I have just thrown these together as a sort-of minigame to see what people can come up with from a set of randomly determined conditions.
The plot you create can be an overarching one which defines a campaign, it can be a random encounter which only makes up part of a session, it can be a historical event in the world - whatever you like. Just roll a d20 4 times to get the jist of your adventure, and then fill it out with a linked plot! Bonus points for people who manage to use a nonsensical string of events to make a cohesive plot (EG: "the mayors horse was barricaded by the tarrasque to feed the poor").
The tables are in the spoiler below:
The Random Adventure
Roll a d20 four times to create the plot of your next adventure or encounter!
1: What?
Roll
What?
1
the town
2
the mayor
3
the mayor's daughter
4
the mayor's horse
5
a favourite NPC
6
The inn in which the PC's are staying
7
the road ahead
8
the livestock
9
a PC's familiar/pet
10
a PC's family member
11
a precious trinket
12
the towns bank
13
the town guards
14
a temple
15
a priest
16
a precious weapon
17
a priceless heirloom or art piece
18
a strongbox in a wagon
19
the town mage
20
a local hero
2: Has Been...?
Roll
Has Been...?
1
stolen/kidnapped
2
held to ransom
3
possessed/occupied
4
surrounded
5
attacked
6
stolen from
7
given a gift
8
offered services
9
left for dead
10
lost
11
annoyed
12
barricaded
13
imprisoned
14
destroyed
15
burnt down
16
petrified
17
put in perpetual darkness
18
disappeared
19
enslaved
20
resurrected
3: By...?
Roll
By...?
1
goblins
2
an Elemental
3
cultists
4
wolves
5
bugbears
6
ogres
7
a wizard
8
a necromancer
9
a dragon
10
a giant
11
bandits
12
an Aboleth
13
a mind flayer
14
a kindly gnome
15
the town guards
16
a mysterious stranger
17
a Drow Priest
18
a Devil or Demon
19
the Tarrasque
20
a spurned lover
4: Why?
Roll
Why?
1
to exact revenge
2
to bait a trap
3
to create chaos
4
to get rich
5
to fulfil a contract
6
to please a deity
7
to complete a ritual
8
accidentally
9
for unknown reasons
10
for the good of the world
11
to unlock a terrifying power
12
for the hell of it
13
because of a poorly worded wish
14
to pay for their gambling addiction
15
to summon their all-powerful master
16
for later consumption
17
to serve them eternally
18
to save their life/lives
19
to prevent disaster
20
to feed the poor
Combine these 4 tables in the format "(1) has been (2) by (3) (4)" to create a single sentence describing your next adventure. For example, if you rolled 3,5,9,and 19, you would have "The Mayors Daughter has been attacked by a dragon to prevent disaster". You can then use your creative juices to convert this single, random line into a plot - why would the dragon need to attack the mayors daughter to prevent disaster? what was she doing? was she aware? what were the consequences? how are the party involved - are they employed by the mayor, or the dragon? how much do they know?
The world's your lobster!
Enjoy everyone, post your rolls and your stories here!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
I'll open:
13, 7, 5, 3
"A priest has been surrounded by a Drow priest for later consumption"
The party, traveling in the wilds, hears the sounds of confrontation. If they investigate the sounds, they will find a traveler being confronted by a hooded figure, and several giant spiders. The traveler is surrounded by the spiders, but wields their spear defiantly. They are a Priest of Malar, god of the Hunt, and have been hunting down the spiders in the forest. The Drow priest is demanding justice for the slain spiders, and intends to kill the Priest to feed the spiders.
If the party has not been detected, they can slip away unnoticed and leave them to it, and their passage through the forest will feature many attacks by giant spiders. If they assist the Drow in defending the spiders, the Drow will grant them safe passage through the forest - they can pass through without being attacked by spiders. If they assist he Priest of Malar, they will request their assistance in finding and destroying the spiders nest, ridding the forest of this blight once and for all. They will explain that many traders have gone missing, along with their wealth, and that the party can keep any treasure found in the nest.
A priest has been held ransom by a giant to exact revenge! Who will stop such a powerful titan? But is everything as it appears? And what exactly did the priest do to provoke the colossus? Who is truly in the wrong?
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homebrew (Mostly Outdated):Magic Items,Monsters,Spells,Subclasses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
"The mayor offered services to a giant for the good of the world."
The party, stopping in a nearby town, has heard of the strange disappearance of the recently elected mayor. After the mayor returned from being missing for 2 weeks, he began to issue strange orders. Walls and defenses were to be cut down, weapons stored away in old basements, and soldiers were to be fired from their positions. When asked why he was doing this, he only responded with the words, "For the good of the world". The people took this as a sign that their mayor was issuing an act of peace, removing all signs of aggression 'for the good of the world'.
If the players wish to investigate, they will find that the town has a long history with giants. The reason for the multitude of defenses was to protect against their giant neighbors, who consistently stormed the area years ago. Now, there was only a single cloud giant, but he had intercepted the mayor in the woods, charming him and forcing him to tear down to city defenses. He told the mayor not to inform the people of their agreement and to simply tell them as it is: an act for the good of the world. Players must find and kill the cloud giant in the forest and remove the threat facing the town. Rumors of cloud giant loot hordes may also be a motivating factor.
— δ cyno • he/him • number one paladin fanδ — making a smoothie for meta ——————| EXTENDED SIG |—————— Φ • redpelt’s biggest fan :) DM, minmaxer, microbiology student, and lover of anything colored red • Φ
This is one active giant; 3 consecutive stories about them!
I did see one which has since disappeared; "a priceless trinket was petrified by a mysterious stranger for later consumption".
A necklace which took the form of a small, stone sculpture of a type of woodland fairy thought to be just a myth has been stolen by a mysterious stranger. The party, following the trail, discovers that this stranger is a powerful sorcerer who, centuries ago, petrified the last of these fairies to preserve it for use in a spell they were preparing, which will allow him to command the forests and conquer the known world - he preserved the fairy as it was a vital ingredient, and now he is ready to remove the curse and complete his spell!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
810211
"...The livestock was lost by an elemental to unlock a terrifying power?" Okay then.
When the party stops to get some drinks in a local tavern in a village populated by retired adventurers, they hear about a farmer's plight. He had summoned elementals to help him keep his livestock and tend to the farm. After all, keeping Rage Drakes is a job for more than just one adventurer. But one of the elementals went rogue and purposefully lost them, which caused Tiamat's followers to get mad about it, which angered Tiamat herself, and now she's coming into the material plane to wreak havoc on the town. And maybe the rest of the Material Plane. And all the adventurers here are a bit too old to be of much help.
an elemental scattered the livestock to unlock a terrifiying power
how losing live stock gets you unlimited power is unclear
Sorry, didn't see this. I was editing my post. But yes, an elemental scattered the livestock to unlock a terrifying power. Which wouldn't make much sense, apart from maybe in the context I put it in.
an elemental scattered the livestock to unlock a terrifiying power
how losing live stock gets you unlimited power is unclear
Sorry, didn't see this. I was editing my post. But yes, an elemental scattered the livestock to unlock a terrifying power. Which wouldn't make much sense, apart from maybe in the context I put it in.
It's great to see the slightly nonsensical ones being adapted to an actual plot :)
just wait until the tarrasque starts accidentally barricading the livestock, then someone could win some serious internet points for making it make sense XD
the mayor´s daughter has been petrfied by an ogre for unknown reasons
The offending ogre is oni of notable power who lives in a cave on the side of a nearby mountain.Should they have talk with the oni they will learn that they did it to better understand the human form and will release them once their done.
bugbears stole an ancient heirloom to exact revenge
¨They took it to that¨ cave says the young noble women whom owned the heirloom before it was stolen ¨get those bastards¨she cried.should the party comply and search the caves they will find the bug bears not to be honorable fighters and the rooms full of traps and assassins. If they succesfully get their way to the heirloom a hobogoblin iron shadow will drop from the roof and request a duel using the heirloom as their weapon.should the players lose the duel the iron shadow will lay down their weapon and explain the heirloom belonged to an old hobgoblin commander and that is was stolen by the noble ladies great grand parents to add to their growing collection of priceless weapons.
A pet was resurrected by wolves to prevent disaster. Huh.
Fluffy is dead. He perished last adventure. But now, the Moonhowl Oracles, a group of prophetic awakened wolves, have predicted that Fluffy’s bite is the only thing that can destroy the lich’s phylactery. Now they must help get the wolves to get the needed gold and a spellcaster to resurrect Fluffy- but the lich will try to stop them at any cost.
I have just thrown these together as a sort-of minigame to see what people can come up with from a set of randomly determined conditions.
The plot you create can be an overarching one which defines a campaign, it can be a random encounter which only makes up part of a session, it can be a historical event in the world - whatever you like. Just roll a d20 4 times to get the jist of your adventure, and then fill it out with a linked plot! Bonus points for people who manage to use a nonsensical string of events to make a cohesive plot (EG: "the mayors horse was barricaded by the tarrasque to feed the poor").
The tables are in the spoiler below:
The Random Adventure
Roll a d20 four times to create the plot of your next adventure or encounter!
1: What?
2: Has Been...?
3: By...?
4: Why?
Combine these 4 tables in the format "(1) has been (2) by (3) (4)" to create a single sentence describing your next adventure. For example, if you rolled 3,5,9,and 19, you would have "The Mayors Daughter has been attacked by a dragon to prevent disaster". You can then use your creative juices to convert this single, random line into a plot - why would the dragon need to attack the mayors daughter to prevent disaster? what was she doing? was she aware? what were the consequences? how are the party involved - are they employed by the mayor, or the dragon? how much do they know?
The world's your lobster!
Enjoy everyone, post your rolls and your stories here!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
I'll open:
13, 7, 5, 3
"A priest has been surrounded by a Drow priest for later consumption"
The party, traveling in the wilds, hears the sounds of confrontation. If they investigate the sounds, they will find a traveler being confronted by a hooded figure, and several giant spiders. The traveler is surrounded by the spiders, but wields their spear defiantly. They are a Priest of Malar, god of the Hunt, and have been hunting down the spiders in the forest. The Drow priest is demanding justice for the slain spiders, and intends to kill the Priest to feed the spiders.
If the party has not been detected, they can slip away unnoticed and leave them to it, and their passage through the forest will feature many attacks by giant spiders. If they assist the Drow in defending the spiders, the Drow will grant them safe passage through the forest - they can pass through without being attacked by spiders. If they assist he Priest of Malar, they will request their assistance in finding and destroying the spiders nest, ridding the forest of this blight once and for all. They will explain that many traders have gone missing, along with their wealth, and that the party can keep any treasure found in the nest.
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
17 3 10 3
a priceless art piece has been possesed by a giant trying to create chaos
that would most certainly create chaos lol
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
15 | 2 | 10 | 1 |
A priest has been held ransom by a giant to exact revenge! Who will stop such a powerful titan? But is everything as it appears? And what exactly did the priest do to provoke the colossus? Who is truly in the wrong?
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homebrew (Mostly Outdated): Magic Items, Monsters, Spells, Subclasses
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
11 | 1 | 14 | 8
. . .
"The mayor offered services to a giant for the good of the world."
The party, stopping in a nearby town, has heard of the strange disappearance of the recently elected mayor. After the mayor returned from being missing for 2 weeks, he began to issue strange orders. Walls and defenses were to be cut down, weapons stored away in old basements, and soldiers were to be fired from their positions. When asked why he was doing this, he only responded with the words, "For the good of the world". The people took this as a sign that their mayor was issuing an act of peace, removing all signs of aggression 'for the good of the world'.
If the players wish to investigate, they will find that the town has a long history with giants. The reason for the multitude of defenses was to protect against their giant neighbors, who consistently stormed the area years ago. Now, there was only a single cloud giant, but he had intercepted the mayor in the woods, charming him and forcing him to tear down to city defenses. He told the mayor not to inform the people of their agreement and to simply tell them as it is: an act for the good of the world. Players must find and kill the cloud giant in the forest and remove the threat facing the town. Rumors of cloud giant loot hordes may also be a motivating factor.
— δ cyno • he/him • number one paladin fan δ —
making a smoothie for meta
——————| EXTENDED SIG |——————
Φ • redpelt’s biggest fan :) DM, minmaxer, microbiology student, and lover of anything colored red • Φ
This is one active giant; 3 consecutive stories about them!
I did see one which has since disappeared; "a priceless trinket was petrified by a mysterious stranger for later consumption".
A necklace which took the form of a small, stone sculpture of a type of woodland fairy thought to be just a myth has been stolen by a mysterious stranger. The party, following the trail, discovers that this stranger is a powerful sorcerer who, centuries ago, petrified the last of these fairies to preserve it for use in a spell they were preparing, which will allow him to command the forests and conquer the known world - he preserved the fairy as it was a vital ingredient, and now he is ready to remove the curse and complete his spell!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
8 10 2 11
"...The livestock was lost by an elemental to unlock a terrifying power?" Okay then.
When the party stops to get some drinks in a local tavern in a village populated by retired adventurers, they hear about a farmer's plight. He had summoned elementals to help him keep his livestock and tend to the farm. After all, keeping Rage Drakes is a job for more than just one adventurer. But one of the elementals went rogue and purposefully lost them, which caused Tiamat's followers to get mad about it, which angered Tiamat herself, and now she's coming into the material plane to wreak havoc on the town. And maybe the rest of the Material Plane. And all the adventurers here are a bit too old to be of much help.
Looking for a campaign? Or, perhaps, trying to start one? Come join Rolegate! Just send me a friend request (same name as here) and I'll help you get started!
Ducks are just geese lite. Focus on the future. It'll become the past soon enough.
Istari and White Counsel in Club. Not the wish-granter of a thread.
Become a Plague Doctor today!
Join the Knights of the Random Table and Calius and Kothar Industries!
Homebrew: Artifact, Dungeon
May be offline due to school
an elemental scattered the livestock to unlock a terrifiying power
how losing live stock gets you unlimited power is unclear
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
Sorry, didn't see this. I was editing my post. But yes, an elemental scattered the livestock to unlock a terrifying power. Which wouldn't make much sense, apart from maybe in the context I put it in.
Looking for a campaign? Or, perhaps, trying to start one? Come join Rolegate! Just send me a friend request (same name as here) and I'll help you get started!
Ducks are just geese lite. Focus on the future. It'll become the past soon enough.
Istari and White Counsel in Club. Not the wish-granter of a thread.
Become a Plague Doctor today!
Join the Knights of the Random Table and Calius and Kothar Industries!
Homebrew: Artifact, Dungeon
May be offline due to school
It's great to see the slightly nonsensical ones being adapted to an actual plot :)
just wait until the tarrasque starts accidentally barricading the livestock, then someone could win some serious internet points for making it make sense XD
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
5 1 7 17
the mayor´s daughter has been petrfied by an ogre for unknown reasons
The offending ogre is oni of notable power who lives in a cave on the side of a nearby mountain.Should they have talk with the oni they will learn that they did it to better understand the human form and will release them once their done.
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
The mayor's daughter petrified ogres for unknown reasons? I'll leave you to figure out more on that topic.
Looking for a campaign? Or, perhaps, trying to start one? Come join Rolegate! Just send me a friend request (same name as here) and I'll help you get started!
Ducks are just geese lite. Focus on the future. It'll become the past soon enough.
Istari and White Counsel in Club. Not the wish-granter of a thread.
Become a Plague Doctor today!
Join the Knights of the Random Table and Calius and Kothar Industries!
Homebrew: Artifact, Dungeon
May be offline due to school
i have turned out the ogre was not as bad as we thought
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
17 18 5 1
bugbears stole an ancient heirloom to exact revenge
¨They took it to that¨ cave says the young noble women whom owned the heirloom before it was stolen ¨get those bastards¨she cried.should the party comply and search the caves they will find the bug bears not to be honorable fighters and the rooms full of traps and assassins. If they succesfully get their way to the heirloom a hobogoblin iron shadow will drop from the roof and request a duel using the heirloom as their weapon.should the players lose the duel the iron shadow will lay down their weapon and explain the heirloom belonged to an old hobgoblin commander and that is was stolen by the noble ladies great grand parents to add to their growing collection of priceless weapons.
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
9 20 4 19
A pet was resurrected by wolves to prevent disaster. Huh.
Fluffy is dead. He perished last adventure. But now, the Moonhowl Oracles, a group of prophetic awakened wolves, have predicted that Fluffy’s bite is the only thing that can destroy the lich’s phylactery. Now they must help get the wolves to get the needed gold and a spellcaster to resurrect Fluffy- but the lich will try to stop them at any cost.
RIP Tavern.
All hail King Jovan Fluffycloud Prince
Teleporting elf monk supremacy!, but druids are better
[Cactus]Waffles!”I don’t have any good quotes to put in my sig.” -Me
yeah bit of a weird one love to see what you can do
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
Question: Can I roll again for another scenario?
Looking for a campaign? Or, perhaps, trying to start one? Come join Rolegate! Just send me a friend request (same name as here) and I'll help you get started!
Ducks are just geese lite. Focus on the future. It'll become the past soon enough.
Istari and White Counsel in Club. Not the wish-granter of a thread.
Become a Plague Doctor today!
Join the Knights of the Random Table and Calius and Kothar Industries!
Homebrew: Artifact, Dungeon
May be offline due to school
im gonna assume yes because i did 3
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
In that case,
12 12 9 1
Looking for a campaign? Or, perhaps, trying to start one? Come join Rolegate! Just send me a friend request (same name as here) and I'll help you get started!
Ducks are just geese lite. Focus on the future. It'll become the past soon enough.
Istari and White Counsel in Club. Not the wish-granter of a thread.
Become a Plague Doctor today!
Join the Knights of the Random Table and Calius and Kothar Industries!
Homebrew: Artifact, Dungeon
May be offline due to school
...A precious trinket has been given a gift by a wizard for the heck of it. Okay then.
Looking for a campaign? Or, perhaps, trying to start one? Come join Rolegate! Just send me a friend request (same name as here) and I'll help you get started!
Ducks are just geese lite. Focus on the future. It'll become the past soon enough.
Istari and White Counsel in Club. Not the wish-granter of a thread.
Become a Plague Doctor today!
Join the Knights of the Random Table and Calius and Kothar Industries!
Homebrew: Artifact, Dungeon
May be offline due to school