Monday, December 19, 2011

My Santicore Entry

Yeah so this is my half of the Santicore exchange. Jez is awesome or doing all this.

So this is supposed to be some random tables for use while sailing in a tropical area. I had been planning on doing one d100 chart but I ran out of ideas around 50.

Cliffs
1- A mysterious and ancient shrine is carved into this cliff side.
2- A dozen huge boulders tumble down from above- or were they pushed?
3-A cave half filled with water sits at the base of this cliff- does it lead into a treasure trove or the lair of a horrible sea beast?
4-Flocks of small sea birds nest here, they are very annoying and will try to steal small trinkets from the ship.
5- An ancient watchtower sits atop the cliff here, does the catapult still work? a secret stair is cut into the cliff side.
6- Jagged rocks and shipwrecks line this section of foreboding coastal cliff. A beautiful siren or hideous sea witch might live here.
7- A huge stone face is carved into this cliff but is that human? Is that a doorway set in the mouth?
8-Dozens of dark tunnel openings are set in the cliff here. Very ominous.
9- A Giant man sits here with a huge fishing rod, he is just relaxing and enjoying the sunny day.
10-A narrow cleft in the rock here leads into a pirate hideout.

Night
1- Bonfires are visible further inland in the jungle, ominous drums start beating.
2- The stars don't seem right, the constellations are all different or in the wrong part of the sky. Navigation could be a problem while this effect is in place.
3- Something is giving off an eerie green glow from the seabed.
4- Something is stalking the ship at night. It will try to pick of anyone alone on deck after dark. The attacks display a startling cunning.
5- The ship suddenly stops, snared by something huge underwater- maybe a sandbar or seaweed? By morning the ship will have drifted free.
6-On a sandy beach nearby many sea turtles are either laying eggs or hundreds of baby turtles are hatching and making a mad dash for the water.
7-A ghostly female apparition walks across the waves, beckoning to the sailors with her ghostly lantern- or is she trying to warn them away?
8- Strange multicolored lights flicker and dance across the horizon.
9- Another ship passes close by in the darkness, no lights are on and no one calls out or signals.
10- An iceberg looms out of the fog, which is kind of unusual in this warm climate.

Random
1-The shattered wreckage of a goblin fleet is scattered about. Miserable looking goblins cling to the still burning debris.
2-A dozen vicious sharks follow the ship, they will lose interest in a few days if no food becomes available.
3-Totem poles and carven tiki statues dot the beach here. Deeper into the jungle creepy fetish idols and even shrunken heads hang in the trees.
4-The sand here is stained red with blood and the dead and dying lay everywhere. A great battle took place here recently.
5-Something golden gleams far off above the jungle trees, is that the top of a golden pyramid?
6- An enormous coral reef spread throughout the area, it teams with aquatic life- the fishing is particularly good.
7-What looked like a small rocky island from a distance is actually a jumble of broken pillars and cut stone. Strange hieroglyphics cover every surface. There might be a stair leading down into the dark. 
8-A pod of friendly dolphins start to follow the ship, they will stick around as long as the ship seems interesting.
9-An exotic parrot like bird takes a liking to a crew member or character. The bird is intelligent and makes a good familiar or companion.
10- An enormous dead sea creature floats nearby, the air and sea are thick with scavengers.


Ships
1-A whaling ship that has been refitted with cages for hunting and capturing large and dangerous jungle beasts.
2- A small merchant trader, he has nothing particularly valuable but carries a huge selection of random junk.
3- A raft bearing a single starving cast away. He has eaten his shipmates and is now an insane and enthusiastic cannibal.
4- A small and barely seaworthy raft crewed by a handful of friendly goblin "traders". If allowed to go on their way the goblins will report to their nearby goblin pirate warship.
5- A slave ship wants to trade. They are out of food and so are willing to trade slaves for large quantities of food or sell off a bunch of slaves for cheap- or both.
6-Elaborately carved tribal canoes- they are fishing using primitive but successful methods.
7-Thick black smoke rises from a still burning husk of a ship. It is surprising that it is still afloat but it is impossible to tell who or what was on the ship.
8- A warship appears, it is apparently enforcing strict "anti-piracy" measures. They demand gold and supplies as payment for their valuable work "keeping these waters safe".
9- A crusade ship appears- crewed by many a Cleric and Paladin. They try to convert anyone they come in contact with but will only get violent if their faith is mocked or they witness "heathen behavior".
10- A Viking type raider ship, they are miserable in this hot climate and will pay handsomely for alcohol. 

Creepy
1- Too many rats aboard the ship, it is becoming a serious problem.
2-The rats seem oddly intelligent, sometimes they appear to be watching the crew.  Small random items start going missing.
3-The rats seem to develop a strange attraction to a certain person aboard the ship.
4-One day all the rats are suddenly and mysteriously gone.
5-Some times late at night faint knocking can be heard- seemingly coming from outside the hull and well below the water line.
6-A corpse is found stashed somewhere aboard the ship. No one will confess anything and the body can't be identified.
7-A nameless street urchin stowed away in the last port.
8- A stowaway is discovered. It is the son or daughter of somebody very important at the last port the ship visited.
9-The ship starts to slowly take on water. While not immediately dangerous the ship will need significant repairs, and soon.
10- A brutal looking storm brews on the horizon, it threatens for a day or two and then drifts away and dissipates.

Islands
1- This tiny and rocky island is barren and featureless. Several times every day the island is struck by powerful bolts of lightning, even when the sky is clear.
2- This small island appears to be a solid chunk of smooth and rounded stone. That outcropping looks almost like a nose. Is the whole island a half submerged head?
3- This small island is actually a huge mound of sun-bleached whalebone resting on a shallow reef. For unknown reasons whales will travel great distances to die here.
4- This barren island is crisscrossed with trenches and battlements, with no apparent order or function. Rusting arms and armor lay strewn about. 
5-Volcanic eruptions are creating a new island here. Huge steam clouds form as magma pours into the sea, and black ash falls like snow for miles.
6- This whole island is a pirate port and trading post. Brothels, taverns and warehouses cover every square foot of land. Rickety docks jut out into the sea. Nearly every structure is made up of boat wreckage.
7- Large mechanical insects are scattered all across this island, they lie dormant, as if waiting for a signal.
8- Monster Island! The only living creatures on this island are of the giant- apex predator variety. Giant apes, Mega lizards and Mutant bugs battle for survival.
9- This island seems perfect. Lots of fruit and palm trees and beautiful beaches. No hostile natives, dangerous predators, or lethal poisons anywhere on the island. It is totally safe. Folks might get nervous on an island that seems too good to be true.
10- This is actually a archipelago chain which has been formed into an island nation. It is a primarily agricultural based society, or it was until the plague struck. The pox killed nearly everyone, so now the stench of rotting bodies and crops is noticeable well out to sea.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Wow.  Just finished reading it. Some real dark shit in there, like really chilling stuff. Wasn't really ready for how messed up that whole thing got. When I get a book like this I tend to binge read and just stay up all night and get through a book in one or two sittings. The first half was a little messed up but geeze, about midway through the second half I was really feeling nauseous. I'm going to go see the American version of the film when it comes out in a week or two, and then get the original from my library.

So yeah, not really gaming related at all but really just needed to air some thoughts out, everyone I know is asleep.

Cheers.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Zombie Grizzly Bear




















Lazy post but it's a really cool picture.  You really don't want to get blindsided by one of these bad boys.