The longest ever January is behind us, and we’re speeding into the chocolate season of Valentine’s Day (an excuse to buy chocolate) and Easter (also chocolate). In this post, our Patrons get to vote for a publisher that the blog and podcast will promote.
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This month we offer thanks to; Dave Bailey, Sean P Kelley, Philippe Marcil, Adept Icarus, Noril of Cold River, R Waibel, Allen Varney, Kate, Paul Wilson, and Heike.
The honouree for this month is Surbrook Press, run by ENnie-winning Michael Surbrook. You can see previous honourees on the Spotlight page.
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The candidates for the March Spotlight are:
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Chocolate in fantasy worlds
Before I get into my thoughts about chocolate in fantasy worlds (and I acknowledge that my brain might think about world-building in weird ways), I wanted to point out Chocolate Lodge’s chocolate game pieces. This is not an affiliate link. It’s just cool.
Secondly, many fantasy settings tend to place jungle-based empires outside human centres of power. I think you have to be careful with this, as portraying jungle inhabitants as “unreachable” or “hostile” can lean into “Dark Continent” stereotypes.
Lastly, if human civilisations cannot reliably access jungle regions, the chocolate supply chain is broken. In this scenario, chocolate would not be found in markets; it would be found in hoards.
- The Relic of the Deep Jungle: Chocolate becomes an “archaeological” find. Adventurers might discover ancient, magically preserved cacao presses in overgrown ruins. A single solid brick of bitter, ancient chocolate could be worth more than its weight in platinum to a desperate alchemist or a nostalgic elven king.
- Smuggler’s Gold: Since official trade is dead, “The Bean Run” becomes a high-stakes criminal enterprise. Smugglers who can survive the predatory flora and fauna of the jungle to bring back a sack of fermented beans would be the wealthiest outlaws in the docks.
- The Synthetic Pursuit: Deprived of the real thing, human wizards might attempt to magically “forge” the flavour. Using Prestigiditation to make wax taste like cocoa is a common tavern trick, but high-level Transmutation wizards might spend decades trying to create a “Chocolate Golem” or a self-replicating cocoa-pulp; often with disastrous, sticky results.
The Survivalist’s “Black Brew”
Without the cream and sugar of human cities, the chocolate that does trickle through would be intense and medicinal. It wouldn’t be a dessert; it would be a soldier’s ration or a ranger’s secret weapon. A thick, cold draught of spiced cacao could grant a temporary +1 to Constitution saves against exhaustion, representing the potent stimulant properties that human cities have largely forgotten.
What do you think? Have I just murdered chocolate joy in fantasy worlds? Either way, and this is an affiliate link, let me recommend UK gaming convention regular Honeybadger Games’ edible dice and gaming pieces.
