🍮45. pudding, at last

session 45 • 10/18/2022 • 1,204 words

🌞 DAY 10.5 • 📅 HARVESTIDE

Storm the Castle

The party stops the pancake fire and get various pancakes before heading to storm the castle, where Droop, Josie and Vanessa are getting ready. Droop enlists Soren's help in enlarging Sam and Tams' contraband rocks, which embarasses them and gets them disqualified.

Droop Destroys the kids in the competition and has a grand time with other children (for the first time in his life.) Will speaks to the kitten and asks for their name; she doesn't have one, so he names her Glitter. She says she likes the name!

Lil' Pudding King

We eventually come to the end of the night and gather around the pudding plaza as dozens of golden faerie lights illuminate the village. We partake in the feast, merriment, cheer and music -- Soren even climbing onto a table to play with the halfling bards. Hugh destroys the pudding eating competition by a long shot. Sildar pulls Soren up onto the table to dance.

Will notices a gnomish figure with a tall hat watching them from a distance; he sees their eyes twinkle and wink before they vanish into the woods.

Squirrel Inn

We enter the nearby inn, which is very cozy and well-furnished, to take a good, long-awaited nap. Hugh asks for 5 rooms, then tries to persuade the innkeeper to let him stay at their house. Eventually, we settle for a bath, breakfast and three rooms amidst threats of upcharging from the stingy innkeeper.

Soren buys a bottle of wine and asks for some dried mushrooms before heading into the bath. Droop cannonballs, Glitter poofs herself 3 times her size in one of the tubs. Everyone gets naked, by now familiar with each other to comfortably do so, except poor fucking Will who is like ; - ; Hugh stares at his dongalong the entire time. Respectfully looking.

Soren eventually begins to ask about the plan moving forward; Hugh is adamant that we'll go to Conyberry next then Wyvern Tor and Old Owl Well to obtain resources before heading to the Spider. Soren acknowledges that he would like to do that but also that he's been running all his life, and would prefer to do something while they're in Phandalin that might slow down the Spider or mislead him.

Hugh says that it's pointless to go talk to the Spidar. Soren tries to lay out some options--either ignore the Spider and risk him finding out about / preparing for Soren's betrayal, or send Soren in to grovel and feed the Spider false information--but for this to happen without Soren dying, he'll likely need to out Will as an aasimar so that Nezznar doesn't kill him on the spot.

Will dislikes the idea but begrudgingly agrees if it'll help save lives. Hugh insists that it's not a good idea.

After this dreadful conversation, Soren asks Will for his favorite food; it's apple cake. Sildar washes Soren's hair, while Hugh and Droop debate WIll about whether the cat is Granpappy. Soren makes one last bid at running off to some farm with Sildar and leaving the Forge to the rest of the Lord's Alliance; Sildar insists that they need to kill the Spider so Soren can be free.

Soren says that there are no truly free drow; there are powerful and famous surface ones, but none truly free, not even Drizzt Do'Urden, Liriel Baenre and Jarlaxle Baenre. Sildar protests, but Soren cuts him off and says that it's OK because he'll be the first.

Glitter makes a mess of everything by shaking as a horse-sized kitty.

Sweet Dreams

After a clownshow where Droop runs around trying to deliver messages between party members, take Glitter to sleep with, and give everyone good night hugs, the group settles down to bed. During this, Soren, trying to trick Droop into believing he can speak cat, yells at Will in Undercommon thinking that Will will not know better--Will in fact understands Undercommon and is Confusion.

Soren asks about what Sildar said at the psychic (that he loved Soren) and expresses doubt over Sildar loving someone like him. Sildar tells him to get used to it; they fuck and then go to sleep.

Gemstone Palace

As Soren falls into reverie, he finds himself back in the crystalline structure where he once met Graz'zt. Soren is initially still terrified of Graz'zt, who insists that Soren relax and call him by his name, rather than with formalities. Gradually, Soren becomes more comfortable speaking with Graz'zt.

Graz'zt expresses that his power looks nice on Soren; Soren agrees that it's nice to finally have some control in his life. When Soren tries to ask for what he can do to please Graz'zt in return for the power, Graz'zt prompts Soren to confess what he truly desires--initially, Soren says freedom and a peaceful life with Sildar, but Graz'zt probes deeper. Soren eventually admits that he wants to see Menzoberranzan torn down and its people put out of their misery.

Graz'zt is extraordinarily pleased at the idea of pissing off Lolth, and promises Soren that if he continues as he has, he will have the power to tear down every noble from their throne and "paint the streets with their blood". Soren seems to hesitate at this, and asks for a painless cull; Graz'zt surprisingly readily agrees to painless deaths, if that's what Soren desires.

Soren expresses worry about being turned into a drider. Graz'zt offers Soren his protection against this; Soren is a little cowed by the idea that something as powerful as Graz'zt would look out for him. Graz'zt encourages Soren to draw on more of his power; Soren readily agrees, saying that he needs it for the fight to come.

Soren wakes up, his eyes now pure white like Graz'zt's. He takes a walk around the village, stealing various baking ingredients and several apples before returning to the tavern and picking the kitchen lock.

Compassion and Trust

Will dreams of his old house, sitting as a child in his mother's lap in front of a warm hearthfire. She runs her fingers through his hair, which is very soothing to him, and looks down at him with love and endearment. Eventually, she speaks to him in a gentle, pleasant voice:

My little hero, you're going to grow up so big and strong. You're going to be my champion some day.

Will wakes up feeling relaxed, well-rested.

The Fetid Wedding

Hugh wakes up to Myco happily humming about how Zuggtmoy is going to be so pleased with them for getting rid of Urdlen. Myco tries to urge Hugh to go to the Underdark as soon as possible for their reward, but Hugh balks at the idea of going down there, of course, and says that he has stuff to do here still, which upsets Myco.

Myco suggests that Hugh take "the slave of the King of Shadows", referring to Soren, which Hugh adamantly denies. Hugh suggests bringing Zuggtmoy Nezznar instead, as a slave of Lolth. Myco reacts fearfully to Lolth, and says that "they have plenty of drow to eat down there" : ) whatever the fuckkkk that means.

The group goes downstairs and are startled by Soren's new eyes. Soren presents them with a fresh baked apple cake and tries to dodge their questions.