Fast OSR Character Creation: d120 Bonus Tools and Trinkets

Here's how you generate characters in my game. The priority is speed at the table, while still giving every character something small and unique. Nothing super involved or gonzo like alien technology or slime pheromones; almost all of the items are based on real history. The assumption is a "standard" D&D setting.

0. Generate stats

3d6 in order, swap one pair if you want, start over if sum of modifiers is negative.

(Maybe max HP at 1st level, not quite sure yet.)

1. Roll for starting equipment

Use the random table for starting equipment over at Sword & Scoundrel:
Web link, PDF link.

2. Add bonus starting gold equal to Charisma score.

(If they don't know how good hirelings are, everyone will dump Charisma.)

3. Roll once on the following d120 table for a useful item or memento.

Or click here for a handy 1-page PDF version of the table.

(There are ~6 entries that directly deal damage, plus two entries with spell scrolls. The DM rolls for a random 1st level spell for the scrolls. #75 will also require the DM to scribble up a little map at some point.)

4. If they want quick hirelings, roll some up.

Use the fantastic Meatshields hireling generator for Barrowmaze.

d120	Additional items
1	Dog (terrier)
2	Cat (d4: 1 black, 2 golden tabby, 3 silver tabby, 4 white)
3	Chicken
4	Rat (d3: 1 trained pet, 2-3 picked from a gutter)
5	Red squirrel (with collar and lead)
6	Magpie in cage
7	Falcon, trained
8	Two frogs in glass jar
9	Bees in a glass jar (d4: 1 dead, 2-3 alive, 4 actually wasps)
10	Smoking pipe and 1 lb. bag of hobbit’s leaf
11	Herbs, calming
12	Herbs, stimulating
13	Censer and incense
14	Salted meat, 1 lb.
15	Rotten meat, 1 lb.
16	Animal feed
17	Eggs x 12
18	Bar of soap
19	Lard
20	Jar of honey
21	Jar of syrup
22	Bottle of milk
23	Bottle of vinegar
24	Bag of malted barley
25	Bag of sugar
26	Bag of carrots
27	Bag of turnips
28	Bag of seeds
29	Bag of flour
30	Bag of salt
31	Bag of sand
32	Bag of earth
33	Bag of sawdust
34	Bag of powdered chalk
35	Chalk pieces x 5
36	Chunk of coal
37	Chunk of ore
38	Magnetic lodestone
39	Scrap metal
40	Brick
41	Calendar staff, 1 foot (see image below)
42	Horseshoe
43	Sledge hammer
44	Crowbar
45	Hand drill
46	Pickaxe
47	Shovel
48	Riding crop
49	Fishing pole
50	Fishing net
51	Butterfly net
52	Razor
53	Tweezers
54	Tongs
55	Chisel
56	Chain, 5’
57	Manacles
58	Padlock and key
59	Padlock, no key
60	Hunting trap
61	Grappling hook
62	Bag of caltrops
63	Vial of acid
64	Vial of poison
65	Vial of holy water
66	Jar of glue
67	Glass vials, empty x 5
68	Bucket, metal
69	Bucket, wooden
70	Glass jar, empty
71	Air bladder
72	Scroll case, empty
73	Scroll case with divine scroll
74	Scroll case with arcane scroll
75	Scroll case with map
76	Small bells x 5
77	Mirror, steel
78	Mirror, silver
79	Mirror, glass
80	Makeup
81	Candles x 10
82	Quill, ink and parchments
83	Thread, linen, 50’
84	Leather strips x 5
85	Bag of wooden beads
86	Bag of glass beads
87	Small urn, sealed
88	Human(?) bone
89	Shrunken head
90	Severed finger
91	Severed hand
92	Severed nose
93	Lock of hair
94	Small wooden vessel of powdered mummy
95	Rabbit’s foot
96	Shark’s tooth
97	Fish jawbone
98	Tusk
99	Dice set
100	Playing cards
101	Chess set
102	Dominoes set
103	Toy, wooden
104	Toy, clay
105	Lute
106	Small drum
107	Flute
108	Pan pipes
109	Ocarina
110	Whistle
111	Hunting horn
112	Gloves, heavy
113	Gloves, fine
114	Hat, wide-brimmed
115	Hat, colorful
116	Cape, fur
117	Cape, silk
118	Apron, leather
119	Mask, wooden
120	Small mat