Before getting to the results of the last poll and advancing the story, I wanted to share a crowdfunding campaign from Mr. Tarrasque! His Kickstarter for Hymn of the Dragonflower, an adventure for 2nd-5th level characters, just went live yesterday and is over 50% funded. Set in a bitterly cold mountain range, the adventure sees your party take on a quest to harvest a mythical flower while pitting them against a host of new, original monsters designed specifically for the adventure.



If that sounds like your kind of adventure, check out the campaign and consider giving him your support!

Examining the oil, you notice that it has several distinctive qualities. It seems to possess an almost anti-magical signature to it under arcane inspection, absorbing ambient magical energy and dissipating it throughout the substance. It's also incredibly hard to separate - scooping oil out of the water or off of the ground and into a container results in the oil flowing back out of the container unless special care is taken to avoid getting oil on the outside of the container. Finally, when you manage to separate some and perform alchemical studies on the oil, you observe that it seems to have volcanic particles mixed into it.

Following the trail of oil out into the ocean, you come to a spot where it rises like a column from the ocean floor.

Just before the campaign launched I had a great interview with Undercommon Tastes but completely forgot to share it when it came out! We go into some depth about what each type of content in the book is, and then (as usual for their episodes) create a fun new monster at the end that I am personally hoping to use in a game sometime.



You can also find the podcast version here (and probably other places where podcasts live).

We've got just over a week left in the crowdfunding campaign and we're steadily approaching our next funding goal! Please continue sharing the campaign with your friends and on social media - word of mouth is always crowdfunding's greatest tool for exposure. There's often an uptick at the end of a campaign, but it'd be amazing to be able to reveal the next stretch goal before those final days!

And now, it's time for a new adventure!

You have devoted yourselves to the protection and service of a nature spirit, earning the Pact of the Driftwood Crown (See backer-only content in browser, and below that for the poll). Now, a threat has risen and the spirit needs your help. An oily substance has been washing up on shore, harming the environment and killing wildlife. It has also hindered the spirit's control of the water near its shoreline, preventing it from cleaning the mess on its own. You are to find the source of the oil and put a stop to its production.

"Hmm... Of mixed minds, are we? No matter. I am certain I have an idea that will satisfy most - myself included." As the figure speaks, you feel the mud around you pulling you deeper into the earth. However, the sinking feeling soon stops, replaced with the feeling of roots growing around your legs. The muddy water clears once again, and flowers and other flora sprout in vibrant abundance throughout the pond. The figure's form likewise transforms to reflect the life around them. Where once was pale, gaunt flesh is now full, healthy skin that glows golden in the sunlight. Where once sunken, lifeless eyes gazed at you, you now see rainbow-colored irises that sparkle with some internal glow.

"Growth requires a sacrifice. Perhaps a touch of my power will also grant you that understanding. I shall watch you with interest from now on." With a wave of their hand, the radiant figure bestows a fraction of their essence upon you and you feel yourselves transported back to your home plane. (See the backer-only section of the update in your browser).


Thanks for playing! I had fun coming up with the scenarios and seeing how you'd vote each time. I'll be creating a new play-by-poll adventure starting early this week inspired by the 2nd favorite adventure title from that poll: "Defend the Driftwood Crown"!

Wading into the pond, you kneel before the great white lily. As you do, the lily's bloom begins to wither. The beautiful pond fills with debris and the clear water of the surface rapidly becomes as murky as the bottom. From the pond's center rises a pale, gaunt figure. Water drips from its long, bleached hair and its sunken eyes gaze down at you soullessly as its mouth opens to speak.

My interview with Mike at Games Played Badly is ready to watch! I had a lot of fun talking to him a couple weeks ago right after launch, and he kindly edited down the interview to a nice compact video where we discuss some of the origins and inspirations of Tome of Intangible Treasures. I also share one of my (many) favorite pieces of content in the book!

Following the babbling brook, you come to a small pond surrounded by vibrant plant growth. The surface of the pond reflects clear blue sky, through which passes the occasional cloud. A large, white lily floats at the pond's center, its stems descending through the clear water to a murky bottom. As you observe the pond, the more perceptive of you notice the gleam of white bones protruding from throughout the muddy bed.

A presence beckons you toward the pond, though what you each feel drawn to varies.