Episode 21

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Plot Summary
Nitsuj finds himself in the hellscape with Thaul Alhoon. The demon explains that him being here with Nitsuj is his punishment for something that happened long ago. When Nitsuj starts to ask questions, he awakens to find himself in the Dungeon surrounded by gnomes. Kelrek is impatient for the last soul and has possessed Nitsuj to break him down here. The gnomes are terrified of him because his eyes were black and his dagger was drawn. Nitsuj illusions his eyes black again and asks if any of the gnomes deserve to die.

A gnome with a tophat says that the other gnomes should have paid him money to prevent this from happening. An old female gnome says that no one needs to die. A gnome named Jeffrey suggests killing the old lady, who turns out to be his grandmother. Another gnome suggests killing Elb Gabber’s man in the top hat. Nitsuj turns to the guards and demands help. He puts the knife away and tries to convince them he’s in his right mind. He asks them which gnome has the darkest heart. Jeffrey says that his ex, Steven, has the darkest heart, which summons him and the two have a heated argument.

Nitsuj leaves to get water. He dunks his head in the well for a moment of quiet, but Kelrek yells that he’s not patient. He has a long internal debate about what to do. He asks the group if anyone would be willing to sacrifice themselves, but everyone is confused. When Kelrek demands he choose someone, Nitsuj retorts that Kelrek should choose. At that moment, he loses control of his body and his eyes lock on an infant. Nitsuj agrees to choose.

The gnomes are more scared now. Elb Gabber’s man (Camo Crocs) offers to take care of Nitsuj for 200g and someone drops a sock of gold. The old gnome, Lucille, hits him with a frying pan, calling him a pansy-bottom. Camo pulls a dagger, but Nitsuj goes invisible. As Camo tries to find him, Nitsuj stabs him with the dagger. Jeffrey hits himself with a rock, breaking his own toe. Left Hook Lucille whacks him again with the frying pan.

The hand that dropped the bag extends again, but this time its skin disappears. It is a shadow demon (character drop) and attacks Jeffrey. Nitsuj is able to deflect the attack with a counterspell and tells the demon that if it harms any of the gnomes, Nitsuj will kill himself. The demon agrees to wait. Nitsuj and Camo agree to battle one on one. The guards escort Lucille and Jeffery away from the fight. Lucille tries to throw her frying pan to Jeffrey, but he can’t catch it and it hits him right in the face, knocking him to the ground.

The shadow demon knocks the gnome mother out and takes the baby into its arms. Nitsuj is horrified, but continues to attack Camo Crocs. The guard, Gary, won’t let Lucille see her grandson, so he gets a stern talking to. The shadow demon taunts Nitsuj with the baby. Jeffrey goes to his grandmother and gives the frying pan back. Nitsuj is finally able to finish off Camo: soul six.

Kelrek calls out for Nitsuj to reveal the book. He places the blade next to a page and the power from the blade is drained into the book. The pages begin to fly about the room and the leather skin of the book grows. All of the torches turn from a red flame to a grey one. The room gets cold. Arms and horns and teeth all grow from the book; a massive creature forms: Kelrek. He grabs Nitsuj by the head and imbues him with dark power. Shouting “I own you,” Kelrek leaps straight into the air, through the ground and up through Copperforge as explosions rock the city. The shadow demon picks up the gnome baby and flies away.

Nitsuj put his hand on Camo, hoping to use his new power to resurrect him. Camo is revived, but as an undead. Nitsuj dispatches him again with a dagger. The other gnomes are confused about what just happened. Nitsuj takes the bag of gold and gives it to the mother who is hysterical about losing her baby. He casts invisibility and just wanders around the city, eventually making it back to his residence with Bubo, which is empty.

Back in the market, Starheart heals Bubo and then the party goes to rest at the Tequila Mockingbird. Starheart draws a picture of Bubo and gives it to him as an apology for missing the battle. Nitsuj finds the party at the tavern and invisibly grabs a beer to drink. He thinks he caused the explosions by releasing Kelrek. Ora explains that the explosions were caused by bombs left by a doppelganger. He’s still upset because he released the demon but did not get the full power he wanted.

At that moment, a tiefling bard named Morthos (character drop) walks in strumming a lute. He travels where the stories happen and something told him to be in Copperforge today. He was right, there were explosions and a demon. He has a feeling that the four of them will be very involved. Starheart pays him 2 copper to make a song about Nitsuj and how much she hates him. Morthos sings a sarcastic song about Nitsuj the wise and then departs, saying that he will see them all soon.

Nitsuj is still depressed about his actions. He fears he will always have to serve Kelrek. He explains to the group that he got his resurrection powers but that the people come back as undead. Houn is super uncomfortable, but Bubo cheers him up that his tavern is famous now that Morthos has been here. Nitsuj pops back into visibility and Ora tells him to stop moping about and fix the issue. He’s still deflated.

Fizz Binkle and Klaxxon are repairing the discs. The dead are being sent to the Peak level for funeral rites later. Jerrot Valmir is healing people where he can. While the party debates what to do, Starheart storms off as Nitsuj regurgitates all the alcohol he has drunk. Eldin arrives with a bound cultist for Nitsuj to kill. Since he’s not needed, Ora convinces Eldin to take him and subtract one from the 100 he’s owed. Bubo chases after Starheart and convinces her that they need her.

They all head to the Live Gate. The Central disc has been fully repaired. Bask approaches them and wants to join them outside. Bubo and Starheart want Bask to prove his sneakiness. Bubo wants him to acquire a piece of artwork that resembles Bubo. When Bask balks at that, Bubo suggests getting a dagger from a guard. He returns after a few minutes with a dagger and framed painting of Bubo’s face. As Bubo takes it, the painting bites him because it is a mimic (character drop). As Bubo attacks it, the mimic stops biting and licks him. Realizing it is hungry, Bubo feeds it some rations. Content, it changes into A piece of armor and stays on his arm. Starheart names it Chomps.

With Bask in tow, the party exits the Live Gate. There are horses ready for them. The heartbeasts scout ahead and spot the caravan a few miles away. As they ride for thirty minutes, Bask asks about the assassin’s contract on him that Ora mentioned earlier. She says that no one has taken it out yet, to his relief. As soon as they come into view of the caravan, they spot the red crate that contains the silverblood ore.

However, a large stone crushes the horse leading the caravan. It was thrown by a stone giant (monster drop). They race to the caravan as the giant eats the horse. The people in the cart are trying to fight the giant, but it ignores them. Bubo, distracted by the arrival of Paragon Tinytoes (character drop), breaks his bow. Ora tries to blast the giant, but Nitsuj counterspells it, saying they should talk to it first. Starheart, remembering some of her conversations with Kab, talks to the giant, trading her flask for a piece of horse flesh. She tries to convince him to be friends, but the people in the cart keep attacking, drawing the giant’s ire.

Paragon Tinytoes rides in but misses the giant. Bubo’s mimic tries to form into a bow, but can’t quite get it right. Ora, having been granted giant speak by Nitsuj, offers her horse to the giant in exchange for peace. The giant cleanly preps the horse to make a meal for everyone. When Tinytoes continues to attack, the giant throws Starheart at him. She knocks him off his horse and lands on top of him. She says that she saved him and kissed him on the nose. Tinytoes gets super embarrassed and offers her his sweaty handkerchief as a token. Starheart says for him to meet her at the Tequila Mockingbird.

Ora speaks to the giant and learns that he has been conscripted into Kurluk’s army. He agrees to return to the city with them. His name is Fel. Starheart debates breeding the cyclops and the giant, but she’s informed that both are male. Bubo recovers his bow as they head back to the city with the cart and silverblood. They realize that this amount of silverblood is worth an imaginable amount of gold.

Fun Moments
Justin wasn’t aware that the other players were going to be playing the gnomes he was going to have to kill.

Andrew’s gnome character Jeffrey suggests his ex, Steven, has the darkest heart when Nitsuj asks.

Ora’s gnome character is named Camo Crocs, after Justin’s literally camo crocs.

Deva asks what distinguishes the two Quai-Lir apart, prompting more gentle ribbings about racism.

Chat names the ever present cricket Chirpy McChirpface.

When Deva tries to talk to the stone giant, she speaks loud and slow, the universal language.

Chat and the cast go crazy when Starheart kisses Tinytoes.