Final Fantasy XIV, Part 15 (Last Wednesday Night)

Last Wednesday night, five of the Mighty Owlbears banded together and fought against some elder primals. Sephirot and Sophia were up first. I know these graphics are a bit dated and other people have ooooh'd and aaaah'd over this already, but hey, it's my first time, all right? So I'm gonna slather praise on these gorgeous boss demons. Sick stuff. Check it out.

Truffle, Glock, and Worfina stand strong against Sephirot

And as badass as he was, Sophia just straight up tops him in every sense of the word. Rawr.

We killed the third demon guy, too, but honestly, I wasn't as impressed by him. Just take my word for it that we killed him and saved the world. From there, we went on to explore Alexander - Fist of the Father, and while that's a pretty strange and evocative name on one hand, on the other, it also sounds kinda dumb. But I digress. Screenshots, speak for me!

I'm starting to feel desensitized to how awesome all this stuff is. Remember back in March when I wrote extensively about an NPC I dubbed Evil George Washington? I was positively enchanted by his tricorn hat and sideburns. Now, as I'm looking at all these Voltron robot bosses and hologram mandalas and cities built inside of giant robots, I'm finding myself writing things like, "Yeah, so, this was pretty neat, there were robots and goblins and we just sorta ran in and kicked their asses."

I really wish that some of these dope holograms and robot-bosses would've shown up before I was 300+ hours into this game. Hey, James Fantasy, creator of Final Fantasy XIV, if you're listening? Maybe instead of killing goobbues in one of those random forest zones around level 30, we could've gone inside the hologram manadala thing instead? Would've had more emotional impact. Just a suggestion.

Anyway, after a hard day of adventure, Drippy and Aericka went to her new apartment for a while and hung out. She hasn't got her hot tub installed just yet, but I like her choice of posters and quality table decorum. And she lives near the beach so like, we can just run outside and go for a night swim whenever we want. Really, it was the perfect end to a delightful day.

On that note: It's summer, now, and I'm playing a lot less Final Fantasy than I was when the weather was chilly and the days were short. Other games have grabbed my attention, lately, too, like Sea of Thieves and Hunt: Showdown and, of course, some variety or another of D&D. So, this will likely be my last Final Fantasy update for a while... I still love the game, but like I said above, I can feel myself becoming desensitized to all the awesomeness, and that's simply not what I'm about. Gotta savor it, and not rush through one thing simply to reach another. After all, 

“There are a thousand reasons to live this life, every one of them is sufficient.”

― Marilynne Robinson, Gilead

(For the record, I have no idea who Marilynne Robinson is. I just wanted to end with a snappy highbrow quote. And since I've essentially ruined that now...)

"Oh, do not look at me so. A smile better suits a hero..."

Melvaunt on the Moonsea

An enormous map of the Forgotten Realms

The Moonsea and Environs

Hex Map of the Moonsea (1 hex = 6 miles)

The City of Melvaunt

The docks of Melvaunt on a stormy afternoon

MELVAUNT ON THE MOONSEA

This post is a collection of resources for a sandbox game of 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons set in the Forgotten Realms.

The campaign begins in the city of Melvaunt. Melvaunt is a city of roughly 40,000 people which lay along the north shore of the Moonsea, in northern central Faerun. Melvaunt is a mercantile city, ruled over by a Council of Lords and influenced by several powerful guilds. The noble houses of Melvaunt pay well for skillful, discreet services.

Melvaunt is a city-state. It is allied with nearby Hillsfar and Phlan and at odds with Zhentil Keep. It has a well-trained standing army which it supplements with mercenaries from Hillsfar.

Current Year: 1490 D.R., the Year of the Star Walker’s Return

Current Season: Late Spring

Current Month: Tarsakh | Month 4 

Campaign Start Date: 1st of Tarsakh

LEVEL ADVANCEMENT

Level advancement happens via milestones, with a twist. Since this is a player driven game, you earn milestones for setting goals and accomplishing them. If you don't have a specific goal for your character, that's OK - you benefit equally from helping someone else accomplish theirs. 

Sample Goals

* Build a stronghold

* Lead an army into battle

* Hunt down your brother's assassin and take revenge

* Discover a lost treasure

* Ride a unicorn

* Become enlightened

* Open a bed and breakfast

* Marry into a noble family

* Explore the Bell of the Deep

Making significant progress towards a goal is enough to earn a milestone. Don't worry - You won't be stuck at level 1 until you accomplish a high-level task!

Milestone fragments are a third of a milestone. These are awarded when you accomplish something significant, but not quite worthy of a full milestone. At the DM's discretion, milestone fragments can be awarded for just about anything, but generally speaking, they come from the sort of activities you'd expect from a game of Dungeons & Dragons. They are also a way to move the game along after one of those sessions that feels like a filler episode; yes, nothing happened, but we all had fun talking in silly voices for a couple of hours and that's what counts.

Examples of Activities that Award Milestone Fragments

* Overcoming a challenging combat encounter

* Establishing a relationship with a high-level NPC whose class is the same as yours who is willing to train you in your chosen profession

* Exceptional role-playing

* Buying the deed to a plot of land

* Discovering a treasure map

* Learning significant details about of your brother's assassin

* Making an impassioned plea before the city's zoning board

* Baking the perfect cake

* Getting revenge on that damn manticore for ruining your yard party

If one player gains a milestone or milestone fragment, each other player does as well. Cooperation is the key to success!

INSPIRATION

Inspiration is awarded when a player does something inspired, but not necessarily worthy of a milestone fragment. 1 point of inspiration may be spent to reroll any one die. A character can only bank up to 1 inspiration point. If a character has more than 1 inspiration and they receive a second, they must choose another player to receive the inspiration.

BUYING AND SELLING MAGIC ITEMS

In a place like Melvaunt, the buying and selling of magic items is relatively commonplace, though some goods will be easier to sell than others. 

CRAFTING MAGIC ITEMS

Flutesloot has an excellent breakdown of magic item crafting in 5th Edition. I'll be using it as my primary source. We'll use the crafting rules in Xanthar's Guide to Everything as our default.

There are several shops in Melvaunt that buy and sell magic items. Two of the best known establishments are listed below.

BLACKALBUCK'S SWAP SHOP

[50] Healing Potion: You regain 2d4 + 2 Hit Points when you drink this potion. The potion's red liquid glimmers when agitated.

[450] Greater Healing Potion: You regain 4d4 + 4 Hit Points when you drink this potion. The potion's minty green liquid fizzes when agitated.

[1350] Superior Healing Potion: You regain 8d4 + 8 Hit Points when you drink this potion. This potion is jet black and smells strongly of rotted fruit.

[300] Potion of Cold Resistance: When you drink this potion, you gain cold resistance for one hour. Tastes like blood and cayanne pepper.

[300] Potion of Fire Resistance: As above. Tastes like lemonade.

[300] Potion of Lightning Resistance: As above. Tastes like almonds and cilantro.

[300] Potion of Necrotic Resistance: As above. Tastes like cinnamon.

[2500] Potion of Stone Giant Strength: When you drink this potion, your Strength score changes to 23 for 1 hour. The potion is transparent and flavorless; a stone giant's toenail floats suspended within.

HERMUK'S ALLGOODS

[100 + cost of weapon] Silver weapon.

[500 + cost of weapon] Enchanted weapon (+1). 

[1000 + cost of armor] Enchanted armor (+1). 

Enchanted weapons and armor require a permit from the Melvaunt city guard to purchase. The permit costs 100 g.p. and must be signed by a guardsman ranked Captain or higher.

Hermuk also offers a fair market price for non-consumable magic items: 50 g.p. for common, 500 g.p. for uncommon, and 5000 g.p. for rare. The prices for Very Rare and Legendary items are not listed, as such exceptional treasures must be bought and sold on a case-by-case basis.

Last but not least, there's the matter of where you'll stay. Unless you say otherwise, you're staying at the Safe Harbor.

SAFE HARBOR INN AND TAVERN

The inn is a single story stone-walled building with a large, well-stocked cellar and a cozy fireplace. Accommodations consist of wooden cots with a footlocker in a single large room. The innkeeper is a retired human soldier named Millie Westerling who charges 4 silver pieces an evening for her cots.

BREAKFAST: Dried Mutton and Lentils, Tankard of Cider (7 cp)

LUNCH: Millet Biscuits and Poached Eggs, Mug of Stout (6 cp)

DINNER: Boiled Sausage and Whey Cheese, Glass of Gin (8 cp)

SPELLCASTING SERVICES
Melvaunt is a large city where any acolyte can find a friendly shrine or temple. The following spells are commonly requested and widely available:

Cure wounds (1st level) 10 gp

Identify 20 gp

Lesser restoration 40 gp

Prayer of healing (2nd level) 40 gp

Remove curse 90 gp

Speak with dead 90 gp

Divination 210 gp

Greater restoration 450 gp