5500 Classical - The New Argonauts

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The New Argonauts Adventure in Mythic Greece by Sean K Reynolds

Requires use of the Dungeons & Dragons® Third Edition Core Books, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. This book utilizes updated material from the v. 3.5 revision.

Additional Credits

Editing: Brian Cortijo Playtesters: Abdul “Arcturus” Brown, Carlos “Thyrsos” Cover Illustration: Gerald Lee Cheek, Prince “Psi” Elcock, James “Xanthos” Interior Illustrations: Greek painters whose names are Hawkins, Brian “Zale Thromes” Hendley, Chris lost to time “Anaxis” Marleau, Terry “Numa” Spier Greek Art Photos: Aaron Atsma, Special Thanks: Willow for her love and kindness, my (Copyright ©2004 Aaron Atsma) sister Keri for lending me her textbook on the classical Other Interior Illustrations: Purchased from age, Monte and Sue Cook for all of their support, the , such images are Copyright folks at for making © 2004 Sean K Reynolds Games and its licensors excellent Greek minis, Brian for his advice, Marc for his (Hemera). All rights reserved. typese�ing skills, the original Argonauts playtesters for the fun gaming, and the Hollywood folks who Proofreading: Jon Norbert Hartmann, Keri Reynolds Cover and Interior Page Design: Marc Schmalz, greenlighted the movie Troy which inspired me to run a Greek campaign in the first place. Typese�ing: Marc Schmalz For additional material, go to the Sean K Reynolds Games website, .

Table of Contents

Introduction by the Author ................................................. 2 Chapter 1: Characters ........................................................... 3 Races ................................................................................... 3 Classes ................................................................................ 3 Skills ................................................................................... 4 Feat Changes ..................................................................... 6 New Feats .......................................................................... 7 New Classes .................................................................... 10 Bloodlines ........................................................................ 13 Equipment ....................................................................... 16 Chapter 2: Variant Rules .................................................... 17 Continuing Poison Damage .......................................... 17 Donations and Intervention .......................................... 17 Slower Dying .................................................................. 19 Chapter 3: Magic ................................................................. 20 New and Modified Spells.............................................. 20

New Magic Items ........................................................... 22 Chapter 4: Culture............................................................... 24 Chapter 5: Deities ................................................................ 31 Greek Prehistory............................................................. 31 Olympian Gods and Titans ........................................... 32 Olympian Genealogy .................................................... 33 Olympian Symbology .................................................... 35 Chapter 6: History ............................................................... 36 Chapter 7: Running the Campaign ................................... 39 Mythic Elements ............................................................. 39 Wealth, Rewards, & Starting Level .............................. 41 Sample Argonauts Campaign ...................................... 41 Chapter 8: Monsters ............................................................ 44 Appendix: Sources and Suggested Reading ................... 63 OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a .............................. 64

“d20 System” and the “d20 System” logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used according to the terms of the d20 System License version 6.0. A copy of this License can be found at . Dungeons & Dragons® and Wizards of the Coast® are Registered Trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, and are used with Permission. All rights reserved. The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. All other content is ©2004 Sean K Reynolds. This edition of New Argonauts is produced under version 1.0a, 4.0, and/or draft versions of the Open Game License, the d20 System Trademark Logo Guide, and the System Reference Document by permission of Wizards of the Coast. Subsequent

versions of this product will incorporate final versions of the license, guide, and document. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction, retransmission, or unauthorized use of the artwork or non-Open Game Content herein is prohibited without express written permission from Monte Cook or Sean K Reynolds, except for purposes of review or use of Open Game Content consistent with the Open Game License. In other words, I pay my rent from money made from this book, please don’t fileshare it. The original purchaser may print or photocopy copies for his or her own personal use only (including for use in their gaming group). This document is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental.

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Introduction by the Author Welcome to The New Argonauts, a book for running campaigns in mythic Greece. Before ge�ing into what this book is, let me cover what this book is not. It’s not a full history of Greece in the classic era. It’s not a comprehensive survey of culture and geography in the Hellenic world. It’s not an accurate representation of religion in ancient Greece. It’s not a suitable source for a term paper on Greek myths. It’s not here to educate, illuminate, or proselytize. It’s not an a�empt to cram dwarves, elves, paladins, wizards, otyughs, and the tarrasque into mythic Greece.

This book is intended to be enough information to let you run a short campaign (8-12 sessions or even longer) set in mythic Greece. If you like Troy, Clash of the Titans, Jason and the Argonauts, or similar movies, this book is the key to heroic adventure. Heroes are masters of the sword and spear, magic is in the hands of the gods or of mysterious sorcerer-women, and the world’s monsters are unique creatures born of the gods or special circumstances rather than members of a race of similar-shaped things. This is what I call “an Argonauts campaign.” I like experimenting with variant campaign ideas, particularly short-term ones. Super heroes doomed to die, Greek heroes, musketeers, angel PCs, demon PCs, and so on. I ran an Argonauts campaign in the spring of 2004 for some of my friends from work. We really got into the spirit of the game and had a great time. I hope that you enjoy this book and have a fun time using it. Throughout this book, a dagger symbol (†) refers to a new feat, spell, item, or class found in this book. All other references to game material are from the Core Rulebooks. Any reference to “Hellenes” means “Greeks,” “Hellenic” means “having to do with Greece” (the ancient Greeks a�er the time of Homer called their land Hellas and themselves Hellenes). One last note about the game content in this book: It’s designed for an Argonauts campaign, but most of it can be used as-is for a standard campaign. Some of it requires some adjustment for a standard campaign; these changes are noted with the rules in question. Anything without such a note is A-OK for use in a standard fantasy campaign. I’m tempted to swear by the Styx that it is so....

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Chapter 1: Characters The heroes of mythic Greece were all skilled in ba�le, skilled in cra� or trade, backed by the gods, and almost always male. This chapter details the creation process for characters made specifically for this campaign, as well as special rules regarding classes, skills, and feats in the campaign.

wishing to take the route of a healer or priest should look to the Hellenic Priest† and Field Surgeon† feats. Druid: As cleric. Fighter: This is the staple class of the mythic Greek hero. Because heavy armor and tower shields aren’t available in this campaign, fighters are not proficient in either of those equipment categories. To compensate for this loss of a class ability, all fighter characters gain Combat Expertise as a bonus feat (even if they don’t meet the prerequisites for the feat) to reflect their greater awareness of defensive combat maneuvers (see also notes on this feat in the feats section below). Heal is a class skill for fighters in this campaign. Monk: While the Greeks prized wrestling as a measure of strength and skill, the concept of a martial artist in this style is contrary to the theme of the campaign, and this class is not available. Those wishing to play Greek wrestler characters should take levels in fighter and use fighter bonus feats to select appropriate combat feats such as Improved Grapple. Paladin: The spellcasting and overt magical abilities of this class make it unsuitable for an Argonauts campaign. Players wanting a holy warrior character should take fighter levels and the Hellenic Priest† feat. Ranger: While the Greeks admired hunters, the spellcasting abilities of this class make it unsuitable for an Argonauts campaign. Players wanting a skilled hunter or tracker character should take levels in fighter and rogue, and select the Track feat. Rogue: Many heroes in the myths had to sneak past monsters or escape from enemy dungeons, and as such it is the second-most common class for

Races

In a standard Argonauts campaign, humans are the only available race; in mythic Greece there were no dwarves, elves, or other humanoid races that are the staple of fantasy games. Creatures such as centaurs and satyrs exist, but they tend to be wild creatures and are generally unaccepted in human society, so such creatures are not allowed as PC races. However, in the myths most heroes were descended from the gods. Heracles and Perseus were sons of Zeus, as was Cadmus. Asclepius (founder of medicine) was the son of Apollo, and Orion and Theseus (slayer of the minotaur) were sons of Poseidon. Many of these god-fathered (and sometimes god-mothered) mortals went on to become great kings, and their children o�en became great heroes as well. In the stories these godly bloodlines usually just meant extraordinary luck or perhaps enhanced physical prowess (such as Heracles’ incredible strength). In a fantasy campaign we can do something a li�le more exciting; the typical PC in an Argonauts campaign is descended from a god or goddess (two or more generations previous) and has a bloodline (see below).

Classes

The Greek heroes were masters of ba�le or extremely clever, not meddlers in magic. This affects class selection in an Argonauts campaign. The short form is that only the barbarian, fighter, and rogue classes are available in an Argonauts campaign; see below for further explanation. Barbarian: Barbarian is an available class, but its rage ability reminds many people of the crazed babble of uncivilized foreigners or the madness of a cursed hero, so this class isn’t popular among even the martial-minded people of mythic Greece. Only the followers of Ares, god of ba�le-lust, are comfortable around barbarians. Bard: While the Greeks loved music, song, and poetry, bardic spellcasting is not possible in mythic Greece and this class is not available. Those wishing to play a master musician like Orpheus, capable of swaying the heart of Hades himself and causing rocks to shed tears of sorrow, should consider the Orphean Music† feat listed later in this chapter. Cleric: As there are no spellcasters of this type in mythic Greece, this class is unavailable. Those

Asclepius, the First Doctor

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Chapter One: Characters characters in an Argonauts campaign. Heal and Survival are class skills for rogues in this campaign. Sorcerer: The spellcasting of this class is unsuitable for the style of magic in this campaign. Players wanting a magical character should consider the Hellenic sorceress† class (see below). Wizard: As sorcerer.

may take levels in the warrior class, though it is slightly weaker than a PC class. Like fighters, warriors gain Combat Expertise as a bonus feat (whether or not they meet the prerequisites) and Heal is a class skill for them.

Prestige Classes

Most prestige classes in the core books are unsuitable for an Argonauts campaign, relying on spellcasting classes (arcane archer, arcane trickster, archmage, dragon disciple, eldritch knight, hierophant, loremaster, mystic theurge, thaumaturgist) or nonhuman races (arcane archer, dwarven defender), or supernatural elements not present in the campaign (blackguard, shadowdancer). The prestige classes not disqualified for those reasons are listed below. Assassin: Though considered cowardly compared to face-to-face combatants, assassins have played a role in the Greek myths, and from time to time even some of the greatest heroes have opted to kill their enemies with stealth and trickery. Assassins in an Argonauts campaign do not learn or cast spells. Duelist: Duelists in an Argonauts campaign tend to use short swords or daggers (since rapiers are not available in the campaign). Given the acceptance of nudity in Greece, many duelists choose to fight completely naked. Horizon Walker: Contained within the loose borders of the Greek civilization are dozens of mysterious islands, remote mountain peaks, and dangerous caves leading to monstrous lairs and even the underworld. Horizon walkers are heroes comfortable or at least familiar with these locales (one could argue that Odysseus was a horizon walker). In an Argonauts campaign, the later levels of the class grant only terrain mastery (not planar terrain mastery). Scorpion Scion: This class is available at SeanKReynolds.com, and is useable as-is in an Argonauts campaign. Serpent Archer: This class is available at SeanKReynolds.com. In an Argonauts campaign, the class does not grant the Cra� Snake Salve and Cra� Greater Snake Salve abilities. Instead, at 3rd level the poison DC for the archer’s snakes increases by +1, and at 7th level it increases by another +1.

NPC Classes

Some of the NPC classes are unsuitable for an Argonauts campaign, while a couple of them may be appropriate for PCs with unusual backgrounds. Adept: As cleric. Aristocrat: Most nobles in mythic Greece are from military families and most of them take levels in the fighter or warrior class, but those who are good with words as well as weapons sometimes begin as aristocrats. Like fighters, aristocrats gain Combat Expertise as a bonus feat (even if they don’t meet the prerequisites). Unlike fighters, Heal is not a class skill for aristocrats. Commoner: The bulk of the regular people in the world of the Greeks are commoners. In most cases, Greek heroes should not have commoner levels; by definition they are greater than your typical person. The class is unchanged from the core rules. Expert: Some Greek myths (namely those involving Asclepius and Daedalus) are about especially clever folk rather than great warriors, and clearly in game terms they possessed levels in the expert class. PCs in an Argonauts campaign may take levels in the expert class, though it is slightly weaker than a PC class. It is unchanged from the core rules. Warrior: Warriors are the rank-and-file soldiers of the Greek world. PCs in an Argonauts campaign Behind The Curtain: Compensating For Weaker Armor

One of the balancing acts in the game is between the AC of player characters and the attack ability of monsters; both scale up as characters grow more powerful, though AC tends to scale more slowly. In an Argonauts campaign, most characters are fighters and the main way they improve their AC is through better mundane armor. With no heavy armor in the campaign, player character AC is significantly lower than the typical game setup, and characters are going to get hit more often and therefore take damage more often. When coupled with the scarcity of quick healing in the game (as there are no true spellcasters), it means a greater chance of PC death, especially in facing monsters that can deal significant amounts of damage but don’t have great attack values. Rather than trying to adjust the CRs of every monster the PCs might encounter, it’s a simple matter to give fighters the Combat Expertise feat as a bonus feat, even if they don’t meet the prerequisites. Not only does this compensate for the fighter losing heavy armor proficiency, it suits the feel of the campaign (agile lightly-armored men running around in a warm climate). As the cleric and paladin are the only other classes that get heavy armor proficiency, and neither of those classes is available in an Argonauts campaign, the bonus feat also makes sure the fighter is at an advantage compared to a rogue or other character who normally wears lighter armor.

Skills

This section explains any changes to skills in the game. If a skill isn’t listed, it operates according to the standard rules. Note that several comments below suggest the DM discourage players from

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Chapter One: Characters taking ranks in certain skills; this is not an a�empt to trick or cheat the players, but rather to prevent them from wasting skill points on skills that will rarely or never be used in the course of the campaign (just as a campaign on a desert world is unlikely to ever call for using the Swim skill). Concentration: As this skill relates mostly to spellcasting, it has almost no use in an Argonauts campaign, and you should discourage players from selecting this skill. The Hellenic sorceress† class, however, casts spells, and some of the godly bloodlines (see the Bloodlines section, below) grant spell-like abilities, so characters of these types may need some ranks in this skill. Cra�: Characters cannot use this skill to create items that surpass the technological level of the campaign (for example, heavy armor; see Equipment, below). Cra� (alchemy) is only a class skill for the Hellenic sorceress† class or characters with the Hellenic Alchemy† feat. Decipher Script: One of the benefits of the height of classical Greek civilization is that the entire campaign area is familiar with the Greek language and almost always uses Greek for writings. As such, Decipher Script has li�le use, and unless you plan to incorporate other languages into the campaign, you should discourage characters from selecting this skill. Disable Device: The use of traps in this campaign is limited, and unless you plan to increase the use of traps in a campaign, you should discourage players from selecting this skill. Heal: Because magical healing is rare in an Argonauts campaign, the use of Heal to stabilize characters and accelerate healing from rest is vital. Because of this need (and the relatively strong awareness of general hygiene and medicine in this era), Heal is a class skill for fighters and rogues, and the Asclepian Doctor† and Field Surgeon† feats expand the utility of this skill. Knowledge (arcana): Given the limited presence of magic in the campaign, this skill is of limited use, and you should discourage your players from choosing it. Knowledge (dungeoneering): The Argonauts campaign has few elements of underground exploration, and you should discourage your players from selecting this skill. Knowledge (geography): This skill is useful for knowing details about foreign lands, particularly when the Greek civilization spread far and touched (and mixed with) elements of foreign cultures. Knowledge (history): This skill lets you recall information about the various monsters of the Greek world and their strange abilities (DCs for such

things are included in the monster’s description), as well as the tales of the accomplishments of great heroes. In an Argonauts campaign there is no bard class, so having 5 ranks in this skill does not provide a synergy bonus to bardic knowledge checks. Knowledge (nature): This skill is helpful for knowing about natural creatures of the world, but not monstrous ones. For example, if confronted with a Calydonian boar (see the Monsters chapter), you would be able to make certain assumptions about its behavior because it is a giant boar, but you wouldn’t know about any of its magical or otherwise non-boarlike qualities (such as its carnivorous diet, ability to heal quickly, and so on). Knowledge (nobility and royalty): This skill helps when trying to determine a king’s lineage, such as whether or not he has a great hero or god in his ancestry. Knowledge (religion): Similar to Knowledge (history), this skill is useful in remembering tales of the exploits of the gods on Earth and their interactions with each other. In an Argonauts campaign there are no clerics or paladins, so 5 ranks in this skill does not provide a synergy bonus to turn undead checks. Knowledge (the planes): Viewing the planes as distinct dimensions is a foreign concept to the Greeks; the gods lived at the top of Mount Behind the Curtain: Spellcasters Need Not Apply

Probably the biggest difference between an Argonauts campaign and a standard campaign is that the Argonauts game assumes that everyone is going to be some sort of fighter and that spellcasters are very, very rare. In a set of game rules where two of the four iconic classes are spellcasters, not having spellcasters in the party makes a huge difference in how the game plays. Creatures with DR/magic are suddenly much more powerful because magic weapons are much less common (and there’s nobody around to cast magic weapon). Creatures with spell resistance are weaker than they appear because they were designed to be challenging to a party that includes spellcasters. Player characters have access to very few area-attack effects. The role of the Will save (and to a lesser extent the Reflex save) diminishes. Monsters that deal a lot of damage are far more deadly because there’s no cleric on hand to heal a PC during combat. PCs have a harder time dealing with the expected four encounters per adventuring day because they can’t heal up in between encounters. Material in this book is designed to take these changes into account. PCs have an easier time making magic items out of strange monster parts, despite not having spellcaster levels needed for the various item creation feats. Feats like Toughness give a little more than they do in a standard campaign. New feats like Armor Defense Mastery† and Counter Combat Style† improve a PC’s chances of avoiding extra damage or being hit at all, and feats like Hellenic Priest† and Field Surgeon† give PCs access to needed healing. Standard monsters from the MM have been retooled so they deal less damage per round. Many of the monsters have poison attacks, against which the goodFort-save fighter characters are strong. These options were created with an Argonauts campaign in mind, but they’re equally applicable to any campaign where spellcasters are rare or nonexistent. As a general rule in game design, if you make a significant change to some aspect of the game, it’s a good idea to think about how that change affects other parts of the game, and plan ways to compensate for it.

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Chapter One: Characters Olympus and the realm of the dead is a place you can reach through the proper caves. Information about Olympus and the underworld is handled by Knowledge (religion). You should discourage players from taking this skill. Open Lock: Locks are fairly simple in this time period and it is extremely rare to find a lock of good quality (DC 30) or higher, so unless you plan on using more difficult locks, most characters don’t need more than 10 ranks in this skill unless they want to routinely open locks without taking 20. Perform: Keyboard instruments are unavailable in this time period. The most common instruments are the lyre, drum, pan pipes, and flute. Profession: Professions that require higher technology (such as siege engineer) are unavailable in this campaign. Ride: Most heroes in Greek myth did not ride horses, but there is no reason why they couldn’t. However, war-trained mounts are unusual and normally harnessed to chariots rather than ridden directly. Speak Language: As with Decipher Script, the Argonauts campaign assumes that almost everyone the heroes encounter speaks some Greek; even the intelligent monsters speak Greek rather than a racial language. If you increase the prevalence of other languages, this skill may be useful, but for most campaigns you should discourage players from selecting this skill. Characters with bonus languages from a high Intelligence score can also use these bonus languages to learn different dialects of Greek (Athenian, Spartan, Theban, and so on), allowing them to speak without a recognizable accent, and ranks in this skill may be used for that purpose as well.

Spellcra�: Given the limited presence of magic in the campaign, this skill is of limited use, and you should discourage your players from choosing it. Survival: Because this campaign has no ranger class, rogues have Survival as a class skill. Use Magic Device: Given the limited presence of magic in the campaign, this skill is of limited use, and you should discourage your players from choosing it.

Feat Changes

This section explains any changes to feats in the game. If a feat isn’t listed, it operates according to the standard rules. Note that Skill Focus and some of the “+2/+2” feats described in the Player’s Handbook refer to limited-use skills as described in the section above; those feats are not called out here. Armor Proficiency (heavy): This feat is not available. Brew Potion: This feat is not available. A character who wants to cra� magic items should choose the Hellenic Alchemy† feat (see New Feats, below). Combat Expertise: All fighters gain this feat as a bonus feat. A character with a base a�ack bonus of +6 or higher can use that value as the limit for this feat rather than the default +5/-5 value (for example, a character with a +10 BAB could take up to a -10 penalty to a�ack in exchange for up to a +10 bonus to AC). This helps compensate for the lack of heavy armor in the campaign (and thus a reduced ability to achieve the high armor classes available in a standard campaign). Cra� Magic Arms and Armor: See Brew Potion. Cra� Rod: See Brew Potion. Cra� Staff: See Brew Potion. Cra� Wand: See Brew Potion. Cra� Wondrous Item: See Brew Potion. Dodge: Rather than using this feat, try the Defensive Stance† feat presented in the New Feats section. Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Because there are no exotic weapons generally available in the campaign, this feat is of limited use unless you decide to introduce such weapons. Extra Turning: As there are no classes in the Argonauts campaign that can turn undead, and because of the almost-complete absence of undead in the campaign, this feat is not available. Forge Ring: See Brew Potion. Improved Critical: This feat stacks with the keen weapon property. Improved Turning: See Extra Turning. Iron Will: In the Argonauts campaign there are few creatures that have Will-save effects (sirens

Greek Names

There are hundreds of common Greek names. The names on the short lists presented here were chosen because they sound Greek and periodappropriate. Note that in Greek, a word is pronounced the same whether it ends in “a” or “e” and can be spelled either way. For example, Athena and Athene are the same name and are pronounced the same way (ah-THEENah). However, you should feel free to pronounce them any way you think sounds best. Male Names: Adras, Aeneas, Baltsaros, Baruch, Cadmus, Chrysostom, Demetrius, Doran, Etor, Eusebius, Feodor, Feodras, Gelasius, Gregor, Hesperos, Hippolytusr, Isidore, Istvan, Jeno, Jerome, Kratos, Kyros, Leander, Lysander, Maur, Meletios, Nestor, Nicolaus, Ophelos, Owen, Phineas, Porfirio, Rasmus, Rodas, Sebastian, Stefano, Theodosios, Theron, Ulysses, Urian, Vanko, Vasilis, Xenophon, Xenos, Zale, Zoltan. Female Names: Alyssa, Ambrosine, Basilia, Berenice, Calantha, Corinna, Daphne, Dorcas, Erianthe, Euphemia, Fern, Filomena, Gelasia, Giancinta, Hermandine, Hyacinthe, Iolanthe, Isaura, Jacinta, Jarina, Kalliope, Kolete, Larissa, Lycoris, Marmara, Melita, Neoma, Niobe, Odessa, Ophelia, Parthenia, Pyrena, Resi, Rhodanthe, Sandra, Sophia, Theophania, Thera, Urania, Venessa, Veronica, Xanthia, Xenia, Yalena, Yolanda, Zenobia, Zoe.

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Chapter One: Characters being one of them), so this feat is much less useful than in a standard campaign. If you know for sure you aren’t going to use such creatures in your campaign, do not let players select this feat, as they’ll never make Will saving throws and are wasting a feat if they take this. Lightning Reflexes: Similar to Iron Will, there are few creatures in the campaign that have area-effect a�acks (dragons and the chimera are two that do). Manyshot: This feat is not available (the author has run the numbers on it and determined that it’s too good as presented). Martial Weapon Proficiency: This can only be used to gain proficiency in weapons available in the campaign; taking Martial Weapon Proficiency (composite longbow) doesn’t suddenly make composite longbows available in stores. Rapid Shot: This feat has a -3 penalty rather than -2. Scribe Scroll: See Brew Potion. Simple Weapon Proficiency: As Martial Weapon Proficiency. Toughness: This feat gives +5 hit points rather that +3. Tower Shield Proficiency: This feat is not available.

You know exactly where the strongest parts of your armor (or shield) are, enabling you to twist your body to place those parts between your vital organs and an incoming a�ack, thus reducing the chance of a successful sneak a�ack or critical hit. Once per round, when hit by such an a�ack, you have a 25% chance to turn that sneak a�ack or critical hit into a normal hit (similar to the fortification magic armor property). You must be wearing armor or a shield to use this ability and you must be proficient in that armor or shield. You cannot use this ability if you are denied your Dexterity bonus to AC, cannot see the source of an a�ack, or cannot otherwise react to a�acks. If you are wearing fortification armor or have a similar effect, use the greater value (do not make a d% roll for this ability and for the fortification ability). Example: Thyrsos is wearing breastplate armor and ba�ling a Thracian rogue and a priest scion of Hermes (currently invisible using his scion ability). The rogue and priest are flanking Thyrsos, so the rogue’s a�ack is a sneak a�ack. The rogue a�acks Thyrsos and hits. Carlos rolls d% and gets a 21, which is less than 25%, so the rogue’s a�ack is just a normal hit, not a sneak a�ack. The priest on his turn rolls a critical hit with his spear against Thyrsos. Thyrsos cannot use this feat to negate the priest’s critical hit because he has already used it this round to negate the rogue’s sneak a�ack and also because the priest was invisible when he struck the critical hit (so Thyrsos could not see where the priest’s spear was coming from).

New Feats

This section describes the new feats available in an Argonauts campaign. Some of the feats are balanced for the special circumstances of this campaign and are not appropriate as wri�en for general campaign use; these feats contain notes at the end explaining what changes to make for these feats to be balanced according to a standard campaign. Some feats are marked with the [Fighter] descriptor; fighters can use their bonus feats to select these feats.

Asclepian Doctor [General]

Your knowledge of medicine lets you perform miracles of healing. Prerequisites: Field Surgeon†, Heal 10 ranks. Benefit: You can use the Heal skill to perform complex surgery and use advanced treatment methods to cure mortal wounds and terminal afflictions. The required treatment determines the DC of the Heal check. Treatment DC Neutralize poison 15 + poison DC Remove disease 15 + poison DC Cure hit points 20 Repair injury 20 Raise the dead 30 + number of days dead

Armor Defense Mastery [Fighter, General]

Your specialized awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of your armor allows you to be�er utilize it in combat to protect yourself. Prerequisites: Armor Proficiency (any), Dex 13, Tumble 1 rank or Lightning Reflexes. Benefit: When wearing armor in which you are proficient, the maximum Dexterity bonus for that armor is treated as 1 greater than normal (for example, a breastplate would have a maximum Dexterity bonus of +4).

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Chapter One: Characters Neutralize Poison: You detoxify one poison from a creature or object, similar to using the spell of the same name. Remove Disease: You cure one disease present in the target creature, similar to using the spell of the same name. Cure Hit Points: You cure 1d10 hit points as if using a cure spell. This is immediate curing rather than the delayed effect of field surgery. Repair Injury: You can repair permanent injuries or debilitations such as a crippled leg or blindness. The patient can’t regrow missing tissue, so recovering lost limbs or repairing blindness from having one’s eyes torn out cannot be accomplished. Raise the Dead: You can restore life to a person killed by poison, disease, or injury, subject to the limitations of the raise dead spell. The gods do not appreciate mortals raising the dead, however, and Zeus hurled a thunderbolt at the last mortal to do so.... Treating a patient normally takes 1 hour. You may take 20 on this check. Reducing the time to 10 minutes, 5 minutes, or 1 minute respectively adds +5, +10, or +15 to the DC. Try Again: Yes.

A creature using more than one a�ack type in a round (such as a four-armed creature using two manufactured weapons and two claw a�acks) can be considered having different “sets” of a�acks, and each “set” counts as the appropriate a�ack types. Example: A xill normally uses two short swords and two claws, and its a�acks can be classified as two “sets”: one using two-weapon fighting style, one using natural a�ack style. A character with either Counter Combat Style (two-weapon fighting) or Counter Combat Style (natural weapon fighting) gets the shield bonus from this feat when fighting the xill. You can never gain more than a +2 shield bonus from this feat against any particular creature (so a character with both feats mentioned in the xill example would still only have a +2 shield bonus to AC). You cannot gain the benefit of this feat when you are unable to identify the combat style of your a�acker (your a�acker is invisible, you are blinded, etc.), nor when you are incapable of defending yourself (if you are helpless, denied your Dexterity bonus to AC, or flat-footed). Note: A two-handed creature using a natural weapon in one hand and a manufactured weapon in the other counts as the two-weapon fighting style and the natural weapon style (either Counter Combat Style feat applies); it does not count as the one-handed weapon style (as that style requires the other hand to not be holding a weapon). A creature holding a weapon in one hand but not using it that round counts as not having a weapon in that hand until its next turn (therefore a character holding a sword and dagger who only a�acks with the sword counts as using the one-handed fighting style until its next turn, when it has the option of using the dagger as part of its a�ack routine). Unarmed strikes count as natural weapons for the purpose of this feat. A character making off-hand unarmed strikes or monk flurries also counts as using the two-weapon fighting style, as does a character a�acking with a spiked shield in its off hand. Special: You may gain this feat up to four times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new a�ack style.

Counter Combat Style [Fighter, General]

Choose a particular style of a�ack, such as “twoweapon fighting” or “two-handed weapon fighting.” You can be�er defend yourself against enemies using this style against you. Possible a�ack styles for this feat are natural weapons, two-weapon fighting (two weapons, each in opposite hands), one-handed weapon fighting (using a weapon onehanded, with the other hand carrying a shield or otherwise not wielding a weapon), and two-handed weapon fighting (using a weapon two-handed, whether or not it is required for the weapon). Prerequisites: BAB +4. Benefit: You gain a +2 shield bonus to Armor Class against a�acks from creatures using the selected a�ack style. This shield bonus stacks with the bonus from an actual shield or other sources, but not with itself. You gain the benefits of this feat against all appropriate opponents and can use different defenses against simultaneous a�ackers with different styles. For example, if you have all four versions of this feat and you are a�acked by four creatures, each using a different a�ack style, you gain the shield bonus against all four of them. Creatures using multiweapon fighting count as using a two-weapon fighting a�ack, as multiweapon fighting is the two-weapon fighting style for creatures with more than two weapon-using limbs.

Defensive Stance [Fighter, General]

(Used with permission from Monte Cook.) You are trained at avoiding and blocking blows. Prerequisites: Dexterity 13. Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class against all melee a�acks. Special: A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes

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Chapter One: Characters you lose Dodge bonuses. You must be aware of the a�ack to gain this bonus. As always, dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonuses.

Benefit: You may create various magic items described in Chapter 3: Magic as long as you meet the prerequisites. Cra�ing items with this feat uses the normal rules for cra�ing magic items. Cra� (alchemy) is always a class skill for you. Note: This is a universal item creation feat for an Argonauts campaign, allowing a heroic character to cra� magic items suitable for the campaign without having to take multiple feats or introducing inappropriate items such as scrolls and wands. It has limited use outside of an Argonauts campaign unless the DM determines equivalent prerequisites for other magic items.

Extra Greater Bloodline Use [General]

You can use your greater bloodline ability (see Bloodlines, below) more o�en than normal. Prerequisites: Greater bloodline with a uses/day limitation. Benefit: You can use your greater bloodline ability one additional time per day.

Field Surgeon [Fighter, General]

Hellenic Priest [General]

Your awareness of human anatomy allows you to perform simple surgery to treat wounds. Prerequisites: Heal 5 ranks. Benefit: You can perform simple field surgery, allowing creatures to recover more quickly from their wounds. Field surgery expends one use from a healer’s kit. To perform field surgery, you must make a Heal check and spend time treating an injured creature; success means that on the creature’s next rest period it heals 1d4 points of damage (this is in addition to the normal amount healed from resting and with being under longterm care from a person with the Heal skill). The amount of time you take treating the injury determines the DC of the check according to the following table. Treatment Time DC 1 minute 25 5 minutes 20 10 minutes 15 You decide how long you will perform the surgery before making the check. You cannot take 20 on this check. If you fail the check by 4 or less, nothing happens. If you fail this check by 5 or more, the patient loses 1 hit point. If this puts the patient below 0 hit points, he starts dying. You can use field surgery on a creature multiple times, but the additional healing from field surgery in one day cannot exceed the patient’s Constitution score (additional surgeries have no effect). Example: A patient with Constitution 10 cannot recover more than 10 additional hit points from field surgery per day. Try Again: You may try again as long as the patient is alive.

The gods have given you the power to heal with a touch. Prerequisites: Heal 2 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 1 rank, worshiper of an Olympian god. Benefit: Three times per day, you may call upon the power of the gods to heal a creature 1d4 points of damage. This is a supernatural ability, and only works on yourself or other worshippers of the Olympian gods. Heal is always a class skill for you. This feat requires you to pay proper homage to the Olympian gods and respect their edicts. Failure to do so strips you of the ability to use this feat until you have atoned for your transgressions, similar to a cleric becoming an ex-cleric. Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time you take it gives you three additional uses of this ability per day. Note: In a standard campaign, this feat can be used for other (non-Greek) pantheons. It is a spelllike ability (equivalent level 0) and only heals 1-2 points of damage per use.

Leaping Strike [Fighter, General]

You can leap to a�ack enemies from unexpected directions. Prerequisites: Medium size, Jump 8 ranks, BAB +5. Benefit: As part of a charge a�ack, make a Jump check (DC 16 if your target is Medium, 24 if Large, 32 if Huge). If you succeed, you may make an a�ack as normal, except if the a�ack hits, it automatically threatens a critical hit. If you drop the target with the a�ack, you can continue moving in a straight line to the extent of your remaining movement available.

Hellenic Alchemy [Item Creation]

Luck of the Gods [General]

Your skill with natural materials lets you create fantastic items. Prerequisites: Cra� (alchemy) 1 rank.

The gods look favorably on your activities and subtly aid you when you are in trouble.

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Chapter One: Characters Prerequisites: Scion of an Olympian god. Benefit: You get a +1 luck bonus to all three saving throw categories.

with the Hellenic sorceress class, uniquely suited for the limited magic of the Argonauts campaign.

Monster Hunter [Fighter, General]

In the Greek myths, the only beings who practice magic are the gods and a few mortal women who devote themselves to the darker aspects of Hecate, the goddess of magic. Feared for their power by other mortals, they are tainted in some slight way, either by a lack of morals or a touch of madness. Still, the Hellenic sorceress is a woman with many skills valuable to a traveling hero, and more than once she has been the only reason the heroes succeeded, or survived at all. Circe and Medea are examples of the Hellenic sorceress class. Adventurers: Most Hellenic sorceresses prefer to work alone in secluded places, pursuing their magic to the exclusion of all else, but from time to time they encounter someone worth their a�ention, and once convinced that their involvement would benefit them they have been known to travel with adventuring heroes on their adventures. Their experiences researching the depths of the mind and the underworld inure them to the commonplace horrors of the mortal world, and o�en the sorceress finds herself bolstering the courage of her heroic allies frozen at the sight of some horrific monster created at the birth of the world. Characteristics: Hellenic sorceresses cast arcane spells, many of which draw upon the sorceress’ knowledge of strange drugs and magical herbs. Their spells are oriented toward affecting creatures’ minds, creating illusions, certain aspects of necromancy, and transforming men into beasts. They have li�le interest in weapons, preferring to thwart enemies with spells and protect themselves with special magic and intervention by allies or charmed slaves. Alignment: Because they study things mortals were not meant to know and sometimes flaunt the laws of mortals and gods, few Hellenic sorceresses are good or lawful. Because some of their spells draw on evil forces, even the rare good sorceresses usually become neutral or evil a�er a while. Religion: All Hellenic sorceresses worship the Greek gods, for they understand that all power, magical or otherwise, comes from the gods or their titan forbears. In fact, many Hellenic sorceresses are directly descended from the gods (Circe was a daughter of Helios, god of the sun, and some say that Medea was Circe’s niece). They specifically revere Hecate as their patron goddess. Sorceresses are still mortals and have been known to defy godly laws—Medea murdered her own brother, one of the most terrible sins in Greek culture—but

You studied the legends of the strange monsters of the Greek world and learned the best ways to fight them. Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks against the monsters of Greek myth (listed in Chapter 9: Monsters), as well as a +1 to weapon damage rolls against these creatures.

Nature Spirit Lore [General]

You are familiar with dryads, river nymphs, and other embodiments of the natural world. Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks for dealing with dryads, wood nymphs, river gods, and other nature-guardian entities of mythic Greece.

Orphean Music [General]

You know how to use music to inspire courage and counter hostile musical effects. Prerequisites: Charisma 13, Perform 3 ranks. Benefit: Once per day per character level, you can use the power of music to either inspire courage or countersong, just as if you were a bard.

Scholar [General]

You have studied with the learned men of Greece and have taken these studies to heart. Prerequisites: Intelligence 11. Benefit: All Knowledge skills are class skills for you. Choose two skills (Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or a Knowledge skill); you get a +1 bonus to checks for those two skills. Special: You can only take this feat as a 1st-level character, and only if you are not a barbarian.

Touch of Immortality [General]

The blood of an immortal runs strongly in your veins. Prerequisites: Scion of an Olympian god. Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to Fortitude saves and +2 hit points. When at 0 or fewer hit points, you have a 25% chance to stabilize per round. Normal: Without this feat you have only a 10% chance to stabilize per round.

New Classes

Spellcasters in the Hellenic world were usually mysterious women, sometimes of ambiguous ethics and character. These characters can be built

Hellenic Sorceress

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Chapter One: Characters if they do so they still keep their magical powers, though they may be punished by the gods for their transgressions. Background: Sorceresses are born with the talent for their magic, but most never realize it because they are never initiated into the study of magic. The lucky few are found by an established sorceress, trained in the basics of magic, and then leave to study on their own. This means that every sorceress knows at least one other of her kind, though they may not be friendly toward each other. Most established sorceresses usually have one or more apprentices on hand to work as servants while they learn magic. Other Classes: Sorceresses see the world divided into three parts: the gods, sorceresses, and everyone else. Many treat common people and even heroes with u�er contempt, regardless of their profession, valuing them only for the minimal services they can perform. Role: The sorceress is the source of magic and knowledge in the party. Of all the classes in the Argonauts campaign, only the sorceress has any sort of spellcasting and access to multiple Knowledge class skills. While she has few direct-

damage a�acks, her magic is useful for bolstering her allies or befuddling strong enemies. Game Rule Information Hellenic sorceresses have the following game statistics. Abilities: Like a regular sorcerer, a Hellenic sorceress’ most important ability score is Charisma, which determines the most powerful spells she can cast, whether or not she gets any bonus spells per pay, and the DC of her spells. Because she normally doesn’t wear armor, a high Dexterity score greatly improves her defensive ability. Alignment: Any. Hit Die: d6. Class Skills The Hellenic sorceress’ class skills are Appraise, Bluff, Concentration, Cra� (including poisonmaking), Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (religion), Perform (sing), Ride, and Sense Motive. Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier. Class Features All of the following are class features for the Hellenic sorceress. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Hellenic sorceress is proficient in all simple weapons but not with any armor or with shields. Sorcerer Spellcasting: A Hellenic sorceress casts like a standard sorcerer (arcane spells, Charismabased casting, spells known and spells per day limitation, losing old spells, no preparation), except as follows. Custom Spell List: A sorceress’ spells are drawn from a custom spell list (see below) rather than the default sorcerer spell list. No High-Level Spells: Because the level of magic in the Greek myths (and thus an Argonauts campaign) is weaker than your standard fantasy campaign, the Hellenic sorceress spell list has no spells above 5th-level. To offset this, the sorceress has other special abilities that augment her spellcasting (see below). Versatile Slots: When a sorceress would normally gain a new spell known of level 6, 7, 8, or 9, she may instead use it for one of two things. First, she may use it to learn a lower-level spell

Hecate, Goddess of Magic

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Chapter One: Characters Table 2-1: The Hellenic Sorceress Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th

Base Attack Fort Ref Will Bonus Save Save Save Special +0 +0 +0 +2 New moon casting +1 +0 +0 +3 +1 +1 +1 +3 +2 +1 +1 +4 Power focus +2 +1 +1 +4 +3 +2 +2 +5 +3 +2 +2 +5 +4 +2 +2 +6 +4 +3 +3 +6 +5 +3 +3 +7 +5 +3 +3 +7 +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 +6/+1 +4 +4 +8 +7/+2 +4 +4 +9 +7/+2 +5 +5 +9 +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 +8/+3 +5 +5 +10 +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 +9/+4 +6 +6 +11 +10/+5 +6 +6 +12

Table 2-2: Hellenic Sorceress Spells Known Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th

0 1st 2nd 4 2 — 5 2 — 5 3 — 6 3 1 6 4 2 7 4 2 7 5 3 8 5 3 8 5 4 9 5 4 9 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5

—Spells Known— 3rd 4th 5th 6th — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — — 2 — — — 2 1 — — 3 2 — — 3 2 1 — 4 3 2 — 4 3 2 1* 4 4 3 2* 4 4 3 2* 4 4 4 3* 4 4 4 3* 4 4 4 3* 4 4 4 3* 4 4 4 3* 4 4 4 3*

7th — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1* 2* 2* 3* 3* 3* 3*

8th — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1* 2* 2* 3* 3*

9th — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 1* 2* 3*

* A Hellenic sorceress doesn’t gain spells known for these spell levels but can use them for lower-level spells or to increase the DC of one of her existing spells known (see the Versatile Slots ability).

0 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

—Spells per Day— 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 3 — — — — — — — — 4 — — — — — — — — 5 — — — — — — — — 6 3 — — — — — — — 6 4 — — — — — — — 6 5 3 — — — — — — 6 6 4 — — — — — — 6 6 5 3 — — — — — 6 6 6 4 — — — — — 6 6 6 5 3 — — — — 6 6 6 6 4 — — — — 6 6 6 6 5 3 — — — 6 6 6 6 6 4 — — — 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 — — 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 — — 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 — 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 — 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 3 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

on the Hellenic sorceress spell list. Second, she may apply a +1 modifier to the DC of one of her existing spells known. Evil Spells: A good sorceress cannot cast spells with the Evil descriptor. New Moon Casting: Starting at 1st level, under a new moon, or aboveground when the sky conditions obscure the light of the moon (such as heavy clouds), a Hellenic sorceress gets a +1 bonus to her Hellenic sorceress caster level. Power Focus: At 4th level, the sorceress can cra� a handheld power focus item such as a ring, scepter, graven stone, or wand (a short magical stick of wood, bone, or metal, not a spell trigger item in the traditional game sense). She chooses one spell she knows, and increases the DC of that spell by +2 when using the item as a focus component. At 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level she chooses one other spell known to be augmented this way using the same power focus. Cra�ing the focus requires no gp, XP, or time, as it is assumed she has been perfecting this item in her spare time. However, if the focus is ever lost, broken, or stolen she must spend 500 gp, 40 XP, and one day’s work to replace it. Example: Circe is a 4th-level Hellenic sorceress with 18 Charisma. She cra�ed an ivory wand to be her power focus, choosing daze monster as the spell to augment with the focus, increasing its DC from 16 to 18 (10 + 2 spell level + 4 Charisma modifier + 2

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Chapter One: Characters power focus) when she uses the wand as a focus for that spell. At 8th-level she chooses baleful polymorph as a spell known and as her new spell to augment with her power focus, increasing its DC from 18 to 20 when she uses the wand as a focus for that spell. Hellenic Sorceress Spell List: 0—daze, detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound, know direction, light, open/close, purify food and drink, resistance. 1—calm animals, cause fear, charm animal, disguise self*, disrupt undead, endure elements*, obscuring mist, silent image. 2—darkness, daze monster, false life*, fog cloud, gust of wind, lesser earthquake†, minor image, resist energy*, scare, whispering wind. 3—deep slumber*, erase memories†, heroism, major image, deathcloak†. 4—baleful polymorph*, bestow curse, control weather*, crushing despair, dragon chariot†, fear, locate creature, phantasmal killer, remove curse*, stoneskin*. 5—atonement, break enchantment, commune*, finger of death*, hold monster, vitality of youth†. † new spell (see the Magic chapter) * spell is changed from its normal version (see the Magic chapter)

Bloodlines

Most of the heroes of the Greek myths were mortals descended from the gods. Some had exceptional gi�s because of this divine ancestry (such as Heracles’ incredible strength), others had a talent for a particular thing (such as Asclepius’ skill with medicine), others were just lucky. In an Argonauts campaign, these gi�s are called

Behind the Curtain: The Hellenic Sorceress

After spending so much space explaining the lack of spellcasters in the campaign, it may make you wonder why this class is even in the book. The simple answer is that even though the Greek myths describe the exploits of great warrior-heroes and explorers, sorceresses play a key role in two of the best-known Greek tales: the Odyssey, with Circe as the witch who transforms Odysseus’ crew, and the tale of the Argonauts, with Medea as the witch whose magic drugs and herbs are the key to Jason winning the Golden Fleece (and later the key to his ruin). Clearly the Greeks recognized the role of magic in their myths and legends, but their bias toward males and warcraft relegated magic’s role (outside of godly intervention) to that of a foil for the heroes or someone to turn to only when all other things failed. The Hellenic sorceress fits this role in an Argonauts campaign. It is quite possible to run an entire Argonauts campaign without a spellcaster, but some campaigns may require the services of one and in those cases the extreme power of a cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard in a low-magic can throw the system out of whack; the Hellenic sorceress limits the power and abilities of the spellcasting class to something appropriate for a low-magic Argonauts campaign so the DM doesn’t have to worry about a cone of cold wiping out all of the PCs and breaking the feel of the campaign.

bloodlines, and those people with bloodlines are called scions (these are game terms rather than words the people in the campaign use to describe these kinds of heroes). Bloodlines come in three different power levels: minor, lesser, and greater (scions with these bloodlines are minor, lesser, and greater scions, respectively). A typical Argonauts campaign normally has lesser scion PCs, but a DM wanting to bend the campaign’s low-magic framework can use greater scions, while one wanting more realistic campaign can opt to use minor scions (or no scions at all). Bloodlines derive from godly or titanic power, and a scion’s choice of bloodline abilities depends on which god or titan he is descended from. A

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Chapter One: Characters character can only have one bloodline, regardless of how many gods are in his ancestry; a descendant of Zeus’s mortal son and Apollo’s mortal daughter must choose which bloodline is stronger and pick his bloodline abilities based on that choice (he can still claim the other ancestor, but it has no effect on his bloodline abilities). Scions are not just limited to humans; a minotaur might be a scion of Poseidon, and an exceptional horse might be a scion of one of the Anemoi (wind gods). Bloodlines abilities that refer to spells are spelllike abilities unless otherwise stated. The caster level of a bloodline is equal to the character level of the scion.

Dionysus: Gather Information, Perform (acting), Sense Motive Eos: Knowledge (nature), Spot, Survival Eris: Bluff, Disguise, Intimidate Eros: Diplomacy, Gather Information, Sense Motive Hades: Intimidate, Knowledge (religion), Sense Motive Hecate: Concentration, Intimidate, Knowledge (history), Sense Motive Helios: Handle Animal, Spot, Survival Hephaestus: Appraise, Cra� (any one), Knowledge (history) Hera: Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, Hermes: Diplomacy, Knowledge (geography), Move Silently, Perform (lyre) Hestia: Diplomacy, Knowledge (religion), Sense Motive Iris: Diplomacy, Knowledge (geography), Sense Motive Muses: Bluff, Knowledge (history or local), Perform (any one) Nike: Jump, Knowledge (any one), Spot Pan: Jump, Knowledge (nature), Perform (dance or wind instruments), Survival Poseidon: Knowledge (geography or nature), Ride, Swim Selene: Knowledge (history), Spot, Survival Titan (any): Climb, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (any one) Zeus: Diplomacy, Knowledge (nature), Spot, Survival

Minor Bloodlines

Minor bloodlines are the weakest kind available in an Argonauts campaign, enough to help distinguish the PCs from the common folk but nothing flashy. All minor bloodlines are presented as a list of skills; a minor scion picks two skills from his ancestor’s list and gets a +3 bonus to both of those skills. The scion cannot choose the same skill twice except in the case of skills with subskills (such as Cra�, Knowledge, and Perform), in which case the character can select two different subskills (such as Knowledge (nature) and Knowledge (religion)). Anemoi (the Winds): Climb, Jump, Tumble Aphrodite: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information Apollo: Heal, Perform (lyre), Spot Ares: Climb, Intimidate, Jump Artemis: Climb, Jump, Survival Athena: Diplomacy, Knowledge (any one), Spot Demeter: Handle Animal, Knowledge (nature), Survival

Lesser Bloodlines

Lesser bloodlines let PCs build characters with physical or mental abilities beyond that of common people without going outside the bounds of the lowmagic constraints of the se�ing. All lesser bloodlines are presented as a list of ability scores; a lesser scion picks one ability from his ancestor’s list and gains a +2 bonus to that ability score. Note that many gods have Constitution or Charisma as an option; this is because the gods are immortal and may pass on a limited form of that immortality to their offspring, and most of the gods are quite beautiful, vain, and confident, all traits which a scion might inherit. Anemoi (the Winds): Dexterity, Constitution Aphrodite: Constitution, Charisma Apollo: Dexterity, Wisdom, Charisma Ares: Strength, Constitution Artemis: Dexterity, Constitution Athena: Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma Demeter: Constitution, Wisdom Dionysus: Constitution, Charisma Eos: Constitution, Charisma

Bloodlines and Effective Character Level

An Argonauts campaign is a low-magic campaign, at least in terms of what magic the PCs have at their disposal. Unlike a regular campaign, the heroes don’t travel with flaming swords and fire-reflecting armor, though they still may face creatures resistant to normal weapons or using fiery attacks. Bloodlines help players compensate for the lack of magic in the hands of the PCs. Because of this intentional compensation, a group of scions should all begin play with the same level of bloodline (none, minor, lesser, or greater) so parity between the PCs is maintained. In these circumstances, do not adjust character ECL to compensate for the increase in power from a bloodline. If for any reason some PCs are weaker scions than others, the characters with a higher-level bloodline should get a +1 level adjustment to reflect their greater power compared to the other characters. This modifier applies whether the difference is between a lesser and greater scion or between a minor and lesser scion. It is generally not a good idea to mix lesser or greater scions with non-scion characters, or minor scions with greater scions, as the difference in character power can seem unfair; if such a mix is necessary, consider a way to compensate the weaker characters, such as giving them a bonus feat or a +3 bonus to a skill of the player’s choice. Likewise, if using bloodlines in a non-Argonauts campaign, be sure to adjust character ECL to account for the increase in power from a bloodline.

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Chapter One: Characters Eris: Dexterity, Constitution Eros: Dexterity, Charisma Hades: Constitution, Intelligence Hecate: Intelligence, Charisma Helios: Constitution, Charisma Hephaestus: Constitution, Intelligence Hera: Wisdom, Charisma Hermes: Dexterity, Intelligence Hestia: Constitution, Wisdom Iris: Intelligence, Wisdom Muses: Intelligence, Charisma Nike: Strength, Constitution, Wisdom Pan: Dexterity, Constitution Poseidon: Strength, Constitution Selene: Wisdom, Charisma Titan (any): Strength, Constitution, Intelligence Zeus: Strength, Constitution, Charisma

Greater Bloodlines

Greater bloodlines are the most powerful type available in an Argonauts campaign, representing actual magical manifestations of godly power. As such, they slightly bend the rules of the lowmagic nature of the campaign—and don’t have any precedent in the myths—but make the player characters truly amazing in the sight of normal people. All greater bloodlines are presented as a choice between a pair of options; the player chooses one option at character creation and cannot change it therea�er. Most are equivalent to a 2nd-level spell effect, and those not actually derived from spells are treated as 2nd-level spells for determinations requiring an effective spell level. Saving throws against bloodline effects are Charisma-based. Caster level (if appropriate) for a greater bloodline is equal to the scion’s character level. In addition to this choice of a greater bloodline ability, the character gains the effect of a lesser bloodline of their ancestral deity (+2 bonus to one ability score, selected from the list of appropriate ability scores in the lesser bloodlines section). Example: Carlos’ character Thyrsos is a scion of Aphrodite. Wanting to play a character with supernatural influence over other people, Carlos chooses the charm person power instead of the heroism ability, and can also choose a +2 bonus to Constitution or Charisma as determined by the lesser bloodline of Aphrodite. Anemoi (the Winds): Gust of wind once per day or extended expeditious retreat once per day. Aphrodite: Extended charm person once per day or heroism once per day. Apollo: True strike (as a move equivalent action) once per day or cure moderate wounds once per day.

Ares: Ares’ rage once per day or ba�le aura once per day. Ares’ Rage (Ex): You enter a rage similar to barbarian rage, gaining a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution, a +1 morale bonus to Will saves, and a -2 to penalty to AC. Activating this ability is a free action and it lasts 1 round per character level. Unlike barbarian rage, you are not fatigued when you end your rage. Ba�le Aura (Su): Once per day when in combat, your awesome presence frightens enemies as if you were using a cause fear spell. This can be activated as a free action and affects 1 creature per character level. Artemis: True strike (as a move equivalent action) once per day or Artemis’ arrow once per day. Artemis’ Arrow (Su): A�er hi�ing a creature with a weapon, you can choose to target it with a daze monster effect. If you trigger this ability in conjunction with a bow a�ack, the DC increases by +1. Athena: Heroism once per day or a +1 dodge bonus to armor class. Demeter: Extended goodberry once per day or barkskin (self only) once per day. Dionysus: Daze monster once per day or Tas’ hideous laughter once per day. Eos: Light at will or eagle’s splendor (self only) once per day. Eris: Betrayal once per day or Eris’ fury once per day. Betrayal (Su): This heightened (to 2nd level) and specialized form of lesser confusion causes the target to a�ack an ally for 1 round. Eris’ Fury (Ex): You or another willing creature enter a rage similar to barbarian rage, gaining a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution, a +1 morale bonus to Will saves, and a -2 to penalty to AC. Activating this ability is a free action, requires a melee touch a�ack if used on another creature, and it lasts 1 round per character level. Like barbarian rage, the target is fatigued when the rage ends. Eros: Extended charm person once per day or touch of idiocy once per day. Hades: Death knell once per day (can be activated as a free action a�er you drop a creature) or ba�le aura once per day. Ba�le Aura (Su): Once per day when in combat, your awesome presence frightens enemies as if you were using a cause fear spell. This can be activated as a free action and affects 1 creature per character level. Hecate: Fog cloud once per day or darkvision (self only) once per day. Helios: Daylight once per day or extended expeditious retreat (self only) once per day. Hephaestus: Extended magic weapon once per day or heat metal once per day. Hera: Detect thoughts once per day or sound burst once per day.

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Chapter One: Characters Hermes: Extended expeditious retreat (self only) once per day or invisibility (self only) once per day. Hestia: Aid once per day or sanctuary once per day. Iris: Blindness once per day or whispering wind once per day. Muses: Heroism once per day or sound burst once per day. Nike: Extended jump (self only) once per day or Nike’s blessing (self only) once per day. Nike’s Blessing (Su): You gain a +1 insight bonus to saves, a�ack rolls, ability checks, and weapon damage rolls for 1 round/level. Pan: Extended charm person once per day or extended expeditious retreat (self only) once per day. Poseidon: Lesser earthquake† once per day or blur (self only) once per day (though rather than being blurred, the character is surrounded by a concealing mist of watery droplets with the same effect as the spell). Selene: Light at will or heightened (to 2nd level) sleep once per day Titan (any): Bear’s endurance (self only) once per day or bull’s strength (self only) once per day. Zeus: Heroism once per day or thundering smite once per day. Thundering Smite (Su): A�er hi�ing a creature (either before or a�er you roll damage), you can choose to invoke the power of Zeus’ thunderbolt upon your enemy. A blast of electricity and thunder is channeled through your weapon to your enemy, dealing +2d6 points of damage, half of which is electricity and half sonic. Every third level (at levels 3, 6, 9, and so on) this damage increases by +1d6.

Equipment

An Argonauts campaign is much more primitive technologically than a typical fantasy campaign, and much of the equipment listed in the Player’s Handbook is not available. In some cases this limitation is because of technology (the Greeks didn’t have crossbows). In others, it is because the equipment is impractical in the Greek climate (heavy armor is too cumbersome in hot weather, for example), or simply doesn’t suit the tone of the campaign (scythes and spiked chains don’t really fit the feel of the Greek myths), whether for technological or thematic reasons. For simplicity’s sake, use the Player’s Handbook rules and prices for items, even though Greece used its own coins and in different values than the standard 1 gp = 10 sp = 100 gp ratio.

The following equipment is available for purchase available in an Argonauts campaign (though some of it may not be useful in its original context, such as a winter blanket). Weapons: Cestus (armored gauntlet, with or without spikes) club, dagger, dart, greatclub, javelin, longsword, quarterstaff, short bow (normal or composite, with arrows), short sword, spear (all standard varieties), sling, trident. Masterwork weapons of any of these types are available. Armor: Leather, studded leather, hide armor, scale mail, breastplate (which is an armored chest plate, armored metal skirt, and metal greaves), buckler, light metal shield, heavy metal shield. Masterwork armor and shield of any of these types are available. Adventuring Equipment: Backpack, bedroll, blanket, candle, crowbar, flask, flint and steel, hammer, ink, jug, ladder, lamp, lock, manacles, map or scroll case, mirror, oil, parchment, piton, pole, pouch, portable ram, rations, rope (hemp or silk), sack, signet ring, sledge, tent, torch, vial, waterskin. Special Substances and Items: Acid, alchemist’s fire, antitoxin, tanglefoot bag. (Though in reality many of these items would be unavailable in historic Greece, their presence here reflects the advanced learning of the Greeks augmented by supernatural alchemy and the influence of the gods on invention.) Tool and Skill Kits: Alchemist’s lab, artisan’s tools (common or masterwork), disguise kit (common or masterwork), healer’s kit (common or masterwork), holy symbol, musical instrument (common or masterwork), thieves’ tools (common or masterwork). Clothing: Courtier’s outfit, entertainer’s outfit, noble’s outfit, peasant’s outfit, royal outfit, traveler’s outfit. (All of these are the ancient Greek version of these types of clothing instead of the medieval versions described in the Player’s Handbook, of course.) Food, Drink, and Lodging: All. Mounts and Related Gear: Bit and bridle, donkey or mule, feed, guard dog, horse (any kind, including all kinds of ponies), saddle (pack only), stabling. Transport: Cart, rowboat, oar, sled, wagon. Spellcasting and Services: Hireling (trained or untrained), messenger, road or gate toll, ship’s passage.

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Chapter 2: Variant Rules This chapter explains some variant rules which are appropriate for an Argonauts campaign.

of the poison suffers 1 point each of Con and Str damage for each hourly saving throw failed until the poison has run its course. Poisons that cause unconsciousness as their secondary damage can force a poisoned character to remain unconscious through later saving throws against continuing damage. This does not cause automatic failures or give any sort of penalty, though obviously it prevents the character from taking action to help resist the poison (such as the use of antitoxin or magic). Delay poison suspends all of this continuing damage for the duration of the spell, just as it suspends initial and secondary damage. Neutralize poison ends the cycle of continuing damage (the character does not need to make any more saving throws against the poison). A character with the Heal skill can use it to aid his own or another’s saving throws against continuing poison damage just as it can help with initial and secondary damage saves.

Continuing Poison Damage

In the real world, when people are poisoned, the effects of the poison continue for hours, and some people linger for days before dying or recovering. The game doesn’t reflect this, mainly because it’s more convenient for DMs to get the poison damage over and done with and not deal with long-term bookkeeping. In a campaign where magical healing is scarce, the modeling the continuing effects of poison with game rules make poison a more serious and long-term threat with a small amount of extra work.

Variant Rule: Continuing Poison Damage

If a character fails a saving throw against a poison’s initial or secondary damage, the poison continues to deal damage over an extended period of time. The poison’s effects continue for a number of hours equal to the poison DC; if the initial and secondary saving throws are failed, the effects continue for twice this duration. Every hour of the continuing effect, the character must a�empt another saving throw against the poison’s DC. Failure means the character suffers the poison’s secondary effects again, but the damage is the minimum possible for the poison. If the poison has no secondary damage (such as dragon bile), the poison cannot deal continuing damage. Example: Small centipede poison is DC 11 and deals 1d2 Dex damage for both its primary and secondary effect. A character that fails either the primary or secondary save against this poison makes saving throws every hour for 11 hours and takes 1 point of Dex damage (the minimum value for 1d2) each time one of these saves is failed. A character that fails the primary and secondary saves makes these saves every hour for 22 hours (DC 11 x2). The continuing poison effect is always of the same type as the secondary damage, even if the character saved against the secondary damage. If the poison’s secondary effect deals multiple kinds of ability damage (such as dark reaver powder), the character takes the minimum damage for each damage type dealt. Example: Dark reaver powder’s secondary damage deals 1d6 Con + 1d6 Str. A character that fails to save against the initial or secondary effect

Donations and Intervention

In the heroic Greek myths, heroes and kings o�en made sacrifices to the gods to gain good favor on voyages, or were punished for not making sacrifices at the appropriate times. This idea was common among the Greek people at the time, and sacrifices to the gods were a common occurrence, whether as a part of a feast, holy day, or celebration such as a birth or a wedding. To reflect this, the following system gives rules for how to reward characters who make sacrifices to the gods. It is designed so that the sacrifices are inexpensive enough that a typical peasant can be rewarded for a minor sacrifice (even pouring out a cup of wine to the gods may be enough), and the rewards are minor but significant enough that it’s appealing to heroes and commoners alike without ridiculous effects (no unexpected heal spells out of the blue). The costs are also balanced against the cost of simply buying the effect in a standard campaign (why spend 100 gold in sacrifices to gain a cure light wounds when you can just purchase a potion?).

Variant Rule: Donations and Intervention

Many deities are casually worshipped by the people of the world just by making donations to a temple or shrine of that deity. If the character has recently (within the past week) donated to the

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Chapter Two: Variant Rules church of a deity, and he is in a situation relevant to the portfolio of that deity, the deity may intervene in some small way to aid that character. When the circumstances are appropriate, the player should point out the situation to the DM, and if the DM agrees, an intervention roll is made. The chance of a minor intervention is equal to 1% x the number of silver pieces donated by the character to that faith in the past week. If the roll is a success, the character immediately benefits from a guidance, resistance, or virtue orison (which may reverse a just-failed check or saving throw if the player remembers to suggest the intervention a�er the roll is made). If the intervention d% roll fails, the character receives no intervention and receives no other chances for intervention from that deity until another donation is made. Sacrifices in excess of 100 sp have no effect (donations only count toward the next possible intervention, and it’s not possible to “pay ahead” for more than one intervention). Should a number of people make a donation as a group, any one of the group can call for an intervention based on the total donation; failure means that no other rolls for intervention based on that donation can be made. One could argue that the gods have no interest in money. Not true. Their temples need maintenance (and new temples need to be built), guards need to be paid, priests need to be fed and clothed, and so on. Gods themselves may need no money, but to accomplish their goals in the world it helps to have gold. Money is not the only sort of appropriate donation. Goods (including food for the priests or to be given to the needy), items of significance to the church or temple (such as remains of a longdead hero, or a religious relic, or even churchcreated magic items), and services (from repairing an old church’s window to digging a garden for a monastery) are all appropriate donations, and should have their value converted to silvers for the purpose of figuring the intervention chance (based on a common laborer’s daily wage of 1 silver piece or other hireling wages). Sacrifices are also a suitable form of donation (the act of worship in animal sacrifice enhances the taste of ambrosia and nectar, the food of the gods), with the animal’s cost in silver pieces counting as a donation to the deity. Treasure items and other valuables (or even food in poorer areas) are also acceptable sacrifices, and are usually burned, thrown into the sea, or some other method where the mortal loses the item and the gods can claim it; no priest is needed for this form of sacrifice.

In Greek culture, animals of high quality are prized as sacrifices, with perfect animal specimens (such as a snow-white calf or sheep) valued even higher. Some deities have preferences for certain animals (Zeus and Poseidon favor bulls, for example); these kinds of sacrifices can count up to 150% of the animal’s normal cost. Human sacrifices are abhorrent to the gods and are more likely to bring curses or permanent bad luck rather than any favorable intervention. Example: Xanthos steps between an angry hydra and his unconscious ally Anaxis, making sure that beast doesn’t carry away his fallen friend for a meal. The hydra a�acks Xanthos and reduces him to 0 hit points. Xanthos’ player James reminds the DM that Xanthos sacrificed a sheep (worth 2 gp, or 20 sp) to Athena (who represents protection and tactics in war) yesterday, and asks for an intervention roll, as he is acting as a protector for his fallen friend. The DM agrees that this is an appropriate circumstance for an intervention by Athena, rolls percentile dice, and gets a 19 ... success! The goddess intervenes by targeting Xanthos with a virtue spell, bringing him to 1 hp. Xanthos is able to a�ack the hydra and cut off its head on his turn (mu�ering a quick prayer of thanks to Athena for giving him the foresight to learn Improved Sunder). Without the intervention of the virtue spell, Xanthos would have been at 0 hit points (disabled) when he a�acked the hydra and would have dropped to -1 hit points for performing a strenuous action while disabled, pu�ing himself and Anaxis at the mercy of the hydra if he failed. Example: Zale and the other New Argonauts are ba�ling thunderbolt-hurling Cyclopes. One Cyclops strikes Zale with a thunderbolt, and he misses his saving throw by 1 point. Zale’s player Brian knows his character will die if he takes full damage, so he reminds the DM that before they le� Aea, capitol of Colchis, Zale spent a week guarding Zeus’ temple for week while its champion was away on a quest (the DM had earlier agreed that this counted as a donation, and priced it based on the daily wage of a “mercenary leader,” so 6 silver pieces per day times 7 days is 42 sp). Zale’s player feels that the god of lightning might intervene to save him from a death by a thunderbolt, and the DM agrees that it might work. The DM rolls percentile, gets a 25 (success!) and retroactively applies a +1 resistance bonus to Zale’s save from a resistance orison granted by the intervention. Zale makes his saving throw, takes half damage, and is able to go on fighting.

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Chapter Two: Variant Rules Slower Dying

One of the problems with the current system of death & dying rules is that dying characters tend to become dead far too easily. With just a 10% chance to stabilize each round, a character brought to -1 hit points has about a 60% chance to stabilize (nine rounds at 10% chance per round is just over 61% chance overall). That means that 40% of the people injured to the point of unconsciousness die — and do so within one minute of their injuries. From real-world experience (even predating modern medical technology) we know that isn’t the case. The variant rule below allows characters a be�er chance to survive injuries, which is particularly important in an Argonauts campaign where healing magic is much rarer than a standard game.

Variant Rule: Slower Dying

When a character’s hit points fall to -1 or below, he is dying. He immediately falls unconscious and can take no actions. On the character’s next turn, roll d% to see whether he becomes stable. He has a 10% chance to become stable. If he doesn’t, he loses 1 hit point.

If the character’s negative hit points ever drop to his Constitution score or lower, he no longer has a chance to stabilize each round and automatically loses 1 hit point per round. For example, a character with a 10 Constitution brought to -10 hit points can no longer try to stabilize and automatically loses 1 hit point per round. If the character’s negative hit points ever reach his Constitution score plus ten (or more), he’s dead. For example, the Con 10 character dies automatically a�er reaching –20 hit points (Con 10 + 10) or lower. You can keep a dying character from losing any more hit points and make him stable with a successful Heal check (DC 15). If any sort of healing cures the dying character of even 1 point of damage, he stops losing hit points and becomes stable. Healing that raises the dying character’s hit points to 0 makes him conscious and disabled. Healing that raises his hit points to 1 or more makes him fully functional again, just as if he’d never been reduced to 0 or less. A spellcaster retains the spellcasting capability she had before dropping below 0 hit points.

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Chapter 3: Magic This chapter describes the new magic spells and items available in an Argonauts campaign, as well as those which are modified from the core rules for use in this campaign.

New and Modified Spells

The following spells are new, or modified from the Player’s Handbook to make them more appropriate for the style and tone of an Argonauts campaign.

Baleful Polymorph

Transmutation Level: Hellenic sorceress 4 Components: V, S, M In an Argonauts campaign, this spell can also transform the target into a 2 HD animal such as a pig or goat, and the target always retains his own mind. A Hellenic sorceress can choose to use a special drug in preparation for casting this spell, feeding it to a potential target (either in his food or drink) up to an hour before casting this spell. When used this way, the drug gives the target a -4 penalty to his saving throw against the spell. She can add multiple doses to a common source of food (such as a cooking pot) to drug multiple creatures at once (though each target still requires a separate casting of the spell). Arcane Material Component: The (optional) drug worth 50 gp.

Control Weather

Transmutation Level: Hellenic sorceress 4 In an Argonauts campaign, this spell is much weaker than the standard version; it cannot create tornadoes, torrential rain, hailstorms, blizzards, or hurricane-force winds. Most sorceresses use it to gather thick clouds to hide the moon and activate their new moon casting class ability.

Commune

Necromancy [Evil] Level: Hellenic sorceress 5 Components: V, S, M, XP In an Argonauts campaign, this spell works slightly differently than the standard version. It can be cast within or near the underworld (such as the caves in Colchis that lead to Hades’ realm). The spell lures the ghosts of dead people to the caster’s location with a libation of milk, honey, sweet wine, water, and barley-meal, followed by a sacrifice of a calfless heifer, a choice black ram, and a black ewe. Gratified by these offerings, the spirits answer the caster’s questions according to the normal version

of the spell (drawing on greater knowledge than they knew as living individuals), then return to the underworld. Hades dislikes the dead leaving his realm, and this spell is a violation of the natural order, which is why it has the evil designator. Arcane Material Component: The additional material components for this spell cost 17 gp, 2 sp, and 2 cp.

Deathcloak

Transmutation [Evil] Level: Hellenic sorceress 3, Sor/Wiz 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Touch Target: Cloak or other piece of clothing touched Duration: 1 hour/level or until discharged (see text) Saving Throw: Reflex half Spell Resistance: Yes You imbue a cloak, cape, gown, shirt, or other piece of clothing with a magical trap so that it bursts into flames as soon as it is put on, igniting the target as if he were doused with alchemist’s fire (1d6 fire damage per round), although once the deathcloak ignites it cannot be extinguished (without using magic) until a number of rounds equal to your caster level has passed. The cursed cloth sticks to the target and cannot be removed unless he succeeds at a Strength check (DC equal to the spell’s saving throw DC). Removing the cloth means the flames can be extinguished normally, and ends all magic in the cloak. Any creature that tries to help extinguish the flames on the target while the cloth is still worn is immediately affected as if doused with alchemist’s fire (which can be extinguished normally). Creatures other than the target can a�empt to remove the cloak from him, though the a�empt also ignites them as with alchemist’s fire. Material Components: Rare herbs and exotic drugs worth 100 gp.

Deep Slumber

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Hellenic sorceress 3 Components: V, S, M In an Argonauts campaign, this spell requires an ointment made of a rare herbal mixture, which must be touched to the target (a touch a�ack). Material Component: The ointment (worth 50 gp).

Disguise Self

Transmutation Level: Hellenic sorceress 1 Components: V, S, M

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Chapter Three: Magic Casting Time: 1 minute Duration: 1 hour/level This spell functions as the standard disguise self spell, except as noted here. It is a transmutation spell because it is an actual physical transformation rather than an illusory one. Material Component: An ointment applied to the face (worth 10 gp).

and so on) but not his personal history (including friends, family, or enemies), homeland, or goals. Material Components: A mixture of herbs worth 10 gp, which must be fed to the target within one hour of casting this spell.

False Life

Necromancy Level: Hellenic sorceress 2 Components: V, S, M In an Argonauts campaign, this spell requires an ointment made of a rare herbal mixture, which you must rub on your skin before casting the spell. Material Component: The ointment (worth 10 gp).

Dragon Chariot

Transmutation Level: Hellenic sorceress 4 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 �. + 5 �./2 levels) Effect: One dragon-drawn flying chariot Duration: 1 hour/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You send out a magical call to a magical chariot drawn by flying dragons, which arrives out of the sky 1d4 rounds a�er you cast this spell. The chariot can only carry one Medium creature, and only you can ride it. The dragons can pull the chariot as if you were under the effects of an overland flight spell. The dragons have the same statistics as Aeetes’ dragon (see the Monsters chapter) except they can fly at 60 �. (good maneuverability). The dragons do not a�ack even if they are a�acked, preferring to flee (dragging you and the chariot with them) if severely wounded.

Finger of Death

Necromancy [Death] Level: Hellenic sorceress 5 Casting Time: 1 minute Range: Long (400 �. + 10 �./level) Target: One living creature (see text) This spell functions as the standard finger of death spell, except as noted here. Rather than a direct and instantaneous a�ack, this version of the spell guides the spirits of death to the target, who suffers an unfortunate accident or injury within 1d4 rounds, causing them to bleed to death (losing 5 hit points per round, which can only be stopped with magical healing or a DC 30 Heal check). Because this form of the spell causes the target to bleed to death, it can affect nonliving creatures that are vulnerable to bleeding wounds, such as Talos (see the Monsters chapter).

Erase Memories

Enchantment (Compulsion) [MindAffecting] Level: Hellenic sorceress 3 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: 1 hour/level Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes You cloud the target’s mind, temporarily blocking access to most of his memories. He remembers his name and all of his personal abilities (skills, feats, class abilities, languages,

Lesser Earthquake

Transmutation Level: Hellenic sorceress 2, Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 �. + 5 �./2 levels) Area: Cone Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None (see text) Spell Resistance: Yes You cause the earth within the area to shake like an earthquake, which acts as a trip a�ack against

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Chapter Three: Magic all creatures in the area. This trip-like a�ack is not subject to the size limitations of a normal trip a�ack. Creatures in the area make individual opposed Strength or Dexterity checks against your roll of 1d20+5. Those who fail are tripped and fall prone, those who succeed are unaffected. Creatures that are not tripped cannot a�empt to trip you in return. You cannot use Improved Trip or similar feats in conjunction with this spell. The spell only affects creatures in contact with the affected area (for example, a standing or climbing creature is affected, while a flying creature is not).

Remove Curse

Abjuration Level: Hellenic sorceress 4 Casting Time: 1 hour Components: V, S, M This spell functions as the standard remove curse spell, except as noted here. Material Component: Burning incense (1 gp) and a sacrifice of a pure white lamb (2 gp).

Resist Energy

Abjuration Level: Hellenic sorceress 2 Casting Time: 1 minute Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 hour/level This spell functions as the standard resist energy spell, except as noted here. Material Component: An ointment of rare herbs (worth 25 gp) which must be rubbed on the target’s flesh.

Stoneskin

Abjuration Level: Hellenic sorceress 4 Casting Time: 1 minute Duration: 1 hour/level This spell functions as the standard stoneskin spell, except as noted here. Material Component: An ointment of rare potent herbs (worth 500 gp) which must be rubbed on the target’s flesh.

Vitality of Youth

Conjuration (Healing) Level: Hellenic sorceress 5 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 8 hours Range: Touch Target: Cauldron touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No You imbue a cauldron with the power to make one creature young again. Once the spell is cast, the cauldron retains its power for up to one hour. To draw on the cauldron’s power, you or another person must cut the throat of the person to be made young and make them drink from the cauldron (this also heals the neck wound). The creature is immediately restored to their physical prime, which for humans is normally somewhere around age 25. The creature loses all current Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution penalties from ageing but accrues later ageing penalties normally. The spell does not actually extend the creature’s lifespan. He dies according to his original maximum age, even if he still looks young and even if that means he dies a ma�er of months a�er regaining his youth with this spell. Material Component: Exotic ingredients worth 1,000 gp.

New Magic Items

The following new magic items are available in a New Argonauts campaign. Some of the items below are given alternate creation prerequisites for the low-magic se�ing; these are listed in parentheses a�er the standard prerequisites. Using the low-magic prerequisites requires the normal time and XP investment but no gp expense unless it’s listed as one of the prerequisites. Boar’s Brew: This potent ale has three doses. A character can drink one dose for the effects of a potion of cure light wounds (1d8+1), two for a potion of cure moderate wounds (2d8+3), or three for a potion of cure serious wounds (3d8+5). Any remaining doses function normally (so a�er drinking one dose for a cure light wounds the remaining doses can still be combined for a cure moderate wounds or used separately as two cure light wounds potions). Faint conjuration; CL 5th; Brew Potion, cure serious wounds (or Hellenic Alchemy†, Calydonian boar’s bones, Alchemy 5 ranks); Price 760 gp. (Note: Using Hellenic Alchemy† and one set of Calydonian boar’s bones yields five flasks of boar’s brew, though the creator doesn’t need to create all five at once.) Boar Soldier Tooth: This magical boar’s tooth must be planted in the ground to activate its power. One round a�er planting a tooth, a boar tooth soldier (see Chapter 9: Monsters) springs up from the earth at that location. This soldier is u�erly loyal to the person who planted it, willing

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Chapter Three: Magic even to sacrifice his life for his commander. The soldier does not affect the commander’s ability to acquire followers or cohorts. He is not a magical creature and never reverts back to his toothy origins, even if slain. Boar soldier teeth are usually found in groups of four, though the cra�ing process only creates one at a time. Faint transmutation; CL 15th, Cra� Wondrous Item, polymorph any object (or Hellenic Alchemy†, Calydonian or Erymanthian boar tooth); 250 gp; Weight —. Golden Fleece: Made from the skin of a golden flying ram sent by the gods, the Golden Fleece has miraculous healing powers. Five times per day, as a free action once per round, a person wearing or touching the Golden Fleece can activate it to heal himself 10 points of damage. It also can be used to neutralize poison or remove disease as a standard action, though each use of these other powers counts towards the Golden Fleece’s daily uses of its healing power. If worn, the Golden Fleece uses the cloak magic item space. Moderate conjuration; CL 13th, Cra� Wondrous Item, neutralize poison, regenerate, remove disease (or Hellenic Alchemy†, one fleece from a golden flying ram skin, Cra� (leatherworking) 5 ranks); 25,000 gp; Weight 5 lb. Hydra Bloodpoison: This thick red paste looks like congealed blood. If applied to a weapon it is a deadly poison (2d6 initial and secondary Constitution damage, Fortitude DC 17 negates). Moderate necromancy; CL 13th, Cra� Wondrous Item, Empower Spell, Heighten Spell, poison (or Hellenic Alchemy†, eight ounces of poisonous hydra blood taken from the creature’s heart); 3,000 gp; Weight —. Hydra Skin Cloak: This leather cloak is made of gray-brown, dark brown, or tan reptilian hide. Five times per day, as a free action once per round, the wearer can activate the cloak to heal himself 5 points of damage. Moderate conjuration; CL 13th, Cra� Wondrous Item, regenerate (or Hellenic Alchemy†, one hydra skin, Cra� (leatherworking) 5 ranks); 6,000 gp; Weight 1 lb. Hydra Heart: This date-sized piece of jerky looks like the shrunken heart of a large animal. A character who eats it (a full-round action that provokes an a�ack of opportunity as if drinking a potion) gains the effects of a heal spell. Moderate conjuration; CL 11th, Cra� Wondrous Item, heal (or Hellenic Alchemy†, one hydra heart, Cra� (meat jerking) 5 ranks); 6,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Medea’s Impervious Ointment: This ointment is best known from the story of the Argonauts, where Medea gives Jason a magical ointment to make him fireproof and immune to iron so he could plough a field with Aeetes’ fire-breathing bulls and sow a crop of dragon’s teeth. When used, it protects a creature from most weapons (DR 10/adamantine) and fire (fire resistance 20) for seven hours. Faint abjuration; CL 7th, Cra� Wondrous Item, resist energy, stoneskin (or Hellenic Alchemy† and the hide of a Cretan bull, Ethiopian bull, minotaur, or a prize bull descended from the Cretan bull); Price 2,975 gp; Cost 1,750 gp + 98 XP; Weight —. (Note: A Hellenic sorceress† can use Hellenic Alchemy†, resist energy, and stoneskin to create this item, in which case she does not need the mythical creature component but still must provide the expensive material components for the spells, totaling 525 gp.) Moly Elixir: Moly is a magical herb with black roots and white flowers, and no mortal has the strength to pull it from the ground. But from time to time the gods pluck moly from the ground and give it to mortals, and it can be used to make a potent elixir. When drank or rubbed on a creature’s skin, it provides a +8 resistance bonus to saves against spells and spell-like abilities for three hours. It can also be split into three doses, each lasting an hour. Strong abjuration; CL 18th, Cra� Wondrous Item, protection from spells (or Hellenic Alchemy†, moly herb); 2,000 gp; Weight —. Thunderbolt: This javelin-sized bolt of electricity is solid and can be grasped and thrown just as a normal javelin. If thrown, it automatically hits (no a�ack roll is required) and deals 5d6 hit points of electricity damage to the target (Reflex DC 14 negates). It is consumed in the a�ack. Any creature other than a god, titan, or cyclops who tries to grab a thunderbolt must make a saving throw (Fortitude DC 15) or grab it in the wrong place, triggering its full effects upon them (though they still get a Reflex saving throw). A scion of Zeus gets a +5 bonus to the Fortitude save to safely grasp a thunderbolt. Faint evocation; CL 5th, Cra� Magic Arms and Armor, lightning bolt; 500 gp; Weight 2 lb. Thunderbolt, Greater: This functions just like a normal thunderbolt, except it deals 10d6 hit points of electricity damage and the saving throw to safely grasp one is DC 20. Faint evocation; CL 10th, Cra� Magic Arms and Armor, lightning bolt; 1,000 gp; Weight 2 lb.

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Chapter 4: Culture Greek culture grew out of elements of nearby civilizations but developed its own distinct identity. This chapter describes the role of women, foreigners, and slaves in Greek society, as well as their views on wealth, marriage, work, religion, and recreation, and the surprising lack of differences between the various city-states.

The City-States

The ancient Greeks were never united under one king but they shared a common language and culture. Athenians were remarkably similar to Thebans, Corinthians, Lapiths, Minoans, and so on (though Spartans were different, see the Sparta sidebar)—at least for the purpose of this book. The Greek myths focused on the heroes, the gods, and the strange creatures they met along the way; the slight cultural differences between different groups of mortals were insignificant to the story. Everything described in this book should be assumed to apply to all parts of Greece. If you want a more in-depth analysis of the differences between the city-states there are many historical reference books out there, but that’s beyond the scope of this campaign book, the purpose of which is to provide a background for fantasy adventures in the style of the Greek myths. You can start an Argonauts campaign just about anywhere in Greece (and given that a�er the colonization efforts of the Archaic Age there Sparta: A Different Greek City-State

Though most Greek city-states were similar, Sparta is remarkably different and deserves more detail to explain those differences. Unlike the other Greek states, Sparta had a large subject population, a group legally inferior to Greeks. Called helots, these state-owned slaves probably were the indigenous folk of that part of Greece, conquered centuries earlier by invaders but never actually assimilated into the population. The helots outnumbered the Spartans, so to prevent any sort of rebellion the Spartans developed a strong military structure for their citizens, training all of them in war on the chance that the untrained helots might rise up. From age seven onward children were raised by the state in military fashion. Barrack housing was the norm for men, men and women were given roughly equal education, and women could own property and marry who they wanted. Every adult Spartan male was assigned a piece of property and helots to work it, freeing him from the need to work and allowing him to focus entirely on the military life. Money was banned, and Spartans were not allowed to participate in crafting or business as it was feared these things would create a desire for riches, distracting the citizen from the desired total commitment to the city-state; as in other city-states, it was the slaves (in this case, helots) who crafted the materials needed to function as a civilized society. In some ways the Spartan state was the world’s first known effort at communism, but their arts suffered because the state felt artistic endeavors promoted individualism, independent thought, and even criticism of the government. Sparta’s strangeness made it difficult for them to have mercantile ties with other city-states (all trade had to be through goodsbartering rather than money for goods), which also contributed to its cultural stagnation. Nevertheless, the Spartan military structure meant they were very good at warfare and its neighbors rightfully feared when the Spartan army was on the move.

were over 1,500 city-states of various sizes all over the peninsula and on the shores of the Aegean, you can pick a spot and truly make it your own). No ma�er where you start the campaign, you can assume the following common cultural themes: City-states have a simple democratic government led by a member of the aristocracy (usually a king) who is the face of the empowered citizens rather than an autocrat with full control. They have a strong military presence whose main purpose is protecting the state from a�ack by foreigners and rival city-states. People from other city-states are tolerated if allies and a�acked if enemies. Alliances can change quickly and old grudges tend to linger. Travel for citizens is open and mercenaries are not uncommon. Each city-state tends to honor one god above the others, but all gods are to be respected lest they become angry. Non-Greeks are primitive barbarians and should only be tolerated while they remain amusing and useful.

Wealth

With the advent of the polis (the precursor to the city-state), the citizens looked at wealth with an eye for how it could improve the community, not just enrich an individual. Those who had money were expected to spend it on things that everyone could enjoy or benefit from. Banquets and liturgies were common, and also gave the person responsible the opportunity to interact with the other people and gain recognition for the provided service. Others sponsored the construction of new public buildings (particularly gymnasiums, which promoted other community activities) or the maintenance of city warships. Refusal to perform such works gave the impression that the citizen was unwilling to pull his weight in the community, and could eventually lead to ostracism. This is not to say that the wealthy did not dress be�er, wear jewelry, and eat be�er than those less fortunate, but those who only did those things and didn’t invest in the community were seen as selfish and unpatriotic (just as avoiding other duties, such as jury service or military obligations, would bring questions about a person’s worth). The typical Greek led a very plain life. Meals were simple. Clothes were simple and durable, and were passed down to the next generation when the previous owner died. Houses were plain and functional. This plain living made the Greeks look forward to their leisure activities, with athletic contests bringing a dose of excitement and free banquets from the affluent members of the community whe�ing the appetite for success.

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Chapter Four: Culture Women

The role of women changed over the course of the ancient Greek period. In the time of the epics, women were valued members of society and considered fully capable. For example, when Odysseus le� for Troy he was confident that his wife Penelope would be able to take care of things even though he expected to be gone for some time. The women of this period are strong and have incredible influence over their homes. However, they were still considered secondary to men; women were married off to make alliances with other families and were taken home as prizes in war. The Greeks also had a double standard about fidelity; the married warriors frequently had mistresses, even as they ba�led Troy because of the infidelity of Helen, an affront to her husband. With the rise of the polis, the role of Greek women decreased, particularly that of upper-class women. Public meetings became a male task and a woman’s place was running the home or dealing with home-related tasks such as going to market or certain aspects of religious gatherings. Women became less visible as a part of society, though never ostracized or fully excluded as they are in some modern fundamentalist cultures. Even under these circumstances, women still retained much power in the household; men may have made the rules for the society, but the women of the community made sure they were obeyed by using their power within the home. Much of a wife’s power derived from the income generated by her dowry; as she belonged to her husband’s household and that of her parents (and drew power and influence from both), if she didn’t like how her husband managed things or disagreed with his actions she could return to her parents’ home and bring her dowry with her. As the dowry was o�en crucial to the success and survival of the household, this was a serious threat and most men knew not to push their wives too far. Of course, a woman with a smaller dowry had less to back up her threat and thus had less power over her husband.

Marriage and Children

In ancient Greece, marriages were arranged. The arrangements might take place when one or both participants were very young (as young as 5 in at least one case, though the girl in question was an orphan and therefore a special circumstance) even if the wedding wasn’t to take place until years later. Men usually married around age 30, women in their late teens. Because of these age differences and the separation of the male and female public worlds, the prospective spouses rarely had the opportunity to interact, so modern courtship was all but nonexistent. It was expected that affection between spouses would develop a�er they were married. Marriages were therefore done out of political or military interests rather than love, with brides offered to men of power to gain influence or allies. Not all marriages worked out. Either couple had the right to initiate a divorce, and the husband was responsible for providing for his children a�erwards (the wife normally returned to her family, possibly in search of another marriage). Adultery wasn’t illegal, but it was considered an affront to the household and by extension to the polis. Upon discovering adultery, a husband was expected to divorce his wife else he be suspected of colluding in the adultery. If he caught his wife in the act, the husband could legally kill the other man on the spot or drag him to a court to be tried Amazons and Barbarians: Female PCs

While your typical mythic Greek story focused on male heroes, heroic females were not entirely unknown. Atalanta was the fastest runner in Greece and a great hunter as well; she helped defeat the Calydonian boar. Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, was the leader of a warlike people greatly feared for their wildness and fury. Just because classical Greek society had females in an inferior position is no reason to exclude female PCs, though many people will be doubtful or even resentful of a powerful female hero (for example, the males involved in the Calydonian boar hunt complained about hunting with a “girl,” though they had to accept her when the local prince insisted that any “girl” who could outrun them all deserved to be there). An easy way to justify having a female PC in a male-centric Argonauts campaign is to have her be an Amazon, a follower of a deity such as Artemis, Athena, or Hecate, or simply a woman from a “barbarian” culture whose ways are different than those of the Greeks.

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Chapter Four: Culture and executed by the government. An adulteress was therea�er excluded from participating in public religious events, which severely curtailed her ability to socialize with her peers. As was common for the time period, infant mortality was high, and couples normally had to deal with the loss of multiple infants (especially in the vulnerable years before age 5) over the course of a marriage. Having children was necessary in this society, not a choice, as the income from adult children was needed to support the parents in their old age (and in Athens and some other cities, parents could legally compel their children to give such support). It was an acceptable practice to expose unwanted infants before the family became accustomed to them; sons might be exposed if the family already had another son and feared spli�ing the family property, daughters might be exposed if the parents didn’t want to deal with providing another dowry. Exposure usually entailed leaving the child outside in a clay pot, which could also serve as its coffin; some people stole these exposed infants, raised them, and sold them as slaves. Several myths have protagonists who were exposed as infants, though usually out of political expediency rather than financial interests.

Foreigners

With an economy partly based on trade with foreign countries, there was an inevitable presence of foreigners in any Greek city of significant size. Given the divisive nature of the Greek people, a “foreigner” in this context could even mean Greek Geography

Greece is blessed with a Mediterranean climate. Its winters are cool, if wet, and the summers tend to be hot and dry. The climate suits the growing of grapes and olives (so wine and olive oil play a significant role in Greek commerce). The warm climate meant the ancient Greeks could get by with simple loose clothing, and men—particularly laborers—often went naked. Though most people think of Greece as the modern peninsula, because of Greek colonization there were Greek settlements all over the Aegean Sea, which meant that Greece was more like a landbound country with a large lake in its center. In fact, the omnipresent Aegean means that no part of mainland Greece is more than 35 miles from the sea, and even those crossing the Aegean were never out of sight of some kind of land, whether a great mountaintop or some island peeking above the horizon. Certainly the sea plays a significant role in the life of the ancient Greeks, with trade from the west and east coming by sea, fishing providing food to the Greek people, and boating being a rapid form of travel to most major cities. Though the sea dominates much of Greece’s geography, the land is varied and divisive. Bays and gulfs separate coastal communities from each other, and some are on islands and completely cut off from land trade. Mountains come between the various cities, and mountain valleys keep apart those settlements sharing a particular mountain. These geographical barriers encouraged each community to see itself as independent rather than part of a larger country, and contributed greatly to the evolution of Greece as a collection of city-states rather than a unified nation like its neighbors such as Egypt and Syria.

someone from a neighboring city-state. The development of the polis tainted the public’s view toward foreigners; a foreigner wasn’t a citizen and didn’t have a vested interest in the strength of the community. They felt no obligation to invest their money toward the be�erment of the community as a true citizen would. Because all citizens derived some measure of reward from the money going into the polis, foreigners were seen as reducing the amount of that money that continued to circulate within the community. Many city-states had higher taxes for foreigners to make up for this “loss,” but foreigners could eventually become citizens a�er living there long enough and by proving their desire to contribute to the polis. Of course, people were more than happy to receive money and goods from visiting foreigners; overall their contribution toward the polis was greater in the short term than what they took from it. It is worth pointing out that the modern words “barbarous” and “barbarian” come from a Greek word meaning “foreigner, rude, or ignorant,” which says a lot about what the ancient Greeks felt about non-Greeks (the Greek word actually derives from “bar bar,” a derisive term the Greeks used to imitate the muddled speech of non-Greeks).

Slaves

Many Greek cities had slaves, most of them owned by private citizens (Sparta was an exception; see the Sparta sidebar). Most slaves were taken from enemy cities during warfare or were sold into slavery as children rather than taken in raids from unsuspecting se�lements. Slavery in ancient Greece wasn’t like in the American South before the Civil War; rather than large plantations with many slaves overseen by their owner, it operated on a smaller scale, and if a farmer owned a slave then he and the slave worked side by side in the field. Excess household slaves were o�en rented out to other households as workers. Slaves were allowed to keep a portion of their earnings and (if lucky) could eventually save up enough to buy their freedom. Most slaves were generalist laborers, completing different tasks during the day, rather than repeating the same simple task over and over. Many were cra�smen working on all aspects of creating goods (po�ery, shoes, furniture, cart wheels, and so on), and (as most slaves were taken as trained adults during war) their goods were no different than those created by a free person.

Work

Ninety percent of the Greek peasantry performed agricultural work, tending small farms their

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Chapter Four: Culture families had owned for generations. This meant they were very busy in some seasons but had a lot of free time in others. The luxury of free time meant the Greeks could pursue other interests such as politics and military interests. Most free Greeks didn’t work for someone else and didn’t want to. If you were a waged employee, you worked when your employer told you to, did what they told you to, and could be fired at any time. It was preferable to own a tiny farm or even produce simple cra� items, even if that meant you had a lower standard of living than you would with steady employment.

Religion

Rather than a mystical and esoteric system of belief, Greek religion was practical. Mortals made sacrifices to the gods in order to guarantee their good will, which meant the city-state would survive. In addition to the large-scale rituals to benefit the community, there were also smaller rituals to help through personal and family events like birth, adolescence, marriage, and death. The ancient Greek religion had no formal system of morality. Priests and priestesses were

Homosexuality

Ancient Greece was ambivalent about male homosexuality. It was considered shameful and slavish for a man to submit sexually to another man, and its discovery could dishonor the man. Likewise, procuring boys was illegal and youths were protected from such attention by their athletic coaches, musical instructors, older male athletes, or older relatives wanting to hire them out. On the other hand, the myths have Zeus bringing young Ganymede to Mount Olympus because of the boy’s great beauty, and Apollo was as likely to chase boys as nymphs. Plus, among the Greeks the lack of male-female courtship opportunities meant that such inappropriate liaisons did occur, though it placed the boy in a difficult position because it could ruin his reputation and role as a citizen forever. A boy was considered too old for such attention when his beard grew in.

there to direct the proper performance of religious rituals, not to preach, give divine revelation, or extol or exemplify the nature of a specific faith. People used the myths to comment on and explain history and the world. There were no sacred texts giving a list of accepted and proscribed behavior, though some people acted as prophets and seers, interpreting the flights of birds or the configuration of a sacrificed animal’s entrails in exchange for a small fee. Each city had its own prophets, though there were more famous ones outside the cities (such as the oracle at Delphi). Those unwilling to spend coin sometimes tried sleeping in a temple, hoping to receive a prophetic dream from the gods. The main purpose of a temple was to house and protect the statue of a god, as well as to provide a place for the sacrifices to occur (thus, almost all temples had some sort of hearth where sacrifices could be burned). The citizens provided sculpture and art to make the temple a place of beauty, and a well-decorated temple showed the glory of the god and the strength and wealth of the community. Most communities had a large team of artists and cra�smen to decorate and maintain their temple.

Athletics

Athletics was a popular pastime for the Greeks, much as modern sports keep the masses entertained. The athletes were usually aristocrats or sponsored by them, as they were the only ones who had enough free time to keep fit and practice Athletics and Art

The prevalence of athletics gave artists the opportunity to study human bodies at rest and in motion, and eventually led to advances in depictions of the human form in painting and sculpture that made the Parthenon so remarkable. Because the Greeks kept their wine in large ceramic containers called amphorae, these containers provided a ready and omnipresent place for artists to put their art, usually depicting athletic scenes, warfare, mythology, or erotica.

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Chapter Four: Culture on a regular basis (usually as a preparation for war). For the rest of the citizens it was enough to watch and cheer their favorites. Athletics crept into many parts of Greek festivals; funereal games were held to honor a great person being buried, games were added to religious ceremonies, and so on. The greatest ceremonies (such as the Olympiad) were held every four years (fi�y lunar months) and because they occurred on different cycles it was possible for athletes to compete every year to large crowds.

The Ancient Olympics

Like the modern Olympics that emulate them, the ancient Olympics were a celebration of sport, humanity, and peace, though they certainly had their share of political rivalries, cheating, and economic incentives. For the purpose of an Argonauts campaign, a�ending the Olympics is an opportunity to achieve fame, beat a rival in a peaceful manner, and perhaps catch the eye of a famous would-be patron. The ancient Olympics took place every four years (there were other major games on the

Zeus’ Temple at Olympia

off-years, however, so it was possible for a professional athlete to support himself financially by competing every year). With the intent of a�racting as many athletes as possible from all over the Greek lands, kings allowed athletes traveling to and from the games to travel safely under a special truce, despite any wars between city-states. Athletes had to arrive at Olympia a month early to undergo supervised training, evaluation, and sorting into age categories. The prelude to the Olympics did not include a relayed lit torch. Only male Greek citizens were allowed to compete (no foreigners or slaves), and they competed naked; unmarried women had their own series of footraces held in honor of Hera which took place at the same time, and wore special short tunics designed to allow for running. The Olympics took place over five days, with events scheduled over those days and accompanied by sacrifices to the gods. Winning athletes received prizes and money, either from their sponsors or from the rulers of their home town or city-state (the word “athlete” means “person who competes for a prize” in Greek, derived from athlos meaning “contest” and athlon meaning “prize”). In addition

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Chapter Four: Culture to their financial awards, they sometimes received other benefits such as free meals at the city hall for the rest of their life (a sort of pension plan for successful athletes) or statues made in their likeness. Use the simple rules here to judge athletic competitions; note that these are intended to emulate the competition in an abstract way and not take into account every small detail relevant to greatness in a particular sport, yet still be fair enough that a character with one high ability score can’t sweep the events. For example, throwing a javelin far is more than just a ma�er of strength and dexterity, it’s also ground speed, flexibility, and release angle, but modeling the precise contribution of each of those factors is beyond the scope of this book. Over time, the events at the ancient Olympics grew to encompass the following events. Note that some events may have qualifying rounds to weed out weaker athletes. Boxing: Unarmed combat, fists only, with the boxers wearing so� leather wrappings on the hands. Holds and blows to the genitals were not allowed. Boxers were allowed to rest, and the match otherwise continued until one boxer was knocked out or conceded defeat. Both boxers could also agree to a faster resolution of the match in which they took turns raining blows on each other, with the target not defending himself against the a�acks. Use normal unarmed combat rules to resolve boxing matches. Discus: Weighing almost 14 pounds, the discus is not used as a weapon but could kill someone if a throw went astray (and did so in some myths). One hundred feet is an amazing throw; to determine distance thrown (in feet), roll three Strength checks and one Dexterity check and add the results. Equestrian: This category covered riding and chariot competitions. The first was six laps around the stadium (about 4 1/2 miles), and jockeys rode without saddle or stirrup. The second category is a race between two- or four-horse chariots (or in some cases mules), covering 12 laps around the stadium (about 9 miles). The jockeys and charioteers usually were not the owners of the chariot or horses as such things were very expensive, and the awards for winning a race were given to the owner rather than the athlete. In a race where the horses have the same base speed, have the riders or charioteers make a Ride check each round; a success against DC 15 means he or his team may travel an extra 5 feet that round, DC 20 means an extra 10 feet. Herald and Trumpeter: This event takes place on the first day of the Olympics. The artists

compete for sustaining notes, skill, and volume. The winners of these events have the honor of announcing the other contest’s winners and sounding the start of events. For this event, make two Perform (wind instrument) checks (representing two a�empts) and take the be�er result. The performer with the highest Perform check result wins that contest. Javelin: Athletes used a thong tied to the end of a javelin to increase the throwing distance but otherwise much like the modern competition. According to the Player’s Handbook, a javelin has a 30 foot range increment and has a maximum range of five range increments (150 feet), but for the Olympic javelin (which was lighter than a war javelin and not fi�ed with a metal head) an acceptable distance was over 200 feet, with 300 feet a good throw (then again, they weren’t trying to hit a human-sized target at that distance). For a distance throw, roll 3 Strength checks and 2 Dexterity checks, add the totals to 80 + the character’s run speed (4x base speed without the Run feat, 5x with it); this is the distance in feet the javelin flies. The ancient Olympics also had a target-javelin competition on horseback, which can be modeled by a�ack rolls against an AC 13 Tiny target (base AC 10, effective Dex 0 for a -5 penalty, +8 bonus for size), with the highest successful a�ack roll winning the round.

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Chapter Four: Culture

Jumping: This competition was only part of the pentathlon, not a separate event. Like the modern event, it had a running start. Ancient Olympians held weights (called halteres) in their hands while running, swinging their arms up and forward at the jump to provide more li�, throwing the weights backward to increase forward motion and lengthen the jump. With the help of these weights, some athletes were able to jump over fi�y feet (compared to the modern Olympic record of less than 30 feet). For a jump using halteres, make a Dexterity check against DC 15; success means the jumper makes two Jump checks and adds the results together to determine the distance jumped. Pankration: This sport is a combination of boxing and wrestling where the opponents are allowed to grapple and hit each other; only biting and eye gouging were disallowed. Two versions of this sport exist, one where you must remain standing (and trips or throws were usually the way to win), one where it was permissible to kneel or fall prone and you won if your opponent passed out or conceded defeat. Pentathlon: The Greeks admired the pentathletes for their well-rounded skills, and believed they had the most beautiful bodies

combining grace and strength. The five events of the pentathlon are discus, javelin, jumping, running, and wrestling. Running: The Greeks held footraces in several lengths (600 feet, 1,200 feet, or a longer race anywhere from 4,200 to 5,400 feet), and boys had their own 600-foot race. The men could also compete in a race wearing standardized hoplite armor, with distance ranging from 1,200 to 2,400 feet. In a race where multiple athletes have the same base speed (as is usually the case in this game), have the runners make a Dexterity check each round; a success against DC 15 means he may travel an extra 5 feet of distance that round, DC 20 means an extra 10 feet. Wrestling: This sport took place in a muddy arena, and the athletes covered themselves in olive oil and dust to make the contest more difficult. Punches, trips, bites, and eye gouges were not permi�ed. Like pankration, there was a standing form and a more open form. In the standing form, the winner was the athlete who threw his opponent to the ground (a pin, followed on the next a�ack by a successful trip a�empt) three times. In the open form, the winner won when the other athlete passed out or conceded defeat.

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Chapter 5: Deities This chapter covers the gods, goddesses, and other mythological beings of power in the Greek myths. First is a summary of prehistoric events for those unfamiliar with the Greek creation story and the series of divine coups that eventually put Zeus in charge of the pantheon, then a family tree of the pantheon, and finally a short description for each deity or titan.

Greek Prehistory

From out of the primordial Chaos rose Gaea the earth and Uranos the sky. Uranos ruled the universe, Gaea birthed many children for him, and natural creatures arose from her fertile body to populate the world. Her first children were the titans, great majestic beings taller than mountains, six of them male and six female, and both parents were proud of their first offspring. Her next three children were the one-eyed cyclopes, ugly in form but gi�ed in smithing. Her next three children were even more monstrous—the hecatoncheires, fi�y-headed and hundred-armed. Uranos looked upon the cyclopes and hecatoncheires with disgust and hurled them into Tartarus, the deepest pit under the earth. Gaea was saddened at Uranos’ behavior, for she loved all of her children, and presented a sickle made of flint to the titans, asking them to make an end to Uranos. Cronus, the youngest but strongest titan, overcame his fear and a�acked his father, castrating him and leaving him powerless. Cronus threw his father’s genitals into the sea and became the new lord of the universe. He le� the cyclopes and hecatoncheires in Tartarus, and this angered Gaea. She plo�ed against Cronus just as she had against his father, knowing that one of Cronus’ sons would be stronger than Cronus just as the titan was stronger than his own father.

Cronus knew this truth, too, so every time his wife Rhea gave birth, he swallowed the child. Rhea mourned her lost children, and when the sixth was born she hid the boy and instead gave Cronus a stone swaddled in cloth, which he swallowed. Spirited away by agents of Gaea, the infant Zeus was raised by gentle nymphs and fed on ambrosia and nectar, the food and drink of the gods. When he was fully grown, he conspired with Metis, goddess of prudence and daughter of the titan Oceanus. Metis tricked Cronus into eating a magical herb, which caused him to vomit up his swallowed children, who (being immortal) had survived and matured in their father’s stomach. These children were Hades, Poseidon, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera, each gods or goddesses in their own right. Cronus couldn’t stand against the power of the six gods and was cast into Tartarus. Zeus became the new lord of the universe.

Zeus battles Typhon

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Chapter Five: Deities The titans revolted, refusing to bow down to the young gods, and there was war in the heavens. Zeus freed the cyclopes, who forged mighty weapons for the gods, and the hecatoncheires, who were as strong as the titans. With these allies, the gods defeated the titans, and Zeus imprisoned his enemies in Tartarus, with the hecatoncheires guarding the gates. Gaea became angry that now her beautiful children were imprisoned in Tartarus, so she brought forth Typhon and Echidna, two terrible monsters to defeat the gods and release the titans. A�er a massive ba�le that destroyed much of the earth, Zeus imprisoned Typhon under a mountain and Echidna fled. Zeus allowed her to survive and care for her hideous offspring, knowing that they would make fine challenges for future mortal heroes. With these last monsters defeated, Gaea ceased her protests, and she and the gods rebuilt the world. The gods had children with each other and with the children of titans, ruled over mankind from their great palace on Mount Olympus, and got into disagreements with each other and mortals about various things.

Olympian Gods and Titans

The following list is intended as an overview of the supernatural beings worshipped by the Greeks in one form or another. In the Argonauts se�ing, the gods are tangible but remote. The focus is on the heroes, not the gods, so this cursory information is sufficient for the purpose of this book (this should be enough information to let a player choose a divine ancestor if playing a character with a bloodline). In any case, there are hundreds of books on mythology that can give more details on the gods and the mortal religions devoted to them; for the purpose of a Argonauts campaign, “it is a temple of Athena, goddess of wisdom and just war, patron of Athens” is sufficient for almost all purposes. This list includes titans and other non-godly humanoid creatures of Greek myth for the sake of completeness of Olympian genealogy; while in the stories few mortals were descended from these beings, there is no reason why you couldn’t allow titanic bloodlines as well as godly ones. Note that some of the goddesses here are listed as virgins, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have mortal bloodlines; the Olympians have many powers and having children without sex is the least effort should they choose to do so. The Anemoi: The four winds, sons of Eos, some also representing a season—Boreas (North Wind, winter), Notus the (South Wind, autumn),

Zephyr (West Wind), and Eurus (East Wind). Sometimes they took the form of horses and pulled Zeus’ chariot, and many of their offspring are immortal horses. Aphrodite: Goddess of love, marriage, sex, and fertility. She was born of a mixture of sea-foam and Uranos’ castrated genitals, arising spontaneously and arriving on the isle of Cyprus. Zeus feared that the gods would fight over her so he quickly gave her as a bride to Hephaestus. Unhappy with her ugly club-footed husband, she had many affairs— particularly with Ares (she is the mother of Ares’ children Phobos and Deimos)—and many children. Of mercurial temperament, she had a habit of cursing or destroying any mortals who compared their beauty to her own. Apollo: God of archery, prophecy, music, and healing, he is an excellent bowman and the brother of Artemis. He is sometimes worshipped as the sun god, and his arrows are as piercing as the rays of the sun. A lusty god, he chased nymphs, mortal women, and even a few beautiful young men. Ares: God of war, ba�le, and frenzy. Handsome and cruel, he had an affair with Aphrodite and married her a�er Hephaestus divorced her. His sons Phobos (god of panic) and Deimos (god of fear) a�ended him in war (as did Eris) and elsewhere. Though a war god, he had a habit of running to Zeus for help whenever he was wounded. Artemis: Virgin goddess of the hunt, childbirth, and protection of children. She is the twin sister of Apollo. Her arrows are as so� as moonbeams and bring painless death. Artemis is o�en depicted hunting deer, and is usually accompanied by a group of nymphs. She can be vengeful when the mood takes her, and has killed mortals for slighting her mother Leto or for viewing her bathing. Athena: Virgin goddess of wisdom, ba�le-skill, heroism, and the defense of cities. She is patron deity of Athens (a�er winning a contest with Poseidon). The daughter of Zeus and Metis, she sprung forth fully grown from Zeus’s head. She wears Medusa’s head on her shield, the Aegis. Atlas: The titan of daring thought, he fought against Zeus in the titan-god war and holds the vault of the sky on his shoulders as a punishment. In some tales he was pardoned and now guards the great pillars that hold up the sky. Coeus: Titan of questioning intellect. Husband of Phoebe, together they form the foundation of knowledge and discovery. Father of Leto, and thus grandfather of Apollo and Artemis. Crios: Titan of lordship and mastery who gained power over the air, water, earth, and underworld. His granddaughter Hecate inherited these powers.

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Chapter Five: Deities Olympian Genealogy

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Chapter Five: Deities Cronus: Titan of time’s effect on human lives, Cronus defeated his father Uranos and became ruler of the universe, only to be deposed by his own son Zeus. As well as fathering six of the great gods, he is father of Chiron, the wise centaur who taught Jason, Asclepius, and Achilles. Demeter: Goddess of the harvest, agriculture, and law. She is a sister of Zeus and mother of Persephone (bride of Hades). Persephone must spend six months out of the year in Hades’ realm, and Demeter’s sorrow over her absent daughter causes winter in the mortal world. Dionysus: God of wine, revels, theater, and festivals. He was a very popular god in the late Greek classical age. Half-mortal himself, he o�en helps mortals but likewise can drive them to drunkenness and madness if they offend him. Eos: Goddess of the dawn, mother of the four winds, daughter of Hyperion and Thia. Her mortal husband Tithonus shrank into a grasshopper as he aged because Eos only asked Zeus to grant him eternal youth, but neglected to ask for eternal life. Eris: Goddess of strife and hatred. She is a sinister and mean creature who loves enticing others into trouble. Her golden apple of discord destroys friendships and causes wars. She is the mother of evil minor godlings of murder, grievances, lies, hardship, famine, and pain. Eros: God of love, usually depicted with wings and a bow with arrows that cause creatures to fall in love. Son of Ares and Aphrodite, he married a beautiful princess named Psyche (“soul”) despite his mother’s ire about the mortal girl’s beauty. Epimetheus: Titan of a�erthought and the father of excuses, he created the beasts of the earth. A�er Prometheus stole fire from the heavens, Zeus punished mankind by giving Pandora to Epimetheus as a wife. Hades: God of the underworld and wealth, he keeps mostly to himself in his realm with his wife Persephone. The Greeks felt that speaking his name would draw his a�ention (and hasten the speaker’s death), so they called him “the Unseen” or “the Host of Many.” Hecate: Goddess of witchcra�, with magical powers over the earth, sea, and heavens. She is sometimes seen as a dark and mysterious aspect of Artemis, representing mysteries of femininity and the moon. In some tales Hecate is the mother of the mortal sorceresses Circle and Medea. Helios: God of the sun and sight (and to a lesser extent the measurement of time by the sun). He steers the sun-chariot across the sky with four fiery wild horses. He is so bright that only the gods can look at him directly in his true glory.

Hephaestus: The forge and fire god, born lame in one foot (or crippled when thrown from Olympus to the earth by jealous Zeus or angry Hera). A master cra�sman, he and his cyclopes forged Zeus’ thunderbolts and many of the metal monsters of Greek stories. He was married to Aphrodite, but divorced her because of her many affairs. Hera: Goddess of marriage and women, queen of the gods, wife of Zeus. Jealous of all of his infidelity (many myths revolve around Zeus’ a�empts to evade her wrath), she managed to conceive two sons (one of them Hephaestus) by herself. Zeus is the father of her children Ares, Eileithyia (goddess of childbirth), and Hebe (goddess of youth). She aided some heroes (such as Jason, leader of the original Argonauts) and sided with the Greeks in the Trojan War. Hermes: God of messengers, guides, travel, herds, and invention. He helped many Greek heroes in their tasks. Hermes created the first lyre, and it is said his spirit watches over travelers from the small cairns of stones placed at crossroads. Hestia: Virgin goddess of the sacred hearth and sacrificial flame. A gentle goddess, she is the oldest sister of Zeus. She gave up her seat in Olympus for Dionysus, so she was made the goddess of the sacrificial fire, and a portion of every sacrifice to the gods goes to her. Hyperion: The titan of watching and observation, and father to Eos, Helios, and Selene. Iris: Goddess of the rainbow and messenger of the gods. Dressed in a gown of iridescent drops, she carries news to and from Olympus and the mortal world. Japet: The titan of spoken words and thoughts, husband of Clymene (titan of fame and infamy, daughter of titan Oceanus). He was Cronus’ general in the god-titan war. Leto: Titan of unnoticed and hidden things (gi�s she bestowed on the living things of the earth) as well as motherhood. She is the mother of Apollo and Artemis, and said to be the gentlest of all the Olympians. Metis: Daughter of Oceanus, she is the titan of good counsel and prudence. Prophecy said that if she bore a son to Zeus, he would overthrow his father, so Zeus tricked her into changing into a fly and swallowed her so that he might always have her advice. Her unborn daughter Athena grew within Zeus’ skull and sprung forth from his head fully grown. Mnemosyne: Titan of memory and inventor of words. She was one of the first goddesses of music and her nine daughters the Muses (fathered by Zeus) carry on that role.

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Chapter Five: Deities Muses: Minor goddesses of music, arts, literature, and performance. Their names and domains are Calliope (eloquence and epic poetry, she is the mother of Orpheus), Clio (historical writing), Erato (mimicry and erotic poetry), Euterpe (lyric poetry), Melpomene (tragic performance), Polyhymnia (hymns), Terpsichore (dance and choral song), Thalia (idyllic poetry and comedic performance), and Urania (astronomical writing). Calliope is the mother of Orpheus, the greatest mortal musician in the world. Nike: Goddess of victory. She has great feathered wings. Though born of obscure titans, she was welcomed to Olympus by Zeus and aided Athena in her tasks. Her brothers Kratos and Zelos represent strength and rivalry, and her sister Bia represents force. Oceanus: The titan personification of the great river that surrounded the world, as well as titan of all fresh water. He is father to the spirits of rivers, seas, clouds, and rains of the Greek world with his wife Tethys. Pan: The god of flocks and shepherds. A nature god, Pan is the son of Hermes and has goat’s legs, pointed ears, and shaggy hair all over his body. He is the protector of hunters, shepherds, and flocks. He enjoys music and wine, and the satyrs serve him. Phoebe: Titan of answering intellect and the wife of fellow titan Coeus; together they form the core of all knowledge and discovery in the world. She is the mother of Leto, and thus grandmother of Apollo and Artemis. Phoebe is the original owner of the oracle at Delphi, which she gi�ed to her grandson Apollo. Poseidon: God of the sea, earthquakes, and horses. He created horses as a gi� to Demeter a�er several failed experiments such as the hippo, camel, and giraffe. He is a moody and violent god, prone to lash out with waves or earthquakes. He is the father of many godlings and water-spirits and a few mortal heroes as well. Prometheus: The titan of forethought, he created the second race of humans a�er the first race was wiped out by the ba�les of the gods. Stole fire from the heavens to give to mankind, chained to a mountain as punishment where the Kaukasian eagle would tear out his immortal liver each day. Eventually Heracles freed him. Rhea: Titan of female fertility, queen of the titans, primary wife of Cronus, and mother to the six first Olympian gods.

Selene: Goddess of the moon, she lights the world at night while her brother Helios rests. Her husband Endymion was granted eternal sleep at her request so he may stay forever young, and he fathered her fi�y daughters (the Menai, who represent the fi�y lunar months between each Olympiad). Tethys: The titan of nursing and of water flowing underground, she is the wife of Oceanus. As mother to thousands of river-spirits and other minor godlings of nature, she is normally accompanied by Eileithyia, a minor goddess of childbirth. Themis: Titan of customs and order. An oracular goddess, she is the mother of the three goddesses of destiny as well as the goddesses of seasons and divination. Thia: Titan of sight, and the one responsible for imbuing precious metal and gems with their sparkle and value. The Greeks believe that sight worked by a kind of ray emi�ed by the eyes, so it follows that she is the mother to the sun and moon, whose lights illuminate the world. Zeus: Leader of the Olympians, god of thunder, sky, kingship, and justice. He fathered many gods and mortal heroes on many different women (some immortal, some not), much to the annoyance of his queen Hera. His weapon is the thunderbolt.

Olympian Symbology

The gods of the Greeks are o�en depicted symbolically in art, sculpture, and decorations. Any of these symbols is appropriate as a holy symbol, shield decoration, or (if appropriate) a sacrificial item or creature. God Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis

Symbol Eros, apple, dove laurel wreath, bow and arrow, lyre helmet, spear bow and arrow, deer, hunting spear, lyre Athena aegis (shield with Medusa’s head on it), helmet, spear Demeter grain, lotus staff, torch Dionysus panther, thyrsus (staff tipped with a pine cone and twined with ivy), vines Hephaestus donkey, hammer, tongs Hera crown, lotus staff, lion Hermes caduceus, petasos (a winged widebrimmed hat), winged boots Poseidon octopus, trident Zeus eagle, lightning bolt, lotus staff

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Chapter 6: History This book assumes an Argonauts campaign takes place around 700 B.C.—about a hundred years a�er the end of Greece’s “Dark Age” and well into the era of the more powerful city-states (particularly Athens and Sparta). This period is late enough to see iron weapons become common and the development of the phalanx, early enough that se�lements are still ruled by kings (rather than the more democratic classical Greek civilization) and there is plenty of untamed wild space in between the sca�ered human civilizations. This allows a DM to make use of some of the more modern (to the Greeks) elements in the game, but still capture the feel of the myths. Clearly the events of the myths took place before this time, and mythical creatures did not roam Greek during this time period, but this choice makes the se�ing familiar enough to DMs and players without having to restrict all but the weakest armors and use bronze rather than iron weapons. What follows is a summary of Greek history up to this point.

During this time, Greece was a borderland region, on the northeastern edge of African/ Egyptian civilization and the western edge of Syria and the other lands of what is now the Middle East. Too far to be worth conquering and without obvious caches of valuable resources, Greece was largely le� alone, and had the luxury of borrowing culture and technology from its neighbors. Over time the Greeks learned how to build large structures and mastered the working of ivory, gold, silver, and gems, as well as painting, particularly on vases.

The Minoans

The best-known Greek civilization of this time is the Minoans, located on the isle of Crete (their name for themselves is unknown, and they were dubbed Minoans for the mythic King Minos of Crete whose wife Queen Pasiphae gave birth to the minotaur). In the earliest part of this time period the Minoans had built large palaces for their chiefs, containing the entire community (some of them covered several thousand The Bronze Age acres) including homes and Dating back as early as 1500 storage for goods. At this time, BC, a material culture came religion was still somewhat to power in this part of the tied to natural locales, with world. Se�lement leaders worship taking place on were successful warriors who mountaintop sanctuaries or collected trophies as proof in mountain caves, so as to of their victories—weapons, be closer to the gods. Around armor, gems and jewelry, 1450 B.C. the Mycenaeans slaves and servants, and (a Greek people from the herds of valuable animals. peninsula) took over Crete, Herodotus, Greek Historian The chief’s fame and wealth probably through warfare, a�racted followers, and the chief rewarded his although this changed li�le in the daily life of the favored followers with gi�s of these goods. average Minoan and apparently just resulted in a These gi�s built bonds with other warriors and change in the ruling class of the island. established ties of power, much as oaths of loyalty tied together the European nobility hundreds of The Mycenaeans years later. When not fighting enemies of their By the time the Mycenaeans arrived in Crete, tribe or town, the chief and his closest followers they had developed chariots and used them as spent their time hunting, pursuing athletics, or their primary military defense. The palaces of feasting. Because they built their power based on the Mycenaean age were smaller than those built deeds and reputation, they tended to be arrogant by the Minoans, but each had a large central hall brawlers who liked to get in fights with rivals; this called a megaron which had a hearth and was used gave the chiefs excuses to ba�le and prove their as a meeting-place for the king to hold court, give strength and opportunities to collect more loot banquets, and deal with the public. Each hearth from vanquished opponents. The obsession with had an altar a�ached to it, and religion played an wealth continued in death, and the great chiefs integral part in daily life now that it was no longer were buried under large earthen mounds, o�en necessary to walk to the nearest mountaintop to with weapons, their favorite hunting dogs, and make a sacrifice to the gods. even horses, chariots, or close followers dedicated The Mycenaean kings were served by to go with the chief into the a�erlife. many delegates who enforced his will across

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Chapter Six: History the kingdom, extending the king’s reach and maintaining a consistency in his laws. Each town was led by an appointed official (basileus), an aristocrat landowner, or even a priest or priestess. All citizens of adequate age and health were required to serve in the kingdom’s military, and each citizen owned his own weapons. Many communities had slaves who took care of most of the industrial needs of the kingdom (tending crops, creating simple goods, and so on). The Mycenaean period ended under mysterious circumstances. Many sites were destroyed and most of the island population was wiped out. Most scholars believe the causes is an unknown invader from a nearby land, as similar a�acks happened in neighboring countries—for example, Egypt was invaded by Libya, the Hi�ites to the east were overwhelmed by a foreign force, and so on.

The Dark Ages

Bards and the Dark Ages

During this time, the art of poetry and the status of bards increased greatly. The best poets were experts in retelling the classic stories in such a way as to enthrall the audience and make a topical point or a new interpretation of its meaning. Homer’s works helped establish a tradition of competitive reciting, where bards would speak portions of the great stories before an audience. This sort of event became so popular that it became a permanent part of the Panathenaea, one of Athens’ greatest festivals.

The Greek Dark Ages were a three-century period starting in 1100 B.C., but unlike the European Dark Ages a�er the fall of Rome, this was a time of increased instability, rather than regression into near-barbarism. During the Dark Ages the Greeks made several significant advancements, developing a new kind of po�ery, increasing the amount of worked iron for weapons and tools, and establishing an oral record of earlier stories preserved by Greek bards. The culmination of these records are the Homeric epics which were wri�en near the end of the Dark Ages, and included stories such as the Heracles stories, the Siege of Troy, and the Seven Against Thebes (a tale of Oedipus’ sons),

all of which became somewhat standardized and were greatly elaborated (and in the centuries to follow were turned into performance pieces by Greek playwrights). In terms of culture the Dark Ages were a slight fallback to previous eras, with warrior chiefs controlling smaller areas rather than established kings ruling larger areas. Many of the chiefs came from aristocrat families who retained some wealth and status from the Mycenaean age, giving them a slight advantage over the common rabble-rouser with a mind for leadership. Fortunately, the bards’ stories kept the memories of the previous age alive, and when traders from nearby lands approached the Greeks with exotic goods, the stories of the rich feasting-halls were still present in the minds of the leaders. The aristocrats wanted these foreign goods, and weren’t content to just be a stopping-point on the way across the Aegean. The Greeks established a trading outpost in Syria. Greek traders began to expand their reach. Politics and economics stabilized in the nearby lands, and these things together helped Greece leave its Dark Ages and move on to the Archaic Age at approximately 800 B.C.

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Chapter Six: History The Archaic Age

This era is called “archaic” because it is the last one before the Classical Greek era (the era of Greek philosophers, architecture, and so on). Despite its condescending title, it is a great period of time for the Greek people. Three key things mark the beginning of the Archaic Age: the influx of trade from foreign lands (as described above), a surge in population that led to colonization, and the development of the hoplite style of warfare. Ancient Greece lacked modern methods of birth control, so population growth tended to occur at a constant rate, usually resulting in warfare as one city a�acked another to acquire resources to feed its bloated population. Such an increase occurred in the early part of the Archaic Age, with some estimating that the population of Athens quadrupled in the first fi�y years of this age and then doubled beyond that in the next fi�y. Rather than turn to war with their fellows, the Greeks of this age turned to colonization. Aristocrats sought the wealth of foreign lands and financed colonizing expeditions, and in many cases the city-state’s government did so as well in an a�empt to increase its own trade and to relocate excess numbers of citizens. The leaders of these expeditions were o�en aristocrats and were given the responsibility to choose the location of the colony, divide up its land among the colonists, and drawing up a set of laws for the colony. These colonies remained Greek; they built their homes in Greek style, maintained their culture, resisted the influence of foreign governments and mores, and used their knowledge and resources to suppress or drive out the native peoples. What helped make these colonies safe and stable was the development of the hoplite, a Greek warrior wearing a breastplate, helmet, and greaves, with a round shield, sword, and a thrusting spear. The hoplites used the phalanx formation, eight men deep and as many men wide as the number of troops and terrain permi�ed, and with the phalanx they were nearly invincible against the older fighting styles, especially against less-organized opponents. The hoplite was made possible by the greater availability of iron and the increased wealth of the average Greek, making it possible for every soldier to own his own set of armor. The supremacy of the hoplite is what allowed them

to maintain their hold on the fringes of enemy lands (though those locals who adopted the hoplite tactics, such as some of the Italian natives, managed to hold back the Greek colonization from their lands). It is important to note that around this time the Greeks stopped burying weapons and armor with the dead; it was more practical to give the armor to another warrior so it could be used in the defense of the people. Ironically enough, in later centuries some Greek cities used hoplites with less and less armor, eventually fighting naked with only their weapons and a shield. Government and society changed during the Archaic Age with the development of the polis, originally just the center of a community which eventually evolved into the Greek-city state. Greeks began to realize that they weren’t lowly subjects of a king whose rule extended over an entire country; they were people able to make choices about their lives and the enrichment of their culture. From this mentality grew the concept of Greeks as citizens rather than subjects. This gave them a stronger identity as Greeks, rather than people who served the king; the king became less important than the kingdom. With the development of the polis, the Greeks believed that all citizens were equal under the law, even the king and other leaders—the king may be first among citizens, but he was still a citizen just like any other. The use of hoplites also meant that the Greeks were used to working together on a regular basis, and as the hoplites made up a significant portion of the population and they were responsible for defending the polis, the leaders couldn’t dismiss their interests out of hand. Greek society moved toward democracy. Literacy became common. Laws were posted in public places so the citizens could read them, when in other lands laws were solely in the hands of the kings and subject to change at the king’s whim. The Archaic Age lasted approximately from 800-500 B.C., leading into the Classical Age and even more advancements in art, engineering, literature, government, philosophy, and religion, though this new era of reason and the group tactic of the hoplites spelled the end of the era of mythic god-born heroes, which were relegated to stories from a past age. The famous men of the Classical Age were philosophers and generals, all firmly entrenched in the mortal world.

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Chapter 7: Running the Campaign The Greek heroic myths were about great heroes traveling to exotic places, obeying the will of the gods, and fighting terrible monsters, usually with the reward of a kingdom, a great princess as a bride, or even being placed in the sky as an immortal constellation. The goals, actions, and rewards aren’t the same as in a standard campaign. Greek heroes don’t guard caravans. They don’t investigate dungeons. They don’t break up thieves’ guilds, loot ancient tombs, root out goblin caves, defeat armies of undead, have city-based adventures, or stop the end of the world. This poses an interesting challenge to DMs who want to run a mythic Greek campaign. Many of the staple adventures of the game don’t fit the theme of the campaign. How do you build a campaign in mythic Greece when the traditional adventures aren’t appropriate? The answer is to look at the myths and emulate the stories those myths tell.

Mythic Elements

Let’s look at common elements in the Greek myths and how they can be the source of RPG adventure. Abandoned Royal Infants: To avoid dire prophecies or passing inheritance on to unwanted heirs, abandoning a royal infant to the elements (a common practice even for normal Greeks) pops up several times in the stories, and in every case said infant is found by a farmer, sailor, or other person who raises them as their own and sends them on their way to greatness when they become an adult, usually foiling the plans of the person who abandoned them in the first place. Clever DMs

might have one of the heroes unknowingly be an abandoned prince, and at the end of a journey they realize their ancestry. Centaurs: These annoying brutes are the cause of many fights and disputes, particularly at feasts and weddings. Like any monster, centaurs are an easy excuse for a ba�le, but an evil king can also send the heroes to invite the centaurs to an upcoming feast in the hopes that diplomacy will fail and the centaurs will a�ack the heroes. Connectivity: The heroes of the Greek myths weren’t isolated. They encountered each other as acquaintances, allies, and in some cases foes. Don’t be afraid to insert other scion heroes as NPCs— even famous mythic figures such as Perseus, Theseus, and Heracles, and if you run multiple Argonauts campaigns it’s a perfect opportunity to bring in characters from previous campaigns in cameo appearances. Contests: Whether a chariot race, discus throw, music competition, archery challenge, or something even stranger, the Greeks enjoyed contests of skill, and heroic stakes riding on the result makes it even more exciting. Making the heroes participate in a contest or even a series of sporting events (like the Olympics) can be a pleasant diversion from monster-hunting and give NPCs an opportunity to size up the heroes. Heroic Labors: Made popular by Heracles’ twelve labors, heroes were o�en challenged with tasks that are impossible to normal men. This is so common in the stories that heroes should accept such challenges as part of being a hero and shouldn’t demand something in return for the

Heracles wrestles the Nemean Lion

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Chapter Seven: Running the Campaign labors; it’s an easy way to push the heroes in the direction of adventure. Hubris: As o�en as not, a boastful mortal earns the ire of the gods (whether for claims of beauty, skill, or equality with the gods) and is punished in some way. If the mortal is a king or queen, their land is usually punished with a rampaging monster, while a common mortal is o�en transformed into something unpleasant or given a series of punishments. This is an easy way to get the heroes involved in an adventure (hopefully through someone else’s mistake, and not that of the heroes!). Interesting Arrivals: A ship arrives on a strange shore with a king and rowed by fi�y princesses, and the locals declare it a sign from the gods and make him their king. A golden youth with one sandal arrives in a great city, and the king plots against him to thwart a prophecy of the king’s undoing. DMs can arrange the circumstances of heroes’ arrivals to fulfill prophecies or arouse suspicions among the local people, for a positive or negative effect. Journeys: The Greeks were a nation of seafarers with colonies on many distant shores, and it is not surprising that their greatest stories involve journeys to foreign lands, whether on foot, on a ship full of heroes, or on a flying horse. During these journeys they run into many strange things, starting a precedent for adventurers having “random encounters” on the way to their true goal. Kindness: Heroes are people who do good, even if the act is an inconvenience to them. Many stories start with a minor good deed that grows into something greater and becomes an unexpected reprieve or surprising reward. Give the heroes the

opportunity to help someone when they don’t need to, especially if they’re in a hurry; make sure their actions have consequences. Marriage: Many stories involve the pursuit of an advantageous marriage (particularly the hand of a princess), fleeing an unsuitable marriage, or retrieving a stolen bride. As a campaign-ending event, put a political or royal marriage at stage, giving the heroes the opportunity to leave a legacy in the campaign. Monsters: The Greek myths are rife with monsters, most of them descended from Typhon and Echidna (Cerberus, Chimera, Nemean Lion, Hydra, Sphinx, and others), all of them evil or at least hungry for human flesh. Monsters can be a side-trek adventure (like the Argonauts dealing with Scylla and Charybdis on the way back to Greek carrying the Golden Fleece) or the goal of the adventure (like Heracles’ labors or Bellerophon’s pursuit of Pegasus and Chimera). Prophecy: Oracles frequently give prophecies about royal offspring, strange monsters, or the fate of nations. Sometimes these prophecies are false, but more o�en than not they come true and usually in an unexpected way. Use prophecies to push the heroes toward the adventure. Sacrifices: Whether a perfect animal wanted for a sacrifice or a forgo�en sacrifice that makes the gods angry, sacrificial animals play a key part in many myths. In some cases a foolish mortal tries to make a human sacrifice and that really makes the god angry, with even worse repercussions. A sacrifice or the lack thereof is the cause of an adventure for heroes, but rarely the adventure itself.

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Chapter Seven: Running the Campaign Stars: The skies are populated with Greek heroes and monsters placed there by the gods a�er death, to honor and remember their deeds for all time. A truly heroic campaign gains special sentimentality when a permanent reminder of the heroes is le� in the sky for future generations to talk about.

Wealth, Rewards, & Starting Level

Characters in an Argonauts campaign use the normal wealth-per-level rules in the DMG. However, pursuit of gold is not why the heroes went on quests. Greek heroes weren’t in it for the money; they did it for glory, fame, land, and to honor the gods with their deeds. Once the players create their characters and buy their gear according to how much wealth they should have, make sure they have enough money to buy supplies and some pocket money for small expenses, but beyond that there is no need to heap piles of gold on them for rewards. Reward them with feasts, with places of honor at public religious ceremonies, and with the word of helpful NPCs who can turn their slain monster trophies into useable magic items with the Hellenic Alchemy† feat. Most Greeks in the classic era have at least some martial experience. To make the heroes stand out as heroes compared to the average Greek, strongly consider starting them at 2nd level or higher. This makes them a cut above the average Greek (who is usually a Com1/War1 or a War2) and gives them a hit point buffer in a low-magic campaign where the monsters are tough and there is no ready access to healing magic.

Sample Argonauts Campaign

The following is the general course of the adventures in the Argonauts playtest campaign. It is presented here as an example of a short-term campaign with a clear beginning and ending. PCs started at 2nd level. Session 1, Athens: The heroes are called to the temple of Athena in Athens and introduced to each other. One of the senior priestesses tells them that Athena has sent word from her brother Apollo that his oracle at Delphi is threatened and it is Athena’s will that they investigate this threat. The heroes sail to Delphi on a ship rechristened the New Argo for their journey, find strangely rude guards protecting her cave and saying that she has given orders not to be disturbed. The heroes push their way through the guards (a�er a short fight in which the guards are captured and disarmed) and speak to the cloaked oracle within the cave. The oracle gives strange answers and eventually gives up the

charade, revealing that she’s a gorgon rather than the true oracle. Session 2, Delphi: The false oracle, Euryale the gorgon, a�acks the heroes, and the false oracle guards run back outside. The heroes a�ack the gorgon, and her sister Sthenno creeps up from the darkness and joins the a�ack. The guards, presumed fled, return with their weapons and join the fray against the heroes. Euryale falls, Sthenno retreats into the darkness, and the heroes dispatch the guards and finally Sthenno. They find the true oracle in a further part of the cave and she explains that the strange women and their guards killed her python guardian and imprisoned her, hoping to use her prophetic powers for their own goals. She gives them a prophecy, that a new Golden Fleece can be found in the remote land of Colchis, and the heroes are to claim it in the name of Athens, but to achieve their goal they will need the teeth of the Calydonian boar. Session 3, Calydonia: The heroes sail to Calydonia, where they meet with king Phemius and find that two monstrous boars impervious to weapons have been terrorizing remote parts of the kingdom. Earlier that morning the king’s son Phyrixious le� in hopes of killing the boars, and the king asks the heroes to find the prince and bring him back safely, as well as deal with the boars. The heroes are given a guide to take them to the place of the boars’ most recent a�ack, and from that village they easily track the boars by the large trails they leave in the grass. Along the path the find the maimed bodies of several men from the prince’s hunting party, and eventually reach a hilltop ruin where they find a greatlywounded prince. At this point the boars a�ack, and through hard fighting the heroes manage to kill one, though the other one gets away a�er they le� it unconscious long enough to recover from its injuries with supernatural speed. The heroes pursue the fleeing boar despite having half their numbers able to fight, fight the boar again, and watch it run away yet again. They decide to return to the king the next morning, bearing one boar’s head as proof of their deeds. The king is overjoyed at the return of his son and throws a feast for the heroes. They return to the ruin a�er a day of rest and feasting, find the last boar, and kill it, likewise returning with the head. The king’s alchemists use the boar’s bones to cra� a magical healing brew and the heroes keep the teeth, remembering the oracle’s words. Session 4, The Swamp: Having gathered the needed teeth, they sail to Colchis (stopping by Athens to report their progress and request guards

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Chapter Seven: Running the Campaign be sent to help guard the oracle) but get caught in a storm along the way and limp ashore with a broken mast. They enter the nearby swamp to find a suitable tree to fashion a new mast and encounter a pair of five-headed hydras. The hydras prove to be formidable foes and several heroes fall, though the Athenians win out eventually, taking the hydra skins and hearts in the hopes of making special items like the alchemists did with the boar’s bones. They find a suitable tree, cut it down, and drag it back to the ship. The ship’s crew makes a new mast and they continue sailing to Colchis. During the journey the priest in the group succeeds at making a pair of magical hydra-skin cloaks with healing powers and a jerky-like dried hydra heart with tremendous healing potency. Session 5, Colchis: The heroes reach Colchis, deal as best they can with the locals’ condescending a�itudes toward “foreign barbarians,” and speak to a noble at the palace, and use a bloodline power to quickly turn him to their side. They meet with king Goran, who tells them the story of the original Golden Fleece and the circumstances of them gaining their current one (a golden flying ram delivered a foreign prince to Colchis, just like the first Golden Fleece, the king adopted the boy, sacrificed the ram to honor the gods, and hung its golden skin on a tree guarded by a dragon who would a�ack anyone but the king). A�er talking over dinner the king agreed to give the heroes the Golden Fleece if they completed three labors. The first labor was to drive off or kill a group of centaurs bothering one of Colchis’ northern towns. The heroes rest that night, and one is visited by the king’s daughter Meledria, who warns that her father is not to be trusted and they are not the first who have come seeking the Golden Fleece. The heroes set out the next morning. Session 6, Centaurs: A week of marching later, the heroes reach the town and find that the

Heracles, Cerberus, and Hecate

centaurs normally raid the town for wine and women, dragging them off into a hillside cave. The heroes come up with a plan to get the centaurs drunk and buy four casks of wine. Tracking the centaurs to their lair, the heroes find one centaur sleeping under a tree, and plant the kegs near him in the hopes of ge�ing the others to join in a great party. Luck is with them and the centaur wakes to find the “gi� from the gods” and calls his brothers to join in the drinking. They do so and don’t drink themselves into a stupor, but are intoxicated enough to satisfy the heroes, who a�ack and kill two of the four. The other two flee and the heroes track them to their cave, where they put an end to the monsters. They return to the palace, the king congratulates them, and gives them their next task. Two of the cyclopes who lived on Mount Olympus have been struck mad and cast down into the mortal world; now they live in the mountains on Colchis’ western border and hurl thunderbolts on passing patrols. Defeat the two cyclopes and the heroes will have completed their second task. Once again Meledria visits the hero’s bedroom and warns him that few heroes have returned from the first task and none from the second. Session 7, Cyclopes: A week’s march to the west finds the heroes at the foothills of the mountains marking Colchis’ western border. They confer with the local soldiers and learn the general location of the cyclopes’ a�acks, then proceed to that location. The heroes follow a path into the mountains, find the hilltop ruin where the cyclopes live, and stealthily creep their way toward the lair. They are noticed at the last moment and a great ba�le breaks out, with the cyclopes hurling thunderbolts and the heroes using tactics to make up for the cyclopes’ greater strength. Eventually they strike down the cyclopes, claim the remaining thunderbolts as their prize, and return to the palace. Goran and the people of Colchis are surprised that the heroes have finished their second task and admits he is impressed. However, the third task is the most difficult: they must take a secret path in the eastern part of the kingdom that leads to the underworld and bring back Cerberus, guardian of the gate to the underworld, alive to the palace. If the heroes complete that task, Goran will give them the Golden Fleece. The heroes make ready to leave in the morning (procuring a strength-weakening poison from a local apothecary to make it easier to bring Cerberus in alive), and for the third time princess Meledria warns her chosen hero about her father’s possible treachery. Session 8, Cerberus: The heroes travel to the eastern cave, follow its winding path downward,

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Chapter Seven: Running the Campaign

feeling the chill of death as various barely-sensed spirits pass them on the way to Hades’ realm. They reach a broad cave with a cold, black river running through it and realize it is the Styx, the water so deadly that even the gods would die if they drank it. They rang a small gong on the riverbank and soon a�er a cloaked figure in a small boat poled into view. This man, Charon, ferryman of the Styx, took them across the water one by one a�er taking their coin. The heroes find the gates to be great iron things, adorned with three canine skulls each as big as a horse’s. Guarding the guards are two huge dogs, their breath as cold as death itself. Cerberus is nowhere to be found, though the three skulls suggest his fate. They a�ack the cerberean hounds, and during the ba�le four warrior spirits appear at the open gate—four of the false oracle guards killed in the ba�le with the gorgons! The heroes manage to poison one hound and knock it out, wound the other badly enough to make it flee through the gate, and are relieved but nervous that the spirits seem content to watch rather than a�ack. Tying the fallen hound with several lengths of chain, the heroes quickly retreat, pay to cross the Styx again, and make their way back to the palace. Goran is dumbfounded but manages to keep a grim composure. The king announces the heroes have earned the Golden Fleece and he will escort them to the sacred garden at dawn. They feast and retire for the night, but Meledria wakes her champion and tells him that her father plans to have them assassinated in the night so the Golden Fleece stays in Colchis. The heroes gather in the dark of night, hear Meledria’s story, and ask the

princess for help. She agrees to help them in exchange for them taking her with them when they leave, then leads them through a secret passage to the sacred garden where the never-sleeping dragon encircles the Golden Fleece’s tree at all times. Session 9, Dragon: The heroes sneak into the garden and decide to plant their boar’s teeth. Up from the ground spring four Athenian warriors, who turn to the heroes for their commands. With a word, the heroes and the new soldiers a�ack the dragon. One hero takes an opportune moment to snatch the Golden Fleece and run to the secret passage. The other heroes want to go with him but fear the dragon will pursue them. The boar tooth soldiers volunteer to keep the dragon distracted while the heroes escape, and the heroes thank them for their noble sacrifice and run away with the Golden Fleece, the princess, and their lives intact. They grab some of the king’s horses, set the others loose to deter fast pursuit, and make their way at top speed to the port town where their ship awaits. Before they reach the ship they run into a squadron of Spartan warriors who had been tracking their progress, all intent on taking the Golden Fleece back to Sparta. A great ba�le ensues, six against twenty-four, and the heroes emerged bloody but victorious. They met their ship, sailed back to Athens, and displayed their prize to the temple of Athena. Hailed as heroes, the entire city celebrated and they were given land, awards, and their choice of beautiful nobles’ daughters as wives. Once again a group of Argonauts had completed their great quest and brought the Golden Fleece home.

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Chapter 8: Monsters This chapter describes the monsters of the Greek heroic myths. Creatures that cannot be killed by mortals are not included in this book. Note that those listed here differ from their equivalent versions in the MM (for example, the centaur listed below does not use the MM centaur’s composite bow and has a different feat and skill selection). Anything not listed (such as treasure, LA, and so on) is as per the standard version of the monster. Other monsters inspired by the Greek myths which can be used as-is from the MM include chimeras, dire animals, griffons, minotaurs, pegasi, satyrs, and tritons. What the MM calls harpies are the equivalent to Greek sirens (birdwomen who summoned sailors to drown with their music), as the mythic harpies were winged female servants of Zeus, and while they were sometimes depicted as bird-women, they did not have entrancing musical powers. Many classical Greek monsters are just metal versions of common animals (sometimes with special powers), such as the fire-breathing bronze bulls of Colchis. Some of these creatures are described in this book, but it’s easy to create your own using a template such as Monte Cook’s magical construct template (). Other monsters of the myths are o�en common animals with two or more heads, which you can create with the two-headed mutant template (). Some of these monsters are described as immortal. In an Argonauts campaign, immortality means that the creature does not age, is immune to normal (nonmagical) diseases or poisons (which cannot reduce an immortal creature’s ability score below 1 for any ability), and does not need to eat or drink. It can still be killed by violence, though such creatures are usually very hardy. A monster’s description may include references to how the “original” creature behaved or even how it died. Depending on your goal for the campaign, the monster you present to the PCs may be the original creature, either brought back to life by the gods or never slain in the first place. If you choose to present a monster in this way, ignore any references to the creature’s death or who killed it. Otherwise, assume the creature is another specimen of the same type as the original. Each creature’s entry includes what information a PC recalls about the creature by using the appropriate Knowledge check (usually history); higher check results yield

more information. If a creature doesn’t have a Knowledge entry, any PC who makes a DC 10 Knowledge check recalls the listed general information about the creature. Most creatures also have a tactics listing, giving suggestions as to how they act in combat. If a creature doesn’t have a tactics listing then it uses tactics appropriate to a normal creature of its kind (for example, Alkinous’ hounds are simply two metallic construct guard dogs, and they act like normal guard dogs).

Aeetes’ Bulls: CR 3; Large construct; HD 5d10+15; hp 42; Init +0; Spd 40 �.; AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +3; Grp +13; Atk +8 melee (1d8+9, gore); Full Atk +8 melee (1d8+9, gore); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA breath weapon (5d6 fire); SQ lowlight vision, scent, construct traits; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 22, Dex 10, Con —, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4. Skills and Feats: Listen +7, Spot +5; Alertness, Endurance. Breath Weapon (Su): 10 �. cone of 5d6 fire, Reflex DC 12 half. Useable every 1d4 rounds. The DC is Constitution based. Description: This magically animated quartet of bronze fire-breathing bulls was a gi� from Hephaestus to king Aeetes of Colchis. Jason of the Argonauts tied them to a yoke and plowed a field with dragon’s teeth to win the Golden Fleece from Aeetes. Knowledge (history): 10—One of the gods gave four bronze bulls to a mortal king. 15—the bulls breathe fire hot enough to kill a man. 20—Jason yoked them to a plough and sewed a field with dragon’s teeth to win the Golden Fleece. Tactics: The bulls normally charge and gore on the first round of combat, then breathe fire, then gore until they can breath fire again.

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Chapter Eight: Monsters Aeetes’ Dragon: CR 8; Large dragon; HD 9d12+45; hp 103; Init +6; Spd 40 �., climb 20 �., fly 40 �. (poor); AC 23, touch 11, flat-footed 21; Base Atk +9; Grp +21; Atk +16 melee (1d8+8 plus poison, bite), or +16 melee (1d6+8, claw); Full Atk +16 melee (1d8+8, bite), or +16 melee (1d6+8, 2 claws); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA improved grab, swallow whole, poison (1d2 Con/1d2 Con, DC 19); SQ darkvision, immortality, low-light vision, scent, tremorsense 60 �., untiring; AL N; SV Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +9; Str 27, Dex 15, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Climb +16, Hide +2, Listen +15, Move Silently +12, Sense Motive +11, Spot +15; Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the dragon must hit a creature of any size with its bite a�ack. It can then a�empt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an a�ack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it can swallow the opponent in the following round. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 19, initial damage 1d2 Con, secondary damage 1d2 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. Swallow Whole (Ex): The dragon can try to swallow a grabbed Medium or smaller opponent by making a successful grapple check. A swallowed creature takes 2d6+8 points of bludgeoning damage and 4 points of acid damage per round from the dragon’s gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 15). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. The dragon’s gizzard can hold 1 Medium, 4 Small, 16 Tiny, or 64 Diminutive or smaller opponents. Untiring (Ex): The dragon never needs to sleep, though it is still susceptible to sleep effects. It is immune to fatigue and exhaustion. Description: The dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece is a dangerous creature that never needs to sleep. Jason and Medea overcame it only because she drugged it to sleep. In some stories it managed to swallow Jason before Medea put it to sleep and she had to force it to disgorge him before they could make off with the Golden Fleece. The stories do not mention the dragon’s death, and Medea is shown on good terms with dragons in other stories, so it is quite possible the dragon that guards the sacred grove in Colchis is the same one Medea and Jason met. Knowledge (history): 10—The dragon that guards the Golden Fleece is a great beast that never sleeps. 15—Its bite is poisonous and it swallows its prey

alive like a snake. 20—Jason and Medea passed the dragon by drugging it to sleep with one of Medea’s potions. Tactics: The dragon likes to pretend it is sleeping, using its tremorsense and scent abilities to keep track of approaching creatures. It prefers to start combat with a bite and try to swallow that creature, therea�er using its claws and bite on whichever enemy seems the most dangerous. Alkinous’ Hounds: CR 2; Medium construct; HD 2d10+10; hp 21; Init +2; Spd 50 �.; AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +1; Grp +2; Atk +3 melee (1d6+1, bite); Full Atk +3 melee (1d6+1, bite); Space/ Reach 5 �./5 �.; SA trip; SQ construct traits; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 15, Con —, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +3; TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite). Skills: *The hounds have a +4 bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent. Trip (Ex): A hound that hits with a bite a�ack can a�empt to trip the opponent (+1 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch a�ack or provoking an a�ack of opportunity. If the a�empt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the hound. Description: Hephaestus cra�ed these two animated hound statues (one gold, one silver) to guard the palace of Alkinous, king of the Phaiakians, a place Odysseus visited a�er the Trojan War. Knowledge (history): 10—Hephaestus gave two living hound statues, one silver and one gold, to the palace of a far-away king. 15—The hounds had no special abilities other than being made of metal. Amphisbaena: CR 3; Large magical beast; HD 3d10+3; hp 19; Init +8; Spd 20 �., climb 20 �., swim 20 �.; AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +3; Grp +8; Atk +6 melee (1d4+1 plus poison, bite); Full Atk +6 melee (1d4+1 plus poison, 2 bites); Space/ Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA poison (1d6 Con/1d6 Con, DC 12); SQ dual mind, dual reflexes, scent; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 12, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2. Skills and Feats: Balance +12, Climb +9, Hide +8, Listen +5, Spot +7, Swim +9; Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse. Dual Mind (Ex): The amphisbaena has two brains, so for all mind-affecting a�acks it counts as two separate creatures. If a spell or effect can only affect one of the creature’s heads (such as a charm monster spell, which affects a single target), the unaffected head takes control of the entire body. In

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Chapter Eight: Monsters these situations, the affected head becomes inert for combat purposes (losing its extra bite a�ack, if any), and the creature temporarily loses its dual reflexes ability. Even if one head is charmed or dominated, the creature does not a�ack itself or split its a�acks between its normal opponents and those chosen by its controller. In effect, mindaffecting a�acks must affect both heads in order to achieve the normal result (casting two successful charm monster spells on an amphisbaena brings it fully under the control of the caster and allows it to use all of its abilities). Dual Reflexes (Ex): The creature may make two a�acks of opportunity per round instead of one (one per head). Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 12, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. Description: An amphisbaena is a snake native to North Africa with a head on each end of its body. Knowledge (nature): 10—Two-headed snakes called amphisbaenas are native to North Africa. They can crawl forward or backward, and both heads are poisonous. Antaeus: CR 4; Medium giant; HD 6d8+35; hp 62; Init +6; Spd 30 �.; AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +4; Grp +15; Atk +11 melee (1d3+7, slam); Full Atk +11 melee (1d3+7, 2 slams); Space/ Reach 5 �./5 �.; SQ Gaea’s strength, Gaea’s vitality, immortality; AL N; SV Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 24, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Listen +9, Spot +9; Improved

Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Power A�ackB, Toughness. Gaea’s Strength (Ex): As long as Antaeus is in contact with the earth, he gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength (included in the above totals). This ability functions if he stands on earth, stone, sand, or mud; even a wooden or stone floor of a building or street is sufficient as long as that is in contact with the actual ground. Gaea’s Vitality (Ex): If he is knocked unconscious or killed while in contact with the earth, Antaeus is immediately healed to perfect health and can take actions on his next turn. He can only be permanently killed if it is done while he is not in contact with the earth. Description: The son of Poseidon and Gaea, Antaeus was a Libyan giant (though no bigger than a large man) who wrestled anyone who passed through his domain, using their skulls to build a great temple to his father. He was slain by Heracles. Knowledge (history): 10—Antaeus was a Libyan giant, son of Gaea, undefeated in wrestling. 15—He wrestled Heracles and lost. 20—Heracles won by li�ing Antaeus off the ground, preventing the giant from drawing strength from his mother the Earth. Tactics: Antaeus doesn’t like open combat, preferring to wrestle his opponents one at a time. He challenges heroes to wrestling matches rather than chaotic ba�le, refusing to let anyone pass him on the road unless they agree. In a fight he grapples one opponent until his enemy is unconscious or dead.

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Chapter Eight: Monsters Argus Panoptes: CR 3; Large giant; HD 4d8+8; hp 26; Init +2; Spd 40 �.; AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +3; Grp +12; Atk +8 melee (2d6+7/x3, masterwork longspear); Full Atk +8 melee (2d6+7/ x3, masterwork longspear); Space/Reach 5 �./10 �.; SQ immortality, untiring, hundred eyes; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +1; Str 21, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +5, Hide -2, Listen +5, Search +8, Spot +13; Combat Reflexes, Power A�ack. Hundred Eyes (Ex): Argus is exceptionally alert. His many eyes give him a +8 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, (included in the above totals) and he can’t be flanked. Argus has low-light vision (four times that of a normal human) and he can see invisible creatures as if using see invisibility. Untiring (Ex): Argus never needs to sleep, though he is still susceptible to sleep effects. He is immune to fatigue and exhaustion. Description: This giant is a son of Gaea, born with a hundred eyes placed all over his body. The perfect watchman and guardian, only two of his eyes ever need to sleep at the same time, so he can remain awake and vigilant always. Hera bade him watch over a white cow given to her by Zeus (which she rightly suspected of being one of his lovers transformed to hide his infidelity); Hermes charmed Argus into sleep with a magic song and cut off Argus’ head. Hera placed Argus’ eyes onto the feathers of her favorite bird, the peacock. When alive, Argus was no more powerful than an ogre, and was best at watching over something to make sure it doesn’t get away rather than guarding something valuable which someone might a�ack him for. Knowledge (history): 10—Argus was a hundredeyed giant who served the goddess Hera. He was always on guard, as his eyes could take turns sleeping. 15—Hermes used a magical song to put him completely to sleep, then struck off his head. Tactics: Argus prefers to make use of his reach and Combat Reflexes feat, repeatedly forcing enemies to move through the area he can strike with his spear. Bacchae (female human Com2): CR 1/2; Medium humanoid; HD 2d4+4; hp 9; Init +0; Spd 30 �.; AC 8, touch 8, flat-footed 8; Base Atk +1; Grp +3; Atk +3 melee (1d4+3, claw), or +3 melee (1d4+3/19-20, dagger); Full Atk +3 melee (1d4+3, claw), or +3 melee (1d4+3/19-20, dagger); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; SA constant rage; SQ animal followers; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +2; Str 14, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 11.

Hermes and Argus

Skills and Feats: Climb +4, Handle Animal +2, Listen +2, Spot +2, Use Rope +2; Endurance, Skill Focus (Profession (farmer)). Constant Rage (Ex): A bacchae is always in an enraptured state, u�erly zealous in her devotion of Dionysus. This has the same effect as a 1st-level barbarian’s rage (+4 to Strength and Constitution, +2 morale bonus to Will saves, -2 penalty to armor class, cannot use certain skills or feats), except the rage never ends voluntarily (these changes are included in the above statistics). If the bacchae is forced into a calm state (whether by knocking her unconscious or using a spell like calm emotions), she suffers the normal effects of ending a barbarian rage. Animal Followers (Ex): Bacchae are o�en accompanied by wild animals, which do not harm them and join them in any a�acks against other creatures. The animals do not obey the commands of the bacchae but do not a�ack them unless magically forced to. Description: In some tales, worship of Dionysus (also known as Bacchus) caused women to go mad with insight; they would roam the hills, dancing, cavorting with animals, and indulging in excesses of wine and sex. These mad women became known as the Bacchae or Maenads, and were considered very dangerous by more civilized folk. The Bacchae would tear apart any person who opposed them or spoke out against Dionysus (they killed Orpheus because he wouldn’t stop grieving for his dead wife and join them in their revels). The god sometimes cursed his detractors so they joined the Bacchae in their madness. Knowledge (history): 10—The Bacchae or Maenads are wild women devoted to Dionysus. They tear apart their enemies with their bare hands. 15—Like the wild beasts that sometimes

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Chapter Eight: Monsters travel with them, sometimes they kill innocent people that just happen to be in their way. Tactics: Bacchae prefer swarm tactics, either going a�er their foes with nails and teeth (which are natural a�acks for bacchae rather than unarmed a�acks) or cooperative grappling to pin down dangerous opponents so they are more easily defeated, and either punch or grapple melee opponents. Boar Tooth Soldier: These loyal troops are created by planting a boar soldier tooth† (see Chapter 3: Magic) in fertile ground. Reasonably skilled but not too intelligent, boar tooth soldiers are ideal for holding the line, chasing down something, or other similar tactics. They look like soldiers dressed in hoplite armor and colors of the nationality of the person who planted the tooth (an Athenian makes soldiers that look like Athenian troops, and so on). They are u�erly loyal to their creator, and would walk off a cliff if their creator told them to do so. Their statistics are identical to a typical Greek soldier (see below). Knowledge (history): 10—The old stories tell of fierce warriors who spring up from the ground a�er monster’s teeth are planted there. 15—Some of the stories say that the soldiers may turn on the person who planted them. Tactics: Boar tooth soldiers use simple tactics, eschewing anything fancy. They are smart enough to move into flanking positions without being told to do so.

Calydonian Boar: CR 4; Large magical beast; HD 7d10+21; hp 59; Init +0; Spd 40 �.; AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +7; Grp +16; Atk +11 melee (1d8+7, gore); Full Atk +11 melee (1d8+7, gore); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA ferocity; SQ fast healing 5, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +5; Str 20, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 8. Skills and Feats: Listen +8, Spot +8; Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will. Ferocity (Ex): A Calydonian boar is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying. Using the Slower Dying variant rule, it continues to fight until it reaches -17 hit points or lower. Description: The original Calydonian boar was sent by Athena in revenge a�er the king forgot to include her name when he made sacrifices to the gods. The boar’s tusks were as big as an elephant’s and its bristled hide seemed invulnerable to weapons. It is very similar in appearance to a dire boar, though it looks like an extremely large normal boar rather than a prehistoric or demonic giant boar. Knowledge (history): 10—The original Calydonian boar was sent by a goddess to punish a king for forge�ing her in a sacrifice. 15—More than a dozen heroes gathered to kill the boar, and it quickly killed seven of them. 20—Only a well-placed arrow from a female hero named Atalanta stalled it long enough for prince Meleager, the greatest spearman in the land, to run it through.

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Chapter Eight: Monsters

Tactics: The boar is very aggressive and usually charges into ba�le. If wounded below 20 hp, it runs away until it is fully healed (though its ferocity ability overrides this if it is brought to 0 hit points or lower).

Tactics: Centaurs shout insults at their opponents and use their bows as much as possible. If seriously wounded, they run away.

Centaur: CR 3; Large monstrous humanoid; HD 4d8+8; hp 26; Init +2; Spd 50 �.; AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +4; Grp +12; Atk +7 melee (1d8+4/19-20, longsword), or +6 ranged (1d6/x3, shortbow); Full Atk +7 melee (1d8+4/1920, longsword), +2 melee (1d6+2, 2 hooves), or +6 ranged (1d6/x3, shortbow); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SQ darkvision; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +5; Str 18, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 11. Skills and Feats: Listen +4, Spot +4, Survival +2; Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (shortbow). Description: Unlike the MM centaur, Greek centaurs are boorish, rude, drunk, rapacious brutes that eat raw meat, crash parties and weddings, and try to run off with women. They originated in Thessaly (home of the Lapith people) and are the sons of Thessaly’s king Ixion and a cloud (sent by Zeus to fool Ixion, who lusted a�er Hera). Knowledge (history): 10—Centaurs are brutish monsters that are o�en drunk and like to steal mortal women to bear their young. 15—They are technically part of some royal family, though they are an annoyance even in their homeland and are tolerated only grudgingly. 20—Their lineage goes back to king Ixion of Thessaly, who sought Hera for a bride and was tricked by Zeus into fathering the centaurs with a cloud.

Cerberean Hound; CR 5; Large magical beast (cold); HD 6d10+18; hp 51; Init +5; Spd 50 �.; AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +6; Grp +14; Atk +9 melee (1d8+4 plus 1d6 cold, bite) or +6 ranged touch (poison, tail spray); Full Atk +9 melee (1d8+4 plus 1d6 cold, bite), +1 ranged touch (poison, tail spray); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA trip, breath weapon (4d6 cold); SQ darkvision, cold immunity, low-light vision, poison, scent, fire vulnerability; AL NE; SV Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +3; Str 18, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Hide -1, Listen +6, Move Silently +7, Spot +6; Alertness, Improved Initiative, Track. Breath Weapon (Su): 15 �. cone of 4d6 cold, Reflex DC 16 half. Useable every 1d4 rounds. The DC is Constitution based. Fire Vulnerability: The Cerberean hound takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from fire, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure. Poison (Ex): Contact, Fortitude DC 16, initial and secondary damage 1 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. Scent (Ex): The Cerberean hound can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell (30 �. range). Trip (Ex): A Cerberean hound that hits with a bite a�ack can a�empt to trip the opponent (+8 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch a�ack or provoking an a�ack of opportunity.

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Chapter Eight: Monsters If the a�empt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the hound. Description: This monster was created for this book; in a campaign where the old mythic creatures are dying out, Cerberus has been slain by some great hero of the past, and now the gates to Hades’ realm are guarded by his two sons. These large hounds breathe cold like the chill of the grave, and though they lack their father’s poisoned snake-tail, their tails secret poison, which they flick at their enemies. Cerberean hounds have black fur with gray-white ends, and their tails are green and slick with their natural poisons. Knowledge (history): 10—No information. 15—It’s possible that Cerberus has monstrous offspring of his own, and they might have powers relating to his snaky tail and the underworld. Tactics: Cerberean hounds start with their breath weapons, then bite and tail-poison opponents, tripping if possible. As they’re immune to cold, they’re not cautious about catching each other in their breath weapon areas. Cerberus: CR 5; Large magical beast; HD 6d10+18; hp 51; Init +2; Spd 50 �.; AC 17, touch 11, flatfooted 15; Base Atk +6; Grp +17; Atk +13 melee (1d8+7, bite); Full Atk +13 melee (1d8+7, 3 bites), +7 melee (1d6+3 plus poison, snake tail); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA trip, poison (1d6 Con/1d6 Con, DC 16); SQ immortality, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Hide +0, Listen +11, Move Silently +4, Spot +11, Survival +2; Alertness, Run, TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite). Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 16, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. Skills: Cerberus has a +2 bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks, a +4 bonus to Listen and Spot checks, and a +4 bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Trip (Ex): If Cerberus hits with a bite a�ack he can a�empt to trip his opponent (+13 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch a�ack or provoking an a�ack of opportunity. If the a�empt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip him. Description: Cerberus is a huge and ugly dog as big as a dire wolf, with three heads and a snake instead of a tail. His main purpose at the gate to the underworld is to keep the dead from escaping, but he sometimes challenges the rare living creature that tries to get in. Knowledge (history): 10—Cerberus is the threeheaded dog guarding the gate to the underworld. 15—His tail was a poisonous snake, and he kept the dead from escaping back into the world. Tactics: Cerberus takes advantage of his three heads by making trip a�empts until an enemy falls prone, then using his remaining a�acks on the prone creature. He’s rather single-minded in his a�acks, preferring to kill one opponent before dealing with other enemies (although he will move to keep creatures from flanking him). Charon: CR 4; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 8d8+8; hp 44; Init +4; Spd 30 �., fly 30 �. (poor); AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +8; Grp +9; Atk +9 melee (1d6+1, quarterstaff); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (1d6+1, quarterstaff); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; SQ immortality, fast healing 10, unsinkable; AL LE; SV Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +8; Str 13, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Balance +6, Escape Artist +6, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +9, Profession (boatsman) +5, Sense Motive +10, Spot +5; Agile, Improved Bull Rush, Power A�ack. Fast Healing (Ex): Charon regains 10 hit points per round. Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, and it does not allow a creature to regrow or rea�ach lost body parts. Skills: Charon has a +4 racial bonus to Listen and Sense Motive checks. Unsinkable (Su): While he remains within it, Charon has absolute control over the boat’s direction and speed, and it cannot sink while he is steering it. He cannot be removed from the boat against his will or made to leave it in any way. Description: Charon is the ferryman of the dead, carrying spirits across the Styx if they were buried or cremated with a coin in their mouth, leaving them to wander the banks forever if they don’t. He appears an ugly older man with a grim face, conical hat, crooked nose, and a beard, though some see him as a winged fiend with snakes for

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hair (as a demon of the underworld, both may be his true form). Knowledge (history): 10—Charon is the ferryman who takes souls across the Styx to the underworld. He won’t carry anyone unless they pay the toll of one coin. 15—Charon has ferried heroes across the Styx in the past, and charged them a coin for passage in each direction. Tactics: Charon prefers to deal with violent passengers by bull rushing them into the Styx. If frustrated in his a�empts to push opponents into the river, he flies away with his pole, leaving his passengers to dri� helplessly until they land on one bank or the other (randomly, 1d6 hours later). Cyclopes, Greater: CR 7; Large giant; HD 12d8+48; hp 102; Init -1; Spd 40 �.; AC 17, touch 8, flatfooted 17; Base Atk +9; Grp +19; Atk +15 melee (1d4+6, slam); Full Atk +15 melee (1d4+6, 2 slams); Space/Reach 10 �./10 �.; SQ cra� thunderbolts, immortality; AL N; SV Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 22, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 7. Skills and Feats: Climb +7, Hide -5, Jump +7, Listen +4, Spot +6; Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Power A�ack, Weapon Focus (slam). Cra� Thunderbolts (Su): Arges, Brontes, and Steropes may cra� thunderbolts and greater

thunderbolts (see Chapter 3: Magic) as if they met all prerequisites for cra�ing that magic item. Description: The first three cyclopes (Arges, Brontes, and Steropes) were children of Gaea, born in the era of titans. Cast into Tartarus by Uranos because they were ugly, the gods freed them and in gratitude the cyclopes forged weapons for the upcoming fight against the titans, including Zeus’ thunderbolts. When Asclepius had the audacity to raise the dead, Zeus killed him with a thunderbolt; this angered Asclepius’ father Apollo, and though he could not retaliate against Zeus, he could retaliate against those who made the thunderbolt, and slew one of the cyclopes (and was punished for this murder by Zeus, who forced him to be a servant to a mortal for one year). The cyclopes presented here represent them greatly weakened and their minds dulled, probably due to some unknown transgression against the gods or a weakening of the mythic powers in the world. For full-power cyclopes, use storm giant statistics but without spell-like abilities or water breathing. Knowledge (history): 10—The cyclopes are great one-eyed giants, skilled at building and forging, and as old as the ancient titans. They made Zeus’ thunderbolts. 15—There are stories of less gi�ed cyclopes who herd sheep in the world instead of forging with Hephaestus, but they are a different breed. 20—Apollo is said to have killed one of the three cyclopes as vengeance for the thunderbolt that killed his son Asclepius. Tactics: The cyclopes normally carry at least 4 thunderbolts with them, and they strike first with those at long range. In melee they pound enemies with their fists. Their diminished intellect isn’t enough to make them forget their earlier days of glory, and they bi�erly fight to the death, not fearing the a�erlife. Cyclopes, Lesser: These more common cyclopes tended sheep and goats on one of the islands visited by Odysseus. Brutish and without the godly powers of their greater cyclopes kin, they ate human flesh just as readily as they ate animals. Use the statistics for the greater cyclopes (above) to represent these cruder specimens, except they lack immortality. Knowledge (history): 10—A more numerous tribe of cyclopes is said to herd sheep on one of the Aegean islands. Unlike the giants who forge Zeus’ thunderbolts, these giants are no smarter or skilled than a man, hold to no laws or gods, and eat human flesh. Tactics: The lesser cyclopes carry no thunderbolts, and are content to bash their enemies to death with their bare hands.

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Chapter Eight: Monsters Erinyes: CR 4; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 6d8+12; hp 39; Init +6; Spd 30 �., fly 60 �. (good); AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +6; Grp +8; Atk +8 melee (1d8+3, scourge), or +8 melee (1d3+3 plus poison, scourge); Full Atk +8/+3 melee (1d8+3, scourge), or +8/+3 melee (1d3+3 plus poison, scourge); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; SA poison (1d6 Con/1d6 Con, DC 10); SQ immortality, track the guilty, kindly punishment, DR 5/—; AL LN; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +7; Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Intimidate +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +11, Search +5, Sense Motive +5, Spot +13; Alertness, Flyby A�ack, Improved Initiative, Improved TripB. Kindly Punishment (Su): Erinyes are tasked with punishing the guilty, not with murder. If they so choose, none of their a�acks (including that of their snake-weapons and their poison) deal enough damage to kill their target, though the target can still be knocked unconscious due to the damage and suffers the pain of the a�acks normally even if they inflict no damage. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 10, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. Skills: *Erinyes get a +4 racial bonus to intimidate checks. Track the Guilty (Su): The erinyes are given the power to sense their chosen prey and can track them at any distance. This is the equivalent of an 8th-level spell for the purposes of evading or blocking the erinyes’ ability to track in this manner. Description: The Erinyes (Alecto “Unceasing One,” Megaira “She Who Holds a Grudge,” and Tisiphone “Avenger of Murder”), are three fiercelooking winged women with snakes for hair. Created when the blood from castrated Uranos fell upon Gaea, they exist for vengeance and retribution, particularly for crimes of children against their parents. Also known as “the Kindly Ones,” the Erinyes beat their prey with scourges (whips that deal normal damage and can harm creatures with natural armor) and snakes, driving them to madness and despair until the ritual of purification cleansed them of their sins. Because they are technically minor goddesses, it is possible that mortals cannot kill them, or they are reborn in Hades to serve again if somehow killed. Knowledge (history): 10—The erinyes are minor goddesses or spirits of punishment, usually for crimes by children against their parents. 15— They beat their prey with scourges as a ritual of purification cleans the victims of their sins against mortals and the gods. 20—They were born when

Cronus castrated Uranos and the sky-god’s blood fell on Gaea. They may be immortal. Tactics: As embodiments of vengeance for horrible crimes, erinyes are dauntless and gleefully wade into combat with their weapons. If a�acked by something other than their prey, an erinyes is likely to lash at it once or twice as a deterrent so they can deal with their prey, but turn on a�ackers who persist, as all children are guilty of some crime against their parents (no ma�er how small or pe�y) and thus deserve punishment if prompted. Erymanthian Boar: A great boar that ravaged the farmlands of Erymanthia. Heracles brought it back alive as his fourth labor. Use dire boar statistics. Euryale, female gorgon (medusa): CR 3; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 6d8+6; hp 33; Init +6; Spd 30 �.; AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +6; Grp +6; Atk +8 ranged (1d6/x3, shortbow), or +8 melee (1d4/19-20, dagger), or +8 melee (1d4 plus poison, snakes); Full Atk +8/+3 ranged (1d6/x3, shortbow), or +8/+3 melee (1d4/19-20, dagger), +3 melee (1d4 plus poison, snakes); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; SA petrifying gaze, poison (1d6 Str/2d6 Str, DC

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Chapter Eight: Monsters 14); SQ darkvision, immortality; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +6; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15. Skills and Feats: Bluff +9, Diplomacy +4, Disguise +9 (+2 acting), Intimidate +4, Move Silently +8, Sleight of Hand +4, Spot +8; Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Finesse. Petrifying Gaze (Su): Euryale’s gaze a�ack slowly turns creatures to stone. Any creature that fails a saving throw against the gaze gets a -2 penalty to Dexterity and -1 penalty to a�ack rolls (these penalties are cumulative). The gaze a�ack has a range of 30 �., Fortitude DC 13 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based with a –2 penalty. Poison (Ex): Contact, Fortitude DC 14, initial damage 1 Con, secondary damage 1 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. Description: Euryale and Sthenno were the two immortal gorgons (using the original meaning of the word, not the armored smoke-breathing bull in the MM), born of the obscure sea-god Phorcus and his monstrous sister Ceto. Hideous and evil, these two monsters took in the similar-looking transformed mortal Medusa, who was later killed by Perseus. In many tales the gorgons had wings; for winged gorgons, give them a fly speed 40 �. and good maneuverability. The Euryale presented here is a weakened form of the normal creature, possibly as a result in the overall decline of mythic creatures in the world as civilization advanced (or as Euryale put it in the Argonauts playtest campaign, “We are not as immortal as we used to be”). In an Argonauts campaign where the world’s magic is still strong and the vitality of myth in full force, use the MM version of the medusa instead of the weaker version presented here, and consider adding DR 10/adamantine or fast healing 5 to represent Euryale’s full immortality. In an Argonauts campaign where Euryale and Sthenno are full-powered and immortal, use the MM medusa statistics for the mortal Medusa (no DR or fast healing for Medusa, who was a mortal cursed by Athena for having sex at the goddess’ shrine). In the Greek myths, Pegasus sprang from Medusa’s decapitated neck, and was an immortal winged horse. Zeus used Pegasus to carry his thunderbolts into ba�le. Knowledge (history): 10—The three gorgons are hideous monster women whose faces are so ugly they turn any who look at them to stone. 15—Two of the gorgons are immortal; one was mortal, and slain by the hero Perseus. Tactics: The weakened Euryale presented here prefers to get close to her opponents, keeping her head hooded to disguise her nature, then striking

with her dagger and snakes from close range, le�ing her dire gaze wear down her opponents. She likes to take advantage of her darkvision, luring heroes into the depths of caves and away from the light of a sun or lamp (even though this means she can’t use her gaze a�ack on them, it forces all of her opponents to a�ack her blindly). A full-powered Euryale uses her petrifying gaze first, then moving in close (or even flying, if she has wings) to feel the blood spraying from her enemies; she avoids total darkness as her full-power gaze a�ack is only effective if her enemies can see her. False Oracle Guards (male human War2): CR 1; Medium humanoid; HD 2d8+2; hp 11; Init +0; Spd 20 �.; AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +2; Grp +3; Atk +4 melee (1d8+1/19-20, longsword), or +2 melee (1d6+1/x3, shortspear), or +2 thrown (1d6+1, javelin); Full Atk +4 melee (1d8+1/19-20, longsword), or +2 melee (1d6+1/x3, shortspear), or +2 thrown (1d6+1, javelin); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; AL NE; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +0; Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8. Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +1, Intimidate +2, Listen +2, Spot +2; Alertness, Combat ExpertiseB, Weapon Focus (longsword). Description: These six men are lackluster soldiers who fell in with the old gorgons (Euryale and Sthenno) who promised them gold in exchange for swearing on the Styx that they would serve the monsters loyally. Their arms (longsword, shortspear, and 2 javelins) and armor (breastplate and large steel shield) are ill-kept and dirty, and they are from many city-states, having put aside their differences in the name of greed. These men play a part in the sample Argonauts campaign presented in Chapter 7: Running the Game.

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Chapter Eight: Monsters Knowledge (history): 10—The Oracle is said to have loyal men as guards as well as a great snake that protects her. Tactics: The guards use simple military tactics, trying to flank opponents without ge�ing too far from the entrance to the Oracle’s cave. Geryon: CR 7; Large giant; HD 10d8+50; hp 95; Init +4; Spd 30 �.; AC 16, touch 9, flat-footed 16; Base Atk +7; Grp +16; Atk +12 melee (2d6+5, greatsword), or +6 thrown (1d8+5, javelin); Full Atk +12 melee (2d6+5, 3 greatswords), or +6 thrown (1d8+5, 3 javelins); Space/Reach 5 �./10 �.; SQ immortality, superior two-weapon fighting; AL N; SV Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +5; Str 20, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +5, Handle Animal +5, Knowledge (religion) +5, Listen +10, Profession (herdsman) +5, Search +10, Spot +10; Alertness, Improved Initiative, Power A�ack, Weapon Focus (greatsword). Skills: Geryon’s three heads give him a +4 racial bonus to Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Superior Two-Weapon Fighting (Ex): Geryon fights with a greatsword or javelin in each hand. Because each of his three heads controls an arm, he does not take a penalty on a�ack or damage rolls for a�acking with three weapons. Description: Geryon was the monstrous giant son of the rain-goddess Callirhoe and a mortal son of Medusa named Chrysaor. Geryon is no taller than a man but has three complete bodies fused at the waist, all fully armored and helmed. He carries three weapons and three shields. Though monstrous, he was civilized, and content to live out his life herding ca�le in a far land. Heracles was sent to capture Geryon’s ca�le as one of his labors, and when Geryon a�acked to prevent the the�, Heracles killed him. Knowledge (history): 10—Geryon was a triplebodied giant who guarded a great herd of ca�le. 15—Heracles killed Geryon and his two-headed dog Orthos as part of one of his heroic labors. Tactics: Despite his powerful ancestry, Geryon has li�le experience in combat and normally charges into ba�le with all three of his weapons and loyal Orthos at his side. Greek Noble (male human Ari2): CR 1; Medium humanoid; HD 2d8; hp 9; Init +1; Spd 30 �.; AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10; Base Atk +1; Grp +1; Atk +1 melee (1d4/19-20, dagger); Full Atk +1 melee (1d4/19-20, dagger); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; AL LN; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +3; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12.

Skills and Feats: Bluff +8, Diplomacy +10, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +5, Ride +2, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand +3; Negotiator, Persuasive. Description: These are the court nobles of Greece, trained in weapons but not ba�lehardened like the warrior-kings in the great stories. Most are more concerned with politics and intrigue than heroics and ba�les, content to have their guards do the fighting for them, but there are some who are true leaders, and these tend to have levels in fighter in addition to what is presented here. Greek Officer (male human Ftr4): CR 4; Medium humanoid; HD 4d10+8; hp 30; Init +2; Spd 20 �.; AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +4; Grp +6; Atk +8 melee (1d8+4/19-20, masterwork longsword), or +6 melee (1d6+2/x3, halfspear), or +6 thrown (1d6+2, javelin); Full Atk +8 melee (1d8+4/19-20, masterwork longsword), or +6 melee (1d6+2/x3, halfspear), or +6 thrown (1d6+2, javelin); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; AL LN; SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 12. Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +2, Heal +4, Jump +4, Listen +3, Ride +3, Spot +4; Alertness, Combat ExpertiseB, Counter Combat Style (onehanded weapon fighting)†B, Defensive Stance†B, Power A�ack, Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization (longsword)B. Description: These men are the ba�le-hardened leaders of Greek troops. Their equipment is a cut above the common career soldier (masterwork armor, shield, and longsword) and their morale is high. An officer of this quality might lead anywhere from six to twenty soldiers (normally ten).

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Chapter Eight: Monsters Greek Soldier (male human Ftr2): CR 2; Medium humanoid; HD 2d10+2; hp 13; Init +2; Spd 20 �.; AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +2; Grp +4; Atk +5 melee (1d8+2/19-20, longsword), or +4 melee (1d6+2/x3, shortspear), or +4 thrown (1d6+2, javelin); Full Atk +5 melee (1d8+2/19-20, longsword), or +4 melee (1d6+2/x3, shortspear), or +4 thrown (1d6+2, javelin); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; AL LN; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +1; Str 15, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Heal +2, Jump +0, Listen +3, Spot +3; Alertness, Combat ExpertiseB, Counter Combat Style (one-handed weapon fighting)†B, Defensive Stance†B, Weapon Focus (longsword). Description: The above statistics should be used for any career Greek soldier (no ma�er what citystate) with some experience in combat. These soldiers wear breastplate armor and large steel shield, and carry a longsword, shortspear, and 2 javelins. Part-time soldiers (Greeks who own their own armor and weapons but do work other than soldiering on a daily basis) are usually 2nd-level warriors; use the statistics for the False Oracle Guards, above. Hecatoncheire: CR 12; Huge giant; HD 19d8+114; hp 199; Init +6; Spd 50 �.; AC 22, touch 10, flatfooted 20; Base Atk +14; Grp +36; Atk +27 melee (1d6+14, slam), or +14 thrown (2d6+14, rock); Full Atk +27 melee (1d6+14, 8 slams), or +14 thrown (2d6+14, 8 rocks); Space/Reach 15 �./15 �.; SA rain of stone, rock throwing; SQ immortality, rock catching; AL N; SV Fort +17, Ref +8, Will +11; Str 39, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 11. Skills and Feats: Cra� (weaponsmithing) +13, Diplomacy +10, Hide -6, Intimidate +10, Jump +24, Knowledge (religion) +13, Listen +33, Search +21, Spot +33, Survival +15, Tumble +4; Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Power A�ack, Weapon Focus (slam). Rain of Stone (Ex): As a standard action a hecatoncheire can hurl dozens of boulders as an area a�ack. This a�ack affects a cone 400 �. long and deals 20d6 bludgeoning damage (Reflex half DC 21). The DC is Reflex-based; the DC decreases by 2 for every 100 feet of distance between the target and the giant (so the save is DC 19 for creatures 100 feet away, DC 17 for creatures 200 feet away, and so on). Rock Throwing (Ex): A hecatoncheire can throw up to eight targeted rocks as a standard action. Each rock weighs 60-80 pounds (Medium objects). Its range increment is 180 feet. Rock Catching (Ex): A hecatoncheire can catch Small, Medium, or Large rocks (or projectiles

of similar shape). Up to eight times per round, a hecatoncheire that would normally be hit by a rock can make a Reflex save to catch it as a free action. The DC is 15 for a Small rock, 20 for a Medium one, and 25 for a Large one. (If the projectile provides a magical bonus on a�ack rolls, the DC increases by that amount.) The giant must be ready for and aware of the a�ack in order to make a rock catching a�empt. A hecatoncheire gains a +8 racial bonus on its Reflex save when a�empting to catch a thrown rock. Skills: Hecatoncheires have a +8 racial bonus to Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Description: These three monstrous children of Gaea—Briareus, Gyes, and Ko�os—each have one hundred arms and fi�y heads. Cursing their ugliness, Uranos imprisoned the “hundredhanded ones” in Tartarus, but Zeus and the gods later freed them and with their help won the ba�le against the titans. The hecatoncheires may appear monstrous and brutish, but they are intelligent and noble like the best of the titans. Now they guard the gates of Tartarus, preventing the escape of the most evil titans who refused to make peace with Zeus and be freed. Knowledge (history): 10—The hecatoncheires (“hundred-handed ones”) are the younger brothers of the titans. Each is of huge size and has a hundred arms and fi�y heads. 15—Uranos imprisoned them in Tartarus because they were so hideous, but Zeus and the gods freed them to help in the ba�le against the titans. 20—Loyal to the gods, the three brothers now guard the gates to Tartarus. Tactics: The hecatoncheires throw boulders at their far-off enemies, and either punch or grapple melee opponents. Hydra (5 heads): CR 4; Large magical beast; HD 5d10+30; hp 57; Init +1; Spd 20 �., swim 20 �.; AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +5; Grp +12; Atk +7 melee (1d8+3, bite); Full Atk +7 melee (1d8+3, 5 bites); Space/Reach 10 �./10 �.; SQ hydra defenses, darkvision, fast healing 15, immortality, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 17, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 9. Skills and Feats: Hide -3, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +11; Combat ReflexesB, Iron Will, Toughness. Fast Healing (Ex): The hydra regains 15 hit points per round (damage to the body only). Fast healing does not restore hit points lost from starvation, thirst, or suffocation, and it does not allow a creature to regrow or rea�ach lost body parts. Hydra Defenses (Ex): A hydra can only by slain by severing all of its heads with slashing weapons or by slaying its body (targeted effects cannot

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affect heads unless they deal slashing damage and could be used to make sunder a�empts). The body has fast healing, the heads do not. All area a�acks and a�acks not specifically directed at a head only affect the body. A�acking a head counts as a sundering a�empt (which provokes an a�ack of opportunity unless the a�acker has the Improved Sunder feat), which must be declared before the a�ack is rolled. Each of the hydra’s five heads has 11 hit points. Losing a head deals 5 points of damage to the body; a reflex causes the arteries of the neck to close, preventing further damage from the severed head. Severing a head prevents the hydra from a�acking with that head but causes no other penalties. When a head is severed, roll 1d4 to determine how many rounds later that stump sprouts two new heads with 11 hit points each. The hydra cannot have more than 10 heads at any time. To prevent heads from regrowing, 5 points of fire or acid damage must be applied to the stump (a touch a�ack to hit) before the new heads appear (flaming and flaming burst weapons deal this damage automatically if used to a�ack a head). Fire or acid area a�acks can burn multiple stumps at once as well as damaging the body. Description: The MM hydra is based on the original Greek hydra, which was a unique female Greek monster born of Echidna and Typhon, defeated by Heracles as one of his twelve labors. The original hydra had nine heads and its breath was so poisonous that it killed anything that came close to it. One of its heads was immortal and could not be killed, so Heracles buried the severed head under a rock. The hydra above represents a slightly

different version of the MM hydra (using the slight rule changes in this book to Toughness and so on). To make this hydra or one of the MM hydras more deadly, give it a poisonous bite (1d6 Con/ 1d6 Con, Fortitude negates DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Constitution modifier), a cloud of poisonous breath in and around its space to a reach of 5 �. (same DC as the bite poison, those in the area must save once per round), and +10 hit points to the neck with the immortal head (which gives that head more time to recover with fast healing), increasing the CR by +2. The Greek hydra’s blood was also deadly poison and weapons dipped in its blood could kill with a scratch (see the Magic chapter). The stories disagree on how many heads the hydra had (many say 9 but some say 50), so consider removing the ten-head limit to create a truly monstrous and terrifying hydra (though it’s reasonable only a limited number of its heads should be able to a�ack any particular creature). Knowledge (history): 10—The hydra is a swampdwelling beast with many heads, and each time you cut off a head it grows another two in its place. 15—The only way to keep a head from regrowing is to sear the neck with fire or acid. (Optional, powerful hydra only) A hydra’s breath is poisonous to anyone who comes near it. 20—One of the hydra’s heads is immortal and its body cannot be killed while that head remains in place. Tactics: Though not good at hiding, hydras are smart enough to wait in pools of water in their natural swampy habitat, concealing most of their body and appearing to be nothing more than a large snake (they usually array their heads in

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Chapter Eight: Monsters different directions so they can look all around without appearing to be a snake den). They charge at any creature big enough to eat and may focus their a�acks on one creature or split them up if they’re taking damage from multiple enemies. Kaukasian Eagle: CR 3; Large magical beast; HD 4d10+4; hp 26; Init +3; Spd 10 �., fly 80 �. (average); AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +4; Grp +12; Atk +7 melee (1d6+4, claw); Full Atk +7 melee (1d6+4, 2 claws), +2 melee (1d8+2, bite); Space/ Reach 10 �./5 �.; SQ evasion, immortality, low-light vision; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 18, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Hide -1, Listen +8, Spot +11; Alertness, Flyby A�ack. Description: The titan Prometheus was punished for giving the gi� of fire to mankind, and the gods had him chained to the top of the Caucasus Mountains, where a giant eagle (some stories say a vulture) visited every day and devoured his liver. At night Prometheus’ liver grew back, and every day the eagle tore it out again. Though Heracles eventually freed Prometheus, the eagle still flies and may be encountered by wandering heroes. Knowledge (history): 10—A monstrous eagle was sent every day to tear the immortal liver from the titan Prometheus, who was punished by the gods for teaching mankind to use fire. Krommyonian Sow: A great sow named Phaia, which killed many men, and some stories say it is the mother of the Calydonian boar; Theseus killed it. Use dire boar statistics. Lamia: CR 2; Medium monstrous humanoid; HD 4d8; hp 18; Init +6; Spd 30 �.; AC 14, touch 12, flatfooted 12; Base Atk +4; Grp +4; Atk +5 melee (1d6 and 1 Constitution damage, claw); Full Atk +5 melee (1d6 and 1 Constitution damage, 2 claws); Space/ Reach 5 �./5 �.; SA improved grab (claw, Medium or smaller); SQ disguise self, darkvision, immortality, low-light vision; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +6; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 18. Skills and Feats: Diplomacy +6, Gather Information +6, Listen +9, Sense Motive +5, Spot +9; Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (claw). Disguise Self (Su): The lamia can use illusion to make herself appear as a beautiful human woman. This ability functions like the disguise self spell, except she can only appear as a human woman. She can use this ability at will. Description: Lamias are evil creatures that seduce men and (once the man falls asleep) feasts on their blood or flesh. From the waist up they’re

human, but instead of legs they have a snake tail. Lamias use their magic to disguise their nature from their prey. These creatures are considered demons by the Greeks, and don’t surround themselves with weak-willed former victims like the MM lamia (they eat their victims). Knowledge (history): 10—The lamia is a kind of demon that disguises herself as a beautiful woman so she can seduce men and eat them. 15—In her real form, a lamia has a snake tail instead of legs. Tactics: Lamia prefer to avoid direct combat with multiple opponents, choosing to single out a male target, lure him away from his friends to a private place, and a�ack him once he’s fallen asleep. Manticore: The manticore mentioned in ancient Greek texts is actually a Persian monster similar to the MM manticore except that it has no wings and its tail is a scorpion’s stinger with multiple poisoned barbs. It can hurl these barbs just like the MM manticore can, and also uses its tail in melee. To create a Persian manticore, remove the wings and fly speed, and add a tail a�ack as a secondary a�ack (same a�ack bonus as the bite) that deals 1d6 damage plus 1/2 Strength bonus and poison. Its poison deals 1d6 Con/1d6 Con, Fortitude negates (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Constitution modifier). The poison applies to melee a�acks with the stinger and to flung spikes (each spike is poisoned, so a creature struck multiple times must a�empt a save for each). Increase the monster’s CR by +1 for this variant. Knowledge (history): 10—The manticore is a Persian monster with a lion’s body, a man’s head, and a scorpion’s tail. 15—It can speak, fling poisonous barbs from its tail, and prefers the taste of human flesh. Tactics: Lacking flight, a Persian manticore usually lies in wait for creatures to wander past it, striking them down with a volley of spikes and pouncing upon any creature weakened by its poison. Sometimes it is an active hunter, going a�er herd animals (or groups of humans) in the manner of lion, except that it uses its poisoned spikes to fell any creature rather than seeking out the weak and infirm. Nemean Lion: CR 4; Large magical beast; HD 5d10+10; hp 37; Init +3; Spd 40 �.; AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +5; Grp +14; Atk +9 melee (1d4+5, claw); Full Atk +9 melee (1d4+5, 2 claws), +4 melee (1d8+2, bite); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA improved grab (bite), invulnerable skin, pounce, rake 1d4+2; SQ immortality, DR 15/—, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2; Str 21, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6.

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Chapter Eight: Monsters Skills and Feats: Balance +7, Hide +3, Listen +5, Move Silently +11, Spot +5; Alertness, Run. Improved Grab (Ex): If the lion hits with its bite a�ack, it deals normal damage and a�empts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an a�ack of opportunity. Improved grab works against targets up to Medium size. The lion has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the part of its body it used in the improved grab to hold the opponent. Each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals bite damage. Invulnerable Skin (Ex): The Nemean lion’s greatest strength is its skin, which cannot be harmed by natural or manufactured weapons. A�acks which do not harm the lion’s skin (such as grapple a�acks) bypass the lion’s damage reduction. Bludgeoning a�acks treat the lion’s DR as 5 instead of 15, as the skin absorbs some of the damage but transfers the rest to the so�er tissues underneath. Pounce (Ex): When the creature charges, it can make a full a�ack (including rake a�acks) instead of a single a�ack. Rake (Ex): The creature can rake with its rear claws (+7 melee, 1d4+2) a�er a charge, pounce, or successful grapple check. Description: This creature looks like a particularly ferocious lion. The son of Typhon and Echidna, its skin was invulnerable to weapons. Heracles choked it to death in a grapple. Knowledge (history): 10—The lion of Nemea was a ferocious monster invulnerable to weapons. 15— The creature’s invulnerability was due to its thick skin, and Heracles was able to choke it to death,

which didn’t have to break the skin and thus found its weakness. Oracle at Delphi (female human Exp6): CR 3; Medium humanoid; HD 6d6+6; hp 27; Init +5; Spd 30 �.; AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10; Base Atk +4; Grp +3; Atk —; Full Atk —; Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; SQ blindness, python companion, foresight; AL NG; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +7; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Cra� (cooking) +5, Diplomacy +12, Heal +5, Knowledge (history) +11, Knowledge (nature) +11, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +11, Knowledge (religion) +11, Listen +14, Search +9, Sense Motive +10; Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Negotiator, Skill Focus (Listen). Blindness (Ex): The Oracle was born blind and has all the normal penalties for being blind. Foresight (Su): The Oracle’s ability to prophecy also helps protect her from danger. Identical to the effects of a foresight spell, she is never surprised or flat-footed. She has a +2 insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves (included in the above totals, lost in circumstances where she would lose her Dexterity bonus to AC). Python Companion (Ex): The Oracle is protected by the guardian python (see below), which is in many respects like a druid’s animal companion to her. She can command the python to perform the “defend,” “guard,” and “heel” tricks (as defined in the Handle Animal skill) without having to make Handle Animal checks (she is automatically successful in these a�empts). Description: The Oracle at Delphi is a Greek

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Chapter Eight: Monsters woman blessed by Apollo with the gi� of true prophecy (and unlike Cassandra, people actually believe the Oracle’s prophecies). In some records the Oracle is just a young woman pressed into service by the priests of the temple and her prophecies are just the babblings of a druginduced stupor, but this book assumes that the Oracle was chosen by Apollo and her prophecies come from the god himself, though she may use unusual means to put her mind in the right state to receive the prophecies. In some stories Apollo claimed the site of the oracle a�er driving away its serpent guardian Python, in others the python is the guardian beast who watches over the Oracle. In the sample Argonauts campaign (see Chapter 7: Running the Campaign), the Oracle is a young blind woman whose guardian python has been slain by minions of the gorgons. Knowledge (history): 10—The Oracle at Delphi is a servant of Apollo. Her prophecies are the truth, and people come from all over the known world to hear them. 15—She is guarded by a sacred python and human soldiers who have sworn themselves to her service. Tactics: The Oracle prefers not to fight on her own behalf, leaving that sort of thing to her python and guards. If a�acked, she flees, taking advantage of her foresight ability.

Cerberus. Orthos served the monster Geryon and was killed by Heracles when Heracles tried to take Geryon’s ca�le. According to some legends, he is the father of the sphinx and the Nemean lion (both mothered by the chimera). Knowledge (history): 10—The monster Geryon had a two headed-dog named Orthos, li�ermate of the beast Cerberus. 15—Like Cerberus, Orthos had a snake for a tail. Tactics: Like Cerberus, Orthos tries to trip an opponent and single out that creature for all his a�acks. Python of Delphi: The python is a monstrous serpent that guards the Oracle at Delphi. Identical in abilities to a huge constrictor snake, the python is absolutely loyal to the Oracle and can never be made to a�ack or harm her in any way. It fights to the death to protect the Oracle. If the python is slain, another young constrictor snake arrives within a month to protect the oracle, soon growing to its full size. Knowledge (history): 10—The python is a great snake that guards the Oracle from all harm.

Orthos: CR 3; Medium magical beast; HD 4d10+12; hp 34; Init +2; Spd 40 �.; AC 16, touch 12, flatfooted 14; Base Atk +4; Grp +8; Atk +9 melee (1d6+4, bite); Full Atk +9 melee (1d6+4, 2 bites), +3 melee (1d4+2 plus poison, snake tail); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; SA trip, poison (1d6 Con/1d6 Con, DC 15); SQ immortality, low-light vision, scent; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2; Str 18, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 10. Skills and Feats: Hide +4, Listen +8, Move Silently +4, Spot +8, Survival +2; Run, TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite). Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 15, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. Skills: Orthos has a +2 bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks, a +4 bonus to Listen and Spot checks, and a +4 bonus to Survival checks when tracking by scent. Trip (Ex): If Orthos hits with a bite a�ack he can a�empt to trip his opponent (+9 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch a�ack or provoking an a�ack of opportunity. If the a�empt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip him. Description: Orthos is a two-headed snake-tailed dog, a smaller and weaker version of his brother

Scylla: CR 4; Large monstrous humanoid (augmented humanoid, human); HD 8d8+40; hp 76; Init +6; Spd 20 �., swim 40 �.; AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +8; Grp +16; Atk +11 melee

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Chapter Eight: Monsters (1d8+4, bite); Full Atk +11 melee (1d8+4, 6 bites); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA improved grab (bite), pounce; SQ darkvision, DR 5/—, immortality, lowlight vision; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +6; Str 18, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14. Skills and Feats: Hide +2*, Listen +11, Move Silently +2*, Spot +11, Swim +12; Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative. Skills: *Scylla gets a +4 bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks in water. Description: The creature Scylla was once a beautiful human woman, daughter of a rivergod. She was loved by a man named Glaucon, who spurned Circe’s affections to pursue Scylla. In revenge, Circe poisoned the waters of Scylla’s favorite bathing pool with foul magic, and when Scylla went to bathe herself, the submerged portion of her body transformed into six barking dogs and a monstrous snake tail. Therea�er she lived in a seaside cave, living on fish, dolphins, and whatever sailors she managed to snatch from passing ships. Knowledge (history): 10—Scylla is a horrible female monster with six dogs and a snake tail instead of a lower body. She devours sailors whose ships come to close to her cave. 15—Scylla used to be human but was transformed by a jealous sorceress. When she a�acks a ship, each of her six dog heads snatches a sailor, which she drags back to her lair to devour. Tactics: Scylla cares li�le for fighting and only a�acks because she is hungry. She prefers to grapple one or more creatures with her improved grab ability, then retreat. If she fails to grab anyone with her first a�acks, she tries again, and if those fail she retreats to wait for easier prey. Sphinx: CR 6; Large magical beast; HD 8d10+8; hp 52; Init +5; Spd 40 �., fly 60 �. (poor); AC 21, touch 10, flat-footed 20; Base Atk +8; Grp +16; Atk +12 melee (1d6+4, claw); Full Atk +12 melee (1d6+4, 2 claws); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA pounce, rake 1d6+2; SQ darkvision, immortality, low-light vision; AL NE; SV Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +6; Str 19, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 19. Skills and Feats: Bluff +5, Diplomacy +8, Hide -3, Intimidate +13, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +5, Knowledge (religion) +10, Listen +15, Move Silently +12, Sense Motive +10, Spot +15; Improved Initiative, Power A�ack, Weapon Focus (claw). Pounce (Ex): When the creature charges, she can make a full a�ack (including 2 rake a�acks) instead of a single a�ack. Rake (Ex): If the sphinx pounces, she can rake with her rear claws (+11 melee, 1d6+2).

Description: Born of Typhon and Echidna (or perhaps the Chimera), the sphinx has a lion body, a woman’s torso, and eagle’s wings. She had learned a riddle from the Muses, and terrorized the people of Thebes by posing the riddle to all who tried to enter or leave the city; those who failed to answer were thro�led and devoured by the sphinx. Oedipus solved the riddle and she hurled herself to her death. Clearly the Greek sphinx is a more cruel and malevolent sort of creature than the sphinx found in the MM, and it lacks the magical powers a�ributed to it by modern authors. Knowledge (history): 10—The sphinx was halfwoman, half-lion, and challenged all who crossed her path with a riddle, killing those who failed to give the right answer. 15—The sphinx’s riddle was correctly answered by Oedipus, and in a rage she threw herself off a cliff and died. 20—The

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Chapter Eight: Monsters sphinx is the daughter of Typhon and Echidna, or perhaps Chimera. Tactics: Any other sphinx has probably learned the lesson of her ancient sister and ignores riddles, focusing instead of grappling her opponents and raking. If approached with peaceful intent and given offerings of meat she may answer questions about mankind, the world, or even the gods. Sthenno, female gorgon (medusa): CR 3; Large monstrous humanoid; HD 6d8+12; hp 39; Init +7; Spd 30 �.; AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Atk +6; Grp +10; Atk +8 ranged (1d6/x3, shortbow), or +8 melee (1d4/19-20, dagger), or +8 melee (1d4 plus poison, snakes); Full Atk +8/+3 ranged (1d6/x3, shortbow), or +8/+3 melee (1d4/19-20, dagger), +3 melee (1d4 plus poison, snakes); Space/Reach 10 �./5 �.; SA petrifying gaze, poison (1d6 Str/2d6 Str, DC 15); SQ darkvision, immortality; AL N; SV Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +6; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15. Skills and Feats: Bluff +9, Diplomacy +4, Disguise +9 (+2 acting), Hide -1, Intimidate +4, Move Silently +9, Sleight of Hand +5, Spot +8; Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Finesse. Gaze (Su): Sthenno’s gaze a�ack slowly turns creatures to stone. Any creature that fails a saving throw against the gaze suffers a -2 penalty to Dexterity and a -1 penalty to a�ack rolls (these penalties are cumulative). If the Dexterity penalty ever equals or exceeds the character’s Dexterity score, the creature turns fully to stone. The gaze a�ack has a range of 30 �., Fortitude DC 13 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based with a –2 penalty. (In a standard-power campaign, use the normal medusa’s instant-petrification gaze a�ack instead of this weaker version.) Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 15, initial damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based. Description: See Euryale for general information on the gorgons and why the version presented here has a weak gaze a�ack. In the Argonauts playtest campaign, Sthenno was even more monstrous than her sister, with the torso of a beautiful woman and the lower body of a giant snake (Reaper Miniatures makes a miniature of this type of gorgon), but there is no reason why she can’t look like her sister (if so, use Euryale’s statistics block instead of the one above). Knowledge (history): See Euryale. Tactics: See Euryale for general information on gorgon tactics, although Sthenno likes to remain hidden while Euryale talks to potential foes, as

her snaky body quickly informs any visiting heroes that something strange is afoot. Stymphalian Bird: CR 1/2; Small magical beast; HD 1d10+1; hp 6; Init +2; Spd 10 �., fly 80 �. (average); AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13; Base Atk +1; Grp -3; Atk +4 melee (1d4, claw), or +4 thrown (1d3, blade feather); Full Atk +4 melee (1d4, 2 claws), -1 melee (1d4, bite), or +4 thrown (1d3, 2 blade feathers); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; SQ low-light vision; AL N; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Skills and Feats: Hide +6, Spot +14; Weapon Finesse. Description: These strange ibis-like birds have sharp metal feathers, which they hurl and anyone who accosts them. The feathers are so sharp that dead birds have been known to kill men simply by falling on them out of trees or the sky. Knowledge (history): 10—A flock of metalfeathered birds lived on Lake Stymphalis in Arcadia, hurling their sharp feathers like arrows from a bow. 15—Heracles drove the birds away from the lake by making loud noises, and shot them out of the sky as they took flight. Tactics: The birds prefer to use their feathers as ranged weapons, only swooping in to claw and peck at foes near death from the feathers. Talos: CR 4; Medium construct; HD 8d10+10; hp 54; Init +6; Spd 30 �.; AC 20, touch 12, flatfooted 18; Base Atk +6; Grp +11; Atk +11 melee (1d3+7, slam), or +8 thrown (2d6+5, rock); Full Atk +11 melee (1d3+7, slam), or +8 thrown (2d6+5, rock); Space/Reach 5 �./5 �.; SA rock throwing; SQ critical vulnerability, acid resistance 10, cold resistance 10, electricity resistance 10, fire resistance 10, sonic resistance 10, construct traits; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4; Str 20, Dex 14, Con —, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6.

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Chapter Eight: Monsters Skills and Feats: Listen +4, Spot +15; Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Critical Vulnerability (Ex): Unlike most constructs, Talos is not completely immune to critical hits; his living artery means that he is only 90% immune to critical hits and sneak a�acks (similar to the effect from fortification armor). Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 100 feet for Talos’ thrown rocks. Description: An animated bronze man created by Hephaestus and given by Zeus to the Queen of Crete, Talos patrolled the island’s shores and kept pirates away by hurling boulders at their ships. Unlike most constructs, he has a blood vessel running from his neck to one ankle. In some myths he was slain by Medea’s magic, which caused him to strike his vulnerable ankle and bleed to death, though in other stories he was slain by an arrow to that ankle. Knowledge (history): 10—Talos was a bronze man given to the Queen of Crete by Hephaestus. He sank enemy ships by hurling boulders at them. 15—As a man of bronze cra�ed by the gods, Talos was almost invulnerable. His only weakness was a single artery running the length of his body. Tactics: Talos is simple-minded and hurls boulders at anything he perceives as an enemy. If that fails, he hammers away at foes with his metal fists.

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Appendix: Sources and Suggested Reading There are hundreds of books on the classic Greek era and as many on the Greek myths. I found these to be particularly useful: The Ancient World: A Social and Cultural History, Fi�h Edition by D. Brendan Nagle, published by Prentice Hall in 2002. This is actually a textbook my sister used in one of her Classics classes, and it provided most of the information I needed about ancient Greek life and the origin of their society, as well as references for the region map. D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire, republished by Dell (Bantam Doubleday Dell). This is a children’s book, but is wonderfully illustrated and covers not only the stories of the gods but of important mortals as well. This is the book—checked out by me as a child over and over again from my local public library—that got me hooked on Greek mythology,

and later (through another D’Aulaire book, Norse Gods and Giants) on the Asgardian mythos. It’s an oversized full-color 192-page book that gives enough details on the heroics of the stories without ge�ing into the uglier parts (it says Zeus “married” many nymphs and mortals, for example), and I can’t recommend it enough for children or adults. I bought a copy from a local bookstore just so I could refer to it when writing this book. Not a book but a website, Aaron Atsma’s was an invaluable resource for creating this book, not only in the author’s photographs which he so kindly gave me permission to use in The New Argonauts, but his extensive research and cross-linking about the myths, including stories I had never heard of. You could spend days reading the site (I’ve done so) and still not hit every page.

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OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved. 1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity; (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts, creatures, characters, stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes, and graphic, photographic, and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses, and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical, or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product Identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor; (g) “Use,” “Used,” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate, and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content; (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use the Open Game Content. 5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

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Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity in accordance with Section 1(e) of the Open Game License, version 1.0a: Any and all logos and identifying marks and trade dress, such as all product and product line names including but not limited to New Argonauts, Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed, Reaper Miniatures, the New Argonauts cover art, photographs of Greek art provided by Aaron Atsma, the name of the Defensive Stance feat, or likenesses of all miniatures, except such elements that already appear in final or draft versions of the d20 System Reference Document or as Open Game Content below and are already Open Game Content by virtue of appearing there. The above Product Identity is not Open Game Content. Designation of Public Domain Content: All proper Greek names, realworld locations, and Greek monster concepts (though not their game mechanics presented here) belong to the public domain, as they predate the modern era, and are not subject to the Open Game License (they are neither Product Identity nor Open Game Content, and may be used freely by anyone).

Designation of Open Game Content: Subject to the Product Identity designation above, the following portions of New Argonauts are designated as Open Game Content: the name, description, and statistics for each character or creature; the names, statistics and descriptions for the feats, items, and spells (with the exception of the name of the Defensive Stance feat, which is Product Identity); and anything else contained herein which is already Open Game Content by virtue of appearing in the System Reference Document or some other Open Game Content source. Some portions of this book which are Open Game Content originate from the System Reference Document and are ©1999-2003 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. The remainder of these Open Game Content portions of this book are hereby added to Open Game Content and if so used, should bear the COPYRIGHT NOTICE “New Argonauts. ©2004 Sean K Reynolds,” with the exception of the description of the Defensive Stance feat, which should bear the COPYRIGHT NOTICE “Monte Cook’s Arcana Unearthed ©2003 Monte J. Cook.”

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