"Where the heck is New Karundi?"

During character creation I have my players roll on a "Failed Profession" table. (I stole this from Dungeon Crawl Classics.) It's a big hit, everybody enjoys the little fun moments that arise when their barbarian slaughter-lord AXEMOUTH THE GOREMASTER, who used to be a chicken farmer, gets to use his chicken farming knowledge in-game. (It comes up!)

 

Before the failed professions table I used a homemade backgrounds table. I tied the entries on it into the locations I was going to use in the game world, and then (as usual) those places never came up so they were never explored or expanded on past the little throwaway line I put on the table.

 

BUT NOW THERE IS REVERSE EARTH AND THESE LANDS SHALL COME ALIVE.

The table:

 

Backgrounds

Roll d20. This is where you're from, what you might look like, maybe something good or bad, and maybe some minor starting equipment or gold.

 

1 Fray. You're from the industrial city of Fray. You might have grey hair or red eyes. Start with a hammer and a piece of chalk.

 

2 Red District (Fray). You're from the worst, filthiest part of Fray. You probably have yellowish skin and pointy teeth. You get +1 to notice unusual smells. Start with a vial of acid.

 

3 Owenga City. It's like Venice, but colder. You probably have blue or green hair. Start with a whistle and 5 extra gold.

 

4 Tusk Bay (Owenga City). You can sail a ship. You probably have blue teeth from drinking squid ink tea. Start with a fish hook and 20 feet of fishing line.

 

5 New Karundi. You're from right outside the Fungal Jungle. You might have purple or black eyes. You like your food extremely spicy hot. Start with a dose of hallucinogenic moss.

 

6 Skull. You're from the City of Thieves. You get +1 to noticing people when they're trying to hide. You're definitely wanted for crimes somewhere. Start with a small knife and 5 extra gold.

 

7 Palace of the Bandit King (Skull). You were a member of the Bandit King's “royal” family (or pretended to be). You get +1 to find secret doors and passages. There's definitely an assassin looking for you somewhere. Start with a signet ring.

 

8 Dryland. The pirate city. You can sail a ship. You get +1 to climbing ropes. There's definitely somebody out there that wants you dead. Start with a bottle of rum.

 

9 Malkovia. You're from the monster-filled countryside. You're really superstitious. Start with a small mirror and some wolfsbane.

10 Karlov Cathedral (Malkovia). It's like Notre Dame, but gigantic and creepier. You get +1 on attack rolls against vampires. You're pretty sure all redheads are secretly witches. Start with a vial of holy water.

11 Albion-Zegovia (rabble). You're from the common people of the “double city.” You're used to weird stuff. You have a pretty good singing voice. Start with a chunk of soap and 5 extra gold.

12 Albion-Zegovia (aristocrat). You're from an elite family in the “double city.” There's an arranged marriage back home but you're trying to avoid it. Start with a bottle of perfume and 20 extra gold.

13 Myth. You're from the ice kingdom of Myth. You have a snowflake-shaped scar on your palm from paying your blood tax to the Ice Queen. Start with a quill, a bottle of ink, and 5 sheets of paper.

14 The Crystal Palace (Myth). Your family served the Ice Queen in her palace. You get +1 on Charisma checks when etiquette and good manners count. You have silver-white hair. Start with a signet ring.

15 Ram-Anku. You're from the tomb city of the Mummy Kings. Even if you don't serve the Kings-in-Chains now, you did growing up, so you know all the rites and observances. You probably still shave your entire body. Start with 3 candles and a small knife.

16 Tectotl. It's like an Aztec city, and full of lizard people. You have the feather-and-fang tattoo of the God-Lizard on your body somewhere. Start with a vial of poison.

 

17 The Fields of Wind (nomad). You're from the windy steppes. You're really good at riding a horse. Your favorite food is roasted bat. Start with a lantern and a net.

 

18 The Fields of Wind (trading post). You're from a trading village on the steppes. You probably have elaborately braided hair. You're really good at riding a horse. Start with an iron cooking pot and a spyglass.

19 Perihelion. You're from the mesa city of wizards. You know how to fly a hot-air balloon. You like to wear bright clashing colors. Start with a vial of alchemist's fire.

 

20 The College Magnificent (Perihelion). Your family served the Mega-Magician in Perihelion. You either love wizards or hate them. You know an extra language.

 

 

I think I'll use this alongside the roll on the failed professions table. My players always like more random shit added onto their PCs that they can bring up at weird times.