Session 31-B: Society of Brilliance

## Key Plot Developments

Grazilaxx, some members of the Society of Brilliance, and the heroes strategize in Grazilaxx's sanctuary on the Astral Plane. They learn Dawnbringer was created by the Netherese, an ancient empire of magic-users. Grazilaxx explains faerzress: it's native to the Underdark, but, as chaos magic, its effects are exacerbated by demons (especially demon lords). Its prevalence destabilizes magic with potentially explosive consequences.

Grazilaxx wants the heroes to go to Gracklstugh and stop Glyn; if Glyn is gaining power there, and a demon lord is manipulating him, then the long-term ripple effects could destabilize the whole Underdark. He also mentions why he wants to restore Giggles. Rotgut, their uncle, was supposed to look into evidence of faerzress's interaction with chronomancy--specifically, to find the chronomantic machine in the middle of the Labyrinth--but disappeared. Giggles was supposed to follow up with Rotgut, but, according to Y, was mind-broken in Anna's garden (by the Lord of Deception, Grazilaxx believes).

Grazilaxx went to Anna's garden, preparing to take Giggles, but found it abandoned. He thought they've moved to Gracklstugh so he appointed Skriss, a troglodyte (the final member of the SOB) to monitor Gracklstugh. He wants to defeat Glyn, defeat Anna, retrieve Giggles, use Dawnbringer to restore Giggles, and get information about Rotgut from Giggles.

Grazilaxx privately interviews the heroes, seeing who has the capacity to wield Dawnbringer against Glyn in a potentially emotionally difficult battle. Pix is hesitant, but might have what it takes to protect the rest of the family. Misu tells Grazilaxx that Glyn will likely kill her on sight, so she shouldn't wield the sword. Grazilaxx speaks to Shuushar, who inadvertently reveals the extent of Trix's depression. Grazilaxx fears that Trix's emotionally fraught, unhealthy state will be used against the team during the battle with the Lord of Deception, so he speaks with Trix privately.

Grazilaxx gets Trix's consent to probe his thoughts, and almost takes psychic damage from the deluge of Trix's guilt, shame, and depression. Trix has been suppressing his grief since before the destruction of Sloobludop. The mind flayer encourages Trix to share this burden with his family instead of letting it fester, since he seems it as a liability in the battle to come. He also lets Trix know about his own experience; his mind flayer pod, controlled by an elder brain named Cyrog, was destroyed when Orcus, lord of undeath, was summoned to the Underdark. Orcus killed the elder brain, revived it, and used it to dominate many mind flayers. Grazilaxx knew how easy it would be to become a thrall of Orcus, but decided to fight against the demonic incursion instead.

Nomi, Pix, and Trix later have a conversation about family and grief. Trix is mildly more inclined to share his feelings. The group begins to pass around Misu's intelligence-enhancing circlet (taking the time to un- and re-attune it, which flows differently on the Astral Plane). They plan to isolate Glyn from Miss Anna and take them out one by one. Glyn has been victimized by the Lord of Deception, who has done everything possible to poison the well and isolate him from his family. The battle is unlikely to return Glyn to their side; that will require months or even years of real work to undo what the expert manipulator has done.

Finally, the plan is formed: Tremble will send a message to Glyn to draw him out of the city. Half of the group will deal with Glyn while the other half attacks Anna. Nomi wants to be involved; she begs them not to go back to Blingdenstone so soon. It's apparent that she, like Trix, is trying to avoid processing grief.

Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. "SPECIAL DELIVERY!" croaks a Vrock. The creature begins swelling oddly as it bursts into the sanctuary; before it can explode, Trix banishes it.

Clearly, they're not safe; Nicholas Ice Cream must be aware of their plan. Striking quickly is now important. Grazilaxx teleports the whole group close to Gracklstugh, where they meet the easy-going final SOB member: Skriss. Skriss updates them on the goings-on: both the Deepqueen and her council have been killed, the Gracklstugh vaults have been plundered, Glyn now looks--different? Scarred?--and Anna is growing a crystal tower in the middle of the city. The necklaces are spreading like wildfire and the city is currently fighting for new leadership. If the heroes don't do something, Glyn and Anna will take complete control of one of the oldest cities in the Underdark.

## New NPCs

1. Skriss, troglodyte member of the Society of Brilliance

## Memorable Quotations

* **Grazilaxx:** Let’s pool our resources. Of course, I understand that I am still an illithid and have expressed my desire to eat more brains.
* **Trix:** And erase our minds.
* **Grazilaxx:** Yes, I could do that too.

**Pix;** My family...Trix and Tremble...they mean everything to me. We’ve experienced a lot of hardship. We saw our parents killed in front of us. If Glyn threatens the safety of one of my brothers, I’m gonna do what I have to do.

* **Tremble**: I’d probably be dead if you weren't my bro in the first place!
* **Trix:** Thanks...I’m happy. It seems like you did a really good job while I was gone.

**Nomi:** My family has always been small. When our mother and father passed, it was just me and Norbo. For many years. We took care of each other. We would have moved mountains for each other. But you understand that, don’t you?

* **Grazilaxx:** The goblins in your charge are children--
* **Misu:** They ARE? They told me they were full grown adults! I bought them ALCOHOL!

**Tremble:** I dunno if Bogtooth knows how to read maps. Or read normally, for that matter.

* **Grazilaxx:** You have been though more turmoil than perhaps any child has experienced--in the history of your species. And it seems as though your power only grows as you suffer trauma after trauma. I want to understand it.
* **Trix:** You wanna…feel...that? You wanna feel what it’s like in my head? It might end up feeling like a ticking time bomb. What does it matter if I’m okay?
* **Grazilaxx:** Because if you’re not okay, the rest of THEM will not be okay. And the mission will fail.

**Trix/Max**: As Grazilaxx peers into Trix’s mind and looks for the things that are weighing Trix down...he sees that Trix feels relieved that his family is together. That they would do better without him. Every time they've been together, every time he's been there--it only has led to more terror in their lives. He got them back together only to send them away. After hearing Pix talk about how she’d have trouble doing what needs to be done with Glyn, Trix feels ashamed that he WOULD be able to do what needs to be done with Glyn. And that he sees Glyn as...lost. He doesn't know if anybody he speaks with is telling the truth. Is GOD even real? Is anyone else cursed? He thinks of the shame and feelings of helplessness from being captured and tortured by the drow. He feels like his existence with the family puts them all in danger because he knows, at any point, his life will be forfeit. He thinks they could be the punishment for Trix’s broken soul. He puts Shuushar in danger every day. He feels a sense of remorse about how he treated his family in the past. He feels shame for Pelor and why he gave him these clerical abilities in the first place. And, in the core, Trix’s fear and shame focuses on what will happen to him at the end of all of this. What will become of him in the next 40 days?

* **Trix:** They were so happy...you know...when I was gone. They made all sorts of friends and became heroes. It seemed like they were having a really good time. I just didn't want to ruin that. Ya know?
* **Grazilaxx**: I might.

**Misu:** This circlet I'm wearing helps me a lot.

**Tremble**: That circlet--does it make you feel pretty? [He puts on the intelligence-boosting item.] Now I feel pretty. Beautiful is more like it! I feel stunning! Dazzling! Radiant!

**Y:** GOT IT! I’m not gonna interrupt Grazilaxx! COOL AS A CUCUMBER!

**Misu** (after hearing Tremble speak without wearing her circlet): Neat!

**Nomi:** I can’t go back to the city, Tremble. I CAN’T. I smile and I try to make everyone else around me smile. And it works….sometimes. But when I’m alone, my heart feels like it’s being squeezed by a fist of stone. It hurts. It PHYSICALLY hurts. And the more I think about it, the tighter it feels. And this anger wells up inside of me and I don’t know what to do with it. When I close my eyes, all I can see is Norbo’s face, his mouth open to scream but there is nothing but silence!

**Vrock:** Special deliveryyyyy!

**Skriss:** Yeah, Glyn is lookin' a little f\*cked up! I've been catchin' some sneak peaks. He hasn’t really been looking around to see if anyone’s watching him, so it’s been easy to catch them sneak peeks.