Session 53-B: Broken Horn, Broken Will

## Key Plot Developments

Glyn was recently given a two-pronged edict: first, distract Yeenoghu and offer him a sufficient amount of treats that will get him on their side for the battle to come; second, summon every demon lord with an augmented ritual. Glyn attends to the Yeenoghu path first. He gathers some intel on what other treats he might like. Yeenoghu takes great pleasure in inflicting pain and sorrow before his victims' deaths. He really likes crushing hopes and destroying civilizations. Glyn could present him with a challenge that will allow him to inflict a bunch of terror and pain on things and put him in a situation where he can turn it into an artistic masterpiece.

Glyn enters the Whispering Library. It’s full of tomes that literally groan with secrets, it’s lit by floating candles, and ghostly librarians float around organizing things. The other information Glyn seeks can be found in a tome called the Demonomicon of lggwilv. He looks up Baphomet. Cultists of Baphomet treat him more like a warlock patron. He’s more likely to grant power than most other demon lords. Ogres, giants, demons, all become his thralls. All of them used to be some humanoid figure which later become twisted. Baphomet believes everyone is monstrous and wants to externalize what is inside. Glyn is wondering if Baphomet would have been the better choice.

Glyn heads to the Green Hand of Vengeance. He finds them outside of the palace. They are training in the slave plaza, Samora, a lawless den of vice and depraved dreams. Lots of souls are sold here of every race. There’s a drug parlor nearby. A popular drug around here is Eubix. It’s a powder that is sprinkled into a wound and then bandaged. Then you feel one minute of incredibly intense pain and then zero pain at all for hours--very helpful in a place known for sadism and masochism. There are some breweries around as well. They make drinks like Malefic Meade, which is totally deadly for mortals, and Terrin Bandy, alcohol distilled from the essence of a dying fey. Glyn approaches One Ear. He’s looking quite powerful! They have been killing every gnoll they’ve come across.

He meets Bolsag the Undermining, a goblin that Glyn easily cut down. He wants to make a good impression in front of Lord Glyn and lies through his teeth. Glyn leads Bolsag away from his ranks to discuss anything he’s seen or knows. Glyn notes that his goblin looks poorly built. And he’s been training in the afterlife… this guy is in his prime and he looks pathetic. Glyn would like to take him to a nice picnic table. He looks around and sees barracks and stockyards with unicorns with their horns ripped out. They go to the stockyards. Bolsag tells Glyn that there was one gnoll who vanished. Either he can do magic and misty-stepped himself away, or he was teleported. There was no mechanical sound like he heard on the Infinite Battlefield.

Bolsag reluctantly admits that One Ear is the physically strongest member of the Green Hand of Vengeance. Glyn calls over to the hornless unicorn who probably hasn’t had a conversation since he was captured and brought here. His name is Twinkleface and he begs for Glyn to free him. Glyn, always the seeker of knowledge, asks this unicorn of the fey realm if he knows anything about the Demogorgon. Twinkleface was just minding his business on the Material Plane in his grove when he ran into a lot of sea monsters and two-headed baboons and ogres. Twinkleface tries to get them to leave by politely demanding that they stop destroying everything. But then he saw this colossal mass making its way from the sea to the forest, tearing down tree after tree, and it had two heads. He tells of the way the maddening voice of the Demogorgon affected him and then he just found himself dead. Soon, his soul was captured and horn was taken.

Glyn promises to deal with the Demogorgon, but Twinkleface isn’t big on vengeance. He just wants to get his horn back and warn others. Glyn will look for the horn.

Glyn is tired of all the nonsense that has been afoot among all the devious demon lords. There are spiders in Yeenoghu’s realm? It’s time to get back to Rule of Three, but he cannot be found--not even in the ball torture pits. He goes to ask the succubi if they’ve seen him; he’s out on extra-planar business. He asks about Lord Graz’zt. They all look at each other and giggle. Grazz’t occupied with something important, but it doesn’t sound like sex. He’s tried to convince them to explain it to him. They ask him how he’s going to get that information out of them. So he turns on the charm and kisses their hands, lavishing them with praise.

He successfully seduces both of the succubi by showing off his strength, spinning them around, being a little intimidating, and faltering sometimes like throwing out corny lines, but saves himself with some poetry. One seems a little disappointed that there was no BDSM like what Verin might have done if looking for information, but the other thinks Glyn is sweet and starts talking. She asks if he’s heard of Natasha the Dark, or just Tasha. He’s giving off blank looks and she starts listing off all the Tasha spells a mage might use. She’s a very powerful archmage and also a lover of the Dark Prince. There is a room in the Palace called the Lady’s Study--that’s her room when she comes to visit and it’s only for her. The first succubus loves their relationships and thinks it’s so sweet when Graz’zt is vulnerable. The other succubus is still daydreaming about Verin’s whip.

Glyn then seeks out a place that can teach him about masterful, artful killing and destruction to entice Yeenoghu. He’s able to get to the 45th layer, full of viper trees. Through the forest of viper trees he gets to the town of Alagash. It used to be part of a demon breeding program. Graz’zt uses this demon breeding pit as an experimentation location to bring up raw forces of chaos. There are demonic versions of gibbering mouthers, all attacking each other in a survival-of-the-fittest fashion.

Glyn flies around and watches. At first he doesn’t see a lot of art in it, but as he watches on, that changes. He sees one creature with far too many arms skittering about and tearing at other creatures. There’s one with mouths all over the place with tendrils that poke out the eyes of other creatures. The eyes pop acid and burn everything they touch. And now, Glyn can see all the different ways that you can hurt something. Even if your own features are painful to have, like acid blood or spikes in your skin, you can use them to bring unimaginable pain to others. And Glyn thinks that’s beautiful.

It’s clear that some creatures in the pit are actively experimenting with different kinds of pain. One breaks a knee, one bites the flesh of another, and gauges their reaction to the pain. One removes the teeth of a creature and then starts stabbing them to death with their own teeth. It’s almost scientific in the way it occurs here. Glyn starts to develop an appreciation for the intersection between art and science.

There are other creatures in the pit that clearly don’t belong--these are prey like yugoloths and unicorns that have been thrown in. With Glyln flying above them he almost looks like an angel to them. This is also a lesson in how hope can make fear even worse. He flies around and leads some of the normal prey around the town, granting them this false hope--leading them straight into the path of a slew of horrific demon experiments. Some of the prey freeze in their place as the wave of monsters consumes them. Others try to stand and fight, cursing up at the angel who misled them. The monsters take delight in going after the prey who held on to hope.

Glyn now knows that the art in killing is not about the physical aspect--it’s the mental aspect that really matters. It doesn’t matter what parts you cut off, it’s about creating a situation where the art’s medium and materials (i.e. the thing you’re killing) are totally broken and malleable by the end of it.

Glyn thinks that getting something very hopeful and giving it to Yeenoghu as a gift would be nice. Perhaps dominating an army. Like his army? They were so proud of themselves for defeating a gnoll army…they think they are strong right now. Gifting the green Hand of Vengeance might be the best gift for Yeenoghu, and also one of the most evil things Lord Glyn has done.

The challenge he will present to Yeenoghu is giving him an entire army to crush their spirits and make them lose hope. He starts picking goblins out of his army and having one-on-one talks with them. He’s making them think he has big plans for each one. He takes the whole army to the gluttony palace for a huge feast in their honor. Glyn finds some weaker things to fight in the gladiatorial pits so that these goblins can tear into things and think they are at the top of the food chain. He showers them with praise. Then he sets his diabolical plan into action.

Glyn summons Long Ears, who is the most dog-like thing in his life. He speaks to his servant to try and gather insight on how Yeenoghu, who is also dog-like, thinks. Long Ears describes a trick, treat, trick, treat cycle that can go on forever. Long Ears is just a loyal little guy who wants to stay by Glyn’s side--to him, that’s the best treat of all.

Now he needs to get an audience with Yeenoghu. Ms. Anna or Rule of Three can help with that. He also thinks about all the planning he’s done and the plan he is about to set into motion, and realizes that these are all things that Nicholas Ice Cream would have done. He pushes the thought away and thinks about his connection with Graz’zt instead. This thought opens another crack in his mental fortitude. There are really two different Glyns: the goblin and the demon.

## New NPCs

1. Bolsag the Undermining, unreliable goblin
2. Twinkleface, hornless unicorn

## Memorable Quotations

* **Cultist of Baphomet:** We are all beasts and only delusion prevents you from seeing the truth.
* **Glyn:** How’s it going, One Ear? Lookin’ good!
* **One** Ear: It is going well, my lord. We are killing all the gnolls.
* **Glyn:** Ah, okay. I’m trying to gather more information on Yeenoghu. Did any of them mention anything of interest? Or did you notice anything in particular?
* **One Ear:** I noticed them wailing up to the heavens--trying to scream to a god that could not hear their meager cries.
* **Bolsag:** Well, there was one, he was like “Oh god! Oh! The afterlife is much worse than I thought it would be!”

* **Bolsag:** It’s really nice to meet you, Lord Glyn! You cut me down very easily, we didn’t have a chance to talk before! My name is Bolsag the Undermining!
* **Glyn:** That’s quite a name you have there, Ball Sag.
* **Bolsag:** Ah, it’s Bol-- yeah, sure, Ball Sag is fine. My name is Ball Sag the Undermining now.
* **Glyn:** And how did you get your title, Ball Sag?
* **Bolsag:** ….ya know, I worked in coal.

**Bolsag:** I suppose you could think of working in coal sort of as my first thing. And then being a spy is like a prestige class!

**Hornless Unicorns:** Oh why? All I wanted to do was bring sunshine!.... Everyone ignores me!

* **Bolsag:** I think that maybe it could be wot I was the commander. And maybe One Ear is like my lieutenant? Because I notice things.
* **Glyn:** Uh huh. Tell me what you notice, Ball Sack. Did you happen to hear any noises when the gnoll disappeared?
* **Bolsag:** Noooises. Like what  sorts of noises?
* **Glyn:** Like a tinkling mechanical noise?
* **Bolsag:** Aaaaaaaaaaah…..naw. It was more like a Schwoop.

**Bolsag:** I says we should just stay back and observe, cause Lord Glyn’s gonna be askin’ about this! But One Ear, he says no we gotta kill all the gnolls. And like, is it the letter of the law, or is it-- ya know we’re on a world of chaos, so maybe it all doesn’t have to be word-for-word is all I saying.

**Bolsag:** I hear ya, Lord Glyn! I hear ya loud and clear, with BOTH my ears!

* **Glyn:** Hey! You there!
* **Twinkleface:** Yes! Yes, what is it?! I will take you to a world of delight! I will take you to the world of the fey, please help me get my unicorn horn back proud stranger! Please free me and you will have a friend for life! You’re a very charismatic and powerful adventurer!
* **Glyn:** So If I just get a horn, I can just stick it back on ya?
* **Twinkleface:** It has to be my horn.
* **Glyn: O**kay… and then I get to stick it back on ya? \*makes stabbing motions\*

* **Twinkleface:**  We…we’re not in the Demogorgon's realm, right?
* **Glyn:** Naw, fuck that guy.
* **Twinkleface:** Uh, forget that...fellow.

* **Twinkleface:** The Demogorgon is the one who sent me here.
* **Glyn:** He sent you here, specifically?
* **Twinkleface**: I was on the Material Plane, just cavorting around getting ready to grant wishes to people and maybe run away from them if they weren’t fast enough. You know, just fey stuff.

**Twinkleface:** People don’t think that unicorns are very challenging to take on, but actually we can act a lot, even when people think it’s their turn, we can act!

* **Twinkleface:** It started to speak, and I couldn’t understand what it was saying. I don’t know if it was speaking in a different language or if it was just so smart that it was going over my head. It was really confusing to me and then I felt my eyes rolling into the back of my head and my soul leaving my body. Then I woke up in a savage wasteland and I was captured. They took my horn and now I’m here.
* **Glyn:** I’m so sorry you had to deal with that, Twinkleface. I want you to know. We’re gonna deal with the Demogorgon. I’ll keep my eye out for your horn.
* **Twinkleface:** Thank you so much brave adventurer! I shall now hold on to your words as hope! It shall sustain me in these dark times. I shall always think of it.
* **Glyn:** Good I’m glad I could do that for ya.

* **Glyn:** Hey, Ball Sack, keep an eye out for this guy’s horn.
* **Bolsag:** Yeah, I’ll keep an eye out for this guy’s horn!
* **Twinkleface:** To think! An adventuring party has braved Hell in order to help me!
* **Glyn:** Yeah! You’re really special, Twinkleface!
* **Twinkleface:** Huh…. I think that’s something the Demogorgon said….

**Succubus:** Lord Graz’zt is…busy doing something…important. I dunno. \*giggle\*

**Glyn:** I dunno, two lovely succubi like yourselves not knowing something? I dunno, some people think that’s cute, but I like a succubus who knows a lot of stuff. Is well-informed, is willing to think for herself.

**Succubi:** How you gonna jog our memory?

**Glyn:** Hmmm, I know Verin might give you a punishment, put you in your place. I think Rule of Three might give you the opportunity to see him in a compromised position perhaps and have a little fun. I think lovely Succubi such as yourself should be treated well. I think they gotta be lavished with praise, I don’t think you’re appreciated enough.

* **Succubus #1:** They’re on again off again. The flame keeps flickering. I just think it’s really sweet when the Dark Prince decides to call on her. It’s something very nice when…
* **Succubus #2:** ….It’s something very nice when…if Verin were to…what were we talking about?
* **Succubus #1:** It’s something very nice when the Dark Prince is vulnerable.

* **Glyn:** How are we doing as far as killing all the gnolls?
* **One Ear:** Always more gnolls to kill. There’s so many of them like rats.

* **Glyn:** Long Ears, why do you serve me?
* **Long Ears:** Because it is my purpose.  I was called here, awoken from slumber from restless sleep to be at our side. So I will do all I can to grant you every ounce of my power to thank you for bringing me to consciousness.
* **Glyn:** Sounds Good.

* **Long Ears:** Whoever Yeenoghu is, he’s worse than you!
* **Glyn:** Yeenoghu, similar to you, is a very good boi. Yeenoghu likes treats. Yeenoghu likes slaughtering things. Things that you like right? What would someone have to do to become your ally?
* **Long Ears:** Hnn. They would give me a boon! Or as you say….a treat! A treat that either I already loved, or a treat that I’d never tasted before, but I really, really liked it! And then, I would say “More! Another!” and they would say “Not yet! You have to do a trick for me!” and I would do the trick, and I would get ANOTHER treat! And it would go on like that!

* **Long Ears**: Lord Glyn! The only treat that I need is being by your side!!!.... If I may be upfront, I’ve always really wanted to eat a unicorn. They seem like they would taste like sparkles.
* **Glyn:** Or sprinkles, maybe. I dunno if you know this, Long Ears. But I have had contact with unicorns before.
* **Long Ears:** \*gasp\* Wuuuuuuuuut?! No way!
* **Glyn:** And they do seem like they would taste like sparkles.
* **Long Ears:** Well, one day, lord Glyn, I will do enough tricks that I will be worthy of that treat!