Local Colour (d100)

See the full collection: The Nocturnal Table

Gabor Lux’s The Nocturnal Table is available for purchase:
• Print+PDF from the EMDT store: https://emdt.bigcartel.com/product/the-nocturnal-table
• PDF from DriveThruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/292156/The-Nocturnal-Table

Citation

The Nocturnal Table, by Gabor Lux. Reproduced by permission of the author.

d100 Local Colour

1

A beckoning hand has been painted on the wall of narrow alleyway.

2

Abundant berries and fat gourds grow from vines in back street. A single, vivid red flower can be seen high on one of the stalks.

3

Arrow in charcoal points at cellar entrance with dead rat hanging on hook next to it.

4

Badly beaten man tries to stand up. Too scared to speak about perpetrators.

5

Barefoot stranger laments theft of fine boots, offers reward for a new pair (paid “tomorrow”).

6

Barrels packed with seaweed have been left to ferment in side alley. Some have ruptured, and are crawling with flies.

7

Beggar explains to companion about “blind” windows which never open, citing Roll 1d6 examples.

8

Beggars are sleeping off the effects of soporific glasses with Roll 1d6 discarded glass tubes.

9

Beggars’ chalk marks on walls warn of “Master of Beatings”.

10

Bells jingle and doves flutter in small aviary.

11

Boy produces live spider from mouth, offers to tell meaning for 5 gp. Can produce Roll 1d12 more.

12

Brackish water swirls in tub half covered with dirty tarp.

13

Brass case left behind judge’s statue in niche contains bird mask, two knives, killing contract and advance of Roll 1d6*10 gp.

14

Brick wall has been broken through into lost cellar. Discarded lantern and pair of slippers by en- trance.

15

Buckets and long hooked poles are stored neatly next to locked shed.

16

Buckets hanging from chains suspended from higher-story windows swing and sway ominously.

17

Cart loaded with sacks of grain has been left without wheels. Gathering rats.

18

Cats are fighting over carcass of dead dog.

19

Children are dancing around hat skewered on pointy stick. Fall silent and afraid if asked of origins.

20

Children are prodding dead dog with sticks.

21

Children are telling stories of their peer eaten by underworld monsters.

22

Clothes have been left hanging on lines close to ground, one valuable (Roll 2d6*20 gp).

23

Coils of rope (Roll 1d6) on row of pegs. Restocked each night.

24

Confused man asks what year is this.

25

Crone sells earthy roots she grows in “the deep cellars, where they grow the best”.

26

Crones engaged in bitter argument about existence of long-forgotten street.

27

Disembodied hand grasping random potion drifts by, gradually rising towards rooftop windows.

28

Dishevelled man sells painted needles from tin box.

29

Doorman inquires about invitation, extremely sharp about tricks or fakes.

30

Drunk claims to have seen company member go the same way “just a little while ago”.

31

Drunk dances on overturned barrel and offers free drinks to anyone who will sing with him on dead wife’s birthday.

32

Eel-seller with metal pincers selling merchandise next to row of clay pots.

33

Expensive-looking cat starts following company, bolts on attempt to catch.

34

Eye in pyramid glares from old mural with inscription: “WE BUY AND SELL”

35

Fish have been hung up to dry on a string. Cats gather for the right opportunity.

36

Fruit seller’s unsold wares have been left to rot, and are crawling with hard-shelled beetles.

37

Gourd of wine and money pouch on snoring nomad already stripped of sword and boots.

38

Group of shadowy men size up company, laugh among themselves, then depart.

39

Houseplants knocked off high ledge, grappling hook lies stuck in grille next to open shutters.

40

Irrecognisable stump of a statue in wall niche is garlanded with flower wreaths.

41

Large tomes have been burned in street kiln, cinder floats above smouldering embers.

42

Lovers’ quarrel behind open window eventually turns to murder plan.

43

Lumps of iridescent metallic stuff are embedded in broken chunks of igneous rock on the ground.

44

Man in black toga marked with embroidered silver fish walks into curtained alcove and disappears; blank wall with chalk marks beyond.

45

Man in fantastic clothing and bizarre mask lies in the street, ignored by passersby.

46

Man looking for glass eye lost in altercation. Claims the eye sees “The big one”.

47

Man sells hoods for 2 gp each “For your safety” and “So they don’t recognise you.”

48

Man tied to wooden post demands to be freed.

49

Mark of an “X” has been scrawled in chalk on Roll 1d12 shutters.

50

Masked man beckons and whispers, “They are watching the transversal”.

51

Masses of rats swarming on wooden platform creaking ominously under weight.

52

Miser offers one gold piece to clean his out cellar’s rat infestation. If offer is insufficient, he recon- siders, and offers company can take the rats when they are done.

53

Miserable furniture is thrown into the street from upstairs window, sounds of altercation.

54

Moon man painted on blue banners over street.

55

Mother accuses sons of heinous deed behind curtained window.

56

Muddy tracks lead across street along the traces of a heavy, dragged pack.

57

Mute beggar entrusts key to random character, makes strange sign.

58

Mystery man frowns at company, declares “Your path is crooked” before continuing on way.

59

Obscure door is bound with several chains and locks.

60

Oil lamps have been left in orderly row before empty pedestal.

61

Old woman watching from window points, “You are back, fiend!”, reaching for crossbow.

62

Padlocked cistern hatch has been marked “WARNING! CLASS III MEGAVORE!”

63

Peeling plaster reveals ancient mural of dancing skeletons in expensive jewelry.

64

Picpocket victim is looking for people to accuse.

65

Pile of melons left unattended on cart for Roll 1d6 minutes.

66

Pipes overhead gurgle ominously, and creak under unseen stress.

67

Plum-coloured smoke drifts from open window.

68

Polite man asks directions towards nearest whorehouse.

69

Prostitute and Roll 2d12 friends celebrating her “Divorce from the bed”, which they burn in middle of street.

70

Prostitute offers key to whorekeep’s stash box for half the proceeds therein.

71

Puppet player performs macabre play before painted shack to no audience.

72

Ragged curtain in bright primary colours embroidered with grinning suns over ingress to narcotic den.

73

Rotting wood ornament of potbellied goddess is crawling with fat green slugs.

74

Row of old wooden statues has been covered with greasy cloth.

75

Scroll cases dropped by fleeing woman contain sealed contracts.

76

Shadow in brazier animates to point towards gilt spire in distance.

77

Shadows lengthen and lights dim. Distant howling fills the area. Roll 1d6 minutes later, it passes, and it begins to rain.

78

Single candle burns next to body of dead beggar.

79

Sleeping dog cradles carved bone-hilt dagger (15 gp).

80

Smiling, jowled man with symbol of sun on robe nods, advises “All is illusion” before walking off.

81

Smoke cloud over brazier forms shape of panter with ember eyes before drifting away.

82

Sour-faced youth has had too much to drink, just about to stumble into character’s arms.

83

Stars and comets are painted on a torn canvas over wooden boards. Three stars have been care- fully cut out.

84

Steam rises from cellar window, splashing and bubbling noises from inside.

85

Stone arms (Roll 1d8) propped against brick wall.

86

Storefront looking abandoned for many years has newly painted “FOR SALE. INQUIRE WITHIN” sign on dusty windows.

87

Stray dogs being fed by scrawny beggar training them into killing fiends.

88

Street sweeper brags to comrade about golden chain found around severed arm “down back”.

89

Syrup from overturned jug has attracted a black mass of ants.

90

Tattered clothes hanging on clothesline must have been worth a fortune... once.

91

The croaking of frogs and the thumping of drums comes from behind bolted storefront.

92

The drifting scent of spices brings feelings of strange melancholy; people openly weep in the street.

93

The mark of six cat’s eyes are visible on an old wooden board above walled-in entrance.

94

The smiling face of an enormous stone head has been partially walled over in house foundation.

95

Three doors marked with paint on vacated tenements warn of the hazards of unpaid rent.

96

Two doors have been freshly painted bright orange and lavender.

97

Urchins drawing lewd graffiti and insults to Overlord on wall next to closed shop.

98

Vagrant offers ring of false keys “found down the narrow” for 15 gp.

99

Wild-eyed man shouts “Doooom! Doooom! Doooom!” while ranting about forthcoming collapse.

100

Woman lights lamps in Roll 1d12 house windows, eyes passersby warily.