Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Subsurface Environment Level 1 Treasures Table

In the past I've talked a bit about my efforts to run ASE, basically using the book as published by Patrick Wetmore.  Due to the tendency of my players to wander off and gain levels elsewhere, and ore their tendency to play in groups larger then the 3-4 the module seems written for. With a group of 8 or 9 2nd level PCs I've made the opposition both more numerous and more powerful. Consequently I've had to make the treasures a bit more numerous and valuable.  I've decided to do this by A) Providing groups of wandering monsters with a chance (1 in 6 for humanoid, 1 in 10 for animal/monster) to carry small treasures worth 10 x 1D6 GP.  Likewise I've added more treasure to fixed locations in packets of 100 x 1D6 or 1D8 GP.  Now packets of treasure are normally a bad thing, but to my mind a treasure type is just a packet anyhow, so I figure it's fine.  Simply handing out coins though is really boring on the other hand I don't want to design a treasure on the fly during play so I create the table a while ago of potential treasure that I think no only seem interesting but give some clues in the context of ASE's 1st Level.    


D20
Random Treasure Packets for ASE Level 1
1
10 GP Working ancient cartridge pen(s) made of a green alloy with ‘DYNAMAT CARES’ engraved in gold letters.
100 GP Working executive cartridge pen, gold, with a boxy logo surrounding the letter “D”
2
10 GP A carved bone idol depicting a brain with long tentacles raised in beatific signs
100 GP The idol is studded with tiny amethysts
3
10 GP A doll crudely made from bundles of  ancient copper and silver wire
100 GP some of the wire is gold and the doll’s eyes are opal chips
4
10 GP A scratched glass sphere it’s interior depicts a map, perhaps of a world, but not a known one
100 GP  The sphere is rock crystal
5
10 GP A crudely hammered spearhead made of silver
100 GP The spear head is larger or made of gold
6
10 GP An ancient book, burnt or torn, but the covers (possibly worn as a chest plate) are made of mother of pearl.
100 GP The covers of the book are thin sheets of synthetic crystal
7
10 GP A decorative planter, much damaged, but made of copper with silver engravings of a city of domes and towers
100 GP The buried in the ancient dirt of the planter is a skeletal hand wearing a heavy gold signet ring
8
10 GP Scrimshawed humanish skulls, worked with designs of the underworld – mazes, crystals and mushrooms
100 GP Set with silver or gold ornament, usually sheeting hammered into interior to make a lamp  
9
10 GP Pale subterranean leather pouch containing blocks of pleasantly spicy smelling dried fungus incense.
100 GP the fungus is a powerful and previously unknown drug, resulting in blissful and catatonia for 1D20 hours if smoked
10
10 GP Battered silver (or silver etched) ritual dagger
100 GP Golden sacrificial dagger with bent sinuous blade
11
10 GP Silver discs, crudely made of numerous silver coins meticulously but crudely hammered together.
100 GP Raw agate, jade, amethyst or lapis lazuli set into the silver
12
10 GP Strange transistor, a lump of silicon set inside a golden lattice, fetching as jewelry
100 GP the chip is covered in printed gold circuit and the lattice is platinum
13
10 GP Octagonal golden coins of the Basalt Ziggurat, rolled in leather tubes made from the pale hide of some deep dwelling beast
100 GP The coins are platinum and have a hole punched in the center
14
10 GP A set of manuals stained and missing pages, that appear to discuss some esoteric field of study
100 GP The manuals are for something far more useful, like fungus farming.
15
10 GP An ancient synthetic jumpsuit decorated with agate chips and glass shards.
100 GP The Suit also has gold coins stitched all over so it jingles
16
10 GP A fistful of gold teeth
100 GP Some of the teeth have tiny diamond in them
17
10 GP A rusted steel briefcase with hidden compartment containing a roll of coins marked with a comet and star design
100 GP the compartment contains a small bag of pearls
18
10 GP A Necklace of bones and teeth with a raw gold nugget or two
100 GP a necklace of raw gold nuggets with a bone or two
19
10 GP A set of scale mail made from some kind of opalescent insect chitin
100 GP The scales are individually carved and decorated with symbols of skulls and coins
20
10 GP A jar heavy ceramic jar of corroded silver coins
100 GP The jar is itself an ancient and unbreakable cut crystal vase
 

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for the treasures---stealing for my own ASE game!

    I think "DynMat cares" strikes the right tone. My own picks for slogans were: "DynMat: Now that _is_ progress!" and "Integrated Material Exploration Services: Bringing New Things to the Surface.". (logos here: http://www.infinitedragons.com/ase-tumbler/ )

    Friggin' love ASE.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saw your tumblr a while back. It's a great thing.

      Delete
    2. Thanks!

      Reading your bit about players wandering off: I've got the same "issue". Only really an issue because I don't know what other modules to populate the Land of 1k Towers and still preserve that ASE feel. Any suggestions for other gonzo modules (besides yours, of course)?

      Delete