🍄69. mushroom hotline

session 69 • march 21 2023 • 2,068 words

🌑 DAY 23 • 📅 MARPENOTH 12

nice!

Derro Lecture

Buppido, after witnessing Soren's outburst with the guards, heads over with Stool (who is terrified of Soren and paniccs). He chides Soren for his rashness, and asks that Soren revert to being his "smooth-talking self" for the sake of Buppido's "grand plan".

Soren pushes Buppido to share the plan, but the derro is unwilling and simply asks that Soren lay low and befriend the guards (and Stool) to the best of his ability, before waddling away.

To Escape

Soren inquires with Nezznar what he thought of the derro's apparent "plan", and Nezznar scoffs that the derro are irrevocably insane "and live in little holes in the wall". Amused, Soren points out that he'd also spent much of his life in the burrows of the Stenchstreets, and jokes that the peasant drow would "eat off the ground too", which Nezznar PROMPTLY believes lmao

Nezznar inquires if Soren has a plan. Soren lays out all the factors that they need to conquer before escaping: the manacles, the cell door, distracting the guards, operating the lift, retrieving their items and covering their tracks; but eventually admits he has no clue how to tackle them all. Soren asks if Nezznar recognizes any drow as "noble" enough to innately cast levitate during the pursuit, and Nezznar admits there's a few.

Remorse

Eventually, remembering Graz'zt's offer of helping Soren if he makes a kill in the demon lord's name, Soren asks Nezznar: "if you had to kill one person in this cell, who would you choose?"

Nezznar IMMEDIATELY says the children because they are a drain on resources and the most vulnerable, which enrages Soren. Nezznar eventually notes that Tor would also be a good pick, because he is volatile and insane, which is the reason why Derendil had been chosen to die.

Perturbed by his failed attempt at killing Sunny, Soren hesitantly asks if Nezznar would kill Tor to get the group some "abyssal help". Once again, Nezznar reacts hostilely to the mention of using the demon lord's power, and cites that the demon lord's price will be too much for Soren to pay.

Soren promises that he alone will pay the price and take the brunt of Graz'zt's demands. Nezznar retorts that if he kills Tor and nothing happens, then he will be tortured or killed by the drow--demanding that he get something out of it, and asking Soren to name the price.

Unwilling to promise Nezznar anything, Soren says to forget it.

that's it, that's the campaign

Hongy :(

Hugh checks in with Ront, who is growing increasingly agitated and hungry due to the limited rations that the drow have been giving the prisoners. Hugh tries to comfort him as best as possible, but Ront is :c . He asks why Hugh keeps coming over, and Hugh says it's because he's his friend.

Ront says he hates it here, and Hugh agrees.

We Don't Even Have a "Pla"

Sildar pulls the returning Hugh aside and tries to talk about an escape plan. Hugh, simplistically, notes that they just need to get out and onto the elevator, which frustrates Sildar. Hugh points out that they could maybe rouse the quaggoths into a frenzy, but Sildar is skeptical that the simple creatures would fight back against their masters. Hugh also mentions his Salted Pork Ploy.

Eldeth, listening in, asks if there really still isn't a plan.

Eldeth suddenly offers to tackle the guards the next time they open the gate, so that at least Sildar, Hugh, Droop and Will can escape. Sildar and Hugh quickly talk her down from this as it would just be a needless sacrifice. Frustrated and saddened, Eldeth curls up with Droop and goes to sleep.

Feeding Time

A drow guard (Bemeril) give us a bucket of slop, but there is only about 9 portions while there are 19 of us. Sarith notes that the supply cart from Menzoberranzan must still be delayed.

Bemeril tells Sarith to stop talking about Velkynvelve matters in front of the iblith, but, desperate to maintain some sort of normalcy with his former squadmate, Sarith notes that there must be something wrong if the supplies still haven't arrived. Hugh takes notice of this conversation and chimes in, leading Bemeril to threaten to whip them if they don't stfu.

Upon seeing the food shortage, Soren drags Nezznar to "establish dominance" and takes first pick of the food, attempting to ward off the scrambling prisoners so that the party might be able to get their share. Though he is successful at scaring off the other prisoners because of Nezznar's imposing drider appearance, after he and Nezznar has their share, there is still a mad dash for food.

Will helps Topsy and Turvy get a share. Ront grabs a share and goes for seconds, but is stopped by and gets into a scuffle with Will. Sildar manages to grab a full portion, as well as the duergar twins.

Eventually, everyone in the party gets to eat half a potion. Sildar offers his half to Hugh. Hugh instead suggests giving it to Sarith, who has not been able to eat in the 3 days that the party has been here, and that if they are to escape, everyone needs to be at their full capacity. Sildar is unhappy about this, but concedes, asking Hugh to do it.

(LMAO Sildar really said "I've dealt with too many edgy drow this campaign :/ u do it")

Sarith reacts with predictable hostility when Hugh offers him the food, and demands to know what kind of game he's playing / what he wants in return. Hugh says that he only wants Sarith to say "thank you" after. Out of dumbass drow pride, Sarith refuses "surfacer charity", but Hugh continues insisting.

Finally, starved and desperate, Sarith eats the soup. When Hugh demands his "thank you", however, Sarith says that he'd die before thanking "iblith". :(

Cut It Off

As Hugh leaves, Nezznar idly comments that Hugh is beyond persistent. Sarith reacts with hostility again, telling Nezznar not to speak to him and that they are not acquaintances. Nezznar bristles, and Sarith begins to try and goad Nezznar into biting him again--as last time he did it, Nezznar got dragged off for torture.

Sarith asks how Nezznar feels, having so much free time now that his house has fallen lmao. Nezznar sneers that it's important to forge connections and form allies in tenuous situations, but it seems like Sarith is too lowborn to understand. Nezznar says that it's clear that Sarith isn't worth allying with, and that "sometimes it's better to cut people off before they fuck you over".

Sarith just asks to be left alone and goes back to holding his head in his hands in his bed.

For Family

During guard rotation, the prisoners get a brief respite from the ever-watching eyes of the guard. The party huddles together for a quick talk during this time. Soren truthfully admits his conversation with Graz'zt, pleading with the party to help him kill someone in the cell so that Graz'zt could help them again.

Hugh and Sildar suggest killing a guard, but Soren points out that it would be much harder, as well as there would be more backlash from the drow.

Hugh suggests killing Shuushar, who is a pacifist and would be deadweight. Soren agrees with him, until Sildar points out that Shuushar could be helpful for his knowledge, which Soren then agrees again, as he believes the party need to traverse the Darklake eventually. Sildar and Hugh suggest killing Nezznar; Soren points out that Nezznar is the most powerful creature in the cell presently, and would be the hardest to kill.

Will, distraught by the idea of killing someone in cold blood, says that we can't get too desperate, and the party agrees that they can't trust a Demon Lord. When Soren again tries to take on the burden of Graz'zt's future demands, the party points out that valuing Soren's life aside, they cannot navigate the Underdark without Soren--and that if Soren were to become incapacitated, what should they do, trust Nezznar? Soren warns them against ever trusting Nezznar.

Sildar points out that they are a party and a team, and if they were to escape, they needed to do so without sacrificing each others' safety and lives. Soren retorts that they are not a team, they are family--and that he would do anything for family.

The guards return, and cut the conversation short.

Mistakes

Weaponsmaster Cliff returns and Hugh asks him about the aforementioned missing caravan, deeply angering him. He orders Sarith, who had talked about it first, dragged to his quarters (along with Bemeril, who entertained the conversation for a moment).

He also orders Will to follow him, and leads him to the elite barracks, where Alya Vandree is waiting.

Will is understandably nervous, and treats her with utmost respect--looking down, and only sitting down when she instructs him to. Alya acts strangely compared to the other drow, asking Will gently (albeit very patronizingly) about his name, life and childhood. She learns that he is a ranger trained in navigating the "wilderness" of the surface (though she scoffs at the safety of the surface wilds).

She asks him to tell her a story of his childhood. Will, nervously, recounts that he once had a pet dog whom he trained to hunt and track game. Alya is not too entirely familiar with the concept of hunting dogs (as the drow use giant lizards with climbing capabilities to navigate the Underdark), and Will explains that they are "loyal creatures" who would do their master's bidding.

Alya points out that "oh, it's like how the drow have slaves" 😓 Will expresses mild disdain at the concept of owning slaves, but chalks it up to "culture difference" so as not to offen Alya, and Alya laments the softness of the surfacers.

Eventually, Alya gives Will an offer: that she's feeling generous, so she would allow him and him alone to take the elevator down to freedom right then and there, if he agrees. Will is shocked, but quickly declines the offer because he refuses to leave the party behind. Alya wonders why he would sacrifice his chance at escape in order to save his friends, including the goblin, who is "surely useless to your survival".

Will puts it in drow terms: that it's "sort of" a weakness that the surfacers have, that they see past the intrinsic "worth" of people, but instead value them for who they are. Alya agrees that it is weakness, that the drow cast aside those who are useless, so that everyone tries their best to avoid becoming disposable.

Alya speaks about Nadhiir, who was once Ilvara's "favorite", past even the mistress-toy relationship so common between drow. But Nadhiir made a mistake, and now he's nothing to her. Alya muses that "when will Shoor make a mistake? When will I?" She wonders if Will understands what she's getting at, and Will affirms it.

She dismisses Will, and asks him to "keep his eyes open, because you never know when someone might make another mistake".

Networking

As Will returns, Weaponsmaster Cliff drags Buppido for "a talk", which alarms Will, knowing Cliff's penchant for manipulation and turning the prisoners against each other.

Hugh beckons Stool and pleads with him to do his "brain thingy" (telepathic rapport spores) with Soren. Stool is terrified but eventually agrees because of Hugh's previous kindness to him. Stool releases his spores and HUGH DRAGS SOREN'S FACE THROUGH IT WHILE HISSING "BREAATHE" LMAOOOO

Sildar is caught in the crossfire and also breathes the spores in.

The party, after their initial shock, is glad that they are now able to communicate. Will, who has just returned, is not connected, and we convince a very, very tired Myco to do it one more time before Myco goes to take a nice warm nap in the shit bucket : |

Hugh points out that they needed to keep this on the down-low, because the guards might get suspicious if all conversations between them cease. Will explains Alya's interaction with him and the group agrees that dissent among the drow will likely work towards their advantage.

As the group begin to catch up after several days of being unable to talk to each other, Hugh is called away by the guards: because Nadhiir wants to talk to him.