#cantrip powders

[lailoken]

Cantrip Powders (For Sale)

“An offering of five handmade Powders, meant for use as Craft Aids in occult operations such as candle dressing or spell sachets.

Each Cantrip Powder was carefully devised based on traditional occult wisdom and years of personal experimentation, then extensively tested for sorcerous efficacy, before finally being made available here, in hopes that they will be as helpful to other practitioners as they have been for me.

Each powder is composed from two-thirds Sifted Hearth Ash (a powerful craft material in its own right,) with the remaining third being constituted by a highly potent mix of other ground Craft materials (with different recipes employed for each powder.) Every batch is ritually enlivened and consecrated in an individualized Hallowing Rite, before being hand-bottled and labeled in 1 oz glass, cork-top bottles.

The Cantrip Powders offered include:

Shielding Powder — A powder empowered by the virtues of Crabbapple blossoms, Rose Thorns, Witch Burrs, and antique Red Brick Dust, meant for use in rites and rituals of protection.

Beckoning Powder — A powder empowered by the virtues of Mint Blosssoms, Orris Root, High John Root, and Fenugreek, meant for use in rites and rituals of attraction—whether it be for the drawing of love, luck, or money.

Ousting Powder — A powder empowered by the virtues of Stinging Nettle, Asafoetida, Wasp Nest, and Gun Powder, meant for use in rites and rituals of banishment and excision.

Conquering Powder — A powder empowered by the virtues of Calamus Root, Licorice Root, Master Root, and Devil's Shoelace, meant for use in rites and rituals of influence and coercion.

& Wisefool's Powder (SOLD OUT) — A powder empowered by the virtues of Juniper Seed, Mandrake Root, Lightning Struck Wood, and Meteoric filings, meant for use in the sorcerous augmentation of any magical working. (Mandrake root is highly poisonous; do not ingest or expose to open wounds.

All ingredients used were either hand-grown, hand-foraged, or otherwise ethically sourced.”

Anyone interested in purchasing one or more of these Cantrip Powders may do so for $18 a piece on my shop: ☆

[y-rhywbeth2]

Makeup on Toril is called 'fleshpaint' in the tradestongue (i.e., Common), and apparently 'dardarra' in Chondathan and 'adratha' in Alzhedo (unless those are localised words in dialects of Common. It wasn't specified). Apparently they don't know the word 'makeup' at all.

The stuff that we'd recognise as cosmetics is created from a powder base of mud or chalk, mixed with the boiled essences of bark, reptile hide, plant matter or whatever else and then some kind of lipid (animal fat, seed oil, etc), simmered over heat before having colours and maybe scents added in. High-end brands may be enchanted with cantrips or orisons to keep it from going bad.

Fleshpaint is mostly popular in the south (Vilhon reach and lower), with most of the cosmetics industry working in southern Tethyr, the Vilhon, Chessenta and etc.

In the northern half of Faerûn, for the most part, your cosmetics options are mostly stuff like crushed berries that temporarily dye the skin that you can make in the kitchen.

Obviously trade hubs like the Gate and Waterdeep import the stuff, though it may not be cheap. You can buy it from street stalls or from beauty stores. Average decent quality product is 4-8gp, with the worse stuff peddled on the street going for 4sp (which is a decent chunk of most people's weekly wages gone). The luxury brands go for 20-75+gp per tiny bottle. It's also mostly popular with nobles and the nouveau-riche 'who may have closets full of a wide selection of scents, fleshpaints, specialized lip-paints, and so on.'

There's also a trend for doing decorative beauty spots in fancy shapes (flowers, stars, etc) painted onto the skin with something like a very thin tapered stick... or tattooed under the skin with a needle.

Painting your nails is also possible. I wonder if Shadowheart has any black. I also find myself wondering if the party ever fights for the eyeliner/eyeshadow supply considering a lot of the companions wear eyeliner. OK, so Lae'zel has warpaint rather than makeup, but where is she getting the material from now?

[vacantwoodsenthusiast]

A lesson in Trees and Good Folk Etiquette

I fucked up. Like I found a solution to the problem but I done fucked up because I got too excited. You see, I hiked out to a bird sanctuary on my last off day in Chicago and came across a beautiful Hawthorn tree, surrounded by Elder and Bittersweet Nightshade with a nest in it. It's easily one of the most obvious and clear signs of a tree of the fairfolk. And of course, I work closely with the Lordly Hawthorn as it is my patron tree.

So what was my mistake? I broke a branch of green wood, attempting to harvest thorns. I got greedy. I had absolutely asked permission, but rather than waiting for guidance on where to start I immediately went for a low lying branch of thorns and green haws and took the leaves ans thorns from there, breaking part of the branch. Only to look down and see the wind blown branch of thorns freely given to me and realized my horrible etiquette.

According to Schulke's Viridium (an excellent book on the way of cain if I might add), fae-owned Hawthorn trees should be revered and only the wind blown and already fallen boughs of the tree should be taken. I was deeply embarrassed by my faux pa. Immediately after taking the thorns, I made an offering of part of my water rations from the hike and blood with my deepest apologies. But, it still wasn't enough as the omen of the dead Cedar Wax Wing on my way back clearly drove me to pull some cards when I got home.

The cards confirm my suspicions, that blood and water were not enough. I had to return part of my harvest, specifically the greenery and thorns from the branch I broke. But what interested me was the fact that that according to the cards, I had to bury the thorns and be creative with it. After sitting with the cards I realized I still had some Hawthorn dyed paper with me, and wrote out a petition of apology to the arboreal spirit, bundling the thorns and leaves with an offering of cantrip powder alongside. I confirmed this was the right move with my cards and then realized that as part of my penance, I could write about the experience as well.

So, let this be a lesson. Don't just ask permission from a plant, but wait for a positive response. Don't go breaking branches off sacred trees. And if you are going to violete some etiquette of the Good Neighbors, be prepared to make some heavy sacrifices with that apology.

[new-austin]

Funkledunk, after stealing the runepowder barrel, becomes obsessed with making insane alchemical bombs and fire hazards. One problem. He's not very good at it. And he's too much of a pyro to be truly cautious he LOVES blowing shit up

Anyway I think he blows up something in waterdeep on accident and has to send a message cantrip to gale while he's at work like "hey babe idk if you heard the large explosion in the south ward. Anyway unrelated can you come pay my bail."

Every time he picks up a bomb or a smoke powder satchel in game he starts giggling in a concerning way and everyone makes eye contact like is this really happening? This guy scares me sometimes

Anyway conclusion to the story is Funk is a terrible housewife who only cleans occasionally, and as soon as he finishes reading gales entire library he starts experimenting with bombs, which I feel the need to clarify again, he's not good at. His int score is a plus zero, and despite having a super high wisdom he decides he is smart enough to not die from making unethical bombs in the middle of the city.

[sketchyelvenasss]

Divulge Under the Stars

Gale x Tav

Act1 - no spoilers - 1000w

Under the stars is the perfect place to tell your crush you tragic backstory, right?

It was a cool night at camp and the breeze felt pleasant against Aerika’s ashen skin. The fire crackled below the blanket of stars that twinkled against the dark indigo night sky. No matter how much time he spent above ground it was still a sight that filled him with wonder.

Most of the camp had gone off to sleep aside from himself. He preferred to take first watch and observe how different everything was from his home. Even the darkness was comparatively bright to what he was used to. There were many luminous mushrooms and lichen in the Underdark, but none could compare to the stars.

Then there was his company, which at present was much more wonderful than the air above. Gale sat on the ground beside him gazing above and happily pointing to each constellation. His deep brown eyes bright with excitement at the opportunity to share, and boast, his knowledge. While his other hand was entwined in Aerika’s behind them, as if it were a secret.

Not that it was. But it was one of the only things they could delight in without worry of meeting an explosive end.

“It brings me joy to see your smile.” Aerika said when there was a pause in Gale’s lecture. Usually he would listen with rapt attention, but it had been a rough few nights for the mage. After learning the means he had been using to keep the Netherese orb at bay was rapidly losing its effectiveness, Gale looked incredibly sad when he thought the others weren’t paying him attention.

“You are too kind.” He chuckled after a brief pause.

“I disagree. I am only telling you the truth.”

Gale pulled his hand away and a disquiet silence fell between them. How cruel fate was sometimes. To light a spark of romance, only to smother it with impending doom. But Aerika wasn’t so easily disheartened. Especially not in odd circumstances that they and the other infectees had found themselves in. Anything could happen.

Spurred by the desire to comfort him, Aerika shifted closer next to Gale, closing what little space there had been until they were hip to hip. Explosion be damned. But thankfully they both remained in one piece, even when Aerika wrapped his arm across Gale’s back and rested his head on the other’s shoulder. Loose strands of blond and powder blue hair fell together with warm brown waves. There was no breeze anymore, as if to perpetuate their stillness as they found equanimity through the soft intimate touch.

“Do you remember when you pulled me out of that portal?” Gale asked, his voice low.

“I do. It was not that long ago actually. I was drawn to the intriguing, but voracious, magic and instead of an illithid relic or cursed artifact I found a hand calling for help. It still baffles me how a wizard of your skill ended up like that, irrespective of that Netherese blight of yours.”

“I’m certain you’ve heard this innumerable times before, but you are unlike any drow I’ve ever met. You revere the weave. Wield it with both passion and skill that would humble many a mage. I can tell it runs deeper than mere devotion to accrue divine power. It is inspiring.”

Aerika smiled fondly in recollection. The memory was more than a century old, but clear as crystal. “Magic saved my life. That is the long and short of it. In my earliest memories I was avidly consuming any material pertaining to magic. I practiced cantrips and invocations I had memorized from books whenever I could. I desired nothing more than to become a famous adventuring wizard. My parents labored to support my passion, but…” he paused. This was the part of the story that still hurt. No matter how much time had passed. It did them no honor to fight the tears that looked in his white eyes. He let them fall freely down his face into the soft fabric of Gale’s shirt. Gale was quiet but gave Aerika a comforting squeeze on the shoulder.

It’s okay, if you need to stop. The touch soothed. But Aerika wanted to share this. Not many people allowed him to get close enough, because they only saw a drow and assumed he was everything they feared. Unlike Gale, who had been cordial and given him the benefit of the doubt.

“My parents were murdered by Loth-sworn raiders, and I was captured. It was a cleric of Mystra that came to my rescue. Her name was Amillia. A middle-aged woman with grey eyes and choppy pink hair. She spotted me bound and bloody, tied to a cart and forced to either keep pace with the rothé or be dragged on the ground behind them. If not for her I would be dead or a slave. We escaped the Underdark, and she brought me to her clergy. A small temple in a port city along the Shining Sea. She’s buried there now. If we both survive this misadventure, I would like to bring you there.”

“It would be an honor to pay my respects to her. Something to look forward to.” Gale said.

After a short moment of quiet, Aerika cleaned his face on his shirt and Gale began to show off small tricks in his palms to lighten the mood. The night ended too soon— they both need some rest to continue the quest of finding a survivable tadpole extraction method— but it concluded with warm smiles, light hearts, and a dream of a future together.

[itsablindowl]

Hello Again Spellslinger and TTRPG communities. I have returned for my second round of spellslinger characters and their dnd 5e statblocks. Round 2. Spellslinger

Kellen of the house of Ke (Soon to be Kellen Argos) (Spellslinger)

Variant human.

Stats:

Str 8 (-1) Dex 14 (+2) Con 10 (+0) Int 16 (+3) Wis 13 (+1) Cha 13 (+1)

Kellen is an absolute magic nerd and so intelligence is his highest stat, he's also able to use Ferius's throwing cards almost immediately so he must have high dexterity. He's a little nerd at this point so his strength and con are both low. His charisma and wisdom are both medium to represent his abillity to trick Tennat, but the fact that he's still quiet arrogant and has a lot of growth to do,and his wisdom will grow better as he learns from Ferius.

Feat: Magic Initiate: (to represent his weaker but present magic.)

Cantrips:

Gust (Kellens singular awakened band is for breath magic), Firebolt (To be used when Kellen gains Ferius's explosive powders).

Spells:

Burning hands (The more powerful version of burning hands he gets from mixing the blood of Reichis's mother into the powders.)

Class:

Rouge lvl 1. Proficiencies: Sleight of hand, History, Investigation, Insight, Deception, Arcana, History.

Expertise: Sleight of hand (Kellens training in the hand motions for spells explicitly gives him very agile hands), Arcana (Kellen is obsessed with magic and I.D's any spell he sees across the books almost instantly).

- Ferius Parfax (Adult) during the time period of the spellslinger series.

Variant human (Feat: martial adept) from her time with Sir Rosarite and Sir Gervais

Maneuvers: Feinting Attack( gives advantage for that sneak attack damage and would allow her to get a crit on Enna during the prolouge to Fall of the argosi), Lunging attack ( extra reach and mentioned in text as a way she attacks with her rapier)

Stats: Str 8, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 12

Abillity score improvement: Wisdom. With age comes Wisdom and with it the frustrating inscrutability of an Argosi.

Class:

Spellslinger: Rouge lvl 2, Monk lvl 4 (Subclass: Path of the Kensei) (I considered drunken sway as her monk subclass but Ferius consistantly uses her playing cards and extendable metal baton to deflect, disarm and debilitate foes and that specialization feels more in line with a Kensei Monk)

Background: Urchin

Proficiencies: Insight, Persuasion, Deception, Stealth, Sleight of hand, Survival, Perception

Expertise: Insight (Ferius states in way of the argosi that she learned from a young age how to read people to stay safe), Sleight of hand (Ferius is an accomplished theif and card sharp and would need to be good with her hands)

[siriannatan]

“There’s only one thing we need to overcome this...” - fWhimmy fantasy AU

I wanted to write fWhip being excited over explosives. I recently started catching up on the 3rd CR campaign. So I joined both. Fun fact, a pact of tome warlock can learn Tiny Hut. Did I need to keep it aligned with the rules? No, but I still did :}

Jimmy was beginning to regret ever agreeing when Lizzie said he should go out adventuring. It was the first long journey in the young triton's life and possibly the first friends he made outside his sizeable family. He wasn't just set out to see the world totally on his own. Being considerably powerful Lizzie lend him some of her magic. Together with his skill with a sword, it managed to keep him safe. No, staying relatively safe was not a problem.

His problem took the breathing form of a certain reckless tiefling who happened to like tinkering and worse of all loud explosions far too much. And who he happened to be stuck in a cave. Alone. Just the two of them. And who also happened to be rather handsome what Lizzie often teased Jimmy about over their magical connection. Currently, she was suspiciously silent. 

Jimmy had many gripes about his new tiefling friend. And as much as he disliked how dangerous his primary hobby was, the corny adventure novels he liked to read. Out loud. As they were travelling. Were possibly even worse. There was no way someone could defeat a dragon on their own just because their friends believe in them. And he spend the last hour just saying they need to believe in their friends until he fell silent and started digging through his bag.

“There’s only one thing we need to overcome this,” fWhip the tiefling suddenly said as Jimmy once again tried to reach out to his sister.

“I swear to god if you say friendship—” Jimmy started but fWhip shook his head, even in the limited light of Jimmy's cantrip he could see how his coppery hair jumped up and down. And how happy he was with his idea. Jimmy'd call it cute if he wasn't worried about what he had in his hands. One of his small kegs of explosive powder.

"Explosives," fWhip announced Jimmy's worst worry. fWhip always carried one of those small kegs on him 'just in case of an emergency'... Jimmy was very worried since he saw multiple times how much damage fWhip's weapons powered by that stuff made. "It's perfectly safe, I made all the calculations, I'm just lacking the ability to ignite it from a safe distance. Is fire something you can make?" he explained, not calming Jimmy's worries in the slightest.

"No. All I do is water," Jimmy shook his head. As scared as he was of fWhip's explosive keg he didn't feel like waiting who knows how long for the rest of the party. "But I can keep us safe from the explosion," he offered and pulled out the tome Lizzie gave him as he was departing. It was his connection to her.

fWhip nodded and as Jimmy prepared to cast the Tiny Hut spell, prepared the explosive. Even if fWhip was confident the explosion would not make their situation worse Jimmy was relieved his spell would keep them safe if his 'friend' was wrong. Once they were both ready, fWhip peeked out of the Hut, lit the fuse and quickly returned inside, mostly pulled in by Jimmy. Mostly because he panicked.

Shortly the explosion shook the cave. There wasn't much of other noise but they still waited for a short moment before even thinking of checking. With every second Jimmy was more and more aware he was holding Jimmy tightly. The tiefling said nothing, clearly listening in for any additional aftereffects of the explosive.

"I think we're safe," fWhip let out a heavy, relieved sigh after a couple of minutes passed. And once Jimmy's face was redder than his hair. "Should I check?" fWhip asked. "Jimmy?"

"Umm, yeah," Jimmy nodded really not sure what else to do or say. 

fWhip, even if he noticed how close they were despite having plenty of space was completely unbothered. And poked outside the dome before peeking outside. "It's safe, as I said," fWhip announced after a short look around aided by Jimmy's light. He looked so proud of himself Jimmy just nodded and followed him out of the hut and then the cave. 

Some of their party were right outside the cave, making sure it was safe and waiting for others to come back with help. Everyone was so happy Jimmy and fWhip were okay they missed how awkward Jimmy was around the tiefling. 

*He's got a pretty smile, bring him home sometime,* Jimmy heard Lizzie's voice in his head as they waited for others. They still had a cave to clear of monsters.

[mosses-gate-3]

once again doing the challenge nobody asked for (linked on the Andis version): Salix edition!!

Her name's Salix, she's a half-siren bard, she/her

favorite weapon: Her lyre and her words. If she had to pick a melee weapon, probably a rapier.

style of combat: She likes to focus her attacks on dealing heavy damage to one person at a time rather than more spread out radius effects. She's very tactical about using her surroundings and even when she's not in any danger she gravitates towards the places that would give her the advantage in case of a fight.

most prized possession: A ring with a glamour spell so she can pass as an elf, given to her by her guardian. It's probably the only reason she's still alive.

deepest desire: The freedom to make her own choices, to fend for herself, and to not have to rely on her looks or her body to make a living.

guilty pleasure: Reading the absolute worst romance novels she can find.

best-kept secret: Her siren heritage; nobody at her guardian's court ever found out about it and most of the companions have no idea.

greatest strength: She prides herself on being able to read people well and can tell immediately when someone has ulterior motives. Takes one to know one.

fatal flaw: She's far too proud for her own good and won't accept help. Also she's very brutally honest which often prevents her from really forming connections. If she doesn't like you (provided she doesn't feel threatened by you) she will say so. Immediately. And very viciously.

favorite smell: The ocean on a particularly foggy day.

favorite spell or cantrip: Favorite cantrip is Vicious Mockery >:)

pet peeve: It drives her absolutely insane when people are condescending. If her safety didn't rely on seducing Astarion (at least at first) she'd have ripped his fucking throat out the second he called her "darling".

bad habit: Other than the obvious pushing people away because she's scared she'll be rejected if she's vulnerable, I think she's very disciplined in her habits, at least as far as mannerisms go.

hidden talent: She's really good at weaving, she made a lot of tapestries in her days as a nobleman's pretty decoration of a ward

leisure activity: Is she ever really at leisure? Probably not. But I think she enjoys reading and discussing that in her spare time.

favorite drink: That hot chocolate with the chili powder and cinnamon... <33

comfort food: Anything warm and cheesy.

favorite person: Probably Shadowheart.

favored display of affection (platonic and/or romantic): She's not very affectionate. Her version of saying something nice is just not saying something insulting. I do think she's quick to start a fight if someone is giving the people she cares about trouble, though - acts of service maybe?

fondest childhood memory: One day she snuck out of a tutoring lesson to spend the day with her childhood friend. They left the manor grounds and went to a farmer's market and ate so many pastries she threw up. Of course she got in trouble afterwards and it's a bittersweet memory for Backstory Reasons but she still has a huge sweet tooth.

Is there anything else you'd like to share? (feel free to include art or a screenshot of your Tav if available!): Here's some art I did of her, there's no in-game design since I haven't actually done a playthrough yet

[aquadestinyswriting]

19 and 5 for the ask game! Any oc :)

Thanks for the questions :). I'll answer these for Dwena because she's a fun character

5. On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?

Dwena usually carries pretty much whatever spell components she needs for minor cantrips and smaller spells in her pockets, so they're full of things like feathers, various kinds of powder, seeds, little knick-knacks. She also has a habit of carrying around a bunch of sweets and pastries (as do the vast majority of the people who work in the wizard's tower honestly) so she's constantly having to wipe crumbs off things.

19. What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before?

I think Dwena's biggest relationship flaw is that she can be a bit too honest at times. It hasn't destroyed relationships per se, but it does lead to a lot of hurt feelings, so she has to spend a lot of time apologising. It doesn't help that being honest is a major part of her job, but she doesn't try to sugarcoat the bad stuff (she doesn't see the point in doing so), and gets miffed when people get annoyed at the way she delivers her reports. Luckily, Selene and Thazaar don't mind this trait, so Dwena is very straightforward and unafraid of speaking with the two of them about whatever issues have come up.

[thessalian]

Faerun!Alisaie vs Bhaal Cultists

With a few other things done in the meantime...

Gale: So ... let me get this straight. I have a chunk of the Kharsite Weave stuck in me and Mystra's letting it feed on the normal Weave for awhile. But now we know how to reforge the Netherese Crown and she wants it for herself and if I get it to her ... she can pull this out of me and I'm free.

Astarion: You could just keep it for yourself, you know. Phenomenal cosmic power ... all right, probably doesn't entirely suit you, but I couldn't imagine giving that away to some god who has too much power of their own to truly appreciate it...

Gale: And why do you think you have a say here?

Astarion: I did help get the thing, didn't I? Of course, that means I also helped Alisaie get the ability to summon the Thayan dead if required. ...Where is she, anyway?

Gale: Note who else is missing.

Astarion: Aaaah. I wonder if I should go track them down. Just to ... keep an eye on them. You know. Dangerous place, Baldur's Gate...

Alisaie: *from the window* If you were looking for a show--

Astarion; Gale: GAH!

Alisaie: Astarion, my dude, you're not the only one who can sneak, you know. Anyway, if you were looking for a show, you'd have been disappointed. It was just talking about the future and stuff.

Astarion: ...It would have been a disappointment without nudity, true. Gale, on the other hand...

Gale: ...I would have invited Wyll and conjured popcorn.

Alisaie: .........Why? I mean, I get Astarion, but--

Gale: I'm a sucker for a romantic story, alright? As is Wyll! It's the one place where he and I can truly bond! ...Well. That and go-to cantrips. We've done quite the trade. He's taught me Eldritch Blast, and I'll be teaching him Fire Bolt. Maybe he'll even be able to keep it when Mizora cuts him loose.

Alisaie: ...Right. Okay. If that works for you, cool. Now, get some sleep, those of you who do sleep; big day tomorrow. We're going to hit Felogyr's Fireworks and find out why the fuck they're giving refugee kids exploding teddy bears. Sure you don't want to come, Astarion?

Astarion: I dodged quite enough fire in that stupid repository, thank you. There are some things that even the most delectable neck won't make appealing. It's a vampire thing; fire is not our friend.

Alisaie: There might not have to be that much fire, you know.

Astarion: You're going to be attacking a fireworks shop. With Gale.

Alisaie: ...Allow me my delusions, okay? I have very few and they aren't usually that harmful.

One massive amount of property damage later...

Gale: ...I'm amazed that I didn't do the most damage with fire for once.

Wyll: You did a pretty sizeable amount of damage with fire. That wall of fire you used to block reinforcements went right through a box of fireworks, you know.

Gale: That was accidental! Alisaie firing a fire arrow at barrels full of smoke powder, on the other hand...

Alisaie: Oh for-- Look, it got the place cleared out fast. We've got way too much to do to waste time just stabbing them all. Besides, better on purpose where we can be clear of the explosions than by accident. Or have you forgotten that thing with the kobolds?

Gale: Fair enough. Not sure what was worse; the burning alcohol, the burning debris, or the cooked kobold giblets.

Alisaie: All three were a nightmare to get out of my hair, I'll tell you that much.

Shadowheart: So what now?

Alisaie: Over to the local cemetery to see about a murder-cult.

Over at the local cemetery

Shadowheart: Well ... that was a detour... A good one, mind you.

Alisaie: What can I say? I can dig out the best in just about everybody. Office In Charge Of Deep Mining Operations, that's me.

Wyll: Much like the ... um ... priestess woman over there, I'm wondering what by the hells that noise is.

Alisaie: It seems to be coming from ... that metal tube ... stuck in a grave oh you have got to be fucking kidding me! *starts digging*

Wyll: Waitwut--

Gale: *who actually has an INT score worth talking about* Oh, no.

Alisaie: *digs up Gothric*

Gothric: Thanks for that! Those arseholes stomping on Nine-Fingers' turf are arseholes, seriously. I haven't any money but you've already started grave-robbing so why not finish? Bye!

Alisaie; Gale; Wyll; Shadowheart: ..............................

Alisaie: Yeaaaaah this is one of those days, isn't it. C'mon. After this, infiltrating a murder cult will at least make sense.

And, down in the basement of a certain coffin-shop

Sarekov: You have delighted us with your bloodthirst. Now, ascend by killing this celestial being!

Valeria: What? No! Don't do that! Kill this unholy fuck instead!

Alisaie: Calm your ... trunk, I guess, Valeria. That was the plan all along.

Sarekov: ...wut.

Alisaie: I lied. Dolor killed the guy whose hand I waved around, and he probably enjoyed the hell out of it but honestly? Even here, all I'm getting is the satisfaction of making you actually dead like you're supposed to be, you uppity corpse!

Gale: Oh dear. Um ... time to bring out the powerful spells. *Casts Blight*

Blight: *does not work on undead*

Gale: Oh. Right. Undead. ...Shadowheart?!?

Shadowheart: Right! *Turns Undead*

Turn Undead: *does not work either*

Alisaie: *casts Heat Metal on Sarekov* Make up your fucking minds, you murder-happy assholes!

Stabnation: *ensues, with a lot of AoE and CC sorts of spells, until...*

Alisaie: *reapplies Heat Metal damage to Sarekov*

Sarekov: *cooks to proper-death*

Alisaie: ...I really need to remember I have magic more often.

Gale: So. What now? And please say it involves some rest...

Alisaie: For you, probably. Buried-alive dude had things to say about Nine-Fingers. Or I should probably look for Mol first because that's going to be a thing, and probably put some prepwork in place for robbing the House of Hope, but if you want some rest we could probably bring Astarion along on a sweep-and-clear of the rest of the mausoleums in case of free-floating cultists and--

Wyll: Shadowheart ... when we go to pick up Astarion...

Shadowheart: Bully her into a meal and a sit-down, I know.

Wyll: You two are so amazing together, you know that?

Shadowheart: Still envious?

Wyll: Not really. I couldn't deprive anyone a love story this epic.

Shadowheart: *punch to shoulder* You're just saying that so we won't complain when you and Gale eavesdrop with popcorn.

Wyll: It's one of the high points of our day!

[lailoken]

I've had multiple people show interest in the Cantrip Powders I sell—either directly or indirectly—however, only a few people have actually ended up buying any of them. Accordingly, I figured I would make a poll to help me figure out if selling them differently would be worth trying, or if I should just let things be for now.

—

[cos-luna]

Day 2 in Barovia, Day 1 in Vallaki [Session 9 -12] 

TL;DR  Luna had an eventful first day in Vallaki, introducing herself to NPCs, getting rando letters from Lords, chatting with Doug the skeleton, and nearly getting kidnapped by the Captain of the Guard. Good times.

[Full summary below Read More] SPOILERS for Curse of Strahd

((Keep in mind, Luna (myself) had only just joined the campaign when the party has been in Barovia for a week. So some balls might have been rolling already. In terms of plot / quests / events.))

When she first entered Vallaki at the dead of night , Luna saved the party while they were being attacked by some night creatures. After fending off the fanged humanoids Luna decides to stick with the party for safety in this new dangerous place, helping returning some bones to a church. Resting at the church for the night, feeling hints that there are still some more night creatures out and about. The next day she negotiates with the party to help her travel Barovia in search of her mentor and agrees to do the party a favor by stealing a dress from the Mayor’s house. 

There was some time to kill and Luna needed to be caught up on details about Barovia and the town she was in. The party let her in on the fact that no one can leave Baorvia and that Strahd is an undead creature of some kind. ((The PLAYERS know he is a vampire, but we are good at RPing so non of the Characters know he is a Vampire)). With this new insight and after discussing their plans, Luna and the party decide to go searching around town before the festival starts. As they all decided that the festival would be a great time to steal the dress. After scouting out the town, finding some key locations, and setting up to split the party. One half to distract and preform for the festival, the other half helping Luna get in and out of the Mayor’s house. Once evening struck they went on their way. 

(( Some of the players were unavailable during the session of the dress stealing so it ended up working out. Luna, Doug the skeleton gloom stalker, and Neyla the half-orc Paladin were the only PCs during the heist. The rest were written to be preforming for the festival so it worked out well)) 

Doug on distraction and scout duty in the back yard and Nelya on lookout for any returning guards or mayor in the front of the house. While Luna actually worked on getting into the mansion and stealing the dress as she was the most capable. Having skills in thieves tools and spells like invisibility. 

The breaking in went amazing! Luna managed to unlock an empty first floor window and crept in. There were two house maids still at the manor despite the festival saying everyone was mandatory to be there but w/e. No big deal. With a Message Spell (Cantrip) Luna told Doug to create a distraction. He proceeded to break on of the opposite side windows and scared the two poor house maids. Not what Luna had in mind, but Doug was a trickster at heart (this would come more into play later). With a good distraction and using Invisibility (lvl 2) she snuck out of the room up the stairs to the second floor. No one knew she was in the house and no one was upstairs. So she starts looking into rooms to try and find this dress. 

Hallway 1. Study, closet, mini dungeons, bedroom, and then another door that was locked. Luna picked it, not sure which rooms were going to be the master bedroom so checking all the rooms was important. Upon unlocking this door, Luna found a bedroom FULL of creepy yet well crafted female dolls, with bronze skin and some with Auburn hair, with others having both auburn and golden streaks of hair. Luna... [[ Rolling a 2 on insight]] decided to leave this room alone, getting the creeps, blocking from her mental image, and closing the door. 

Hallway 2, bathroom, then finally the powder room that had the wedding dress! At first she almost screamed thinking it was a person standing in the room but luckily she didn’t. Sending another Message to Doug she said she found the dress. Doug replies, “There is someone coming upstairs!” 

Luna can now hear the footsteps coming from the kitchen to the second floor. Pausing to listen, still invisible btw, and wait to hear where the footsteps go. They don’t go into the powder room. Luna takes this moment of opportunity to stuff the dress into her bag. Just as she finished stuffing the dress into her back, making it fade into the invisibility spell, the door the the powder room opens. 

Doug, at this point, had decided to step in with another distraction. In all of his spooky skeleton glory he decided to knock on the back door of the house. The second house maid, opens the door and sees a tall skeleton morph and change. As if living flesh was reverse melting back onto his skeletal form, while screaming. He used Disguise Self to make himself look like the poor house maid looking back at him. Like a spooky ghost doppelganger. 

The high-pitched screaming of the door answering maid helped out a lot as the house maid upstairs was now concerned with her friend downstairs. Running out of the room and allowing Luna to sneak out of the back window into the night. Luna informed Neyla through Message that everything was fine and that Doug was just preforming a distraction. And also informed her that she is out and heading back to the inn. 

With wedding dress in bag, and successfully was unseen by anyone. Luna ran her way back to the Blue Water Inn, but before she was home free there were a group of guards heading up the road to the town square. Luna, being at the wrong place and wrong time, was spotted by the Captain of the Guard while she was making her way on a cross road. His eye contact alone made Luna freeze, as she didn’t want to look suspicious. Wanting to wait for them as they passed, but the Captain instead told his set of guards to go on ahead saying “Find the beast and kill it.” before approaching Luna. 

Luna thinking that, ‘Oh he is just now meeting me a new face. Try to not be suspicious,’ and being the polite person that she is, decided to greet the man approaching her. Unforchantlly, upon seeing Luna’s pretty little face the man decided to pick her up and proceeded to kidnap her.

Luckly before the session ended, Luna was rescued by her teammates hearing her screen bloody murder at being randomly picked up by a complete stranger and taken back to the Mayor’s house which she JUST came from. 

So yeah. Good times~ 

[vacantwoodsenthusiast]

A lesson in Trees and Gloaming Etiquette

I fucked up. Like I found a solution to the problem but I done fucked up because I got too excited. You see, I hiked out to a burd sanctuary on my last off day in Chicago and came across a beautiful Hawthorn tree, surrounded by Elder and Bittersweet Nightshade with a nest in it. It's easily one of the most obvious and clear signs of a tree of the fairfolk. And of course, I work closely with the Lordly Hawthorn as it is my patron tree.

So what was my mistake? I broke a branch of green wood, attempting to harvest thorns. I got greedy. I had absolutely asked permission, but rather than waiting for guidance on where to start I immediately went for a low lying branch of thorns and green haws and took the leaves ans thorns from there, breaking part of the branch. Only to look down and see the wind blown branch of thorns freely given to me and realized my horrible etiquette.

According to Schulke's Viridium (an excellent book on the way of cain if I might add), fae-owned Hawthorn trees should be revered and only the wind blown and already fallen boughs of the tree should be taken. I was deeply embarrassed by my faux pa. Immediately after taking the thorns, I made an offering of part of my water rations from the hike and blood with my deepest apologies. But, it still wasn't enough as the omen of the dead Cedar Wax Wing on my way back clearly drove me to pull some cards when I got home.

The cards confirm my suspicions, that blood and water were not enough. I had to return part of my harvest, specifically the greenery and thorns from the branch I broke. But what interested me was the fact that that according to the cards, I had to bury the thorns and be creative with it. After sitting with the cards I realized I still had some Hawthorn dyed paper with me, and wrote out a petition of apology to the arboreal spirit, bundling the thorns and leaves with an offering of cantrip powder alongside. I confirmed this was the right move with my cards and then realized that as part of my penance, I could write about the experience as well.

So, let this be a lesson. Don't just ask permission from a plant, but wait for a positive response. Don't go breaking branches off sacred trees. And if you are going to violete some etiquette of the Good Neighbors, be prepared to make some heavy sacrifices with that apology.

[tigerkirby215]

Playing Gangplank at a lower level (D&D 5e)

(Artwork made for Riot Games.)

My Gangplank build did kinda operate under the assumption that you’d be getting to level 20, which is why his sword swings were so bad and the build as a whole was rather MAD. However I do acknowledge that most builds don’t get that far. I felt like Artificer was the best way to get “barrels” and Paladin was the only way to get Gangplank’s passive, but if you’re willing to sacrifice some flavor for the sake of a more viable build here’s a few different ways I’d make Gangplank without having to hit total level 16.

PURE PALADIN

If you don’t care about barrels I think full Paladin is the way to go. Grab the Magic Initiate feat in Sorcerer for Firebolt (ideally, although you could also take Magic Stone) and some other utility spells / cantrips. You could also get the Aberrant Dragonmark feat if you’re in Eberron.

The two main things you’ll be missing out on is AoE damage and the ability to mix sword and pistol in combat, however you’ll be far harder to fight in a melee and will also pack far more damage with your blade.

PURE ARTIFICER

Alternative option is to go pure Artillerist Artificer. With a 14 in DEX you can wear Medium armor which is more than enough AC for most folk. You can reflavor a melee cantrip like Shocking Grasp as your sword, although if you’re really insistent on a flaming blade then using Green Flame Blade with a scimitar could work. (You’ll have to get proficiency with a scimitar from somewhere however.)

Artificer still retains a lot of the core utility of the original build: bonus action ranged attack, AoE explosives, healing, and infusions to boost your combat prowess. However the big thing is that your melee capabilities as a caster are (obviously) far more limited than a proper martial. Additionally without Aura of Protection you’ll be far more susceptible to damage.

PALADIN + SORCERER

If not for the fact that I wanted to keep “lore accurate” Paladin + Sorcerer would’ve probably been my choice build for Gangplank. You can grab all the spells you need to recreate guns and black powder, and Quickened Spell would let you combo your magic with your blades. Not to mention that turning spells into Sorcery points gives you some nice flexibility for more Smite slots as a Paladin.

The only problem with investing in Sorcerer is that none of the subclasses really make sense for ol’ GP. I’d likely take Aberrant Mind because something something Telepathic Speech = Team Chat, although some of the innate spells like Hunger of Hadar aren’t terrible. Other than that Wild Magic actually isn’t the worst since you can give yourself advantage? But truthfully the Sorcerer multiclass would be more for spells and Sorcery points; less for subclass features.

Ultimately I think the fact that “Sorcerer gives you all the abilities you’d need and a bunch that you don’t” is the ultimate summary of why I didn’t go into Sorcerer in the original build. Sure Firebolt and Fireball make sense, but does telepathy make sense?

PALADIN + WARLOCK?

I’m going to be honest I don’t like Gangplank as a Warlock for the simple reason that Eldritch Blast fires multiple beams, which doesn’t replicate his Q as well as Firebolt. With that being said it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t mention the potential Warlock multiclass. You get spell slots that come back on a Short Rest which are great for Smiting, and have a few good subclasses to choose from.

Hexblade will allow you to focus fully on Charisma and also get spells like Shield. (Only problem is you’ll likely be called a powergamer.) Undead however (NOT UNDYING) will let you become a little hardier and also frighten foes as you fight them. There are other subclasses that work (Fiend, Fathomless if you reflavor it a bunch or get help from Illaoi) but Hexblade and Undead are the two main ones.

In any case I probably wouldn’t take more than 4 levels in Warlock, not so much for Pact of the Blade but mostly just to get second level spells for Shatter (barrels) and Misty Step (Flash.) (Assuming you don’t take Vengeance Paladin, obviously.) Most of the higher level Warlock abilities don’t fit Gangplank and it really isn’t worth investing in Warlock while leaving your Paladin abilities out to dry.

[gigantic-spider]

Powdered Chardalyn (Day 13 of Magic Item March, a 31-day series of homebrewed magic items)

(Image source: indiamart - Black Potassium Humate Crystals, For Crops, Pack Size: 30 Kg; image description: A white dish holding fine, slightly shiny, black particles.)

poison (inhaled)

A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for one hour. If the poisoned creature casts a spell, it takes 4 (1d6) psychic damage per level of spell cast (cantrips count as a level 1 spell for the purpose of this effect).

Background

Despite the well known magical absorptive properties of chardalyn, efforts to discover the magical properties of crushed chardalyn has evaded the best efforts of magical researchers for centuries. It was not until the deeply unethical experiments conducted by minions of Xardorok Sunblight that an important discovery was accidentally made: powdered chardalyn inside the body maintains its neutralizing properties. Instead of capturing and storing the magical energy released by the caster, it produces negative psychic feedback in the mind as the energy fights to make it out of the body. It remains incredibly difficult to produce, as a vast quantity of chardalyn must be ground incredibly fine to be able to enter the body, but it could potentially form a crucial weapon against spellcasters of all sorts.

Story Hooks

A wizard has lost the ability to cast spells without being wracked with horrible pain after prolonged torture in Xardorok Sunblight’s dungeons. They have heard of a way to purge their body of unnatural toxins in a mystical hot spring hidden deep beneath the Spine of the World. The question is, can they make it past the shrine’s elemental guardians?

Huge chardalyn deposits were destroyed in a recent earthquake, releasing an unknown amount of powdered chardalyn into the surrounding environment. Mages from around the Material Plane are concerned as to what this could mean for magic’s presence in the world. You have been asked to investigate the destroyed chardalyn spires and determine what ambient effects, if any, are present.

[jeeperso]

D&D Quotes Without Context

Ravenloft, Hazlan Arc part 2

"I’ll sell this ruby." Marshall decides to keep an eye on Jonni. “What? I was’t gonna use it to hit on revolutionary girl!” Several stone arches leading nowhere, strange cubes, a motar and pestel. "Wizards showing off on who has the most over the top ride. sigh" "Uhm...I'll wait outside. Not going inside a giant head's mouth." "Totally understandable." "Feel free to make yourself at home by the way, we got water, wine, ruminating powder." OOC: Grab some ruminating powder, we can make out like bandits in other domains. It's raining desiccated corpses. Jonni: “Not me.” Marshal grabs something sturdy to use as cover to help people escape the raining men. Jonni uses Marshall as something sturdy. "DIBS I CALL DIBS!" "I'm going to assume this is a Necromancer thing and not comment." "I've been working on a biodome project outside town, I'm trying to restore life to this land, unfortunately I require kind of a lot of corpses to do it." "Before he died, he feared Hazlik grading his project. It is pleasing death is no escape for him." OOC: Ooo, we could join a cult! They usually have food! And weird sex acts! You meet two lovely ladies at the local tavern. “Ladies,” Jonni says. “I made the corpse that made all those other corpses.” "Neat." “What I’m saing is, now that you’re here, my fireball is not the hottest thing in the room.” "So, our place or yours?" Edmund will, though he would contact Jonni and Marshall with his whispering voices to see if they were free. You hear passionate moans for about ten minutes... ”Okay, think I wore them out. Lemme get cleaned up.” Edmund: *covers his face* “You got the cash, we got the crash.” "JUST NORMAL SIZED RATS YOU'LL BE FINE." “So… burn down the building and walk away?” "Jonni. You can't burn down every problem." "That is not a challenge." Jonni: “I’m sure something will survive the fire.” “I say we unlock the basement, deal with that first. Work our way up. Otherwise it’s just gonna annoyingly taunt us every time we kill its minions." "Did I just hear the door ominously slam and lock?" [sarcasm] “Oh, yeah, that’s gonna stop us.” ...the second you touch the door, a bolt of electricity goes through you. "Okay... that's more than Rat nonsense." “Aaaand talking’s out the window,” Jonni says hitting the door with Eldritch Blast. The door is made of heavy steel, your blasts hit it, but only dent it. "They have very sturdy doors in this farm..." As you blast a hole in the wall, you see something tumble out of the wall, it looks like a heavily gnawed skeleton. There is also a small, loaded crossbow. “Nyx, got you a present!l" Gorbash: "If we see that couple again I'm going to beat one of them to death with the other." The light also lets you see the rats for the first time. And their flowing craniums which shows their brains. Gorbash: "I think I remember these things... sort of...They taste decent spit-roasted." You hear a voice in your collective head. YOU NOT LEAVE. MEAT. HUNGRY. WE PLAY. THEN YOU DIE. LIKE OTHERS BEFORE YOU. Jonni: “We play. You burn.” "They are rage, brutal, without mercy. But I...I will be worse. Rip and tear, until it is done." “I’m telling you, we burn down any house we aren’t familiar with. It’s the only way to be sure.” "Next time I say a job with just rats will be simple, please someone remind me about this incident." Jonni uses the Create Campfire cantrip 147 times. They blink, then push back you [sic], seeing the house burning to the ground. "Good news...you don't have to worry about rats, or dust." "Um. you probably wont accept 'they made us do it' as an excuse will you?" Marchal: "Enh." *gesture with side eye at Jonni* “You may live.” "Oh we've been dead inside for years." "The rats would breed an army to wipe out every first level commoner in 10 KM." Edmund:"Gorbash...you're not going to eat that, are you?" Gorbash: "I'm feeling nostalgic recently." Edmund: "It might have a parasite!" Marshal: "Gorbash can eat my cooking. Any parasite that survives his stomach deserves living there." "How bad could a mill slug be?" OOC: Makes you run out of cards. "Doing the right thing is its own reward.........when an actual reward isn't possible..." Jonni: "Nerd." "And..-Jonni got to burn down a house...so its cathartic." Jonni: "Okay, now that is a reward.” "I say we check out the bulletin about losing contact with a nearby farm, maybe it will turn out to be this farm and thus easy. Wait, forgot I said that. By saying that I just jinxed us, that is how it has been going lately." Jonni knocks. “We are powerful wandering troubleshooters here about your posting. If anything here is trying to use you to lure us here, say so now or your house and lives are forfeit.” "She's had a ... rough day." Jonni blows up a near by stump. “How big and what does it do? Fire breath? Lightning Vision? Ice farts?” "How much salt do you have?" "70 feet long from tip to tip. And its obsessed with my windmill." "Sounds like your help will be greatly appred-- 70 feet!?" “Gonna need a lot of salt.” "That is the 2nd biggest slug I've ever heard of." "Fecking thing comes over and tries to mate with it every time I run it." "I can see how an amorous 70 foot slug can put a damper in your work..." "That sounds incredibly troublesome and very disturbing to witness." “Halflings are DTF. Shame she’s married to a dude.” "Like I noped out of there after they served me a wad of butter between two slices of bread." "Ah, the diet moon waffle." "So...buttered toast?" "No like a hamburger with a huge stick of butter in the middle." "And that's a DIET moon waffle?" "The proper moon waffle requires thick salted caramel and what is called liquid smoke." OOC: Alright, everyone who got below a 13, you get a strange and disturbing dream. “No! No I can’t. Not again! No more Big Bang Theory marathons!” "I've heard of nightmares from eating food...but TALKING about food giving nightmares?" "Standard Fundertainment advertising space." "...they want us to know we have made enemies of their entire species now." "They can get in line." OOC: First you get the ruminating powder, then you get the power, then Jonni gets the women. OOC: Its ravenloft, like 90% of the houses are creepy. OOC: Then we just classify it as urban renewal project. OOC: Bad news, Jonni is tired. Good news. Her favorite toy fully recharged. OOC: .... oh god I just got it. Instead of a Toe with corns.. its a corn with toes...