Underworld trail equipment

Anonymous writing prompt.

Underworld trail equipment:
1. A horrible-looking bird mask, between witch doctor and plague doctor's, beak filled with blessed herbs to filter the poisonous gas that fills some of the tunnels.
2. Spiked boots, to keep your footing in the frozen passages, fitted with distinctive treads unique to you, so that you may leave tracks and find your way back
3. An iris flower, known among scholars as the "underworld's compass". It will help you find the right way, avoiding illusions and traitorous paths. It'll last for a few days until it withers. After that, you're on your own.
4. Memories of home. Absolutely necessary to muster enough willpower to make the trip back. Can take the form of delicious food (but see below), a letter from a loved one, or just a depiction of something you love on the surface.
5. Underworld rations. Does not contain the flesh or bone of once-living beings. You really don't want to bring the flesh or bones of once-living beings down there. Trust me on this one.
6. Stone tablets and chisels. The waters down there will try to erase your mind and ruin your scrolls when you cross them, so keep your knowledge on something they cannot touch.

2d10 magic item stories

ORIGIN
What makes that +1 thingy or Orb of Whatever special?
1. It was worn by a champion of far-away lands.
2. It was created to prevent a great disaster.
3. It was a hero's belonging, before the hero fell to evil.
4. It belonged to an ancient man or creature that terrorized the land.
5. It is from a long lost empire, fallen into ruin.
6. It was created to end a specific problem (monster, disaster...)
7. It is a heirloom of an order, passed from one grandmaster to the next.
8. It was gifted to a worthy wielder by a spirit or power.
9. It comes from another reality or time. (An intelligent weapon may wish to flee from, return to, cause the genesis of, or prevent this time/reality.)
10. It was property of the dungeon's creator, caretaker, or previous owner.

And now it's here, in the dungeon. Why?
1. Roll again. Then roll once more: instead of "here", pick a random location. This is an extra step in the item's journey from its original owner to the PCs' hands.
2. It was lost here.
3. The wielder died here.
4. It was given as a gift to a creature here.
5. It was given as a bribe to a creature here.
6. A creature here stole it.
7. It was lost here in a duel or contest of wits.
8. It was left behind by its owner as they fled from here.
9. It was hidden here, its owner planning to return some day.
10. It was partially or entirely created here, actually.

Slot based encumbrance (D&L edition)

Everybody and their grandmother has their own version of this, right?

If you have a backpack, you have slots equal to your Strength score. Otherwise you've just got your hands, sorry. (Hands are separate from your inventory.)
Double slots for big or beefy creatures: orcs, ogres, mounts. Half for tiny things like familiars.
You can carry a little over your max with slight penalties, double that with big penalties, or triple that and be practically useless. (I just reuse exhaustion rules.)

With a few exceptions, everything takes up 1 slot, from a club to a day's ration to a book. A slot is something between 1 and 10 kilograms, 5 on average. It's supposed to be abstracted, so don't look too closely.

The exceptions are as follows:

• Trinkets. Ten trinkets take up one slot, otherwise they take up no space. Anything that fits in your mouth is a trinket. (I don't remember where that's from, but I like it.) If it's really light it's also a trinket. Examples: a piece of ammunition, a fruit, a pendant, a set of light clothes, a sheet of parchment.
• A single coin or sheet of paper is 1/10th of a trinket
• d4 weapons are trinkets.
• Weapons take up 1 extra slot per die size above d6. (2 slots for d8, etc) 
• Worn armor takes up 1 extra slot per category above "none". (1 slot for light armor, 2 for medium, etc) Double if it's not being worn.
• If it's got a long melee reach or qualifies as furniture, it takes 4 slots regardless.
• Human size things weigh 20 slots: a statue, a man with no possessions. You can carry them but you're basically guaranteed to get huge penalties.

3 of your slots are quick slots: stuff that's in a pocket or on your belt, whatever. Grab it for free on your turn if you want to, but it's open to damage from enemies, falls, hazards...

Some things take up space in your inventory to convert other, existing slots to quick slots, like quivers, big pouches, ammo belts... (Generally, something like a quiver takes up 1 slot and turns 3 slots into quick slots.)

(I'm not so sure about the "quick slots" rule. I feel like it might discourage inventive use of items stored in one's backpack.)

1d10 categories of treasure

Could work for lairs or for wandering humanoids. Odds not intended for actual play.
1d10:
1. Weapons, armors, ammunition (in lair, maybe even a siege engine).
2. A prisoner, slave, or the likes. Could offer help, information, expertise...
3. Water and/or food
4. Non-vital supplies (rope, torches, adventuring gear)
5. Job supplies (artisan's tools, etc)
6. Medicine. (healing herbs, bandages)
7. Trade goods. (stone, lumber, glass)
8. Actual treasure (gold, ore, gems, coins, art objects)
9. Knowledge (map, letters, theories, secrets)
10. Magical material (ingredients for crafting, alchemy, or spellcasting) or magic item

Modifiers (opposite entries cancel each other out)
1d5:
1. Shoddy quality/fake/imitation/disliked source
2. Fragile
3. Exotic
4. Well-made/masterwork/100% the genuine thing/trusted brand
5. Slightly magical (or slightly more magical)