d∞ Oddities for an Abandoned Well
In the tradition of d20 Oddities for a Creepy Old House and d∞ Oddities for an Old Observatory, we present a collection of oddities for an abandoned well. This is the kind of well you might find atop a hill, in a ghost town, or near the town square of an old township that has long abandoned wells in favor of modern reservoirs. Some of these items may be discovered by attempting to draw water from the well, while others require a bit or urban spelunking. Either way, the evolving list of oddities here will inspire GMs and thrill players. Feel free to add your own in the comments. Let's se if we can get all the way to 100.
- Phosphorescent fungus clinging to the sides off the well. Under the right circumstances (just after a rain, when agitated, etc.) the fungus glows with enough light to read by or to be seen from the top of the well.
- Healthy, wriggling newts. However, each newt possesses some deformity (two heads, extra limbs, translucent skin).
- A clump of wet human hair with a scrap of scalp attached.
- The name of a prominent local historical figure or the name of one of the PCs ancestors crudely carved into an old brick. A fingernail fragment grimly suggests how this carving was made.
- A sluggishly flowing underground river connecting to an extensive cave system.
- A metal strongbox. The box is rusted shut, and it's lock is badly corroded. It appears to be watertight.
- Three old coins minted in a distant foreign nation with no known connection to the community the well once serviced.
- A human jawbone.
- An empty apothecary's bottle, equal chance of being intact or broken. The faded label suggests it once held poison.
- A brick carved from stone from the lower depths of the well. No milder, mold, fungus, or other life you'd expect clings to the brick. Testing reveals the brick is radioactive.
