saltylittlecreature

[saltylittlecreature]

Story starter idea

Okay, here's a story start idea based on the game "The Last Express".

"They are someone who shouldn't be on the train. They get on, sneaking their way to where Penelopy said to meet her. She sneaks into the private seating, and she's dead. This is bad. It gets worse as you search her room and can't find it. The killer must have taken it. They need to figure out who killed her if they want any chance of making it out of here. But they aren't on the registry; the train left without them! They'd be kicked if someone found out. You need to hide the body, then place it in the folding bed. throwing your coat out of the train window. She takes on the identity of Penelopy. They look similar enough, and they are the only Britons on board. Barly anyone knows her face, she just needs to not give any suspicions of who she really is."

[saltylittlecreature]

How NOT to end a book

Rushed Ending: Readers expect a reward at the end of the book; if they don't get it, they feel cheated. Pacing is everything here. For example, let's give the example of the game of Thrones (The show, not the books), it dropped much of its political drama and focused on plot twists (HBO wanted it to end in one season, when it at least needed two)

Outside forces saving the day: When readers go on a whole journey with a character, through an entire book, they want to see them as an active character doing something that matters at the end. And when there's an outside force that swoops in and saves the day, it doesn't feel satisfying because the person we feel invested in no longer has a role to play. An example of this is Stephen King's novel 'The Stand'. The literal definition of a deus ex machina. To solve this problem, simply have your main character be the one to do something to solve the problem. And if you have multiple main characters, every single character should have a role in the ending. Are there exceptions to this? Yes (War of the Worlds comes to mind). But generally, if you want to play it safe, have your main characters do something to solve the problem.

Ending in the Middle: Readers want to know what happens. If you are thinking of ending in the middle of an action, there should be a clear sense of the action. Readers don't need to see everything about the ending, even if it's not shown. It needs a strong resolution. An ambiguous ending isn't the same as ending in the middle, ambiguous endings usually give the reader multiple endings and us not know which one they're going to choose. A well ending in the midle illudes to what's just about to happen).

Changing Topics or Genre: (this one is something I'm personally done a lot, and needed to adjust), you write a novel over a long time, and sometimes, when you reach the end, the vision for your book has a different tone or tenor than the rest of your book. But, readers often feel that as a betrayal. Like a writer was offering a completely different book, then goes 'surprise, a completely different genre'. And readers don't like that. An example is David Michel's 'The Bone Clocks', which goes full Michel Bay movie on us. If you promise a certain type of story, for most of the story, make sure the ending matches what you've set up.

Unearned Happy Endings: There is nothing wrong with a happy ending! But there are pitfalls to look out for. You gotta make sure it's believable, that one's a given. Another is to make sure it's not entirely coincidental. Just sort of a chance of fate. Coincidences absolve the main character of the responsibility and hard work. of making the ending happy (It's a story thing). What you want is to lean against the happy ending. (For the romance writers, a trick to make those romantic happy endings feel earned as long as they nearly break up, go through a lot of struggle, encounter physical difficulties, encounter psychological difficulties, difficulty from in-laws, or a combination of those. And if they work through all that, the reader would feel validated). For a bad example, any Hallmark Movie.

It Was All a Dream: The worst one. Destroys the validation of a reader reading your book. Undermines all consequences in the book. Dallas season 9 was a prime example of this. With an example of it being done well being Alice and Wonderland, caused by the vibe and overall strong writing. Saying this trope being done well, though, makes my soul scream. So I'll stop here.

Unsolved Mysteries: This is a very nuanced topic, to say the least.

Predictable endings: "a good ending must be unexpected and inevitable."-Aristotle, in his work The Poetics. While he didn't use those exact words, the idea of an ending that is both unexpected and inevitable is a core theme in his analysis of tragedy and other dramatic forms. doesn't change how at odds those to things are (I have pulled my hair out trying to do this one in particuler). A good example of this is George Orwell's 1984 and Agatha Christie's Murder on the oriental express.

Here's a Disclaimer, I am not a professional writer, but whenever I see and research, there are exceptions to these rules that I even thought of when making this. But these are the general gist of what I've seen/read about. And I recommend you read the books mentioned and come to your own conclusions. I just hope this helps some people out.

[saltylittlecreature]

Dwarf Fortress Mod idea

More variety in factions would be something fun to do. Like the major 4 in dwarf fortress (Dwarves, Humans, Elves, and Goblins), they have the same mechanics across playthroughs. Which isn't a bad thing, but for more variety, modding could fill in this gap.

An idea for a dwarf fortress Elf variant mod is a Deep Elf mod, or a Drow mod. With a possible friendly faction in the caverns (Maybe the second or third). Instead of asking your fort to "Not cut down a single tree", they instead ask you to replant the same number of mushroom trees you cut down. In exchange, they give you some good materials from the underground, like lost relics they discover, caged cave beasts, and if you earn their favor, maybe a special metal (Maybe a metal that mixes plants and another metal. letting whatever it's forged into repair themselves when you put it near plants of the caverns). As for what happens if you make them angry, I think a more terrifying way would be to let their raids spawn with one of them riding a forgotten beast into battle (Not one that will automatically kill the rider, but still a forgotten beast). They could also show up with other underground dwellers for assistance. Maybe, if you want more danger, you could have them have a tomb that let's acts like the necromancer tomb, but instead, it can summon the misty forms of demons in exchange for a downed body and a casting time. Place this in their settlements or something (and if a settlement is accidentally found on a cavern level, their settlements would let you still come down, but also let you either slowly integrate that settlement if you respect it's people, pay some stuff, and have good relationship with whatever draw group owns that settlement).

A variant of goblins would be ones closer to folklore dragons. Effectively wandering nomads who double as wandering merchants. Offering good food, some artifacts, fire, and maybe some special materials. You may even be able to ask these travelers to get you specific items or resources (With a present chance to succeed, of course). Maybe there can even be a variant of this group who specialize in mercenary work, and you or a group of your dwarves could go out and pay them to help attack something, or help protect your settlements. (These groups would likely not exclusively be goblins, but have some other people around them.) Maybe these groups will even have certain affiliations with existing groups. Like being hostile or friendly with certain nations, making their actions more or less cheap, or keeping the fortress from certain actions if they're hostile to the fortress's nation is hostile.

A variant of dwarves would be tricky to make would be dwarves. for good reasons. Deep dwarves aren't really that special in my opinion, way too close to the normal dwarf. So why a variant of dwarf like people? They don't have any settlements; they are a scattered people. Often known for their creation of strange items. Random artifacts with innate magic. With their masterworks rumored to take on stranger abilities. Not always positive, mind you. They can be any person, as long as they have the [inchanter] tag. This would have fortresses try and recruit people they otherwise wouldn't bother.

As for humans, I have no clue. I'll leave that to you. But yeah, that's my idea. I do think it would be more effective to make more government types for each group, but I'll save that for another post.

[saltylittlecreature]

Which food is better, Italian or Mexican food?

[saltylittlecreature]

Which of these titles would make you read a book?

If you can only read one of these books, which book would you read based on the title?

[saltylittlecreature]

SCP Cannon idea

Ya know, an SCP cannon dedicated to looking at the lesser-used factions would be fun. Ya know, give a place where groups like Alexylva University, Ambrose Restraint, Arcadia, the Chicago Spirit, and other such groups have a chance to interact while dodging the Foundation, GOC, and the other big names in the universe. Honestly, that kind of thing would be a fun way to write about what all these lesser-known factions work and think about each other. Along with how other people see the other larger more famous groups.

[saltylittlecreature]

New genera of game?

So, I've noticed a new game genre starting to emerge, specifically descended from Leathal company but has become something more distinct. The first one I can think of is Content Warning by Avalanche. The game where you try and get gruesome images of monsters and deadly artifacts, all to become a popular content creator on SpookTube.

Meanwhile, in a more recent example of the headliners, you go into a quorinteened New York to get pictures of terrifying aliens and civilians being torn limb from limb. This is something I hope becomes a pattern and its own genera. This type of game of "Four dummies go out and document some dangerous things to more people" sounds like a fun one.

I can think of a couple of themes this gameplay loop can encompass, like hunting for cryptids who may mawl you or people trying to document an alternate dimension left for Dead 2, but you're a photographer watching this and not helping much. and probably more. I really enjoy this goofy game style that's come out in recent years.

[saltylittlecreature]

So, how many chaos gods are there?

I'm asking a question that seems obvious, but GW has said there are so many chaos gods that I'm becoming confused. Like, The Black king that is supposedly the Emporer, that weird chaos god of being petty (I think they're called Malice), The new tech guy that I'm angry isn't currently a leader of the dark mechanicus to give them more relevance and direction (Also, I'm shocked the demons who tempted the original mechanicus into splitting off hasn't been retconned into just being him). Like, are there more? Are there others that I've missed, or is that all of them? (That's not even mentioning fantasy, which has an old lady who haralds the endtimes, whatever the horned rat is< something equivalent to a guy guarded by a demon of each of the main four. Why is that a thing?!? How much of a threat are they to get the main four to work together in guarding them?!? like what is happening over there???)

[saltylittlecreature]

City idea: A Place of Money and Nightmares

Imagine a city concept that occurred to me while building. A combination of Hive Cities, Night City, SCP, and the city from Law and Order would be an amazing setting for a cyberpunk-themed game. just crawling inside a city where the outside is swarming with anomalies. The inside of the walls is like a mixture of Night City but overcrowded and full of ghosts. All while unnamed things squirm within the walls. Honestly, just add some stuff from World of Darkness stuff (Like the lore and vib from Bruva Alfabusa's video "Gothic Horror RPGs set in your Hometown – An Intro To World Of Darkness" and maybe the ones from Home Safety Hotline in there as a public service of sorts. There would be video examples bellow, but I hit the tumblr video limit per post).

[saltylittlecreature]

D100 Personality stuff

This was scavenged from a project that fell through, so now I'm making it public. Enjoy

Cynical Idealist: Believes in a better world but thinks it’s unattainable.

Paranoid Overthinker: Always suspects ulterior motives in others.

Gambler: Takes risks in life and in choices, thrives on uncertainty.

Tech Savvy Luddite: Loves technology but fears its implications on humanity.

Street Poet: Expresses their thoughts through poetry, often in the form of graffiti.

Nostalgic Archivist: Holds sentimental attachments to the past and seeks to preserve history.

Ruthless Businessperson: Sees people as assets or liabilities; everything is transactional.

Compulsive Hoarder: Collects seemingly useless items, convinced they’ll be valuable someday.

Soft-Hearted Criminal: Has a soft spot for the underdog despite a life of crime.

Neon Nomad: Obsessed with the transient lifestyle, constantly seeking new experiences.

Doomsayer: Believes every anomaly is a threat to humanity's existence.

Romantic Dreamer: Seeks love and connection in a cold, cybernetic world.

Cynical Optimist: Sees the worst in people but still believes change is possible.

Techno-Shaman: Merges spirituality with technology, seeking balance in the digital age.

Eccentric Inventor: Creates bizarre gadgets that often backfire.

Devout Rebel: Fights against authority in the name of a personal belief system.

Apathetic Observer: Detached from the chaos, prefers to watch rather than engage.

Jaded Mercenary: Once had ideals; now only cares about the next paycheck.

Gadget Enthusiast: Loves collecting and modifying tech, often at the expense of practicality.

Moral Compass: Sticks to a strict code of ethics, no matter the situation.

Nostalgic Dreamer: Longs for a past that never truly existed, often romanticizing simpler times.

Curious Novice: Eager to learn but often underestimates the dangers of their work.

Futuristic Mystic: Believes in the spiritual implications of technology, often makes predictions.

Moral Guardian: Questions the ethics of containment, advocating for humane treatment.

Overly Enthusiastic: Excited about even the smallest things, often annoys others.

Wandering Mind: Gets lost in thoughts, often daydreaming about anomalies.

Social Media Influencer: Obsessed with their online presence, values popularity above all.

Bitter Survivor: Has been through hell and back; distrustful but fiercely loyal.

Corporate Sycophant: Willing to do anything for their corporate masters.

Combat Junkie: Thrives on the adrenaline of conflict, constantly seeking fights.

Philosophical Idealist: Ponders the meaning of existence amid chaos.

Doomsayer: Always believes the worst is yet to come; preps for the end.

Hopeful Idealist: Sees potential for good in everyone and everything.

Rebellious Indentured: Defies orders, trying to undermine the system from within.

Hopeless Romantic: Seeks true love in a world filled with betrayal.

Cynical Historian: Collects stories of the past to inform their worldview.

Playful Trickster: Loves pranks and light-hearted deception.

Nightmare Survivor: Scarred by their past, they now fight to protect others.

Propaganda Artist: Uses art to influence and manipulate public opinion.

Neural Explorer: Obsessed with exploring consciousness and the digital mind.

Detachment Artist: Constantly keeps people at arm's length to avoid emotional pain.

Social Engineer: Expert at manipulating social situations to their advantage.

Techno-Dystopian: Believes technology is a tool of oppression.

Glitch in the Matrix: Frequently has moments of confusion or déjà vu.

Obsessive Collector: Hoards oddities and artifacts, convinced they have hidden value.

Urban Explorer: Loves uncovering hidden places in the city, finding beauty in decay.

Mercurial Temper: Quick to anger, but equally quick to forgive.

Undercover Enthusiast: Thrives on living double lives, enjoys the thrill of secrets.

Cybernetic Junkie: Obsessed with augmentations, willing to sacrifice anything for enhancements.

Benevolent Protector: Acts as a guardian for those who cannot protect themselves.

Compulsive Debater: Argues fiercely about the ethics of containment and research.

Data Collector: Obsessed with gathering information about everyone and everything.

Caffeine Addict: Relies on stimulants to stay alert and functional in a fast-paced world.

Dreamweaver: Believes dreams hold the key to understanding reality.

Anomaly Worshiper: Views certain Anomalies as divine or otherworldly entities.

Digital Ghost: Feels disconnected from the physical world, prefers digital interactions.

Cynical Guard: Sees the worst in humanity and is constantly wary of breaches.

Mischievous Hacker: Enjoys causing chaos in systems just for the fun of it.

Obscure Philosopher: Ponders deep questions, often frustrating others with complex thoughts.

Survivor of Betrayal: Trust issues stemming from a significant betrayal in their past.

Grizzled Veteran: Experienced and tough, has seen it all and is not easily impressed.

Urban Legend: Known for larger-than-life stories and exploits, whether true or not.

Adrenaline Seeker: Constantly looks for the next thrill, even if it’s dangerous.

Dreams of Utopia: Envisions a perfect world and actively works toward it.

Disenchanted Idealist: Still holds some hope but is deeply disillusioned.

Night Owl: Thrives in the dark, often prefers to operate under the cover of night.

Paranormal Believer: Convinced that there are hidden forces at play in the world.

Tech Obsessive: Fixated on the latest technology, often to the detriment of their health.

Gentle Giant: Physically intimidating but has a kind heart.

Obsessive Researcher: Driven to understand anomalies at any cost, often neglects personal safety.

Curious Philosopher: Questions everything, often leading to existential debates.

Cynical Comedian: Uses humor as a coping mechanism for the harshness of life.

Corporate Spy: Works for the highest bidder, skilled in espionage and deceit.

Memory Seeker: Obsessed with recovering lost memories, either personal or historical.

Kinetic Learner: Prefers hands-on experiences over theoretical knowledge.

Curator of the Past: Collects artifacts and stories from before the fall of society.

Techno-Skeptic: Questions the reliance on technology and warns against its dangers.

Egotistical Genius: Believes they are the smartest person in the room and often proves it.

Undercover Enforcer: Operates in the shadows, enforcing their own brand of justice.

Cold Strategist: Plans every move carefully, often cold and calculating in their decisions.

Wanderer: Nomadic spirit, driven by a desire to explore and discover.

Nurturing Parent Figure: Acts as a caretaker for those in need, often sacrificing their own needs.

Social Chameleon: Adapts their personality to fit in with any group.

Dispassionate Observer: Watches the world unfold without feeling much attachment.

Rebellious Artisan: Uses art to challenge authority and express dissent.

Data-Driven Analyst: Relies solely on data, dismissing anything not quantifiable.

Reluctant Leader: Unwillingly thrust into leadership roles but rises to the occasion.

Eternal Optimist: Sees potential for good in every anomaly, often to a fault.

Daring Innovator: Challenges the status quo with new ideas and technologies.

Futuristic Dreamer: Envisions a radically different future, often in conflict with reality.

Ghost of the Past: Haunted by a previous Anomaly encounter, shaping their current behavior.

Gentle Manipulator: Uses subtlety to influence others without them realizing it.

Conflict Avoider: Seeks to defuse tensions and promote peace, often at personal cost.

Disgruntled Employee: Frustrated with the bureaucracy of their job, seeks change.

Perfectionist: Strives for flawlessness in research, often to the detriment of their health.

Bittersweet Realist: Acknowledges harsh truths while still holding on to a glimmer of hope.

Cynical Optimist: Holds onto hope while being deeply skeptical of others.

Machine Whisperer: Has an uncanny ability to communicate and bond with technology.

Mysterious Stranger: Keeps their past and intentions hidden, sparking curiosity in others.

Contradictory ideology: Holds conflicting beliefs and traits, making their goals harder to predict. Because the human brain is more than able to believe 2 conflicting things at once.

[saltylittlecreature]

D100 Food list

A friend asked me to make this for an RPG thing. Now it's run into complications, so here is a list of 100 different foods that can be considered for whatever characters you have in mind.

Hamburger helper

Phantasmal popcorn that shows visions of the past.

Grilled Eggplant lasagna

Fried chicken sandwich

Sloppy joe

Vegan gluten free mac and cheese

Microwave bacon

Bread

Cake that changes its ingredients based on the eater's mood.

Ramen noodles with fried egg

Ghost pepper wings that cause time dilation effects.

Pizza

Mysterious stew that induces vivid hallucinations.

Sushi

Hamburger

Fried chicken

Biscuits

Buttered rum

Neocí

Transdimensional tea that allows glimpses into alternate realities

Raw butter

Champagne armagnac mir lemon drink with caramelized butter on top

Pound cake with carigold butter

Satan sausage (Spicy meat sausage with marsala sauce)

Omlett

Anything with paprika

Cold coffee

Anomalous spicy noodles that change flavor every bite.

Mozzarella sticks

Classic Margherita pizza

Well done smores

Biscuit burger

Black bean tacos with avocado

Raw Eggs

Mentaiko spaghetti with lemon, butter, and soy sauce

Meatball sub

Beef stroganoff over egg noodles

Ravioli

Thai green curry with chicken

Cold pizza

Steak

Convenience store  brand grilled chicken breast

Protein bar

Salmon Onigiri

Mediterranean quinoa salad

Muscle chicken

Vegemite

Creamy mushroom risotto

Pineapple

Steamed chicken pack (Convenience store preserved chicken)

Chicken bars (Minced and boil chicken breast)

Egg salad sandwiches

Ratatouille served with crusty bread

Chocolate satin pie

Banana

Mint chip cookies

Fish and chips with tartar sauce

Strudel

Nabi

Pork katsu

Smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese

Spam

Shape-shifting salad that takes on the form of the eater’s favorite vegetables.

Fried fish

Sugar that enhances or dulls emotions based on color.

Rice

Savory apple and cheese tart

Strawberry shortcake

Roasted vegetable medley

Royal milk tea cake

Yaki micu

Chocolate quesant

Pad Thai with shrimp

Burnt ends

Fresh fruit smoothie bowl

Baked potatoes with sour cream and chives

Barbecue

Falafel wrap with tahini sauce

Saki soaked rice

Butter nails lobster

Grilled octopus with lemon and herbs

Chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream

Pork belly bao buns

Stuffed bell peppers with rice and beans

Vegan lentil soup

Cloud cake that makes the eater feel weightless.

Inverted soup that serves as a window to another dimension.

Whispering wine that reveals secrets when drunk.

Any Parfies

Ethereal pizza that changes toppings based on cravings.

Grilled fish tacos with slaw

Metamorphic cheese that changes texture with each bite.

Almond croissants fresh from the bakery

Dancing donuts that move when not being watched.

Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with cheese

Okonomiyaki that lets you stretch more

Arugula salad with lemon dressing

Tiyaki that increases your sense of taste.

ratatouille

Muffins

[saltylittlecreature]

Is Lore world building?

Lore in books is one of my most beloved things. Yet people keep telling me world-building and lore are separate. Saying lore is a part of world-building, but isn't itself lore. I personally think that lore is worldbuilding, but now I'm curious who else out there things lore is worldbuilding.

[saltylittlecreature]

World building idea

Just take a piece of America and blow it up to be a medieval country. If you want, incorporate local folklore into its own special parts. Like, Let's make something from West Virginia.

"A Place where Rafts dominate travel. people still need to go places the river can't go, where the forest comes to be. Where vagabonds occupy the hills and horses gallop across paths between towns, under waterfalls, and past the limestone caves where the mothmen live. Here, the City of Huntington collects relics and artifacts of their past as Green Bank studies the stars. All while other towns in clay work their mines and grow golden delicious apples. With an old bridge from years long gone. All while the lumber is gathered from the forests where the weeping ghosts live."

Is it the best thought out world, probably not. But a native West Virginian could probably do much better. Still, hopefully, this inspires some ideas.

[saltylittlecreature]

Is Almond Cheese a thing?

Is almond cheese a thing? There's almond milk, so has someone made it into cheese? Or would that just be some weird form of tofu?

[saltylittlecreature]

List of 25 shops and merchants to populate your fantasy towns.

This is an selection of shops

Pall's Potions: A position shop that specializes in cheap potions that consist of oil and potion books for stranger potions. They also have a tavern "outback".

Dream Hallows: A shop that sells magical wines and sleep medicine. If you pay extra they may even sell you dreams trapped in bottles.

Gremly: A goblin wandering the roads sells alcohol and trinkets in exchange for food or favors. they also know fireball and invisibility targeted on themself.

The Drunk Halberds: A used armor shop that doubles as a tavern and inn. One can even find some quests posted there on a post board.

Bill's General Goods: a Shop with two lairs to it, the first floor is a regular general goods store that sells soap, some healing potions, and other general goods, and the secret gambling den in the cellar with a fully stacked complementary bar and fighting pit. Be careful when cheating though, they have an oracle and three thugs in a corner who are more than willing to pick a fight.

Calvin's Mansion: An abandoned mansion that's been turned into a market that's an open secret amongst the town. it has shops supplied by bandits and some adventurers. and occasionally a corrupt guard. with a silent unspoken word of don't ask, don't tell.

The orphanage black market: A market of orphan gangs who only let other orphans or trusted allies in (You can just bribe the children guards with candy or food from the local tavern). Once inside, you can bargain with the orphans and even get a meeting with their leader (The oldest orphan in the orphanage). The orphans are easy to scam and don't always know what they're selling. If discovered, they'll just move it somewhere else in the city next time.

Odess Mines: A mine used as a "Safe" training ground for adventurers, along with having adventurer-specific equipment and amenities. It also may have some local goblins in a mine that run a hot spring and a local lost and found, with the right finder's fee (They'll also take fruit tarts). They'll even pay a premium for any ore you bring back from the mines if you find any.

Golden Grills: A Restaurant with a blacksmith built into the side. The facilities are shared and may fight often. They make good American-style ribs and buy used weapons from adventurers.

The headmen: A Shop set up in a giant skull specializing in anti-undead equipment. including Holy water, symbols of many undead gods, some wafers, a couple bombs, and other things.

Grilla's Gormay Potluck: A food place where you trade food for food. In some cases, some constructs that help with cooking can be bought there (If stolen, they will still work but will try and poison people when they cook, or not listen to them because they haven't been transferred to the thief. If they go back and complain about it, they will be called out and possibly arrested by the shop for that). Some of the food also has special effects, and they'll buy fresh monster parts and other food stock for gold.

Baron's delivery: A delivery service that sells off overdue orders and will go off and find things for you up to a point (They won't go and find ancient treasures, people-specific items, extra). They also charge by the item. with them selling it off if you don't show up in time. They state this to each customer bluntly and directly. Then they assign a location to pick it up later, and they either get the item or a refund.

For Cod's Sake: A fish shop that serves seafood and sells ocean-related spell components, shell trinkets, and occasionally a priest who gives holy water.

The Cresent Moon: A shop that has a general goods, a midnight lottery, and a bidding war after that. With a paid party in the basement after that.

The Cart Mystery: A mass of carts that acts as a market. Traveling in their own area and living in the carts. It's large and can have various different items and trinkets they sell. there are also some pop-up shops and performers who'll sing for coins.

Sail's ahoy: A wrecked ship used by an old lady who sleeps there and sells scavenged treasure brought by the co-workers, who are mermaids who sell stuff the old lady scavenges from the surface. they both hide their treasures in a air pocket in a cave cove.

Silver Station: A blacksmith that handles bets on horse racing and refurbishing older goods. They also sell cheap trinkets and potions made by his family members.

Bark tea imploratory: Potions and oozes are sold here. Alchemical resources are considered incredibly valuable, and there is a local druid who helps out.

The Black Crown: A hidden shop that specializes in fiendish deals with friendly faces. Appearing overnight and offering curst objects or if you're looking for it, more fiendish deals.

The Songbird Circus: Appearing in abandoned buildings and warping the space within to fit its many gambling dens, fighting pits, bars, and backroom deals. This place is known as a hub for chaotic entities from celestial to fiends, to all in between. Warlocks commonly find their bargains struck here. The public face of the Circus den of debauchery is a warlock themself, seeming to be patterned by the business itself. Unable to die or leave as long as the circus exists.

The Shining Spirit: A Bar and casting service that can easily cure curses. They are known to be largely benevolent, but not always welcomed due to their strange abilities.

The Copper Bell: A shop run by a golem with a barred creat as a torso, where all the shop's goods are kept. Accepting money in exchange for various small products. With the owner of the shop helping decorate bells in the back.

Chapplton's Boat: A boat filled with old adventuring loot and sails from port to port selling it. With some original armor and weapons made from monster parts by the captain. They also help get bounties out far and wide.

The Castle of Strally: A Flying fortress known for teaching wizards and sorcerers, while also trading magical trinkets of whimsical or protective nature to others. Many even sell amicher potions by the many apprentices.

The Hidden Eye: A house that contains information and trades it for objects only they know the true value of. It is the hope to collect artifacts and magical items to preserve and seal, with many creating stashes of notes on each item. they rarely let one of their items be let out to the world once they have it. but during times of strife, these items are often lost in the chaos, and they're known to pay good pay in exchange for their safe return.

[saltylittlecreature]

In our shadows

[saltylittlecreature]

Copper and gunpowder "Monsters"

These are ideas and monsters for the Copper and gunpowder setting. These monsters have a variety of different types of creatures. I encourage creating your own creatures and everything else. These will be biased toward mythology, especially inspired by mythologies around the Mediterranean Sea. Along with American folklore, internet folklore will be drawn upon for inspiration too. No direct parallels will be drawn, but if ya know, ya know

Main wings: Creatures with the body of a hawk and the head of a lion. Often seen as symbols of great worriers and royal power. Many city-states have them as their symbol. The God-king in particular has a fondness for this symbolism. These creatures are well known in real life to attack sailers and those not on the road (generally being the roads that were more difficult for city-states to. rule over and tax from). Many see them as power embodied. Others see them as oppressors.

Brimers: Smoky creatures with animal-like heads, and human bodies. With plenty of them being said to have human intelligence. With them frequently being said to be extraordinary swordsmen and magicians. Some legendary worriers and magic users were trained by Brimers, like those in the forest city-state who often claimed their cities were founded by Brimers. Others are known for defeating Brimers. Like the god-king city-state who have an entire elect worrier class known for combating what they see as "Malicious spirits". Other places see them as neutral creatures

Mary Mels: Humans with eal-like tails with fins that run up their spines. Known to sing sad sailors to their doom, and give prophesies they make true come true. Some sailers can hear whispers of warnings when they press their ears to the floors of sailing ships.

Storm callers: A variety of humans covered with feathers. With two wings where arms would be and with clouds for parts of their bodies. With eyes as dark as storms and mouths wide enough to eat the faces of a sailor in a single bite. Their talons were capable of carrying away horses and crushing copper helmets between them. Said to control the weather, and round up souls in wild hunts during winter. They are a sailer's tail that made it to the more land-locked locations. The most famous of them are "The King of the Clouds, Hib", the only male Storm Caller and embodiment of chaos, and "The Queen of Thunder Shive" the queen of all the Storm Callers and the patron of rulers. both are seen as rulers of the storms. One of the hot days and patterns, the other of chaos and the cold. Both are equally as powerful. And sailors make sure to try appeasing both, lest they send their servants to hunt them. Alongside certain farming communities.

Dula hound: A headless dog half the size of horse. that guards graveyards. Along with being seen as incredibly unlucky to see. It's said they once served a now-nameless god, who has faded into nonexistent. They scour the burial spots of areas and judge impurity, and bad intentions. It's said every family has their own Dula hound, each guarding the family, and letting bad fortions fall them when one's ancestors are disrespected.

Gray inspectors: Anphibiace humans with gangly limbs as long as spears, spine-covered backs, and heads that carry a single golden eye and mouths filled with jagged misformed teeth. Carrying a back on their back with all the coins they tack, so they may walk along the ocean floors. These strange aquatic creatures pock holes in the bottom of ships. Often inspecting the ship's bottoms, yet some say they will tack bribe. So chucking a copper coin into the sea can possibly bribe one or two of them. Their origins are said to be those at sea who died without burial goods. now wandering the sea floor. The god-king is of the opinion that they are wicked greedy debt collectors who come to drain the wealth of sailers. They may have a river variation in the forest city-states that help guide people down and up rivers without incident if you pay the toll.

Snake screamers: Creatures who are said to be strangers outside the life of cities and towns in the deserts. When night comes, they're said to shed their skins and emerge from their bodies as winged snakes with four eyes. Capable of casting dark spells, or causing immense screams in those bitten by these snakes. This creature is said to be a curse from the gods. The god-king is said to have the ability to inflict this curse, to which their followers are instructed to slay them. Other groups say there is a cure. What that cure is depends on what god you're drawing power from. Some who draw it from the sea may have to drown the snake to free the cursed individual, others say you must seal the snake under a tree to keep it shut. others state you must bring the skull of one of their ancestors, and force it onto the snake, after which, the ancestor was to pry the soul of the cursed out of the snack and bring it to the empty body to reunite the soul with it, all while the snake tries to get the soul back. After that, you keep the snack out until morning. then the snack will be gone.