Whether they’re called adages, maxims, slogans or creeds, a motto by any other name will still sound as sweet. These simple statements are essentially promises made to oneself, family, clan, guild, order or institution. It is a phrase that can be proudly carved into a castle’s archway as a sign or wealth and power or muttered to oneself as a mantra against madness when all other hope is lost. A personal motto is a vow to oneself and a promise of intent (For good or ill) to others, while an institutional motto is a binding pact of like-minded peers. A character’s motto can be a goal in itself or a moral anchor that centers his life and guides his action. This table is a mixed collection of real life and fictional mottos that can aid a DM to quickly expand the history of the campaign or to aid a PC in a richer character creation. —Note: The phrasing for the mottos are copied from their original sources the way they were written (I, Me, We, Him, Man, etc), and a DM should change the tenses to best suit the situation.
d100 | Result |
---|---|
1 |
A Contract Is A Contract Is A Contract. |
2 |
A Deal Without Profit Is No Deal At All. |
3 |
A Distracted Guard Is An Opportunity. |
4 |
A Good Lie Is Easier To Believe Than The Truth. |
5 |
A Lone Man Can Make A Difference. |
6 |
A Man Is Only Worth The Sum Of His Possessions. |
7 |
A Soldier Never Tires Of Deceit. |
8 |
A Wealthy Man Can Afford Anything Except A Conscience. |
9 |
A Wise Man Can Hear Profit In The Wind. |
10 |
After You’ve Exploited Someone, It Never Hurts To Thank Them. That Way, It’s Easier To Exploit Them Next Time. |
11 |
All That Glitters Is Not Gold. |
12 |
All Things Come To Those Who Wait. |
13 |
All’s Well That Ends Well. |
14 |
Always Inspect The Merchandise Before Making A Deal. |
15 |
Always Know Where Your Exits Are. |
16 |
Always Take Payment Up Front And In Cash. |
17 |
An Eye For An Eye Makes The Whole World Blind. |
18 |
Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Doing For Money. |
19 |
Arrogance Through Ignorance. |
20 |
As They Weaken, So Shall We Grow Stronger. |
21 |
Better A Live Mouse Than A Dead Lion. |
22 |
Better To Fight For Something Than Live For Nothing. |
23 |
Blood Is Holy To Those Whose God Is War. |
24 |
Bloodshed Carries A Price. |
25 |
Bought And Paid For. |
26 |
Brave The Shadows, Find The Truth. |
27 |
By Teaching, We Learn. |
28 |
Calm Seas Never Made Strong Sailors. |
29 |
Cheater’s Just A Fancy Word For Winner. |
30 |
Comfort Breeds Weakness. |
31 |
Dead Men Tell No Tales. |
32 |
Death Is A Harsh Mistress. |
33 |
Death Is Not The Worst Of Evils. |
34 |
Destroy That Which Is Evil, So That Which Is Good May Flourish. |
35 |
Do Not Confuse Mercy For Weakness. |
36 |
Do Nothing If You Wish To Be Nothing. |
37 |
Don’t Get Mad, Get Even. |
38 |
Drink Hearty For Tomorrow We Die. |
39 |
Epic Sagas Don’t Write Themselves. |
40 |
Even The Smallest Star Shines In The Darkness. |
41 |
Every Failure Is A Lesson. |
42 |
Every Problem Is An Opportunity. |
43 |
Everyone Has A Price. |
44 |
Expand Or Die. |
45 |
Fate Is In Our Hands. |
46 |
Fight Without Hatred In Your Heart. |
47 |
Forewarned Is Forearmed. |
48 |
Free Advice Is Seldom Cheap. |
49 |
Give In To Anger, It Is The Source Of All Strength. |
50 |
God Smiles Upon Me. |
51 |
Gold Is Power. |
52 |
Gold Lasts Longer Than Lust. |
53 |
Greatness, At Any Cost. |
54 |
Greed Is Good. |
55 |
Harm Revisits Those Who Harm. |
56 |
He Conquers Who Endures. |
57 |
Home Is Where The Heart Is. |
58 |
I Am Unleashed. |
59 |
I Came, I Saw, I Conquered. |
60 |
I Go Where The Trouble Is. |
61 |
I May Fail, But I Won’t Quit. |
62 |
I Serve Life, But Deal Death. |
63 |
I Wander Alone. |
64 |
I Will Fight No More Forever. |
65 |
I Work Alone. |
66 |
I’ll Fight For A Cause, But I Won’t Die For One. |
67 |
I’m Only Human. |
68 |
If At First You Don’t Succeed, Kill All Those Who Witnessed Your Failure. |
69 |
If It’s Stupid, But It Works, It’s Not Stupid. |
70 |
If The Enemy Is In Range, So Are You. |
71 |
If You Can’t Take It With You, Don’t Go. |
72 |
If You Want Something Done, Do It Yourself. |
73 |
Ignorance Of The Law Is No Excuse. |
74 |
In Blackest Day, In Darkest Night. |
75 |
Innocence Proves Nothing. |
76 |
It Is Better To Have Loved And Lost, Than Never To Have Loved At All. |
77 |
It’s Not Over Till It’s Over. |
78 |
It’s Better To Have Purpose Than Peace. |
79 |
Just One More Day. |
80 |
Keep Your Lies Consistent. |
81 |
Know Thyself. |
82 |
Laws, Like Bones, Were Made To Be Broken. |
83 |
Learn Or Leave. |
84 |
Leave No Stone Unturned. |
85 |
Lest We Forget. |
86 |
Let There Be Light. |
87 |
Life Is Pain. Anyone Who Says Differently Is Selling Something. |
88 |
Life’s Cheap. Death Pays. |
89 |
Live And Die By The Blade. |
90 |
Living In Fear Is Not Living At All. |
91 |
Magic Always Comes At A Cost. |
92 |
Make The Day, The Moments Pass Quickly. |
93 |
Measure Twice, Cut Once. |
94 |
Memories Are The Worst Enemies. |
95 |
Money Before People. |
96 |
Monsters Will Be Made To Fear. |
97 |
My Own Life Over All Others. |
98 |
My Work Is Not Done. |
99 |
Nature Decays, But Gold Lasts Forever. |
100 |
Never Allow Family To Stand In The Way Of Opportunity. |