The King and Queen • Odyssey of the Dragonlords

Word of your imminent departure has spread quickly: the provisioning of your legendary ship did not go unnoticed. A sizable crowd of onlookers has gathered to see you off, and two figures of note have also come to speak with you: the king and queen of the city. King Acastus is mounted on the back of his silver dragon, watching you with narrowed eyes. “I wish you well on your journey. Take care that you do not invite new troubles upon my city.” With that, the king spurs his dragon and flies away toward the palace. Queen Vallus arrives in her chariot. She climbs down and glides toward you with divine poise, while her attendants run before her, laying several baskets at your feet. “Heroes of the Prophecy, I bring you gifts from the people of Mytros. And I have come to give you my blessing. But I must speak with you privately before you embark.”

Gifts from Citizens#

Vallus has brought many gifts from the people of Mytros. These include four goats and two white cows from some of Mytros’s most respected farmers; a quiver of ten Arrows, +1 from the city’s centurions; and six Potions of Healing, four Potions of Climbing, and four Potions of Resistance from the Academy.

The Antikythera#

The greatest gift that Queen Vallus gives to the heroes is the Antikythera (appendix C). This is a legendary magical device that will allow the heroes to navigate through the islands of the Cerulean Gulf and the Forgotten Sea.

The Goddess of Wisdom hands you a strange device. “As you know, the Cerulean Gulf and the Forgotten Sea are vast and harbor many dangers. Some of your destinations may even vanish and shift by the workings of capricious primal powers. The Antikythera is a cunning device. It utilizes both magic and mechanical ingenuity to chart a safe path across the oceans.” “Every island is attuned with a particular constellation in the night sky. By selecting a constellation on the device, you may chart a course to its associated island. “Unfortunately, it seems that someone has stolen a gear from the device. Until the gear is replaced, you will not be able to navigate into the Forgotten Sea. “I suspect that the Order of Sydon is responsible for this theft—in which case, Gaius almost certainly has the piece. He departed yesterday for the Order’s headquarters on the Island of Yonder.”

Queen Vallus advises the heroes to decide among themselves who will assume the two most critical roles aboard the Ultros. One of them must serve as navigator, entrusted with the Antikythera.

Another, or perhaps the same individual, must take on the mantle of captain. In the trials to come, swift and decisive leadership will be essential. There will be moments when the fate of the ship, and all aboard it, will hang on a single command. A captain must bear that responsibility, and the others must trust in their judgment.

Epic Backgrounds#

Before the start of the voyage, some heroes may be taken aside for private conversations pertaining to their epic backgrounds.

“The Antikythera can do more than guide your ship, it can open a path through the Forgotten Sea to the world beyond,” Vallus says. “But to unlock that power, it must be reforged by a master cyclopean artificer known as a jancan. Find one of them, and the Forgotten Sea will yield its secrets.”

There are three jancan smiths that the heroes can meet in the adventure: Steros, Bront, or Garzoon. Any of them can modify the Antikythera (appendix C) in 8 hours.

Epic Background: The Gifted One. Before the Ultros departs, Queen Vallus takes the Gifted One aside.

“You carry the spark of the old order,” she says. “To restore the Dragonlords, you must reclaim their legacy. You must find a forgotten fortress, now held by a dragon in the Garden of Helios. This fortress is a magical item of great power, crafted after the First War by Damon.”

She refers to the Garden of Helios in the Forgotten Sea.

illustrated quote — When you cross the oceans with an army, surrounded on all sides by death, with no end to your journey in sight, you soon learn the value of loyalty. —Rizon Phobas, Dragonlord (63 CE)

Legendary Crew#

Queen Vallus has sent word across Thylea, calling for those brave enough to sail aboard the Ultros . Many answered. She introduces them now: Kyrah, Goddess of Music, insists she must record your epic. Pythor, God of Battle, has given up his throne to fight beside you, though he reeks of wine. Versi, the Oracle, is determined to protect you, her beloved Chosen Ones. And last, one hundred loyal sailors. These are mortals of courage and grit, ready to row into legend at your side. The assembled crowd roars their approval.

Pythor will tell the heroes that one of them should make a speech on such an occasion. Allow the players to decide which one of them, if any, will make a speech to the crew. Whoever gives the speech should make a Charisma (Performance) check, with Advantage if the player does a good job roleplaying.

9 or lower: There are scattered cheers amongst the crew
10 to 14: The crew cheers.
15+: The crew erupts in cheers and chant the hero’s name.

Other Crew#

If Odyssey of the Dragonlords is a continuation of The Great Labors, then the heroes might have met other NPCs who will show up to join the crew.

Loreus, the Satyr. Loreus will step forward if the heroes previously met him at the Mossy Temple. He has been following the heroes’ exploits and wants to be a part of their quest. He will present one hero (the one that he loves) with a garland of white flowers and pledge himself to him or her with an Oath of Protection (appendix D, The Great Labors).

The Ghost of Estor. The ghost of Estor Arkelander still haunts the ship at night. Once the journey is underway, he may appear from time to time to offer bitter advice to the heroes.

Additional Crew. The heroes may have befriended the minotaur, Bullbug, or made a deal with Moxena, the Lady of Coins. If so, then they will be ready to join as crew members.

For information on Bullbug, Moxena, Loreus, and Estor see appendix A of The Great Labors.

Roleplaying the Crew#

The NPC crew of the Ultros are not additional party members. They generally remain on the ship. Between islands, the NPCs provide roleplaying opportunities and information. They can teach about the history of Thylea, or describe the constellations associated with each island. For certain adventures, it might make sense to have an NPC tag along. For example, Moxena wishes to accompany the heroes on to the Island of Themis. If the heroes are wiped out in a combat encounter, several NPCs might band together and rescue them.

Feel free to use the Streamlining Companion NPCs (found in the Introduction of The Great Labors) when an NPC wishes to accompany the heroes. The special abilities for Bullbug, Kyrah, and Loreus are listed in that book. Below are the abilities for Pythor and Moxena.

Pythor’s Grapple. Pythor grapples a target creature that is Huge size or smaller. Strength Saving Throw: DC 20. Failure: The target has the Grappled condition until the end of its next turn. Moxena’s Gaze. Moxena uses her Petrifying Gaze on a target Constitution Saving Throw: Failure: creature. DC 13. The target has the Restrained condition until the end of its next turn.

Final Meetings#

The Dragon Egg#

Before the heroes set sail Vallus speaks privately with Kyrah, her sister. She gives Kyrah a locked bronze casket, carved with protective magical runes.

The contents of this casket should remain secret until Kyrah decides the heroes need to be told. It contains a single dragon egg, the last of the eggs that Sydon gave to Acastus. Vallus has entrusted this last dragon egg to her sister, hoping to keep it out of the hands of any who would use the egg for evil purposes.

Time is Running Out#

Finally, Vallus warns the heroes that the Oath of Peace is truly coming to an end. The five-hundred year-old oath will remain in effect for another sixty days, but no longer. After that, the Titans will be free to wage war upon the mortals of Thylea once more. It’s impossible to say what will happen after that, so the heroes must make haste:

“You have but two short months before the Oath of Peace comes to an end: sixty days to confront Sydon in his tower at Praxys, and Lutheria on her throne in the Nether Sea. If you cannot renew the Oath of Peace in that time, then I fear to think of what will befall this city. The armies of the Titans will slaughter the people of Mytros and soak the land in blood.” “The Titans are weaker now than they were in the First War. You would be wise to gather what power you can on your journey. With the right weapons and knowledge, perhaps you could even challenge the Titans directly, and destroy them for good.”

You will need to keep track of how much time passes during the voyage of the Ultros. Traveling between islands usually takes 3 days, and the players may spend any number of days on each island.

When the 60 days have passed, the Oath of Peace will end, and the Titans will make their move. At that point, refer to the Battle of Mytros chapter to determine what happens next.