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[And always remember, most importantly of all:]

Feodore Dustwink is gone now.

The entire purpose of this PC was, ironically, to make Glooms less gamey OOC by gamifying them IC. I wanted to make them a more lived-in part of the world that people could acknowledge more openly instead of feeling like they only had the agency to witness and acknowledge their existence on quests. I also wanted to take a very obscure feature in the world and sink my teeth into it. And I wanted to do it in one of the silliest ways possible.

The Gloomcard tangent didn't really evolve until a few weeks later when I got bored, and it started off as a joke. It always was kind of a joke, but the joke meant a lot to me. It was stupid fun to walk around the Well, selling people on the idea of the cards, describing their nonsense special abilities, and just existing. But most importantly of all: to show everyone that LEARNING CAN BE FUN

Feodore's ultimate goal was not purely to weaponize the Glooms, but to transform the Gloomcards into magical artifacts with the ability to summon guardians to defend their users. Yes this was basically Yu-Gi-Oh. No I'm not ashamed of it. In the end, he got very close to realizing his dreams, but those aspirations didn't culminate in time before unexpected events unfolded. But hopefully the story left a mark. And always remember, most importantly of all:

There's no such thing as a late Gloomer...

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SOME SCREENIES

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THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN

CONFUSING POLITICAL INTERLUDE

THE OCCASIONAL TROUBLEMAKER...

CRITICS SAY THE FIRST GLOOMOLOGY WORKSHOP IS "VERY GOOD!"

THE GLOOMCARD CRAZE CATCHES ON

GLOOMCARD DUELING IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART

THAT LICENSE?

EMPOWERED INTERVIEW PREP

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THE ONLY LOOT THAT MATTERS

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Of course, there were many more types Gloomcards in circulation than these. Tragically, a new card would never be printed again. Like he always said: they're limited edition. Will you be able to find them all?

Day 13 of Sobriety

I was advised by several apothecaries and water witches that a sobriety journal, alongside daily mindfulness in the pursuit of temperance, would be the most effective practice for me to avoid a relapse into the black void of powerful narcotics. To that end, I'm going to use this daybook to catalog my activities, which certainly include maintaining my body as the temple it is. This daily ritual involves morning and evening doses of Apathetilixir, Derelixir, and Electrolixir. These holistic brews are infused with elemental arcana carefully measured to keep my life in check and my body in balance. So I can stay active and do all the things I want to do with my day.

Gloomcards are very popular. I've sold over fifty now. If Master Grimwald were still around, he would have been proud of that. And at my current rate of income, I could retire in 26 years or so. That's my plan for the future. When I'm an old man I'll open up my own Gloomcard stall in the Souk, and sometimes Qtolip will visit me (we'll be old friends). I bet he gives the best high fives. He's an Ashfolk, so he has really small hands and I would have to get down on my knee. But he would high five me, and I would high five him, and we'd laugh. Then I'd give him his favorite Gloomcard on the house. It would be our secret.

I've invited some people I know to be on the Gloomsday Committee. We're convening sometime next week to plan the events of the Gloomsday Tournament. The Opening Ceremony will be very important if we're going to get this right. I still haven't earned my Third Epoch, but I think this could be the moment that finally changes. Because if we don't master the Glooms before our enemies do, we'll be doomed and Gloomed ourselves. I'm going to make the Gloomcards real.

Anyway, I still don't know if I have any friends.

[1.]

The following contract is delivered with a separate letter containing complimentary advice on the nature and behaviors of various Glooms, but it became largely unintelligible after a translucent pink liquid was spilled all over it. Luckily, the contract came out unscathed

1. The Host and the actor have agreed that the actor will play a primary role in the Gloomology Workshop 102 Project, which will be publicized and facilitated by the host. The actor is granted artistic freedom to consult and advise on the contents of the script, which will be provided to the actor within the contents of a separate document.

2. The actor shall render all services customarily rendered by thespians in stage productions and comply with the host's artistic instructions.

3. The actor hereby assumes the risks of participating in any/all activities associated with this event.

4. This contract shall remain in effect on an ongoing basis until the conclusion of the Gloomology Workshop 102 Project, upon which time the actor will be compensated with a tax-free stipend of 400 dinars.

Host's Signature: Nadiri Feodore Dustwink

Actor's Signature: ________________________

[1.]

The following contract is delivered to Bashir's desk with an encouraging quill and inkwell

1. The Host and the actor have agreed that the actor will play a primary role in the Gloomology Workshop 102 Project, which will be publicized and facilitated by the host. The actor is granted artistic freedom to consult and advise on the contents of the script, which will be provided to the actor within the contents of a separate document.

2. The actor shall render all services customarily rendered by thespians in stage productions and comply with the host's artistic instructions.

3. The actor hereby assumes the risks of participating in any/all activities associated with this event.

4. This contract shall remain in effect on an ongoing basis until the conclusion of the Gloomology Workshop 102 Project, upon which time the actor will be compensated with a tax-free stipend of 400 dinars.

Host's Signature: Nadiri Feodore Dustwink

Actor's Signature: ________________________

[Gloomology]

Extraordinary arcane manifestations seeming to appear out of nowhere must always come from somewhere – The First Rule of Conjuration

FOREWORD

Gloomology is best defined as a formulaic study of the various otherworldly contaminant zones we call Glooms. These relatively novel phenomena can impose physical, life-altering augmentations upon living creatures (or Hosts) who are exposed to them in especially high doses. This leads to immense pain and discomfort for the Host, as well as for anyone who has the misfortune of encountering the Host in such a dangerous and unpredictable state.

Given that these phenomena are a relatively new appearance in our realm, reliable source material is entirely nonexistent. So where do they come from? Our strongest theory asserts that Glooms constitute the various residual remnants of other worlds that were left behind when those worlds were violently sealed away from our own. What remain are mere cosmological orphans weeping for a place in our world, creeping in the darkest corners of our realm, eager to latch onto the mortal fabric of any suitable creatures that might give them a real home again.

If you are as eager to wander the desert as you are to dance with a blade or cast a spell, then beware o' traveler: you will inevitably encounter this terrible blight in at least one of its many forms. The following compendium is designed to ensure that you do not perish in the act. These are the very fundamentals of Gloomology, and they will help you to survive.

Should you ever suspect that you have encountered a Gloom variant that is not documented in our latest version of the Gloomologist's Guide to Glooms and More, we highly recommend using the following conditional logic pattern to identify its behaviors and effects before you are compelled to suffer them.

Dear reader,

The following principles and advisories were painstakingly edited to ensure the highest chance of scholastic success for any shrewd wizard with the sheer force of will required to follow them religiously on a daily basis, without exception, and without fail.

1. Do not perform complex binding rituals on a full stomach, for no man is impervious to the insubordination of his bowels.

2. Complete your studies before bed or suffer tomorrow's wrath; value the lessons of yesterday or suffer to repeat them.

3. Pay heed to the mistakes of your predecessors; elsewise suffer endarkened curses only dreamt of in fables.

4. Time is an arrow from the past to the future, but that arrow has been bent into a Wheel, and it is NOT laminated.

5. Never break the Laws of Magic without an escape plan.

6. NEVER ATTEMPT TO BREAK THE LAWS OF MAGIC.

7. By referencing an exact moment in the past, you invite an exactness which is skewed by your own perspective. Beware the observed shackles of time.

8. Remain faithful to your chosen school of magic at all times, lest your adultery be known to the shame of your peers.

9. Do not waste invaluable moments in pointless meetings that could have been communicated more efficiently by raven.

10. When a puzzling arcane phenomenon cannot be understood by the ways in which it manifests itself, seek instead the source.

11. Just as the great warrior can fall on his sword, so must the great wizard take extra care not to fall on his books.

12. Do not seek success out of the fear that you may fail.

13. Do not engage in the classless and unscholarly act of plagiarism.

14. Covet newfound research over that of your competition unless it leads to newfound research.

15. Keep your scrolls and trinkets in separate drawers to avoid losing both. Keep said drawers in separate dressers to avoid losing everything.

16. Activate the proper wards while engaging in pyromancy if you wish your beard a long and healthy life.

17. If your neighbor is an Astrologian, engage in small chatter at least once a week but elsewise leave them to the cosmos.

18. Foster healthy relations with your local herbalist to ensure the best prices.

19. If you don't know where to look, keep your nose in the book.

20. A well-placed cantrip is more powerful than a poorly aimed fireball.

21. Never sacrifice the merit of your research for the sake of personal or political gain.

22. Here-To-There and Then-To-Now are the pathways through which our work is done. The shrewd conjurer who understands how to find hidden doors along these unmapped tunnels is also capable of opening them.

23. Conversely, the act of summoning is not unlike the act of fishing...

24. Beware the temptations of what lies beyond your senses, and do not invite faraway madness into your home.

25. It is sometimes better to evoke feelings than it is to evoke magic, but mostly this is not the case.

26. Safeguard dangerous knowledge better kept in secret than in the open.

27. Source your reagents responsibly to ensure high quality products for your experiments.

28. For obvious reasons, declare your last will and testimony prior to every duel.

29. Sweating profusely during ritualistic activities is a sign of poor health and preparation and should be criticized accordingly.

30. Do not covet your fellow wizard's staff.

31. He who claims unproven theories as undisputable truth shall not be called a scholar, but an irredeemable quack.

32. The wise wizard must always remember that the bigger fish is not always the better fish.

33. Do not seek to resolve every worldly problem with arcane solutions.

34. Your duty as a summoner is to serve as a guide across metaphysical pathways. Do not conduct yourself as if a gaoler, and do not condemn your conjurations to undue stress beyond what is reasonable in the eyes of Izdu.

35. Under no circumstances shall you ever agree to written or verbal contracts with faraway entities, no matter how benign they may appear.

36. Abstain from the cups during scholarly activities.

37. Do not conjure magic above the 2nd Circle as a party trick.

38. Keep your competitors close and your Lexicon Arcanum closer.

39. Consult an accredited Astrologian to ensure the ideal levels of cosmic alignment prior to ritual activities.

40. Hold sacred that if your failures lead to new knowledge, then you will always succeed in Izdu's eyes.

41. It remains a much wiser decision to succeed than it is to fail in nearly every context.

42. When your beakers stop producing steam, add water.

43. The taller your tower, the harder your fall.

44. Do not rely solely on Thaumaturgical Counter-currents to ward off deadly spells.

45. DO NOT BROOK WITH NEBULOUS ENTITIES THAT EXIST IN A METAPHYSICAL STATE OF BEING YOUR WORLDLY SENSES COULD NOT EVEN BEGIN TO COMPREHEND.

46. Always be punctual, for the wise wizard knows that the best ability is availability.

47. Know the difference between doing the right thing and doing things right.

48. Feed your familiar at least twice per day.

49. Keep your papers in order.

50. If you aren't absolutely sure where it came from, it is not for your consumption. Refrain from conjuring meals unless your survival depends on it.

HOUSE OWLSTONE

~ 'Tween Bank, 'Twixt Branch. ~

As my eyes wander heavenward to ponder the primordial age of the stars themselves, I'm reminded of an antediluvian time. A time when the monuments of House Owlstone stood tall and proud among the banks of the 154th Ring, wrought with pride and measured with precision by their shrewd originators. Just as well, the scions of House Owlstone pay homage to the Old Magic in all things. The deepest recesses of their texts paint the vivid image of a gargantuan Owl perched upon the vermeiled bricks of a sacred crossing--judging fateful gloryfinders in a series of trials for the right of passage. Ours is a family who dared to harness the perfect nature of that mythical entity, building our own bridge in reverence to the legends of our past.

Nevertheless, the traditions and curses engendered by our reverence ultimately proved to be an engine for madness. A madness that laid low the bricks of the Auld Owl Bridge, collapsing utterly beneath the hubris of our auld and peripheral family. Our scrolls have long since crumbled to dust, alongside the quaint legends we knew to be as history itself.

Our last scion now glides upon the winds in search of ancient secrets hidden within the curvilinear architecture of the Rings. Those under the Owlstone banner have long been compelled to relinquish their fear in the face of the unknown, and to risk everything in the pursuit of rebuilding what was lost; whether it be honor, the sacred annals of tradition, or the very stones themselves. Under the auspices of the Auld Owl's perch, we will rise again.

Name of Faction: House Owlstone
Recommended Alignments: Good and Neutral. Evil will be a tough swing
Recommended Classes: Any but druids

Reach out to me on discord for more info! @Unfie

...Better than a good book. Better than the best book...

On creation, Casper was an incomplete character I fully prepared to scrap after a day or so. I threw in for House Glitt on a whim and it turned out to be the decision that kept me playing.

He wasn't a very intelligent man, but he always thought he had the best ideas. Even though he could never quite refine those ideas into realistic goals, he figured his imagination would be enough to take him at least halfway and a step to realizing them. And once he got that far, he was closer to the end than he was to the beginning. One way or another, and maybe in ways he didn't fully predict, he found his way to such an end.

Special thanks to Sorcha O'Connor, Kinsley Greylocke, Earc Ward (and the rest of Glitt whose TZs never really matched up with mine), Albert Von Reuss, Anum Nahazarim, Rin Farrell, Brie, the Belmore squad, and everyone else who made this character a memorable one for me.

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[I don't take screenies but here's loot:]

Ephraim "Eagleguard" Foreman was nothing but an ordinary levy before his glory days, and a swineherd before that. When he was a grubby-faced young boy, his father would spin him the impossible stories of Dorvant's triumphs. These tall tales set the foundation of the man he would aspire to become for the rest of his life.

He was a man who wanted nothing but the best for others, so long as they didn't represent the worst things in life. Before long, he pledged the oath to House Velstra and made a promise to keep his new friends safe without considering the cost. And he did just that until the very end.

At the chapter's close, Ephraim was always too proud to admit that his dreams were inspired by a hero in a children's story. But every would-be hero has one of his own, no matter what he wants you to think.

I don't take screenies but here's loot:

As the title. Tested on several different characters. I doubt this is intentional.

This quest in Ticker Square seems to be bugged.

I took the quest, walked in and killed one of the rats, then decided to go abandon the quest because something came up IRL and I wouldn't have the time to log back in any time soon. Instead of giving me the option to abandon the quest, the dialogue acted as if I completed the quest even though I didn't. Got gold and xp for "completing" it.

Tested a cleric PC with the air and fate domains earlier, along with GSF Divination. On the spell changes list, it says that the AB bonus goes up to +25 with GSF Divination. This bonus shows up on the character sheet, but when in combat it only goes up to +20.

NWN has a +20 attack bonus cap when it comes to spells in particular (not including spell-like attacks), which means GSF true strike won't allow you to exceed that number in combat even though it will show up on the character sheet.

If I select a themed tome with conjurative focus, subsequently selecting a new tome doesn't change the theme. Even resetting the conjurative focus and selecting a new tome just gives me the same summons as the previous tome. The only way I'm able to summon anything else is if I reset the focus completely and use my default. Relogging fixes this. Don't know if this is intentional to prevent certain combos or not, but I just wanted to bring it up anyway.