Category: Rolling Word Play

Rolling Word Play – 24

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Transmit Justifies Contrasted Riots, Envisaged Economics Footpath and Managerial Spare.

Transmit Justifies Contrasted Riots
The usually peace-giving monks of Canelo were known and liked for protecting citizens, pleading with the rulers on behalf of them and carrying out duties as an independent, religious group. But something changed after a royal declaration was read out, which resulted in the monks resorting to violence. Now the ruling faction is at war with the monks of Canelo.  What was said that so upset them?  What can be done to resolve the matter?  Whose side are the adventurers on?

Envisaged Economics Footpath
The great money heist.  It all starts with a document.  In this particular kingdom, money is created and controlled in confidential locations.  The adventurers will be asked by a town merchant to obtain the contents of the finance minister’s document holder whilst he is making an address to bankers (after meeting with the prime minister).  The plan is for the adventurers to switch documents without them knowing. To pull this off, the adventurers will need to find a brilliant scribe.  If successful, it will contain exact economic details and reveal the location of several money making activities happening over the next few crucial weeks. Time for the heist to commence!

Managerial Spare
The managerial 8-ball.  This limited magical item can learn 5 instructions and 3 responses to speak in the voice of the person teaching it.  For example, an instruction could be “make me breakfast”, whilst a response could be “good morning”.  This device has been used on numerous occasions by busy, multi-tasking employers as well as in certain domestic situations.

Rolling Word Play – 23

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Mining Brilliant Jubilant Clubs, Circuit Propelling Misconduct and Pronounced Resembling Sizzled Tank.

Mining Brilliant Jubilant Clubs
A type of stone is said to be the source of a great army’s powers.  If a weapon contains a core made of this stone, then it provides the user with immunity from fear when in combat.  A weapon made completely of the stone provides immunity from fear and Charisma checks with advantage.  It also adds +1 to attacks and the user can re-roll natural 1s.

Circuit Propelling Misconduct
Think Fagin from Oliver Twist but with an extra twist.  All Urchins within his youthful gang of thieves have magical ankle bracelets with a single bead attached that cannot be removed by normal means.  He has a corresponding bead for each urchin.  With these, he can propel his beads along a miniature circuit increasing the speed of the child attached to the corresponding bead.  The result is hastened thieves causing havoc.  How do the urchins feel about this?  What happens to the urchins when they reach adulthood?  Have any managed to escape the gang?

Pronounced Resembling Sizzled Tank
The MeAwzs, or “MeAwwzsss” is the roughest and most aggressive orc gang in the city.  There is a social desire by some to express their primal barbaric nature. The MeAwzs gang is based on expressing wild, primal rage (think half rogue, half barbican multiclass).  They are often involved in aggressive, petty acts of violence, but lately they’ve become more militant.  How will the MeAwzs feature in your city?  Who is behind their more organised activities?

Rolling Word Play – 22

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Paraded Crabby, Storm Undisputed and Hears Common Analogy.

Paraded Crabby
This mission could be played as protagonist, passer-by or protector.  The carnival of Noitos is spectacular and runs through the centre of the town, passed the cathedral, parks, the mayor’s headquarters and many cheering citizens. This undercover operation is an attempt to infiltrate the mayor’s headquarters and hold the mayor as hostage. To do this, one of the carnival floats contains many giant crab-like creatures that have been trained to open doors, attack and guard spaces.  How will the adventurer’s be involved in this crime?  What demands will the criminals have should they succeed in holding the mayor hostage?

Storm Undisputed
The borders between the wilds and the nearby populated towns are always stormy.  But in fact, there is an illusion in place to always keep it looking this way.  It is based on truth and anyone venturing into the wilds should roll a 1d10 die. If they roll a 1, it is an actual storm, which can do untold damage to those caught in it.  What is the storm illusion hiding?  Who or what is causing this illusion and keeping it in place?

Hears Common Analogy
Strange common sayings that people tend to use are starting to literally occur in one particular town.  The source of these disturbances can be traced to a powerful sorcerer who has the sub-conscious ability to manifest what he hears and believes he understands.  Such examples of these saying coming true could be: People flying by the seat of their pants Being becoming mad hat makers (‘Mad as a hatter’) It raining cats and dogs (‘It’s raining cats and dogs’)

What type of creature is the sorcerer?  What will the adventurers decide to do when they encounter such an innocent but powerful being?

Rolling Word Play – 21

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Fireplaces Bedroom, Whips Locator and Fragmented Cigar.

Fireplaces Bedroom
A thief has been making a nuisance of themselves in the city.  They operate at night, keep to the shadows and are very good at evading capture. This is because their hideout is beyond the fireplaces of the town.  This strange semi-plane – a space between spaces – is only reachable using a runed bracelet produced in the town.  It’s locale is what gives it these special powers.   A vital clue to discovering the thief is that the arcane blacksmith that makes the amulet has been burgled three times.  Who is this thief?  What made them become such a shadowy figure?

Whips Locator
A client has hired your adventurers to protect them and prevent a bounty hunter from claiming his prize.  When the bounty hunter cracks their whip, it reveals the scents all around as colour trails, which they can follow.  The bounty hunter is tough and will stop at nothing to complete a job.  Who is the client?  What debts do they owe and to whom?

Fragmented Cigar
The only link between a series of crimes in the city is the fragments of cigar ash found at the crime scenes.  It is distinctive enough for a dog or a highly-perceptive player to identify.  Who is the cigar smoker and what is the crime they are committing?

Rolling Word Play – 20

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Robed Prosecutors, Ribs Ringleader and Professes Started.

Robed Prosecutors
The robed prosecutors of Ashuln are both revered and feared for their devotion and lawful powers granted to them by the city-state whenever they wear their formal robes.  But recently, another figure dressed as a prosecutor has been targeting the other law-makers.  Who is this figure and what do they want?  How far are they prepared to go to deal out their brand of vigilante justice?

Ribs Ringleader
A Bone Doctor is not just a medical practitioner but someone who can wield the arcane to manipulate bones and bend them to their will.  This specialist skill starts with carrying out experiments with bones from a corpse. They can learn to alter their shape to sharpen them and use them as flexible weapons.  They can also mend the bone fragments.  Once this is achieved they can manipulate their own bones, fixing damage sustained and even temporarily dislocate in order to squeeze out of a tight situation. As they advance they can move the bones through air using only the power of their magical connection with them.  A highly skilled Bone Doctor can even manipulate other creatures’ bones, causing damage and controlling their movement.

Professes Started
An item that is in the form of incense. In its presence, those that are not aware find themselves professing truths and internal thoughts.  The effect comes in three stages, without the creature knowing that they are communicating personal information.

Stage 1 – Say out loud how they’re feeling – DC 12 Charisma save Stage 2 – Say what’s on their mind/what they’re thinking – DC 14 Charisma sav Stage 3 – Confess the deeds and guilty acts they have commited – DC 16 Charisma save

Rolling Word Play – 19

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Shrill Experts, Replaces Confining and Onions Relatives.

Shrill Experts
There are creatures called Rills that are so advanced in terms of sound manipulation that they can harm and stun their opponents with the mere use of their voices.  Unlike most humanoids they have 4 lungs and many air vents. They also have keen ears.  Their incredible aural powers have been developed mainly as a result of internal wars, meaning their own audible defences are also very strong. In terms of physique they are top-heavy with good strength and wasp-like eyes on either side of their head.  Their legs are thin with bird-like feet, giving them good agility and balance.  There is a rarer mutation that gives them four legs, and these are revered in Rill culture and obtain a high status in their society.

Replaces Confining
Welcome to Hamrash prison.  This salty plane of existence is a giant, infertile field. Plants do grow here – a variant of water cress – but they have little nutritional value and the prisoners need to eat a lot of them in order to survive, essentially turning them into cattle. There is one pool of water and the city state has created a number of artificial shelters.  The prison is very effective in humbling and wearing down the most temperamental of prisoners, but the city state has the moral issue of deciding whether to ‘police’ the prisoners’ behaviour in the prison or to leave them to it.

Onion Relatives
These rotund humanoids known as Inshi, appear to have a shiny, glossy skin.  It enables them to regenerate damaged cells and recover hit points. The skin can also be shed, peeling back to reveal an inner skin without the ailments of the outer.  When they choose to do this, their maximum hit points and strength are reduced, but they are fit and healthy once more.  Only a severe wound would affect the inner layers. They have approximately five working layers (depending on the individual) before the inner organs become exposed.  Here is an example of their stats in 5e (Int, Wis and Cha stay the same):

Outer Layer:  Str:16, Dex:10, Con: 18, Hit points = 40, Regeneration rate = 0

Layer 2: Str:14, Dex:12, Con: 16, Hit points = 34, Reg. rate = 1 hp/round

Layer 3:  Str:12, Dex:14, Con: 14, Hit points = 28, Reg. rate = 2 hp/round

Layer 4:  Str:10, Dex:16, Con: 12, Hit points = 22, Reg. rate = 3 hp/round

Layer 5: Str:8, Dex:18, Con: 10, Hit points = 16, Reg. rate = 4 hp/round

The Inshi can recover their outer skin(s), but it is a painful process that takes a considerable amount of time to do.

Rolling Word Play – 18

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Rallies Swings, Events Tilting and Reserved Sawdust.

Rallies Swings
The thieves guild has an assault course that tests their agility and ability to work together.  New initiates have to wait till at least four creatures are ready to join the guild before they’ll be considered.  They must then take the assault course together by each completing a lap of the course with a bundle of goods (represented by a sack of stones) and passing it onto the next initiate.  Failure can be very costly as there are not only dogs chasing the runners but also swinging weaponry to dodge and walls to climb.  Those that get hit by the assault course obstacles can become crippled for life or even die.

Events Tilting
Ambal’s Trembling Disk is a very powerful magical item.  Its size makes it very distinguishable as is it has the appearance of a black rock and so heavy that it uses a four-legged stand, making it a similar size to a desk. The central-top area of the disk is separate from the outside.  In shape, this central area is flat and then curves into a ball at the bottom.  A skilled magic user who has taken time to master the device can project a visible area of land up to 300 ft. onto the disk and start physically moving the central part of the disk up, down and around.  This causes the chosen area of land to do the same, affecting any creatures or buildings in that area as if hit by an earthquake.  It has been used in city defence and even carried into battle warfare before.  But where is it now?

Reserved Sawdust
In the Gamalen Forest, the wood lives on beyond the death of the tree.  This wood attempts to protect the soil beneath by crawling worm-like on the ground and find the best place for it to finally decompose.  One clever entrepreneur realised that if the wood is taken from the forest, it can have other uses.  Reserved Sawdust is a thieves’ favourite tool to cover their tracks as when dropped on the ground it looks for damp patches to cover and divots to fill.  Before long, the ground looks as if no one walked there at all.

Rolling Word Play – 17

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Extremely Parenthood, Pampering Caves and Translate Servants.

Extremely Parenthood
The Basin of Innocence if a profound place, which includes many items of curiosity as well as some wondrous magical items.  The feeling when entering is hard to avoid, however and affects the whole body.  It is a squeezing, popping sensation as if sucked through a worm hole whilst flying at high altitude.   Those who are swept up in that feeling (the equivalent of failing a Wisdom saving throw in D&D 5e) become very young versions of themselves.  Roll 1d6 +6 to determine their new age.  Now, best try and retrieve the object they came there for (if they can still remember) and find a way out.  The age effects last for 1d6 days after leaving the Basin.

Pampering Caves
The Doljer Hills have an extensive network of caves and hot springs, which attracts many travellers and rich aristocrats with ailments, who flock to the bath houses to be pampered and revived whilst enjoying extensive views of the plains below.  But those that do make the journey must make sure they go to the right caves, for there are also many faux bath houses.  Many travellers have found themselves in bath houses run by bandits, who store stolen goods further inside the cave complex, and also bath houses of ill repute for other activities.  Which will your adventurers discover?  How far into the cave complex do they wish to go?

Translate Servants
The Fellowship House is a bastion of civilized society, where ideas are shared, the ways of the world debated and much feasting is had.  But it is built on the back of slavery, much of which has been imported for labour. However, there is a plot underway by the servants to overthrow their masters.  Will their plot be translated in time, and if so, whose side will the adventurers take?

Rolling Word Play – 16

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Prefers Notary, Actual Materials and Cheeks Rejoin.

Prefers Notary
In one kingdom the power not only sits with royalty, but the Queen’s notary who over time, became her lover and partner in plotting the kingdom’s future behind the King’s back.  The King had been oblivious to this turn of events until recently.  But now he’s starting to ask questions and suspect there may be something more between his wife and her notary.  A plot is formed to knock him off and replace him with someone they can control (an actor, or an illusion from a trusted mage).  Will they succeed and if so, how long can they keep up the façade?

Actual Materials
A gold mine has been producing very little in precious metals and the local community is concerned that the mining company will go under.  Despite their lack of success, work has not ceased and does not look like slowing with those in control determined to continue.  The occasional pieces of glittering gold have emerged, but it isn’t enough to run a mine.  The minors are unmotivated whilst some haven’t been paid in weeks.

There are two illusionists working for the manager, who oversee the mining and carry out inspections. They have been hiding the gold in plain sight making it look like solid rock, and have been sifting out the hidden gold and storing it elsewhere for their own gains.  What is their aim?  Does the manager know?

Cheeks Rejoin
The sacred cheeks of Almara are 2 pristine velvet cushions, made of exquisite material.  They have been kept apart in separate palaces belonging to the Sultan of Almara.  There has long been a myth that the two together provide a coded message for finding the tomb of the first Sultan and untold wealth therein.  However, this interest has piqued recently with the disappearance of one of the cushions, presumed stolen.  Who has the cushion?  What other parties are interested in obtaining the treasures? Where is the tomb located and what lies inside?

Rolling Word Play – 15

Creating Roleplay ideas based on randomly generated words.  Here’s today’s selection.  Discover more about Handbag View Downward, Laughed needlessly and Connectors Parked.

Handbag View Downward
A mage created this bag with two pancake-sized portals that both link to the inside of the bag.  It enables anything within this bag to be in constant motion between the portals.  It was created as a good way to store chemical objects that shouldn’t settle (certain fluids that would turn to solid or explosive ingredients) but it can also be a very effective ranged weapon as it will be at full speed when released from the bag.  When extracting useful contents from the bag, a spell such as Featherfall (D&D) or a Slow spell prevents the contents from splattering everywhere.

Laughed Needlessly
A certain name triggers this curse upon all those in the vicinity of hearing it when it is spoken by someone. Why this powerful prank should work, no-one is sure but it is not fixed to any area.  It follows those who know of its power around, like a virus, spreading onto others who witness the effect.  Urban myths say the person is real and living, but common sense must surely mean they have changed their name by now to avoid complete ridicule.

Connectors Parked
The gates to the Avass – an imposing pyramidal structured tomb – are all connected.  All it takes is for one door to be triggered by opening it and all gates are uniformly activated.  This turns on the life and traps within.