From Salem to Hogwarts: The Evolution of the Witch Hat Houss in Fiction

The Witch Hat House is a unique and whimsical architectural design that has captured the imagination of many. This type of house is characterized by its cone-shaped roof, which closely resembles the iconic hat worn by witches in popular culture. The origins of the Witch Hat House can be traced back to the early 20th century, when architects and designers began experimenting with unconventional and fantastical structures. The idea behind the design was to create a dwelling that would stand out from the traditional square or rectangular houses that were commonplace at the time. One of the most famous examples of a Witch Hat House is the Frank M. Lindsey House in Illinois, United States.

Another thing I always always include is big-ticket items. These can be limited in stock, but I could absolutely imagine a Fighter's Guild champion who is willing to part with his Weapon of Warning for 60kGP. Maybe the characters will pool their money, save up, and buy it at level 7. That's a good thing! It means gold mattered to your party in a tangible way: the group's fighter now has a cool weapon that directly benefits combat.

People in guilds, nobility, rich merchants in cities, dragons, etc, all would have frequent enough customers adventurers that stocking magic items could be necessary. Making each item unique, with a minor trait, a description of history, or a quirk brings the item to life and helps define the character who uses it.

Lindsey House in Illinois, United States. Built in 1908, this house features a striking witch hat roof, complete with a pointed tip and a wide brim. The roof is made from slate tiles, giving it a rustic and magical appearance.

Magic item shop 5d

In a setting like this, Players need to be able to buy magic items. You can't have everybody and their brother using sending stones and not offer them to the PCs. But I think this applies to other campaign worlds as well, for one big reason: gold.

Gold presents a weird problem in the D&D world. It seems self-evident that players expect to receive it. Nearly every monster has some sort of treasure or reward. And yet, what can the players spend their riches on? Living expenses and adventuring gear are laughably cheap. Even hirelings are insanely inexpensive in D&D. At 2 GP / day, a well-rewarded party could afford to bring a small militia with them into every dungeon.

So how can we make gold matter? My solution is to make sure the players know exactly what they can buy with their gold, and the benefits of that purchase. In particular, I use big ticket items to force the players to make a choice: do I restock my health potions, or do I keep saving up to buy my own +2 longsword? Can I donate that much to charity while I am looking at purchasing a castle?


Establishing Magic Item Trade

Now, in a world where people can freely buy magic items, you'd think every bandit and thug would have a +1 dagger and a Cap of Water Breathing, right? I disagree.

Again, look at the cost of living per day (PHB pg. 157). Remember, that is also per person. That means each week a smith that makes and sells a set of scale mail (50GP), he is likely paying for the living expenses of his family, his apprentices, and covering the cost of running his shop (DMG pg. 127). For a week's worth of expenses, with a family of four and an apprentice, making the scale mail costs 49GP. I think you can see where I'm going with this.

The fact is, most people in the D&D economy deal in copper and silver, not gold. They don't have the money to afford magic items, except for perhaps a family heirloom scrupulously saved for or donated by a kind-hearted adventurer years ago. And that means most bandits won't have much to steal from their victims.

So then where do we find the pockets of high-rolling economy that can garner the cash to trade in magic items?


Now, this doesn't mean that a bandit captain couldn't have a +1 weapon or a ring of protection. But make sure you consider that it would be the result of years of banditry, hoarding gold away from the other members of his crew, and potentially making him a target for other bandits.

Setting Up Shop

Now, for pricing the items, I use Saidoro's excellent guide to Sane Magic Item Prices. This is more a post about the shops that sell the items, not what items cost, so please check out his link even if you decide to not use the method I've created here.

• Level 1-4: Common Magic Items, few Uncommon Items
• Level 5-10: Uncommon Magic Items, few Rare Items
• Level 11-16: Rare Magic Items, few Very Rare Items
• Level 17-20: Very Rare Magic Items, few Legendary Items

• Shops based on Item type: Consumables, Combat Items, Noncombat Items, Summoning Items, Cursed Items, etc.
• Shops based on Item rarity: common, uncommon, rare, very rare, and legendary

1. Common Magic Item shops: found in small towns and big cities. Usually serves as a general supply store with a few healing potions and scrolls they picked up from travelers. About 1 shop per 50 square miles, so at normal travel pace the PCs can expect to find one within a small town every 4-5 days of travel.
2. Uncommon Magic Item Shops: found in big cities. These shops are owned by amateur wizards, strange item collectors, and rich merchants. They often specialize in selling items to adventurers, so they aren't terribly difficult to find. A PC could expect to find 1 shop per 500,000 people in a large, populated area.
3. Rare Magic Item Shops: found in highly magical places. These shops are usually for established magic-users and scholars only, often they are cloistered or off-limits to the public. Sometimes they are used to house dangerous items for safekeeping, but threats to the realm may convince them to open their doors. Because of their secretive nature, a PC may have to spend time searching to even learn of their existence, but they might be able to find about 1 shop per major country or government.
4. Very Rare Magic Item Shops: This is the stuff of legends. There may be one node of magical power on the entire planet, where scholarly monks and ancient wizards make pilgrimages to in order to unlock dark secret magics. This collection of magic would be located at that point. Like the Library of Alexandria, most people would have heard of such a place, but the journey to get there, the danger of the magic contained within, and the protections afforded such power all make this the purvey of only the planet's greatest heroes. A PC could easily find legends of this location, but there would only be one in the world.
5. Legendary Magic Item Shops: Mammon's treasure keep. The troves of the Gold Dragons of Mount Celestia. These type of shops exist in very few places across the entire multiverse. Even then, those who guard them are so powerful (or so greedy) that even glimpsing such a location is tantamount to impossible. If the PCs wish to buy and sell legendary magic items, this is the only way to do so.

Another thing I always always include is big-ticket items. These can be limited in stock, but I could absolutely imagine a Fighter's Guild champion who is willing to part with his Weapon of Warning for 60kGP. Maybe the characters will pool their money, save up, and buy it at level 7. That's a good thing! It means gold mattered to your party in a tangible way: the group's fighter now has a cool weapon that directly benefits combat.

Also, never pass up an opportunity to use the property tables listed in the DMG (pg. 142-143). Making each item unique, with a minor trait, a description of history, or a quirk brings the item to life and helps define the character who uses it.

1. Scale down. Perhaps common magic shops are only found in big cities, and uncommon magic shops are the secret vaults of wizards. Maybe anything higher than a rare item can only ever be granted by gods or found in the deepest reaches of the multiverse.
2. Make non-magic purchases more expensive and more appealing.

These options allow you to select the number of magic items by rarity.

The Witch Hat House design quickly gained popularity, especially in areas known for their eccentric architecture. These houses became a symbol of creativity and individuality, and many homeowners were drawn to their unconventional charm. One of the reasons why the Witch Hat House design continues to captivate people to this day is its association with magic and fantasy. The whimsical shape of the roof evokes a sense of enchantment and mystery. It is not uncommon to see Witch Hat Houses adorned with whimsical details such as turrets, balconies, and quirky windows. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, Witch Hat Houses also offer practical benefits. The conical roof design allows for efficient rainwater runoff, preventing water damage and maintaining the structural integrity of the house. The shape also provides a unique interior space, with high ceilings and interesting angles that can be utilized creatively in the design of each room. While Witch Hat Houses may not be as commonplace as traditional architectural styles, they continue to inspire and delight those who come across them. These houses stand as a testament to the power of imagination and the endless possibilities of architectural design. Whether one believes in witchcraft or not, it is hard to deny the allure and charm of a house that resembles a magical witch's hat..

Reviews for "The Witch Hat Houss: The Ultimate Fashion Statement for Witches"

1. Emily - 1 star - I was really excited to read "The Witch Hat House" as I love fantasy books, but I was extremely disappointed. The plot was weak and predictable, and the characters felt one-dimensional and lacked depth. The writing style was clumsy and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. Overall, the book fell flat for me and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging and well-crafted fantasy story.

2. Matthew - 2 stars - "The Witch Hat House" had an interesting premise, but unfortunately, it failed to deliver. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of nothing happening followed by rushed and confusing action scenes. The world-building was also lacking, leaving me with many unanswered questions about the magical system and the history of the witch hat house. Additionally, the main character's motivations were unclear and her decisions often felt arbitrary. Overall, I found the book underwhelming and wouldn't read it again.

3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "The Witch Hat House" but found it to be quite disappointing. The prose was over-descriptive, making the reading experience slow and tedious. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, with numerous subplots that didn't seem to connect coherently. The characters were also forgettable and lacked compelling development. It's a shame because the idea behind the book was promising, but the execution fell short. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating and well-crafted fantasy read.

4. David - 1 star - I struggled to finish "The Witch Hat House" and ended up feeling unsatisfied and frustrated. The story lacked originality and felt like a carbon copy of other fantasy novels I've read. The pacing was inconsistent, with long stretches of exposition and minimal action. The dialogue was stilted and lacked authenticity, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Overall, the book failed to captivate me and I wouldn't recommend it to fellow fantasy enthusiasts.

Witch Fashion 101: Styling Tips for Rocking the Witch Hat Houss Look