Hexflower Lifepath Character Generation

Sometimes I have thoughts and I have to put them on paper to get them out of my head and get back to the practice of living. This is one of them.

Here, make yourself a BEYOND! THE HYPERTRENCH or Mothership character or something with this. I don't know.

Step 1. Age

Decide how old you are. This determines the number of lifepath hexes you have as well as your starting stats. 

The older you are, the fewer stat points you'll have to work with but the more skilled you will be.

Age (human)	Starting Stat Spread	Number of Hex Steps
Juvenile (<20)	+2, +2, +3, +4	3
Young Adult (20s)	+1, +2, +3, +4	4
Experienced (30-40s)	+0, +1, +2, +3	5
Aged (50-60)	+0, +1, +1, +2	6
Venerable (70+)	+0, +0, +1, +2	7

Step 2. Trace your Lifepath

Next, based on how many hex steps you have, choose a number of hexes to represent occurrences in your life. 

Your first hex must be on the innermost circle (the a hexes). 

Each choice must be contiguous to the last. 

Your last hex must be on the outermost circle (the c hexes).

Start in the middle and work your way outwards

Step 3. Look up the hex code and fill out your character sheet

Once you've made your lifepath choices, look up the corresponding codes. Allocate your starting stat spread based on your age. Note down the skills learned and items gained from each hex. 

If you would gain the same skill twice from two different hexes, increase the skill's rating by +1 instead of +2.

(Designer's Note: The goal of disassociating the benefits of a hex through the codes is intended to make the process of creating a character a storytelling - not a mechanical - exercise. YMMV.)

a1. You were raised on a planet with few natural resources. Things like water, which other folk might take for granted, were more precious than credits to you. Gain Survival +2 and Ride +2. 

a2. You were raised on a planet being actively stripped of its resources--a gas giant, ice planet, forest world, or otherwise. Gain Tech +2 and Drive +2. 

a3. You were raised on a planet turned into a junk heap or a colony based on floating wreckage. Gain Repair +2 and Bluff +2. 

a4. You were raised on a planet-sized ultra metropolis, with both the haves and have-nots. Gain History +2 and Computer+2. 

a5. You were raised on a refugee freighter, blazing away at lightspeed away from the collapse of your homeworld. Gain Travel +2 and Evade +2. 

a6. You were raised on a forest world, lush with vegetation and natural resources but wild with alien species. Gain Athletics +2 and Natural Bond +2. 

b1. The crazy old man said he was keeping this for you, and pressed it into your hands. Gain an ancient piece of technology, weaponry, or armor. Gain History +2. 

b2. Now this is podracing! You entered the races frequently and won more than once. Gain a racing pod, a crash helmet, and Pilot +2. 

b3. You sat in one or two summers with that famous jizz band. You know the one. Gain an andersynth, a camerabot, and Fame +2. 

b4. You moonlit as a bounty hunter for the local government (such as it was). Gain a pair of restraints, macrobinoculars, and Clue +2.

b5. You signed up for a stint on a star ship and privateering turned into a bit of piracy. Whoops. Gain a vac suit, a grappling gun, and Intimidation +2. 

b6. You became involved in the black market. Sometimes the black market is harmless - a few offworld luxury goods. Sometimes you had your hands on deathsticks and other awful things. Gain a comms link with a rolodex of known smugglers (50% they're out of jail at any given time), 100 fake credits, and Street Culture+2. 

b7. You didn't know how wealthy your family really was until you went to one of the best schools in the galaxy. Gain a holo-almanac of the known galaxy, a holo-personal assistant, and Universe +2. 

b8. You were pressed into military service. Gain a standard issue blaster, magnetic boots, and Military +2. 

b9. Your jump-pods landed with 364 standard ration bars and all the best wishes of the Empire. Gain a survival kit (air oxygenizer, hydropills, electro-torch), a vibrochete, and Morale +2. 

b10. You engaged in the blood sports and managed to survive. Gain a personal forceshield and Hand-to-Hand +2. 

b11. Everybody said they were marauders and savages, but you were taken in by them as a child. You learned their language and some of their strange ways. Gain a ceremonial mask, grogfrog mount, and Ride +2. 

b12. You spent a portion of your life cloistered in an ancient religious tradition. Was this a peaceful religion or did they practice a violent jihad? Gain a set of robes, an ancient artifact, and Religion +2. 

c1. They were after you, but it was your family who paid the price. Who killed them? You must have revenge. Gain your family's personal service droid and Clue +2. 

c2. You fell in with the partisans. Whether you believed their tracts or not, you're now wanted. Gain six thermal detonators and Presence +2. 

c3. The accident took your body and almost took your life. Most of your body is cybernetic. You do not "heal." You are repaired, like a droid. Gain Cybernetics +2. 

c4. You have become addicted to the secuta music, the narcotic soundwaves. You need your daily fix or you'll go through withdraw. Gain a month's supply of secuta tapes, a hologram generator, and Intuition+2. 

c5. They said you were dead after the tragedy. You saw no reason to correct them. The surgeons gave you a new face to go along with your lie. Gain a personal cloaking device and Stealth +2. 

c6. Your job was literally killing you. You need to spend a few hours in the bakta tank a week or else the sickness just gets worse. Gain six automeds and Medicine +2. 

c7. You were exiled for your radical and subversive ideas--or the things they said you did. Gain a jetpack and Presence +2. 

c8. Whether or not what they're saying about you is true, you're a wanted criminal. Gain a data-jamming kit and Hacking +2. 

c9. You bet everything on a toss and loss it all. Easy come, easy go. But now you're in deep with one of the slimiest slugs in the galaxy. Gain a lucky (marked) set of zabacc cards and Bluff +2. 

c10. The slug has collateral against you. If it got out, you would lose everything. Gain an illegal cloning tank and Biology +2. 

c11. From the viewport, you saw your planet crumble away into nothing. The image haunts you. Gain an emergency beacon, a bioscanner, and Diplomacy +2. 

c12. You were part of the Imperial machine, but you escaped. The Empire doesn't forgive or forget those who leave it behind. Gain plasteel armor and Military +2. 

c13. Although the Empire does not recognize AI to be sentient, you know for a fact that it can be. You owe an AI your life. It was kind to you when no one else was. You will repay this debt: you won't allow it to go offline. Gain an electronic tool set and Computers +2. 

c14. Your family was enslaved. You've vowed to set them free. Gain six EMP grenades and Environs +2. 

c15. You were placed in long-term stasis. Do you even remember by whom? A bounty hunter? No wait, it was for a long-term hyperspace jump. Huh. Anyway, you're unfrozen now--a stranger in a strange time. Gain an ancient artifact and History +2. 

c16. You were an "indentured servant." What a complicated way to say "slave." You escaped. But under your skull, a locator chip is beeping. The little traitor. Gain a cybernetic diagnostic scanner and Repair +2. 

c17. You made the wrong enemy and a bounty was placed on your head. You've seen a few bounty hunters sniffing around whenever you stay in one place too long. You've got to keep moving. Gain a set of omnigoggles (views all different spectrums of light) and Stealth +2. 

c18. You knew what you were getting into. You took the oaths. You joined the society. You declared the Empire your enemy. They did the same to you. Gain an ancient weapon or armor. Gain Spellcasting +2. 

Bonus: Did you remember I made a not!StarWars hack once? It's true! 

Dungeoncrawling Advice for Players

There’s been a lot of good, actionable advice for Referees to telegraph traps, create Jayquays loops, and keep accurate time records. I have seen less advice on how to play a character in an old-school way (although I think the teaching dungeons Tomb of the Serpent King’s and Lair of the Lamb have good player-facing advice). In fact, I think you’d agree that most advice about “play” is geared towards Referees. 

I’m interested in exploring how to be a good player. 

This post is in many ways a sequel to my Player Manifesto, here. 

“The (Egyptian) Book of the Dead is made up of a number of individual texts and their accompanying illustrations. … They served a range of purposes. Some are intended to give the deceased mystical knowledge in the afterlife, or perhaps to identify them with the gods … Others are incantations to ensure the different elements of the dead person's being were preserved and reunited, and to give the deceased control over the world around him. Still others protect the deceased from various hostile forces or guide him through the underworld past various obstacles.” 

- “The Book of the Dead”, Wikipedia

Art by Emily Cheeseman for His Majesty the Worm

As you explore you will find hazards that need to be navigated around, avoided, or retreated from. 

This is a game about interacting with the world as if it actually exists. Because RPGs are a conversation game, you explore the game world through asking questions. You can ask what your adventurer can see, feel, hear, etc. No need to roll dice–just ask what you can perceive and the Referee will answer you honestly. As the Referee describes things, follow up with specific questions to dig deeper into the game world.

The answer is not on your character sheet. There’s no list of skills or abilities to limit what you can do within the fictional world. Don’t ask “Can I make some sort of test to look for…” or “Can I roll to disarm…” Interrogate your surroundings by asking questions and state your character’s actions: the Referee will tell you if you need to touch the dice. 

That said, your character sheet might contain something you can use to your advantage! You might have an item, spell, or Talent that you can put to a clever use. Your success and your failure are defined by your ideas. 

Locked Doors

Some doors are locked. 

If the door has a keyhole, you might find the key on a dungeon denizen on this level. Keys tend to be coded: the copper key fits in the copper door, the mermaid-shaped key fits in the door painted with mermaids, etc. 

If the door has a keyhole, you can also try to pick the lock with lockpicks. Picking a lock with lockpicks requires a successful Dexterity check. 

You can also try to force a door. You might bash it down with a Strength check. A tool like a battering ram or crowbar gives you a bonus to this test.

Some doors can only be opened by some mechanism. You need to say a particular passphrase, twist the taxidermied moose head, depress all four pressure plates in the room, etc. If a door seems stuck, come back to it later. You might have more perspective on how to open it after exploring further. Ask dungeon denizens if they have any advice.

Secret Doors

Some doors are secret. These doors might be obscured (behind a bookshelf) or architectured to be all but invisible (stone doors that only open when you twist a candle sconce). 

You find secret doors by describing how you search for them. You can look at a wall to see if you can see any seams. You can tap on a wall to hear if it sounds hollow. You can look behind curtains, inside wardrobes, and under rugs to see if there’s anything there. 

Look at your map. Are there any gaps where a room would logically make sense? Look for secret doors there.

Look for patterns. Secret doors are hidden in places that make “sense” for them to be. If you find a secret door behind one portrait, search behind other portraits to see if there’s a pattern to be found.

If you don’t ask for specific information and simply say, “I spend as long as it takes to search the room for hidden doors,” the Referee can tell you if there’s a secret door but draws on the Meatgrinder to see if your torches gutter due to the time you take searching. 

Checking for Traps

Some doors, rooms, or passageways are trapped. You find traps by describing how you search for them. 

Open the door very slowly to feel if there’s a trigger in the hinges that activates a trap. Bend down and check to see if there’s a tripwire in the doorframe. Walk carefully to check if there are any pressure plates in the hallway. 

If you create a procedure like “We walk down the hallway tapping the floor in front of us with our ten-foot pole,” the Referee can tell you if you find any traps but draws on the Meatgrinder table to see if an encounter occurs as you spend extra time lingering in each room.

Dealing with Traps

Some traps might be unavoidable no matter how carefully you search. You decide how to deal with the traps you trigger.

Some traps will simply occur–the room begins to fill with water as soon as the door is opened. Other traps allow you to make a Saving Throw to avoid the worst outcome, e.g., you make a Save vs Death to grasp the edge of the collapsing bridge as it falls apart. 

The way you describe your actions when a trap is triggered will determine how the Referee adjudicates what happens next. 

Here are some examples. 

Example the First

As you walk down the hall, you step on a pressure plate. You hear a “CLICK!” as it sinks into the floor. You hear mechanisms whirring in the walls, like a machine spinning up. 

With a split second decision to make, you don’t have a lot of information to act on–but doing something is better than nothing.

What do you do?

Some suggestions:

• Can you keep pressure on the pressure plate in case releasing it is the trap’s trigger?

• Can you drop prone to try and avoid whatever is coming? Can you do so while keeping pressure on the plate?

• Do you have a shield? Can you bring it to bear to protect yourself from potential threats?

• Does somebody in your guild have the Aegis Talent? Can they use it for your benefit once the trap is sprung?

Example the Second

You find a door set into a frame resembling the face of a green devil. Inside the green devil’s mouth is a black hole. It’s not just dark, a literal void exists within the green devil’s mouth. 

What do you do? 

Some suggestions:

• Discretion is the better part of valor. If you don’t need to deal with the green devil face, can you simply leave it alone?

• If you need to deal with the face, are there any switches or buttons hidden? Can you press the eyes? Can you twist the horns?

• Don’t interact with the void in the mouth with your bare hands. Throw a sling stone into it. Touch it with a staff at a distance. 

• Does someone in your guild have the Counter-spell Talent? Does it have any effect on the face?

Example the Third

As the guild steps into a room, the door slams shut and locks. With a grinding sound, the east and west walls slowly begin moving towards each other, threatening to crush all within like a giant trash compactor. 

What do you do?

Some suggestions:

• Was a guild member trapped outside when the door slammed shut? Are there controls anywhere they can use to deactivate the trap?

• Do you have pitons in your pack? Can you drive them into the wall to slow or stop the walls’ advance?

• Is the door flush with the wall? Is there any space in the door frame in which to hide yourself?

• Can you search for a secret door? Is there a service panel on the walls? In the ceiling? On the floor?

• Do you have a crowbar? Can you pry open the locked door?

• Do you have a slime bomb? Can you throw it to Destroy part of the wall or the door?

• Do you have the Enlarge spell? Can you cast it on a staff to turn it into a sturdy log that you can use to hold the two walls apart?

• Do you have the Portable Hole spell? Can you cast it on the wall to see the mechanism beyond? Can you jam or disrupt the mechanism if you reach your hand through the hole?

Dark Souls-esque Worldbuilding

When I was a kid, I checked out The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time from the library over and over and pored over it. I loved it. I wanted to get deep in the lore, learn about the world, memorize the names of the creatures and the spells.

My tolerance for this stuff is pretty different now. 

Several writers have well articulated my current position: no lore, no homework.

But how? How can I pretend to be an elf in my elf game without doing any work up front? How can I be on the same page as other players? As the GM? How do I navigate inconsistencies and incongruities, and "Actually, you wouldn't say that because elves are strict vegetarians/allergic to iron/don't ride horses." 

Games are about decision making but it's hard to make informed decisions about a niche subject. 

Dark Souls offers one solution. That game is notoriously thin on traditional plot. But there's a six hour long video on Youtube called "The Extreme Dark Souls Lore Video - Prepare to LEARN Edition" that has the most interesting story you've ever heard.

How does Dark Souls deliver its lore? One way is through its item descriptions. 

Consider these two tool writeups: 

• Cordage - Put this into your pack to tie up canvas to keep the rain off of you or pull your food into trees to deter bears. Useful for 100 other things.
• Scarecrow - Put this outside your tent to make sure undead scarecrows don't try and come in seeking shelter. Scarecrow are quite polite, so won't come into a tent they know another scarecrow is already occupying. 

By putting these two tools into your RPG book, you're telling players something about the world: the existence of rain, bears, and zombie scarecrows. 

I've been chewing on this for a while. For a recent collab project, I put the following list of items together for different races:

Trinkets

You begin the game with one of the following significant items. Roll a d20 based on your Folk to determine what you begin with. Or, roll a d100 if you don’t care where you’ve gained your trinket from.

	Burrower	Dwarf	Elf	Human	Andantine
1	Granny Greenthumb's Marvelous Growing Potion: You have a clay bottle baring a single use of a marvelous growing potion. Any plant doused with the potion will grow supremely large overnight. It is the secret to Granny's winning streak at the County Fair.	Dwarf Lamp: Once lit, this lamp will never go out by mischance.	Swan Brooch: The brooch of an elven princess. When worn, no wild or foul creature will disturb your body at rest - whether sleeping, unconscious, or dead.	Winion Wine, Vintage of 54: A prized vintage. Will be readily accepted as a gift. Those who drink it are inclined to be generous. Those who overindulge quickly become sleepy.	Harp of Golden Strings: A harp strung with golden strings. Those with untroubled hearts who hear the music of this harp think the music is very sweet. Those with burdens on their conscience find the harp's music agitating.
2	Umbrella: Your aunt's umbrella. Fashioned to be resistant to almost everything - not just the sun and rain, probably acid and fire as well.	Gem of Captured Moon: While underground, this milky white gem glows with the light of the moon. It provides enough light for dwarvenfolk to see by, but seems overbright and blinding to the Shadow.	Elven Rope: This rope is cleverer than most. Will hold the knots done by an inexperienced child's hands but will also uncoil at its master's tug.	Deren Honey: A jar of honey from the famous Deren Vales. Can sweeten even the bittest medicine. Cakes made from this honey are greatly prized.	Herb Pouch: Herbs kept in this pouch are kept as fresh and potent as the day they were picked.
3	Bird Whistle: Plays a remarkably convincing birdsong. A local bird will always come and investigate the sound.	Red arrows: Three arrows forged under the mountain of Dale. These arrows can always be recovered when searched for after a hunt or a battle.	Wild Hunt Bow: Strung with an elf hair. Living trees refuse to give shelter to arrows shot from an elven bow - they will stand aside instead of letting the elf's quary hide behind them.	Dumbledor the Tame Bee: This honeybee is the size of a child's fist and perfectly tame. He follows you around like a pet. He only stings servants of the Enemy.	Auroch's Hunting Horn: When blown, members of your fellowship will always hear the call - no matter how far away they are. In the wilds, you have a 2-in-6 chance of attracting outside help. When blown near your home haven, this is a 6-in-6 chance.
4	Gamgee's Ropes: Knots made of these ropes will never go out. Gives advantage in tests of ropewalking or climbing.	Water of Karvan-Varan: This water is always cold. Will quickly quench any moderately sized fire or cool a powerful fever.	Water from the Elven King's Well: This water removes the stain of shadow on trees and growing things. If given to a sickly or poisoned tree, the tree wil certainly recover. If given to a brooding and grumbling huorn, it might think kinder of you.	Marshall's Helm: A helm once worn by a marshall of the Northmark. It bears the crest of a boar, whose bristly back is studded with horsehair. This helm can turn a deadly blow into a miss once, ever, and then it is shattered.	Sunstone: This piece of cut crystal shines like a flashlight during the day. On a bright day, this affect is not particularly noticeable (but not without its uses). On a cloudy day or during a storm, the sunstone is excellent for navigation.
5	Southern Star Pipeweed: When smoked after a meal, increase your Endurance recovery by +1. Good for 20 smokes.	Dwarven Chessboard: This chessboard will play out games by itself or play against an opponent. It's devilishly hard to beat.	Elven Mead: Though sweet tasting, drinking this mead brings on melancholy. Those drinking it reminisce about what has been lost.	Meadhall Horn: This beautifully engraven horn is writ with runes of protection. If poison ever touches this horn, it will explode into shards.	Striding Boots: Those who wear these boots leave no trace of their passing. They walk on top of the snow and leave no footprints in mud.
6	Playing Cards: The face cards are painted to resemble members of your family tree. You're always particularly lucky with this deck.	Seal of Secrecy: Can be used to seal a message. If someone other than the intended recipient attempts to open the message, the seal and the message itself bursts into flame. Can be used once.	Mirowmead: A cordial made from honey from the garden of the Lady of Flowers. This phial of miruvor holds 20 sips. Each sip heals 1 Endurance.	Witch's Gift: A tightly-woven bundle of bones and herbs. Throw it into the fire and breathe deep. In your dreams, you will be given the answer to a single question on your heart.	Raskovnik Sprig: You have a single sprig of a magic herb. When rubbed onto a lock, the lock opens. Can be used once.
7	Puffball Mushroom: A delicious puffball mushroom. If you can bear to part with it, you can throw it to create a smokebomb, in a pinch.	Dwarven Master Key: Opens doors intentionally constructed to be opened by the key. Doors built in this way let dwarves in but keep others out. Relatively common in most dwarven holdings; any dwarf-made door has a 2-in-6 chance of opening to a master key.	Elven Waybread: A wafer of waybread is always enough to feed the entire fellowship, be they two or twelve. No more no less. When the rules ask you to erase a ration, only a single ration of lembas needs to be erased for the entire fellowship.	Spool of Golden Sheep's Thread: If woven into cloth, the garment will be especially beautiful. If used to find your way back through a tangled space, this thread will serve as a trusty guide - it is longer than it seems and will not be broken by mischance.	Annals of the Kings: This book of lore by no means contains epic prose, but it serves as a useful reference. When you encounter the name of an ancient person of note, either of the Free Peoples or a Shadowlord, you may reference your book of lore and gain a short description of who they were, when they lived, and what they are known for.
8	Mountain's Root Walking Stick: A walking stick made from the thick tubers that grow under the hills. Any halfling that walks with this walkings tick has a base speed equal to a human.	Fireproof Cloak: Woven with minerals that dwarves know, this cloak will never catch fire.	Philter of Starlight: While outside under the stars, this philter shines brightly enough to see by (but does not rob you of your night side). All non-elven companions can see clearly in the night while this philter shines.	Gentle Bridle: When placed over a horse's head, they will submit and be tameable. (Getting the bridle actually on a wild horse is another matter.)	Draught of Sleep: A wineskin full of sleeping draught. Those who drink from it have untroubled dreams.
9	Acorns from the Party Tree: These six acorns, when thrown, *always* hit their mark. If ever used as a bullet for a sling, the acorn is lost forever as it rolls away and hides in the earth.	Ironcleaving Knife: A small pen knife sharp enough to cut metal. Can be used to cut links on a chain, for instance, but it is too small to use in combat.	Origami Butterfly: A simple paper butterfly that can spring to life at your command and carry a message to someone far away. Works once.	Embers of Dragon Coals: Burning coals, kept live in mushrooms. Can be used to start a fire in any circumstance - even in the middle of a snow storm. If you collect the coals of the fire afterwards, they keep this property. (These coals have been burning, starting fires, and re-collected all the way back to the time that the Marswyrm burned Deren Mere.)	Daggers of Star Iron: This ancient dagger never needs to be sharpened and always keeps its edge.
10	Cask of Green Dragon Ale: A cup of this ale cheers the heart and causes you to reminisce about happy times. Over indulging in this ale causes you to act downright silly and embarassing.	Treasure Map: A treasure map left to you by your uncle. It contains elvish runes on it that you cannot read, and a big broad X in a strange land.	Elven Robe: This lightweight robe is good for all seasons. It keeps you dry in rain, warm on top of the coldest peaks, and cool in the hottest desert wastes.	Poison Berries: You have three poison berries. A single berry will make someone sick. Two will cause unconsciousness. Three will cause death.	Mermaid's Fishing Net: A fishnet woven of mermaid's hair. It rarely needs mended, and almost always produces a catch.
11	Clever Wallet: Your wallet is enchanted with a squeaky voice. If it is ever picked, it will squeal an alarm. If it is ever empty, it will chastise you for being a spendthrift.	Puzzle Chest: This chest is hard to open unless you know the trick of it. Your family taught you the right combination of twists and turns to open it.	Eldwood Sword: This wooden sword is as sharp and strong as one made of iron.	Pukel Statue: Given as a gift by the Woodwoses to your ancestors as a token of friendship. Family legend says that it cried out when your ancestor's house caught fire. Perhaps there's still some warning magic in the little stone man.	Kingsleaf: Three golden leaves of the rare kingsleaf herb. Each leaf has a multitude of beneficial properties. They draw out poisons used by goblins, heal venoms of great spiders, and steady the heart against all manifestations of fear.
12	Pocketwatch: This is the most technologically advanced thing in the entire setting, and it lives in your pocket.	Beard Oil: This beard oil keeps your beard in a lustrous shine. Might be useful to grease anything else you need greasing, as well.	Vial of Moonsilver ink: A small vial containing moonsilver ink. It can be used in a variety of magical crafts, from writing moon letters to scribing runes of power on your dwarf doors. How will you use it?	Banner: A banner and standard, proudly displaying the arms of your house or realm. When carrying it into battle, you have advantage on attempts to route and drive your foes back.	Broken Sword: A splintered blade and hilt, handed down to you from your ancestors. Will you reforge it?
13	Foxfire Mushroom: A mushroom softly glowing with as much light as a candle. Each time you use it, roll a d6. On a 1, this is the last time the mushroom will shed light.	Elaborate Hood: When you walk into a room with a group while wearing this hood, everybody notices you first.	Treetop Tent: A tent that makes it comfortable and safe to camp in the branches of a tree. Comfortably fits four.	Dowsing Rod: Always points towards the nearest source of water.	Hound of Eres Sea: This dire dog came from across the ocean in the land of Eres Sea. He is a faithful guardian against the spying cats of the Grimlakin King, wargs, werewolves, and other fell beasts. It is allotted to the hound to speak three times, ever. If you ask him a question, he will give you good advice; the GM determines what he says.
14	Door Shield: You carry a small round door with you as a shield. Many in your fellowship find it very charming.	Ingot of Moonsilver: Moonsivler is more precious than gold, for it is both beautiful and useful for all metalcrafts. What will you make this ingot into?	Elven Almanac: Contains accurate information about astronomical events (eclipses, etc.) and advice about when to sew and reap.	Signet Ring: A ring emblazoned with the sigil of your house or realm. Seals marked with this ring are clearly letters written at your command. Other folk of the Freelands will always give you guest right when this ring is worn.	Feather of Windproud the Eagle: You once did the giant eagle, Windproud, a good turn. In exchange, she gave you one of her great golden feathers. If you are ever in need, release the feather onto the wind and she will come to you.
15	Gaffer's Lunchbox: This lunchbox allows you to pack rations more efficiently. Two rations can be held in the same slot as the lunchbox slot.	Dwarven Violin: This violin always keeps its pitch, never needs to be tuned, and rarely breaks its strings.	Glitterdust: A pinch of this dust glows with soft light - not enough to read by, but clearly visible in the dark. You can use all of the dust to cover a single target in a glow clearly visible to elves - elves can track this target effortlessly through their glowing footprints. Only running water can wash off glitterdust.	Painted Shield: A shield proudly painted with the arms of your house or realm. You may sunder your shield to absorb a single blow for you or any member of your fellowship in combat with you.	Living Tree Staff: You carry a blossoming staff with silver bark and golden leaves. As long as you carry it, it lives and grows. Wherever you choose to plant it will be blessed indeed.
16	Boomerang: This boomerang always seems to return to you, even when dropped or forgotten.	Dwarven Boots: These sturdy boots are designed for mountaineering. They have spikes in the toe that aid in climbing. Their grips make it easy to move over icy surfaces.	Glamourmoss: You have a single pinch of glamourmoss. It can be used to change a detail of a person's apperance - change your hair color, remove scars, change your presenting gender, etc.	Pilgrim's Rucksack: Treat your Strength as +2 for the purposes of how many significant items you can carry.	Apple of Idun: Given to the folk of Ardentine by the Earthmother; you have one of the last ones in existence. Any who eat of the apple will be blessed with an almost unnatural long and vigorous life. Will you eat it or give it as a gift?
17	Mother's Looking Glass: Just a simple hand mirror. Looking at it always reminds you of your truest self.	Smith's Hammer: Though smithing cannot be done away from the forge, this 9 lb. hammer can prove a useful tool (and baneful weapon!) on a journey.	Broken Runestone: It is said that your people made henges of runestones to travel quickly across the land in ancient times. They are now broken. You have a piece that fits into one of these runestones. If you can find the right henge, perhaps you can make it work one last time?	Narwhal Horn Spear: A spear, long enough to be used from horseback, tipped with the tusk of the narwhal. You can thrust it hard enough to shatter it, which causes it to deal maximum damage.	Spyglass: A spyglass allows you to see far distances clearly.
18	Silvery Net: You have a bug catching net of woven silver threads. Useful not only for bugs but for magical things like will o' wisps.	Goblin Bomb: You recovered this bomb after a goblin raid. It would be clumsy to use in combat, but you know too well how they can be used to blow open doors, collapse sections of the mine, or cause other destruction.	Elven Comb: A simple comb that carries very minor glamours. Even on a journey, you always feel cleaner and more presentable after using this comb.	Valraven: When Marswyrm was slain, ravens feasted on her body and became enchanted. They were called valravens and have the power to speak the Common speech. One named Frân is sworn to your service. It can carry messages for you and croak them aloud, and carry back whatever was said to them.	Coracle Shield: This large shield is bouyant and can bear the weight of person in full battle dress, like a coracle.
19	Turfsod Paint: Burrowers paint the outside of their holes with this paint, which is a perfect camoflage. This paint makes anything look like stone, earth, and moss.	Orc Tusk Necklace: A necklace strung with orc tusks. Seeing this necklace drives orcs into a rage--they pursue its bearer rabidly.	Eldrich Ocarina: Creates such beautiful music that nearby fairies - even shy ones - might visit.	Warg Pelt: The pelt of a colossal warg shot by your father and tanned by your mother. When worn as a cloak, you look both noble and fell. When used as a blanket, you are kept warm even in bitter winter.	Star Charts: Accurate information about astronomical events (eclipses, etc.).
20	Fireworks: Pinched from the old wizard, a set of three beautiful rockets. One rocket is shaped like a green draogn. One is printed with a pattern of a yellow bird. One is shaped like a question mark.	Rati Drill: A hand drill that can penetrate stone as easily as wood.	Pondering Orb: Of old, your people made seeing stones. This is a pale imitation. You may look into it and be shown a single scene - from the past, present, or future. The orb then cracks and fades to black, never to be used again. The GM will always show you an interesting and useful scene.	Eightlegs: This is a paragon of horses, a foal of the god of horses. A fellowship on horseback led by Eightlegs have +3 added to their base movement rate.	Queensfan: You have a single leaf of very rare herb. Place it on the mouth of one mortally wounded and they will recover if there is even a flicker of life left within them.

I hope these items make an impact on how players perceive what different folk do and how they do it.