Island of Themis • Odyssey of the Dragonlords

Large Island

Your ship nears a large isle made up of flat grassland only occasionally broken by small copses. From your ship, you can see a herd of strange, speckled creatures similar in appearance to horses but with ridiculously long necks that can reach the top of tall trees.

Themis is the largest island in the Cerulean Gulf and consists of relatively flat grassland with small copses of trees. There is one deep, safe bay on the western edge of the island that is an ideal anchorage. Another deep bay on the eastern edge of the island is too dangerous for ships to enter due to jagged rocks that break the surface.

Themis has different fauna from the rest of Thylea, including tropical animals such as antelopes, giraffes, lions, hyenas, and rhinoceroses. Tales of these creatures are told far and wide, but what truly makes the island famous are its legendary denizens: the Amazons.

The Amazons#

Centuries ago, the Amazons of Themis were counted among the diverse warrior-tribes of Indigo Island. But during the First War, their forces were entirely shattered by the armies of the Titans. Blaming their losses on the frailty of the men who surrounded them, they sought to isolate themselves from the rest of Thylea and create a stronger society: a society dominated by female warriors. Accordingly, they retreated to the remote Island of Themis and established an isolated kingdom, unspoiled by the weakness of men.

The Amazons are as racially diverse as the tribes of Indigo Island, including elves, dwarves, gnomes, and even native races such as sirens and minotaurs. The Amazons define themselves as a sacred band of warriors who always stand together as a sisterhood. They train for combat from an early age, and once they come of age, they form into pairs of sister-warriors: lifemates.

There are only a few thousand Amazons on Themis, but they are among the most feared warriors in all of Thylea—brutal berserkers with no mercy. They have been known to take prisoners for breeding purposes, but most of them are executed.

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Queen Thesilea#

The Amazons of Themis are currently led by Queen Thesilea VI, the sixth of her name and once called “first amongst equals.” That title is now a hollow relic. Since Thesilea VI and her two sisters seized power thirteen years ago, the old sisterhood of equals has been replaced by rule through fear, secrecy, and religious authority, all backed by Lutheria. Councils that once settled disputes between war camps have been dissolved or made ceremonial. Before Thesilea’s rise, lifemates were openly romantic and devotional bonds, shaping camps and tactics. Now the throne strains those ties, rewarding rivalry and loyalty to Lutheria.

The three sisters wear sacred platinum helmets that signify obedience to Lutheria and elevate them above the rest of the sisterhood. The helmets also conceal a dangerous truth: Thesilea and her sisters are actually medusae who murdered the previous queen and replaced her. None of the other Amazons on the island suspect this terrifying truth, and few would believe it without damning evidence.

Death Cult of Lutheria#

When the imposter queen came to power thirteen years ago, she converted all the shrines on the island and enforced the worship of Lutheria. There was initial resistance to this change, but it was soon quashed by a campaign of fear and public execution. Those who survived are grudgingly loyal to the throne.

Some of Lutheria’s servants dwell among the Amazons to watch over them and ensure their loyalty. There is a small band of Maenads (appendix B, The Great Labors) who rove across the island, accompanied by their children (Goatlings, appendix B in The Great Labors) and some leering men (Cultists). These are the only surviving men on the island who are older than eighteen. Every night, the band celebrates with a wild bacchanal that includes drinking and sometimes bloodshed.

The Amazons#

War Camps and Skirmishes#

The Amazons don’t build any permanent structures on the island except for their prison. Instead, they travel across the island and make temporary camps, usually of 10-20 Amazons and rhino mounts. Each camp is prepared for surprise raids and skirmishes with the other camps. This perpetual “great game of war” is considered essential to the Amazonian way of life.

Arrival on the Island#

When the heroes arrive on land, read the following:

Standing on the coastline, you can see no buildings break the horizon. The land is open and quiet, dotted with tall grass and scattered trees. Herds of antelope graze warily in the distance, while a large rhinoceros lumbers across the plain.

If the heroes investigate their surroundings a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) reveals the following:

The lower half of a life-like statue of a man, weathered

but unmistakably human. Rhinoceros tracks, but arranged in neat, deliberate

patterns; like the movement of trained horses. Deep tracks from wolf-sized beasts with eight legs and

large hooked claws.

Men of Themis

Men are tolerated on the island only for the purposes of procreation. That harsh custom existed before, but it was not always the center of Amazon life. In earlier generations, Amazons sailed the Cerulean Gulf and treated reproduction as a practical outcome of travel and raids, often sending male infants away to be raised elsewhere. Under Queen Thesilea, Themis has turned inward, and the handling of men has become institutional and cruel. Men have no voice in civic affairs or in the raising of children. Amazons disdain men as a rule, but there are some who have a sympathetic opinion of the weaker sex. Such women might love a man the way they love a faithful dog. Anything more would be taboo. Men who are captured on the island may be thrown into prison and evaluated for suitability as breeding stock. This practice has expanded dramatically under the current regime, alongside the creation of a controlled male stock raised from childhood as a tool of worship and intimidation. Queen Thesilea keeps a small selection of young men for this purpose at an underwater temple on a small island off the coast of Themis. These men have been raised since they were children to believe that they are the favored sons of Lutheria. But on their eighteenth birthdays, they are escorted out of the temple and turned to stone.

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Exploring the Island#

The only permanent settlement on the island is the Amazon prison complex. Until the heroes discover its hidden location, they must journey across the wilderness. Each time the party travels to a new point on the map, roll on the Themis Encounter Table to determine what happens along the way.

Amazon Hunting Party#

A small herd of delicate antelope crosses your path. Four suddenly stop. One looks back and immediately turns to stone. The reason for its petrification quickly becomes apparent as four eight-legged reptiles the size of bulls burst into view. The creatures have been fitted with harnesses that are held by a group of athletic women riding strange beasts not far behind. The mounts are just as strange as the hounds: they are large, hairless animals with leathery gray hides and horns protruding from their snouts.

This is a hunting party of Amazons and their basilisk “hounds” pursuing antelope. If the heroes approach cautiously, the Amazons do not attack at once, instead challenging the party’s intent. Male heroes are met with open suspicion.

If treated with respect, a successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check earns their trust. They reveal themselves as exiles fleeing Queen Thesilea and describe how Amazon society has changed since her ascent to the throne.

If the heroes fail to gain their trust, the Amazons disengage and continue their hunt. However, any insult from a male hero is taken as provocation, and the Amazons respond with violence.

If hostilities break out, the four Amazon Warriors (appendix B) mounted on Rhinoceroses attack alongside four Basilisks.

All Amazons know the location of the Amazon Prison, as well as details about their queen and the death cult of Lutheria. They will share this information willingly if the heroes gain their trust. Otherwise, a successful DC 18 Charisma (Intimidation) check forces a captive Amazon to answer the heroes’ questions.

Maenads#

Wild music, celebratory shouting, and primal grunting fill the night air. You stumble into a hedonistic scene lit by firelight. Some revelers dance and sing, while others throw dice on the ground. By far the largest contingent is the tangle of bodies rutting in the grass. The group consists of six horned women, a dozen creatures with the legs of goats, and five adult human men. Though all of them appear to be drunk, the men are particularly slow and awkward.

The band consists of six Maenads, a dozen Goatlings (both in appendix B, The Great Labors), and five leering men (NE Cultists). They are all drunk and engaged in fornication, drinking, gambling, dancing, and singing. If the heroes investigate, the men invite them to join the party. They explain that this land is now the domain of Lutheria, the Lady of Dreams, but the Amazons are too proud to join their celebrations.

The maenads will attack the heroes if they refuse to join in the revelry. The cultists have the Poisoned condition due to their inebriated state.

Anyone who joins the revelry can easily learn the location of the Amazon Prison, as well as details about Queen Thesilea and the death cult of Lutheria.

Amazon War Party#

You hear something rush over your head, carried on a strong gust of wind. Six fierce-looking women hang from mechanical birds that rapidly glide towards your party. Once close to the ground, the women drop down, tumble, and stand before you with their weapons drawn. The avian constructs wheel and continue their descent towards your party.

This warband of Amazons was sent to capture the heroes. The six Amazon Warriors (appendix B) drop down to attack the heroes while their Stimfay (appendix B) attack from the air. The Amazon warriors are all lifemated pairs: when one of them dies, their lifemate enters a berserker frenzy.

If the heroes are captured, they will be stripped of their gear and taken to The Prisons (area P7) in the Sacred Temple. Once there, they will be imprisoned and later questioned by Leah, one of Queen Thesilea’s sisters.

Themis Encounter
1d10	Encounter
1–4	Nothing
5–6	Amazon Hunting Party
7–8	Maenads
9	Amazon War Party
10	Rhinotitan

illustrated quote — The Amazons are a sisterhood forged by loss. They are ruthless in guarding their honor, while forgetting the gentler verses of their own past. —Kyrah, Goddess of Music

Rhinotitan#

Across the tall grass of the plain, the earth trembles beneath the tread of a colossal beast. It is a hulking rhinoceros, nearly fifteen feet at the shoulder and longer than a galley, its horn sweeping forward like a spear. Antelope and giraffes scatter before it, as it moves with the authority of something that has no fear.

The Island of Themis is one of the last refuges of these legendary beasts. The Amazons hold the Rhinotitan (appendix B) as sacred, treating their survival as a divinely given responsibility.

Despite its terrifying size, the creature is not naturally hostile. However, should anyone attempt to harm or provoke it, the beast retaliates with devastating force.

The Sacred Temple#

The sacred temple of the Amazons is located on an island in an eastern bay of Themis. This well-defended complex is constructed entirely underground, and it doubles as both a prison and a place of worship. The Amazons who guard this temple are those who were cruel and self-interested enough to embrace the worship of Lutheria when Queen Thesilea came to power. They scorn the rest of the Amazons as weaklings.

The main entrance to the temple is on the small rocky outcrop of the island, above the high tide line. There are two secret entrances located underwater which can be used by someone who is willing to confront a hydra or squeeze through a pipe. All of the Amazons know of the two underwater entrances. The only way for the party to learn about them is to interrogate one of the Amazons that they encounter on the island.

Sacred Temple General Features#

Ceilings. The ceilings throughout the temple are 10 feet high unless otherwise noted.
Illumination. All of the rooms and hallways have a single brazier hanging from the ceiling with a continual flame spell providing light.

Sacred Temple Key Locations#

P1: Island of Statues#

A forest of life-sized human statues stands on the island. The vast majority of these marble statues are beautiful, naked young men. A handful are different, belonging to one of two distinct groups. The first set is a motley assortment of fit but average-looking men of all ages. Some of these are engraved with tattoos or scars, while others are missing one or more limbs.

During Queen Thesilea’s rise, the island has become a place of terror. By order of Queen Thesilea, when an Amazon male reaches the age of 18, he is brought here and turned to stone. These are the young male statues. Mixed in with the youthful males are many amazons. These include lifemates who would not betray one another, and outspoken traditionalists.

Guardian Golems. At the very center of the island is a grand marble staircase that leads down to the prison of the Amazons. The four statues at the entrance are not petrified men but four Marble Golems (appendix B), gifts to the Amazonian queen from Lutheria. These golems will attack anyone who is not an Amazon woman.

P2: Entry Chamber#

The entrance to the underground complex beyond is barred by a set of imposing bronze doors. Two women sit at a table in front of the great doors. Both are armed with swords and bows.

The bronze doors are unlocked. This area is under guard at all times by two Amazon Warriors (appendix B) who will fight to the death. They are lifemates, and if one dies, the other goes into a berserker frenzy. If a fight breaks out, it may be heard by Nura in the Basilisk Pens (area P3), and she will release her creatures to join the fight.

P3: Basilisk Pens#

This chamber has a set of pens constructed from bronze, each able to hold an animal the size of a large horse. Piles of white stone rubble lie just outside each pen. Many of the shattered pieces are in the shapes of human limbs and faces. The pens hold eight-legged reptiles, and one of them makes a contented rumbling noise as a stocky, muscular woman scratches the underside of its chin.

This is a stable for the basilisks that the Amazons raise as hounds. The pieces of rubble are taken from the statues outside and broken up into food for the basilisks.

There are four Basilisks in the pens. Nura, a dwarf

Amazon Warrior (appendix B), acts as their keeper. She has raised basilisks all of her life and loves the creatures more than she loves any of her sisters. She enters a berserker frenzy when one of them dies, as if it were her lifemate. Nura will release the basilisks if she hears any combat

occurring in the Entry Chamber (area P2). It takes her two rounds to unlock the cages and come to the aid of her embattled sisters.

P4: Hydra Tunnels#

You continue into the underground complex by way of a well-constructed tunnel. A honeycomb-like structure of large holes runs along one of the tunnel’s walls. Occasional splashing and dripping noises reverberate from these smaller tunnels. The atmosphere is humid and smells of stagnant water.

The holes along the wall lead to the Hydra Lair (area P5). Small creatures, such as halflings, can crawl into the holes, which are 2 ft. wide, and traverse the tunnels.

Hydra Trap. The hydra in the adjacent chamber uses the holes to attack anyone who tries to traverse this hallway without saying the proper command words. The command words are “By the Grace of Lutheria.” Every Amazon in the temple complex knows these words.

Portcullis Trap. There is a trap trigger plate at the center of the hall that releases three portcullises if someone steps on it. The trigger plate can be spotted with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check. When activated, the portcullises will trap anyone in the hallway. Lifting one of them requires a combined Strength of 30. The trap can be reset by pulling a lever in the Amazon Barracks (area P6).

P5: Hydra Lair#

A large reptilian creature paces in the cave’s center. Ten heads sprout from narrow snakelike necks, snapping occasionally at each other. The creature moves unsteadily on its four limbs, which seem a little inadequate for the task of propelling its own awkwardly distributed weight. An array of identical two-foot-wide holes have been bored into the cavern’s north wall. To the south, a pool laps against the rocky subterranean shore.

This cavern is the lair of a Hydra. There is a bronze circular portal set into the floor that leads to the Temple of Lutheria (area P11). The pool of water gives the hydra access to the outside, where it goes fishing when hungry. The ceiling in this cavern is 20 feet high.

The Monstrous Gift**.** This hydra was a gift from Lutheria to Queen Thesilea. She and her sister have modified the hydra by cutting its heads off and allowing more to regrow. While the Amazons have trained the hydra to not attack the hallway when the correct words are spoken, the monstrosity will always attack anyone who enters its lair. It remembers its suffering at the hands of the Amazons and is still angry.

Treasure. The hydra messily devours anyone who enters its lair, and many of its victims’ items are still lodged within its stomach. If the hydra is cut open, there are two emerald rings worth 1,000 GP each and a star sapphire medallion worth 2,500 GP. The legendary sword, Titansbane (appendix C), can also be found within the hydra’s stomach.

P6: Amazon Barracks#

Sets of bunk beds line the walls of this modest room. Aside from the wooden chests that rest at the foot of each bunk, the only other furniture of note is a large circular table with a set of matching chairs around it.

This is where the temple guards sleep and eat. There are usually two Amazon Warriors here (appendix B)—cruel prison wardens who spend their time playing dice. There is a lever on the north wall that can be used to raise and lower the portcullises in the hallway outside (area P4).

Treasure. There are six chests in the room. They contain the personal possessions of the guards: each has an adamantine dagger, 10d4 PP, and 1d6 gems (50 GP per gem).

Hydra Heads The Amazons have transformed this hydra into a monstrous and powerful guardian. A hydra can have a practical maximum of thirteen heads; beyond that count the heads start to become more of a hindrance than a help, and a hydra with more than thirteen heads will eat the extra heads when it gets hungry. Each extra head after the fifth one adds 10 HP to a hydra’s Hit Point total to a maximum of 252 HP. When a hydra gains more than thirteen heads, it stops gaining extra Hit Points and becomes unbalanced. The 14+ headed hydra’s heads have Disadvantage on their attacks. For each head after the thirteenth, the hydra’s walk and swim speed are reduced by 5 feet. A hydra with 19 heads is therefore completely immobile. The hydra in the Sacred Temple has ten heads (222 HP). The hydra is able to attack each 5 ft. square of the hallway with two of its heads. If it is reduced to less than five heads, it will retreat back to its lair.

P7: The Prisons#

You come to a hallway lined with locked prison doors of heavy oak. The only view of the cramped quarters beyond is a small, barred window in the center each door. Two of the cells are occupied by lizardfolk, who scratch at the door and plead with you in hissing voices. The last cell houses a young woman with a scar across her face. She is strangely quiet.

This prison houses anyone who is captured by the Amazons. Currently, there are two lizardfolk Scouts who were captured in a recent raid on Fire Island. These lizardfolk are loyal to Vytha, the deposed lizardfolk queen, and they will work with any potential rescuers to escape. They promise great rewards for the heroes if they agree to rescue Bront, the jancan from the Forge Room (area P13), and bring him back to Fire Island to serve their queen.

Darien, The Silent Prisoner. One of the cells holds Darien (NG Amazon Warrior, appendix B) who seems to be incapable of speaking. This is because her prison cell has been permanently enchanted with the Silence spell. She is visited once every few days by her loyal Stimfay (appendix B), who brings her news of the outside world, including exciting tales of the party’s exploits.

Darien is the rightful heir to the throne of the Amazons, but she has been captive here for thirteen years— ever since she was five years old. Thesilea murdered her mother, the former queen, but not before swearing an oath that she would allow Darien to come of age unharmed. Accordingly, the girl was kept silent and out of sight, while an imposter assumed the throne.

The Rightful Queen. If the heroes release Darien from her cell, then she begins to speak, haltingly. She explains that the Amazons have been corrupted by Lutheria. Thesilea and her sisters were once trusted advisors to the throne—until something changed. They cornered Darien’s mother in her chambers and revealed themselves to be inhuman monsters with snakes for hair. They had been transformed into medusae and granted dark powers by the Lady of Dreams.

The truth about Queen Thesilea is a secret known only to Darien. She is eager to join with the heroes and exact revenge upon the monsters who killed her mother. She has spent her entire life training in her cell so that she can one day reclaim the throne and banish all worship of Lutheria from Themis, restoring the Amazons to a sisterhood of equals.

P8: The Stockroom#

The walls of this room are lined with bunk beds. Fine rugs line the floor and its residents—four unarmed men—recline in chairs cushioned with velvet pillows. The young men appear to be angry and confused at your sudden intrusion into their reverie.

This is where the breeding stock of men are kept until they come of age. There are usually four young men in the room (CN Commoners), with the rest in the Breeding Chambers (area P10). They have been raised since birth to be absolutely loyal to the Amazons. They will not attack intruders, but they won’t help them either.

If given a chance, the men will try to raise the alarm. Attempts to convince them of their cruel situation will fall upon deaf ears. They believe that they are the blessed sons of Lutheria and that they will become immortal when they are transformed into stone.

The heroes can shatter the beliefs of one of the men with a successful DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) check. He will not be of much help, however, as his knowledge is limited to the rooms on this level.

P9: Hall of Honors#

This finely appointed room stands empty except for several bunk beds and a table. Lining the walls are dozens of commemorative bronze medallions. Hanging along the back wall is a large scroll with writing on it.

This chamber is used by the Amazons to reward the victors of the great game of war that is played out across the island each year. It is currently empty. The scroll on the back wall bears the ancient code of the Amazons.

P10: Breeding Chambers#

The centerpieces of this luxurious room are its two large beds, which are equipped with soft silks and pillows in vibrant shades of red. In one bed, two women and three young men lie contorted around each other in ecstasy. In the other bed, two scrawny goat-like creatures perform acts that are slightly more profane.

This is where Thesilea’s favored warriors breed with their male stock. It is usually done in a religious fervor, aided by the consumption of the Madon fungus. Usually there are two Amazon Warriors (appendix B) and three men (CN Commoners) in the room. In addition, there are two Goatling Tricksters (appendix B, The Great Labors) here enjoying themselves. None of them have weapons, and they will only attack if they are disturbed.

P11: Temple of Lutheria#

Cushions and chairs line the walls of this great, high-ceilinged, oblong room. At the opposite end of the chamber stands a white marble statue of a horned woman wielding a crystal scythe. The woman’s eyes are inlaid with black onyx, and her unearthly gaze seems to follow you around the room.

This is not only a place of worship, but also where Amazons are taken to give birth.

Statue of Lutheria. Anyone who touches the statue must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they are rendered catatonic for 1 hour, during which they experience horrifying visions of the Nether Sea.

P12: The Queen’s Chambers#

These living quarters have been furnished by someone with an eye for beauty and luxury. A woman and a young man are making love on the room’s only bed. Although otherwise completely naked, the woman is still wearing the platinum helmet that symbolizes her station as a ruler of the Amazons. A horned woman serenades the couple with her pan flute, though her music does little to silence the infant cries coming from a cradle at the corner of the room.

The doors to this room are always locked, as the chamber is used by Queen Thesilea or her sisters when they are visiting the temple. The lock requires a DC 15 Dexterity check with Thieves’ Tools to open. Leah (CE Medusa) is currently here, although she is preoccupied by the company of one of the men from the Stockroom (area P8), while a

Maenad (appendix B, The Great Labors) plays music for the lovers. The cradle in a corner of the room holds two
Goatling Tricksters disguised as human infants. Leah is the honored sister of Queen Thesilea. She will

not immediately remove her helmet in a fight. She will wait until more than one of the heroes has engaged in melee with her before doing so, to maximize the shock value of her true powers. The young man will cower beneath the sheets and avoid battle.

Treasure. There is a small bronze chest under the bed. Inside is a Sending Stone. The other stone is in the possession of Moxena, the Lady of Coins from the Colossus of Pythor (area C6, The Great Labors). Moxena is the sister of Leah and Thesilea, but she has been away from Themis for more than a decade. The chest also contains 100 GP and 75 PP, and the key to Bront’s shackles.

P13: Forge Room#

This grand room is flanked by two elements: along one wall, fires blaze within a massive forge; along the opposite wall there is a pool of cold, clear water. An anvil stands halfway between the two walls, and a pile of bronze rubbish next to it reflects the light of the fire. Upon closer inspection, the heap of bronze is half-finished mechanical birds the size of men. The room’s only occupant is a male cyclops with strange hands. He has ten fingers on each! One of his legs is chained to a ring in the floor.

This is where the blacksmith, Bront (TN Jancan, appendix B), forges weapons, armor and other constructs for the Amazons. He is a prisoner here, having been captured during a raid upon Fire Island. His ankle is shackled to the floor by adamantine chain links. He has enough chain to move about the room, but no more. The key to this chain is held by Leah, the medusa, among her treasures.

Bront is scared and lonely. He wants to talk to anyone who enters. Most of all, he wants to escape and return to Fire Island, where he served Jankor, the lizardfolk king. He might have been heartless and demanding, but he was fair and treated him with a degree of respect.

If the heroes ask about the whereabouts of Titansbane (appendix C), the legendary sword, he will explain that Thesilea grew annoyed with it and fed it to the hydra.

The Son of Bront. If Steros the Jancan is present with the party, he will expect and then demand that his father be rescued. Bront will be surprised to see Steros, as the last time the two of them spoke was at Praxys. Bront was previously unaware that his son replaced him on Fire Island.

Treasure. Hanging on the wall is a Shield, +1 with the symbol of Lutheria is emblazoned upon it. The shield is a present intended for Queen Thesilea at her next birthday.

There are several other finely-crafted weapons and pieces of armor hanging on the walls, including two adamantine shortswords, an adamantine breastplate, and a coat of mithral chain mail.

Cooling Pipe. This pipe feeds water into the pool in the Forge Room (area P13). Bront uses the water to quench heated metal that he’s working. The pipe is large enough for a Medium sized creature (or smaller) to swim through.

Confronting Queen Thesilea#

There are two ways for the heroes to encounter and confront Queen Thesilea. They may encounter her in the Sacred Temple complex, or they may encounter her on the way back to their ship.

Inside the Temple#

Within the Temple complex, Queen Thesilea (NE Medusa) is always accompanied by her personal guard, five fanatical Amazon Warriors (appendix B) who are as cruel as she is. They are willing to die for their queen, even if her true nature is revealed. They go berserk if she is killed.

If Leah is still alive when the heroes meet Thesilea, then she will immediately join the battle alongside her sister. She and her sister will reveal their true natures during the battle, in order to make use of their powers.

If the heroes are fighting alongside Darien, Thesilea’s guards consider her to be no more than an escaped prisoner. Darien cannot claim the throne until Thesilea has been defeated in battle. Moreover, Darien came of age several months ago, so Thesilea is no longer oathbound— she is free to order Darien’s execution.

The Queen’s War Party#

If the heroes raid the Sacred Temple and escape, Queen Thesilea (NE Medusa) will ride out and confront them when they try to make their way back to their ship.

As you make your way across the island, a thunder of animals can be heard in the distance, growing louder over time. Soon, you make out the figures of six female warriors riding towards you on stocky, horned creatures. Each looks your way and begins nocking an arrow. Their leader, a particularly regal figure, wears a platinum helmet. In the sky above, six more warrior women hang from large clockwork birds, which fly in your direction.

The queen and her five riders (Amazon Warriors, appendix B) will keep their distance and attack with bows. Six additional Amazon warriors arrive with their Stimfay (appendix B), dropping down to attack the heroes in close combat. The queen and her warriors fight to the death.

The Death of the Queen#

Once Thesilea and her sister have been killed, Amazon tribes from across the island will arrive at the Sacred Temple to arrest the remaining forces who were loyal to the medusae. They grudgingly thank the heroes for their assistance (preferring female heroes if possible).

At this point, the heroes may recommend Darien or Moxena as the new queen, if either of them are present. Alternatively, if one of the heroes is an Amazonian woman, they may claim the throne for themselves.

The Queen’s Treasure#

Queen Thesilea carries a golden, gem-studded holy symbol of Lutheria worth 1,000 GP. The platinum helmets worn by Thesilea and her sisters are worth 800 GP each, but they are relics that have belonged to the true queens of the Amazons for centuries.

Moxena’s Secret Plot

If Moxena, the Lady of Coins, is present during this part of the adventure, she will actively seek revenge upon her sister, Thesilea. She will demand to accompany the heroes when they land on Themis, and she will use disguise self to appear human until her goals are achieved. When she meets Thesilea or Leah, she will start a battle no matter what the heroes desire. Once her sisters have been killed, Moxena will seize control of the Sacred Temple and declare herself the new Queen of the Amazons. Depending upon how the party has treated her, she may allow the heroes to leave in peace. If the party has been respectful towards Moxena, then she will reward each hero with 500 GP in precious gemstones. However, if they have been disrespectful, then she will order them all killed. Moxena will do everything possible to undermine Darien, who is the rightful queen. She wants only to reclaim the power and position that her sisters denied her. She has no interest in the Amazon code.

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