Golden Fleece mini map
Golden Fleece was intended to be a random map/game mode in Age of Mythology, but ultimately cut, for unknown reasons. It is also the name of a removed unit in the Scenario Editor.
Map[]
The objective of this map, as described in the Golden Fleece unit's description, would have been to capture the Golden Fleece, a unique Goat-type unit with a heroic glow. Then, the player/team would probably have to keep it under their control for a set period of time to win.
Unit[]
The Golden Fleece is a unit that is accessible in the Scenario Editor in pre-Retold versions of the game. Despite having only 20 hit points, it is completely invulnerable to all forms of damage, including god powers. It was removed in Retold.
Mythology[]
The Golden Fleece map would be a reference to two well-known Greek myths; that of Jason and the Argonauts, who were sent to Colchis to steal the Fleece, but also that of Phrixus and Helle.
Phrixus and Helle were siblings, and greatly hated by their stepmother, Ino, who plotted to murder them. Nephele, their biological mother and a cloud goddess/nymph sent a magical, golden ram to fly (or swim) her children away from Ino's reach, to Colchis. As the ram reached the Dardanelles, Helle fell in and drowned (thus, renaming the sea to Hellespont, the sea of Helle).
Phrixus survived however, and reached Colchis. Aeetes (king of Colchis, brother of Circe and son of Helios) treated him with hospitality and married him to his daughter, Chalciope. Later, he sacrificed the ram to Zeus in gratitude, and offered the Fleece to Aeetes, guarded by a dragon.
Trivia[]
- In Greek mythology, the Golden Fleece was the skin of a gold-haired winged ram, not a living, glowing Goat.
- Curiously, there was an unused Ram model that would have been slightly more appropriate.
- Although the Golden Fleece unit has a hero glow, it is not a hero unit.
- The Golden Fleece, Hallgerd Forkbeard, two Relic Monkeys, a Baboon, a reindeer with a Santa hat and a snowman make a cameo in Trapped on Titan. Players can find them from Zhi to the right in the mountains.
- The units have special names; the Golden Fleece is called "Shaun da Sheep", Hallgerd is called "Jiving Jess", the Baboon is called "Steve", the Relic Monkeys are called "Funky Sambo" and "Tin", and the reindeer is called "Bonnie & Clinton".
- The Golden Fleece is one of five revivable heroes that cannot fight. The others are Athena, Skult, Xiaoli, and the Folstag Flag Bearer. The Golden Fleece is a semi-hero.
Gallery[]
| Animals (non-myth units) in Age of Mythology | |
|---|---|
| Herdable animals |  Cow ·  Goat ·  Pig ·  Yak* |
| Timid huntables |  Baboon ·  Caribou ·  Chicken ·  Crowned Crane ·  Deer ·  Duck* ·  Elk ·  Gazelle ·  Giraffe ·  Golden Pheasant ·  Green Pheasant ·  Monkey ·  Red Crowned Crane ·  Serow ·  Snow Monkey ·  Spotted Deer ·  Zebra |
| Aggressive huntables |  Aurochs ·  Boar ·  Elephant ·  Hippopotamus ·  Ram* ·  Rhinoceros ·  Walrus ·  Water Buffalo |
| Predators |  Arctic Wolf ·  Black Bear ·  Crocodile ·  Bear ·  Hyena ·  Japanese Wolf ·  Lion ·  Lizard* ·  Panda Bear* ·  Polar Bear ·  Serpent (Predator) ·  Tiger* ·  Wolf |
| Military animals | Animal of Set · Golden Lion · Relic Monkey |
| Fish |  Herring · Mahi · Perch · Salmon |
| Decorative animals | Bird ( Eagle ·  Harpy ·  Hawk · Parrot* ·  Flying Red Crowned Crane · Seagull ·  Vulture) ·  Panda · Hawksbill Turtle · Orca · Shark · Whale |
| Scenario Editor-exclusive animals |  Alfred ·  Dog · Giant Duck-Billed Platypus ·  Golden Fleece (also herdable) ·  Horse ·  Reindeer |
| Cheat animals |  Chicken Exploding |
| Cut animals | Anchovies ·  Camel · Musk Ox · Nubian Goat · Shore Fish · Unicorn |