Agrios

By Jeeyon Shim
Agrios, Hekate’s playground, hosts a tapestry of thick cypress forests
that shelter a mysterious abundance of flora and fauna. To desecrate
Agrios is to desecrate Hekate herself, and should any fool make
such a misstep the land herself will swallow the heretic in her jaws.

signs of the gods

Hekate: Mother of Wild Things. Patron goddess of witchcraft,
necromancy, metamorphosis, and the cold moon piercing
through the night. Her sign is a huge black wolf, silent as
shadow, ready to grant a boon to a supplicant or tear out the
throat of a heretic with her pristine, white teeth.
Poseidon: Patriarch of the Sea. His rage at anything beyond
the grasp of the tides is known far beyond Agrios’ shores. His
sign is an enormous, baleful octopus, ready to sink the island
into the sea so that the god can control it once and for all.
Artemis: Goddess of the Hunt, Forests, and Wild Things
That Thrive Within. If an adventurer pleases her feral, deadly
followers sufficiently they may be allowed to hunt by their side.
Her sign is a slender, silver stag with mirrored eyes, a living
symbol of what comes at the end of all hunts.

Arrival
When you arrive on the shores of Agrios your skin breaks into
a cold sweat to hear the keening howls of mourning echoing
off every cliff face and boulder in sight. Dozens of Hekate’s
priestesses rend their garments and throw themselves on their
knees into the sand, their faces unnaturally pallid in their grief
and rage. On the eve of Agrios’ most important funerary rite,
all the dead of Agrios vanished — along with the Crown of
Lykaon, a sacred gift from the goddess herself. Only a single
body, floating on the waves is visible.
Epikaste, the high priestess, recognizes you as far-sung heroes
and runs into the tide to meet you. “Justice, heroes!,” she cries,
her eyes alight with a fierce, implacable flame. “Be the hands
that deliver justice for our dead!”

1 Agrios
RESTORE THE FALLEN
 Will you swim out in Poseidon raging sea to recover the body
of the deceased priest so their funeral rights can be performed?
Craft & Reason vs. Waves of Poseidon (2d8, Perilous).
 Or will you join Epikaste in a ritual to summon Charon from
the Underworld and plead with him to hold his ferry for one
day so that you may recover all of the fallen? Resolve & Spirit
vs. Impatient Charon (2d10, Mythic).

Trials
DISCOVERING THE TRUTH
There are many tangled threads behind this injustice: Poseidon’s
envy of Hekate’s raw power, Leandros’ ability to pander to the
wealthy, the mysteries of the priestesses themselves. Dig down
deep to the bottom of it all, and see the truth with clarity. Arts
& Oration vs. Epikaste to learn the truth from her. Craft &
Reason vs. Leandros to unveil his secrets.
If the heroes prevail, they learn of Leandros’ sacrilege (see
Mysteries below)
CIVIL UNREST
Leanderos’ soldiers are beginning to shift from merely squashing
the traditional rites of the island to actively brutalizing those
that have lived on the island the longest, outside Leandros’
golden walls. Rise up to meet them in battle on behalf of the
people of Agrios. Blood & Valor vs. Aigaion.
If Aigaion prevails, Epikaste and many of the priestesses of
Hekate are imprisoned.
EARN HEKATES’ BLESSING
Epikaste believes in a prophecy that only the heroes who gain
favor of Artemis and Hekate can overthrow the unjust. Earn
Epikaste’s trust by capturing Artemis’ sacred deer without
harming it. Craft & Reason vs The Stag of Artemis.
If the heroes prevail they gain a bond with Hekate and may ride
Artemis’ stag into battle which will offer them an Advantage
Die in contests where its swiftness prevails.

Agrios 2
 Battle
 Will you swim into the raging seas to recover the dead of Agrios
from Poseidon’s Crab? The god of oceans and earthquakes takes
umbrage by any who invade his domain. Threats: Poseidon
rages at the invasion of his realm and floods the beach killing
many of Hekate’s priests. One of the dead is lost at sea, her
share will haunt Epikaste all her life. Poseidon’s Crab crushes
your ship in its great pincers, destroying the vessel.
 Or, will you dethrone Leandros to restore the temple of Hekate as
the rightful stewards of Agrios? The King covets his temporal
power and domain over the island. Threats: In his spite,
Leandros dons the Crown of Lycaeon to poison the island
and the flora and fauna sicken and die. Leandros’ heirs
believe you are usurpers and spread word of your villainy.

Char acters
Leandros, self-appointed king (d8). Wealthy (d10), Handsome
(d6), Selfish (d8 Perilous). Favor of Poseidon (Grants
Advantage when Leandros acts on behalf of his patron
god, comes in the form of torrential waves and earthquakes).
Epikaste, high priestess (d8). Passionate (d8), Just (d8 Sacred),
Dark-Eyed (d6).
Aigaion, captain of Leandros’ guard (d8). Shrewd (d8, Perilous),
Quick (d6), Sure-Footed (d6).
Kirke, a witch and devotee of Hekate (d8). Beautiful (d6),
Ruthless (d8 Perilous), Golden-Skinned (d6).
The Stag of Artemis (d8), Enchanting (d10 Sacred), Antlers
(d8 Perilous), Elusive (d8 Sacred).
Poseidon’s Crab, guardian of the stolen dead (d10), Pincers
(d8 Perilous), Wrathful (d8 Sacred), Many-Eyed (d6).
Impenetrable Carapace (The Crab cannot be bested in a
contest of Blood & Valor).

3 Agrios
Places
Cypress groves with ancient trees. Sheer, stark cliff faces of pale
grey stone. A bustling, colorful market with brightly painted stalls.
Leandros’ stronghold, recently built, with a new gilt statue
of Poseidon.
Hekate’s temple, on the coast at which you arrived, where the
funerary rites are held.
Artemis’ Bower, in the heart of the forest, a strange meadow
always cast with silvery light no matter the time of day.

Special Reward
The Crown of Lykaon, held sacred by Hekate’s temple, is the
charnel-red lower mandible of an enormous wolf. When the
crown is worn over the supplicant’s own jaws, they are able to
enter a trance and communicate to any and all living creatures on
the island, to try to persuade the land to act on their behalf. Flora
and Fauna are swayed by bold deeds and actions, not promise
and flowery words. Arts & Oration have no effect on them.

Mysteries
Tomb of the Gods. The dead of Agrios are gone, and with
them the Crown of Lykaon.
Epikaste is certain that the Crown has been stolen by Leandros,
a king on the other end of the island who has long dishonored
both Hekate and Artemis by despoiling her forests, cutting down
ancient trees and burning wild animals out of their dens to raze
the ground and build his little chiefdom upon their ashes. He
is a supplicant to Poseidon, and well protected by the god; but
Epikaste demands justice, for the dead and the land of Agrios.
Leandros is a city chief lauded by his people as a generous and
fair leader. Thanks to him their fires burn warm and bright
through the night, and his archers stand along the city walls,
ready to aim between any two glowing eyes they see in the
dark. Leandros has led his city to prosperity and comfort (for
those who can afford it), and he insists that he did nothing
impious; perhaps Poseidon brought his tides up to the land
and washed away the dead and the Crown, doing away with
a brutal and archaic custom once and for all.

Agrios 4
 Internal Conflicts. The temple priestesses on Agrios oversee
all rites of the dead, and steward the wild magic (and power)
that these rites unveil. But even off the island you’ve heard of
the bad blood between Hekate’s priestesses and King Leandros,
who’s created a lush and bountiful city — for those wealthy
enough. Jealous of the power afforded the priestesses, he’s called
the rites of the dead “savage” and, as a supplicant of Poseidon,
has some backing behind him to put a stop to their ancient
tradition. Leandros’ wealthy allies and his eager army of soldiers
have been tamping down on the traditions and old rites of the
island more and more. They now prevent the priestesses from
overseeing the rites of the dead, heedless of pleas that in doing
so they prevent the dead’s souls from reaching the Styx and
crossing over into the underworld.
Hekate’s children. Deep in the forests of Agrios, at the darkest
time of night, the children of Hekate roam freely. Ghostly
wolves, stags, and jackals the size of small mountains appear
in the shadows to walk about the land, and where their feet
fall the trees and flowers and meadows flourish. Hekate’s wild
magic flows through them into the earth. But, Leandros’ greed
and the greed of his wealthy allies have led to their sacred
groves being cut, their waters being drained, and as a result
these conduits for wild magic now sicken and fade.
Kirke, the golden witch of Aiaia. From across the waters in a
pale boat, dark-eyed Kirke traveled from her home island of
Aiaia to pay homage to Hekate in a seasonal rite. A powerful
practitioner of wild magic and a minor demigod in her own
right, Kirke is able to charm any beast into complete docility
and to turn mortals into livestock to slaughter or release into
the wild as she sees fit. She landed just as the turmoil of the
island reached a head. It is impossible to know her heart, and
no hero can be certain of her alliance; but, if it is earned, it is
said to be a mighty force to contend with.

5 Agrios
 Aplestia
By Ben Scerri
Aplestia is an isle of rolling hills crisscrossed with limestone tunnels
and covered everywhere with blossoms of every color on Iris’s
mantle. There are some that claim in the warrens beneath the
island, there are doorways to every corner of the world.

signs of the gods

Zeus: A great oak, foolishly left to grow where it could cause
problems, has fallen across the dockyards, shattering the boats
of many visitors come to pay respect to the King and his
daughter, and maring the festivities.
Hermes: A tortoise with a cracked shell and a bee circling above
its head works its way slowly up the beach and disappears
down a gap in the sand. The tortoise cannot be found when
one goes to investigate.
Demeter: An aging woman, dressed all in black apart from a
pristine pair of honey-coloured betrothal ribbons tied to her
arms, leads a horse by reins made of woven parsley through the
crowd of merry goers. She looks sad but filled with purpose.

Arrival
As your craft approaches the shore, you take in the riotous
chaos of the place: the dockyard in shambles, with countless
boats shattered under the weight of a fallen mighty oak; a crowd
of onlookers, many furious at the damage, and others taking
little notice and focusing instead on the wedding festivities;
and the common folk scattered around to cater to the myriad
guests, many curious to behold.
Many folk at the dockyard claim, in quiet tones so as not to
be overheard by the Guards, that the fallen oak is a symbol of
Zeus’s displeasure at King Phromos of Aplestia — the get of
Zeus — who has kidnapped Melissa, the mother of bees and
the weaver of honey! The King intends for Melissa to weave
a dowry fit for his daughter’s wedding that overshadows the
creation of honey that Zeus himself commissioned. Some
wonder if this transgression is the last straw for the Olympians,
who have always considered King Phromos an arrogant upstart.

1 Aplestia
Can you calm the fury and fear of the people by making an oath
to them that you’ll convince the King to replace their lost ships
and valuables? Arts & Oration vs. The People (2d6).
Or will you awe them with a great feat of strength and ingenuity
to defy Zeus and remove the tree yourselves? Craft & Reason vs.
The Great Oak of Zeus (2d8, Perilous, Sacred).

Trials
THE READING OF THE EPICS
King Phromos calls for silence and declares he will grace the folk
of the Isle with a reading of the great works of the Olympians.
But, shortly into his rendition, it becomes clear he thinks little
of the Gods, and is in truth mocking them, though none in
the crowd have the audacity to speak up. Will you challenge the
King in his own domain, threatening your position in the guest
right? Or will you allow this affront to go unanswered? Arts &
Oration vs. King Phromos.
If King Phromos wins this trial, he casts the heroes from
Aplestia for their insolence, and none of the onlookers do
anything to stop him. If the heroes are successful, King Phromos
begins to object, but the crowd makes it clear that such learned
and well-spoken guests should attend the wedding as guests
of honour. King Phromos, wishing to save face, obliges.
THE BATHS OF MILK AND HONEY
Great baths have been assembled in the main plaza, and all
the attendees are invited to bathe in milk and honey. Both
the Bride and Groom, Eumetala & Kakeos, kept separate from
each other, are drunk from the festivities, and seek to break
their arrangement.
Will you try to convince the betrothed couple to give their marriage
a chance? Resolve & Spirit vs. Eumetala and/or Kakeos.
Or will you cause a scene to bring shame to the couple, and yourself,
to interrupt the festivities? Arts & Oration vs. The Revelers
(2d8). If the heroes should fail, they may shame themselves as
they fall to the seductions of the wayward Bride and Groom.
However, if the heroes succeed, they gain a bond with the
Bride and Groom.

Aplestia 2
 THE OBJECTIONS
Jealous suitors, and guests envious of the treasure Melissa is
weaving, gather around during the swearing of the vows. It will
not be long before they break their silence. Will you wrap them
into the pageantry of the event? Arts & Oration vs. The Jealous
Suitors (2d8, Envious, Murderous) Or are their objections the
perfect cover slip away and reach Melissa? Craft & Reason vs.
The Watchful Guards (2d8, Well-Paid, Vigilant)
THE CATACOMBS OF APLESTIA
The warrens of tunnels underneath the island are almost as
complex as the Labyrinth of Crete, requiring great skill and
cunning to navigate. If the heroes wish to find Melissa, they
will need to keep their wits about them, and remain focused
on the task at hand. Can you navigate through the catacombs to
find Melissa, or will you be distracted by the countless doors and
prizes that lay beyond? Resolve & Spirit vs. Glittering Prizes
(2d8, Perilous). Should the heroes fall to their temptation, in
what compromised position might the patrolling guards come
upon them?

Battle
 Will you shame King Phromos and have him call off the wedding
and free Melissa? The King of Aplestia is nothing if not
hubristic, and any slight to his ego will bring about his wrath.
Threats: The King calls down the lightning of his sire, Zeus,
in response to this affront to the guestright. However, the
King cannot control this power, and it harms innocents
just as much as it harms the heroes. The Guards viciously
attack anyone who stands up for the heroes — among them,
Captain Iphircis, who is mortally wounded.
 Will you free Melissa, and face the swarm of magical Guardian
Bees the King has commanded to protect her? King Phromos has
stolen many treasures, including an uncountable swarm of
magical Guardian Bees which awaken if Melissa is disturbed.
Threats: If the Bees are left unchecked, and Melissa is freed,
they will swarm over Aplestia, destroying its beauty and
killing many of its people.

3 Aplestia
 Will you disguise Captain Iphikris as Kakeos, so the lovers
can be wed under King Phromos’s nose? The King is being a
tyrant, and forcing an ill-fated marriage to go ahead. The
heroes may be able to disguise Captain Iphikris as Kakeos,
and have the two lovers wed before the King’s very eyes.
Threats: The Bride and Groom will never find a happy
ending if they wed one another, and their turmoil will
cast a shadow over Aplestia whilst they rule there. Captain
Iphikris, who loves Eumetala, breaks her oath of service to
King Phromos, bringing down the displeasure of Demeter.

Char acters
King Phromos, Ruler of Aplestia (d8). Arrogant (d8), Cunning (d8).
Blessed by Zeus (1d12 bond die to call upon). Seize Them! (1d10
advantage die in contests of violence). Mantle of Iris (may
call down a rainbow to whisk himself immediately to safety).
Eumetala, the Bride (d6). Mischievous (d6), Distractible (d6).
Dionysian Initiate (1d8 advantage die whilst inebriated).
Kakeos, the Groom (d6). Wayward (d6), Anhedonic (d6).
Captain Iphikris, Commander of the Guard and Secret Lover
of Eumetala (d8). Divided Loyalty (d8), Romantic (d6).
Melissa, Mother of Bees and Weaver of Honey (d10). Divine
(d8), Imprisoned (d6).
The Guardian Bees (d10). Enchanted (d8), Formless (d8).
Swarm (Cannot be challenged in a contest of Blood & Valor).

Places
Golden beaches. Fields of bright parsley swaying in the breeze.
Narrow streets, rising and falling along the hills, all carved of
limestone. Garlands of flowers of every color.
The Grand Plaza: An immense limestone plaza in the middle
of Aplestia where the festivities are being held. Pavilions,
plinths, and vendors are everywhere to cater to every desire,
and showcase every delight.
Melissa’s Cavern: Deep underneath Aplestia, Melissa is held
prisoner in a great cavern where she weaves the Veil of Nectar
out of honey.

Aplestia 4
 Special Reward
The Veil of Nectar: A shroud that may be worn that captures
the adoration of any who behold it. The Veil is addictive to
look upon, and any who see it feel deep melancholy whenever
they look away.

Mysteries
Melissa was not captured, but rather willingly made a deal
with the King of Aplestia to make a prize greater than honey, a
direct affront to Zeus who originally commissioned its creation.
Is it because she wishes to undermine Zeus’s authority? Perhaps
the discord of Aplestia was her intention all along?
Neither the Bride nor Groom wish to wed, despite loving
each other. They are working to undermine the wedding.
Does Eumetala believe Kakeos cannot fit into the life she wishes
to lead? Does Kakeos’s anhedonia make him difficult to be around
for extended periods? Do they wish to escape the bonds King
Phromos will place around them with marriage? Do they suspect
the ire of the Gods?
King Phromos has been using the tunnels to steal from the
Olympians for years, allowing him to amass great wealth and
prestige. His entire reputation is built around keeping this
fact hidden, and he would be ruined if it was exposed. Has
the King been amassing wealth and power for its own sake, or for
some greater scheme? How will the folk of Aplestia react when the
truth behind their prosperity is revealed?

5 Aplestia
 Gorgona
By Whitney Delaglio
An island not made of sand and earth, but the wreckage and torn
canvases of once proud ships. The populace that resides here have
tendrils instead of human legs, and claim to be descendants of the
legendary Kraken.

signs of the gods

Hekate: The Goddess of magic — her sign is the kiss of the
Kraken - a ring on the body that marks you as a child of the sea.
Poseidon: The God of the sea — his sign is the song of the
Kraken - a ballad which emboldens the children of the sea.

Arrival
When you arrive on the island of shipwrecks, some of the
splintered debris looks fresh. Floating in the water that
surrounds the island are corpses of half-cephalopods and sea
minotaurs. The survivors are swimming about between pieces
of the wreckage, searching for any still alive beneath the waves.
There had been a naval battle that left their mother, the Kraken,
wounded, so she returned to the deep to rest.
Aspasia, the half-cuttlefish priestess of Hekate searches futilely
to find the sea minotaur and champion of the Kraken, Zotikon,
among the bodies. Her panic turns to rage, concluding he has
been captured by the very fleet of ships that attacked them.
Will you soothe Aspasia’s wrath and offer to rescue her mate? Arts
& Oration vs Aspasia. If she wins, Aspasia and all the other
children of the Kraken will think you are in league with the
Naval Commander, Eupraxia, whose fleet is responsible for
this bloodshed. You will have to prove yourself innocent, or
they will see you all drown.
If the heroes prevail the hero who was best gains a bond with
Aspasia. She sees your ship and crew as a gift from Hekate.
Lowering herself from the prow of the ship, she comes to
meet you. In her wake are swirls of bright blue and violet. Your
senses flood with the sensation of coming home to an adoring
family, or being embraced by a lover. She pleas that you’ll hunt

1 Gorgona
down the Naval Commander’s fleet and free her mate. They
were after the conch the isle uses to call upon the Kraken, but
she threw it into the Maw so they would be unable to find it.
Or will you soothe the spirits of the sea minotaurs, drowning in
the guilt of their failure? Resolve & Spirit vs The Sea Minotaurs.
If they win, they assume you too are not capable, and the few
of them that are left will return to the deep without aiding
you. As they disappear into the water, your skulls fill with the
Kraken’s distressed screams as she is unable to rest while her
champion is in danger. If they lose, they will offer you septum
rings that if worn, allows the wearer to breathe underwater
and withstand the bone splintering pressure of the deep sea.

Trials
FEND OFF THE NAVY
The Naval Commander, Eupraxia, wants to use Zotikon as bait
to lure the Kraken and rid the ocean of her. Will you intercept
them before they are able to rouse the creature from the depths to
do her harm? Blood & Valor vs Eupraxia.
TEND TO THE KRAKEN
Will you go deep below and find where the Kraken resides to mend
her wounds? Craft & Reason vs The Kraken’s Wounds (2d10
Sacred). Since she was injured during the onslaught, if you
prevail, you will gain a Bond with the Kraken. If you suffer, the
combination of the pain from her injuries, and her desperation
to rescue Zotikon will put her into a rage, and she will sink
anyone or anything between her and him.
MEMORIES OF HOME
With their many arms and tendrils, those on the isle that
survived hold each other for comfort as the salt from the
ocean heals the wounds. You too are reminded of the lives
taken while at sea, and you could very well be next. Can you
evoke fond memories of who’s waiting for you back home to fend
off the fear of an untimely death? Resolve & Spirit vs The Fear
of Never Returning Home (3d8 Perilous). If you prevail, restore
one Pathos as you are filled with renewed hope that will one
day reunite with your family or sweetheart.

Gorgona 2
 RETRIEVING THE CONCH
You recognize the same colors you saw when the priestess
approached you in the seawater as you hear amorous giggles
within the vortex. Skeletons of shark tails swish about and your
eyes play tricks on you as they look like beckoning hands. When
you see the bones of sailors within their jaws, your hardened
instincts tell you this is how the Maw lures vessels to feast on.
Can you survive swimming into the Maw to retrieve the Conch?
Craft & Reason vs The Maw.
If you don’t have the septum rings from the Sea Minotaurs
(or some other way to breahe underwater), the Maw recieves
a 1d10 Advantage die in this contest.

Battle
 Will you try and fight the Naval Commander and her fleet? Her
ships and crew outnumber yours, and the island will never
forgive you if their mother dies in the fray. Threats: Their
ballistas and Greek fire are able to eliminate the Kraken.
Eupraxia and her crew board your ship and slaughter your crew.
 Or will you lure them into the Maw so the vortex destroys them?
Bear in mind Zotikon is a captive on their ship, so you will
need to find a way to rescue him before Eupraxia and her
fleet are swallowed by the Maw. Threats: The Navy uses
their ships as ramming vessels to destroy your ship within
the vortex. Zotikon is swallowed by the Maw.

Char acters
Aspasia, the priestess of Hekate (d8). Svelte (d6), Prurient (d8),
braided hair.
Zotikon, a sea minotaur (d8). Dashing (d8), Kind (d6), Horned (d6).
The Kraken, the mother of Gorgona (2d10). Gargantuan (d10),
Maternal (d8), Bio-luminescent (d6).
Eupraxia, Commander of the Navy (d8). Brawny (d8), Ferocious
(d8), dyed hair.
The Sea Minotaurs (2d6). Despairing (d6), Loyal (d6).
The Maw (d10). Crushing (d8), Alluring (d8).

3 Gorgona
Places
Coral reefs. Abandoned wrecks. Dark trenches. Underwater
caves filled with glistening stalagmites and stalactites.
The Maw: An everlasting vortex. In its eye is a rock shaped like the
beak of the Kraken, half buried in the seabed. This is the whirlpool
responsible for the wrecked ships that make up the island.
The Depths: At the bottom of the ocean where warmth and
sunlight are nowhere to be found lies the frigid bedchamber
of the Kraken. The sea minotaurs reside there to keep her
company, and to protect her from those that would do the
Kraken harm as she slumbers.

Special Reward
A skeleton of a shark approaches your ship, speaking on behalf
of Hekate. “The children of the Kraken use the conch if they
are in need of her. You could keep it for yourselves, but will you
doom them to be without their mother?” If you decide to keep
the conch, the septum rings will no longer protect you from the
depths. If you give it back to the island, Hekate will be elated
the Kraken will not have to choose between protecting you or
her children. The septum rings will be your reward instead.

Mysteries
The Conch has been taken from the island of shipwrecks.
Aspasia threw it into the Maw before the Navy could find
it, but without it the Kraken cannot be summoned by her
children. Better to be without their mother than her to die at
the hands of the Navy. Where did the conch come from? Why
must her children use it to summon her?
The Depths are lonely. The children of the Kraken cannot
survive where their mother lives. Hekate took pity on the
creature. Taking a team of oxen that had drowned, Hekate
brought them back as men to keep her company. Why was
Zotikon named her champion? Is he her favorite? Does he have
the most tenacity amongst his brothers?
Aspasia and Zotikon are in love. The priestess and champion
of the island had used the conch, so their mother could witness
their union.

Gorgona 4
 Kelades
By Kira Magrann
The Kelades are a chain of tropical islands dense with jungle and
idyllic beaches. Sailors sing of Centaurs and other deadly beasts
living here in the wilds. The songs say there are circular jungles that
spit travelers back out to the same shores, some mystical barrier
preventing further entry.

signs of the gods

Apollo: God of the sun and healing. Sheds light upon mysteries
and unspoken truths. The warm sun peaks out from behind a
cloud, slowly gracing the deep jungle with it’s powerful rays.
Hekate: Goddess of magic. Great power in liminal places.
Snakes bask at the edge of streams, on the border between
land and water.
Hermes: God of athletes and thieves. Protects thieves,
especially virtuous ones. True paths through the jungle are
illuminated to those who mean thieves no harm.

Arrival
Waiting for you on the sandy beach of Kelades are huge
centaurs, known for their ferocious battle prowess. Your arrival
coincides with a prophecy from the temple of Hekate atop
their most sacred waterfall. The Voice of Hekate, their high
priestess proclaims “On the Day of All Sun when the veil is
thinnest between worlds, outsiders will arrive to return what
you have lost.” All of them look disappointed to see mere human
mortals, except for one, Thea, who convinces the others to let
you stay. Thea guides you through the illusion that protects
the centaur city from prying eyes and to their council leader,
Androkles, whose flowing mane glows golden like the sun.
She reveals that three sacred masks have been stolen from
their Council Hall, and that you must be the prophesied ones
to return them.

1 Kelades
THE MISSING MASKS
 Will you head into the dangerous jungle to retrieve these sacred
masks for Androkles? Craft & Reason vs the cliffs and swamps
of the jungle (2d8, Perilous). If the jungle wins, the heroes
are captured by the three Chimera and brought back to
their grove for questioning. If the heroes win, they come
upon a grove with the three Chimera arguing about how
to convince Androkles to revive the forbidden mask ritual
meant to take place during the festival of All Sun.
 Will you go to the temple of Hekate for guidance? Resolve
& Spirit vs the Voice of Hekate. If she wins, the heroes
will see a vision of the three Chimera ferociously battling
off centaurs who run away in defeat. If she loses, she will
reluctantly reveal a vision of the August Chimera, an
impossibly beautiful creature with the head of a lion, the
body of a centaur, and the tail of a serpent. The sun is
shining, and the Chimera is in the Council Hall pointing
menacingly at Androkles.
 Or will you question why the centaurs have not been able to
retrieve the masks on their own? Arts & Oration vs Androkles.
Androkles interprets this to mean she’s too weak to defeat
her foes. If she wins, she’ll challenge one of them to a spear
duel in order to remain on the island. If she loses, the
heroes are told the secret of why the centaurs can’t defeat
the Chimera: no matter how they try to kill the Chimera
their spears cannot pierce the creature’s skin.

Trials
THE CHIMERA
There are three of them, one for each mask. Though they have
stolen these masks, they are not what they seem. Can you gain
their trust, revealing the true powers of the masks and why they’ve
stolen them? They will also reveal they are centaurs of the third
gender. Arts & Oration vs the Chimera.
REBELLION
Thea leads a secret rebellion to undermine Androkles’s violent
rule. Thea, while against a strictly battle focused regime, is still
too cautious to return all rituals that Androkles banished. Can
you convince Thea that she and the Chimera are on the same side
and that the mask ritual is essential to the harmony of centaur
life? Resolve & Spirit vs Thea.

Kelades 2
 THE MASKS
Once represented free bodily expression and the beauty of
the wild during the All Suns ritual dance for Apollo. But too
many battles with outsiders on their shores made the centaurs
want to hide these sacred expressions and allowed Androkles
to rise to power. Can you convince the Chimera that Thea can be
a valuable ally, perhaps swayed to their cause? Resolve & Spirit
vs August the Chimera.

Battle
 Will you battle with Androkles’s guard in order to help Thea
take back the throne? Centaurs are truly terrifying warriors,
capable of defeating humans with great ease. Threats: A
blow Thea meant to incapacitate instead slays one of her
fellow centaurs, she’ll live with their blood on her hooves
forever. The heroes are remembered as interlopers who
imposed their own will on the Centaurs and will be reviled
on Kelades for ages to come.
 Or, can you help Thea and the Chimera restore Adrocles’ faith
in their sacred rituals? Thea believes the centaurs are under
constant threat. Can you convince her they’re stronger together
than divided? Threats: Androkles will solve this problem
the way she solves everything: with violence. She slays
Thea the betrayer and the Chimera and rebels will need
to go into hiding.

Char acters
Androkles the Council Leader (d10). Golden-Mane (d8), War-
Leader (d10 Perilous), Proud (d8 Perilous). Androkles’s
Guard (In a contest of Blood & Valor, with her guard by
her side, Androkles is Epic).
Thea the Upstart (d8) Battle Hardened (d8 Perilous), Cunning
(d6), Precise (d6), Ruthless (d6). Wild (Thea is impossible
to track in the jungle).
The Voice of Hekate (d6) Blessed (d8 Sacred), Cloaked in black
(d6), Speaks in whispers (d8). Cryptic (The Voice can only
speak when channeling the visions Hekate sends them. Their
words are cryptic metaphors). Third Gender (Only third
gender centaurs can perform magic on Kelades).

3 Kelades
August the Chimera (d8) Compassionate (d8), Determined
(d8), Tricky (d8). Illusion (While wearing the mask, they can
create an illusion of any type granting 1d10 Advantage Die
and making contests Perilous). Third Gender (Only third
gender centaurs can perform magic on Kelades).
Demarke the Chimera (d8) Bitter (d8), Experienced (d8),
Wild (d8). llusion (While wearing the mask, they can create
an illusion of any type granting 1d10 Advantage Die and
making contests Perilous). Third Gender (Only third gender
centaurs can perform magic on Kelades).
Palatea the Chimera (d8) Impulsive (d8), Musical (d8), Romantic
(d8). Illusion (While wearing the mask, they can create
an illusion of any type granting 1d10 Advantage Die and
making contests Perilous). Third Gender (Only third gender
centaurs can perform magic on Kelades).

Places
Idyllic beaches. Wet jungles filled with dangerous flora and
fauna. Large wooden architecture made for centaurs.
The Temple of Hekate: The temple sits at the top of the
waterfall, near a permanent rainbow created from the waterfall
mists. Colorfully painted statues and columns well cared for
by centaur priests cloaked and veiled who manage the gardens
surrounding it.
The Council Hall: A huge long hall hung with colorful tapestries
depicting several centaur battles with humans where the
centaurs are victorious from ages not long past. Many sacred
spears from war leaders past hang beside them.
Androkles’ Failure: One of the towns on the outskirts of the
main city, battle torn and ruined. Only a few centaurs remain
here, attempting to rebuild what has been lost in recent wars
with invaders. A huge cemetery is here, marking the deaths
of hundreds who died defending the island.
The Jungle Grove: A clearing in the thick jungle where the
sun and stars glow brightly to fall upon a beautiful fern and
moss covered floor. Temporary lean tos and cooking spots dot
the small campsite.

Kelades 4
 Special Reward
The Golden Serpent. A blessing of both Hekate and Apollo, the
warm golden sun and the hidden snake, the Golden Serpent is
a necklace that provides its wearer with the ability to see that
which is hidden. This could be a secret, an enemy lying in wait
or a potential future through symbolic visions.

Mysteries
When Androkles rose to power cherished rituals were
forbidden if deemed to show the character of the centaurs
as weak or fragile. The centaurs have needed to be strong,
warlike, to fight off wave after wave of intruders in their sacred
jungles. Several rituals were considered too weak, the Mask
Dances among them. The third gender of centaurs are blessed
in their culture and the main performers of magic rituals and
dances. The blessings of Apollo and Hekate diminished, as the
gentle and harmonious ways were starting to be forgotten. The
third gender of the centaurs never forgot, as well as those who
did not want their culture to be erased through violence and
hatred. Androkles has been so focused on violent defense, she
has forgotten the freedom the sacred masks represent.
Can Androkles ever return to a more harmonious state of mind,
or will she always be waiting for the next battle? Will centaur
culture accept the return of the mask dance, and outward show
of bodily freedom and expression? Can harmony overcome fear?
How can the heroes, as outsiders, reassure the centaurs that not
all outsiders are meddling violent aggressors?
Thea has secretly been organizing a group of rebels who want
to restore the culture that has been lost with Androkles’
dominating rule. Thea loves her friend and has won many
battles with her, but cannot shift her back to a harmonious
way of life. Can Thea dethrone Androkles without killing her?
What will Thea sacrifice for her friendship? Will the rebels follow
Thea or will she help install a new leader?

5 Kelades
The sacred masks are made of clay, painted blue and gold,
and have lion faces with human eyes and scaley skin. When
adorned, the masks grant the wearer the ability to transform
into a chimera. Many believe this is where the mythical chimera
stories originate. Though the chimera themselves are true
bodily transformations, the mask can also cast any illusion the
wearer desires. The Dance of the Chimera is an important ritual
performed by the mask wearers at several festivals during the
year. What does the dance look like? Why does Androkles believe
it’s a show of centaur weakness?
The third gender of centaurs is any gender outside the typical
binary in centaur and human culture. Traditionally, third
gendered centaurs appear as Chimera when wearing the masks,
as they are symbols of transformation and liminality. They
use they/them pronouns. How do third gendered centaurs dress
and wear their manes? What other occupations do they hold aside
from the mystical?

Kelades 6
 Khryse
By James Mendez Hodes
Khryse is a half-sunk ancient city’s acropolis, its pale towers piercing
upward out of briny canals or hilltop streets. Braided vines wind
around them, fruit trees and flowers growing through windows
or upon rooftop earth-mounds. The ruins form echoing theaters
which amplify duelists’ scathing voices as they battle with verse
or dance in the gods’ names.

signs of the gods

Demeter: Goddess of law and order. Her sign is a ring of
mushrooms on a hillock, hinting toward a richer truth buried
beneath the earth.
Hera: Goddess of union. Her sign is two rowboats adrift,
lashed together side-to-side: close ties, threatened.

Arrival
You make landfall alongside several well-appointed galleys
transporting rich æsthetes from around the Mediterranean.
Karkharos the Merchant greets them as they disembark,
collecting a handsome fee from each one in exchange for having
arranged their passage to the island. These visitors talk excitedly
amongst themselves about the poets and dancers who duel here
for the glory of either Apollo or the Muses. The merrymakers
are happy to explain that for nearly ten years, Apollo and the
Muses have fought over the island and its grand temple. Since
those deities are formally aligned with one another, they duel
via champions: rhapsodes, spoken-word poets who perform
both extemporaneous and memorized poetry over musical
accompaniment, and dancers.
Not far from the landing point, Karkharos has erected a
stage and arranged a concert to welcome his impatient
customers. But just as the show is about to begin, a page runs
to Karkharos to explain that the concert’s headliner, Diemex,
became dangerously inebriated before the performance, and is
recuperating in Asklepios’s fane. As the restless audience clamors
for entertainment, Karkharos vainly begs them for patience, for
surely Diemex will arrive at any moment. Apollo’s symbol, a wand
crested with an orb and chaplet, lies unclaimed on the stage.

1 Khryse
 Will you rouse Diemex to perform? Craft & Reason vs.
Drunkenness (3d6) to concoct a remedy, or Resolve & Spirit
vs. Diemex to inspire him to give it to the crowd anyway.
 Or will you grab the wand and give the people what they want
with a performance? Arts & Oration vs the Revelers.

Trials
Apollo’s and the Muses’ champions have claimed Khryse’s west
and east coasts, respectively, in the battle for the island. Most
live and sleep aboard their ships; the greatest and best-renowned
among them camp on shore with their entourages, within what
few buildings’ topmost stories remain dry and livable. Each day
they venture into the island’s center to challenge their opposite
numbers, staking streets and blocks on their victories; but the
two sides have deadlocked for the better part of ten years. Will
you become champion of the East or West … or both?
WEST COAST CHAMPION
Apollo’s camp in the West is rigidly regimented. Under the
expert dancer Telmessos’s direction, Apollo’s supporters learn
strict and demanding dance and poetic forms, drilling pre-set
sequences en masse like hoplites. Their control, flexibility, and
technical skills are excellent, but their sequences are repetitive,
predictable, and stifling to creative young artists. Telmessos
brooks no argument against his reliable methods; but if the
performers of the West built creativity on his foundation, they
could be so much more. Will you challenge Telmessos for Apollo’s
championship? Blood & Valor vs. Telmessos. Success wins the
backing of the west coast and a bond with Apollo.
EAST COAST CHAMPION
The Muses’ Eastern camp abounds in passion, chaos, and
disunity. It has been centuries since all nine Muses appeared
on the same stage; so their devotees eschew schedules and
training, instead forming cliques around the most charismatic
and dynamic performers. The rhapsode Thelxinoe, cutting and
brilliant, is the most charismatic and dynamic of all, seeming
to care more about their sycophants’ adoration than about
victory. Artistic freedom is well and good, but someone must
organize the East. Will you challenge Thelxinoe for the Muses’
championship? Arts & Oration vs. Thelxinoe. Success wins
the backing of the east coast and a bond with the Nine Muses.

Khryse 2
 THE DRUM MACHINES
Long before Khryse began to sink, Hephaistos’s priests built
clockwork automata and devices out of gold, silver, and bronze
to serve and entertain its denizens. Today, such demiurgic
techniques are forgotten. The machines rust and break.
Only a few remain operable: clockwork musicians who play
instruments and sing along to champions’ performances. But
for the past year, these musicians have repeated the same song
without end. The automaton chieftain, the colossus Autotonos,
carries Hephaistos’s shrine and its island-wide control systems
inside his golden torso. Will you try to mend the master controls?
Craft & Reason vs. Autotonos. Success wins a bond with it.
If you fail, a rampant Autotonos attacks you and must be
subdued by Blood & Valor; even if you succeed, the clockwork
musicians’ songs grow even more repetitive, discordant, and
annoying after their leader falls.
INDUSTRY RULE #4080
As long as the conflict continues, Karkharos fills his coffers with
gold by selling passage, room, and board to rhap enthusiasts and
devotees of Apollo and the Muses who wish to visit the island.
Of course, upon their arrival, they find their accommodations
are flimsy tents, the refreshments stale bread and bland fish, and
the wine weak and sour (if abundant). Then, he never seems
to be around when a frustrated client comes calling; even his
servants whisper that Karkharos disappears for several hours
every night, leaving his bed empty. Will you shadow Karkharos at
night to find out his secret agenda? Craft & Reason vs. Karkharos
to track him into the labyrinth beneath the city, where he piles
ill-gotten gains in the goddess Khryse’s vault.

3 Khryse
FIRE FESTIVAL
A reveler reveals herself to be a lost tenth Muse: the “muse of
fire,” who inflames the audience’s hearts and passions. Lacking
supernatural powers, she insists Apollo and the Muses promised
her apotheosis for her devotion in securing them devotees,
but ultimately denied her. She and a small group of dedicated
followers have carried torches and burning braziers to the
agora outside the island’s main temple; they threaten to set the
island ablaze unless either Apollo or the Muses recognize her.
Attacking them is probably unwise—if they drop their torches,
the island catches fire. Resolve & Spirit vs. Sappheira, the
Tenth Muse, to talk her down from violence—or against one
of the gods’ champions (Telmessos or Thelxinoe), to convince
them to recognize Sappheira, that she might apotheose upon
her death.

Battle
 If you became champion of one coast or the other: Will you
challenge your opposite number to a final dance or rhap battle
for control of the temple and the island? Threats: The side you
oppose explodes in riotous celebration, driving everyone on
the coast you represent from the shore and re-consecrating
the temple and the island to a deity or deities who scorn
you. Your deity’s followers scatter across the sea, giving up
their arts in humiliation, spreading tales of your wackness
and shame wherever you might go. You earn the enduring
enmity of the deity you tried to champion.
 Or, if you became champion of both coasts and discovered
Karkharos and Khryse’s scheme: Will you call out Karkharos
and Khryse for fomenting conflict and exploiting others for
cash? If you do, Khryse herself rises from the depths of the
island, a goddess covered in robes, necklaces, and jewelry
of gold that glitters like the sun. She is enraged that you
have united the two coasts and ended the conflict which
was her source of income. She has acquired considerable
skill at dance and rhap during the past ten years. Threats:
In her wrath, Khryse angrily destroys the temple. The island
sinks into the sea and its occupants scatter, taking stories
of your catastrophic loss with them and becoming one of
the best-known myths of your time. Khryse and Karkharos
sail away in a golden ship to start trouble on another shore.

Khryse 4
 Char acters
Autotonos the Clockwork Colossus (d10), Massive (d6 Perilous),
Dutiful (d10), Fragile (d8).
Karkharos the Merchant (d8), Pious (d8 Sacred), Greedy (d8),
Unscrupulous (d6 Perilous).
Diemex the Rhapsode (d10), Intimidating (d8), Volatile (d8),
Melancholy (d6).
Sappheira the Tenth Muse (d8), Charming (d8), Forthright (d6),
Wounded (d6).
Telmessos the Dancer (d8), Competitive (d8), Taciturn (d6),
Secretly in love with Thelxinoe (d8).
Thelxinoe the Rhapsode (d8), Cruel (d6), Insightful (d8),
secretly in love with Telmessos (d8).
Khryse, the island’s tutelary goddess (d12), Spiteful (d12 Epic),
Ambitious (d12 Sacred), Conniving (d12).
The Revelers (d6), Intoxicated (d6 Perilous), Demanding (d8),
Enthusiastic (d6 Sacred).

Places
The streets: Barge-choked canals or muddy roads between
half-drowned towers. Crowded with revelers in various states
of intoxication. They wear colors matching their allegiance:
green for the west coast, black for the east. They’re likely to
accost anyone wearing the wrong colors.
The stage: Vast and empty plazas, torchlit, surrounded by
clockwork automata playing lyres and percussion instruments.
The crowd is hard to see behind the glow of the flames, but
its roar is unmistakable.

Special Rewards
Apollo’s Wand: Hold this wand to your lips and speak, and
your voice will boom and echo loudly. Point it at someone
you can see and whisper, and they and they alone will hear.

5 Khryse
Mysteries
The island’s central temple was once consecrated to Apollo
and the Muses together, but someone defaced the temple years
ago, leading to the current contempt between the Muses and
Apollo. Is the temple’s desecration connected to the island sinking?
Who could have done such a thing? What measures did they take
to prevent the gods from looking down from Mount Olympos and
seeing their crime?
Karkharos the Merchant is more than just a merchant. He
is the world’s only priest of Khryse, goddess of gold and of the
island that bears her name. He gives glory to Khryse—and to
himself—by profiting from the conflict between Apollo and the
Muses. Was Karkharos the one who vandalized the great temple?
Was the current conflict part of his plan, or an accident? What is
Khryse planning to do with all the gold?

Khryse 6
 Ophanos
By Stras Acimovic
The island of Ophanos is sizable and not well known. It’s covered in
forests, and natural majesty, and is mostly populated by centaurs,
dryads and the like.

signs of the gods

Aphrodite: Her sign is an incredibly lifelike statue, entwined
with blooming wild roses.
Hekate: A powerful eagle falls to the deck, slain by a shadowy
serpent which crawls into a shadow and vanishes.
Hermes: A stowaway rat on the boat, stealing a sailors meal
in plain sight while dodging all curses and weapons thrown
at it, eyes twinkling with knowing mirth

Arrival
The mists about this island are reluctant to part. As you
approach the waves still, the winds calm, and no clouds dot a
flawless sky. The green of the island is more than idyllic. It’s
clearly a place unintended for mortals to tread.
On the shore you hear the laughter of Kiklos the centaur. He
is reveling in his invulnerability charging among the dryads
and satyrs like an obnoxious drunk, absolutely wrecking their
peaceful settlement, and hurting any that happen to be in his
path. His body is immune to most weapons, and any wounds
that are made close quickly. His skin shines, and his coat almost
glows with a light emanating from within. One figure, a young
dryad in a white shawl, stands fiercely before him, trying to
stop his rampage, in danger of getting trampled herself.
THE IMMORTAL FOE
 Will you lure Kiklos away and lose him in the woods? Craft &
Reason vs Kiklos.
 Will you challenge Kiklos to a contest another day by appealing
to his greatness and vanity? Arts & Oration vs Kiklos.
 Will you lock weapons with him trying to annoy him enough
that he’ll leave? Blood & Valor vs Kiklos. He’s scary though—
take a look at his stats later.

1 Ophanos
If the heroes prevail, the scared Dryads, Satyrs and other beings
of the woods will emerge and thank the heroes. The white-clad
young dryad (the minor goddess Hebe in disguise) will grant
any that prevail a Bond (note that her Name die is a d12). She
would also relate the following to the heroes: Kiklos, once a
normal centaur on the island has found something that has
made him invulnerable, now he does not even fear the gods!

Trials
The goddess Hebe in disguise suggests to the heroes that if
they are unsure of their path there is a wise old dryad named
Erissa that lives in a cave near the base of the island’s mount
who may be able to help.
HELP FROM ERISSA
Erissa is a grumpy old dryad capable of opening the cracks
in the base of the mountain to let it act as an oracle. It is
dangerous for her to do so however, because the last time she
communed with the gods it was for Kiklos, and now they are
angry with her and she’s worried they might strike her down!
She will tell the heroes that Kiklos heard the whispers of
Hermes, and managed to get his hands on the amphora that
pours ambrosia for the gods. Can the heroes convince her to
aid? Arts & Oration vs Erissa (Sacred).
If the heroes prevail, Erissa will beseech mighty Aphrodite and
Hekate on their behalf, and the gods will offer their wisdom
to the heroes. If they fail however, Erissa is unmoved. She tells
them that Hermes cursed the island when he gave Kiklos the
idea to steal the ambrosia. If they want to help they can follow
after the god of thieves and steal it right back!
Usually the signs are very vague and full of portent, but if the
heroes prevail the gods are a bit more clear about their motives
this time. After all their immortality is at stake!
 Aphrodite suggests that the heroes descend beneath the
mountain and seek a river of fire—it leads to one of the
workshops of her husband (Hephaestos). There’s no need
for force or violence. If the heroes can craft what Kiklos’
heart desires, Aphrodite will empower the object with her
blessings, and hopefully the heroes can convince Kiklos to
give the amphora over in his joy.

Ophanos 2
  Hekate believes that no ends will work other than the
forthright ones. There is a deep cleft in the seas near the
island, where a crab from the days of the titans slumbers.
It’s blood is toxic even to the gods. If the heroes can defeat
it, she can help them craft armor from its shell and weapons
coated with its blood that are capable of defeating even an
Ambrosia bolstered centaur.
PATH OF APHRODITE
A dangerous route. First the heroes must survive the terrible
fumes and fires of the river Phlegethon where it runs under
the mountain so they can reach the workshop. The terrible
fumes and fires of Phlegethon are lethal to mortal ken.
 Will you devise a concoction that allows you to breathe safely?
Craft & Reason vs. Phlegethon (2d8 Perilous).
 Or will you hold your breath and push through to see God of Fire
and Metalworking? Resolve & Spirit vs Phlegethon (2d8 Epic)
Then the heroes must work the mighty bellows, melt the
rare metals, and craft a mask worthy of Aphrodite’s blessing
(2d8 Epic). Kiklos has a secret love on the island, but despite
his skill at arms, and his strength, he’s always been scared to
speak to them. The mask will allow him to disguise himself,
and assuage any fear he has while trying to win their heart. If
they craft the mask successfully, Aphrodite will grant each of
the Heroes a Bond. Note that the final battle may be one where
the heroes have to sway Kiklos into believing that love is more
important than whatever outlandish thing he’s demanding
from the gods… which may be a battle of Arts & Oration but
still difficult with the stubborn centaur.
PATH OF HEKATE
The dread Kabouras (a giant crab) hides below the waves.
Ask the heroe show they plan to either lure the beast out of
the depths, or have enough air to finish a fight (it might be a
simple challenge to weave a spell, use an upside down boat,
find a cave with an air bubble etc). If they defeat the monster,
Hekate will craft a toxin to place on any weapons and armor
crafted from the crab and grant each Hero a Bond.

3 Ophanos
PATH OF HERMES
You have to infiltrate Kiklos’ camp. The centaur has a herd of
hanger-ons, because bullies always have flunkies. How do you
bypass the palisade and guard (they are vigilant 2d8)? How do
you sneak into Kiklos’ tent and steal the ambrosia (tests against
ambrosia-bolstered Kiklos). If the heroes largely keep the fuss
down and it doesn’t turn into a big knock-out drag-out fight
Hermes will grant each of the Heroes a Bond. If Kiklos notices
them the heroes may want to consider trying to take a sip of
the nectar of the gods to try and fight on even footing...

Battle
 Can the heroes best Kiklos the Ambrosia juiced centaur? Threats:
Kiklos breaks the amphora and the gods need someone to
help them restore their immortality. Strife grows, and every
god gets angry (wrath) with the heroes. His herd of hanger
ons will storm the island causing chaos and killing a large
number of the peaceful inhabitants (what jerks).
 Can the heroes convince the gods to give Kiklos what he wants?
Threats: Gods smite the island with natural calamities and
many inhabitants perish. The heroes’ boat is swallowed up
by the ocean (no big, there’s plenty of wood on the island
you can just make another) but it takes the beloved crew
with it (oh no!). Note: this involves trying to convince the
gods themselves something that they may not want to do.
It can be a pretty rough challenge, so the heroes should
know what they’re getting into.

Ophanos 4
 Char acters
Kiklos (d10). Mighty Warrior (d10 Epic), Stubborn (d8), Boastful
(d8), Well armed (d8). Undying (Until the effects of the
Ambrosia wear off or are countered you cannot physically
harm him permanently—you’ll have to find a solution that
traps or binds him).
Erissa, the aged Dryad (d8). Prophetess (d8 Sacred), Wise (d8),
Sarcastic (d6).
The Islanders (d6). Peaceful (d6), Desperate (d8), Afraid (d6).
Kiklos’ Herd of Hangers On (d6). Competitive (d6), Devoted
(d8), Prideful (d6).
Kabouras the Giant Crab (d10). Spear-Clawed (d10 Perilous),
Angry (d8), Brilliant-Colored (d6).

Places
Lush green forests. Crystaline waters collecting into pools.
Fields of colorful flowers. Mist shrouded horizon.
Kiklos’ Camp. Surrounded by a palisade. The sound of hooves
stomping and hangers on wrestling, trying to catch Kiklos’
eye. Full of mismatched goods stolen from the local islanders.
Erissa’s Cave. Cozy and draped with herbs. Warmed by the
earth beneath. Many crudely carved wooden stools and utensils.
Crack in the Ocean. A deep hole where light fades, except for
bioluminescent marine life. Houses a blue-blooded crab the
size of a ship.

Special Reward
Ambrosia: Nectar of the gods. Good to bring one character
back from the brink of death, cure any ailment once, or bolster
you against a powerful supernatural enemy.

5 Ophanos
Mysteries
Hebe (minor goddess and Ambrosia server of the gods) lost the
Amphora, while she was occupied on her home island. What
was she doing that she set down her charge? She’s disguised and still
hiding on the island, could the Heroes get her to help somehow?
Kiklos stole the Amphora and now makes demands of the
gods, while holding their immortality hostage. Does he want
to be admitted to Olympus like Herakles or Dionisyus were? What
is he willing to trade (though the gods have no interest) for the
Amphora? Who is Kiklos’ true love that he’s scared to speak to?

Ophanos 6
 Persephone’s
Garden
By Misha Bushyager
The island is a riot of color. Jewel tones dominate with flowers and
fruit laden trees as far as the eye can see. Upon closer examination,
the fruit and flowers are made of intricately carved precious stones,
a fortune’s worth dedicated to giving Persephone a place that
reminds her of the spring she so loves. Five fountains bubble along
the shore, including one filled with fire and one wailing if you
listen. Around the edges of the island, the lushness of the landscape
changes to withered plants and dead leaves.

signs of the gods

Hera and Aphrodite, Goddesses of Love and Marriage: A
peacock and a swan walking on the shore together around a
lone pomegranate tree, tasting the fruit that has fallen.
Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest. A dozen trails of trampled
grass and a torch flickering in the distance. A search underway.

Arrival
When you step off the ship you see nymphs fluttering around
a sobbing Persephone crowned in flowers and jewels in the
middle of the garden. The hooded figure of Hades holds her in
his arms while the nymphs squabble with shades of the dead
and the nearly dead around them. The shades keep trying to
bring more treasures to the crying figure and keep the area
clouded by shadow. The nearly dead are wailing in pain or
roaming aimlessly. The nymphs are trying to light lamps and
torches to attract the eye of Demeter but the shades keep
extinguishing them.
Celeus, one of the nymphs, sits listlessly at the base of a leafless
tree. Upon your arrival she tells you that Demeter is looking
for Persephone and preventing the plants from growing here
and all over Gaia. Her tree is dying and on other islands people
are starving from the famine that is spreading without the
harvest they so desperately need and will continue so long as
Demeter does not have her daughter back.

1 persephone’s garden
A soldier, Anteros, with a most grievous wound wanders
around, holding his wound as it drips blood. An emaciated
old woman, Adrasta, with hair falling out in clumps walks
beside him. They tell you that they cannot die yet, as Hades
is not allowing the souls of the dead to be collected while he
comforts his love. Their suffering, and the suffering of all those
on death’s threshold, will continue unless Persephone stays.
Both are keeping you away from the figures in the center.
 Will you force your way past them to gain audience with
Persephone? Blood & Valor vs. The Wounded and Weak (2d6).
If the heroes prevail the nymphs and nearly dead will remember
them evermore as heartless villains.
 Or will you try to give them succor and ease their suffering?
Resolve & Spirit vs. Delinquency of the Gods (2d8, Mythic)
If the heroes prevail, the hero who was best gains a bond with
the nymphs and one with the mortally wounded.

Trials
SPOILS OF HADES
The ground is littered with exquisite jewels. Will you slip past
the distracted shades to fill your coffers with newfound wealth
and earn bragging rights that you stole them from the king of
hell? Craft & Reason vs. The Shades.
FROM THE JAWS OF HELL
The nymph Celeus approaches you, begging you to help her
get Persephone away from Hades and back to Demeter.
Will you distract Hades’ guardian so Celeus has the chance to
speak with Persephone? Craft & Reason vs. Cerberus.
Or will you rebuff the nymph, and convince her that Persephone
should make this decision on her own? Arts & Oration vs. Celeus.
THE SOLDIER’S LAMENT
Adrasta and Anteros both beg for your help in keeping
Persephone here so that Hades will let them die.
Will you demand that the guardian of Hades let the fallen speak
with Persephone? Resolve & Spirit vs. Cerberus.

persephone’s garden 2
 TRUE DESIRE
Those who suffer cannot see beyond their own pain to help
Persephone, but perhaps you can. Will you entreat Persephone to
share with you her desire and support her in making this difficult
decision? Arts & Oration vs. Persephone.
If the heroes prevail, Persephone will reveal that she is both in
love with Hades and home sick. The Heroes and Strife player
together discuss the possible way forward and choose one they
all agree she is amenable to, which the hero who is best offers
up, gaining a bond with Persephone.
If the heroes are defeated, Persephone cannot decide.

Battle
Cerberus, the three headed dog that normally guards the gates
of the afterlife is here, growling to bar your path, preventing
you from entering or Persephone from departing.
Will you battle Cerberus, guardian of Hades? Threats: Hades, in
desperation, unlocks his chains, releasing Cerberus into the
land of the living. Adrasta and Anteros are barred from the
Elysian Fields and must suffer torment in Tartarus.
Or will you befriend this good dog? Threats: If you seek to set
Persephone free, Hades, full of jealousy and anger traps the
heroes in the underworld. If you seek to have her marry Hades,
Demeter’s wrath extends always the home to cast famine on
the families of the heroes.

Char acters
Adrasta, a dying old woman (d6), Resigned to Death (d8, Sacred).
Anteros, a fallen soldier (d6), Seeks the Elysian Fields (d8,
Perilous)
Celus, a nymph (d8). Starved by Demeter’s absence (d8), Wise (d6)
Cerberus, Guardian of the Underworld (d10), Three-Headed
(d8 Epic), Vigilant (d10). Chained: Cerberus may not leave
the underworld unless his chains are unlocked by Hades.
Persephone, daughter of Demeter (d10). Lovestruck (d8
Perilous), Homesick (d8 Sacred).
Shades of the Dead (d8). Despairing (d8), Lost (d6).
Ghostly (Mortal weapons and tools have no effect).

3 persephone’s garden
Places
The shore where the restless near dead wander, crying out
piteously to any who will listen.
The five fountains, each fed by one of the rivers of Hades: the
Acheron (river of woe), the Cocytus (river of lamentation),
the Phlegethon (river of fire), the Styx (river of unbreakable
oath by which the gods took vows), and the Lethe (river of
forgetfulness).
The garden around the bower where nymphs try to draw
Demeter’s eye.
The bower at the center of the garden where Persephone sits
weeping.

Special Reward
A pomegranate whose seeds will each give one additional
month of life to someone who has died.

Mysteries
The Pomegranate is a symbol of Hera but also what
Persephone eats to remain in the underworld. As the goddess
of marriage, Hera, approves of the union between Hades
and Persephone. As the Goddess of love, Aphrodite had Eros
shoot an arrow at Hades, making him fall madly in love with
Persephone. He wooed and won her heart, showering her
with gifts and attention and now holds death at bay for all
unless she is allowed to remain at his side. She went with him
willingly but Demeter searches for her, believing her abducted.
She is neglecting her duties on Earth until her daughter is
returned but Persephone does not want to leave. Eating the
Pomegranate, or any other food from Hades’ realm, will allow
her to stay more permanently.
Absentee gods. The longer you stay on the island without
Persephone making a choice (or a choice being made for her),
the more nymphs you notice fading away as the blight creeps
inwards. Any crew members that receive mortal wounds do
not die, but cry out in unceasing agony.

persephone’s garden 4
 Skiá
By Allison Arth
Ruled by rival twin queens, Skiá is an island divided. A central
volcanic ridge — renowned for rich gemstone deposits, and rumored
as a titan’s lair — separates lush forests and golden beaches from
bluish haze and rocky shores.

signs of the gods

Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt and all that is Wild: Her sign
is a giant silver hind with flashing hooves and flaming eyes.
Apollo, God of Healing, God of Plague: His sign is scores of
mange-ridden mice, feasting on scraps, overtaking the temples.
Hekate, Goddess of the Twilight: Her sign is revelation:
shadowed secrets shared at long last.

Arrival
When you arrive into the cove — Skiá’s typically bustling port
that connects the two queendoms — you notice only one other
ship. It isn’t a trade vessel; rather, this ship flies the sigil of the
Káminosoi, a militant sect that has pillaged every island in
Skiá’s archipelago, conscripting warriors and seizing riches in
the name of their so-called federation, and their god Apollo.
Further down the beach, two groups of islanders await you.
The tension between them is taut as a bowstring, and you
overhear frightened whispers about the raiding party hiding
somewhere on the island. Priests from both sides fall at your
feet in supplication.
Gaiane, Oracle of Artemis, beseeches you: “Fruit rots on the
branch, game grows feeble — yet my Queen Astynome scorns
the altars of Artemis, the Wild Goddess. Help me convince her
to offer sacrifice.”
Thelgos, Priest of Apollo, pleads on his knees: “The Sun God
sours the oil and releases foul rodents to sicken our people. But
my Queen Antheía abandons us to offer strange and terrifying
sacrifice at the Mouth of the Gods. Join me on the mountaintop
and teach her how to appease Apollo.”

1 Skiá
CONFRONTATION
 Will you go with Gaiane to interrogate Queen Astynome? Arts &
Oration vs. Queen Astynome. If she wins, she banishes the
heroes from her side of the island. If she loses, she invites the
heroes to dine with her that evening. In the hours between
meeting and meal, the heroes find possessions belonging
to her twin Antheía secreted away in her chambers — a
bespoke signet ring, and a ceremonial veil woven with
shining thread. Astynome is hiding something.
 Will you follow Thelgos to show Queen Antheía the folly of
her strange sacrifices? Resolve & Spirit vs. Queen Antheía.
If she wins, she ignores the heroes’ appeals and commands
Thelgos to ready her supplicants for sacrifice. If she loses,
she flees in disgrace, leaving behind a ceremonial dagger
made for her twin Astynome on her coronation. Antheía,
too, is keeping secrets.

Trials
THE QUEEN’S SECRETS
At the palace of Astynome, you catch sight of the Queen’s
handmaiden, Chéria, in the shadows. She’s whispering with
urgency to Nestra, Captain of the Queen’s Guard. She sees
you’ve spotted them, hands Nestra a scroll, and quickly
dismisses her.
 Will you question Chéria to learn more about Astynome’s
neglect? Resolve & Spirit vs. Chéria. If she wins, she remains
silent about the Queen’s behavior and alerts Astynome of
your inquiries. If she loses, you earn her trust and she reveals
what she knows about the Queen (see Mysteries below).
 Or will you challenge Nestra in order to discover her orders?
Blood & Valor vs. Nestra and the Queen’s Guard. If Nestra
wins, she throws you in the dungeon. If she loses, she
reveals the Queen’s plot to unleash the island’s legendary
champion, the Beast of Echthra, upon you. The son of the
goddess Hekate, the Beast is a mighty giant with the wiles
of Odysseus who lives in the heart of the mountain; it is
said he guards Skiá’s most valuable treasure.

Skiá 2
 THE ANCIENT SCROLL
At the Mouth of the Gods, Thelgos produces a scroll he
discovered among Queen Antheía’s possessions. It is marked
not with the symbols of Apollo, but of an older deity, beyond
the reach of his knowledge.
 Can you decipher the scroll? Craft & Reason v. The Ancient
Scroll (2d8). If you prevail, you learn the scroll’s purpose:
it’s an incantation to control the Beast of Echthra, written
in runes used only by devotees of Eris, Goddess of Discord.
The scroll hints at the existence of a powerful ancient
treasure, hidden deep inside the winding, dangerous Caves
of the Beast.
If you are unable to read the scroll, Thelgos breaks down —
he relays a conversation he overheard between his Queen
and Pelagios, the Káminosoi General. Pelagios threatened
to slaughter the islanders and claim Skiá for the Káminosoi
unless Antheía bows to the demands of the federation: divest
the island’s riches, and turn over the mighty Beast of Echthra
so the Káminosoi can bring him to heel.
THE KÁMINOSOI PATROL
As you traverse the island, you meet Pelagios, the Káminosoi
General, accompanied by a small cadre of his Warmongers. He
knows of you, and calls each of you out by name. He offers you
an ultimatum: join his Warmongers in the sacking of Skiá, or
join the rest of the Skiáns in death.
 Will you follow the Káminosoi and learn their plan? If you
choose to follow him, he tells you of the strangeness he’s
observed on the island (see Mysteries below), and reveals
the Káminosoi’s endgame: to command the legendary Beast
of Echthra.
 Or will you face Pelagios and his patrol in combat to stay the
attack? Blood & Valor vs. Pelagios. If he wins, he leaves you
battered, and moves off to kill the islanders. If he loses, he
flees with his troops back to their forest encampment to
regroup.

3 Skiá
BATTLE
 Will you confront the Queen and force her to reveal her secrets?
Will you convince her to change her ways, or will you depose
her and help the island secure new leadership? Threats: The
Queen commands The Beast of Echthra. While engaged in
combat with the Queen and The Beast, the Káminosoi will
pillage the island and kill scores of Skiáns. Nestra will be
killed on the front line; Thelgos will flee with Gaiane into
the labyrinthine Caves of the Beast.
 Will you face the Káminosoi Warmongers in battle and drive
them from the island for good? They are seasoned, vicious
fighters predominantly immune to reason — though
Pelagios may be willing to bargain. Threats: Pelagios will
reveal what he’s discovered about the Queens’ devotions to
the islanders, perhaps mobilizing them against their rulers
and creating a power vacuum which his federation can easily
fill. The Warmongers are prepared to raze Skiá completely,
killing everyone and burning the palaces to the ground.

Char acters
Queen Astynome (d8). Guarded (d10 Perilous), Calculating
(d8), Icy (d6). Devotion (If Astynome suffers physical harm,
Chéria can intervene to suffer in her stead).
Queen Antheía (d8). Gimlet-Eyed (d10 Sacred), Cruel (d8),
Clever (d6). Lorekeeper (Grants d10 advantage die when
Antheía invokes the gods or performs incantations).
Gaiane, Oracle of Artemis (d6 Sacred). Wise (d8), Measured (d6).
Thelgos, Priest of Apollo (d6 Sacred). Commanding (d8),
Slippery (d6).
Chéria, Handmaiden of the Queen (d6). Watchful (d8), Devoted
(d6).
Nestra, Captain of the Queen’s Guard (d6). Well-Trained (d8),
Tough (d8).
Pelagios, the Káminosoi General (d8). Battle-Hardened (d10
Perilous), Savvy (d8). Káminosoi Warmongers (Grants d10
advantage die when they fight for Pelagios).

Skiá 4
 The Beast of Echthra (d10). Sharp-Tongued (d10), Towering (d10
Perilous), Thick-Armed (d10). Legendary Protector (Grants
d10 advantage die when the Beast is acting to protect the
Amulet of Ogygia). Twists and Turns (The Beast is Mythic
in any contest of Craft & Reason, and Epic in any contest of
Blood & Valor. Son of the Shadows (The Beast can call on
his Bond with Hekate (d12) in any contest).

Places
The Cove. Skiá’s only port, and the only known overland
connection between the island’s two queendoms. Where the
people of Skiá come to trade goods and secrets.
Queen Astynome’s palace, a harsh structure of rough pumice
and sleek obsidian.
Queen Antheía’s palace, a gilt, veranda-like structure covered
in lush greenery.
The Mouth of the Gods, a little-known altar on the edge of
the volcanic caldera.
The Káminosoi encampment, deep in the forest.
The Caves of the Beast, steaming tunnels that snake through
the volcano and connect both queendoms; few know them,
and even fewer choose to enter.

Special Reward
The Amulet of Ogygia. An amulet that grants the qualities
of a shape-shifter and silver-tongued orator; anyone who
comes into contact with the wearer sees and hears whatever
the wearer wills.

5 Skiá
Mysteries
Chéria knows Antheía and Astynome are not twins; they
are one in the same, a disgraced priestess of Hekate known
as Apokroúei, now devoted to Eris, Goddess of Discord. What
brought Apokroúei to ruin? Did she anger Hekate through her own
actions, or was she defamed by someone else? Does Apokroúei wish
to defy Hekate by controlling her son, the Beast of Echthra? How
deep in Eris’ thrall is she?
The watchful Pelagios has discerned the Queens’ secret
devotion: altars to Eris secluded in the dense forest, a golden
apple charm dangling from both Queens’ wrists. While he
doesn’t know that Astynome and Antheía are the same person,
he does believe the Queens are sowing disharmony to honor
the Goddess of Discord. Does he believe that Artemis and Apollo
demanded such intense devotion that Apokroúei denounced them
in favor of a new deity? Does he believe the Queens are rejecting
both Apollo and Artemis of her own accord, in order to divide and
ruin the people of Skiá? Does he suspect that Eris promised her
something in return for enraging the Divine Twins?
The Amulet of Ogygia’s great power is unknown to all but the
Oracle Gaiane — though she heard Queen Astynome whisper
its name in the dark, not long before the Queen began rebuffing
Artemis. What does Astynome know of the amulet’s power? Does
she wish it for herself? For the good of her people, her island?

Skiá 6