1001 Mundane Inventions [Archive] - Wizards Community

1001 Mundane Inventions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
the_icon
03-15-08, 10:28 PM I got the idea for this thread while I was designing an NPC for a low-magic campaign. He was the true cliché -- a scatterbrained old-timer with a penchant for tinkering. This thought got me wondering though, from a fluff perspective, what kind of non-magical things he could have invented?

My girlfriend and I spent the next few hours brainstorming creations, from the minute and trivial, to grandiose and elaborate. So take a few minutes, and see what you can come up with!
Seeker95
03-16-08, 07:10 AM To get our collective juices flowing, could you perhaps share with us some of the ideas you came up with?
Bedeverekm
03-16-08, 07:51 AM My favourite is one that takes a few different skills to make, but since I came up with it when working for a well resourced thieves guild, was no problem.

A glass sphere, inside which a smaller glass sphere was placed. Between these two were large numbers of Caltrops. (4 bags worth, in fact). When thrown on the ground, they would deploy across a 10ft by 10ft square, with shards of broken glass added in for more fun. :)

Too many times, one bag of caltrops is pointless, as either the corridor is 10ft wide, so they can go around, or they can easily make the jump check to clear them, no problem. this item means one of those is no longer possible, and the other requires at least a slightly tricky check, depending on armour and skills.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
the_icon 03-15-08, 10:28 PM	I got the idea for this thread while I was designing an NPC for a low-magic campaign. He was the true cliché -- a scatterbrained old-timer with a penchant for tinkering. This thought got me wondering though, from a fluff perspective, what kind of non-magical things he could have invented? My girlfriend and I spent the next few hours brainstorming creations, from the minute and trivial, to grandiose and elaborate. So take a few minutes, and see what you can come up with!
Seeker95 03-16-08, 07:10 AM	To get our collective juices flowing, could you perhaps share with us some of the ideas you came up with?
Bedeverekm 03-16-08, 07:51 AM	My favourite is one that takes a few different skills to make, but since I came up with it when working for a well resourced thieves guild, was no problem. A glass sphere, inside which a smaller glass sphere was placed. Between these two were large numbers of Caltrops. (4 bags worth, in fact). When thrown on the ground, they would deploy across a 10ft by 10ft square, with shards of broken glass added in for more fun. :) Too many times, one bag of caltrops is pointless, as either the corridor is 10ft wide, so they can go around, or they can easily make the jump check to clear them, no problem. this item means one of those is no longer possible, and the other requires at least a slightly tricky check, depending on armour and skills.