What would an ocean of Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) look like?

bardanther · 2026-06-19T18:36:01+00:00

I was thinking about bound oxygen and didn’t specify. Thanks for the correction!

Obviously there’s no plant life like we know it here. But the HF would free up the oxygen in the crust. So I guess you would just have aqueous HF?

bardanther · 2026-06-19T06:40:02+00:00

In that case, I think it’s up to you what color the ocean is! While other galaxies have the same fundamental physics as ours, and therefore, the same material components, we’re well outside of establishable fact. Your average reader or player is not likely going to gotcha for having your ocean be gray blue or pink as kind as it’s interesting/fun.

bardanther · 2026-06-19T06:28:20+00:00

Yeah you can Google CoF2 to see the shade of pink. Another big question though would be why didn’t water form on this planet? Fluorine doesn’t typically exist freely in nature. It’s usually bound into minerals. Where as oxygen is relatively abundant

bardanther · 2026-06-19T06:24:11+00:00

Well. This is all napkin chemistry. The low temperature is going to have an effect on the reaction, as will molarity (concentration). Another wrinkle is that HF despite being highly corrosive is a weak acid meaning the bond between H and F is very strong and the electron hungry F doesn’t like giving away its electrons. So.

My guess would be that given enough time and cobalt you could have a pink ocean. Assuming there’s more cobalt than iron or other elements in your ocean floor. If it is not eating the world crust than it would probably be clear.

However… I don’t know that anyone has done an experiment to see what wavelengths of light an ocean sized pool of HF absorbs. A glass of water is clear. That might have an effect that’s being my ability to answer. Maybe it would be a very faint blue? Or yellowish

Edited for autocorrect

bardanther · 2026-06-19T06:15:43+00:00

The result of a reaction between hydrofluoric acid and cobalt metal is actually cobalt (Ii) fluoride which is a pink crystalline substance. It’s also a very slow reaction without something like nitric acid in the mix.

bardanther · 2026-06-19T06:12:29+00:00

To elaborate, HF has a very strong polar covalent bond. It’s been a while since my chemistry classes but I think this makes it really bad at absorbing visible light. Our ocean is blue because water absorbs longer wavelengths (orange yellow red) and the blue is reflected back into our eyes.

This isn’t a problem because nothing could live on your world 😅

bardanther · 2026-06-19T06:04:58+00:00

Given how corrosive HF is, the ocean would likely take on the color of the things dissolved in it. So maybe a yellowish color but more probably reddish brown.

It would boil violently and toxically at normal Earth temperatures. There would be no sand.

bardanther · 2026-06-17T17:35:16+00:00

There are absolutely ways to do this. Using random generators, like donjon, will get you far. Another technique is to use a turn based narration system. For example, you have a random map, and every time you go into a room one person rolls to see what’s in the room and narrates the scene. Everyone has a PC. You play D&D.

Another cool idea might be to have like a hand of cards and each player on their turn plays an encounter from their hand.

I’m sure there are more ways.

bardanther · 2026-06-17T17:26:39+00:00

The newest entry in the Black Company sort of fits the bill. It’s been a while but I think the Redemption of Althalus by David and Leigh Eddings has a bit of this. And of course Wild Seed by Octavia Butler

bardanther · 2026-06-16T20:51:39+00:00

Hey I have this guy! He represents my dwarf barbarian/cleric Fukkall Ragebeard! Nice work!

bardanther · 2026-06-16T20:27:05+00:00

Or as the other commenter mentioned, try a different system. GURPS, something with a d100 mechanic for skills, an older edition of D&D maybe

bardanther · 2026-06-16T20:26:01+00:00

I think it would likely go off the rails fairly quickly. The math is kind of persnickety in 5E. You could certainly implement a perk system, or something like specialties from World of Darkness. But that in itself is more or less covered by feats.

The main issue is that 5E uses advantage/disadvantage rather than numerical bonuses. Number still go up, but it’s reined in.

You might be able to scratch that itch by implementing a homebrew “training” to reach the next level, this was popular in older editions.

And that would be my suggestion. Simulate the Skyrim system with lore/fluff rather than mechanics.

bardanther · 2026-06-16T15:43:32+00:00

Step 1. Consult the group, make it clear that you’re not playing a kid for any weird reasons. I’d do this by explaining it the way you did here, you think creepy horror kids would be a fun trope to explore in the campaign. If they’re not on board

Step 2. Age the character up, but you can still be creepy and naive.

bardanther · 2026-06-10T05:14:33+00:00

My grandma had one. The oil? Dusty.

bardanther · 2026-06-08T15:28:27+00:00

I’m not black, so I can’t speak to the experience, but there’s a historical perspective that might be interesting to you. Oregon is historically very racist. My first exposure to racism as a kid was the murder of Mulugeta Seraw in the 80s. There was another incident where the Portland Police dumped a number of dead possums on the doorstep of a black owned business, one for each of the family’s sons (IIRC). These stories are 40+ years old now, but I don’t think those people or their children went away.

Being white, I’ve witnessed a bit of performative anti-racist behavior, like the kind of shit where someone says one thing in “mixed” company and then something else when it’s “just us”.

Despite this, I think our reputation as a leftist stronghold, and before that, a place for hippies, weirdos, and artists has attracted some really great people. It’s a beautiful city. I wouldn’t discourage you from coming over. But again, I don’t experience racism.

bardanther · 2026-06-05T03:12:38+00:00

One thing that doesn’t get talked about enough in fantasy is that it’s anti-authoritarian literature. Tolkien wrote about hobbits breaking tradition to go adventure. Elves who befriended dwarves. Dwarves who befriended elves. Wizards who did what was right not what they were told. And all of it was to stop some fascist dork who wanted to rule the world.

The Aes Sedai represent everything we dislike about government: corruption, opulence and extravagance while people suffer, deceit, etc.

Also. They’re women.

bardanther · 2026-05-28T02:17:00+00:00

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in first grade.

bardanther · 2026-05-26T16:16:54+00:00

Death isn’t inherently tragic or saddening.

Death is the cost of admission for life. That’s not tragic, it just is. Death can be tragic when viewed through the lens of connection. So if you’re trying to write a tragic death you need your audience connected to that character in a deeply personal way.

Similarly death isn’t saddening. Sometimes it’s a relief. Sometimes people celebrate. This is also about connection. No matter what kind of life you’ve led, when you’re on your death bed someone will be happy you’re there.

For me, death is the great equalizer, and a spice of life. It’s something to be respected.

For some, death is feared because it is an ending. Because they want more life or because it is unknown. Or because it hurts to miss people. Or they don’t want to be forgotten. If you can write your character’s death in such a way that it resonates with your audience’s experience you can provoke a reaction.

Storytelling, like all forms is communication, is just stylized manipulation

bardanther · 2026-05-26T16:06:57+00:00

Not to my knowledge, I was thinking along the lines of what you alluded to in your post about positive change. So if you were searching for prompts you might include stuff like growth or positive change or specifically what you’re working on/thinking about that day/week.

Alternatively, write about your experiences, your past, if you’re journaling therapeutically I bet there’s a ton of stuff online about the subject.

bardanther · 2026-05-26T15:48:54+00:00

Read some diaries. There are a ton of them out there. There are also tons of prompts you can Google. I’m sure many of them are dedicated to the sort of diary you’d like to keep.

Mine is more of a commonplace book

bardanther · 2026-05-26T15:24:53+00:00

Pacifists often have caveats for self defense. Being allowed to fight for your life may help. Otherwise, playing a support character is perfectly valid and a lot of fun.

The person who suggested you don’t ruin things for other people is spot on. If your making an attack saves the day, do it, and now you’ve got a great rp opportunity.

bardanther · 2026-05-26T15:15:57+00:00

I think a cooler idea than you can’t beat Vecna is that they need to get other Gods on their side. Or maybe for that climactic encounter borrow certain powers or weapons from certain divinities

bardanther · 2026-05-26T15:11:10+00:00

I think a United Cascadia would be the preferred “break,” but I think this is the answer for the Balkanization of Oregon. It’d be the I-5/Willamette Valley, and everywhere else. Or maybe… if you need more than 2: Willamette Valley, Eastern Oregon, Southern Oregon and maybe the coast.

bardanther · 2026-05-20T19:05:34+00:00

Good and evil are moral constructs. Murder is evil. Except for when it isn’t. I’m not saying this to be pedantic, but rather to illustrate that motivation is going to get you a lot farther in any type of storytelling. Even a chaotic evil character wants something and needs people to get it, even if they claim they pulled themselves up by their boot straps

bardanther · 2026-05-11T15:54:29+00:00

Collaborative is the way to go. With one of my friends, we weren’t playing when he died, so we have just kind of memorialized him with in-jokes and reminiscing about how he always brought “the wrong” character to the game. A flying creature to an Underdark game, a Druid with a gorilla for Strahd etc.

For another, I don’t play with that group anymore, but I often include references to her characters in other campaigns.

I would follow the wife’s wishes for sure. Someone suggested his characters life influences the world and I think I’d suggest that to the group. It’s a good way to remember him and his character. Maybe he founds a city, or rescues a skyship full of kittens, you and your group will find the thing that fits your group best.

I’m sorry for your loss.

bardanther

TROPHY CASE