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Tag Archives: Npcs

Minor Noble’s Entouage

February 4, 2013 1:53 pm / 1 Comment / Chris

Claytonian
on said: 


Members of the noble’s entourage. Interesting and dangerous characters that attend to the noble and protect him while doing in vogue things too.

This request is from the Mundane Request Thread.

Minor nobles will allow almost anyone into their entourage for the sake of having an entourage, which is of course a sign of great importance.

 

Firstly, there is the body man or handmaid—the servant who knows the noble most intimately as They also know what wig powder to use, which eau de toilette to use as the most recent bath fades further into memory and gernally deal with the soiled handkerchiefs, spurned milkmaids/stable boys and stained smallclothes of the minor noble.

 

The Cook. They are generally quite bad, as the good cooks are already taken, but he entire entourage is obliged to publically praise the food so as not to shame the noble for not being able to hire a good one.

 

The Syncophant: Usually a cousin or even lesser noble, this person desperately hangs on to the nobles ever word, laughs at the worst jokes and secretly hopes to have a torrid affair with the noble.

 

The Guard: This is by far the most well-paid member of the entourage, for without the guard, any number of people might kill the noble out of sheer loathing. The Guard, in fact, would be first in line were he not paid well.

 

The Secretary: The minor noble may have been tutored (see tutor below) but when it comes to actually writing an eloquent letter, the secretary puts quill to paper. He also keeps the schedule and acts as a social director (begs for invitations).

 

Driver/Groomsman: takes care of the horses, carriage and does the driving.

 

Protégé: Every noble must have a protégé artist in order to be called a patron. Poet, musician or painters only. Actors are gauche. Jesters are for kings.

 

Prostitute: some nobles have a bed-warmer. If so, this person is near the top of the hierarchy.

 

Beast: A noble will typically have a deformed person or beast (read: orc) hanger-on who serves as the bottom of the pecking order.

Banker: Entourages are expensive and many minor nobles are deep in debt in order to support them. The banker is a minor representative of the bank that keeps the noble afloat. Why? Influence.

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Posted in: campaign window dressing, legacy D&D, NPC / Tagged: bring it, mundane, npcs

Table for Criminal Organizations in a Fantasy Setting

May 5, 2012 4:32 pm / Leave a Comment / Chris

tom timsum said:

 

Hows about a table of random street gangs or criminal organizations suitable for a fantasy world. Thank You!

Choose or roll d8 four times.

Roll 1d8 Organization Type Alignment Basis Reputation
1 Mafia-esque LN Race (or Ethnic) No Reputation (Yet)
2 Cells LN Wealth or Status Despised
3 Small Gang LE Neighborhood Feared
4 Secret Society LE Religion Hooligans
5 Militia N Family or Clan Barely Tolerated
6 In Disguise NE Political Honorable
7 Infiltrators NG Profession Loved
8 Large Conspiracy CN Charismatic Person Legendary

Notes:

Organization Type

In disguise means the organization wears masks or other disguises when they meet–ideally no one knows who anyone else is. Realistically, a mask or a sheet is a terrible disguise.

Infiltrators are a loose organization of “moles.” This is similar to cells, except that almost all members could not identify more than one other member of the organization.

A large conspiracy includes more than one organization. These organizations might even be opposed to one another (at least publicly).

Alignment

Chaotic Neutral organizations might seem a contradiction, unless you realize that not all organizations are effective. This might be an organization that has fallen onto bad or desperate times.

 

 

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Posted in: legacy D&D / Tagged: bring it, npcs, organizations, tables

Dice Drop Table: Institute of Deathology

February 7, 2012 5:32 pm / 4 Comments / Chris
Dice drop for basement of Necromancer's Lab

This table I call the Institute of Deathology. It can be used to quickly populate a necromancer’s tower or hidden lab. It works almost the same as yesterday’s Kaotic Cave, but has fewer possible encounters. You get one die for each room on the same level and drop it on the chart. The large hex the die falls mostly in suggests the theme and use of the room along with a possible occupant. If the die falls in the inner hex, or the occupant is not mobile, then the occupant is there. Otherwise, wait and see where else it might be. If the die is on the border of a few large hexes, see what it touches that goes well together. This tool is meant to suggest, not dictate, so go with whatever makes sense to you and looks fun.

I’m going to populate four floors of a tower that has two rooms each. There are only 12 possible ‘encounters’ on this table, but some rooms might be empty and I’m going to have the head necromancer be in her quarters on the fifth floor.

First two dice come up square on the shoggoth and the traitorous demon familiar.

Dice drop for basement of Necromancer's Lab

Dice drop for basement of Necromancer's Lab

Basement

  1. A shoggoth is hidden in the corner of a room that includes a captive NPC (unconscious or crazy or mute, let’s say), a hideous painting, broken glass, a golden leash, a scroll of banishment and a slime trail near the door. I think I’ll make the cellar one big room and add the familiar, the ‘phone’ to other planes and the broken iron chains. I could have added the rest of the trappings around the familiar but the  die fell only barely on the familiar and the room is already pretty rich with stuff. The familiar or the NPC might have useful information or want to help you deal with the necromancer. The demon is not to be trusted, of course, and might just forget to mention the shoggoth…

Ground Floor

  1. Room one is where the talking head is. Let’s say they use it as an entryway decoration or mojordomo. The d4 doesn’t touch the inner hex, so he could be away (perhaps getting repaired next door). I’ll wait and see what else comes up then decide. In the meantime, the entryway has at least the column the head stands on, a music box, a tray of hard candies and a library (probably for show). Hidden away is a case for the head (to sleep at night) and vials of blood (for maintenance).  The d4 also hit ‘cadaver’ but since I only want 2 rooms per level, I’ll just have a dead body in the entryway. Perhaps Igor needs to take it upstairs…
  2. Room two. The d10 landed mostly on oil lamp and barrel of eyeballs and only a but on shovel, tools and rope. Let’s put the caged zombie(s) room in back with those things and also the straight jacket, lightning prod, mummified cat and the parts on the tables. Seems Igor is making a mess today…

Floor 2

The d10 landed square on the doppelganger apprentice. It has foreign coins, a sword, mirror, torn clothes, a wig and a bottle of poison. (Why does a doppleganger need a wig? I dunno. Maybe they don’t do hair so well. Maybe they need a magic wig? Maybe I made this late at night?). There’s also a secret exit here.

Now the tower isn’t going to have a special room for uninvited doppelgangers, so let’s look  at the other die. It landed on the corner of library, sleeping quarters and is also touching privy, cadaver and parts in drawers (for the clockwork corpse). Let’s forget the parts, but use library and sleeping chambers. Let’s also use sleeping chambers but not for the head necromancer, who is on the top floor. Here’s what we get:

  1. Sleeping quarters. There is a dead body here with a wig, torn clothes and a dresser with a mirror. On the dresser are some coins, which on close inspection turn out to be from a foreign land. In the pricy is a doppelganger who has killed the assistant Igor (in the privy no less) and has just shoved the body down the latrine along with its wig and old clothes. It now looks like Igor and is deciding what to do next. There is a secret exit at the bottom of the privy pit, but the doppelganger doesn’t know. Might be interesting if Igor is just unconscious for a few hours…
  2. Library. There should probably be some scrolls and books here.

Floor 3

  1. The d4 is on Igor’s hex, but he’s indisposed. This is the kitchen, pantry and Igor has a small cot in back. Under his cot is some tasteful woodblock ‘art’, a holy book, and the petty cash for buying household goods. I would suggest swapping this room out with the zombie room below. It’s more likely a servant’s quarters and kitchen are located below, far away from the master’s room.
  2. Naga in tank. This captive naga lives in a large tank. There is a book on a stand near the tank, so it can read. There’s also a painting of a hell-like place, a kaleidoscope which with the book are probably carrots to get the naga to do as it’s asked. Then the sticks are here as well-a harpoon and feeding fish.

Top Floor

  1. This is the necromancer’s quarters. She has sleeping chambers, a privy, a wine ‘cellar’ (let’s say several bottles and some cups), an hour glass, a potion of youth and a cat. There’s also a secret exit here that is most certainly not the privy. Perhaps it is a teleportal to a safe spot a few miles away, designed to allow one person and one cat through before deactivating. Whether she is around is up to you. She could be in the library, zombie room or the basement.

One thing I forgot–where’s the talking head? In the sleeping quarters on the dresser (on a pillow) where Igor sometimes let it nap. It saw the doppelganger kill Igor but played dead.

I hope you find this useful. It was fun to make, as goofy as it is.

Rolang's Necromancer Lab Drop Table

Institute of Deathology v1 (1.8 MB)

 

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Posted in: campaign window dressing, content, encounters, NPC / Tagged: bring it, drop table, necromancer, npcs, tables

Eighteen Common Hireling Motivations

February 1, 2012 5:15 pm / 4 Comments / Chris

Lasgunpacker said:

Dear Sanity-clause,
Although I have not been good this year, I would like: a 3d6 table of hireling/follower/retainer goals and objectives
(traditional)

Thank you,
lasgunpacker

Since 3d6 is a bell curve, the most common goals and objectives will be in the middle. I tried to keep these traditional. I included some literary and film examples in some cases, although I don’t think they are necessary.

Roll 3d6 Objective
3 Maybe I will find a cure for this curse/disease/malformity.
4 One of the PC’s will be a great leader and I will be his right hand!
5 Restore honor to the family name.
6 Need money to ransom sister/mother/brother/son/father/pet owlbear.
7 Village/home burned to the ground (Luke Skywalker)
8 See the world! Meet interesting people! And take their stuff!
9 Get enough food (or gold) for family to survive winter/rainy season/drought. (Young Genghis Khan)
10 Prove worthy of a bride/groom/honor.
11 Just plain mean. Likes to kill. (The Comedian)
12 Prove that I’m better than Dad/Mom/Uncle Joe. (Jaime Lannister)
13 Former prisoner. No one else wants me. I’ll take what I want. (Jack Sparrow, Riddick)
14 Wants to learn the ropes. (Incrediboy)
15 Just one last score/adventure/war then I can quit. (Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon)
16 Really a peasant/woman/child, but wants to be accepted as a warrior (Kikuchiyo)
17 Works for the party’s enemies.
18 Believes fighting the dark forces/monsters is a religious calling.

 

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Posted in: campaign window dressing, legacy D&D, NPC / Tagged: bring it, motivations, npcs

8 City Watchmen & Why They Hate You

December 28, 2011 6:08 pm / 1 Comment / Chris

z says:

8 City Watchmen & why they hate you/are dangerous.

Millius doesn’t like anyone with pointy ears, fair skin or long beards. You have all three, scrub.

That was Brandhauer’s (1d4: 1- Sister, 2- Wife, 3- Mother, 4- Dog).

Manchester likes you. So much he wants to add you to his collection over the fireplace.

Dorset is really not so much dangerous himself as he has a jealous oni lover he doesn’t know about.

Procett hates this city. He hates his job. He loves to put poison on his knives, however.

Mumps has, er, the pox. Every round of combat with him you have a 1 in 4 chance of contracting a terrible disease. See my necrotic disease table.

Offord is a classist. He hates anyone above the status of a streetsweeper. He is only a guard because he needs to afford medicine for his mother. You look like you have some gold, guv’na.

Billford is pretty sure you are a lycanthrope. He has silver arrows and other wards. He will catch you in the act of transforming, yes indeed. Or he might just kill you before it comes to that.

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Posted in: campaign window dressing, humor, legacy D&D / Tagged: bring it, npcs

NPC Motivations Table

December 27, 2011 7:15 pm / 5 Comments / Chris

Jeremy says:

A table (however many you feel up to) of 1,001 Nights-esque NPC names and their possible motivations.

I answered the first part here, and I hope that works for names, at least halfway decently.

Here is a Vorheim-inspired NPC motivations  table that hopefully works for you.

And here it is as a pdf.

Roll 2d6 using differently colored dice. One color indicates the result against the red pie chart, which shows six negative and six positive dispositions. The other color die lands in one or more boxes, which indicate the main object of one’s thoughts. Each die also indicates the intensity of the result. I like to do this twice per character to get their major and minor motivations. Here are some examples, the first with photos. I thought of the character name and position first, then rolled twice.

Queen Priscilla of the Seelie

Queen of Seelie Dice Rolls

First Roll for the Queen of the Seelie

Red die: 6 on line of generous and addicted. Green die: 4 on power.

Her Majesty is addicted to power but sometimes very generous as a way to show off how important she is. She is not concerned with petty power, she wants to expand her kingdom by invading the small neighboring gnome republic (power 4 would be regional on a scale of 1=household and 6 = planetary).

 

 

 

Queen of Seelie Roll 2

Queen of Seelie Roll 2

Roll 2. Red die: 5 on obsessed. Green die 2 on honor.

Her Majesty is obsessed with etiquette and small honors. She desires titles, and wants festivals, children, bridges and trees named for her. She can easily be flattered by a small tribute.

Had the Queen’s dice indicated a 6 for power, she would have wanted to rule the world. Had her honor die been high, perhaps she would be obsessed with honor and refused to deceive the gnomes but instead honorably invaded.

 

Yunus ibn Efraim Al-Jabhah the Silk Merchant is addicted (6) to wine and sex (1). Because the die is more in the wine box, let’s say that the wine addiction means he can’t perform so well, but has slaves or hirelings who put on a show. And because his red die is also on the edge of angry and spiteful, he gets very angry the next day when he is hung over and unsatisfied.

Yunus is also secretly sympathetic (2) to and provides some material support to a secret (2) plot to overthrow the local prince and establish free trade (1).

If his sex/wine die had been higher, and perhaps more in sex than wine, he would have had a harem and many children. Had his driven die been higher than 2, perhaps he would have been a leader in the movement. Had the freedom die been higher, he might have been devoted to freeing all his people instead of just the merchant class.

Let’s try a commoner now:

Bill the Shepherd is very angry (5) at a priest at his church (divinity 2). If he could, he would kill him. Why? He is obsessed and scheming (6) because this priest has been telling the local folk that cheese (food 2) made from sheep’s milk is forbidden by the dietary laws of Odin.  I suppose Bill preferred the previous priest, who in fact told the sick that sheep’s milk helps take away stomach pains.

A dragon:

Mortueste is a red wyrm who has been mentioned in some religious texts. He takes pity on (loving 1) those who have made the long trek to reach him who are stupid enough to believe he is a divine creature (struggle/divinity 2). He offers to let them take home as much treasure as they can carry (loving/angry 6) if they can regale him with an epic adventure tale (adventure 5). Otherwise, he roasts them (remember, angry 6).

This is designed to leave lots of room for interpretation. You have to fill in the details because it’s your campaign. I suggest taking no more than ten or fifteen seconds to do both rolls and interpretations. I hope it is useful.

Credit where credit is due dept.: I took the six wedges of the wheel from the Buddhist wheel of samsara. The outside-the-wedge opposites and any misinterpretations are my own. Thanks to Jeremy for the request. Many thanks to Zack for blazing some trails with this sort of table in his excellent Vornheim.

 

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Posted in: campaign window dressing, legacy D&D / Tagged: bring it, npcs, table, vornheim

Fantasy Arabian Nights Names

December 20, 2011 2:41 pm / 1 Comment / Chris
Jeremy writes:

A table (however many you feel up to) of 1,001 Nights-esque NPC names and their possible motivations.

First of all: this is not an attempt to create real world names. I don’t know much about that culture and what words mean or how they are put together. This is a hack. Real Arabic speakers, players or GM’s, please  make something better. Also, look through Al-Qadim, as I’m sure there’s some help there (never read it).

First, look here for how names work.

First Names

I can suggest two sources of random first names.

Popular male names are here. Popular female names are here.

If you want to keep it random roll 1d30*, ignoring anything over 26.  Count up from 1=A to get your first letter of the first name. Then roll the smallest die you have that covers all the available names for that letter and throw out the rolls that go too high.

Or you can use this table, taken from Biblical Arabic names from Wikipedia:

1d30 Arabic name Hebrew name English name
1 Alyasaʿ Elišaʿ Elisha
2 Andraos – Andrew
3 Ayyūb Iyyov, ʾIyyôḇ Job
4 Binyāmīn Benyamin Benjamin
5 Dāwūd/Dāvūd Davīd David
6 Efraim Efráyim Ephraim
7 Hārūn Aharon Aaron
8 Hawwā’ Havah Eve
9 Ibrāhīm Avraham Abraham
10 Ilyās Eliyahu Elijah
11 ʿĪsà/Yasūʿ Yehoshua* Jesus, Joshua
12 ‘Isḥāq/Ishak Yitzhak Isaac
13 ‘Ismāʿīl Yišmā`êl, Yišma`el Ishmael
14 Isrā’īl Yisraʾel, Yiśrāʾēl Israel
15 Jibrīl Gavriʼel Gabriel
16 Jād Gad Gad
17 Maryam Miriyam Mary
18 Mattà Matatyahu Matthew
19 Mikhā’īl Mikha’el Michael
20 Mūsà Moshé Moses
21 Nūḥ Nóaḥ Noah
22 Sārah Sara Sarah/Sara
23 Sulaymān Shlomo Solomon
24 ʿUbaydallāh Obhádhyah,Ovadiah Obadiah
25 Yaʿqūb, Jakub/Jakup Yaʿqov Jacob, (James)
26 Yaḥyà/Yūḥannā** Yôḥānnān John
27 Yūnus Yona Jonah
28 Yūsuf Yosef Joseph
29 Zakariyā Zekhariah Zachary or Zechariah
30 Sokurah (From The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad)

Again, roll 1d30*  and pick a name. I added one name to make it an even 30. If its the wrong gender, reroll. So you have a first name. If your random choice is tied to a real world religion and you’d rather avoid that, then roll again or go with Jafar or Fatima. Those are good ones.

Surnames

If you want to include one or more ‘son of X, son of Y’ names, roll as above for father’s name and grandfather’s name.

Then get a Surname by rolling 1d171 (or roll 2d100 and subtract 1). This table, also from Wikipedia, is taken from a list of stars:

1d171 (2d100 -1) Arabic name (transliteration) Meaning Common name
1 Akhir an-Nahr End of the river “Another River” Acamar
2 Akhir an-Nahr End of the river “Another River” Achernar
3 Al-‘Aqrab The scorpion Acrab
4 Az-Zubana The claw Acubens
5 Ad-Dafirah The curl “Plexus” Adhafera
6 Al-‘Adhara The maidens “Virgins” Adhara
7 Al-Dhayl The tail Adhil
8 Al-dhi’b The wolf Adib
9 ‘Ain the “eye” of the Bull “Eye” Ain
10 Al-Bali’ The swallower Albali
11 Al-Khiba’ The tent Alchibah
12 Al-Dabaran “The follower” of the Pleiades Aldebaran
13 Adh-Dhira’ al-Yamin The right arm Alderamin
14 Al-Firq The flock “Difference” Alfirk
15 Al-Jabbar The giant Algebar
16 Al-Jady The goat “Capricorn” Algedi
17 Al-Janb The flank “Side” Algenib
18 Al-Jabhah “The forehead” of the lion “Front” Algieba
19 Al-Ghul The ghoul Algol
20 Al-Ghurab The raven Algorab
21 Al-Han’ah The mark of the brand Alhena
22 Al-Jawn The black horse “John” Alioth
23 Al-Qa’id “The leader” of the mourning maidens “Commander” Alkaid
24 Al-Ka’s The cup Alkes
25 ‘Anaq al-Ard The caracal “Hug the Ground” Almak
26 Al-Maisan The shining one “Libration” Almeisan
27 An-Nayyir The bright one “Yoke” Alnair
28 Al-nasl The arrowhead “Blade” Alnasl
29 An-Nidham The string of pearls “Systems” Alnilam
30 An-Nitaq The belt “Scale” Alnitak
31 Al-Fard The solitary one “Individual” Alphard
32 Al-Fakkah “The broken” ring of stars “Humorous” Alphecca
33 Surrat al-Faras The navel of the stallion “Navel Persians” Alpheratz
34 Al-Risha’ The ropes Alrescha
35 Al-Athafi The tripods for cooking on Sigma “Andiron” Alsafi
36 Suhail Untranslatable Alsuhail
37 Al-Nasr At-Ta’ir “The flying” eagle Altair
38 At-Tais The great serpent “Goat” Altais
39 At-Tarf “The glance” of the lion “Party” Alterf
40 Al-‘Udhrah The maidenhead “Faces” Aludra
41 Al-Qafzah al-Ula “the first leap” Alula Australis
42 Al-Qafzah al-Ula “the first leap” Alula Borealis
43 Al-Alyah The fatty tail of a sheep “Mechanism” Alya
44 “small cloud”[4][5] “little cloud” was the Arabic name for the modern Andromeda Galaxy, which was first discovered by Al-Sufi, and mentioned in his Book of Fixed Stars Andromeda Galaxy
45 ‘Arjat an-Nahr Curve of the river “Winding River” Angetenar
46 Al-‘Anka’ Phoenix Ankaa
47 Al-‘Urqub The heel-tendon “Achilles” Arkab
48 Al-Arnab The hare Arneb
49 Ar-Raqis The dancer Arrakis
50 Al-‘Atiq “The shoulder” of the Pleiades “Responsibility Chandelier” Atik
51 Al-‘Awwa’ The barker “Howl” Auva
52 Al-Udhi The hatching-place Azha
53 Al-Biham The livestock Baham
54 Batn Qaytus Belly of Cetus Baten Kaitos
55 Al-Baid The eggs Beid
56 Banat Na’sh Daughters of the bier Benetnash
57 Yad al-Jauza’ Hand of Gemini Betelgeuse
58 Al-Butayn The little belly Botein
59 Al-Kaff “The palm” of the Pleiades Caph
60 Kalb ar-Ra’i The shepherd’s dog Celbalrai
61 Al-Kharat The rib Chort
62 Al-Kursi The chair Cursa
63 Sa’d adh-dhabih The lucky star of “the slaughterer” Dabih
64 Dhanab ad-Dajajah Tail of the fowl Deneb
65 Dhanab al-Jady Tail of the goat Deneb Algedi
66 Dhanab ad-Dulfin Tail of the Dolphin Deneb Dulfim
67 Dhanab Qaytus Tail of Cetus Deneb Kaitos
68 Dhanab al-Asad Tail of the lion Denebola
69 Ad-Difda’ Al-awwal The first frog Diphda
70 Al-Jabhah “The forehead” of the scorpion Dschubba
71 Kahil Ad-Dubb The back of the bear Dubhe
72 Adh-Dhi’ban The two wolves Dziban
73 Adh-Dhikh The hyena Edasich
74 An-Nath The butting El Nath
75 At-Tinnin The great serpent Eltanin
76 Al-Anf The nose Enif
77 Ar-Ra’i The shepherd Errai
78 Fam al-Hut Mouth of the whale Fomalhaut
79 Al-Furud “Individual” stars Furud
80 Al-Janah The wing Gienah
81 Al-Ghumaisa’ The bleary-eyed one Gomeisa
82 Hadar Civilization Hadar
83 Al-Hamal The ram Hamal
84 Al-Haq’ah The white spot Heka
85 Sa’d al-humam The lucky star of “the high-minded Homam
86 Al-Izar The girdle, or, The loin-cloth Izar
87 Al-Jabhah “The forehead” of the scorpion Jabbah
88 Qabd Al-E’nan The rein hold Kabdhilinan
89 Al-Kaff al-Jadhma’ The cut-short hand Kaffaljidhma
90 Al-Qaus The southern one of “the bow” Kaus Australis
91 Al-Qaus The northern one of “the bow” Kaus Borealis
92 Al-Qaus The middle one of “the bow” Kaus Media
93 Al-Qaid The broken egg-shells Keid
94 Qit’at al-Faras Part of the horse Kitalpha
95 Al-Kaukab Planet Kochab
96 Al-Qurhah “The blaze” on a horse’s brow Kurhah
97 Al-Las’ah The sting Lesath
98 dhanab al-asad the lion’s tail Luh-Denebola
99 Al-Mi’sam The wrist Maasym
100 Al-Ma’z The he-goat Maaz
101 Al-Mirfaq The elbow Marfik
102 Mankib al-Faras “The shoulder” of the horse Markab
103 Sa’d Matar The lucky star of “the rain” Matar
104 Al-Mabsutah “The outstretched” paw Mebsuta
105 Al-Maghriz “The insertion-point” of the Bear’s Megrez
106 Al-Maisan The shining one Meissa
107 Al-Maqbudah “The pulled-in” paw Mekbuda
108 Mankib Dhi-al-‘Inan Shoulder of the rein-holder Menkalinan
109 Al-Minkhar The nostril Menkar
110 Al-Mankib “The shoulder” of the Pleiades Menkib
111 Al-Maraqq The loins Merak
112 Kahkashan[3] is the Persian word for the Milky Way Milky Way
113 Al-Mintaqah The belt Mintaka
114 Al-Mi’zar The loin-cloth Mirak
115 Al-Mirfaq “The elbow” of the Pleiades Mirfak
116 miʾzar apron Mizar
117 Al-Muthallath The triangle Mothallah
118 Al-Mufrid The solitary one Muphrid
119 Al-Murzim The roarer Murzim
120 Sa’d Nashirah The lucky star of Nashirah Nashira
121 An-Nasl The arrowhead Nasl
122 Al-Baqqar The cattleman Nekkar
123 An-Nihal The camels quenching their thirst Nihal
124 An-Nasaqan The two series Nusakan
125 Al-‘Uqdah The knot Okda
126 Al-Fakhitah The dove Phact
127 Al-Fakhidh The thigh Phad
128 Al-Farqad The calf Pherkad
129 Ra’s al-Asad Head of the lion Rasalased
130 Ra’s al-Jathi Head of the kneeling one Rasalgethi
131 Ra’s al-Hawwa’ Head of the snake-man Rasalhague
132 Ra’s ath-Thu’ban Head of the snake Rastaban
133 Ar-Rijl The foot Rigel
134 Rijl Qanturus Foot of the centaur Rigilkent
135 Ar-Risha’ The rope Risha
136 Ar-Rukbah The knee Rukbah
137 Ar-Rukbah The knee Rukbat
138 As-Sabiq The preceding Sabik
139 Sa’d al-Akhbiyah Lucky star of the tents Sadachbia
140 Sa’d al-Bari’ Lucky star of the excellent one Sadalbari
141 Sa’d al-Malik Lucky star of the king Sadalmelik
142 Sa’d as-Su’ud Luck of lucks Sadalsuud
143 As-Sadr The breast Sadr
144 As-Saif The sword Saiph
145 As-Sa’id The shoulder Scheat
146 Ash-Shaulah The raised tail of the scorpion Shaula
147 As-Sadr The breast Shedir
148 Alshelaiyak – Sheliak
149 Ash-Sharatan The two signs Sheratan
150 Surrat al-Faras Belly-button of the female horse Sirrah
151 As-Saq The leg Skat
152 As-Sulhafat The tortoise Sulafat
153 Athalitha The southern one of the third leap Talitha Australis
154 Ath-Thalithah The northern one of the third leap Talitha Borealis
155 Ath-Thaniyah The southern one of “the second” leap Tania Australis
156 Ath-Thaniyah The northern one of “the second” leap Tania Borealis
157 At-Tarf “The glance” of the lion Tarf
158 Ath-Thu’ban The snake Thuban
159 The Pleiades Thuraya
160 ‘Unuq al-Hayyah Neck of the snake Unukalhai
161 Al-Waqi’ “The stooping” eagle Vega
162 Wasat as-Sama’ “Middle” of the sky Wasat
163 Al-Wazn The weight Wazn
164 Al-Wazn The weight Wezen
165 Al-Yad The succeeding one of the Snake Man’s hand Yed Posterior
166 Al-Yad The preceding one of the Snake Man’s hand Yed Prior
167 Az-Zawiyah The angle Zaniah
168 Az-Zawraq The boat Zaurac
169 Zawiyat al-‘Awwa’ The angle of al awa Zavijava
170 Az-Zuban al-Janubi “Southern Claw” Zubenelgenubi
171 Az-Zuban ash-Shamali “Northern Claw” Zubeneshamali

Then string them together as such:

Boys: First Name ibn (pronounced ‘bin’) Father’s Name ibn Grandfather’s Name + Al- Surname

Girls: First Name + bint + Father’s First Name + bint Grandfather’s First Name + Al- + surname  (or if your world is more egalitarian, use the mother’s names)

Examples:

Male: Yunus ibn Efraim Al-Jabhah

Female, matrilineal: Alyasa bint Hawwa Yad al-Jauza’

If the surname already has Al- or Ad- or other A prefix, don’t add Al-. You can also add royalty and positions in there either at the beginning or end.

That’s a quick and dirty way to create some names for your campaign. Because these were not curated for poetics, you need to say it aloud to make sure it works for you.

*(Or roll 1d3 (that’s 1d6 divided by 2, round down) and subtract one. Then multiply by ten and add 1d10.)

You also asked for motivations, but I must beg for mercy and ask that I may address that in a later post.

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Posted in: campaign window dressing, legacy D&D / Tagged: bring it, names, npcs, settings, tables
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