(sorry Marta but) The object of her envy is her big sister. Being a demi god with a fate of doom is what defines Iliana and seeing her sister being the favoured one with the big destiny and the gift and just being so good and lovely is a lot for her.
14 - Does your character care about how they’re perceived by others? How do they change themselves to fit in with other people?
Iliana pretends to not care about how she is perceived as she is always perceived badly, so why not earn that instead of having it just happen to you. She refuses to change to fit in but does want to be useful in a group instead of their potential demise
15 - What colours are associated with your character?
Blues and light greens are the colours she usually wills her magic into being so I would say that :)
New morning, new questions: 4, 5 and 13 for my favourite doomed demigod please!
Already answered 4 so will random number generator for another one at the end
5 - What is the meanest thing they’ve ever done?
Iliana is not mean but she has absolutely done some things she sees as justified but are not nice. Things like cutting stirrups, leaving things out to trip people but this has all been for people looking at her wrong, particularly those with the gift of prophecy who do not keep their mouths shut
13 - What would your character say their best trait would be?
If you asked her face on she would not be able to give you an answer - but if pushed would say her usefulness. She can do a lot of things with magic and is willing to go out of her way with no concern for her own wellbeing
25 - Can your character play an instrument and do they like doing it?
Iliana is proficient with the drums but she is more enthusiastic than talented, she picked it up out in the fields with Phryne to be able to join in
Iliana doesn’t really do enemies as she has more of a deep loathing for concepts rather than people. To her life and death is fluid and what is the point having enemies when people can change and there is so much better about living. But if anyone hurts her sister ... she will change her mind on that
11 - What animal best represents your character?
Immidate image was a very small dog. One who is all bark and absolutely no bite.
19 - Favourite Childhood Game
In absence of a sheep dog what else is there to do but set your weird adopted children upon chasing the sheep. Issue was the sheep didn’t often care which just lead to the two young girls just chasing each other and annoying the livestock (Iliana was often on the wrong end of a kick)
I would she wants to get to know Kallis at the moment as she really wants to know what is going on in that brain behind the stony faced leader.
In terms of friends I believe Iliana and Azelma are two forces of chaos and Iliana would want to befriend but the world would suffer
4 - Does your character have any heroes or inspirational figures?
Not particularly, she is very much a lone wolf with her issues with connecting on a personal level. Her sister is of course the person who inspires her every day
6 - Does your character have any significant personal items?
Iliana’s most treasured item is her staff which was her shepherds crook but is now her spellcasting focus. She knew she needed to tie her spellcasting abilities to something and couldn’t bare it to be something she did not care about
The Queen once more holding the Titan’s Bane blade
With sweet songs and welcome we were paid
With such happiness, who could be afraid?
After a rest, with the Medusa securely in the cell, they go down to the forge. There’s half-finished bronze parts of birds, humans and in the corner there are dragon wings.
There’s a twelve foot tall cyclops with 10 fingers on every hand, chained to the floor. They announce themselves as friends. The chain might be locked, only the Queen or Princess have the key. It looks like adamantium. Azelma picks the lock. His name is Brunt? And he’s too large to fit through the door. He came here about two months ago, blindfolded.
Fire Island is now ruled by King Jancar, he has the Storm God’s blessing. Queen Vica still rules her village, but not the Island, she is not the strongest now. He does still want to go back to fire island that is where he belongs. Iliana asks if he has hydra-bashing weapons, he says slashing and bashing is all the same, unless they use fire. He completed 4 working people robots. He made some swords, a lot of stimfays. They promise to send his friends down and ask him to wait a day. Mania gives him some of her old writing to read. The lizardfolk don’t want to fight a hydra.
The amazon mentioned an underwater entrance. The hydra can’t leave that way, there’s a gate you have to unlock.
They send Basil in and the Hydra immediately shoots towards him and snaps him up. Thalestris casts a Wall of Fire around the Hydra. Thalestris gives Iliana Heroism. The heads shoot out at Cleophe and Mania. It tries to leap into the pool and swim away. two of its 10 heads falls off. Azelma manages to firebolt it under the water. Thalestris conjures four sharks. Iliana sends fire down to the hydra, skipping round the sharks. Cleophe casts shield of faith on herself and clambers into the hydra’s pen. The spirit guardian sheep dives into the water. The sharks try to tear the sharks to shreds. The hydra kills three sharks and swims closer to the surface. Thalestris lets a fire sphere sinks into the water, Phryné foretells the Hydra will not be able to evade it. Phryné foretells that Iliana will hit it with lightning. Cleophe dives into the water and smites it until another head falls off. It’s thrashing and close to death, but manages to bite into Cleophe very badly. It scuttles out of the water to get away from the fire. Azelma fireballs it, all the heads are drooping. Iliana kills it with a scorching ray. Cleophe slashes at the stomach to free Titan’s Bane. It’s a long, rapierlike sword. Thalestris calls Daran in. Iliana and Mania harvest scales, vials of blood, teeth and some of the heart of the Hydra.
They take a rest as Thalestris asks Andromeda how many more followers the false Queen had. She doesn’t know. Phryné goes up to Thalestris to tell her that 1. She doesn’t know how she feels about Thalestris’ gods, but she thinks it’s very interesting. 2. Thank her for allowing Phryné to practice her religion with the bones in this temple. 3. She’s needs help looking for Hexia’s lair and thinks the amazons might help and needs Thalestris’ help to ask them.
Phryné gives Daran her veil to hide her identity. She ask Queen Daran if she can help with the Hexia thing. Andromeda has indeed spotted a green dragon a few times, she always seems to fly off to the Forgotten Sea when they tried to track her. They don’t really like to sail in the forgotten sea, there’s a massive whirlpool that can suck you into the underwold and it moves around. She’s always heading to the constellation of the dragon. Phryné thanks her. There’s also Sydon’s Phraxis tower in the forgotten sea, another reason not to get lost in the sea. There’s been a few more dragons in recent years, which is odd. There was also a metallic dragon on indigo island that was attacking, the amazons are in correspondence with people there. The green dragon is old. The bronze dragon on indigo island is new (an adult, but it might have come from somewhere else.) Indigo island is under the sign of the Queen. (Themis is under the twins). Phryne makes sure to say goodbye to Brunt. Thalestris puts on her vestments to look as much the High Priestess as possible.
Daran calms the marble golems long enough for them to go past. They take their little boat to head to the princess’ camp. There’s clusters of petrified woman, amazons who look like they were chasing something to the north. The statues look new. Thalestris There’s the sound of hoofbeats but deeper. A javelin launches into the tree behind them as they shout warnings. 4 amazons on riding rhinoceri and 2 basilisks approach. The amazon glares at Daran and tells her to surrender. Thalestris tells her this is the Queen of Themis. They throw a javelin at her. They seem to be trying to shield their eyes. Mania lifts Daran’s veil and looks her straight in the eyes, telling them she’s not the medusa. They don’t seem to trust her. Cleophe intercepts their attacks on Daran. Phryné shouts that this is their Queen and they can give any proof they see fit. The Amazons are listening. Thalestris says she can cast a spell that forces people into their true shape. Iliana polymorphs herself into a really big crab and Thalestris dispels it under the Amazons eyes. Iliana turns back into herself. Thalestris does the exact same thing to Daran. The amazons notice she’s not wearing the silver helmet. Daran says she has spoken the sacred words and that the gods and goddesses have recognised her claim. She raises Titan’s Bane. The Amazons say they’ll take them to the others then. They uncertainly welcome her back. Daran names the others her protectors. Azelma asks how they figured out they had a false princess.
Yesterday, the princess’ crown suddenly crumbled and she changed forms. She was able to escape. They go to the campaign and there’s a lot of explaining going around. Daran gives a halting speech and does a mini version of the ceremony in the temple. It impresses the Amazons. Daran says they’ve got the situation under control, they could leave. Leia the Amazon might have fled the island. The Amazons don’t like bending the knee to anyone outside, if she holds Titan’s Bane and controls the Queen she might. They ask if she will ally with the mainland when the Oath of Peace is over. She would consider making a treaty if it was with us. If your homeland is attacked, I will help if you will do the same for mine.
Mania asks for a favour. Any Amazon who calls Themis home should be allowed to come home, even if they aren’t known to them. As long as they are loyal to the Crown and Throne, they should be allowed to come home. Daran asks who she has in mind, but then retracts her question. She says she would welcome her sisters home.
Thalestris really wants to stay and help. Azelma tells her she can come back again. Thalestris tries to explain it’s not safe yet. Phryné gives her a hug. Daran clasps a hand on Thelastris’ shoulder and tells her she’ll be protected. She doesn’t need to fear for her, and Daran will protect the Island. Daran asks her to keep in touch. Thalestris contacted her sister, who can contact Makaila and send her to the island. Daran says they could have a big coronation party where they’ll all be guests of honour. Azelma says she/they deserve to be recognised and Daran earnestly agrees.
They get out the casks of wine and word is sent to the other amazon enclaves around the island. Mania finds a lot of cute amazons who fawn over her hydra and medusa fighting skills and who teach her drinking songs in a language she doesn’t know yet. It’s the best day she’s had since they met the oracle.
Iliana talks to Thalestris. She doesn’t want to leave again, especially not before it’s all over. They still don’t know what Iliana puts her head on her shoulder and tells her the Island will be ready for when she’s come back. They drink together. Phryné is getting drunk too. Mania’s new amazons friends are making up impromptu victory rhymes with their names.
Astarte says the false queen made a raid on fire island, the Jancan is a master smith who was going to make them weapons.
Thalestris is going to Daran and hand her a piece of wood she has carved some druidic symbols in. She told her she can ask her sister what this means. There’s a couple of drunk girls who are trying to get cleophe to flex so they can hang off her arms. Another group are making wide eyes at Azelma, wanting to see them do magic. She minor illusions a flying stimfay into the air to great aclaim.
And that’s the end of this session of the Thylead…
The portcullis slam shut, the hydra starts to stir from the noise. Azelma, cloaked in darkness and leading the way, manages to find the correct key and open the door. She finds a second door she can open as well. In front of her she sees a room with a couple of beds and two amazons who immediately jump up. They run into the room, Mania Commands one of them to Relax and tells them they’re not here to hurt them, they’re here to save the Princess. They don’t quite believe her.
Thalestris says that Astarte and Zosima sent them. They seem willing to listen to her. They ask why she brought outsiders. Thalestris says it’s a long story, that they come from Mytros and that things are not as they seem with the Queen and her closest people and that the whole island may be in danger.
They ask if the Queen is in danger. The Queen is downstairs. They ask why they didn’t give her the password to pass the Hydra.
Only people with official business should be here. Azelma tries to convince them but they don’t think she’s very honourable. They say they can speak to Thalestris, but the outsiders should be tied up and put in the cells.
Thalestris, finally embodying her own power and position, calmly tells them she trained under the former High-Priestess and her abilities
She asks to speak to the Queen, to the Princess or even Makaila. The amazons raise the portcullis. She says she think it’d be best if Thalestris’ friends wait outside. The queen sees very few people these days, she keeps to her vigils. Thalestris says it’d be dishonourable to let her escort be killed by statues. She asks to look at the cells first, because Azelma might escape otherwise. There’s two lizardfolk in the cells. One has blocked off window, for the Silent Prisoner. Mania says she can’t be locked up in a room with light, since she’s a star. The Amazon glares at her. Thalestris waves them all in the cell corridor. Mania slips through, giving Thalestris Enhanced Ability to lie and charm.
Thalestris says Makaila was concerned she was seeing the effects of oathbreaking on the Queen. She says she has abilities to help and heal. The Amazons seem very concerned and Thalestris seems very sincere and trustworthy.
In front of the cells, Azelma finds keys that match all the cells except for the center one. Iliana sees there’s a modified Darkness and Silence around that door. Azelma picks the lock anyway without a problem. Azelma says “Hi, are you the Lost Princess?” and her words are magically dampened. There’s a woman with a big scar over her face. She gives a tentative bow. Iliana presses a finger to her lips and casts Dispell Magic. Azelma gives her some water to drink.
She asks who they are. Mania explains Makaila, the real Makaila sent her.
Princess Daran 3rd of her name of Themis, she doesn’t quite know what’s going on on the Island and only had her stimfay as company. The Hydra is new, Lutheria sent it when the guards defected from Daran’s mother. She heard them training it, the codeword might be something like “by the Grace of Lutheria”. Cleophe gives Daran the sword from the Amazon, Daran looks at her a bit wide-eyed but takes it.
The lizardfolk are here because they were taken in a raid, but the Amazons wanted their smith.
Their queen would give great rewards for the return of the smith. They ask if they will return for them and the smith, the Jancan. The smith is deeper in the temple.
Jancan, neigbhourspecies of cyclops with 10 fingers on each hand, wellsuited to craft and making magical items. They agree to give them a key if they wait a bit and not betray them to the guard.
Cleophe asks their names. Hesk, Saraza, they serve Queen Vica, long may she reign. The lotus witch lives on cursed scorpion island with the centaurs.
Thalestris has gotten a bit of the layout of the temple from the Amazons. Phryné messages her that they found the princess and to either get them out or talk them deeper into the temple.
No one goes down to see the Queen unless they’re called. The Amazons (Andromeda and Pallas) stay to guard. Thalestris thanks them, she has spent a long time on the mainland and it’s really nice to be back. They nod.
Iliana turns the princess invisible, her sparrow stimfay hiding under her cloak. Mania flirts with the Amazons so they don’t pay attention to the others.
The amazons call out “By the Lady Lutheria’s Grace” and the hydra quiets down. They go down to the third level. Basil scouts ahead and only spots doors. A room full of commerative medals from games and battles and a banner with the creed; “A sisterhood of equals, our strength forged in battle, death before dishonour”
Thalestris hears breathing from her door. They decide the temple is probably not behind a bedroom and go the other way. The next room they find has two goatmen in it who immediately start insulting them. One of them turns into a giant spider. Thalestris closes the door on it and locks it. Azelma firebolts the one who got out anyway. Mania tells it it’s the ugliest thing she’s ever seen and it keels over. They decide to let the spider be and look elsewhere. Thalestris listens to another door, which sounds quiet. Thalestris solemnly apologises for doubting Basil’s earlier check. It seems to be another bedroom, a single petrified statue in the corner. It’s male and looks terrified. Thalestris tries to pass it alone. This room also seems to lead to the other room. They decide to flank the room with the breathing. There is another door round the corner. Now she’s closer, she can hear two people chanting or singing. Thalestris asks Daran if she wants to come in or wait. They explain there’s imposters here.
They decide to let Thalestris go alone and speak to them and if she says Pythor they have to come help her. Thalestris goes through the statueroom and sees two Maenads chanting and dancing. They look at her with aggressive extasy and attack. One of them dances at Thalestris and she begins to dance frantically as well. She breaks free and yells for the others to come help her. Phyrne gives Iliana resistance and calls her spiritual weapon.
The other Maenaed begins to sing to all of them, Iliana begins to sway. Mania starts dancing and singing against them, pulling her friends free form the Maenead’s charm. Azelma firebolts both of them. The Maenaed runs to slash at Azelma. Cleophe kills one. The door to the south opens, some more warrior women rushing out. They look like Lutheria worshipping assassins. They are told to protect the Queen. The maenaed slashes out at Azelma again.
Thalestris calls out they’re here to help. The assassin is completely uninterested. Cleophe intercepts her blows to Thalestris. Another assassin runs in. In the doorway they see Makaila. It looks pretty much like her.
The maenaed goes straight to Iliana and plunges a dagger into her chest. Iliana casts a wave of fire around Thalestris. Thalestris casts Erupting Earth, hitting three assassins but also herself. Two of them burnt.
The Queen, in a beautiful silver helmet, steps out behind from Makaila. She takes off her helmet and turns into a Medusa. Thalestris makes one of the assassins burst into flames, giving her friends Heroism.
Fake Makhaila runs past the spirit guardians and attacks Thalestris but misses. The spirit guardians mess her up, but she doesn’t look as hurt as she should be. Azelma finally kills the Maenaed by cutting her in half with the Shadow Blade.
Iliana, in the gaze of the false Queen, starts to turn to stone. Thalestris on her turn starts to petrify as well.
And that’s the end of this session of the Thylead…
Bullbug tells them the Island is spotted on the southern horizon. They decide to wait till night-time for sneaking purposes. While they wait, Mania approaches Thalestris to ask for some moral guidance. Mania has realised she’s not reacting right to the whole Amazon situation and wants Thalestris to tell her what the right things to feel and do are. Thalestris asks for any context at all and Mania explains badly that she has trouble reconciling her past feelings towards Amazons (either the best person ever or mean to her) with the current situation. Thalestris tries to explain nuance in emotion by comparing Mania to the things people say about nymphs, which doesn’t really clarify anything for Mania. She just wants Thalestris to tell her what to do. Thalestris says she can’t tell her how to feel, which Mania doesn’t understand. Mania tries to explain some more of her feelings. She wants Thalestris to be able to go back to her island because she sympathises with people not being able to go back to where they came from. She explains she can never go back to the stars until she dies, Thalestris shouldn’t have to die to go back home. Thalestris starts out with people attacking our friends are probably bad, not every amazon is automatically bad. Mania happily agrees that she could just kill anyone trying to hurt her favourites. But since this also doesn’t seem like the good solution, Thalestris is an Amazon and noble and moral so she should be able to tell Mania what the noble and moral thing to do is. Thalestris starts stammering a bit, unsure of how to answer. Mania doesn’t mind, since in her mind the question of what she should do is resolved. Thalestris wants to help her people and Mania wants to help her help her people. Thalestris is pretty sure she did not actually answer the question. Mania is content now moral issues will be handled by someone else again and tells Thalestris she’s very happy she’s here, it will be a much more balanced story this way. Thalestris isn’t sure she needs to be in a story, which Mania thinks is nonsense. "You can't be on the big boat with the chosen ones and not be in the story!" Mania starts improvising poetic epithets for Thalestris.
Cleophe makes another healthpotion, Phryne gives Iliana some tea and biscuits, Iliana Detects some Sharks.
They take the tender and make their way into the eastern bay of the island. The island is mostly grassy, with only a few trees. They find their way to a forest of statues of sailors and adventurers, all men. When they walk through, one of them grabs at Thalestris. Phryné goes into a trance and sees that someone will do extraordinarily well and someone will do very poorly. Azelma tries to pull Thalestris out but fails. A statue goes to slam into Iliana, Phryné’s portent makes it fail.
Cleophe hits it with a strong blow of her makaila, but it glances off until she smites it. Iliana Shatters two statues, chipping them. (Cleophe Nat 20 on a magical javelin attack on the statue). Mania shows the statues how it’s done by grasphing them in a great stone hand. Cleophe keeps intercepting blows (Iliana Grasping Hands it’s arm off with a Crit). Azelma acid splashes the one in Mania’s stone grasp to death, melting it’s head.
Mania walks to the spiral staircase and hears general signs of life downstairs. After a while, the broken statue starts moving again, but with a melted head it is blinded and deafened. Cleophe runs past it down the stairs. Thalestris outpaces her and as they all go running down the stairs she spots two amazons. She says hello and gets asked her business, replying that she only just returned. She got asked what she’s doing in the lady’s temple, “you should be back in the mainland, preparing for the war games”. They do not seem to trust her and ask her what’s she’s doing her. She explains she grew up on the mainland, they think that doesn’t make her much of an Amazon. The only amazons who leave are the ones who don’t belong there. (Phryné portents a good honour role). The nicer one says she has a little bit of a chance. This is the holiest site, the Queen is here, praying to the Gods. All the time, that is her role as Queen. She only comes out sometimes. The Princess is overseeing the War Games, Thalestris will have to join one of the camps. They want to know if she knows Amazon fighting styles at least. She asks how to join the camps, the nicer one says she can say she talked to Astarte. Thalestris asks to pray. She’s not allowed in the inner temple, no one is allowed there. Thalestris kneels down and casts Pass Without Trace. Little shadows start to grow out of where she kneels and prays. Mania casts Crown of Madness on the Angry Amazon, who goes into a rage and attacks the other amazon. Astarte spits at Thalestris and calls her a witch.
Azelma goes invisible and tries to crawl/sneak past them. The Crowned Amazon attacks Astarte and Thalestris ostentatiously cures herself and wildshapes into a panther. Iliana goes to sit down in the corner and sends Basil flying past to shocking grasp Astarte. The confused Amazon runs through the door and nearly trips over Azelma. She runs into the other room and starts opening cages to release Basilisks.
Cleophe summons Spirit Guardians and her dragon tattoos start to glow. She gets the basilisk in the face with her eyes closed with Phryné’s portent. Phryné blinds the healthier basilisk. Azelma sends her shadow down the stairs to scout. She sees tunnels, holes in the wall and a snakelike creature in a cave. It looks like there’s one creature with many heads, a hydra. The holes in the wall are hydra-head sized. She also finds a door at the end of the corridor. (there’s 4 basilisks in the room)
The Amazon slashes at Thalestris until she turns back into a human.
In the morning, there’s an opening in the cavern, letting through sunshine. Kallis yells at Estor to come sail the boat and suddenly she goes rigid and starts walking towards the stern and navigates their way to the opening expertly. Cleophē calls up a gust of wind to get them moving. Then Cleophē Levitates the sail to lighten the ship so they can go a little faster. They go towards Mytros, they don’t see any storms on the horizon. People cluster around the harbour, a massive silver dragon swoops through the sky and King Acastus swoops through the sky, magical harp in hand. Everyone follows him. One person is left behind, waving excitedly at them. Mid-twenties, looks like she spent every single second out in the sun, golden brown hair, golden brown skin, wearing trousers, amazon-like haircut. She’s a druid and she has a letter for Kallistrate.
They dock the boat and Kallis gets a moment of control back. She confers with the druid Thalestris for a moment, accepts the letter and tells the others she needs to see Moxena and leave for a while. She made some promises she has to keep. She leaves.
They agree to go see Vallus and Kyrah and the king. Iliana notices Thalestris tagging along and remarks on the high numbers of Amazons around here. Thalestris has been in the Old Woods for 13 years, after the rebellion. Makaila sent her to come back to the docks.
Azelma asks her if she was part of the rebellion. The rebellion was the reason she´s been in the Old Woods for 13 years. She tags along to the palace, Iliana warns her they´re gonna argue with the King. Acastus dragon seems to be adult dragon size, they take about a century to mature. It doesn’t show up on Divine Senses, so probably not undead. Cleophē hasn’t seen this dragon before, it’s definitely not a baby but it moves a bit childish, could be a teen. Mania doesn’t see something instantly magical, but takes private notes to consider it later. Vallus is not on the dragon like Acastus is while speaking to the crowd. He hails them as friends, harp in hand. Mania mentions her harp and the sacrifice of her hair to the crowd and he says he used it only to not prolong his city’s suffering. Mania praises his and Vallus’ leadership and asks her harp back. The moment she gets it,l it glows with her, Iliana providing dramatic wind effects. Acastus invites them to be his personal guests at the Great Games, the trials of which will be starting today now the storms have stopped.
They lag behind the crowd to speak to Vallus privately. She apologises that General Kallistrate’s skills are urgently needed elsewhere and asks them to allow Thelastris to join them. If she’s any trouble they are to let Makaila know. Thelastris is an apprentice of the old druidic tradition of Themis, it is important not to lose them. They agree to try and not let her die. Vallus knew Thelastris’ mentor and vouches for her at least, she was a woman of great wisdom.
Vallus gives Iliana an amulet inherently attuned to her (Const+2 and crit hits while unconscious only count as 1 fail) Volkan sent it with the hope that it will keep Iliana from dying. Phrynè asks Vallus about Azelma’s rapid aging. Vallus sees it’s not good magic and being hit with a similar curse might make the effects worse. Vallus can fix it, so Azelma let’s her because it will make her friends worry less. Azelma starts glowing and shrinks a few cm again.
Mania tries to convince Vallus to ditch her husband, she deserves better than how people treat her. Vallus says she “has goals and is pursuing them”. Thelastris finds it all very awkward, Azelma assures her it’s fine and just Mania’s normal flirting. Vallus tells her Mania doesn’t have to worry about being liked, that she’s heard new songs and more positive rumours being spread in the city. It helps to have friends in the Bard College.
The Great Games are comprised of 6 events and a relay race. First place in the events gets 1000gp, 2nd place 500, 3rd 250gp, the relay race gets 6 times that. The games allow for one partner to cast helpful magic on the participant, but not on the other competitors. They decide to try and win the relay race, but they need at least one person to place in the events, preferably more. They divide the events along their strengths: Discus (Thalestris), Long Jump (Cleophē with Mania's help with the jump spell), Distance Run (Azelma with Illiana's haste), Boxing (Mania with Kentimane’s hands subject to approval), Wrestling (Cleophē), Javelin (Cleophē). Phrynè will magically aid them.
They go to register themselves and their magical weapons. Iliana recognises the arbiter, a Divination Wizard with magic sensing spectacles. They’re asked for a name for their team and when no one pipes up with an answer, Cleophē asks Mania for a name. She names them Thylea’s Beloveds (Or perhaps Thylea’s Beloved’s) which they can choose to change later. Mania registers her staff. The wizard is surprised by it, it’s clouded from his sight. She explains what it does and it is accepted. He speaks of an Aresian fellow who needs to be taught a lesson in the boxing ring, Mania mostly cares if he’s handsome.
King Acastus jovially says there’s no need for them to prove themselves in the first trials so they have some free time. They decide to go to the Satyr’s Tail Tavern where they find a request to slay some chimera’s and manticores. Thelastris finds the first tracks and immediately heads off, leaving the rest scrambling to follow. She tracks a trail of destruction down to a cave. They have time to lay a trap, so Thelastris casts Spike Growth on the cave mouth. Manticores are monstrosity with wings, spikey tails and human faces. Iliana makes a noise ring out to draw them out and manticores fly out, the first two getting caught in the spikes. The other 3 take to the air and fling spikes into Cleophē and Mania’s chest. Phrynè takes out her crossbow and shoots one straight into the face. Thelastris gets whailed on. Iliana burns one manticore to a crisp with a beautiful chromatic orb. Thelastris wildshapes into a black bear and rakes a manticore in the face. It hits her back until she’s human again. To make up for it she calls down a Moonbeam while Cleophē kills another manticore. Thelastris gets another one with shillelagh and as it dies it burst into flames, Blessing all her companions as she sacrifices it to the Old Gods. Cleophē kills the last manticore in a single blow and the fight is over.
While they’re still blessed they decide to stay and see if the fight alerted the chimeras they’re looking for. Mania remembers Kallis talking about how she’d kill chimeras, so she can give them the basics of three-headed fire-breathing lion-goat-dragon killing. Not long after, 2 figures appear in the air. Cleophē gets hit with bad enough to knock her unconscious, especially with her trying to block Phrynè from the worst of it too. Her relentless endurance is the only thing keeping her standing.
Thelastris conjures 4 black bears to distract the chimeras, Azelma gets one with an excellent ray of sickness. Cleophē gets them with the lightning javelin with Mania’s bardic help, Iliana’s chromatic orb kills it as it swoops down on Iliana. The last chimera takes out two bears, Mania runs up and kills it with the staff.
Mania and Iliana work together to get trophy’s and the best potion ingredients from the slain beasts. Chimera loot: horns and hooves from goat, claws from lion, mostly intact voice box of dragon from first, for the second chimera: horn, hooves from goat, lion claws. From the manticores they get 2 small pouches of teeth, one tail with spike attached that could make a whip, one damaged tail and one cut of the wings that could make a very cool cloak.
