Session 16-C: An Unexpected Hand

## Key Plot Developments

Glyn, cured of his madness and dazzled by the mention of his uncle Rotgut, asks Y for details. Y, still speaking very loudly for the otherwise-quiet cuddle corner of Fire Fest, explains his charge: he is supposed to investigate goings-on in the Underdark at the behest of his leader (who is named Grazilaxx). Grazilaxx founded the Society of Brilliance, a multiracial coalition of Underdark humanoids focused on rooting out the sources of faerzress and other magical disturbances in the Underdark. Y investigated Fire Fest in pursuit of both magical abnormalities and a disappeared goblin inductee of the Society (Rotgut).

Glyn, now a member of the Society, is given a specially crafted pendant; he can use it to cast and receive Sendings from other members of the Society. Glyn thinks that this might help him reunite with Miss Anna and apologize to his family for his irrational behavior. Y seems to ignore the necklace given to him by Miss Anna and offers to help transport Glyn back to the grove. His teleport spell doesn't take them back; rather, they find themselves in a spidery corner of the Underdark.

They are attacked by swarms of insects. Y blasts them with lightning. Glyn, weakened by his madness-induced jumps into the lava, is overwhelmed by their bites. As he fades, he cries out for help.

Glyn finds himself suspended on a crystallize plateau. He glances around; he is surrounded by darkness on all sides. A seductive, purring voice asks him if he wants to return to the crystals of Anna's grove or accept the aid of Anna's patron. He opts for the latter and is greeted by a tall, ebony-skinned, preternaturally handsome, six-fingered figure. It calls itself the Dark Prince.

The Dark Prince offers Glyn power--the power to bring his family together, to find love, to help them see what he has to offer. It asks Glyn if he remembers the prophecy Anna gave him. Glyn, stunned, hesitates. The Dark Prince lashes out in an unexpected burst of anger, cutting off Glyn's hand. Glyn is in shock. As he reels, the creature gives him another chance to recount it; Glyn numbly restates it. Satisfied, the Prince apologizes for his outburst, and offers to reconstruct Glyn's hand. It reappears--this time, crystalline and six-fingered.

Under his tough-love tutelage, the Dark Prince says, Glyn will become the conqueror he always wished to be. Glyn, coerced and convinced, offers his service to the Prince.

Glyn reawakens to the sound of Y's lightning bolts; it seems he was dreaming. When he looks at his hand, he sees the six-fingered crystals; Y does not acknowledge them. Glyn calls out for help, and a crystal wraith (like the ones in Anna's garden) erupts from the pendant. Glyn's magic is now dark purple and black. He and his wraith destroy the insects.

Glyn urges Y to teleport them again, but Y confirms he can only teleport once a day. He blames the faerzress for interrupting his spell. Glyn leads them back to the silken paths, where Spiderbait was killed. They decide to use the webs to quickly travel. Without Yuk Yuk's guidance, Glyn can't find his way back to the grove.

Y finds a treasure chest wrapped in the webs. Unfortunately, as Glyn soon discovers, it's a deceptive aberration. He summons Long-Ears (who falls through the webs and dies immediately) before destroying the creature with his new abilities.

Y decides to rest in the webs for the night. Glyn, out of options, agrees. When he sleeps, he dreams of his family--everyone showering him with praise, applauding him for his decision to let the Dark Prince into his heart. He sees Drigglezub, his secret crush (and Trix's girlfriend). Trix offers her to Glyn, who he calls Glyn the Conqueror.

Only one family member isn't present: Pix.

## New NPCs

1. The Dark Prince, Glyn's mysterious patron