Chapter 11: The Sunken Kingdom
“The sirens have spent thousands of years singing of their lost city, but none would recognize it now, broken and shattered in the depths of the ocean. There are places there that light cannot reach—shadows where an ancient hunger sleeps.”
— Versi, Oracle of Thylea
This chapter begins when the party decides to seek out one of the lost Divine Artifacts—the @item[Promethean Fire|ArcanumWorldsOdysseyoftheDragonlords]. Recovering this artifact is a major undertaking that requires the party to dive deep beneath the oceans and explore the legendary Sunken Kingdom. There they will meet forgotten gods and face primordial dangers, including the monster Scylla, bane of the ancient seas.
Running the Adventure
Before traveling to the Sunken Kingdom, the party will need a map to its location. Pyrrha, a siren from Aresia, has long possessed just such a map. She attends to Narsus in the Chamber of Beauty (A6). Refer to the @UUID[JournalEntry.md72jqAz7B6wF4Hh.JournalEntryPage.0000000000000013#audience-with-narsus]{Audience with Narsus} in Chapter 10 for details.
Once the party has obtained the map, they can set out on an expedition to find the sunken city. They will need a crewed ship and some means by which to explore underwater for long periods of time. Aketa at the Merchant Headquarters (A21) in Aresia is willing to provide magic and equipment to assist with the quest. Versi, the Oracle, is also more than willing to assist, as she has long been curious about the sunken city.
Here is an overview of this chapter:
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The Sunken City.
The party must sail to the location of the sunken city, anchor the ship, and dive to the ocean floor. They must speak with the merfolk in the ruins of the city to learn the location of the Promethean Fire. The merfolk are fighting a war against a terrifying merrow tribe.
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The Temple District.
The party must investigate this ruined district, where a pantheon of long-forgotten gods have been sealed away. They tell the party the story of Phaeros, an angelic being who carries the Promethean Fire. He and the artifact were swallowed by Scylla thousands of years ago.
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The Chasm.
The party must descend into the darkest fathoms of this ancient trench in order to destroy Scylla and rescue Phaeros. But Phaeros has gone mad after spending thousands of years trapped in the belly of the beast. The party must defeat him to recover the Promethean Fire.
Lost City of the Sirens
The Sunken Kingdom is a city that was swallowed by the ocean, thousands of years ago. It is all that remains of one of Thylea's most powerful and ancient civilizations. The city is the original home of the siren race, and it was once a place of great beauty. But when disaster befell the city, it sank to the floor of the Cerulean Gulf. There are many poems and songs that purport to tell the tale of the city's destruction. The truth is known to only a few.
The Legend of the Sirens
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If the heroes are not familiar with the legend of the sunken city, then you might have Pyrrha sing the story to them. Refer to the Legend of the Sirens in the Playable Races appendix for details.
Location of the Kingdom
The Sunken Kingdom is located a few miles west of Yonder and north of the Island of Exiles.
The city stretches across a relatively shallow part of the ocean, only a few hundred feet below sea level. Sunlight filters through the water and provides light. The elegant marble architecture of the sirens has been amazingly resilient, despite centuries under the ocean. Coral has grown over many sections of the city, adding to its ethereal beauty.
The Forgotten Gods
The city is no longer populated by sirens. It is now the domain of a merfolk kingdom. The merfolk worship a group of powerful godlike beings that are seemingly trapped in the ancient temple ruins of the city. While these 'gods' are unable to grant spells, they do perform feats of magic for the merfolk and grant them magical items as rewards. The godlike beings are singularly focused on retrieving something that was lost at the bottom of a great rift in the center of the city. This rift is known as the Chasm, and it is the domain of a terrifying creature called Scylla.
War for the Ruins
In recent years, the Sunken Kingdom has been ravaged by war. A century ago, a tribe of merfolk descended into the Chasm at the request of their gods. They never returned and were presumed to have been eaten by Scylla. A few years ago, the tribe miraculously emerged from the Chasm, but in a form that was unrecognizable to the merfolk. They were now merrow: twisted, malevolent versions of merfolk. The creatures immediately went to war against the merfolk. Their motives are unclear, but they are known to throw some of the bodies of their victims into the depths of the Chasm.
Undersea Factions
The Merfolk
The merfolk kingdom is the largest underwater civilization in all of Thylea. There are thousands of merfolk that live in and amongst the ruins of the Sunken Kingdom. The city is able to support such numbers due to the vast forests of kelp and coral.
Alongside the merfolk is a tribe of nereid that tend to the coral and kelp forests. They are fiercely protective of these natural wonders and often join the merfolk in battle against the merrow.
The Merrow
The merrow are sadistic predators that live to kill and cause mayhem. Unbeknownst to the merfolk, the merrow were twisted by the evil beast known as Scylla that dwells at the bottom of the Chasm. They now serve to provide her with food. For this purpose they hunt merfolk, whales, dolphins and other mammalian sea creatures. Those that they don't devour themselves they discard into the Chasm. Several sea hag covens have come to serve the merrow warlord.
Underwater Exploration
As the heroes explore the Sunken Kingdom, remember the following rules for underwater exploration:
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Fire Resistance.
Creatures and objects located underwater have resistance to fire damage.
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Melee Attack Penalties.
When making a melee weapon attack, a creature that doesn't have a swimming speed (either natural or granted by magic) has disadvantage on the attack roll unless the weapon is a dagger, javelin, shortsword, spear, or trident.
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Ranged Attack Penalties.
Ranged weapon attacks automatically miss targets beyond the weapon's normal range. Even against a target within normal range, the attack roll has disadvantage unless the weapon is a crossbow, a net, or a thrown weapon (javelins, spears, tridents, darts, etc.)
Additional rules for deep underwater exploration are provided in The Chasm section.
Expedition to the City
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Treat this part of the adventure like an expedition into uncharted underwater territory. The party should bring a ship and a crew, with 1 mile mithral chains for hauling up treasure. The party will need access to the water breathing spell or some other means to survive underwater for long periods of time. Magical light will also be required.
Approaching the Sunken City
Read the following when the players descend into the ocean and approach the sunken city:
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As you descend into the murky depths of the ocean, a glorious city slowly emerges through the dimly lit waters. Towers, spires, domes and other magnificent structures are spread out across the ocean floor in a sprawling metropolis, still largely intact despite centuries beneath the waves. The basic architecture of the city has been overgrown with brightly colored coral that only accentuates the sunken city's beauty.
On the southeast edge of the city, however, is a dark, gaping maw: an open chasm that extends deep into the ocean floor, swallowing up all light that enters.
Event: Massacre!
Run this event when the party first arrives in the city.
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As you near the edge of the sunken city, you come across a scene of brutal violence: a score of merfolk are under attack from a hideous war party of merrow.
Wielding tridents and nets, the merfolk fight valiantly against their twisted brethren, but the merrow are bigger, stronger, and far more savage. Several of the merfolk are already badly wounded, with plumes of their blood slowly seeping into the surrounding waters.
Unaware of the interlopers, one of the evil merfolk plunges a long spear into the belly of a hapless mermaid soldier, who cries out and clutches feebly at the thick shaft now protruding from her stomach. The merrow twists the weapon, then rips it free; the mermaid shudders once then goes still.
There are 20 merfolk under attack by a war party of 10 merrow. Five of the merfolk are already dead. If the heroes come to the aid of the merfolk, they will try to convince the party to have an audience with their king.
If the heroes agree to the audience, then the merfolk lead the party to the Merfolk Palace (L1).
Random Encounters
For every hour that the party explores the sunken city, there is a 10% chance that one of the following groups of sea creatures will swim by in close proximity. The creatures do not necessarily attack.
- Two giant sharks
- Herd of twelve hunter sharks
- Swarm of twenty giant octupuses
Key Locations
L1. Merfolk Palace
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Rising up above the surrounding structures is a magnificent palace. The high walls and circular towers on each corner are covered with multi-colored coral, carefully groomed and tended so that it grows in a pattern that forms a peculiar symbol: a pair of crossed tridents above a giant squid.
The iron gates of the palace stand open, but several heavily-armored merfolk stand guard outside to dissuade anyone from entering without invitation.
The palace is the most heavily-defended building in the kingdom. There are two dozen merfolk and a dozen nereid who garrison it at all times. The ruler of the merfolk is a powerful warrior-king named Pontus (LG merfolk gladiator with the amphibious trait and a swim speed of 40 feet).
Event: Meeting the King
If the heroes agree to an audience with the merfolk king, then they will be escorted into the palace.
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Escorted by six guards on either side, you enter the palace and are led to the throne room. A kingly merman sits upon a golden chair, his powerful tail curled up beneath him. A thick white beard covers his face, and a bejeweled silver crown rests upon his brow.
Scattered about the throne room are more guards, as well as other members of the royal court. A young merman swims forward and calls out in a loud voice:
"On behalf of the merfolk people of the Sunken Kingdom, King Pontus welcomes you!"
Pontus tilts his head in your direction and fixes you with his dark, probing eyes. "It has been many years since we have had visitors from the surface world. Tell me, why are you here?"
King Pontus is grateful that the party have rescued his loyal servants. He answers any questions that the party pose to him, and he provides valuable information:
The Chasm.
The Chasm (L9) descends more than a mile into the depths of the ocean. It is the home of the deadliest predators in the ocean, including giant sharks and enormous sea snakes. But the deadliest thing in the Chasm is a monstrosity known as Scylla.
The Lost Gods.
The merfolk worship gods that have lived in the ruins of the city since before the merfolk arrived. The gods may be willing to assist the heroes with their quest. They can be found in the Temple District (L8).
The King's Request
Once the heroes have finished with their questions, the king asks for a favor. He recognizes that the heroes are powerful warriors who could strike a finishing blow against the evil merrow tribes. He begs the heroes to bring an end to the war by assaulting the Merrow Fortress (L6) and killing the warlord, Sheksis. He warns the party that she is in league with a coven of hags.
If the heroes agree, the king assigns a war party of nereid to accompany them. There is one nereid per hero. Both the heroes and the nereid are given giant sea horses as mounts. The assault on the merrow fortress is something that should be quite easy for the heroes.
L2. Merfolk Village
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Many of the homes that were destroyed when the nameless city sank beneath the ocean have since been repaired and rebuilt by the current undersea denizens, creating new neighborhoods and districts. Merfolk merchants hawk their wares in corner markets while ordinary citizens swim up and down the streets, consumed by the mundane bustle of ordinary life.
The merfolk live in large families of up to a dozen. The nereid intermingle with the merfolk, though they live in their own private abodes. The party can purchase basic supplies at the merfolk shops here.
Everburning Globes.
One of the items that the party can purchase are everburning globes. These are glowing red orbs that have been permanently enchanted with the light spell. The merfolk use these globes to light the city, but they could also be used to light the way when diving into the darkest fathoms of the Chasm. They can be purchased for 10 gp each.
L3. Coral Farm
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Tall, delicate towers of coral rise up from the ocean floor. Shaped and sculpted into evocative designs, the colorful growths resemble a beautiful meditative garden.
The coral farms are guarded by six nereid. Merfolk come here to herd fish into their nets.
Curious Nereid.
One of the nereid here takes an interest in the party. Her name is Kaila (CG nereid), and she wishes to visit the Temple of the Fish Queen (D4) to pay her respects. She asks whether the party will allow her to accompany them. Kaila has an intense dislike for oceanids and will strongly discourage the party from trusting them.
L4. Oceanid Lairs
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This tall tower is covered with a random but spectacular pattern of coral in a rainbow of hues. Schools of vibrantly colored fish circle the tower like living decorations, further adding to the towers wild, untamed beauty.
A dozen oceanid call this tower home. Only 1d4 oceanids are here at any given time. The others are exploring the oceans or the Thylean coasts.
Curious Oceanid.
One of the oceanids here takes an interest in the party. His name is Vyron (CN Oceanid). He has heard tales of a legendary trickster god who dwells in the Temple District (D8), and he wishes to meet him. He asks to accompany the party. In exchange, Vyron offers to guide the party to a secret shrine where all the ancient treasures of the sunken city are hidden. This is the Forbidden Shrine (L6). Vyron fails to mention that the shrine is dangerous and forbidden.
L5. Kelp Forest
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Towering stalks of kelp rise from the dark fissures that divide the city. The thick vines and wide, flat leaves wave gently back and forth with the shifting currents, almost as if beckoning you to enter. But on closer inspection, you can see the densely packed aquatic vegetation has tangled together, forming a nearly impenetrable curtain that obscures whatever dangers may be lurking within.
The kelp forest is a no man's land between the merfolk settlements and the merrow territory. While the forest used to be a major source of food for the merfolk, it has become very dangerous for those who have to harvest the kelp. Violent clashes between merrow and merfolk are nearly a daily event.
The kelp restricts visibility significantly. The entire forest is considered lightly obscured. There is a 20% chance per hour of being ambushed by a war party of merrow. The war party consists of twelve merrow led by a single sea hag.
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“We have long known of the existence of the merfolk, but we have paid them little heed. Perhaps that was a mistake. There are powers below the oceans that we have not yet begun to reckon with, and they know more of these things than we do.”
— Vallus, Goddess of Wisdom
L6. Forbidden Shrine
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This opulent shrine is surrounded by golden statues of winged sirens. In contrast to the surrounding ruins, it appears to be in pristine condition. Standing in the entrance of the shrine, you think you can hear the faint sounds of beautiful singing coming from inside.
This shrine is unguarded and empty. The inside of the shrine is lavishly decorated with marble statues, gemstone mosaics, and silver ornamentation. Merfolk skeletons are scattered across the floor.
The Forgotten Name.
Written in mosaics on the rear wall of the shrine is the forgotten name of the sunken City of the Sirens. The name has been cursed by Sydon, and attempting to read it requires the reader to make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the reader experiences a terrifying vision of the city collapsing and being swallowed by the ocean. The reader believes that they are drowning, even if they can breathe water. Use the rules for suffocation. The reader repeats the saving throw each round until they succeed or until they are reduced to 0 hit points. Succeeding on the saving throw reveals that the name of the city literally cannot be read—it has been erased from history by magic.
Treasure.
The shrine is filled with ancient treasure chests, which the merrow have no use for. There are twelve chests, containing a total of 24,000 sp and 12,000 gp. Scattered throughout the chests are six star rubies and six star sapphires, each worth 1,000 gp.
L7. Merrow Fortress
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Near the edge of the great Chasm stands a dark and foreboding building, which rears up from the ruins on the edge of the sunken city. Though massive in size, its shape is flat and functional—there is no beauty or elegance in its construction. The gray marble façade is bereft of the coral patterns that mark the other buildings of the sunken city.
The merrow have fortified this building with marble taken from the surrounding ruins. At any given time there are 40 merrow within the fort. The merrow are ruled by a warlord named Sheksis (CE merrow, maximum HP, 18 AC). Sheksis has a coral horn that she can blow to summon 1d4 giant sharks from the depths of the chasm. She is served by a coven of three sea hags.
If the merrow fortress is attacked, Sheksis will send all of the merrow out to do battle while she summons giant sharks. Five rounds into the battle against the merrow, the warlord will arrive with the coven of sea hags and any sharks that she has summoned.
The King's Trident.
Sheksis wields a trident of fish command, which rightfully belongs to King Pontus.
L8. The Temple District
Refer to The Temple District section for details.
L9. The Chasm
Refer to The Chasm section for details.
The Temple District
Thousands of years ago, an angel was cast out from the heavens for believing that the secrets of divinity should be given to the mortal races. His name was Phaeros (CN solar). Before he was exiled, he managed to steal the Promethean Fire. He wandered the planes for centuries before coming to the lands of Thylea. During his travels, he despised the tyranny of Sydon and Lutheria, and he decided that he would use the Promethean Fire to change the world of Thylea for the better.
Phaeros sought out the greatest champion of each race and brought them to the City of the Sirens, the most beautiful city in Thylea. The sirens welcomed Phaeros, for they had fallen out of favor with the Titans and saw the angel as a messianic savior. Phaeros elevated each champion to godhood, creating a new pantheon. The sirens built great temples to each of the gods and sent missionaries out into the rest of Thylea to bring news of this new faith to the other races.
But the Twin Titans saw this and called upon their father, Kentimane, to stop Phaeros. Sydon and Lutheria saw Phaeros as a foreign invader who intended to subvert everything that they had created. Kentimane released the great beast, Scylla, from its imprisonment on Typhon. Then Scylla and the Titans waged war against the new gods. This battle raged on for weeks, but finally, Phaeros was devoured by Scylla.
In the aftermath of the battle, Lutheria convinced the remaining gods to return to their temples, where she would offer them redemption—a chance to atone for the sins of Phaeros. This was a trick—Lutheria used her magic to trap the gods in their temples. Kentimane then rose out of the ocean and destroyed the foundations of the city, so that the oceans swallowed it.
Each of the new gods has remained trapped at the bottom of the ocean for thousands of years. They know that if they could convince someone to kill Scylla and rescue Phaeros, they could return to the surface world and rule over it again as gods.
The Imprisoned Pantheon
Each of the gods is imprisoned in their own temple. While they can move freely within their temples, they cannot leave them, even if the walls are torn down. Each of the gods is either a young empyrean or elder empyrean. While the gods can be destroyed, they will simply reform in their temple in 1d6 days.
Over the millennia, the gods have convinced several intelligent marine creatures to worship them, including the merfolk and nereid that live in the ruins of the Sunken Kingdom. The gods want these worshippers to free them from imprisonment by killing Scylla, but so far none have been up to the task. These faithful creatures are protective and jealous of their chosen god.
Building the New Pantheon
If approached, the gods are all willing to speak with the heroes. They explain that after being trapped for so many millennia, they wish to leave the world of Thylea and explore the many worlds that lie beyond. They want to leave Thylea in capable hands, and they feel that the heroes are the best candidates for that responsibility.
Each of the gods will single out one of the heroes and flatter them, extolling their virtues. Each god selects one hero as a "worthy successor,"and grant them gifts.
Quest: Destroying Scylla
The gods tell the heroes that they must destroy Scylla, for she has swallowed the Promethean Fire. With the fire released, the gods will be free, and they can use the power of the Promethean Fire to grant a spark of divinity to each of the heroes.
Roleplaying the Lost Pantheon
The empyreans are lying to the heroes—they are entirely self-interested. They have had their minds twisted by millennia of imprisonment. They want to return to power over Thylea and punish the races that left them trapped at the bottom of the ocean. They have no intention of surrendering any portion of their divinity.
Never Mention Phaeros.
The gods are careful never to speak of Phaeros. If the heroes mention the many statues of the angel throughout the Sunken Kingdom, they will claim that Phaeros was nothing more than a mortal king of the siren people.
Entering the District
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Scattered about this area are numerous statues of various sizes. While several different entities are represented among them, the majority depict the same figure: a tall, angelic being. He is commonly shown brandishing a flaming sword, with his broad wings outstretched.
There are many statues to Phaeros in this part of the Sunken Kingdom. Some of the statues have his name inscribed upon the base in Thylean script. There are also statues to the other gods, but they are not as numerous or as prominently displayed.
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“When it comes right down to it, I never liked temples much. Too solemn! I prefer a good tavern, even if the wine is watered down.”
— This can also be an array, Pythor, God of Battle
Key Locations
D1. Temple of the Sky Father
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The interior of this temple is decrepit and abandoned. The walls are cracked, and the stone altars are broken. In the middle of the floor is a toppled statue of a large centaur. The entire place has been overrun by thick seaweed; tall strands weave gently back and forth on the ocean currents.
The Sky Father (LE elder empyrean) is one of the three elder siblings who rule over the other gods. As a mortal, he was a centaur. He now takes the form of a huge centaur with handsome features and a well-groomed beard. He carries a beautiful silver lance and wears silver and platinum jewelry. He is supremely arrogant to everyone he speaks to, except for the one whom he chooses as his "successor."
Ichthys Guardians.
The front chambers of this temple are ruined and covered in seaweed. Hidden amongst the seaweed are three ichthys. These creatures were merfolk heroes who led a band into the Chasm to do battle against Scylla. When they failed, they returned to beg forgiveness of the Sky Father. In a rage, he cursed them to transform into ichthys. They are hateful creatures that attack everyone.
The Sky Father's Gift
The Sky Father chooses a strong warrior as his successor. He will bequeath upon this hero a powerful magical ability: Invincibility of the Sky Father. Once per day, the hero can choose to reduce to 0 the damage from any one source. This magical gift lasts for one week, during which the Sky Father expects the hero to kill Scylla.
D2. Forge of the Fire King
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Shockingly, the inside of this temple is filled with a large bubble of hot, oppressive air that repels seawater. Hundreds of beautifully crafted weapons and suits of armor are scattered about. In the center of the room is a heavily muscled cyclops, working at a massive forge that belches heat and smoke.
The Fire King (NE young empyrean) doesn't like dealing with the aquatic races, and has used his power to create a bubble of air so that they can't approach him. He appears to be a massively-muscled cyclops with skin that has been seared by countless years working at the forge. He carries a massive hammer.
He is initially surprised if someone interrupts him from his work. Once he recovers from his surprise, he becomes inquisitive and wants to know everything that the heroes can tell him about the surface world.
The Fire King's Gift
The Fire King chooses someone dressed in superior armor to be his successor. He will allow that hero to choose a single weapon or suit of armor in the temple. Within 8 hours, he will transform the chosen item into a +3 magical version that the hero must attune to equip. He expects the hero to use this item to kill Scylla.
Curse of the Fire King.
The enchantment on the item is permanent, but if the hero doesn't kill Scylla within one week, the item becomes cursed. While under this curse, the hero refuses to relinquish the item. The hero attuned to the item immediately goes into a rage and attacks the closest creature. Once this creature is reduced to 0 hit points, the attuned hero switches to the next closest creature. In addition, the attuned hero regenerates 1 hit point per round while cursed, even if reduced to 0 hit points. The remove curse spell must be cast three times on the item to end the curse.
D3. Tomb of the Ghost Lord
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There is an eerie sense of decay and disrepair in this abandoned temple. The woven hangings on the wall are frayed and torn, and the altars are eroded and crumbling. Dark, oily waters swirl around like black smoke, obscuring large parts of the temple from view.
The Lord of Ghosts (NE elder empyrean) hides within the oily waters at the back of the temple. He giggles occasionally. The Lord of Ghosts is the brother of the Sky Father and the Sun Goddess. He takes the form of a 20-foot tall gygan. Despite his size, he is emaciated, and his skin is parchment white. He is dressed in black robes and carries a long spear.
The Mad God.
As one of the three elder siblings, the Lord of Ghosts used to rule over the other gods as part of the trinity. However, the millennia of imprisonment have driven him completely mad. He refuses to converse with anyone and instead tries to kill anyone who enters his temple. If the other gods are asked about the Lord of Ghosts, they will warn the heroes to avoid him.
D4. Temple of the Fish Queen
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This magnificent structure is made not from stone, but from coral. The walls and ceiling are bone white and emblazoned with the pattern of a million seashells. Instead of altars or statues, the interior is filled with brightly colored branches of living coral, twisting and intertwining in delicate shapes to form a wondrous garden.
The front chambers of the temple are occupied by a sisterhood of six nereid called the Fish Speakers. These fey creatures are fanatically loyal to the Fish Queen. They want the honor of killing Scylla for their goddess, but they know that they are not ready yet. They test all visitors, refusing to allow anyone to see the Fish Queen without first besting them in combat.
The Fish Queen (CE young empyrean) takes the form of a 16-foot-tall mermaid. She is armored with coral and wields a beautiful trident. A conch horn hangs around her neck on a cord.
The Fish Queen's Gift
The Fish Queen chooses the hero most closely associated with the sea. She announces her successor and then blows on her conch horn to summon a giant shark. The shark is completely white in color and has a harness around its neck. The Fish Queen whispers to the shark in Aquan and then tells her chosen hero that the shark will serve as a loyal mount. The shark serves as a loyal mount for seven days, after which point it will turn on its rider and try to kill and consume them.
D5. Shrine of the Moon Maiden
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The view of this room is mostly obscured by thick seaweed that has overrun the temple. Trapped in the twisted strands are broken bits of furnishings and other detritus. Floating above the tangled mess is a stunningly handsome young man.
The entrance hall of the temple is filled with seaweed and detritus that makes the entire area partially obscured. There are six holes, 2 feet in diameter, along each of the walls of the hallway, but they are difficult to see. Noticing the holes requires a successful DC 20 Wisdom (Perception) check. Behind each hole is a merrow, waiting until given a command to act. The merrow have all fallen under the charms of an oceanid.
Taron (CE oceanid) greets anyone who enters the temple. He serves the Moon Maiden and is also madly in love with her. He fantasizes about becoming her consort and is intensely jealous of any other male that tries to seek an audience with her. If any male character seeks to meet with the goddess, the oceanid will try to kill them. In this case, he gives a signal to the merrow, who attack from their concealed locations.
The Moon Maiden (NE young empyrean) has the appearance of a towering, beautiful naiad nymph. She is unconcerned about the actions of her murderous oceanid steward, as she is quite used to infatuated mortals acting in such a manner.
The Moon Maiden's Gift
The Moon Maiden chooses the hero with the highest Charisma score. She confers upon this hero the title of Head Consort and grants them the boon of beauty. The boon gives the recipient +4 to their Charisma score for seven days, whereupon it becomes the curse of ugliness and reduces the recipient's Charisma score by 4 points. The curse can be removed with three casts of the remove curse spell.
D6. Temple of the Great Hunter
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The walls of this large, open chamber are covered with art depicting scenes of savage battles and glorious hunts. In the center of the room, a towering man sits on a massive golden throne, glaring out angrily from his perch. At the foot of the throne are three scowling and battle-scarred storm giants.
The Great Hunter (CE young empyrean) appears as a 20-foot-tall human man with long black hair. He sits brooding on his throne in the central chamber of the temple, fingering the blade of a giant sword.
Storm Giant Servants.
Three storm giants serve the Great Hunter. The storm giants don't worship the empyrean, but they revere him as a great leader who can return giant-kind to greatness. The giants are badly scarred from a failed attempt to kill Scylla. Half of their kin were killed when they descended to the bottom of the Chasm and tried to kill the beast.
Testing the Champion.
The Great Hunter is in no mood to entertain guests who cannot prove themselves. He orders the storm giants to attack the intruders, but he will stop the fight before anyone can be killed. He will declare whichever hero dealt the most damage to be his champion and possible successor.
The Great Hunter's Gift
The Great Hunter grants a loyal companion to his designated champion. It is a chuul that faithfully follows the champion. The chuul will defend the champion in battle, and it uses its magic sense to guide the champion to magic items and magical traps. After seven days, the chuul turns hostile and attacks its master.
D7. Tower of the Sun Goddess
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The lower level of this thirty-story tower is marked by murals and paintings that depict a beautiful woman, engulfed by the aura of a blazing sun. A winding spiral staircase extends upward, seemingly into infinity. From somewhere high above, a blinding orb of golden light shines down through the water.
The Sun Goddess (CE elder empyrean) is the unofficial head of the pantheon, though her two brothers would dispute this claim. As a mortal, she was a siren and therefore the most favored creation of Phaeros. She appears as a 20-foot-tall siren with beautiful wings and flowing golden hair.
The goddess meditates at the top of her 300 ft. tall tower, surrounded by a bright nimbus of light. Anyone approaching within 30 ft. of the Sun Goddess is &Reference[condition=blinded] until they move away. The area 20 ft. from the Sun Goddess is considered difficult terrain. Anyone that moves through this light takes 35 (10d6) radiant damage per 5 ft. moved. When someone touches the Sun Goddess, her nimbus of light dims, and she identifies the person who touched her as her chosen messiah.
The Sun Goddess
The Sun Goddess's Gift
The Sun Goddess will give the sun crown to her messiah. The sun crown manifests as a glowing halo that floats above the head of the recipient. At any time, the wielder of the sun crown can cast the daylight spell as a bonus action, with the crown as the target. Once per short rest, the wielder of the sun crown can cast the sunbeam spell as a bonus action. The sun crown remains on the head of the chosen messiah for seven days, whereupon it explodes in a 10 ft. diameter ball of radiant energy that causes 70 (20d6) radiant damage. The damage is halved with a successful DC 20 Dexterity saving throw.
D8. Temple of the Vile Trickster
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The walls of this temple are crumbling and broken, and the roof has completely collapsed and fallen in. Broken chunks of stone litter the ground. A few sickly tendrils of decaying seaweed waft among the debris.
The Vile Trickster (CN young empyrean) looks like a 20 ft. tall satyr, though he prefers to remain invisible. He uses his magic to play tricks on the heroes when they first enter his temple. He uses dominate person and mass suggestion to make the heroes perform embarrassing acts. He uses mislead and teleport to avoid the heroes when attacked. He feigns death if he takes more than 100 hit points of damage.
Eventually, he surrenders to the heroes and tells them a version of the truth, interspersed with nonsense:
- Sometimes gifts are terrible curses in disguise!
- The gods are going to conquer the world and punish the mortal races for being so lazy!
- Eating twelve raw giant octopus eyeballs in one sitting will grant immortality!
- Scylla has a bad case of indigestion, because she devoured too many angels!
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“Of course there are stories of the Lost Pantheon, but I never imagined that they could possibly be true. For one thing, the songs were quite... suggestive. Let's just say that the Trickster God of Satyrs got up to some ripe old mischief and leave it at that.”
— Kyrah, Goddess of Music
The Chasm
The Chasm is a massive fissure at the center of the Sunken City. It stretches down for miles into an abyss that eventually connects to the Nether Sea. The waters of the Nether Sea are steeped in primordial magic and have twisted the sea life here into creatures of immense size and power. The most powerful and dangerous of these creatures is Scylla. Scylla is an abomination. She is the most dangerous creature ever spawned from the island of Typhon. The Titans released her millennia ago, to help defeat the angel Phaeros and his rogue pantheon of gods. Now Phaeros is trapped in her stomach. She sleeps at the bottom of the Chasm, served by an army of merrow who occasionally feed her sacrificial offerings.
The Chasm has three zones. Each of these zones has a different environment than the other zones and is populated by its own unique set of creatures.
The Upper Reaches
Light still barely permeates the Upper Reaches of the Chasm, which extends down for the first 1,000 feet. This entire region is considered dim light. Standard aquatic life can be found here, including a wide variety of fish, octopus, and squid. These creatures have learned to avoid the huge predators that hunt in the region. Giant sharks are the apex predator of the Upper Reaches. The sharks are descended from the even more massive cetus that swim in the lower regions of the Chasm.
The Void (1-mile depth)
Darkness is complete within the Void. The entire region is considered dark, though darkvision still works. Eels and squid are found in the inky depths, along with strange fish that can generate light (such as anglerfish and viperfish). This region is extremely dangerous, for massive sea serpents and primordial cetus hunt in the waters. The cursed ichthys crawl along the sides of the chasm and have even banded together into a small and hateful tribe. The only creature that wouldn't immediately consider humanoid trespassers to be food is a single dragon turtle that lairs in a cave.
The Pit (2-mile depth)
The very bottom of the Chasm is pitch black. However, swirls of silvery water occasionally light up small regions of the Pit. These are currents that have come from the Nether Sea. The bottom of the Chasm is littered with the decayed corpses of prey killed in the regions above. Whale corpses are the most common, but there are also dead ichthys, merfolk, and other intelligent sea dwellers. The corpses provide food for the only living creature in the Pit—the abomination known as Scylla.
Exploring The Depths
The deepest parts of the ocean are dangerous for many reasons beyond predators. Light becomes a problem once explorers have gone deep enough, but the most difficult obstacle is the crushing weight of the ocean.
The impact of water pressure in the depths of the ocean are ignored by creatures with a swim speed—or those who are under the effects of escape spells like freedom of movement. The water breathing spell helps blunt some of the damage from water pressure. However, a creature protected with freedom of movement or water breathing takes a tremendous amount of damage if the spells cease to function while in deep water.
The Void
- With protection from water breathing: Creatures take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage per minute.
- Sudden exposure: 17 (5d6) bludgeoning damage.
The Pit
- With protection from water breathing: Creatures take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage per minute.
- Sudden exposure: 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage.
Key Locations
All of the narration text assumes that the heroes have some sort of light source or are using darkvision.
G1. The Upper Reaches
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The faint glimmer of light from the surface dimly illuminates these waters, which teem with aquatic life. Multitudes of small and medium-sized fish dart back and forth, gathering in brightly-colored schools. Larger fish—sharks and other predators—prowl the waters, endlessly searching for their next meal, as octopuses and squid swim languidly by, their tentacles trailing behind.
The Upper Reaches are the domain of giant sharks. Anyone swimming in the Upper Reaches has a chance of becoming hunted by a giant shark. The chance is 25% when someone first enters the region, with a cumulative 10% chance for every 10 minutes spent there. A giant shark will attack from below, with advantage on its first attack. If the giant shark draws blood, there is a 20% chance per round that the blood will summon an additional 1d4 giant sharks.
G2. The Last Plateau
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A massive formation of jagged rock juts out from one wall of the Chasm, forming a flat, protruding ledge that overlooks the inky depths of the Void beneath. Small fishes, eels, and crustaceans weave their way among the beautiful coral structures that cover the rocky outcropping, protected from the currents and the deadly predators looming in the darkness below.
The Last Plateau is so called because it is the last place someone can rest before descending into the darkness of the Void. The coral is home to many fish, eels, and octopi. It is also haunted by the ghost of a merman named Gorathul.
Ghost of Gorathul.
Gorathul makes himself known by possessing fish and octopi and using them to lure explorers to the skeletal remains of his body. He communicates with anyone who comes within 20 ft. of his body. He died decades ago, trying to fulfill a promise to his husband. His husband was cursed by Lutheria and began the painful transformation into an ichthys. He made Gorathul promise to kill him, but when the time came, he couldn't make himself to do it. Later, when his husband had been lost completely to the transformation, Gorthul followed him into the Chasm to try and fulfill his promise—but he didn't get very far.
Gorathul will trade information to anyone who swears an oath to end his husband's suffering. The ghost knows the location of the wise turtle and the ichthys lair. If someone is willing to allow the ghost to possess them, he will travel with them and direct them to either lair. He does not take control, but simply acts as another voice in the head of his host.
G3. The Void
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As the light from the surface fades, the water becomes cold and black. As you descend deeper and deeper, the teeming aquatic life of the Upper Reaches gradually gives way to a vast, dark emptiness. Few creatures can survive in these depths, and those that do are fierce and deadly.
The Void is the hunting grounds for two of the deadliest predators in the ocean—the cetus and the sea serpent. The chance of becoming prey for one of these creatures is 25% when someone first enters the region, with a cumulative 10% chance for every 10 minutes spent there. There is a 1 in 4 chance that the predator is a sea serpent—otherwise it is a cetus.
The cetus will attack from below like a giant shark. If the cetus draws blood, there is a 25% chance per round that the blood will summon an additional 2d4 giant sharks. The sea serpent hunts alone and no other predator dares come between the serpent and its prey.
Walls of the Void.
Swimming close to the chasm walls is a little safer than swimming out in the open. However, there is a non-cumulative 10% chance every 10 minutes of encountering 1d4 ichthys. The cursed monstrosities attack trespassers on sight.
G4. The Ichthys Lair
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Through the murky waters it is just possible to make out the medium-sized entrance of a cave carved into the side of the chasm. The cramped entrance gives way to an enormous chamber littered with the stark white skulls of numerous sharks and whales, along with the skeletal remains of several humanoids, all picked clean by ocean scavengers.
A dozen ichthys have built a small community within a cave. The cave opening is 10 ft. wide (small enough so that cetus and sea serpents cannot enter) and opens up into a large chamber 150 ft. in diameter.
Two ichthys always stand guard at the entrance. The other ichthys sleep in clutches of two or three in the chamber. One of the ichthys sleeping in the cave is the husband of the ghost named Gorathul. All of the ichthys appear to be in constant agonizing pain.
Treasure
At the back of the cave is where the ichthys keep everything of value that they have taken from their victims. The treasure is stored in giant clams. Roll on the Treasure Hoard table for Challenge rating 17+ in the 5th Edition Game Master's Guide.
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“There were always whispers of a deep terror lurking in the bowels of the oceans, something even more ancient and terrifying than the Kraken. Xander believed it, but he always put more stock in the native legends than I did.”
— Rizon Phobas, Dragonlord (62 CE)
G5. The Serpent Holes
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Several large, cylindrical holes have been burrowed into the chasm wall in a seemingly random pattern. The perfectly smooth tunnels are twenty feet in diameter, and they extend so far and deep into the bedrock that their terminus cannot be seen.
Each of these holes in the sleeping place for a massive sea serpent. The sea serpents excavate tunnels that extend for thousands of feet, terminating in round chambers where they rest. There is a 1 in 4 chance that an intruder will find a sea serpent in its lair. There is also a 1 in 4 chance that an intruder will be met by a returning sea serpent while leaving the tunnel.
G6. The Wise Turtle
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A wide, flat ledge protrudes out from the chasm wall, leading to a massive cave. The fifty-foot-wide, thirtyfoot- high entrance to the cavern is guarded by dozens of large stalactites and stalagmites, giving the vague impression of a gaping, tooth-filled maw.
A solitary dragon turtle lairs in this cave. The dragon turtle is one of the oldest of its kind, and its shell shows damage from dozens of encounters with cetus and sea serpents. It mostly stays within its cave, only venturing forth to eat. Over the centuries it has gathered a vast hoard, which it guards jealously.
Mercenary Dragon.
The dragon turtle is greedy for treasure, just like all of its draconic kin. It is willing to help explorers for the right price. For 10,000 gp, the dragon turtle will join the party and aid them in battle. The dragon turtle knows all of the locations within the Chasm. If reduced to half hit points in a fight, the dragon turtle will flee and return to its lair.
Treasure
Roll on the Treasure Hoard table for Challenge rating 17+ in the 5th Edition Game Master's Guide. Ignore art objects. In addition to the gems and magic items, 55,000 sp and 21,000 gp have been collected into a large pile.
G7. Shark Nest
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On a large, sandy ledge extending out from the chasm wall you see several dozen terrifying figures. Dead-eyed giant sharks cluster together, motionless and asleep. Amongst them are also a handful of terrifying sharks the size of whales. Fortunately, all of the sharks are currently resting; peaceful and unaware.
There are a half-dozen cetus and two dozen giant sharks that sleep on the ledge. Waking these creatures is almost certainly suicide.
G8. The Pit
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The long descent into the chasm has finally reached its end. The sandy, black bottom of the ocean is littered with the rotting corpses of gargantuan whales: leviathans of the deep, brought down by some monstrous apex predator. A smattering of half-eaten humanoid corpses also dot the ocean floor—evidence that whatever horror dwells here will feed on anything.
Nothing is alive in the Pit except for Scylla. Every 10 minutes that the party spends in the Pit has a 20% chance of drawing the attention of Scylla.
G9. Scylla
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The cold, dark waters around you shudder. The silence of the depths is broken by a deep, resonant moan: the cry of an entity both ancient and horrifying. From the gloom, a gargantuan abomination emerges: six serpent-like heads twist and writhe on long necks protruding from a grotesquely bloated torso. The undersea nightmare lurches toward you with terrifying speed, writhing across the ocean floor on twelve monstrous black tentacles, gnashing its hungry jaws.
Scylla is ravenous and will try to eat anything that it comes across in its domain. Scylla is fearless and will fight to the death. Anything that Scylla swallows is subjected to a magical stasis that paralyzes its victims for the process of digestion, which can take thousands of years. When Scylla is killed, the angel Phaeros will be released from this magical stasis. The solar will cut his way out of Scylla's gut and appear before the heroes.
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As the horror of the deep finally collapses, its bloated torso suddenly begins to pulse and throb. A thick tearing sound ripples through the waters, and a deep gash appears in its abdomen. The tip of a glowing blade emerges from inside the beast's belly as someone—or something—carves its way to freedom.
Seconds later, the fresh wound rips wide open, and a magnificent winged humanoid crawls out of the monster's stomach. In his right hand he clutches a mighty sword, while his left hand holds a ball of blue fire that blazes even at the bottom of the ocean.
In a voice that booms through the depths, he announces: "The glory of the gods be upon you, brave mortals. By slaying the demonic Scylla, you have freed me to complete my sacred task and restore to power the rightful pantheon of Thylea!"
Ignoring any further attempts to engage him in conversation, the angel flaps his mighty wings and shoots upwards, vanishing as he speeds toward the surface.
Phaeros is able to swim using his fly speed. He will fly as quickly as possible to the Temple District of the Sunken Kingdom and ignore any attacks directed at him. He plans to use the Promethean Fire to free the empyreans from their temple prisons. Refer to Freeing the Gods.
G10. Nether Sea Fissure
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A deep, narrow fissure slices its way across the ocean floor. Shimmering silver water seeps from the rift, gently floating upwards until it slowly disperses in the darkness of the ocean depths.
Anyone trying to swim more than 200 ft. into this rift will come under the magical influence of the Nether Sea's primordial waters. Refer to the Nether Sea chapter for details about this strange liquid.
Treasure
Fifty feet into the rift, there is a great treasure contained within a giant-sized adamantine chest. The chest is locked, and it requires a successful DC 20 Dexterity check using @UUID[Item.3uUg0fHZ48rdcNk8]{thieves' tools} to open. Roll on the Treasure Hoard table for Challenge rating 17+ in the 5th Edition Game Master's Guide. Every round spent in the rift, there is a 25% chance that a current of silvery water from the Nether Sea will wash through.
Freeing the Gods
Once Phaeros has used the Promethean Fire to free the empyreans, he will return to deal with the heroes. He has learned that they seek the three Divine Artifacts, and wants to destroy the party so that they cannot challenge his pantheon's right to rule Thylea.
Although they have been freed, the empyreans don't come to Phaeros's aid, because they resent their long years of imprisonment. They secretly hope that the party will kill the solar so that they don't have to.
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You hear a faint thrumming in the distance. It grows steadily louder, until it becomes the deafening roar of thunder. A powerful wave rolls across you, nearly knocking you off your feet, and a bright flash illuminates the ocean depths.
"Traitors! Blasphemers! Infidels!"
These words of judgment ring out from all around you in an echoing chorus of voices.
Suddenly the angel appears, floating high above you. His eyes burn with rage. His face twists into a mask of hatred as he raises his sword high.
He throws back his head and unleashes a mighty scream. The ground beneath you shakes as the ocean itself trembles before the fury of an immortal. Then he plunges towards you, his blade raised to strike you down.
Whoever deals the deathblow to Phaeros will inherit the Promethean Fire. At this point, the empyreans from the Temple District will appear before the heroes.
The Lost Pantheon Restored
The lost gods claim that Phaeros must have gone insane after thousands of years trapped in the belly of Scylla. They allow the heroes to keep any divine gifts that they bestowed upon them. They claim that they will now leave Thylea forever. However, this is a lie. They intend to gather their strength and return to rule over all of Thylea. Refer to the Apokalypsis chapter for details.
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“The only creatures more mysterious than gods and dragons are angels. Where do such creatures come from, and what do they want with us?”
— Aesop, Keeper of the Dragon Shrine