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Priscilla's Potent Pastries

While strolling along the main thoroughfare of La Chiave a Croce, a familiar scent floats on the air. Is that? It couldn't be...
Following your nose, you stumble upon Priscilla's Potent Pastries. Stepping into the shop, you are greeted with the smells of comfort and home.
  The light purple walls of the bakery are contrasted with an epic battle scene on one wall: two battle maidens fighting what appears to be a dragon. On further inspection...is that...a cat?

Who's Who

The shop is run in La Chiave a Croce by the retired adventurers, Loneli and Ariza. Their cat, Priscilla, tends to roam around the shop and cuddle with their customers.   Loneli (Nel or Neli to Ariza) is a shy and stoic aasimar. She sings while she bakes and loves watching people enjoy her food. When she works the register, she gives away far too many free samples. Her eyes become nearly as big as a customer's when they sample her latest creation.   Ariza (Riza or Izzy to Loneli) is a bubbly tiefling. She enjoys chatting with and learning about the people who come into the shop. Her study of other cultures has given her an ease when she talks with people from all walks of life, meeting them where they are and celebrating that. She doesn't seek personal information but always lends an ear to the heavy hearts in La Chiave a Croce.   Priscilla, the store's mascot and namesake, is a cat. She enjoys curling up on the customers' laps. Usually purring or napping for as long as the shop is busy. When the shop is quiet, she tends to chaotically run around the room.   Priscilla's Secret. This is a Spoiler. Do not read if your GM uses this shop in their game.
Priscilla is a druid who prefers to remain in her cat form. She enjoys eavesdropping. As a humanoid, she is standoffish and reads as judgmental. As such, her life as a cat works out well for both herself and the customers. Much to the chagrin of Ariza and Loneli, Priscilla will change her fur pattern to match her mood.   Coming up with excuses about why Priscilla looked like a bengal yesterday but an egyptian mau today is Loneli's least favorite part of working in the front of the store. As charismatic as the bardic Loneli may be, she cannot tell a lie. This behavior is based on her morals, not her ability to deceive.

The Goods

While this trio sells standard pastries, Priscilla's is known for their Potent Pastries. These sweet treats carry various boosts and can be finished as a bonus/free action. Selling at a third the price of standard one-use potions, Priscilla's Potent Pastries are an important stop for any adventurer.   It's important to note, all of their pastries are freshly baked and do not have any preservatives. As such, they have a shelf life of one week.   If consumed after it's expiration date, you have two options: either the pastry loses it's potency or the consumer has an adverse side effect in addition to the pastry's standard effect.   To determine the side effect, roll on the following table:
MAKE A RANDOM GENERATOR OF ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS
If you'd like to extend the life of your pastries, Ariza is working on a device that could double or even triple the shelf life of your purchases.  
Type
Shop, Magic
Related Traditions

Tray of Spiced Cookies and Sugar Cookies

by Lauren Nelson

Pastry Overview:

Price
1/3 the cost of the potion equivalent
Shelf Life
The magic lasts a maximum of one week, but a pastry's edibility may vary.
GM Note
In Tarantellia, a week is 9 days. If your world's week is anywhere from 5-10 days, feel free to leave the magic shelf life at a week. In my mind, the magic expires in a "small subset of days." If your week is beyond 10 days, it might break your potion economy.
In Combat
Option 1: As a bonus/free action, one Potent Pastry can be consumed. The player becomes Parched. Until the PC takes a drink of milk, water, or another potion, they cannot consume another.

Option 2: Only one Potent Pastry may be consumed per battle. The consumption of a Potent Pastry takes a bonus/free action.

What's in Stock Today?

 
Note to Readers: The future generator will be a pastry table including...
  • quantity in stock
  • shelf life
  • ability
  • link to articles
  • Please Note:
    For the remainder of 2024, please expect articles to change. Most articles will be expanded and improved, some may be removed until a future date. If you'd like to follow along, check out Tarantellia's Transformation here.


    Cover image: Golden Clouds, speckled by Lauren Nelson

    Comments

    Author's Notes

    Do you have a pastry that you'd like to try the next time you visit Priscilla's? Leave a note in the comment's box. Ariza and Loneli would love to make it for you!   If you playtest this shop, I'd love to hear how it went!  Did it mess with the potion bottle economy?  Are the pastries too helpful or not helpful enough?  Let me know down below.


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    Oct 13, 2021 17:24

    This is a lovely article and I specifically enjoyed the little bit posted in "Priscilla's Secret." You've done a good job of balancing form and function; nice work, yes. The only thing I can say is that I hope Priscilla sells guyuria (apologies, but I forget if those go by another name in English)

    Oct 13, 2021 22:46 by Lauren

    Thanks for your feedback! I'm glad that the article reads as balanced so far.   As for the guyuria, I'll have to check with Loneli but I wouldn't be surprised if it's available for the grand reopening!

    "If we wait until we're ready, we'll be waiting the rest of our lives." -Lemony Snicket