Queendom

The party goes to Desmos to recruit Theros' Amazons and discover the Matriarch's dangerous secret.

## Major Plot Points

* The party travelled to Desmos, the city of Theros' Amazons. Engineers were rebuilding the city's wall when the group approached. The Amazons greeted Sybil Ringwell, Aryan Grande, and Juxxtina enthusiastically. The women were allowed inside. However, Dikarus Bottombane, Sprocket "Ballsy" Gnoman III, and Muchomucho M Amor had to earn their way in. Sprocket told them he was as fluid as the oil inside of him so he was let in. Muchomucho rubbed their feet to gain entry. Dikarus helped repair a section of the wall.
* The group asked to speak to the Amazon's leader about the war against Queen Nekros. The guards said they'd fetch them when Matriarch Lezos Bellator was ready to see them.
* Dikarus and Aryan went to Dr. Bitchcraft's. Dikarus bought a dildo. Aryan bought a magic missile bra, a floral crown that lets her speak to plants, and a diva cup that lets the user heal themselves when they drink blood from it
* Sprocket visited the Ephara College and learned how one can become classy and learned more about Amazonian culture.
* Sybil, Muchomucho, and Juxxtina went to Ava's Aviary and Ovaries. Sybil bought an old ostrich to help her with the Lids for Kids program. Muchomucho bought a crow named Russel. Juxxtina bought a fat quail that didn't even belong to Ava.
* The party was allowed to see Matriarch Lezos during her meeting with General Sapphika. Matriarch Lezos had heard tales of the group's heroics, especially Muchomucho's status as a "trap queen." She requested their assistance in helping defend her city from Returned soldiers. The undead had attacked Desmos the last five nights.
* General Sapphika believed the Returned were trying to get into their sacred grove that housed their scalewood trees, birthing clay, and aviary.
* The group's defenses worked very well in protecting the city. Juxxtina's rock trap separated a good portion of the undead forces.
* Sybil's illusion magic tricked the Returned to focus on one area thanks to Sprocket's quick intervention.
* Muchomucho's glyphs of warding protected the maingate.
* Sprocket's spring traps launched the invading forces back.
* Unfortunately, the animal squad of ox, horses, and donkey created by Muchomucho were all lost in their assault with grenades. Aryan's moles and gophers didn't fare better when the trench they built was lit ablaze.
* The party and their spiky pit traps dealt with what forces were able to make it into Desmos. One nearly killed Muchomucho but Juxxtina's magic saved him.
* The party celebrated and feasted with the Amazons after the battle. Before dawn, Matriarch Lezos came to their suite and asked for their help again. She lied to them earlier when asked if she knew what the Returned wanted. She found her sister, Kassandra, in their grove about a week ago. She was one of them though. The matriarch overpowered her and kept her hidden in a cave in the grove.
* Sybil spoke with Kassandra, who was calling herself Umbra. The Returned woman said she had no memory from before leaving the Cave of Phaenax with Queen Nekros. She explained Queen Nekros made the Returned a family by keeping them together, giving them a purpose, and training them.
* Sprocket admonished Matriarch Lezos for keeping this secret from them and her people. Matriarch Lezos defended herself saying she wanted to find a way to restore Kassandra. She focused the Amazons on defense when fighting against the undead because she believed they all could be redeemed. Given how the last week went, she admitted this was out of hand and asked the party to destroy the Returned stronghold that threatened her people.
* The party agreed in exchange for the Amazon's support in the war against Queen Nekros. Matriarch Lezos accepted those terms.
* Aryan tracked the Returned's tracks and led the party to a temple of Pharika the undead had taken over.
* Sybil snuck inside by disguising herself as one of the Returned. She was rebuffed once inside, however, and was forced to leave. Aryan played a song to distract the guards and the party snuck in. The gnome bard pulled a Karen and the guards went back into the temple to find their supervisor. Aryan snuck in to meet the rest of her friends.
* They watched the Returned activate a secret door in the wall. They spoke to a woman and she told them to destroy any intruders. When they came back out, they found Juxxtina. Sprocket popped out to try to cover for her. Dikarus telepathically connected to the party and told them to use this opportunity to sneak attack the guards. After a quick fight, the guards were destroyed.
* Aryan grabbed a vial of acid from a nearby snake pool before they went into the communication chamber. They found a series of mirrors in the chamber all connected to a twin mirror and held by a Returned leader.
* Sybil and Sprocket used their magic and wiles to call Returned Leaders and trick them into returning back to base in Deuteros. They also discovered what each general was actively working on:
	+ Daxos Shadowhorn is trying to turn mortals into the Returned.
	+ Odion Nighthoof is trying to create a plague.
	+ Vanora Wake is trying to gain access into the Vault of Kruphix.
* Dikarus accidentally shattered the one connected to Queen Nekros when trying to pack it on Tuskeroo. Sprocket was able to attune another mirror to Queen Nekros' looking glass and they safely packed that away for future use.
* The priests and priestess of the Pharika temple were held in the next chamber. The party decided not to free them because they were rude.
* In the magic laboratory, Aryan charmed a snake by playing her pan flute. She then discovered Leonvari, the Returned general in charge of this outpost, had stolen notes on the god killer potion from the Underworld.
	+ Dog’s Snout - Werewolves prove to provide the best specimens
	+ Snail Shell - The tritons have a Flail Snail farm. Their innate magical properties appear promising.
	+ A virgin’s heart - Still haven’t found a virgin. Butt stuff apparently counts.
	+ A cloud - Cloud mist gathered from the sky is useless. Wtf?
* In the library, Sprocket activated a poisonous gas trap in a globe. Sybil failed to find anything in the fire place except smoke and ash.
* Ephara and Karametra priestesses were held hostage in a dungeon. They were being tortured for information on their goddesses' weaknesses. An Iroas priest was killed after revealing Iroas attends high profile competitions. A Nylea priestess was killed after she revealed Nylea has wildlife avatars in the mortal realm. If they're destroyed, she'd lose influence in the world and perhaps her connection to it for a time.
* The party entered Leonvari's personal chambers where Muchomucho found his journal. It revealed he hated Umbra for her magical breakthroughs and being Queen Nekros' favorite. He wanted to kill her during a raid against the Amazons but couldn't get enough privacy from the other troops. He hired an assassin named Viper to kill her on their way back to Deuteros.
* Satyr slaves were forced to make wine in the next chamber. The party freed them and Sprocket coaxed them into revealing Phaenax visits the realm for large parties.
* In the final chamber that resembled a garden, the party confronted Leonvari. He missed all of his attacks against Juxxtina. Sybil cast slow on him to make him an easier target. Aryan uttered dissonant whispers to him. Muchomucho unleashed a fireball. Dikarus landed the killing blow with a swing of his psychic blade. The party discovered Returned children growing in the garden.
* As a sign of thanks, Matriarch Lezos allowed Muchomucho to use the Spindle of Klothys to commune with the goddess of destiny. She told him there was no way to revert Returned to their humanoid selves except by crossing the border into the Underworld. She confirmed Dikarus held no more secrets. She also affirmed they could find werewolves if they go north.
* Sybil planted her moon flower at the Tower of Lunasa in Desmos. The moon goddess told Sybil that she forbids anyone killing shapeshifters as they are her kin. Sybil learned taking a snout from an already dead werewolf was okay.
* After some debate, the party brought the Returned children and Umbra to the Cave of Phaenax. They threw them across the threshold where Umbra reverted back into being Kassandra. The children ceased to exist. Muchomucho deduced that Umbra had unlocked the secret of how the Amazons birth children through clay and she used similar magic to create soulless Returned children.
* Kassandra couldn't remember her time as Umbra. She told the party her last memories were of a woman in the Underworld rallying souls to follow her on the Path of Phaenax so they could live again.