Traveling Gem. A magical gem that floats around the head of its owner. Glows as it speaks and strikes up conversations with people, beasts and objects. Enjoys flattery and has been known to switch owners by choice, floating off with them.
Random tables for oddities found at a market and intelligent items that are wondrous rather than weapons.
Tangled tables - monsters | villages | foraging & signs | city | items | potions
[Image by Patrick E. Pullen]
Market Oddities and Intelligent Items that aren't Weapons
System neutral ideas for things you might find at a market if you were looking through the stranger items. Or maybe some unusual loot.
Also are intelligent magic items. But unlike most which are weapons, these are tankards, scarves, boots and the like.
Originally from tables requested by patreons and on instragram, now compiled in a PDF, A Tangle of Tables on DM's Guild.
Market Oddities
Items with (Extra - ) reveal more details on a relevant check.
| d20 | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Travels of a Planeswalker. A book containing lurid tales of seductive genies, underwater cities and fiery snakelike creatures. |
| 2 | Elven Tile. Carved on a numbered ceramic tile in Elven is a list of mundane items and a price. (Extra - a wealthy local priest collects these) |
| 3 | Jester Face. An ivory mask of a laughing jester with a sinister smile. |
| 4 | Marriage Spoon. An intricately carved wooden spoon has two names on it. (Extra - One of the names was a seer who mysteriously disappeared) |
| 5 | Unusual Dice. Set of strangely colored dice with weird symbols on them |
| 6 | Kissing Dwarves. A silver statuette of two kissing bearded figures is prominently displayed. Going on auction later that day. |
| 7 | Spice Bargain . A bottle of rare spices at a good price. (Extra - it's fake) |
| 8 | Beast Mood Bracelet. A crystal bracelet that shows six different animal faces, changing depending on the mood of the wearer. |
| 9 | Tyrant's Blade. Ornate knife bearing a dead tyrant's name. A lead-lined secret cavity holds a magical ring. (Extra - tyrant fond of backup plans) |
| 10 | Utensils Jar. A jar of mismatched cooking utensils. One has bloodstains. |
| 11 | Potted Plant. A plant with brightly colored leaves and yellow berries. (Extra - the plant is sought after by alchemists for its berries) |
| 12 | Pointing Statues. Cheap blue gnome statues all holding out a finger. |
| 13 | Befuddling Bag. Bag of dark blue leather with many inner pockets. The contents sometimes move between the pockets at random. |
| 14 | Caged Animal. A songbird (or other cute animal) in a wicker cage. It makes noises at you curiously. A mean-looking shopper tries to buy it. |
| 15 | Painted Cards. Deck of illustrated cards depicting monsters and gods. Sometimes used in telling fortunes or in storytelling games. |
| 16 | Fire Pot. A sturdy ceramic pot is painted with spellcasters in a fiery duel. |
| 17 | Precious Game Pieces. Finely made pieces for a game popular in the region. Part of a set. (Extra - rest of the set for sale with nearby vendor) |
| 18 | Time Device. A clockwork device has a dial with midnight, midday and the current time. A winch powers it for 2d6 days when fully wound. |
| 19 | Chameleon.. A wooden lizard that changes color to match environment. |
| 20 | Gold Symbol. A metal chain with a square gold pendant marked with a rune. (Extra - it was a mark of rank for a cult of a nearby ruined temple) |
Intelligent Items (non-weapon)
Most of these will be variants on regular magic items.
| d10 | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Drinking Partner. A tankard with an animated face teaches many drinking games and is happiest when full of ale. Encourages others join any gambling and can produce ale it describes as "undrinkable". |
| 2 | Bouncing Beads. Several beads on a necklace explode when thrown and each has a different personality. They are excited about going next and discuss what the afterlife will bring. |
| 3 | Scarf of Mothering. A tatty magical staff (or cloak) worries about its wearer and uses a mothering tone. It warns of dangers in life and relationships and the importance of wrapping up warm. |
| 4 | Traveling Gem. A magical gem that floats around the head of its owner. Glows as it speaks and strikes up conversations with people, beasts and objects. Enjoys flattery and has been known to switch owners by choice, floating off with them. |
| 5 | Commenting Backpack. An inquisitive backpack that describes events behind wearer, focusing on weather and animals. Muddles up items it holds and has secret pockets it reveals to those it likes. |
| 6 | Money Shield. The front of this telepathic shield can display different scenes. The magical guild who made it use it to advertise services useful to adventurers. The shield gives advice on finances and risk. |
| 7 | Lore Tome. A huge book written in four languages. A face on the front cover recites its content on request, translating between languages. Gives opinions on the subjects it recites and contains. Can free up room by turning older pages blank. |
| 8 | Boots of Squeaking. Pair of magical boots each styled differently. Converse in squeaks and murmurs. Anyone using magic to understand them gets a running commentary of people nearby. |
| 9 | Lucky Rock. Granting good luck, this rock speaks telepathically, claiming to be a polymorphed dwarf. It wants to fly and claims even more luck granted if it does |
| 10 | Staff of Politeness. A staff that heals wounds is sentient but not very bright. Demands bearer asks for healing in a calm and polite manner and withholds its powers otherwise. |
More Random Tables
Originally from tables requested by patreons and on instragram, now compiled in a PDF, A Tangle of Tables on DM's Guild.
