Items · Other · Non-Magical
Don't Forget the Coffin
Sure you loot the area, but what about the creatures’ actual coffins that they were buried in?
Disclaimer: I’ve really been wanting to try my hand at scrolls so I apologize if the theme isn’t overly original.
Hitting up a tomb or cemetery is pretty standard in most realms, especially when dealing with undead baddies. You collapse the skeletal warrior, splatter the rotten ghoul, and decimate the walking mummy.
Sure you loot the area, but what about the creatures’ actual coffins that they were buried in? What might you find in there and what story could they ultimately tell about the original owner the one you just destroyed?
- A pile of bone dust
- An ivory jar etched with golden dragons and filled with ashy remains
- A jet jar inlaid with jade chips and filled with fresh organs
- A tattered piece of fabric
- A decomposed shrunken head
- A lock of hair tied with a purple ribbon
- A long, blonde wig
- A set of wooden teeth
- A decrepit, mummified hand
- A set of dirty linen wrappings
- Some dried up worms
- A dull gold locket missing its chain
- The skeletal remains of a dog
- A single dried rose
- A chewed up baby doll with its hair missing
- A torn prayer book with a blue leather binding
- Some dried up bugs crunchy enough to eat
- A scrap of yellowed parchment
- A swan feather headdress adorned with black pearls and crystals
- A hammered bronze death mask
- An etched crystal sphere with the name, "Tord" on it
- A babys rattle made from a gourd
- A broken buckler with a faded crest
- A dented steel shield engraved with the image of a rose
- a chipped turquoise hair clasp shaped like a star
- a white jade amulet carved into the likeness of an owl
- A brown wool blanket trimmed with a gold fringe
- A short ebony hafted spear
- A bronze dagger with a coyote shaped hilt
- A bag of coins
- A silver holy symbol
- A flat linen pillow with goose down spilled everywhere
- A bowl of dried herbs some look poisonous
- A small velvet pouch filled with marbles
- A faded portrait of a raven-haired woman
- A garnet encrusted key
Scrolls
Twists, chapters, and details meant to stream with the submission — not general discussion.
37. A large collection of exquisitely written love letters, clearly span…
37. A large collection of exquisitely written love letters, clearly spanning several decades, from the local widowed duchess. Interestingly, they start close to her husband's death, and they seem to be addressed to him.
She often refers to "Your most unfortunate accident"
38. A small locket, opening it will reveal the picture of a beautiful maiden. If the possessions are searched thoroughly one will find a page of a church's death register, with all name scribbled out but one:
"Anna Segara, Died of consumption 24th of June 1664, aged 19"
39. A wrapped gift showing sign of great age. On it is a small card inscribed: "To My Mother, For your limitless patience, forgiving smile, and enduring support. Your Son, Marco" If opened the gift reveals a beautiful rosewood jewelry box.
40-A pair of rusty handcuffs 41-A full water bottle 42-A vial of poison …
40-A pair of rusty handcuffs
41-A full water bottle
42-A vial of poison
43-A flint and tinder
44-A dagger
45-A rusty sword
46-A map
47-a bandana
48-a small green dragon carved out of Demon Jade
49-The word "Help!" written in blood on the lid of the coffin
50-Two tin soldiers
51) A necklace of goblin teeth. 52) A necklace of bear claws and teeth. …
51) A necklace of goblin teeth.
52) A necklace of bear claws and teeth.
53) An old leather pouch containing a finely-crafted set of dice carved from bone.
54) A small disc of blue crystal, beautifully etched with a holy symbol.
55) A large number of peanut shells, scattered more-or-less randomly across the bottom of the coffin.
56) A long, curling strip of paper; written on it in a holy tongue is a command to dwell in peace.
57) The ragged remnants of what was once a fine fur cloak.
58) A heavily rusted, massive hammer.
59) Far more teeth than should ever be present in a single creature's skull.
60) A broken weapon of some kind.
61) Two copper coins, laying at odd angles as if knocked aside when the former inhabitant moved.
62-The tattered remains of a scarlet and ermine coat 63-A large horsehai…
62-The tattered remains of a scarlet and ermine coat
63-A large horsehair wig
64-A picture of a family
65-An amythest necklace
66-The symbol of *insert god or goddess*
67. A few bones, that the original inhabitant left behind. 68. A large n…
67. A few bones, that the original inhabitant left behind.
68. A large number of rats. It seems they didn't disturb the undead inside.
69. It is large, but standard sarcophagus. If you look carefully, you will another one right beneath it.
70. A piece of paper, written by a child's hand. It contains the memories on the deceased, a few things they argued about, and ends with: "I miss you, Daddy." A small painting of a house is there, too.
71-an iron key with a tattered note next to it reading "Key to Heaven" 7…
71-an iron key with a tattered note next to it reading "Key to Heaven"
72-a small silver cross
73-a roting dead body of somebody that was murdered earlier by the Undead that the PCs killed.
74-An urn with cremated remains (or if the GM is unkind, an Urn Beast inside.
75-A book of pornography for the soul of the deceased to enjoy in the next world.
76. A 'kill-list', taken to the grave by whoever now occupies this coffi…
76. A 'kill-list', taken to the grave by whoever now occupies this coffin. There are twelve names in all. Each one with a brief description of why that person was marked for death by the deceased.
77-a heavy chain 78-a piece of paper with a curse on it, cursing the dec…
77-a heavy chain
78-a piece of paper with a curse on it, cursing the deceased.
79-wooden models of servants 80-a carved wooden mask 81-an old diary wit…
79-wooden models of servants
80-a carved wooden mask
81-an old diary with a secret about the local noble written in it.
82-a Convict Collar
83-a Masking Bracelet
84. Roots knotted together to resemble a holy symbol of a dominant relig…
84. Roots knotted together to resemble a holy symbol of a dominant religion.
85. Simple rings for every finger and toe of the deceased... a decoration, or some ritual?
86. A few horns serve instead of a pillow.
87. The inside of the coffin is lined with funghi, that inflate if light falls upon them, then deflate when it gets dark.
88. A scroll with lullabies to bring you sleep.
89. If examined closely, the coffin appears to have a small hole bored i…
89. If examined closely, the coffin appears to have a small hole bored into the wood, with some kind of drill like instrument.
90. A mummified cat lovingly held to the corpse’s bosom.
91. A glass monocle
92. An empty hidden compartment
93. A potion vial, wrapped in cloth. Upon which, some tiny words are etched, “imbibe at the last second”. The corpse itself has a peculiar morbid grin upon its decomposing face.
94. “I am still alive” or “I’ll be back” scratched with fingernails on the wood inside the coffin.
95. Written on the floor of the coffin, are instructions on how to geometrically fold the coffin, if it needs to be used again and transported (minus corpse of course). If experimented with, the PCs will find that the coffin can be manipulated to the size of a small jewelry box.
96. A yellowed, ivory bracelet
97. The head of another person, the hand of the full-bodied corpse gripping the head tightly by the hair.
98. The coffin is made of transparent glass
99. The hands and feet of the corpse are tied together, to prevent the spirit from “roaming”
100. An elaborately and exquisitely carved model of a miniature city, though not a city familiar to the PCs
101. Nothing but dust, and a single silver bullet
102-A picture of the deceased's family 103-A wooden harp 104- Some "Hell…
102-A picture of the deceased's family
103-A wooden harp
104- Some "Hell Money" notes
105-A softy glowing stone
106-A firecracker
107-Fungus that infects anyone's lungs nearby with spores that starts to…
107-Fungus that infects anyone's lungs nearby with spores that starts to slowly kill them.
108-A glowing stick of mori rock.
109-A soft pillow
110-A picture album
111-a small cactus
112-A CD of a popular singer (if CDs exist in the world hat this coffin …
112-A CD of a popular singer (if CDs exist in the world hat this coffin is found in)
113-A HellPit
114-A swarm of flies who buzz out when released
115-A small bone idol
116-The words of a song
117-A book of poetry
118. A letter from a close friend, expressing the love for the deceased …
118. A letter from a close friend, expressing the love for the deceased they never had the chance to share.
119. The body has been switched. Perhaps the coffin is meant to house a wealthy king but the body here is nothing more than a poor serving girl. Who knows where the real body is.
120. A teddy bear from childhood clutched to the deceased's breast.
121-The *colors* of a dangerous gang122-The decomposing body in this cof…
121-The *colors* of a dangerous gang
122-The decomposing body in this coffin is bound and gagged.
123-Little clay models of servants for the afterlife
124-A mummified dead cat
125-A diamond-that turns out to be made of glass
126-A gold-plated helmet complete with face mask aka Sutton Hoo127-The c…
126-A gold-plated helmet complete with face mask aka Sutton Hoo
127-The coffin is full of cremated remains just dumped without urns in the coffin
128-A picture of a family
129-An unpublished novel
130-A short-range Teleportation spell scroll with glowing ink
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Links to this article 1
- 30 Items Found Within a Coffin Alongside Cheka Man linked by Cheka Man
Use alongside
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I might add more to this scroll later.
A way to give those shamblers and shufflers a sympathetic connection to their mortal lives. Some of the items above left me curious as to what they were and what this significance is, which is the point. As a scroll, this could also be called 101 Things found in a Coffin.
And I know there will be readers who wonder at why the contents of a coffin could be important to their characters. Spell components for a wizard, rose petals from a dried flowers or the stuffing from a funeral pillow come to ming for sleeping spells. Also, a locket, crystal sphere or some other seemingly copper piece trinket could actually be Dun dun dun the dingus/key/plot device the PCs have been looking for.
Kudos.
Disclaimer: I've really been wanting to try my hand at scrolls so I apologize if the theme isn't overly original
Actually, the theme is morbid and lovely. As Scras said, the title of the piece is a bit misleading, but I certainly will add a few coffer contents myself!
Stephie, you're a great new member! Semi-prolific even lately! :-D
Kudos indeed.
What Muro said! There are a couple of zombie subs this seems to relate well to as well. Wonder if there is a good freetext to link them?
Forgot to vote...
Great idea for a scroll. Some of the items do beg for more info, but we can do that too. Great idea generator!
I rather like this scroll idea; one of the things I've always liked are the silly magical and mundane trinkets that can be found on the bodies of monsters, once defeated, and this feels like a logical extension of that idea - adding personality and flavor to what would otherwise be nothing more than another GM-mandated obstacle for the players.
I find the title funny and apropriate... keep it.
And we should make it 101!
and now we have 101!
Bump. Added '101' freetext. Just because.
of the tables I have seen this one isn't bad, most of the items are reasonable and suggest at larger story behind them which what we are all about right?
right
good
Ooh, I like this!
Come back to the Citadel Stephie!
4.0/5
This has become quite the list!
I love how the items give rise to all sorts of questions and storytelling material. A baby's rattle... a name written on an item... love letters. What a way to give your world meaning!