#notes. ( “SPELLSINGER” );

[sterek-ao3feed]

The Fountain of Life III: Spellsinger

Read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/64836589

by Mikethenut

It was a tempting offer. Let go of the knife, step away, and run off somewhere. But what about after? Would the nightmares return, would he suffer like before? If what Keo said was true, then this was something he had to face. Besides, his friends were still trapped inside.

...

It was time for Stiles to awaken. Through thick and thin, with muck and grime – the only way out was through. Will he make it past all the bodies standing in his way? And more importantly – will his friends still recognize him on the other side?

Note: This is the third entry in a four-part series. You can read each part on its own, but don't expect to understand everything right away. WARNING: The second chapter has explicit gore. If you find it to be too much, you can just assume that Stiles saves the day ... somehow :)

Words: 9278, Chapters: 2/2, Language: English

Series: Part 3 of The Fountain of Life

Fandoms: Teen Wolf (TV)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: M/M

Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale, Allison Argent, Original Male Character(s), Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Nogitsune (Teen Wolf)

Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski

Additional Tags: Post-Season/Series 02, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Time Skip, Aged-Up Character(s), Mental Instability, Mental Breakdown, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Dark Magic, Suspense, Psychological Horror, Body Horror, Blood and Gore

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64836589

[verai-marcel]

Your Hearth Is My Home - Author's Notes & Character Summary

Spoilers for Your Hearth Is My Home.

Description:

Reader is a hearth witch, one who wears pants and long sleeves and gloves because she is also an empath, one who can feel the emotions of others through touch.

Multi-class: she’s got a bit of druid, bard, wizard, and cleric. In terms of the Forgotten Realms, she’s spellsinger.

Race: Half-fey eladrin. Passes for a human at first, as long as she hides her ears.

Brown hair, brown eyes, tan skin, she finds herself to be very plain.

But looking closer, her brown hair has strands of gold, her eyes also have flecks of gold and green, and her skin, under faerie fire, has some thin striations of darker tan.

Personality:

Prides herself on being understanding, insightful, and patient. It was how her mother was, how her father was, and how she hopes to be.

But she is sometimes prone to fits of petty spite, just because she has rarely acted out, and when she’s frustrated, she doesn’t know a good way to let out her emotions.

She had plenty of hugs from her parents, but once her empathic abilities grew stronger, her mother trained her not to touch others without her gloves and high collar, long sleeve shirts, and to avoid skin contact. So she just began to avoid touch in general, because she made a few mistakes and forgot, and got a blast of emotion that overwhelmed her.

Her mother did train her to mentally guard against emotions too, but HW isn't very good at it. 

She also uses her hair to hide her lineage, because, once again, that’s what her mother taught her. And that if anyone saw her ears and asked, to say she had elven ancestry far back, technically not a lie, from a certain point of view.

As she got older, she got used to touch again, but only in small doses, and after her parents were killed, she only used it because her boss told her to. But because of this continued use, she does know how to shield herself a little bit.

When she escaped and became a healer, she used it to gauge her customers. So she uses it a lot, actually. But only flitting touches, nothing more than that. She does do small touches as comfort though, when she has her full clothes on, because she understands the comfort in such a thing.

With Astarion, she’ll touch him with gloves first, but she’ll basically cheat code her way into figuring out what’s really on his mind, and then she won’t be able to stop because she constantly wants to know if he’s alright.

Background: 

1464 DR - Hearth Witch is born. Hearth Witch grew up north of Neverwinter, a druid father and a hearth witch mother. Because she had a rare ability of empathy, she was trained separately by her mother, learning songs and potions and herbal remedies.

Secret - Her father was actually a warlock to begin with, having contracted with an Archfey (her mother), but they actually fell in love. The story of their ancestor that her mom told her? It's actually them. 

That is, until her village was raided and her parents killed. She was 15 then. (1479 DR)

HW’s father had sent her to lead the young children to the nearby caves to hide until the enemies (some kind of demonic being leading a bunch of goblins) went away

So historically, the reason demonic creatures attacked the village is because some of the demonic creatures summoned in Helm’s Hold near Neverwinter escaped and headed north.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Neverwinter_(game)#The_Corruption_of_Helm's_Hold

HW’s father dies protecting her mother; her mother, in her grief, just sings the shielding song at full power (that’s the golden light that HW is blinded by), and in her last few moments, casts Feign Death on HW.

Then her mother is sucked back into the Feywild because her contract with HW’s father was nullified. Without it, her powers react wildly and she’ll pop in and out of the planes if she leaves the Feywild.

HW is sort of like that too, but we’ll address that in the end.

When the lords of Neverwinter sent a small mercenary group to take down the bandits, one of them was a wizard named Cardin who appreciated her apothecary skills and realized that she had the rare skill of empathic touch. He sent her to one of the masked lords of Waterdeep.

Reader worked as a secret operative of one of the masked lords of Waterdeep for 10 years (starting in 1479 DR), as both a potion maker and an observer. He used her to feel out the people he met with, brushing their hands when serving tea or food so she could report back. She became tired of this life, but had no way of escape, being trapped in the mansion.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Corylus_Thann

During this time, she made some friends, a few acquaintances, but mostly stayed out of sight and forgettable, because she was painfully shy.

She accidentally found out that he was a masked lord of waterdeep when she was cleaning his office, and hid away in a cabinet when he came to the room, murderously drunk like he was wont to do, and overheard him talking to someone via magic message about coming to the next Lord’s Court. She told no one and kept this knowledge to herself. She also wonders if he actually knew she was in there and just kept her around because of her ability.

After 9 years, she witnessed an entire room of people murdered before her eyes because they were “non-human,” she realized that she was working for a racist man and wanted out.

She prepared and waited for her chance. While everyone was staying at home for Wintershield, she made her getaway since no one was really paying attention to her, and she had earned enough trust that no one really watched her. Because she has no fighting ability, she escaped in the middle of the night and made her way out of the city of Waterdeep and southeast into the countryside, east of Baldur’s Gate, where she settled on being a hearth witch, making potions and remedies for the small villages nearby.

That was three years ago, 1489 DR, 25 yrs old. She suspects that he didn’t go after her because she hasn’t said or done anything, and she wishes to keep it that way.

Current year - 1492 DR, Hearth Witch is 28 years old.

Powers:

She gets a tingling sensation at the base of her spine when she has a premonition. 

At least, this is what she thinks causes the tingles. They’re actually reactions to power or magic nearby.

What she doesn’t know is that her mother cast a seal on her when she was a child, having sensed that she would be part of something incredibly dangerous, and being an overprotective mother, wanted her child to have no part of it. Nope, it’s because Orla knew that HW would be sucked into the feywild too if she used a powerful spell.

But because it’s been 13 years since her mother passed away, the seal is starting to break. So for the past 13 years, she’s been having stronger sensations that occur more often.

Also because her seal is fading/cracking, she’s getting stronger in magic.

As far as she knows, her mother was part Eladrin, so HW has slightly fey ears, barely pointy, and her hair covers the tips, so it’s hard to see unless someone is touching them. So that’s why she has weird powers tied to music and knows songs in another language (Sylvan).

All of her magic is derived from the magic of the feywilds that runs through her blood, so it’s very much a strange magic that only she can wield (because she has Fey Eladrin blood). This is something that HW knows, but not to what extent.

In actuality, her mother is FULL Fey eladrin, at the arch-fey level. A full fey eladrin powerful enough to have a contract with a warlock (her father), and they fell in love and had her.

Her magic is a form of spellsong, ancient and nearly forgotten.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Spellsong

Another super secret - She knows one spell that is for protection: she can sing a barrier into existence, and it’s only good for blocking out the shadows and darkness. So it’s usually useless… until they go into the shadowlands.

When she uses that spell, she transforms into her autumn eladrin form, but it’s very draining and she can only do it for about an hour before she loses her voice. 

If she tries to keep singing after the hour is up, she just won’t be able to; no sound will come out until she recuperates (long rest).

The shield really should only be used 10 minutes at a time at most; after the first ten minutes, she’ll start taking damage (slashes across her body), but the shield will hold; basically the shield will start taking its power from her physical body.

When her seal breaks, she gains her full powers, but she gets pulled into the Feywild automatically.

Oh hey, there’s a 9th level spell called Wish. Pretty much whenever she uses her powers to its full potential, she gets same consequences (she has to rest for a few days to recover)

In order to stay on the plane of Toril as a fey Eladrin, she must have a tie to it; thus, Astarion. He gets to stand in the sunlight using her power, and she gets to stay with him.

Story: 

Act I

Ch 1 - First meeting. Then the party asks you to come with them, since you need to move anyway, and you need the money. 

Ch 2 - You become a valued member of the party because you make camp more like a home. 

Ch 3 - you fix astarion’s shirt. The party has been exploring the bog and the grove and the blighted village.

Ch 4 - withers makes it to camp. You let Astarion bite you.

Ch 5 - Goblin camp.  Volo also suddenly appears, along with a dog and an owlbear. You just handle all this in stride, but it’s very odd having more beings in camp. You visit the Druid Grove. 

Ch 6 - The others discover that Astarion is a vampire. Goblin camp still ongoing. Find Halsin, he joins the party. You see Astarion’s scars for the first time when he lets you wash his back.

Ch 7 - Halsin stops the grove from doing the ritual so the tieflings can go on. up to the tiefling party, where Astarion attempts to seduce you, but you, being an empath, know you won't be able to handle it, so you offer to just hold hands instead. He is so confused that he just accepts the offer, and like a cat, he curls up in your lap and falls asleep while you brush his hair. 

Ch 8 - up the mountain. You find out about Gale. You brush Astarion’s hair for the first time.

Ch 9 - To the creche. You brush Astarion’s hair with your bare fingers.

Ch 10 - Monastery explodes. Lae’zel gets some warm comfort from you. Decide not to go to the mountain pass from Halsin's advice

Ch 11 - Go into the underdark, camp amongst the mushrooms. 

Ch 12 - You meet the myconids too, and the mind flare and hobgoblin. Learn some alchemy things. Then the party goes to grymforge, leaving you and the others at the underdark camp for a bit. They return late, like nearly dawn the next day, and rest up. Then they take you to grymforge and hunker down there while they explore the shadow cursed lands. That’s where you meet Elminster.

Act II

Ch 1 - Enter the shadow-cursed lands. Carry on to last light inn.

Free the pixie.

Talk to Jaheira. Convince her you don’t need to drink the potion.

Talk to isobel, get attacked by marcus, save isobel, 

probably will cover the part where Raphael makes a deal with Astarion, inside of the Last Light Inn. This is where he strips Astarion, and reader gets mad at Raphael for doing so.

Ch 2 - get pixie out of lantern, talk to Dammon

Ch 3 - Rescue tiefling & gnomes. 

The team goes to rescuing the gnomes and tieflings.

Afterward, Astarion wonders idly if he was being precious after refusing to drink the blood of the drow at moonrise; Reader thinks he made the right decision to speak up if he was feeling uncomfortable. 

others are investigating reithwin town. 

Ch 4 - Portal & Thaniel quest. 

You see the others slowly falling under the assault of the shadows while guarding the portal that Halsin went through. Seeing Astarion get knocked down is the last straw, and you throw yourself into the battle, despite your fear, you sing your song and block the shadows from reaching the portal

However, the song drains you and your throat is hoarse for a while.

Ch 5 - Healing? Also time to change camps.

Ch 6 - Astarion confesses that he’s fallen for you.

They go into the gauntlet of shar, figure out what to do next. 

Astarion stays behind and confesses, end the chapter there. 

Ch 7 - Gauntlet

Some banter

At least one day passes and they take care of the devil and figure out most of the temple puzzles, so they return that night. 

Ch 8 - the towers

The others save Nightsong, and go fight the big bad. When they finally beat the big boss and the shadow curse is lifted, they head off to Baldur’s Gate. 

Ch 9 - camp in Wyrm’s Lookout

HW helps Shadowheart change her hair.

After the emperor is attacked that night between act II & III, poor Astarion comes back, covered in blood, and Hearth Witch just quietly takes him aside and washes him up and holds him, and while he's finally relaxing, she puts her wrist in front of his mouth.

He looks up at her, and she can feel his gratitude as he takes a drink, but not too much because he knows she's tired too.

He kisses her wound and then just rests his head against her chest to hear her heartbeat and just relaxes

Astarion tells you that he wants to face off against Cazador. You’re worried, but support him in getting his freedom.

Act III

Ch 1 - You mostly stay in Rivington. 

Various things happen, but for HW, it’s all kind of a blur because she still stays in camp because it’s dangerous with Orin’s shape shifters.

The circus thing occurs, Gale & Shadowheart do the dryad test

The team solves the murders and finds the deputy who will help them.

Lae’zel meets with Voss and agrees to free Orpheus.

Shadowheart finds her parents.

The spawn come and try to kidnap Astarion, but instead, they kidnap HW. 

This chapter should end just as HW is getting kidnapped.

Ch. 2 - Cazador

She's brought before Cazador, and he can smell Astarion's cologne on her, accuses her of distracting the boy from his family, and wraps iron chains around her wrists, and uses his staff to force her to float in front of him, uses his dagger to slash the back of her shirt open and is beginning to slice a new rune on her back when the party barges in. 

Cue cut scene, HW is kicked aside and ignored, battle ensues, HW goes and pulls Astarion out of the magic's hold, he pulls off her chain and then goes to fight

HW is scared, but uses a dropped dagger and hums, managing to stab one of the little bats, but it's death knell makes her hurt and keel over in pain, so she stays back as much as she can. 

She helps Astarion make the right decision within Cazador’s palace.

He tells her he loves her in the graveyard, they kiss but no sex yet. 

She finally confesses that she has empathic powers. 

The next day, they take care of Jaheira’s quest and getting Minsc back.

Ch 3 - She gets kidnapped by Orin this time.

They upgrade to staying in the Elfsong tavern, so then hopefully HW can stay safe inside.

While the others are out trying to solve the murders and finding the Bhaalspawn cult, Orin kidnaps HW. 

Astarion knows immediately that Orin is posing as HW, and is incredibly pissed off.

He's also panicking because he knows she's empathic and will freak with homicidal people touching her. 

When they save her, she's got cuts everywhere, since Orin has been steadily slicing into her, her clothes are shredded, her blood leaking all over the alter

Shadowheart heals her, but mentally, HW is overwhelmed, and once Astarion touches her and fills her with his love, she passes out, her body finally relaxing from all the stress. 

While she's passed out, Astarion stays by her side, holding her hand. Wyll mentions that he could let her rest; the others have agreed to donate some blood if he needs a meal, but he shows him what happens when he leaves HW's side: she starts to fret and frown and groan in pain. 

Ch 4 - the nether brain fight

She eventually gets better after three days, during which everyone is out investigating other things:

Gale meets with Mystra. With Shadowheart’s opinion, he decides that he should just give up the crown to her, since it actually is a seriously dangerous thing.

Wyll frees the councilor, frees his father, and defeats the dragon of ansur

The others fight Gortash, and HW is surprised when Karlach comes back alone.

She lets her talk, lets her vent, and finally, after Karlach cries it out, HW cools her engine down a little bit.

She wants to help in the final fight, but Astarion tells her to stay, that he can’t go all out if he’s worrying about her getting hurt. So she agrees, and waits for them.

When she sees the brain crash into the water, she goes out to find them. 

The group wins, of course, but then Karlach, on the dock, is about to choose whether she dies or goes to Avernus.

HW can’t stand that. So she stabilizes her engine by wrapping it in fey magic. She pushes so hard that the seal on her powers breaks.

Scene: the seal breaking after HW has exhausted her powers helping Karlach stabilize her infernal engine. 

HW transforms into her fey form, and then she reaches out to Astarion, who is starting to get burned from the sun, and just as she is about to say something, she just *whoosh* gets sucked into the Feywild..

And Astarion is standing there in shock, not even caring that he's burning. 

Gale casts darkness and they whisk him away to a dark corner. Shadowheart gives him the ol' slap to the face to get him out of it, and Halsin tells them she's in the Feywild… Karlach suggests that they could find a Fey crossroad to find her, but the druids talk the group out of it…

Ch 5 - the feywild

Meanwhile HW navigates her way back, and takes a year to get through the crossroads on her end.

She finds her mother, who tells her everything. Her mother is a legit fey eladrin, archfey level, not just partial, and she put a seal on her child, knowing that if she comes into her power, she too will get sucked back into the Feywild because the power of her song will just open up crossroads to that plane wherever she is. 

Mother basically doesn’t want to go back; losing her husband hurts too much.

Mother is named Orla - “Golden Princess” in Irish Gaelic

Father is named Deaglan - From dag “”good”” and lan “”full”” suggesting “”full of goodness.”” Pronounced ”deck + lan”

She trains HW in the rest of her powers, since she never finished her training. And also because if she doesn’t she’ll literally burn herself out

Mother tells her that she’ll just get pulled out again if she does magic bigger than a cantrip. Her seal is now broken, so if her higher levels of fey magic is unleashed, it is similar to wild magic in that if she casts a more powerful spell, the magic has a high chance of zapping her back into the Feywild.

The only way to stay in Toril, and have stable access to her higher magic, is if she contracts with someone, who basically becomes her anchor so she can stay in Toril if she does some bigger magic. (and that anchor becomes stronger for it)

She asks her mother if being contracted with her would, for example, save a vampire from the sun, and she says yes, of course it would, it would give the contractor access to her power, so it would work like that. But why would she do that?

HW admits that she’s in love with a vampire spawn, and in typical disapproving mother fashion, yells at her for it. They have a fight, but eventually, mother comes around.

Ch 6 - finale

Meanwhile, in Faerun

In Sorcerous Sundries, Rolan helps Astarion and Gale find a book on ancient elven magic. They both realize that HW’s form of magic is very, very old. (eh, not using this plot point, not useful)

The night before the next full moon, Astarion has a hunch, so he goes to the docks.

Only 28 days have passed in Faerun.

She comes out of the crossroads at night on a full moon, and just sees Astarion, who has been coming to the docks nearly every night. 

They have their own quiet little reunion

Then he takes her back to everyone the next night and everyone is delighted to see her. (save this for the epilogue)

So she isn’t supposed to use super strong magic anymore, because she'll pop back into the Feywild, but she’s okay with that. Unless…

She does tell Astarion all this, and he says he’ll contract with her, despite her telling him that it means he’ll lose his “freedom”

Also brown chicken brown cow, finally

Ch 7 - epilogue

HW opens an apothecary shop in Baldur’s Gate.

Astarion picks up perfuming, at first as a hobby, but then slowly starts selling and becomes quite popular in Baldur’s Gate.

He also takes up adventuring as a side hobby. After all, it means he can go a little wild killing villains.

[ao3feedsterek]

The Fountain of Life III: Spellsinger

The Fountain of Life III: Spellsinger https://ift.tt/h5dvaCL by Mikethenut It was a tempting offer. Let go of the knife, step away, and run off somewhere. But what about after? Would the nightmares return, would he suffer like before? If what Keo said was true, then this was something he had to face. Besides, his friends were still trapped inside. ... It was time for Stiles to awaken. Through thick and thin, with muck and grime – the only way out was through. Will he make it past all the bodies standing in his way? And more importantly – will his friends still recognize him on the other side? Note: This is the third entry in a four-part series. You can read each part on its own, but don't expect to understand everything right away. WARNING: The second chapter has explicit gore. If you find it to be too much, you can just assume that Stiles saves the day ... somehow :) Words: 9278, Chapters: 2/2, Language: English Series: Part 3 of The Fountain of Life Fandoms: Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: M/M Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale, Allison Argent, Original Male Character(s), Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Nogitsune (Teen Wolf) Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski Additional Tags: Post-Season/Series 02, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Time Skip, Aged-Up Character(s), Mental Instability, Mental Breakdown, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Dark Magic, Suspense, Psychological Horror, Body Horror, Blood and Gore April 19, 2025 at 04:08PM https://ift.tt/h5dvaCL

[tarasylsulahn]

Making a personal note for writing about Amaera: Spellsinger (Which being modelled on a Dar'Missan and an Arcane Warrior restricted sword is more than likely elven in origin) should translate to something like Ere'sulenan.

She has ancient elf memories she can learn that.

[hellguarded-moved]

//  tag dump 03

general ship tags cont.

relations.  ( “LYKAIOS” );

relations.  ( “EMPEROR” );

relations.  ( “GORGON” );

verses tags cont.

records.  ( “OFFICIAL” );

records.  ( “UNOFFICIAL” );

alternative records.  ( “SUMMONED” );

alternative records.  ( “HUNTED” );

alternative records.  ( “CRIMINAL” );

headcanon tags.

notes.  ( “CERBERUS” );

notes.  ( “NIHIL” );

notes.  ( “TALONSLASH” );

notes.  ( “CONQUEST” );

notes.  ( “FAMINE” );

notes.  ( “HELIOS” );

notes.  ( “STORMBRINGER” );

notes.  ( “FLAMEDANCER” );

notes.  ( “SPELLSINGER” );

notes.  ( “BLOODSCALE” );

notes.  ( “REVENANT” );

notes.  ( “CETUS” );

notes.  ( “LINCEI” );

notes.  ( “LYKAIOS” );

notes.  ( “EMPEROR” );

notes.  ( “GORGON” );

[thetreasuregoblin]

Peoples of the Realm: Elves

Elves share a common ancestor with the dwarves and the Kuduk, but much like the dwarves, highly unusual circumstances have radically changed the evolutionary path of the elvish people. Uncountable generations ago (literally, since time in the fey realm does not flow at the same rate as our own, nor at a consistent speed), a tribe of their ancestors, known as heumen according to Kuduk oral tradtion (note: double-check spelling and pronunciation with the anthropology department; records are scarce on this subject) became trapped in the lands of the fey.

For those unfamiliar, the fey realm is an uncivilized and chaotic reflection of our own plane, ruled by powerful beings know as Fey Lords, who seem to have absolute control of their domains not only politically, but in a physical sense as well, as they can affect distance, gravity, and even the time and probably of the world around them. If that weren't enough, the Fey Realm is also populated by numerous other dangerous and unpredictable creatures, making survival for mortals a difficult prospect.

But survive they did, and a sizable population were able to find their way back into their home plane, significantly changed by their lives in the Fey Realm. Their time among the timeless granted them extended lifespans, enhanced senses, an unusual sleep cycle, and a limited form of the reality manipulation that Fey Lords perform (see lecture on Spellsinging). Elves are taller and leaner than their cousin peoples, and have sharpened features, giving them a somewhat eerie countenance reminiscent of the denizens of the Fey Realm. They have strong hearing aided by their large, flexible ears, and can see as well in the night as in the day. They are mostly crepuscular, but are often founded taking short naps throughout the day, and neither require their sleep to be overlong or consecutive.

Elves have an insular culture focused first on survival and second on artistic expression. While many aspects of their culture are quite communal, individual accomplishments, both physical and creative, are held in high esteem among the elves. Although as much variation exists as is necessary for each settlement, generally the females of the culture are tasked with hunting, warfare, and politics (such as they are), while the males are more often artisans, spellsingers, and providers of childcare. Child-raising among the elves is mostly communal, but as the women are more often away for days or even weeks on a hunt or territorial dispute, it is mainly the men that handle this business.

Owing to their unusual history, most elvish groups live in the wilder places, in semi-permanent settlements ready to uproot at a moment's notice. Forested areas are the most common recorded locations, and indeed trees seem to hold a special place in elvish spirtual practices, but groups of elves have been reportedly also found in wetlands, rocky deserts, and high in the mountains. The only common trend seems to be an avoidance of wide-open spaces, most likely for defensive reasons. Trade and communication with elves has been somewhat scant, and most of our knowledge derives from the accounts of exiles, so these accounts must naturally be taken with a grain of salt.

[dark-wizardess]

This time we have yet another oc, Sorrel Eilauver, a spellsinger who also plays the harp and cast magic using it. At first she may appear to be a normal student in the academy but there is something about her that she doesn't want anyone to know, what do you think her secret is? 😉

Side note, the Harp really adds to how amazing this picture is

Drawn by @ilianightwish

[pirate-and-soldier]

The Magemarked’s Abilities (SPOILERS)

I think people might underestimate the strength and use of the magemarked’s amilites.

Probably the most powerful is Evan’s abilities. Yeah, weather powers may not seem all that great, but if you’ve had a lot of thought on this like I have (trust me, I have, and not always on purpose), you’ll see that power over weather is one of the most powerful abilities. With a bit of refinement, you can make things levitate with wind, cause tornados and avalanches and other destructive things, and even be able to fly; you can move great heaps of water, make it rain, sleet, snow, or hail any time you want, cause a drought or a flood, and with wind and water combined you can make devastating hurricanes and water spouts; with lightning, you can probably cook a meal, make fires, shock someone’s heart to either kill or revive them, light up an area. Put those three together, and, with a lot of training or just by force of will alone, you can create and destroy however you want. I’m kinda disappointed that we didn’t get to see Evan use his powers in this sort of way, because it would have given him tremendous power and might’ve tipped the scale of the plot if used correctly.

Breon’s spellsinger powers—and, if the little tidbit in Shadowcaster and moments afterward where Breon was both extremely competent in and drawn to ships, possibly water abilities—have a lot of potential as well. His is basically mind controlling, using his siren voice and the sweet music from whatever instrument he has at the moment. With practice, he could sing a few notes and have even the most strong willed person become completely ensnared by him in a matter of seconds. If my theory that he also has some control over water (or at least something to do with ships, like how in the Percy Jackson series, Percy was able to use his powers to fully rig a ship with just a few waves of his hands), he could become a conqueror of not only the land, but the sea as well.

Jenna’s clairvoyant, fire, and shapeshifter abilities are also nothing to gloss over. Even when she was young, her body’s ability to turn heat and flame away were extremely prominent. As we saw in Deathcaster, she discovered that she can also manipulate fire. Guessing by the symbol next to her and her father’s name in the book at Celesgarde and scales surfacing in times of danger, I belive she also has shapeshifter abilites, maybe beyond that of just having scales and claws. There’s more of a chance that she can just turn into a dragon, but it could be that she can change into something else. What, though, I can’t tell. Her ability to see glimpses of the past, present, and future would have made a huge impact with the battle against Celestine.

From what I’ve gathered from Deathcaster and Stormcaster, Jak just had blood magery, and that in itself is powerful, though compared to the powers I discussed before this one it may seem a bit less impressive. Though, just by itself it can do a lot of damage. We’ve all read that in Deathcaster and Stormcaster, both Celestine and Evan talk about how powerful their blood magery is. Just a few drops of blood can bind someone to them. The only way that it can be undone is either substituting it with another blood mage’s blood, or using the blood of someone who has a different but powerful binding magic. The results for either undoing are vastly different, but they still get the job done, per say. Jak was the one who gave Celestine blood magery, which means that he on his own, if he were alive, might’ve had a huge influence as well.

Claire, though we haven’t seen her but is mentioned like Jak, had the power of lightning, I believe. Her powers I’m not as sure of. If her ability was lightning, then, such as like I had discussed in Evan’s, she’d be able to have tremendous power. We don’t really have a lot of information on her powers, so I’m not able to make a more thorough explanation. Nevertheless, the abilities her father had were powerful enough for him to be taken up as one of the five consorts of Empress Iona.

Put together, they would have been a devastating force for any enemies and powerful protection for their allies. They have enough means to take over the entire known world if they wanted to. If you underestimate them, it would be your downfall.

[braincoins]

Unnamed Urban Fantasy World-Building Bible

Okay, so at this point I’ve got most of the world built and relevant history gone through. As such, HERE COMES AN INFO DUMP. Some of this was in the previous post, but there honestly wasn’t a lot there. This should hopefully whet your appetite for what’s to come. 

Keep in mind that this is sort of “first draft” world-building. Things may be tweaked, thrown out, or altered later. (Also, the Blades section under “Lost Swords” formatted all weird, but it’s still legible, so I don’t feel like fixing it)

------------------- Cast of Characters -------------------

Keith Ward – orphaned son of Steven and Carol Smith (nee Krolia Kogane). Grew up in an orphanage with no knowledge of his parents. Immediately after high school, enrolled with the CPD and entered police academy, where he met Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane. Graduated and is a full-time CPD officer; his partner on the force is Iverson. Is still very close with Shiro and looks up to him like a big brother. Human with unknown elf heritage.

Katherine “Pidge” Holt – daughter of Samuel and Colleen Holt (nee Gunderson), younger sister of Matthew. MIT freshman who finds out her father and brother have both gone missing: Sam from his job as a CISA compliance officer at Galaxy IT Services and Matt after having taken a leave of absence from his job as a Computer Forensics Examiner at the CPD to go try to hunt up Sam. They’ve been missing for six months, and Pidge drops out of college to come back home to find them. Human Normie.

Darius “Hunk” Garrett – child of Dwayne and Ellen Garrett (nee Jorden), younger brother of Jasmin, older brother of Aliyah. The Garretts are Masks. Hunk is an alchemist who has a mobile lab based in a food truck. He also serves food, as would be expected. He learned both alchemy and cooking from his father, and he’s very close to his family. He also studies physics (as he believes it helps with his alchemy (and it does)) and is a very handy mechanic, keeping his old food truck up and going when it probably should’ve given up whatever ghost it had years ago (he bought it from a junkyard and fixed it up himself). His older sister is a bank teller but had no interest in alchemy; his younger sister is learning alchemy but wants to be a veterinarian. Human Mask.

Lance McClain – child of Scott and Juanita McClain (nee Garcia). Middle child in a pack of 8 children; Juanita’s widowed mother also lives with them. His two oldest siblings have moved out and one has started his own family (the other’s in college). The McClains are Masks, and Lance grew up with Hunk, as they’re the same age. They’ve been best buddies since grade school. Lance is a musician, and a very talented one, and he’s learned many powerful spellsongs. Spellsinging is considered a form of alchemy, using soundwaves, vibrations, pitch, tone, and rhythm to affect one’s environment instead of the more usual chemical, medicinal, or culinary forms (that Hunk knows). Lance chafes at the Masks’ rules but obeys them. However, he’s started noticing that he’s spellsinging when he doesn’t intend to be. Human Mask.

Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane – child of Kenichi and Yumiko Shirogane (nee Shimizu), older brother of Ryou. Shiro always wanted to be a police officer, to protect and serve. He felt it as a calling. Out of high school, he went to community college to study criminal justice, then enrolled in CPD’s police academy, where he met Keith. He graduated top of his class and became a CPD police officer. His partner is Harris. While at the CPD, he met and befriended Matt Holt. He wonders about Matt’s sudden leave of absence, but assumes his buddy is dealing with family stuff (as he said before he left) and is busy. Human Normie.

Allura ve Alfor, Princess of Altea – daughter of King Alfor and Queen Aetheria of Altea. Allura was trained in diplomacy, leadership, magic, and combat by her parents and her father’s advisor, Coran. She doesn’t know alchemy, but she knows her father’s code that he wrote his notes in. She is an excellent shifter, able to alter her appearance at will, though it takes energy to keep any form that is different from her normal one (how much energy depends upon how different the form is). Fortunately, she has an incredible reservoir of magical energy along with her own life force. Forbidden from joining the battle against the Dark Lord & Lady, she survived and agreed to be sealed away rather than forego her vengeance entirely. She is focused on avenging the death of her father and her people. At the last second, her four pet mice jumped onto her and became frozen in the crystal as well. One of the last true elves alive.

Coran vu Hieron – Royal Advisor to King Alfor before his death. Coran was a loyal advisor and friend and would gladly have gone into battle with Alfor had he not been tasked with protecting Allura. To that end, he also agreed to be sealed away, to stay with and watch over the princess. What he lacks in magic and shifting abilities he makes up for in seemingly endless knowledge. After he acclimates to 2018, he takes the somewhat more human name of Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe (he may have gone a bit overboard). One of the last true elves alive.

Honerva ve Cree/Haggar – Royal Advisor to King Alfor before she succumbed to darkness. One of the best alchemists of her day, aside from the King himself (who was strong in magic as well as alchemy). While he focused on training the human alchemist Myrddin, she believed that alchemy might not be wholly good. Using the motto of “all light casts a shadow,” she began searching for that shadow, hoping to set boundaries on such power so that it would not be misused. Instead, she went too far over that boundary and wound up corrupted by the Dark Lord Zarkon of the Daibazaal realm. His true form cannot be comprehended by normal mortals, and so she summoned him to this world by letting him take the body of Alfor’s best friend: Aetheria.

Zarkon twisted Aetheria’s body to suit his own needs, making it more powerful and less recognizably humanoid. He took her blade and warped it as well, making it his own dark weapon. And he took Honerva as his bride and high priestess.

Honerva began experimenting on humans and elves, using her knowledge of alchemy and her access to the dark energies of the cosmos to see what could be done to make them more powerful and more useful to Zarkon. She also began summoning the minions of Zarkon to this realm in preparation to conquer it. Alfor and Myrddin went to confront and stop her, with the army of Altea behind them. The battle was fierce. Myrddin, Alfor, and his generals (Blaytz, Trigel, and Gyrgan) fought against Honerva and Zarkon directly. The generals fell one by one as Myrddin shifted from trying to kill their opponents to simply containing them. As Alfor was killed, Myrddin managed to seal Honerva and Zarkon into a magical vault in another realm.

In Myrddin’s records, Honerva is only ever referred to as Haggar or the Dark Lady, just as Zarkon is only ever the Dark Lord. He had known (and loved) Honerva (though she had never returned his affections) before she succumbed to darkness. He could not reconcile the woman he had known with the creature he had fought, and so he gave her a different name.

Haggar desires only to serve her Lord and husband and to increase his power as well as her own. True elf corrupted by ancient dark magic; essentially a Dark Elf.

------------------- People, Places & Things ------------------- 

Alchemy – the combination of science and magic pioneered by the elves. Alchemy in its strongest form could potentially manipulate reality itself (essentially by fudging the rules or finding loopholes), but most modern alchemy focuses on the interconnections between all living things and the world upon which we live. Alchemy is most commonly thought of as chemical in nature: brewing potions, making salves & ointments, etc. There are myriad medicinal applications. Alchemy can also be used in combat, for self-defense, and in any sort of creation/manipulation endeavor. Cooking, baking, painting, writing, singing, playing an instrument, even assembling a piece of furniture or an engine. A strong understanding of physics can help open up the possibilities of alchemy.

Altea – Kingdom of the elves, destroyed 1,445 years ago. Its last crowned monarch was King Alfor. All alchemy originated in Altea. The kingdom was destroyed in 573 CE by the forces of the Dark Lord Zarkon and his Dark Lady, Honerva/Haggar.

The Church – as in the organization of Christian faith, most especially the Catholic Church. While it is true that the Church saw magic as antithetical to the power of the One True God, it was the destruction of Altea that truly convinced the Church that magic led to darkness. They characterized Zarkon and his armies as the Devil and his demons, and those who continued to do magic or alchemy as being like Haggar. At best, an alchemist would unwittingly bring evil into the world; at worst, they were an active helper in the schemes of the Devil. 

As monotheistic faiths - but most especially Christianity - grew, magic became vilified. Even suspected practitioners were exiled or killed. Most of the people who were hanged, burned at the stake, etc. for witchcraft were actually perfectly innocent, normal people. A few were Masks, either because of their use of alchemy or because they were taking the fall for true magical beings, as their oath requires. A vanishingly-rare amount were actual magical beings, and, of these, most were Shifters, not Witches.

Elves – What happens when True Fay interbreed with True Shifters. The elves helped the humans create alchemy, believing that science and magic could enhance each other and lead to a greater understanding of the cosmos. They also wanted to give magic-less humans a way to help themselves. Elves were long-lived, but not so much so as Fay; a typical Elf lifespan would be about five centuries. In 2018, the only Alteans/True Elves left alive are Princess Allura (Alfor’s daughter) and Royal Advisor Coran.

Fay – Sprites, pixies, gnomes, goblins, fair folk, wee folk, etc. The Fairies of legends and myths. Fay are typically mischievous and very scrupulous about their rules. They often delight in deceiving others with these rules, but clever people can find a loophole to turn the outcome to their advantage. Ever since the Rise of the Church, Fay have made themselves scarce in the world. Ironically, despite the Catholic stronghold in Ireland, the Fay are most easily found there, where the native people have seen no problem in worshipping the Christian God and still respecting the rules of the aes sídhe.

Technically the Fay live in their own realm, Faerie, separate from the human world (which makes it all the easier for them to hide away). This realm is not unlike Daibazaal from which Zarkon hails, in that it is a separate realm of reality with its own rules and natural laws. Faerie is a much nicer place than Daibazaal though. Fay are extremely long-lived, with normal lifespans in the millennias.

Galra – Technically the word “Galra” is Altean for “monster.” In 2018, it most commonly refers to the Galra Cult: the cultists who worship Haggar and Zarkon. They are the descendants of elves and humans who followed the Dark Lord and Lady before their defeat (but somehow survived the battle). Most cultists are human, but many have elf blood (even if extremely diluted) in their veins. They know only what’s written down, so they have no idea that Haggar has any name other than that; they are unaware that “Galra” is not really what they should be called (similar to how Neo-Nazis are unaware of the origins of “Nazi” as an insult). But they are fanatically devout. However, some people do leave the Galra; they’re typically hunted down and killed. 

Krolia was a member of the cult before she left, changed her name to the more inconspicuous Carol, and married Keith’s father. She was pregnant when the Galra found her and she barely escaped with her life; her husband wasn’t so lucky. She stayed hidden and on the run; when she gave birth to Keith, she took him to a Safe Place zone and left, hoping to spare her son from the bloodthirsty cult. Eventually she found others who had left the Galra; they’ve taken her in. She’s tried to keep track of what happened to her son over the years but is still too afraid to contact him. Just in case.

The Journals – King Alfor had five journals of alchemy, all written in a personal code of Alfor’s own devising. The first is a simple notebook, recording the alchemical knowledge already extant in the world. Volumes 2-5 are Alfor’s, Myrddin’s, and Honerva’s notes and experiments with alchemy, along with anything they could find about what others had concocted. They came up with new ways of constructing experiments, discovered more truths about the world, and became powerful. They established new concoctions and rituals, new potions and spells. The fifth volume specifically details the rules of alchemy as they were known to the three of them and sets out a method for safely and effectively using alchemy to create “on the fly” as it were, rather than just memorizing tried-and-true methods. The Masks have volumes 1 and 3 of Alfor’s journals; the Galra Cult has volumes 2 and 4. Volume 5’s whereabouts are currently unknown to the world at large, and that is because it was hidden in a place that only Allura knows.

The Lost Swords – A legend told in Mask families about five swords hidden from the world by Merlin, who feared their awesome powers would be used for evil. The Lost Swords will only appear when humanity stands upon the brink of destruction.

In reality, these are the five enchanted blades Myrddin made from the swords of Aetheria (Blade of the Black Lion), Alfor (Blade of the Red Lion), Blaytz (Blade of the Blue Lion), Trigel (Blade of the Green Lion), and Gyrgan (Blade of the Yellow Lion).

Blade of the     Black Lion –     originally the sword of Queen Aetheria, corrupted by Zarkon’s dark     energies. It was cleansed of its taint through the focused enchantments of     the other Blades, thus it was technically the last “created.” It is the     most powerful blade and carries a minor, basic sentience. It seems to…     remember its past and struggle with it. Its wielder’s desires can easily     tip the blade back into darkness.     Myrddin tied it to the energies of the sky, of storms, and of the cosmos.     It can call and channel lightning; temporarily blind people; lift its     wielder into the air and enable them to fly short distances; push people     back (or even knock them down) with powerful storm gusts; and allows its     wielder to use magic. Like all the blades, it also protects its wielder     from its own element. It also has the unique ability to temporarily     “borrow” powers from the other blades, so long as that blade’s wielder     focuses on doing so. (For example, for the Black Blade to borrow the Red     Blade’s power, Red’s wielder must stand still and focus their will on     channeling their power to Black. This often leaves them vulnerable.)     When the Red Blade’s power is     focused to the Black Blade, it can send short bursts of super-heated air     towards the target.     When the Green Blade’s power is     focused to the Black Blade, the storm winds can narrow and snap like     whips, able to draw blood from many rapid, powerful (but small) attacks.     When the Blue Blade’s power is     focused to the Black Blade, it creates torrential rain and full on     thunderstorms in a localized area.     When the Yellow Blade’s power     is focused to the Black Blade, the blade becomes unbreakable and its     wielder is granted an impenetrable shield wall (in front of the sword     itself)     When all other Blades’ powers     are focused to the Black Blade, it elongates (though doesn’t become     heavier), strengthens, sharpens, and burns with a magical flame. The Black     Blade can cut through reality itself if its wielder wishes.     Regardless of the Black Blade’s alignment, it will never, ever, ever harm Allura.     Wielded by Shiro

Blade of the Red     Lion –     originally the sword of King Alfor, who sacrificed himself to buy Myrddin     the time he needed to seal Haggar and Zarkon away. Tied to the energies of     fire, of passion, of purity. It can call and channel flames and protect     its wielder from the negative effects of heat and fire, including all     forms of radiation. The blade is always burning hot to the touch to all     except its wielder.     Wielded by Keith

Blade of the     Green Lion –     originally the sword of General Trigel. Tied to the energies of growing     life, of vitality, of logic. It can call and channel strong and/or thorny     vines. The blade is envenomed with a virulent toxin that will lead to     paralysis and, eventually, death; only its wielder is immune to it, as     they are to all poisons. They cannot be harmed by any animal or plant     found in this realm.     Wielded by Pidge

Blade of the     Blue Lion –     originally the sword of General Blaytz. Tied to the energies of water,     ice, and emotion. It can call and channel water and protect its wielder     from severe cold, as well as allowing them to breathe underwater so long     as the blade is drawn and in their hand. The blade is freezing cold to     anyone save the wielder.     Wielded by Lance

Blade of the     Yellow Lion –     originally the sword of General Gyrgan. Tied to the energies of the earth,     of stone, of unity. It can call and channel rock and stone, very useful     for forming walls and shields. It protects its wielder from suffocation or     paralysis, though its blade will petrify anyone (other than its wielder)     who touches it.     Wielded by Hunk

Masks – humans who are aware of magical beings and actively help hide them from those who would destroy them. Technically, Masks are as non-magical as any other human, but they still have access to alchemy. They take their charge of not revealing the existence of magic to normies (other humans) very seriously. Masks were as likely – if not more so – to be killed in witch trials and purges than true magical beings were, though the vast number of those killed in these witch hunts were innocent normies. Masks take an oath to protect the magical elements of the world with their life, but such a sacrifice has not been needed in many centuries. Technically they have typical human lifespans, but alchemy is often as good as and sometimes better than medicine, so it’s not uncommon for Masks to outlive normal humans by a decade or so.

Myrddin – known to most of humanity as “Merlin,” he was the greatest human practitioner of alchemy ever seen. Alfor apprenticed him when Myrddin was still a boy, and the two became fast friends. Myrddin was also smitten with Honerva, but she never returned his affections, and he never spoke of them to her. Still, he counted her as a friend, and she was friendly with him in their interactions.

Together with Alfor and Honerva, Myrddin helped create the bulk of extant alchemy in the world today. He also chronicled his life and the fall of Altea. He went mad after sealing away the Vault, the Blades (Lost Swords), and Allura & Coran. He became known as Myrddin Wyllt (Myrddin the Wild), a madman – some said a prophet – who wandered the land until his death.

Normies – humans who are unaware of magical beings or the existence of magic or alchemy as anything other than historical beliefs of superstitious peasants or the elements of fiction. It is rare that a normie is made aware of the existence of magic, but it happens occasionally. Usually a normie is then tasked with protecting what they have found; if they do not agree to become a Mask, they are typically killed or branded as crazy.

Shifters – those capable of changing their shape. True Shifters can look like anyone and can even take animal forms (thus giving rise to legends such as kitsune and werewolves). They can stay in whatever form they want for as long as they want and still retain their identity and minds (though Shifter hybrids – Elves and Witches – usually don’t have this ability). Shifters do not have animal-like senses unless they are in animal form, and even then they have the same advantages and disadvantages as those animals would have. Of all the magical beings, the Shifters are the ones who most carefully hide their nature from the world, as many of the legends of their kind paint them to be ravening beasts. Given ideal conditions, Shifters can live well into the 300 range, but nowadays it tends to be closer to 210 – 220. (Fast food hasn’t helped.)

The Seals – Magical locked doorways created by Myrddin. The first was a complete accident: Myrddin was trying to find a way to contain Haggar and Zarkon’s power when he saw King Alfor run through by Zarkon’s sword. The shock and horror (plus his already pumping adrenaline) enabled him to create the Vault and lock them away in some other realm. He had no idea how he’d done it.

He used alchemy to enchant, create, and link the five Lion Blades/Lost Swords, and then sealed them away in the same realm (though keeping them inaccessible to the Vault). The seals on the Swords were tied to the seal on the Vault so that when Haggar and Zarkon were released back into the world, the Swords would be, too. However, having no idea how else to create the seals, he re-focused on the trauma of that moment when Alfor was cut down. He replayed the horrible creatures he’d seen, the true power of what lurked in the darkness of the Daibazaal realm, all the friends he had lost. Rather than letting himself heal from his mental and emotional wounds, he continued to gouge them open, one seal at a time (for each Blade).

He used this same technique to enclose Allura and Coran in life-sustaining crystals and then to lock them with the same seal. The crystals will return to the world when the Blades do, but they can only be truly unlocked when in the presence of any one of the Blades. Then both crystals will be unlocked. This was a complicated sealing, and it took the last of Myrddin’s sanity to complete.

Undead – These are creatures created by magic (usually Fay or Witches) rather than being inherently magical beings. Usually they’re what modern Western culture would call “zombies” (in the sense of being unintelligent rotting shamblers; they typically aren’t cannibalistic unless created to be so). Ghosts can occur if someone dies from a Witch’s hex or a Fay’s curse.

Vampires – NO.

The Vault – The prison Haggar and Zarkon were sealed into. That prison was then cast into an alternate dimension (neither Daibazaal nor Faerie). This was the first seal and it was not tied to the others (though the Lost Swords’ seals were tied to the Vault’s). The Galra Cult eventually found a way to dissolve the seal, breaking open the Vault and returning Haggar and Zarkon to the world, about a year before the start of the story.

Witches – True Witches started out as human/Shifter hybrids (just as Elves came from Fay/Shifter unions). They look human except for golden eyes (still human eyes, just golden in color). They have limited ability to shift, and most take utilitarian forms such as a bird of some sort for travel, a fox or wolf for hunting, and a mouse, rat, or snake for spying. Staying in that form for too long will threaten their identities as they become more and more animal-like. Most Witches focus their increased energy reserves (from the Shifter blood) on doing magic. Modern Witches often do alchemy as a useful supplement, but historically it was considered a dilution of magic and no proper Witch would be caught dead doing that sort of thing. Witch magic tends to be very nature-based, and though most try to put more good than bad out into the world, a Witch crossed can be a VERY dangerous thing. A True Witch dying before 100 is almost unheard of; some have made it to 200 but that’s pretty rare. 150’s about a good average.

[thedollardm]

I love all of these! I'm gonna treat this as an Ask and put in my 2 cents worth on how I've tackled these in A Song of Love and Death (5e homebrew campaign going on kickstarter soon)

Haven't attempted writing custom music, but I do have poems and playlists!

Depends on the size of the inn.

For me, the menu is only important if the food items play a specific role in the story, which at this point, it doesn't.

I make it a requirement that every player create a backstory that gives them a plausible reason to be at the tavern in a small village. Some of them decide they started off as a farmer and just got sucked in to the story as a bystander!

The entire world of ASOLAD is diverse- out of 12 chapters, only 3 take place in a "traditional d&d" euro-centric culture region. And even then, its more traditional norse, scottish and germanic than English Medieval. I have Japanese, Haitian, Bedouin, Creole, Sub-Saharan African, Moroccan, Turkish and Greek NPCs throughout.

One of the BBEGs creates a natural disaster as her final attack, bliwing the party halfway across the world with a Cat 6 Typhoon

I use color light filters over the game board to reflect the weather/lighting changes to set the mood, along with combining nature sounds + background music

Yes it does

This is something that is part of a side quest in chapter 10

I will occasionally ask what players are having to eat or drink during long rest periods, take note, and later, pick a random spell or other thing that's written down, and not allow it to be used because it got smudges/obscured by spilled food/drink

I have an NPC that is a SpellSinger, but who sings in Sign Language. Extremely helpful in stealth situations.

"Common" is just an easy way to express a language that most people in-world communicate in. If you're a native Spanish speaker, guess what? Your world's Common language is Spanish.

That's a truly fun thing to do! I tend to look up ancient phrases from different cultures and tweak them ever so slightly.

I have different greetings on each continent in-world. It has led to some hilarious misunderstanding from the players (which I set them up to do of course)

Oooh, I haven't thought about stars yet, but given there's one entire chapter devoted to ocean travel, and several other smaller trips on ships, I probably should!

Oooooh autographs are just a great idea to introduce new NPCs!

Definitely having buskers in the capital city in chapter 5.

Yup, already figured out the main roads and laid out wagon/carriage routes. Even Ancient Uber so that navigation of a huge city isn't as cumbersome during play.

The political map divisions actually play a major role in chapters 5, 6, 7, and 12.

Chapters 5 & 6 have this as a feature! Its a major trading route that follows the largest aqueduct on that continent that feeds the capital city.

Mapped out the mountains, specifically the 3 tallest as they are a major plot point and dungeon in chapters 6 & 7

I figured out where the mountains, oceans, and continents would be by 1st sketching out fault lines, ad directionality of tectonic plate movements

I based the military and political structure of each region off of their geography and agricultural production (thank you Jared Diamond for helping me to see how that stuff evolves)

In some regions there are large beasts/monsters, some of which have been domesticated, and some that are left wild, but have a symbiotic relationship with the local peoples.

Again, only mentioned if it's plot relevant. Then again, if a player asks, then yes, I come up with something reflectiv of the local culture. Heaven help any PC that doesn't like fish in chapters 3 & 4- they might starve!

I have culture-specific music playlists for each region and chapter, ordered to reflect the different terrain, situations/encounters, and sub-cultures the party is going through

This is reflected in dungeon and town design and in the real terrain I build for session game play

Yup, see earlier response.

Not necessarily. I mean they could be, but in ASOLAD, not knowing the language of the region the PCs find themselves in is a major plot point in at least 7 of 12 chapters.

I've constrained myself to city and guild banners; having studied English heraldry for several years, that's too deep of a rabbit hole to allow myself to fall into

I dont have any native cave dwellers in this campaign :(

There's a bath house and a pleasure Pavillion that are presented as "interesting local entertainment" but are turned into major encounters/dungeons

Yup! And each regional map reflects this.

The PCs accidentally crashing a Lunar Festival in the mountains is a major plot point of Chapter 8

Something the PCs will need to know for Chapter 9

Chapter 3's dungeon is based on this fact. Hope someone learned how to cast a light spell!

The world of Es'Trahn doesn't have a large enough population or international trade to have to worry about over fishing yet.

Haha, never thought of that! Good way to introduce a quick combat encounter or an NPC though!

Yep! And it'll affect their constitution too...(how do you think i convince the PCs to visit the Healers Guild in chapter 5?)

Oh dex checks get used waaaaaay more than str ones in ASOLAD

Hmmm....I have something similar, but not quite the same

These appear in the Chapter 6 dungeon. Oh and Chapter 11 too.

This is part of a contingency plan for TPKs

Oh believe me, there's a vast network of cronies and minions. Maybe even within the party itself!?

Oh yeah. There's a puzzle in Chapter 3 that's dependant on a poem in the dungeon of chapter 1, Chapter 4's BBEG can only be defeated with items and skills obtained in chapter 3, Chapter 6 dungeon is only navigable with information from a djinn in chapter 4, and the grand finale battle in chapter 12 relies heavily on the story revealed throughout the other preceding chapters, including the BBEGs unique vulnerability.

That's a fantastic idea that I would like to incorporate!

Yup!

Oh they do in Chapter's 5, 6, 9 and 10

That's a plot point in Chapter 1!

I end up forgetting about ceilings unless they're relevant to the gameplay, like the roof of Razula's Underwater Cavern in Chapter 3 (there's rock formations and chains dangling down to encourage/hinder more creative combat tactics, especially from my Rogues, Monks and Rangers)!

Ok phew! That was a lot! But it was a fun excercize and I hope it gives you a little taste of the scope of campaign (well 12 campaigns really) I've put together.

I'll be posting a brief summary of the plot for A Song of Love and Death, Chapter 1: How the Turns have Tabled - an Inconvenient Adventure this coming week!

An Amateur DM’s Worldbuilding Thoughts...

I should write my own sea shanties for my nautical campaigns.

There should be a stage in the tavern in case the Bard wants to perform.

I wish I knew more about food so I could write better tavern menus.

A lot of NPCs are probably farmers; potato farmers, fruit farmers, cattle farmers etc.

I should include more diverse NPCs.

Natural disasters can be the basis for an adventure, what’s causing the tsunamis on the coast, what’s making volcanoes erupt and earthquakes happen.

I should use weather and environments to evoke emotions and imagery way more.

Asian hair tends to be thick and straight, whereas European hair tends to be thinner and can be wavy, and African hair tends to be coarse and have very tight curls.

Historical accounts suggest that some women tried to bleach their hair with lemon juice or darken it with indigo or even mud to fit the current trends, so maybe the players meet a lighter haired woman who smells faintly of lemons!

A wizard’s spellbook probably has stains on its parchment from various foods and drinks.

A mute NPC would be a fun way to test myself and see if I can express concepts and ideas to the Party without just saying them.

“Common” often refers to English, but what about different dialects?

I should come up with more fantasy slang and insults.

Some regional fantasy greetings would be a cool way to immerse the Players in the world, such as “Be Pleasured.” meaning “Hello!”.

I should expand on the cosmology of the material plane, what constellations are in the sky, can the Players see other planets if they look up, how many moons does the world have?

The Party, when they’re famous enough, probably have random people wanting to speak with them or get their autograph, which would be a great way to break up any monotony caused by shopping montages or downtime activities.

In a busy urban city, there’s probably a lot of street food and street performers.

In a big city, there’s probably a lot of horses and carriages passing through, so the Party probably aren’t walking in the middle of the road unless the road is too small for that sort of thing.

A country is probably broken up into provinces, counties or territories, and cities are probably broken up into districts.

What’s the longest road or trading route in the world? And why is it so popular?

What’s the longest river or mountain range in the world? Where’s the highest mountain located?

Where are the fault lines in the world? Would there be lot’s of mountains or lots of earthquakes there?

Which countries have the best archers or soldiers or cavalry? Which country has the best naval fleet?

If giant animals and dire beasts (like dire wolfs and giant owls) exist, would people try to use them like cavalry, with people flying giant owls carrying power-kegs so they could drop bombs on the bad guys, or people riding armoured dire beasts into battle…

Certain regions probably have certain cuisines, which would be reflected in their tavern menus.

Different cultures have different views on music, as well as different superstitions and different folk tales.

Different cultures have different architecture, from wood or stone buildings to tents to maybe no “Buildings” at all!

Before a person becomes an adventurer, they were most likely a farmer or labourer of some kind.

Wizards and bards would be great translators.

What does the flag or banner of each country look like, or do certain parts of the country have their own heraldry or coat of arms?

People from the Underdark probably eat a lot of fungus, plants and bugs, so most probably don’t even know what “Meat” is!

There’s lot of downtime entertainment that could engage the Party, from underground fight clubs to libraries to arenas and theatres.

Each district or province of an area probably has their own landmarks, from rivers and castles to statues and other more fantastical landmarks like famous magic shops.

Festivals, Fairs and Concerts are always a fun way to introduce players to a new culture or city. Perhaps it’s a noble ball that’s invite only, or perhaps the festival doesn’t even take place on this plane of existence!

Most birds don’t react to super spicy food (like chilli peppers) like humans do, so most bird-like D&D Races (like Kenku and Aarakocra) might absolutely love (or hate) spicy food!

Sunlight entering water can travel about 3,000 feet under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light beyond about 600 feet, meaning you could potentially have underwater combat take place in complete and utter darkness!

Does my world have fishing laws? Like do they care about fish population enough to have laws to help prevent over-fishing?

A party member hears footsteps and whispers from outside their room, only to open their door and find another patron of the inn trying to sneak to their room without waking anyone up.

Fantasy street food can be pretty much anything! From chocolate to meat on skewers to noodles or even sausages stuffed and grilled quickly right in front of the Players as they walk through the streets!

It’s definitely a strength check to try and break out of bonds, but it’s a dexterity check to wiggle yourself out of handcuffs or bindings, remember that!

 Hobo Symbols (an actual thing created by wandering adventurers and nomads) could make for a great way to communicate places of interest to a Party of New Adventurers.

I should use Electrum Pieces more often.

Characters with more siblings means more fun and relevant NPCs you could put in interesting positions. For example, imagine the brother or sister of a Party Member working for the opposing side during a war….

The BBEG could have multiple enemies or allies in high and low places, meaning potential new allies and enemies for the Party to make.

If you want your Players to think you’re a galaxy brain DM, drip feed info little by little into parts of the campaign from the very start, both in and out of combat, that way when the big reveal comes along, the Players think you’re a big-brained master of plot and storytelling!

Some taverns could have darkened or tinted windows, since that’ll make every drunkard inside think it’s still early in the night.

If a band of bards is playing in a tavern, the Party can probably hear the noises from outside.

More taverns should have a dance-floor!

There should be more families in taverns and inns, since most taverns and inns are similar to hotels or restaurants.

The walls and ceilings of a tavern could be filled with all sorts of things: Light fixtures, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, wooden beams supporting the walls. Or maybe something more artistic: Paintings, mounted animal heads, tapestries, curtains hanging above windows and doors, just to give a few examples…

[autumn-cr1sp]

wrote a couple of notes yesterday on the queens and friends. planning more but heres the current

Spritely Dreams is the founder of Unicornia. She never officially took the title of Queen, however, is considered to be the first Leader of Unicornia and its subordinates.

Spritely Dreams is an alicorn. She's a rather big goofball, and was very in-tune with her people. She heard and fixed every problem personally, and when everyone was happy, she played a prank or paid a surprise visit to the school. Spritely is married to Saint Twinkle Wish. Their only daughter and the first real queen of Equinby, Crystal Crown, was created via spellsinging.

(Spellsinging is a task that can accomplish many feats. To make a child with such magic, one pony involved must be able to carry the foal, and the two partners must sing a specific few lines in perfect harmony. Once pregnancy symptoms start, the spell has worked)

Spritely Dreams died at the old age of ninety after her wife, peacefully in her sleep. Her funeral was the World’s Biggest.

Saint Twinkle Wish is the wife of Spritely Dreams. She is the founder of the Church of North’o’North and profound pastor. 

A few nights before Christmas, Twinkle Wish was kidnapped by a dracon and taken to the Crystal North. She was rescued by her wife and a flock of hippogryphs.

(Her hippogryph friends are named Cratos, Aurora, Jazzy Steps and Cinnamon Sticks.)

Saint Twinkle Wish is also known as Santa Hooves. After she was brought back to Unicornia, she gave gifts out to every child of the city. This is how Christmas was made.

Twinkle Wish travelled the world before devoting herself to religion. She is friends with all types of pony, has a few friends in dragons and griffyns, and of course, has her hippogryphs.

Crystal Crown is the pony who had the thought of a monarchy. She is also the one who brought dragons into the castle as butlers. She was rather unremarkable as a Queen aside from being the first.

During her reign, Crystal Crown and her dragon helpers found a majority of the Ice Gems and helped the Unicornian Fortune.

Crystal Crown married a humble farmer named Rainbow Sunrise. The two spellsang twins into existence: Shining Beauty and Mire Beauty.

Shining Beauty was the older of the two sisters, and she was destined for the throne. During her time as Queen, the Gryffins of the North were growing restless and were growing agitated of the Unicornians pushing their borders.

Shining Beauty negotiated a peace between the two species, possibly avoiding a major war.

Shining Beauty is the mother of Cute Curtsey.

Mire Beauty is the younger sister of Shining Beauty. She knew she would not get the throne and, instead, went to explore the world. She stumbled across a mare named Flower Garland, the leader of a small herd of ponies living in a small village.

Mire and Garland fell in love and soon set up Ponyville much into the town it is today. Their daughter, Charm Bracelet, is one of the first recorded offspring of a changeling and non-changeling.

Mire and her wife are ancestors of Wysteria’s.

[autisticsimonlewis]

14, 19, 22, 44??

14. If you had to choose one song to never listen to again which would it be?

Cotton Eyed Joe, not because I hate it, but I will have it stuck in my head for several weeks if I hear as much as three notes until I’m begging for the sweet release of death.

19. What’s your favorite book?

It’s so hard to limit myself to just one - I love all the Edge Chronicles books with my whole heart, and I guess The Winter Knights is my favourite? Then there’s the Spellsinger books (although the last two or three weren’t that great, in my opinion), I think my fave would be The Day of Dissonance. And finally, Peeps, which has just really stuck with me for some reason.

(Also, honorable mentions to books I read for university and loved: Invisible Man, Nervous Conditions, and A Grain of Wheat.)

22. Least favorite book you’ve read?

I’ve read many books I didn’t like, most of them for university classes or high school, but I’m going to name Mary Reilly, since I’m suffering through that one right now and loathing it. Oh, and David Copperfield as well, now that I think of it.

44. Do you like space?

D U H. If going to space didn’t require me to do maths, I would literally be there right now. Send me to space. I want to see the stars and other suns and planets!!! Please!!! SEND ME.

[ao3feedsterek]

The Fountain of Life III: Spellsinger

The Fountain of Life III: Spellsinger https://ift.tt/gMGBt2K by Mikethenut It was a tempting offer. Let go of the knife, step away, and run off somewhere. But what about after? Would the nightmares return, would he suffer like before? If what Keo said was true, then this was something he had to face. Besides, his friends were still trapped inside. ... It was time for Stiles to awaken. Through thick and thin, with muck and grime – the only way out was through. Will he make it past all the bodies standing in his way? And more importantly – will his friends still recognize him on the other side? Note: This is the third entry in a four-part series. You can read each part on its own, but don't expect to understand everything right away. WARNING: The second chapter has explicit gore. If you find it to be too much, you can just assume that Stiles saves the day ... somehow :) Words: 9278, Chapters: 2/2, Language: English Series: Part 3 of The Fountain of Life Fandoms: Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Categories: M/M Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale, Allison Argent, Original Male Character(s), Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Nogitsune (Teen Wolf) Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski Additional Tags: Post-Season/Series 02, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Time Skip, Aged-Up Character(s), Mental Instability, Mental Breakdown, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Dark Magic, Suspense, Psychological Horror, Body Horror, Blood and Gore April 19, 2025 at 04:08PM https://ift.tt/gMGBt2K

[whatevercomestomymind]

Agreed. Bards, take some notes from Alan Dean Foster's Spellsinger series. THAT is how a Bard should be played. There's a REASON Shakespeare was nicknamed The Bard.

 ‘Cry “havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war’ +2 inspiration to troops.

If we are mark'd to die, we are enow

To do our country loss; and if to live,

The fewer men, the greater share of honour.

God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.

By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,

Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;

It yearns me not if men my garments wear;

Such outward things dwell not in my desires.

But if it be a sin to covet honour,

I am the most offending soul alive. +10 Inspiration

[edwincourtenay]

Focus is essential when seeking to MAINTAIN connection! Because achieving the link is the easiest part! Like an opera singer hitting a high note it’s easy to “hit the heights” but sustaining the note in all its pitch perfect purity is the real challenge! Many mediums start off in their communication great guns BUT after a while they tire, their focus wobbles and the link is lost - then danger ensues for lower presence can hijack the signal, hack the medium and masquerade as the higher presence leading the medium and all who might hear them astray! Learning how to hold focus takes time and plenty of practice and of course energy helps. Crystals can help too, clear quartz boosts mental acuity as does blue calcite and blue topaz! Essential oils (try Basil, Peppermint or Cedarwood) can help too but by far the best is the disciplined mind! So in order to develop your steely concentration try staring at a candle flame and thinking only of it for as long as you can, bringing your mind back when it wanders, do this again and again and again and again - week after week after month after year (you get the picture) and you will develop mental muscles of concentration that will put you in very good stead for this kind of mental Mediumship! #focus #edwincourtenay #thecunningman #wisewordsfromthecunningman #spiritlightgallery #ipssissimus #pagan #wicca #witch #spiritual #spiritualpagan #ascension #psychic #seer #channel #spellsinger #walkadour #warlock #collegeofpsychicstudies #healer #magick https://www.instagram.com/p/B1HrR79HTJZ/?igshid=5qlnijhahe6t

[imagineelrios]

What would the El gang react if their s/o was singing?

Elswordlistensall the way through, staring at his s/o.  He acts all excited by theend, clapping enthusiastically for his s/o and hugging them.

Aishalistenscritically, then at the end, exclaims that her s/o should tryspellsinging, explaining that it’s a type of magic totally carried insong.  She teaches her s/o one, and practices it with them until theycan create little snowflakes with their voice.

Renasingsalong with her s/o, slipping easily into harmony.  Unfortunately, hervoice makes a bunch of woodland creatures flock to her.  This is onlyunfortunate because then her s/o is stuck for hourswhile Rena coos at each and every one of them.

Ravenlistensin admiration to his s/o’s singing, then tells them gently thatthey’re a good singer.  He does his best to be around whenever hiss/o is singing again – and he, honestly, will sit outside thebathroom while they’re showering if they sing in the shower.

Evetilts her head, analyzes their voice, and then asks if they want tobe told they’re good or if they want an honest assessment of theirsinging ability.  Either way, she’ll tell them that she’d like tohear them sing again.

Chungputsdown his book, cannon, screwdriver, or whatever else he’s fidgetingwith to listen.  Hamel music tends to be instrumental, so he’sstaring by the time his s/o is finished – then he jumps up and asksthem to teach him to sing.

Arasqueaks,listens in interest, and then tackles her s/o with a hug.  She tellsthem she’s too shy to sing, but that they’re really good, and shewants to hear them sing more.

Elesisgiggles and teases her s/o at the beginning, but towards the middle,it’s clear she’s starting to get lost in the music.  By the end,she’s practically in a trance staring at her s/o, and when she’sbroken from it, she smiles and pulls them in for a kiss.

Adddoesn’tpay attention to their singing until they start singing an oldlullaby.  He freezes when he hears it, his hands shaking as he turnshis head to look at his s/o, trembling at their voice crooning thenotes of his mother’s old lullaby.

Lusetsdown her teacup and listens to her s/o’s singing, then squeals whenthey’re done and gives them a cookie.  She demands they comeentertain the demon court sometime, then pauses and retracts thatoffer, hastily saying that sometimes “entertainer” ismistranslated as “snack” in the demon language.

Cielalsogives his s/o cookies when they’re done singing, but without theominous bit about them possibly being eaten.  He simply smiles andtells them that he likes hearing them sing.

Rosesingsalong.  She does a lot of things to pass the time, including singing,so her voice is decent.

Ainstaresuntil his s/o is done, then asks if they know any hymns for Ishmael. He probably gets slapped for not appreciating his s/o’s singing.