One way of generating interesting treasures, especially when it's a powerful monster, is to think about what's important to the monster. What kinds of things might a dragon really need? If the answer is that, hey, maybe this one needed a laxative recently ... pity the adventurer who misuses that barrel of pink potion in the lair. How do guy dragons make themselves attractive to the scaly sirens at the saurian singles bars? Is there a bucket of scale-shinola in the lair's hidden compartment? Maybe that stuff actually strengthens metal armor (or leather armor) for short periods of time.
And do dragons have pets? A pet and some pet supplies would be interesting stuff to find in the dragon's lair. Watch the characters take really, really good care of that cockatiel until they can figure out what it "does." Negotiating with a dragon that wants 40 pounds of mixed seeds?
The most recent bit I wrote this morning was about a monster that eats brains. In the treasure hoard? A long-handled gold spoon...
Time to Prep for OSR Christmas 2024!
11 hours ago
I suppose brain eaters need: A bone saw. A bowl with a base that readily accepts a skull to keep it in place for dinning. A hamper for all the critter that doesn't get eaten that isn't brain. what spices or fluids are good on brain? They'd be at the table as would fancy containers for the more upscale braineaters.
ReplyDeleteGiven the current trend of people snapping photos of the food they are cooking or eating, you might also have a wall of "Brains I Have Eaten" and recipes for various preparations.
ReplyDeleteThis would be especially true in the gonzo dungeon where you've mixed in some pop-culture and scifi elements into the melange.
Do dragons swallow their prey whole? If so, then perhaps they cough up something like owl pellets, with various bones and armor parts of their prey. Do owl-bears clean themselves like cats? Maybe they have furballs scattered around the lair. Does the Ouroboros periodically shed its skin? (and if it keeps its tail in its mouth, just how does it accomplish it?)
ReplyDeleteOwlbear fewmets. That's disgusting, Dennis. :)
ReplyDelete