Random tables are a stalwart of gaming. The joy of gambling and seeing where the table will take the game is a moment of glee and dread. I love that feeling during a game.
I also love how tables are an easy way to create an emergent articulation of the world in play. They make each piece of the puzzle relevant to the players. The world through their lens is the only thing that matters, not the 500 pages of exposition about a thinly veiled Europe.
Honestly, I have a Hemingway-esque hatred of exposition in all things. Let my imagination build with the tools you hand me!
In that spirit, I am sharing a random table from my forthcoming double issue of Yggdrasil MGZ. It is a dungeon level as a campaign that slots in with the fine work being done by others for the Death By Dungeon project. It also works entirely as a high level stand alone challenge.
Be warned though. This is raw and unedited content with not all monster stats fully decided upon. There is a good chance I will be making changes as the work evolves.
Encounters & Twists
When traversing the city and navigating the neighborhoods, the party is going to run into the unexpected. You can use this list randomly, select encounters you like, or use the modifications found in each neighborhood.
D66
11. Beggar
A bedraggled shape holds out a dirty hand asking for alms in exchange for a secret. Use the Criminal (TB) or Bandits (D&D) stat lines.
12. What is That?
An oozing thing is digesting a body before it lurches towards you. Use the Creeping Ooze (TB) or Ochre Jelly (D&D) stat lines.
13. Lone Thief
Someone bumps into you on a the crowded street and something is missing. Use the stat line of a Thief one level higher than the party.
14. Deal Going Down
You interrupt an illicit exchange between two factions. What do you do now? Use the Criminal (TB) or Bandits (D&D) stat lines.
15. Fangs
Mutated cultists leap out for blood. Use the stat line for Orcs.
16. Guards
A checkpoint of guards stand in your way. They are checking everyone and wave you over. Use the stat line for Soldier.
17. Magister
A magister of the city bumps into you and demands recompense as his guards grip their clubs tightly. Use the Captain and Soldier (TB) or Sergeant-at-Arms and Soldier (D&D) stat lines.
18. Body Snatchers
You stumble across a group of figures carrying a corpse. Use the stat line for Hobgoblins.
19. Muggers
You find yourself ambushed by some daring thieves, threatening you from all sides. Use the Thug (TB) or Bandits (D&D) stat lines.
20. Drunks
A pack of belligerent drunks tumble out of a nearby pub, running into the characters. Use the Laborer (TB) or Bandits (D&D) stat lines.
21. Cultists
He comes! He comes! A mob of cultists swarm you in the ecstasy of their visions. Use the Hedge Witch (TB) or Beserker (D&D) stat lines.
22. Bugbear Mercenary
A Bugbear Mercenary appears further down the street, waving you over. Is he looking for work, or are you the work?
23. Swarm of Rats
A swarm of rats bursts up out of every hole around you, biting anything that moves or even breathes. Use the Troll Rat (TB) or Giant Rat (D&D) stat lines.
24. God’s Agent
Great dust clouds and crackling static electricity fill the air suddenly around you. When they dissipate, a towering figure stands before you with a displeased look. It is an agent of the God and they want to know your business here. Use the Ogre (TB) or an Ogre Mage (D&D) stat lines.
25. High Winds
A great wind tears through the streets, extinguishing flames. All rolls in your next encounter suffer a -1D (TB) or -1 roll penalty (D&D).
26. Lucky Find
You trip over a bit of God’s Stone, losing some gear, but finding a boon.
27. Restless Spirit
Ghosts haunt every inch of the Sanctum and now one haunts you. Use either the Disturbed Spirit (TB) or Ghost (D&D) stat lines.
28. Fire!
A fire has broken out. You hear screams for help and a breeze picks up blowing the flames to the building next door. Your way is blocked until you find a way past.
29. Undead Bounty
Something you did clearly made them mad. An undead bounty hunter has come upon you, their dead voice grinding the word, “Stop!” Use either the Vampire Lord (TB) or Vampire (D&D) stat lines.
30. They Are Coming For You
Out of the shadows something is shambling towards you, issuing a low moan. A lot of somethings in fact. Use either the Aptrgangr (TB) or Zombie with a mummy’s diseased touch (D&D) stat lines.
31. Collapsing Building
The building collapses. Everyone must make an Ob 4 Health test (TB) or Saving Throw (D&D). Failure means gaining the Injured condition (TB) or suffering 3D6 damage (D&D).
32. A Map!
The garabage covered wall before you is covered in a scrawled map of the area. You gain a +1s to your Pathfinder roll (TB) or your chance to be lost is the equivelant of traversing grasslands (D&D). That is if you can defeat the undead rising up out of the garbage. Use the Tomb Guardians (TB) or an Skeletons (D&D) stat lines.
33. Fog
A thick fog rolls in hindering vision. Rolls suffer a -1s (TB) or a -2 to rolls (D&D) for anything requiering vision for the next turn (TB) or hour (D&D).
34. Hands of God
Hands errupt from the ground clinging to everything around them. Everyone must make an Ob 3 Health test (TB) or a Saving Throw (D&D). If they fail, they suffer a condition (TB) or 2D6 damage (D&D) breaking free from their grasp.
35. Dog Pack
A pack of gigantic dogs surround you, saliva dripping from their maws. Use the Dire Wolf (TB) or Worg (D&D) stat lines.
36. Fountain of Venom
A geyser of green glowing venom bursts from the ground with a single gush before stopping. All the liquid in the area has turned into snake venom.
37. God Storm
Green lightning strikes down from the cavern ceiling searching for a victim. Everyone must make an Ob 5 Health test (TB) or a Saving Throw (D&D). If they fail, they suffer a condition (TB) or 4D6 damage (D&D) breaking free from their grasp.
38. Cloud of Flies
A cloud of flies engulfs you. All light sources are extinguished and you are plunged into darkness even the God’s Eye can’t pierce for one turn (TB) or one hour (D&D).
39. Shifting Streets
You are lost. The streets have shifted and find yourself in either a neighborhood you have not visited before or the neighborhood furthest from your current destination.
40. Smoke Tendrils
Tendrils of soot grey smoke move as if animated by a life of their own. Everyone must make an Ob 4 Will test (TB) or Saving Throw (D&D). Failure means the tendrils shot up your nose and into your brain, hindering your next roll with a -1s (TB) or -2 (D&D).
41. Lone Survivor
You come across a clearly wounded warrior who croaks out for water. As you get closer, their eyes flash and you notice they are not breathing. Use the Barrow Wight (TB) or Death Knight (D&D) stat lines.
42. Traps!
Pick your favorite Torchbearer or Dungeons & Dragons trap. The party has just triggered it.
43. Hidden Catacombs
You fall into a hidden catacomb. How will you get out?
44. Rotten Fruit
Some thief stole your food and replaced it with rotten food.
45. The Lost
Vacant eyed people impede your path. Use the Bandit stat line.
46. Thunderclap
Everyone goes deaf from the sound. Talking is impossible until the next turn (TB) or hour (D&D) passes.
47. The Tyrant’s Guards
Let me see your papers! Use the stat line for Soldier.
48. Poison Rain
A sulfurous rain falls upon you with a sudden rush, burning the skin. You must either make a camp with shelter to wait out the storm or suffer a condition (TB) or 3D6 damage (D&D) if you continue on.
49. Spider
You are surrounded by spiders. Use the Stone Spider (TB) or the Giant Spider (D&D) stat lines.
50. Arsonists
You catch some arsonists in the act. Use the stat line for Bandit.
51. Street Gang
You just entered their turf. Uh oh! Use the stat line for Bandit.
52. Unionists vs the Thugs
You walk right into a riot. Use the Thug (TB) or Bandit (D&D) stat lines.
53. Damaged Gear
Some useful bits of gear are ruined.
54. Rival Adventurers
You run right into a rival party of adventurers here pursuing their own agenda. They mirror the party in level and quality of gear.
55. What is That?
How the hell did an Owlbear get down here? Use the stat line for the Owlbear.
56. Secret Spell
The graffiti on the wall in front of you is actually a spell you triggered by reading it. Pick an appropriate spell to use against the adventurers.
57. Raving Lunatics
Babbling lunatics covered in ichor lurch our of the darkness at you. Use the Troll Haunt (TB) or the Troll (D&D) stat lines.
58. Campsite
You stumble across the seemingly perfect campsite. There is shelter, potable water, and even supplies for starting a fire. There is also a funky musk and a gibbering sound. A mob of Kobolds leap out and surround you demanding tribute.
59. A Secret Passage
The ground shifts below you and you slide into a pitch black tunnel that stretches in two directions.
60. The Tyrant in Disguise
Anold man stumbles into you from seemingly nowhere. He is the Tyrant in disguise and will attempt to befriend the adventurers, but will test them by sending them into some light danger.
61. Snakes!
Snakes rain down from the sky. All physical activity is hindered for the next turn (TB) or next hour (D&D).
62. Is That a Machine
An ancient war machine wakes up as you draw near, letting out steam. Use the stat line for a War Machine.
63. Reflecting Pool
The city chooses to reveal itself too you. The monstrous, inhuman intelligence you see in the reflection is too much. Everyone must make an Ob 5 Will test (TB) or Savings Throw (D&D) or throw down everything they are carrying and run off to another part of the city.
64. Plague Victims
You can smell their illness before you see it. Use the Laborer (TB) or the Beserker (D&D) stat lines.
65. Earthquake
The ground undulates violently. Everyone must make an Ob 3 Health test (TB) or Savings Throw (D&D) or fall to the ground and break a piece of valuable gear.
66. Screaming Walls
The city has chosen to speak to you. The walls around you begin to scream as one. Everyone must make an Ob 5 Will test (TB) or Savings Throw (D&D) or suffer Illness condition (TB) or 3D6 damage (D&D).
Issue Four
If you like what you see in this posting, Yggdrasil MGZ might be for you. The fourth issue is one massive adventure for the Torchbearer RPG, but easily adaptable to your favorite game.
Imagine if Die Hard was set in the tower headquarters of necromantic zealots standing on the grave of an ancient evil and you are John McClain!
