Idiosyncratic Knight NPCs

This is inspired by Zelda-Style NPC Personalities.  I am a big fan of using a variety of NPC generation tools in a single campaign to keep things fresh for myself and players.  I am not using this generator for every knight in my setting, but sprinkling them in as seasoning.  

Knight Behaviours (Flip a coin and roll a D6 and D8)

Heads: This knight will always... 
(1. bow 2. fall in love 3. speak in the third person 4. offer aid 5. pray 6. drink from a wooden flask)
when... 
(1. meeting a stranger 2. challenged to a duel 3. threatened 4. asked for help 5. insulted 6. entering a settlement 7. slaying an enemy 8. the sun rises)

Tails: This knight never... 
(1. removes their helmet 2. reveals their true name 3. speaks outside of riddles 4. kills 5. accepts coin 6. puts down their sword)
...
(1. until the enemy is slain 2. unless it is past dusk 3. other than on full moons 4. until the quest is completed 5. except when asked politely to 6. except during rain or snow 7. while watched by any flying creature 8. except on holy days)

Traits (Roll 1D10, write another based on prior prompts)

1. Haughty
2. Beautiful
3. Woeful
4. Fearless
5. Vengeful
6. Peaceful
7. Ominous
8. Aged
9. Violent
10. Naive 

The Knight Always Challenges (Roll a D12)

1. Foreign warriors
2. Anyone with a larger sword
3. Mages
4. Druids
5. Those perceived as disrespectful
6. Knights wearing a crest with a predatory animal
7. Warriors with a more beautiful horse
8. Warriors who do not bow first
9. Oath Breakers
10. Boastful knights
11. Thieves
12. Nobility

Garb and Armor (Roll a D20)

1. Crimson
2. Blue
3. Green
4. Black
5. Yellow
6. Wintry
7. Tarnished armor
8. Ancient 
9. Ragged
10. Cape is too long
11. Cape is too short
12. Woolen boots
13. Roman
14. Celtic patterns
15. Holy
16. Enchanted with minor magic
17. Unarmored
18. Fractured Armor
19. Jeweled
20. Shining

Lockpicking Minigame

Here is a random lockpicking minigame idea I had:

Lockpicking is guessing.  Each lock has a number from 1 to 10.  Without any skill you have a 1-in-10 chance of picking the lock.  For every point in dexterity you may roll D10 and determine if the lock's number is greater than, less than, or equal to the roll.  Those trained in lock-picking may manipulate their rolls by up to 3 in either direction.  After making all rolls the guess must be made.  If the guess is incorrect the lockpick is broken.  If the guess is off by 4 or more the lock is jammed.   

Lesser locks have more than 1 consecutive number. 

The Slumbering Castle Devlog 5: Paths

Mapping the Kingdom

My work to map out the Slumbering Castle continues.  I will be running my first test of this dungeon at Total Con 40 in about 10 days with a simple map and bullet point keys.  

Draft map 1 - I already want to change things but I'll probably use this version for the playtest

More Brainstorming Locations 

• Whipping post where two sleepers are tied (a proclamation reads that they spoke treasonously of the Princeling)
• Rotting wheelbarrow
• Large rock with a adventuring sleeper on top
• Field of standing stones
• Cats (kitten dreams)
• Bridge over a narrow valley
• Ritual fire pit

After brainstorming some more locations, I made a cleaned up version of the earlier rough draft map of the kingdom.  There's already things I'd like to change about this map, including the specifics of the castle itself but I'm going to focus on keying locations for now.  

Another goal for designing the kingdom map was to create somewhat natural paths through the space with very minimal use of actual "roads."  Paths will be hugely important to the success of this as a viable adventuring location.  With the incredibly thick fog, constant threat of endless sleep, and waist high thorns growing nearly everywhere, there can be no intelligent exploration inside the kingdom without constantly accounting for where you are and how you got to that location.  

Material Paths

• The Castle Road (From exterior through areas 8,7,6, to 5)
• The Yarn Path (From exterior through areas 1, to 5)
• The Bread Crumbs (From exterior to 3)
• The Brook (From exterior to 2)
• Standing Stone Avenue (From the Law Stone in area 1 to the temple and barrow in area 4)
• Catacombs/Ancient caverns beneath the castle (connect to the castle well, undercroft, dungeons in area 5, alcove in area 1, and cave entrance in area 2)
• Line of trees planted from seeds by a wizard to have an easy path (Not sure about this one but it seems like a fun idea and would give PCs plenty of ideas to utilize the latent plant growth spell effect)

Informational Paths 

• Horse's dreams (Stables in area 6, through areas 7,5 to the orchard in area 1)
• Farmer's note (Farm in area 3 to fox hole in area 6 south of the rock pile)
• Fox's dreams (Fox hole in area 3 to chicken coop in area 6 and alcove in area 1)
• Adventurer graffiti and markings (Various places)
• Sacred Texts (Reveals entrances to the ancient caverns of the Goddess, relative locations of the Lawstone and Temple)

Keying Tables

I have begun the work of keying locations in the castle.  I created some tables for inspiration for keying what may be dozens to hundreds of tiny little nooks inside the cursed kingdom.  I won't consider myself bound by results rolled, (and may add to or change the tables entirely later) but plan to use them as a guide for now for distributing things when I have no other ideas.  I am intentionally leaving out certain things which I am adding in a more bespoke manner.  Large adventuring parties and their paths through the kingdom are something I want to write very deliberately so that I have a chance to include fun moments of continuity.  

Table for Keying Minor Points of Interest

1. Extremely Hazardous Rot
2. Rot, Decay, or Collapse
3. Small Place of Dreaming (glimpses of a dream)
4. Sleeper
5. Sleeper in a place they aren't supposed to be
6. Wildly grown plant
7. Roll 1x on Stash Table (I have a d100 table I normally use for "non-treasure treasure")
8. Note or clue referencing another location and hinting how to arrive there

Table 1 for Keying Huts

1. Tool of profession
2. Tool for cooking
3. Cache of coin (1D4 silver, 1D20 copper)
4. Instrument
5. Clothing item
6. Keepsake or charm
7. Roll on Stash Table 
8. Roll on Stash Table

Table 2 for Keying Huts

1. 1D4 Candles
2. Woolen blanket or animal fur
3. Rotting firewood
4. Simple weapon (dagger, club, staff, etc)
5. Rotting foodstuff or mead
6. Historical clue (letter, idol, drawing, simple tapestry etc)

The Slumbering Castle Devlogs: 1, 2, 3, 4