Island of Yonder • Odyssey of the Dragonlords

Large Island

This rocky island is surrounded by shallows and other dangers, which makes finding a place to anchor very difficult. However, there is one small cove where a ship can be anchored safely. From there, a narrow path leads up to the island proper.

The Order of Sydon#

The Island of Yonder has been taken over by the Order of Sydon, a faction of zealots who are fiercely devoted to Sydon, the Lord of Storms.

The Order intends to destroy the heroes. They are an effective, organized force. Unlike some other groups in the Cerulean Gulf, the Order of Sydon are highly coordinated and prepared for interlopers. This makes them far more difficult to deal with than most of the dangers that the heroes have encountered so far.

Gaius (appendix A), the commander of the Order, is a very clever leader and a cunning strategist. He will not throw away the lives of his men in a piecemeal fashion, and he will not order them to fight to the death unless he has no other choice. He is a dangerous man. For as long as the heroes are on this island, they should feel the pressure of Gaius and his forces breathing down their neck.

Chondrus (appendix A), the master of the Great Library, is also here. He is not loyal to Gaius, but he provides assistance to the Order when called for. Both Gaius and Chondrus were present when the heroes were called before King Acastus, and they remember the heroes well.

History of Yonder#

This island was the ancient capital of the Gygan Empire that once dominated much of Thylea. The gygans were already in decline when the Dragonlords arrived, but most of those that remained were wiped out in the First War. The Gygan communities and forts on Yonder were razed by the Dragonlords in the last days of the struggle.

In the last decade, the Order of Sydon has made the island their main base of operations. The few gygans who still lived on the island were eager to work with the Order and thereby gain favor with Sydon. They believe that this, perhaps, is a chance to return to the glory of ages past.

Structures and Ruins#

Two buildings have been mostly reconstructed by the Order and the gygans. One is a small tower close to the cove that allows landfall. The other is a magnificent library near the center of the island. The rest of the island is covered in ruins from the ancient Gygan civilization. There are a half-dozen sites that show broken marble pillars and slabs of concrete, some of which are partially charred by dragon fire.

The skeletal remains of gygans are everywhere in these ruins. The few living gygans avoided the ruins out of superstitious fear of the long dead. There are animals on the island, but they are mostly seagulls and small animals such as rats and shrews.

Ancient Grievances#

The many ruins across the island have been mostly picked clean by the Order of Sydon. All that remains are the bones of the gygans who died five centuries ago. The gygans who still live on Yonder leave these bones in the open as a reminder of the evils that the Dragonlords visited upon their people.

Because of the atrocities of Estor Arkelander, the Ultros is a ship that the gygans have never forgotten, and anyone who comes to the island aboard the legendary ship will be an immediate target of the gygans’ wrath.

Arrival on the Island#

When the heroes approach the island on the Ultros, read the following:

As your ship approaches this rocky island, a shallow cove appears to be the best spot to lay anchor. Stained and charred white marble and concrete ruins dot the shore, and you can clearly see the bones of giant humanoids. The relatively intact structures have doorways that are unusually tall and wide. A tower near the cove is the only complete building in sight. Although recently built, its foundations are clearly much older and similar to the nearby ruins. From a window in the tower, a six-armed cyclops looks out at the sea, your ship, and you.

The tower acts as a garrison for gygan and human soldiers that keep a watch for invaders. The commander is a man named Marcion (LE Warrior Veteran). One of the gygans is always on watch and will alert the tower if he sees a ship approaching.

Once Marcion becomes aware of the heroes, he will send one of his men to inform Gaius at the library. Marcion will try to ensure that the garrison remains in the tower unless ordered otherwise by Gaius or Chondrus. However, if the Ultros makes anchor within visible range of the tower, Marcion will be unable to stop the two

Gygans (appendix B) in his garrison from going down to try and kill anyone coming to shore.

Encounter: Confrontation#

If Gaius learns that the heroes have made landfall, he will send a war party to confront them. The war party arrives 30 minutes after Marcion sends his man to warn Gaius.

An armored man riding a bull approaches you. His steed is completely encased in metallic scales. He wears a cerulean cape and a breastplate that has been engraved with a red eye, the symbol of Sydon. A group of soldiers and a six-armed cyclops march behind him. As soon as they see your party, the monstrous bulls charge toward you with a thunderous roar!

Gaius has sent one of his captains mounted on a Gorgon, along with one Gygan (appendix B) and six Warrior

Infantry.

Yonder Key Locations#

R1: Tower Garrison#

This tower’s main purpose is to house a small garrison of soldiers who protect the island and the library. The tower is guarded by a detachment of sixteen Warrior Infantry from the Order of Sydon and two Gygans (appendix B) led by Marcion (LE Warrior Veteran).

R2: Entrance Canyon#

Ahead, an ancient road cuts through a steep canyon gorge. Though centuries old, its stones have been carefully repaired, their surface worn smooth by use.

The road that runs through the canyon is well kept. It is obvious that the road has been repaired in recent times.

A successful DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) check allows someone looking for tracks to discover that there are human and giant-sized boot tracks mixed together.

R3: Ruins of Yonder#

The canyon opens into a vast caldera, and before you stretch the ruins of a once great city. Towering avenues and broken pillars rise from the ground. Streets wide enough for giants run through the ruins of a city once home to ten thousand or more. Charred walls and scorched stones bear the scars of fire and claw. These are the marks of a war waged by dragons long ago.

In its golden age, Yonder was the thriving capital of the Gygan Empire. Its architects modeled the city on Malborn, a powerful city-state beyond the Forgotten Sea, with whom the gygans once warred.

The ancient Gygan library dominates the skyline, rising from the heart of the ruins. Perched on elevated ground, its marble walls and towering columns have been restored. From this vantage, the structure appears almost new.

The library is less than a five-minute walk from here, the city’s wide causeway leading directly to the entrance.

For details, see area R7 the Ancient Library.

R4: Ruins of Korinthos#

This is the remnants of a small Gygan settlement. Stone walls lie toppled, homes reduced to rubble. Scattered among the ruins are massive skeletal remains, their great bones left where the gygans fell centuries ago.

These ruins have been picked clean by the Order of Sydon. Only the skeletal remains of its former inhabitants are left.

R5: Ruins of Athinae#

The ruins of this town are blackened and broken, as though consumed by lightning and fire. Buildings are gutted shells, their walls melted and cracked by unimaginable heat. Charred bones lie among the wreckage.

When Estor Arkelander invaded, he chose this town as an example, destroying it to terrify the gygans into submission.

Crude inscriptions can still be found etched into some surviving walls, written in both Common and Giant. They are warnings:

R6: Ruins of Diadedum#

Among these ruins are smaller buildings with human proportions. They look strange compared to the giant-sized buildings beside them.

This town was where envoys and merchants from the people of the mainland would arrive and trade with the Gygan Empire. Now, collapsed beams and shattered masonry mingle with the skeletal remains of gygans who perished where they stood, frozen forever in their final struggle.

The History of the Gygan Empire

Five thousand years ago, the scattered gygan clans united beneath one banner, and the Gygan Empire was born. They raised colossal city-states of marble and stone. Rivalries flourished among these cities, but competition often found its outlet not on the battlefield, but in contests of strength and sport. Their first great war came three millennia past, when they clashed with the human city-state of Minos. Victory was sealed not through conquest, but by divine curse, as the people of Minos were transformed into the bull-headed minotaurs. A thousand years later, the empire instituted the Great Games, an arena where champions displayed their strength in boxing, wrestling, and feats of endurance. Two millennia past, war came again, this time with the human city-state of Malborn across the Forgotten Sea. Though the gygans fought fiercely, the two wars broke the back of their empire. They drove the invaders from Thylea, but their decline had begun. By a thousand years ago, the Great Games had spread beyond Gygan Empire to the mainland, binding mortals and giants alike in contests of glory. Yet this golden age was not to last. Five centuries ago, the Dragonlords brought fire and ruin. Estor Arkelander’s slaughter of gygan warriors and innocents alike brought the Gygan Empire to ruin. Their cities burned, their people scattered, and the proud gygans were reduced to small family enclaves, each echoing faintly the glory of their fallen empire.

History. On one wall, a faded mural depicts the history of the Gygan people. With a DC 16 Intelligence (History) check, meaning can be gleaned from its weathered lines. You may provide all or some of the information described in The History of the Gygan Empire sidebar.

R7: Ancient Library#

The ancient library, now rebuilt, is in the middle of a ruined Gygan city. It is both the headquarters of the Order’s supreme commander and the location of the Order’s most important project. The path here from the cove is easy to spot, as it is frequently used.

Sydon is obsessed with arcane lore and the Order are gathering such knowledge from as many unique sources as possible. They have been using three main methods:

Gathering scrolls and tomes from across Thylea.

Capturing shipwrecked sailors from the outer world.

Using all sorts of magic to learn forbidden secrets.

Most of the Order think that the library is somehow giving them information through such spells as Contact

Other Plane and Legend Lore, but this is not all that has been happening. Chondrus, the master of the library, has been making deals with the fiends of Hades. The library also has a half-dozen scholars (LE Nobles) to tend to the books and scrolls, along with four Priest Acolytes who study arcane lore, conduct magical experiments, and use divination magic to look beyond Thylea.

Finally, the library is also home to soldiers and gygans under command of Gaius, the supreme commander of the Order of Sydon.

Cliffs. The cliffs surrounding the library are 200 ft. in height. The cliffs are steep and require a successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to scale. The Order of Sydon doesn’t patrol the cliffs, so it’s a dangerous but effective way to stealthily gain entry to the library.

Doors. The doors of the library are all built for Large-sized humanoids. Medium and smaller creatures need to use an action to open the doors here.

Rousing the Garrison. While Gaius may have learned that strangers have made landfall on Yonder, he is confident that sending out one of his captains should deal with the threat. The garrison at the library will not become

alert until intruders are seen approaching the gates—or until a fight breaks out inside the walls. If the library is alerted to intruders, all of the soldiers in both barracks will be roused. The walls and towers at the front gate will be reinforced, and a warband will be dispatched to intercept the heroes. The warband includes six Warrior

Infantry, one Gygan Boxer (appendix B), and a Warrior
Veteran with orders to kill the heroes. Commander Gaius. If the library hasn’t been alerted, then Gaius (appendix A) can be encountered in his quarters. However, if Gaius is alerted to intruders, he will summon his mount, Argyn (LE Young Silver Dragon), and wait for her before engaging in battle. Gaius can summon Argyn by blowing a whistle that hangs around his neck. Argyn is usually hunting dolphins and whales in the waters close to the island, and it will take her about ten minutes to return. If the heroes leave the library before Argyn arrives, then Gaius will mount up and search for their ship from the air. Once he finds the ship, he will attempt to kill everyone onboard. If the heroes have not yet encountered Sydon’s fleet, then he may summon them to his aid.

Library Key Locations#

Y1: Main Entrance#

This road leads to a ruined city, which stands at the top of a plateau. At the center of the ruined city is a massive structure which appears to have been built by giants. Color variations in the masonry suggest that this is an ancient building that has recently been restored. The massive bronze doors at the entrance stand closed. They are engraved with images depicting six-armed cyclopes. Despite the pristine condition of the building itself, the statuary and carvings that surround it are crumbling. The most prominent statue is a six-armed figure with a bronze cage where its head should be.

This is the entrance to the library, and the building is in excellent condition. The statuary is mostly in ruins, because none of the gygans on the island are artisans capable of repairing such stonework. The two massive bronze doors are always kept closed, but they are not locked. The bronze doors are embossed with images from the ancient Gygan civilization, including scenes of the Gygans building their cities, worshiping the Titans, and sailing the seas of Thylea.

Alarm Golem. The headless Gygan statue is a Stone

Golem. Even though it has six arms, it still only gets two slam attacks from its Multiattack action. The stone golem has a movement of 0, but the cage on its head contains a pair of Harpies. When the harpies spot intruders, they use their Luring Song to get them to approach the golem, which then smashes anyone who comes close enough. Thanks to the cage, the harpies have the benefit of three-quarters cover.

Y2: Tower#

Three Warrior Infantry stand atop this tower and keep watch day and night. If any of the soldiers spot intruders, one of them will run to the library to alert Gaius.

Y3: Tower and Wall#

This tower and wall are left unguarded. However, if the library is alerted to intruders, all of the soldiers from the barracks to the north will rush out and take positions at the top of the tower and along the wall.

Y4: Central Courtyard#

The library’s courtyard is an impressive open space. At its center is another six armed statue with its head covered by a heavy cloth. Next to the statue is an ornate fountain that has seen better days. The mechanism that filled it has long since broken down, and the basin has run dry.

This is the focal point of the library. The area serves as a meeting place and a gymnasium. During the day, the courtyard is always busy, with a Warrior Veteran, six Warrior

Infantry, and one Gygan Boxer (appendix B) exercising, eating, and socializing. Occasionally, scholars pass through, moving between research assignments. If the library is alerted, all of the soldiers will remain in the courtyard and join any battle that breaks out at the gates or the stables. Alarm Golem. The Gygan statue is another Stone
Golem, arranged exactly as the one outside (area Y1). In a similar fashion, there are two Harpies in a bronze cage beneath the cloth. The cage is kept covered by the cloth during the day, and the harpies sleep. At night, the cloth is removed, and the harpies act as an alarm system. Their singing will alert the library of intruders.

Y5: Temple of Sydon#

The high ceiling of this chamber is supported by many rows of fluted marble pillars. At the back of the chamber is a massive statue of Sydon. The statue is fifteen feet in height, even though it sits upon a throne.

The temple is forbidden to everyone except Gaius, Chondrus, and the acolytes. Any of these individuals can communicate directly with Sydon by saying a prayer while kneeling before the statue. There is a 50% chance that Sydon will respond to such prayer, and the head of the statue will animate.

Calling Upon Sydon. If the library is attacked and the battle is going poorly for the Order of Sydon, then Gaius may come here to request advice or reinforcements. Sydon will instruct Gaius to find his dragon Argyn and then hunt down the intruders from the air once they think they are safely away on their ship. If the heroes have not yet battled against Sydon’s fleet, then the Titan may send the fleet after them at this point.

Wheel of Fortune. A round secret compartment at the back of the statue can be discovered with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. Inside the compartment is a Wheel of Fortune (appendix C).

Y6: Barracks#

This room is sparsely furnished with a dozen bunk beds lined up in two neat rows. Locked wooden chests sit under several of the bunks.

This is where all the captains and the human soldiers have their quarters. There is always a Warrior Veteran and six

Warrior Infantry present. At night, most of the garrison sleeps here—a total of two captains and 24 soldiers. Treasure. There are three chests in this room that contain the personal items of the soldiers. In total, there are 224 GP and 640 SP in the chests.

Y7: Gygan Barracks#

The furniture in this room has been built to accommodate humanoids much larger than the average man. Its furnishings are limited to a row of six bunk beds.

This is where all of the gygans have their quarters. During the day, there is only one Gygan (appendix B) sleeping here, but at night, there are three sleeping in the barracks.

Y8: The Stables#

These stables are modest but well-maintained. They house what appear to be two bulls covered in metallic scales. One of the creatures is thinner than the other, and its joints are covered in a deep red rust. Two blue clad soldiers are moving rags across the bull’s rusted ankles in forceful circular motions.

Sydon gifted several Gorgons to be used as mounts by Gaius and his captains. Two are currently kept in the stables. One sickly gorgon is currently being tended by two

Warrior Infantry. The sickly gorgon has rust in his joints that the soldiers are trying to polish out. As soon as they notice intruders, the soldiers will attack with the sickly
Gorgon (90 HP). The other Gorgon will sit quietly in its stall unless the sickly gorgon is killed. Berserk Gorgon. The death wail of the sickly gorgon

makes the other gorgon go berserk, and it will try to break out of its pen. Breaking out of its pen requires a successful DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check, but it has Advantage due to its enraged state.

Y9: Entrance Hall#

This pillared entrance hall has had frescoes recently painted upon the ceiling. The frescoes portray a great fleet of ships approaching a city that bears an uncanny resemblance to Mytros. Flags bearing the symbol of Sydon fly from the masts of the ships.

The hall is empty. Gaius had his men paint the scene in anticipation of Sydon’s planned invasion. Written across the top of the mural are the following words in Thylean:

Y10: Mess Hall#

In the center of this room, a long wooden table is covered in plates, mugs, and utensils of various sizes. Some are human-sized, while others are sized for giants.

This room is empty of anything of value. If more than a minute is spent in the room, there is a 25% chance that a pair of Gygans (appendix B) will arrive with plates of steaming food.

Y11: Prison Cells#

This narrow hallway is lined with locked wooden doors. Two soldiers stand guard. Although you cannot see into the rooms beyond the doors, you can hear a man’s voice babbling incoherently from behind one of them. You also notice a heavy keyring hanging from the belt of one of the soldiers standing guard.

These cells contain prisoners from shipwrecked expeditions from the outer world. The cells are locked and require a successful DC 20 Dexterity check using Thieves’ Tools to open. Two Warrior Infantry are always present here as guards. The keys to the cells are carried by one of the guards.

Prisoner: The Old Man. A crazed, white-haired older man sits in his cell and babbles endlessly. He no longer knows his name and bears many scars from torture. If a Greater Restoration spell is used on him, he will return to his senses. He will call himself “Enigma” (CN Mage) and he will help the heroes confront Chondrus if they can return his spellbook to him. He believes that his spellbook should be located in the Great Library (area Y14), but it is actually located in the Sleeping Quarters (area Y15).

Full-page art, p.93 — Full-page art — p.93

Prisoner: The Outsider. Mikhael (LG Veteran) is the last survivor of an outsider expedition that met its end in the Cerulean Gulf. He is possibly the most valuable prisoner that the Order has ever captured, because unlike other expeditions from the outer world, Mikhael arrived in an airship. He and his crew made it past the dangers of the Forgotten Sea, but eventually, Sydon sent rocs to destroy the airship and take its captain for interrogation.

Mikhael has revealed many magical secrets under interrogation, but he has never revealed his origins. He is a shadow of his former self, and years of torture have nearly broken him. If he is freed, he will quickly return to the vigorous and vainglorious man he was once, years before his capture. He strongly believes that the engine of his airship can be salvaged and that he can probably retrofit it to the Ultros or another ship.

Unless you want the heroes to have such a device, Mikhael will be disappointed if he ever finds the wreck of his ship, as the engine has been removed. It is lost somewhere in the depths of the Cerulean Gulf.

Y12: Commander’s Quarters#

These two small rooms are largely bare, save for a single bed, a wooden chest, and a writing desk. One of the rooms has a small statue of a bearded man with three eyes. The figure has been carved in a style that differs significantly from the crumbling statuary you have encountered on the island thus far.

The room with the statue is where Gaius (see appendix A) sleeps and works. The other room is for visiting guests.

Letters from Gaius. Many letters are scattered on the writing desk in Gaius’ room. Mostly these letters are communications between him and members of the Order of Sydon in Mytros. Reading through the letters reveals that Gaius is fanatical in his devotion to Sydon. He believes that the Five must be stamped out and that Sydon and his new pantheon will herald a golden age in Thylea. He dreams of a time when the people of Thylea can strike out into the rest of the world and conquer it.

Gaius also writes about his love for his dragon, Argyn. He recently purchased a gift for her—a sapphire, her favorite gemstone. She cannot take human form yet, and she has been indifferent to most of his overtures.

Treasure. The chest contains 240 GP and a brilliant blue sapphire worth 1,000 GP. There is a Toga Praetexta (appendix C) folded up at the bottom.

Letter to Sydon. Among the letters is one addressed to the Lord of Storms himself. It reads:

Divine Sydon, Lord of All—

We have received thy orders, and we seek to execute them faithfully. We are overjoyed to hear that thy fleets have been readied for the invasion. Little time remains to the accursed Oath, and the simpering masses of Mytros will soon prostrate themselves at thy glorious feet, as is right and proper.

We have but one concern, and that is the continued presence of the horned Mage, Lutheria’s pet. He does not participate in our daily sacrifices, and my men do not trust him. Can he not be dismissed?

—Thy eternal servant, Gaius

Y13: Library Entrance#

Two enormous bronze doors stand open, revealing the main library building beyond. The library is a magnificent building with a broad set of stairs leading up to its entrance. Its tall roof is supported by rows of fluted marble pillars.

The bronze doors are covered in depictions of the once-great Gygan Empire. The figures shown here are engaged in reading, writing, and learned conversation. Scrolls, quills, and bound books have been carved into the surrounding stonework.

Y14: The Great Library#

The walls of this enormous room are lined with shelves of books and scrolls that almost reach its staggeringly high ceiling. A number of ladders also lean against the walls, allowing access to even the highest tomes. Six robed humans are busy studying and cleaning the library’s contents while two gygans stand guard.

This room contains the greatest collection of knowledge in all of Thylea. There are thousands of scrolls and hundreds of books that detail everything from history, religion, poetry, heroic epics, geology, medicine, etc. There is also a section devoted to magical knowledge including the nature of magic, famous magicians, planar lore, and other topics. Six scholars (LE Priest Acolytes) tend to the books in this vast library during the day. Two Gygans (appendix B) guard the library at all times.

illustrated quote — Once Yonder crowned the world. Its many cities thundered with Gygan footsteps, and strength served wisdom, before dragons burned the empire into bones. —Chondrus, the Arcane Master

Treasure. The library contains a wealth of books and information that the heroes may find useful:

Mythology. Every myth except for the Game of the Gods can be found and read here. Refer to the appendix E in The Great Labors for details.
Valuable Books. The entire collection of books in the library is worth around 100,000 GP, but transporting it safely would be very difficult. The ten most valuable books are worth 1,000 GP each.
Research. Spending 1d6 hours researching in the library is the equivalent of asking the Oracle one question about Thylea. If you choose, the information gained from research can be misleading and out of date, thanks to the great age of many of the books and scrolls.

Y15: Sleeping Quarters#

You enter a room containing six bunk beds. These quarters are tidier and more comfortable than the soldiers’ barracks, with desks and shelves of books.

There are a half-dozen bunk beds in this room. This is where the scholars sleep.

Enigma’s Spellbook. Enigma’s spellbook is lying open on one of the desks here. Use the Mage spell list.

Y16: Laboratory#

Stone tables take up most of this room. They are covered in glassware of various sizes and shapes, arcane tools, and strange artifacts. Two humans are at one table, where they are intently mixing ingredients into beakers. Two others sit on the stone floor with their eyes closed. One of the shelves is filled with glass vials that contain rows of colorful liquids.

This chamber is where the acolytes spend their time in magical studies, gathering knowledge by contacting other planes. Chondrus has ordered them to work day and night, in rotating shifts. There are two Priest Acolytes in deep meditation. They are oblivious to their surroundings unless they are shaken by someone. The two standing acolytes are mixing alchemical concoctions. They are so intent on their work that they will ignore anyone who enters the room for at least 1d6 rounds, unless they are interrupted.

Treasure. There are many potions in this room. The shelf contains two potions of clairvoyance, a Potion of Mind Reading, a Potion of Healing (superior), a Potion of Longevity, and a Potion of Heroism.

Y17: Chondrus’s Apartments#

These lavish quarters are a stark contrast to the austere furnishings found throughout the rest of the library complex. The room has silk curtains, ornate rugs, and chairs and tables carved from fine wood. A gilded box sits by a large four-poster bed. A bronze bowl stands atop a pillar of stone at the center of the room.

Chondrus (see appendix A) is the arcane master who runs the great library. As a high priest of Lutheria, he is viewed with suspicion by the soldiers and gygans, but Gaius has commanded them to follow the Mage’s orders.

Servant of Lutheria. Chondrus was once a part of Lutheria’s personal harem on the Hypnos. She grew bored of him and cast him out. Now, he seeks any way back into her good graces. In desperation, he has contacted one of the denizens of Hades, forming a pact with a powerful

Rakshasa. The rakshasa has provided Chondrus with magical secrets and information about the heroes. He surrenders most of this knowledge to Sydon, but he has kept some of it for his own purposes. Confronting Chondrus. Unless Chondrus has been

alerted, he can always be found here communing with the rakshasa, using the bronze bowl in the middle of the room. His Barbed Devil servant stands in a corner, awaiting instructions.

If he is alerted to the presence of intruders, he will cast the Invisibility spell on himself and then lead the barbed devil to search for the heroes. His goal is to speak with them first.

Chondrus’s Bargain. Chondrus realizes that nothing will win him more favor than delivering the heroes directly to Lutheria. He will offer to join the party and lead them to the Hypnos, where he will plead their case before the Lady of Dreams. In truth, he will do everything possible to sabotage them in the Nether Sea and deliver them to Lutheria helpless.

The Bronze Bowl. If the heroes look into the bowl, they will see the sly face of the rakshasa staring back at them. It will communicate with them telepathically and try to convince the heroes to make a deal with it. It offers extensive information about the Nether Sea in exchange for an Oath of Service (see appendix D, The Great Labors).

The Gilded Box and the Missing Gear. The beautiful box in the room is carved from wood, but with a bronze lid with six different colored gemstones embedded in it. These gems seem to represent the planets in the solar system. Each is worth 100 GP, though the chest (with the gemstones left in) is worth 1,000 GP. The gilded chest in this room holds the missing gear to the Antikythera (appendix C). It is carefully wrapped in a white cloth. The chest also contains Chondrus’s spellbook, along with three rings worth 250 GP each and 450 PP in coin.

Letter to Lutheria. On his desk, Chondrus has written a letter to Lutheria in Infernal. It reads:

Divine Lutheria, Mistress of Death—

The demon in the bowl has told me much about the creatures imprisoned in the cubes of the Nether Sea. This knowledge will be useful to thee, I am certain. Seeking always to satisfy thy desire, I have faithfully rendered seven years of service to thy insipid husband and his sycophantic followers. What more must I do to once again earn my place at thy rapturous feet?

—Thy eternal servant, Chondrus

Y18: Sacrificial Altar#

A large stone altar sits out in the open. Piles of ashes and charred wood sit atop the altar.

This is where offerings are given to Sydon. Searching through the charred wood and ashes will reveal animal bones mixed in with a few human bones.