30 Artifacts on a Space Station

Roll (d30):

1. Spherical AI core. A violent and vengeful intelligence which was sealed away long ago. If awakened it will try to kill everyone and everything onboard the station.
2. Slim case containing a virulent mutagen. Injecting this into any living creature will cause them to metamorphose into a random animal over the course of 1d4 hours.
3. Neuromancer suite. A full set of tools for hacking and controlling electronic systems. 
4. A vial of telomere-binding enzymes. If injected, extends the human lifespan by 1d20 years.
5. Designer drugs. Gives the user the appearance of a human for 1d10 days.
6. A canister of self-replicating nanobots. Once released they consume all organic matter, excreting a these nanobots will create a perfect copy of the original template within 1d4 days.
7. A small glass orb filled with a swirling black liquid. The liquid is a powerful narcotic which grants the user 1d4 extra Actions on their next turn but permanently reduces their Agility by 1d4 points. 
8. A bottle of pheromones. Makes the user intoxicated, adding +1 to attacks for 1d4 hours. They come down and suffer -1 to attacks for the next 1d4 hours.
9. A data disk containing the plans for a new type of energy weapon. The weapon is highly unstable and has a 5% chance of exploding and doing 2d6 damage to anyone within 10 feet.
10. A set of nano-fabricator blueprints. These allow for the creation of basic items using raw materials. 100mcr.
11. A small box filled with a white powder. The powder is a powerful psychoactive drug which grants the user enhanced intelligence and creativity but permanently reduces STR by 1d4 points.
12. A book containing the secrets of psionics. Allows the user to learn psionic abilities but requires them to make a WIS check every time they use a psionic ability. 
13. AO-93 "Nova" thermal pistol. A powerful energy weapon which fires pulses of superheated plasma. Can punch through bulkheads and hulls. 
14. Bottle of "The Blue. A powerful hallucinogen which causes extreme euphoria and disinhibition. 
15. Monofilament wire. A razor-thin wire which can slice through flesh and metal alike. 
16. Photograph of a planet with three suns. On the back is a single word: "hope".
17. Bag of star-shaped crystals which when thrown into the air turn into a brightly glowing star-shaped airborne fireworks display. The light is so intense it deals 1d10 damage to anyone within 30 feet. 
18. 3d10 vials of a strange purple liquid. Addictive. CON or become addicted. Withdrawal requires a save or die. Those that manage to quit suffer permanent damage to one attribute chosen by the referee.
19. A small statuette of a four armed goddess. Occasionally whispering horrific nothings into the minds of those within 100 feet.
20. A jar of wasps which when opened will sting anyone within 100 feet for 1d4 damage per round until they make a save. 
21. A black handkerchief which when placed over someone's face will immediately suffocate them unless they make a save.
22. A small silver bell which when rung will summon a random demon from the depths of space. The demon will serve the summoner for 24 hours after which it will attempt to kill them.
23. A book with blank pages. when Pages are written in blood the text of the page will appear in the victim's blood written on their flesh in a language they cannot understand. 
24. Job offer from a powerful mega-corp. The terms are very advantageous, but the employer is a fronts for a terrorist organization.
25. Large metal crate, filled with fine sand. The sand is alive, and each grain is a tiny crab-like creature. The creatures will strip metal down to its component atoms if given the opportunity.
26. A fist-sized sphere of metal, which is always cold to the touch. The sphere can absorb and store heat, and can release it at will.
27. A box of fine dust, which glitters in all colors of the rainbow. The dust is alive, and each grain is a tiny creature. The creatures will consume any organic matter they come into contact with.
28. Malignant tumor. If removed from a living creature and manually grown in a lab it will, within 1d4 days, turn into an identical copy of the original creature it was taken from. 
29. Convergence engine design. Creates a temporary stable wormhole. Destroys anything caught within a 5' radius of the event. 
30. Three dimensional printer which can fabricate anything given the appropriate blueprints and raw materials. Capable of fabricating working firearms and explosives.

50 Weird-Fantasy Hex Landmarks

Roll (d50): 

1. A settlement circled by gargantuan winged beasts.
2. Monolithic columns surrounded by fog at the base.
3. A 1000 ft diameter shaft of flame rising into the heavens from an enormous pit.
4. Structures of constantly shifting colors.
5. Dozens of perfectly preserved statues carved from a precious stone, depicting mythic beings.
6. A ziggurat with holy people standing at the top.
7. The bones on an enormous beast, 3d100+300 ft in length.
8. Hundreds of ornate mausoleums of past rulers.
9. A large well, overgrown with brush and filled with waste oils.
10. A carved megalithic block with inscriptions of various laws throughout Aquilus.
11. A settlement filled with houses made from tanned human skins.
12. Several tunnels at the perimeter of a pit, they run deep into the earth. 
13. Fields with corroded metal cylinders on the ground arranged in mathematical patterns.
14. A settlement of houses built on the backs of large creatures. The town is nomadic.
15. Dozens of pits. It is impossible to estimate how deep they are. 
16. Dull-gray rocks with swirling patches of electricity surging through them.
17. A military training base.
18. The ruins of a recently burned settlement lying in ashes.
19. A rotting aqua-duct defaced with holy symbols.
20. A  lush area filled with savage plants and hidden predators.
21. A canyon of breathtaking majesty.
22. Plains of grass with dim dancing lights above.
23. A settled marsh area with stilt houses.
24. Amphitheater of statue shrines, dedicated to gods and heroes.
25. A large grassy field where the grass is perfectly rigid. The grass acts as tiny daggers.
26. A pond of acidic water. The reflections are not what they should be.
27. Secluded homes, dense with an unseen population.
28. A titanic living shadow.
29. Geysers randomly erupt. They cause strange mutations to those caught in them.
30. Mounds of revolting garbage and faeces.
31. The remains of prison, with courthouses, execution facilities and holding cells.
32. A submerged mystical fountain.
33. Large, sensuous flowers of all hues grace a meadows. 
34. The roots of a massive gargantuan dead tree.
35. Several dozen poles mounted with signs, pointing towards various distant lands.
36. Carved trio of protruding faces all looking and pointing the same direction.
37. A small settlement which is a utopia. 
38. A garden infested by deadly plague.
39. Billions spheres of water like a sky ocean flying by and forming patterns.
40. Cracks appear when walking on the ground, but disappear once people have passed.
41. Town where buildings are created from monster bones, scales, and giant insect carapaces. 
42. A glorious estate. Everything is strangely pristine. 
43. Huge cavern system, which is a dead creature's digestive tract.
44. A drifting garden of floating reflective liquid orbs in various sizes.
45. A tower with a large network of tunnels created by the former residents.
46. A tower with a beam of light shooting into the sky, visible both night and day.
47. A huge necropolis with hundreds of tombs and headstones.
48. An area filled with giant footprints, foul smelling contaminated water remains in each one.
49. A pleasure palace. 
50. The collapsed and eroded blocks of an ancient structure concealing the entrance to a vault.

20 Megastructures

Roll (d20):

1. A labyrinth of mazes, reaching deep into the earth. It is said that if you can find your way to the centre, you can have any wish granted.
2. A tower that stretches from the bottom of a very deep pit, all the way to the top of the sky. It is said that if you climb to the top, you will be able to see the future.
3. A vast desert, stretching as far as the eye can see in all directions. In the centre is a small oasis, and it is said that if you drink from the fountain there, you will be able to see the past.
4. A giant clock, perpetually resetting itself to zero. All who look upon it fall into a deep sleep, from which they never wake.
5. An array of enormous mirrors, orbiting the sun, which reflect and magnify its light, making day and night unnaturally bright.
6. A crystal palace, in the middle of a great desert. It is said that if one breaks even the smallest piece of the structure, the entire palace will shatter.
7. A city, contained within a single, enormous glass bottle. The citizens are said to be under a powerful curse, dooming them to live out their lives inside.
8. A staircase, leading up to the sun. Each step is made of a different kind of metal, and no two steps are the same size.
9. A library that contains every book ever written. It's possible to get lost in here for years and never find the same book twice.
10. A cathedral made entirely of glass. The stained glass windows show scenes from other worlds.
11. A vast white city, so beautiful and perfect that it is said to be the work of angels. It has no doors or windows, and no one has ever found a way in.
12. An island that is the home of a giant tree. The tree is so big that its roots form mountains, and its branches provide shelter for an entire city.
13. A tree, as big as a mountain, with a trunk made of stone and leaves of metal. It is said to be the first tree, and the source of all metal in the world.
14. A palace, made of a crystal so clear it is almost invisible, that contains the throne room of the queen of the fairies.
15. A black pyramid, miles on a side, built on the edge of the world. It grows larger every day, threatening to consume the world.
16. A thin metal rod, a million miles long, that stands upright. At the top is a small platform where a single person can stand.
17. A transparent orb the size of a small planet. It is completely empty inside.
18. A lattice of powerful magical crystals, embedded in the rocks of a mountain. The mountain is slowly growing as the crystals absorb magical energy from the surrounding area.
19. A flat mirrored plain, a thousand miles across, and perfectly flat. Thought to be created by god, so they could see their reflection.
20. A city build on the back of a giant turtle, that slowly swims through the planes, stopping at other cities to trade.
    
    

Art by Neil Blevins

Weird Ideas for Character Backgrounds II

See Part I here.


Roll (d30):

1. Plague Brother/Sister

Possessions: Contagion bombs, black clothing, rusty knife.

You have been infected with a deadly disease, and use their own contagion to spread death and destruction.


2. The Reclaimer
Possessions: Odd clothing, ancient artifacts, ruined technology.

You scour the ruins of the old world, looking for lost technology and artifacts. You are motivated by a desire to bring back the lost knowledge of the past and restore the world to its former glory. You are skilled in using ancient weapons and devices, and are often able to find ways to make them work again.


3. Siren of the Spacelanes

Possessions: Vacc suit, handheld transmitter.

Your voice has always been your greatest asset and you've used it to great effect, deceiving and manipulating your way through life. But now, in the cold vacuum of space, your voice is your only weapon. You lure spaceships to their doom with your beautiful singing, beckoning them to their doom.


4. The Psychonaut

Possessions: Psionic amplifier, astral projector.

You're a mind-walker, a traveler of the astral plane. You've seen things that would drive lesser beings mad, and learned secrets that would make the universe tremble. You're on a quest to discover the ultimate secret, the key to unlocking the mysteries of existence.


5. The Doppelganger

Possessions: None.
You were born with a twin, but they were stillborn. Or so you were told. But you've always had the sense that they're out there somewhere, watching you, waiting for their chance to take your place. Now you're on a quest to find them, and put an end to their usurpation.


6. The Accidental Necromancer

Possessions: a pendant that allows you to control the undead, a black cape.
You didn't mean to raise the dead, it just sort of...happened. Now you can't get rid of them and they're starting to get restless.

7. Ravenous Flesh-Eater
Possessions: tattered clothing, teeth sharpened to points.
You were once human, or perhaps some other intelligent race, but now you are little more than a walking stomach. Your insatiable hunger has driven you to consume not only regular food, but also the flesh of other creatures – living or dead.

Special: You can consume almost any kind of organic matter, including rotting flesh. You heal quickly, and gain strength from consuming flesh.

8. Amnesiac Warlock
Possessions: Black robes, a staff.
You woke up one day with no memories of who you are or where you came from. The only thing you know is that you have strange and powerful magical abilities.

Special: You can cast any spell, but you do not know the names or effects of the spells you cast.

9. Hungry Ghost

Possessions: White robes, a bowl.

You are the spirit of someone who died in a state of extreme hunger. Now you wander the world, searching for food. You can possess the bodies of others and use their bodies to satisfy your hunger, but the hunger is never truly sated.

9. The Tinkerer

Possessions: Tools, gadgets, a box of spare parts.

You're a born tinkerer, always taking things apart and putting them back together again. You're fascinated by the workings of machines and devices, and have a knack for making them work better. Now you've turned your attention to the machines of war, and you're determined to make them the most efficient killing machines possible.

10. The Skin-Stealer

Possessions: A sack of stolen skin, a knife.

You have a rather unusual hobby – collecting the skin of other creatures. You strip the skin from their bodies while they're still alive, and wear it as your own. You're fascinated by the feel of different textures and the way they change your appearance.

Special: You can wear the skin of any creature, and gain some of their physical characteristics.

11. The Witch of the Woods

Possessions: A staff, a cauldron, a black cat.

You're a reclusive witch, living in the forest away from the prying eyes of the outside world. You prefer the company of animals to people, and have a special affinity for cats. You use your magic to protect the forest and its inhabitants.

12. The Half-breed

Possessions: Tattered clothes, a knife.

You're the product of a union between two different races, and neither side accepts you. You've always felt like an outsider, and have had to fend for yourself. You're a survivor, and have learned to use your racial abilities to your advantage.

13. The Experiment

Possessions: Strange equipment, a labcoat.

You're not quite sure why you're here, or what they're doing to you. You only know that you're a test subject in some sort of experiment. You have strange abilities that you don't fully understand, and are being made to do things that you don't want to do.

21. The Demon of Gluttony

Possessions: A bottomless appetite, a body that is never satiated.

You are a demon, a creature of gluttony and excess. You live to consume, to devour. You are never satisfied, no matter how much you eat. Your appetite is insatiable, your hunger never-ending. You are a blight on the world, a cancer that must be destroyed.

22. The Child of the Void

Possessions: Nothing, because you have nothing.

You are a creature of the Void, a being of nothingness. You have no home, no family, no possessions. You are alone in the universe, and you always will be. You wander the spheres, searching for a place to belong, but you will never find one. You are condemned to a life of solitude, of isolation.

23. The Pariah

Possessions: The looks of disgust and pity, a life of solitude.

You are an outcast, a social pariah. You’ve been cast out of every community you’ve ever tried to join, and you’ve given up trying to find a place to belong. You’ve resigned yourself to a life of solitude, of isolation. But you can’t help but wonder, what did you do to deserve this?

24. The Scapegoat

Possessions: The weight of the world on your shoulders, a life of misery.

You are the one who takes the blame for everything. You are the one who is sacrificed for the greater good. You are the one who suffers so that others may not have to. You’ve always known your place in the world, and you’ve never questioned it. But you can’t help but wonder, is this really all there is?

25. The Heretic

Possessions: A life of hiding, a life of fear.

You’ve questioned the gods, and you’ve paid the price. You’ve been hunted by those who claim to be righteous, and you’ve been cast out by those who claim to be good. You’ve been branded a heretic, and you’ve learned to live in hiding. You’ve learned to live in fear. But you refuse to give up, and you refuse to give in.

26. The Apostate

Possessions: A life among the damned, a life of sin.

You have turned your back on the gods, and now you wander the planes as a damned soul. You have embraced sin, and you have reveled in it. You are a creature of vice and indulgence, and you will not be denied. You are among the damned, but you would not have it any other way.

27. The Prodigal
Possessions: A life of luxury, a life of ease.
You’ve been given everything, and you’ve squandered it all. You’ve lived a life of luxury and ease, and you’ve never had to want for anything. But it’s all been a facade, a carefully constructed illusion. The truth is, you’re a fraud, a charlatan. And one day, your lies will be exposed.

28. The Exile
Possessions: A life of wander, a life of hardship.
You’ve been cast out of your home, and now you wander the planes as an exile. You’ve known hardship and pain, but you’ve also known the joy of freedom. You are a wanderer, a nomad, a drifter. And you would not have it any other way.

29. The Nomad
Possessions: A life of wander, a life of curiosity.
You’ve never stayed in one place for long, and you’ve never been content to stay in one place for long. You’re a wanderer, a nomad, a drifter. You’re always moving, always searching for something new. You’re driven by a curiosity that can never be quelled. And you wouldn’t have it any other way.


30. The Wanderer
Possessions: A life of wander, a life of loneliness.
You’ve always been a wanderer, and you’ve always been alone. You’ve never stayed in one place for long, and you’ve never been content to stay in one place for long. You’re always moving, always searching for something new. But you’ve never found what you’re looking for. And you’re not sure if you ever will.

60 Weird-Fantasy Landmarks

Roll (d60):

1. A forgotten library, crammed to the ceiling with ancient tomes.
2. A circular structure with a hole in the center, leading down into the darkness.
3. A field of petrified trees, each one different in shape and size.
4. A deep chasm with lava at the bottom, miles wide.
5. A crevice that constantly emits a loud, otherworldly wailing.
6. A brightly glowing orb, levitating in midair.
7. A shimmering curtain that hangs in the air, obscuring anything behind it.
8. A pedestal with a glowing crystal on top, emanating heat.
9. A plant that appears to be made of metal, growing in a very unorthodox manner.
10. A stone statue that moves and speaks, despite being clearly inanimate.
11. A temple to an unknown deity.
12. A marketplace where the vendors offer only services, not goods.
13. A menagerie of exotic beasts, caged and on display.
14. A building which is half submerged in a lake.
15. A collection of ancient ruins, overgrown with vines and foliage.
16. A deep chasm with a river of lava running through it.
17. A forest of giant mushrooms, some taller than trees.
18. A bubbling tar pit, filled with the remains of creatures.
19. A mountaintop palace, surrounded by statues of angry gods.
20. A vast field of tall grass, rustling in the wind.
21. A grand palace with a few rooms still intact.
22. An ever-shifting spiral staircase that leads to nowhere.
23. A great tower with a balcony from which one can see the entire kingdom.
24. A garden of exotic and deadly plants.
25. A room with a great mechanical device at its center, slowly ticking.
26. A column of light, said to be the entrance to the underworld.
27. A strange machine that can teleport objects.
28. A library of ancient tomes, some still unread.
29. A pool of quicksilver that never ripples.
30. An altar to a long forgotten god.
31. A shrine to an unknown god, surrounded by peculiar symbols.
32. A village of huts made entirely of bones.
33. A gigantic sandstone sculpture of a mountain.
34. A walled city with a huge arena in the center.
35. A crystalline palace of an alien queen.
36. The petrified form of a long-dead wizard.
37. A crashed star-ship, its hull glowing with strange energies.
38. The ruins of an ancient temple, dedicated to a dark god.
39. A vast field of cairns, burial mounds of an ancient people.
40. A step pyramid, with a particularly large top level.
41. A courtyard of white marble, with a large fountain in the center.
42. A cathedral made of a dark wood, with stained glass windows.
43. A floating city, tethered to the ground by massive chains.
44. A palace made of a bright white stone, with a large dome.
45. A series of interconnected tunnels, said to be the home of a creature.
46. A tree, with a house-sized hole in the middle, oozing a red liquid.
47. A machine, larger than a city, slowly creating more machines.
48. A city, eternally dark, with beings that do not need light to see.
49. A Necropolis, with thousands of skeletons in broken armor.
50. A group of vehicles, long ago crashed, with mummified remains inside.
51. A floating palace, with a beautiful woman who always seems to be crying.
52. A black fortress, made of a strange material, surrounded by a moat of acid.
53. An arena, with rows upon rows of seats, and a huge arena in the middle.
54. A library, with millions of books, and a being who is constantly reading.
55. The statue of a forgotten god, long since crumbled.
56. The ruins of an ancient city, now overgrown with jungle.
57. The shrine of a long-dead cult, still guarded by automatons.
58. The remains of a crashed alien spacecraft.
59. A portal to another world, currently inactive.
60. A huge unidentifiable machine, slowly rusting.

12 Science-Fantasy Modes of Transport

Roll (d12):

1. Blue Devil 

Armaments: Four long-range cannons
Speed: 60 miles per hour
Notes: A fearsome war machine, this vehicle is a massive tank, larger than any other in existence. It is said that it was built in the fiery heart of a volcano, and that it is powered by the souls of the damned. It is almost impossible to destroy, and its long-range cannons can level entire cities.


2. Storm Ship
Armaments: None
Speed: Unknown
Notes: An enormous black ship, larger than any other known vessel, that appeared suddenly one day from the heart of a raging storm. It is said to be crewed by the undead, and it sails on the wind without sails or engine.


3. Flying Fortress
Armaments: Hundreds of guns and missiles
Speed: 100 miles per hour
Notes: A massive airship, larger than any other known vessel, that is said to be manned by an army of robots. It is said to be invincible, and it has never been defeated in battle. It is the ultimate weapon, and it is feared by all who know of its existence.


4. Void Skipper
Armaments: 4 front-facing laser turrets
Speed: Warp 10
Notes: A unique vessel, the Void Skipper is the only known ship able to navigate the strange and dangerous realm of the Void. It is crewed by a team of specialists, and is equipped with powerful defenses. The ship is believed to be of alien origin, and is immensely valuable.


5. The Worm
Armaments: 2 rear-facing plasma cannons
Speed: 60 mph
Notes: The Worm is a massive land vehicle, used by the nomadic tribes of the wastes. It is sluggish and heavily armored, but is nearly impossible to destroy. The Worm is powered by a wormhole drive, which allow it to travel great distances quickly.


6. Solar Skiff

Armaments: None.
Speed: up to 500 mph
Notes: A small, one-person vehicle powered by magic. It is incredibly fast, but completely unarmed and very fragile. They are used by the nobility and wealthy of Aquilus as a means of transportation.


7. Sand Fleet
Armaments: Varies, usually light.
Speed: Dependant on weather.
Notes: A number of large and colorful desert reptiles, domesticated and harnessed together to form a living caravan. These beasts are used by desert nomads to transport their belongings across the wastelands. 


8. Sandstorm Chariot
Armaments: Varies, usually light.
Speed: Dependant on weather.
Notes: A large, open-topped vehicle, usually pulled by a Sand Fleet. These chariots are used by desert nomads to transport goods and people across the wastelands. r.


9. Warp Ship
Type: Magical.
Armaments: Varies.
Speed: Instantaneous.
Notes: A ship that uses magic to travel between planes of existence. These ships are used by adventurers and explorers to reach distant lands. They are usually well-armed, as they often travel to dangerous places.


10. Crimson Caravan
Armaments: Varies.
Speed: Dependent on warpstone.
Notes: A strange and dangerous mode of transport, warpstone caravans are made up of massive creatures, mutated and grown by the wizards of the Crimson Order. They are used to transport the Order's precious warpstone shipments across the wastelands, and are guarded by the Order's fearsome warriors. The caravans are slow but very durable, and the creatures that make them up are often mutated to have a variety of strange and deadly abilities.

11. Magma Crawler
Armaments: Varies.
Speed: 15 mph.
Notes: A large and sluggish vehicle, used by the Dwarves to mine the lava fields of the wastes. The Magma Crawler is equipped with a variety of tools and weapons, used to tunnel through the rock and harvest the valuable minerals. The Crawler is slow and heavily armored, and can take a lot of punishment.

12. Sky Whale
Armaments: None.
Speed: variable.
Notes: The sky whales are massive creatures, said to be the size of mountains. They are gentle giants, and are often used by the nomadic tribes of the wastes as a means of transportation. They are very slow, but can travel for great distances without stopping. Sky whales are also a valuable source of food and materials, and are hunted by the largest and most powerful tribes.

Art by Moebius.

10 Magical Orbs (Part I)

Available in large cities from shops, bazaars, street vendors, and discreet traders.

Roll (d10):

1. Sphere of Transcribed Recollection
   Can store user’s memories outside the body. Users can project fifteen minutes’ worth of mental images and words, which can be replayed by anyone activating it. Crafted in spring green crysalite.
   
   
2. Sphere of Auditory Espionage
   When activated, user can pinpoint any point they can see up to 1000 ft away, and hear whatever could ordinarily be heard at the spot for 10 minutes. Crafted in indigo zarbrina.
   
   
3. Sphere of Diagrammatic Emulation
   Throw this sphere into a modest dungeon where it sojourns for 1 hour. When it returns, the user can cast a holographic image on the ground, drawing an accurate map which has been traced. The map does not show living creatures, secret doors, traps, or items in rooms. Crafted in deep ultramarine garnet.
   
   
4. Sphere of Cognitive Assimilation
   This device assimilates the knowledge of one creature and grants it to the user. The target must make a save vs spells. If failed, they lose 1d2 x 1000 XP which are added to the user's total. Each time the sphere is used, there is a 25% chance it fails, draining the user of 1d2 x 1000 XP. Crafted in tangerine orange agate.
   
   
5. Sphere of  Upward Elevation
   This device counteracts gravity, permitting the user to rise up to 300 ft vertically into the air. Ascension can be at up to 30 ft per round. The user can also pull up to 150lb of weight behind them. Crafted in sky blue nephrite.
   
   
6. Sphere of Vanishing Verity
   Activate this sphere, and all deceit and hate will fade. Only truth and love will remain. Very expensive. Crafted in rich, royal blue lapis lazuli.
   
   
7. Sphere of Rudimentary Renewal
   If a creature has been lifeless for less than 24 hours, this reconstructs a rudimentary semblance of life by reactivating its nervous system. The creature does not knowledge its former self. It is a mindless shell, executing basic duties. Complies with verbal commands of the user. The creature works for one hour before fainting and swiftly decay- ing into a stench. Crated in blue tanzanite.
   
   
8. Sphere of Replicated Terrain
   Throw this sphere above your head, it will blasts 1000 ft into the air and hovers for 1 minute. When it descends, it can cast a hologram on the ground, drawing a highly detailed topographical map of 50 miles in each direction. Map does not show living creatures. Crafted in extra-planar polished mercury.
   
   
9. Sphere of Dissipated Warmth
   Hold this sphere close to your mind. For one hour, you will be permitted to observe objects and creatures based on the heat they emanate. This may allow the user to see otherwise invisible creatures, or even certain objects if their temperatures are largely different. Carved in lime green moldavite.
   
   
10. Sphere of Instant Commuting
    User and all associates within a short range are immediately transported 1d10 + 10 minutes into the future. For them, no time elapses. For all others, it’s as if they ceased to exist during the intermediary period. Crafted in rare white obsidian.

Art by Richard Hescox

10 Unique Artifacts (Part I)

Roll (d10):

1. The Blood-Soaked Crown of Aquilus
The Blood-soaked Crown of Aquilus is a circlet of crimson metal that slowly drips with fresh blood. It was used in the coronation of the last king of Aquilus. In his dying moments, the king placed the crown on his own head and bled out atop the altar. The crown has since been used to coronate each new ruler of circlet in a similar fashion.

2. Mask of the Laughing Man
The Mask of the Laughing Man was once worn by a court jester who was murdered by his employer. The mask has since been passed down to other jesters, who have all met the same fate. The mask is said to cause uncontrollable laughter in whoever dons it, eventually leading to madness and death.

3. The Butcher's Blade
The Butcher's Blade is a large, serrated knife that is said to be cursed. It is said that the blade hungers for flesh and will not be satisfied until it has tasted blood. The blade is said to be covered in a never-ending supply of blood, no matter how much is wiped away.

4. The Tongue of the Serpent
The Tongue of the Serpent is a forked tongue that is said to be able to detect lies. It is said that the tongue will wrap itself around the throat of a liar and strangle them. The tongue is also said to be able to charm anyone it speaks to, making them more susceptible to the lies it tells.

5. The Heart of the Dragon
The Heart of the Dragon is a large ruby that is said to be the heart of a dragon. It is said that the heart is still beating and that it gives off a faint, dragon-like roar when it is held close to the ear. It is also said that the heart is impervious to all damage and can only be destroyed by the touch of a dragon.

6. The Horn of the Moon
The Horn of the Moon is a large, spiraling horn that is said to be able to summon the moon. It is said that when the horn is blown, the moon will appear in the sky and will bathe the area in a soft, silvery light. The horn is also said to be able to calm beasts and make them docile.

7. The Stone of Tears
The Stone of Tears is a large, black stone that is said to be able to absorb the tears of those who weep into it. It is said that the stone holds the sorrow of the world and that it weeps for all the sorrow that has been inflicted upon it. The stone is also said to be able to grant wishes, but only to those who have shed tears into it.

8. The God-Mask of Xul'tec
The God-Mask of Xul'tec is a living mask that can be worn by a user to become a God. The mask is made from the stuff of stars, and leaves chaos and destruction in its wake.

9. The Celestial Navigation Globe
The celestial navigation globe is an enlightening tool used to study the planes of existence and the Great Beyond. It is said to be able to pinpoint the exact location of any creature or thing in the cosmos.

10. The Animus Bell
The Animus Bell is a tolling of an arcane machine that can reverse the effects of death. However, the price for such power is the user’s own soul, which is forfeit to the machine.

Art by Moebius.

What Caused The Cataclysm?

What caused the cataclysm? (d30):

1. A bright comet, long awaited by religious fanatics, appeared in the night sky.
2. One of the three ancient sisters woke from her long sleep.
3. An ancient tome, bound in human skin, was stolen from the cathedral.
4. A reclusive wizard was seen carrying an unconscious woman through the forest.
5. The heir to the throne was born with two heads.
6. The local witch offered to show the townspeople “what true power looks like”.
7. A series of natural disasters, unseasonable weather, and mass animal deaths occurred.
8. One hundred years of peace came to an abrupt end when the neighboring kingdom invaded.
9. The area around the ruins of the old temple began to glow with an eerie light.
10. A previously unknown tribe of barbaric people emerged from the mountains.
11. A dragon was spotted flying overhead.
12. A group of adventurers returned from their quest with a magical artifact.
13. The seal on the underworld was broken, unleashing hordes of demons.
14. An earthquake destroyed a major city.
15. A cauldron of witches stirred up a potion to cursed the land.
16. A comet, previously thought to be a good omen, actually brought death and disease in its wake.
17. A magical barrier, meant to keep out evil, was breached.
18. A mutation, caused by exposure to toxic waste, began to spread like wildfire.
19. A meteorite collided with the moon, causing devastating tidal waves.
20. A magical weapon, meant to be the salvation of the world, was used for mass destruction.
21. A religious sect, long thought to be harmless, began a mass suicide.
22. One of the few remaining dragons in the world rampaged through the countryside.
23. Dwarves began to congregate in the mountains, great rumbling noises emanating from their caverns.
24. Stubbornly independent sentient plants, co-existing with humans for generations, began to rebel
25. People started disappearing in the night, never to be seen again.
26. Unusual things began happening to people’s shadows.
27. The sun was suddenly blotted out by an immense, dark body.
28. A single, massive tree appeared in the middle of the town square.
29. A deep, low frequency humming noise was heard throughout the land.
30. A pair of comets crossed the sky, one red and one blue.

What happened during the cataclysm? (d30):

1. The molten core of the planet became exposed, leading to rapid cooled and the creation of a new crust.
2. The atmosphere burst into flames, engulfing the planet in an all-consuming fire.
3. The sun was extinguished, plunging the planet into an endless darkness.
4. Supernovas went off simultaneously in every galaxy, causing an explosion of cosmic proportions.
5. Every planet in the universe was torn apart, leaving only their cores behind.
6. Every living creature was incinerated in the universal fire.
7. The cosmos was reset, with new stars, galaxies, and planets being born.
8. The original cataclysmic event happened again, but this time it was even more destructive.
9. The cycle of destruction and rebirth continued infinitely, with each cycle becoming more and more violent.
10. Beasts of all size and shapes began to rampage through the land.
11. The oceans boiled away, leaving only steaming hot water behind.
12. The sky rained down blood for days.
13. The sun disappeared, and was replaced by an eerie green glow.
14. The moons shattered, raining down pieces on the surface.
15. A giant creature awoke from its slumber and began destroying everything in sight.
16. A strange disease began infecting and killing people by the thousands.
17. The sun disappeared, plunging the world into an everlasting night.
18. Electricity crackled in the air, arcing off of everything it came into contact with.
19. Massive sinkholes appeared, swallowing up anything that got too close.
20. Volcanoes erupted all across the world, blanketing the planet in ash.
21. Meteors fell from the sky, crashing into the surface and causing widespread devastation.
22. The planet was bombarded with radiation from an unknown source.
23. Structures made of stone and other non-metal materials were liquified.
24. The very fabric of reality began to unravel, with entire creatures and landscapes appearing and disappearing at random.
25. Time itself began to break down, with creatures and objects aging and de-aging erratically.
26. The laws of physics were broken, resulting in creatures and objects defy gravity, being able to pass through solid matter, etc.
27. Portals to other dimensions started appearing, often disgorging hostile creatures.
28. Energy blasts began appearing out of nowhere, vaporizing anything they touches.
29. Psychic storms ravaged the minds of all sentient creatures.
30. The ground began to produce crystalline structures that shredded anything that touched them.

20 Alien Godlings (Part II)

Click here for Part I

Roll (d20):

1. The Great Wurm
A colossal serpentine creature said to be so long that it encircles the entire world. It is said to be sleeping but some believe that it is merely feigning sleep and that it is in fact awake and aware.

2. Vriul-Zan
A fearsome creature composed of whirling energy and razor-sharp blades. It dwells in the heart of Aquilus's sun, and can only be invoked by using a very powerful magical ritual. Those who succeed in summoning it are either destroyed by its awesome power, or made into its servitors.

3. The World-Shaper
A creature of tremendous power said to be able to reshape the world to its whim. It is said to be locked in battle with the Primordial One at the heart of the world.

4. The Architects
A race of super-intelligent beings that shaped Aquilus to be the perfect world for intelligent life to flourish. They are said to dwell in a hidden city at the centre of the world.

5. Cthuga
A gigantic owlish creature that is said to suck the heat out of the sun, causing winter to come to Aquilus. Worshippers of Cthuga build great temples of ice, and spend their days in cold contemplation and study.

6. Jhul-Anatha
A gigantic anaconda-like creature said to be the offspring of Nyogtha and Shub-Niggurath. It dwells in the swamps of Aquilus, and its followers are said to have the power to transform themselves into serpents.

7. Ghor-Azag
A fearsome demon said to dwell in the heart of Aquilus. It is said to be made of living fire, and to feast on the souls of the damned. followers of Ghor-Azag are said to be able to control fire, and to be immune to its effects.

8. Jaraah
An entity composed of a cloud of nanites that can enter and take control of any machinery. It is worshiped by the Cult of the Machine as the bringer of progress and enlightenment.

9. K'lak
A fearsome reptilian deity that dwells in the lava flows beneath the surface of Aquilus. It is propitiated by sacrificing living creatures to it, which are then devoured by the lava.

10. The Qliphoth
A dark and malevolent force that infests the minds of those who stray too close to it. The Qliphoth is the personification of all that is evil and chaos in the universe.

11. The Ogdru Jahad
A race of ancient and powerful dragons that dwell in the depths of space. They are worshiped by a cult of fanatical humans who believe that they will one day rule the universe.

12. The Silicoids
A race of silicon-based lifeforms that dwell on the innermost planet of the solar system. They are worshiped by a cult of humans who believe that they will one day inherit the galaxy.

13. A'kin-Shum
A god of machines and industry. Its followers are mainly artisans, engineers and factory workers. It gives them the ability to see the blueprints of any machine they lay their hands on, allowing them to reverse-engineer and improve upon them.

14. Raam-Set
The god of thieves and assassins. It is said that if you make the proper sacrifices, Raam-Set will bless your blade so that it will never miss its mark. Its worshippers are a silent, efficient lot, and are greatly feared throughout the city-states of Aquilus.

15. Jalla-Kad'ar
The goddess of love and fertility. Her worship is widespread and her temples can be found in nearly every city. She is often portrayed as a beautiful woman surrounded by a dozen adoring lovers. Jalla-Kad'ar's blessing is said to bring happiness and good fortune in love.

16. K'oard-Hak
The god of war and destruction. His followers are a savage, warlike people who live in the wild places of Aquilus. They are known for their ferocity in battle and their utter lack of mercy.

17. Ul-Nal
The god of the underworld. His realm is a dark and terrible place where the dead are said to suffer unspeakable torments. Ul-Nal's worshippers are mainly necromancers and other practitioners of dark magic.

18. Xoth-Ungol
A gigantic spider-like creature that lurks in the dark places of the world, spinning its web of lies and deceit. Those who are ensnared by Xoth-Ungol's web will find their minds gradually corrupted by its poisonous venom.

19. G-Lorh
A giant intelligent space amoeba that feeds on the electromagnetic radiation emitted by stars. It is worshipped by a fanatical cult that sees it as the only way to cleanse the universe of the filth of intelligent life. They actively seek out stars to sacrifice to G-Lorh in the hope that it will devour them and thus cleanse the galaxy.

20. The Grurk
An enormous praying mantis-like creature that is the personification of death. It is said that when the Grurk devours a soul, that soul is extinguished from all existence. It is feared and worshipped in equal measure by the people of Aquilus.

50 Planets & Astronomical Objects

Roll (d50):

1. Star, our own sun, going supernova; 4 billion people evacuated to other solar systems.
2. Terra, Earth-like planet inhabited by war-like humans with no technology beyond Bronze Age.
3. Twilight, red dwarf star with a planet in a permanent eclipse; unique crystal life.
4. Union, planet-sized space habitat with 1,000s of microclimates, cultures, & languages.
5. Vacca, planet with 90% ocean coverage; home to giant space whales & other mysteries.
6. Zero, nameless, dark world; all matter pulled into a single point in space-time.
7. New Terra, birthplace of humanity, now a Marian world with several moons, including New Earth.
8. Trappist-1, star with 7 Earth-like planets, 6 of which may support life; huge research focus.
9. Vega, blue-white star, 2nd-brightest in night sky, with 50 billion planets in “Goldilocks” zones.
10. The Watchers, advanced AI that observe and study all other civilizations in the galaxy.
11. Zara Prime, jungle world inhabited by six-limbed felines on primitive level of technology.
12. 4 Vesta, large asteroid, heavily mined for rare- earth metals by major corporations.
13. Hebe, small, rocky world, heavily cratered, with a single research outpost.
14. 8942 Edna, cold ice giant, home to a settlement of exiles and criminals.
15. Charon, largest of Pluto’s moons, site of a shadowy industrial base with unknown purpose.
16. Terra Alta, mountain-sized chunks of stone and metal orbiting a white dwarf sun.
17. Terranova, post-terraformed world with superdiverse fauna and flora, but high volcanic activity.
18. Tethys, giant ice asteroid with a single moon, mining colony for H2O and N2.
19. Titania, settlers on largest of Uranus’s moons must deal with extreme cold and constant night.
20. Uploaded, post-singularity world where everyone is a digital intelligence, inhabit virtual reality.
21. 5H-1V4D.06, post-apocalyptic world where only the strong survive in a lawless land.
22. Valdoran, first contact mission goes wrong when huge, carnivorous plants overwhelm ship.
23. Tomoe, tiny water world; heated by volcanic vents, teams race to exploit it.
24. 3X-T4ND.02, agrarian world with long winter nights & short summer days.
25. Vanduul, home system of space pirates, 3 habitable worlds, raids common.
26. Vega Prime, thought to be first extra-solar human colony, disappeared mysteriously.
27. 12I-U2.01, planet with a night side & a day side, but they are slowly converging.
28. Kula-gul, black market system, also known as the “wheel of fortune”.
29. Illium, luxury resort world, base of operations for merc groups and corporations.
30. Rannoch, Quarian homeworld, under siege by the Geth.
31. 4T-3R0N.07, once-thriving mining colony now haunted by the ghosts of the dead.
32. Thessia, ancient and beautiful home to many of the galaxy’s schools.
33. Feros, human colony, abandoned by the Alliance, now overrun by feral geth.
34. Vegas, populated by immortals who can reset their age, appearance, and memories at will.
35. Xur, presence of this dark energy field kills all organic matter, but not machines.
36. 9G-L0NG.15, abandoned research station orbiting a black hole; external time dilation.
37. Starfish, mobile sun-sized organism consumes energy & resources of entire systems.
38. Taiki, research station on edge of star with debilitating psychosis-inducing light.
39. UK-L853.02, corporate state where work is product & vacation is slavery; the poor riot.
40. Vafar, desert world whose sun is dying, making it a popular gladiatorial arena.
41. Zuni, home to homicidal AI that wiped out its creators; might do same to others.
42. 7O-GLE.03, tourist destination with recorded incidents of people going mad & disappearing.
43. Omega-4, a.k.a. “The Great Trash Heap”, used by corporations to get rid of waste.
44. Nirvana, rebel base world, heavily defended and well-hidden.
45. Zhang Fei, Agricultural world, known for the best food in the galaxy.
46. Babylon 5, Earth’s space station, site of major peace talks and the Babylon Project.
47. The Island, a.k.a. “The Lost City”, a planet that was once home to a great civilization.
48. Arvuna, desert world home to a sapient race of plant people.
49. Mira, jungle world. Site of a secret government laboratory.
50. New Earth, second human colony, thought to be lost but recently re-discovered.

80 Colonies, Bases & Research Stations

Roll (d80):

1. Jettisoned space-junk city, factions vie for resources.
2. Kafa, lava world, home to alien race, intense heat.
3. Kastovsky, water world, eternally dark, unknown creatures.
4. LJ-526, bar on space-station, home to aliens and exiles.
5. Malka, desert planet, hostile natives, xeno-archeology.
6. Niflheim, ice world, dark secrets, buried technology.
7. Outpost 12, on a gas giant, research station, strange experiments.
8. Pandora, ring-world, home to many cultures, dangerous wildlife.
9. Post-Terra, after Earth was ruined, new start on Mars.
10. Proteus, genetic research facility, home to many clones.
11. Ragnarok, dead world, home to ancient evil, dormant for now.
12. Ruins of Ree, lost world, home of the last dragon.
13. Shaad, desert world, home to aggressive nomads, great sandworms.
14. Sova, jungle world, home to a lost civilization, dangerous animals.
15. Starlight, orbital city, home to the wealthy, zero-gravity areas.
16. K’thon, mining planet, company town, dark secrets.
17. Kari-atha, Ringed gas giant, very beautiful, very dangerous.
18. Lave, water world, many oceans, many island chains.
19. Magnetar, dying star, strange energy, aliens?
20. Mecrosa, heavily industrialized, dark & polluted.
21. Newton, ice world, research station, guarded by cyborgs.
22. Oronos, volcanic world, lava tubes, hostile environment.
23. Outskirts, beyond the frontier, lawless & dangerous.
24. Proteus, ocean world, undersea cities, strange creatures.
25. Quarantine, planet used to contain diseases/aliens.
26. Rhegium, desert world, oasis city, ancient ruins.
27. Sargasso, space junk yard, dangerous place to salvage.
28. Terra 2, earth like planet, warring factions, ruined cities.
29. Thule, arctic world, research station, hostile wildlife.
30. Typhon, lava world, volcanic activity, hostile environment.
31. Kreton, sunny planet, planet-wide desert, oasis-cities.
32. Lir-Drak, volcanic world, lava fields, ash-cities.
33. MS 896, plant life, giant crystals, teeming with fauna.
34. New Russia, in the asteroid belt, home to criminals.
35. Nil-OBrien 17, mining facilities, factories, long hours.
36. Orbital 3, space station, home to rich/elite, spa-resort.
37. Quirinious Beta, water world, huge ocean, small land-masses.
38. 20 Rubicon, war world, home to many battlefields, no safe areas.
39. Sargasso, gaseous world, home to many floating cities.
40. Shiloh, quiet world, home to many retirees, no violence.
41. Starlight, abandoned world, home to many ruins, no life.
42. Terra 2, desert world, home to many oasis-cities, hostile wildlife.
43. Thanagar, home world, beautiful planet, home to many galaxies.
44. Kelar 7, giant gas planet, colonists live on giant dirigibles.
45. Kress, desert world, small oasis-villages, spice mines.
46. L-point, space station, connection to the Relay.
47. New Bungie, small planet, agility training, no weapons.
48. New Earth, earth-like, just trying to survive.
49. Nexus, space station, home to many criminals.
50. Outpost 12, small outpost, home to many exiles.
51. Ragnarok, jungle planet, full oftrees and rivers.
52. Sanctuary, water world, many refugees.
53. Sentinel, security planet, home to many military.
54. Tartarus, ice-moon, home to criminals and near death.
55. The Belt, asteroid belt, great place to find minerals/ores.
56. The Forge, industrial planet, home to many factories.
57. The Wheel, space station, home to many gamblers.
58. Titan, gas giant, home to many miners.
59. Libertus, prison colony, stories of torture.
60. Magnaura, large magna-region surrounding star, research.
61. Moffen 5, atmospherically dead, lifeless hulks of ships.
62. Noi, water world, one large continent, many cultures.
63. Oasis, in a Belt, agricultural, greenhouses and water mines.
64. Outland, beyond the Perimeter, outlaws, criminals.
65.  Kallin, desert world, dried ocean floor, acid rain.
66. L-point, black hole, terraforming research, hidden tech.
67. Mol, gas giant, mining station, home of the loners.
68. New Beginnings, first human colony, everyone’s new home.
69. Planet X, mineral rich, uninhabited, unknown origin.
70. Ruins of Tarkus, ancient space station, now a trap.
71. Sanctuary, asteroid, refugee camp, home of the outcasts.
72. The Belt, asteroid belt, home of the miners, tech-world.
73. The Dark Side, moon, no atmosphere, has water & ice.
74. The Forbidden Zone, area of space no one goes to, legends.
75. The Outlands, unclaimed planets, home of the free.
76. Panthalassa, water world, one large ocean, many cultures.
77. Relay, space station, connection to the L-point.
78. Salus, earth-like, unified under one government.
79. Tau Ceti, water world, sea-faring cultures, many islands.
80. Thanatos, desert world, site of an ancient disaster.

50 Encounters in the Underworld

Roll (d50):

1. The Whispering Graveyard, full of restless spirits.
2. The Eternal Prison, said to hold an immortal foe.
3. The City of Shadows, a place of dark secrets and lies.
4. The Forest of the Shade, the trees are alive and watchful.
5. The Ivory Tower, built of human bones.
6. The Palace of Rust, home to the Iron Duke.
7. The Library of the Damned, where knowledge is a curse.
8. The Maze of Madness, where the walls are alive and hungry.
9. The Garden of Dreams, where reality is an illusion.
10. The Domain of the Doppelgängers, where all is not as it seems.
11. The Fortress of the Faceless, home to the nameless creatures of the night.
12. The Tower of the Titans, where giants walk the earth once more.
13. The Lost city of the Seers, drowned in time.
14. The Coliseum of the Damned, where undead beasts fight.
15. The Arena of the Lost, where gladiators battle to the death.
16. The School of the Necromancers, teaching the dark arts.
17. The Blackest Mountain, cover in ash.
18. The Devil's Playground, where toys never break.
19. The City That Dreams, where all nightmares come true.
20. The keep of forgotten truths, now madness.
21. The Harrowed fields, where the air screams.
22. The Court of the Black Queen, where all kneel.
23. The Mausoleum of Lost Souls, where none can rest.
24. The Arena of Blood, where only the strong survive.
25. The Forge of the Damned, where all are tortured.
26. The Palace of Mirrors, where all truths are lies.
27. The Abino Queen, who only sees in black.
28. Maggot-Ridden Corpses, piled high in heaps.
29. Gnawing Hounds, led by a skeletal master.
30. The Lich Lord's Treasure, guarded by a skeletal dragon.
31. A Slumbering Beholder, dreaming of domination.
32. A City of Shadows, where the sun is never seen.
33. A Forgotten King, entombed in a dreaming coma.
34. A Mad Wizard, babbling in a cell of his own making.
35. An Ancient Green Dragon, slumbering on a hoard of treasure.
36. Angelic Custodians, cleaning the Eternal Archives.
37. The Architects, designing universes from blueprints.
38. The Infinite Darkness, brimming with stars.
39. The Celestial Bureaucracy, filing away hours.
40. The Great Wheel, spinning through time.
41. The Gates of Horn and Ivory, leading to dreams.
42. The Underworld Express, speeding through the darkness.
43. The City of the Dead, home to the departed.
44. The Lost Library, searching for any who remember.
45. The Academy of the Artificers, rivalrous and dangerous.
46. The Court of the Thousand Fools, a jester's paradise.
47. The Palace of a Thousand Doors, forever shut.
48. The Void Between the Worlds, choked with souls.
49. The Gloom, a place of endless night.
50. The Observatory of the Gods, said to see all.

20 Alien Godlings

Roll (d20):

1. Cthaeghya
A monstrous being, part plant, part animal, which dwells in the swamps of Aquilus. It is said to be able to assume the form of any creature it has devoured. It is worshipped by a race of reptilian humanoids known as the Ss'kra.

2. Qo'sha
A55, an intelligent neutron star, is the body of this alien god. It is attended by a court of lesser gods, all of whom are equally enthralled by its high gravity and dense atmosphere. Together they plot the overthrow of the other godlings and their dominion over the universe.

3. Uulth-Va
An alien godling that is little more than a ball of writhing tentacles. It is said to be the last of its kind, all the others having been devoured by Uulth-Va. It now drifts through the emptiness of space, searching for worlds to devour and merge with.

4. Xel-Ha
A many-armed, many-eyed creature that lurks in the dark places of the universe. It is said that Xel-Ha can see everything that happens in the universe, and that it keeps a record of all events in a giant book.

5. K'ythri
A huge amoeba-like creature that drifts through the cosmos, feeding on the energy of stars. K'ythri is said to be so old that it remembers the time before the universe existed.

6. Juk-Shabb
This monstrous beast is a nightmarish creation of the Primordial's genetic engineering. It is a huge ape-like creature with an arsenal of deadly toxins secreted from its pores. The followers of Juk-Shabb collect the toxins and use them to create powerful drugs.

7. The Lattice
A totally alien entity composed of a multi-dimensional network of energy filaments. It is the power source for all the technological goodies of the Celestial Domain. The Lattice is also sentient and can communicate with anyone who connects to it directly.

8. The Wanderers
A race of nomadic aliens who live in huge spaceships. They are masters of gravity manipulation and zero-point energy. They are also experts in weaponry and often hire themselves out as mercenaries.

9. The Grigori
A race of aliens who resemble giant bats. They live in huge caverns deep in the planet and are experts in mining and smelting. They also have the ability to fly and are often used as beasts of burden by the other races.

10. The Ethereans
A race of aliens who can manipulate energy and matter at the quantum level. They live in floating cities and are the builders of the massive space stations. They are also the ones who created the artificial intelligence known as The Lattice.

11. The Primordials
A race of aliens who are the masters of genetic engineering. They created the Juk-Shabb and many other creatures. They live in huge crystal palaces and are served by an army of genetically engineered creatures.

12. Ahl-Goroth
An immensely powerful being that commands swarms of semi-sentient flying creatures. It claims all of the verdant areas of Aquilus as its domain, and attacks anyone who attempts to enter its territory. Ahl-Goroth can only be defeated by using weapons of pure sound, as its body is composed of countless vibrating strings.

13. Uul-Athan
This god is an amorphous mass of writhing tentacles that constantly seek to engulf and consume anything that comes within reach. It is said that there is an intelligence lurking within Uul-Athan, but it is so alien that it is impossible for mortal minds to comprehend.

14. Dul-Sathan
A monstrous being with the head of a dragon and the body of a lion. It is said that Dul-Sathan can assume any form it wishes, but it prefers to manifest in a way that terrorizes and confounds mortals. It is particularly fond of appearing in the dreams of those who have displeased it.

15. Jik-reme
A giant slug-like creature that secretes a powerful acid. It is said that Jik-reme can dissolve anything, even the very bedrock of the planet. Worshippers of Jik-reme believe that it will one day consume the entire world, freeing them from the constraints of matter and allowing them to achieve a state of pure enlightenment.

16. Kug-thot
A bestial god with the head of a alligator and the body of a man. It is said that Kug-thot is exceedingly strong and can crush anything with its bare hands. Its worshippers often engage in bloody rituals in which they mutilate and sacrifice animals and humans to placate their god.

17. Cthylla
A primordial goddess of chaos and destruction. She is said to take the form of a huge winged serpent or a beautiful woman, depending on her mood. Cthylla is unpredictable and dangerous, and her worshippers must be ever vigilant in order to avoid her wrath.

18. Ya-Ratha
A god of death and decay. Ya-Ratha is said to appear as a skeletal figure draped in black robes. It is said that Ya-Ratha can claim any soul it desires, and that its touch is fatal. Worshippers of Ya-Ratha often engage in funerary rites and practices meant to hasten the death of enemies and rivals.

19. Cthaeh
A gigantic alien tree. Its bark is covered in strange symbols that can induce hallucinations in anyone that gazes at them. The tree is tended to by a number of small intelligent creatures known as the saplings. The saplings are in fact the tree's offspring and they will defend it to the death.

20. Galgus
A many-armed monstrous deity that dwells in the volcanic caverns beneath Aquilus' surface. It is said that Galgus can control the very lava itself and that it is worshipped by fire elementals.

Weird Ideas for Character Backgrounds

Roll (d20): 

1. The Transcendent
Possessions: A body in constant flux, a mind beyond understanding.
You are not of this world, not of any world. You are something beyond, something that defies explanation. Your body is in a constant state of flux, constantly changing and adapting to new stimuli. Your mind is beyond understanding, beyond the comprehension of mortal minds. You are something other, something Transcendent.

2. The Fading
Possessions:  A body slowly fading away, memories of a life long gone.
You were once human, but that was a lifetime ago. Now you are something else, something less. Your body is slowly fading away, your memories of a human life long gone. You wander the spheres, searching for a way to regain your humanity, or at least to hold on to what little of it you have left.

3. The Uncanny
Possessions: Eerie dolls, unsettling artwork.
You are more than just human, but less than something else. You are the Uncanny, the strange and unsettling. You collect dolls and artwork, anything that strikes you as odd or unsettling. You can’t help but want to unsettle others, to make them feel as uneasy as you do.

4. The Void Walker
Possessions: A suit of void-resistant armor, a staff of nullifying.
You have walked the Void, the empty nothingness between the spheres. You have seen things that no mortal was meant to see, and you have survived things that would have killed a lesser being. You are a walking paradox, a being that should not exist. You wander the spheres, searching for a way to return to the Void, or at least to find a way to make peace with it.

5. The Broken
Possessions: A body that is not quite right, a mind that is fractured.
You were once whole, but now you are broken. Your body is not quite right, your mind is fractured. You wander the spheres, searching for a way to fix yourself, or at least to understand what happened to you.

6. The Lost
Possessions: A map to a place that does not exist, a guide that cannot be followed.
You are lost, lost in a way that no one can understand. You have a map to a place that does not exist, a guide that cannot be followed. You wander the spheres, searching for a way back to the place you once called home.

7. Melancholic Neonate
Possessions: A shattered mirror, a vial of black ink.
You were born in the void between the stars, and though you’ve never seen your own reflection, you know that you’re nothing special to look at. You’re scared of what you might see, so you carry a shattered mirror and a vial of black ink with you at all times.

8. The Perpetually Startled
Possessions: A pocketwatch, a magnifying glass.
You’re always on edge, always on the lookout for danger. It’s not that you’re paranoid — it’s that you’ve seen too much in your short life. You’ve seen things that nobody should have to see, and it’s left you jumpy and twitchy. You’re always the one who notices when something’s not quite right, and you’re always the first to react when trouble comes.

9. The Unsleeping
Possessions: A bottle of pills, an eye patch.
You never sleep. You don’t need to. You’ve been awake for so long that you can’t even remember what it feels like to dream. You’re not sure if you’re even human anymore. You take pills to stay awake, and you wear an eye patch to keep the light from bother you.

10. The Schismatic
Possessions: A knife, a bottle of holy water.
You were once a part of a great and terrible whole, but now you are nothing. You are a walking heresy, a living contradiction. You are two people in one body, and you can never rest until one of you is destroyed. You carry a knife to end your own life, and a bottle of holy water to purify your soul.

11. The Outcast
Possessions: A bag of rations, a map.
You don’t belong here. You don’t belong anywhere. You’re a wanderer, a nomad, a drifter. You’ve been cast out of every place that you’ve ever called home, and you’ve learned to fend for yourself. You’re not looking for a place to belong — you’re just looking for a place to exist.

12. The Emaciated
Possessions: Scale and rust-covered clothes, emaciated body.
You’re not quite sure what happened. You remember pain, and hunger, and being dragged through the muck and mire. You must have looked quite the spectacle when they found you — skin and bones, rags for clothes, and not a drop of fat on your body. But they took you in, nursed you back to health. You owe them everything, and will gladly give your life in service to them.

13. Slave to a Machine
Possessions: A battered suit of armor, a sword half-consumed by rust.
You don’t remember much of your life before the machine. You were nothing, a nameless cog in the machines great purpose. And then, one day, you were chosen. The machine spoke to you, called you its servant, its slave. It gave you a new name, and a new purpose. You exist to serve the machine, and will gladly give your life to see it fulfilled.

14. The Doppelganger
Possessions: An identical twin, a set of identical clothes.
You’re not quite sure what you are. You remember being born, and then there were two of you. You’re not sure which one is the original and which one is the copy. But it doesn’t matter, because you are both the same. You are identical in every way, even down to your thoughts and feelings. You are two halves of the same whole, and where one goes, the other must follow.

15. The Cosmic Wanderer
Possessions: A map of the cosmos, a star charts.
You’ve been to places that no mortal has ever dreamed of. You’ve seen the birth and death of stars, the ebb and flow of galaxies. You’ve tasted the sweet nectar of infinity, and it has left you wanting more. You wander the cosmos in search of knowledge, of understanding. And one day, you hope to find your way back home.

16. The Mad Scientist
Possessions: A laboratory, a crazy idea.
You’re not quite sure what led you down this path. Was it the compulsion to understand the world around you? The thirst for knowledge? Or was it something more? Whatever the reason, you’ve dedicated your life to science, and you’ll stop at nothing to achieve your goals. You’ll make the world bow to your will, or die trying.

17. The Witch of Rust and Grief
Possessions: A talisman of rusted nails, a doll made of dead leaves.
Some say that you were once a woman wronged by a cruel lover. Others say that you are the embodiment of humanity’s capacity for self-destruction. Either way, you spread your curse wherever you go. Crops wither in your wake, metal rusts, and hearts break. You take particular delight in luring children into the forest to feed on their terror.

18. The Angel of Oblivion
Possessions: A crystal sword, a set of feathered wings.
You were once an angel, a fearsome warrior in the service of the Light. But you fell from grace, and now you wanders the planes as a bitter and vengeful spirit. You yearn to forget your former glory, but the power within you calls out to be unleashed. You are a force of destruction, and you will not rest until all Creation is consumed by the void.

19. The Beast of a Thousand Faces
Possessions: A bestiary, an alchemy set.
You are a shapeshifter, a master of disguise. You can take on the form of any creature you have seen, and you use this power to find new and terrible ways to feed your insatiable hunger. You are feared and hunted by all who know of you, but you always seem to be one step ahead of your pursuers.

20. The God-Eater
Possessions: A hunger that can never be sated.
You don’t remember a time when you didn’t hunger for the flesh of gods. It began as a gnawing hunger in the depths of your soul, and has since grown to consume your every waking thought. You’ve eaten the flesh of countless gods, and each time the hunger grows stronger. You know that one day you will devour the last god in the universe, and then what will you do?

50 Cities, Citadels & Other Weird Structures

Roll (d50)

1. Gigantic creature made entirely of volcanic glass, eternally frozen in the act of birthing an even more massive offspring.
2. Sprawling city made of the corpses of dead gods, still twitching and moaning in their eternal damnation.
3. A cathedral that is also a living creature, its stone walls writhing and its gargoyles howling.
4. A city within a city, each building a smaller replica of the one it surrounds, until the very centre where a single miniature building resides.
5. A school of thought manifested as a physical structure, where great minds can be found debating with one another in the halls and classrooms.
6. A floating palace made of cloud and rainbows, where the sun and moon converge in the sky to form a third light.
7. A building that is also a mirror, reflecting back whatever is placed before it, no matter the size or nature.
8. Flailing mass of tentacles, bony plates and vestigial mouths, seemingly carved from the stone of an ancient city buried beneath the earth.
9. City block sized creature, composed entirely of eyes, wailing eternally in tongues unknown.
10. A single tree, bearing fruit of an unknown kind, hanging in the middle of an infinite black void.
11. Great chain-beacon, a fiery mountain-top citadel surrounded by a constantly smoking sea of lava.
12. A city in the clouds, accessed by towers of crystal and metal rainbows.
13. A palace made of inverted glass pyramids, their points planted in the earth.
14. A colossal tree with a city in its canopy, its trunk a spiraling stair leading to the heavens.
15. A school forcity in which all the lessons and academic buildings are suspended by a single massive ballast stone.
16. A seemingly abandoned city, with every door and window boarded up. But if one looks close enough, they can see thousands of pairs of eyes staring back at them from the cracks.
17. A colossal tree, with a city living in its branches, its roots tearing through the ground below like grasping fingers.
18. A transparent fortress, made entirely of diamond, in which everything and everyone can be seen as if under a microscope.
19. A city in the shape of a cage, with great spires reaching up to the sky, meant to keep something in, or keep something out.
20. A living mountain, whose every step shakes the ground, and whose breath is a storm.
21. Great redwood palace, riddled with tiny holes, like a honeycomb, through which an eerie green light shines.
22. Mountain top arena, where two teams of magi face off in a grand game of capture the flag, using summoned creatures as their pawns.
23. A city within a city, an entire metropolis contained within a single building, each district separated by walls, bridges, and streets.
24. Floating fortress composed of a patchwork of salvaged ships, lashed together with chains and sails billowing in an otherworldly wind.
25. A building that is alight with a raging inferno, but does not burn.
26. A giant sundial, where the hours are told not by the sun's progress, but by the whim of the winds, which can speed up or reverse time at their leisure.
27. A palace made entirely of crystal, where every voice echoes a thousand-fold, and every footstep shatters a thousand shards.
28. A city in the clouds, where the buildings are held aloft by massive balloons, and the only way to travel between them is by flapping great wings of feathers and wax.
29. Great birdcage of living metal, wires sparking with electricity, holding aloft a single white feather.
30. Drum-shaped keep, every surface a different musical instrument, eternally playing a discordant melody.
31. Castle in the form of a many-eyed, many-mouthed woman, screaming in silent terror.
32. Transparent fortress of unbreakable glass, full of identical clones of a single inhabitant.
33. A house of cards the size of a city, constantly rebuilding and collapsing in on itself.
34. A cathedral in which the pews and rafters are carved with the howls and agonies of the damned, while the floor is a single great stained glass mural of the final judgment.
35. A manor house with a great sundial in the front yard, with each hour represented by a different season, and each season by a different climate.
36. A city of fortress-sized blacksmith's forges, with billowing smoke day and night, and the incessant sound of a thousand anvils being hammered.
37. A floating palace of opalescent crystal, illuminated from within by a thousand candles, each representing a different star.
38. A temple whose ceilings and walls are alive with constellations, and whose floor is a great map of the cosmos.
39. A mix of every material known to exist all thrown together to create a single jumbled mess of a temple.
40. A city sized mill with mountains for grinding stones, valleys for chutes, and a stream of lava for a flowing river.
41. A school where everyone is both student and teacher, and the only lessons are those learned in dreams.
42. A single tower that extends up and down through all planes of existence, with an infinite number of rooms, each containing something different.
43. Dormant volcano sporting a great cathedral grafted to its side, belching lava-encrusted bells.
44. Great obsidian ziggurat, gears and cogs turning eternally to some unknown purpose.
45. Vast city made completely of gold, all evidence of industry or habitation hidden behind opulent facades.
46. A palace made completely of wax, slowly melting in the heat of twin suns.
47. Sprawling fortress partially submerged in a murky green swamp, its towers and parapets adorned with weeping gargoyles.
48. Enormous beehive made of petrified wood and obsidian, swarming with crystalline bees the size of mammoths.
49. Gigantic geodesic dome over a great city, the interior a pristine crystalline environment, completely sealed from the outside world.
50. A city on the back of a living, moving creature the size of a mountain, its countless spires and bridges draped in cascading vines.
    
    

Art by Tim White.

Keosz

Keosz

Keosz is a humble trading post, populated by pilgrims who left populous cities to establish a communitarian  utopian movement, without hierarchy, traditions, religion, or laws. Visitors are welcomed, and those passing through will be able to purchase basic supplies. Many of the pilgrims are artisans and also offer unique items.

What about the pilgrims?

• They throw their dead into a nearby well.
• They are fanatics. The colony has collapsed into severe dysfunction. 
• Many of them are twins.
• They worship a majestic stone egg and pray it will hatch and transform the world. 
• They can smell heartbreak on someone’s breath at 6 ft distance.
  
  

What do the pilgrims sell? (d12)

1. Forked stick. Points towards areas with water. Also points to hungry beasts. 
2. Tobacco. Blows monstrous shapes, taking a life of their own.
3. Fine azure powder. After snorting, user can identify potions by smell.
4. White ball. Turns a myriad of colors when touched, before settling on a deep green glow.
5. Pair of glasses. They show grief.
6. Miniature planet inside a glass jar. 
7. Bottle of ink. Never goes dry or runs out.
8. A crystal. Creates a flame when rubbed, doesn't burn.
9. Vial of droplets. When added to a pile of excrement, it turn back into what it was before.
10. Silk gloves. Can find secret doors at +2.
11. Ear plug. Can read one thought within 10 ft for one minute, once per day.
12. Cup. Makes an liquid poured into it evaporate instantly.

Resident complications (roll d8 on each of the 4 tables below and combine)

1. Ex hero
2. Ex alchemist
3. Ex witch doctor
4. Ex glassblower
5. Ex pickpocket
6. Ex prisoner
7. Ex playwright
8. Ex psychic

1. Love at first sight with one of the PCs
2. Awakened from the dead 
3. Has a magical bloodline
4. Witnessed  unspeakable atrocities
5. Certain they are an advanced being
6. Can recite spell-books, backwards
7. Was raised by magical beasts
8. Spends lavishly on donations to cults

1. ... trusts only ...
2. ... schemes with ...
3. ... is a clone of ...
4. ... owes a favor to ...
5. ... worried about ...
6. ... secretly loves ...
7. ... secretly serves ...
8. ... parent of ...

1. Ex zealot
2. Ex academic
3. Ex hedonist
4. Ex gravedigger
5. Ex torturer
6. Ex brewer
7. Ex musician
8. Ex cartographer

Art by Neo Rauch.

20 Weird Weather Events

20 Weird Weather Events (d20)

1. Tangerine fog. Any dead animals or plants temporarily come back to life.
2. Violet lightning storm. Wherever lightning strikes, objects begin hovering and slowly rising up towards the sky. This effect lasts for 1d10 minutes, after which all the objects slowly descend.
3. Emerald hail. Huge balls falls from the sky for 2d4 rounds. Seek cover or make DEX check each round, taking 1 damage on fail.
4. Chrome yellow rain. Turns whatever strikes it invisible for 1d4 hours
5. Light blue storm. Freezes isolated pockets of space, and transports them backward in time. Also has a minor teleportation effect, which is unsettling.
6. Disorientation due to brief electrical storm. Magic casters must make a WIS or INT check or forget all spells for the day.
7. Day inexplicably turns to night with 30 ft visibility. Or the night turn to blinding daylight. Lasts 3d10+10 minutes. -2 on ranged attacks.
8. Light green ghost rain. It’s raining, but the rain seems to pass right through everything. 
9. Pink noxious rain. Causes vomiting, fungus grows out of everything not metal.
10. Blizzard blue ionized storm. Metallic objects randomly release sparks, small lightning bolts.
11. Amaranth red pollen cloud. PCs cough up blood. CON check once per day, or lose 1 CON. 2 sequential saves over 2 days to recover.
12. Orange gas. Mood altering, can cause victims to be loving or violent.
13. Dread silence, lasting 2d6 hours. Spells requiring a verbal component cannot be cast. Roll save vs spells per hour or suffer -2 on all rolls due to terror. 
14. Cyan acidic rain. Any exposed metal has 30% each round of being corroded. Metal is destroyed if rolls under 30% are made on two consecutive rounds. Lasts 2d8 rounds
15. Scarlet red mist. Temporarily erases memories and language and makes creatures incapable of speaking, reading or communicating. Lasts 1d4 hours. Affects spells with verbal components
16. Fragrant wind. Seems to pick up thoughts of those it passes. PCs have a 50% chance to pick out carried thoughts, and identify who a thought came from, even from hundreds of miles away.
17. Silver rain storm. Creates fog when it strikes the ground, reducing visibility. All ranged attacks at -3, no visibility beyond 1d100+100 feet. Lasts 1d6 hours. 
18. Lawful or chaotic sun rays. 50/50 chance of either. Glows blue or red, lawful or chaotic creatures in direct sunlight gain +1 bonus to all rolls, the opposite alignment gets -1 penalty. 
19. Blazing comet. Crosses across the sky, either during the day or at night. Each PC should roll 1d20, highest roller is under a protection from evil spell for 1d12 hours.
20. Gold dust. A storm of gold dust, but bottling or capturing it makes it dissolve.

Art: Moses the Leader (1926) by Nicholas Roerich