adungeonaday

[adungeonaday]

Made up some rules for destroying magic items.

[adungeonaday]

Personality by High Stats

I wrote previously about what it might mean for your character to have any particular pair of low stats, so here is the other end of the spectrum. What might it mean for your character to have an pair of high stats?

This is of course only a suggestion, and certainly is in no way exhaustive (like, at all). But it might spark some ideas for your character.

DMs: You might have a use for this chart as well. This is a quick way to figure out how to describe an NPC just by looking at their stat block. It could also be useful if NPCs are describing the PCs. 

“Yes officer, it was that scrappy looking halfling over there who stole my horse!”

[adungeonaday]

Multiclassing... With Style

Your character is close to levelling up, and you’re thinking about taking a level in another class. That’s great! However, let us not forget that this is a roleplaying game, and therefore this new character development deserves some narrative attention.

The Guild of Fifty One Hands does share secrets with anyone off the street.

The Archfey Council will not grant to power of the natural world to those it deems unworthy.

The Circle of Seven will not train an unlearned plebe to manipulate the fundamental elements of the universe. 

You must first prove you are worthy of the powerful abilities associated with this new class. For each class (in the 5th edition PHB) you will find a list describing trials you may be set to prove your suitability for training.

Barbarian (1d6):

Survive a night in the gulch with only a spear

Capture a live bison (or similarly large beast) with only a rope

Cross the river at the rapids

Using only your bare hands, touch together the two ends of an iron rod

Turn the granite sculpture in front of the palace to face the opposite direction

Beat up a bear with your bare hands

Bard (1d6):

Compose a sonata in the style of a famous composer

Construct your own instrument

Perform at every inn Brognar Dovecap played at on his final tour

Recite the epic tale of Gray Wolf from memory

Sit through the entire 28 hour “Ode to Warm Milk”

Get a groupie

Cleric (1d6):

Translate a page of the Mad God’s Tome

Acquire the ingredients for incense and prepare it

Read the scripture cover to cover

Learn the fundamentals of the morningstar

Work for a time as a beadsman at the local alms-house

Finish all the paperwork in your to-do bin

Druid (1d6):

Learn the hunter’s last rites and perform them after slaying a bull elk

Allow a bird to nest in your cupped hands

Cultivate the notoriously fickle winter ivy without using magic

Earn the trust and friendship of a myconid colony

Return a defiled place to a state of natural health

Beat up a lumberjack

Fighter (1d6):

Learn the basic defense and attack forms

Win a medal in the King’s Melee

Apprentice under a blacksmith for a time

Learn the art of diplomacy

Read through Muin Wild’s ‘'The Art of Conflict”

Defeat the galloping hordes AND one hundred bad guys with swords

Monk (1d6):

Do 10,000 pushups

Learn meditation under a master

Give up your worldly possessions

Learn to perform a tea ceremony

Fast for a fortnight

Learn crouch with tigers and hide with dragons

Paladin (1d6):

Provide palliative care to the dying

Seek out a wanted criminal and convince them to amend their ways

Commit to a vow of silence, chastity, or poverty

Compose your oath and commit it to memory

Undertake a pilgrimage

Spoil a shady plan by being a huge stick-in-the-mud

Ranger (1d6):

Retrieve the herbal ingredients for an antidote before the poison overwhelms you

Capture and train a bird of prey

Climb to the peak of a mountain

Construct your own bow

Track down the cause of a blight afflicting the nearby forest

Escort some needy halflings to the nearest elf settlement

Rogue (1d6):

Steal the Red Wolf’s signet ring

Spring The Pig from the local jail

Brew a potent poison

Walk atop the city wall from one end to the other

Craft a set of skeleton keys

Go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line

Sorcerer (1d6):

Trace the history of the dragon bloodlines

Inscribe on your skin the tattoos of magic channeling

Read the Manual of the Planes

Pen a thesis on each of the four natural and seven supernatural elements

Construct a wand

Fetch water and perform other menial tasks for an Arcane Master without using magic

Warlock (1d6):

Retrieve a lost relic for your patron

Capture and tame your familiar

Perform a moonlit sacrifice for your desired patron

Craft your pact weapon

Destroy a relic belonging to a rival patron

Start a cult

Wizard (1d6):

Identify an artifact without the aid of magic

Master the process of growing crystals

Read through all seventy-seven tomes of Arcane Foundations

Learn the fundamentals of life, death, undeath, and false life

Perform the rituals required to convert a regular cauldron into a suitable potion brewing vessel

You put on your robe and wizard hat

[adungeonaday]

Seafaring: Crew

A captain cannot run a ship on their own!

Race (roll 1d6):

Humans, elves, and other common races

Orcs, goblins, and other hated creatures

Tiefling, drow, and other mistrusted people

Dwarves, halfling, and other stout folk

Dragonborn, gnomes, and other uncommon people

A great mishmash of races

Attitude (roll 1d6):

Cliquey, divided

Brutal, prone to brawling at the slightest provocation

Cheerful and supportive

Highly regimented and disciplined

A chaotic, homogenous, and single-minded rabble

A lazy, undisciplined heap of bodies

Feature (roll 1d6):

They all wear a uniform

All crew members are skillful at boarding ships

Everyone is middle aged or older

Many crew members keep pets

The crew is divided evenly among genders

The crew is vitamin c deficient

Song (roll 1d6):

A cheerful shanty

A mournful lament

A bawdy tune

A surging battle chant

A penitent hymn

A whistled call and response

Notable member (roll 1d6):

A Secret-Keeper who can track down any scrap of truth

A Gang Leader who dreams of mutiny

The Cook who can cure what ails you

The Little One who knows all there is to know about surviving

An Old Hand who can tell tales no one else remembers

A Shackled Prisoner who will pay any price for freedom

A straight-up, honest to god Bear

A continuation of a series

[adungeonaday]

Seafaring: Captain

Every ship needs someone in charge.

Race (roll 1d6):

Human

Elf

Half-Orc

Centaur

Teifling

Gnome

Nickname (roll 1d6):

Anchorless

Pelican

Misty

Moonrider

Farseer

Mapmaker

Background (roll 1d6):

Navy

Merchant

Shipwright

Galley Slave

Pirate

Inexperienced

Attitude (roll 1d6):

A cruel taskmaster

A cheerful drunk

Stern but fair

Lazy and uninvolved

Conniving

Preoccupied with plans and maps

Feature (roll 1d6):

A clever animal familiar

Tattoos everywhere

A tremendously elaborate costume

A hook hand

A patch eye

A peg leg

A continuation of a series

[adungeonaday]

A few D&D Twitter Bots

Hey tumblr users! Are you also a Twitter user? Yes? Amazing! Here are some bots that might turn some proverbial crank of yours:

The Player Character Bot This one I’ve advertised on this blog before. It posts a D&D character a few times per day. It gives race, class, stats, a physical description, and a few personality traits.

Goblin Bot This bot generates a random orc, goblin, hobgoblin, or other similar denizen. Included is a name, race, a physical description of some kind, as well as some details about the character’s position in their clan, how they fight, and what they do in their spare time.

Gamma World Character Bot This bot posts a Gamma World character a few times per day. It includes stats, origins, gear, and a physical description.

Follow and enjoy!

[adungeonaday]

Seafaring: Ship

A ship is more than simply a means of transportation. Every ship has a soul and stories to tell.

Aesthetic (roll 1d6):

Sleek lines like a shark

Furs and rough hewn wood

Bright, prismatic colour

Gold leaf and ornate carvings

Black tar paint

Bold monochrome military colour

Weapons (roll 1d6):

A battering ram

A ballista

Black powder cannons

Harpoons

Casks of seafire

Flaming darts

History (roll 1d6):

The original captain had secret passages built throughout the decks.

She was once sunk, then raised and refitted.

She has fought on two sides of the same war under different captains.

Repairs on the hull were made from wood from a cursed pirate ship.

Nobody knows her original port of departure.

A big red and black parrot is the only surviving member of the original crew.

Quirk (roll 1d6):

The crew swear on their lives that there’s a skeleton who lurks around below decks.

The ship bears marks of a kraken attack.

All the lanterns burn blue or green.

The lookout never comes down from the crow’s nest. Ever.

The ship is never visited by gulls.

The ship seems to be afraid of storms, developing a strong list whenever one appears on the horizon.

Figurehead (roll 1d6):

Mermaid

Pig

Grim Reaper

A Deity

Sea Captain

Demon

[adungeonaday]

Monster Motivations

If you use a lot of random encounters, this table is for you.

Roll 1d10:

1. The creature wishes to demonstrate its great prowess in combat. 2. The beast is protecting its territory. 3. The monster greatly desires a resource the PCs possess. 4. The brute is hungry! 5. The creature feels threatened. 6. The monster has been given orders not to let anyone pass. 7. The beast has been enraged by a prior incident. 8. The creature is ensorceled by a magician. 9. The brute has mistaken the party for a different threat. 10. The monster requires food for its young.

[adungeonaday]

I’ve created a twitter bot that generates a random PC every few hours. Follow if you like randomly generated twitter hijinks.

[adungeonaday]

100 Art Objects, Historical Artifacts, and Miscellaneous Loot

A marble bust of a large-nosed woman

A richly woven carpet with nautical patterns

Soft, clean bedsheets sewn with golden thread

A portrait of a bashful looking tiefling

Eight matching silver cups

A ceremonial helm with a daisy motif

A coil of silken cable, intricately braided and tasseled

An ancient fertility sculpture

A nautilus shell

A stack of fine vellum

Richly embroidered blue sleeping robes

A huge tortoise shell

A polished silver looking-glass

A set of gem-encrusted cutlery

Silk handkerchiefs

A necklace thickly adorned with bright feathers

A small dragon skull

A collection of beautiful glass bottles of all colours

A snake skin of tremendous length and quality

Well preserved tapestries depicting an important historical event

A set of fine jewelcrafting tools

A chess set of excellent quality

A set of non-magical but intricately etched daggers

An ermine coat

Soft doeskin boots beautifully crafted for small feet

A collection of flags and banners once flown by nations now extinct

White silk gloves

A satchel made of glossy crimson leather

A rattle made from a cloven hoof

Paper pouches full of dried herbs and spices

A red and silver scepter

A porcelain doll garbed in a beautiful ballgown

A large bismuth crystal

A box containing several elaborately decorated animal masks

A glass orb containing a tablespoon of quicksilver

A vase containing numerous exotic feathers

A golden ceremonial shield featuring an unfamiliar charge

Ten large glass marbles of various colours

A richly illuminated, leather-bound manuscript of local history

A rare coin collection

A massive scarlet crustacean claw

Pots of powdered henna, turmeric, and indigo

A long spiral antelope horn, polished and banded in silver

Two oblong pearls of modest size

An exquisitely preserved fish fossil

A set of lavish quills and two pots of deep blue ink

Three canopic jars, and the broken lid of a fourth

A hand-carved, gold leaf frame, sans painting

A masterful portrait of a stern couple, sans frame

Beautiful horse tack

A glass jar filled with layers of sand of various colours

A snow leopard skin in fine condition

A huge vanilla scented candle

A wooden case containing two dozen bars of sealing wax

A hand-carved mash paddle made from black wood

A silver locket containing a lock of silver hair

A crystal bottle of perfume

A carving made from jet featuring the head of a gorgon

Twelve fine drinking glasses wrapped in cotton

A brass cast of a skull

An ancient ceremonial sword of a powerful queen, its blade half rotted away

A silver flask

A wooden frame containing a complex gear mechanism of unknown purpose

Pouches of very rare seeds that grow into valuable plants

A geode

A tome of forgotten ballads written by a legendary bard

A terribly gaudy cuckoo clock elaborately inlaid with silver and gold

A half-finished bolt of patterned cloth, still attached to the loom

A large tangle of coral

A church bell featuring a religious tale in bas relief

Gold candleabras

A brass statuette of a religious figure

Two oak barrels of alcoholic spirits

A sack of bathing salts

A box of lace

A folder stuffed with dwarven beer recipes

Spools of excellent leather cord

Medicated creams and ointments

A box of colourful makeup

A pouch full of glimmering pearlescent fish scales

A silver dog whistle shaped like a howling wolf

Ivory spice shakers

A jar of herbal honey

A large incisor on a leather thong

Powdered animal parts

Gold false teeth

A bulk lot of mundane smithed items, including locks, hinges, etc.

An empty silver lockbox with key

Elegant red skates

Blue suede shoes

A dried caul

A taxedermied platypus

A censer

Three wax likenesses, one slightly melted

A telescope

A set of tinkling hand bells

Coffee beans

Tortoiseshell combs

Copper bottom cook pots

A flanged steel plug of some kind

[adungeonaday]

Region Generator

"What, my homeland? Oh, don't get me started! Where should I begin?" Follow the directions below to generate the outline of a marvellous, far-away land, and interpret as you see fit.

Geography and Climate (Roll 1d12): 1. A layer of earth and moss scraped across bedrock 2. Dry soil heaped in ever shifting dunes 3. Rocky shores and chilly wind 4. Towering mountains 5. Great climbing hills and sloping valleys 6. Plains stretching beyond the horizon 7. Lowlands pocked with lakes and rivers 8. Fire spewing fissures 9. Deep canyons and deeper caves 10. Dripping forests 11. Scrubby tundra 12. Rugged, tangled evergreens

History (Roll 2d6): 2 -4. Passed from warlord to warlord 5 - 6. Total isolation 7. A slow cultural takeover 8 - 10. Unwavering religious dogmatism 11-12. An unending tug-of-war between factions

Noteworthy Animal (Roll 2d6; if either die shows 1 the creatures are especially large; a 6 means they are prolific; doubles means they are magical in some way): 2 -4. Slinking carnivores 5 - 6. Soaring creatures 7. Stampeding herds 8 - 10. Chattering, dexterous beasts 11-12. Glittering insects

Current Events (Roll 2d6; doubles means there is active conflict): 2. A very valuable natural resource has been found there recently 3-4. A new religion has taken root 5-6. Natural disasters have been common in recent years 7. A benevolent leader has united the people 8-9. A contagious disease is ravaging the population 10-11. Industry has increased recently 12. A religious crusade is beginning

Local Cultures (Roll 1d12 1d4 times): 1. A large people 2. A posh people 3. A nature loving people 4. A diminutive people 5. A warlike people 6. An industrious people 7. A water-dwelling people 8. A reclusive people 9. A festive people 10. A socialist people 11. An oppressed people 12. An ancient people

Sights Worth Seeing (roll 1d12) 1. Vampire falls 2. The Sinkhole 3. The Dead Kahn's Temple 4. The Stepping Stones 5. The Giant's Teapot 6. The Green Vortex 7. The Harvest Festival 8. March of the Dead 9. Sunrise Pass 10. Mushroom Hole 11. The Church Below the Earth 12. The Crimson Rain Ceremony

[adungeonaday]

Villain Generator

Are you a DM in need of an antagonist? Or perhaps your PC needs a rival for her backstory? Roll on the table to meet this mysterious troublemaker...

The locals chose a nickname that suits this ne'er-do-well: (Roll 1d8)

Two-Face

Desecrator

Wild-Eyes

The Weaver

Golden-Tongue

Woods Stalker

The Iron Cable

Quicksilver

What drives this antagonist? (Roll 1d6)

Fear and hatred

Revenge for a misunderstanding

An appetite for gold

A once-noble goal that has lost its purpose

A sorrow that never healed

A total lack of empathy or morality

Who follows this wretched person? (Roll 1d8)

Nobody but her shadow

A hoard of grubby wretches

Two silent guardians

A babbling fool

Creatures of her own creation

His mother

A hound? Or is it a bear? It's a mean, shaggy beast whatever it is

A swarm of flies and the reek of death

Where do they live? (Roll 1d6)

In the blood-stained offices of the late mayor

A palisade camp out in the woods

A dark castle lit by fire and lightning

At the center of a labyrinth carved into the earth

Wherever his whims take him

On a rocky island hunched in the center of the lake

To whom are they beholden? (Roll 1d6)

A bitter old dragon past its prime

A coven of hags who are owed a river of blood

Their twin, who mortgaged their life on their sibling's success

The sailor's usurer who waits in the sea

A goblin warlord

A haunting ghost who heaps guilt upon their shoulders

[adungeonaday]

Headquarters Generator

Need a place to call your own? Roll on this table to see what’s available!

What kind of property is available? (Roll 1d6)

A watchtower in need of a mason

A longhouse, recently vacated

The old ciderworks (though only the waterwheel and workhouse still stand)

A natural rock crevasse

An old jail filled by a despot and emptied by his usurper

The sprawling manorhouse granted wide berth by locals

Where can it be found? (Roll 1d6)

Just off the cart-path that leads down to the shore

At the edge of town, just before the tree line

Within the ruined foundations of the old despot's castle

Right where the river forks

At the top of the cliffs

Within a stone's throw of the border

Staff are hired, but who are these strangers? (Roll 1d6)

An old woman and her three dour sons

A troupe of dwarves, hard working but stubborn

A dapper tiefling who somehow performs the work of ten servants

A dozen human women who fight amongst themselves constantly

A mess of sallow skinned servants with wet eyes and gasping mouths

Swarms of truly miniscule folk who approach their tasks like a wave approaches the shore

There's something curious about this property. (Roll 1d6)

All but the sharpest eyes seem helpless but to pass over it

Sound echoes in a manner unsuited to the space

The flicker of a torch often lurks around corners with no source to be found

Bright birds flock near here, a different colour every day

The temperature is always perfect inside

Strangers often inquire eagerly with the locals about the place, but their intentions are never stated

There were tenants here before. What did they leave behind? (Roll 1d6)

Elaborately carved wooden furnishings in need of a good dusting

A heap of scrolls on all manner of topics, though unsorted and weather-worn

Cryptic words of warning and a hand crafted ward against spirits and spectres

Several wardrobes of clothes and costumes, all in good condition

A hogshead of gnomish Gray OilBrau spirits

An ancient calico cat that never seems to blink or eat

[adungeonaday]

Organisation Generator

Was your character part of a noble military group at some point in their past? Perhaps they had an act in a wandering circus troupe? Or maybe they performed unspeakable deeds at the behest of a sinister religious organisation? Perhaps you are a DM who has given your players a mysterious benefactor, but haven’t decided their true nature. Or maybe the Queen needs a group to call on to take care of these pesky adventurers who are threatening her plans!

Primary Purpose (1d10):

Mercenary services

Performing group

Religious organisation

Trading company

Sailors

Manufacturing or Farming

Historians

Medical assistance

Wildlife exploration or expertise

Magical services

Size (1d4):

Diminutive: Five or fewer members

Small: Fewer than twenty members

Medium: Between twenty and one hundred members

Large: Hundreds or thousands of members

Scrupulousness (1d6):

Both lawful and good

Willing to do anything for coin

Willing to do anything to achieve a particular goal

Lackadaisical but good intentioned

Mischevious but not evil

Outright evil; full on maniacal laughter type stuff

Signiature Feature (1d10):

Members wear a uniforom

Members recite a mantra or quote a manifesto

Members' bodies are decorated or altered in some way

All members are of the same race

Members carry a similar tool, weapon, or totem

Members perform scheduled rituals

Members have strict rules regarding speaking

Prominent and recognizable iconography

Accompanied by a particular type of animal

All members are identical in every way

Leader Feature (1d10):

Fearsome reputation

Styled as a god

Has never been seen

Royalty

Substance abuse issues

Abnorbally large or small

Recently deceased

Eccentric

Normal, down to earth person

Actual god or demigod

[adungeonaday]

Hey folks! This group is looking to raise money to help out a little kiddo with cerebral palsy, and in return they will be attempting a 24-hour roleplaying session - no mean feat! The whole thing will be streamed live on Twitch, and more info will be available through their tumblr account. Please donate if you can, and help spread the word and follow for updates!

CALLING ALL HEARTS

//Those of you that know me know that I regularly play DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS with my fiance and fellow tumblrite Guitarboy. He is the Dungeon Master (DM) for several of our groups and in RL he works with as an early years/pre-K teacher.

DONATE HERE

There is a little boy connected to his nursery called Thomas, who has celebral palsy and requires some very expensive physio and surgeries to help him be more independent. Even in the UK this is not available on the NHS, and will cost over £75,000. His parents want to give him the best chance in life, so they are appealing to the local community to help them raise the money.

To support Thomas in his dream to be able to dance, we are going to attempt a SPONSORED 24-HOUR ROLEPLAYING MARATHON!

DONATE HERE

Anything you can spare to help this charming little guy would be amazing, and our whole escapade will be livestreamed on TWITCH. We are hoping to have people skype in to take part too, so if you want to stretch your D&D muscles, do get in touch!

Final date and details to follow, please tune in and support us!

[adungeonaday]

Orc and Goblin Generator

A little different from the usual fare, but try this on for size:

Want to make some of your dungeon denizens more memorable? Use this Random Orc and Goblin Generator for some quick fluff!

>>Random Orc and Goblin Generator<<

Samples:

Zatuill "The One-and-Only"

Female Goblin

Zatuill is well loved by the Chief

Zatuill dreams portentous dreams. She used to be craven and struggles with the reputation it has given her.

Zatuill is feeling dreadfully gassy right now.

Combat

Zatuill lays her enemies low with her bare hands.

Gori "The Old"

Male Goblin

Gori is right hand to the Commander

Gori makes it known he has friends among the ogres any time his authority is undermined. He has a pet stirge.

Combat

He often tries to direct opponents towards his stronger allies instead of dealing with them himself.

[adungeonaday]

Great generator!

Party Connections by Freewolf