Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Random Table: Slum Encounters
You never know what you'll run into (or what may run into you) during a trip to the seedy side of town. Roll on the table below to see what occurs!
Random Table: Slum Encounters (d100)
1. A trio of young pickpockets. They are members of an immense gang that will torment the party for months if a member is harmed.
2. A haggard, bearded man preaches doom outside an alehouse.
3. The princess of a fallen noble house now despondently sell her favors as a common streetwalker.
4. Two old women kick and mock an obese old veteran with no legs.
5. A dog runs past with an emerald necklace around its neck. A screaming little man chases it.
6. A ruffian hangs from a rope off a balcony, slowly strangling and pleading with passersby for succor.
7. Something unnatural moves in the murky waters of a large puddle in the road.
8. Bat-like creatures with glowing purple antennae swoop down at passersby.
9. A slovenly woman stands in a doorway, waving you in. Two ruffians lurk inside.
10. A black cat runs out of an alley, crosses your path, and disappears into another alley.
11. An overturned cart blocks the road, a foot deep in mud and rotting cabbages. An elderly farmer stands beside it and weeps while the locals jeer him.
12. Four men are beating a drunken fop in an alley.
13. A roadside grill offers strange dog-sized insects cooked over charcoal.
14. A drunken woman runs shrieking out of a stable.
15. Five men in matching floppy red hats walk arrogantly down the avenue, shoving everyone out of their path with stout wooden cudgels.
16. A man in a wizardly-looking robe and pointed hat offers you a selection of charms and amulets.
17. A woman in a transparent silk shift with rotting teeth tries to pull you into her tenement, whispering rough suggestions in your ear.
18. A single, lush pine has grown 14' tall in the muck of an alleyway.
19. A man rolls a barrel of ale down the street, whistling a familiar tune.
20. A vulture perches over the doorway of an alehouse.
21. A row of seven lepers plead for alms.
22. A physician works frantically in the street on a man who has been stabbed while onlookers stand around them and whisper.
23. An unnatural darkness hangs over the mouth of an alley, and a cold breezes issues from out of it.
24. A high-pitched scream is heard from the topmost floor of a nearby tenement.
25. A group of musicians marches down the street, loudly playing revolutionary tunes while a dwarf scampers along behind them collecting tips in a hat.
26. A line of laborers passes crates into a warehouse.
27. A fortune teller squats at the side of the street, stacking small bones atop one another.
28. Two muscular men wrestle in a square while onlookers place bets.
29. A elderly woman sells handmade books of poetry.
30. A human-looking creature with black eyes growls at you.
31. A man pulls a cart filled with fresh fish. He offers you a bargain to buy the lot.
32. A tremendous stench of blood wafts up from a sewer grate.
33. A maddened horse plunges into a screaming crowd, hooves flailing.
34. A vendor offers delicious skewers of meat and vegetables.
35. A sad-looking maiden sells flowers for a pittance.
36. A group of scruffy men gather around a hookah, while the owner invites new customers to join in.
37. A pale woman in black robes walks past with her chin high, scattering white flowers petals behind her from a basket as she goes.
38. An impossibly tall and thin man performs contortions for tips.
39. A man hawks peeks at the growling creature within a covered cage.
40. A buxom woman pulls a cart with a keg of ale, offering to fill tankards for a copper piece.
41. Two merry prostitutes skip down the street hand in hand, flirting with passersby.
42. A married couple bicker loudly from an upstairs window while the children cry.
43. A pair of heavily armed men stand to either side of a doorway, glaring at passersby.
44. A dark-skinned man leads a midget rhinoceros down the avenue.
45. A man plays a set of bongo drums in a nook while a half dozen intoxicated revelers dance wildly.
46. A line of cultists sway down the street, chanting and waving incense burners on chains.
47. A solitary soldier leans drunkenly against a wall, his helmet slipping down over his eyes.
48. Exotic music and feminine laughter comes from an anonymous building.
49. A thin-mustached man stands beside the door of a lotus-den, nodding at prospective customers.
50. Three old veterans enter a bathhouse, chatting and smoking pipes.
51. A gang of children torment a sickly looking goat.
52. A tall old woman attempts to sell you her slave, a young man with one arm.
53. A hooded man watches you intently from a second floor window.
54. A green-skinned man performs feats of strength for a crowd of sighing washer-women.
55. An airship passes by far overhead. Children run out into the street excitedly to watch it go.
56. A pair of thin, blue-robed women sing religious hymns and hand out cheap prayer booklets.
57. A small group of young men and women rush excitedly down the avenue, passing a bottle and giggling.
58. Two toughs chase a young ruffian into a blind alley.
59. Flames burst out of a pair of store front windows. Everyone starts running and screaming.
60. An ageless looking man with amber eyes and pointed ears plucks the strings of a harp while a trio of gangsters stand mesmerized.
61. A unit of the city guard trot down the street in haste, armor jangling with every step. They disappear around a corner up ahead while onlookers whisper to each other.
62. A squealing pig races through the throng, chased by a screaming female dwarf.
63. A deep rumble shakes the ground, and black smoke rises into the air from somewhere up ahead.
64. Two men walk apart with upraised rapiers - a duel is about to begin!
65. A tear-streaked young woman begs you to rescue her from this hellhole.
66. A building nearby sags, and then collapses! People run screaming for cover as choking dust fills the air.
67. A clown makes rude gestures at you as a crowd gathers to laugh.
68. An enraged harlot chases a man from her hovel, shrieking and beating him with a stuffed weasel.
69. A turbaned man charms snakes from a basket with his flute.
70. A man standing near you gasps and falls to ground, dead, a crossbow bolt jutting from his back.
71. A fat man kicks a cowering stable boy, accusing him of theft.
72. Cultists throw books and scrolls onto a raging bonfire in the middle of the street.
73. A boy herds a flock of chickens down the street, ever wary for dogs and thieves.
74. A city official walks into a brothel with a pair of guards.
75. A group of northmen chant and sing loudly in an alehouse, pounding the tables with their tankards as they profess their admiration for a particular preserved meat product.
76. A woman in silk garments hawks costume jewelry.
77. A well-dressed gentleman negotiates with a mushroom vendor.
78. A man tends three barrels of hot water, selling baths for two coppers.
79. An old woman wearing a tiara sells fruit and small wire sculptures from her stall.
80. A worn-out looking prostitute loudly disparages your manhood to a crowd of onlookers if you refuse her favors.
81. A wild-eyed man carries on a lively, though one-sided, conversation with his mule.
82. A clanging sound comes from a nearby sewer grate.
83. A raven follows you down the street, fluttering from rooftop to rooftop, as if spying on you.
84. A red-faced man with a small gang of angry followers points at you and screams "there he is, get him!"
85. A beautiful and fey fairy-like maiden lies dying in an alleyway.
86. A middle-aged woman rushes out of her hostel to you, pleading for forgiveness.
87. A duelist eyes you contemptuously as he sharpens his rapier.
88. A priest leads a defeated looking group of chained slaves past you and into a grim temple.
89. A chimney sweeper hangs by one hand from an eave above you, howling for assistance.
90. A criminal in stocks loudly proclaims his innocence in between clods of filth.
91. A bruised and battered looking prostitute collapses in front of you. A strange red jewel rolls out of her hand...
92. A muttering man in a black robe inscribes a magic circle in the filth of the road with a curvy silver dagger.
93. An armored bully swaggers through the crowds looking for a fight.
94. A wailing maiden flees past you, pursued by laughing ruffians.
95. A barroom brawl spills out into the streets.
96. Two rival gangs face off in the middle of the street.
97. A jolly group of pointy-hatted goblins walk out of a brothel, laughing and shoving each other.
98. A teary-eyed woman pushes her son at you, pleading for you to take him on as apprentice.
99. A dozen sultry young priestesses, with coal-dark eyes and intoxicating perfume, dance through the crowd inviting all to the fertility rites at midnight tonight.
100. The road in front of you collapses into a tentacle-filled sinkhole!
Well done! Very flavorful and almost all of them hint at further complications or conflicts to keep the players entertained.
ReplyDeletePure gold. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome :)I love random charts...
ReplyDeleteThank you Al!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDeleteYes, awesome chart. I'm using it for sure!
ReplyDeletegold,like Paul said. Gold, I tell ya!
ReplyDelete