Gazing toward the harbor, you watch as giant ships plow through trading vessels, leaving nothing but splintered ruins in their wakes. Cyclopes and gygans leap from the vessels and run rampant across the city, tearing down houses as if they were children’s toys. Centaurs gallop through the streets, launching volleys of pitch-soaked flaming arrows. Ash and smoke choke the air, and you can see fires burning across the city.
  • Sydon (appendix A) and two of his children (most likely Yala and Hergeron) have landed in the city harbor with ships full of gygans, cyclopes, and centaurs. Their plan is simple: they intend to reduce the city to a ruin, and any survivors left among the rubble will be forced to kneel and worship the Lord of Storms. The Titan can be found at the Royal Gate (area M6), accompanied by two of his children (NE Young Hyperions, appendix B). When the heroes approach, Sydon commands the centaurs, gygans, and minotaurs to stand back, unwilling to see them perish pointlessly against the dragons.
The armies of Sydon have torn a path through the city that leads to the Royal Gate. The walls of the palace compound are almost entirely ruined, having suffered repeated blows from the hammers wielded by Sydon’s terrifying children. The Lord of Storms himself looms over the walls, loudly praising his children’s work. As you approach, Sydon’s keen eye catches sight of you. “Aha! The Heroes of the Prophecy. You have shown impressive valor for mortals, but the time has come to face the truth. You are outmatched! “Look around you: the city of Mytros cannot withstand the power of the Titans. Kneel before me, and I shall endeavor to find a place for you as servants in my new kingdom. Otherwise, I can only promise you a warrior’s death.”

If the heroes choose to bow before the Titan, Sydon will make a series of humiliating demands: cast down your weapons, shrug off your armor, kiss the ground, offer praises to his name. He does not intend to spare the heroes—he just wants to see them humbled before he executes them. He expects the same groveling obedience and worship from the dragons.

Seizing the Initiative#

If the heroes play along with Sydon and declare to you that they are doing so, then they automatically have Advantage on the first round of attacks they make. Sydon is a vain creature who believes that his magnificence inspires obedience in mortals. It takes him a moment to gather his wits—how could the heroes, who are so obviously defeated, dare to choose defiance instead of cringing obedience?

Sydon’s Tactics#

  • Sydon (appendix A) and his entire entourage fight to the death. No dirty trick or underhanded tactic is beneath them. Sydon concentrates his attacks on the dragons first, but he always switches his focus to the creature that damaged him most recently. He takes every attack personally, growing angrier each round. Lesser creatures should fall to the ground and worship him—to attack him is an unforgivable outrage!

Sydon’s Victory#

If Sydon wins this battle, then the adventure ends at this point. The heroes will forever be remembered in fables as the doltish mortals who challenged a Titan and were punished accordingly. The party’s failure is absolute. If you would like to give the party a second try, then it must come at a terrible cost— they may be revived by Mytros or the Fates, but none of the dragons should survive the ensuing battle.

Sydon’s Defeat#

If Sydon is defeated, a shock wave of power bursts from him. The sky darkens, and a powerful storm rages overhead. Tremendous winds tear through the streets of Mytros, and rain lashes down, soaking everything. The rain extinguishes all of the fires in the city, and it lasts for 1d6 weeks.

Treasure#

Sydon carries the Glaive of Sydon (appendix C). Each of his children carries a Mithral Greatsword.

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