d100 – Swansong Abilities

During the earliest days of this Hobby a Referee named Mark Swanson devised a few Random Tables that would become known as “Swanson Abilities” or “Swanson Powers.” Rolling on these granted a Character an interesting minor feature or flaw that would set them apart from otherwise remarkably similar starting Characters of a given Class.

Some time ago, I set about devising my own Random Tables for this (and you can see some of the results in tables like my Fighter Features for Variegated Veterans) but I couldn’t shake my amusement with a silly bit of wordplay that came to mind. I began musing about a table of “Swansong Abilities” using that metaphorical phrase invoked to represent that terminal gesture or surprising effort just before Death or Retirement. These would be benefits or boons that take place exactly once, upon a Character’s often Untimely Demise, perhaps better if they were not known in advance, but instead diced right at that final, fatal moment.

The results of this somewhat somber wool gathering are contained in the Table below. We tend to see many tables devoted to grisly Deaths and gruesome Dismemberment, so I felt it necessary to provide a bit of balance to those. What if that Character's passing could turn the tide or grant gifts to the rest of the Party to make mortality more memorable in other ways?

d66 - Why Are They Friendly? Reaction Roll Elaborations

It has happened to all of us who enjoy the Procedures of these earlier presentations: You throw those two dice for that Oracular Reaction Roll and are greeted with Box Cars. While the triangular distribution is designed to make this rather rare, a plucky Player Character with a higher Charisma Score can also often increase the frequency.

Suddenly you have a “Friendly” Reaction Roll and sometimes this might leave you at a loss. Up until that toss, these were potentially Dangerous Denizens! So how do we interpret that sudden shift in the situation? Here is a table with some ideas for why that Monster might be Friendly. I decided to keep this at 36 entries with a d66, since that 2d6 thrown for the Reaction Roll is more likely to be closer to hand and faster to re-roll. This might see a re-visit at some point to pad it out to a complete d100.

As always, some might require a little tinkering to work with certain Foes, but occasionally those results that seem incongruous on the surface can be a springboard to more interesting places. Even just keeping a few of these in the Referee’s back pocket “just in case” might help inform this kind of emergency improvisation.

d100 - Faction Features

Usually as I’m stocking a Dungeon or a Hex with a particular group of Humanoids, I want to attempt to associate them with a specific Faction or Group. Giving them this distinction makes for more useful Rumors, Hooks, and far more interesting interactions down the road when an encounter occurs in Play. Giving these groups Names makes it easier to refer to them, and I often like to try and add something Distinctive that might set them apart from other societies or similar Encounters.

The first two columns of this Table are to assist with generating a Name or even Iconography for the Faction, while the third contains ideas for that “special feature” that might make them a bit more unique.

I have included a quick Perchance generator below for easy output:

d100 – Vaunted Votives & Religious Relics

Another Magic Item table, but this one is focused a bit more on those objects of a more Sacred Significance. Some of these are said to grant powerful boons when venerated or carried by the faithful and each one is likely to be associated with extraordinary. Many of these consist of portions of the physical remains of Saints or other personages important to a given faith. It’s possible that a few of these might have made the pilgrimage to a position on this table from Characters that were present in campaigns and games ages ago.

Since I’m always a bit pressed for real estate in these tables (because I like to keep them on a single page when I can), these entries are a little terse. Some elaborations might need to remain up to the Referee or tied more closely to a given Setting’s Cosmological implications. I have at least endeavored to provide some potentially useful Names for Saints and such to save a bit of time, and where I could manage I did sneak in a skosh of descriptive text.

d100 – What Weird Weapon & What Atypical Armor

Managed to squeeze a pair of d100 Tables into this one. Occasionally, I find myself at a loss for a way to distinguish a specific Foe or NPC from another, and I find that embellishing their Armaments or Armor is sometimes enough to help this resonate with the Players. Particularly in Theatre of the Mind Combat Situations, having a distinctive feature for each participant can really help keep everyone on the same page and close some of those gaps that can develop.

These Two Tables are divided into sections of Ten as well, so this provides a little bit of granularity should more specificity be needed, or even a way to “Overload” a single d100: Roll one for the Weapon, then use the 1s/10s place or “reverse” it for the Armor Table.

I could not resist including some less onventional Weapons here, and some of the Armor is a bit more on the fanciful side rather than cleaving to Historical Accuracy, but hopefully it at least provides a bit of inspiration!

d100 - Fairy Tale Tells for the Subtly Supernatural

Just in time for Fairy Tale Friday again! Here’s a table containing more than a few Clues or Suspicious Signs that one might be dealing with someone who isn’t quite as they seem. Some are certainly more subtle than others, and a few might require creative engineering of the situation to provide the revelation. I feel that no Fairy’s Glamours should be flawless or perfect, however.

With a little bit of cherry-picking, some of these might be inspiring or useful for subtle hints concerning other shapeshifters or deceivers that cloak their True Forms, such as those more Folkloric Hags and Witches. I have previusly trod similar ground for Lycanthropes in my Encounter Activities, but I strongly feel that a breadcrumb trail of Clues for these deceptions makes for a much more satisfying reveal than simply springing it suddenly upon unsuspecting Players.

Should you wish, you could also apply these to Elf Characters for a more Fairy Tale Feel, in a similar fashion to my Infernal Features & Tiefling Traits.

d100 - While You Were Out — “Dungeon Meanwhiles”

Once the Characters retreat back to the safety of a Settlement from the depths of those Dismal Dungeons (hopefully laden with Treasure for their troubles) they will often find themselves wanting to engage in a bit of Downtime. Those “Rs” are common: Rest & Recuperation, Research, Re-supplying, Retainers, Rumormongering, or perhaps even some Revelry to Celebrate a successful Forray. But an additional “R” awaits the Referee: for with this passage of Time, it becomes necessary to Restock.

Here's a Hundred Entries that might help a little bit with this process. Whenever possible, I do like to try and tailor some of the more major changes in a Dungeon to reflect the actions of the Player Characters: It’s always more compelling when they can witness the consequences of their actions and the marks they leave on a Place or the Setting, but sometimes I like having a few additional ideas and options to sprinkle within. I find that these can help convey the Dungeon as a more Dynamic “Living” place, rather than having it just “Pause” in Time as it patiently waits for another set of hapless Intruders.