
Amazon Champion, or a Hoplitis Captain as a leader.

20+: Elite Forces: You are facing the best soldiers the enemy has. A
group defeating elite forces gains +1 Nike score.

Elite forces could include larger groups of hoplitis, or even two Hoplitis
Captains per PC. For cavalry units use a large group of amazons or two
Amazon Champions per PC.

25+: Commander: You are facing the enemy commander, along with
their personal retinue of bodyguards. Although this will be a tough
fight, it will be glorious and have a dramatic impact on the opposing
forces. If the commander has already been dealt with then this result
can’t be rolled again. Defeating the commander grants +3 Nike and +1
Glory to each character who participates.

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FORTUNE ROLLS

Roll 1D10 and consult the following table to determine what twists and
turns of Fate affect this Clash.

ROLL RESULT

1 Roll once on the Maledictions and once on the Complications tables

2 Roll once on the Maledictions table
3 Roll once on the Maledictions and once on the Opportunities tables
4 Roll once on the Complications table
5–6 Roll once on the Complications and once on the Opportunities tables
7 Roll once on the Opportunities table
8 Roll once on the Boons and once on the Complications tables
9 Roll once on the Boons table
10 Roll once on the Boons and once on the Opportunities tables

C O M P L I C AT I O N S

Things that make the situation more challenging for both sides.

ROLL RESULT OUTCOME

This Clash rests on control of a narrow passage, wide enough

for only a small number of warriors at a time. There is enough
1–2 Bottleneck room for two warriors to fight side by side at the front line
(although ranged weapons and long spears will be able to
strike over the front line.)
Perhaps the Gods themselves are also angered! The earth
shudders and heaves beneath the warriors’ feet. At the end of
each round both sides may nominate one opposing character
3–4 Earthquake!
to move one range band and fall prone. The earthquakes can
be stopped by a character spending an Action to make a
Difficulty 3 Cool (Lore) roll to appease the gods.
Fire is no stranger on the battlefield, and a cloud of smoke has
drifted across your part of the battle. This reduces visibility to
Short range and causes choking. At the start of the combat, all
5–6 Smoke characters present must make a Difficulty 2 Might or Cool
(Vigour) skill check. Any who fail are suffer a -1D penalty for
the duration of this Clash. A successful Difficulty 2 Insight
(Medicine) skill check can remove this penalty.
Lightning flashes and thunder crashes across the heavens.
Clearly the Gods are angered, and this display leaves frail
7–8 Thunderstorm!
mortals fearful and confused. All characters treat their Cool as
1 lower (to a minimum of 1) for this Clash.
The heavens weep and lashing rain batters the soldiers, turning
Torrential
9–10 the ground to thick mud. All characters treat their Reflexes as 1
Rain
lower (to a minimum of 1) for this Clash.

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 APPENDICES

MALEDICTIONS

These are disadvantages that the heroes will have to endure.

ROLL RESULT OUTCOME

The enemy has achieved an advantageous position, and can

press their attack from multiple directions, making it harder
1–2 Flanked!
for the heroes to respond. At the end of each round, one
enemy may move one range band of their choice.
A deity has decided to intervene to assist the enemy forces.
Divine The GM should choose one deity to intervene. Choose one skill
3–4 Intervention sacred to that deity—all opponents gain +1D on rolls for that
(Hostile) skill for the duration of this Clash. The heroes can choose to
negate this bonus, but only if they all accept 1 Hubris each.
The enemies have more soldiers waiting to crowd in. At the
Enemy
5–6 end of each round invoke the Fates to have another enemy
Reinforcements
join the fray unless all other enemies are dead.
A nearby unit is beginning to be routed, and if it does, then
the heroes will become surrounded. Each round one hero may
make a Cool or Might (Diplomacy: Command) skill check.
7–8 Routing Allies

1 9 / WA R FA R E
Each success they achieve will stop the unit routing for one
round. If the unit is routed, make a second Battle Roll and
add that unit to the enemy side.
Enemy forces are directing siege-weapon fire at the heroes. At
Siege Weapon
9–10 the end of each round a random hero must make a Difficulty
Fire
5 Reflexes (Athletics) skill check or gain 6 Risk.

BOONS

These are events that make the heroes’ lives easier

ROLL RESULT OUTCOME

Nearby allies send reinforcements to help the heroes. At the

Allied
1–2 end of each round the PCs gain control of an appropriate
Reinforcements
skirmish troop. These last until the end of this Clash.
Divine A deity has decided to assist your forces. The GM should
3–4 Intervention choose one deity to intervene. Choose one skill sacred to that
(Benevolent) deity—all heroes gain +1D on rolls for that skill for this Clash.
Your side has an advantageous position, and can press their
Flanking attack from multiple directions, making it harder for your
5–6
Manoeuvre enemies to respond. At the end of each round, you may move
one enemy one range band of your choice.
Friendly forces are directing siege-weapon fire onto your
enemies. At the end of each round one hero may invoke the
7–8 Support Fire
Fates to force a random enemy to make a Difficulty 5
Reflexes (Athletics) skill check or gain 6 Risk.
These forces don’t want to face the heroes and it won’t take
Wavering
9–10 much to make them break and flee. If the heroes dispatch the
Enemies
leader, then one of troop will flee at the end of every round.

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OPPORTUNITIES

These are situations which offer the heroes a potential advantage—if

they choose to seize it!

ROLL RESULT OUTCOME

Build a Hero, 223 A notable champion of the enemy calls for worthy challengers. Any
hero that agrees to a one-on-one battle with them will not be
Champion
1–2 attacked by any other enemies until the matter is concluded.
Challenge
Fighting the challenge honourably is worth 1 Glory. Winning gives
+1 to your next Battle Roll, while losing gives -1.
A high-ranking enemy commander is visible behind the line you are
Enemy
3–4 opposing. If you manage to defeat this encounter, you may choose
General
Enemy Commander as your next Clash.
An allied leader or champion is being captured by the enemy. The
GM assigns one enemy as the captor and moves them one range
Fallen
5–6 band away each turn. If they escape, the ally is lost (-1 Nike), but if
Ally
the heroes can rescue them they will gain great acclaim (+1 Glory,
+1 reputation with one polis on their side.)
An enemy leader or champion lies helpless; either unconscious,
pinned or too wounded to move. Killing them will cause a great
loss of confidence in enemy forces, but is hardly brave or glorious
7–8 Fallen Foe
(+1 Nike score, +1 Hubris.) Taking them prisoner gives +1 Glory and
+1 to your next Battle Roll. Returning them to their own ranks
unharmed gives +2 Glory.
Opposing priests are offering sacrifices to the gods. Each round
one character can use their Action to assist by making a Difficulty
Religious
9–10 2 Insight (Lore) roll. They can remove an amount of Risk equal to
Challenge
the amount they won by. If they fail, the enemy gets to remove an
amount of Risk equal to the number of successes they failed to get.

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APPENDICES

CHAPTER 20

HEROES
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

There are many heroes who walk the lands around the Aegean Sea
who are too important to represent with a standard adversary profile.
It is possible to create a full-fledged adversary using the character
generation rules and add experience, but this is time consuming
process and will likely have a lot of Talents that are too detailed or just
aren’t useful for an NPC.

The rules presented here follow a similar approach for making Wildfolk
or Dire Animals and can be used to quickly create an enemy hero with
minimal preparation. An example hero build is presented at the end of
this chapter.

AC: People, 208 First, choose a human adversary profile to use as a base, increase their
Endurance to 8 and treat them as a Legend. The various Captain /
Leader / Champion adversaries, e.g. Peltast Captain, are a good
starting point for any hero.

Choose equipment for the hero. Most heroes will use the weapons and
armour of their base profile, but some heroes are known for their
unique or uncommon weapons, such Herakles’s club or Perseus’s harpe.

AC: Talents, 282 Add Talents and Gifts that seem appropriate. If the hero is the child of
AC: Gifts, 292 a deity then a Gift relating to that deity should be used, plus a Talent
or two from an appropriate career. Feel free to remove Talents from
the base profile if they don’t seem appropriate.

Additional abilities can be chosen from the list below. While there’s no
limit to how powerful a hero you can create—that’s entirely up to you
as the GM and the needs of your campaign—it’s worth limiting unique
abilities to three to five, so as not to overwhelm yourself while running
an encounter.

What is the source of the hero’s abilities? Are they a child of a god and
born with them? Have they been given divine equipment which
provides the ability?

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 APPENDICES

HEROIC ABILITIES

Animal Companion: The hero has an animal companion that

accompanies them wherever they go. Choose an animal profile from AC: Animals, 227
the AEGEAN Core book. The animal accompanies the hero wherever
they go and obeys their commands though won’t usually fight to the
death—except to save their human.

Berserk: The hero is maddened with bloodlust and can choose to add
+1 to +5D to any Harm attack Action and gain +2 damage. If they do
this they can’t use their Reaction for defence and anyone attacking
gains the same dice bonus. This affect lasts until the hero’s next turn.

Fast: The hero is unbelievably fast during a conflict and takes 2

Actions per turn. The hero can’t choose themself to go next unless all
other characters in the conflict have acted.

Favoured: The hero has the Favour of one deity and can re-roll one of
their favoured skills once per session.

Heavy Hitting: The hero has especially powerful blows and ignores 1
point of Shield or Parry defence. This increases to 2 points if the hero

20 / HEROES
uses a weapon with the Heavy property.

Hubris: A the start of any encounter involving the hero, the GM adds 3
points to their Hubris pool.

Invulnerable: Give the hero Armour 10. This doesn’t quite make them
invulnerable but it does make them very hard to injure. It’s worth
including an Armour reduction to 2–5 when certain conditions are met.
This could be from a specific item or in a specific situation, e.g. when
the hero is Pinned or when the hero isn’t touching the earth.

Lethal Blows: The blows from the hero are exceptionally dangerous.
When the hero causes a target to roll on the Critical Injury table,
invoke the Fates to make the target roll twice and take the highest
result.

Reactionary: The hero responds quickly and can make two Reactions
per round.

Skilled: Add 4 points the hero’s skills.

Superior: Increase one of the hero’s characteristics by +2 or two

characteristics by +1.

Tough: The hero is especially tough and has +2 Endurance.

Winged: The hero has wings and can fly. They ignore all penalties for
rough terrain and gain a free Move Maneuver per turn. The hero must
make a Move Maneuver every turn or stall. They ignore up to 2 Risk
when disengaging from a non-flying opponent.

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AKHILLES LEGEND

Sing, oh goddess, of the rage of Akhilles

A few things come to mind when deciding how to build Akhilles as a hero: he’s
fast, he’s dangerous, and he’s invulnerable. That made the choice of heroic
abilities straightforward as there are direct matches to those qualities of
AKhilles.

This didn’t give me a good starting point, though. The Hoplitis Captain seems
like the most appropriate base profile but that has a focus around strength,
rather than speed—it felt more appropriate for someone like Aias son of Telemon.
Instead I went with the Amazon Champion profile for its high Reflexes. I changed
the equipment to fit that of a wealthy Akhaian warrior and removed the archery
related abilities. With a boost to Reflexes and to some skills, plus the previously
mentioned heroic abilities, that was Akhilles finished and ready to take to the
battlefield.

Characteristics Skills Attributes Equipment:

Might: 3 Accuracy: 4 Armour: 10 Bronze
Reflexes: 6 Athletics: 4 Shield: 3 breastplate,
Cool: 3 Awareness: 3 Parry: 2 helm, greaves,
Insight: 4 Diplomacy: 2 Endurance: 8 3 javelins.
Cunning: 3 Melee: 5 Standing: 5
Ride: 4
Vigour: 4

Abilities
Akhilles’ Heel: Akhilles is nigh-invulnerable, except for his left heel, which has an
Armour rating of 0. Anyone attempting to hit Akhilles in the heel takes a -5D
penalty on their attack roll, or -3D if Akhilles is Pinned.
Breastplate: Ignore the effect of Savage.
Fast: Akhilles is unbelievably fast and takes 2 Actions per turn. He can’t choose
himself to go next unless all other characters in the conflict have acted.
Helm: Treat characteristics as 1 rather than 0 when Stunned.
Lethal Blows: Akhilles’ blows are exceptionally dangerous. If he causes a wound,
Akhilles can invoke the Fates to make the target roll twice on the Critical Injury
table and take the highest result.
Riposte: Whenever the character uses a weapon Parry against an attack Action
and doesn’t gain Risk or take a Wound the attacker gains 2 Risk.

ATTACK SKILL DICE R / R DMG. PROPERTIES

Parry 2, Pierce, Pommel Strike,

Xiphos Melee 11D 2 5
Reflexes
Javelin Melee 11D 3 4 Pierce, Reflexes
Javelin
Accuracy 7D Medium 4 Pierce
(thrown)
Hoplon Melee 8D 1 3 Shield 3, Stagger

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 CHAPTER 21

AUTHOR BIOS
 BOOK OF EMPIRES

Stoo Goff is a programmer, game designer, and musician

living in Glasgow. He is the designer and publisher of Aegean
and The Gaslight Club, plus the publisher behind WILD and
Action Potential. When not buried beneath a mountain of
programming code or dreaming up new worlds and the rules
which guide them, he is also the audio engineer behind the
Tales from the Aletheian Society podcast (he/him).

Eleanor Hingley (she/they) has been in love with Classical

mythology since she was little and weaves it into her work as
an RPG writer. She writes for Cubicle 7 on their Doctor Who,
Wrath & Glory, Broken Weave and 5e Vault lines, including the
Starter Set for the Second Edition of Doctor Who: The
Roleplaying Game. She also contributed to SIN: A Spire
Sourcebook for Rowan, Rook & Decard and created the
adventure ‘The Harp of Discord’ for Aegean Adventures. Her
favourite myth is the story of Eros and Psyche.

Jude Reid lives in Glasgow and writes in the narrow gaps

between full time work as a surgeon, wrangling her kids and
trying to tire out a border collie. She’s loved ancient Greek
mythology ever since she watched Jason and the Argonauts at
the age of six. She drinks her coffee with oat milk.

Chris Edwards lives in Glasgow, and spends his time running

games, looking after his kids and working to earn a crust. He
occasionally does freelance writing for Cubicle 7 and has had
the odd story published here and there. He may be a Persian
sympathiser when it comes to Hellenic history…

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