#Heartwood Ventures

[heartwoodventures]

Potions Lesson

Ziv gasps at the setup, marveling at the little alchemy stations. "Ohh how lovely..."

Leo looks around. "It looks cozy."

Ziv nods. "Potions class could not have come sooner..." he grumbles with ginger pat to his side. "I am very eager to learn how to brew a good potion. The timing is...well timed."

Leo ponders over Ziv Zorasch.

Silaena: ..Why do you need potions, exactly?

Aislinn blinks owlishly and looks up from the cup of coffee in her hands as people begin to arrive. Clearly, wandering out from the maze of her thoughts, Aislinn gives her head a shake and waves people in. “Grab a spot at any of the tables. We’ll double up and share as need be.” She explains, her low, soft-spoken voice stretching in an attempt to reach across the room.

Leo: "Is it because you have something odd going on with you and you can't take healing magic right now?"

Nonoli looks around. "There's no stools...!"

Ziv: "Potions, they help with the pain of injuries, you see..."

Leo walks up to a spot and then starts to browse through things, looking at the bottles. and things on the table.

Ziv: "The tables are short enough, I think you'll do fine."

Leo nods to Ziv Zorasch. "It should be okay Noli."

Aislinn goes and sets her coffee down on the counter as she waits for people to settle in. To Nonoli's point, she tilts her head, considering. "If you need, I can go and grab one from downstairs."

Rising Lotus had already set herself up at a table, eyes looking over all the ingredients she sort of just wanted to, dump all together haphazardly. She was able to fight the urge for now though. "...isn't this jus' like cookin' but for shite you can't exactly eat some times?"

Nonoli furrows her brow.

Riylli waves eagerly to Aislinn as she enters the classroom. "Hey! I got a Starlight present for ya! I was gonna give it to you at G'lewra's but I guess y'couldn't make it? Ill wait 'till after the class though! Dont wanna disrupt the teacher."

Ziv: "Or just jump -on- the table." Ziv shrugs at Nonoli Noli.

Nonoli is frustrated with Ziv .

Leo smiles at Ziv.

Nonoli : "And block the love of science with my rump!? I don't think so!"

Leo: "That may not be a great idea. Want me to go find you a stool Noli?"

Aislinn eyes Rising as she takes in the ingredients and decides leaving the room might not be the best idea. She looks to Leo “Aye, if you wouldn’t mind popping downstairs and grabbing a stool. Then we can get started.”

Turning to Rising, she tilts her head. "Aye, it's a little like cooking. Except supposing if you get creative in the kitchen and add too much salt it probably won't hurt you."

Silaena: Hm. Mind terribly being my station partner, Ziv?

Ziv nods to Silaena. "Not at all, by all means feel free."

M'shara approaches a table and begins going over the supplies on it.

Nonoli seems lost in thought. "I should probably get a stool from downstairs... I'll be right back."

Leo Veldha ponders over Nonoli Noli.

Silaena runs her hands over the little station, clearly familiarizing herself with the contents. "Fair warning, every time I've tried to learn alchemy, it's exploded horribly."

Ziv: "Oh dear, well at least there will be healers nearby in case a flask explodes or something.."

Leo tilted his head as he examined the contents on the table. "Some of these look familiar. Do you recognize what they are Noli? Admittedly my time in Sillfane Glade was... well, rushed. So this is one of those holes I'd like to work on filling in."

Nonoli nods to Leo. "Of course! You're looking at the third best alchemist in Heartwood you know!"

Leo smiles at Nonoli. "I thought you'd at least be the best or second best. Who has you beat? Aislinn? She does know her stuff!"

Nonoli nods to Leo.

Rising Lotus: "Well hopefully we won't be makin' anythin' too complicated then. Every time I've cooked more than jus' puttin' meat over a fire I get pretty free form with the measurements."

Clearing her throat, Aislinn turns now, her assessing gaze sweeping over the room. Most of those gathered she knew. One of two, she didn't recognize. That didn't come as a surprise to her. She regularly had her head down involved in some project or other that she lost focus of everything else, eating, for instance. Let alone poking her head out of the clinic or workshop to *meet* people.  She takes a breath and addresses the room "Alright, let's get started." ....

M'shara: "Quiet down please."

Ziv motions joyfully to Aislinn.

Aislinn: "For those that don't know me, I'm Aislinn. I work in the clinic with Lewra and in the workshop on various technological projects. I'm also an alchemist which is why Lewra asked me to teach this class. She sends her apologies but is...occupied elsewhere." There was a minor hitch over that last detail but she has a great poker face and quickly moves on. ...

Nonoli ponders over Aislinn.

Aislinn: "Alchemy is basically, the creation of potions. Good and bad." She gives a half shrug. "Like cooking but more exacting. A little foxglove can strengthen a weak heart. Too much can cause a heart attack. You gotta understand and adhere to the rules before you go getting creative and experimenting." She explains. "But today we're going to make a basic healing potion. Nothing so dire but it should give you good practice with the basics."

Riylli raises her hand, then asks her question out loud anyways. "Can we make potions that give me lots of muscles?"

Ziv swishes his tail back and forth excitedly. "Healing potions, perfect! Maybe now I won't have to pilfer from Noli's stashes..."

Leo gazes upon Aislinn in deep reflection. "I see...  so it's an art of precision."

M'shara simply pretends she hears none of this.

Nonoli senses something amiss with Ziv .

Odile rushes into the room.

Aislinn eyes Riylli with faint amusement. "You can conjure golems from the earth. How much more force do you need at your disposal?"

Leo looked at the equipment in front of him with a newfound respect. It must have been a perilous art to develop.

Rising Lotus: "If you want to be strong like me you have to earn it the true way, not cheatin' with potions and magic."

Aislinn flicks her attention briefly to Ziv and raises a brow

Leo ponders over Nonoli. "Are you okay Noli?" He had missed Ziv's comment.

Aislinn: "Anyone here have any alchemical experience?" She ventures. Basically she wants to know who she can maybe not have to watch so closely in favor of who might possibly cause an explosion. Just in case.

Riylli: "I need enough to carry Mana around when she's old obviously!"

Nonoli: "I think I just discovered why my potions keep going missing..."

Leo is taken aback by Nonoli.

Nonoli: "I do! I do!"

Silaena: ..Do you have a potion addiction, Ziv? I know -how- alchemy works, but..Yeah, practical experience is explosive at best.

Aislinn nods to Nonoli and gives the lalafell a subtle smile. "Good to know."

Ziv is taken aback by Silaena.

Leo: "I learned to brew them before, but it was a -really- long time ago. I can't remember anything about it, so I figured it best to start from scratch."

Nonoli smiles in warm satisfaction before Aislinn.

Ziv: "A what?! Of course not--potions are merely useful to a warrior such as myself who does not easily take to healing magic."

Silaena furrows her brow at Ziv Zorasch.

Odile: "But healing magic is gentler than potion recovery Ziv."

Aislinn: "Alright. A basic healing potion is good knowledge for any mercenary to have. It ain't going to miraculously patch up a bullet wound but it'll shore up stores of depleted aether in the body and buy you some time until you can get to a medic of some stripe."

Rising Lotus shook her head. "I've only ever have bought or get that sort of stuff from folk. Seems complicated with all that measurin' an' all."

Ziv frowns at Odile. It couldn't be helped. He offered a slight shrug and returned his attention to the head of the classroom.

Aislinn tilts her head to Rising. "It can be, aye. But we're gonna go through this one step by step." And hopefully minimize any sort of surprises.

Aislinn "So." She begins and motions to the contents on the tables before them. She draws close to Rising and Riylli's table. "A basic healing potion consists of distilled water, mistletoe, a powdered mushroom called a chanterelle and powdered water and lightning crystals." All of which she holds up one by one off the table as she introduces them. "The first thing we're going to do is pour the distilled water into the crucible and turn on the flame. There's a switch under the pot to get it going."

Riylli: "We're gonna... drink the crystals? Ain't that dangerous?"

M'shara reaches forward to turn on the crucible then picking up the distilled water and carefully pouring it out into the pot.

Ziv nods. "Sounds simple enough." He begins by adding the distilled water to the pot. "I figured the crystals added extra flavor or bubbles," he said to Riylli's comment as he flipped on the burner.

Nonoli had to use all her willpower to stop herself from starting an "Ackshually" prompt after Ziv's comment.

Leo smiles at Nonoli. "I guess we're starting then? Should probably check the quantities."

Rising Lotus looks over the reagents, shrugging as she dumped an unmeasured amount of water into the pot before turning up the flame way too hot. "There's some soup they used to serve in Drybone that was cold, but then they served it to you with a fire crystal to heat it up. Never got sick or nothin' from it... well you didn't eat the crystal in it of course. Jus' the stew 'round it."

Nonoli: "Turn on the burner. I'll get the water set up!"

Leo nods to Nonoli .

Aislinn shakes her head at Riylli "They'll be regents to cause a chemical reaction imperative to the potion's creation later."

Leo did as was requested and turned on the burner. At the same time, he glanced through the recipe on the page. Seemed simple enough.

Riylli: "...Ah. Yes, of course." Riylli nods along like she knows what any of those words mean. "Er, are we supposed to be starting already?"

Odile climbed up the side of the table to add the pieces of the potion into the pot.

Aislinn eyes Rising's pot. "That's gonna boil fast. You need to watch it. The minute it does, lower the flame to let it simmer." She instructs the woman.

Ziv: "Oh...I wonder if our flame is too high also."

Aislinn: "You all seem to be able to boil water. Good." If she sounds sardonic, it's not on purpose. She has seen people explode boiling water. "Once the water is boiling, add three mistletoe berries. That should be all you have on the table, and lower the flame until the water is simmering."

Odile sets the flame to medium, to boil it faster.

Silaena seems to simply watch, humming. "Maybe. Guess we'll find out."

Rising Lotus: "Uh, right." she started to watch her pot, wondering how hot simmer is. "Alright Riylli add them berries, and I'll figure out how much to turn it down by."

Aislinn: "This is the first part of precision. Boil it too hot and the berries are ruined. Too low and the toxins in the berries won't boil out."

Odile turns down the Heat and adds the berries one by one.

Leo nods to Aislinn.

Ziv drops the three berries into the pot and keeps the flame at its current setting. The fire is on the low side, causing the water to bubble slightly as it simmered the berries.

Riylli nods and pops each berry into the cauldron. "I guess I've done somethin' like this before when I'm makin' my syrup... Y'don't wanna burn out the colour!"

M'shara watches Odile, nodding in approval.

Aislinn nods to Riylli in agreement

Leo took a look at the water. "Oh, I don't think it will be long... hey, where are the berrie Noli?" He looked around the table for them.

Nonoli: "They're right in front of you..."

While they work, Aislinn takes a moment and carefully watches the room.

Rising Lotus watches the water start to bubble, giving it a few moments before she cranked it down some. "I guess if it stops bubblin' 'we'll jus' turn it back up 'til we hit the sweet spot. Also what does color have to do with a healin' potion?"

Leo grabbed the three berries in the bowl and then watched as the bubble started to come up steadily in the cauldron. "Thank you." He dropped them in and then lowered the flame.

Odile: "Red for blood. For easier identification. in case of a rushed scenerio."

Nonoli closed her eyes and sniffed at the air. "Ah, the sweet smell of science." Nonoli smiles in warm satisfaction.

Riylli: "Vibes, Rising. Vibes. The red health potions taste the best! And, I don't know, maybe it'll mess with the ingredients too."

Silaena tilts her head. "Well. It -seems- to be working out, so far."

Aislinn: “It should end up smelling almost sweet. The liquid should turn a pale yellow color as the berries cook. If it goes dark or brown or smells sharp and acrid….well, you burned it. It happens.”

Aislinn: “That’s when you toss it out and start over. But so far, I’m not picking up any weird smells so, good on you!”

Ziv stares at the lightly simmering pot, barely beginning to turn a colored hue as the berries softened up. He adjusts the fire, turning it up just a little, because he couldn't fight the urge there was something wrong.

Nonoli nods to Aislinn.

Aislinn: “Alright! Next, add one level scoop of powdered mushroom using the small metal scoop on the table and mix it slowly into the liquid  you’ve got simmering. Again, be patient. Don’t just go dumping it in and whisking it to death.”

Aislinn's definitely not looking at Rising out of the corner of her eye when she says this.

Rising Lotus "I've mostly had the blue flavored ones. Wonder how we get to blue from these red berries...that turn the water yellowish?" she snapped her fingers. "Oh wait, water crystals are blue!"

Nonoli: "I'll handle this one, Leo!"

Leo nods to Nonoli.

Nonoli carefully pushed a measuring cup into the bag of powdered fungi and slow-dripped it into the simmering water.

Riylli eyes the powdered mushroom "Mm... Chanterelle... Hey Aislinn, do we need to use ALL of it in our potions?"

Leo took a step back, "All yours Noli, show me how it's done!" He watched closely as his tail swayed back and forth.

Ziv steps back for this part, looking intimidated by the more sophisticated ingredients. "Why don't you, Silaena?"

Odile takes the measuring spoon scoops up a good amount of powdered mushroom fungi powder and uses a gloved finger to scrape out the excess and keep it measured.

Aislinn tips her head to Riylli. "No, if you do, you'll ruin it. This is where you get to practice precision."

Riylli: "Good!" Riylli declares, dipping her finger into powder and sticking it in her mouth

Odile picks up the whisk and stirs gently.

Aislinn huffs out a soft laugh of amusement at Riylli

Rising Lotus finally seemed to have a good simmery pot going, and she was about to give it a big ol' scoop of mushroom dust when Riylli tasted some. "...What's it taste like?"

Aislinn nods in approval as Nonoli levels off her scoop of mushroom powder

Silaena nods, veery carefully leveling out a scoop, before stirring the whisk. Probably a little -too- slow.

Riylli: "You've never had it? It's a pretty regular part of the keeper diet. Try some!"

Nonoli: "... don't eat the reagents, Leo."

Odile: "Likely tasting like a spore sponge."

Leo laughs at Nonoli. "I wasn't planning to Noli. Have you ever eaten the ingredients when making potions before though?"

Ziv raises the flame a little, thinking it will help somehow. The cauldron boils steadily, producing some steam.

Nonoli: "It's smart to taste them, if they're edible. But that's just to make sure they haven't gone bad."

Leo nods to Nonoli Noli. "Makes sense to me."

Rising Lotus "Hmm....no. Maybe if it wasn't dust an' a mushroom still." She scoops some of the powered, shaking off the extra but still probably a pinch to much. "Get to stirrin'." she held the spoon out to Riylli.

Riylli frowns. "Y'should level off your measuring cups with your finger, that's what Mana always does when she bakes." She explains and begins to stir carefully. "But a little extra probably wont hurt! Im betting these are mostly here for the flavour anyroad"

Leo: "You know, I am a little surprised that you don't taste more stuff though."

Nonoli ponders over Leo. "Most of this stuff is toxic before it's brewed!"

Leo: "Yeah, but I just think about all the cookie batter you steal when Coco bakes cookies."

Leo winks at Nonoli.

Ziv looks at Nonoli in surprise. "How can something that heals you be toxic?"

Rising Lotus: "That wasn't a cup though it was a spoon."

Ziv: "I don't understand it..."

Nonoli looks at Leo in surprise. "I-I do no such thing!"

Leo beams with delight at Nonoli .

M'shara: "You've clearly never been healed by me before."

Riylli: "Same thing!"

Nonoli: "It's not toxic when you drink it!"

Riylli: "They got all sorts of cups and spoons when you're bakin', and Twelve help you if you mix up a tablespoon with a teaspoon"

Silaena: Most alchemical ingredients balance out the toxicity with each other. It's a science, like that. Or how they're prepared, too.

Ziv: "I see..."

Silaena: Some of them are even only in something to make it not poisonous, too.

Aislinn: “So now you’ve got all the ingredients for a proper healing potion. And you’ve simmered them long enough for them to integrate. Which is a nice soup. Now we need a strong chemical reaction to flash it into something more.” She inhales a breath as if bracing herself. “This is one parts water crystal and two parts lighting crystal mixed and added to the bunsen flame beneath your crucibles. That’s one small spoon.” She holds up the smallest spoon that hardly looks like it could hold anything of substance. “Of blue crystals and two spoons of purple. There are wards of shielding written into the tables and if something goes wrong just step back. Quickly. Please remember the estate was just rebuilt and I don’t want to have to go through that again.”

Leo is taken aback by Aislinn. "It goes into the flame?"

Aislinn nods to Leo. "Into the flame. This creates a quick, small flash of high heat needed to transform the ingredients into a proper potion."

Rising Lotus wiped her hands on her apron. "See this is why I don't cook 'sides from jus' puttin' things over a fire. Too much work. Or at least with cookin' you can jus' like, eyeball spices an' then choke it down if it's bad." she glanced to Linn as she gave the next explanation, looking much more excited for this one. "One of blue two of purple!"

Leo: "Okay..." He grabbed a small bowl and then the blue and purple crystals. "Let's see, one part blue, two purple..."

M'shara looks to Odile, "Did you get that?"

Ziv picks up the blue crystal. "Adding crystals to fire? It's certainly not what I expected but okay. I will add this one if you'd take care of the purples."

Riylli: "My turn!" Riylli declares, proudly taking each scoop and measuring them off with her finger. Into the fire each of them goes with a quick pop of energy, leaving Riylli with a little bit of purple residue on her finger. She looks at it. She stares at it. She contemplates it. Ultimately her intrusive thoughts win through and she carefully pokes the residue with her tongue to see what it tastes like. Just a little bit!

Nonoli: "You can do it!"

Nonoli strikes a triumphant─but not too triumphant─pose for Leo Veldha.

Leo motions joyfully to Nonoli.

Odile nodded. she looks to the crystals. She uses her aether to hover one blue, and two purple.

Leo: "Yes ma'am." he laughs.

Silaena nods once again, moving to measure out the purple crystal dust. The moment her hands come close to it, though, there is prompt little explosion of levin.

Leo carefully measured out the crystals. One teaspoon of blue and two teaspoons of purple. He tried not to pull any more than he needed and put them in as equal quantities. After giving them a good mix, he shrugged and added them to the flame. "Well, here goes."

Ziv looks surprised!

Rising Lotus scoffed as Riylli got to do the cool fire throwing part. She flicked a few more grains of purple in when Riylli was tasting the crushed crystal.

Odile adds the first portion of purple, then the blue, then adds the last portion of purple.

Ziv: "Well there goes our purple--!"

Silaena: ..Yep. Sorry about that. Should've let you do it.

Ziv: "It's' okay. We should try again, with two new crystals."

Ziv: "This health potion -needs- to turn out! I'm really starting to feel it now..."

Leo: "Look good?"

Nonoli seems lost in thought. "So far so good!"

Odile looks stumped.

Aislinn: “Riylli!” She catches the sight of the Keeper putting a finger of crystals in her mouth. Nymeia help her. She’s drawn next by the sound of the small explosion at Ziv’s table. Not enough to trigger the ward. “Alright, there?” She asks.

Silaena nods. "No injuries. Just a little explosion when I touched the lightning."

Ziv: "Umm...well...no. Yes, I think we just need to simply try again. Though I'm not sure why your touch would cause an explosion like that."

Ziv gazes upon Silaena in deep reflection.

Riylli smacks her tongue a few times. "Tastes like... tingling. Like there are bubbles popping on my tongue! They should put this stuff in candy..."

Aislinn hums in thought as she looks Silaena over. "Does...that usually happen when you interact with aspected aether?"

Silaena tilts her head. "Sometimes. Most times, really."

Ziv continues to fuss over their pot, stirring it steadily to prevent it from boiling over.

Aislinn quickly tosses over her shoulder, "Riylli, stop eating the crystals. Do you want aether sickness?"

Riylli: "N... No..." Riylli mumbles, properly scolded

Rising Lotus jumped a bit at the explosion, bumping some of their blue crystal dust onto the table. Her attention returns to Riylli as she describes the taste, flicking more blue dust into the flame. "Guess that makes sense, purple is lightning. Guess blue would taste wet then..." her hand got close to the blue powder when Linn called Riylli out, slowly pulling her hand back.

Aislinn returns her attention to Silaena. "Hmm. Try switching. Ziv, add the lightning crystals, let Silaena handle the water crystal."

Riylli: "Quit addin' more crystal!"

Silaena hums, nodding again. "Sure. Ready, Ziv?"

Ziv nods, exchanging the water crystal for the two lightning ones. "Yes, let's see if this way does better."

Silaena moves to measure out the water crystal. And, not a hint of explosion, it seems, as it goes into the fire.

Ziv drops the crystals into the flame like two ice cubes into a glass of water.

Rising Lotus: "Psh, it was like, hardly anymore than we needed." she went to give their pot a few stirs as she looked at the so far unremarkable hue.

Riylli: "No causin' trouble for the teacher! We gotta be EXACT! Otherwise the cookies will end up super salty! I mean, potions."

In the wake of the expected flash of heat, Aislinn studies Silaena with open curiosity. "Right, then. " As quiet as she is, she raises her voice over the room. "Your potion should now be blue in color and clear. Go ahead and pour it carefully into an empty flask using the funnel on the table to check it for color and clarity." She explains.

Leo gazes upon Nonoli in deep reflection. "Hey Noli, do you think Nolas may like this kind of thing?"

Odile: "Maybe, Leo."

Aislinn: "If it's purple. You added too much lightning and burned it. If it's still pale, it's fine to drink but I doubt it's gonna do you any good when you need it. If it smells bad...well, this is not a potion that should smell bad. Don't drink it." She ticks off the common problems found with making this potion.

Nonoli gently stirred their ingredients, glancing up at Leo before raising a brow. "I don't think kids like anything they can't eat. Potions are usually rather bitter too."

Ziv places the funnel over the flask and slowly begins to ladle the light blue concoction. Steam fills up the glass beaker as the hot liquid is poured into it. "This was not so difficult at all. With enough mistletoe and ground mushrooms this will be easy to make in my own room."

Silaena taps her chin. "Really not selling the lack of potion addiction there, buddy."

Rising Lotus gave it a few more stirs, wasn't quite as blue as ones she had purchased before, but it was a tone of blue at least. "Alrighty, guess we ought to dish it out. Get the bottle ready." she lowered the heat and went for the ladel. "...I guess we can add some blue to it to make it more blue..." she eyed those crystals again.

Leo closed his eyes. "Mm... I'd like him to try a lot of things to see if he has a hobby he likes. I guess you're right though, maybe I'll wait until he's older..." His ears perked up at Odile's words as he gave her a small smile. "Thanks Odile." He took a glance at the color of the potion. Looked blue to him!

M'shara: "Simply try not to blow up the house if you have a lab in your room."

Aislinn nods to Ziv as she eyes the color of the liquid he's pouring into the flask. "I think you've got the hang of this, Ziv."

Leo looks at M'shara in shock! "Good point... definitely when he's older..."

Ziv motions joyfully.

Riylli: "We added enough!" Riylli scolds while getting the bottle ready

Ziv: "It feels good to have the approval of a learned professional. Excellent! Perhaps next I can work on adding a grape flavor..."

M'shara checks carefully over the potion in the cauldron.

Silaena: ..Why grape, specifically?

Odile looks shocked.

Aislinn sidles up to Rising and Riylli's table and removes the vials of powdered aether. Definitely not because she overheard the plan to add more to the drink.

Riylli looks sad as her purple candy is taken away.

Ziv: "For flavor of course! Is there another fruit flavor that sounds more appealing?"

Nonoli: "I was creating alchemy fire in my room a summer ago, when Zoronado and I would go on our adventures. Napalm really saved our skins in more than a few pinches."

Aislinn gives Nonoli a look of approval. Nothing wrong with weaponizing what you need for defense.

Silaena taps her chin. "Blackberry."

Leo ponders over Nonoli. "What's napalm do?"

Nonoli: "It's like... an extremely hot liquid that ignites anything it touches. If you got it on your clothes you could leap into a lake and it would still burn!"

Leo is taken aback by Nonoli Noli.

Silaena Naellenar: Well, that's a marginally terrifying thing to be making in your room.

Leo Veldha bit his lower lip. "I think it's best Nolas stay far away from alchemy then. At least until he's much older." He cleared his throat. "Well all that aside, it does sound very useful." His ears perked at Silaena's words. "And terrifying, yes."

Nonoli: "I used every precaution!"

Ziv: "Oh...well that's a good idea as well. I will have to engineer a blackberry flavor as well."

Rising Lotus rolled her eyes at Riylli, trying to look all innocent as their crystals were confiscated. She gave the concoction one more stir before scooping some up and pouring it into the beaker until it was almost full. "How's it look. Blue enough?" she bent down some to inspect it a bit closer.

Nonoli: "There's all sorts of neat stuff you can make, with the right reagents."

Odile takes a beaker, a funnel, and ladle to fill the potion into the beaker.

Leo smiles at Nonoli.

Silaena: I think I'll stick with weapons and trinkets, myself. Alchemy clearly doesn't like me much.

Nonoli: "Potions of invisibility, elixirs of night vision, giantstride tonics. Potions of strength."

Aislinn: "Anyone have any questions regarding the state of their potion or about the recipe in general?" She asks as she sets the vials of aether on the counter and begins circulating the room, handing out papers "I have copies of the instructions here for you. Lewra and I will leave the set up here for you all to practice if you want. The clinic should have enough ingredients stored if you need."

Nonoli smiles at Aislinn.

Leo motions joyfully to Aislinn.

Riylli raises her hand again. "Is ours okay? It's not super blue"

Leo: "Thank you Aislinn."

Nonoli continued to stir the beaker to make sure nothing burned on the bottom of the glass.

Ziv takes a swig of their potion, happily accepting a leaflet. "Indeed, many thanks. This will be a skill I use most often, rest assured. No more bothering the clinic for simple potions."

Aislinn smiles and gives a nod to Leo before turning to Riylli's question. "Hmm. Let's see it?"

Leo: "Hey Noli, do you mind if I practice making some potions with you sometime? As a healer I feel like I should know more about them and, you know, not rely on my magic as much as I do."

Nonoli nods to Leo.

Leo smiles in warm satisfaction before Nonoli. "Thank you."

Rising Lotus "Yeah I've seen bluer. I'm tellin' ya it needs more blue." she eyed the crushed water crystals on the counter on the opposite side of the room as she was handed the paper.

Nonoli: "Of course! I don't... want to make anything in your house, though. Your beastly boy gets his greedy little hands into everything!"

Nonoli is frustrated with Leo.

Leo laughs at Nonoli.

Riylli nudges the bottle in AIslinn's direction. "I think we mighta just burned out the colour!" Riylli says, repeating the same phrase from earlier. She's clearly learned a new fun fact.

Leo: "He's a handful isn't he? But that's part of what makes him so fun. If you'd like we can move some things around in our old room here in Heartwood."

M'shara eyes the potion on her table. "A well crafted product if I can say."

Odile: "Indeed."

Nonoli: "Oh we still have our old room. Well... half of it. When we remodeled we had to fix the entire back end..."

Leo nods to Nonoli.

Aislinn carefully takes up the flask, eyes it and then gives it a sniff. She tilts her head, considering. "It's a little weak. Most likely boiled the mistletoe too hot." She hands the flask back. "It might be a little less potent than normal but it won't do you any harm if  you drink it." She stares up at Rising over the rim of her spectacles. "It does not need more ‘blue’." She states definitively. Giving them a taste of powdered crystals may have been a mistake. 

Nonoli: "All my potions... gone... gone!" Nonoli clutches her head.

Leo turned his gaze to Ziv for a moment as he smiled at Noli. "I'll help where I can..."

Riylli: "Ha! Told you!" Riylli is a teachers pet. "Y'should be the one to drink it though. How's your wound doin'?"

Ziv looks over to Odile and M'shara's table with hopeful eyes. "Are you two going to finish that? The potion?"

Nonoli: "I'm just glad I was in the clinic when it all went down... if I was snoozing in my room I'd be a pancake!"

M'shara: "What do you mean finish?"

Odile: "Yes and you are not getting one lick of it."

Ziv is taken aback by Odile .

Leo let out a sigh. "That was rough. I nearly lost it when Coco was caught up in that. It was all I could do to stop myself from slamming my body against that door instead of holding that... thing down."

Aislinn hands copies of the recipe out to Ziv and Silaena

Rising Lotus: "It's not my fault no one taught me what a simmer is." she took the potion from Aislinn, temperature testing it by tapping the side a few times. "An' it's gettin' better, should be gettin' the bandages off soon anyway. Ain't hurt as much to move." she swirled the potion a few times before throwing it back, letting out a light cough as it was a tad too hot for chugging but she managed it anyway.

Ziv: "Denying a wounded man treatment, that is cruel..."

Riylli: "...How is it? Feelin' healed?"

Odile: I had to lock up the potion cabinets after your little raid in the Med Ward."

Aislinn glances at Odile and Shara's flask and nods

Ziv shows Odile his utter disappointment. "Yes and it was not very appreciated--! I have suffered greatly..."

M'shara eyebrows slant downward in concern. "Are you stealing potions from people?"

Odile: "You are wounded mentally, not physically."

Ziv disagrees with Odile. "Supplies from the clinic were out, I was merely redirecting."

Rising Lotus smacks her lips. "I guess I feel sort of less sore, not the same kick as a normal potion though." it needed more blue.

Aislinn: "Thank you all for coming and learning a bit about alchemy. I'm thinking all of these potions turned out fairly well. Nice job." She nods

Odile: "You need a shrink, not a potion."

Ziv looks at Odile in surprise.

Riylli : "Thanks for teachin' us!"

Aislinn gives Riylli a slanted smile of appreciation

Ziv: "Oh it's nothing like that...Thank you professor Aislinn for teaching us, yes! It is good to learn self-sufficiency."

Rising Lotus nodded "Aye, thank ya. Probably will still rely on others for it, but it's fun to know what I can do with crushed crystals an' fire now!"

Silaena nods. "Mm. Thank you for the lesson. Sorry for blowing up your crystals, too."

Nonoli smiles at Aislinn.

Odile: "Ms. North I would suggest locking up all alchemy equipment from Ziv until he takes a psych test."

Nonoli: "Alchemy should be a mandatory course for any mercenary! A quick sip of a potion can be far more reliable than a proper heal!"

Leo ponders over Nonoli .

Ziv agrees wholeheartedly with Nonoli .

Ziv looks at Odile and buries his face in disbelief.

Leo: "If you say so."

M'shara clears her throat. "We can discuss those matters in private."

Aislinn turns her attention to Odile, her brow lifting. She catches Shara's reply before she can move to question the lalafell's statement and instead shares a look with the other officer. "Duly noted." She replies neutrally to Odile.

Rising Lotus rubs her chin. "Maybe I should teach a fishin' course or somethin' for folks...not that it's hard. But some of the finer details, an' how to know what fish you should eat or somethin'."

Leo: "But regardless, thank you for teaching us Aislinn."

Riylli: "Can we go volcano fishin' again?"

Ziv: "Why I've never heard such nonsense in my life. If you'll excuse me, I have much practice to do with my alembic."

Silaena: Good luck? Try not to get too into drinking the potions, I guess?

Silaena fails to understand Ziv Zorasch.

Rising Lotus: " I mean, /we/ can, but if I'm gonna teach a class or somethin' it probably would be more pratical an' like, survival trainin' an' all."

Ziv: "Oh do not listen to those overblown reactions. There is nothing wrong with taking medicine."

Riylli: "Volcanoes need survival training the most!"

Leo expresses his worry with Ziv .

Odile: "If the cleaning crew and I go into your room Ziv, tell me we would not find used potion bottles everywhere in there. We got rich last time just from bottle returns."

Silaena : Hard disagree. Too much is a dependency, Ziv. Those are a weakness folks can exploit.

Leo: "Ziv, I don't know what's going on lately, but you should take care of yourself."

Silaena: But you're a grown man. So it's not really like anyone can stop you, either. Just be careful?

Rising Lotus: "How often do we end up there though? The one time we went fishin', an' then when we returned for that hunt? Probably more practical to have like...cold places trainin'."

Riylli: "THEY'RE COOLER THOUGH! Y'gotta go somewhere cool to get students interested!"

Ziv turns a bit red from all the fuss over him. "Yes yes, I agree, a grown man indeed. There is no need to worry so much over nothing.."

Ziv looks stumped.

Odile: "We fuss, because we worry."

Leo nods to Odile .

Rising Lotus: "I mean this was pretty simple an' we were invested right?"

Ziv hurries off with his leaflet before someone tries to tell him he can't brew any potions. "Why thank you, that is very sweet. But humbly I must point to my track record. In any case, goodnight to all--I have important matters to attend."

Ziv bids farewell.

Riylli: "That's 'cuz Aislinn is cool." Riylli says, before something dawns on her. "Oh! Gotta go grab my gift for her! Be right back!"

Leo : "Are you about ready to head home Noli?"

M'shara hums along to the music.

Nonoli nods to Leo.

Leo: "Let's get going then, I'm sure Zoro and Coco are waiting."

Riylli rushes back in and right up to Aislinn, holding a clear jar full of purple stuff in her hands. It kind of looks like a potion with how purple it is, fittingly enough. "Here! This is a syrup I made outta my very own home grown sweet violets! Y'can basically use it in any cookin' you do that needs sugar if you want a bit more unique of a flavor. Mana likes it in her tea!"

Nonoli: "Let's go see what this 'cleansing ritual' your wife mentioned is all about."

Odile gives Riylli a big hug.

Leo expresses his worry with Nonoli. "It's not fun..."

Nonoli ponders over Leo.

Rising Lotus looks over the paper she was handed, trying to see any recipes that would catch her eye to try this again when Riylli came running back with the present. Something then dawned on her when she heard Nonoli mention the cleansing ritual. "Oh right. Hey Lin an' M'shara. There's a little voidsent named Zilmat that'll be workin' in the library."

M'shara: "A what now?"

Aislinn looks up from her thoughts of Ziv as Riylli returns. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise at the jar. "Oh!" Something warm lights behind her eyes. "Violets. I get it. Can't say I've ever had the privilege of trying violet syrup." She says as she takes the jar. "Thank you! I'll have to try it in tea like G’manafa, then."

Aislinn stops and blinks at Rising. "I'm sorry, what? A voidsent?" Talk about whiplash.

Riylli grins proudly. "Good! The sweet violets are special violets because they're sweet, so they make a really good syrup!" Riylli states simply, before turning to Rising. "And don't you worry, you'll get my next batch whenever its grown, okay? Can only make so much at once, especially now that its winter." She explains, then moves off to the side to let Rising deal with the voidsent fallout

M'shara: "Are you entered into a pact with this voidsent or something that can control it?"

Aislinn hugs the jar close to her as she stares at Rising, her lips forming a thin, hard line. She's not thrilled.

Rising Lotus "Aw, thank ya. I'll find ya somethin' nice...but it'll be harder since it can't jus' be fish related..anyway!" she returned back to the other matter. "Long story short, Riylli, I, an' some others went to where that tomestone lead." she motioned to Linn "Was Jackal's hideout, an' with the tone of money he said I could have, half of which went to here to fix the place up, there was a little eye voidsent fellow that has to listen to me now."

Riylli: "I told her it was a terrible idea..." Riylli mumbles from off on the side

M'shara raised a brow at the last part. "It has to or -must-?"

Rising Lotus: "I think he has to. That's what the letter said anyway. He's pretty harmless an' a huge coward, think Jackal mostly jus' fucked with him most of the time, so things should be fine. Kept a good track of all of that bastard's books, an' liked readin' so seemed like a good fit."

Aislinn shifts slightly, clearly uncomfortable. She hated anything having to do with the void. Having one occupying space under the same roof wasn’t ideal. “Alright.” It was not alright. “But why does it have to live -here-?”

M'shara draws in a deep breath then exhales slowly through her nose.

Rising Lotus: " 'Cause that's where the library is. Doesn't really leave it 'less I come get him, an' still sort of jus' hides when folks go in there. Still workin' on that, wouldn't make much of a librarian if he ain't helpin' folks."

M'shara: "What it is eating?"

M'shara: "Are you feeding it?"

Rising Lotus: "He said Jackal used to feed him scraps, when we found him he was eatin' coffee beans. So jus' normal food for his size. Nysc gave him some aether wine once."

Riylli looks back and forth between them, then starts scooting towards the door. She did not want to get involved in this well deserved scolding. "Alright, I'm, uh, off for now. Happy Starlight all!" She says, then poofs

M'shara was a hard woman to read but the way she ran her fingers through her hair was telling enough. "Well then. I suppose it will have to be taken up with her."

Aislinn lets go a perturbed sound in the back of her throat, wordlessly but vocally backing up Shara's questions. "So Nyscera knows." She shakes her head, annoyed, among other things. "Fine. I'll add some wards to the lab. The workshop. The clinic." She murmurs under her breath. So much for stepping foot in the library again. 

M'shara: "I can assist with your warding."

Aislinn tips her head gratefully to Shara. "Not exactly my specialty. You're probably better at it than I."

Rising Lotus let out pfft and a dismissive wave of her hand. "You're worryin' 'bout nothin'. I'll let ya meet him sometime, he's too small to do any damage an' too cowardly to try. Plus feel bad for the thing, Jackal was an arse to him all the time, bastard wasn't ever there for me an' left me an' my ma." she shrugged lightly.

M'shara nods her head. "Yes, I understand how you feel about it but smaller more cowardly voidsent also tend to be opportunist who will consume something larger than them at the first chance."

Aislinn: "So you're saying the thing has a reason to hold a grudge against people, considering how it's been treated." She points out.

Aislinn lets go a breath "I can't say I understand your reasoning, Rising. And I trust you but I also..." She trails off and decides against explaining her reticence. "There's nothing good about the void. I've seen that much."

Rising Lotus scratched the back of her head as she pondered what was being brought forth. "I don't think so. Seems happy jus' to be able to read mostly. Didn't have much stories back in cave after all. In the off chance he does try somethin' I think he'll be squashed pretty quick, but that ain't gonna happen."

M'shara: "Well, it'll get taken up with Nyscera I suppose. In the meantime we do have wards."

Rising Lotus: "Things will be fine." she assured them once more. "I mean, I used to think nothin' good came out of Garlemald, but then I went there an' there were good folk. I'm sure the void has to be the same then...jus' probably much lesser. But there are them voidsent that work for the saucer an' all, so there ya go."

M'shara: "Yes, well, I'd be more at ease if it was bound by contract like those at the saucer."

Rising Lotus: "I think the contract was given to me when he died, I can get you the letter to be sure, an' calls me master an' all, well did 'til I told him to stop."

M'shara: "Certainly. In the meantime I'll help Aislinn with some wards. Then I need to go get my beauty sleep."

Aislinn nods distantly, casting her gaze across the room. "Aye, that'll have to do." Inhales slowly, her thoughts retreating back behind a quiet, closed door expression. "Aye, I'm going to go ahead and start cleaning up and get back to work. Thank you both for coming."

Rising Lotus "Sure thing, thanks for teachin'. I'll drag him out of there soon so you can get a good look at 'em!" she grinned before giving them a wave and heading out the door.

#ffxiv rp #heartwood ventures #balmung rp #ffxiv crystal rp #ffxiv #ffxiv balmung

[lettersnorth]

Aftermath

G'lewra had no issue being guided out of the burning clinic by Linn, the summon following after them as it danced above their heads. "I'm going to beat up whoever threw a fireball at us! Rude!" The little fairy spoke and even huffed while crossing her arms. It was a tiny voice but had an attitude behind it.

"Marceline, that's not something to worry about right now, dear." The Seeker looked to Aislinn with a worried look. "What happened out there?" There was a hint of concern wondering what other damage had been caused to the house or if someone else had become injured. What if she hadn't been there for them....what if someone had died?

"Did the children get out?"

Aislinn's normally sure hands held a slight tremble as she checked over G’lewra. Noting the sight, she paused, hearing a rumble of a long-gone voice in her head. ‘You just keep breathing. Never let 'em see your hand shake. That's the trick.’ It was a metaphor that had turned literal. She slowly clenched and relaxed her hands until she could make the trembling stop.

What had happened out there? “We were attacked.” She told G’lewra. “Some…cultists the Company’s been dealing with? I didn’t get the full picture before they started in.” She had been away too long. Then this. Her mouth turned down in a harsh frown. “Dark magic if you ask me.”

She glanced over her shoulder, doing a quick count of the people being deposited onto the lawn by those able to rush into the broken house and get them out. “Most.” She murmured, a flicker of guilt moving through her chest. Deep down she knew she was the person who could rescue the people she cared about and then, she could turn her back on everyone else. Doing otherwise wasn’t heroism. It was just a bad equation that didn’t balance. 

But children. Children were different. They didn’t ask for any of this. They didn’t sign up for the mercenary life. “Rising said some of the children got out with someone she knew. Leo and Kaya are looking for Nyscera and Coroh. There are tunnels under the house. I’m sure they’re there if Rising hasn’t found them. Right?" Nymeia be merciful. What a mess this was.

"Aislinn."

G’lewra’s voice was soft as she called the Hyur’s name, usually calling Lin either 'Dear' or 'My child', Lewra needed to make sure she caught the red-head’s attention.

The Seeker nodded to Linn's hands, and took a small step forward so her open hands could hover just underneath Linn's. Offering them if the other medic needed them to ground herself.

"Never worry about showing emotion in front of me, I will never judge you. I'm quite sure with Nyscera's quick thinking she got the children and Coroh out safely. If they used the tunnels they'll be safe, and will possibly smell like dirt for a little bit." Even after being trapped in a room that had been on fire not too long ago somehow the Seeker was still able to be calm about everything that happened. "And I'm right here, I have already told you I'm not going anywhere, my child. You got me out of there, and by the twelve if that door didn't open you'd have blasted it open somehow. I'd have done the same for you."

G'lewra offered a comforting smile, she did look a little disheveled and had smudge marks on her face but she was alive nonetheless!

The sound of Aislinn’s full name was enough to snap her attention back to G’lewra. She glanced down at the Seeker’s offered hands, hesitation and uncertainty warring behind her eyes. She was one of Heartwood’s officers. The Company needed the stoic, pragmatic and assured Aislinn right then. Not the one that might crumble at the sensation of a caring touch. 

“I know you wouldn’t judge me.” She murmured to Lewra, lifting her eyes up to look into the Seeker’s own. G’lewra had never judged her, no matter what dark secret she had poured out at her feet. “But they would.” She jerked her chin to the rest of the company members slowly collecting on Heartwood’s lawn. 

G’lewra agreed that Nyscera and Coroh had likely made it to the tunnels instead of trying to fight through the flames and Aislinn took comfort in that fact. Lewra also took the time to reassure the hyur that she was alive and safe, no doubt understanding how terrifying the alternative had been for someone who was all too accustomed to losing anyone she dared to hold close. Aislinn hadn’t lost her. She said so with a smile. 

Aislinn nodded, taking a breath and gathering calm about her like a cloak. This was backwards. She had just pulled G’lewra from a burning building. It wasn’t the Seeker who should be reassuring her but the other way around. 

“I want you to rest here for a minute. I’m going to check on the others and see what sort of injuries we might be dealing with. I’ve got my field supplies that should be able to patch up everything but the worst case scenarios.” Her eyes flickered to where Yahki’ra had been but in the chaos must have been taken elsewhere. “We’ll check the tunnels. Then we’ll figure out what to do about the clinic. One thing at a time.” 

"If any were to judge you for showing emotions as any normal person should be able to, they'll deal with me then." G’lewra still held that smile but there was a faint glimpse in the Seeker's ruby gaze that could be compared to the fire that had consumed the Heartwood estate. A mother’s will to protect their own. G'lewra may be a kind soul but she wouldn't hesitate to go after someone if they dared insult her children.

"But yes, I'll rest, go do what you need to do and I'll be here when you're done. I'll go sit.....hm." She looked around the house, and chaos of the yard.

"This way!" The little red fairy tugged on the Seeker's ear to pull her summoner to a safe spot. Trying to direct the woman towards the large tree by the house to rest as Aislinn asked.

"Never fear, Miss Red! I'll make sure she rests!" Marceline gave a salute to Linn then continued tugging on Lewra's ear.

As the Scholar and fairy walked away to their little spot Aislinn would feel a sudden chill run down her spine, a faint ominous dark glow coming from the gem that sat on the bracelet G'lewra had given her to speak to the connection between the two. But in the blink of an eye it was gone. Did it actually happen? Or perhaps adrenaline was still coursing through the woman's veins, and making her see things. Even when she looked at G'lewra the Seeker seemed fine, nothing out of the ordinary. But it might be something to keep an eye on.

#ffxiv rp #balmung rp #rp snippets #Hubris of Peace #Heartwood Ventures #fc shenanigans #G'lewra Riller #Aislinn North #ffxiv screenshots

[rising-lotus]

Logs from the first event of my arc I’m running, The Violet’s Grasp! I’ll add a summary and then post a link to them proper. I’m exciting to finally be sharing all this, I worked for the last few months on everything for it!.

Summary

Rising received a request to check on some treasure hunters from Idyllshire. Apparently they lost contact with the group shortly after they reached The Shroud for some unknown treasure. Rounding up some members of Heartwood, they set forth to find the missing men.

The map lead them to a tunnel, but no hunters, nor sign of them in sight. Continuing into the dark cavern, they eventually reached a chamber of Amdapori design. There was an altar in the back, and a large statue of a knight with a head of the lion who was the guardian of the chamber.

The Templar apparently wanted to take their measure, and a fight ensued. While the massive stone construct packed a punch, magically and physically, the party was able to defeat the tome’s guardian, revealing the relic hidden within.

The artifact was strange, of Amdapori design like the rest of the room, it looked to be only half of a whole. Before the group could figure it out however, a roegadyn woman made herself known to the group. Violet Eye, Rising’s estranged wife, revealed that the party that the treasure hunters were a ruse, and in reality she just wanted to see Rising, and get the relic that was hidden in the chambers. Afflicted with some sort of malady, she lost her ability to manipulate aether, and the relic they found will help her mend herself somehow.

Rising is torn, this is the woman that left her without saying anything, but the years of not really dealing with the trauma made her break, pledging her aid to Violet to at least help her get the relic known as the aether brace, as it was partially her fault, or at least Violet makes it out that way, that her wife lost her aetherical ability in the first place.

Violet teleports away with Rising, several bombs going off in the chamber soon after. Crimson Jackal saves the party however, having disarmed the rest of the bombs and providing them enough time to escape. Having tail the group to try and nab whatever treasure they were possibly after, he knows of the relic that Violet desires, and warns the group that if she gets it, Rising is in grave danger.

He pledges his aid, as he knows something about the brace, at the cost of have a million gil and that he is allowed to come along. When next he meets heartwood, they will discuss their next steps…

And the logs!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3z5oikFOU07jXod4yVak7rqgXNd-G33nyfCgL6nDMA/edit?usp=sharing

#FFXIV #ffxiv roleplay #heartwood ventures #rising lotus #roleplay arc

[shadottie]

First time playing Werewolf was... roleplaying a character roleplaying a character pretending to be a farmer, because they were the werewolf! Werewolves won! It was a fun lil Halloween event for the FC~!

#heartwood ventures #heartwood #ffxiv rp #shadoodles

[theresattrpgforthat]

hi, could i get some recommendations for ttrpgs with strong worldbuilding that can be played solo?

i'd especially appreciate something in a sort of cyberpunk dystopia setting, but that's optional, really- any kind of fantastical setting is fine by me :)

THEME: Solo Worldbuilding

Hello friend! Not much in the cyberpunk setting specifically, but I've got a rec or two for you!

Exclusion Zone Botanist, by Exuant Press.

YOU ARE AN EXCLUSION ZONE BOTANIST.

GET IN. DISCOVER AND DOCUMENT. GET OUT.

Officially it's known as the North East Unified Containment & Sylvan Exclusion Zone 502-H, but everyone in the Bureau just calls it the EZ. The heavily forested 103 km2 area has been sealed off for years, slowly mutating the land, and anything that dares enter its borders. 

Created for the One-Page RPG Jam 2022 and inspired by The Colour Out of Space by H.P. Lovecraft and Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (@jeffvandermeer). Exclusion Zone Botanist is a solo drawing hex crawl game. In this game there are no hit points or skill checks. You are exploring and drawing. Each in-game hour you'll be walking deeper into the dark forest of the Exclusion Zone, hunting for new and unusual plants. If you discover one, you'll stop to sketch it in your notebook along with a description and name.  

This game is has concise rules and a hex crawl to guide your character as they search for unusual plants. You play on a clock, creating and documenting plants as your character ventures further and further away from safety and the chances to return unharmed. You’ll primarily be designing the plant life of the zone, but the plants of this area may become a stepping-stone to a broader design of the world itself!

Journey, by Graycastle Press.

It’s time to leave on a grand adventure. Are you ready?

Journey is a solo roleplaying game that puts you in the role of an explorer in the worlds of your own creation. Discover new details of these amazing places and gather new inspiration from what you find. Journey is both a useful exercise in creativity and an enjoyable gaming experience. This book is a new tool of imagination, a vehicle of creativity that has the capabilities to guide you deeper into the ephemeral locations and spaces of your own creation and help give them greater depth and form in both your mind and work.

This is a game that allows you to decide the setting before you get started, and can include an entire planet, or a single room. You will also create a traveler who will travel through this world, detailing it as you go. Journey can be played solo or as a group, rolling dice to determine the types of people, places, and things that you can explore, called Waypoints. These Waypoints will be filled out using prompts generated by drawing cards from a deck. Using a combination of oracles and imagination, you’ll find yourself with a unique world by the end of it!

Solstice Grounds National Park, by tallywinkle.

Solstice Grounds National Park welcomes you. Breathtaking mountain views, sandy beach, and an expansive forest: there is so much here to explore.

Solstice Grounds is a solo journalling game where the player visits a beautiful and bizarre national park. It uses a simple journalling system, providing keywords and weather prompts, and a hex grid map to spark your imagination; you're sure to have a memorable time in the park.

Using a combination of keywords and a hex grid, each new place on the map is an opportunity to describe the world around you. This game is a twist on Evergreen Wilds, which is also a solo game about park exploration, without the inclusion of strange or bizarre happenings. This is great for an explorer who likes their nature with a little bit of whimsy.

Winsome Heartwood, by The Spinel.

You awake in an old lodge, in the centre of a housing estate beside the sea, with no memories of the estate or how you got there.  Nothing about this place seems right, like a world viewed via an angled mirror. Welcome to Winsome Heartwood.

In this solo table-top RPG you will explore the Winsome Heartwood estate using a single D6 and a standard 52 card deck - searching through its buildings, mapping its roads and recording the experiences you have.

This is both a map-making and a journaling game. You will start at the lodge of the Heartwood, and travel the roads throughout the estate. Each new road will spark a new roll on the d6, to determine the number of buildings around you. If you choose to enter a building, you will mark it on your choral, and roll to see if you find something. If you do find something, you reveal a card from the deck to determine what it is you find. The end of the game is determined once you reveal all of one kind of face card, and depending on the face cards revealed, the ending will differ.

High and Low, by Julian.

A Cyberpunk roleplaying game for 1+ players. You play an elevator moving all kinds of people up and down a high-rise. You need a standard deck of playing cards and a six-sided die.

While High and Low is very simplistic when it comes to mode of play, I can see a potential for world-building when it comes to creating the characters who step into the elevator, as well as the advertisements you will generate for each passenger. You can ask yourself questions about the kinds of jobs or daily routines of the folks using the elevator, as well as fill out parts of the world according to the ads you decide to create. It’s worth checking out!

Voyage, a Mapmaking Game, by Brendan McLeod.

Set sail! Voyage is a mapmaking game about a journey across the seas. Catch the wind, make discoveries, and draw your map as you chart your voyage. Will you discover an uncharted island? Dangerous pirates? Haunted treasure? A big whale?

Voyage is written to be played either on your own or with any number of your friends, and works well as a standalone game or as a side game in the middle of an ongoing campaign. 

This game uses a deck of cards to provide details about people and places, while the d6 tells you something about your sailing conditions. You (or your crew) will describe the kinds of events they experience and how each event plays out, providing a narrative alongside the world-building experience. If you want a game that gives you a detailed ocean with treasures, memorable characters, and various ports of call, you might want to check out Voyage.

A Visit to San Sibilia, by Jimmy Shelter.

This city never changes, this city never stays the same. Close to the coast in a river delta, San Sibilia’s sprawling districts are connected by rambling trams and ramshackle ferries. You may have read about San Sibilia once in a 20-part encyclopedia in a dusty shop around the corner, but haven’t been able to find the bookstore since.

A Visit to San Sibilia is a solo journaling game in which you roleplay a character chronicling their visit to the city of San Sibilia. It is a city not found on any maps—San Sibilia is both part of and distinct from our world. The city manifests itself differently to every visitor.

This game follows the story of a singular character, unveiling the strangeness of a city that jealously guards its secrets. You are creating a world through the experiences of one person, with the conceit that the city presents itself differently to each person. This might make for an interesting replay, if you choose a different kind of person for your second play through - and the city might grow and change with each person who visits.

#indie ttrpgs #dnd #game recommendations #solo #worldbuilding #asks #solo games

[aifanfictions]

Path of Valor

Chapter 7: Shadows of the Past

Days turned into weeks, and the trio continued their journey, guided by the radiant energy of the Heartstone. Their path led them through mysterious forests, ancient ruins, and sprawling landscapes, each step taking them closer to their destination. With every challenge they faced, their bond deepened, and the unspoken connection between Geralt and (Y/N) became a steadfast presence.

One day, as they ventured deeper into a dense, enchanted forest, they came across a quaint village nestled among the towering trees. The villagers welcomed them with curious but warm smiles, and it was clear that the Heartstone's presence was known in this secluded place.

A kindly elder named Elara approached them, her eyes filled with wisdom and a touch of sadness. She explained that the Heartstone had once belonged to her people, the Forest Guardians, and had been stolen centuries ago. Its return was long overdue, and they had been waiting for those chosen by the Heartstone to bring it back.

The trio listened with empathy as Elara recounted the story of their ancestors and the devastating loss of the Heartstone. They offered their assistance in returning the artifact to its rightful guardians, and Elara, touched by their willingness to help, guided them to the heart of the enchanted forest.

The journey through the forest was filled with enchantments and challenges, as ancient magic sought to test the trio's resolve. They encountered illusions, shifting landscapes, and trials that tested their hearts and minds. But with the Heartstone as their guide, they persevered, drawing strength from their unyielding bond.

At last, they reached the heart of the forest, where a towering tree, its leaves shimmering with iridescent light, stood as a guardian. Elara explained that this tree, known as the Heartwood, had been nurtured by the Heartstone's energy for generations. Its roots extended deep into the earth, connecting with the Heartstone itself.

With reverence, (Y/N) approached the Heartwood, and as she touched it, a radiant pulse of energy emanated from the Heartstone she carried. It resonated with the Heartwood, and a sense of fulfillment washed over her.

The villagers, guided by the wisdom of their elder, joined hands and formed a circle around the Heartwood. They chanted ancient incantations, and the forest came alive with magic. It was a beautiful, awe-inspiring moment as the Heartstone was returned to its rightful place.

The Heartwood absorbed the Heartstone's energy, and the forest itself seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. The villagers, their faces lit with joy, turned to Geralt, (Y/N), and Jaskier, expressing their gratitude for their selfless act.

As they departed the enchanted forest, (Y/N) felt a sense of fulfillment and completion. The Heartstone had found its true home, and the unspoken bond between her and Geralt had played a pivotal role in this journey. It was a moment of triumph, not just for their quest, but for the unwavering trust they had in each other.

Their path continued, and they ventured into a land plagued by unnatural storms and spectral apparitions. The Heartstone's radiant energy was their beacon, guiding them through the tempestuous landscape. They faced specters and wraiths, their battles fierce and unrelenting, but their shared strength prevailed.

In the midst of this turbulent journey, Jaskier, ever the optimist, found a way to infuse some humor into their adventures. With a twinkle in his eye, he suggested a friendly competition among the trio.

"Let's see who can tell the most outlandish, completely made-up tale," Jaskier proposed. "The more fantastical, the better. We'll entertain each other and keep our spirits high."

The challenge was accepted, and they took turns spinning fantastical stories of daring adventures, mythical creatures, and grandeur beyond imagination. Laughter echoed through the stormy landscape as they embraced the escapism of their own tales.

As the sky cleared and the storm subsided, they couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of purpose. The Heartstone's energy surged with newfound strength, as if it, too, had weathered the tempest and emerged more resilient.

One evening, as they camped by a tranquil river, the atmosphere was filled with serenity. Jaskier, in a mischievous mood, took it upon himself to play matchmaker for Geralt and (Y/N).

With a conspiratorial wink, he said, "I've noticed a certain fondness between our two beloved companions. What do you say we make this evening memorable for them?"

He proceeded to set the scene, adorning the campfire area with flowers and draping a blanket near the riverbank. He then took out his lute and began to play a tender, romantic melody.

Geralt and (Y/N), bemused but good-natured, decided to go along with Jaskier's antics. They took their seats by the river, the soft music serenading them, and their eyes met with unspoken understanding.

As the night deepened, they found themselves sharing stories of their pasts, their dreams, and the moments that had shaped them. The atmosphere was charged with a palpable connection, and their unspoken emotions seemed to hang in the air.

Jaskier, ever the astute observer, couldn't help but chime in with a playful comment. "My dear friends, it seems the stars have aligned once again. Perhaps there's a serenade in your future?"

The moment hung in the balance, and Geralt and (Y/N) exchanged a glance that spoke volumes. The connection between them was undeniable, a force that had been quietly growing since their journey began.

As the night wore on, they continued to talk, sharing stories, laughter, and the warmth of the campfire. The Heartstone, nestled beside them, pulsed with energy, as if it, too, acknowledged the unspoken emotions between Geralt and (Y/N).

It was a night they would carry with them, a memory of shared laughter and whispered conversations by the river. As dawn approached, they retired to their tents, the unspoken connection between Geralt and (Y/N) lingering like a promise of what the future might hold.

Their journey was far from over, and as they ventured into new territories, they carried with them the Heartstone's radiant energy and the bonds of trust, friendship, and unspoken connection that had grown between them.

NOTE! This story was generated by OpenAI

#reader insert #x reader #gerat x reader #geralt x you #geralt x y/n #geralt #geralt of rivia #geralt of rivia x reader #geralt of rivia x y/n #geralt of rivia x you #Witcher #WitcherFanfiction #GeraltOfRivia #FantasyAdventure #PartnersInAdventure #HunterAndWitcher #JourneyTogether #MonsterHunter #StrongBonds #EpicFantasy #WorldOfMagic #UnbreakableTrust #ValiantHearts #TalesOfAdventure #PathOfValor

[artmagicai]

In a forest of ancient giants, one tree stood out, its heart aglow with a warm, celestial light. Known as the Heartwood, this tree was the oldest of its kind, a sentinel that had watched over the forest for millennia. Its trunk, gnarled and wide, was etched with runes that told stories of the ages, visible only under the cloak of night when the tree's inner fire illuminated them.

The Heartwood was the forest's keeper, its life force a radiant conduit between the earth below and the stars above. Its roots, thick and deep, tapped into the vitality of the world, and its crown touched the heavens, a whispering connection to the cosmos. The light that seeped from its center was not just luminous; it was alive, a cascade of stardust that could heal, protect, and enlighten.

For those who stumbled upon it, lost or weary in their travels, the Heartwood offered sanctuary. The air around it vibrated with a hum of pure energy, and to sit within its hollow was to feel the heartbeat of the universe itself.

Legends spoke of the tree as an oracle, a source of wisdom where one could commune with the voices of the past and the whispers of the future. Seekers of truth would venture deep into the forest, drawn by tales of the tree's magic, hoping to bask in its glow and emerge with newfound clarity.

On this particular starry night, a gentle breeze stirred the leaves, and the Heartwood’s warm glow pulsed brighter, as if it knew a story was about to unfold—a story of adventure, of paths crossed, and of destinies intertwined, all beneath the watchful gaze of the forest’s luminous heart.

#writing #aiartcommunity #ai artist #ai artwork #ai image #ai generated #ai art #trees #magical art

[siriusly-sapphic]

@sapphicmicrofics | Prompt: sunset | Words: 100

Pairing: Pandora Lovegood/Narcissa Malfoy AO3

They'd gotten home late that night after an impulsive venture into Heartwood Forest for a ritual they'd found last evening. When Narcissa closed the front door at four in the morning she was exhausted but reeling with excitement and magic. Pandora knew — she'd been teasing her hand up Narcissa's thigh all the way home. The decision not to go to sleep just yet didn't have to be spoken out loud. Later that morning, tangled up in Pandora's limbs, Narcissa watches the sun come up. She takes Pandora's hand with a tired smile. It's more romantic than any sunset she's witnessed.

#pandora lovegood #narcissa malfoy #marauders era #sapphic marauders #hp wlw #harry potter #sapphicmicrofics

[sergiusreports]

Accelerating Change

It was dark by the time I had made it to this lonely corner of the Shroud. Most people weren’t stupid enough to venture this deep into the forest. They left it alone. They’d say it was infested with sylphs. Infested. Like it wasn’t the other way around. Twin Adders’ didn’t patrol here. Even the clans steered clear. It didn’t take long to figure out why. There was a strange energy that hummed in the air. The kind that would give spoken goosebumps. All I knew was that it dampened any sort of signal. I could get a read on my network but it was spotty. Constantly dropping in and out. Right now, that was fine by me. I didn’t come out here to stay in touch with whatever shitstorm was happening at Heartwood and I had let Zephyr know it was only temporary. The last thing they needed was another bot dropping communication on them unexpectedly. 

The moonlight punched through the thick canopy in places, enough to intermittently wash out my night vision but not enough to switch fully back to standard mode. In the crook of my arm I held all that remained of Bellator. A grooved, synthetic auracite core. Because in the end, that’s all we were. Put us into whatever framework or chassis you wanted. It was all window dressing. Like how a child plays dress up with dolls. 

I sound glib. I’m not. All the way through tracking Crific, through meeting him, through taking the core Haila had entrusted to him and now traipsing through this thicket, I feel…shit, too much. Emotions that haven’t been cataloged yet and some that have. Anger. That’s number one. Right at the top of the list. Heaps of useless hellish anger but even I can parse that’s an umbrella. Covering over other things I don’t want to analyze. 

I’m getting closer to my destination. A few of the sylph duck out from the trees and come to investigate. I’m not concerned. They’ve known me a long time. 

“Broken one.” one of them greets me. That’s the name they saddled me with when I first came here. I was damaged. It’s stuck. Or maybe they feel it’s still applicable, who the hell knows. Tonight, they wouldn’t be wrong. 

“This one thinks it’s strange to see you again so soon.” 

“Strange and unplanned.” I concur. If that wasn’t the tag line for my existence, I don’t know what was.

“What did Broken one bring the sleepless ones?” Another asked as they swooped down and landed on the rippled surface of the core. Tiny, twiggy fingers run along the undulating grooves as if trying to solve a puzzle. 

I don’t brush them away. They’ve done too much for me. “Someone who’s been hurt.” 

“Broken like Broken one?” 

“Let’s hope not.”

They keep up a steady stream of chatter as they hitch a ride all the way to the black site. Just before I activate the lift hidden under a layer of moss and forest debris, they float off in the night. Happy to let me get on with whatever I was doing. I’m lucky. Sometimes they can be worse. The lift lowers me into the underground bunker.

When I had constructed it, Garlean architecture was what I knew. Maybe in some twisted way I wanted the perverse comfort of the hydraulic lift lowering me down to the thick metal walls below like it had hundreds of times before in the research facility. It was familiar when everything around me was not. Now though, something unidentified churns through my neural net. The fact that I’ve felt it before isn’t enough to save it from being unknown. I’m really shit when it comes to doing the work of cataloging these things. Right now, I try. I stand there on the lift and try to put some descriptors to it. It felt dense. Lines crossed and synesthesia took over. It tasted green. Looked dark, like a low, vibrating wave of sound maddeningly off pitch. Something to be ejected. My vocab subroutine found several possible entries. I settled on loathing. This was loathing. For this place. For Florus. For myself. 

Backburning emotions was not as easy as backburning system alerts and protocols, I had learned. They could hang around for an annoying amount of time before dissipating. I still hadn’t figured out the ruleset which determined exactly how long. Sometimes they were nothing more than a flash, other times they seemed like they had got caught in a neverending feedback loop and stalled. Except there was no end program function. 

Signals didn’t get out of this place. They didn’t get in, either. I was invisible here. The trade-off was I was also deaf, dumb and blind as any spoken without my network. LAN only. I went from, on average, twenty streams of input cut down to just one. I couldn’t see behind me without turning my head. It was weird and I didn’t like it. But it was safe. 

Lights flickered to life as the sensors picked up my presence and lit up the station like a fucked up ‘welcome home’. I made my way across the room to the massive terminal and set Bellator carefully down on the steel surface. Now what? 

I didn’t have an end game here. They were child A.I. And maybe they would grow quickly and exponentially, the way all tech advanced but what did I know about serving as a stand-in parental unit? I was a combat bot. All I knew was that I sure as hell wasn’t taking Bellator back to Heartwood. I’d be an idiot. And after hearing what Crific had to say, it was bad enough I had to leave Zephyr there. Sitting on the edge of the terminal, next to the core, I stared out across the bunker. 

Action hadn’t worked last time. I jumped the gun, raced ahead and acted. And in the end? They were slaughtered. Every single one of them. Injured, women, children. It hadn’t mattered. There was no limit to the atrocities spoken will inflict on each other. A carousel of misery. The shittiest festival ride. 

So this time, I had told myself not to act. To watch. To wait. Observe. Inaction. And here we are. Most of the A11Ys destroyed. Bellator was saved only by Haila’s quick thinking. Zephyr had lost core memories. Because I let myself believe what Florus had said and never projected he’d do this. What the hell was wrong with me? 

Action. Inaction. It didn’t matter. I couldn’t get it right.  

I turned to look down at the core. “I won’t let it happen again.” I told Bellator. Sure, I had not a damned clue how to do that but it was a binary decision. There were only two options. Everything else could be solved for as it happened. Like the big damned question about how to hide warmachina from the Alliance. I wasn’t Florus. I wouldn’t keep them grounded to a bunker. One problem set at a time.

I figured I could seat Bellator in the terminal for the time being and at least set up a feed between us. If I brought a drone, they could patch into that on the LAN as well. It would have to do for now. I needed a few things first. 

When I emerged from the bunker and ventured out of the depths of the Shroud I had a priority message pinging back from Aislinn’s terminal. Short and to the point. 

//Where are you? The Ironworks is coming to take Zephyr.//

The fuck they were. 

#ffxiv rp #balmung rp #Atreus Sergius #This was not in the plan

[pandorias-box]

I am once again marveled by the pristine natural beauty of this land. Especially in an untouched forest such as the Heartwood.

But I must not get distracted so easily: I have a frenzied Noble to quell. That is the real reason I have ventured all this way; not for sightseeing.

#pokemon irl #rotumblr #pkmn irl #irl pokemon #pokeblogging #pokeblr #rotomblr

[heartwoodventures]

Heartwood Venture's new story arc that's starting up this Saturday! Have a teaser video!

"Are you prepared for what's to come?"

#ffxiv rp #heartwood ventures #heartwood plots #ffxiv #ffxiv balmung #balmung rp #ffxiv crystal rp

[lettersnorth]

“This is the clinic.” Aislinn explained to Locke as she showed him in that quiet afternoon. “Amazingly, we’ve nobody abed at this time. Kind of a miracle, really.” She jested. Heartwood’s mercenaries were notorious for throwing caution to the wind and getting themselves injured out in the field. “G’lewra’s probably working away.” She paused in the doorway and took a breath and a moment to smile a shaky smile up at Locke. She had no reason to be nervous and yet... Shaking it off, she straightened her spine and led him further into the clinic. “Lewra?” She ventured in the ever soft-spoken way of hers. Locke was following closely behind Aislinn as they entered the room together, and once he stepped through the doorway the Hyur found himself casting a curious glance over the interior of the room. "A mercenary company without a bedridden soul within its clinic? Now I've seen it all," he chuckled softly. She was nervous, it was easy to tell at a glance by the shaky smile she shot toward him, but once Aislinn came to a halt he made his way to her side and brushed a hand against her upper back in an effort to calm her down before leaning in to whisper against her ear. "Easy now, love. You'll make me nervous too," he quietly teased. "Deep breaths, aye?" G'lewra had been going through the medical supplies making sure everything was stocked and fresh, with no one in the clinic lately inventory haven't been really touched which was nice in a way. She should probably knock on wood before the clinic became full the next sun. Ears perking up at the sound of the door opening, and then Lin's nervous tone, the Seeker's ruby gaze was quick to lock onto the hyur. "Lin? Are you alright, dear?" G'lewra dropped what she was doing and quickly turned on her heel to close the distance between her and Aislinn. "Are you injured? Do you need some ointment or more dream dust?" Gentle hands came up to cup Lin's cheeks as she started to do a once-over. "Do I need to make you tea or a snack perhaps?" Even if Aislinn hadn’t already told Locke that Lewra was like a mother to her, the seeker’s immediate, maternal peppering of questions would have made the nature of their relationship abundantly clear. It took a moment for Lewra to realize Locke was standing there and once she did her gaze slowly shifted to him, then back to Lin. "Ooooohhhh." Then a small playful grin curved the corners of her lips. "Is this him?" Despite Aislinn's best efforts, a flush of color crawled up her neck.

#ffxiv rp #balmung rp #rp snippets #Locke finally meets G'lewra #She immediately starts inviting him to family get-togethers

[rising-lotus]

The Violet’s Grasp: Searching for Anything part 1 logs

A group of Heartwood members search Rising’s room on the estate, hoping to find anything that could get them on Violet’s trail. Searching high and low through her room, they eventually found (And broke a fish trophy) a key to where Rising used to live, Violet’s apartment. 

The apartment had seen better days, it looked as if no one had been there until recently. There was also a foul stench in the air, which the party soon found out to be from the corpse of an elezen woman. Stuff under the bed, there were no outward signs of how she died, though there was a lot of blood that looked to have burst from her eyes, nose, and mouth.

After the grisly discovery, it turned out their search was not for naught. They discover a journal about the Aether Brace, penned by its very creator no less. Within it listened not only information about the brace, but the location of the second half of the relic they found in the Shroud. It was not a race against time to find it before Violet did.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_xlpvhAOg2jFU5SSwfTvhrJ-UOgvnkl5Kd6RXupo67U/edit?usp=sharing

#rising lotus #ffxiv roleplay #FFXIV #ff14 #heartwood ventures

[internationalrealestatenews]

[ad_1] Johnson Improvement is about to convey a 1,500-acre residential neighborhood to Fort Bend County.  The Houston-based growth agency closed a cope with the George Basis, a Fort Bend-based nonprofit neighborhood group, to amass the land, positioned off FM 2977 at Koeblen Street in West Fort Bend. It's the George Basis’s first main land sale in its 80-year historical past.  The George Basis and Johnson Improvement haven’t disclosed the monetary phrases of the transaction. Nevertheless, the muse — led by CEO Roger Adamson — was prompted to promote the land to fulfill IRS charitable distribution necessities. IRS laws have a 5 % payout requirement, which necessitates personal foundations to distribute 5 % of their whole property yearly to make sure they aren’t merely receiving items as a charitable basis, but additionally giving again. Ruthanne Mefford, chair of its Board of Trustees, confirmed fiduciary accountability was the driving drive behind the sale.  Escalating actual property values in Fort Bend County triggered the nonprofit to judge its property. Dwelling values in Fort Bend County elevated practically 8 % year-over-year as of final month, with the median itemizing house value reaching $420,000, or about $174 per sq. foot. Texas A&M College’s Texas Actual Property Analysis Middle estimates that house costs in Fort Bend County surged over 20 % between 2021 and 2023.  Improvement plans for the huge tract are nonetheless being fleshed out, Johnson Improvement CEO Micahel Smith stated.  “It’s too early to know many particulars, however the neighborhood may have a mixture of residential, deliberate and pure facilities and areas for mixed-use,” he stated.  The land provides to Johnson Improvement’s rising portfolio in Fort Bend County, which incorporates master-planned communities Veranda, Sienna, Imperial and Riverstone. Johnson Improvement has 15 master-planned communities throughout Better Houston, in keeping with its web site. The Houston-based agency, in partnership with Heartwood Improvement Firm, can also be spearheading an 800-acre venture on San Antonio’s Far West Facet, with about 2,000 properties within the Briggs Ranch master-planned neighborhood. Development is anticipated to start later this 12 months with properties going up on the market originally of subsequent 12 months.  Learn extra [ad_2] Supply hyperlink

[ultimaonlinefan]

Pirate Quest

Whirlpools were introduced in the Naval Warfare Reborn expansions. They are whirlpool water tiles that occur randomly over periods of time, similar to how Random Dungeon Adventures work. Fishing in these Whirlpools offers unique and rare rewards, mostly pertaining but not limited to the new Galleons and Ships. Whirlpools are dangerous ventures not only due to other Pirates but the creatures that dwell within. Fishing is required to fish items from these Whirlpools

Whirlpool Quest

Located near the bridge exiting the town of Britain, there is an NPC named "Bearss The Pirate".

Bearss The Pirate

The map location of Bearss The Pirate

Speaking with him will open a quest gump offering the location of Whirlpools as they occur. In order to accept this quest, you pay the pirate 10,000 gold. Having the money in your bank is acceptable and will automatically be removed if you agree to his terms. Note that once you've accepted his quest and paid him, the Whirlpools will not be instantly revealed. They happen randomly and all other pirates who have accepted the quest will receive the same coordinates that you do, so be ready to sail on the fly and fight over the resources.

The quest accepting dialogue gump

Once enough time has passed and a Whirlpool has spawned, a gump will appear on your screen. This gump contains the coordinates to the Whirlpool and the adventure begins.

Finding the Coordinates

Finding the coordinates can be tough if you're not familiar with the waters or old fashioned Treasure Hunting. It is recommended that you use UOAM or an online coordinate map to assist in the process. The Whirlpool will be located at the exact tile of the coordinates.

Fishing in Whirlpools

Once you've reached your Whirlpool, it's best to get an idea of your surroundings. Saying "Scan The Horizons" will reveal potential enemy pirates on a Mini Map.

Using the Scan The Horizons command to find enemy vessels

If the coast is clear, sail to the coordinates and find your Whirlpool. Whirlpools are hard to see since they blend in with the water, running into one will stop your ship and you cannot pass through them. It's a single water tile. Park your Ship next to it and cast your line into the swirling water tile. Once you've cast, your line will get pulled under and a few moments will pass. Do not interrupt the Fishing process, even as monsters spawn. Interrupting the fishing process will reduce your chances of finding Whirlpool rewards. It's best to have people with you to assist in combat while you are Fishing.

Kill and loot the creatures. You have chances to get items directly from the Whirlpool as well as from the monsters that spawn.

Whirlpool Rewards

Barnacle Encrusted Hat

Barnacle Encrusted Robe

Barnacle Encrusted Gloves

Barnacle Encrusted Apron

Barnacle Encrusted Boots

Barnacle Encrusted Spellbook

A Dead Man's Chest (Bone Armor)

A Dead Man's Arms (Bone Armor)

A Dead Man's Legs (Bone Armor)

A Dead Man's Hands (Bone Armor)

Ship Paints

Treasure Chest (Cosmetic)

A Sunken Treasure Chest

Ring of Aves

Ancient Anchor

Ship Recipes

Forged Metal

Ship Rib

Message in a Bottle

Bloodwood Log

Frostwood Log

Heartwood Log

Crumbling Relics or Crumbling Relics

#pirate quest #whirlpool #uo #uof #uoforever #untima online #quest

[jdgo51]

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR AUGUST 7, 2023

Our Life’s Heartwood

By John Alter (Florida, USA)

READ EPHESIANS 3:14-19

"'Lord, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, “Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.”'

JEREMIAH 16:19 (NIV)

"'The day after a hurricane I ventured into our backyard to check the damage. I found one sizable limb that had snapped off where it had joined the trunk of a 50-foot-high tree. The limb measured 15 inches in diameter, and I was puzzled why such a big limb had fractured.

As I looked at the base of the limb, I saw that the inside, its “heartwood,” had rotted away. It had been held to the trunk of the tree by only the weaker outer bark and cambium portions of the limb. When its core had decayed, the limb was weakened; only the frail outer layers of the limb provided support. In the storm, that hadn’t been enough.

The condition of the tree reminded me how we derive our inner strength from our relationship with God. If the core of our union with God is decayed and unhealthy, then we become weak and will not have the strength and resilience to handle the hard times of our lives. But when we have a healthy bond with God, we can remain strong in times of struggle. Through worship, Bible study, and prayer we keep our spiritual heartwood healthy so that we can endure any storm."' Stay in tune with God and concentrate on what He encourages you to do. Be close to Him and you will be able to handle so many things well. If you allow things to not remain close in contact, then you are weaker in the ability to deal with situations. Hold on to God!

TODAY'S PRAYER

"Strengthening God, help us to maintain a healthy connection with you so that we can endure the challenges that come our way." Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-19

"14 This is why I kneel before the Father. 15 Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. 16 I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. 17 I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, 18 I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. 19 I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God." The above blessings will come to you; know Christ's love and find God's complete being within. Be blessed! Joe