The Curse of Strife is the tenth episode of The Re-Slayer's Take. With Timpani's brain turned to scramblies, Poogs is forced to take the Re-Slayers to the one place he never wanted to return: Home.
Synopsis[]
The Re-Slayers move through the Utesspire Mountains feeling observed, while keeping Timpani with them. Poogs tells his friends to be careful, since there are landsharks in the area, and when Frog asks him about his home, he admits the only possible creature he missed there was his pet skull spider. He shares a bit of his story with the Curse of Strife, and following his example, Idrin also talks about his family's own experience with the Curse of ruin and consecution. Eventually they arrive through a tunnel to the doors of the settlement, which they open combining Idrin's Unseen Servant and Vortex Warp spells. They encounter a lot of goblins, and although Poogs fears an attack at first, he realizes that they are all friendly, and that the place has been renamed Hug Hive.
They find Freedom Windsong, the doctor Poogs used to work with, who greets them warmly and agrees to help Timpani, diagnosing him with mindfire, an effect of the Contagion spell. After leaving the firbolg in a place where they will treat him for the next few hours (and where they greet Poogs' spider skull), Freedom guides them to an underground waterfall, showing them a monument representing a goblin hand holding a cupcake. Freedom explains to Poogs that when the latter ran away one year before, he was ordered to find him, and saw him in the distance preparing a cupcake and giving it to Timpani, asking for nothing in return. That kind act caused such an impression on freedom that it broke the Curse of Strife, and he dedicated the following months to show kindness and break the curse of others like him. Following the doctor's recommendation, the adventurers meditate in that place for a little bit, gaining a magical boon, and then they return to the Hug Hive. After checking that Timpani is still been taken care of, the group shares a meal, and Poogs mentions to his friends that a long time ago the Slayer's Take defeated a mind flayer in the area. They become very concerned by this, and after asking around, they confirm that the remains of the aberration used to be present in the entrance until a week ago; shortly after, they all receive a psychic attack as a voice tells them in their minds "Make peace with each other while you can. I'm coming soon".
Featured characters[]
"Re-Slayers"[]
Returning[]
New[]
- Freedom Windsong, a goblin doctor
- Jaffe, a goblin and Freedom's assistant
- Poogs' pet skull spider
Mentioned[]
- Jaffe, Heera's calf companion
- The Luxon
Quotations[]
Trivia[]
References[]
Art:
- ↑ Re-Slayer's Take promotional art, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
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