• Small Island
As the Ultros cuts through the calm waters of the Cerulean Gulf, a strange shape rises on the horizon. Three flawless green hills rise from the sea, their symmetry unnatural. Encasing them is a massive, seamless glass dome, shimmering in the sunlight, stretching from the waves to the sky.

This strange island consists of three perfectly molded green hills surrounded by an impossible glass dome that rises out of the Cerulean Gulf. The glass dome encompasses the entire island. The wall is impervious to damage, but it can easily be bypassed by teleportation magic such as Teleport or Dimension Door. Anchoring at the glass wall is trivial.

Most natives of Thylea know of the legend of the island and will share it with the heroes. Any crewmen on the Ultros will almost certainly know that this is Titan’s Folly. They are quite sure that this is a place that must be avoided at all costs.

While the island is rumored to be home to Thylea’s greatest treasures, it was sealed away by Kentimane the Hundred Handed. His reasons for doing this are a complete mystery, even to the other gods. Legend suggests that the original war among the Titans was a direct result of whatever happened here. Thylean natives among the crew will warn the heroes to turn away and forget they ever saw this place.

Wall of Dreams#

Anyone who sees the wall will have strange dreams the following night. They might dream of fantastic magic items or something that they desire above all else.

For example, paladins may dream of a Holy Avenger, wizards may dream of a Staff of the Magi, and rogues may dream of a Cloak of Invisibility. In the dream, ants carry the desired item from a miniature version of the island and drop it at the feet of the hero. If the heroes bypass the wall, read the following:

Once you have bypassed the curious glass dome, you continue toward the island. The most striking aspect of the place is its perfect geometric uniformity. The land consists of three identical green hills clumped together. Thick tropical grass grows in rows around each hill, interrupted only by rows of oak trees halfway to each hill’s summit. Such a perfect land formation can only be the handiwork of the Mother Goddess, Thylea.

The three hills are entirely covered in perfectly arranged fields of sugarcane. Each hill has a ring of ancient oak trees that circles the hill at the midpoint of the slope. Under the oak trees are entrances to a network of caves and tunnels.

The Titan Kentimane sealed this island away five millennia ago. It hasn’t had a single visitor from the outside world in all that time. Inside the barrier, on this strange island, lives a race of creatures that don’t exist anywhere else in the multiverse: the Myrmekes (appendix B).

The myrmekes are a race of hyper-intelligent insectlike humanoids that were created by one of Thylea’s children at the dawn of time. There are around 3,000 myrmekes on the island, and they live in the caves beneath the oaks, where they store their food, raise their young and protect their queen.

Meeting the Myrmekes#

From beneath the ring of ancient oaks, a line of tall insectlike figures emerges. They move with uncanny coordination, their chitin gleaming in the filtered light. A chorus of clicks and the soft rustle of antennae greets you. They do not speak, but their large eyes seem to study you—not with menace, but with curiosity.

When they are met initially, the myrmekes can only communicate with clicks and by waving their antenna. They provoke no hostility. They bring out sumptuous offerings of food and drink. The food tastes like a form of delicious meat, while the drink is a sweet wine.

Warm Greetings#

“Welcome,” one of the insect men says in clear Common, its mandibles twitching with effort. Another follows: “We have learned. We listen.” Their speech is simple but flawless. “We are called myrmekes and we welcome you to our home.” They crowd close, smiling, if such a thing is possible. Their excitement is palpable, their questions never-ending, their wonder childlike.

Within a few hours of interacting with the heroes they will begin to communicate using the language that the heroes use. They are extremely social creatures who will warmly greet strangers to the island. They are also extremely curious. They ask the heroes many questions— about their deeds, hopes, desires, and goals: anything and everything will provoke the myrmekes into asking a question.

The myrmekes are very accommodating and can be light-hearted and funny. They won’t stop the heroes from leaving early, and they will not restrict the party’s movements on the island. If the heroes attack the myrmekes, they will defend themselves but will not retaliate. They will wait until the heroes exhaust themselves and then ask them, somewhat regretfully, to leave.

Explaining the Dome. If the myrmekes are asked about the dome, they will claim that it was erected to trap them, as a punishment for insulting a powerful god, thousands of years ago. They will dispute the notion that Thylea imprisoned them, as she was their creator. If they are asked about powerful magical items, they will claim to have no ideas about such things. The truth is that the myrmekes’ powerful hive mind is able to influence the unconscious minds of nearby humanoids.

Growing Suspicions. If any of the heroes doubt the intentions of the myrmekes, have them make a Wisdom (Insight) check. Depending on the result they will notice more odd behavior. Refer to the Suspicions table. A higher result means the hero realizes the listed suspicion and any suspicions from lower results.

Meeting the Myrmekes#

A soft pressure blooms behind your eyes and a faint vibration hums along your carapace, stirring forgotten memories. A hive mind, the myrmekes hive mind, is reaching for you. A whisper brushes your thoughts, many voices woven together, waiting rather than pressing. Then shapes stir in the shadows beneath the trees. Insect like figures emerge in perfect unison, their antenna rising as one. A warm ripple of recognition washes over you. For the first time in years, you see your own kind.

If the hero welcomes the connection, even briefly, they are flooded with impressions. They sense recognition and a strange sense of pride. The hive remembers them. The queen remembers them. Proceed with Warm Greetings.

The Terrible Truth. The myrmekes hero takes some time to integrate the new memories coming from the hive mind. Allow the other heroes to interact with the myrmekes and for possible suspicions to form.

You now remember everything. The Titan Kentimane sealed this island away five millennia ago. Though not malicious, the myrmekes are a catastrophic threat to every ecosystem they touch. Their relentless industry, rapid breeding, and instinct for expansion makes them incompatible with other life. The gods imprisoned them on this island and wrapped it in ancient magic to ensure their isolation. If that prison ever failed, the myrmekes would spread unchecked across every continent. The Queen’s mind touches yours once more. She asks if you are ready to share all that you have learned.

The hero now understands the cost of freedom. Their people have been trapped for ages but releasing them would bring great conflict to the world. Their companions likely do not know this truth yet. The hero must choose what to reveal.

Sharing Memories. If the hero chooses to share what they have learned, the Queen is overjoyed. She gifts them a Helm of Telepathy that only a myrmekes can attune to and instructs them to continue their quest with their companions. She claims that the gods guided them here for a purpose.

Refusing to Share. If the hero refuses, the entire hive grows tense. The Queen’s agitation ripples through thousands of minds. Within 1d4 rounds, a dozen Myrmekes

  • Legionnaires (appendix B) attempt to seize the hero alive. These warriors are hastily adapted using knowledge gleaned from the party. If defeated, it will take 1d4 hours for the queen to adapt more of her workers.
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Negotiation. The hero may bargain. If they agree to share their memories only on the condition that the hive swears an oath to remain confined to a single island in the Cerulean Gulf, the Queen considers the offer. However, a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check from the hero reveals that this is likely only a temporary measure. If containing them were as easy as a single oath, then the gods wouldn’t have trapped them.

Event: A World of Dirt#

The myrmekes study everything that the heroes do and everything that they bring with them. Magic spells are especially interesting to them, as they have very little experience with magic.

Once the heroes have left the island, the myrmekes will begin to plan their escape from the island. They will copy whatever method the heroes used to bypass the wall. For example, if the heroes used the dimension door spell, then the myrmekes now know how to use it.

At this point the myrmekes will begin working toward what they feel is their destiny: making the multiverse a reflection of their perfect society and people.

As the heroes explore Thylea in the following weeks, they begin to witness the consequences of the hive’s growing influence. These events do not need to occur in any particular order. Most will not be immediately recognized as connected to the myrmekes, but sharp players will notice clues.

Psychic Vibrations#

The heroes are awoken by sudden psychic pressure as the hive mind sends long distance communications.

. You wake to a sharp vibration in the air For a moment, the night feels stretched thin, as if something far away is calling out. The silence that follows is unnerving.

Anyone who makes a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check realizes that the disturbance was likely some kind of powerful telepathy. A myrmekes hero instantly recognizes the signature of the hive mind spanning immense distances.

Crystal Growths#

Strange crystalline growths are found replacing the natural world.

Ahead is a field of pale crystal growths that rise like frozen flames from the soil. There is a vibration in the air that feels alien, yet familiar. Nearby, you notice foxes, rabbits and hedgehogs moving around in coordinated lines, each carrying something in their mouths. Birds circle in perfect formation in the sky above.

These crystal growths are psychic relay towers grown from harvested minerals and magically restructured earth. They act as local extensions of the hive mind. When a living creature touches or approaches the crystals, the hive emits subtle psychic signals. This does not charm or dominate the animals but nudges their instincts. The animals believe they are gathering materials for their own nests. In truth, they are stockpiling resources for the hive.

The warrens beneath the crystals contain mounds of materials the myrmekes consider valuable. This includes metal ore, resin rich timber, salt deposits, concentrated food stores, rare plants, and even small crystals that the hive will later refine into tools and conduits. Within a few weeks or months, a harvesting party of myrmekes will arrive.

Devastated Ecosystems#

Entire regions have been strip mined and left barren as the myrmekes expand their influence.

The land ahead feels wrong. No trees, no shrubs, not even a blade of grass rises above the cracked soil. Jagged shapes protrude from the ground, each fused into strange spirals. Shallow pits and trenches carve the landscape as if something harvested the earth itself and then moved on.

The myrmekes have moved on from this location, so the heroes won’t come across them. However, a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Survival) check reveals that hundreds, if not thousands, of humanoid sized insect tracks cover the ground. Anyone familiar with the crystal growths recognizes the same structure, but these veins have burned out after their purpose was finished.

Crystal Reefs#

The heroes pass a reef built from the same strange crystals that appear on land.

A reef appears in the waters ahead, but it looks like nothing you have ever seen or heard of. The reef is made from translucent crystal in a myriad of colors. You feel a familiar vibration in the air and notice that fish dart in and out of the crystal reefs in synchronized movements as if directed by something.

These reefs store oceanic resources that the hive cannot gather on land. They contain harvested coral, mineral rich sand, schools of conditioned fish, rare shells, and deep sea minerals that the myrmekes will later collect.

Synchronized Sea Life#

The heroes come across a strange current within the Cerulean Gulf.

Your ship has been caught in a powerful current that pulls you in a straight, unwavering line. It feels as if it is taking you somewhere. There is a familiar vibration in the air. Then you notice the sea life. A vast school of fish moves beneath the surface in perfect geometric patterns. Moments later, dolphins rise and fall beside the ship, their arcs synchronized like a practiced drill. The water is alive with motion, yet nothing behaves as it should.

This is the influence of submerged crystal growths that extend the hive mind into the ocean. The current keeps the Ultros in its grip for a few minutes before releasing it.

Repurposed Town#

The heroes come across a town that has been repurposed by the myrmekes.

The town ahead looks untouched at first. Then you notice the silence. Houses stand where they should, but every doorway opens into tunnels that twist into darkness below. The interiors are empty, yet no signs of battle can be seen. The town feels hollow, as if repurposed into something it never was supposed to be.

Beneath the town lies a fully functional myrmekes nest. Exploring these tunnels alerts the hive. Waves of ten

  • Myrmekes Legionnaires led by a Myrmekes Centurion quickly mobilize (both in appendix B).

Myrmekes Warship#

Once the myrmekes have learned shipbuilding from Thyleans on the mainland, they will start to construct ships of their own. The heroes may encounter one of these warships on the open water. Read the following:

A fine galley ship sails towards your party. As it approaches, you find that the vessel is crewed and captained by a group of humanoid insects, the curious myrmekes you encountered not long ago. Despite the short amount of time that has passed, the myrmekes have changed considerably. They now wear bronze armor and wield bronze weapons. They are no longer the friendly and inquisitive creatures of Titan’s Folly. As these myrmekes approach, they look positively defiant and warlike.

The ship is crewed by twenty Myrmekes Legionnaires led by two Myrmekes Centurions (both in appendix B). The myrmekes will attack the party’s ship using tactics that would impress even the most jaded Aresian warrior monk.

Resealing Pandora’s Box#

As the devastation grows across Thylea, the truth becomes undeniable. If the myrmekes aren’t stopped, they will conquer all of Thylea and convert it into one giant colony. The heroes may realize that the only way to halt this spreading calamity is to seal away the myrmekes once again. But imprisoning an entire species born of divine arrogance is no simple task. Only one being has ever had the power to confine them; their creator, the fallen Titan Talieus.

If the heroes seek guidance, Versi the Oracle can reveal the legend. She recounts how Talieus, beguiled by Lutheria’s praise and false affection, created the myrmekes as a perfect race to adorn her island. When Kentimane punished Talieus for his folly, Lutheria cruelly blinded Talieus, sewed his lips shut, and chained him as the eternal beast that drags her throne-ship across the Nether Sea.

Versi explains that the enchanted chains that bind Talieus can only be cut with Talieus’s own sword. She knows that Queen Thesilea of the Amazons was rumored to have found it.

If the heroes succeed in freeing Talieus, the first thing he senses is that his children have escaped. Broken by guilt yet burning with paternal duty, Talieus knows that only by containing the myrmekes once more can he earn forgiveness from Kentimane, and from Thylea herself.

With the Titan’s release, the spread of the myrmekes will stop and within a year they will once again be contained in their prison.

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