🍼99. born to be

session 99 • december 15 2023 • words

🌑 DAY 29 • 📅 MARPENOTH 19

God's Favorite Little Ambulance

We lick our wounds after that battle, with several party members injured and disoriented as a result of the electric eel discharges.

Briefly, Diana is stumped about the best course of action--whether to save spellslots, use Channel Divinity or heal us normally--having no real experience properly fighting or adventuring long-term. Nezznar scoffs at her indecision and demands that she heals us, "backseat-driver"-ing her healing. Diana is not receptive of his commandeering and scoffs; but Soren takes note of Nezznar's strategy and asks Diana politely to listen to him.

Eventually, Diana heals us all in a large area-of-effect spell; Nezznar is unimpressed and wonders "that's all you have?" Will steps in and defends Diana ("she's trying her best") and Soren thanks her cordially.

Thurmond drags a badly-electrocuted Grymus (who got hurt in the fray when she went to retrieve Will's bow for him) over to Diana. Because Grymus wasn't healed, Thurmond angrily demands that she is healed too, callling Diana blind. Diana does so, but also smugly demands a thank-you from Thurmond.

Soren is bitterly examining the new lightning marks caused by the eels; he weakly tries to decline healing, but relents when the party insists. He also asks that Diana heal Nezznar, whom Soren reasons will be on the frontlines. Diana is like ; ; "well if I die trying to heal him, avenge me" and goes over to Nezznar.

She goes into Nezznar's little alcove where he is curled into a sad littol ball and heals him a sizable amount, then awkwardly wishes him well and dips out LMFAO "WILL LOOK I SURVIVED"

The Grey Gort

We decide to take a short rest due to lingering injuries, before continuing down the dungeon. While we rest, Grymus approaches Will and marvels at the excitement of adventuring and fighting.

She calls him a friend because they fought together, and they smile at each other. Thurmond, the resident spoilsport, is furious about this and drags Will to the side. Thurmond asks about "gorts", tying back to when the duergar misunderstood Hugh's pronunciation of "goats". When Will hesitantly wonders if he means "goats", Thurmond doubles down in true dwarven fashion.

Thurmond asks what color gorts are. Will tries his best to oblige omg babye “I guess white or brown?”

“GRYMUS IS THE GREY GORT OF THE FAMILY”

we lose it out of character

Thurmond says that grymus is different from the rest of the family, that she expresses individualism in Gracklestugh where creativity / etc is discouraged. Thurmond is thus worried (?) about her and her little "adventuring phase". Will agrees that Grymus should try to keep herself safe.

Thurmond also scoffs at Grymus saying Will is a friend. Will: friends are nice, friends keep you from being lonely. :( Thurmond brushes it off and says that only their place and job in society matters and this saddens Will-- “thats all you do? work?”

Thurmond tries to get will to tell Grymus not to fight, because Grymus is going to get herself killed for his sake with this newfound recklessness. Will says he can’t force her to do anything but Thurmond says he needs to try, that Thurmond and Grymus cant fight but Will is “decent”. Thurmond insists that “she doesn’t know what she’s doing, just try and keep her out of trouble”.

Will picks up pincer staves from the dead kuo-toa, gives them to the duergar, then offers to teach Thurmond and Grymus how to fight, so that they can stand up for themselves even when they reach Gracklestugh. Thurmond refuses bceause "it's the guards’ jobs to defend the city, the city is a fortress that cannot be penetrated".

Grymus, on the other hand, gladly accepts the offer and excitedly looks forward to sparring with Will. She calls it a "date", and Diana is like "excuse me???" LMAO Thurmond grumbles. :(

Justice At Any Cost

Awkwardly, Will removes himself from his harem and sits down with Hugh, Sildar, Soren and Droop as they rest. They casually converse; Will expresses worry that Grymus got hurt retrieving his bow, and Sildar reassures him that it's not his fault.

Will notes that he'll be helping the duergar train with the staves. Sildar is curious that Will, the son of a ranger, has such a broad expertise in weaponry. Will reveals that he was once trained in a temple of Helm in Silverymoon.

The news that Will was "raised" religiously is a surprise to the party; Soren, clueless about surface temples, asks if it was a temple where he was made to worship his mother. Will denies this, noting that it was instead a temple of Helm.

Soren, who passingly knows of Helm's domain (of unyielding justice at any cost and regardless of personal feelings), drily notes that it's no wonder Will is no longer with them. Soren, however, notes that it is good that Will retained some training (referring to his recent usage of radiant cantrips), not knowing that they are a result of Will's mother's intervention.

Will shrugs this off and notes that he learned more from his father, looking down at his bow. Soren falls silent at the mention of Will's dad (who got yknow, killed in a drow raid) and the conversation dies down.

Lofi Beats For Regaining Temp HP

Eventually, Soren goes to check in on Nezznar. Because he's a petty lil hoe, he goes "lightning hurts, doesn't it?" And Nezznar is like "yeah of course, why do you think I--" before cutting himself off lmao.

(Chris claims that Nezznar was NOT going to be like "why do you think I used it on you". Hmm. Suspicious.)

Soren notes that he's going to play a song for the party while they rested, inviting Nezznar to join. Nezznar is surprised and agrees to do so.

Before leaving the room, Soren thanks Nezznar-- "for all you're doing". Nezznar hesitantly accepts the thanks, then says "you as well".

Soren plays his little toot toot on his lute and gives various party members temporary health.

The Cycle

We debate our next course of action, hesitant at diving head-first into another fight where we might suffer more losses.

Eventually, Soren prays to Graz'zt for guidance, and is granted a warlock familiar: a small, red spider that crawls out of a tear in reality. Diana, who is extremely arachnophobic, prays to Sune for the ability to get through this day.

Soren wonders "you are my gift, I presume?" The spider acknowledges this and speaks to Soren respectfully. Soren asks if they have a name, and the spider declines.

(I'm breaking down about this hold on , ho ld on, hold on, the first thing Nezznar said to Soren was also "you are my gift?" BUT BUT then Soren introduces himself to Nezznar and gets beat into the ground because "you think you deserve to have a name / call me sir?",,, whereas Soren actively asks the spider to introduce itself to him. I'm dying.)

Soren inquires how magical familiars work to Nezznar; Nezznar is clearly displeased with this turn of events but begrudgingly informs Soren that he can see through the familiar's eyes.

Soren does so and promptly trips because it takes up his senses lmfaoo.

The spider refers to Soren as master; Soren does not correct it. He sends the spider scouting ahead into a room filled with what seems like volcanic vents.