Mushroom Brew

Summary

Mushroom Brew is a homemade alcoholic beverage created by the Pine Cone Man, stored in glass bottles within crates at his merchant tent in New Smoke. In Session 7 of the campaign, the brew serves as an effective bribe when the Pine Cone Man uses it to divert New Smoke Guards from investigating a violent disturbance at his tent. The success of this bribe demonstrates both the Pine Cone Man's resourcefulness and the guards' susceptibility to corruption through alcohol.

The mushroom brew is significant enough that party members recognize its existence as new information about the world they are exploring.

Properties

The mushroom brew is an alcoholic or intoxicating beverage packaged in glass bottles with corks. The Pine Cone Man stores multiple bottles together in crates, making them easy to transport and distribute. When offered to the New Smoke Guards, the guards immediately accept the bottles, pop the corks, and begin drinking without hesitation, suggesting the brew is either well-known, highly desirable, or both.

The beverage's effectiveness as a bribe indicates it holds significant value within New Smoke's economy or social structure. Brad identifies the drink's existence as noteworthy during end-of-session moves, stating "We learned that mushroom drink exists" when debating whether the party had discovered something new and important about the world.

History

Session 7

When guards arrive to investigate a disturbance caused by the party's violent emergence from beneath the Pine Cone Man's tent, the Pine Cone Man attempts to protect the party from discovery. He produces a crate containing glass bottles of his mushroom brew and asks the guards, "Could I interest you gentlemen in some of my very own mushroom brew?"

The New Smoke Guards accept the offer, take bottles from the crate, pop the corks, and start drinking immediately before wandering away without conducting any further investigation into the disturbance. This transaction allows the party to avoid scrutiny for their violent actions beneath the tent.

During the end-of-session moves, the party discusses what they learned about the world, with Brad noting the mushroom drink's existence as a piece of new information gained during the session.