Things Floating Down the River

Collaboration on OSR server, 14 August '23. We got up to maybe 72 out of proposed d100. These are mine and R.K. Kothar's, which I feel have a certain harmony. Check out his much more together blog, Argent Interregnum.

1d20 Things Floating Down the River

1. giant salamander migration. should be later in the year but when it rains, they're off to their pilgrimage/birthing site.
2. muckdweller raiding party floating on barks — not tiny ships for tiny dinosaurs, pieces of bark big enough to support one lawful evil mini-dino with a hankerin' for murderin'. 2d8 appearing.
3. vitreous spheres, hand sized. they look glassy—feel glassy—cannot be damaged by ordinary tools or weapons. come in many colors from black to prismatic. once removed from water, double in size every hour unless returned to the river, whereupon they return to original size. If allowed to grow, after 1d20 days will roll of their own accord back to the river, settle into the bank, and turn the area into a lake.
4. the severed limbs of giants — these are reputed to be the result of lost wagers, and thus shunned as unlucky, but giant-bone is an immensely useful material.
5. 2d4 triton explorers, clad in halostatic membranes to prevent salt loss as they traverse the rivers of the antoceanic world; they bear surveying instruments, map cases, diplomatic credentials, bundles of provisions; their leader wears a pith helmet.
6. red rain has fallen and moves in ropy tendrils just beneath the surface, rising in pink vapor when it splashes.
7. 1d12 dire ducks.
8. 1d8 drakoliches — magical undead male ducks (drakes).
9. the balls from the annual ball-kicking-game-festival two towns over, rained out.
10. invisible feathers, visible as outlines in the surface.
11. 1d3+1 xorn extreme tourists wearing floaties on all three arms and very expensive footgear for day hikes. they have been touring the river, occasionally busking for bricks (roll 1d4: on a 1, they have instruments in cases; 2, juggling gear; 3, puppets; 4, they are mimes.) they are brick snobs and will have opinions about the quality of the brick they receive.
12. Water, but bad. Everyone in town understands why it's bad, but they fail to coherently explain.
13. a small bough from the world-tree, which gives cancer to all those who touch it. the village is trying to decide whether to burn it or worship it.
14. a plasteel fan from an ancient turbine, twenty feet tall but impossibly lightweight.
15. His Buoyancy, Duke Marmek Golubar IV, succeeded by seventeen canoes containing the players in His Ducal Orchestra, all of whom are starving and sobbing uncontrollably mid-movement.
16. A wet leather coin-purse holding [2d6*10] gp.
17. 2d4 casks of strong ale. The locals regard it as stunningly high quality.
18. s
19. s
20. s

I relished creating the encounters infra & wish to revisit & expand:

1d3+1 xorn extreme tourists wearing floaties on all three arms and very expensive footgear for day hikes. they have been touring the river, occasionally busking for bricks (roll 1d4: on a 1, they have instruments in cases; 2, juggling gear; 3, puppets; 4, they are mimes.) they are brick snobs and will have opinions about the quality of the brick they receive.

2d4 triton explorers, clad in halostatic membranes to prevent salt loss as they traverse the rivers of the antoceanic world; they bear surveying instruments, map cases, diplomatic credentials, bundles of provisions; their leader wears a pith helmet.

1d12 dire ducks. 

1d8 drakoliches — magical undead male ducks (drakes).

—Do you know! I've never statted an original D&D monster.