This morning on the way into work I was thinking how much I enjoy random RPG tables. But let me qualify that statement with its usually the content within the tables that I enjoy so much. Often when I find a good list I read all the entries and sometimes just pick one I like for the night’s game session. Other times when a player asks a question about something I like to just randomly roll and see where it takes us.
Below I decided to create a random table of belt pouches with interesting contents. While coins and gems are great they can seem lackluster after a while. So next time one of your players reaches inside a pouch or empties one consider using this table. I promise they will be as surprised as you are!
Belt Pouch Table (d8)
1. Stained leather pouch which has a strange floral aroma. When examined it seems pliable and makes squishing sounds if poked or prodded. Inside will be found a shrunken head fetish of what appears to be a goblin. The mouth of the goblin is filled with 1d6+1 flower petals. If a petal is removed the head will animate and answer questions as if an augury spell was cast. When the petals are all depleted the head will crumble to dust.
2. Rusted chainmail pouch which appears to have some sort of magical darkness inside it. All attempts to peer through the links fail unless a light spell is cast and directed at the pouch. Only then will the eyeball encased in resin within be visible. The eyeball belongs to a necromancer in some faraway place. If removed from the pouch the necromancer can see through the eye again. What horrors now await the PCs is up to the Dungeon Master.
3. Common cloth pouch with small nibble marks. It appears at one time the pouch was repaired because newer stitching is visible. The pouch feels cold to touch regardless of the temperature outside. Something appears to be moving inside the pouch at odd intervals. Inside will be found a skeletal mouse covered in arcane ice. All attempts to melt the ice will fail and the undead yet benign mouse will follow whoever the owner of the pouch is.
4. Gold plated dragon leather pouch with dwarven runes that suggest it once belonged to some great slayer. The gold plating has seen better days and is missing in some places. Inside will be found a series of artistic stones crafted from gold. It is obvious that the entire collection is not present. When assembled together the stones actually create a rough map which ultimately shows the location of a dwarven tomb. The missing stones will need to be found to complete the map.
5. A long pouch crafted from strips of beautiful tree leaves and bark. When examined it appears that small fruits are growing both on the outside and inside of the pouch. If watered the growth will be completed in 1d4 days otherwise the fruits grow at the DM’s discretion. Every growth cycle the pouch produces two types of goodberry. This will yield 1d6 inner and outer berries. Outer berries heal 1 point of damage when consumed. Those which grow inside the pouch are larger and heal 2 points of damage when consumed.
6. A black silk pouch which appears completely bloated and filled with something. Upon examination whatever is inside the pouch feels solid and round. If the pouch is poked with a sharp object it is forever destroyed. It cannot be emptied of its contents unless someone reaches inside to pull out what is within. Anyone doing the former will feel something spongy and sticky. Chunks of this object can be removed revealing globs of spider web. If thrown these globs count as a web that affects only half the area of the normal spell. There is 2d6 globs of web available before the pouch is depleted.
7. A regal pouch crafted from deep purple cloth with golden accents. It feels like there may be six small but solid objects resting at the bottom of the pouch. If emptied several strange stones with straight edges and sharp vertices fall out. Upon examination it appears each of the stones has a series of numbers etched upon them. Once per day the owner may roll these royal dice (pick your favorite real set) for a chance of luck being bestowed upon them. If the combined result is greater than 25 the owner gains +1 to all saving throws for the day.
8. This pouch appears to be a miniaturized replica of an adventurer’s backpack. All the buttons work, compartments open and it even has small straps. If the owner attempts to place anything inside the pouch it magically shrinks to one quarter its original size and weight to accommodate. The object can then be retrieved and takes 1 round to return to its normal size. The maximum capacity of the pouch is 7.5lbs of reduced weight.