The Hot Gates
One-Shot · 6 PCs Lvl 10 · ~3–3.5 hrs · Thermopylae Hold · Favor of Ares
Style: Same-pass defense → Parley → Favor finale |
Win: Favor 6 + plant Enyalian Spearhead → Ares slaughters horde
Allies: Leonidas + Spartans · Recruit: Dienekes · QG: Gorgo’s envoy
"Plant this in the steam-altar when war has seen your worth — then stand aside. Ares does not share kills."
Major Beats
- Mist to Hot Gates; join Leonidas’s wall.
- Enc. 1: First wave; vents/rockfall; recruit Dienekes.
- Enc. 2: Parley with Warlord Kharos (3 before 3).
- Enc. 3: Favor deeds → plant spearhead → Ares.
Favor of Ares (Win = 6)
| Deed | Favor |
|---|
| Hold Fast (no breach + ≥5 at gate) | +2 / round |
| Triple Fall (3 downs same round) | +1 (max 2) |
| One Blow (above half → 0 in one hit) | +1 (need 2) |
| King’s Witness (finish near Leonidas) | +2 once |
| Steam Offering (DC 14, bloodied) | +1 / round |
Difficulty
| Tier | Adjust |
|---|
| As Written ★ | 6 PCs · APL 10 |
| Library Standard | 6 PCs · APL 8 — Dial back: reduce boss HP ~20–25%, cut one legendary action option or recharge breath to 6 only; Favor/track thresholds −1 where present; skill DCs −1. |
| Easier | APL 8–9: use the Library Standard (6×L8) box, then shave one more minion wave. |
| Harder | APL 11–12: boss HP +20%; +1 legendary; Favor/track +1 to win. |
Gorgo’s envoy sends the party through mist onto the Hot Gates: a cliff-tight pass where Leonidas and his Spartans brace against a horde of Titan-kin and Leonin . Hold the throat. Parley with Warlord Kharos . Then bleed for the war-god’s eye until the spearhead calls Ares.
Creature / Enemy List
| Creature | Counts / Notes |
|---|
| Titan-kin Raider | 4 · 6 · 8 · Waves |
| Titan-kin Brute | 2 · 4 · 5 · Waves |
| Leonin Pride-Hunter | 2 · 3 · 4 · Waves |
| Leonin Pride-Captain | 0 · 1 · 1 · Enc. 2–3 |
| Warlord Kharos | parley · 1 · 1 · Enc. 2/3 |
| Spartan Hoplite | 4 · 6 · 6 · Allies |
DM Tips
- As Written ★ — 6 Players, Average Level 10: Baseline for this guide. Numbers, DCs, and win tracks assume six PCs at average level 10.
- Easier: APL 8–9: use the Library Standard (6×L8) box, then shave one more minion wave.
- Harder: APL 11–12: boss HP +20%; +1 legendary; Favor/track +1 to win.
Encounter 1 — First Wave at the Throat
Phalanx Commander. Allied Spartans within 10 ft. gain +1 AC. He and adjacent PCs ignore difficult terrain in the choke while he is conscious. · Drums in the east. Leonidas locks shields with 6× Spartan Hoplites . Wave: 6× Raiders , 3× Brutes , 2× Pride-Hunters .
- Hold the Line: Encourage PCs to brace (Ath/Intim DC 14) — teaches the choke before Enc. 3 Favor.
- Non-combat pressure valve: Collapse rockfall early (Ath/Sleight DC 14) to scare off remaining raiders if ≥half the wave is down — ends Enc. 1 early.
- RECRUIT DIENEKES: After the wave, he lies by a vent. Heal or Medicine DC 13 → joins Enc. 2–3.
- If 3+ enemies break past the choke into the camp zone, Leonidas spends Rally early (still available once in Enc. 3 if unused).
- Tip: Medium Humanoid (Spartan officer), Lawful Neutral · Recruitable Ally
- Tip: RECRUITMENT (Enc. 1). Wounded at the steam vent after wave one. Heal him (any healing) or Medicine DC 13 + share water → joins as elite hoplite for Enc. 2–3. “Then we shall fight in the shade.”
Encounter 2 — Parley under Truce-Spears
Horns change pitch. A truce-spear (white horsehair) advances. Warlord Kharos and 1× Pride-Captain meet mid-pass under temporary peace. The horde waits 60 ft. back — same map, no new location. · Horns change pitch. A truce-spear (white horsehair) advances. Warlord Kharos and 1× Pride-Captain meet mid-pass under temporary peace. The horde waits 60 ft. back — same map, no new location.
- PARLEY (primary path): Contested social clock — party needs 3 successes before 3 failures (Persuasion, Intimidation, Insight, History DC 14; Performance DC 13 if quoting Spartan law). Leonidas can grant one auto-success if a PC proposes an honorable delay until sundown.
- Success outcomes (pick 1–2): (a) Enc. 3 starts with −4 raiders; (b) Kharos reveals Ares “watches blood in the throat — not speeches”; DM may preview one Favor deed; (c) Pride-Captain sits out Enc. 3 opener; (d) 10-minute short rest under truce.
- Failure / betrayal: Immediate skirmish — Kharos + captain + 4 brutes + 2 hunters. If Kharos drops to half, he withdraws (flees to Enc. 3).
- Non-combat absolute: Party may refuse parley and reset the wall — skip to Enc. 3 with +2 Favor already (Ares likes scorn for chatter) but no rest and full enemy count.
- Killing Kharos here: allowed but Enc. 3 gains +4 brutes and a furious Pride-Captain with Pride Roar charged.
- Tip: Wondrous Item (maguffin), Unique
Encounter 3 — Favor of Ares (Final Hold)
Phalanx Commander. Allied Spartans within 10 ft. gain +1 AC. He and adjacent PCs ignore difficult terrain in the choke while he is conscious. · The full press. Waves crash the throat: remaining host + reinforcements (see roster). Kharos leads unless slain. Win is not “kill everyone” — win is Favor 6 and planting the spearhead so Ares ends it.
- Win: Favor ≥ 6 → Action plant spearhead in altar → end of round Ares arrives: all hostiles slain or routed; dying PCs stabilize; Leonidas (if up) salutes the god in silence. Optional +~45 min: Audience with Ares (see below).
- Ares on the field: Not a stat block fight. Narrate crimson storm and spear-shadows. He ignores PCs unless a PC attacks him — then a warning blow (4d10 force, nonlethal) and he finishes the horde anyway.
- Spawn pressure: Each round until Favor 6, if fewer than 4 enemies are in the entrance zone, add 2 raiders (or 1 brute) from the east — the horde is endless until the god comes.
- Suggested path: Hold Fast twice (+4) + One Blow ×2 (+2) or Hold Fast + King’s Witness + Offering.
- 4 brutes · 4 raiders · 3 pride-hunters · 1 pride-captain (unless sat out) · Kharos if alive
- Adjust from Enc. 2 parley outcomes.
- Tip: Wondrous Item (maguffin), Unique
Optional — Audience with Ares (~45 min)
After Enc. 3 win, Ares may stay at the spearhead for skill-check roleplay (skip if time is short). Not a fight. 6 successes before 3 failures; one check per PC per phase.
- Phase 1 Who Bled (~15): Insight 15 · Religion 14 · Athletics 14 · Intimidation 15 · Performance 14
- Phase 2 What War Is (~15): Persuasion 15 · History 14 · Insight 15 · Medicine 14 · Deception 16 (fail = 2 failures)
- Phase 3 Ask or Endure (~15): Persuasion/Intimidation 15 · Religion 15 · Athletics 14 · Insight 16
- 6 successes: enhanced Help payoff on Favor once before next LR + honest war answer. 4–5: standard Favor. 3 fails first: Favor kept + 1 exhaustion on loudest liar until LR.
DM Callouts
- Medium Humanoid (Spartan officer), Lawful Neutral · Recruitable Ally
- RECRUITMENT (Enc. 1). Wounded at the steam vent after wave one. Heal him (any healing) or Medicine DC 13 + share water → joins as elite hoplite for Enc. 2–3. “Then we shall fight in the shade.”
- Wondrous Item (maguffin), Unique
- Wondrous Item (maguffin), Unique
TOOLS / NPC
Enyalian Spearhead
- Plant at altar when Favor ≥6 → call Ares · Early plant +1 Favor once
Pass Hazards
- Hold Line · Steam vents · Rockfall ×2 · Altar Offering
Gorgo’s Envoy
- Misthaven hook — hold until the war-god answers.
Remember
- Same map all fight. Parley matters. Favor > total kill count. Ares is the win button. Optional +45 min Audience after he arrives.
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