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.