A Crash Course in Worldbuilding: Deities and Portfolios

A Crash Course in Worldbuilding: Deities and Portfolios

    If you take nothing else from this post, remember: whether it's daily life, traumatic events, or the big questions of life, there are things that religious people go to their deities for time and time again. For example, even if no deity specializes in childbirth, expectant parents will still pray for safe childbirth and a healthy child. Keep this in mind when designing a pantheon or a religion for your game or book.

    I researched real-world religions and created a list of portfolios associated with deities. Some portfolios had to be split, for example, “cthonic” generally splits into earth and death. If this were a more scholarly list, I probably would have done things differently. As you build or review your list of deities, consider: do you have someone for people to look to when it comes to these portfolios?

    These portfolios are separated into three groups: The Big Seven, The Notable Seven, and the Seven Tertiaries. They are also listed in the order of how frequently the portfolio is associated with a deity.

THE BIG SEVEN

    The Big Seven (Sky, Childbirth, Fertility, Agriculture, Death, Sun, War) are the seven most common portfolios. They exist in nearly every pantheon. They are often the primary or only portfolio of a major deity.

SKY

Example deities: Nuit, Odin, Thor, Zeus

    Sky also covers air, wind, and storms. These inclusions helped put sky in the top spot. However, since nearly every mythos includes a sky deity, it's appropriate for this one to be high on the list. Sky deities often have a prominent place in the pantheon, and are often a parent deity with earth.

CHILDBIRTH

Example Deities: Bes, Diana, Frigg, Juno, Meskhenet, Terra

    If you think about it, it’s not surprising to see childbirth high on the list. Childbirth is a time when things can go very well or very bad, even in modern times. As linked as it is to happiness, social status, and the survival of the species, childbirth often has several deities in a pantheon watching over different aspects of the process.

FERTILITY

Example Deities: Amun, Brigid, Demeter, Freyr, Isis

    Another category in which a pantheon is likely to have several entrants, fertility can cover many things - a bountiful harvest, many children, or healthy domesticated animals. Fertility is related to survival, reproduction, and success, so is an understandably important portfolio.

AGRICULTURE

Example Deities: Demeter, Jarilo, Osiris

    Often associated with fertility, but also a separate thing, are agricultural deities. They are often associated with cycles of birth, death, and rebirth (Osiris), or more directly as a deity of the season (Demeter). The benefits of a good crop season are obvious, and the difficulties of a bad crop season can be devastating.

DEATH

Example Deities: Hades, Hel, Osiris

    It's no surprise that people turn to gods when it comes to death. Attempts to defeat death have been the subject of great works of literature, from Gilgamesh to Frankenstein. But death has historically been such a terrifying subject that people who overcame it were to be feared (Dracula) or held in awe (Hercules). As death has become less pressing and less terrifying, people who have overcome it...well, let’s just say they’re less terrifying. (*Cough*Angel*Cough*Edward*Cough*) 

SUN

Example Deities: Dazbog, Helios, Sol, Ra

    The sun is a source of both life and death. It simply cannot be ignored. We see and deal with it daily, barring thick clouds, extreme weather, or London fog. Deities of sun can be male or female and are often near the head of the pantheon without being in charge.

WAR

Example Deities: Ares, Athena, Horus, Kali, Set, Thor, Tyr

    Some might have expected war to be high on the list. After all, it deals with death and victory, and most pantheons have multiple war deities (E.g., Ares and Athena). Some pantheons seem to be built around battle (E.g., the Norse Pantheon). However, when you look at the portfolios that score higher, you can see how they would occur more in most people's lives.

THE NOTABLE SEVEN

    The Notable Seven (Earth, Moon, Water, Love, Motherhood, Knowledge, Creation) occur less often and are typically present in association with other portfolios or deities less central to the pantheon. Some of them may occur with major deities in one pantheon while playing lesser roles in others.

EARTH

Example Deities: Aranyani, Gaia, Veles, Zeme

    Earth deities may be the personification of the earth, deities of nature, or deities of death. They often have secondary portfolios such as fertility, wealth, and mountains. These secondary portfolios make sense: people are buried when they die, and many sources of wealth come from the ground: gems, metals, and crops, for example.

MOON

Example Deities: Artemis, Jarilo, Selene

    Deities of the moon often have a close relationship to a deity of the sun. It may be romantic, familial, or adversarial. As with solar deities, lunar deities may be male or female. Deities of the moon are commonly also deities of water, hunting, or magic.

WATER

Example Deities: Enki, Poseidon, Tiamat, Veles

    In some mythologies, one or two deities cover the entire water portfolio. Others separate lakes from rivers or salt water from fresh water. A deity of water may also be one of travel and trade, or of storms and chaos.

LOVE

Example Deities: Aphrodite, Bastet, Cupid. Freyja, Hera, Siebog

    The gods of love are many and varied. This portfolio may cover familial or romantic love; it may be obsession or passion. They may be deities of family and home or someone who cloaks secret love. In a small pantheon, the love portfolio could easily be split and attached to deities with other portfolios, such as moon, fertility, and childbirth.

MOTHERHOOD

Example Deities: Akna, Hathor, Hera, Rhea, Terra

    Great mother deities are often married to the head of their pantheon, even if the head shows himself to be a terrible husband. (I’m looking at you, Zeus.) Some deities are defined primarily as mothers, but many mother deities also have portfolios that include love, fertility, or childbirth.

KNOWLEDGE

Example Deities: Athena, Hermes, Ogma, Quetzalcoatl, Thoth

    Deities of knowledge are often credited with inventing or mastering, writing, astrology, and magic. They may be advisors to greater deities, or work more independently. If the society has a legendary library, the deity of knowledge may be the keeper of said library

CREATION

Example Deities: Athena, Enki, Ra, Ptah, Quetzalcoatl

    The creation portfolio is really two separate portfolios: the creation of the world, and crafts or smithing. That’s important to keep in mind when writing up a pantheon. However, when creating a pantheon for RPGs, it’s reasonable to have them in the same “Creation” portfolio.

THE SEVEN TERTIARIES

   The Seven Tertiaries (Fire, Trade, Magic, Youth, Medicine, Fate, Winter) occur less frequently than the Big and Notable Sevens. Some are rare enough that, if they were not common portfolios for roleplaying games, I might have left them off the list entirely.  

FIRE

Example Deities: Brigid, Hephaestus, Hestia, Perun, Svarog

    A fire deity might be a deity of smithing, of the hearth at home, or of divine fire. A deity with the fire domain might not even emphasize fire; it could be simply an expression of their personality or ability.

TRADE

Example Deities: Hermes, Minerva, Veles

    Deities of trade are not the most powerful of deities nor are they near the head of the pantheon. Indeed, they are more likely to appeal to a specific subset of people: merchants. Unless a Trade deity has other domains, they are likely to be a very minor god or goddess.

MAGIC

Example Deities: Apollo, Hecate, Hermes, Isis, Odin, Thoth

    Deities all have supernatural powers, but some are specifically associated with magic. Sometimes it is because they cast spells, other times because they grant or teach spellcasting. They are often also gods of knowledge or writing. They are often high in their pantheon, such as Isis, Odin, and Thoth. However, they may also be pushed to the edge of the pantheon or minimalized.

YOUTH

Example Deities: Hebe, Iounn (the Norse Goddess, not the D&D god)

    A deity of youth may be associated with beauty, adventure, and innocence. They may also have a relationship with another deity, such as one with the Mother portfolio.

MEDICINE

Example Deities: Apollo, Hermes, Panacea, Sekhmet

    This entry makes me think that, perhaps, I should recount these portfolios; most pantheons have at least one deity of health and/or medicine. There are even a few deities for which health, healing, and medicine are the primary portfolio. Still, it seems medicine was outweighed by the sheer number of other portfolios.

FATE

Example: The Greek Fates, Ishtar

    Deities are more often subject to fate than they are the dispensers of it. However, in a game or book which employs luck or fortune-telling, a deity of fate could play a central role.

WINTER

Example Deities: Skadi, Stribog

    Deities of winter are also associated with cold, snow, and ice. They may be gods of death, or they may be generous deities associated with gift-giving and winter festivals.

***** ***** *****

    There they are, 21 deity portfolios for designing a pantheon for your RPG or fantasy world. How do you feel about this list? Are there other portfolios that should be included?

Superhero Necessities

I’ve assembled a brief but more-or-less comprehensive list of superhero necessities. The list isn’t promising for the average citizen. It’s not even easy for most above-average citizens.


Bulletproof Everything

     Face included. When fighting crime, someone will eventually shoot you. This is a reality you need to deal with, if you're going to be fighting crime.

     Remember, bulletproof does not mean pain proof. Those bullets will hurt. You can still get bruises and broken ribs while wearing bulletproof equipment. You are just less likely to die. Also, more armor can equal less mobility.


A Helmet

     Not even a mask will do. Everybody in Metropolis should know who Superman is his second week out. Green Lantern's mask isn’t nearly enough to actually conceal his identity. Even Batman’s mask is lacking: chins can be pretty distinctive. A helmet protects your identity while providing some protection to your head. Also consider something to disguise your voice.

     The downside is that you lack some range of vision, and some movement of the head.

     Of course, the downside to concealing your identity is that other people can imitate you. Someone could go out and start committing horrible crimes, to discredit you to get revenge on you.


Locomotion

     When your arch-villain threatens your girlfriend on one side of the city and your best friend on the other side, how will you get to both of them? If the villain is jumping from rooftop to roof top, how will you follow? You need a way to get around. Enough said.


First Aid Kit

     Honestly, if you are out there fighting crime, you are going to get hurt. Unless you are Superman, Wolverine, or someone with similar levels of invulnerability and/or superhealing, you will get hurt. Possibly seriously.

     In fact, add “Good health plan” to the list. You’re going to need it.


Utility Belt

     Consider basic personal security items, such as mace. A camera would be helpful, something with GPS could be...come to think of it, a smartphone with really good coverage. You may also want a ballpoint pen, a pack of gum, and duct tape (according to MacGyver).

     I’m tempted to include swiss army knife; however, I would recommend not having any sharp or deadly weapons. They look bad if you’re arrested. Plus, you might kill someone.

     Few people can kill someone without it having a major negative effect on their mental and emotional states. Think of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or shell shock. You will be much less effective if you are sent over the edge, and death is something you can’t undo.


Knowledge of Criminal Law

     Does the law allow you to do what you’re planning? What does it allow, or require? What if you only report suspicious activity to the police?

     Come to think of it, it would be a good idea to have a crack team of criminal lawyers that you consult before you begin superheroing. (Can superhero be a verb? I’m going to go with yes for now). You may also want to recheck with them on a regular basis on what you have done or are planning to do, to determine if you are still behaving within the bounds of the law.

     Even a good team of attorneys may not be able to keep you from jail time, however.


Absolute Correctness

     You need a lot more than certainty when you are fighting crime. How many shows are there where someone is certain that a given person or enemy is the criminal who committed an act, only to find out they weren’t? How often does incontrovertible evidence point to the wrong killers on television?

     The truth is, in real life as in many shows and movies, things are not always what they seem. There are examples, sometimes tragic, of people being certain they were stopping a fight or apprehending a criminal, but they were wrong.

     You are not infallible. You can be wrong. But this piece of the superhero puzzle is so important that it is just assumed for every superhero in nearly every story. After all, who wants to read a story about Batman beating up the bad guy, only to discover he was wrong? Okay, yes, it could make a very emotional and powerful story. But the vast majority of people want to read about villains getting justice, not about the innocent people getting punished.

     If you are punishing the wrong people, you have moved from superhero to supervillain. Some would go as far to say that if you are punishing people at all without a proper trial, then you are a villain.


So there you have it, my more-or-less complete list of superhero necessities. Have I missed any key ingredients? Maybe a super useful item for the utility belt?

Telra at the Tavern (Fiction, Fantasy)

     The fire was low, almost warm enough to heat the tavern. There was a bard playing, or perhaps tuning his lute. Either way, it was not a pleasant sound.

     Telra, a human woman with black hair and sharp features, sat nursing an ale and thinking of lost friends. A short man with a long gray beard sat at the table with her.

     “I’m not looking for company, old dwarf,” she said, and took a mouthful of ale.

     “Nor I, lassie. Just not wanting to drink alone.”

     “One finger out of place and you lose your arm,” she warned him. He nodded and sat quietly.

     There was silence in the tavern for a moment, except for occasional sips and the clink of glasses on the table. The bard began plucking at his lute again, but with a more definite tune. It was a quiet and wordless tune which called the memory of old days, when heroes stood against monsters and villains were easy to identify.

     The bartender approached the bard, and said something quietly to him.

     “You think he’s telling him to go away?” The dwarf asked.

     “Can’t imagine that working,” Telra answered.

     New drinks came around, and the tune changed to one with more energy. The bard began to sing now, an old tavern song about a farmer going to war. His singing was a little better than his playing, and his voice had a deep tone. At a table near Telra’s, she overheard three grizzled guards talking.

     “There’s a little talent,” the first one said.

     “Where?” asked the second. The other two grunted and drank to that.

     They were quiet only as long as their tankards met their mouths before the third one spoke.

     “I’m going for it tomorrow, boys.”

     “Sure,” said the first, “just like yesterday and last week and last month.”

     “You’ll never ask her; too scared she’ll say no,” said the second guard.

     “No, no, she’s going to say yes. I can feel it.” He wiggled his eyebrows and raised his glass.

     “To false hope!” said the first guard. The other two echoed the words and clanked their tankards together.

     The bard started on the second verse of his song. The guards joined in; this verse was full of innuendo, making it a favorite for drinking. As they sang, the bard walked by their table, encouraging their sing along. He stopped playing for a minute to clap his hands for the rhythm and get them clapping along. When they started clapping to the song, he began playing again.

     As the third verse began, the bard moved toward Telra’s table. She glowered at him, because the third verse was less about innuendo and more about love. He tried to catch her eye, but a growl from her sent him moving back to his spot. When the song finished, he said,

     “Someday I’ll warm her heart, gentlemen. Have no worries on that.”

     The old dwarf looked at the bard and back to her. Her eyes were narrow and her mouth tight.

     “Why do you come here, if you don’t like the attention from him?” The dwarf asked.

     “I get attention everywhere. At least he doesn’t push his luck...much,” Telra answered.

     A group of people entered the tavern, men and women of several races. They wore armor and carried weapons, except for one woman in a wizard’s robe, who held a staff. Some had several weapon; all were cheering and in good spirit. The guards looked up and reached for their weapons. The one in the heaviest armor removed his helmet and put it under his arm. He waved at the guards. They relaxed and waved back.

     “Who’s that?” the dwarf asked.

     “The prince’s cousin. And friends. Fancy themselves heroes, but they’ve sliced through a few innocent people,” Telra grumbled, reaching the end of her drink.

     “Someone you know?” The dwarf asked.

     Telra watched the bartender running around, grabbing pitchers and grabbing beer.

     “Childhood friend. His name was Jalor. They never should have let him along.”

     After serving the group, the bartender brought Telra and the dwarf a pitcher of beer.

     “This is on them,” he said, and rushed off again to serve the adventurers.

     “Nice enough,” the dwarf said.

     Telra grabbed the pitcher and filled her glass, then pushed the pitcher to her drinking friend, who topped off his own.

     “They burned down a village,” she said.

     “What?”

     “Yeah. Claimed there was a goblin - one goblin - that they were after.”

     A voice came up from behind her.

     “It was carrying a cursed blade. And we didn’t start the fire,” the prince’s cousin said.

     “Well, not directly,” said a nearby elf almost as tall as the dwarf, “Or not intentionally, in any case.”

     The prince’s cousin shot a quick glare at the elf, then said to Telra, “So you’re a friend of Jalor? We’re very grateful to him. Jalor!”

     The prince’s cousin and all his friends raised their glasses and shouted Jalor’s name again. The bard had given up on trying to sing over the new crowd, and was just playing a simple tune.

Telra’s face went red. She clenched her teeth, and hunched over her glass.

     “We are truly sorry about your friend. He died heroically.” The prince’s cousin patted Telra on the back. He walked off toward his group, and started them up on another tavern song.

     The elf stayed a moment, but a harsh look from Telra sent him scampering away.

     “When friends die a hero’s death, in sorrow or pride, there’s reason for a beer,” the dwarf repeated the old saying and emptied his glass, then reached for the pitcher and refilled. “It sounds much better in my language.”

     Telra frowned and examined the bottom of her glass. Tomorrow, she worked in the shop again. Then she’d be back here to drink. No day off for a good while yet. Maybe someday that cycle would change.

     “I’m going home,” Telra said, and stood.

     “See you tomorrow?” the dwarf asked.

     “If this lot’s gone,” she replied and walked out.

     The bard smiled at her. The newcomers ignored her. As she left, she heard the Guard’s, and shouted,

     “Jalor!”

     Every glass in the room lifted.

     “Jalor!” Everyone shouted and took a drink.

     A half-smile flashed briefly across her face. As she began her walk home, her thoughts turned to long ago, to Jalor. A man who had no business travelling, but who had gone anyway. A person who would be a hero.

My D&D House Rules

     One thing any player who’s been in more than one roleplaying group knows is that different groups play differently. Most groups have at least one house rule, even if they try to play the Rules As Written. One group I played with used a d10 instead of d20 for initiative rolls, giving the bonus a bigger effect at the cost of players having overlapping initiatives more often.

     The group I’m playing in now has several house rules we enjoy. I’m going to share them and explain why we use them.

• Classes get 2 extra skill points per level. This allows us to effectively use skill challenges to earn experience and loot. So far, I’ve seen no effects on combat (the major source of experience and loot). However, it has given variety to the game, and helps people explore their characters more.

• Players gain experience from overcoming the obstacle, not from destroying it. For example, rather than attacking the bear that threatened them, they distracted it and ran away. (They knew they could easily take it on.) I gave them full experience. They are now more likely to work with the campaign world, rather than always taking the combative route.

• People may take 1-2 flaws from Unearthed Arcana for one extra feat per flaw. They may also take 1-2 traits from the same book. This allows extra customization. I am surprised at how rarely these options are used.

• Players may play a race with level elevation, but no more than 1/2 their total character level can come from that elevation. This keeps people reasonably in line with hit points, skill points, attack bonuses, and saves. A 6th level character who has only 1 actual class level feels much less effective, and can make the game less fun for them and everyone else.

• I occasionally give 5-25 experience points per character level for out of game assistance. For example, when someone points out a rule that hurts the party, each character gains 5-10 experience points per level. (This helps the players hate that person a little bit less.) I keep the amount small because it is a metagame bonus. I do like how I can give the same number throughout the campaign, and it retains the same relevance at all levels.

• Lower level characters gain 10% extra per level they are behind. So, if the party has a 7th level character, two 6th level characters, and a 5th level character, the 7th level character gains normal experience, the 6th level characters gain 10% extra experience, and the 5th level character gains 20% extra experience. I am considering changing the 10% bonus to 5%, so that bonus experience so that it doesn’t overshadow earning bonus experience. I'll let the players vote on that.

• We use the Reflex Save for initiative. The Improved Initiative feat modifies the Reflex Save and stacks with other Reflex improving feats. This means that characters actually improve at the one thing that every character in the game does every single combat. (Imagine that.) It also means that characters that focus on their Reflexes (i.e., rogues and bards) improve their reaction (Initiative) at a faster rate than those who don’t (i.e., wizards and fighters).

• A natural 20 on initiative gives you +2 to the check. Additionally, it allows a character that was surprised to act in the surprise round. A natural 1 gives you -2, but has no further effect.

Added 12/10/2013:

I have occasionally been the cause of a TPK, from before I met this group of players. Also, this group has yet to take a group of first level characters very high. To help combat this, we have special below 0 hit points rules. These have saved party members multiple times.

• Instead of a 10% chance to stabilize, you have a percentage chance equal to your constitution score.
• Instead of dying at -10 hit points, you add your constitution score to your current level. That is the number of hit points below zero that you can go before your character dies.
• If you've taken enough damage to die, you have one full round before you actually die. This gives everybody 1 turn to try and save your life.

Dragon Valley: The Tinker

You can see the first Dragon Valley installment here, and the most recent previous installment here.

     As I sheathed my sword, something inside of me wanted to shake. But I held onto my nerves. Not the time to show it, here in front of Rhoal and his soldiers. I resisted, too, the urge to wipe my sweating hands on my pants.

     “Come, relax for a little while me and my men make preparations. Of course, with a few extra days to prepare…”

     “No,” I said, “It must be today.”

     “Of course, of course. Must not let it wreck any more damage. Now, please have a seat while we gather our best weapons and supplies.” Rhoal was a plump merchant, with styled hair and soft skin. I didn’t think he would survive the battle, but his participation would be very important and if he wanted to risk his neck...well, I could respect a man willing to take risks for his gains.

     Hana and I were sat in a waiting room, with a plush couch and fancy decorations. One wall was covered with a bookshelf which held mostly books, plus a few apparent glass baubles. Odds and ends. Hana was examining them when a maid came in and delivered a tray of tea with cookies.

     “Thank you,” I said to her. She blushed and nodded before hurrying out the door.

     “What did you say he trades in?” Hana asked.

     “I’m...not entirely sure.”

     “You’ve gotten into business with a man, and you don’t know his business.”

     “Hana…” I said, annoyance creeping into my voice. She held up her hand.

     “I’m just stating the obvious, trying to keep you thinking. He’s lending you house guards who barely seem to know how to fight.”

     “I thought they fought well.” I picked up a cup of tea and a cookie. I dipped the cookie and tasted it. Slightly sweet with a strong butter flavor.

     She sighed and went to sit on the couch. “You defeated all three. Somewhat brutally. I thought you were going to kill that one at the end.”

     I ate the cookie and sipped my tea as I thought back on the moment. A bloodlust seemed to have overtaken me. It had threatened to fill me. Only having my end goal pressing on my mind had stopped me from slicing the man’s neck.

     “Military training. The fighting took me, but the discipline did, as well.”

     “I didn’t think you’d fought that much.” She wasn’t touching the tea. She was just staring at me, watching my face. I stared back. I hope it was stoically; I had trouble telling my own expression, these days.

     “It would be rude not to at least try the tea. As you pointed out, I threatened one of his guards; I think we should try not to insult him again so soon. It would, as I’ve said before, be good to work well together.”

     She leaned back and picked up her tea. We sat silently while we waited for Rhoal and his guards to finish preparing.

-----

     We were loading up a few supplies in a couple of wooden wagons pulled by horses. There weren’t very many to load up; a few days’ supply of food. A couple of tents. We were practically going dragon hunting in luxury. If he’d actually had enough horses for everyone to ride, I’d have felt downright pampered.

     Even with the first two less than full, he was still bringing one that was entirely empty, in anticipation of a large haul from the dragon’s hoard. I thought the dragon would have a few interesting items and a few handfuls of gold, but he seemed eternally optimistic.

     “I do my best to at least appear to be obeying local laws, so instead of a dragon hunting troupe, you are my bodyguard and your sister…my dear, what do you do?” Rhoal asked.

     “I’m a baker,” she answered quite simply. “What do you trade in?”

     He tilted his head. “Mostly animals of unusual sorts. You’ve met my Fang and Beak. Dear things. I’d bring them along, but Beak is still being trained and will most likely not end up in combat anyway; he’s quite a lazy guard griffin. Fang, meanwhile, would be completely useless against a dragon.”

     A few feet away, Fang whimpered.

     “Oh, you big brute. Your bite wouldn’t pierce the dragon’s scale, I just want to leave you here and keep you safe.” From his tone, I would have that he was talking to a baby rather than an overgrown wolf. But Fang wagged his tail and scratched his paw on the ground.

     “My dear, we’ll just say that you’re my cook, should the question arise. It is not likely to; but again, if anybody asks, I am leaving early for my travels, out of fear for the dragon. That’s why I’ve hired an extra guard and a…burly cook.”

     “Burly?” Hana asked indignantly.

     “I have actually told a few people already,” I pointed out.

     “Oh, dear heavens. How many?”

     I told him. He nodded.

     “Well, we are leaving as...well almost as quickly as possible. Hopefully there won’t be any need to have a discussion with the guards.”

-----

     The tinker was set up at the edge of the market. Her wagon opened up into shelves sectioned off to store items without breaking them. She also had a pit and a small bellows set up. When we got there, she was hammering out a copper pan.

     She appeared to be a gnome. At least, she was little more than half my height, probably less, and had curiously large head with lumpy features that gnomes have. Her hair covered her ears and head in thick waves, making it difficult to see the tell-tale ears. I suppose she could have been a small human. A small, ugly human.

     Her wagon was set up behind her, opened up to show shelves full of various and sundry items, from kitchen items to books and glassware.

     “One moment, friends. See my wares, please. Wandering hands watch themselves. I do.”

     Dain had come with Hana, Rhoal and I. The other guards had stayed with the wagons, outside the market. As we looked through her wares, Dain commented that there was a particular lack of anything that could be used for attack.

     “I have this,” Rhoal said, and nodded at us with a smile. He went and sat near the tinker and began to watch her.

     “Watched pots never mend. Do you care?”

     “That pot’s been mended many times, dear tinker. I think you just want us to get a good look in the hopes that we’ll want more.” While Rhoal spoke to her, Hana was looking at the titles of the book spines and Dain was examining some small metal contraption. I was looking at the medical supplies. Bandages, herbs, a few elixirs.

     “Done, nearly. Have you something specific to seek?”

     “We are going on an expedition, seeking items to trade. But with a dragon about, maybe it’s not so safe.”

     “Seeking dragon protection? Are my wares too humble?”

     “I hope only my coin is not too pitiable,” Rhoal replied.

     Hana elbowed me and whispered, “He doesn’t seem as confident as he did before.”

     Dain, hearing that, whispered back to her, “Gnomes prize humility. They also have excellent hearing.”

     Hana picked up a book and began examining it. I looked at Dain. “You’re more worldly than you used to be.”

     “It happens when you travel.” He shrugged.

     “Purchasing the book, my dear? Reading takes a moment alone.” The gnome woman was standing next to Hana, and Rhoal here with us. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a copper coin.

     “Purchasing that takes more.”

     “Then I’d like to rent it a few moments more,” she answered. The gnome shrugged and took the coin.

     “Roosillana, if you’d be so kind. A view of the wares you mentioned would be most appreciated,” Rhoal said, slightly bowing.

     Roosillana, now that I knew her name, politely motioned for us all to step back from the wagon. She opened a drawer from below the shelves and beckoned to Rhoal. She pulled from the drawer a small box and opened it. Inside was a cloth holding in place four metal balls about half the size of my fist. She closed it after a moment.

     “Be delicate in their handling. Throw them far away and run. Creates loud noise and flash of light. Does little against dragon, but may confuse it a few moments. Assuming you throw it right,” she said.

     “I am humbled. Greatly you smile on me.”

     “Smiling on you is beyond my worth,” She set it on a little table to the side. “Setting this aside to see what else I might have.”

     I spoke up and held a little box out that I had filled with some of the bandages and elixirs I had found. “We could use this,” I said.

     “Of course, that is if you gift us with it. We would be grateful, of course, and offer you what paltry money we can afford.

     Roosillana smiled and nodded at him, then took the supplies from me and set them next to the first box. There were a couple of other items. Fire starters, a burn salve I had missed. Four steel spear tips. More expensive than I would have guessed she would have.

        She looked at the gathered pile. “Such meager, little help this is! I am embarrassed to offer it to you.”

     “We are so weak, any help seems mountains!” Rhoal pleaded. Hana coughed the way most polite people roll their eyes. I glared at her over Roosillana’s head. She shrugged.

     “The woman is right! Such a little pile! Listen, I have one more thing to offer. I have so little to offer, let me offer you this.” She went around to the side of her wagon and pulled out a key that was hanging around her neck. She used it to open another drawer. She closed the drawer and brought us two small sticks the length of my hand and a little thicker than my thumb.

     “So dangerous, perhaps I am wrong to offer these. Can I do anything else? I cannot, but please be careful.”

      Rhoal reached down and picked them up, examining them closely. Hana spoke up.

     “What are they?” she asked.

     “Fireworks. Travelled months to find them. In the sky they are beautiful; in the sky they are…mostly safe,” She touched the first box, “These here must hit something hard to activate. These,” she held up the fireworks, “need only heat. Explodes much farther, much faster. Knock a bear against a wall, and hurt both. Not all fireworks do, but these are special.”

     She put the fireworks on the table, hidden from sight of the few remaining market people. The sun was hanging low, and threatening to start setting

     “And here is all I can offer you. I hope you find these of some meager assistance.”

     Rhoal made an offer, and Roosillana made a big show of how she couldn’t send us off with this stuff, and would put it away. Rhoal offered a little more, and suggested that a little more burn ointment would make the pile so helpful. They went back and forth, each seeming to argue the other side, while the price and what gets included was pushed toward their own direction.

     Finally, they settled on a price which included more bandages and a first kit. When it was gathered up, we thanked Roosillana for her time and we went on our way. Finally on the road that would lead by my house, then to Grem and finally, the dragon.