Showing posts with label charts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charts. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Unearthed Nostalgia: Some Tables I wrote in the '90s

Lace up your Docs and pull your spiked belt tight on those Z-Cavariccis with the 50in legs, here are some tables I wrote as a player and occasional DM in the dorm D&D game in '97 or so.

Found these in a box of old stuff the moms got out of storage. I have no idea if I was transcribing or making these up!


Tiefling Alt. Table Rolls
1. Comprehend Languages 1/day
2. Pyrotechnics 3/week
3. Infravision, 120 ft
4. +2 VS Rod, Staff, Wand
5. +2 VS Acid

1. Black eyes (no whites)
2. 3 Fingers per hand
3. Horselike tail
4. Body covered in striped markings
5. feathers instead of hair
6. leathery skin
7. horns
8. deep-set eyes

I'm still trying to figure out what this page was for, exactly. (EDIT - realized later this page is mostly batches of results from the d100 chart on the next page.)
As above, I've added numbers in case anyone wants to adapt this madness for use.
1. genderless
2. ageless
3. double normal sight (normal and Infravision)
4. 30% Magic Resistance - 1Illusions, 2Energy Drain, 3Charm/Fear/Sleep/Domination/Mind-Affecting
5. Natural AC 8ª
6. Move 15†
7. Preset Actions*
8. Preset Initiative*

* I have no idea what this means
ª Descending
† Average for humans was 12 in 2e I think

After that is a series of small lists of mostly spell-like effects. I've turned them into a Multi-column table. These may have been recording abilities of monsters in a battle or results rolled on a bigger table.





Teenage Joey, I'm proud of you. A gorram d100 chart. Now if I could only remember exactly what "Preset Action" and "Present Initiative" mean.
Clearer:




"Unfortunately, the arts aren't terribly progressive."
Larry McMurtry, speaking at University of North Texas September 30, 1997

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

The Plot

This table can answer:
-what's this book/play/song/ritual dance/story/opera/etc. about?
-what's the latest in court/the town/the rumor mill?
-what's my next adventure hook?
-what's a memorable event from my character's past?
-who's the next interesting NPC?
-What's the deal with the part of the dungeon?


The Plot
A _________  ___________ who is _____________and _______________ is _____________________ in ___________________ .

Roll a d20 for as many columns (1-6) as you want...


1
Young
Witch
Seeking the throne
Through murder
wants to hire the party
A desert
2
Old
Beggar
Commanding/
pushy
Tricking powerful people
Seeking revenge
The sea
3
Corrupt
Noble
Emperor in exile
Seeking the truth
Caught in a storm
A castle made of wood
4
Foreign
Adventurer
Banished
framed
Trying to help the party
The skull tower
5
Monstrous
General
A criminal
Come to confess
Innocent
Crystal pass
6
Worshipful
Princess
Lusty
Here to steal the children
Guilty
Mountains of despair
7
Nihilist
Priest
Accused of witchcraft
Going to steal that most valuable
Dangerous to be around
The Gulf of Gods' Fury
8
Murderous
God
A fortune teller
Seeking food and rest
Dying
A quiet woodland settlement
9
Mischievous
Monster
Disguised
Having an identity crisis
Going through a rebirth cycle
A tumultuous trading post
10
Secret/disguised
Assassin
Respected
Looking for a way out
Helping from the shadows
The capital city
11
Slovenly
Beast
Loved by children
Seeking employment
Damned
A farming village
12
Loyal
Captain
Feared
On a trade mission
Going to be betrayed
Hill of the faery folk
13
Cretinous
Chief
Unstoppable
Seeking his/her/its children
Running afoul of local law
An autonomous collective mine
14
clever
Prostitute
A spurned lover
Throwing money at a problem
Unexpectedly in a position of authority
A vast plantation
15
mysterious
Court official
Passive aggressive
Out to save the world
Sought by a more powerful force
The wastelands of memory
16
Evangelical
Illusionist
Ambassador
Convinced a PC is the chosen one
Willing to go to any lengths
A Purple cloud city
17
Noble
Merchant
Folk hero
Ruined by taxes
Suffering from amnesia
A land made of turtle shells
18
Foolish
Daughter/son
On a mission
Unbelievably lucky
Going to betray someone
a skyship
19
Gullible
Father/mother
Dead
Out to murder
Fulfilling a prophecy
a giant’s maw
20
disguised
stranger
Possessed
Delivering a message from the gods
50% lying about a treasure, 50% telling the truth
An ancient spaceship

Sorry for any kludgey grammar.

(UPDATE edited row 2 column 3 to remove redundancy)