⌛77. borrowed time

session 77 • may 20 2023 • 1,516 words

🌑 DAY 25 • 📅 MARPENOTH 15

The Real Problem

Soren gathers the party to speak privately, admitting to them that the group is running low on resources. Soren balks when the party asks him for specifics, eventually finally admitting their dire situation: they have only enough water for 8 people, and food for 5--while they are having to maintain a group of 17.

Soren reminds the party that they need to prioritize themselves (especially pointedly at Will, who has shown to be willing to sacrifice his own wellbeing for the children). Insisting that the party is the entire group's first and last line of defense against Underdark threats, Soren makes them promise to eat and drink their share before distributing anything to the rest of the prisoners.

Hugh argues to start traveling slower, so that we can have more time to forage. Soren, Sildar and Will, however, are hesitant to go slower as that means the drow and draegloth might catch up--an idea that terrifies Soren, because "hunger will take weeks to kill us all; the draegloth will take seconds."

We eventually decide to proceed as we have before--at a normal speed. Soren addresses the whole group with a pep-talk, telling them that they would all need to chip in to forage as a group effort; he delivers it effectively, and the prisoners do their best in helping to forage.

Firepiss

Soren, Droop and Hugh piss on the fire to put it out, much to Sildar and Will's horror. Too good to piss on the campfire, huh, you two? Too good to go pee pee on the embers?

As we pack up and begin to travel, Soren inquires what Shuushar's strengths are, seeing as he is a pacifist. Shuushar explains that he can do limited healing; after Soren rudely ascertains that Shuushar isn't "spouting trash about mashing up seaweed into your wounds" due to the barbaric nature of the kuo-toa, Soren silently acknowledges that this makes Shuushar important to keep alive.

Tongue of Madness

While foraging, Hugh finds a strange looking plant that looks straight up like a wet tongue.

Guess what this boy does? Yes! He eats it immediately. Soren sees and proceeds to chase Hugh around like a concerned dog owner screaming "what's in your MOUTH!?!" until realizing what it was, and finding amusement in its effects: it makes Hugh speak his mind without any filter.

Hugh proceeds to give idle commentary about literally everything because he has zero filter now. Amazing. Soren sighs in relief, at which point Hugh points out that he might need the "heinylick" (heimlich) for breathing difficulties.

Droop, as always, begins to chase Soren around to "heinylick" him--but as he has lost his Gauntlets of Ogre Strength, there's no need to be scared of him accidentally squishing anyone anymore. Soren just stands still and lets Droop hug him.

Will checks in on Sunny to see if she's OK; she is as subserviant and terrified as ever, and answers nervously. When Will tells her that it's OK to show emotions / to not be OK, and invites her to sit with the party that night (which she promptly takes as an order and agrees to, readily).

House Catanzaro

As they walk, Soren strikes up seemingly casual conversation with Sarith; Soren asks about House Catanzaro, under the guise of wondering about recent house ranking-changes in Menzoberranzan since he has been away for so long.

Sarith scoffs at how clueless Soren is, acknowledging that House Catanzaro is rapidly rising through the ranks, and even hints that Catanzaro might have had a hand in the fall of House Xorlarrin.

Soren is SHOOKTH at this, but manages to play it cool. He asks--hypothetically, since the drow are not allowed to openly discuss or admit to the destruction of houses--why Sarith would say so; Sarith says that it's clear from the way that Catanzaro has been shooting up the ranks that they had something to gain from the fall of Xorlarrin.

Sarith wonders why Soren is so interested in House Catanzaro; Soren deliberately pretends to misunderstand as Sarith asking about House Xorlarrin, and reminds Sarith that he was "rather entrenched in the whole thing", referring to his slavery.

Sarith idly remarks that "You must be celebrating", before remembering that he has to be BIG MEAN DROW and goes "uhhhhh I mean... why would you celebrate? You still serve them, you're lapping at your master's heels as always".

Soren tries to explain his "closeness" with Nezznar as keeping the peace within the party, so that we're not picked off by predators during all the in-fighting. Sarith comments that "better to be torn apart by beasts than enslaved by one", to which Soren has no good reply.

Soren intentionally attempts to keep his distance from Nezznar after that, but Nezznar's nosy ass chases him down to demand to know what kinda shit Sarith talked about him LOL.

Soren, of course, LIES OUT HIS ASS, omitting any info about his own House having apparently caused the fall of House Xorlarrin. Soren falsely claims that Sarith told him that the Baenres and Mizzrym benefited the most from the fall of House Xorlarrin, which Nezznar believes.

Soren remarks that Menzoberranzan is not much for change, referring to the typical drow treachery and deceit to which House Xorlarrin fell. Nezznar corrects him sadly, noting that it is always changing.

MOMMY??

As we continue traveling, Will suddenly hears a voice in his head—that of his long lost mother. He is shookth, and clutches at his feather and Lathander amulet around his neck. Though he pauses for a moment, he manages to eventually respond.

Will's mother explains that she has been doing God's Work ™️ in the Underdark since her disappearance, and notes that if Will can hear her, that means that he must be in the Underdark as well, lamenting his fate. She asks about Will's father, leading Will to realize with a shock that she doesn't know anything about the drow attack, or Will's life since her disappearance.

Deeply hurt, but also relieved to finally hear from her again, Will explains his capture by the drow, which seems to greatly worry Will's mother.

Unfortunately, Will's mother cannot seem to maintain the connection for long; although she promises that given some time, they will eventually once again be able to meet. She compares Will to his father, which deals that good good emotional damage, and says that she has never forgotten Will or his father, then severs the connection.

Will is So Full of Feelings and does not quite know what to make of the encounter. He vaguely informs the party of it when they question why he stopped, but insists that we carry on and shove this information into a corner of his brain : (

We eventually find a nice, defensible cave with overhangs that we decide to camp on in order to secure the safer high ground. We sleb.

Unbeknownst to the group, Will contracts madness shortly after this. His madness is as follows:

"I have a compulsion to lie, even when the truth would be more advantageous or beneficial to me."

🌑 NIGHT 25 • 📅 MARPENOTH 15

Runaway Drow

Soren sets up the Alarm spell around the chasm and we set up camp on the overhanging cliffs, helping the smaller / weaker prisoners to climb the rock faces.

Soren divvies up the resources, leaving the group with next to no food and absolutely no water except that of the jug. He lies to the group and says that they have no water, using his charisma to try and encourage the prisoners to try harder to look for water the next day. He then sneaks the Alchemist Jug water to the party secretly.

The party is reluctant to drink when the children are going thirsty, but Soren promises them—lying—that they would find water the next day, citing his experience hunting.

As we settle in to sleep, Soren's Alarm is triggered and he quickly wakes up, lighting up the chasm with light and attempting to blast the intruder. It turns out to be Sarith, who snuck away at night and is trying to BOOK IT lmao.

Hugh runs him down like a lawn mower.

Sarith tries to put on a brave face, but is clearly afraid when he's dragged back, expecting to be killed—the group (sans Soren), of course, is like "??? why would we evEr KiLL yOuuUUU??? ur insane!!"

Gaslight gatekeep girlboss this drow more.

Sarith, however, seems to have had enough of being paraded around and being unsure of his fate, and demands that the party give him a quick and honorable death.

The group attempts to appeal to his morals, his sexuality (Hugh: uhhhh if you die u cant fuck anymore) but eventually Sildar appeals to the only correct dialogue option when dealing with a drow: "if you die, you can't exact revenge on the people who wronged you and your dead squad member".

Sarith considers this, and eventually admits that he wants to live, if only as long enough to kill those who framed him. Soren demands that Sarith draw them a map of the Underdark area in exchange for being allowed to live, and Sarith begrudgingly agrees.