Welcome to Nerdtopia! A crafting town with a big mystery brewing, and it’s up to you to solve it! Your choices will determine what paths of investigation you take, and what ending you get… so choose wisely, because there’s no going back!
At the end of the season, solve the mystery and you can win a prize (tbd – as usual, I’m doing this last minute and on the fly!). Details coming later, but clues will be given out based on the prompts you complete… you can guess even if you only get one clue, but more clues will definitely help out, so get those crafting muscles working! Clues will be sent through LC messages once a month, and you’ll have a week after the season ends to get your guesses in.
The Suspects:
- Quinn the Dwarf Barbarian Crocheter
- Aimee the Orc Rogue Quilter
- Jenny the Tiefling Druid Artist
- Peter the Dragonborn Monk Pyrographer
- Ambrose the Gnome Sorcerer Painter
- Sabrina the Firbolg Bard Knitter
- Sarah the Half-Elf Ranger Miniaturist
- Fenton the Halfling Cleric Jeweler
- Kenny the Fairy Wizard Photographer
- Marta the Goblin Paladin Cook
- Naomi the Half-Orc Warlock Scrapbooker
- Wendy the Human Fighter Seamstress
- Callie the Tabaxi Artificer Weaver
CH – City Hall
The Story Begins…
It’s summer, and time for the Nerdtopia Craft-a-Palooza celebration and competition! The whole town is excited, but on the eve of the start of the big celebration, Mayor Bastion the Centaur notices that the trophy has gone missing! He comes to you, quietly, and asks if you could investigate. You’re an outsider, just here for the celebration and to watch all the craftspeople work, but your reputation as an adventurer followed you and he’s sure you’re the right person for the job. You, of course, accept the quest and promise to keep it as quiet as you can while you investigate.
What he does know is that Peter the Dragonborn Monk Pyrographer won last year, and brought the trophy back to City Hall last week. Staff remembers him coming in with the trophy, but no one can remember if it got locked up (and was therefore stolen from City Hall) or if he never actually dropped it off. When Bastion was talking to Ambrose the Gnome Sorcerer Painter about the set-up for the competition, Ambrose said he thought competition might be pretty, well, contentious this year. He mentioned that when he saw Peter heading up the steps with the trophy, Naomi the Half-Orc Warlock Scrapbooker (runner-up from last year) stopped and appeared to have some very heated words with him. But, he stresses, it might just have been some over-the-top, good-natured ribbing, as well. It was hard to tell from his vantage point. But he warned Bastion that some of the town seemed like they were taking this competition very seriously, indeed.
Do you (aka July Monthly Battle)… (craft something that represents some aspect of who you choose to talk to for the battle prompt!)
Talk to Ambrose the Gnome Sorcerer Painter
Talk to Naomi the Half-Orc Warlock Scrapbooker
Talk to Peter the Dragonborn Monk Pyrographer
JULY PROMPTS
Talk to Ambrose
The Gnome Sorcerer is a charming fellow who lives in a cottage absolutely packed with lovely landscape paintings. You tell him a story about how your parents used to bring you to Craft-a-Palooza back in the olden days, and you’re just here to relive those memories. He’s quite happy to sit and answer all of your questions about the history of the competition and the town, provided you purchase one of his paintings… you of course agree, and scan the walls as he starts in on his stories.
The stories Ambrose tells you (aka Prompts)
- The Crochet Commotion – craft something that is made of yarn, uses knots, is used to cover something else, or is purple.
- The Great Graphite Gripes – craft something that uses graphite or charcoal, is used as a decoration, or is black.
- A Square in the Square – craft something that is/has squares, is assembled from multiple pieces, or is multi-colored.
- The Loose Thread – craft something that uses thread or thin lines, is added to another craft, can be used to keep warm, or is grey.
- A Careless Conflagration – craft something that uses fire or heat, requires the destruction of something else, or is red.
When he’s done talking, you go back to the two paintings that leapt out at you – one is a lush forest glen scene, the other a picturesque stone bridge over a small creek. Which do you purchase? (Choose “Forest” or “Bridge” path in the August Prompts!)
Talk to Peter:
Peter lives in a cottage in the center of town, and rarely misses anything that goes on. He seems like he might know more than he’s letting on, and he offers to tell you some stories he said you might find… informative, if you’re willing to buy one of his photographs. You look at the framed photos on the wall, which are nice, though maybe not your style. You agree, and peruse the photos while he tells you his stories.
The stories Peter tells you (aka Prompts)
- The Ballad of the Dropped Stitch – craft something you’ve messed up in the past, that is uniform, has stitches, or is blue.
- Once Upon a Painting – craft something using paint, is inspired by something from long ago, or is multi-colored.
- The Link in the Chain – craft something that is metal, has links, can be worn, or is silver.
- Three Wee Things – craft something that is a trio, is small or cute, or is pink.
- The Magic Photograph – craft something that uses a photograph or picture, is a representation of something else, or is sepia toned.
When he’s done, you’re not sure you learned anything valuable, but two photos caught your eye, one being a bridge over a creek, the other is a meadow, lush with flowers. Which do you purchase? (Choose “Meadow” or “Bridge” path in the August Prompts!)
Talk to Naomi:
Naomi lives in a farmstead on the north of town, and her house is cluttered with tons of finished scrapbooks, scrapbook kits she’s designed, and some lovely collage art pieces. She is quite the gossip, and agrees to chat with you… provided you buy one of her themed blank scrapbooks. You agree, and she launches into her tales. You flip through the lovely junk journal style scrapbooks as she talks.
- A Stitch in Time – craft something that takes a lot of (non-crafting) time (drying time, etc), has or uses stitches, or is green.
- Too Many Cooks – craft something that requires heat, uses the oven, or is yellow.
- It’s Cut and Paste – craft something that uses scissors or glue, has multiple pieces that need to be assembled, or is blue.
- By Hook or by Crook – craft something that has or uses hooks, is soft, is for use around the house, or is red.
- Two are Better than One – craft something twice, or that is part of a duo, can be used in more than one way, or is orange.
When she’s done, your head is swimming with all the gossip she’s given you, and you’ve narrowed your scrapbook choices down to either the forest glen theme or the meadow theme. Which one do you purchase? (Choose “Meadow” or “Forest” path in the August Prompts!)
August Prompts
IF YOU CHOSE FOREST, COME HERE:
You pick the forest [painting/scrapbook], and as you are saying your goodbyes to [Ambrose/Naomi], something falls out of the [frame/scrapbook]. When you pick it up, you see it’s a scrap of very distinctive fabric, and it looks like there’s a smudge of what smells like… metal polish on it. The same kind of metal polish that would be used to shine a trophy. You think you saw both Aimee the Orc Rogue Quilter and Wendy the Human Fighter Seamstress with similar fabrics, but time is running short and you can only talk to one of them - who do you talk to?
IF YOU CHOOSE AIMEE:
You decide to talk to Aimee, and though she is a bit abrasive (you can’t entirely blame her, you are accusing her of stealing and sabotage, so you give her the benefit of the doubt) but she tells you the story of the fabric (among a few choice turns of phrases). Apparently is was a traveling salesperson who came through, and while both Aimee and Wendy bough larger pieces of fabric, the salesperson gave out scraps to lots of the local children in “fairy wands”, so there were pieces of it everywhere. She claims someone is trying to frame her.
Her stories (AKA prompts):
- Cut to the Chase - craft something that requires cutting up pieces into smaller bits, requires a sharp-edged implement, or is brown.
- Back in my Day - craft something that is an ‘older’ craft, that is done in a retro style, is something an elder taught you, or is blue.
- No Good Deed - craft something that is for someone else, is meant to be helpful, has stripes, or is green.
- All in Good Time - craft something that is time consuming, has a lot of steps that require patience, is made from supplies you had to wait to get, or is purple.
- Uphill Both Ways - craft something that is a struggle, tells a story, has works, or is white.
You leave her house, rather defeated, when you see - rather hear - someone skulking the shadows. Listening in? You think you hear a distinctive click, like something metal clanging, like… knitting needles or a length of chain, perhaps? Is it Sabrina the Firbolg Bard Knitter or Fenton the Halfling Cleric Jeweler trying to listen in? Time is of the essence, who do you talk to?
IF YOU CHOOSE WENDY:
Wendy seems irritated by your questions, and you can’t entirely blame her - you are accusing her of being a criminal, so you try to tread lightly. You listen as she shows you all of her quilting patterns, and shares the fabric swatches with you. She does have the fabric in question, but lets you know that everyone else does, too - the traveling salesman gave out tons of scraps of it to people as his “business card”, so everyone had access to it. You feel like maybe you just heard a ton of stories for no reason, but they kept swirling around in your mind…
Her stories (AKA Prompts)
- Pinwheel - craft something that revolves, is multi-colored, or is meant to amuse or entertain.
- Log Cabin - craft something using multiple parts, made of wood, or that is brown.
- The Pineapple - craft something made of tough material or with an outer shell, something for (or representing) plants, or something that is yellow or green.
- Hens & Chickens - craft something that represents/has a bird, is related to a farmyard, uses feathers, or is white or yellow.
- Picture Frame - craft something that uses a photograph, or something framed, or that is silver.
As you’re leaving, though, something about one of her stories tickles the back of your brain. Something about… Fenton the Halfling Cleric Jeweler… or Sarah the Half-Elf Ranger Miniaturist… you can’t decide which. Time is of the essence, who do you talk to?
IF YOU CHOSE THE BRIDGE, COME HERE:
You pick the bridge [painting/photograph], and as you’re staring at you amazing new artwork, you see something in the bottom corner that looks like a figure you recognize. Unfortunately, it is small and blurry, but it does look a little like a figure carrying a suspiciously large wrapped bundle. Could [Ambrose/Peter] have captured the theft in action and not realized it? Based on the figure, it seems to be either Wendy the Human Fighter Seamstress or Marta the Goblin Paladin Cook. Both have a bright red coat like the one in the picture… but time is short, who do you talk to?
IF YOU CHOOSE WENDY:
Wendy seems irritated by your questions, and you can’t entirely blame her - you are accusing her of being a criminal, so you try to tread lightly. You listen as she shows you all of her quilting patterns, and shares the fabric swatches with you. You ask her about the red coat, and she admits she made several for people around town, though as she recalls, Marta wasn’t one of them. And of course some people didn’t appreciate her handywork, because the coats were a ton of work to get fitted… she then dives into the intricacies of tailoring…
Her stories (AKA Prompts)
- Measure Twice, Cut Once - craft something that requires precise measurements, is fitted to something, or has numbers in it.
- The Right Stabilizer - craft something that is heavy, is made to help someone (physically or mentally) regain their equilibrium, or uses glue.
- To Serge or Not to Serge - craft something that requires finishing around the edges, takes extra steps, has a zig-zag pattern, or is grey.
- Lining - craft something that has multiple layers, requires extra steps, has lines on it, or is red.
- Pockets - craft something that is meant for carrying something, is generally useful, or has hidden parts.
As you’re leaving, though, something about one of her stories tickles the back of your brain. Something about… Fenton the Halfling Cleric Jeweler… or Sarah the Half-Elf Ranger Miniaturist… you can’t decide which. Time is of the essence, who do you talk to?
IF YOU CHOOSE MARTA:
Marta is bustling around her kitchen, happy to talk to you so long as you sample her new creation. While you question the wisdom of eating in the kitchen of someone you’re basically accusing of a crime, the smells are heavenly, and you give in. She chats amiably to you, and explains that she did have a red coat ages ago, but hasn’t seen it in years. It was a little tight through the shoulders, and as she recalls she gave it away. You listen as she puts dish after dish in front of you…
Her dishes (AKA prompts)
- Fresh Bread - craft something that has a crust, is soft on the inside, uses an oven to make, or is tan/brown.
- Shrimp Scampi - craft something inspired by the ocean, something that is small, or something that is white or pink.
- Mead - craft something that is (or uses) a liquid, uses herbs or is steeped, or is golden.
- Paladin Salad - craft something with lots of different pieces, that combines different crafts, materials, or techniques, or is green.
- Thumbprint Cookies - craft something that requires molding by hand, that has a added extra (jam!), has wavy lines, or is purple.
She thinks she either gave the coat to Sarah the Half-Elf Ranger Miniaturist or Sabrina the Firbolg Bard Knitter, though in either case it would have been altered and she wasn’t sure she’d seen anyone wearing it lately. Time is of the essence, who do you talk to?
IF YOU CHOSE THE MEADOW, COME HERE:
You pick the meadow [scrapbook/picture], and as you turn to leave, you notice a figure scurry around the corner, almost like they’d been listening in on your conversation. A lot like a guilty person might have been! Based on the size and relative shape of the person, you think it might have been either Aimee the Orc Rogue Quilter or Marta the Goblin Paladin Cook, but you only have time to talk to one of them… which do you choose?
IF YOU CHOOSE AIMEE:
You rush to Aimee’s house, hoping to catch her still out of breath from running away from you, if that is the case. She is ruffled when you get to her house, but not for the reason you thought - she claims someone has been threatening her to get her to resign from the race, and the latest note had just arrived. She’s frazzled, but more resolved than ever to enter her quilt in the contest - it’s a paper pieced quilt, and she tells you all about the process of paper piecing…
Her stories (AKA Prompts)
- Printing the Pattern - craft something that uses paper, is small or precise, uses a printer, or is white or black.
- Stitch Length - craft something that has dashes lines, uses a “sacrificial” part of the craft that is removed, or requires tearing.
- Ironing is Key - craft something flat, that requires heat, or is made of several parts that are joined together.
- Cutting Rulers - craft something that is cut out, has straight lines, or contains numbers.
- Batting - craft something soft or fluffy, or that has multiple layers, or is beige or made of cotton.
You stare at the note as you half-listen to her stories. You think you’ve seen that writing before. Was is Sabrina the Firbolg Bard Knitter’s or Fenton the Halfling Cleric Jeweler’s handwriting? Time is not on your side, who do you talk to?
IF YOU CHOOSE MARTA
Marta is bustling around her kitchen and she is slightly out of breath, but it could be from the huge pots she’s moving from the stovetop. She is happy to talk to you so long as you sample her new creation. While you question the wisdom of eating in the kitchen of someone you’re basically accusing of a crime, the smells are heavenly, and you give in. She chats amiably to you, and you listen as she puts dish after dish in front of you…
- Croissants - craft something that has/is flaky, requires rolling, is light or fluffy, or is buttery yellow.
- Earl Grey Tea, Hot - craft something that is historical, or royal, or tea related, or gray.
- Garden Omelet - craft something that requires mixing, is made up of various materials/ingredients, or is flat and round(ish), or has vegetables/herbs (or a representation thereof).
- Bacon - craft something that is thin or crispy, has lines, is rectangular, or is red.
- Waffles with Fruit and Whipped Cream- craft something that has squares/blocks, is fluffy, or has (or represents) your favorite fruit/fruit color.
As she’s talking to you, you realize something she said about one of the people… about the food, tickled a memory. And you feel like you can learn more from them… but was it Sabrina the Firbolg Bard Knitter or Sarah the Half-Elf Ranger Miniaturist? Time is not on your side, who do you talk to?
SEPTEMBER PROMPTS
- Battle: choose Sabrina the Firbolg Bard Knitter, Sarah the Half-Elf Ranger Miniaturist, or Fenton the Halfling Cleric Jeweler to talk to!
IF YOU ARE TALKING TO SABRINA, COME HERE!
You rush to Sabrina’s house, and she answers the door with her knitting needles in one hand. You make some small talk while casting around the house for anything to start your questioning with, but you’re coming up empty. She starts to get suspicious, so you ask her about the piece she’s working on.
Her description of her project (AKA Prompts)
- Long tailed cast-on - craft something with a tail, that requires a guesstamate during construction, is made with yarn, or is purple.
- Boucle yarn - craft something that is lumpy, or uneven, or fluffy, or grey.
- Bamboo needles - craft something that is wooden, made from a renewable source, is inspired by plants, or is tan.
- Ribbing - craft something with a wavy texture, that has alternating elements, has distinct rows, or is blue.
- Cast off purlwise - craft something that has a backwards component, represents the end of something, has knots, or is yellow.
You don’t follow all of her explanations, but some things seem to catch your attention, and combined with the other clues, you’re pretty sure you know who the culprit is…
IF YOU ARE TALKING TO FENTON, COME HERE!
You amble over to Fenton’s house, not sure how you’re going to work your questioning in. Maybe there will be something lying about that you can mention as a jumping off point to your questioning? When you get there, luckily he invites you into his workshop. Unluckily, he is extremely neat and everything is tucked away into drawers. You cast about for something, anything, but you can’t find anything. He stares at you, confused as to why you’re just standing there, so you ask him about the project he’s working on. He launches into an explanation of the piece he’s working on…
His description of his project (AKA Prompts)
- Wire wrapping - craft something using wire, that covers something else, uses a tool to shape, or that is silver.
- Gemstone - craft something that is hard (like stone), is shimmery/sparkly, or is a very bright, vibrant color.
- Leather cord - craft something that uses cording or string, is used to hold something, is made of lines, or is brown.
- Beading - craft something that uses beads, is spherical in shape, or is white or black.
- Velvet case - craft something luxurious, velvety soft, plush, or that is purple.
You don’t understand everything he tells you about the design and balance, but some things he says triggers some memories, and suddenly, you think you have it… you just might know who the culprit is!
IF YOU ARE TALKING TO SARAH, COME HERE!
You wander over to Sarah’s house, not sure what approach you’re going to take when you get there. When you get there she’s in the middle of a miniature library, and you can’t see a way to get around to the questions you really want to ask… so you ask her about the project she’s working on. Maybe somehow you’ll be able to work around to what you really want to talk about…
Her description of her project (AKA Prompts)
- Stuffed armchair - craft something stuffed, that makes someone comfortable, is supportive, has a subtle pattern, or is blue.
- Bookshelf - craft something of wood, that can be used to store something, or is maroon.
- Tea caddy - craft something with legs, that uses tea (or your other favorite beverage!), is made using a liquid, or is brown.
- Floor lamp - craft something that is useful, is bright/illuminated, or is yellow.
- Books - craft something that uses paper/books, has multiple parts that are worked into one project, has writing, or is green.
You get so caught up in her description of the project that you almost miss it - but there it was, the missing piece that ties it all together. You think you know who did it!
: Maybe you like to encourage others or lead the way in teaching new skills and techniques. This is the team for you!
: Maybe you enjoy creating something from nothing. Just like magic!
: Maybe you like to use crafting for stress relief. Maybe you just start going berserk at the craft store, and now you don’t know what to do with your haul. This team may be for you!
The pampas grass is made of silver wire, and of course the comb can be worn - although I would say it is probably more for display haha. I use an iron (heat) to activate the holographic film in my insect wings. It makes the different colors in the film stand out more. Also, the UV gets ‘cooked’ under a uv light - sometimes I put the light in a reflective oven (a box lined with shiny tinfoil) to ensure even setting.
There’s a little more info in the link.
I like using holographic film as well.
