Showing posts with label Tavern. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tavern. Show all posts

Con men and Cutthroats : A Table of 50 Specialists For Your Thieves Guild.

Posted by: Jason Silverain / Category: , , , , , , , , ,


Hugo and Sandurs were considered in the streets the big men to be scared of, the arm breakers of the Twisted Fist who come to visit if you had caused trouble and need some 'persuasion' or just needed to vanish but right now the two large men shuffled nervously shrinking away from their boss, this wouldn't be an issue normally but right now Karsh Krangtooth needed answers.

“I said where's Trino ya mangy gits, he was supposed to meet me once I got out now where is he?” practically growling the words as he advanced menacingly, the burly half orc with surprising speed grasping Hugo by the collar hauling him off his feet the muscles in his arm barely tensing under the human weight.

“H..He's dead boss him and all the high up lads, found them in his den sat all around the table throats cut..” Hugo gasping his reply squirming in his bosses grip trying to angle his face away from the scarred half orcs tusks, “Bollocks, Trino wouldn't be offed so easily..” Karsh found the words coming out of his mouth even as the wave of disbelief began to fade leaving a hollow emptiness behind. “Its true boss I swear, we think some bugger magiced him..” Sandurs stepped forward now to his partners defence his face mirroring the fear of their boss going berserk as he continued “Err.. thats not all boss, they raided the guild coffers in his place, took everything even the secret stuff..”

The silence over the next few minutes was unnerving as still holding Hugo Karshs lowered his head in thought, the two arm breakers sharing a worried glance unwilling to be the first to speak.
“So who did it?” The quietness of their bosses voice only served to worry the pair further as if they were seeing the calm beyond the storm.
Swallowing nervously Hugos voice almost cracked as he replied “We think it was those Blood Talon bastards from over the north side because of the red sash pinned to the table by a dagger.. thats their callin card ain't it?”

In the fantasy genre bandits, gangs and thieves are found lurking in every city either in the alleyways or shady taverns the party may visit. To be truly organised guild whose presence rises above the typical band of fighters and rogues a guild needs specialists that give them an edge over their rivals and the city guard.
Working together with some of my group and the lovely lady of Buzy Bobbins we created a table of 50 Thieves Guild Specialists to populate your world, my method is to roll about five times and pick the three that suit your guild the best or for a truly huge guild roll twice for each gang within the guild.

I know because of the layout the table may be difficult to read so click here for easy viewing.

1. Lookout Beggar: This is a member of the thieves guild who regularly dresses as a beggar as cover. Before a big job the thief will join a group of nearby beggars as to appear as part of the scenery however they are keeping an eye out for the routines of the locals in the area to help the guild find the best opportunity to strike.

26. The Tax Collector: This tax collector is also under the employ of the thieves guild. They carry out their normal job within the city collecting taxes and inspecting businesses but will report on guild owned fronts as if they were regular businesses to help keep them secret.
2. Messenger Children: These street kids are well known to the thieves guild they tend to pass pieces of paper with encoded messages or spoken code between members at assigned locations and times. They do not tend to participate in the crimes themselves and younger children do not know the meaning of the messages when questioned by town guards. When older the children have the opportunity to become full members of the guild.

27. Out of town Hideaway: This lovely family own a sweet little farmhouse just outside of town. It all seems completely ordinary but their house contains a number of secret hiding spaces and the house is sometimes used by thieves guild members who need to escape the law before they slip away under the cover of night.
3. The Sewer Dweller: This beggar has spent much of their life living in the sewers, basements and other underground areas of this city. They may not look like much but they are the go to person for anyone wishing to find their way across the city in secret for smuggling large amounts of goods or a quick get away.

28. The Sewer Jack: By bribing these sewer watchmen with a handful of coin the guild gains access to the sewers to get around unrecorded, they may also have a (somewhat reluctant) guide or a note of the patrol routes and schedules of the honest Sewer Jacks.
4. A Beggar With A Pet: This beggar owns a pet or other small animal and uses the pet to get more donations and information from passer bys than they would normally. The animal can also be used for their defence or distraction.

29. The Bribed Town Guardsman: A guard who grew up on the streets. They are a member of the thieves guild in secret and can sometimes help a member in need if they are in trouble. However there is a limit to how often they can do this without risking revealing their secret.
5. Street Performer: This is an expert showman who performs shows in the street for the entertainment of passers by to provide a distraction for trainee pickpockets.
30. Maid/ Manservant: This person works in a local building of high importance in an ordinary job. They are stationed there as a permanent spy and report any news of importance to the guild.

6. The Soup Stall Owner: This person cooks up a cauldron full of hot soup every day and sells it by the bowlful at their stall. The guild pays the stall owner to give soup to the street kids under their employment. He is well known around the local beggars and will sometimes swap a bowl of soup for some useful information from them.

31. The Bar Fight Professionals: Troupe of performers who specialise in staging fights between themselves. They provide distractions for other members, they can also be asked to start a bar fight or street riot if the right crowd can be found and then slip away from the chaos.
7. The Goon Squad: This group is responsible for jobs such as alley tolls or shaking down businesses for protection money. They mostly rely on brute strength and intimidation to get the job done and are not relied on for finer or quieter tasks. They are often the most well known to the city guard and may be used as scape goats by the guild.

32. The Diviner: A spell caster who specialises in fortune telling spells. Some members of the guild may come to a diviner for some advice on what to prepare for in important jobs. Other guild members prefer real information however not completely trusting information gathered by spells alone. In a high magic setting a diviner will also shield guild headquarters from being scryed by other spell casters and scary particular targets in the city.

8. A Large Enthusiastic Thug: This thug is of a large humanoid race or simply a very well built human. This thug is not very bright but will enthusiastically fight anyone their friends at the thieves guild point them towards. They can normally be found on jobs with someone who acts as their handler and very rarely alone.

Alternative: Well built human who believes they are cut out for the task of being a sneaky thief but due to general size and clumsiness they are not as competent as their fellows. They may be deployed as a distraction to the real burglary happening elsewhere or even be a fall guy for the real thieves.

33. The rabble rouser: This is a professional performer whose aim is to stir up trouble. With the careful use of speeches and lies they can turn groups against other groups or incite a mob against a single target or group.

The rabble rouser may only incite hatred against one target at a time and depending on the size of the target group could spend several weeks on one job.
Example uses of this may be to get public support in removing a particular member of the guard or noble from power or to put a dampener on other guilds activities by encouraging the public not to buy from their front shops.
9. Old Mercenary: Retired mercenary hired by the guild when they need someone threatening or killed.

34. The Disloyal Rogue: For some reason this thief is no longer loyal to the guild leader, he is looking to improve his position or earn extra money. He will be easy to bribe if the party offers to help him in either of these goals.
10. Were Creature: This member is a were creature. By day they are mild mannered and even an upstanding member of the community. But by night or the light of the full moon they become muscle for the thieves guild.

35. Backstreet Cleric: Heals suspicious wounds from traps and security systems which a thief may encounter in his day to day activities.
11. A Talented Sniper: This thief is talented in bows or cross bows and is often called upon for assassinations or passing messages with well placed shots. They can sometimes be found in the shadows above a meeting between guild members and other gangs just in case something goes ary.

36. The Animal Trainer: This member trains animals for other members of the guild. This may range from ordinary guard dogs to something more unusual such as animals who are trained to sniff out certain substances or provide timely distractions. They may also have a collection of messenger animals. While birds can be common for this purpose other animals common to the city can be trained and pass almost unnoticed with enough skill.
12. The Door Guard: A bouncer for one of the guilds fronts, they know exactly who is in the guild and allows them through to back rooms.

37. A Retired Expert Thief: He has impressive skills and much experience but has long since retired. While his body may not be as agile as it used to be he hopes to lead a group of skilled young recruits on one last big job.

13. The Tavern Landlord: An accomplice who works a local tavern. For a fee they are quite happy to switch out drinks of their patrons for ones of stronger alcohol content. They also act as ears on the street and brokers of gossip.
38. The Talent Scout: This person is always on the lookout in town for potential guild members. They look for people with talents the guild needs though they are often able to hold there own in a fight as other gangs do not like them luring away their members.
14. The Boarding House Owner: This location provides a safe place to stay for guild members or visiting allies, may have houses in other cities for guild members who need to travel.

39. The Cat Burglar: This thief specialises in infiltrating buildings from the second story upwards. They know their way around the city rooftops and can climb them with ease.
15. The Fisherman (And Boat Crew): Only guilds near a large river or the sea will have a fisherman under their employ. Then not needed by the guild the boat will be used for fishing but the guild could use it to smuggle people across the water or to larger boats waiting out of view of any town watch. They may also recover items which have been sunk to the bottom of the water in any misadventures by fellow guild members.

40. The Contact (And Gang): This person generally acts as a charismatic contact for ordinary people who wish to employ the services of the guild. While it is widely thought that they carry out meetings alone they in fact have a small team of highly competent thieves and fighters who hide in the shadows around meetings in case anything goes awry.
16. Brewer/Moonshiner: This guild member makes counterfeit alcohol which may be sold in false bottles this cheap knockoff can sometimes fool nobles into paying a high price for ordinary quality liquor. They also make strong moonshine which is sold cheaply amongst the poorer districts.

41. The Gambler: A very skilled gambler (also a very skilled cheat) who can be sent to win money or useful assets from nobles, occasionally they have convinced fools to part with deeds to land or buildings. However sometimes the gambler may be tasked with allowing someone to win to draw them into further high stakes games.
The gambler can find themselves in a unique position, sometimes invited to high stakes gambling games putting them in a position to gain information from sources outside the guilds usual contacts.

17. The Alchemist: The alchemist makes items for the guild, they will be particularly important in towns where detect magic is often used and non magical alternatives may be desired. They may send members out to find certain ingredients for their latest project.

42. Guild Cook: In a busy guild house a special cook may be employed to help feed members in the guild. The cook specialises in making hearty meals for a large amount of people from the limited ingredients available. This helps keep guild morale and loyalty high.
18. The Jeweller: A fence for jewels and jewellery often using stolen materials in creating new jewellery if a piece is too well known to sell. They have a keen eye for how much a gem is worth and have contacts in other cities to help sell on high profile pieces.

43. The Trap Maker: This person specialises in making traps. They are often highly prized in large guilds who need a collection of quality traps for practice, protection or competition between elite members, some trap makers even sell their traps publicly so that should the guild need to target an estate they know how to beat the defences.
They may pay adventurers to being back traps from dungeons undamaged for study. Traps which are very old or very unusual will be most highly prized however they may still get excited over a description of a large unmovable trap and being able to inspect the wound it caused the adventurer.

19. Antique Dealer: This antique dealer knows how to get stolen items into and out of the city. A particularly successful trick is to make a authentic but stolen art piece look like a fake even to other trained professionals. In this way he can smuggle the occasional high profile item out of the city with ease.

44. The locksmith: The locksmith is an expert in making and picking locks. They have made a number of practice locks for trainees in the guild. He makes lock picks for all occasions, a tool set by this person can cost more than average but will contain something for even the most stubborn of locks. Once a year they make the most dastardly set of locks and traps with a monster thrown in for good measure to use as a gauntlet for the most promising of trainees. Those who complete it get put forward for the most lucrative of jobs those who don't generally end up being carted to the clerics.

20. The Seamstress: A talented group of seamstresses, while they have a legitimate store front they also copy the patterns of any uniforms they get in for repair and can replicate them with some time and cost.

45. The Guild Interrogators: This intimidating fellow is used by the guild to extract information from captives or contacts working mostly through intimidation but is not afraid to resort to violence. He can often be found with a team of thugs.

21. Madame Of The Brothel: The Madame is a competent business women who leads and protects her team of ladies of the night. She can take many roles within the thieves guild. She can provide a front and money laundering services along with perfect opportunities to provide blackmail materials against certain targets.

46. The Poisoner: This is a experienced chief who can make very fine foods and sometimes does so for the masters of the thieves guild. However their main skill is to disguise the taste and smell of poisons within fine foods. This helps other guild members slip poisons into the food of noble targets where is is very difficult for the nobles aides to detect it.

22. The Weapons Supplier: Need equipment for a job? The this individual can supply weapons from his warehouse. Items are generally loaned or rented from the warehouse per job. The owner of the warehouse keeps records of what equipment they have and who is using it. They also tend to buy up excess weapons from adventurers coming into town. Ever wondered who even needs all those +1 daggers you keep bringing into town?

47. The Accountant/Banker: The guild accountant helps to hide extra income from front organisations and helps to hide payments from the guild to members who need to seem legitimate. Unlike the tax man the accountant often uses legal loopholes to minimise costs and may even bring opportunities to the attention of the guild master.
23. Potion Supplier: A cleric or wizard friendly to the guild. The guild subsidises the potions they make so they can be sold at a lower price to guild members on guild appointed jobs.

48. The Guild Sorcerer: This rogue has few thieving skills, relying on his natural magic talents to get past traps, locks and guards. In large jobs he may be accompanied by a team who get him to the target which needs to be dispelled or disarmed when mundane means will not do.

24. The Miner/Stonemason: This is a member which may be brought along to old ruins to ensure it is safe to get into. In a large city the stonemason may also make hollow gargoyles or other stone features for buildings. These may actually contain a weapon or other necessary items for guild members escaping over the rooftops or breaking into the building.

49. The Job Co-Ordinator: This guild member works mostly in guild administration. They know what jobs are being organised and when as well as collecting information on the movements of other gangs, before planning a very large job guild members must consult with the coordinator to ensure no other members are working a job in the same area on the same day to reduce the chance of foiling each other's plans. The log books belonging to the co-ordinator are very well guarded and will often be written in code that only the co-ordinator understands.

25. The city archivist: This person has access to the city archives, can sometimes be relied upon to find blueprints of various buildings or maps to the city. Their services cannot be used too heavily as it may out them as a guild member or if bribed/ blackmailed into service may make this noticeable to others nearby.
50. The Masked Persona: This thief does not actually exist, it is a fake persona used by the guild to make many jobs look like the work of a single masked thief to help hide the existence of the guild.
To create this fictional personality the guild may have several copies of the same mask or use a particular calling card after certain jobs. Some jobs may be carried out simply to attribute it to this fictional thief by having them dramatically escape over the city rooftops where they may be seen by many of the townspeople. The bigger the thief's legend the easier it is to hide behind them.


Trino had been was feared within the guild as one of the two guildmasters the other which of course was Karsh, the two had come into town over a decade ago and taken over most of the gangs on the south and east of the city focusing on the slums and ghettos as a source manpower, the desperate and brutish ever ready to join the new founded guild as a chance of advancement they never had anywhere else.

Karsh Krangtooth was the obvious muscle of the two but possessed an cunning for street combat and organisation with a fiery temper and ability to stay standing, with his presence so common in any violent dispute the guard thought him nothing than an arm breaker for the guild and rarely held him in the cells more than was required. Trino had no last name or nickname but his name came to cause fear whenever it was heard spoken. Well educated, nimble and soft spoken many thought him a disowned noble but the man had a strangeness to him, taking a perverse delight in the pain of others not to mention the girls that would vanish after spending the night with him.
There would be many who would be relieved at the death of Trino but Karsh Krangtooth was not one of them.

With slowly his arm lowed releasing the quaking Hugo, his mind whirring Karshs turbulent mind settled into what it knew best a plan of attack. “So.. we lost all of Trinos go to lads.. anyone else missing or anything else you wanna tell me?”
“Well.. err well not heard anythin about that Thief of Stars recently, think he got what he was after and left the city, never know with these independents and we couldn't find out who he was either. Um.. I remember now that half elf lass from the Oaklane umm.. damm the good stealthy one can't remember her name anyhow her group is gone.”

Seeing his boss gesture for details Sandur continued “The gnome or what we think was the gnome got pulled out the river, wasn't enough left of the body to tell we think thats how the Blood Talons knew everything, must of tortured the poor bugger. The lanky chap with the blond hair was last seen drinking at the docks with Captain Adrans lads, got himself press ganged we think and the girl herself Trino sent her on some job out of town to some village somewhere.. other than that everyones still breathing, might need to round up some of the lads since we've been leaderless for a few weeks.”

Karsh slowly nodded as he took in the details trying to recall the half elf.. Holly.. Mistletoe or Tiasel some nature sounding name, for a moment he considered the possibility that half elf may have been involved but dismissed it. She was skilled and it was no secret Trino was growing interested in her in a uncomfortable way but it was unlikely the mousy would have the guts to follow through. No this was an declaration of war from the northern guild and Karsh Krangtooth was going to turn their streets red.


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Smouldering Embers: The Use Of The Camp Fire Scenes In Modern Roleplay.

Posted by: Jason Silverain / Category: , , , , , , , , , ,




Flitting restless as the loaned bedroll did little to cushion the packed soil beneath it Tiasel cursed quietly, groggily sitting upright swaying slightly from the growing headache. While normally able to rest anywhere within the city the keen senses she relied upon to keep her safe now acted against her, the mixture of unsettling silence and moments of unfamiliar noise repeatedly roused her from the little rest she could manage.
A sudden surge of anxiety twisted and knotted her stomach only growing as she found herself scrabbling for her rucksack, her fingertips confirming that her mask still lay within the hidden compartment within her hands withdrew still shaking slightly even as the panic receded.
Glancing down at her softly trembling fingers what little panic remain was replaced with anger at the former Mayor of Pryham as another curse left her lips, now fully awake it seemed impossible to keep out thoughts of the events of the day.

In retrospect she had been more than fortunate, the group of mercenaries that had rescued her had allowed her to join them giving her protection and prospects of making some money while simultaneously putting as much distance from the capital as possible. However something was simply strange about the group, she had encounter self proclaimed 'Adventurers' in the city often gesturing and posturing about the wealth they had obtained and often losing said wealth in binges of gambling, drinking and wenching, this group didn't seem to fit that at all.
Closing her aching eyes the throbbing in her forehead eased for a moment though the air within small tent the dwarf Sandell had loaned her seemed stuffy and hard to breath, leaning through the hide flaps the nights chill greeted her face filled with scent of leaves and embers as she now crawled from the tangled bedroll glad not for the first time she was well practised in sleeping in her leathers.


The fighter applying a whetstone to his blade looks up as the ranger steps out from the surrounding undergrowth, cocky smile on her lips as she reveals her success holding up a pair of rabbits and some wild root vegetables before joining the cleric who is currently cooking dinner over the camp fire. Meanwhile the rogue finishes unrolling the last of the bedrolls and furs within the parties shared tent aided by the wizard who chants incantations to ward their possession from insects and other unwelcome guests...

The camp fire scene is iconic in almost any roleplay though its game mechanic effect varies between systems and settings, its also a common sight in fantasy film, literature and most recently video games often used as a time for the party to rest, recuperate and discuss with one another.
However in spite of all this I ask as a player when was the last time in your campaigns did your group set up camp and it went beyond organising who was on watch and a roll for random encounters?

Now this isn't to say that groups are not roleplaying as in depth anymore, in fact even back in the original Dragon Warriors books of 1985 while providing the rules for random encounters and resting the premade example adventure and the campaign The Elven Crystals often glossed over travel using it more as a story telling element.
Its quite understandable that as roleplaying systems (most notably Fate) in recent years have tried to emulate movie or play like scene to scene layouts in order to promote a fast pacing of action flow and between these scenes healing occurs “off screen” that the camp fire scene use has dwindled further.
It should be noted that this is not necessary a bad thing, much like shopping is not always suitable to roleplay these scenes as it can upset the pacing or mood that the DM is trying set, trying to roleplay the camping scene every night for a long journey would quickly grow tiresome. In systems such as Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder many rules that require additional book keeping are often glossed over, simplified, house ruled or ignored, rations, non magical arrow ammunition, encumbrance and random encounters are all the most common rules affected. Since food rations and possibility of random encounters are often factors that influence setting up camp the loss of these risk factors can make it somewhat superfluous from a mechanics point of view.

Now it is interesting that Tavern scenes and scenarios are still widely popular and common though on the surface they share the same purpose as resting up at the campfire there are several key differences.

  1. The Presence Of NPCs: Arguably the most notable difference, in personal experience with my own parties over the last 10 years I've noticed players may be reluctant or shy to roleplay in character when speaking to one another or pursue possible cross party agendas but will be more than willing to chat to NPCs and use them like puppets. Part of this is due to player personal preferences some groups dislike having inter party conflict or romance due to possible issues with player/character separation (who hasn't heard stories of groups dissolving after two or more players took a character death by another party member personally). Another issue is simply that some players simply will not know what to do or discuss because they are talking to another character who already knows everything they might talk about or alternatively certain players (particularly newer players) may feel uncomfortable with been in the spotlight. While there may be NPC's such as followers, fellow travellers or captives in a camp fire scene more often than not the party knows the exact alliances and motivations of these NPCs (or in some cases be directly under the control of another player) so there is no mystery or risk.

  1. A Variety Of Additional Purpose: A camp fire scene has arguably 3 core purposes: to rest, eat and heal, to create a temporary area of safety and to allow time to perform tasks such as changing equipment, interrogating a captive or performing a complicated spell, wait for a contact to arrive etc. A Tavern can cover all three of these in its own way and provides more possibilities such as gathering information (both discreetly and overtly), indulging in celebration and vice such as drinking and wenching, acquiring supplies and wealth (through merchants, fences and gambling) as just a few examples and because of this it retains more of an important role even into the later campaign as the party gain access to versatile magic. In addition a campfire scene in nearly all scenarios occurs while the party is travelling between locations (even if that location is between floors in a dungeon) whilst a Tavern might be a stop between locations or lie in the heart of destination if it is within a city.

  1. Location And Illusion Of Safety: Even if a Tavern is owned by the local thieves guild and has a two people drinking in the corner who a group suspects wants them dead a tavern will nearly always seem safer than a camp. This may seem a strange claim but when analysed it is down to the simple fact that far easier for both a player and character to identify possible risks and sources of danger. After all you only really have to analyse the people within the tavern, if your worried about been killed in your sleep you barricade the door of your room and check for possibility other entrances, if your worried about poison you eat your own food and drink, in the case of a fight its often well lit and attackers are visible. There is no worry about possible roaming monsters, the elements, the possibility of the shelter collapsing and all the other issues that may affect a camp and because of this players are more likely to engage and take risks and be involved in scene where in a camp scene its set up, make a strong fire, deploy spells and bunker down.

  1. Player Familiarity: Simply put many players and dungeon masters are more personally familiar with the concept and imagery of a tavern through media and personal experience making it far easier immerse themselves into the scene. Often camp fire scene in films and book shows the characters recuperating and mentally relieved at the break from the events of the day or alternatively nervous and in fear of what may occur during the night, but because of the detachment between the player and character and often the emphasis on heroic roleplay its difficult to portray either of these feelings in roleplay.
So how is the camp fire scene still used? Well for some groups its still an important for roleplay and character development and plays out much like the introductory paragraph of this article, this is more likely to occur in low magic settings or with low level parties in Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder where the mechanical effects of resting are more important and a party simply cannot cast Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion and be all but immune to ambush and the elements.
More often than not its condensed down to a few survival checks for suitable location organising who is on watch or just a time skip by the DM, in special note to scene skipping this habit grows somewhat problematic for arranging unexpected attacks and ambushes on the party simply as by asking the question “Who is on watch?” or “What do you do as you set up camp this evening?” will make the party immediately wary in a similar way that the DM asking if a player is sure about committing to an action will make them pause to think.

I've found in my personal experience that the traditional role-played camp fire scenes occur very early in a campaign but as travel grows more routine then it is often overlooked or reduced to a few simple questions it is only when new elements that change that routine occur that these scenes are role played in character and examples of these are meeting new travelling companions whether NPC or Player and this can include captives, when the players find interesting relics and artefacts that they did not have time to examine in detail and when the players are under stress such as been hunted.
Location has an effect on this as well, scenarios such as fortifying a room in a dungeon to rest in or when the party is under threat (such as been hunted like mentioned above) often had my own groups both as a player and DM act far more involved in and often prompt camp fire scenes.
Its my observation that the reason behind this is that in these situations the party in the mentality of an encounter much like a tradition fight or trap where as traditional camp fire scenarios can be considered party 'down time' and something the players to gloss over so they can continue with the action.

Overlooked, glossed over and made redundant by magic and house rules even so just why do I think the camp fire scene is still important? Two very simple points:
  1. It allows wilderness classes such as Rangers and Druids to bring their skills forth and gives them some time in the spotlight.
  2. It creates a scene where characters can interact with each other in a casual, non stressful manner.

So the next question is what can be done to make the camp fire scene more appealing, well here are a few game elements I've personally found to help:
  • I've introduced more encounters with other travellers on the road such as day to day merchants, PCs in the wilderness may also encounter stray animals, a lone hunter or even another adventuring party though I try to limit these encounters. It helps bring detail to the world and helps with players who have trouble role playing with other player characters.
  • Describing possible weather and conditions that may affect possible camp sites, this combined with some detailed descriptions of the land have lead to rather entertaining side adventures as the parties refused to stop and sort out better camp sites.
  • I also have a general rule of a single camp fire scene per journey (unless the players want more or a event causes another) unless the journey is particularly short. This reduces the problem of the party growing overly wary when questioned about camping as mentioned earlier.

Other Dungeon Masters have also highlight the issue and have created their own sets of house rules some of my favourites are Telecanter's Receding Rules article on camp site mechanics which has two of my favourite rules quoted below:

Music
Music in the wilderness means you are not afraid of being attacked and what reminds characters of home more than the songs of home. +1hp per level per night in camp where music is played. The idea came for having bards as hirelings, but I've allowed characters to buy and play their own instrument. This costs some money and takes up encumbrance space. And how about the noise? I wouldn't want to penalize too much, or players would never play music in camp, maybe just a +1 to encounter rolls.

The Hearth
If the campfire is the extension of the hearth, maybe it should offer some protection against the dark. I'll repost an idea here:
A cleric, or anyone versed in the Old Ways, can take a stone weighing a half-stone or more from the night's fire. By incorporating it into the next night's fire ring they make that fire a hearth. Each night of doing so makes the hearth magic stronger. Undead and shape changers can not enter the light of a true hearth.
Half-stone is ~7 pounds which is one of my simple encumbrance slots. I'm not interested in the bookkeeping part now. Maybe just, using the hearth a second time on gives the protection, but skipping a use in a fire will mean you have to break the stone in again. Particularly old stones taken from ruins or abandoned cottages might function as magic items that give extra bonuses. 

WCP over at Escape Velocity Gaming also very much liked these suggestions and has expanded them in a further article and gave the idea of particular wood properties when burned.


The Campfire Fuel
Telecanter discusses a hearth stone idea that is tremendous. In the same vein, I like the idea of a particular type of wood helping the party. If those with botanical knowledge harvest these special woods to burn in the fire they enjoy some varied bonuses.
Wood with its effect
Barkbane This thick-barked wood is purported to keep all dogs and wolves at bay and is found to be nauseating to lycanthropes (any lycanthrope suffers a small attack penalty while fighting near barkbane).
Bloodthorn This reddish wood has severe thorns all over it. Those who have open wounds will find they quickly close and coagulate (a small immediate healing bonus for those affected by naturally occurring battle wounds of the cut/slash sort).
Greencloak This leafy, vibrant tree has wood that burns with a very thick low-laying smoke. Anyone who burns greencloak is somewhat obscured as the green smoke helps hide them. The GM may institute a small penalty to any foe trying to spot the party’s campsite.
Wyrdwoode This white, gnarly wood burns with a pale yellow smoke. The smoke has a calming effect on all persons and animals nearby (horses won’t spook as easily, the party familiars will rest easily). The wood’s effect may reduce the duration of any sort of agitated condition or mental state (shaken, scared, etc.) or remove the effects of a spell that affects the target’s mental state.

While those of my favourites I hearty recommend giving the full articles a read and if your players are stuck for things to do at the camp fire remember there's always the rules for Skinning and Cooking available here.

I would love to hear what your own thoughts are on the matter and if anyone has any further articles on the matter please send a link,


Clambering through the narrow tent opening Tiasel froze mid step as a quiet snort caught her attention, her gaze flitting in the direction of the sound she found her self eye to eye with the heavy set dwarf in full armour lent against a thick oak camouflaged to the casual observer by his thick brown cloak. About to apologise for disturbing him she caught her words as she noticed the unfocused look in the dwarfs eyes, another low snort rumbling from Sandell confirmed her suspicions. 'He's asleep with his eyes open just like old watchman Andrews used to do...' she thought to herself a sly grin growing on her lips as she resumed untangling herself from the tent flap before lightly stepping through the camp barely even making a sound on the dry leaves.
Placing another log on the campfire to ensure the dwarf would remain warm she turned her head to check on Sandell one last time before wandering down the hill towards the nearby lake hoping that a brief stroll would ease her mind.


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100 Random Fantasy drinks for your Tavern

Posted by: Jason Silverain / Category: , , , , , , , , , ,


Settling with a quiet clink the liquid within the ceramic bottle sloshed as Sandell press it into the padded resting place he had created within his backpack, checking his work for the third time he let out a huff as he hoisted the old leather straps over his shoulders. Scanning the empty village street his eyes narrowed as he peered at the nearby shutters watching for onlookers or possible assailants, the wary dwarfs attention was drawn to the sound of approaching foot steps from the building that he guarded though the uneven pace immediately revealed its owner before the battered pine door creaked open. "So are we ready to go young priest?" 
Samuel who had almost stepped past him paused jerking to attention as taken off guard by the sudden question. "Ah ah...yes.. well soon, I've just finished helping Isabel understand the general principle of the runic magic circle, nasty stuff that it seems to be a twisted mixture of dark Abyssal divine rituals and magic.. a bit beyond myself but she thinks that she can discover it purpose now I've helped translate some of the more troublesome sections... we've made a few copies to send to my temple and for her notes in the meantime.." his last few words trailing off quietly and a small deep frown creasing face the cleric settled back against the door frame opposite his companion obviously troubled to the dwarfs eyes.
 
"Ah now that's a look I've not seen on your face since we first met back at your temple, now we both know such a look doesn't suit you so tell me lad what's is it that's troubling you." In spite of his causal matter of statement Sandells tone normally boisterous now lowered with all the care of a miner testing a new seam. 
After a minutes silence and a few false starts the priest sighed finally responding to his companion "While I know we did the right thing by stopping them by doing so in the way we did.. did I destroy the faith of those remaining and thus damm them? For how long will this community distrust each other and any visitor from now on? what if.." his further musings were interrupted as Sandells gauntleted hand ceasing the gentle stroking of his beard reaching out grasping the priests shoulder forcing the worried young man to meet his eyes.
"Now lad you listen to me, you.. no we did the right thing, I don't expect them to thank us for cutting down their kin but how long till that bastard of a mayor start moving on from travellers to them? No the issue here is they will need to come to terms their kin were demon worshippers, it may take time, it may not happen but its their burden. Remember you said it yourself to myself and Duncan that first night you act as an example in your teachings and what you did today was expose a difficult truth.."
Releasing the stunned priest he nodded towards the group of villagers approaching them from the tavern "Now eyes up we might have trouble." 

If you remember last new year one of my roleplaying group made a guest post which was a 100 different locations to wake up after a night of drinking, after chatting for a while we thought the next fun thing to create would be some unique drinks that would become some of our tavern favourites and secret banes. Now thanks to her here is a guest post for 100 Random Fantasy drinks for your Tavern:  

The PCs walk into a bar and order a drink... but what kind of drink? This table provides a list of names for drinks that can be served in taverns, pubs and side alleys all over the world. Primarily aimed at a fantasy setting these names can also be used for speciality, regional or unusual drinks in a modern setting too since the naming conventions of traditional style drinks has not vastly changed.

1-20  Gut rot and Moonshines
21-40 Ales/Lager
41-60 Cider
61-80 Spirits
81- 100 Wine

Not everything on the list will be suitable for all locations, if a drink doesn't suit your tavern simply roll again or go to a suitable category.

This list is best used with a mature group who understand that drinking to excess is not recommended or fun. The drinking feats mentioned in this list are not recommended in real life unless you happen to be an Orc barbarian or a half dragon.


1
Dirty Pint
Moonshine made from the dregs of all other drinks in the place.Thankfully the further fermenting takes away the worst of the taste and quality varies depending on the drinks served. 
51
Cheese Rind Cider
This is named because it is bright orange like a waxy cheese rind and
tastes really good accompanied by cheese. It is actually made from carrot
juice and flavoured with strong apples. 

2
Thunderstorms
A slightly fizzy drink, the smell is very strong, the taste is unusual so that it is not clear exactly what this drink is made from.
52
Nags Fire
This fruit based concoction is made of a secret recipe. While it does
nothing to humans if a horse consumes it they get a slight increase in energy and stamina. (DMs choice if other typical mount animals are affected)

3
Hair of the Dog
This has a dirty aftertaste to it, rumour has it that a dog is used to mix the brew by swimming in it before it ferments.
53
The Generals Truce
This is an unusual cider in which the recipe calls for apples from three
neighbouring kingdoms. It was originally brewed to celebrate a truce
between the three kingdoms after a long period of war. On the anniversary
of the truce it is customary to raise a toast to those who died in the
war.

4
Trolls Piss
A dark yellow brew, a mixture of cider and ale with a thin yellow bubbly head on the top.
54
Cats meow
The cider is named after the large numbers of cats which live on the
orchard. The orchard has been plagued in the past by all manner of rodents
and the cats are kept to help keep the rodents off of the fruit trees.
Sometimes stray cats, runaway cats or cats who have been abandoned in the
local area end up living in the orchard meaning the farmer sometimes has up to a dozen more cats around than the few he actually owns.

5
Bathtub Brew
This drink varies from region to region and pub to pub, it contains whatever the brewer wants to add and is made by amateur brewers so may still contain fruit pips or be barely alcoholic.
55
Apple wine
A hard cider traditionally served in very small cups or glasses, popular among halflings. They
generally insist the small glasses are due to the alcohols stronger strength than their smaller stature but it is rare a halfling could drink a full pint of this without becoming very drunk.

6
Brawl Breaker
A drink served in large tankards known for sending drinkers to sleep after their first pint and thus stopping more than a few potential fights.
56
Gemrose's dream
This cider is brewed by a halfling cook who claims to have fallen into a
large barrel of apples and could not get out. She eventually fell asleep
in the barrel and the smell of the apples gave her a dream which was her
inspiration for a new type of cider. She was eventually rescued but not
before she ate most of the delicious apples in the barrel.

7
Scregs Mixup
Initially brewed by a travelling salesman this brew is cheap because the fruit it is made from is going rotten when it is added to the mixture.

57
Adventurers Tale
This cider is often drunk around a warm camp fire in the age old tradition
of telling tall tales at the end of a long day.

8
Seabeast Poison
Found mostly in coastal taverns this mixture is almost black, it is said the original recipe did indeed contain juice from the poison sacks of a rare sea creature. Since this creature is apparently hard to find and often changes from tale to tale the modern recipe certainly does not contain it any more.
58
Yule fruit
This cider is served in glass containers shaped like various fruits
depending on the flavour of the cider. These 'fruits' are dazzlingly
painted with gold or silver and hung on a yule tree. It is a very distinct
display of wealth that only kings and the heads of merchant clans can
afford for their yule balls.

9
Housewives Ruin
This mixture is thick and sweet, not very alcoholic but is easy to drink in large quantities before the effects are felt.
59
Royal Decree
Occasionally also known as the Dragons Decree this cider is made by a tribe of Kobolds under the orders of their dragon patron. The dragon was dismayed to find that his small tribe were digging into very dangerous caverns in search of tribute and getting themselves killed. Instead the dragon researched spells which allowed the kobolds to grow apple trees in a specially dug out cavern and make cider as tribute instead while the excess is sold.

10
Gut Rot
This drink is unpleasant but cheap and powerful, drinking it even sparingly will results a bad stomach ache as well as a hangover in the morning.
60
Playwrights Muse
This cider is weak but sold in large quantities to the audiences of a large plays either by a travelling show or a large established theatre.

11
Werewolf Blood
This drink has a dark red tint, it is made from berries and grapes not quite good enough for fine wines, every barrel tastes very different because of the varying nature of the ingredients.
61
Thimbleful Gin
Often drunk at refined dinner parties or high class restaurants. This spirit is to be consumed in very small amounts to help clear the palette after a meal)
12
Rust Monster Moonshine 
This red and bitty dwarven moonshine has to be served in specially reinforced tankards for the full taste, it has been rumoured some people have use it to melt metal which is how it gained its name.
62
Knockback Knockout
Taken in shots due to its powerful kick, It is not to be kept in large quantities due to its flammable (possibly explosive) nature. However it is sometimes used by firebreathing acts at the circus.
13
Sleep Tonic
Many taverns will only serve this to customers who have already paid for lodgings for the night. The drinker will feel a short period of drowsiness before falling soundly to sleep for several hours
63
Dragons Breath Vodka
While not the best quality vodka by far it’s spicy flavourings draw people to it. The spicy kick makes a shot of this vodka taste far stronger than it actually is and there are different varieties each named after a type of dragon with varying levels of spice.

14
Cheap and Nasty
This terrible drink is often served as an insult or drunk as a dare and most agree it should not be drunk by anyone really.
64
Oak Dale Whisky
A flavourful and clear whiskey said to be made with water from the purist natural spring and aged for more than 10 years in a secret underground location

15
"Pub Name" Special Brew
Named after the pub this is often one of the nicer drinks in any establishment and the one that varies the most between places.

65
Trognors Flaming Brandy
This drink is very strong leaving a warm feeling throughout the chest, some drink it while it is on fire as a test of courage.
16
Pint of dregs 
Made from the dregs of barrels, it is bitty and vile, some bars may disguise the taste by adding a fruit cordial.
66
Bush Berry Gin
A variety of bush berries are soaked in Gin for several weeks to make this drink, It is thick and sweet with a reddish purple tint. In some places the berries are removed before serving in others they are left in making the drink more like a fruit salad

17
Surgeons Choice
A strong alcohol which is used by surgeons in the middle of large battles to clean wounds or to numb a patient so that wounds can be stitched up it is clear and has no bits in it but the taste is vile and drinking it in large amounts can make you very ill afterwards

67
Honeymeade
Mead with extra fermented honey added, it is sickly sweet and a little thick.
18
Tavern Pudding
This "drink" is so thick that when it is ready you don’t pour a pint of it instead you cut a slice off the loaf. It varies in quality between different recipes a fine version may be served with a liquor poured on top which slowly turns its consistency to something resembling yoghurt while a poor version may simply be eaten in a sandwich

68
Mages Tipple
This is served in only a few locations. It is a mild but clear spirit which is normally quite plain. However it is served in enchanted glasses which change the colour and flavour over time. The colour is always unnaturally bright and the taste slightly artificial and very strong.
19
Beggars Brandy
Made from cabbages in locations were cabbages are plentiful. While fermenting this brew smells very very bad and sometimes a hut for the fermentation barrels will be built a little way from a settlement.
69
Purple Fire
This is an exotic drink which although it is not alcoholic it contains small red chillies and sweetened by the nectar and petals from a blue flower. If you obtain a bottle it will still have whole chilli inside.
The longer the bottle is left to stand the spicier the drink becomes. Some collectors will pay well for a very old bottle of this drink. 

20
Merry Frog
This cheaply made drink is served with some local herbs floating on the top
and a very greasy sausage in the mug. It is foul but the locals call it a delicacy as way to sell terrible beer and sausages
to fools and strangers.
70
The Thieves Candle
This alcohol is generally disguised as another brand and can make up part
of a disguised thieves kit. If a rope wick is added to the bottle and lit it will burn for up to two hours. If it is drunk it causes nausea and vomiting after 10 minutes. This has allowed some canny thieves a chance to make a get away after being caught and their kit confiscated. 

21
Hobgoblins Delight
The ale was named as such because the small brewery it was originally named in was repeatedly raided by hobgoblins and other monsters just for this ale. The brewery has now moved to a more defensible location and has armed guards on watch at all times.
71
Snowdrift
This type of brandy is often found in a climbers or adventurers kit when
they are venturing to cold climates. It is said that a small nip of this will ward off frostbite. It does not have any more effect than any other type of brandy but the makers of this drink are not in a hurry to disprove the myth. 

22
Dragon Blood
This traditional ale is dark and thick and a little bitter with a smoky after taste ,an acquired taste for many.
72
Widows Tears
This actually contains only small amounts of alcohol and is made up mostly
of a sleeping tonic and a potion of forgetfulness. This is sometimes used
by people pretending to be doctors instead of magic or real medicine

23
Faerie Blood
This ale is pale almost white in colour it is stronger than it tastes and leaves a faint tingle in the mouth.
73
Mint Bomb
This liquor tastes very strongly of mint and other herbs and spices. It was initially rumoured that if a dragon drinks this their fire breathing ability will be strengthened. This rumour soon spread and further expanded that it would work with other races with breath weapons and was banned in some kingdoms because of this. 

24
Black Forest Brew
Made from a type of hop which is found in the Black Forest where childhood nightmares are said to lurk. The ale itself is a very dark colour and some say that swirls in the liquid itself create ghoulish visions.

74
Yuck!
Nobody knows who makes this or even who drinks this though it has made its way to quite a few establishments. It seems to be fermented fish guts with fish heads floating in it and other unidentified items.
25
"Region Name" Ale
A regional speciality, often imitated by cheaper taverns throughout the region, never beaten, there are never large quantities of this brew around due to its demand. Insulting this drink is often a good way to start fights with more nationalistic individuals.
75
Aniseed Cup
 Tastes of Aniseed and is quite powerful. Some unscrupulous criminals will
throw it after themselves while on the run particularly in a crowded cities in hopes the the strong smell confuses tracker dogs owned by the city watch.
However some experienced intelligent creatures may only suffer a penalty to
tracking when this trick is used but this may still be enough for a thief to get away.

26
Captains Lunch
A pale slightly fizzy ale, golden amber in colour. The barrels for this have a large sailing boat on them, and is often found in coastal towns though its popularity means it has spread.
76
Drinking Cloud
This expensive magical spirit looks like a small cloud or fog in a narrow bottle. When opened it slowly trails upwards in filling a small area with an intoxicating cloud but if the bottle is smashed the whole cloud is released at once. It has been used in large doses by adventurers to make monsters too drunk to fight and in tiny discreet doses it can be used to liven up dull noble parties.

27
Krakens Revenge
Made in the same Brewery as the "Captains Lunch" This dark ales strength has a tendency to catch people unawares.
There is a picture of a kraken on the barrel and occasionally this includes the Kraken attacking a ship.
77
Silver Stallion
Invented by the landlord of the Silver Stallion pub to stop customers falling
asleep in the pub before closing time. Its a cheap spirit mixed with a potent caffeinated drink, it contains so much sweetening tree sap that after drinking it for the next few hours your mouth feels fuzzy.

28
Golden Harvest
A blend of pale ale and mead, it is sweet yet woody. The picture on the barrel is of bees on yellow flowers.
78
High Tea
Looks and tastes just like tea though it leaves a warm feeling throughout the body, its even served warm and sometimes from a
glass teapot in upmarket restaurants. Some unscrupulous restaurant owners will just serve regular tea since most people cannot
tell the difference.

29
Green Dragon Scale
Dwarven ale is made mostly from  common cave slime and moss, it was invented during a siege of a dwarven stronghold when the defenders were forced to begin eating the moss after food stores ran out. Traditionally it doesn’t taste or smell very nice but makes the slime at least a little palatable. Some clans still drink this brew but they may take the time to flavour it making it a decent ale with several regional variations.  The cave slime is quick to grow in the right conditions making this ale cheap but it is often not sold outside the dwarven community.

79
Toffs
Served with sparkling water this fruity spirit is quite palatable. However
in some noble restaurants it is served with a glass full of fruit chunks, mint leaves and various other garnishes making it more of a fruit salad than a drink.

30
Wailing Banshee
The brewery this is made in is said to be haunted. Even after several clerics of high renown visited the building and found
nothing the owners insisted the strange noises were paranormal. It was later proven that the strange hissing and and other unexplained noises were due to the use of very old brewing equipment which creaked and rattled as the brew fermented
80
Ambrosia
It is said the fruits for this pale spirit grow on the tallest peak of a frosty mountain range, the plants are watered by the tallest waterfall. Legend has it that the fruit is picked by angels and cherubs and the drink is brewed by the goddess of love herself.
However most people suspect that this is a fanciful story but it does help to sell the many imitation spirits of this name.

31
Poltergeist
This comes from a brewery which is haunted by a great number of ghosts and phantoms. The owner is a necromancer and sometimes gets them to work making the beer, this has the strange side effect that horrified faces
constantly swirl in the foam at the top of the beer. Many taverns who dare to serve it add a little holy water to each pint to prevent the rumoured cases of ghost possession amongst drinkers who have passed out from
intoxication.

81
Strawberry Fizz
This wine is a very pale pink and fizzy, it is not alcoholic at all, it is the kind of drink associated with young ladies or given to children with a meal.
32
Meadow Green
This lager is dark and slightly green tinted. It is actually made with scented grass as an added ingredient. It is popular amongst Minotaurs. 

82
Elderberry Delight
While strong this dark red wine has a sophisticated mix of flavour making it popular with nobility.
33
Doctors Orders
This beer was invented by a disgruntled alchemist. Nobody would buy his
medicines and potions because they tasted so vile so he came up with a weak drink which would not interfere with the herbs and magic used in the potions but made them quite a bit more palatable. 

83
Lovers kiss 
It is said that this rose wine has aphrodisiac qualities and is best shared with someone you love.
34
Gribbles Downfall
This magical ale is named because of its unique properties. For one hour after it
is drunk the drinker cannot teleport or be teleported by force unless the
person casting the spell is very skilled.
This was used to outsmart a thief called Gribble who unwisely drank some
while robbing a house and found to his shock he could no longer use his
teleporting amulet to escape. 

84
Elven Song
Pale rose coloured wine which is said to have been a muse for great bards, as such it is often drunk in recent years by those who boast claims to have great talents.
35
Ocean Foam
A strange type of drink brewed by people who live on or next to the sea.
It contains seaweeds of various kinds as a key flavouring ingredient. Due to this it is quite salty.

85
Fey Flowers 
A dry white wine. In some fancy restaurants a edible flower bud coated in sugar is served inside the glass. The flower opens because of the bubbles in the wine and makes a fantastic display.
36
Small Beer
This beer is very weak and very pale. It uses the fermentation not to
create the drink but simply to sterilise the nearby water

85
House Wine
A low quality wine served in upclass taverns or restaurants as the cheap option. The taste is inoffensive but unremarkable too.
37
Pint of Bread
This beer is thick, even the foam on top is thick and creamy. Taverns near
popular adventuring or travelling routes sell small portable kegs of this brew since drinking a pint of this is said to be as good as eating a small meal and is quite efficient for caravan or wagon trains to carry as provisions along with regular food and drink.
Anyone drinking this will gain the benefit as if they had eaten a trail ration but also intoxication effects.

87
Château Du Plonk
An average wine but it has stylised bottle and beautiful swirled writing on the label. Sold in cheap establishments or given to nobles house guests after the first good bottle of wine has been drunk and the guest is too intoxicated to appreciate higher quality wine.
38
Dwarven Barley Wine
Called a wine because it can be as strong as a wine in alcohol content and drunk in smaller glasses (except by dwarves who can handle it in larger glasses) it is technically a beer and some travelers to dwarven settlements can be caught out by the surprising strength.

88
Golden Chalice 
This recipe was long forgotten until a fragment of a book on wine making was found by adventurers in a dragons horde. This particular recipe has no name that could be salvaged from the battered book so it is named after a golden chalice which was swapped with the dragon for the book

39
Volcano Sputter
This beer is made by drying the malt to make the beer over open lava (though some less ambitious brewers settle for a kiln or open fire) which imparts an unusual smoky taste in the finished brew. Creatures who normally live in such conditions can sometimes be found overseeing the drying process even if the actual brewing is done elsewhere.

89
Willows Dale
This common wine is aged in large willow barrels and has a pair of sister wines named Oaks Dale and Pine Dale which are aged in barrels of their respected wood.
40
Angel Malt 
The hops of this this pure white beer are rumoured to have originated from the celestial realms, the equipment and ingredients are traditionally blessed and cleansed with holy water before brewing. Many churches with less strict rules on alcohol often trade in this as a way of raising funds.
90
The Mountains Bounty
A group of dwarf brewers who were not to be outdone by the elves created the recipe for this wine. It is brewed mostly from root vegetables which grow easily near their mountain home. It does not much resemble wine but it is probably the closest to it this particular clan will get.

41
Cox Fondler 
A not too delicate brew served in taverns close to the orchard. The picture advertising this brew is quite crude in both design and humour.
91
Shayla
Brewed from the berries of a very poisonous plant if prepared incorrectly this wine can be very harmful however if brewed by a master brewer it is dark purple in colour and very rich in taste.

42
Cloudy Sky Cider
Pale and cloudy there are always apple bits in the bottom of the glass and the drink gets rather thick near the end of the barrel.
92
Pasture By The River
This wine is drinkable to anyone who knows nothing about wine. To anyone who enjoys wine on a regular basis it tastes sour and as if it has already gone past its best. The label is trying to look nice with a picture of a field next to a a river but none of the writing on the bottle is legible.

43
Valley Press
Made from apples grown from trees in a valley kept secret by the brewer. It is said that the apples taste sweet and pure because the trees are watered from a fresh mountain spring.
93
Cloudy Bay White Wine
This wine is pressed in a traditional method by stamping on the grapes in
a large vat. One year to save costs the farmer hired monstrous humanoids
to press the grapes, but they did not wash their feet leading to a
strangely cloudy wine. The secret was kept for many years but when it was
discovered the guilty farmer sold his farm and this wine was no longer
produced which has lead to a demand by connoisseurs. 

44
Black Hellhound
This cider is a beautiful amber colour and slightly cloudy, it does not taste strong but its hangover has led many to have a further pint in the morning to take the bite off the hellhound.
94
Tree Walker Wine
This wine is very expensive because of its rarity. The fruits for making
it grow in the middle of dense forest and the trees do not fare well when
farmed. Instead farmers have trained intelligent animals (pick something
setting appropriate) to pick and bring back the fruit although the animals
do tend to eat many fruits before they get back.

45
Kings Apple
Created with a variety of apple which ferments slowly while on the tree and still remain edible but if not as sweet as they are when fresh. This apple is great in fruit salads or in sweet ciders to give them an extra kick.
95
Mulled Wine
A dark red wine heated and spiced generally served in the cold winter
months. The exact nature of the wine varies from region to region as
different spices are used.

46
Raspberry Blend
A cider favoured with the juice of raspberries. This is generally drunk on hot days and early autumn. 
96
Rose Garden
This expensive wine is commonly drunk by nobles and social climbers, it is a sweet rose wine flavoured further with flower petals which according to some experts makes it taste worse than
it did originally. However its very expensive and some drink it only as a
status symbol.

47
Fruit Crush
This cheap cider made from both apples and pears is crudely made but still rather palatable, the blend appears to be different in each barrel making flavours inconsistent.
97
Blood Wine
This 'Wine' is a curious red colour. On closer inspection it is not really wine but the blood of someone who drank wine before the blood was taken with an added ingredients to stop the blood clotting. 
Its popular with vampires who do not like the idea of biting humanoids for their daily blood fix. This has been known to have been faked with a deep red wine for squeamish cultists who should drink blood as part of evil rituals but just can't stomach it.

48
The Last Bushel 
This cider is made from the last apples
collected from each field at harvest season. Once the cider is fermented A token amount is poured on the oldest tree in the field in thanks for a good harvest. This is also an excuse for a big party in some villages where much cider is drunk.
98
Celebration Wine
This champagne is smashed against ships to launch them, shaken up by winners of races and sprayed over the losers, the cork that gets
popped most spectacularly at noble parties. It is very fizzy and needs
very little shaking to get going.

49
The Hogs Head
A strong tasting cooking cider. It is not generally drunk on its own but
used to create a strong flavour in apple or pork based recipes such as apple sauce, pies or a marinade for pork. 






99
Wine of the Gods
Once sold by a travelling salesman who claimed that the clear liquid in the bottle would become wine in the mouths of those who were good, true and kind. The salesman was long gone by the time it was discovered the bottles only contained river water.
Occasionally bottles of this still show up in locations were the tale hasn't spread.
50
The Creaking Branch 
Made from fruits from intelligent plants and fermented in barrels made from their wood. Adventuring parties are sent out to harvest the fruit because this can be a dangerous undertaking.
100
Elven Family Wine
In some elf communities it is tradition to brew a barrel of wine during the year a new baby is born into the family. Each family has a different recipe. The wine is ready when the child reaches adulthood. Some say that a wine will sour if the child dies and it will be very unlucky to drink it. 

"Oi Dwarf I've matters to settle with you" Pushing forward to the head of the eight strong group a lanky whip of a man glowered at the two of them, his sausage fingered hands clenching and unclenching in a repressed anger that seemed to fuel the foul mood others around him. 
"Its bad enough you cut down my brother but how dare you loot his bar, this isn't some ruin where you can take what you like, return what you've stolen NOW."
His hand sliding with casual menace towards the haft of his axe Sandell not cowered by this display stepped forward his voice returning to its normal rough tone as he replied to his accuser "I've stolen nothing, I took the provisions that were needed and left fair payment in a pouch on the bar.." 
 "I don't want your money, anyway how do I know the prices fair huh? Everyone knows you short arses don't part from more coin than you can get away with." The smell of alcohol on the man's breath now gave away the source of his courage and foolishness as he tried to loom over the barrel chested dwarf threateningly and failing much to the notice of his increasingly sobering friends.

 Slipping in between the two Samuel with a firm but gentle hand moved the unwilling man beyond the range of the irate dwarfs axe. "Now sir my dwarven companion while gruff is honest otherwise he would not of been hired by my temple to aid in the delivery of the healing potions and other medicines however if you can prove you have been cheated I would willing aid you in the matter as my duties dictate." his words having some effect on the man and companions who having not given the burst of violence they were expecting were beginning to calm however determined to maintain his self righteous fury the brother of the deceased bartender continued. "But that dwarven brandy he took is worth half this purse alone.."
"If you drank it you'd die." Snapping back Sandell reply was almost growled though his words were almost drowned out by the cries of disbelief and outrage of the men around him.
"We might not be as sturdy as you dwarves but we men aren't that weak besides we could always put a little water in it to make it last longer.. folks round here won't mind." The man tone was now smug and self assured in the insufferable way someone that was losing an argument thinks they've now won.
"You uncultured Mosgrim who waters down brandy?! Anyway that besides the point you can't drink it because its rubbing alcohol, specifically for cleaning corrosives from weapons and mining tools.. I know of one occasion where a troll raiding a caravan has gone blind drinking this by mistake."
Unsure what to say the mob now dissolved into awkward "Ums" and "Errs" accompaned by neck rubbing slowly dispersing as the two adventurers watched them go.
"So honoured grandfather that tale about the troll.. is that true?"
"Aye happened on my fourth shift as a caravan guard... in anycase lets collect our young lady and see if Duncan has finished talking to that lass that was strung up on the altar before these idiots cause a fuss over the three bottle of Snowdrift I took too."          
             


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