I was thinking about the more realistic side of adventuring, whether in fantasy or otherwise, and came up with this:
A List of Items that Adventurers Need but Oft Forget, in no particular order.
1. Wax plugs, to protect against harpies, sirens, and your companion’s snoring.
2. Small rocks, to cause distractions.
3. A deck of cards, because some unscrupulous gamblers mark their decks. You may wish to follow suit. Pun intended.
4. Map/scroll case- many an adventurer has lost his way when his map fell apart.
5. Comb and hair pins: useful when you have long hair. Also, many hair pins can function as lockpicks in a pinch.
6. Sewing needle and thread- those sword cuts in your cloak won’t heal like you do. Also useful for stitching large wounds when you’re out of healing.
7. Bowl and utensils- eating with your hands isn’t all it’s romanticized to be. Besides, ever try eating stew with your fingers?
8. Soap. Seriously. Monsters tend to have good senses of smell, and you don’t want the dragon to scent you before you even start.
9. Two sets of clothes, for similar reasons to the above.
10. Writing kit. This way, you can sketch a map of a dungeon or a picture of a puzzle for further reference.
11. Crowbar. Club, Door-opener… the fighter’s lockpick.
If you have any more, feel free to comment.
Per Anpw 