Session 69: Back in a Flash (Act II: During)

## Key Plot Developments

##### THE PRESENT

The goblin children are huddled together, murmuring about the impending ritual. Their plan is to unleash it just outside the city walls of Menzzobarenzan, and let its destructive force ravage the unsuspecting populace. They are intent on summoning earth elementals and enlisting the help of the Society of Brilliance and any illithids under Grazillax's command. Trix is trying to convince Lemon not to participate, and they are also considering bringing pixies along for the ride. After a brief discussion, the group sets off towards the foreboding Tower of Vengeance.

##### FLASHBACK #1: Glyn and Trix

Glyn confesses that he only took the souls of long-fallen soldiers from the infinite battlefield and sent them to Hell, rather than allowing freshly killed goblin souls to be taken. He reveals that he rescued the goblins from Pyrite's clan and relocated them somewhere "better". Glyn explains to Trix that he wants to increase the power of the upcoming ritual, in order to assist Graz'zt and Azzagrat. Trix inquires about the whereabouts of Drigglezub, but Glyn avoids giving a straight answer. As their discussion shifts to Lolth, the demon lord and goddess, Glyn speculates that Demogorgon is attempting to become a deity as well. Glyn attempts to embrace Trix, but he pulls away quickly.

##### THE PRESENT

Trix questions Tremble about why they should conduct the ritual at Menzoberranzan. Tremble is unsympathetic. Vizeran scries on Shuushar and his army and summons Finn. Finn, as an avatar of Garl, disagrees with Trix's decision to choose Menzoberranzan. Vizeran is also wary of Glyn and wants him out of the ritual, causing a heated argument. Vizeran informs them that he needs two more individuals to help control the demons and chooses Bogtooth and Pix. He gives them each a piece of Graz'zt's horn and a scroll of resurrection. Pix contemplates the consequences of their actions and knows that Garl understands that annihilating everyone in Menzoberranzan would be a moral catastrophe. Vizeran only just discovered that Demogorgon might not be on this plane, further pushing him to start the ritual.

##### FLASHBACK #2: Bogtooth and Pix

Bogtooth speaks with the fey. He's slowly dying and asks about Briar. He learns Briar used to be super happy--but was banished from Dulcinea’s grove for telling a raunchy joke (in front of a young Maerad). Bogtooth finds out that he only has about a year left to live. Pix creates a new genre of music for Bogtooth, a haunting and melancholic melody that captures the bittersweet essence of his life.

##### THE PRESENT

The group finally reaches out to the Society of Brilliance, and Grazillax, Y, Rotgut, and other members arrive. Glyn introduces himself as Merlot instead of Glyn, but Y starts yelling about his lost love, Misu, and demands Glyn to be his new Misu.

##### FLASHBACK #3: Pix, Pyrite, and Misu

Pix and Pyrite see Grandpappy Droop in heaven, looking younger. Pyrite learns that some people in heaven don't like goblins and is ready to fight to defend her new friend, Droop. He talks about Jaime and Astrid--his missing friends--and gives them his impression of a human.

##### FLASHBACK #4: Tremble

Tremble discusses his plan to destroy Menzoberranzan with Jimjar, emphasizing the need to protect the innocent. He suggests that Bregan D’earth can help orchestrate jailbreaks to free slaves and innocents before the city is destroyed. Jimjar agrees, and Tremble realizes he is taller than Jimjar. They share a moment of camaraderie.

##### THE PRESENT

Trix and Tremble have a heart-to-heart about Menzoberranzan, with Lemon staying with Zero Prime for safety. They all summon their familiars and attune to their needed items. Squee asks to leave the party for a bit, and Bogtooth throws out some bogbeasts before climbing on a goat to give a speech. He has everyone say a few words before Vizzeren informs Trix that he is one minute away from completing the ritual.

Suddenly, Trix interrupts the ritual, causing Glyn to try and stop him with a command, but Pyrite counter spells it. Trix then uses Dimension Door to escape with the ritual’s items, trying to move them away from the city. Pyrite holds out her hand to Tremble and Pix for a scheme she has in mind, and Tremble tries to pin Trix with some shots, eventually succeeding. There is a battle over grabbing the extra ingredient, but Pyrite throws a wall of force around Glyn. Swirling lights fill the darkness as the ritual is completed, and the demons are coming, with one already present.

Glyn is frustrated but relieved that he saved the ritual. He feels a deep rage that he realizes is not entirely his. Then, he feels sick, worse than when he died, and then sees a familiar mindscape--the place where he'd interact with Nicholas Ice Cream.

He is calm, and his anger, fear, and excitement manifest as people. Then, the shard of  Graz'zt inside of him, summoned by the ritual, is taking over his body. The shard apologizes to him--Graz’zt didn’t know that Tasha’s spell would bypass the ritual’s summoning effect by effectively turning Glyn into Graz’zt.

Glyn decides to resist. The odds are incredibly remote, as his force of personality has to contend with Graz’z’t, the most charismatic demon lord--but, miraculously, he succeeds. His body rejects Graz’zt’s essence, which melts away. Ichors pours out of him, forming into a separate Graz’zt entity--as the rest of the demon lords, from all planes of existence, are summoned to a single location.

The ritual has been completed. The apocalypse is here.

## Memorable Quotations

* **Glyn:** Didn’t you get killed by bugs?
* **Pyrite:** Not spiders!
* **Bogtooth:** Spiders are arachnids!

* **Trix: N**o one can hear us here.
* **Glyn:** Oh good. Trix. How much of that deal that you made do you understand?
* **Trix:** Um…some of it? It happened really fast, and I was also recently tortured…so it’s not good.
* **Glyn:** A certain piece of garbage demon lord is not around right now? That’s a problem. If hell doesn’t get that insignificant, sniveling demon lord, then your and the rest of the goblin souls are forfeit.

* **Trix:** The whole…bad guy….thing. What do we do about that?
* **Glyn**: We need to do something…I have some ideas. Trix, we need to make it stronger.
* **Trix:** And that’ll pull him out through time?

* **Trix:** But you’re just gonna fuck me over like Graz’zt did the last time! He didn’t tell me the deal he was gonna make, and neither are you!
* **Glyn:** I want to make it more powerful so I can hold Nicholas Ice Cream’s head in my hand and squeeze it. Squeeze it so hard that it turns into a liquid that I can then pour into a vat of acid and then drink it so that I can then shit it out. I hate the piece of garbage who tricked me and killed the people I cared about. That’s why, Trix.

* **Trix:** What happened to Drigglezub?
* **Glyn**: I saved her, Trix. By taking her from that terrible place.
* **Trix:** And what did you do to her after?
* **Glyn:** I gave her the finest food the city had to offer. Made her feel safe.
* **Trix:** And THEN?
* **Glyn:** Continued to do so. I want to talk about something else. I want to talk about Lolth.
* **Trix:** Lolth? What does she have to do with this?
* **Glyn:** Lolth’s a conniving bitch. I couldn’t talk to you before. She had her eight little eyes everywhere. Always scheming.
* **Trix:** Glyn, I’m really sorry about all this.
* **Glyn:** Sorry about what, Trix?
* **Trix:** Just all of it.

* **Bogtooth:** There are so many people there! The amount of lives lost is insurmountable!
* **Vizeran:** The amount of lives saved from cutting off the snake at the head. THAT amount of lives is insurmountable.
* **Trix:** What about all the children? The slaves?
* **Vizeran:** Where would you put them?
* **Trix:** Vizeran, I don’t mean to be rude but...I was talking to my brother.
* **Tremble:** Huh?
* **Trix:** Just trying to understand, Tremble.
* **Tremble**: I...I don’t...I don’t get what the issue is.
* **Trix**: Don’t you remember what it felt like to…?
* **Trix:** Tremble…what changed your mind? Why now?
* **Tremble**: Look...the drow...at least the ones in Menzoberranzan are not good people. Anyone who’s a good person...they just get devoured. So in the long run, we’re not just saving the people they hurt and enslave and attack and murder. We’re also saving them. Once Mr Jimjar told me that the only way for evil to prosper is for good people to do nothing. That city is a den of evil to its very core. So if I do nothing, I’m slowing evil to win.

* **Vizeran:** This one would try to steal from me. That one would try to subjugate me.
* **Bogtooth:** Hey hey hey, Pix is the most loyal and true person I know! Pyrite though, you're probably right!

* **Vizeran:** It shall be done in Menzoberranzan!
* **Finn:** ...the place with about 60k people?
* **Vizeran:** Yes.

* **Shuushar**: I wanna be sure that this is your intention and not the intention of the archmage.
* **Trix:** Well, we definitely need to do the ritual, but I also don’t want you to die.
* **Shuushar:** The sea mother will be quite happy as we enter the jails of her watery salvation.
* **Trix**: I’ll see you on the other side.
* **Shuushar:** Of course. You are my friend and you are my brother.

* **Bogtooth:** No...Glyn’s family.
* **Pyrite:** Is he?
* **Bogtooth:** Yes. Just like you’re still family.
* **Tremble**: Yeah, Pyrite, you actively say you’re not family, and we still call you family.
* **Pyrite:** That’s YOUR mistake.
* **Tremble:** It’s not a mistake just because you don’t like them.

* **Pyrite:** He’s a demon. He kidnaps goblins and drags them to the abyss. Get rid of the demon, keep the goblin?
* **Pix:** How is that even possible now? You’ve seen him... I mean, he’s definitely not a goblin. That stumpy little hand is pretty much it.
* **Tremble:** When Trix turned into a plant, he wasn’t NOT my brother anymore.

**Vizeran:** I have studied this horn of Graz’zt. I am certain that this will allow the caster and those involved with the ability to dictate the moves of these individuals. However, I am not so foolish to think that I can simultaneously control so many demon lords. I need two of you to share in this with me. It's not a matter of skill, it’s a matter of willpower.

* **Vizeran:** Bogtooth, you’re the leader. Who shall be your second?
* [Looks at Glyn]
* **Vizeran:** No, no, definitely not him.
* **Bogtooth:** The centaurs seem to think he's charismatic.
* **Vizeran:** YES, he’s a demon of seduction. He’s ACTIVELY seducing them RIGHT NOW!

**Vizeran:** When it’s all over, you come in and pick off the spare.

**Vizeran:** Transparency is important for trust.

* **Vizeran:** Demon! Cease your copulation!
* **Glyn:** Ah, Vizeran! It’s been too long, old friend. Sorry I couldn’t come say hello.
* **Vizeran:** Alright, I’m willing to do anything to ensure that Lolth suffers. You have some suped-up version of the ritual. Will you STOP having sex right now!

**Vizeran:** Wow, for a second there, I thought it was a waste of two centuries!

* **Pixie:** Oh! You’re not doing too well on the inside!
* **Bogtooth:** What are you talking about? Yeah... I guess it’s tough. It’s like a flower. You can give it more water, and it’ll keep growing.
* **Pixie:** Flowers don’t live forever, and your heart is beating really slow.
* **Twinkleface:** Oh... oooooooh!!! Waaaaaah!!! Bogtooth...you’re beyond my power to heal!
* **Bogtooth:** What does that mean, Twinkleface?
* **Twinkleface**: Normally I could heal you with a touch! But um... I think your soul is dying.
* **Bogtooth**: Yeah, I figured as much.
* **Twinkleface**: We're sorry.
* **Bogtooth:** Hey, it's like you said, flowers gotta die eventually, right? Till then, I'll be the sickest, nastiest flower I can be.
* **Pixie**: You're an inspiration, Bogtooth!
* **Bogtooth:** Thanks. It's only because I've been inspired by so many people. Do you guys know Briar?
* **Pixie #1:** Yeah, we know Briar. He's like the happiest little guy! What happened to him? Lady D didn't like telling us about sad things!
* **Pixie** #2: You know Maerad. Well, one time Briar was telling this funny joke, and Lady D didn't like the language that Briar chose to use at that time, and so she banished them.

* **Bogtooth:** You'll probably die.
* **Pixie:** Yeah, but then we get to see Briar!!
* **Bogtooth:** Yeah...and then they can say the joke about the centaur in full!

* **Bogtooth:** A year is a whole lot of time!
* **Pixie:** Hey, can you make a song for Bogtooth and the year!?

* **Bogtooth:** Perfect amount of time to be the sickest and nastiest flower there is! Sorry, I thought you were a weird demon horse for a bit.
* **Twinkleface:** Oh yeah, I was in a bad place for a bit. They were gonna eat me! Until Merlot stepped in.

* **Grazilaxx:** Hello, Trix. Who is this?
* **Glyn:** Oh, Merlot! Charmed!
* **Grazilaxx:** Trix, you're very insightful. Is he going to betray you because he looks like a demon?

* **Grazilaxx:** Glyn, I deeply apologize for the trauma that was inflicted upon you in Graz'zt's lair. I take full responsibility for that. You do look very much like a demon.
* **Glyn:** Thank you.

* **Y:** GLYN, YOU LOOK LIKE A FUCKING DEMON! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!
* **Glyn**: Sorry, I think you've been mistaken. My name is Merlot.
* **Y:** OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

* **Y:** You know what they say about guys with big hands, right?
* **Glyn:** I do actually.
* **Y:** THE HARDER THEY FALL!

* **Y:** I WAS THINKING ABOUT MISU, YOU KNOW. I'M REALLY GRIEVING! SHE LOOKED THE WAY THAT SHE DID CAUSE SHE WAS A DEVIL. AND YOU LOOK THAT WAY A LITTLE TOO, SO MAYBE YOU CAN BE MY NEW MISU!
* **Glyn:** What would that entail?
* **Y:** YOU KNOW, JUST READ THE MOMENT! ALRIGHT, LET'S SAVE THE WORLD THEN YOU'RE MY NEW MISU! MISU AND MERLOT!!

* **Y:** I FEEL LIKE I'M NEVER GONNA FIND LOVE AGAIN!
* **Glyn:** I'll be waiting.

**Y:** TALK ABOUT SOME STRONG NUTS THO!

* **Pyrite:** Chief Chuctafreewee.
* **Droop:** You mean Peewee? Peewee became chief and then called himself Chuctafreewee??

* **Droop (doing a halfling impression)**: Is that…mine?
* **Pyrite:** HAHAHAHahahahaHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!

**Pyrite:** There are people who don’t like you here? Where are they?

**Droop:** Wanna see my impression of a human? Ooooh, I got sooo much money and I got all the town and the kingdoms! And I’m really bad at disengaging when there’s conflict!

* **Droop:** Peewee would do a little peekaboo.
* **Pyrite:** I’m not a rogue, I don’t hide from my problems.
* **Droop:** No, no, not like that. He just did a little… peekaboo!

**Droop: T**he living world really kicks the shit out of goblins. You gotta have a sense of humor. It’s not permanent, nothing is.

* **Pix:** I can make you laugh, Pyrite!
* **Pyrite:** No, you can’t…
* **Droop:** Oh, Pix! Do the peekaboo! If we both do it, it’s twice as funny! Oh, Pyrite, look over there, is that a halfling?
* **Pyrite:** I only see uninterrupted beauty?
* **Droop:** A-PEEKABOO!

* **Tremble:** Mr. Jimjar, do you have time to talk in private?
* **Jimjar:** Yes. Let us steal away.
* **Tremble**: Mr. Jimjar… I don't know if it's a holy thing, but I do know it's the right thing….
* **Jimjar:** What is it?
* **Tremble:** Well... we need to do the ritual to get the demon lords to fight each other. In the process of doing that, it will likely destroy the city of Menzzobarenzen. What is most important is protecting the innocent.
* **Jimjar:** Right. If Menzo is destroyed, a lot more innocent people will be saved in the long run.
* **Tremble:** You don't think I'm a bad person?
* **Jimjar:** No, you are telling me in advance so that I can contact Bregan D'aerth, and they can help the innocent. Besides, the last time the demons came, they destroyed some of the city, and then they left.
* **Tremble**: Well, I think this will destroy all of the city.
* **Jimjar:** Respectfully, Tremble, if they didn;t do it last time, I don't know why they'd do it this time. Many may die, and it's important that Bregan D'aerth is kept up to date about it. Do you know in your heart that this is the right thing?

* **Jimjar:** I have been meaning to go out on a limb and use the old limbs. But would it be wise to do so in such a perilous situation? Is there any better time to do so?
* **Tremble**: You're awesome.

* **Jimjar:** Hey, Tremble, do not get too big for your britches, or else Bregan D'aerth will be there to cut you down to size.
* **Tremble:** I don't think you have to worry about cutting me down to size! I think I'll be the one doing it with them.
* **Jimjar**: Come, Tremble! Let us swoop!!

* **Trix:** I don't think destroying Menzoberranzan is the right thing to do.
* **Tremble:** I'm not doing this cause they hurt me… It's the right thing to do cause they hurt other people. Ones we care about and ones we've never met. What would have happened if we never escaped?
* **Trix:** No, Tremble. YOU can do anything you set your mind to. Not me or anyone else. YOU can. And if you set your mind to kill a city and everyone who lives in it… you can choose not to do that.
* **Tremble:** Unless you have a better solution, this is what I'm going forward with.

* **Lemon:** I dunno. The whole thing sounds really stressful. And I met this mushroom recently, and I can't remember his name, but he seemed to have it all figured out. So if you can, you put me in that place where I can't feel or hear anything.
* **Trix:** Maybe you should stay with Zero-Prime.
* **Lemon:** ZERO PRIME MYSTERY MACHINE AND LEMON ON THE CASE?! CAN I BE ZERO PRIME?!
* **Trix:** You'll have to ask them.
* **Lemon:** IF THEY SAY NO, I'M GONNA THROW A FIT!!

* **Snik Sink:** Hey, I'm here, what's goin' on?… Okay, guess I'm gonna just hiss here by myself then.
* **Pyrite**: That's all you're here for.
* **Snik Sink:** Got ya, sister.

**Zero-Prime:** What is 'mouse'?

**Nietzschean Goat:** This is my lot in life.

**Bogtooth**: Hey, listen up all y'all! Green, black, white, purple… doesn't matter what you are. All of you here and now are part of the clan. A clan that's been cleaved and separated and destroyed and renamed again and again. A clan that doesn't really have an image. Maybe it never needed one. 'Cause a clan is who is in it. And that's all of you. Being a goblin is what they tease you. Since you're a little kid. Being seen as the worst, the weakest, the smallest of the small. Maybe they were right. Maybe we are the smallest. Maybe we are the worst. But it means we're stronger.

* **Tremble:** Maybe Pyrite can take my old title?
* **Bogtooth:** I like engulfing! It's like a wave of fire! You're a big fire pyrite! A roaring flame! A pulsing fire that keeps everyone going!!
* **Pyrite:** Sure, Bogtooth…
* **Bogtooth:** Merlot, the protector! I'm making these up on the fly!
* **Pyrite:** Yeah, we got that…
* **Bogtooth:** Hey, Pix, get up here! Say something!
* **Pix:** Okay, boys, and lady. This is a little sudden. I wasn't expecting to speak this evening. Well, goblins rule. Demons drool. No offense, Glyn. Some slimy ichor bullshit ass.
* **Bogtooth:** Pyrite, get up here!
* **Pyrite:** Just do your jobs and don't get kidnapped.
* **Bogtooth:** HAHAHA! Trix!
* **Trix:** Um...we're gonna do great. Everyone...don't die.
* **Bogtooth:** YEAH! Merlot!
* **Glyn:** It has been an honor to meet such courageous goblins. And the rest of you here who have aided in their cause. I am but a cog in the machine. It's a privilege to be part of it. Goblins are better than many people think. Better than I thought. And the world will see that today.
* **Bogtooth:** Tremble?
* **Tremble:** Let's win. Yeah?
* **Bogtooth:** You fucking know it! I'm the luckiest guy alive, you know that! Look at this lot of scarred souls. But scared souls shine the brightest. By the end of today, our roars are gonna reach the loudest. We're gonna echo from the moon and back! Until each and every one of us is a star! Gobs! Let's go!!!
* **Vizeran:** One minute out!

* **Pix: T**rix, what are you doing?
* **Trix:** I can't just stand by and watch innocent people get hurt…
* **Pyrite:** Where? Hold my hand! Or you'll never see your brother again! That's not a threat!
* **Bogtooth:** Please don't… don't kill each other… please.
* **Glyn: I**t doesn't work if I'm not near it.
* **Trix:** Good. Come with me.
* **Glyn:** Where?
* **Trix:** I was thinking the Abyss.
* **Glyn:** No, that's stupid! That doesn't help Graz'zt!
* **Bogtooth**: You can't fuck this up, Trix!
* **Trix:** Glyn, it's now or nothing! Get me out of here!
* **Glyn**: I think it would be good if we destroyed Menzoberranzan.
* **Trix:** I see….
* **Bogtooth**: It's all going to shit and all for some lousy trick!

* **Glyn:** I knew you wouldn't listen. I've been where you are.
* **Tremble:** No, you haven't! You think you have, but you haven't!

**Pyrite:** I'm gonna murder that demon.

* **Graz'zt:** Glyn!
* **Glyn:** Your highness.
* **Graz'zt:** Yes, Glyn, this is very clever of me, isn't it? I think I see what I did to us.
* **Glyn:** And that is?
* **Graz'zt:** It never made a lot of sense to me that I could avoid being called into a ritual that called in every demon lord from every plane of existence. Come. Sit with me. It looks like I'm not really avoiding it.
* **Glyn:** Uh-huh.
* **Graz'zt:** We're going in my place.
* **Glyn:** Together?
* **Graz'zt:** Together!
* **Glyn:** Huh.
* **Graz'zt:** I think it'll be peaceful.
* **Glyn:** What makes you say that?
* **Graz'zt**: I'll be safe. I mean, WE won't be, but I'll be.
* **Glyn:** And me?
* **Graz'zt:** Well, it looks like when it all happens, you'll be erased. But it's okay! I'll take good care of our body.
* **Glyn:** Right...right...
* **Graz'zt:** Right. It feels good to talk it out. And maybe you won't be erased. Maybe a part of you will be inside me, and you can observe like a passenger.
* **Glyn:** Like you were inside me.
* **Graz'zt:** Yes! We're just switching. Glyn, I really think you've done a good job with the whole thing. I really love you! But you know, this is JUST like Tasha, isn't it? Figures that she'd do this to me! But it doesn't matter now. Any message you'd like me to send to your family before you disappear?
* **Glyn:** Tell them thank you.

* **OG Glyn:** You helped them, right?
* **Lord Glyn:** A powerful conqueror. That's who I am.
* **Pre-Demon** Glyn: We did it...for them.
* **Graz'zt:** No. We did it because we wanted to.