Back in those little towns

lun. 17 février 2025

Other versions

I have quite a few projects in the pipeline. Probably too many. And I've got some that have been dragging for ages. Those Little Towns is one of them.

This project is a compilation of random tables revolving around small towns, with a focus on the United States. It's a theme I like a lot in fiction, especially in TV shows (Banshee, Justified, Buffy, Supernatural, X-Files, you name it).

The book is already available on DriveThruRPG, in a beta version. Six versions have already been released, each with its own new entries, lists and generators. This has only been released in french, so far. But I plan to translate it into english for the final version.

1. A Bible annotated by, it seems, different people.
2. A wild animal
3. A welcome basket
4. A painting by a local artist
5. A subscription to over 100 channels!
6. A well-concealed spy camera
7. A suitcase “forgotten” under the bed
8. No phone or internet connection
9. A hole overlooking the next room
10. A desperately empty minibar

So I decided to give the book a final pass, revising the layout slightly and completing the sections. The following chapters are therefore included.

We start with the People. Lists of names, of course. But also everything you need to create a NPC in-a-minute: adjectives, an occupation and a special trait. 100 entries each time. Adapted to the context and ideal for providing creative inspiration.

1. Bluetooth headset. You never really know if it's on.
2. Brand new hiking clothes, worn for the first time.
3. Always has a notebook/sketchbook handy.
4. Long, stringy white hair.
5. Has a gun, and doesn't hide from it.
6. Important member of the local community. Expects to be respected for it.
7. Cigarette stub stuck to lower lip. Constantly relights it.
8. Overpriced suit, probably tailor-made.

Then it's off to Towns. With a name generator. Roll a handful of dice (d4, d6, d8, 2d10, d12, d20, the classic set basically), and follow the tables to get a unique name. As I'm focusing on the USA, there are also tables for randomly determining a State, to place your town in, or to find out a character's birthplace, for example. To build your town, I've also introduced a method based on a 3-by-3 grid, which you can fill in with a few throws to determine points of interest in and around your town. Finally, what makes your town unique?

1. Burlington
2. Ashland
3. Harrison
4. Linden
5. Monticello
6. Madison
7. Greenwood
8. Fairview
9. Garden City
10. Perry

After towns come Places. The chapter begins with an address generator, and a few tables to help you draw up a picture. A table of 100 places to discover completes the package, before moving on to more targeted generators: a bar generator and a motel generator. To break away from the monotony of random tables, I then present 6 places intended to be placed in a town of your own design and capable, I hope, of generating stories. Finally, this chapter ends with a list of things you can find on the side of the road.

1. A teddy bear. It's missing an eye.
2. A bicycle badly secured to a post by a chain.
3. A railway crossing. The bell has just rung. The gates come down.
4. A police car, stationary, flashing lights. Where are the occupants?
5. A gas station. Vegetation has grown up between the pumps.
6. An insulting tag. Where is it written? What does it say?

The chapter on Daily Life follows. A double-page spread is devoted to vehicles. Then, as investigation is often at the heart of role-playing adventures, especially contemporary ones, a newspaper generator is available. This will enable you to create your own daily newspaper. And its Small ads section, which can be filled via a random table. A new double-page spread focuses on offices, and what you can find in them. And finally, a final selection of tables will engage all five senses.

1. God is my passenger
2. Warning: armed driver
3. I'm followed by Stupid
4. Veteran Family
5. Active bachelor on board
6. Baby on board
7. Hunter & Fisherman. From father to son.
8. I drive electric.

In the last section of the book, I use my tables to generate a small town. I also present a way of creating a map, taken from what Hinokodo has presented on Bluesky.

The release date is, I hope, soon. I still have to finalize a few lists, revise others, complete the layout and the English translation. I'm also going to revise the cover, so that it better matches the content.

I'm also thinking of a way to offer these tables in another format, perhaps via a dedicated web page?