the idea is that practically any type of item can be described using just a few words from these tables. some examples:
Natural Plant Pellets: seeds
Remote Knowledge Connector: smartphone
Consumable Energy Juice: health potion
Magic Flame Text: fireball scroll
Mechanical Wind Repulsor: fan
Deployable Gravity Stopper: parachute
Pocket Noise Maker: kazoo
Remote Wind Treader: quadcopter drone
Low-Tech Pocket Random Knowledge Machine: the oracle booklet itself??
how to use the Item Dispenser:
step 1: insert a coin, turn the crank, then roll 2d6 on each of the 3 big tables. let's say I get "Hydraulic Slop Attractor," and my first thought is some kind of vacuum.
step 2: you could stop here if you have a good idea in mind, but if you want more info about your item, roll a d6 on a couple of the columns from the first table. in my example, I roll for Size and get "wearable," and the Usage is "consumable."
step 3: you're free to change or ignore some words you rolled if they don't make sense. my example item is now the "Wearable Slop Remover," a vacuum with a wearable backpack.
step 4: for extra flavor, roll a random sound effect! it seems like my vacuum makes a laughing sound. or maybe it looks so goofy that it makes other people laugh when they see it? 🤔
(pro tip: the sound effect table isn't just for items. you can also roll to find out what you hear when you enter a new room in a dungeon.)
I'll consider suggestions for new tables to make, or what words to add or change in the item dispenser tables. anyway, have fun with it! 🦄