Teas & Tribulations — Don Jones

It is midsummer. The town of North Pointe Common Towne has always been a place of quiet magic and cozy comfort, its twenty shops a perfect, humming circuit of mutual support. But a new peril from the west is driving desperate travelers and a surge of new residents through its gates. As the town's magical gifts begin to over-function in unsettling and humorous ways, its equilibrium is thrown into disarray. At the heart of this chaos is Galhani, the gentle gnome herbalist, whose magical teas-once a source of healing and joy-are suddenly failing.As her beloved shop grows quiet and her unique craft is overshadowed by a sterile brand of conformity, Galhani's self-doubt grows. With the help of her partner Lara, the town's feisty witch Leota, and the kind-hearted potter Lucy, Galhani must confront a magical affliction that can't be fought with a sword. The town's very spirit is at stake, threatened by a force that seeks to drain its creative essence and leave it hollow. To save her home and her own sense of purpose, Galhani must embark on a deeply personal quest, discovering that the most profound magic may not be in a potion or a spell, but in a shared cup of tea.This new challenge will test the townsfolk's resilience and redefine their understanding of community. In a world full of dragons and heroes, the true magic of North Pointe Common Towne is found in the simple, communal acts of kindness and care. For if a town is to survive, it must first remember what it is to be a home.