Names of The Taverns, Inns, and Alehouses of Bearoak

As everyone knows, all proper fantasy adventures begin with a random selection of PCs meeting in the pub. The following table is designed to generate the names of Inns, Taverns and Alehouses suitable for the country of Bearoak, and should may suit other "Merrie Ængland" type Dungeons and Dragons campaign setting.

Pondering a strange map over a jug of ale at The Royal Badger

Roll 1d100, take one word from the first column, roll another D100 and choose a word from the second column. It is up to the individual DM to decide upon the final arrangement of the Tavern name, with the insertion of an 'and' between the words, a possessive "s", pluralisation, or the addition of a 'The' at the beginning, these and other other small modifications may be made, which will undoubtedly maintain the theme and improve the over all aesthetic sense.

d100	1	2
1	Barley	Apple
2	Black	Arms
3	Boar	Ash
4	Boy	Badger
5	Bracken	Ball
6	Braying	Barrel
7	Brick	Bear
8	Bricklayers	Bed
9	Broken	Bees
10	Bugle	Beetle
11	Copper	Bell
12	Crooked	Billet
13	Cup	Birch
14	Dancing	Bird
15	Dog	Boat
16	Duke	Bog
17	Dwarf	Book
18	Elf	Bottle
19	Feather	Bowl
20	Flaggon	Bridge
21	Forager	Bucket
22	Fork(ed)	Candle
23	Forrester	Cheese
24	Giant	Chestnut
25	Giddy	Clover
26	Glass	Coronet
27	Gold(en)	Crier
28	Green	Crown
29	Grey	Deer
30	Ha'penny	Donkey
31	Halfling	Dragon
32	Happy	Drum
33	Hen	Duck
34	Hound	Eagle
35	Hollow	Elm
36	Holly	Fetlock
37	Homely	Flute
38	Hooded	Fool
39	Hops	Foot
40	Horn	Ford
41	Horse	Fox
42	Hound	Frog
43	Howling	Gnome
44	Ivory	Goat
45	King	Goblin
46	Knight	Goose
47	Last	Hand
48	Leaf	Hare
49	Leather	Hawthorne
50	Little	Head
51	Lord	Hedge
52	Lost	Herb
53	Magician	Hind
54	Maid	Hock
55	Malt	Horse
56	Map	House
57	Mask	Ivy
58	Monk	Loaf
59	Moon	Lion
60	Moss	Man
61	Motley	Manor
62	Mouse	Manticore
63	New	Minstrel
64	Noisy	Mushroom
65	Old	Needle
66	Orc	Noose
67	Pen	Oak
68	Pipe	Owl
69	Ploughman	Partridge
70	Poor	Pheasant
71	Prancing	Pig
72	Prince	Pipe
73	Queen	Plough
74	Ranger	Pot
75	Red	Rabbit
76	Rested	Retreat
77	River	Retriever
78	Royal	Robin
79	Silent	Rook
80	Silver	Rose
81	Sleeping	Sheep
82	Smoke	Ship
83	Snare	Sickle
84	Snare	Slipper
85	Star	Spade
86	Startled	Sparrow
87	Stone	Spice
88	Tangle	Sun
89	Thistle	Swan
90	Thorny	Tambourine
91	Thread	Throne
92	Three	Titmouse
93	Twisted	Toad
94	Twittering	Troll
95	Wealthy	Trout
96	White	Trout
97	Wild	Tun
98	Wolf	Unicorn
99	Wooden	Whistle
100	Woodsman	Wolf

What adventurer could not refuse an invitation to spend the night at The Rested Ship? or sample the famous cheeses of  The Ha'penny Chestnut or perhaps get into a fight at the The Orc and Toad, or pass up the opportunity to meet a mysterious half-mad Druid at The Braying 'Shroom?

Of course for Bearoak proper, the usual  Elf -> Eldarin, Dwarf -> Dverg, Orc -> Uruk,  Halfling -> Holbyta transformations occur.

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Followers of the blog should find on surprise in the featuring of Beer as a core element of the campaign setting. The starting point was a list of local pubs that I have frequented over the years, alongside the inclusion of iconic fantasy tropes, pastoral imagery, faery-tale elements, hunting and brewing terms.

The Spirit of Dungeonpunk '86-87ish

Ahh. Dungeonpunk Elves, courtesy of Mr. Jes Goodwin.

Glam, the Laughing Warrior  in Scarlocks Wood Elf Archers was the first Wardancer. Half pseudo-celtic beserker, half red-haired punk, released in 1986.

Glam the Laughing Warrior | Jes Goodwin | via Thantsants

Punk Elf

1987, just into the release of Warhammer 3rd edition, we saw the release of a wider range of punk elf miniatures, most sporting the trademark Wardancer mohawk hair-do, and occasional leather, studs and buckles armour. Full page advert in White Dwarf 96 also features a page of rules and fluff. Excuse the nasty low-res  phone-camera shots, but I'm too lazy to scan the page properly.

Punk Elf Wardancer with mohawk | Jes Goodwin (1987)

 Punk Elf Wardancer bondage gear | Jes Goodwin (1987)

Just to put this into some form of gaming contest, back then White Dwarf was still printing articles about Roleplaying Games, scenarios for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons had silently stopped 3 issues ago (WD93) but WD continued to support RPGs that Games Workshop published including Runequest, Stormbringer, Call of Cthulhu (all of course originally Chaosium) and their own Warhammer Fantasy Role Play and Judge Dredd RPG.

With the (by now) well established punk berserker Dwarf Troll-slayers, and the introduction of the punk berserker wood elves, and the anarcho-feminist drug addict punk berzerker Amazons, it seemed like almost every Warhammer race was to get it's elite bezerker punk units. In fact, from a purely symbolic point of view, 'punk' as an icon for the berserk works quite well.

Dungeonpunk Elf Wardancers | Jes Goodwin (1987) | via SoL

Science Fantasy Punk Elves | Eldar Harlequins (1988) | via SoL

What's good for WFB is good for W40K, so why not add some bezerker punk space elves into the mix. Actually if Eldar Harlequins were painted in more earth tones, they might just pass as Wardancers who have picked up some mysterious Power Weapons from some WFB 2nd edition ancient Slann monument. hmm...

On the other hand a few mohawks don't override the undeniably huge high-camp glam-rock influence.

1970's Eldar Harlequin cosplay
Oi, Bowie -where's ya Shuriken catapult?

Grushna the Foundling [Iconic Character]

An iconic Orc player character from the Realm of Zhu, for 1st Edition style RPGs. Grushna the Foundling.

Grushna the Foundling

Class:Cleric/Assassin
Race:Uruk (Orc)
Sex:Male
Level:1/1
Hit Points:4
Alignment:Lawful Evil
Sec. Skill:Farmer

Str [ 17  ] To Hit:+1  Damage:+1
Int [ 12  ]
Wis [ 14  ] Magical Attack Adj:+0
Dex [ 14  ] React/Attack:+0  Defense:+0
Con [ 13  ] Hits:+0  Sys:85%  Res:90%
Cha [ 8  ] Reaction Adj: -05%

Height:5'4"   
Movement Base:12"(12")
Weight:172lb  
Carrying Capacity:1000gp
Thaco:19
Armor Class:7(8)

Languages: Common, Neutral Evil, Orcish, Cloud Giant, Kobold

Special:
Control Undead
Chance Of Killing Instantly
Ability To Spy
2 X Damage With Backstab
Infravision 60'

Thieving Skills:
Pick Pockets:35%  
Open Locks:30%
Find Traps:25%    
Move Silently:25%
Hide/Shadows:25%  
Hear Noise:15%
Climb Walls:70%   
Read Languages:0%

Spells:
Clerical Spells: 3

Turn Undead: Skeleton:10, Zombie:13, Ghoul:16, Shadow:19, Wight:20

Saving Throws:
Paralyze, Poison Or Death Magic:10
Petrify Or Polymorph:12
Rod, Staff Or Wand:14
Breath Weapon:16
Spell:15

Proficient Weapons:
Flail, Crossbow, Longsword

Weapon In Hand:Longsword (1-8+1)

Armor Worn:Leather Armor, Shield

Equipment:
Longsword, Crossbow, Case, 20 Quarrels, Leather Armor, Spell Components, Holy Crystal (Level1), Leather Backpack, Waterskin, Cloak, Rations, Leather Boots, Bedroll, Shield, Pocket Knife, Tinder Box, Torch

Money:
Platinum:4        
Gold:100
Electrum:54       
Silver:23
Copper:24

Background:
Grushna was found as a young Urkling abandoned at the gates of the Grey Monastery. There he was raised by the monks in the ways of their order, an obedient and sullen child cared for by the good people of that establishment. The friars found Gru a hard worker in the fields, tending the swine and beasts of burden with good humour and an occasionally over firm hand.

In the year 955, the deep cold winter brought forth Worgs from the north, they harried the livestock and took the lives several shepherds in the surrounding farmlands. The Brethren were called to heal the wounded, and  ambushed by the wolfkin, Gru took to arms. All the great Worgs were slain, but not before they had taken the lives the all the brethren that had ventured out to heal the needy. Gru gathered up the crystal soul-shards of the slain - the first time he had touched the sacred objects. He returned, bloodied and battered, mad with grief and the bloodlust of the kill. As Gru crashed through the door, there was a flicker of doubt in the Brothers minds, despite the long years of teaching and kindness that they had shown Grushna, had their foundling charge finally answered the call of his Uruk blood and slain their brethren?

In his blood stained hands, the shards that Gru held out to the Master had tainted obsidian. "...the wolves have come." Gru gasped, and collapsed. They held Gru at the table and fed him their meagre winter-stew of nettle and roots. In hushed tones they looked at the Holy Crystals, as they lay untouched and bloodied upon the table. Now they seemed to filled with a deep void, where once they had held a pale light, they held the sign of corruption forever tainted by an evil hand. It did not take long for the Brothers to find the slain, both men and wolves and see for themselves that story Gru had told them was true. At least, that is what the evidence pointed to.

A year passed in council, meditation and training before the priests decided that Gru was finally ready to take the Word and the Gifts of The Brotherhood out to world. Given the tainted shard once possessed by Othgard the wolfslain, as a source of power and of remembrance, an eager yet nervous Uruk wandered into the wider world.

And as Grushna left the monastery a shadow lifted from his home and the hearts of his brothers were at ease.

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Design Notes:

Orcs as PC's isn't everyone's cup of tea. But then the Orcs of The Realm aren't quite like the Orcs of anywhere else. While there is a long history of conflict between the Uruks and the other peoples of the realm, by and large they are accepted as members of society, often finding work as guardsmen, militia and clerics in religious orders where their needs for order, routine and stability can be met, and the occasional violent outburst can be channeled into a wider purpose.

Clerics of the Realm do not receive their powers from deities. All clerics carry a soul-shard, which is a splinter of an immense crystal, the Kirkaskivi, which while extra-terrestrial in origin has been grown and manipulated for thousands of years so it remains a constant source of power. Through various vibrational frequencies the crystals resonate cosmic energies which can heal and have various necromantic powers. The colour of a crystal reflects the alignment of the Cleric, black being Evil, white being good and grey being Neutral. People tend to be quite pragmatic about knowing the alignment of a Cleric, and take the attitude that the results of a Clerics actions are more important than their individual motivations or view of the world.