Session 4: The Cards Were Dealt

Key Plot Developments
As Bogtooth searches through the gnolls' discarded items, he discovers a ragged book. When he begins to thumb through the tome, he begins churning through the pages rapidly, muttering to himself. Glyn, Trix, Jimjar, and Shuushar are unable to awaken him from this trance. Shuushar offers to carry Bogtooth, and sticks the small goblin on his adhesive back; his secretions bind the smaller creature in place.

Pix begins to look through the now-desolate encampment. She reflects on Bogtooth's admonitions to be a "true goblin" and searches for signs of culture and music in their slain foes.

Tremble plays a game of cards with Jimjar as Glyn watches. Jimjar bluffs Tremble into conceding, despite Tremble's apparently good draw. He explains that there's a lesson in the activity: we create our reality as much as we're constrained by it. Tremble is awed by Jimjar's teachings.

Pyrite, determined to prove herself as the diminished clan's new leader, hastily returns to the entrance to the gnolls' caverns. Her divination spell leads her to Prince Derendil, who explains that he has escaped from the drow and is ready to give her spellbook as a token of appreciation for staging the prison break. Pyrite, accompanied by a small group of companions, realizes that something is wrong--how would the quaggoth have retrieved that book, which was taken by Mistress Ilvara, without Ilvara's consent?

Pyrite preemptively paralyzes Derendil with a charm and rushes to get the book. Before she can retrieve it, a drow strike force emerges, ambushing her and paralyzing her with poisoned arrows. While Glyn, Jimjar, and Tremble attempt to aid her, the drow send up a signal. Soon, Ilvara, Asha, and Jorlan emerge in pursuit.

Jorlan fires poisoned arrows at the group. Ilvara casts entanglement spells to keep them from leaving. Asha peppers them with magical blasts. While the party attempts to fight back, they are overwhelmed.

The second half of the group show up and try to help the first half escape from their pursuers. Pyrite delays them, still reaching for the book. She finds that only its binding is still intact; its pages and their magical inscriptions have been removed.

Jimjar, facing down the drow army, declares his intent to make sure the goblins escape. He summons a magical cloud, disorienting the drow. The effort of doing this, Trix realizes, is draining his life from his body. Tremble rushes to try and help him, but he refuses to move for their sake. Tremble tearfully takes Jimjar's playing cards from his pocket.

As the party leaves, encouraged by an insistent Sarith, Mistress Ilvara dismisses the cloud and summons an abominable demon of wax and flesh: a Yochlol. The demon dominates Jimjar, who begins to attack Tremble and Trix. The group, crying, leaves the possessed Jimjar as they narrowly escape from the drow.

The party reaches the shore of the Darklake, which Shuushar explains connects to his hometown. Sarith is not happy about a diversion towards Shuushar's village, but concedes to the group's desire to get provisions. Trix realizes that they haven't at all attempted to cover their tracks, making the drow pursuit much easier; they resolve to be more cautious in the future.

After a melancholy walk, Sarith and Pix share stories. Sarith explains that he was imprisoned by Mistress Ilvara unfairly, claiming that he was jailed for a murder of another drow that he didn't truly commit. Stool tries to snap Tremble out of a catatonic state of depression by commenting on the characteristics and personalities of the mushrooms they consume. Glyn tries to confront Pyrite about her recklessness, but Pyrite doubles down and tends to her baby Hook Horror. Trix and Shuushar reflects about the meaning of faith and sacrifice.

When the group sleeps, they suffer from turbulent dreams. Pix envisions a successful revenge against Mistress Ilvara. Trix imagines a mysterious voice encouraging him to abandon his pursuit of Pelor. Tremble suffers from visions of a deceased, guilt-inducing Jimjar. Glyn, on the other hand, sees the Sunless Citadel as it was on the day when Drigglezub, Trix's girlfriend and his crush, was killed. He follows Drigglezub's voice. She swears that she was truly devoted to him, not Trix, and asks him to keep her in his thoughts--but to not tell the others about their connection.

Soon, a group of kuo-toan warriors emerge from the Darklake. They attack with nets, apparently intent on capturing the goblins!

New NPCs

 * 1) Drigglezub, goblin child (in Glyn's dream)

Memorable Quotations
Jimjar (as he struggles to maintain the cloud of fog): I knew--I know this story. It's about a gnomish god. He tricked his foe--the god of the Kobolds--into capturing him. And then, he brought down the cave on his enemy's head. You are a man of the cloth, yes? You must have faith. This is how the cards were dealt.

Prince Derendil: Come, now! We can be civilized. I am an elf, after all!

Shuushar: There is no victory without sacrifice. And there is nothing good born of bloodshed.

Mistress Ilvara (to Tremble): Oh, you, sweet darling. Precious thing. Sweet child. You should stay here, close to me. It would be a shame if something were to… happen to you. Better keep you safe, right, dear?

Mistress Ilvara (to Pyrite): And remind me who you are again? Actually, I don’t care. And you know why I don’t care, right? Because it doesn’t matter. You, you pathetic girl, don’t matter.