Narsus • Odyssey of the Dragonlords

Once the heroes are finally able to meet with Narsus, read the following:

You make your way down into the underground levels of the Temple of the Shield. As you descend, you hear a beautiful, ethereal voice drifting from below. When you finally reach the bottom, you discover a massive chamber filled with mirrors of all shapes and sizes: hundreds of reflecting surfaces in ornate frames of gold and silver. The floor is layered with a rainbow of shimmering mosaics. In the center of the room, a bronze dragon is curled up on the floor, staring woefully into a large mirror. Seated beside him is a beautiful siren, who pets him gently and sings soft, mournful melodies. As you enter, the dragon lifts his head. Noticing you, he scrambles to his feet, eager and excited. He lifts his head and extends his wings, preening and posing. “Welcome to the Chamber of Beauty, my friends! I am called Narsus. We have much to discuss!”

The siren tending to Narsus is Pyrrha, a Siren Spellsinger (appendix B).

Queen Helen and Her Entourage#

Narsus (appendix A) behaves the same way no matter how the heroes manage to gain an audience—he’s like a proud puppy, ignorant of all the death and destruction required to obtain this audience. Although he is initially depressed, he brightens noticeably at the party’s arrival. He’s heard stories of the heroes, and he is excited that they’ve come. But he has no real interest in being rescued. Narsus doesn’t care about Aresia or Mytros. He likes

Queen Helen, because she attends to his every need. He’s mostly forgotten about Ekoh. Narsus really only cares about himself. He wants to become a god again, so that he can regain his legendary beauty. He can still polymorph into his human guise, but he’s lost the divine luster that he once possessed.

Secret of Divinity#

Allow the heroes to introduce themselves to Narsus. Once they have finished, read the following:

Narsus is eager to explain himself. “I have spoken with my mother in dreams, and she has shown me the path back to godhood. Aid me, and you too may ascend.” He preens, strutting before his mirrors. “Three relics are needed: the Caduceus, the Ambrosia, and the Promethean Fire. You should begin with the first two. Once you claim them, we shall continue our work.”

If pressed, Narsus will also tell them what he knows about the Promethean Fire and give the heroes a map that shows the location of the Sunken Kingdom.

The Divine Artifacts#

Narsus needs three powerful items to perform the ritual: the Caduceus, the Ambrosia, and the Promethean Fire (all in appendix C). He will tell them what he knows about the first two. If pressed, Narsus will also tell them what he knows about the Promethean Fire.

The Caduceus#

“The Caduceus lies buried with Karpathos, the first king of Aresia,” Narsus declares. “But beware, for Karpathos is no longer mortal. He has risen as a vampire lord, and his tomb is filled with shadows and hungers.”

Pyrrha gives the heroes a map that shows the location of the Barrows on the Aresian Peninsula. Refer to the Tomb of Karpathos section in chapter 8 for details.

The Ambrosia#

Ambrosia “The rests with a warlord named Zakroth,” Narsus says. “A minotaur who drinks divinity like cheap ale. He gathers centaurs, giants, and his kin into an army that grows each day. To claim it, you must defy his false godhood.”

Pyrrha gives the heroes a map that shows the location of the Fort of Zakroth on the Aresian Peninsula. She advises that the heroes speak with Queen Helen. She is well aware of the danger that Zakroth poses. If the heroes speak with the queen, then read the following:

Ambrosia “Zakroth did not rise by chance. He carries the , one of the Divine Artifacts. With it, he has united the centaur tribes; dozens of clans that once warred against one another. They raid the peninsula now, leaving only bodies in their wake. I do not know his ambitions, only that he speaks of godhood without fear.” She draws a slow breath. “He commands from a fort deep in the forest. I can have a map drawn up for you.”

Helen isn’t telling the whole truth. A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals this. If asked if she is holding anything back, she will reveal that she bears much responsibility for Zakroth’s rise to power. She helped him unite the centaur tribes so that they might be a thorn in the side of Mytros. They did this effectively, but once Zakroth came into possession of the Ambrosia, he no longer needed Aresia for support and began to raid their holdings as well.

Zakroth has used the Ambrosia to become a charismatic, god-like figure. Refer to The Prison Fort section in chapter 8 for details.

The Promethean Fire#

“The Promethean Fire lies at the bottom of the Cerulean Gulf,” Narsus explains, his eyes gleaming in the mirror-light. “It burns still in the ruins of the Sirens’ kingdom, a city drowned by time and hubris. Few have ever reached it … fewer still have returned. Yet with it, the path to godhood may open.”

Pyrrha gives the heroes a map that shows the location of the Sunken Kingdom in the Cerulean Gulf. She suggests that they speak with Aketa at the Merchant Headquarters (area A21) if they need help putting together an expedition.

The Promethean Fire is somewhere at the bottom of the Cerulean Gulf, hidden within the legendary Sunken Kingdom of the Sirens. Refer to chapter 9, The Sunken Kingdom for details.

Finding the Artifacts#

The heroes can track down each of these artifacts in any order that they want. However, traveling to the Sunken Kingdom is the most dangerous of the tasks.

Completing the Quest#

When the heroes return to Narsus with the Caduceus, Ambrosia, and Promethean Fire, he will declare that he is ready to perform the ritual. Read the following:

When you return with the relics, Narsus bounds forward, eyes glittering. “Marvelous! At last, the keys to our future!” He circles his mirrors, wings fluttering like a dancer’s. “Now we must prepare the ritual. Who among you dares to stand at my side and touch the spark of the divine?”

It only takes a day for Narsus to finish his preparations for the ritual.

The Ritual#

Once the ritual is ready, Narsus sends Pyrrha to bring those heroes who have opted to be included in the ritual to him. The Chamber of Beauty has been arranged for the coming ritual. Incense burns from braziers at the chamber’s edge and at the center, Narsus has arranged the three relics upon a dais of polished bronze

Narsus will ask each hero if they still wish to be gifted a divine spark.

“I know precisely what it means to ascend. Gods do not possess the gift of death. We are immortal, eternal forces pulled along the currents of the cosmos. We do not choose our destinies … destiny chooses us. And once the veil is crossed, there is no path back.” A faint smile touches his lips. “Mortals dream of immortality. They never dream of what it costs.”

Once each hero has made their final decision, the ritual will start. Read the following:

The chamber fills with a roar of wings and the blinding light of mirrors as Narsus chants, weaving the relics together. Energy surges through the air, tugging at your very soul. For you, the ritual opens a path—power thrums in your veins, a spark awakening within. For Narsus, it is transformation. His scales shine with radiant brilliance as divine fire returns to him. He stretches his wings, a god reborn.

While the ritual doesn’t turn the heroes into gods, it does unlock the divine path. Narsus has regained his godhood at this point, and he shares what the heroes must accomplish before they are able to join him. Read the following:

Narsus regards you with newfound calm, his arrogance tempered by divine bearing. “You carry sparks now, fragments of the eternal flame. To ascend, you must prove yourselves with deeds worthy of gods.” He gestures toward the mirrors, each now glowing with celestial light. “The path will test you beyond mortal measure. Embrace it, and you may yet join me among the heavens.”

Refer to the Divine Path (appendix D) for more details.