Galenus breaks down weeping at the sight of the wedding. There's no way... No way we can defeat that.. it's impossible.
Then he giggles, which quickly turns into a full blown laughter. The kind of laughter of one who recognizes complete hopelessness. There's no way! Haha! No way! We're all going to die!
He gets up and runs away, screaming and laughing and crying the whole way.
Hours pass before he finally calms down and gets ahold of his senses.
Zoltan is unsure what that thing he saw in the vision was.
Some of you were very stealthy. Others, less so. It is likely that the members of the procession noticed one or more of you but they did not trouble themselves about your presence.
Irdril goes stiff, a horrified look on her face.. She doesn't say anything verbal or mental as she struggles to regain her sanity. After 5 minutes have passed she begins the blink again and slowly moves to find herself a seat.
"How can we hope to defeat such evil.. We need to get out of the Underdark.."
Galinndan is shaken by what he has witnessed, but recovers. And replies to Kanzath.
"The power of the Abyss unleashed, my friend, and nothing less."
Then he mindspeaks to the group.
We must leave, yes. That was horrifying. We must warn whatever myconids might be saved. Stool, can you mindspeak to your brethren? Warn them?
"Yyy... es... I think so. Let's go back to the Sovereign and then get out of here!"
Kanzen nods in the direction of the path taken by the demonic procession. "Should we follow and see what's happening?"
"I do not wish to see what I just saw again.. I just want out of here."
The dwarf shield-maiden shrugs. "I'll stick with you whatever the case. Good idea or bad."
Uncomfortable with all the mind speech going on in his head, Odak begins walking toward the entrance of the Garden. Using the flat side of his battle axe, he is tapping the side of his skull as if trying to knock the tiny talking people out of his head through his ears.
”This seems like somethin’ we don’t be wantin’ to miss.”
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After a few moments, Galenus calms down from his fit of madness. The screaming, crying, and laughing fade away. He stands up to apologize and give his own opinion, but no words come out when he speaks. He looks puzzled for a moment, and holds one hand up against his throat. He speaks again. And again, no words come out. It's as if the demon lord of rot has rotted away his voice.
Even through Stool's spores, he cannot speak. But he can convey his emotions - confusion, concern, anger, wariness. He has reservations about going in further, and desires about leaving. But he's unable to communicate better than that.
Flustered, Galenus goes to sit down. He opens his collection of notes and starts pouring through them. He pulls out some vials and tries to fill them, but nothing happens. He tries again and again and again, and still nothing. Anger rises up and he screams out, but no sound comes.
He throws his notes down and digs into his backpack, pulling out his violin. Notes ring out as he glides the bow across the strings. It calms him. At least I can make a sound of some sort. This is clearly just blocking my voice, he thinks to himself.
He puts his violin away and goes through his notes again. Pulling out some more vials, he spends some times concentrating on them and the vials fill up with a blue liquid.
After he's done, he motions that he's ready to go investigate.
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Drawn inexorably by curiosity, you venture towards the misty cavern's mouth. After winding through a short tunnel about 10 feet in diameter, you open into a massive chamber suffused with the odd glowing light you've come to expect in certain areas of the Underdark, Faerzness. The cavern is filled with a single massive mushroom. You have no clear reference to judge the towering mushroom’s size at this distance. Thousands of smaller fungi cling to the main stalk, which itself splits into several lesser stalks, each long enough with a cap big enough to be the top of a great tower. The cavern floor surrounding the stalk is covered by a carpet of fungi. An eerie luminescence pours through slitted windows carved into the trunk, with the same cacophony of atonal music heard earlier echoing within. A stench of rot and decay wraps around you, seemingly threatening to penetrate your flesh and pervade your soul.
This cavernous chamber is surrounded by a 20 ft high ledge that marks its perimeter. It looks like one could clamber down the ledge into the broad, gentle basin the great mushroom sits in. The ledge is covered with a carpet of moss and fungi, scores of variously sized lumps, and pockmarks where pools of vile fluids suppurate and ooze, some drying out and scabbing over.
You can discern the shapes of writhing creatures inside each lump. Most of these are humanoids, though a few of the lumps are occupied by what appear to be gricks, nothics, and giant spiders.
This is a great garden of rot, probably the only one on the material plane, nourished both by the creatures subsumed within it and the faerzress pervading this cavern. Zuggtmoy, the Lady of Decay, must have some special influence here.
As if on cue, one of the lumps closest to you bubbles up and bursts. A dense cloud of spores and dark, reeking fluid explodes outward, even as you hear a piercing scream of agony and terror. Inside the pockmark left behind by the burst is a drow scout — or at least what’s left of him. Other than a face, long white hair, and a breastplate, it is impossible to distinguish where the drow ends, and the rot and fungi consuming him begins. The drow feebly thrashes, his screams rising ever higher in pitch, until he locks eyes with Cyrus and abruptly stops screaming. A brief moment of lucidity replaces his terror, even as his eyes roll back into his head in some kind of bizarre euphoria as he goes limp and slowly sinks back down into the fungal muck.
You just gained your first level of madness. Note it in your status line. Here's your condition temporary condition but the level of madness doesn't go away. RP it how you like.
The character becomes Incapacitated and spends the Duration screaming, laughing, or weeping. Duration 8 min.
Third level of madness already!
The character retreats into his or her mind and becomes Paralyzed. The effect ends if the character takes any damage. Duration 3 min.
The character experiences vivid hallucinations and has disadvantage on Ability Checks. 70 hours.
Permanent: “I am the smartest, wisest, strongest, fastest, and most beautiful person I know.”
You just gained your second level of madness so you get a short term effect and a long one. RP these as you see fit.
The character becomes Frightened and must use his or her action and Movement each round to flee from the source of the fear. You can choose the source of fear. 1 minute.
The character falls Unconscious. No amount of jostling or damage can wake the character. 20 hours.
Do the short-term then the long-term.
You just gained your second level of madness so you get a short term effect and a long one. Do the short-term then the long-term. RP these as you see fit.
The character falls Unconscious. 4 minutes.
The character loses the ability to speak. 100 hours.
Throughout the entire cavern, loud moans and cries of agony answer the drow’s screams in a terrifying and deafening chorus, drowning out all other sounds until eventually winding down into a low susurration of groans and burbles. The entire stalk of the giant mushroom seems to shudder, almost as if in delight.
Galenus just stares in awe at the giant tower. He doesn't move for several minutes. When he comes to, he looks around. He gives Gallindrin a look that says, We need to leave.
He ducks out of the way of a fungal spider thing that flies at him, which no one else can see. Then he grabs the little girl clawing out of the ground, realizes he is grabbing a slimed covered quipper, and let's go backing away.
From the perspective of everyone else, Galenus randomly ducks, reaches towards an empty patch of ground, and then looks shocked/disgusted as he tosses empty air away.
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Odak looks back at Galenus and watches his performance of madness. Looking over to Zoltan ”New folk are a bit off me say. That one was runnin scared a bit ago, now he’s doing some kinda dance when we be trying to not be seen. “
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Cyrus begins to laugh hysterically, to the point that tears stream down his green face, as the Drow and others are eaten alive by the fungus.
Galinndan takes stock of the horrors in front of him. And speaks.
"We need to leave. Now. If you must seize something, do it now, and GO. I will cover the rear."
As he speaks, Gallindan draws his longbow.
The drow's gear is so rotten, pierced through and through by fungal hyphae, there is no point recovering any of it.
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Galenus waves his arms about and shakes his head no, and wants to leave. But if no one else leaves, he'll follow the group to at least ensure they're safe. They need him, after all. No one would have survived this long without Galenus.
Really, the only reason anyone has ever been able to compare to him is because he's been cursed almost the entire time they've been together. Such is life. And he'll continue to stay with everyone just to ensure they survive.
Galinndan stares around at the others in disbelief that they won't withdraw.
"If ye are intent on following that procession of madness, I will do my best to cover ye. But it *is* foolishness."
Ront the orc looks at Galenus in confusion. "This place is weird but that dwarf is weirder..."
Kanzen kneels, transfixed by the vision of horror before him. As the party starts to discuss what to do, either through words or pantomime, the drow slowly keels over, falling limp on the stony floor, his eyes rolled back in his head.
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Odak pulls a stone out of his pouch and places on the rock formation in front of him. It seems he is letting the stone get a view of the mushroom castle.
He then turns to see the weird dwarf waving his hands in the air frustratedly. ”Don’ be gettin yer little hairs twisted. Seen all the ooh ahh we be needin’.” he then drops the stone back into a pouch mumbling something quietly to the stone.
When Kanzen drops to the floor Odak looks up. He moves over to Kanzen and picks up the drow. ”Seein they ain’t no differnt than the sun lovin’ elfs. Ligh as a feather. Me sayin he no wants to go neither.”
Seeing Kanzen in distress is the last straw for Galinndan.
"Odak, assist me. We are getting Kanzen out of here."
Whether Odak or anyone else moves in, Galinndan will sheathe his swords and try to assist the drow.
As you hurriedly leave the cavern, you see a half-rotten drow's face, barely visible in the muck. The dying scout mumbles to you in the most miserable of whispers "Warn... my people... Zuggtmoy... Here..." The dark eyes flick toward the massive mushroom tower then close. Then they open and the face of the dying drow smiles. "The great wedding approaches! It will be glorious!"
You head back out into the relative safety of the main portion of Neverlight Grove. There you meet back up with Irdril and return to Sovereign Basidia, who emotes concern to you through the rapport spores. "What are these two doing here? Phylo told me they had left the grove. I thought that was odd since I would have seen them go back out the entrance... What is going on? What did you find in the Garden of Welcome?"
After meeting up with the others..
Still visibly shaken by what she saw Irdril follows along in quite..
Galinndan watches the drow scout apparently die.
That drow scout will never get to warn the rest of his kind., Galinndan thinks with grim satisfaction. And then surprises himself.
But...he was *concerned*. Perhaps not even just out of blind loyalty to Lolth and her minions.
*******************
Galinndan mindspeaks to those present.
We found disaster and corruption, Sovereign Basidia. Visions of madness. Zuggtmoy is near, and your people are either tainted or in grave danger of such. You must find safety elsewhere - and swiftly.
Sovereign Basidia is very disturbed by this report. It gathers more details rapidly from Stool and the rest of you and emotes strong assent back through the rapport spores. "Thank you. This makes far too much sense. I and the myconids that still remain untainted must flee this place immediately." The several myconids rush away to gather others then you see dozens of myconids approaching you, carrying various belongings, apparently in quite the hurry. Basidia turns back to you. "Thank you for your help. Please, accept this from the myconids of Neverlight." It hands you a finely-made, small wooden box.
The box contains curiosities Basidia has collected from dead travelers over the years. The box is unlocked, made of fine wood inlaid with silver, and worth 25 gp by itself. It contains three amethysts (100 gp each), four small diamonds (50 gp each), and one large diamond (500 gp).
You and the sane myconids flee the grove, taking one last long look at the idyllic place and its gently-illuminated mushroom forest as you depart the massive cavern housing it.
Stool, the small myconid who escaped drow slavery with you, shuffles along quietly and sadly. "I thought I was home... Where do I go now?"
Galenus expresses sympathy for Stool and sends a desire for him to travel with his people.
Galenus also sends frustration that he's unable to communicate more clearly.
Kanzen regains his senses after five or so minutes of unconsciousness, and thanks Galinndan and Odak for their help - silently. It seems he is unable to speak, a fact that surprises him as much as anyone else. After several attempts at speaking, the best result of which is a strangled, "Nnngggh!", he simply bows his head in gratitude to the elf and the dwarf, then follows along.
When connected by the rapport spores he communicates strongly a wish to leave this place as soon as possible.
Cyrus seems to pick over the drow corpse once more before joining the others to leave.
The tiny pirate nudges stool. "Ye can come wit us other homeless folks until ye find a place of yer own."
"Ye lot are awfuly quiet fer once... whats de matta?" He asks.
The elf-prince turned quaggoth echoes Stool's question. "Where next indeed? There was mention of turning to the deep gnomes in Blingdenstone. Perhaps they have a route back to my kingdom on the surface... There my true form may be restored to me..."
Galenus answers Cyrus fully and completely, but no words actually come out of his mouth as he "speaks."
Answering Derendil, Galenus simply nods.
To Blingdenstone then., mindspeaks Galinndan.
All of you are welcome to join us, and I will have words and swords if necessary if foes argue otherwise.
Basidia inclines the upper portion of its body toward you. "We will accompany you until we find a suitable place to found a new colony." Together, you all form a ramshackle herd as you head back out through the dark windings tunnels of the lost passages of the Underdark.
Blingdenstone, once called the City of Speaking Stones, is a deep gnome settlement founded more than two millennia ago. The deep gnomes, insular and secretive by nature, care little about histories and legacies, and thus most of the ruined city’s past is lost to time.
For centuries, Blingdenstone remained hidden and isolated from the rest of the Underdark, thanks to a combination of misdirection and magic. It wasn’t until they provided shelter to a drow exile named Drizzt Do’Urden that the deep gnomes began to take a more active interest in the world outside their caverns. Perceiving the threat the drow represented to all the peoples of the Underdark, the deep gnomes abandoned their isolation when they came to the defense of the dwarves of Mithral Hall, defeating an invading drow force from Menzoberranzan.
This alliance, however, would spell Blingdenstone’s doom. The vengeful drow bided their time, rebuilt their forces, and sent their armies out to strike back hard against the svirfneblin, returning in great force to lay siege to Blingdenstone. The deep gnomes were no match for the drow army. Thousands of svirfneblin were slaughtered, and those survivors who didn’t escape to Mithral Hall or the surface world were dragged back in chains to Menzoberranzan as slaves.
Within the past decade or so, the deep gnomes have returned to reclaim, resettle, and rebuild their city. The ultimate success of their efforts, however, hangs by a slender thread. Most of the ruined city is a dangerous place and remains closed off, with tunnels and chambers barricaded with gates or deliberately caused cave-ins.
Jimjar eyes the ragged procession of refugees as you make your way toward his home city. "This might not work out so great. Blingdenstone aint Menzoberranzan but they're not always thrilled to see visitors. They won't attack but they might not be friendly to everyone here if you don't prove your value."
Turvy, one of the deep gnome wererat twins, nods sullenly. "That's right. Not everyone has a place in Blingdenstone..."
For understandable reasons, the twins don't feel entirely welcome in Blingdenstone. Going back home is certainly preferable to enslavement by the Drow... But by how much?
The friendlier twin agrees and turns to Kanzen. "That's right. You, in particular, will have your work cut out for you talking your way in."
Kanzen, looking somewhat annoyed, motions to his mouth, which forms noiseless syllables. The message is clear: for now, at least, Kanzen can't talk his way into anywhere.