Wednesday 8 June 2011

Glug, glug, gurgle - Living table (2) - Entries 1-50

Dyson Logos at A Character for Every Game has made another beautiful map available for us to do with almost as we will. I don't dare tackle the whole thing, but it does have some intriguing bodies of water. I can supplement those.

I've been working on a generator for pools, so I have a few options specific to that, but I've generalised much more here to get a more universal tool, perfect for DM Muse too.

I've kept them mostly non-genre and avoided being too specific about locality.

I realise some readers may not be sure what a generator is. In this case it's just a tool to inspire gamers and writers, allowing features to be selected randomly. Dice can be rolled, but with 50 entries that's tricky; luckily services like DM Muse automate this.

  1. This body of water lies in a steep-banked depression.
  2. The surface stands high above the surrounding area.
  3. This is a hushed, airless space.
  4. Unseen creatures produce a stentorian cacophany.
  5. Materials soak up the unnatural humidity and run with condensation.
  6. The waters are stagnant, choked with decaying plant matter.
  7. The water is tidal, yet with no visible link to a larger body.
  8. The waters draw the water of the body, cry for union...
  9. Sirens call.
  10. The water is salty, intensifying a thirst.
  11. The water is sweet, perhaps too sweet...
  12. The waters refract time, bringing either youth or age to the drinker.
  13. The waters will avenge themselves on all who sully their purity.
  14. Lightning coruscates across the surface.
  15. Out towards the middle a maelstrom spins.
  16. The pool is formed by a hot spring; a thin steam drifts across the surface.
  17. A geyser spouts at regular intervals.
  18. The surface bulges above its banks.
  19. The waters retreat from interlopers.
  20. The waters are in fact a shapeshifting mass.
  21. Approach sees the land become liquid and the waters solidify.
  22. A mist hangs low over the water, suggestive shapes forming.
  23. The glittering surface mesmerises - does a voice whisper?
  24. The waters are home to an unknown or lost civilisation.
  25. A thin film of oil sets the surface ashimmer.
  26. The water laps at banks strewn with wreckage.
  27. This body of water is a flooded shaft or sinkhole.
  28. Machinery rests all around, apparently abandoned.
  29. Banks of reeds make access to the water difficult.
  30. The shore is formed of pebbles.
  31. Strange tracks run down to the water's edge.
  32. The water here is a garish colour.
  33. Creatures move just below the surface, leaving rolling whorls.
  34. The pool is overhung; small creatures fall, feeding the water-dwellers.
  35. The waters breed small flying creatures and webs span the space around.
  36. Large flying creatures hunt smaller over ripples run by wingtips.
  37. A giant creature lurks beneath the surface.
  38. A great wreck of some kind lies a distance out.
  39. A vessel is moored here.
  40. A jetty runs out towards the middle.
  41. The bed is thick with tokens of indiscernible form.
  42. This water source draws all manner of creatures from far afield.
  43. This is a ceremonial site; a processional route leads away.
  44. The surface does not reflect the images of living creatures.
  45. The waters are perfectly clear; on one thing only, and otherwise quite vague.
  46. The waters absorb light, and much else besides.
  47. The waters emanate light and radiations beyond the visible spectra.
  48. The banks have a noticeably artificial shape.
  49. The surface reflects the night sky, even at noon or underground.
  50. This body of water is a portal to another location.

I've just added the table and entries to DM Muse, so they'll be up soon. This is a living table of course so feel free to add your own entries, or even start a completely new one.
_

4 comments:

The Angry Lurker said...

You've covered quite a lot with your 50, some good unique views and ideas.

Porky said...

Thanks - I hope so. With Small Creatures though, some of the weirdest ideas came in the later expansions. I'm looking forward to seeing what develops with this table too.

Game Master Rob Adams said...

useful and fun!

Porky said...

I hope so. It's certainly fun to put a list like this together.