A Couple of Drakes

Just enough to keep a roof over your head goes a *LONG* way toward allowing you the breathing space to be creative.

And apparently it turns a profit for the country, besides.

Man. Would be cool to live in a country that invested in the humanities rather than doubling down on perpetual inhumanity.

I didn't then, but i do now. Thanks for the rec!

That's a good way to go, too! I often find that NPCs and previous locations end up being the answer to the "What about this project is..."

"Well, Speaks-For-Ghosts is pretty weird. Maybe we should ask her what kind of reagents this kind of thing might take. Her expertise is weird enough, right?"

Recipe for a Banishing Flare:

Fox Cross Oil + Shimmerwing Royal Jelly + Speaks-For-Ghost's Apparition Salt + a last goodbye, never sent.

Something Rote, something Tricky, something Weird, and something Sentimental.

"Burn it, add its ashes into the mixture, and then forget to write another. The unspoken words, the words of comfort you would give to your wife, the last goodbye? That's powerful magic. That will keep the Ghost Owl at bay."

But what is going to give it the heartfelt? Some kind of emotional resonance? What's going to make this item YOURS? You sure you want me to do this one for you?

"Just shut up and hurt me, Drake."

"The goodbye letter you are carrying for your wife in the event you die out here"

"What's Weird?" Birch asks. "Gotta be something undead right? Its a ghost owl." I agree with that and Fennel thinks about where we've been and what we know. "Speaks-for-Ghosts in the swamps north of Big Stump can mix us up a potion maybe? Or sell us some reagents?" Plausible.

"Tricky is getting it to stick burn slower. Figure some of the Royal Jelly honey from these beehives we gave a wide berth on the edge of the river here?" I nod, that's a good call. And its a nights gaming to get it probably. Double trouble.

Wish granted. From our last Mausritter game: a flare to drive away the Ghost Owl who haunted the Knocking Oak on the border of Fox Crossing. "Rote" says Fennel, "the oil from my bag, just the thing to burn for hours."

As in "what about this project is...?"

You get to answer three of those questions. I'll tell you the last one. They will be materials, procedures or knowledge. You gather all four together and you make the thing. No checks, no rolls to see how well it turns out. Just done.

Works 95% of the time.

Crafting systems are like boats. I am sure I could have fun with one and it would open up an entirely new variety of experiences if I could figure out the logistics.

But whenever I grab one my eyes glaze over and I default to my usual. Rote, Tricky, Weird, and Sentimental.

I make my favorite games in hopes that maybe you've got room in your heart for new favorites, too.

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Love Beyond the Wall. Sits in the same category as Wildsea and There and Hack Again in that I can run character generation and have it feel like a satisfying night of gaming if we take our time and play out the occasional scene to explain our choices...

Those playbooks are really well constructed.

We all are. This image is basically a mass-casualty incident.

Everyone's catching splash damage with this one.

I don't know them, but I'm looking forward to them now.

Gotta lock the storm doors in the basement alchemical lab, hoss. Any adventurer can just walk right on in.

Look, I'm not going to shame anyone for going haring after the new hotness swimming around in their brain rather than sticking to their WIP. Because that would be really hypocritical of me.

I'm gratified to learn that I'm not the only one with the problem, but I'm very sorry so many are catching splash damage from my own self-deprecation.

The amount of crossover into all of the other artistic disciplines is giving me life.

There's just something ineffably alluring about a sexy new project...

a man in a suit and tie stands in a crowd Alt: a man in a suit and tie stands in a crowd calling out "There are dozens of us! Dozens!"

Maybe...?

There are dozens of us! Dozens!

We are all being personally attacked on this blessed day.

a bald man in a car with the word witness written on his back Alt: a bald man in a car with the word witness written on his back

I witness you!

Not for me!

A wrestler in an Elmo costume labeled "The Muse" executes a cross-body bodyslam on another wrestler labeled "A carefully considered release schedule"

Look, sometimes you have to choose between fun and done. I didn't get into this biz to treat it like a job.

I'd have more to show for it if I did, but I'd also probably hate it.

Oh man, camaraderie is sooo good. Like a bunch of people working toward a shared goal where everyone is invested and determined? That's the shit.

the joker says " it 's all part of the plan " in front of his face Alt: the joker says " it 's all part of the plan " in front of his face

And then something brain-unlocking happens and you turn into this guy (who is the same guy).