I came up with a sort of sinister bar/tavern encounter, where the barkeep is selling something that their patrons may not actually be very happy about, if they actually knew where it came from. While I have the general gists down, I'm lacking for a good idea for the creature that produces the secrets he's selling. I guess I could always go with an ooze or an insect/worm creature, but I feel I've done too many of those recently. Any ideas for what other creatures to use? They don't have to be from d&d specifically. If you know some cool obscure creature that would fill the slot all the better.
As always, thank you all for your time and help. You're the best.
While I do not have a creature in mind, maybe the ground-up horns of some Lawful Good/Noble animal that the barkeep gets from some poachers. It gives you a mix of shutting down the barkeep and stopping the poachers from hunting these creatures.
Personally, I probably would have the bartender have a specialty cocktail that’s a gin fizz, but with Abyssal Chicken egg whites instead of regular. Bonus points for serving gin fizzes at the table as you play.
Some other options might include Myconid spores and Gibbering Mouther spittle - both creatures use their respective excretions as parts of attacks, so you could make a watered down version of the attack’s effects as an intoxication effect on the players who drink it.
Personally, I probably would have the bartender have a specialty cocktail that’s a gin fizz, but with Abyssal Chicken egg whites instead of regular. Bonus points for serving gin fizzes at the table as you play.
Some other options might include Myconid spores and Gibbering Mouther spittle - both creatures use their respective excretions as parts of attacks, so you could make a watered down version of the attack’s effects as an intoxication effect on the players who drink it.
Tad-quila: Ingredients include Blue Agave and Slaad Tadpoles. Drink Responsibly, unforeseen side effect may include: a desire to eat the flesh of others, some deformity and and change in skin colour. This drink is brough to the local population thanks to a Red Slaad that is chained up in the basement of the tavern.
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* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
Could go the route of secretions from sentient frog people, either grung or bullywugs. Make the drink psychoactive. Comes with the added issue of him trafficking frog people.
Sure, the barkeep could be selling some kind of scary or unusual creature. And sure, that would make him a bad guy, I guess. And sure, the players may try to stop him because, well, that's what players do, I guess.
But consider this... the barkeep isn't selling cockatrices to the pit-fighting gamblers in the basement. The barkeep isn't selling an alleged aphrodisiac made from the ground up bones of satyrs. Those things would surely make the barkeep a bad guy. But your party won't be content fighting something as mundane as yet another bad guy. Your players want to fight monsters! So what would a real monster look like???
Maybe the barkeep has a secret barn or root cellar somewhere nearby where he's breeding cute little puppies and kittens. And maybe he's grinding them into meat and selling them as hamburgers. And maybe THAT'S why his business has been booming lately, because of the uniquely-flavored new line of burgers that he's been selling.
Sure, the barkeep could be selling some kind of scary or unusual creature. And sure, that would make him a bad guy, I guess. And sure, the players may try to stop him because, well, that's what players do, I guess.
But consider this... the barkeep isn't selling cockatrices to the pit-fighting gamblers in the basement. The barkeep isn't selling an alleged aphrodisiac made from the ground up bones of satyrs. Those things would surely make the barkeep a bad guy. But your party won't be content fighting something as mundane as yet another bad guy. Your players want to fight monsters! So what would a real monster look like???
Maybe the barkeep has a secret barn or root cellar somewhere nearby where he's breeding cute little puppies and kittens. And maybe he's grinding them into meat and selling them as hamburgers. And maybe THAT'S why his business has been booming lately, because of the uniquely-flavored new line of burgers that he's been selling.
That's what a monster would do!
Honestly, if I were a player, I would much prefer what the OP actually asked for than what you presented. Personally “Oops, well, that’s kind of gross and unexpected”, chuckling a bit, and moving on is going to be far more amusing than “oh, look, it’s a tired and predictable cliché.”
How about, the tavern has a bad reputation, things go missing, people report ghostly sightings etc but people go there for the deliciously weird black syrup that the tavern owner makes. The Tavern is not some thieves safe house or haunted mansion but is instead "infested" by Boggles (see VGtM) and the syrup drink being served is their Boggle Oil.
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* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
Khef is a psionic plant - it looks not unlike tobacco - which produces a slight feeling of euphoria when it's seeds are ingested. The euphoria isn't really in the seeds, they merely make you receptive to the psionic emanations of the plant. They are, obviously, also addictive. Move too far from the plant, and the euphoria goes away, and you get quite terrible withdrawal too.
In the wild, this means that the plant has a corps of guardians, propably animals, but maybe humans.
But it is almost painfully easy to abuse. Give the seeds to slaves or prisoners, and they won't run - they'll actively protect the plants that keep them 'chained'. Give it to people to blackmail or manipulate them. And so on.
I feel this doesn't exactly fit your need, but it's related at least.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
I know you meant "secretions" rather than "secrets," but that funky little typo got me thinking. Wouldn't it be fun for the barkeep to actually be using secrets in some way? Perhaps it's a sort of mind flayer/allip/other mind-affecting creature, whose secrets the barkeep is actually brewing into their drinks. Surprisingly, forbidden knowledge gives a delicious fruity twist to a lot of cocktails. Just a shame it melts your mind and gives you terrible nightmares, making you prone to manipulation and madness.
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"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
I know you meant "secretions" rather than "secrets," but that funky little typo got me thinking. Wouldn't it be fun for the barkeep to actually be using secrets in some way? Perhaps it's a sort of mind flayer/allip/other mind-affecting creature, whose secrets the barkeep is actually brewing into their drinks. Surprisingly, forbidden knowledge gives a delicious fruity twist to a lot of cocktails. Just a shame it melts your mind and gives you terrible nightmares, making you prone to manipulation and madness.
Oh a tweaked version of the Encode Thoughts cantrip (From Guildmasters Guide to Ravinica) could be a good mechanic for this, rather than creating a strand of glowing energy you from it into a liquid, you oculd go so far as to tweak the liquid with prestidigitation to alter the tempreature and flavour as well.
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* Need a character idea? Search for "Rob76's Unused" in the Story and Lore section.
I love this idea and kudos to the OP for coming up with it! This can go so MANY different ways!
1) Barkeep is an unwilling participant but they're forced to do it by some means. Might try to warn the party through sly words or gestures.
2) Barkeep is a willing participant but only cares as far as it helps his establishment (no long-term evil intent like taking over the city or realm).
3) Barkeep is a willing participant and actively wants to expand upon the idea. They might suggest trying to drag the party into the scheme.
4) Barkeep is the source of the problem. They are actually a closet Alchemist who arrived in town years ago and set up the bar after killing the previous owner. Operated honestly (except for the murder) for a while but then realized that adding ingredients to food and drink would earn more money. Experimented with a few things (Old Person In Town Who Tells Stories For Money might be able to relate 'the sickness a decade ago...then another three years later...another the following year) as the Barkeep experiments with different things.
I could see the Barkeep plotline as being anything from a one-off to a whole series of adventures leading toward an unknown BBEG!
Look at the all player character's races and backstories, and find something that would make a specific party member gag.
For example: I recently ran (as a co-DM, not the full DM) a session where the party member who was good friends with and was mentored by a dragon drank dragon's blood and found out what it was they were drinking later.
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Being gender-fluid and pansexual makes roleplay a lot easier!
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Hey, how's it going?
I came up with a sort of sinister bar/tavern encounter, where the barkeep is selling something that their patrons may not actually be very happy about, if they actually knew where it came from. While I have the general gists down, I'm lacking for a good idea for the creature that produces the secrets he's selling. I guess I could always go with an ooze or an insect/worm creature, but I feel I've done too many of those recently. Any ideas for what other creatures to use? They don't have to be from d&d specifically. If you know some cool obscure creature that would fill the slot all the better.
As always, thank you all for your time and help. You're the best.
While I do not have a creature in mind, maybe the ground-up horns of some Lawful Good/Noble animal that the barkeep gets from some poachers. It gives you a mix of shutting down the barkeep and stopping the poachers from hunting these creatures.
Personally, I probably would have the bartender have a specialty cocktail that’s a gin fizz, but with Abyssal Chicken egg whites instead of regular. Bonus points for serving gin fizzes at the table as you play.
Some other options might include Myconid spores and Gibbering Mouther spittle - both creatures use their respective excretions as parts of attacks, so you could make a watered down version of the attack’s effects as an intoxication effect on the players who drink it.
Or a djin fizz.
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Tad-quila: Ingredients include Blue Agave and Slaad Tadpoles. Drink Responsibly, unforeseen side effect may include: a desire to eat the flesh of others, some deformity and and change in skin colour. This drink is brough to the local population thanks to a Red Slaad that is chained up in the basement of the tavern.
Could go the route of secretions from sentient frog people, either grung or bullywugs. Make the drink psychoactive. Comes with the added issue of him trafficking frog people.
Sure, the barkeep could be selling some kind of scary or unusual creature. And sure, that would make him a bad guy, I guess. And sure, the players may try to stop him because, well, that's what players do, I guess.
But consider this... the barkeep isn't selling cockatrices to the pit-fighting gamblers in the basement. The barkeep isn't selling an alleged aphrodisiac made from the ground up bones of satyrs. Those things would surely make the barkeep a bad guy. But your party won't be content fighting something as mundane as yet another bad guy. Your players want to fight monsters! So what would a real monster look like???
Maybe the barkeep has a secret barn or root cellar somewhere nearby where he's breeding cute little puppies and kittens. And maybe he's grinding them into meat and selling them as hamburgers. And maybe THAT'S why his business has been booming lately, because of the uniquely-flavored new line of burgers that he's been selling.
That's what a monster would do!
Anzio Faro. Protector Aasimar light cleric. Lvl 18.
Viktor Gavriil. White dragonborn grave cleric. Lvl 20.
Ikram Sahir ibn-Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad. Brass dragonborn draconic sorcerer Lvl 9. Fire elemental devil.
Wrangler of cats.
Honestly, if I were a player, I would much prefer what the OP actually asked for than what you presented. Personally “Oops, well, that’s kind of gross and unexpected”, chuckling a bit, and moving on is going to be far more amusing than “oh, look, it’s a tired and predictable cliché.”
Blue milk from The Last Jedi.
How about, the tavern has a bad reputation, things go missing, people report ghostly sightings etc but people go there for the deliciously weird black syrup that the tavern owner makes. The Tavern is not some thieves safe house or haunted mansion but is instead "infested" by Boggles (see VGtM) and the syrup drink being served is their Boggle Oil.
In my games, I have the khef plant.
Khef is a psionic plant - it looks not unlike tobacco - which produces a slight feeling of euphoria when it's seeds are ingested. The euphoria isn't really in the seeds, they merely make you receptive to the psionic emanations of the plant. They are, obviously, also addictive. Move too far from the plant, and the euphoria goes away, and you get quite terrible withdrawal too.
In the wild, this means that the plant has a corps of guardians, propably animals, but maybe humans.
But it is almost painfully easy to abuse. Give the seeds to slaves or prisoners, and they won't run - they'll actively protect the plants that keep them 'chained'. Give it to people to blackmail or manipulate them. And so on.
I feel this doesn't exactly fit your need, but it's related at least.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
Some very good ideas and some future plot hooks I spotted. Thanks for all the help so far, I really do appreciate it.
I know you meant "secretions" rather than "secrets," but that funky little typo got me thinking. Wouldn't it be fun for the barkeep to actually be using secrets in some way? Perhaps it's a sort of mind flayer/allip/other mind-affecting creature, whose secrets the barkeep is actually brewing into their drinks. Surprisingly, forbidden knowledge gives a delicious fruity twist to a lot of cocktails. Just a shame it melts your mind and gives you terrible nightmares, making you prone to manipulation and madness.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Oh a tweaked version of the Encode Thoughts cantrip (From Guildmasters Guide to Ravinica) could be a good mechanic for this, rather than creating a strand of glowing energy you from it into a liquid, you oculd go so far as to tweak the liquid with prestidigitation to alter the tempreature and flavour as well.
I love this idea and kudos to the OP for coming up with it! This can go so MANY different ways!
1) Barkeep is an unwilling participant but they're forced to do it by some means. Might try to warn the party through sly words or gestures.
2) Barkeep is a willing participant but only cares as far as it helps his establishment (no long-term evil intent like taking over the city or realm).
3) Barkeep is a willing participant and actively wants to expand upon the idea. They might suggest trying to drag the party into the scheme.
4) Barkeep is the source of the problem. They are actually a closet Alchemist who arrived in town years ago and set up the bar after killing the previous owner. Operated honestly (except for the murder) for a while but then realized that adding ingredients to food and drink would earn more money. Experimented with a few things (Old Person In Town Who Tells Stories For Money might be able to relate 'the sickness a decade ago...then another three years later...another the following year) as the Barkeep experiments with different things.
I could see the Barkeep plotline as being anything from a one-off to a whole series of adventures leading toward an unknown BBEG!
Look at the all player character's races and backstories, and find something that would make a specific party member gag.
For example: I recently ran (as a co-DM, not the full DM) a session where the party member who was good friends with and was mentored by a dragon drank dragon's blood and found out what it was they were drinking later.
Being gender-fluid and pansexual makes roleplay a lot easier!