masked-jazz

[masked-jazz]

struggling to figure out your D&D party's schedule week after week?

do you hate having to ask every single week when your friends' strange work schedules will align?

want an easy way for everyone to keep track of their availability while at the same time getting an intuitive read on the best dnd nights?

BEHOLD

MY SPREADSHEET

just make yourself a copy, change the date in the little box to the right Sunday, and send the link to your party :)

[masked-jazz]

our DM might actually be a genius because it took us until the final boss fight to realize what the BBEG's big plan actually was

He basically wanted to destroy the universe to start it over again, changing things around to make them more suitable to him, making things more organized and less chaotic

we realized in the second to last session

that we were fighting to stay in 5e

the BBEG was trying to change 5e into Onednd

thankfully i completely cheesed the final boss fight because the DM gave me a broken magic item as part of my backstory (i'm a bard, it's kinda my job)

[masked-jazz]

Brian and Brennan get married live on stage btw

watching the Time Quangles and i'm on The EnWoodening

how does it feel, Brian Murphy to be the funniest man alive?

this episode is genuinely one of the best of all Dimension 20 and it alone os worth the ridiculously low price tag of Dropout TV

go watch it RIGHT now please

https://www.dropout.tv/checkout/subscribe/purchase?code=dropoutannual&plan=yearly&_gl=1*1u89uzs*_gcl_au*MTM0MDE5MjM5Ny4xNzM1OTgyMDI1*FPAU*MTM0MDE5MjM5Ny4xNzM1OTgyMDI1*_ga*MTI1OTkzNTI0MC4xNzM1OTgyMDI3*_ga_6C97G3S3W5*MTczNTk4MjAyNy4xLjAuMTczNTk4MjAyNy4wLjAuNzQ3NDE0OTM1*_fplc*NjRYdjFIRlZTTHBjZkNjblZwQlN2OW5NV0ZDZ1VkTTYxa3VrdVYlMkZjNXZhNVNTbmlNbjU5ZHJaNmQxekVBSnc1RlV5VlA4SWJlOXpiTm8xd0lWZGJaak12dTl6R0clMkZIMFU0dUwxVXhFOExDeXFDWXVSSWFNVnZLY1o5UXB1ZyUzRCUzRA..

[masked-jazz]

watching the Time Quangles and i'm on The EnWoodening

how does it feel, Brian Murphy to be the funniest man alive?

this episode is genuinely one of the best of all Dimension 20 and it alone os worth the ridiculously low price tag of Dropout TV

go watch it RIGHT now please

https://www.dropout.tv/checkout/subscribe/purchase?code=dropoutannual&plan=yearly&_gl=1*1u89uzs*_gcl_au*MTM0MDE5MjM5Ny4xNzM1OTgyMDI1*FPAU*MTM0MDE5MjM5Ny4xNzM1OTgyMDI1*_ga*MTI1OTkzNTI0MC4xNzM1OTgyMDI3*_ga_6C97G3S3W5*MTczNTk4MjAyNy4xLjAuMTczNTk4MjAyNy4wLjAuNzQ3NDE0OTM1*_fplc*NjRYdjFIRlZTTHBjZkNjblZwQlN2OW5NV0ZDZ1VkTTYxa3VrdVYlMkZjNXZhNVNTbmlNbjU5ZHJaNmQxekVBSnc1RlV5VlA4SWJlOXpiTm8xd0lWZGJaak12dTl6R0clMkZIMFU0dUwxVXhFOExDeXFDWXVSSWFNVnZLY1o5UXB1ZyUzRCUzRA..

[masked-jazz]

Character Idea:

(TL;DR @ bottom)

and bear with me, this one takes a lot to wrap my head around

Warlock, but he's just that guy that does a lot of psychedelics and tells you that they're the way to enlighten yourself and unveil the secrets of the universe.

But, it's all real, and each increase in spell level is him transcending a layer of meta. He's dissociating but also searching for the truth of the universe:

Is it aliens switching through channels and landing on you?

Are you at a cool party in heaven and you're doing a VR experience?

Are you a carefully constructed simulation game character like The Sims?

He goes through various possibilities while transcending through increasingly further third person perspectives until he breaks reality and realizes he's me.

It's essentially me getting so zoned in and role-playing so hard that i can't come out until i take mushrooms to remember the correct reality.

Also, he's a Kalashtar(/Astral Elf (the Astral Elf adds a lot of flavor in the "searching for enlightenment" thing)), which means he has a Quori spirit that shows him memories in his dreams.

It's me, buried deep deep in his subconscious basically trying to get through and remind him of who he is and that's how i talk to my patron who is also me.

Does this help?

The point is to be confusing and only understandable with a certain mindset. Except at his state of consciousness he can't grasp it because in comparison he doesn't have many thoughts on his own.

TL;DR the character concept is a warlock slowly realizing he's a dnd character.

i just went too deep into explaining it which is how you're gonna see the character bleed on this one. I get to be Conspiracy Uncle!

[masked-jazz]

man i love The Penguin

because they had the balls to say "let's take characters from The Long Halloween, one of the best Batman storylines out there and take the characters and just...not.

The Hangman? mmm how about instead of cops, she kills hookers. mmmm and instead of Sofia, it was actually Carmine and he framed her.

Oh and the titular serial killer who was so good that there were multiple suspects, it took Batman a whole year to figure out who it was, and at capture, he still had Batman thinking it might've been one of his best friends?

Yeahhh actually that's lame, how about now he's just a drug addict aaand we'll kill him off in the first episode.

This surely will make all the fans happy, it's not like this is one of the most beloved arcs in all of Batman history."

They really made a show right before October, my most favorite spooky season, and instead of capitalizing on The Long Halloween, said "meh, generic mobster show"

Not to mention taking the Penguin, the Gentleman of Crime, one of the most famous villains not only in Batman, but also of any villain ever; and now he's a greasy mob rat.

Like i understand we're getting sort of an origin story type thing and all and character development and he's moving up the ranks and stuff but like

WHERE'S THE BIRDS???

YOU'RE TELLING ME SUDDENLY THIS MAN CARES MORE ABOUT MUSHROOMS THAN EXOTIC AVIAN SPECIES??? WHERE'S THE HEISTING?? WHERE'S THE EGGS??? WHY IS HE DRIVING AROUND IN A MASERATI??? WHERE IS MY TOP HAT‽‽‽

i want

a Brennan Lee Mulligan amount

of bird facts

coming from this mobster.

[masked-jazz]

There's a lot of things that could clue someone in on it being a dream:

When they take damage in the dreamworld, it doesn't appear in the real world, or affect someone with resistance to psychic damage.

Elves and Kalashtar would not remember this other version of the world that the other characters are talking about. (but you should still let them play those portions as figments of the dream)

If someone tries hard enough to fly in the dreamworld with a high enough [willpower? charisma? wisdom?] check, they can. Conversely, if they try it in the real world, you could have one of the townsfolk cast Fly on them through Suggestion (do you SEE how mean you can be with this??)

Their map would look different in the dreamworld, as though it was their memory of it and not an accurate replica.

Written words would be comprehensible, but trying to identify an individual letter or symbol would just turn into random scrawl. Imagine Wingdings if you understood what they meant

In the dreamworld, water would be an excellent help to the party. You can't drown in a dream or suffocate for any reason as long as you're breathing in your real body. So being able to breathe underwater would be a dead giveaway.

You are so totally free to use this monster (otherwise

¡wouldn't post it online) and change it up how you feel. If you feel it's far too mean, well yeah. It's meant to challenge the False Hydra.

There's probably TONS of things a player might think this is before they get it, especially if you add in red herrings (which this monster would). I'll make a statblock here soon, but i'm on vacation and just wanted to write all this down somewhere i knew i wouldn't lose it.

Have fun DMs

Late to this trend but idc

i was coming up with a terrifying dnd monster to try to be on par with a False Hydra

the basic idea is this:

can cast Mirage Arcane once every 10 days

can cast Sleep at will

can cast Mass Suggestion 1/day

counterspell 3/day

cannot lie, but can use the truth deceptively. ex. "This isn't real" implies it's a dream but it's actually an illusion.

feeds on sleeping brain waves for 10 days tricking its prey into staying dreaming as long as possible. After the 10 days, it eats its prey that won't fight back since it's asleep.

[masked-jazz]

There's a lot of things you could do with this.

One being the real world getting progressively more skewed and dangerous, egging the players to escape, only to find a huge chasm surrounding the town; but all the clues are hidden in the real world, giving them a reason to stay where it's dangerous and nightmarish.

Another is deliberately telling the players it's a dream through someone like the Old Man in the Clocktower if they haven't figured it out. They ask the townsfolk about weird dreams, but they say they've figured out a potion that keeps them from sleeping and give some to the players, prolonging their stay in the dreamworld.

You could be extra mean and not make any noticeable differences between the dream and reality (besides the mile radius that is important for Mirage Arcane). So they might think it's a sort of groundhog day thing or something like that.

Seriously you can do so much with this guy, and if you really want to be hated, you can let this critter get away and try again some other time if they figure it out too soon :)

One thing of note is the Dream spell requires that you know your target, so you could have a small tabby cat follow your party around. Or maybe it just stalks them from the woods; something a character might notice on a high enough perception roll.

Late to this trend but idc

i was coming up with a terrifying dnd monster to try to be on par with a False Hydra

the basic idea is this:

can cast Mirage Arcane once every 10 days

can cast Sleep at will

can cast Mass Suggestion 1/day

counterspell 3/day

cannot lie, but can use the truth deceptively. ex. "This isn't real" implies it's a dream but it's actually an illusion.

feeds on sleeping brain waves for 10 days tricking its prey into staying dreaming as long as possible. After the 10 days, it eats its prey that won't fight back since it's asleep.

[masked-jazz]

If you don't immediately see how horrifying this is, let me break down a scenario:

Your party sets up camp at the edge of a town to get some rest. These woods have been pleasant, peaceful, and safe so far; so there hasn't been need to take watches.

You wake up next morning [no you did not], collect your things, and head into town. The townsfolk are very welcoming. They have many quests in the surrounding wood and desperately need your help. You spend the night in an inn, and you wake up.

You're back at your camp outside of town. Only this time, something feels different. You can't quite place it. You make your way back into town and you notice some of the buildings are...just different somehow. They're not exactly where they were before, and some of the smaller details are different. There is a clocktower in town but the time is all wrong. The townsfolk are more simple; like they don't have much to say. They carry about their business but that's about all they do. There is an old man in the clock tower. He grabs you screaming NONE OF THIS IS REAL. SAVE US. If you try to leave you find the woods surrounding the town have become infested with dangerous beasts. You investigate the town further and maybe engage in a quest or two. The NPCs are all acting like NPCs.

After another night at the inn [you are asleep], you get up. Everything looks just the same as it did the first time, everyone seems normal. The clocktower tells the right time. There's a few standout townsfolk that are especially wonderful and enjoy your company; maybe one of them recently experienced a tragic loss and need you, one had a childhood friend just like you, there's a sweet rascal child with no front teeth that wants to hear about your cool adventures and grow up to be just like you. You feel a connection to these people and you'd probably stay here if you weren't on a bigger more important quest.

or if your unguarded unconscious body wasn't about to get eaten up

Late to this trend but idc

i was coming up with a terrifying dnd monster to try to be on par with a False Hydra

the basic idea is this:

can cast Mirage Arcane once every 10 days

can cast Sleep at will

can cast Mass Suggestion 1/day

counterspell 3/day

cannot lie, but can use the truth deceptively. ex. "This isn't real" implies it's a dream but it's actually an illusion.

feeds on sleeping brain waves for 10 days tricking its prey into staying dreaming as long as possible. After the 10 days, it eats its prey that won't fight back since it's asleep.

[masked-jazz]

Late to this trend but idc

i was coming up with a terrifying dnd monster to try to be on par with a False Hydra

the basic idea is this:

can cast Mirage Arcane once every 10 days

can cast Sleep at will

can cast Mass Suggestion 1/day

counterspell 3/day

cannot lie, but can use the truth deceptively. ex. "This isn't real" implies it's a dream but it's actually an illusion.

feeds on sleeping brain waves for 10 days tricking its prey into staying dreaming as long as possible. After the 10 days, it eats its prey that won't fight back since it's asleep.

[masked-jazz]

Back when we started Ellipsus (it's been eighty-four years… or two, but it sure feels like forever), we encountered generative AI.

Immediately, we realized LLMs were the antithesis of creativity and community, and the threat they posed to genuine artistic expression and collaboration. (P.S.: we have a lot to say about it.)

Since then, writing tools—from big tech entities like Google Docs and Microsoft Word, to a host of smaller platforms and publishers—have rapidly integrated LLMs, looking to capitalize on the novelty of generative AI. Now, our tools are failing us, corrupted by data-scraping and hostile to users' consent and IP ownership.

The future of creative work requires a nuanced understanding of the challenges ahead, and a shared vision—writers for writers. We know we're stronger together. And in a rapidly changing world, we know that transparency is paramount.

So… some Ellipsus facts:

We will never include generative AI in Ellipsus.

We will never access your work without explicit consent, sell your data, or use your work for exploitative purposes.

We believe in the strength of creative communities and the stories they tell—and we want to foster a space in which writers can connect and tell their stories in freedom and safety—without compromise.

[masked-jazz]

this is really cool and interesting, but seems very complicated to remember all of the intricacies of and i'm not certain of its viability in actual play?

i personally would just use the Spell Points optional rules to work as mana

but i do really like the mana regeneration herbs and potions a lot

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q6fGaLaE2nZTCGF0Z99IvOO4lryp9sPzNI5okh-HITs/edit?usp=drivesdk

This may be one of the shortest homebrews I've made, it's a dunmesh inspired mana system for dnd 5e

[masked-jazz]

Where all your dreams come true!

[masked-jazz]

Fantasy Costco Products: Round 3

Rusted Can of Cheerwine - Has seen some shit, but seems to be radiating with vital energies. Grants +5 max HP. (400 GP)

Virtuoso’s Mask - Allows you to cast Disguse Self as a Cantrip instead of a 1st Level Spell. (1100 GP)

Throwing Shield - Confers the same AC bonus as a regular shield, and can be used as a thrown weapon. Can travel IN A STRAIGHT LINE up to 30 feet, and deals 1d8 + STR/Prof. Damage. IT DOESN’T COME BACK TO YOU AFTERWARDS. AND DON’T TRY TO RICOCHET THIS SHIT. (1200 GP)

Alchemist’s Ring: 500gp

When the wearer of this ring imbibes a healing potion, they receive 1d6 additional healing.

Healing Potion - 50 GP each (3 in stock)

Heals the imbiber for 2d4+2 HP.

Haunted Doll - 100 GP This doll is very creepy. If its owner ever fails a third death save, the doll will take the hit instead, and will die in place of its owner.

Chris Callison-Burch: SHIELD OF HEROIC MEMORIES (1200 GP)

This perfectly round silver shield initially has a mirror finish. As a hero takes it into battle it remembers the enemies encountered, gaining a +1 to AC on any subsequent battle with creatures of that type. The events of the battle are intricately engraved onto the shield’s surface (which has a seemingly endless capacity for detail).

The bearer of the shield may also attempt to recount past battles (real or imagined) to the shield. Upon a DC 10 charisma check or DC 15 bluff check, the shield confers a +1 AC against the creatures described in the tall tales.

3 failed attempts at recounting stories cause the shield to be cleared of all of its memories. The engravings disappear. It reverts to its mirror finish. All bonuses are lost.

Asher Vollmer:  The Anti Gravity Sphere (500 GP)

a small fist-sized glass ball filled with a silvery smoke. When the sphere is destroyed, it disables the effect of gravity on everything in a 30ft radius.

Drew Davenport: The Glutton’s Fork (750 GP)

Once a day this fork will allow the user to eat any non-magical item they can fit in their mouth and gain 2d6 points of health. Just tap the fork on the item and it will turn edible.

Ben C: The Champion’s Belt (800 GP)

This ornate belt is given to someone who has bested all opponents in a test of strength.  Once per day the wearer may substitute their Strength score for their Wisdom or Charisma when making a stat check.

Matthew Wallace: Phone a friend scrying bones (500 GP)

Once per day, can be used to ask a yes, no, or maybe question to the fates (DM). There are three bones carved into people with happy faces and sad faces. All happy faces means yes, all sad faces mean no, anything in between means maybe. The DM can respond or choose not to answer.

Tom H: The Nit Picker (900 GP)

Physical Description: Resembles a miniature garden gnome that carries lock picking tools in his hands. When not in use, looks like a 4" inch tall statue.

Use: Twice daily, can be placed in front of a locked object to unlock it (functions as the spell “Knock”). At this point, the statue comes to life in order to pick the lock. After the lock is picked (or if he is unable to open it), reverts back to an inanimate statue.

Side Effects: While picking the lock, the Nit Picker critiques any or all members of the party on their recent performance in the campaign. Nothing escapes the critical eye of the Nit Picker, no matter how small the perceived offense.

Samantha Poremba: Plastic Sheriff Badge (500 GP)

Adds +3 to bluff checks when impersonating a person of authority.

Colin Williams: Flaming Poisoning Raging Sword of Doom - 60,000 GP

A sword with a gigantic blade, wreathed in flames and with a crooked, oozing scorpion’s stinger affixed to its point. Deals an extra 20 melee damage.

Bianca Rodriguez - No-Sodium Salt Shaker: (400 GP)

this might look like a simple salt shaker, but the contents have been bewitched to turn a bright shade of pink if sprinkled over food or drink that contains poison!

Timothy Riina-Ferrie (and others) - The Immovable Rod (1100 GP)

Immovable Rod: This rod is a flat iron bar with a small button on one end. When the button is pushed (a move action), the rod does not move from where it is, even if staying in place defies gravity. Thus, the owner can lift or place the rod wherever he wishes, push the button, and let go. Several immovable rods can even make a ladder when used together (although only two are needed). An immovable rod can support up to 8,000 pounds before falling to the ground. If a creature pushes against an immovable rod, it must make a DC 30 Strength check to move the rod up to 10 feet in a single round.

Eric Atkinson: Diadem of Fabulous Truthiness! 900 GP - Once per long rest, you can channel your terminal fabulousity into this simple circlet and cast a free Zone of Truth, limited to a single target rather than a radius. Confound your enemies, emasculate your friends, and free up your cleric’s spell slots so he can do some actual healing. 

[masked-jazz]

a list of 100+ buildings to put in your fantasy town

academy

adventurer's guild

alchemist

apiary

apothecary

aquarium

armory

art gallery

bakery

bank

barber

barracks

bathhouse

blacksmith

boathouse

book store

bookbinder

botanical garden

brothel

butcher

carpenter

cartographer

casino

castle

cobbler

coffee shop

council chamber

court house

crypt for the noble family

dentist

distillery

docks

dovecot

dyer

embassy

farmer's market

fighting pit

fishmonger

fortune teller

gallows

gatehouse

general store

graveyard

greenhouses

guard post

guildhall

gymnasium

haberdashery

haunted house

hedge maze

herbalist

hospice

hospital

house for sale

inn

jail

jeweller

kindergarten

leatherworker

library

locksmith

mail courier

manor house

market

mayor's house

monastery

morgue

museum

music shop

observatory

orchard

orphanage

outhouse

paper maker

pawnshop

pet shop

potion shop

potter

printmaker

quest board

residence

restricted zone

sawmill

school

scribe

sewer entrance

sheriff's office

shrine

silversmith

spa

speakeasy

spice merchant

sports stadium

stables

street market

tailor

tannery

tavern

tax collector

tea house

temple

textile shop

theatre

thieves guild

thrift store

tinker's workshop

town crier post

town square

townhall

toy store

trinket shop

warehouse

watchtower

water mill

weaver

well

windmill

wishing well

wizard tower

[masked-jazz]

oh here's more art of my boy Sleve

[masked-jazz]

i know we all laughed at $400 but

that's actually kind of a lot oh my god?