And I’m back with the second example of generating ideas for an adventure using random content from tables using dice rolls.

For this example I will be using the Tome of Adventure Design (ToAD), and following the steps used by Kelsey of The Arcane Library and the enewsletter that you can subscribe to.

Like the previous example using the DMG I will not be creating the map for the adventure idea. That’s beyond the scope of this little exercise.

Right let’s get started on generating this adventure idea.

First up I need a location.

For this I am going to use the locations table 1-1A from ToAD. It’s a d100 table. I roll four times against this table, once for each column. I rolled 18, 72, 85, and 63.

Which gave me the following location name “The Coiled Manse of the Secret King“.

I’m big enough to admit that I had to google the meaning of manse. It was a “what the heck is that?” moment. Well a manse is a person’s house or home, or a clergy’s home, or a large imposing residence. That fits really nicely with the secret king part of the name.

If I look up the meaning of coiled I get the definition of “arranged in a series of circles, one above or inside the other.” I had thought that this was going to be a word I rerolled. But with that definition I’m getting an image of this large circular house that has inner circles for the rest of the building. I like that. It could almost be a maze of some sort!

Using table 1-6: Location-Based Missions I will generate an adventure hook for this great location “The Coiled Manse of the Secret King“. Just like the locations table this is a d100. I roll a 38. This gives me “Find or locate“.

I like this. I like this a lot. I’m going to have the adventurers venture into the coiled manse to find the Secret King.

There needs to be a reason why the adventurers have to do this. Like Kelsey I will go with a time pressure event. The adventurers need to find the Secret King and return them to claim the throne before the false heir to the throne is crowned in two days time.

Time to use table 3-6: Big-Picture Backstories to get a reason to get an idea for why the adventurers need to find the Secret King. Once again this is another d100 table. I rolled 80. Which gave me “A cataclysm or natural disaster took place.” This didn’t click with me. I just wasn’t feeling it. But looking at the Big-Picture Backstories table the entry for 91-95 is “Leaders were slain or imprisoned.” This did inspire me. Remember you don’t have to go with the entry you roll if it doesn’t work for you. You can reroll or as I have just done pick one from the table that does inspire.

So the Secret King has been imprisoned by the false heir for years, long thought dead by the population. The false heir has now made their move and slain the King and about to claim the crown as their own.

I think that’s it.

“The Coiled Manse of the Secret King

Our adventurers hear rumours of a mysterious person thought to be the true heir to the thrown being held prisoner in a nearby location known as the Coiled Manse.

News of the death of the King spreads through out the kingdom. Along with the news that the false heir has declared themselves King and will be crowned in two days time. There is also a decree that the people will have to pay more taxes to pay for the coronation celebrations. Soldiers start raiding homes to collect those taxes.

The adventurers decide to investigate and free this mystery prisoner and help them claim the vacant throne before the false heir is coronated.”

I can even think of inspiration for the story. Such as Robin Hood, The Man in the Iron Mask. And I might watch the movies for some more ideas.

So with the previous DMG example, and my #RPGaDAY Day 19 post there are now three examples of generating ideas for an adventure using tables and dice.