Session 30-A: Best Foot Forward

Key Plot Developments
Suortin, Glyn's friend, has met a fiery end in Gracklstugh's magma. He gave his life to take down Pliinki, her hydra, and many of her cultists. One cultist is on the run. Glyn, catatonic with grief, cries to Miss Anna. Anna is furious, but reaches out to the Dark Prince to bring back Suortin (even though the body is immolated). Anna immediately claims to have been given a message - that she can save her friends with her own power. Zeks and Edsel hold Glyn, preventing him from doing anything drastic. Anna flies across the destroyed bridge, intending to hunt down the surviving cultists of the Demogorgon.

The Slagathors offer to throw Glyn over the expanse, but Glyn uses his crystal wraith to follow Anna. He sees her in her full demonic glory--a terrifying sight, with deep red skin, horns, bat-wings, and a crown of spikes. She's paralyzed the derro, who's trying to escape. Glyn, terrified, executes the derro.

When Anna flies Glyn, confused and reeling, back, Slagathor doesn't recognize her and attacks. In true Miss Anna fashion, the issue is resolved with a shared alcoholic beverage. Glyn blames himself for Suortin’s death.

They all leave the area. When duergar approach Glyn, they discuss the need to seal up the tunnels and rebuild the bridge. They say they'll get the city's slaves to do it. Miss Anna and Glyn confront the reality of a lawful evil, slave-holding city. Glyn, overwhelmed by the events of the day, listens to Anna's whispers that the city doesn't need to be this way. She suggests that he change things by going to the Deepqueen and convincing her to change the "vibes."

Glyn reaches out to what he thinks is the Dark Prince. He blames himself. The demon manipulates him--pretending to be greatly upset over Suortin's loss--into offering to cut off his foot in penance. Just as Glyn is about to self-mutilate, the demon stops him and says he's proven his commitment to repentance. He says he'll bring Suortin back--eventually. Glyn, now even more emotionally dependent on the Dark Prince's approval, speaks with Anna.

Anna only has intermittent conversations with the Dark Prince, and is jealous of Glyn's apparent easy access. However, she's relieved to know Suortin may return. Miss Anna resolves to cheer up some slaves with her gift of gab. Glyn sees that Slagathor and the orcs with do not yet have necklaces. So he goes and offers them some. One of Slagathor’s heads is really happy; the other is furious. Glyn give him another one. They hold them, but don't wear them.

Glyn goes to see Lady Harmond in the Deepking's hold. He sees a duergar with an eye patch exiting the building. The duergar approaches Glyn and indicates a desire to speak with him later. When Glyn reaches the building he is asked if he's filed paperwork for a meeting. Glyn realizes he's being iced out of the inner council's rebuilding efforts. He storms inside and has an explosive verbal confrontation with Lady Harmond, who sidesteps his concerns.

After the meeting, the eyepatch-wearing duergar is waiting for him. The man says the late Deepking contracted with his organization to do a lot of work, but Lady Harmond isn't giving him the payment he's specifically requested. The man says, if he doesn't get what he wants, he's entitled to take it. He doesn't want the gold Harmond wants to give--he wants the items from the king's vaults. He asks if Glyn can get him access to the vault; Glyn is open to the idea. Glyn thinks this man is a member of the Empty-Scabbard Killers (who the king used to carry out covert assassinations).

Glyn goes to Gridier and Armneil for advice. They give it to him straight: the town is split on their opinions about Anna and the crystals because many influential parties are actively fomenting this dissent. They want to rebuild Gracklstugh as it was--slaves included. Since the derro, who cleaned the cesspits, were murdered, the slaves are being worked extra-hard to pick up the slack. Glyn asks to be taken to the slave pits.

Glyn, for the first time, is taken to see Gracklstugh's slaves; there are thousands involved in the rebuilding process. Glyn realizes his training techniques with new Stone Guard have been used to force slaves to work harder.

Glyn returns to Miss Anna. They express a desire to end slavery in Gracklstugh. They're both concerned about the mind flayer Glyn learned about in the tunnels and pontificate about its connection to the Empty-Scabbard Killers. Anna thinks Glyn should pay them what they want.

Glyn begrudgingly files paperwork to meet with Lady Harmond. She tells him, while she appreciates his efforts in the initial phase of rebuilding, the crystals are cooling the temperature and interfering with their forge output. Glyn asks why she won't open up the vaults; she says the Empty-Scabbards don't have clearance to take heirlooms from the vault. After a tense conversation, Harmond suggests they can pay Glyn for his troubles and send him on his way.

Glyn returns to the barracks and asks about games. They have Red Dragon Tavern, but that sounds a bit insensitive in light of Themberchaud's reign. The troops are clearly split: many of them are loyal to Glyn, but they are being poisoned against Anna's crystals. Some have even stopped wearing their necklaces. Glyn sends a message to Hgraam and learns the stone giants are moving on. Then, he reaches out to Spindlelegs. He learns that Grampus, one of the gnome adventurers who instigated the devastation in the Sunless Citadel, has kidnapped Spindlelegs and is hunting goblins on the subject for money and sport!

Memorable Quotations

 * Glyn: Why do you look like that?
 * Anna: Can’t exactly help it, can I? Do you not like the way I look? Glyn, I’ve never judged you for your deformities.

Glyn: Maybe the Dark Prince is gonna cut my feet off for doing something like this! And maybe he should! I killed Suortin!


 * Slagathor: Slagathor help friend! Miss stealing friend!
 * Glyn: No, that’s not what I meant! I’m just sad about Suortin!
 * Slagathor: Monster? It died….
 * Glyn: This is Miss Anna! It’s Miss Anna!
 * Slagathor: Demon…is….miss?
 * Glyn: She’s not a demon! I keep telling everyone she’s not a demon!

Anna: This is what the Dark Prince would want for me. He says I have everything I need. What I have is wine and the ability to chill. So let’s all chill together.


 * Glyn: You said you’d take my feet if I messed up again.
 * Dark Prince: Well, Glyn, you know...I could take your feet. But, clearly, when I took both hands, that didn’t teach the full lesson. Shouldn't YOU do it?

Slagathor: There, there. Slagathor ask his dark raven help. Very helpful.


 * Gridier Earthboots: We’ll get the slaves on it soon as possible.
 * Anna: I don’t like those vibes! I’m pretty certain slavery’s, like, NOT chill.
 * Glyn: This place…they’re not really big on chill here.
 * Anna: Can’t you MAKE them big on chill? This place is YOURS now, Glyn.

Dark Prince: If I had just been better. I was trying to go and see some of your old family! I was just so mad about the way that they have been mistreating you and it distracted me! I lost it. I lost it.


 * One of Anna's drow: If it’s a bed-in-breakfast, wouldn’t it just get everywhere? Like...your bed's in the breakfast?
 * Slagathor: No, no. Bed and breakfast. Try!

Dark Prince: Glyn, maybe you deserve to lose your feet. But if you did, how could you move forward….for us? Keep moving forward, Glyn. For you, for me, for Gracklstugh and…for Suortin.

Eldgrim: We would much rather take our pay and be on our way, but we could do it another way. So. I’m wondering ...perhaps from one latecomer to another…how are you seein' things?

Eldgrim: Tip of the hat if I was wearing one, tug of the beard 'cause I have it.


 * Glyn: You don't feel bad about slavery?!
 * Armneil Doomeater: Hm? Well, we all have jobs to do. Mine is probably to die in defense of our city. Their job is probably to die for the growth of our city. Without our slaves, I dunno what would become of Gracklstugh! It’s our proud way of life!

Harmond: Your elf seems perfectly nice. But our traditions come first. The crystals will be replaced with proper statues and proper new buildings. Everything in our city must be strong. Forged in fire and reforged again. Crystal…will not do.


 * Harmond: Lord Glyn…we know everything that goes on in our city.
 * Glyn: Well, you know everything that goes on. Tell me where the mind flayer is!
 * Harmond: Lord Glyn, respectfully—
 * Glyn: That doesn’t sound respectful!

Stonespeaker Hgraam: It was the will of stone that gave you our blessing. Do not hinder our departure.


 * Spindlelegs: Little Glyn? It’s Grampus! The little gnome from the citadel! He f*cking tracked me down! Keep everyone safe!
 * Gift: Glyn’s gotta hunt down a f*cking gnome.