💧95. fishy trades

session 95 • november 03 2023 • 1,330 words

🌑 DAY 29 • 📅 MARPENOTH 19

A Pound of Flesh

Soren seems to seriously consider Ragron's request for a chunk of Nezznar--asking him exactly how much of Nezznar's body Ragron is asking for. Ragron asks for the reasonable "10inch by 10inch" amount of flesh.

Soren turns to the party; Nezznar is aghast and disbelieving that Soren is truly considering this. Soren nonchalantly notes that the items are invaluable for their survival--and that Nezznar would survive losing a limb.

Nezznar grows more nervous. Will steps in, telling Soren that they shouldn't give up Nezznar like that and "don't you see how he looks?"--referring to how Nezznar already looks pitiable (?) LMAO. Nezznar can't catch a break today ig.

Soren remains quiet for a while, and decides to put it to a vote, snidely referring to how Will had, on multiple occasions, scolded Soren for not communicating enough with the party. My boy salty af

In the vote, Will votes no, Hugh votes yes--still not having forgiven Nezznar for his treatment of Soren, and Sildar votes no as well--not wanting to subject anyone to torture from a moral standpoint.

Diana wants to refrain from voting because she is new to the situation, but Soren persuades her to say her part. Diana votes no, ultimately, because she doesn't want to see Nezznar suffer.

Soren does not reveal his choice, instead--noting that the votes are overwhelmingly no--apologizes to Ragron for wasting his time, and noting that they are in a hurry and so cannot spare the time for Nezznar to be mutilated and heal.

We trade for some mundane armor from Ragron instead, with Hugh trading his crystals for them.

A Family

Diana and Will notice a group of young kuo-toa playing in the water nearby; Diana notes that they're really cute, and Will agrees.

Will seems thoughtful about the kids; Diana, thinking him wistful, notes that he would make a great dad since he's good with kids and animals. Will combusts

Shopping!

We proceed to browse the other stalls at the marketplace. Hugh is able to appraise the trinkets given to us, many of which are ore and gemstones, and notes some that are genuinely valuable--we pocket those.

During our shopping for supplies, Soren manages to trick one of the kuo-toa into accepting a worthless blue gem by spinning a whole big story about how it's a tear from the Sea Mother herself, greatly exciting the kuo-toa.

Will also manages to trick a kuo-toa by lighting a rock with the Light cantrip, and trading it as a magic rock. This becomes the villain origin story for the kuo-toa, who presumably was devastated when the rock stopped glowing in 1 minute. :ameno:

The Ritual

At this point, our boat is apparently ready for us, and we are ushered to the shore and forced to partake in a cleansing ritual before we are allowed to travel towards the Sea Mother's temple.

The kuo-toa surround us, chanting, and eventually start to feel our arms up. Diana slaps away one of the kuo-toa and they start getting angered--Will protests that they should ask for our permission before feeling us up, but Soren scoffs at the idea of such an "uncivilized race" knowing the concept of consent.

The head priest, Jorslurmer, conducts an off-brand "Augury" spell, which Diana points out to us with her religious expertise.

The ritual goes on for several minutes. Soren sneers to Nezznar "they'd give Vicoma a run for her money"--directly sniding Nezznar's oldest sister (a formidable member of the Xorlarrin noble family, whom Nezznar himself is terrified of). Nezznar is shaken by the joke, but tries to smile along.

yea this moment kills me for several reasons

BEBOP BEBOP BEBOP

We are eventually given the go-ahead by the kuo-toa, and allowed to board the boat, which is manned by one (1) single scrawny kuo-toa named Bebop.

Will offers to help row the boat. Bebop says no, then rows for like 6 minutes and gets tired. He asks Will to help. LMAO, adoptable beloved. Will does help row, reluctantly, because he wanted to make arrows LOL. No one else offers to help because Diana and Soren don't want to break a nail, Sildar can't see, Hugh is busy crafting, and everyone else are Bitter Underdark Denizens.

We make plans for the temple, with Soren suggesting we go in guns blazing and erradicate whatever has taken over. Hugh and Diana agree readily--the former wanting to have a good fight while the latter has no love for people who would desecrate a temple. Will advises caution, and that they should investigate first.

Underdark Bonding

Soren idly notes that the duergar twins must have familiarity with vehicles of the Darklake, like this skiff--explaining that the duergar have developed nautical technology due to Gracklestugh's location on the Darklake.

Thurmond is proud of his people's technology, but explains that he has never set foot on a skiff before, as his job is to be a miner in the city, as is Grymus'. It becomes immediately apparent that the duergar are a very rigid people, where they are assigned a job and are expected to carry it out for the rest of their lives.

The party wonder if Thurmond and Grymus have ever wanted to do anything other than what they've been assigned. Thurmond scoffs at the idea, but Grymus remains quiet, this topic seeming to strike close to home.

Thurmond insults the drow's cowardice of the lake, noting that Menzoberranzan was built away from its shores. Soren, who has no love for his own people, takes this in stride amusedly. He muses about how he used to fish at the Darklake with his brothers, out of desperation and hunger.

Thurmond is surprised that the drow, such a proud race of people, would be forced into such dire food shortages. Soren wonders what the duergar think of the drow at all. Thurmond explains that they are taught mostly how to kill drow, counter drow magic, and fight driders / other conjured creatures.

Bonding Over! Pain Now

Soren--briefly forgetting that he had lied to Diana about Menzoberranzan being a beautiful paradise--bitterly recounts the poverty that plagues the Stenchstreets / lower castes of drow, and snidely explains that the nobles would come and "hunt" the peasants in their own district.

Will asks if Soren was ever hunted. Soren admits that they usually hid well during such times, but that one noble once found Rizoyn, his little brother. Drily, Soren strongly implies that, to protect Rizoyn, he stabbed the noble to death and hid the body.

Appalled, Diana asks if Soren's brother was alright. Soren hides the fact that Rizoyn was later sacrificed in a ceremony that Nezznar made a public spectacle of, and lies that he is. The party, who knows the truth, are Extreme Uncomfort.

Realizing suddenly that Nezznar is also a noble and had likely partaken in these hunts, Soren asks Nezznar if he had ever done so. Nezznar mutedly says that he has. In cold anger, Soren notes that "I suppose that, then, I am lucky that I only met you when I did." He stiffly remarks that if Nezznar had come to his neighborhood to hunt, he and his brothers would likely have died.

Diana is now thoroughly horrified at the idea of these things happening in Menzoberranzan. She questions Nezznar about the validity of all of this--referring to him as "ush'akal", a term of respect for male drow (like Mister, or Lord).

Nezznar is surprised at her respect, and responds with respect in kind--telling her the truth. Diana asks what happens to half-drow in the city, and Nezznar begins to tell her the full truth as well. Will tries to stop Nezznar from telling her this, but Diana insists, and Nezznar reveals that half-drow tend to be brutalized and sacrificed on sight.

Soren apologizes for lying to Diana, noting that he had to keep Diana with the party somehow, as she was a valuable healer. Shaken, Diana retreats to a corner of the boat.