This box was difficult, mostly because it was so difficult to find a box I liked! I ended up giving up on my search and changing tactics: I got a box that had the right dimensions and basically destroyed the whole thing. I sanded the entire lid design off and once it was totally unrecognizable, I stained it a deep, subtle red to match the color of Molly’s coat. Then, I painted the design of the coat on top of the lid. 

The bottom of the inside of the box is inlaid with two scimitars, representing Molly’s swords. I wanted to do a call back to Fjord’s box with the inlaid sword on the bottom, because I really liked their relationship and the subtle ways that Molly influenced Fjord, including Molly being the first person to make him think critically about spirituality and what it meant.

Also hidden on the inside of the box, crawling up the side, there is a single iridescent green beetle, one left over from my Caduceus box. I wanted to include this to reference the decompose cantrip that Caduceus cast on Molly’s grave upon visiting, saying that the earth would “remember him,” as well as tying together the boxes of both characters. 

Stones/Crystals:

The stones in the box were picked for their appearance first and meaning second. The focus stone is a large titanium aura quartz tower, which is quartz that has been treated with gold and titanium particles to give it that rainbow chrome look. I really wanted to include a man-made crystal as a focal point, seeing as Molly created his own origin stories. He created his own personality in a way most people don’t do. In fact, his entire existence is fabricated as an act of resistance – and if that doesn’t fit the bill of “man-made,” I don’t know what does. 

The other stones I included in the box were apatite, moonstone, moss agate, amethyst, carnelian, fluorite, and garnet. I picked the amethyst for its color, but it also represents royalty, which I think fits perfectly. The moonstone is for illusion, trickery, and deceit, as well as for the Moonweaver. Mahogany obsidian is for learning from your mistakes and for focusing on the little things instead of the big picture. Moss agate is for new friendships and new beginnings, carnelian for passion, apatite for contradiction (representing both lies and being your authentic self), rainbow fluorite for self-awareness and beauty in chaos, and garnet chips for devotion, as well as to represent blood droplets! I also included fake plastic gems in various shades of purple and blue, to represent the substance of things being very different from their appearance.

Miscellaneous Items:

a silk flower from Yasha and a platinum Dragon charm

dark red pouch embellished with gems like his pouch of incense (mini tarot cards, coins, frankincense incense cone inside pouch as well as a tiny bottle of dirt representing death and the divide between Lucien and Molly) and silver Periapt of wound closure attached to the pouch

Vial of smells (Faust oil-frankincense, violet cinnamon. Jasmine oil)

Inside lid tarot card wooden insert/ painted eyes behind it, death tarot card on other side of panel

Potions/Bottles:

Below are the potion bottles included in the box and their contents. The bottles go from left to right in order from 1-6.

The first potion is about memories and letting go of the past, sometimes violently, and the act of Molly’s present self rejecting his past self. There is sunflower for cutting yourself off from the past; yellow carnation for rejection; cedar for letting go of the past; mint for starting over; rosemary for memory, and in Molly’s case, choosing to not want to remember; lotus for rebirth or second chances at life, freedom; barberry for freeing oneself from the power/control of another; pyrite chips for lost memory and Molly’s pride in and ownership of his current self; nettle for buried past catching up to you, and trying to bury the past. Has the quote, “I don’t want anyone else’s baggage inside my head.” Sealed with silver wax and an image of a hand holding a sword with drops of blood, as a reference to the Bloodhunter class.

The second potion revolves around Molly’s attitude toward life: focusing on luxury, being ostentatious, not owing anyone anything, and belief that life is short and should be lived fully. There is calendula for living unapologetically and without debt; jasmine for sensuality and luxury; pink rose for grace, desire, and living passionately; purple carnation for capriciousness and whimsy; sweet pea for enjoying life, both embracing and causing chaos, larkspur for levity and fun; chrysanthemum for being “over the top.” Sealed with silver wax and a peacock feather stamp.

The third potion is all about Molly’s philosophy of leaving things better than you found them, for kindness as a default when cruelty is much easier. This potion contains bluebell for kindness and gratitude, and for paying back kindness shown to you; buttercup and gold coins for sharing wealth; gladiolus for generosity; chamomile for kindness despite adversity; citrine for sharing what you have and spreading happiness. Sealed with silver wax and a moon stamp.

The theme of the fourth potion is contrast and contradictions: Molly worships the Moonweaver, god of deceit, illusion, and duality – but he pretends to worship the Platinum Dragon. His life is a farce, and a contradiction, and this to me really encapsulates his character. This potion contains bluebell for honesty and bluntness; mugwort for the lunar magic and the Moon Tarot card; yellow rose for deceit; moonstone for the Moonweaver, signifying illusion and deceit; lavender for fabricating stories about the past; dogwood for keeping secrets/keeping things close to the chest; belladonna for deception, but also leaving hints at the truth; thyme for moon magic and ritual, shrouding things in mystery when it isn’t necessary, (Molly praying over his swords) and appearing otherworldly; finally, apatite for lies, deception, evading the truth, and not being what one appears. Sealed with silver wax and an all-seeing eye stamp.

Potion number five’s theme is making your own destiny and creating who you are, and the battle between fate and choices. What is destiny and what is self-determination? I wanted to focus on tarot/oracle reading and how it is such a big part of Molly’s constructed personality. This potion contains goldenrod for magic and fortune; dandelion for divination and charisma; anise for reading people and having insight; yarrow for divination/tarot; hibiscus for the act of choosing, and making your own destiny. Sealed with silver wax and a rosemary stamp.

The last potion is about Molly’s influence on the Mighty Nein, both before and after his death. There are cloves for kinship and making those around you better; zinnia for the memory of an absent friend; poppy for sacrifice and remembrance, and bringing people together; cypress for grief and death, help dealing with the pain/crisis of loss; rosebuds for close friendships; pink carnation for someone who is unforgettable; magnolia for loyalty to friends and inspiring loyalty in friends. Sealed with silver wax and a moon stamp.