Episode 174 - The Wrongest We Ever Got It

Inside of the purple worm is a tribe of mushroom people. And a split second decision gets made.

## **Story**

This especially giant purple worm has a whole tribe of mushroom people living in an enclosure inside of it, and Old Man Weck is here? Even though he's a part of King Titus Harper's council, something's not adding up. He tells the party that he was on the way to Aludra's wedding. And then very vaguely tells them he ended up inside the worm as a natural risk of traveling the lands of Drunkeros before immediately turning the conversation around into how tired they look and how welcoming the mushroom people are and how they should eat up and all get some sleep because the party looks exhausted. One of the mushroom people named Shiitake assures them through their form of telepathic communication that they should be able to rest in safety.

After everyone falls asleep, Old Man Weck wakes Harper and outside of the shack he tells his king why he is really here. Ashayara Dayne sent him to deliver a message. News has come from Galanthis, the secretive high elf city that even King Harper has never been to, is shrinking. Magic is being siphoned from it and no one knows why. Ashayara Dayne wants him to come home and use his resources as king of Pelor's Hope to save her homeland. In the morning, Harper decides to reveal this newest information to the rest of the group and wants to confirm with Aludra that she currently does not want to return to Deephome. She tells him that her concern is for Jaela and how they still don't have any way to really clear her name, so she agrees.

Harper tells the group that he found a book within the mushroom enclosure where he's learned a new spell that can take them immediately back to Pelor's Hope. He instructs Old Man Weck to draft up some official papers saying that Jaela is not the murderer, Aludra and the Wyrmsbanes did not plan Baldur's death, Pelor's Hope still sides with the good people of Deephome but will not support any action against the Wyrmsbane family or Jaela. And that also have a strong suspicion that some shadowy organization is trying to rile up various cities including Wood Elf City and Deephome, and to sent copies to all the major houses, Calsten perhaps, and Pyre.

Just as Harper is ready to Teleport the whole party, ready to leave the purple worm and return to Pelor's Hope, the "ceiling" is split open and three figures appear that Harper recognizes as mind flayers. The mushroom people scream in terror and nearby one of them cries out concern for the children. Harper looks to each of his companions, torn between returning home to tackle the quest of saving him wife's homeland or staying to save these mushroom people. Aludra exudes compassion, but Jaela is ready to leave, and so is Jett, who also gives one a lick before heading out. Harper to complete the spell. Harper knows he can transport two more people than the four of them, Kipper, and Old Man Weck, and so in a split decision decides to take two of the mushroom children with him.

In Paelor's Hope, the mushroom babies ask if they're now in heaven, and asks where their mom is. Aludra learns their names are Ralphie and Edgar and tries to comfort them all the while Jett, who is now high from licking the mushroom person as they left, keeps on insisting they should eat the kids. And speaking of kids. Bucky! He's still in Deephome, and Old Man Weck reminds them that a civil war is brewing over there. Jett tries to slip away and Harper sets guards to keep on eye out for Jett to make sure no harm comes to Ralphie and Edgar.

Then they go forth and are introduced to Ashayara Dayne before deciding what their next steps will be.

## **Trivia**

* Ralphie is only two weeks old.
* The mushroom people are about Labrador-sized.
* In a lucid moment, Jett remembers a spell he had forgotten that he knew, and Harper grants him access to the reagentalist.

## **In This Episode...**

### **Cast and Player Characters**

* Michael DiMauro - *Dungeon Master*
* Jennifer Cheek - Aludra Wyrmsbane
* Mike Bachmann - Jett Razor
* Nika Howard - Jaela
* Tim Lanning - King Titus Harper

### **Non-Player Characters**

* Kipper
* Old Man Weck
* Mushroom People
	+ Ralphie
	+ Edgar
	+ Shiitake

### **Locations**

* Pelor's Hope
* Underdark
	+ Purple Worm
		- Mushroom Hut

### **Inventory Updates**

* +2 Forcefully adopted mushroom babies
* +A Handful of Silver Spoons and other reagents

### **Quest Log Updates**

* [NEW] [Abandoned] - Save the mushroom home from the mind flayers
* [NEW] ~~[Secret]~~ - Save the shrinking high elf city of Galanthis
* [Active] - Discover the identity of the Animal Mask Assassins
* [Active] - Clear Jaela's Name

### **Quotes**

**"Your mommy's not gone, *you're* gone!"** ~ *Aludra Wyrmsbane*

## **Rolls**

* **Recap**
	+ Jennifer - 1
	+ Tim - 9
	+ Bachmann - (unknown)
	+ Nika - (unknown)

* Harper - **Insight Check** to confirm the identity of Old Man Weck
	+ 11 - He seems like Old Man Weck.

* Aludra - **Perception Check** to confirm the identity of Old Man Weck
	+ 15 - He seems fine.

* Harper - **Arcana Check** into the identity of the new magical monsters that have appeared
	+ 20 - Recognizes them almost instantly as mind flayers

* DM - **Odds or Evens** for whether or not Jett Razor is tripping after licking the mushroom
	+ Odd - Jett Razor is tripping balls