Hello everyone! Hoping I can get a good answer for this from folks better versed than I, My GM asked me to come up with the likely contents of stashes/caches at roadside or wilderness shrines common to the faithful of Desna. My GM asks:
"One question related to the way shrines, can you come up with a small list of items likely to be present for the traveler in need?
I'm thinking that some items might be available to any traveler, and other items might require a channel positive energy use to open a nook or compartment.
You guys might have an opportunity or need to use some of these supplies on occasion."
What should I tell him? Right row our party is 4th level, what do YOU think such stashes/caches would contain? I'm kind of stumped, but I imagine more experienced players (and GMs) could populate a stash like this in moments!
Please help, either by sharing examples or method!
Food, new shoes, spare holy symbol, spell component pouch, healer's kit.
Any other Magic item of Desnan Flavor? (thanks blackblood)
Any other ideas for contents of the stash?
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Dream Feast and Haze of Dreams are spells created by followers of Desna.
Leaving a wands/potions of them is another option.
A wayfinder?
(from Platoon) what'a we got here sal...we got...maps, we got communications...
No but for serious: what would the Desnan put in their shrines? Well, they're clerics of the following major domains: Chaos, Good, Liberation, Luck and Travel, so presumably items that would facilitate these five things. Boots, stones that explode into mounts, portable fires, rapid-expansion foods or shelters. Also dice, cards and other items of luck-related events (coins to flip, perhaps bones to divine the fortunes of others.) Finally there might be banners to inspire liberation, keys, or oils of slipperiness, depending on how literally you translate "Liberation".
Now let's get esoteric. The goddess' "Portfolio" decries Dreams, Stars, Travelers and Luck. Well, we've covered travel and luck, let's look at Dreams and Stars. A ring of shooting stars? Perhaps incense that effects a prolonged Sleep spell causing healing or other beneficial dreams? What if instead it's an incense that creates a nightmare effect from the Haunting Mists spell?
I crafted an item for hunters of Erastil but could easily work for the Desnan clergy. The device is an arrow which when planted firmly in the ground spews forth 4 glowing lantern lights that fly 10' apart, illuminating an area like a Dancing Lights spell; one of these lights glows faintly blue to mark true north and the other 3 lights form the other cardinal directions from there. In this respect the arrow never allows a user to be lost if they know what direction they're supposed to be heading (Know Direction spell as well).
I guess it just comes down to this: what EXACTLY do you think the Desnan would focus on? Providing resources to their allies? Hindering their enemies? Handing out magic mushrooms to anyone that stops by? What's the nature of your game?
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I would say the first compartment should have mundane equipment-- the kind of stuff that's in the Equipment section but most players don't really bother to write down on their sheet. Rope, blankets, a signal whistle, an astrolabe, a compass, some maps, and a spare set of clothes that's appropriate to the local climate. Maybe if you're feeling generous some alchemical grease, but nothing too expensive. Desna's portfolio says the astrolabe and alchemical grease would be particularly "on-topic". And since many travelers are also Varisian fortune-tellers, a Harrow deck or some other gambling items might be a good choice.
As for "secret compartment" goodies, the obvious choices are scrolls and wands (maybe not fully-charged wands). Any minor Wondrous Items would probably be good choices too-- have an eye towards the kinds of things a player doesn't usually buy in your campaigns but might be fun to see in action. Maybe a Glowing Glove, Flying Ointment, Muleback Cords, or a Campfire Bead?
A few Bottles of Messages would be appropriate as well-- perhaps some already contain messages (read: adventure hooks) from travelers who've been this way? Perhaps the PCs are expected to leave their own message-- a sort of "magical guestbook"?
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Whatever the case...there should be a tradition: take a little, leave a little.
Old cabins in the wilds of Canada and such, when explorers would go through, were left set up for emergencies. A lost soul might find one, use it to recover their strength, and then replace the firewood they'd used or something. The Desnan shrines should have somehting similar.
You arrive at a tree, its roots growing over an ornate carved stone shrine. Etched in the stone is a tapestry of butterflies while the inner niche of the domed structure is painted to resemble the night's sky; looking closely reveals that the stars are slightly moving and always correspond to the sky overhead.
Opening a modest cabinet built into the base of the shrine reveals some items helpful to travelers: rope, maps, a small bit of food and clean water enchanted so that they don't spoil while inside the shrine. There are also censors hanging from the eaves of the shrine; lighting these and drinking in their comforting scent bathes the traveler in a sense of euphoria and replenishes their strength for the journey ahead (Incense of ___: add whatever beneficial spell you'd like such as endure elements.) Finally, amid the cabinet, there will be an offering plate on which will be a unique item.
These offerings are not meant for the goddess but rather for future travelers. It is perfectly acceptable to take whatever fortune offers you. Tradition holds however that taking the offering requires you leave something special in its place. Desna is a goddess of fortunes, luck and chaos; as such there are no rules to how expensive, dangerous or holy the item is, merely that it be unusual but useful to future travelers.
Such offerings may be a wand of create food and water; a reed flute of masterwork craftsmanship to pass the long hours of travel; or a cloak of warmth lending resiliance against the elements. Should a traveler choose not to take the item this is fine; the Goddess has smiled on them and they need nothing at the moment. If on the other hand they merely take and do not give back the Goddess curses their luck (add whatever is appropriate for your game: Fatigued with no save, -2 to all rolls until Atonement, 10d6 lightning bolt... whatever).
Table D1: Random Desnan Offerings
1. Handy Haversack
2. Ring of Sustenance
3. Masterwork cloak (+2 Competence bonus to Survival check vs weather)
4. Scroll of Dream Feast
5. Masterwork Climbing kit
6. Rations kept in a well-crafted flatbox (Jewelry; 25 GP value)
7. Masterwork cold-iron starknife
8. 8 beads covered in Oil of Mount (8 uses of the Mount spell)
9. A fine bottle of brandy (10 GP worth; 8 glasses worth of liquid)
10. Wand of Make Whole
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The magic items suggested on this thread so far thematically appropriate, but are IMHO too powerful to be left in unattended wayside shrines. The vast majority of travelers who would stop at such shrines would be non-adventurers: pilgrims, merchants, farmers bringing grain to market, etc.
Some mundane equipment would be appropriate: rope, dry clothing, preserved rations, firewood, shoes, healers kits, blankets, etc. Maybe a low-level potion or two: cure light wounds, endure elements, aid, etc. These would be in a hidden compartment somewhere (with clues to the faithful).
I agree it should be mostly mundane equipment. Nothing too expensive, unless these caches are well concealed at the shrines.
Here's the big question, actually: are the item caches at these shrines intended for clerics of Desna only, or for any travelers? You could have both, in fact.
Items intended for all travelers are simple, mundane equipment; rope, maps, simple tools. Food in a compartment enchanted to preserve what's inside. The understanding is that you either replace what you take, or you make an offering to a temple of Desna (and the temples replenish these caches). It's mostly food, items that will help you set up a shelter, tools and parts to repair carts and wagons, that sort of thing. And the maps & firewood. And holy symbols, candles, and minor items associated with Desna's rituals.
Items intended only for Desna's clergy should be behind some sort of protection; ideally something more than just "channel positive energy". Possibly something that requires a (non-standard) use of a domain power from her domains. These would include holy symbols and minor magical items, mostly consumables.
In both cases, the nearby temples would periodically check & replenish the caches. And in both cases, the purpose of these caches is just to ease travel and aid in worship.
A pillow.
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Trying to think of some items i've seen stashed in apalachian trail shelters. Many of them run on the "Take a penny leave a penny" system.
Matches (flint and steel)
Preserved food
Blanket
Water
map (possibly carved onto the wall)
Sewing kit
tarp
Healers kit
Foot cream
Antitoxin, Anti plague, (pricey but invaluable)
magic items definitely cost too much.
Ok ok, I get the survival gear, and perhaps the magic items are a LITTLE extravegant, but this is DESNA after all. Yes, she's a goddess of travelers but also chaos, luck and dreams. To me, add all that up, and it equals good times.
So she's not Cayden, but wouldn't she also have some stuff to make the road bareable, maybe even fun? For that reason I say some of the mundane items should have these things in mind.
The bottle of brandy I mentioned earlier is a good start. Other things might include:
A bit of fine spices
A parasol or an umbrella
A masterwork hand fan
1 vial: aloe (+1 to Survival or Heal check?)
A handfull of rare, dried mushrooms; alternately 1 handfull: halucenagenic mushrooms
Again, I know she's not a goddess of partying by any stretch of the imagination, but her portfolio does seem to support a bit more comfort than basic survival gear; that sounds more in the purview of an Erastilin shrine.
As to most of the folks that visit her shrines being commoners - this is true. However they would want the goddess' blessing, so a handful of rope is fine, but I'm thinking of it more like a voodoo shrine. Leave some rum for the spirits; leave a cigar for the goddess; if you put down bits of twine they might ignore you or worse, they might be offended; lay down a handful of your best stuff however, the spirits, dey gonna dance for you!
So along that line, maybe you happen on a shrine containing 2 chicken's eggs, a headless bird, and some dried blood. A little too dark? Maybe for Desna they lay down a broken shell and just the bird's feet to represent Liberation and Travel. Then beside that there's a bottle of liquor - but it's bad Juju to take Desna's rum...
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I like the idea that Desna is somewhere between "staunch survivalist" (Erastil) and "raod trip! woo!" (Cayden Cailean). I still vote for dice or playing cards. If your campaign takes place on Golarion, anywhere near Varisia, a Harrow deck would also be a good choice. A bottle of moderate-quality spirits was a very good suggestion, perhaps a can of coffee as well, depending on what time you get there?
I also like the idea that you're expected to leave as good as you take. If there's a wizard in the party, maybe they could take a potion and leave a scroll in its place? Maybe there are also a few partially-used wands tied to the shrine, and you're welcome to a charge or two but dont' take the whole wand (and whoever uses the last charge is expected to leave a fresh one?)
A few children's toys.
Bedrolls, wood, flint and steel, dried rations, water, ale, wooden eating utensils, a knife, quilt, needle and thread, rope, torches, a whistle, map with directions to nearby communities, tools that could be used to repair wagon wheels, maybe some old books worth reading aloud around a fire.
I like the idea of an altar with a slot that, once per day, activates a longstrider spell on the person in front of the altar when 25 gold pieces have been donated. Kind of a magic vending machine. But it would have to be frequently emptied, otherwise there's plenty of rogues that would love to bust open a box or crawl down a ten-foot tunnel just for the price of one potion.
I like the idea of a star map on the ceiling, and hints being hidden around the temple that can be deciphered with a Knowledge: Religion check regarding Desna and perhaps one of the other skills, such as Survival or Knowledge: Geography. With successful checks, creatures can reference the hints with the star map on the ceiling and find treasure caches nearby, perhaps in the boles of trees or under notable boulders. It's still not impossible for non-priests of Desna to find these, but at least they're more resistant to 5th level rogues.
Some flayleaf or shrooms for interesting dreams then?
Isn't Flayleaf a weaker form of Cocaine?
It appears to be a very thinly veiled fantasy pot.
Oh, and DUH.. DRY FIREWOOD. You get wet and getting a fire going quickly can be the difference between a pleasant evening and catching the flu... or your death.
A logbook/travel journal for "I" was here. saw a beautiful sunrise. Watch out for the skunk etc.
PC reads the journal:
"Watch out for the skunk."
Player states out loud, "What skunk?" GM calls for a Fort save and player fails...smells like garbage as skunk sprays from hiding. PC goes back to the journal:
"THAT skunk."
Hilar
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Different shrines would probably have very different things stashed at them. If the shrine is relatively well known or easy to get to, anything really valueable will likely either have been stolen or used by a previous pilgrim. A shrine dedicated by a legendary Desnan saint at the peak of the Mhar Massif could have almost anything, but it would be a hell of an adventure getting there.
Which makes perfect sense, come to think of it. Desna teaches that new experiences are more important than worldly posessions, so powerful Desnan priests might go out of their way to stash legendary treasures in remote, hard-to-reach places in order to encourage later generations to go traveling in seach of them.
Of course, visiting any Desnan shrine and contributing to the shrine writings is sure to bring good luck, and you might just learn a thing or two from past visitors as well!
Healer's tools of some sort. Medicine and such, probably plenty of useful herbs planted nearby. Y'never know.
Probably all sorts of maps and pointers of some sort carved into it. Or arouind it. Signs pointing to good water and warning of danger are common enough already between Varisians and Shoanti. Figure it'd be the same for most Desnan wayshrines.
POISON! :D
>:(
Better than firewood.
A days worth of firewood costs 1 copper though. (and given that the shrine to desna is out in the middle of nowhere, it probably cost less than that). That magic item could buy you 50,000 days worth of firewood.
Easier to carry around than 50,000 days worth of firewood.
Its a shrine. You don't carry it around. It stays in place, that's the point.
For 500gp you can either sustain 1 shrine until someone steals the bag or 162 shrines for a year. (longer, since travelers can get their own wood to keep your supplies up, you only need to cover the loss of the take a penny system)
Maybe if you made it an immovable statue or something... but a statue that gave you an infinite amount of dung doesn't seem up her alley.
Dot for later. This thread will come into use soon as I'm orchestrating travel from Sandpoint to Korvosa.