📦79. the missing cart

session 79 • may 30 2023 • 1,211 words

🌑 DAY 26 • 📅 MARPENOTH 16

Post-Fight Regroup

Soren remains ecstatic over his Fireball—a high-level evocation known as an "iconic" wizard spell—before remembering Hugh is LITERALLY melting in a pool of acid from the Umber Hulk and scrambles over to help Hugh bby

Hugh is like uhghHGHGhghhg I'm dyhing :( Soren attempts to heal, but has, of course, lost his healing powers.

The party regroups. Will is absolutely wrecked from the fight, but claims that he is A-OK due to his madness. Will insists that he is unhurt even when Sildar expresses concern for his griveous wounds, which causes frustration.

Hugh force-feeds Soren his "magic cotton candy" by ripping chunks of the unstable faerzress out of the Weave and restores one of Soren's spell slots! It's ok Soren is used to weird things in his mouth.

Shuushar heals Will for some of his injuries, and hopes that it is enough. Will, who is, OF COURSE, still under the effects of madness and is compelled to lie, tells him that his healing is inadequate. Shuushar is like :( I tried.

Sildar, noting that Will is acting strangely, asks if Will suffered a concussion from the fight. Will, compelled to lie, agrees that he did. LMAO

Will checks in with the rest of the prisoners and asks them to keep a safe distance away from the cart / Umber Hulk corpses in case there are other predators in the area.

Cycles Broken

As the party regroups, Soren sneaks away to bandage the cut on his face from when Nezznar accidentally whipped him across the face in the fight—somewhat ashamed of getting whipped again.

Nezznar approaches him; Soren bitterly asks him not to gloat; but Nezznar demands that Soren understand he only whipped Soren by mistake. Soren is surprised, but reassures Nezznar that he didn't think Nezznar had started lapsing into old habits in the middle of the life-and-death fight lmao.

Nezznar notes that he's only asking because he wants to keep the whip, citing his promise to not use the whip against any allies intentionally LOL. Soren agrees that Nezznar can keep the whip, sardonically saying "you're good with it. always have been". Nezznar unequivocally agrees.

They sit there in awkward silence for a bit as Soren bandages himself. Nezznar eventually points out that "you can't really see your own face. so you probably need help" in a sad attempt to offer to help LMAO. (Soren was doing perfectly fine too LMAO he absolutely knows how to bandage himself)

Realizing what Nezznar is trying to do (and thoroughly SHOOKTH about it), Soren allows Nezznar to help him bandage—though initially out of instinct to obey when Nezznar commands that Soren give him the bandages.

Nezznar is unable to bandage Soren well, because when has this dude ever had to wrap a bandage in his life. Soren subtly helps him secretly, and eventually, Nezznar manages to get the bandages to stay on Soren's face.

Carefully, Soren begins to ask why Nezznar helped him, but thinks better of questioning Nezznar and instead thanks him. Nezznar huffs but accepts the thanks.

Witholding Information

Soren hesitates before giving Nezznar a Potion of Healing that he made himself out of herbs.

Nezznar is suspicious of it, noting that it is crude, but effective—he points out that Soren never told him about his proficiency with the Herbalist Kit.

Soren sarcastically notes that Nezznar has never really sat down and gotten to know Soren. Nezznar cites his previous orders to never withold information from him--

Soren sarcastically promises that this is the final time he would hide anything from Nezznar, this time without fear. Nezznar huffs.

Buddy Buddy

Will notes to Sildar that Soren and Nezznar are sure "buddy buddying it up".

Sildar recounts how Nezznar and Soren have been engaging in magic lessons every night, a little wistfully because he wants magic lessons from Soren omg babbie :(

Will offers to teach Sildar light magic. Sildar is a miserable sad sack of sadness because he was unable to do much in the previous fight, considering that he was blind for most of it and had no darkvision.

The conversation rapidly devolves into a fiesta because, again, Will is occasionally compelled by madness to compulsively lie,, and completely confuddles Sildar by gaslight girlboss gatekeeping him at every turn of the conversation.

Eventually, Sildar calls the party over to inquire about drow traps. Soren admits that it's like the drow to trap their supply cart, and Hugh is like "I TOUCH THE CART TO SEE IF IT TRAPPED MAYBEE". Sildar has an aneurysm about not sending Hugh in to potentially die to a drow trap.

Soren eventually snarkily suggests that Sildar can go "ask Sarith" about any traps, since "that seems to be your thing". Sildar takes pause at the sass, but does go to ask Sarith. Sarith is thoroughly uncooperative until Sildar reminds Sarith that if Sildar dies, probably Sarith dies.

Sarith initially lies; Sildar calls him out on it. Sarith remains unhelpful, noting that his deal only involved helping find the cart, not helping loot it.

Soren suggests sending Ront in to deal with the potential booby traps since he was useless in the fight. Sildar, of course, disagrees with sending in ANYONE to get blown tae fuck up. Will says that he disagrees with Sildar (lying bc madness), and Sildar, finally exasperated enough about this entire situation, blows up and tells Will to shut up.

Will is shook and sad :(

Loot Loot Loot!

Eventually, we cautiously approach and investigate the cart, finding a hidden compartment on the cart with supplies and magic items.

• 3 rations

• 4 water orbs

• 1 barrel of water

• 2 red potions

• 1 Piwafwi - (a drow cloak typically owned by nobles. Soren gets excited)

• 2 intricate stones with runes

• 1 poison tipped arrow

• 6 plat, 9 gold

• 2 spell scrolls (Silence (R), Summon Lesser Demons)

• 1 intricate red potion

• 2 rapiers

• 8 well-made arrows

• Explorer's pack

  • a backpack

  • a bedroll

  • a mess kit

  • a tinderbox

  • 50 feet of hempen rope

We regroup to admire and split the haul. Soren is especially excited about the Piwafwi, and immediately puts it on because the Piwafwi is a sign of wealth/nobility and Soren has never had the chance to own one.

Soren sees that Sildar is still sulking about the whole thing from before, and sadly offers the Piwafwi to Sildar instead to try and cheer him up. 🥺 Sildar declines it gently but is gratified.

Soren give the two rapiers to Sildar and Will-- but Will says he doesn't want it because madness lying compulsion. Soren happily takes the rapier instead LOL. Soren then gives the shortsword to Droop, asking him to promise never to attack Nezznar like in the Umber Hulk fight again.

Droop is indignant, saying that he was only protecting Soren (omg babbie). Soren, fearing for Droop's life because he KNOWS Nezznar will kill a goblin without hesitation, asks Droop to promise regardless; Droop does so because he want the sword :(

Soren also divvies up the potions--Will still says he doesn't want one LOL so he doesn't get one. Poor babbie. Rip ur madness

We harvest the Umberhulks for SIXTEEN POUNDS OF BUG MEAT!! This is somehow an important plot point later.