Monday 29 February 2016

Gothic Sampler PDF

This is something I made up from my past blogs and to test some layout stuff. It was also to use in game as a reference when I was running a undead theme game. The evil greedy party members started as grave robbers and apprentice necromancers who progressed to robbing haunted ruins and buying all the cheap haunted real estate in the city then killing undead and looting it. One day they all got sick of undead and got a ship to explore Islands they found in maps on corpses of ship captains.

I keep expanding my to do list on this topic and am now starting a series of NPC tables. Im also supposed to be working on a collab thing on hell...


Thursday 25 February 2016

d100 Strange Sarcophagi











Last post not strange enough so now this. Finished whole bunch of gothic tables onto a new project shortly. Any suggestions for blog 800? Possibly a PDF. This took longer than I thought and entries got increasingly carried away.

d10 Quick Strange Sarcophagi
01 Rich
02 Nobility
03 Religious
04 Cult
05 Mystery
06 Chaos
07 Cursed
08 Necromancy
09 The Old Ones
10 Strange

d100 Strange Sarcophagi
01 Simple Sarcophagi of crude stone with wooden coffin within, inside is a dead were swine in rich clothing, possible it may reanimate due to tainted soul 
02 Carved with simple likeness on stone with painted coffin lid, amid dust of occupant is a smoking imp who offers you youth as long as you live in return for your soul 
03 Crude stone box with good coffin within, body inside awoke after burial and gnawed off own hands before asphyxiating
04 Carved stone Sarcophagi with underworld scenes, coffin inside has body clutching diary of souls decent into underworld 
05 Stone slab Sarcophagi sealed with silver and a holy rowan wood coffin, if Sarcophagi opened seconds later vampire leaps out to attack
06 A ornamental carved Sarcophagi with large oak coffin with fat town elder corpse in remarkably good but emaciated condition, they have become a ghoul from a evil life 
07 A fine carved marble lid with city scenes on it, a carved coffin showing life of rich old merchant, inside corpse has been dismembered and stuffed with holy symbols and herbs
08 Fine white stone slab Sarcophagi with elegant painted coffin, woman within was poisoned by traitors and in her anguish has become a banshee or howling spirit
09 Stone coffin with bronze bound coffin, inside is a metal golem body with wizened severed head inside helmet welded to body for a head, construct arises as a mindless engine of destruction
10 A stone 
Sarcophagi with multiple traps, metal locked coffin inside has more, wizened old person inside on bed of thousands of copper and silver coins and IOU's
11 Marble Sarcophagi with carved statue of knight laying in prayer. Wood coffin within has carved scenes of heroic knight. Inside a skeleton revenant with a magic sword defends himself from defilers
12 Huge heavy but plain slab, inside is a dazzling gilded wooden coffin, inside a mummified body of a noble with a sword and scepter which will arise as a superior mummy angered by defilers

13 A grey slab carved with heraldric designs of forgotten wicked house. Inside locked coffin is a attractive fresh noble body which begins to wake, seems confused and dialect dated
14 A rough cut stone Sarcophagi with a crystal coffin inside, inside a beautiful crowned woman actually a imprisoned lich with a illusion of beauty, if released she will humiliate any men with magic and summon her undead dwarf heroes to start a new kingdom
15 A marble Sarcophagi with scenes of court life, inside a fine coffin of a king with painted life like features and semiprecious stones, inside is a jester dwarf skeleton and a jug of grog
16 A fine granite Sarcophagi, inside the decorated coffin has been picked clean, inside body has been smashed by looters looking for hidden treasure. Possibly spirit of noble seeks help recovering loot or is a enraged undead. Thieves might have destroyed the undead already 
17 Sarcophagi decorated with carvings in several languages, inside the decorated coffin is the inhuman remains of a shapeshifter staked through the sternum with a cold iron rod  
18 Stone Sarcophagi carved into giant coffin with serene face of noble, inside is a metal coffin with silver and small gems. The coffin is magically locked and cursed and the noble within has a jeweled scepter and a magic weapon and a crown 
19 Simple stone sarcophagus with a plain empty crate scrawled with curses inside. This is a distraction, the real coffin is concealed underneath and is of a short lived noble whos' body was hidden from enemies. Inside he body in fine dress and was hastily burried, holding family tree and legal documents a threat to a current important family and means to finding true heirs. Spirit might implore discoverers to help justice
20 Elaborate diorite Sarcophagi with a lead Sarcophagi and five more wood coffins each locked and cursed (oak, ash, pine, rowan, cedar). The body inside covered in semiprecious gems and silver and holds a long lost minor relic
21 A carved stone Sarcophagi with religious scenes with coffin of a high ranking cleric inside holding a magic weapon appropriate for religion, a shield, chainmail and tabbard. A spectre arises to punish robbers or unbelievers
22 A sarcophagi carved with holy symbol with a plain coffin inside, contains a plain skeleton in a shirt with humble holy book preaching poverty and abstinence from luxury
23 Heavily defaced sarcophagi with old version of holy symbol, inside is smashed coffin and desiccated body parts. Shreds of heretical holy book from long forgotten divergent sect possibly of interest to scholars or surviving sect members seeking a revival
24 If the seal of this sarcophagi is broken a angel will appear with a flaming sword to slay defilers or at least will chase them away. Will open humble wood coffin and carry away saints corpse and scriptures to safety. A major religion hates defilers with some calling for death to the vandals
25 This stone sarcophagi was carved by locals and the coffin lovingly carved by local craftsmen and commoners. Inside a humble clergy member loved by the common people. The church will investigate desecration of this sarcophagi 
26 Sarcophagi with holy images on outside but the coffin carved with demons and skulls. If lead seal broken a blast of scarlet light and a demon emerge sent by ascendant evil cult leader who hid from the world
27 Sarcophagi carved into shape of church and the ornamental coffin in shape of high altar with gold leaf and mother of pearl. Inside desiccated holy leader with remains three younger bodies in white shirts
28 Inside stone crude sarcophagi is another stone sarcophagi but carved with woodland scenes then a wooden coffin made from a large carved log. Robed leader of nature cult with a magic staff and sickle. Magical healing potions, seeds and berries in pots and the remains of several small and medium animals
29 Stone sarcophagi carved with astrological and holy symbols, inside a engraved brass coffin with locks magically sealed. Inside a robed diviner with star charts, crystal orbs and other valuable trinkets. Possibly even something magic
30 A stone sarcophagi sealed with lead, inside is a black lacquered coffin with evil holy symbols and several guardian wights. Inside the evil high holy person's remains are a specter with priestly spells . Treasure including money, evil books, unholy water that heals undead in clay jars and several magic items
31 Plain stone sarcophagi but inside is a gilded wooden coffin carved with esoteric symbols featuring eyes, Some seem to watch intruders. If opened the robed skeletal sorcerer awakes and blasts robbers, contains gold and magic rings with eye symbols
32 Stone sarcophagi painted into a crude skull with a black coffin inside. Wizened bloated body sack has a enlarged skull and rib cage. Bursts open with a young demon inside using like a cocoon
33 Great sarcophogi has snake designs with a snake carved coffin within, inside is remnants of a snake cultist with some serpentine features rare in humans. In his arms is a book from the reptile age and a snake staff or rod, poison traps are popular choice in such cults
34 Stone sarcophagi with strange designs, inside is a metal riveted shut heavy coffin with angry toothed maws and tentacles etched on the lid. If opened tentacles, a toothed maw and eye stalks burst from the cult leader. Among remains are gold coins and book in secret cult language
35 Large stone sarcophagi with star and sun symbols, but some symbols have eyes and mouths. The plain stained coffin has a gold sun disk on the front. If seal tampered with brightly glowing superior ghoul king climbs out shooting beams of light and surrounded by glowing nimbus  
36 Grime encrusted sarcophagi reeks of fungus, the coffin is carved with goblins and mushrooms. Inside are eight strange black cabbage like pods that once exposed, each shoots out a goblin armed with a club and shield per round until pods are destroyed. Remains of a goblin shaman are flattened in the bottom with bone fetishes and exotic spores in pots
37 Granite sarcophagi with mysterious spiral runes, The coffin is unusually wide and if opened strange purple mists pour out and a standing robed non human wizard of olden times appears. The strange being will demand obedience telepathically, hiding it's true face behind a strange mask 
38 Smooth carved sarcophagi with a meal coffin within with a large rotating calender disk on the front. If right code dialled up the lid opens and a handsome cult leader emerges from a thousand year slumber. He has a box of silver and is keen to establish himself and hire body guards. He is careful to esquire if anyone remembers his "misunderstood" crimes from his last awakening
39 Stone sarcophagi magically moulded like clay into shape of robed sorcerer. Inside a lead coffin is a painted human shaped coffin in a more detailed likeness. Inside the wizened corpse holds a box filled with black lotus resin and other forbidden drugs and gold weights with a brass scale 
40 Stone sarcophagi carved with symbols of one element or quasi element) sealed in lead, Inside is a wood coffin coloured and inscribed with images dedicated to a element. Inside the cult leader wears robes with silver coins, a cult boo and some minor elemental items. If the body is disturbed a elemental spirit will pour from the dead's mouth and attack   
41 Inside this sarcophagi is a coffin made of force with a intact perfectly preserved corpse with treasure only a powerful magician could breach
42 Inside the plain sarcophagi is a huge lozenge of amber with a preserved robed body with copper treasure and a small bear familiar
43 Inside the sarcophagi is a huge rough carved coffin. If opened a ogre mage inside awakens and attacks, he will escape if threatened with powers. Has gold, gems and a valuable porcelain tea set
44 This blue grey stone sarcophagi is unlike any local stone and insideinstead of a coffin in a statue of a hero turned to stone long ago. If revived will be greatfull and knows of long lost treasure hidden in places now built over by civilization
45 This stone sarcophagi is well sealed and th heavy coffin is sealed with lead. Inside is a mass of worms which form into a robed humanoid wizard from pre human times. Instead of spell books it incorporates living book worm colonies into self. Keen to eat wizards books and study modern spell casting then unleash a age of terror and madness
46 This purple hued strange stone sarcophagi came from another world. The strange metal coffin inside is highly polished and blank. Inside a blank faced forgotten wizard corpse in good condition wearing a old theatre mask. Inside a metal bound book are flailed faces turned to removable leather sheets
47 This sarcophagi has strange designs carved on it and inside is a crude spiral wood box and the car from a chariot and cremated horse skeletons. Inside the box are the bundled remains of a prehistoric leader and their slave lovers. Bone combs, seeds, boar tusks, stone weapons, copper tools and a few magic trinkets are inside.
48 Inside this large sarcophagi decorated with gladiators is a large ornate coffin and the remains of skeleton gladiators. They will spring to life and defend their former master. The master's body in the coffin is large with a twisted spine and deformed legs. A collection of fine bronze and iron weapons with coffers of silver is in a box as the bodies pillow
49 This russet stone sarcophagi was a former vampire's resting place. There is dirt in the bottom of the coffin, several changes of clothes, ornate bejeweled sacrificial knives with a journal of victims which solves generations of local murders. If the vampire returns will seek revenge on those who inconvenienced it
50 If opened this rough surfaced sarcophagi contain a giant bean pod. Shortly after exposure to light the pod opens and strangling vines and venus flytrap mouths grow, seeking to turn area into a domain of monster plants. Vegegoblins will hatch from a later generation of the pods who worship the plant's spirit
51 This coffin has deep carved warning runes and if opened the bronze coffin inside begins to heat and smoke, releasing a blood drinking bronze golem with the ashen remains of a elder chaos wizard stored in it's chest. The golem is made in the form of a heavily armoured horned knight ad glows cherry red in battle 
52 This lichen and slime encrusted sarcophagi has within a rotting pool of filth which bubbles to life if disturbed. Shambling horrors begin to emerge then finally a slime encrusted lich with a cloak of lichen emerges to call the slime lords from the abyss
53 This ancient sarcophagi carved with worms and skulls hold the remains of a priest king inside a sealed rusted iron coffin. The crumbling rich robed skeleton arises and begins to spit glowing green maggots at any who do not bow down in terror 
54 This smooth fine gained dark stone sarcophagi is lined with human and goat skulls. The coffin is painted with cavorting goat folk dancing with skeletons. Inside the bloated goat headed mummy arises with his sceptre. He will summon goat men from beyond and will strike defilers with his rod cursing them with transformations to goats 
55 This sarcophagi is carved with jolly feasting townsfolk. Inside with decayed remains of food of a wood coffin bloated and about to burst. Eventually it explodes with a rampant undead pig demon that once was a important official in human form long ago 
56 This sharp smooth red granite sarcophagi begins to bleed from the seams when seal broken. Inside a angry undead blood wizard awakens with spells to drain blood or conjure bloody elementals and gelatinous blood golems. His treasure is a fused mass of silver coins and potions in jar of magically preserved blood that acts as healing potions for living or dead 
57 This stone sarcophagi has shining species of mica among grey rough surface. If opened a rainbow reaches from inside to the sky and a vulture headed demon in a magical spectacular coloured robes emerges to kill or enslave mortals. It's various magical powers are rays of coloured light that transform and mutate victims
58  This sarcophagi has a crude angry faced warrior woman carved into it and inside is a very attractive painted wood coffin depicting a warrior woman with a sword. If opened the remains of a armoured evil warrior maid and demon consort lies. If her silver stash or evil inteligent sword are touched several four armed warrior demon women appear to taunt and kill intruders appear
59 Stone sarcophagi with carved healer symbols on the lid. Inside the coffin is carved with scenes depicting a healer who came to heal sick near a falling star stone then died with much lamenting by locals. Inside the coffin a black stone looking blob arises and attacks, eating metal and flesh. It was once the healer but died and was reborn  by the tainted meteorite 
60 A simple but large sarcophagi with a large wooden crate and dried mouldy carrots and hay inside. Inside the crate is a pantomime horse with two zombies inside who arise and attack. There is also a demon soul contract with bloody pantomime horse prints on it  
61 This sarcophagi is oval shaped and very heavy. Inside is a copper plated coffin depicting fish men. Inside is a mummified fish man human hybrid with spears, nets and strange gold objects with cult markings. Any who steal will have curse of the fish folk on them
62 A square marble sarcophagi with religious designs, with a huge crude plain wood humanoid shaped sarcophagi  then a final gilded coffin within with a serene face. Mysterious chimes sounds when the inner coffin is exposed. If opened loud bells sound and the thieves writhe in agony with bleeding ears and noses. When bells end they will see the remaining glowing spirit depart and the gold relics turn to ash. Followers of the faith will see the thieves faces in dreams and send inquisitors to hunt them. 
63 This featureless stone sarcophagi has a very heavy lid and a lead seal. When opened inside is a nailed shut wooden crate. Inside a angry insane flesh golem will awaken if the sarcophagi lid is moved. Also inside are the partly burned notes on the golems construction and the regrets of it's creator 
64 A small crumbling sarcophagi with floral mosaic designs. Iside a black wooden plain coffin with a mystic sigil on it. If opened the crumbling remains of a holy oracle teller in ritual robes holding divination tools. The body and robes begin to crumble to dust when exposed and all hear mysterious laughter. Potions, drugs and scrolls are inside but a nightmare from the underworld comes to torment the thieves in their dreams in order of who lead the group or opened the coffin first. The nightmare will continue till battled in the  dreamlands or the 
thieves atone for their sin 
65 A stout stone box sarcophagi with geometric patterns. Inside is a coffin with a realistic painting of a wizard. Inside the wizard has some magic items and gems. His bones crumble to fragments. Later a revenant reforms and defiles the thieves ancestral graves. The thieves ancestral spirits will haunt their dreams with wailing until safe
66 This sarcophagi of grey rock has holy symbols and a blessed silver and cold iron seal. Inside there is a ornate coffin depicting a goat man cult. The coffin suddenly drops away revealing a burning pit which lesser devils begin to climb through 
67 This grey-blue rock sarcophagi has dwarf holy symbols. Inside is a fine coffin carved with dwarf mines. Inside if the wealthy robed dwarf friend and his gold for the underworld. If violated the criminals find all their metal goods begin to tarnish and suffer serious rust in 24 hours
68 This elegant greenstone sarcophagi has a line engraving of trees and elvish symbols. Inside is a beautiful carved coffin. Inside there is a rich robe laying on the velvet interior and a chest of silver coins. Elf seers have visions of the thieves and send increasingly worse summoned creatures 
69 This black rock sarcophagi has a plain coffin within with a wizards symbol on the front. If opened there is gold, magic items, bejeweled grooming devices and the skeletal remains of the wizard. A wraith arises, informs the intruders it will find their graves and defile their bodies and kill their offspring in the future, then it will vanish in a puff of smoke laughing
70 This crude sarcophagi has sighs of being opened and has had a large rock left on top. Inside their is a painted coffin with a madly grinning face and several  skeletons with crushed pelvises inside. If opened a insane undead hermaphrodite sorcerer arises and attempts to capture and defile the intruders. If unable to win it escapes and tries to torment them through love by tormenting their sweethearts or shape shifting into a desirable mate who needs rescuing. Has several magic items
71 This black sarcophagi is covered in the symbols of long forgotten necromancy. If opened a stone coffin within begins to create a animated skeleton every round
72 This black diorite sarcophagi  holds a black ans silver painted cofin within. A former master of a secret necromancer school. his spirit arises as a spectre if his remains are  exposed. Several ancient scrolls and a book are also found 
73 This ornate black marble sarcophagi contains a necromancers remains and is guarded by six evil shadows. The body has long ago walked off seeking it's forune but did leave some treasure
74 This large crumbling ornate brick sarcophagi contains a folded and packed funeral carriage with skeletal horses driven by a sorcerer skeleton. If the seal is broken and the lid removed, the carriage bursts free and attacks. It will flee if pressed taking the coffin to the underworld. If opened the remains of of a necromancer rumble to dust 
75 This cold to the touch grey sarcophagi when opened releases a breeze and snow flurry. The coffin is unmelting ice with a skeletal robed necromancer clutching his book while adorned with gems. If the coffin is broken a violent snow and hailstorm erupt over the area for a day and a night. Ice ghouls appear and hunt the defilers wile the spirit of the wizard is in the plane of cold extorting the lord of evil ice and death to strike the grave robbers 
76 This black sarcophagi if opened releases moaning shadows and makes the area as dark as night for the next day. The jet black wood coffin is guarded by the shadows in a wolf like form. Inside the necromancer has poorly sorted notes on summoning of shadows
77 This black stone sarcophagi has carved tentacle patterns. Inside is a sealed pressurised metal coffin. If touched shadowy necrotentacles arise from the earth and attack. Inside is the mummified necromancer and his books which rapidly decay into dust leaving only gems behind
78 This sarcophagi is almost seamless and difficult to open with clerical holy symbols carved on the lid. Inside is a cheap wooden coffin sealed in bees wax with more holy and warning symbols. If the coffin is opened a crumbling skeleton with some bone disease signs crumbles. Over next few days locals and grave robbers begin to be struck by plague. Within a week clerics and nobles take action and seal off the area. Among the bones is a scroll detailing the evil necromancers torture and execution and how he swore revenge. If the bones are burned and blessed the plague will end but any attempting the ritual attract diseased rotting undead who seek to ruin the ceremony
79 This ancient sarcophagi has a smooth panel where locals leave coins and at night a ghost takes them and the donors have dreams offering strange advice. Inside the sarcophogi with a simple dark wood coffin are thousands of coins. If disturbed the ghost will attack and if driven off it will haunt the thieves dreams until esoteric means stop it
80 This triangular shaped stone sarcophagi has skulls carved around the outside. Inside it is filled with skulls mostly covering the rich black lacquered coffin with silver handles and fittings. If the coffin is opened the skulls begging to hop about angrily biting intruders. The necromancer's body is headless and holds a gold plate offering a reward and power to any who replace his skull on the skeletal body. 
81 This angular sarcophogi has strange geometric textural patterns that seem to ripple if looked at from periphery. The green opaque glass coffin has a relief elder octopoid demon god with jade eyes. Inside the skeletal remains of a wizard with his fish folk consorts. A terrible blasphemous spell book and a set of corroded bronze tablets are in a locked chest with gold coins from pre human times
82 This stone sarcophogi is star shaped and it's base sinks deep into the earth. If seal of strange grey clay broken opened a great stench is released causing vomiting and retching. Inside is a stinking muddy hole going deep into the earth with vile vapour rising from it. Inside evil sentient landsquid horrors perform evil rituals. Some are wizards and others are priests. When the seal breaks the squid are free to menace human kind again and begin to eat locals  
83 This shiny black basalt block is covered in intricate serpent man script and a puzzle must be solved by touching the sigils to reveal the sarcophagi seam. Inside is the dark purple coffin is the remains of a old wizard holding a shining dodecahedron. This artifact allows comunication via dream travel to the otherworldly castle of the old ones on he edge of the universe. The will teach the user spells in return for using the operators body for a night a month
84 This crude cyclopean sarcophagi crumbles if any attempt to open it is made. The stone coffin contains the remains of a hunchbacked wizard holding the onyx statue of a squat evil toad god of elder times. Copper disc's with a lost language describe the fall of a long forgotten dynasty of wizard kings. The idol sends the holder dreams and teach strange spells best forgotten with terrible consequences
85 This yellowish stone sarcophagi has carvings of masked dancing figures in tattered scalloped capes. Inside is a beautiful white alabaster coffin carved with a masked figure about to remove their mask. If opened yellow mist floods the area and a bloated white maggoty undead wizard arises who calls more dead to arise and insectoid demons from the stars. Inside are thousands of gold coins with unrecognisable alien script
86 This oval shaped sarcophagi has locals gossiping about the otherworldly music sometimes heard from here. Inside is a coffin with strange designs and brass clamps with strange hexagonal locks. Inside is a swirling vortex to another world without gravity where formless spirits drive men mad. If entered may be able to escape if has a rope or throws a mass in opposite direction to return 
87 This old sarcophagi is carved with ghouls feasting on victims. Inside are gnawed skeletal remains and a dank pit into a network of ghoul filled tunnels. They have amassed a treasure trove of grave goods 
88 This old sarcophagi has eldritch markings erased by more recent holy symbols. Inside is ancient crumbling coffin, worm eaten useless spell books and the remains of a crowned wizard and a mound of old coins. The wizards ghost will posses a grave robber, preferably a minor follower who can slip away later and will be seen later as a rich powerful new wizard in the area. Possibly it will  build a dungeon and return to breeding abominations, raising the dead and summoning elementals 
89 This strange sarcophagi is seamless but if the strange designs are studied a secret door might be found. Inside is a dusty staircase into the depths and a old lantern. Down the 77 steps the explorers enter the land of nightmares, ocupied by strange demons and non human wizards from forgotten prehuman races
90 This stone dome sarcophagi made from rocks and mortar has been built by a angry mob long ago. Inside is a crude wooden box with a terrified grimacing wizened corpse in a long black coa and tall hat clutching a partly burned book. If clothing removed the corpse is revealed to have scaly skin, bristly black hair and tentacles growing from it's waist.  
91 This unusually wide sarcophagi depicts a man and woman side by side and alchemical symbols. Inside a cedar wood painted coffin with more realistic depictions of the couple in alchemist robes. Inside is a fused at the hip male and female corpse of a alchemical hermaphrodite. Piles of gold and alchemical ingredients and recipe scrolls are in a large chest at their feet including the process that made the fusion and claims of the marvelous powers such a union grants the participants 
92 This red granite heavy sarcophagi is carved with a grinning face. Inside is a red wood coffin with a chaos star on the front. If opened a crazed clown leaps out and tries to explain how it has seen beyond and returned with great wisdom. The creepy jester will increasingly grow bizzare in conduct challenging notions of alignment and morality, The more time spent in his company the more listeners alignments shift to chaos. He will go on to form a cult and cause upheavals in local politics in the name of freedom
93 This sarcophagi smells of mould and if opens it is filled with black and purple toadstools growing in the wrecked remains of a coffin and skeleton. There is some treasure and spoiled jars of wine and a scroll tube describing the death of this former underland explorer. Over next few weeks new strain of fungus appears in area, some helpful and some hostile. Some even grow and hatch into goblins and mushroom folk who worship the mushroom goddess. Some places like old basements even develop into grotto wonderlands of fungus  
94 This old crumbling sarcophagi if opened reveals cheap coffin holding a twisted corpse that has chewed off and scratched of his own fingers. Anyone exposed to opening may be exposed to a disease causing them to arise as zombies on death. Over days it spreads and zombies arise that spread the disease further causing a zombie apocalypse
95 This sarcophagi has remains of mosaic tiles featuring rich robed women but the faces have been smashed off by vandals. If opened a delightful scent of incense rises from a staircase going into a small luxurious chamber. Inside are attractive and friendly servants who offer drinks and sex. They claim to be imprisoned here by a wizard who abuses them and they are very grateful. Of course they are shape shifting undead looking for mortals to kill out of misdirected vengeance. When killed or kissed they return to rotting corpses but at least their jewelry and fine glass perfume bottles and makeup cases and grooming tools are intact
96 This sarcophagi is decorated with maritime scenes of ships. Inside with a plain coffin are hundreds of dried stinking fish. In the coffin is the remains of a rich sea captain with his mermaid lover. Scrimshaw whale teeth, strange idols from afar, huge sea shells, poor quality pearl strings, old sea charts and other strange exotic things from the couples adventures. Robbers will be cursed by the fish gods and unable to eat fish ever again 
97 This sarcophagi is magically locked and trapped. Inside the coffin is a adventurer from olden times with chest of mixed coins, treasure maps, a mummified donkey head, several minor magic weapons, several cursed magic items, strings of goblin ears and several huge orc skulls. The adventurer might be a robbers ancestor and their spirit will be upset
98 This sarcophagi moulded from mortar has rat hols in the sides. A swarm of rats inside attack if opened and their master a undead were rat bursts from the coffin. All carry disease but the were rat carries high quality thieves tools, a sack of silver and copper, a collection of saucy paintings, a tin of black lotus resin and a collection of ivory and gold pipes. An idol of the rat god allows the god to witness the robbery and rats will constantly cause trouble for the robbers until the god appeased
99 This crude carved sarcophagi leaks green fluid from within. Inside the coffin has many toads sitting on it that hop away as opened. The coffin is slime covered and badly warped. Inside the coffin is a badly decomposed body clutching a strange key. If the key is touched a toadlike chaos demon appears and demands a tribute. If granted a valuable offering the demon will grant them a random strange chaos mutation. If the gift is very valuable the demon ensures it is a useful ability. The key can be used to make bargains with the chaos frogs but the deals get worse and allow them to enter this plane more easily every wish     
100 This stone sarcophogi has scenes depicting a god's mythic quest. If disturbed by attempting to open it a gruff voice from with speaks: "I wouldn't do that". If thieves persist the night feaster a demon of divine vengeance appears to punish thieves. If they surrender and beg forgiveness he will only scar them. If defeated the god's followers will be alerted. Inside the sarcophagi is the remains of a brilliant saint the god has earmarked to make into holy relics. A imp will appear and offer to buy the corpse 

Tuesday 23 February 2016

Orientalism and Adventurers



Still writing my d100 Sarcophagi which is looking good
Might go for a PDF compilation for post 800

Based on thread about the OSR parallel earth atlas and Why no china?
For the record get Bronze & Blood for your ancient Iraq.

kara tur box set felt a bit rushed by earlier box set standards but it was very dense. As a teen I liked it but was a bit overwhelmed. Rokugun fans rage on it as racist (and we have seen that essay on OA book) but i cant remember much about it. The first OA module was a dense classic sandbox worth looking at. I like history gaming but I had sense TSR applying it to forgotten realms and mystara felt a bit lazy at times and shortcutting with history rather than a homage to history or using creatively (Mystara often did it well - forgotten realms seemed like 1890s mythic and epic history in better moments). The green history second ed books were very good - Rome, Charlemagne, Vikings, etc.

I guess for OSR problem is to make settings not based on tired tropes of Europe and Tolkien. Orientalist romance has answers and problems. Against The Wicked City is my current favorite read and respectful to Tengrism, one of the worlds fastest growing and oldest religions. Id find it a problem to write about Australian Aboriginal mythology as they have specific cultural rules on appropriation and even mentioning or depicting entities. Aladdin is portrayed in kids books and pantomime as Islamic middle east or Islamic china or Confucian china and often a terrible cliche mash up of them all.

This is why I like Clark Ashton Smith fantasy. He can get the exotic vibe going without being too similar anything specific (when not using fantasy France). No players are going to read your personal Silmarillion and you don't need that much depth to rob graves and kill humanoids. Art is often a better intro to a setting than too many words. A price list with weapons and equipment and wages (gurps) is a great help for players envisaging a setting. Material culture from history is a good basis for a setting while clumsy adaptions can make you look like a tool. See Gods of Egypt or Frank Millar films if you want get idea of what not to be.

I have some issues with OA and Rokugan and most samurai fanboys. I think medieval Japan was probably as bad as Sparta and I don't want to glamorize them. I guess my own setting has a flawed Eastern continent inspired by pulp and history and old gaming stuff. I could probably change a few things and call them a type of elves and people would react differently.

I have a three warring kingdoms surrounded by smaller kingdoms to north and south with different climates, a great wasteland with barbarians and orcs to the west. Most notably all live in fear of great immortal master of the mountain where he manipulates all from his underground city and haunted plateau. His cult and black lotus resin is spread world wide and helps keep region isolated from other continents. Some say he serves a subterranean immortal paradise, some elder gods or remnants of the age of monster kings or is even the lord of the land of the dead. FuManchu and Agent13 probably a influence too. HPL Mythos Leng and Chambers King in Yellow in there a bit too.

Players once expressed interest in travelling there and taking over from the great mastermind of the mountain but this was a bit foolish. We had some characters retire off screen to go there and cause trouble and steal the drug trade. You guessed it they were not paladins or LG.

When I heard about Yoon Suin I thought about might replace my China analogue but now I would fit it underneath. I love Japan and Japanese but I might have a forested island chain of Ainu like people
instead.

Sunday 21 February 2016

d100 Strange Memorials




Recently on my Gothic table compilation project I found I had repeated some stuff so now taking a while to check my past blogs. It is a bit time consuming - normally i churn out as fast as I can. Id rather write 3 or 4 blogs imperfect than spend a few days editing and still get things wrong. At worst tables that over lap can just add diversity. I started d100 stuff because I don't like repeated results of smaller dice so being able to use another set occasionally or a Judges Guild book. I like my own stuff because it is nastier and grittier than stuff on market.

This is for graves to find in a sandbox to springboard adventure or exploration
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/d100-strange-lone-graves.html

I wish i did this - fits in well
http://ironrationss.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/meet-me-at-cemetery-gates-60-gravestone.html

Good for rich bodies
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/d100-rich-corpse-table.html
coffins and common bodies
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/gothic-zone-book-intro.html
funery urns to smash for loot
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/graverobbing-update.html
more graves more oriented for barbarians
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/grave-robbing-2-headstones-and-crypts.html
Graveyard generators and basic guardians
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/grave-robbing-3-guardians-and-graveyards.html
Older crypts table and extra grave guardians- i would class these as tombs more now
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/d100-random-strange-crypts-and-extra.html
Spooky stuff in graveyards
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/d100-strange-things-in-graveyard.html

Some Definitions
In older post I had crypts as smaller structures, tombs as larger or more elaborate and mausoleum as a built graveyard. By some definitions Crypt has a surface opening and is mostly underground but mist must have a surface entrance.

Other tables described graves to loot and kickstart adventure or provide distractions. This table more about curious memorials which might just be curiosities, local colour or inspire adventurers to loot them. It's a different approach to same problem but more about decorating grave plots with interesting stuff than leading to adventure.

d100  Strange Memorials
01 Headstone with names of a family sharing a large grave together 
02 Headstone with names of a patriarch and many wives
03 Headstone with names scratched off and witch hex marks added 
04 Headstone with name, rank and military insignia, relief carving of a heraldic shield
05 Headstone with old names scratched off and a new one engraved over the top  
06 Headstone with engraving of gloomy underworld scene
07 Headstone with symbols of a guildsman
08 Headstone with symbols of a obscure cult
09 Headstone with images of owners business
10 
Headstone with a dragon or other monster carving
11 Headstone with images of saints and religious stories
12 
Headstone with symbols of wizardry or alchemy
13 Headstone with relief engraving of town or city
14 Headstone with carvings of skulls and skeletons
15 Headstone with landscape scene
16 Headstone with engraved large leaf patterns 
17 Headstone with carvings of laurel wreathes
18 Headstone with skull and crossbones
19 Headstone with engraved national flag
20 Headstone with urn filled with flowers (1in6 fresh)
21 Headstone with sundial
22 Headstone with carving of woodland animal
23 Headstone with astrological symbols
24 Headstone with relief art of grim reaper
25 Headstone with carved flowers and love poem
26 Headstone with carving of helmet and war poem
27 Headstone with engraved crescent moon and possibly stars
28 Headstone with sheaf's of wheat
29 Headstone with carved bowl of fruit
30 Headstone with a weeping angel 
31 Headstone with carved gargoyle on top 
32 Headstone with carved books 
33 Headstone with carved doves 
34 Headstone with carved triumphant eagle 
35 Headstone with engravings of instruments
36 Headstone with carved urn for lighting a fire in 
37 Headstone with carved human hands
38 Headstone with carved cornucopia with fruit and grain 
39 Headstone with carving of a holy templar knight
40 Headstone with carving preying monk 
41 Headstone with script in unknown language
42 Headstone with carving of winged hourglass
43 Headstone with carving of scythe or sickle 
44 Headstone with carved lantern or oil lamp 
45 Headstone with carving of a dog or cat asleep
46 Headstone with carving of a bell 
47 Headstone with carved embracing skeletons  
48 Headstone with carved gloomy face
49 Headstone with carved hands holding carved memorial scroll
50 Headstone with carved winged skull
51 A statue of deceased in fine clothes
52 A statue of a shrouded figure with hidden face 
53 A statue of an angel
54 A statue of a cherub
55 A statue of a holy person or saint
56 A statue of a naked woman
57 A statue of a equestrian 
58 A statue of a sleeping couple
59 A statue of a sleeping knight holding sword
60 A statue of a grim reaper playing a bone organ
61 A statue of a sphynx
62 A statue of a wise and wizened old person
63 A statue of a wizard with a distinctive hat
64 A statue of a devil with a trident
65 A statue of a woman with a baby
66 A statue of a terrified adventurer with equipment
67 A statue of a woman holding snakes
68 A statue of a warrior on guard holding weapon
69 A statue of robed woman holding a brazier bowl
70 A bust on a pedestal or block
71 A stone pyramid
72 A stone sphere
73 A stone archway
74 A stone fountain
75 A stone horse trough with plaque
76 A circular or square pedestal
77 A ornate column
78 A large stone skull
79 A stone engraved cylinder
80 A stone table with inscriptions on surface
81 A large obelisk carved with many names, memorial to war or plague
82 A very tall thin pointy obelisk
83 A black obelisk with a angel holding a sword 
84 A tall grey obelisk with circular base and metal sculpture on tip
85 A obelisk surrounded by headstones within a iron fence 
86 A squat obelisk with a funerary urn on top
87 A obelisk with a statue of a bare chested woman holding ritual implements
88 A large obelisk with sphinx statues
89 A tall green obelisk engraved with arcane symbols
90 Twin obelisks side by side
91 A featureless ancient worn black monolith
92 A crude box of sheet slate from ancient times
93 A black monolith with elder sigils scratched out  with modern symbols
94 Iron cage over a sarcophagi to keep robbers out or something in?
95 Statues of gladiators or soldiers in battle on a stone slab
96 A crude dolmen, three menhir support a horizontal slab 
97 A cluster of prehistoric menhir, some toppled over
98 A huge boulder with patterns engraved on surface
99 A worn squat stone figure thought to be a gnome or dwarf, actually a ancient god 
100 A huge tree grown over a sarcophagi visible between roots

Friday 19 February 2016

d100 Petty Undead



Petty undead are the sort that don't cause most adventurers problems but might ad a bit of colour. For low level or zero level you might make them fill a whole adventure. Possibly just hopping around a necromancer lab or in a tainted graveyard. Some might come from funeral urns or canoptic jars. Good for grisly Reanimator action.

Basic Stats
Most have only a d4 HP
Armour as a unarmoured person +1d4
Some with * symbol require silver, cold iron, normal fire or magical item to harm
Some have no attack or only inflict a d2 or d3 or most often d4
All can see in the dark and sense life

d100 Petty Undead
01 Phantom head* - severed non corporeal phantom head appears mouths silent words
02 Moaning head - severed zombie head which comes to life when living hears and moans
03 Chattering skull - when disturbed hops about biting anything alive in sight, often in set
04 Foul Cranium - soft squishy rotten head that spits diseased phlegm at living in sight
05 Fire Skull - a flaming screeching flying skull that illuminates and guards dungeon06 Slime Skull - if disturbed by life will vomit a yard wide pool of acid every round in front
07 Laughing Head* - a form of phantom head but laughs with jollity if disturbed by living
08 Drowned Hand - blue rotten waterlogged severed hand that leaves a dripping trail
09 Clutching Hand - zombie hands left in high places that drop onto victims and grip them
10 Grasping Hand - crawling hand sneaks on sleeping and resting victims to strangle

11 Flaming Hand - floating burning phantom hand that tries to set alight victims
12 Pugilistic Fist - floating zombie fists punch victims often appear in groups

13 Jilted Hand - from a spurned suicidal lover, attacks opposite gender especially with rings
14 Spectral Claw* - floating glowing phantom hands reach inside victims body
15 Rending Fist - skinless swollen hand that tries to batter self into victims body
16 Putrid Claw - rotting slimy hand that touches
17 Wizards Claw - wizened hand covered with tatoos can cast a d5 zero lv Wizard spells
18 Mummy's Hand - bandaged desiccated hand that crawls and drains moisture from living
19 Wraith Hand - a shadowy phantom hand that drains life on touch
20 Plague Hand - crawling pox marked hand, touch drains a CHA point, week/point recover 
21 Bloody Torso - limbless and headless torso that hops and bashes living victims
22 Hungry Torso - ribs open like a horrible mouth and intestines drag victim inside
23 Angry Bones - a collection of loose skeletal parts that hurl themselves at victims
24 Shambling Gore - dripping mound of ground flesh and bones that crushes victims
25 Shambling Eyes - mass of all seeing eyeballs, try and force selves inside a victim
26 Tongue Fiend - mass of crawling tongues that attempt to grapple then smother victim 
27 Gut Buster - animated intestines that strangle and spray stomach acid
28 Gutsack Horror - floating digestive tract, floats or bites or grapples, explodes on death
29 Gastric Fiend - floating gas filled stomach with eyes sprays acid or stinking gas 
30 Hopping Fiends - these hopping purple legs kick intruders, usually found in heaps
31 Scalp Horror - a collection of scalps with animated hair tries to strangle victims
32 Shambling Ash -  mound of cremation ash which can blind and choke victims
33 Stabbing Fiends - arms or legs with sharp bone protruding from stump used to stab
34 Phantom Heart* - non corporeal heat beats loudly when living come near inducing fear
35 Bloody Heart - horrible hopping bloody gristle that tries to enter bodies of the living
36 Clotted Horror - animated pool of blood that leaches victims blood to increase mass 
37 Shadow Heart* - non corporeal shadow that eats light & attacks with tendrils of darkness 
38 Putrid Heart - this crawling slimy horror attacks with strangling diseased arteries
39 Orphan's Teeth - a mass of rotten teeth that crawls and gnaws living things
40 Grey Horror - undead brains that drip acid and crawl like slugs to drop from above
41 Beggar Bones - a crawling crippled skeleton with useless deformed legs
42 Crawling Carcass - zombie human body cut off at waist leaving a trail of rotten goop 
43 Zombie Baby - these horrors often crawl in city sewers, they can leap and bite
44 Zombie Orphan - these undead feral children usually attack in a pack but flee if losing  
45 Spectral Baby*- phantom babies cause fear with a touch and can bite
46 Spectral Orphan* - lost children cause fear with a gaze or can drain blood by touch 
47 Skulk Claws - joined skull, shoulders and arms, attack with a two scratching claws
48 Torso Apparition* - glowing and bloated phantom from waist up, bites and grabs
49 Bloated Carcass - pulsing torso sack full of gas, explodes with stinking or diseased gas
50 Skull Snake - skull with spinal column which crawls and bites
51 Zombie Rat Ball - a group of slowly crawling ferocious rats with fused tails
52 Death Rat - a undead giant rat, as a giant rat but with undead abilities
53 Death Dog - a undead stray street dog, often found in graveyards feeding on dead
54 Gore Hound - skinless savage dog fights as a berserk in negative HP
55 Puss Hound - white dripping stinking undead dog with a diseased bite
56 Bone Dog - these suddenly leap from piles of bones assembling into skeleton dogs
57 Phantom Dog* - these spectral hounds howl by night and leap through people to attack 
58 Necro Owl - evil owls attack those visiting graves with flesh shredding claws 
59 Spectral Owl* - phantom owls can turn invisible and claws ignore non magic armour
60 Nightmare Owl* these shadowy owls call a victims name instilling fear
61 Ghost Fish* - especially hate fishermen, swim through air or through flesh to drain life
62 Necro Fish - undead fish dwell in water of all kinds and can jump to bite those on land
63 Snake Skeleton - these bone snakes can bite or stab with their tails and crawl quickly
64 Nerve Snake - forms from spinal nerve tissue, bite causes ghoul like paralysis
65 Putrid Worm - rotten slimy snakes that can spit acid, leave stinking trails 
66 Sting Worm - these horrid snakes have a bite and paralyzing tail stinger
67 Shadow Cat* - can run through walls and attack by ambush with life draining touch
68 Crypt Cat - seemingly normal cat but up close can see fatal wounds, fierce and sneaky
69 Phantom Cat* - follows loudly screeching, blinks away if attacked, bites from ambush
70 Mummy Cat* - desiccated, bandaged and often bejeweled cats cause disease by bite
71 Shadow Rabbit* - bring dread to rabbits but will attack humans with shadow touch
72 Necro Hare - hopping evil terrors can be seen dancing by night, jump and bite
73 Grave Squirrel - big black rodents that rob graves for flesh, often attack in packs
74 Slime Squirrel - wet stinking critters leap at foes then explode into a small stinking cloud
75 Grave Hog - deadly grave flesh feasting hedgehogs shoot bony spurs often from cover
76 Grave Toad - large toads are former necromancer familiars, bite and know d4 cantrips
77 Shadow Bat - shadowy creatures fly through corporeal bodies and drain life force
78 Blood Bat - skinless bats that drip blood and attach selves to victims to drain blood
79 Stench Bat - putrid bats leave a trail of stinking odor behind them to bite those overcome 
80 Bone Beaver - builds dam from bones dug from graves for material, bite or slap attack
81 Gore Beaver - builds dams from corpses to collect pools of blood, bite or slap attack
82 Doom Drake - black and grey ducks that attack in flocks
83 Night Raven - undead ravens some mutter abusive phases when they attack with pecks
84 Necro Bee Swarm - nocturnal bees make evil honey potions & guard them from thieves 
85 Necro Termite Swarm - Mostly build hives and at wood but can attack from below
86 Necro Crab - a undead crab from the deep, can grapple or nip 2/round,+1 on right claw 
87 Necro Ants Swarm - great diggers can attack from below and some kinds can fly
88 Necro Locust Swarm - eat every bit of meat they can find, and skeletonise the living
89 Necro Wasp Swarm - dwell in evil hive, victims killed arise as zombies
90 Hell Fleas - these are just like blood sucking fleas but normal treatments don't stop them
91 Protoplasmic Horror - gelatinous mass of necrotic organic matter that crushes living
92 Ectoplasmic Fiend* - slimy mass from beyond crushes victim, carries dead to other plane
93 Miasmic Cloud - a stinking vapour that spreads disease but flees any threat
94 Shadow Mist* - a small shadow being that lurks in shadows and drains life away
95 Putrescent Slime - a rotten mass of dead tissue surrounded by stinking gas cloud 
96 Proto Phantom* - remains of a unborn soul with no distinct features that drains life
97 Shroud Phantom* - glowing sheet phantom with a chilling touch, has no memory of past 
98 Screaming Phantom* - translucent human dressed as burial, scream causes fear
99  Grave Phantom* - translucent human dressed as burial, attacks if had a weapon
100 Jack-o-evil* - flying carved pumpkin stuffed with human brains, shoots sparks from eyes

Some references here to undead insect magic a rare specialization for necromancers. They keep queens alive and nurture eggs and larvae then make them undead when hatch into adult stage. In past they made great hives towers and were known as feared Insect wizards. In human times their magic has become less known.