Dungeon Dressing: Mundane Chest Contents
Even villains must have clothes or favourite foods, and these tables can generate such details. Such small items may spark the characters’ interest and could lead to interesting role-playing opportunities or could even give insights into the NPC’s personality and interests.
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Odds & Ends
A cleaned and polished skull on a small velvet pillow stares out from within this chest.
Half a dozen lockets hang from hooks embedded in this chest’s lid; each has an etching of a different woman’s face.
A variety of severed cat tails are coiled within this chest; each has a unique fur pattern.
Clumps of dried dung are—bizarrely—set into neat piles inside this chest.
Over a dozen glass eyes, all different sizes and colours, are nestled within this cushioned chest.
A circle of severed fingers (from different species) lies within this chest.
This chest holds a mass of worn, mouldering papers. None are legible.
This chest has a selection of hard biscuits with eyes and mouths carved into them.
Bent pewter spoons, broken bowls and plates and so on fill this chest.
Fresh, moist earth is packed into this chest, almost up to the brim. Small mushrooms grow in the earth.
Dozens of colourful, shiny buttons are scattered within this chest.
This chest is packed with brass and iron chamberpots, and not all of them are empty. Several of the pots feature lurid designs of demons and devils. The stench in the chest is impressive.
The worms and flies indicate that the mouldering pile this chest contains is some sort of compost.
This chest contains a great mound of shiny ribbons, flecks of coloured glass, bent and broken coins and so on; none have any value except as scrap.
This chest holds a pair of very worn horseshoes.
Scraps of half-carved wooden blocks and sticks are jumbled up within this chest.
Broken bottles of perfume are strewn across the bottom of this chest; their mingled scents remain powerful and pungent.
A broken lute, flute and torn drum are secured within this chest.
This chest holds a small piece of yellowed parchment with an obscure insult scrawled on it.
The severed, rotting hand in this chest is posed in a rude gesture.
Clothes & Possessions
Sets of matching crimson robes, caps and slippers in a variety of sizes are stashed inside this chest.
Moth-eaten shirts lie within this chest.
This chest contains burnt clothes that crumble to ash at the slightest touch.
A jumble of mismatched socks and other miscellaneous pieces of clothing in a variety of sizes fill this chest to bursting.
Auburn and blonde wigs hang from small hooks inside this chest.
The numerous velvet gloves in this chest are worn through on the fingertips.
A single pair of lady’s lace gloves lies within this chest on a pristine red velvet cushion.
The hat in this chest is covered with painted goose feathers. A matching scarf lies beneath the hat.
This chest contains a bright green ball gown that shimmers in the light.
The leather scraps in this chest look like they were once stitched together as armour. Some are bloodstained.
This chest holds a single, enormous down pillow stuffed with owlbear feathers.
A set of dented pauldrons rest within this chest.
This chest contains a pair of grey robes with dozens of pockets sewn into each.
The vest in this chest holds two throwing daggers tucked into the hem.
A pile of vests, cravats and other gentlemanly garb is packed tightly and carefully into this chest.
Woollen scarves and mittens drape over one another in this chest.
The shapeless cloth hats in this chest are filled with dried mouse droppings.
Leather skullcaps are set on rounded wooden blocks in this chest. All are the same size.
This chest holds a single black veil of the sort worn to funerals and the like by a grieving widow.
A rainbow of soft silken sarongs and scarves is packed into this chest.
Credit
This is a short system-neutral extract from GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing. The book is available in 5e, System Neutral and Pathfinder 1 editions. The OSR edition will be available in early 2023.
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