The Laurels of Olympia

One-Shot · 6 Players · Average Level 6 · Olympia Stadium · ~3–3.5 hrs / 3 Encounters

Style: Mythic Contest → Vault Investigation → Arena Boss | Win: Earn contest standing; stop Khalkotaurus (0 HP or Olive Token brow ×2) | Setting: Misthaven mist → immediate Olympia colosseum gates → stadium floor → understadium vault → closing ceremony.

Diaktoros (Hermes disguised) invites the party, gives the Olive Token of Nike. Judge Lykos runs heats among rival teams. Saboteurs nearly wake a bronze bull of Ares; the closing ceremony becomes a Hard boss fight.

"When bronze claims the sacred sand and the crowd screams for blood, press this olive to the false victor's brow." — Olive Token of Nike (24 words). Payoff = brow-socket on Khalkotaurus (Enc. 3).

Major Beats

Misthaven invite — Diaktoros + Olive Token; mist → stadium gates immediately.
Register as Mistwalkers; meet rival teams (see caps).
Enc. 1 — Opening Contests: pick heats (skill/puzzle); combat path if fouls.
Enc. 2 — Contested Laurel: vault puzzle + Ares cult; recruit Lea / satyrs.
Enc. 3 — Brazen Bull: Khalkotaurus rampage; allies; token payoff.

Competing Teams (miniature caps)

Team	Cap	Notes
Pride of Nemea (Leonins)	≤6	Captain Lea — best ally
Iron Tusks	≤3 Bugbear + ≤3 Rhino Minotaur	Foul-prone
Wild Chorus (Satyrs)	≤10	Recruitable
Phalanx of Elis (Hoplites)	≤10	Law / break up brawls
Single Eyes (Cyclopeans)	as available	Orc-sized intelligent cyclopes
Labyrinth Horns (Minotaurs)	≤8	Charge threats

Creature / Enemy List

Creature	Easy	Med	Hard	Notes
Leonin Athlete	2	3–4	5–6	Enc. 1 rivals
Bugbear Bruiser	1	2	3	Iron Tusks / Enc. 2
Rhino Minotaur	1	2	3	Iron Tusks heavy
Satyr Reveler	3	5	8–10	Recruit pool
Hoplite of Elis	3	5	8–10	Neutrals / allies
Cyclopean Contender	2	3	4	Puzzle helpers
Minotaur Athlete	2	3	4–5	Enc. 1 combat path
Ares Cult Saboteur	2	3	4	Enc. 2
Khalkotaurus (Boss)	1 adj.	1	1	HP 120 / 168 / 200

Difficulty Scaling

APL	Enc. 1	Enc. 2	Enc. 3
4–6	DC −2; 1 rival	2 cultists; hint	HP 120; no LA; token ×1 ends
8 ★	Baseline	Baseline	HP 168; full LA
10	DC +2; full caps	4 cultists + bugbear	HP 200; snipers; token ×2

Partial party in a contest: 1–2 PCs → 1 rival, DC −2; 3–4 → baseline; spectating PCs Aid (DC 12) once/heat.

ENCOUNTER 1 — Opening Contests

Skill Challenge · 50–60 min · combat optional | Terrain: Stadium 200×80 ft + side courts

Choose any two heats. Win = place 1st/2nd in a heat or survive a nonlethal brawl without DQ.

Stadion: Athletics/Acrobatics DC 14, best 2-of-3 vs. rival high check.
Discus: attack vs AC 12 or Athletics DC 15, best of 3; Nature/Survival DC 13 once → adv on throws.
Pankration: opposed Ath/Acro to 3 degrees; nonlethal; no damaging cantrips.
Riddle: group History/Religion/Insight DC 14 — 3 successes before 3 failures.
Torch Relay: Ath 13 → Acro 14 → Str 13 → Perc/Surv 14; 3 strikes = loss.
Combat path: fouls / Iron Tusks sore loss → 2 Bugbears + 1 Rhino Minotaur (or 3 Minotaurs). Nonlethal. Hoplites break up rd 3.
Recruit: fair play → Captain Lea; Performance DC 15 → satyr later.

Resolution: Contest Victory → adv on one Enc. 2 social. Short rest in tents.

ENCOUNTER 2 — The Contested Laurel

Medium · 45–55 min | Terrain: Understadium vault 80×50 ft

True laurel stolen; flame gutters. Ares cult swaps in a construct control spike for Khalkotaurus.

Clues: Perc/Inv DC 13 bronze trail; Insight DC 14 vs Iron Tusk; Cyclopeans Persuasion/History DC 13 (brow socket lore).
Lock: Race → Discus → Pankration → Flame (or Lykos’s posted order). Wrong: Dex DC 14, 2d6 poison; 3 fails = alarm.
Non-combat: Stealth DC 14 snatch; or Persuasion/Intimidation DC 15 force flee + diagram.
Combat: 3× Ares Cult Saboteur; optional +1 Bugbear if Enc. 1 grudge. Spike flee chase Ath/Acro DC 14.
Recruit Lea: share cult proof → Enc. 3 ally (+2 Leonins). Satyrs: Perf/Pers DC 13 after laurel returned.
Split party: 2–3 in vault → 2 saboteurs, puzzle needs 2 successes; 1–2 investigators get 2 Hoplite escorts, DC −2.

Failure: Spike reaches idol → Enc. 3 bull starts with Furnace Breath ready.

Resolution: Laurel restored → honor boxes staging; short rest OK.

ENCOUNTER 3 — The Brazen Bull Awakens

Hard · 60–70 min · 6–9 rounds | Terrain: Arena 120×80 ft

Khalkotaurus animates. Allies fight beside PCs. Win: 0 HP or Olive Token brow press ×2 (2nd needs Help/prone).

Token: Action adjacent → 40 force + lose LA 1 round. Second press ends animation.
Furnace Heart: 2d6 fire in 10 ft start of turn; water trough Ath DC 13 suppresses 1 rd.
Crowd stampede end rd 2: Str DC 13 or 2d6 + prone (outer ring).
Persistence: bull will not level the Temple of Zeus — turns back to PCs.

Failure: Allies extract downed PCs; stadium wing ruined; sequel hook — not apocalyptic.

Resolution: Crowns + mist home (Hermes wink).

CREATURE STAT BLOCKS

Leonin Athlete

Medium Humanoid (Leonin), N · CR 2

AC 14 | HP 45 | Speed 40 ft.

STR 17 (+3) DEX 15 (+2) CON 16 (+3) INT 10 WIS 12 CHA 11

Pride's Dash (1/SR): BA Dash; OA vs it disadv.
Claw +5 (1d8+3); Javelin +5 (1d6+3). Cap ≤6.

Bugbear Bruiser

Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), CN · CR 2

AC 14 | HP 42 | Speed 30 ft.

STR 17 DEX 14 CON 18 · Reach +5 ft · Surprise Attack +2d6

Morningstar +5 (2d8+3). Cap ≤3.

Rhino Minotaur

Large Monstrosity, N · CR 4

AC 15 | HP 76 | Speed 40 ft.

STR 20 (+5) · Charge (+2d8, Str DC 15 prone) · Reckless

Gore +7 (2d8+5); Maul +7 (2d10+5). Cap ≤3.

Satyr Reveler

Medium Fey, CN · CR 1/2

AC 14 | HP 22 | Speed 40 ft.

Magic Resistance · Panpipes DC 13 (3/day)

Ram +3 (2d4+1); Shortbow +5 (1d6+3). Cap ≤10.

Hoplite of Elis

Medium Humanoid (Human), LN · CR 1

AC 18 | HP 32 | Speed 30 ft.

Phalanx: +1 AC / adv vs forced move near allied shield

Spear +4 (1d6+2). Cap ≤10.

Cyclopean Contender

Medium Humanoid (Cyclopean), N · CR 2

AC 14 | HP 52 | Speed 30 ft.

Orc-sized intelligent cyclops · Single Eye (disadv sight >30 ft)

Greataxe +6 (1d12+4) ×2; Rock +6 (2d6+4).

Minotaur Athlete

Large Monstrosity, CN · CR 3

AC 14 | HP 76 | Speed 40 ft.

Charge (DC 14) · Labyrinthine Recall · Cap ≤8

Greataxe +6 (2d12+4); Gore +6 (2d8+4).

Ares Cult Saboteur

Medium Humanoid (Human), CE · CR 2

AC 13 | HP 38 | Speed 30 ft.

Scimitar/Hand XB +4 (1d6+2).
Blood Signal (1/day): +1d2 saboteurs next round (Enc. 2; max +2).

Khalkotaurus — BOSS

Huge Construct, U · CR 9

AC 18 | HP 168 (120/200) | Speed 40 ft.

Immune poison/psychic/nonmag BPS · Resist fire · Vuln thunder · LR 2/day

Furnace Heart: 2d6 fire in 10 ft. Siege Monster.
Gore +10 (3d8+6 +2d6 fire); Slam +10 (2d10+6, Str DC 17 prone).
Breath (5–6): 30-ft cone Dex DC 16, 8d8 fire.
LA: Detect / Slam / Trample Charge (2; 20 ft, Dex DC 15, 3d6 + prone).
Token: 40 force + lose LA 1 rd; 2nd press ends fight.

KEY ITEMS

Olive Token of Nike

Handout (24 words): bronze sand / press olive to false victor's brow.
Enc. 1–2: optional adv on one Contest check/event (invitation recognized).
Enc. 3: Action adjacent → 40 force + strip LA 1 round; second press (Help/prone) ends animation.

NPC QUICK REFERENCE

Diaktoros — Quest Giver

Motivation: Keep Games sacred; favor clever victors.
Secret: Hermes in disguise.
Roleplay: Winks, never confirms divinity; ushers into mist.

Judge Lykos — Hellanodikai

Motivation: Fair heats; prevent riot.
Secret: Suspects bronze-animation magic at vault.
Stats: AC 12, HP 27; Insight +6; Call Foul (Recharge 5–6).

Captain Lea — Pride of Nemea

Motivation: Win with honor; protect her six.
Recruit: Fair Enc. 1 or cult proof Enc. 2 → Enc. 3 ally (+2 Leonins).
Stats: AC 15, HP 78, CR 4; 3× claw +6 (1d8+4); Victory Roar 10 temp HP.

Team Caps Reminder

Field only miniatures you own.
Shrink heats to match who participates.
Spectators Aid once/heat (DC 12).

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