Random Things – Page 6 – Red Dice Diaries

Random Things: Alternate Trinkets for D&D 5E

These random things articles are designed as quick idea generators for time-pressed GMs who want to inject some additional details into their game, in this article we look at trinkets. Trinkets were one of my favourite things about character generation in D&D 5th Edition, each character starts with at least one, a small item or curiosity that has some odd property or something strange about it, it’s not a powerful magic item, just something interesting that could spur conversation and plot. Continue reading “Random Things: Alternate Trinkets for D&D 5E”

Random Things you might hear in a doom-laden prophecy

No.	Description
1	When the moon turns red as blood the children of darkness shall rise.
2	The trees of the great forest will moan and the stars shall fall from the heavens like rain.
3	When the wall weeps a great sadness will come upon the land.
4	The hearts of the children shall empty as their joy is stolen by shadows.
5	A man who runs with beasts shall spill the blood of the innocent upon the soil and ruin upon the kingdom.
6	The face of the gods shall turn away from the world and the eye of heaven weep fire.
7	The curved silver smile will spread through the city and all whose face it shines on shall fall.
8	When the fields refuse to give up their fruits a great sorrow will fall on the land.
9	An ancient grudge rises from the land, its arms reaching wide to embrace the innocent.
10	When a king forsakes his crown the blood of a common man will rise like a new sun.
11	A tide of blood flows from the north, those who do not drown will seek solace in the high places, their forces crying aloud to the heavens.
12	When the people of the land give up their freedom they march willingly into slavery, their love binding them tighter than any chains.
13	The way to the light is dark and filled with traps and pleasing diversions for the unwary.
14	Fur that ripples like water on a lake carries the Princes doom on wings made of black leather.
15	When the world of shadow teems with the shades of the forgotten then the gates will burst open and a tide of despair will flow back into the world.
16	A ring of glowing starlight lights the way into a new world that is older than time.
17	Those who hide themselves, fearful in the highest of heights will be bought lower than the low when cries of men topple the hardest of stones.
18	The faces of the gods stare down from the sky, when they all close their eyes at once the darkest of ancient souls will once again walk the land.
19	The fate of the world rests with wings that can climb to the homes of the gods or fall to the depths of the pit, whether he rises or falls, so does the world.

Random Things you might hear said in insult

These random things articles are designed as quick idea generators for time-pressed GMs who want to inject some additional details into their game. This series of tables are designed to create interesting in-character insults that can be used during a RP session.

This post differs from previous ones in the series since it has three tables, you roll a D20 on each table and apply the results to the following formula/madlib to get your devil/demon name.

[Table1][Table2][Table3].

For example: If I roll 3D20 and get 12, 14 and 20 then I might call someone a villainous, knock-kneed cur.

Table1
No.	Description
1	Blubbering
2	Catawauling
3	Foul-mouthed
4	Idiotic
5	Feeble minded
6	Hot headed
7	Vain
8	Venomous
9	Foolish
10	Impetuous
11	Surly
12	Villainous
13	Vicious
14	Weak-willed
15	Twisted
16	Deceiving
17	Conniving
18	Droning
19	Mangy
20	Craven

Table2
No.	Description
1	watery-eyed
2	loose-limbed
3	full-fed
4	fat-headed
5	loose-lipped
6	pox-marked
7	adle-minded
8	toad-faced
9	half-witted
10	milk-livered
11	wandering-fingered
12	spineless
13	feculant
14	knock-kneed
15	fool-born
16	weather-bitten
17	stone-headed
18	grasping
19	greedy
20	grasping

Table3
No.	Description
1	dolt
2	fool
3	imbecile
4	dullard
5	miscreant
6	strumpet
7	varlot
8	charlatan
9	vagabond
10	harpy
11	bore
12	viper
13	snake
14	serpent
15	lout
16	maggot
17	whey-face
18	peacock
19	boot-licker
20	cur

Random Things that you might overhear at a Ball

When you need some inspiration just roll a D20 and consult the table:

No.	Description
1	Apparently the young scion of a noble house has recently run away to marry a commoner, the family is scandalised by the whole affair and has been trying (unsuccessfully) to keep a lid on things.
2	Two of the young nobles have decided to settle their dispute over a lover by holding a duel in the old forest when the clock chime eleven, despite duelling being illegal.
3	It is said that the Countess is ill and soon to die, a cynical person might wonder if that's why so many of her relatives have chosen to come and fawn over her this evening?
4	The second son of a noble family recently lost a good portion of the family's fortunes gambling, they have had to lay-off a number of their servants and sell some of their properties to cover the debt.
5	The eldest daughter of one of the local dynasties was recently found dead, murdered in a tavern room, the family suspects a jealous lover that she was meeting in secret.
6	The patriarch of the family recently died after a long illness and his wife quickly moved to consolidate her hold over the family, there have been suspicious mutterings about the nature of the patriarchs illness, although local apothecaries declared it a natural death.
7	A local noble wishes to have a rival disposed of, but cannot be seen to be directly involved, he is looking for someone who won't ask inconvenient questions to carry out the task.
8	Two nobles from feuding families have fallen in love and have been meeting secretly, rumour has it they are attending the ball in disguise so they might catch a few precious moments together.
9	Large contingents from a feuding family have both attended the event, despite the best efforts of the hosts it would not take much for the social barbs to escalate into outright violence.
10	An assassin is believed to have infiltrated the ball posing as a distant relation, their exact identity and target remain unknown.
11	Lacking a worthy successor in her own family, the ailing matriarch has decided to host this gala to choose a recipient for her wealth and title from the guests gathered.
12	The bastard son of a noble family has managed to infiltrate the gathering an intends to cause a scene.
13	The spread is a little poor and the decor a little sparse since the family lost a large amount of their money due to bad investments, this gala is an attempt at saving face.
14	The family are well known for donating to worthy causes and investing in local business, at the end of the ball the head of the family will hear pleas from a number of supplicants and then decide whether to donate any funds to them.
15	There are a lot of guards at the event, that is because the whole thing is an excuse for the hosts to show off a rare and valuable item they have procured at the climax of the celebration.
16	Word has it that the servants have appropriated some of the fine wine and are holding their own celebrations in their quarters and the kitchen, some of the younger more tempestuous nobles have even snuck out to join them.
17	Two of the younger members of aligned noble houses are pledged to marry, the main purpose of this event is that the two families might meet to discuss a dowry.
18	There has been some scandal regarding a missing heirloom, some say it has been stolen, others say it was sold to hide family debts.
19	A foreign dignitary from distant lands with customs different from our own has arrived, their aims are currently unknown.
20	A local guild wishing to set up a base of operation in a nearby town has sent a deligation to the function seeking to secure noble backing for their endeavour.

Random Things you might hear on the comms

These random things articles are designed as quick idea generators for time-pressed GMs who want to inject some additional details into their game, in this post we take a step into science-fiction and provide you with a series of possible space communication calls. When you need some inspiration just roll a D20 and consult the table: Continue reading “Random Things you might hear on the comms”

Random Things you might see in a market place

These random things articles are designed as quick idea generators for time-pressed GMs who want to inject some additional details into their game, when you need some inspiration just roll a D20 and consult the table: Continue reading “Random Things you might see in a market place”

Random Things that might be celebrated in a village

Random Things that a devil or demon might be called

These random things articles are designed as quick idea generators for time-pressed GMs who want to inject some additional details into their game. Demons and devils (especially powerful ones) cloak themselves in titles and pseudonyms to disguise their true name, lest other stumble onto it and gain power over them, this post gives you some ideas for creating these titles. Continue reading “Random Things that a devil or demon might be called”

Random Things that might let you know someone or something has been here before you.

Random Things to Find in a Tomb

No.	Description
1	A variety of colourful spiders (some possibly poisonous) crawl amongst the bones and thicking webbing in the tomb.
2	It appears as though someone has recently ransacked this tomb, a number of coffins are broken open and the dust has been disturbed.
3	Dust hangs heavy in the air, creating a hazy film through which the flickering sunlight passes. The air in here smells stale.
4	The corpse of a man long dead but clad in clothing more modern than the tomb itself lies on the floor a crossbow bolt lodged in his chest.
5	A trail of footprints made in the thick dust and moss crosses the floor of the tomb to the far wall and then the prints disappear.
6	A gentle breeze that smells faintly of the sea emerges through a crack in one of the tomb walls.
7	The bodies in this tomb have been entombed according to some ancient tradition, each body is mummified and laid to rest in elaborately crafted sarcophagi resembling their occupant.
8	Ragged black and brown rats perch on top of the coffins, chewing on bits of bone and scraps of cloth, they regard the PCs through shining yellow eyes.
9	There is an eerie tittering sound from further on in the tomb, perhaps it is just the wind or maybe the tomb isn't as unoccupied as previously thought.
10	Bare footprints that resemble a humans, but clawed, ragged and stained with dirt criss-cross the chamber.
11	A series of urns each containing the ashes of occupants who could not afford a luxurious coffin line the stone shelves of the tomb.
12	Through a hole in the ceiling a pencil thin beam of sunlight falls onto the centre sarcophagus illuminating an ancient script.
13	A worn but recognisable statue of a dragon takes centre-stage in the tomb.
14	Two skeletons are propped up in full armour near the entrance as though guarding the dead.
15	The roots of a tree long-ago broke through the decaying walls of the tomb, winding through the coffins and entangling the bodies within.
16	A great warrior is laid to rest here, along with all of the warriors who died with him in his final battle, their equipment with them.
17	A huge stone gateway is built into the wall, although the entrance is painted black it goes nowhere, symbollising the entrance to the second world.
18	Prayers to the gods have been delicately carved into almost every stone surface in the tomb.
19	The tomb is an ossuary where the dead do not lie in coffins but are built into the very walls of the place.
20	A series of perforated pipes is built into the walls, when the wind blows in a certain direction musical notes are produced.