For the record, I do kind of tend to soften the power of prestidigitation when it comes to flavoring and stuff like that. I think it can certainly offer better flavor, but it doesn't offer the nuance of proper cooking or seasoning. I just don't want it to replace actual cooking, or, you know, gathering herbs and stuff like that. It's like olive oil - it enhances something, and you can certainly use it to improve a recipe, but it doesn't actually offer that much on its own. Or an artificial seasoning packet, if you will.
A Profession (cooking) check could potentially be used in tandem with the spells, however.
I sadly do not even have prestidigitation on this character, otherwise I would be sad that I can't add the taste of truffle oil and smoked paprika to everything.
Ah, OK. We can quietly walk it back here, and/or imagine that it's horribly/delightfully fake here, maybe? So, the more ambitious one gets with the cantrip, the less subtle/effective it is? I should have toned it down a bit in my post, because I certainly didn't mean to suggest that I think Alaïs is giving a goblin market a run for its money with a bit of 1st-level bibbitty-bobbitty-boo!
More a bit more like 'blue raspberry' punch, or the like? Or (<.< >.> projecting a bit too much of herself into her character), Alaïs could be someone who can appreciate the nuances of fine cuisine, but is also likely to 'season' everything with ketchup if left unattended. She's a toff, not a chef. And ketchup is the queen of all dressings, so there. ;)
Oh, and speaking of industrial-strength, yes, I was thinking that regardless of the success or, as it turns out, failure of Alaïs' efforts to get a start on brewing her own alchemist's fire, she'd make sure to replace the flask she used today in town, if she can. Whether from the Smelting House, or one of the other shops.
And now I'm thinking again, in terms of Alaïs not actually being a stellar example of girl guide, it doesn't quite count as using magic to cheat at building a proper campfire if one pours over a half-pint of self-igniting alchemical fuel/accelerant, does it? XD
Yeah, my thinking is, default prestidigitation doesn't have to be awful, but you can't get better than "it's okay". It's a DC 10 job, basically. So you still make the apples taste better, but they aren't as good as true fresh apples.
Still troubled by the question of "speluncations." And if I give in, will I have to confess that I've "caved?"
"Mea culpa, mea culpa! Speluncavi!"
... I'll see myself out.
Oh, and yeah, the Smelting House is your most reliable bet for alchemical supplies. The general store might sell some, but not reliably.
I am running a little on fumes lately, so I'm going to be lazy and ask if there are any matters that require a GM answer, and otherwise plan to move on to the next day shortly. If there are any issues, we can retcon them later.
Nothing I need on my end! Was just messing around with some character moments
Nothing from me!
I'm all set and ready for the next day :)
On to tomorrow!
Posted, and updated the time in the Campaign Info/profile areas!
In the future, I like to use "new day" posts to recap the events of the previous say, but I got a little carried away with the dreams and wanted to get the post up before the evening took me.
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Yeah, my thinking is, default prestidigitation doesn't have to be awful, but you can't get better than "it's okay". It's a DC 10 job, basically. So you still make the apples taste better, but they aren't as good as true fresh apples.
I've got an idea kicking my head now where I want to build an illusionist that uses artistry (cooking) checks coupled with skill focus and any other bonuses to make really delicious fanciful food, and then enhances it with minor magics - and on top of that adds in illusions - and part of the dining experience is trying to suss out what is real, what is augmented, and what is totally fake.
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Yeah, my thinking is, default prestidigitation doesn't have to be awful, but you can't get better than "it's okay". It's a DC 10 job, basically. So you still make the apples taste better, but they aren't as good as true fresh apples.I've got an idea kicking my head now where I want to build an illusionist that uses artistry (cooking) checks coupled with skill focus and any other bonuses to make really delicious fanciful food, and then enhances it with minor magics - and on top of that adds in illusions - and part of the dining experience is trying to suss out what is real, what is augmented, and what is totally fake.
That sounds delightful! Perfect for a great social dinner encounter.
There’s an AP volume—I won’t say which one or which AP—which has a super decadent dinner in which the challenge comes from trying to figure out the correct way to eat the ridiculously complicated rich-people-food. Honestly one of my favorite encounters in anything I’ve played.
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I was tempted to go for a Satyricon reference, and try to see what all Alaïs can do with one main ingredient/vehicle, prestidigitation, and some ingenuity, like Trimalchio’s chef. Maybe next time.
And now that I think about it, for all her airs, Alaïs probably has a broad childlike streak that would account for why she might bother with something that silly, or any number of other odd and less posh ideas beyond foodie questions too. As the baby in her family, performing that guilelessness sometimes might be part of how she navigates group dynamics, especially if she’s in a comparatively vulnerable situation and still getting a read on everyone in the room.
There’s an AP volume—I won’t say which one or which AP—which has a super decadent dinner in which the challenge comes from trying to figure out the correct way to eat the ridiculously complicated rich-people-food. Honestly one of my favorite encounters in anything I’ve played.
That sounds immensely fun. "And then, she used the asparagus flipper for the salade garnie!"
"No! Tell me she didn't! The poor thing.""I know! we're still not sure if the countess will forgive her." :)
Based on Rosella’s last comment, Edrukk would be the best candidate for the ring, as he wouldn’t need to divest himself of his armor to climb down anymore. He could just do an Iron Man superhero landing by stepping off the ledge while still fully kitted-up.
Posted my agreement with Broc
You're kind, but are you sure? I still need to drop the armor to climb out...
There’s an AP volume—I won’t say which one or which AP—which has a super decadent dinner in which the challenge comes from trying to figure out the correct way to eat the ridiculously complicated rich-people-food. Honestly one of my favorite encounters in anything I’ve played.
This sounds really delightful - I hope I get to play this some day.
Regarding the mask, I plan to eventually run Kata as close to a full caster is as possible for a bard, so anything that allows additional castings per day would be really useful. For now though, Kata's spells are so situation-specific that she probably won't be casting much for the first few levels. Which is my long-winded way of saying, I'd love Kata to have the mask (or similar item(s)) someday, but at this time I think Briar or Alais would be better served to have it.
You're kind, but are you sure? I still need to drop the armor to climb out...
This is true, but we are usually climbing out once we've cleared things out. It'll also be helpful if you run into any pit traps.
No pressure, though! Briar has an interest in ravens so she wouldn't turn it down, either.
Regarding the mask, I plan to eventually run Kata as close to a full caster is as possible for a bard, so anything that allows additional castings per day would be really useful. For now though, Kata's spells are so situation-specific that she probably won't be casting much for the first few levels. Which is my long-winded way of saying, I'd love Kata to have the mask (or similar item(s)) someday, but at this time I think Briar or Alais would be better served to have it.
As someone who has a full spellcaster spiritualist, I feel you on the pain of the 3/4 caster spells per day. Alais is also stuck with lower spells per day so it makes good sense for her.
I am not feeling any pressure - I'll take it for the short term if that suits the party. I think you should get the mask if yesterday was any indication - you are going to be our primary healer, I suspect.
The Treasure List shows we have a pouch with 10 gold and 5 silver. Broccan can take that with him to the general store, if there are no objections.
None here!
By all means, especially if it buys us some more alchemist's fire.
With 28 gold, 5 silver, we can get (first stab at shopping):
1 vial of alchemist fire, 20 gp
10 vials of lamp oil, 1 gp
4 50' lengths of hemp rope, 4 gp
10 pitons, 1 gp
1 sunrod, 2 gp
10 torches, 1 sp
Leaving 4 silver unused. Suggestions welcome!
Earplugs are mere coppers for a set and help if we run into anything with sonic abilities like harpies. And more mundanely, they help with Broc's snoring :D
Briar already has some herself.
Kata has the light cantrip, so I'm not sure a sunrod is needed (though I suppose it is always useful to have a non-PC specific light source at hand).
Earplugs are always nice.
I agree with Kata that the sunrod probably isn't necessary, especially since Rosella is going to start begging people to carry around an already-lit torch. (She is literally having nightmares about those beetle swarms.)
I'm also not sure about the rope from a practical standpoint. 4 lengths of rope is 40lbs; do we really want to drag that much extra weight around with us? Briar and Edrukk both have silk rope while Rosella has some regular. Rosella could also borrow the ring to retrieve Broccan's length of silk rope from the upper passage. I can't imagine us needing any more, unless this cairn goes all the way to the Darklands.
So add four sets of ear plugs, lose the sunrod, lose the rope.
Should I also lose the pitons, then, or keep them so we don’t have to keep pulling them out?
Rosella has ten, so that's probably enough even if we leave some of them anchored.
*Only just strokes her elegant points.* Plug these beautiful, sensitive beauties? Not on your life! Unless we run into something that convinces Alaïs that OK, maybe sometimes it would be an idea. Or Broccan. :)
For what it’s worth, Alaïs picked up a flask of alchemist’s fire last afternoon, and she’s saddled with a length of rope from her starting kit that she could fetch from her regular lodgings.
I'll happily take the mask to supplement my main healing abilities, as per Ed's suggestion, if nobody else is interested. Briar certainly wouldn't complain about having another raven item. Perhaps if we run into any of them later, she could play herself off as being one....
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So, revised list:
1 Alchemist Fire, 20 gp
10 vials of lamp oil, 1 gp
10 torches, 1 sp
3 sets of ear plugs, 9 cp
And just save the rest of the coin for as needed items?
Sounds good!
Sounds good to me!
1 Alchemist Fire, 20 gp
10 vials of lamp oil, 1 gp
10 torches, 1 sp
3 sets of ear plugs, 9 cp
1 bucket (for the well), 5 sp
3 sacks (for loot, if we find any), 3 sp
1 bag of coffee (to even things out), 1 cp
Total Cost: 22 gp.
Remaining 6 gp, 5 sp.
Thoughts?
I went and looked through the list of adventuring gear and I didn't see anything in our price range worth noting
All sounds good, she said airily, gesturing from her divan. Looks like we should be glad some of us are taking this seriously. ;)
Although now I’m beginning to wonder if the Brilliant Planner feat might be fun for one of us to look into at some point. Like in Shakespeare in Love:
“So what do we do?”
“Nothing. Strangely, it all turns out well.”
“How?”
“I don’t know. It’s a mystery.”
I might consider it, though it wasn’t on my shortlist of feats that I’m most likely to think about. Might be for the best, because if I do, I’m not sure I can avoid insisting that Alaïs’ title would actually be Lady Blackadder. :p
Late to the shopping party, but that list looks good, Broccan. Thank you for taking the lead on that.
Ack, this turned into an all-day cooking day and I completely lost sight of everything else. I'll try to get a quick post up shortly before I go to bed.
So, a slight change to my schedule availability some of you have likely noticed—I'm posting mainly in the noon/afternoon/evening hours, as my mornings are dedicated to work. That may relax as I get into the routine, but for now, yeah, sorry for the slow posting!
No worries! I'm not a morning person anyways :D
No worries. But I am a morning person and I'm on an earlier time zone, so our posting times will just overlap less. It's all good - I'm comfortable with my fellow players botting me if necessary.
Not an issue for me. Like Edrukk I'm in a different time zone and tend to be more active in the mornings, but I also have no problem with being botted as necessary.
"Thanks Briar." The other woman's offer puts a smile on Rosella's face. "I don't doubt you'd put him in his place if he ever tried anything on you. Although it's possible he's changed, I guess. Haven't seen him in a couple years." While Rosella does still write to the Lodge, her letters go to the rangers and druids she'd actually gotten along with. None of whom mention Sorin when writing back.
(She's also written her parents a couple times, but never gotten a reply.)
:'( Brilliant! Tragic, but brilliant.
Gosh, I don't think I've been in the position of my character's having the happiest backstory in the party for a while. Once we figure out the extent of the threat to Diamond Lake and the world, Alaïs is going to be all the more committed to stopping it, partly out of spite (and because it's the right thing to do) and partly because all of the party who are more settled in Diamond Lake need at least a chance to live a happy life. I mean, ye gods! but you kids really haven't had any breaks.
We're talking about it in the Discord, but my general leaning is that it should be three people at a time in the elevator. I think that's roughly what the developers intended, but I misunderstood people's questions about "how many can it carry" as being strictly about weight. That said, I'm reluctant to change the rules on y'all when the encounter's already started, so... I guess what I'll say is, you can choose to roleplay as if your characters don't consider a six-person elevator ride to be a possibility, or you can not, and I won't nitpick either way.
Edrukk will wait to ride back up and count on his dwarven constitution to survive.
Still working tonight, blah but Kata will essentially wait unless something more apparent needs to be done. Please bot if needed.
I know that was a lot of wait for a bit of an anticlimactic encounter end, but, well, at least no one's died. :P
Oh i’m not complaining! It was very tense and the stakes of the danger were big enough that it made sense. The unchained poison rules def make poison a lot more terrifying!