Monday, August 22, 2011

Spaceman's Bar Encounter Table

It was a motley crowd, Earthmen and Martians, and Venusian swampmen and strange, nameless denizens of unnamed planets...”
- CL Moore, “Shambleau”
This could be used with my pulp Spelljammer idea or any other pulpy space game:

01 A shifty human trader with a large, glowing jar containing squirming forms he says are solar salamanders--for sale.

02 Two spacers in aged flight suits.  They're of human stock but congenitally scarred from in utero exposure to poorly shielded eldritch drives and strange radiations.

03 Four pygmy-like “mushroom men"--fungoid sophonts from the Venusian caverns. They are deep in their reproductive cycle and close proximity gives a 10% chance per minute of exposure inhaling their spores.

04 A reptoid outlaw with bloodshot eyes from chronic hssoska abuse and an itchy trigger-claw.

05 A balding man with thick glasses and a nervous look sitting at a table in the shadows. If observed for at least a minute he will be seen to flicker like a bad transmission on a viewscreen.

07 A human child with pigtails and sad eyes surrounded by faint, swirling colorful lights.

08 A cyborg gladiator (his parts occasionally leaking oil) on the run from one of the L4 arenas regales two groupies with his exploits.

09 A scruffy prophet and his 1d4 wide-eyed and oddly-dressed teen acolytes, dealing in spiritual enhancers.

10 Blonde and statuesque Venusian women, neuro-goads on their belts, looking for a suitable male.

12 comments:

The Angry Lurker said...

Going to need a respirator with that group but I'm going to hit No.10

Dr Rotwang said...

Awesome. Totally.

Unknown said...

Is that image from tge Holiday Special? Eeeek!

Trey said...

@Angry Lurker - I'd expect no less.

@DrRotwang - Thanks!

@Risus - That's a distinct possibility. ;)

christian said...

I rolled a 7, which seems fitting given my occupation.

Trey said...

I hope you don't have to deal with the likes of Midwich Cuckoo or Charlie X.

JDJarvis said...

Is Greedo in that picture peeking over the shoulder of Maude?

Trey said...

They used to date.

Needles said...

Very Nice.. I'll be soon running an Alternative SpellJammer at the local hobby shop around here.
Using the Holiday Special! Excellent

Mike David Jr. said...

This is a great table that not only gives good encounters but 10 adventure ideas as well. Pretty cool, sir.

Jayson said...

This reminds me very favorably of the book Spacebread by Steve Senn.

Trey said...

Thanks guys. Jayson, I've never heard of Spacebread but after goggling it, it seems crazy in a good way. :)