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mid-conversation I toss a pistol onto the table not to suggest or imply anything but just to change the situation a little

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Are there giant sand worms in the gunch? What’s your favorite worldbuilding detail? What’s your favorite or newest npc?

WORMS - no but there are bulettes and dragons in the gulch look like lizards and i ran a blue dragon that was a massive horned lizard with a burrow speed.

DETAIL – there are a lot of details i like a lot but one that i am really excited to get to bring more into actual sessions is the rumor that the elements of the world, the sun, the river, the land, and the wind are alive and speak to those that listen. maybe the party will get to meet some of those that hear them :)

NPC – i am kinda a sucker for graz'zt. i was pretty neutral on him and he wasn't really fleshed out until one of my players decided to play his son and that like, completely changed in my brain what i wanted to do with graz'zt. i knew i wanted him to be on my list of 'maybe redeemable archfiends / archangel npcs' but the reason for that was largely he has grown tired of the toil in hell. and when my player made maladius, a pc who is graz'zt's son, it made it so that graz'zt actually has legitimate interest in humanity. he has a stake in what is happening and the fate of his son.

that got amplified even further when in the first arc maladius was a part of, his party tpk'd. that set of player characters is currently in purgatory, dead, battling on behalf of the forces of hell against the souls of the dead sworn to heaven. we're going to pick back up with them at some point as they break out of purgatory and come back to life (very taboo god and the devil hate that!) and graz'zt is rightly PISSED that his son is dead and he is not allowed to do anything about it. so he might start breaking the rules :)

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gunch queries:

what's a piece of worldbuilding you really really like, and what do you still want to expand upon? this can be as broad or as narrow as you like, and maybe they're the same thing, maybe not.

do you have any ideas for folk songs or legends or superstitions in the gulch that are common knowledge even if they're not necessarily 100% rooted in reality?

is there a villainous character you really hate, like you made them and went "eugh. this guy SUCKS." can you tell us about them?

WORLD – the roc riders!! i've been flitting with the idea for awhile but i'd really like to solidfy them some more. i want to do more in general with adding more megafauna and "fantasy" creatures to the environment.

FOLKLORE – no and i really wanna do more with folklore, at one point i was legitimately going to write a Gunch version of the Bible to use for all of the religious propaganda and npcs related to that but then the horrors got me

VILLAINS – funny enough i don't feel like i can say pholtus or asmodeus for this but that's due to [redacted] :3 / zorakath is a major contender. there's also an npc you all might encounter relatively soon that in every time i have run the original jackal gulch module (in the town of jackal gulch) has been Brutally murdered by the players for how badly he sucks.

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Josiah William Gordon

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Armadillo Girdled Lizard (Ouroborus cataphractus), HE BITE HIM OWN TAIL!!! (defensive position), family Cordylidae, West Coast, South Africa

photograph by MOC Reptiles (@mocreptiles)

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Annual Firefall event in Yosemite National Park.

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Mourning Doves

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Eastern face of the Rincon Mountains from the arid grassland near Mescal, Cochise County, Arizona.

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Sharon Stone in The Quick and the Dead (1995)

I’m gonna kill you if I have to ride all the way to Hell to do it.

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AASIMAR IN JACKAL GULCH

In Jackal Gulch, aasimar are created. Members of the clergy of Pholtus each hope that during their baptism rite, they will be claimed and recognized with an Archangel's Blessing and become an aasimar. There are many theories about what qualifies one to be an aasimar, whether it is at the mere whims of each Archangel or whether they see their strengths within a mortal and give them the tools to further their prowess. Some parents try to mold their children in specific ways to fit the virtues and value of a specific archangel in hopes that their child will be baptized and blessed as an aasimar.   Aasimar that turn against their blessing, the path of Pholtus and his angels, and fall to sin become Apostates. Additionally, those who were once blessed by the fallen Zariel have become Apostates, those who were once blessed by the deceased Rachel have lost their blessings.

Ability Scores. Choose one of: (a) Choose any +2; choose any other +1 (b) Choose three different +1

Size. Small or Medium

Speed. 30 ft. 

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Celestial Resistance. You have resistance to radiant damage.

Archangel's Blessing. You have been blessed and chosen by a specific archangel and bear an aspect of their power. You choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability for your cantrip. You choose which ability when you select this lineage. Each blessing is accompanied by an awakened essence of their power you can draw out known as a Celestial Revelation, which you gain at 3rd level. You can use a bonus action to unleash the celestial energy within yourself, gaining the benefits of that revelation. Your transformation lasts for 1 minute or until you end it as a bonus action. Once you transform using your revelation below, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. Choose one of the following blessings: 

Blessing of Ananiel. You are blessed by the Angel of Calamity. You know the Lightning Lure cantrip. In addition, you have resistance to lightning damage. 

Celestial Revelation. When you manifest your Celestial Revelation as a bonus action, a dust devil engulfs a 10 ft. radius around you. As a bonus action on your subsequent turns, you can force creatures within the tornado to make a Strength saving throw. the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + the ability modifier you chose for your cantrip. On a failed save they are pushed 10 ft. away from you. Until the transformation ends, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra lightning damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus.

Blessing of Cadriel. You are blessed by the Angel of Valor. You know the Sword Burst cantrip. In addition, you can choose to gain proficiency with martial weapons or medium and heavy armor. If you have proficiency in both, you gain a fighting style from the Fighter class. 

Celestial Revelation. When you manifest your Celestial Revelation as a bonus action, searing light temporarily radiates from your eyes and mouth. For the duration, you shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet, and at the end of each of your turns, each creature within 10 feet of you takes radiant damage equal to your proficiency bonus. Until the transformation ends, once on each of your turns, you can deal extra radiant damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an attack or a spell. The extra damage equals your proficiency bonus.

Blessing of Daniel. You are blessed by the Angel of Innovation. You know the Mending cantrip. In addition, you gain two tool proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with them. You cannot gain expertise with these tools in the future. 

Celestial Revelation. When you manifest your Celestial Revelation as a bonus action, two luminous wings sprout from your back temporarily. Until the transformation ends, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. In addition, while transformed, as a reaction you can grant you or an ally within 10 ft. a bonus to an attack or saving throw equal to your proficiency modifier. 

Blessing of Hadrien. You are blessed by the Angel of Patience. You know the Light cantrip. In addition, you learn Shield of Faith, and at 3rd level, you learn Arc of Light. You can cast each spell once per day without expending a spell slot.  You can also cast these spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. 

Celestial Revelation. When you manifest your Celestial Revelation as a bonus action, two luminous wings sprout from your back temporarily. Until the transformation ends, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed.

Blessing of Neriah. You know the Guidance cantrip. In addition, as an action, you can touch a creature and cause it to regain a number of hit points equal to your level. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Celestial Revelation. When you manifest your Celestial Revelation as a bonus action, you shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet. At the start of your turn, you and allies within 10 ft gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. 

Alternatively, some aasimar after turning their back on their faith become an Apostate, the setting's version of a Fallen Aasimar. Replace the Archangel's Blessing feature with the following:

Apostate's Burden. You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. Your status creates both fear and respect depending on where you walk and who you are with. You have Proficiency in Intimidation and Persuasion. Additionally, your sense of conviction is unmatched. You have advantage on saving throws against being Charmed or Frightened. 

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Annie Oakley’s heart target (One of Oakley’s most popular stunts was shooting through the center of a small, inch-wide heart on a card from around 40 feet away.)

Photograph by Annie Leibovitz, Pilgrimage (Random House, 2011)

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Shaunese Crawford (photographer, cinematographer, director)

website, Boogie Down Cinema, Facebook, IG, TikTok

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‘The Awakening’. photography, 2024. At the intersection of human condition & science fiction.

@InessRychlik