The fourth in my series of d100 random encounters tables for terrain type for the Furthest Lands continent, brings us to deserts. Water use, exposure to heat, and to the cold of night are the greatest problems in any desert, but owl wizards, leucrotta, and hierarchies of sandworms will keep those deaths interesting. The largest and most important desert on continent is the Tomada Yoma, the great western expanse, hundreds of miles in any direction, which still has a civilized center in the Great Temple of Tauk Toma. There are also many smaller deserts, scattered across the lands, several in the inhospitable region called "Centerscar", which tend to have dangerous magical/environmental quirks particular to each.
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Desert - 20%/day
01-02 Great
Beaded Lizard – huge, venomous, and implacable, the Giant Gila
Monster!
03 Tower
Owl – an owl sorcerer-sage that lives in the hollow top of an giant
enchanted cactus. Man-sized, but wide and heavy for a bird. The owl
can operate the cactus as a golem by serving as its “face”. The
cactus regenerates, alters its form and size, throws needles, and
manufactures a host of dangerous chemicals to coat them.
04-05 Suitable
Elemental ( Earth/Sandstorm/Wind/Fire )
06-07 (Greater)
Leucrotta – superficially it resembles a large antelope: small fine
head, long neck, sleek torso, and long hooved legs. On closer
inspection, a wretched monster: mad red and yellow eyes, matted fur,
and a mouth that continues all the way down the neck to the torso.
The leucrotta's secret maw is filled with row after row of teeth, and
the source of the beast's near-magical vocal mimicry, numerous
tongues.
08-09 Mummy
(1d4)
3.
Umash
4.
Other, race or monster
10-11 Bombardier
Beetle – giant beetle with a caustic chemical weapon.
12-13 Hurry
Ants – pony-sized, stilt-legged ants that burst from the sand and
dash about, madly killing and dismembering prey before dragging the
pieces underground. Their exoskeleton is thermochromic, it cycles
from cold black, through blue and purple, to warm red and orange, to
hot yellow and white within a few minutes of emerging on the surface
(AC goes down throughout cycle). Their bodies explode 20 seconds
after turning white hot, showering the area with molten clumps of
exoskeletal goo and chemically activated combustible blood. The ants
will occasionally force their own explosive deaths, to cover their
retreat or counter dangerous opponents, but in general are in a
“hurry” to escape the sun.
14-15 Giant
Rattlesnake – arguably the most dangerous of all the vocal snakes,
rattlesnakes are typified by their great paranoia. Highly
intelligent, desperately fearful, and brutally venomous, they are
best avoided.
16-17 Mirage
of
(1d6)
1.
Oasis
2.
Orchard
3.
Temple
4.
Caravan
5.
Isolated Low-Hanging Rain Cloud
6.
Bright Light
Hiding
(1d4)
1.
Nothing
2.
Monster
3.
Trap
4.
Treasure
18-19 Ultrachiroptera
Flock – the giant bats of the desert night, large enough to bear a
man as prey or rider. 70% carnivorous, 30% nectivorous.
20-23 Hyaenadon
Pack – multiple species exist in a range of sizes (1d8 x 100 lbs.),
replace gorgonopsids as pack hunting predators in the most arid
regions.
24-25 Bellows
Horse – hollow, wheezing, rapid. Boneless, sightless, restless.
Inscrutable, elegant, horrible. A bellows horse is a three-legged,
accordion-bodied, beast that seems to make little sense.
26-27 Giant
Tortoise – non-aggressive, with a powerful bite and unfailing
stamina, perfect for riding or bearing loads... very slowly.
28-29 Cudgelhead
– a huge, two-legged monster with a battering skull. Cudgelheads do
not eat the creatures they beat into a paste with their bony faces,
their diet is unknown.
30-31 Ogres
(1d6)
1. Freshly Cursed: hateful, sadistic, a great parody of an
iele, berserker.
2. Freshly Cursed, Mage: a great mad spellcaster,
random magic specialization.
3. Second Gen.: Warrior
4. Second
Gen.: Priest
5. Second Gen.: Sorcerer/Wizard
6. Second Gen.:
"Paladin"
1.
Warrior Monks
2.
Bandits
3.
Hunters
4.
Trading Company
5.
Lone Merchant
6.
Desert Druid
7.
Wizards (Chronomancer/Diviner/Elementalist/Enchanter)
8.
Priests (Se'vensaera/Naudde/Immacula)
9.
Eternal Pilgrims (Orobolus)
10.
Cultists
36-37 Obelisk
– a statuary monster from an ancient civilization, some break into
pieces or twist into a mobile shape, some remain in their original
form and function like a turret or a roper monster.
38-41 Glyptodon
Herd – herbivorous giant mammals with armored shells and bony,
clubbed tails. Often domesticated by the umash, they produce milk,
make slow but steady pack beasts, and every bit of one's corpse is
useful.
42-43 Shard
Leech Scree - razor-edged stones used as the shell of a land mollusc,
4"-14". Hide in areas of loose rock waiting for man size or
larger prey, throw themselves en masse at a target, pierce flesh and
release a mild paralytic venom, drink their fill of blood, fall out
of the target, and move away from the remains.
44-45 Thirsty
Wind – a day-long weather change, no cloud cover with extremely hot
and unnaturally dry winds. Water use is doubled, exhausted npcs and
animals may die outright. A thirsty wind always blows against the
party's goal.
46-47 Lancet
Stirge Flock - naked birdlike creatures with elongated, saw-edged
lower jaws, cat size. Function as stirges but can pin targets in
numbers and interfere with movement/spellcasting.
48-51 Umash
Group (1d6) - the baboon-faced race of the Tomada Yoma.
1.
Dervishes
2. Hunters
3. Trading Group
4. Elementalists
5.
Priests of the Sisters of Mysteries
6. Common Nomads
52-53 Solar
Dimetrodon – this large species of dimetrodon is capable of storing
solar energy in its iridescent sail as it basks, then releasing this
energy as a ray or wave shaped attack. Other dimetrodon affected by
an energy discharge will be hasted for 1d6 rounds and heal half the
attack's damage. They receive some nourishment through solar energy,
but pursue living prey of a certain size whenever possible.
54-55 Manticor
- spirit cursed iele, usually lawful/poachers/defilers, now always
hungry for other people.
56-57 Sandstorm
– a powerful sandstorm batters the area, seek cover or be
suffocated, scoured, blinded, even buried. Trails and small landmarks
are erased.
58-59 Iele
Group (1d6)
1. Hunters
2. Trading Group
3. Ranger
4.
Explorers
5. Random Priest
6. Random Mage
60-61 Shem
Formation - 4-10 Shem hunting for or returning with captives. Often
accompanied by Bloat Cages (1-4), ground slaves (5-50), or aerial
slaves (2-20).
62-63 Sandworm
– a two to six meter, vibration-sensitive, predatory worm.
64-65 Sandwormother
– a slow moving, colossal, swollen sandworm, covered in a thick
pink waxy cuticle. The mother worm is constantly laying eggs, even as
it moves, even as it sleeps, even after death (for a bit). Eggs hatch
quickly, and the speedy arm-length wormlettes hurry back to hide in
the mother's mouth. The young are only occasionally disgorged to
attack and feed for themselves, if this occurs the mother will avoid
attacking the young's targets.
66-67 Sandfather
– fifty feet long and covered in armored scutes, the rapid-moving
sandfather worm ranges the desert, searching for prey and
unfertilized females with its array of eversible head organs. Two of
these surprising tentacle shaped appendages are coated in caustic
chemicals.
68-69 MutantTroll Pack - slightly undersized trolls that mutate as they
regenerate. Each has one additional mutation when encountered and is
twice as hungry. During regeneration of massive damage they can fuse
together into larger abominations or break into smaller, independent,
ruined parts.
70-71 Suitable
Nature Spirit (1d4)
1.
Starvation Spirit – a possessing spirit that forces its host to an
artificial brink of
starvation,
and holds them there. They
will not be satisfied by any amount of food,
and will
not starve to death. However, the host will behave as if it must find
food now
or die,
eating all available rations, tiny animals, and... left alone with
another person,
they
will attempt to murder and cannibalize them.
2.
Erosion Spirit – its whisper can be heard in stirring sand and
curling around wind
eaten
rocks, it wants to make everything dust, but isn't greedy, it likes
to destroy a bit
at a
time. Appease it with something interesting to nibble, or it will
eats holes in you
and your
things, or strip layers from something (layers like skin). The more
artificial the
offering,
the better.
3.
Plague Spirit – a possessing spirit that makes a creature into a
asymptomatic carrier of an
awful illness.
4.
Sun Spirit – appears as tricks of light, suggestive afterimages of
thin partial humanoids, impossible to see from a distance. Curious
and cruel, they will lead the way to dangerous mirages, evaporate
exposed water in seconds, and their touch causes heat madness.
72 Dune
Dragon – the longer the dragons of the endless sands live, the more
time they spend asleep, sand collecting on their serpent bodies. They
are often irritable, bleary, confusing fantasy with reality. They
control the weather, and their breath is a storm of sands that tears,
or a cloud of dust that lulls to sleep. There is always a cavern
filled with drinkable water beneath a sleeping dune dragon.
73-74 Archaeotherium
(carnivorous boar) – a ravenous omnivorous beast, like a monstrous
boar with long legs and a huge head. Simple and single minded with an
amazing olfactory sense.
75-76 Giant
Antlion (Funneller/Doodlebeast) – the L-G sized predatory larva of
an unknown insect. The giant antlion buries its body in loose sand
and creates a funnel trap, where it lies in wait for prey.
Doodlebeasts have been known to hurl rains of sand, spray caustic
acids, and create tremors in the ground.
77-78 Dust
Skeleton – the countless dead of the desert, now skeletons made of
sand and bone dust. When defeated they reform in 1d100 hours, but can
be permanently destroyed with a “mouthful” of water.
79-80 Swarm
of Insects (1d4)
1. Yokaibubu Locusts – devouring locusts, large
as a man's hand. A plague's worth (plagues may vary).
2. Sweat
Flies – quicken exhaustion by drinking sweat and other bodily
moisture.
3. Golden Sand Fleas – biting mass of fleas, leave
bleeding painful wounds, will infest clothes, packs, and bedding.
4.
Black Beads – a carpet of round, shiny, black beetles hungry for
non-living organic material: leather, wood, paper, foodstuffs, even
hair. Each beetle bears fertilized eggs at birth, and will easily
infest belongings if not exterminated.
81-82 Scopophobic
Cacti – approach blooded creatures at a rapid pace, as long as
nothing watches them. “Strike” by pressing themselves against
their targets and draining the water from their blood with wicked
needles.
83 Elder'lisk
(True Basilisk) - gigantic, slow as stone, fast as a rock slide, the
elder'lisk perched atop its heap of broken statues, the evilest eye.
A thin tall body, six to ten spindly legs, and two independently
moving eyes. Reflecting the creature's gaze will turn just one eye to
stone. This basilisk can move silently on its split-toed padded feet,
and climbs sheer surfaces with ease.
84-85 Hungry
Ghost – ghosts desperate for your water, your food, your breath,
your blood. Younger ghosts use their lives' knowledge to deceive and
confuse, while the ghosts who have wandered hundreds of years or more
are ravening spectres without a trace of personhood left, they will
claw what they need from you
without hesitation.
86-87 Giant
Vulture Kettle – the party begins to be followed by great vultures
who patiently wait for exhaustion or grievous wounds, their presence
increases the likelihood of encounters by 20%.
88-89 Weird
Water Source (1d6)
1.
Sipping Succulent – a branching succulent whose swollen leaves can
be carefully plucked and drunk like little juice boxes up to two
weeks later. The liquid is light, refreshing, and mostly flavorless,
though it has a slightly medicinal aftertaste. Mildly promote healing
when poured on wounds or infected areas.
2.
Keg Cactus – a squat, yellow-green, long-needled cactus filled with
a great reserve of clear watery liquid within its thick skin. The
liquid is mildly alcoholic, but just as hydrating as real water.
Living on keg cactus juice only for three days will render a person
completely and constantly drunk until they drink something else for
three days.
3.
Water Melons – delicious watery underground melons 6” to 18”
across, keep for a few weeks after picked. If they are opened and the
juices stored in other containers, the odor will often attract
certain insects and larger animals.
4.
Sand Cucumbers (Piss Grubs) – tube shaped underground animals about
a foot long. Pinched and stroked in a certain way the creature will
squirt out its stored water supply, which can be up to three days
worth of water. Cucumbers can be eaten, though they taste pretty
awful and will immediately poison their water stores when injured.
5.
Voilumpf - sized between camels and giraffes, six long thin legs, a
long neck with a small, nearly eyeless head, feathered antennae, and
a complicated folding proboscis, and an inflatable sack of rubbery
skin on its back. These docile, dull-witted creatures eat
moisture-rich plants and fungi deep underground and store the excess
water in their back sack. Rangers know the animals will violently
resist attack, but a person can “tap” their sack for its water
and they will take little notice. Sack water is identical to normal
well water, just very slightly... pork flavored. Can be ridden, but
their food is unsustainable outside the desert. Their liver is the
only worthwhile meat on their body.
6.
Spider Cups – a white, grape-sized spider will spin a cup shaped
web with a cover within a hole in the sand. The webbing is water
repellent and the spider uses the water filled cup as a lure for
prey. A person can scoop spider cups out of the sand to take away
easily, but they are fragile. The spiders are not dangerous.
90-91 Dune
Ghuul – cannibalistic degenerates of various original races that roam the open desert at
night, their life or undeath status up for debate. Their touch is paralytic (of course) and their anguished howls terrify the weak.
92-93 Swimming
Sword – a blade-like cousin of the bulette, long and rigid-bodied,
can potentially be tamed and used as a mount. 30% chance of being
encountered with its immature form, the Severfish. The young
specifically attempt with their bladed bodies to amputate digits and
limbs for their own consumption.
94-95 Dromiceioseismos
Herd - huge (50') flightless birds, non-hostile but dangerous if
harassed. Sometimes attract the largest of predators to an area.
96-97 Strange
Sands (1d10)
1.
Mandala Sands – sand that changes color when shifted. Tracks are
usually easy to spot and follow, though the vistas can muddle the
mind or sicken the stomach.
2.
Sandsea – liquid sand that functions almost like water. Normal
water vessels will not function properly, if at all.
3.
Sleeping Sand – fabled soporific sand.
4.
Magnetic Sand – greenish sand that cakes ferrous metal materials,
will quickly encumber a person bearing much of them unless scraped
off regularly.
5.
Living Sand – essentially low functioning nanomachines, able to
assume one large high-functioning form, or many smaller
lower-functioning forms. Some say these are the eroded remains of
once mighty ancient golems.
6.
Sand Garden – a jungle,
orchard, or topiary garden formed of sand. May form only during the
day, night, or a particular season, etc.
7. Rust
Sand – blueish sand that causes metal equipment to rapidly oxidize.
8.
Scouring Sand – razor sharp granules of nearly diamond hard
crystal. Shreds skin and light fabric in a few hours, easily blinds
unprotected eyes, deals permanent con damage if inhaled.
9.
Skeleton Sand – sands composed mostly of skeletal remains, dust
skeletons common.
10.
Quicksand – horrific cartoonish quicksand, indistinguishable from the normal sands around it.
98-99 Gunmen –
radial bodied sand dwelling creatures with a primitive intelligence.
They are aggressive, territorial, known to eat anything and anyone,
and steal whatever supplies are available (a few have been known to
trade). Gunmen or Stars, have a puck shaped body about 2' in diameter
ringed with 3-5 rubbery arms each tipped with 3-5 retractable
fingers. One flat side of the creature's body is its “face”,
disconcerting to most races as it is composed of recognizable
features scattered randomly across the surface: an eye here, a
nostril here, a mouth? an ear? Each is different from another, but
all have at least one eye and a single mouth, which serves both ends
of the beast's digestive system. Gunmen create weapons and clothing
for themselves, shoddily constructed and made for a strange
physiology they are nearly useless to other races.
00 Special
*
Till next time...
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Entry-level PCs in this campaign will fit within one of four categories that determine the method of character generation:
