Pets and Vermin in a Grand House

22 Monday Oct 2018

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic and Romantic Literature, Gothic Gaming, Highdark Hall, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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18th Century, chateau, country seat, dreadpunk, Eighteenth Century, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, mannerpunk, Napoleonic, random encounters, Random Table, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, stately home

The effect of supernatural events on household pets is a recurring motif of Gothic and horror novels that can be used to great effect in a game. Sometimes the pet is itself the locus of the supernatural events, perhaps being actually a demon in disguise. Although the general treatment of animals during the Ghastly Age (1765 – 1820) was… ghastly, many aristocrats were in fact animal lovers who kept numerous pets. Lord Byron, for example, was renowned for his love of animals, and the Villa Diodati (where Mary Shelley conceived the idea for “Frankenstein”) was crawling with tame (and semi-tame) animals. The English eccentric John Mytton famously kept thousands of pets, let his horse live in his house, and once rode a pet bear to dinner! In the fictional Highdark Hall setting, Georgina Altumber’s calico cat Artemis is often to be found sleeping on her owner’s bed.

Pets Living in the House

Roll as many times as there are family members living in the house, but stop when you roll a 69 or higher. Add repeated results together.

Remember that there will almost always be a semi-feral cat kept in the kitchens (for killing vermin), and possibly a turnspit dog (or two).

d100	The family keeps…	NOTES
1 – 4	an angora cat.
5 – 6	a barbet (hunting dog).	Barbets actually used for hunting will usually be kept in exterior kennels.
7 – 8	a beagle (lapdog)	Beagles actually used for hunting will usually be kept in exterior kennels.
9 – 10	a bichon (lapdog).
11 – 12	a bullfinch.
13 – 14	a canary.
15 – 16	a capuchin monkey.	Often dressed in a footman’s livery, or exotic costume.
17– 18	a chihuahua (lapdog).
19 – 20	a corgi (lapdog).	According to Welsh legend, corgis are the mounts of Fairies.
21 – 22	a crow or raven.
23 – 24	a fox	Tame animal kept as a pet, although foxes are also considered vermin.
25– 26	1d8 goldfish.	Fishbowl will be located in a family member’s bedchamber, boudoir, or cabinet.
27 – 28	a green (or sabaeus) monkey.	Often dressed in an outfit.
29 – 30	a hedgehog.	Tame animal kept as a pet, although hedgehogs are also considered parkland vermin.
31 – 35	a long-haired cat.	A semi-feral ratter will usually be kept in the kitchen.
36 – 37	a pair of lovebirds.
38 – 39	a macaque (or Barbary ape).
40 – 41	a mastiff (guard dog).	Guard Mastiffs will usually be kept in exterior kennels.
42 – 43	a nightingale.
44 – 45	a papillon (lapdog).
46 – 47	a parrot.
48 – 52	a Persian cat.	Original breed, without the pug face characteristic of modern examples.
53 – 54	a poodle (hunting dog).	Poodles actually used for hunting will usually be kept in exterior kennels.
55 – 56	a pug (lapdog).	The 18^th century breed has a short, but noticeable muzzle.
57	a serval.
58 – 59	a short-haired cat	A semi-feral ratter will usually be kept in the kitchen.
60 – 61	a spaniel (hunting dog).	Spaniels actually used for hunting will usually be kept in exterior kennels.
62 – 63	a spitz (hunting dog).	Spitzes actually used for hunting will usually be kept in exterior kennels.
64 – 65	a terrier (hunting dog).	Terriers actually used for hunting animals other than rats will usually be kept in exterior kennels.
66– 68	a toy poodle (lapdog).
69 – 100	No more pets.

Grand Houses (such as Highdark Hall) were almost always infested with some kind of vermin, and an attempt to finally eliminate them can make a nice setup for a scenario. As with the family pets, there is always the possibility that the house vermin are not at all what they seem…

Vermin in the House

Roll 1d4 times.

d100	The house is infested with…	NOTES
1 – 2	ants.
3 – 7	barn owls.	Only seen in attic.
8 – 9	barn swallows.	Only seen in attic.
10 – 15	bats	Only seen in attic.
15 – 16	bedbugs.	An infestation creates a noticeable smell like coriander (cilantro).
17 – 18	carpet beetles.
19 – 20	centipedes.
21 – 24	clothes moths.
25 – 26	cockroaches.	Most active at night. Will flee bright lights.
27 – 28	crickets
29	dangerous spiders.
30 – 31	death’s head moths.
32 – 33	deathwatch beetles.
34 – 35	fleas.
36 – 40	flies.
41 – 42	grave beetles.
43 – 44	harmless house spiders.
45 – 46	harmless snakes.	Only seen in basement or on ground floor.
47 – 48	house moths.
49 – 50	larder beetles.
51 – 52	lizards.	Warm areas only.
53 – 63	mice.	Almost all Grand Houses have some mice and/or rats. A result here indicates a noticeably large amount.
64 – 75	millipedes.
76 – 77	paper wasps.	Only seen in attic.
78 – 90	rats.	Almost all Grand Houses have some rats and/or mice. A result here indicates a noticeably large amount.
91 – 92	silverfish.
93 – 95	termites
96	toads.	Only seen in basement or on ground floor.
97	venomous snakes.	Only seen in basement or on ground floor.
98	woodwasps
99 – 100	woodworms.

Random Landscape Paintings in Grand Houses

15 Monday Oct 2018

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Highdark Hall, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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18th Century, Austenpunk, blackpowder, chateau, country seat, dreadpunk, Eighteenth Century, First Empire, French Directory, French Revolution, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, Historical Gaming, History, Louis Seize, Louis XV, Louis XVI, mannerpunk, manor house, Napoleonic, nineteenth century, Regency, Romance, Romantic Age, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, Romanticism, schauerroman, stately home, steampunk

The 18th century saw the tremendous growth of Landscape painting as a popular genre, especially in Britain. Although contemporary critics ranked it as a “lesser” type of painting (similar to the still-life), there were many more landscapes actually hanging on walls than the more prestigious historical images preferred by the intelligentsia. The early years of the 19th century also saw the emergence of great Romantic landscape artists like Caspar David Friedrich (known for his moody images that often include figures looking into the scene with the viewer) and J.M.W. Turner (whose visionary work prefigured Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism).

Besides its use to add atmosphere to a setting, a landscape painting can also be a great clue to finding a location significant to the resolution of some in-game mystery. If you are running a game set in Highdark Hall, use the following tables to define the landscape paintings found in the Governess’ Bedroom.

d100	The painting depicts a landscape scene of…
1 – 2	a gnarled forest…
3 – 4	a pine forest…
5 – 6	a ruined castle…
7 – 8	a ruined cathedral…
9 – 10	a classical ruin…
11 – 12	a circle of standing stones…
13 – 14	an overgrown churchyard…
15 – 16	a lake…
17 – 18	a field of grain…
19 – 20	an orchard…
21 – 22	a snowy field…
23 – 24	jagged mountain peaks…
25 – 26	rolling hills…
27 – 28	rocky shore…
29 – 30	Venice…
31 –32	the Bay of Naples…
33 – 34	London…
35 – 36	Paris…
37 – 38	Vienna…
39 – 40	the ruins of Pompeii…
41 – 42	the arctic…
43 – 44	a house on the moors…
45 – 46	a ship on a calm sea…
47 – 48	a ship on a stormy sea…
49 – 50	a great chasm…
51 – 52	a formal French garden…
53 – 54	an English landscape garden…
55 – 56	a castle atop a mountain…
57 – 58	Chinese pagodas…
59 – 60	Egyptian ruins…
61 – 62	a cave entrance…
63 – 64	a natural arch of rock…
65 – 66	a monumental building in India…
67 – 68	a Turkish palace…
69 – 70	a mosque…
71 – 72	a lonely tomb…
73 – 74	a grand Gothic cathedral…
75 – 76	a mighty river…
77 – 78	an island in the South Seas…
79 – 80	a forest, with hunters chasing game…
81 – 82	a gathering storm on the shoreline…
83 – 84	a storm raining down on a field…
85 – 86	a beacon on the shore…
87 – 88	a South Seas island…
89 – 90	sandy desert dunes…
91 – 92	a ruined Hindu temple…
93 – 94	Ancient American ruins (Aztec, Mayan, Inca, etc.)…
95 – 96	a volcanic eruption…
97 – 98	a river ford…
99 – 100	a partially-ruined farmhouse…

d4	in the…
1	spring,
2	summer,
3	autumn,
4	winter,

d4	during the hours of…
1	the morning.
2	the day.
3	the evening.
4	the night.

d20	The notable thing about the painting is…
1	the out of place animal(s).
2	the out of place plant(s).
3	the inclusion of an unidentifiable creature.
4	the powerfully moving depiction that fills you with a sense of sublime melancholy (or terror).
5	the strange lights depicted in the sky.
6	the heavy use of impasto techniques that add surface texture to the depictions of features like rocks and trees.
7	the strange use of perspective.
8	that no attempt has been made to follow the rules of perspective.
9	it appears to be an unknown work from a well-known master.
10	it is incompetently rendered, and must have some kind of sentimental value to its owners.
11	the places and objects depicted form a visual pun.
12	the complete lack of apparent brush-strokes.
13	the virtuoso, trompe l’oeil depiction that looks like seeing the actual landscape through a window.
14	it seems to have been painted on a black ground, rather than white.
15	it was apparently painted alla prima, in one sitting with no under-painting.
16	there seems to be another, faintly visible image underneath the current image.
17	it has a heavily crackled surface.
18	although an oil, it is completely painted in translucent glazes that make it resemble a watercolor.
19	it appears to be the work of an unknown master.
20	the semi-abstract rendering, more concerned with color and shape than an accurate depiction of reality.

Random Allegorical and Emblematic Paintings

10 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Highdark Hall, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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18th Century, alchemy, Austenpunk, blackpowder, chateau, country seat, dreadpunk, Eighteenth Century, First Empire, French Directory, French Revolution, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic Romance, Gothick, Gothique, Historical, Historical Gaming, History, Louis Seize, Louis XV, Louis XVI, mannerpunk, manor house, Napoleonic, nineteenth century, occult, Regency, Romance, Romantic Age, Romantic Horror, Romantic-era, Romanticism, schauerroman, stately home, steampunk

Pre-20th century art was filled with allegorical and emblematic images bizarre to modern eyes. “Allegorical” images were usually conventionalized depictions that would be easily recognizable to anyone who had a classical education. They were considered among the “higher” forms of art in the hierarchy of subjects, on par with Historical painting. Of course, many times Allegorical images (particularly subjects such as the “Three Graces”) were simply an excuse to portray beautiful nude women. The type of images referred to as “Emblems”, on the other hand, could be quite startling, and utterly baffling to anyone who lacked the keys to their decipherment. Such an Emblematic image might represent anything from a moral lesson to a coded occult instruction. Reconnaissance art was particularly obsessed with such emblems, the most recognizable example of which to modern people are the twenty-two Trump cards of the Tarot. The twenty-two illustrations of the “Splendor Solis”, a sixteenth century alchemical treatise, are another well-known set of Emblems.

Both Allegorical and Emblematic paintings are great ways for the Presenter (or GM) to hide clues to some great mystery. Allegorical paintings are also a good narrative device for declaring the mood (or to foreshadow the intended moral) of a scenario. The lodges or chapter-houses of secret societies are particularly likely to be filled with Emblematic paintings, and successfully decoding them may reveal the secrets of such groups. Likewise, the only recorded form of a powerful Magical Ritual might be a series of Emblems whose interpretation has eluded the uninitiated for centuries.

Allegorical Images

d100	This painting depicts an allegorical image of…
1 – 5	Death and the Maiden, depicted as a skeletal figure embracing a young woman.
6	Calliope, the Muse of Eloquent Speaking, holding a writing tablet.
7	Clio, the Muse of History, holding a scroll.
8	Euterpe, the Muse of Music, holding a flute.
9	Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, holding the comedic mask.
10	Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy, holding the tragic mask,
11	Terpsichore, the Muse of Dancing, holding a lyre
12	Erato, the Muse of Love Poetry, wreathed with myrtle, and holding a lyre.
13	Polyhymnia, the Muse of Sacred Poetry, with her elbow resting on a pillar.
14	Urania, the Muse of Astronomy, holding a globe and stylus.
15 – 16	The Nine Muses together.
17 – 22	The Three Graces, depicted as nude women embracing each other.
23 – 24	The Dance of Death, depicting a skeletal figure dancing with people from various stations in society.
25 – 26	The Triumph of Death, depicting a mounted skeleton with a scythe cutting down armies of the living.
27 – 28	The Golden Age of Man, depicting naked people cavorting in an idyllic landscape.
29 – 30	The Ages of Man, showing a man at 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, 50 years, 60 years, 70 years, 80 years, and 90 years of age.
31	Spring, represented as a young woman crowned with flowers.
32	Summer, represented as a woman holding wheat.
33	Autumn, represented as a mature woman holding grapes.
34	Winter, represented as an aged women (or man) in furs.
35 – 38	The Four Seasons together.
39	the Element of Air, represented by a mass of birds and sylphs.
40	the Element of Water, represented by marine life sporting alongside mermaids and nereids.
41	the Element of Fire, represented by a volcanic landscape with dragons.
42	the Element of Earth, represented by gardens, forests, and farmers laboring in their fields.
43	the Four Winds, represented as four men with puffed out cheeks, atop clouds.
44	the River Nile, depicted as man reclining on a sculpture of the sphinx.
45 – 46	the Rhine River, depicted as a man with two horns and a crown of grape leaves.
47 – 48	the Danube River, depicted as a man with weeds growing from his hair.
49 – 50	the Liberal Arts, depicted as seven women. The first holds a book and key, the second a scroll and caduceus, the third a small dragon, the fourth a compass, the fifth a ledger and coins, the sixth a harp, and the seventh an armillary sphere.
51 – 53	the Wheel of Fortune, with figures ascending, riding atop, and descending.
54	the Virtue of Justice, depicted as a woman holding scales and a sword.
55	the Virtue of Fortitude, depicted as a young woman holding open the jaws of a lion.
56	the Virtue of Temperance, depicted as a women pouring water from one jug into another.
57	the Virtue of Prudence, depicted as a woman with a mirror, menaced by a serpentine dragon.
58 – 62	The Four Cardinal Virtues (Justice, Fortitude, Temperance, and Prudence) together.
63	the Virtue of Faith, depicted as a woman with a cup, and a book.
64	the Virtue of Hope, depicted as a woman with upcast eyes, and an anchor, at her feet.
65	the Virtue of Charity, depicted as a bare-breasted woman nursing many children.
66 – 70	The Three Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity) together.
71	the Continent of Europe, depicted as a crowned woman in a Classical breastplate.
72	the Continent of Asia, depicted as a woman wearing a turban.
73	the Continent of Africa, depicted as a dark-skinned woman wearing a head-wrap with ostrich feathers.
74	the Continent of America, depicted as a woman with a headdress comprised completely of feathers.
75 – 78	the Four Continents (Europe, Asia, Africa, and America)
79	the Deadly Sin of Sloth, depicted as a sloppily-dressed woman asleep.
80	the Deadly Sin of Gluttony, depicted as a woman with a wolf’s head eating a vast amount of food.
81	the Deadly Sin of Wrath, depicted as an angry woman with a bloody sword.
82	the Deadly Sin of Pride, depicted a woman in finery looking into a mirror.
83	the Deadly Sin of Lust, depicted as a naked woman lasciviously holding her breasts and genitals.
84	the Deadly Sin of Greed, depicted as a woman clutching various treasures.
85	the Deadly Sin of Envy, depicted as an old woman with a snake protruding from her mouth, and a dog by her side.
86 – 88	The Seven Deadly Sins in a group.
89 – 90	Vanity, represented by a beautiful woman staring into a hand mirror.
91 – 92	Sacred and Profane Love, depicted as clothed and nude women.
93 – 94	War and Peace, depicted armored Mars embraced by nude Venus.
95 – 96	Peace, depicted as a woman dressed in diaphanous white vestment, and holding an olive branch,
97 – 100	Father Time, depicted with his scythe and hourglass.

d20	Notably,
1	there are several putti also depicted.
2	a main figure has the face of a family member (or ancestor).
3	a main figure has the face of a royal ancestor (or family member).
4	a famous artists’ model obviously posed for the picture.
5	the picture appears to be a work of genius from an unknown master.
6	everything is so realistically rendered it seems completely three-dimensional.
7	the colors are quite garish.
8	the colors are so subdued the painting seems almost monochrome.
9	the perspective seems off.
10	the picture is painted in a flat, medieval style that ignores perspective.
11	the Grand House itself appears in the background.
12	the background depicts an easily recognizable cityscape (Rome, Venice, Paris, Naples, London, etc.)
13	the background is a field of gold leaf.
14	the background is a field of silver leaf.
15	the surface of the painting is badly cracked.
16	sections appear to have been altered and re-painted.
17	the figures are rendered in a way that seems more calculate to titillate than instruct.
18	the shadows seem to be all wrong (or there are no shadows).
19	the composition seems to change slightly with each viewing.
20	it seems impossible to ascertain what medium was used.

Enigmatic Emblems

d100	The main subject of this strange painting is…
1 – 5	a young man…
6 – 10	an old man…
11 – 15	a young woman…
16 – 20	an old woman…
21 – 25	a pregnant woman…
26 – 30	a nursing woman…
31 – 35	a male child…
36 – 40	a female child…
41 – 45	an androgyne…
46 – 57	a demonic figure…
58 – 59	a skeletal figure…
60 – 61	a satyr…
62 – 63	a centaur…
64 – 65	a dog…
66 – 67	a cat…
68 – 69	a lion…
70 – 71	a serpent…
72 – 73	a dragon…
74 – 75	an eagle…
76 – 77	a raven…
78 – 79	a mermaid…
80 – 81	a stag…
82 – 83	a ram…
84 – 85	a bull…
86 – 87	a peacock…
88 – 98	a crab…
90 – 91	a fish…
92 – 93	a scorpion…
94 – 95	a swan…
96 – 97	a rooster…
98 – 99	a griffin…
100	a hippogriff…

d100	with…
1 – 4	two heads,
5 – 8	four arms,
9 – 12	one eye,
13 – 16	2d4 eyes,
17 – 20	a strange coloration,
21 – 24	the sun, moon, or a star, instead of a head.
25 – 28	bird wings, (if the figure is a bird, it has the wings of a different bird)
29 – 32	bat wings,
33 – 36	a burning tail,
37 – 40	sigils (or letters) on their (or its) body,
41 – 44	a crown,
45 – 48	a sword (held, or nearby),
49 – 52	a burst of glory emanating from their (or its) body,
53 – 56	a lamp burning atop their (or its) head,
57 – 60	antlers,
61 – 64	a halo of stars,
65 – 68	a chain wrapped around their (or its) body,
69 – 72	various bladed weapons stuck into their (or its) body,
73 – 76	a lance (held, or nearby),
77 – 80	a whip (held, or nearby),
81 – 84	a rose (held, or nearby),
85 – 88	a shovel (held, or nearby),
89 – 95	a horn (blowing, held, or nearby),
93 – 96	an enormous gem in their head,
97 – 100	a human face on its body,

d100	who is…
1 – 4	seated on a throne.
5 – 8	standing in a pool.
9 – 12	being crucified.
13 – 16	being struck with weapons.
17 – 20	spitting a stream of water (or blood) from their (or its) mouth.
21 – 24	breathing fire.
25 – 28	emerging from a grave.
29 – 32	emerging from a pool.
33 – 36	being dressed in a royal mantle.
37 – 40	being disrobed of a royal mantle.
41 – 44	being worshiped by a nude man and woman.
45 – 48	floating in the air.
49 – 52	dancing.
53 – 56	posed between two pillars.
57 – 60	inside a bubble.
61 – 64	hung from a tree.
65 – 68	holding (or standing near) a flowerpot.
69 – 72	menaced by dogs.
73 – 76	being cut into pieces by a man with a sword.
77 – 80	being bathed in a cauldron.
81 – 82	being put through a winepress.
83 – 87	being picked at by birds.
88 – 92	swallowing a snake.
93 – 95	blowing a horn.
96 – 98	contained within a giant glass flask.
99 – 100	chained to the Devil.

d100	In the background is…
1 – 5	the sun and moon.
6 – 10	a smiling sun.
11 – 15	a frowning moon.
16 – 20	a field of 1d20 stars.
21 – 25	1d6 cherubs or putti.
26 – 30	a castle.
31 – 35	a battle.
36 – 40	a river.
41 – 42	a placid ocean.
43 – 44	a forest.
45 – 46	a group of women washing clothes.
47 – 48	a group of peasants working their fields.
49 – 50	an unidentifiable plant.
51 – 52	a chimeric animal.
53 – 54	a hill being excavated.
55 – 56	a group of archers.
57 – 58	a stag hunt.
59 – 60	a vineyard.
61 – 62	the interior of a dungeon.
63 – 64	a barren field full of skulls.
65 – 66	an unfinished pyramid.
67 – 68	a hand projecting from a cloud.
69 – 70	an alchemical furnace.
71 – 72	two towers.
73 – 74	two obelisks.
75 – 76	two classical pillars.
77 – 78	a cliff.
79 – 80	the damned being tortured in hell.
81 – 82	an erupting volcano.
83 – 84	a rain of fire.
85 – 86	a pleasant landscape of rolling hills.
87 – 88	a rocky shore.
89 – 90	a windmill.
91 – 92	two armies about to clash.
93 – 94	a battlefield filled with corpses.
95 – 96	a Chinese landscape with pagodas.
97 – 98	a castle under construction.
99 – 100	the Crucifixion.

Random Historical Paintings in Grand Houses

27 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Highdark Hall, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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Historical painting occupied (along with religious painting) the most prestigious place among the accepted hierarchy of subjects that reigned in Western art before the 20th century. It was praised as the greatest and most serious type of art by critics and philosophers of the 18th century, who looked down upon the more popular portrait, landscape, and still life paintings that actually occupied most of the wall space in the homes of collectors.

It was common before the 19th century to depict historical figures in contemporary costumes. For example, Nero might be depicted in the garb of the 15th century king, or El Cid in historically inaccurate plate armor. Painters also commonly increased their sales by putting bare-breasted and nude women into every scene that could plausibly (or even possibly) include them. And of course, painters were always expected to portray events in a way that reflected the values and prejudices of their wealthy patrons. A historically accurate historical painting would actually have been quite unusual!

Historical paintings can be great clues to the secret history of the family inhabiting a Grand House such as Highdark Hall, or indications as to their actual political ( or religious) allegiance. A large amount of historical paintings present in a collection can warn PCs of the owner’s social pretensions, or intellectual snobbery. A historical painting might even be supernatural portal between the past and present!

d100	The painting depicts…
1 – 2	the abduction of the Sabine women. (circa 750 BC)
3 – 4	the suicide of Lucretia. (circa 500 BC)
5 – 6	the Battle of Marathon. (490 BC).
7 – 8	the Battle of Thermopylae. (480 BC)
9 – 10	the death of Socrates. (399 BC)
13 – 12	Alexander the Great in the Temple of Jerusalem. (332 BC)
13 – 14	Hannibal crossing the Alps. (218 BC)
15 – 16	the murder of Julius Caesar. (44 BC)
17 – 18	Cleopatra’s lavish pleasure ship arriving at Tarsos, to meet Marc Antony. (41 BC)
19 – 20	the defeat of Marc Antony’s naval forces at the Battle of Actium. (31 BC)
21 – 22	the suicide of Cleopatra. (30 BC)
23 – 24	the destruction of the Roman legions by Arminius during the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. (9 BC)
25 – 26	the Great Fire of Rome under the Emperor Nero. (64)
27 – 28	the Emperor Constantine’s vision of the Chi-Rho before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. (312)
29 – 30	the Council of Nicea. (325)
31 – 32	the sack of Rome by Alaric. (410)
33 – 34	Pope Leo I convincing Attila the Hun to spare Rome. (452)
35 – 36	Charles Martel defeating the Saracens at the Battle of Tours. (732)
37 – 38	the coronation of Charlemagne as Emperor. (800)
39 – 40	the “Cadaver Synod”, when Pope Stephen VI put the rotting corpse of former Pope Formosus on trial for perjury. (897)
41 – 42	an outraged husband catching his wife in bed with Pope John XII, and murdering the pontiff with a hammer. (964)
43 – 44	the Battle of Hastings. (1066)
45 – 46	the sack of Jerusalem by the Crusaders. (1099)
47 – 48	the last ride of El Cid, with his corpse tied to his horse. (1099)
49 – 50	the taking of Carcassonne during the Albigensian Crusades. (1209)
51 – 52	the signing of the Magna Carta. (1215)
53 – 54	Marco Polo in the court of Kublai Khan. (1275)
55 – 56	French knights facing English longbowmen at the Battle of Poitiers. (1356)
57 – 58	King Peter I of Portugal forcing his court to pay homage to the decayed corpse of Inês de Castro. (1357)
59 – 60	Jacques de Molay, last Grand Master of the Templar Order, burnt at the stake. (1314)
61 – 62	the Battle of Agincourt. (1415) (Roll again in France.)
63 – 64	Saint Joan of Arc waving the French banner at the Siege of Orléans (1429). (Roll again in Britain.)
65 – 66	Saint Joan of Arc burnt at the stake. (1431)
67 – 68	the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks. (1453)
69 – 70	the fall of the Alhambra in Granada. (1492)
71 – 72	Columbus stepping foot upon the shore of San Salvador (1492)
73 – 74	Cesare Borgia, his sister Lucrezia, and their father Pope Alexander VI, at the infamous “Banquet of Chestnuts”. (1501)
75 – 76	Hernando Cortes landing in Mexico. (1519)
77 – 78	the conquest of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) by Hernán Cortés. (1521)
79 – 80	the Sack of Rome by the forces of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. (1527)
81 – 82	the Siege of Vienna by the Turks. (1529)
83 – 84	the arrival of Catherine de Medici in France. (1533)
85 – 86	the execution of Atahualpa, the last Incan Emperor. (1533).
87 – 88	the defeat of the Ottoman Fleet at the battle of Lepanto. (1571)
89 – 90	the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. (1587)
91 – 92	the sinking of the Spanish Armada (1588) (Roll again for houses in Catholic countries.)
93 – 94	the coronation of Louis XIV. (1654)
95 – 96	the Battle of Vienna. (1683)
97 – 98	the Great Fire of London. (1666)
99 – 100	The Great Lisbon Earthquake. (1755)

d20	The strange thing about the depiction is…
1 – 4	nothing – everything about the painting appears perfectly ordinary and conventional.
5	the figures appear to be of different racial or ethnic backgrounds than reported in orthodox history.
6	one of the famous men of history is painted as having actually been a woman (or vice versa).
7	everyone is painted with animal heads.
8	the painter has included the figure of Satan snickering.
9	everyone is nude – even if the painting depicts a battle or coronation!
10	the colors are utterly bizarre and garish.
11	if you look away, and then look again at the painting, the figures look as if they have changed positions.
12	it appears to be the work of an otherwise unknown master.
13	it is so realistic-looking you feel as if you could reach in and touch the figures.
14	it done in a flat and stylized manner.
15	it seems impossible to ascertain what medium was used.
16	it seems almost self-luminous.
17	the presence of several mythological creatures.
18	the side usually accepted as heroic is painted as if they were villainous, and their opponents are depicted heroically.
19	one of the figures clearly has the face of a Player Character.
20	the series of seemingly random numbers and letters that have been incorporated into the composition.

Random Religious Paintings in Grand Houses

20 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Highdark Hall, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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Religion played a much larger part in Western culture during the Ghastly Age than it does today. While the aristocracy of the 18th century were frequently impious in their personal beliefs (particularly in pre-Revolutionary France), they were socially obligated to be seen attending church services, and were otherwise expected to publicly support their country’s established church. While many members of the intelligentsia were Deists who believed that Nature’s God created the world, but did not intervene in it, the vast majority of the middle and lower classes believed absolutely in the reality of miracles, and the literal truth of Biblical stories. It was also traditional in many places for the third son of an aristocratic family to assume a religious office (with the first son inheriting the property, and the second becoming a military officer).

In Catholic countries (particularly Spain, Portugal, and the Italian States) every Grand House will be filled with religious paintings on canvas or wood, which will be viewed as both devotional and decorative. However, in France such paintings are apt to be hidden away between 1793 and 1801, when the public celebration of Christianity was either illegal, or discouraged.

In Eastern Orthodox countries (particularly Russia), a religious painting will often be a venerated Icon rendered in a highly stylized manner, and painted on wood or metal. Icons will often lack any middle ground at all, being painted in a flat style that ignores the rules of perspective in favor of a highly symbolic placement of figures. The background of Icons will often (but not always) be a field of gold or silver leaf framing the main subject. The veneration of Icons is an essential facet of Orthodoxy, and a Russian Dvorets (palace) will often have a dedicated Icon Room (in addition to any chapel also present on the property). Certain Icons are said to be miraculous – exuding holy oil, or being vehicles for supernatural cures.

In Protestant countries such as England, the owners of a Grand House might collect religious paintings purely for their artistic value, and decorative qualities.

Of course, Gothic novels have long focused on the most outrageous excesses of Catholicism (typified by the Inquisition). Religious extremism is also a recurring theme of the early American Gothic tradition, from “Wieland” to “The Pit and the Pendulum”. Likewise, late 18th century French novels often featured depraved clergy (even though such writing risked official censorship and reprisal). Therefore, the subjects listed below are weighted towards strange and violent images, consistent with the creation of a properly Gothic atmosphere. Naturally, the Presenter should keep in mind the sensibilities of the players when describing any paintings depicting religious subjects.

d100	In the foreground is/are…
1 – 2	Salome holding the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
3 – 4	the Crucifixion of Jesus.
5 – 6	the Madonna in glory.
7 – 8	Saint Sebastian tied to tree and riddled with arrows.
9 – 10	Saint Lucy carrying her own gouged-out eyes on a plate.
11 – 12	the Massacre of the Innocents by the soldiers of Herod.
13 – 14	Judas hanging himself, with his entrails spilling onto the ground.
15 – 16	the visitation of the Magi to the Holy Family.
17 – 18	the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary by the angel Gabriel.
19 – 20	the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate.
21 – 22	the Last Judgment, with Christ in glory sending some to Heaven, while condemning others to Hell.
23 – 24	David slaying Goliath.
25 – 26	Samson fighting the lion.
27 – 28	Jesus walking on water.
29 – 30	King Solomon commanding demons.
31 –32	The Walls of Jericho falling before the trumpets of the Israelites.
33 – 34	Saint Catherine, with her emblems of the sword and breaking wheel.
35 – 36	sinners tortured in Hell.
37 – 38	the Whore of Babylon riding the Beast with Seven Heads and Ten Horns.
39 – 40	Saint Bartholomew holding his own flayed skin.
41 – 42	Jesus, Mary, and Joseph’s flight into Egypt.
43 – 44	Saint George and the Dragon.
45 – 46	the penitent Mary Magdalene, dressed only in her own long hair.
47 – 48	the Last Supper.
49 – 50	Jesus transforming water into wine during the Wedding Feast at Cana.
51 – 52	Jesus tempted by Satan in the wilderness.
53 – 54	Jesus carrying his cross through Jerusalem.
55 – 56	Jesus flogged by Roman soldiers.
57 – 58	Saint Theresa writhing in ecstasy as an Angel plunges his spear into her body.
59 – 60	the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death.
61 – 62	the Patriarch Abraham about to sacrifice his son.
63 – 64	Judith beheading Holofernes.
65 – 66	two old men spying on the naked Susanna.
67 – 68	the archangel Michael casting Lucifer from Heaven.
69 – 70	The four Living Creatures of the Apocalypse – a man, a bull, an eagle, and a lion. Each has six wings, and covered with eyes all its body.
71 – 72	Saint Joan of Arc burning at the stake.
73 – 74	Jonah in the mouth of the whale.
75 – 76	Saint Hubert dressed as a hunter, confronted by a stag with a glowing crucifix between its antlers.
77 – 78	the Resurrection, with the decayed dead being re-clothed in flesh at the command of Jesus.
79 – 80	Jesus cursing the fig tree, for not bearing fruit out of season.
81 – 82	the battle of the angel Raphael and the devil Asmodeus.
83 – 84	Adam and Eve tempted by the Serpent.
85 – 86	the Tower of Babel.
87 – 88	the slaying of Abel by Cain.
89 – 90	Noah leading animals two-by-two onto the ark.
91 – 92	Moses bringing down the plagues on Egypt.
93 – 94	Saint Peter confronting Simon the Magician.
95 – 96	an unidentifiable male saint.
97 – 98	an unidentifiable female saint.
99 – 100	a religious scene where the figures have the recognizable facial features of family ancestors. Roll again to determine scene.

d12	Notably, the middle ground beyond the main figures features…
1 – 4	cherubs.
5 – 6	robed angels.
7	recognizable family ancestors.
8	onlookers in clothing contemporary to the painting’s era.
9	the Royal Family (of the painting’s time and country of origin).
10	oddly-shaped boulders.
11	several unidentifiable animals.
12	an unidentifiable species of tree.

d12	The background is/are…
1 – 6	more or less historically and geographically accurate.
7	a formal garden.
8	a theatrical stage. (The depiction is actually of a play, or opera.)
9	a pastoral countryside.
10	the Grand House itself.
11	a field of gold leaf
12	a field of silver leaf.

Random Still-Life Paintings in Grand Houses

06 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Highdark Hall, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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Often unfairly maligned as the most boring kind of art, still-life (or nature morte) paintings are actually a great way for the Presenter (or Game Master) to give in-game clues to the Player Characters. The items depicted might be the components for a Magical Ritual, the objects that must be buried to pacify a ghost, or even be a visual pun that helps solve a longstanding family mystery. Painters often used the still-life as an opportunity to display unbridled virtuosity through trompe l’oeil (“fool-the-eye”) depictions that seem almost real. In a world of real magic, perhaps one could actually take objects out of such a painting! And of course, a “Vanitas” (still-life that includes one or more skulls) will help add a properly Gothic atmosphere to any room.

d100, 2d4 times	The image depicts….
1 – 2	1d4 skull(s),
3 – 4	1d6 apple(s),
5 – 6	1d6 pear(s),
7 – 8	1d6 peach(es),
9 – 10	a lobster,
11 – 12	a ham,
13 – 14	1d2 sausage(s),
15 – 16	a coffee pot,
17 – 18	a crystal goblet,
19 – 20	a silver goblet,
21 – 22	a dead game bird,
23 – 24	a pitcher,
25 – 26	a bottle,
27 – 28	1d4 orange(s),
29 – 30	a bunch of grapes,
31 –32	a dagger,
33 – 34	1d6 oyster(s),
35 – 36	a Chinoiserie-patterned cloth,
37 – 38	an Indienne-patterned cloth,
39 – 40	an Arabesque-patterned cloth,
41 – 42	1d20 flower(s),
43 – 44	1d4 pine cone(s),
45 – 46	1d4 artichoke(s),
47 – 48	1d4 fish,
49 – 50	1d20 coin(s),
51 – 52	a melon,
53 – 54	a cabbage,
55 – 56	a violin,
57 – 58	a silver platter,
59 – 60	a porcelain platter,
61 – 62	a book,
63 – 64	a candlestick and candle,
65 – 66	an hourglass,
67 – 68	a globe,
69 – 70	a loaf of bread,
71 – 72	1d12 fig(s),
73 – 74	1d6 sea shell(s),
75 – 76	1d6 pastries,
77 – 78	1d8 chestnut(s),
79 – 80	1d10 walnut(s),
81 – 82	a pistol,
83 – 84	a crock of butter,
85 – 86	a gauntlet,
87 – 88	a helmet,
89 – 90	a sculptural bust,
91 – 92	a silver soup tureen,
93 – 94	a cheese,
95 – 96	a fly,
97 – 98	1d4 lemon(s),
99 – 100	a ring,

d10	gathered on / in…
1	a basket,
2	a table,
3	a chair,
4	a stump,
5	a stone,
6	a pillar,
7	a pedestal,
8	a stand,
9	the floor (or ground),
10	an oriental rug,

d12	in front of…
1	a field of shadow.
2	a closed curtain.
3	an opened curtain with a rolling landscape beyond.
4	a formal (or French) garden landscape.
5	a landscape (or English) garden.
6	a painted boiserie (paneled wood) wall.
7	an oiled boiserie wall.
8	a stone wall.
9	a plastered wall.
10	a brick wall.
11	an unfinished wooden board.
12	servants going about their work.

Random Mythological, Legendary, and Literary Paintings in Grand Houses

30 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Highdark Hall, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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Here are some more random tables to define the art displayed in fictional 18^th century Grand Houses (such as Highdark Hall). See also “Random Portraits in Grand Houses”, and “Random Group Portraits in Grand Houses”.

d100	In the foreground is/are…
1	a satyr chasing nymphs.
2	a knight fighting a dragon.
3	Perseus rescuing Andromeda from the sea monster.
4	the Oracle at Delphi, seated on a golden tripod over a fuming rift.
5	Mercury bearing the caduceus.
6	Mars in armor.
7	Circe transforming Ulysses’ men into swine.
8	Cadmus clad in a lion skin, fighting the serpentine dragon with his spear.
9	the nymph Daphne transforming into the laurel tree while being pursued by Apollo.
10	Narcissus the hunter staring at his own face reflected in a pool.
11	Adonis and Aphrodite.
12	Queen Dido immolating herself in grief over the loss of Aeneas.
13	Pygmalion sculpting Galatea.
14	Pandora opening the box of evils.
15	A she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus.
16	Diana bathing with her nymphs.
17	Medusa.
18	King Midas turning objects to gold.
19	Sir Tristan and Iseult of Ireland.
20	Saturn eating his children.
21	Venus atop a shell, arising from the sea.
22	Danaë showered with golden coins.
23	Europa riding the bull.
24	Theseus and the Minotaur.
25	Jason and the Hydra.
26	Hercules fighting the Hydra.
27	Hercules fighting the Nemean Lion.
28	the Gods of Olympus.
29	Jupiter disguised as Diana, seducing the nymph Callisto.
30	Hades carrying off Persephone to the Underworld.
31	Daphne transforming into the laurel tree while chased by Apollo.
32	the satyr Marsyas being flayed alive by Apollo.
33	the Fairy court of King Oberon and Queen Titania.
34	a unicorn alone in the forest.
35	a unicorn being baited with a topless young woman, while hunters lie in wait.
36	the combat of a serpentine dragon with an elephant.
37	Thetis imploring Zeus on behalf of her son Achilles.
38	an Undine in the form of a beautiful woman, standing in a waterfall.
39	Bellerophon atop Pegasus, fighting the Chimera.
40	a Green Man, his body composed of foliage.
41	King Arthur and his knights, seated about the Round Table.
42	The Holy Grail, floating in air.
43	the Phoenix on its pyre.
44	a child being abducted by the Earlking.
45	the Judgment of Paris.
46	the Fall of Icarus.
47	Phaëton struck from the solar chariot of Apollo by a thunderbolt.
48	the Amazonomachy, a battle between Greek men and Amazon women.
49	a scene of Hell from Dante’s “Inferno”
50	the Magician Prospero commanding Ariel, from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”
51	Macbeth and the Witches.
52	the one-eyed Arimaspians battle Griffins for gold.
53	a blemmye, or headless man with a face in his chest.
54	a hippopode, or man with horse hooves instead of feet.
55	a Bacchanalia.
56	Psyche and Eros.
57	The funeral procession of Siegfried.
58	Jason fighting the dragon for the Golden Fleece.
59	Orpheus charming animals with his music.
60	Alexander the Great cutting the Gordian Knot.
61	Ulysses bound to the mast of his ship, tempted by the sirens.
62	Isis depicted as Mother of the World.
63	Oedipus confronting The Sphinx.
64	the Three Graces, depicted as nude women embracing each other.
65	the nine Muses.
66	Venus at her toilette.
67	the Trojan Horse.
68	Prester John, legendary Christian king of the East, holding court.
69	centaurs fighting.
70	Silenus drunk.
71	Maenads tearing King Pentheus apart with their hands and teeth.
72	Oedipus tearing out his eyes.
73	the dying Hyacinth held by his lover Apollo.
74	the beautiful Hero mourning her drowned lover Leander.
75	The lovemaking of Leda and the Swan.
76	Medea killing her children.
77	Lancelot and Guinevere embracing.
78	the female knight Bradamante.
79	Rogero mounted on the hippogriff, rescuing Angelica from the sea monster.
80	the Celtic poet Ossian, and his beloved Malvina.
81	White-robed Druids gathered in a stone circle.
82	King Arthur borne away on a barge to Avalon.
83	Queen Omphale wearing the skin of the Nemean lion, while Hercules bears the distaff and spindle.
84	Odin with his two ravens.
85	The Buddha.
86	Siegfried awakening the Valkyrie Brunhilde.
87	King Neptune emerging from the sea.
88	Thetis dipping the infant Achilles into the river Styx.
89	The Lady of the Lake giving Excalibur to King Arthur.
90	the sorceress Morgan Le Fay.
91	Ogier the Dane with his short sword.
92	Ariadne borne away from Naxos by Dionysus.
93	a hairy Wild Man (or Wild Woman).
94	the sea-monster Leviathan, and the land-dwelling Behemoth.
95	Merlin in his cave.
96	Melusine, a winged woman with the lower body of a serpent.
97	A group of Swan Maids.
98	the poet Tannhäuser in Venusberg.
99	Lady Godiva nude atop her horse.
100	Atlas carrying the world.

d12	Beyond, in the middle ground is/are…
1	natural trees.
2	topiaries.
3	oddly-shaped rocks.
4	several onlookers dressed in anachronistic clothing.
5	dogs.
6	deer.
7	cows and sheep.
8	Putti. (Winged children depicted without halos.)
9	curtains. (50% chance of no other background.)
10	a garden.
11	the columned terrace of a Classical house.
12	birds.

d10	The background is…
1	a rolling countryside.
2	numerous jagged rocks.
3	a forest of straight, high trees.
4	an ancient, gnarled woods.
5	a bucolic village.
6	a rocky shoreline.
7	a castle atop a spur of rock.
8	an ancient, classical ruin.
9	a ruined castle.
10	a medieval castle atop a rocky outcrop.

d20	Notable about the depiction is…
1 – 9	nothing; it is a typical painting of its time in every way.
10	everyone is depicted in costumes contemporary to the date of the painting.
11	the figures appear to be gender-swapped.
12	all the figures are nude.
13	the colors are utterly bizarre and garish.
14	if you look away, and then look again at the painting, the figures look as if they have changed positions.
15	it appears to be the work of an otherwise unknown master.
16	it is so realistic-looking you feel as if you could reach in and touch the figures.
17	it done in a flat and stylized manner.
18	it seems impossible to ascertain what medium was used.
19	it seems almost self-luminous.
20	one of the figures has the face of a notable person.

Random Group Portraits in Grand Houses

16 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Highdark Hall, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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Here are some more tables for randomly generating descriptions of the numerous painting found in late 18th to early 19th century castles, mansions, and estate houses. See also the post “Random Portraits in Grand Houses”, which includes tables for generating the Dimensions, Age, and decorative Frame of paintings.

Interior Group Portrait

d10	The painting depicts…
1	an apparently married (or courting) couple,
2	two male friends,
3	two female friends,
4	a married couple and a lover, (possibly explained away as “a family friend” by the couple’s descendants)
5 – 6	a married couple with 1d8 children,
7	2d4 siblings,
8	2d6 members of a confraternity, consorority, or chivalric order,
9	a group of 2d4 card players,
10	a group of 2d4 military officers,

d6	amid…
1	an opulent drawing room.
2	a salon.
3	a music room.
4	a glittering ballroom.
5	a curtained interior.
6	a field of clouded color.

d20	A notable feature of the portrait is…
1	a servant working in the background.
2	a second painting visible in the background.
3	a notable sculpture in the background.
4	everyone is dressed in archaic clothing.
5	everyone is made to look like a Classical deity.
6	everyone is dressed in a masquerade costume.
7	a mirror reflecting the scene.
8	the skull, a reminder of mortality.
9	the presence of 1d4 putti (winged children).
10	the presence of 1d4 pets.
11	the exquisite jewelry worn by the subjects.
12	the shadows seem to be all wrong.
13	the perspective is off.
14	the location is easily recognizable.
15	the book carried by one of the subjects.
16	the weapon carried by one of the subjects.
17	the subjects do not seem friendly to each other.
18	an open window, beyond which a landscape can be seen.
19	much more attention has been paid to one figure than the others.
20	it appears to be the work of an unknown master.

Exterior Group Portrait

d12	The painting depicts…
1	an apparently married (or courting) couple,
2	two male friends,
3	two female friends,
4	a married couple and a lover, (possibly explained away as “a family friend” by the couple’s descendants)
5	a married couple with 1d8 children,
6	2d6 members of a confraternity, consorority, or chivalric order,
7	2d6 members of a hunting party on foot,
8	2d6 members of a mounted hunting party,
9	a group of 2d4 people playing lawn sports,
10	2d4 people at an archery contest,
11	a group of 2d4 military officers on foot,
12	a group of 2d4 mounted military officers,

d8	and in the background is…
1	a rolling countryside, with trees in the far distance.
2	a woods
3	a lake.
4	a manicured lawn.
5	a village of happy peasants.
6	a formal French garden.
7	the facade of the house itself.
8	a mountain range.

d20	A notable feature of the portrait is…
1	much more attention has been paid to one figure than the others.
2	there appears to be a fire occurring in the far background.
3	a servant working in the background.
4	the exterior sculpture(s) also depicted.
5	the visible ruins.
6	everyone is dressed in archaic clothing.
7	everyone is made to look like a Classical deity.
8	everyone is dressed in a masquerade costume.
9	the presence of 1d4 putti (winged children).
10	The presence of a mythological creature.
11	the presence of a dog pack.
12	the exquisite jewelry worn by the subjects.
13	the shadows seem to be all wrong.
14	the perspective is off.
15	the location is easily recognizable.
16	the scene is set at night.
17	the weapon carried by one of the subjects.
18	the subjects do not seem friendly to each other.
19	much more attention has been paid to one figure than the others.
20	it appears to be the work of an unknown master.

Random Portraits in Grand Houses

12 Monday Mar 2018

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Highdark Hall, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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Grand Houses of the 18th and 19th century (such as Highdark Hall) were crammed with paintings, especially portraits of family members. This draft excerpt from the upcoming “A Ghastly Companion to Castles, Mansions, and Estates” will help you create descriptions of such paintings on the fly.

Male Portrait

d6	The subject is a…
1	young boy…
2	young man…
3 – 5	mature man…
6	older man…

d6	whose build is…
1 – 3	average,
4	thin,
5	athletic,
6	corpulent,

d20	and who looks….
1	angry.
2	sad.
3	handsome.
4	happy.
5	unkempt.
6	immaculate.
7	pensive.
8	mischievous.
9	cruel.
10	tired.
11	sickly.
12	rakish.
13	stern.
14	haunted.
15	nervous.
16	heroic.
17	strangely pale.
18	surprisingly swarthy.
19	diseased.
20	malformed.

d12	He is wearing…
1	a predominantly blue outfit,
2	a predominantly red outfit,
3	a predominantly black outfit (of mourning),
4	a predominantly white outfit,
5	a predominantly yellow outfit,
6	a predominantly purple outfit,
7	an outfit of fur and velvet,
8	a multi-colored outfit,
9	a somber outfit,
10	a military uniform,
11	armor,
12	clothes that were archaic even when the painting was executed,

d10	and is…	NOTES
1	standing…
2	seated..
3	atop a horse…	Ignore results of 5 or below in next table.
4	hunting…	Ignore results of 5 or below in next table.
5	looking at a curio…
6	painting..
7	shown standing, from the chest up…
8	shown standing, from the knees up…
9	shown seated, from the chest up…
10	shown seated, from the knees up…

d20	amid….
1	a richly appointed bedchamber.
2	an opulent drawing room.
3	a salon.
4	a cabinet of curiosities.
5	a curtained interior.
6	a military encampment.
7	a village of happy peasants.
8	the facade of the house itself.
9	an unidentified castle.
10	a country lane.
11	a classical ruin.
12	a field of clouded color.
13	a ruined castle.
14	a formal French garden.
15	a ruined cathedral.
16	a forest.
17	a mountainous landscape.
18	a rolling countryside, with trees in the far distance.
19	horses (or farm animals) in the countryside.
20	a slaughtered stag (or other game animal) in the forest.

d20	A notable feature of the portrait is…
1	it looks as though the subject may once have been wearing a different outfit, which has been painted over.
2	the skull at his feet.
3	one hand is pointing to the opened text of an infamous book.
4	it includes another depiction of an unidentified person.
5	it is amateurishly executed.
6	it is masterwork, but from an unknown artist.
7	the strange use of perspective.
8	the bizarrely clashing colors.
9	its trompe l’oeil execution looks amazingly three-dimensional.
10	the Chinese outfit he is wearing.
11	he is wearing a turban.
12	his hands and overall body shape seem oddly feminine, as if the model was actually a woman.
13	he has a visible tattoo on his hand.
14	the strange cloud formations in the sky above (or visible through a window).
15	it is so highly varnished (or glazed) that you see yourself reflected on the surface.
16	it looks as through they may once have been a second figure who has been painted out.
17	the clearly identifiable talisman ring he wears.
18	the unidentifiable animals that are also part of the composition.
19	the way its eyes seem to follow you.
20	the presence of numerous animals, evidently pets.

Female Portrait

d8	The subject is a…
1	young girl…
2 – 4	young woman…
5 – 7	mature woman…
8	older woman…

d6	whose build is…
1 – 3	average,
4	willowy,
5	voluptuous,
6	corpulent,

d12	and who looks notably….
1	excited.
2	amused.
3	attractive.
4	fashion-conscious.
5	flirtatious.
6	placid.
7	cruel.
8	nervous.
9	haunted.
10	sad.
11	pale.
12	dark-complexioned.

d12	She is wearing…
1	a predominantly blue outfit,
2	a predominantly red outfit,
3	a predominantly black outfit (of mourning),
4	a predominantly white outfit,
5	a predominantly yellow outfit,
6	a predominantly purple outfit,
7	a multi-colored outfit,
8	a somber outfit,
9	furs and velvet,
10	a masquerade outfit,
11	the clothing of a Greek goddess,
12	clothes that were archaic even when the painting was executed,

d20	and is…
1	standing…
2	seated…
3	riding a horse… (roll again if next table indicates an interior)
4	reclining on a couch…
5	praying…
6	displaying her hand fan…
7	reading…
8	engaged in her toilette…
9	holding (or arranging) flowers…
10	sewing…
11	painting… (with watercolors or pastels)
12	drawing…
13	holding her dog (or cat)…
14	at the harpsichord or pianoforte…
15	holding an infant…
16	shown from the bust up…
17	standing, shown from the waist up…
18	standing, shown from the knees up…
19	seated, shown form the waist up…
20	seated, shown from the knees up…

d20	amid….
1	a richly appointed bedchamber.
2	an opulent drawing room.
3	a salon.
4	a dressing table, with her lady’s maid.
5	a curtained interior.
6	her art (or music) studio.
7	a forest.
8	a mountainous landscape.
9	a rolling countryside, with trees in the far distance.
10	horses (or farm animals) in the countryside.
11	a garden pool.
12	a village of happy peasants.
13	the facade of the house itself.
14	an unidentified castle.
15	a country lane.
16	a classical ruin.
17	a ruined cathedral.
18	a ruined castle.
19	a formal French garden.
20	a field of clouded color.

d20	A notable feature of the portrait is…
1	her breasts are exposed. (Roll again, of course, if subject is not an adult.)
2	she is pinching an exposed nipple. Possibly, that of another woman. (Roll again,of course, if subject is not an adult.)
3	she is holding a horsewhip.
4	she is holding a sword (or other weapon).
5	more attention appears to have been paid to her jewelry than anything else.
6	the presence of a skull.
7	the presence of one or more pets.
8	it includes another depiction of an unidentified person.
9	it is amateurishly executed.
10	it is masterwork, but from an unknown artist.
11	the Chinese outfit she is wearing.
12	her Turkish outfit.
13	the strange cloud formations in the sky above (or visible through a window).
14	it is so highly varnished (or glazed) that you see yourself reflected on the surface.
15	it looks as through they may once have been a second figure who has been painted out.
16	it’s hard to tell if the cross she wears is actually inverted, or if that is just a trick of color and perspective.
17	the unidentifiable animals that are also part of the composition.
18	she is attended by masked servants who show no visible skin.
19	it smells intensely of perfume.
20	for some reason the artist has depicted all of her imperfections.

Note that portraits of upper-class women will almost always soften and idealize their actual features, and omit any blemishes. Even if an upper-class woman actually has an athletic build she will generally not be painted that way, because it suggests that she labors like a servant. It is also common for female subjects to be depicted as younger than their actual age at the time of the sitting.

Portraits showing women with exposed breasts were not considered outrageous in aristocratic circles before the 19^th century, because they emphasized the subject’s femininity and fertility. Later in the 19^th century such portraits were often altered to conform to the new standards of propriety.

Dimensions of a Painting

d20	The painting is…
1	a tall rectangle 2′ high, and 1.5′ in width.
2	a tall rectangle 3′ high, and 2′ in width.
3	a tall rectangle 4′ high, and 2.5′ in width.
4	a tall rectangle 5′ high, and 3.5′ in width.
5	a tall rectangle 6′ high, and 4′ in width.
6	a tall rectangle 7′ high, and 4.5′ in width.
7	a wide rectangle 2′ across, and 1.5′ high. (Unusual for portraits)
8	a wide rectangle 3′ across, and 2′ high. (Unusual for portraits)
9	a wide rectangle 4′ across, and 2.5′ high. (Unusual for portraits)
10	a wide rectangle 5′ across, and 3.5′ high. (Unusual for portraits)
11	a wide rectangle 6′ across, and 4′ high. (Unusual for portraits)
12	a wide rectangle 7′ across, and 4.5′ high. (Unusual for portraits)
13	a square 2′ across.
14	a square 3′ across.
15	a square 4′ across.
16	a circle (tondo) 2′ in diameter.
17	a circle (tondo) 3′ in diameter.
18	a circle (tondo) 4′ in diameter.
19	an oval 3′ tall, and 2′ in width.
20	an oval 3′ in width, and 2′ high.

Age of the Painting

d8	The painting was created…
1	Recently (within the last 10 years)
2	10 to 20 years ago.
3 – 4	20 to 50 years ago.
5	100 to 150 years ago.
6	150 to 200 years ago.
7	250 to 300 years ago.
8	300 to 350 years ago.

The Frame

d100, 2d4 times	The gilded design of the sculptured frame incorporates…
1 – 6	palmettes
7 – 12	rosettes
13 – 18	volutes
19 – 24	acanthus leaves
25 – 30	cartouches
31 – 37	s–shaped curves
38 – 44	c–shaped curves.
45 – 46	seashells
47 – 48	cupids
49 – 50	stags
51 – 52	rays of glory
53 – 54	a green-man’s face
55 – 56	a satyr’s face
57 – 58	nymphs
59 – 60	a dart-and-egg design
61 – 62	Corinthian columns
63 – 64	Ionic columns
65 – 66	Doric columns
67 – 68	roses
69 – 70	fleurs-de-lis
71 – 72	oak leaves
73 – 74	vines
75 – 76	scrolls
77 – 78	branches
79 – 80	curlicues
81 – 82	grapes
83 – 84	tendrils
85 – 86	birds
87 – 88	acorns
89 – 90	apples
91 – 92	pears
93 – 94	ostrich feathers
95 – 96	masks
97 – 98	marbleized polychrome accents
99 – 100	painted polychrome accents

Random Architectural Follies

11 Friday Nov 2016

Posted by Daniel James Hanley in Ghastly Affair, Gothic Gaming, Historical Gaming, Random Tables

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Beau Monde, Bon Ton, chateau, estate, garden, Georgian, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothic Literature, Gothic location, Gothic Romance, Gothick, High Society, mannerpunk, Manor, Napoleonic, Random Table, Regency, role-playing game, Romance, Romantic Horror, rpg, steampunk, Victorian

The grounds of 18th century estates (such as Highdark Hall) often featured small decorative buildings known as follies. Such structures were especially popular in the British Isles, but many were also created in France and other parts of Europe. In accordance with the late 18th century taste for ruins, many follies were deliberately built to look as through they were old and dilapidated. Commonly, they were constructed to look classical or medieval in origin. Frequently, they would be built in highly inauthentic interpretations of styles that were considered “exotic”, such as Chinese, ancient Egyptian, or Turkish. In the United Kingdom, the fashion for building follies lasted well into the 19th century.

Some architectural follies are only the facade of a building. Some others are essentially solid sculptures, with no means of entrance. Many, however, are complete buildings with a room or two inside. Of those that can be entered, many are used as summerhouses, where guests might be entertained, or a light meal eaten in the middle of a garden. In Gothic scenarios, follies could actually be the meeting places of bizarre secret societies, be entrances to underground dungeons that holds kidnapped damsels, or even imprison supernatural creatures! Often, however, follies have no intended purpose but to look nice in a landscape, and display the disposable wealth of the estate’s owner.

Random Architectural Follies (d20)

“Druidic” Megalith(s) (1 – 12)
Amphitheater, Ruined
Artificial Grotto, perhaps with interior pool. May be the entrance to underground passages.
Castle (d4: 1=small ruined, 2= ruined facade, 3=small intact, 4=intact facade)
Chinese Pagoda
Church (d4: 1=ruined Gothic, 2=ruined Romanesque, 3=ruined Gothic facade, 4=intact Gothic facade)
Column or Obelisk (d6: 1=Corinthian Column, 2=Doric Column, 3=Ionic Column, 4,5,6=Egyptian Obelisk)
Columns and Entablature, Ruined
Dry Bridge (does not cross any water) (d4: 1=Gothic, 2=Chinese, 3=Roman, 4=Rustic)
Gateway or Arch (d6 1=Classical, 2=Gothic, 3=Chinese, 4=Egyptian, 5=Turkish, 6=Sculpture of a Monstrous Mouth)
Idealized Cottages (peasant or hermitage)
Oddly-shaped Building (d4: 1=triangular, 2=conical, 3=pentagonal, 4=sculptural [pineapple, etc.])
Pavilion (d4: 1=Gothic, 2=Turkish, 3=Chinese, 4=Egyptian)
Pyramid, Egyptian or Aztec
Roman Aqueduct, Ruined Section
Rotunda (d4: 1=ruined classical, 2=ruined Gothic, 3=intact Gothic, 4=intact classical)
Temple (d6: 1=ruined classical, 2=ruined Egyptian, 3=intact classical, 4=intact Egyptian, 5=Hindu, 6=Aztec)
Tents, Cloth or Stone
Tomb or Cemetery, False (d4: 1=ruined classical, 2=intact classical, 3=ruined medieval, 4=intact medieval)
Tower (d4: 1=castle, 2=minaret, 3=classical, 4=sculptural)

Purpose of Folly’s Interior (d20)
1 – 7. None, but may be richly decorated anyway.
8 – 12. Summerhouse
13. Meeting Place (for secret society, salon)
14. Shed (garden tools, garden furniture storage)
15. Pump-house
16. Cistern
17. Ice House
18. Larder (especially for game animals)
19. Cesspit
20. Dungeon or Prison (person, animal, supernatural creature)

The Engine of Oracles

~ Daniel James Hanley's Creations For Gaming. Home of the Ghastly Affair RPG.

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