Create Random Adventures

Create Random Adventures

Adventures often involve a new patron, rumors of enemy activities, or investigating current events and rumors.

As a follow-up on previous posts of creating adventures, dungeon adventures, and city adventures, here’s a simple random generator to generate a framework for your adventure design.

The main text is also available as a Random Adventure Generator.

Patrons, Antagonists, Persons of Interest, Items, and Places of Interest

d20

Random Patron, Antagonists, and Persons of Interest

1 Assassins 11 Mage Guild
2 City Council 12 Merchant
3 City Guard 13 Necromancer
4 Courtesan 14 Noble House
5 Craftsman 15 Seer
6 Crime Lord 16 Sellswords
7 Cultists 17 Slaver Ring
8 Druids 18 Smuggler
9 Foreign diplomat 19 Templars
10 Innkeeper 20 Thieves’ Guild

d12

Item of Interest

d12

Location of Interest

1 A chest with gold 1 A thieves’ marked
2 A holy relic 2 Castle Ruin
3 A map 3 City Sewers
4 A medallion 4 Dark Forest
5 A piece of jewelry 5 Deserted Catacombs
6 An arcane focus 6 Horde Outpost
7 An heirloom sword 7 Lost Caves
8 Arcane tome 8 Mountain Fortress
9 Bag of gems 9 Sinister Mansion
10 Earthly remains 10 Sinister Warehouse
11 Stack of letters 11 Temple Ruin
12 Staff of Power 12 Lost Mines

Enemy Activites

d6

Enemy Activities and Plots

1 Accusations. The characters are investigated for murder or some other crime.
2 Assassins. Enemies send assassins to deal with the protagonists.
3 Enemy Agents. There are rumors of enemy agents appearing in the area.
4 Shadows. Someone is keeping an eye on the protagonists.
5 Subversive attack. Property is stolen, or followers have been killed.
6 Whispers. Someone is spreading rumors of the characters.

Rumors and Current Events

d20

Local News, Rumors, and Events

1 A person of an ethnic minority is killed.
2 An ethnic minority celebrate.
3 Ball or grand party.
4 Betrothal or wedding in the neighborhood.
5 Commoner is slain at home.
6 Diplomatic meeting.
7 Foreign dignitaries are visiting.
8 Funeral for a known, loved or perhaps vilified person.
9 Inns and merchants organize a celebration.
10 A jealous rivalry has turned violent.
11 Jousting and archery contests.
12 Mages are meeting for a conference.
13 Market day.
14 Merchants offer magic items or exotic goods.
15 Religious celebration.
16 A scandalous marriage of love.
17 Several caravans have arrived.
18 Someone is killing the local prostitutes.
19 Someone of importance has died.
20 Thefts or mugging in the area.

d6

Twists and Complications

1 Rival force or foreign power investigate.
2 Local authorities ignore the event.
3 Local factions disagree on the event.
4 Foreign involvement is suspected.
5 Merchants are behind the event.
6 A sinister cult is involved.

Raiders in the Borderlands

d20+ party level

Random Raiders

2 – 12 Human Raiders
13 – 24 The Horde
25 – 29 Giants
30 – 34 Undead Horde
36 – 37 Demon Cultists
38 – 40 Devil Cultists

Bounties

d20+ party level

Random Bounties

2 – 12 Highwaymen/thugs
13 – 14 Local murderer
15 – 16 Deserter
17 – 28 Brigand or Pirate chief
29 – 32 Suspected cultist
33 – 36 Foreign assassin or spy
37 – 40 Secret cult leader

Monster Sightings

Monsters have been sighted in the region.

d12

Monster Sightings

1 A flight of Wyverns has been spotted in the area.
2 A pack of Wights attack a local settlement and work their way to the center areas.
3 Humans and Orcs have been meeting in the wilderness. Something is likely to be afoot.
4 Orcs have ambushed travelers on the road.
5 Raiders are passing through the area. They have established a camp in the nearby hills.
6 Zombies have appeared on an old battlefield.
7 Horrid Fish-Men come from the sea and stalk the shores.
8 Packs of Wolves and Half-naked Wildlings hunt in the woods at night.
9 Some say they have seen Giants moving in the mountainside.
10 Pilgrims have been attacked on the way to a Ritual Site in the area.
11 Someone is skulking at the local Catacombs at night.
12 Strange lights and noises are heard from a nearby Dungeon.

The Crossroads of the Deep Sketch

One-Page Dungeon

d4

One-Page Dungeon

1 Catacombs: Something stir in the old catacombs.
2 Caves: Darkness has crept back into nearby caves.
3 Ritual Site: Cultists gather at a religious site.
4 Ruins: Scouts have spotted activity around an ancient fallen stronghold.

d8

Twists

1 Agents of exiled nobles have appeared in the region.
2 Demon Cultists or Diabolists investigates.
3 Enemy Agents are exploring a nearby ruin.
4 Local Merchants have illicit dealings at the site.
5 Necromancers may be afoot!
6 Royal Agents has taken an interest.
7 Scavengers have been spotted around an arcane ruin in the area.
8 Soldiers are watching the area.

d10

Monster Theme

Random Feature

1 Alien Horrors Binding Circle
2 Dark Druids Cultist hideout
3 Dark Fey Dark Shrine
4 Demons Dormant portal
5 Devils Imprisonment Spell
6 Giants Lost Tomb
7 Horde Outpost Monster settlement
8 Men Ruined city
9 Undead Slave Pen
10 Underground Horrors Thieves’ Den

d10

Secret Vault of the…

Random Dungeon Villain

1 Ancient Elves Ascended Cabalist
2 Forgotten King Cultist Priest
3 Mage Guild Death Knight
4 Mage Lords of the Past Fallen Angel
5 Royal House Horde Chieftain
6 Secret Order Horror from the Deep
7 Swords of the Crown Imprisoned Demon
8 Templar Knights Possessed Chieftain
9 Thieves’ Guild Shadow Giant
10 Unhallowed Ones Undead Sorcerer

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