"The Hungry Cloud" (RTx06) is the sixth episode of The Re-Slayer's Take. The Re-Slayers follow their new friend, Janet (Dominic Monaghan) deeper into the marshes around Josgren's Hollow. They quickly realize the Whispers were only the beginning of their perils.
Synopsis[]
Janet and the rest of the group walk through the marsh and they talk for a bit until they reach the goliath's caravan. He tells them how he witnessed the whisper attack against a traveler group, and how, while he was in jail, he used the Clairvoyance spell to locate their lair; Farah, given her experience with those ghosts so far, theorizes that their origin might be a gibbering mouther the Slayer's Take defeated there decades before. Given the whispers' sensitivity to sound, Janet lends them some instruments: a guitar for Frog, a trombone for Idrin, cimbals for Farah, and a bass for Timpani; Heera decides to take a relic of hers, a ram-like horn, that the bard helps her clean so that she can blow it. As they travel to the whispers' lair Heera tries to make Farah feel better about her age, but the blood hunter admits that she hasn't been too impressive in their most recent fights; in the meantime, Idrin, who has noticed Poogs is jealous of Janet after seeing his connection with Timpani, explains to him that one person can have more than a best friend, and that reassures the goblin.
Eventually they find the altar where the Slayer's Take originally defeated the gibbering mouther, and shortly after, they reach an old boat where all the people kidnapped by the whispers are kept; the area is filled with spores because of some mushrooms, keeping the biggest whisper (a whispering mouther) strong, and creating smaller whispers. They decide to destroy the mushrooms first, and Janet starts making music to distract the whispers, until he himself destroys the last source of spores with Shatter. The whispering mouther becomes angrier and louder as it is attacked, and manages to incapacitate Frog, while the smaller whispers that remain start destroying their own forms to strengthen their leader. Heera goes to Igor, restrained in the boat, and gives him her last Philter of Freedom of Movement, but when the wereboar gets free he falls and gets knocked unconscious. The whispering mouther manages to engulf Janet and knock him unconscious too, and although Timpani heals him and Poogs drags him to safety, Frog, who has approached to help, is left alone, being attacked and terrified to the point she runs towards the water again. Her friends, however, attack the whispering mouther too, and Idrin finishes it off casting Lightning Bolt. When that happens, motes of green light appear and are absorbed by the adventurers' four legendary weapons, making them stronger. Idrin goes to Frog and reassures her, Heera praises Janet, and Poogs confirms all the kidnapped people are alive, so Timpani goes to help them.
Back in Josgren's Hollow they are welcomed by the neighbors, and when Delphine asks if they did it, Heera blows her horn in celebration, spreading joy among the villagers. Vaughn then approaches and tries to take credit for hiring the adventurers, and commutes Janet's sentence; however, Heera speaks to the neighbors and tells them they deserve a better and more fair leader, so Josgren is overthrown while Farah distributes his money equally, except for Janet, to whom she gives a little more as compensation; the goliath receives an apology from Delphine's father, who invites him to stay. They party and play music together, and eventually the Re-Slayer's Take leave with a grateful Igor, who tells them he will speak well of them to the rest of the Slayer's Take, admitting that if it were up to him they would already be official members. Shortly after a seagull arrives, telling Timpani they have a new job, so they start making their way back to Vasselheim, discussing if they should return to their apartment or go to fancier shops for preparation.
Epilogue[]
Days later, Josgren's Hollow has recovered its former glory, and many people visit it to know more about their potions. A group of adventurers adorned with the symbol of the Spectral Hand arrive, expecting the village to look worse and being haunted by whispers; when they understand what has happened, one of them (a human knight) starts worrying about their condition as chosen ones, since another party is doing their good deeds before them. They ask Janet (now the local leader) about the Re-Slayer's Take, but he tells them he doesn't know anything about that... Even though at that same moment a monument is being erected in honor of said group, in which its members can already be distinguished.
Featured characters[]
"Re-Slayers"[]
Returning[]
- Janet
- Delphine, a girl from Josgren's Hollow
- Her father
- Igor
- Vaughn Josgren Jr, a politician from of Josgren's Hollow
- The actual warriors sent by the Spectral Hand
New[]
- Dr. Fitzwaggle, a potionmaker from Josfren's Hollow
- Greg the seagull (unnamed)
Mentioned[]
- The tabaxi that told Timpani about the whispers
- Grimm Heldwell
Quotations[]
Trivia[]
References[]
Art:
- ↑ Re-Slayer's Take promotional art, by Elaine Tipping (source). Used with permission.
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