The Fleece of Colchis

One-Shot · 6 PCs Lvl 10 · ~3–3.5 hrs · Heist · Steal the Golden Fleece

Style: Harbor → Palace/Seals → Grove extraction | Win: Fleece on the Phasis skiff

Maguffin: Ram’s Bell of Phrixus · Ally: Medea · QG: Hera (Lady Argive)

"Ring once at the root of the golden oak — not thrice — and even sleepless lids grow heavy for a breath."

Major Beats

Hera: steal the Fleece before Aeëtes sows a war-army.
Enc. 1: Harbor guards + bronze calf; Alarm carries.
Enc. 2: Recruit Medea; Blood / Fire / Night seals.
Enc. 3: Bell → Cut → skiff; manage Alarm / Spartoi.

Alarm Track

Alarm	Effect
3	2 Spartoi spawn
5	+2 Spartoi; breath R4–6
7+	Muster — board or soft loss

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.

ENC 1 — Harbor Shadows

Medium · 4 Guards + 1 Bronze Bull Calf

Non-combat: tribute disguise group 3 before 3 (DC 13) + distract calf.
Alarm 0 → Medea recruit DC 12 + early Salve.
Horn or melee: Alarm +1 (carries forward).

ENC 2 — Pharmacy & Seals

Skill/Medium · 3 Sentinels · Medea · seals

Recruit Medea Pers DC 14 (vow: no massacre).
Seals: Blood (1d4 or Med DC 13) / Fire (brand) / Night (Bell auto).
Force lintel Str DC 18 → Alarm +2; dragon undrowsy.

ENC 3 — Golden Oak

Hard · Sleepless Dragon · Spartoi · extraction

Bell once within 10 ft → Con DC 16 Drowsy. Thrice = Alarm +2.
Cut Fleece Ath/Sleight DC 15 (13 Salve/Drowsy).
Win: Fleece on skiff. Prefer not to kill the dragon.

STAT BLOCKS

Sleepless Dragon CR9

AC 17 | HP 168 | Climb 40 · LR 2

Bite +9 (2d10+5 +2d6 poison) · Tail · Goldfire R5–6 Dex DC 16 (8d6) · Coil restrain DC 16 · Drowsy from Bell/Salve

Medea (Ally)

AC 14 | HP 78 | Cha 18 · Spell DC 15

Salve ×3 · Countersong 1/enc · Mist Step 2/rest · Poison dagger

Harbor Guard CR2

AC 15 | HP 39

2× Spear +4 · Alarm Horn

Bronze Bull Calf CR3

AC 16 | HP 52 | Speed 40

Gore +6 · Stomp R5–6 · Heated Hide

Palace Sentinel CR3

AC 16 | HP 58

2× Kopis +5 · Net 1/day

Spartoi CR2

AC 14 | HP 32

Sword + bash · Vulnerable bludgeoning · Alarm spawns

TOOLS / NPC

Ram’s Bell of Phrixus

Enc. 3: ring once → Drowsy Con DC 16 · twice/thrice Alarm +2

Golden Fleece

Cut free Ath/Sleight DC 15 · sheds light · win on skiff

Seals of Ares

Blood / Fire / Night · Night = Bell · Force Str DC 18

Hera (Lady Argive)

Steal, don’t sack. Mist-exit after river extraction.

Remember

Heist first. Sleep the dragon. Medea is the pharmacy key.

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