Session 51-A: A Special Boy

## Key Plot Developments

23 days remain before Zuggtmoy’s wedding. The group walks through the maze.

Lemon wants to be a goblin, but not if it tickles. Tremble and Briar talk about the latter’s druidic tools; Briar, bonding with Tremble, agrees. Bogtooth and Pix speak with Dawnbringer.

Gash says there are 30 miles left before the filthriddens, a hovel full of Yeenoghu (the bestest boy’s) worshippers. The group worries Yeenoghu’s violent followers will kill Gash on sight, so they ask Gash about what he knows concerning Yeenoghu. Gash idolizes Yeenoghu and doesn’t understand the concept of a ‘demon lord.’

Rotgut and Trix attempt to bridge their generational divide by discussing progressive ideas of what it means to be a goblin and relate to other groups. Rotgut thinks they should give Gash some of Skriss’s weed to mellow him out (they do) and tells a story about another goblin to illustrate why Gash, a potential liability, should be left in the filthriddens.

As they approach the gnoll town, they see ragged humans and gnolls worshipping at an altar of Yeenoghu (with severed minotaur heads). Gash is inclined to join them in worship, but Briar gives him flowers (and Pix gives him cookies) to lead him away from the obviously unhinged group. They bypass the filthriddens.

As they come within a few miles of the maze engine, they finally encounter the group of modrons they saw near Blingdenstone all those weeks ago (and their leader, a Duodrone, which looks like an inverted pyramidal robot). The bedraggled machines explain their purpose: they’re here to destroy or fix the maze engine, a malfunctioning orderer. The goblins promise to help them, leaving their modron companion behind, and proceed.

Finally, Gash smells something in the air—and he smiles. He’s excited. The others hear the yipping and barking of gnolls in the distance. Gash, overwhelmed with joy, runs ahead, screaming that Yeenoghu, his god, is here.

The group cautiously follows Gash, worried about his wellbeing but not willing to expose themselves to danger—and they finally encounter the lord of gnolls, Yeenoghu.

As they see from their high vantage point, Yeenoghu is in a lower floor, effortlessly and joyfully slaughtering a goristro demon (a huge, bull-like creature). He’s surrounded by gnoll cultists, who shriek with delight at his display of strength. Gash rushes towards Yeenoghu, asking for headpats—and the other gnolls, bloodlusted and ravenous, eat him before he can get there.

Yeenoghu turns to his followers, giving them headpats. He reaches Gash’s remains, pulls out his innards, and uses them as treats—even using his limbs for impromptu games of fetch.

The scene drives some of the goblin gang to madness. Briar throws all caution to the wind and descends on the demon lord, trying to get the goristro’s heart (one of the ritual’s ingredients) and Yeenoghu's blood (another one of the ingredients) to the goblins.  When the pixie fails to cut out the heart, he gives one last look to the goblins. He sees Trix, Tremble, Pix, and Bogtooth—those whom he has entrusted to enact vengeance on the demons. Before he can give his final words, Yeenoghu tears him apart.

Bogtooth is invisible. Rotgut, Pix, and Trix run away. Yeenoghu takes a moment to comfort one of his gnolls (hurt by Briar) before drinking in the goblins’ scent. The Beast of Butchery has new prey.

## Memorable Quotes

* **Lemon:** You know I am a very handsome ooze—this, I am certain of. But I often wonder what it would be like if it was my braaaain? But in a different body. Or if I was like Ralph.
* **Trix:** Do you wanna be a goblin?
* **Lemon:** Yes! Can you do a miracle so that I can be a goblin forever?
* **Trix:** I can’t do it forever, but I can make it happen for a little bit.
* **Lemon:** Will it tickle?
* **Trix:** I dunno? It might? I’ve only ever been a plant before..
* **Lemon:** I’m very ticklish. It can’t tickle..
* **Trix:** Are you willing to risk it?
* **Lemon:** ….No. When you’re sure that it won’t tickle, then I’ll be ready to become a goblin.
* **Trix:** Okay, deal.

* **Tremble:** Um, Mr. Briar, sir? I noticed the tools on your belt and well, um, my mentor who was an artificer had tools on her belt, and well, I don’t have tools, but I was wondering if I could possibly borrow your tools so that I could make my own tools so that then I’ll have some tools!
* **Briar:** ….I understand perfectly…here.
* **Tremble:** Oh! Good! I thought that I would have to explain it to you again because it was a little confusing ya know?
* **Briar:** Your looping language soothes me.

* **Pix:** Hey Dawnbringer…
* **Dawnbringer:** Yeah?
* **Pix**: Do ya have any tips about demons?
* **Bogtooth:** Yeah, there’s a ton of demons down here.
* **Dawnbringer:** Remember you have the holy sword of riotousness and all that is good and when you believe in yourself and those around you, you can never fail.
* **Bogtooth:** That was a sick fucking pep-talk, Dawnbringer!

* **Briar:** As the crow flies?
* **Gash:** Wat?
* **Briar:** As the …gnoll leaps?

**Gash:** We go to the town of gnolls? We go there. Followers of the Bestest Boi. We go, get pats!

**Gash:** You tell them that Gash is good and did not do the betray. Pleesh? Pleesh?

* **Briar:** He wants to go to some filthy place and—
* **Trix:** Are you being…racist right now?
* **Briar:** No! It’s called the filthriddens!

* **Briar:** You want to indoctrinate him into your weird goblin religion?
* **Trix:** Now you ARE being racist!
* **Rotgut:** OI! Don’t be racist in front of the children, alright?

* **Trix:** Gash, do you know what Yeenoghu is?
* **Gash:** Yeah.
* **Briar:** The gooiest boi?
* **Gash:** Yesh!
* **Briar:** But beyond that?
* **Gash:** Oh! Tall!

**Gash:** And so we get the head pats from Yeenoghu, Yeenoghu!

**Rotgut:** While we’ve been here in the Underdark, we’ve come to understand that we shouldn’t hate people just based on how they look.

* **Tremble:** Having the cloak on may make you feel sneakier, but it doesn’t actually make you any sneakier (The More You Know!).
* **Trix:** Wow, thanks, Tremble! I’ve really learned a lot today!

* **Briar:** Well, I have this weed here…..
* **Gash:** Flowers? For eat? So many taste…

* **Pix:** Nooo--we don’t wanna talk to those people.
* **Gash:** No we don’t… do we?
* **Pix:** Want some cookies?
* **Gash:** Gash likes cookies.

* **Monodrones:** Primus would certainly see to our return.
* **Pix: I**’ve been to Elysium.
* **Monodrones:** It is not to our liking.

* **Monodrones:** Left right left right optimal optimal optimal optimal optimal—

**Rotgut:** Right now, if they’re our meal ticket, that meal is to go!

**Gash:** Gotta get the pats! Gotta get the pats from the bestest boi!

* **Briar:** Why would Graz’zt give you blood?
* **Trix:** Cause he’s a piece of shit and would probably use it to fuck us some other way!

**Yeenoghu:** PLAY!

**Yeenoghu:** Roll over!

**Yeenoghu:** Treat? Treat! For share!

* **Briar:** LET’S GET SOME BLOOD!
* **Yeenoghu:** No, thank you. SIT.

**Yeenoghu:** New game…