-
Odd Loot Items
Whether you run a heroic fantasy campaign or prefer something gritty and dark, it’s likely that your players will look forward to the moment when their foes finally drop. Early in the career of any adventuring party, PCs start rummaging through the belongs of fallen opponents in search of loot.
As a GM, it’s fun to watch your players get excited to discover what treasures they have found. However, it can be a bit of a slippery slope. Gold and gems can feel too mundane to be satisfying, while too many magical goodies can throw your game into an unpredictable state.
I like to keep my players on their toes with unusual items that they are not expecting. By sprinkling in occasional pieces of unique loot I’m often able to spark the imaginations of my players, while also creating a reason for them to buy into the story at large.
This week I have compiled a list of 25 different items that your party might discover while looking for loot. Hopefully you can drop some of these into your game. You may roll a d100 and let fate take its course or peruse through and see if something strikes your fancy.
A looted diary might contain all sorts of useful information. Art by © Sławek Mietła 01-04 Treasure Map: This is straightforward. The map can be for something you already have planned or you can wait to see if they ever pursue it. Either way, their foe was carrying a map that marked the way to some great treasure. Will they become treasure hunters?
05-08 Mag of Marbles: A simple bag of marbles. The question here becomes “what will the party do with them?” Enterprising adventurers might use them as simple baubles to trade with creatures they meat, or perhaps they throw them to the ground while making a desperate escape. It’s fun to see what they will come up with.
9-12 Love Letter: Somehow the villain your party just dispatched came into possession of a rather steamy love letter. Who was it from? Has the author or the intended recipient met their final fate or are they simply locked away somewhere? Will the party try to find out or will they simply move on?
Finding a wanted poster can lead a party off in another direction altogether. Artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved. 13-16 Wanted Poster: Rifling through the belongings of the fallen foe, the party discovers a wanted poster. The posted might feature a notorious villain, a “harmless” NPC that the party encountered a couple sessions ago, or even one of the PCs themselves.
17-20 Spyglass: If the system you’re using doesn’t happen to have specific rules for such an item, it’s easy enough to come up with something. Make it a worthwhile little trinket for your party.
21-24 Invitation: The party discovers an invitation for x number of people to a masquerade ball. There’s a lot you can do with this one. Perhaps the fallen opponent had been the invitee or perhaps they had simply come into possession of the invitation. Who is throwing the party? It could be the BBEG, an influential NPC, or perhaps the person who owns some MacGuffin that the party needs to acquire.
25-28 Key: An ornate key is found. There may be documentation included as to what the key unlocks, or not. The key might be useful in an upcoming adventure or perhaps it would give them access to unexplored areas that they had to pass by during a previous engagement. Alternatively, it may be a fragile skeleton key that would give them a percentage change to open any lock but likely break once used.
How did this lightly scented love letter end up in the hands of a villain? Artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved. 29-32 Bag of Toys: The party discovers a bag of finely made handmade toys. While they might fetch a decent price on their own, the party might gift them to the child of a landed lord, to gain favor. Perhaps they give them to the local street urchins who will then thankfully be their eyes and ears in the city.
33-36 Diary: A carefully wrapped diary is found. Who did it belong to and what secrets does it hold? Does the party use it for blackmail, sell it to the highest bidder, or return it quietly to the rightful owner?
37-40 Bag of Bones: Is this just a grisly discovery or does it give the party some valuable insight into something? What type of creature are the bones from? Do they carry any value with local alchemists?
41-44 Peculiar Coins: The party has never seen coins like these. Possibly they are oddly shaped or forged from strange new metal. Perhaps they are stamped with the visage of some horrible abomination.
45-48 Mislabeled Potion: This is the only item on the list that is magical. It has magical properties; it just doesn’t do what it says it does.
49-52 Bag of Caltrops: It’s fun to watch what the party comes up with for these. If your system doesn’t happen to have specific rules for these, it’s easy to whip something up. Something like: “Covers a 5’ square area. Creatures not moving carefully through must save or take 1-2 damage and be immobilized for a turn.”
53-56 Troop Movements: The party finds documents detailing the upcoming troop movements in a local conflict. What will they do with this information? They might use it to sneak behind enemy lines, win the favor of a local lord, or sell to the highest bidder.
Intercepting these orders from a local conflict could allow the party to turn the tide. Art by © Sławek Mietła 57-60 Exotic Creature: The party discovers a small cage containing an exotic creature. Will it become a pet? Will the party sell it to a local noble? Does it simply become dinner?
61-64: Piece of Chalk: While perfectly mundane, I love seeing what my players will do with chalk. Are they marking subterranean passages with it, sharing with peasant children, or grinding it up into a fine powder?
65-68 Flamboyant Hat: Unbeknownst to the party, this foppish headpiece was recently stolen from a wealthy noble. Describe it as you wish. However, it will instantly be recognized in town if the party tries to sell it or wear it.
69-72 Fireworks: Party finds a bag of fireworks. This is another one where it’s just fun to sit back and see what the party finds to do with them.
73-76 Jar of Ink: This is a 1-quart jar of black ink, capable of making quite a mess. Let’s see what the party does with it.
77-80 Secret Map: This is a map of a local cave complex or building. However, all the secret entrances are labeled.
81-84 Important Missive: This piece of parchment details the most recent orders from someone. Perhaps it’s from your BBEG to one of his lieutenants. Alternately it could be from a guild leader taking action on one of their rivals.
85-88 Body: The party finds the remains of a somewhat famous person who was not known to be deceased. Will they go to the authorities, or would that risk them being blamed?
A looted tome containing lost knowledge. Art by © Sławek Mietła 89-92 Tome: This musty old tome contains lore about something specific within your world. It could pertain to history, geography, or politics. There’s no need to flesh out the whole book. Just allow your players a % chance to find a relevant bit of information if they spend time reading through the pages.
93-96 Mystery Box: This appears to be a simple wooden box with the dimensions being up to the GM. While a mundane item, characters taking time to really investigate it will discover a finely crafted hidden compartment.
97-100 Inheritance: This final one is a bit of an homage to the classic The Enemy Within campaign for WHFRP. The party finds a notarized document claiming that the bearer is entitled to a large inheritance. No need to take the Warhammer route here but it obviously creates some fun moral questions for the party.
That’s all for now. Do you have any bits of mundane loot that you’ve handed out to your players to spur their creativity or help develop your story? If so, please comment below. I would love to hear what has worked for you. Have a great weekend and good gaming!
-
Dwarven Outpost at Dhag Ladur
The dwarves of Khared Draz hold the Iron Mountains from Nur Badur in the south, all the way to the frosty Borean border in the north. This simple outpost found at the pass of Dhag Ladur is typical of watch posts found throughout the region.
- Entrance: Built into the side of the mountain, double doors reinforced with iron bands mark the entrance to the outpost. 2 sentries are always stationed at the entrance, while 2 others roam further afield.
Dwarven sentry at Dhag Ladur. Artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved. - Dormitory: 10 soldiers are stationed at the outpost during any given time. During each 2-week stint, this room is where they store their belongings and get their sleep. The furnishings are modest but sufficient.
- Armory: Weapons are stored and cared for in this small room. A small forge is located on the southern wall and is vented to the outside.
- Mess Hall: This spacious room is where you can find most of the dwarves when they are not on duty or asleep. Long benches run the length of the room and a fire is kept burning around the clock.
- Kitchen: This isthe command center for the cook. Meals are prepared and ale is provided throughout the day for soldiers who are not on duty.
Smith making repairs. Artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved. - Tunnels: The tunnels can be accessed through a secret door located in the kitchen. The small cavern to the east house spare supplies and a well. In the event of an attack, the dwarves have the option of barring the entrance and retreating into the tunnels. The tunnel to the north twists around and leads to an alternate exit from the mountain.
Thanks for stopping by. This week’s map was made with Campaign Cartographer, using the “Annual Inked Dungeons” style. Hope you have a great week and manage to fit in some time to roll some dice. Good Gaming!
If you’d like to browse through all of my other maps with plot hooks, you can find them all collected here.
-
Lost Worlds Fantasy Combat Book Game
Earlier this week I wrote a post about vintage ads from the pages of Dragon Magazine. While taking that stroll down memory lane I came across one game in particular that had held a special place in my heart for a brief moment of time.
My original two game books Designed by Alfred Leonardi and released by Nova Game Designs, Lost Worlds was a fantasy combat book game that debuted in 1983. Leonardi had already had a considerable hit with Ace of Aces, a WWI dogfighting game from 1980. Lost Worlds capitalized on the explosion of interest in fantasy games at the time and delivered a fun little diversion.
The game itself revolved around individual game books, with each game book representing a particular character. The characters themselves ranged from the fairly mundane “Man in Chainmail with Sword and Shield” or “Woman in Scale with Sword and Shield” to the more fantastical like “Skeleton with Scimitar and Shield” or “Giant Goblin with Mace and Shield.”.
Character Sheet Each book contained a removable character sheet (listing various maneuvers that the character was capable of) depicted the character in various poses. Essentially a dueling game, the idea was that both players would come to the table with their own book and then fight it out until one was victorious.
At the start of play, you would remove your character sheet and then pass the booklet itself to your opponent. As the game commenced, you would turn to a pre-determined page in the book. The picture on the starting page would essentially give you a first-person view of your opponent’s character squaring off and ready to fight.
Looking at your character sheet, you would select the maneuver you wanted to carry out and them flip to the page with the corresponding number. Once both players were ready, they would exchange the number of their maneuvers, consult the matrix at the bottom of the page, and then proceed to the page that they were directed to.
Dragon magazine print ad ~1983. Every time that you would turn to the results page you would be treated to a view of your opponent. If your attacks happened to land, you might see a damage amount and depending on the circumstances, you might be given specific text to read to your opponent (often limiting his/her actions for the next turn). The game would continue in this manner until one of the combatants lost all their body points and was knocked out of commission. Most fights would resolve in just a few minutes.
Skeleton takes a leg wound. Early on, most of the game books were based on humanoid combatants of similar power levels. However, as years went on their ranks were joined by more monstrous characters like a unicorn, a drake, and even a manticore.
I played it in my teens, so I can’t provide a great deal of commentary on how balanced the system was. Certainly each book wasn’t of equal strength (but I don’t think you would want them to be). A skeleton fighting a hill troll would be in for a bad time. However, for the most part I seem to recall any two like-sized combatants having a decent chance of winning against the other.
Certainly other bits about the mechanics largely made sense. If I happened to do a wild swing maneuver at the same time that my opponent jumped back, there was a good chance that I would be spun around, leaving my back exposed to my opponent. Things like that were a nice touch and really made it feel like your choices were impacting the outcome of the game.
Here you can see the matrix at the bottom of the page. I first encountered Lost Worlds at Gen Con in 1983. This was back when it was still being held at the University of Wisconsin Parkside. Nova Game Designs ran a tournament that year for anyone purchasing a game book. Along with your game book you were given a badge depicting the character from the book that you had purchased. You were asked to wear your badge, allowing other convention goers to see you as you wandered the halls. Then, when you saw someone else with a badge, you could challenge them on the spot and fight it out.
Due to the brief play time, Lost Worlds wasn’t really something that a group would sit down and play for hours. However, I remember it fondly as something we would often break out on our regular game day, while we were waiting for the rest of our RPG group to arrive.
I lost track of the development of the game in the late 1980s, as real life started to pull me further away from the hobby. It appears that the game has ha many publishers and occasional resurgences over the years, though it has been ages since I’ve come across any mention of it.
That’s all for now. Did you ever experience these Lost Worlds game books, either back in the day or in a more recent incarnation? Hope you have a good weekend!
-
Vintage Ads From Dragon Magazine #55
Earlier in the week I was flipping through the pages of some old copies of Dragon magazine. I found that I really enjoyed reminiscing and perusing all of the old advertisements. At any rate, I thought some of you might enjoy taking a peek at these as well.
This batch is from Dragon #55 (November 1981). Perhaps these were before your time or perhaps you remember them better than I do. Either way, I hope you enjoy.
St. Regis Dungeons & Dragons Notebooks & Binders
These were entirely lost from my memory until I saw the ad. St. Regis must have acquired the D&D license from TSR (probably not terribly costly in 1981) and produced a line of notebooks, binders, and folders. I’m getting old but it feels like notebooks, binders, & folders were a bigger deal in the 1980s than they currently are.
I’m not sure how wide of a release these had but I suspect it was fairly minimal. I remember finding them at the bookstore in my Jr. High School and wishing I could buy the lot. As I recall, I ended up buying a folder and calling it a day. You do what you can when you’re 11.
I remember the artwork on all of these as being quite striking and I do not believe I ever saw the artist work on any official TSR products. Apparently these were done by a fellow named Alex Nuckols. If you’re curious to see more, a quick Google search will yield some results. In particular, I’d suggest checking out this post from Scrum in Miniature.
One final note on this one is to notice the mention of “Free 28 sheet pack of gamers graph paper!” Graph paper wasn’t that easy to find in 1981. I’m sure adults managed to track it down. However, to kids my age it was a prized commodity.
Full Page Iron Crown Enterprises Ad
Most products from Iron Crown Enterprises (I.C.E.) were out of my reach as a kid. Nobody stocked their line close to me and my meager allowance wouldn’t have been sufficient to delve into their products even if they did.
Since I’d love to hear from someone who knows better than I do, I’m not going to go into a great deal of research here. Instead I’ll stick with my recollection.
Spell Law is the main product advertised here. It was a generic magic system, built to plug into the RPG of your choice. The was preceded by Arms Law (Martial combat) and followed by Claw Law, which I believe dealt with beasts and such.
As I recall, much of this line was eventually rolled together to become Rolemaster, a percentile based fantasy ttrpg. Rolemaster was one of those games that was always around but never end up directly crossing my path. Looks like later iterations of the game are still available on DriveThruRPG.
Their product that I did spend some time with was Middle-earth Role Playing (MERP). At least loosely built on the Rolemaster system, I believe this was the first officially licensed ttrpg based on Tolkien’s works.
Dragonbone
Another item in the “blink and you would miss it” category was Dragonbone. This electronic dice roller was a plastic wand that allowed you to select your desired range (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, or d%). Once you made your selection you would be provided a randomized “roll” via a little red LED.
I will say that when I was 11, I may very well have had some Dragonbone envy. That said, I think they missed the fact that people really dig rolling dice.
I believe I saw them in real life at the Gen Con exhibitor hall, back when the convention was held at the University of Wisconsin Parkside. However, I never saw one at the gaming table.
Closing
That’s all for now. Drop me a comment if I’ve left anything out of if you have a favorite product that’s largely lost to time.
For more maps & plot hooks, go here.
For my Idea Chest posts, go here.
For some random tables, go here.
Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.
Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.
-
A Classical Xanti Tomb Complex
In ancient Xanti, there is a common belief in reincarnation. Among the worshipers of the cult of Kaa, tradition dictates that wealthy nobles be buried along with their belongings, in elaborate tombs.
The tenets of their faith claims they will be reunited with their possessions in their next life. Whether this be truth or folly, only the gods know. However, woe to the dessert thief who tries to claim these riches for herself.
-Bhagiro Hatti, Gowandian Scholar
1. Entrance
The entrances to Xanti tombs are often built into the side of canyon walls. Purposely left open, as a welcome to the gods, they are occasionally sealed off with sand from blowing desert winds. It is believed that when a tomb is sealed off in such a manner that the inhabitants will be forsaken by their deities and lose their opportunity for everlasting life.
A Kosantian adventurer faces off with reanimated tomb guardians. Artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved. While not sealed, Xanti tombs are not without their protections. Necromancers place tomb guardians in the form of skeletal warriors at the entrance of the complex. This particular tomb holds 6 such guardians in niches to the left and right of the entrance.
Each armed with a khopesh, these skeletal figures will remain lifeless unless someone intrudes on the tomb. Once disturbed they will animate and seek to eliminate the threat.
2. Dead End / Pit
This corridor halts at a dead end, with a 10’ deep pit. To the inexperienced, this may at first seem to be a very obvious trap. However, this is actually a very purposeful key to the tomb, placed by the architect.
Any who have studied ancient Xanti burial rights will know what this portends. This signals to any future caretakers that the safe pace through the tomb is to take the leftmost choice at any intersection.
3. Offering Room
This room contains 4 ceremonial offering niches, where well-wishers could visit, prior to the tomb being sanctified. They would fill these niches with all manner of offerings for the departed, in a belief that this would curry favor for them in the next life.
In the center of the room a pool of water gives off an eldritch blue glow. The pool with radiate as magical if any with the ability to check for such things happens to do so. Exactly what its properties are is a secret lost to time. However, legends tell that supplicants leaving offerings would drink from the well to receive a boon from the gods.
The pictured tomb is that of a mid-level noblewoman. Of the present offerings, most are fairly mundane sundry items. There are sacks of old grain, olive oil, bottles of wine that have long since turned to vinegar, and bolts of linen. A close search will turn up a gold scarab pendant and a garnet ring that are both finely crafted.
4. Shrine
This room is the shrine where priests of Kaa would give their final prayers for the departed. During these ceremonies, 4 earthen-ware vessels bearing cobras would be placed within the room as part of the invocation ritual. The reptiles are long since dead and likely nothing remains of them.
5. Beetle Pit
Tomb beetle. Art by: gary@gdupuis.com
http://www.gdupuis.com/This floor of this room is littered with a number of old bones. The opposite end of the room is dominated by a well that is 10’ in diameter. After crossing the threshold to this room, PCs will hear a skittering noise coming from the well. Within 2 rounds of this, 4 giant beetles will emerge from the hole and attack until slain.
If explored, the pit will be found to descend 30’, though there are numerous tunnels branching off in other directions. These other tunnels have been created by the beetles. They are not large enough to stand up in, susceptible to collapse, and parties unwise enough to venture into them should meet more beetles promptly.
6. The Burial Chamber
This ornately decorated room is the burial chamber itself. The noblewoman’s sarcophagus dominates the center of this pillared room, while those of her 8 attendants line the northern, western, and southern walls.
These three walls are adorned with detailed paintings depicting scenes from the life of the departed. The eastern wall is reserved for images of what she hopes for in her new life.
7. Fire Trap
Those foolish enough to cross the threshold from the burial chamber into this L-shaped hall will immediately hear an audible click. However, nothing else will happen at this time.
If anyone walks forward to the right-angle and then follows until the dead end, they will be in for a surprise. As soon more than 5 lbs. of weight is placed on the 5’ section of tile at the dead end, 7 gouts of flame with shoot out from holes on the right side of the wall.
The flames will persist until there is less than 5 lbs. of weight being applied to any of the 3 east-west floor tiles marked with flames on the map. However, after 4 rounds the mechanism will run out of fuel.
If specifically searching, perceptive characters may notice the small holes in the wall.
8. Treasure Room
This room would contain the worldly treasures of the departed. While there would certainly be some coins and gemstones, other items dear to the individual would be here as well. Bolts of fine silk, oils, and incense would be common among such items. In addition, books of arcane knowledge might be stored here for safekeeping until the afterlife.
Final Notes
That wraps up another week. Again, this isn’t intended to be a full-on adventure but I thought perhaps that this might get the creative juices flowing for some of you. Please let me know if any of this sets your mind to wandering. Hopefully, instead of dreading the new work week that is quickly approaching, you’ll be able to let your thoughts drift a bit to future sessions around the gaming table. Good gaming and have a great week!
For the Village of Cross Tree, go here.
For maps & plot hooks, go here.
For my Idea Chest posts, go here.
For some random tables, go here.
Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.
-
50 Wilderness Oddities
For today’s post, I have put together 50 odd occurrences to toss at your PCs while they are traveling from point A to point B.
Sometimes you don’t want the day to pass uneventfully but a wandering monster would burn too much precious time. Even if you’re largely handwaving their journey it can be nice to have something interesting happen along the way, so roll a d100 and see where the fates take you.
Each of these could be nothing more than what they appear at face value. Alternately, with a few tweaks you could easily expand them into a full blown encounter, or even an adventure hook.
-Good Gaming!
Art by: Donnie Maynard Christianson https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/9116/Sqeezi-Games 01-02: Party stumbles on a patch of incredibly large mushrooms. Are they edible? Toxic?
03-04: After breaking camp for the morning strange tracks can be seen all around the perimeter of the camp. These weren’t present the night before and nobody noticed anything during the night.
05-06: A pair of rough looking men step out of the brush carrying a large, spiked collar. They claim they are looking for their lost dog.
07-08: Party finds a white stag trapped in a snare.
09-10: Over the course of a two mile stretch, various items of clothing are found by the roadside.
11-12: Having passed a simple traveler walking along the road on the previous day, the party encounters the same fellow on the following day. However, he is headed in the same direction as he was the day before and claims to have no knowledge of meeting the party.
13-14: The smell of smoke increases throughout the day until the party realizes that their path forward has been blocked by a forest fire.
15-16: Party comes across the shed skin of a monstrous snake.
17-18: A bountiful berry patch lines the side of the road, allowing the party a delicious snack.
19-20: Colorful birds are seen in the trees. Knowledgeable party members will be able to identify these as only coming from warmer climes.
21-22: A patch of small flowering plants are discovered. Knowledgeable party members will be able to identify these as an effective insect repellent. May be burned or used topically.
23-24: Pleasantly fragrant plants are found. Knowledgeable party members will be able to identify these as being used by locals in the region to mask scent from predators in the wild.
25-26: Is that bullfrog singing? Surely that bullfrog can’t be singing.
About the Artist: “Bag” twitter.com/bagthebaghttp://twitter.com/bagthebag 27-28: Party finds a smoking crater where a meteor has landed.
29-30: Party comes to a clearing. There are a number of toy dolls hanging from the trees all around the edges of the clearing.
31-32: An alabaster monument juts up out if the ground in the middle of the forest. It bears a plaque but the language is foreign to all of the party.
33-34: Party hears the occasional sound of crying. However, the sound ceases whenever they stop to listen closely.
35-36: A possum pops out of the brush briefly before running back into the woods. If followed, it leads the party to a sinkhole where three racoons are trapped.
37-38: Party encounters a simple traveler who offers to share a meal with them before heading on the way. Upon reaching their destination, the party sees a wanted posted for a notorious highwayman and the description matches that of the traveler.
39-40: Mosquitos plague the day’s travel, making everyone uncomfortable and causing them to appear afflicted with the pox for d4 days after.
Art by: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/9116/Sqeezi-Games 41-42: Party passes a small caravan owned by a showman who display oddities and curiosities at festivals throughout the realm.
43-44: Wild boars are about! If there is anyone capable of hunting within the party, it will be an easy hunt.
45-46: A freshwater spring yields tasty trout, to anyone with the skill to fish them out.
47-48: The rhythmic beating of drums can be heard in the distance. It seems to be getting closer toward nightfall.
49-50: Party encounters strange formations of sticks bound together with twine.
51-52: An abandoned cottage is found. It appears that other parties have passed through and used this as a shelter recently. What appears to be a map is drawn on the wall with charcoal.
53-54: A large fish lays flopping in the path. The party is not aware of any water nearby.
55-56: Party passes a caravan of prisoners being lead from on settlement to another. The party members recognize one of the prisoners.
57-58: A trail of pieces of bread leads off into the forest.
59-60: Party comes upon a disheveled man who has amnesia.
61-62: An onyx statue of a bull is found deep within the forest.
63-64: A loud buzzing sound leads the party to a beehive the size of a man.
65-66: 3 wooden barrels of rum are found, poorly hidden within the forest.
67-68: Party encounters a religious zealot and his entourage, traveling from one settlement to another. They encourage the party to throw down their arms and join them.
69-70: Without warning, the forest fills with cicadas. Their song drowns out all other noise, to the point on being nearly deafening. This lets up within an hour, without explanation.
71-72: Party encounters a man wearing wrist and leg irons. He claims that he was falsely imprisoned and barely escaped with his life. Is he telling the truth?
73-74: An abandoned campsite is found, neatly laid out. There is a tent, modest belongings, and prepared campfire. However, there are no signs of who left it.
75-76: An incredibly large, winged beast can be seen circling above the canopy of the forest.
77-78: Deep within the forest, the party finds 3 incredibly lifelike statues who are all posed as if shielding their eyes in horror.
79-80: A stone altar it found, topped with the carcass of some woodland beast.
81-82: Strange tracks end up leading to a massive hollowed out tree. However, upon arrival there is no trace of whatever made the tracks.
83-84: A raucous band of revelers, celebrating some religious festival pass the party. Party members are encouraged to throw down their weapons and join them.
85-86: The party comes upon a coach that has thrown a wheel. An obnoxious noble verbally abuses the coachman and demands that he fixes it quickly. Will the party assist?
87-88: A blight has taken over the portion of forest that the party is traveling through. All vegetation has died, with no apparent reason.
Art by: Donnie Maynard Christianson https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/9116/Sqeezi-Games 89-90: Deep in the forest, the party discover what appears to be a shrine built for a deity that none of them are familiar with. Small offerings are scattered about.
91-92: A circle of tall standing stones are covered in moss. Standing within the circle, party members can feel a steady vibration.
93-94: A shaft of sunlight shines down through the canopy. Figures can be seen dancing in the sunbeam.
95-96: A massive tree stump have pooled with water. Characters looking down into the water see bizarre images.
97-98: A magpie attempts to snatch a small trinket from the party’s camp. If successful, it flies up and deposits it in a nearby tree. If the tree is investigated, a small cache of other treasures will be found.
99-100: A short, cactus-like bush is found along the trail. Knowledgeable party members will be able to identify these as having limited healing properties.
That’s all this week. Hope that you find some use out of these. Have any favorites that you regularly use for your games? Let me know in the comments. Have a great week. Good gaming!
For maps & plot hooks, go here.
For my Idea Chest posts, go here.
For some random tables, go here.
Want to help me to compile a list of TTRPG conventions? Click here.
Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.
-
Gaming Conventions
When I first started this blog, I delved into a few posts about my background and how I found myself immersed in the world of tabletop role-playing games. I’ve always been fascinated by origin stories, and one of my favorite things to do is learn how others were introduced to this hobby. In honor of the Gen Con game convention happening in Indianapolis, IN this week, I thought it’d be fitting to revisit an old post about gaming conventions.
I’ve previously shared how I received the Holmes edition of Dungeons & Dragons as a birthday gift in the late 1970s, as well as my eye-opening experience when I first stumbled upon a game store and realized that there was actually much more to the hobby than I had ever dreamed.
In the following years, I developed a keen interest in the game convention listings found in Dragon magazine. Though I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from a gaming convention, the concept intrigued me. Encouraged by my supportive parents, in the spring of 1983, we made the journey from Rochester, NY to St. Catherine’s, Ontario, for the Niagara Gamefest & Computer Show.
To my young eyes, the convention was a wonderland. Having played D&D (and possibly AD&D by then) with my neighborhood friends for a few years, we were somewhat isolated in our gaming adventures. But this small, weekend gathering revealed to me just how popular this hobby was becoming.
Everywhere I looked, I discovered new RPGs that I had never even heard of before. And then there were the wargames. While I had some exposure to miniatures from Campaign HQ, a tiny gaming store in downtown Rochester, NY, I had never witnessed the grandeur of the massive miniature armies on display at the wargame section of the convention.
Yet, the most significant impact on me was the warm reception I received from other gamers, most of them older than me. As a 12-year-old, I was treated as an equal by everyone I encountered. It was an incredibly welcoming environment, and it didn’t matter whether I was joining college kids in a Car Wars event or testing my skills with seasoned veterans in a Napoleonics game – I felt at home. I was completely hooked.
Old article about the Niagara Gamefest & Computer Show. Later that same year, I attended the granddaddy of them all – Gen Con, held at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside that summer. If my first convention amazed me, this one simply blew my mind. It was everything I had experienced before but multiplied tenfold.
The campus, nestled in a rural setting near Racine, felt comfortable enough for my parents to drop me off in the morning and pick me up in the evening. While I had been late in registering for specific events, it didn’t matter, as the concourse of the campus was brimming with open gaming sessions anyone could join.
Not a single minute was wasted during my time there. Groups of gamers gathered on the floor, spontaneously embarking on game sessions. People were playing Ogre just a few feet from a Champions group, while across the hall, an engaging Ace of Aces match was in full swing. Yet again, my age was irrelevant – I only had to stand there for a moment, and someone would invite me to join their game.
The epic miniature battles in the wargaming area left me in awe. The largest among them was a multi-day reenactment of one of the crusades. I spent hours marveling at the intricacy of the models and the meticulously crafted terrain.
The dealer’s room at Gen Con was nothing short of massive. Games, dice, miniatures, apparel, and every other gaming-related item you could imagine were on display. I’d wander from booth to booth, eagerly listening to the enthusiastic pitches from vendors.
Many of the vendors set up “mini-games” for attendees to try out their systems, which filled even more of my time. During one such demo for Gangbusters, I was fortunate to meet Mark Acres and Tracy Hickman. Mark, one of the game’s designers, and Tracy, who would later co-author the successful Dragonlance series, left a lasting impression on me.
Those early gaming conventions left me with cherished memories. I returned to Gen Con the following year and attended Origins the year after that. Although gaming has often faced social stigmas, which have lessened over time, the shared experience of a large gaming convention has always been refreshing to me.
These days, I try to seek out conventions that take place further away, and in 2018, I was fortunate enough to attend the UK Games Expo in Birmingham. Exploring gaming events in different parts of the world has added a new layer of excitement to my hobby. It’s fascinating to see how gaming brings people together in a shared passion for adventure and imagination.
Nowadays, I find myself living in Indiana, and I frequently roam the halls at Gen Con in Indianapolis. While things may not feel exactly the same as they once did, the allure of the convention draws me back year after year. Having returned to the hobby after so many years, I’m happy to witness the incredible diversity it has now embraced.
And what about you? If you’ve made it this far, something must have piqued your interest. Have you had the pleasure of experiencing game conventions? If so, which ones have you attended, and what aspects did you enjoy the most? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please share in the comments.
-
My first gaming store
Over the following years, I graduated from that original D&D boxed set to the hardcover AD&D books. I also acquired my first set of polyhedral dice (while they were included in later versions of the boxed set, mine merely came with laminated “chits” which you had to cut out and select randomly).
Photo by Alperen Yazgı on Unsplash I was loosely aware that there were other products made by TSR Hobbies, because of the ads in the back of some of my rulebooks. As I recall, “Boot Hill”, “Dawn Patrol”, & “Gamma World” were all featured. Despite living in a decent sized city (Rochester, NY), I had never come across any of these products in any of the few bookstores where I had been able to find gaming products.
I am not certain when it opened but at some point in the early 80s, my parents took me to visit “Campaign Headquarters”. It was an actual, dedicated gaming store and was quite eye-opening. I was like a kid in a candy-store, just filled with wonder. Thinking back, it was just a single, dimly-lit room but it was fascinating, nonetheless.
The walls were covered with blister packs of lead miniatures. Most of these were of the historical sort, though I believe there were some Grenadier fantasy miniatures as well. It was clear at that point that there were far more role-playing, and wargaming games than I had ever imagined.
While I certainly could have spent days in the store, my parents were ready to roll shortly after our arrival. I ended up using my allowance to purchase Dragon Magazine #55. It was the first time that I had seen the publication and it was very exciting to me at the time.
Talaraska
Digestible source material to help tabletop RPG GMs run their games.
Talaraska 
You must be logged in to post a comment.