D100 Random Sword & Sorcery Scrolls and Ritual Table For A Sword & Sorcery Castles & Crusades Campaign

 

I have visualized the grisly moment the Carrion Call ritual is completed. The scene captures the frantic energy of the severed limbs fusing into a terrifying scuttling mass of necrotic energy and old bone. You can see the Sorcerer’s own blood sacrifice interacting with the focus—the dried Hangman’s Tongue—which is illuminating the dark stone chamber with a harsh, eldritch glow.

Creating a d100 table for Sword & Sorcery requires a specific "flavor." Unlike high fantasy, magic here should feel dangerous, ancient, slightly gross, and physically taxing. Think less "sparkles" and more "blood sacrifice and cosmic horror."

I’ve organized these by theme to help you roll or pick what fits the current dungeon or dark temple.

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1–25: Necromancy & The Charnel Arts

d100	Result	Effect/Flavor
01-05	The Carrion Call	Animates nearby severed limbs to crawl and choke enemies.
06-10	Speak with the Skull	Only works if you hold the jawbone; the ghost is always cranky.
11-15	Vellum of Grave-Dust	Creates a cloud of choking dust that blinds the living.
16-20	Mummify Flesh	Instantly turns a limb to leather; reduces Agility/Dexterity.
21-25	Bone-Knitting Ritual	Heals a fracture but leaves a permanent black mark on the skin.

26–50: Eldritch Transformations & Chaos

d100	Result	Effect/Flavor
26-30	Skin of the Serpent	Caster’s skin becomes scales; +AC but smells like a swamp.
31-35	The Third Eye Opens	See through walls, but catch glimpses of things that shouldn't exist.
36-40	Blood to Acid	Caster’s blood becomes corrosive for 1 hour. Careful with paper.
41-45	Voice of the Beast	Command animals, but lose the ability to speak human tongues.
46-50	Shadow-Step	Melt into one shadow and emerge from another nearby.

51–75: Elemental Sorcery & Destruction

d100	Result	Effect/Flavor
51-55	Emerald Flame	Fire that burns green and feeds on metal instead of wood.
56-60	The Black Monsoon	Summons a localized oily rain that makes the floor lethal.
61-65	Breath of the North	Flash-freezes a small body of water or a lock.
66-70	Iron-Eating Fog	A mist that dissolves non-magical weapons and armor.
71-75	The Sun-Strike	A beam of concentrated heat; requires a mirror to cast.

76–100: Cosmic Rituals & Mind Benders

d100	Result	Effect/Flavor
76-80	The Yellow Sign	A glyph that causes "The Madness of the Stars" in viewers.
81-85	Soul-Exchange	Swap bodies with a target. Very messy if one body dies.
86-90	Warp Time (Briefly)	Re-roll the last action, but take 1d6 psychic damage.
91-95	Summon the Star-Spawn	It will kill your enemies, but it might eat you next.
96-99	The Void-Whistle	Shuts down all magic in a 50ft radius for 10 minutes.
100	The Grand Apocalypse	Roll twice; both happen at once, and the scroll turns into a snake.

Since you rolled high on the "creepy magic" scale, let’s flesh out The Carrion Call (Item 01-05). In true Sword & Sorcery fashion, this isn't a "set and forget" spell; it’s a grisly ritual that requires a strong stomach and a bit of luck.

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Ritual: The Carrion Call

Level I Necromancy (Ritual)

Traditionally etched onto the dried, preserved tongue of a hangman, this ritual allows the sorcerer to animate the severed pieces of the dead. It does not raise whole skeletons—it creates a twitching, scuttling mass of "living" anatomical debris.

I. The Ingredients

To begin the rite, the caster must possess:

• The Focus: The "Hangman’s Tongue" scroll or a silver needle quenched in bile.

• The Catalyst: At least three distinct severed limbs (arms, legs, or even heads) within a $10$-foot circle.

• The Price: A splash of the caster's own blood (dealing 1d4 damage) to "jumpstart" the necrotic spark.

II. The Casting Process

The sorcerer must chant the Dirge of the Unfinished for three consecutive rounds.

• Round 1: The limbs begin to twitch and leak a black, oily ichor.

• Round 2: The limbs drag themselves together, stitching into a "Carrion Mound" using hair, sinew, or even clothing as thread.

• Round 3: The caster makes a Willpower/Intelligence check.

Result	Outcome
Critical Success	The Mound is exceptionally fast and gains an extra attack per round.
Success	The Mound obeys your mental commands for 1 hour or until destroyed.
Failure	The Mound animates but is "Wild." It attacks the nearest living creature (likely you).
Critical Failure	The limbs fuse to the caster's own body. You gain a temporary "Deformity" and take 2d6 damage.

III. The Carrion Mound (Stats)

• Movement: A wet, scuttling crawl ($20$ ft).

• Attack: The Choking Pile. The mound leaps onto a target. The target must succeed on a Strength check or be Grappled and Suffocating as cold, dead hands find their throat.

• Armor: Hard to "kill" what is already dead; piercing weapons (arrows/spears) do half damage.

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The Aesthetic Note

Unlike a standard zombie, the Carrion Call smells of old copper and wet earth. The limbs don't move gracefully; they move with the frantic, spasmodic energy of a dying insect.

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The Cost of Power

In this genre, magic isn't free. Consider adding a Sorcerous Complication if the player fails their casting roll:

• Taint: Fingerprints turn charcoal black.

• Corruption: The caster cannot eat cooked meat for a week.

• Backfire: The spell targets the caster's closest ally instead.

Note: These scrolls are often written on human skin, etched into lead plates, or tattooed onto the backs of lobotomized slaves. Finding one should be as terrifying as it is rewarding.