[Inktober 2016] Day 4—The Unlucky Stableboy

For today's inking, I turned to the recently released Stronghold 'Zine Issue #3 for inspiration. When crafting this issue, I was intrigued by one of the shops mentioned in the map section: a little roadside food stand called The Unlucky Stableboy. I envisioned this as a D&D-era food truck, essentially.

Unfortunately, space issues restricted how much I could delve into the shop and how detailed I could make the map. When I saw today's Inktober key word, I saw the chance to revisit The Unlucky Stableboy. Of course, such a small structure looks a little silly with all that white space around it, but there you have it.

 

 The Unlucky Stableboy Food Stand

(Key word: hungry)

The Unlucky Stableboy is a food stand owned by Horgan Skulison, a wretched-looking dwarf, with thin gray hair and one hazel eye. He wears dirty, ragged leather armor (pieces of which occasionally find their way into customers' food) and serves bad food, fast. Horgan may also know a few odd rumors, which may be of interest to some of his customers. (For sample rumors, see Issue #3 of The Stronghold 'Zine.)

A typical menu: 

• Boiled shredded flounder stew  (7 cp)
• Dog roast hash  (9 cp)
• Hot pepper bread  (4 cp)
• Rice bread and filleted bass  (12 cp)
• Diced octopus  (9 cp)
• Rat testicles on a stick  (5 cp)
• Heavily watered-down ale is available at 2 cp per cup. (The ale is watered down with the wash water.)

The back of the booth is dominated by crates and a large keg of ale. A grill/oven and large stewpot takes up the east side of the space. A wash-vat is on the west. Stacks of bowls and cups litter the ground around the wash-vat. Stools sit outside the front counter.

[A to Z April] T is for Twilight Bile (beverage)

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

This interesting libation is rare, but can be found throughout the Realm at finer establishments. Only one brewer knows exactly what goes into each pint of Twilight Bile, and he is not talking. Every bottle is identical, no matter the area of the Realm in which it is found. Based on its initial cost and its rarity, tavern owners and restauranteurs are understandably loathe to part with even a single shot of Twilight Bile, even at the expected egregious markup in price they demand. They're especially reticent if they have something to hide.

Twilight Bile is marketed in a spherical crystal decanter, tightly sealed with a cork. Each decanter comes with a pint of the drink: 16 shots. The decanter itself bears a simple label: a stylized bat surrounded by runes from various languages, all meaning "bat." Some barkeeps will remove the label--which is easily done--in order to hide the beverage from all but the most discerning, knowledgeable customers.

The drink itself is an acquired taste. The liquid is black and watery, and smells faintly of wet dog. In contrast, it bears a strong initial taste of menthol, with a sulphurous aftertaste that lingers. Within 2 rounds of drinking a single shot of Twilight Bile, the imbiber's eyes become incredibly bloodshot. In addition, the Bile grants a +20 to all listen checks for the next 1d4 hours. However, there is also a 10% chance of the imbiber also losing the sense of sight for the same period of time. The aftertaste also wears off as the effects fade.

Most individuals cannot stomach more than a single shot of Twilight Bile at a time; indeed, most pocketbooks cannot stomach multiple shots either. Additional shots occasionally seem to extend the period of enhanced hearing, but the 10% chance of blindness (as well as the duration of this effect) is also cumulative.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "T"s:
2014: T is for Tantive IV
2013: T is for Tombstone Blossom (creature)
2012: T is for Thord's Gore Reach (spell)
2011: T is for Thoklin Oroxel

[A to Z April] S is for Stumble Soul (potion)

Stumble Soul

Aura faint abjuration; CL 4th
Slot none; Price 500 gp; Weight --

DESCRIPTION

Occasionally it is useful to hide one’s alignment from others discernment, but dangerous to have one’s alignment concealed. It may also be occasionally useful to appear as a different alignment for purposes of infiltration or concealment.
 

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

A single dose of this potion temporarily changes the alignment of the imbiber. The user’s alignment will shift to its opposite; a neutral alignment may choose which direction the shift may take. For example, a Lawful Good creature will temporarily become Chaotic Evil. A Chaotic Neutral creature will become Lawful, and may choose whether to become Good or Evil for the duration of the potion. 

Only one dose of the potion may be taken at one time; a second dose will have no effect on the user’s alignment, but will sicken the imbiber for the duration of the second dose. The alignment shift will have a negative effect on any creature’s alignment-based abilities, powers, or skills for the duration of the potion.
 
The potion must use absinthe as a base and must be contained in a crafted glass bottle or decanter, shaped to resemble a humanoid skull. The glass stopper is hollow, and will measure out one dose. The effects of one dose will last for 1 hour per two caster levels. The effects can be overcome or negated by dispel magic or any degree of restoration spell. Atonement, hallow, or unhallow may also negate the effects of the spell. Those who typically carry such a potion with them will also carry a potion or scroll with a negating spell, just in case.

CREATION

Brew Potion, absinthe, skull-shaped decanter, undetectable alignment, Cost to create 200 gp

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "P"s:
2014: S is for Spark, Primordial (spell)
2013: S is for Suffocation, Immediate (spell)
2012: S is for Snake, Howler
2011: S is for Sheriff

[A to Z April] E is for Everclear (beverage)

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

Everclear has been called “The Poor Man’s Invisibility” as well as “Sucker’s Blur.”

This potion grants to its drinker the effects of concealment (20% miss chance) by turning their body transparent. (As blur, CL 3.) This is not the same as invisibility, as the outline of the drinker is still visible and discernable in certain circumstances (such as full sunlight) and has been known to shimmer in certain types of flickering light. The effect lasts for 1d4 minutes.

The potion, because of its nature, is always packaged in a small glass vial, each vial containing a single dose. The vial is rarely labeled, but the vial always has small ridges running horizontally, to resemble a humanoid rib cage. A glass stopper is required, again because of the ingredients involved.

The main ingredient of everclear is Essence of Gelatinous Cube. Alchemists pay handsomely for the remains of a gelatinous cube whenever some are available. Despite its name, the fluid is an iridescent orange, a by-product of the treatment of the Essence necessary to make it potable and non-lethal. It retains a gelatinous texture. Everclear has been said to have a milk smell, although only the most sensitive noses can detect the smell. The taste is something similar to wasabi.

Each dose requires 1d4 rounds to take effect. Furthermore, because of its innate instability, there is a 10% chance per dose that the effect merely causes the drinker’s flesh to become transparent, allowing her internal organs, musculature, and skeleton to become visible to the viewer. This effect causes any viewer--friend or foe--to take a Will save (DC 15) or become frightened for the duration of the potion. The viewer may make a new Will save each round; a successful save means the viewer has overcome its initial disgust and fear.

Cost: 175 gp per dose.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "E"s:
2014: E is for Eroutoa's Arms (map)
2013: E is for Enik, Lord of Maltrai (npc)
2012: E is for Elder Oath (spell)
2011: E is for Erol Otus

[A to Z April] W is for Weak Essence of Alcoholic Retreat (beverage)

This alcoholic beverage, often called "Speed Wine" by its users, is marketed in a large flask cunningly crafted from large reptilian scales of unknown origin. Each flask holds up to 12 doses, and costs 500 gp per dose. Due to some quality inherent to the scales, the labels quickly fade to near illegibility. The flasks are traditionally sealed with a plug of tree sap; unfortunately, this seal is imperfect and leads to reduced freshness in nearly 50% of all bottles, especially if one or more doses have already been used.

The liquid itself is watery and of a sparkling gold color. A hint of curry wafts up from the liquid, which actually tastes like sherbet. Within 1d2 rounds of drinking a dose, the drinker gains an additional 5' to her movement for 4d6 rounds. Reduced freshness reduces the duration of the effect to 1d6 rounds. Once the "speed" effect has worn off, the imbiber becomes sickened for 4d6 rounds, suffering a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "W"s:
2013: W is for Wild Drip
Crater (locale)
2012: W is for Wyrm, Slimeclaw (monster)
2011:W is for Waulker (npc)

[A to Z April] K is for Kell's Force Tonic (beverage)

Kell’s Force Tonic is modeled after a libation created a century ago by the Mad Wizard Kell, who was determined to create a beverage that was both delicious to drink and, because of his paranoia, an effective way to better see corporeal undead. In his honor, those few enterprising individuals who still mix up a batch of tonic for sale market the Force Tonic in the same kind of small brass bottle that Kell was known to use. Like Kell’s, each bottle contains one dose of the Force Tonic. To pay their respects, these bottles have an etched image of Kell on their side.

The Tonic is a grey-colored liquid that has a barely-noticeable smell of fresh-baked bread and a smooth, pleasant vanilla taste. A single dose provides a slight buzz; the “side effects” take effect in 3d4 rounds. These “side effects” allow the individual the ability to see and touch incorporeal creatures for its duration; namely, 5d6 rounds. The Tonic does not come cheap, however, at 400 gp per dose.



**Due to Blogger-related issues beyond my control, this post apparently didn't actually publish on Saturday as scheduled. So, I repost it today.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "K"s:
2013: K is for Kith, Sin (creature)
2012: K is for Kel, Scokin (npc)
2011: K is for Key, Skeleton (item)

[A to Z April] D is for Delightful Drink of Draconic Darkness (beverage)

Delightful Drink of Draconic Darkness

The alliteratively-named Delightful Drink of Draconic Darkness is served in a standard pint jar-shaped vessel made of dragonhide. The liquid itself is a dull, black color and is rumored to contain dragons’ blood and other various ingredients of draconic or reptilian oriign.

The brew has a strong smell of roses, yet tastes lemony with a weak sulphur undertone. It has a thick texture, almost as if it were congealing. Even one glass of the Delightful Drink of Draconic Darkness, or “D4" as it has been nicknamed, is incredibly alcoholic and can cause rapid drunkenness in all but the hardiest drinkers. Most find themselves in a compromised state within one round of consumption. A side effect caused by the various monstrous ingredients is a numbness of the lips for 4d6 rounds after the pint is finished.

**Many thanks to my buddy Simonathi Starym for game testing, advice, and tweaking on this year's A to Z.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "D"s:
2013: D is for Duk (npc)
2012: D is for D’leth Inemas (npc)
2011: D is for Drake, Carrion (creature)

[A to Z April] B is for Blood Stimulant (beverage)

Blood Stimulant

Aura: none; Weight: 4 oz.; Cost: 150 gp/oz.

This concoction is sold in glass vials, sealed with an iron stopper. The vials carry no markings and no labels, instead allowing the dark violet color to identify the drink.

The mixture has a very weak smell of milk and has an extremely subtle taste of vinegar combined with cayenne pepper, which leads to a rough texture. The mixture accelerates the drinker’s metabolism for a full minute after consumption, increasing the individual’s Constitution score with +2 enhancement, adding benefits to hit points, Fortitude saves, Constitution checks, and so forth, similar to–but weaker than–a bear’s endurance spell.

For 24 hours after drinking a dose of Blood Stimulant, the individual’s eyes are bloodshot, as if they were under the influence of drugs.

Because of the chance of interaction between the iron stopper and the mixture, there is a 10% chance that any dose may be only 50% effective.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "B"s:
2013: B is for Belt of Invulnerable Embrace (item)
2012: B is for Beetle, Soul (monster)
2011: B is for Bulette

[A to Z April] A is for Angelic Beer (beverage)

Angelic Beer

Aura: none; Weight: 1 oz. ; Cost: 150 gp

This draught comes in single dose portions, typically in a round, clay tube sealed with a wax plug. Most versions come without labels or markings on the tubes. The brewing process imparts a glowing, blue colorand a weak dusty smell to the liquid. It also causes a barely noticeable, but still unfortunate, dog food taste; this requires a bit of acclimation. It has a crisp, smooth texture which is mildly addicting.

This beverage also has a mildly magical effect: anything worn by the imbiber–anything touching flesh–becomes clean. The mildness of the magic means that there is no noticeable magical aura when the brew is examined.This effect requires abstinence from the brew for seven full days. Similarly, adding a dose of Angelic Beer to a single serving of food or drink has an effect similar to a purify food & drink spell.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "A"s:
2013: A is for Acktok’s Violet Mark
2012: A is for Albert “Rat-tail” Gail
2011: A is for Adventure

[A to Z April] X is for Xal's Dire Brown (Beverage)

Xal’s Dire Brown

This brew is the insane creation of a dwarven brewer known only as “Xal.” His name does not translate into any known language, so it is rumored that he changed his name after being cast out from his Clanhold. There are also those who say it was actually created by a well-known dwarven brewer who changed his name for the original brew so that he would not be blamed for its horrible and unappetizing appearance. The recipe has been handed down through the generations, but is believed to be identical to that originally created by Xal. The brew is not common, but can be found here and there across the realm, usually on dusty back shelves in finer drinking establishments. Only a true connoisseur knows that the ugly and dingy bottles contain a truly magnificent treasure.

The brew itself is a murky brown color that has a thick, viscous texture. It smells of wax and sulpher but tastes of grapes with a hint of citrus and spice. After drinking, it has been known to cause momentary giddiness and dizziness. These are side effects from which a drinker will recover in 1d6 rounds. Although safe to drink, if spilled on an object or a creature, the brew will melt or burn similar to the effects of acid. When spilled, it will cause 1 hp damage, regardless of amount spilled. This damage is not incurred when the liquid is consumed.

The typical bottle is an iron flask with a metal cap. The label is fastened to the bottle by a silk ribbon tied around the neck. The label itself is written in an ancient dwarven dialect, not commonly spoken. These bottles, when new, each contain ten servings of the brew.

Xal’s Dire Brown, 50 gp/bottle

**Many thanks to Dyson Logos and his Random Table of Potion Containers, used to create the bottle for this particular brew.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "X"-es:
2012: X is for Xouvyus (New NPC)
2011: X is for X'rr

[A to Z April] O is for Omen Wine (beverage)

Often called the “poor man’s divination,” omen wine is a substance that has found its way across the continent from a small monastery hidden high in the desolate Krassmere Mountains. The monks who make this wine are violently protective of the recipe and will take any measures to protect the monastery and the process by which omen wine is created. Rumors persist, however, that omen wine consists in part of griffin blood.

Omen wine comes in single-dose bladders made from some type of animal skin. The bladder is tied shut with a strong but slender cord. A small runestone dangles from the cord; the rune itself is from an unknown language and glows in the presence of divine magic. Each dose costs 375 gp.

The wine itself is a dark green liquid with semi-transparent, silvery swirls. Omen wine smells delicious, like strawberries. However, it tastes of something not unlike spoiled chicken.

Upon drinking a dose of omen wine, the individual must make a DC 25 Fortitude Save. Depending upon the individual’s Save result, omen wine causes different effects.

Save Roll	Initial Effect	Secondary Effect
Less than 15	The individual falls into a coma for 1 hour. This is not a sleep effect, and thus elves are not immune to it.	No secondary. During this time, it cannot be awakened by any means short of casting greater restoration on it.
15-20	The individual takes temporary nonlethal damage equaling its current hit points and is staggered for 1d4 rounds, after which the nonlethal damage is reversed.	The creature remains shaken for one hour. Heal will negate all effects.
20-25	The individual becomes panicked for 1d4 rounds.	The creature remains shaken for one hour. Nothing short of restoration will negate either effect.
26+	Sudden pain sweeps over the individual’s body and it becomes sickened for one hour.	No secondary. The effects can be negated only by a remove curse spell.

Once the initial effects of the omen wine wear off, the individual receives a vision. The result of this vision is comparable to casting divination, with the chance for a correct divination based on the individual’s character level, rather than the caster level.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "O"s:
2012: O is for Oath of Righeous Magic (spell)
2011: O is for Opening Doors

[A to Z April] H is for Heth's Jeacky Fleter (beverage)

No one is quite sure who “Heth” was or why he originally called his concoction a “jeacky fleter.” All who imbibe this uncommon elixir agree, however, that he was quite, quite mad. Although the beverage has been around for centuries, new bottles continue to appear at random taverns and inns across the continent. No one knows who distills the brew or where it is distilled. It is a mystery wrapped in a riddle and secured with a question mark.

Heth’s Jeacky Fleter is a clear beverage with a golden color. It has a lot of fizz to it and is usually served in a champagne glass. The drink smells like orc spit and has a taste reminiscent of honeyed mint. Drinking a serving of jeacky fleter causes hallucinations, the severity of which depend on the amounts imbibed. Because of this effect, it is rumored that one of the ingredients is a particular kind of spider venom.

• After drinking one serving of jeacky fleter, the individual begins to have pleasant hallucinations. (These may include dancing lights, playful animals, music, floating bubbles, talking flowers, and so forth.) These hallucinations continue for one hour. The individual can tell at some level that these hallucinations are not real, but they are distracting, and cause a -2 to all Perception checks during that time. The effects of drinking any amount of Heth’s Jeacky Fleter can be counteracted with a heal spell.
  
• If a second serving of jeacky fleter is consumed within an hour of the first glass, the severity of the hallucinations increase. The increased effects last as per the description; the more mundane effects then linger for a total of two hours. The individual must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or suffer the increased hallucinations. A successful save means the individual suffers only 1 hp of nonlethal damage.
  
  

  d8	Effect
  1	A secret door on the wall nearest you opens up to reveal a treasure hoard. For one round you run at your top speed toward the door, only to crash into the wall for 1d4 hp of nonlethal damage.
  2	Your skin begins to bubble and melt away. You spend one round attempting to hold your body together and cannot take any other actions.
  3	You see before you a horse-like creature with four arms and the head of an owl. For one round you attack it with your weapon or bare hands. You are actually attacking the creature or character nearest you at a -5 attack modifier.
  4	You hear a terrifying ghostly sound that no one around you seems to hear. For two rounds you have the cowering condition, with the accompanying effects.
  5	You are attacked by a swarm of vermin and spend one round attacking the floor around you with your weapon.
  6	The ground beneath you has turned to quicksand. You spend one round flailing your limbs as if trying to swim to safety. During this round you cannot take any other action.
  7	You believe that you have been surrounded by a cloud of some sort (dust, sand, insect husks, poison, etc.) and are suffocating. For two rounds you stand in one place, hold your breath, and clutch at your throat.
  8	You believe that the ground beneath you has suddenly dropped away leaving open air beneath you, as if a chasm had opened up. For 1 round you flail your arms and make a 5-foot leap in any direction to try and reach “solid” ground.

• If a third serving of jeacky fleter is consumed within an hour of the first glass, the severity of the hallucinations increase yet again. The increased effects last 6 rounds; the more mundane effects then linger for a total of three hours. The individual must make a DC 25 Fortitude save or suffer the increased hallucinations. A successful save means the individual suffers 5 hp of nonlethal damage. The specific effects cause the mind to experience vivid and horrific hallucinations, causing the afflicted creature to act unpredictably, as if confused (below).
  
• A fourth serving (or more) of jeacky fleter, consumed within an hour of the first glass--while highly unlikely--is possible. If any additional servings are consumed the creature must make a DC 35 Fortitude save or suffer 4d20 hp of damage (save for 1/2 damage) and 1d3 Con damage for each serving above 3 within one hour. In addition, whether or not the Fortitude save is successful, the creature automatically becomes confused (as with serving #3).

Wherever it comes from, and whoever continues to distill and bottle Heth's Jeacky Fleter, the bottles in which the beverage is contained has remained the same. Jeacky Fleter comes in a multi-faceted glass bottle sealed with a black-and-red colored cork. A full bottle contains 12 servings of the liquid.

CONFUSED (courtesy of Paizo and Pathfinder)

A confused creature is mentally befuddled and cannot act normally. A confused creature cannot tell the difference between ally and foe, treating all creatures as as enemies. Allies wishing to cast a beneficial spell that requires a touch on a confused creature must succeed on a melee touch attack. If a confused creature is attacked, it attacks the creature that last attacked it until that creature is dead or out of sight. Roll on the following table at the beginning of each confused subject's turn each round to see what the subject does in that round.

d%	Behavior
01-25	Act normally.
26-50	Do nothing but babble incoherently.
51-75	Deal 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in hand.
76-100	Attack nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the subject’s self).

A confused creature who can't carry out the indicated action does nothing but babble incoherently. Attackers are not at any special advantage when attacking a confused creature. Any confused creature who is attacked automatically attacks its attackers on its next turn, as long as it is still confused when its turn comes. Note that a confused creature will not make attacks of opportunity against anything that it is not already devoted to attacking (either because of its most recent action or because it has just been attacked).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous "H"s:
2012: H is for Happy Birthday
2011: H is for Hargrim, the Soulhammer

[A to Z April] C is for Charred Brimstone Mist (Beverage)

Charred Brimstone Mist

This brew is believed to have first been fermented by a half-elf mage-turned-barkeep named Ji’avan, but no-one knows for sure. When asked about its source, Ji’avan would simply respond with an inscrutable smile and silence. The brew is not common, but can be found across the realm.

The brew itself is a dark brown color with a syrupy texture. It smells vaguely of burning mint and tastes metallic. When imbibed, it will stain the tongue and teeth for several hours. After drinking, it has been known to cause tingling and numbness in one’s extremities. These are side effects; when one drinks from the bottle, one receives the benefit of a resist energy spell (fire) (10) for five minutes.

The typical bottle is brass and multi-faceted with a screw-on lid. The body of the bottle itself is often wrapped in fine cord. These bottles, when new, each contain three doses of the brew, although the effects of multiple drinks will not stack.

Charred Brimstone Mist, 500 gp, Craft (alchemy) DC 25

**Many thanks to Dyson Logos and his Random Table of Potion Containers, used to create the bottle for this particular brew.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last year's "C": C is for Chiala Ereand
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------