Tumgik
#tempest acolytes....2!
gffa · 30 days
Text
My current progress on The High Republic books, comics, etc. I DESERVE CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL-WISHES TO CATCH UP BEFORE THE ACOLYTE AIRS. MAIN STORYLINE NOVELS - PHASE I:
The High Republic: Light of the Jedi
The High Republic: A Test of Courage
The High Republic: Into the Dark
The High Republic: The Rising Storm
The High Republic: Race To Crashpoint Tower
The High Republic: Out Of The Shadows
The High Republic: Mission to Disaster
The High Republic: The Fallen Star
The High Republic: Midnight Horizon
MAIN STORYLINE NOVELS - PHASE II:
The High Republic: Path of Deceit
The High Republic: Convergence
The High Republic: Quest for the Hidden City
The High Republic: Cataclysm
The High Republic: Quest for Planet X
The High Republic: Path of Vengeance
MAIN STORYLINE NOVELS - PHASE III:
The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness
The High Republic: Escape from Valo
The High Republic: Defy The Storm
MAIN STORYLINE COMICS - PHASE I:
The High Republic (2021) - 15 issues
The High Republic Adventures (2021) - 13 issues
The High Republic: The Monster of Temple Peak - 4 issues
The High Republic: The Edge Of Balance - 2 manga volumes
The High Republic: Trail of Shadows - 5 issues
The High Republic: Eye of the Storm - 2 issues
MAIN STORYLINE COMICS - PHASE II:
The High Republic: The Blade - 4 issues
The High Republic (2022) - 10 issues
The High Republic Adventures (2021) - 8 issues
The High Republic: Edge of Balance: Precedent - 1 manga volume
The High Republic Adventures: The Nameless Terror - 4 issues
MAIN STORYLINE COMICS - PHASE III:
The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight - 4 issues
The High Republic (2023) - 5 issues [ONGOING]
The High Republic Adventures (2023) - 4 issues [ONGOING]
MAIN STORYLINE AUDIODRAMAS - PHASE I:
The High Republic: Tempest Runner
MAIN STORYLINE AUDIODRAMAS - PHASE II:
The High Republic: The Battle of Jedha
ONESHOT COMIC ISSUES - PHASE I:
Star Wars Adventures (2020) #6 - “The Gaze Electric”
The High Republic Adventures: Free Comic Book Day 2021
The High Republic Adventures Annual 2021
The High Republic Adventures: Galactic Bake-Off Spectacular
Star Wars Adventures (2020) #14 - “A Very Nihil Interlude”
The High Republic Adventures: Free Comic Book Day 2023
ONESHOT COMIC ISSUES - PHASE II:
The High Republic Adventures: Quest of the Jedi
ONESHOT COMIC ISSUES - PHASE III:
The High Republic Adventures: Crash Landing
ANTHOLOGY NOVELS - PHASE I:
Star Wars: The High Republic: Starlight
ANTHOLOGY NOVELS - PHASE II:
Star Wars Insider: The High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment
ANTHOLOGY NOVELS - ALL PHASES:
The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life
EVERYTHING ELSE:
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures - 25 episodes
This is a bit misleading in that several of these I'm halfway through, I've been watching Young Jedi Adventures in the background while I do other things and it's super cute! It's very much a preschooler-aimed series, but the animation is gorgeous, the voice acting is adorable, and it's fun to have on in the background. (It does make me pine for this style of animation to be used for more familiar characters, what I wouldn't give for baby Mace Windu in this style or baby Obi-Wan or baby Plo or baby Shaak, THEY WOULD BE SO CUTE.) I'm also halfway through The Fallen Star, which isn't as far as I'd like considering I started it several days ago, but I don't have as much on-line time these days and I listen to it in the background while doing other things. It's fine so far, I'd say! I'm eager to get to Phase III, though. One thing that's really hitting me all over again, especially as I'm wrapping up reading Shadows of Starlight is that the Nihil are now trying to set up their own area of the galaxy, to set up a government in their claimed area, they've been strong-arming planets into being forced to join them, they've been actively killing Jedi--including one general who opens his coat to reveal a collection of lightsabers to show that he'd be a good fit to join the Nihil--and it's so many echoes of the prequels that it's fascinating. Because the way the Jedi react, the need to align with the Republic for strength, the need to fight back against an enemy that is specifically targeting them, the need to help free the worlds that are being occupied by this government that claims to have nobler intentions, but really just wants to crush worlds under its boot? It's really showing, consistently, the Jedi being put in the same positions as the prequels Jedi and showing why their choices weren't great, but they had to choose something, because the alternative was worse. Reading all of this has given me a more sympathetic reading of the prequels' set-up, served up to me on a silver platter. OKAY, WISH ME LUCK in getting through at least one more comic run today and tell me how your High Republic reading journey is going, too!
50 notes · View notes
fireteam-fractal-d2 · 2 years
Text
Guardians & Other characters (along with some background info)
Current Season: Season of The Wish/Into the Light (2024) Fireteam Fractal (primary): Argus-2: Exo Void Titan (masc) - Ghost: Commo    - Fought in the Red War. now he just kinda does whatever. Very loyal to the vanguard to a fault. Prophet: Human Arc Warlock (fem) - Ghost: Oracle    - Rogue Lightbearer, left Fireteam Fractal and the Last City after Argus killed two eliksni who surrendered. Built a colony of Humanity, Eliksni, Hive, and Cabal who want to get away from the war in the solar system in the asteroid belt around the inner planets called Avalon (all are welcome).
- is dating an Eliksni Captain named Avethryk, who founded the House of Tempest with Prophet. Wav-3: Exo Stasis Hunter (masc) - Ghost: Synth(deceased), Vapor (hive ghost)    - Lightless, Ghost killed by Eramis, befriended a Hive ghost who refuses to res thier guardian. Related to Evergarden-14. Hates being reminded that he’s an exo.  Prometheus: Awoken Solar Titan (masc) - Ghost: Pearl    - recovering from being possessed by Calus via Egregore spores. Extended Fireteam Fractal Unlisted in fireteams Jace: Human Void Hunter (masc) - Ghost: Hustle    - Works for the vanguard, sometimes, mostly just dances in the last city for glimmer. Levi: Awoken Void Warlock (masc) - Ghost: Buster     - New Light that woke up mid crucible match between Sinclair, Prophet, and Evergarden. Buster is a snitch.
Corazon-3: Exo Void Titan (masc) - Ghost: (pending)
- Fought in the battle of 6 fronts, saved by Saint-14 and eventually freed him from the Infinite Forest on Mercury Fireteam Cohesion: Havoc-13: Exo Void/Solar Hunter (fem) - Ghost: Egg    - Was a pirate w/ Cold for the first two years of their life as a Guardian. Egg is basically base D2 ghost, but his voice glitches out due to being blown up trying to save Havoc. Havoc-13 was resurrected as Havoc-2, but plot happened and she got reset 11 times.  Cold-7: Exo Arc Titan (masc) - Ghost: Atlas - going to therapy after attempting to kill Wav-3 to learn Stasis. He’s doing better.
Evergarden-14 Exo Arc Warlock (fem) - Ghost: Serpent    - Part of Ikora’s hidden, ran through Witch Queen campaign. Related to Wav-3. (important to mention Evergarden canonically has the thiccest of thighs) Fireteam (name Still pending) Alamo: Awoken Solar/Void/Stasis Titan (fem) - Ghost: Touchdown “TD”    - VERY Texan, uses almost only Tex Mechanica gear. TD tries (and fails horrifically) to copy her accent to make her more comfortable (it doesn’t work). Dahlia’s Girlfriend.
Sinclair: Awoken Void/Solar Warlock (masc) - Ghost: Malignant    - New Light. Woke up and instantly found Felwinter’s Helm. Malignant wants Sinclair to be a badass, but he’s baby.
- Out in the EDZ in a cottage with his ghost, doing woodworking. Dahlia: Human Void Hunter (fem) - Ghost: Orchid    - Rogue lightbearer, Alamo’s girlfriend. Non player characters (that are reoccurring) Ikolxuto “Xutoo”: Hive Acolyte Solar Hunter (Masc) - Ghost: Bunker    - Havoc’s ~boyfriend. Hides from Immaru/lucent brood because he hates killing other guardians. Anotragul “Notra”: Hive Knight Arc/Void Titan (fem) - Ghost: Shudder    - Friend to Wav-3 and Prophet. Struggles with English a lot but she tries. Phemnith: Hive Wizard Solar Warlock (nb) - Ghost: Elucidate    - friend of Evergarden Vesris: Hive Knight Solar Titan (fem) - Ghost: Pitch Rurnon: Hive Knight Void Titan (masc) - Ghost: Ardent    - Both are friends of Dahlia.
Avethryk, Kell of Storms (fem) - no ghost
-Kell of House Tempest on Avalon, Prophet’s settlement on the asteroid belt around Mars
- Prophet’s girlfriend
Jazmine-6: Exo Arc Hunter (fem) - Ghost: Ganymede    - Havoc’s other best friend.
3 notes · View notes
stormlore · 3 years
Text
Tumblr media
i have way too many projects but...i want this
3 notes · View notes
raeynbowboi · 3 years
Text
How to Build Apollo in DnD 5e
Tumblr media
That’s right, today we’re tackling a herculean task by trying to build the golden boy of the Olympic Gods: Apollo. Now, obviously, we can’t build Apollo as an actual factual literal god, it would break the game and it would be preposterous. However, Apollo translates really nicely into DnD. He has many skills, multiple powers so that we don’t have to pad his spell list with crap, and he’s also shown off his fighting style across multiple myths and legends. Keep in mind that while I am using Apollo himself as our template, this is also a GREAT resource for if you want to play as a Demigod child of Apollo (such as Will Solace), a worshipper of Apollo, Apollo’s chosen champion, or if Zeus has condemned your godly gloriousness into the pimply awkward adolescent body of one Lester Papadopoulos. 
Tumblr media
To start things off, we should examine Apollo’s many skills, abilities, and his MANY MANY MANY domains as a god.
Athletics - Apollo is the god of athleticism, though he shares this domain with Hermes. The original Olympic Games were held in his honor, young Greek boys held him up as the ideal of masculine physicality, and they still crowned winners with his sacred laurel wreath long after the games stopped being held for him.
Animal Handling - Before giving them to Hermes, Apollo was a pastoral god with a herd of cattle, and he also has horses that draw his solar chariot across the sky. There’s also art showing Apollo riding on the back of a swan, and he had a crow as his sacred messenger at least until he got angry and burned its feathers black.
History - Apollo’s been around a long time, and more importantly, he’s the second smartest and the second wisest of all the gods after only Athena herself. He invented mathematics, and two of his muse daughters embody history and astronomy, big staples of Ancient Greek scholarly rhetoric. A third daughter covers epic poetry which by modern standards would make her the muse of novels and plot-driven storytelling.
Intimidation - Diomedes carved a bloody canyon through the Trojan forces, but one threat from Apollo was all it took for him to scamper off with his tail between his legs.
Medicine - Apollo is the god of medicine, and as such, would be good at healing and checking for injuries.
Performance - This one’s a no-brainer, Apollo is the god of music, the father of the muses and the demigod Orpheus, and beat pan in a well-known musical battle.
Perception - Apollo is the god of prophecy, it’s hard to get the drop on a guy who may have seen your attack coming 30 years before you tried anything.
Persuasion - With the possible exception of Zeus and Aphrodite, Apollo is definitely a contender for the largest list of lovers by a single Olympian God. They had a terrible penchant for ending poorly, and he didn’t always pass his persuasion checks, but dang it if he didn’t try his hardest.
Religion - Apollo is a god. This is where I’d put any skill check for knowledge of Greek mythology, such as remembering myths, legends, heroes, demigods, the weaknesses of monsters, and mythological artifacts.
Now that we’ve covered Apollo’s skills that we should aim to provide him with, let’s examine his domains and abilities for appropriate spells, and figure out what spell lists he needs to be pulling from.
Magical Abilities
Tumblr media
Archery/Athleticism
Divine Favor (Paladin, War Cleric) Heroism (Bard, Paladin, Battle Smith Artificer, Order Cleric, Peace Cleric) Hunter’s Mark (Ranger, Vengeance Paladin) Jump (Artificer, Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard) Longstrider (Artificer, Bard, Druid, Ranger, Wizard) Zephyr Strike (Ranger) Cordon of Arrows (Ranger) Enhance Ability (Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard, Glory Paladin) Conjure Barrage (Ranger) Crusader’s Mantle (Paladin) Flame Arrows (Artificer, Druid, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard) Haste (Artificer, Sorcerer, Wizard, Land Druid (Grassland), Glory Paladin, Vengeance Paladin) Lightning Arrow (Ranger) Skill Empowerment (Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard) Conjure Volley (Ranger) Steel Wind Strike (Ranger, Wizard) Swift Quiver (Ranger)
Disease
Inflict Wounds (Cleric, Oathbreaker Paladin) Ray of Sickness (Sorcerer, Wizard, Death Cleric) Ray of Enfeeblement (Warlock, Wizard, Death Cleric, Grave Cleric) Vampiric Touch (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, Death Cleric, Grave Cleric) Blight (Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, Death Cleric, Grave Cleric, Oathbreaker Paladin, Alchemist Artificer) Sickening Radiance (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Vitriolic Sphere (Sorcerer, Wizard) Contagion (Cleric, Druid, Oathbreaker Paladin, Undying Warlock) Harm (Cleric)
Fire
Create Bonfire (Artificer, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Firebolt (Artificer, Sorcerer, Wizard) Burning Hands (Sorcerer, Wizard, Light Cleric, Wildfire Druid, Fiend Warlock, Genie Warlock (Efreeti)) Hellish Rebuke (Warlock, Oathbreaker Paladin) Aganazzar’s Scorcher (Sorcerer, Wizard) Dragon’s Breath - Fire* (Sorcerer, Wizard) Flaming Sphere (Druid, Wizard, Alchemist Artificer, Light Cleric, Celestial Warlock) Heat Metal (Artificer, Bard, Druid, Forge Cleric) Scorching Ray (Sorcerer, Wizard, Artillerist Artificer, Light Cleric, Wildfire Druid, Fiend Warlock, Genie Warlock (Efreeti)) Fireball (Sorcerer, Wizard, Artillerist Artificer, Light Cleric, Fiend Warlock, Genie Warlock (Efreeti) Flame Stride (Artificer, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard) Fire Shield (Wizard, Wildfire Druid, Armorer Artificer, Battle Smith Artificer, Fiend Warlock, Genie Warlock (Efreeti)) Wall of Fire (Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard, Artillerist Artificer, Light Cleric, Forge Cleric, Celestial Warlock, Fiend Warlock) Flame Strike (Cleric, Wildfire Druid, Devotion Paladin, Glory Paladin, Celestial Warlock, Fiend Warlock, Genie Warlock (Efreeti)) Immolation (Sorcerer, Wizard) Investiture of Flame (Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Delayed Blast Fireball (Sorcerer, Wizard) Firestorm (Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer) Incendiary Cloud (Sorcerer, Wizard)
Healing
Spare the Dying (Artificer, Cleric) Cure Wounds (Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Celestial Warlock) Healing Word (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Alchemist Artificer) Healing Spirit (Druid, Ranger) Lesser Restoration (Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Celestial Warlock) Prayer of Healing (Cleric) Aura of Vitality (Cleric, Druid, Paladin) Beacon of Hope (Cleric, Devotion Paladin) Mass Healing Word (Cleric, Alchemist Artificer) Greater Restoration (Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Celestial Warlock) Mass Cure Wounds (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Battle Smith Artificer) Heal (Cleric, Druid) Regenerate (Bard, Cleric, Druid) Mass Heal (Cleric) Power Word Heal (Bard, Cleric)
Light/Sun
Dancing Lights (Artificer, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard) Light (Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard, Aasimar Race) Sacred Flame (Cleric) Faerie Fire (Artificer, Bard, Druid, Light Cleric, Twilight Cleric, Archfey Warlock) Guiding Bolt (Cleric, Glory Paladin, Celestial Warlock) Branding Smite (Paladin, Battle Smith Artificer, Hexblade Warlock) Blinding Smite (Paladin) Daylight (Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Celestial Warlock) Dawn (Cleric, Wizard) Destructive Wave (Paladin) Holy Weapon (Cleric, Paladin) Wall of Light (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Sunbeam (Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard) Crown of Stars (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Holy Aura (Cleric) Sunburst (Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard)
Music, Sound, Etc.
Vicious Mockery (Bard) Word of Radiance (Cleric) Thunderwave (Bard, Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard, Armorer Artificer, Artillerist Artificer, Tempest Cleric, Fathomless Warlock, Genie Warlock (Djinni)) Knock (Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard) Shatter (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, Armorer Artificer, Artillerist Artificer, Tempest Cleric) Thunder Step (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Divine Word (Cleric) Power Word Pain (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Power Word Stun (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Power Word Kill (Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)
Prophecy/Divination
Guidance (Artificer, Cleric, Druid) Detect Magic (Artificer, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard) Identify (Artificer, Bard, Wizard, Knowledge Cleric, Forge Cleric) Augury (Cleric, Druid, Wizard, Open Sea Paladin) Find Traps (Cleric, Druid, Ranger) Locate Animals or Plants (Bard, Druid, Ranger) Locate Object (Bard, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Ranger, Wizard) Clairvoyance (Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard, Great Old One Warlock) Divination (Cleric, Druid, Wizard) Commune (Cleric, Glory Paladin) Legend Lore (Bard, Cleric, Wizard, Undying Warlock) Contingency (Wizard) True Seeing (Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard) Foresight (Bard, Druid, Warlock, Wizard)
SPELL DISTRIBUTION
Tumblr media
In order to determine the best way to play Apollo, I’m going to showcase how many spells they get from each group, and add on additional spells based on class features, subclass spell lists, et cetera. The ultimate goal is to try and find a balance between as many of Apollo’s spells as possible.
Bard: (4,0,1,7,3,6,8) 29 + Magical Secrets (6-8): 35-37 Cleric: (1,3,2,14,9,2,10 ) 41 + Light (6): 47, Death (4): 45, Grave (3): 44 Paladin: (3,0,0,3,5,0,2) 13 + Devotion (2): 15, Glory (5): 18, Vengeance (2): 15 Ranger: (11,0,1,3,1,0,4) 20 Sorcerer: (5,5,14,0,5,3) 32 + Divine Soul (32) 64 Warlock: (0,4,3,0,2,5,2) 16 + Celestial (8): 24 Wizard (7,6,15,0,7,7,10) 52 + Theurgy (26): 78
RACES, BACKGROUND, AND ALIGNMENT
Tumblr media
Racial Options
As an Olympian, Aasimar is a good fit for Apollo. He gains a resistance to Radiant and Necrotic damage, healing hands, and the light cantrip. Since Apollo doesn’t fly around on his own, the best choice for Apollo would the Scourge Aasimar.
Another good choice would be Variant Human. Give Apollo +1 DEX, +1 Casting Stat, take Athletics, Performance, or Perception for your skill of choice, and give him the Alert feat so he can never be surprised or Fighting Initiate to give Apollo the Archery Fighting Style if you’re not planning on giving him any Fighter levels.
Viable Backgrounds
Acolyte (Insight, Religion) Athlete (Acrobatics, Athletics) Entertainer (Acrobatics, Performance) Noble (History, Persuasion) Custom Background: Olympic Athlete (Athletics, Performance)
CLASSES, SUBCLASSES, AND BUILD OPTIONS
Tumblr media
BARD
In terms of raw flavor, Bard is probably the best choice for Apollo, as being the god of music and poetry, as well as his numerous romantic entanglements, fits the image of the classic DnD bard. The Bard’s magical secrets also ensures that any non-Bard spell you really want can still be collected. While Bard doesn’t have the highest count of compatible spells, Bard has a nice, even distribution of Apollo’s abilities, with a little bit of almost everything. Casting with Charisma is also very on-brand for Apollo’s general depiction in media. The bard’s ability to steal any spell also means that it can exploit the Paladin and Ranger spell list specifically and swipe their high-level spells much closer to the bard’s early-to-mid level.
LORE
The Lore Bard specializes in learning and recounting tales of myths and legends, collecting information and gossip, and sharing insights to those who seek it. A rather fitting choice for the master of the Oracle of Delphi and the father of the muses. The added magical secrets is also a great choice to give Apollo more versatility in his magical abilities. The Lore bard also expands its skill list, which is fitting for the overly talented god of music.
VALOR
The bard of the Battlefield, the added focus on melee combat means that this build option is a good fit for not neglecting Apollo’s mastery of archery as a major component of combat without needing to take levels of fighter.
CLERIC
A very good contender for the build, Cleric is the only class out of all of the options that got at least 1 spell in all 8 categories. As Apollo is the god of healing and medicine, Cleric provides the biggest selection of healing spells, as well as the most radiant damage. Clerics have good Hit Die, and with enough Constitution can withstand damage long enough to aid and heal themselves and others. They get access to plenty of divination spells to call upon the help of the gods and the forces of luck and fate at play in the universe to guide them. On the character level, Apollo does seem like the sort of god that would worship himself.
LIGHT
Far and away Apollo’s best choice for building him as a Cleric, Light gives Apollo access to more fire spells to fit his solar theme, and the ability warding flare is rather fitting for the god of light to use.
RANGER
If Apollo didn’t have so many other abilities, Ranger might have been a great choice for him. If you want to fixate entirely on his role as an archer and a hunter god, then by all means, Ranger is a fitting choice for Apollo in that respect. But when taking the whole of his mythos into consideration, it leaves too much on the cutting room floor, and the only real reason I’d consider giving him Ranger levels is that Hunter’s Mark helps encourage him to use his archery skills more.
SORCERER
Honestly, this one might have had a chance if not for Sorcerer’s abysmally small spells known. Thanks to a lack of subclass spells and having to stretch 15 spells across 9 spell levels, the Sorcerer walks away with the smallest spell list of ALL the primary casting classes. It doesn’t matter that Divine Soul Sorcerer gives Apollo access to a wide variety of spells because his miniscule spell book means that he can’t flex that variety whatsoever.
DIVINE SOUL
I wouldn’t advise building Apollo as a sorcerer, but if you’re set on Sorcerer, the Divine Soul is the best possible origin for Apollo, as it gives him access to radiant, fire, divination, healing, and ‘disease’ spells.
WARLOCK
Warlock is a surprisingly decent pick, especially if you’re playing a mortal that obeys Apollo, or even if you’re as Apollo himself swearing fealty to Zeus, Helios, or some other celestial entity. By making Apollo’s pact boon the Pact of the Blade, Apollo can make his pact weapon a bow and arrow, and unlike the Paladin smites, the Warlock can Eldritch Smite with their bow.
CELESTIAL
Like Ranger, the Warlock prioritizes Apollo’s skill with a bow over a lot of flashy magic, but unlike the Ranger, by following the Celestial patron, Apollo gets a rather decent assortment of radiant spells and healing spells. It can’t compare to the shere volume of the full casters, but it certainly works in Apollo’s favor.
WIZARD
Due largely to the Wizard’s massive spell list, it’s not surprising that Apollo actually has an impressive variety of spell options that work for a Wizard build. Lore wise, Apollo as a wizard makes some sense, as Apollo is considered to be clever and wise, even if he is not the single smartest god on Olympus. However, that wide range of magical power comes with two shortcomings: Wizards can’t learn healing spells, and it abandons his archery skills by the side of the road.
BLADESINGER
While the bladesinger does seem to favor melee combat, nothing says that you couldn’t multiclass a little with Fighter or Ranger to give Apollo Archery fighting style and prioritize Apollo’s bow as a bladesinger. Everything else works rather nicely, giving Apollo additional speed, AC, magical power, striking power, and attacks. If you’re hellbent on Apollo being a Wizard, but you still want to give him the melee option, the Bladesinger is the best option to do this with.
DIVINATION
Probably the wizard subclass everyone would assume for Apollo, Divination is one of Apollo’s primary gimmicks, and the portents of the Divination Wizard are ridiculously overpowered. It’s amazing, and the kind of game-breakingly good skills you’d expect when fighting the god of prophecies.
THEURGY
Although technically UA and no longer valid, if your DM will permit the Theurgy Wizard, this is the only way to play Apollo as both a Wizard, and as a god of healing and medicine. Furthermore, Apollo can straight up steal domain features from the cleric domain he chooses, and unlike the Cleric where the choice of Light is obvious, the Theurgy Apollo has a little more wiggle room, since he already gets access to most of the spells we chose Light for. As such, Apollo could choose Life to supercharge his healing, Grave to keep people from dying, or even War to be better adept at fighting with a bow. The choice is really yours and how you feel Apollo works best as a build.
BUILDING APOLLO AS: A VALOR BARD
Tumblr media
Race: Scourge Aasimar (+2 CHA, +1 CON) Background: Entertainer (Acrobatics Athletics, Performance) Class: Fighter (1), College of Valor Bard (19) Skills: Animal Handling, Medicine, Perception, Survival Alignment: Chaotic Good
Fighting Style: Archery Number of Attacks: 2 Damage Resistances: Necrotic, Radiant Instrument Proficiency: Lyre
STATS STR 10 DEX 20 CON 14 INT 8 WIS 10 CHA 20
Skill Expertise (4): Athletics Medicine Perception Performance
Bardic Magical Secrets (6): 4 Divination 5 Swift Quiver 5 Contingency 6 Sunbeam 8 Sunburst 9 Mass Heal
Apollo’s Spell List
C Dancing Lights, Light, Mending, Message, Vicious Mockery 1 Cure Wounds, Detect Magic, Hunter’s Mark, Faerie Fire, Thunderwave 2 Lesser Restoration, Locate Object, Shatter 3 Clairvoyance, Mass Healing Word  4 Locate Creature 5 Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds  6 True Seeing 7 Regenerate 8 Power Word: Stun 9 Foresight
BUILDING APOLLO AS: A LIGHT CLERIC
Tumblr media
Race: Variant Human (+1 Wis, +1 CON) Background: Entertainer (Acrobatics Athletics, Performance) Class: Ranger (2), Light Domain Cleric (18) Skills: Animal Handling, Medicine, Perception, Survival Alignment: Chaotic Good
Fighting Style: Archery Feats: Alert
STATS STR 8 DEX 16 CON 18 INT 8 WIS 20 CHA 10
Domain Spells:
1 Burning Hands, Faerie Fire 2 Flaming Sphere, Scorching Ray 3 Daylight, Fireball 4 Guardian of Faith, Wall of Fire 5 Flame Strike, Scrying
Apollo’s Spell Book
C Light, Sacred Flame, Spare the Dying, Thaumaturgy, Word of Radiance 1 Cure Wounds, Detect Magic, Guiding Bolt, Hunter’s Mark, Inflict wounds 2 Augury, Lesser Restoration, Locate Object 3 Aura of Vitality, Clairvoyance, Revivify 4 Aura of Life, Divination, Locate Creature 5 Contagion, Dawn, Greater Restoration, Mass Cure Wounds 6 Harm, Heal, Sunbeam 7 Fire Storm, Regenerate 8 Sunburst 9 Mass Heal
Tumblr media
I won’t go through the process of building the Warlock or the Wizard, as I only decided to build the two I felt had the strongest case, but I think Apollo came out fairly well considering the monumental task of cramming so many skills and abilities into a single playable character without cheating. Apollo is certainly a tricky god to build, but one that I feel came out pretty well.
143 notes · View notes
masterweaverx · 3 years
Text
Part of the fun of these character builds is taking absolutely ridiculous characters and making them work in the context of D&D. So today I’ll be looking at Makuta Teridax, from Bionicle. That’s right, I’m expanding my palette a bit!
So Makuta Teridax is a Makuta. Which means he’s a shape-shifting robot with the elemental power of shadow, a unique shadow hand, a bit of telepathy, the ability to make Kraata and Rhakshi from himself... and, oh, fourty-two seperate Kraata Powers. Which he, himself, can also use. Also he has the mask of Shadows. Yeah, Bionicle was a wacky setting, all things told. Basically, we’re going to have to go Full Caster, with some unusual considerations.
Since we’re going Full Caster, that means we’ll be using the point buy system--all six stats start at 8, and you have 27 points to spend to up them, at a rate of 1 point for one improvement up to 13 and then 2 points per improvement after. That means upping a stat to 15 costs nine points total--and we’re going to be upping Intelligence and Wisdom to 15 to maximize our spell power. That leaves us nine points to split between Constitution and Charisma--five to Constitution, upping it to 13, because Constitution is both the ‘health’ and the ‘concentration’ stat, and 4 to Charisma, upping it to 12, because when a Makuta speaks, you listen. And Teridax is the leader of the Makuta...
Bionicle characters are biomechanical and you know what, so are Warforged! Yes I know the Makuta are actually living gas clouds in airtight armor but (1) they weren’t always that and (2) this is Flavor/Mechanics oriented, not accuracy oriented. Anyway, as an Envoy Warforged specifically, Teridax gets +1 to Constitution and +1 to two other stats--which are of course going to be Intelligence and Wisdom, since those are going to be our casting abilities.
All Warforged have Integrated Protection--instead of wearing armor, they can switch between ‘modes’ they’re proficient in every long rest, great for a shapeshifter. There’s also Warforged Resilience, which makes him immune to disease, resistant to poison, renders eating and drinking and even breathing unnecessary, and makes him impossible to put to sleep magically. Speaking of which he also has Sentry’s rest, which means on a long rest he just goes inert for six hours without going unconscious.
Envoy Warforged in particular have a few other advantages. Their Specialized Design gives them a Skill Proficiency and a Tool Proficiency, and since we’re not going to get it anywhere else Teridax is going to pick Intimidation and Thieves’ tools. And they have an Integrated Tool--they can select one tool they’re proficient with, and not only is it part of their body but they have expertise with it. I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say that the tool, in this case, is a Disguise Kit--because Teridax is going to get proficiency in disguise kits from his background.
And what background is that? Why, Charlatan, of course! Free with proficiencies in Deception, Sleight of Hand, Disguise Kits, and Forgery Kits. It also has the False Identity feature, allowing Makuta Teridax to take on another persona (like say, Turaga Dume), and have all the paperwork on hand to prove that, no really, he’s Turaga Dume! Pay no attention to that sphere in the corner. He’s also really great at forgery of documents.
And now comes the tricky bit: getting 42 Kraata powers, plus all the other abilities Teridax has, onto a spell list. Doing that meant I had to multiclass, pick specific subclasses for each class, allow each class to meet a minimum level, and amp two different stats to their max. It was incredibly tricky, but through some very, VERY careful selection, I pulled it off. Mostly. The Elasticity Kraata Power just couldn’t fit, sorry about that. But everything else, I packed in! Are you ready for this?
Three levels in Tempest Domain Cleric...
...then seventeen levels in Nature Theurgy Wizard.
Okay, so before I explain the subclasses, I’m going to go over the standard class abilities. Clerics have proficiency in light and medium armor, shields and simple weapons, and Wisdom and Charisma saving throws. They get two skill proficiencies--I chose History and persuasion--and at three levels their big thing is just... Channel Divinity. Which I’ll get to in a moment.
Wizards, on the other hand, get Arcane Recovery, which lets them regain spell slots on a short rest once per day up to a total of half their wizard level rounded up. That’s 9 points here, so you can get three third level spell slots, or a fourth and a fifth, or five first and two second... but you can’t get seventh, eighth, or ninth spell slots back, presumably for balance reasons. The Wizard class is also where we’ll get our four Ability Score Increases, for a total of eight points to spread among ability scores--and putting four each in Wisdom and Intelligence lets us have the MAXIMUM SPELL POWER for this combination. Trust me, preparing Spells is important for clerics, and for wizards.
So now let’s talk about the Tempest Domain. Teridax gets proficiency in Heavy Armor and Martial Weapons from it, as well as Wrath Of The Storm--which means if somebody rushes in and hits him, he can use a reaction to force the creature to make a dexterity saving throw or suffer 2d8 Lightning/Thunder damage. And he can do this five times per long rest. Of course, it also gives him a Channel Divinity option; once per rest, Teridax can either Turn Undead (making them run away from him in fear), Harness Divine Power (regaining a spell slot of first, second, or third level), or unleash the power of a Destructive Wave (automatically rolling maximum for Lightning or Thunder damage).
And now... Theurgy Wizard. What does it do, you might ask? Well, it basically hybridizes Cleric and Wizard classes. A Theurgy Wizard takes a Cleric Domain--in this case, Nature--and those spells are considered Wizard spells for purposes of what they can learn. They also get some of the Domain’s cleric benefits--not the eighth level one, or any weapon or armor proficiencies from the first level, but at level seventeen, they have everything else.
Including Channel Arcana, which is slightly different from Channel Divinity. For one thing, Teridax can do it twice per rest, instead of just once. For another, the options are either Divine Arcana, giving +2 to his next spell’s attack roll or save DC, or Charm Animals and Plants, which... charms animals and plants within 30 feet for up to a minute.
Acolyte of Nature means that Teridax has proficiency in Animal Handling and a single druid Cantrip, which we’ll get back to in a moment. Dampen Elements means that, as a reaction, he can give himself or anybody in 30 feet resistance to an attack that hit them if that attack did acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage--very useful in a world where a good portion of the population has elemental powers. And Master of Nature means that he can take a bonus action to tell critters that are charmed by his Channeled Arcana what to do on their next turn.
And now, at last, we get to the spells. BUT FIRST! Let’s calculate this all out. Since Clerics and Wizards are both full casters, Teridax has all the spell slots--4 first level slots, 3 second-through-fifth level slots each, 2 sixth and seventh level slots, and one slot for eighth and ninth levels.
Clerics can prepare a number of spells equal to their level plus their Wisdom modifer--so 3+5--up to a level determined by their cleric level--in this case, up to second level. They also automatically have spells prepared from their domain, which don’t count toward the previous limit; while it’s only up to the level they can learn, it’s still an extra four spells.
Wizards, on the other hand, learn six spells at first level and two spells every level thereafter, so at level 17 that’s 38 spells. Granted, they only prepare their level plus their intelligence bonus a day, which is 22 spells from that 38 spell list, but hey! That’s on top of the 12 prepared spells of a cleric
And Teridax also has five Wizard Cantrips, 3 Cleric Cantrips, and 1 Druid Cantrip from Nature Theurgy. Which segues well into why I picked Nature Theurgy--I needed a LOT of wizard levels for most of these spells, but I also needed some Cleric levels for some spells wizards couldn’t get, and some Druid spells that neither class could get on their own. And most of the low-level spells I needed that come in a cleric domain actually are from the tempest domain, but the Nature domain has high-level spells from the druid list... hence, Nature Theurge.
So with all that said: The list below covers the spells Makuta Teridax has, and what abilities they correspond to. Spells from Cleric, Cleric Domain, or Druid List use Wisdom; Spells from Wizard or Wizard Theurgy list use Intelligence. The listed Cleric spells are considered always prepared; Teridax selects 22 of the listed Wizard and Theurgy spells every long rest.
The Makuta Power Shadow Hand has 2 component spells: Lightning Lure and Soul Cage. The Makuta Powers Project Voice Through Shadows and Telepathy have the same spell: Telepathy.
The Kraata Power Density Control has 2 component spells: Gaseous Form and Investiture of Stone. The Kraata Power Insect Control has 2 component spells: Infestation and Insect Plague. The Kraata Power Plant Control has 2 component spells: Plant Growth and Grasping Vine. The Kraata Power Rahi Control has 2 component spells: Animal Friendship and Dominate Beast. The Kraata Power Weather Control has 2 component spells: Control Weather and Fog Cloud.
The Kraata Power Stasis Field has 2 component spells: Hold Person and Hold Monster. The Kraata Power Teleportation has 2 component Spells: Misty Step and Teleportation.
The Kraata Powers Fire Resistence and Ice Resistance have the same spell: Protection from Energy. The Kraata Power Elasticity has no component spells, due to not really having a good match and most of its benefits being covered in other spells.
Cantrips: 5 from Wizard, 3 from Cleric, 1 from Druid for Nature Theurgy -Chill Touch [Wizard] --Shadow Blasts (MAKUTA) -Fire Bolt [Wizard] --Heat Vision (Kraata Power) -Infestation [Druid] --Insect Control (Kraata Power) -Lightning Lure [Wizard] --Shadow Hand (MAKUTA) -Mending [Cleric] --Forge Tools (MAKUTA) -Sacred Flame [Cleric] --Laser Vision (Kraata Power) -Thunderclap [Wizard] --Sonics (Kraata Power) -Thaumaturgy [Cleric] --Control world mechanics (MAKUTA) -True Strike [Wizard] [Concentration] --Accuracy (Kraata Power)
1st-4 Slots -Animal Friendship [Wizard Theurgy] --Rahi Control (Kraata Power) -Cause Fear [Wizard] [Concentration] --Fear (Kraata Power) -Command [Cleric] --Terrorize (MASK OF SHADOWS) -Cure Wounds [Cleric] --Quick Healing (Kraata Power) -Fog Cloud [Cleric Domain] [Concentration] --Weather Control (Kraata Power) -Inflict Wounds [Cleric] --Protosteel Armor (MAKUTA) -Ray of Sickness [Wizard] --Poison (Kraata Power) -Sense Emotion [Wizard] [Concentration] --Sense Moral Darkness (MASK OF SHADOWS) -Sleep [Wizard] --Sleep (Kraata Power) -Thunderwave [Cleric Domain] --Power Scream (Kraata Power) -Witch Bolt [Wizard] [Concentration] --Electricity (Kraata Power
2nd-3 Slots -Blindness/Deafness [Cleric] --Enshadow (MASK OF SHADOWS) -Crown of Madness [Wizard] [Concentration] --Anger (Kraata Power) -Darkness [Wizard] [Concentration] --Darkness (Kraata Power) -Detect Thoughts [Wizard] [Concentration] --Mind Reading (Kraata Power) -Enhance Ability [Cleric] [Concentration] --Adaptation (Kraata Power) -Gust of Wind [Cleric Domain] [Concentration] --Vacuum (Kraata Power) -Hold Person [Cleric] [Concentration] --Stasis Field (Kraata Power) -Immovable Object [Wizard] --Gravity (Kraata Power) -Invisibility [Wizard] [Concentration] --Chameleon (Kraata Power) -Locate Object [Cleric] [Concentration] --Sense through Shadows (MASK OF SHADOWS) -Misty Step [Wizard] --Teleportation (Kraata Power) -Shatter [Cleric Domain] --Fragmentation (Kraata Power) -Silence [Cleric] [Concentration] --Silence (Kraata Power) -Spider Climb [Wizard] [Concentration] --Magnetism (Kraata Power)
3rd-3 Slots -Gaseous Form [Wizard] [Concentration] --Density Control (Kraata Power) -Haste [Wizard] [Concentration] --Dodge (Kraata Power) -Major Image [Wizard] [Concentration] --Illusion (Kraata Power) -Melf's Minute Meteors [Wizard] [Concentration] --Plasma (Kraata Power) -Plant Growth [Wizard Theurgy] --Plant Control (Kraata Power) -Protection from Energy [Wizard] [Concentration] --Fire Resistance (Kraata Power) --Ice Resistance (Kraata Power) -Slow [Wizard] [Concentration] --Slow (Kraata Power) -Vampiric Touch [Wizard] [Concentration] --Hunger (Kraata Power)
4th-3 Slots -Confusion [Wizard] [Concentration] --Confusion (Kraata Power) -Dominate Beast [Wizard Theurgy] [Concentration] --Rahi Control (Kraata Power) -Grasping Vine [Wizard Theurgy] [Concentration] --Plant Control (Kraata Power) -Summon Greater Demon [Wizard] [Concentration] --Create Kraata/Rhakshi
5th-3 Slots -Hold Monster [Wizard] [Concentration] --Stasis Field (Kraata Power) -Insect Plague [Wizard Theurgy] [Concentration] --Insect Control (Kraata Power) -Passwall [Wizard] --Molecular Disruption (Kraata Power)
6th-2 Slots -Chain Lightning [Wizard] --Chain Lightning (Kraata Power) -Disintegrate [Wizard] --Disintegration (Kraata Power) -Investiture of Stone [Wizard] [Concentration] --Density Control (Kraata Power) -Soul Cage [Wizard] --Shadow Hand (MAKUTA)
7th-2 Slots -Teleportation [Wizard] --Teleportation (Kraata Power) -Whirlwind [Wizard] [Concentration] --Cyclone (Kraata Power)
8th-1 Slots -Control Weather [Wizard] [Concentration] --Weather Control (Kraata Power) -Telepathy [Wizard] --Project Voice Through Shadow (MAKUTA) --Telepathy (MAKUTA)
9th-1 Slots -Invulnerability [Wizard] [Concentration] --Limited Invulnerability (Kraata Power) -Shapechange [Wizard] [Concentration] --Shapeshifting (Kraata Power)
And I mean... LOOK AT THAT LIST OF SPELLS. It’s ridiculous. Bionicle is an amazing setting, sure, but this is insane! Even if Teridax burns through all his spells, he’s still got nine cantrips--NINE! With a lot of effects! That he can use to attack the petty heroes coming after him.
So yeah, that’s Makuta Teridax.
22 notes · View notes
outoftimewriting · 4 years
Text
Imagine (Son of Hades! Percy; Godswapped! Big Three's kids (6/7) or (11/12)
House of Hades Pt.2 - In the Argo II
Hello darlings! Before reading this, there's at least other 11 parts - and I almost had to divide this into two - check on the masterpost - but don't be sad is ending :(
First - I have no idea if I'll divide Blood of Olympus in two because I hate the climax Rick wrote - so probably? Also not sure if I'll need an epilogue - we're not delving into TOA, though.
Second - I'll keep writing! I have a handful of ideas that I want to do next - and the next AU will have Female! Percy - so keep logging in!
Check on the warnings before proceeding, and good reading :))
To say that things are tense in the Argo II is downplaying the major depression the ship seemed to be sunk in since Perseus fell.
Leo and, surprisingly, Nico are the only ones who are able to get anything done in the first couple of days, but they aren't fooling anyone - the white eyes of the son of Zeus seem to be every day a little more bloodshot, and more than one fire happens without no explanation.
Annabeth didn't stop crying for a second - even throughout Will's examination of her and her brother - for at least 12 hours. Then she crashed for another 12 hours - and when Annabeth woke up, she was enraged.
She is going to bring the damned statue back to Camp - and then she will kick her mother's ass. That's her best friend, not collateral damage.
And when her dumbass of a best friend comes back, Annabeth is going to kick his ass too. How dare he fall - for her, not even his closest friend - into freaking Tartarus?
Frank is devastated - he and Piper are coping by planning the future - how they can spend the summer at Camp and live in Nova Roma, how they'll visit Perseus if he decides to go to college in the mortal world. It feels a little like denial.
Hazel and Jason are coping in the totally opposite way. Where Leo and Nico are fueling themselves with determination, Annabeth is anger personified and the other two went in the road of negation - they're both in a deep state of panic.
The sea became too dangerous to travel - the tides answering to Jason's turbulent emotions - and any metal on board keeps exploding or becoming so fueled with energy that no one but Nico and Hazel can touch it.
They pray together - for Neptune, Jupiter, Pluto, Letum, any god that Perseus ever helped (a lot of them) - for his protection. Jason holds evening prayers - just like in Nova Roma - and they offer anything, everything, for Percy to be alive. Everyone goes.
Except for Will, who is in a whole other league. The moment that he arrived at Camp, Percy was the one to settle him, and calm him, and take care of him. It was a side of him no other person in this ship had ever seen - Nico got in Camp in the worst timing possible, and all the others were pretty independent when they met Perseus.
But Will remembers - the nights with hot chocolate, Percy's warm sweaters, a pair of blue gloves messing his hair, the anxiety when the boy left for school, just for him to keep IMing Will every evening - and he misses Percy.
After the Labyrinth, the war, the losses, they reconnected - the prejudices against Percy's parentage long gone - and it felt like nothing ever changed.
It was Percy who helped him coming out for his mother. It was Percy that held Will after he lost Sibele - a daughter of Momus - to her injuries. It was Percy, always Percy.
Percy is much more of a father then Apollo - and much better as a brother then some of Will's siblings. So Will just locks himself up in his infirmary - and grieves. It's weird in such a hard mission to remember that Will is just fifteen and that he is a veteran of war.
The mood lingers, even when they start fighting regularly against the Apennines - and isn't this a whole other mess.
The mountain spirits are pissed - because Hades/Pluto and his wife are really pissed. It's Malcolm - the only one with a phone and a good connection to the internet - that tells them that the world started having earthquakes every few days.
The mortals are confused because most of these are not even close to the tectonic plates - and none of those cause turmoil at the sea. It's just Hades - mightly pissed his only son is beyond even his reach.
Three days in fighting the Ourae - who don't like having their mountains shaken over and over again - the sky also starts thundering. Coincidentally, it's July 30th - they've been traveling for twenty-two days - which also marks Thesmophoria - the greek festival of harvest.
But, alas, nothing is blooming. Persephone is as dangerous as her husband - and Demeter seems to follow her daughter's lead. With the Earth corrupted - the crops aren't growing.
Jason doesn't blame his matron - he is not really happy himself. Besides praying for Perseus' safety, he spends most of his days in patrol against boulders and rocks of all things.
Leo barely sleeps - too busy keeping the ship from falling apart - and Nico is, most of the time, right behind him keeping the ship steady. They try using canons and fail miserably. There's no way to fight against mountains - it's like Dom Quixote fighting against the windmills.
The others, even Will, rotate between fighting rocks and sleeping. Four days after Thesmophoria, Leo decides it's enough, turns the ship around, and solves to not cross the Apennines.
He just hopes Perseus can last another seven days.
Hazel - the only one awake, because this is supposed to be her patrol and Leo finds her the most reasonable out of all their friends, who would probably insist on keep fighting the freaking mountains - is praying. Like always.
Leo doesn't know how he feels about praying. His extended family was very catholic - they prayed for a god that they couldn't see or touch. But Leo met the gods - or, if Annabeth is to be believed, one set of them - and he doesn't like them.
They're petty children who have no care for the fate of their children - the ones who fight for them, go on their errands, keep them alive, y'know. Leo doesn't want to praise them. He doesn't think they deserve it.
But Hazel's prayers are answered when her venti, Tempest, appears aboard. Hazel tells Leo to go on without her - she'll be back soon.
He is concerned for her - like always. Of all new people, Leo seems to be the closest to her - his overall cheeriness and electric behavior are endearing to her, a light in these dark times. Sometimes, his smile makes her flush - just like Frank's did and still does.
Hazel mounts Tempest and the venti takes her, through mountains and hills, to a door. There's mist curling at her ankles and a chill in her spine.
She isn't very thrilled by meeting Trivia - Hazel heard stories of her greek son by Perseus, who seemed to hold the guy in high standard, but she knows gods. The goddess of magic wants something.
Trivia is an imposing woman - taller than Hazel, she has the same midnight skin as Perseus, though hers looks purple-ish, and her eyes are entire universes - stars bloom in her irises and twin moons rise in her pupils.
The goddess is fickle - she seems to be there and not, at the same time. Ghostly. There's three of them, then one, then five.
Trivia beacons to the daughter of Jupiter and she follows, the cursed little girl she is. The goddess offers her three options: Perseus, prone in the ground as she, Leo, and Annabeth battle an invisible foe, the two demigod installments at war, or the Argo II.
Hazel chooses the Argo II, but she promises herself, and the goddess, that she will save Perseus, and that no demigod blood will be spilled by other demigod's hand. Not again.
She will learn how to control the Mist. But Trivia is very mistaken if she thinks Hazel is going to become her acolyte. She remembers well what happened last time - she died.
The Argo II is traveling without much hassle - when they're crossing Monte Falterona, in the Campigna National Park, they are attacked by a new mountain spirit - and this one talks.
"Get Pluto his brat back, you useless halflings!"
Like the boulders the immortal is throwing at them will help. Leo screams this back at the mountain, who is not impressed at all.
Their next foe is in San Marino - a chimera. Most popular knowledge is wrong about those monsters: chimeras are not just goat-lion-snake mixes. They are an amalgamation of any three or more animals.
This one, in particular, is a very... candid mix of a Pyrenean chamois, a monk-seal, a mouflon, and a goose. Not very lethal or hazardous - just very angry. It's the first time they hear Annabeth laugh since Perseus fell.
While Malcolm is chasing and being chased around by an evil goat-goose-seal-weirdass deer chimera that he is fending off with an encyclopedia, the others can't even bring themselves to help. It's ridiculous - the thing is not even big. It's just ugly and it sounds like a honking clown.
Eventually, they get around to killing the clown chimera - it honks as it vanishes - and following route to Bologna. Frank tries to mutate to the chimera during the travel - to different levels of failure - which makes everyone laugh.
Thanks to their two encounters, the crew gets to Bologna at two in the afternoon.
Frank can't help counting the days as they pass him by. He is not the only one - he can see Annabeth muttering the time every now and then - but it feels like a countdown. Can Perseus survive one more week in Tartarus?
Even with the pressing worry for his lost friend, he can't stop thinking about Hazel and Leo. The two of them are thick as thieves - and Frank wants in.
But he knows it's wrong - Leo is a boy. Hazel is younger. Leo bares a power that could kill him. Hazel is his best friend. They're two people. - but he sees them flirting and can't keep his eyes to himself.
It's wrong. Soldiers aren't supposed to date men. Men who dated men are prostitutes, entertainers. Less. And two people at the same time? Outside of a bedroom? Preposterous.
Frank wishes he was more like Perseus. Perseus is all about duty: he would eventually marry Reyna. Or Annabeth, or other pretty and intelligent warrior, and have two point five kids with a picket fence.
But no. Here he is - midday, they are stopping for lunch, and he can't keep his eyes off Leo and Hazel - who are quietly chatting in the other end of the long table.
Frank ponders what would they think. Would the two be repulsed? Would they laugh at him? He can deal with laughter. Their disgust, however, would cut his heart in half.
Nico is in a very similar, and yet completely different, situation. He has been in love - or as close as love could be when you never dated the person - with Perseus Jackson.
He knows it's okay to be gay - he is friends with Will and Jake. He lives on CHB since he was a pre-teen. Perseus himself was - is - queer.
But the thing is, he'll never have a chance with him. Not the chance he is longing for gods know how long. He failed Perseus yet again - he let the demigod fall.
Perseus can have anyone. Perfect Annabeth Chase, Shrewd Reyna Arellano, Magic Alabaster Torrington, anyone. And he wouldn't have a problem with that - no. The problem is that he can't make a choice. Because he is in Tartarus.
Because Nico. Let. Him. Fall.
He isn't even sure if he let Perseus fall on purpose. A part of his mind knew someone would have to go. It was always meant to be Perseus. Did he purposefully let him go?
The rational part of his mind knew that if he tried to fly them off, all he would accomplish is falling into Tartarus with Perseus, probably dragging Annabeth with them.
But the guilt creeps into his heart - again, yet again, Perseus suffers for something he did or failed to do. He can't sleep. He doesn't know how anyone can eat.
A rock for him in these difficult times has been Jason. The son of Neptune seems to be as affected as Hazel or Annabeth - but Nico would never be able to rely on them.
Hazel has her own problems - a lot of them since Trivia appeared - and Annabeth is a painful reminder of everything Nico is unable to have.
Jason, however, is different. They had dreams of each other - something about their conquests, Nico didn't pay attention - and that apparently brought them close. Jason, differently from Annabeth, isn't a competition. He isn't vying for Percy's attention and love.
He is just a close friend - like Nico pretends to be most of the time - incredibly worried about the son of Hades. Nico would tell Jason about how he feels - but the militar roman's sensibilities might not be adjusted to the greeks' freedom yet.
Nico, however, is also not the only one with heart problems. Piper finds himself entranced by Annabeth Chase - even when she knows, she knows because of her powers, that Annabeth is painfully straight.
And Piper knows it's not love - it's the heat of the upcoming war and the hormones of being cooped up with just other teenagers for twenty days. She sees the blossoms of young lovers everywhere.
The yearning between Leo, Hazel, and Frank; Nico and Jason unconsciously sharing long-term crushes on Perseus; Will missing Jake and his parental figure;
She wishes she was more like Malcolm. Malcolm is asexual - besides being the only other transexual person on board.
Before this war spiked from nothing, the boy was just back from his mission for Hermaphroditus - a two-month search for a missing choker. He is still adapting to his body - it's bigger and broader and he doesn't have to wear a binder. Piper thinks it's amazing - he tells her it isn't that easy.
It's not a slow transition. One second your body is something - and then it isn't. One morning, the demigod caught him holding a red binder in his hands. Sometimes, she sees a shot of testosterone tucked in his pocket.
One day, he was a boy stuck in a girl's body. Then, he wasn't anymore. He has the body he dreamed of for forever - and it's difficult accepting it. Malcolm tells her is not exactly body dysphoria - is just difficult to conciliate.
Piper thinks after this, she'll get her body. After all of this, she deserves it - her body, all hers, with boobs and a killer jawline. Maybe then, it'll be easier to like girls as well. Maybe then, she'll shave half of her head and get a piercing. And maybe, a couple of tattoos.
But while this doesn't happen, she is whining to her asexual friend about her crush in his sister. Malcolm crushes her with logic - "Annabeth has only shown interest in men. She might be bi or pan or even a lesbian, but the odds aren't on your favor" - and she tries to put the blonde out of her mind.
Lunch, however, is a little ridiculous for her. As a daughter of love herself, that table is such a mess of yearning and pining and infatuations.
Malcolm seems to be the only rational - but even he is a little flushed. Piper totally saw that picture of Mitchell in his drawer last week.
She couldn't blame him really - her brother is hot. All demigods are - in very different ways of course, but their godly blood made them more or less otherworldly compared to mortals. Didn't matter their ethnicity, their gender, if they're disabled or not - they are all hot.
Piper, however, doesn't spend all her time freaking over hot people. She is a teenager with a friend who has a good connection to the internet, so she does that a lot - but most of her time these days is looking at Katoptris.
She's waiting for a vision of Perseus. Anything - just proof that he is alive, that he hasn't curled in a ball on whatever is the ground down there and went mad.
It doesn't come. She is looking at this ridiculous lunch table, eating vegetarian burgers, and waiting. Just as it seems like her dagger starts glowing gold - two monkey twins sweep down and steal it. And Leo's tool belt and Archimedes' Sphere.
Piper is really pissed. She wants this mission to end - she wants to find Perseus and stop Gaea, and that's her magical item. It's important. So she and Leo go after the twin monkeys.
Using one of the armory's javelin - for lack of a better option - they sprint over roofs and marketplaces. Bologna is a beautiful city - but they have no time.
They corner the twin monkeys, get their things back - and some things pertaining to a god of harvest - Triptolemus. Perhaps if they make an offer to him, Demeter and Persephone will be more cooperative. Maybe Persephone will be able to calm her husband.
Piper really doubts it. If she learned anything in the nineteen days she traveled with Perseus, is that he calls Persephone "Kore" or "Mater". The only other person he refers to with such open childish joy is his own mother, Sally.
The guy IMed both of them twice a week - enough that Piper knows their voices. While Hades isn't high in the demigod's list of people, his wife seemed to be at least number #2.
But they go back to the ship and relay their plan anyway. They set route to Venice. In the hour that it takes them to get there, they're delayed twice: once by the personification of River Ádige - which enabled them to pass until Jason helped with a small problem - and then by a couple of ventis - which Hazel sent off.
Frank, Annabeth, Hazel and Nico venture into the drowned city - Piper declines to go, saying that she is waiting for Katoptris to cooperate - being Nico the only one who actually speaks Italian in the ship.
The city is infested with anteater-like herbivorous monsters called katoplebones, which are pointedly not from the Greek pantheon. It's pretty rare for monsters to cross pantheons - and the Egyptians are pretty good in keeping them under lock and key - but sometimes, this happens.
They aren't capacitated to deal with those. Annabeth has half a mind to call the Kanes and demand an explanation. Pretty sure they were possessed by the gods to avoid this kind of situation.
She doesn't have much time to think - Hazel is quickly overwhelmed by the poisonous breath of the cows. Of course - is there anything in Egypt that isn't connected to snakes?
They find Triptolemus - who is not thrilled with their presence. Demeter - his mistress - and her daughter are distraught by Perseus' missing status - and he blames Annabeth and Nico for it.
Annabeth tries to persuade him - after all, they have Jason on board, and he is blessed by Ceres. Triptolemus - a very greek god - is not swayed.
"Your trickster words shall not fool me, daughter of Athena."
That's how Annabeth became a rosemary bush - good for memory and brainpower. Nico, when he tried to fight back, became a corn crop.
Mars is whispering in Frank's mind - he is not really fond of his father but uses his help to kill the evil Egyptian cows and get a python for the god's chariot.
He can't let Hazel die. He can't see the light go off her eyes - to see the same pain reflected in Leo's eyes. But Frank is so using Nico's stunt as a corn plant as blackmail material later. Not with Annabeth thought - she would stab him.
Triptolemus, pleased, turns Nico and Annabeth back to human and heals Hazel. Then, he tells them they have to eat barley cakes - so they can survive the poison needed to enter the house of the dead.
Proceeding south down the Adriatic toward Greece, a journey that should take about half a day, the crew of the Argo II is first accosted in Koper - a city on the coast of Slovenia - by four monocerus in the middle of the night.
Monocerus, in Leo's very succinct explanation, are "evil unicorns with big feet that can't fly and shouldn't be in a flying ship".
Whoever, the monsters apparently don't care where they should or not be - and Annabeth - still reeling for her time as rosemary - takes two of them out, keeping the horns as a prize. Nico takes one, who is so beat that leaves nothing, and Malcolm kills one with a handgun.
It's not the most practical weapon, because celestial bronze is not that easy to fabricate/find/obtain - so to use it in bullets that will explode and render it unusable it's kind of a desperate - but it's the first thing he could get - Malcolm's double tessen was being repaired by Leo.
Because yes - not only was the twenty years old able to fight with normal blades, he also fights with freaking fans made of iron.
After the run-in with the evil unicorns - Annabeth looks really cool covered in gold blood and curved silver horns in her hands - they proceed across Croatia.
It goes well for about thirty minutes - in Zadar, they cross paths with Sciron. Sciron is a bandit and outlaw, who - for some reason, is assisted by a giant predatory sea turtle.
While Hazel tricks him into throwing himself off the cliff using her new-discovered Mist, Jason talks to the turtle. It says its name is Chelone - that it's the turtle who took Aphrodite Ourania from the depths of the sea to the shores of Cythera - when she was still young, with remains of other goddesses in her anima - Innana and Ishtar.
He convinces the turtle to stop killing people - mainly by saying that he should hunt elsewhere, deeper onto the sea. It may become a problem for his father, but Jason has bigger issues right now.
They go to sleep, and Hazel dreams. She expects any god to come - but who comes to her is none other than Pluto and his wife, Proserpina.
Proserpina is shrouded in black, and her eyes are not green - but yellowish, like dead leaves. She talks - and tells Hazel that the Doors of Death are in the bottom of the Necromanteion - her powers over metal energy would guide her - and will be guarded by Pasiphae, vengeful of Pluto - and, by default, Perseus - for the lack of punishment for Minos.
Her husband is a silent presence by her side. He is not in mourning... probably. It's difficult to tell, as he is always in black. But his eyes hold a weight easy for Hazel to understand - he just lost a son to the abyss. No matter that Perseus might be alive - he wouldn't get back whole and safe.
Proserpina ends her dream by telling her to wake up Piper - the goddess is putting all her strength to send a vision of Perseus to Katoptris - they need one much more than her, seeing that they are able to interfere.
What Piper sees don't tell them a lot - Perseus seems mostly okay, with some sort of companion that Nico says it might be Iapetus, a brand new scar over his face and a bad limp.
It's the last they'll see of him until their eventual meeting face to face, but it gives them hope.
Annabeth herself has a dream - a dream that the Romans give the statue to the greeks. She sends an iris message to Rachel - so she can meet personally with Reyna.
Reyna, on the other side of the world, mounts her pegasus, Scipio, and leaves. Not only her co-praetor is in freaking Tartarus, but they are on the verge of two simultaneous wars. They need peace.
As soon as she is out of the roman range, however, she sends an iris message to Jason - telling him to go to their hero's place of rest - she had a vision from Mars. That she will meet them in Greece. Jason tells Leo to set course for Split, in Croatia. There's a roman scepter there.
Of all of them, the most capacitated for this mission are Frank and Jason, who are both educated Romans, and Nico, who can fly - a very good power to have in unstable ruins.
They're confronted by Favonious, who takes them to his master, Cupid, in Dalmatia. Nothing good can come of talking to the personification of love - such an old concept that the god has been reborn twice.
"Well, well, well"
"What do we have here?"
Jason falls onto the ground - "You think you found true love, haven't you? But alas, I was where you last expected me" - and he hates love, for that single moment.
"I shall give you what you want, Romans, if each of you is able to tell me - who do you love the most?"
Nico trembles - guilt is a difficult pill to swallow - and Frank visibly wants to bolt out of there.
"Oh, are you afraid? But there's no hiding in the face of true love"
Jason - always the brave one - gives a look at Frank. His friend never met the greeks. He might hate Jason after this.
But they need this scepter.
"Perseus Jackson"
Two heads whips in his direction - one unbelievingly, and the other distressed.
"Ah, love crafted in dreams - the perfect mix between me and my wife. Tell me, Jason Grace, was it bad when he looked upon you and saw naught but a myth?"
A laugh creeps upon Jason's spine, and he turns around. His blade hits something hard, and he is on the floor again.
"Such luck, to be able to even graze love. Perhaps yours is the purest of all - not yet tainted by failures and mistakes. On that note, why don't you go next, Nico di Angelo?"
Nico shivers - he... they have no time for that. That is unnecessary drama - to cause unnecessary problems.
A memory rushes to the front of Jason's mind - that quick chat with Reyna in Nova Roma. "The blond girl, Di Angelo"
Nico loves Perseus. It rushes to Jason now - the way that the younger boy stared adoringly at the son of Hades. The drunkness of his lovesick gaze. The despair when Perseus fell.
"Tell them Nico di Angelo" Cupid prompts "Tell them all about your guilt, your mistakes, the way you let him down, again and again, and again."
Nico floats a little off the ground. It's years of pain and sorrow that won't bring Perseus back.
"Will you fly off yet again, in the face of rivalry? Will you be my next servant - just like Favonious, consumed by jealousy, Nico di Angelo?"
Jason sees the memories. Nico screaming at Perseus. Grover reluctantly telling him about their adventures. The way he betrayed Percy - and a dozen more scenes he never saw from Nico's perspective, only Percy's, that made him unable to speak.
"It's okay Nico... I.... I get it."
It's painful to utter these words - it's almost like he is giving up Perseus. But they have a war to get through - and then, when the other demigod is back, they can figure this out.
"P-Perseus Jackson"
And then it's Frank's turn. But Frank is as pale as a ghost - he seems to be close to vomiting.
"It's a costly thing isn't it, looking at the true face of love. Now it's the turn of the brave son of Mars. Will you tell your friends easily, or shall you be a coward like the son of Zeus?"
Frank doesn't talk. Jason doesn't understand why - it's Hazel, isn't it? Is it because of Nico? He mentions talking to the son of Zeus, but Di Angelo doesn't look at him - the Cupid knew very well how to play his game.
"Come on. Tell them - tell them of whom you think before you sleep and who dominates your first thoughts every morning."
"You don't scare me"
"Oh, I scare you very, very much. Face me. Be honest."
"H-Hazel. Levesque."
"That's just half my question, little half-blood. If you want to lead the roman legions, you must answer it fully."
"I love H-Hazel. She is the one I think before I sleep and when I wake up."
"Still hiding. You're not strong enough, Frank Zhang."
Frank tries to charge at the wind, but it just mocks him. It's weird seeing Frank crying - it looks like the world is crumbling at his feet.
Jason, yet again, doesn't understand. Nico is also confused - he looks between the Romans as if he never saw any of them before. But then it dawns on the son of Zeus.
"Not only my sister. That's why you keep gazing at them, isn't it?"
All the fighting and denial leave Frank at once. His sword clangs in the ground.
"I love both Hazel and Leo. Together." He spits out, still trembling. "That's the truth. Are you happy now?"
"I wouldn't say Love always makes you happy. It can make you incredibly sad, sometimes. But you have faced it now. It's the only true way to conquer me."
Cupid appears - in a flash of white wings. It might be the god Jason hates the most - his eyes seem to penetrate his very soul. There's a scepter in his hand.
"Only a true child of Mars Ultor can yield it. It's your destiny, Frank Zhang."
Then he promptly disappears. The demigods look at each other - there's a flurry of emotions deep inside their chests. Frank looked at both of them, waiting for an attack, or for them to start fighting.
"No one has to know" He starts "I'm s-so-..."
He doesn't end. There are copious tears rolling through his face - his cheeks are a deep shade of red. A sob escapes his throat.
"P-please, p-pleased-don't t-te-tell anyone." Frank sobs, and it's such a jarring sight that both Nico and Jason rally to reassure him, leaving their own issues aside.
"There's nothing wrong with loving two people at once. No one will have a problem with it, Frank - fuck, this isn't Nova Roma. Most of us are greek."
"Hazel would hate me though. This is unnatural- I- I can't."
"You don't know that. Hazel loves you, Frank"
But the son of Mars just keeps crying until they both promise not to tell another soul what they saw. It's enough for the weird atmosphere to return.
Midway in the trek back to the ship - a six-hour walk - Nico is too riled up to safely fly with two people and none of them being too fond of air right now - Frank summons enough power to ask the question.
"So... uh... hm... Perseus?... like, uh, I can see the appeal-... but... both?... forget I asked, just....uh oh, sorry."
Jason and Nico pointedly avoid looking at each other. It's very bizarre - Jason knows a lot about Perseus, but now he knows Perseus also from Nico's perspective - and this is all messy.
They go back to the ship, relay to Annabeth that they got the scepter, and immediately go back to their cabins - to cry, to scream, to think.
It's been a day and a half - and they're still eleven hours off Epirus. Leo is pissed - because not only their three heavy-hitters are pissed at something and won't communicate, and they're of course.
Emerging from the infirmary for something other than to eat and mend people is finally Will - at least. He takes patrol in place of Nico - the boy quietly mumbled at his friend that they had a run-in with Cupid. Will can imagine how that went.
He doesn't have a clue about Frank - but Jason and Nico? They have the same long-lasting crush on Perseus - everyone on board knows that. Except, apparently, for each other. And Perseus - because his mentor/kind of brother/bother figure is a dumbass.
When they're passing through the coast of Albany, they're attacked by Khione - who is still very pissed her ex-lover's son doesn't want to spend eternity frozen with her. Leo ends up being sent away - for the distress of both Hazel and Frank and the anger of his best friends, Piper and Jason.
Piper ends up stabbing Khione - while Frank transforms into the giant dragon and burns her - making her unable to freeze them. Eventually, she runs away.
Leo, however, wakes up on an island. There's a sad girl at his side - she is using a modern blue dress, and there's a crown of black flowers upon her head.
"You were not the one I was expecting."
The son of Hephaestus wants to scream. Well, he didn't want to be whatever here is either! But her face is so sad - her gaze down to her bare feet. She seemed to be crying. He settles for asking who is her.
"I... I am sorry. My name is Calypso. This is Ogygia."
It startles him. Mainly because he has heard this name before around camp - wasn't she supposed to be freed?
"What happened to you?"
The immortal girl relays her tale - how she got freed for a year, and then the war started. The gods - Zeus - didn't trust her not to turn against them. So they locked her up - she was not the only one. Leto, Themis, Rhea - good titans or their offspring. Locked away.
She, after a year of freedom that Perseus got her, was back into her old shackles. Calypso is waiting for him for months now - but she thinks he forgot her.
So Leo tells her what happened - the bits he knows anyway. Juno/Hera, Nova Roma, the mission. Calypso seems calmer. They stay together for a while - friends it seems.
Calypso tells him about her year - about how she wanted to explore the world. She tells him she wanted to join Artemis' hunt - but, courtesy of Odysseys, she is no maiden.
He tells her about Hazel and Frank, Perseus, and the love hexagons he doesn't even know he is in - omitting the part that he is now in Tartarus. They talk about Festus - Calypso tells him about how his father is good to hear - how he came to visit, sometimes.
A week passes, maybe a week and a half. Leo vows to take Calypso off the island once the war ends, and she believes - once, a hero as brave as Leo made her the same promise, and stuck with it through the end.
In Cancun, Africa, Jason and Nico are having daily audiences with Auster, the Roman god of the south wind, in connection with the Seven being able to proceed on their way to Epirus - seeing that their ship is all broken and they have no Leo.
Auster is indolent and seems increasingly disinclined to cooperate with Jason and Nico: he dislikes the son of Zeus, and the wind never had a good relationship with the sea. Annabeth also tries her hand at it - but it's rebuffed at every turn. Piper is prohibited from entering the palace because of her magic voice.
Jason and Nico - even though they aren't speaking to each other - have for a long time admitted they don't fit completely at either camp. Jason is still too militar for CHB. Nico is too old for CHB. Both are too free with their personal lives for Nova Roma.
Auster agrees to meet with them and tells them to commit to one side - greek or roman. They deny it - they're both. The gods are both, they have been thrust in a war of both sides, they commune with gods on both aspects and they ask them to run errands for both pantheons. They have the right to be both.
Auster is not happy with this - mainly because he believes they should keep the sides separated. But it's the first time Nico and Jason agree on something - and they fight together for it. No god has the right to define those petty things when the demigods are fighting their war.
Auster merges with his greek counterpart Notus - an amalgamation of both his carefree and his militar side - and sends The Seven on their way when coerced by the threat of a hurricane and a typhoon.
He sends them to Valletta, Malta, where they find the Argo II fully repaired and in the harbor. In the port, on a small cafe, there's Leo - sitting and raging internally against the gods, who once again, fucked up something.
They trade stories, and Leo just rages more. He isn't sure how Perseus didn't ally himself with Kronos in the first war if that was the bullshit he had to deal with every day.
First Khione, then Zeus locking Calypso up, then this Notus guy - they are a week and a half late. Is Perseus still alive after nineteen days in the Pit? Is he sane? Did he tried to get out - and they weren't there?
It's with a shocking gasp from Annabeth that they realize that Perseus's birthday is in three days. They have been traveling together for thirty-seven days now - and they have to get Perseus out of Tartarus before the 18th, at least. Is the minimum.
It takes them a day to get to Epirus. There are enough monsters in their way to start a menagerie - Gaea is actively trying to stall them, so there must be a reason. Perseus might be alive.
Arriving at the Necromanteion, which they learn is just a very fancy name for catacombs, Hazel, Frank, Leo, Annabeth, Will, and Piper descend into the ruins, leaving Nico and Jason - who are both completely useless under the earth - behind with Malcolm - who, since Arachne, is pretty much claustrophobic.
They eat the barley cakes to protect themselves against the toxic potion they must drink in order to enter the temple. It's difficult to swallow poison - it burns as it goes down.
The mist tries to confuse them at every turn - Hazel diverts it. Her power over metal energy guides them - she can feel the basis of the building, way down where they are.
Katoptris burns in Piper's hand. It shows her Perseus' face - he looks cadaveric, shrouded in death. Sometimes he flickers, like a ghost - but he is alive, and heading to the Doors just like they are.
It's enough to spur them forward. Perseus is doing the same journey - from a much difficult side. They will meet in the middle.
Earthquakes strike the caverns, making part of the floor collapse. In a side, Piper and Will, surrounded by monsters in all sides. In the other, Frank, Leo, Hazel and Annabeth. The son of Mars doesn't think twice - the scepter.
He uses the Scepter of Diocletian to summon ghostly Roman soldiers, and as a Legatus Legionis, he does have the power to command all of them. It would be more controlled if he was Praetor, but the actual Praetor is Perseus, and so, in his absence, Frank will have to do.
The tunnel collapses. Hazel. Leo. They might be dead - but Frank can't panic right now. They are alive. They will protect each other, they have Annabeth Chase with them. Hazel controls the mist - everything will be just fine.
Anger grew in his chest. Those are his friends, his... his loved ones. This freaking ruin don't get to kill them before Frank summons enough courage to submit himself to the ridiculousness of telling them.
Hazel wants to cry - they left Frank behind. He might be dead - they might be all dead. Leo isn't much better. For all that Zhang seems to hate him, his infatuation with the Canadian never disappeared.
Annabeth however, is practical. She tells them Frank will be fine - the guy can transform into a dragon. Or a chimera. Probably a poisonous one, after the stunt in Venice. He has an army - it's okay.
Pasiphae is a bitch. Leo hates the woman - she reminds him of Aunt Rosa. Or Juno. Or Lady Muddy herself. He and Annabeth let Hazel do the majority of the talking - but both of them bristle as the Doors shake.
An unauthorized presence. Perseus actually did it - they have twelve minutes, in accord to Annabeth - who Leo knows better than to doubt - to open the Doors. Or he is dead, lost forever.
"It's a pity Gaea needs a son of the Earth and a daughter of the Sea... But none of you are children of the Underworld or the ocean, are you? Not even the acolyte of Trivia."
Everything indicates that she'll open the door herself - but Annabeth can't risk she whisking Perseus away to Gaea before they can reach him. So she sneaks past with her cap while they fight.
Pasiphae goes down to Hazel's illusions. Annabeth opens the Doors, before cutting the chains as Hazel and Leo distract Clytius. Perseus stumbles out, a giant tiger in his heels.
Leo didn't think he would ever see a harsher picture. The tall boy was still muscular - but gaunt as if he hadn't eaten since the fall. There were scars everywhere.
He couldn't look more - Clytius is threatening Perseus, but both Annabeth and the tiger stay in his way. Trivia appears - but they aren't truly winning until Piper, Will, and Frank are able to reach them through Hazel's magic.
Will goes immediately to Perseus' side - there's panic in his eyes. Leo can't see much this far - he hopes the son of Hades isn't dead. Piper and Frank fight alongside them. Annabeth is still hovering protectively over her best friend's prone body.
There's not much need for help - between Hazel and Trivia, the bulk of Clytius powers are unusable. The shared power of Piper (love is never where you expect it), Frank (and his undead soldiers), a very angry Annabeth, and Leo is just overkill.
They win. Will is feeding Perseus ambrosia - there's something really wrong because there are tear tracks in the blonde's face. Leo comes closer - their friends follow.
Perseus is destroyed. He looks like he has been through hell - there's a scar crossing his face and his eyes are sunken in. But that's not where it stops.
Leo's gaze goes down, to the ragged clothes that are barely recognizable - the sweatpants he was convinced to wear to go underground, the once-green sweater - and sees what is missing.
Where Perseus' leg once was, there's a metal one. The boy is curled in the fetal position - his metal leg sticks out like a sore thumb, and it looks like he might cry if he wasn't so dehydrated. The tiger nudges its head against the boy's leg and growls at them, but it doesn't attack.
"I... I can't touch him. I touched him and he started panicking... I... We have to take him back to the ship. He is stable, but..."
Frank picks up Perseus in a bride-carry - a month ago, he wouldn't be able to do it. But now, he is stronger - and Perseus must weight ninety pounds wet.
The tiger follows - when they cross to the daylight, they can see it's not a normal tiger. Annabeth - with a distraught look in her face - tells them it's a skeleton tiger. Probably a saber-tooth.
They go back on board - Piper goes up to call Nico, so he can fly Perseus into the ship. He does, but the expression in his face is so crushing Leo almost wishes they had delayed it by destroying property and landing the ship on the street.
The mood of the ship is yet again somber. No one wants to leave the infirmary - but Will forces them to rotate, so as to not overwhelm Perseus. Hypocrite - he is living in there.
Leo, Malcolm, and Piper - the least close to Percy, even though they are friends - let the others take the bulk of the shifts. Annabeth, Nico, and Jason almost get into blows about it - she wins on the fact that she knows Perseus longer.
It's difficult to IM both Rachel - who is a minute away from depression since he fell - and Lady Persephone. It's even harder to tell Sally - they leave the task to Annabeth.
They harbor for two days, waiting for Reyna. She appears from the sky during dinnertime - her horse has to be euthanized almost immediately after a run with the spirit mountains.
They talk - and end up deciding that she will take the statue back to Camp with Malcolm, the most resourceful out of them. Percy would be the logical solution - taking him out of Gaea's reach - but the son of Hades would probably be unable to shadow travel so soon.
While this happens, the others will set course to Athens - to stop Gaea and destroy the Giants. For now, they eat.
Midway through their meal, Will comes into the board - everyone knows what it means. Perseus is awake - on his birthday to boot. They take their food to the infirmary - to see the boy looking at the ceiling.
He gives them a faint smile, but no one misses the way he curls into himself any time there's someone a little too close. Perseus relays his tale - it's heavily edited, Annabeth can tell.
But he tells them about the leg - but not how he lost it - about the tiger - the name is Small Bob, but he doesn't talk about Bob - and about the firewater - but not how he got the injuries.
Small Bob never leaves Perseus's side. The demigod insists that he wants to go outside - he ate enough ambrosia and drank enough nectar that even some of his scars are gone. Not the one in his face though. Will let him go - but Annabeth thinks that he just asked out of courtesy.
He doesn't have green eyes anymore - they darkened to a point they can't distinguish his pupil. They observe as he sits calmly in the deck, metal leg sticking out, and strokes the head of the tiger, who is acting more or less like a giant house cat.
None of them miss the tracks of tears across his face, or the look he gives the night sky - it's bittersweet.
"Bob says hello"
Tumblr media
58 notes · View notes
elennare · 3 years
Text
Aerois ep 94 spoilers below!!
...
So Quill is totally getting a statue in the temple of H’esper, right? I have two ideas of how it could happen:
Option 1: The temple magically creates the statues by itself, when it deems someone’s accomplishments worthy of celebration - so when they leave the inner sanctum and return to the corridor, there’s a new statue, of an aarakocra with a storm eye and a magic wing, and an inscription reading “Qillek ad Khollar, Champion of H’esper, High Priest of the sky and winds and magic, liberator of the tempest dragon”?
Option 2: With the storm gone, the aarakocra return to the temple, and other acolytes of H’esper arrive, to begin repairing and rebuilding it, and rediscovering all the knowledge that was lost there. Sometime in the future, months, maybe years later, the party travels there again - and Quill is greeted with respect bordering on reverence and taken to see his own statue, the first new one in centuries?
Either way, just... imagine it, Quill who started out so uncertain and afraid, so full of self-doubt, seeing that physical representation of his accomplishments! Seeing himself celebrated alongside the greatest priests and mages of Aerois’s history!
21 notes · View notes
farsight-the-char · 4 years
Text
Weapons/Powers/Persona for the starting squad for Persona Effect.
You (Makoto), Exorcist Wildcard: (W) An M-5 Phalanx Heavy Pistol (Marksman), a Alliance Model Vibro-Katana and a Cobbled Together Grenade Launcher (Marksman). (P1) Flamethrower, Tactical Cloak, Fortification. (P2) Starting Persona Enterprise, specializing in Heat and Buff spells.
Michal, Exorcist Healer: (W) An M-3 Predator pistol (Concussive Shot) and an M-9 Tempest SMG (Turbocharge) (preferring the later). (P1) Cryobeam, Energy Drain, Demolition Blast. (P2) Starting Persona Santa Claus, specializing in Healing and Ice.
Zail, Prime Exorcist: (W) 2 Disciple Shotguns (Dual-Wielded) (Carnage) and a pair of Batarian Trench Knives. (P1) Blade Armor, Biotic Charge, Shockwave. (P2) Starting Persona Torgaddon, specializing in Darkness and Melee.
Kinney, Exorcist Assassin: (W) A Drell Assassin’s Heavy Pistol (Assassination), an M-4 Shuriken machine pistol (Marksman) and a Drell Assassin’s Vibro-Sword. (P1) Flare, Warp, Throw. (P2) Starting Persona Pharika, specializing in Light and Debuffs.
Xan, Exorcist Navigator: (W) An Acolyte Pistol (turbocharge) and an M-12 Locust SMG (Marksman). (P1) Tech Armor, Annihilation Field, Dark Channel. (P2) Starting Persona Tali, a dedicated Navigation Persona.
2 notes · View notes
creativerogues · 6 years
Text
Roll A Complete Character!
HAPPY JANUARY 1ST EVERYBODY!
What’s a better way to start 2018 than sitting around a table, rolling dice, and coming up with some brand new Characters, with the potential to do anything!
With help from the Amazing CreativeRogues Community, we’ve created a Set of Tables you can use for Creating Your New Character!
Using these Tables, you can Roll for your Character’s Race, Subrace, Class, Subclass, Alignment, Background and Ability Score Array!
So All You Have To Do Is Sit Back And Roll Some Dice While Enjoying The New Year’s Festivities!
Race & Subrace: ROLL 1D30
1. Aasimar (Roll 1d4: 1 = Protector Aasimar, 2 = Scourge Aasimar, 3 = Fallen Aasimar, 4 = Roll Again)
2. Bugbear
3. Metallic Dragonborn (Roll 1d6: 1 = Gold, 2 = Bronze, 3 = Brass, 4 = Silver, 5 = Copper, 6 = Roll Again)
4. Chromatic Dragonborn (Roll 1d6: 1 = Red, 2 = Blue, 3 = Green, 4 = White, 5 = Black, 6 = Roll Again)
5. Dwarf (Roll 1d4: 1 = Duergar Dwarf, 2 = Hill Dwarf, 3 = Mountain Dwarf, 4 = Roll Again)
6. Elf (Roll 1d4: 1 = High Elf, 2 = Wood Elf, 3 = Dark Elf (Drow), 4 = Roll Again)
7. Firbolg
8. Genasi (Roll 1d4: 1 = Air Genasi, 2 = Earth Genasi, 3 = Fire Genasi, 4 = Water Genasi)
9. Gnome (Roll 1d4: 1 = Forest Gnome, 2 = Rock Gnome, 3 = Deep Gnome, 4 = Roll Again)
10. Goblin
11. Goliath
12. Half Elf (Roll 1d6: 1 = Half Aquatic Elf, 2 = Half Wood Elf, 3 = Half Dark Elf, 4 = Half Moon Elf, 5 = Half Sun Elf, 6 = Roll Again)
13. Half-Orc
14. Halfling (Roll 1d4: 1 = Ghostwise Halfling, 2 = Lightfoot Halfling, 3 = Stout Halfling, 4 = Roll Again)
15. Hobgoblin
16. Human (Roll 1d4: Odd = Human, Even = Variant Human)
17. Kenku
18. Kobold
19. Lizardfolk
20. Orc
21. Tabaxi
22. Tiefling (Roll 1d6: 1 = Feral, 2 = Devil's Tongue, 3 = Hellfire, 4 = Winged, 5 = Common Tiefling, 6 = Roll Again)
23. Tortle
24. Triton
25. Yuan-Ti Pureblood
26 - 30. Roll Again
Class & Subclass: ROLL 1D12
1. Barbarian (Barbarian Path - Roll 1d6: 1 =  Berserker, 2 = Totem Warrior, 3 = Ancestral Guardian, 4 = Storm Herald, 5 = Zealot, 6 = Roll Again)
2. Bard (Bardic College - Roll 1d6: 1 = Glamour, 2 = Lore, 3 = Swords, 4 = Valor, 5 = Whispers, 6 = Roll Again)
3. Cleric (Cleric Domain - Roll 1d12: 1 = Arcana, 2 = Death, 3 = Forge, 4 = Grave, 5 = Knowledge, 6 = Life, 7 = Light, 8 = Nature, 9 = Tempest, 10 = Trickery, 11 = War, 12 = Roll Again)
4. Druid (Druidic Circle - Roll 1d4: 1 =  Land, 2 = Moon, 3 = Dreams, 4 = Shepherd)
5. Fighter (Martial Archetype - Roll 1d8: 1 = Champion, 2 = Battle Master, 3 = Eldritch Knight, 4 = Arcane Archer, 5 = Cavalier, 6 = Samurai, 7 = Purple Dragon Knight, 8 = Roll Again)
6. Monk (Monastic Tradition - Roll 1d8: 1 = Open Hand, 2 = Shadow, 3 = Four Elements, 4 = Drunken Master, 5 = Kensei, 6 = Sun Soul, 7 = Long Death, 8 = Roll Again)
7. Paladin (Paladin Oath - Roll 1d8: 1 = Devotion, 2 = The Ancients, 3 = Vengeance, 4 = Conquest, 5 = Redemption, 6 = The Crown, 7 = Oathbreaker, 8 = Roll Again)
8. Ranger (Ranger Archetype - Roll 1d6: 1 =  Hunter, 2 = Beast Master, 3 = Gloom Stalker, 4 = Horizon Walker, 5 = Monster Slayer, 6 = Roll Again)
9. Rogue (Roguish Archetype - Roll 1d8: 1 = Thief, 2 = Assassin, 3 = Arcane Trickster, 4 = Inquisitive, 5 = Mastermind, 6 = Scout, 7 = Swashbuckler, 8 = Roll Again)
10. Sorcerer (Sorcerous Origin - Roll 1d6: 1 = Draconic Bloodline, 2 = Wild Magic, 3 = Divine Soul, 4 = Shadow Magic, 5 = Storm Sorcery, 6 = Roll Again)
11. Warlock (Otherworldly Patron - Roll 1d6: 1 = Archfey, 2 = Celestial, 3 = Fiend, 4 = Great Old One, 5 = Hexblade, 6 = The Undying)
12. Wizard (Arcane Tradition - Roll 1d10: 1 = Abjuration, 2 = Conjuration, 3 = Divination, 4 = Enchantment, 5 = Evocation, 6 = Illusion, 7 = Necromancy, 8 = Transmutation, 9 = War Magic, 10 = Roll Again)
Alignment: ROLL 1D10
1. Chaotic Good
2. Chaotic Neutral
3. Chaotic Evil
4. Lawful Good
5. Lawful Neutral
6. Lawful Evil
7. Neutral Good
8. True Neutral
9. Neutral Evil
10. Roll Again
Background: ROLL 1D30
1. Acolyte
2. Anthropologist
3. Archaeologist
4. Charlatan
5. City Watch / Investigator
6. Clan Crafter
7. Cloistered Scholar
8. Courtier
9. Criminal / Spy
10. Entertainer
11. Faction Agent
12. Far Traveler
13. Folk Hero
14. Gladiator
15. Guild Artisan / Guild Merchant
16. Haunted One
17. Hermit
18. Inheritor
19. Knight
20. Knight of the Order
21. Mercenary Veteran
22. Noble
23. Outlander
24. Sage
25. Sailor / Pirate
26. Soldier
27. Urban Bounty Hunter
28. Urchin
29. Uthgardt Tribe Member
30. Waterdhavian Noble
Ability Scores: ROLL 1D4
1. Standard Array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8)
2. Good Array (16, 14, 12, 11, 10, 10)
3. Heroic Array (18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 10)
4. Epic Array (18, 17, 15, 14, 12, 10)
3K notes · View notes
gffa · 15 hours
Text
It's been a month since I last did an update on where I am with The High Republic and it's slow going because I don't have a whole lot of on-line time lately (clean-up week is coming orz) and I like to read/listen to the books while I'm on-line, but I think I can still make it before The Acolyte comes out! MAIN STORYLINE NOVELS - PHASE I:
The High Republic: Light of the Jedi
The High Republic: A Test of Courage
The High Republic: Into the Dark
The High Republic: The Rising Storm
The High Republic: Race To Crashpoint Tower
The High Republic: Out Of The Shadows
The High Republic: Mission to Disaster
The High Republic: The Fallen Star
The High Republic: Midnight Horizon
MAIN STORYLINE NOVELS - PHASE II:
The High Republic: Path of Deceit
The High Republic: Convergence
The High Republic: Quest for the Hidden City
The High Republic: Cataclysm
The High Republic: Quest for Planet X
The High Republic: Path of Vengeance
MAIN STORYLINE NOVELS - PHASE III:
The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness
The High Republic: Escape from Valo
The High Republic: Defy The Storm
MAIN STORYLINE COMICS - PHASE I:
The High Republic (2021) - 15 issues
The High Republic Adventures (2021) - 13 issues
The High Republic: The Monster of Temple Peak - 4 issues
The High Republic: The Edge Of Balance - 2 manga volumes
The High Republic: Trail of Shadows - 5 issues
The High Republic: Eye of the Storm - 2 issues
MAIN STORYLINE COMICS - PHASE II:
The High Republic: The Blade - 4 issues
The High Republic (2022) - 10 issues
The High Republic Adventures (2022) - 8 issues
The High Republic: Edge of Balance: Precedent - 1 manga volume
The High Republic Adventures: The Nameless Terror - 4 issues
MAIN STORYLINE COMICS - PHASE III:
The High Republic: Shadows of Starlight - 4 issues
The High Republic (2023) - 6 issues [ONGOING]
The High Republic Adventures (2023) - 5 issues [ONGOING]
The High Republic - Saber for Hire (2023) - 1 issue [ONGOING]
MAIN STORYLINE AUDIODRAMAS - PHASE I:
The High Republic: Tempest Runner
MAIN STORYLINE AUDIODRAMAS - PHASE II:
The High Republic: The Battle of Jedha
ONESHOT COMIC ISSUES - PHASE I:
Star Wars Adventures (2020) #6 - “The Gaze Electric”
The High Republic Adventures: Free Comic Book Day 2021
The High Republic Adventures Annual 2021
The High Republic Adventures: Galactic Bake-Off Spectacular
Star Wars Adventures (2020) #14 - “A Very Nihil Interlude”
The High Republic Adventures: Free Comic Book Day 2023
ONESHOT COMIC ISSUES - PHASE II:
The High Republic Adventures: Quest of the Jedi
ONESHOT COMIC ISSUES - PHASE III:
The High Republic Adventures: Crash Landing
ANTHOLOGY NOVELS - PHASE I:
Star Wars: The High Republic: Starlight Stories
ANTHOLOGY NOVELS - PHASE II:
Star Wars Insider: The High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment
ANTHOLOGY NOVELS - ALL PHASES:
The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life
EVERYTHING ELSE:
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures - 25 episodes
Currently I am also 3/4ths of the way through Convergence (which I am enjoying very much, Path of Deceit is probably still my favorite of Phase II, but I think this one might be my second favorite, Lydia Kang's writing is really working for me here), halfway through Starlight Stories, and on episode 18 of Young Jedi Adventures. All of it continues to be fun and I'm still impressed by the sheer number of moving parts that feel like they all fit well together and there are few individual moments that I feel the need to yell about, but what I think I would recommend this project for most is that feeling of a large scope story that's told throughout so many mediums and gives a sense of satisfaction for it. I don't approach The High Republic in the same way I necessarily do the originals or the prequels, I'm not personally really into it for fanworks (though, some of the fanart really scratches a nice itch) or a ton of meta (I tend to have prequels brain so my meta does get filtered through the lens of 'how does this parallel the prequels'), instead it's more of a story to experience. A really, really big story with a ton of characters that come and go and some really beautiful art to go along with it. I have affection for it and I could see it being a fanworks kind of jam for others, but I think it's also okay if you want to get into it just for the experience of a fun Star Wars spinoff series, however you approach THR is fine! So, speaking of, how's everyone else's progress going? Have some of you picked it up recently? Made progress? Still in Phase I or are you caught up to Phase III? (Honestly, I think my favorite so far was Phase II, I feel like the world had settled into what it wanted to be and I liked the characters a lot in it, which makes me very curious how Phase III is going to go, now that they've had two phases to get their feet under them.)
30 notes · View notes
campfire-pheonix · 6 years
Text
OC Creator Challenge
I saw posted in the dnd and inktober tag a couple tables of character options for people to draw randomized characters each day of the month.  I wanted to join in the spirit of the event but I’m no artist so I wanted to offer this as a fun alternative.  The basic premise is you roll for a randomized character and come up with a backstory each day.  You can use whatever setting you want, preconstructed or fresh off the top, I’m just eager to share and hear other people’s character ideas.
I expanded the original list a bit to include various Unearthed Arcana, Planeshift, and other unmentioned options and this by no means is exclusive, you can add or remove options, but these are the tables I will be using to create the randomized characters.
                                              Class d12
1 Barbarian : 1 Beserker                      2 Bard: 1-2 Lore                      2 Totem Warrior                          3-4 Valor         d6         3 Battlerager                    d10     5-6 Glamour                      4 Ancestral Guardian                  7-8 Swords                      5 Storm                                       9-0 Whispers                      6 Zealot  
3 Cleric:   1 Knowledge                      4 Druid: 1 Land  d12          2 Life                                  d4          2 Moon   12 Reroll 3 Light                                              3  Dreams                   4 Nature                                           4 Shepard                  5 Tempest                  6 Trickery                          5 Fighter: 1 Champion                  7 War                                                2 Battlemaster                  8 Death                                   d8      3  Eldtritch Knight                  9 Arcana                             8 Reroll  4  Purple Dragon Knight                 10 Forge                                            5  Arcane Archer                  11 Grave                                           6  Cavalier                                                                            7 Samurai 
6 Monk: 1 Open Hand                       7 Paladin: 1 Devotion                          2 Shadow                                             2 Ancients  d8         3 Four Elements                         d8      3 Vengeance  8 Reroll 4 Long Death                        8 Reroll   4 Oathbreaker               5 Sun Soul                                            5 Crown               6 Drunken Master                                 6 Conquest               7 Kensei                                                7 Redemption
 8 Ranger: 1-2 Hunter                         9 Rogue:  1 Thief                   3-4 Beast Master                               2  Assassin  d10           5-6 Gloom Stalker              d8           3  Arcane Trickster                   7-8 Horizon Walker           8 Reroll    4  Mastermind                   9-0 Monster Slayer                           5  Swashbuckler                                                                            6 Inquisitor                                                                            7 Scout
 10 Sorcerer: 1-2 Draconic                12 Wizard: 1 Abjuration                       3-4 Wild                                         2 Conjuration   d10              5-6 Storm                                       3 Divination                       7-8 Divine                                      4 Enchantment                       9-0 Shadow                       d10      5 Evocation                                                                             6 Illusion  11 Warlock 1 Archfey                                         7 Necromancy                     2 Fiend                                            8 Transmutation                     3 The Great Old One                      9 Bladesinging     d6             4 Undying                                      10 War                     5 Celestial                      6 Hexblade 
                                                     Race d20
1 Aquatic: 1-2 Merfolk        2 Avian: 1-2 Aarakocra     3 Coldblooded:1 Grung                    3-4 Triton                         3-4 Kenku                                   2 Lizardfolk                                                         5-6 Siren                                  3 Salamander                                                                                                           4 Tortle
4 Aasimar: 1-2 Protector   5 Draconic: 1-2 Dragonborn  6 Dwarvish: 1-2 Hill                            3-4 Scourge                        3-4 Kobold                          3-4 Mountain                   5-6 Fallen                                                                        5-6 Grey
 7 Genasi: 1 Air                 8 Elvish 1 High                  9 Largefolk: 1-2 Firbolg                  2 Water                          2 Wood                                    3-4 Goliath                  3 Earth                           3 Dark                                      5-6 Warforged                  4 Fire                             4 Eladrin
10 Gnomish: 1-2 Forest      11 Goblinoid: 1-2 Goblin         12 Half Elvish: 1 High                      3-4 Rock                               3-4 Hobgoblin                       2 Wood                      5-6 Deep                               5-6 Bugbear                         3 Dark                                                                                                                 4 Aquatic
13 Halfling: 1-2 Lightfoot   14 Hooved: 1-2 Centaur       15 Humanoid 1-2 Human                    3-4 Stout                            3-4 Minotaur                      3-4 Changeling                    5-6 Ghostwise                                                              5-6 Psionic
16 Tiefling: 1-2 Demonic   17 Mammalic 1-2 Tabaxi       18 Orcish:  1-2 Full                   3-4 Devilish                            3-4 Shifter  (Ebberon)       3-4 Half                   5-6 Winged                             5-6 Khenra (Amonkhet)
19 Serpentine: 1-2 Yuan-Ti          20 Undead 1-2 Revenant                          3-4 Naga (Amonkhet)            3-4 Vampire (Ixalan)                                                                         5-6 Aetherborn (Kaladesh)
                                                   Background
1-4 Acolyte              5-8 Charlatan                    9-12 Citywatch/investigator 13-16 Clan crafter   17-20 Cloistered scholar   21-24 Courtier 25-28 Criminal/Spy  29-32 Entertainer             33-36 Faction Agent 37-40 Far Traveler   41-44 Folk Hero              45-48 Gladiator 49-52 Guild artisan/merchant   53-56 Hermit   57-60 Inheritor 61-64 Knight          65-68 Mercenary Veteran  69-72 Noble 73-76 Outlander     77-80 Pirate                      81-84 Sage 85-88 Sailor           89-92 Soldier                    93-96 Urban bounty hunter 97-00 Urchin
2 notes · View notes
rpgwizzard · 6 years
Text
D&D New Campaign!
Tonight our Friday group begins a new campaign.  
The hook: our characters all wake up together in a room, after being resurrected.
No clue who did resurrect us. In our homebrew world, characters who get raised/resurrected, go on a spiritual journey. They remember this journey. 
Our characters do NOT! (queue spooky music)
We’re starting at 10th level, and the only caveat we have is that we all must have at least 1 level of cleric. Most of the gang has 2. 
Our roster as of today: Quintilius: Human Cleric 7 (of Forbidden) / Bard 3 (of Lore). Acolyte background
Ti’ann: Feral Tiefling Cleric 2 (of Madness) / Ranger 8 (Revised Beastmaster) Urchin background.
Katara: Darksoul Scioli Sorcerer (Storm) 6 / Cleric 4 (of Tempest) Entertainer background.
Artor: Dwarf Fighter 8 (Eldritch Knight) / Cleric 2 (of Horror). Pirate background.
Rokuro: Dragonborn Barbarian 6 (Ancestral Guardian) / Cleric 4 (of Vigor) Haunted One background
Name Unknown: Aasimar Mystic 8 / Cleric 2 (of Destiny). Outlander background.
Our DM has said a new player will be joining us, and will likely be part Rogue. But we’ll see how it goes.
5 notes · View notes
an-oger-in-the-wild · 4 years
Text
Merfolk Massacre
Tumblr media
This week, I’ll be sharing an encounter that can act as a stand-alone side quest or an ongoing mission, depending on how well it is received by your party or how inquisitive they are. The introductory encounter is appropriate for a 5th-level party; however, you can adjust it in either direction to fit your current group’s capabilities.
The initial inspiration for this was brought about by the combination of my campaign’s tempest cleric and pirate warlock, both of whom have close ties to the sea. The quest can be picked up in any point of interest with access to a large waterway; however, if you’re in the process of worldbuilding, feel welcome to use the city from my campaign’s world: the Lake District, a shopping district built on a wide mile-long bridge over top of the region’s largest lake, Loch Blióg, which flows into the Behir River.  (It’s important to note that the river opens into the ocean, but that is for a later point.)
Summary: the bodies of many of the lake’s freshwater merfolk near the Lake District have been found brutally mutilated and murdered by many of the fishermen and barge shipmen who travel the waterways between the Behir River and Loch Blióg. The party will need to do some investigating to discover the source of the massacres - a cloister of merrow. Extended interest in the reason behind these killings will lead into the greater story behind the introductory quest: the merrow are collecting components for their leaders, a coven of powerful and hideous sea hags, who want to transform into beautiful but even deadlier creatures...sirens.
Part I: Rumor Has It
There are a couple of different ways by which you can drop this quest into your party’s laps: if they are the type to immediately enter a town and ask for the hot gossip, that is obviously going to be your easiest and safest bet - allow bartenders, shopkeepers, and guards to be readily able to offer up this information upon request.  If your party isn’t the type to seek out side-quests on their own but perhaps could use a distraction while you scramble to assemble more pieces of your main story’s plot, then you could always leave small nuggets as they enter the POI: little things like:
As you enter [the city on the lake], you see something humanoid being dragged from the lake...squinting to get a closer look, you see that it appears to be of merfolk kind...
Entering the [temple], you hear an acolyte arguing with the high priest over whether or not it is important to provide a proper burial to “our aquatic neighbors.”
[The shady alchemist] looks around, making sure that no one else is watching you two, as they lean in to mention, “I have plenty of potions of Water Breathing downstairs if you’re interested...with all the merfolk turning up dead as of late, I’ve found a way to replicate the philter for a cheaper cost…”
Depending on the party’s ability to get information, any or all of these bits and pieces can be made available to them by way of your NPCs:
While none of the NPCs know WHAT the creatures are, those who do business near the water (fishermen, dockers, sailors) will be able to describe them as “larger, monstrous-looking versions of merfolk” - a decent Intelligence (Nature) check can allow a player to ascertain that the creatures are merrow.
There is a pod of freshwater merfolk who live in a cenote cavern on the far end of the lake; the merfolk are kindly towards land-dwellers and mostly keep to themselves.
Attacks seem to happen in the evening hours, as bodies are always found in the morning hours.
The mysterious creatures have been seen coming in and out of the canal’s lock system to attack their prey, but they always depart back towards the river after making a kill.
Part II: Planning an Attack
(Optional:) I’m a DM who rewards ingenuity, so I like to build in ways for my PCs to get stuff done without simply hacking and slashing their way through an encounter, should they be crafty enough to seek them out. This next bit introduces one of the ways by which they can try to ensnare the monstrosities: may I introduce to you the loch’s LOCK, a method used in canals to keep large water crafts from scraping along the bottom of a waterway by use of gates that empty or fill with water to lower or raise a boat. The basic mechanics of the lock (if you choose to add this as a method of entrapment in your encounter) are displayed visually HERE.
The top of the lock (the bollard) is brick-laid and lined in low decorative shrubs (good for quarter cover).
The lock canal is 50 feet deep and 50 feet wide:
The distance between the two gate locks in the canal is 60 feet.
The locks themselves are about 5 feet thick, 100 feet tall, and 50 feet long.
Running along the top of them would require a Dexterity check (DC 12) to keep from falling into the water.  Trying to stay balanced on them during their rise/fall would require another Dexterity check (DC 18) to keep from falling into the water.
Opening/closing the lock gates requires a Strength check (DC 10). No Strength check is needed to lift the ground (or "sluice") paddle that lets water flood into the space between the two gates.
It takes one person to close the front lock, one to lift the ground paddle to let the water fill up the lock, and two to open the double gate at the back lock.
If the group doesn’t catch onto this as an option for an ambush, don’t push it; but if they do, it should be markedly easier for them to capture and contain the creatures in case they want to question them and may even merit extra XP for creativity.
Part III: Encountering the Merrow
I ran this with a 5th-level party so that my warlock could purchase a spell book with the ritual spell Water Breathing since they opted to launch their attack in the water, but even a 3rd- or 4th-level party could handle a few merrow without risking a TPK. I used six merrow, which is rated a “hard” encounter per Kobold Fight Club.
If your party has put in the effort to utilize the lock, allow them to keep watch for the merrow (PC’s Perception versus the merrow’s Stealth). If your party opts to take the battle underwater like mine did, be prepared to research and run combat underwater (see Chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook).  The six merrow will swim slowly and silently into the canal (which normally remains open at night) once it’s dark.
For being a Challenge Rating 2 creature, a merrow is a pretty cool monstrosity: it is classified as “large” and gets two attacks per turn (and one of them are ranged). To boot, their ranged attack - the harpoon - is able to pull a creature closer to them if they’re able to (a.) hit them with the attack and (b.) outroll a “huge” or smaller creature in a contested Strength check (a merrow has a whopping +4 Strength modifier...not half bad). Their AC is a mere 13, but they have what 99% of your PCs haven’t got: a swim speed of 40 feet. I’d recommend trying to focus on tethering any PC without a stellar Strength score since this will keep them from being able to escape if they fail their check against the merrow’s harpoon.
Once the encounter ends, the party can either loot the merrow or grill them for intel. It’s important to note that merrow cannot speak common (their canon languages are Aquan and Abyssal), so if your players want to question these creatures, someone is either going to need to know one of these languages or have a spell like Tongues prepared. If they are ready to loot the creatures, they’ll find satchels on each of the merrow containing a combined amount of:
16 freshwater pearls
4 lbs of merfolk scales
3 locks of merfolk hair
Additionally, you can opt to have a merperson act as a liaison for the colony if the party would like to speak with them: should they do so, allow the merfolk to offer a token of their gratitude based on the party’s level:
Candle of the Deep, a common item (levels 1-4)
Helm of Underwater Action, an uncommon item (levels 5-9)
Part IV: More Than Just a Side Quest
If the party chooses to follow this quest to completion, allow them to venture out into the rest of your world along the riverway, picking up various legends and lore from river and coastal dwellers about “a sea hag coven that terrorizes the waters of [one of your world’s oceans].”
Sea hags (CR 2), even in a coven (CR 4), are not all that powerful unless encountered at lower levels or with some additional help such as minions (like merrow, sahuagins, or sharks) or homebrewed lair effects (like undertows, kelp plants that ensnare, or random conjurations of tentacles as indicated in the 4th-level spell Black Tentacles).  Therefore, if you want to beef up this encounter for a higher-leveled party, consider keeping the sea hag’s Horrific Appearance and Death Glare abilities but using the stat block of a bheur hag (CR 7) for its AC, HP, and magic-casting features. Additionally, make time of the essence as the PCs battle the underwater witches and their minions since failure to defeat them swiftly will allow the coven time to complete their transformations into sirens. DnD Beyond’s Homebrew content has some really good ones, but my favorite was the CR 10 Classic Siren created by the user “ProbablyGood,” simply because (a.) they made the creature fey (which works with the sea hag origin in this context) and (b.) they gave the creature lots of appropriate spells for enticing and enchanting.
Depending on the level at which your party completes this quest, consider gifting them a massive treasure stash (perhaps stolen from sea merchants or pirates) as well as one of the following:
Bowl of Commanding Water Elementals, a rare item (levels 10-14)
Conch of Teleportation, a very rare item (levels 15-20, destination is set to a specific destination of your choice)
Hope you’ve enjoyed this read and perhaps find it useful in your own campaign or one-shot setting!  I’m always interested in other people’s homebrewed encounters and willing to help others build encounters if they’re stuck, so feel free to hit me up - you have but to ask.
1 note · View note
Text
Hey y’all, I read some books in 2018. Here’s my list. * denotes a reread.
Brown Girl Dreaming - Jacqueline Woodson
Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer - Maya Angelou
If You Come Softly - Jacqueline Woodson
No Matter The Wreckage - Sarah Kay *
Good Bones - Margaret Atwood *
Tempests and Slaughter - Tamora Pierce
The Crown Ain’t Worth Much - Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib
The Giver - Lois Lowry *
[Insert] Boy - Danez Smith *
Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell *
Electric Arches - Eve L. Ewing
From A Certain Point of View - Various Authors (20+, I didn’t write them all down)
Gathering Blue - Lois Lowry
Chicago Poems - Carl Sandburg
Star Wars: Princess Leia #1-5 - Mark Waid, Terry Dodson
Star Wars: Poe Dameron #1-6 - Charles Soule, Phil Noto
Dragonsong - Anne McCaffrey *
Shadow and Bone - Leigh Bardugo
Dragonsinger - Anne McCaffrey *
Dragondrums - Anne McCaffrey *
Lumberjanes #1 - Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Waters, Brooke Allen
The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet - Becky Chambers *
The Princess Diarist - Carrie Fisher *
Lumberjanes #2 - Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Waters, Brooke Allen, Maarta Laiho
Sister Emily’s Lightship and Other Stories - Jane Yolen
Some Say The Lark - Jennifer Chang
Chasing Utopia - Nikki Giovanni
Record of a Spaceborn Few - Becky Chambers
My Own Devices - Dessa
Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo *
Crooked Kingdom - Leigh Bardugo *
Acolytes - Nikki Giovanni
March Vol. I - John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
All You Can Ever Know - Nicole Chung
Calypso - David Sedaris
March Vol. II - John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
All The Single Ladies: Unmarried Women And The Rise Of An Independent Nation - Rebecca Traister
Currently reading: Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger - Rebecca Traister
Waiting on my nightstand: March Vol. III - John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
0 notes