Session 29-A: Under New Management

## Key Plot Developments

Glyn, a newly appointed advisor to Lady Harmond Redmane, assesses the precarious situation in Gracklstugh. The city, one of the largest in the Underdark, still has a population of thousands, but the Stone Guard's ranks are diminished. Harmond warns Glyn of the Empty Scabbard Killers - mercenaries allegedly hired by the Deepking to surreptitiously handle political disputes. Harmond is concerned they may attempt to collect a blood payment and is wary of their machinations. Glyn shares information about the cultists in the tunnels and Harmond decides to divert resources to killing any remaining derro.

Glyn decides to reach out to the stone giants to bolster the city's defenses. He learns of their eating habits (they consume gems and rocks). Lemon gets a new bag to replace Misu's destroyed bag of holding. Lemon, Glyn, and two members of the Stone Guard travel to Themberchaud's lair to gather gems for the stone giants. He learns their names (Gridier Earthboots and Arneil Doomeater). They take some gems for the giants. As Glyn gets to know the two dwarves, he's attacked by Pliinki, the derro savant from the tunnels. She fires lightning bolts at Glyn and blames him for stealing her egg and disrupting her plans before vanishing.

Glyn, scorched but alive, alerts Harmond to the cultists' survival. On his way, he runs into the mad duergar who previously claimed to be the Deepking. Arneil threatens to put the vagrant to death, but Glyn offers him mercy and understanding.

Glyn approaches the Cairngorm Cavern. He enters alone and meets a venerable, powerful giant: Stone Speaker Hgraam. The slow-spoken Hgraam appreciates Glyn's gifts. He claims he knew Glyn would come and alerts Glyn to an evil stirring in the Underdark. He directs Glyn to intricate cave carvings (a cave with two faces, a pebble that thinks itself flesh, fragments of a spreading maze). Glyn recognizes these as portents of the demon lords.

Hgraam gives Glyn what he calls a nexus of prophecy: the Stonespeaker Crystal. This wondrous item, created by the wardens of Gravenhollow (the library of the stone giants), allows Glyn to see into the future. In return, Hgraam asks for information on Misu, who sent one of his wretched kin's souls to hell without the proper burial rites. Hgraam says his crystal would normally allow him to speak with the dead, but Misu left a twisted shell of a giant. For that, he believes she deserves punishment. Hgraam asks Glyn to turn her over if she ever returns. Glyn agrees with the caveat that, if Misu is seen traveling alongside Trix or the others, Misu's traveling companions will not be killed outright. Hgraam agrees.

Glyn gives Hgraam some crystal necklaces (the gift of the Dark Prince). Hgraam cannot detect any magic on it and eats them; they don't taste like anything in particular. Hgraam feels like he remembers and trusts Glyn from a previous time, though this is the first time Glyn has met him.

Glyn returns to Gracklstugh's leaders and is praised for his superlative negotiation skills. He bunks with the Stone Guard and inspires them with a speech of gratitude. As he explains, these people have had their entire lives destroyed. They are looking for ANY solid comfort in this time of need. Glyn tells them the story of how he lost his clan and persevered. He knows that with trust, hard work, and faith, they can make this city great again. They can create a new family. He tears up, thinking of his own family. The dwarves all love him. They lift him up and praise him.

Glyn properly attunes with the Stonespeaker Crystal overnight. He uses it to send messages to Trix, Annarei, and Tremble. Trix and Tremble ignore him. Anna responds; she'll journey to Gracklstugh because she lacks security in the grove.

Glyn speaks with the remaining Stone Guard. He learns of their intensity around precision and cleanliness (they want beds to be perfectly maintained). They mock surface dwarves. Glyn suggests they share a symbol of their newfound bond and offers up the Dark Prince's crystal. Hundreds of duergar accept his boon. As the days tick by, more and more duergar accept his gift. Some duergar children mock those without the gift; he promises there are plenty of necklaces to go around.

Glyn keeps an eye out of Pliinki, but there are no more signs of derro. Meanwhile, he helps replenish the ranks of Stone Guard by teaching duergar the ways of goblins--how to create makeshift beds and temporary housing, how to ration food effectively, and how to survive against more powerful foes. When Glyn asks about Zeks and Edsel, he intuits that they were once duergar of status in the city; they were asked to leave instead of being tracked down and executed publicly for desertion.

Days later, Glyn asks to see the Deepqueen (Olga Steelshadow). Lady Harmond agrees to mediate between the two; she has a highly trained and cloistered security detail. Glyn extends his sympathies and orders construction on a suitable tribute to her late father.

Glyn now has clarity on the devastation Themberchaud wrought. Thousands died in his attack, but around seven thousand duergar remain. Glyn begins to train more warriors. Within a week, 25 duergar are on track to join the Stone Guard.

Finally, Anna and Suortin arrive! Glyn is overjoyed (though he soon realizes he could have used her gift to him to communicate regularly). Miss Anna brings her whole troupe to the city (including Giggles the ogre). She wins over the duergar at the gate with her natural charm.

Glyn and Anna, reunited at last, walk through the city and catch up. Miss Anna asks Glyn if he knows where her friend Shaal is. Glyn doesn't put together Anna's connection to Shaal (the demonic succubus in the Deepking's council). They insult Misu. Glyn explains how he helped defeat a dragon; Anna showers him with praise. Anna, encouraged by Glyn's loyalists, decides to beautify the burned parts of Gracklstugh by creating a new crystal grove. Diamonds shoot from the ground as duergar watch in awe and wonder. Anna's crystals reshape the dwarven city's landscape as Glyn's leadership alters the city's culture. Glyn is pleased.

## New NPCs

1. Gridier Earthboots, Stone Guard
2. Armneil Doomeater, Stone Guard
3. Stonespeaker Hgraam, Stone Giant Leader

## Memorable Quotations

* **Harmond:** They eat fine gems, minerals--
* **Glyn:** Wait, they eat rocks?
* **Harmond:** Yes. They are stone giants.

**Lemon:** I like bags! I'd like a bag where I could maybe see Extra-dimensional Spacey.

**Lemon:** I'm really malleable.

**Armneil Doomeater:** We're the Stone Guard. We're not stone giants.

**Pliinki:** Talk shit, get hit, bitch! You f\*cked EVERYTHING up! I'm gonna get my dad! He's gonna be SOOO mad! Just know that we're always watching you, buddy!

**Stonespeaker Hgraam:** Demons are a cancer. It takes much treatment--often painful--to root them out for good.

* **Glyn** (sending a message to Anna): Stopped duergar. Grove safe. Gracklstugh destroyed; they trust me; I'm helping them rebuild. Stone giants need help. Want to become family. You willing to come?
* **Anna:** Glyn! I msis you! Of course I will come! This message is sooo short. Just ring me on the crystal next time, babes, yeah?
* **Glyn:** I could do that all along?!

**Harmond:** The Deepqueen will see you on her time, on her terms.

* **Glyn**: Trix DID give Misu a face that it was okay to shoot him.
* **Anna:** Oh, like, ooooh, like, she likes that? Got it, no, got it.

**Anna:** I'm up for a chat! I have a bit of gab in me, haven't I?

* **Anna:** Misu! Is that a friend I should make?
* **Glyn:** No!
* **Anna:** Oooh! A friend I shouldn't make. Do you have gossip, Glyn? You holding out on me?