🌓90. half-light

session 90 • september 10 2023 • words

🌑 NIGHT 28 • 📅 MARPENOTH 18

Angel Hotline

While Soren and Nezznar are having their conversation, Willow--sitting alone away from the party--has his own, praying to his mother while staring at his feather charm. He admits that he's terrified; that being down in the Underdark makes him feel like a helpless kid again.

Will says that he's trying to keep things together but that he's scared of losing everyone, that he's scared of the drow, that he's even afraid of speaking to Nezznar ("ithinkhewantstobitemyfaceoff" LMAO). Will thinks about how there may be survivors of his village in Gracklestugh, musing about how he can't do anything about it and that Soren thinks he's weak ("and he's probably right.")

Eventually, Will asks if his mother is meaning to help him, with the new magical powers that he's been gaining. He asks her what he's meant to be doing, if there's anything she wants him to do. To his surprise, he receives an answer.

Angel mama (Sofiel) gently tells Will that she is always listening, though she can't always answer. She acknowledges that his new celestial/radiant powers are of her doing, and that "from the moment I held you in my hands, I never wished anything of you, except that you live the best life you can".

Will asks her what that life entails; she tells him that it is for him to decide what he is here for.

Willow admits that he doesn't know, that he wants to get the group out of the Underdark as safely and quickly as possible, but that he also wants to rescue the villagers in Gracklestugh. Sofiel acknowledges that the journey ahead will be difficult, but that she was lending him all the power she could in order to keep him safe.

Matters of Celestia

Will wonders if this means he's a warlock LOL. Sofiel merely says that she knows he will use these powers to do the right thing, to help those in need. Will agrees that they are helpful; Sofiel says that she's glad she could at least do something for Will despite being absent so long.

Will asks Sofiel where she is; Sofiel sighs and says that she can't. She says that you are "half me, but also half your father"--"you are mortal, you do not belong in the matters of Celestia". Will is taken aback and sadly asks if they can still meet; Sofiel says that they might, in time.

Bad Company

Sofiel expresses her concern for another matter: the company that WIllow keeps. Sofiel ominously states that "shadows encroach on them", expressing her displeasure for Soren's pact with Graz'zt and Hugh's demon affiliations.

Will says that Soren is his friend and that he wants to help Soren break free of his pact. Sofiel states that though she has no doubt Will will use his powers for the right cause, he must also be willing to use them before it is too late, as Soren is already changing. Will tries to excuse Soren's behavior as stress, but Sofiel insists that the Demon Lords' powers are much stronger here, and that this is Graz'zt's influence.

Will tries to ask for any way he could help Soren ("he doesn't want to hear from me anymore"). Sofiel points out that "breaking a pact is possible, as long as he is willing. ...Is he willing?" Despite Will's claims that Soren is trying to do his best for the party, Sofiel eventually points out that "you say he has changed, that he will not listen to you, that he doesn't want your help, so tell me, what of your friend remains in him?"

When Will is quiet, Sofiel implies that if it comes down to it, Will may need to kill Soren. Will balks at the idea, but Sofiel urges him to do what is right: "you are kind, like your father was, but even he knew when to act".

"Yeah We Named The Demon Baby"

Sofiel also expresses concern about Hugh's "brain demon", and is alarmed when she learns that the party has named it Myco.

Will explains about the wedding, as well as the connection between Zuggtmoy and Araumycos. Sofiel expresses thanks for this information, seemingly very interested, before warning Will not to get involved because "he is too weak".

Will is saddened but does not disagree. Sofiel says that she is "glad he knows his limits", and tells him to continue on his journey, and that she will be listening and trying to help him. She asks that he remember to always preserve his own safety "as always" JDLFJSLDKF?? MOMMM WHAT

Sofiel says that she loves him and that in due time, they will meet again.

The Half-Drow

At this point, the argument between Nezznar and Soren have culminated into Soren casting Hellish Rebuke to "defend" himself.

The party rushes over, only to find Soren and Nezznar reaching a new understanding. At this moment, a party finds that they have been surrounded by a group of kuo-toa, who are dragging along a prisoner: a half-drow.

The half-drow woman (Diana) is dressed to the nines in an expensive-looking (albeit now very soggy and filthy) red dress, and is indignantly trying to fight back against the kuo-toa, which are meeting her struggles with physical rebukes.

Soren greets the kuo-toa, attempting to leverage Shuushar's presence in the party to make peace with the kuo-toa. However, the other kuo-toa scorn him as a traitor, rudely ignore Soren for being drow, and instead demand that the party travel with them to Sloopbloodoop.

Diana sassily says "I don't recommend the chains" and gets clobbered on the head for it, we stan a queen.

Suspicious at the kuo-toas' eagerness, Soren politely declines, but notes that they are headed in the same direction anyway. When the kuo-toa still brusquely insist that the party accompany to join in "worship fpr the Deep Father" (seemingly their god), Soren lies that the party is badly injured, and that they would surely perish along the way, costing the Deep Father several followers.

The kuo-toa agree with this, and begin to drag Diana away on the promise that the party will eventually travel to Sloopbloodoop. Diana finally begins to panic, making a throat-slitting motion to try and signal that they will kill her. Soren watches as she is dragged away, prepared to let her die for the sake of the group.

Will pleads with Soren to stop them, eventually pointing out that "he, of all people, would want to do something about this". Soren, deeply guilty about the half-drow he has condemned to death by luring them to the Underdark, stops the kuo-toa and attempts to lie--"oh, you don't want to sacrifice a half-breed like that--you'll make your gods angrier, if anything".

Though he successfully convinces the kuo-toa that Diana is a poor choice for sacrifice, the kuo-toa demand that we replace her with someone. Soren shoots down their request for Nezznar, but considers giving Ront over. Hugh says no to this, and Will abjectly refuses to trade the lives of our party like Pokemon cards.

Finally, seeing no other way to placate the party and save Diana at the same time, Soren silently checks with the group to see if they are willing to fight. He tells the kuo-toa that "unfortunately, I'm a little tired of worship--so in the most civil way possible: fuck your god." before eldritch blasting the leader 10 feet away from Diana, freeing her and starting the battle.

Winging It

The fight rages on fiercely, with the party taken aback at how abnormally powerful and tanky these kuo-toa are.

The party engages in the fight largely as per normal; though Ront surprisingly joins in to defend Soren, responding to Soren's previous intimidation against him ("if you stay useless, we'll feed you to spiders".) When things start looking spicy, Soren seems to awaken a latent demonic power in him, gaining fiery wings and flying into the air. He seems to be ecstatic about this new ability, and zooms over the battlefield excitedly and raining down eldritch blasts--and does not notice Sildar fall in battle.

From across the battlefield, Diana heals Sildar with Healing Word, bringing back to bare consciousness; Soren finally sees that Sildar is badly wounded. Devastated, he lands next to Sildar but is unable to heal him since losing his bardic powers.

At this point, both sides of the battle have suffered heavy losses. The leader of the kuo-toa casts mass-cure wounds on their group, much to the party's despair, but then calls for a ceasefire. Soren, furious about Sildar, attempts to bluff about the party's state and demands that the kuo-toa not only give us Diana, but also her items and half of their supplies.

The kuo-toa refuse to give us their supplies, but does throw down a cloak that belonged to Diana.

As they leave, Diana tells them to rot.

Diana of Waterdeep

Diana introduces herself with this oscar-worthy speech:

"Greetings! My name is Diana, but my friends call me Die, and by friends, I mean every single person I’ve met in the Underdark so far, apparently all the gods down here want my body so bad, their followers grab me like it’s the holidays and they need a special gift for their beloved deities.

Of course, if I’m such a precious sacrifice, why am I being treated like hot trash? Why give hot trash to your gods? Do their gods have low standards or something? Sune would never.

Oh don’t get me wrong, she’s no savage, she’s far more aesthetic than murderous, but if someone were to sacrifice to Sune, they’d do it right. They’d have the most beautiful altar of ivory and mother-of-pearl, and they’d dress the sacrifice in the most beautiful clothes, and they would drip liquid gold on their bodies and put rubies on their ears, ooh it’d be such a poetic death. Not here though, no finesse at all - I mean, I haven’t actually gotten to their altars, but the way they’ve treated me? No. I have no hope for their aesthetic.

Oh! Do you know if there’s any more Underdark gods I should watch out for? You see, I want to live. And I don’t want to be sacrificed to other gods. I’m already married to one, you see, so I must protect myself and the sanctity of my covenant. I’ve not been doing a good job of that as of late.”

The group is taken aback by her Sass and nonchalance about the situation, but greet her cordially and introduces themselves whilst licking their wounds. Will heals Hugh whilst Soren fusses over Sildar. We eventually ask Diana why she's in the Underdark.

Diana explains that she is a noble from Waterdeep, the result of a courtship between a human noblewoman and a drow male. She is looking for her drow father, whom she believes to be in Menzoberranzan. She complains about the fauna of the Underdark ("there's stuff in the ceilings and there's stuff in the ground!!") She explains that she eventually flagged down a drow slaver caravan to hitch a ride, and was offended that they insulted her and then put her in chains ("I would have gone in willingly!")

The group is bewildered. flabbergasted. shook'th, even.

Diana continues to explain that the drow caravan was then attacked by kuo-toa raiders, that all the drow perished and that Diana thought she was being rescued but guess what? She gets enslaved again!! This time by the kuo-toa. She is so mad about this.

Disbelieving of her naivety, Soren blurts, "my dear lady, take this with utmost respect: were you raised under a rock?"

Gray Lies

Diana is mildly offended at this, and eventually reveals that her drow father has always taught her that the Underdark and Menzoberranzan is a beautiful city with a flourishing culture; and has always promised that he would bring her to visit there someday--which is why she is so eager to find the city.

Will tries to dissuade her of this ("the drow are... um.. actually not great people..."), but Soren, who sees Diana's healing abilities as something the party desperately needs, stops him from doing so. Instead, Soren encourages Diana's desire to find Menzoberranzan so that she sticks with them, even promising to take her there himself, earning an excited hug from her.

Soren politely compliments Diana with various flatteries, introducing himself as Soren of House Catanzaro (instead of with Sildar's last name, Hallwinter, as he was previously doing). Sildar notices this.

Soren tries to gloss over the fact that he was ready to let Diana get sacrificed, but Diana jokingly comments on that. She thanks Will for saving her life and pat pats Droop, who fought fiercely to free her, calling him her knight in shining armor (a concept which confuses Droop because he nakey).

Droop tries to comfort Diana about being enslaved ("I was a slave twice! Soren was a slave too!") and inadvertently speedrun traumadumps FOR Soren. When Diana expresses shock about this, Soren tries to then gloss over his enslavement, casually pointing out Nezznar as his former master and trying to move on from the subject.

Diana, who has a deep fear of spiders (this is the wrong campaign for you sweetie), notices Nezznar for the first time and almost has a heart attack about it.

Soren warns her to stay away from Nezznar; Diana expresses her distaste for spiders and Shuushar dutifully informs us that Actually, spiders are good for the environment.