GOZR Rising (slowly)

As I said previously, I've been on a GOZR kick. This means I've been working on pages for the second book: GOZR Rising! As with the original, I'm keeping it organic. I make notes and list table contents in a spreadsheet where applicable, but mostly I'm drawing it on the canvas as it enters my head. Because in my head is where the gooz live. And, I'm told, they also live at some gaming tables. A fact that gives me comfort in the long, dark nights.

No schedule on this. It'll come as it does and eventually I'll have a book I can put out there and smile about while you all scratch your heads and say "Why the hell would anyone do a game THIS WAY??".

Random Table Dump 5

And one last batch of December random tables.

Random Table Dump 4

Four more rando tablos.

Random Table Dump 3

Another set of random tables. Love 'em, hate 'em, roll on 'em.

Random Table Dump 2

Another set of random tables for you to use or not use.

Random Table Dump 1

Random tables are one of the great pillars of OSR gaming. I will die on that hill. Even if random tables were less widely used in D&D historically, they were fully embraced with the OSR. Hell, many classic OSR books are nothing but random tables. There are settings that are entirely composed of random tables. And I am a huge fan.

Of course you can't possibly use them all. You might be tempted to say there are "too many" random tables. You would be wrong. There cannot be too many. It is not possible.

Because the purpose and effect of random tables is... random. Stochastic, as the nerds say. It's a shotgun effect. No one expects you to use every random table that finds its way in front of your face. You use the ones that are either required by the game's rules or the ones that inspire you. The rest can sit quietly. They demand nothing of you, so let them be.

Here are some random tables I created in December, inspired by the #dicember challenge, which I learned about through Dyson Logos. I did not stick with any prompts.

Eccentricities of Oddly Met NPCs

 When your PCs run into a strange NPC.

Name That Bastard

From the Basic Honey document. For when you need an epic fantasy name.

GOZR: Weaknesses

 Every wizard has a weakness.

GOZR: 100 Wizard Spells

 If you're a wizard, which spells do you know? Every PC wizard begins play with 1d4+2 spells.

GOZR: Events

 How does your GOZR game begin? Here's a table of random events that might get things kickstarted.

GOZR: Wizard Watcher

 If you are a wizard, someone or something watches you... What is it?

GOZR: Backgrounds

 Sharing some of the tables from GOZR.

First up, Backgrounds. Everyone starts somewhere.

Random List 'o Stuff

Here's a list of random items I keep on hand when I'm running games. The header is my design but I did not write the list. In fact, I want to know who did write the list so I can cite them. I do not remember.

Still, here's a list. Feel free to use it.

April RPG Blog Carnival...Weird Weather

Mortaine over at Mortaine’s Blog is hosting April’s RPG Blog Carnival...and it’s all about weather. So here goes some weather related stuff. Because frankly I ignore weather too often in my games.

Your PCs are in a forest. You want something strange to happen with weather. Roll 1d6...

1d6 Roll	Weird Weather Event
1	Breezy with a faint smell of iron or blood in the air. The smell is coming from the west where a battle was recently fought and 13 bodies of ogre size are lying in a heap of ruin. One of them carries a scroll case that includes a map.
2	Drizzle. The rainfall is only heavy enough to be annoying. But the rain is a bit pasty...and smells a bit like honey. If a PC climbs to the top of a tree or flies up to look over the canopy they will see a giant beehive suspended in mid-air about 300’ above the trees. Giant bees can be seen crawling on its surface...and upon the backs of them are humanoid figures.
3	There is a heavy rain that falls in clumps and gets each PC wet right down to their privates. All paper products such as scrolls and spellbooks must pass a saving throw or be drenched, with a 2-in-6 chance of being ruined. This rain even seems to soak through metal! What wizardry is afoot? Perhaps the twisted spire of a ruined tower in the distance holds the answer.
4	Rain and thunder! The storm rages violently with a 1-in-6 chance every turn of a lightning strike. Each PC must save vs. paralysis. Those who fail are fried and knocked out for 1d6 turns. They awaken to recount visions of a massive, scaly monster awakening from a deep sleep in a watery tomb. He is hungry.
5	PCs start to feel the pitter patter of rain and the gusts of winds...coming from BENEATH them! Within 1 turn there is a torrential UP-pour of rain coming from the earth itself, tearing clumps of dirt and vegetation that are blown upward on raging winds. The winds scream and howl from holes in the ground, hollow trunks, and caves. Nearby the PCs spot the opening of one such cave from which can be heard sinister laughter.
6	The temperature drops suddenly. Within 1 turn the PCs can see their breath in the air. 1 turn later there is snow falling. And 1 turn after that the forest flash-freezes! All PCs must save vs. spells or be frozen in place as by a Hold Person spell. Only a Remove Curse spell can free them instantly. Otherwise they must be slowly warmed up with fire, in which case they will be free to move in 1d4 turns. While all of this is happening, a gang of 4d4 ice trolls come marching along, lead by a beautiful elf maiden with snow white hair. She is, of course, an ice witch.

DCC RPG: d7 Things Found in a Barn

This is what happens when my kids dominate my computer and drawing area and I'm sitting on the couch with paper, pencil, and pens.

Ostensibly this is for DCC RPG since nearly everything I do is based on Labyrinth Lord and I want to give DCC more love. But of course you can use it however you want.

Click here for a PDF.