Wells, Springs, Streams

 A need has arisen in my home game to account for water. Lacking landmark water sources (which are displayed on the campaign map), what sort of water sources can be found by forage?

WELLS (d12)

Someone had the put the effort into digging these. It means there are, or were, people living nearby.

1. Guild Well. Engraved on it: "CMG", Copper Miners Guild. They made a lot of these. Someone pried the copper engraving off of the well bucket. Times must be hard.

2. Charity. A sign is posted above it: "This well was dug by Lord (Insert Local Lord Here)". It's well-maintained. Clear, fresh water. Someone's usually watching it. (Who would entirely trust a band of rogues such as yourselves around their well?)

3. Deep. It goes down a lot further than you'd expect. Echoes, too. 2 in 6 chance it goes down all the way to the Underdark, and the water is a little musky.

4. Grudge. A sign is posted above it: "This well was dug by ~~~~~~~~". Apparently, whoever dug it, someone disliked him enough to scratch out his name.

5. Questionable. The water is a little murky... 2 in 6 chance if you drink from it, Save vs. Disease. Otherwise, it's perfectly fine, if a bit odd tasting.

6. Holy Depository. Hasn't been used in ages. The land around it is fertile. Used to properly dispose of desanctified religious materials. Never intended as a well. Some weren't properly unconsecrated. Clerics can sense the holiness below. The holiness has leached out into the groundwater. 1d4 uses of Holy Water can be salvaged from the well, although there's no bucket or rope.

7. Sacred Well. Maintained and consecrated by local holy persons. So valuable that it's minded by such a holy person, who only allows each person one single cup. The patron deity is (d4), and the water does thus:

    1. Smiter of Undead. Causes damage to undead things (as Holy Water). Slight skin/throat/eyes irritant.

    2. Water of Knowledge. Recall any memory with perfect clarity. Even the ones you've forgotten. If you didn't have something in mind, then make one up.

    3. Love God. You feel better about yourself. Others notice things about you.

    4. Hero of Strength. They drank from this well every day, and became big and strong. You feel motivated.

8. Unholy Depository. It was somebody's hope that nobody would ever find this place again. Have to stumble upon it: a manhole cover in the ground adorned with taboo warnings. Heretical religious materials have been buried here. Water has leached into them. The nearby ground is cursed if you look closely at it: plants form odd shapes, the bugs are unrecognizable and sharp, and there are eyes everywhere you look.

9. Cheap. A hole, wood covering, and not much else. Whoever made it had better things to do.

10. Abandoned. Nature is beginning to reclaim it. Overgrown with tall grass and vines. Tree roots perforate the rock lining. Something wild watches from the shadows.

11. Occupied. Something is living in the well. What might it be? (d6)

    1. Well Hermit. Wise in the ways of earth and memory, very very smelly and gross. Think Oscar the Grouch but even more waterlogged.

    2. Fish. Make a wish, they're good luck! The well is likely connected to an underground cave. 

    3. Flowering Cave Moss. Little white flowers bloom when the sun hits it just right. Water is mildly curative.

    4. Ghost. Visions of vengeful lidless eyes down in the watery darkness. Someone drowned in this well a long time ago. The bones lie well-buried under sediment. Those who drink from it will get nightmares until the well is exorcised.

    5. Pitcher Plant. Like the little ones, but much bigger and built into the ground. The area around the well is slippery and sloped downwards. A sweet aroma . The well itself looks enticing. Deals 1 damage per hour spent inside. Usually traps deer and lone goblins. It's not too hard to get out with some rope.

    6. Horrible Darkness. Something truly evil lairs in this well. It only comes out when it's dark. When it's bright, it hides in the shadows of the well, plotting and cursing the sun.

12. Hidden. 1 in 4 chance it is functionally a 20ft pit trap. Grass or moss has grown over the lid. Wouldn't be found except by rare knowledge or chance.

SPRINGS (d6)

Oases about which living things flock. Their origins are often storied, and their waters often magical.

1. Magnitudinous. Gallons of water emerge every minute. The pool is grand and wide. The spirit who lives here is mighty.

2. Nymphic. Where gods and spirits come to bathe, and perhaps hunt. Water is immaculately clean. Whispers issue from the reeds. Best be quick, before you see something you may regret. 2 in 6 chance a wandering god comes, or is already there.

3. Historic. A Hero struck the water from the stone, and here it remains. Offerings rim the waters. Gentle stones are carefully placed to give reverence. Tended by a hermit, or perhaps a holy person.

4. Painted. Steaming, burns the nostrils. The rock leaches brilliant reds and yellows. Uncomfortable to drink. Whatever spirit lives here greatly distastes the living. Fire spirits dwell down below.

5. Invisible. The spring is so shallow or new that it seems like runoff. You wouldn't know it's there unless you stepped in it.

6. Wisdom. A sacred and ancient place, guarded by powerful specters. Once per Day, drink from the water and gain a future insight. Roll a die, and save the result for later. Replace a similar die roll with your result.

STREAMS

Little rivers have little water spirits, sometimes so small they can barely be heard.

1. Ancient Bed. Laminar, with a body of stones so smooth they feel like unbroken eggs. They've seen eons pass this earth. Its spirit is old and wizened.

2. Hidden Jungle. Trees, bushes, and tall grasses hide the waters. The soil around it is fertile and soft.

3. Musical. A soft tune can be heard, if you listen closely. It's a young stream, like a blithe child.

4. Overflow. It's not usually a stream. Runs over flattened grass, like when you let the garden hose run. It's quick and smooth, and will be gone in hours. Must have rained recently.

5. Chatty. Rough stones and turbulent waters. Can be heard a fair distance off. Listening is difficult, as their words are chaotic.

6. Dam. Something's made a dam nearby, and a little pond to go with it (d6). Whatever is damming the stream pays homage to the water spirit in some way.

    1. Giant Bees. Big as limes. Harvesting the stream for power. Their honey is a strong narcotic and extremely valuable. They give some to the stream spirit.

    2. Beavers. They try to avoid people whenever possible. They make wooden monuments to the water spirit.

    3. People. The resulting pond is good for fishing, and hunting. Evidence of people activity: clearing, fishing pole, trash, or tracks. 1 in 2 chance that somebody's already there. They probably won't be expecting armed guests. They toss coins or bits of shiny metal in the water. Water spirits love those.

    4. Goblins. Static water makes good spawning pools. The reeds and muck are full of them. Mature goblins carve little idols out of grass for the water spirit.

    5. Happenstance. An old and mighty tree fell across the stream.

    6. Ogre. Ogres love throwing giant boulders into bodies of water. People have stories why. Maybe they have a beef with the water spirit. Maybe water makes them itchy and they don't like it. Maybe they just like the sound it makes?

7. Trickle. With an impoverished water spirit, thin and shriveled. Pockets of stagnant water, barely a whisper. Insufficient for filling a waterflask, unless you're plentiful on time.

8. Mossy. Water flows between moss-covered stones. It's cool and shady. Look very carefully, and some have been fashioned to statuesque heads. The spirit has mossy hair. It smells earthy and pleasant.

9. Valley Carving. A knight among streams. The hills have been terraformed by its gentle force. Such a spirit will be constant, chivalrous, and forceful. It accepts gifts as though it believes it deserves them, and it has grand plans.

10. Snake. Wends down the countryside with calm cool waters. Its tutelary appears as thus, too.

11. Icy. Brisk. Bits of snow or ice might even be washing downstream. Lethargic little fish watch from just inside the bank, wondering what shadows lurk above.

12. Plentiful. Brimming with as much life as it could possibly manage. If you're lucky it's something amenable to folk like you (d6): 

    1. Fish. Lots of them. Attracts predators. 1 in 6 chance that something big comes along to feed.

    2. Bugs, Non-Hostile. Water-skippers, grasshoppers, dragonflies. Something curious.

    3. Bugs, Hostile. Mosquitos. Stagnant pools hug the stream bends like tumors. Save or get sick.

    4. Toads. Their trilling song can be heard on approach. You're probably interrupting the ceremony.

    5. Flowers. Pretty ones. With colors brilliant and scents enticing. Enough to be worth something to someone back home.

    6. Gold. You'd need to look closely, but every so often the sparkle of destiny can be seen. Gold is a kingly substance, and they who possess the most are intractably caught in destiny's webs.