Hooked on Books discussion
D&D Adventures
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D&D: Rogue Readers
Hello Team,I'm very sorry but I'll need to be removed from this challenge.
Life hasn't been great the past weeks with more depressive phases than I can handle and even with such a fun challenge and everything I can't find the headspace to get into this right now. I was thinking about this for a bit because I'm generally very reluctant to just "abandon" challenges, especially Team ones, but I can't contribute enough to this challenge to not drag you all down with me and I don't want to cause you any stress or frustration for something that's supposed to be fun.
I hope you find a replacement soon and I'm sorry for the inconvenience for both the team and Donna. Good luck and have fun 🍀
❡Risa wrote: "Hello Team,I'm very sorry but I'll need to be removed from this challenge.
Life hasn't been great the past weeks with more depressive phases than I can handle and even with such a fun challenge a..."
Sorry to hear that Risa. Please take care of yourself.
So how are we doing? We still need another item for our heist. Can it be a train so we can get away after?
Then I have a book that fits.
Char, how are you doing on the security guard book? If you need it, I've read quite a few books already this month that would fit that task.
Ah, I'm sorryyy that book is hugee, and i don't think I'll be reading it in the near future
I thought it'll fit with my other challenges, but it just.. doesn't 😞😞
Could we swap it with yours?
Char wrote: "Ah, I'm sorryyy that book is hugee, and i don't think I'll be reading it in the near future
I thought it'll fit with my other challenges, but it just.. doesn't 😞😞
Could we swap it with yours?"
Yes, I've added one my books. So it is now covered.
Since we lost Risa, I added horses to our heist materials for an escape and a book with blueprints in the text under additional tasks.blueprint from the Order of Architects to make the plan - we could add Jane's book Kash for a title and make him the person we visited to get the blueprints
wait for the right time - With (2nd title book by Jane) Night Broken, we moved into position keeping an eye of the tower clock (on cover of Char's Wolves and Daggers book, goes under security with task tower clock on cover) to wait for the changing of the guard
poison and handcuffs to subdue the guards
❓how do we want to use the poison - I read a book where the character was using a crossbow a few days ago and Char can use her ranger skills to shoot them, have the poison be just enough to make them woozy, and I knock them unconsious and drag them inside once the building is open
❓Char could use her elf magic to create a glamor or illusion, so it looks like the guards remain at their posts (Realm Breaker by Char has illusion on p. 12 as final task under security)
Jane the rogue uses tools to disable alarm and gain access to the building and the room with flour
We slip out with the bag and ride off on the horses.
The story could end with us arriving at an inn in a neighboring town just as the light of A New Dawn (title of Deanna's book) peaks over the horizon.
If this works for everyone, I can put the story together later tonight after work.
This sounds absolutely brilliant Deanna.
Quest 1 CompletionA well executed heist starts with a well-reasoned plan. Our first stop was The Order of Architects to obtain a "blueprint" from Kash, who owes us a favor for rescuing his niece last year. A couple of nights observing the schedule of the guards, and we hash out the plan details over dinner at our favorite pub. We then split up to gather our final supplies. Jane, our dwarfish rogue, picks up the poison and tools. Char, our elf ranger, procures the horses; while Deanna, our shifter monk, discreetly buys several pairs of handcuffs at different stores.
Finally, we're ready to act. With Night Broken, we move into position keeping an eye of the "tower clock" to wait for the changing of the guard. An hour after the shift change, we secure the horses into position and begin. Char coats the tips of her crossbow bolts with just enough poison to make the guards woozy and executes four rapid shots startling the guards. Before they can respond to the attack, Deanna sprints over and delivers a quick right hook to the side of the their temple, knocking them unconscious. Jane goes to work unlocking the building and disabling the alarm with her tools while Char uses her elf magic to create an "illusion" so that anyone passing by will think that the guards are still at their posts.
With the building open, Deanna finishes handcuffing the guards, and she and Char drag their unconscious forms inside while Jane tackles the lock to the room with the flour. Once the flour is acquired, we slip out of the building, mount the horses, and ride off toward a nearby town. Just as the light of A New Dawn peaks over the horizon, our destination comes into site. We head towards the town inn for a celebratory breakfast and a few hours sleep.
Spreadsheet - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
I've checked us in for our first quest.
Mod
Congrats on getting the flour. However, the bank knew how precious the flour was that they had in their possession. Before it was stolen, the bank hired a Drow elf bounty hunter working for Bregan D’aerthe through Jarlaxle. They had him put a Hunter’s mark on the bag of flour. This mark activated when you left the bank with the flour and the bounty hunter was able to track you. Will you return the flour? Are you going to fight the bounty hunter? Are you going to make a deal?
Return the Flour:
R
E
T
U
R
N
Fight the Bounty Hunter:
Read a book with a fight in the story
Read a book with a bounty hunter
Read a book with a fugitive
Read a book that starts with a letter in BOUNTY
Make a deal: Create your own tasks & tell me your story
What will we do? Spellout is easy
Fight the Bounty Hunter. I can without problem read for 1 and 4 but not sure about 2 and 3.
make a deal. I’m not sure about that one
An assassin would be a fugitive and a bounty hunter right?
Char wrote: "An assassin would be a fugitive and a bounty hunter right?"If somebody is searching for him, he is a fugitive and if he is being payed to kill somebody, I guess he is a bounty hunter
But maybe ask in Q&A
I vote to fight the bounty hunter. I can read for the bounty hunter task in the next couple of days.
I just started Déjà Dead - so we can probably assume the killer would be a fujitive, right?Because the police are searching for them?
Char wrote: "I just started Déjà Dead - so we can probably assume the killer would be a fujitive, right?Because the police are searching for them?"
Sounds good to me.
Plan:Read a book with a fight in the story: Jane
Read a book with a bounty hunter: Deanna
Read a book with a fugitive: Char
Read a book that starts with a letter in BOUNTY: Jane
For now I've put myself down for 2 books as I read a lot. But you are both welcome to take an extra if you feel like it.
Bounty hunter book is done and on the spreadsheet.
Char wrote: "I'll finish mine by this weekend"How are you doing on your book Char?
Oh my godd!I'm soo sorry!
I forgot to update!!
Updated, and chcked us in
Char wrote: "Oh my godd!I'm soo sorry!
I forgot to update!!"
No worries Char, I’ve done (or not done I guess 🤣) that before.
Mod
After a night in a tavern, each member of the party wakes up in the body of another member with no memory of what happened. One party member's body is gone, however, their mind instead inside a sentient item... a bag of beans.
Are these magic beans? Maybe, maybe not; plant them and find out. Worst case scenario, you could eat them. Do you eat the beans? If they are magic beans, how do you use them? Can you get everyone back in their bodies?
If you eat the beans, spell out BEANS
B
E
A
N
S
If you think they are magic beans, start here
Plant the beans
Read a book with dirt on the cover
Read a book with all the letters of BEANS in the title
Read a book with water on the cover
Read a book with a sun on the cover
Step 2: Find a solution to the body problems listed above. Use book titles BUT please use filler words as needed to tell me your solution. Minimum of 4 books. (everyone will do step 2 no matter the choices above)
For those of you playing solo... you will play this as if you were a member of the party experiencing this issue. How would you solve this? You can play as any member the party, one that is in another body or the beans. But you must present a solution.
okay, what do we think?eat the beans or magic beans?
Char wrote: "okay, what do we think?eat the beans or magic beans?"
I vote to plant the beans first. Eating thinking beans seems like a bad idea.
Any ideas on how to solve the body swap problem.
I agree with the planting of the beans. At this moment no idea about how to solve the problem
I looked back through my books this month and found one for BEANS in the title. Anyone read anything that works for the others?
I'm sorry I have to withdraw from this challenge as I have real life issues. I have notified Donna.
Mod
I will tell you that I have made each quest so that you get a story task on the opening task, but the tasks after that will be spell-outs and specific tasks. You may use any tool you like to help with the story tasks... this includes chatgpt. Yes, other teams are using this. However, I am not asking for a long story either. It can be short and sweet. It can have as many filler words as it takes to create your story. I don't want you stressing over the tasks.
Read a book with dirt on the cover (Deanna)Read a book with water on the cover (Char)
Found a sun and a dirt on the cover. I also looked back at our read books for the past few weeks and grabbed titles for the story part. Not sure what to write yet, but I'll work on it tomorrow.
2 days after the beans were planted near the tavern, we found the The Ghost of Graylock paying us a visit in the tavern. She thanked us for releasing her by planting the beans and gave us a solution to our problem - journey through the Harmony's Way across the Forests of Grandeur and Malice, to her village, and find the The Dark Healer #1, who was one of her Neighbors. The healer would help us with our Transformation. With a Glimmer of Hope in our hearts on such an easy quest to get back our bodies, we embarked on our Beginner Quest, and were switched back to our bodies by Heidi, the The Dark Healer #1!
I know this is not upto par, but I didnt want you to feel like you were doing everything Deanna!If you dont like it, we can change it!
Char wrote: "I know this is not upto par, but I didnt want you to feel like you were doing everything Deanna!If you dont like it, we can change it!"
That looks fabulous! Thanks for doing it. I'm a little burnt out after doing 4 story entries for a captain's log in UNO.
Finished my book for dirt on the cover and checked us in.
Mod
Although your bodies have been restored, something is… off. Since returning, your magic sometimes backfires or misfires. Heidi, the Dark Healer, warns you: "The beans were planted in cursed soil. Their roots awakened something ancient and tangled beneath the tavern." She tells you to choose your next move wisely.
🌿 OPTION 1: Cleanse the Cursed Soil
Heidi believes the curse may be undone if you travel to the place where the bean magic first originated. You'll need to gather sacred ingredients and perform a ritual at the root's source.
Tasks:
Read a book with a ritual or magical ceremony
Read a book with roots, vines, or tendrils on the cover
Read a book where a land is healed or restored
Read a book with a magical herb or plant
🔥 OPTION 2: Embrace the Magic
Heidi warns you that embracing the bean magic may permanently mark you, but you could learn to control its chaotic effects. A group of Beanbound Witches near the Hollow Stem can train you in the magic.
Tasks:
Read a book with a chaotic or unpredictable magic system
Read a book with a witch or magical mentor
Read a book with the word BEAN in the text
Read a book where someone willingly accepts a curse
🧠 OPTION 3: Seek Out the Truth
The Ghost of Graylock may have left some secrets unsaid. You’ve noticed her name has popped up in ancient texts and tavern legends. Time to find out what she really was before she became a ghost.
Tasks:
Read a book with a ghost who is not what they seem
Read a book with a legend or ancient tale
Read a book with a tavern, inn, or mysterious pub
Read a book with the word GRAY or LOCK in the text
Mod
If you dont like it, we can change it!"
Your stories are perfectly fine and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Mod
Read a book with a ghost who is not what they seemRead a book with a legend or ancient tale
✔Read a book with a tavern, inn, or mysterious pub (Deanna)
Read a book with the word GRAY or LOCK in the text
Found a book for the last task and checked us in.
Mod
As you unravel the truth about the Ghost of Graylock, you uncover that she was once a powerful shadowmancer named Sharael who made a terrible pact to seal away a fractured veil between worlds. When the beans grew, their roots twisted through the last strands of her broken seal.
Now, her memory is returning—and with it, the veil begins to tear. The shadow energies bound beneath the tavern may soon be unleashed unless you act.
You must now choose one of three paths:
🗝️ OPTION A: Ask Shar for Help (High-risk, high-reward)
The goddess Shar, patron of secrets and loss, once mentored Sharael. If you seek her aid, you may be able to restore the fractured veil—but Shar demands payment in forgotten truths.
Tasks:
Read a book with a jealous character
Read a book with the word SHADOW in the text
Read a book with twin sisters or mirrored siblings
Read a book with a title that begins with a letter from DARKNESS (D, A, R, K, N, E, S, or S)
🔥 OPTION B: Burn the Veil (Chaotic path)
Let the veil tear. Release what lies beneath. Some in the party hear the whispers of power offered through destruction. You may emerge stronger—or utterly changed.
Tasks:
Read a book with fire, ash, or burning on the cover
Read a book where something is destroyed and rebuilt
Read a book with a villain POV or morally gray protagonist
Read a book with the word VEIL or WHISPER in the text
🌕 OPTION C: Restore the True Name (Balanced path)
You seek to fully restore the ghost’s true name and essence. By learning who Sharael was before her pact, you may be able to rebuild the seal using memory and identity rather than shadow or fire.
Tasks:
Read a book about memory or amnesia
Read a book with a character who changes names or identities
Read a book with a hidden past or family secret
Read a book with the word NAME or TRUE in the text
I'm fine with any option, but I think I want to try option A, mainly because it's somthing I know I wont do in real lifeI'd probably choose C or B in real life
Hooked on Books
Books mentioned in this topic
With a Vengeance (other topics)Neighbors (other topics)
Heidi (other topics)
Beginner Quest (other topics)
Glimmer of Hope (other topics)
More...
So far we have:
Heist materials - ✔handcuff (Jane), ✔tools (Deanna), ✔horses (Deanna), ✔poison potion (Char)
Security - guards (Char), ✔alarm (Deanna), ✔blueprints (Deanna)
we can create our own tasks here, so a means of escape in text, a distration/illusion/spell to gain access, other ideas
Story title - ✔The Order of Architects (Deanna), ???
any interesting titles