Session 60: The Clan's Blood Is My Blood (Act IV)

## Key Plot Developments

The goblin gang is finally on the surface, staring down one of the instigators of their clan’s massacre. Maerad, the human druid—one of Dulcinea’s chosen changelings—stares back at them blanky. Pix and Tremble don’t remember her face, but Trix, Bogtooth, and Pyrite do. Pyrite reverts to a childlike state and lashes out at Maerad. Everyone else intervenes—Maerad polymorphing Pyrite into a bunny—and they talk.

Tremble has an emotional memory of Fox the wolf, now a much older dog. Fox stayed with the smallest children and kept them company as the Knitting Club Heroes fought with Belak in the main chamber of the Sunless Citadel. He pets Fox.

Trix lashes out at Maerad verbally, lambasting her for letting the slaughter of his family happen. Maerad doesn’t share his memory of the event—she was focused on doing her duty as an adventurer and ending the threat of Belak the Outcast and his Gulthias Tree. There is a vast divide between the adventurer and goblin understandings of that day’s significance. Trix struggles to reconcile this gap.

Dulcinea’s centaurs come to escort the goblins to meet with Dulcinea, who, to their surprise, is already meeting with another goblin. Maerad innocently suggests that the goblin already with Dulcinea is Bogtooth (a goblin she already knows). However, the group realizes the goblin must instead be Glyn—who Trix and Pyrite still believe to be evil and responsible for clan Demonbane and Drigglezub’s deaths.

The group makes their way through Dulcinea’s majestic grove, a nexus point between the Feywild and material plane. They meet various fantastical creatures, including Twinkleface the unicorn (who was rescued from the demonic city of Azzagrat by Glyn).

Next, they travel through trees until they reach the grove’s center. Dulcinea is meeting with Glyn. Dulcinea dismisses Maerad; the party realizes how much the human has been coddled and shielded from the evils of the world since returning from the Sunless Citadel. She didn't expect Bogtooth and the other goblins to show up, so she's made contingency arrangements to handle the Demogorgon's attack.

Glyn is taller, older, larger, and far more handsome. Only one of his hands is still green. One of his eyes is purple. He has horns and six fingers—just like the Dark Prince. He’s accompanied by a few key members of the Green Hand of Vengeance, including One Ear, who’s been augmented by Dulcinea to be a wood woad (both to make him more powerful and to ensure Glyn doesn’t try to attack her).

After an uncomfortable stand-off, Glyn leaves them to allow them to meet with Dulcinea in private.

Dulcinea is aware of Glyn’s demonic connection and has cast sufficient charms so that he’ll be neutralized if he does anything other than what he’s promised—help provide Azzagrat’s resources to fight off the encroaching hordes of the Demogorgon, whom Graz’zt detests. Dulcinea explains her philosophy—through her friendship with Garl Glittergold and Kurtulmak, she’s grown accustomed to reaching out to other planes for help.

Finally, the group is left to confront Glyn (who calls himself “Merlot” on the surface to avoid any scrying attempts from other demon lords). Glyn has brought them all gifts; some of them, wary of his demonic appearance, decline. Trix demands answers about Drigglezub. Glyn, smoothly deflecting, turns the conversation from a discussion of his secrets to Trix’s. Trix, he now knows, is the one who gave Graz’zt carte blanche to make a deal where hundreds of goblin souls would be given to the devils in exchange for the party’s lives.

Trix, put on the defensive, tries to explain—but, before he can, the Demogorgon’s hordes arrive. The Dawnshard Grove is under attack.

## Memorable Quotes

**Pyrite (in flashback):** Sure, I’ll throw rocks at your enemies!

* **Bogtooth:** You’re not going to touch a hair on their heads! If you lay a finger on them, you’ll have the wrath of all the fey on you!
* **Tremble:** Pyrite, take a step back cause what you’re about to do is not very neat!
* **Pix:** What are you all doing wasting all our resources on this old lady and her DOG?
* **Pyrite:** She…..is….killled…MMMMMMMMGGGG!
* **Pix:** She’s killed? Whatever?

**Trix: Y**OU REALLY DON’T REMEMBER US? YOU KILLED ALL OF US!

**Maerad:** We…we fought together. Side by side. We did it, we destroyed the druid! He wanted to consume the world! His tree demanded blood.

**Pix**: If I were a different Pix, maybe a few Underdarks ago, we would let this bunny have at ya. Whether you know it or not, we suffered! And you were the cause!

**Maerad:** If I run into Lady Dulcinea, I’ll point her in your direction. What were your names again?

* **Bogtooth:** Maybe you’ll remember them this time. I’m Bogtooth.
* **Maerad:** Wait, you’re Bogtooth?
* **Bogtooth:** Yeah.
* **Maerad:** YOU’RE Bogtooth?
* **Bogtooth:** What of it?
* **Maerad:** Well, Lady Dulcinea has spoken of you for a long time. Your accomplishments, all the good you’ve done, your leadership….but… I thought the other one was Bogtooth. The tall one, dark and handsome? Grey skin?
* **Centaur:** He’s called Merlot.
* B**ogtooth:** LIKE THE WINE?

* **Twinkleface:** [Horn falls off.] Awwwwww, nooooo.
* **Maerad:** Awww,  Twinkleface, don’t cry. I’ll help you stick your horn back on.

**Maerad:** I don’t think it’s fair to judge someone based on their disabilities.

* **Pyrite:** I need more spells! I need more spells! I need more spells!
* **Tremble:** No, listen, Glyn’s our friend!!!
* **Pyrite:** Tremble, can I talk to you for a second? Glyn. Is. A. Fucking. Demon. And his friend tried to torture me--sexually. We need to kill him.

**Glyn:** Twinkleface, come here! Oh no, let me help you with that!

* **Dulcinea:** Child, this conversation is not for you.
* **Maerad:** Yes, my lady. Goodbye, everyone.

* **Dulcinea:** Bogtooth, I was often mocked on the fey counsel for entreating with non-fey--kobolds, goblins, gnomes. But thanks to our open-mindedness, it turns out that we are not alone in our hatred of the Demogorgon.
* B**ogtooth:** Not alone? Who are you with, Lady D?
* **Dulcinea:** With this demon.
* **Pyrite:** Glyn? Is that YOU?!?!
* **Glyn:** So glad you could make it.

* **Glyn/Merlot:** Hello, everyone. I’m so glad that you can join us.
* **Bogtooth:** Well, seems like we’re after the same thing! Hey Glyn!
* **Glyn/Merlot:** I go by Merlot, actually. You may be confusing me with someone else. Come closer.

* **Dulcinea:** Will you go and stay with One Ear?
* **Glyn/Merlot:** I’d prefer it if you called him Chianti.

* **Dulcinea:** I’m glad you’re here, Bogtooth. But why didn’t you tell me you were coming?
* **Pyrite:** Pardon me, lady, but he tried. He tried to dream.

* **Dulcinea:** It feels like from all sides, forces are conspiring to take things that I hold precious. But it is GOOD you’re here, Bogtooth, because it means I can keep you safe.
* **Pyrite:** Lady Dulcinea, Merlot is a very bad man.
* **Dulcinea:** He’s a demon, yes.
* **Pyrite**: You can’t trust him in any way.
* **Dulcinea:** I don’t.

* **Dulcinea:** Bogtooth, how long has it been since you found that book from the gnolls? Less than a year? Two years? Ten years? Bogtooth, I have feuded with my friends for centuries at a time. Right now, you and Glyn share something in common. You want to protect the things that I hold dear. And I’d be a fool to turn that help away.
* **Dulcinea:** You poor darling. [She hugs Pyrite.] Bogtooth, I’ve decided. She’s under my protection as well.
* **Pyrite:** Can you give me cool magic for being under your protection?
* **Dulcinea:** You will want for nothing.
* **Pyrite**: Hmmm. I need to get more powerful. I must decline.

* **Bogtooth:** Lady Dulcinea, I cannot be friends with what Glyn has become.
* **Dulcinea:** I guess there was a part of me that was hoping that for all I’ve given to you, you’d want to give back. If you want to defend my grove, of course you can do that. And if you don’t want to see Merlot when you do it, that’s fine, I’ll put him on the other side.

* **Dulcinea:** There are well over a hundred million goblins in the goblin afterlife. There is a zero percent chance that a demon, even a demon lord, could have all of the goblins.
* **Pyrite:** He could have thousands.
* **Dulcinea:** We’ll cross that rainbow bridge when we get to it.

**Dulcinea:** I will give you some privacy--to an extent. Every leaf here is a part of me.

* **Glyn:** Oh, thank God, you’re in the anti-scrying circle now. Heeeey, it’s Glyn! When we’re not here, I prefer you call me Merlot.
* **Pyrite:** What are you doing here?

* **Glyn:** Okay, you’re doing this thing again where you’re not answering my questions.
* **Trix:** Rotgut’s safe!
* **Glyn:** A classic from Trix! Everyone is safe--but no details for Glyn. Well, LET me tell you where I’ve been.

* **Glyn:** I’ve been taking goblins from that terrible afterlife and taking them to a better place!
* **Pyrite:** The ABYSS? Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!

* **Pyrite:** Lady Dulcinea--I will do ANYTHING for you to let me punch him in the face.
* **Dulcinea:** Is that alright?
* **Glyn:** Yeah, it’s alright. OOF! Hurts so good.

* **Pyrite:** You took my entire clan.
* **Glyn:** Pyrite, I saved your entire clan.
* **Pyrite:** I had a fucking family and you took everything from me.
* **Glyn:** What did you even eat there, Pyrite?
* **Pyrite:** Whatever the fuck I wanted.
* **Glyn:** I helped hundreds and hundreds of goblins a better life.
* **Pyrite:** And you gave a bunch of them to the fucking devils!
* **Glyn:** Oh, so you know.
* **Pyrite:** I’m up to date on—
* **Glyn:** DO they know, Trix?

* **Pyrite:** Glyn….
* **Glyn:** Pickles…..
* **Pyrite:** I’m giving you this one fucking chance. You come with me. You abandon all of the demon shit. And I will work on fucking fixing you. None of your politicking demon bullshit. Yes or no. I will hear nothing else for you.
* **Glyn:** No. If I have to choose between helping this grove and my clan, helping rid the world of demon lords or going with you…..no. Maybe afterwards though.
* **Pyrite**: You’re dead to me then. I hope you kill all of your friends.
* **Glyn:** Kill you, Pickles?
* **Pyrite:** You’re not my friend. I’m not your friend.

* **Glyn:** Well, I brought everyone gifts! Pix, this is for you. Thank you for being there with me in my last moments.
* **Pix:** [She cries.]
* **Glyn:** Pix, no, it’s okay! I’m here now. We’re back together again. I’m still your friend. I’m all your friend!
* **Pix:** No. I’m so sorry.
* **Glyn:** Whatever for?
* **Pix:** I think about that time a lot. When I was in Elysium and wondering where you could have been. It’s good to see you! But I still feel sorry.
* **Glyn:** If you were in Elysium that means you didn’t make it out either…and I’m sorry. But just like Pyrite and just like me, we’re here. And that’s all that matters.

* **Lemon:** Hey, I have a question?
* **Glyn:** Yes?
* **Lemon:** Um, I thank you for your name--many times. I hope this isn’t real, but um, did you kill Trix’s girlfriend?
* **Glyn:** Trix has a girlfriend?
* **Lemon:** Yeah, did you kill Trix’s girlfriend? Cause they were talking about that--so did you do that?
* **Glyn:** Trix has a girlfriend? Oh! Drigglezub! His old fling. You were there when she died, you know I didn’t kill her.
* **Pyrite:** What are you, some fucking devil? Why are you talking like this?
* **Glyn:** I rescued Drigglezub from the infinite battlefield and took her to Azzagrat.
* **Trix:** What did you do to her there? How did you change her?
* **Glyn:** I changed her from a scared floating whisper, unsure of where she was or what she was. Goblins and orc and gnolls are there “coexisting” and get to kill each other and battle over and over until they forget who they are. You don’t just die once, you die over and over and over. You become ….. it makes me sad thinking about it. They turn into husks—
* **Trix**: SHUT UP! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!
* **Glyn:** I told you what I did to her, Trix.
* **Trix:** BULLSHIT. I SAW IT.
* **Glyn:** Saw what?
* **Trix:** You changed her somehow. She wasn’t Drigglezub anymore and is probably gone. Where is she?
* **Glyn:** In the Abyss, where I left her.
* **Trix:** You KNOW what you did but you won’t tell me!
* **Glyn:** I saved Drigglezub from a fate worse than death. Brought her to a much more preferable place and made her feel comfort and safety for god knows how long.
* **Bogtooth:** Don’t you know Trix is strong enough to have brought her back to life? He did it to Pix and was gonna do it to you.
* **Trix:** Glyn, I would have brought you back if I could.
* **Glyn:** So you couldn’t…I came her by myself.
* **Trix:** Yeah.

* **Pyrite:** You’re a fucking DEMON. STOP leaving everything out!
* **Trix:** She was in unimaginable pain, I SAW it. Just TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED! Do you lack any empathy at all?
* **Pyrite:** Can I geas him, Lady Dulcinea?
* **Glyn:** I reject that, Lady Dulcinea.
* **Dulcinea:** I cannot compromise his usefulness, my darling. Once he is gone, you can do whatever you want. I don’t care.

* **Trix:** In hell…when I had the trial. I made Graz’zt —
* **Glyn:** You don’t HAVE to tell them, Trix—
* **Trix:** As I said, Graz’zt was my lawyer and at the end, he um….he wanted to make a deal with the devils for…..my soul in exchange for…..a number of other goblin souls.
* **Pyrite:** Fuck him.
* **Bogtooth:** Are these your terms or his, Trix?
* **Trix:** Well, I—
* D**ulcinea:** They’re here! We’re under attack! Bogtooth! I can keep you safe, you don’t have to go out there!

* **Dulcinea:** My darling, you do not seem stable right now. I don’t have to put you near him, but I can keep you safe.
* **Pyrite**: I have to be near him.
* **Dulcinea:** Oh GOOD! You’re getting along!