May PotM

[chocoladevla]

<-- a dandelion growing in our garden, did you know that the literal translation from the Dutch word would be: horseflower?

This thread will be dedicated to the nominations of all the posts written during this month that stood out. There are so many reasons to nominate, maybe you thought it was a very good read, or it was almost pure poetry? Did it make you laugh, make you wonder or triggered any other emotion in a way you wanted, no: NEEDED to share it with us?
Use this thread!!! Make a post where you explain why this post motivated you to take the time and energy to nominate it. Let us know who was the writer of this awesome post and pass us a link so we can start reading <3

*** nominate nominate nominate ***

Disclaimer: since we want to get the winning post in the spotlight, please be aware the post you nominated can be used to be in the next Explosive Runes. If you, or the writer of the post, have any objections to this; let us know

[Retry]

Player: Lazer
Game: Feys are Wild (Wild Beyond the Witchlight)
System: DND5e
GM:Me Retry

Context: Within a magical carnival, a proposal went south due to the influence of a magical artifact near-by. The one being proposed to was forced to laugh in the face of their boyfriend who was on bended knee with a ring in hand. Said boyfriend charged off into a tent that housed a mirror maze and part of the party gave chase only to witness the man be spirited away be a mischievous Fey within a mirror. They have now returned to share the bad news and due to other events going on, have left the Warforge Artificer in charge of handling the growing crowd of onlookers.

I should also make mention that the majority of them have agreed to silly Fey Pacts to gain entry into the carnival. This character, Luxportian (Lux), is required to inform people of his love for unicorns at every opportunity. This always comes up in the most inopportune times leading to hilarious scenes.

Link to post

 

Originally Posted by Lazer

[tomplum]

Player: Jennifer
Game: Heart of Shadow
System: DND5e
GM: tomplum

Context: The party had been lured into the Shadowfell by the mysterious Thistledown Man where they stumbled across the lair of a memory-hording creature. Here our heroine, Khloe, learned a long forgotten dance from her ancestors' past. The Thistledown Man desires to learn this dance from here and revealed that he is also a prisoner in the Shadowfell and that he desires her help in escaping.

Jennifer's post built upon what I had posted prior but then she expanded upon it and made it even better by adding her own flair and expression to it. As a DM, it is incredibly rewarding to see a player expound upon your scene and make it better by their own contributions.

Link to Post

 

Castles in the Sky They absconded, Khloe half in a trance and the thistledown man. Somehow her garb had been transmogrified into a sweeping gown with the hue of jasmine, over which lay a bodice of carmine crushed velvet laced tightly to accentuate her natural accoutrements, the billowing folds of her dress overlaid with another of black and carmine lace; heeled boots and white gloves completed the look reflecting her spun copper hair, it's comb, and the brilliance of her eyes as they walked. Illusion it was, illusion it may be, but it was illusion that would normally have had the lass looking for a quick silver to look into, if not that, then certainly the long hallways through rooms freshly painted with the finest frescos, the softest tapestries weaving tales of woe and weal, furniture crafted by the finest artisans. Yet despite all the beauty around her, despite the vile darkness, the spiders and bats she knew in the back of her mind must exist somewhere, the twistedness of a place covered in illusion and lies; she felt compelled to look at and think of nothing more than the man who stood before her; doublet toyingly undone at the top button, flaring bow tie, a jacket of soft pine green with what appeared to be oak leaves carved from the cured skins of calf and lamb. His violent eyebrows emoted his very nature to her, yet still she was compelled to follow, not to touch, not to smell, just follow and listen. Khloe's heart thudded in her chest as she calmly walked down the halls. "I admit I am quite taken with you but despite all of your visual charms, there is one thing you possess that interests me greatly. I know you went to see the Glimpse and that you came from there with a memory you did not have prior." the smell of licorice and cloves, the deep sultry voice like coffee pouring through ice caused her to try and take a deep breath, but the illusion was too real and her chest caught on the illusory laces almost causing her to have the vespers. Yet she recovered. Her mind wanted to know, her mind wanted to run, her body was enthralled, yet her katra knew there was more to what was happening. Matriarchs be with me. she soundlessly called from her mind. They were dead of course, but she imagined they watched her still and even if they were powerless to assist, it was better to call for aid and not get it, than not call for aid when aid was available. The roof creaked and groaned, then cracked open and slid back like an old drawer that had not been opened for many eons. Stone dust, cobwebs, and other particulate wafted down as the mighty universe, it's myriad of stars, nebulae, planets, and the realm of the very goddesses and gods themselves were revealed in all their magnificent splendor. "I'd like to reveal something to you." he called, teasingly as if from a minor distance, calling her back to his attention. A call she could not refuse though she greatly desired to do so. She looked up into his eyes, the amber pools of her irises watered with the glistening moisture of innocence. A contrast these two - the young acrobat and the wizened maester of the manor. He took her hands, gently, softly as if lovers, but without consent. As he did so the earth itself fell from beneath her feet as he lowered the castle down around them; drawing the heavens down around them as he did so. As the sky descended down upon her it too split open, like the roof above, as a primordial being, a being which appeared to be a mix of both khaos and erebos; chaos and darkness intertwined in the darkest dark that ever existed. A hand so dark that the eye rolled off it unseeing only glimpsing the faint edges where starlight ended and hand began, was outstretched before her. Then the horned beast receded. The pair of them floated with great haste downward once more as clouds unfurled above them once again. Then the castle arose from the depths from which it had been abandoned, rising to meet the two beings until their feet were gently supported by the balcony. Wrapped around the bannister were encircled with trachelospermum jasminoides (the star jasmine), it's glossy evergreen leaves and deliciously fragrant white flowers beckoning them closer and embracing them gently. Again the man looked down into her eyes. It was a look of a man who felt like he could leap from whence he stood and dive into her eyes like a champion diver off a cliff. "This place is my prison. I was once a being of color and beauty such as yourself but this world has sapped me of that vividness, that creature has devoured my soul, bit by bit, until there is naught left of me but this pale visage you see before you. I thought I could bend this world to my whims and I succeeded for awhile...until It found me...trapped me here and began to feed off of me." He said, obvious lament in his voice. Was this for sooth or a lie? She felt horribly out of her depth, drawn to WANT to believe him. The heartstrings of her soul pulled mightily on the young acrobat, but he had drawn so many here over the years and he had muddled her mind to draw her here. "Will you help me? We can end this nightmare...both of us...together." The hook was cast, the die fallen through the tower. On one hand a dragon stood, righteous and pure holding back the tides of night. Yet yonder stood evidence of this man's attempts to bring beauty into the world as well. Was he vile or kind? Certainly even the sociopath could convince a young lady of great education to give up the protection of family and friend and waltz into the swamp unaided and to her doom; yet still no one truly evil could envision such beauty as he had attempted. Then again, the dragon had obvious love affair with him as well, could be his act of evil had only but opened the door allowing the beast over head entrance into his life - like the warlock of fable, perhaps the pact forged was not of his making nor choice but that he truly did need to be free? Did not all men deserve a chance at redemption? Yet even so, why did he effect to assume she had such control? Merely because she had seen the glimpse and walked unscathed? Her words were quiet, dwarfed in the magnitude of the mansion about them. They held her convictions, but they floated like butterflies upon the southern zephyrs to the ears; the sweet nectar retained to moisten the ear that hears. "You show me great and mighty wonders, m'Lord. Beauty and craftsmanship the like I have never before been exposed too. You speak gently and quietly, and truly the horror above; this lady Nyx or similar beast; does instill despair and doom. My heart yearns to restore upon you redemption, but not redemption of slices but of the whole. Not just redemption from a beast or a burden, but the innocence that comes from being freed from all beasts, all burdens; a full restoration of the katra. A complete freedom from that which twists you thusly, m'Lord. Yet even I know that one cannot truly be free from the grip of evil if one harbors even the slightest evils within one's heart. You must, in the deepest bowels of your heart, yearn to be a good man. A good ruler over your lands, a good maester of those who have entrusted their lives to you. Truly, m'Lord, I say to you that there is no fate but what we make. Convince me that you desire to be a boon to this world and I will go to the ends of myself and beyond to help you achieve freedom from your plagues. Else, I pray, even if the cost be my freedom to leave, let the others go and I, and I alone, will watch as you decay into whatever evil form that being has in mind for you. " She stood there, her chest heaving with fear and desperation against the illusory gown he had clothed her in. The smell of jasmine, was that illusory as well, or were the flowers real? Where were the matriarchs she had called upon - they had beseeched her not long yonder to teach him the secret dance. Could they not break her from this trance of the body so she could flee into the darkness? She wanted to mention the dragon that, to this day, pined away for her lover. Yet still she hesitated. Would he be receptive or would he lash out angrily? Men were such fickle folk, needing the most tenderness of touches to guide them along the right path. If she mistepped now, she might never have another chance.

OOC Stuff Okay, so I might have waxed on a bit overly much...

Character Stuff   Human (Variant) Monk (8) / Way of the Divine Attribute Mod Str +0 Dex +5 Con +1 Int -1 Wis +2 Cha +1 Sheet HP 31/45 AC 17 (21) Monk Ki 8/8 Prof Bonus 3 Passive Percep 15 Initiative +10 Spell Save DC 13 Spell Attack NA Key Skills Acrobatics 8 Athletics 3 Insight 2 Perception 8 Stealth 7 Languages Common Senses None Homeland Nomadic/Company                         Equipment   75 GP in various coins; cash on hand     Common Clothes     Performer's Outfit (magically mends itself, allows performer to alter costume to appear at will) - 100gp     Dungeoneer's Pack: Includes a backpack, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, a tinderbox, 10 days food, a waterskin, 50 feet hemp rope.     Mess Kit     Signal Whistle     Steel Mirror     2 Pieces of Chalk     2 Pieces of Coal     10 Sheets of Paper (in waterproof Mapcase)     Exquisite Outfit (Gown fit for a royal ball with makeup, perfume, appropriate jewelry, shoes, and hair ornament)     Fishing Tackle     50 feet Silk Rope (Sailor)     Billowing Cape (Free gear) - per DM also lets hair fly     Comb of Thunder (50gp) - Cast thunderwave once per lifetime     Eldritch Claw Tattoo (500gp) - +1d6 dmg, extends martial arts range to 30ft     Equipment Monastic Tradition: Way of the Divine   Bonus Proficiencies: Monks who follow the Way of the Divine do as well, except they are able to channel the divinity of their faith into their fighting style, making them the spiritual embodiment of the holy wrath of their gods.     Fury of the Faith: When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your attacks come alight with divine wrath. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to infuse your strikes with holy power. For the rest of your turn, any melee attack you make deals radiant damage instead of the traditional weapon damage. If you make a successful attack while this effect is active, you can expend 1 additional ki point to deal an additional 2d8 radiant damage.     Divine Affinity: Starting at 6th level, your connection to your deity allows you do exert some of their will upon the world. Using an action, you can spend 3 ki points to cast one of the following spells: zone of truth, prayer of healing or see invisibility.     Steadfast Devotion: Beginning at 11th level, your faith is unquestionable and keeps you on your feet, even when your body begins to break. If you are reduced to 0 hit points and it doesn’t kill you outright, you can expend 1 ki point, no action required from you, to have 1 hit point instead and remain standing. Using a ki point in this way immediately gives you 1 level of exhaustion.     Monastic Tradition Ki-Abilities Flurry of Blows: Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.   Patient Defense: You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.   Step of the Wind: You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.   Unarmored Movement: Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 15 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.   Deflect Missiles: Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack, which has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.   Slow Fall: Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level.   Extra Attack: Two attacks per round at 5th level   Stunning Strike: Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent’s body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.   Ki-Empowered Strikes: Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.   Evasion: At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon’s lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.   Stillness of Mind Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.   Monk Abilities Languages: Common (racial) Feat - Alert: You can’t be surprised while you are conscious; You gain a +5 bonus to initiative; Other creatures don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being hidden from you.   Feat - Lucky: You have 3 luck points. Whenever you make an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you may spend 1 luck point to roll an additional d20. You can use this ability after the original roll, but before the outcome is revealed. You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw; You regain expended luck points when you finish a long rest.   Racial Abilities & Feats

[bananabadger]

If you're going to a pun fight ... bring a bard Player: RedWorm Game: Mines of Phandelver / Group B System: D&D 5e GM: Chocoladevla Background: Death all day can be a drag. You kill one hoard, then another appears on the tip of your rapier. So sometimes a bit of levity is called for in battle--and in Chocoladevla's Mines of Phandelver game, this group of adventurers began riffing on tree puns when ambushed by, well, a bunch of awakened tree-bush thingies. All the characters gave it a try, but the bard won the day. If you're going to a pun fight, bring a bard. Link to Post: Nope. This is sooooo secret I can't link it.   Merlow Halfhide - Bard for hire "I can't be-leaf these tree or four stick-monsters arbour ill feelings toward us, fir Cyrollalee's sake!" Merlow retorted as she swung uselessly at a slow-moving branch. "What with the undead and these twig-things, we're becoming very poplar today." Attacks by waking dead and now vicious vines were stretching Merlow's imagination to breaking point. Never in her short life had so many new and terrifying experiences thrust themselves at her in such a brief space of time. "I'm not sure I'm qua-leaf-ied to know if fire is the best option here Fiadh," she was beginning to feel somewhat light-headed but by then the half-elf had tried to unleash her powers to little success. "Oak-ay, it's thyme to parquet!" Merlow attack tree 6 at R17 for 8 dmgcut and thrust with more success this time, hacking away at the nearest bush-baddie. "Sheer poetree in motion..." she thought to herself as leaves and twigs fell around her.   Merlow's stat block (full sheet link) HP: 21/21 | Armor Class:14 | Saves: Str 0; Dex +5; Con +1; Int 0; Wis 0; Chr +5 | Abilities: Str 0(10); Dex +3(16); Con +1(12); Int 0(10); Wis 0(11); Chr +3(16) Senses: Passive Perception 12 | Initiative: +4 | Move: 25' | Conditions: (None) Default melee: +5 to hit, 1d8+3 piercingRapier | Alternate melee: +5 to hit, 1d4+3 piercingDagger | Ranged weapon: +5 to hit, range 80/320, 1d8+3 piercingHand crossbow | Spell attack: +5 to hit, Spell Save DC 13Flute focus Feat: Reroll a 1 on d20Lucky | Advantage on saving throws against being frightened.Brave | Hide behind creatures one size larger - (DEX check)Natural Stealth | Move through a space of creature one size larger.Nimbleness | Use bonus action to give 1d6 Inspiration to use within 10 mins.Bardic Inspiration 3/3 LR | When creature within 60' rolls attack, ability or damage use reaction to minus Bardic Inspiration dice roll.Cutting words | Double proficiency bonus - Deception, Persuasion.Expertise Spells: Cantrips: You create up to four torch-sized lights within range, making them appear as torches, lanterns, or glowing orbs that hover in the air for the duration. You can also combine the four lights into one glowing vaguely humanoid form of Medium size. Whichever form you choose, each light sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius. As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the lights up to 60 feet to a new spot within range. A light must be within 20 feet of another light created by this spell, and a light winks out if it exceeds the spell's range.Dancing lights | You unleash a string of insults laced with subtle enchantments at a creature you can see within range. If the target can hear you (though it need not understand you), it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn. Vicious mockery Level 1: You attempt to charm a humanoid you can see within range (2nd lvl - 2 ‘people’). It must make a Wisdom saving throw, and does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you until the spell ends or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.Charm person | A creature of your choice that you can see within range regains hit points equal to 1d4+3 (2nd lvl - 2d4+3). This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.Healing word | This spell sends creatures into a magical slumber for 1 minute. Roll 5d8; the total is how many hit points of creatures this spell can affect (2nd lvl - 7d8) Creatures within 20 feet of a point you choose within range are affected in ascending order of their current hit points (ignoring unconscious creatures). Starting with the creature that has the lowest current hit points, each creature affected by this spell falls unconscious until the spell ends, the sleeper takes damage, or someone uses an action to shake or slap the sleeper awake. Subtract each creature's hit points from the total before moving on to the creature with the next lowest hit points. A creature's hit points must be equal to or less than the remaining total for that creature to be affected. Undead and creatures immune to being charmed aren't affected by this spell.Sleep | A wave of thunderous force sweeps out from you. Each creature in a 15-foot cube originating from you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 2d8 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't pushed (2nd lvl - 3d8) In addition, unsecured objects that are completely within the area of effect are automatically pushed 10 feet away from you by the spell's effect, and the spell emits a thunderous boom audible out to 300 feet.Thunderwave This spell creates an invisible, mindless, shapeless, Medium force that performs simple tasks at your command until the spell ends (1 hour). The servant springs into existence in an unoccupied space on the ground within range. It has AC 10, 1 hit point, and a Strength of 2, and it can't attack. If it drops to 0 hit points, the spell ends. Unseen Servant Level 2: You touch a creature and can end either one disease or one condition afflicting it. The condition can be blinded, deafened, paralyzed, or poisoned.Lesser Restoration Spell Slots: Cantrips: 2/2 | Lvl 1: 4/4 | Lvl 2: 2/2 Skills: +7 Deception, Persuasion | +5 Acrobatics, Performance, Stealth | +4 Intimidation, Sleight of hand | +2 Animal handling, Nature, Perception, Survival | +1 Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Religion| Merlow’s Actions Turn Summary Move: Action: attack tree 6 at R17 for 8 dmg Additional: - Object interaction): - Bonus action: - Reaction):

[PlaidPeregrine]

Player: PapaHuck
Game: Village Survival
System: DND 5e
GM: Ysolde

Context: A group of villagers who, within the past few days, transformed into supernatural creatures (Elves, Gnome, Shifter, Tabaxi, Centaur, etc) or who suddenly have powers/abilities beyond that of a normal ol' farmer. With the world upside down via an 'event' that has changed everything, an Erinyes confronts the party during an outing to kill wolf-sized abomination rats. PapaHuck, new to the game, bounds into the chaotic combat scene as a newly transformed villager (who is now a Satyr) to help save the day!

PapaHuck brings some wonderful mirth to the scene, and has such an original concept as being Ness, the village's gong (poop) 'farmer', who is now going to become a hero, full of energy and wit with a bardic magic all his own. Enjoy!

Link to Post

[Battlechaser]

Player: LeoByron
Game: Rise of the Old Ones
System: Pathfinder 1 - Spheres of power/might
GM: LeoByron

Context: The party is chasing after a pair of twin children who represent a slim hope of defeating an effort of the Old Ones - yes, ye olde Lovecraftian unspeakable horror. This group has arrived at the last place the twins had been seen and they’ve just added a cat to their dysfunctional ‘family’ when an agent from the Old Ones assailed them from within the mansion. Most of the group saved, yet the ‘mother’-figure, Veronica, spectacularly failed and now served as a conduit for alien beings beyond comprehension. They ejected Vivian, Veronica’s very spooky child and the only person she really loved.

Leo’s description of Veronica’s possession, of the ungodly pain she inflicts on her own child and of the malign influence of the Old Ones on the world of Origin is so accurate, so good of conveying these feelings that you can only shudder and hope the vileness leaves no traces while you check under the bed for monsters.

Link to post

[Fillyjonk]

Player: Atrayn
Game: Rime of the Frostmaiden
System: D&D 5e
GM: lostcheerio

Link to Post

Context: Tossed from the Rhegedmen of Icewind Dale for---well, pretty much being a shy, tittery, inexplicablem storm-powered sorcerer born in a blizzard to serve the broken goddess Hleid--- this skinny, weird kid has been for two years now growing up. Here, he finally steps into himself, using the oratory style of the very people who exiled him to negotiate with an ancient white dragon that is about to sacrifice Moxie to an Archdevil by throwing her in a grinder.

 

Falfen Falfen suddenly feels a great longing for the Dale and a sickness in this place. He wonders what Oar is doing and wonders, briefly, is he is ever going to see him again as this horrible beast begins to reach out to fling one of them into the void. If he can ever become powerful enough to return here and reclaim this place for Hleid and destroy all of this, he will. But first they must survive. He draws himself up as best he can with slightly knocking knees and takes the chest-forward position of one of the speakers of his clan. "Anoxiel is mighty indeed, and Irius has indeed been merciful to the demon-hunting heroes of Icewind Dale," he begins in his best Reghed oratory. "So what difference does it make to the mighty and merciful if three or four leave this place? This one" (and he nods at Moxie) "was held by the Axelords away from the pit as one of some importance, as was I, when we fell under the charm of Azediel. She wriggled free when I was pulled from the room to join my companions here and leapt when I did. I do not believe she was intended for the vortex and you err in consuming her." Despite the fact that sweat is gathering under his armor in a very unheroic way, he sticks his chest out further and finishes. "If the pride and wrath of Azediel will not permit a soul to return above, then send this one with us when we leave. I have obscured the sight of any from above, and no one will ever know. She, nor any of us, are common chaff to feed the grind, and she may better serve Levistus with us in the Rime." It is sickening to Falfen to denigrate those lives hurled into the grinding ice to save himself and his companions, but he imagines power only respects power in this twisted place.

[lostcheerio]

Player: bananabadger
Game: Rime of the Frostmaiden
System: D&D 5e
GM: lostcheerio

Link to Post

Context: A while back, this sprawling game divided into two threads, and bananabadger has been doing an excellent job of exploring the region and resolving challenges on his own while the rest of the party is elsewhere. A town election is part of the published adventure for the location he's in, and PCs are invited to either run for Town Speaker themselves or choose to back an NPC. bananabadger found a third option that was really perfect and did a great job acknowledging the realities of the game world while putting his own spin on things: running as a three person council, including himself, the NPC the adventure wants players to back, and another custom NPC he has been playing with. Not only did he develop this interesting idea, but he took into account the NPCs' input and objections as if they were real people with actual lives, and this led to a great resolution.

Sometimes as the DM, as the person in charge of revealing the world, you can feel like you're putting things out there, the players react, you put more things out there, the players react, and that's how the game progresses. But sometimes your players give you things to react to, and those are really great moments. In this post you'll see bananabadger's Goliath putting forward a pitch for Olivessa and Arista to join him in "the Tir-amies." You'll also see the poster Oar made to promote their campaign, and read references to the Galley Wench book series, an episodic adventure that bananabadger added to the campaign world. Make sure you open the buttons and look at the TT text!

 

Orwinton 'Oar' Grinstyrwi Art commission @ThePsysquatch Oar has no idea why some people, like this Vanessa, seem to react so harshly against Galley Wench. It's particularly perplexing because--as Oar just noticed--Vanessa seems to wear her hair with the signature Galley Wench cut, a generous portion shaved above the left ear. "It's stylish, but also practical!" Galley Wench would explain every three novels or so. "I show off my beautifully shaped ear, and also have a place to put my stirring spoon without it getting hairs on it!" Now, true, Vanessa isn't wearing a stirring spoon above her left ear as Galley Wench always does in all the illustrations ... but one Wenchie doesn't have to in order for another Wenchie to know. So, either Vanessa is a self-loathing Wenchie ... or the librarians have a very bad barber. Oar, not being the best judge of hair grooming, finds it hard to decide which. "Okay, okay, sorry," he says to Vanessa handing the book and catching her muttering something about three other Galley Wench novels (!) or maybe (?) or most likely (!?). This Vanessa is someone Oar is going to have to find a time to approach, make sure she knows he truly didn't intend to embarrass her and is sorry, and talk with her later on. But for now, he has some research and politicking to do. Or politicking and then research it seems, as Olivessa appears and both she and Arista ever so reluctantly agree to run ... sans the best name ever! (definitely ! and not ?, no question about that). "Okay, okay ... but it's good news you agreed. So a new name ... well, since the town is Good Mead, and since we started off on a venture together that involved bees and honeys, how about we name ourselves after one of my favorite port bands?" Oar asks, as he quickly takes up a parchment and quill and sketches out the notice he remembers seeing outside a port in Waterdeep. "Here ... this is roughly them!" he says proudly showing them his sketch.   If they like the idea, then Oar likes the idea. But ... he doesn't suspect that they will. "Fine, fine," he'll say. "Actually, I was saving that for a cabaret night with two of my friends if they ever return. One's short, but sings well. One's a one-eyed devil ... if you know what I mean," Oar says with a laugh and a wink ... because they probably won't know what he means, though Arista might? "But we were going to be, the Three Forkin' Honeys! Here's to ya, buddies, wherever you are!" he shouts out, before realizing where he is and that he could very well lose his fragile political coalition before the first roll call. "Okay, okay ... here's my other idea. Now, it has a bit of self-promotion, I know ... but bear with me because I think it works. As they say in Chessnetia ..." (Oar has no idea if they say this in Chessnetia) "... voila-netia!" he shouts, revealing another drawing.   "What do you think?" he asks eagerly. "See, we're in a boat because this is a lake town ... or at least the voters who aren't librarians consider it so. And, we're rowing toward the sun because, you know ... who would vote against sunshine? Only a cranky cowardly dwarf, amirite? And we each have an Oar--that's the self-promotion, I know, but everyone knows your names ... I'm the one that needs introducing, so ... forgive me? And our Oars are crossed together friendly like, and we show above how we intend to use them to work together--that's me in the back, do you notice?" (Oar is proud of that.) "And so, yeah, but the best part ... is the name. You are librarians and cart putter togethers, so you have smarts and can figure this out, but maybe don't know sea navigation ... so, here's the thing a "tireme" is a boat with three rows of oars, all working together--like us! But ... but ..." (Oar can hardly contain his excitement) "I've changed it to Tir-amies because "amies" is the Chessnetian word for "very close friends who work well together and share each other's novels, even if they themselves might not like those novels, but realize that their friends do and want to be able to read them"--that's a literal translation, most people don't realize it goes that deep, they just think it means work-together friends. So we are the Tiramie platform ... I guess we need a platform right, it should have three points. Each of us should say one of them when we speak together, right? That is a good idea, right? Mine will be: Big and small, long-timer or new-arrival--we all row together for the common good and a bright future! Okay, okay, I know that is a really good one, but I've had time to think it up, so you can come up with something good as well ... you got until our big rally tonight!" If they don't agree to this, Oar will stay to listen to their ideas. If they do agree, he'll get out quick while the agreement is set and head out to make more Tiramies posters and place them around town with the information about the gathering that night. Here how the Tiramies defeated ... a bear! an ogre! and two! yes two! verbeegs! Sample some really good, really rare Marsember Blush! Honor our brave, fallen town leader ... and hear from three--yes three!--worthy successors! And ... well, the Galley Wench reading has been called off because, reasons, but new posters will be up to announce when the first reading will be ... and we might even have a sneak preview at tonight's meeting! Come everyone! Big and small! Long-timer or new-arrival! We have a message for you! (And wine!) Except for the really small, sorry, Calilie . Oar hurries off hoping to get all the posters up and leave enough time to come back and study sounds ... But as he exits, Oar will spend enough time as needed to catch sight of Vanessa. He'll give her the secret Galley Wench spoon-stirring sign, and then he'll say: "We've launched the Tiramies!" And whether she gets his message or not, Because The Tiramies and the Vacation that Wasn't is the title of a minor Galley Wench novel, also involving her two cousins and the planned holiday they never got to take because of the events in Three Wenches are Better than One. Of course, it has another murder and interrupted vacation. But it does end with the cousins getting a day at the beach and some time together. Spoiler alert: the harbor master did it. Also spoiler alert: Oar really hopes that if Vanessa gets the reference she won't tattle to Arista that Oar is trying to pull a Wenchie on her. Cause he isn't! Not really. Though it is kind of funny. Hey! Don't blame Oar for solving a very real problem that existed with the limited tools he has available to him. As Galley Wench is fond of saying: You can't stir the pot and blame the spoon for stirring. Or was that Galley Wench's cousin? Clearly Oar needs to reread some old favorites to make sure.this will give Oar great satisfaction.