Table of Contents
Drinking and Drunkenness
Common Types of Alcohol
- Cider: Fermented juice from apples
- Mead: Fermented honey and water
- Beer: Fermented grain such as barley or wheat
- Ale: A type of beer that is sweeter with less alcohol
- Wine: Fermented grapes or other fruit
- Spirit: Distilled beverage with no added sugar.
- Liquor: Distilled beverage with sugar and flavorings.
Relative Base Costs:
- Local: 1 cp
- Domestic: 1 sp
- Imported: 1 gp
- Vintage: 100 gp
- Special: ??? gp
All of the beers, wines, and other products here are to be found and served in sizes and packages like these:
- Shot: A 2 oz shot served in an equally sized shotglass.
- Cup: An 8 oz cup ideal for serving tea and other delicate beverages.
- Mug: A 16 oz mug, likely served from a barrel's tap. The most typical tavern serving device. Also known as a pint.
- Flagon: 32 ounces of liquid refreshment.
- Pitcher: One gallon of your drink of choice, served in a pitcher for ease of distribution to friends.
- Hand keg: 12“ long and 8” in circumference, the hand keg weighs about 10 pounds and carries roughly 2 gallons of liquid.
- Cask: This small barrel is roughly 2' long and 18“ in circumference, casks carry 12 gallons of wine or beer.
- Barrel: Generally 3-5' long and as wide around as a healthy man’s shoulders, barrels are the most common container for transporting liquids. Barrels hold 30 gallons.
- Butt: 100 gallon butts are roughly 6-7' long and wider than a man, a standard purchase size for well-to-do manors, estates, and small castles.
- Tun: Generally mounted into the wall of taverns with a tap directly into it, a tun holds 250 gallons.
Getting Drunk
First of all, it must be said, alcohol does qualify as a poison, technically, which means those immune to poison can ignore some of the deleterious effects of the alcohol (specifically, the effects of getting drunk) while still getting the nutritional benefits, magical side effects, etc. Some alcohols act differently on those immune to poison. Those resistant to poison will get drunk more slowly, but will still get drunk under the right circumstances. Drink responsibly.
For each drink, there is an Intoxication score, the DC to save for half, description of what the item is and where it's from, and price. A low Intoxication score and high DC represents a drink built more around slow and steady progress to inebriation, while a high Intoxication score and low DC represents a drink that will sucker punch you when you least expect it.
When your Intoxication Score is higher than your Constitution, roll a Con save DC 10 + the amount by which it exceeds your bonus to stave off a level of Inebriation. For every ten points under DC, add another level of Inebriation. Most 'normal' drinks have an Intoxication rating of 2 or less, or a DC of 15 or less; however, stronger drink is available to the seasoned adventurer.
Chug, Chug, Chug!
Of course, binge drinkers are more likely to fall to Inebriation than steady drinkers. If someone drinks several drinks in rapid succession, total up the intoxication points and increase the DC by 4 per extra drink. Most drinking contests are binge drinking.
Inebriation
| Level | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Disadvantage on Persuasion and Deception; Advantage against Frightened |
| 2 | Disadvantage on Ability Checks; Roll a Hit Die and gain temporary hit points |
| 3 | Disadvantage on Saving Throws; Cannot dash or move more than 10' in the same direction |
| 4 | Disadvantage on Attack Rolls; Damage Resistance |
| 5 | Unconscious |
In addition, if you have at least one level of Inebriation, to cast a spell, make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or the spell fails. The spell is not wasted. One hour reduces a drinker's Intoxication score by half; a short rest removes one level of Inebriation (and reduces Intoxication by half); a long rest removes all effects of Inebriation…
The Morning After
…except hangovers. For one hour, plus one hour per point of Inebriation you had, you suffer from a wicked hangover and suffer disadvantage on ability checks. Specific drinks may cause other effects, or remove the chance of a hangover.
Familiar Drinks
| Drink | Amount | Intoxication | DC Save for Half | Special Notes | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tavern Ale | 16 oz | 0.5 | 5 | Known as mild beer or small beer, ale is perhaps the most common drink and an important source of nutrition. The small amount of alcohol acts as a preservative without intoxicating effects. Made by fermenting malted grain with yeast, practically every tavern has their own brew and recipe. | 1 cp |
| Tavern Wine | 16 oz | 1 | 10 | This common table wine is usually made from grapes, but any fruit may be used. | 1 sp |
| Dwarven Beer | 16 oz | 1 | 15 | This beer is only uncommonly known because the dwarves tend to consume most of it before they can export it. Dwarven beer tends to be particularly strong even for those with a solid constitution. Dwarven beer adds additional sugar and hops to provide additional potency. | 1 gp |
| Gloomcavern Ale | 16 oz | 2 | 12 | This isn't really from Gloomcavern, but the brewers figured the name would be eye-catching (they weren't wrong.) This is a dark, potent ale found in pretty much every tavern. | 2 sp |
| Bitter Black Stout | 16 oz | 1 | 12 | This hearty stout from Regalle in Astor is one of that city's major exports, and deservedly so. Best served at cellar temperature (Arabellans sniff at any other way of serving this drink), the stout is heavy and is jet black with a dark brown head of foam. | 5 cp |
| Dragon's Breath Brew | 16 oz | 2 | 20 | This strong brew is rumored to be made by dragons themselves - a drink that punches like a dragonborn and leaves a burning sensation on the tongue. The Competitive Drinkers' Society of Arinthal chooses Dragon's Breath Brew as its drink of choice for those with exceptional tolerance. | 1 gp |
| Sophie's Choice | 8 oz | 1 | 8 | A dark, bitter brew with a smoky aftertaste, favored by Sophie Aelfsdottir, Great Witch of the Northern Lands, or so the stories go. Still, those who visit the Witch tend to bring a goodly supply of this brew with them in case the stories are true. | 1 sp |
Unfamiliar Drinks
| Drink | Amount | Special Notes | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eioan Lager - Basic | 16 oz | Unadulterated lager with no added flavorings after brewing. It has a pale yellow color, white foam, and light bubbles. | 5 cp |
| Eioan Lager - Gold | 16 oz | The basic brew specially fortified with extracts from cacti and nettles, giving the beer a sharp, more bitter aftertaste and its deeper golden color. | 5 cp |
| Eioan Lager - Orange | 16 oz | Braced with flavor of orange and currant, this unique lager has an acidic aftertaste, but is sweeter than the basic lager. | 5 cp |
| Astorian North Brew | 16 oz | This dark amber liquid has a harsh, bitter aftertaste (sold as “the bite of the north winds”) that is, for many, an acquired taste. The product, when initially brewed ten years past, was placed in any empty barrels ordered from the city; this practice stopped in order to increase the plummeting orders of the cask trade. | 2 cp |
| Shoreside's Best | 16 oz | This hefty stout is as black as ink and nearly as thick as the snows of the Northern Lands. Possessed of a sweet flavor and a frothy head, this halflings’ brew lives up to its name. | 5 cp |
| Old One Eye | 16 oz | This beer, its containers stamped with a brand of a cyclops’ head, is brewed in the southern coast of Eio, just north of the Thorn Valley. This relatively new brew is lighter and less opaque than the standard stouts of the South, but with a higher alcohol content. Old One Eye’s fiery red color comes from its secret brewing process. (Rumors mention pepper and other minute spices in the grain mix.) Its odd “hot” aftertaste makes this beer a one-of-a-kind drink. It is gaining quite a following among the locals and adventurers south of Cormyr, and tavern keepers like it for its long life and ease of travel. | 4 cp |
| Shadowdark Ale | 16 oz | This frothy ale is almost sinister in appearance, with pale yellow foam atop a cloudy brown bubbly liquid. Despite a daunting demeanor, this ale is excellent, with a light bitter taste. Brewed in Shadow Valley, this ale travels easily and is found as far away as Cragworn; many adventurers who first tasted this fine brew at the the Blue Dragon Inn are glad to have its familiar taste in any major city’s taverns. | 6 cp |
| Purple Glory Ale | 16 oz | This fine-quality ale is specially prepared by the royal brewer of the Emperor of Astor. The name listed is its most common appellation, first brewed for the Glories of Astor. | 1 sp |
| Alrax's Stout | 16 oz | Nobody seems to remember where the name 'Alrax' came from except scholars, sages, and adventurers; the Devourer's only enduring legacy is in the name of this stout ale full of rich malt flavor, reportedly the smoothest drink this side of Evermead and manufactured by goliaths, of all things. Rarely seen outside of the Northern Lands because of the stigmas involving goliaths. | 1 sp |
| Kneecracker Cider | 8 oz | A local beverage made from windfall apples, 'Kneecracker' is a general tavern name for a drink made from apples that's stronger than an ale but weaker than a glass of good wine. It is a robust and cloudy drink, and the cider should be allowed to settle for three days after delivery to a tavern for best results, due to the heavy sediment that results from the manufacturing process. | 1 cp |
| King's Hill Cider | 8 oz | A clarified cider made from a mixture of apples and accent fruits (cherries, plums, quinces, and blackberries) from the King's Hill orchard in Bryb, within the walls of Sir Edmund's Castle. Carefully coaxed into further fermentation, the vintners have managed to make a fine, fruity cider with the punch of a strong wine. | 3 cp |
| Durovyan Cider | 8 oz |
sweet flavorings of apples, cherries, blueberries, and pears. An exquisite cider, it is best served piping hot with cinnamon or cloves. | 5 cp |
| Amethyst Dry | 8 oz | This fine red wine is very dry and should be served at cellar temperature to best exhibit its woodsy undertones and slightly berrylike taste. Commonly sold by merchants to individuals by the bottle, although standard tavern sizes are also available. | 5 cp |
| Beryl Dark | 8 oz | This dark wine is nearly black in color, very heavy, and sweet with a burning aftertaste. Another Eioan classic sold by the bottle or the cask, this wine tends to grow more valuable with age. | 1 gp |
| Bloodwyne | 8 oz | A classic that's guaranteed to get you funny looks even in the taverns that serve it, bloodwyne is heavily bodied with a deep red tone, with a slight afterbite. It is favored mostly by sanguivores (stirges, vampires, and other bloodsuckers), although it is occasionally used ritually in certain religious practices where spilling live blood is currently frowned upon. Nobody is quite clear on where bloodwyne is manufactured, only that it steadily finds its way to the market all the same. | 5 sp |
| Clarry | 8 oz | A blend of table wines sweetened with honey and spices, pink Clarry is a treat for any special occasion. | 1 sp |
| Evermead | 2 oz | Evermead is the legendary beverage against which all other meads - and other drinks, for that matter - are compared. Planar travelers note that elves from other planes and dimensions seem to make Evermead in the exact same way in every known dimension where it is possible to make it, which brings up the interesting philosophical argument - 'which came first, the elves or the recipe?' Despite this academic quandary, most people just know Evermead as the best of beverages; however, with elves' prolonged lifespans, there is rarely a value to 'aged' Evermead, nor does the flavor grow even more powerful with time, a disappointment to true collectors. | 2 gp |
| Fireball Wine | 8 oz |
in one’s belly. Fire wine is an extremely strong and spicy wine, reputed to have medicinal qualities ('it burns the sickness right out of you'.) | 1 sp |
| Mead | 16 oz | Mead, a delicate, slightly sweet wine made from honey, is slow to ferment and in scarce supply compared to grape wines or those of other fruits. Mead-making is an art, and the vintner must be careful to neither over-yeast his mead, making for a foul taste, nor allow it to grow too hot or cold, killing the yeast and forestalling proper fermentation. Mead is available in various vintages from anywhere where bees are properly kept, but the best come from Bek'lar, where the deserts induce bees to be especially focused in their honey-gathering and ferocious in its defense. | 3 sp |
| Khuldean Vat No. 12 | 8 oz | A pale red wine that leaves a tingle on the tongue. Rumored to have been made by an alchemist who has nineteen other flavors not seen outside his hometown of Skorg, No. 12 is said to be made from strawberries and raspberries, with grains added for smoothness and body, fermented and aged in a unique process. Certain vintages of No. 12 are particularly valuable to collectors, but most are merely a merry drink for table. | 15 cp |
| Khuldean Glowfire | 8 oz | A pale chartreuse wine renowned for its faint luminescence. Glowfire is neither sweet nor very dry, and has a taste reminiscent of summer breezes and pears. | 12 cp |
| Khuldean Topaz | 8 oz | Topaz’s yellow-amber color is what lends it its name. It is slightly dry and has a nutty quality balanced by bold fruit overtones. | 1 sp |
| Moon Mage's Red | 8 oz | One of a pair of wines that are seldom seen in taverns, with values of at least 100 gp per bottle on the common market. | ? gp |
| Moon Mage's White | 8 oz | One of a pair of wines that are seldom seen in taverns, with values of at least 100 gp per bottle on the common market. This is slightly more common and shows up frequently at wine tasting parties. | ? gp |
| Spiced Wine | 8 oz |
cough, and huskiness of the throat. Raisin, cinnamon, fennel, anise, nutmeg, and clove varieties are available. | 1 sp |
| Winter Wine } 8 oz | Actually manufactured in Astor, not the Northern Lands, this wine has a purplish-blue hue, often leading to jokes that the grapes that go into making it “caught a chill.” This is quite true, as the grapes are allowed to freeze on the vine. They are then harvested and crushed while still frozen. Winter wine is very strong and sweet, and is usually served in small quantities as a dessert. The berries that give it the blue tinge also lend it a unique spicy tone. | 2 sp |
Alchemy and Alcohol
(This section borrows or modifies content espoused by https://thelifecast.net/gregs-dd-5e-homebrew-alchemy-alcohol/|Alchemy and Alcohol]] by the Lifecast Network.)
The idea is we have potions made of an alcohol base, an alchemic base of 6 varying levels, and the combination of various plants or monster blood or whatever you can think of.
As alcohol is a major part of dwarven society, as well as finding a place in many other societies, it is commonly found as a potion ingredient, especially in areas where other primary ingredients may be lacking.
Alchemic Bases
There are 6 known alchemic bases and there are many more types of potions than just healing so determine which base goes to which potion based on rarity. Also feel free to just refer to them as “Common Base” or “Rare Base.”
Grenada: Very Common Base, green tinted solution Noiretta: Common Base, black tinted solution Albedo: Uncommon Base, white tinted solution Citrinitas: Rare Base, yellow tinted solution Rubedo: Very Rare, red tinted solution - classic health potion Regala: Legendary, purple tinted solution
Mechanics:
The alcohol a potion is mixed with determines its potency as a potion; Regala and cheap beer makes for a cheap, bad-tasting potion, after all. As such, Grenada goes best with Intoxication 0.5 drinks, Noiretta with Intoxication 1, Albedo with Intoxication 2, Citrinitas with Intoxication 3, Rubedo with Intoxication 4, and Regala with Intoxication 5 drinks. You can always make a weaker potion with a weak base regardless of the alcohol you're adding to it.
| Potion Examples | Heals for | Intox | DC | Ingredients | Craft DC | Craft Time | Sell Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alc. Potion of Minor Healing | d4+3 | 0.5 | 4 | any alcohol + grenada + common plant roots/leaves | 8 | 1 hour crafting period | 5 to 25 gp |
| Alc. Potion of Healing | 3d4+3 | 1 | 8 | beer + noiretta + common plant roots/leaves | 12 | 4 hour crafting period | 25 to 50 gp |
| Alc. Potion of Greater Healing | 5d4+5 | 2 | 12 | wine + albedo + uncommon leaves/roots or beast blood | 14 | 8 hours | 50 to 250 gp |
| Alc. Potion of Superior Healing | 10d4+10 | 3 | 16 | liquor + citrinitas + rare plant leaves/roots or monster blood | 16 | 24 hours | 250 to 1000 gp |
| Alc. Potion of Supreme Healing | 12d4+25 | 4 | 20 | Ancient Dwarven Liquor or Ancient Elven Wine + rubedo + leaves from the Feywild or dragon blood | 18 | 48 hours | 1000 to 3000 gp |