Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Random Alien Plant Generator

Image copyright Paizo Publishing
For those looking to populate their regions with some alien flora, grab some dice and see what you get ...

STEP ONE: Determine Type (d6)

1-4 Plant
5-6 Fungus

50% chance the plant is aquatic

STEP TWO: Determine Size (d8)

1 Fine (no more than 6” tall)
2 Tiny (around 1’ tall)
3 Small (around 3’ tall)
4 Medium (around 6’ tall)
5 Large (around 15’ tall or wide)
6 Huge (around 30’ tall or wide)
7 Colossal (around 60’ tall or wide)
8 Gargantuan (around 120’ tall or wide)

STEP THREE: Determine Form (d10)

1 Clump – grown in a clump, like many grasses
2 Stick – stem with very little branching, usually topped by a flower or a clump of foliage
3 Vines – takes the form of vines or runners
4 Carpet – grows close to the ground like a ground cover
5 Branches – droopy or “weeping” – point downward
6 Branches – upraised, make a sort of v-shape
7 Branches – form a spherical structure around the trunk
8 Bulbous – either grows directly from the ground, stands atop a root structure or floats in the water or air
9 Web-like
10 Subterranean – like a tubor or fungus

STEP FOUR: Foliage (d10)

1 No discernible foliage
2 Leaves (roll 1d3: 1 = Small, 2 = Medium, 3 = Large; roll 1d4: 1 = Elliptical, 2 = Circular, 3 = Multi-pointed or sided; 4 = Rectangular)
3 Needles (roll 1d2: 1 = Soft and flexible, 2 = Rigid and sharp)
4 Fronds – like those of a palm tree
5 Fronds – like those of a fern
6 Ribbon-like
7 Moss-like – carpets the plant
8 Tongue-like (retractable)
9 Spine-like
10 Crystalline

STEP FIVE: Flowers (d4)

1 Large and showy
2 Tiny and plain
3 Flower spikes
4 No flowers

STEP SIX: Fruit (d4)
Note: Plants without flowers have no fruit; all fungus has a chance of being edible

1 No fruit
2 Large (head-sized) fruit; 25% chance of growing in clumps
3 Medium (fist-sized) fruit; 50% chance of growing in clumps
4 Small (berry-sized) fruit; 75% chance of growing in clumps

Roll 1d6: 1-2 = Fruit, 3-5 = Nut or Legume; 6 = Seed Pod)

Roll 1d6: 1 = Edible and nutritious; 2-5 = Edible but worthless or inedible; 6 = Toxic

COLORS (d20)
Colors of any part of the plant can be rolled here

1 Blue
2 Red
3 Purple
4 Orange
5-10 Green
11-15 Brown
16 White
17 Grey
18 Black
19 Metallic – silvery
20 Metallic – golden or coppery

ODORS (d10)
Odor of any part of the plant can be rolled here

1 Musky
2 Putrid
3 Pungent
4 Camphoraceous
5 Ethereal (like ether)
6 Floral
7 Pepperminty
8 Buttery
9 Metallic
10 Spicy

TASTES (d6)
Taste of fruit (or other parts of the plant) can be rolled here

1 Sweet
2 Sour
3 Tart
4 Savory, spicy
5 Tasteless
6 Foul or sickening

TEXTURES (d10)
Texture of bark, skin or foliage can be rolled here

1 Leathery
2 Furry
3 Smooth
4 Soft, downy
5 Prickly, spiny
6 Slimy
7 Moist (maybe acidic or poisonous)
8 Ribbed
9 Irregular
10 Cracked

INTENSITY (d6)
When working with color, taste or smells, you can randomly determine the intensity of the sensation

1-3 Light, mild, slight
4-5 Medium
6 Dark, strong, intense

ANYTHING ODD? (d10)
Assume a 1 in 1000 chance of something “odd” about the plant

1 Slight mobility (like a Venus flytrap)
2 Complete mobility (can actually walk or crawl or slither about)
3 Crude intelligence (about animal- or insect-level)
4 High intelligence (as intelligent as human beings or more so)
5 Emits beams or cascades or auroras of light
6 Weird secretions (may be poisonous or otherwise)
7 Vibrates and hums
8 Communicates with animals via pheromones – can alter moods
9 Non-traditional feeding (carnivorous, eats sound waves or radiation or heat)
10 Non-organic based life (metal, natural plastic, crystal)

SAMPLE PLANTS

Specimen I: A large plant - a tree essentially - with drooping branches covered with brown, crystalline foliage. The trunk is a vivid green color and slick to the touch, and the tree produces large, leathery seed pods that have a sour taste and smell, but are non-nutritious. The foliage gives off a camphoraceous odor.

Specimen II: A colossal fungus that grows like a carpet over the plains. The fungus is composed of thousands of little brown protrusions that stick up from the ground and all connect to the main body of the fungus below ground. Each of these knobs is covered with green, mossy foliage. The fungus has a buttery smell and a sour taste, and is quite toxic to human and human-like life forms.

Specimen III: A huge aquatic plant that grows in lakes. It takes the form of a floating bulb with long, dangling roots. The bulb is white and covered with fibrous strands that look like fur. These strands hide its foliage, long, curly, coppery-colored tendrils that it sticks out during the daytime and retracts at night. The plant smells of ether and no part of it is edible.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Inspiration: Fantasic Universe

Another batch of inspirational titles and images (some featuring a well known barbarian), this time from Fantastic Universe!

Enjoy!

Time in Thy Flight
The Other Tiger
Little Men of Space
The Fire and the Flesh
Shadow on the Stars
The Double Occupation
Meet Miss Universe
Uncharted Pathways Lead to Astounding Surprises on the Frontiers of Tomorrow in the World of … Just Around the Corner
The White Rain Came
The Riddle of Ragnorak
In the Still Waters
The Soldier from the Stars
The Man from the Flying Saucer
Epidemic on Venus
The Cartels Jungle
Star-Flight
Rafferty’s Reasons
Hawks Over Shem
So Near the Darkness
Conan, Man of Destiny
Wednesday’s Child
The Minority Report
Keepers of the House
The End of the Journey
Passage to Anywhere
The Assistant Self
The Lair of the Phoenix
Satan on Holiday
The Ivory Tower
A Question of Time
The Mechanical Man
Snowstorm on Mars
Exile from Space
Conquest Over Time
Gods of the North
Wish Upon a Star
Martyr
Volcanero
Lone Star Planet
Intruders on the Moon
Pfui on Psi
Shield Against Death
Pawns of Tomorrow
World in the Balance
Terror Over Hollywood
Seal of the Damned
The Flying Saucer Myth
Conan the Victorious
Revolt on Mercury
Death for a Hunter
Soldier from Tomorrow
What Pilots a UFO
Meet the Extraterrestrial
Bear Trap
Rendezvous with Destiny
Shapes in the Sky
Deadly Science
Bait for the Tiger
Needed – Space Intelligence
Thundering Death
Who Rules Space
Satellites of the Future
Substitute God
Arm of the Law
Ka the Appalling
The Amazing Mrs. Mimms
Shadow of the Sword
Seed of Violence
Operation Cassandra
The Enlightened Ones
Ward of the Argonaut
The Number of My Days
Attack on the Moon
The Army Comes to Venus
Robot Son
The Abominable Snowman
City of the Tiger
Halloween for Mr. Faulkner
Planet of Waste
Curative Telepath
Twelve Months and a Day
The Peacemakers
The Waters of Death
To Mars and Venus in the Gay Nineties
Skies of Infamy
The Mind Thing

Remember, these titles and images may still be under copyright, so be inspired, but don’t take what isn’t yours!

--

Compiled via Golden Age Comic Book Stories

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Inspiration: Air Wonder Stories

Hugo Gernsback was a giant in the field of sci-fi, which is why I named the spaceport on Kepler-22B after him. The covers of his Air Wonder Stories didn’t have too many titles on them, but the images should serve as brain-fodder while you write up your sector.








Remember, these images may still be under copyright, so be inspired, but don’t take what isn’t yours!

--

Compiled via Golden Age Comic Book Stories

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Inspiration: Fantastic Adventures

Another batch of inspirational titles and images, this time from Fantastic Adventures!

Enjoy!

Revolt of the Robots
The Invisible Robinhood
Invaders from Sirius
City Under the Sea
Horror Out of Carthage
The Man from Hell
The Purple Conspiracy
The Robot Peril
Death Over Chicago
The Prince of Mars Returns
Termanites Invade New York!
The Little People
Jalu of the Radiant Valley
The Blue Tropics
Norris Tapley’s Sixth Sense
The Whispering Gorilla
Lancelot Biggs: Master Navigator
Jongor of Lost Land
Paganini – Man or Devil?

And deserving of a better view, their impressions of aliens from our own Solar System.










In my mind, these are the species of the Solar Confederation, a fractious alliance of the peoples of the Sol System joined together in exploring the galaxy.

Remember, these titles and images may still be under copyright, so be inspired, but don’t take what isn’t yours!

--

Compiled via Golden Age Comic Book Stories

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Inspiration: Planet Stories

How did George Lucas create one of the largest and most profitable science-fiction franchises in history? Why, by ripping off (legally, mind you) just about everyone he could find! Why not do the same?

Enjoy some inspirational images and story titles from Planet Stories!

Goddess of the Moon
Martian Terror
The Girl from Infinite Smallness
The Dragon-Queen of Jupiter
Mutiny Aboard the “Terra”
Invaders of the Forbidden Moon
Vassals of the Master-World
Monster of the Asteroid
The Lorelei of Death
Thief of Mars
The Thing of Venus
The Last Martian
Black Friar of the Flame
Task to Lahri
Venus Enslaved
Colossus of Chaos
Alcatraz of the Starways
The Blue Behemoth
The Eyes of Thar
The Silver Plague
The Vanishing Venusians
The Bubble Dwellers
Juggernaut of Space
Mannth
The Great Green Blight
Engines of the Gods
The Blue Venus
Enchantress of Venus
Cargo to Callisto
Star-Mouse
Warrior-Maid of Mars
Death-By-Rain
Witch of the Demon Seas
Martian Nightmare
Black Amazon of Mars
The Star-Saint
Captives of the Thieve-Star
The Virgin of Valkarion
The Timeless Ones
The Incubi of Parallel X
Vengeance on Mars
The Pit of Nympthons
Swordsman of Lost Terra
Sargasso of Lost Starships
Calling World-4 of Kithgol
Tonight the Stars Revolt
Captive of the Centaurianess
The Man Who Staked the Stars
Master of the Moondog
Warlock of Sharrador
A Sound of Thunder
Mars Minus Bisha
The Man the Tech-Men Made
Sword of Tormain
Cage of a Thousand Wings
The Brain Sinner
Dawn of the Demi-Gods
The Ambassadors of Flesh
Mary Anonymous
Telportress of Alpha
The Vanisher
Ultimate Eve

Remember, these titles may still be under copyright, so be inspired, but don’t take what isn’t yours!

--

Compiled via Golden Age Comic Book Stories

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Stocking Your Sector

Not much of a post today - just a thought exercise in what "things of note" you might stick in your sector. Feel free to add a few yourself in the comments.

By the by - Almost ready to send out the first maps! Just need to add rivers to one and coastlines to a couple others. So excited to see how this works out!

I was walking through a sector of Kepler-22B and I came across ...

  • Alien village
  • Alien town (what would they sell in their markets)
  • Explorer science camp
  • Mineral deposit
  • Glowing crystal deposit
  • Tar pits (with or without alien beasts)
  • Carvings on face of mountains
  • Chasm filled with ... 
  • Ruins of alien city or town
  • Copse of exotic trees
  • Stronghold of alien warlord
  • Lake or pools with strange properties
  • Wreckage of ancient astronauts
  • Entrance into mythic underworld
  • Caves that make strange sounds or emit weird vapors (watch out John Carter!)
  • Clone fields
  • Hot springs, medicinal or otherwise (perhaps an alien spa?)
  • Sacred alien burial ground
  • Sacred alien elephant graveyard
  • Caverns dug by dholes
  • Crop circles
  • Alien yacht regatta
  • The sleeping place of something from Beyond
  • Mysterious tower
  • Circle of standing stones
  • Freak storm
  • Radiation zone (what lies within?)
  • A secluded valley where apes evolved from men!
  • Alien lamaserie in the high mountains
  • Domed settlements beneath the sea
  • Explorer survey team
  • Explorer mining camp
  • Waterslides! (but who built them ... and why?)
  • Hermitage
  • Wreckage of explorer spaceship
  • Alien simians raising an explorer child as their own
  • Holes
  • A black monolith
  • A white monolith
  • A red pyramid
  • Ancient bunker (command and control for what? does it still work?)
  • Alien road sign or carriage house
  • Village high in the trees or buried beneath the roots
  • Ancient canals or other such public works
  • A functioning star-portal (or semi-functioning star-portal)
  • Strange spores
  • Elastic vegetation
  • Ooze pits
  • Force fields (that emanate from?)
  • Fungal forests (but what do they feed on?)
  • Light bridges
  • Ancient transport tubes running through a thick rainforest
  • Field of mirrors
  • A transporter pad hidden beneath the underbrush
  • The final resting place of a menacing super-computer
  • Ancient factory maintained by nanobots
  • Alien caravanserei
  • A supernatural force imprisoned within a prismatic barrier
  • Salt mines that run for miles underground
  • Forgotten super weapon within a hollow mountain
  • An alien plague
  • Explorer supplies floating down a river
  • Tree house of horror
  • Space gods dancing atop a mountain to invisible flutes
  • Camp of mutant rebels (I am Spartacus-3000!)
  • Space pirate camp
  • Foul smelling vegetation grazed on by beasts with exquisite coats
  • Time cave (or Cave of Time, if you prefer)
  • Lake of bubbling mud
  • Volcano about to erupt
  • Trees with giant pods in the shape of people!
  • Clone of Abraham Lincoln (or maybe a statue of him being worshiped by aliens)

And much, much more ... what have you got?

--

Image from Wikipedia
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