Strait of Messina, Scylla’s Cliff
Separating Sicily the Italian peninsula is a narrow and treacherous strait. Few sailors choose to attempt to navigate through its water, favouring sailing around all of Sicily. There is a good reason for this hesitation, here more than just Muslim pirates threaten the ships and their cargo. Two ancient monsters, each deadly and fierce, call the strait their territory. One claiming each side. These sea monsters have been known and feared since the Age of Heroes.
The narrow strait connects the Tyrrhenian Sea to the north with the Ionian Sea to the south. 20 miles long and at its narrowest 2 miles wide. Long sand beaches on both sides. A few cities dot the landscape, most significantly Messina and Reggio. The strait has a magical aura of 2.
Scylla and Charybdis each claim the strait as theirs. They are equally matched and have been in a stalemate for eons. At the northmost mouth of the strait Charybdis is bound under the water, along Sicily’s coast. Within an arrowshot towards east rises the Scylla’s cliff. Scylla mostly hides in her cliff. Her fight with Hercules has weakened her considerably. She fears his return and her own undoing. From time to time her hunger forces her out however, fulfilling her role and keeping her reputation.
Unlike Charybdis, Scylla does not allow herself to be forgotten. Yet it's hard for the locals to do anything about her. Her cliff out in the sea cannot be besieged, nor barricaded. Sometimes brave warriors row out to it, yet none have returned save for Hercules - and even he didn't slay her. The locals think Scylla is a sea demon, perhaps even a brood of the Leviathan. They would reward whoever successfully slayed the creature handsomely.
Scylla was one of the Naiad, a servant of Poseidon. She was very beautiful, which led to her tragic transformation. The once mortal fisherman turned into a god called Glaucus fell deeply in love with her. Though he was rejected by Scylla. Glaucus' obsession did not falter however, so he journeyed to the witch Circe. The enchantress became enamoured with Glaucus herself. Though he in turn rejected her. Glaucus swore that trees would grow on the ocean floor and seaweed would grow on the highest mountain before he would stop loving Scylla. Circe was angered so she decided to punish Scylla. Circe poured a baleful potion into the sea pool where Scylla regularly bathed. As Scylla bathed, she was transformed into the frightful monster, a terror even to herself. Since she has haunted the strait, eating men and destorying ships.
The cliff of Scylla is ominous to look at, it's made of a dark grey rock protruding out of the turbulent sea surrounding it. At low tide, further cliffs can be seen, which are otherwise hidden below the surface. In clear weather the cliff can be seen from the shore. The cliff seems quite small for Scylla and many locals believe this isn't her true home. Magi might believe there is a regio, though this is also incorrect. The truth is that the cliff is hollow and larger below the surface. There is a tunnel large enough for Scylla, which is easy to find by even mundane diving. Following it leads to a round room which is Scylla’s lair. This location was once Scylla’s favourite bathing spot. Hidden from peering eyes. The cave has a small air pocket. Countless bones of humans and marine animals lie upon the cave's floor white pieces of driftwood float at the surface. While Scylla is in her lair she is usually sleeping, though one dog head holds guards at any time. Scylla’s cliff has a faerie aura of 7.
Story Seed: Glaucus’ Request
Glaucus hasn't given up hope on Scylla. Indeed, he cannot. He made a vow which his faerie nature forces him to honour. Glaucus needs someone to plant trees on the ocean floor and seaweed on the highest mountain, Hermetic Magic could achieve these otherwise impossible tasks. In return Glaucus could use his ability to see into the future or reveal the magical herb that turned him immortal. Such a plant would surely be a potent Longevity Ritual ingredient, even if it couldn't make another immortal. Alternatively, Scylla could be cured somehow, what was done with magic could be undone - in theory at least. Seeking out artifacts of Aeaea, Circe’s Island, might hold some clue.
Scylla, Sheet
Faerie Might: 45 (Aquam)
Characteristics: Int -2, Per +1, Pre +2, Com -2, Str +14, Sta +2, Dex +3, Qik -7
Size: 7
Virtues and Flaws: Faerie Sight, Faerie Speech, Feast of the Dead, Hybrid Form, Narrowly Cognizant, Reputation as Confidence, Personal Power x2, Greater Power, Lesser Power x2 Improved Soak x3; Monstrous Appearance, Sovereign Ward (Payment: Scylla can't harm anyone else if each of her six heads have already eaten), Role Requires Suffering, Wrathful
Personality Traits: +6 Destructive, +3 Hungry, +3 Hatred of witches
Reputations: +5 Horrible sea monster, Transformed Naiad +2, Sea-demon +2
Combat:
Bite: Init -7, Atk +12, Dfn -3, Dmg +15
Claw: Init -8, Atk +10, Dfn -2, Dmg +16
Soak: 8
Wound Penalties: –1 (1 – 12), –3 (13 – 24), –5 (25 – 36), Incapacitated (37 – 48), Dead (49+)
Pretenses: Strait of Messina Lore 4 (eastern shore), Mediterranean Sea Lore 2 (Prey) Swim 5 (Pursuit), Brawl 5 (Bite), Leadership 3 (Non-verbal threatening), Survival 2 (In sea) Awareness 3 (Underwater)
Powers:
Mauling Range, 1 point, Init -11, Animal
R: Pers D: Constant T: Group (Part), MuAn 35
The body of each of Scylla’s dog “limbs” may freely change its length. Allowing each to become massive and dangerous tentacles. Scylla often uses this power to extend her reach. Due to her Faerie body and the limited area this power affects (everything behind the dogs’ shoulder) the claws or bites of the dog are still not resisted by Magical Resistance.
(Base 4, +2 Sun, +2 Group (Part), +2 Complexity, +1 Constant; -3 might)
Crush the Ship, 2 points, Init -11, Herbam
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Structure, PeHe 40
The Scylla crushes any ship she captures within her tentacles and reduces it to splinter. Scylla does not often use this power, but sometimes her role demands it. The size modifications make it so only the largest ships could possibly be unaffected.
(Base 4, +1 Touch. +3 Structure, +4 Size; -2 might)
Hungers Necessity, 0 points Init -13, Animal
R: Pers, D: Diameter, T: Part MuAn 15
The fangs and claws of each of the Scylla’s head deal an additional +5 damage for the duration. Based upon Damaging Effect RoP:F p. 58.
(Base 5 +1 Part +1 Diameter; -2 might)
Deep Bite of Hatred, 0 points Init -13, Corpus
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, PeCo 15
Upon a successful attack, cause an additional Medium Wound.
(Base 10, +1 Touch; -2 might)
Encumbrance: 0
Vis: 6 pawns of perdo in each of the dogs head, another 3 in her human head.
Appearance: A horrifying creature. The upper part of her is still a beautiful Naiad, with dark hand wet hair. Often with an angry expression. She rarely speaks, just snarls like a rabid dog. From her thighs six terrible and wild dogs spring forth. Their forelimbs and heads of each dog protrude from her and act independently. Each having glowing red eyes, sharp fangs and claws. Rather than legs she has the tail of a massive sea serpent.
Option: Deadlier
Each of Scylla’s attacking dog-limbs could be treated as separate entities, with individual Wound Penalties. An Incapacitating blow may sever a dog-limb; each such loss counts as a Medium Wound to Scylla herself. Each of the dog-limb should be treated as size +1, altering the Str and Qik.