Chapter 5: Yes More Delays

Having handled the situtation with the strange lovers, you continue to Ithaca via Sparta with haste. The men are generally prudent regarding gossip, but they can't help but wonder.

Is it nonsense from the twins?
Eh, Cassandra's a train wreck. I don't think she says anything serious.
Kouru saw something too, though, right?
He's a Spartan. Probably just mad we're not stabbing things and making stuff up.

Fortunately, the seas are reasonable, and you're able to continue without issue. As you mill about the ship, you see another Greek vessel coming your way, still a few miles off. You're unsure why, but at least they aren't flying any distress flags.

The crew remains cautiously optimistic as the other ship approaches. It doesn't give any indication it wants to stop and chat, but it's still headed straight for you. You notice the sails are not rigged properly at all, almost halfway done for weather far different than this.

Your men prepare quickly, and the disguised Trojan ship does nothing to change course, rigging, or posture.

The wind settles and the Trojan ship pulls to a bobbing lull beside you. You see disorganized patches of soldiers scrambling into formation. Men on the rigging looking down in a panic. A few who managed to sleep through the alarm waking up in terror. And the captain, leaning over the edge of the ship as if to call to you, but looking over his shoulder with uncharacteristic fear.

And yet as you wait to meet them the air around you is eerily silent.

Every Trojan is frozen in place.

Come now, no need to be cowards.

The voice is clear as crystal, and bitter.

My wings are bound and I am facing away. Release me, and I will ensure my parents grant you safe passage through the whirlpool Charybdis.

I am Euryale, the far-springer, she calls. Daughter of Ceto and Phorcys, though your kind calls mine "Gorgon." I was taken hostage by the Trojans as a weapon against the Greeks. I have broken all but one bond on my wings. Every soldier I demanded to free me was too weak to keep his gaze averted. Those who refused to try were punished.

Ha!

The laugh cracks like a whip across the water.

I have been trapped on this ship for three years. I am hungry and stone is not satisfying. My serpents allow me to see without my eyes, so you have my word I will keep them shut. As for devouring your crew, I am not so foolish as to violate the expectations of a favor.

My parents can ensure you safe passage through the whirlpool.

Euryale chuckles. This crew is much wiser than my hosts were, thank you.

You come across the being sitting on a barrel, eyes shut, hands folded in her lap. She's stunning. Richly tanned skin, far more supple than what would expect after years at sea. Perfectly manicured nails and an athletic yet elegant frame. A simple green dress and a tattered, but lovely, satin cloak. And dozens of thumb-sized braids cascading just below her shoulders.

Except when you reach her, you see her as she is. You can tell her eyes are just a little too big, and you detect a scaly pattern to her skin. Her nails are sharp claws and her build is just a little too lanky. Her tattered cloak is a pair of wounded iridescent wings, like if a bat were portrayed in jewelry. And the braids, the snakes, pick up their heads one by one to follow your movements. She doesn't need her cursed vision to make you shudder.

But as she said, there is a metal bracket clamped between her wings, with a delicate locking mechanism that would be nearly impossible to undo backwards.

She nods and will let you attempt.

Nikias is unable to break her bonds, and while he searches the captain's statue, he feels the unnerving sensation that the snakes on her head want to eat him. Kouru is unfazed, which is good, because the lock is quite involved. Alas, he is unable to open it.

Kouru's jimmying reveals a weak spot that Iantha is able to exploit, freeing the gorgon from her final bond. A chill goes down her spine when the gorgon turns and, eyes still closed, smiles at Iantha. You think you see one of the snakes wink. She unfurls her wings, cracks her neck, and bows.

You have my gratitude. As soon as I have had something to eat, I will handle my side of the bargain.

And with a final smile that reveals too many teeth, she takes off into the air.

As she fades from sight, Iantha and Nikias' fear subsides. You hear Sinon call from your ship.

What's going on? Is everything okay?

You continue on, your strange little armada in tow, thoughts wandering to the whirlpool Charybdis. Rather, the great monster Charybdis, who swallows the sea thrice daily. She is said to migrate terribly slowly, so even if the gorgon's information was old, the beast would still pose a threat on your route.

The otherwise calm waters begin to churn and bubble. How did you reach her so quickly?? Even with the speed of the gods, it'd be near impossible to row away from her gaping maw in time. Sinon's pleasant shanty fades into a wimper, then he yells.

Captain? CAPTAIN!! He calls to the Trojan ship, which is manned by Mikros, Kallon, and others. Incoming!

There's no escaping the maw. Before his voice is drowned by the roar of the sea, Nikias shouts final orders to the men on the other ships, their scrambling effective against the maelstrom, as far as he can tell. Iantha tosses a rope to Chryseis and spins around just in time to yank Sinon away from collision with a barrel. Kouru hangs from the mast, knees buckling in anticipation of collision.

The wine-dark sea gapes before you and massive teeth glint like lightning in the remaining daylight. The ships flood with water, and your minds flood with thoughts of home, of peace....

---

To the Gorgon's credit, she promised you safe passage through the whirlpool. Not around it. You aren't sure how long you were unconscious, but when you wake, you find yourself on a soft green mattress. The temperature is mild and pleasant, and you're surrounded by the other crew on a bed of pristine sand, speckled with beautiful shells. Stunning birds and insects you don't quite recognize glide through the air. A low, bright, almost purplish fire crackles in a large ring about 100 feet away, and a couple dozen graceful maidens tend to food and those who have already woken up.

Behind you, the three ships are up on dry docks, and you can just make out the figures doing repairs. To either side, perfectly manicured topiaries of roses and exotic colored plants circle the courtyard, an odd yet aesthetically pleasing contrast to the dark rocky structures outside the border. And before you, shining balustrades of marble lace across the levels of a huge terrace, home to magnificent and foreign architecture.

The Amazonian stirs briefly but continues to sleep. Meanwhile, two of the women approach. Their skin is the pale golden hue of alabaster, their hair braided into perfect thin strands adorned with metal beads. Their features are elegant - far better, even, than the famed statue carved by the hand of the lovesick Pygmalion.

I am Gallia and this is my sister Hwiz. Welcome! Ceto and Phrocys have informed our lady that this need only be a brief pause in your journey. Your ships should be repaired by tomorrow. Have you need of anything? There is food and drink at the fire, and we can bring it here if you wish.

Wonderful! Gallia smiles and the ladies lead them to the fire. In the interest of transparency, I am to inform you that our lady may wish to have an audience with you and ask assistance. However, consenting to her request, she insists, is completely optional, as it would delay your travel home. Please enjoy!

They give you some privacy. The seats around the fire are branch-shaped in rich coral colors, and the available meal is a variety of expertly roasted seafood. The violet flame dances on stones, not wood, but provides a similar warmth and pleasant smell.

Captain! Kouru! You're awake! Sinon waves and begins preparing you both helpings of food. Large scallop shells serve as plates. Kallon, make sure we save Iantha and Chryseis some of these prawns. I'll eat them all if you don't stop me.
How'd you sleep? This place is amazing, isn't it? A cloud of thumb-sized creatures like silvery fish flutter past you. I figured that Gorgon would turn her words but I sure wasn't expecting this!

Chryseis comes back to Iantha with some food and crisp mineral water, offering her some. I'm glad we ended up in a safe place. It looks like a storm is coming.

With the men, Sinon keeps babbling happily until Mikros cuts him off. Hey, what time of day is it?

And indeed, as you all look around, you see that a few hundred yards outside the borders of this (admittedly large) city, things fade very quickly to darkness.

The border of the city is dark as the depths of the sea. That's when it hits you.

It is the sea.

Mattresses of kelp on the ocean floor. Small schools of fish fluttering past like birds. A purple fire able to burn under water. Topiaries of roses, and coral, and the sharp rocks of ancient days.

Gallia smiles with genuine kindness. There is nothing to fear, brave warriors. Lord Hephaestus has taken great care over the aeons to preserve this site as a wedding gift for his bride. She does so love the waters of her birth, and it would have been a shame if this place were lost forever to its hubris. Rest assured you will be able to return to the surface with no ill effects. He is far more capable than a mere sculptor of automata.

Some of the girls giggle playfully and Gallia turns back to you. But I digress. Welcome to Atlantis!

Unfortunately the original inhabitants are long gone. Ages before your kin were born, this place was renowned for its advanced technology and elite society. Alas, infighting and pride were its downfall. The gods smote the city and it sank below the waves.

Now, it is inhabited by all of us, She gestures to the other ladies and the men working the docks. Numerous spirits of the waters, and a variety of Lady Aphrodite's esteemed guests.

You're given time to eat, and the assurance that the Trojans (including the statue) are as safe as your other men. After a little while, Gallia and Hwiz return to invite you on a tour of the city before you meet with their lady - who is apparently AphroditeGallia nods and produces a small 2-layer stone from her belt pouch. She twists and clicks it a few times and a pale blue arrow appears on the face. This will point you in the direction of the palace when you are ready to join us. Please be present by dinner. This will fade to bright red over the afternoon. If you follow the directions without sightseeing, you should still have enough time left to get to the palace when this is dark red. Enjoy!
The depths of the ocean flicker with glimpses of the great beasts within. You see the automata continuing to work diligently around the fire and on the boats. You also notice that the topiaries form an aquatic hedge maze. The ladies lead you up the massive stairs, worn down by countless ancient footfalls. There was no attempt to hide the destruction of the city. Repairs were made with contrasting materials, if they were repaired at all. Many sections have been taken over by corals and schools of fish, by new rock formations and plants. Yet instead of a jarring vision, it paints a humbling yet beautiful scene of unity between man and nature. Perhaps it is a parable, that man should not become so proud that he never looks outside himself.