Classes
Class refers to your character’s choice of adventuring profession.
RPG Series
Illustrations by the inimitable Julie Dillon.
PERFUME OIL BLENDS
Presented in an amber apothecary vial
“You all meet at an inn.…”
Pen and paper role-playing games have been a tremendous influence in my life since my formative years. My parents bought me the magenta D&D boxed set back in 1982, along with the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual. My lifelong passion for fantasy, science fiction, war games, and mythology was well-channeled through RPGs, and I credit playing D&D with helping me sustain my imagination and sense of wonder through adulthood.
I played with one particular group through the bulk of my late teens and early 20s, and this series — along with the atmosphere tools that Black Phoenix Trading Post has introduced — was inspired, specifically, by the time that we spent campaigning together. Our group was somewhat prop-driven in our gaming: we felt that setting a mood was conducive to our style of gameplay. Little things like changes in lighting, minor sound effects, and music made a world of difference, and we found that utilizing miniatures, model railroad scenery, and other tools in order to physically illustrate strategies and provide visual cues was tremendously useful. How much more immersive would it have been if we’d been able to smell the crypt we were crawling through? Or the stench of steel and blood that permeates a warrior’s cloak? What do the wizard’s spell components smell like? What does winter in the desert smell like? Or spring in a druid’s sanctuary?
Pen and paper role playing games are, to me, dynamic stories that are propelled by the active participation of many individuals. You can’t have a strong storyline without creating characters of some depth. When you create a character, you generally have their personalities, priorities, and history in mind, along with a clear vision of what your character looks and sounds like. But how does she smell? What does the world around her smell like?
In most pen and paper fantasy RPGs, three of the primary attributes that you must choose for your character are race, class, and alignment. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s RPG scent series was designed to emulate the character creation process, and are meant to be layered in order to create a character concept. In short: you layer your class, race, and the two fragrances that compose your alignment to construct your character scent. RPGs in all their myriad forms — CRPGs, MMOs, and old school pen and paper — have brought me immeasurable joy. This is my homage. This series is dedicated to my first DMs — my parents — for laughing off the nutter-perpetuated AD&D Satan Scare of the 80’s. Thanks for taking the time to play with your little girl. I miss you, and I love you.
Thebazilly –
This is a lot sweeter than I was expecting from the notes. I was hoping for more resinous church incense smell, but the florals dominate for me. It is a very pleasant, fresh scent.
Combined with Evil it does smell very heady and intoxicatingly sweet. The Evil Cleric is the deceptively seductive type rather than the bash you with morningstar type, it seems.
bibliomaniac –
It smells like thiruneer, roses and narcissus. The champaca is there, but it blends well with the rest and I wouldn’t know it was there if I hadn’t been aware I should look for it. Smells intense, holy and floral; it reminds me of going to the temples in India as a kid and looking upwards at the lovely, brightly-painted molded roses and marigolds on the ceiling while incense smoke floated upwards – if the temple was poorly ventilated and the scent of the incense smoke and flower offerings grew concentrated in the heavy air.
twopeople007 –
I opened the bottle and was instantly reminded of my favourite local shop! One of those little places that does piercings/tattoos, and sells gothy clothes, dragon ornaments, and incense! It’s like having a little of a place I love with me wherever I go! Very much a mixed incense smell, mingling a little with dried flower. Very on brand for a cleric. I’m picturing a figure with gold armor and a censer, high cathedral ceilings above.
sarahcfewkes –
I got this as an extra sample in my order (I was pleasantly surprised, since I nearly ordered it myself!) This is such an intense scent — I thought I would hate it, but I don’t. I really, really don’t.
I grew up in the middle of rural England and was displaced to the U.S. The thing I have missed the most is Bonfire Night … but here it is, bottled. This scent reminds me so much of the effigies going up in flames while people pass out candy floss and light sparklers that I was instantly transported. I cannot stop smelling myself. It is vaguely flowery, but (to my nose) overwhelmingly the smell is sweet bonfires. I am in love.
vane_ardilla –
It’s a really powerful smell that truly sticks all day, but, somehow, the rose smell makes me sneeze. I don’t have allergies and roses are one of my most favorite flower scents so I’m not quite sure If it’s because of how it reacts to my skin.
Jennifer –
I like it a lot. When I opened the bottle, it smelled sweet and warm. After putting it on, a very flowery scent emerged. It is a very fresh, clean smell that reminds me of a spring morning.
infinityaex –
Ordered an imp and think it has a lovely scent. You get a lovely blend of frankincense and rose amber. The floral scent lingers for a long time. It is very pleasant. Personally, I won’t wear it again (not my type of scent), but it is an amazing blend.
Janna –
So, when I ordered my group, I got more than I bargained for! That said, out of all of them:
Cleric. Oh my, Cleric! So yummy! So intense! So WOW! I was nervous that the rose amber (rose anything!) would be too over-powering on everything else, but this one–THIS! I wear it on every Game Night and I’m almost out; everyone says it smells GREAT!
Thank you very much for this blend! It’ll be hard for me to find one to best it after this! 🙂