The Garden of Helios • Odyssey of the Dragonlords

Large Island

The island ahead is completely shrouded in fog. When you sail close enough to properly see through this haze, you find that rocky cliffs have formed a natural plateau, elevating the island’s landscape far above the water. You can see shrubs and other plants spilling over the top of the cliffs, and you hear the strange, trumpeting calls of exotic beasts from farther inland.

This island is surrounded by enormous cliffs and perpetually surrounded by clouds and mist. There are a couple of anchorages, but anyone landing faces a long climb up to the island’s plateau-like top. There is a smaller island behind the main island. This is the secluded Garden of Helios.

Most of the main island consists of shrubs and grasslands, but there is a sizable forest in the center. A

Cyclops (appendix B) clan has lived here for many centuries, and around one hundred of the giants still live on the island. There are eighty male and female adults with twenty young (use Ogre statistics for the young cyclopes). The cyclopes spend their lives raising large herds of Elephants as cattle.

The Sun God#

The smaller island, the Garden of Helios, is ruled by a radiant, golden-haired man named Helios (NE polymorphed

Adult Gold Dragon), hence its name. He claims to be the sun god who was once revered by all the mortal and giant races of Thylea, long before the coming of the Dragonlords.

False God#

It’s true that Helios was once revered as a sun god, but he never possessed any true divine power. He is merely a dragon who masquerades as a god by dazzling his worshipers with his polymorphed form.

Helios came here as a wyrmling 600 years ago, blown off course while flying between continents. He makes infrequent visits to mainland Thylea, mostly to check on various ancient shrines that were constructed to honor him, centuries ago. He is still revered by many small tribes of native creatures, including cyclopes, nymphs, centaurs, and satyrs.

Paranoid Dragon#

Helios is suspicious of anyone who comes to his island. Sydon warned him long ago that Thyleans would send heroes to kill and flay him for his beautiful golden skin. There is, indeed, an almost forgotten legend that the skin of “the Sun God” grants immortality to any who wear it, and one of the Ultros’ crew will mention it if Helios is discussed when the heroes are aboard.

In spite of his understandably suspicious nature, Helios is always pleased by the prospect of visitors. The company of cyclopes leaves much to be desired as they are crude, often violent folk. Helios also seeks knowledge about current events in Thylea. He will not reveal his dragon form to visitors until he has decided whether or not to devour them, or they directly attack him. The heroes will be on the menu if he decides they represent a threat to his domain, or to Sydon.

The Cyclops Army#

Centuries ago, Helios swore an Oath of Service (see appendix D, The Great Labors) to Sydon in order to protect his island. He has been training his cyclopes to wear armor and to wield mauls, in preparation for the Titan’s forthcoming battle against the mortals of Thylea. However, Helios cares for his cyclopes as if they were his children, and he dislikes the idea of sending them to war.

When he’s not training the cyclopes, Helios spends his time on a small island just off the coast of the main island. It is forested and rather beautiful. He lives in a shallow lake at the center.

Approaching#

After sighting the island, the heroes must determine how to make landfall. The great island before them is not the Garden of Helios but the larger home of the cyclopes tribe. By sailing around its shores, they can discover both the smaller Garden of Helios (area HE6) and the narrow gorge where the Ultros can dock (area HE1) if the heroes wish to explore the larger island.

If they fail to locate either route, they may attempt to scale the cliffs. Flying makes the ascent trivial. Otherwise, they must anchor the Ultros offshore and approach by smaller boat. Climbing requires two successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) checks. Failing the first check causes a fall for 35 (10d6) damage; failing the second results in 70 (20d6) damage. A hero who succeeds can secure rope along the ascent, allowing others to climb without making checks.

The Invitation#

Helios sends a band of six Cyclopes (appendix B) to greet visitors and bring them into his presence. The cyclopes are quite stupid, but they have been ordered to be gracious and accommodating with guests. They speak of their master with open reverence and invite the heroes to a feast:

“Great Sun God Helios welcome you to island. He send warm greetings and invite you to feast! Thanks be to Great Sun God. He is kind and generous master!”

They will insist on escorting the heroes to the Sun God’s pavilion on the small island where he makes his home. They will take the heroes to the pier located at the gorge (area HE1) and from there take the heroes to the Garden of Helios (area HE6) using one of their boats.

illustrated quote — Indeed, I have heard tales of the ancient sun god, Helios. He is said to be radiant with gold, blinding to look upon. But surely he cannot be as handsome as myself. —Pythor, God of Battle

Garden of Helios Key Locations#

These are key locations throughout the group of islands.

HE1: Gorge#

Pale fog parts, revealing a narrow gorge cleaving the sheer cliffs. A lone pier waits within, guarded by six towering cyclopes who watch your ship approach in silence.

There is only one place where a ship can gain access to the highlands of the island. There are six Cyclopes (appendix B) that stand watch on a single pier. If the heroes approach peacefully, the cyclopes will give them an invitation to meet the Sun God, Helios. Refer to The Invitation.

HE2: Cyclopean Ruins#

Crumbling stone halls rise against the horizon, their grandeur long faded. Within the shattered walls, signs of new life are clear, with giant sized sleeping furs and huge smoldering fire pits ringed with blackened stones.

Today, the ruins serve as the primary dwelling of the cyclopes. The giants make no effort to preserve the grandeur of the architecture; they live simply, using the broad stone spaces to sleep, feast, and engage in competitive games of strength. Despite their crude mannerisms, the cyclopes are content.

At any given time, twenty adult Cyclopes (appendix B) and twelve of their young (use Ogre statistics) are present. They are not immediately hostile, but they are wary and slow to trust outsiders. If provoked, 1d4 cyclopes come to the defense of their kin. However, if even one of the young is injured, the entire settlement rises up in a violent frenzy.

HE3: Elephant Herds#

You see a herd of massive elephants moving slowly across the plain, their gray hides wrinkled, and mud caked. Around two dozen of the beasts travel together, stirring the grass with each heavy step. At their flanks stride two towering cyclopes, clubs slung across their shoulders.

There are several herds of Elephants scattered across the island. Each herd has two dozen elephants and are shepherded by a pair of Cyclopes. To the cyclopes, these elephants are sacred livestock, valued for their strength and loyalty. Any threat to the herd is met with instant aggression. The cyclopes will defend them to the death.

HE4: Training Ground#

In the grasslands ahead you see ogre-sized humanoids with six arms that are putting towering cyclopes through relentless drills. The clang of weapons and guttural commands echo across the field.

Here, cyclopes are drilled relentlessly by instructors smaller, but more disciplined, than themselves. These trainers are six-armed gygans, sent by Sydon to whip Helios’s forces into shape.

Twenty adult Cyclopes are being trained here by six

Gygans (both in appendix B). The training is brutal: cyclopes swing enormous mauls through wooden targets, practice formation charges, and repeat exercises designed to coordinate their otherwise wild strength. The gygans bark orders in a rhythmic cadence, their many arms striking drums, spears, and shields to maintain tempo. Unless provoked, the warriors remain focused on their

training. They will ignore any outsiders unless the heroes interfere with the drills or act threatening.

HE5: Rhinotitans#

A wide field has been cleared, its grass trampled into mud. At the center stand two colossal rhinoceros-like beasts, each larger than an elephant. Around their massive forms, a half-dozen young cyclopes laugh, clambering onto the creatures’ broad backs. Nearby, four ogre-sized humanoids with six arms shout commands and slap their spears against the earth, their voices rising in frustration as every order is drowned out by the laughter of their pupils.

The Rhinotitans (appendix B) were a gift from Sydon, intended as war mounts. Helios, however, has no desire to see them harmed and has ordered that they not be used in any actual battle. For now, they remain oversized playthings for the youngest cyclopes

The six young cyclopes (use Ogre stat block) are enjoying the task of learning how to properly mount a rhinotitan, while their four Gygan (appendix B) handlers grow increasingly impatient.

As long as the heroes keep their distance, both the gygans and the young cyclopes ignore them. However, the moment the heroes either attack or attempt meaningful interaction, the mood changes instantly. The gygans shout for the young cyclopes to retreat and form up behind the rhinotitans.

Two of the gygans will attempt to coerce the rhinotitans into attacking the heroes, despite Helios’s wishes. This requires using an action to make a successful DC 10 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.

HE6: Garden of Helios#

A smaller island rises ahead, ringed mostly by dark, jagged rock where the waves break in white spray. Yet on its western side a stretch of sand curves, offering a gentle place to land. As you watch, a golden chariot streaks across the sky above, drawn by four radiant horses that blaze like the sun. It circles once in shimmering splendor, then descends toward the island’s heart and fades from sight.

This island is Helios’s sanctuary, the private heart of his dominion. The Sun God has flown overhead in his chariot to announce himself and awe the heroes. No one dwells here; only bright-plumed birds, antelopes, and other wildlife can be found.

From the sand of the landing beach, a stone-lined path winds beneath trees and sculpted hedges, leading toward the island’s center where a lake is the site of a solitary pavilion of marble and gold.

HE7: Pavilion of the Sun God#

This is the home of Helios. See the Sun God Pavilion in the section below for more details.

Sun God Pavilion Key Locations#

HP1: Walkway#

Before you, sunlight shimmers across a crystal-clear lake. A graceful wooden bridge crosses from the shore to a rocky outcropping where an ornate pavilion stands.

Anyone studying the bridge’s woodwork notices dragons intricately carved along its length, their bodies coiling in elegant knots. A DC 14 Wisdom (Nature) check reveals their identity as gold dragons, as do the other dragon motifs within the pavilion.

HP2: Gate#

The pavilion rises before you, its roof gleaming with yellow tiles. Two graceful terraces flank the structure, one serving as the entryway. A carved wooden gate bars the terrace, beyond which the main doors wait. Made from heavy timber, the doors are etched with curling dragons.

The gate is barred from within. However, if the heroes arrive under cyclops escort, Tolyphemus, steward of Helios, unbars it and invites them onward to the feast in area HP5.

Those who force entry whether by breaking the gate or climbing or flying over it provoke the courtyard’s magical warding. A Symbol of Discord is engraved into the wood beyond; the moment an intruder steps inside, it triggers. Each creature must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw to avoid the spell’s effects.

Cyclopes of the Garden of Helios

The cyclopes of the Garden of Helios are a rough hewn, solitary people whose lives are lived under the scrutiny of the Sun God. They claim their single eye is a shard of Helios’s own divinity, and they take pride in seeing the world plainly: strength is truth, and the weak have no right to speak of virtue. Their faith is simple and fierce. To toil beneath the sun, to feast when dusk arrives, and to challenge any who intrude on their domain. Their dwellings are within the ruins scattered across the plateau of their island. Here they herd elephants that are sacred to them, symbols of strength and memory. Cyclopes drive them with booming shouts and great staffs of twisted olive wood. They drink fermented milk from the elephants, feast on roasted antelope meat, and sing chants to Helios at dawn and dusk. They are inhospitable by nature. Visitors who prove strong and clever may earn uneasy tolerance. Those who trespass, steal, or mock their ways are crushed or devoured without hesitation. Yet even in their savagery there is a primitive nobility: they honor oaths and weep for fallen elephants. Though they keep no written record, the cyclopes preserve an oral tradition. They speak of an age when their kind ruled many islands, forging thunderous engines of war. Then, their kingdom fell to the gygans, who overwhelmed them with sheer numbers and tireless industry. Helios has shaped another tale for them. In his version, he shattered their chains, cast down their gygan masters, and gifted them this sanctuary. It is a comforting myth, but a false one; the cyclopes won their freedom only when the gygan empire crumbled under distant wars. This lie has grown troublesome since the arrival of Sydon’s gygans. Tensions have flared, and Helios has twice already scattered would be battles.

HP3: Docks#

A narrow wooden stair clings to the rock, descending toward the water. At the bottom, a sandy path curves to a small pier. A modest wooden boat is tied there, bobbing gently on the clear, still lake.

The small boat is enchanted to drift across the lake under its own power, though a passenger must still guide it with the rudder. Helios favors it for quiet moments on the water, savoring the lake’s tranquil beauty. It also serves a hidden purpose: carrying him to the precise point above a submerged tunnel that leads to his lair and treasure hoard. To have the boat take one to this spot, the command word, Solaris, must be spoken aloud.

Treasure of the Sun God. Helios’s lair is in a cavern only accessible through a tunnel beneath the waters of the lake. The 20-foot diameter tunnel slopes down for several hundred feet before turning straight up for the final 100 feet to emerge from the water into a cavern.

Read the following when the heroes enter the cavern:

The tunnel opens into a cavern bathed in golden light, its vaulted ceiling glimmering with reflected brilliance from scattered piles of coins and jewels. At the center of this wealth stands a broad dais carved from polished marble. Resting atop it is a golden chariot, shimmering as though the sunrise itself has been bound in metal.

It contains a massive hoard of 40,000 GP in coins and precious jewels. The pride and joy of his hoard is a beautiful Golden Chariot of Dawn (appendix C). Helios once used this chariot to fly around Thylea, inspiring awe in the primitive mortals who lived on the continent before the coming of the Dragonlords. This was the origin of his claim to be the Sun God.

HP4: Central Chamber#

The pavilion’s interior is a single, airy chamber. Smooth marble slabs fit seamlessly across the floor, interrupted only by a large rectangle of gold at the center where carved dragons coil and entwine in eternal motion. Marble pillars rise to support the roof, while golden lanterns cast warm light across the room. At the far end, a raised dais holds arranged cushions and elegant low chairs for seating. Flanking the dais stand two eight-foot golden statues of a handsome man. Along the walls, three single doors offer passage beyond the hall.

This is where Helios dwells when not visiting the cyclopes on the larger island. If he has summoned the heroes, he waits upon the adjoining terrace.

Treasure**.** There are twelve golden lanterns, each worth 250 GP. The two towering statues are crafted in Helios’s likeness. They are gold plated over iron cores and valued at 10,000 GP each, though each weighs roughly seven thousand pounds. The golden inlay at the room’s center is a thin but extensive layer worked into the marble. Removing it requires careful chiseling but yields gold worth 15,000 GP.

HP5: Terrace and Feast#

Helios (NE Adult Gold Dragon) awaits the party on the terrace in his polymorphed form. He uses the full effect of his charm, his beauty, and his radiant golden jewelry to give the impression of a gracious and generous “Sun God.”

You arrive at the prepared feast, set on a terrace that looks over the crystal-clear lake. An elderly cyclops with a milky white eye sets out plates of enormous cuts of roasted meat on the ornate dining table before you. Your host stands at the opposite end of the table. Helios is an incredibly handsome man, made more splendid by radiant jewelry and skin that nearly glows with divine vigor. Sunlight glints from his golden hair, which matches the burnished color of his eyes.

As the feast begins, Helios dismisses his guards, leaving only Tolyphemus, an elderly and blind Cyclops (appendix B), to serve the main dish of elephant meat. Tolyphemus serves as the sun god’s chef and steward. He dislikes mortals—human sailors blinded him years ago.

Helios politely converses with the heroes for a little while. He asks about their heroic exploits and appears duly impressed if they describe their deeds. How the meal progresses depends upon whether the Dragonslayer is present.

1 Square = 5 Feet#

The Sun God falls silent, and his smile tightens. “I have awaited you, (Dragonslayer name), for a very long time,” he murmurs. “The Fates once whispered a prophecy to me. They said that ruin would come at the hands of one born from your blood … your village … your line. A future I would not permit.” His fingers drum once on the golden table. “So, I descended in wrath. I burned your home to ash and scattered your kin to the wind. Yet fate is treacherous. A single ember sometimes survives a cleansing fire. And now here you stand. I will not fail a second time.” The sunlight around him intensifies, turning white-hot. The terrace trembles. Tolyphemus backs away, covering his blinded eye, mumbling prayers. Golden feathers of light begin to peel from Helios’ form as scales of molten metal reveal themselves beneath.

Helios assumes his true shape: a Neutral Evil Adult Gold

Dragon. He has lived with the burden of the Dragonslayer’s existence for too long, so he focuses all his attacks on the Dragonslayer, even if this is not the optimal strategy. Tolyphemus will retreat from the fight into the interior of the pavilion. Refer to Fighting Against Helios. If the Dragonslayer is Not Present. If the Dragonslayer

isn’t present, the dinner will go its entire length. Eventually, Helios grows bored with the heroes (particularly if they are boastful and arrogant) and decides that they are to become the next course in his meal.

Helios sighs heavily and stretches his arms. “You seemed like such interesting guests, but this party has grown dreadfully tedious. Fortunately, such accomplished heroes as yourselves should make for a truly delectable dessert.” As he speaks, Helios begins to transform. Claws grow from his hands, and his teeth multiply, spreading into a broad, draconic grin. He towers over you now, a massive dragon with lustrous golden scales.

Helios assumes his true shape: a Neutral Evil Adult Gold

Dragon. He attacks immediately as Tolyphemus retreats from the fight into interior of the pavilion. Refer to Fighting Against Helios.

Helios the Sun God#

Fighting Against Helios. As an adult gold dragon, Helios is one of the mightiest creatures in Thylea and almost certainly too much for the heroes to handle. However, help for the heroes is imminent. Within 1d4 rounds (or when you deem it most dramatically appropriate), Helios will learn that even he is not above the law of Guest Friendship (appendix D, The Great Labors).

Anger of the Furies. Since Helios has broken the law of Guest Friendship by deciding to eat the heroes, he is subject to the Curse of the Treacherous (appendix D, The Great Labors). Because of this, an Erinyes will show up to capture Helios and drag him to the Nether Sea to be imprisoned. The erinyes will fly out of the sky and begin to rain arrows down upon the gold dragon. When this happens, read the following:

A piercing scream from the sky interrupts the battle. A woman dressed in heavy black armor, borne aloft by a pair of red feathered wings, swoops towards Helios. Her face is contorted in unbridled rage as she strikes at the dragon with her longsword!

When Helios is reduced to 50 Hit Points or less, he transforms back into his human form and begs for forgiveness. The erinyes will ignore his pleas and use her Rope of Entanglement to restrain him. She will then teleport away with Helios to the Island of Oathbreakers in the Nether Sea (area N5). If the heroes haven’t visited the Island of Oathbreakers, you might want to make a note that Helios is imprisoned there for when they do visit.

Tolyphemus**.** The blind cyclops is not as loyal to his master as it might seem. He is aware that Helios is not a god and knows the true history of his cyclopes kin. He will not involve himself if a fight breaks out. If questioned about the location of the Fortress of the Dragonlords, he will tell the heroes the command word to the boat in docks (area HP3) and reveals that the entrance to Helios’ lair is at the lake’s bottom at that location.