Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Who/what has followed the party?

As the party travels, they may pick up a hanger-on or two - perhaps they have gained some notoriety, or some opportunistic individual(s) hope to join for fortune or easy pickings, or just something following you for reasons of its own...  Some may be almost helpful.  Regardless, they're at least one more mouth to feed...
Hans Sebald Beham, Baggage train and camp followers. 1530
It started at d20, then d30 - we'll see where it ends up...
  1. Farm boy/girl with adventuresome aspirations.  50% chance to be carrying a random weapon in disrepair, 20% chance to be wearing poorly fitted and mis-matched armor.
  2. Dog(s) 1d4.  25% of some useful training (herding, guard, hunting), 2% chance blink dog, 5% chance Really Good Dog, otherwise just begging cur.
  3. Cat.  Of no use whatsoever.  Gloms onto the party member most likely to dislike cats and/or be allergic.
  4. Half-wit:  Strong, at least.  Can lift/carry heavy things.  Doesn't complain.  Obsessively happy.  No matter what you tell them your name is, they call you Seymour.
  5. A goblin.  Cloyingly sycophantic. 25% chance to have useful info on next subterranean dungeon entered.  33% chance that they'll betray you.
  6. Tinker: May repair tools, footwear, tack/harness.
  7. Asshole pixie/fairy.  Mostly just insults you and causes additional wandering monster checks. Tries to steal your shit.
  8. Ascetic/pilgrim convinced that you are chosen ones seeking a greater good/calling.  20% chance of healing knowledge (40% divine:60% herbal/practical).
  9. A scavenging critter. 1) Vulture; 2) raccoon; 3) coyote/jackal; 4) gelatinous cube.
  10. Some damn sneak-thief masquerading as a porter.
  11. A baby monster that has imprinted on you: 1) ankheg; 2) bulette; 3) wyvern; 4) giant spider; 5) axe beak; 6) giant lizard; 7) ogre; 8) owlbear; 9) mimic; 10) rust monster.
  12. A ghost or spirit: 20% chance that it will attempt to possess a member of the party.
  13. Weird witch.  Constantly prophesying.  Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
  14. 1d4 crows or 1d2 ravens.  50% chance to mimic sounds/voices.
  15. A bored or hidden royal looking to hit the road on the down-low.
  16. A flock of songbirds.  Feels like a Disney cartoon.
  17. A prostitute looking for a john/jane.  Roll on Gary's 'Random Harlot' table.
  18. Invisible stalker.  Not looking to kill anyone or complete a task. Just stalking.
  19. A narrator.  Breaks 4th wall.
  20. A goddamned bard.  Constantly makes up limericks about the party.  
  21. A monkey wearing a fez and a vest. Throws poo.
  22. Industrial Revolution-vintage chimney sweep/bootblack/newsy.  Calls you 'guvner.'
  23. Someone else's summoned demon.  Looks around confused, shrugs, says "What the hell," and joins you.
  24. Odin.
  25. An automaton/robot.  60% magical/40% technological.  Follows simple commands.  May have mission of its own or observing.  
  26. Cook with collection of pots and pans.  Makes quite a racket.  10% awful; 20% substandard fare, palatable; 40% chance that they are actually competent; 20% above average; 10% chance that they are phenomenal.
  27. Dyslexic surveyor/mapper. 30% chance to mix up north.
  28. A Warbear.
  29. Naturalist and collector of specimens.  Has a bindle of notebooks and jars with preserved plants and animals.  Bores party members describing the differences between the greater and lesser lace-winged stirge.
  30. Backup singers/dancers. Fabulous. Wearing feather an/or real boas....

Rowlandson, Thomas, "Soldiers on a march.:
'To pack up her tatters and follow the drum' " (1811)
And because everyone is doing it - here's the Chartopia version...

3 comments:

  1. I'm loving the Chartopia plug. Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Saw the page referenced elsewhere recently - and new resources for randomness are always appreciated.

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