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Hi everyone,
I am slowly collecting things to use in my future campaign which is gonna be set in medieval Japan like setting (Tian Xia) and partly free world roaming. I want PCs to feel free to do what they wish to and although there will be main story arc and several premade quests, I feel that I might need a random quest generator. A simple table where I can roll the dices and form a simple random quest from several blunt ideas in it.
Example: *rolls the dice* "A carpenter searches for party on" *rolls the dice* "infiltration mission."
Please note that I generally don't have access to PC during game, so those quest generator programs aren't an option. Ideas are likewise welcome since I suspect that creating such random quest table shouldn't be too hard.
Thanks on responses,
Adam
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Honestly, there was a book I had a long time ago, it was like... 101 or 1,001 Plot Hooks or something. Other than that, you could just make your own list of things for your own table. To make it super simple, do it in the numbers on the dice. So a 20 item list, a 100 item list, a 12 item list, an 8 item list, what have you.
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Make a table with random encounters it's actually kinda easy to start stories like that. Look at creatures around the cr of your character and build stories around it.
Yeah sure this is an Oni wandering around, but why was the oni there in the first place? Do the players find a letter/assassination contracts in the belongings of the Oni and try to find out who is the one who wants to kill them?
Stealing an item or items from your players...but well I wouldn't recommend to do it often but usually, the players would do anything to get their item back and can lead them to any story you want to do. I would only recommend to do that, if you notice your players aren't into the sandbox aspect of it too much.
edit: Also consider Hexcrawl.
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Honestly, just come up with 3 or 4 different encounter or problems a week. Put several chances to pickup the plot hook and let them decide which to follow. If they ignore it the first time around, change the scenario just a little (the flavor of it, a bank heist becomes a stealing from a noble's villa).
They have the illusion of choice, but you still get to write up rails and details so you're better prepared.
Some players balk at this if they figure out what you're doing, but honestly its a better way to go about it, in my opinion, that just doing everything completely at random.
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I started a sandbox adventure with an overarching plot that the players could pick up and drop. I had several "Set Pieces" That activated when players entered specific points, these were xp and WBL generator points.
Between these points I set up an Oregon trail style tables.
Each "terrain" (as listed under ranger) had its OWN unique table. I split each table into thirds, 1/3 was beneficial (gain time, foraging opportunity, merchants, hidden treasure, etc), 1/3 was neutral (weather clears, interesting sights, nice campsite, etc), and 1/3 were detrimental (Bandits, disease, traps, get lost, bad weather, etc). The tables were randomized so no two terrains were the same (90 was free food for one, disease check for another). Each morning a new player would be "scout", they could roll survival to gain a 5-10 point modification on the d100 roll for the entire party for that day. Each terrain had their own "survival check" for this (easy on a highway, hard on a featureless dessert).
I set the DC's and encounter CR's to be fairly low. I also set general bonuses and penalties to each table (in desert -10 survival to find food, in plains +5 to know direction).
I also set a 1% value that if landed exactly on would trigger a second smaller table (d6 usually) of something outlandish and wild.
It is a lot of work ahead of time, but, coupled with a list of npc names (20 or so for quick access), a list of NPC characteristics (scars, clothes, beards/hair colour, mood, race, etc), a list of loot hooks (exchange gold reward for sale-able items like art, or trade goods), and cards with monster stats hidden and ready I could whip up an appropriate encounter in less than a minute that felt like it belonged in a fleshed out world I was making up as we went.
I also did "boss events" for when the players rolled bandits 3 days in a row (this must be bandit territory =p).
It looked like this:
Player 1: "I roll scouting for today." (d92- Contact disease). "Oh last time we got 90's we had to make a DC15 check vs disease, I roll survival" (beats DC13 survival). "I subtract 5 from the d100 (d87 - Hidden trail).
Me (GM): "Ok scout, roll perception".
Player 2: "I cast Heightened awareness on the scout before he leaves"
Player 1: Beats the DC to notice the hidden path.
Me (GM): "As you scout ahead you notice a deliberately concealed path, (Survival/Knowledge) to see if it might cut a days travel from your journey.
Player 1: Passes DC, realizes this is a likely safe path and returns to the party. "I found a shortcut someone hid".
Party: "Go", "It's a trap!", "Are you sure?", "Good, I want to get to the city fast", "etc".
Party takes the shortcut, camps for the night. Next morning it is another players turn to be the scout.
Player 3: I roll for today's scouting...
By "Oregon trailing" travel between plot points becomes world building, each player gets a chance to "lead" and make decisions (with all reward and consequence that entails). And travel becomes interesting and a chance to use undervalued skills. It also gives the party a chance to get creative with solutions (bandits in the way? we go around).
This system breaks down once players gain access to high level spells, but that is generally a long way away.
I can provide some table ideas if you would like.
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It looked like this:
Player 1: "I roll scouting for today." (d92- Contact disease). "Oh last time we got 90's we had to make a DC15 check vs...
I wouldn't mind seeing your table for this actually. I'm starting a home-campaign this summer involving a mish-mash of sandbox exploration, settlement/fortress building/tactical defense.
The premise is: Party is part of a military and tasked with repairing and maintaining a dilapidated and under-used fortress. Step 1: The journey - Levels 1-4. A caravan trek across many miles.
Step 2: The Repair - Levels 5-8. Exploration of immediate area and repair of the fortress.
Step 3: The Assault - Level 9. Enemy forces of unknown origin attack.
So something oregon trail-ish would be nice for Step 1.
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@guardian lord
First thing, thanks on such a long and informative response!
We are thinking similarly and I was planning on similar ideas for traveling encounters and weather generation also.
Random Encounters: I planned to set a random encounter rate while traveling at 20%, but with a chance of friendly, neutral or hostile encounter. If the encounter is hostile, I would roll appropriate dice (1d4 for APL 1, 1d6 for APL 3, etc.) to determine CR. I didn't exactly plan to use specific monsters for each terrain type since that would seem like a ton of work to do so I would mostly set whatever I can come up with at the moment.
Terrain: I would love to see those terrain tables that you use nevertheless!
Random Quest Generation: I have so far set a small table with 31 NPC profession to give myself a general idea who or what NPC is and does (from the Profession Skill) and the following reasons why he needs a party of PCs to do something (it uses d6 dice):
is searching a party to...
1) Intercept / Liberate / Recover
2) Destroy / Kill
3) Defend / Guard
4) Escort / Transport / Journey To
5) Build / Create / Summon
6) Scout / Gather Information About
(object of a quest)...
1) Item
2) NPC
3) Message / Data
4) Secret / Dangerous Location
5) Magical Equipment or Item / Artifact or Technological Item
6) Monster
If you have any other suggestions or ideas, I am all ears :)
Adam
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TL,DR: As requested the encounter tables I have made up for "Oregon Trailing" in Sandbox games. I modify monsters/DC's as I go, so please consider these tables as works in progress. Any advice on improving them is appreciated.
Each day a new player is selected as "Scout". They roll a d100 for the days (or morning/evening) event. The "Scout" MAY roll a survival/KNOW check to modify the d100 roll by up to +or- 5-10 after the d100 is rolled, but before the results are revealed. I have a standing exactly 100 as drawing from a wild table separate from the terrains.
Storm: DC20 Survival find shelter, DC20 avoid becoming lost. 20% chance food/water destroyed, Winds windstorm.
Snake/Scorpion: Reflex DC13/17 avoid. DC13/17 poison.
Quick-sand: DC15 acrobatics + perception avoid. DC13 Swim if not avoided. Chance of found armor at bottom (25%).
Giant Scorpion Nest: DC16 Perception. 1d12, common human corpse loot 1 corpse per scorpion.
Excessive heat: Double saves each hour. Mirage WILL DC 13 or become lost.
Uneventful day: Nothing happens.
Roach Nest: (EW) DC15 Detect/Survival. 1d20 +4 Swarms!
Temporary Oasis: Shade, Water for 1d4 days per member, no heat save required.
Water Source: 50% Cactus patch, 1d6 days of water (+alcohol) per person + Survival hunting/Foraging no penalty. 50% Wandering desert druid with barrel and create water + alchemical ice. 1sp/drink per person.
Bandits: 1d4: 1: Ambush in pass 1d10 bandits. 2: Camp 2d10 in cave. 3: 1d4 + Trap in road (See traps table). 4: Merchant trader under attack 1d4 dead, 1d8 living.
on a 66 exactly: d6: 1: 1d4 food units ruined by sand. 2:Animal thief. 3: Empty lake, sudden sand pits (as Traps). 4:Sudden rainstorm, flood+ 2% lightning strikes + windstorm winds. 5: Discarded cart with items of mystery. 6: Lone Roc flies far overhead.
Sickness: DC14 or risk devil chills (save again vs disease).
Food: Herd of Rams 1d12. Eat what they kill.
Snowstorm: DC17 Detect early. Lose 1 day stopped. +10DC to find north. Shelter or 1d6 no save cold damage + fatigue + save vs common cold.
Frozen stream: Acrobatics DC15, fall, break through take damage 1d6/s, 1d6 cold, save vs devil chills if not warmed for 1 hour DC14.
Elusive prey: Survival hunting +20dc. Every point below success is 1 lost ammunition. All projectiles and spells must overcome T30 AC30 SR30, or are wasted. (Natural 20 provides 1 meal of food).
Warm day: 1 save vs cold in the morning, no further saves until nightfall.
Shelter: A cave, a dell with a warm spring, a cluster of pines. Fuel 1d6 fires. No save vs cold.
Bountiful Prey: Field of wild cabbages, wild onions and slow animals. -15DC hunt/forage survival check.
Fierce Cold: Clear view. -5DC to find north. -5 DC change scouting roll. Double saves vs cold DC13/DC13.
Hunter: An NPC hunting party willing to trade meat, fuel and pelts for goods. Coins worthless to them.
20 Exact: 1d6: 1: 1d4 food ruined from cold and thawing. 2:Frozen lake - Pass check to shortcut DC15 Acrobatics (Fail waste a day). 3:Snow plain, 2 days uneventful. 4:Copse of trees, easy foraging, fuel. 5: Abandoned trap with 1d4 wolves. 6: Poachers 1d6 bandits.
Wildfire: lose a day waiting for it to go out, or find a way past.
Gopher Hole: ALL member DC15 acrobatics or risk 1d6 B Injury (Animals included).
Windy day: Wind at your back, make double time today. Gain 1 day.
Wild Grains: -(1d0-1) DC forage survival check.
Sickness: DC16 Dysentery, DC13 Shakes.
Animals!: 50% Badgers 1d4. 50% Bison Bulls 1d2.
Shepard: Shelter and food DC15 Diplomacy.
Hidden valley: 1d4: 1:Animal den.2:lone mugger. 3:Empty caves. 4:Traveler fell in and died. Common loot.
50 exact: 1d6: 1:Natural spring, restful safe campsite. 2:Thief/Beggar steals coins, or begs for food. 3: Abandoned wagon Ambush or loot. 4:Prairie Storm DC20 wind (able to destroy unsecured tents), rain prevents sleep without shelter. 1% chance lightning strike. DC12 vs Common cold. DC12 vs deafness 1d8 hours. 1d4 cold damage with no shelter. 5:Travelers - 1d6: 1:Friendly 2:Religious group 3: Quarreling merchants 4:Lost wanderers 5:Shepard's and flocks 6: Fleeing people.
Landslide: DC14 KNOW/Survival to detect landslide area. Bypass, or 2 lowest reflex below DC15 injured 1d6 B, 1d6 s.
Pass Blocked: Fallen rocks need to be moved before the party can continue. Lose 1 day (Climb DC25 40ft x2).
Bears!: Bears! 1d6!
Elusive prey: Survival hunting +20dc. Every point below success is 1 lost ammunition. All projectiles and spells must overcome T30 AC30 SR30, or are wasted. (Natural 20 provides 1 meal of food).
Sharp Rocks: DC12 avoid injury, DC12 Mindfire.
Night Bandits: Racoons vs stealth, eat 1d8 food.
Wildflowers: Edible flowers make easy foraging, -1d8DC forage.
Clear Skies: -3DC change scouting roll, Can change by 5 or 10 on success. -5DC find north. .
Caves: DC16 to find hidden shortcut. Save 1 day.
Secure Campsite: 50% new. 50% Abandoned (1d4 Bedroll, food1d4, knife, coins).
77 exactly: 1d6: 1:Restful cave, no weather checks, no cold saves. 2: Gap in trail, players must solve or go back 7 days. 3: Storm DC20 wind (able to destroy unsecured tents), rain prevents sleep without shelter. 1% chance lightning strike. DC12 vs Common cold. DC12 vs deafness 1d8 hours. 1d4 cold damage with no shelter. 4:Explorer party, gives advice and trades supplies. 5:Mountain bandits ambush. 6:Yeti? or just a mirage? May also be a cave with animals.
Lost: DC16 or become lost for 2 days.
Wild Animals!: 1d6: 1d4 Dryad, Bear, Boar, Wasp Swarm, Wolves, Tigers.
Brush Fire: DC15 notice or take 1d8 fire damage, 1d4 rounds of choking smoke (silence) 25% animal attack, 25% bandit trap.
Tree Rot: DC15 KNOW nature avoid, DC15 acrobatics party or 1d8 B from falling tree branches. DC14 Dryad Pox if struck.
River: Swim, climb, find a fjord, or fly over calm river.
Lumberjack Cottage: Lumberjack Cottage with lumberjacks.
Clearing: Full speed for large, gain 1 day of travel. -5DC find north.
Forest Shrine: Meditation before the small shrine in a sacred area restores 1d6 hp, and allow second save vs disease.
Dead Woodsman: He's Dead Jim. Common loot + scavenger animals.
Lost travelers: Seek aid and directions.
11 exactly: 1d6: 1: Old temple entrance. 2:Rich berry grove -5DC hunt and gather, safe camp. 3: Traveling Herbalist at Cost potions and herbs. 4:Hidden pit trap (Wet sides, 30ft deep, 30ft across). 5:Hilltop, -5DC change scouting roll, -5DC find north. 6: Forest Road Gain 1 day, 25% chance remain on road next day (if not 25%, roll table as usual).
Leeches: 50% 1d6 Giant leeches, or 50% 1d4 leech swarms.
Shifting Swamp: DC20 KNOW/Survival or risk traveling in a circle. Lose 2 days.
Spore Cloud: Yellow spores (Poison) 1/day next day. Minor addiction DC16 -4will. +8fort. -4 Ref. 1d4 CON dmg. (50gp/dose Inhaled).
Stagnant Water: DC 18 KNOW/Survival or risk food and water poisoning ID Moss (20% of food supply). No Hunting possible. All foraging is ID Moss poisoned.
Storm: Swamp floods, DC 25 to find dry land for fires and shelter. +5DC vs boot soup.
Creepy Fog: +10DC find north, stay still (lose 1 day) or risk becoming lost (Lose 2 days).
High Ground: Safe camp, lots of fuel (No wet feet check today).
Well maintained road: Gain 2 days, move at full speed.
Stuck Cart: 1d4: 1:Help and receive trade goods reward. 2: Abandoned, free loot. 3:Abandoned + Empty 4: Goblin trap 1d6.
Route Marker: Know North, ignore next lost/lose day.
33 Exactly: 1d6:1:Animal attack 1d4: 1:Crocodile. 2:Snake. 3:Wasp Swarm 4:Goblins.
2:Old temple entrance. 3: Traveling Herbalist, at cost potions, herbs, and drugs. 4:Sacred hilltop grove, +5 saves vs disease while camped here, 2x ability score healing. 5:Wisps. 6: Calm, clear day.
Viscous Plants: DC Stealth Shrieker, fail attract 1d8 plants.
Root Trap: DC18 perception to notice a natural root trap. (Spiked pit trap 15 ft deep, 10ftx50ft). 50% chance occupied by animals 1d4: 1:Snakes. 2:Leopard. 3:Ape. 4:Lizard
Insect nest: 1d4: 1:Mosquito nest. 2:Giant fly nest. 3:Botlfy swarm nest. 4: Centipede swarm nest.
Oppressive Humidity: DC12 Save vs environmental heat, water does nothing to help. Fires need DC15 Survival to light.
Thorns: DC14 Perception or cut by hidden thorns (1dmg). DC15 Red Ache.
Grippli Hunters: 50% friendly, 50% hostile savages 1d8.
Jungle Thorpe: Primitive place that only trades in weapons or trade goods. Can provide healing and remove disease/poison for 2x cost.
Fruit Grove: Safe, DC5 identify fruits. -(1d8) survival to forage food.
Clearing: No insect attacks. -5DC find north. Easy camping.
80 Exactly: 1d6: Jungle Shrine, 50% Abandoned safe bonus save if meditating near here, 50% occupied by barbarians who attack 1d6. 2:Temple, filled with savage locals. 3:Jungle explorers, trade food and stories. Will buy trophies. 4:Huge jungle river (rough), swim, fly, climb or find a way around. 5: Deadly trail, DC14 KNOW/Survival to go around, lose 1 day or risk plant attacks. 6: Rare herb patch, potential for poison/drug/food/alchemical ingredients.
0-5 Cloudy night and day, lose navigation point (lose 1 day getting back on track if they cannot pass navigation DC 12 check).
6-11 Pass by a mass of floating trash (Mundane loot or food as per appraise rolls if PC's can pass perception check).
12-17 Large School of fish follow your boat for a few hours (chance to fish if they have the tools and can pass survival to bait and cook).
18-24 Rough sea storm (Possible ship damage, delays, knocked overboard, etc).
25-30 Pass a familiar ocean rock formation, Pass DC to find a current that increases travel by 1 day (gain 2 days travel today).
31-36 Pass a natural ocean funnel, see pretty fish.
37-42 Pass a deserted island.
43-48 Find rats on board (Players rolls for quantity) PC's have limited time to find before they breed (swarms)
49-54 Uneventful, sunny day.
55-60 Disease outbreak (pass disease DC to not get sick).
61-66 Trading vessel traveling the opposite way (Diplomacy captain to stop and trade?)
67-72 Pirate Vessel traveling the opposite way (Sail or fight).
73-78 Crewmate celebrates a birthday, eat pancakes from ship stores (no food cost this day)
79-84 Pass a familiar landmark seen as lucky by the crew, get drunk with the captain.
85-90 Rigging/oars/rowers break/mutiny - fix, fight or diplomacy (or lose 2 days doing nothing as it resolves itself?)
91-96 rainstorm. 1d4 - 1:Food damaged lose 20%. 2:Ship damaged. 3:Crewm embers lost/injured. 4:Refill water barrels.
97-99 Sea monster, air monster attack.
exactly 91: 1d6: 1:Stowaways discovered. 2:Ghost Pirate ship rises from the depths. 3:Tropical island. 4:Mermaid/Gillman raid/toll. 5:Crewman steals from the party. 6: Invited to a high stakes gambling game.
Caves: A secret entrance is spotted (DC14), it is off the path and is out of the parties way. If they enter, it is a bandit cave with a leader who is afraid of the dark.
Mushrooms/Lichen: DC20 identifies these as psychotropic drugs, anything less identifies them as edible. If consumed party is intoxicated 4 hours, Addiction DC15 to consume more. They are non-nutritious and the afflicted have no desire to consume any other food, afflicted must pass DC or begin starving from eating only the mushrooms/lichen. If they have none nauseated until eat more/pass 3 saves.
Rabid beast: A huge monster, out of it's natural terrain is rampaging around, the party sees signs of it's destruction. The party may track it down.
Fey: Fairies begin pulling pranks on the party until the party beats them, negotiates with them, or they find something more interesting.
Goblin Genius: A lone Goblin thief has acquired potion crafting. He uses haste, spider climb, invisibility, and a cloak of SR (as well as scent remover) to steal "Valuables" (Shinnies) and return them to his bolt hole. Party may help victims, or be stolen from themselves. Chase reveals a bolt hole filled with mundane treasures.
Shady merchant: A jovial man with a huge rucksack and a pack bird stops the party. He offers oddities for reasonable rates, his descriptions are cryptic and the party is unable to get a good sense motive on him (True neutral). Items may be real, shadow conjurations, major images, cursed, or mundane with prestidigitation cast on them. He casts teleport when the deal is done.
Night raid: Someone casts pyrotechnics on the campfire late at night, then bandits attack (attempting to steal and flee rather than fight).
Revelers: The party encounters a huge group of people in 4 pavilions partying. The players can diplomacy to join or walk around, either way come morning the whole group is gone with no sign of them ever having been there (except a really rough hangover).
Escaped Prisoner: A being in chains runs up to the party and asks for help. If they accept he might be an innocent, or a sadistic criminal. If they refuse he flees, and an hour later his captors (good or bad) encounter the party next.
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@guardianlord
Didn't have time to answer sooner, but thanks again for posting the tables. They are like a pot of gold to me and at the moment, don't have many suggestions to add. I am gonna study them a bit a add some of my own possibly.
I do have two questions though. Why isn't a dedicated party scout always scouting? A person (like ranger) should probably always be out on scouting because some other people are probably less specialized in it. Or are you simply trying to give everyone a chance of spotlight?
Second question, I am not sure I understand the benefit of modifiying d100 roll if the players don't know the outcome?
Adam
@guardianlord
Didn't have time to answer sooner, but thanks again for posting the tables. They are like a pot of gold to me and at the moment, don't have many suggestions to add. I am gonna study them a bit a add some of my own possibly.
I do have two questions though. Why isn't a dedicated party scout always scouting? A person (like ranger) should probably always be out on scouting because some other people are probably less specialized in it. Or are you simply trying to give everyone a chance of spotlight?
Second question, I am not sure I understand the benefit of modifying d100 roll if the players don't know the outcome?
Adam
As to the first question: Yes, I wanted everyone in my (6 player) party to have the spotlight, my sandbox party is highly skill loaded, all are martials and full/half casters to boot. There is no reason a dedicated scout could not take on the role and lead the party, I would be careful of one player doing most of the playing and decision making though.
Question two: The players are made aware that 100 is a special event with likely higher loot rewards, so I like to give them the opportunity of improve the odds if they so choose. And as the party will be travelling in each terrain for potentially a hundred rolls (1 a day, or 2 a day for morning and evening), they will come to know what certain rolls reflect, while no 2 encounters will be identical (hopefully), sometimes they just don't want a fight, or maybe they have been rolling the same (within 10) value all night and want a change of pace.
The option to modify rolls was added in after I made the tables but it seems to work so far for giving the players a little more agency. It can lead to meta-gaming a bit (it is only a 5, which on a middle roll can mean no change), but we seem to be quite good at preventing this as a group.
And because the "Scout" rolls survival before hand and, if successful, is granted a single use change credit that can be used AFTER I begin describing the situation they can make a snap decision to attempt to modify the roll (thus potentially redirecting the party, as a scout should). They must use this BEFORE the encounter occurs (I give some descriptive clues and ask if they want to continue). It helps the scout feel like a scout, but if the encounter was benign and they changed it to a tougher one, well, that's on them not the GM =D
An example might be (Forest: Scout passes DC) GM: "the ground begins the slop downwards, you see above you some ducks flying above the canopy."
Player: "Well this is either a river, or a lake, We don't have an easy way of crossing either. I use my survival credit for a +5 to see if there is another path".
GM: (Checks table) "You see some markings on some nearby trees, you follow the markings to a clearing where some lumberjacks are working, you view them from the edge, they seem like honest working people who may be able to assist your party.
Player: "I return and relay this information to the group and redirect them towards the lumberjacks".
Cue diplomacy checks and encounter fun.
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@guardianlord
I think I understand it. It's generally not a bad idea to set different scouts each time from in game and out of game perspective. I think I will borrow your ideas and see how players like them :)
Again, not much that I can suggest. These tables and scouting ideas have given me a lot to think and ponder on. I will probably make my own similar tables for players which I am willing to share if I ever finish them.
You might like the Ultimate Toolbox (Ibach, Pinto). It contains hundreds of d20-tables to dozens different themes. For a sandbox-campaign this book is ideal.