Location: The Underdark
Party continues travel toward Neverlight Grove...
after climbing a particularly rough cliff, Sarith coughs up blood
- he tries to hide it, but Junior alerts everyone
- Zaz pulls Junior and Rumpadump away to mingle with Themmie; he promises them that Sarith will be okay
- Zaz tells Junior it looks like an inky-cap mushroom and pulls out a mirror so it can see its reflection
- Dibrael realizes Sarith is dissociating and tries to offer him a drink or a health potion, which he accepts
later at camp, Zaz approaches Dibrael and asks if he's okay through a telepathic link
- Dibrael is struggling to justify that for the first time ever, he's killed multiple people, all in the past few days
- Zaz reassures him that they are just trying to survive and that Dibrael did the right thing
- Dibrael reveals that his father was abusive and that he wants to be better than him
- Dibrael tells Zaz about his oath to Aerdrie Faeyna; even though Zaz heard her voice, herefuses to believe she was also speaking to him
- Zaz expresses concern over his new psionic powers and Dibrael reassures him; they decide to spar to help train him
Sarith pulls Eldeth aside for a private chat
TW: assisted suicide
- Sarith asks Eldeth to kill him if he ever loses himself and seriously hurts a party member
- Eldeth has a moral crisis over it, but Sarith starts crying and begs her to just say yes, so she does
End TW
Sarith goes for a walk by himself and Eldeth gathers the PCs to tell them what happened
- PCs tell Eldeth that she did the right thing and Mylz offers to talk if she ever needs it
- PCs realize Sarith must be at the end of his rope and start forming a plan to keep him and everyone else safe
- afterwards, Jimjar says "good job, Eldritch" despite not having been close enough to overhear or knowing that Zaz has given her this nickname
Zaz pulls Sarith aside to ask if he's feeling okay, but he has ulterior motives
- Zaz
asks Sarith if he'd be willing to disarm and stay near the party's
stronger members, pretending that he thinks his own curse is making Sarith lash out
- Sarith agrees but mentions that he'll only be traveling with them for another week
- Zaz nervously suggests that Neverlight Grove is the source of his illness, providing a few clues as evidence
- Sarith tries to think about it, but is hypnotized by the whispers in his mind into not questioning its safety
Mylz uses her sending stone to contact her partner, Elwyra Durrdyn; Elwyra's husband Douglas answers
- they chat about the appropriate amount of seasoning for potatoes until Elwyra comes back from wrestling her mantrap
- Elwyra is concerned about Mylz getting involved with Demon Lords and says bluntly that Sarith is going to die
- still, Elwyra shares everything she knows about Zuggtmoy; there's no known cure and the party will need to be careful around fungi
Mylz says they need to be careful going into Neverlight Grove, as others could get sick too
- Zaz suggests purifying food and drink and Dibrael suggests staying in groups
- Dibrael asks Lemondrop for advice; unfortunately it doesn't know anything useful
the rest of the party (Sarith and the myconids) is gathered together to be made aware of the situation
- Mylz gives a summary so far
- Mylz also insists they take care of any open wounds and check for illness every morning; Skjorn isn't allowed to eat anything unidentified, much to his disappointment
- Mylz asks Zaz if he can keep telepathic links open with each group leader for checking in
- Zaz suggests the myconids be kept off the ground so they don't meld with anything suspicious
Jorlan asks why they must go through Neverlight if it's so dangerous and suggests leaving Sarith behind to protect everyone else
- Zaz confronts Jorlan's ableism and brings up his disability, which angers the drow
- Mylz and Dibrael back him up, making it clear that Sarith is a friend and valuable asset
- Skjorn holds Jorlan's hand and soothes his cold little heart; Jorlan submits to their authority and apologizes
- everyone else agrees that going through Neverlight is the best and only option