Something I think the indie RPG community would really benefit from is a database of public-domain works which contain lists of things. People have always loved making big stupid lists, and big stupid lists are eminently suitable to being stolen and adapted as big stupid tables.
The real reason your sapient dragon character needs a “rider”:
Dragons on the wing are vulnerable to being mobbed by smaller, more agile flyers, particularly in your large rear blind spot, like a bird of prey being mobbed by crows. Having a human armed with a long spear perched on your back helps to dissuade anyone from getting any funny ideas.
Breath weapons are impressive enough on the ground, but in flight they’re really only good for strafing stationary targets; trying to use your breath weapon in an aerial dogfight is a good way to get fire up your nose. A real fight calls for sterner measures – and, concomitantly, a crew to aim and reload the cannons.
In today’s competitive world, it’s not enough to devour a flock of sheep and call it a day if you want to keep your edge. You’re accompanied at all times by a qualified personal alchemist tasked with carefully regulating your internal furnace to ensure peak performance, and sometimes you even listen to them.
No dragon of any quality would be caught dead without their valet. It’s not as though you can announce your numerous long-winded titles yourself when introductions are called for, can you? You suppose next you’ll be expected to pick up the spoils of your conquests yourself, like a common brigand. Perish the thought!
when the team is resting because one of its members is ill enough to warrant bedrest for a few days and they get attacked. whether it’s by the Big Bad or just a group of random bandits, now they have to fight. they battle in a circle, attempting to guard the sick character who can’t defend herself. i just love the unspoken cooperation of a team who are defending someone with their lives, making sure that the trouble doesn’t get too close to her.
not doomed by the narrative but saved by the narrative. yeah i know you’d rather die than keep suffering but the story doesn’t actually care what you want. you have to keep going, even when it hurts. even being erased from existence won’t stop you from being salvaged from the wreckage of un-being. get up. keep pushing. keep bleeding. keep living.
‘twist villain’ is always good of course but i’m such a sucker for ‘twist hero’. specifically as in they write a character to be as suspicious and unnerving as possible without really actually doing anything wrong yet but you just KNOW something is wrong but then surprise. they’re fine actually. all the alleged wrongdoings were either lies harmless or taken out of context. it’s even better if the suspicious aspects of their personality don’t go away after the reveal that they’re a good guy. they just act and look and talk like that for fun. they’re just a little silly
To this day the “Stan Is Not What He Seems” readflag is the coolest twist hero case I’ve ever seen.
If you need a simple way to make your characters feel pain, here are some ideas:
1. Sprained Ankle
A common injury that can severely limit mobility. This is useful because your characters will have to experience a mild struggle and adapt their plans to their new lack of mobiliy. Perfect to add tension to a chase scene.
2. Rib Contusion
A painful bruise on the ribs can make breathing difficult, helping you sneak in those ragged wheezes during a fight scene. Could also be used for something sport-related! It’s impactful enough to leave a lingering pain but not enough to hinder their overall movement.
3. Concussions
This common brain injury can lead to confusion, dizziness, and mood swings, affecting a character’s judgment heavily. It can also cause mild amnesia.
I enjoy using concussions when you need another character to subtly take over the fight/scene, it’s an easy way to switch POVs. You could also use it if you need a ‘cute’ recovery moment with A and B.
4. Fractured Finger
A broken finger can complicate tasks that require fine motor skills. This would be perfect for characters like artists, writers, etc. Or, a fighter who brushes it off as nothing till they try to throw a punch and are hit with pain.
5. Road Rash
Road rash is an abrasion caused by friction. Aka scraping skin. The raw, painful sting resulting from a fall can be a quick but effective way to add pain to your writing. Tip: it’s great if you need a mild injury for a child.
6. Shoulder Dislocation
This injury can be excruciating and often leads to an inability to use one arm, forcing characters to confront their limitations while adding urgency to their situation. Good for torture scenes.
7. Deep Laceration
A deep laceration is a cut that requires stitches. As someone who got stitches as a kid, they really aren’t that bad! A 2-3 inch wound (in length) provides just enough pain and blood to add that dramatic flair to your writing while not severely deterring your character.
This is also a great wound to look back on since it often scars. Note: the deeper and wider the cut the worse your character’s condition. Don’t give them a 5 inch deep gash and call that mild.
8. Burns
Whether from fire, chemicals, or hot surfaces, burns can cause intense suffering and lingering trauma. Like the previous injury, the lasting physical and emotional trauma of a burn is a great wound for characters to look back on.
This can create ongoing pain and restrict movement, offering a window to force your character to lean on another. Note: I personally use muscle related injuries when I want to focus more on the pain and sprains to focus on a lack of mobility.
10. Tendonitis
Inflammation of a tendon can cause chronic pain and limit a character’s ability to perform tasks they usually take for granted. When exploring tendonitis make sure you research well as this can easily turn into a more severe injury.
This is a quick, brief list of ideas to provide writers inspiration. Since it is a shorter blog, I have not covered the injuries in detail. This is inspiration, not a thorough guide. Happy writing! :)
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A “crow coin” is a magical coin coveted by crows. You can use an action to toss this coin on the ground in a space within 10 feet of you or hold the coin aloft. A swarm of crows then magically appears atop the coin (use the statistics for a swarm of ravens). The swarm remains for 1 hour or until it’s reduced to 0 hit points, at which point the swarm and coin both vanish.
For the duration of the effect, you can telepathically command the swarm (no action required) and are magically aware of what it collectively sees and hears, provided that it’s within 1 mile of you. The swarm is friendly to you and your companions. In combat, the swarm acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. If you issue no commands, the swarm defends itself but takes no other actions. It rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn.
Whenever a swarm of crows is summoned in this way, there’s a 20 percent chance that a giant crow appears instead (use the statistics for a giant eagle); you gain the same benefits with the giant crow as you do with the swarm, and it lasts for the same duration. Like the swarm, the coin vanishes along with the giant crow.
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Life is cyclical, teetering between life and death, growth and decay. Druids of this circle seek to embody the cycle of growth, bringing forth rejuvenating blooms of life. Here is the final subclass in my Seasonal Druid series! I hope you enjoy!
ALT
