Container of Heat and Frost (Patreon)

Wondrous item, common

This heavy iron container is adorned with 3 arcane symbols along the edge of its removable lid. The container can hold up to 1 gallon of liquid. As an action, you can press 1 of the container’s arcane glyphs to heat the liquid inside to a boil (212 degrees Fahrenheit), chill it (33 degrees Fahrenheit), or maintain its current temperature (keeping it between 33 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit). Once pressed, the selected glyph glows either red, blue, or yellow, respectively.

It takes 1 minute to boil or chill a liquid. Pressing the glyph again as an action ends the heating or cooling process early. After boiling or chilling the liquid, the container maintains its hot or cool temperature, respectively.

Back in the deep recesses of the frigid Oriman caves, the small band of adventurers made their camp for the night.

In the dark of the caves, the only discernable shape was that of the 8 foot goliath accompanying them, whose voice echoed throughout the chamber. "The mountains offer an opportunity for reflection. We should enjoy it while we can," it said. "The cold is good. Refreshing." The figure crouched down and sat on the freezing stone.

Beyond his silhouette were three others, previously hidden from view behind the enormous creature.

"For you, maybe, Kenai," said another voice. There was a brief flash of purple, followed by the crack and roar of a healthy fire. The voice continued, now belonging to the scaled form of a well-dressed dragonborn, "for the rest of us, we prefer the heat." He shuffled, settling down atop his pack, and put his no longer glowing staff to his side.

"Your blood is meant to be strong. I'm surprised, Madresh. My clan would stand naked in this and feel nothing."

"I believe that's called frostbite," chuckled Madresh.

The other two forms moved closer to warm themselves by the fire. Illuminated by the fire's warm light, one belonged to another dragonborn, this time female and copper. The other was an armored man. His armored plates and dragonborns' metallic scales cast the flame's light in unique directions.

The human set aside his bedroll and began to rifle through his pack.

The copper dragonborn smiled and uttered a single word, growing the flames a little further. She settled in closer to the flames, eyeing them with meditative appreciation. "I know what you mean, actually. Both of you." She said, her eyes not moving from the fire. "My old body was used to the cold and dark. This one, though, this one wants nothing more than the heat of a flame. Chalk it up to nature, Kenai."

The man at the far end of the fire found what he was looking for and sat down on the bedroll he'd left out. He set down the vessel he carried from the pack, fiddled with it, and set it down again on the stone beside him.

The party sat patiently by the fire, discussing musings from the day or sharing a joke while the man doffed his heavy plate armor. He sat back down, smiled, and produced four cups from his pack.

"I bought that stuff you like back in Velle, Lilisandra. The one from the deep settlements. You want that one tonight?"

The copper dragonborn turned away from the fire for the first time and looked excitedly toward him, "Yes, please!"

The gray-skinned goliath leaned around the fire, "Do we still have the mint?"

"Oh, me too on the mint, Alba. If we have it." Madresh said.

"We still have mint, you two," said Alba. He picked up the metal vessel to his side and opened the lid. Steam billowed out of it, and he poured it into the four cups. He added in ingredients from a small pouch before handing them out to his companions.

"Cheers, everyone," he said. "This is my favorite part of the day."

"Here, here!" chimed the rest.

The cave smelled like smoke, mint, and the smell of home as the four companions enjoyed their tea together around the fire.