Adventurers should always expect the unexpected but, as referees, how often do we deliver on that premise? Often we lean on the strange and unusual to produce moments of shock but, sometimes, the more shocking thing isn't what the players don't know but what they know, or thought they knew, delivered in a completely unexpected […]
Because sometimes (such as having to catch-up on a month-long blogging challenge), one table or topic is not enough! Specialized Medicine Some hurts might require specific reagents for healing. 1d6 What Where Rarity 1 An herb Mountain slopes Very common (4-in-6 chance) 2 A flower Shaded vales Common (3-in-6 chance) 3 A root Secluded meadows […]
Unraveling mysterious is one of the great pleasures of playing tabletop roleplaying games: figuring out who kidnapped the archpriest and why, unmasking the hidden mastermind behind assassinations across the kingdom, locating the powerful artifact thought lost, or any number of other questions great and small. As a Referee, mysteries are fun too, if you can […]
Since time immemorial, folk have lifted their eyes to behold the star-studded darkness of the firmament at night, saw the movements of planets, stars, and other celestial bodies as they wheeled across the dome of the sky and wondered what significance this cosmic dance had for their lives. Let's roll some dice and find out! […]
I haven't had the stomach yet to watch Delicious in the Dungeon (aka Dungeon Meshi) but I've heard enough about it to know that eating monsters is a major element of the anime (and manga). Knowing nothing about it works in that universe, I thought it might be fun to throw together some tables to […]
The origins of things, including folk of different sorts, can say a lot about your world. It can feel daunting to build out origins but they are rewarding, once they’re done. They can also be short. I like 1d6 tables. Six is a good number of options that isn’t enough to wrack the brain to […]
The term, “inspire,” comes to English from Latin via French, meaning to fill or breath into. The original context was religion, inspiration being the influence of the divine. How do the divine powers inspire in your campaign world? Here are some options for how a god might inspire a hero: 1d6 Method 1-2 Dreams 3-4 Omens […]
A d66 table: roll 2d6, using the leftmost die as the tens digit and the right die as the ones digit, and consult the table below. d66 Motive 11 To a hoary barrow beside an offering basin stained with blood 12 To a small shrine wreathed with desiccated flowers 13 To a stone megalith carved […]
A d66 table: roll 2d6, using the leftmost die as the tens digit and the right die as the ones digit, and consult the table below. d66 Motive 11 To impress a romantic interest 12 To impress a peer 13 To impress a lord or master 14 To impress a holy figure 15 To impress […]
If archaeology has taught us anything it’s that the deeper you go underground, the older the things you find are. If D&D has taught us anything, it’s that the deeper you go underground, the more dangerous but more rewarding (literally) it gets. Why not combine the two concepts? Thinking downwards Why would we want to […]
