⚖️76. the heaviest weight

session 76 • may 14 2023 • 2,369 words

🌑 NIGHT 24 • 📅 MARPENOTH 14

Keeping Secrets

Soren finishes up the cooking the bluecap and fish, distributing a serving of food to everyone--including Sarith and Nezznar. Hugh passes out before eating.

As the group eats, Soren checks the food stores in the bag and realizes that they only have 5 fish left to feed 18 people. He keeps this to himself, but understands that they will not be able to forage enough to sustain the entire group.

As the party sets up their watch order, Sildar demands to know why he wasn't woken up the previous night despite calling third watch. Soren stumbles through some excuses about wanting Sildar to sleep and regain his health, then tries to convince Sildar that he won't be effective on watch either due to his lack of dark vision... but is eventually pressured into promising to TRY and wake Sildar up for a watch today.

When Sildar wonders about waking Hugh up for watch, Soren says to let him rest, and that Soren would make up for the missing watches. Knowing that Soren did not sleep at all the day before, Will and Sildar try to convince him that he needs to rest--only to learn that Soren no longer feels tired or sleepy, and suspects that it was a gift from Graz'zt to help him keep a better lookout and ensure the party's safety.

Sildar is VERY worried about Soren continuing to receive demonic gifts from Graz'zt, asking that Soren at least try to rest, if not sleep. Soren promises him this as well.

Soren changes the subject, disdainfully noting that Ront is sleeping too close to the party; Sildar agrees that he's uneasy with the orc, but notes that he's "the least terrifying monster here". Soren jokes about Stool being the scariest, and Sildar reciprocates the joke by calling Eldeth the scariest.

Sildar comments on how Hugh is taking a liking to Ront, and Soren idly comments that Hugh "is liking a lot of people", and they briefly comment on the Sarith situation before leaving it be.

Sildar goes to sleep, after making Soren promise to wake him up if ANYTHING at all seems off.

The duergar twins settle near Soren, seemingly more comfortable with him than the rest of the party; Nezznar inches closer to the campfire, Eldeth sleeps near Will, Noname stays her respectful distance and everyone else tries to get as close to the fire as possible. Everyone goes to sleep.

Watch 1 - Soren / Will

No More Healing, We Die Like Men

Will volunteers for first watch because Topsy and Turvy have passed out on his lap and he doesn't want to wake them up. Soren checks in on Topsy, and is gratified that she's OK.

Soren notes that Will's rushing past the draegloth to save Topsy was "very reckless" but that he was glad that Topsy survived. He puts a hand on Topsy's back and tries to heal her with a hummed Healing Word, but--visibly to Will--fails to do so.

Will points out the fact that Soren can no longer heal. Despite being very disturbed by this, Soren brushes it off as nothing more than a "fundamental strategy change" and points out that Graz'zt frequently "marks him" whenever they come into contact with each other--this is no different. He teasingly says that Will will now have to take on the mantle of healing the party now; Will expresses concern but agrees to be the healer.

Soren laments that he might be able to help by making health potions if he hadn't lost his herbalism kit / the all-purpose tool. Will offers the one he stole from Velkynvelve as they were escaping; neither of them recognize the kit, meaning that it's most likely Nadhiir's LMFAO. Soren is genuinely overjoyed at having a herbalism kit again and immediately begins to work on the plants he's gathered to make two potions of healing for the party.

Celestial Intervention

As Soren does this, Will comments on the strangeness of how he healed Topsy--it hadn't been magic, despite his having used up his "healing hands" feature already. Soren wonders if it was a "celestial gift", which Will is doubtful about. Will points out that his feather, which was from his mother, also glowed--this surprises Soren, who is intrigued by the fact that the feather is an actual deva wing feather.

Soren is optimistic about this, pointing out that if Will is able to heal beyond his normal limits now, it may well be a gift from his celestial mother--"if even someone like... me could catch the eye of a demon lord, then... well, we certainly shouldn't say no to a little celestial intervention." Will is still skeptical, but Soren insists that it should be something to be happy about.

Scary

Will comments on how Soren debased himself to Sarith; Soren deflects by joking about how he was "just playing to his strengths". Will repeats that the party needs to stick together, Soren points out that he did what he did to stop the party from fighting. Will points out that Soren hurt Sarith with Heat Metal, and that it was "scary" to see him like that.

Soren points out that he did what he did to try and get the party food; Will says that Sarith did not know where the cart was (and that there probably will not even be a cart to find); Soren disagrees and also points out that letting Sarith disrespect and threaten the party is a bad idea because it might give the other prisoners ideas--"if we are to be their leaders, then we must lead."

Will expresses concern that using harmful magic on the prisoners will "send a different message"; Soren acknowledges that he may have gone too far, and promises Will that he would try better--Will is unimpressed by his "customer service voice". Soren insists, however, that Sarith would be better off dead so the group no longer has to watch their backs.

Will says that "it's not ideal but--" and Soren interrupts him with "--yes, yes, there is still hope", half-mocking what Sildar had said the day before. Will acknowledges that trusting Sarith could lead to betrayal but that "we cannot be like the slavers." Soren notes that he's not trying to sell Sarith, but rather, to kill him.

Will just says "no".

The Easy Thing

Soren, exasperated, says that he's given up trying to convince the party otherwise, but to remember that the party is "gambling more lives than your own, upon this misbegotten hope". Will insists that killing Sarith would be the "easy way out".

Soren points out that if a pack of Umber Hulks threatened the camp, the smartest recourse would be to kill them--why doesn't the same apply to Sarith? Will protests that those are "monsters", and Soren sneers that in the end, that's all the drow are.

Will insists that the drow are the product of their environment and are not born bad; Soren is incredulous, noting that their goddess shaped them in her image, and that no one can say that the drow don't fundamentally differ from the surfacers.

Will points out that Soren is proof that the drow are not fundamentally bad ; ; Soren points out that Will just said Soren was scaring him (when he did what he did to Sarith), and also warned him against becoming a tyrant last night. Will retorts that Soren still loves very deeply, and that Rana was also innocent--"you aren't born to kill. you aren't born evil".

Soren is silent for a long time, but points out that "our goddess loved deeply, too, before her loved ones cast her out"--citing the drow propaganda that Corellon, the king of elves, had abandoned and betrayed Araushnee (Lolth) before her fall to the Abyss. Still, he stops himself from going too far down that road, and deflects the conversation by asking about Glitter.

They continue with some idle chatter, with Soren teaching Willow about the dangers of the Underdark, until their watch comes to an end. Soren offers Will his blanket because he's sharing with Topsy, Turvy and Glitter; Will takes it.

Watch 2 - Soren

Soren is alone for the next watch. He finishes up processing his potion of healing.

Eventually, he tries to reach out to Graz'zt, thanking him for his help with Velkynvelve and for the new power, though he politely inquires about the extent of his new powers ("so I can better serve you".) Though Graz'zt does not respond, Soren is infused with ritualistic knowledge.

He follows the instructions and, at the end of an hour, is able to summon a intricate leather-bound book with Graz'zt's symbol etched into the cover. Soren thanks Graz'zt, and looks through it, finding various spells inscribed into it. He practices them, and is pleased to find that he can easily cast them.

Alongside this, he also practices the evocation incantations that Nezznar taught him yesterday.

Watch 3 - Soren / Sildar

Soren wakes up Sildar; Sildar drily notes that he's glad Soren's talking to him again, referencing that Soren has been distant for the past few days. Soren cites the stress of their imprisonment as the reason for his distance, and Sildar asks him to promise that that is the truth; Soren does so.

Soren asks Sildar if anything has changed between them; Sildar admits that though he believes Soren is still the same person, Sildar thinks that Soren is "taking on too much". Soren becomes defensive, but Sildar presses on, pointing out that though Tor might have been necessary, hurting Sarith in that way was not.

Soren, having already going through this song and dance with Will, readily admits that he miscalculated and that he "regrets it", though it's necessary for the group to defer to the party as the leaders.

No conclusion is reached; Sildar asks that Soren just consider what he says, and Soren agrees readily again.

The Mushroom Mommy

While this is going on, Hugh has an alarming dream, wherein Myco and several other conjoined, delighted voices begin to sing a haunting nursery rhyme:

From rocky bed the toadstool rose, From chaos dark, her love She shows. Wish! Yearn! Laugh! The Lady will be wed! Crave! Hunger! Dance! Her joyous spores will spread! Youth is gone, beauty rots, Araumycos and Zuggtmoy! Joined together, heart to heart, Becoming one 'til death do part! Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hugh wakes up and says he's become a prophet!!!

Soren is alarmed by Hugh's recounting of the dream, especially with the mention of Zuggtmoy, the demon lord of rot. He is unable to make sense of the song, however--knowing only that Araumycos is a section deep in the Underdark. Also unable to speak to Hugh about plans to get rid of Myco because Myco can hear him, all Soren can do is check that Hugh is physically OK.

Everything Dear

Nezznar has, at this point, also woken up. Having agreed to give Nezznar a haircut and change his bandages in exchange for the magic lessons, Soren approaches Nezznar to oblige.

Nezznar notices Soren's lil spellbook and asks where he "stole" it from. Soren says "my new master" to spice things up LMAO, Nezznar malds.

Nezznar sits still like a good boye throughout the re-bandaging, (apparently he starts shaking at the memory of Ilvara's torment I die about this), but eventually asks that Soren just heal him.

Soren hems and haws about "not being able to without his instruments", but Nezznar is more than familiar with Soren's abilities and points out that Soren has healed him before without use of instruments. Soren admits that he no longer can; Nezznar correctly deduces that this is the effect of Graz'zt's powers in Soren's body. Nezznar rehashes what he said before about the price of a demon lord's help: that they will take everything dear to you.

Nezznar says that he will not be able to "protect" Soren like he has been--not from a demon lord. This angers Soren, who demands to know what exactly Nezznar has protected him from. Nezznar tauntingly asks Soren where his life would be if Nezznar hadn't taken him into House Xorlarrin.

Soren tries to say that he would at least be with his family; Nezznar scoffs and reminds Soren that Nadhiir was also sold off for status, and that Amalka would never have left any of the men of her family "unused". Soren tries to viciously taunt Nezznar--that he wishes he was sold to Zaara instead--but Nezznar matter-of-factly states that he would not have let Zaara stay in possession of a slave as shrewd and useful as Soren.

Nezznar reminds Soren that he (Nezz) was the best bet that Soren had at power, and that Soren would have met his death in the Stenchstreets or in the Underdark if not for Nezznar and his House. Soren is unable to deny this, and changes the subject to offer Nezznar the promised haircut.

The haircut is tense; Soren being gratified at the fact that Nezznar was allowing him so close to his throat with a blade, and Nezznar being very uncomfortable for the same reason lmao. At the end, Nezznar tells Soren that he "did well", which Soren needs 5-6 business days to process, as Nezznar rarely acknowledged his efforts.

Soren and Nezznar continue their magic lessons; Soren expresses interest in the conjuration of demons, which Nezznar tells him he can't do yet LMAO, and that he has to start with smaller spells like Find Familiar. Soren is deflated, and Nezznar chides him for "wanting to start from the top of the mountain".

Soren notes that Nezznar had held the position of "top of the mountain" for decades, and hopes that as Nezznar with his teacher, Soren would be able to progress faster. This, combined with Soren's excitement at learning even the most basic magical concepts, makes Nezznar big soft.

While Soren and Nezznar talk, Hugh fiddles with the masonry set (which the all-purpose tools is stuck in because its hammer had been thrown at the draegloth), and figures out that he could make stone arrowheads with the tools right now, at least. He makes 20 LMAO good job bby!!