Holy Lakes and Rivers for OSR Games

New weekend, new table from Lands of Legends!

This week I offer a d10 table with ten holy-themed fresh water areas (rivers and lakes) for your OSR sandbox campaign with simple stat references for your classic game of choice, wether is Old-School Essentials, Labyrinth Lord, Sword & Wizardry, or any other clone of OE, B/X, or BECMI Dungeons and Dragons.

Use them to spice up your sandbox!

These are straight from the Areas section of Lands of Legends Holy. Check it out for hundreds more!

If you're into sandbox/hexcrawl games, I recommend you check this blog post here too, for a straightforward step-by-step guide on how to set the thing up, in a simple way that I verily appreciate and approve! Mixing those steps with the Lands of Legends tables will set you up in a blink!

Also note, the full Lands of Legends series is now available in print!

So here's the table:

Fresh Waters - Holy Areas

1. The God in the Lake. This lake is very deep, with clean, limpid water. The bottom is full of thermal springs and as one swims down, the water fills with oxygen and heats up, becoming breathable, allowing swimming to the bottom without being crushed by the pressure. Here, in the midst of a special luminescence, is the temple of Karkinos the Crab-God, with its treasure of magic pearls guarded by colossal crabs.
2. The Master of Algae. In this lake lives the Master of Algae, a minor deity made of algae. The whole forest of kelp is its body and it can assume the face of a bearded giant to communicate underwater. The locals honor him, and offer a flake of sulfur whenever they cross the lake. Crossing the lake without an offering may anger the god, who will entangle the ship or boat with its algae.
3. The Blood of the Sky. Legends say that this lake was created when the sky god was injured and his blood fell on the ground, touching plants and animals. There are many awakened trees in the region and 5% of the animals have "celestial" powers.
4. Golden Rays. This river is home to the mythical golden rays (6 HD fish). If offered their favourite food (ratfish) they jump out of the water and fly around explorers, blessing them in some way chosen by the GM. If harmed, they attempt one attack with their poisonous sting that turns victims into solid gold (Save vs Petrify).
5. The Flooded Temple. In the midst of these waters an ancient temple lies, sacred to the Mother of Waters. The priestesses of the half sunk temple can give advice and help, but explorers have to dive and swim underwater, until get to an underground, underwater dry room which is the temple entrance.
6. The Lake of Visions. This great lake is sacred to the neutral gods of secrets and destiny. At every full moon adventurers come here to leave offerings in the shrines around its shores, and pray in hopes of receiving a vision shown on the waters, related to some future event, interesting secret, or important issue (1/8 chance, or 1/6 if neutral, or 1/4 if neutral cleric).
7. The Holy Tear. This lake is said to have originated from the tears of the Goddess of Mercy. Bathing in its waters heals all wounds and removes all afflictions of the body and the soul (including curses and level drain), but only once in a lifetime. If taken away, the water becomes normal.
8. Lake of Fire. This lake is literally filled with fire! Souls of sinners are punished here for having betrayed or challenged the God of Justice and Retribution. These ethereal undead cannot leave their torment, unless their mortal spoils are removed from the bottom of the lake, where some exceptional items of Chaos might be found, guarded by their former owners and all the other spectres.
9. Snake River. This long, winding river is sacred to all the divinities associated with snakes, with domains such as healing, strength, life and immortality, but also cunning, treachery, poison and death. Clerics and worshippers have a chance (1-2 in d6) in their lifetime of receiving a boon from their god by drinking the water of this river. Possible boons: +1d4 to an attribute, +d4 to one skill or saving throw, or a special talent, spell or unique ability.
10. Mystic Flow. The phantasmal ships to the afterlife sail on the waters of this long river. Those of good or lawful alignment voyage upstream towards the mystic source. Those of evil or chaotic alignment go downstream towards the sea of shadows. During new moon nights the ships can be seen, with apparitions silently getting on board. On such nights one can try to communicate with the dead for the last time, if they pass a Save vs Paralysis in front of the mystery of the afterlife.

If you enjoy this type of content, check my other random tables posts, and my OSR stuff on DrivethruRPG: the Land of Legends series and my first pwyw e-zine for Old-School Essentials: Wondrous Weavings Warped and Weird!

My next  pwyw Old-School Essentials e-zine, Mysteriously Missing & Merrily Met, featuring tables to figure out what's happened to your character when you missed a session, will be released next week! Grab it as soon as it's out: follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Telegram!