Spark Tables for Visions

Roll a D6, D10, D12 and D20 at once, and consult the tables for inspiration:

Arthur Rackham

What message is imparted? (D6)

1. A warning
2. A rebuke
3. A request
4. An instruction
5. A question
6. Nothing Clear 

Where are you? (D20)

1. A hill
2. A mountain 
3. A lake
4. A battlefield
5. Ruins
6. A graveyard
7. A tomb
8. A castle
9. A tower
10. A forest
11. An island
12. A beach
13. A cave
14. A desert
15. A swamp
16. A bridge 
17. Your birthplace
18. A grove
19. A fountain
20. A ring of standing stones

Location Descriptor (D10)

1. Misty
2. Dark
3. Moonlit 
4. Putrid
5. Ancient
6. Snowy
7. Rainy
8. Frozen
9. Ethereal
10. Gleaming 

Who else is there? (D12)

1. A pack of creatures
2. A great noble beast
3. An army
4. A shrouded figure
5. A fallen one
6. One you know
7. A great power
8. A magical being
9. A warrior
10. A trickster
11. A monarch
12. No one

Spark Tables for Bandit Companies

Roll a D4, D6, D8, D20, and consult the tables.

Louis Rhead

How many are there? (1D4)

1. Three
2. Half a dozen
3. A Dozen
4. A Horde (10 + Add up all dice rolled)

Where is their hideout? (1D6)

1. A cave
2. A ruined fortress
3. A small wooden keep
4. A rocky overpass above a trail
5. A cliffside grotto
6. A river island

Background (1D8)

1. Dispossessed nobles
2. Runaway children
3. Deserters
4. Born outlaws
5. Escapees
6. Political dissidents
7. Angry peasants
8. Religious folk

Descriptor (1D20) 

1. Mangy
2. Cruel
3. Kindly
4. Merry
5. Musical
6. Just
7. Destitute
8. Wise
9. Dangerous
10. Well-Regarded
11. Foolish
12. Notorious
13. Nocturnal
14. Cowardly
15. Lazy
16. Dolorous
17. Silent
18. Putrid
19. Unknown
20. Reckless

Idiosyncratic Knight NPCs

This is inspired by Zelda-Style NPC Personalities.  I am a big fan of using a variety of NPC generation tools in a single campaign to keep things fresh for myself and players.  I am not using this generator for every knight in my setting, but sprinkling them in as seasoning.  

Knight Behaviours (Flip a coin and roll a D6 and D8)

Heads: This knight will always... 
(1. bow 2. fall in love 3. speak in the third person 4. offer aid 5. pray 6. drink from a wooden flask)
when... 
(1. meeting a stranger 2. challenged to a duel 3. threatened 4. asked for help 5. insulted 6. entering a settlement 7. slaying an enemy 8. the sun rises)

Tails: This knight never... 
(1. removes their helmet 2. reveals their true name 3. speaks outside of riddles 4. kills 5. accepts coin 6. puts down their sword)
...
(1. until the enemy is slain 2. unless it is past dusk 3. other than on full moons 4. until the quest is completed 5. except when asked politely to 6. except during rain or snow 7. while watched by any flying creature 8. except on holy days)

Traits (Roll 1D10, write another based on prior prompts)

1. Haughty
2. Beautiful
3. Woeful
4. Fearless
5. Vengeful
6. Peaceful
7. Ominous
8. Aged
9. Violent
10. Naive 

The Knight Always Challenges (Roll a D12)

1. Foreign warriors
2. Anyone with a larger sword
3. Mages
4. Druids
5. Those perceived as disrespectful
6. Knights wearing a crest with a predatory animal
7. Warriors with a more beautiful horse
8. Warriors who do not bow first
9. Oath Breakers
10. Boastful knights
11. Thieves
12. Nobility

Garb and Armor (Roll a D20)

1. Crimson
2. Blue
3. Green
4. Black
5. Yellow
6. Wintry
7. Tarnished armor
8. Ancient 
9. Ragged
10. Cape is too long
11. Cape is too short
12. Woolen boots
13. Roman
14. Celtic patterns
15. Holy
16. Enchanted with minor magic
17. Unarmored
18. Fractured Armor
19. Jeweled
20. Shining

The Portal Fantasy Session 0 Marketplace

Each player has $(3D6 - 1) to purchase items their character happens to have in their pockets when they get spirited off to the magical realm.  Players go in a circle and may purchase as many things as they could reasonably stuff into their pockets or purse.  Once an item is purchased it is crossed off and no one else may purchase it.  Players may pool their money to buy items.

$1 Items
Fast Food Wrapper, Coupon, Old Receipt, Single Piece of Gum, Soda Can (empty), Scratch off lottery ticket

$3 Items
Mood Ring, Pack of Gum (15), Soda Can (full), Pack of Cigarettes (20), Can of Deodorant or Hairspray, Snack Size Doritos, Candy Bar, Glow Stick, Ring Pop

$5 Items
Sunglasses, Can of Spray Paint, Wrist Watch, Vape Pen (full), Lighter, Reusable Water Bottle, Balloons (30 pack), Gym Whistle, Can of instant coffee (30 uses)

$7 Items
Smart phone (no charge), Flashlight (full charge), Pocket Knife, Painkillers (100), Solar-Powered Calculator

$10 Items
First Aid Kit, Compass, Gameboy (cartridge loaded with pokemon blue version, full charge), 1 Handheld Two-Way Radio

$20 items
Smart phone (full charge, no reception/data), Purse filled with any of the $3, $5 or $7 items, Portable hand crank generator

Spark Tables for Prophesies

This set of tables inspired by spark tables is designed to roughly emulate the style of prophecy in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Prophetiae Merlini. Every roll will have some gaps that need filled, but the tables are designed to give a quick general sketch from which a nice sounding prophecy may emerge. To roll for a prophesy roll a D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, and D20 all at once and consult the tables.  You may also roll for two nouns and two descriptors (1D4, 1D12, 1D6, 1D20) for more complex prophecies.

John William Waterhouse

Events (D8)

1. War
2. Rebellion
3. Anniversary
4. Peace
5. Famine
6. Plague
7. Tempest
8. Celestial Event (Constellation Sign, Comet or Eclipse)

 Actions (D10)

1. Rise
2. Cover
3. Fall
4. Hide
5. Grow
6. Destroy
7. Judge
8. Herald
9. Devour
10. Betray

Descriptors (D12, nested D4)

1. 
   
1. Red
2. Crimson
3. Scarlett
4. Bloody 
2. 
   
1. Blue
2. Cerulean
3. Watery
4. Sapphire
3. 
   
1. Green
2. Viridian
3. Emerald
4. Leafy
4. 
   
1. Golden
2. Yellow
3. Bright
4. Amber
5. 
   
1. Silver
2. Grey
3. Ashen
4. Shining 
6. 
   
1. White
2. Ghostly
3. Pale
4. Unseen
7. 
   
1. Violet
2. Purple
3. Noble
4. Amethyst
8. 
   
1. Black
2. Dark
3. Shadowy
4. Hidden
9. 
   
1. Ancient
2. Wise
3. Elderly
4. Knowing 
10. 
    
1. Wicked
2. Warlike
3. Wild
4. Murderous 
11. 
    
1. Wintry
2. Snowy
3. Silent
4. Icy
12. 
    
1. Fiery
2. Burning
3. Glowing
4. Smoking 

Nouns (D20, Nested D6)

1. Diminutive Creatures 1
1. Mole
2. Salamander
3. Mouse
4. Urcheon
5. Bee
6. Fly
2. Diminutive Creatures 2 
1. Spider
2. Locust
3. Frog
4. Midge
5. Toad
6. Bat 
3. Woodland Creatures
1. Deer
2. Fox
3. Wolf
4. Tortoise
5. Badger
6. Rabbit
4. Noble Creatures
1. Dragon
2. Lion
3. Swan
4. Destrier
5. Owl
6. Elk
5. Magical Creatures
1. Dragon
2. Unicorn
3. Phoenix
4. Sphinx
5. Sea Serpent
6. Centaur
6. Dangerous Creatures
1. Dragon
2. Wolf
3. Viper
4. Wildcat
5. Boar
6. Bear
7. Waterbound Creatures
1. Sea Serpent
2. Eel
3. Fish
4. Seal
5. Oyster
6. Whale
8. Farm Creatures
1. Cow
2. Bull 
3. Hen
4. Ass
5. Sheep
6. Goat
9. Mounts
1. Donkey
2. Camel 
3. Palfrey
4. Destrier
5. Courser
6. Rouncey 
10. Large Creatures
1. Dragon
2. Giant
3. Bear
4. Bull
5. Elephant
6. Lion
11. Small Birds
1. Carrion Crow
2. Dove
3. Songbird
4. Gull
5. Duck
6. Woodpecker
12. Large Birds
1. Eagle
2. Owl
3. Vulture
4. Swan
5. Sea Hawk
6. Raven
13. Royalty
1. King
2. Queen
3. Princess
4. Prince
5. Duke
6. Lord
14. Warriors
1. Knight
2. Berserker
3. Archer
4. Hero
5. Rogue
6. Slayer
15. Professions 1
1. Bard
2. Priest
3. Scholar
4. Sailor
5. Farmer
6. Shepherd
16. Professions 2
1. Guard
2. Smith
3. Hunter
4. Forester
5. Mason
6. Fisher
17. Food and Drink
1. Apple
2. Wine
3. Honey
4. Bread
5. Mead
6. Stew
18. Human Things
1. Cloak
2. Blade
3. Castle
4. Boat
5. Axe
6. Shield
19.  Earthen Things
1. Stone
2. Hill
3. River
4. Tree
5. Mountain
6. Thorn
20. Flowers
1. Rose
2. Sunflower
3. Daisy
4. Foxglove
5. Lily
6. Thistle