25-B: What's Left Tomorrow (Act II)

## Key Plot Developments

The Pudding King has been destroyed. The goblins are emotionally and physically exhausted and overwhelmed as they reflect on their hard-won victory. Pix is appreciative of Bogtooth's arcane power (his ability to access the Sunlight spell gem was the key to the Pudding King's defeat). Tremble, who barely survived disintegration, collapses. Pix rushes to her brother's aid and gives her food from Tappy's inn. Bogtooth inspects the king's remains and discovers two spell-books.

They return to Blingdenstone. The ghosts, earth elementals, gnomes, and wererats worked together to rout the oozes, but at great cost to the small city's infrastructure; most homes are destroyed and the catacombs have collapsed. Dozens have died, but hundreds more would have been devoured if not for the Bogteam. Nomi Pathshutter greets the group; one of her arms has been mangled in the fight (when she tried to initially command the earth elementals, the Rockblight's wrath caused it to turn on her and attack). Norbo, her brother, is dead; he was helping to evacuate civilians from the town's center when the oozes descended upon him.

They return to Tappy's inn and see that he has opened up several small spaces around the area for refugees to easily access food (completing Bogtooth's mandate to start a fast-food restaurant). He hails them as heroes of the city and offers them his presidential suite. Stool Team Five celebrates the team's return and laments the death of those the oozes consumed; as myconids who believe in a cycle of fertility and rebirth, the purely destructive qualities of oozes repel them.

The group finally sleeps. Pix is visited by a figure in the shape of Jimjar. The figure refuses to say his true name and says he's appearing in Jimjar's form to put her at ease. He shows Pix an image of the goblins during their early days with Spindlelegs by Brindinford and celebrates her noble deeds. She doesn't know if she trusts him, but she appreciates his taste in music and clear love for flowery prose.

Bogtooth awakens with some fresh dirt next to his mouth (Stool Team Five has gifted him with top-quality soil). The group goes downstairs and sees a group of gnomes and wererats eating--both greatly harmed by the ooze attack, but helping each other make their way through the food line. Pix speaks to Kazook Pickshine, who promises to get them top-quality weapons and armor at a reduced rate because of their heroism. Chief Chipgrin meets with Bogtooth and praises his leadership during the war; he also gives him a stone of summoning earth elementals. Pix entertains the bar's patrons and raises spirits with an original composition (*The Oozes Came to Blingdenstone*).

Tremble travels around the city and finds Mev Flintknapper, who has been restored to a younger age and been granted renewed vitality from Priest Gunrik. Mev thanks Tremble for his service and gives him a medal of honor earned in Blingdenstone's defense; now that he's young, he has more time to re-earn his laurels.

Tremble visits Priest Gunrik and they speak about Jimjar. Jimjar, the son of a wererat and gnome, challenged the city's orthodoxy and called out their xenophobia. When he was unable to enact systemic change and alter attitudes from within the city, he left. Priest Gunrik explains how Tremble mirrors Jimjar's indefatigable spirit.

Billie Geo "Rocky" Kill-Crusher, who Pix no longer fears may be controlled by the Rockblight, assists other earth elementals with the clean-up and reconstruction of Blingdenstone. Stool Team Five offers to put dirt in the tavern's drinks (inadvertently inventing a variant of boba). Tappy makes an offhand reference to a former patron of the bar (he doesn't know it, but he's describing the unfortunately murdered Pelek).

Tremble tries to find Reina Rocktooth's spirit in the city, but the catacombs collapsed during the war. Helpless, he offers up loud prayers and promises to find Jimjar and bring him back. An unexpected voice cuts him off, demanding he divert his attention from his missing mentor and towards his missing family: it's Y!

## Memorable Quotations

* **Tremble:** This is a good time to mention that you're touching my broken ribs.
* **Pix:** Hey, I know what'll make you feel better. Tappy gave us these really good cupcakes.
* **Tremble:** Who's Tappy?
* **Pix:** The innkeeper at the place we've been staying at? Swell guy, swell guy.
* **Tremble:** But--ow.
* **Pix:** Don't say stuff. You were dust a moment ago.
* **Tremble:** Do I look dusty?
* **Bogtooth:** Does he look dusty, Pix?

**Tappy:** It is a faster way to serve comestibles! Of course, we must never sacrifice quality for speed.

**Stool Team Five:** Oozes are repugnant. They consume and destroy. There can be no growth or rebirth.

* **Pix:** What's your name?
* **Mysterious Man:** I cannot say. That'd be giving away the game.
* **Pix:** Well, always ask for forgiveness instead of permission.
* **Mysterious Man:** Hey, that's a good one! I have one for you. All that glitters is not gold.

**Tappy:** Would you like our presidential suite? I just made up that word right now. In my language, we have a term--'presadonshi.' It means 'really big.'

* **Tremble:** My arm is okay now. And my head doesn't hurt. Neat!
* **Bogtooth:** I told you! All you need is a good night's rest post-death and you're good!
* **Tremble:** Yeah, but you're usually wrong, so I doubted you.

**Bogtooth**: I am NOT short. I'm presidential!

**Kazook:** Oooh. Franchising! What a great idea. And now, we have trademarked it!

**Tremble:** You shouldn't have to do nice things for people just so that they'll thank you. You should do it to be a good person.

* **Chipgrin:** I got something for you. Something to give you, chief to chief.
* **Bogtooth:** Don't mention it, chief.
* **Chipgrin:** That's not our way. We're gonna mention it again and again.

**Pix:** *The oozes came to Blingdenstone, and we destroyed them. Desired to use betrayal sewn, and we destroyed them. The small and many fought and won, what great friends we’ve become; the oozes came to Blingdenstone, and we destroyed them. Little goblins! Beams of light! The heroes said no to death’s delight! Many died, our hearts are heavy, but never gone; they live in song and mem’ory!*

**Mev:** The priest said I could be as young as I wanted. It's been the honor of my life to serve my people, and the honor of my life has been extended. I'll give you this. It's a brooch I earned in Blingdenstone's defense. I'll earn myself a new one. I have decades left to do the work I love.

**Gunrik:** Jimin was sympathetic to all--duergar, kuo-toa, even drow. You remind me very much of him.

**Tappy:** Yeah, there was this oddball who'd come here, get a table for one, and just stare around. What was his name? Pelor? Pielstick? Peelik? I can't remember.

* **Pix:** Would you like some dirt tea? As so lovingly given to us by our friend, Stool?
* **Bogtooth:** Sure! It'll be really good for me. Great for my presidential body!

**Tappy:** What if we put the little balls of dark dirt in this tea?

* **Tremble:** Mrs. Rocktooth, are you there? It's okay if you're not. I'm still gonna fulfill my promise.
* **Y:** COOL! BUT I DON'T KNOW HALF THE SHIT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. LISTEN, YOUR FAMILY IS REALLY F\*CKED UP RIGHT NOW!
* **Tremble:** What's happening?!
* **Y:** A LOT OF SHIT!