Session 51 - Drogan Gets The Munchies
Wed 10th Nov 2021 20:00 - 23:30
In-game timeline: Nightal 17 - Nightal 17 DR1489
Our "Heroes" head along the river for a while, eventually getting within sight of a small clearing, before a stone archway seeming to lead to another cavern beyond. Alwaith spots a couple of tall mushrooms standing before the archway. Surprisingly, for mushrooms, they seem to be smoking and eating.
The party approach the mushrooms, who appear to be standing in a 'fairy circle' of small, green mushrooms, and are swaying slightly. Dwarrow and Devon hang back a bit, while Drogan and Alwaith walk up and greet the mushrooms. The two myconids, who they later find out are named Milo and Philo, are tall, though still medium sized, and are heavily stoned. They, using their telepathic, spore-based conversation, greet the party happily, and offer Alwaith a drag on whatever they are smoking, and a munch on a small, brown cake that they seem to be nibbling on. Alwaith partakes a little, before passing it on to Drogan, who takes a long puff. It's strong stuff and Drogan's attention seems to drift.
Milo and Philo are apparently the guards, though they don't seem to be particularly attentive. They are friendly and welcoming and invite the party to enter into the conclave beyond the arch, though they do mention that the conclave of myconids is currently in a mind-meld together. In fact, they offer that the party may want to join in with the meld.
Devon, in exchange for a puff on their spliff, offers them some of his Goblin Brew ale, which they enthusiastically start to drink, seemingly using tendrils from their hands as 'tongues', or maybe more accurately, 'straws'. Milo and Philo become more inebriated than they already were, but do suddenly remember that weapons are not allowed in the conclave and ask that the party leave their weapons behind. Drogan and Alwaith do so, Devon keeps hold of his main weapons, but leaves a couple of basic daggers as a token of compliance. Dwarrow, still keeping his distance, leaves his weapons on the ground, and proceeds to walk around the fairy ring, trying to avoid the communication spores that Milo and Philo seem to emit as their form of interaction with the group. The dwarf looks a little silly, trying to dodge spores in the air, and mushrooms on the ground, but this only serves to amuse Milo and Philo more.
As the group get past Milo and Philo and head into the cavern beyond, Alwaith, Drogan and Devon start to feel a little… high from their partaking of the smoke and the nibbles (they gain a level of exhaustion). They all enter a large 'cavern within a cavern' to be faced with thousands upon thousands of mushrooms within - all shapes and sizes, and many of them seem to be the same sort of myconid creatures as Milo and Philo. They all seem to be swaying gently in unison and none seem to be paying any attention to the new arrivals.
Devon attempts to move forward towards some 'buildings' within the cavern, trying to avoid touching any of the swaying mushrooms as he does so. He manages to get about 30 feet ahead but then brushes against a mushroom and suddenly he freezes in place, and the others start to see him sway gently in time with the other mushrooms.
Drogan, concerned at what may have happened to his friend, heads towards Devon to try to 'rescue' him, but unfortunately doesn't get very far before the same thing happens to him. Alwaith and Dwarrow see their companions suddenly become almost paralysed in place, but decide that the safest thing is to leave them for now, to stay back and watch and wait to see what happens.
Meanwhile, in the mind-meld….
Drogan and Devon have become part of a cacophony of sound and discussion. It seems the whole conclave of myconids are discussing the recent murder of their leader and sovereign, a myconid named Legion. Murder is unprecedented, and they have no idea what to do about it. Two parties are apparently blaming each other for the murder - both of them were advisors to Legion. Lamellae apparently left a meeting with Legion and the sovereign was very much alive. Celium arrived soon afterwards to find Legion dead on the floor. Lamellae accuses Celium of the murder, Celium accuses Lamellae. The myconid clan have no idea who to appoint as Legion's successor… and who to execute as a murderer. Many of the conclave have no idea who committed the crime, some seem to fall in Celium's camp, and others seem to believe Lamellae.
Noticing the new arrivals in the mind-meld, attentions seems to turn to Drogan and Devon. A single voice is heard in their heads, whilst the myriad of other voices seem to die down. The visitors are asked what they are doing here. When they explain that they are after some bluecap mushrooms, the myconids, after some pause, offer them a trade - the independent "guests" can decide who murdered Legion and therefore which of the advisers should be executed, and which should be promoted to the new sovereign, before the close of day, and in return they shall have their bluecap mushrooms. Devon, and an increasingly stoned and distant Drogan, agree.
The mind-meld is ended, the whole party brought up so speed on what was said, and what they have agreed to do in return for their sought-after mushrooms. A tall myconid named Gill approaches them and offers to act as their liaison for the "investigation".
The party then spend the next few hours looking into the murder. They visit Legion's home and search for clues. They do discover Legion's "pet" - a strange, floating creature named Pootle, and Alwaith almost kills it. Unsurprisingly, it is not particularly willing to talk to them - it is, with good reason, somewhat scared of them. They visit both Lamellae and Celium and "talk to" both of them (in fact, they try to intimidate both of them, but the tactic isn't as effective as they'd hoped since although both myconids are sure of their story, and adament that they did not kill Legion, they are both accepting of their fate should the decision go against them). Drogan re-visits Milo and Philo under the pretence of asking them more questions about the murder, but really only to smoke some more (and get another level of exhaustion for his trouble!). It seems they were 'on guard' outside Legion's place when he was killed and have a bit of information about who visited Legion, though their minds are a little… addled.
We leave our "Heroes" contemplating what they have learned as the deadline approaches for them to make their decision over who is responsible for the murder of Legion. At least the smoking seems to be slowly wearing off, but there's no guarantee Drogan won't go back for more. It seems the fate of two myconids, and of the leadership of the conclave going forward, is in their hands. What could possibly go wrong?!