Prologue and Chapter 1

Coming together at the village of Thisio, Agmund, an unusual barbarian, approached the heroes and relayed his story as a wanderer and outcast from his native Hyperborea. He told him of vision that he had seen of a woman who was changing shape and that it seemed that to find the answer to this vision he was to visit the domain of Lord Joris of Thena, a great general who had become a recluse. After some discussion the party agreed to escort him to meet with the the great lord.

Dysis, Aleta, Arthanos and Petracles escorted Agmund to the villa of Joris, but the great lord did not know the answer to Agmund's question or the meaning of his riddle. In fact, Joris had worries of his own with the abduction of his only daughter Veda by a band of boarmen, who had taken the young woman to the Caverns of Voros, a place cursed and forsaken by the Gods themselves. Recognizing that the heroes assembled before him could aid him, he offered a kindly bounty of 3000 silver pieces, in addition to an unbreakable friendship and debt of gratitude if they were to help return his daughter to him, an offer which the party agreed to.

Moving into the forest, the heroes encountered the hateful Calibans, but temporarily stayed their wrath on the promise that they would watch for an enemy of the Calibans, an Euryskos the Satyr. As they continued they stop to rest for the evening and were ambushed by a band of Wood Titans. Fortunately, they were able to destroy and drive off these attackers though the noble Petracles took a serious wound from the attack.

It was here that the mischievous priest Eurenomes first encountered the heroes and eventually joined them on their continued travels. Through his divine abilities, the wounds that Petracles had taken were able to subside. They continued their search for the fair Veda.

As they moved on, the mysterious hunter Itylus, who had been curious and tracking the heroes as they moved about the woods revealed himself to them and offered his assistance if they told him what they were doing. After relaying the nature of their quest, as well as discussion of what they had encountered in the forest so far, Itylus too agreed to join them as well.

The heroes laid a trap for the Calibans who had been following them and were able to defeat them them. They discovered from one who they took prisoner that the Calibans had sought the nymphs of the woods. The prisoner denied any connection with the boarmen who had abducted Veda. Ultimately, in frustration and to send a message to the others that stalked them, Itylus drove the head of the leader of the Calibans into a stake he had affixed to the ground. This resulted in the death of the prisoner, who had lunged to attack Itylus, as Agmund slew the prisoner with a blow from his axe.

During this time, Eurenomes had communed with his deity Hermes who revealed another child, a son, of Lord Joris.
Dysis recovered a golden belt of Apollo from the leader of the Calibans that had attacked them.

Finally, they reached the caverns of Voros, and begin their entry into the cursed caves. The sneaky thief Aleta scouted ahead and discovered the presence of the fair Veda who was guarded by a number of the boarmen. Working together, Aleta and Itylus stealthily attacked isolated groups of the boarmen before the entire group of heroes attack in force, dispatching all their enemies.

However, a tragedy occurs with the death of the leader of the boarmen, who turned out to be Joris' son Lelios, a shapeshifter.  Now rescued, Veda relayed his curse and the madness that it had caused in him once their father had discovered. While she wished there had been another way to have prevented his death, she realized that there was nothing more she could have done.

Escorting her back to her father, the heroes were rewarded with the coin they had been promised, in addition to his continued patronage.

Chapter 1 Interlude

Celebrating their success, the heroes discussed amongst themselves their next steps. Itylus revealed his own mission to hunt down cultists who had brought evil into the world, slaying an entire village and murdering servants and agents of the Artemis. He knew that the cultists sought to summon an Archfiend, and so asked Eurenomes to use his divine powers to seek a vision of where they should travel next. The vision Eurenomes receives is a terrifying one, with a fiend destroying the house of Athena. What to do about this vision is still a mystery however and the heroes resolved first to travel in Joris' ship to Argos to purchase their own ship.

Chapter 2

The heroes traveled first to Thena and awaited the ship's departure to Argos the next day. For many of them, they had an eventful mystical evening, with both Arthanos as well as Dysis seeking and receiving visions of their own. Dysis sought guidance from her deity, Persephone, and discovered the name of the arch-fiend as Thanator, a being kept in check by both Hades and Persephone. Dysis also met Chairon and through vision entered the Realm of the Dead where her deity's held court. Knowledge was imparted to her that the dark cult sought artifacts of the Gods, such as a Caduceus, in order to break Thanator's bondage. Upon her return to the mortal realm Dysis noted that the belt of Apollo that she had taken now glowed a faint lavender color.

Arthanos had sought wisdom from the Temple of Athena, and there met an old man named Mentor who offered his ear to the Nobleman's worries and concerns. Arthanos posed the question of the vision, and attempt to understand its meaning as to whether Athena's temple would be destroyed, and what connection it held to Artemis who seemed to have given the quest to Itylus initially. Mentor could not answer this question though, save be to note that the ways of the Gods were mysterious, and then gave Arthanos a blessing, though for a moment Arthanos could see grey-eyed Athena in the old man.

Altea the sly thief did not concern herself with the meanings of visions, but sought another venture instead talking with a fellow thief who tasked her with stealing a vase from the House Theodori that detailed the adventures of Hercules, particularly the capture of Cerberus. Aleta charmed her way into the household under the guise of "Eleni" and managed to retrieve and return it to the old thief who inducted herself into Thena's thieves' guild.

Eurenomes had already sought a vision before, and now sought a distraction, and at a tavern spoke with a lovelorn Amazon, Telepyleia, and cheered her in her sorrow. Beyond that she was not much for conversation, and so the priest spoke with some of his fellow countrymen and listened to the rumors that the travelers had for him, learning that Argon the Proud did still rule Argos. Otherwise they shared the rumors of an invasion, creatures from the sea, or dark creatures from Hades enveloping them. This was enough for Eurenomes and he had left the tavern to sleep and ponder these mysteries some more.

Finally, Itylus had wandered the city for some time before heading to a tavern to obtain news and rumors, and spoke with a Heracklian Noblewoman therein. She took an immediate flirtaious interest in the hunter, even suggesting that he travel with her to Argos, though he casually deflected and so earned her ire. As she had failed to given him what he sought, Itylus spoke with a Argosian gambler next and played a game or two with him, who told him of strange people in the city of Argos, and showed him a charred black coin that he had been given and was told was the currency of Hades and that he should free himself of the Gods. His curiosity raised by this, Itylus purchased the strange black coin and, when Dysis entered, had her examine it as well though she could not ascertain much by it.

Their evenings ended, and thus the next morning they would travel onwards...

Chapter 3

The voyage had gone poorly, and ultimately by the third day of their travels the heroes had to stop at a small island off the coast called "Dacia" where they would have to wait until repairs could be made. Going into the small village, they were greeted by the elected mayoress Khloe who granted them permission to stay in the village, though warned them from traveling into the countryside.

Khloe explained their troubles, noting that malcontents had started a new village on the other side of the small island and were having problems there which they blamed on Khloe and her people. The party split at that point, with Euronomes, Dysis and Arthanos heading to the temples to pay their respects and learn more about what Khloe had told them, while Itylus and Aleta sought the refuge of an inn for the group to stay at.  At the local inn, a young Adonis attempted to seduce Aleta, though she detected a strange taste on the wine. Whether it had been altered (or was just simply of a bad stock) she could not be sure, and so she spilled the wine instead, disappointing the young Adonis who made his departure. Further inquiries made by Itylus and Aleta came no fruition however, and they were unable to learn much more about this Adonis or his intentions.

As they had awoken the next morning they had learned that the Khloe had been murdered sometime during the last night. The town had been put on a lockdown with none to enter and none to leave. Dysis had left the inn at that point to speak with the warrior who had relayed the news, and it was here that the Nereid Doria entered the tavern. Eurenomes invited the nymph to sit with the group, and Doria introduced herself to them, and met the woman who would soon become her mortal lover, Aleta.

Elsewhere, Lsyandros of Thena had been on the small island for some time attempting to gain answers to his own questions and worries. His own quest for insight was not bringing him much, and so entering into the tavern where the heroes were, he introduced himself to the group there. Ever gregarious, Eurenomes invited Lsyandros to joint them as well and after introductions and discussion, invited Lsyandros to join them in their own quest and adventures. The rapport between Aleta and Doria served as invitation enough for the nymph to join the group as well.

It was here that the written accord of the group's adventures ended. What became of the murder of the mayoress, or the problems on the island was not recorded, and known to none, save for our heroes...

The New Adventures - Into the North

Their number had changed over the course of their subsequent adventures, but into the north of Hyperborea traveled now seductive thief Aleta and her lover, the ageless nymph Doria, the noble Arthanos and Lsyandros of Thena, the mysterious hunter Itylus, as the wily priest Eurenomes.

They had traveled North in pursuit of a rumor, that the Bow of Herakles could be found in a temple somewhere along the edge of the Frozen Sea. It was an irresistible lure though the travel north into the cold had been tough. They had taken a respite at Aegir's Tavern...
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:39, Thu 11 May 2017.

Chapter 4

The evening at Aegir's tavern proved quite interesting, with nearly a bloody brawl ensuing over Doria. However through their inquiries the party recruited some interesting characters: An exiled Orki named Mugarod, and a pair of twins: the mysterious sorceress Efimia and the other her devoted protector and sister Myrine.

They had also gathered rumors at the tavern, with a request from a merchant to deliver a message to the river nymphs, while another striking woman in red begged for Lysandros to be her champion and take vengeance upon a barbarian king. However as seductive as she had appeared, her kiss was as cold as ice.

The next morning with new companions in tow they made their way north towards the River Rhena where they would make a detour to visit the river nymphs and deliver the merchant's message. However, on the banks of the river they were ambushed by a party of pirates. Although Doria, Aleta and Eurenomes initially fled into the river itself and found the nymphs, they returned to aid their companions who had rushed to their assistance. After a fierce battle the party emerged victorious and had taken some of their enemy prisoner.

It is here that the chronicle ends... what happened in the interim following their battle and arrival at the edge of the Frozen Sea is unknown.

A Shattered Union

It is clear however that the union that had previously been strong and forged over time was slowly being shattered. Somewhere on their way up North, Doria and Aleta (who had already by this time fallen in love and married one another) decided to go their own way and forge their own path, taking a "lovers honeymoon" thus dwindling the party's strength.

However, despite this setback and loss of their companions, the core party was still strong especially with the power of their hirelings to press on. Thus, they continued North, learning through their travels of an ancient temple along the Frozen Sea that housed the Bow of Herakles.

A true disaster then struck. While camped out on the edge of the frozen sea, the party was ambushed in the dead of night. Their attackers, while humanoid, had stuck to the shadows. By the time they had been drive off, Dysis had been abducted, while Lysandros and Eurenomes also went missing. Whether they too had been captured was unknown. It had seemed that perhaps they were killed, or maybe forced by their attackers to flee to parts uncertain. Regardless, they did not return.

Arthanos and Itylus, knowing that they could not continue like this, formally abandoned the quest to retrieve the Bow of Herakles and traveled south back towards the lands of the great cities. While they and their hirelings moved quickly, another disaster struck as they were attacked by a band of Orki while crossing the mountains. Mugarod was killed in this attack and Itylus badly wounded. The hunter was forced to flee leaving Arthanos with the twins.

The union of the companions had been shattered by outside forces and they were now on their own.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:41, Thu 11 May 2017.

Chapter 5

After approximately a year after the disaster that destroyed the party and their search for the quest to retrieve the Bow of Herakles, four of the original members of the team reunite and begin adventuring again:

* Itylus the Hunter
* Dysis the Elementalist
* Arthanos the Nobleman
* Lysandros the Nobleman

Low on funds and work they are contacted by the influential Dimas family who contracts the party to set forth towards the abandoned silver mines north of Thena to recover an important artifact: The Cap of Invisibility, or as it is also known "The Dog Skin of Hades"

Unity Reforged - The Search for the Dog Skin of Hades

Thus, on August 25, 313, after buying some supplies from the funds given to them by their new benefactor, the four set forth to travel towards the mines. They arrive two days later and investigate the outskirts of the mining camp, finding a disturbing journal showing problems at the mining camp, and entering a boarded up building and discovering a Hooded Horror that had been locked in, which they quickly dispatch.

Venturing into the mines with the benefit of the knowledge gleamed from the journals and mining logs, they work their way down, discovering new passages that the miners were opening up in to. Disturbingly, they come across a pack of floating eyes, which had used their psychic abilities to enthrall a number of humans.

The heroes, fortunately, are able to dispatch these floating eyes, releasing the minds of the humans that had been enthralled, and take into their service the Priest of Hephaestus, Iranto, an archer named Rosellea, a barbarian Regnferth Gray-Nail, and a nobleman of Thena, Tereys of the House Ioannou, the son of Ilelus.

Their search for the artifact continues...

Chapter 5 Concluded...

The floating eyes that had enslaved humans had been defeated, and the mines continued to be explored. A riddling gargoyle's puzzle was defeated and the party had met a Titan blacksmith, cursed to forge forever making items both magical and mundane. The Titan knew of the Dog Skin and opened the passageway for the party to travel through, though warned them of the peril of seeking such an artifact. A boon was promised to them though if they aided him first, in defeating a group of Daughters of Arachne, whose spiders blocked minerals that the blacksmith needed for his forge.

The party engaged with, and defeated these Daughters as well as their cave spider allies, being joined as Tancea, a sacred healer of Asclepius, who had been seeking out the party. In doing so, she had overheard the battle, aided them and healed the critically injured amongst the group.

The group had left the mines, temporarily then, to rest and recover and were joined by another stranger, by Dionae a shapeshifter and former slave who was lost and a stranger in the land of the Three Cities. Returning back to the mines, the Titan Blacksmith rewarded the party with blades and armor that would provide protection from the undead, from there, the party continued on in their search for the Dog Skin.

Their search took them into a pocket realm of Hades. Surrounded by the dead, shades with no form or substance. Some at peace with their passing, others tormented. They fought off the tormented shades as well as skeletons and other undead that burned with envy over the life force present in the domain of the dead.

Finally they came upon a statue of the dread God Hades himself that was adorned with the Dog Skin as well as other armor, and whose feet was adorned with blood, bones, and coins. Working together, the party was able to safely retrieve it.

Strangely, the Dog Skin seemed mute in their hands. There was a power there - the magicians could sense it - but simply putting it on did not turn its wearer invisible as the legend had claimed. Thinking that perhaps it was because they were still in the realm of the dead, the party quickly backtracked their way back out.

Upon exiting the mines, and before they could 'test out' the power of the Dog Skin, they were surprised to be greeted by their benefactor from the Dimas family who had given them the quest in the first place. "Congratulations my friends!" he had exclaimed to them. "Our Oracles had foretold of your success. I admit I had doubts, but the I see you have the cap of invisibility in your possession, and just as they foretold, two others with great powers joined you to do so."

"Additionally, your friends, Iranto, Rosellea, Regnferth, and Tereys had told us of your heroism as well. Truly, you have outperformed all my expectations."

---

The Dimas family was as good as its word, and for the next month the party had stayed as guests in the Dimas family's estate on the outskirts of Thena, their every need attended to. They now had a new patron, wealth, power, and prestige. Though every once in a while they might think of what happened to the Dog Skin once they turned it over to the family representative, it would be quickly dismissed by wine, food, or other pleasures.

The only question the remained was... would they get bored?
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:10, Thu 24 Sept 2020.