Wednesday, April 25, 2018

The Alphabet of Outer Beings - T is for Towers

Image Source: https://www.deviantart.com/art/Dominion-tower-741776408

Towers are the traditional, some may say stereotypical, workshops and living quarters of wizards. The actual residence or domain of a supernatural patron is well outside the scope of a simple generator, and should probably be a planar realm or entire empire or kingdom of itself. However, the wizards who pledge their service to such Outer Beings likely design their own residences in accordance to the wishes and preferences of their patrons. Alternately you can just use this to whip up a random wizard tower your PCs stumble on during some hexploration.

Table T1: Type of Tower (roll 2d6)
  1. How did you roll a 1 on 2d6? You're doing it wrong!
  2. Mountaintop - The wizard takes up residence atop a mountain, either in a cave or a simple hut of 1d3 rooms.
  3. Just a cave - The wizard makes their residence not in a tower, or even some other structure, but a cave, carved from the heart-rock of the world.
  4. A simple house - Not a tower at all but a simple house, one or two floors, wood and stone construction.
  5. Wooden tower - A traditional tower constructed from wood and other materials.
  6. Stone Masonry Tower - A classic tower of stone blocks, built to spec. or taken over later.
  7. Carved from Monolithic Stone - A freestanding tower carved from a single slab of monolithic rock. This may stand out in the landscape, or be one of many such monoliths.
  8. Tree house - A residence built within a living tree, 50%  chance of being entirely woven of the tree itself, otherwise constructed within the tree's branches from other materials.
  9. Castle Tower - The wizard has an earthly patron who provides them with a tower within their castle. 
  10. Cave behind a waterfall - Hidden behind a waterfall is a cave that has been made into a wizardly retreat. 
  11. Submerged - The tower is actually built into a body of water and only the entrance is visible above the waves. Most likely stone construction.
  12. A pocket dimension - The wizardly residence is actually in a pocket dimension accessible only via a trigger of some kind if a fixed location such as the top of a normal tower, or a natural location.
Table T2: Protection (roll 1d8)
  1. Guards - The wizard employs some kind of living guards to protect their dwelling.
  2. Magical turrets - The wizard's dwelling is protected by active magical defenses in the form of spell turrets that cast attacks spells like magic missile, fireball, and the like.
  3. Golems - The wizard has 1d3 golems patrolling the area to keep out unwanted visitors. 
  4. Wards - Magical wards prevent unwanted visitors from entering the area until the wards are destroyed. 
  5. The location of the "tower" is hidden by magical illusions that hide the dwelling entirely. 
  6. Magical plants and vines grasp any trespasser, holding them in place until the owner can deal with them.
  7. The "tower" is incredibly small and can only be accessed by people using magic to shrink themselves down to size.
  8. The tower is protected by spatial warps that make the distance to the tower much greater that it seems. 
Table T3: Weird Stuff (roll 1d6)
  1. The location of the tower is only accessible during at night.
  2. The tower can only be approached from a specific cardinal direction. 
  3. Time passes within the "tower" much faster, or slower, than normal. 
  4. The location and surrounding area are always affected by the same kind of weather. 50% chance of being inhospitable (rain/snow/fog), otherwise always fair. 
  5. The residence exists within an anti-magic pocket or zone that actually prevents any kind of magic from functioning. 
  6. The location of the tower is only accessible during daytime.
Table T4: Notable mundane features (roll 1d8)
  1. The structure is in the shape of the patron's sigil. 
  2. The residence is vastly larger than needed for the volume of furniture and belongings within.
  3. The materials of the residence are especially rare and valuable. Worked masonry may be of all cut jade. Lumber comes from exceptionally rare trees. A cave dwelling in riddled with veins of precious metals or gems. 
  4. A small river or stream passes directly through the residence complete with a waterwheel to provide mechanical power/work.
  5. There is an orrery and an observatory atop the structure to allow detailed viewing of the stars.
  6. A cemetery abuts the residence. 
  7. A smithy abuts the residence.
  8. All the doors are pocket doors.
Table T5: Notable magical features (roll 1d6)
  1. There is a well appointed lab for the brewing of potions
  2. A large summoning circle has been permanently inscribed into the floor in pure gold. 
  3. A crystalline apparatus to aid in enchanting items is located on the grounds.
  4. A garden of exotic magical and mundane plants is well tended.
  5. A stable houses a small collection of strange beasts.
  6. The entire property can be piloted from within and moved via the following means:
    1. Great mechanical legs
    2. Magical flight
    3. Teleportation
    4. Non-magical flight via balloons and propellers.
    5. A series of clockwork ants that swarm under the building and carry it off.
    6. An aligned dragon who owes a favor to the owner.