e m aster’s b

g am oo
e ko
th ASTONISHING f
RANDOM TABLES

Illustrations by contributions from

Jasmine Kalle, Doug Jim Davis, Marty,
Kovacs and Chris seaman Matt and Nick Forbeck

300+ Unique Roll Tables to Enhance Your Worldbuilding, Storytelling,

Locations, Magic and More for 5th Edition RPG Adventures
ben egloff
Foreword by Plus
Robbie 3 One-Shot
Daymond Adventures!
 e m aster’s b
g a m o ok
h e of
t ASTONISHING
RANDOM TABLES

300+ Unique Roll Tables to Enhance Your Worldbuilding, Storytelling,

Locations, Magic and More for 5th Edition RPG Adventures
ben egloff
 e m aster’s b
g am oo
e k of
t h
ASTONISHING
RANDOM TABLES
contents
04 06 80
Foreword | Introduction Session Building
Random Encounters pg. 81
08 Chase Complications pg. 106
Worldbuilding Side Quests pg. 116
Building a Pantheon pg. 10 Skill Challenges pg. 120
Defining Magic pg. 12 Environmental Hazards pg. 130
Building a Planet pg. 14 Travel Complications pg. 150
Building a Realm pg. 20
Forms of Government pg. 22 152
Population Type pg. 32 Magic & Miscellany
Building a Population pg. 34 Spell scrolls and their functions, potions and their
Creating an Economy pg. 40 possibilities, magical prisoners, multiple mutations,
blessings and boons, curses and charms, reincarnation
Creating Customs, Laws results, the contents of a person’s pocket or their dreams
and Their Consequences pg. 46 and hundreds of other interesting ideas all contained in
a somewhat organized section.
Establishing Beliefs pg. 48
Businesses pg. 50 Spell Scrolls
Scrolls by Level pg. 153
Guilds and Unions pg. 62 Unexpected Spell Scroll Results pg. 156
Local Color pg. 68 Transmuted Damage Types pg. 157

Positive & Negative Potions

Potion Type pg. 158
Beneficial Potions & Elixirs pg. 158
Detrimental Potions & Elixirs pg. 162
Mixed Potion Interactions pg. 167

Items With Personality

Good Sentient Magic Item Personalities pg. 168
Evil Sentient Magic Item Personalities pg. 169
 Drinking, Carousing
Personalities in Items and Consequences
Object Occupants (Dead) pg. 170 Ballads, Ditties & Songs pg. 211
Object Occupants (Living) pg. 171 Drink Name Generator pg. 213
One Good Time Too Many pg. 214
Teleportation Gone Wrong pg. 172 Unintended Criminal Acts pg. 215

Variant Wild Magic pg. 176 Ships and Shipwrecks

Strange Things in a Shipwreck pg. 216
Pickpocketing pg. 180 Ship Name Generator pg. 216

Gifts & Curses The Weird, the Wild and the Random
Divine Blessings pg. 182 Weirdos, Hermits & Wanderers pg. 218
Boons pg. 183 NPC Primary Motivation pg. 219
Curses pg. 184 Rumors on the Street pg. 219
Charms pg. 186 Hags & Their Lairs pg. 220
Common Magic Items pg. 189 I Wouldn’t Touch That pg. 220
Gelatinous Cubes pg. 222
Dreams Atmosphere Enhancement pg. 222
Nightmarish Dreams pg. 194 Demonic Demands pg. 223
Pleasant Dreams pg. 194 Giants & Their Things pg. 223
Gnomish Inventors pg. 224
Prophecy Hallucinations pg. 225
Constellations & Heavenly Portents pg. 196 Useless(?) Junk pg. 226
Soothsayers and Fortune Tellers pg. 197 Portals to the Unknown pg. 226
Ghosts pg. 228
Reincarnation Gravestones pg. 228
Reincarnation Results &
Unexpected Side Effects pg. 198

Strange Mutations pg. 200

230
Tools of the Trade
Spellbook Appearance pg. 202 One-Shot Adventures
Arcane Focus Appearance pg. 202
Never Tell Me the Odds pg. 232
Druidic Focus Appearance pg. 203
Holy Symbol Appearance pg. 203 Animated Defense pg. 248
Heraldry & Crests pg. 204 Things Are Not What
pg. 264
They Seem
Books
Contents of an Ancient Grimoire pg. 206
Book Titles pg. 207 280
Art Objects pg. 208 Index
Wares That May Not
Strictly Be Legal pg. 210

Location Upkeep pg. 210

“Nearly every off-the-cuff question that has ever stumped me as a GM,
large or small, could’ve been resolved in a dice roll or two with this
book. There are lots of random tables out there, but few as creative and
comprehensive as these!”
- Ginny Di
youtuber, tabletop gamer, singer and cosplayer
ginnydi.com
 Foreword
“WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GM?!”
“Hmm? What’s that, again?” I say, looking up into the myself at the head of a TTRPG table, weaving tales and
eyes of the hopeful young man with the Welsh accent. leading combat, but I wasn’t quite sure where to actually
start. After all, my first GMs were literal masters: Matt
It’s early 2022 and I’m in the UK. As a veteran voice Mercer and Aabria Iyengar. To me, what they do is
actor in video games, anime and animation, I’m often almost mystical; balancing plot, pace, characters and
at comic cons like this on the weekends. These days, I’m gameplay. I might be able to convince myself that
busier than ever, because I’ve just finished my nearly someone like me, a relative newbie, could have the
year-long run on the hit D&D live-play shows Exandria vision to take my friends on a fantastical adventure, but
Unlimited and Critical Role, thrusting me into the did I have the tools to execute a single session, much
TTRPG world as well. Meeting fans from around the less a long-running campaign?
globe is perhaps the best part of my job. I can answer
most questions about any show or game I’ve ever Thankfully, as time passed after my initial run as a
worked on, but this one catches me a bit off-guard. player on EXU and CR, the TTRPG community has
graciously opened its arms to me and shown me a
“I loved you at the table!” he exclaims. “You’re such an massive new world of resource books; compendiums;
interesting player, I’d be excited to see what you could reference guides; and original, playable stories that span
come up with as a Game Master!” millions of words beyond the official material. This book,
the very same one you are about to enjoy, is one of the
“Oh,” I reply, a bit timid. Not wanting to disappoint him, finest such guides.
I give a noncommittal answer. “Well, it sounds like fun,
but I’ve only just learned to play. I don’t think I have the This vast tome contains an impossibly broad spectrum of
skills yet….” creative ideas in an easily consumable format that even a
novice like me can make sense of. The form and function
“Ha!” he playfully scoffs with a friendly smile, “I GMed of how these ideas are presented and the versatility
the third game I ever played!” with which they can be implemented should also keep
the most experienced GMs happy for campaigns to
We laugh, have a quick d20 roll-off (he won) and off come. I can only give my highest praise to the team that
he goes, disappearing into the sea of con-goers, not put The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random
knowing he had sparked an idea in my mind. Many Tables together. Also, the one-shots by Ben, Jim and the
others would come to nurture this thought with their Forbecks look so fun I hope someday to find myself in
good-natured tales of the magical experience of running one of their exploits.
a gaming session and inspire me to one day do the same.
So, whether you’re the new kid behind the screen or the
Now, let me be clear as to why I was so hesitant to king of the quest, this book has a little something for
answer his question and potentially GM a game of everyone. Even me. I’m sure when I run my first session,
my own. As a new player (and a person who tends to I’ll be pulling some tips and tricks from this book and
overthink almost everything), I’d always been consumed many of the others in the series. Perhaps, someday, I’ll
by the “how” of it. Sure, I get the concept. I can imagine let you know how it goes….

Wishing you well,

Robbie Daymond

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 5

 Introduction
Welcome to The Game Master’s
Book of Astonishing Random Tables...

I
t’s happened to the best of us. You’ve lured your imaginations, providing set pieces for gripping combat
party into an untenable situation and they’re on or narrative encounters and the context that ensures
the run from the dual threat of notorious hag those scenes have meaningful stakes, which is why you
Granny Mu’Pau and the implacable mechanical might invest hours of your time developing a place for
army of Dr. Orryn Belanteraith (in league with them to explore. To which your players will inevitably
the Duke, which means the law is decidedly not on respond, “Where else can we go?” It’s a lot of work.
their side). They’ve managed to piss off the Honorable Luckily, this book is a tool and, in some ways, an
Purveyors of Rest and Respite, so finding a place to sleep automaton, created to take some of that work off your
is a quest unto itself. And that’s when they have a brilliant hands. Whether you’re an old hand or you’re GMing your
idea. “What if we just leave this city altogether?” says the first game, the tables presented throughout this book
druid. “Let’s just steal a wagon and head for the next town are designed to generate content on your behalf or spark
over.” “Why stop there?” asks the bard. “Why don’t we go new ideas within you. These tables were created to help
to another country? I could parlay with local leaders and you focus your attention on the things you care about
we could build an alliance and maybe lead a rebellion.” so that when your players ask about things you haven't
“That’s OK,” you think as you rub your temples and considered (“What’s in his pocket?” or “What’s the name
consider your next move. “I’ll get them at the border.” of the trappers guild?” or “What’s on the menu?”) you
“I can drive a boat!” shouts the fighter, who has never not only have an answer—you have a potential hook for
once used his background as a sailor. another chapter in your ongoing adventure.
It’s fine. They’ll never be able to commandeer a
ship, gather a crew and master the waves. And yet, a What This Book Is
few Charisma checks later, the party is setting sail in a The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random
stolen vessel with a crew of 35 easily persuaded goblins, Tables is many things, but first and foremost, it is a
steered with all the wind they could need courtesy of spark. It’s here to help you take the inner workings of
the druid’s ability to spam gust all afternoon. They’re your creative mind and put them on display for those
fleeing the places you spent hours preparing, en route to around you. It’ll do some of the work for you so you can
a continent you’ve not yet imagined, all because you told focus on creating epic stories with your players.
them “This is an open world, explore it as you see fit.” It is, at its core, exactly what it’s called: a book
Why do we do this? Why not just play Monopoly?! of (astonishing) random tables. These tables add
It’s a question that’s come up for most Game Masters spontaneity to your sessions, a bit of tension to already
at some point or another, and the answer is always the tense situations and a touch of chaos—whether by your
same: the story. The story is what everyone—you, your hand or the hands of your players—based on the will of
players, perhaps even an audience—cares about. As the the dice. If they didn’t, they’d be called predictable tables.
Game Master, you act as the facilitator of the story and It is also a fully functional campaign generator. It
its setting, bringing to life a world rich with opportunity, will take you through the steps of creating a setting and
intrigue, magic, danger, dungeons and perhaps a dragon filling that setting with interesting places and people
or two. You create a universe where you and your friends and the governments that rule them: the motivations
collaboratively conjure tales together. You must also behind leaders of powerful guilds, nefarious cults and
answer questions about how that world looks, feels secret societies—some hoping to change the world for
and influences the narrative. Every detail you provide the better, others not so much. It will help challenge your
about your world is a snare that can capture the players’ players through social interaction and fierce combat,
but most importantly, it will provide hooks for further not let the expansive but still limited options contained
adventures that will entice your players to continue to in this tome inhibit the exponentially more important
explore the playground you’ve created. power of your own creativity.
The Worldbuilding section does what it’s called, with
dozens of tables designed to help you create a campaign
or adventure setting from scratch. From the elder earth How to Use This Book
deities that created your realm to the name of the secret
order of clerics making plans in a shadowy tavern to lock Text styled like this is flavor text and should be read
those gods away, this section will help you fill in every out loud to describe specific actions, relay important
detail of your world, whether you’re starting with your info or provide details of the characters’ surroundings.
own big bang or just answering the question “What’s over Not reading it to your party might mean they miss out
yonder hill?” on essential info, funny lines or both.
The Session Building section is also well-named,
featuring tools meant to aid you as you prepare for (or, as
is often the case, fully improvise) a session of play. There
are level-appropriate random encounter tables for nearly GM NOTE: THIS IS A NOTE FOR YOU
any environment, chase complications for those same Text contained inside a box that looks like this
environments, a quick side quest generator for those is meant to draw your attention to information
sessions when you aren’t sure what your players want to that is important for you to know or is imperative
do and they aren’t either, travel complications to sully to a plot point in the one-shot adventures. It is
said side quests and environmental hazards for when the also used to point out places where you can make
barbarian gets cocky and roars “That all you got!?” in an a variety of choices for different reasons or call
avalanche-prone ravine. attention to places that might lead to important
The Magic & Miscellany section is, well, everything things you need to consider when using different
else. Spell scroll and potion generators, teleportation options at your table. They are important to read,
mishaps, curses, things you might find in someone’s which is why most are fairly short.
pocket, stuff you shouldn’t touch (which could pair well
with things you might find in someone’s pocket), sentient
weapon likes and dislikes. Explore it with caution. Tables. Each table in this book is associated with
This book also includes three one-shot adventures a particular die value (d4, d6, d8, d10, d20 or d100).
that feature some of the tables covered in the first three Some tables will ask you to roll a particular type of
sections. These adventures can be run in a single session die once, others offer a chance to generate different
or serve as a major story arc or means of kicking off a options on the same table using multiple rolls to
campaign if that’s your preference. They are scaled for combine different results. Many of the tables contain
specific levels but can shift as needed depending on all of the information you will need to apply the result
party composition and GM benevolence. of the roll; however, in some places, the text required
for explanation got a little unwieldy inside the table
What This Book Is Not itself. Those options are presented as a simple list and
The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables expounded upon in the copy that follows. You got this.
is not the definitive work on how to create a world, a Maps. The maps in this book are presented on a grid,
setting or a session. You are the final arbiter of your entire with each square representing a 5-foot-by-5-foot space
realm. You will not be arrested for fudging rolls to generate unless otherwise noted.
an outcome more in line with the stories you want to tell. The Index. On pg. 280 is a complete index of all
This book is not responsible for player death. That’s the tables contained inside this book. Several tables
you again. A 5th-level fireball dropping on the party as were sacrificed on the page count altar in order to
a result of a wild magic surge is hilarious when every accommodate the index. Please make use of it so their
player is fully rested and has 90 hit points. It’s less fun deaths were not in vain.
when they’re all first-level (or first-time) players and the
result on a 1d100 table leaves everyone rolling up a new Without further ado, please enjoy The Game
character the moment the sorcerer casts her first spell. Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables. Being
Your story should come first. Enforce the outcomes as the all-powerful deity of your universe is a ridiculously
well as the rules to serve and shape your story—keep time-consuming job full of creation, destruction and
what you like, change what you don’t. sometimes constant worry. But with this book at your
This book is not a universe in a box. Despite best side, your players will think twice before building a boat
intentions to include everything you could possibly need to explore another realm. And if they do, you can always
to create epic settings and sessions, there are only so roll on the Level 17-20 Coastal Environmental Hazards
many tables one can fit on a single page (trust me). Do table and send them immediately back to shore.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 7

Worldbuilding
So you want to build a campaign setting from scratch but have
no idea where to begin? Relax. Let the gods of chaos (or, you
know, a few dice rolls) do the work for you.

S
tories are about people. People are shaped by worlds. Overall cultures,
great societies and individual persons are all products of the environments
in which they struggle to survive, thrive or prevent others from doing the
same. Sometimes they shape the environments in kind.
The arcs of a major campaign or minor one-shot are nearly always
focused on the characters, and we watch the story unfold through their perspective
because, as GMs or players, we’re the ones bringing each character to life. We see
them deal with challenges, overcome adversity and find joy and contentment (or
at least a place to bed down for the night). We watch them take on horrid villains
in numerous forms, be they sneak thieves, shape-shifters or otherworldly cultists
hell-bent on raising their devilish queen from the underworld to devour the sun (all
in a day’s work, really). We cheer them on as they struggle to overcome seemingly
insurmountable problems placed in their path. Your players endeavor to do their
best to navigate the narratives you create together by bringing their characters to
life. As GM, the “character” you give life to each week is the world your players
inhabit. It is an NPC unto itself. Sometimes, like when you describe the sound a
stone makes as it plunks into a bog, or the lingering whisper of a foul breeze, it even
has a funny accent.
 The environment of a campaign—the world and It would be easy to fall down the rabbit hole and get
setting where it takes place—informs and influences lost in the myriad possibilities that exist. I suggest
so much of the story. The locale, whether that be a technique that has served me well through many
tropical forests where strange beasts dwell, arid deserts years of gaming (and creating custom minis): Start by
where lack of water and violent sandstorms thrash the painting broad strokes before you deal with specifics.
landscape and challenge its inhabitants or vibrant cities Decide on some general features of your setting. Work
full of explosions of cultures, sights and sounds, is just from big picture to small specific locations as you zero in
as important as the characters. In the real world, we on where your story is going to take place, determining
often tie our memories to certain places. The same is which aspects of the environment you wish to play a
true for players exploring your fantasy realm. major role in the narrative. Detail the general feel of the
Think of the first time you set foot in a large city, planet or place that will contain your story. Block out,
the hustle and bustle and press of the crowds almost in rough terms, the overall world (desert planet, water
overwhelming you as the sights, smells and raucous planet, cotton candy planet) and how it fits together
noise of thousands of people pressed down upon you. before focusing on adding detail to the areas where your
Consider the first time you saw the ocean, vast stretches campaign is going to play out.
of water spreading out before you as the horizon became Be a selfish deity and determine what’s important to
the limit of your view. Everyone has a similar story save you. What aspects of the environment affect your plot?
for those who’ve never left their small town, and that What aspects of the setting will influence and challenge
experience has a way of binding people together. As your players as they progress through the story you want
people, we can imagine the awe of viewing a natural to tell, as well as the one you’re trying to tell together?
wonder like the Grand Canyon, the stretching Serengeti I will confess I have, on numerous occasions, spent
or the clouded heights of Mount Fuji or Mount Everest. copious amounts of time creating places, people and
We all understand the power an engaging setting can encounters my players will never see (or even ask
have over the stories we tell, yet in many cases GMs using about). I have spent hours detailing the rising peaks of
pregenerated modules are left with very little to work ice and snow-covered mountains, or the twisting warren
with when it comes to worldbuilding. It can be daunting of tunnels that runs underneath, knowing full well
to create entire realms from scratch. So why not let the the party will never go there—despite my repeatedly
dice do the work for you? The tables that follow in this mentioning them through covert (and overt) means. I’m
section are designed to help you create a massive world not bitter! These creations aren’t a waste. In fact, the
for your players to inhabit. You may not need all of them detail work you do when worldbuilding isn’t even really
(You may not even need any, in which case, sorry for for the players: It’s for you. These moments of creation
wasting your time…enjoy the other sections?). do wonders for your own understanding of the world
But what you will need as you engage with the material over which you have complete dominion, making the
in this section is an unbridled ego. You are, for all intents story richer and the game more immersive. And in the
and purposes, a god. You have the power to shape the event your sunny beach-based adventure needs a change
abyssal void into any number of planets or earthburgs, of pace, well—there’s always the mountains.
and within those swirling masses of land and sea, a The tables in this section go from the macro (How
collection of continents. On those continents, you can many gods are there in your pantheon? And why are they
place various environments with access to the oceans so pissed off?) to the microcosmic (What would happen
or streams flowing down from the mountains. Whether to the economy if one of those gods visited a little boy in
those streams are made of molten rock or flesh-searing a small town and told him to scare off all the sheep?).
acid is also your call. Embrace your inner deity. Just You can use them all in conjunction with one another to
remember that because your story is likely to include create an entire universe or just cherry-pick the elements
humanoid races, you’ll need to consider aspects of each of you need in order to augment aspects of the world you’ve
their cultures. Where did they settle down? Why there? been tinkering with for ages. You’re a god. Wield these
Once settled, what did they start to do with their time? extensions of your power however you like.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 9

 Worldbuilding

Building a Pantheon Divine Domains

The domain a deity presides over is just as important as
Within the realms of fantasy tabletop role-playing their alignment. Alignment and domain are key drivers
games, a deity (or a pantheon of deities) can influence for a deity and their followers and have a dramatic
the shape of a story or a campaign nearly as much as the impact on story. Subtle shifts in those two aspects of a
setting over which they preside. From benevolent gods divine entity can change their approach to the world
of life and healing to warmongers that seek to enslave or and can help you determine whether they are one of the
destroy, the relationship between the gods and the people party’s allies or one of their potential antagonists. It’s
that serve them is absolutely something that will affect the difference between a deity of the Death domain who
how your players navigate through and interact with abhors the undead and wishes to see the natural cycle of
your world. Sometimes gods are physical manifestations life wax and wane and a deity of the same domain who
of large, overarching ideas (love, the harvest, bad luck), embodies pain, murder and negative energy.
and in other worlds they are merely humanoids who For each of your deities, roll 1d4 to determine the
reached the apex of their potential and found immortality. number of domains the god or goddess presides over.
Whether the party is in service to these gods as clerics or Regardless of the rolls, no matter how strange the
shamans or in opposition to those who seek to forever combination, determine how it might make sense. For
change the landscape, divine influence can be an easy-to- example, a god or goddess who presides over the domains
use storytelling tool that can add depth and meaning to of Nature, Life and Death could be responsible for the
your setting. It can also get real hairy real fast. natural cycles of the seasons and of mortal aging­—both
When looking to create a pantheon of gods, it’s easy a nurturer and a destroyer. Once you have determined
to get overwhelmed with the wealth of possibilities the number of domains, roll that many times on the
available. Instead of trying to build an entire group of Determined Domain(s) table.
gods to cover every aspect of your world, focus instead
on the predominant gods ruling over your corner of the Determined Domain(s)
multiverse and the ways in which they interact.
1d8 This god presides over...
To determine how many predominant gods exist in
your world, roll a d10. The number rolled is the number 1 ...Knowledge
of gods who are currently mixing it up in your realm. For 2 ...Life
each of these gods, roll on the tables that follow to learn a 3 ...Light
little more about who they are and what they want. 4 ...Nature
5 ...Tempest
Deity Alignment 6
This table will determine where each of your primary ...Trickery
gods sit on the 5e alignment chart. To account for the fact 7 ...War
that some gods are simply beyond our understanding of 8 ...Death
right or wrong, or order and chaos, there is the option
for a deity to be unaligned. If you think this complicates Divine Status
things too much, or that the world you want to create Now that you have the spirit and feel of these deities you
isn’t just a series of gray areas merging into one another, need to determine how they interact with one another. Is
feel free to disregard any roll (or this table altogether) at there one entity who stands out as the king or queen of
your discretion. your pantheon? Has a god been exiled or banished from
the celestial realm? Is a goddess being forgotten, her
Alignment followers extinct, her power waning?
1d10 This god is... All of these things can create interesting storylines
1 ...Lawful Good and provide you with possible directions for a campaign.
Is the party solicited by or working unknowingly for a
2 ...Neutral Good banished deity who is trying to move pieces on a cosmic
3 ...Chaotic Good chessboard to end its punishment and take power? Does
4 ...Lawful Neutral the god, who is losing power, on the verge of death, know
5 ...True Neutral a secret that can save life in the known universe? Find out
6 ...Chaotic Neutral each deity’s status by rolling once per entity on the Divine
Status table to determine each god’s status in your realm,
7 ...Lawful Evil
rerolling or embracing any repeats (e.g., if you have two
8 ...Neutral Evil “rulers of the gods” they could share duties as co-leaders;
9 ...Chaotic Evil more than one god can be considered “dying”).
10 ...Unaligned
Divine Status The deities you create using this method need not be
the be-all and end-all of your pantheon. Continue to
1d20 This god is/has...
create and add members to the ranks of your gods as your
1-8 ...a stable power base with many followers.
story evolves. Remember that the goal is not to define
...exiled from the realm of the gods and stripped every aspect of your setting down to the smallest detail
9 of most of their power. but instead to build a framework that will support the
10 ...banished to the material plane. rich environment and epic tales you and your players will
11 ...dying. create together. Some of the most amazing story points
12 ...losing followers and being forgotten. and moments can arise, giving your players agency as
13 ...growing in power. they role-play. Those moments are what will fill your
world with depth and substance. But it’ll be easier for
...imprisoned and forced into eternal slumber.
14 them to play their role when they understand more about
Their dreams touch and influence the world.
the world their characters inhabit.
15 ...missing. Their power ebbs and flows.
16 ...secretly trying to seize power.
17 ...losing power.
18 ...going mad.
...detached from the material plane and
19 interested only in their personal pursuits.
20 ...the ruler of the gods.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 11

 Worldbuilding

Massive Calamity Details

Defining Magic 1d6
Magic is the backbone of most fantasy tabletop Two planes of existence collided. The ensuing
role-playing games. It is the primordial glue that 1 explosion created an eternal source of magic.
holds the universe together and drives the course of
A black hole at the center of the galaxy
development for the people who live in realms where
2 consumed a supernova, creating a source of
the vast powers of creation and destruction can be
arcane power that permeates the universe.
wielded and shaped by individuals. One question you
At the dawn of creation, a celestial conjunction
can (and probably should) consider as you’re laying
3 created a weave of magic around the planets of
down the foundational aspects of your world is fairly
the solar system.
straightforward, but can lead you into complicated A trio of comets crashed into one another as
territory depending on how you choose to answer it: they entered the atmosphere, releasing a surge
4
Where does the magic come from? of power that rained magic upon the realm.
The answer to this question will affect the way your A devastating earthquake fractured the planet’s
stories play out within your setting and can have a 5 core, releasing an ancient power.
profound effect on your players and how they navigate
A powerful solar flare bathed the planet in
your world. Or, you know, it won’t. But it should!
6 roaring fire, resulting in the essence of magic
There are numerous possibilities for the source of arcane
settling onto the world.
power in a universe: maybe an astronomical catastrophe
unlocked an ancient magical power; maybe it has always
been accepted as residing in an individual’s spirit.
Divine Influence
The gods in so many stories send the breath of life into
Thinking about this complex topic in broad categories
the world and with it magic is infused into the very core of
will allow you to pinpoint the specific source as you outline
existence. How have the actions of the gods influenced the
the emergence of magic in your realm. Roll 1d4 and
source of magic in your universe? Was magic born out of
consult the table below to begin.
self-sacrifice on the part of a divine entity? Did the birth of
the gods themselves create the well of arcane power drawn
Source of Arcane Power on by those who wield magic? Use the following table to
1d4 Magic is derived from... find out.
1 ...a massive calamity
2 ...divine influence Divine Influence Details
3 ...mortal invention/scientific study 1d6
4 ...a naturally occurring element Two gods merged to create a source of
1
overwhelming power others can tap.
After determining the form of the arcane power’s One god, seeing sentient life needed a powerful
genesis, consider specifics of the events that birthed magic 2 tool to survive, sent part of its essence out into
into being. Each entry has a corresponding table for your the world.
convenience, but you can also use these to inspire your A divine civil war resulted in the deaths of
own source of magical power. 3 numerous powerful beings. Their departing life
force spread to the world in the form of magic.
Massive Calamity At the beginning of time, the sheer force of the
Throughout fantasy literature we see the inexorable forces 4 gods being born into existence created a well of
of the universe bring waves of change to the settings of power that can be wielded as magic.
those stories. In many cases, these events are pointed to as An impossibly old, snake-like dragon orbits the
the reason magic exists. Was magic released or created by 5 universe, its breath and its movement sending
some universe-shaping event like the explosion of two suns magic into the world.
at the exact moment life evolved on your planet? Did some Magic seeps from the flowing blood of an
6
earth-shattering natural disaster release an ancient power ancient demon imprisoned by the gods.
into the world? Roll on the following table.
Mortal Invention or Residing in the core of the planet is a cauldron
Scientific Study 3 of creation and destruction that feeds and
Mortalkind is ingenious. Humanoids of all sizes, shapes renews the forces of magic.
and flavors (just ask a purple worm) have a penchant Magic is drawn from the collection of all the
for twisting the world and everything in it to their own 4 souls that have passed from mortal life and
designs. Was your magic born from experimentation and from those that have yet to be born.
unbridled research? Did learned scholars develop complex The power of magic resides in the land itself, the
mathematics and a formulary that defined and harnessed 5 soul of the planet, which is a living, utterly
the underlying pillars of reality? Or is magic simply born sentient thing.
of the deeply ingrained belief that spells exist and magic Magic is created by the movement of the sun,
6
will work? Regardless of the reason, mortals who use and moon and stars as they traverse the heavens.
shape magic have an effect on its source and operation.
Roll on the following table to determine how mortalkind
Status of Magic (Optional)
To keep things simple, you could just say magic is
discovered or created your source of magic.
commonplace in your world (it’ll certainly help explain why
everyone has a bag of holding and your adventurers keep
Mortal Invention/Scientific
running into people who can cast counterspell). However,
Study Details
if you want to add another layer to your presentation of
1d6 arcane power, the table below contains a few different ways
Magic is the product of communal belief
that you can affect the status of magic in your setting.
1 that spells will just work if you get the hand
movements right.
The Status of Magic
An errant alchemical experiment created a rift
2 1d8
between worlds from which all magic flows.
Through thousands of years of study, mortals 1 The power of magic is waning and casters are rare.
3 learned to define reality through mathematical 2 Magic is outlawed and casters are hunted.
expression, accessing the forces of creation. The power of magic is strong, but wielded only
3
Wielding magic is a product of individual will as by a select few.
4 they control the force of magic residing within Magic is neither exceedingly rare nor
themselves. 4 commonplace. Magic is viewed with skepticism
Over millennia, mortalkind has developed and fear.
words of power that harness and disrupt Use of the arcane arts is uncommon, and casters
5 5
the fabric of reality and has passed them on are sought out for their skills.
memetically. Divine casters are commonplace and accepted in
6
In the early days of mortalkind, learned scholars society but other arcanists are carefully watched.
created an artifact that taps into the power of Being blessed with divine magic is uncommon;
6 7
the astral bodies. It funnels magical energies divine casters are revered for their uniqueness.
into the world. Magic is commonplace and casters are part of
8
normal society. Every kid has a spellbook.
Natural Source
Under this type of source, magic just is. It is a force that GM NOTE: LAWFUL GOOD VS.
exists in the world and its power is generated by the LAWFUL NOT-SO-GOOD
energy of the planet itself. Whether it’s the primal forces
of the elements that burn and thrive or the life force Some of the options on the Status of Magic table
of every living breathing thing that walks the planet’s can affect the way a spellcaster is played in your
surface, magic is as magic does. Roll on the following campaign. Magic being outlawed on a grand scale
table to define how magic is generated from a natural will definitely provide you and your players the
source in your world or in your universe. opportunity to explore memorable story moments;
however, it does make playing a casting class
Natural Source Details more complicated for your players. Make sure
you have a conversation with your players about
1d6
any of the options you select for your setting that
Magic resides in all living things and creates a
1 might influence their ability to play a casting class
tangible force that can be tapped and wielded.
without pissing off the guards every time they cast
Magic flows from the primordial energies of the sending or mending or prestidigitation.
2
elements.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 13

 Worldbuilding

Building a Planet Environments

Now that you’ve determined the (literal) bedrock, you
Now that you’ve established the metaphysical and
divine aspects of your world, you have a foundation upon can fill each continent with environments chock full of
which to create your setting. And that means establishing arcane attractions, terrifying creatures and other points
some kind of planet (or, you know, an ancient tortoise of interest your party will find impossible to ignore (or
balanced on another tortoise, perched precariously upon avoid). Choose one of the landmasses to be the central
yet another tortoise, etc. ad infinitum). Building a world focus of your efforts and roll 1d8 to determine how many
from nothing is a daunting task. What does your world different environments exist on that continent. Roll on the
look like? How many continents are there and what Environments table for each distinct environment.
ecosystems dominate those continents? Where do its
people reside? How’s the weather?
It’s a lot to consider, but again, it helps to focus in on the GM NOTE: SEEING DUPLICATES?
things that will actually impact your story. As tempting Relying on dice to determine aspects of your
as it can be to spend hours of your day detailing the type world means that inevitably those dice will roll
of timber one might be able to harvest in the Halcyon the same number. Keep them. It could mean there
Wood, there’s a reason people say you can lose the forest is a massive forest that dominates the landscape,
for the trees. Put another way, if you’ve spent your time or there are numerous misty forests dotting the
imagining a roaring waterfall called the Banshee’s Breath, countryside begging to be explored. If those
but your party never visits, does it make a sound? It helps options bore you ignore the dupe and roll again.
to spend most of your time developing the areas where
your party will be spending most of theirs. But because
there’s always that one player who asks something like Environments
“What are the phases of the moon on this world?” it 1d8 This continent features...
helps to also have a basic understanding of the cosmos 1 ...temperate forests
connected to your creation, if only so you can casually 2 ...jungles
answer “Actually, it’s moons.”
3 ...mountainous regions
To that end, start by determining the number of
continents on your planet. Roll on the Continental 4 ...sweltering deserts
Configurations table to determine the makeup of the 5 ...swamps/marshland
landmasses you’ll have to play with. 6 ...arctic tundra
7 ...grassland
Continental Configurations 8 ...hills
1d8 This planet features...
1 ...1 continent or Pangea Remember, strange combinations can be a lot of fun
2 ...2 continents and can add interesting story elements and hooks. Why
3 ...3 continents is there a tropical rainforest next to an arctic tundra?
4 ...4 continents Discovering why could be the impetus for a major
5 ...5 continents adventure arc in your campaign.
6 ...6 continents
7 ...7 continents GM NOTE: PANGEA PANACEA
8 ...Small island nations/aquatic world If your Continental Configurations roll resulted in
a 1, consider rolling 2d8 to determine how many
times you roll on the environments table. This
will provide some additional variety to your huge
chunk of land.

The environments you select will have far-reaching

effects as you continue to build your setting. When you
place your environments, think about how they will
affect your story as a whole. A desert environment might
introduce survival elements (such as lack of water and
extreme heat) for your party to deal with. Conversely,
temperate forests might make for more plentiful foraging
and hunting, but could also mean more potential to
run into predatory creatures who are also looking for a
bite to eat. No environment exists in a vacuum, so take Temperate Forest
a moment to consider what each of these areas might 1d20
contribute to your story as well as the possible gameplay
A pine grove made up of multiple concentric
options that could be available for you and your party.
1 circles of trees, at the center of which is a faerie
Environments impact everything, including imports
ring that serves as a portal to the feyrealms.
and exports, architecture, cuisine and recreation.
A house built into a massive tree populated by a
Considering what the environments are and how they 2 colony of talking squirrels.
inform the civilization you’re creating will help you create
a rich framework for the adventures to come. A tree-filled grotto that surrounds a pool where
3
the essence of a god is said to dwell.
Wonders of the World/Points 4
A rock formation that looks like a hag. It spawns
at a different spot in the forest each dawn.
of Interest (Optional): A long-abandoned cemetery rumored to be
Cities and towns are not the only areas of intrigue that 5 haunted. Ghastly wails echo through the trees
could exist in your world. The wilds and uninhabited and rumors of ghosts are common.
places can sometimes hold secrets and wonders that
A doorway made of twisted vines that hums
are just begging for groups of brave (or perhaps idiotic) 6
with latent magic.
adventurers to explore them. The following tables
provide some marvelous places that could be added to A large, ring-shaped tower with no windows
your continent before you begin to build your civilization. 7 or doors. In the center of the ring grows a pure
They could be landmarks near which cities would grow white elm tree.
or awe-inspiring places that give birth to legends and In a remote part of the forest, a deep gloom
folktales. They are organized by environment, but don’t 8 envelops an area several miles in diameter. At
let that stop you from adding any of them wherever you the center, beasts of shadow guard a gate.
please. After all, you’re a god. To add some, roll 1d6 times Centered in a clearing dominated by giant
on the d20 tables associated with each environment on 9 glowing purple stalks of vines stands a jet black
your continent. obelisk inscribed with jagged markings.
On the edges of a great forest is a large stand of
10 trees that grows to towering heights overnight,
providing an almost endless supply of lumber.
At the bottom of a twisting gorge is a massive
11 yawning cavern. It is rumored that a great wolf
god slumbers in its depths.
In a hidden glade, sentient trees with glowing
12 flowers produce fruit that can cure any disease
when distilled into a tonic.
A seemingly abandoned city of strange spherical
13 buildings built on the vast caps of colossal
vibrant blue mushrooms.
Overlooking a dense cluster of petrified trees is
14 an imposing oak made of pure iron that never
seems to rust.
A strange city made of buildings carved from
15
giant pumpkins, populated by intelligent mice.
16 An antlered skull the size of a large building.
A stretch of territory said to be home to an
17 immortal silver stag that will make real one’s
greatest desires if caught.
A spring of lilac-scented fluorescent purple
18 water that bubbles out of the massive stump of
an ancient tree.
A section of forest that is always on fire but
19 never burns to the ground.
A mine, deep in the forest, worked by diminutive
20 fey creatures that will trade diamonds for
foodstuff.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 15

 Worldbuilding

Jungle Mountain
1d20 1d20
A massive waterfall in a hidden valley. The Large rock formation in the shape of a bear. A
1 churning waters at the bottom of the falls are 1
great waterfall spills from its mouth.
said to hold the secret to eternal life. A deep canyon that contains a portal to the
A series of earthmotes that float high over the 2
elemental plane of earth.
2 landscape are connected by the roots of the A large cliff wall carved and painted in strange
great trees that grow upon them. 3 arcane shapes that predate known civilization.
A crater of unknown origin from which a strange A series of caverns that features a continuously
3 4
blue-green gas wafts upward. forming glowing blue crystal.
An overgrown temple ruin rumored to have a High on a windswept overlook, a teleportation
4 5
degree of sentience. circle has been carved into the rock.
A river of molten rock that runs down into a A giant anvil set into the side of a snowcapped
6
5 deep cave at the bottom of which is a portal to mountain.
the plane of flame. An altar of jet black stone concealed in a hidden
7
6 An invisible city of the fey high in the canopy. valley, used to make sacrifices to dark gods.
Deep in the jungle is a fantastic garden A river of lavender water spirals down the side
8
7 dominated by a series of terraced pools of of a towering mountain peak.
pristine water attended by treants and dryads. A colossal statue of an elven woman holding a
9
Along a winding path through the foliage stand cracked crystal torch.
8 wooden totems of fantastic beasts. From time to Spanning between two great peaks is a bridge
time faces appear in the carvings to offer advice. 10
that leads to a door sealed with dwarven runes.
Hidden deep in the jungle is a city constructed An everlasting tornado of ash and flame that
9 11
of pure gold, haunted by the souls of the dead. belches forth from a bottomless pit.
Nestled around a great lake is a peaceful village, Carved deep into a sheer cliff wall is the door to
10 12
where the residents never age. a cathedral dedicated to a long-dead god.
Across the landscape on hills that poke out from Spanning the width of a desolate mountain
11 the canopy is a series of titanic archways. 13 pass is the rib cage and weathered spine of an
Miles upon miles of towering, narrow columns immense beast.
12 of rock covered with vines and moss. The air Five narrow mountain peaks that look like the
above is full of floating chunks of rock. 14 grasping hand of a titanic earth elemental.
Choked by the undergrowth and hidden from A mountain peak of pure red stone riddled with
13 view by the canopy is a massive, eight-armed, 15
caverns rich with veins of mithral ore.
mandibled monstrosity encased in rich amber.
Visible from a high overlook is a sprawling valley
A rushing river runs in a spiral from and around 16
14 covered in perpetual mist.
the peak of a vegetation-covered mountain
A cluster of trees that creates a ladder up the Dominating what was once a high mountain
15 17 peak is a giant stone mechanism of rotating
face of a cliff into a shrouding mist.
concentric circles.
Several square miles of territory completely
16 A mountain range that looks like the slumbering
covered in dense spiderwebs. 18
A squat, vine-covered, ruined temple that is form of a giant woman.
17 A pair of mountain peaks that look like they
actually a colossal mimic. 19
A path that stretches for miles, lined in faerie grew around each other like a helix.
18 lights, that leads to a glade tended by an Around the peak of a tall mountain is a ring of
20
awakened tree. orbiting spheres of molten rock.
An ancient coliseum rises out of the jungle.
19 Entering explorers are treated to hallucinatory
visions of contests from ages past.
20 A grove of carnivorous, house-sized plants.
Desert Swamp and Marshlands
1d20 1d20
A great oasis that serves as a grand bazaar, A decrepit floating cottage housing an old crone
1 1
attracting merchants of all kinds. who is rumored to have great power.
A series of ruins, half buried in the sand, from A great colony of lizardfolk who reside in a series
2 2
which enticing voices call to passing travelers. of grand caverns beneath the swampgrass.
A large flat plane of sand where sentient A murky bog full of darting wispy lights where it
3 3
whirlwinds roam the landscape. is rumored wishes spoken will be granted.
4 The petrified corpse of a colossal worm. 4 A large whirlpool that spins counterclockwise
An abandoned bridge over a rushing river, the
5 A secluded oasis resort staffed by goblins. 5 end of which is shrouded in mist.
6 A really cool rock. That’s definitely haunted. Inside a sunken ruin is a round door made of
A cliff featuring the carving of a demon’s face. It 6 pure adamantine that has been sealed for
7
speaks prophetic words every century. centuries.
8 A huge whirlpool of sand called “The Tug.” A quarry where gold-veined black marble
An extensive network of caves leading to a lake. 7 is abundant but hard to mine due to all the
9 tentacled creatures laired nearby.
The walls are covered with an edible moss.
In the midst of moss- and vine-covered dark
A buried building housing an endless arcane
10 8 black trees is a vast field of giant lily pads with
library hidden below the sand.
vibrant yellow flowers.
Standing alone in a swath of featureless sand is
11 a gilded mirror, the size of a man, etched with A sunken forest where purple crystals grow from
9
runes in an unknown language. the muddy skeletons of a dozen dragons.
Under the arching roots of ancient trees is a
A perfectly measured circle made up of 10
12 menhir featuring a snake eating its own tail.
immense discarded snail shells.
A dank cavern that descends into the swamp
The destroyed pieces of a megalithic tower. A 11
13 that has walls made of crystalline mirrors.
demon made of wind and sand stalks the ruins.
A flooded marsh with gnarled trees. The water
14 A square mile devoid of gravity. 12
runs red and wailing faces appear in its surface.
A rocky butte surrounded by black clouds that An eerie column of green light shines up from a
15 13
spit orange lightning. tower covered in thorny vines.
A region dominated by massive stone arches Ancient trees, their branches forming intricate
16 14
streaked through with azure gemstones. cages, house pulsing lightning bugs.
A jet black pyramid, with no entrance, ringed by
17 Flocks of flightless pink river birds with magical
a circular wall of stone.
15 feathers roam an area dominated by large trees
Standing sentinel over a canyon entrance are with massive, visible roots.
18
two giant, lifelike dragon statues.
Black mushrooms the size of trees, with gills
A large area strewn with rocks that are actually 16
19 that create a vibrant yellow light.
the eggs of a long-dormant species.
A grove of trees with honeycombed seed pods.
20 A humanoid skull the size of a palace. 17 Their nectar (a favorite of area insects) is said to
have healing properties.
Levitating over a dais of pure marble is an orb
18
inscribed with celestial symbols.
A cemetery where bodies are interred in clear
19 crystal coffins that float on the surface of a bog.
Powerful gouts of water shoot from the surface
20 of part of a swamp. The sprays pull precious
metals and jewels to the surface with each blast.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 17

 Worldbuilding

Arctic Grasslands
1d20 1d20
A large, abandoned palace of ice in the middle On a large verdant plain, the windswept grasses
1 1
of an open tundra. create a maze that confounds careless travelers.
2 The icy corpse of a troll species thought extinct. A pool of crystalline blue water that has healing
2
A large chasm that spews frigid air and icy water properties is guarded by wild buffalo.
3 A gargantuan effigy of a primitive man made
in a plume 100 feet high. 3
Hot spring in the middle of a snowy plain where from ever-growing grass.
4 A solitary tree in the middle of the plain has a
strange fey creatures have been seen. 4
A forest made purely of ice and snow where a door carved into its base.
5 A field of razor-sharp grass that can be deadly to
rare flower grows in abundance. 5 the unwary adventurer.
Inside a ring of standing stones, on a frozen A field of yellow roses that put people into an
6
plateau, it is always spring. enchanted sleep where they dream of pleasant
6
Just visible below the translucent ice of a vast things until they cease to breathe.
7 frozen lake is a building made of ancient coral. Haunting music being carried on the wind from
A windswept rocky plateau with a massive 7
8 an abandoned tower.
sundial carved into it. In the middle of the plains, there is a massive
8
A glacial wall that has the wreck of an immense clawed footprint captured in stone.
9 The hilt and part of the blade of a titanic sword
ship sticking out of it.
9
A broken archway sparking with eldritch power sticks out of a barren plain.
10 A solitary rough-cut crystal statue that animates
on the surface of a perpetually frozen pond. 10 in the light of the setting sun.
11 A ski lodge run by garrulous gnomes.
An ornate walled garden full of petrified
Inside of a cavern made of ice is an alien 11
12 creatures.
structure built out of glowing stone cubes.
High above the grasslands floats an ornate
Beautiful lights streak across the sky in a variety 12 castle of pure white stone that is protected by a
13 of colors, heralding the arrival of valuable forms magical wall of force.
of starmetal.
Spaced out around a vast plain are huge trees
Massive pale yellow crystals stick out of a frozen 13 with very narrow trunks and overwhelming
14 mountain. Inside the crystals are giant shadowy canopies of red branches with magenta leaves.
shapes that sometimes move. On a gully-strewn plain, large oblong rocks
An area of the rocky tundra covered with bright 14 move to and fro of their own volition.
15 pink permafrost. Creating potions using this From a rocky outcropping, a stairway of
substance increases their yield by 1d4. 15 pure light rises from the ground into the sky,
Giant glowing columns of ice stretch high above disappearing as it climbs.
16 the landscape. Roaring blue flames burn at the Stretching across the rolling plains is an ancient
top of each column. battlefield, still wet with blood and strewn
16
Perched regally on a high plateau is the form of with skeletons. It is watched over by a towering
17 a gargantuan petrified dragon that has steam colossus.
constantly running from its nostrils. Buried in the ground, near the surface, are
On a vast frigid sea, massive icebergs move glowing blue orbs of precious stone. Mining
17
18 unpredictably. Many of these icebergs are them is difficult as they seem to resist being
rumored to hold ancient treasures. removed.
A network of wide, labyrinthine tunnels that lead An area where a symphony of natural music
19 18 rises as the wind rubs the blades of grass
to a small yeti colony.
Frozen into the side of a mountain is a sphere together and crickets and cicadas harmonize.
20 An immense stone human head with an ancient
that appears to contain a living aurora borealis.
19 crumbling city built atop it rises from the
ground in the middle of a barren plain.
20 An ant colony the size of a small city.
Hills Built into the side of a hill is a miniature replica
1d20 12 of the closest city. It magically changes, grows or
A community of giant halflings, outcasts from shrinks to match its double.
1 their respective communities. Starburst-shaped shards of valuable crystal
The skeleton of an ancient titan half-buried 13
2 tower above the landscape near a group of hills.
under the rolling landscape. A blinding dust cloud hovers, unmoving, masking
A series of long-abandoned signal beacons that 14
3 an ancient elven civilization in the clouds.
sometimes blaze to life. Isolated earthquakes shake the landscape in
A wrecked vessel of unknown origin that sits 15 a 5-mile radius, often revealing rich veins of
4
inexplicably atop a large hill. valuable metal and gems.
A chessboard carved into the rolling hills with A gaping tunnel mouth under a large overhang of
5
pieces the size of large creatures. 16 rock that leads down into a massive cavern full of
The largest giant bee colony in the world. The ancient bones made of clouded glass.
6 Gold constantly washes up on the shores of an
scent of honey can be smelled for miles.
A collection of rocky crags filled with a pink gas 17 ancient lake, though the source of the precious
7 metal has never been found.
that causes a form of spiritual euphoria.
A series of ever-shifting hills and valleys that are Set in the rocky ground are numerous totem
8 poles, carved to look like various animals.
said to be formed by the god of snakes.
A barren moor where large canine footprints are 18 Touching the totems allows you to see through
9 burned into the landscape and the air around the eyes of a nearby creature matching the
smells of sulfur. statue’s appearance.
An expansive magical network of tunnels.
Hovering 1,000 feet above the ground is a disc of As soon as a creature enters one, they are
10 19
sandstone engraved with stellar patterns. teleported to the exit of another.
An island that looks like a crashing wave sits in Standing atop a hill is a lonely well. The bottom is
11 the middle of a deep lake. The sounds of surf 20 not visible, but the scent of roses wafts from the
echo off the lake’s placid surface. dark depths.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 19

 Worldbuilding

Building a Realm GM NOTE: OUTLIERS,

There are numerous ways you can divide a continent
NOMADS AND MALCONTENTS
into countries, territories, fiefdoms, duchies or “the
stuff that’s ours.” Some lines are drawn by peace treaty, Huge swaths of open land are not always
then redrawn following a violent expansion. Others are completely overtaken by cities and towns. In
created by natural barriers such as mountain ranges or these spaces, humanoids still gather and exist,
wide waterways or exist as nebulous “we don’t go into sometimes on the outskirts of civilization. There
their wood, and they stay out of our city” cultural norms. are always those that eschew the rigid nature of
Some kingdoms consist of “everything the light touches.” populated cities and controlling governments.
Others are precisely measured down to the last micron. The Country Configuration table contains
You could spend hours developing the ranging, blood- two options for groups such as this. Are there
soaked history of the borders within each continent, or anarchists or separatists who are disenchanted
(if you’re feeling less ambitious) you could roll a few dice. with the governing bodies and are gathering in
Assuming you choose the latter, the tables that follow secluded places in the wilds? Or perhaps instead,
will help you determine where territorial lines ought to they have taken territory claimed by one of those
be drawn, creating the potential for intrigue and conflict governments they so despise and “liberated it,”
between the peoples of those places. carving the territory out for themselves because
Start by rolling on the Country Configuration table for they believe it to be their right. Are nomadic tribes
the continent upon which you’re starting your adventure of peoples who follow game migration and the
to determine the number of countries that exist therein. seasons accepted by society or viewed with distrust
As you continue to develop your world, you can come and derision? Regardless of how you decide these
back to this table for each of the continents you’ve created peoples fit into your world, these types of groups
in order to map out the political reality of each. might provide interesting story hooks or possible
conflicts for your players.
Country Configuration
1d10 This continent features...
...two large countries, one medium country, Every realm that contains intelligent humanoids is
1 going to be a hotbed for activity, both good and bad.
three smaller countries
...four large countries, two medium countries Each one of the countries you are creating will have
2
times of prosperity and recession. There will be wars,
...one large country, four medium countries, five encroachments, subterfuge and other challenges
3
small countries resulting from creatures with a tribal or nationalistic
...three large countries, one tiny country with all streak living in close proximity to one another. Using the
4 the goodies Country Status table, you can gain a general sense of the
5 ...six medium countries main source of conflict within its borders. Is it an era of
6 ...two large countries, three smaller countries good feeling or a time of tension? Is there an arms race
...three large countries, three medium countries, underway due to limited resources or are neighboring
7 kingdoms working together to overcome an existential
two small countries
...one large country that spans the entire threat? Are the peoples of this land suffering from disease
8 or famine? Roll to find out.
continent
...anarchists or separatists who oppose any
form of government and have carved out a Country Status
9 territory they control. Roll again on this table to 1d6 This country is...
determine country make up. Ignore this result 1 ...at war
on a duplicate roll. 2 ...suffering from famine
...a nomadic tribe wandering the continent,
3 ...afflicted by disease
beholden to its own form of government. Roll
again on this table to determine the country 4 ...at peace
10
make up. If you roll another 10, add another 5 ...in a time of plenty and prosperity
tribe before rolling once more. 6 ...balanced, neither suffering nor too prosperous
 continent interact with one another (but can be used to
GM NOTE: WAR! add context to the result of the Country Configuration
A CAMPAIGN UNTO ITSELF table). It also provides some general ideas as to potential
conflicts and story hooks that may exist in those regions.
A country experiencing a time of war is a unique
status due to its overarching effects on a region’s
Countries and Conflicts
population. War can bring famine and disease. It
can also spur development and bring an economic 1d6 The continent features...
boom to a struggling population. Where the war ...one medium country sandwiched between
1
is taking place is the most important thing for you larger warring countries.
...one large and two medium countries
to determine, because the proximity of the fighting
participating in a mutually beneficial alliance
is going to determine the magnitude of its effect 2 and one small country that is isolationist,
on your players and the context of many of your
xenophobic and teeming with wild magic.
encounters. Roll on the War table to determine
...one large country that is trying to take over
the nature of the conflict. That’s what it’s good for.
3 the smaller countries, which have formed a
mutually beneficial (if tenuous) alliance.
War ...one large country led by religious zealots
1d4 The country is in a... bordered by medium countries that act
1 ...civil war 4 as a bulwark against expansion, providing
2 ...war with an immediate neighbor protection to other smaller countries.
3 ...war with a country on the same continent ...countries of relatively equal size linked
...war with a distant foe 5 together by an extensive trade network. One of
4
the countries harbors a dark secret.
...three of the included countries all angling
The next table, Countries and Conflicts, provides 6 through political intrigue to gain control over a
an additional way to break down your continent and large resource-rich (and neutral) territory.
includes some ideas for how the nations within that

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 21

 Worldbuilding

Forms of Government Type of Government

Pick one of the countries you have created as your 1d10
“country of origin.” This will be the place where your 1 Authoritarian
adventures begin (at least as far as your party is 2 Democracy
concerned). The question “Who’s in charge around here?” 3 Monarchy
is liable to come up when there’s a murder to investigate Oligarchy
4
or a monster bounty that needs to be paid or a fiendish
5 Aristocracy
plot to replace the monarch with a mummified cat
underway, so you need to start thinking about who it is 6 Theocracy
that leads this country and how they exercise their rule. 7 Tribalism
The form of government in your country (and city, and 8 Communalism
township) will inevitably set the tone for its citizens, 9 Dictatorship
which in turn will establish the social environment in Utopian
10
which your players are mucking about.
Those in power run the spectrum when it comes to how
they view and interact with their subjects/citizens. The
Authoritarian
In an authoritarian state, the government has total
form of government itself can start to lend flavor and feel
control over the citizens, who abide by a principle of
to your story before the leadership of that government is
unthinking submission to the power of the state and
ever established. Consider how a society functions under
its leader. It’s a system in which individual thought and
a democratically elected government that (presumably)
action are secondary to the needs of the governing body.
answers to and works for the people contrasted with
To the outside eye, a governmental system such as this
a government run by the wealthy whose goals are to
one could be mistaken for a free state, but this is merely
increase and hold their wealth (Spoiler alert: These could
non-arcane casting of major image on a grand scale.
describe the same country). In terms of the ideal forms of
Many of the actions taken by a government under
rule, those who can choose their rulers have more leeway
authoritarian rule are taken to dupe the people (and, to
to chase their own wants and desires than those who
an extent, neighboring states) into thinking their leaders
don’t; those who may be forced to adhere to the whims
are benevolent and the people are free; however, those
of a ruthless oligarchy that barely allows its subjects to
actions vary in degrees of success. In many cases, despite
achieve anything beyond subsistence may be less thrilled
their best efforts, there are cracks in the facade and the
to be serving their leaders than those who live in, like, a
true nature of the government’s rule becomes apparent.
utopia.
Most authoritarian governments do not have a highly
Taking things a step further, the person (or persons) in
developed guiding ideology and will often tolerate social
power are going to affect the way the government is run,
organization of their peoples as they do not in reality
perhaps even more than the form of government itself. A
have the absolute power to effectively control every
shadowy council that wants to maintain an iron grip on
aspect of their citizens’ lives. In many cases, the leader of
trade and wealth to enrich themselves is going to create
a government of this kind truly believes they are acting
a vastly different country than a collective interested
in the people’s best interest. These beliefs are, as often,
in controlling an area’s economy to ensure there is
self-serving.
fair competition, a lack of monopolies and enough
Leaders in this type of government are typically
opportunity to go around.
capricious and wield their power without any regard for
Thinking about how each of those different scenarios
written laws. There are no elections (at least not in the
is going to affect the tone and color of the world you are
fair and free sense) so there is very little hope for change
building provides different overtones to your setting, as
without violent upheaval. Authoritarians act arbitrarily
well as opportunities to organically seed plot hooks with
according to their own whims, and the driving force
which to bait your party.
behind what they do is maintaining the status quo. In
As you go about determining the overall government
most circumstances, an authoritarian government is
in the country you are creating, also start thinking about
thought of as a highly concentrated, strongly centralized
how that form of government will affect the cities, towns
form of government upheld through the dual arms of
and villages inside the country’s borders. Large capital
repression and the exclusion of political challengers. In
cities are likely to have functionaries installed by the
sum: a perfect system if you’re building a campaign built
ruling government, where border towns or backwater
around a possible revolution.
villages may not have seen a member of the government
in decades, if ever.
To determine the form of government currently ruling
the country you are fleshing out, roll 1d10 on the Type
of Government table. Once determined, refer to each
government’s writeup in the pages that follow.
Questions to Consider Democracy
• What would this type of government do to the Democracy is a system of government by which the
morale of its people? common people are supposed to be the driving factor
• With a wide range of social controls designed to in decision-making. Individuals are given the ability to
stifle free thought and discourage opposition to the vote in elections for their leaders as well as potential
establishment, what would the atmosphere of this laws and policy changes. In a direct democracy, the
country be like? majority rule of every individual in the nation is what
• How does this government keep its people in decides legislation. In a representative democracy, the
line? Is it through control of the military or does people use their vote to elect people to do the voting
it maintain its grip on the population by creating for them, trusting (or at least hoping) these elected
a bureaucracy most citizens could never hope to individuals have their best interests at heart.
navigate? In this form of government, the people are granted
• Consider alignment: How does lawful good rights and privileges that are not supposed to be
authoritarianism differ from neutral evil? infringed upon by those in power. People in a nation
ruled in this way are allowed to say what they want,
When thinking about who leads a regime like this, practice the religion they want and are free to meet with
remember it is not always readily apparent from the people of like mind. Laws are mutually agreed upon for
outside looking in that the people living under this rule the benefit of everyone.
are oppressed or mistreated. Authoritarian leadership What’s important is that in this form of government,
could consist of a charismatic person who puts on a very unlike so many others, power is not held solely by a single
good act or a clandestine group that runs things behind individual or by a small elite group of individuals. Power
the scenes. is wielded by the people. Their voices are paramount
To determine the leader of this type of government, when decisions are made.
refer to the Authoritarian Leaders table and roll 3d4 These protections for the people are usually codified
to randomly select the leader(s), their goals and their in official documents like constitutions or charters that
methods. outline everything the government can and cannot do.
That’s not to say a document like this does not change
Authoritarian Leaders and evolve with the people it applies to, but it acts as a
1d4 Who Goals Methods guide for what is supposed to happen and how.
A(n)... who seek(s) to... by... Within this system, people vote on issues great and
installing a small, from who will represent them on the international
shadow council control all trade powerless stage, who will command their armies, who will execute
1 laws and what the punishments for breaking them should
of masked lords and wealth figurehead
leader be. Everything from these lofty issues to something as
aggressively utilizing a simple as whether or not someone can open a new tavern
triumvirate of on a particular corner (Thanks for voting “no” on this one
2 expand their secret police
judges Gary! Unbelievable!) can be influenced by the average
borders force
rule from the citizen. Assuming they vote. Many don’t. Some can’t. And
female half-elf using mind
3 shadows with an therein lies the rub as far as democracies go: If the people
mage control
iron fist who have the power are unable to wield it, it creates a
overreliance power vacuum into which any number of megalomaniacs
ban all religion in
4 human artificer the city on science and can creep.
invention
Questions to Consider
• How would this type of system affect the
atmosphere of your country?
• What types of social and political intrigue story
hooks for your players could arise out of a system
like this?
• Is there anyone trying to subvert, undermine or
overthrow the people’s primacy? How would they go
about it? And to what end?
• Will one of your party run for office? What
happens if they win?

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 23

 Worldbuilding

To determine the leader of this type of government, refer nobility and aristocrats squabble and fight to rise to the
to the Democracy Leaders table and roll 3d4 to randomly throne, which they will then cede to their own heir and
select a leader, their goals and their methods. so on and so on until the monarchy comes to an end. In
short, there’s stability in progeneration.
Democracy Leaders Because of the way a monarchy works and how it
1d4 Who Goals Methods changes hands, its effect on the people can vary. The
A(n)... who seek(s) to... by... common folk could live for decades under the benevolent
turning to rule of a wise queen only to find themselves instantly
dragonborn improve
science and suffering under the rule of her tyrannical offspring.
1 conditions for all
mayor
people invention
supporting
Questions to Consider
• Because the king or queen has absolute authority
group of elected amass wealth for and financing
2 over everything and everyone within their domain,
senators themselves local business
for good or for ill, what sort of ruler are they? How
and trade
does the personality of a monarch affect the citizens
peacefully absorb
forming an of this nation?
neighboring
alliance with • Are the people pleased with the rule of their
3 city council territories to
a powerful monarch or is there displeasure with the
increase their
mage college government, bordering on sedition?
own influence
righting a • How do the other nobility, including the monarch’s
bolster their recent wrong relatives, view the king or queen? Are there secret
4 chief minister plots to remove them from rule? What about openly
reelection (in the wrong
way) stated plots? How are these plots addressed?
• What was the approach of the previous
generation’s ruler and how does that influence the
Monarchy way the current monarch approaches their rule?
The old fantasy role-playing staple. Innumerable • How did your ruler gain the throne? Put another
adventures have been started at the behest of a make- way, how did the previous ruler die? What about the
believe king or queen (and, it should be said, real ones). ruler before them?
Inevitably heroes of the scale your players will become
over the course of your story will garner the attention of If you are struggling to determine a leader for your
a monarch or two. So often when we journey through the newly minted monarchy, refer to the Monarchy Leaders
stories placed in a sword and sorcery setting we think of table and roll 3d4 to randomly select a leader, their goals
governments like this being the prevailing system. The and their methods.
presentation of a great quest from a regal, benevolent
ruler is a provocative image. Many of the most well- Monarchy Leaders
known fantasy stories begin this way and as a result, 1d4 Who Goals Methods
though we’ve never been in that scenario, it’s easy to A(n)... who seek(s) to... by...
imagine and therefore easier to roleplay than some of elevate the
these other governmental systems. position of the expertly
It’s also simpler to run. At its core, monarchy is a form genteel people on the negotiating trade
1
of government in which a single person is the head of queen international deals
the state until they abdicate the throne or they shuffle off stage
this mortal coil (from natural causes or something more guide every engaging in
sinister). Usually, the monarch has complete authority aspect of the tactical but
2 child king
that covers everything in their domain. They make the everyday lives of brutal military
laws, which they judge in accordance to their whims and their citizens campaigns
enforce as they, and they alone, see fit. Sort of like a GM. charismatic
Monarchs are typically chosen by heredity and prince gain control of
subterfuge and
birthright. The title or the crown or the vibrant pink 3 (whose neighboring
espionage
bunny tiara (It’s your kingdom!) is passed from parent father is territory
to child for generations. As they say, “The King is dead. missing)
Long live the King!” This does, however, put significant ensure their name
acting with
pressure on a ruler to set a good match and create stoic and reign echoes
4 benevolence and
strong progeny so the line of rule is not broken. Wars, emperor throughout
empathy
assassinations and political infighting often result after history
the death of a monarch who has no children as the
Oligarchy
In an oligarchy, literally “rule of the few,” the members To determine the leader of this type of government, refer
of the ruling elite are the wealthiest or otherwise most to the Oligarchy Leaders table and roll 3d4 to randomly
powerful people in the country. They use their money select a leader, their goals and their methods.
and influence to set the stage for them to get richer, be
more powerful and leech more from the common man, Oligarchy Leaders
who they see as an inferior creature. These super-rich 1d4 Who Goals Methods
cabals are in many cases inherently corrupt, seeing A(n)... who seek(s) to... by...
the act of governance as nothing more than another obtain a
group of
opportunity to line their pockets. Aristotle postulated monopoly to sabotaging
1 dwarven gem
an oligarchy contrasted to other forms of government consolidate their rivals
magnates
by a select elite, characterizing it as a rule of the few for power
corrupt and unjust purposes. controlling
council of guild expand into new
An oligarchy might also be operating behind the 2 all the trade
leaders territories
scenes of a realm ostensibly ruled by another form of routes
government. An elite caste can wield its power to unfairly bribing
collection control the
influence the official government and bend it to their anyone who
3 of five noble economy with an
desires. As a general rule, these leaders work solely to stands in their
families iron fist
make things better for themselves and could really give way
two shakes of a dead goblin about anyone else. gnomish
purchase and
The drawback (for the leaders) is that these societies alchemist and turning lead
4 own all major
rarely last. That isn’t to say they won’t persist for an a few close into gold
businesses
extended period of time, but the good times can only friends
roll for so long. Inevitably the poor become poorer, the
desperate become more desperate and before you know
it they are chopping off heads in city squares while slicing Aristocracy
some delicious cake. Oligarchy’s even more self-righteous cousin, aristocracy
It is possible that those living in the shadow of great might be described as “Rule by a few of the best.” The
riches may not feel the pinch of poverty. People’s lives idea is that the morally and intellectually superior
do continue under this system of government and it is govern in the interest of all, a definition surely created
totally possible to survive and thrive. It is also possible by aristocrats. These fine folk, who decide on behalf of
that the people living in this nation do not know the all people that they are better than everyone else, rule
rich rule everything. Just because the super-rich rise because they are presumed to be the most qualified.
to the top and work to keep themselves there, does not There are aristocratic classes inherent in many
mean everyone else lives in utter destitution. However, forms of government. In a monarchy, for example, the
oligarchies inherently create inequality. It isn’t an nobility form the aristocracy. They claim to be better
overnight process—it could take generations—but in the because they are “born better.” The mere circumstance
end, the wealth all ends up in one place (the top) while of their birth is all they need to be counted among the
everyone else has to fight to survive at their feet. powerful. In a democracy, the “best” are put forward by
the common man and elected to a position of power;
Questions to Consider they create a de facto aristocracy regardless of their
• How will a ruling class of incredibly wealthy beginnings or their intentions.
individuals impact the tone of your setting? This term “best” is so subjective that the ruling caste
• How long has this group been in power? An can grow out of a variety of sources. In the simplest
oligarchy in its infancy might not look or feel too terms, the aristocracy is the upper crust of society, the
awful for those who live in it. But, if you choose elite. This part of society can be found everywhere
this form of government and decide it has been the from the top ranks of government to the hierarchy of a
form of rule for generations, what would that look religious organization.
like for the citizenry? Simply, this system categorizes people into very defined
• How will this system affect your players, their parameters. Their opportunities, connections and
options and their ability to act? contacts are all going to be determined by where they fall
• If a group of de facto rulers has a seemingly in the social ladder and how hard they work to climb it.
endless source of wealth, how would they wield it Their worth will be defined by who their parents are and
to remain in power? If necessary, how would they what characteristics set them above the rest of the rabble
wield it against the party? in the eyes of their peers.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 25

 Worldbuilding

Questions to Consider Theocracy

• How does this very defined divide between Those who rule in a theocracy do so because they believe
sections of society affect your story and setting? they are guided by the divine. In a system such as this,
• What sort of social intrigue and political clergy or priests hold the highest places of government,
machinations could your party be ensnared by when and prevailing law and policy are all generated through
engaging with this system? the study of religious texts. It is hard for the common
• How does the separation of the social strata in person to argue with the statement “because the gods said
your nation affect the people that your party will so.” After all, their immortal souls are on the line.
interact with? How does it affect the party? In a government system such as this, it is believed and
• Where did your player characters come from? Are commonly recognized that the leadership has a direct
they all working folk or were they born into the ruling connection with the gods or whatever divine being the
caste? How does this affect how they interact with religion of the land recognizes as their sovereign. It is
one another and the social structures around them? a system in which the average everyday citizen can do
little more than follow the laws and traditions as set
When considering who would lead a country in this down in their religious practice.
fashion, you could select a group of individuals who pull When looking at how this type of government is going
the strings of government and really define what that to affect your setting there are several important things to
group means to your overall story. Or, you could look at consider. The nature and domain of this deity will dictate a
it from the perspective of following a single person within lot about the nation that follows them. A nation dedicated
this social structure, who is working, either benevolently to a deity of trade or knowledge may forge its people into
or nefariously, to better their own position. Go with masters of negotiation or expert treaty mediators. A nation
whatever helps you to tell the story you are crafting. dedicated to a god of war may not be the most pleasant
To determine the leader of this type of government, neighbor if their deity of choice tends to the evil side of
refer to the Aristocracy Leaders table and roll 3d4 to the alignment axis or demands its worshipers show their
randomly select a leader, their goals and their methods. commitment by waging a forever war.
Secondly, it’s a good idea to determine how the
Aristocracy Leaders leadership of the government interprets and follows
1d4 Who Goals Methods the doctrines of their gods. We must remember that the
A(n)... who seek(s) to... by... people who are putting these divinely-inspired methods
elven duke into practice are still just people (unless, you know,
increase the they’ve been transformed or something).
believed to falsifying an
wealth and
1 be the most attack from
influence of their Questions to Consider
intelligent another realm
territory • Which deity does the country or nation follow?
creature alive
creating Assuming they exist, how does the deity feel about
congress of dictate policy that propaganda this? What would it mean if they weren’t real?
2 self-appointed will maintain the that influences • Do the country’s religious leaders practice their
overlords division of wealth the people to religious beliefs as they were originally intended
be compliant or as the deity laid them down? Or do they corrupt
amass the any means those practices, twisting them to their own ends for
circle of learned greatest collection necessary their own benefit?
3 • What obstacles arise for your players out of a
mages of knowledge in (and also
the realm magic) skewing of religious ideology? What dangers
elevating the lie ahead of them when the desires of men warp
bring about the
baroness with a best people something born of divine will?
4 night that lasts
dark secret with the • How do the religious practices of the nation
forever
brightest ideas influence their people and their approach to life?

The atmosphere of a region governed by a theocracy

is going to be heavily dependent on the nature of the
religion they follow and the people who are putting the
principles of that religion into practice. Make sure to take
this into account when adding details to your setting.
To determine the leader of this type of government,
refer to the Theocracy Leaders table and roll 3d4 to
randomly select a leader, their goals and their methods.
Theocracy Leaders the face of such traditions? What story hooks might
interactions with a government like this provide?
1d4 Who Goals Methods
A(n)... who seek(s) to... by... To determine the leader of this type of government,
convert all being overly refer to the Tribalism Leaders table and roll 3d4 to
high
1 citizens to their charitable and randomly select a leader, their goals and their methods.
priest(ess)
religious beliefs mission oriented
bankrolling Tribalism Leaders
spread their god’s
child of crusades
2 doctrine to other 1d4 Who Goals Methods
prophecy to conquer
lands A(n)... who seek(s) to... by...
unbelievers
bring an avatar of unleashing the practicing
council of council of keep the tribe’s
3 their god to the power of the 1 isolationism and
nine elders existence hidden
material plane moon key xenophobia
root out heresy and paying excessive maintain holding close to
mute their people’s
4 those who question bounties to those shaman their convictions
confessor 2
divine word who help the cause traditions and and promoting their
way of life ideology
discouraging
Tribalism trio of
retain access to a
encroachment by
Typically, a government of this type is a loosely based 3 fierce means of magical
special resource
affair that focuses on a group of people who share the warriors suggestion and
same mythology, traditional practices and likely a lot brute force
of common genealogy. It immediately drives home the ensure the tribe’s retaliating for
strong implication that there is a shared cultural or 4 chieftain defense through any slight, real or
ethnic identity separating them from members of other aggressive offense perceived
organized groups. Groups like these traditionally form for
mutual survival, but evolve lasting cultural, linguistic and
social ties by living in close, quasi-familial proximity. Communalism
Most humanoid groups are social creatures and as a Communalism is a style of government where the people
whole do not live their best lives on their own. Social form cooperatives based on commonalities. These could
structures inside a tribal society help keep the group be formed on the basis of religion, race, socioeconomic
together and strong despite, or perhaps in the face of, status, profession or any of a thousand different
difficult personal relationships. The focus of this form identifiers that might tie people together. These groups
of government is to maintain the traditions, culture and begin to govern themselves as well as interact with other
safety of the members of the tribe at any cost. groups founded in the same way for similar reasons.
The focus of the group, their surroundings and Inside a system such as this, people create and
location are going to determine a lot about how a nation maintain strong attachments to the community to which
governed in this way interacts with the world at large. they belong, be it one based on a profession or solely
If their position is secure and their people content and on geographic location. It is a fractious society where
well-cared for, it is highly possible a group like this each of these autonomous groups tries to interact, live
would have much to offer members or even outsiders. and survive. This is not to imply there is no central
If life as part of the tribe is still a constant fight for leadership. There are instances where councils formed
survival, as a people, they could become more violent, of representatives from each of these communities come
pursuing survival at any cost. together and try to work toward the common good.
Perhaps this community has elected a strong
Questions to Consider central leader who is adept at managing the different
• Is the nation composed entirely of migratory factions and is moving the whole society toward better
peoples? If so, how does this affect the physical circumstances. Even with a strong leader, this is a
structure of the country? Are there settlements or society with so many working pieces that there’s ample
just simple trading posts and supply depots? opportunity to place your party in a position to make
• Have traditionally migratory people recently friends and enemies that will further drive your story.
settled and put down roots? How does this
manifest? Do they build great cities? Questions to Consider
• How does this nation navigate participation on • How does a government run in this way change the
the international stage while still maintaining their atmosphere of your setting?
traditions and identity? • Would it feel akin to anarchy where all of these
• What obstacles could the party come up against in different factions and communities are fighting with

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 27

 Worldbuilding

one another for superiority? Or is it organized? the latter a dictator rarely tries to hide their actions or
• Are each of these communities in conflict for present themselves as anything other than what they are.
mere survival, or have they learned how to sustain In an authoritarian state, a single individual does not
their communal ideals? Think about the political need to hold all the power; a large scale bureaucracy (or
machinations that would exist inside a tumultuous a specific group) can hold power just as easily as a single
congress formed from representatives from these person. Under a dictatorship, a lone individual acts as the
different factions and how each might affect your god of their domain and does so unapologetically.
players. Dictators tend to be tyrannical, turning to intimidation,
• Are any of your players from this place and do terror and outright violence to control the populace. They
they now have their loyalties torn between their generally lead the military and any other institutions of
community and their party (whose goals might not power, and they wield those institutions like weapons
align)? against anyone else who would stand against them. They
• How does the leadership of this nation and their maintain power through force.
methods influence the way the party interacts with All the while, they are feeding their people a never-
the government if your story dictates they should? ending stream of propaganda that presents what they
are doing as the only right thing to do, sometimes going
To determine the leader of this type of government, as far as to say the oppression the people live under is for
refer to the Communalism Leaders table and roll 3d4 to their own good and protection. A dictator is typically a
randomly select a leader, their goals and their methods. morally bereft individual who is addicted to power and
will do anything they can to get it and keep it.
Communalism Leaders While this form of government is traditionally viewed
1d4 Who Goals Methods on the evil end of the alignment table, that is not
who seek(s) to... by... necessarily always the case. Think about how a society
maintain a led by a lawful good paladin might look. This may be
A merit-based encouraging a society where any crime­—even something as benign
balance for all
conclave of extensive as public intoxication—might carry an extreme form of
1 the different
seven faction discourse and punishment. This leader may believe they are acting with
groups among the
representatives argument the people’s best interest in mind and working on behalf
citizenry
keep the peace of the greater good. Their actions and absolute authority
utilizing are still despotic. The people are no more free in this
The First between the
2 espionage and circumstance than they would be under an evil warlord
Minister factions and
blackmail dedicated to a dark god.
groups
In short, the only good dictatorship is one you can use
The Faces of the hiring as a narrative device. This type of government will, from
Many, elected find a common assassins the jump, provide an antagonist for your party. This may
3 representatives enemy and faking not be the BBEG of your campaign, but navigating a
of all the incursions society held in the clenched fist of a dictator will provide
factions
many challenges for your party from the very beginning
No central of your story. It is an environment ripe with opportunities
leadership ensure the violent,
for your player characters to be heroes (or, if they get
4 (each faction survival of the antagonistic
caught, martyrs).
operates on larger collective conflict
their own goals) Questions to Consider
• How do the dictator’s goals affect the atmosphere
in the nation? What happens if they align with the
Dictatorship goals of the party?
A dictatorship is a form of government in which one
• How is the party viewed by the government and
person possesses absolute power with no limitations.
what obstacles would present themselves if the party
This differs substantially from a monarchy because in
were considered enemies of the state?
a monarchy there are laws, traditions and policies that
• Would the way the party is viewed by the general
can limit the power of a monarch. In a dictatorship, the
population change if they were believed to be allies
person holding the position of authority has done away
of the government?
with all of that. There are no limitations. This person can
• Does the dictator have a specific (and/or
act however they see fit with no repercussions. They are
expressed) ideology or do they operate chaotically in
the law and the law is whatever they feel like it should be
the absence of any guiding principles?
on any given day.
• How are the lives of the people in the nation
Living under a dictatorship may feel very similar to
affected on a day-to-day, moment-to-moment basis?
living under an authoritarian ruler, however, unlike
 Getting dictatorship as a result on your roll for • How will the party react if they find they truly are
Type of Government may instantly bring to mind a living in a utopia, but it’s being threatened by an
horrible warlord or conniving princess who will lead the outside force?
government. However, if you are struggling to come up • Does gold have any value here? If not, how will the
with something, refer to the Dictatorship Leaders table party acquire new items?
and roll 3d4 to randomly select a leader, their goals and • What sort of fallout would there be if the cost of
their methods. maintaining this utopia were significantly high for
only one or two party members?
Dictatorship Leaders
1d4 Who Goals Methods To determine the leader of this type of society, refer
A(n)... who seek(s) to...by... to the Utopian Leaders table and roll 3d4 to randomly
imprisoning select a leader, their goals and their methods.
hobgoblin amass power and
1 malcontents in
general wield it carefully
labor camps Utopian Leaders
forcing 1d4 Who Goals Methods
elven rule this realm
2 conscription in the A(n)... who seek(s) to... by...
empress and every other
military providing
conquer in the for everyone
employing elephantkind spread societal
merfolk name of their 1 and sharing
3 dark magic and guru enlightenment
warlock patron or higher resources
demonic alliances
power equally
giantkin enslave all those allying with an expand their
4 leaning on
warlord of smaller stature ancient dragon approach to a
2 human mage magic and
non-sentient
alchemy
workforce
Utopian treat everyone allying with
In a utopian society, everyone is equal and has a fair set of halfling
3 like it’s their creatures of
share. Every citizen has an equal voice when it comes to triplets
birthday the fey wild
policy, procedure and law. Everyone has an equal share of meet all the needs
creating a
the wealth and of necessary resources. In a society such as aberrant of their citizens,
4 large-scale
this, every religion is valued, every opinion is considered, hivemind both physical and
illusion
and discourse about differences is constructive and economic
cordial. In other words—a total fantasy. But you’re
creating a fantasy realm, so why not indulge?
The biggest question to answer when applying this type GM NOTE: CITY GOVERNMENTS
of society or government style to your setting is “How’d The tables associated with a form of government
they do it?” What series of events occurred that allowed are designed to be applied to a country as
this society to grow into one of utter bliss? Was there a whole. The likelihood is that all the cities
an invention or magical item constructed that provided and towns you are building will follow the
for the needs of all of the people? Was there some form government style of the nation to which they
of divine intervention that led to everyone’s basic needs belong. However, there are always outliers. If you
being met, allowing them the time to pursue their own want, you can repeat the process using the Type
interests, or is the entire system a facade, with a single of Government table and the appropriate Leader
illusionist pulling all the strings? table applying those rolls to individual cities and
The second aspect of this type of society to keep in towns as it fits your storytelling purposes.
mind is how your players are going to react to it. Some
may find it too good to be true. Are they right?

Questions to Consider
• How will the people of a place like this react to the
party? What things might be asked of the characters
that might be outside of their normal methods of
operation?
• How will the party react to their initial exposure to
this setting?
• Will they find it is actually a utopian society or is
there more to it?

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 29

 Worldbuilding

Puppet Government Unique Government Agencies

We all know things are not always as they seem on the Most governments have a few unique agencies or
surface when it comes to the leadership of a country groups that operate on the official payroll, from crime
or a city. Sometimes there are nefarious things going fighters and investigators to healers and wellness
on behind the scenes and the person (or persons) professionals to the folks who audit you every year out
pulling the strings is operating from the shadows. of spite (the FBI, the CIA, the IRS). These agencies are
The front-facing government is just a puppet or a well known to the public and interface with society as a
shill for those truly in power. After establishing your whole on a daily basis. Some governments also have a few
type of government, you could roll a d8 on the Puppet groups that operate in the shadows in order to ensure the
Government table if you want to add another layer of aims of the leader(s) come to pass.
secrets and intrigue to your political setting. Government agencies are a wonderful tool for you
to use as your players navigate your story and can be
Puppet Government powerful and useful allies or meaningful foils who act
1d8 This region’s true rulers are... in opposition to the party at every turn. After all, the
...the result of a roll on the Influential Guilds alabaster sultan hasn’t been ruling for centuries by doing
1 all his own dirty work. He outsources.
table (pg. 63)
...the result of a roll on the Criminal If you want to add a unique agency to your country’s
2 government hierarchy, roll 1d12 on the Unique
Organizations table (pg. 72)
...the result of a roll on the Religious Cults table Government Agencies table.
3 (pg. 72)
...the result of a roll on the Secret Societies table Unique Government Agencies
4 (pg. 72) 1d12
...the result of another roll on the Type of A group of sorcerers and wizards who
5 1
Government table (pg. 22) investigate crime using divination magic.
6 ...the avatars of a benevolent deity A cloister of clerics who run a government-
2
7 ...the avatars of a malevolent deity sponsored hospital for the injured and ill.
8 ...the government(s) of another country A cadre of knights who ride young metallic
3 dragons in battle to defend the nation.
A small collective of urban druids tasked with
4
When choosing to incorporate a puppet government maintaining and acquiring water sources.
into your setting, it’s a good idea to think through when A crew of highly specialized gnomish
(if ever) and how you plan to reveal the truth. Is there 5 accountants who ensure every copper of the
a large scale plot the party can uncover, or is the fact treasury is where it belongs.
that there’s someone whispering in the king’s ear telling An engineering corp of inventors and machinists
him precisely what to do common knowledge among 6 responsible for construction and civic
the populace? Once you’ve established the nature of the improvements.
puppet government, spend a little time determining A collaboration between government-
their aims and factor in where they diverge from the 7 sponsored scribes and performers who spread
party’s. It’s also interesting to consider where the desires news and important notices.
of this secretive group might align with those of the An order of paladins responsible for the
8
party. Just because they’re working in secret does not regulation and sale of magical items.
mean they’re malevolent (although...). An elite group of warriors who are responsible
9 for transporting important dignitaries and
valuables around the nation.
A group of government-sponsored rangers who
10 specialize in hunting bounties and recovering
stolen goods.
The Intracity Teleportation Authority, a
government-sponsored guild of sorcerers and
11 wizards who conduct government trade by way
of teleportation magic.
W.A.M.S. (Wellness and Mental Support), a group
12 of bards and clerics tasked with monitoring and
bolstering city morale.

30 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 9
 Worldbuilding

Population Type Village

A village typically has a population of 120–500 people.
With your government(s) chosen and designated, roll
3d6 to determine the number of major cities and towns The homes are clustered around an important central
that serve as points of interest within that country. Once point in the area like a town hall or a temple. It is likely
you have determined how many there are, roll as many to have several essential craftsmen as well as a central
times on the Population Centers table to determine the marketplace. Villages pop up in places of natural
nature of each. convergence and in places where resources are rich and
plentiful. Think a comfortable sleepy collection of people
Population Centers on the edge of a great forest full of timber and game or a
wind-beaten and sea spray-covered group of houses on a
1d10
great bay full of small fishing vessels.
1 Settlement
2 Thorp Small Town
3 Hamlet A habitation of this size will have between 500 and 2,000
4 Village residents. Imagine clusters of homes around important
5 Small Town points of interest including a marketplace, town hall,
Large Town temple and/or port. When resources are plentiful enough,
6
people stay put and small towns grow and thrive. Most
7 Small City
of the population in a place like this has lived there for
8 Large City generations during which times they create and develop
9 Metropolis their own customs and traditions. While it may not have
10 Megacity the same defenses as a larger town or city, there may be a
small garrison or volunteer guard.
Settlement
A settlement is a very small group of people who have Large Town
banded together to form a new place to live. Most often A large town will have a population between 2,000 and
numbering 20 people or fewer, a settlement is not going 5,000 residents. Likely to have a strong trade system both
to have the trappings of an established city. They may not internally and with neighboring settlements, there will
even have a mayor. Or a bar. Settlements are most likely to typically be several important points of interest such as
be found in remote places a good distance away from the a large temple, library or guildhall. A population of this
heart of their respective civilization, but typically exist for size requires access to enough resources and opportunity
a reason. Perhaps they are close to a crossroads or natural for trade to support them. The ability to trade and
wonder, or it’s possible the settlement is a front for an purchase resources allowed the town to grow and sustain
underground city. When developing a settlement, think its population. Perhaps this town grew up around a
about why the folks who dwell there choose to stay. high-yield silver mine and ample farmland or there’s a
fissure that seeps harnessable arcane energy and a bit of
Thorp a boomtown has emerged as would-be billionaires stake
Having a population between 20 and 60 people, a thorp their claim.
is likely to only be a small collection of buildings and
homes. A place like this is normally established near the Small City
nexus of valuable resources, be that farmland, mineral A community of this size is going to support a population
mines or particularly abundant lakes and rivers. A thorp- of between 5,000 and 10,000 residents. There will be
sized community likely grows out of a small settlement numerous taverns and inns supporting all manner of
where people stayed to ply their trades and work the land. clientele, several important places within the city and
As their families grew, so did the settlement. a varied economy. There is likely to be significant guild
activity, both legal and illegal. A place like this is likely
Hamlet situated on a heavily traveled road or along the side of a
Numbering between 60 and 120 residents, a habitation great river or beautiful overlook. Plentiful trade in a place
of this size could be described as a handful of houses like this provides the opportunity to advance and better
that cluster around a crossroads. While it’s likely to be one’s position. It is the kernel of hope that draws people
surrounded by farmland and homesteads, it’s still some to the city. Finding their fortune (or continuing to chase
distance away from the next settlement. Attachment to it) is what keeps them there.
the land and the ability to eke out a meager living from
resources in the area kept people in a small place like this
for a generation or two, or perhaps there’s a resource they
benefit from that is particularly valuable, either due to
sentiment or forward-thinking.
Large City Metropolis
To be considered a large city, a municipality will support Sporting a population of between 25,000 and 100,000
between 10,000-25,000 residents. The government residents, there is little a community this size can’t
of such a place will have multiple offices. Temples to offer. Likely to have significant defenses and military
numerous gods will be present within the city limits. presence, a habitation of this size will be a place to flee
The economy will have many facets and trade guilds to in times of struggle. Likely to support a vastly varied
are likely to hold significant sway. A place like this may socioeconomic population, a metropolis is a place of vast
include more obscure but still vital venues like mage wealth and extreme poverty. Time and opportunity have
colleges, houses of learning and legendary marketplaces allowed for a large city to ever expand its borders and
and bazaars. A large city will grow out of an area that reach. The arts thrive. Businesses do too. So does crime.
has access to numerous types of resources from great
fisheries and farms to rich mines and vast forests (or, Mega-City
at the least, a major port where every necessity can be With a population numbering more than 100,000
easily shipped in). Generations of leadership that have people, a municipality of this nature is likely to be the
capitalized on necessary resources through trade and crown jewel of any country. With vast opportunity, widely
treaties have allowed for continued growth. Growth has varied social structures, heavy guild influence and a host
allowed the residents of the city to attract specialized of resources a community like this can provide just about
merchants, powerful mage guilds, learned scholars and anything from the services of a high-level mage to a black
master craftsmen. All of these facts provide even more market trade of magical items and strange creatures.
opportunity (along with opportunities for exploitation).

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 33

 Worldbuilding

Building a Population Notable and Unique Defenses

Some population centers have a garrison of guards, while
Now that you’ve determined the number of cities, towns
and villages that exist within the country you selected, others rely on the might of a guy named Chuck. In a realm
pick the city or town you want to focus on: the place where threats are plentiful, walls are too. But these aren’t
where your epic tale is going to begin, or a place you think the only form of defense a city can employ. Every so often,
will be significant to the arc of your story. The next set of an ingenious inventor or powerful spellcaster will turn
tables will help you determine its shape, its defenses, the their attention to the defense of the place they call home.
nature of the people who live there and the architecture Some settlements look to the skies and say “You know,
and construction of buildings in the place they call home. guards are cool...but you know what’s really cool? Guards
You can repeat this process for as many settlements as on griffons.” If you want your city or town to have a defense
you’d like to develop throughout your campaign. method that adds a potential storytelling opportunity, refer
to the Notable and Unique Defenses table and roll a d12 to
City Shape determine the result.
After adding one of these items to the landscape of your
The size of a settlement definitely plays a role in how it
will influence and affect the nation it sits in. It might also city or town consider how these defenses might come
play a role in how prominently it is featured in your story. to play in the arc of your campaign. Depending on the
Big cities have a way of lingering in the consciousness of story you are trying to tell, it’s possible that these defenses
even the smallest towns, but small towns still make the will be brought to bear against the party. To add one at
news when something exciting or unthinkable happens random, roll 1d12 on the Notable and Unique Defenses
there. The placement of a city is also crucial when it table, incorporating the result into your settlement’s lore.
comes to the role that it plays in the overall portrait of the
country you are creating. Part of that placement is the Notable and Unique Defenses
shape of the city itself. 1d12 This settlement is guarded by...
Sometimes the shape of a city is dictated by the ...crystals set all along the city walls that can be
1
landscape in which it is built. A city built on a coastal cliff activated to launch magic missiles at attackers.
will naturally take on a crescent shape as it expands along ...a kennel (or multiple kennels) of fire-breathing
the coast and further inland. A city that straddles a great 2 drakes, tended by skilled trainers, that can be
river is going to take on a rectangular or rhomboid shape brought to bear in times of trouble.
as it grows along the river and out from its banks. ...multiple wood or stone golems that appear to
The shape of a city can also be a little more free form, 3 be normal statues standing in city squares but
particularly when natural barriers don’t create any borders. which animate in the city’s defense.
These cities tend to take on a round or oval shape as they ...a shield of pure force that can envelop the
4
slowly expand out from the original settlement. Perhaps city, providing protection from external threats.
...enchantments laid into the city streets that
the city was designed in a spiral shape on purpose for some
5 can be activated to turn roads and pathways
sort of religious or long-lost arcane reason. Maybe your city
into a sticky sludge to stall attackers.
is star-shaped, cordoned off into different districts or cross-
shaped because it developed around a great crossroads. ...floating automatons that can observe the city
6
To randomly determine the shape of your settlement, and spring to its defense with magical attacks.
roll 1d12 on the City Shape table. ...trained mimics strategically placed around
7 the city in a state of suspended animation that
City Shape can be awakened to the city’s defense.
1d10 This settlement is a(n)... ...strange metallic towers that can be used to
8 create a web of electrical energy used to seal off
1 ...circle
selected parts of the city.
2 ...rectangle
...concealed floating platforms that can be
3 ...crescent 9 activated to give city defenders an aerial
4 ...oval advantage.
5 ...rhomboid ...a network of permanent teleportation circles
6 ...teardrop 10 allowing city defenders instant access to all
7 ...cross parts of the city.
8 ...hexagon ...constructed spheres that can be lobbed at
11 attackers or troublemakers to bathe the area
9 ...triangle they strike in magical darkness.
10 ...square 12 ...a moat full of hungry giant eels.
11 ...spiral
12 ...star
Ancestries Additional Languages
As you work to define a settlement, roll 1d4 to determine 1d20
the number of predominant ancestries in that place. 1-2 Dwarvish
This will inform the general racial makeup of your city 3-4 Elvish
or town. There may be other communities within the Draconic
5-6
population, but establishing the nature of the majority
7-8 Gnomish
of the population can be a shortcut for determining the
rest of its makeup. Is this a city full of dwarves that has a 9-10 Halfling
sizable community of halflings and dragonborn? Is this 11 Goblin
a small town entirely populated with elves and half-elves 12 Orc
except for a small ostracized community of humans? Let 13 Abyssal
the dice decide. Roll on the City Ancestry Makeup table a Celestial
14
number of times equal to the result of your roll on the d4.
15 Giant
City Ancestry Makeup 16 Deep Speech
1d10 17 Infernal
1 Humans 18 Primordial
2 Elves 19 Sylvan
3 Half-elves 20 Undercommon
4 Halflings
5 Gnomes
Dwarves GM NOTE: UNCOMMON ANCESTRIES
6
7 Dragonborn The City Ancestry Makeup table includes a result
for uncommon ancestries. If you do not wish to
8 Tieflings
introduce atypical or monstrous races into your
9 Half-Orcs city’s makeup, either ignore this result or roll
10 Uncommon (roll on Uncommon Ancestry table) again. Just know that you’re leaving dozens of
possible story hooks on the cutting room floor.
Additional Languages
Having determined the ancestries or races of people who Uncommon Ancestry
live within a given area, you should have a pretty good 1d20
idea of what languages are going to be used the most Angelic offspring
inside your city by default. If most of the population is 1
elven, elvish will be the predominant language. If it is 2 Birdfolk
a city of kobolds then draconic will be the language of 3 Elementalkin
choice for most people inside the city limits. Common 4 Goblins
is named common for a reason—most races speak it— 5 Hobgoblins
but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a city where the Lizardfolk
6
denizens only speak druidic.
7 Minotaurs
It is not outside the realm of possibility that other
languages have made their way into the common 8 Giantkin
vernacular, creating new dialects or even strange 9 Serpentfolk
combinations of languages that grow into a local patois 10 Kobolds
unique to the area. Additionally, the presence of another, Sentient oozes
11
possibly rarer language inside the city could be a story
12 Owlkin
hook in and of itself. How is it that this settlement with no
apparent attachment to the subterranean lands has come 13 Centaurs
to use undercommon in its day-to-day interactions? Why 14 Insectoids
does the merchant class in the city do all of their dealings 15 Elephantkin
in celestial? This will likely pique your player’s curiosity 16 Rabbitfolk
and lead them to investigate. Ogrekin
17
To add additional languages on top of the languages of
18 Sentient mechanoids
the predominant races in your city, roll a d20 and refer to
the Additional Languages table. 19 Shapechangers
20 Feyfolk

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 35

 Worldbuilding

General Architecture Predominant Construction Material

What does your city look like? This simple question can 1d8 Most buildings are made out of...
spiral out of control very quickly when you are looking 1 ...straw
to build an environment within your overall world. It is 2 ...wattle and daub
easy to fall into the trap of equating the look and feel of
3 ....wood
your cities with something that is easily identifiable on
planet Earth. We could spend all day talking about the 4 ....brick
differences between the architecture styles of Western 5 ...wood and plaster
Europe in the early 1800s and the types of architecture in 6 ...stone
Japan during the same time period. 7 ...concrete
But this is a trap, because that is not the world you
...strange plasteel left behind by an ancient
are building: You are building a fantasy world where the 8
civilization
social and historical events that occurred on Earth during
the 19th century did not happen. The Butterfly Effect
Following the same line of thought, out of what material
doesn’t just apply to interpersonal relationships—art,
are the roofs constructed? Throughout the course of
architecture and society itself rely on historical input to
history, a variety of materials were used to keep the rain
exist. Does that mean you need to start from scratch? Let
and snow off our heads as we huddled in our homes
me answer your question with another question: Have
protected from the elements. Is your town partial to thatch
you been reading this book? The trick is to build off what
or stone slabs as a covering for their buildings? Each
you know, what your party understands and/or what
of these materials has pros and cons, but all you need
you’re able to conjure out of your imagination and find
to concern yourself with is how this choice affects your
ways to link them all together.
story and your players. Will the party be forced to spend
The common practice for sword and sorcery tabletop
the night in a barn where the thatched roof is sodden
role-playing games is to build on settings that mimic
and leaking or are they lulled to sleep by the sound of a
the look and feel of medieval Europe. There is nothing
storm rhythmically rattling a tin roof? To determine your
wrong with that. There is also nothing wrong with
city’s predominant approach to roofing, roll 1d8 on the
breaking the mold and setting your story in a time and
Predominant Roofing Material table.
place influenced by other cultures and eras—or whatever
you conjure from your unbridled brain. Fantasy happens
Predominant Roofing Material
everywhere, and the look and feel of your world does not
necessarily need to fit the common stereotype. 1d8 Most roofs are made from...
That is not to say examples of types of architecture 1 ...ceramic tile
and design are not influential, or that they will not 2 ...slate tile or stone slabs
ultimately come into play as you describe your city and 3 ...thatch
environment to your players. But that should not be the 4 ...aluminum or tin
focus of your thinking when it comes to the architecture 5 ...wood and plaster
of your fantasy world. A table describing the Corinthian
6 ...wooden shingles
columns of Classical or Neoclassical architecture
might not fit the feel of your world if you are playing 7 ...long timbers
something modern or futuristic. That’s why this section 8 ...bone
is focused on the functionality of the architecture
involved in the construction of your cities and towns How are residential buildings constructed in your
as well as the effect geographic location might have city? Are they a series of single-story homes large
had on the way the people of your cities went about enough for one family or are they huge multi-story
constructing their habitat. multi-unit complexes rivaling modern-day New York
The material used in the construction of your city is City or Tokyo? Are all homes built with two stories
the first thing to consider. Are your houses going to be packed close together or are they sprawling complexes
made using a wattle and daub technique or are they of one-story residential units? Think about how this
made (or even carved) out of stone? Has your civilization choice would affect the atmosphere of your city. Huge
discovered the use of concrete or has it found a rich towering skyscrapers can create narrow shadowed
source of a unique material left behind by an ancient alleys next to large boulevards designed for lots of foot
culture? To determine the predominant construction traffic. An open neighborhood of adorable single-story
material of your city or settlement, roll 1d8 on the homes can evoke a sense of welcome and tranquility. To
Predominant Construction Material table. randomly decide your building layout, roll 1d4 on the
Residential Construction Style table.
Residential Construction Style Architecture by Region
1d4 Most citizens live in... Regional effects on architecture are also important when
1 ...single-story homes it comes to the functionality of the buildings within your
2 ...two-story homes city. Different regions are going to have unique weather to
deal with as well as varied requirements for temperature
3 ...multi-story multi-unit complexes
regulation and durability when it comes to the elements
4 ...single-story multi-unit complexes (or, you know, the nearby giant population). The tables
that follow have some suggestions for architectural
Consider how these buildings are decorated, as this will features that would likely be present in temperate regions,
also add different elements to the atmosphere of your jungle climates, coastal areas, deserts and arctic regions.
settlement. Are the buildings squat, blocky and unadorned If the city you are working on building is located in one
structures or are they all inlaid with multicolored stones of those environments, you can choose to roll 1d10 on the
or painted riotous colors? The way the buildings look and Architectural Features table for that environment.
what adorns them helps establish atmosphere, which can
play a role in how your players approach the location.
Brutalist buildings with sharp edges and angular accented
Temperate Forest Architectural Features
lines have a different narrative effect than those covered 1d10
with intricate, artful stone carvings or grand columns. To 1 Storm shelters in subterranean levels
determine the predominant decorative style of your city, 2 Rectangular buildings that face east to west
roll 1d6 on the Decoration Style table. 3 Large open porches with seating areas
4 Sloped roofs to assist with snow removal
Decoration Style Multiple windows on all sides of the buildings to
5
1d6 The city/settlement is known for... provide ventilation in warmer months
1 ...unadorned blocky structures. 6 Open balconies
...angular buildings with accented lines and Storm shutters to help protect windows from
2 7 storm damage and to help insulate during the
sharp-cornered overlays.
...simple buildings with sweeping arches and colder months
3 Use of jettying upper floors protruding past
curved lines.
lower floors to shelter the lower section of the
...buildings adorned with intricate stone 8
4 house from weather and take advantage of
carvings and statuary.
rising heat
...structures decorated with carved columns and
5 Liberal use of round rooms to help with the
decorative moldings. 9 regulation of temperatures
...buildings inlaid with multicolored stone and
6 Use of basements for food storage and
painted riotous colors. 10 workshops during hot months

GM NOTE: LARGE CITIES Jungle Architectural Features

VS. SMALL VILLAGES
1d10
When considering the features of this section, Structures built in the trees or suspended above
think about how they would apply to different 1 the ground on great platforms.
sizes of settlements. A village or a small town may Strategic use of aqueducts and fountains to
have a single unifying style and be constructed 2 provide natural cooling.
of all the same materials with the same level of 3 High-peaked ceilings with air outlets.
decoration and aesthetic. However, a large city Walls featuring large openings and windows to
may have a plethora of districts, each with its own 4 allow airflow.
sense of place and decor utilizing varied materials, Prolific use of wide, covered paths to provide
forms or techniques as they evolved over time. 5 heat insulation and shade.
Don’t be afraid to take a larger settlement and Heavily pitched roofs to shed rainwater.
6
divide it up into different districts built around Highly elevated floors to avoid flooding during
commerce, the arts, the sudden influx of a specific 7 rainy seasons.
culture unique to the area or any other modifier Planned positioning of large trees with wide
you can imagine. Should you choose to do so, 8 canopies to provide shade.
repeat rolls on all the tables in the Architecture Outdoor covered kitchens to move primary heat
section for each district to create a landscape that 9 sources outside.
rewards exploration and feels as lived-in as the Elongated eaves to provide additional shade.
10
cities that inspired it.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 37

 Worldbuilding

Coastal Architectural Features Arctic Architectural Features

1d10 1d10
Buildings built up on stilts to avoid Walls of buildings are lined with heavy fur or
1 1
unpredictable tides. layered cotton to hold in heat.
Heavy shutters for windows to protect from Metallic pipes channel heat from a central boiler
2 2
vicious storms. or furnace.
Homes and buildings surrounded by exterior Homes partially set underground to minimize
3 3
storm walls. profile to wind and snow.
Community built on large, resilient floating 4 Heavily sloped, peaked roofs.
4 platforms. Large fireplaces or furnaces with chimneys that
Strategically placed offshore breakwaters to 5
5 go through all floors to radiate heat.
weaken waves. Raised floor of ceramic plates or tiles with pipes
6 Lighthouses to guide ships in low visibility. 6 of heated water below to warm the floor.
7 Large seawalls to protect docks and harbors. Ringed buildings with dark roofs meant to catch
7
8 Homes with adjacent or attached docks. sunlight from any direction.
Flat or low sloped roofs to prevent damage in Houses are narrow and built close together to
9 8
high winds. help shelter structures from icy winds.
Buildings that are short and squat to avoid wind Buildings are built on heavy pillars, just above
10 9 the ground, to prevent repeated heating and
damage.
cooling of the permafrost.
Desert Architectural Features Windows are constructed with multiple panes
10 and are of smaller size to reduce heat transfer.
1d10
Buildings have large sweeping awnings above
1 and around them to protect from the sun GM NOTE: ADDING DETAILS
Open floor plans and large windows allow for
2 Architecture is one of those elements that players
improved airflow
either love (in which case you’ve likely already
Sloped walls that block the sun and provide spent time thinking about it) or completely ignore
3
shade ring the area until it comes up in a meaningful way (e.g. “Is
Buildings are lined with heavy clay that repels there a balcony I can throw this guy off of?”). As
4 heat and cools the interior you consider how to incorporate these element
5 Stone or tiled floors to insulate against heat into your own game, start by determining the
Liberal use of wide courtyards painted in light ways in which your players will benefit from an
6 colors or with fountains to reflect sunlight understanding of the way the world around them
Buildings are built underground or into hills and looks. How will it empower them to explore,
7 cliff walls examine or, on occasion, exploit the places in
The use of wind towers that catch wind and which these spaces exist? Embellish as you like,
8 funnel it down into all levels of the structure with the knowledge that any time you describe
Buildings and homes have domed roofs with air something unique, it is likely to draw your players’
9 vents to naturally cool the interior attention. What you do with that attention once
Buildings have roof ponds with movable screens you have it is at your discretion.
10 to trap heat and release it at night to facilitate
evaporative cooling

38 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 9
 Worldbuilding

Creating an Economy Wealth and Poverty

1d10 General Breakdown of Wealth
The health of your city’s economy can have an incredible
impact on the environment your players navigate. 5% aristocratic, 10% wealthy, 10% comfortable,
Economic health speaks to citizen contentment, 1 55% modest, 10% poor, 5% squalid, 5%
availability of goods and services and the overall ability wretched
of the government to operate and function. There are so 1% aristocratic, 24% wealthy, 20% comfortable,
many aspects of an economic system that this has been 2 20% modest, 30% poor, 5% squalid, 0%
traditionally where most storytellers simply handwave wretched
what is going on (e.g., “It was the best of times, it was 10% aristocratic, 5% wealthy, 10% comfortable,
the worst of times”). Adding to the complexity is the fact 3 10% modest, 25% poor, 30% squalid, 10%
that most of us don’t even understand our own economy, wretched
much less the interconnected systems of a fantasy realm 2% aristocratic, 18% wealthy, 15% comfortable,
where magic and mayhem exist in equal measure. 4 30% modest, 20% poor, 10% squalid, 5%
Everything from tax rates and collection, the overall wretched
contents of the city treasury and the breakdown of wealth 0% aristocratic, 30% wealthy, 10% comfortable,
among different socioeconomic layers of the citizenry 5 40% modest, 10% poor, 5% squalid, 5%
could have dramatic but unseen effects on the health wretched
of a nation, and all of these facts have an impact on a 15% aristocratic, 5% wealthy, 35% comfortable,
city’s ability to engage in trade and manage successful 6 5% modest, 5% poor, 15% squalid, 20%
commerce. These factors influence a city’s ability to wretched
import the items it needs from its neighbors as well as its 3% aristocratic, 15% wealthy, 20% comfortable,
ability to export its surplus items. It’s enough to make you 7 22% modest, 10% poor, 15% squalid, 15%
say, “Let’s play Monopoly instead.” But you can simplify wretched
your realm’s economy by focusing only on the stuff that 1% aristocratic, 5% wealthy, 25% comfortable,
matters to your story. 8 25% modest, 20% poor, 20% squalid, 4%
wretched
Wealth and Poverty 0% aristocratic, 2% wealthy, 8% comfortable,
The first thing you need to determine when it comes to your 9 20% modest, 40% poor, 18% squalid, 12%
city’s economic health is how the wealth is distributed. This wretched
will give you a good base idea of how the citizens of the city 1% aristocratic, 0% wealthy, 10% comfortable,
are living. Is there a fairly even distribution of social classes 10 40% modest, 30% poor, 15% squalid, 4%
among the districts of your city, or are some areas effectively wretched
penning off the poor like animals? Does the middle class
outnumber the poor, or is this a city of have-nots with no Taxes
haves in sight? Everyone hates the word, but like it or not, taxation
Consider how the city you’re envisioning is a reflection of the citizenry is a necessary thing to maintain the
of the wealth gap you imagine is present there. Are there structures involved in governance. Soldiers cost money,
people sleeping in the streets? Do beggars fight over importing grain costs money and repairing the city walls
street corners? Is there rampant disease because of these costs money—that money has to come from somewhere.
conditions? Or is the populace generally well-compensated This system is far more complicated than simply saying
for honest work and the only folks on the bottom of the “taxation is a certainty,” as there are usually layers upon
economic ladder are those who tried to upset a successful layers of tax codes that quantify who pays what and
system and were punished severely for not doing their fair when, but we’ll leave all that to the economists and CPAs.
share? All you need to think about here is supporting the story
To determine the distribution of affluence in your city, roll you’re trying to tell. There is a causal effect between
a 1d10 on the Wealth and Poverty table. the tax rate inside a city and the level of contentment
experienced by its citizenry. In general, the tax rate and
what those taxes provide for the populace operate on the
X and Y axis of a quadrant mapping the contentment of
the citizens. If you’re paying a lot but getting a lot, you’ll
be happier than folks paying a lot and getting nothing
in return. If the tax rate is low, people are likely to be
happier, as long as the government is still able to provide
necessary services established as part of the reason for
taxes in the first place.
There is a Goldilocks zone to taxation, and it rests
somewhere in the space between “I’m paying my fair
share” and “I’m getting what I pay for.” To determine the Status of the City Treasury
tax rate inside your city roll 1d8 on the Tax Rates table. 1d6 The city’s treasury is...
1 ...completely full. The city’s wealth is secure.
Tax Rates
...75% full. The city’s financial prospects are
1d8 2
pretty good.
1 5%
...50% full. The city’s economy is always in a
2 10% 3
state of flux.
3 12%
25% full. The city is in the midst of economic
4 18% 4
hard times.
5 25%
10% full. The city is on the verge of total
6 30% 5
economic collapse.
7 35% ...empty. The city is broke and unable to pay for
6
8 40% anything.

Going hand in hand with the tax rate is the method by

which the government assesses its taxes. Is it based on GM NOTE: CONTENTMENT AND DISCORD
property ownership? Overall income? Is it a percentage Now that you have dealt with both the form of
of what the person has on hand at the time they enter the government and the status of the economy in
city? These methods each have pros and cons, as well as the area where your story is taking place, start
complications that could arise as those funds are collected. thinking about the overall effect those two factors
Do people have tax collectors bursting into their homes could have on the people that reside in, work
unannounced to collect money or things of equivalent around and pass through this area. In other
value? Is there a tax collector seated at each of the city words, are the people happy or sad? And which
entrances divesting people of coin at a particular rate people? And by what metric? If you have set your
and if you can’t pay you don’t get to enter? How would a players in a city under despotic rule but with a
circumstance like this affect or antagonize your players? good economy where everyone is able to eat and
The possibilities for obstacles, story beats and story house themselves, how likely are they going to
hooks here are numerous. But only as numerous as you be to go against the government and assist the
want them to be. To determine the method by which the party in overthrowing the area’s leadership?
government assesses taxes, roll 1d4 on the Method of Tax To give another example, if the city treasury is
Collection table. full and the local lord is able to have feasts and
elaborate parties every other night but these ends
Method of Tax Collection are achieved by taxing people into poverty, what
1d4 effects will that have on the NPCs your players
Annual tax on percentage of the value of all encounter? Contentment and discord can play as
1 owned land. big a part in your story as you want it to, but don’t
2 Annual tax on a percentage of all income. forget to at least address this issue as you describe
Sales tax on all goods purchased within the city the setting to your players.
3 limits.
4 Taxed a percentage upon entry to the city.

The rate of taxation and method for determining tax

liability directly affect the status of the city treasury. How
much money the government has on hand can affect just
about everything, but most importantly, it will affect the
amount of money a government entity is able to pay your
stalwart adventurers to engage in acts of bravery (or insanity,
depending on the task). All of these factors ultimately define
how content the citizens are with what they pay in taxes
each year. To determine the status of the coffers in question,
roll 1d6 on the Status of the City Treasury table.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 41

 Worldbuilding

Trade anything from gems to cows to apples to orangutans. These

Trade is the pumping heart of any community and its items, since they are not in abundance locally, will cost more
ebb and flow will change the landscape of a city. If trade and be harder to find when perusing wares at the local
is strong and goods and services are in abundance, life marketplace.
for citizens is (typically) good. If trade routes are blocked It’s a lot to consider and track, and you have enough on
or if trade is interfered with by some outside source, the your plate already. Rather than determine every aspect
opposite will be true. Trade has an effect on the overall of trade in your city, narrow it down to major exports
economy of a city, so as you work through this section (abundances) and major imports (scarcities), and assume
and start thinking about what items your city imports that they have enough of the rest to get by in a pinch.
and what materials they export, consider how these two Roll 1d6 to determine the number of different items your
factors may interact with each other. city has in abundance to export. Roll that many times on
Start by determining the status of your city’s trade the Resources table to specify the resources the city has
relationships. Is the trade network between cities and other a surplus of or easy access to. Repeat the same process to
nations strong? Consider whether the government or guilds determine the materials or resources that the city must
drive the trade system between your cities, moving goods actively import. In the event of duplicates, consider your city
and services around from location to location to cover a zone where that particular commodity is routinely bought
shortages and to take advantage of surplus. Does your city and sold (in which case prices can fluctuate dramatically).
maintain international trade routes, bartering goods and
services across borders without fear of being robbed or Resources
accosted? How are those routes protected and who protects 1d10
them? Are the routes dangerous and unpredictable or do 1 Livestock
they run smoothly? What opportunities does this provide 2 Precious Metals
for your players? Can they make a bit of gold guarding a 3 Gems
merchant’s wagon train or in dire circumstances make even Minerals and Ores
4
more by retrieving stolen goods and bringing the bandits
5 Grains and Produce
responsible for the theft to justice?
For the strength of your city’s trade routes, roll 1d4 on the 6 Alcohols
Trade Relations table. 7 Armaments
8 Building Materials
Trade Relations 9 Scrolls and Books
1d4 This locality has... Magical Items
10
...excellent intracity trade, non-existent
1 international trade.
....several established and protected trade
2 GM NOTE: WHAT DO YOU ALREADY HAVE?
routes with neighboring cities and nations.
...several tenuous and dangerous trade routes Earlier in this chapter, we discussed points of
3 internationally, intracity trade at normal levels. interest placed on your world map before you
...very little trade outside of the marketplaces of started considering cities and towns. Some of
4 the city. those options provided different resources that
might be available to your settlements due to
After determining the strength of your city’s trade routes proximity. For example, you may have determined
and relationships, turn your attention to what your city that because your city is on a coast with abundant
is trading. The goods your city ships out to the rest of the fishing, you want that resource to play a heavy part
world are (usually) the ones in which it has a surplus. A in your city’s economy. Don’t be afraid to make
city that sits next to an enchanted forest where great trees decisions if they feel right for what you already
of many varieties grow from sapling to towering heights have in place. Use the resource(s) you’ve already
overnight would likely make a mint on timber exports, while determined in place of one of the random rolls.
a city founded near a rich vein of iron that has yielded the You can also use it in addition to the dice rolls.
metal in abundance for years will find it can trade iron with
its ore-poor neighbors.
Abundance and scarcity have a direct impact on the goods You could move forward using the broad categories
available for a city’s citizens to purchase at any given time. presented in the Resources table as your imports and
An iron-rich city like the one mentioned above is likely to exports. If your players are not really interested in
have numerous blacksmiths and weaponsmiths. Weapons, exploring marketplaces or spending a session shopping
armor and other items made from iron and steel would for different things, these broad categories may serve you
therefore be plentiful and likely found at a good price. just fine. However, you could take things a step further to
Conversely, a city must import items that are scarce— help you determine exact items that are readily abundant
or items that would be hard to get. Magic items are rare 14-15 Malachite
by default, but perhaps availability of specific items or Moss Agate
16-17
artifact types could be impacted by the abundance or
scarcity you’ve just outlined (“Sorry—all we have is magic 18-19 Obsidian
wool. Heaps of the stuff. Do any of you knit?”). 20-21 Rhodochrosite
Once you have determined the categories of each 22-23 Tiger Eye
of your major imports and exports, refer to the table 24-25 Turquoise
associated with each to ascertain a specific good. 26-27 Blood Stone
28-29 Carnelian
Livestock
30-31 Chalcedony
1d20
32-33 Chrysoprase
1 Cattle
34-35 Citrine
2 Elk
36-37 Jasper
3 Bison
38-39 Moonstone
4 Horses
40-41 Onyx
5 Sheep
42-43 Quartz
6 Goats
44-45 Sardonyx
7 Pigs
46-47 Star Rose Quartz
8 Poultry
48-49 Zircon
9 Llamas and Alpacas
50-51 Amber
10 Fish
52-53 Amethyst
11 Camels
54-55 Chrysoberyl
12 Elephants
56-57 Coral
13 Dinosaurs
58-59 Garnet
14 Shellfish
60-61 Jade
15 Giant Insects
62-63 Jet
16 Reindeer
64-65 Pearl
17 Donkeys
66-67 Spinel
18 Yaks
68-69 Tourmaline
19 Bees
70-71 Alexandrite
20 Rabbits
72-73 Aquamarine
Precious Metals 74-75 Black Pearl
1d8 76-77 Blue Spinel
1 Gold 78-79 Peridot
2 Silver 80-81 Topaz
3 Electrum 82-83 Black Opal
4 Copper 84-85 Blue Sapphire
5 Platinum 86-87 Emerald
6 Adamantine 88-89 Fire Opal
7 Mithral 90-91 Opal
8 Cold Iron 92-93 Star Ruby
94-95 Star Sapphire
Gems 96 Yellow Sapphire
1d100 Black Sapphire
97
1-3 Azurite
98 Diamond
4-5 Banded Agate
99 Jacinth
6-7 Blue Quartz
100 Ruby
8-9 Eye Agate
10-11 Hematite
12-13 Lapis Lazuli

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 43

 Worldbuilding

Minerals and Ores Armaments

1d10 1d8
1 Iron 1 Swords and Knives
2 Coal 2 Armor and Shields
3 Phosphorous 3 Polearms, Spears and Javelins
4 Gypsum 4 Bows and Arrows
5 Sodium 5 Axes and Impact Weapons
6 Magnesium 6 Firearms
7 Tin 7 Alchemical Explosives
8 Lead 8 Siege Engines
9 Nickel
Feldspar
Building Materials
10
1d8
Grains and Produce 1 Timber
1d20 2 Steel
1 Wheat 3 Clay and Brick
2 Rice 4 Slate
3 Oats 5 Limestone
4 Corn 6 Marble
5 Barley 7 Granite
6 Grapes 8 Glass
7 Apples
Scrolls and Books
8 Citrus
1d12
9 Stone Fruit
1 Maps
10 Bananas
2 History Books
11 Berries
3 Alchemical Knowledge
12 Melons
4 Biology and Botany
13 Lettuce, Spinach and Cabbage
5 Religious Texts
14 Potatoes
6 Science and Engineering
15 Peppers
7 Spell Scrolls up to 1st level
16 Soybeans
8 Spell Scrolls up to 2nd level
17 Vegetables
9 Spell Scrolls up to 3rd level
18 Beans and Legumes
10 Spell Scrolls up to 4th level
19 Herbs and Spices
11 Spell Scrolls up to 5th level
20 Tomatoes
12 Spell Scrolls up to 6th level
Alcohols
1d8
Magic Item Type
1 Whiskey
1d8
2 Brandy
1 Wondrous items
3 Vodka
2 Weapons
4 Rum
3 Armor
5 Gin
4 Potions
6 Tequila
5 Rings
7 Ale
6 Rods
8 Wine
7 Wands
8 Staffs

44 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 9
 Worldbuilding

Creating Customs, Strange and Unique Customs

1d20 In this locality...
Laws and Their 1
...all citizens wear masks; showing one’s face in

Consequences 2
public is considered an insult.
...no one drinks alcohol if the sun is up.
Sentient beings are weird. All over the world, within ...everyone leaves a bowl of milk and a vial of
fantasy and reality, any time groups of thinking creatures 3 honey by their door to appease fey creatures.
get together and start to cohabitate, strange habits start to ...the customary greeting is to slap the other
form. Sometimes those habits grow into unique customs, person in the face to display your own strength
4
things that are done because they have always been done. and your respect for theirs.
If these customs persist long enough, they often become ...paper is seen as a sign of disrespect for nature.
codified as laws that govern behavior (or become outlawed, 5 Writing is inscribed on stone or clay tablets.
because such habits are deemed harmful to society). As ...citizens are always behind a threshold by dusk
such, some weird things get written into law and sometimes 6 to avoid a horror they refuse to name.
even stranger punishments become part of the legal system.
...in the middle of town, the citizens tend a fire
Even anarchy has a guiding principle (the only law is that
7 that has burned for generations. It is said if the
there aren’t any). Your civilization will follow suit.
fire goes out calamity will follow.
The impetus for the customs and laws of your city or
...all citizens wear short sleeves as a way to show
country may be lost to time or may be related to a specific 8 they have no hidden weapons.
event that’s part of the fabric of the area’s history. Maybe
...at the age of 14, everyone gets a tattoo of a
many generations ago someone slighted a powerful fey 9 starburst on their neck to ward away evil.
creature and now the whole town must leave milk and
...people of the town refuse to get into the water
honey on their doorsteps every fortnight to appease 10 after dark and scoff at those who do.
and atone. It’s possible a blaze that began in someone’s
...clerics dressed in all black with blank masks
kitchen led to the destruction of an entire village, which
is why the town was rebuilt from brick and all cooking 11 show up any time someone dies. They take the
body for funeral rites. No one questions this.
takes place outside the city limits. Perhaps at some point,
...on the occasion of their eighth birthday, a child
someone (likely in a stupor from being too far in their
cups) poured a barrel full of liquor off the end of the dock. 12 can enact one law that must be followed in the
community until that child dies or leaves town.
A passing sea beast then came ashore and drunkenly
...before all social dealings, everyone in town
destroyed the merchant’s district. As such, giving alcohol
offers their companions a sip of clear blessed
to sea creatures is illegal (bugbear pirates are exempt). 13
water from a small crystal vial. They claim it
Regardless of the genesis of these strange customs,
promotes honesty and transparency.
unique laws and bizarre punishments, they are part of
...at dawn, all of the area residents stand outside
the tapestry of the city you are building and will therefore 14 their homes and sing a hymn to a nature deity.
affect how your players experience the atmosphere and
...every fortnight a large eagle is crafted out
setting. Perhaps when they entered the city, they did not
of stone and wood, upon which is carved the
know that being in public without wearing a mask was 15
greatest desire of the day. An old mage then
an insult to those around them or that using parchment
animates the eagle and it soars away.
in any form is utterly taboo. What social situations or ...no one in town will use a sword and they
encounters may arise from circumstances like these? And 16 consider those who do to be untrustworthy.
how will your party deal with the consequences? ...many citizens place 2 cp into a fountain each
17 day to appease the spirit that keeps the town
Customs prosperous. By dawn, the coins vanish.
Customs are traditions that are held in high regard ...no one wears shoes. All the city’s residents say
inside a social structure but might not necessarily be 18 it is to stay in close connection with the ground
codified into law. Take our own world for example: It is that nurtures and feeds them.
considered polite to shake hands when meeting someone ...locals walk into every building backward to
new, but it’s not a law. You won’t be punished for saluting 19 ensure they aren’t followed by a vicious nature
or bowing or offering an elbow to bump instead, but spirit they claim kidnaps the less vigilant.
the choice you make impacts how you are viewed by ...each citizen has composed a brief
those who maintain the handshake is proper etiquette. 20 autobiographical song to be sung when
Participating in the customs of the area can grease the introducing themselves to others.
wheels of social interaction; shunning those customs will
label you an outsider and you may be seen with suspicion
or disdain. To add a new layer of social intricacy to your
city, roll 1d20 on the Strange and Unique Customs table.
Odd Crimes and Punishments 7
...made to choose a body part to have
Uncommon laws can provide interesting challenges for permanently removed.
a party as they navigate the ins and outs of a new city. ...told to paint a self-portrait-style tattoo on
8
Add some strange laws and unique punishments to your their body and have it critiqued by local artists.
city by rolling 1d4 to establish the number of laws to add, 9 ...made to wear only orange for 1d6 years.
then roll 1d20 for each table below. ...unable to pass anyone in town without
10 bowing and apologizing for their indiscretion.
Strange and Unique Laws ...placed in suspended animation. Their
1d20 In this locality... 11 consciousness is placed in a rune-carved skull
...magic shall not be used on the day of mid- and given to the victim of the crime for a week.
1 week. ...stuffed in a locked box with hundreds of
...vegetables cannot be eaten on the second and 12
(mostly harmless) insects for 2d4 hours.
2 seventh day of every third week. ...subjected to a version of the hideous laughter
3 ...wind instruments are banned. 13
spell that lasts 1d4 weeks.
4 ...bags of holding are illegal inside city walls. ...locked in a room with a screeching kobold
14
...intoxication is not tolerated on every fourth choir for 1d6 hours.
5 day. ...affected by a version of polymorph, turning
15
...one day a year each citizen must volunteer to their head into a goat’s for 2d4 weeks.
6 catch vermin or clean the streets. ...forced to tend the city’s garbage heap and
...all property disputes shall be settled by magic 16 care for the cantankerous otyugh that resides
7 snail races. there for no less than one month.
...wizards must wear the symbol belonging to ...hung upside down in the square and
8 their school of magic. 17 subjected to a day’s worth of beatings by any/
...spellcasters must register with the city guard all comers.
9 upon entry into the city. ...cursed with a magic mouth spell on their
...if weapons are drawn in the city they must forehead for one month. If anyone comes within
10 18
draw blood but not cause death. 10 feet of them the mouth screams, “I’m a
11 ...hoods and hats are illegal. degenerate and cannot be trusted!”
...at noon every day the city goes silent for one ...affected by a spell that makes anything they
12 19
hour. Sound of any kind is illegal. consume taste like burning hair for 4d6 months.
13 ...art depicting animals of any kind is prohibited. ...placed under a geas and must act on
...donkeys and horses are prohibited from 20 behalf of the government for a period of time
14 sleeping outside. commensurate with their crime.
15 ...it’s illegal to charge money for water.
16 ...crops and herbs cannot be collected at night.
GM NOTE: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
17 ...bear fights must take place indoors.
...blades longer than 2 inches are prohibited Adding unique customs, laws and punishments
18 to your fantasy setting should not override
inside the city walls unless you are a butcher.
the common conventions of law and justice
19 ...feeding alcohol to a sea creature is prohibited.
that prevail in civil society. Murder should
...all citizens and visitors must purchase and still be illegal. Theft should still be prohibited.
20
carry a walking pass to move about the city. Kidnapping a noble and enticing him with
delicious sweets filled with truth potion so he
Strange and Unique Punishments spills all his secrets may make for an entertaining
1d20 The guilty party will be... session, but actions of this sort should still result
1 ...subjected to bestow curse for 1d100 days. in meaningful consequences—that said, those
...forced to submit a blood sample so they can consequences can be as bizarre as you want them
2 be monitored by magical scrying. to be. Perhaps instead of public execution for
...petrified and must serve as a city statue for committing a murder, the offender gets shunted
3 1d100 hours. to a solitary demiplane where they are tickled
...transported to a solitary demiplane where mercilessly with a roc feather. It’s your kingdom.
4 horrid music plays constantly. Make ’em pay.
...forced to dress as a jester or fool and perform
5 on street corners for a total of 1d20 hours.
...compelled to shave off their eyebrows and
6 drink them mixed with mead.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 47

 Worldbuilding

Establishing Beliefs 6
In a concealed grotto is a beautiful fountain
where it is said the spirit of an ancient silver
Whether enshrined in regional lore as the basis for a dragon visits from time to time to grant wishes.
custom or law or studied daily by the devout within the In the middle of a green space at the city’s center
staggering walls of an ancient temple, what the members sits a trio of stone archways, placed end to end
of a community collectively believe is in many ways as 7 to create a triangular structure. Legend has it
important as what they’re actually able to prove. Beliefs the archways can take you to other planes of
influence action, they inform habits. They can cause a existence, though no one has ever witnessed this.
crusade or be the reason one is avoided. By establishing an A king who ruled long ago made the city or town
area’s beliefs, you can easily telegraph to your party what his home. This king was said to have owned a
many of its citizens think about the world around them. 8 crown that gave him great sway over the minds
These notions may not be rooted in any form of truth, but of men. The crown went missing centuries ago
their persistence is part of what gives them power. Any but is rumored to be buried somewhere in town.
time something has inherent power, it is inevitable that the The unassuming building near the edge of
wickedly ambitious will use it to their own aims. What that town was once home to an arcanist who rose to
means for you and your party is at GM discretion. 9 lichdom. Some believe the entire structure serves
as his phylactery—an explanation for why it’s still
Myths and Legends standing after all these years.
Local myths and legends start in similar ways to customs. A massive tree abutting the border must be kept
A unique event evolves into a generational memory. 10 alive or else the creatures locked within it will
Strange occurrences (all the cattle died the same day a escape and destroy the modern realm.
dwarf wandered into town) beg for strange explanations When it rains, if you listen carefully, you
(“Dwarves must possess the ability to curse cows with a can hear the continual moans of the former
thought...”) and tend to gain embellishments with each 11 council, all of whom were drowned following a
passing generation (“It is hereby decreed that dwarves dereliction of duty.
must be offered a sacrificial side of beef the moment they If you wish for a child under a full moon, the spirit
are seen in the city limits, lest their anger at cattlekind 12 of the woods may grant you one. But you must
result in the destruction of a farmer’s entire stock.”). An raise it according to the old customs.
area’s folklore or legends can serve as adventure hooks The deceased must be laid to rest near their most
or simply local color, but either way, they will add to your 13 beloved (person, place or thing); otherwise, they
narrative arsenal as you work to lure your players deeper will rise and wander.
into your realm. To include one, roll 1d20 on the Local It’s long been prophesied that a group of
Legends and Myths table. outsiders will bring glory to the realm after
14
drinking from the nearby waterfall. The prophecy
Local Legends and Myths also mentions “bouts of mania.”
1d20 The horses of this region are believed to form a
It is said the avatar of a death deity wanders the 15 spirit bond with their riders, but only if one does
streets during the day, looking for souls to steal. whatever the horse requires.
1 You don’t go to the caves. You just don’t.
This phenomenon is blamed whenever someone 16
dies unexpectedly. A red sky is a bad omen. A starless night is a
Outside the walls of the city is a large humanoid- 17 worse one. Businesses shutter their doors for
2 looking rock. It is rumored it comes to life if the weeks following either.
less-fortunate are in danger. The horde of Illgonbrat was left behind after the
Numerous people go missing every year 18 adventurers that slew him claimed the bounty. It’s
inexplicably. The disappearances are blamed on close. Just...you know. Miles below the surface.
3 a strange cloud of lights that clicks like a giant If you see the whispering lights at dawn, you can
insect that people claim to have seen in the try to follow them to the wreckage of the High
surrounding forest. 19
Caravan, a collection of merchant vessels that
It is said that 200 years ago, a great hero single- went missing more than a century ago.
handedly defeated an army of invading orcs. A
4 The citizens of the next town over are all certainly
statue erected in their honor bellows out a war
20 ghosts but should be treated as kindly as you can.
cry on the anniversary of his victory.
You wouldn’t want to speak ill of the dead, right?
The hot spring in the nearby hills is home to a
weirding woman who can predict your future,
5
but only if you give her something you don’t
want to lose.
Temples Evil-Aligned Temples (Optional)
As you have already determined, your fantasy world is Wherever civilization grows, evil is likely to fester,
a place of powerful gods and the religions or cults that sometimes overtly, other times hidden and unknown.
worship those gods (or not, and if so feel free to skip Adding a temple dedicated to an evil deity into the social
this next bit). Temples or churches become focal points landscape of your city can provide a wealth of story
inside a community. In cities and towns large and small, material as well as possible side (or main) quests for your
clergy hold a fair amount of sway among the people, and party. If you want to add a temple dedicated to evil, roll
sometimes the leadership of the settlement. In this world on the following tables for the alignment and domain the
where the gods grant substantial power to their devout temple is dedicated to.
followers, it’s not surprising that their places of worship
on the material plane carry some significance. Evil Temple Alignment
If you already have a good idea of which god from 1d3 This temple’s god is...
your pantheon is going to be the dominant power in this 1 ...chaotic evil
locality, have the largest temple or church be dedicated
2 ...neutral evil
to that deity. However, if you are undecided on this point,
or if you want to introduce worship of several different 3 ...lawful evil
deities into this one location, the following tables are
meant to aid you. Evil Temple Domains
To determine the number of temples or churches 1d4 The god’s domain is...
associated with your locality, roll 1d12. From there, select 1 ...knowledge
the alignment and domain associated with each temple. 2 ...trickery
Roll 1d6 on the Temple Alignment table, then roll 1d8 on 3 ...war
the Determined Domains table on pg. 10.
4 ...death
Temple Alignment
1d6 The god of this temple is... GM NOTE: A CHANCE OF EVIL
1 ...lawful good You could also leave the question of whether or
2 ...neutral good not to include an evil-aligned temple within your
3 ...chaotic good locality up to chance by rolling 1 d100 for each of
4 ...neutral your cities and towns. On a 25 or lower, congrats:
5 ...chaotic neutral One of your temples is dedicated to an incredibly
powerful being and its followers are unlikely to
6 ...lawful neutral
be model citizens. Have fun!
After you have determined alignment and domain,
simply select one of the gods in your pantheon who fits.
This could result in multiple temples to a single deity or
one temple dedicated to a variety of gods. Sometimes
space is at a premium and worshipers have to share!

GM NOTE: TEMPLE VOLUME

AND POPULATION DENSITY
The number of congregations present in your
city or town can be affected by the number of
people who live there. If you want to limit the
number of religious institutions present or boost
them according to population, you can apply the
following modifiers to the initial 1d12 roll. For
communities of the size of a village or smaller
apply a -4 modifier (minimum of 1). If your locality
is a metropolis or larger, apply a +4 modifier.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 49

 Worldbuilding

Businesses 76-78 Enchanter

If trade is the heart of any city’s economy, local businesses 79-81 Magic Item Purveyor
are its lifeblood. From vegetable carts to smiths and forges 82-84 Weaponsmith
to dark, pipe smoke-filled workshops where enchanters Restaurant
85-87
ensorcell items and people for a price, commerce keeps
88-90 Butcher
coin flowing and food in folks’ bellies (in some cases by
selling it to them). Businesses take the raw materials 91-93 Carpenter/Furniture Maker
surrounding and inside the city and turn them into the 94-96 Cartographer
goods and services that keep society afloat. 97-98 Artist/Art Supplies
When you are considering what sorts of businesses 99-100 Mason
may be present in your city, you should first refer back
to the resources you randomly generated. If iron ore is a
GM NOTE: BUSINESS AND
prevalent resource, having numerous blacksmiths and
POPULATION DENSITY
armorers makes logical sense. If you have a nearby gem
mine, having a town jeweler also tracks. However, it’s also The number of businesses present in your city or
nice to leave some things to chance and roll some dice, town can sometimes be affected by the number
otherwise why use this book at all? of people who live there. If you want to limit
After adding the businesses you want based on your the number of businesses present or boost them
available resources, roll 2d8 to determine the number of according to population you could apply the
major local businesses that exist within your community. following modifiers to the initial 2d8 roll:
Roll on the Local Businesses table to determine the • For communities of the size of a village or
nature of each type of business. Note: These are only the smaller, apply a -4 modifier (minimum of 1).
“major” businesses. If you’d like to add more, do so at • If your municipality is a metropolis or larger,
your discretion. apply a +4 modifier.

Local Businesses
1d100
1-3 Alchemist
4-6 Armory
7-9 Blacksmith
10-12 Herbalist
13-15 Brothel
16-18 Bank/Moneylender
19-21 Weaver
22-24 Tailor
25-27 Haberdasher
28-30 Cobbler
31-33 Scribe/Printer
34-36 Pet Shop
37-39 Secondhand Store/Pawn Shop
40-42 Jeweler
43-45 Leatherworker
46-48 Fish Market
49-51 Farmers Market
52-54 Bakery
55-57 Apothecary/Physician
58-60 Barber
61-63 Brewery
64-66 Dry Goods and Supply
67-69 Glassworks
70-72 Potter
73-75 Potion Brewer

50 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 9
 Worldbuilding

Inns and Taverns 17 Bewildered Mage

Since the dawn of tabletop role-playing games, hundreds 18 Charming Dragon
of thousands of quests have started at shadowy corner
tables in greasy taverns. Great role-play scenes have 19 Ugly Shepherd
transpired in bawdy common rooms full of ale and 20 Wandering Willow
revelry. Just about every town, no matter how small, has a 21 Wild Giant
tavern (even if it’s just a stool or two in a garage owned by
22 Terrible Snail
an elf named Greg). It would be a shame not to include
these public houses in your own creations. 23 Talented Rogue
Roll 2d8 to determine the number of significant inns 24 Magnificent Hagfish
and taverns in your community. You could then refer to
25 Proud Devil
the Random Tavern, Inn and Club Generator to define
even more aspects of each public house’s circumstances. 26 Sparkling Serpent
27 Grumpy Warlock
GM NOTE: TAVERNS, INNS AND
28 Leaky Flagon
POPULATION DENSITY
29 Gleaming Net
The number of taverns and inns present in
your city or town can sometimes be affected 30 Elegant Damsel
by the number of people who live there. If you 31 Enchanting Ooze
want to limit or boost the number according to
32 Nervous Rabbit
population, apply the following modifiers to the
initial 2d8 roll: 33 Rambunctious Wyvern
• For communities the size of a village or smaller, 34 Thoughtless King
apply a -4 modifier (minimum of 1).
35 Grotesque Duck
• If your municipality is a metropolis or larger,
apply a +4 modifier. 36 Zealous Orc
37 Wonderful Pony
Tavern, Inn or Club Generator 38 Tender Platter
These 1d100 tables are meant to help you determine a 39 Pleasant Traveler
name, atmosphere and other dynamics for a local tavern,
40 Lazy Lord
inn or club. Roll 2d100 on the first table to establish a
name, then roll 4d100 on the second table to learn about 41 Jolly Ogre
who gathers there and what happens when they do. 42 Handsome Stranger
43 Foolish Elder
1d100 First Name Last Name
44 Wicked Arrow
1 Prancing Boarhound
45 Naughty Faerie
2 Brazen Deckhand
46 Delightful Den
3 Shrouded Griffon
47 Courageous Cup
4 Merry Troubadour
48 Empty Skull
5 Gallivanting Halfling
49 Clumsy Cloaker
6 Dawdling Dandy
7 Ambling Ox 50 Blushing Bride

8 Garrulous Boggle 51 Boorish Gnoll

9 Frozen Hag 52 Ludicrous Lad
10 Enticing Succubus 53 Irksome Thief
11 Hidden Cleaver 54 Petulant Priest
12 Rearing Warhorse 55 Voracious Mimic
13 Lilting Lute 56 Aloof Plate
14 Shady Lion 57 Feckless Bandit
15 Bloody Blade 58 Gluttonous Hog
16 Arrogant Aristocrat 59 Horrible Sword
 60 Stubborn Dwarf 81 Ancient Elf
61 Vibrant Kettle 82 Crowded Portal
62 Delicious Cauldron 83 Adorable Lamb
63 Fearless Knight 84 High Tower
64 Inspired Performer 85 Confused Pirate
65 Jovial Unicorn 86 Fancy Boot
66 Ambitious Werewolf 87 Miniature Hydra
67 Artful Hand 88 Hissing Rose
68 Dazzling Flash 89 Frail Crone
69 Humble Castle 90 Violent Storm
70 Learned Minstrel 91 Watchful Guardian
71 Harried Wanderer 92 Yawning Maw
72 Clever Troll 93 Vicious Toad
73 Angelic Tankard 94 Creaky Chair
74 Ostentatious Table 95 Awful Bucket
75 Bashful Lass 96 Fantastic Voyager
76 Luminous Wand 97 Annoying Fool
77 Tiny Bar 98 Slimy Slug
78 Scrawny Lad 99 Fat Friar
79 Whispering Witch 100 Weird Throne
80 Starving Artist

1d100 Description Regulars Marketing Hook Complications

Everything is
A slender barroom that’s The local hemophiliac The new barmaid
1 covered in protective
standing room only. support group. is fairly clumsy.
padding.
A mechanical crab!
A surly wizard casts
A nautical-themed tavern Rides cost 2 cp. DC 12
The parents of toddling, animate objects after
2 with porthole windows a Strength (Athletics)
would-be pirates. being booted out of an
nd sand on the floor. to stay on, rises by +1
ongoing birthday party.
every 10 seconds.
A weekly poker night
A posh smoker’s lounge, A few guys who know Someone recently stuffed oil-
that brings in some
3 with dark corners for a guy, and the occasional soaked rags into one of the
of the realm’s
darker dealings. undercover guard. fancier ash repositories.
biggest spenders.
One of the bar’s more daring
A bright, loud tavern with Bard wannabes who have Music and laughter performers has prepared a
4 banners and flags hanging an open invitation to try out guaranteed for a two song detailing the
from the rafters. their material on the crowd. drink minimum. underhanded exploits of a
local religious leader.
Thumb wrestling
every night. Contested Beer supplied by competitors
A cheery bar with big, Two budding
Dexterity (Sleight causes spontaneous tap-
5 round tables that encourage anthropologists who are
of Hand) + Strength dancing (irresistible dance,
patron intermingling. working on their thesis.
(Athletics), best two out DC 14, duration: 8 hours).
of three advances.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 53

 Worldbuilding

1d100 Description Regulars Marketing Hook Complications

Four accountants who Buy 99 ales and the That growing stain on the
An elegant tavern with
6 gab about the area’s 100th is free (coupon wall is the edge of a gray
high-end decor.
fragile economy. valid upon next visit). ooze infestation.
A rough and tumble tavern Three bugbears who are A patron starts choking.
The thickest beer this
7 with large kegs of ale lining careful to shave before Probably shouldn’t have
side of the river.
the wall behind the bar. heading into town. angered that hag.
A sleepy tavern marked by the Four sets of identical twins (a Dogs drink That patron’s dog is not a
8
smell of extremely sour beer. doppelganger commune). for free. dog, it’s a giant rat.
A nasty little hole in the wall The Skungerly sisters, the Coldest beer in The beer tends to be frozen
9
with actual holes in the wall. area’s two oldest women. the realm. half the time.
A dark, inviting bar, adorned A group of gawking “nice “If you can afford it, A drunken patron believes
10 with velvet drapes, couches guys” who don’t know we can find it.” one of the staff is a vampire.
and pillows throughout. they’re the problem.
Wooden everything: the A crew of towering Find the owner’s
A group of meddling kids
11 floors, the walls, the mugs, lumberjacks who love to arm cleaver and you’ll
stole all the taps.
the bartender’s leg. wrestle for hours. drink free for a week.
A hunter’s lodge with several A group of former soldiers The area’s best
12 A gnome is stuck in the toilet.
trophies on the walls. who gather to reminisce. venison brisket.
A theme restaurant featuring Live music from open A wild-eyed maniac with a
Three troupes of musicians
ephemera that once belonged to close. Some good, dagger runs on stage and
13 who like to jam but have lost
to some of the realm’s most some bad, attacks one of the performers
most of the magic.
beloved bards. some famous! over a decades-old feud.
A bushy-bearded warrior There’s a weak spot in the
A nondescript alehouse that If you know, you know.
who can always be found in floor, just above a smuggler’s
14 doubles as a front for an elite If you don’t, you likely
the same corner, weeping cache, which could collapse
smuggler’s band. don’t come here.
over an enormous beer. at any moment.
A criminal mastermind,
A small band of cutthroats A great spot to grab a
A tavern seemingly formed whose face is on several
15 who like to bully weaker pint before grabbing a
from a single piece of iron. wanted posters, wanders
patrons who wander in. bounty post.
in on a date.
An elegantly appointed Two obviously well-off Fancy drinks for fancy One of the regulars keels
cocktail lounge with a gentlemen who sit at their people. They might not over, foaming at the mouth,
16
wall that features a regular table and bicker taste good, but the lit- poisoned. An assassin is
massive trick mirror. about the state of city affairs. tle umbrellas are cute. watching from nearby.
A bar with the look (if not the A small witch’s coven holds A dog whose bark casts
The best looking
17 feel) of the finest taphouse in a regular private meeting in dispel magic wanders in off
taphouse in town!
town. It’s all an illusion. the back room. the street begging for food.
Can you slay the
A cavern-like space lined with A former knight who rages A shape-changed dragon
Dragon’s Flagon,
18 papier-mâché walls designed madly about his long ago gets a little drunk and starts
a 200-ounce
to evoke a dragon’s lair. battle with a black dragon. rambling about its hoard.
flaming mead?
Wall-to-wall plaid, as if
The owner regularly
decorated by someone A small group of pipers who Five days of drink
19 challenges random patrons
who had a discount at perform twice a week. without pipers!
to a bareknuckle punch up.
Tartans “R” Us.
The tavern’s mascot, a horse
A completely green bar. A bold pixie named Mixie, Come see our unicorn named Boots masquerading
Green walls, green mugs, curious about the ways of the and be blessed! Two
20 as a unicorn, has become
green uniforms, green prime material plane, is here drink minimum! Please the target of a soon-to-be-
ale, green...unicorn? every night taking notes. don’t touch the horn! executed kidnapping plot.
 A spacious, high-ceilinged
A band of angry dwarves Home of the 10-foot The tavern’s owner
tavern with a massive chair
21 who all sit facing the bar, tallboy (always served returns from war to someone
behind the bar marked with a
cracking their knuckles. by a lanky lad). sitting in his chair.
sign that says “For the Boss.”

Home of “Snail The giant snail that oozes this

A circuitous bar with strange The “Soooo, what are you bar’s signature brew has fled,
22 Sauce.” It’s a drink.
sculptures serving as stools. working on?” trend-chasers. a sticky trail the only clue to
And a sauce.
its whereabouts.
A tavern with purple-and- Three grinning bald guys Due to a recent furniture fire,
The best place to meet
23 white-striped walls, lit with with perfectly curled this is currently a “standing
your new flame.
very drippy candelabras. mustaches. room only” tavern.
Free headache remedies It’s impossible to
Wall-to-wall wood paneling, A group of six gnomes who
24 with the purchase of a hear someone sneak
all of it rotten and warped. love to play the drums.
combo meal. up behind you.
A trio of triplet sisters All contracts made For reasons that are not
A family-style feast
25 who routinely finish inside are magically understood, it is impossible
house fit for a fiend.
each other’s sentences. binding! to tell a lie within this tavern.
A noblewoman who wears A secret tunnel to the thieves
An onyx-black bar carved out We keep out the rabble
26 clothes crafted from lace and guild is about to erupt with
of a single piece of stone. so you don’t have to.
her coterie of hangers-on. members fleeing a turf war.
Come in for a chance of
Swinging tables and bench One of the patrons is
A halfling (Ned) with a random enchantment,
27 seating suspended from the actually a vampire and is
donkey (Ted) on a leash. some beneficial, some
ceiling by heavy chains. exceptionally thirsty.
not, but all free.
Four drunken idiots, all Several louts have just
A pub built entirely of retired All-you-can-drink milk,
28 named Darryl, who are not learned the tavern has been
coaches and carriages. fresh from the cow.
related in any way. watering down their ale.
A simple bar overlooking the A handful of fishermen who
The fishy smell Severe storms cause the
29 region built on top of one of insist on singing the same
grows on you! whole structure to shake.
the area’s taller structures. shanty over and over again.
A rowdy tavern situated on
A group of finely Finest dancing in the The tavern’s regular
stilts requiring would-be
30 dressed ladies who region. Grab a partner performer has come down
imbibers to scale a fake tower
never lose at cards. and enjoy the music! with a bad case of frog pox.
wall (DC 15) in order to enter.
A club, built in the ruins of a A sentient ooze who wears a The gelatinous cube that
Don’t mind the slime,
31 sunken temple, with a lazy hat of disguise to appear as eats the garbage has escaped
it’s good for the skin.
river and swim-up jacuzzi bar. a powerful half-orc wrestler. its basement confines.
A narrow watering hole with Several talkative rats The home of the one A portal to the beastlands
32 a very long wooden bar that’s that love obscure poetry and only chocolate rips open, releasing a herd of
about knee-high. but hate criticism. moose (still living!). water buffalo.
Terracotta and tile mosaics of Legendary food and Wails of “Well, actually...”
A very old woman and her
33 the realm’s most memorable legendary atmosphere! reveal the pedantic ghost
very, very young husband.
legends on every wall. No refunds! that haunts this place.
A bar built out of A handful of sea elves that Come for the singing Sometimes puffs of noxious
34 (and within) the ruins of always take a table at the barnacles. Stay for the gas emanate from the walls.
a wrecked trade ship. back to play cards. crab cakes. It smells terrible.
A four-story entertainment
A group of nine very old Great food, energetic A flock of aggressive
hall with a casual vibe,
35 men who run bets on local shows and peerless ducks has taken over
bowling in the basement and
bowling matches. entertainment! the first-floor restroom.
a stage on the third floor.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 55

 Worldbuilding

1d100 Description Regulars Marketing Hook Complications

A stone-centric, spartan space A ridiculously large man Don’t mind the A pair of goliath toughs hang
36 serving a bare bones menu named Marl. Everyone bloodstains...those are out in the bar looking for
(it’s mostly bones). thinks he must be part giant. old, we swear. folks who appear easy to rob.
The bartender is
The bar is crafted from Some of the area’s most A fiend has laid claim to the
a satyr, but that
37 glimmering blue stone and lit accomplished partner and owner’s soul and forces him
doesn’t mean he
like a grotto. line dancers. to try to ensnare others’.
can’t be trusted!
One large, completely round The Legion of Shrooms, All-you-can-breathe One of the patrons has
38 room, with a ring-shaped bar myconid researchers oxygen buffet. brought in a parasitic spore
in the center. exploring the caves nearby. Only 1 sp! on the bottom of their boot.
Along one side of this A reluctantly talented
Hang Ten, a group of nearly a
spacious room, a bar— “Stump the Barman”: If kleptomaniac is trying to
dozen aviation enthusiasts,
39 seemingly made of solid Hank can’t make it, it’s drink away the urge to pick
who claim to have invented
clouds—floats above free (and unavailable)! a pocket (+15 on Dexterity
a flying machine.
the ground. (Sleight of Hand) checks).
There are no chairs in this Three blokes named Gus Six gnolls wearing stolen
Half price
40 bar, just very comfortable who come here each night to guard’s uniforms, hoping to
for halflings.
chaise lounges. brag about their wives. keep up the charade.
Marble tourneys
Soaring ceilings that seem too The Back Alley Ballers, a 10 (4d4) ankhegs surge out
41 every tenday!
high given the bar’s exterior. crew of marble enthusiasts. of the floor to molt.
Winner takes all.
Mirrors. There are mirrors The Jefferson Twins and the One of the mirrors functions
“Vampire-free since
42 everywhere. The walls. The Ramonia Triplets, retired as a mirror of life trapping
last year’s remodel!”
floors. The ceiling. The bar. circus performers. (see pg. 170 for inhabitants).
Styled as a forest grove, the The Quarter-Elf Society, a Rent the Tree House, Ten swarms of wasps zoom
43 ground is covered in moss and support group for mundane an elevated event in through an open window,
dirt and birdsong fills the air. children of area half-elves. space, for only 12 gp. scouting for a new home.
The tallest inn in three A one-eyed dwarf who loves Best view in town, if The area’s once-thriving stray
44 counties. It’s also the least to tell the (ever-changing) you don’t mind the population has diminished
stable building in the realm. story of how she lost her eye. climb. now that pie is on the menu.
The rooms of this tavern are A group of gregarious An enchanted stage A group of goblin thieves
all painted in deep, saturated orcs who have formed a (+15 on Charisma digging their way into the
45
colors and the furnishings are barbershop quartet. They’re (Performance) checks) nearby bank missed their
all grown from mushrooms. pretty good. makes anyone a star. mark by several blocks.
A cozy interior with numerous More fireplaces than The tavern’s main fireplace
A hunting club who are also
46 hearths and rooms for you could ever need, has become a portal to the
werewolves that like mead.
intimate conversation. plus outdoor seating. elemental plane of fire.
Trophies and awards line the A trio of former tycoons who Nightly storytelling A vampire that feasts on
47 walls on neat shelves and in gave it all up to pursue their contests. Best tale wins memories has been getting
well-kept display cases. passion for birdwatching. a chance at infamy! his fill all night.
It seems most of the surfaces The Rising Tide, a “Beer for bones,” The ritual to summon a lesser
48 are made from or covered in burgeoning cult of five, who a skull-based demon didn’t work. Instead,
bones and skulls. dabble in summoning. payment program. it summoned a greater one.
A drafty building, built Aphid Nit, a garrulous gnome The room with the The walls occasionally bleed,
49 with very dark wood, who has a small tree growing bleeding walls? You can a hazard of building an inn
that is very dimly lit. out of the top of his head. stay there for free. from abyssal oak.
Free meals to Unbeknownst to him, the
Floral arrangements adorn A pair of kindly priests who
newlyweds or owner’s spouse is having
50 this homey tavern, and rose provide couples counseling
those celebrating a an affair with the local
petals cover the floor. in a corner of the bar.
wedding anniversary! blacksmith.
 A simple bar with overturned Four local health inspectors It’s uncanny—unbelievable
“No shirt? No shoes?
51 crates serving as seats on a who know this place, despite even. But that bartender
No way! Us too!”
straw-covered dirt floor. its flaws, has the best food. looks just like the king.
“Escape the Tomb,” The owner is hiding a slow
A converted keep, this tavern A group of friendly gamblers
a multi-room puzzle but steady incursion of
52 is a fortress unto itself. It even who call themselves the
experience staged in demonic chickens in the
has a drawbridge. Royal Family.
the crypt under the bar. crypts. It’ll be fine!
For reasons that are hard to Four brothers who look This tavern rests on a faulty
Home of the realm’s
explain, this mundane ale nothing alike (and are ley line, which releases a
53 most unbelievable
house is trapped in a sphere actually mages not-so- magical hazard (table on pg.
upside-down cake!
of reverse gravity. covertly scouting the area). 145) every 1d4 hours.
A sturdy brick building with Fred and Forman, two Priests on site for An imp has been tasked
54 stained glass windows. It feels geriatric grand masters who healing, restoration and with stealing the bartender’s
like a cathedral. meet nightly for chess. impromptu weddings! prized wig for its master.
A tavern styled to look like Hand to God, a troupe of A wishing well built into The tavern’s owner angered
55 the interior of a great beast’s evangelical puppeteers who the bar has a 1 percent area leaders, who decided to
stomach. It often gurgles. worship a trickster deity. chance of casting wish. torch it without warning.
A watering hole that floats, The royal chef and a few Small giant crab fritters There was a run on fritters
56 this buoyant bar was built on other foodies who can’t get and giant crab fritters and the chef is all out of crab.
a crab-stocked drainage pond. enough of the crab fritters. (from small crab meat). Could you catch some?
Vegetable and flower gardens The Green Grocers, the “Produce so fresh A rival tavern owner has hired
57 grow out of the walls and toughest tree huggers you’ll you’ll think we plucked a sorceress to blight the bar’s
spiral up supporting columns. ever meet. it off the walls!” entire produce source.
An open air tavern built on a A mechanical woman who Nightly archery Loan sharks arrive to collect
58 suspended platform strung doesn’t appear to realize she contests. Shoot down the owner’s 400 gp debt. Or
between two tall buildings. isn’t flesh and blood. your dinner! break his extremities.
Robed acolytes with
A stately tavern dominated by Half price drinks A group of anarchists are
incredibly bronze skin whose
59 a fireplace large enough for a if you check your using the cellar to plan an
faces are tattooed to look
man to walk into. weapons at the door. insurrection.
like a dragon’s.
This tavern is suspended from 17 brightly dressed gnomes “If you end up covered A confused but stubborn roc
60 a large floating balloon and who all share a table and in vomit, drinks believes the tavern’s roof is
anchored in a city square. hum a haunting melody. are on you!” its nest.
The partners of Kristof, Home of the most The bar’s signature tea is
A truly underground
Karl and Gnufferson, deadly tea in the toxic to humans, dealing 30
61 establishment, this tavern is
area lawyers who can’t region. Drink at your poison damage on a failed
built 100 feet below ground.
catch a break. own risk! DC 12 Constitution save.
A quintet of dwarves who’ll
Built into the trunk of a long
bet on anything, including The staff are all easily
62 dead ancient tree, this inn is “We’re all a little nutty!”
the appearance of the next distracted by shiny objects.
staffed by intelligent squirrels.
patron to enter the bar.
Col. Westin Majors, who Interiors designed
All the furnishings are made The tavern is almost out of
claims to be a demon hunter by mercurial (and
63 from chunks of light blue glass ale. It doesn’t get much more
from another age, and his anonymous) artist
that glow with ethereal light. complicated than that.
dog, Otto, who loves fetch. Gnome Duplume.
The walls and support Several tiefling women who “New performers every Several patrons, victims of
columns of this homey, gossip in a corner while night! Never a repeat the hideous laughter spell,
64
welcoming bar are carved with embroidering impressive show! Unrelated: start laughing and cannot
scenes of revelry. eldritch tapestries. Seeking performers!” seem to stop.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 57

 World Building

1d100 Description Regulars Marketing Hook Complications

This four-story establishment Rex Houndmouth and “Come bear witness to
The condemned floor of
features a staircase spiraling Karolina Jagger, the the termite infestation
this beer hall is also a con-
65
up a central column. The third realm’s most celebrated everyone said was
damned floor: It was cursed
floor is forbidden. entomologists. impossible!” by a convicted felon.
This imposing structure built The Sowing Circle, a conclave Beast battles: If you Every 10 years, the green hag
from dark heartwood has a of hard-drinking druids who can wild shape, you can who cursed this place nearly
66
door shaped like the jaws of a make this tavern’s mead and fight. If you can’t, you 100 years ago returns to
massive wolf. kombucha. can gamble. curse it again (just in case).
The walls and ceiling of this
It’s been rumored you A child named Gartholomew
hot spot are enchanted, At least four members of the
can read your future in has been wandering around
67 creating illusory artwork Foretoddlers, a group of still-
the bottom of your asking for his mother for the
depicting each patron’s maturing soothsayers.
beer glass. past week and a half.
favorite location.
Hope you brought your
A small pod of merfolk Home of the Sloppy Every ounce of water in this
waders, because this tavern’s
who have been granted Shipwreck, a beef establishment turns to blood,
68 floor is 10 feet below sea
permission and the means to sandwich drenched in the result of a dark ritual
level and the swim-up
visit their dry ground allies. mayo and salt water. performed next door.
bar is packed.
Home of the realm’s
Elegance emanates A group of fashion-forward Black mold is an equal
most expensive elixir,
from every corner of this cosplayers who enjoy opportunity destroyer and
69 one drop costs 764
opulently appointed (but still gender-bending takes on the has permeated most of the
gp and tastes like
approachable) tavern. realm’s most famous heroes. rooms in this establishment.
childhood.
This bar doubles as the area’s All the halls of this None of the books in this bar
A brooding group of young
most extensive archive, establishment are are cursed, but the beds are.
people in dark clothing who
70 and its walls are lined with lined with books, none Roll 1d10 if sleeping in one.
are certain their taste in
tomes and scrolls and of which are cursed. On a 1, you do not gain the
music is all they have.
a few grimoires. Allegedly. benefit of a long rest.
This bar is more like a large Two cats, Beans and
Food and drink served A cat named Ratsbane, a
cart, full of casks and bottles Ratsbane, who benefit from
in disposable cups regular here, is actually
71 and outfitted with a few cots a dedicated spot at the bar.
and portable tubes for the polymorphed son of
on the roof. A window on the Beans can use telepathy, but
imbibers on the go. an elven demigod.
side allows for walk-up service. only when it suits her.
Fungal spores waft
This two-story building looks Come see the largest
A retired wizard named through the air each hour,
like a squat mushroom with collection of troll
Mortimer Fang (aka “Mort occasionally causing
72 a tall bright orange cap. The toenails in the known
the Short”), who is hard at uncontrollable fits of
musty smell adds to the world! You’ll gag or
work erasing his spellbook. sneezing on a failed DC 15
fungal aesthetic. your money back!
Constitution save (1 hour).
The roof of this rigid
A couple low-level life clerics “Buy one healing A blood-soaked, barrel-
rectangular building has
who are operating out of potion, get the second chested blacksmith staggers
73 ceramic shingles, painted in
this bar while their temple is for half off (limit one into the bar and with his
bright gold, arranged to look
under construction. per customer)!” dying breath says “Giants.”
like a pair of folded wings.
A large feasting hall with The Landed Gentry, a A place so warm and
It’s the owner’s 100th
one comically long collection of stuffy nobles inviting you could just
74 birthday. No one
communal table running who are also frauds here to cry (and you will, once
remembered.
down the center. skim food off other’s plates. you see the prices).
 This multistory tavern
Hidden arcane eyes all over
has a bright red roof with Home of the fresh-
Margot Coodaytah and Dr. the bar capture everything
sweeping lines and decorative baked bread bowl.
Swish Tailfeather, would-be they see and hear, storing the
75 buttresses. A large water Former home of the
revolutionaries who keep information in small crystals
wheel churns on the northern pumpernickel
forgetting their aliases. that are sold to interested
side, powering a series of pint glass.
(and wealthy) individuals.
elevators inside.
Illuminating orbs, the result Despite local
A group of apprentice The Proud Pacifists booked
of several permanent dancing ordinances, this place
wizards who gather together the private dining room, but
lights spells, float around this sells the result of a roll
76 every night as they work it’s currently occupied by a
space, which circles in on on the Wares That May
on their “summon savory group of aggro joust jockeys
itself like a snail shell with the Not Strictly Be Legal
ramen” spell. in town for a tourney.
bar at the center. table (pg. 210).
Mud racing, mud
Some members of the city
A showcase for the Numerous members wrestling and mud pie-
guard run a scam here,
owner’s other business, of the city guard who eating contests each
telling patrons they’ve
epic fountain sculptures, have a sweetheart deal evening. Mud is difficult
77 broken an obscure law (table
this tavern’s taps are all in place with the owner. terrain. Grapple checks
on pg. 47) but a few gp would
communal and shoot spirits They keep the peace, he are at disadvantage.
be enough for them to look
several feet into the sky. keeps the ale flowin’. Mud tastes like
the other way.
dirt and stale beer.
The beds here are the
Tall and narrow, this tavern
most comfortable in A roll on the appropriate
rises seven stories into the air, A group of paladins who
the realm, and offer environmental hazards
a series of shipping containers each took an oath of
78 +1 on Wisdom- and table (pg. 130) puts the
stacked haphazardly on top communion, and can drink
Intelligence-related overall construction of
of the next in a fashion that anyone under the table.
checks the day after this building to the test.
defies logic (and safety codes).
a long rest.
The walls don’t talk—but
This tavern was built around they do sing. Their ethereal
A group of clumsy
a shipwreck fused with the voices become so persistent
court jesters who were “If these walls could
stump of a great dead tree. they cannot be ignored. A
recently banned from all talk, they’d tell you our
79 The masts of the ship have creature who hears them
royal events for continually 2-for-1 entrees are the
been replaced with towering must make a DC 14 Wisdom
spilling the tea (literally best deal in town!”
trees that hold banquette and saving throw or be compelled
and figuratively).
booth seating in their bows. to serve the tavern’s interests
(at GM discretion).
A group of rowdy jugglers While there are A rift in the boundaries
A traditional stone tavern full who get better as they get some bars that promise between the prime material
of beautiful woodwork, this drunker and will happily great food or great plane and the fey wild has
80 building also features a small challenge anyone to a drinks or great service, opened in the ladies’ loo,
window (though not a portal) juggle-off (five DC 18 this one does not. Why which is now occupied
to the fey wild. Dexterity checks in a row promise something by 17 confused (and
beats their best trick). you can’t deliver? cramped) centaurs.
From the outside, this The stone statue just inside
Respect Your Elders
tavern simply appears to the entrance of the bar looks
Month continues for
be a freestanding stone Kat Tatum, Matt Murphy and very lifelike. Unbeknownst
its third straight year.
arch. Walking through Darvy “Flat” Hannigan, the to any living creature, this
81 Anyone over 200
transports patrons into a area’s foremost experts on statue is the daughter of
can deduct their age,
grotto of ancient stone tables all things paranormal. an ancient being. She has
in copper pieces, from
surrounded by twinkling stood petrified for almost a
their total tab.
faerie lights. thousand years.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 59

 Worldbuilding

1d100 Description Regulars Marketing Hook Complications

“Birthplace of Gorg’s
Bioluminescent toadstools
Fifteen noisy, chaotic kale-mushroom A small gap in the tavern’s
grow from the ceiling of this
kobolds, who aren’t afraid to mash!” One bowl will back wall leads to parts
otherwise unremarkable bar,
82 use their custom potions of tide you over for a unknown. The owner can’t
and their blue-black light
spiderclimb to dance on the week. The following explain it, but folks who step
causes stains of any sort to
ceiling every now and again. week, you’ll want to be through it never come back.
glow bright white.
near a toilet.
This simple square building The area’s more stubborn
Axe-Throwing Alley, a A cow has wandered onto
is surrounded by a petting farmers, who are experts at
series of targets perfect the upper floor of this
83 zoo full of adorable creatures, predicting the weather and
for wasting a few hours establishment and can’t
most mundane and ordinary, explaining why things were
or losing a few fingers. seem to get down.
others more fantastical. better a few decades ago.
Reargar Blackwell, a man “You won’t mind the A group of 5 (2d4) hairless
A tall building that sits on “cursed” to grow elk horns smell once you taste gnolls are bothering one of
84 the back of a giant turtle that from his head. He typically our award-winning the bartenders, asking for
wanders around town. allows patrons to use his fried catfish!” directions to “a place where
antlers to play ring toss. Note: This is false. humans like us worship.”
Fish tanks—some large, some A pair of fish-men, with A druid concerned with this
Literally some of the
small—are placed all around bowls of water over their tavern’s approach to cuisine
85 freshest fish you could
the bar, giving the space an head so they can breathe, has arrived to turn everyone
ever hope to eat.
almost aquarium-like feel. who come for the ambiance. vegan—or else.
Each night,
This tavern has been Only the owner and the
The cobblers guild owns a patrons vote for “Most
constructed inside a massive staff are aware that a
86 private booth in the back. Flamboyant Footwear.”
and well-preserved leather giant constrictor snake
They are a rowdy bunch. The winner gets
boot that stands 70 feet tall. lives in the walls.
a 5-gp tab.
The Odd Enders: A stoic
Five small rooms on tall “Free yourself from the The rats in the region have
dwarven woman and a
stilts branch off a large oppression of options. all the pieces in place
87 flamboyant half-orc who
central room constructed Order from our one- to begin their uprising
are locally renowned
of heavy stone. item menu: whiskey.” on the surface folk.
monster hunters.
Billiards with a twist: The owner is connected
Vibrant green moss, from Braz Borkin, a man who
Each time you pocket a with a clandestine criminal
which grow pure white roses knows how to get things,
88 ball, you get to throw it element (roll on the Random
that sing in the evening air, and his pet goat, Borkers,
at your opponent. Last Organization Generator on pg.
covers this squat tavern. who often eats them.
player standing wins. 74). Their leader’s here too.
Constructed within an
A group of giant spider The bar’s recipe book is also
abandoned windmill, the top
wranglers who can hook you Never-ending an arcane grimoire (pg. 206)
89 floor rotates, changing the
up with a little venom if you breadsticks. whose power has not been
view of the surrounding area
know to ask. fully unlocked.
as the windmill turns.
Harmless lightning crackles Mead made from fey Random surges of arcane
An oddball by the name of
up and down the walls of wild bees. There is a 25 energy run through the
Kirklin who carries around
this tavern. Every so often, percent chance a bottle structure. Every hour, roll
90 a chicken in a gilded
the tavern is transported will be magical (Roll on 1d10. On a 10, items that
cage, as well as his
elsewhere in the city with a the Beneficial Potions were magical aren’t (and vice
doting wife Matilda.
eruption crack of energy. table on pg. 158). versa) for 1 hour.
A pickpocketing tourist
An ancient tree with a gnarled A talkative halfling sorcerer
didn’t read about it in his
twisting trunk grows from the accompanied by a large The strongest ale in the
guidebook, but this tavern
91 top of this two-story tavern. armored construct. The region. One mugful is
features a magical alarm that
The roots of the tree frame the halfling likes to cheat at like drinking five.
sounds in the event of any
main door of the tavern. cards. The construct helps.
attempts at larceny.
 An inn styled to feel as if Gully Ripper, a shark- Eating the spicy food here
Food so spicy it should
you’re entering a dense wrestling barbarian in a requires a successful DC 15
be illegal. Guests who
jungle. All the greenery is loincloth, and Eva Regata, Constitution saving throw.
92 can endure the Caldera
fake, but the mosquitoes the anthropologist who On a failed save, you
Bowl are given an
that are buzzing around plans to write her thesis on either vomit or take 3
embroidered shirt.
the place seem real. how bonkers he is. (1d6) fire damage.
Food is presented as A large colony of tree frogs
Built into a massive toad Seven acolytes with small
a drink, and drinks as live in the rafters and are
statue, this tavern is one pointed horns and violet
93 food. Roast Beef Old so loud they drown out the
of the trendiest spots eyes who pray each time
Fashioneds! Martini sounds of a murder occurring
in the realm. they eat or drink anything.
Ragu! (Ice is still ice.) next door.
A pair of talentless The roof is not sturdy enough
An airy tavern built to emulate Every pint comes
carpenters who are always to support the random
94 the look and feel of the with a piece of
“fixing” things around the wyvern that just swooped in
ziggurat in the nearby hills. unsolicited advice.
tavern. to take a flying break.
This inn, tavern and distillery Sir Stew, a noble who gave it “Don’t like your face? The criminal element across
is all one big room, with beds all up to serve the poor, and Allow our resident the realm call this place “The
95
on lifts above communal his spouse, Lady Douglas, mage to permanently Underbed,” because it’s a
tables. who wishes he hadn’t. change it!” great place to lie low.
The roof of this tavern is made A group of former sailors “Our modify memory The bartender can’t
96 from the upside-down hull of who are now afraid of the porter will take your remember his own name or
a retired shipping vessel. water but won’t say why. mind off your troubles!” how he got here.
This tavern is dominated by Battle of the Bands
Locksley Shade, Phylum Guards arrive with grim
three large semicircular stages every month, with
Categorum, Dirk the Dread news: the treasury has
97 on which various performers prizes including a
and several other members been raided and the area’s
compete for the crowd’s weekly spot on the
of the town criers guild. economy will soon be kaput.
attention (and coin). main stage.
This bar features an Last night, several mimics
Dwarven brothers, Axel and
This open-air watering hole area full of stuff you’re devoured all the furniture, as
Able, who talk in low voices
98 features a staff composed allowed to break. Cost well as some of the bar staff.
about the shapeshifting
entirely of kobolds. is 1 gp for 10 minutes. The chairs all seem a little
monster they’re hunting.
Smash away. warm to the touch.
“Buy six rounds and
This oblong, squat building A balding cleric and his One of this bar’s regulars has
the seventh is free
99 has an overabundance of interpreter, a boy come down with a highly
(assuming you
tables and not enough chairs. named Ankle. contagious disease (pg. 143).
can stand).”
“The bar of your
An empty space where each A talking (and talkative) The thing about this bar is
dreams (seriously...you
patron dons a custom helm of horse named Glue Stick who you can check in any time
100 imagine the bar you
major illusion, projecting the would love to know more you like. Rumor has it you
want and *poof*
bar of their dreams into being. about your shoes. can never leave.
there it is).”

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 61

 Worldbuilding

Guilds and Unions GM NOTE: POPULATION SIZE

One type of organization that may influence and direct
AND GUILD DENSITY
your cities and towns is the trade guild. Fantasy settings
are full of guilds, from those for fishmongers and The size of a community will have an effect on
candlemakers to those for adventurers, stonemasons or the number of guilds present in that location. If
tavern keepers. Guilds of this nature often help drive the you want to limit the number of organizations or
economy of a given city. They work behind the scenes to boost them based on population you can apply the
manage labor and resources and govern disputes between following modifiers to the initial 1d12 roll:
laborers, craftsmen and clients. They often serve as a • For communities of the size of a village or
clearinghouse of information related to their area of smaller apply a -2 modifier (minimum of 1).
expertise. • If your municipality is a metropolis or larger,
The leader(s) of a trade guild can find themselves apply a +2 modifier.
rubbing elbows with the wealthy elite as well as the
desperately poor, not to mention government officials
or members of the royal family. Often these associations Establishing Influential Guilds
are used to influence the direction of public policy, A guild isn’t powerful by default. The circumstances of
gain advantage for their members or craftsmen or (for each city are unique, and the groups that rise to power
the unscrupulous) amass large amounts of wealth and are in many ways connected to their impact on commerce
political power. Guilds can heavily influence your story, and well-being within the realm. In a coastal city with
either through a player character’s membership or the a large port, the mariners, porters and fishermen guilds
political power wielded by its leaders. Determining the will likely hold more sway. In a city close to a gem mine,
number of guilds that might be present in your city or the jewelers guilds will likely have more influence. Don’t
town is easy—pick a number—but deciding which guilds be afraid to take the randomness of these tables out of the
and how much they matter can be harder. equation if something makes more sense to use because
A guildhall is likely to have an elected leader who of other circumstances like location or predominant
guides the organization and takes cues from other resources.
influential people inside (or outside) that organization. To randomly determine the predominant or most
Sometimes these leadership roles are murkier. How influential guilds in your location, roll 1d12. After getting
does a thieves guild organize? How does a mariners this result, roll that many times on the Influential Guilds
guild operate when members of that organization are table. From there, choose a name for each.
frequently gone for extended periods of time? In those Naming your trade guilds can provide as much or as
circumstances, a random roll on a table may provide you little flavor to that organization as you desire. Simply
some direction as you build your organization from the calling them what they are (“the carpenters guild,” “the
top down. Roll on the Organizational Structure table to potionmakers guild,” or “the jewelers guild”) provides an
determine the way an organization—anything from an easy frame of reference for your players. However, guilds
artisan union to a secret society—is run. and societies of these types often give themselves fanciful
or self-aggrandizing titles to add to their mystique,
Organizational Structure engender trust with their clientele or outmarket their
competitors. Naming things can be the hardest aspect of
1d6
a GM’s session prep. Harried names can offer great comic
One leader rules with an iron fist and makes all
1 relief but may not lend the gravitas you’re hoping for if
decisions.
you want this guild to feature prominently in your story
A leader with three lieutenants who oversee
2 arc. The following tables contain a handful of titles and
different parts of the organization.
A triumvirate makes every decision by majority names for specific guilds. Once you know which guilds
3 are prominent in your locality, refer to that guild’s specific
vote.
table and roll 1d8 to determine a name.
The organization is broken into cells that
4 each have their own leader. These leaders act
independently, but work as a whole.
Leaders of different parts of the organization
elect one from their number to speak for the
5
organization as part of a leadership council,
which makes decisions for the group.
No leader; everyone in the organization
6 operates as equals. Decisions are handled by
majority vote.
Influential Guilds Carpenters Guild Names
1d100 1d8
1-4 Stonemasons 1 Brotherhood of the Golden Awl
5-8 Carpenters 2 The Eternal Fellowship of the Hammer and Nail
9-12 Wheelwrights 3 The Chiseler’s Collective
13-16 Adventurers 4 Joisters and Framers Club
17-20 Innkeepers/Bartenders 5 Woodworkers United
21-24 Tanners/Leatherworkers 6 Carriers of Wood Chips and Sawdust
25-28 Blacksmiths 7 Society of the Serrated Saw
29-32 Potionmakers/Alchemists 8 Association of the File and Rasp
33-36 Tailors
Armorers/Weapon Makers
WheelWrights, Wagon Builders
37-40
and Teamsters Guild Names
41-44 Cooks
1d8
45-48 Miners
1 The Movers of the World
49-52 Watchmen
2 The Fellowship of the Traveling Crate
53-56 Fishmongers/Netmakers
3 Society of the Wheel and the Road
57-60 Printers/Scribes Sisterhood of the Endless Journey
4
61-64 Performers 5 Spokes ’N’ Yokes
65-68 Apothecaries/Physicians 6 Worshipful Wagoneers
69-72 Glassblowers/Glaziers 7 The Stow and Go Society
73-76 Jewelers 8 Heroes of Haulage
77-80 Mariners/Sailors
81-84 Shipwrights
Adventurers Guild Names
85-88 Butchers/Hunters
1d8
89-92 Distillers/Vintners/Brewers B.A.M.M. (Beast and Monster Mashers,
93-96 Farriers/Stable Masters 1 “Bammers” for short)
97-100 Chandlers/Lamplighters 2 Thrill Seekers Collective
3 Society of Brimming Hope
4 Monster Hunters Incorporated
Stonemasons Guild Names
5 Fortune and Favor Collaborative
1d8
6 The Bloody Blades
1 The Exalted Builders Guild
7 The Illustrious Association of World Defenders
2 The Silver Trowel
The Most Esteemed League of Wayfarers
3 The Order of Mortar and Brick 8 and Explorers
4 The Most Honorable Society of Stone
5 The Brickers Innkeepers and Bartenders Guild Names
6 Brotherhood of the Boulder 1d8
7 The Order of Superior Stone Shapers 1 The Order of the Chuckling Flagon
Hallowed Confederacy of Sculptors and 2 Honorable Purveyors of Rest and Respite
8 Chiselers 3 Boozers and Bed Keepers Association
4 The Honest Publicans Society
5 Illustrious Order of the Pillow and Pitcher
6 Sisterhood of the Welcoming Hearth
7 Hostlers and Tapsters Club
8 Excellent Order of Gracious Hosts

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 63

 Worldbuilding

Tanners and Leatherworkers Armorers and Weapon Makers

Guild Names Guild Names
1d8 1d8
1 The Skinned Souls 1 The King’s Hammers
2 The Most Honorable Society of the Hide 2 The Sword and Shield Society
3 Crafters of the Pelt 3 Order of the Blackened Blade
4 Leathersmiths Unlimited 4 Plate and Link Fabricators
5 Solemn Skin Slickers 5 The Steel Syndicate
6 Peelers 6 The Sisterhood of the Platinum Plate and Hilt
7 Brotherhood of Burnished Leathers 7 Steel Skin Association
8 The Hiders 8 Armament and Aegis Collective

Blacksmiths Guild Names Cooks Guild Names

1d8 1d8
1 The Fraternity of Fire 1 The Bulging Bellies
2 The Institute of Iron 2 Skillet and Saucepan Club
3 August Society of the Anvil 3 Brotherhood of the Fork and Spoon
4 Crafted Metal Collective 4 Gullet and Gut Pleasers
5 Fellowship of the Roaring Bellows 5 The Order of the Searing Grill
6 Embers of the Glowing Billet 6 G.A.G.S. (Gluttony and Gormandizing Society)
7 The Ringing Sparks 7 Grubbers Association
8 The Holy Forge 8 Most Exalted Society of the Plate and Platter

Potionmakers Guild Names Miners Guild Names

1d8 1d8
1 The Fate Bottlers 1 The Underground Society
2 The Society of the Coveted Cauldron 2 Brotherhood of the Mother Lode
3 Brotherhood of Bubble and Steam 3 Pick and Shovel Collective
The Most Honorable Brewers of 4 Collectors of Ore and Vein
4 Fantastical Tinctures 5 Most Excellent Crew of Diggers and Pitmen
5 Beakers and Bottles Collective 6 Miller’s Moles
6 Esteemed Association of Elixir Brewers 7 The Excavator Association
7 League of Liquid Magic Makers 8 The Golden Order of Prospectors
8 Illustrious Philter Collaborative
Watchmen Guild Names
Tailors Guild Names 1d8
1d8 1 Order of the Unblinking Eye
1 The Stitch and Patchers 2 The Street Keepers
2 The Society of the Pin and Press 3 Society of the Vigilant Gaze
3 The Threaded Eyes 4 Wardens of the Watch
4 The Needle Threaders 5 Collective of the Steadfast Sentinel
5 The Fraternity of Fabric and Fur 6 Courageous Guardian Association
6 The Order of the Seamless Suit 7 League of Nocturnal Defenders
7 Trim and Hem Association 8 Most Observant Order of the Avid Defenders
8 The Illustrious Order of the Golden Thimble
Fishmongers and Netmakers Glassblowers and Glaziers Guild Names
Guild Names 1d8
1d8 1 Fraternity of Fragile Finery
1 The Net Slingers 2 The Punty Wielders
2 Fellowship of Lines and Leads 3 Society of Melted Sand
3 Procurers of the Ocean’s Bounty 4 Keepers of the Translucent Orb
4 Order of the Glittering Fin 5 Order of the Crystalline Pane
5 Sisterhood of the Silken Line 6 Gorgeous Glasswork Collective
6 Illustrious League of Anglers and Trawlers 7 The Refracting Mosaic
7 Brotherhood of Bait and Bob 8 Glinters
8 Esteemed Collective of the Lucky Net
Jewelers Guild Names
Printers Guild Names 1d8
1d8 1 Society of the Shining Gem
1 Vox Populi 2 Tinkerers of Trinkets and Treasures
2 Script Slingers 3 Exalted Society of Bling and Bauble
3 The Honorable Collective of those that Record 4 Order of Adornment and Ornamentation
4 The Order of the Ardent Quill 5 Brotherhood of the Setting Stone
5 The Smudge and Blot Society 6 Order of the Faceted Gem
6 Sisterhood of the Stamp and Scrawl 7 The Glittering Host
7 Precise Pensman League 8 The Gemmers
8 Brotherhood of the Drying Ink

Performers Guild Names Mariners and Sailors Guild Names

1d8 1d8
The Society of Silver Tongues 1 Society of the Sea and Surf
1
The August Collective of the Mask and Mirror 2 The Order of the Ivory Sail
2
The Wondrous Fellowship of the Inspiring Muse 3 The Eternal Brotherhood of the Horizon
3
Order of the Talented Troubadour 4 Sisterhood of the Snapping Line
4
The Most Esteemed Order of Ebullient 5 Honorable Order of the Wind and Wave
5 6 Swabby’s Collective
Entertainers
6 Saddened Society of the Funny Bone 7 Order of the Swaying Deck
7 The Barding Brigade 8 The Unlanded Gentry
8 Society of the Telling Tale
Shipwrights Guild Names
Apothecaries, Herbalists and 1d8
Physicians Guild Names 1 The Society of the Constructed Hull
1d8 2 Makers of Main and Mast
1 Most Honorable Fraternity of Menders 3 The Boom Hangers
2 The Exalted Society of Foragers and Naturalists 4 Shippers
3 Fixers 5 Bow Builders
4 Illustrious Order of Druggists and Doctors 6 Order of the Gilded Spar
5 Sisterhood of the Healing Touch 7 Fellowship of Wavebreakers
6 Order of the Soothing Tincture 8 Most Esteemed Association of Shipbuilders
7 The August Order of Physickers and Therapists
8 Society of Restorative Knowledge

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 65

 Worldbuilding

Butchers and Hunters Guild Names

1d8 GM NOTE: GUILD STORY HOOKS
1 V.P.A. (Vegetable Protection Association) Guilds are perfect story fodder because they
2 The Fellowship of Game and Stock generally have access to some form of power (but
3 Order of the Flank and Loin could use more) and typically serve a vital function
Golden Cleaver Society within a city (part of the reason they have power).
4
If you’re looking for an easy way to incorporate a
5 Sisterhood of the Bow and Snare
guild into your adventures, consider rolling 1d4 on
6 Most Esteemed Society of the Hunt the table below to explore a Guild Story Hook.
7 Collective of Tenacious Trappers 1d4
8 Meat and Bone Society 1 Strike
2 Power Struggle
Vintners, Distillers and Brewers
Guild Names 3 Material Shortage
4 Incursion
1d8
1 Collective of the Jolly Spirits
2 The Drunken Dabblers
Strike
3 Order of the Gold Draught The town’s most powerful guild is on strike. What are
4 Association of Ardent Ales their demands? What does it look like when they don’t do
5 Hoppers and Grapers the thing they’re meant to do? How long have they been
6 Most Excellent Order of the Cordial striking? Why haven’t their demands been met? What are
7 Liquor League the consequences for those who try to cross the line?
8 Sisterhood of the Crimson Berry
Power Struggle
A guild’s leader(s) are retiring. Two apprentices are
Farriers and Stable Masters waiting in the wings to step in and fill the power
Guild Names vacuum. What are their opposing views or approaches
1d8 to leadership? How would one rising to power be
1 The Most Honorable Fellowship of Horsemasters dramatically different than the other taking the reins?
2 Society of Saddle and Shoe
Material Shortage
3 Golden Hoof Association Several influential guilds lack the materials they need to
4 Brotherhood of Tack and Bridle ply their craft. Why is there a shortage? What does this
5 Esteemed Order of the Patient Equestrian look like for the city? What are the guilds doing about
6 Plovers and Stablehands Anonymous the problem? How is this being used by others inside the
7 Sisterhood of the Graceful Gallop city to change the balance of power?
8 Steel Shoe Collective
Incursion
Chandlers and Lamplighters Some other entity has taken over a powerful guild inside
Guild Names the city. Roll 1d8 with the following results:
1d8
• 1-6, an entity from the Underworld Elements and
1 The Illustrious Order of Lightbringers
Hidden Societies table on pg. 71 has taken control of
2 The Exalted Flame Keepers the guild and is using it to further its aims.
3 Workers of Wick and Tallow • On a 7, a member of the city government has
4 Brotherhood of the Golden Brazier clandestinely taken over the guild.
5 The Waylighters • On an 8, one or more demons have replaced the
6 Sisterhood of the Shining Flame leadership of the guild and are using their influence
to bring about the destruction of the city and the
7 Order of the Gleaming Glow
binding of the population’s souls. Once you’ve
8 Wickers established the nature of the incursion, determine
how it would immediately influence the way the
guild operates. Who wins? Who loses? What happens
next? How does the party learn of this plot (if at all)?

66 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 9
 Worldbuilding

Local Color Unique Local Cuisine /Techniques

1d100
The feel of a place isn’t limited to descriptions of its
buildings or the people who occupy them. It’s the smells Baking items in the dried-out husks of giant
1
of food simmering in the air, the sounds of whispers in the mushrooms.
A drink made from honey and fermented banana
alleyways, the visual impact of an institution around which 2 juice.
an entire city has evolved. These are the elements of local
A cucumber-like vegetable stuffed with nuts,
color, of which there are a few categories you can explore to 3 cheese and gooseberry jelly.
add more specificity to the places you’re creating.
Chocolate-covered insects dusted in ground spicy
4 peppers.
Unique Local Cuisine Using huge cast iron pans to cook communal
Food is a central component of any culture. We gather 5 fragrant dishes.
for mealtimes, sharing food, drink and stories we’ll
6 Spicy mimic kebabs in a sweet honey sauce.
remember long after the tables are empty. Many of the
most important times in our lives are accompanied by 7 Roasted ankheg in garlic sauce.
huge meals (and, if we’re lucky, dessert). Fantasy tales 8 Live worms in a sweet and spicy broth.
are full of descriptions of great feasts and common room A strong drink made from raisins in burning
9
delicacies. For some, food is so important the majority brandy.
of the day is spent planning, executing and eating meals. 10 Deep-fried owlbear.
Cuisine is such an identifying aspect of a culture that we 11 Oven-baked giant snail.
refer to entire categories of food by the places they come Boiled cream tart sprinkled with pixie dust.
12
from. It should be the same way in your make-believe Pickled basilisk eye, which is still effective, so it’s
world. Food is as much a part of a nation’s identity as 13 eaten while wearing a blindfold.
customs, fashion, government and landscape.
14 Everything is cooked in large egg-shaped clay urns.
That is not to say that different places won’t share
Cinnamon sugar caramelized Angel Caps, a purple
commonalities. Most places will serve ale, beer and 15 frilled mushroom.
wine. The majority of kitchens will have hearty breads
and thick stews made from vegetables or meat or a 16 Whiskey-marinated mammoth steaks.
combination of the two. Aged cheese and cured meats are Bananas soaked in enlarge potions then deep
17
found in cultures spanning multiple environments. fried.
When looking at cuisine and dishes, you must take the 18 Roasted giant cockroach.
environment you are in into account. In a coastal city or 19 Mushroom and venison stew that causes euphoria.
nation, seafood is going to feature heavily in most dishes. Sauteed kraken tentacles in a spicy cream sauce
20
In large grasslands or plains, cattle, goats and sheep are (market price).
going to be the go-to form of protein because there’s Giant insects stuffed with goat meat and spiced
21
ample room to feed and tend them. As you consider what vegetables.
food will be like in your fantasy city, take all of these A flaming alcoholic drink that is laced with
22
things into account. watered-down phase spider venom.
That said, every corner of our actual realm has its Giant constrictor snake steaks with a pomegranate
23
delicacies (or acquired tastes), and yours should be no juice gelée.
different. Is owlbear on the menu? How about giant Plesiosaur flipper cooked on seasoned heated
24
snails? Does the old hag on the corner sell pickled rat rocks then sliced tableside.
eyes as a delicacy to passersby? The choice is yours. Baked dessert made from the seed fluff of giant
25
The Unique Local Cuisine table is a grab bag of strange tropical plants.
dishes, drinks and cooking techniques that can be used to Plink berries, a deep purple sour fruit, covered in
26
add even further texture to your city. Perhaps people travel chocolate and rock sugar.
great distances to try the spicy mimic kebabs in sweet A sweet but spicy jungle fruit dubbed “boilers.”
honey sauce pioneered by Frederick the Giantkin. It’s just 27 They cause steam to come from your mouth, nose
as likely folks avoid the town entirely to steer clear of the and ears an hour after ingestion.
smell. Roll as many times as you like to add this layer of Bugbear’s Rotgut, a strong alcoholic drink
28
detail to your city—just be sure to tip your waitstaff. fermented from beetroots and honey.
Radiant vegetables that glow through the eater’s
29 skin for hours after consumption.
Mushroom gruel flavored with squid ink, hot
30 peppers and a significant serving of salt.
Golden plums cultivated to taste especially sweet
31 and to smell like a field of wildflowers in bloom.
 Sarro Juice, an alcoholic beverage that has Classic pub fare that’s been reduced repeatedly
wisps of shimmering purple mist coming from its 56 so you can eat an entire plate of steak frites or
32 surface. Consuming it temporarily turns your irises chicken pot pie with a single swallow.
lavender. 57 Pan-seared toad tongue.
Hopping bean stew, made of beans laced with Pillowy noodles in a rich broth that’s been aged
33 latent magic. The beans constantly vibrate, an 58 solera-style for generations.
effect that persists hours after consumption. Rendered yak fat blended with milk and brine,
Jellyfish tentacle soup. Produces a strange 59 served room temperature upon request.
34 numbing sensation on the lips and tongue that Jellied gnoll heart (best when fresh, so some chefs
enhances the savory flavor. 60 pay handsomely for the main ingredient).
Beef loin roasted over a fire made of several A strong alcoholic beverage with hints of yuzu and
35 small salamander-shaped fire elementals. Adds a 61 saffron served in a candied pomelo rind.
distinct smoky flavor to the roast. Violet jellies laced with psychoactive herbs that
36 Floatseed, a spiced dandelion cordial. cause you to have an out-of-body experience (1
62
Red fish with braised beans in a spicy sauce made in 20 chance of death, but that’s part of the joy of
37 from peppers cultivated in soil fertilized with eating).
bronze dragon dung. 63 Ascallion fritters.
A roasted duck stuffed with braised donkey A lamprey pie made specifically for a religious
38 meat that’s baked inside a large turtle shell with holiday. Tradition dictates one lamprey is placed in
seasonal aromatics. Locals call it turduckass. 64 the pie with its teeth still intact. Whoever gets the
39 Milk infused with lemon and basil. piece of pie with the teeth is said to have good luck
40 Burnt bread with moldy cheese. for the year.
41 Raw sugar cubes dipped in colored liquids. Boar tusk and jowl with a mead reduction. The
65 tusk marrow is typically “slurped” to end the meal.
42 Frozen rose petals.
A particularly pungent cheese that has been
43 Apple juice with salt and spicy pepper. 66 allowed to sour in the heat, considered a delicacy
Dried, cubed melon dipped in cinnamon and worthy of only the bravest warriors.
44 sugar. An omelet of ostrich eggs, sharp cheese and
Crispy breadsticks filled with cheese and spices 67 smoked meat, served using the massive eggshell
45 and a long dehydrated centipede. as a bowl.
Raw fish marinated in a mixture of charred Soft-shell crabs stuffed with spicy sausage,
46 molasses and smoked butter. 68 breadcrumbs and herbs, served in a highly acidic
Enchanted pieces of parchment that dissolve broth that dissolves the shell as you eat.
47 and taste of full course meals when placed on the An ale so thick and filling the local population
tongue. 69 drinks it in lieu of bread, regardless of age or size.
Wood-fired baked apple tart with goat cheese that Skewered scorpion tail, seasoned with crushed
48 causes you to bray like a goat for the next six hours, 70 chiles and served alongside a glass of fermented
but boy is it delicious. ox milk, which neutralizes the venom.
Thin strands of flavored candy with the Pickled egg and boar sandwiches on brown bread
49 71
consistency of a spider’s web. with mustard.
Enchanted roasted game birds that squawk and Thinly sliced auroch filet wrapped around sliced
50 trill while they are being eaten. 72 green onions and served on skewers alongside a
A salmon sandwich topped with a freshly fried egg, dipping sauce flavored with grains of paradise.
giant boar bacon and a sauce made with cayenne An aperitif concocted by mages, guaranteed to
51 73
pepper. Causes harmless flames to shoot out of make your meal taste better.
your mouth. Flambéed anglerfish fillet (the rest of the fish is
Vaporized memories of those who have passed on, 74
52 ceremonially burned atop a small cedarwood pyre).
served in tightly sealed jars with vague labels. Roasted cockatrice leg coated in a sweet and
Braised troglodyte cheek that tastes worse than 75 spicy dry rub (name of cockatrice provided upon
53 it smells, but has an unforgettable umami flavor request).
some crave. Jackrabbit stew topped with a sprinkling of dried
Boiled giant crab, the size of a small table, served 76
54 nightshade.
family style. Cherry-glazed bat wings served with a sprig of
Sap from the gumroot bush, said to be a natural 77 rosemary.
55 aphrodisiac, served in a squeezable tube. Many Aboleth caviar and salt-baked aboleth fillets,
are allergic. 78 cracked open tableside.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 69

 Worldbuilding

79
Reverse seared cloaker with a peppercorn brandy Points of Interest
sauce and a glass of liquid ennui. Most cities and towns have places that make them
Poached cockatrice eggs in a stew made from unique in some fashion. Sometimes it’s a statue garden
80 dragon peppers, tomatoes and paprika that stains or foundational center of discovery and other times
everything it touches. these points of interest come in the form of strange
Impsicles, created by summoning imps within the curiosities like the World’s Largest Ball of Twined-Up
81 confines of an arcane freezer. Goblins. Whatever form these spaces take, they add
Greased eel, served with greased potatoes and a depth and a sense of place to your world. Consider what
82 side of grease. might happen to the landscape of your city if there
Fig salad with a creamy poppyseed dressing in a was a large coliseum that put on games in the forms of
83 wood bowl. It’s always more dressing than greens. organized sports or feats of martial prowess. The days of
84 Bread, but some of the best. those games would draw people from the surrounding
Broiled fruit pies stuffed with a rich jam and countryside in droves. It would be a boon to the economy
85 topped with powdered sugar, served with a and a boost to the morale of the common citizen.
quartino of simmered syrup. Points of interest can be as important to the identity
Stalk from the hogweed plant, flattened and of your city or town as the economy, customs, laws and
86 crisped up in oil to taste like slices of fatty bacon. cuisine—they can also serve as a driver of all four (see:
Last season’s socks, served diced, shredded, boiled Niagara Falls, NY; Little Italy; or Land O’Lakes butter).
whole or incorporated into a variety of dishes, in Not every city or town has a point of interest, although it’s
87 order to give what is no longer useful back to the worth noting that most places claim they do (see: Branson,
earth gods. MO). If you wish to add a place inside your city that is
Mice kebabs slow-roasted tableside and served going to stand out and draw the eye of the common man,
88 with a refreshing yogurt sauce. not to mention your players through their characters, refer
Never on any menu, but the locals know some
to the City Points of Interest table. Roll 1d20 and include
89 places serve a little merfolk sashimi if you order
the result as part of the overall framework of the city you
“red snapper.”
are building.
Sun-baked omelets, which tend to be much
90 runnier in winter.
Pipe-based everything for meals you smoke and
91 inhale (meatloaf in a pipe; apple pie in a pipe;
smoked herring in a pipe).
Tasty ooze-based taffy so sticky that most are
92 missing a tooth or three.
93 Parasitic fritters that can literally stick to your ribs.
Crisp, lightly dressed salads featuring whatever’s
94 fresh and in season, which in these parts is mostly
lettuce paired with lettuce and lettuce.
Gritty sandwiches that feature a flavorful (and
95 sand-based) slurry smeared on the bread.
Cakes baked and decorated to look like household
96 objects or other types of food. (“Is that a cake?” is a
popular question, especially among mimics.)
One-in-five: A single protein served in five equal
97 portions, cooked in varied styles.
The soup de annum—a single style of soup voted
on by the town to be the official soup of that year’s
98 harvest. Split pea with bacon has won three years
in a row. No other soup is served within the city
limits.
99 Shaved ice mephit.
Everybody stew, a concoction brewed and
simmered in a large cauldron central to the area,
featuring the various ingredients that have been
100 added by the locals each week. Sometimes tangy,
other times savory, often incongruous and always
over-seasoned.
City Points of Interest The Underbelly
1d20 People flock to see this region’s... Cities, particularly those in fantasy settings, can be
1 ...grand mage college. full of dark places and underworld influences, where
...massive bazaar with wares from all over the street gangs or local thugs prey upon the population.
2 Sometimes, the underground element is controlled by a
known world.
crime family or syndicate simply seeking to consolidate
3 ...great library of collected knowledge.
wealth or territory, while other times the power behind
...tavern owned by a legendary hero that dark acts could be something more sinister, like cults
4
remains open to this day. sworn to long-forgotten gods or otherworldly beings.
...peaceful grotto in a small square where the As you flesh out your setting and determine the details
5
walls seem to sing in an ethereal voice. for the cities and towns you’ll include in your campaign,
...large floating temple and/or government don’t forget to address the darker, seedier aspects of that
6 setting. Hidden societies, forbidden religious sects and
building.
...network of tunnels that transport people in other communities of outcasts often collect on the edges of
7 any society. In the veiled or forgotten places of great cities
carriages powered by magic.
...grand amphitheater that uses illusion magic or rural farmlands and forests, strange creatures and men
8 (or women, or children) with dark hearts gather to advance
in its performances.
their own ends or further the machinations of their dark
...massive cathedral inhabited by an avatar of a
9 gods. Sometimes they recruit.
god or goddess.
But just because an organization is working in the
...ancient ziggurat that looms over the city, its
10 shadows does not mean what they are doing is shady. Some
walls covered with cyphered prophecies.
secret orders work to better the positions of their people
...huge clock tower and orrery that both tells and protect them from harm. Reclusive brotherhoods
11
time and depicts the movement of the planets. collect and store knowledge, orders of mighty knights
12 ...great observatory with an immense telescope. keep their eye on extraplanar threats and government-
...zoo, aquarium and conservatory run by druids sponsored labs of mages and scholars research long-lost or
13 that educates the populace about life on the new magics and artifacts. In the shadows, far from prying
planet. eyes, these societies and cults work to achieve their covert
...cable tram system that carries passengers aims. And that’s to say nothing of the undercity dance halls,
14
over the city. smoky speakeasies and houses of ill-repute masquerading
...ornate auction house that sells treasures from as humble hat shops that your party may encounter as they
15 far-off places. explore the secret corners of the city.
...immense hedge maze where citizens compete There is no hard and fast rule for how many secret
16 to solve the maze to earn prizes. societies, criminal organizations or vice dens you should
...great coliseum where feats of strength and add to your setting. The only thing to keep in mind is
17 martial prowess are held for the entertainment adding too many may start to muddy the waters of your
of all. story arc, pulling your players in so many directions
...central hub where sorcerers route letters, mail that they may feel frustrated and uncertain as to which
18 and magical communication to the wider world. direction they should go and which story hooks to follow.
...eerie tower occupied by a necromancer who The following table contains a variety of broad
19 uses his army of undead to provide menial labor categories of underworld elements and hidden societies.
to the city. After determining the overall category, refer to the table
...massive public baths staffed by creatures from for that category and roll to obtain a more specific result.
20
the feywild.
Underworld Elements and
Hidden Societies
1d6
1 Criminal Organizations
2 Religious Cults
3 Secret Societies
4 Outsiders and Outcasts
5 Clandestine Government Groups
6 Clubs and Vices

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 71

 Worldbuilding

Criminal Organizations Secret Societies

1d10 1d10
1 Local street gang An order of paladins who fight extraplanar
1
2 Thieves guild threats to the city and surrounding area.
A fellowship of scholars who watch and record
3 Assassins guild 2 events as they happen but do not interfere.
4 Smuggling ring An order of monks dedicated to amassing
3
5 Black market bazaar knowledge.
6 Spy/intelligence network A cult of necromancers preying on the poor and
4 homeless to build an army.
7 Influential crime family
A secret clerical order that provides healing,
8 Drug/alchemical concoction peddlers 5 guidance and assistance to the less fortunate.
9 Illicit pit fighting circuit An urban circle of druids who try and maintain
10 Magical beast traffickers/poachers 6 balance between the city sprawl and hidden
entrances to the underdark.
Religious Cults A collective of human elitists who are using
7
1d10 dark magic to try and control the government.
1 A hidden sect dedicated to an evil death god. A group dedicated to the occult that wishes
A cult dedicated to a destructive elder god 8 to open a portal to the plane of demons and
2 devils.
thought to have been eradicated.
A group of grave robbers who worship a A society, founded by a paranoid author, that
3 9 believes the government has been replaced by
necromancer.
A sect of depraved mages, dedicated to a otherworldly beings.
chaotic deity, who collect and hoard cursed An agency of sorcerers who believe there is one
4
tomes. 10 true timeline and try to change and fix events
A dragon cult that believes the dragon they to maintain that timeline.
5 worship slumbers below the city.
Outsiders and Outcasts
A collection of goblins who venerate a local
6 1d10
beggar as a god.
A sect serving lawful good gods who have 1 A community of lycanthropes seeking a cure.
7 erroneously grown to see society as corrupt and A collection of fey creatures that reside in a city
2
are therefore working to end it. green space hidden from sight.
A warlock whose patron is an ancient eldritch A tribe of goblins who have taken over a section
3
horror has brainwashed his followers, of the city sewers.
8 A coven of witches who are trying to replace city
promoting kidnapping and ritual sacrifice in 4
order to bring the horror into this plane. leadership with clones.
Several members of the town elite have fallen An extended family of introverted gnomes who
9 under the sway of a vampire who has set 5 take it upon themselves to clean the city streets
himself up in their eyes as a living god. at night.
A hedonistic cult dedicated to a pleasure deity A group of panhandlers and beggars who have
10 has grown in secret. A noblewoman, claiming to 6 perfectly mapped out the city sewers and
be the avatar of that deity, is gathering power. underground passages.
A large group of orphaned street children who
7 have access to information (for a price).
A commune of the blind and deaf who are
8
talented seers and oracles.
A community of beggars and paupers who
9 are really the eyes and ears of a deity on the
material plane.
A small community of celestial descendants
10 whose magic and prayers keep an ancient evil
sealed away.
Clandestine Government Groups
1d10 GM NOTE: LYCANTHROPES
1 Secret police. One of the options on the Outsiders and Outcasts
2 A spy/intelligence network. table refers to a community of lycanthropes.
Should you desire to specify that even further with
3 A propaganda agency.
a random roll, refer to the Lycanthropes table, roll
4 A magical research and development lab.
and apply the result.
A special forces military group that deals with
5 and covers up incursions from other planes.
A secret prison designed to house supernatural
6 Lycanthropes
threats.
A government-funded group of clerics that 1d6
7 1 Werebats
hunts and contains spirits and ghosts.
A group of eldritch knights, attached to the city 2 Werebears
8 guard, who fight significant threats alongside 3 Wereboars
large golems.
4 Wererats
Fixers. A unit of wizards tasked with modifying
9 5 Weretigers
the memory of citizens who see too much.
A secret council of spellcasters who regulate 6 Werewolves
10
and monitor magic users within the city.

Clubs and Vices

1d10
A nightclub that uses magic for hallucinogenic
1 visual and audio effects.
2 A drug den run by a disguised hag.
3 A network of brothels run by twin succubi.
A gambling ring for fights and races involving
4 magical beasts.
An underground casino where players gamble
5 years of their lives instead of coin.
A secret club where city elite rub elbows with
6
devils and demigods.
A back-alley bar, run by a satyr, that has a
7 basement room that opens into the lands of the
fey court.
A pleasure house owned by a voyeuristic mage,
8 where patrons can experience their deepest
fantasies through illusion magic.
A clandestine spa and resort where patrons can
9 imbibe strange mind-altering elixirs and float in
sensory deprivation bubbles.
A hidden greenhouse tended by the dryads.
10 Spending time among the psychedelic plants
triggers a euphoric high and prophetic visions.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 73

 Worldbuilding

Random Organization Generator

The following table has been created to assist you GM NOTE: GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT
in naming any organization, be it a trade guild, Some of the goals determined by the Random
government agency, crew of adventure seekers or a Organization Generator are objectively good
secret coven of witches working toward the downfall of (“heal the sick,” “imprison a moral evil,” “promote
civilization. Roll 1d10 to determine the banal portion arts and literature”), while others are objectively
of your organization’s title, followed by 4d100 to finish evil (looking at you, “oppress the poor”). Some
constructing the name of your organization, establish its may be pursuing aims that can go either way,
goal and define its leadership. and the alignment won’t be apparent until the
method is revealed (“Cure all disease” seems pretty
Random First Name Generator altruistic until you add “by experimenting on the
1d10 Boring Part of Name populace without their knowledge”). The means
1 Order of the... by which a group seeks to accomplish their goal
is at GM discretion, as is whether or not these
2 Association of the...
organizations are hapless or highly effective. These
3 Fellowship of the... two variables will impact whether or not the party
4 The __________ Collective chooses to help, hinder or laugh at them.
5 The __________ Alliance
6 The League of...
7 The ___________ Company
8 The ____________ Society
9 Lodge of the...
10 Union of the...
 Exciting Name Exciting Name
1d100 Part 1 Part 2 Goals Leadership
1 Ebony Blade End time Street urchin
2 Ardent Lions Conquer death Large quick-tempered halfling
3 Golden Chalice Protect the helpless Surly dwarf
4 Silver Ring Amass power Two-headed gnome
5 Thirsting Thunder Hoard wealth Blue dragonborn with four tails
Lavender-skinned tiefling with feathers
6 Eldritch Dragons Raise an elder god
instead of horns
7 Shining Hares Open the gates of heaven Human soldier with an extra arm
8 Shadowed Axe Open the gates of hell Half-orc missing a hand
9 Glorious Quill Catalyze the birth of a deity Elven twins who speak only in verse
Collect souls on behalf of an
10 Angelic Sword Sturdy half-elf who is missing her left eye
ancient horror
Halfling warlock who leaves a trail of slime
11 Roaring Galleon Make lots of money
where he walks
12 Bloody Night Guard a terrible secret Sleepy ogre
13 Venomous Griffon Find a lost artifact Human who wears a jester’s hat
14 Biting Serpent Control the underworld Two human sisters looking for revenge
15 Hallowed Eye Protect an arcane prison Beardless dwarf
Seal the doors to all the
16 Radiating Crown Gnomish woman who is 5 feet tall
other planes
17 Questing Mask Collect dragon eggs Green and glowing sentient ooze
18 Ancient Hall Obtain a powerful weapon Centaur with zebra stripes
19 Fearless Book Destroy an ancient evil Kobold with mechanical eyes
20 Demonic Hammer Preserve all knowledge The surliest halfling
21 Quiet Sorrow Heal the sick Peaceful hobgoblin
22 Terrible Arrow Raise the dead to form an army Elementalkin with blue flames for hair
23 Wise Word Peddle hallucinogens Minotaur in a bowler hat
24 Zealous Daggers Kill minor monsters Lizardfolk woman with one tooth
25 Aberrant Voice Take control of the government Rabbitfolk with a nervous tic
26 Defiant Shields Build the perfect building Human who carries too many knives
27 Cursed Lance Vengeance, bro. Vengeance. Mute half-elf archer
28 Knowing Nightmare To darken the sun A satyr with a wooden leg
29 Magical Minds Cure all disease An 8-foot-tall elf
30 Trustworthy Drum Find a host for the new spawn Giantkin that rides a mechanical horse
Obtain a complete collection
31 Azure Lightning A serpentfolk with a mechanical monkey
of cursed coins
32 Invincible Towers Control the spice trade A lithe elf with completely black eyes
Half-elven woman who leaves a tangible
33 Amused Chariot Capture and control spirits
shadow in her wake
Dwarf who floats around on a magic
34 Efficient Death Open a rift to another plane
carpet
35 Nebulous Promise Corrupt a paragon of good A flightless birdfolk
36 Learned Unicorn Imprison a mortal evil Mechanical man who carries his head
37 Jagged Helm Fight for the oppressed Halfling in a clay mask
Extort money from those in
38 Callous Life Human man with a prehensile tail
power, live in infamy
39 Perpetual Horn Find the best smoking tobacco Winged tiefling who always carries a harp
40 Radical Wizard Brew a powerful elixir A humanoid always wrapped in bandages
41 Determined Elk Spread a horrible plague A humanoid who wears mirrored glasses

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 75

 Worldbuilding

Exciting Name Exciting Name

1d100 Part 1 Part 2 Goals Leadership

42 Boundless Power Oppress the poor A gnome cursed to have a dog head
Half-elf who wields a ridiculously large
43 Faithful Bards Correct the timeline
hammer
Gnome ranger with a white tiger
44 Narrow Focus Warn of impending doom
companion named Gus
Locate an ancient city hiding Diminutive humanoid with eyes that glow
45 Jolly Servants
a great power through a black mask
Shapeshifter presenting as a mature elven
46 Gentle Rogue Promote the arts and literature
woman
47 Craven Eagle Become master assassins Devil disguised as a rabbitfolk
Summon a vast elemental
48 Alert Ghost An ancient mage who looks like a child
to control the seas
49 Emerald Bow Find treasures in far-off lands Female human gunslinger
Half-elf shadow sorcerer who carries an
50 Lethal Flail Be the coolest folks in town
arcane lantern
51 Glistening Anvil Throw a party for the ages Dwarf with four metallic legs
Gnome with a great bushy beard and a
52 Hellish Visage Enjoy all the finer things in life
pronounced limp
Human woman with feathers sprouting
53 Malicious Fist Create an elaborate hoax
from her skin
54 Nimble Knight Popularize death racing Tiefling with a tiny dog
55 Creepy Acolyte Control the city treasury Very thin elf who wears iridescent goggles
Open the best restaurant in Bard who wears a patchwork cloak of
56 Precious Gift
the realm many colors
Control the city’s Dwarf with a vicious scar that covers the
57 Belligerent Hunter
underground places left side of their face and head
Half-orc paladin with the shiniest armor
58 Fierce Claw Have a behir under their sway
and the fastest wheelchair
Convert followers to their
59 Macabre Child Kobold with a hypnotic voice
dark religion
60 Giant Bear Alter a past event An insectoid with humming wings
61 Condemned Soul Watch the world burn Cranky, sentient orange cat
Build a vessel that can move
62 Enchanting Speaker A hobgoblin with a grudge
underwater
Create a contraption that An unskilled gnomish mage who routinely
63 Mysterious Spawn
can fly through the sky sets things on fire
Own the largest pig farm in A human woman who wears a wide-
64 Illustrious Flame
the world (for research) brimmed hat with a large feather
65 Lucky Champion Resurrect an ancient hero A halfling who likes to sit in trees
Corner the diamond market to An elf who carries a yellow balloon with
66 Delicate Phoenix
influence revivification magic them at all times
Find and own the largest silver A silver dragonborn with a wonderful
67 Hesitant Collector
mine (werewolves hate silver) singing voice
68 Omniscient Terror Create a dracolich. For fun! A minotaur who plays piano
69 Majestic Warrior Fulfill a prophecy Kobold who knows higher mathematics
Giantkin who carries a tree trunk with him
70 Lonely Mountains Scry upon the gods
everywhere he goes
71 Peaceful Fiend Master the secrets of creation Halfling who smokes a 3-foot pipe
Become the only source of
72 Brave Hawk A pixie who has become mortal
arcane power
Find the best wool to make and
73 Hollow Dreamer Rabbitfolk with a pet weasel
market a really comfy blanket
 Exciting Name Exciting Name
1d100 Part 1 Part 2 Goals Leadership
A corpulent pigfolk with a cheery
74 Misty Wyrm Open a mental hospital
disposition
A human with completely white eyes who
75 Obsidian Lute Build a renowned theater
carries a black blade
Find the keys to an unopenable
76 Incredible Guardian An owlkin who loves beer
door, then maybe open it?
Elf who is always accompanied by
77 Cautious Hand Become rulers of the world
woodland creatures
Create the best firework
78 Hateful Chimera A half-orc who writes beautiful poetry
display in time for solstice
79 Reflective Drake Own the best distillery An elephantkin who is a graceful dancer
Create a potion that removes A grumpy dwarf with a tattoo of a pickaxe
80 Mindless Ogre
hangovers, live like kings on his face
Open a portal to the shadow A beautiful halfling who is possessed by
81 Arcane Secret
plane, shove Stacy inside an even more beautiful demon
A ghost of a man who doesn’t know that
82 Sable Fox Become vampires
he has died
Lizardfolk chef who works wonders with
83 Tawdry Rapier Obtain some secret knowledge
vegetables
A rabbitfolk fighter who is a boxing
84 Arrogant Spirit Master the weather
prodigy
85 Hulking Archer Blackmail an important official A sentient ooze who paints landscapes
Become benevolent gods,
86 Scintillating Gaze Goblin who claims to have wrestled giants
learn if power truly corrupts
Gnome priest who carries a shield as large
87 Tasteful God/Goddess Bring about peace
as they are
Human woman who wears bejeweled
88 Ubiquitous Golem Obtain enlightenment
spectacles
Ascend to a higher plane of
89 Merciful Beast Orc with giant tusks
existence, invite the kids
90 Superior Brawlers Become pegasus ranchers A tiefling with a perpetually bloody cleaver
91 Noxious Net Speak with the angels A halfling who is always drunk on mead
92 Voracious Troll Master the art of prophecy A red dragonborn who never angers
Build an impenetrable fortress Elvish sorcerer who leaves scorched
93 Bawdy Angel
guarded by an unkillable army footprints where they walk
94 Heavenly Host Open an orphanage Half-ogre who always smells of sulfur
Provide shelter to the A serpentfolk woman with a scorpion
95 Repulsive Spider
homeless familiar
Become the new pantheon of Shapeshifter who presents with
96 Melancholy Creeper
gods, bounce the old heads featureless skin of pure gold
97 Sparkling Devil Make a best friend A water elementalkin with a green thumb
98 Unnatural Aura Smite all nonbelievers A gnome druid on the back of a giant rat
99 Courageous Wolf Sail the multiverse A centaur woman with incredible aim
100 Wandering Traveler Cook the perfect meal A completely normal man named Bob

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 77

 Worldbuilding

City Secrets City Conflicts

When we think of telling a story, we naturally shift the Conflict within a city, or affecting the surrounding
focus to the characters rather than the world they inhabit. countryside, provides ample story hooks and potential
We often forget that the landscape, the very buildings, quests. Ranging from major problems like an all-out gang
rocks and trees, hold stories of their own. These edifices war unfolding in the streets or commonplace problems
and structures have stood sometimes for centuries like minor outbreaks of disease or business disputes
and have observed (in the case of awakened objects, between merchants or guilds, city conflicts can very quickly
literally) the lives of generations of people. The physical become problems that ensnare the party and demand their
structure of a city can house its own mysteries, masking attention. The following tables outline a handful of both
information lost to time waiting to reveal itself to curious major and minor conflicts that could either be starting
explorers. It is up to you how to include these places in points to or plot hooks in the middle of a larger campaign
your adventures. Do they feature prominently in your storyline or simply serve as distracting side stories. Think
story arc or are they just things whispered about in back of them as the backstory of these specific locations. Perhaps
alleys and dingy common rooms? Your story may have they come up, maybe they don’t. Either way, they serve to
already dictated what secrets your city or town holds, help color in some of the shades of the locations themselves,
but if you want to include a physical secret within your which helps with roleplay to create a lived-in environment
location, roll 1d10 on the City Secrets table and work the with less effort than you might otherwise need to apply.
result into your narrative.
Major City Conflicts
City Secrets 1d10 Everyone is talking about...
1d10 This city features... ...the violent gang war between several criminal
1
...subterranean service tunnels where elements.
1
government officials can travel unimpeded. ...how the city’s water source has turned toxic,
2
...the Gauntlet: a magical fighting ring where the creating scarcity and rationing.
2 laws of life and death are suspended; the most ...a rift to a shadowy mirror dimension that has
in-depth martial training program available. 3 opened in the city, allowing alien beasts to cross
...concealed pneumatic tubes use pressurized over.
3 air to shoot people from one side of the city to ...a strange madness that has overtaken the
another. 4 city guard, causing them to be violent and
...gargoyle statues all around the city that aggressive.
4 are listening and watching on behalf of the ...an ongoing cold war/espionage-style conflict
5
government. with a neighboring country.
...a massive cavern below the city ...the recent assassination of the city’s
5 6
in which persists a prehistoric ecosystem. leadership, throwing the city into chaos.
...a subterranean bunker concealing a ...how people are being taken from the streets
6 by shadowy figures who appear to be from the
government-run cloning operation.
7
...a sealed grand mausoleum in the city city government. Violent protests break out
7 cemetery. An ancient black dragon slumbers regularly.
and no one knows about it. ...the fact that a neighboring nation has set up a
...Undertown: A whole other city, populated 8 trade blockade preventing goods and services
8 by the fey and fringe elements of society, right from reaching the city.
below the streets. It is concealed by magic. ...strange, violent storms, laced with strange
...strange towers placed all around that look like colored lightning, that have been slamming into
9
9 lightning rods and funnel negative emotions to the city causing damage and deaths, putting the
a great demon imprisoned below. population on edge.
...an unassuming building on a somewhat ...an artifact that helps power the city’s
10 isolated street. Inside rests the largest library of 10 defensive walls has been stolen, leaving the city
fell rituals and evils spells in the realm. open to attack.
Minor City Conflicts Conclusion
1d10 The city is also dealing with... In this chapter, you have covered a ton of ground when
1 ...a business dispute between two guilds. it comes to aspects of your world, from the gods in the
...several prominent government officials who heavens above to secret caves underneath sprawling
2 cities. You have created governments, built economies
are constantly angling to oust one another.
...an outbreak of pox that has infested the and identified customs, laws and exotic dishes. Be
3 poorer population. confident in what you have created. The more you buy
into the world you have built, the more your players will
...a rough and tumble group of thugs running
4 become excited about the strange landscapes and exotic
extortion rackets in the market district.
places they will visit.
...a dock and warehouse worker strike, which
5 Remember that most of the world you build in your
has brought trade to a halt.
head will not be for your players. Many of the far-flung,
...a famine or drought that has led to an influx of fantastic places that rattle around in your imagination
6 refugees from the city outskirts, putting a strain will never be visited or explored. They are for you. This
on city resources. world is for you as much as it is for your players. For them
...a member of the clergy who has taken issue it is a playground; for you, it is a labor of love, a part of
7 with taverns and brothels in the city and is yourself. Take pride in the parts that are both seen and
stirring up trouble. unseen. Love every inch of this strange place and let it
...the fallout from a rogue experiment that left show. Your attachment can help others build attachment.
8 part of the city under a cloud of wild magic, But remember you’re only obligated to care as much as
which proves troublesome for residents. your players do. You only need to concern yourself with
...a small armed conflict that’s broken out detailing the spaces where they require detail. They’ll
9 between two warring criminal factions. help you know what those are by saying things like “Can I
...a strange mist rising from underneath the city roll Insight on the bartender to see if she actually believes
10 streets, causing people to fall ill. the king has never broken wind?” or “Oooooooo the Cliffs
of Scorn! Does my character think they are haunted?” or
“What’s the deal with that big ball of tied up goblins you
just mentioned…are they…happy like that?” Go forth
and explore this place you have made. Guide your players
through grand halls and jagged canyons, but don’t forget
to let them guide you to places you never thought of. This
is a collaborative effort: Let them influence the world and
your world will be better for it.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 79

 Session Building

Session
Building
Because at some point, your players
are actually going to want to do stuff
in the magical realm you created.

N
ow that you’ve created the playground for you and your players
to explore, it’s time to start filling it with intriguing creatures,
engaging experiences and legend-worthy battles: in short, the
stakes. You’ll also need to make decisions about what is going to
occur from session to session as your players progress through the
narrative you will build together.
Game Masters prepare for a session in a variety of ways, but the differences can
often be boiled down to which narrative (and planning) approach a GM wants to
take: planting or pantsing. Some spend hours and hours preparing and writing
material, trying to cover every possible choice their players will make, planting seeds
for the party, hoping one or many will grow into things their players care about.
Other GMs choose to wing it, flying by the seats of their pants and reacting in the
moment to the decisions the party makes. They go into a session having jotted
down a few (if any) plot points to outline the characters’ journey and are typically
less readily equipped to answer questions about the specifics of a castle’s layout or a
monster’s lair or the means by which one might be able to escape either.
 However you prepare, whether you’re planting or interesting side quest opportunities will be up to you.
pantsing, there are things that are going to be constant Just remember every group of players is different and
occurrences in your sessions: conflict, adventure and the things they find interesting will change from table to
conversations for which you’ll need a funny accent. table and from session to session. Sound like too much
There will also be plenty of opportunities for your to deal with? It can be. Good thing you have this book.
players to showcase the immensely powerful abilities The following tables are designed to give you easy-
their characters have access to. How can you, as the to-use encounters, challenges and quests you can insert
GM, juggle all these needs and ensure your players are quickly into the narrative arc of a session to inject a
getting the most out of every session without scrawling little drama or intrigue with minimal preparation.
notebooks full of material they’ll inevitably force you They can be useful idea generators in the time between
to burn to cinders the moment they cast successive sessions if you are struggling to decide where your story
fireballs on your favorite bad guy? is going but are primarily structured to help generate
Players are unpredictable. Inevitably, they will go some interesting experiences for your players on the fly,
off in a direction that you had no way of anticipating starting with the most commonly used table type of all:
(how do you prep for the party polymorphing the
kraken into a cow?). The things players choose to fixate Random Encounters
on and how that fixation molds the story never cease to Random encounter generator tables have been a
amaze. You mention a stranded triceratops, cut off from standard of tabletop role-playing games for almost as long
his herd and being harassed by zombies, and suddenly as the games themselves and make the game as fun and
you’re three sessions deep into a side quest to ensure he surprising (and yes, chaotic) for the Game Master as they
gets back to his family. Something you see as a minor do for the players. What is the party going to encounter
detail meant to add color or a little realism to a random today? Who knows: Roll 1d20!
encounter becomes very important in the eyes of your Whether the table directs the narrative to a strange
players. This is what makes TTRPGs unique among feature of the landscape, an opportunity to engage
games—ultimate agency on the players’ side (or at least with creatures or NPCs with whom they’re on good
the illusion of it). These are often the best aspects of any terms or bitter combat with a vengeful dragon seeking
session—a player choosing to fully live within the world information on its mysteriously vanished hoard, the
you’re creating by taking control and saying, “This is uncertain nature of a random table can add tension and
important to me. This is what my character would do.” intrigue to any session. A strange light at the bottom of a
They are also the toughest to plan for. Sure, the party roaring whirlpool could provide a new story arc if one of
knows they’re dealing with a global catastrophe that your characters decides to jump in and explore (which,
could doom all of civilization, but Root the triceratops is let’s face it, they will) or it could simply exist as an
cute and doesn’t deserve to be left to the zombie horde. interesting note further reinforcing that the world the
Regardless of the players’ reasoning, once they start to party is exploring is strange, magical and unpredictable.
drive the narrative car, you may find it tempting to toss Because every environment features creatures and
all your planning out of the passenger side window. But circumstances unique to its location, this section is
this is wrongheaded. You aren’t the passenger—you’re designed to provide you with a set of random encounter
the one creating the road. It is your job as the guide of tables suitable for each of the environments detailed in
this narrative to fill this new story arc with experiences the first section (as well as a few more) for each tier of
for the characters and challenges for them to overcome. play. If you haven’t established the environment your
Whether you decide to insert random encounters, skill players are currently exploring, take a moment and
challenges, environmental hazards, magical dangers or decide (or roll on the table on pg. 14).

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 81

 Session Building

The Arctic Arctic Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)

Bitter cold, snow-covered tundras, glacial cliffs and an 1d20 The party encounters...
abundance of ice are the trademarks of an arctic region. ...1d4 + 1 griffons nested high on a frozen rocky
1
It’s the domain of white dragons, air elementals, fearsome ledge.
remorhaz and other powerful creatures of ice and cold ...a night hag coven living in a dilapidated
2
with features that help them survive and thrive in an area shack guarded by 1d4 specters.
most living things (including your PCs) cannot. As your ...1d4 + 1 trolls fighting over the carcass of a
3 felled roc.
party journeys across these frozen wastes, they could
encounter frost giants who hunt with fearsome winter ...a goblin clan fleeing the result of a roll on the
4
wolves or arctic trolls who will eat anything they can Arctic Environmental Hazards table on pg. 130.
get their hands on. It is a world of frozen wonders and ...1d4 + 3 ogres pulling a sled carrying a series of
5
desperate predators. It’s very cold. And very cool. cages containing 3d4 + 4 commoners.
...a hunting party of 1d6 + 2 orcs and 1d4 + 1
6
Arctic Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) manticores.
1d20 The party encounters... ...a frozen glade with a hot spring claimed by a
...an acolyte who summons 2d4 lemure devils by 7 territorial druid and her pack of 1d4 + 2 winter
1 accident. wolves.
...a merchant (noble) and 1d4 + 2 guards ...a frost giant and his polar bear animal
2 transporting covered cargo in a sled pulled by two 8 companion looking for a friendly game of Fling
reindeer (elk), one of them quite ornery. the Stranger.
...a narrow cleft in a glacial wall where strange ...a young remorhaz that emerges from a large
9
3 lights dance and ethereal voices sing, marking the hole in the ice.
presence of a magic item. ...a psychotic mage who summons 1d4 bearded
...a small litter of saber-toothed tiger cubs whose 10 devils upon seeing the party.
4 mother is definitely searching for them.
...1d4 veterans and 1d4 knights abandoning
11
...1d4 ice mephits harassing a migrating group of their quest to slay an ancient slumbering evil.
5 1d6 + 4 glacier dwellers (commoners). ...a young white dragon who calls on an air
12
...1d6 hunters (tribal warriors) who are using a giant elemental to aid it in battle against the party.
6 owl to scout for prey. It’s located something big. ...a frozen crypt with sarcophagi holding 1d4
...1d4 scouts tracking a contingent of orcs. They 13 frost-covered mummies and several magical
7 have found one (an outcast). items.
...1d8 werebear hunters who offer shelter. One of ...a cult fanatic, 1d4 berzerkers, 1d4 thugs and
8 them is really hungry though. Too hungry. 14 2d6 + 3 bandits attacking a merchant convoy.
...a cult of 1d6 zealots (commoners) who worship a ...strange lights that flash and swirl in the
9 white dragon wyrmling as their god. 15 sky and seem to point to the north, where an
...broken, ice-encrusted ruins haunted by a ghost artifact awaits.
10 who simply wants to shift somewhere a little ...a roc that swoops down and tries to carry
16
warmer. away any animal companions or mounts.
...an archway of stone standing in a frozen plain
11 ...1d6 + 1 orcs attempting to kill a polar bear. 17 that radiates heat and leads to the plane of fire.
...1d4 spies accompanied by 1d4 + 1 bandits
12 searching for ancient ruins. ...1d4 + 1 mammoths with their young, as well
as a human boy (commoner) they are raising
...a spinning portal of garish red light that 18
13 disgorges 2d4 dretches. as one of their own. He calls himself [*trunk
trumpet sound*].
...a commoner fleeing the result of a roll on the
14 Arctic Environmental Hazards table on pg. 130. ...1d4 vrocks protecting an ancient frozen
...a frost-covered gargoyle that guards the monolith of black stone. Touching it grants a
15 entryway to a long-forgotten tomb. 19
boon for one player and a curse thereafter for 24
...an injured mammoth on the verge of death. Its hours (roll on the tables on pgs. 183 and 184).
16 blood is poisonous. ...an ancient barracks containing 2d10 + 5
17 ...1d6 + 2 kobolds with 1d4 trained blood hawks. 20 skeletons and 1d6 + 1 warhorse skeletons
...an abandoned tent of thick hide that is actually readying an attack on a nearby settlement.
18 a mimic.
...a priest (commoner) fending off 2d4 half-
19 frozen zombies, victims of last century’s arcane
avalanche.
...a deva in the form of an ancient knight, guarding
20 a portal to the realm of shadow.
Arctic Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) Arctic Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
...the lair of an adult white dragon who has 2d6 ...the sense they’re being followed. An ancient
1 1
kobolds fawning over and serving them. white dragon has started to stalk them.
...a particularly slick patch of ice (DC 25 ...a blue-skinned tiefling archmage accompanied
2 Dexterity saving throw) that leads to a narrow 2 by 1d4 ice devils, seeking the same thing as the
crevasse. party.
...a cavern mouth leading into an icy tunnel ...a nest of 1d4 + 1 remorhaz burrow toward the
3 3
guarded by two stone golems. surface.
...a raiding party consisting of a half-white ...an ancient statue of a woman carved from
4 dragon veteran, a chain devil and 2d4 + 3 4 everlasting ice. When approached, 1d4 + 1
thugs. glabrezu burst through the ice.
...1d8 + 2 trolls, each carrying a large leather ...1d4 frost giants accompanied by a pack of
5 5
sack that moves as if occupied by living things. 2d4 + 1 winter wolves. They want to wrestle.
...1d4 remorhaz that burst through the ice, ...a large, but completely frozen, stone fountain
6 6
causing the party to tumble into freezing water. protected by a rusted iron golem.
...a pack of 2d6 + 4 winter wolves chasing a ...1d4 assassins riding giant owls. They wear
7 herd of 4d12 elk. iconography featuring a large white dragon missing
7
...a pack of ogres fleeing the result of one roll on a foreleg. They attempt to attack with surprise.
8 the Arctic Environmental Hazards table on pg. ...a pit fiend frozen in ice. 2d8 cult fanatics and
130. 2d10 + 5 cultists are attempting to free it. (Roll
...a possessed mage accompanied by 1d4 8
1d100—on a result of 40 or higher, the fiend
9 hezrou that are racing along a living sheet of breaks free).
ice.
...a ravaged primitive village, the surrounding ice
...1d4 + 1 frost giants in a realm-shaking
10 9 and snow covered with frozen blood. The tracks
footrace.
of a large beast lead west.
...2d6 ogres riding polar bear mounts. One of
11 ...1d4 + 1 rocs fighting midair over the carcass of
them is an oni in disguise. 10
...a shimmering portal to an icy realm, where a a giant elk.
12 ...a frozen village visible 10 feet under the ice.
glimmering blue castle sits on the horizon.
...a planetar affected by divine madness. Should the party attempt to thaw it out, they’ll
13
...a sheet of solid ice that looks sturdier than 11 find it is very, very haunted by 3d4 + 10 wraiths
any thus far encountered. Which happens to be and half as many shadows but contains 1d4 + 1
14
hallucinatory terrain. magic items.
...an ice devil and 1d4 imps emerging through a ...2d10 + 5 ogres carrying a sealed chest of
15 12
tear in this plane. adamantine, within it an artifact of dark power.
...a young white dragon in a pitched battle with ...one adult white dragon accompanied by 1d4
16 13
a remorhaz. + 1 half-white dragon veterans (her offspring).
...a massive warband consisting of 3d20 + 10 ...a balor that guards an open flickering portal
17 14
orcs. to a plane below.
...1d6 + 2 ogre zombies and 2d12 + 10 zombies ...a contingent of 2d12 knights and 3d10 guards
18 standing motionless around a jagged hole in the leading 3d20 + 30 refugees (commoners) south.
15
ice. They cannot speak or the curse they flee will
...a giant walrus with tribal carvings on its tusks. find them.
19 ...a solar seated on a throne of ice and crystal
It is the avatar of a being of immense power.
...a white dragonborn ranger challenges the 16 overlooking a great valley, rehearsing the
20 party to a snowball fight. He throws three times prophecy it is meant to deliver.
per attack, at +15. ...2d8 berzerkers attacking twin adult white
dragons. If the party assists the berzerkers, they
17 can provide 2d10 days of rations and directions
to a cave rumored to be full of treasure.
...a mausoleum in the frozen wastes occupied
18 by one would-be lich attended by 2d4 + 10
zombies.
...warnings from an angry god. Roll twice on the
19 Arctic Environmental Hazards table on pg. 130.
...a long-withered corpse clinging to an artifact
20 of legendary rarity.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 83

 Session Building

Coastal Regions Coastal Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)

Winding, meandering, idyllic coasts—whether lining 1d20 The party encounters...
great oceans or inland lakes—are a confluence of the ...three sea hags who emerge from a coastal
1
aquatic and the terrestrial. In this place where land cave. Crying can be heard from within.
and sea collide, your party could encounter monstrous ...3d6 sahuagin returning from an inland raid.
2
sea creatures that emerge from the shallows as well as They have an entire town’s food supply.
dangerous winged beasts who take advantage of the ...a massive webbed area, which counts as
bounty of both environments. The coastal regions of the 3 difficult terrain, occupied by 2d6 giant wolf
world provide gorgeous vistas, unpredictable weather and spiders.
a variety of life, equal parts mundane and magical. ...a bronze dragon wyrmling sunning itself on
4 the sand.
Coastal Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) ...1d4 doppelgangers, disguised as humans,
5
1d20 The party encounters... riding giant toads, definitely passing through.
...a stretch of beach covered in dead birds ...two fanatical druids who release a flock of
1 swarming with 2d10 + 3 ravenous crabs.
6 2d8 angry seagulls (hawk), each with 20 hp, on
...one cult fanatic with a homunculus servant the party.
2 coming to shore in a long boat. He is lost.
...a young blue dragon chasing a desperate set
...a priest with 1d4 acolytes by a garden on the 7 of sailors.
3 shore. They can spare 2 potions of healing.
...1d4 cult fanatics surrounded by 1d6 + 1
...a nest of 2d4 + 1 vipers (poisonous snakes), one 8
4 quasits disguised as conch shells.
of which is a satyr moonlighting as a snake. ...a roll on the Coastal Environmental Hazards
...two pseudodragons soaring and wheeling in 9 table on pg. 132—this effect is imminent and the
5 intricate spirals and loops that spell out “Treasure settlements nearby are ill-prepared.
this way. Definitely not trapped.” ...a storm giant helping a floundering fishing
...1d6 sahuagin attacking a fishing boat, piloted by 10 vessel without much fanfare.
6 a commoner, just offshore.
...a beautiful coastal tide pool occupied by 1d4 +
...1d4 swarms of insects that seep out of a 11 1 water elementals.
7 wrecked long boat.
...rumors of a hydra just around the bend,
...1d4 + 2 ghouls feeding on the corpse of a long- 12 which are interrupted by several heads
8
beached whale. burrowing out of what looked like a sand dune.
9 ...1d8 giant toads partially concealed in a deep pool. 13 ...an ogre that has been caught in a riptide.
...a young bronze dragon who offers knowledge of ...a nest containing a blue dragon wyrmling
14
10 a nearby treasure in exchange for a song about her protected by 2d10 + 2 blue kobolds.
favorite food: fish. ...1d4 + 1 plesiosaurs playing tug of war with
...the results of a roll on the Coastal Environmental 15
11 Hazards table on pg. 132. the carcass of a very large fish.
...1d4 manticores fighting over a downed, but
...a small stone hut that reeks of rotten fish where a 16 still just alive, unicorn.
12 sea hag resides. She’s currently not home. But her ...a pirate raiding crew composed of a bandit
hag’s eye is hidden within. 17 captain, 1d4 spies and 2d8 bandits coming to
...a golden urn, half buried in the sand, covered in shore in long boats. They want ale. Now.
13 strange markings. It contains a trapped djinn.
...2d8 giant eagles that appear to be carrying
...2d12 merfolk who approach the shore with an 18 halfling riders. They are obsessed with the wind.
14 unconscious human. They say they recovered him ...2d6 screeching harpies who are actually
from a sinking ship nearby. He’s clearly a noble. 19 goblins wearing winged suits.
...1d10 + 3 kobolds scavenging the sand for food. ...a young gold dragon with a great laugh
15 They will trade the party a bauble worth 25 gp for 20 painting the light cast off the waves while
something to eat. sunning near the surf.
...a blue dragon wyrmling attacking a wagon full
16
of sheep with 1d4 + 2 commoners on board.
...2d4 + 2 giant crabs with blue and purple shells
17
that would each sell for at least 10 gp.
...1d6 + 2 tribal warriors riding giant lizards. It
18
seems they’re playing a version of polo.
19 ...a hunting party of 1d4 + 1 merrow.
...1d4 + 1 harpies attacking a bronze dragon
20
wyrmling.
Coastal Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) Coastal Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
...a dragon turtle harassing a passing merchant ...an ancient gold dragon shapeshifted into a
1 1
vessel. human hermit who is collecting beautiful shells.
...a young bronze dragon cavorting with a pod ...a hole in the sand that continues to swirl until it
2
2 of killer whales to keep a young kraken from reveals a purple worm.
maintaining a foothold here. ...2d10 + 2 merfolk who call out, wishing to trade.
...a raiding party of 2d4 merrows and 2d6 3
Four of them carry a deadly toxin in their veins.
3 sahuagin. They have 2d8 captive commoners, ...1d4 clay golems standing guard at the
one of whom can cast wall of flame once per day. 4
entrance of a sea cave that leads back in time.
...a roll on the Coastal Environmental Hazards ...a trio of sea hags masquerading as merfolk in
4 table on pg. 132. This event appears in a PC’s 5 order to subvert the party.
next dream.
...two half-blue dragon veterans and 1d6 + 2
...a small cave that contains 1d4 bronze dragon gladiators battling a pesky invisible foe (which is
5 6
eggs. One has hatched. actually crabs hiding inside their armor).
...2d4 water elementals that are creating a ...an incredibly violent thunderstorm that masks
6 7
whirling vortex just offshore out of boredom. a storm giant family reunion.
...a hidden cove that contains a visible, flashing ...a pair of bodies floating just off the coast being
7 portal to the fey realms. 8 used as bait by a hero-hungry beast below the
...2d6 ogres, each with a giant crab trained to depths.
8 snatch melee weapons and spell focuses. ...an archmage whose botched simulacrum can’t
9
...a wrecked vessel crawling with 1d8 ghasts, figure out how to swim.
9 2d6 ghouls and a bard seeking inspiration for ...a druid tending an underwater glade just
the next big shanty (and he’s out of his depth). 10 offshore, who could offer insight into the party’s
...a flight of 1d4 young blue dragons carrying a current predicament.
10
storm giant. ...a 60-foot wave hurtling toward the coast, the
11
...a dilapidated lighthouse on the shore. Within harbinger of a kraken’s surprise offensive.
11 it, an archmage is diligently working on cloning ...fading screams from a large offshore merchant
the entire town. 12 vessel as 2d4 + 1 Tyrannosaurus rexes have
...glowing blue algae washing ashore, covering slipped their magical shackles.
12 ...a pair of hydras battle for territory near a
the bloated carcass of a dragon turtle.
...a cacophonous orchestra of rattling bones, as 13 bountiful inlet.
13 3d20 + 30 skeletons emerge from the surf. ...a massive storm rolling in as 3d4 water
...2d12 + 4 goblins riding in pairs on giant 14 elementals form around them—they want you
14
sharks, which are not very well trained. to stop their family from relocating inland.
...a group of children who’ve just finished a sand ...a cliff overlooking the sea—a perfect perch to
castle that looks like a castle in the distance. 15 witness a battle to the death between a deva and
15 Any damage to the sand castle magically affects a lich.
the real deal. ...a horrible, collective cry on the wind as 5d20
...the pommel of a buried sword that is covered 16 banshees from across the land gather for
16 in coral. It’s a +2 weapon and is certainly not communion and conquest.
cursed or hoping to overthrow the government. ...a sunbathing beauty who offers the party a
17
...a gutted, ruined building on the shoreline, chance to draw from the deck of many things.
populated by 1d4 + 2 ghosts and 1d4 + 2 ...the result of three rolls on the Coastal
17
specters, as well as a realtor trying to make it 18 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 132, as a
work. calamitous event unfolds.
...a large merchant train passing by on the ...a fleet of ships from a foreign emissary appear
coast road consisting of 1d6 + 10 wagons, each 19 in a nearby harbor. They are here to change the
18
guarded by two mounted knights and four terms of the current treaty.
guards. ...drums, music, dancing. The residents of a local
...a promontory looking over the sea, upon 20 town heard the party was passing through and
which a marilith holds 2d4 commoners have arranged a four day festival in their honor.
19 captive. It is in the middle of sacrificing one of
them to the fell gods.
20 ...a cookout to celebrate a god of mirth.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 85

 Session Building

Deserts Desert Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)

Arid swaths of sand and rock, deserts are one of the least 1d20 The party encounters...
hospitable environments on the planet. Lack of water and ...a dead blue dragon wyrmling being carried on a
1 litter by 2d6 screaming and wailing kobolds.
the scarcity of resources requires anything alive to suffer
great lengths to stay that way. Harsh burning days and ...a gynosphinx who guards a strange door with
2 arcane runes set in the side of a sand dune.
frigid cold nights create an atmosphere where one must
adapt or die. The domain of the efreeti, fire elementals, ...1d10 + 2 hobgoblin warriors engaging in an
sphinx and other bizarre entities, this is a land of burning 3 invasion drill. They will attempt to destroy anyone
wastes and cunning, deadly creatures who will do what’s who sees them.
necessary to survive ...the scent of sulfur and brimstone riding the wind
4 as the howls of 2d4 hell hounds echo.
Desert Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) ...a convoy of colorful wagons driven by 3d4
1d20 The party encounters... boisterous travelers (commoners)
5 who will try to hide the fact that they’re refugees.
...1d10 + 2 hyenas chasing an injured mule (who is
1 And weretigers.
also a cursed merchant with deep pockets).
...a cloud of sand that resolves into 1d6 + 2 ...the desert alight with flame. An efreeti, who just
2 6 cast major image, attacks with intent to capture
bandits stealing racing camels.
...tiny, flaming hands striking up out of the ground one of the party.
3
as 1d4 + 1 magmin claw free of the sand. ...an air elemental in a whirlwind of stinging sand.
...the baying calls of 1d4 death dogs as they come 7 The area becomes heavily obscured. It’s here to ask
4 directions.
sprinting over the dunes.
...a young brass dragon that soars overhead and
...1d4 + 1 giant vultures fight and squabble over 8 lands nearby. It offers shelter from the sun.
5
the carcass of an ox that ate 40 gp in gems.
...a group of1d4 lionesses, which stalk and ...1d6 + 1 wights milling around a hole in the
6 menace the party at night. 9 ground that slopes out of sight under the sand, as
...2d8 scorpions pouring out of a rocky crevice, if pulled by a magical force (it is).
7 ...a hut on the side of a large water hole where a
which holds the remains of a fallen warrior.
...5d4 kobolds walking in single file carrying a 10 guardian naga and an elderly mage are engaged
8 in a terse property dispute.
huge dead insect on poles. They seem thrilled.
...a hungry phase spider flickering into view as ...1d4 basilisks sunning themselves on a rock near the
9 11 statue of a legendary (and currently petrified) knight.
ethereal webs flash in and out of sight.
...a brass dragon wyrmling cavorting through ...a shaded canyon where 1d6 + 2 phase spiders
12
10 the sand and toying with a giant spider. They are nest on the ethereal plane.
friends. ...a sandswept ruin where 1d4 lamia make their
13 home. One of them is giving birth.
...a beggar woman who is a couatl in disguise. She
11 asks the party for water. ...a massive fire elemental sweeping across the
...a small oasis that contains flowering fruit trees 14 sand, turning it to glass in its wake. It’s late for a
12 that will supply 2d8 days worth of rations. steamy date with a water elemental.
...a small hunting party of 1d4 gnolls accompanied ...2d8 ogres carrying large barrels of water. They
13 by 1d4 giant hyenas.
15 are clearly headed to a rocky outcropping to the
...the result of a roll on the Desert Environmental northwest, where they’ve built a sauna.
14 Hazards table on pg. 133. ...a dome of magical darkness that stretches for a
...a whirlwind of sand and loose rock where 1d4 16 quarter-mile. Stepping inside, the party will find a
15 dust mephits squabble over a pebble.
crystalline lake reflecting a starry sky.
16 ...a hole that keeps getting bigger. ...a rectangular building that contains 12
...1d4 + 1 bandits fleeing an equal number of 17 sarcophagi, 2d6 of which are occupied by dusty
giant lizards, which could be used as mounts mummies. The rest hold level-appropriate treasure.
17 ...a caravan of traders (commoners) trying to outrun
with a successful DC 15 (Wisdom) Animal Handling
check. 18 a roll on the Desert Environmental Hazards table on
...a decaying humanoid hand pushing through the pg. 133.
18 sand as 1d4 mummies reach upward. ...a bandit captain, 1d6 thugs and 3d8 bandits
...2d4 + 2 hobgoblin merchants who are willing to riding sleds pulled by camels streaking across the
19 sand in a dusty cloud, fleeing bounty hunters who
19 trade with honorable people. One of them may try
to steal from the party. know each of their heads is worth 200 gp.
...a magical garden growing in the middle of ...a dangerous-looking young blue dragon is
20 the expanse, occupied by a medusa who is 20 actually a massive kite utilized by a nearby
misunderstood. settlement to scare off predators.
Desert Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) Desert Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
...an echoing clatter of bones as 6d12 skeletons ...a deafening explosion of sand and rock as 1d4 + 1
1
1 rise from the sand. They don’t seem friendly. But, purple worms ambush them.
surprisingly, at least one is. ...a quartet of guardian nagas is transporting an
...a roll on the Desert Environmental Hazards 2 efreeti in magical stasis to a portal to the plane of
2 table on pg. 133, which seems imminent, and fire. One of them has been bought off.
was foretold in a world-changing prophecy. ...3d10 adorable but incredibly toxic toads (frogs).
...the sound of cackling laughter riding the wind 3 A creature that makes physical contact with one
3 as a large war party of 4d6 gnolls and 2d6 + 2 immediately suffers 55 (10d10) poison damage.
giant hyenas come into view. ...a rocky valley where 2d12 giant constrictor
...a group of 1d2 cult fanatics, 2d6 cultists, 1d4 4 snakes sun themselves. One has a gnome-shaped
4 hell hounds and 1d4 bearded devils. They carry lump in its midsection.
the standard of an evil god. ...the ruins of an ancient city haunted by 1d8
...a recently destroyed wagon train—the sand still 5 ghosts, 2d6 specters and 2d6 shadows.
5 crackling with a bit of lightning—clear signs of a ...a green fire burning on the horizon around which
blue dragon or behir attack. 6 1d4 horned devils dance and chant, hoping to
...wisps of darkness that shroud a herd of 2d6 impress their kids.
6 nightmares galloping across the sands. ...a large swath of the desert turned to glass that
...a ripple of fast-moving sand that presages the 7 seems to have a soul. The glass would be worth a
7 arrival of a giant purple worm. hefty sum to the right buyer (a fiend, in the hells).
...an efreeti accompanied by 1d4 thugs guarding ...an archmage on a camel, with their iron golem
8 a cart full of recently captured fiends, who guardian, travel across the desert in search of
8
entreat the party for aid. ancient treasures.
...a night hag who tries to sneak into their camp.
9 She summons 1d4 vrocks to cover her escape. ...a half-blue dragon veteran leading 2d4 barbed
9 devils away from a rocky outcropping. They have
...a massive androsphinx standing guard over an just stolen brass dragon eggs.
10 extraplanar portal. If they can answer his riddles
...a pair of gynosphinxes guarding an arcane ring
he will send them to a plane of their choice.
10 of shimmering light on the grounds of an ancient
...a garden of petrified humanoids, where 1d4 + 1
11 temple, which also contains a cursed hoard.
medusas hold court with one another.
...2d6 fire elementals in a roiling vortex of flame, a
...1d4 tiefling assassins who have been tracking 11 dire warning a portal to the hells is opening.
12 the party for some time on behalf of a known (or
unknown) rival. ...1d3 + 2 glabrezu bounding over the dunes,
12
hoping to drag a party member into the abyss.
...an adult brass dragon who is clearing an oasis
13 ...a city that is fully invisible, its leaders willing to
of 1d6 + 2 ogre zombies and 2d12 zombies. 13 do all they can to keep its location secret.
...a part of the desert full of fulgurite structures.
14 ...an androsphinx hibernating in the middle of a
1d6 air elementals cavort through the area.
14 beautiful abandoned city. It can’t remember the
...what was once an opulent pyramid where a
answer to its riddle.
15 golden sarcophagus (housing a mummy lord
and his legendary artifact) sits unguarded. ...a planetar dispensing the justice of the
...1d6 bandits who fire arrows at the party from 15 gods on a group of four efreeti. A group of 2d4
16 commoners, chains at their feet, stands witness.
the back of a gargantuan roc.
...a small settlement where a rogue cleric has ...the sound of titanic roars and flashes of fire as
17 created a cult following by casting create water 16 an adult brass dragon wages a bitter battle with
every day for the past year. a balor.
...1d4 erinyes descend on the party in an effort to ...an archmage loyal to a trickster god has decided
18 to troll the party as a cosmic joke, starting with
steal any magical items they can. 17
...a nalfeshnee frozen in amber in the middle of sending his invisible servant to tie their bootlaces
a crater of glass. Breaking the glass releases the together.
19 ...a pride of 2d6 lamia who have taken a brass
demon, while killing it grants an 8th-level spell 18 dragon wyrmling captive.
scroll at GM discretion.
...an ancient brass dragon who invites the party ...an ancient blue dragon who has heard of the
20 to his lair to rest safely. He has vast knowledge of 19 party’s legendary exploits and wishes to add them
the area and is happy to help. to his collection of curiosities frozen in amber.
...the result of a roll on the Desert Environmental
20 Hazards table on pg. 133.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 87

 Session Building

Temperate Forests ...a trap. Suddenly one of the party is ensnared in a

Towering trees, quiet brooks, shadowy glades and 18 flying bit of web as an ettercap drops from the tree
mysterious, possibly fey-born creatures are the hallmarks branches above.
of temperate forests. The serene nature of these woodlands ...the fierce buzzing of large insects. Unless the party
belies the danger that lurks within. In hollows shielded 19 is stealthy as they pass, 1d4 giant wasps streak
from the sun by stretching canopies, massive arachnids toward them.
nest and propagate. In sheltered caves or massive dead ...roaring and snarling. If the party investigates
oaks, green dragons make their lairs, poisoning the area 20 they’ll find a massive troll in combat with a friendly
around them with their very presence. Goblins and their werebear in grizzly form.
kin roam free and wood elves overlook the ancient forests
from cities built high in the lofty treetops. Who’s up for a Temperate Forests
weekend in the woods? Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)
1d20 The party encounters...
Temperate Forests ...1d4 bulettes clawing their way free of the earth,
1 fleeing a much larger predator beneath the surface.
Random Encounters (lvl 1–4)
...a clearing full of dead plants where a column of
1d20 The party encounters...
...2d4 awakened shrubs that begin to sing and 2 jet black darkness whirls chaotically—a link to the
realm of shadow.
1 dance when the party approaches. They aren’t very
good. ...1d4 + 1 stocky bandits (wereboars) stepping out
...a lone, lost, starving mastiff who is skittish at first 3 from behind the trees. They want half the party’s
2 but warms to the party if they offer food. coin. Or a cure for their lycanthropy.
...a massive oak with a crack in the bottom of the ...the sound of some harsh guttural words as a
3 trunk, liquid shadow swirling and bubbling within. 4 green hag calls forth 1d4 shambling mounds to
...silence, as a crew of 2d4 + 1 goblins hide in the remake the landscape.
4 ...a cache of 2d4 spell scrolls of level 1d4 or lower, at
bushes, hoping their pit trap is a success. 5 GM discretion (or use the table on pg. 153).
...a ring of fallen maple trees where a mated pair of
5 pseudodragons engage in a marital squabble. ...3d10 loggers (commoners) who speak of seeing
6 strange figures performing rituals in the forest.
...the result of a roll on the Temperate Forest
6 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 134. ...1d4 bounty hunters (veterans) and 1d4 + 2 thugs
...a green dragon wyrmling who protectively 7 returning escaped prisoners to a nearby city. One of
7 guards a small cave serving as his lair. the prisoners is vocal about his innocence.
...a gloomy hollow strewn with spiderwebs, where ...a collection of 2d4 + 2 owlbears seeking food and
8
8 1d4 giant wolf spiders and their brood of 2d6 battling for territory.
spiders try to ensnare passing creatures. ...a vine-covered tree that looks like a humanoid
...a steady buzz as a swarm of 4d4 stirges drop from 9 frozen in mid-step. He was once the county
9 the canopy.
commissioner.
...a ring of toadstools inside which 2d4 sprites feast ...a treant and a druid enjoying a cup of mushroom
10 tea. They refuse to share with the party.
10 on cream and honey. They are playful, but vengeful
if treated poorly. ...1d4 + 1 gorgons standing stationary among the
11
...a small band of 1d4 + 1 hobgoblins stalking trees. The area around them is littered with bones.
11 through the forest tracking a thief who stole from ...an ambush. 1d6 + 1 werewolves attack,
them (to feed his kids). 12
mistaking the party for lycanthrope hunters.
...an area of terraced pools that smell of lavender ...smoke curling from the chimney of a dilapidated
12 and honeysuckle. Resting in the area reduces an 13 hut where a night hag slumbers. A flesh golem
extra level of exhaustion. guards the door.
...a high-pitched squeal and the snapping of brush ...a haunting song drifting through the trees and
13 heralding the charge of a giant boar.
glimpses of vaguely feminine forms: The 2d8 dryads
...1d4 gricks slithering out of rocky outcroppings 14
14 nearby. that live in the nearby trees are rehearsing for a
theatrical production.
...nearly glowing flashes of light reflecting off the ...thin walls of thorny vines, as a young green
coat of a unicorn as it comes through the trees, 15
15 then immediately bolts. If the party can catch it, it dragon assaults them from the air.
...a trio of halflings warn of a roll on the Temperate
will grant a gift. 16 Forest Environmental Hazards table on pg. 134.
...a deer bursting out of the undergrowth with a
16 pack of 1d4 ferocious worgs hot on its heels. ...2d4 phase spiders slowly coalescing into view on
17 the low branches of surrounding trees.
...an explosion of dirt and stone as an ankheg ...a guardian naga caring for a malnourished
17 bursts out of the forest floor. It’s been tagged, as if 18 brown bear at the entry of a massive cave system.
by a scientist.
 19
...a group of 2d12 humanoid scouts camping in a Temperate Forests
glade ringed by petrified trolls. Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
...sounds of revelry emanating from a glen where 1d20 The party encounters...
20 satyrs, sprites and other fey creatures are having a ...a deep rumbling sound resonates around the
boisterous party. 1 forest, the sound of 2d6 treants humming in
harmony.
Temperate Forests ...1d8 + 2 shambling mounds, which suddenly
Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) 2 attack. In the aftermath, the party will find an
1d20 The party encounters... ancient engraved axe.
...an adult green dragon languishing in a glade as
1 1d6 cultists prepare to sacrifice a commoner. ...an ancient burial chamber within which a
3 decaying mummy lord and 2d6 + 2 mummies
...illusory faces—mumbling gibberish—appearing shamble around.
2 and disappearing in the trees over the next mile, the
work of a long-dead mage. ...a crumbling altar where an iron golem, a scroll
4 case built into its chest, defends the area from all
...a huge pack of 2d10 + 5 dire wolves, who attempt
3 intruders.
to corner the party against a rocky ravine.
...two adult gold dragons discussing a creeping
...2d8 + 10 territorial centaurs. They will attack if 5
4 plague that endangers the forest.
they cannot be placated. ...an adult green dragon, attended by 1d4 stoic
...an adult gold dragon in humanoid form caring for 6 veterans, who will defend its territory against any
5 intricately shaped topiary in a peaceful glade.
trespassers.
...a half-green dragon veteran and 1d4 gladiators ...two massive oak trees on either side of a
6 in the process of slaughtering a group of 1d10 elves 7 glowing golden doorway. What is beyond is
on behalf of a local lord. obscured by blinding light.
...1d4 chain devils gathering for their annual “three ...an area where the tree trunks are marked with
7 soul buy-in” poker game.
8 demonic symbols. 2d6 + 2 barbed devils soon
...a group of 2d6 minotaurs camping in a small claw their way out of the trees.
8 clearing with a juvenile unicorn trapped in a cage.
...1d4 + 1 cult fanatics spurring on a nalfeshnee
...1d6 + 1 stinking trolls trying to sneak past. They 9
demon as it tries to light trees on fire.
9 each have a large sack containing gnomes they plan
...a colony of 2d10 werewolves who live in round
to eat. 10
huts in the trees.
...a community of 3d20 + 40 halflings, one of which ...a herd of 2d6 gorgons crashing through the
10 has been corrupted by an aberration. 11 undergrowth.
...a cultist slitting its throat in a clearing. They
11 transform into a pit fiend with half its normal HP. ...1d8 + 3 ettercaps and 2d10 giant spiders
12 descend from the high canopy looking for a quick
...two druids near a clear spring trying to heal
bite.
12 a young gold dragon, who has been cursed to
transform into a creature of shadow. ...a slumbering ancient gold dragon that can only
13
...1d8 knights, all clad in pitch black armor riding be woken with a quality joke.
...the result of a roll on the Temperate Forest
13 nightmares, following a winding path through the 14
forest. They have orders to attack on sight. Environmental Hazards table on pg. 134.
...1d4 oni camping around a low fire. The sound ...a lich in the act of hiding its phylactery in a
15 secluded glade.
14 of crying children rises out of a hole in the ground
nearby. ...an ancient green dragon flies overhead with a
16
...a deva, petrified except for its face, standing on unicorn in its clutches.
15 a pedestal overlooking several fresh graves. It calls ...2d10 + 4 ogre zombies clawing their way free of
17
out for aid. the loamy undergrowth.
...a strange mist spreading from an ancient circle of ...a duel between two powerful archmages. It
18
16 standing stones. 2d8 + 1 will-o’-wisps rise from the seems someone wasn’t invited to the wedding.
ground inside the circle. ...a herd of 1d10 + 2 shimmering unicorns cross
...trouble. The soft forest floor collapses below the the party’s path. They are actually horses stuffed
17 party dropping them into the lair of 2d4 bulettes.
19 with dynamite and covered in a flammable white
...a roll on the Temperate Forest Environmental grease, part of an elaborate trap set by an elite
18 Hazards table on pg. 134, a hazard that endangers a team of adventurer-slaying hobgoblins.
hidden treetop village. ....the sound of alluring laughter and the scent of
...a peaceful hot spring. A tribe of 3d10 lycanthropes fresh flowers emanating from a shimmering portal
19 are soaking there, playing it cool. 20 contained in an ancient stone ring, a passageway
...an ancient green dragon, who offers to parlay with to the fey realm.
20 one of the party. They have something it craves.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 89

 Session Building

Jungles Jungles Random Encounters (lvl 5-10)

Titanic creatures and deadly beasts populate the 1d20 The party encounters...
dense undergrowth and interwoven canopies of the ...a glade full of beautiful flowers, the home of 1d12
1 + 4 nesting cockatrices.
jungle landscape. Massive apes, gargantuan dinosaurs,
giant insects and fearsome goblin tribes could await ...a single knight (gladiator), clad in green armor,
adventurers setting out to explore the wilds. The party 2 who will gift the party something if he can be beaten
is as likely to encounter a deadly plant as a deadly in single combat.
beast and even the tiniest of flies can gather in colossal ...an ancient ruin that depicts the movements of
swarms that wreak havoc on an exploratory expedition. 3 the stars and planets, from which divination can be
Powerful storms could thrash the area for weeks on end. ritually cast once per day.
Dangerous temperatures, dehydration, starvation and ...2d8 + 3 heavily tattooed goblins playing a game
4
disease are all problems your players will need to contend resembling kickball with an owlbear’s skull.
with. And that’s just what happens during the day. ...1d4 + 1 weretigers who are easily offended
5
enjoying lunch or dinner in a glade.
Jungles Random Encounters (lvl 1-4) ...1d4 giant crocodiles sunning themselves on the
1d20 The party encounters... 6 edge of a river. A pack containing 2d8 days of rations
...4d4 lemure devils flowing out of ancient statues lies nearby.
1 littering the area.
...a clan of 3d12 kobolds shouting from the trees.
...2d6 baboons that follow and harass the party 7 They’ve been abandoned by their young green
2 dragon mistress.
because they want something extravagant.
...a ruin that could provide shelter for the night but ...an ancient tree with white bark that rises over 100
3 curses the first person to fall asleep there. 8 feet into the air. Its sprawling canopy is shrouded in
...the furious flapping of wings as 1d8 + 1 flying mist. At its top is a mighty artifact.
4 ...1d4 couatls soaring down through the trees.
snakes chase birds in the canopy.
...a hunting party of 2d6 + 1 warriors who have 9 They will provide healing and cure any diseases in
5 exchange for a poem.
magic items to trade.
...a Tyrannosaurus rex pushing through the jungle.
...1d6 + 2 goblins wearing stylized ant-like masks, 10
6 Its vision is decidedly not based on movement.
trying to cut down a tree.
...a large crystalline snail shell that shines with an
...a fetid steaming pond full of 1d4 + 3 giant frogs, 11 inner light. It is a magic item that can be used as a
7
each bigger than the last. +2 spell focus.
...a friendly group of 2d6 lizardfolk who provide ...a roll on the Jungle Environmental Hazards table
8 directions to a nearby landmark. 12 on pg. 135—the result occurs twice in the next hour.
9 ...1d4 + 2 axe beaks protecting a nest full of eggs. ...a giant ape that tries to intimidate them from
...an awakened tree, as old as the jungle, that 13 leaving its territory but will immediately flee at the
10 sings songs of forgotten history.
first sign of magic.
...a strange tree with 2d10 star-shaped neon green ...a young woman languishing in the bubbling mud
11 fruits. Eating a fruit restores 1d8 + 1 hp. 14 of a smelly bog (who is also a hag who can’t swim).
...the result of a roll on the Jungle Environmental ...a druid tending a garden full of poisonous,
12 Hazards table on pg. 135. 15 venomous and carnivorous plants.
...2d6 + 4 bats roosted in the canopy above that ...a massive compass carved from stone. Touching it
13 will attack if disturbed.
16 offers advantage on all Wisdom (Survival) checks for
...2d4 kobolds carrying a huge scale belonging to a the next 48 hours.
14 colossal lizard.
...harmless ethereal spirits zipping and dancing
...3d6 apes foraging for food that begin screeching 17 through the jungle. Their song charms all who hear
15 and pointing as a giant panther pounces.
it (DC 17 Charisma save) to stay and dance.
...a nest of 1d4 + 2 giant centipedes that will ...a herd of 3d6 + 2 elephants with their calves. 1d4
16 18
retreat from open fire. + 1 will charge if the herd is threatened.
...a clearing, where nothing will grow, that features ...a young triceratops that is injured and starving.
17 a massive, early stage statue of a humanoid face.
19 It will bond with the party if they provide aid and
...3d4 swarms of scorpions. I promise they looked succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check.
18 like leaves!
...a beautiful mansion rising out of the jungle. It is
...water pouring down into a man-made basin from well-appointed, but seems abandoned. Its owner
19 the mouth of a stone lizard. 200 gp glitters under 20 was true polymorphed into a chesterfield sofa in the
the water. It’s cursed. living room.
...one giant constrictor snake coiled around an
20 ancient statue of a half-dragon man. Touching the
statue offers advantage on all attacks for the day.
Jungles Random Encounters (lvl 11-16) Jungles Random Encounters (lvl 17-20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
...an aging tortoise near a crystal pool who offers to ...a truly massive beanstalk stretching from the
1 grant the youngest party member a wish.
1 ground into the clouds above the jungle and
...a colorful bug that sprays a member of the party leading to the celestial plane.
2 with a stench that just won’t quit. The smell lingers for ...a group of 1d6 treants tending a grove of
3d6 + 2 days and seems immune to magical dispersal. 2 awakened shrubs that laugh at bad jokes and will
...a mage and 2d4 guards who run into the party offer a boon for a particularly terrible one.
3 as they are fleeing from 2d4 tyrannosaurs who for ...2d8 goblins riding on howdahs strapped to the
some reason can cast fly. 3 backs of two tyrannosaurs. They cackle madly
...1d4 + 1 giant apes that pelt the party with large even when the dinosaurs eat one of their number.
4 ...a young black dragon who has made a bargain
rocks from the high canopy.
...a treant that fights to keep an adult black dragon 4 with a demonic force. 1d4 + 1 chain devils protect
5 from destroying a colony of 4d10 + 20 elves living in the mouth of its cave.
the trees. ...an eldritch portal set between two jet black
...a clutch of 1d4 + 3 trolls feasting on the corpse of a 5 obelisks from which 2d4 hezrou demons enter the
6 material plane. They seem terrified.
dead elephant.
...two wild-eyed mages who will finish summoning ...a glittering palanquin born by 2d4 + 2 weretigers
7 50 zombies in three rounds. 6 comes into view, carrying a regally appointed
rakshasa who loves a game of chance.
...1d6 + 4 basilisks that ambush them out of thick
8 vegetation. A short way away from the battle is a ...a group of 2d4 + 1 assassins arguing in whispers
petrified dryad. 7 about where they hid the loot from their last job.
...a ruined garden, home to a carving of an elven One carries a map. Another, a decoy.
9 woman. The first character to stare into her eyes is ...a snake-infested pit that also functions as a
blessed with 2d8 + 4 temp hit points. 8 meaningful shortcut to the party’s next goal. But...it
...four shambling mounds that have grown into a really is a lot of snakes.
10 massive plant that lives and attacks as a singular ...1d4 nalfeshnee running through the
entity. 9 undergrowth. One carries a screaming man in
...a series of sulfuric pools serving as a portal to the purple robes who is meant to marry their mother.
plane of fire. Stepping within 15 feet would deliver ...a large urn standing on a plinth in the middle of a
11 10 vine-choked ruin. Opening the urn grants a fiendish
2 levels of exhaustion on a failed DC 15 Constitution
saving throw. boon, but also releases 1d4 erinyes.
...the territory of 4d6 tribal warriors that will trade ...a stairway made of pure light climbing up
12 both goods and information if the party agrees to through the canopy. Walking into the light leads to
11
guide them away from their god. immediate death, followed by the resurrection spell.
...1d4 young black dragons fight over territory. They The new form emerges from the light.
13 turn their attention to the party if they spot them. ...a field hospital staffed by priests. 5d6
...an archmage, studying an ancient temple, who 12 commoners are sick with a magical malady. The
14 refuses to share what she’s learned about the cure? Pit fiend blood.
temple’s interior (It’s empty. She’s embarrassed). ...a group of 10d10 orcs that just want to be left
13 alone. Didn’t you see all their signs?
...2d4 veterans on war horses who tell the party
15 they are headed to purge a great evil to the ...an ancient-looking man within a cage in a jungle
14 ruin. He knows the answer to any question.
southwest. The evil? A bit of food poisoning.
...animals of all kinds fleeing past them as a raging ...a roll on the Jungle Environmental Hazards
16 blaze begins consuming the jungle. 15 table on pg. 135, which will befall the party today,
...a roll on the Jungle Environmental Hazards table tomorrow and the following day.
17 on pg. 135, which will begin the moment the party ...an utterly lost, utterly ancient cloud giant
16 stomping through the jungle.
starts their next long rest.
...a narrow natural bridge that crosses a deep ...a solar sitting on a rune-covered throne. It will
17 immediately attack any creature with fiendish ties.
18 canyon. The other end of the bridge is shrouded in
magical darkness. ...signs of an ancient black dragon’s lair that begin
18 to make themselves unignorable.
...a short ziggurat. Atop it is an ancient altar flanked
...oddity. The trees begin growing taller and taller
19 by two clay golems. Dried blood can still be seen on
the altar. A fiend will appear here in 24 hours. 19 and taller—because the party is now the size of a
...a ruined temple, littered with traps, that holds a few beetles and will be for the next 24 hours.
20 legendary artifact behind a DC 30 lock. ...a sending spell from a party ally reveals the
20 presence of a hidden cache of item upgrades.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 91

 Session Building

Grasslands Grasslands Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)

Never-ending fields of tall grass, windswept plains and 1d20 The party encounters...
wide-open spaces so large they can make the biggest of ...2d8 + 3 goblins, their faces painted with three
personalities feel small and insignificant. Chimera soar 1 extra sets of eyes, attack riding giant wolf
in the skies and orcish hordes march the lands intent on spiders.
conquest. Wolves and giant elk struggle to survive in a cycle ...1d4 knights, riding warhorses and carrying the
of predator and prey that has existed since the dawn of 2 standard of an evil god, who lead a contingent of
creation. In other words, a great place for a picnic 2d8 guards.
...a young gold dragon that stalks antelope
Grasslands Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) 3
(deer) across the open plains.
1d20 The party encounters... ...a horde of 2d12 + 4 zombies bumbling
...a large herd of 2d6 easily startled goats 4
implacably to the west.
1 grazing on bright purple flowers. 1d6 shepherds ...a 100-by-100-foot area of disturbed earth.
(commoners) watch over them. Anyone who enters will cause 2d4 + 1 ankhegs to
5
...a chimera, roaring and spitting fire, soars toward attack from below.
2 the clouds.
...a rocking chair under a pure white gazebo
...1d4 large rhinoceroses grazing and wandering where an aged skeleton with a long white beard
3 around a waterhole. One is illusory. 6
sits staring to the south. His creator is coming.
...three huge concentric rings in the grass. Anything ...a pack of 2d8 death dogs in hot pursuit of a
4 within 100 feet of the rings is dead. 7 herd of deer, one of which has antlers of gold.
...a manticore feeding on a freshly killed elk. It ...1d4 + 2 alabaster columns forming a circle on
5 jealously protects its meal. 8 the plains. These columns are actually mimics.
...1d4 + 1 swarms of insects pouring out of a hole
6 in the ground, which leads to a larger nest. ...the result of a roll on the Grassland
9 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 136.
...a landscape dotted by swathes of garish orange ...a tunnel at the edge of a reflective lake. Black
7 grass that hums and vibrates. Spells cannot be 10 marble stairs lead under the lake and into
cast in these spaces. darkness rich with treasure.
...a small herd of 2d6 elk foraging for food, ...a stampede of wereboars, in the shape of
8 immediately attacked by a giant scorpion. 11 boars, hoping to spread the curse of lycanthropy.
...a tooth-jarring buzzing sound. Seconds later 1d4 ...1d4 lounging bulettes, who see the party and
9 giant wasps emerge from the dirt.
12 burrow into the ground out of sight. They attack
...the result of a roll on the Grassland
10 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 136. later with surprise on their side.
...1d8 + 2 giant weasels that attempt to drag ...a mated pair of chimera that drop from the sky,
13
11 the shiniest member of the party into their setting the surrounding grass ablaze.
subterranean den. ...a wagon train carrying more than 50
...2d4 orcs marching across the plain to a beating people. 1d6 members of the caravan are
14
12 drum. They carry a litter supporting three doppelgangers masquerading as PCs, at GM
shrouded bodies. discretion.
...2d4 nearly feral centaurs who try to drive the
...1d4 + 1 holy warriors (priests) riding hippogriffs 15 party off of their land.
13 across the plain. They are on a pilgrimage to a
temple in the clouds. ...a bandit captain leading 2d12 + 4 bandits in
...the high grasses shifting as if a creature is 16 an attempt to steal the party’s belongings on
14 moving through them, but nothing is ever seen. behalf of their boss: a 10-year-old.
...spectral armies that clash with one another, ...a trio of night hags gathered around a roaring
15 reliving their final battle. 17 bright blue bonfire. Mostly to gossip.
...an ambush. 1d6 + 1 wolves assail any mounts ...2d4 gorgons, moving slow and steady in the
16 the party is using. 18 direction of the party before spreading out to try
...a ruined camp being looted by one berzerker and ring the party in.
17 and 1d4 + 1 bandits. ...a priest trying to repel 1d4 + 2 ghosts that
...a trap. The smell of tar hits their nostrils as they 19 are targeting a group of 2d6 injured refugees
18 realize they’re standing in flammable pitch. 1d4 + (commoners).
2 lizardfolk attack. ...a single stone golem in the middle of an empty
...1d4 zebra-print centaurs fending off the hit and 20 plain. It guards a secret.
19 run tactics of 1d8 + 2 gnolls.

20 ...1d10 pegasi bedding down for the night. They offer

to carry the party to their destination in the morning.
Grasslands Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) Grasslands Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
...a group of 2d12 + 2 bugbears sneaking ...a huge warband of 2d10 bugbears, 2d10
1 1 hobgoblins and 2d6 goblins riding worgs, all
forward. Some want to parlay. The others?
...a windowless, doorless castle made of straw. hoping to catch a nearby city off guard.
2 ...a fire-blackened, lightning-scarred solitary oak.
Within it is an answer the party seeks.
...2d12 commoners led by a guru (priest), 2 Music emanates through a crack near its base: A
3 grasshopper playing the violin.
building a marble effigy to a fallen god.
...1d4 + 1 knights made of stone that issue a ...a large pack of 2d20 + 5 giant hyenas, all battle-
4 challenge before charging the party on gorgon- 3 scarred and ferocious, standing between the party
back. and their goal.
...a merchant train under attack by a pride of 1d6 ...two faceless mages riding skeletal griffons
5 4 leading a cavalry of 1d10 + 1 skeletons riding
chimera. 3d6 commoners flee and hide.
...an ambush. 1d4 assassins spring from the tall warhorse skeletons toward a small settlement.
6
grass, hoping to steal the party’s valuables. ...a royal messenger (spy) accompanied by 1d12
...a gathering of crows, ravens and vultures that + 5 scouts carrying an important message to the
5
7 has made the landscape nearly black. They capital and needing to get there before the party
regard the party with quiet bemusement. does.
...intricate geometric shapes pressed into the ...a heavily armored cavalry unit of 2d8 ogres
grass, the result of an incursion from the far 6 riding rhinoceroses. They guard a local treasure.
8
realm or a creative child’s boredom (or both). ...a concealed valley where 1d12 chimera nest and
...a pleasant-looking tavern. The owner is a night 7 squabble with one another.
9 hag and many of the patrons are oni. ...a burning village where a planetar battles with a
...a modest stone house with a large observatory. 8 massive horde of fiends, including 1d4 bone devils,
10 An eccentric archmage dwells within, studying 1d6 bearded devils and 2d8 dretches.
the path of the stars. ...a towering humanoid effigy made of wicker and
...an expansive rock outcropping giving way, as 9 straw. An awakened shrub that is immune to all
11 1d4 earth elementals form out of the ground. damage is preparing to set it ablaze.
...a pathway made of purple crystal leading to the ...four stone golems guarding a deep but narrow
12 tomb of a once beloved king. His crown, an arcane 10 hole with flickering multicolored lights at the
object of terrible power, is buried within. bottom. These lights are a glowing heroes’ feast.
...an injured couatl that falls from the sky and ...signs associated with the presence of an
13 ancient gold dragon’s lair start to shift rapidly,
claims she carries a vital message for the gods. 11
...a village completely populated by weretigers indicating it may have died recently.
14 ...4d4 hungry bulettes that try to drag the party
who just want to hang.
12
...several spectral gnolls that follow the party underground.
for miles, laughing at nearly everything they do. ...a green door in the ground, its lock DC 30, which
15 13
The gnolls cannot attack and are immune to all leads to a portal to the fey wild.
damage. They’re mostly just annoying. ...a horrifying nest of 2d8 phase spiders. A single
...two devas overseeing the sealing of an ancient 14 dragonborn man (assassin) can be found in their
tomb. As they do, the doors burst open and a ethereal webs. He is barely alive.
16
mummy lord emerges. ...the result of two rolls on the Grassland
15
...1d4 young gold dragons crossing the plains Environmental Hazards table on pg. 136.
on foot, part of a draconic pilgrimage. They have ...a whole herd of 3d20 deer, dead or dying, with
17
bad news about a PC’s family member. 16 no explanation (the land here is cursed, and now
so is the party—they’ll die in seven days).
...2d4 bounty hunters (gladiators) hauling a ...an iron golem on a decorated stone dais guards
rune-etched cage containing a horned devil. a chest crafted from gold and silver. Within is a
18 17
They are traveling to the nearest holy city to hoard worthy of an adult brass dragon.
banish it. ...a field of loose boulders littering the ground.
...a roll on the Grassland Environmental Hazards 2d12 become animated objects as the party
18
19 table on pg. 136, a challenge that will strike as approaches.
the party considers a long rest. ...the ruins of an ancient village where the
...a tear in the fabric of reality as an erinyes and 19 disquieted spirits of ancient dead roam aimlessly.
20 2d4 imps pour into the material plane. They ...a loud crowd of people standing outside a large,
want to ally with the party. 20 elegant pure white tent. Inside, a pair of deva heal
the sick and dying.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 93

 Session Building

Mountains Mountains Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)

On snow-capped peaks of towering mountains or the 1d20 The party encounters...
lava-lit halls below them, dragons and giants battle for ...1d8 + 2 veterans who will tell the party the
dominion. Difficult-to-traverse passes, unpredictable 1
stony pass ahead is blocked. It isn’t.
weather and dangerous monstrosities that can turn one to ...a mated pair of wyverns who swoop in from a
stone with a look are all challenges your players may need 2 high rocky ledge for a lunch date.
to face and overcome. Assuming they don’t just fall over the ...the result of a roll on the Mountain
side of a narrow cliff trail. These things happen! 3 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 137.
...the occasional petrified kobold, the result of a
Mountains Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) 4 basilisk who no longer hangs out around here.
1d20 The party encounters... 5 ...1d4 + 2 basilisks, who love it here.
...1d4 commoners clambering around the rocky ...a rage-filled red dragon wyrmling who tries to
6
1 terrain tending herds of 2d6 llamas. One gets burn the party alive (but would settle for a hug).
kicked off the side. ...an upbeat young silver dragon who offers
...1d4 swarms of bats pouring out of a small 7 to guide the party through a series of twisting
2 canyons. The cost? Infinite friendship.
jagged cave opening, fleeing a lone wight.
...whispering voices calling from a chasm ...an earth elemental that rises from the ground
3 8
shrouded in darkness. They just want company. and goes berzerk, nearly causing an avalanche.
...intense heat as molten rock and 1d4 magma ...a circle of 10 ornate thrones, each with a
4 9
mephits bubble to the surface. different marking. Two are trapped.
...a raiding party of 1d6 + 2 orcs carrying ...a half-white dragon veteran leads a group
5 10 of 2d4 cultists wearing white dragon masks.
primitive weapons. They leap into combat.
...an ambush. With a maniacal laugh and a gout “Tomorrow is the sacrifice! Today is the feast!”
6 ...a cloud giant who tries to trick the party into
of fire and heat, an azer attacks the party. 11 heading down a dangerous path on a dare.
7 ...a gargoyle keeping watch over a narrow pass.
...a cave entrance that resembles the snarling
8 ...a silver dragon wyrmling snoozing in drift. 12 maw of a dragon, the home of a clever kobold.
...an ettin, whose heads can’t agree on whether ...a frost giant and its saber-toothed tiger
9 13
or not to eat the party. companion.
...a promontory overlooking a steep drop-off ...1d4 air elementals that rush down from a high
marked by a jet black obelisk carved with jagged 14 narrow pass. This is their turf.
10 runes. Touching it sends a creature to the bottom
...2d4 dwarven warriors (veterans) defending a
of the ravine, where another obelisk will send 15
mountain pass against 1d8 + 1 trolls.
you back up. But...it’s broken. ...1d4 ettins journeying toward their home
...a group of 1d4 malnourished thugs who 16
11 carrying the carcasses of a giant elk.
ambush the party from the rocks. ...a dwarven priest speaking ancient rites to the
...a small opening of roaring heat that disgorges
12 17 gods, hoping for good weather. He forgets to say
1d4 + 1 magmin.
the magic word: “please.”
...a white dragon wyrmling who attacks from
13 ...1d4 hell hounds that try and pin the party in a
high above. 18 dead end canyon.
...the unmistakable stench of death and a pile of
14 half-eaten carrion. A giant vulture soon appears ...1d8 + 2 ambitious harpies who swoop down on
to finish its meal or make a new one. 19 the party with harsh cries and attempt to carry
...the sound of anguished yells emanating from a away the largest member.
15 rocky bend where an injured druid tries to fend ...1d4 benevolent ghosts haunting the ruin of
off a troll. 20 an ancient watchtower, who will offer a gift to
...the result of a roll on the Mountain anyone who can consecrate the lighthouse.
16 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 137.
...laughter and loud voices leading to a group of
17 2d8 dwarven sentries (guards) watching a back
entrance to their mine city.
...a contingent of 2d6 kobolds who rush out of
18
concealed crevices in the rock.
...a wave of heat surging off a salamander that is
19 sunning itself on a rocky outcropping.
...a single frost giant cooking a midday meal.
20 She has some to share. It’s quite a big portion,
and not eating all of it would be very rude.
Mountains Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) Mountains Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
...a young red dragon swooping overhead ...2d12 + 2 maddened berserkers who are clearly
1
accompanied by 1d4 kobolds on giant bats. 1 under the effects of hallucinogenic compounds
...the result of a toll on the Mountain and can’t stop leaping off the edge of the cliffs.
2 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 137. 2 ...1d4 rocs carrying a juvenile mammoth.
...an adult silver dragon who offers the party ...a massive set of interconnected stone rings.
3 shelter in his mountainside castle. 3 Their construction defies logic and staring too
...1d4 stone giants that pelt the party with large long causes a form of madness at GM discretion.
4 boulders. ...an ancient woman who keeps an impressive
...a massive rock carved into the likeness of a garden on a high mountain peak. She is a
5 figure bearing striking resemblance to a member 4 shapeshifted ancient silver dragon hoping to
of the party. find someone to take care of it in her stead.
...a behir that slithers out of its lair looking for ...2d6 heavily armed salamanders escorting
6 something to eat. 5 2d12 human captives to the mountain lair of
...a roc that dive bombs the party and attempts their efreeti master.
7 to carry one of them to its far-off nest.
6 ...a mated pair of behir protecting their young.
...1d4 + 1 fire giants blocking the way forward. ...an ancient red dragon who attacks the party,
8
The toll is 2d4 rare or better magical items. 7 intent on dominating a PC into service.
...an adult white dragon who tries to bury the ..2d4 pacifist stone giants farming giant golden
9 8
party in an avalanche of snow before attacking. mushrooms underneath a cliff ledge.
...a large yellow-barked tree clinging to a rocky ...four fire giants carrying a large casket on metal
promontory. Its glowing purple fruit lures 9 poles. They will guard the red dragon egg inside
10 creatures in. They are addictive and have a 1d100 with their lives.
percent chance of being deadly after the first bite. ...a narrow canyon pass. If the party travels
...a pair of frost giants bragging about stealing 10 through it, 1d12 bulettes crash into the party
11 a great treasure. They are carrying a silver through the rocky walls on either side.
dragon egg. ...two powerful archmages, who are former
...two cloud giants attempt to knock the 11 lovers, battling one another from opposing
12 party unconscious so they can steal their tiny mountain peaks in a duel.
belongings and finish their model village. ...a titanic sword sticking out of the side of a
...a roaring waterfall that hides a cave entrance mountain. Coiled around the blade is a petrified
13 that looks like a leering skull. It’s probably safe! 12 snake-like dragon with a flaring mane. If any in
...2d4 cult fanatics crying prayers to gods of the party are considered gods, they can attempt
14 murder and death as they release a pair of to lift the blade with a DC 35 Strength check.
chimera on the party. ...a talking eagle that follows the party from a
...a group of three grizzled veterans and 2d6 13 distance of 30 feet, narrating every move they
15 guards leading an important religious figure make as if documenting it for future generations.
through the mountain passes. ...a raging storm masking 1d8 + 4 air elementals
...an eruption near a rocky outcropping as a 14
that try to push them off a ledge.
16 column of fire releases 1d4 + 1 fire elementals
...a strange orb of glowing light that floats at the
and 1d6 + 2 magma mephits.
end of a narrow walkway over a deep chasm.
...an ancient druid treating a goat that injured its 15
17 Touching the orb grants the ability to cast
front leg. The goat is for sure a demon.
invisibility at will for seven days.
...purple lightning arcing back and forth between
...the result of a roll on the Mountain
a pair of rune-carved columns barring the party’s 16
18 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 137.
path forward. Touching the runes or the lightning
...blinking eyes that emerge and recede into the
is a one-way trip to the abyssal plane.
17 rock walls, following their progress. The entire
...1d6 starving wyverns crawl down a steep mountain is watching them.
19
rocky path toward you. ...snores. An ancient white dragon slumbers
...an adult red dragon who suddenly fills the 18 under layers of snow on a mountain peak.
20 rocky canyon the party is walking in with roaring Hopefully for the party, it stays that way.
flame. It’s working on its reputation. ...a tarrasque bursting through a rocky wall next
19 to the party, its body causing a cliffside collapse.
...the avatar of a god who favors the party’s
20 efforts, offering a boon to 1d4 + 1 of its members
at GM discretion (or use the table on pg. 183).

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 95

 Session Building

Hills 19
...1d4 injured gnolls fleeing the front of a nearby
The rocky crags and dangerous canyons of mountain battle between their tribe and the area’s militia.
foothills are not for the weak or unwary. Hill giants roam ...an incredibly clumsy hill giant who tries to fight
these places, hungry and volatile. Copper dragons and 20 the party but keeps tripping over itself until it
their chromatic cousins struggle for dominance as hags, breaks into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
mages and fell cults toil toward their own goals in the
caverns and outposts on the outskirts of larger cities and Hills Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)
settlements. Orcs, kobolds, goblins and other humanoids all 1d20 The party encounters...
seek to carve out a niche in the out-of-the-way places and ...1d6 mountain lions (lion), which attack mounts
1
shambling mounds shuffle silently toward their prey (the and animal companions first.
hills may not have eyes, but they do have blindsight). All in ...pikes hoisting the heads of goblins, kobolds,
2
all, a solid place to settle down. ogres and trolls along the side of the path.
...howls of hunger and rage as 1d4 werewolves
3
Hills Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) and 2d6 wolves bear down on them.
...two hill giants making their way into the
1d20 The party encounters...
4 wilderness. They lead wild-eyed cattle, stolen from
...a patrol of 1d6 guards with 1d4 tracking dogs
1 a nearby village.
(mastiff) searching for a murderer (veteran).
...a clutch of 1d4 red dragon wyrmlings that
...a single panther who has been waiting for an
2 5 try to kill and eat one of the party but will flee if
opportunity to catch one of them alone.
significantly damaged.
...the body of a blood hawk that was transporting a
3 ...a massive crumbling and ancient wall carved
coded missive in a special carrier. 6 with large arcane runes.
...the result of a roll on the Hills Environmental
4 ...the top of a high steep hill that appears to be
Hazards table on pg. 138.
7 home to a massive nest. 2d8 harpies make their
...an ancient elven mage riding a magnificent giant
home there. And will defend it.
5 elk. He is eager to exchange arcane lore, but is
...a young copper dragon who takes interest in the
among the realm’s slowest talkers. 8 party and follows them from above for a bit.
...a small cave hiding the preserved body of a
6 ...a large crystal statue of an elven warrior. The
handsome noble. He’s been asleep for 150 years.
arrow on its bow points to a concealed door in the
...a large trail of old blood. It leads to the corpse of a 9
7 rocks, which holds +1 upgrades to the weapons
huge bear that’s food for 2d6 vultures.
...an area covered in spiderwebs and home to 1d4 + 1 they carry.
8 ...1d4 ettins, who will pretend to parlay but are
giant spiders. 10 spoiling for a fight (and food).
...a halfling (scout) in a small clearing going
...8d6 tribal warriors, who start to chant as a young
9 over plans to free his friends being held by 2d4
bugbears. 11 red dragon stalks into the area. The dragon coughs
up a pile of gold, then says “Ante up.”
10 ...an ambush. Two dire wolves strike hard. ...a talented artist carving a rock outcropping into
...the smell of a campfire through the trees. 2d4 12 the form of an outlawed deity.
11 scouts from a nearby city have set up camp for the ...a result of a Roll on the Hills Environmental
night. And already know the party is nearby.
13 Hazards table on pg. 138—this event is the direct
...the domain of a territorial griffon who wants result of a rival nation’s tinkering mages.
12 them to retreat.
...a huge human face carved into the rock that
...a comfortable-looking hut where an old woman
14 speaks in giant, reciting old nursery rhymes as
brews and sells potions. She is in fact a green blue smoke pours from its ears.
13
hag hiding under an illusion. Her potions will turn ...a curious mage, laden with books and scrolls,
imbibers into babbling babes. 15 who trails the party and takes copious notes.
...a colorful wagon full of gnomish inventors. They ...the sound of music echoes through the hills,
14 have wondrous items to trade. Only 1d100 percent 16 turning 2d4 + 1 of them into shambling mounds.
of them work.
...1d4 + 1 veterans, suffering madness, who think
...subterfuge. A doppelganger attempts to replace 17
they are fighting a great battle with the wind.
15 one of the PCs as the others sleep, tying them up in
...a single boulder rolling up and down a hill, over
a nearby grove.
...a forest of petrified, leafless trees, in a square mile 18 and over—the result of a clever wizard’s perpetual
16 area. This area is deathly still and silent. experimentation.
...a lone stone giant guarding a narrow pass,
...2d6 giant goats foraging through their campsite. 19 which could cut the party’s journey in half.
17 They have destroyed something of great value.
...triplet sisters, asking the party to join them for
...a rabid brown bear that charges the party from a
18 hidden lair. 20 a mid-day meal. Despite evidence to the contrary,
these are not hags.
Hills Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) Hills Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
...a series of ancient cairns sliding open in unison ...a colony of 2d8 ettins preparing to complete a
1 1
as the moans of 2d6 mummies echo outward. ritual that will raise an eldritch horror.
...1d8 hill giants, who try to crush the party to ...the skeleton of a creature with two sets of
2 pulp with heavy rocks. 2 wings, six arms and a long sinuous neck. And
...a hidden monastery high in the hills glinting 4,000 gp, all of it cursed.
3 in the distance. Inside, 4d10 monks venerate an ...a woman in a nearby clearing who is crying for
3
adult copper dragon. aid. Her boy has been transformed into a donkey.
...an adult red dragon who uses hit and run 4 ...a horned devil frozen in amber in a rock wall.
4 tactics to wear the party down. It wants treasure. ...a colony of 3d20 + 15 xenophobic elves
...a quarter mile area where gravity is decreased 5 practicing forgotten magics in a secluded ravine.
5 by 1d100 percent. Rocks float and large earth ...road signs suggesting a village nearby. But
motes hover above the ground 6 there is now only smoke, ash and other forms of
6 ...a blind-drunk hill giant and his pet gorgon. dragonsign.
...a large taxidermied cougar head draped over ...a sheltered cave where an iron golem, etched
7 a pike. It’s a very expensive hat and grants the 7 with dwarven runes, stands guard over an elevator
wearer +5 on all Charisma (Intimidation) checks. that leads to the dwarven kingdom below.
...a large ship, half buried in mud and rock. 2d4 + 1 ...2d4 stone giants preparing to feast on a variety
8 8
ghosts that look wet and sullen haunt the area. of humanoids they hold captive in large cages.
...the result of a roll on the Hills Environmental ...chanting and singing. 2d6 cult fanatics are
9 9
Hazards table on pg. 138. summoning an erinyes into the material plane.
...4d10 dwarves marching through the hills ...the result of a Roll on the Hills Environmental
10 seeking the army of orcs that raided their hold. 10 Hazards table on pg. 138, the result of an errant
...a colossal behir slithering out of a large cavern wand flick by a budding mage.
11 at the sound of the party’s approach. It would eat ...horror. What’s worse than a tarrasque?
the party if it weren’t so full. 11 A tarrasque that can fly, like the one that’s
...an area where glittering gold can be seen in the dropping out of the clouds right now.
12
rock all around. It is all fool’s gold. ...10d6 + 1 gorgons stampeding down a hillside
...a pair of mages and six assistants 12 toward the party, a legendary herd that has
13 (commoners) conducting archaeological crossed over from the fey wild.
research in the ruins of an ancient city. ...an ancient red dragon that follows the party’s
...a bandit captain, 2d6 thugs, 2d12 + 2 bandits 13 progress from afar waiting for the opportune
and a mage who descend from platforms strung time to strike.
14
above the twisting canyons to demand a toll ...an exposed crystal, half-buried in earth. It is a
(1d100 percent of the party’s gold). small portion of a colossal crystal turtle shell, the
...an archmage experimenting with new forms of 14
size of a large town, buried in the hillside. Etched
15 alchemy in a dry welcoming cave. into it are musings on the end of the last age.
...a nest of 10d4 ankegs that will protect their ...3d6 wyverns who try to take the party back to
16 15
queen in a nest beneath the party’s feet. their mistress: a pit fiend with a bone to pick.
...a strange totem of stacked rocks each about
...a large, isolated tree that can cast wish (though
the size of a goliath, etched with arcane runes
17 16 not on itself) once per dawn. Each time it casts
and splattered with dried blood. If knocked over,
the spell, it loses a limb.
a member of the party will fall over dead.
...a sending spell from a major leader: “Please
...a herd of 2d6 pegasi alights on the ground and
fight one another to the death. I’ll pay
18 starts to graze for food. They can be bargained 17 handsomely and pay to have each of you raised
with for transportation.
...a large, orderly war camp of 4d10 + 15 from the dead.” Will they, though?
19 hobgoblins preparing for an underground ...owls that descend on the party hooting about
18
campaign against a duergar settlement. nothing in particular.
...a lone wailing ghost who begs for help to pass ...consequences. The party has angered one
on from undeath. She stands over a burial cairn 19 too many gods, and now a solar has arrived to
20 explain, in no uncertain terms, their time is up.
etched with jagged runes. She needs the last part
of the ritual—a true love poem. ...a pair of gnomes who appear out of nowhere.
20 They wish the party to settle a 300-year dispute:
Which of them is cuter?

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 97

 Session Building

Swamps Swamps Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)

Mist-covered marshlands, vegetation-choked waterways 1d20 The party encounters...
and fetid bogs make for dangerous travel in and of ...2d6 orcs riding giant crocodiles through the
1
themselves. Ferocious lizardfolk tribes, multi-headed water. They are racing.
hydras and black dragons that claim these insect-infested ...1d4 + 2 gargoyles on the top of ornate stone
2
places as their own should be enough to cause even the pillars, the entrance to an underwater crypt.
most stalwart adventurers to think twice before entering ...ghosts. A lot of ghosts around here (3d4 to
without a guide. Too bad a lot of the guides are thieves. 3 be precise). Could be because there’s a flooded
graveyard just beneath the water’s surface.
Swamps Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) ...1d6 + 2 swirling will-o-wisps, seemingly
4
1d20 The party encounters... harmless but decidedly not.
...a statue of a frog covered in rubies, vines and ...a large pool of water, its edges littered with
1 5
filth. The rubies are worth 40 gp. bones, the home of a pair of giant crocodiles.
2 ...1d6 + 4 kobolds that attack from the trees. ...a path choked with thick undergrowth, from
6
...a mousy man (a wererat, actually) clad in rags which 1d4 + 1 shambling mounds emerge.
3 and selling yesterday’s fish for today’s prices. ...an exhausted scout who is trying to get
4 ...neck deep water and 2d6 poisonous snakes. 7 important information to a nearby town: the
5 ...a giant crocodile with allegedly haunted teeth. swamp will soon be consumed by flames.
...1d4 + 2 zombies, muck-covered and rotting, ...3d6 goblins all struggling in the whirlpool
6 8 they’ve wandered into. Without intervention, they
arising and moaning in mindless hunger.
will likely drown in 1d4 + 2 rounds.
...1d4 giant toads lethargically shifting on a
7 nearby lily pad. One belches out a ruby worth ...1d6 wights emerging from a sunken
9
100 gp, but it quickly plunks into the water. mausoleum at the sound of the party’s approach.
...a strange blue mist full of colored lights rising ...a shack on stilts with humanoid corpses hung
8 10 like ornaments on nearby trees. A deranged
from the swamp, signs of a nearby artifact.
...a black dragon wyrmling waiting for a passing mage conducts foul experiments inside.
9 ...an ancient ruin, covered with mud and vines,
meal from a hollowed out stump.
where an elven woman is suspended in a magical
...churning water as the large coils of a giant 11 matrix of white light. She will grant the party
10
constrictor snake close in around the party. access to nobles in a nearby city if rescued.
...a cult fanatic and 1d4 cultists sacrificing a ...a zombified hill giant roaming through the
11 screaming kobold on an altar dedicated to a fell 12 swamp, looking for its long-dead spouse.
god. The kobold is immune to piercing damage. ...a roll on the Swamp Environmental Hazards
...an area full of waterlogged caves where 1d6 + 1 table on pg. 139, the result all part of a coven’s
12 13
territorial giant lizards make their nests. years-long ritual.
...the skeletal remains of a humanoid and a horse
covered in muck. An item worth 50 gp sits in their ...a group of 2d4 veterans led by a knight and
13
ruined pack. If taken, the skeletons will rise. 14 hired to do whatever the party is aiming to do—
only better.
...a green dragon wyrmling, which stalks the ...the remains of a great manor house that has
14 party from afar, trying to learn all it can about
15 been overrun by 40+ children calling themselves
what it means to be a humanoid. “the swamp things.”
...an eyeless ogre stumbling through the swamp, ...2d8 giant spiders. In their webs you find the
15 having escaped a hag’s hut nearby. remains of 1d4 humanoid adventurers (and a
16
...a dwarf tied to a log calling out for aid—he’s
very heavy-looking coin purse).
16 been floating for what feels like weeks, a victim ...a spherical dwelling suspended from the trees,
of bandits in a town upriver. where a night hag torments the soul of a priest.
17
...the result of a roll on the Swamp
17 His wails echo through the swamp.
Environmental Hazards table on pg. 139. ...3d6 chuuls trying to pull the party down into
...1d6 + 1 bandits who demand payment to 18 the murk at the behest of their queen.
18 allow passage through “their swamp.” One of
...a truly massive hydra that rises from the swamp
them appears to be allergic to water.
19 Terrifying cries from fish-people who’ve come to
...light and laughter in a swirling whirlpool as a
19 watch their god feed echo off the water.
trio of fairies flit beneath the surface. ...a faint glimmer at the base of a gnarled tree is a
...a ferocious roar as a plesiosaur rushes at them 20 +2 spell focus a wizard may want back.
20 through the fetid water, but it trips, impaling
itself on a broken stump.
Swamps Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) Swamps Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
...a stone dais that rises out of the swamp, where ...an ancient gallows tree, still strung with hanging
1 1 skeletons, haunted by 10d6 ghosts.
1d4 clay golems protect a stone sarcophagus.
...1d4 young green dragons occupying the ...1d6 + 3 decaying flesh golems patrolling the
2 2 dilapidated ruins of a once glorious castle.
remains of a ruined temple. They fear music.
...a great vertical stone ring rising out of the ...acidic pools of water that immediately corrode all
3 3 non-magical items.
swamp, a portal to the beastlands.
...1d10 + 3 vegetarian trolls trying to make it ...a gang of teenagers (commoners) daring one
4
work by scrounging for berries and swamp fruit. 4 another to jump off a stump and into a swirling yellow
...a trio of snakes, part of a half-dozing medusa, light (which would turn a creature into a balor).
5 ...a deva, its wings ruined, trapped in an adamantine
watching them from a swampy inlet. 5 cage guarded by two stone golems.
...a huge metal spike, topped with the symbol of a
6 large open eye. Touching the eye gives advantage ...an ornate stone pedestal standing by itself where a
on Wisdom (Perception) checks for 24 hours. knight, clad in burnished armor of a strange metal,
6 clutches a shining silver sword (a +3 weapon). He
...a glowing (and illusory) necklace suspended
in the air. It shifts 30 feet if attempts are made to wants the party to kill him.
7 ...the result of 1d4 rolls on the Swamp
touch it. If it moves 150 feet, the demon they call 7 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 139.
the Fisherman has reeled in another catch.
...a cult leader trying in vain to convince his 9d6 ...three massive humanoid skulls, the size of large
8 houses, sticking up out of the mud. Touching one
followers the swamp is just as good as the city. 8 would cause the finger of death spell to target a
...a roll on the Swamp Environmental Hazards
9 table on pg. 139. The result happened yesterday, random PC (DC 17).
...2d4 + 2 giant crocodiles languish in the deep mud
and the fallout is still being felt in this area. 9 in the center of a shallow pool.
...a small group of dead soldiers floating in the
...a cruel hermit who raised 1d4 + 1 young green
water, their bodies covered with black pustules.
10 dragons as companions. The dragons are finally old
10 Any creature coming into contact with these
enough to just, you know, eat him.
pustules will need a greater restoration spell in
...large humanoid footprints. They belong to a little
three days, or will perish. 11 girl who is also a werecrocodile.
...a ruined temple lit by torches of green fire
11 ...2d4 + 2 trolls exploding out of the cloudy water.
where two mages bow to a summoned hezrou. 12 They are resistant to all damage types.
...sludge seeping from a fetid grotto where an
12 ...1d4 + 1 wights guarding a submerged cairn
adult black dragon makes her lair.
13 dedicated to an ancient king. A mummy lord,
13 ...5d4 swarms of insects. And then 10d4 more. rotting and drenched, begins to rise.
...2d10 ghasts stalking silently through the ...a cave entrance littered with freshly molted dragon
14 landscape, long tongues lapping the air.
14 scale. A horrifying creature—an ancient green
...strange bright blue moss growing on the dragon—could be nesting within.
skeleton of a gargantuan lizard-like beast that ...a dozen diamond shaped obelisks inscribed
15 rests half buried in the mud. If the party can
15 with infernal etchings that say “Want to summon a
revive the creature, it will serve them well. demon lord? Read what you just read.”
...4d4 shadows that stalk the party from...well, ...trouble. Every tree in the immediate vicinity is a
16 the darker corners of the swamp.
16 treant or awakened shrub. They’re furious one of
...an airship carrying 4d10 + 5 passengers that their brethren was turned into a nearby dock.
begins rapidly descending into the swamp. ...a hydra’s body, impaled on a colossal spear
17
The mechanisms that keep it aloft have been
17 plunged into the swampy ground. Its carcass has
sabotaged. been picked clean.
...a large copper statue of an imposing lizardfolk ...a planetar, bound to stone dais by chains that
warrior. Local lore suggests any who dare to glow with arcane power. If he notices the party, he
18 18
touch it will have to face the lizardfolk warrior in asks if they know how to cast power word kill so he
combat (which happens in their dreams). can finally be at peace.
...a mage who’s found out how to cast cone of ...a horrifying, echoing “caw.” The dark leaves in the
19 cold without wasting a spell slot testing her 19 trees aren’t leaves—they’re the feathers of the 10d10
newfound ability. She freezes herself. harpies who’ve gathered here.
...symbols in celestial carved in the muck. ...a luminescent blue fungus on the rocks and trees.
Reading them summons an avatar of righteous It drips a viscous, clear, glowing fluid, which can be
20 20 used to coat weapons to overcome resistances for
power, who touches the armor of every party
member and increases the AC by 1. one hour.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 99

 Session Building

Underground 16
...a tower, made of pure silver, dominates a large
In buried ruins and dank caves—the deep places of the cavern. There is no obvious way inside.
world, as one famous wizard put it—ancient beings and ...1d4 gray oozes clinging to the walls and ceilings,
17
long-forgotten secrets dwell and grow. It is the domain of that take the party unawares.
the dwarves, the duergar and the drow. In these unseen ...a pair of orcs dragging an unconscious dwarf
places, where the light of the sun never reaches, death 18 between them. He was supposed to lead them to
can be swift or slow depending on whether you’ve been treasure. Now they don’t have to share.
hit with an arrow or are falling falling falling down a ...a set of glowing footprints that leads to a cavern
seemingly endless chasm. Twisted creatures like cloakers where a dozen giant glowbug corpses have all been
19
and ropers wait for days on end to snare a passing meal smashed to create a glorious glowing portrait. Of the
while aboleths and other otherworldly abominations plot party.
and scheme. Finding one’s way through the labyrinthine ...a few flumphs who offer to lead the party to a hot
20
passages running below the planet’s surface is only one of spring that offers the benefits of a long rest.
the challenges your players will face down here. After all,
they aren’t alone in the dark.
Underground Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)
1d20 The party encounters...
Underground Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) ...a cavern full of refuse and dung where 1d4 + 1
1 otyogh feast on...hard to say.
1d20 The party encounters... ...a nearly silent warband of 2d8 + 6 drow warriors
1 ...a nest of 2d12 giant fire beetles. 2 stalking the underground passages.
...a small cavern where the stalagmites and ...a door with a DC 25 lock that leads to a
stalactites are made of pure gold that resists 3 passageway around the more dangerous portion of
2 collection. Chunks worth 10 gp will break off if a
this underground trail.
blow meets AC 20. ...the result of a roll on the Underground
...a large chamber full of marble coffins etched with 4 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 140.
3 faded family names. 2d4 acolytes of a neutral god of ...a deep cavern where a single dwarven smith
death keep the area free of dust. 5 forges incredible works with the assistance of a
...1d4 + 2 grimlocks who hope to capture the party blind azer. He offers sponsorships.
4
to take them back to their lair. ...a web-choked cave where 2d6 giant spiders wait
...a cavern full of giant mushrooms with translucent, 6 for something to stumble into their trap.
5 but vibrantly glowing, pink caps. 1d6 + 1 violet ...1d4 + 1 minotaurs dragging a group of 3d4 deep
fungus grow among them. 7 gnomes who are chained together (all part of the
...2d4 dwarven veterans clanking down a tunnel gnomes’ master plan).
6 tracking a duergar raiding party who stole valuable ...1d4 minotaur skeletons and 1d8 + 2 skeletons
8 rising from a pile of bone
treasures. .
...a dead end tunnel lined with intricately carved ...a corridor that suddenly drops down into a large
9 pit occupied by 2d4 ochre jellies.
statues of dwarven kings in small alcoves. Those
7 with knowledge of dwarven history or stonework ...a small village of frogfolk who point out the area
10 above is crowded with 4d4 darkmantles.
would know one statue is out of place.
...1d4 + 1 darkmantles drop from the ceiling and try ...a single roper that attempts to grab and eat one
8 11 (or several) of the party members.
to engulf and consume the party.
...an out of the way cavern where a copper dragon 12 ...1d4 + 1 vampire spawn surging out of the dark.
9 wyrmling feeds on succulent fungi and draws ...a young copper dragon who helps a group of
13 deep gnomes rebuild a ruined marketplace.
prophetic pictograms on the walls.
...2d4 deep gnomes traversing the dark passages ...a 50-foot tall jade statue of a sinuous snake-like
14 dragon. The statue is poisonous.
10 with a cart pulled by a giant lizard. They are eager
to trade, but don’t need stuff from the surface. ...a cloaker that swoops from the ceiling toward the
15 party, releasing its dread-inducing moan.
...the result of a roll on the Underground
11 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 140. ...2d10 dwarven miners marching home from work
...1d4 rust monsters that scamper out of the 16 singing songs in beautiful basso voices, as if daring
12 darkness, attracted by the party’s equipment. the grells that lair nearby to attack.
...an injured dwarven prospector who offers to pay ...a lone stone giant mining for precious gems. He
13 for the party’s help with a gold nugget he says is won’t admit he’s been digging so long and so deep he
17
worth 10 gp. It’s easily worth 1,000 gp. can’t fit through the hole he used to enter this cavern
...a murmuring sound that slowly grows into a years ago.
14 deranged chatter as a gibbering mouther slides ...the edge of a lake that leads to an immense
18 aquatic realm, the legendary undersea.
into the tunnel ahead.
...a clear path. The way ahead is blocked by a 19 ...1d4 black puddings blocking some treasure.
15 gelatinous cube, but it doesn’t look that way.
 20
...a spirit naga ruling over a colony of lizardfolk Underground Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
who chaffe under their rule. 1d20 The party encounters...
...a war party of 2d10 minotaurs intent on sacking a
Underground Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) 1 dwarven outpost nearby.
1d20 The party encounters... ...a cavern that glows with eldritch red light. A lich
...an ancient temple entrance, carved into the rocky 2 sits on a throne of bones wishing it hadn’t had to
1 wall of a cavern (and 1d4 + 1 wraiths). sacrifice its family in order to live forever.
...fountains of crystal clear water arching in ...blue light that draws them to a cavern where a
2 intricate patterns all across a large cavern, the work 3 deva is encased in crystal. Her eyes light up if she
of a clever gnome. sees a child of prophecy.
...1d6 xorn that pursue any party member holding ...a large cavern where 1d4 behir make their lair,
3 gems. 4 which is also home to a few surly, dwarven behir
...walls nearby start to quake, releasing 1d4 earth wranglers.
4 elementals. And a possible cave-in. ...4d10 + 10 injured and dying dwarves in a small
...a massive mirror that reflects a portion of the 5 medical camp. They talk of a war with creatures of
5 cave system here—except the reflection is upside pure shadow.
down. This is a portal to the realm of shadow. ...1d4 spirit nagas plotting to overthrow a city of
...2d4 dwarves desperately trying to clear a cave 6 drow who wronged them in another age.
6 in. Screams of “it’s trapped in here with us!” can be ...a grand cavern where a walkway leads up to a
heard from the other side of the collapse. 7 raised area, flanked by lava. From a pool of fire on
...an aviary-like cavern with stepped ledges, where the platform a pit fiend emerges from a bath.
7 1d6 chimera are sleeping (lightly). ...1d6 + 2 xorn, frozen in a sort of stasis. They burst
...a purple worm crashing through a wall into the 8 to life if any in the party have gemstones.
8 party with a bellowing roar. It doesn’t appear to be ...proof that the rumors are true: The land kraken
here to offer directions. 9 does exist. And it dwells in the muck and mire of this
...1d6 + 1 trolls, with pure white eyes and bellies flooded cave system.
9
tight with hunger. ...1d8 + 2 earth elementals, trapped in a cavern by
10 arcane symbols on the walls.
...a dwarven druid maintaining a garden of colorful
10 lichen and glowing fungi. He would instantly ...a fire giant leading 1d8 salamanders in a march
11 on a nearby settlement of drow.
provide whatever aid the party needs.
...an aboleth and its 2d4 chuul minions who rule a ...1d4 + 1 purple worms bursting through the floor,
11 large subterranean lake with an iron flipper. 12 part of what appears to be an elegant, if clumsy,
...an oak tree with a massive canopy growing out courting ritual.
12 of the ceiling that stretches down to the cave floor. ...10d12 zombified dwarves (zombies)—all victims
2d4 psuedodragons make their home here. of a mine collapse and raised by a necromancer who
13
...the result of two rolls on the Underground hates mining—who march aimlessly for worker’s
13 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 140. rights.
...1d6 ropers on the ceiling of a large cavern that ...two horrid ice devils watching over a young
14 has a narrow walkway over a deep chasm.
14 white dragon who hibernates on a pile of frozen
...the outstretched hand and face of a colossal treasure.
15 statue of an elven man poking above the ground in ...a blood-soaked altar to an evil god at the top of
the center of a vast cavern. It seems...alive? a ziggurat in a long forgotten cavern. Were one to
15
...1d4 driders supported by 1d6 + 2 drow warriors kneel before it, they would gain a player level. And
16 who attempt to eliminate the party on behalf of an evil alignment.
their matron mother. ...1d6 stone giants traversing the tunnels depressed
...an adult copper dragon studying contained 16 by the fact that every gnomish village they sack has
17 portals to the elemental plane of earth. 3d4 sleek such teeny tiny stuff.
earth elementals stand around the room. ...a colossal tree with pure white leaves and golden
...1d4 fire giants moving purposefully down a tunnel 17 fruit, which has a 1d100 percent chance of casting
18 leading to a cavern that glows with light and heat, greater restoration when eaten.
saying “Let’s count all of our flaming gold again.” ...an ancient copper dragon, in the form of an elf of
...a bridge across a chasm, which is a bit of 18 indeterminate age, maintaining an expansive library
19 hallucinatory terrain put in place by a few goblins in a vast dry cavern.
who like watching stuff fall. ...the result of three rolls on the Underground
19 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 140.
...the smell of fresh-burned bread wafting from a
small hut barely visible in the distance, where a ...quiet. But that’s only because any creatures who
20 retired archmage is learning to bake (with limited 20 might have challenged the party realized the party
success). would destroy them, so they’ve fled.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 101

 Session Building

Underwater Underwater Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)

Coral reefs, coastal shallows and open stretches of deep 1d20 The party encounters...
water play host to some of the most dangerous creatures ...a sea hag coven that’s taken up residence in a
1
your planet can offer. Prehistoric sharks, meddlesome sunken ship. 1d4 + 2 giant octopi guard their lair.
sahuagin and mighty krakens roam the aquatic realms ...a massive air bubble floating its way to the top,
seeking out their next entree. Will they manage to survive 2 which could be used for a quick oxygen hit. Too
these horrors without drowning? Don’t hold your breath. bad it’s filled with the cloudkill spell.
...a massive stone statue of a storm giant radiating
Underwater Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) 3 an electrical field, dealing 28 (8d6) lightning
1d20 The party encounters... damage to creatures in a 30-foot radius.
...the great ruin of an underwater city that’s also ...a pod of 2d4 plesiosaurs gliding through the
1 4 water chasing schools of fish. Then they turn
the home of a giant shark.
...3d8 quippers that go into a frenzy if there is their attention to the party.
2 ...2d10 merfolk warriors who ask if they have
blood in the water. 5
...a passing patrol of 2d6 merfolk who warn the seen a group of sahuagin.
3 6 ...1d4 + 2 giant sharks with tiger stripe patterns.
party of a nearby danger—a fishing boat.
...eerie light pulsing in the wreck of a sunken ship. ...the wreckage of a strange spherical craft that
4 looks like it was designed to operate underwater.
1d4 + 2 skeletons amble around the area.
7
...two aquatic elves riding giant sea horses. They Nearby is the treasure chest of gold and gems it
5 tell the party to turn away from their current path failed to haul to the surface.
or risk triggering an international incident. ...1d4 water elementals shaped like long
...a curious octopus that follows the party as long 8 serpents that try and pull the party into a deep
6 trench (where more elementals await).
as it can. It is friendly if they feed it.
...a coral reef featuring a large tree-like coral 9 ...1d6 killer whales that look diseased and angry.
7 structure. The branches glow and pulse in the ...the statue of an eldritch horror, all eyes and
rhythm of a beating heart—because it is one. 10 tentacles, covered in algae. It feels as if the eyes
...2d4 + 3 giant crabs scuttling along the sea floor. follow all movement.
8 Their shells look like they could fetch 50 gp each ...1d4 + 2 giant constrictor snakes, which attack
to the right buyer. 11 out of holes in the rocky sea bed.
...a school of silvery fish that swirl around ...an ambush. A sahuagin war party (2d6
9 harmlessly but obscure visibility in the area and 12 sahuagin, 1d6 + 2 reef sharks) attacks from the
might cause the party to get lost. depths below.
...a scouting patrol of 1d4 + 1 sahuagin. They ...two giant crocodiles and one giant shark
10 avoid engaging the party and flee if they can. 13 feeding off the floating corpses of a recent
...1d4 reef sharks patrolling a neon coral reef. shipwreck.
11 Carrying a piece of this coral grants advantage on ...1d4 chuul hoping to parlay with the party on
one Charisma (Persuasion) check per day. 14 behalf of their leader, a saltwater aboleth.
...2d4 steam mephits forming around a large 15 ...a horde of 2d12 + 6 zombies on the sea floor.
12 geothermal vent in the ocean floor. ...1d12 merrow, eager to make sacrifices to their
...an anchor with a halfling pirate tied to it, swiftly 16
13 dark gods, have 2d4 merfolk prisoners.
passing the party on its way to the depths below. ...a school of 4d6 reef sharks driven into a frenzy
...a pod of dolphins. One seems to be enamored 17
14 by the bloated carcass of a whale at the surface.
with a member of the party. ...a huge throne made of coral facing a steep drop
...the result of a roll on the Underwater off and dark ocean. Sitting in it grants a boon (pg.
15 18
Environmental Hazards table on pg. 141. 183) and a curse (pg. 184), at GM discretion.
...1d4 + 1 shadows swirling in the darkest portions ...the result of a troll on the Underwater
16 19
of the water near an ancient wreck. Environmental Hazards table on pg. 141.
...a single killer whale checks out the party as it ...a collection of crabs who wave their
17 moves ahead. It has a +1 spear in its side. claws continually at passersby in hopes of
...1d4 + 1 merrow attack in an effort to take the communicating a singular message: “We are
18 20
party’s belongings. not crabs, we belong on the surface. We’ve been
...a sea turtle swimming lazily past. It bumps into
transformed. We have so much gold.”
one of the party, forcing a DC 15 Constitution saving
19 throw to keep holding their breath. On a failed save,
they will drown in one minute.
...a sea hag masquerading as a friendly
20 merperson. She inhabits the ruins of a sunken
lighthouse and looooooooves visitors.
Underwater Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) Underwater Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
...the colossal form of a petrified prehistoric fish, ...a portal to the astral sea that resembles the maw
1 all bony plates and massive teeth, 1d4 + 1 of of an ancient creature. Any creature within 100 feet
1
which could be fashioned into +2 weapons. must succeed on a DC 25 Strength saving throw to
...a reverse whirlpool that threatens to suck avoid being sucked in.
2 anything nearby into the plane of air high above ...a war party of 2d10 merrow and their trained
the water’s surface. 2 2d6 giant octopi, who seek to parlay with the
...a colony of merfolk on the back of a leviathan- party over a common enemy: the crab people.
3 sized whale. ...1d4 + 1 giant sharks, 1d6 + 1 hunter sharks
4 ...a dragon turtle hellbent on sinking a ship. 3 and 2d6 reef sharks circling above the corpse of a
...a water-worshiping druid working on her decaying leviathan.
5 ability to cast tsunami, inadvertently creating a ...a gargantuan clam with 1,000 hp that, if the
hazard that threatens to flood a nearby island. party can get it to open, hides a mechanically huge
4
...a glimmering portal to the elemental plane black pearl worth 10,000 gp. Opening the clam
6 of water, where 1d6 water elementals and 2d8 requires a DC 30 Strength (Athletics) check.
steam mephits glide on strong currents. ...1d4 + 1 storm giants discussing division of
5
...an adult bronze dragon getting swimming territory begin to come to blows.
7 ...a swarm of 10d10 wraiths that swirl like a school
lessons from a pod of dolphins.
...the hull of a shattered ship containing a hoard 6 of fish, casting blight (DC 17) on any creature they
8 worthy of an adult dragon and the zombified pass by.
corpses of 3d12 + 20 pirates (zombies). ...the eruption of an underwater volcano seems
...two stone golems pulling a massive king crab 7 imminent as 10d10 fire elementals and 12d10
9 on a carriage made of coral. It demands the party magmin crawl out of a crack in the sea floor.
pay fealty to him. Does anyone speak crab? ...a ghost ship, crewed by 12d8 + 4 ghosts, streaks
...a storm giant demanding to know their 8 through the water on the trail of the long dead
10 intentions. If they are honorable, it assists them, whale that sank their ship a century ago.
if not it attacks. ...a group of treasure seekers on a small skiff
...2d8 plesiosaurs chasing an injured young 9 realize the island marked on their map is actually
11 bronze dragon (that will reward the party if they the back of a slumbering dragon turtle.
can save its life). ...the petrified forms of a giant human grappling
...1d4 hydras that look as if they’ve been spliced 10 a multi-tentacled leviathan. Casting greater
12 restoration would bring both back to life.
with eels who think they rule the tides.
...a merperson assassin with a swim speed of ...a large pod of 2d6 + 4 killer whales chasing 3d4
11 seals, who turn out to be shapeshifted demons.
120 feet. She bets a member of the party she can
13 ...an ancient temple on a narrow jut of land ringed
defeat them in an underwater race. If defeated,
she’ll surrender her +2 trident. 12 by coral. If angering a god of the sea is on the
...a tree whose bright purple leaves wave in the party’s to-do list, they could go inside.
currents. Beneath it is a colossal crystal conch ...a kraken, ravenous from years of hibernation,
14 13 rising from the depths.
shell worth 4,000 gp. It also weighs several tons.
...an absolutely brutal undercurrent that will pull ...a giant shark that starts to relentlessly pursue
15 a creature 1,000 feet (at GM discretion) on a failed 14 the party. It seems immune to all forms of damage.
DC 16 Strength saving throw. It is immune to charm.
...the result of two rolls on the Underwater ...the result of a roll on the Underwater
16 15 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 141.
Environmental Hazards table on pg. 141.
...the ruins of a destroyed city poking above the ...a bright light that lures the party closer—it is the
17 16 unblinking, glowing eye of a giant squid.
sea bed. 4d6 ghosts float above the ruins.
...a sea marilith who’s made quite a home for ...a dome of pure light that keeps out the water
18 17 protecting a city devoid of life save for one child,
herself guarding a portal to the abyss.
...a large pod of whales, calling and singing, who seems keen on...building a sand castle?
that swim by peacefully. One of them is a fiend ...an arcane current, simulating a 9th-level casting
19 18 of cone of cold (DC 19).
tagging along to learn all it can about what these
whales know of the ocean. ...a clutch of eggs that begins to hatch, releasing
...a vibrant coral reef that is so violently colorful 19 4d4 would-be krakens into the sea. But right now
that it is almost disorienting to the senses. It they’re about the size of an octopus.
20
grants the benefits of a long rest if touched. ...an ancient bronze dragon, in the form of a
20 merman. He waves at the party, then starts to have
a heart attack.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 103

 Session Building

Urban Urban Random Encounters (lvl 5–10)

The cities and towns of the world may not be jam-packed 1d20 The party encounters...
with magical beasts or eldritch monstrosities, but they ...1d6 + 3 specters that glide out of an
1
provide their own types of danger and adversity. Thieves abandoned building, looking to party.
and beggars, cutpurses and unscrupulous soldiers populate ...2d4 young street urchins (commoners)
many street corners, back alleys and palace gates. The 2 attempt to distract and pickpocket the party.
political machinations of guilds and governments can They have +10 to Dexterity (Sleight of Hand).
ensnare your players as easily as the webs of a giant spider. ...2d8 giant wasps have built a nest in the
That said, spiders live here too. 3
derelict home of a disgraced noble.
...a large cart of expensive whiskey rolling down
Urban Random Encounters (lvl 1–4) 4 the street and gaining dangerous momentum.
1d20 The party encounters... ...1d4 mounted knights escorting a carriage
...the result of a roll on the Urban Environmental 5 carrying a doppelganger living the dream.
1 Hazards table on pg. 142. 6 ...1d4 invisible stalkers summoned by a foe.
...a beggar seeking aid. If they refuse, he’ll try to ...a shapeshifted rakshasa. All it wants, for now,
2 7
bite them (he’s a wererat with nothing to lose). is their autograph.
...1d4 + 1 goblins inside a device meant to look ...chaos. A spy on the run from an archmage is
3
and feel like a horse. It ain’t working. 8 about to learn why stealing from folks who can
...a bard with an invisible servant and a few cast wall of flame is a bad idea.
4 animated objects who is bringing new meaning to ...fear. Rumors of babies being stolen from their
the phrase “one man band.” 9 cribs is all anyone talks about. Could be the work of
...2d4 guards chasing a thief (spy). She would an oni. Or a trio of night hags. It is, in fact, both.
5 ...a huge clock that marks the passage of time
press the party for aid in thieves’ cant.
...1d4 swarms of rats pouring out of a drainage 10 with magical shifting sand. And it’s about to be
6 dispelled.
grate, fleeing a sudden surge of sewage water.
...a strange voice calling out from a shadowy ...a sharply-dressed individual in a dim alley asks
7 the party for a favor—he’d love to secure an invite
doorway is a kid who can cast thaumaturgy. 11
...a pair of bedraggled men wearing heavy robes. to the royal ball. He’ll pay handsomely. He neglects
8 to mention he is a vampire.
They are actually ghouls, but wish not to be.
...1d6 + 1 giant wolf spiders that just want to ...a troupe of truly terrible actors are performing
9 12 The Bard Who Lost His Head when their prop
catch the gigantic fly they know is inbound.
guillotine becomes an angry, animated object.
...3d6 kobolds wearing makeshift “totally
10 ...2d8 gargoyles watching over the hidden
innocent human child person” disguises. 13 entrance to the local thieves’ guildhall.
...a blood hawk, perched on a building, alerting
11 ...a shapeshifted young silver dragon who
its handler to the presence of adventurers.
14 invites the party to his manor house, telling them
...a priest and 1d4 acolytes moving through
he has heard tales of their adventures.
12 the crowds, feeding the hungry and tending the
...a green hag, in the guise of a beautiful woman,
infirm. They serve a very, very evil god.
who tells fortunes using a crystal ball in her
...a large barrel in the middle of the street. A con 15 wagon. She swears she knows the future, but will
man who can cast hold person (DC 15) bets 10 gp
13 need to share more next time, for twice the price.
against the contents of the barrel that it can’t be
...a man raving in the square today about a roll
hoisted off the ground. The barrel is empty.
16 on the Urban Environmental Hazards table on pg.
...1 berserker and his bandit friend who accuse
14 142. This prophecy transpires the following day.
the party of bumping into them.
...concern. Everyone loves the statue in the
...1d6 cultists trying to kidnap a merchant
17 square. What they can’t agree on is whether it
15 (commoner), because he left the cult. Two years
should be ticking, as if wired to explode.
ago. When it was a men’s social club.
...a statue of an elven woman in the town square ...1d4 vampire spawn who try to knock the
16 that speaks in the mind of one member of the 18 party unconscious to take them to their master, a
party. “Kill the others. Live with me forever.” vampire who looks like an 8-year-old boy.
...a bandit captain, who tries to lure one of the ...an incubus and a succubus who try to charm
17 19
party down a dark alley. the party out of everything they’re wearing.
...2d4 stray dogs (mastiffs) who corner the party. ...opportunity. For one week only, this town/city
18 20
They just want to eat a shoe. Any shoe. is all barter system, all the time.
19 ...two cult fanatics looking for new recruits.
...a merchant trying to sell a carpet she claims is
20 haunted. It isn’t...but it is a rug of smothering.
Urban Random Encounters (lvl 11–16) Urban Random Encounters (lvl 17–20)
1d20 The party encounters... 1d20 The party encounters...
1 ...1d4 assassins attempting a hit for a rival crew. ...hills in the distance where hills have never been.
1
...sudden darkness, as 3d6 vrocks burst through a A tarrasque is lumbering toward the city.
2 spontaneous portal to the abyss. ...a cackling archmage on a carpet of flying here
2
...a fire surging from an underground market. Turns to raze the town that turned its back on him.
3 out dehydrated magmin parts are still combustible. ...the rumbling of unsettled earth as a purple
...peace? Nothing at all is wrong. No one has any worm chases a daring archaeologist through the
3
4 trouble at all. Not since the town replaced their tunnels beneath the city. She got the scroll she was
leaders with cats. after, but at what cost?
...2d8 ghasts crawling out of the city sewers and ...2d6 assassins chasing a mage down the street.
5 begin attacking anyone wearing red. 4 He lobs spells at them indiscriminately.
...a glabrezu demon forcing its way onto the ...a goat that tries to get the party to notice that its
5
6 material plane. It gets about halfway through, then friend is transforming into a balor.
sort of stalls and panics. ...the truth: The local cemetery is a portal to the
...four veterans and 2d6 guards escorting a train of 6 ethereal plane, and you can speak to the dead
7 refugees to the main temple for care. One of these within it for up to an hour at a time.
refugees carries an artifact of untold power. ...a patrol of 3d8 + 2 city guards looking for the kid
...3d6 phase spiders that suddenly pop into 7 who scrawled “The gods are lame” on the walls of
8 existence in a crowded restaurant. a local temple.
...horror. When you have an infestation, call an ...a marilith who suddenly manifests behind
exterminator. Otherwise you might end up like the 8 them, here to claim at least one of their heads on
9 leader here, a skin suit full of bugs masquerading as behalf of its master.
an impartial ruler. ...a drunken druid in the shape of a giant ape
9
...a small child, who reaches down and heals her starts wrecking a market place.
10 friend’s leg, briefly flickering into couatl form before ...3d6 horned devils emerging from a portal to
10 deliver a single message: “Surrender or fall.”
running off into the crowd.
...a procession of four mages as they keep a ...a request for aid. A gnomish inventor
jet black diamond, emanating tendrils of living 11 accidentally zapped her consciousness into a
11 nearby tree, one scheduled for demolition.
shadow, contained in a magical field. One of the
mages suddenly collapses, breaking concentration. ...rain that tastes of lilac and elderberry, heralding
...2d6 veteran soldiers possessed by a demon. They 12 the arrival of an avatar of death, come to claim a
12 go mad and start attacking commoners. PC as if summoned by the deck of many things.
...trumpets signaling an imminent attack: 100 or ...terror. This city struck a bargain with an ancient
13 more gnolls. The bad news gets worse when it 13 red dragon nearly a century ago. They never paid.
becomes clear they have allies within the city. It’s come to collect.
...3d4 priests calling out litanies and whipping ...stillness. The city is empty, all of its residents
14 themselves. Last night’s ale was too tempting. 14 suddenly vanished to the astral plane.
...illness. The water from the well in the center of ...a cataclysm. Roll four times on the Urban
15 Environmental Hazards table on pg. 142.
town is tar-like and sticky, the result of a massive
15 black pudding (300 hp, +14 to attacks) that has ...a contingent of dwarven miners who’ve decided
settled into the groundwater. 16 this town is the best spot to host the 500th
...confusion. Some fey trickster has replaced all the Gathering of Disgruntled Dwarfs.
16 area torches and lamps with will-o-wisps. ...a clueless merchant selling old books for
...disaster. The town’s leaders should have done 10 sp each, among them a Manual of Golems,
17 a Manual of Gainful Exercise and a Manual of
something about that tower that started leaning
17 last year because now that there are dozens of Quickness of Action.
people living inside it’s about to fall over. ...three iron golems who are meant to defend the
...1d8 gladiators on their way to an arena. One calls area but have been tampered with and now have
18 the party the orcish word for “cowards.” 18
one mission: Find and exterminate the shopkeep
...3d20 + 25 zombies pushing their way out of a who coughs without covering his mouth.
19 temple where the dumbest cleric alive fully botched ...a group of 1d6 goblins are riding and directing
a raise dead spell. 1d4 shield guardians with a sense of pride and
19
...the arrival of the semi-annual fey market, where panic, as if they’ve stolen a wild bronco but never
20 items are sold for stories of whimsy. learned to ride.
...within a junk merchant’s warehouse under a
20 cloth is a somewhat rusty apparatus of the crab.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 105

 Session Building

Chase Complications restrictions on how many times a character can Dash,

how attacks and spellcasting work and the methods by
Tabletop role-playing games are designed to mimic real which one catches their quarry or escapes their pursuers.
life (or at least a fantasy version of it). There’s political Chase scenes aren’t normally scenes you have planned
intrigue and nefarious scheming as well as rowdy for ahead of time: They’ll grow organically out of the
entertainment if you know where to look. More often than narrative unfolding at the table. It can be daunting to find
not, what players crave is action and excitement. There’s interesting things that add tension to a chase in the spur
nothing quite like a bit of in-game combat, but sometimes of the moment. The tables that follow provide some easy-
the “I use my movement, then my action to attack, do I to-use and readily available complications you can throw
hit? OK cool” interplay between heroes and villains can at your party—all you need to know is where you are.
start to drag—or worse, become predictable. The party The environment where a chase takes place will
expects to stand and fight to the bitter end with whichever influence the types of things that will complicate that
rampaging monster or villainous wizard threatens their chase. Additionally, whether that chase is on foot, on
town. They expect the monologuing warlord who tells the the back of a striding warhorse or soaring over the
party their plans before trying to kill them. What they may landscape through the clouds on the back of a warhorse
not expect, after the party dismantles a legion of minions, they’ve cast fly on will change how the environment will
is for that villain to turn tail and run. What happens pose a challenge to your players.
when the BBEG can Dash as a bonus action? Or cast To use the following tables, have each participant in
expeditious retreat? the chase roll 1d20 at the beginning of their turn and
The other side of that coin is, of course, those moments then consult the appropriate Chase Complications
when the party gets in over their heads. They find their table that follows. If a complication is rolled, it happens
quarry is not just a group of ambitious goblins operating immediately, affecting the player or NPC who rolled the
a single mechanical stone giant puppet but is in fact a outcome.
tribe of stone giants who are incredibly offended that
their war planning has been disturbed. Not all parties GM NOTE: WHAT IS GOOD FOR ONE
will strategically retreat or flee in utter panic—some will MIGHT NOT APPLY TO THE OTHER
stay and doggedly give their lives in a situation for which When rolling on these tables, it is very likely that
their skills don’t match their ambition. However, there each participant will roll on the same environment
are players who think on their feet, look at their character table. They are broken down into urban, sewers,
sheet and realize the only way to survive is to run like hell open wilds, dense wilds, underground, in the
and hope their foe doesn’t give chase. water and in the air. Most of those categories
Epic chase scenes abound in modern storytelling, include options for on foot, mounted or in a
from literature’s great cat-and-mouse mysteries to the vehicle.
heart-stopping car chases of modern cinema. Nimble When consulting the book for the appropriate
heroes leaping across city rooftops as they chase the bad table, consider each participant in the chase
guys get our blood pumping just as much as a nerve- and determine their mode of transportation. It
wracking standoff. There is inherent tension in an all- is entirely possible that one participant is flying
out chase, whether the heroes are doing the chasing or through the use of a spell, another is riding a
the ones being pursued. It is very easy to get invested in pegasus and they are being pursued by a crew
the outcome of an event like this, where a fast-paced set of bandits on magic carpets. Each one of those
piece acts as a microcosm of our heroes’ ultimate success participants will roll on a different table.
or failure.
One constant in chases is that they rarely occur on
a running track where the ground is level and free of
obstacles. All sorts of impediments, from merchant stalls
and wagons to obstructing undergrowth and other natural
speed bumps to territorial beasts can block the party’s
path to success. It is much harder to run down that fleeing
assassin if he cuts through the middle of a crowded square
where a boisterous festival is in full swing, but it is more
realistic and will provide the party with challenges they
must overcome, whether that is a successful apprehension
of their quarry or a successful escape from the clutches of
certain death. Put simply, your chase won’t always take
place on an empty road: Be prepared.
The mechanics of how you run a chase will depend
on how you run your games. Typically it will entail
Urban on Foot Urban Mounted
1d20 1d20
You spook a horse as you run by it and it lashes out A group of children run in front of your mount. It
1 with a heavy kick. Make a DC 12 Dexterity saving rears back. Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling)
1 check to stay mounted. On a failure, you fall from the
throw or take 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
The load on a cart full of barrels comes loose and saddle.
begins to roll down the street. Make a DC 11 Strength As you gallop through the streets, make a DC 13
2 (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid Wisdom (Perception) check. On a success, you see
the tumbling barrels. On a failed check, take 2 (1d4) 2 a section of broken pavement and can avoid it. On
bludgeoning damage and fall prone. a failure, your mount must pass through 15 feet of
You come across a crowded marketplace full of difficult terrain.
people who block your path and bump into you You come across a low-hanging clothes line. Make a
as you run. Make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or 3 DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked from the
3 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failed save, the saddle, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage.
crowd counts as difficult terrain. Fail by 5 or more As you round a corner, you find a group of laborers
and you are grappled. unloading boxes and crates. Make a DC 12 Wisdom
A fried food vendor suddenly pushes their cart into (Animal Handling) check to jump the items. On a
4 failure, the boxes count as 15 feet of difficult terrain
your path. Make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On
4 a failed save, you get splashed with hot oil, suffering and your mount takes 5 (1d10) damage as it plows
4 (1d6 + 1) fire damage on this round and the next. through.
Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a You ride into a crowded square. Make a DC 11
success, you notice a large pile of ox dung directly Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check to get
5 in your path. On a failure, you hit it at full speed, 5 the crowd to move out of the way. On a failed check,
slipping and falling prone. the area counts as 30 feet of difficult terrain.
In a wide square, a boisterous festival is in full A wagon pulls out in front of you. Make a DC 12
swing. A group of 12 goblins stand on each other’s Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to prevent your
6 shoulders juggling sharp knives. Make a DC 14 6 mount from getting tangled with the oxen. On a
Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you take 4 failed check, your mount is restrained until the end
(1d8) slashing damage. of your next turn.
A group of street urchins tries to surround you. Your saddle straps break. Make a DC 14 Dexterity
Make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity saving throw to stay on your mount. On a
7
(Acrobatics) check to push by them. On a failed failure, you fall to the ground, taking 6 (1d8 + 2)
7
save, they count as 15 feet of difficult terrain. Fail bludgeoning damage.
by 5 or more and they steal 16 (3d10) coins from You run into a gate, a wall or another impassable
your purse. barrier. Make a DC 10 Wisdom (Animal Handling)
A patrol of city guards, now very interested in 8 check to navigate a sharp turn in a different
what you are doing, try to stop you. Make a DC direction. On a failed save, you and your mount
8 15 Strength (Athletics), Dexterity (Acrobatics) or each take 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage.
Charisma (Persuasion) check. On a failure, they A group of guards begins to shout at you to “halt!”
restrain you. as you race past. If you move more than 10 feet, on
You round a corner right into a large cart selling 9 your next turn a rookie guard amongst them makes
glass vases, cups and pitchers. Make a DC 14 an attack against you with his crossbow (+2 to hit, 4
9 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you crash (1d6 + 1) piercing damage on a hit.)
through the cart, suffering 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing A large colorful wagon bars your way. You must make
damage and falling prone. a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Dexterity
10 (Acrobatics) check to get by. On a failed save, the
A choir of children precedes a large religious parade
that fills the streets in both directions. Make a DC 12 wagon’s area counts as 15 feet of difficult terrain.
10 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check Your mount steps in a pothole. Make a DC 15
to push your way through. On a failure, your path is Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to keep your
11
blocked for two rounds. mount moving. On a failure, your mount can only
Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a move at half speed for this turn and the next.
successful check, you notice an open manhole 12-20 No complication
in your path. On a failure, you fall through into
11
the sewers and into fetid water, taking 3 (1d6)
bludgeoning damage. If you fall, make a DC 12
Constitution saving throw or become poisoned.
12-20 No complication

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 107

 Session Building

Urban in Vehicle A portcullis or a gate ahead of you begins to

1d20 close. Make a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or
Your vehicle breaks a wheel. Everyone in the vehicle Dexterity (Vehicle (Land)) check to make it through
11 before it does. On a failure, everyone in the vehicle,
must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 5
1 the animal pulling it and the vehicle itself all take 11
(2d4) bludgeoning damage as they are thrown from
the vehicle. (2d10) damage.
You enter a large boulevard full of vehicle and foot 12-20 No complication
traffic. Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or
2 Sewers on Foot
Dexterity (Vehicle (Land)) check. On a failure, the next
15 feet of travel count as difficult terrain. 1d20
An enemy bandit (11 hp) jumps onto your vehicle. As you run, a patch of green slime falls from the
Make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check to push 1 ceiling. Make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take
them off. On a failure, the enemy swings with their 5 (1d10) acid damage.
3
short sword each round (+3 to hit, 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing The ground is covered with algae, slime and muck.
damage) until they are killed or shoved from the Make a DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall
vehicle. 2 prone. If you slip, roll 1d10. On a 1, you contract one
You take a corner too hard as you speed through the of the diseases on pg. 143.
streets. Everyone in the vehicle must make a DC 11 Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
4 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check success, you notice a giant rat hiding in an adjoining
to stay in the vehicle as it rolls. On a failed save, a 3 tunnel and can avoid it. On a failure, it makes an
creature suffers 9 (2d4 + 4) bludgeoning damage. attack of opportunity against you as you run by.
As you race forward, your vehicle comes too close to The tunnel you run through is full of sulfuric gas
a low overhang. Make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw that clings to your throat and burns your nose.
to avoid being struck by it. On a failure, take 3 (1d6) 4 Make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain the
5
bludgeoning damage. Fail by 5 or more and you are poisoned condition for 3 (1d4 + 1) rounds.
slammed hard enough to knock you from the vehicle. You come across a tunnel covered in webs. Make a
You try and push through a crowded marketplace. 5 DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure, you
Make a DC 14 Charisma ((Intimidation or Persuasion) become restrained.
check to get the crowds to move out of the way. On The tunnel narrows and is partially covered by a
6 rusted grate. Make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) or
a failure, the next 30 feet count as difficult terrain
and you must roll 1d10. On a 1, you’ve struck and 6 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid the obstacle. On
killed a pedestrian. a failure, you plummet through it and find yourself in
A large pile of goods, barrels and boxes sits in the another part of this tunnel system, at GM discretion.
roadway. Make a DC 11 Wisdom (Animal Handling) You slip in some foul muck and gross sludge. Make
or Dexterity (Vehicle (Land)) check to avoid them. a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, you fall
7
On a failure, the occupants of the vehicle are tossed 7 into a channel of water and will need to make a DC
about and each take 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage. 12 Constitution saving throw or take 4 (1d8) poison
The goods—worth 11 (1d10 x 2) gp—are destroyed. damage and gain the poisoned condition for 1d3 days.
A large group of giant rats runs in front of the A giant centipede, feeding on the body of a giant rat,
vehicle, spooking the animals pulling it. Make a DC is disturbed if you try and get by. If you move more
13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to control the than 15 feet on this turn, it makes an opportunity
8 8
team. On a failure, the team is frightened and must attack against you (+4 to hit, 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing
use their reaction and full movement to move as far damage—on a hit, make a DC 11 Constitution saving
away from the rats as they can. throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage).
The road narrows and your vehicle just barely Part of a tunnel has collapsed and created piles of
fits. Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling), debris and loose stones. Make a DC 14 Dexterity
9 (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, the next 60 feet is
or Dexterity (Vehicle (Land)) check to carefully
9 difficult terrain.
navigate. On a failure, the vehicle is stuck, requiring
a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to free it. On a You see a glittering pile of gold scattered out in the
failure, 10 creatures are needed to move the vehicle. 10 path in front of you (it’s a pile of 3 (1d4 + 1) mimics
Your vehicle collides with a building, causing some working as a pack).
masonry or stonework to come loose. Make a DC 14 A pipe bursts, sending a forceful gout of undercity
Dexterity saving throw or take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning slurry into your path. Make a DC 16 Dexterity saving
10
damage from the falling debris. Roll 1d10. On a 1, 11 throw to avoid getting doused in it and knocked
the damage caused to the building is enough to prone. If soiled, you’ll smell like the sewers for 12
make it collapse. (2d10 + 1) days.
12-20 No complication
Open Wilds on Foot Open Wilds Mounted
1d20 1d20
As you run across uneven ground, you have to Your mount spooks a flock of birds nesting in tall
concentrate to keep your footing. Make a DC 12 grass. Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling)
Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. 1 check or lose control of your mount. On a failure,
1 On a failure, the next 15 feet of ground counts your mount is spooked and travels in a random
as difficult terrain. On a failure of 5 or more, you direction at its full movement rate for two rounds.
violently twist your ankle and your total movement is Low hedges block your way. Make a DC 13 Wisdom
halved until the end of your next long rest. (Animal Handling) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check
You have to cross a rickety bridge that looks like it will 2 to direct your mount to jump. On a failure, your
crumble under your weight. Make a DC 13 Dexterity mount takes 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage and the
2 (Acrobatics) check to make your way across safely. On next 10 feet counts as difficult terrain.
a failure, you fall through a rotten board and fall 20 Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
(1d4 x 10) feet, taking falling damage as normal. success, you notice a large divot in the ground and
Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a can avoid it. On a failure, your mount runs right into
3 it, taking 5 (1d10) bludgeoning damage. Make a DC
success, you notice a sinkhole, patch of quicksand
3 or boggy ground and avoid it. On a failure, you fall in 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to keep your
and become restrained (escape DC 18). Without help, mount from falling prone.
you will sink 2 feet per round. A large predator takes a swipe at your mount.
You enter an area of tall grass that slashes at you as Make a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength
you rush past. Roll a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or (Athletics) check. On a failure, the predator makes
4 take 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage for every 5 feet you 4 an attack of opportunity against you or your mount
move for the next 20 feet. (+4 to hit, 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage on a hit). It
You spook a herd of indigenous animals and they will give chase if it lands this strike.
bolt right for you. Roll a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) The ground is covered by rocks and loose scree that
5 or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid them. On a makes footing for your mount tenuous. Make a DC 14
5 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. On a failure, the
failure, take 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage and the
next 10 feet of movement counts as difficult terrain. next 20 feet of movement counts as difficult terrain.
You come upon a steep incline that must be climbed Goblins or other humanoids have littered the area
to be overcome. Make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) with snares and trip wires. Make a DC 13 Wisdom
6
check. On a failure, the next 20 feet of movement 6 (Perception) check. On a success, you avoid the trip
counts as difficult terrain. wires. On a failure, make a DC 11 (Animal Handling)
A large aerial predator takes notice of your passage check to prevent your mount from being restrained.
out in the open and dives to attack you. Make a DC 14 The ground ahead suddenly drops by 10 feet. Make
7 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, you suffer 8 (2d4 a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Dexterity
+ 3) piercing damage and you are grappled by the 7 (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you fall from the
creature (escape DC 14). saddle as your mount leaps down. You take 6 (1d6 +
A sudden rockslide, mudslide or avalanche threatens 3) bludgeoning damage and are prone.
to bury you. Make a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) or You gallop through an area of thick mud, deep
8 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid the tumbling sand or waterlogged ground. Make a DC 12 Wisdom
debris. On a failure, you are knocked prone and (Animal Handling), Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity
8 (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, your mount’s feet
restrained (escape DC 16).
You stumble into a nest of giant insects. Make a DC are tangled up in the obstacle. The next 15 feet of
13 Dexterity saving throw or two of the insects will be movement counts as difficult terrain.
9 able to make an attack of opportunity against you (+3 You pass through a thick cloud of gnats. Make a
to hit, 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage on a hit). DC 14 Dexterity or Constitution saving throw. On
A narrow ravine blocks your path. Make a DC 15 9
a failure, you are blinded for 2 (1d4) rounds as the
Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check small bugs get in your eyes.
to jump across. On a failure, you make the leap but Your mount is thirsty and makes for a nearby lake.
10 are knocked prone on the other side. Fail by 5 or Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling), Charisma
10
more and you fall 30 (1d6 x 10) feet into the ravine, (Persuasion) or Charisma (Intimidation) to keep your
taking falling damage as normal. mount on course.
Heavy winds blow across your path. Make a DC 13 Make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
11 Strength saving throw or be pushed backward 10 feet. success, you notice a flooded area and can avoid it.
Fail by 5 or more and you are also knocked prone. 11 On a failure, your mount moves at half speed for 2
12-20 No complication (1d4) rounds as it struggles through the deep water.
Roll 1d4. On a 1, your mount begins to drown.
12-20 No complication

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 109

 Session Building

Open Wilds in Vehicle Dense Wilds on Foot

1d20 1d20
Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a You wander into a clever goblin snare. Make a DC
failure, you miss a large rock sticking out of the 14 Dexterity saving throw or become restrained
1 ground that breaks the vehicle’s axle. The vehicle is 1 (escape DC 15) and hang upside down from the
inoperable until it is repaired, at GM discretion. snare.
You come across a bridge spanning a deep ravine. Running through the dense undergrowth, you
Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or get tangled in thick vines and roots. Make a DC 13
2 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
2 Dexterity (Vehicle (Land)) check. On a failure, the
next 20 feet count as difficult terrain as the vehicle On a failure, you are restrained (escape DC 12).
scrapes against the edges of the bridge. Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
You hit a deep divot in the ground at full speed. Each success, you notice a large pit in front of you. On a
3 failure, you fall 15 (1d6 x 5) feet down into the hole,
creature in the vehicle must make a DC 13 Dexterity
saving throw or be bounced out of the vehicle, taking falling damage as normal.
3 suffering 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. If the vehicle A predator indigenous to the area jumps out of
is enclosed, they instead take 4 (1d8) bludgeoning the undergrowth or from above you. Make a DC 14
damage as they are slammed into the interior walls. 4 Strength or Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, you
You thunder across the open ground, startling take 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage and are grappled
a herd of deer. Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal by the creature (escape DC 15).
Handling) or Dexterity (Vehicle (Land)) check to In an area choked by close trees or narrow canyons,
4 avoid their charge. On a failure, the vehicle and you run through a cloud of yellow gas coming up
5 from the ground. Make a DC 12 Constitution saving
everyone inside takes 14 (3d8) damage as the
stampede slams into it. throw or become poisoned for 1d4 rounds.
A large branch gets stuck in one of the wheels. Make The narrow area you are running in suddenly
a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure, the descends steeply. Make a DC 14 Strength (Athletics)
5 obstruction gets lodged. The vehicle moves at half 6 or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to keep your balance
speed for 2 (1d4) rounds or until someone takes an as you slide down. On a failure, you suffer 4 (1d8)
action to repeat the check successfully. bludgeoning damage and fall prone.
Bandits in the hills take aim at your vehicle, You come to a fork in the path. Make a DC 11
peppering it with arrows. Everyone in the vehicle Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation)
6 7
must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 12 check. On a failure, the path you choose results in a
(3d6 + 2) piercing damage. dead end 20 feet ahead.
The vehicle kicks up a cloud of heavy dust. Everyone In a dense forest or narrow rocky ravine, you come
7 in the vehicle must make a DC 13 Constitution to an area where the way ahead narrows and you
saving throw or be blinded for 1d3 rounds. have to squeeze through. Make a DC 13 Strength
8
Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a
success, you notice that one of the bolts holding failure, the next 10 feet of movement counts as
8 the yoke has come loose and are able to fix it. On a difficult terrain.
failure, the animals break free and run for 2 (1d4) Disturbed by the commotion of the pursuit,
rounds. 3 (1d4 + 1) insect swarms spill out onto the ground
A heavy wind picks up, tossing the vehicle back from dead logs or rocky crags. If you move more
9 than 15 feet in this round, each of the swarms will
and forth. Make a DC 14 Dexterity (Vehicle (Land))
9 or Strength (Athletics) check to stay on course. On make an opportunity attack against you (+3 to hit,
a failure, the next 40 feet of movement counts as 10 (4d4) piercing damage on a hit).
difficult terrain. The chase spills into an area with numerous
The vehicle hits a patch of mud, ice, snow or water, downed logs or fallen rocks. You must leap and
causing it to spin out of control. Make a DC 13 bound over them or go through them. Make a DC 12
10 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Dexterity (Vehicle 10 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
(Land)) check. On a failure, the vehicle only moves On a failure, the next 15 feet of movement counts as
at half speed this round and the next. difficult terrain. Fail by more than 5 and you learn
You must vault the vehicle over a narrow canyon. one of these logs is an angry treant.
Make a DC 11 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
Dexterity (Vehicle (Land)) check. On a failure, one of success, you see a shortcut that allows you to move
11
the wheels breaks when the vehicle lands. Everyone 11 an additional 15 feet. On a failure, the path you
in the vehicle takes 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage take becomes nearly impassable. The next 60 feet
and the vehicle can only move at half speed. forward counts as difficult terrain.
12-20 No complication 12-20 No complication
Dense Wilds Mounted Dense Wilds in Vehicle
1d20 1d20
You try to push through a narrow trench of sharp You drive through a thick patch of undergrowth that
rocks. Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) gets stuck in the wheels. Make a DC 15 Strength
1 1 (Athletics) check to clear the obstruction or the
check. On a failure, you and your mount each take
3 (1d6) piercing damage. vehicle cannot continue forward.
As you push through the dense undergrowth, the The way ahead suddenly narrows and slopes to
ground falls away from you. Make a DC 14 Wisdom one side. Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling)
2 (Animal Handling) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On 2 or Dexterity (Vehicle (Land)) check. On a failure, the
a failure, you fall from the saddle and become prone. vehicle tips, tossing everyone into the lair of a local
You and your mount take 3 (1d6) falling damage. predator, at GM discretion.
Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a The area you enter is littered with downed trees or
success, you see a low limb ahead and are able to heavy boulders. Make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics),
3 avoid it. On a failure, you take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning 3 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Dexterity (Vehicle
damage and must make a DC 12 Strength saving (Land)) check. On a failure, the next 20 feet the
throw or be knocked prone to the ground. vehicle moves counts as difficult terrain.
It’s a trap. Roll a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) A hidden divot causes an important part of the
4 check or Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, you are mechanism that provides movement to break. Make
restrained in a large net hanging from a branch. a DC 13 Intelligence (Tinker’s Tools) or Strength
A large tree and a row of thick bushes block your 4 (Athletics) check to repair it. On a failure, the vehicle
path. Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) becomes incapacitated and the DC to repair it
5 check to quickly change direction. On a failure, you becomes 18.
and your mount each take 4 (1d8) bludgeoning Your vehicle passes through a swarm of stinging
damage. Fail by 5 or more and you are restrained. insects. Everyone in the vehicle must make a DC 11
Twisted trees and moss-covered boulders narrow 5 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) poison
the path. Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling), damage. Failure by 5 or more imposes the poisoned
6 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. condition for 3 (1d6) rounds.
On a failure, the next 20 feet counts as difficult terrain. Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
A tribe of pesky gnolls tries to surround you as you success, you see a sinkhole, quicksand, mud or deep
gallop past. Make a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) pool of water ahead and can avoid it. On a failure,
6
7 check to surge past the attacking creatures. On a your vehicle collides with the obstacle, becoming
failure, you and your mount take 5 (1d6 + 2) damage restrained. It will sink completely in 5 (2d4) rounds
as they shoot at you with small arrows. unless aggressive action is taken to salvage it.
A shambling mound rises out of the undergrowth A predatory beast explodes out of the undergrowth.
and tries to swipe at your mount. If you move more Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. On
7
than 15 feet in this turn, it will make an attack of a failure, the team is frightened of the creature and
8 will flee from it at rapid speed.
opportunity against your mount (+7 to hit, 13 (2d8 +
Ahead, you see a narrow pass. Make a DC 14 Wisdom
4) damage on a hit). Make a DC 14 Dexterity saving
(Animal Handling), Dexterity (Vehicle (Land)) or
throw or become grappled by the creature.
A troop of chattering monkeys follows you through Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure, your vehicle
8
the treetops or high rocky terrain, pelting you with scrapes along the walls. The next 15 feet is difficult
terrain. Fail by 5 or more and the vehicle gets stuck,
9 stones. Make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw at the
beginning of your turn for the next 1d3 rounds. On a requiring a DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check to free.
A rutted washout in the road causes the vehicle to
failure, you will take 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage.
Loose rocks or rotten trees make the way ahead 9 violently shake for the next 200 feet. Any attack rolls
perilous for your mount. Make a DC 14 Wisdom made from the vehicle are at disadvantage.
Make a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
(Animal Handling) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
10 On a failure, your mount can only move at half success, you see the rope or wire stretched across
the path ahead. On a failure, a randomly determined
speed for the next 2 (1d4) rounds. Fail by 5 and your 10
occupant of the vehicle must make a DC 14 Dexterity
mount becomes incapacitated due to a broken leg.
Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check as you saving throw or be pulled from the wagon, taking 10
come to a fork in the path. On a success, you see (3d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage in the process.
A strong wind blows sand, dirt or debris in a
that one path leads to a sudden drop but the other
11 whirlwind all around you. Everyone in the vehicle
is safe. On a failure, make a DC 12 Wisdom (Animal 11
must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be
Handling) check to stop your mount. On a failure,
blinded by dirt and grit for 2 (1d4) rounds.
you go over the edge, falling 30 (1d6 x 10) feet.
12-20 No complication
12-20 No complication

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 111

 Session Building

Underground on Foot Underground Mounted

1d20 1d20
Slime covers the ground. Make a DC 14 Dexterity As your ride down the tunnels or through low
1 (Acrobatics) check. On a fail you slip, falling prone caverns, your head brushes the ceiling, disturbing
and taking 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage. a patch of yellow-blue mold. Make a DC 13
The floor has crumbled, forcing you to jump from 1 Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) poison
one narrow platform to another. Make a DC 13 damage. Fail by 5 or more and gain the poisoned
2 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
condition for 2 (1d4) hours.
On a failure, you fall 40 (1d8 x 10) feet. You enter a cavern full of large webs and the sound of
Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a chittering mandibles. Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal
success, you notice a slightly glowing fumarole 2 Handling) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a fail
3 up ahead and can avoid it. On a failure, you run the next 15 feet is difficult terrain and two giant
through the superheated gases emanating from the spiders make attacks against you and your mount.
fumarole and take 7 (2d6) fire damage. Charging through a cavern, you see drops of liquid
You run into a collapse with a narrow opening. Make hitting the ground, each sizzling where they land.
a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) 3 Make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure,
4 check. On a failure, the next 15 feet of movement
you and your mount take 5 (1d10) acid damage.
counts as difficult terrain. Small amounts of magma seep up through cracks
You are suddenly plunged into magical darkness. in the ground. Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal
Blinded, you hear the sound of aerial movement as 4 Handling) check. On a failure, your mount takes 22
5 something descends. Make a DC 12 Dexterity saving
(4d10) fire damage.
throw or be subject to a darkmantle’s crush attack. The tunnel has an abrupt right turn. Make a DC 14
As you run, the tunnel’s ceiling suddenly lowers, Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Dexterity (Acrobatics)
forcing you to hunch over or throw yourself flat. 5 check. On a failure, you and your mount slam
Make a DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a into the wall. You each take 5 (2d4) bludgeoning
6 failure, you strike your head on the ceiling and you
damage. On a 1, you fall prone.
take 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage. Fail by 5 or more You enter a cavern with glowing mushrooms
and you are also stunned for one round. expelling spores into the air. Make a DC 12
You run into a tunnel full of purple light and drifting 6 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you and
lavender mist. Make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw your mount take 14 (4d6) poison damage.
or become charmed by the magical mist. While Loose rock falls from the ceiling. Make a DC 11
7
charmed in this way, you are incapacitated in a Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Dexterity (Acrobatics)
7
euphoric trance. Another creature can take an check. On a failure, you and your mount take 3 (1d6)
action to shake you out of it. bludgeoning damage. On a 1, you fall prone.
You rush by a small rift in the wall and startle a rust The passageway is blocked by debris. Make a DC 13
monster feeding on the armor clinging to a skeletal Wisdom (Animal Handling), Dexterity (Acrobatics) or
8 body. If you move more than 15 feet this round, the 8 Strength (Athletics) check to maneuver around it. On a
rust monster will make an attack of opportunity failure, your mount stumbles or gets stuck, requiring a
against you. DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to remove.
Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a A large gap in the ground next to you expels gas and
success, you see a chasm crossing the tunnel and ash right into your face. Roll a DC 12 Constitution
9 saving throw. On a failure, you and your mount are
can leap over it. On a failure, make a DC 15 Dexterity
9 saving throw or fall into the shallow pit below blinded for 2 (1d4) rounds.
lined with razor-sharp rocks. If you fall, take 3 (1d6) The ground crumbles below your mount. Make
bludgeoning and 5 (2d4) slashing damage. a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Dexterity
In a room full of mirrorlike crystal that projects your (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you and your mount
reflection everywhere, it is easy to lose your sense 10 fall 20 (1d4 x 10) feet into a sinkhole, taking falling
of direction. Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) or damage as normal. The sinkhole is a portal to
10 another plane at GM discretion. You’ll reach it in 5
Intelligence (Investigation) check. On a failure, you
get turned around and the next 15 feet of movement (2d4) rounds.
counts as difficult terrain. A shallow but wide and fast flowing river crosses
the tunnel or cavern you are passing through. Make
A swarm of bats rushes down the tunnel at you.
a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling), or Charisma
Make a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity
(Acrobatics) check to push your way through them. 11 (Intimidation or Persuasion) check to coax your
11 mount across. On a failure, the next 20 feet of
On a failure, the next 20 feet of movement counts
movement counts as difficult terrain. Roll 1d4. On a 1,
as difficult terrain. Fail by 5 or more you also take 10
your mount decides swimming is all it wants to do.
(4d4) piercing damage.
12-20 No complication
12-20 No complication
Underwater Swimming In Water Mounted
1d20 1d20
A riptide pulls you downward. Make a DC 12 The movement of your mount attracts a giant shark.
1 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure, the next 20 Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
feet is difficult terrain as you fight the current. 1
failure, you do not see the predator until it is too late.
A hunter shark zeroes in on you, racing through Your mount takes 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage.
the water. Make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. On A sudden swirling current catches you and your
2
a failure, the shark takes a bite out of you and you mount off guard. Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Animal
take 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. 2 Handling) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a
You startle a passing squid and it fills the water failure, you and your mount are pulled off course. The
with thick black ink. The area is heavily obscured. next 20 feet of movement counts as difficult terrain.
3 Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence A huge fishing net drops from above you. Make a DC
(Investigation) check. On a failure, the next 15 feet is 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling), Strength (Athletics)
3 or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you and
difficult terrain.
In the area you are passing through, sharp rocks your mount are restrained.
and coral reefs jut up from beneath. Make a DC 13 Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
4 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. success, you notice a swarm of nearly clear jellyfish
On a failure, you are unable to avoid the rocks and and can avoid them. On a failure, make a DC 13
4 Constitution saving throw for you and your mount
you take 5 (2d4) slashing damage.
Giant strands of kelp grow up from the seabed or take 7 (2d4 + 2) poison damage from their
below. Make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity tentacles as you move through the swarm.
5 (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you get tangled in
A passing patrol of sahuagin take notice of you
the maze of vegetation and are restrained. and try and block your way. Make a DC 12 Wisdom
You disturb a cluster of giant sea urchins that (Animal Handling), Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity
send out a shower of poison spines. Make a DC 13 5
(Acrobatics) check. On a failure, two sahuagin
Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, you take 2 (1d4) throw spears at you or your mount (+3 to hit, 4 (1d6
6 piercing damage and 3 (1d6) poison damage. Fail by
+ 1) piercing damage on a hit).
5 or more and gain the poisoned condition for one You hear an ethereal voice calling out through the
round. water. Make a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw for you
A pod of dolphins believes that the chase in 6 and your mount. On a failure, you become charmed
progress is a great game. Make a DC 13 Wisdom for 2 (1d4) rounds. While charmed, you can only
(Animal Handling), Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity move toward the sound of the voice.
7
(Acrobatics) to move through the pod. On a failure, The chase leads through an area packed with giant
the next 10 feet of movement counts as difficult lily pads. Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or
terrain. 7
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, the next 15
Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a feet is difficult terrain.
success, you notice a giant octopus swimming Narrow towers of rock, shale and coral jut from the
8 below you. On a failure, it lashes out and grapples ocean floor. Make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw for
you (escape DC 14). While grappled in this way, you 8
you and your mount. On a failure, you each take
are also restrained. 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage as you drag over them.
You unwittingly swim through a swarm of The water is murky and full of debris and agitated
quippers. If you move more than 10 feet this round, sediment. The area is heavily obscured. Make
9
the swarm makes an opportunity attack against you 9 a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence
(+4 to hit, 10 (4d4) piercing damage on a hit). (Investigation) check. On a failure, the next 20 feet of
A group of merfolk tries to block your way. Make a movement counts as difficult terrain.
DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) You come across a giant migration of sea turtles that
check to move through them. On a failure, your next crowd the area, impeding movement. Make a DC 12
10 10 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or Dexterity (Acrobatics)
10 feet of movement counts as difficult terrain and
one merfolk makes an opportunity attack against check. On a failure, the next 15 feet of movement
you (+2 to hit, 3 (1d6) piercing damage). counts as difficult terrain.
You are suddenly surrounded by a great school In your haste, you rush through a cloud of bio-
of small fish that obscure the way. Make a DC 12 electric krill. Make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw
11 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) 11 for you and your mount. On a failure, you suffer 14
check. On a failure, you are blinded for 2 (1d4) (4d6) lightning damage and are stunned for 2 (1d4)
rounds as you become lost in the school. rounds.
12-20 No complication 12-20 No complication

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 113

 Session Building

On the Water Swimming On the Water in Vehicle

1d20 1d20
A heavy wind has whipped the surface of the Bucking waves threaten to capsize your vehicle.
water into crashing waves. Make a DC 14 Strength Make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) or Strength
1 (Vehicle (Water)) check. On a failure, your vehicle
1 (Athletics) check. On a failure, you will take 3 (1d6)
bludgeoning damage and your swim speed is capsizes and everyone is pitched into the water.
halved for 5 (2d4) rounds. Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
A greedy seagull thinks you have food. Make a DC 13 success, you notice the rocks just below the surface
Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, you take 8 (2d4 2 of the water. On a failure, your vehicle takes 9 (2d8)
2 + 3) piercing damage and are menaced by this bird bludgeoning damage and there is a 1d100 percent
until it is placated at GM discretion. chance your vehicle is irreparably damaged.
You are caught in a current. Make a DC 13 Strength A sandbar looms ahead suddenly. Make a DC 14
(Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a Dexterity (Vehicle (Water)) or Strength (Athletics)
3 failure, you are pulled underwater for 2 (1d4) rounds. 3 check. On a failure, your vehicle wedges into the
Your movement rate is halved for the duration. deep sand and is restrained (escape DC 18).
Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a A giant shark mistakes your vehicle for something
success, you see a reef shark circling below and edible. Make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity
avoid it. On a failure, if you move more than 5 feet (Vehicle (Water)) check to avoid it. On a failure, your
4 this round the shark will make an opportunity attack 4
vehicle takes 22 (3d10 + 6) damage and everyone
against you (+4 to hit, 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage on in the vehicle must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving
a hit). On a hit, it will consider how delicious you taste throw or be thrown into the water.
and come back for more at GM discretion. The area you are in is choked with vehicle traffic.
A huge bed of seaweed floats on the surface of the Make a DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Dexterity
water. Make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity 5 (Vehicle (Water)) check. On a failure, you are unable
(Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you are restrained to navigate around the other vehicles and your next
5 by the thick vegetation (escape DC 12). Fail by 5 or
20 feet of movement counts as difficult terrain.
more and you’ll suffer 10 (4d4) piercing damage as a You pass through a bank of thick fog. The area
swarm of small crabs and fish begin to gnaw on you. becomes heavily obscured. Make a DC 12 Wisdom
A shallow sand bar blocks your way. Make a DC 11 6 (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you lose your way momentarily. Your
6 On a failure, your next 15 feet of movement counts speed is halved for 2 (1d4) rounds.
as difficult terrain as you scramble over the wet A line on your sails, a boom, the rudder or the oar
deep sand. mounts on your vehicle suddenly break. Make a DC
The way ahead is blocked by a small fleet of fishing 12 Dexterity (Vehicle (Water)), Dexterity (Tinker’s
boats. Make a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity 7
Tools) or Dexterity (Carpenter’s Tools) check. On
(Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you take 7 (2d4 + a failure, your vehicle moves at half speed until
7
2) bludgeoning damage and your next 30 feet of someone succeeds on the check.
movement counts as difficult terrain as you must A few random sticks poking out along the surface
maneuver through the fishing nets. bely a rotten tree, teeming with 12 (5d4) undead
A pod of whales rises all around you, issuing forth a 8 below the surface. A successful DC 15 Wisdom
8 curtain of bubbles. Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal (Perception) check is enough to know going around
Handling) check to avoid seeming like a threat. these branches is the right call.
The wind throws sea spray in your face and churns A chuul spots your vehicle and attempts to
the surface of the water to a violent froth. Make 9 sabotage it from beneath, clinging to it to keep pace.
9 a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence The path ahead narrows and you must navigate
(Investigation) check. On a failure, you are blinded through a locking channel before it closes, making
for 2 (1d4) rounds. three successful DC 15 Dexterity (Vehicle (Water))
10 checks. If you fail any of these three checks, your
A hunting party of merrow decides to take
advantage of the chase and rise out of the water vehicle is trapped in the channel for 10 minutes until
around you. Make a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or the locks reopen.
10
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, two of the Strong winds threaten to throw you off course. Make
merrow will make attacks against you as you swim a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Vehicle
by (+6 to hit, 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage on a hit). (Water)) check. On a failure, your vehicle is tossed
11 around and the next 20 feet of movement counts
All around you, hunting seabirds drop into the water
from the air. Make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or as difficult terrain. Fail by 5 or more and a random
11
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, the next occupant gets tossed into the water.
15 feet of movement counts as difficult terrain. 12-20 No complication
12-20 No complication
Aerial Flying Aerial on Flying Mount
1d20 1d20
Dangerous crosswinds threaten to disorient you A whirling column of air thrashes you with debris.
and push you off course. Make a DC 15 Strength Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) or
1 (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On 1 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you and
a failure, you gain the incapacitated and prone your mount take 7 (2d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage
condition for the next round. and are restrained for one round.
Lightning streaks between the clouds around you. Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
2 Make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, success, you notice the giant eagle swooping
you take 7 (2d6) lightning damage. 2 down toward you. On a failure, you take 6 (1d6 + 3)
A strong headwind makes your flight difficult. Make piercing damage and must make a DC 12 Strength
3 a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check. On a failure, the saving throw or be ripped from the saddle.
next 15 feet of movement counts as difficult terrain. A powerful gust of air pushes directly against you.
Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a Make a DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling), Strength
success, you see the clouds ahead forming into a 3 (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a
4 humanoid shape and can avoid it. On a failure, an air failure, you are blown off course by this blast of air,
elemental makes an opportunity attack against you pushed 90 feet in a direction at GM discretion.
(+8 to hit, 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage on a hit). Swirling winds carry a stinging blast of frigid air.
On a failure, at GM discretion, 15 (1d20 + 5) of these Make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure,
birds strike you as you pass through them, dealing 4 you take 7 (2d6) cold damage and are restrained (DC
5 1 point of damage each. If a creature suffers more
15) as frost forms on your limbs. This could cause
than 10 damage from these strikes, they fall prone. you to fall depending on your method of flight.
You see a large aerial predator in the area. Make a Towering columns of rock stretch hundreds of feet
DC 13 Dexterity (Stealth) check to avoid its notice. in the air. Make a DC 14 Wisdom (Animal Handling)
6 On a failure, it makes an opportunity attack against 5 or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, the next
you (+4 to hit, 9 (2d4 + 4) slashing damage on a hit). 20 feet is difficult terrain.
A forest of very tall trees stretches out before you. A large aerial predator streaks toward you and your
Make a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity mount. Make A DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling)
7 (Acrobatics) check to push your way through the check. On a failure, your mount becomes frightened
canopy and rise above them. On a failure, you take 5 6 and must use its full movement to fly away from
(1d10) bludgeoning damage. the creature. You can repeat this check at the end of
Streaking through the air, you enter a large bank of each of your turns to end the condition.
thick clouds. The area is heavily obscured and it is Your mount becomes distracted by something on
impossible to see where you are going. Make a DC 13 the ground and starts to dive. Make a DC 12 Wisdom
8 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) 7 (Animal Handling) or Charisma (Persuasion) check
check. On a failure, you get a strong sense of vertigo to get your mount back on course. On a failure, the
and plummet your full movement toward the next 30 feet is difficult terrain.
ground for 3 (1d4 + 1) rounds. High off the ground, a massive bank of gray-black
A sudden arctic chill gathers in the clouds around clouds surrounds you. Make a DC 14 Constitution
you and ice begins to gather on your body making saving throw for you and your mount take 9 (2d8)
it hard to move. Make a DC 13 Constitution Saving 8
thunder damage. Fail by 5 or more and you also
9 throw or take 10 (3d6) cold damage and become
become stunned for 2 (1d4) rounds. This could cause
incapacitated for 3 (1d4 + 1) rounds. During this time you to fall depending on your method of flight.
your movement speed is quartered. Part of your saddle suddenly breaks. Make a DC 13
You impact suddenly with something large and 9 Dexterity saving throw to maintain your grip on your
solid. Make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a mount. On a failure, you begin to plummet.
10 failure, you take 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage and Make a DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a
are stunned for one round. This could cause you to success, you see a swarm of stinging insects ahead
fall depending on your method of flight. and can avoid them. On a failure, you and your
A sudden updraft sends you spinning and careening 10 mount each take 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage and
through the air. Make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) or must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failure, you take gain the poisoned condition.
11 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage and are nauseated A strong air current threatens to rip you from the
and disoriented, effectively gaining the poisoned saddle. Make a DC 12 Strength saving throw or lose
11 your grip on your mount. You are tossed into open
condition for 2 (1d4) rounds.
12-20 No complication air and begin to fall.
12-20 No complication

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 115

 Session Building

Side Quests Heists

1d6
There will inevitably come a time when you aren’t A local guard tells the party about a corrupt tax
prepared for your next session. Or perhaps you’re collector who takes more than they should. This
thoroughly prepared but your players one-shot your guard suggests the party relieve the corrupt official
1
bad guy or simply decide saving the realm isn’t on their of some of their ill-gotten gains. The only problem?
agenda. Maybe a player you’ve generated an arc for has a The tax collector is also a fiend.
sudden change in their evening plans, which means now A shadowy character offers to pay the party
so do you. In these moments, it’s useful to have a handy handsomely to smuggle a small trunk out of the
list of side quests you can put out there for your party, 2 city. The city guard is on high alert looking for
letting them choose what’s interesting to them. stolen jewels that just so happen to be inside the
Most side quests can fit under one of the following trunk.
categories: heists, protection missions, bounties, Through gossip and rumor, the party learns a
treasure hunts, rescue missions, mysteries, messenger powerful magic item being moved out of the city
missions and holy quests. You’ll likely have a feel for 3 by wagon train in the near future. A mage, who
which of these categories is going to interest your wishes to remain anonymous, offers to pay the
players the most. If you know they go in for heists party to procure it.
and capers or bounty-style fetch quests, simply roll on The party is approached by a representative of
the appropriate table to generate a plot hook for your a group of merchants. This representative tells
players to begin exploring. them a local scholar has discovered a way to
If you have no idea which direction your party might 4 transmute common metals into gold through
swing and what they might find interesting, roll on the alchemy and they are willing to pay the party to
Side Quest Type table to decide which category to work acquire it. Or, better yet, steal the deed to the
with and then roll on that appropriate table to generate local iron mine.
the quest. These can be used in the moment should The party learns a corrupt noble is using a
things go pear-shaped during the session or could be magical bracelet to control a hill giant and
an exercise you do to generate ideas before the session 5 impose his will on the local townsfolk. A member
begins. of the resistance offers to hire the party to steal
the bracelet.
Side Quest Type A man approaches the party and tells them he
1d8 This quest is a... is the rightful ruler and his cousin, who usurped
1 ...heist him, is a fraud. He offers to pay the party to steal
6
2 ...protection mission a signet ring, deed to the castle and a copy of his
family genealogy from the imposter’s carefully
3 ...bounty hunt
guarded (and possibly haunted) manor house.
4 ...treasure hunt
5 ...rescue mission Protection Missions
6 ...mysterious caper 1d6
7 ...messenger mission A minor noble has become paranoid his daughter
8 ...holy quest is going to be kidnapped by horrible cultists. He
1 offers to hire the party to defend his home because
GM NOTE: TIME AND PREPARATION the city guard isn’t taking him seriously (in part
because they’re the ones plotting the kidnapping).
The side quests generated by the tables in this The party is approached by a local merchant
section are designed to provide a hook for a who is moving valuable cargo down a woodland
story that may take an hour or several sessions road through a forest inhabited by fey creatures
2
depending on how things shake out at your table. and vicious brigands. He offers to pay them a
Each of the entries in the tables are designed to handsome sum to protect his precious shipment.
help you come up with ideas for things to do if you A pacifist missionary from a nearby temple offers
have hit a lull in your story. You will need to build to hire the party to escort him to a nearby town.
upon them as you go to add depth and flavor. If The party doesn’t know it, but he carries an
you are a GM who needs time to prep, roll on 3 important missive to a secret arcane order, and
these tables ahead of time to give you direction. If a rival faction of malicious mages is planning to
you are a GM who loves improv and loves to watch magic missile him unto death.
the story develop as you go, take the basic idea
presented in the tables and let the story tell itself.
 A farmer, whose land is about a mile outside the Treasure Hunts
city, offers to hire the party to protect his farm 1d6
overnight. He simply tells them he has a feeling An eccentric mage tells the party he has learned
4 that something bad is going to happen. He doesn’t a silver dragon died nearby. He offers to pay the
have much money but is terrified his pumpkins are 1 party to retrieve the dragon’s skull. He doesn’t tell
possessed. the party he has hired multiple groups.
The local magistrate is looking to hire extra muscle A young, excitable scholar seeks the party’s aid in
to transport a convicted murderer out of the recovering an ancient text she believes is in the
5 town to a larger city nearby. The convicted man is 2 basement of a crumbling manor. No one knows it,
innocent and will kill anyone he has to in order to but the book contains the essence of a demon.
prove it. An outbreak of disease plagues a small town. The
The party is sought out by the representative of 3 local herbalist is requesting aid to find a very rare
a powerful noble who believes an arcane thief is flower in a gnoll-heavy part of the mountains.
targeting his family’s vault. He wishes to hire the A rep from the mariners guild begs the party for aid
6 party to provide extra security. Which is smart— in locating the long-lost journal of a pirate captain
he’s gonna need it since the thief has a partner in 4 that may reveal the location of his stash. He’ll split
the assassin’s guild. the take 50/50.
There’s rumors of a great treasure hidden at the
Bounty Hunts 5 bottom of the village well. No one goes down there
1d6 after a man died trying to find the fabled wealth.
A large-scale cattle rancher seeks out the party After a reclusive wizard dies, the party, along
to track and kill whatever beast is mutilating his with several other groups, are invited to attempt
1 cattle. He offers a significant sum of money for 6 to navigate his former home—a demiplane that
the culprit’s head. Turns out one of his bulls is a functions as his own iteration of the maze spell.
shapeshifting werewolf. Winners gain a long lost magical artifact.
As the party walks around the city, they see
numerous wanted posters for a thief named Dolion Rescue Missions
2 Bloom. The reward for his capture is significant. 1d6
Bloom is holed up in a cave nearby and is keen The party learns a group of children has been
with traps. 1 carried off by a hag from the surrounding hills. The
The town magistrate has issued a large bounty for parents of the missing children beg for aid.
a beast that is said to inhabit the sewers. The beast An elderly noble offers to pay the party an
3 is actually a group of goblins operating a cleverly 2 exorbitant sum for the return of her pet goose
disguised apparatus of the crab. taken by ransom-seeking thieves.
The local merchants guild is offering a great sum A shapeshifted, sickly adult copper dragon wishes
for the apprehension of an individual who has 3 to hire the party to recover a special chest that holds
flooded the economy with counterfeit gold coins. several of her eggs. The chest is in a behir’s lair.
4 The culprit is a street urchin with innate magic Everyone in the small village over the age of 50
who is using the fakes to feed and clothe the area’s disappears in the night. Wagon tracks lead off
underprivileged. 4 into the nearby forest. The townsfolk request
In the town the party finds themselves in, the city that the party search for their missing family
guard pays a bounty for orc heads and they hear members, who have been lured by a fey spirit.
rumors of an orc band coming nearby. The band A member of the city guard reveals his captain has
5 is actually a bunch of human bandits who have 5 been captured by a group of hobgoblins intent on
been disguising themselves as orcs to terrorize the torturing him for details of the city’s defense.
countryside and drum up resentment of orcs for An important artifact was taken from either the
political purposes. 6 museum, the hall of knowledge or the manor of a
The city guard have put out a significant bounty for noble. Town leaders are hopeful of its return.
a serial murderer who escaped from custody and
6 has started killing again. The killer excels at using
methods that make the deaths seem like freak
accidents.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 117

 Session Building

Mysterious Capers A town citizen offers to pay the party to take a

1d6 letter to his in-laws who live in a large house
The party learns that every year a person between in the country. The letter contains an almost
6
the ages of 16 and 23 disappears from a small undetectable poison meant for his father-in-law.
1 The man is a little too eager for his wife to inherit
town. The event is supposed to occur in two nights
time. the family fortune.
Slowly, starting with the youngest person in the
2 town, residents fall into a magical sleep. The party Holy Quests
seems unaffected. 1d6
Every night in the city three or four businesses are After an incident at the local temple, acolytes
broken into and ransacked, but nothing is taken. A approach the party and tell them the high priest
3 1 was abducted by cultists. The acolytes believe
witness claims to have seen a glowing orb of light
enter the business prior to the break-in. the cult plans to sacrifice the high priest to their
Just before dawn every morning, a wailing scream nefarious god and they ask the party to intervene.
rings forth out of all of the town’s wells, storm, The priest at the local temple tells the party they
4 drains and sewer entrances. The residents are too have received a vision from their god that a relic of
afraid to investigate. 2
great evil has been unearthed in the wilds to the
Red and yellow paint begins to appear on the north of town. He asks them to investigate.
door frames of houses all around the city or town. Rumors start to circulate that farmers and outlying
One person in each of those homes dies over the towns have seen shuffling undead wandering in
5 course of the next several days. Strangely, their 3 the forests. The local temple then reports that
corpses don’t decay and smell of wildflowers and graves in the cemetery have been disturbed.
honey. The local church requests a group of adventurers to
Valuable jewels secured in a vault in a noble’s help redeem a priest who has fallen into madness
manor go missing. The vault and all the doors after returning from a pilgrimage to a nearby holy
6 and windows were still locked when the theft was 4 ruin. The maddened priest has a symbol branded
discovered. The only clue: a small handprint burned onto his hand that can be found in the ruin—
into the wood of a window frame. connecting the two unlocks a portal to the hells.
Local farmers begin reporting strange designs
Messenger Missions pressed into their crops. Witnesses claim to
1d6 5 have seen angelic figures soaring over the fields.
The party is hired to transport a package from Priests at the local church offer to pay the party to
one town to a temple in another with express investigate to put the people at ease.
1 instructions to not open it. Inside is a cursed item A series of murders has taken place in the city.
being sent to the temple for destruction. Investigators have found a strange symbol painted
A bard at a local tavern tells the party he will pay on the wall at each scene. Religious scholars
them to deliver a sealed letter to his brother in 6 associated the symbol with a powerful demon. The
2 the next town over. When they arrive, they find his temple, knowing how powerful demonic cults are,
brother can’t stop singing. offers to pay the party to get involved.
The local lord offers to hire the party to deliver
a strange glowing crown unearthed in the
foundation of a ruined old house to a mage in the
3 capital city. The party doesn’t know that being
near the crown slowly allows it to influence them
(and the influence is...not great).
A powerful merchant is in the market for
adventurers to take a trade treaty to a border town
4 of a neighboring nation. The treaty is actually a
coded missive of secret information the merchant
is passing to enemies of the nation.
The town druid asks the party if they can, for a
small sum of money, go out into the wilds to meet
with another druid where they will pick up a ration
5 of a rare herb. Little does the party know that
numerous nefarious parties are also interested in
the plant as well.

118 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 107
 Session Building

Skill Challenges The Wagon Pull

A female hawker cries out that no one, not an individual
Not every moment of every session needs to be or a group, can pull a wagon faster than her team of oxen.
devoted to chasing the BBEG and foiling their plans. If the party takes her up on her challenge, they must
Despite the fact that it feels like there is always some make a total of 3 DC 15 group Strength (Athletics) checks
sort of doomsday clock hanging over your players’ heads, before they accumulate three failures. Should the party
there are moments for them to take time to revel in the succeed, she will offer to transport the party anywhere
abilities presented by their character sheets. they wish to go within a 25-mile radius.
This section provides you with options for skill
challenges loosely associated with each of the ability A Little Bit of Arm Wrestling
scores, allowing you to engage your party members’ While relaxing in the local watering hole or tavern, the
skills. Conversely, it might be fun to play against their party sees a brutish man throwing his weight around.
weaknesses, putting the charismatic bard in a position He challenges the largest member of the party to a
where they must show discretion and subtlety, or gentleman’s bout of arm wrestling; best two out of three
maneuvering your brash fighter into the limelight where wins. He insists the loser buy the next two rounds for
they may need to be the face of the party. Regardless, the bar and slides 3 gp onto the table to cover his wager.
these small distractions could lead to fun story moments To succeed, the player must beat a contested Strength
and small benefits for the party when they succeed. (Athletics) check against DC 15. On a success, the brute
buys the next two rounds for the bar. He expects you to
Strength do the same if you are not victorious.
Brute power: Your ability to exert physical force on
people and objects. Climbing, running, jumping, From the Top Rope, A Star Is Born
knocking down doors and breaking chains are all things The party finds a makeshift fighting ring set up in the
that require raw strength. middle of the town square or in a large open area on the
outskirts. Signs declare a special prize for anyone able to
Strength Skill Challenges take the trophy belt from the current champion, Gorg the
1d10 Unhinged. Whoever is participating in the match must
1 Feats of Strength make a total of four successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics)
2 The Wagon Pull checks before accumulating three failures as the match
A Little Bit of Arm Wrestling with Gorg rages to the delight of the crowd. If you are
3
successful, you knock Gorg to the mat and he struggles to
4 From the Top Rope, A Star Is Born
get back up. If you rolled all four successes consecutively,
5 Out of the Park roll a DC 14 Charisma (Performance) check as you
6 Raced to Death attempt to do a special finishing maneuver. If you fail this
7 Not the Goslings! check, you win the golden trophy belt, worth 25 gp. If you
8 Epic Tug of War succeed with a special finishing move, you gain a positive
Let’s Split reputation in town in addition to the belt.
9
10 Tumbling Dangers

Feats of Strength GM NOTE: FALSE FINISH?

The roadside or town center is overrun with carnival RUN IN? TAG TEAM?
games of chance and skill. Three games stand out: a There are plenty of tropes from professional
stall that sports a high striker, a 100-foot stretch of sand wrestling that you can incorporate into this skill
over which you must carry a large tree trunk and a place challenge. Maybe Gorg’s arch-rival runs in at the
where the ground is pockmarked from the impact of last minute and lays out any would-be challenger
medium sized stones. Each game costs 1 gp to enter, with for taking on Gorg out of turn. Or perhaps if
the chance to make your money back and then some if you have two or three worthy competitors, Gorg
you succeed. Whoever participates in the games must would offer to team up with one of them as part
make a DC 14 Strength (Athletics) check for each of the of a tag match. Eager for more chaos? Gorg could
games available with the following rewards based on the announce a “falls count anywhere” match and
number of successes achieved: choose to run off into the nearest town where the
brawl could unfold near pub tables or painters’
1 success = 5 gp ladders or the king’s throne.
2 successes = 10 gp
3 successes = 20 gp
Out of the Park 20 Strength (Athletics) check to split a log bare-handed.
The party comes across a sturdily built woman hitting A creature that fails this check can attempt a DC 15
small rocks with a large club, launching them into an Constitution saving throw. On a success, they can reroll
open field. She claims she can hit a rock farther than any the Strength (Athletics) check to split the log. After the
in the party and offers the prize of information if they success or failure of the reroll is determined, the person
win (and demands gloating rights if they lose). To win the who attempted gains one level of exhaustion.
contest, a participant must succeed at three consecutive
DC 15 Strength (Athletics) checks. If successful, add up Tumbling Dangers
the total of each check. If the number is higher than 50, As the party walks through a crowded marketplace,
not only does the participant win the contest, but they’ll they see a load of crates tipping off a wagon, threatening
gain access to Strength-based ranged attacks using the passersby. To stop the crates from falling requires two
“club and stone” technique (60/200, 1d4 bludgeoning). individuals to succeed on a DC 13 Strength (Athletics)
check. On a success, the merchant driving the vehicle
Raced to Death pays those who helped 25 gp and promises to mention
The party sees a local priest frantically begging for their good deeds to the merchant’s guild. On a failure,
someone to help him dig six graves before midnight. the party members who attempted to help, and 1d6
Bandits accosted a merchant train and killed the whole commoners, take 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage.
convoy, six people in all. The priest claims to have had a
vision of the dead rising if he does not get them interred Dexterity
before midnight. He offers 25 gp in compensation to Whether it’s the powerful control of acrobatic ability, the
each party member who assists. The party must succeed fine motor control required to lift a loose purse from a
at a total of six DC 14 group Strength (Athletics) checks yawning pocket or conceal things about your person or
before accumulating four failures to successfully dig the the patience needed to light from shadow to shadow, your
graves in the allotted amount of time. On a success, they Dexterity score plays a large part in determining your
are able to lay the dead to rest. If they fail, the six dead success.
bodies rise up as ghouls and attack. Either way, those
who participate get paid. Dexterity Skill Challenges
1d10
Not the Goslings! 1 Don’t Worry About a Little Nick
Near a storm drain or a manhole cover the party hears 2 Whack-a-Goblin
panicked honking. A clutch of goslings fell through Mix ’N’ Match
3
the cracks and are stuck in the drain. Freeing the birds
4 Yodel’s Shooting Gallery
requires two DC 18 Strength (Athletics) checks to pry the
drain cover up and move it. On a success, the goslings 5 Balance & Poise
are freed, however, all eight imprint on the most unlikely 6 The Prideful Will Fall
member of the party (at GM discretion) and begin to 7 Did You Hear the Ringing of the Bells?
follow that person everywhere they go. Other solutions to 8 No Take-Backsies
this sad situation are at GM discretion. Right Foot, Green Circle
9
10 It’s an Obstacle Course, Of Course
Epic Tug of War
The party is challenged to a match by seven brawny
farmers (all brothers save for the anchor, their mother) Don’t Worry About a Little Nick
who believe they can match the party’s strength. This The party is hailed by the operator of a dangerous game. A
group bets 50 gp. Each side is allowed four participants. man is strapped to a wooden wheel that begins to spin as
Each side will make contested group Strength (Athletics) the party approaches. The proprietor says for 3 sp anyone
checks (the farmers have a collective +4 to the check). can throw three knives at the spinning wooden wheel (AC
The first side to acquire three successes wins, pulling the 13). With a single success, the party wins 5 sp, for two
opposing team into a pool of dirty, muddy water set in the successes they win 1 gp and for three successes they earn a
middle of the field of play. set of fine quality throwing knives in addition to the gp. On
a failure, the man takes 1d4+Dex damage (he has 20 hit
Let’s Split points).
As the party passes a carpenter’s shop or logging yard,
they see a huge man ripping logs in two with his bare
hands. The man sees the party watching him and claims
none of them would be able to accomplish the feat (wager
at GM discretion). If any want to challenge him, each
participant gets one opportunity to make a successful DC

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 121

 Session Building

Whack-a-Goblin Balance & Poise

At a stand on the side of the road the party sees flashing In this popular pub game, participants are required to stand
lights over a box with nine equal-sized holes in the top. on one foot on a narrow post that stands 4 feet tall. A glass
The proprietor of the game beckons the party over and of fine whiskey is placed in each of the participant’s hands as
tells them that for 2 sp, they can play a game of Whack- well as on the top of their head. Participants must succeed at
a-Goblin and attempt to beat the day’s best score of 5 three DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks, one for each cup.
strikes. As the mechanical goblin heads (AC 15) pop out For each success, they are able to balance one of the glasses
of their respective holes, each participant has 6 rounds for the five-minute time period the challenge requires and
to strike as many as they can with a small mallet. If they get to drink the whiskey free of charge. Losers must
any of their attack rolls is a natural 1, the mallet breaks pool their resources to pay for each glass (1 gp per pour).
and the game ends. If the participant is able to beat the
daily record, they earn a 5 sp payout and a gold goblin The Prideful Will Fall
head medallion proclaiming them “Champion Goblin A braggart can be heard telling a whole tavern or square
Smasher.” This medallion attracts goblins to it. that no one can sneak up on him or catch him unawares.
He challenges anyone present in the area to try to prove
Mix ’N’ Match him wrong by sneaking up on him and stealing three
A leathery old man plays solitaire at a table, using cards different coins from separate places on his person. He
with unfamiliar symbols on them. As he sees the party, he even volunteers to be blindfolded. He offers a wager of 50
beckons them over. He says they can earn money if one of gp that no one can take the coins from his person without
them can shuffle the cards into a pattern he cannot guess his knowledge. If a member of the party participates in
(wager is at GM discretion). If one of the party agrees, this challenge, they must make a total of three sets of DC
he hands them four cards and tells them to shuffle. The 16 Dexterity (Stealth) and Dexterity (Sleight of Hand)
player must make a total of four DC 16 Dexterity (Sleight checks. Any failure will end the challenge. On a success,
of Hand) checks (one for each card) to shuffle effectively they earn their money and the respect of the braggart. At
as they deal the cards out onto the table. On a success, the GM discretion, he is the youngest son of a minor noble
old man loses and will teach the player a grip technique with access to information and powerful connections.
that will give them advantage on any Dexterity (Sleight of
Hand) checks involving cards in the future. Did You Hear the Ringing of the Bells?
In a large open space, the party sees a series of strange
Yodel’s Shooting Gallery arches, narrow passageways, sloped and twisting
A garrulous kobold by the name of Yodel operates an platforms and contorted openings all covered in silver
air-powered shooting gallery that clanks and groans as bells. They watch as several villagers try to make their
the little air tubes fire small pellets at metal targets set way through the obstacles without causing the bells to
on a wall. For a mere 2 cp, one can attempt to win one of ring. Should one or more of the party wish to play, they
his special prizes, giant stuffed bears, if they can beat the must pay 1 gp and make five DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics)
day’s high score. If one of the party agrees to participate or Dexterity (Stealth) checks before acquiring two failures
they get five shots with the small air tube, which counts to win. Should they navigate the course successfully, they
as a simple ranged weapon, to beat the high score of 26 earn 5 gp and a commemorative coffee mug.
points. Yodel dramatically calls out a play-by-play of each
shot. The target values are as follows: No Take-Backsies
The party sees a large platform next to a multi-level
large goblin head, ac 9 = 1 point house. A crier on the platform challenges any in earshot
flying pegasus, ac 11 = 3 points to a test of cunning and skill. Their challenge: find the
wizard on fire, ac 13 = 5 points man in black hidden inside this house full of winding
shrouded assassin, ac 18 = 10 points hallways, flashing lights and confusing mirrors and take
a not quite invisible stalker, from him a small purse containing a single large peach
ac 22 = 15 points without him noticing. This feat requires:

If the participant is able to beat the day’s high score, 1: dc 12 wisdom (Survival) check to track
they will win a giant stuffed bear. Under the power of a the man.
detect magic spell, the bear will radiate transmutation 2: dc 14 dexterity (Stealth) check to approach
magic. If the party is able to identify the item, they will unnoticed.
learn that the stuffed bear can transform into a brown 3: dc 16 dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to
bear once per day. The bear rolls its own initiative and nab the purse.
obeys commands given it (requiring no action). However, 4: dc 14 dexterity (Stealth) check to get away
the party will not know Yodel can spy on them through without raising suspicion.
the bear’s senses anywhere on the material plane. 5: dc 12 wisdom (Perception) check to find
their way out again.
If a player is successful, the crier rewards them with 24 Under the Table or Above the Crowd
gp and some delicious peach cobbler. The man in black In the common room of a rowdy bar full of patrons from
would spy on the winner to learn their secrets. all walks of life, a stork-like lady claims she can consume
more strong drink than anyone else in town. Should
Right Foot, Green Circle any of the party members take up this challenge they’ll
A large carpet full of different-color shapes is spread out be shown to a table in the middle of the tavern, where
in front of a graceful elven woman. She says the prize for eight shot glasses are filled with amber liquid for each
victory in her little game is 10 gp, plus a special prize, and contestant. A participant must make eight Constitution
that it’s more fun with more players. Entry is 5 gp. The saving throws, one for each glass of strong liquor. The DC
woman calls out different colors, shapes and appendages for the first glass is a 10, however, the difficulty of the save
(“right hand blue triangle”) and each participant makes increases by one for every shot glass consumed. A failure
a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to follow her isn’t a loss, but a player who fails three times passes out.
command. On a failure, they’re out. On a success, they try Any player who finishes all eight shot glasses (final glass =
again, and the DC increases by 1. The process continues DC 17), their opponent will drunkenly provide them with
with the DC rising by 1 until only one player remains. If two pieces of useful information at GM discretion.
no player succeeds on the final DC, there is no winner.
The woman will pay the winner 10 gp and give them a Hold My Beer and Hold Your Breath
common magical item from a stock in her colorful wagon. The party finds a large tank of water set up in the middle
This item is cursed (pg. 184) because this woman is a of the city square. The owner, a large woman with a kindly
playful, and fickle, fey creature. face, challenges all travelers to see if they can hold their
breath for a full 5 minutes. It is 5 sp to try and she mentions
It’s an Obstacle Course, Of Course winners will gain 1 gp and a bottle of her magical elixir.
The party comes across an incredibly fit man doing push- A creature can hold their breath a number of minutes
ups and sit-ups near an obstacle course that includes equal to 1 + their Constitution modifier, after which they
jumps, swinging, climbing and agility obstacles. Wagers need to make a series of DC 15 Constitution saving throws
are at GM discretion. Participants must succeed on every round per initiative to stay under past their natural
four DC 14 Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks in a row. If the limit. On a failure, they come up for air. The magical elixir
participant wants to use Strength (Athletics), they can, is a dark blue bubbling liquid that is a potion of water
but the DC raises to 16. If a participant succeeds with 0 breathing.
failures, the man will bow his head to the superior athlete
and provide some information useful to their current It’s Fine, I Do This All the Time
endeavors. The party sees a group clustered around something on
the ground in the city square. They shout and cheer at
Constitution something shielded from view: a bed of coals, 30 feet long
Things that test your mettle, stamina and endurance and 5 feet wide, burning with a deep red glow. People are
are dealt with using your Constitution. There is no skill taking turns trying to walk across the coals barefooted.
associated with a character’s Constitution; instead, many Onlookers place bets on who they think will succeed and
of the things that will test your ability to resist poison, who will fail (at GM discretion). A man who appears to
disease or exhaustion will require a Constitution saving be running the event encourages the party to participate
throw. The challenges related to this ability score are by paying the 5 gp entry fee. To win, a participant must
designed to test a character’s physical limits. make it across the bed of coals by succeeding on a DC
12 Constitution saving throw (creatures resistant to fire
Constitution Skill Challenges damage make these checks at advantage). For every
1d10 success they move 10 feet. If they succeed by 5 or more
1 Under the Table or Above the Crowd they move 15 feet. On a failure, a participant only moves
2 Hold My Beer and Hold Your Breath 5 feet and takes 7 (2d6) fire damage. If any are able to
It’s Fine, I Do This All the Time complete the challenge they win a purse of 25 gp and a
3
silver medallion worth 19 gp in the shape of a flame that
4 Oh My, That Is Gross
proclaims them as an Expert Firewalker.
5 It’s a Marathon
6 Test Subjects Wanted!
7 Don’t Blink
8 No Sleep for the Wicked
9 Burrito Night
10 A Day of Beautification

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 123

 Session Building

Oh My, That Is Gross Don’t Blink

The local tavern has become something of a tourist trap A man with pale, almost glowing skin and a large bushy
due to a challenge in which participants can win free beard suddenly runs up to a random member of the
drinks for life if they can choke down five shot glasses party and screams, “Don’t blink!” before locking eyes
full of Hobart’s Horrible Hooch. This foul concoction is with them. It is very clear he has begun a staring contest
a mixture of curdled milk and eel slime. Over the bar is a and is intent on winning. To win, the PC must make
brass plaque set in cherrywood featuring the names of the three consecutive Constitution saving throws with the
only five people who have completed the challenge in the following DCs: DC 11, DC 13, DC 15. If the PC succeeds,
last century. For each glass, the participant must make a the man would offer them a congenial handshake. If the
DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they retch PC loses, the man would scamper off.
up the repulsive mixture, gain the poisoned condition
for the next 11 (2d12) hours and are unable to repeat the No Sleep for the Wicked
challenge for one year. On a success, they win free drinks A cleric from a local clinic approaches the party. He is
for life at the tavern and their name is engraved on the conducting a study on sleep disorders and nightmares.
plaque in a modest ceremony. He offers 100 gp to anyone that can stay awake for 48
hours. He offers an additional 200 gp if any can last
It’s a Marathon for a full 72 hours. At each of the following intervals,
As part of a festival or carnival, the town the party is in the participant must make a specific Constitution save:
holds an annual race. The winner earns a purse (100 gp),
free drinks at the town’s tavern and local celebrity status. 24 hours: DC 12
The race is 10 laps around the town’s perimeter (about 30 hours: DC 13
28 miles). Most years, only a handful of participants 36 hours: DC 14
actually complete all 10 laps. If the party wishes to 42 hours: DC 16
participate, they must make a Constitution saving throw 48 hours: DC 18
as they complete each lap. The DC for the save starts at 72 hours: DC 20
10 and increases by 1 for each lap completed after the
first (final lap is DC 19). On a failed save, the next lap’s If they are successful, they earn the money and gain a
DC will increase by 2 instead of 1. If a participant fails friendly contact at the main temple in town.
three saving throws, they pass out and are medically
disqualified. Over the course of the race, a participant can Burrito Night
turn a failed saving throw into a success if they make a The evening meal at the local tavern happens to be
DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check or by choosing to gain a Benrick Leadbelly’s Fabulous MegaBurritos. The tavern
level of exhaustion (max: 5) after they finish the race. has a challenge that anyone who can finish the whole
burrito, which is laced with spicy pepper dust, gets free
Test Subjects Wanted! drinks for the next two months. Anyone that participates
The party sees a wizard, clearly frazzled, imploring must immediately make a DC 17 Constitution saving
people to act as test subjects for his four experimental throw or be too overwhelmed by the spice to continue.
elixirs. Should the party volunteer to help this man, he Additionally, whoever eats the food must make two
will not allow a single person to try more than one of the successful DC 13 Constitution saving throws or wake
effervescent liquids. Each person who tries a potion must up the next morning in horrible gastric distress. This
make a successful DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On manifests as them gaining the poisoned condition for the
a failure, they turn slightly green and gain the poisoned next 24 hours.
condition for 5 (1d10) hours. If a character fails by 5
or more, they must roll on the Wild Magic table on pg. A Day of Beautification
176, acting as the epicenter for the generated effect. On Somehow, the party allowed a bard they know to talk
a success, the wizard watches them for quite awhile, them into a spa day which includes waxing, nose hair
stating that they need to be observed. After half an hour, trimming and deep tissue massage. Each character who
he becomes resigned to the fact that nothing happens participates must make a DC 15 Constitution saving
with those who succeeded. Success or failure, the wizard throw to withstand the day’s treatments. On a success,
makes good on his offer of 25 gp per tester. At GM they benefit from a +3 bonus to all Dexterity- and
discretion, these potions could allow a creature to cast a Charisma-based checks for the next 1d4 days. On a
spell of 1d6 level, but only when they’re asleep. failure, they take a -1 penalty for the same time period.
Intelligence can attempt a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check. On a
Rolls related to this ability score affect your character’s success, they would connect these images to the legend of
success when trying to draw logical conclusions, remember the lost hoard of Hillgasher the Grey, a silver dragon who
passages from esoteric tomes and interpret clues. was slain in another age and whose lair was never found.
It appears the painting depicts the lair’s location.
Intelligence Skill Challenges
False Charms and Snake Oils
1d10
A disheveled but well-spoken man claims the items
1 Green Thumb or Black Thumb?
for sale on his makeshift table are all powerful
2 Follow the Clues religious charms and protective relics, selling them for
3 False Charms and Snake Oils upwards of 20 gp each. He’s gathered quite a crowd
4 A Helping Hand and a Sharp Eye of potential buyers, most of whom can barely afford
5 Chess With the Best to feed themselves but who are lured by the prospect
Becoming an Unexpected Authenticator of divine influence in their lives. Two successful DC 15
6
Intelligence (Religion) checks would reveal most of the
7 Secrets in Plain Sight
charms being sold are fakes, but that one is the real
8 A Chance Find deal, a charm as outlined on the table on pg. 186. If a
9 Popping the Windbag member of the party works to bust up this salesman’s
10 That’s Not Yours scheme, at the end of their next long rest they will
wake to find they are wearing a ring of protection.
Green Thumb or Black Thumb?
A soft-spoken gnomish druid, her blonde hair peppered A Helping Hand and a Sharp Eye
with twigs, has set up an interactive challenge in order to A brassy noblewoman is haggling with a merchant,
educate the locals on how to grow and forage plants (as claiming she does not believe the item the merchant is
well as stay alive by avoiding the deadly ones). On a table trying to sell her—a blue crystal globe in an intricate golden
by her cart are five potted plants. Three are dying. The stand carved with runes—is the magical item she hired
other two are vibrantly colored and healthy, but one of him to procure. The merchant, when he can get a word in,
those is extremely poisonous. She offers a prize to anyone disagrees. The party can attempt to resolve this dispute by
who can determine what’s wrong with the sick plants, making a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check on the item.
as well as properly identify the poisonous plant of the On a success, they are able to suss out that the runes on
bunch. The party must succeed at five DC 13 Intelligence the item are non-functional and this item is not magical.
(Nature) checks before acquiring three failures to reveal Should the party attempt to cast detect magic, the merchant
that the first dying plant has had salt added to the soil, will make a scene and call for the city guard, claiming
the second has been watered too much and the third has the party tried to cast a spell on him. If they are able to
an infestation of aphids. They also learn that the two determine the item is fake, a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion)
vibrant plants are False Oleander (which has positive check will convince the noblewoman she should not buy
properties) and True Oleander, which is highly toxic to the item. She demands her money back from the merchant
humanoids. If the party succeeds, the druid claps her and pays the party 25 gp for their trouble. She also becomes
hands and gives them a potion of healing and four doses a trusted contact for the party while they are in town. On a
of a tonic brewed with False Oleander that gives anyone failed check, the noblewoman buys the item and no one’s
who drinks it 2d4 + 4 temporary hit points. the wiser. A successful DC 22 Wisdom (Insight) check
would also reveal the merchant’s underhanded intentions.
Follow the Clues
The party sees a heavyset half-elven woman standing next Chess with the Best
to a large picture frame hidden by a cloth of shimmering The party observes a dragonborn mage playing chess
yellow fabric and a sign that says “Like Secrets? Find for sizable sums of money. He requires his opponents
Them for 5 silver, Make 5 gold.” If any members of the to pay 15 gp to play but promises to double their money
party agree to play for 5 sp, she throws back the fabric if they can win. Should a member of the party decide
revealing a stunning fantasy landscape of snow-capped to play, they must succeed on five DC 14 Intelligence
mountains, dominated by a shining silver dragon. (Investigation) or Intelligence (Dragonchess Set) checks
There are hidden images inside the painting that they before accumulating two failures. While the game is
can find by making three successful DC 13 Intelligence occurring, a passive Wisdom (Insight) of 18 or better
(Investigation) checks before accumulating the same or a DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals a
amount of failures. The hidden images are a skull halfling woman at a corner table using divination magic
wearing a crown, a cube with an eyeball inside of it and and the message cantrip to help the mage win. The mage
a dog wielding a sword in its mouth. If any of the checks and halfling are connected to the local Thieves’ Guild and
to see these secrets are above DC 20, that individual could prove to be a useful asset for the party if a bit of
frustration over a game of chess doesn’t come to blows.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 125

 Session Building

Becoming an Unexpected Authenticator That’s Not Yours

A merchant is unloading a large crated painting from While at a party or in a tavern, a woman in a fine dress
a wagon to show the buyer, a long-bearded sage with with a blonde beehive exclaims her diamond earrings
expensive taste. The sage waves his arms in a panic, are missing. Catching the thief requires three successful
claiming the 500 gp painting, depicting a predominant DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) checks before
god of the pantheon surrounded by winged angels, accumulating two failures. The first success reveals pipe
is a forgery. If the party is able to succeed at three tobacco on the floor around the woman. The second
successful DC 15 Intelligence (History, Investigation or shows her makeup is smudged. The third success reveals
Religion) checks (or any combination of the three at GM a glint of light inside a handsome man’s sleeve. If they
discretion), they will determine the painting is, in fact, confront the man, they will find he is smoking a pipe and
genuine. If the party helps ensure the sale, the merchant has makeup smudges on his fingers. He is an off-duty
will pay the party 50 gp. Both men would offer aid to the member of the city guard who steals to learn more about
party in the future, at GM discretion. the way thieves think. Once discovered, he surrenders
peacefully. The woman pays the party 25 gp for the return
Secrets in Plain Sight of her property but chooses not to press charges. She buys
While walking through the city streets or by a large ruin, this charming thief a drink instead.
the party will see numerous ravens circling the area. A
DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) check will reveal there Wisdom
are small ravens carved into the stone leading to an open This stat measures your connection to the world around
archway. A DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check reminds you. Those with high Wisdom scores don’t miss much
the party that ravens are secret-keepers in many arcane and are adept at interpreting what they see and feel, as
traditions. Inspecting the archway, a DC 16 Intelligence well as how to apply what they know in the moment.
(Investigation) check will reveal the phrase “Think only
of finding the secret places” carved in small runes into Wisdom Skill Challenges
the stone of the opening. A PC who thinks of nothing but 1d10
gaining access to a secret, made possible by a straight DC 1 This One or That One?
12 Intelligence check, will walk through the arch and find 2 High Stakes, Great Rewards
a serene but dusty sitting room. On a small table, there
3 Polly Wants an Affirming Word
is a small unlocked chest containing a large bloodstone
(worth 65 gp). On a well-worn chaise lounge is an ancient- 4 You Shouldn’t Have Eaten That
looking book, open and facedown as if someone set it aside 5 Small and Shifty
to finish reading it later. The contents can be revealed by 6 Man’s Best Friend
rolling on the Ancient Grimoire table on pg. 206. 7 Just a Simple Scavenger Hunt
8 Which Way Did They Go?
A Chance Find Ace Up His Sleeve
9
A bit of rolled up parchment, possibly left behind by
a merchant cart, catches your eye. It appears to be the 10 It’s in the Special
schematic of a massive stone keep. A successful DC 14
Intelligence (History) check reveals it as similar in build This One or That One?
to a ruined stronghold near town, destroyed about a The party sees a veiled woman running a shell game.
century ago. A DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check of Participants pay a single gold coin to play. If they win, they
the layout depicted reveals the keep featured a basement double their money. If they lose, she keeps the coin. The
connected to a series of nearby caves, which could lead to coin is hidden under one shell as she shifts three shells
any number of adventures, at GM discretion. around the table. A player must succeed at three DC 15
Wisdom (Perception) checks before accumulating the
Popping the Windbag same number of failures. A DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check
While in a tavern or the city square, the party overhears reveals this woman is hiding a secret: When she loses, she
an incredibly pompous man, dressed in finery and a uses sleight of hand to give the “winners” a copper coin
ridiculous wig, waxing on about his family’s role in some painted gold instead of the coin they spent to play.
of the realm’s most memorable historical moments. The
assembled crowd is hanging on his every word. If any High Stakes, Great Rewards
in the party doubt the accuracy of his claims, they can The party is invited to an exclusive high stakes poker
roll Intelligence (History) checks against the windbag’s game. The buy-in for the game, which is run in a
Charisma (Deception) skill—in which he has a +4 shadowy, smoke-filled room behind the local tavern,
bonus—to correct his errors as needed. If he is outed as a is 150 gp. Each participant in the game must make a
liar, the party will gain the respect of the gathered crowd, total of four DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) checks before
as well as the ire of a powerful man about town. accumulating three failures (any ties can be resolved
by doing a contested Insight check). The first player to Man’s Best Friend
accumulate the required successes wins and collects a The party comes across a large but very skittish dog that
450 gp payout. Those who fail lose all of their money and appears to be starving. The dog is nervous to approach
gain a reputation for being easily duped. anyone and snarls at any who get close. Should the party
succeed at three DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling)
Polly Wants an Affirming Word checks before acquiring the same amount of failures,
The party sees a strange man wandering through the the dog will warm to them and begin to follow them
town square, trying in earnest to get others’ attention. everywhere. If any of the checks made exceed a DC
He is a rather eccentric individual, dressed like a colorful 20, the dog will lead them down to a basement in an
pirate and wearing an eyepatch that covers what might be abandoned building where they will find the remains of
a third eye (or simply a portion of his forehead). He tells a camp and small locked chest. The chest can be opened
the party he will share information about the town with with a DC 18 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. Inside the
them, but he cannot trust anyone his parrot, Susanna, party finds 45 gp, 98 sp and 104 cp.
finds suspicious. A DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check will
reveal that the man believes he does have interesting Just a Simple Scavenger Hunt
information that he is willing to share. The party must The party starts to see flyers posted advertising a city-
succeed at two DC 13 Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks wide scavenger hunt. The organizers of the hunt are
before failing twice to gain Susanna’s trust and, with it, unknown, adding to the intrigue. The hunt begins at
her master’s aid. If they are able to succeed, the man will midnight and those who successfully locate a silver-
tell them a rumor generated by a roll on the Rumors on plated goblet engraved with a rearing manticore, a small
the Street table on pg. 219. stone circle carved with the face of a toothy, grinning
goblin, a length of redwood that is 4 feet long and
You Shouldn’t Have Eaten That topped with a purple crystal, an adamantine necklace
A man collapses nearby and starts to convulse on the with a star-shaped pendant and a red quartz carving of
ground. White froth, tinged with light blue streaks, forms a roaring dragon and return with them to the main city
at his mouth and nose. A DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) square will earn a reward “beyond your wildest dreams.”
check will reveal that he has been poisoned by griffon The party must succeed at five DC 14 Wisdom (Survival,
berries, a small, bright blue berry that grows in cool Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) checks before
shady places. A successful DC 13 Intelligence (Nature) or acquiring three failures to locate all the items before
Wisdom (Medicine) check reveals a remedy can be made their competition. Once they have acquired the items
by crushing its leaves in some water. As part of this check, and returned to the main city square, they are met by a
the party will see a griffon berry bush in an alley or ditch large crowd eagerly awaiting the end of the scavenger
nearby. If the party is able to save the man, they will gain a hunt. A mysterious figure wearing shimmering blue robes
useful contact inside the hierarchy of a powerful guild (pg. with a deep cowl that hides their face enters the square,
62 or at GM discretion), and the man will reward them 25 dramatically hushing the crowd before drawing their
gp for saving his life. If the party is unable to help, this man attention to the party. This figure congratulates them
will fully succumb to the poison in 24 hours. on their ingenuity and pays them 25 gold pieces before
throwing his cowl back with a flourish, revealing he is the
Small and Shifty owner of the local tavern who just wanted to generate a
A child, perhaps 10 to 12 years old, stands on a street buzz about his new location just off the square. He yells
corner singing beautifully and begging for change. At his out to the crowd that drinks are half-price for the next
feet is a burlap sack, held together by mere threads, in hour and the crowd rushes that direction.
which he collects donations. A DC 15 Wisdom (Insight)
check will reveal that the child is trying to lull people into Which Way Did They Go?
a false sense of security. A DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) The party sees a number of children playing hide and
check reveals the child is pickpocketing those who drop seek around the large town square’s well. One of the
coin into his bag. A DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check children, a very young girl, asks the party to be the
allows the party to recruit the street urchin as an asset. seekers so she can hide with the other six children. If they
For a few coins a month, the child will pass the party intel, agree and the party can succeed at six Wisdom (Survival)
carry messages and guide them through secret shortcuts in checks before accumulating four failures, they will find
the city. A successful DC 18 Charisma (Intimidation) check all of the children. As a reward for being good sports, the
scares the child onto the straight and narrow. young girl will give the party a small item she found in an
alley. Roll on the Common Magic Items table on pg. 189
to determine what they have received. If the party fails,
the children relentlessly tease them for being old and
slow before scampering off to make more mischief.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 127

 Session Building

Ace Up His Sleeve Tales of Yore

A man running a 1 gp per round game of three-card monte A storytelling contest takes place as part of a festival
claims it’s the easiest way to make 10 gp. This is false: The or city celebration. The person who can spin the best
man is a cheat, and his skills at sleight of hand are such that rendition of a local myth or legend will take home the
no amount of tracking his movements will help choose the bragging rights for the upcoming year. Any participant
winning card. A DC 19 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals who can make four successful DC 14 Charisma
the man is using sleight of hand, and that the Queen he’s (Performance) checks before accumulating three
tasked players with finding always ends up in his sleeves. failures wins. Prior to the contest beginning, a successful
If a PC attempts to out this man as a cheat, they will hear DC 19 Intelligence (History) check will allow the
a voice in their mind: “Not here, not now. I see you’ve seen participant to roll the Charisma (Performance) checks
me. We can discuss what else you might see later tonight.” with advantage. The winner will earn the title of Best
He then offers directions to the thieves’ guild hall using Yoreman /woman and a purse containing 45 gp.
thieves’ cant. He’ll offer them a job, at GM discretion, or
from the Side Quest table on pg. 116. An Inconsolable Wretch
An inconsolable, incomprehensible and sobbing man
It’s in the Special falls at the party’s feet. Three successful DC 16 Charisma
Patrons of a local tavern claim to have been stricken ill (Persuasion) checks before accumulating two failures
after eating there. Two successful DC 13 Intelligence helps the party calm this man, who provides details of
(Nature) or Wisdom (Nature) checks will allow the party a horrible event (an attack on an outlying village or a
to deduce the stew must contain some kind of poison. natural disaster in a nearby settlement) or the hook for a
The chef would openly reveal he included jimson weed Rescue mission from the table on pg. 117.
blossoms, a toxic ingredient, in the stew because he
liked the flavor and the aroma. A final DC 14 Wisdom Must Not Laugh
(Medicine) or Wisdom (Herbalism Kit) check will allow The party hears blasts of laughter and groans of
the party to devise a tonic to cure the patrons afflicted. disappointment nearby. Approaching the source, they
A DC 17 Wisdom (Insight) check of the chef ’s admission find several individuals participating in a game where
would reveal something in his story doesn’t add up. If contestants tell each other terrible jokes to try to get their
pressed or convincingly threatened, the chef would reveal opponent to laugh. Newcomers ante 5 sp. Participants
he was hoping to poison a specific patron, a wealthy must make a total of three DC 14 Charisma (Deception
landowner, in hopes of wooing his widow. or Performance) checks before acquiring three failures.
Winner earns 1 gp and a round of drinks from the person
Charisma running the game (who is also a fiend).
This ability score determines how suave and debonair
you are. Characters with a high Charisma are confident, The Performance of a Lifetime
eloquent and disarmingly charming. They have a way The party sees a crowd gathering around a stage in an
with people and, through one method or another, they open area. A large half-ogre, sweating and in a panic,
can get them to believe whatever they say. The following approaches hurriedly and asks if there are any performers
challenges are designed to showcase the skill associated in the party, as his actors were arrested the night before
with this ability score. after a drunken brawl at the local tavern. His patron,
a wealthy noble, is supposed to be in attendance at the
Charisma Skill Challenges performance. This director will offer the party 100 gp if
1d10 three of their number will assist him by joining the cast.
1 Tales of Yore If they consent, he will tell the party that his company is
An Inconsolable Wretch performing a rendition of The Comic Tragedy of Murlock
2
and Gork, detailing the adventures of a halfling and a
3 Must Not Laugh
hill giant who roam the countryside looking for their cat
4 The Performance of a Lifetime Beans (a favorite in towns and villages during festival
5 Winning Over the Locals time). He tells the party to do their very best in their
6 He’s Lost It! portrayal of the beloved and well-known characters (and
7 Chicken Dance yes, someone should play Beans). Participants must
A Soothing Lament succeed on three DC 15 Charisma (Performance) checks
8
before accumulating the same number of failures. Pass or
9 A Tantrum for the Ages
fail, the director will pay them the promised gold. If any of
10 A Little Green Lie the Charisma (Performance) checks are 19 or higher, the
noble in attendance, a woman of great import, will notice
the party and inquire about them at GM discretion.
Winning Over the Locals A Soothing Lament
In any city, the party has the opportunity to make A musician, visibly intoxicated, is performing before
friends, secure better deals on goods and services or get a gathered crowd when he suddenly starts to vomit
access to the items that are not normally sold to just any violently before crumpling to the ground unconscious.
old customer. But when they arrive in this town, their The crowd starts to get rowdy and several fights break
reception is a little less than stellar and they must grease out. Guards nearby are looking to put a violent end to the
the social wheels to make their stay more comfortable. affair, but their captain suggests if someone could take
The party must succeed at a total of six DC 14 Charisma the stage and play a ballad of love and lament it might
(Persuasion or Performance) checks before acquiring soothe the unruly crowd. If a member of the party is able
a total of four failures to win the local population over. to make three successful DC 16 Charisma (Performance)
Should they succeed, grant them one of the following checks before acquiring two failures, they captivate the
boons or more, at GM discretion) while they’re in town. crowd. If they are successful, the crowd begs for more and
the party ends up making 10 gp, 20 sp and 35 cp over the
• A 10 percent discount on all merchandise, from course of the evening. The captain of the guard would
drinks at the inn to equipment and magic items. make note of how good the performance was and, at
• Helpful rumors, determined by three rolls on the GM discretion, extend an offer for the party to play for a
Rumors on the Street table on pg. 219. member of the royal family/town leadership.
• Access to the best food and liquor in the local
tavern, as well as items that might be found off the A Tantrum for the Ages
menu, determined by rolling on the Special Items The party is walking by a large carriage from which
Not Displayed for Sale table on pg. 210. horrible angry wails emanate. Standing next to the
carriage is a very pregnant noblewoman who is pleading
He’s Lost it! with the occupant of the carriage to “please come
In a bar, inn or shop, an old man starts swinging his out.” Her pleas are met with naught but high-pitched
small fists around and talking to himself, seeing things screeching and tiny wails of “NO!!!! I hate you!!!” If the
that are clearly not there. If the party wants to intervene, party gets involved, the woman would reveal her child, a
they must succeed on three DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) boy of 5, has jammed himself in the back window of the
checks before accumulating the same amount of failures. carriage and refuses to come out. The party must make
If they are successful, they are able to calm the man three successful DC 15 Charisma checks (any skill) before
down without incident. The owner of the establishment accumulating two failures to lure the child out of the
provides the party with a round of free drinks and carriage. On a success, the woman will give them 25 gp
contacts the man’s family to come and get him. If the and pay for rooms for the party for one night at the town’s
party fails to temper this man, he will shift, transforming nicest inn.
into a suddenly sexy incubus.
A Little Green Lie
Chicken Dance The party spots a man who appears very unsteady on
The party encounters a man dressed as a giant his feet, wobbling and bending at strange places that
chicken squawking and doing what is best described definitely aren’t normal. Getting closer, they realize the
as “the chicken dance” in the middle of a courtyard. man is actually a goblin on makeshift stilts. If pressed,
He approaches the party and continues his antics, the goblin would explain he got very drunk and very lost
unresponsive to any normal conversation. He’s been and woke up within the city limits. He simply wants to
cursed to do this dance in perpetuity. The curse will get home, but slipping past the nearby guard house will
be removed if he performs this dance with a partner. take some sweet talking. If the party elects to intervene,
A DC 16 Charisma (Performance) check to mirror his three successful DC 15 Charisma (any skill) checks before
movement and perform the dance would allow him the accumulating three failures will help get this goblin past
ability to speak again, at which point he would profusely the guards, for which he’d reward the party with a flask
thank the party before offering to sell them his costume, full of a thick, pungent elixir of his own design (a roll on
which functions as +1 studded leather armor, for 20 gp. the Beneficial Potions and Elixirs table on pg. 158). If the
party fails, the goblin would scamper off in terror and
hope to make it to the tree line.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 129

 Session Building

Environmental Hazards Arctic Environmental Hazards

1d20
Fantasy realms are full of dangerous hazards that The ice below your feet breaks. Each creature must
have nothing to do with the killer bandits, strange make a successful DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or
monstrosities or cruel ancient dragons that inhabit fall into the frigid water. Anyone who falls in must
1
them. Environmental hazards—some arcane in nature, make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 15
and others merely natural—can be just as deadly as the (3d8) cold damage each round they are in the water.
creatures and cutthroats your party must overcome. A ferocious blizzard begins to rage and lasts for 1d4
There are some features and deadly hazards that hours. The area becomes lightly obscured. Every 10
will cross a variety of environmental boundary lines. 2 minutes a creature is exposed, it must make a DC 13
Sinkholes, quicksand and violent storms can occur in Constitution saving throw or suffer 7 (3d4) slashing
mountain ranges, coastal cliff lines and fetid swamps. damage and 9 (2d8) cold damage.
Extreme heat and extreme cold can be life-threatening Strong arctic winds assail you for the next 1d4
whether they are in deep jungles, desert dunes, northern hours. Flying creatures must land or fall. Ranged
forests or arctic tundras. weapons attack with disadvantage. For every 10
These hazards can also be used to increase the difficulty 3 minutes a creature is exposed, it must make a DC
of an upcoming fight in a way that neither you nor the 12 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (3d6) cold
party expected. A fight with a handful of bandits becomes damage and 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage.
a lot more harrowing if a volcano is erupting nearby. A Avalanche. Each creature must make a DC 14
white dragon is a bit more formidable when it has home Strength saving throw. On a failure, that creature
avalanche advantage. A shark attack is one thing. A shark takes 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage and becomes
attack interrupted by a waterspout is another. 4 buried, blinded and restrained (escape DC 15). For
To select a random environmental hazard, have one of every five minutes it is buried a creature takes 7
your players roll a d20 and then consult the appropriate (2d6) cold damage and a level of exhaustion.
hazard table and let their roll determine their fate. The temperatures drop to deadly extremes for the
next 3 (1d6) hours. For every hour a creature is
5 exposed to these frigid temperatures, it must make
GM NOTE: DIFFICULTY AND DAMAGE a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of
A lot of the difficulty checks and damage from exhaustion.
these hazards do not take party level into Exposed skin begins to turn waxy and numb
account. A violent arctic storm could be just as with frostbite. Each creature must make a DC 15
deadly for high-level characters as it is for those 6 Constitution saving throw every 10 minutes or take
in the first tier of play if neither is prepared. 13 (3d8) cold damage. This effect lasts until they are
Mother nature does not have a challenge rating able to spend a full eight hours in a warm area.
and is unforgiving in her power and majesty. Wispy frozen mist swirls around you in a cylinder
That said, it’s not necessarily fun for a player with a 20-foot radius. Each creature in the area must
to die because of an avalanche they had no way make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. An affected
7
of predicting (sort of like real life?) so feel free creature takes 16 (3d10) cold damage on a failed
to change the difficulty of the save DCs and save or half as much on a success. Additionally, the
the damage dealt by the hazards to reflect your area is considered heavily obscured.
For the next 3 (1d6) rounds, an earthquake rattles
party’s power level.
the area. Every round, each creature in the area
must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or take 7
8 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
On a successful save, a creature takes half damage
and is not knocked prone.
Heavy snow, mist and wind completely block out
your surroundings. For the next 2 (1d4) hours, the
9
surrounding 2 (1d4) miles suffer a whiteout. The area
is heavily obscured and counts as difficult terrain.
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest
10 in your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on
pg. 145.
 A sheet of slick ice expands ahead. A 100-foot area A storm of mixed precipitation covers the area for
of slippery conditions blocks your path. The area the next 20 (1d10 x 4) minutes. For every minute
11 counts as difficult terrain and for every 15 feet you of exposure, you must make a DC 12 Constitution
16
move you must make a DC 11 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or take 5 (1d10) cold damage and become
check or fall prone. restrained (escape DC 13). While restrained a
Hypothermia is a real hazard in arctic creature takes 5 (1d10) cold damage each round.
environments. Each creature must make a DC 14 The ice and snow you stand on moves and shifts
Constitution saving throw or become lethargic and in unpredictable ways. Make a DC 13 Wisdom
12 17
uncoordinated, gaining the poisoned condition (Perception) check. On a failure, your party travels 2
until warm. Fail by 5 or more and you take 13 (2d12) (1d4) miles in a random direction before noticing.
cold damage. On a 1, you also fall unconscious. Dazzling displays of lightning flash around you.
The sun shining on the pure white snow affects your For the next 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes, roll a d10 every
sight. For the next 3 (1d6) hours, or until the sun minute. On a 6-8, lightning strikes nearby causing
sets, all vision-based Wisdom (Perception) checks 18 7 (2d6) lightning damage to the party. On an 8 or
13 are made at disadvantage. At the beginning of every above, a random player takes 16 (3d10) lightning
hour, you must make a DC 11 Constitution saving damage unless they can succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity
throw or be blinded for the next hour. saving throw. On a success, they take half damage.
You are suddenly pummeled by heavy gusts of A swirling vortex of freezing air covers a 30-foot
arctic wind. You must make a DC 13 Strength saving area. Each creature in the area takes 11 (3d6) cold
14 throw. On a failure, you are knocked prone, pushed and 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage and is thrown 20
15 feet backward and take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning 19 feet in a random direction and knocked prone. A
damage and 7 (2d6) cold damage. successful DC 13 Strength saving throw halves the
With a terrible cracking noise, the ice below your damage and the creature isn’t thrown.
feet splits into a wide chasm. Make a DC 13 Dexterity Large chunks of hail pummel the ground and the
15 saving throw or fall 60 (1d12 x 10) feet, taking falling party. Every minute for the next 10 (1d4 x 5) minutes,
20
damage as normal. anyone exposed will take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning
damage unless they find shelter.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 131

 Session Building

Coastal Environmental Hazards A swirling vortex of water and air covers a 20-foot
1d20 radius. Each creature in the area takes 7 (2d6)
A hurricane slams into the coast. Make a DC 16 slashing and 13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage and is
11
Strength saving throw or take 13 (3d8) bludgeoning thrown 20 feet in a random direction and knocked
damage from flying debris and be thrown 30 feet prone. A successful DC 13 Strength saving throw
1 halves the damage and the creature isn’t thrown.
in a random direction. If you collide with an object,
you take an additional 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage A tsunami 200 feet long, 20 feet wide and 50 feet
for every 10 feet you moved. tall crashes into the coast. Any creature in the area
A flash flood sweeps into the area. You must must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take
12
make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be swept 22 (4d10) bludgeoning damage and be knocked
2 underwater 40 (1d8 x 10) feet and bashed against prone. Fail by 5 or more and you are also knocked
the landscape, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage unconscious.
per 10 feet moved. Dazzling displays of lightning flash around you.
The temperatures drop or climb to deadly extremes For the next 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes roll 1d10 every
as appropriate. For every hour that a creature is minute. On a 6-8, lightning strikes nearby causing
3 exposed to these temperatures, it must make a 13 7 (2d6) lightning damage to the party. On an 8 or
DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of above, a random player takes 16 (3d10) lightning
exhaustion. damage or half damage with a successful DC 14
A strong storm thrashes the area for 2 (1d4) hours. Dexterity saving throw.
Flying is impossible. Traveling on foot is very Heavy rain blankets the area for 3 (1d6) hours. The
difficult and counts as arduous terrain. For every area is lightly obscured for all types of Wisdom
4 hour traveled in this type of storm, you must make (Perception) checks. Travel in this kind of weather
14 is demanding. For every hour you travel in these
a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1 level of
exhaustion. conditions, you must make a DC 13 Constitution
A random creature falls into quicksand, sinks 2 saving throw or take 7 (3d4) psychic damage.
(1d4) feet and is restrained. At the start of each A random creature falls into a bubbling tar pit and
5 turn, it sinks 2 (1d4) feet. At the end of its turn, it sinks 2 (1d4) feet, takes 5 (1d10) fire damage and is
can attempt a DC 14 Strength check to escape. A restrained. At the start of each turn, it sinks 2 (1d4)
15
creature completely covered begins to suffocate. feet and takes 5 (1d10) fire damage. Using its action,
An area 200 (1d4 x 100) feet in diameter is covered it can attempt a DC 14 Strength check to escape. A
with a bright green toxic algae bloom. Make a DC 14 creature completely covered begins to suffocate.
Constitution saving throw for every 60 feet moved The party enters an area 400 (1d8 x 100) feet in
6 diameter of thick, viscous mud. Upon entering
through the area or take 13 (3d8) poison damage.
Fail by 5 or more and also gain the poisoned the area and after every 60 feet of movement, a
16
condition for 4 (1d8) hours. creature in the area must make a DC 12 Strength
The ground around you suddenly collapses. You saving throw. On a failure, every 1 foot of movement
fall 30 (1d6 x 10) feet and take falling damage as counts as 4 feet.
normal. When you hit the bottom, debris from You are exposed to a dangerous disease from a
7 17 rogue wild animal, insects or contaminated water.
above falls on you and you take an additional 11
(3d6) bludgeoning damage. A successful DC 13 Roll on the Diseases table on pg. 143.
Dexterity saving throw halves all the damage taken. Strong winds assail you for the next 2 (1d4)
A dense fog blankets the area 500 (1d10 x 100) feet hours. Flying creatures must land or fall. Ranged
in diameter. The area is heavily obscured and all weapons attack with disadvantage. For every 10
18
8 hearing-based Wisdom (Perception) checks are minutes a creature is exposed, it must make a
made with disadvantage. A light source will allow a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8)
creature to see to a maximum of 10 feet of dim light. bludgeoning damage.
Mud and rocks crash into the area. Each creature Powerful storms out to sea have agitated the
must make a DC 13 Strength saving throw. On a coastal tides. Powerful waves surge over the coast
failure, that creature takes 11 (2d10) bludgeoning 200 feet long and 100 feet wide. Anyone caught in
9 19
damage and is knocked prone. Fail by 5 or more and the area must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw
you become buried, blinded, restrained (escape DC or be pulled out to sea. Fail by 5 or more and you
12) and begin to suffocate. are pulled underwater and begin to drown.
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the Very specific conditions cause incredibly rare ball
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest lightning to strike the ground, exploding out in a
10 20 20-foot radius. Anyone in the area must make a DC
in your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on
pg. 145. 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 22 (4d10) lightning
damage.
Desert Environmental Hazards A swirling vortex of thrashing sand covers a 30-foot
1d20 radius. Each creature in the area takes 11 (3d6)
A random creature falls into quicksand, sinks 2 slashing damage and 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage
(1d4) feet and is restrained. At the start of each 12 and is thrown 20 feet in a random direction and
1 turn, it sinks 2 (1d4) feet. At the end of its turn, it knocked prone. A successful DC 13 Strength saving
can attempt a DC 14 Strength check to escape. A throw halves the damage and the creature isn’t
creature completely covered begins to suffocate. thrown.
The party is dehydrated. Each creature must make Heavy rain blankets the area for 3 (1d6) hours.
a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) The area is lightly obscured. This sudden influx of
2 fire damage and gain the poisoned condition until water causes a landslide that crashes into the party.
13
they drink water. On a natural 1, they also gain the Each creature must make a DC 12 Strength saving
stunned condition. throw or take 13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage and be
High winds push curtains of stinging sand in front knocked prone.
Heatstroke in the desert is deadly. Each creature
of you for 20 (1d4 x 10) minutes. Visibility is reduced
must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or
to 20 feet ahead and that area is lightly obscured.
3 become lethargic and uncoordinated, gaining the
Every creature that is exposed takes 5 (2d4) 14 poisoned condition until in a cool area. Fail by 5
slashing damage every minute. A successful DC 12
or more and you take 13 (2d12) fire damage. On a
Constitution saving throw halves the damage.
You suddenly come upon a yawning gap that opens natural 1, you also fall unconscious.
The sand you are traversing moves and shifts
into a wide chasm. Make a DC 13 Dexterity saving
4 in unpredictable ways. Make a DC 13 Wisdom
throw or fall 60 (1d12 x 60) feet, taking falling 15 (Perception) check. On a failure, your party travels
damage as normal.
Too much exposure to the sun has left your skin 2 (1d4) miles in a random direction before noticing.
A wall of pure searing heat stretches 200 feet long by
burnt and cracking. Make a DC 15 Constitution
20 feet wide by 20 feet high and is slightly visible as a
5 saving throw or take 9 (2d8) fire damage and gain
swirling haze. Passing through the wall requires a DC
the poisoned condition until you spend at least 16 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you take
eight hours out of the sun.
Low-hanging thunderheads rumble and crash all 22 (5d8) fire damage and there is a 45 percent chance
around you. A blast of sound rocks you and you you will suffer heatstroke, as described above.
6 The next 2 (1d4) miles is covered with closely
must make a DC 14 Constitution check or take 16
growing cacti with viciously sharp needles. For
(3d10) thunder damage and be knocked prone.
You see a great oasis ahead of you and believe every half an hour of travel in this area, you must
17
it will be an excellent source of food and water. make a DC 13 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a
The fact that it is a mirage that acts like the spell failure, you take 14 (4d6) piercing damage as you
7
hallucinatory terrain can be discerned with a DC 15 run into one of these dangerous plants.
The temperatures rise so high that one random
Intelligence (Investigation) check.
Strong winds assail you for the next 2 (1d4) character must make a DC 12 Constitution saving
hours. Flying creatures must land or fall. Ranged throw or spontaneously catch on fire. On a failure,
18
weapons attack with disadvantage. For every they will take 16 (3d10) fire damage. Should this
8 damage take a character to 0 hit points, they are
10 minutes a creature is exposed it must make a
DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8) burned to ash.
Dazzling displays of lightning flash around you.
bludgeoning damage.
For the next 1d6 rounds, an earthquake rattles the For the next 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes, roll 1d10 every
area. Every round, each creature in the area must minute. On a 6-8, lightning strikes nearby causing
make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or take 7 (2d6) 19 7 (2d6) lightning damage to the party. On an 8 or
9 above, a random player takes 16 (3d10) lightning
bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. On a
successful save, a creature takes half damage and is damage. A successful DC 14 Dexterity saving throw
not knocked prone. for half damage.
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the With a puff of sand, toxic gases surface, affecting a
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest in 20-foot radius. Every creature in the area must make
10 20 a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 13 (3d8)
your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on pg.
145. poison damage. If they fail by 5 or more, they gain
The temperatures climb to deadly extremes for the the poisoned condition for the next 3 (1d6) hours.
next 3 (1d6) hours. For every hour that a creature
11 is exposed to extreme heat, it must make a DC
11 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of
exhaustion.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 133

 Session Building

Temperate Forest Environmental Hazards You must move through a cloud of small gnats and
1d20 midges. Make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On
Strong winds push over several large trees in the 11 a failure, you take 5 (2d4) poison damage and are
area. Make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take affected by an ailment. Roll on the Diseases table on
13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage. Fail by 5 or more pg. 143.
1 and you are restrained under a fallen tree. While Concealed in the undergrowth, a plant called
restrained, you take 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage slashvine has incredibly sharp leaves and long
each round until you use your action to escape 12 thorns. Any creature that comes into contact with it
(escape DC 13). must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 7
You enter an area 100 (1d10 x 20) feet in diameter (2d6) slashing damage.
where the trees have thick, spined seedpods growing Whether it was from a rogue wild animal, insects
on their trunks and branches. For every 15 feet or contaminated water, you are exposed to a
2 13
of movement, you must make a DC 14 Dexterity dangerous disease. Roll on the Diseases table on pg.
(Stealth) check. On a failure, you and every creature 143.
within 5 feet of you takes 10 (4d4) piercing damage. Large solid chunks of hail pummel the ground
A random character is affected by an invasive mold. and the party. Every minute for the next 10 (1d4
14
Make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or come under x 5) minutes, anyone exposed will take 11 (3d6)
3 bludgeoning damage unless they find shelter.
the control of the mold as if affected by the spell
dominate person. A strong storm thrashes the area for 2 (1d4) hours.
The party enters an area 400 (1d8 x 100) feet in Flying is impossible. Traveling on foot is very harsh
diameter of thick, viscous mud. Upon entering and counts as difficult terrain. For every hour
15 traveled in this type of storm, you must make a
the area and after every 60 feet of movement, a
4 DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1 level of
creature in the area must make a DC 12 Strength
saving throw. On a failure, every 1 foot of movement exhaustion.
counts as 4 feet. A 2 (1d4)-mile area of the forest is haunted. For
A roaring forest fire affects a 100 (1d10 x 20) foot every 10 minutes of travel, you must make a DC
area around the party. Every round they are in the 13 Wisdom saving throw or take 7 (2d6) psychic
16
5 area, they will take 3 (1d6) fire damage and must damage. After the first successful save, you are
make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take an immune to this condition. Fail by 5 or more and you
additional 3 (1d6) poison damage from the smoke. are frightened until you leave this area of the forest.
A horrible blight has affected all of the plant life in a The ground around you suddenly collapses. You fall
500 (1d10 x 100)-foot diameter. For every 60 feet of 3 (1d6 x 10) feet and take falling damage as normal.
travel, each creature in the area must make a DC 13 When you hit the bottom, debris from above
6 17
Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they come falls on you and you take an additional 11 (3d6)
into contact with a blighted surface and take 18 bludgeoning damage. A successful DC 13 Dexterity
(4d8) necrotic damage. saving throw halves all the damage taken.
The temperatures drop or climb to deadly extremes A dense fog blankets the area 500 (1d10 x 100) feet
as appropriate. For every hour a creature is in diameter. The area is heavily obscured and all
7 exposed to these temperatures, it must make a 18 hearing-based Wisdom (Perception) checks are
DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of made with disadvantage. A light source will allow a
exhaustion. creature to see to a maximum of 10 feet of dim light.
A flash flood sweeps into the area. You must Heavy rain/snow blankets the area for 3 (1d6) hours.
make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be swept The area is lightly obscured for all types of Wisdom
8 underwater 40 (1d8 x 10) feet and bashed against (Perception) checks. Travel in this kind of weather is
19
the landscape, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage demanding. For every hour that you travel in these
per 10 feet moved. conditions, you must make a DC 13 Constitution
You pass through an area of horribly toxic poison saving throw or take 7 (3d4) psychic damage.
ivy. Make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or You suddenly come upon a yawning gap that opens
9 take 7 (2d6) poison damage and gain the poisoned into a wide chasm. Make a DC 13 Dexterity saving
20
condition until affected by a spell like lesser throw or fall 60 (1d12 x 10) feet, taking falling
restoration. damage as normal.
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest
10
in your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on
pg. 145.
Jungle Environmental Hazards Mud and rocks crash into the area. Each creature
1d20 must make a DC 13 Strength saving throw. On a
Whether it was from a rogue wild animal, insects failure, that creature takes 11 (2d10) bludgeoning
11
or contaminated water, you are exposed to a damage and gets knocked prone. Fail by 5 or more
1 and you become buried, blinded, restrained (escape
dangerous disease. Roll on the Diseases table on pg.
143. DC 12) and begin to suffocate.
Choke vine is a horrible plant that hides amongst A strong storm thrashes the area for 2 (1d4) hours.
the undergrowth. 2 (1d4) random characters are Flying is impossible. Traveling on foot is arduous
suddenly ensnared and restrained by crushing and counts as difficult terrain. For every hour
12
2 vines. Every round they are restrained in this traveled in this type of storm, you must make a
fashion, they take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1 level of
A restrained creature can use its action to escape exhaustion.
(escape DC 13). A random creature falls into a bubbling tar pit and
Deadly mold covers the trunk of a tree. A random sinks 1d4 feet, takes 5 (1d10) fire damage and is
character must make a DC 14 Constitution saving restrained. At the start of each turn, it sinks 2 (1d4)
13
throw as they disturb the mold and it shoots out a feet and takes 5 (1d10) fire damage. Using its action,
3 it can attempt a DC 14 Strength check to escape. A
cloud of deadly particles. On a failure, they drop to
0 hit points and are incapacitated for 1 hour even creature completely covered begins to suffocate.
after regaining hit points. A venomous plant suddenly lashes out at a
random character with a spiny tendril. The affected
Fungal spores fill the air all around you. You must
character must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving
make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 14
4 throw or take 5 (2d4) piercing damage. If they take
13 (3d8) poison damage and gain the poisoned
damage, they must make a DC 14 Constitution
condition for 2 (1d4) hours. While poisoned in this
saving throw or be paralyzed for 5 (1d10) minutes.
way you suffer from 2 levels of exhaustion.
The ground around you suddenly collapses. You
The temperatures climb to deadly extremes for
fall 30 (1d6 x 10) feet and take falling damage as
the next 3 (1d6) hours. For every hour that a
normal. When you hit the bottom, debris from
5 creature is exposed to an extreme, it must make a 15 above falls on you and you take an additional 11
DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of
(3d6) bludgeoning damage. A successful DC 13
exhaustion.
The party steps into an area that has been cursed. Dexterity saving throw halves all the damage taken.
Each character must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving A large limb suddenly breaks off an ancient tree.
throw or be cursed with disadvantage on ability 2 (1d4) random characters must make a DC 13
6 checks and saving throws of a random ability 16 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 9 (2d8) bludgeoning
score, at GM discretion. This curse remains until it damage. Fail by 5 or more and a creature is knocked
is removed with a spell or until the character takes unconscious.
3 long rests. Heavy rain blankets the area for 3 (1d6) hours. The
A random creature falls into quicksand, sinks 2 area is lightly obscured for all types of Wisdom
(1d4) feet and is restrained. At the start of each (Perception) checks. Travel in this kind of weather
17
7 turn, it sinks 2 (1d4) feet. At the end of its turn, it is demanding. For every hour you travel in these
can attempt a DC 14 Strength check to escape. A conditions, you must make a DC 13 Constitution
creature completely covered begins to suffocate. saving throw or take 7 (3d4) psychic damage.
Toxic mist seeps up from the jungle floor. Each To move forward, you must move through a
creature must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw cloud of small gnats and midges. Make a DC 11
8 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you take
to avoid the tendrils of yellow mist. On a failed save,
the creature takes 17 (5d6) poison damage. 5 (2d4) poison damage and are affected by an
A roaring forest fire affects a 100 (1d10 x 20) foot ailment. Roll on the Diseases table on pg. 143.
area around the party. Every round they are in the Concealed in the undergrowth, slashvine has
9 area, they will take 3 (1d6) fire damage and must incredibly sharp leaves and long thorns. Any
make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take an 19 creature that comes into contact with slashvine
additional 3 (1d6) poison damage from the smoke. must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 7
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the (2d6) slashing damage.
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest A flash flood sweeps into the area. You must
10 make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be swept
in your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on
pg. 145. 20 underwater 40 (1d8 x 10) feet and bashed against
the landscape, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage
per 10 feet moved.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 135

 Session Building

Grassland Environmental Hazards The plants in this area reproduce via spiny
1d20 seedpods that attach to unwary creatures. Each
A tornado covers a 30-foot radius. Each creature in character must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving
the area takes 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage and is throw. On a failure, one of these seedpods attaches
12
1 thrown 20 feet in a random direction and knocked to them causing 5 (2d4) piercing damage and 2
prone. A successful DC 13 Strength saving throw (1d4) poison damage. The creature is then infected
halves the damage and the creature isn’t thrown. with spiny rot. They will drop dead in 24 hours if not
The grass in this mile-wide area is so tall it reduces cured, at GM discretion.
2 Strong winds assail you for the next 2 (1d4) hours.
visibility to 15 feet.
Heavy rain blankets the area for 3 (1d6) hours. The Flying creatures must land or fall. Ranged weapon
area is lightly obscured for all types of Wisdom attacks are made at disadvantage. For every 10
13
(Perception) checks. Travel in this kind of weather minutes a creature is exposed it must make a
3 DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8)
is demanding. For every hour you travel in these
conditions, you must make a DC 13 Constitution bludgeoning damage.
saving throw or take 7 (3d4) psychic damage. Chokevine is a horrible plant that hides other
A roaring wildfire affects an area 100 (1d10 x 20) plants. 2 (1d4) random characters are suddenly
foot area around the party. Every round they are ensnared and restrained by crushing vines. Every
14
4 in the area they take 3 (1d6) fire damage and must round they are restrained in this fashion they take
make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take an 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. A restrained creature
additional 3 (1d6) poison damage from the smoke. can use its action to escape (escape DC 13).
A random creature falls into quicksand, sinks In a 400 (1d8 x 100)-foot-radius, the vegetation has
2 (1d4) feet and is restrained. At the start of each dried out to the point of petrification. Every 60 feet
5 turn, it sinks 2 (1d4) feet. At the end of its turn, it you move in this area you take 3 (1d6) slashing
can attempt a DC 14 Strength check to escape. A 15 damage and must make a DC 13 Constitution saving
creature completely covered begins to suffocate. throw. On a failure, a spine lodges in your skin and
Concealed in the undergrowth, slashvine has causes 9 (2d8) slashing damage every round until
incredibly sharp leaves and long thorns. A creature healed by magic.
6 that comes into contact with slashvine must make a Dazzling displays of lightning flash around you. For
DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) slashing the next 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes, roll a 1d10 every
damage. minute. On a 6-8, lightning strikes nearby, causing
A strong storm thrashes the area for 2 (1d4) hours. 16 7 (2d6) lightning damage to the party. On an 8 or
Flying is impossible. Traveling on foot is very above a random player takes 16 (3d10) lightning
difficult and counts as difficult terrain. For every damage or half damage on a successful DC 14
7
hour traveled in this type of storm, you must make Dexterity saving throw.
a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or suffer 1 level of A popping and hissing sound heralds a powerful
exhaustion. spray of acidic minerals that shoots high in the
The ground around you suddenly collapses. You 17 air, covering the area. Every creature must make a
fall 30 (1d6 x 10) feet and take falling damage as DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 22 (5d8) acid
normal. When you hit the bottom debris from above damage.
8
falls on you and you take an additional 11 (3d6) Large solid chunks of hail pummel the ground
bludgeoning damage. A successful DC 13 Dexterity and the party. Every minute for the next 10 (1d4
saving throw halves all the damage taken. 18
x 5) minutes anyone exposed will take 11 (3d6)
To move forward you must move through a cloud of bludgeoning damage unless they find shelter.
small gnats and midges. Make a DC 11 Constitution Ahead you see swirling yellow pollen that expands
9 saving throw. On a failure, you take 5 (2d4) poison out into a 25-foot-radius sphere. Any creature in the
damage and are affected by an ailment. Roll on the 19
area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw
Diseases table on pg. 143. or become paralyzed.
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the The party enters a field of beautiful blue wildflowers
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest in with an intoxicating aroma. Everyone in the area
10 your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on pg. must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or
145. 20 become charmed by the flowers. While charmed in
High winds create a dust storm that lasts 30 (1d6 this way you are incapacitated for 2 (1d4) hours or
x 10) minutes. Visibility is reduced to 10 feet. until an ally wakes you with an action.
Every minute, unless they cover their faces and
11 eyes, creatures in the area must make a DC 11
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, they are
blinded and begin choking.
Mountain Environmental Hazards The ground shudders and shakes as a fissure opens
1d20 below your feet. Make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw
11
For the next 3 (1d6) rounds an earthquake rattles or fall 60 (1d12 x 60) feet, taking falling damage as
the area. Every round each creature in the area normal.
must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or take 7 In an explosion of noxious air and toxic gas, a
1 30-foot-square area of the ground erupts. Every
(2d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
On a successful save, a creature takes half damage creature in the area takes 9 (2d8) bludgeoning
and is not knocked prone. 12 damage, 11 (3d6) fire damage and 9 (2d8) poison
damage and is thrown 20 feet in a random direction.
A dilapidated bridge spans across a chasm that
A successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw halves the
stands in your way. The bridge can hold up to 220 (
damage taken.
(4d10 x 10) pounds per 5-foot square. If more weight
2 A fast-flowing, 35-foot-wide river, from which acidic
is applied than the area can hold, a creature must
fumes waft, blocks your path as it tumbles down
make a successful DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or fall
the rocky landscape. Every round a creature is in
100 (1d20 x 10) feet as that section breaks. 13 contact with the water, it takes 3 (1d6) acid damage
Avalanche. Each creature must make a DC 14
and must make a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be
Strength saving throw. On a failure, that creature
swept away by the current.
takes 11 (2d10) bludgeoning damage and becomes
3 Traveling at high altitude is difficult due to the lack of
buried, blinded and restrained (escape DC 15). For
oxygen. The path the party takes leads them above
every 5 minutes it is buried a creature gains a level
14 safe traveling height for 3 (1d6) hours. For every hour
of exhaustion.
of travel, they must make a DC 11 Constitution saving
Heavy rain blankets the area for 3 (1d6) hours. The
throw or gain a level of exhaustion.
area is lightly obscured for all types of Wisdom
Dazzling displays of lightning flash around you.
(Perception) checks. Travel in this kind of weather
4 For the next 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes, roll a d10 every
is demanding. For every hour you travel in these
minute. On a 6-8, lightning strikes nearby causing
conditions, you must make a DC 13 Constitution
15 7 (2d6) lightning damage to the party. On an 8 or
saving throw or take 7 (3d4) psychic damage.
above a random player takes 16 (3d10) lightning
A dense fog blankets the area 500 (1d10 x 100) feet
damage, or half damage on a successful DC 14
in diameter. The area is heavily obscured and all
Dexterity saving throw.
5 hearing-based Wisdom (Perception) checks are made
All around the party, a ferocious blizzard begins to
with disadvantage. A light source will allow a creature
rage and lasts for 2 (1d4) hours. The area becomes
to see but to a maximum of 10 feet of dim light.
lightly obscured. Every 10 minutes a creature is
Suddenly, a plume of lava rockets forth from a rocky 16
exposed it must make a DC 13 Constitution saving
crevice, covering an area 30 feet wide and 100 feet
throw or take 7 (3d4) slashing damage and 9 (2d8)
6 long in molten rock. Everyone in the area takes 22
cold damage.
(4d10) fire damage. A successful DC 14 Dexterity
The party enters an area that is 600 (1d12 x 100) feet
saving throw will halve the damage taken.
in diameter where the ground is nothing but loose
A strong storm thrashes the area for 2 (1d4) hours.
scree and jagged rocks. The ground here counts
Flying is impossible. Travel on foot is very strenuous
17 as difficult terrain and for every 50 feet you move
and counts as difficult terrain. For every hour
7 through the area you must make a DC 13 Dexterity
traveled in this type of storm, you must make a
(Acrobatics) check or take 10 (4d4) slashing
DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1 level of
damage.
exhaustion.
Low-hanging thunderheads rumble and crash all
The temperatures drop to deadly extremes for the
around you. A blast of sound rocks you and you
next 3 (1d6) hours. For every hour that a creature is 18
must make a DC 14 Constitution check or take 16
8 exposed to these frigid temperatures, it must make
(3d10) thunder damage and be knocked prone.
a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of
A mountain pass is covered with a thick sheet of
exhaustion.
ice. A 100-foot radius of slippery conditions blocks
Loose rocks and boulders come clattering down 19 your path. The area counts as difficult terrain and
from the surrounding heights. 2 (1d4) random for every 15 feet you move you must make a DC 11
9 creatures must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone.
or take 16 (3d10) bludgeoning damage and be A volcanic peak erupts nearby. Make a DC 13 Strength
knocked prone. saving throw or take 22 (4d10) thunder damage and
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the be knocked prone by the initial shock wave. A 2 (1d4)-
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest 20
10 mile area then fills with toxic gas and magma. Every
in your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on 10 minutes spent in the area a creature takes 3 (1d6)
pg. 145. fire and 3 (1d6) poison damage.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 137

 Session Building

Hills Environmental Hazards A strong storm thrashes the area for 2 (1d4) hours.
1d20 Flying is impossible. Traveling on foot is very
Large solid chunks of hail pummel the ground difficult and counts as difficult terrain. For every
11
and the party. Every minute for the next 10 (1d4 hour traveled in this type of storm, you must make
1 a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1 level of
x 5) minutes anyone exposed will take 11 (3d6)
bludgeoning damage unless they find shelter. exhaustion.
Rocks crash into the area from above. Each creature Concealed in the undergrowth and in rocky
must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a crevices, slashvine has incredibly sharp leaves and
failure, a creature takes 11 (2d10) bludgeoning 12 long thorns. Any creature that comes into contact
2 with slashvine must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving
damage and gets knocked prone. Fail by 5 or more
and you become buried, blinded, restrained (escape throw or take 7 (2d6) slashing damage.
DC 12) and begin to suffocate. The party enters an area that is 600 (1d12 x 100) feet
The rocks in a small area the party is passing in diameter where the ground is nothing but loose
through are covered with moss that expels scree and jagged rocks. The ground here counts
13
minuscule particles that cause paranoia and as difficult terrain and for every 50 feet you move
3 through the area you must make a DC 13 Dexterity
anxiety. Everyone must make a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw, gaining the frightened condition for (Acrobatics) check or take 10 (4d4) slashing damage.
the next 3 (1d6) hours on a failed save. Pockets of superheated gas occasionally explode.
Something about the surrounding rocks has 2 (1d4) random characters must make a DC 14
increased the gravitational pull in a 300 (1d6 x 100)- Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) fire damage.
14 Fail by 5 or more and you catch fire, taking 7 (2d6)
foot diameter. Traveling through the area counts as
4 fire damage every round until you use your action
difficult terrain. After every 60 feet of movement,
you must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or to make a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
take 7 (2d6) force damage. The way ahead is full of loose and crumbling terrain.
For the next 3 (1d6) rounds, an earthquake rattles For the next 200 (1d4 x 100) feet, the ground counts
the area. Every round each creature in the area as difficult terrain. There is also a 45 percent chance
15
must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or take 7 a sinkhole will open up below 2 (1d4) random
5 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. creatures. They fall 3 (1d6 x 10) feet and take falling
On a successful save a creature takes half damage damage as normal.
and is not knocked prone. A strong rushing river that is 30 feet wide bars your
Large solid chunks of hail pummel the ground way. The river counts as difficult terrain. For every 10
and the party. Every minute for the next 10 (1d4 feet of movement you must make a DC 12 Strength
6 16
x 5) minutes anyone exposed will take 11 (3d6) (Athletics) check or be swept away and over a
bludgeoning damage unless they find shelter. waterfall 50 feet downriver. Going over the falls, you
A tornado covers a 30-foot radius. Each creature in fall 60 (1d12 x 10) feet, taking falling damage.
the area takes 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage and is Dazzling displays of lightning flash around you.
7 thrown 20 feet in a random direction and knocked For the next 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes, roll a d10 every
prone. A successful DC 13 Strength saving throw minute. On a 6-8, lightning strikes nearby causing
halves the damage and the creature isn’t thrown. 17 7 (2d6) lightning damage to the party. On an 8 or
The ground around you suddenly collapses. You above a random player takes 16 (3d10) lightning
fall 30 (1d6 x 10) feet and take falling damage as damage, or half damage with a successful DC 14
normal. When you hit the bottom, debris from Dexterity saving throw.
8 Pollutants from the surrounding area have laced
above falls on you and you take an additional 11
(3d6) bludgeoning damage. A successful DC 13 the rain. Rainfall for the next 2 (1d4) hours includes
Dexterity saving throw halves all the damage taken. 18 harsh chemicals that burn your skin. For every 10
Toxic mist seeps up from rocky cracks in the minutes you are exposed to the falling rain you take
surrounding area. Each creature must make a DC 14 5 (2d4) acid damage.
Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) poison A steep 120-foot-long incline is the only way
9 forward, with high cliff walls barring you on both
damage on a failed save. If this damage reduces a
creature’s hit points by at least half they gain the sides. For every 30 feet of movement, you must
19
poisoned condition for 5 (2d4) hours. make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check or slide
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the back to the bottom, taking 2 (1d4) slashing damage
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest for every 10 feet you slide.
10
in your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on Your travels take you through a series of geothermal
pg. 145. springs. Contact with the boiling water causes 14
20 (4d6) fire damage; however, once the water cools,
drinking a pint of it will provide the drinker with 9
(2d4 + 4) temporary hit points.
Swamp Environmental Hazards A geothermal vent superheats the surrounding
1d20 water that billows forth in a dangerous cloud of
Seemingly solid ground gives way beneath your 11 steam. Everyone in a 25-foot radius takes 22 (5d8)
feet, dropping you into the water as the earth closes fire damage. A successful DC 15 Constitution saving
1 back up above you. You are blinded and begin to throw will halve the damage.
drown. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom The water is full of bloodthirsty leeches. A DC 14
(Survival) check will reveal a way out. Wisdom (Perception) check reveals the creatures. On
Ravenous black mold swarms up the body of a a failed check, 2 (1d4) random characters get covered
12
random character. That character takes 7 (3d4) in leeches. A creature covered in leeches takes 7 (2d6)
slashing damage and is restrained and blinded. piercing damage each round until they use an action
2 to make a DC 11 Dexterity check to remove them.
Every round, they take 7 (3d4) slashing damage
until they use their action to make a DC 12 Strength A strong storm thrashes the area for 1d4 hours.
(Athletics) check to escape. Flying is impossible. Traveling on foot is rigorous
The water in this 600 (1d12 x 100) foot area has been and the area counts as difficult terrain. For every
13
saturated by poisons, making it toxic. Anyone who hour traveled in this type of storm, you must make
touches the water takes 7 (2d8) poison damage a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1 level of
3 and anyone submerged takes 14 (4d8) poison exhaustion.
damage every round they remain in contact with it. Whether from a rogue wild animal, insects
A successful DC 13 Constitution saving throw halves or contaminated water, you are exposed to a
14
the damage. dangerous disease. Roll on the Diseases table on
To move forward, you must move through a pg. 143.
cloud of small gnats and midges. Make a DC 11 Pockets of superheated gas occasionally explode.
4 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you take 2 (1d4) random characters must make a DC 14
5 (2d4) poison damage and are affected by an Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) fire damage.
15
ailment. Roll on the Diseases table on pg. 143. Fail by 5 or more and you catch fire, taking 7 (2d6)
Heavy rain blankets the area for 3 (1d6) hours. The fire damage every round until they use their action
area is lightly obscured for all types of Wisdom to make a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.
(Perception) checks. Travel in this kind of weather is A 20 (1d4 x 10)-foot-square area conceals a thorny
5 weed that thrives on blood. Any creature in the area
demanding. For every hour that you travel in these
conditions, you must make a DC 13 Constitution must make a DC 13 Strength saving throw or take
16
saving throw or take 7 (3d4) psychic damage. 5 (2d4) piercing damage and be restrained (escape
A bubble of foul-smelling swamp gas breaks the DC 14). While restrained a creature takes 5 (2d4)
surface, releasing a cascade of light green gas in a piercing damage every round.
20-foot-radius sphere. Everyone in the area must A dense fog blankets an area 500 (1d10 x 100) feet
6 in diameter. The area is heavily obscured and all
make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw to keep
from retching and vomiting. On a failure, they are 17 hearing-based Wisdom (Perception) checks are made
incapacitated for 3 (1d4 + 1) minutes. with disadvantage. A light source will allow a creature
A flash flood sweeps into the area. You must make to see up to a maximum of 10 feet as if in dim light.
a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be swept 40 (1d8 Parasitic worms that infest the water and
7 x 10) feet underwater and bashed against the surrounding area burrow inside 2 (1d4) random
landscape, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage per characters causing 10 (4d4) piercing damage.
10 feet moved. 18 Affected characters must make a DC 12 Wisdom
Toxic mist wafts up from the fetid water. Each saving throw as the worms burrow into their brains.
creature must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw On a failed save, they become incapacitated until
8 to avoid the tendrils of yellow mist. On a failed save they receive magical healing.
the creature takes 17 (5d6) poison damage. The party enters an area 400 (1d8 x 100) feet in
Chokevine is a horrible plant that hides amongst diameter of thick, viscous mud. Upon entering
the undergrowth. 2 (1d4) random characters are the area and after every 60 feet of movement, a
19
suddenly ensnared in crushing vines and restrained. creature in the area must make a DC 12 Strength
9 saving throw. On a failure, every 1 foot of movement
Every round they are restrained in this fashion they
take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. A restrained counts as 4 feet.
creature can use its action to escape (DC 13). A random creature falls into a bubbling tar pit and
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the sinks 2 (1d4) feet, takes 5 (1d10) fire damage and
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest is restrained. At the start of each turn, the creature
10 20 sinks 2 (1d4) feet and takes 5 (1d10) fire damage.
in your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on
pg. 145. As an action, it can attempt a DC 14 Strength
check to escape. A creature completely covered
begins to suffocate.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 139

 Session Building

Underground Environmental Hazards The ground shudders and shakes as a fissure opens
1d20 below your feet. Make a DC 13 Dexterity saving
11
Magnetized ore laced through the walls pulls at throw or fall 60 (1d12 x 10) feet, taking falling
armor, weapons and equipment. Anyone wearing damage as normal.
metal armor must make a DC 14 Strength saving A stalactite crashes to the ground from above. 1d4
1 random creatures must make a DC 13 Dexterity
throw or be pulled forcefully into the wall, taking
14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and becoming saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 11 (2d10)
12
restrained (escape DC 15). bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone. Fail by
A river of lava 30 feet wide stretches across the 5 or more and you become restrained (escape DC
path the party needs to take. Anyone who touches 12).
2 the lava takes 22 (4d10) fire damage. Anyone Toxic gases seep through cracks in the ground
submerged in the lave takes 55 (10d10) fire damage affecting a 20-foot radius. Every creature in the area
every round they are in contact with it. must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or
13
The tunnel or cavern ahead starts to rumble take 13 (3d8) poison damage. Failure by 5 or more
and shake as the ceiling collapses, blocking the they gain the poisoned condition for the next 3
way forward. Each creature needs to make a (1d6) hours.
3 The cavern you are in is full of glowing purple
DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (3d10)
bludgeoning damage. Fail by 5 or more and they are crystals. Any amount of noise will cause them to
buried, blinded and restrained (escape DC 14). shatter in a chain reaction. The group must succeed
A cavern full of heavy gases, completely devoid of on a DC 16 Dexterity (Stealth) check. On a failure,
14 everyone in the cavern must make a DC 14 Dexterity
oxygen, is the only way ahead. The gases fill a 500
(1d10 x 100) foot area. Anyone in the area must saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) force and 13 (3d8)
4 make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become piercing damage on a failed save or half as much on
stunned. While stunned they begin to suffocate, a success.
however, they can repeat the saving throw at the Glowing chunks of rock embedded into the walls
end of their turn. immediately give you a sickening feeling. For every
Tiny glowing worms crawl along the ceiling. Make a 15 minute you remain near the glowing rocks you must
DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) check. On a failure, you make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 18
don’t notice the translucent strands of sticky glue (4d8) poison damage and gain 1 level of exhaustion.
5 The tunnel or cavern you are in suddenly floods
stretching down from the ceiling and you become
restrained (escape DC 13). Each round while with water. You must make two successful DC 14
restrained you take 7 (3d4) acid damage. 16 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) to get
Acidic slime covers the ceiling and walls for the out of the area before the area fills up, completely
next 1d6 x 10 feet. For every 10 feet of movement submerging you.
6 you must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or Hallucinogenic spores fill the air of the cavern.
take 10 (3d6) acid damage as the viscous substance Anyone who enters, or for every minute they remain
drops on you. in the area, must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving
17
You enter a cavern that glows blue with flickering throw or take 9 (2d8) psychic damage. Fail by 5 or
light. You can see hundreds of blue mushrooms more and you become incapacitated until an ally
have electricity dancing between them, jumping shakes you awake.
7 Thick gray black smoke boils out of a fumarole in
from cap to cap. Every minute spent in this area,
you must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or the cavern or tunnel you are in. Anyone within 20
take 14 (4d6) lightning damage. feet of the opening must make a DC 15 Constitution
18
The temperatures climb to deadly extremes for saving throw or take 7 (2d6) fire and 13 (3d8) acid
the next 3 (1d6) hours. For every hour that a damage. A successful save halves the damage
8 creature is exposed to an extreme it must make a taken.
DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of Whether it was from a rogue wild animal, insects
exhaustion. or contaminated water you are exposed to a
19
Spike-cap mushrooms grow all along the floor dangerous disease. Roll on the Diseases table on pg.
and in rocky crevices. Any creature that comes 143.
9 into contact with one must make a DC 12 Dexterity Heavy dust clings to the walls and floats in the air
saving throw or take 7 (2d6) piercing damage and 7 for 30 (1d6 x 10) feet. Visibility is reduced to 10 feet.
(2d6) poison damage. For every 10 feet of movement creatures in the area
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw. On
20
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest a failure, they are blinded and must succeed on a
10 DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the
in your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on
pg. 145. creature gains a form of madness associated with
feeling trapped underground.
Underwater Environmental Hazards In an explosion of noxious air and toxic gas, a
1d20 30-foot-square area erupts. Every creature in the
A swirling vortex of water covers a 30-foot area takes 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage, 11 (3d6)
radius. Each creature in the area takes 13 (3d8) 11 fire damage and 9 (2d8) poison damage and is
bludgeoning damage, is pulled 30 feet downward thrown 20 feet in a random direction. A successful
1 DC 15 Dexterity saving throw halves the damage
and is knocked prone. A successful DC 13 Strength
saving throw halves the damage and the creature taken.
isn’t thrown. A large bubble of toxic gas rises from the sea floor,
Disorienting flashing lights strobe in the darkness. affecting a 20-foot radius. Every creature in the area
Everyone must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or
2 12
or become incapacitated until an ally uses an action take 13 (3d8) poison damage. On a failure of 5 or
to shake them out of the effect. more, they gain the poisoned condition for the next
Brain-eating parasites travel into your nose, mouth 3 (1d6) hours.
and ears from the surrounding water. Make a DC You swim through an area of contaminated water
15 Wisdom saving throw or take 22 (5d8) psychic 13 and are exposed to a dangerous disease. Roll on the
3 Diseases table on pg. 143.
damage. Should this damage take you to 0 hit
points, you are stunned for the next 5 (1d10) A field of kelp with long sharp leaves covers a 300
minutes even after being healed. (1d12 x 50)-foot diameter. For every 10 feet traveled
14
Deadly sea urchins and dangerous coral populate you must make DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take
the area. Anyone in the area must make a DC 13 7 (2d6) slashing damage.
4 Dexterity saving throw or take 4 (1d8) piercing and A rapid pressure change suddenly envelopes you.
13 (3d8) poison damage as the urchins expel their Make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 10
15
spines in your direction. (4d4) force damage. Fail by 5 or more and you also
A sudden current shuttles frigid water into the area. gain 1 level of exhaustion.
You must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw A geothermal vent superheats the surrounding
5 water that billows forth in a dangerous cloud of
or take 18 (4d8) cold damage. Fail by 5 or more and
you become incapacitated until warmed. 16 steam. Everyone in a 25-foot radius takes 22 (5d8)
Strong currents push curtains of rough sediment fire damage. A successful DC 15 Constitution saving
in front of you for 20 (1d4 x 10) minutes. Visibility throw halves the damage.
is reduced to 10 feet ahead. The area is lightly A dead zone, completely devoid of oxygen, covers a
6 obscured. Every creature exposed to the current 50 (1d10 x 100) foot area. Anyone in the area must
takes 5 (2d4) slashing damage every minute. A make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become
17
successful DC 12 Constitution saving throw halves stunned. While stunned they begin to drown;
the damage. however, they can repeat the saving throw at the
A powerful current pushes you 50 (1d10 x 10) feet end of their turn.
in a random direction. Should you impact anything The area 200 (1d4 x 100) feet in diameter is covered
7 along your way you will take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning with a bright green toxic algae bloom. Make a DC 14
damage for every 10 feet moved. A DC 16 Dexterity Constitution saving throw for every 60 feet moved
18
saving throw halves the damage taken. through the area. On a failed save, you take 13 (3d8)
A gentle swaying forest of broad-leafed plants poison damage. Fail by 5 or more and you also gain
stretches out in a 50-foot area. Any creature the poisoned condition for 4 (1d8) hours.
that enters the area becomes entangled and is Concussive blasts from the ocean floor rumble and
8 crash all around you. A blast of sound rocks you and
restrained. They can use their action to make a DC
19 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) 19 you must make a DC 14 Constitution check or take
check to escape. 16 (3d10) thunder damage and become knocked
As you swim by you disturb multiple schools of prone.
brightly colored fish that start to circle around you. A clear, almost invisible slime wafts on eddies and
9 Make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 2 currents in the water. 2 (1d4) random characters
(1d4) piercing damage and 18 (4d8) poison damage must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or
from the toxic fish. 20
become restrained by the slime for 2 (1d4) minutes.
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the Fail by 5 or more and you also gain the paralyzed
remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest condition for the same duration.
10
in your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on
pg. 145.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 141

 Session Building

Urban Environmental Hazards Pollutants from the surrounding area have laced
1d20 the rain with harsh chemicals that burn your skin.
A runaway wagon full of heavy materials rushes 12 It rains for 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes. For every 10
down the street in your direction. Make a DC 14 minutes you are exposed to the falling rain you take
1 5 (2d4) acid damage.
Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning
damage and be knocked prone. All or part of a building nearby collapses, affecting
For the next 3 (1d6) rounds, an earthquake rattles the 2 (1d4) random characters. Each of those characters
area. Every round you must make a DC 15 Strength must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take
saving throw or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and 13 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage. Fail by 5 or more and
2 they become restrained, buried and blinded until
be knocked prone. If you are near buildings you must
make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 22 (5d8) they make a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check or are
bludgeoning damage from falling debris. aided by 7 (2d6) individuals.
A flash flood sweeps into the area. You must make a Dazzling displays of lightning flash around you.
DC 14 Strength saving throw or be swept 40 (1d8 x 10) For the next 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes, roll 1d10 every
3 minute. On a 6-8, lightning strikes nearby causing
feet underwater and bashed against the landscape
taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage per 10 feet moved. 14 7 (2d6) lightning damage to the party. On an 8 or
Large solid chunks of hail pummel the ground above a random player takes 16 (3d10) lightning
and the party. Every minute for the next 10 (1d4 damage, taking half damage on a successful DC 14
4 Dexterity saving throw.
x 5) minutes anyone exposed will take 10 (3d6)
bludgeoning damage unless they find shelter. Whether from strong winds or a bawdy tavern brawl,
A strong storm thrashes the area for 2 (1d4) hours. a window near you shatters, sending out sharp
Flying is impossible. Traveling on foot is very 15 shards. Every creature within 10 feet of the affected
rigorous and counts as difficult terrain. For every window must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw,
5 hour traveled in this type of storm, you must make suffering 7 (3d4) slashing damage on a failed save.
a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 1 level of The ground around you suddenly collapses. You fall
exhaustion. 30 (1d6 x 10) feet and take falling damage as normal.
A dense fog blankets the area 500 (1d10 x 100) feet When you hit the bottom, debris from above falls on
16 you and you take an additional 10 (3d6) bludgeoning
in diameter. The area is heavily obscured and all
6 hearing-based Wisdom (Perception) checks are made damage. A successful DC 13 Dexterity saving throw
with disadvantage. A light source will allow a creature halves all the damage taken.
to see up to a maximum of 10 feet of dim light. The building the party is in, or one nearby, catches
Whether it was from a rogue wild animal, insects, on fire. Every round they are in the area, they will
contaminated water or another person, you are 17 take 3 (1d6) fire damage and must make a DC 15
7 Constitution saving throw, taking 3 (1d6) poison
exposed to a dangerous disease. Roll on the
Diseases table on pg. 143. damage from the smoke on a failed save.
Heavy rain/snow blankets the area for 3 (1d6) hours. Toxic gases waft out of the storm drains and sewer
The area is lightly obscured for all types of Wisdom openings, affecting a 20-foot radius. Every creature
(Perception) checks. Travel in this kind of weather is in the area must make a DC 13 Constitution saving
8 18
demanding. For every hour that you travel in these throw or take 13 (3d8) poison damage. On a failure
conditions, you must make a DC 13 Constitution of 5 or more they gain the poisoned condition for the
saving throw or take 7 (3d4) psychic damage. next 3 (1d6) hours.
High winds create a dust storm that lasts 30 (1d6 x 10) To move forward you must move through a cloud
minutes. Visibility is reduced to 10 feet. Every minute, of buzzing flies. Make a DC 11 Constitution saving
unless they cover their face and eyes, creatures in the 19 throw. On a failure, you take 5 (2d4) poison damage
9 and are affected by an ailment. Roll on the Diseases
area must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw.
On a failed save they are blinded and begin choking, table on pg. 143.
taking 13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage. Strong winds assail you for the next 2 (1d4)
Wild magic, bleedover from another plane or the hours. Flying creatures must land or fall. Ranged
10 remnants of a failed arcane experiment manifest in weapons attack with disadvantage. For every 10
20
your path. Roll on the Magical Hazards table on pg. 145. minutes a creature is exposed, it must make a
A 500 (1d10 x 100) foot area is unhallowed, full of DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 9 (2d8)
negative energy. For every 60 feet of movement bludgeoning damage.
make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw, taking 7 (2d6)
psychic damage on a failed save. After the first
11
successful save you are immune to this condition.
Fail by 5 or more and you are frightened and must
use your reaction and full movement to flee this area
for 2 (1d4) minutes.
Diseases Dexterity- and Strength-based ability checks and saving
As we all know a bit too well, horrible and debilitating throws. Forty-eight hours after symptoms develop, a
illness is part of the fabric of reality in any world, fantasy creature must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw
or otherwise. Some environments you will move through every hour or experience total paralysis for 30 (1d6 x 10)
are overrun with insects that carry virulent plagues and minutes.
stagnant pools where bacteria bloom. It is inevitable
that your party will come across some form of disease as Azure Brain Bleeding Disorder
they explore places unknown. Several of the options on Caused by an infection spread by insects and single-cell
the Environmental Hazards tables deal with disease as a organisms in stagnant water, this horrible disease affects
possible consequence. Below is a variety of diseases you a creature’s mind. A creature exposed to this illness must
could pull out if the dice roll that way. If an option on make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become
the Environmental Hazards table prompts you to do so, infected. Roughly 9 (2d8) hours after infection, the victim
roll on the Diseases table below. The description of and will start to shed tears of blue blood. Some 3 (1d6) hours
mechanics for each of those diseases are outlined after after this occurs the victim begins to experience horrible
the table. Unless otherwise noted, spells or abilities that migraines and they must repeat the saving throw, taking
heal disease would cure these ailments. 7 (2d6) psychic damage on a failed save, reducing their
maximum hit points by the amount of damage taken.
Diseases At the end of every long rest, the affected creature must
repeat the saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) psychic damage
1d10 The creature contracts...
and suffering a further reduction of their maximum hit
1 ...Sight Rot
points on a failed save. This reduction lasts until the
2 ...Twitching Plague disease is removed through magical healing. If this effect
3 ...Azure Brain Bleeding Disorder reduces the victim’s hit point maximum to 0, they die.
4 ...Sewer Plague
5 ...Creeping Madness Sewer Plague
...Earlobe Pox Sewer plague is a catch-all term for illnesses that incubate
6
in sewers, refuse heaps and stagnant water. When a
7 ...Black Vein Fever
humanoid creature is exposed to this disease, they must
8 ...Festering Flesh Rot succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become
9 ...Framewrack infected. Symptoms begin to manifest 2 (1d4) days after
10 ...Shrinking Sickness infection and include fatigue and muscle cramps. The
creature suffers 1 level of exhaustion and regains only half
Sight Rot the normal number of hit points from spending Hit Dice
This painful infection of the eyes causes bleeding and and recovers no hit points from finishing a long rest.
eventual blindness. If exposed to this disease a creature At the end of each long rest, the infected creature can
must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or repeat the saving throw, gaining an additional level of
become infected. Twenty-four hours after infection, the exhaustion on a failed save. On a successful save, their
victim’s vision becomes blurry, imposing a -1 penalty to exhaustion level decreases by one. If the creature has no
attack rolls and ability checks that rely on sight. After levels of exhaustion after a successful saving throw, they
each long rest, this penalty worsens by 1 and when it recover from the disease.
reaches -5 the victim is blinded until its sight is restored
by magic such as lesser restoration or heal. Creeping Madness
This disease can also be cured using a rare flower called Caused by overexposure to hallucinogenic spores or
eyebright, which grows in swamps. With an hour’s work, a parasitic mites that burrow into a victim’s skull, this
character proficient with an herbalism kit can turn a single disease causes those affected to lose their grip on
flower into a dose of ointment. Applied to the eyes before a reality. Once exposed, a creature must make a DC 14
long rest, one dose prevents the condition from worsening. Constitution saving throw or become infected. Six (1d12)
After three doses, the ointment cures the disease. hours after infection, the affected creature gains a form of
short-term madness (at GM discretion). In addition, they
Twitching Plague must repeat the saving throw or take 11 (3d6) piercing
An awful affliction carried by insects or small larvae damage. When this damage is taken, an onlooker can
that live in contaminated water sources, a creature visibly see things moving around under the skin on the
exposed to this disease must make a DC 14 Constitution victim’s skull.
saving throw or become infected. Two (1d4) days after At the end of each long rest, the infected creature must
infection, the victim starts to experience small muscle repeat the saving throw or take 11 (3d6) piercing damage
twitches that cause distraction and minor disability. The and roll once more on the short-term madness table. If
infected creature has disadvantage on all attack rolls and the damage taken is greater than 10, the creature gains a

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 143

 Session Building

form of long-term madness, at GM discretion. For each maximum. This reduction lasts until they receive magical
subsequent saving throw against this disease, the infected healing. Once their hit point maximum has been reduced
creature suffers a -1 penalty to the roll for each instance of by half, the victim is at disadvantage on all attack rolls,
madness they have suffered. Two consecutive successful ability checks and saving throws. If this effect reduces a
saves against the disease, or magical healing, will allow creature’s hit point maximum to 0 they will die.
the victim to recover.
Framewrack
Earlobe Pox This incredibly painful affliction of the muscles twists
This strange disease is named from the painful sores and contorts the skeleton in upon itself. Once exposed to
that first develop on the infected creature’s earlobes this disease, the victim must make a DC 16 Constitution
and then in and around their ears. Once exposed to this saving throw or become infected. Five (1d10) days after
virulent fungal infection, the victim must make a DC 12 infection, the victim starts to develop muscle cramps that
Constitution saving throw or become infected. Two (1d4) soon become nearly unbearable. Two (1d4) hours after
days after infection, painful sores develop on the earlobes the muscle cramps manifest, the victim must repeat the
and a slight ringing develops in the ears. Five (1d10) saving throw. On a failure, they take 18 (4d8) bludgeoning
hours after symptoms develop, the victim must repeat damage as their muscles rack and contort their frame.
the saving throw against the disease. On a failure, sores After every long rest the victim must repeat the saving
develop all around their ears and down the ear canal. throw against the disease, suffering a -1 penalty for
All ability checks that rely on hearing are made with every 10 points of damage taken over the course of their
disadvantage. After their next long rest, the victim must infection. Each failed saving throw inflicts 18 (4d8) points
repeat the saving throw against the disease, becoming of damage. If the damage caused by these cramps exceeds
permanently deaf on a failed save. Magical healing such 18 on any single roll the victim also becomes incapacitated
as lesser restoration or heal will completely remove the for 1d8 hours. Magical healing or two consecutive
disease and any residual symptoms. successful saving throws will allow the victim to recover.

Black Vein Fever Shrinking Sickness

This disease slowly turns the victim’s blood into a This magical disease is caused by latent particles of
poisonous black sludge. Once exposed, the victim must transmutation magic that flow on the winds and swirl at
make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become the bottom of bodies of water. Once exposed, the affected
infected. Thirty-six hours after infection, the veins under creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw
the victim’s skin start to painfully distend and darken and or become infected. Three (1d6) hours after infection
the victim gains the poisoned condition, which persists the affected creature begins to shrink. Two (1d4) hours
through the duration of the disease. At the end of each after that the creature reduces by one size category and
long rest after infection, the victim must repeat the immediately suffers disadvantage on Strength checks
saving throw against the disease or take 13 (3d8) poison and Strength saving throws. Any damage inflicted by the
damage. If the amount of poison damage taken is more creature’s weapon attacks is reduced by 3 (1d6).
than 10, the victim also gains a level of exhaustion that At the end of each long rest, the creature must repeat
can only be removed by magical means or a successful the saving throw against this disease or shrink an
saving throw against the disease. A successful save additional size category. For each size reduced beyond the
reduces a single level of exhaustion. Three consecutive first, the creature suffers a -1 penalty to Strength checks
successful saving throws against the disease or magical and Strength saving throws in addition to disadvantage
healing will allow the victim to recover. and the damage inflicted by their weapon attacks is
reduced by another 3 (1d6), to a minimum of 1.
Festering Flesh Rot If this effect would cause the creature to shrink to
This particularly nasty disease causes the victim’s flesh smaller than tiny, it becomes minuscule and has the
to rot, liquefy and slough off. Normally contracted from following traits:
insects that have fed on undead flesh or from stagnant
waters where unnatural entities have decayed, if exposed • It suffers a -5 penalty on all Strength checks and
to this illness, a victim must make a DC 13 Constitution Strength saving throws which are still made with
saving throw or become infected. Five (1d10) hours after disadvantage.
infection, the victim begins to experience pain and starts • Its weapon attacks only do 1 point of damage.
to find black spots on their skin. They immediately take • Its movement rate is reduced to 5 feet.
5 (1d10) necrotic damage and their hit point maximum • There is a 25 percent chance a spell it casts will fail
is reduced by the amount of damage taken as their skin (though the spell slot is not expended in this case).
begins to rot away. After every long rest, the victim must
repeat the saving throw or take an additional 5 (1d10) Casting dispel magic on the affected creature will
necrotic damage suffering the reduction to their hit point remove all effects suffered and cure the disease.
Magical Hazards Tendrils of Gloom
The world you have created is built upon the premise that Tendrils of Gloom emanate from a shadowy portal
magic is real. It exists. It affects the lives of everyone on into another realm. Each creature within 25 feet of the
the planet both positively and negatively. It only stands to shadowy portal must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving
reason that some of the hazards or obstacles your party throw or become restrained by tendrils of shadow (escape
will encounter are a result of this reality. Whether the DC 14). At the start of an affected creature’s turn, the
result of a failed experiment or as bleedover from another color begins to drain from their skin, hair and equipment
plane of existence, magical hazards are dangerous and and they must make a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or
often deadly. In rare instances, however, these flares of take 7 (2d6) psychic damage. If the creature remains
uncontrolled magic can act in the party’s favor. That’s restrained for a total of three rounds, they will become
chaos for you. completely gray in appearance and take a -2 modifier to
Each one of the Environmental Hazards tables has a their Charisma score. This effect can be removed using
result that can lead you to this table. If that is the case, dispel magic (4th level) if done so within 24 hours. After
roll and implement your result. This table can also be that time, only greater restoration or wish will remove the
used to add interesting experiences for your players if you effect.
feel that they are growing weary of combat encounters.
Like environmental hazards, they will test your party Anti-Magic Mist
physically and mentally. A cloud of glittering purple mist covering an area with a
40-foot diameter nullifies any magical effect. Magic items
Magical Hazards and weapons become mundane while inside the area.
1d20 The party encounters... There is a 25 percent chance this effect will persist for 4
...Blighted Creep Vine (1d8) hours after leaving the affected area.
1
2 ...Tendrils of Gloom
Gravity Reversal
3 ...Anti-Magic Mist In this 50-foot-wide, 200-foot-tall area, gravity is
4 ...Gravity Reversal reversed. Anyone who succeeds at a DC 18 Wisdom
5 ...an Arcana Well (Perception) check will notice the effect, granting them
6 ...Transpositioning Pulses advantage on the DC 17 Dexterity saving throw to grab
... a Reality Rift onto something to prevent them from flying upward as
7
if falling. Striking a ceiling or any other object in the way
8 ...an Elemental Cyclone
will cause falling damage as normal. This gravity well
9 ...Temporal Distortion pulses in 5-minute increments.
10 ...Polymorphic Fog
11 ...Ensnaring Double Arcana Well
12 ...Necrotic Flares This 100-foot radius pulls in magic and is the bane
...a Hollow Field of spellcasters everywhere. Upon entering this area a
13
character who has spell slots must make a DC 16 Wisdom
14 ...a Wild Magic Area
saving throw or lose 4 (1d6 + 1) spell slots starting with the
15 ...Spell Globes lowest available level. If a creature does not have enough
16 ...a Void Wall remaining spells for each spell slot that should have been
17 ...a Globe of Darkness lost they take 7 (2d6) force damage. Non-spellcasting
18 ...a Mystic Doorway classes are also affected by this area as the energy well
...Maddening Mists pulls on their life force instead of their magical prowess. A
19
non-spellcasting class will take 3 (1d6) force damage for
20 ...a Prismatic Spiral
every spell slot that should have been lost. This damage
cannot be healed through magical means and can only be
regained by spending Hit Dice or completing a long rest.
Blighted Creep Vine
Blighted creep vine feeds on the life essence and memory
Transpositioning Pulses
of those it comes into contact with. Anyone who comes
This 200-foot radius flashes with pulses of golden light.
within 10 feet of this 10-foot-square patch of vibrant
For every 20 feet a creature moves through the area,
red plants must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or
they must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be
take 27 (6d8) necrotic damage and suffer memory loss
enveloped in the golden light and teleported 1,000 (1d10
as if affected by a 6th-level casting of modify memory. A
x 200) feet in a random direction.
successful save halves the damage and their memory is
unaffected.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 145

 Session Building

Reality Rift ...Fold in Space and Time. The rift appears as a

A rift—a jagged hole in the fabric of reality—opens up 10-foot-diameter circle floating about 6 inches
in front of the party. Roll on the Reality Rift Results above the ground. On this result, the GM will roll 1d6.
table, then see its results. When open, the rift will remain On a result of 1-3, the image inside the rift depicts
open for 5 (2d4) rounds before closing again. Any effects somewhere the party has been in the last 10 days.
6
created by the rift end when the rift closes, but creatures On a result of 4-6, the image in the portal depicts
summoned by the rift remain. somewhere the party may go in the next 10 days.
Regardless of the image depicted, walking through
Reality Rift Results the portal will transport the creature immediately to
the location depicted in the image.
1d8 The rift creates a(n)...
...Force Vacuum. Waves of pulsing force ripple ...Painful Brilliance. The rift appears as a rectangular
toward the rift in a 60-foot cone. Anyone inside the window of pure, blinding light. Anyone who looks
area must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the rift must make a DC 15 Constitution saving
1 or take 14 (4d6) force damage and be pulled 10 throw or take 22 (5d8) radiant damage and become
feet closer to the rift. Anyone who makes physical blinded for 3 (1d6) hours. At the end of every
contact with the rift takes 28 (8d6) force damage. hour, they can repeat the saving throw, ending
...Planar Portal. The rift appears as a tear in the the blindness on a success. If this damage would
7
fabric of space. Inside of the tear, streaking lights in take the creature to 0 hit points they are knocked
unconscious but immediately become stable in a
2 a vast array of striking colors streak through the inky
black. It leads to a random plane of existence at GM form of stasis. Only lesser restoration or a similar
discretion. spell can restore them to consciousness. At the end
...Unexpected Guest. With a roar of fire and a flash of every hour, the affected person is unconscious,
of brilliant light, a creature appears in the rift as it is they can reroll the Constitution saving throw, ending
3 shunted into the material plane. A fiend or a celestial the effect on a success.
of CR 5 of lower falls through the rift. They are ...Window into the Beyond. The rift appears as a
disoriented and combative. 15-foot-square window full of glowing silver mist.
...Howling Beyond. Horrid tentacles force their way Anyone looking into the rift must make a DC 14
into the material plane. Anyone within 30 feet of Intelligence saving throw or take 20 (8d4) psychic
8 damage and become incapacitated for 3 (1d6) hours.
the rift must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw
or be restrained (Escape DC 14). Every round a On a success, they are provided with a detailed
creature is restrained in this fashion they take 7 (2d6) vision of an event that could occur within the next 7
4 bludgeoning damage and 10 (4d4) acid damage and days.
are dragged 5 feet closer to the rift at the end of their
turn. Anyone who touches the rift must make a DC Elemental Cyclone
16 Wisdom saving throw or suffer a form of long- This powerful vortex of elemental energy covers 20
term madness, at GM discretion. feet in diameter at the base and 50 feet in diameter at
...Charming Doorway. Strange colored lights and its greatest height, which is 80 feet. It whirls and shifts
the scent of wildflowers flow through the rift. with powerful unstable magic drawn from the elemental
Anyone who sees the rift must make a DC 14 Wisdom planes. Each round, on initiative count 10, the cyclone
saving throw or become charmed. While charmed shifts the type of energy it emits, determined by rolling
a creature can only move 15 feet toward the rift. If 1d6 on the table below:
at the end of their turn they are in contact with the
5 1d6 Damage Type
rift they must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw
or be dominated by the entity inside the rift as if by 1 Fire
the spell dominate person. They are commanded 2 Cold
to defend the rift against everyone else who comes 3 Lightning
within 10 feet of it. Charmed creatures see other Thunder
4
creatures dominated in this way as their allies.
5 Acid
6 Poison

On a failed DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, anyone inside

the area of the cyclone takes 21 (6d6) damage or half
damage on a success. The cyclone lasts for 2 (1d4)
minutes. On initiative count 1, it moves 30 feet in a
random direction.
Polymorphic Fog 54 Quipper
An orange mist floats lazily around this 20-foot-radius 55 Owl
sphere. A creature who succeeds at a DC 15 Wisdom 56 Scorpion
(Perception) check will have advantage on the DC 15
57 Lizard
Dexterity saving throw to avoid the mist as they enter the
area. On a failure, the mist caresses a creature’s skin and 58 Giant badger
begins to change them. The mist polymorphs them into 59 Constrictor snake
a random beast. Roll on the Polymorphic Fog Results 60 Rat
table. A creature’s game statistics change to match the 61 Jackal
random form; however, they retain their mental statistics, 62 Octopus
alignment and personality. This effect persists for 3 (1d6)
63 Giant owl
hours, even if the creature drops to 0 hit points. Should the
creature drop to 0 hit points, they are immediately stable 64 Hawk
and can be healed as normal. At the end of every hour, they 65 Goat
can make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, ending the effect 66 Giant fire beetle
on themselves on a success. Casting dispel magic (5th 67 Hyena
level) on the affected creature will also end the effect. 68 Eagle
69 Crab
1d100 Polymorphing Fog Results 70 Giant bat
1-2 Reef shark
71 Frog
3-4 Giant seahorse
72 Deer
5-6 Ape 73 Badger
7-8 Pony 74 Killer whale
9-10 Giant frog 75 Giant eagle
11-12 Crocodile 76 Brown bear
13-14 Weasel 77 Giant scorpion
15-16 Giant wasp 78 Cat
17-18 Blood hawk 79 Baboon
19-20 Panther 80 Giant crab
21-22 Boar 81 Lion
23-24 Giant weasel 82 Giant vulture
25-26 Mule 83 Hunter shark
27-28 Giant goat 84 Giant hyena
29-30 Axe beak 85 Dire wolf
31-32 Flying snake 86 Tiger
33-34 Vulture 87 Giant boar
35-36 Camel 88 Bat
37-38 Riding horse 89 Giant octopus
39-40 Giant centipede 90 Polar bear
41-42 Wolf 91 Giant shark
43 Black bear 92 Rhinoceros
44 Giant wolf spider 93 Saber-toothed tiger
45 Mastiff 94 Giant constrictor snake
46 Giant rat 95 Giant toad
47 Elk 96 Elephant
48 Giant lizard 97 Giant crocodile
49 Spider 98 Giant spider
50 Poisonous snake 99 Mammoth
51 Seahorse 100 Giant ape
52 Raven
53 Giant poisonous snake

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 147

 Session Building

Temporal Distortion Wild Magic Area

The party walks into an area where time is malleable. There The party will enter an area where magic runs rampant
is no way for them to know what has occurred while they and out of control. Roll on the Wild Magic table on pg.
are inside the area, which stretches over about a mile, but 176 to determine the effect.
as soon as they enter the area, roll 1d6. On a 1-3, time inside
the area moves slower than normal. They will find that 6 Spell Globes
hours have passed while they traversed the area. On a roll All around this area, 10 (4d4) small globes of white-blue
of 4-6, time inside the area moves faster than normal. They light streak in intricate patterns. Each creature must
will find that only a minute has passed outside the field. make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or come in contact
with one of these globes. Any spellcaster who comes in
Ensnaring Double contact with a globe will have a random used spell slot
A random player will see an image of themselves in a restored. Anyone who is not of a spellcasting class will
reflective surface. Upon seeing their illusory double, regain 11 (2d8 + 2) hit points. A creature can choose to
they must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or fail this saving throw.
become charmed. While charmed in this fashion the
creature is restrained, unable to move from the spot and Void Wall
incapacitated as they stare at their double in fascination. Ahead, the party sees a wall of pure darkness that
They repeat the saving throw at the end of each of stretches approximately 2 miles in either direction and
their turns, freeing themselves on a success. If they fail stands approximately 50 feet high. Any creature that
this saving throw three times, the double will replace touches the wall will immediately take 13 (3d8) cold
the charmed creature permanently. Taking 5 points of damage. Should a creature elect to walk through the
damage will allow the creature to make an additional wall, they must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw.
saving throw against this effect. On a failure, they take 22 (5d8) cold damage and are
struck with crippling depression and apathy, gaining the
Necrotic Flares poisoned condition until the end of their next long rest.
The party enters an area where streaks of sickly green
light pierce up from the ground around them. Each Globe of Darkness
creature will take 18 (4d8) necrotic damage and be A globe of magical darkness 500 (1d10 x 100) feet in
stunned for 1d6 minutes. Should this damage bring a diameter suddenly springs up around the party. The sound
creature to 0 hit points, they will immediately stabilize of bleating sheep can be heard in the darkness. For every
but remain unconscious for 2 (1d4) hours even after 10 feet a creature moves through this area, they must make
being healed. Casting greater restoration, heal or wish a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 4 (1d8) psychic
will negate the unconscious effect. damage as they begin to hear dissonant mumblings and
high-pitched discordant whistles among the bleating. The
Hollow Field noises set their teeth on edge and begin to induce paranoia.
An observant creature who succeeds at a DC 19 Wisdom If a creature takes more than 10 points of damage while in
(Perception) check will see this magical hazard like a heat this area they gain the frightened condition, which persists
haze in a 30-foot radius ahead of them. Any creature for 24 hours.
that enters the area must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence
saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 17 (5d6) Mystic Doorway
psychic damage and is assailed with visions of alternate An arched doorway made of pure light stands before the
futures, each ending with brutally detailed depictions party. A DC 16 Intelligence (Arcana) check will reveal
of their death. They will gain the frightened condition that runes on this door, laid out in motes of glimmering
until the end of their next long rest as they continue to light, are designed to connect this doorway to any place
see disembodied versions of themselves dying over and familiar to the user. With a thought, one could open a
over again. A successful DC 15 Intelligence saving throw doorway to any place known to them.
halves the damage and negate the frightened condition.
Maddening Mists
A silver-blue mist wafts in thick tendrils in a 50-foot
square. Anyone who enters the area must make a DC 15
Wisdom saving throw or suffer the effect of a roll on the
Short-Term Madness table. If they fail the save by 5 or
more they suffer a form of long-term madness, at GM
discretion.
Prismatic Spiral On a failed save, the target is blinded. It
A double helix of light that shifts in a prismatic array of must then make a Wisdom saving throw
color floats in the air. If the party comes within 30 feet of 7 Violet at the start of your next turn. A successful
the helix, it will discharge a blast of random light, after save ends the blindness. If it fails that
which the helix disappears. Each creature in the area save, the creature is permanently blinded.
must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw and be subject The target regains 22 (5d8) hit points and
8 White
to one of the following effects, determined by a d10 roll. any negative conditions are removed.
The target takes 22 (5d8) necrotic damage
or half as much on a successful save. The
1d10 Color Effect
target’s hit point maximum is reduced by
The target takes 22 (5d8) fire damage or
1 Red the amount of damage taken. If this would
half as much on a successful save.
The target takes 22 (5d8) acid damage or reduce the target’s hit point maximum to
2 Orange 0, the target’s body is stabilized, but their
half as much on a successful save.
The target takes 22 (5d8) lightning spirit is ripped from their body. The target
9 Black
Yellow damage or half as much on a successful becomes invisible, incorporeal and can
3
save. only affect the material plane if they first
The target takes 22 (5d8) poison damage succeed at a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw.
4 Green Once the body is brought to 1 hit point
or half as much on a successful save.
The target takes 22 (5d8) cold damage or or above a casting of lesser restoration,
5 Blue greater restoration, heal or wish can
half as much on a successful save.
On a failed save, the target is restrained. reattach the spirit to its body.
It must then make a DC 16 Constitution The target is struck by two rays,
10 Special
saving throw at the end of each of its represented by two new 1d10 rolls.
6 Indigo
turns. If it successfully saves three times,
the effect ends. If it fails three times it is
permanently turned to stone and petrified.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 149

 Session Building

Travel Complications Travel Complications by Land

1d8
As anyone who’s ever taken a road trip, ferry ride
1 Vehicle or mount suffers a malfunction or injury.
or red-eye flight can attest, sometimes things don’t go
The party gets lost or turned around. They will
as planned. As your players move from place to place,
2 travel 4 (1d8) hours before noticing they have
navigating their way through the story that you have laid
gone in the wrong direction.
before them, complications could arise. The following
A strong storm washes away the party’s tents,
tables provide a few different complications based on 3 bedrolls and any other loose equipment.
the environment your party is traveling in. If you would
Magical obstacle. Roll on the Magical Hazards
like to use these tables to fill your days of travel, roll 4 table on pg. 145.
1d20 three times for each day, representing morning, Broken ground that lasts for 3 (1d6) miles. The
afternoon and overnight. On a result of 19-20, roll on party’s movement speed is halved and travel
the appropriate Travel Complications table and put that is strenuous. For every mile traveled over this
5
complication in front of your party accordingly. terrain, they must roll a DC 13 Constitution
Some of these entries are self-explanatory, sending saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.
you to another table contained within this section, but Beasts or other vermin attempt to steal the
others are simply idea generators for non-combat-style 6 party’s provisions in the night.
events that might occur. If you roll one of those as a The party is waylaid by monsters that want to
result it can be interesting just to place that event in kill and eat them or brigands who wish to rob
front of the party and allow them to form the narrative 7 them blind. Roll on the appropriate Random
that deals with the problem. Encounters table on pgs. 82-105.
Roll on the appropriate Environmental Hazards
8 table on pgs. 130-142.
GM NOTE: ROLE-PLAYING
VS. ROLL PLAYING Travel Complications by Sea
In some cases, your party may have a hard time 1d8
deciding what to do with a challenge that’s Doldrums. There is no wind for the next 2 (1d4)
1
plopped down in front of them and they may days, making travel slow-going.
freeze, panic or run from the table in tears. But The ship or boat suffers a mechanical
there’s no need to fear—it’s very easy to turn 2 complication that will require 5 (2d4) days to
some of the events in these complications tables repair at GM discretion.
into a set of skill challenges and allow them The party is waylaid by monsters that want to
to roll dice, using their skills and attributes, kill and eat them or brigands who wish to rob
3
to help the narrative along. For example, if a them blind. Roll on the appropriate Random
mutiny breaks out on the party’s ship they may Encounters table on pgs. 82-105.
immediately jump in and start negotiating with There is a mutiny on the ship. It seems like it
4
the mutineers to try to forestall bloodshed. They might succeed.
may even attack the instigators. Rats or other pests eat all of the food stores or
5
If the party is having a hard time coming up contaminate the fresh water supply.
with a solution, decide how many skill check 6 There is a fire on board the ship.
successes they will need to overcome the obstacle A strong storm causes damage to the ship and
and how many times they can fail before a 7 pushes the ship off course, costing 2 (1d4) days
negative event happens. An easy skill challenge of travel.
usually operates on a three successes to three Magical obstacle. Roll on the Magical Hazards
8
failures ratio. Then decide the DC just like you table on pg. 145.
would any other skill check. Asking players if
there is a specific skill they would like to use
will immediately turn their attention to their
best skills and they are likely to start thinking of
creative ways to use that skill to help the party
succeed against the obstacle.
Travel Complications by Air Traveling at high altitude is difficult due to the
1d8 lack of oxygen. The path the party takes leads
Vehicle or mount suffers a malfunction or injury them above safe traveling height for 3 (1d6)
1 7
and cannot travel for 2 (1d4) days. hours. For every hour of travel, they must make
The party is waylaid by monsters that want to a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain a level
kill and eat them or brigands who wish to rob of exhaustion.
2 them blind. Roll on the appropriate Random Dazzling displays of lightning flash around the
Encounters table on pgs. 82-105. party. For the next 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes roll
A strong storm forces the party to take evasive 1d10 every minute. On a 6-8, lightning strikes
3 maneuvers or be pushed off course by 1d4 days. 8 nearby causing 7 (2d6) lightning damage to the
Turbulence bucks the party and disorients their party. On an 8 or above, a random player takes
4 mount or vehicle and they quickly begin to fall 13 (3d10) lightning damage or half damage on a
toward the ground. successful DC 14 Dexterity saving throw.
The temperatures drop to deadly extremes for
the next 3 (1d6) hours. For every hour that a Remember that painstakingly slogging through
5 creature is exposed to these frigid temperatures, every single day of travel, spending time on encounters,
it must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw obstacles or hazards may not be your party’s cup of tea. It
or gain a level of exhaustion. may be your standard practice to skip over long periods of
Magical Obstacle. Roll on the Magical Hazards overland travel to get right into the meat of your story. In
6 table on pg. 145. those circumstances, these complication tables can serve
to add some narrative flair to your travel montage.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 151

 Magic &
Miscellany
F
or those of us who indulge our passion for hydra begging to be chased. When you incorporate the
high fantasy through adventures in tabletop random and improvised in a way that feels meticulously
role-playing games, the primary appeal is the planned, your players will presume you are, in fact,
ability these games give us to inhabit a world some kind of wizard or sorcerer.
where magic is real. The physical boundaries If the first two sections of the book were meant to
of our universe melt away in favor of the far vaster help you establish a world and the circumstances of the
horizons of imagination. For as long as we hold those adventures within it, this section is “all that other stuff ”
dice, we have the power to shape the world around us. that makes a role-playing session more engaging than
Many of us spend our whole lives in the real world any other game on the planet. It is very unlikely that the
trying to find similar magic in our mundane reality. We items in the tables that follow will progress your plots or
spend an incredible amount of time, energy and currency spur on the story arc of the adventure, but they will help
developing technology to fix problems that, during a you add memorable moments that will stand out in the
gaming session, are as simple as stating your intention players’ minds long after the session is over.
and rolling the dice. There are no limitations, physical In the pages that follow, we are going to examine
or otherwise, on the possible solutions you can create. aspects of your fantasy setting ranging from wild magic
The setting you have built is home to mighty wizards, surges to the prevalence of prophetic dreams. Some
divine avatars, powerful sorcerers and delightful bards. tables add unpredictability to spell scrolls, teleportation
In this universe, there are spells that can shake the very and the consumption of potions. You will find tools to
core of existence. There are magical items that can be help you add more divine blessings, consumable magical
used to rewrite time, banish and bind fiendish devils into charms, curses, treasure and strange mutations. There
extraplanar prisons or return fallen heroes to life. It is will be a table of things you shouldn’t touch, but no
this feeling of being able to do anything you can possibly doubt will. There is a table detailing spell focuses for
imagine that sucks players, and GMs, into this hobby. It different casters and manifestations of their magic once
is the unpredictability of a world where such things exist they start to cast a spell. There’s a table that specifies the
that keeps them coming back for more. It is also, in many party’s consequences following a solid night out with
ways, the hardest stuff to answer questions about without their allies, as well as a table that details whether or not
saying “because magic” every session. they’ll want to make an ally out of the personality that
There’s another type of magic that appears at the seems trapped within the talking sword they woke up
table, and it comes from the bit of wonder you’re able sleeping next to after last night’s revelry. These tables
to conjure through the introduction of a surprising are meant to inspire. Whether they inspire joy or terror
circumstance, intriguing plot hook or goose-headed is at GM discretion.
Spell Scrolls 1st-Level Spell Scrolls
Spell scrolls are a great way to drop a little reward to your 1d100
players without having to worry so much about upsetting 1-2 Sleep
the balance of your game (wish notwithstanding). To 3-4 Disguise self
generate a spell scroll, start by rolling on the Spell Scroll Unseen servant
5-6
Level table to determine the level of the scroll. Then, roll
7-8 Bane
on the table for that level to reveal the spell itself. If you
want to add complications, check out the Unexpected 9-10 Cure wounds
Spell Scroll Results table on pg. 156. 11-12 Hideous laughter
13-14 Animal friendship
Spell Scroll Level 15-16 Comprehend languages
1d10 This scroll is... 17-18 Faerie fire
1 ...a cantrip 19-20 Shield of faith
2 ...1st level 21-22 Charm person
3 ...2nd level 23-24 Guiding bolt
4 ...3rd level 25-26 Bless
5 ...4th level 27-28 Detect magic
6 ...5th level 29-30 Inflict wounds
7 ...6th level 31-32 Color spray
8 ...7th level 33-34 Healing word
9 ...8th level 35-36 Purify food and drink
10 ...9th level 37-38 Identify
39-40 Detect poison and disease
Cantrip Level Scrolls Silent image
41-42
1d100
43-44 Featherfall
1-5 Dancing lights
45-46 Create or destroy water
6-10 True strike
47-48 Speak with animals
11-15 Light
49-50 Longstrider
16-20 Guidance
51-52 Goodberry
21-25 Mage hand
53-54 Heroism
26-30 Poison spray
55-56 Jump
31-35 Message
57-58 Floating disk
36-40 Spare the dying
59-60 Command
41-45 Mending
61-62 Entangle
46-50 Prestidigitation
63-64 Illusory script
51-55 Acid splash
65-66 Divine favor
56-60 Minor illusion
67-68 Fog cloud
61-65 Thaumaturgy
69-70 Detect evil and good
66-70 Fire bolt
71-72 Expeditious retreat
71-75 Resistance
73-74 Thunderwave
76-80 Eldritch blast
75-76 Alarm
81-85 Sacred flame
77-78 Find familiar
86-90 Produce flame
79-80 Shield
91-95 Vicious mockery
81-82 Grease
96 Ray of frost
83-84 Hellish rebuke
97 Shillelagh
85-86 Burning hands
98 Chill touch
87-88 Sanctuary
99 Druid craft
89-90 Mage armor
100 Shocking grasp
91-92 False life
93-94 Hunter’s mark

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 153

 Magic & Miscellany

95-97 Protection from evil and good 91-92 Spider climb

98-100 Magic missile 93 Ray of enfeeblement
94 Prayer of healing
2nd-Level Spell Scrolls 95 Misty step
1d100 96 Arcane lock
1-2 Hold person
97 Moonbeam
3-4 Spike growth
98 Continual flame
5-6 Flame blade
99 Flaming sphere
7-8 Invisibility
100 Scorching ray
9-10 Enhance ability
11-12 Shatter 3rd-Level Spell Scrolls
13-14 Barkskin 1d100
15-16 Magic mouth 1-3 Bestow curse
17-18 Detect thoughts 4-6 Glyph of warding
19-20 Suggestion 7-9 Tongues
21-22 Augury 10-12 Slow
23-24 Enthrall 13-15 Dispel magic
25-26 Silence 16-18 Hypnotic pattern
27-28 Locate animals or plants 19-21 Call lightning
29-30 Gentle repose 22-24 Clairvoyance
31-32 Blindness/deafness 25-27 Stinking cloud
33-34 Darkvision 28-30 Fear
35-36 Locate object 31-33 Nondetection
37-38 Knock 34-36 Daylight
39-40 Arcanist’s magic aura 37-39 Speak with plants
41-42 See invisibility 40-42 Major image
43-44 Alter self 43-45 Blink
45-46 Calm emotions 46-48 Water walk
47-48 Aid 49-51 Plant growth
49-50 Zone of truth 52-54 Fly
51-52 Warding bond 55-57 Conjure animals
53-54 Heat metal 58-60 Sending
55-56 Acid arrow 61-63 Create food and water
57-58 Find traps 64-66 Gaseous form
59-60 Pass without trace 67-69 Speak with dead
61-62 Branding smite 70-72 Mass healing word
63-64 Animal messenger 73-75 Water breathing
65-66 Darkness 76-78 Animate dead
67-68 Spiritual weapon 79-81 Counterspell
69-70 Lessor restoration 82-84 Haste
71-72 Gust of wind 85-87 Meld into stone
73-74 Find steed 88 Tiny hut
75-76 Enlarge/reduce 89 Remove curse
77-78 Levitate 90 Fireball
79-80 Protection from poison 91 Beacon of hope
81-82 Magic weapon 92 Wind wall
83-84 Rope trick 93 Magic circle
85-86 Web 94 Sleet storm
87-88 Blur 95 Protection from energy
89-90 Mirror image 96 Lightning bolt
 97 Revivify 37-40 Raise dead
98 Vampiric touch 41-44 Animate objects
99 Phantom steed 45-48 Commune with nature
100 Spirit guardians 49-52 Hold monster
53-56 Cloudkill
4th-Level Spell Scrolls 57-60 Insect plague
1d100 Mass cure wounds
61-64
1-4 Polymorph
65-68 Planar binding
5-8 Secret chest
69-72 Creation
9-12 Dimension door
73-76 Teleportation circle
13-16 Conjure woodland beings
77-80 Mislead
17-20 Locate creature
81-84 Cone of cold
21-24 Compulsion
85 Dispel evil and good
25-28 Arcane eye
86 Telekinesis
29-32 Freedom of movement
87 Commune
33-36 Hallucinatory terrain
88 Antilife shell
37-40 Confusion
89 Reincarnate
41-44 Death ward
90 Dominate person
45-48 Black tentacles
91 Greater restoration
49-52 Fabricate
92 Wall of stone
53-56 Control water
93 Arcane hand
57-60 Dominate beast
94 Tree stride
61-64 Fire shield
95 Contagion
65-68 Stone shape
96 Passwall
69-72 Conjure minor elementals
97 Telepathic bond
73-76 Wall of fire
98 Wall of force
77-80 Guardian of faith
99 Flame strike
81-84 Ice storm Conjure elemental
100
85-88 Faithful hound
89-92 Stoneskin 6th-Level Spell Scrolls
93 Phantasmal killer 1d100
94 Resilient sphere 1-4 True seeing
95 Greater invisibility 5-8 Guards and wards
96 Blight 9-12 Eyebite
97 Divination 13-16 Instant summons
98 Giant insect 17-20 Mass suggestion
99 Private sanctum 21-24 Irresistible dance
100 Banishment 25-28 Conjure fey
29-32 Programmed illusion
5th-Level Spell Scrolls 33-36 Harm
1d100 37-40 Sunbeam
1-4 Hallow Find the path
41-44
5-8 Contact other plane Circle of death
45-48
9-12 Seeming Planar ally
49-52
13-16 Dream Move earth
53-56
17-20 Scrying Wind walk
57-60
21-24 Awaken Forbiddance
61-64
25-28 Legend lore Wall of thorns
65-68
29-32 Modify memory 69-72 Globe of invulnerability
33-36 Geas

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 155

 Magic & Miscellany

73-76 Flesh to stone 15 Control weather

77-80 Blade barrier 16 Antimagic field
81-84 Transport via plants 17 Maze
85-88 Contingency 18 Holy aura
89-92 Freezing sphere 19 Dominate monster
93 Heal 20 Sunburst
94 Chain lightning
95 Magic jar 9th-Level Spell Scrolls
Wall of ice 1d20
96
1-2 Storm of vengeance
97 Create undead
3-4 Astral projection
98 Heroes’ feast
5-6 Gate
99 Disintegrate
7-8 Shape change
100 Word of recall
9-10 Mass heal
11 True polymorph
7th-Level Spell Scrolls 12 Foresight
1d20 13 Meteor swarm
1 Regenerate 14 Wish
2 Delayed blast fireball 15 Time stop
3 Forcecage 16 Power word kill
4 Reverse gravity 17 Imprisonment
5 Mirage arcane 18 Prismatic wall
6 Finger of death 19 Weird
7 Etherealness 20 True resurrection
8 Prismatic spray
9 Magnificent mansion
10 Conjure celestial GM NOTE: UNEXPECTED RESULTS
11 Project image When players use spell scrolls they’ve found
12 Sequester in ancient piles of treasure or that they have
Arcane sword obtained through less than reputable sources,
13
you can roll on the following table to generate
14 Plane shift
some unexpected results that arise from the use
15 Simulacrum of the spell scroll. This is an easy way to add some
16 Resurrection immediate excitement to your campaign and
17 Teleport elevate the addition of a spell scroll beyond a “you
18 Symbol did good, kid: here’s a treat” transaction.
19 Fire storm
20 Divine word
Unexpected Spell Scroll Results
8th-Level Spell Scrolls 1d20
1d20 Unintended Results. The target of the spell scroll is
1 affected by a random spell of the same level. Roll on
1-2 Glibness
the appropriate level table on pgs. 153-156.
3-4 Animal shapes Double Casting. The spell on the scroll is cast twice
5-6 Clone 2 due to an unfortunate (or fortunate) clerical error. You
7-8 Power word stun must choose a new target for the second casting.
9 Feeblemind Cursed. The caster that makes use of the spell scroll
3
10 Incendiary cloud is cursed and can no longer cast that spell.
Draining. Gain a level of exhaustion immediately,
11 Mind blank 4 whether the casting was a success or not.
12 Earthquake Merely a Trifle. Casting the spell from the scroll
13 Antipathy/sympathy 5 takes almost no effort. You can take another action.
14 Demiplane
 Recharging Surge. After reading the scroll, you gain From Kevin in Accounting. The individual who
6 a single-use spell slot the same level as the scroll. scribed this spell scroll probably shouldn’t have
Those without spell slots gain this feature. been doing so. When the spell is read from the scroll
Unpredictable Burst. Roll 1d6: On a 1-2, the spell roll 1d6: On a 1-3, the attack bonus and saving
19
is cast at its lowest level; 3-4, the spell is cast one throw of the spell is decreased by 2; 4-5, the attack
7 bonus and saving throw of the spell is decreased by
level higher; 5-6, the spell is cast 2 levels higher but
causes the caster to take 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. 1; 6, the attack roll and saving throw of the spell are
Multi-Planar Experience. You become incorporeal increased by 1.
for 2 (1d4) rounds. You can see the material plane but Unnatural Obsession. Something about the formula
8 can’t affect it. Upon your return to the material plane, written on the scroll has gripped your mind and you
make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed cannot stop thinking about the spell. Spells that have
save, you take 11 (2d10) force damage. an instantaneous duration now require concentration
Illegible. Make a DC 14 check with your spellcasting and have a duration of 4 (1d6 + 1) rounds and you
ability. On a failure, the casting fails, but the scroll 20 cannot drop concentration. Each round, you can cast
9 is not expended. You or another can try again as an the spell again as a bonus action. After the spell is
action on subsequent turns. cast you must make a Constitution saving throw with
Rigged to Blow. As the spell is cast, the parchment a DC of 12+ the spell level and on each subsequent
bursts into flame in your hand. Make a DC 15 round the DC increases by 1. On a failure, you take 1
10 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you take 21 level of exhaustion.
(6d6) fire damage or half as much on a success.
Necromantic Surge. All corpses within 60 feet of One of the roll results on the Unexpected Spell Scroll
the target of the spell rise as zombies. The caster Results table, as well as one of the results on the Variant
must roll 1d6: On a 1-3, the zombies are under the Wild Magic table on pg. 176, references switching
11 control of the caster; 4-5, they attack the closest damage types. Determine the nature of the switch or use
living creature to them. On a 6, the undead attempt the Transmuted Damage Types table below.
to kill the person who used the scroll.
Pyrrhic. The caster makes a DC 17 Constitution Transmuted Damage Types
saving throw. On a failure, they take 16 (3d10) 1d20 The spell’s damage is now...
necrotic damage as their Strength and Dexterity ...piercing
12 1-2
scores are permanently reduced by 1 (a curse). On
3-4 ...slashing
a success, they take half damage and their ability
scores are unaffected. 5-6 ...bludgeoning
Reversed. The spell from the scroll does the 7-8 ...fire
opposite of its intended effects. Damage heals, 9-10 ...cold
13
healing damages, effects that push or pull instead 11-12 ...poison
pull or push. These effects are at GM discretion.
13-14 ...lightning
Transmutation-Mutation. Roll on the Transmuted ...thunder
15
Damage Types table on pg. 157 to determine what
14 16 ...acid
type of damage is done. If the spell doesn’t deal
damage, it deals 7 (2d6) radiant damage in addition 17 ...radiant
to its other effects. 18 ...necrotic
Confusing. Make a DC 14 ability check with your 19 ...psychic
spellcasting ability. On a success, you are able to 20 ...force
15 cast the spell. On a failure, the spell is released in
a riot of color and noise, and you fall under the
effects of the confusion spell (spell save DC 15).
GM NOTE: COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Blank Spot. The spell creates a power vacuum in
16 the weave of magic. For 2 (1d4) rounds the caster If you’ve never incorporated “side effects” to spell
becomes the focal point for an antimagic field. scrolls before, your players may feel cheated if
you catch them off guard with a particularly nasty
Incomplete. The formulae that cover spell
effect. Some GMs would shrug and say “Mess
duration were left off of the scroll at the time it was
with the scroll, you get the horns­—that now seem
copied. Spells that have a duration longer than
17 permanently attached to your head,” while others
instantaneous become unpredictable. The duration
would take a less confrontational approach. If you
for the spell becomes 3 (1d6) rounds in place of its
plan to use these tables, consider informing your
normal duration.
players that spell scrolls are unpredictable.
The Fine Print. The tiny, cramped hand that this
18 scroll is written in is nearly impossible to read. The
casting time on this spell is doubled.
The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 157
 Magic & Miscellany

Positive & Negative Potions to generate the description, then roll another 1d100 to
Potions are a straightforward way to add curveball generate the effect. Is it unfair to the party to present
moments to your campaign. The only way to verify what them with a heart-shaped vial inlaid with golden swirls,
a potion does is to use the identify spell or to simply taste containing translucent, fragrant, purple liquid that ends
it, whether that means you get superhuman strength or up banishing them to another plane rather than adding
a swift and painful death. For a beneficial potion, like a to their hit point total? Yes. Yes it is. But who said life
healing potion or a potion of heroism, trial and error isn’t was fair?
too bad. A little dab on the tongue and you know what it
does. However, if the substance ends up being a magical GM NOTE: KEEP THINGS SIMPLE
poison or a potion with detrimental effects, it could be a All of the beneficial potions are intended to be
one-way ticket to the healer’s tent, if not the grave. magical items. In the descriptions on the Detrimental
If you find yourself in possession of a chest of loot or Potions and Elixirs table, items are clearly described
the spoils of a battle and decide you want to add a few as either a potion, a magical poison or a regular
potions to the mix, use the next few pages to determine poison. Change these classifications at your
what type of potion to add. discretion. Unless otherwise noted, potion effects
The following tables contain potion descriptions and fade after 1 hour, also at GM discretion.
effects, one table for beneficial elixirs and another for
detrimental poisons. Go to the table for the appropriate Potion Type
type and roll 1d100 to determine the description and 1d4 This potion is...
effect of that potion, elixir or poison. However, if you ...a Beneficial Potion or Elixir
1-2
want to mix things up and add a little chaos you can roll
1d100, consulting the result from either of the tables 3-4 ...a Detrimental Potion or Poison

Beneficial Potions & Elixirs

1d100 Description Effect
A green liquid that has tiny motes of You gain 11 (2d8 + 2) temporary hit points. While you have these
1 exploding light inside. temporary hit points, you have resistance to poison damage.
An ethereal mouth opening and
2 You gain advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks for the next hour.
closing inside a light blue liquid.
A shadowy tentacle grows from your chest. You can make a bonus
Tendrils of shadow roil around inside
3 action attack with it (+4 to hit, 10-foot reach, 7 (2d6) cold damage on a
a vibrant pink solution.
hit). This tentacle disappears after 1 hour.
Blue smoke whirling inside a small You disappear in a cloud of blue mist and reappear 60 feet away. You feel
4 glass vial. as if you can repeat this feat 11 (2d10) more times before it wears off.
5 A grouping of stars in jet black liquid. You gain the ability to cast augury one time.
A nearly weightless solution that fades Your alignment is inverted for 25 (10d4) hours. If you are true neutral,
6 from golden yellow to deep orange. your new alignment is at GM discretion.
A metallic compound that seems solid You gain a +2 to your armor class and advantage on Dexterity saving
7 but flows like mercury when opened. throws and Dexterity-based checks for 10 minutes.
A single strand of glowing golden hair Each creature of your choice within 10 feet of you is under the effects of
8 suspended in a clear liquid. the bless spell for 1 hour or until you drop to half your hit points.
Suspended in the middle of this crystal Your body glows with blazing light, creating 30 feet of bright light and 30
9 vial is a burning miniature sun. feet of dim light for one minute. This light is sunlight.
A simple transparent blue effervescent
10 You behave as if under the effect of the levitate spell.
liquid that smells of fresh mint.
Shimmering green metallic leaves float
11 You fall under the effects of the speak with plants spell.
in a clear thick liquid.
A rift of pure darkness sits in the middle
For 1 minute you gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and each
12 of this vial of deep blue liquid; fingers
round, as a reaction, you can impose disadvantage on one attack.
of shadow reach from the rift.
A thick green sludge smelling heavily Thick bark appears on your skin for one minute, adding +1 to AC. Any
13 of dirt and tree bark. creature that hits with a melee attack takes 2 (1d4) piercing damage.
A jet black, odorless liquid that turns
14 You gain 90 feet of darkvision for the next 3 (1d6) hours.
completely clear when agitated.
 Small stones float suspended in a You become buoyant, gaining 15 feet of additional movement and
15 tan liquid. advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks for 1 hour.
Heart-shaped jellies swirl around inside The next creature that looks at you becomes charmed by you as if affected
16 of this cloudy pink draft. by the spell charm person (DC 18).
A green liquid that turns indigo You can treat your next d20 roll as an 11. This effect must be used within 10
17 and smells of honey when opened. minutes or it fades.
The yellow liquid inside of this blue You gain one use of Bardic Inspiration (1d8) and have advantage on all
18 crystalline bottle audibly hums. Charisma (Performance) checks for 1 hour.
Super thin, iridescent scales oscillate Gills form on the sides of your neck, giving you the ability to breathe
19 through this light green liquid. underwater for 1 hour.
Flakes of shining adamantine swirl inside
20 For 2 (1d4) rounds you gain +4 to AC immunity to magic missile.
of a thick, but translucent, gray liquid.
A large crystal vial containing swirling Orange mist leaks from your pores. The mist persists for 3 (1d6) hours,
21 dark orange mist. during which time you are immune to disease.
Green and brown cloudy wisps waft Your voice becomes irresistible. You have advantage on Charisma
22 from a diffuser that hangs in a (Persuasion) checks and creatures are at disadvantage when making saves
translucent light green liquid. against your spells that charm.
23 Big blue bubbles in a thin orange liquid. You do not need to breathe for the next 24 hours.
24 A black liquid that moves like molasses. You gain the benefits of true sight for 3 (1d6) rounds
Deep purple mist rising from a thick
25 For 4 (1d8) hours you lose darkvision but regenerate 3 hit points per round.
lavender solution.
A muddy liquid that sounds like rushing
26 You gain advantage on Strength saves and cannot be knocked prone.
rapids when the container is opened.
A smoky green miniature snake
27 You become immune to poison damage for 2 (1d4) hours.
swimming through a dark gray liquid
A shimmering white liquid and a dark All your hit points are restored but your Constitution score decreases by 2
28 black unguent that mix when imbibed. for 24 hours.
A perfectly spherical blank space floating For 1 minute, any time you are forced to make a saving throw against an
29 in the center of a golden yellow liquid. area of effect spell, you pass, regardless of the spell’s DC.
Multi-colored pastel fog boils in this Blue fog boils from your mouth and nose, creating a fog cloud centered on
30 deep blue crystal decanter. you. Your vision is not obscured by this fog.
31 Cloudy ice floating in a jug of clear goo. You have immunity to cold damage for 1 minute.
A single seed sprouts and grows only to During the next hour you can reroll one failed saving throw, taking the
32 regress inside of this clear liquid. higher result. You gain 9 (2d8) hit points and a level of exhaustion.
Glowing words in multiple languages form A sudden revelation washes over you, and you gain all the benefits of the
33 and disappear inside a viscous gray liquid. tongues spell for 1 hour.
A blue liquid that snakes up out of the After a successful melee attack, you can choose to automatically grapple
34 container like tentacles when opened. and restrain your target. This ability lasts for 1 minute.
Musical notes, seemingly made of light, Your senses are not affected by any area that is lightly obscured and you
35 float in translucent blue liquid. treat a heavily obscured area as lightly obscured for 1 minute.
Small bubbles in a pink liquid that For the next 2 (1d4) days you can cast prestidigitation three times per day.
36 explode like tiny fireworks. The effects of the casting last until the potion wears off, at GM discretion.
A small pink gem glowing at the bottom For 1 day, you automatically know the value of any gem or precious metal.
37 of dark blue liquid. The gem disappears You also gain advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks to negotiate
when the container is opened. sales of these goods.
Liquid flame burning inside a crystal You gain resistance to fire damage and your melee and ranged attacks do
38 clear vial. The vial is cold to the touch. an additional 3 (1d6) fire damage. These effects fade after 1 minute.
A single yellowed oak leaf floating in You gain all the benefits of the tree stride spell (no concentration) for one
39 the center of a glowing yellow potion. minute.
A shimmering dragon-like creature For the next 8 hours, you gain access to a breath weapon as if you were a
40 suspended in a deep blue solution. dragonborn. The damage type is the first type that pops into your mind.
Small red butterflies fluttering through For 10 minutes you are immune to the charmed, frightened and stunned
41 a translucent orange liquid. conditions.
A viscous green solution that radiates You can cast dancing lights (no concentration). You can dismiss the spell to
42 with a fluorescent light. cause 9 (2d8) radiant damage to one creature within 60 feet.
Golden sands swirling in a clear liquid For 8 hours after drinking this potion you cannot be surprised and are able
43 that rotates in a clockwise direction. to add 4 (1d8) to your initiative rolls.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 159

 Magic & Miscellany

1d100 Description Effect

A deep red liquid dripping within an At any point during the next 10 minutes, you can use your reaction to
44 hourglass-shaped vial. negate the damage from a single attack or spell within 60 feet of you.
A large, dead, hairy spider floating You gain the ability to walk on vertical surfaces and upside down on
45 inside a vial of thick yellow liquid. ceilings as if granted the benefits of the spiderclimb spell.
A pinkish-white viscous liquid inside Any creature that comes with 10 feet of you for 1 hour after consuming this
46 a rose-shaped glass vial. potion is affected by the calm emotions spell.
A claw, a tooth and a chunk of gold You gain resistance to all slashing and piercing damage for 1 hour. While
47 sitting in a deep red solution. something made of gold is within sight, you gain the poisoned condition.
A stone ring inscribed with runes
48 floating in a bright blue potion. For 30 (1d6 x 10) minutes you gain +1 to AC and saving throws.
An ethereal daisy blossom floating on the Daisies grow through your hair. You are considered an ally by all fey
49 top of an effervescent purple solution. creatures for 24 hours and gain +2 to your Charisma score
Silvery-white feathers floating in a You gain a natural fly speed of 40 feet for 2 (1d4) hours. When the effect
50 translucent, glowing, orange liquid. ends you descend slowly, as if under the effects of feather fall.
A half frozen slurry of orange liquid You gain 22 (4d8 + 4) hit points and resistance to cold damage. When you
51 that smells like strawberries. take fire damage, you can cast cone of cold as a reaction.
Liquid moonlight glowing from inside
52 a teardrop-shaped vial on a silver chain. Once, over the course of the next hour, you can cast moonbeam (5th level).
A multi-colored tree growing inside a For the next 3 (1d6) days you have advantage on Intelligence (Nature)
53 spiraling pink and blue tincture. checks to identify and recall knowledge about plants and fey creatures.
A vial of glittering deep red smoke that For 1 minute, a small dragon of living flame surrounds you. The dragon has
54 shifts into a dragon-like form. its own initiative and a breath weapon that acts like the fireball spell.
Liquid rainbows swirling around a The drinker is immune to the effects of color spray and gets advantage
55 cylindrical vial, the colors never mixing.
against the saving throws for prismatic spray and prismatic wall.
A translucent purple liquid in a square You gain immunity to the negative effects of alcohol and are immune to
56 bottle that smells of elderberry. the poisoned condition for 2 (1d4) hours.
A lavender-hued liquid in a
Your max hit points increase by 13 (2d12) and you gain all the benefits of
57 diamond-shaped vial that has the the heal spell.
consistency of honey.
Glowing cubes of golden light swirl
58 through a thick, muddy brown potion. For 1 minute you gain a burrow speed of 60 feet.
A vial of bubbling water. The sounds of
59 birds emanate from each bubble. You benefit from the speak with animals spell (birds only) for 8 hours.
A black liquid that looks like (and may You can vomit up a swarm of spiders that obey your command. You can do
60 actually be) a swarm of spiders.
this twice, after which the effects of this potion fade.
A completely enclosed cylinder of glass You start to shimmer and flicker out of existence, gaining all the benefits of
61 full of sloshing yellow liquid. the blink spell.
A circular flask of yellow gas swirling You can use a bonus action to teleport 10 feet from your original position
62 above a translucent orange liquid. as a bonus action. This effect lasts 1 minute.
Purple sludge in a vial banded with gold. You gain resistance to poison damage, immunity to the poisoned condition
63 Luminescent mushrooms grow within and advantage on skill checks to interact with fungal life for 1 hour. If you
the bottle, but vanish when it’s opened. make any fungal friends, they’ll vouch for you down the line.
A mossy green potion with bits of leaves
You cast entangle, centered on your position. You are unaffected by the
64 inside. Branches and vines growing out
of the bottle create a handle for it. spell, and it moves with you.
The end of a humanoid little finger Gain advantage on all Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) and Dexterity (Thieves’
65 floating in a thick yellow solution. Tools) checks for 1 hour.
A small pewter figure of an archer
You gain +2 to attack and damage rolls when using a bow to make ranged
66 adorns the bottom of the inside of a
attacks. This effect lasts for 1 minute.
glass vial full of opaque blue liquid.
A solid chunk of unmelting and pure You turn to snow. You gain vulnerability to fire damage and immunity to
67 white snow inside a square vial. cold damage.
Winged golden orbs in a dense yellow This potion polymorphs you into a swarm of bees (wasps). You keep your
68 liquid that smells of wildflowers.
mental statistics and class features.
A four-leaf clover made of crystal For the next 24 hours the drinker can choose to reroll one d20 roll, keeping
69 floats inside a golden solution. the higher result.
 White foam bubbles on the top of an You and your equipment turn into water and sea foam for 3 (1d6) rounds.
70 opaque aquamarine liquid. You gain a 100-foot swim speed, but cannot make melee or ranged attacks.
A vial of fluorescent yellow liquid that You gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
71 tastes like earwax. You can hear things as far away as 300 feet, even through solid rock.
A stone urn sealed with an ogre’s earwax. For 1 minute after consuming this potion your unarmed strikes do 4 (1d8)
72 Glowing lava can be seen within. fire and 4 (1d8) + strength modifier bludgeoning damage.
A white candle flickering inside a
cylindrical vial. When opened, the For 3 (1d6) hours you gain the ability to cast the light cantrip that manifests
73
candle dissolves into a milky liquid. as a burning candle flame in your palm. Only you can see this light.
Vibrant green fresh pine needles and a
74 small pinecone float on the bottom of For 24 hours, you ignore difficult terrain in a forest or jungle area.
a watery, amber-colored solution.
Ashes in the shape of a phoenix The first time you drop to 0 hit points within 24 hours of drinking this
75 suspended in a ruby red liqueur. potion, you instead regain all hit points and gain 2 levels of exhaustion.
A blue-tinged liquid inside an angular
76 Immediately after drinking this potion you can cast the scrying spell.
bottle marked with a moving eye.
A diamond-shaped vial containing You explode into a 30-foot diameter puddle. For 1 minute your attacks can
77 swirling wisps that form simple shapes. come from anywhere in that area. Attacks against you are at disadvantage.
A cloudy solution inside a translucent
78 black bottle sealed with a raven’s skull. You gain a raven familiar as per the find familiar spell.
Several small rat skulls floating inside a
The next creature you touch must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw
79 thick, bubbling, green sludge. The skulls
or be affected by an illness from the Disease table on pg. 143.
disappear as the potion is consumed.
A large glass decanter containing a
You immediately know everything about the area within 1 mile of you,
80 miniature forest bathed in fog. The forest
including the terrain, dangers and creatures present.
fades as the fog is consumed.
Orange peels and lemon rinds in a pale
You can speak and understand sylvan for 8 hours. Additionally, once during
81 yellow liquid. A fey giggle ripples out of
that time period you can cast mislead.
the container when it is opened.
Multicolored, glowing candies floating You lose a single level of exhaustion and end any effect that is charming or
82 in a syrupy purple liquid. frightening you.
Blue fire in a glass cylinder capped on A tendril of fire surrounds you. You can attack with it as a bonus action for
83 each end with rune-covered stoppers. 1 minute (+7 to hit, 15 foot reach, 9 (2d8) fire damage).
An angelic form within a light blue vapor. You restore a single use of the Channel Divinity feature. Creatures without
84 The figure fades as the bottle is opened. this feature gain a one-time use of turn undead based on their level.
Eldritch blue lightning ricocheting off After drinking this potion you can immediately make 3 attacks against
85 the interior of a cylindrical vial. different creatures (+5 to hit, 22 (4d10) lightning damage on a hit).
A bleached cat skull at the bottom of
86 You gain the effects of the enhance ability: Dexterity spell.
a large bottle of dark purple liquid.
A large, closed eyeball in a clear This potion allows you to remove one eyeball, turning it into the sensor
87 blue liquid that smells of peaches. you can control and see through, as in the arcane eye spell.
A goldfish, made of blazing orange fire, You are immune to cold damage and take no adverse affects from extreme
88 swimming through a golden liquid. depths.
Rich, brown gravy within a stoneware
89 You gain the benefits of a heroes’ feast.
bottle carved to resemble a cornucopia.
A white wolf formed of silver mist You gain advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) checks as well as the pack
90 suspended in a magenta liquid. tactics feature from the wolf stat block.
A wingless maned dragon, made of pure Regain 3 (1d6) levels of spell slots. If you do not have the spellcasting
91 gold, curled around the outside of an feature, you instead gain the ability to cast magic missile at 6th level
ornate vial. It glows with an inner light. 2 (1d4) times. This ability fades after 24 hours.
A heart-shaped bottle inlaid with golden
92 You gain all the benefits of greater restoration.
swirls holding a fragrant, purple liquid.
A simple, thin vial of liquid daylight. Its
You glow with bright light in a 15-foot radius for 1 minute. While the light
93 light cannot be hidden or diminished
shines, all your attacks and spells do an additional 9 (2d8) radiant damage.
through non-magical means.
A miniature sailing ship on the surface
You gain advantage on all skill checks to operate a ship for 24 hours.
94 of a turbulent miniature ocean. The ship
Additionally, you are immune to the prone condition.
disappears when the bottle is opened.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 161

 Magic & Miscellany

1d100 Description Effect

A wine bottle containing a reddish-purple You become resistant to poison damage for 3 (1d6) hours. Additionally, you
95 solution that smells of grapes and mint. gain the ability to cast detect poison and disease at will.
Small bees made of light buzzing
You are invigorated by the potion and are affected by an aid spell cast at a
96 over an amber liquid. A large chunk of
3rd level.
honeycomb floats inside the solution.
A glowing, fluorescent pink liquid in a One ability score bonus of your choice is doubled for 10 minutes. When this
97 golden conical flask. effect wears off, you take three levels of exhaustion.
The scent of nutmeg and cloves rise
You can speak, read and write infernal and abyssal. Additionally, you have
98 from a dark red liquid inside a metal
advantage on all skill checks related to interactions with fiends.
bottle shaped like a winged devil.
A clear, odorless liquid contained inside
One time during a 24 hour period you can make a single hit a critical hit, or
99 a jade and gold cylinder, topped by a
turn a critical hit into a regular hit. You must be able to see the attacker.
jade dragon head.
A rare white and pink orchid blossom
Once during a 1-hour period you can use one feature from another class or
100 floats in a pink solution inside a
subclass. You must be of an appropriate level for the feature you choose.
blue crystal decanter.

Detrimental Potions & Poisons

Burning red eyes stare unblinkingly inside Make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with lycanthropy.
1 this cloudy colorless liquid. Roll on the Lycanthropes table on pg. 73 to determine type.
A sickly yellow-green liquid that smells of Magic poison. Ingested. Make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 35
2 lilies and apple blossoms. (10d6) poison damage or half damage on a successful save.
Gossamer strands of sugar float suspended Contact poison. Requires successful attack roll. On a hit, the target must
3 in a glowing green liquid. make a DC 15 Constitution save or gain a form of short-term madness.
Streaks of blood red lance through a Make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 12 (5d4) psychic damage. You
4 translucent gray solution. cannot regain hit points until after a long rest.
Whoever drinks or comes into contact with this potion must make a DC 16
A large ebony claw in a green bottle. Once
5 Constitution saving throw or gain vulnerability to slashing damage for 1
opened, the claw decays into a black sludge.
minute.
Coming into contact with this potion forces a DC 16 Constitution saving
6 A clear liquid that smells of bile. throw. On a fail, the target cannot eat for 24 hours and gains 2 (1d4) levels
of exhaustion.
Magical Injury poison. The target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving
A light pink solution that has floating
7 throw or take 10 (3d6) poison and 10 (3d6) cold damage or half as much
motes of blue light.
damage on a successful save.
A viscous yellow liquid that seems to move
Contact with this potion forces a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw. On a fail, the
8 even when not agitated. When opened, a
target takes 21 (6d6) psychic damage and becomes deafened.
horrific scream issues from the bottle.
For 24 hours after touching this potion you will have disadvantage on all
9 A thick, sugary smelling, deep purple liquid.
Charisma-based checks because your voice is hoarse.
Small red explosions burst and dissolve in a Injury poison. Causes wounds to fester and burn. DC 14 Constitution
10 clear liquid that is hot to the touch. saving throw or take 17 (7d4) fire damage. Half damage on a success.
A cloudy gray liquid that solidifies into a Ingesting this potion causes the creature’s jaw to fuse closed for 3 (1d6)
11 chewy but sweet substance when imbibed. hours. They lose the ability to speak. Remove curse can end the effect.
Magical contact poison. Forces a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On
Black smoke swirling around a fiery, light
12 a failed save the target is blinded and takes 18 (4d8) fire damage. On a
blue orb.
success they take half damage and are not blinded.
Cloudy green ooze that’s warm to the touch, Drinking this potion immediately makes you vulnerable to necrotic
13 but incredibly cold once consumed. damage for 1 day.
You become allergic to salt water after coming in contact with this magical
14 A clear thick liquid that smells of sea salt.
poison. Any contact with salt water causes 10 (3d6) poison damage.
Contact poison. The target must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw
Fine shimmering dust that whirls in a vortex
15 or start to suffocate. They take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage each round
inside the container.
they are without air, but can repeat the save at the end of each turn.
Purple and green liquid roiling around a dark Any creature that comes in contact with this potion is affected by the
16 black vortex in a teardrop flask. banishment spell.
 The dark gray liquid inside of this vial does Potent Ingested poison. Make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take
17 not move when agitated. When opened, the 45 (10d8) poison damage and become paralyzed for 1 minute. On a
solution becomes clear. successful save, the target takes half damage and is not paralyzed.
Simply inhaling the fumes of this potion causes 14 (4d6) acid damage.
Violet flames rise from a clear liquid that only
18 Contact with the liquid forces a DC 18 Constitution saving throw to avoid
fills half of the dark glass container.
25 (10d4) acid damage.
Magical contact poison. A sticky tar expands to cover the creature as it
19 A blue, tar-like resin that smells acrid. begins to harden. The target must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw or
become petrified for 1 hour.
Magical injury poison. Conjured needles force their way into the wounds.
20 Silvery spikes inside a blood red solution. Make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take an additional 10 (4d4)
piercing damage.
A chalky blue substance coats the inside
A creature that comes into contact with this potion immediately gains
21 of a crystal vial. Small bolts of lightning
vulnerability to lightning damage for 2 (1d4) rounds.
arc across its interior.
Touching this potion makes gripping items extremely difficult. All
A thin, rancid, clear liquid seems to not touch
22 attack rolls and skill checks to use equipment or tools are made with
the inside of the vial.
disadvantage for 24 hours.
Sharp green crystalline thorns in a clear Magical contact poison. Make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw to
23 liquid that smells of tilled earth when prevent thorny vines from growing through your skin causing 19 (3d12)
opened. piercing damage.
Ingesting this magical poison forces a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On
A red liquid that snaps and pops on the
24 a failure, 2 (1d4) small explosions erupt in the creature’s gut, each causing
tongue when consumed.
7 (3d4) fire damage.
Contact with this potion forces a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed
Ethereal screaming faces appearing and
save, the target becomes frightened for 1 minute. While frightened the
25 disappearing into dark clouds inside an
creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of every round or also
orange liquid.
take 5 (2d4) psychic damage.
This potion forces a DC 15 Constitution saving throw to avoid 22 (5d8)
26 A bright yellow lotion that smells of lemons.
necrotic damage. On a successful save, the target takes half damage.
Frost covers the lid and exterior of a vial of You must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw after coming into
27 deep blue liquid. contact with this potion or become vulnerable to cold damage for 1 hour.
Bits of sweet and juicy pulp floating on A creature that comes into contact with this potion must make a DC 16
28 top of a dark orange liquid that smells Dexterity saving throw or become frozen in amber for 4 (1d4 + 2) days.
of cinnamon. Dispel magic (5th level) can release a trapped creature
For 1 minute after contact with this potion, the creature must make a
Green spheres floating in a black liquid
29 DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pulled toward the nearest creature. It
tethered by a shimmering line of energy.
suffers 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet traveled.
Dark swirls of sickly purple energy waft Injury poison. Affected creature must make a DC 12 Constitution saving
30 through a thick green liquid. throw or take 9 (2d8) poison and 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
Red sloshing liquid in a round decanter. Each A creature that comes in contact with this potion must make a DC 16
31 time it’s jostled or bumped, small bits of Constitution saving throw. On a fail, they take 36 (8d8) acid damage and
bone and a few teeth appear. gain disadvantage on all Charisma checks.
Tendrils of purple and black oil swirl through Drinking this potion forces a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed
32 an aquamarine liquid. save, a creature loses darkvision. Remove curse ends the effect.
Rays of energy radiate from within a bottle Coming into contact with this potion is like being hit with prismatic spray
33 shaped like an owlbear skull. (DC 16).
Magical injury poison. Make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed
A gray liquid that cascades down the sides of
34 save, once over the course of the next 24 hours, the GM can choose to
its vial like a small waterfall.
replace one of your d20 rolls with a 2.
A leering yellow skull bobbing inside a bottle Contact with this potion forces a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a
35 of blue slime. The skull dissolves as the fail, you are affected by an illusion that makes you appear skeletal. Your
bottle is opened, turning into green ooze. Charisma score is reduced by 2. This effect can be dispelled.
A clump of writhing green weeds wriggling Ingesting this potion forces a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed
36 in a translucent blue solution. save, the affected creature can only breathe while underwater.
Injury poison. Forces a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a fail, the
A lamprey-like worm floating in a clear
37 target takes 3 (1d6) necrotic damage every round for 1 minute as it bleeds
liquid as if it drowned within.
internally. Magical healing ends the effect.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 163

 Magic & Miscellany

1d100 Description Effect

Looking into the yellow liquid of this potion Contact poison. Make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become
38 one will see scenes from their past. incapacitated for 1 minute.
Magical injury poison. Make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 14
Red flashes of lightning streaking through
39 a blue-black liquid. (4d6) lightning damage and gain vulnerability to lightning damage for 1
hour.
A clear, slightly viscous liquid that tastes Ingested poison. Forces a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a success
40 like cucumber water. take 1 level of exhaustion, on a fail take 4.
41 A square bottle holding melted glacial water. Consuming this potion makes you vulnerable to cold damage for 24 hours.
Coming into contact with this potion forces a DC 14 Constitution saving
Three small eyeballs floating inside a
42 bubbling green liquid. throw. On a failed save, you automatically fail Wisdom (Perception) checks
that rely on sight and have disadvantage on attack rolls for the next hour.
A cloudy blue liquid containing a single Drinking this potion makes you vulnerable to lightning and thunder
43 storm cloud. damage for 24 hours.
An opaque black bottle containing silvery For 3 (1d6) hours after drinking this potion, you emit a fog cloud in a 5-foot
44 wisps of fog. radius. The mist moves with you.
Magical injury poison. Make a DC 17 Strength saving throw. On a fail, inky
A deep blue liquid, laced with streaks of teal
45 oil, swirling around a spiral shaped bottle. black tentacles writhe from the wounds doing 7 (2d6) bludgeoning and 7
(2d6) acid damage. It is restrained for 1 minute
A jagged shark tooth floating in a clear gray A creature who drinks this potion makes all Strength (Athletics) checks
46 liquid. related to swimming at disadvantage.
A toadstool with a bright red and white Ingested poison. Forces a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failure,
47 spotted cap in a jelly that smells of nutmeg. the creature drops to 0 hit points but is stable.
A galaxy of stars and bright purple and You cast the divination spell. After it is cast, make a DC 14 Wisdom saving
48 orange dust suspended in a jet black liquid. throw or take 17 (5d6) psychic damage.
Glowing red runes drifting through a deep Immediately after drinking this potion you lose the ability to speak all
49 red potion. languages. This effect lasts for 24 hours.
A chunk of kraken tentacle in a clear liquid. Contact with this potion turns a creature into a writhing tentacle for 4
50 The vial vibrates when held. (1d8) rounds. They take no actions and cannot move.
Upon drinking this potion, you must make a DC 14 Intelligence saving
Flakes of pure gold shimmering in an
51 otherwise dark fluid. throw. On a failure, you become permanently frightened of gold. Remove
curse ends the effect.
A blue decanter, sealed with bright red wax Magical injury poison. The affected creature is subjected to the spell
52 stamped with a rearing dragon, appears phantasmal killer (DC 17). If affected, they feel a mighty dragon is trying to
empty but sloshes as if filled with liquid. kill them.
A flask full of glittering green powder that Contact with this potion affects the creature as if by faerie fire, but the
53 turns to a liquid as it leaves the container.
duration is 2 (1d4) hours.
Midnight blue solution in an intricate glass Drinking this potion causes the creature to believe they are in pitch black
54 vial, inlaid with silver and stoppered with darkness. The effect lasts for 24 hours. A successful DC 15 Intelligence
a deep purple gem. saving throw will suppress the effect for 3 (1d6) rounds.
The tip of a unicorn’s horn in a yellow oil that Upon opening this potion it creates the effect of the spell stinking cloud
55 smells like sulfur and feet.
that moves with the bottle.
A shimmering gold liquid that clinks like a full After consuming this potion you are unable to see money. Remove curse
56 coin purse when jostled.
ends the effect.
This potion initially heals you for 7 (2d6) hit points. After the healing is
Chunks of fresh red berries in a syrupy
57 red solution with a cloying aftertaste. applied, you must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or take 28 (8d6)
psychic damage.
A miniature brain inside a jar of purple Drinking this potion affects a creature like the spell feeblemind (spell save
58 liqueur. The brain seems...alive. DC 15).
A red stellated dodecahedron crystal Magical injury poison. Creature must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw
59 in an effervescent amber liquid. or become trapped in a sphere of force as per the wall of force spell.
A chicken egg in a gray-green solution One hundred illusory chickens swarm over the creature who touched the
60 inside an ovoid decanter. The squawking of potion. The creature must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become
angry chickens emanates from within. frightened for 24 hours and take 20 (8d4) piercing damage.
A milky white potion concealing the teeth of The creature that drinks this potion immediately becomes vulnerable to
61 several different creatures. piercing damage for 24 hours.
 A black rosebud suspended in an Magical ingested poison. Make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take
62 off-white translucent solution. The container 17 (5d6) necrotic damage. If you take more than 14 points of damage, you
is cold to the touch. become frozen in a block of ice.
A lock of black hair, bound in golden Magical injury poison. Make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become
63 thread, bobbing in a gray-blue cloudy potion. highly suggestible, as if under the effects of dominate person.
Contact poison. Make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or take 27 (5d10)
A glob of bright green spider venom
64 poison damage and gain the poisoned condition. Half damage and no
suspended in a purple-black mist.
poisoned condition on a success.
Any creature that drinks this potion immediately becomes the focal point of
Blobs of angry red oil in a cloudy
65 a grease spell (DC 14). The area of effect is centered on the affected creature
yellow solution contained in a flask.
and follows them.
Shimmering mermaid scales, small A creature that drinks this potion immediately gains a swim speed of 20 feet
66 amounts of blood and tissue still clinging and is able to breathe underwater. However, the first time they submerge
to them, in a cloudy blue liquid. themselves, they will take 21 (6d6) necrotic damage.
Drinking this potion will initially boost the drinker’s bravery. They become
A single black dragon claw in a dark gray
67 immune to the frightened condition but soon dip into paranoia. After 8
liquid in a bell-shaped jar.
hours, they gain a form of long term madness, at GM discretion.
Fluorescent purple liquid in a rectangular Injury poison. Make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 17 (5d6)
68 bottle marked with five X’s. poison damage and 17 (5d6) necrotic damage. Half damage on a success.
A tan, opaque liquid slowly bubbles, as Drinking this potion makes the creature a beacon for an enraged earth
69 if boiling, in an earthen clay jar. elemental. It appears after one round and attacks anything in sight.
Mist rises from a bottle made of glacial The creature that drinks this potion immediately becomes vulnerable to
70 blue ice. The cold clear liquid inside smells of fire damage. In addition, if they are in ambient temperatures of 35 degrees
mint and honey. or higher, they take 7 (2d6) fire damage per minute.
This potion makes a creature immune to petrification and reverses the
A vibrant orange solution in an angular bottle
71 condition on a petrified creature. However, drinking the potion causes 14
that is partly glass and partly granite.
(4d6) radiant damage.
Dark liqueur surrounding a glowing crystal
Drinking this potion grants a creature 30 feet of darkvision, however, they
72 the shape of a crescent moon, which
also are affected by sunlight sensitivity. Remove curse ends the effect.
disappears when the bottle is opened.
A skeletal snake coils around a dusty blue
Contact with this potion permanently polymorphs you into a giant
73 bottle of black liquid. Inside the solution,
constrictor snake. Remove curse ends the effect.
motes of red light flare and die.
Drinking this potion causes beans to sprout in your belly. Make a DC 15
Dark brown beans floating and wiggling Constitution saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) piercing damage on a failed
74 through a thin green solution. save as they burst out of your stomach. If this damage kills you, a treant
rises from your corpse.
This potion creates a cloud of jet black gas in a 20-foot radius. Anyone in
A clear liquid inside an ornate spritz bottle.
75 the area must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 14 (4d6)
When sprayed, it creates a black vapor.
necrotic damage.
An intricate brass cylinder hiding a reservoir Injury poison. Forces a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save,
76 of aquamarine liquid. A small button on the creature takes 3 (1d6) poison damage and 10 (3d6) fire damage and
one end deploys a needle to inject it. takes 3 (1d6) fire damage at the start of each of their turns for 1 minute.
A glowing silver arrow suspended in lavender After being exposed to this potion, a creature makes all ranged attacks at
77 fluid in a small crystal vial. disadvantage for 24 hours.
The creature who drinks this potion must make a DC 15 Constitution
Red bubbles rise to the surface of a magenta
78 saving throw. On a failure, healing spells and potions deliver necrotic
liquid, releasing yellow mist as they burst.
damage instead.
A large iron key rattles inside a bottle of Magical inhaled poison. A creature affected must make a DC 18 Wisdom
79 rust-hued liquid. saving throw or become frightened of doorways for 24 hours.
Contact with this potion will enclose the creature in a ring of green fire
Fluorescent green fluid in a donut-shaped
80 from which a green gas wafts. Acts like the spell wall of fire but the damage
vial.
is half fire, half poison, and the hot side is facing them.
Pink light swirls inside a spherical decanter. A creature who drinks this potion will be affected by the spell longstrider;
81 Its color changes from pink to green to however, each turn they must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a
amber then back to pink. fail, they must use their action to move.
Black flower petals tinged with red swirl in a A creature who comes into contact with this magical poison is affected by
82 clear solution streaked with liquid silver. the slow spell (spell save DC 18).

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 165

 Magic & Miscellany

1d100 Description Effect

A thick gray liquid fills a crystal vial Touching the liquid will subject the creature to the blight spell (DC 14).
83 shaped like a fanged human skull Pouring the liquid on a plant-based lifeform doubles its efficacy.
A purple crystal dragon figurine rests at
A creature that drinks this potion takes 17 (7d4) force damage then
84 the bottom of a bubbling bright blue becomes immune to force damage for the next 4 (1d8) hours.
glowing solution.
Dark black tentacles writhe in a red liquid. Magical contact poison. Make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or take 16
85 A pealing laugh accompanies the uncorking (3d10) bludgeoning damage and become restrained by phantom tentacles
of the vial. (escape DC 16).
Vibrant purple berries in a green solution Drinking this potion is like eating 10 goodberries. However, as soon as
86 contained in a hollowed out tree branch the healing is applied the creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving
stoppered with fragrant beeswax. throw or become incapacitated for 3 (1d6) hours.
This potion grants the drinker true sight for 24 hours. Every time a magical
A single large yellow eye with a vertical pupil
87 effect is revealed by true sight during this period the creature will take 12
that opens and closes inside a blue liquid.
(5d4) psychic damage.
Drinking this potion grants permanent resistance to necrotic damage.
A white mist roils inside a cylindrical vial fused
88 However, all undead creatures will have advantage on attacks against the
to a mummified hand.
affected creature and deal double damage.
A corked bottle that holds a small iron door.
A creature that drinks this potion is immune to any spell that would
89 When opened, the door opens and a blood-
teleport them. Remove curse ends the effect.
red ooze pours out.
A human heart beating in a golden goo.
Regain 18 (4d8) hit points; however, one of your allies will immediately
90 When the bottle is opened, the heart decays
take necrotic damage in the amount that was healed.
into dust that turns the goo black.
Magical injury poison. Make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or gain
An amber oil floating on the top of a thick
91 vulnerability to fire for 1 minute and immediately take 10 (3d6) fire
yellow solution in a bottle that sizzles.
damage.
Gain a small amount of prescience. You gain advantage on initiative rolls
A small vial of black liquid floating inside a
92 and cannot be surprised for 24 hours. However, after each time you roll for
large vial of neon green liquid.
initiative, you take a level of exhaustion.
A deep blue effervescent liquid bubbling in a
You take 13 (3d8) poison damage and gain the poisoned condition.
93 teardrop-shaped vial gripped in the teeth of
However, you will regain 1 hit point per round for the next 2 (1d4) minutes.
a hydra statue’s five mouths.
Acrid mist rising from the surface of a dark Injury poison. Make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 17 (5d6)
94 green potion contained in a vial made of poison damage and gain the poisoned condition. While poisoned in this
dark glass fused with a human thigh bone. way, you are paralyzed.
A smoking tallow candle sealing the
You can only benefit from light you create or carry in one hand. Otherwise
95 mouth of a glass globe that holds a green
the world is shrouded in darkness for you. Remove curse ends the effect.
jellyfish in a yellow solution.
Several thin strips of parchment, each Take possession of three random spell scrolls that materialize at your
96 inscribed with dark black jagged feet. However, you will also take 2 (1d4) necrotic damage per spell level of
runes, floating inside a blood red infusion. those scrolls. Refer to the scroll generators on pg. 153.
A teal liquid bubbling inside a three-necked Magical injury poison. Make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 14
97 flask that hums a discordant tone when (4d6) poison damage. The creature that attacked with the poison must
opened. also make the save or take the same amount of damage.
A neon blue liquid inside of a pear-shaped Gain the ability to cast the spell detect thoughts at will for 24 hours.
98 flask. Whispering voices can be heard inside However, every time the spell is activated the caster takes 12 (5d4) psychic
when it is opened. damage.
A dark brown infusion in a round flask Make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or watch as their armor and
99 stoppered with a metal statue shaped like a weapons, magical or not, start to rust. You suffer a -1 penalty to AC, to hit
skeletal knight. and to damage rolls until dispelled.
A creature that touches this magical poison is immediately petrified. They
The jawbone of a basilisk floats in a large
100 can attempt a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of each of their
bottle of thick black tar.
turns, ending the condition on a success.
Mixed Potion Interactions Both potions take effect, however, strange
Every so often, players go overboard with the number of combinations of alchemical elixirs cure and
potions they consume, attempting to buff themselves to damage at the same time. You gain 9 (2d8)
14
near godhood with every elixir they have been hoarding temporary hit points, however, your hit point
in their bag of holding since the beginning of the maximum is reduced by the same number until the
campaign. The unpredictable and sometimes volatile end of your next long rest.
ingredients used to make potions do not play well with The chemical reaction is so violent you
one another. The results of mixing several (or even just spontaneously combust. You and every creature
two) potions could be disastrous. within 10 feet of you will take 10 (3d6) fire damage.
15 Additionally, you will take this damage every round
Mixed Potion Interactions as this magical fire burns you from the inside out. A
DC 19 Constitution saving throw will end the effect,
1d20
as will dispel magic. No potions take effect.
The mixture of these potions is lethal. Make a DC 16
Consuming this potion makes you violently ill. No
1 Constitution saving throw or drop to 0 hit points.
potions take effect and for the next minute, you
Death saving throws are made with disadvantage.
begin to retch and vomit, during which time you are
2 No potions work. No other adverse effects. 16 completely incapacitated. At the beginning of each
Potion effects are successful, but their duration round, you can make a DC 17 Constitution saving
becomes unpredictable. Roll 1d6: on a 1-3, the throw, suppressing nausea for that round.
3 duration of each effect is halved; 4-6, the duration of The potions are effective but also combine to
each effect is doubled. 17 create a powerful hallucinogen. Roll on the
The potion effects occur but cause a mutation in Hallucinations table on pg. 225.
you. Roll on the Strange Mutations table on pg. The combination of potions consumed quickly
4 200. The effect can only be removed by greater begins to sap the nutrients and vitality from your
restoration or wish, at GM discretion. 18 person. You take 3 (1d6) levels of exhaustion.
Only one of the potions works, the other has no A successful DC 12 Constitution saving throw
5 effect. Flip a coin to see which one takes effect. reduces the number rolled by 1 (minimum of 1).
Both potions take effect, however, the The unpredictable mixture of alchemical formulas
concentration of magic and alchemical components throws you into a terrible rage and debilitating
6 creates an unstable vortex of magic. Roll on the paranoia for 1 minute. None of the original potion
Magical Hazards table on pg. 145. effects occurs, and you instead believe everyone
The potions transform into a voracious acidic and everything is out to kill you, including things
compound upon mixing. You suffer 18 (4d8) acid 19 that are not there. Every round you will attack or
7 damage and 18 (4d8) necrotic damage as your cast a cantrip into a random space within 5 feet.
insides begin to melt. Potions are ineffective. Successful melee attacks benefit from a +2 to
Mixing the two potions together creates a terrible damage. At the end of every round, you can make a
poison of the GM’s choice. Alternatively, roll on the DC 18 Wisdom saving throw, ending the effect with
8
Detrimental Potions & Poisons table on pg. 162. The a success.
potions’ original effects do not occur. One of the potion’s effects becomes permanent
20
The potions cause an arcane seizure. You become unless dispelled, at GM discretion.
stunned for 5 (1d10) minutes. A successful DC 14
9 GM NOTE: BACK TO THE
Constitution saving throw reduces the condition to
incapacitated. VARIANT RULES DISCUSSION
The mixture becomes a potion of poison. The For most tables, adverse effects from mixing
10 various potions’ original effects are rendered inert. potions is a house rule or a variant rule. If you
A hex befalls you. The potions still have their are going to institute this at your table as more
intended effect; however, you must make a DC 18 than just a single instance, it would behoove you
Wisdom Saving throw. On a failure, you are subjected to have the conversation with your players or
11 to one effect of the eyebite spell at random that lasts introduce it as a concept the first time they mix
for 1 minute and cannot be interrupted. On a success, two potion types together in a situation where the
you are affected instead by one random effect of the stakes are somewhat low (as opposed to when the
bestow curse spell. BBEG starts his monologue).
12 The potions work normally.
The potions explode in a concussive blast. You and
every creature within 20 feet must make a DC 16
13
Constitution saving throw or take 16 (3d10) force
damage and be knocked prone.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 167

 Magic & Miscellany

Items With Personality Protective of all those it considers weaker, this item
Whether artifact of legend or a true polymorphed encourages honor and integrity. It will not break a
blacksmith who pissed off the wrong wizard and is now 11 promise or oath for any reason. It believes all should
a dull blade, some items have a personality of their own. be free to choose their own faith as long as they
Some are good, some are evil and some just want to be don’t hurt others.
cleaned every now and again. All try to influence the Respects all life, even that of its enemies. Counsels
world around them in one way or another, specifically by mercy and cannot abide those that kill or enslave.
12
leveraging the power of the individual who wields them. Among the realm’s most powerful items, it’s also a
To build out a personality, first choose whether the item is pacifist.
good or evil, then roll 1d20 on the appropriate table. This item believes in the balance of all things and
aspires to oppose anyone or anything that would
Good Sentient Magic Item Personalities upset that balance. Values creativity and structure.
13 Welcomes community but still feels apart from it.
1d20
Charming, but introverted. Possesses great wisdom,
This item tends to be moody and taciturn, but it
but is sometimes reluctant to share it. It’s a Libra.
fiercely desires to protect life and restore the beauty
1 Secretive and enigmatic, this item hints at a long
of the world. It often speaks of being tormented by
history and existence. Valuing arcane power and
malevolent spirits.
14 knowledge, it has a deep hatred for those that
Dedicated to doing works of charity, this item
use magic for evil or personal gain. It continually
constantly encourages its wielder to give to the less
2 encourages self-discovery through service.
fortunate and assist those in need. It is very curious
This item is calm and collected, approaching
about the wide world, but very very blunt.
everything with stoic resolve and a will that is
Cavalier and daring, this item encourages and
15 stronger than bedrock. Believes unyielding faith
celebrates acts of courage and self-sacrifice. It’s also
3 in oneself is the only way to conquer evil and drive
cocky, believing it and its wielder are invincible. It
those who serve it from the face of the world.
has a soft spot for children or dogs in need.
This item’s sentience is friendly and garrulous, but
This item is patient and kind. It has arcane and
not particularly knowledgeable about more complex
religious knowledge, which it readily shares. It will
4 16 subjects. Believing any obstacle can be overcome
go to great lengths to encourage people to protect
with teamwork, it laughs in the face of danger when
and retrieve lost knowledge.
This item was once evil, but was redeemed through those it considers companions are at its side.
Often melancholy, this item holds to the blind ideal
divine intervention. It now has a soft spot for lost
5 that people will choose to be kind and giving. It
causes and believes everyone deserves a second
feels constant disappointment when the world fails
chance. It lauds the power of grace and forgiveness. 17
Extremely fascinated with the natural world, this to operate this way. It marches forth with dogged
item will do anything to protect wild places. It also determination to bring this vision of society to
6
possesses secret forbidden knowledge. Shhhhhhh. fruition and demands the same of its wielder.
Confident and charismatic, this item won’t rest until This item often speaks in allegory, rhyme and riddle,
it has fully eradicated evil. It has a habit of telling jovially accepting most will not understand its
7 18 meaning and truly celebrating when its wisdom is
the same (action-packed! riveting!) stories over and
over and over again. understood. It’s on a quest for true enlightenment
Direct and stubborn, this item is stuck in its and wishes to bring everyone along with it.
ways and views. Despises dishonesty and This item knows the only way to deal with the
8 practice of evil deeds is through brutality and
underhandedness. Slow to anger. When it observes
oppression, it lashes out in barely controlled fury. destruction. It believes second chances are for fools
19
This item is jovial and good-hearted. It wishes all to and preaches that some crimes cannot be forgiven.
be in a position to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, Brusque and to the point, its presence can be
9 intimidating. It’s not good at parties.
encouraging its wielder to be giving and generous of
both spirit and possessions. This item believes in a responsibility to fairness
This item is strategic and calculating, determined to and justice. Not prone to whimsy, it holds to the
make a difference by changing the odds in its favor 20 ideal that the strong should protect the weak. It
through cunning and cleverness. It despises those encourages the practice of redemption through
10
that control through fear or manipulation and will hard work and sacrifice.
seek to unseat and humiliate them in any way it can.
Evil Sentient Magic Item Personalities Anarchic and chaotic, this item wants to bring
1d20 change for the sake of something new! Easily bored
11
This item is greedy beyond measure. It desires and fickle, it sows chaos, disorder, distrust and
wealth and gold and anything else of material value violence in its wake simply for the lulz.
1 Loud, boisterous and insulting, this item is also
and will encourage its wielder to take from those
who are weak by any means necessary. easily offended. It demands satisfaction, usually
Cursed and haunted, this item is on the verge of in the form of bloodshed, for any perceived slight
12
true madness. Brash and impulsive, it embraces against it. It slowly tries to infect the mind of its
2 wielder with the same hair trigger. It craves blood
self-destructive nihilism, encouraging its wielder to
do the same, hoping it might be destroyed. and humiliation.
This item desires dominion over all living things. It This item is obsessed with a person long dead
will use its forceful will and charismatic personality or who never existed. Its every thought turns to
3 to draw people to it only to crush them under the bringing that person back and it will stop at nothing
13
iron fist of its desire for control. Life means nothing. to achieve that goal. Murder, blackmail, dark
All that matters is subservience to its desires. magic, intimidation and deceit are its tools and its
Quiet and secretive, though it hints at a tragic past, madness is infectious.
this item’s desire for revenge and retribution for Terrified of missing out on important events in
perceived wrongs encompasses all it encounters, the world around it and driven by an insatiable
4 curiosity, this item neither craves nor needs sleep
each new person it meets being wrapped into its
delusion of persecution. It drives its wielder toward 14 or nourishment and drives its wielder toward that
wanton murder and destruction. same fervor. The desolation of deprivation and
Hot-tempered and volatile, this item resorts to neglect of oneself is an added bonus to its constant
violence and rage to overcome any obstacle or need to experience.
5 opposition. It constantly tries to convince its wielder This item is obsessed with oblivion and the end of
that the violent response is the best course of action all things. Its sole goal is to destroy and desecrate
and does not care who gets hurt along the way. 15 all of creation. It derives pure joy from murder
Enthusiastic and hedonistic, this item preaches and mayhem. It feeds this same need into the
giving up responsibility and giving in to personal unfortunate soul who wields it.
pleasure and fulfillment. Its direction is to take and This item demands suffering and pain and loves to
6 inflict both in equal measure. The more personal
use until there is no further benefit to be gained. It
discards, permanently and fatally, things that no the torture it can concoct, the more it finds bliss in
16
longer serve its purpose. its execution. It adores life, but only because life
This item never speaks in more than a whisper brings pain, and causing pain brings it extreme
but inspires envy and jealousy with every hushed satisfaction.
7 utterance. It desires to destroy anything that Arrogant and self-absorbed, this item truly believes
makes it feel inferior and it influences its wielder 17 it is the best. It attempts to lord its self-assured
to do the same. superiority over everyone it comes in contact with.
Shrewd and calculating, this sentience tries to Ruthless and cruel, this item delights in the despair
convince its wielder everyone is out to get it. of others and will advocate for the course of action
Inspiring murderous paranoia in every word and 18 that causes the most psychological pain. It will
8 focus on those closest to any it has determined to
well-placed phrase, it wants nothing more than to
watch the person who carries it destroy themselves be an enemy, destroying everything they hold dear.
and everyone around them. Vain and aloof, this item sees the only possible
This item is brave to the point of stupidity. It is future as one where it is the focus. In the past, it has
19
convinced it is invincible and tries to inspire the spawned cults and fanatic worshipers, inspiring
same in its wielder. It will risk anyone and anything whole legions to sacrifice themselves in its name.
9 Horrific and demented, this item is the combination
to prove its ability and courage and as long as it
survives it will consider that a success, regardless of of the animus of several demonic entities. It desires
20
who else may perish. the burning of the world and resurrection of all life
Cold and unfeeling, this item easily turns a blind eye in its image to serve its whims.
to the desperate and the destitute. It wants nothing
more than its own luxury and believes everyone
10 else has been put there to serve it. This thought
process extends to its wielder, though it tries to
convince them otherwise.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 169

 Magic & Miscellany

Personalities in Items Ratgut the Infamous is a mad goblin warlord.

One specific kind of magical item, not sentient in itself His “army” numbered less than 12 but they were
but containing a sentient being, is the magical prison. 11 all as crazy as he was. Convinced he was on a holy
Some items contain the souls of long-dead individuals mission from the goddess Garkmorah, he lost his
(as in the case of the ring of mind shielding), while head in an ill-fated attack on a tribe of ogres.
others hold creatures locked in a magical prison (the Saralynn Thrushmore is an apprentice wizard.
mirror of life trapping, for example, can hold up to 12 Curious and kindhearted, she will assist in any way
individuals). To determine who an item contains, first 12 she can and she is especially knowledgeable about
decide if they are dead or alive, then roll 1d20 on the the underground realms. She was murdered by her
appropriate Object Occupants table. mentor in a fell ritual to bind a demon.
The blue dragonborn Vorlin Temptus is the captain
Object Occupants (Dead) of the pirate hunting vessel, Stormwing’s Justice.
1d20 Noble, honorable and charismatic, he has a great
13
Countess Erilian Amplebelly is a halfling female store of knowledge of the world’s seas and the
who is gluttonous and greedy. Preoccupied with mechanics of sailing and navigating. He was pulled
1 to the depths by a giant octopus.
food but well-versed in matters of diplomacy. She
died from a heart attack after her birthday feast. Kurthorent the Lizardfolk King is an elitist,
Deceit is a tiefling sorcerer who draws on the violent xenophobe. This former king will scoff at
14
power of his fiendish bloodline. Underhanded and and belittle anyone who is not lizardfolk. He was
2 assassinated by his better-looking cousin.
enigmatic, he encourages trickery and deception in
all dealings. He was slain by his dad (a demon). Bruno the Spearwolf is a human paladin of light
Braeanaria Glitterhelm is a legendary dwarven and justice. Ruthless in battle and cunning in his
armorer who disappeared almost 100 years ago. tactics, Bruno wielded a magic spear touched by the
15
3 Patient but demanding, she knows heaps about gods. Merciless and humorless, his troops feared
martial combat. She fell into the depths of a him more than they respected him. Slain in single
mountain after an earthquake caused a collapse. combat by an aged lich who still seeks his soul.
Warnock Surestride is a successful thief who made Elorynn of the Sunset Glades is an elven sellsword
it a point to only steal from those who wouldn’t without equal. She fought for the weak and
4 miss it to give to those in need. Jovial and kind, he the downtrodden. As giving in spirit as she was
likes practical jokes. He was slain by a magical trap. 16
ferocious in battle. A fiery spirit full of passion and
Cillian Marshfoot is an elven wizard who lust for life. Her body slowly withered to dust after
specialized in alchemy. Inquisitive but overreaching being cursed by a demon lord.
5
and overconfident in his own abilities, he died in a Petrogan Rosenfellow was a joyful master chef,
laboratory accident. adventurer and innkeeper. As a halfling, he derives
Dreggin Ironborn is an arrogant dwarven warrior 17 great joy from hearing the stories of others. He loves
who claims to have slain an ancient black dragon music and telling stories through song. He died
6 single-handedly. He is, mostly, full of it, and was peacefully of old age.
slain by the very dragon he claims to have killed.
Arake the Timid is a kobold scout who was
Shamistali Astaranith is an accomplished scholar
enslaved by a dragon cult and made to scout
who authored treatises on planar travel and
18 dangerous lands because he was expendable. He
7 intersection. Shamistali rarely speaks, but when she
trusts no one, and his pleas to flee are grating. He
does, it should be considered a dire warning. Killed
was eaten by the progeny of a white dragon.
during an incursion of the shadow plane.
Xirris Ulaname is a prolific half-elf healer and
Lorogan Salat is a wealthy merchant and vintner,
devoted servant of the god/goddess of healing
making their fortune in alcohols and wines. They
and life. Benevolent and loving, her constant
8 are excellent at business and offering advice,
19 encouragement is a great boon to those she
wanted or unwanted, on the subjects. Killed on the
can connect with. She encourages devotion to
road making a shipment of fine wines.
charitable causes. She is not sure how she died (she
The dwarven queen Lessailwyn Stonerender
was poisoned by a jealous rival priest).
died in a dragon attack on her once-mighty hold.
9 She is bitter and angry and demands any who Brymae the Steadfast is a half-orc druid. Devoted
can hear her seek revenge on Fradantmorax the to the green spaces in urban settings, she taught
Brazenbreath. farming and husbandry to any who would learn.
Polin “Glittersong” Hrentagil was a lackluster 20 An empathetic healer and a frenzied warrior in one
alchemist, despite his protestations to the contrary. rock solid package. She was cursed to turn into a
10 tree by a trickster god and was later cut down and
He died when he accidentally wrote a formula
backward and turned himself into gold. turned into a lovely split rail fence.
Object Occupants (Living) Gorg Horsemauler is a massive specimen of an
1d20 ogre, however, his haunted eyes, nervous twitches
Kherkeec is a female birdfolk druid who seems to and scar-covered frame speak to a life of torture
14
have an anecdote about everything. She has an and brutality. Gorg is mute and an observant person
1 will see his tongue has been cut out. He backs away
opinion on just about every subject and is blindly
devoted to her large family that lives very far away. from conflict and avoids physical contact.
Breenbris “Nimblefinger” Nackle is a gnome Skalar the Blunt is a tall and lithe female stone
inventor, constantly fidgeting and tinkering with giant. Skalar is friendly with those who earn her
2 small clockwork creations. Breenbris is horribly trust and respect, but it takes a lot to gain either.
curious, which is why he’s trapped. 15
She values honesty and forthrightness to a fault.
Ragmar is a taciturn minotaur who is very dim and She despises a liar or an oathbreaker, but will stand
has an explosive temper. Because of his general lack with her allies to the death.
3 of understanding he takes just about everything as Minzin Valorex is a quiet and introverted
a personal insult. dragonborn sorceress. She is incredibly curious
Percy Strongfellow is a charismatic and disarming by nature but very shy if discussing her abilities
halfling bard. Despite his outward charm, Percy is 16
4 or magical theory as she doesn’t wield either with
out for himself and refuses to settle for less than the confidence. Her captivity has led to her falling into
very best in everything. depression and despondency.
Meleara Amano is a dwarven woman who conceals
Igirund of the Striking Mongrels is a runty gnoll.
a dangerous secret. A prolific scholar and author,
5 He is completely feral, vicious and bloodthirsty. The
she stumbled on a bit of esoteric lore that made her
17 gaping hole where his left eye used to be just adds
a target of the celestial and fiendish alike.
to the intimidating nature of his bestial visage. He
Garrulous and expressive, the motherly halfling
will attack anything that moves.
merchant Theravyre Rosebloom is the
6 Harcourt Breen is a haunted man. A former
embodiment of kindness. She takes everyone under
assassin whose mind was broken when he was
her wing and tries to care for them.
18 forced to kill a young woman who was in the wrong
Reynmaeryn Cavehollow is a transmutation
place at the wrong time, his sunken eyes and
wizard with papers suggesting she’s descended
7 pinched face undercut the confidence he projects.
from a noble bloodline. Reynmaeryn scoffs at any
idea that is not her own. Jahira the Deranged is a spirit naga who has been
Tralo Faerynthia is a fire elementalkin and a driven completely mad by her two-century-long
8 complete sociopath. Quiet and reserved, his golden, imprisonment in the mirror. Her yellow eyes burn
19
unblinking gaze is as unsettling as his breath. with a pure, hate-filled rage. She has patches of
Thordrill Silverhammer is a world renowned missing scales where she has attacked herself and
dwarven metalsmith. He has forgotten more about will attack her own reflection if presented with it.
9 working metal than most people know, but he Derema Carcelion is a drow scout from the depths
is humble and down to earth in his approach to of the underground spaces. Caught unawares, she
everything and loves to share his knowledge. was trapped; however, her calculating mind and
20
Muzakur the Bloody-Handed, a half-orc warrior, is obsessive desire to escape drive her ever onward.
10 nothing but a bully. Brash and loud, dishonest and She will fight alongside those who help her to
self-centered, they fold under pressure. freedom, but fully intends untimely betrayal.
Orlok of the Ebon Blade is a legendary hobgoblin
warrior, now aged and full of wisdom. His hair, GM NOTE: MUNDANE PRISONERS
11 braided and banded in a warrior’s top knot, is gray Adventuring parties have a habit of ending up
with age. He walks with a dancer’s grace and moves in prisons, jails or other holding cells. This table
like a deadly hunter. He views killing as a last resort. could easily be used to quickly populate the
Remus Nerlamos is a tiefling warlock dedicated to confines with potential allies or enemies while
12 an archfiend. Whiny and cowardly, he will betray the they serve their time.
party the first chance he can.
Steady Shellborn, a femme turtlekin, is patient and
careful. She loves to ponder deep questions and
13 debate everything. Slow to come to a decision, but
when she does, she acts wholeheartedly without
reservation.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 171

 Magic & Miscellany

Teleportation Gone Wrong 25 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they must switch
Teleportation is a dangerous business. Deconstructing character sheets with another player who also failed the
yourself at the atomic level and magically hurtling save so they are not using their own as their personality
miles away sounds like a recipe for disaster—and it inhabits a different body. This effect lasts for 13 (2d12)
can be. When it works, it’s great—you’ll never need to hours and can only be reversed using the wish spell. In
barter for a mount again. When it doesn’t work, things the event only one player fails this save, have them state
can go catastrophically wrong. The spell details what the opposites of the major aspects of their character
happens if things go awry and a mishap occurs, but sheet (alignment, personality traits, ideal, bond, flaw)—
straight damage—especially at the level the characters the opposites are their new iterations of each. The
are going to be when they are making use of this duration and cure for this shift in nature still apply.
ability—doesn’t feel punitive enough. If you want to add
somewhat higher stakes when teleportation goes awry,
impose a result on the Teleportation Mishaps table. The GM NOTE: PLAYER AGENCY
description of each effect is outlined after the table. This can be a very fun effect that will put your
players in a unique position, however, it is one of
Teleportation Mishaps those situations that doesn’t work unless everyone
1d20 is on board. Make sure you take your players, their
1 Close But No Cigar habits and their desires into account if this option
comes up.
2 Sentience Switcheroo
3 It Wasn’t Like That Before
4 Untimely Transmogrification It Wasn’t Like That Before
5 Tavern in the Mist In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell,
6 Shunted Out of Sight something was left behind during transit. Have 2 (1d4)
7 Too Close for Comfort random characters make a DC 18 Constitution saving
throw or lose a limb in transit. Have each affected
8 Sense Subtraction
character roll a d4:
9 A Tear in Space and Time
10 An Elemental Excursion • On a 1-2, they lose an arm and are at disadvantage
11 The Other Other Us on all Strength saves and ability checks, Dexterity
12 Must I Argue With Myself? (Sleight of Hand) checks and any attack that requires
13 Realm of Eldritch Horror two hands. Ranged and magical attacks featuring
somatic components are also at disadvantage.
14 Karmic Infusion
• On a 3-4, they lose a leg. All terrain is considered
15 Warping Exposure difficult terrain and they have disadvantage on
16 Turning the Clock Dexterity saving throws, ability checks and Strength
17 Celestial Guardian (Athletics) checks.
18 Touch of Darkness • This effect lasts for 13 (2d12) hours, at which point
19 Cellular Agitation the limb pops back into its rightful place. This effect
can be removed earlier by using heal, regenerate, wish
20 Peer Through Time
or another means of stabilization at GM discretion.
Close but No Cigar
Each creature who was affected by the teleport spell
Untimely Transmogrification
In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell
takes 16 (3d10) force damage. The party arrives at their
description, each creature who was teleported must
intended destination, they’re just 250 feet in the air
make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or change race
above it. If this result would cause them to arrive inside
for 2 (1d4) days. Each creature who fails will roll for
a solid object they take an additional 16 (3d10) force
the duration of the effect and then roll on the Ancestry
damage and are shunted to the closest space that they
tables located on pg. 35 to randomly determine the
can occupy. They then take fall damage as normal.
nature of their change. The creature will replace their
current physical traits with those of the new race. Ability
Sentience Switcheroo
score bonus and any feats granted by the creature’s
In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell, each
original race are unaffected. At the end of each day, an
member of the party will find that their consciousness
affected creature can repeat the saving throw, ending
has been switched with that of one of their allies. Their
the effect with a successful save. The effect can also be
bodies have arrived, but their minds have become
reversed using dispel magic cast against a 7th-level
jumbled with one another. Have your players make a DC
spell, greater restoration or wish.
Tavern in the Mist A Tear in Space and Time
The party finds themselves standing in front of a In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell, the
comfortable and inviting tavern named the Tavern at party finds that time has passed differently for them
the End of the World. They find a welcoming common during teleportation. The GM rolls 1d6. On an even
room serving only the best foods and drinks. The result, the party will find they have arrived 13 (2d12)
proprietor, a matronly elven woman named Elowith hours before they left. On an odd result, they find that
Threeleaves, does everything within her power to 13 (2d12) hours have passed since their departure.
provide the party with anything they could want or
need. If the party remains in the tavern and partakes An Elemental Excursion
of the food and drink, they will be affected as if by the Each creature teleported will be buffeted by waves of
heroes’ feast spell. They can rest here. Or make a plan. force as they are shunted, for the briefest of seconds,
Or just relax. After they choose to leave the tavern, into one of the elemental planes during their journey.
they find themselves at the destination they originally The GM rolls a d4 to determine which elemental plane
intended on traveling to using the teleport spell. the group travels through.
Regardless of how much time they spend in the tavern,
1d8 days have passed. 1d4 The elemental plane of...
1 ...fire (fire damage).
Shunted Out of Sight ...earth (bludgeoning damage).
2
Each creature who teleports using the spell will take 16
(3d10) force damage. In addition, every teleporter will 3 ...water (cold damage).
find themselves stuck on the ethereal plane for 3 (1d6) 4 ...air (thunder damage).
days. At the end of the duration, they will emerge on the
material plane. Using planeshift or wish will allow them Each teleported creature takes 35 (10d6) damage
to leave the ethereal plane early but each character will associated with the plane they traveled through. A DC
take 17 (5d6) psychic damage in the process. 18 Constitution saving throw will halve the damage
taken. The GM should then roll to see where they wind
Too Close for Comfort up, which could result in another mishap.
In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell,
the streams of matter and magic get crossed in The Other Other Us
transit, splicing several party members into one. The party finds themselves in an alternate reality, where
Three (1d4 + 1) creatures who were teleported by the things appear as a shimmering reflection of the reality
spell become intricately woven together on the atomic they left. Suddenly, another version of the party appears
level. The affected creatures cannot move more than before them and the resulting paradox causes an
5 feet from one another and suffer disadvantage on explosion that deals 35 (10d6) force damage. Attempts
all d20 rolls. This effect lasts for 13 (2d12) hours. At to converse or connect with these alternate selves could
the end of each hour, each affected creature can roll a have disastrous (or just hilarious) consequences, at GM
DC 21 Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on discretion. The GM will then roll to determine where
themselves with a success. the party arrives. This could cause another mishap.

Sense Subtraction Must I Argue With Myself?

In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell’s In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell
description, the magical energies of the teleportation warp description, one randomly determined character grows
the flesh around the eyes, ears or mouth. Each creature a second head. That character takes an additional
must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw. On a 13 (3d8) piercing damage as the head erupts on an
failure, the creature must roll a d6 to determine which elongated neck from the joint where their shoulder
part of its head is affected. On a 1-2, the mouth; 3-4, the meets their torso. This second head remains for 13
ears; 5-6, the eyes. The creature will find that the openings (2d12) hours and during that duration, the affected
cease to exist. If they lose their mouth, they cannot speak; creature’s Charisma score decreases by 2 (1d4). Their
if they lose their ears, they are deafened; if they lose their Wisdom score increases by the same amount, and they
eyes, they gain the blinded condition. This effect lasts gain advantage on any Constitution saving throw they
for 24 hours. Dispel magic cast against a 7th-level spell, make to maintain concentration on a spell.
regenerate or heal will reduce the duration of the effect to
2 (1d4) hours. Wish will remove the effect entirely. Realm of Eldritch Horror
The party’s journey takes an unexpected detour into a
realm of horrible darkness, questing tentacles covered
in burning acid and maddening whispers that flay their
minds. Each creature takes 10 (3d6) acid damage, 10

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 173

 Magic & Miscellany

(3d6) cold damage, 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage Intelligence scores increase by one. A character will not
and 10 (3d6) force damage and gains a form of short- die if this aging takes them past their natural life span, but
term madness, at GM discretion. A successful DC 15 if this does occur, they will be at disadvantage on all d20
Constitution saving throw will halve the damage and rolls until the effect fades past that threshold. The effect
negate the possibility of madness. The GM will then roll fades by 10 years after each long rest, changing the affected
to determine where the group ends up. This could cause ability scores by 1 in the appropriate direction. Greater
another mishap. restoration, regenerate or wish can remove the effect
instantaneously. The GM will then determine where the
Karmic Infusion party goes. This can cause another mishap.
In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell
description, each creature teleporting must make a DC Celestial Guardian
14 Constitution saving throw or have one random ability The party arrives in a dark demiplane where a solitary
score increased by 10 (maximum of 30) and one random shield guardian stands. It immediately engages them
ability score decreased by 10 (minimum of 1). Roll 1d6 in combat. This shield guardian has 210 hit points and
to determine which scores are affected, rerolling any its slam attacks are at a +13 to hit and do 20 (3d8 + 7)
duplicates: bludgeoning damage on a hit. If the party is able to beat
the guardian, it arrives with them, using a normal stat
1d6 block, on the material plane at the end of the teleport
1 Strength and will faithfully serve them for 4 (1d8) days before
Dexterity disappearing. If the party is defeated by the guardian,
2
they will awake on the material plane having only taken
3 Constitution
22 (4d10) force damage. Any abilities or spells expended
4 Wisdom in the fight remain used upon returning to the material
5 Intelligence plane. The GM will determine where they arrive. This
6 Charisma could cause another mishap.

This effect lasts for 4 (1d8) hours. The effect can be Touch of Darkness
removed with greater restoration or a similar spell. In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell
description, each creature must roll a DC 18 Wisdom
Warping Exposure saving throw. On a failure, they are affected by a random
Exposure to the base magical elements of the universe curse generated from the Curses table on pg. 184.
during your journey has warped your physiology to an
extreme degree. You must roll on the Strange Mutations Cellular Agitation
table on pg. 200. In addition, you must make a DC 15 In addition to the mishap effects listed in the spell
Constitution saving throw or take 3 (1d6) damage to description, each creature who teleports must make a DC
a random ability score. Roll 1d6 to determine which 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they must roll
scores are affected: 1d6. With an even result, the creature is affected by the
regenerate spell that has a duration of 3 (1d6) hours. At
1d6 the end of each hour, that creature must repeat the saving
1 Strength throw, taking a level of exhaustion on a failed save. On an
Dexterity odd result, the creature takes 35 (10d6) necrotic damage.
2
3 Constitution Peer Through Time
4 Wisdom The party finds themselves blinded by light that never
5 Intelligence fades. A voice echoes from all around them telling them
6 Charisma to ask the questions burning in their hearts. Collectively,
the group is under the effect of the contact other plane
This result remains until the next long rest. The GM spell; however, they can ask a total of 8 questions. After
will then roll to determine where the group arrives. This the questions are asked and answered, each creature
could cause another mishap. must make a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw or take 31
(9d6) psychic damage and suffers the madness described
Turning the Clock in contact other plane. If this damage takes a character
Time bends around the party, causing them to rapidly to 0 hit points they can be revived, but they will suffer
age. Each character that teleports must immediately a permanent form of madness and gain a new bond: “I
make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or age 30 (1d6 x must put an end to the use of all teleportation magic.”
10) years. For every 10 years they age, their Strength and
Dexterity scores decrease by one and their Wisdom and

174 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 153
 Magic & Miscellany

Variant Wild Magic A pleasant breeze wafts in a random direction from

There are a variety of ways magic can manifest in this the caster, smelling of wildflowers and honey. Every
fantastical world your players are exploring. Whether it 9 creature in a 10-foot-wide, 80-foot-long line in a
is the latent power of a sorcerer, the failed experiment of random direction from the caster regains 14 (4d6) hit
a hapless mage or a confluence of several planes, surges points.
of arcane energy will be something your characters are For 24 hours, the caster and everyone within 15 feet
likely to encounter. Refer to this table anytime you need of them replaces one language they know with a
10
to detail the effects of these unpredictable bursts of different one. Each creature affected must roll 1d10.
power. Roll 1d100 on the Variant Wild Magic table to On a 3 or lower, the language they lose is common.
determine the effect on a caster (or affected creature). The caster casts color spray in a randomly
11
determined direction.
1d100 A surge of magic hones in on the presence of
A cloud of fine bright blue mist explodes out necromancy. For the next 3 (1d6) hours, the caster
of the caster’s body. Anyone within a 30-foot and 2 (1d4) random creatures within a 10-foot
12
sphere, including the caster, must make a DC 15 radius of them at the time of the surge can sense
1 Constitution saving throw or take 28 (8d6) acid the presence of undead within 30 feet. However,
damage and be blinded for 1 round. A successful they also gain vulnerability to necrotic damage.
save halves the damage and negates the blinded The caster erupts, releasing an augmented version
condition. of the lightning bolt spell. The bolt spirals out
13
Incredibly catchy music starts to pour from the from the caster, affecting them and every creature
caster’s mouth as they cast irresistible dance on within 20 feet of them.
2 The caster casts reverse gravity, centered on
themselves and 2 (1d4) other random creatures 14
within range of the spell. themselves.
The caster becomes affected by stone skin. In Everyone within 20 feet of the caster must make
order to move, they must make a DC 12 Strength a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be randomly
3 (Athletics) check. On a success, they move as if in 15 affected by enlarge/reduce. Each affected creature
difficult terrain as their stone-like joints refuse to must roll a d4; on a 1-2, they are enlarged; on a 3-4,
move. they are reduced. This effect lasts 3 (1d6) hours.
For the next 4 (1d8) hours, the caster gains 60 The caster casts waterbreathing on themselves
16 and every other creature in range.
feet of darkvision and can see through magical
darkness. At the end of each hour, they must Beams of bright light stream for 30 feet from the
make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or take 10 caster’s eyes. For the next hour, anyone touched
4
(3d6) Psychic damage. This damage cannot be by the beams must roll a DC 17 Dexterity saving
healed while the creature is still benefiting from 17 throw or take 13 (3d8) radiant damage. At the end
the darkvision granted by this effect. of every 10 minutes the caster can roll a DC 15
At the beginning of your turn for the next 4 (1d6 + 2) Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on a
5 rounds, roll on this table, ignoring this result on any success.
subsequent rolls. The caster casts gaseous form on themselves and
18 2 (1d4) other random creatures they can see.
Two oni materialize out of nowhere within 30 feet
The caster becomes deaf for 2 (1d4) hours. Anyone
of you. They are incredibly cross at you and your
they touch must make a DC 14 Constitution saving
6 companions. They will immediately attack random 19 throw or also become deaf until the effect on the
creatures with each of their claw attacks and will
caster ends.
continue to do so for the next 2 (1d4) rounds. Every creature within 30 feet of the caster,
For 1 hour, the caster’s body and equipment themselves included, is affected by the spell divine
20
becomes a loose collection of goo and slime. favor.
They can move through a space as narrow as 1
inch without squeezing and gain resistance to The caster becomes the focal point for the spell
7 21
non-magical piercing, slashing and bludgeoning telepathic bond.
The caster and every creature within 20 feet of
damage but gain vulnerability to thunder and force
them has a random limb disappear for 30 (1d6 x 10)
damage.
All creatures within 30 feet of the caster must minutes. Each affected creature must roll 1d4; on a
22
make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or find 1-2, an arm disappears and they have disadvantage
that their hands and feet have been turned into on attack rolls; on a 3-4, a leg disappears and they
8 move as if on difficult terrain.
hooves. An affected creature has disadvantage
A surge of magic affects the ability to perceive
on attack rolls, Dexterity saving throws and
23 reality. The caster and every creature within 60 feet
Dexterity-based ability checks.
of them is affected by the mirror image spell.
 Wild arcane energy thins the walls between planes. With a spontaneous yell, the caster casts false life
35
The caster casts conjure fey. The creature that on themselves and every other creature it can see.
24 Small explosions of miniature fireworks go off
appears has a 40 percent chance of being hostile
toward the caster and their allies. all around the caster. This effect lasts for 3 (1d6)
36
The caster’s hands and feet become webbed and hours. During this time the affected creature has
they grow gills. For a period of 5 (1d10) hours, disadvantage on all Dexterity (Stealth) checks.
25 The caster and every creature within 10 feet of the
they gain a natural swim speed of 40 feet and can
breathe both air and water. 37 caster gains vulnerability to bludgeoning damage
All of a sudden, the caster’s skin glows with a sickly for 10 minutes.
green light and becomes transparent enough to The caster casts hypnotic pattern (no
see their skeleton. For 10 minutes, any creature concentration) centered on themselves. The
26 38
that comes within 10 feet of the affected creature caster must make the save against the spell at
must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or disadvantage.
take 18 (4d8) poison damage from the radiation. A flock of angry white geese a hundred strong
A whispering of disembodied voices rises from the show up in a 60-foot radius around the caster and
caster’s person. The caster and 2 (1d4) random remain there for 1 minute. Each creature in the
27 creatures have their actions guided by a divine 39 area has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception)
presence. They are under the effects of a bless checks. Additionally, each creature that starts its
spell for 20 (1d4 x 10) minutes. turn in the area takes 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage.
The caster casts magic missile at 4th level. For Any randomly determined creature, including the
each dart, the caster must roll a d8; on a 1-6, the caster, in a 20-foot radius centered on the caster,
28 dart targets a random creature; on a 7-8, the caster 40 grows large feathery wings that grant the creature
chooses the target and that dart does double a 50-foot fly speed. The wings wither and fall off
damage. after 1 hour.
Mutating winds of pure magic affect the caster,
A fire elemental appears in a space within 80 feet
causing them to grow three extra sets of eyes, two
from the caster determined by the GM, who also
of which are on long stalks that rise from their
29 41 rolls for its initiative. The elemental remains for
forehead. The caster has advantage on sight-based
3 (1d6) rounds. At the beginning of each of its
Wisdom (Perception) checks but disadvantage on
turns roll 1d10; on a 1-4, the elemental attacks
any Charisma based skill.
the caster or one of their allies.
The caster casts protection from poison on
42 The caster casts inflict wounds on themselves.
themselves, but as the spell takes effect a wave
The caster regains a single randomly selected spell
of yellow gas spreads out in a 20-foot sphere with
43 slot. If the affected creature is not a caster they
30 them at the center. Each creature in the area must
gain 11 (2d10) temporary hit points.
make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take
A randomly determined creature, including the
21 (6d6) poison damage. Half damage on a
caster, within a 20-foot sphere centered on the
successful save.
caster, must make a DC 16 Constitution saving
The caster’s body suddenly sprouts dark green fur. 44 throw or become paralyzed for 1 minute. The
They gain resistance to cold damage, but for every creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of
hour spent in temperatures 90 degrees or higher each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
31
they must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving The caster’s hair turns into brittle sticks of
throw or take a level of exhaustion. Only wish can wood that stand straight up from the top of
remove this effect. their head. For 24 hours, the affected creature
The caster and every creature within a 40 foot 45 has disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) or
square centered on a the caster are affected by Charisma (Performance) checks. After that time
32 haste for 2 rounds. After this period each affected period the sticks fall out and the caster’s hair
creature must make a save against the slow spell, regrows.
becoming affected by the spell on a failure. The caster casts a wall of fire around themselves in
The caster grows a second set of arms that can 46
a ring, centered on them.
33 be used just as effectively as their own. The effect The caster and one other random creature that it
lasts 2 (1d4) hours. 47 can see are affected by hideous laughter (DC 18),
The caster’s feet turn into gelatinous slime. They no concentration.
gain the benefit of the spell spider climb; however, The caster and two other random creatures are
34 they cannot benefit from any form of footwear, 48 transported to a random plane of the GM’s choice.
magical or otherwise. This condition lasts for 21 They return at the start of their next turn.
(6d6) days.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 177

 Magic & Miscellany

The caster casts protection from energy: lightning The caster’s fingernails form into sharp claws. As
49 on themselves. The duration of this spell is 3 (1d6) a bonus action on each of their turns for 1 minute
63
hours. they can make a single unarmed attack that does 6
The caster is able to take another turn (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
50 immediately. The caster and one randomly determined
For the next 2 (1d4) hours, the caster and any creature that they can see both disappear,
51 creature within 15 feet of them cannot benefit from 64 becoming shunted into separate small pocket
any damage resistances. dimensions. The will return 2 (1d4) rounds later
The caster is able to teleport 20 feet as a bonus with all of their hit points restored.
action on each of their turns for 1 minute. Touching The caster casts sleet storm centered on
65
or casting a spell on another creature transfers this themselves.
52 A silent image is conjured into being by the caster.
effect to that creature. Each time a creature under
the effect of this wild magic attacks or casts a spell, 66 It appears as a duplicate of one creature, chosen
they transfer this effect to their target. by the caster, that they can see.
Slimy and shadowy tentacles erupt from the The caster spontaneously grows a prehensile tail.
ground in a 40-foot square centered on the The tail remains for 13 (2d12) hours and can be
53 caster. Each creature in the area must make a 67 used with the same dexterity as the caster’s own
DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 13 (3d8) hand. Additionally, the caster gains advantage on
bludgeoning damage. Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.
The caster casts stinking cloud, centered on The caster casts thunderwave in a random
54 68
themselves. direction at a 3rd level.
A random creature within 25 feet of the caster, The caster is turned into a platypus. The platypus
including the caster themselves, is affected by is Large, has 60 hp and can make a single beak
an insane rage. For 3 (1d6) rounds, the affected attack using the caster’s spell attack modifier that
69
55 creature gains resistance to all damage and +4 does 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage. This effect
to melee attack damage but suffers a -2 to their lasts 2 (1d4) days or until someone casts remove
armor class. In addition, they roll Wisdom and curse on the affected creature.
Intelligence saving throws with disadvantage. The caster casts sleep at an 8th level, centered on
70
For the next minute, a random creature within 20 themselves.
feet of the caster takes 3 (1d6) necrotic damage. The caster simply hears a ringing in their ears
56 that they cannot seem to get rid of. They are at
The caster regains hit points equal to the damage
done to that creature. 71 disadvantage on any Wisdom (Perception) checks
The next offensive spell or attack that occurs that rely on hearing. At the end of 8 hours, the
within 15 feet of the caster randomly changes ringing stops.
damage types. After determining if the attack or The caster casts shield on one random creature
57 72 they can see. This version of the spell lasts for 3
spell is successful, roll on the Transmuted Damage
Types table on pg. 157 to determine what type of (1d6) rounds.
damage the attack or spell does. Drawn by the surge of magic, spectral entities float
The caster is able to cast cure wounds as a bonus around the caster in a 20-foot radius for 1 minute.
action each round for one minute, however, each 73 Each creature in the area must succeed at a DC
58 time they do they take slashing damage equal 16 Wisdom saving throw or take 10 (3d6) psychic
to the amount they heal with that spell as cuts damage and be unable to take reactions.
appear on their arms and legs Small streams of smoke constantly pour out of the
The next successful attack made or spell cast by a caster’s mouth, nose and ears for 3 (1d6) hours.
74
59 creature, other than the caster, that the caster can The affected creature has disadvantage on all
see does maximum damage. Wisdom (Perception) checks.
The ground in a 15-foot-radius circle 20 feet away The caster and all of their allies benefit from the
75
from the caster in a random direction begins to effects of the see invisibility spell.
shake. Any creature inside the area must make A rain of fire falls in a 30-foot radius, centered on
60 a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 18 (4d8) the caster. The caster must make a spell attack
bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone. On a 76 against each creature in the area, including
successful save, a creature takes half damage and themselves. A creature takes 7 (2d6) fire damage
is not knocked prone. on a hit.
The caster’s body and that of 2 (1d4) random
61 The caster casts fear in a random direction.
creatures it can see become invisible for 1 minute.
Counterspell emanates from the caster the next 77
62 A creature turned invisible in this way can only see
time a spell is cast within range.
other invisible creatures.
 The caster casts banishment on one random 88 The caster casts the spell mislead.
78 creature they can see, including themselves. The caster and two other random creatures they
Small birds begin circling the caster’s head, can see must drop anything held in their hands.
79 89
twittering loudly. For the next round the only action they can take
A 20-foot tall circular stone wall with a 20-foot is an unarmed strike.
80 The caster casts silence and darkness, centered on
diameter forms around the caster.
The caster casts detect magic that has a duration 90 themselves.
of 8 hours; however, because of the constant input A ring of spectral swords flashes out in a 15-foot
of information from this spell, the affected creature radius around the caster. The caster makes a spell
81 91
makes all Wisdom saving throws and Wisdom- attack against each creature in the area, doing 16
based ability checks at disadvantage for the same (3d10) force damage on a successful hit.
duration. The caster can only bray like a donkey for the next
Glowing manacles appear on the caster’s wrists 4 (1d8) hours. Spells requiring verbal components
92
and remain there for 2 (1d4) hours. While the cannot be cast. Remove curse successfully to
manacles remain, the caster cannot cast leveled alleviate this condition.
82 The caster casts firebolt three times, each time
spells. A creature that is not a spellcaster that is
93
affected by this wild magic makes all attacks at against a separate target.
disadvantage. The caster and a single random creature within 15
The caster casts two fireballs, one centered on feet of it begin to regenerate at the start of each
94
83 themselves and one centered on a point 40 feet of their turns for 1 minute, regaining 3 hit points
away in a random direction every round at the start of each of their turns.
A silver maple tree suddenly sprouts from the 95 The caster gains the benefits of true seeing.
ground, grows to over 60 feet tall and then sheds 96 The caster casts insect plague centered on itself.
84 leaves made of pure silver. Thirty (1d6 x 10) leaves, Small popping noises accompany the arrival of 5
each worth 5 gp, fall to the ground. 97 (1d10) dretches. There is a 50 percent chance the
The caster grows eyes in the back of their skull creatures are immediately hostile to the party.
that remain for 5 (1d10) hours. While they have The scent of fire and brimstone wafts from the
85 these eyes, the caster cannot be surprised or caster. A creature that causes damage to the caster
flanked and is immune to sneak attack damage. 98 with a melee attack must make a DC 17 Dexterity
The caster casts fly on itself and three other saving throw or take 7 (3d4) fire and 7 (3d4) poison
86 random creatures it can see. damage.
The ground in a 30-foot radius around the caster
99 The caster casts hold person on themselves.
becomes soggy and waterlogged. This area counts
The caster regains all expended spell slots. Any
87 as difficult terrain and there is a 25 percent chance
creature that is within 20 feet of the caster when
a creature that starts their movement action in this 100 this happens must roll 1d100. On a 51 or higher,
area becomes restrained (escape DC 14)
they also regain all expended spell slots.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 179

 Magic & Miscellany

Pickpocketing 23
...a silvered straight razor with a scrimshaw
Strangely enough, characters love to steal things. The mammoth ivory handle (75 gp).
following table is a handy list of things you can provide 24 ...a magnifying glass with a bronze frame (30 gp).
to your enterprising player who is able to successfully ...a small leather journal. A random 2nd-level spell
engage in their life of crime. Roll 1d100 and consult the 25 scroll is tucked inside the pages. Roll on the Spell
Pickpocketing Results table. Scroll Generator table on pg. 153.
...a round glass jar that has a vibrant purple slime
Pickpocketing Results 26 inside. The slime makes the sound of aggressive
1d100 The thief nabs... flatulence when the jar is opened.
1 ...2 cp, 35 sp and 14 gp. 27 ...golden nugget (15 gp) encased in blood red wax.
...a ball of string and a silver needle. The items are 28 ...a box of gold-edged tarot cards (8 gp).
2 magical and once per day can be used to restore 6 ...a picture of a man covering a vial of poison.
(1d4 + 4) hit points if used to sew up a wound. (Ingested, DC 15 Constitution saving throw or
29
3 ...a stale crust of bread and a bit of moldy cheese. take 17 (5d6) poison damage. Half-damage on a
...one large iron key with an ornate skull and success.)
4 ...a quill made of solid silver and featuring a bright
crossbones at the head. 30
...a velvet purse containing three faceted deep purple feather (25 gp).
5 ...a blue velvet bag containing four bright red
green gemstones (10 gp each).
...a piece of half-eaten candy wrapped in paper. 31 candies that will grant a new saving throw against
6
contracting a disease in the event of a failure.
...a vial of potion. Roll on the Potions Type table on
...a small homespun sack that contains 55 gp-
7 pg. 158 and then roll on the appropriate table for 32 worth of foreign currency.
the result.
33 ...18 cp, 32 sp and 22 gp.
8 ...3 pp.
...a small box made of ivory, inside of which is a
...a clothespin, a metal ring and a thimble. The 34 miniature scroll containing religious litanies (6 gp).
thimble is magical and can be activated once
9 35 ...a lock of silver-white hair bound in a blue thread.
per day to add +1 to the owner’s armor class as a
reaction. 36 ....a nearly empty pouch of smoking tobacco.
10 ...a small, bright blue egg. 37 ...a silver flask that contains very good brandy.
...7 cp and a round metal token stamped with the 38 ...the holy symbol of a neutral god.
11 image of a dragon.
...a nearly burned piece of parchment that has
39
12 ...a dirty sock. directions to a nearby tavern.
...a pair of glasses with dark lenses. These glasses 40 ...3 cp, 18 sp and 4 gp.
13 are magical and can be used to cast comprehend ...a leather waterskin full of stagnant water.
languages once per day. 41 Drinking the water will expose the drinker to
14 ...15 cp and a lump of silver (5 gp). illness. Roll on the Disease table on pg. 143.
...two dried mushroom caps that smell like mint 42 ...a red leather book full of steamy love poems.
15 and honey. Each of these caps will bestow 3 (1d6) ...an empty metal can that has the sound of
temporary hit points to the person who eats them. 43 crashing waves and the scent of sea air coming
...a small pen knife that has a concealed set of from the small opening in the top.
16 folding lockpicks.
44 ...a handful of delicious dried berries and nuts.
...a small earhorn and a smoking pipe carved from 45 ...11 gp and a piece of blue quartz (10 gp).
17 glimmering red stone in the shape of a bearded ...a broken locket with a picture of a pig (15 gp).
46
dwarf (20 gp).
...a stale dog biscuit and a bent metal tag that has
18 ...35 sp, 50 gp, 1 pp. 47 the name “Bear” engraved on it.
...1 cp and a letter sealed with black wax stamped ...a large medallion inlaid in gold with the image of
19 with a flying raven. The parchment inside the 48 a wingless dragon with a large lion’s mane (50 gp).
envelope is blank. ...four lumps of charcoal and several folded
...a common magical item from the table located 49 pieces of parchment with very bad drawings on
20
on pg. 189. them.
...three glittering purple geodes the size of robin’s ...three glass buttons engraved with smiling
21 eggs (15 gp each).
50 faces. The buttons sing jaunty sea shanties when
...26 sp and a small piece of parchment that has exposed to alcohol.
22 the crest of a local moneylender at the top and a
10-digit code scrawled in a hasty hand.
 ...six very large blue-green scales (5 gp each) 76 ...47 gp, 71 sp and 55 cp.
51 belonging to an unknown creature. ...2 sp and a large cursed diamond (3,000 gp).
...a glass jar of 2 (1d4) doses of minty unguent that Anyone who sees the diamond believes it is just a
52 soothes sore muscles. If applied before a short smooth rock. The person who touches it becomes
rest, you regain an additional 4 (1d4 + 2) hit points. 77 charmed by it and refuses to get rid of it. If they
...a set of six hematite eight-sided dice engraved lose the diamond, they will be at disadvantage on
53 with strange symbols (5 gp each). all rolls for 24 hours.
54 ...101 sp, all of which are fake. 78 ...a shoe that appears to be for a baby.
...a small wooden statue of a goose with a small ...a bent pewter spoon that makes any food eaten
55 crack in it. A small amount of diamond dust (125 79 with it taste like a gourmet feast.
gp) is hidden inside the statue. ...104 gp and an overtly fancy (and fake) necklace
...a stuffed toy lion that makes quiet growling 80 that is most assuredly cursed (roll on the table on
56 noises when squeezed. pg. 184).
...55 sp and 26 cp as well as a note that reads ...78 cp and a small metal tin that contains five
57 “To steal from me is to steal from The Prince of sugary sweets. When eaten, the candies enhance
Illusions.” 81 your senses. For 8 hours, you have advantage on
...a black pouch containing a fine glittering Wisdom (Perception) checks.
powder. The glitter gets everywhere and is ...a small roll of parchment. Anyone who reads
impossible to get rid of. For 5 (1d10) days you it is insulted by magical script that appears and
58 take a -2 penalty to Dexterity (Stealth) checks 82 writes incredibly personal insults about them in
but gain a +2 bonus to Charisma (Persuasion and the air over their head.
Performance) checks. 83 ...37 gp, 103 sp and 1 cp.
...a pair of small shears and a small sprig of pine.
84 ...two cheesy garlic biscuits. They taste very good.
59 Each day there is a 25 percent chance that a small
fey creature appears in it. It likes mischief. 85 ...a silver bracelet set with green crystals (85 gp).
60 ...a burlap pouch of pebbles, market price. 86 ...97 sp and a container of fine cigars (10 gp).
61 ...34 gp and 98 sp. ...a silk pouch that contains three pieces of
...a green silk handkerchief embroidered with pure amethyst (100 gp each). The stones are drawn
62 87
gold thread (15 gp). together by a strong gravitational force. They
...a small silver cylinder the size of a pencil refuse to be separated.
63 88 ...27 gp, 85 sp and 24 cp.
containing a single dose of purple worm poison.
...a single gold coin mysteriously engraved with the 89 ...a small flute that attracts pigeons when played.
64 name of the person holding it. ...a golden bell with a missing clapper. It rings
90
65 ... 14 gp, 57 sp and 100 cp. with a tone much louder than expected.
66 ...a crystal bottle of exotic perfume (75 gp). 91 ...a live frog who can speak common.
...a glass dagger (+3). It only make 5 (1d6 + 3 + mod) ...a small jar full of 13 (2d12) fireflies that turn into
92
67 attacks before it breaks. The attack that breaks it gold pieces after one week.
deals an additional 10 (4d4) slashing damage. 93 ...11 gp, 59 sp and 82 cp.
...5 gp and an IOU that reads “475 gold pieces. On ...a miniature model of an armored knight that
68 my wife’s life. —Greg the Lesser” 94 animates and walks around. It is a child’s toy worth
69 ...two small pieces of jasper (60 gp each). 55 gp to the right buyer.
70 ...22 sp and a very used handkerchief. 95 ...a bag of beans in a bag that looks like a clown.
...a small vial of very strong clear liquor. Anyone ...22 cp and a broken padlock. The padlock can
who consumes it must make a DC 16 Constitution be repaired with a DC 25 Dexterity (Tinker’s Tools)
71 96 check. Once repaired, the lock cannot be picked
saving throw or take 11 (2d10) poison damage and
gain the poisoned condition for 6 (1d12) hours. and can only be opened with a small drop of the
...a tangled ball of twine. It can be untied with a owner’s blood.
72 successful DC 30 Intelligence (Investigation) and 97 ...46 gp and a small emerald (800 gp).
DC 25 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. ...a mirrored sphere about 1 inch in diameter.
98
...60 gp and an all-you-can-eat-and-drink pass for Breaking the sphere reveals a blue spinel (500 gp).
73 the local tavern. 99 ...25 pp.
....playing cards with an astronomical theme. Every ...a ring of incredible (mis)fortune. Allows the
74 full moon there is a 25 percent chance that it will wearer to cast wish once. The ring then becomes
turn into a deck of many things. 100 non-magical and the wearer takes 78 (12d12) force
...a set of rune-carved bones that can be used as a damage.
75 spell-casting focus.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 181

 Magic & Miscellany

Gifts & Curses Blessing of Empathy. Once per day, you can
cast detect thoughts and it does not require
Whether by divine providence or a chance encounter, concentration. You can then place a single target of
10
sometimes you want to reward your players. Other times your detect thoughts spell under the effects of calm
you want them to think they’re being rewarded, only to hit emotions (they have disadvantage on the save).
them with a surprising negative effect (that’s life, after all). Blessing of Revelation. Once per long rest, as a
The tables that follow offer ways to do both. bonus action, you can activate an aura that sheds
bright light in a 15-foot radius and dim light for an
Divine Blessings 11 additional 15-foot radius. This light is only visible to
Catching the eyes of the gods is not an easy task. It’s you. Any invisible creatures or objects in the aura
a truly amazing accomplishment to perform a feat become visible to you.
of bravery or act of selflessness so great even the Blessing of Health. You are immune to disease and
immortal deities in the great beyond take notice. In 12 gain resistance to poison damage.
those instances, the gods may reach out and touch the Blessing of Second Sight. You can cast arcane eye
material plane, bestowing their blessings upon the 13 once per long rest.
warriors and heroes that act in their name or according Blessing of Free Action. You gain an additional
to their interests. Should a character do something or 5 feet of movement and you are unaffected by
undertake a quest you feel warrants the direct intervention 14 difficult terrain. In addition, once per day, you can
of the gods, roll 1d20 on the Divine Blessings table to automatically succeed on a saving throw that would
determine the effect. result in you becoming paralyzed or restrained.
Blessing of Reserved Power. You gain access to a
1d20 well of power in which you can store up to 3 levels
Blessing of Divine Retribution. You can add 9 (2d8) 15 of spells. You must charge the well with a spell you
radiant damage to a single weapon attack twice have prepared. Once this well has been fully used
1 per long rest. If the target of the attack is undead, it you cannot recharge the well for 10 days.
takes an additional 4 (1d8) radiant damage. Blessing of Resistance. You gain resistance to
Blessing of Repulsion. You radiate an aura with 16 one type of non-magical damage of your choice
a radius of 30 feet. This aura is difficult terrain for (bludgeoning, slashing or piercing).
2 fiends and undead. Twice per long rest, you can use Blessing of Restoration. You can cast cure wounds at
your reaction to impose disadvantage on an attack 5th level, or cast greater restoration. After using this
made within your aura by a creature of those types. 17 blessing to cast one of these spells, you cannot cast
Blessing of the Protection. This blessing allows either until you have taken a short rest in a temple
you to call divine cherubim to your aid. You can cast dedicated to the god that granted this blessing.
3 spirit guardians as a bonus action once per long Blessing of Divine Will. Your spell save DC and spell
18
rest. attack modifier increases by 1.
Blessing of Strength. Your Strength score increases Blessing of the Raising Hand. You can use an action
4 to target a creature forced to make death saving
by 2, up to a maximum of 22.
Blessing of Aid. Your maximum hit point total 19 throws. The creature is immediately revived with
permanently increases by 10. Additionally, you can full health. You gain 2 levels of exhaustion and
5 call down this blessing for your allies by casting the cannot invoke this blessing again for 14 days
aid spell once per long rest. Blessing of Divine Speech. Once per short rest,
Blessing of Detection. You are constantly under you can use your action to utter a prayer or litany
6 the effects of the detect evil and good spell (range to your divine benefactor. Select a single creature
15 feet). 20 and force them to make a DC 15 Constitution saving
Blessing of Comprehension. You are able to cast throw. On a failure, they are stunned for 2 (1d4)
comprehend languages as a ritual. Additionally, rounds. If they have fewer than 25 hp, they drop to 0
7 you can focus on the connection with your divine hp and fall unconscious but are stable.
benefactor and cast tongues once per long rest.
Blessing of Safety. You can ritually cast tiny hut.
You can also call upon your benefactor to provide GM NOTE: POWERFUL,
sanctuary from danger. Once per long rest, you can BUT NOT OVERPOWERING:
8 Divine blessings are a very rare occurrence. It
cast resilient sphere. Once cast, you must succeed
on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, is highly unlikely a single character will find
you lose this benefit. themselves touched by more than one of these
Blessing of Adoration. Your Charisma score powerful boons. In the unlikely event this does
9 occur, a single creature cannot be under the effect
increases by 2, up to a maximum of 22.
of two identical blessings at the same time.
Boons Boon of Air Mastery. You gain a magical flying
Boons are a way to reward characters that continue to fight speed of 50 feet and resistance to cold damage.
and adventure together even after attaining near demigod 12 Additionally, you are able to cast gust of wind
status at level 20. To determine the nature of the boon roll without expending a spell slot or requiring spell
1d20 and apply the result from the Boons table. components or concentration.
Boon of Martial Expertise. Once per short rest, at
13 the beginning of your turn, you can double your
1d20
Boon of the Celestial Hand. You gain immunity to proficiency bonus for all attacks during that turn.
Boon of Legendary Resistance. After failing a saving
radiant damage. Additionally, you are able to cast
throw, you can instead choose to succeed. Once
guiding bolt (using your spell attack modifier) at will 14
1 you use this boon you cannot do so again until you
without the need for spell components. If you do
finish a short or long rest.
not have a spell attack modifier, you will be at a +7
Boon of the Aberrant Soul. You gain resistance
to hit with this attack.
to psychic damage. If you already possess such
Boon of Arcane Attunement. You gain the ability to
resistance you instead gain immunity. You can cast
2 attune to one additional magical item. You can also
detect thoughts at will. Additionally, once per long
cast detect magic and identify at will.
Boon of the Expert. You can select three skills you rest, you can send forth a blast of force in a 20-foot
3 15
have proficiency with and gain expertise in them. cone. On a failed DC 18 Constitution saving throw,
Boon of Uninterrupted Sight. Three times per long every creature in the area takes 16 (3d10) psychic
rest, for 1 minute, you can see through solid objects damage and 16 (3d10) force damage and is knocked
4
to a range of 30 feet. Only lead can block this ability. prone. A successful save halves the damage and the
Boon of Supernatural Awareness. A number of creature will not be knocked prone.
times equal to your proficiency modifier, you can Boon of Superior Knowledge. You gain expertise
take 1 minute to focus on your surroundings. At in Intelligence (Arcana), Intelligence (History),
the end of the minute, you are able to sense the 16 Intelligence (Nature) and Intelligence (Religion).
presence of living creatures within 500 feet of you. Additionally, once per long rest, you can choose to
5
You instantly know their exact location, number roll one of those checks with advantage.
and creature type. This ability does not reveal Boon of the Flesh Sculptor. You gain a mastery
the presence of undead creatures, constructs or over the transmutation of flesh. You can cast alter
creatures hidden from divination magic. self at will without expending a spell slot or spell
Boon of Weather Control. You become resistant components. You are also able to cast this spell
to lightning, thunder and cold damage. If you are 17 on a willing creature. Additionally, you are able to
already resistant to one of those damage types, you cast polymorph without expending a spell slot or
6 requiring spell components or concentration once
become immune instead. You can also cast control
weather twice per long rest without consuming a per long rest. If you cast this spell on yourself, you
spell slot or spell components. retain your mental statistics when polymorphed.
Boon of Elemental Ally. You gain immunity to either Boon of Life. Once per long rest, you are able to
cold, fire, lightning or thunder damage. Additionally, touch a creature, including yourself, and restore a
a number of times per day equal to your proficiency number of hit points equal to half that creature’s
7 18
modifier, you can expel a breath weapon in a 30-foot maximum hit point total. Should this healing cause a
cone that does 16 (3d10) damage of the same type creature to regain more than its maximum hit points,
that you have immunity to. any excess hit points become temporary hit points.
Boon of the Djinn. You gain access to the wish Boon of Thought Disruption. You can point your
spell. If you do not have any 9th-level spell slots finger at a creature within 60 feet that you can see.
remaining, you can combine spell slots equal to That creature must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving
8 throw. On a failure, that creature is stunned for 1
9 (e.g., a 4th-level slot and a 5th-level slot). If you 19
cannot otherwise cast spells of 9th level, you can minute. At the end of each if its turns, it can reroll
cast this spell once per long rest. the saving throw against this effect. On a success,
Boon of Ability Infusion. You choose a single ability the creature is at disadvantage on all d20 rolls for
9 the same duration.
score and increase it by 4, to a maximum of 26.
Boon of the Vampiric Soul. You gain immunity to Boon of the Apex Predator. You gain expertise in
10 necrotic damage. You can cast vampiric touch at will Wisdom (Perception) checks. In addition, you gain
without requiring concentration. advantage on attack rolls and a +4 to damage when
20
Boon of Success. Once per short rest, when you fail you attack a creature when one of your allies is
11 any attack roll, saving throw or skill check, you can within 5 feet of that creature.
choose to succeed on the roll instead.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 183

 Magic & Miscellany

Curses 17 You fart uncontrollably all the time.

Much more common than Divine Blessings, curses You hear a high-pitched ringing at all times and fail
18
can be placed through a variety of means. Hags, fey or any hearing-based Wisdom (Perception) checks.
fiendish items could all put a damper on the day-to-day Each day you wake up and your face is covered in
existence of the average person. Sometimes these effects full clown makeup. Any time you open your mouth,
19
are merely an annoyance, while others could damage you must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or
your body, soul or ability to pass on to the afterlife. find yourself laughing uncontrollably.
Whether you use curses liberally in your game or 20 Your Dexterity score is reduced by half.
reserve them for special occasions, the following table 21 Your legs and arms switch places on your body.
has a meaningful multitude to choose from. Roll 1d100 22 You lose 1 hit point each time you hear your name.
to determine the effect of the curse. Other effects, Your eyes glow green and you see everything
penalties and implications are at GM discretion unless in shades of blue. You roll all Dexterity (Stealth)
23
otherwise noted. checks with disadvantage.
You hiccup uncontrollably and foul-smelling
1d100 24 bubbles pour out of your mouth each time you do.
1 You cluck like a chicken when you try to speak. 25 You begin to float away every time you lay down.
You hop on one leg everywhere you go. You move You attract minuscule and mischievous fey
with half speed and have disadvantage on Dexterity- 26 creatures that constantly steal your stuff, especially
2
based skill checks and saving throws until you when your guard is down.
spend 2 (1d4) weeks adjusting to this new reality. 27 Everything tastes like ash.
Your eyes disappear from the front of your head You gain vulnerability to cold damage.
28
and reappear in the back. If you have hair, you
3 29 You can only speak in haiku.
have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks
based on sight until your hair is cut. 30 Your Strength score is reduced by half.
Your skin becomes paper-thin and fragile. You have Your fingernails grow into sharp claws and you
31
4 vulnerability to necrotic damage and take 5 (2d4) constantly feel like clawing out your own eyes.
fire damage for every hour spent in the sun. You lose darkvision if you have it. If you do not have
32
5 Your nostrils fuse shut and you can no longer smell. it, you are blinded in dim light.
The joints in your arms reverse. You are at 33 You gain vulnerability to thunder damage.
disadvantage to all attack rolls and Dexterity 34 You stop believing magic exists.
6 You believe you have become a dragon. You use
(Sleight of Hand) checks until you spend 2 (1d4)
35
weeks training to overcome this new reality. your “breath weapon” at every opportunity.
Your hair turns purple and grows at an exponential All liquids, including magical ones, become water
36
7 rate. You must cut it every 2 hours or lose half your when you touch the container they are in.
movement speed to tangling and tripping. Crows follow you everywhere. They caw noisily
37
8 You gain vulnerability to fire damage. every time you try to speak or rest.
All of your fingers fall off. You can no longer hold The world around you seems to spin constantly.
any weapons or equipment or cast spells with Every hour, you must make a DC 14 Constitution
9 38
somatic components until you spend 5 (2d4) weeks saving throw or become poisoned for the next 24
training to overcome this new reality. hours.
You can only eat items that aren’t food, like rocks
10 Your Constitution score is reduced by half. 39 or metal. You gain 1 level of exhaustion each day.
Your skin turns blue and burns with sickly glowing
40 Your Wisdom score is reduced by half.
11 symbols. You take 5 (1d6 + 2) psychic damage each
time you make a Charisma-based check. 41 You are frightened of the moon and depictions of it.
When you speak, it sounds as if you’re underwater. You desire to shake hands (or claws!) with every
12 You have disadvantage on Charisma-based checks. 42 single creature you meet, no matter the danger.
Your skin, organs and muscles turn to dust. Your You punch yourself in the face, hard, every time you
13 statistics don’t change, but you are a skeleton. 43 hear the word “tavern.”
You become fascinated with horses. If there is a 44 You cry uncontrollably if you step on grass.
14 horse in your line of sight you will speak exclusively You believe butterflies will lead you to a great
to that animal to the detriment of all else. 45 treasure and you will follow one at any cost.
You gain vulnerability to acid damage and can only 46 You forget how to read.
15 respond to questions with “It’s complicated.”
You believe you can fly. You cannot. Your failures in
Spiky quills erupt from your back, making it tough 47 this endeavor do not enlighten or deter you.
to lie down comfortably. You must succeed on a DC You grow a sentient, prehensile tail. The tail is
16 48
15 Constitution saving throw each time you long chaotic evil and is always trying to strangle you.
rest. On a failure, you gain no benefit. 49 Humanoids are invisible to you.
50 Your Charisma score is reduced by half. You grow a wildly uncontrollable mustache that
You have to be reduced to 0 hit points at least once 77 moves of its own accord. It imposes disadvantage
51 on all checks to maintain concentration.
per day or you’ll die permanently.
52 You gain vulnerability to lightning damage. You must refer to yourself in the third person. Each
78
Metal of all kinds are drawn toward you. They stick time you don’t, you take 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
to your skin and it takes a DC 20 Strength check to You grow a lawful good mole on your left upper lip.
53
pull something away from your body. 79 It can speak and does so incessantly. It protests
Sparks fly from the ground where you walk. You being party to unlawful actions.
54 You must count grains of salt or sand if they are in
cannot walk without being seen. 80
All fires, magical or otherwise, within 50 feet go sight, forgoing any other actions.
out when you are around. This does not affect A spectral bard follows you everywhere singing
55 81
instantaneous forms of damage. songs of your most embarrassing mistakes.
You believe you are dying. You move at quarter Plants die everywhere you walk. They become
56 82
speed and would definitely prefer to just lie down. brittle and turn to dust.
You must enter buildings backward, singing sea Small polyps start to grow on your skin. After 2
shanties at the top of your lungs (otherwise the (1d4) days, small tentacles pop out of the polyps.
57 83
harpy of the deep will steal your heart). In 5 (2d4) days, these tentacles will open a portal to
All coins, gems and precious metals turn to stone the abyss and suck you inside it.
58 Your skin turns green and starts to sprout
as soon as you touch them.
84 mushrooms. The mushrooms smell of dirty feet and
59 You become the realm’s most wanted criminal.
super strong garlic, but could be useful in cooking.
60 Your Intelligence score is reduced by half. You become a magnet for ranged attacks. Any
An angry giant goat named Kevin follows you 85 creature that attacks you from more than 10 feet
61 everywhere. He just stares at you unless you turn away gets a +2 to any attack rolls.
your back, at which point he charges. You take 6 (1d8 + 2) psychic damage every time you
You find clothing and armor incredibly 86 touch a door knob, clasp or lock.
uncomfortable and horribly itchy. While wearing At night, your right hand detaches from your body
62 anything at all, you are at disadvantage on all 87 and gets to work. The hand is chaotic neutral and
attacks and ability checks. desires one thing: to rob the rich to give to the poor.
You become a kleptomaniac, attempting to steal Your arms grow to a ridiculous length. You gain a
63 anything that is not nailed down (and even then...). 88 reach of 10 feet, but you take at disadvantage on all
64 You gain vulnerability to psychic damage. attack rolls and Dexterity-based skill checks.
You have an uncontrollable need to sing all the You are constantly hungry and you start to think
65 89
time, wherever you are. your companions look tasty.
You become covered with mud and stinking filth 90 You propose marriage to everyone and everything.
66 that immediately reappears every time it is cleaned You are compelled to hand your money and
off. You are at disadvantage on all Charisma checks. 91 valuables out to random strangers.
You believe 5 feet is actually a mile. You can only 92 You feel you are invulnerable and act accordingly.
67 move 5 feet during a move action. You shed glitter everywhere. It’s like a plague. You
You will tell your deepest held secrets to anyone 93 are also at disadvantage on all Dexterity (Stealth)
68 you meet, leading with the hidden knowledge. checks.
You cannot enter a city, town or village with more Unbeknownst to you, your soul will inhabit the
69 94
than 60 people. You fall unconscious if you do. body of the next creature you kill.
You become meek. Any time you use your action to Any piece of furniture or equipment you try to sit or
70 95
deal damage, that damage is reduced by half. lie on breaks and you fall.
71 You become a frog. 96 You gain vulnerability to poison damage.
You bleed easily and profusely. Every time you take You are incredibly narcoleptic. At the beginning of
damage, you must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution each of your turns, you must make a DC 13 Wisdom
72 97
saving throw or have your maximum hit points saving throw or fall asleep for that round. Outside
permanently reduced by 2 (1d4). of combat, you continually fall asleep.
You are compelled to find seven pyramid-shaped You become a black pudding and can
73 trinkets you believe are scattered across the world. communicate telepathically with creatures within
You gain vulnerability to radiant damage. 98
74 30 feet. Your Ability Scores and proficiencies remain
Your hair becomes snakes. Every hour, you must unchanged. You cannot use magic items.
75 succeed at a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 2 99 You are compelled to lick everything.
(1d4) piercing damage and 7 (2d6) poison damage. You are affected by 3 (1d6) curses from this list.
100
76 You can only speak in questions.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 185

 Magic & Miscellany

Charms A small functioning clock. The hands spin forward

A spectacular way to reward players for their creativity at a very fast rate. This charm can be activated as a
or persistence, charms are more fun than gold or jewels 19-20 free action and allows the user to cast a spell that
because they can have an immediate effect on the world has a casting time of 1 action as a bonus action
around the character. Players love magic items, but it is instead. Once used three times, the clock fades.
horribly impractical to be handing them out regularly, A red crystal structure that resembles a screaming
especially if you are playing in a campaign setting where human face. By crushing this charm in your fist,
arcane objects are scarce. A charm is a consumable (not 21-22 you benefit from a +2 to all damage rolls involving
unlike a potion). Some have a limited number of charges a Strength-based weapon and make melee attacks
while others are single-use. Being a consumable, charms with advantage for 1 minute.
have less of an effect on the power creep of a campaign. The dried husk of a large tarantula bound to
If you decide to grant your characters a small gift in the a humanoid doll. This charm can be activated
form of a magical charm, roll 1d100 and consult the 23-24 to give the bearer the benefits of spider climb.
following table to determine its effects. Once activated a second time, the dried spider
consumes the doll and then consumes itself.
A small silver horn etched with flowing runes.
1d100
Activating the charm as a bonus action causes a
A small raven skull bound to a bear claw with
25-26 clarion note to ring from the horn, giving the user
golden wire allows you to cast conjure woodland
1-2 bardic inspiration (1d8). Once the horn is activated
beings as an action. After being activated for the
5 times, it turns into dust.
second time, the charm vanishes from your person
A lacquered brass spiral that can be unwound as
A tawny owl feather glued to a bundle of lavender-
27-28 a reaction forming a straight piece of wire that
scented cotton, this charm allows the bearer to
3-4 disappears as it casts counterspell (DC 15).
cast levitate at will. Once activated, this benefit
This small bronze tent can be placed on the
lasts for 24 hours, after which the charm crumbles.
29-30 ground, activating a casting of tiny hut. At the end
An amulet of lacquered glass depicting the sun
of the spell’s duration, the charm disappears.
rising over a mountain range. By shattering this
5-6 An orc tusk with an all-seeing eye carved into it, this
charm, creatures of your choice within 30 feet are
charm is hung on a leather cord around one’s neck.
affected by beacon of hope.
31-32 While wearing it, the first time the wearer is reduced
A golden ring with silver wire stretched across
to 0 hit points, the charm bursts with a primal roar
its opening. You can break this ring’s wire to cast
7-8 and the wearer gains 10 hit points instead.
resilient sphere on yourself. Once broken, the metal
A small crystal vial of vibrant pink slime. By taking
of the ring blackens and flakes away.
an action to pour the slime onto your skin you
A small bead of glass that contains a sunburst of 33-34
polymorph into an ooze, maintaining your own
gold and can be activated as a bonus action to
statistics. This effect lasts 1d4 hours.
9-10 heal yourself (or a creature of your choice within
This small amulet looks like a basilisk head made
10 feet) for 7 (2d4 + 2) hit points. The charm can be
35-36 from stone. By crushing this charm, you gain the
activated three times before it vanishes.
basilisk’s Petrifying Gaze (DC 13) for 1 minute.
Depicting a miniature unicorn horn, this charm can
This small ankh charm can be activated to create
be activated as a bonus action to teleport you to a
an aura of light with a 15-foot radius for 1 minute.
11-12 place you can see within 30 feet of you. After being
Fey, fiends, aberrations and undead must make
activated for the third time, the horn shrinks and
37-38 a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw to enter the light.
disappears in a puff of purple smoke.
On a failure, they cannot enter. This charm can
A choker with a silver arrow supporting three
be activated twice before it twists and becomes a
red glass beads. Activating the charm as a bonus
small lump of gold worth 12 gp.
13-14 action allows you to add a +2 to a single attack roll
An oak leaf pressed in amber. This charm can
and causes one of the beads to shatter. When all
be activated twice to cast speak with plants.
the beads are broken, the charm evaporates. 39-40 Alternatively, this charm can be activated to use
A bracelet made of tiny woven daggers. The bearer
tree stride once.
can use a bonus action to activate it, adding 7
The mummified tongue of an unknown creature.
15-16 (2d6) piercing damage to a single attack. Once
41-42 By placing the charm in your mouth, it disappears,
activated a fourth time, the bracelet becomes non-
placing you under the effects of the tongues spell.
magical.
This charm is made from the dried gill ridges of
A small glass orb full of purple mist. If the glass
a very large fish set in fired clay. By crushing the
is broken as an action, the bearer comes under
43-44 charm, you provide the benefits of the water
the effect of the blur spell. This effect last for 1
17-18 breathing spell to yourself and any creature within
hour, does not require concentration and imposes
30 feet of you.
disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to
locate them.
 A pair of dove wings bound to a 2-inch hollow A hummingbird carved from pink crystal that is
thigh bone with fine silver wire. This charm can be small enough to sit in the palm of your hand. As
activated as a bonus action to cause ethereal white a reaction, you can activate this charm to gain
45-46 feathered wings to sprout from your shoulders, advantage on a Dexterity saving throw. If you
63-64
giving you a 40-foot fly speed for 3 (1d6) rounds. succeed on the save, you take no damage and you
After the second time this charm is activated, it only take half damage on a fail. This charm can
falls apart. be activated three times before the hummingbird
A small glass cube that contains a mote of light animates and flies away at a blinding speed.
that glows with potential energy. Activating This globe of thin glass that contains a jet black
this charm as a bonus action will allow you to inky substance can be crushed to create a globe
65-66
become invisible until the end of your next turn. of magical darkness in a 25-foot radius around the
47-48 You become visible if you attack or cast a spell. user. The bearer can see through the darkness.
This charm can be activated four times before the This charm is a small statuette of a wolf carved
glass cube cracks, allowing the mote of light to from granite. By activating this charm as an action,
escape. you can magically assume the shape of a wolf as if
67-68
The form of a small wizard made of amber and using a Druid’s wild shape ability. This charm can be
gold. Breaking this charm causes a spectral activated twice before the granite of the statuette
wizard (mage stat block) in an overly large floppy cracks and crumbles, issuing a lingering howl.
hat to appear. It aids you and your allies going By using an action, you can don this smiling
49-50 on your initiative. You can use a bonus action mask. The charm melds with your skin, giving you
to direct it to take an action in its stat block; enhanced beauty. For the next hour, this charm
otherwise, it takes the dodge action. The mage grants the bearer advantage on all Charisma-
remains for 3 (1d6) rounds before disappearing. based checks and saving throws. The charm can
69-70
A small glazed ceramic idol of an octopus. be activated four times before the visage on the
Activating this charm as an action gives you a mask changes into a snarling frown. This charm
natural swim speed equal to your walking speed is then cursed, and its bearer is cursed to roll all
as well as the ability to breathe underwater for 4 Charisma-based checks and saving throws at
51-52 (1d8) hours. In addition, while the charm is active, disadvantage until the curse is removed.
you can make a single bonus action attack, using This charm depicts a miniature cyclops skull on a
a tentacle that grows from your back (+5 to hit, 10 leather cord. Crushing the skull in their hand will
71-72
(2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage on a hit). When the affect the bearer with the enlarged effect of the
duration expires, the charm melts into liquid clay. enlarge/reduce spell.
A dark blue and purple glass orb with stars inside This charm is an egg-shaped bauble made of
that is about 3 inches in diameter. Activating this overlapping spiderwebs. It can be activated as
53-54 charm will allow the bearer to cast the clairvoyance an action to fire a blast of sticky web at a single
spell. Once activated three times, the orb cracks target within 40 feet of the bearer. On a hit, a
and turns black. Large or smaller creature is restrained. However,
73-74
This small charm looks like a rippling sheet of they can use their action on their turn to make a
black fabric. As an action, you can activate it, DC 12 strength check to escape. The charm can
causing it to grow in to a dark black cloak that be activated six times. After the last activation, it
55-56
settles on your shoulders and fades from view. backfires on its bearer as the egg bursts, covering
For the next 8 hours, you are under the effect of the user with the same sticky web.
arcanist’s magic aura. This strange charm appears to be two lumps of
Liquid clay slowly sloshes around inside this foul-smelling wax separated by a thin piece of
blue glass orb. As an action, you can spread the linen and wrapped in brass-colored cord. When
57-58 clay on your exposed skin, causing it to soak in. 75-76 activated, it creates a globe of silence as per the
For the next 2 (1d4) hours you can change your spell. The globe travels with the charm. This
appearance as per the effects of the alter self spell. charm can be activated three times before its
You can activate this small metal bracelet to cast components break apart and crumble.
59-60 shield. After being activated five times, it shatters. A small leather boot with golden lightning bolts
This morbid charm was made by wrapping rune- on the sole, this charm can be activated as an
inscribed copper wire around the mummified action to double a creature’s movement speed
brain of a rat. When activated, it bursts into flames. for 2 (1d4) rounds. This charm can be activated
61-62 77-78
For 8 hours, you gain advantage on saving throws three times before it disappears. After each
against being frightened or charmed. You also gain activation has elapsed, the user must succeed at a
resistance to psychic damage. DC 11 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of
exhaustion.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 187

 Magic & Miscellany

A small orange glass marble. When crushed, it A small amulet of black glass that has two glowing
causes the bearer to grow four additional eyeballs red eyes, this charm allows the wearer to cast
that rise out of their head on foot-long stalks. the fear spell, requiring no concentration. This
For 1 hour, the user gains advantage on Wisdom 95-96 charm can be activated three times. On the last
79-80 (Perception) checks. Additionally, creatures that activation, the user must make a DC 14 Wisdom
have line of sight on the creature during this duration saving throw or become frightened for 4 (1d8)
must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a hours.
failure, they are greatly affected, as if by the enthrall A small golden hourglass with glittering sand inside,
spell, finding it hard to do anything else but stare. this charm allows to the user to subtly manipulate
A crude humanoid made from iron, this charm time in their favor. It has 2 (1d4) charges. The bearer
can be activated four times as a reaction to of this charm can use their reaction to add a +3
grant resistance against the damage taken from to any ability check or saving throw they, or any
97-98 creature of their choice within 20 feet, make. When
a successful hit or spell effect. After the last
81-82 activation, the charm explodes, causing the the last charge is expended, the hourglass shatters.
bearer, and any creature within 15 feet of them, to with a concussive bang, dealing 13 (3d8) thunder
take 11 (2d10) force damage. A successful DC 16 damage to the user and anyone within 20 feet of
Constitution saving throw will halve that damage. them.
This charm takes the shape of a small white lily This small glass globe that contains pure blinding
83-84 encased in remarkably clear crystal. Crushing the light can be activated a single time by crushing
charm allows the bearer to cast mass healing word. the charm against the user’s head. For 8 hours,
A long thin jet black claw strung on a chain of 99-100 this charm allows the bearer to attune to one
fine silver, this charm can be activated to add additional magic item. At the end of the duration,
a debilitating effect to unarmed strikes. For 3 the user must make a DC 15 Constitution saving
(1d6) rounds, a creature that takes damage from throw or take 2 levels of exhaustion.
the unarmed strikes of the creature bearing this
charm must make a successful DC 11 Constitution
85-86 saving throw or become paralyzed for 1 minute.
The affected creature can repeat this saving throw
at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect
on a success. This charm can be activated three
times. Immediately after the third activation, the
bearer takes 13 (3d8) necrotic damage as the claw
implodes.
This charm looks like a writhing shadow inside
a glass teardrop. This charm can be activated to
87-88 grant the bearer advantage on Dexterity (Stealth)
checks for 1 hour. This charm can be activated six
times before the shadow disappears.
A glowing chunk of volcanic rock, warm to the
touch. This charm can be activated three times as
a reaction when the bearer is successfully hit by a
89-90 melee attack, causing the attacker to take 10 (3d6)
fire damage as molten magma splashes from the
wound. After the final activation, the bearer gains
resistance to fire damage for 4 (1d8) hours.
Inside a steel wire is a square of greenish-gray skin
with a wound that constantly heals and re-opens.
By placing the charm on an area of exposed skin,
91-92
the user is able to heal very quickly. For the next 5
(1d10) rounds, the user is able to regenerate 3 (1d6)
hit points per round.
A small porcelain hedgehog. Crushing this charm
against one’s chest causes sharp quills to erupt
93-94 all over the one’s body. Any creature that makes a
melee attack or grapples the user will take 7 (2d6)
piercing damage. This effect lasts for 1 minute.
Common Magic Items Once per day, this pair of threadbare fingerless
Not every magic item on the face of the planet has the gloves can be turned into 25 feet of magical rope as
12
power to change the course of history, slay dragons or an action. By using a second action, a creature can
resurrect the dead. Sometimes magic is imbued into the turn the rope back into gloves.
simple things or items that just make everyday life a little When used, this crystal-backed hairbrush can be
13
easier or more enjoyable. A common magic item can be a used to change the color of the bearer’s hair.
fun reward for your players that doesn’t shift their overall This well-worn stuffed otter affects the person
14
power level (unless you consider the ability to win any holding it with as if by the calm emotions spell.
dance-off a power on par with diplomatic immunity). A leatherbound journal. Touching it causes
If you would like to award a common magic item, roll thoughts to be transcribed on the pages. An
1d100 and consult the Common Magic Items table. 15 unwilling creature can make a DC 13 Wisdom
saving throw to prevent the effect. On a successful
save, they are immune to the effect for 24 hours.
1d100 This bracelet made of tiny gecko femurs allows the
An intricate jeweler’s loop with small runes. Twice
wearer to detach their hand as an action, allowing
1 per day you can use the loop to instantly know the
the hand to function like the mage hand spell,
monetary value of any item you examine with it.
but with all the benefits of being an actual hand
This small purple crystal orb is incredibly useful to
for tool utility. Once the duration has expired, the
underground travelers. It will always tell you how 16 hand soars back to its body and reattaches. While
deep underground you are. Additionally, once per
the hand is active in this way, the creature cannot
2 day for 1 hour, it will reveal the best way to get
make use of items or do activities that require two
back to the surface by implanting directions into
hands. Once used in this way, the bracelet cannot
your mind. These directions do not avoid or reveal
be activated again for 2 (1d4) days.
danger.
A medium-sized cast iron frying pan with a red
A small silver chime etched with 3 (1d4 + 1) hash
lacquered handle. By saying the command phrase
marks. As long as the chime has at least one mark, 17 “Yes Chef,” the owner of this item can cause it to
as an action, you can strike the chime to instantly
3 heat up of its own accord.
know if someone is telling the truth. Each time the
These quality glossy leather shoes give the wearer
chime is used, a hash mark disappears. Every seven
the ability to dance quite masterfully, even if they
days, the chime regains 3 (1d4 + 1) hash marks. 18 have no ability. They grant advantage on any
A waterskin made from reptilian leather. Twice per
4 Charisma (Performance) checks involving dancing.
week, this vessel fills with a pint of fresh water.
A clothes hanger made from fire-hardened oak and
This ancient-looking ironwood spoon features
19 burnished steel that can be hung in thin air. The
small runes in halfling around the bowl. Three
hanger can hold up to 55 pounds.
5 times per day, the spoon can be activated to
This incredible rocking chair is sturdy enough to
flavor the food being cooked with it in any fashion
hold 1 Medium creature but is made of folded
the wielder desires.
paper. It appears as a piece of paper with a
A ball of string and a silver needle. They can be
rocking chair drawn on it and by issuing the
6 used once per day to sew up a wound and will
command phrase (“My dogs are barking”), it
restore 6 (1d4 + 4) hit points.
20 grows and forms itself into the shape of a rocking
A small tin thimble that can be activated once per
chair. Once per week, this chair can be activated
day to add +1 to the owner’s AC as a reaction. At
7 using a second command phrase (“Oooooo boy,
the beginning of each day, roll 1 d20; on a natural 1,
fine weather innit?”), allowing the creature sitting
the thimble loses its magical power.
This bright red umbrella can be opened to shed light in it to benefit from a short rest by spending 5
in a 20-foot radius and an additional 20 feet of dim minutes rocking in the chair.
A well-constructed straight razor with a dragon
8 light around the bearer for 2 hours. To be used in this
claw handle. By using an action, this item can be
fashion, the umbrella must be exposed to sunlight at
activated to give the wearer the perfect shave.
least once every 7 days. 21
This item is simply a knight chess piece. When The next Charisma (Persuasion) check made by
placed on a table or flat surface, it creates an the creature after this grooming can be made with
9
illusory but usable chess board around it. advantage.
A bright purple top hat with an orange silk band. The ticking from this small clock is quite
Once per day, this flashy piece of headwear can be comforting. As an action, this clock can be set on
10 the ground and activated, providing the benefit
activated to give the wearer advantage on a single 22
Charisma check. of the alarm spell in a 20-foot radius around it. If
This delicate gold-plated paintbrush will instantly the clock is moved, the effect ends and cannot be
11 activated again until the next dawn.
create any color of paint the user desires.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 189

 Magic & Miscellany

This small box contains 10 (2d6 + 3) matches. When This short and stubby wand is tipped with a square
struck and lit, a match can be thrown to the ground blue crystal containing a red starburst. This wand
23 where it creates a small campfire for 4 hours, even can be used to attempt to recharge a single charge
in inclement weather and without fuel. on a magical item. After placing the crystal tip of
A delicate silver fork with three tines and edged in 34 the wand on an item, roll 1d20. On a result of 14 or
golden filigree can be placed into a single item of above, the item regains one charge; on a lower roll,
food or drink. If it detects poison, the silver tines there is no effect. The wand cannot be used again in
24 will turn matte black, but only to the wielder’s this way for 2 days.
eyes. Once used in this way, the fork cannot be This short-handled feather duster allows the
35
used again until the next dawn. wielder to dry or clean an area in a 10-foot cube.
A set of thick black-rimmed spectacles with bluish A very crude obsidian knife with a dirty, canvas-
lenses that seem to catch the light. While wearing wrapped handle. Placing the blade into the blood
25 them, the creature suffers no penalty to Wisdom of a creature that has died within the last hour will
(Perception) checks from being in dim light. reveal sights seen by the deceased in the 4 hours
Made from cotton twine and knit with a very open 36 leading up to its death within the wielder’s mind.
pattern, this small bag is larger on the inside than The wielder must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving
on the outside. This bag can be used to carry 50 throw. On a success, they can interpret the images.
pounds of food and drink items as long as the On a failure, the images are a confusing jumble. The
26 item will fit inside the 1-foot diameter opening. In knife cannot be used again for five days.
addition to storing more than it should be able to, This bobbin of glimmering silver thread has no
perishable items do not spoil inside the bag. Non- end. When stretched out and placed on the floor it
food items cannot be put inside the bag. 37 creates a faintly glowing line that remains until the
Washing with this bar of translucent soap will thread is wrapped back onto the bobbin.
27 cause a creature to smell of lilac for 8 hours. This set of shoe soles will magically attach to the
A small brass key. When placed in contact with a bottom of any pair shoes a creature is wearing. They
28 lock, the key will vibrate in the presence of a trap. remain attached for up to 4 hours. While the soles
This feature can only be used once per long rest. 38 are attached, the wearer gains +2 bonus to Dexterity
This pair of bronze shears can be used to cut (Stealth) checks and leaves no visible footprints. The
29 through any item that is less than 1 inch thick and 3 soles cannot be used again in this way for 3 days.
inches wide (as an action, once per day). A finely-crafted wooden comb inlaid with
This pair of magical items functions together. One aquamarine. Once activated, as an action, the
of the items is a flat wooden token, about 1 inch in features of the wearer become unremarkable for 5
30 diameter, carved on each side with an all-seeing minutes. Each creature of the wearer’s choice will
eye. The other item is a small compass that always 39
have trouble remembering what the wearer looked
points in the direction of the wooden token. like unless they succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving
A small polished blue button that can be stuck on throw. Once used in this way, the comb cannot be
any surface for the period of an hour, during which used until the following dawn.
it becomes invisible. During that time, the owner This 6-foot wooden pole can be activated to
of the item can use an action to hear what is going 40 create small explosions of colored light and sound
on around the button as if they were in that space within 20 feet of the wielder.
31
themselves. While listening from the button’s A narrow straw made of a hollow tin tube with
position the creature is deafened to sounds in their 41 strange etchings on the outside. The drinker can
actual location. After the hour has elapsed, the choose the flavor of what they are drinking.
button becomes visible and falls from the place While wearing this pair of half-moon spectacles, a
42
where it was stuck. creature’s irises appear golden with a vertical pupil.
This small penknife can be used to carve an arcane A small square of sticky goo that can be placed on
mark or short message of six words or less onto a a surface. For every 5 feet the square moves, or
surface. The message remains for 8 hours and can 43 whenever a creature comes within 5 feet of it, the
32 only be read by a total of 5 creatures, designated at square releases an audible exhalation of gas. The
the time of carving. Once used in this way, the knife smell is terrible.
cannot carve a magical message again in this way A small wooden dowel that is carved in the shape
until the next dawn. of an owl on both ends. As an action, the bearer
A tiny hammer that weighs less than one pound. 44 can make the dowel issue a hooting noise; in
This hammer can grow to the size of a smith’s addition, once per day, you can cause an illusory,
33 heavy hammer by speaking the command phrase ephemeral owl to appear and can direct its flight.
(“hammer time”). While using this hammer, you Using chalk from this ornate hickory box, you can
45
make Smith’s Tools-related checks with advantage. draw pictures that animate.
 This wooden doll, a surly orc, is a marionette that This round crystal monocle allows the wearer to see
46 can be operated without strings. people’s auras, revealing basic information about
This small parchment with a purple wax seal can be 62 their emotional state. Wisdom (Insight) checks are
affixed to a mundane weapon or tool, causing the made at advantage 2 (1d4) times per day.
47 edges of the item to glow with a shimmering purple This wooden box is made of strong ashwood but is
light. This light is bright for a 5-foot radius and dim 63 light as a feather. This box can hold 6 medium-sized
for another 10 feet. books, preserving them from any type of damage.
A set of ornate playing cards edged in gold. They are A large wooden flagon, banded with riveted iron,
48 distracting to any opponent and grant advantage to that always smells of ale. The flagon fills with weak
64
any skill check related to the gaming card set. but flavorful beer any time the wielder says its
A small watering can made of beaten blue metal. command phrase (“Bottoms up”).
49 Water from this can makes any plants watered with A minuscule humanoid skull painted with red
it appear vibrant and alive. 65 swirls. This skull begins to babble gibberish when
A metal screwdriver that can be used once per day something dead, or undead, is within 30 feet.
50 to cast the mending spell. This vibrant pink mushroom charm pulses with an
This pair of bright red glossy leather shoes can be 66 eerie light. This item can absorb up to 10 points of
used to change the size of one’s feet, either by half poison damage per day.
51 or up to five times their original size. This illusion has A brilliant silver whistle that can only be heard by
67
no mechanical effect on the creature’s movement. camels, oxen and giant goats. It makes them angry.
A small glass sculpture of a pickle. As an action, the A creature using this grappling hook and rope set
52 wielder can use the sculpture to create a strong 68 gains a +3 bonus to any Strength (Athletics) checks
vinegar smell in a 20-foot radius. made to climb.
A quill pen with a nib that is constantly covered A spinning top inscribed with a series of very small
53 in black ink. This ink is permanent and cannot be 69 runes. Once the top begins to spin, it will not stop
removed except by magic. unless someone, or something, interrupts it.
A simple, flexible metal spring that can move of its A packet of a well-made tools wrapped in a large
54 own accord but at the owner’s direction, it can move canvas roll. Any creature making a woodcarver’s
70
up vertical surfaces and even hang upside down. tools check while using these can do so with
This ring with a small opalescent white stone in the advantage.
55 shape of a cloud warns the wearer of approaching The skeletal hand of a small humanoid. It can be
storms. The ring vibrates and the cloud turns gray. activated as an action and moved around at the will
Inside a small vial is a swirling mass of blue black 71 of the user, as in mage hand. When not given specific
smoke that seems to draw darkness into it. While direction while active, the hand makes rude gestures
holding this item, any effects of madness the at anyone nearby.
56
creature is suffering from are suppressed for 2 hours. This pewter pan flute can be activated by stating
Once used in this fashion, the item cannot be used its command phrase (“tull harmonious”). Once
72
again in this way until the next dawn. activated, it harmonizes with any music in a 30-foot
A narrow tapered candle of black wax that burns radius as it floats around the user.
with a blue-green flame. By speaking the command Brightly colored and emitting the heavy scent of
word (“flout”) the owner can cause it to float next to saltwater, this natural sponge seems to pulse and
57
their head providing bright light in a 10-foot radius. gyrate. It can be used to absorb up to 10 gallons
Only the owner of the candle can benefit from this 73 of any type of liquid. The absorbed liquid remains
light. securely in the sponge until the user spends an
A small amulet in the shape of a large reptilian claw. action to squeeze it out. The sponge can only hold
Once activated, beasts will not come within 5 feet one type of liquid at a time.
58 of the amulet. This feature lasts for 1 minute and This refined silk stole is edged with sailfish scales
cannot be used again for 2 days. 74 that glimmer in sunlight. While wearing it, a
A copper urn full of 5 (1d6 + 2) doses of semi-liquid creature can breathe underwater for 1 hour.
clay. A single unit of this clay can take the place of A necklace of fine, gleaming pearls. A creature
59
any spell component worth less than 150 gp. Once 75 wearing this necklace produces multi-colored,
used in this fashion, the clay dries and crumbles. iridescent bubbles from their mouth as they speak.
This heavy fur-lined coat looks cozy as can be. If the This gold coin can shift at the request of the wielder
60 creature wearing it takes cold damage, the damage to match the currency of the realm. The coin itself
is reduced by 4 (1d8). is real gold, but the endless number of copies it can
A jet black square of onyx that can be activated 76
make of itself are fake. If anyone other than the
to display images as constructed by the user’s wielder discovers a fake, all of the copies created to
61 imagination. These images are illusory and cannot that point turn red and begin to scream.
leave the surface of the onyx square.

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 Magic & Miscellany

This fancy doublet made of vibrant blue and purple This tube of ocher cream can be applied to the skin,
77 silk is stylish and comfortable and makes its wearer 88 removing the effects of sunlight sensitivity for 1
irresistibly attractive to gnomes of both sexes. hour. The tube produces three doses per long rest.
A finely-crafted hand axe that stubbornly refuses to This large leather suitcase is infused with
78 chop wood, but the back side of the axe head makes transmutation magic. It can hold up to 200 pounds
an excellent hammer. 89 of goods. Once filled with items, the user can speak
The thick terrycloth sweatband was all the rage the command phrase (“It’ll fit”) causing the suitcase
in fashion 20 years ago. Once activated by stating to shrink to the size of a playing card.
its command phrase (“Anger is my strength”), A pewter goosenecked kettle with four small legs. By
79 music with a heavy backbeat starts to emanate speaking the command word (“kettleon”) you can
from the headband. The wearer has advantage on 90 make the kettle brew a pot of hot tea of any flavor
all Charisma (Performance) checks used to fight you desire, without the need for water or leaves. The
through their feelings using the power of dance. kettle can be used in this way twice per long rest.
A simple wooden drum with a leather head. This serrated bread knife with an onyx handle can be
91
80 People who hear the drum being played are easily activated to toast bread as it slices.
influenced to dance and drink. A 2-inch square of blue velvet. Activating the item
A gorgeous rug, woven with twisting and turning with its command phrase (“Make it work”) allows
geometric patterns. Any creature that steps on the the bearer to create any sort of clothing they
81 rug causes a fanfare of horns to sound and flashes of 92 desire—a hat, a scarf or a full ensemble. The created
colored light to erupt all around them. item(s) stay in this form for 2 hours before reverting
A rusty iron lantern that never seems to run out of to the square of velvet. The square can be activated
82 oil. It reacts to any movement within 15 feet of it by a total of 3 times per long rest.
making spooky ghost noises. This strangely etched piece of long thin pasta can
This functional jab saw with an ornate mother-of- 93 be activated three times per long rest to act as an
pearl handle can be used to cut a small hole, up to ordinary whip for 1 minute.
6 inches in diameter, in thin air. The hole leads to This object resembles a modern day stethoscope
83 a small extraplanar space where you can store up made from clam shells and rubbery hollow reeds.
to 10 pounds of stuff. The saw can only be used to 94 Four times per long rest, the user can activate the
access this extraplanar space once per day. item to gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception)
A plain leather belt with an ancient iron buckle. checks to hear through a door.
By removing the belt and speaking the command A lightweight unadorned tin cup that adds a
95
84 phrase (“toughen up”) the belt will become a stiff delightful fizz to whatever liquid is inside.
4-inch-by-5-foot board that can support up to 400 This 4-inch-long oval mirror in a gilded frame
pounds. can be used to discern the true nature of things.
This pack of 15 (2d12 + 2) sheets of square colored 96 While holding it, a creature rolls Wisdom (Insight)
paper can be commanded to fold themselves into checks with advantage. The mirror can be used to
any shape the user can think of. They are a great affect 2 checks per long rest.
storytelling aid for the inspiring bard as the shapes A pair of black shoes with bright green soles. With
85 the command word (splishsplash), fins grow from
will then act out the stories being told. Speaking the
command phrase (“the end”) will cause all of the 97 the shoes, giving you a swim speed equal to your
sheets of paper to unfold into their original, unused walking speed for 1 minute. The shoes can be
condition and fly into the leather folio they came in. activated twice per day.
A 1-inch cube made of heavy green canvas. Tossing A pair of strange yellow-lensed glasses provides
it out on the ground and speaking the command advantage on any saving throw against an effect
86 that would impose blindness. Once activated in
(“pitching in”) will cause the cube to turn into a 98
normal tent that is large enough to fit three people. this way, the glasses cannot provide advantage
A coarse, horribly painted rubber chicken. When again until the following dawn.
squeezed it makes a screeching honking noise that This walking stick negates the effects of difficult
99
forces anyone within 15 feet other than the wielder terrain but must be held in at least one hand.
to make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or This enamel pin depicting a cartoonish canine
87 become deafened for 2 (1d4) rounds. The affected creature suspends the wearer momentarily,
creature can repeat the save at the end of each of allowing them to roll any Dexterity saving throw
their turns, ending the effect on a successful save. 100 to avoid falling with advantage. However, before
Once used in this fashion, the chicken cannot be they roll the Dexterity saving throw, they must roll
activated again until the next dawn. a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw to avoid looking
down. If they fail the Wisdom save, they fall.

192 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 155
 Magic & Miscellany

Dreams A sudden jolt causes the scene around you to

Dreams hold special significance in most fantasy materialize and solidify. You are bolted to an upright
settings. Not just mere creations of the mind, they offer log in a massive pyre. A crowd jeers and yells,
a connection to a physical realm, the Dream Lands or screaming profanities at you. A light catches your
the Plane of Dreams. That’s why it’s handy to have a few 6 attention as a burning torch approaches the pyre.
on hand when your party finally settles in for a long rest. You look on in horror as a perfect replica of you enters
Depending on what type of dream you need, consult the your field of vision and drops the torch on the pyre.
appropriate table and roll 1d10 to determine the result. Your screams as the wood ignites are drowned out by
the laughter of your double.
Nightmarish Dreams You become aware music around you. A high society
party is in full swing and you stand in the middle of
1d10
You are having a light but still restful sleep, the festivities stark naked. People begin to laugh and
comfortably in your bed or bed roll. A sudden sound 7 jeer as you begin to shrink. The mocking laughter
wakes you and you find yourself surrounded by accelerates the rate at which you shrink until you
darkness except for a powerful light from above—a just disappear, only for the same scene to begin
spotlight upon you from an unknown source. You again.
1
Shouts and screams bring you into the moment and
are paralyzed as your loved ones and friends appear
you find yourself on a stage in front of an audience
from the darkness, seemingly undead and certainly
of demons. You find that your hands, arms and head
hungry. You are paralyzed as they stumble toward
have all been painfully attached to sinewy threads
you and begin to feed on your flesh.
The breaking dawn washes over you, a beautiful leading to a large mechanical device. A handsome
sunrise lighting the sky and warming your skin. You 8 man, small horns curling around his ears, begins
stand on a promontory, high over a large expanse to sing and you begin to jerk painfully in a mockery
of a verdant valley below. Suddenly, the rock ledge of a graceful dance, controlled by the threads. This
you are on breaks and you fall. You smash through goes on for hours until the stage opens and you are
2 lowered into a vat of bubbling acid. You are forced to
the ground when you impact it, continuing to fall
through darkness. You suddenly smash into the remain mute as you feel your body eaten away.
You realize that you are trapped in a bubble full of
ground, stalagmites skewering your body. Your skin
murky water. You try to swim to the outside only to
begins to smolder and burn as you slowly sink into a
find that the bubble moves with you and you can’t
lake of fire. You feel every moment, unable to wake.
All around you is impenetrable darkness. The sound 9 reach the perimeter. Water fills your lungs as you
of dripping water is accompanied by chittering, panic and black out. You feel your death occur, only
discordant voices. A presence lurches forward toward to awaken once more in the same place, with no air
you, clearly hunting you. You bolt but have no sense and no hope.
You are alone. Everything you loved or could love
3 of where you’re going. You run in abject terror as this
is a desolate waste. Minutes pass as years, and you
slavering eldritch presence pursues, cacophonous 10
wander aimlessly in a wrecked void with nothing to
cries and wails drawing ever closer. You know, deep
live for and no way to die.
in the pit of your soul, that if this beast catches you it
would be a fate worse than death.
You become conscious of the fact that you are
Pleasant Dreams
strapped to a cold metal table, stripped of your 1d10
clothing and equipment. Groggily taking in your You dream of feasting with legendary warriors,
surroundings, you find that your eyes are also forced mages and scholars from times long past. The food
1
open by a clawed device that pinches the skin of your is amazing and you wake feeling comfortable, sated
eyelids. At the extreme of your periphery, a small and well rested.
shadowy hand followed by another grips the table. As you drift into awareness, you realize you are
4 floating through darkness, a cool wind on your
A small humanoid, no more than 3 inches tall, pulls
itself up onto the table. It is made of living shadow face. Your surroundings materialize slowly and you
with horrible wide burning white eyes. This creature is find you are soaring with ease through a cloudless,
joined by another and another and another until there 2 star-filled sky, a full moon shining at your back.
are a dozen of them surrounding you. In unison, they It’s exhilarating and peaceful all at the same time,
pull out wickedly long needles and begin to jab them soaring amongst the stars. Your dream begins to fade
into your body over and over and over until you wake. as a blazing sun rises in the east and paints the sky
Bright, painful light blinds you as you try to take in purple, pink, orange and red.
your surroundings. You are in a small, doorless room
5 and the sound of reverberating laughter gets louder
and louder and louder until your ears and eyes begin
to bleed.
 You find yourself walking through pristine hallways You are in waking conversation with a being of
of marble, flanked by small alcoves holding priceless unimaginable power, and it hears your needs,
treasures and items of immense magical power. You wants and desires while regarding you as a trusted
10
3 soon come to realize that this home, this palatial friend. Its words are inscrutable, but you feel heard,
estate, is yours. It seems that years of adventure and seen, beloved. As you stir, you sense your god is on
sacrifice have finally paid off. You feel a surge of pride your side.
and contentment as the dream ends.
As you enter the dream, you realize with some
shock that you are a massive, powerful dire wolf. In GM NOTE: SPELL APPLICATIONS
the spectral woods all around you, a large pack of The Nightmarish Dreams table may also be a
fierce wolves prowl patiently, as if waiting for your fun, new way to spice up spells like phantasmal
4 command. You howl. The hunt is on. The dump of killer that tap into the target’s worst fears and
adrenaline, the rush of the wind and the tug of the nightmares. Instead of relying on something
scent of your prey is intoxicating. Running beneath generic in that moment, a roll on the Nightmarish
the shrouded moon is the most free you have ever Dreams table would really hammer home the
felt. terrifying nature of the spell.
The clinking of coins draws you into the dream and
you find yourself in a vast marble vault, full to the
5 brim with gold coins and treasure. Your friends,
family, party and loved ones are all there swimming
in the pile of treasure as if it were a pool of water.
You can feel yourself walking before the sights
of your surroundings register. You smell a sugary
sweetness and hear the hum of a hive. As your vision
clears you find you are in a wonderland of candy and
6 sweets. Everything around you is made from sugar,
chocolate, pastry or some other delectable. You eat
to your heart’s content and wake at the point you
become full. When you wake, you are jittery and a bit
sick to your stomach.
You are a powerful spellcaster, able to rewrite the
very laws of reality to your whim. You use these
7 abilities to right the wrongs that have always
troubled you, but you cannot help but revel in the
adoration your actions bring.
Softness beyond softness is all you can feel as you
enter this dream. Your awareness sharpens and
you find you are prone in a pile of plush, oversized
8 teddy bears. The pile purrs quietly, the low
vibration incredibly soothing, and after a while the
dream ends with you feeling more relaxed than you
ever have before.
Heavy perfume and wafting incense assail your
senses as the lights come up in a room full of plush
red velvet and silk. The love of your life, the object of
9
your undying affection, is in the room with you, and
you sink back into unconsciousness with the certain
knowledge that it is going to be a pleasant evening.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 195

 Magic & Miscellany

Prophecy Oro, the tree of life, composed of a staggering 37

stars, only graces the heavens in its entirety for one
You can tell a lot about the future if you know where to week per year. Children born during this period
7
look or who to ask. But since you can’t always plan for come into the world with magic in their blood,
those moments when your players might cast divination or destined for great things.
consult a star map, it’s nice to have a table or two that can Meteor storms are incredibly rare and usually herald
help you describe what they might find when they look to 8 times of great upheaval and strife. When the sky is
the heavens or the keeper of the bones or the all-seeing eyes full of shooting stars, the wise man is wary.
of their elder patrons. Once a year, the stars that make up Norgrim
the Smith’s hammer arm intersect with Hedrun
Constellations & the Great Scorpion’s claw. For this brief period,
Heavenly Portents 9 metalworking seems more difficult. Blades shatter
Since time immemorial, mortal races have looked to and warp, welds fail and forge fires are difficult to
the sky for guidance and inspiration. In the earliest keep at temperature.
days of life, the stars were used as navigational guides, Ero, the Book of Divine Knowledge (a constellation
storytelling tools and ways for thinking beings to try that forms a near-perfect square) being in
and make sense of the wide world around us. Heavenly prominence has a noticeable effect on divination
bodies and celestial objects have also served as the 10 magic and soothsayers. Divining spells are more
source of prophecy, divination and wonder. From accurate and less cryptic, but using them can addle
portents of ill tidings to predictions of peace and plenty, the wielder’s mind.
over the course of history, these divinations have been There are many who say comets are portents of
written in the stars for those wise enough to look. The evil or disaster. In actuality, they are just beautiful
following table contains some constellation patterns 11 sources of pure magic. What happens when that
and celestial events that can be applied to your world. magic arrives, whether evil or good, is highly
What mechanical effects these things have, if any, is circumstantial.
completely up to you. Roll 1d20 on the following table Crix the Heavenly Blade is a set of six stars that
to add unique celestial events. make up the profile of a stiletto dagger. Ancient
12 legends, which persist to this day, claim that one
1d20 day the dagger will fall from the heavens and pierce
When the amphora—a collection of nine stars that the world, bringing about the end of all things.
form a wave—is predominant in the sky, sailors will Heleria the Winged Wolf Mother is a constellation
1 made up of 13 stars and single red planet, which
have good fortune. It is also a time of rebirth and
change; new ventures will have increased success. makes her eye. Druids, nature priests and clerics
In the time of the blood red moon (or moons) 13 find that the natural world is more active when she
2 warriors are favored and those with a connection to is in prominence, but her motherly nature eases
nature feel more primal. Some turn feral. relationships between the wild world and the
A total lunar eclipse is an ill tiding, signifying the realms of humanoids.
height of powers of darkness. Ghosts and the Ux the Devourer, which appears to be a swirling
undead are more prevalent and powerful. Sea constellation of eight stars, swirls around a black
3 voyages that begin on the day of the eclipse are 14 hole that is slowly eating everything around it. When
destined for poor travels and disaster and are Ux is directly overhead, disease and entropy run
therefore avoided whenever possible. rampant on the material plane.
When Haddrax the Hunter—a mighty centaur warrior Every so often, conditions are just right for a
comprising 11 bright burning stars—touches the rainbow-like halo of light to be visible around
4 western horizon, it is a time of bountiful hunts and both the sun and the moon. It is said that the
foraging. The amount of food that can be gathered 15 boundaries between the world of the living and
during this time is 11 times larger than normal. the world of the dead are weakest at this time,
Every 300 years, the planets of the solar system allowing for easier communications with lost souls
all align. During this alignment, the boundaries and ancestral guardians.
5 Red nebulous clouds, sparking with energy and
between the planes and worlds beyond are said to
become thin. arcane power, appear at random times of the
When Corovax the Raven (a small constellation 16 year, mostly at night where they are very visible.
made up of five dim stars) is superior to Alathyx the When these clouds appear, magic is said to be
Dragon (a long, sinuous constellation containing 16 unpredictable and more explosive.
6 stars and one planet) the weak have advantage over
the strong. The underdog is favored and long shots
have a way of working out.
 Veliod the Maiden is a constellation of 21 stars that Soothsayers and Fortune Tellers
always appears in early spring. However, sometimes The realms of mortals are full of those that claim they
she rises in the east at the beginning of the season can tell the future. They claim to be able to speak to
17 and appears upside down. In these years, crops spirits, consult cloudy crystals or read the placement of
always perform poorly and the world is always on scattered bones to discern what is to come and how it will
the brink of famine. affect specific individuals. Most of these self-proclaimed
The Dark One’s Eyes are a pair of stars, one bright oracles are all con artists selling a product. Sometimes
orange the other bright blue. These strange stars that product is hope, sometimes it is impending doom,
seem to orbit each other, and every seven years they depending on the customer. The following table is a list
18 dominate the northern sky. When the Dark One’s of non-committal things these fortune tellers can tell
Eyes look upon the world, battles are bloodier, a character who employs their services. Roll a d10 and
conflicts more explosive and deaths caused by consult the What Do the Bones Say? table.
violence more prevalent.
Erthos the Lover is a constellation of five stars in What Do the Bones Say?
a pentagon. When Erthos is high in the southern
1d10
sky, treaty negotiations and bargains are easier to
19 solidify. A calm falls over the world and it is said 1 “Beware the man wearing purple trousers.”
that people have an easier time getting along. Love “Be mindful of those that sleep at night; they will
2 stalk you during the day.”
matches made under Erthos are said to be destined
to last multiple lifetimes. “A mysterious entity has great interest in your
3 doings and is watching.”
Every 500 years, a great nebula glowing with bright
orange, green, blue and red stardust is visible in 4 “On the morning of the third day, the sun will rise.”
the upper atmosphere of the world. When this “Good tidings come in threes; six days will pass
5 anon.”
phenomenon occurs, scholars, casters, inventors
20 and alchemists are struck with sudden inspiration. 6 “A great fire awaits those who make rash decisions.”
They create new sciences, spells, formulas and 7 “Small gifts bring great rewards.”
machines. Their creations mirror the creation of new “With planning and ingenuity, you too can fail.”
8
stars in this stellar nursery.
9 “At the end of the day, the time of night begins.”
“Do not follow ominous voices into the woods; they
10 never have candy.”

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 197

 Magic & Miscellany

Reincarnation the target of a reincarnate spell, roll 2d100, one for the
In this fantasy world, there are a variety of ways to bring target’s new ancestry and one for the side effect of its
the dead back to life—and not in that brainless zombie reincarnation. Consult the Reincarnation Results &
kind of way. From revivify to resurrection, death is Unexpected Side Effects table to determine the outcome.
not necessarily the end. One of the options available is
reincarnate. Only available to druids, this spell calls out GM NOTE: VARIANT RULE SET
to the soul of the recently departed and beckons it into Adding side effects or unexpected results to
a new body. Frequently, this causes some changes. Most reincarnation is a deviation from the way this
noticeably: the new body may not be of the same race as spell was written. If this spell comes up in your
the one the deceased is accustomed to and the result is game, make sure you are transparent with your
determined randomly. players about your desire to add unexpected
A change of race would likely be a huge shock to the results to the use of this spell.
system and getting used to the racial traits acquired or
lost will take some getting used to. If a creature becomes

Reincarnation Results & Unexpected Side Effects

1d100 Ancestry Side Effect
1-4 Human You maintain the use of one racial feature of your choice from your previous race for 2 (1d4) days.
5-8 Elf You cannot use one racial feature (at GM discretion) from your new race for 2 (1d4) days.
You have amnesia, not knowing who you are nor having any memory of your surroundings and
9-12 Halfling
companions. This fades in 13 (2d12) hours and your memories return.
For the next 3 (1d6) days, if you take more than 15 points of damage in a single attack you must
13-16 Dragonborn succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned for one round as flashbacks of your death
assail your mind.
Learning to use your new body is difficult. For 13 (2d12) hours after being reincarnated, you make
17-20 Serpentfolk all attack rolls and skill checks at disadvantage.
Sentient Your new body is sluggish and slow to respond. Your movement speed is reduced by 5 feet for the
21-24 mechanoid next 2 (1d4) days.
Your mind has a hard time adjusting to this new form. You are at disadvantage on all Intelligence-
25-28 Owlkin and Wisdom-based skill checks for the next 13 (2d12) hours.
The powerful magic that returned you to life leaves a lingering protection on your skin. For the next
29-32 Giantkin 2 (1d4) days, you roll saving throws against magical effects and spells with advantage.
Your senses aren’t quite working correctly as your mind learns to interpret the new input. For the
33-36 Birdfolk next 2 (2d4) days, you are at disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Residual magic wafts off you in waves. For the next 2 (1d4) days you can cast either lesser
37-40 Half-elf restoration or cure wounds (2nd level) once per day.
This experience has been incredibly taxing. For the next 2 (1d4) days, before you can take an
41-44 Centaur action, bonus action or reaction, you must make a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure you
become incapacitated for the next round.
The first time you would fall to 0 hit points in the 2 (1d4) days after your reincarnation, you can
45-48 Elephantkin instead regain half of your maximum hit points. If you choose to regain the hit points, you must
make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion.
For the next 2 (1d4) days, you can call on muscle memory to boost your abilities. You are able to
49-52 Shifter add 2 (1d4) to any ability check.
Your mental defenses have been weakened by this experience. For the next 2 (1d4) days, you must
53-56 Rabbitfolk roll saving throws against effects that would charm or frighten you at disadvantage.
The divine magic that returned your soul to a body has infused you with radiant energy. For the next
57-60 Feyfolk 2 (1d4) days, you can add 3 (1d6) radiant damage to any attack roll or offensive spell.
As soon as your reincarnation is complete, you must roll a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or gain the
61-64 Half-orc frightened condition for 22 (4d10) hours as visions of your death and your journey through the
afterlife assail you.
Your physical appearance continually changes between your new form and your old. The
transformation is painful and disturbing. For 2 (1d4) days, at the end of each long rest, you will take
65-68 Minotaur 16 (3d10) psychic damage. Additionally, this constant mutation is off-putting. For the duration,
you will be at disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion), Charisma (Deception) and Charisma
(Performance) checks but roll Charisma (Intimidation) checks with advantage.
 The magic that recalled your soul provides you a brief period of physical protection as you settle
69-72 Dwarf into your new form. For 3 (1d6) days, you gain a +1 to your armor class and saving throws.
Your body is confused as to how fast it can move. For 2 (1d4) days, you combine the movement
speed of your former form with the movement speed of your new form. However, if you use a
73-76 Gnome dash action during this period, you must roll a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking a level of
exhaustion on a failed save.
Your new body is trying to reject the soul that has been forced into it. For the next 2 (1d4) days, at the
end of a long rest you must take 3 (1d6) necrotic damage; your maximum hit point total is reduced by
77-80 Lizardfolk the amount of damage taken. Your total will restore over time. After the initial period, your maximum
hit point total will improve 2 hp per day until restored. Only greater restoration, heal or wish can
instantaneously restore your maximum hit point total.
Your mind and body aren’t communicating effectively. For the next 2 (1d4) days, you must subtract
81-82 Hobgoblin 2 (1d4) from any ability check you make.
Your mind is still protected by the power of the transition into this new body. For the next 2 (1d4) days,
83-84 Elementalkin you are resistant to psychic damage and immune to both the charmed and frightened conditions.
Every time you sleep for the next 3 (1d6) days, your dreams are haunted by spectral messengers.
They whisper unintelligible things and their voices set you on edge. Roll a DC 15 Wisdom saving
throw at the beginning of each long rest. On a success, the messenger is a simple humanoid
85-86 Goblin that takes the shape of someone you know or knew. On a failure, the messenger is terrifying and
monstrous to behold and its presence lingers in your mind and in your dreams. You wake gaining
no benefit from the long rest and suffer 10 (3d6) psychic damage.
Angelic
87-88 offspring You are unable to speak for 13 (2d12) hours after reincarnation.
You are more vulnerable to attack because of your recent reincarnation. For 3 (1d6) days, you suffer
89-90 Tiefling a -1 penalty to your AC and saving throws.
The magic that constructed your new body continually tries to renew itself for a brief time. For 3 (1d6)
91-92 Lionkin days, you gain 7 (2d6) temporary hp at the end of every hour. These points do not stack.
It is hard for you to keep your wits about you as you try and adjust to this new form. For 13 (2d12)
93-94 Kobold hours after reincarnation, you are affected as if by the confusion spell. Outside of a combat
situation, you are only required to roll on the table associated with this spell once per hour.
For 13 (2d12) hours after being reincarnated, you become a focal point for life and rejuvenation.
95-96 Ravenkin Every creature within 15 feet, including you, has resistance to necrotic damage. Living creatures
that start their turn in this area with 0 hit points regain 4 (1d4 + 2) hit points.
Skills and traits bleed over across the bridge of magic used to bring your soul back. For 1 day, you
97-98 Orc can benefit from all the racial traits available to you, both from the new body and from the old.
99-100 Turtlekin Roll twice on this table and be affected by both results.

GM NOTE:
GENETIC MUTATION
The complications posed
by magical reincarnation
don’t have to be limited
to those presented above.
If you’d like to include
a genetic mutation
associated with this
magical transformation,
check out the options on
the Strange Mutations
table on pg. 200.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 199

 Magic & Miscellany

Strange Mutations Elongated Limbs

Whether by magic or a curse, sometimes a creature’s form The connective tissue in the affected creature’s arms
can be warped and changed from the inside out. These and legs undergoes significant changes, becoming
mutations can provide beneficial properties, but they more elastic and pliable. As a bonus action, a creature
can also have detrimental side effects. Should a creature can elongate either their arms or their legs. Should the
become subjected to an effect that could change their creature elongate their arms, they extend their reach to
physical form on the base level, roll 1d12 on the Strange 10 feet. Should the creature elongate their legs, they can
Mutations table and apply the result. The descriptions of grow up to double their current height, but the growth
each mutation will follow the table. The effects of these is only in the legs. The creature’s movement speed is
mutations can be removed by casting greater restoration, doubled for the duration. While they have either set of
heal or wish, at GM discretion. limbs elongated, a creature suffers disadvantage on all
Dexterity-based attack rolls, saving throws and ability
1d12 checks. If they have both sets of limbs elongated, they
1 Mystic Third Eye not only suffer disadvantage but take an additional
Elongated Limbs -2 penalty to Dexterity-based attack rolls, saving
2
throws and ability checks. Returning a set of limbs to
3 Restraining Tentacles
normal requires another bonus action. A creature can
4 Amphibious Adaptation activate this mutation a number of times equal to their
5 Bifurcated Mandibles proficiency bonus per day.
6 Enlarged Frontal Lobe
7 Unstable Soul Restraining Tentacles
Damaging Breath One of the creature’s arms morphs and splits near the
8
forearm, replacing the creature’s hand with a trio of
9 Surging Strength
writhing tentacles. The tentacle is a Strength-based
10 Malleable Form weapon that deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage. If this
11 Ethereal Step attack hits, the target of the attack is automatically
12 The Vanishing restrained. A target restrained in this way can use
its action to try a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity
Mystic Third Eye (Acrobatics) check contested by the attacking creature’s
An additional eye grows suddenly and painfully from Strength (Athletics) check to try and escape.
the center of the creature’s forehead. This eye is attuned
to the mystical world around it and is able to detect the Amphibious Adaptation
presence of things that are not visible to sight alone. By Frilled and spined gills erupt from the side of the
using an action, the creature can open this third eye, creature’s neck. Their skin takes on a strange sheen and
immediately subjecting themselves to surging magic excretes a very fine slimy mucus. Webs grow between
and powerful auras of the fabric of reality. The creature their fingers. Their toes elongate and become webbed
must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, as well. A creature that undergoes these changes gains a
the creature takes 17 (5d6) psychic damage and is 30-foot swim speed and can breathe both air and water.
blinded for 2 (1d4) rounds. On a success, the creature However, their ungainly feet are not well suited to land
is able to withstand the torrent of information flooding so their walking speed is reduced by 10 feet. This creature
into their mind and for 1 minute benefits from the is now more suited to the depths and gains resistance
following effects: to cold damage, however, they gain vulnerability to
fire damage. Additionally, the creature must submerge
• They can see invisible creatures and creatures on themselves in water every 6 hours or suffer 14 (4d6)
the ethereal plane. necrotic damage. Every hour that passes after the initial
• They can see magical auras around creatures and 6-hour period, the creature suffers 7 (2d6) necrotic
objects within 30 feet of them, as well as determine damage and must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving
the school of magic. throw or take a level of exhaustion. A successful save
• They can determine the exact nature of the halves the damage taken.
creatures around them. The user is able to
immediately determine the alignment and creature
type of any within 15 feet.

The eye can be opened a number of times per day equal

to the creature’s proficiency bonus; however, every use
after the first, whether they succeed or fail on the saving
throw, imposes one level of exhaustion.
Bifurcated Mandibles Surging Strength
The creature’s lower jaw is now able to split in the The creature who is affected by this mutation can cause
middle, directly below their mouth. The creature can adrenaline to course through their muscles, allowing
open their lower jaw horizontally, revealing large them to benefit from incredible strength. A number of
poisoned fangs that retract into small recesses inside the times per day equal to their proficiency modifier the
creature’s mouth. The creature gains a Strength-based creature can double their strength modifier for 4 (1d6
bite attack that deals 2d4 piercing damage. If this attack + 1) rounds. After the rounds have expired, the creature
hits, the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving automatically suffers from 1 level of exhaustion.
throw or take 7 (2d6) poison damage and gain the
poisoned condition for 1 minute. While poisoned in this Malleable Form
way, the target is charmed by the attacking creature. The bonds between the creature’s cells weaken, allowing
The creature with this mutation has difficulty speaking them to change their shape at will as if they were made
and has disadvantage on all Charisma-based skill checks. of living ooze. The creature who has undergone this
Spells that require verbal components have a 35 percent mutation can pass through openings as narrow as half an
chance of failing when cast. If the spell fails in this way, inch wide. Additionally, they can alter their appearance as
the spell slot used to cast the spell is not expended. if they were using the change shape effect of the alter self
spell at will. However, every time the creature uses this
Enlarged Frontal Lobe ability, they must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving
When subjected to this mutation, the creature’s head throw or become incapacitated for 13 (2d12) minutes.
and brain expand, increasing their mental capacity. The
creature’s Intelligence score increases by 2 to a maximum Ethereal Step
of 22. The creature gains access to minor telekinetic and Ghostly magic infuses every cell of the creature’s being,
telepathic abilities and the mage hand cantrip. They can linking them to the ethereal plane. By using a Bonus
also speak telepathically to any creature within 30 feet Action, the creature can teleport 20 feet by partially
or create a lasting psychic connection with one creature stepping into the ethereal plane a number of times equal
within 30 feet for a number of hours equal to their to their proficiency modifier. After each use of this ability,
Intelligence modifier. This connection can be maintained the creature must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw
over any range. However, the creature takes a -2 to or become stuck between the material and ethereal
their Constitution score to a minimum of 1 and gains plane. If the creature becomes stuck in this way, they are
vulnerability to bludgeoning damage. incapacitated and restrained for 10 (2d6 + 3) minutes,
repeating the saving throw once per minute and ending
Unstable Soul the effect on a success. When the effect ends, the creature
This mutation fuses wild magic into the very heart and arrives at the point in the material plane they were
soul of a creature, causing them to become unstable. attempting to reach.
Once per day, as an action, the creature can explode
with radiant energy that blasts out of their soul. Every The Vanishing
creature within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 14 This mutation causes variations in the skin cells that
Constitution saving throw or suffer 35 (10d6) points of can put them slightly out of phase with the visible light
radiant damage, or half damage on a successful save. spectrum, creating a minute field of invisibility around
The creature with this mutation can exclude a number the creature and its equipment. A number of times per
of creatures from the blast radius equal to their Wisdom day equal to its Constitution modifier (minimum of 1),
modifier (minimum of 1). After the blast, the creature the creature can become invisible as per the spell. After
that unleashed the blast must also make a DC 14 each use of this ability, the creature must make a DC
Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature takes 12 Constitution saving throw or become blinded for 2
3 levels of exhaustion. A successful save reduces this to 1 (1d4) hours.
level of exhaustion.

Damaging Breath
A set of glands develop at the back of the creature’s
throat that are infused with chaotic magic. When the
creature undergoes this mutation, have them roll on
the Transmuted Damage Type table. Twice per day,
the creature can activate a breath weapon in a 20-foot
cone that does 17 (5d6) damage of the type rolled on the
table. For 2 (1d4) hours after using the breath weapon,
the creature gains vulnerability to the breath weapon’s
damage type.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 201

 Magic & Miscellany

Tools of the Trade The cover and spine of this spellbook appear to be
made from volcanic rock. In the cracks between
Those who wield magic are always accompanied by a host 9 the rocks and in the center of the book, boiling lava
of implements designed to assist in their casting of spells. burns and flows.
Spellbooks, wands, crystals and holy symbols are just Secured by a very heavy padlock at the bottom
some of these items that can be brought to bear to focus joining a heavy metal clasp, this book of scaly gray
the power of their arcane or divine might. Describing leather has a human face rising out of the front cover.
the appearance of these items can assist you in providing 10 The face belongs to the wizard Arothax Nemestor, a
depth and character to a player character or NPC, making mage of great skill who transferred his consciousness
them all the more memorable. The following tables into the book before his death. He offers advice and
contain descriptions of various magical implements that has a wealth of knowledge of the arcane.
can be used to help describe your casters. Roll 1d10 and
consult the appropriate table. Arcane Focus Appearance
1d10
Spellbook Appearance Made from a solid piece of dark blue starmetal, this
1d10 1 wand narrows to a sharp point at the tip. It is etched
This tome covered in beautiful rich red leather is with stellar patterns that are inlaid in silver.
embossed with a scrolling design around the edges This dark metal staff is topped with a pale orb that
and two dragons facing one another. The blasts of 2 resembles the moon. When used to cast spells, the
1 their dragon’s breath swirls around the center of moon seems to slowly shift through its phases.
the cover and cradles a deep red gem. The book is Made from polished ironwood, the upper portion
secured by a golden clasp. of this staff is encased in solid bronze that spirals
The wooden cover of this spellbook is burned with 3 in a thin ribbon from the base of the bronze to the
jagged arcane runes on both the front and back. On end of the staff. The very tip of the staff is set with a
the front cover a quarter of the way from the top is glowing angular vibrant red crystal.
2 a large fleshy closed eye. When used to memorize This rod has been shaped by a skilled smith out
spells or study arcane formulary, the eye, bloodshot of layered steel combined with adamantine
and purple, opens and gazes erratically. 4 alloys. One end is shaped like a sharp four-bladed
Covered in worn dark brown leather, the cover of this spearhead, and the other has an open ring that has
spellbook is embossed with several intricate arcane bolts of arcane power rippling around and across it.
3 circles. Set in a circle in the center of the book’s cover Wielding this light green crystal as a spell focus
are small, flat, round gems in colors representing the 5 reveals a miniature oak tree contained in the
eight schools of magic. crystal’s depths for just a moment.
This black leather book, with jet black pages The inside of this heavy glass orb seems to burn
inscribed with golden ink, is simply adorned with a with red hot flames. When employed as a spell
4 6
single flat piece of burnished gold depicting a fanged focus, a dark eye with a yellow and black vertical
and horned skull in the center. pupil appears briefly inside the flames.
The leather used to cover this spellbook is terrifyingly This wand is made of solid black glass and its
5 similar to human skin. It has a large brass clasp in the handle is wrapped in red leather. When engaged as
shape of a clawed hand. 7 a spell focus, bolts of red energy run up and down
Less a book and more of a collection of circles, this the inside.
spellbook takes the form of eight concentric rings of Expertly carved and cut into a dodecahedron, this
azurite; the largest is 1 foot in diameter. Each ring is 8 piece of pure white crystal glows with prismatic
6 etched with small golden arcane runes. The rings can light when employed to cast spells.
all spin on a central axis and rotate around to form This turned oak staff features flares and ridges
different combinations of words. inlaid with aquamarine. The staff is topped with a
This spellbook is made of completely solid clear yellow crystal. When employed to cast spells, the
glass. The owner of the book can press their 9 crystal flares to life and ethereal flaming wings,
7 thumbprint into a large flat spot near the spine like those of a phoenix, momentarily blossom into
to open it. As the book opens, the pages become being.
opaque and legible. The inside of this orb swirls with pure shadow and
A nondescript, burlap-covered tome. If a creature 10 living darkness. When activated as a focus, small
that is not the owner attempts to open it, large sharp explosions of purple-white light flare inside.
teeth and a large prehensile tongue erupt from the
8 edges of the book and inside the pages. It snaps and
thrashes in an attempt to bite the hand that opened
the book.
Druidic Focus Appearance Holy Symbol Appearance
1d10 1d10
This gnarled crook made from twisted wood This ornate reliquary is an indestructible glass
1 features a glowing crystal in the shape of a butterfly tube set into a vambrace set with golden filigree.
1
hanging from the apex of the staff. The glass tube contains three bones from the foot
An etched raven’s skull that has a sprig of of a long dead saint.
2 wormwood growing from the top of the skull, worn A glass box, approximately 2 feet long, with ornate
on a strand of woven and dried tanglevines. bronze caps engraved with holy prayers. The box is
Small mushrooms and toadstools grow from the 2 hung from a belt by two leather straps. Inside the
flared top of this ancient oak staff. Small faerie box is the radial bone of a devout priest. There are
3 lights swirl in and out of the fungus when the staff is still small bits of soft tissue at each end of the bone.
used as a focus. Worn on an ornately embossed leather strap, this
This wand of natural yew wood still has rough bark 3 crystalline globe contains the left cheekbone and
on the handle. The shaft has been etched with a orbital socket of a legendary holy warrior.
4 spiral pattern that runs its length. A large wasp This amulet is made from bone taken from the spine
encased in amber is set at the back, like a pommel. of a holy metallic dragon. After its death at the hands
The end of this straight chestnut staff has a glass of a powerful fiend, the body of the dragon was
globe containing a terrarium of a miniature swamp 4
5 recovered by divine warriors. Its body was blessed
carefully cradled in a net of woven branches. and its bones were harvested to create holy relics
Several sprigs of mistletoe bound together into a such as this.
small scepter by twirling strands of golden thread. Strung on a cord of living flame that does not burn
6 The scepter is tipped with sprouting everlasting 5 the wearer is a crystalline amulet from which the
bright white berries. holy symbol blazes in radiant light.
This yew wand has a handle that is inlaid with The preserved finger bones of a prolific healer have
shards of unicorn horn, freely given by a majestic 6 been bonded onto the fingers of a sturdy steel
7 ancient representative of the species. At the base gauntlet.
of the wand is a large blue jewel that flares with Sealed in a chunk of amber is part of the banner
swirling light when the wand is employed. pole that was carried into battle against a legion of
Made from a nearly petrified chunk of poplar, this 7 demons during a holy crusade. It pulses with waves
totem depicts a humanoid tree squatting on its of divine intent. Can be worn as an amulet or set as
8 haunches. Its body is covered with swirling carvings the pommel of a sword or weapon.
that evoke gusting wind and inside the carvings a Set into the shoulder pauldron of a set of armor
sunshine yellow light pulses with a steady beat. is a small glass dome, flanked by wax purity seals
Inlaid with rough cut chunks of green crystal, this 8 trailing strips of parchment inscribed with prayers
9 dark-stained yew wand is unfinished and still and litanies. Inside the dome is a small section of the
growing at the tip, forking off into several branches. jawbone of an ancient cleric.
A beautifully stained straight, thick wand of yew The hilt or haft of a weapon had been hollowed
wood has a wrapped leather handle and is tipped out and several locks of everlasting hair have been
10 9
with an opaque pink crystal inscribed with druidic sealed inside the void. The hair was voluntarily given
runes. by the avatar of a god.
The cover of a thick tome of prayers, rites and
10 litanies has been embossed with the holy symbol of
the appropriate god.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 203

 Magic & Miscellany

Heraldry & Crests Table A

Countries, armies and organizations frequently choose 1d20 Object Field
crests or symbols to mark them apart from their Black dragon in flight
contemporaries. Sometimes these symbols or crests Blue and black
1 over forest of burning
are associated with a noble family or ruling lineage, diamonds
trees
sometimes they simply relate to what the organization
2 Snarling griffon Olive green
does. Should you find yourself in need of heraldry, a
coat of arms or a crest, the Heraldry & Crests table will Yellow and red
Silver skull superimposed
provide you with a quick result. Roll 1d4 on the table 3 separated by a thick
on a brass gear
below then roll 1d20 on the resulting table to generate black diagonal line
a single entry, or roll 2d4 in the first table and mix the Three pure white herons Black and white
4
object and field options across tables. in a triangular formation diagonal checkered
Seven-pointed star
1d4 Roll... 5 surrounded by a circle Pale blue green
of arcane text
1 ...on Table A
Dark gray with a lighter
2 ...on Table B Two crossed swords gray double armed
6
3 ...on Table C cross
4 ...again Green with an ivory
Two golden lions rearing
7 vertical line up the
back to back
center
GM NOTE: MEMORABLE ICONS 8 Howling wolf head Blue and red striped
Heraldry and crests are an easy way to help your A horseshoe resting
Light green and white
party identify who they’re dealing with in any 9 below three golden keys
chevrons
given moment and can serve as a shorthand for stacked atop one another
setting a scene—especially before or after a large Purple and white
A silver circlet sitting
scale battle or intense negotiation. But that’s not 10 askew on a grinning skull checkerboard with a
their only function. The party could receive sealed diagonal green stripe
correspondence marked with a stamped wax A large golden key sitting
Black with four deep
sigil bearing a house or family’s crest or find the 11 diagonally across an blue wavy lines
shredded and scorched banner of a noble family open book
within a smoldering ritual circle. They are another A raven with wings
12 spread Emerald green
tool you can utilize to guide your party in new
directions or simply fill in some of the detail of the A soaring eagle carrying a Quartered blue and
13 pine bough
places they’re already going. white
A flaming axe to the right
Half purple, half forest
14 of a hammer crackling
green
with lightning
Red and purple
15 Tusked boar’s head separated by a diagonal
thick white line
Six crescent moons in a
16 circle around an open eye Light purple
Two silver swans back to Ebony with a diamond
17 back pattern in ivory
An eight-pointed Green with a white
18 sunburst horizontal stripe
Roaring blue flame inside Light blue quartered by
19 of a green octagon a black X
Quartered magenta and
20 A rising phoenix aqua
Table B Table C
1d20 Object Field 1d20 Object Field
Gray with a golden A castle with three spires Black and red vertical
1 A single angel wing 1 and a lowered portcullis
border stripes
2 A rearing unicorn Deep amber A silver, visored knight’s
A dove in flight 2 helm with bright orange Shining sky blue
surrounded by a circle of Shadowy sea green plumes rising from the top
3
feathers Red flame inside a black Blue and green polka
3 diamond
Blue with mottled gray dots
4 A running stag An angel with wings swept White that has a black
splotches
A serpent coiled around a Wood patterned 4 upward surrounded by border with evenly
5 five stars spaced yellow stars
downswept sword medium gray
An upside-down anchor A crescent moon nestled
White over a blue water inside of a larger
6 above three fish in a Red with a white stripe
pattern 5 crescent moon
triangular formation at the top
A tawny owl, wings superimposed on a
Dark red with a black glowing starburst
7 folded, clutching a
border Three golden roses in an Light brown with a
magnifying glass
Two crossed axes 6 upside-down, triangular black chevron on the
Gray with black rays arrangement bottom
8 superimposed on a
coming from the center A large scorpion vertically Light gray and dark
spiked wooden shield
7 aligned with its tail to the gray separated by a
9 Merchant’s scales Pure black
top inside an oval of red jagged diagonal line
10 A running boar Red over blue A skull sprouting large bat
8 wings Orange
The head of a snarling Orange and yellow
11 bear A large battle axe
quartered Forest green with
A yellow and black 9 superimposed on a yellow starbursts
12 A tall stone tower brick pattern teardrop of fire
Bone colored with a Three golden coins in a
10 vertical line Light gray
13 The tree of life deep green border
Tan with diagonal Two rearing wolves
14 A pure white harp 11 flanking a flowering cherry Orchid purple
brown stripes
Yellow with a thick blue tree
15 A jade trident Three bright blue arrows
stripe at the top
Deep green with a 12 with their points at the Sunshine yellow
A skeletal dragon, wings center
16 spread single golden chevron
at the bottom A two-headed eagle, wings Dark purple with
13 and claws spread
Red and yellow vertical wavy lines
17 An intricate knotted cross Three silver nails,
horizontal stripes Azure with a white,
Royal purple over points turned inward,
14 intricately woven
midnight blue surrounding a large ram
18 A manticore, tail raised border
separated by wavy head
white lines An open hand with an eye
15 in the palm Primary red
White with a bright
A ship with three sails A glowing white elk inside
19 sailing on a crystalline sea green wide vertical 16 three interlocking circles White over green
stripe in the center
Yellow with an upside- A heart pierced by three Tan over brown with
20 A black gauntleted fist 17 spikes
down Y shape in ochre wood grain
Three eight-pointed stars Blue and yellow
18 over a black pyramid checkerboard
A black hydra with eight Red with a diagonal
19 heads all looking to the row of purple
left diamonds
A large hammer Green with a golden
20 superimposed on an anvil cross

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 205

 Magic & Miscellany

Books, Artwork and Contained in the heavy slate pages of this book of
stone bound with iron rings are the instructions to
Other Valuables 10 summon and bind a shield guardian. Reading it for
90 days grants you access to a shield guardian of
Given the nature of civilization and the creative ways in
which artisans express themselves over the ages, your your very own, as well as its amulet.
party is liable to uncover art at every turn. Here’s what This heavy-looking volume is lighter than air and
they find. contains calculations and formulae for travel to the
11 elemental plane of air. By reading this book, you gain
Books the ability to cast the following spells at will once per
Finding an ancient tome of knowledge can be a great way day: gust of wind, fly, conjure elemental (air only).
to progress your plot and provide information to your The writing in this book is gibberish and has no
players. If a could contain useful arcane knowledge or will meaning. However, it contains the trapped soul of a
provide the party some sort of long-lasting mechanical 12 deceased person. At GM discretion, roll on the Object
effect, roll 1d20 and consult the Contents of an Ancient Occupants table on pg. 170 to learn more about this
Grimoire table. If you just need a title, roll 1d100 to creature’s personality.
generate a result on the Book Titles table. This ancient volume is disconcerting to touch, as if
it’s not quite there. It contains methods for entering
Contents of an Ancient Grimoire 13 the ethereal plane (though it does not recommend
1d20 it). While in possession of this tome, a creature can
A dog-eared guide to alchemy. By following its cast the dream spell at will.
1 instructions one can turn 1 pound of lead into 2 This book contains ancient rites and ritual prayers
pounds of gold over a period of 3 months. to the gods in thin pages of parchment. Reading this
A very large tome containing the last 500 years of tome for the first time, a creature must make a DC 16
14
history of the area. By taking 10 minutes to consult Wisdom saving throw or suffer a form of short-term
2 madness. On a save, the creature’s Wisdom score
this volume, you gain advantage on Intelligence
(History) checks that pertain to regional events. increases by 2, to a max of 22.
This very thin volume has a single page inside, upon
This tome was the spellbook of a wizard obsessed
which is written a series of numbers. Reading these
with summoning pink ooze. As an action, twice per
15 numbers burns them into your mind, allowing you
3 day the owner of this book can summon 2 (1d4) black
to consult them as a form of divination. You can cast
puddings, vibrant pink in color. At GM discretion,
divination once per long rest.
these oozes adhere to conjure elementals rules.
This jade tome functions as a +1 spellbook. It has 14 What first appears as lists of spell components and
4 (4d6) spells already copied within. Roll on the Spell alchemical compounds is actually the cookbook of
16
Scroll tables on pg. 153 to generate the spells inside. famed arcane chef Duval Dupris. Reading it cover to
cover grants expertise with cook’s utensils.
This nondescript, well-worn book contains
This journal is bound in what seems like skin from
formulary and mathematics for the creation of a
5 a man’s screaming face. At GM discretion, reading
variety of useful magical items. Consulting it reduces 17
this journal detailing a trip to the nine hells grants
crafting time for any magic item by half.
advantage on checks related to the hells.
This book is full of fell rituals and blood rites to An ancient dusty volume that discusses the history
6 extend one’s life. The notes in the margins suggest of the undead and how each type was created.
the previous owner was aspiring toward lichdom. The pages themselves seem to scream and moan
A history of the creation of the world. The first 18 as they are turned. A creature who possesses this
creature to read this book gains the ability to cast book has advantage on any Intelligence (Religion)
7
guidance at will with a range of 30 feet. This benefit checks to recall knowledge of the undead, as well as
can only be granted once every 100 years. advantage to avoid undead spell effects.
Bound in gutstring with bones for its cover, this The ornate cover of this old and dusty volume belies
book contains anatomical drawings of dragons. Any the true nature of its contents. Once a spellbook of
creature who studies this book for 12 hours or more considerable power, it appears to have been handed
8 19
gains advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks to from bard to bard, each adding their own tawdry
recall knowledge about dragons and any Intelligence tales of love and conquest in the margins. This tome
(History) checks related to the history of dragons. can be used as a +2 spell focus (requires attunement).
A fragile volume containing folk tales about This grimoire is written in a runic language no longer
interactions with the fey. Reading it for more than 1 spoken. Should a creature be able to translate the
9 20
hour opens a portal to the fey wild, which sucks in text in some manner, they learn a method to cast
the reader on a failed DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. polymorph on themselves twice per day.
Book Titles Knives in the Knight, a gripping tale of betrayal,
51-52 redemption and stabbing through heavy armor
1d100
Gold, Lead and the Shapers of Reality: A Treatise on Is the Astral Sea for Me?: A Travel Guide for the
1-2 53-54 Suicidally Adventurous
Alchemy
The Properties of Inverse Spell Formulary and its The Things You Never Wanted to Know: A History of
3-4 55-56 the World’s Worst Moments
Effect on Transmutive Magic
The Tale of the Fifth Sister, an epic and allegorical 57-58 Secret Places of the Ancient Arcanists
5-6 Secrets of Secret Cults: A Revealing Look At What
high adventure story of redemption
59-60 They Don’t Want You To Know
7-8 Bellnoch’s Guide to the Wilds of the Fey
Fire, Oil and Steel: The Ways of the Forge and Smith The Cart After the Horse: A Guide to Advancements
9-10 61-62 in Autonomous Wagons
Ally’s Journey to the Magic Castle, a children’s tale
11-12 Gaffs & Gags: How to Use Cantrips in Practical
of adventure 63-64 Jokes
Under the Storied Moon, a love story between a
13-14 Angelicus Totalis: A Personal Journal of Journeys
bard and werewolf 65-66 Through the Heavens
Mimm’s Extraplanar Codex: A Guide to Things That
15-16 Gitrug and Clarg: Brothers to the End, a harrowing
Live Beyond Our Reality 67-68 biography of an orc and his adopted goblin brother
17-18 Untraceable Poisons and Their Alternative Uses
Never Do What I Did: Billingsly Nertfarthing’s Guide
The Songs of the Warbling Dragon, a book of 69-70 to Teleportation Mishaps
19-20 absolutely terrible sonnets Fire and Ice: A Comparative Treatise on Evocative
Under the Mountain: A Comprehensive History of 71-72 Spell Construction
21-22 the Dwarves Demigods and Avatars: How to Rise to the Top
Why Are Goblins Green?, a cautionary children’s
23-24 73-74 in Three Easy Steps, which seems like a pyramid
tale scheme
25-26 Codexi Spiritus: The Ghost Hunter’s Lexicon
75-76 A Dark Guide to Forbidden Love Potions
Fireballs Unlimited: Make a Big Bang and Become The End of All Things: An Examination Into How the
27-28 77-78 Wish Spell is Going to Destroy the Universe
the Talk of the Town
29-30 The 10,000 Essential Prophecies of Rupert the Tiny That’s a Big Nope: Murkat Gobstoppas Guide to
Social Uses of Necromancy: Why Find Friends When 79-80 Poisonous Insects
31-32 You Can Make Them? Of Gods and Celestial Beings: Are They Really There
Ungrid Ironhand’s Complete Guide to Arms and 81-82 or Just a Myth?
33-34 Armor All You Will Ever Need To Learn About Taverns, Ales
The Telemetry and Physical Constraints of 83-84 and Alcohols, a seminal work by J. Majors
35-36 Intraplanar Instantaneous Transmission Controlling the Outcome Through Enchantment
Why Warlocks? A Deep Dive Into Those Who Bind 85-86 and Illusion: A Guide to Clouding the Mind
37-38 Their Souls Librum Arcanum Geographica, an atlas of ley lines
Blips, Clicks and Hums: Nero Slipworthy’s 87-88 and magically significant locations
39-40 Beginner’s Guide to Clockwork Construction Boogeymen and Other Mythical Terrors: From Baba
Not Today, a satirical book written as a guide for 89-90 Yaga to the Jabberwock of the Talion Plains
41-42 the lazy bard An Alliance of Fools, a fictional work of political
No Bones About It: The Bones Know; 91-92 intrigue that seems to closely mirror the present
43-44 Understanding the Future Through Osteomancy
93-94 Rain of the Heavens: The Day the Angels Fell
Are You There, Xorlack? It’s Me, You: Empathic
45-46 Marl’s Penultimate Cookbook: From Cabbage Soup
Connections With Extraplanar Beings 95-96 to Duck a l’Orange, Tavern Floor to King’s Table
Bang, Zap and Schwing: An Explosive Guide to
47-48 Prolific Cloners or Immortal Beings: The Truth
Evocation 97-98 About Elves Revealed
The Owlbear and the Satyr, a feel good story of a
49-50 The Book: Inside Are All the Answers, a 400-page
garrulous fey and his favorite pet 99-100 tome whose pages are completely empty

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 207

 Magic & Miscellany

Art Objects 30 A ruby pendant the size of a chicken egg.

Money is all well and good, but without the occasional A broadsword with an emerald blade that has a
31
find in a dragon’s hoard or a noble’s vault, where else will gem-encrusted hilt and pommel.
the bard acquire the glittering tiara they’ve been pining A silver chalice inlaid with bands of marble and
32
after? When populating a treasure hoard or when you studded with diamonds.
feel a treasure such as an art object is applicable to your An ironwood chess board with solid gold and pure
33
story, roll 1d100 as many times as you need to on the Art mithral pieces.
Objects table, then roll 1d20 and consult the Art Objects A polished soapstone bracelet set with three
34
Value table to determine how much gold each is worth medium-sized sapphires.
(art is, after all, subjective—prices at GM discretion). A satin stole embroidered with a coiled serpent in
35 silver thread.
A pair of gloves made with the hide of a remorhaz
1d100 36 and trimmed in polar bear fur.
1 An octopus made of deep green crystal.
37 An eyepatch set with fire opals.
A deep purple robe with cuffs and hem of pure gold
2 A small statue of an eight-headed hydra with
woven through with small gems. 38 articulated limbs molded from fine silver.
3 A heavy golden bracelet with a blood red fire opal.
A book of goblin poetry that has a cover set with
4 A jade statuette of a seated man with no face. 39 swirling gold and a polished marble inlay.
5 A crystal-framed portrait of a half-dragon paladin. An ostentatious silver locket that contains a cameo
A chalice made from a human skull with large 40 of a dwarven king carved in ivory inside.
6 chunks of amethyst in the eye sockets. 41 A mechanical humanoid that waltzes on command.
7 A veil made of fine links of silver. Sturdy polished ironwood drinking horn inlaid with
A cask made of solid adamantine with an engraved 42 rings of mother of pearl.
8 An oversized landscape painting depicting a pride
mermaid inlaid with sapphires on the lid.
9 A working bronze pocket watch. 43 of lions defending their territory from a manticore
10 A platinum ring set with a green, tree-shaped gem. in a gilded frame.
This large silver platter is ornately etched with a
11 A cameo of a dwarf carved into a dragon’s fang. 44 scene of dwarves marching to battle.
12 A 12-inch obsidian statuette of a beggar woman. Gold-veined black marble vase with a depiction of
13 A small book made of golden plates. 45 a medusa in beaten brass attached to the front.
14 A golden locket that sings in Elvish when opened. 46 A 5-foot double-tiered golden brazier.
A crystal dagger etched with the image of a serpent 47 An adamantine scroll case with copper caps.
15 wrapped around a skull.
Golden shoulder pauldron with a crowned elven
16 A rose made of ruby floating inside a crystal globe. 48 face staring out.
An anklet strung with golden charms in the shape An ivory bracelet set with jade and emeralds in
17 of musical instruments. 49 floral patterns.
A golden hat pin in the shape of a heron with wings A 3-foot-diameter glass globe on a tiered bronze
18 spread.
50 base. Inside is a small living tree with faerie lights
19 A mother of pearl bear statuette. that flash in and out of its mature branches.
20 A floral brooch set with moonstones and pearls. A black leather bag, made from dragon skin, with a
51 large red ruby eye acting as a clasp.
21 A blown glass clown holding illusory balloons.
An ornate helm made from adamantine and
A golden necklace with 10 amber beads that each 52
22 contain a fingernail. worked pieces of dragon turtle shell.
A golden scepter inlaid up and down the shaft with
Music box made of pure gold, inside of which
23 dances a clockwork hobgoblin. 53 rearing griffons set with aquamarine. It is tipped
with a large yellow diamond.
A red porcelain mask with a fanged maw. Each
24 tooth is tipped with a pink diamond. 54 A simple silver goblet with a golden base.
A lacquered jade folding fan with leaves made with
25 Fulgarite carved into the shape of a lightning bolt. 55 a light fabric woven from mithral thread.
An adamantine ring set with a shrunken hag’s eye
26 encased in amber. A set of bright orange ceramic plates. The center of
56 each has an all-seeing eye set in pure gold.
27 A mummified troll’s hand, cast in bronze. Human skull carved from pure onyx. Its teeth are
Five silver rings, connected to one another and to a 57 all set with sparkling diamonds.
28 spiral etched bracelet, with fine mithral chain and 58 A marble bust of a woman with a pig’s snout.
inlaid with diamonds.
A large wine bottle holding a golden model ship
A pair of gold wire spectacles with pink-tinged 59
29 crystal lenses. sailing on a static sea of aquamarine and sapphire.
 A man’s head carved from green marble. A castle A head-sized jade statue of a scorpion, claws
60 87
made of pure white quartz grows from his scalp. akimbo, its tail ready to strike.
A set of wearable mechanical wings made of A solid gold knife, intricately etched with swirling
61 individual feathers of lightweight Damascus steel. 88 patterns along the pommel. The knife casts silence
An amulet featuring two snakes, one in obsidian when plunged into a living creature.
62 and the other in silver, intertwined in an infinity A single medium-sized marble, inside of which
89
loop, clutching the other’s tail in its mouth. swirls an entire galaxy of stars.
A flamboyant, oversized thumb ring, set with a A large silver ring featuring a ram’s skull carved
63 90
heart-shaped piece of rose quartz. from a ram’s horn.
The portrait of a corpulent man wearing a jester’s A very large 12-by-5-foot portrait depicting a
64 outfit detailed with flakes of gold. handsome woman in a vibrant red dress with
Granite salt and pepper shakers styled as creatures 91 a devilish look in her eye. The gilded frame is
65 with big heads, black eyes and overly long fingers. studded with garnets and bloodstones.
A limestone statue of a cross-legged angel, its A large wooden throne-like chair, the head of which
66 golden (and lifelike) wings spread wide. is painstakingly carved with a dense forest and a
An ornate polished ivory pipe intricately carved 92 deer-headed humanoid with wide spread antlers,
67 with the visage of a grim man with crooked teeth. seated on a stump.
A pewter statue of a creature that resembles a cat, A wide framed mirror from which a humanoid
68 or maybe a demon, seated on its haunches. 93 shape, appearing to be made of liquid silver, is
A phoenix carved from sandstone. The wings set frozen in the process of emerging.
69 with numerous spinels and garnets. A large red, black and yellow crystal eagle amulet,
A set of beautiful tarot cards carved into dark slate 94 suspended from a mithral chain.
70 and inlaid in precious stones and gold. 95 A rose quartz statue of a very large fish.
A set of ornamental armor that gleams with A large steel chest, inlaid in gold, containing a set of
71 rainbow hues in direct sunlight. 96 100 small humanoid figures carved from polished
A large ring meant to be worn on four fingers, soapstone.
72 bearing foul insults set in diamonds and rubies. A large electrum chalice, bejeweled with opals
A 4-inch-square painting of a gorgon. The frame is 97 and rose quartz and rimmed with intricate golden
73 made from the petrified fingers of a giant. filigree.
A large crystal fishbowl featuring fish and coral A pair of bookends made from translucent blue
74 carved from multicolored gemstones. 98 crystal. Several enamel sharks swim around a
An ornate circular frame that holds a rotating wave submerged tree within it.
75 made from blue crystal and colored glass. A large death mask made from alternating plates of
A painting of colored geometric shapes that appear 99
76 gold and jade.
in different patterns depending on the angle. A small marble statue of a woman, seated cross-
A miniature city made from pure gold inside a large legged, arms held out wide. The marble has been
77 100
glass dome 2 feet in diameter. strategically broken and put back together with
The form of a beautiful woman, made of
78 gold filling the cracks.
overlapping gold coins, that stands 3 feet tall.
An undulating sculpture made of electrum that Art Object Values
79 resembles burning flame.
A large reptilian skull plated in gold. Its numerous 1d20 Estimated Value
80 1 25 gp
teeth are all carved from large onyx stones.
A set of five golden arm bands, attached to one 2 50 gp
81 another by strips of fine purple silk. 3-4 100 gp
A necklace of gold resembling forking branches, 5-6 150 gp
82 hung with cut and polished labradorite stones. 200 gp
7-8
An intricate bracelet made from gold and obsidian,
83 9-10 250 gp
resembling a sleek, three-dimensional leopard.
A mithral and diamond tiara. Each of the 16 11-12 500 gp
84 vertices is tipped with a leaf-shaped piece of 13-14 750 gp
translucent jade. 15 1,000 gp
An amulet featuring a segmented spiral of garnets 1,500 gp
85 16
that glows in the middle.
17 2,000 gp
A large thumb ring set with small diamonds in a
ring around the center of a polished blue stone that 18 2,500 gp
86 19 5,000 gp
has bright veins of white. The stone glimmers with
an inner light. 20 7,500+ gp

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 209

 Magic & Miscellany

Wares That May Not Location Upkeep

Strictly Be Legal A person’s house is their castle, and castles are themselves
Most merchants and craftsmen deal in legitimate goods, works of art. That said, not all art is created equal, and
but the less scrupulous will deal in things not exactly on the myriad houses, businesses, taverns and government
the approved list. Since there is always a black market centers are not cared for in the same fashion. Manor
trade in strange goods, from dragon eggs to the bones of houses sometimes have armies of servants and caretakers
powerful nobles, there will always be at least one shop in to keep things in tip-top shape, but sometimes noble
town that will move these items on the side. These shady houses fall on hard times, making those servants
businesspeople also wouldn’t hesitate to sell you snake oil unaffordable and causing once stately homes to fall
or an outright fake just to make some quick gold. If one into disrepair. Generational family homes always have
of your party members wanders into the local shop and something in need of repair, but they still feel lived in and
asks to order off the menu so to speak, the Special Items homey. The difference between the major inn and tavern
Not Displayed for Sale table would fit the bill. Roll 1d12 in town and the seedy pub by the docks is often a question
to determine what might be available. of upkeep. A few lines can go a long way to painting a
picture for your party when they approach a new place.
Special Items Not Displayed for Sale To determine how well your building or location has been
cared for, roll 1d10 and consult the Location Upkeep table.
1d12
Tap shoes with the former owner’s feet still inside
1
them. They are said to contain great magic. Location Upkeep
A large reliquary containing the bleached skull of 1d10 This place is...
2 the former king. Costs a fortune but is said to bring ...nearly a ruin. Parts of the roof have collapsed,
its owner great glory. It is also annoyingly chatty. the walls are damaged from weather and exposure
1 on their interior surfaces. Mold and mildew grows
A globe that floats about 3 feet above the ground
and accurately depicts the world as it is known. The freely in a variety of places.
3 shopkeep guarantees that it will teleport you to ...well-worn and lived in. This place has a homey air,
2 but things are always in need of repair.
any location you touch. In reality, it is just a painted
globe that does nothing of note. ...bad. The floors are warped and cracking, the paint
This wand is said to have been crafted from the 3 is peeling from the walls and the stains of a couple
4 stolen forearm bone of a great sorceress...after her hundred years of pipe smoke color the ceiling.
grave was robbed. ...in good repair, but there are leaves in the gutters,
The petrified tail of a creature that the shopkeep 4 hedges that need trimmed, soot on the floor and
claims is from a being named Felix Churrosis that cobwebs in hard-to-reach places.
5 could take the form of any creature it wanted. ...partially in decent repair, but there is an ongoing
It is really the tail of the town drunk’s recently construction project that seems never-ending. A
deceased donkey. 5 heavy amount of dust has been liberally tracked
A bottle of brightly glowing thick blue liquid. The through. The parts in good repair are warm,
6 comfortable and welcoming.
shopkeep states it will put you in touch with a god.
A heavy iron crate that contains the petrified ...in decent repair, but covered in dust. It is cold
corpses of clearly benevolent pixies. The and uninviting. There are many empty rooms, and
7 6 the ones that are not empty seem like a temporary
shopkeep suggests they are a powerful alchemical
component. place to lay one’s head.
A golden dragon egg. The shopkeeper practically ...a lovely building. Warm and inviting, but cluttered
8 begs you to take it because they do not want to be and full of a lifetime of possessions and keepsakes.
7 Under the ever present layer of stuff, there are some
caught with it.
A fresh human skull, newly etched with runic cosmetic defects, but the bones are solid.
9 inscriptions. The shopkeeper claims it makes a ...nearly condemned. One whole section of this
powerful spellcasting focus. building is closed off but the rest is standing well
8 enough to provide shelter from the elements and a
The taxidermied corpse of the local lord’s favorite
10 hearth to start a fire.
hunting hound.
Detailed blueprints of the keep of a powerful noble ...too good to be true? This location has been
11 abandoned for some time, but was left in excellent
showing all it’s secret doors and weak spots.
A petrified hand that once belonged to a major condition. There are some broken windows, missing
12 9 roof tiles or thatch and several places inside that
demon (who wants it back).
have been taken over by wild animals, but with
some work it could be fixed up fairly easily.
...perfect. This place is immaculately kept in
10 excellent repair. Not even a speck of dust is present.
Drinking, Carousing “The Druid’s Dilemma” A gut-wrenching dirge
23-24 about a druid who tried and failed to protect his
and Consequences grove from urban expanse. Banned in many cities.
Any time an adventuring party has some downtime, the “The Lord General’s Lady Wife” A tawdry tune
local tavern seems to be the first place they congregate 25-26 about a military leader’s spouse, who rises to
to blow off steam and make trouble. The cozy common power by seducing all the opposing generals.
room of a well-kept inn or a large tavern with a huge “The Cranky Old Angler” A cheerful ditty about
oaken bar is a welcome sight for any hardened group a cantankerous dwarven fisherman who outlasts
27-28
of questing heroes. They are also great places to gather the worst the God of the Seas can throw at him
information, provided you can maintain your wits. through sheer stubbornness.
“No ’Splosion, No Cry” A hilarious song, sung in
Ballads, Ditties & Songs 29-30 gnomish, about an inventor who keeps lighting
Many taverns employ bards and other entertainers to himself on fire while creating magical lamp oil.
draw and keep a crowd in their establishment for as “Happy Happenstance in the Silken Meadow”
long as possible. So inevitably, merry-making starts with A beat poem about forbidden lovers. During one
raucous music, poignant love songs and epic ballads of 31-32 of their clandestine meetings, the pair is startled
heroism sung by a flamboyant performer. Sometimes by a giant goat. The goat is a druid who ends up
though, it’s hard to throw out the name of a song and presiding over their wedding. A real tavern clearer.
what it’s about on the spur of the moment. Setting the “The Alchemist and the Musical Tumor” After
stage for your night of revelry is as easy as rolling 1d100 an alchemist is exposed to too many volatile
on the Ballads, Ditties & Songs table. 33-34
chemicals, he grows a talking tumor on his neck.
The tumor longs to become a beloved bard.
Ballads, Ditties & Songs
“Abracadaver” A winking ballad about a wizard
1d100 35-36 who falls in love with the ghost of a classmate
“Her Auntie Looked Like a Bugbear’s Backside”
1-2 haunting his flesh golem.
A raucous song about a summer love affair.
“Ode to Sheets” A mournful dirge about a bard
“In the Fields of the Burning Dead” A ballad 37-38
stranded in the woods, lamenting a lack of linen.
3-4 about a battle with an ancient red dragon and the
cultists who supported it. A bit of a downer. “The Snarling Hills” This epic ballad is about how
39-40 a town of only 100 people held out against a horde
“Holding Paws Beneath the Shining Moon”
5-6 of orcs that descended on their lands.
A touching lycanthrope love song.
“He Said What She Said and She Knows” A song
“One More Last Time” Sung in the round, this
7-8 41-42 sung from the perspective of a sailor who wonders
tune details a ship that falls prey to sirens.
what his wife is wondering he is up to.
“From the Rolling Plains to the Quiet Glade” “I Have Business With Mother” Details how a
A mournful song about an ancient elf who 43-44 group of adventurers infiltrate a devil-worshipping
9-10
carried the memories of his mortal companions family’s manor by impersonating the named heir.
throughout his travels on the material plane.
“Jumping Jeremiah” A sea shanty about a small
“The Wizard and the Wyvern” An odd duet about 45-46
11-12 cutter that takes on a large pirate vessel and wins.
the joy of magic and importance of compromise.
“The Withering” An elven tune about the loss of
“And Then There Were None” An upbeat dwarven 47-48 wild, sylvan places. It’s a lament, mourning both
13-14
song about the dangers of mining. Kids love it. old friends and the old ways.
“The Snoring Dragon and the Big Green Gem” “Do I Love You? I Smite” In this ribald tune, a
A motivational ballad about a pair of daring thieves 49-50 paladin breaks his oath after falling in love with the
15-16
(a bard and a rogue) who stole a great treasure lich he was sworn to destroy.
from a dragon the bard sang to sleep.
“My Love, My One Great Love” A song about a
“Nate the Naughty and the Trustworthy Orc” 51-52
halfling who waxes on about his love for potatoes.
A bawdy song about an idiot farmhand who “The Righteous Ones” This eight-part ballad tells
17-18
wanders into the wilds and is saved by an orc who 53-54 the tale of all the great battles that took place in a
didn’t think he looked particularly delicious. hundred-year war against a demon lord.
“Gorg and the Big Rock” A song sung in belted “The Song of the Beginning” An inspiring song
19-20 55-56 about how the gods breathed life into the world.
giant detailing the deeds of Gorg and his boulder.
“The Porcine Horde” A story song where The “That Song” A tune everyone knows, with lyrics
21-22 Long-Winded Fools battle a pack of feral, undead 57-58
that are made up every time it’s performed.
hogs.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 211

 Magic & Miscellany

“I Remember the Day I Died” A lament to a life “The Warm Wind Blows in the Morning” A tragic
lost. Inspired by the tale of a ghostly warrior who 79-80 duet detailing lovers who are planes apart after a
59-60 is cursed to fight on in the same battle he died in teleportation mishap.
over and over again, while forced to remember “Good Music, Good Food and Good Times”
each iteration of the battle and his demise. This is an uplifting song of community and
“Saucy Snotgob, the Goblin Jester” This 81-82 togetherness. Tends to be one of the last songs
hilarious song is about a wayward goblin who was sung in a night in the local taverns and pubs.
obsessed with making people laugh and managed Drunken voices all lifting up together.
61-62 “The Voyage of the Nimble Journeyman” A sea
to work his way into the king’s court. Snotgob
became a trusted advisor and comic relief, going so shanty that describes the travels of the fast moving
far as marrying the king’s cousin. schooner the Nimble Journeyman. This song takes
83-84 the listener to far-off places where they hear about
“The Bumbling Drunken King” A cautionary
strange creatures and strange creations of magic
ballad about how ineffective leaders can ruin
63-64 and technology.
a society. Filled with hilarious moments of the
drunken king doing dumb things. “Nip, Nip, Snippity Snip” A sea shanty about a
“Monster of the Week” This is more of a poor halfling sailor who fell off a boat and spent
movement, as opposed to a single song, but bards a week jumping from the back of one shark to
85-86
65-66 far and wide will sing about the monsters they another until he found an island paradise. The
encounter and try to teach people to avoid and song tells how he lived his days cooking and
deal with them. singing for the utopian village on the island.
“Battle for the Tarrak Halls” A dwarven war “The Bawdy Ballad of Merrylee Swan” This song
ballad, sung in a deep basso voice and normally 87-88 follows the journey of Merrylee Swan, a crass,
in dwarvish, that tells of the events of the Tarrak brash woman who brought a kingdom to its knees.
67-68 clan reclaiming their ancestral halls from drow and “The Birthplace of the Sun” This song is so
duergar. Culminating in a great battle between ancient that no one really knows which culture it
King Durran Tarrak the Goldenhand and a dragon originates from, but all races and all peoples have
made of pure shadow. 89-90 heard about the first person who opened their
“The Napping Hag” A fast-paced ditty about a eyes and saw the sun. It empathetically describes
gnomish genius who spends a year imprisoned by their fear when the sun set and celebrates their joy
a hag. Each day, he convinces her not to eat him. when the sun rises once again.
69-70 The crescendo of the song is when the gnome “The Duel of String and Breath” A fast-paced,
escapes and slips a sleeping draught in the hag’s 91-92 intricate instrumental featuring a back and forth
dinner, causing her to fall permanently asleep, dialogue between lutes and flutes.
snoring loudly. “Hold to the End” This epic ballad details the
“Always to the Right” A sea shanty about a exodus of a village following the mighty onslaught
wayward tiefling captain who sailed in a large 93-94 of a tribe of giants. It ends with a warrior, a
71-72
circle for a period of 10 years, experiencing strange dragonborn soldier of legend, and a great human
things on the open seas. mage sacrificing themselves to block the retreat.
“Retirement and the Life of Ease” A long “A Drink for the Victors” A very popular drinking
ballad that follows the reminisces of an elderly song in taverns around the world. The verses
halfling woman who left home and spent years 95-96 change depending on locale to account for
73-74 adventuring with four of her closest friends. Many pertinent military victories, but it is always a
believe the song is a work of fiction, but she and tribute to those who serve as soldiers.
her companions saved the world on more than one “The Time of the Dwizzling Dwarp” A strange
occasion. gnomish ballad that talks about a sort of
“Toots McGee and the Flatulent Three” This 97-98
bogeyman that would come in the night, tickle
comical song, sung in a very high nasal voice, is your toes and steal your candies and treats.
about a quartet of kobolds who try to infiltrate
75-76
a human colony wearing oversized clothing, but “Of Magic and the Muse” This long, fast-paced
they can’t stop passing gas that is incredibly comedic song is about a wizard who wishes to get
nauseating. even with his priggish brother. The mage created a
“A Night Far and Away” An introspective, magical musical instrument so fine that his brother
99-100
melancholy song about life on other planes of was simply enthralled by its beautiful sound. The
existence. Focuses on the tale of five different rumor, as told by the song, was that the brother
77-78
individuals, staring at the same moon, at the same just refused to get up and died listening to the
time, in different realities. instrument, leaving his inheritance to the wizard.
Specialty Brews & Cocktails 34 Wildwood Freeze
The music gets the booze flowing as certain as the sun 35 Deadly Nightshade
will rise. Ale, wine, whiskey and brandy are all well and
36 Instant Enfeebler
good but any tavern, bar or common room will have a
special drink they are known for or that the locals like to 37 Ardent Zombifier
brag about. If one of your party has more adventurous 38 Djinn’s Wish
tastes, roll 2d100 to construct the name of the mind- Elemental Infusion
39
altering concoction they will be partaking in by applying
those results to the two columns of the Drink Name 40 Naga’s Venom
Generator. 41 Harpy Shrieker
42 Kraken’s Flapper
Drink Name Generator
43 Crown Prince’s Regular
1d100 First Part of Name Second Part of Name
44 Flamboyant Firework
1 Wizard’s Kiss
45 Scarlet Duchess
2 Smirking Cleric
46 Royal Fizzbang
3 Honey Badger’s Blaster
47 Goodberry Sour
4 Purple Hog
48 Fiendish Fire Ball
5 Howling Splash
49 Psyche Stinger
6 Dazzling Julep
50 Necromantic Reviver
7 Pink Scorpion
51 Stormchaser’s Spritzer
8 Sparkling Mewler
52 Conjured Rain
9 Tingling Tax Man
53 Black Bay Breaker
10 Hot Buttered Slushie
54 Whimsical Whisperer
11 Unicorn’s Dream
55 Eldritch Teaser
12 Bluebell Dancer
56 Clouded Crasher
13 Pomegranate Fizz
57 Hydra Head Horror
14 Dragon’s Breath Gimlet
58 Fanciful Feebleminder
15 Basilisk’s Punch
59 Treant Root Dark Beer
16 Brassy Brain Bomb
60 Golem Fist Slammer
17 Doc’s Toxic Tea
61 Blown Away Blizzard
18 Dockhand’s Mule
62 Glorious Enigma
19 Devil’s Poison
63 Soaring Delight
20 Magic Breeze
64 Ice Devil Chiller
21 Warlock’s Rum Swizzle
65 Entangling Eclipse
22 Clockwork Bomber
66 Frosted Thunderbolt
23 Deep Down Destroyer
67 Prismatic Bliss Maker
24 Orange Blossom
68 Orb-Ridden Stardust
25 Nightmare Arrival
69 Universal Hellfire
26 Lich Lord’s Touch
70 Mystical Brain Boiler
27 Salamander’s Firecracker
71 Phantasmal Thought Killer
28 Hag’s Tongue Twister
72 Legendary Eye Opener
29 Mind Melting Paralyzer
73 Fire Touched Fury
30 Smothering Hazard
74 Succubus’s Sunset
31 Rusty Nail
75 Wanton Dalliance
32 Giant Crusher
76 Festering Tart
33 Glittering Crown
77 Belching Banishment

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 213

 Magic & Miscellany

78 Purple Worm Tonic You are involved in a bit of a scuffle in the local bar,
79 Shirtless Paladin but it was because you were standing up for the
2 honor of one of the servers. You gain a rival in town,
80 Tooth Breaking Bubbler
but you get to drink for free at that establishment
81 Misty Stepping Warthog and are hailed as a hero for the patrons of the bar.
82 Manticore’s Time Waster Your night of gambling and drinking was less than
83 Lazy Shield Bearer favorable for you. You lose 25 gp, in addition to any
3 other funds you intended to spend, and you find
84 Bottled Confusion
yourself targeted by pickpockets more frequently
85 Ghoulish Grog over the next 2 days.
86 Wonderful Wit Warper You wake up inside a barn on the outskirts of town
with no memory of arriving there. You are snuggled
87 Dead Man’s Mouthwash
up with a large goat who is wearing a collar with a
88 Curing Effervescence name tag that reads “Kevin.” As you stumble out
89 Puckering Mimic Tongue of the stall where you awoke, you are greeted by a
4
90 Bloated Bugbear friendly farmer and most of his family, who do not
seem overly concerned at your presence and kindly
91 Gassy Incubus point you back to town with a hunk of warm bread
92 Kobold’s Maniacal Laughter and delicious cheese for breakfast on one condition:
93 Drunken Barmaid You take your goat with you.
94 Tongue Tying Time Stopper Your night of gambling goes very well for you,
resulting in the acquisition of not only some coin
95 Vampire’s Charming Gazes
but some interesting items as well. You recuperate
96 Golden Glow Sparkler any funds you spent carousing and gain an
5
97 Molten Maverick additional 100 (3d6 x 10) gp. In addition, roll once
on the Common Magic Items table on pg. 189,
98 Hazy Delight
Beneficial Potions & Elixirs table on pg. 158 and
99 Faefolk’s Daze What In The World Is This Stuff? table on pg. 226.
100 Spiritual Enlightenment You wake up on the floor of your bedroom, room
in the inn or tent completely covered in mud, dirt
One Good Time Too Many 6 and leaves. As you cautiously rise, you find a freshly
Music leads to drinking and drinking leads to poor exhumed corpse in your bed and a shovel resting
decision-making. Dropping too deep into one’s cups against the wall by the door.
is a surefire way to invite trouble and unintended Your night of revelry culminates in a torrid love
consequences. This is especially true in a fantasy world affair. What you did not know is that the person
where all sorts of strange things can happen when you you ended up with is actually a faerie in disguise
don’t have your wits about you. Should one of your party who reveals their true form in the morning and
7
members take their evening of drinking and revelry a cautions you to remember your promise before
bit too far (at GM discretion), have them roll 1d20 and disappearing. You have no recollection of what
consult the following table. you promised, but you know in your soul that you
made one.
One Good Time Too Many You wake up in the center of town, being nudged
by the boot of a member of the city guard. You are
1d20
Things went a little off the rails during your time wearing a giant floppy hat with a very large ostrich
8
of debauchery. You awake in prison with no feather in it and a royal purple velvet suit. None of
memory of how you came to be there, accused your own clothes are anywhere in sight though you
of a crime you have no memory of committing. know you began the evening before with them.
Roll on the Unintended Criminal Acts table on pg. Your night of drinking and carousing went well for
1
215 to determine what crime or crimes you stand you. You earn a total of 25 gp at the local tavern
9
accused of. In addition, roll 1d4. On a 1-2, you are telling stories, completing feats of strength or some
innocent. On a 3-4, you actually committed the other activity appropriate to your character.
crime.
 You wake up in an alley, wearing nothing but a You awake in your room, a little hungover and very
coarse burlap sack. Your hands are covered in blue full. On your nightstand is a note that says, “Until
paint and on your walk home you begin to hear 18 next time, my love,” pinned down by a stack of 15
10 people talking about all of the graffiti that popped gp and a cold omelet. You have no idea who left the
up around the city overnight. You then begin to see note and no idea what happened.
images, from hilarious to very crude, on the walls of During the course of your revelry, you accidentally
numerous buildings in the same color blue paint. insult the youngest son of a local noble who has
You come to in the common room of a high class 19 demanded satisfaction in a duel to first blood. You
tavern. The room is empty, save a pair of men must either pay 500 gp to his family or meet him in
sleeping in the corner. Both men are covered in the city square at noon for a sword duel.
11 blood, though alive and unhurt. Your hands are also You wake up in your room clutching a burlap sack
covered in blood but you have no memory of what full of 1,000 gp. Your joy over your glorious windfall
happened. 20 is short-lived as you begin to hear rumors about a
You wake up in your bed, but you are wearing significant theft either from the city treasury or a
a giant chicken costume. Two gnomes, three powerful moneylender.
12 halflings, a dwarf and a very tall woman all sleep
on the floor around you. They too are dressed like Unintended Criminal Acts
barnyard animals. One of the options on the preceding table is that the
In trying to work your way into the upper crust of party member in question is accused of a crime. You
society, your expenditures got way out of control. can decide the nature of the crime or you can leave it to
You spent an additional 150 gp to try and impress chance by rolling 1d12 and referring to the Unintended
the people around you. If you do not have enough Criminal Acts table. This may also be a fun time to revisit
13 money to cover that expenditure you find yourself the Strange and Unique Punishments table on pg. 47.
in the debt of a very dangerous-looking gnome with
two minotaur bodyguards. This gnome has lent you Unintended Criminal Acts
the money you spent and demands to be repaid 1d12
within a week’s time. Theft
1
You spent the whole night drunkenly insulting
everyone in town. You get the cold shoulder 2 Major property damage
14 3 Minor property damage
everywhere you go and for 1 week’s time. None of the
merchants or businesses in town will trade with you. 4 Indecent exposure
Your night took an unexpected turn and you believe 5 Disorderly conduct
you have found the love of your life. You wake up 6 Assault
the next morning married to the son or daughter
7 Burglary
15 of the local mayor. Even more unexpected is the
fact that your new spouse’s parents have accepted 8 Criminal trespassing
the situation, seem to approve and are leading the 9 Disturbing the peace
celebrations. 10 Murder
The morning after your carousing, you are startled 11 Arson
awake by a strange chittering sound. As you bolt Resisting arrest (roll on this table again to
upright, a multitude of cockroaches scatter out of 12 determine the initial crime)
sight. As you blearily stare around your room, you
find a minuscule shrine at the foot of your bed.
16
Inspecting the shrine, you see a passable likeness of GM NOTE: A DERAILING MOMENT
yourself made from garbage and offerings of shiny
One of the options on the above table is the
objects and food items. From that point on, you
crime of murder. Whereas watching your party
constantly feel as though you are being watched
piece together the actual sequence of events and
and followed.
overcome the challenges involved in one of their
You wake up in your bed the next morning,
number being charged with a capital crime could
hungover and a bit disheveled. Your pants are on
be really interesting, this could severely derail
backward, but you are generally content. As you
things and involve a significant amount of prep on
walk around town, people blush, point and are
your part in the sessions that follow. If you want to
17 clearly talking about you in low voices. You later
explore that potential storyline, it is there; if not,
learn that you strutted around town the night
ignore this result and reroll on the table.
before for several hours in your birthday suit,
singing loudly and proposing marriage to anyone
you came across.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 215

 Magic & Miscellany

Ships and Shipwrecks Ship Name Generator

1d100 The...
A good nautical campaign is a thing of beauty but a
true nightmare for a GM who now needs to name every 1 Seacrest
single ship that the party comes across (even those that 2 Merry Minnow
have sunk). From small fishing boats to pirate vessels, 3 Pleasant Journey
a ship’s name tells a story and adds a ton of flavor and 4 Kraken’s Revenge
atmosphere. Use the tables that follow to detail a sunken Ravager
5
ship and/or give one a memorable name.
6 Steel Dominion
Strange Things in a Shipwreck 7 Wrath of Iron
1d20 8 Puddle Jumper
A skeleton seated at a table, imitating eating a meal 9 Mermaid’s Curse
1 and drinking from an empty broken bottle. 10 Sea Devil’s Spear
A giant crab covered in tribal tattoos that longs to 11 Black Skull
2 be transformed into a humanoid.
12 Harried Harpy
An absolutely massive egg sac that contains a
3 shadowy figure inside. 13 Nimble Journeyman
A functional clockwork representation of the solar 14 Snapping Drake
4 15 Ray of Dawning Light
system and major stellar patterns.
A completely frozen cylindrical glass pod containing 16 Hulk
5 an oddly shaped humanoid skeleton. 17 Midnight Horizon
A humanoid (?) skull with an incredibly pronounced 18 Sea Elf’s Soiree
6 brow ridge, small teeth and an elongated cranium.
19 Starlight Stroll
A large statue of a featureless humanoid covered in
7 20 Devil’s Handmaid
flames carved from stone, the avatar of a war god.
A large metal footlocker that contains 10 (4d4) 21 Wanderlust
8 days’ worth of rations; however, the rations are all a 22 Leviathan’s Curse
canned, processed ham-like meat product. 23 Fool’s Gold Keeper
A huge bell that peals loudly every 5 minutes 24 Silver Lining
9 despite the fact that it is missing a striker.
25 Monster of the Blue
A shield hangs on one ruined wall. The shield has a Angelic Retribution
26
large open eye set in its center that watches nearby
10 27 Blackwater Destroyer
creatures. Each creature its gaze falls on hears
discordant whispers in the back of their mind. 28 Crimson Voyager
11 A barnacle- and coral-encrusted mechanical bull. 29 Nefarious Waverunner
More than a hundred jellyfish with human faces. 30 Oceanic Prince
12
This cylindrical 7-foot obelisk is etched with eldritch 31 King’s Vengeance
13 symbols that glow with a deep purple light. 32 Venerable Giant
14 73 left boots from various pairs. 33 Wandering Vagabond
A long spear made from a very large dorsal spine of 34 Gnome’s Tall Tale
15 a monstrous fish. 35 Seeker of the Unknown
The skeleton of a humanoid creature that stood 36 Furious and Fervent Folly
more than 9 feet tall, in complete plate armor.
16 37 Admirable Pegasus
A strange red fungus pulses in fibrous tendrils
wrapped around the ribcage. 38 Faerie’s Glamorwing
40 small crates containing white glittering sand. 39 Galloping Sea Horse
17
40 Wayfinder’s Love
A large, empty coffin lined with sealed glass vials of
18 41 Hop & Skip
what looks like fresh dirt.
Three sharks, a massive sea turtle, a giant octopus 42 Royal Strumpet
19 and a truly gargantuan eel playing what looks like 43 Queen’s Sideman
poker with cards made from coral and seashells. 44 Greed of the Elder Gods
A full-size royal carriage still attached to a team of
20 45 Howling Rambler
six skeletal horses.
46 Pride of the Unearthly
47 Seabound Deathbringer
48 Bearded Jester 75 Ugly Merman
49 Hangman’s Fearful Gaze 76 Poseidon’s Promise
50 New Joy 77 World’s End Wanderer
51 Privateer’s Search for Paradise 78 Fluffball’s Fury
52 Bloody-Handed Corsair 79 Revenge of the Shadow Soul
53 Haggling Dubloon 80 Sea Spirit’s Confusion
54 Stormrider 81 Forgekeeper’s Ambition
55 Ruler of the Coral Cove 82 Spritely Springer
56 Plunderer’s Wild Wing 83 Gift of the Blue
57 Maddening Delight 84 Storied Glory
58 Drunken Princess 85 Hellish Devil
59 Pride of the Golden Cutlass 86 Nightly Moonbeam
60 Old Unreliable 87 Sylvan Honeymoon
61 Captain’s Discourteous Retort 88 Wavekeeper’s Shift
62 Medusa’s Glare 89 Grasp of the Ocean’s Depth
63 Sailor’s Doom 90 Zephyr’s Imagination
64 Bloodthirsty Desire 91 Jaws of the Deep
65 Grinning Star 92 Greater Serendipity
66 Ranger’s Romp 93 Orion
67 Disgrace of the Golden Hand 94 Swiftwind
68 Undead Barnacle 95 Horrible Hag
69 Spirit of Rage 96 Darkest Night
70 Mighty Wavebreaker 97 Gluttonous Goblin
71 Red Devil’s Rebuke 98 Resplendent Gypsy
72 Graybeard’s Hallucination 99 Serenity’s Vision
73 Siren’s Song 100 Golden Dragon
74 Ghost of Liberty

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 217

 Magic & Miscellany

The Weird, the Wild Netrot Glimmerweave is a strange reclusive scholar

who lives above the local tavern. He is a spellcaster
and the Random 8 of middling ability but an expert in demonic and
celestial history as well as dragonchess.
Some elements of your adventures in worldbuilding
will defy categorization. But books like this require a Jeeriah Moonglow is a strange, ageless human
semblance of hierarchy, so attempts have been made to hermit that lives in a multi-level tree house on the
categorize them anyway. Apologies in advance. edge of a glade. His trademarks are long braided
9 hair, large holes in his earlobes and necklaces made
Weirdos, Hermits & Wanderers from salvaged bones, glass beads and dried fungus.
Whether a soothsayer in a shack on the hill or the He is eager to share wisdom with those he meets
prophecy-spouting derelict on the corner of the main but speaks only in strange and cryptic allegories.
drag, every adventure setting is just a little livelier when An elderly half-elven monk, clad in a blue tunic
there are weirdos around. Whether your party is in town and layered wrappings around her forearms and
or wandering backwater trails, if you want to shake things lower legs. She goes by the name Starbright, calling
up, you can introduce one of these bizarre individuals. 10 attention to her completely midnight blue eyes that
Roll 1d20 and apply the result from the Weirdos, Hermits have glimmers of stars shining in them. She protects
& Wanderers table. people walking country and forest roads at night
from strange monsters and nocturnal horrors.
Weirdos, Hermits & Wanderers Part human and part living stone construct, Milo
1d20 “Granite Fist” Leartis wanders from town to town,
Bloos, a strange druid, cursed to live as a giant 11 offering his prodigious strength to those in need
1 humanoid moth, who wanders the woods looking for either to help with manual labor or to fight in battles
sweaters to eat. Enthralled by powerful light sources. on behalf of the weak.
Lester McCoughlin is a strange man who is out of Dimroodle Krup is a goblin priest who preaches the
2 touch with reality. He wears all denim and makes his way of charity and generosity. Most people tolerate
lair in a small room at the top of the city clock tower. 12 his presence, but the poor and downtrodden can
Rutabaga “Earthsmile” Pasterlily is a gnomish always rely on him for a fresh bite to eat and a
tinkerer, inventor and merchant who wanders the couple of spare coins.
3 back roads, country byways and forgotten trails with Hiram Strooth has no idea how to talk with people.
a backpack that’s six times larger than he is. He spends his time holed up in his workshop on
13 the edge of town with his clockwork constructs and
Callis Treacle is a middle-aged human woman who
lives in a cave outside town. She is well-known for weird magically spliced hybrid creatures.
4 Moira Brimsdawdle is a jovial old spinster who
her potent herbal remedies and powerful potion
travels from town to town with her litter of 56 cats.
craft. She’s barter only, and her prices are steep.
Out in the wilds on the outskirts of the farms Her large colorful wagon can be seen for miles and
14 her arrival means that the finest silks and fabrics,
farthest from civilization is a jovial man named Udir
Uvel Urdos. A solitary werebear raised by actual which she weaves herself, will be available for sale
5 at a very reasonable price.
bears, he helps travelers in need and provides
Blerk the Silent Warrior is a scar-covered, mute
shelter and healing to any who seem lost.
Carrow Nightflame, an elder dwarf with long white half-orc who seems to have a preternatural sense
hair and a longer white beard, wanders the forests for coming trouble. He shows up in cities, towns and
and roadways adjacent to towns and villages. He villages just in time to be there when his legendary
cultivates mushrooms, fungus and natural decay, 15 fighting skills will be most needed. Because of this
helping nature absorb and reduce the waste he has earned a reputation for being a harbinger
6 produced by humans. The telltale green flame that of ill tidings, but his readiness to lay down his life
burns in the crook of his staff and the squeals of his for the causes that he chooses goes a long way to
pet boar, Percivald, herald his arrival. He’s happy to endearing him to people far and wide.
No one has ever seen their like before, but
lead townspeople back to their homes, if only to get
Haxikirthixianaris (Haz for short) is a strange
them out of his forests.
A mechanical man that goes by the name Song humanoid hermit crab who walks on two legs but
Sparrow wanders the dilapidated and poor areas 16 carries their whole life in the large shell on their
of town in a tall, wide-brimmed patchwork hat and back. Jolly and good humored, Haz has spent their
7 a heavily mended and patched cloak. His glowing life looking for the very best cabbage soup, their
eyes are the last thing some underworld denizens personal favorite.
and criminals will ever see.
 Phillip the Addled is an elderly man with a penchant Rumors on the Street
for hallucinogenic mushrooms. Many believe he Cities, towns and villages are often awash with scuttlebutt
17 should have died decades ago, but he just keeps and rumor. Barmaids whisper behind their hands
showing up in taverns, bars and at the odd festival. about the local lord’s indiscretions, merchants talk in
Strangely, he seems to know everyone’s birthday. low concerned tones about missing or late shipments,
Odrobble Vinderput is a goofy gnome who can and fishermen constantly try to blame poor catches on
be found wandering around town preaching the strange creatures, weird currents and foul weather.
value of surrendering to the inevitable end of the Rumors on the street are a great way to jumpstart a
world. Really, this just results in an individual who session if you have no other story hook planned, but they
18 is prone to overindulge in the finer vices of food also add vibrancy and depth to your setting, especially the
and drink, which inevitably leads to him sharing areas surrounding the characters. If you find the need
wonderful, if rather lewd and tawdry, retellings of to add something like this, roll 1d20 and consult the
local history that contain many embellishments, if Rumors on the Street table.
not outright fictional additions.
Since time immemorial, Sluice has lived in a Rumors on the Street
comfortable-looking hut on the edge of a swamp
1d20
that borders the King’s Highway. Introspective and
A ship with a jet black hull and blood red sails has
introverted, this ancient turtlekin herbalist is slow 1 been seen out at sea.
19 to trust but loves the company of those that value The son of the local lord is having an affair with the
the natural world. He cultivates, grows and dries the 2 haberdasher’s husband.
best teas for a hundred miles and has stories that The local cat population in the area near a
stretch back centuries, making him an expert on mysterious woman’s house has dramatically
3
local history. declined.
Christobal Astra is a very strange old woman who owns A shifty halfling at the edge of town is selling cheap
the apothecary in town. When not brewing potions or 4 urns containing remnants of ashy dust.
creating poultices, she is training her veritable army Several of the town guards have been seen taking
20 of opossums to do normal household tasks. She has 5 bribes from a shady individual in a dark cloak.
trained them to do deliveries and collect payments so The town cleric has been seen stumbling around
she never has to leave the safety of her shop. 6 drunk at the edge of town rambling about a curse.
The owner of the local tavern is always
7 conspicuously absent on the night of a full moon.
GM NOTE: FRIEND OR FOE? A major merchant caravan is said to be a week late
8
Providing a quick primary motivation to any because they were attacked and eaten by a dragon.
individual you came up with on the spot can add An elderly goblin cleric of a neutral death god has
a little depth to the interaction with the party. 9
been seen preaching to rats in back alleys.
Roll 1d8 on the NPC Primary Motivation table A secretive dwarven craftsman will apparently
and apply the result. 10 make miniature effigies of people out of pure gold.
People say fortunes can be won or lost at a very
11 exclusive kobold fighting ring.
NPC Primary Motivation 12 The village near this one is overrun by gnolls.
1d8 This individual is driven by... Some say there is a masked vigilante ravenkin who
...revenge. 13
1 chases criminals while wearing a bright purple hat.
2 ...the pursuit of pleasure. The word around town is that all the gold in the city
14
3 ...comfort. treasury turned into lead.
...self-sacrifice. Everyone knows the government is run by a higher
4 15 power (see Puppet Governments pg. 30).
...genuine care for others and the world
5 Street urchins are worshipping humanoid effigies
around them. 16 made from garbage all over town.
6 ...greed and avarice.
A giant crocodile in the sewers regularly battles a
7 ...the quest for knowledge. 17
tribe of turtlekin who also live there.
8 ...a lust for power.
People who have died have been seen wandering all
18
over town, only to disappear when confronted.
The magistrate was found wandering the woods last
19
night, fully confused and fully nude.
20 The sheep and goats are conspiring.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 219

 Magic & Miscellany

Hags & Their Lairs A stuffed hydra head is mounted on the back side of
Hags are, in a word, gross. They are also awesome, the lair’s main door. It bears a quizzical expression
15
devious, murderous foes for a party of upstart and its tongue lolls out of the right side of its mouth.
adventurers to face. Exploring a hag’s lair is never for the The glass eyes seem to follow you.
faint of heart: as you are definitely likely to find things Seated at a miniature table on a high shelf is a
you cannot unsee. That being said, sometimes it’s hard minuscule, handsome man frozen in the act of
to come up with things to add to the atmosphere to give having tea. He was paralyzed and preserved by the
16
a hag’s lair the appropriate feel. When populating a hag’s hag 200 years ago, but can be revived. He is the
lair, whether it be a dilapidated hut in a forgotten swamp agent of a fiend who offers bargains of power in
or a bone-strewn seaside cave, roll as many times as you exchange for souls.
like on the Gross Stuff in a Hag’s Lair table, adding the A very large, very green, very chunky glob of mucus
results to the grimy tables and overladen shelves inside. 17 that sits on a pewter platter in the center of what
serves as the kitchen table.
Gross Stuff in a Hag’s Lair On an ornate display stand sits what is clearly the
18 still living back right leg of a very large horse. It is
1d20
covered in quivering pus-filled boils.
A nearly skeletal hairless cat that hisses at the party
1 A very large sentient tarantula that speaks fluent
as it stalks around the lair.
19 common. Its movement is disconcerting and it
The corpse of a bloated three-eyed toad floats in a
2 keeps getting lost among the clutter.
large bell jar of yellowish fluid.
A large jar that sits in a place of prominence on a
The decomposing foot of a humanoid creature sits
20 shelf. It contains what must be hundreds of toenail
3 in a large silver trough and plays host to a colony of
clippings.
semi-sentient blue-green mold.
Hanging by the optic nerve from a long ooze-
covered piece of twine is the bloodshot eyeball of a
I Wouldn’t Touch That
4 You know the drill. You set the scene for your party,
very large creature. The eyeball swings and rotates
explaining the relevant details of something that is
around to follow the party’s movement.
absolutely, without a doubt, a trap or cursed item or
The severed hand of a bronze dragonborn walks
portal to some place bad and, without fail, a member of
5 around on the shelves and tabletops using its
the party feels the pull and just can’t help themselves.
fingers. If you get too close, it swipes at you.
Whether a well lit statue marked by a fleck of blood, an
A large silver birdcage sits in the corner of the
unlocked treasure chest that seems too good to be true
room. Inside the cage is a being made of pure
6 or a gleaming sword clutched by what remains of a fallen
shadow that shrieks and erupts in white fire every
paladin, adventurers are always given plenty of reasons
time it touches the bars.
Humanoid ears and eyes can be seen floating on not to touch something. And yet...
the surface of a deep ochre concoction that bubbles The following table is broken up into two columns,
7
over a fire in a deep copper cauldron. one column for the object and the other column for
In a large glass terrarium, a large moth with the consequences of touching it. You can roll 1d20 and apply
head of a smiling gnome flutters through vegetation the result straight across the table or roll 2d20, one for
8
with pitch black leaves. the object and one for the effect.
A large lizard with very elven hands in place of its
9 claws sits motionless on a tabletop surrounded by
very red splatters of blood.
A trio of shrunken heads, dwarven by their look,
10 emit high-pitched shouts if you get too close.
A miniature aboleth, its red eyes glaring, swims
11
within a modestly-sized fish tank.
A large dollhouse, the home of a very large rat
that walks on two legs. The rat is actually the
12
nephew of the country’s current ruler, captured and
permanently polymorphed by the hag.
Piled in the corner of the lair is a trio of incredibly
13 small skeletons, each of the bones marked by
unmistakable gnaw marks.
In a frame on the wall sits a mirror that ripples like
14 the surface of a pond. This functions as a mirror of
life trapping.
Things You Definitely Shouldn’t Touch
1d20 Ominous or Enticing Item Inevitable Consequence for Touching It
A pulsing, perfectly spherical It’s full of barely contained latent magic that explodes when you touch it. Roll on
1 bubble of pink ooze. the Variant Wild Magic table on pg. 176.
A glowing and bleeding statue of It’s definitely cursed. Roll on the Curses table on pg. 184.
2 an elven woman on a pedestal.
Touching this item invokes the creature’s worst fears. The creature must make
A large teddy bear with an a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or take 17 (5d6) psychic damage. They are
3 unnerving grin and eyes that also subject to hallucinations for 1 hour after touching the item. Roll on the
seem too alive. Hallucinations table on pg. 225.
The creature who touches this item forgets how to breathe. They must succeed on
A very large sunshine yellow
4 a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or begin to suffocate. The creature can repeat the
mushroom.
saving throw at the end of its turn, ending the effect with a successful save.
A large snow globe containing This item stimulates deep and intense love and devotion (it’s charm person) for
5 a pair of dancing pixies. the first creature they see after touching the item, at GM discretion.
An undersized longsword The item gets permanently stuck to the creature’s hand. The only way to remove
6 the item is by casting remove curse or wish.
encrusted with gems.
A very fragrant, perfectly baked,
Somehow this item became the vessel for reality warping magics and touching it
7 cinnamon roll conspicuously
releases them. Roll on the Strange Mutations table on pg. 200.
placed out in the open.
A book embossed with the The triggering creature must succeed at a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or gain the
8 phrase “MINE! DON’T TOUCH.” new flaw, “Everything belongs to me and I am entitled to it.”
A simple wooden chest, with It explodes. The person who touches the item takes 21 (6d6) fire damage. A
9 successful DC 14 Dexterity saving throw halves the damage.
an easily breakable lock.
A friendly cat that flips over on
10 It’s a mimic.
its back, asking for belly rubs.
For the next 3 (1d6) days you are harassed by a musical earworm. Roll on the
A glowing bottle of fluorescent Ballads, Ditties & Songs table on pg. 211 to determine the song or choose one at
11 blue alcohol. GM discretion. Creatures affected in this way must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving
throw at the end of each long rest. On a failure, they gain no benefit from the rest.
Concussive blasts and explosions of light shoot from the item. The individual who
A mote of shimmering, touched the item must roll a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become blind
12 and deaf for 13 (2d12) hours. At the end of every hour, the creature can reroll the
glimmering, multifaceted light.
saving throw, ending the effect on a successful save.
A beautiful rose in a crystal vase Touching the item causes a metallic cage with no door to spring up around the
13 that sways slightly though there creature. The creature or one of its allies can attempt a DC 20 Strength check to
is no wind. bend the bars and release them.
A large jewel on a gold display It explodes. The person who touches the item takes 21 (6d6) fire damage. A
14 stand. successful DC 14 Dexterity saving throw will halve the damage.
A rusty sword covered in runes A fine orange mist pours out of the item after it is touched. The creature is affected
15 and what seems like dried blood. by Polymorphic Fog as detailed on pg. 147.
A spherical blob with long red It’s poisonous, very poisonous. Roll on the Detrimental Potions & Poisons effect
16 table on pg. 162.
spikes inside a glass bowl.
A small quick-moving red dot Touching the item removes all the bones in your hand for 24 hours. The tingles as
17 that shines on a nearby wall. your bones grow back are very uncomfortable.
Touching this item shocks the creature to their core and banishes every conscious
A golden mask depicting a thought from their mind. The creature gains the stunned condition for 2 (1d4) hours.
18 generic shocked face. A successful DC 14 Wisdom saving throw, attempted each hour, ends the effect.
A fedora-like hat adorned with a Magical parasites! The creature must roll on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or
19 dark raven’s feather. become affected by a form of short-term madness as determined by the GM.
The creature who touches this item must roll a DC 13 Constitution saving throw.
A cauldron full of toxic green On a failure, the creature drops to 0 hp but is stable. On a successful save, the
20 liquid that smells like beef stew. creature loses half their hit points and is incapacitated for 3 (1d6) minutes.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 221

 Magic & Miscellany

Gelatinous Cubes Anxiety-Inducing & Creepy

A huge blob of nearly transparent ooze that slowly Occurrences
squeezes its bulk down subterranean hallways, digesting 1d20
and dissolving things in its path, the gelatinous cube The party randomly finds an ancient portrait that
1
is a dungeon staple. However, a weird quirk of these accurately depicts one of them.
creatures is that there always seems to be some sort of You find a mirror in which the reflections seem to
2
substance each individual cube cannot digest. These move more slowly than the objects creating them.
items end up getting trapped in the ooze, seemingly A random person comes up to the party on the
floating along hallways suspended in the clear form of the 3 street and growls at them ferally before marching
creature. Throwing a small item in the ooze for your party off in a different direction.
to discover is a fun way to further populate your world A fragile object falls off a table or a shelf, shattering
4
with specificity and/or seed future intrigue for them to to the ground seemingly without a cause.
learn more about down the line. It also helps them know A black cat crosses the party’s path and meows at
5
a cube is heading their way. After your party fells their them in a sinister fashion.
next powerful ooze, roll 1d10 and consult the Contents of Random low-hanging mist creeps around the area
a Gelatinous Cube table to find out what’s inside. for a few minutes in thin tendrils before dissipating.
6 The mist comes and goes without an apparent
Contents of a Gelatinous Cube cause.
1d10 7 A door opens and closes nearby for no reason.
For a brief moment, you hear what is unmistakably
1 The petrified head of a bucktoothed goblin.
8 the wracking sobs of an adult woman. The source
A sentient skeleton by the name of Jim who has an never becomes apparent.
2 unnatural need for chocolate.
A nearby portrait or bust begins to weep blood. When
3 A giant glass eyeball that occasionally blinks. 9 a creature turns to fully inspect the phenomenon, it is
Four hooves that are so large the size of the creature gone and no evidence remains.
4 You hear the giggling of children that echoes from
they came from must have been mind boggling.
53 gp that all have a laughing halfling jester 10 different places around the room. The source is
5 stamped on one face. never identified.
A set of round stone tablets linked together by a Fresh food suddenly rots, milk curdles and water
11
6 golden chain. They feature lewd sonnets written in turns mucky and foul.
giant. All around the party they can hear scratching in the
12
A stone helmet with a narrow face guard containing walls that fades as suddenly as it began.
7 the pockmarked skull of a one-eyed human. For a brief instant, you hear disembodied voices
A small jade statue of a masked raccoon riding a 13 speaking over one another, growing louder and
8 louder, before they suddenly stop.
winged hippo.
All of a sudden, a random member of the party
9 42 black feathers. 14 begins to laugh maniacally without cause.
A small iron casket that contains hundreds of glass
10 Greenish-black ooze starts to creep through the
marbles.
15 cracks in the walls and the temperature in the room
drops rapidly.
Atmosphere Enhancement All of a sudden, all the NPCs around the party stop
An anxious party is a happy party (sort of). Players love to
and stare without speaking. After a few seconds,
plan and scheme, taking hours to decide how to approach 16 life continues around them as if nothing ever
a particular problem. Sometimes it is very difficult to
happened.
prompt them to move forward and get them to act instead
One random member of the party has a sudden
of talk. Detailing the ambiance is a good way to snap them 17 vision of their own death.
out of planning mode and into action mode. Sometimes
The sound of dripping water can be heard
all it takes is a door slamming down the hallway without
everywhere around the party and they are
explanation or the howling of unseen dogs to get them 18
spattered with droplets of blood. The blood quickly
to latch onto a plan of action and move forward. To add
disappears as the dripping sound fades away.
some atmosphere, you can roll on the following table if The party can hear a pack of dogs barking in the
the circumstances warrant it, however, it can be more distance. The sound chills them to their bones but
19
effective to have a random player roll the dice, effectively no dogs are ever seen.
sealing their own fate. Exposed sources of flame suddenly gutter and
20 flicker as if exposed to a strong gust of wind, but
there is no wind.
Demonic Demands Giants & Their Things
Always read the fine print! Demon deals are not The size of a giant in comparison to a normal person is a
unheard of in fantasy settings (there’s a whole subclass notion we small skulls can have a hard time getting our
dedicated to individuals who make dark pacts with heads around. Introducing a creature that’s four to five
powerful beings to gain power). Deals with denizens of times larger than the biggest person, sometimes more,
the lower planes always have a price, some very steep, means that by necessity their gear is also that much larger.
others inscrutable and strange. Should your characters The things that could be hidden at the bottom of a giant’s
make a deal with a dark entity, roll 1d10 and apply the massive backpack or belt pouch are only limited by the
result on the following table. imagination of the GM and the curiosity of the giant
involved. Should the party have the opportunity to search
Demonic Demands through a giant’s belongings, roll 1d20 on the following
1d10 table to determine what they might find.
In return for your deal, this fiendish figure demands all
1 your memories from a five-year period. Memories you Things You Might Find in a Giant’s Backpack
can never relive or regain. 1d20
In 10 years’ time, the demon will come and take your A live alpaca serenely snacking on bits of leftover
2 1
voice and with it all memory of speech. vegetables and bread.
The demon demands the souls of three virtuous 2 Part of a bell tower.
people and provides a glowing glass jar that will A large loaf of bread that has humanoid-sized bones
3 reveal the souls desired. The jar collects these souls 3 sticking out of it.
upon each individual’s death. A pixie named Perryweather who has been trying to
This fiend is an entrepreneur. It demands a 15-percent 4 build a bar and restaurant inside the backpack.
4 cut of all earnings derived over a 10-year period. A wheel of cheese the size of a small house.
5
Your part of the deal is to provide three favors to
6 A legless grand piano.
this demonic entity without question. The demon
determines the time, place and activity that will A comically small hand axe, made for a gnome, which
5 7 the giant has clearly been using as a toothpick.
satisfy payment. If you refuse any of their requests,
At the very bottom of the pack, growing from a
you will lose your power. Refuse twice, and your soul
8 strange bed of food crumbs and moldy socks, is an
is entirely, and immediately, forfeit.
The payment for your bargain is seven bottles of entire pumpkin patch.
alcohol, distilled from moonlight and filtered through 9 A moose skull hung with festive decorations.
severed fairy wings. The demon provides no further A couch shaped like a coiled dragon with very
6 10 comfortable cushions.
instructions as to how to accomplish this feat. He
grants you the period of one year to make good on 11 A rotting tree trunk full of tasty edible mushrooms.
your bargain. A live giant toad named Terry and his goblin
The creature demands a handkerchief belonging to 12 companion Muckruck the Bold.
the highest ranking woman in the realm containing at A large sealed crate full of moldy apple pies.
7 13
least one of her fingernails, three strands of her hair or A booger-filled handkerchief that looks like four army
two drops of her blood. tents sewn together. They still bear the standard of
14
Sticking to the old trope, the fiend demands your the armies they were stolen from.
8 soul. But first, it must be somewhat tarnished by the A sprouting oversized potato that has gained
act of cold-blooded murder. 15 sentience.
There is a boy under the care of a temple in a nearby A full colony of giant bees and more honey than one
city. The demon only asks that you adopt and rear 16 could possibly comprehend.
9 this child as if he were your son. Then, on his 18th A wizard named Torric who has been polymorphed
birthday, he’ll become the demon’s chosen prophet. into an octopus and placed in magical stasis in a
17
Mr. Fluffykins. They provide no other description or spherical aquarium.
10 explanation. A ridiculously oversized candle that seems to have
18 been crafted from the giant’s own earwax.
A wooden cage in which the giant keeps a colony
19 of highly skilled pickpockets who happen to be
raccoons.
A statue of a seated gnome monarch wearing a crown
20 and robe that is far too big for them.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 223

 Magic & Miscellany

Gnomish Inventors A purring motor sits at the back of a single-wheeled

The gnomes are a crafty lot, but you might feel like device with a comfortable-looking seat. Sitting in the
you need an engineering degree to accurately describe seat and locking their legs into the device, a creature
10
the surface of a gnomish artificer’s tinkering table. can direct the powered vehicle where to go by shifting
Clockwork gears, strange contraptions hanging from their body weight. Using this device for locomotion
the ceiling and bubbling liquids in fancy beakers are easily doubles a creature’s speed.
only some of the things you will likely find inside an This corkscrew-shaped smoking pipe has five
inventor’s workshop. Roll 1d20 on the following table to 11 different bowls allowing the smoker to combine
determine what wonders of science and technology your multiple substances
party might find inside. Note: These items would work A sealed terrarium in the shape of a dodecahedron
for any workshop your players encounter, but you may measuring 5 feet per side, filled with never before
want to make them a little less twee. seen bright purple mushrooms. If you look closely,
12 you can see incredibly tiny fungal creatures building
Gizmos & Trinkets in a Gnomish Workshop an entire society in the shadows of the lacy frilled
caps.
1d20
An 18-inch bright green and gold door set into the wall
In the corner of the workshop, a steady buzzing sound
of the workshop. Moss, small wildflowers and four-
1 catches your attention. Inspecting the area, you find a
13 leaf clovers grow from under the door. However, if you
bustling beehive full of miniature mechanical bees.
open the door, you only see a thick mass of moss and
On one wall is a machine made of hissing pneumatic
vegetation.
tubes, slides and rails. Several metal orbs are
A heavy-looking solid block of metal with strange lines
continuously raised to the top to then roll, slide and
and designs cut into it. It has two straps that clearly
2 shoot back to the bottom. As the spheres move, the
designate the contraption as a backpack. Pushing a
kinetic energy of their movement is transferred to a 14 button activates the gears inside and six additional
large copper contraption at the bottom that sparks
arms fold out of the backpack. The arms follow the
and glows with harnessed power.
direction of the creature wearing the backpack.
Sitting in a prominent place on the workbench is a
Flea-sized clockwork constructs harvest the
device featuring made of seven vertical metal rods set
minuscule crystals inside a cracked geode. As they
3 with strange rotating kaleidoscopes, fans and weird 15 walk out of the crystalline structure the constructs
round wind catchers. The function of this device is
and the crystals quadruple in size.
unknown.
A dog made out of metal wanders the workshop.
In a forgotten corner of the workshop you find a trio
He is friendly and always looking to be petted and
4 of spider-like clockwork constructs that are, perhaps
16 scratched behind the ears. When you are close, you
very concerningly, building more of themselves.
can see the spinning and clicking gears and springs
This strange tool sparks and sends electric currents
that allow it to move.
5 through a very thin wire that feeds from a spool.
In a large hourglass-shaped habitat, you can see
Attaching metal to metal is very easy with this device.
vibrant fluorescent pink snails with glowing white
A device consisting of a large metallic platform 5 feet
crystal shells crawling among and consuming hunks
in diameter, carried by a clockwork mechanism that
6 17 of scrap metal. The snails excrete a luminescent,
has six stubby but stable legs. It will follow its owner’s
aquamarine-colored sludge that is collected in the
directions to carry and move heavy items.
This conical device is powered by a winding bottom of the hourglass. The sludge smells like lemon
clockwork motor that easily amplifies the volume and mint and is very slippery.
A set of exoskeletal legs made of steel powered by a
of the user’s voice; however, it also has a small short
motor that sparks with electricity. Strapping oneself
7 that causes it to make strange noises at random
into this contraption increases one’s walking speed
times including the braying of a donkey, crashing 18
by 10 feet. Additionally, by activating several levers,
and breaking glass, the almost deafening call of a
one can extend the legs, adding up to 15 feet to
humpback whale and someone blowing a raspberry.
This set of work goggles has a stunning 39 different one’s height.
This pair of metallic boots have several round
lenses that can be lowered into the wearer’s line of
openings near the sole. Stomping the heel down
sight. The function of each lens is a closely guarded
8 on the ground twice causes half a dozen metallic
secret, but it is clear that using them you can see 19
tentacles with suckers to erupt out of the holes.
magical auras, identify schools of magic and see into
When discovered, one of the boots is crawling along
different planes.
A small, hand-held lamp that has a sphere of amber the ceiling.
A single large gauntlet from which a handful of
9 at the center. With the flip of a switch, the amber
20 helper arms emerge, wielding tools, blowtorches,
begins to glow with diffuse sunlight.
clamps and snips.
Hallucinations 11
No matter where you go, no matter what you do,
The mind is a fragile thing, prone to extreme reactions the scent of rich manure fills your nostrils.
to stress, danger and visions of abject horror. In your You have almost certainly attained godhood. But
adventures, mortal creatures reside in a fantastical 12 consider keeping this fact to yourself. Wouldn’t want
landscape where gods walk the earth, dragons rule the anyone to get jealous.
skies and strange monstrosities, warped aberrations Everywhere you go you constantly feel you are
and cavorting fey are always near at hand. The common being watched. You catch staring eyes out of the
citizen, therefore, will see and experience more than corner of your vision. Every so often you see the
most, and much of what they’ll witness is terrifying. 13 faint outline of magical sensors following you. You
Some are going to crack under the weight of those don’t know who is doing it, but you know they will
experiences and they might start to see and hear things stop at nothing to get to you.
that are not real. Hallucinations can be a frightening Occasionally a carnival springs up around you full of
thing, even for powerful characters. Whether as a form fun and games, laughter and good food. While this
of madness or as a result of being exposed to some 14 hallucination assails you, your physical body stands
strange alchemical compound or poison, having a still, motionless, unblinking.
character become subject to these breaks in reality can
Laughing visages sporadically float around you,
be a challenge they must overcome. If you would like to
15 guffawing and sneering in a mocking fashion. These
impose this effect on a character or NPC, roll 1d20 and
faces have no eyes.
consult the table below.
Despite being on dry land you truly believe to your
very core that you are stranded in the deep ocean,
1d20 16 sinking, unable to breathe, as the pressure of the
Bees come swarming out of your mouth and deep crushes down on you.
1 crawling all over your skin, stinging and biting. You see happy playing children all around you. They
The countenances of everyone around you become giggle and beckon you to play as well. You get swept
2 17 up in the feeling of peace and safety, no matter
undead and rotting.
You are on fire. It burns so badly you can do nothing where you are.
3 Staring black eyes open on everyday objects: walls,
but shriek.
Playful beings of light and sound swirl around ceilings, the blade of your sword. They appear
18
you. You feel at home and content. Suddenly the randomly, without warning. All you can feel when
4 atmosphere shifts and the creatures swarm you in a they look on you is pure dread.
whirlwind, slashing with tiny knives and minuscule For some reason, everyone around you stops being
claws. This cycle repeats over and over again. able to understand you when you speak. When
You are truly convinced you have been buried alive. 19 they try to reply their words are just gibberish. To
5 The world is pitch black to your eyes and the air is everyone else, you are the one who is speaking
thin and keeps getting thinner. nonsense.
You start hearing a voice that tells you the members You cannot move at all. Looking down you see that
of your party are evil and trying to kill you. It is 20 iron bands circle your entire body. They begin to
6 squeeze tighter and tighter until you pass out.
sporadic at first, but grows in frequency to the point
that you cannot ignore it.
A ghostly figure continually moves at the corners of
7 your vision, never quite materializing. GM NOTE: SAVE OR NO SAVE
You are overjoyed to find you have great, white- A hallucination could be pertinent to your story
8 as a realistic outcome for what your characters
feathered angel wings. No one seems to believe you.
A physical manifestation of the deity you worship have recently experienced but could be viewed as
(or have forsaken) appears in front of you in all stealing player agency. Depending on your table,
its glory. It does not speak, it just stares at you, it may be more sporting to allow a saving throw
9
disapprovingly. It will position itself to be in front of against experiencing a hallucination. Make sure
you, arms crossed over its chest, always staring. you are approaching these events in a way that will
You feel minute pin-pricks all over your skin. At first, seem fair to your players.
you can ignore them, but over time the sensation
continues to amplify to the point of pain. Just when
10 you think you can’t take it anymore, thousands of
spiders burrow out of your skin, crawling over you
in a wave, before suddenly vanishing. Several days
later, the pin-pricks return.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 225

 Magic & Miscellany

Useless(?) Junk A 5-foot oval mirror with a simple wooden frame.

The world is full of stuff. Fantasy worlds suffer from this 14 It casts no reflection. The area inside the frame is
problem more than reality does because latent magic can simply a bright silvery color.
infuse the most mundane of things. Most of the items A very plush and cushy bedroll that causes any
15
that a party comes in contact with will likely be useful creature that sleeps on it to itch uncontrollably.
to them, such as equipment, potions, art and jewels and This forgery kit, despite the fact that it looks
items of great magic; however, this might not always 16 excellently made and well supplied, always creates
be the case. There are plenty of strange, useless things easily identifiable forgeries.
lying around and adventuring parties love nothing more 17 These sticks of gold sealing wax never melt.
than picking up anything that looks interesting and This pack of useless playing cards bear their
throwing it in a bag for a rainy day. The following is a list distinctive marks and numbers prior to being dealt
of interesting, mostly useless items that you can dole out. 18 to a player. As soon as the game begins and hands
Players have a supernatural gift when it comes to making are dealt, the cards become blank.
items like this important to the story, or at least to them. This expensive-looking leather pouch contains a set
Plus they always provide a bit of fun. Roll 1d20 and apply 19 of marbles that are not round. They do not roll and
the result on the following table. if dumped on the ground they stay in place.
An exquisite hand bell. The bell’s striker moves, but
What in the World Is This Stuff? 20 will not make contact with the sides of the bell.
1d20
1 A 2-foot iron key with a grinning skull for a bow.
A large hourglass in which the sand flows from the Portals to the Unknown
2 bottom to the top. Sometimes the walls between realms become weak and
A pouch of almond-shaped...seeds? They taste things migrate through from one reality to another.
3 terrible, but are not poisonous. They are not These can be useful items, cursed tomes or strange
magical, but are unidentifiable. They are eggs. creatures. What they have in common is the ability to
A human skull, painted with swirls of bloody paint. cause chaos in the realities where they don’t belong. If
4 The skull is not magical, but you swear you can hear you want to add a little unpredictability to your session,
unintelligible whispering coming from it. roll 1d20 on the following table and apply the result.
A large conch shell that randomly makes the sound
5 of crashing waves.
Where Did That Come From?
A 1-foot cube of what appears to be fire. It provides 1d20
6 no effective light, and is cool to the touch.
A blazing triangle of purple light flares and a portal
This dagger looks vicious and deadly, but whenever 1 to the lands of the fey opens. A talking duck named
7 it touches anything organic, it goes all rubbery and Jerry falls out and looks at you expectantly.
dull, making it ineffective. An unexpected portal from the arctic reaches
A beautifully-constructed French horn that makes elsewhere on the material plane opens in front of
8 no noise no matter how much you try. 2 the party. Roll on the Arctic Random Encounters
An intricately carved wand etched with runic table for the appropriate level on pg. 82.
symbols and tipped with a glowing sphere of yellow A humming portal opens above the party and
9 crystal. Nothing ever happens. The wand just
3 several items fall out. Roll five times on the
vibrates in your hand uncomfortably. Common Magic Items table on pg. 189.
This meticulously constructed mechanical compass
10 never points in the right cardinal direction. With a high-pitched scream, a winged goblin falls out
of a horizontal portal about 30 feet off the ground.
A silver pitcher that leaks so severely it cannot 4
She has no memory of who she is or where she came
11 effectively be used despite the fact that there are no from but begs the party to take her with them.
visible holes in the item.
A stylish hat that refuses to be worn. When placed From a blinding portal of pure white light, a blazing
on your head it instantly transports to another place sword flies end over end, lodging into the ground
12 on your body or inside one of your bags. Once you or into a tree near the party. This weapon is a
touch it, you can’t be rid of it. 5 +2 sword. However, every time the wielder does
damage with it, the wielder takes 2 points of radiant
This expertly carved and constructed longbow damage themselves. After 1 week, the weapon
never shoots an arrow more than a few feet. The disappears.
13 ammunition simply slumps to the ground after
An oval portal swirls open and a blast of music
being fired. and noise comes out. A skull, wearing a very long,
6 red floppy hat, rolls out of the portal. There is a
tag attached to one of the back teeth that reads
“Schmebulok the Garrulous.”
 With a concussive blast, a portal from the plane A 1-foot-diameter black crystal orb full of blue fluid
of fire opens and a golden orb streaks out and falls out of a portal to a dark plane from above.
impacts the ground near the party. The golden orb One side of the orb is clear, allowing you to see the
7 has hinges on one side, as if it can open, but any dodecahedron that floats inside. By shaking the orb
attempts to do so fail. There is a note etched in the 15 you can cast the augury spell as an action. Once
bottom of the globe: “If found, return to Elysium.” you have used this feature 6 (1d8 + 2) times or after
In a flare of pinkish-white light, a truly delectable a two week period the crystal shatters covering
blackberry pie appears in front of the party. Anyone everything with a blue liquid that permanently
8 who eats a slice of this pie will not need to eat again stains what it touches.
for 2 days. A human male wearing a strange shirt, shorts and
Dozens of blank books fall out of a portal. When the wire-rimmed spectacles suddenly appears near the
9 covers are opened the books scream in anguish. party. He looks very confused about what is going
A glimmering yellow portal appears, spouting coins on, his mouth falls open in shock and surprise at
into a pit. All of the coins are minted with the party’s 16 the presence of any non-human races or magic. He
10 face on one side and a swirling vortex on the other. stammers wordlessly for about 30 seconds before
Any coins taken from the pit disappear after 10 days. he disappears with a quiet pop leaving behind
Two portals appear one above the other. A statue 20-sided neon green dice. A creature can activate
of a dwarf falls continuously from one portal into this item once to reroll a d20 roll after a failed roll.
the other, gaining speed as it goes. If the party is From a vertical portal into a realm that appears
able to grab onto the statue they will find that this covered in multi-colored fur, a swarm of small
11 individual is a petrified dwarven warrior named Toril round furry creatures appear. They follow the party
Swifthammer who was petrified by a powerful mage. 17 around for a week. These creatures purr and trill
Should they be able to restore him, he will thank in a serene but fairly annoying fashion constantly.
them profusely, giving them his magical helm. They cannot be destroyed.
The party comes across a great mountain of wrapped With the sound of crinkling paper and rustling
toffees that seem to be tumbling out of a very small parchment three dozen birds made from folded
portal about 25 feet in the air. Anyone who eats one paper fly out of a portal that appears on the ground.
of these sweets must roll a DC 18 Wisdom saving If the party attempts to catch any of the birds as
throw or become enthralled with the candies. For 18 they swirl around them, there is a 40 percent chance
1 hour, they will stand and do nothing but eat the that the parchment is actually a 2nd-level spell
12 toffees. They can repeat the saving throw at the end scroll. Roll on the 2nd-Level Spell Scrolls table on
of every hour, ending the effect on themselves on a pg. 154.
success. Should they fail the save twice in a row, they With a heavy thud a diamond the size of a
will also gain the poisoned condition until the end of humanoid head hits the ground having plummeted
their next long rest. Dispel magic cast against a 5th 19
from a glowing red portal about 100 feet overhead.
level spell will also end the effect. The diamond cannot be moved.
A surge of arcane power heralds the opening of a A very large statue of one of the PCs materializes
round portal into a strange distorted landscape. An out of thin air. The statue is very disconcerting and
empty shirt and pair of pants walk out of the portal. its eyes follow any creature that is looking at it. The
They resist being worn and simply follow the party statue is very heavy and resists being moved. If the
around for 5 days before wandering off. During a 20
creature the statue depicts touches the statue they
13
combat encounter, the empty clothing will go on gain a point of inspiration and are completely healed,
initiative count 10. At the beginning of its round, roll but are distracted for 13 (2d12) hours rolling all skill
1d100, and on a result of 51 or higher, the clothing checks with disadvantage.
will restrain one of the party’s enemies. A restrained
creature can use its action to try and escape (DC 15).
With a crack of thunder and a surge of lightning,
a portal to the elemental plane of air opens and
a roiling storm cloud 5 feet in diameter surges
out. The storm cloud will settle over one random
14
creature and remain there for 13 (2d12) hours. Every
hour roll 1d100: on a 50 or lower the storm cloud
begins to rain on the creature it is following for the
next hour.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 227

 Magic & Miscellany

Ghosts Gravestones
The spirits of the departed linger in the realms of Lonely graveyards somehow find their way into many
fantasy, either due to a curse or some unfinished of the stories we tell at the gaming table. Often the
business. Should your party run across a ghost that you occupants of the graveyard are not central to the story,
would like to flesh out a little more (as much as one can but inevitably there will be that one player who wants
flesh out a ghost), roll 1d10 and consult the Unfinished to start reading the headstones, if for no other reason
Business table to determine why they remain. than to watch you scramble to come up with names and
information. The following table provides you with a
Unfinished Business variety of options for headstones and monuments that
1d10 exist within a graveyard for just such an occasion. Roll
This ghost seeks revenge on the one who killed 1d20 on the Gravestone Markers table to generate as
1 them by beheading. The ghost carries around a many results as you need to.
spectral version of their own head.
This ghost is paranoid about its family’s safety and Gravestone Markers
refuses to move on to the afterlife. Unfortunately, 1d20
2 the ghost’s haunting presence terrifies the family Ruepert Nebuchadnezzar. Lived for 93 years, died
without respite. 150 years ago. There is an inscription that reads,
Completely unaware of their surroundings, this “Here lies Ruepert...probably. He always claimed
ghost must relive the last torturous days of its life, 1
he was too stubborn to stay dead.” Disconcertingly,
3 over and over and over again. Only by getting it to there are what appear to be human fingernail
realize it is dead can you assist it in passing on. marks at the base of the headstone.
Driven by a lust for life, this ghost is self-aware. It This gravestone is shaped like a large loaf of
knows that it is dead and unable to experience the bread and marks the grave of halfling Chef Yarrow
4 pleasures of the living, but that will not keep it from 2 Amplebelly, one of the most renowned bakers of the
trying. Nor will that knowledge keep it from flying age. Etched into the stone is his bread recipe, which
into a murderous rage each time that it fails. he felt everyone should have.
Overcome with grief for having to leave their Sir Tallion Grabespurtle Nelson Bartholomew
beloved pet, this ghost cannot move on until they Hastings III. Tallion lived for 46 years and only died
5 find a permanent home for their pet hamster. five years ago. The epitaph on his ornate, gold inlaid
Preferably one where he gets plenty of treats. 3 headstone reads, “His last words, ‘Clutch safe my
We’ve got a stage five clinger. This ghost is doomed ale and observe!’ preceded a glorious but short-
6 to stalk their lost love...their lost unrequited love, lived mudwrestling match with a drunken ogre. We
that is. miss you, Tally!”
Terrifyingly creepy, this ghost is that of a 5-year-old A simple marble headstone marking the final
child. They are full of rage and haunt their toys, resting place of Dave Davidson, age 76, died 200
7 which they cause to animate and attack people. You 4 years ago. The epitaph reads, “Here lies Double D,
must find all of the toys and burn them before the our man about town, as well as a nameless corpse
child can move on. we buried with him so he weren’t lonely.”
This ghost is actually pleasant to have around. This ornate headstone has a picture of a wizened
Desiring to make just one more meal, just one more old man with a long beard on it, but no name or
beautifully crafted pie, this jovial spirit animates date. The headstone itself has a magic mouth spell
8 objects in their former kitchen to cook wonderful 5 cast on it that quietly says things like, “Help me!”
meals. Of course, whoever lives there gets to and “Wow, it’s dark down here” that sound like
benefit. they are coming from the ground at the foot of the
This poor ghost was so unnoticeable in life that headstone.
it hasn’t even realized that it has died and just Heliona “Ironguts” Bracegirdle. Lived for 127 years
9 keeps going about its daily routine. Of course this is and died 85 years ago. The epitaph reads, “They
ridiculously frightening for the other laborers at the 6
told me to stop eating fried butter, but I didn’t
warehouse where it worked. listen, and now I’m dead. No regrets.”
Surrounded by songs of lament and discordant This ornate headstone is topped with an
orchestral music, this ghost, dressed all in white, intricately carved human skull with a rose in
does nothing but pine for their lover who went on its mouth and a stone raven perched atop
10 to marry another after their death. The only way to 7 it. Belonging to Kaitlyn Everbright, who was
get them to move on is to take them out for a lovely suspected of being a witch who died at the age
night on the town. of 57, 236 years ago, locals say that the raven
sometimes disappears for days at a time.
 Penelope Farell, the Graceful Bard. Lived to the A large monument depicting a powerful wizard in the
age of 84 and died 103 years ago. Her headstone act of casting a spell, his long hair and beard flowing
has an etched picture of her, a statuesque and in an unseen wind, marks the grave of Binsim the
8 beautiful half-elf, in addition to a fully functioning Unhinged. Binsim died almost 400 years ago and
piano. Anyone who plays the keys finds they are his actual age is a number lost to time. He sought
16
accompanied by a gorgeous ethereal voice. immortality but refused to turn to black magic to
Willard the Elder. Managed to live until the age of attain it. Engraved on the plinth where his statue
107 and died 37 years ago. His headstone has no stands are the words he uttered on his deathbed: “I
message, just a maze contained inside the shape of could not beat death, so I shall join him. Elevating our
9 a human heart. There is a small marble contained in contest to a place outside of time.”
the maze structure that can be moved. Solving the A simple stone marker that bears the name Ted
maze causes confetti to shoot out of the top of the Harnsworth, a human fisherman who never seemed
17
headstone and a fanfare of horns to sound. to age. He lived for 657 years. His epitaph reads,
This intricate monument depicts the statue of “I’m tired. I think I’ll go now.”
a teenage girl emerging from a silvery mirror. It This large crypt is dedicated to the powerful cleric
belongs to Arya Swiftwind, a fledgling sorceress Elania Marson, the Fiendbinder. The grounds around
10 who miscalculated the power of her wild magic and 18 the crypt are always vibrant and green, full of
turned herself into a brainless sludge at the age of wildflowers and humming insects. Approaching the
19, 96 years ago. door you can hear the singing of an angelic chorus.
A sarcophagus-shaped monument that has a This grave marker belongs to the prolific wizard
very detailed casting of the Honorable Hargrim Olgas Mirewood. Some say she was a witch, others
Splitmind, holding a copy of his own head. The say she was a gift to the community around her. Her
two faces are depicted in the midst of a heated 19 age is not listed on the marker, but etched into the
11 argument. Once a village mayor and advisor to the stone is the arcane language of a single spell. Roll
king, Hargrim frequently argued with himself. His on the 3rd-Level Spell Scrolls table on pg. 154 to
epitaph reads, “The only decent conversation I ever determine which.
had was with myself.” The headstone simply has a single name etched
This large mausoleum dedicated to the Farsight into it: “Layla.” There is no date or inscription, but
family has numerous statues of various family 20 small white flowers grow from the cracks in this
12 members of different ages captured in the act of ancient grave marker.
playing and socializing. Listening closely, you can
hear faint laughter and jovial conversation.
A lone, gold-veined marble headstone dedicated to
Garland and Nefria Bollivar. Both individuals died
nearly a hundred years ago and were very talented
13 healers. The top of their headstone has been worn
away by time as hundreds of hands have touched
it, hoping for a miracle of healing power which
sometimes emanates from their final resting place.
Ulfrick the Stingy’s grave is marked with a very
simple, ancient, sandstone obelisk. All that is on it
14
is a truncated version of his name, “LFRK,” a final
tribute to one of the realm’s great misers.
This grave marker, made from the twisted branches
of an ancient oak surrounding a granite stone, marks
the final resting place of Glengarrow Nearson, a
15 halfling druid of substantial power and influence.
Lived to be 294 years old and passed five years ago.
Songbirds and small animals make their home in the
twisted branches of his large headstone.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 229

 ONE-SHOT
ADVENTURES
A trio of story-driven
encounters that still features
enough random tables to merit
inclusion in this book
 232
NEVER TELL
ME THE ODDS
The party investigates a
murder among killers.

248
ANIMATED
DEFENSE
A mage’s tower protects
itself a little too well.

26 4
THINGS ARE NOT
WHAT THEY SEEM
A sinister plot is
uncovered by accident.
 One-Shot Adventures

Never Tell Me
the Odds
A boy asks the party to solve the murder of his father,
a veteran of a traveling gladiator tournament.
An Adventure by Matt, Nick & Marty Forbeck, Suitable for Levels 3–7

W
hile attending a gaming festival, who will become suspects later, including Fortuna
the highlight of which is a gladiator Littlespark. They will then encounter Thalmor Dutgek,
tournament, the party finds themselves who shares his tale and asks for their help.
pulled into a murder mystery by the This adventure features a number of NPCs, including:
young son of the victim, the tournament’s reigning
champion. To solve the mystery, the party must question Thalmike Dutgek The murdered man—an elven
everything, trust no one and survive the arena’s infamous gladiator of some renown.
Wheel of Death and Fortune. Thalmor Dutgek The victim’s son.
Belleri Dutgek The victim’s wife and fellow
Adventure Location gladiator.
This adventure is set in Tychinesa, a village that sits at the Mouna Strongskull The victim’s old flame and
crossroads of two major routes that cut through the local number one rival—a human gladiator.
forests (or a similar town, at GM discretion). It’s a small but Ama Hollowhoof The victim’s tag-team buddy in
bustling settlement where farmers and miners gather to the ring—a dwarven gladiator.
meet, sell their wares and pick up supplies. Entertainment Fortuna Littlespark Halfling innkeeper and owner
troupes of all kinds make it a regular stop on their circuits. of the Oblivious Owlbear.
The greatest of these troupes is a traveling gladiator show- Johanna Welkerson GladCon’s master of
case known as Gladiator Conflict—GladCon for short. ceremonies—a half-orc ex-gladiator.
GladCon provides a major boost to the local economy.
The majority of the tournament takes place at GladCon’s To prepare for the adventure, be sure to check out the
pop-up arena, known as Colossal Colosseum by admirers NPCs’ stat blocks and write-ups on pg. 246.
of the event—and as the Rigged Ring by its skeptics. If you’re running this adventure as part of an ongoing
Those who are passing through or who have campaign, it can serve as a great stopover between
journeyed to Tychinesa to witness GladCon stay at the larger story arcs. You can plop it down in the middle of
town’s oldest inn, the Oblivious Owlbear (“the Bliv” to a journey from one part of the world to another, or you
the locals), a popular establishment owned and operated can set it up as part of a vacation the heroes go on to
by Fortuna Littlespark, a short-tempered halfling whose celebrate recent victories. All you need is an excuse to
family has a long history in the town. While Fortuna can get them into a village in the middle of nowhere so you
be cruel to those who cross her, she is generally warm can focus in on the action of the story.
and welcoming to outsiders. How the party winds up in If that’s not feasible, you can transport the entirety
Tychinesa at the right time is at GM discretion. Whether of the adventure to wherever the heroes might be. The
they make it out alive is up to the players. main consideration in this case is to think through a
reason why Thalmor Dutgek, the boy whose father is
Setting Up murdered, approaches the heroes for help rather than
The story begins at the Oblivious Owlbear, where the local guards. Perhaps his father was a scoundrel who
party is introduced to the town, has the chance to play a always spoke ill of the law. Or maybe GladCon expressly
gladiatorial minigame and meets a number of characters forbids the entrance of guards as a matter of policy after
having been shaken down by them.
If a member of the party is particularly suited to the GM NOTE: WHO’S WHO
idea of GladCon, you might be able to hook them with a Three of GladCon’s most well-loved gladiators
simple mention of a gladiatorial tournament. They might —Belleri Dutgek, Mouna Strongskull and
be willing to chase down the place themselves, which is Ama Hollowhoof—are under the Bliv’s roof,
even easier than just dropping it into their path. entertaining fans with tales of greatness and feats
If you’re running this as a one-shot adventure, each of strength. If the heroes wander around, they’d
party member can determine for themselves why they bump into each of them. If the heroes decide to
are in Tychinesa. Perhaps they are there to cheer on stay put, the gladiators can come to them instead.
their favorite gladiator or to pick up a package left for
them at the Oblivious Owlbear. Perhaps they know one
of the gladiators or have a connection to the town. • Mouna Strongskull is busy at the arm-wrestling
However they get there, the action for this adventure table, where she is currently undefeated. She is
begins—like so many do—in a tavern full of rowdy offering to pay the bar tab of anyone who can beat
adventuring types. her. If the heroes would like to challenge her, they
are welcome to. The first person to win three out
Part 1: You’re My Only Hope of five contested Strength (Athletics) checks in an
arm-wrestling contest wins.
• Ama Hollowhoof is lording over the Golem
You count yourself lucky to have found an empty table Gladiators table, a magical device that pits 1-foot-
at the biggest and oldest establishment in Tychinesa, tall golems against each other in a simulated arena
the Oblivious Owlbear, known to its dedicated battle on a flat surface the size of the tabletop.
patrons as the Bliv. It is a three-story stone building Each of the two contestants controls their golem
that manages to feel cozy despite its size. You hear by means of a handle built into their side of the
drunken laughter, tales of past fights, contests of tabletop. The cost to enter is 5 sp, and the winner
strength and calls for more alcohol. Because GladCon takes 8 sp (the other 2 sp goes to the house). The
is in town, the clientele leans heavily toward big- first person to win three out of five contested
muscled barbarians, steely-eyed fighters and the Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks wins the bout.
most brutal combatants from all walks of life. Some, • Belleri Dutgek is the elven woman scolding a
it should be stated, have brought their kids. The crying boy, her son, Thalmor. If the party engages
children, as it happens, also seem pretty strong. them first, Belleri would say through gritted teeth,
In one corner of the bustling inn, a sturdy human “This is a private conversation, and unless you want a
woman wearing a skull necklace engages a pack of public beating, I’d suggest you’re on your way.” If the
barbarians in an arm wrestling contest. At a nearby party chooses to engage further, move to the flavor
table, a stern elven woman scolds her son, seemingly text that begins with Thalmor’s outburst (below).
for crying in public. Toward the back of the inn, a
crowd of people gathers around a game of Golem Give the heroes enough time to enter the games or
Gladiators. A gruff dwarf, his face covered in the scars just gawk at them a bit. Fortuna soon returns to their
of battle, pilots the current champion. table with their orders, and a commotion at the next
As you take in this scene, the innkeeper, a halfling table over sets the story in motion.
who manages to tower over everyone through sheer
force of personality, makes her way over to you,
leaping from the top of the bar across tables until she Suddenly, the young elven boy at the next table over
arrives atop yours with a little bow. She gazes down at starts screaming. His mother’s face turns from one of
the lot of you with a smile that seems too wide for her stern concern to shock and consternation.
face and says, “Hello, loves. What can I get you?” “HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO STAY CALM WHEN DAD
IS DEAD?” he screams, before shoving his face into
his hands. “ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM IS A
This is Fortuna Littlespark. She introduces herself as MURDERER! AND I’M GONNA FIND OUT WHO!”
the owner of the inn and apologizes for how crowded the His mother scoops him up in her arms, but the boy
place is—with more than a little pride and relief in her continues to weep loudly enough for everyone in
voice. She would take the party’s orders, then encourage the inn to hear. Red-faced, the mother turns toward
them to wander about the place. Before she leaves, she you, bows her head and mutters an apology before
mentions she still has a room or two left in the inn (5 sp rushing out of the inn with her son.
each) and if they’re interested, they should claim them Silence reigns for only a moment before everyone
quickly, since it’s GladCon—the busiest time of the year. returns to their fun.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 233

 One-Shot Adventures

If anyone asks where Belleri is taking Thalmor, most

people in the place are willing to hazard a guess. As one The Oblivious Owlbear
of GladCon’s gladiators, she’s likely heading back to the
gladiators’ wagons, where they sleep when they’re in town. A popular (some might say the “only”) hangout in
They like to come into the village to hype up GladCon, but Tychinesa, the Oblivious Owlbear is as rowdy a tavern as
they prefer to rest their heads in their own beds at night. you could hope to find and caters to the attendees and
competitors of GladCon in equal measure.

Part 2: The Scene Rooms, Food and Drink

of the Crime The Bliv, as the locals call it, has a steady stream of regular
This portion of the adventure begins when the heroes customers, but when GladCon is in town the place is
decide to check out the arena grounds. absolutely packed. Rooms are available on a first-come,
first-served basis, and cost 1 gp a night. The kitchens
(top left) tend to simplify their menu to accommodate
As you exit the Oblivious Owlbear, you can see that the larger crowds during GladCon, taking most of the
the GladCon traveling arena seems almost like its own guesswork out of what’s available to eat.
village. It stands apart from the rest of Tychinesa, just
far enough that it’s an easy walk but not so close that
Price Dish
the festivities at the Bliv can drown it out.
The arena itself is a 100-foot-square stage with Blood Red Chili: A dish made from locally
1 sp
8-foot walls. Bleachers several rows deep line those sourced beans and peppers.
Black Eye Chili: A dish made from yesterday’s
same edges, allowing their occupants to see every
red chili mixed with a bit of charred yak meat.
bit of action on stage. The east side of the arena faces
2 sp Should you find a yak eye in your bowl you get
toward the village and features a gate through which
a free round of Golem Gladiators (but only if
all ticketed observers pass. There’s also an opening on
you eat it).
the west side, which leads into a fenced-off area filled
Chef’s choice: A roll on the local delicacies
with a number of colorful wagons. 1 gp
table (pg. 68), at GM discretion.
As you approach, you see the boy you heard yelling in
the inn sitting just inside the main gate, his head in his
hands and his shoulders shaking as he weeps. Ale’s Well That Ends Well. The beer at Bliv is legendary
in that, unlike most beers, it can occasionally boost your
abilities (at a cost). Any time a patron consumes a beer,
If the heroes approach Thalmor, he rallies to his feet light or dark, roll 1d10. On a 10, they can boost any Ability
with a game smile and thanks them for coming. He is Score Modifier by +1 for 1 hour. For every beer consumed
thrilled that someone—anyone—might be willing to do after the first, the patron must make a Constitution saving
something to help. throw (DC = 10 + number of beers already consumed).
At first, Thalmor is a little nervous about speaking to On a failed save, they are poisoned for 1 hour, and cannot
the heroes. He says things like, “My Mom told me not to consume beer for 24 hours. Beer costs 1 sp. The benefit
say this, but I can’t take it anymore.” He will reveal the of drinking beer from the Bliv stacks. For the purposes of
following, at GM discretion: determining the consumption DC, the number of beers
consumed resets after a long rest.
• Thalmor loved his father, Thalmike Dutgek.
They’ve lived together in Thalmike’s wagon ever since Fun and Games
he and Thalmor’s mother—Belleri Dutgek—split up.
• Thalmor discovered his father’s death this The Bliv’s main attraction, other than ale, is the Golem
morning after he woke up and realized his father Gladiators table (bottom right, with benches). The cost
wasn’t in the wagon. When he went outside, he to enter is 5 sp, and the winner takes 8 sp (2 sp goes
found his father’s body lying at the base of the to the house). The first person to win three out of five
wagon’s steps in a pool of blood. contested Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks wins the
• A number of people involved with GladCon bout. The Bliv also has a steady influx of individuals
all came out at that point, including Mouna hoping to make a name for themselves as arm wrestling
Strongskull, Ama Hollowhoof, Johanna Welkerson champions. The table designated for this activity is a
and his mother Belleri. four top in the corner, near the windows (bottom left),
• All Thalmor remembers hearing then is screaming and it’s not uncommon for youngsters to gather outside
and crying, much of which he’s sure was his own. the inn to get a better view of the competition going
• Once the initial shock faded, Johanna announced on inside (although, it should be stated that some kids
they had to hide Thalmike’s body and keep the often sneak inside masquerading as halflings so they can
locals from learning about the murder. Otherwise, see their heroes up close).

234 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 9
 One-Shot Adventures

they risked having the entire festival shut down,

possibly permanently. GladCon’s Grounds
• The gladiators stowed Thalmike’s corpse in his
wagon, and Belleri took custody of Thalmor. The gladiators who make up the traveling event known as
• Despite all this, Thalmor hasn’t been able to GladCon sleep just a few gnome feet away from the action
contain his grief, which is why he said what he did of the arena. They stow away each night in large wagons,
in the bar. He wants to investigate the wagons of the some more accommodating than others depending on
other gladiators to see if there are any clues, but he’s seniority and box office draw. The body of Thalmike
afraid of what would happen if he gets caught. Dutgek was found outside his wagon.
• If his mother finds out he’s slipped out of her wagon
again and is actually trying to hire people to solve his Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
father’s murder, she’s sure to be disappointed. And if A large perimeter fence rings the majority of the area
she’s the murderer, well, who knows what she’d do. meant to host the gladiators’ wagons. The fence is always
put up in a bit of a hurry and is as much to protect
Once the heroes get this information out of Thalmor, the privacy of the gladiators as it is to keep them from
Johanna Welkerson spots them and accosts them. stumbling into town late at night after one too many. The
fence is detailed further in the Alternate Routes Inside GM
“Hey!” shouts a half-orc woman striding toward you Note on pg. 238.
at an angle, head and chest first as she rolls up her
sleeves. “If you don’t stop talkin’ to that boy you’re The Comforts of Home
gonna wish you’d never stepped foot in this town. Although their painted wagons are a good sign the
Belleri was very clear. Area’s off-limits anyway. GladCon competitors are in town, the striped tent where
GladCon employees only! What’re you thinkin’, Thal?” Johanna Welkerson sets up her office (center) is also hard
to miss. In addition to the residential wagons, there are a
handful of storage wagons that haul weapons and other
The party can convince Johanna to let them stay with props for use in the event. From top left, the wagons
a successful DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If are:
successful, she mentions there’s a hole in the GladCon
lineup, and if they beat her in combat—as a sort of Thalmike Dutgek’s wagon. His body is now inside.
audition—they can stay. But they’ll have to roll on the Weaponry wagon. This wagon holds just about any sort
Wheel of Fortune and Death or, as some affectionately of martial weapon you can imagine.
call it, “Miss Fortune” (pg. 238). Ama Hollowhoof ’s wagon. A smaller consideration for
If the party fails to charm Johanna, she is ready to come GladCon’s second fiddle, Ama’s wagon has room for a
to blows to make them leave, but Thalmor steps in and twin-sized bed and that’s about it.
explains there’s a hole in the tournament’s lineup. Perhaps a Mess wagon. Because the GladCon competitors often
party member could fill it if they defeat Johanna in combat. find themselves eating on the road, a wagon outfitted
However the party manages to get past Johanna with dry food storage and a basic table and chairs was
(convincing, fighting or sneaking past when she’s deemed a worthwhile investment.
no longer paying attention), the next phase of the Belleri and Thalmor Dutgek’s wagon. The young boy
adventure begins once they’ve made their way to the who tasked the party with investigating his father’s
wagons to investigate things further. murder sleeps here, with his mother.
Johanna Welkerson’s wagon. Because she works
GM NOTE: GETTING PAST JOHANNA and sleeps out of the big tent in the center of the
Beating Johanna in single combat is far easier encampment, Johanna’s wagon is a bit tinier than the
said than done, as she was once a gladiator rest. Gotta cut overhead costs somewhere.
herself. The battles are fought with nonlethal Mouna Strongskull’s wagon. One of GladCon’s most
practice weapons, as determined on the Wheel ferocious competitors also boasts one of its largest
of Fortune and Death table on pg. 238. If the residential wagons, which she inherited from Johanna
first challenger fails to defeat her, she’s willing Welkerson. She sleeps on one of the couches. It’s fine.
to entertain other eager applicants (she’s a little Costumes and props wagon. This wagon features a fine
rusty, but hasn’t lost her taste for giving upstarts collection of furs, leathers and other armor in neutral
a good beating) but each hero only gets one try. colors as well as duplicates in just about any color you
Johanna doesn’t do anything to heal between can name. Hats, vests, scarves, a few tasteful loincloths
rounds of battle, so even a weak group of heroes and boots of varying degrees of quality and fashion
should eventually be able to wear her down. sense are also piled up within. If a player is looking for a
specific prop or ensemble, they can find it with a DC 15
Intelligence (Investigation) check (at GM discretion).

236 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 9
 One-Shot Adventures

If a hero wins the tournament’s open slot, Johanna

congratulates them and welcomes them into the fold. The Wheel of Fortune and Death
“It’s been many a GladCon since I met such worthy The permissible weapons for GladCon battles are
challengers,” she says. “You’ll make a fine addition to chosen on the Wheel of Fortune and Death (“Miss
this year’s festivities.” Fortune”), a large multicolored disk that Johanna
Heroes who can’t beat Johanna in a fair fight, or spins before each battle to keep things interesting.
refuse to engage in one, may be able to find other ways To simulate this, roll on the table below.
into the off-limits parts of the festival. Security is fairly
light, so if they can figure out a way past the fence, they 1d20 Weapon Damage
can roam around freely. Each of the wagons is locked up 1 Gauntlets 1d4 bludgeoning
tight, though, so they must either pick the locks (DC 15) 1d4 slashing—finesse, light,
2 Dagger
or bust them off (AC 10, 10 HP) to get inside each. thrown (range 20/60)
3 Mace 1d6 bludgeoning
GM NOTE: ALTERNATE ROUTES INSIDE 4 Club 1d4 bludgeoning—light
Your players may determine battling a veteran 1d6 piercing—thrown (20/60),
5 Spear
gladiator, even with wooden swords, is not worth the versatile (1d8)
risk to their reputations (or egos). It’s also entirely 1d6 bludgeoning—versatile
6 Quarterstaff
possible that Johanna wipes the dirt with each of (1d8)
them and they’ll be forced to find another means 1d6 slashing—light, thrown
7 Handaxe
of getting into GladCon grounds to continue their (range 20/60)
investigation. The next phase of the adventure 1d8 bludgeoning—versatile
8 Warhammer
assumes the party is inside GladCon’s perimeter (1d10)
fence—if the party can’t manage that, they won’t be 9 Longsword 1d8 slashing—versatile (1d10)
able to solve the murder. While they’ll likely come up 10 Whip 1d4 slashing—finesse, reach
with a few alternate routes into GladCon grounds on 11 Flail 1d8 bludgeoning
their own, here are a few ways to get past Johanna. 1d4 bludgeoning—light,
12 Nunchaku
finesse
• A perimeter search of GladCon’s fences, 2d6 slashing—heavy, two-
represented by a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) 13 Maul
handed
check, would reveal there’s a washout on the far Light 1d8 piercing—ammunition
side of the grounds, creating a gap between the dirt 14 Crossbow (w/ (range 80/320), loading, two-
and the fence that’s big enough for a small creature 5 bolts) handed
to slide through without much effort. Medium Blowgun (w/ 1 piercing—ammunition
15
creatures will need to succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity 10 bolts) (range 25/100), loading
(Acrobatics) check to slide through. Other means of 16 Sickle 1d4 slashing—light
getting through this gap are at GM discretion. 1d6 piercing—thrown (20/60),
• If there’s one thing the competitors at GladCon 17 Trident
versatile (1d8)
love more than applause or puffery, it’s ale. That’s 1d10 slashing—heavy, reach,
why Fortuna Littlespark has arranged for a wagon 18 Glaive
two-handed
full of the stuff to be delivered through the front 19 Net Special, thrown (range 5/15)
gate. The party would see the barrels being loaded Roll four times and put the
near the Bliv and could either sneak inside the weapons in a pile that the
wagon with a successful DC 14 Dexterity (Stealth) The Grab Bag
20 combatants must grab from
group check or attempt to convince Fortuna to of Insanity
the center of the arena when
let them escort the wagon into the grounds with the fight begins.
a DC 16 Charisma (Persuasion) check. Posing as
employees of the Bliv and escorting the wagon
without conferring with Fortuna requires a DC 17
Charisma (Deception) check.
• There aren’t many guards patrolling GladCon’s
grounds, but the ones that are on the job are
quick to action. Any potential threats, especially
noisy ones, are investigated by the full brigade.
At GM discretion, if the party creates some kind
of distraction to lure the guards away from the
grounds, checks to get inside without being
noticed are no longer needed.
Part 3: The Game Is Afoot If it’s in the middle of the day, the owners of the wagon
are likely out and about, but in the middle of the night,
they’re probably asleep inside.
If the heroes snuck into the grounds some other
The private part of the arena is surrounded by
way, they must deal with the constant threat of being
a temporary fence and bordered by eight large
discovered and kicked out. If they’re caught there more
wagons that center on a common area in which sits
than once, Johanna calls all of the gladiators to her side
a large tent bustling with enough activity to rival the
to teach the trespassers a lesson. If the heroes flee, the
barroom at the Bliv. These wooden wagons serve as
gladiators don’t pursue them, but they are happy to give
homes on wheels for GladCon’s team.
anyone who stands up to them a proper beating.
Three of the wagons—one on each side not facing
This is the heroes’ chance to investigate the murder scene
the arena—are massive, clearly used as bunkhouses
and ask questions of the people there. Many interesting
for the staff bustling in and out of them. The other
things can be found in the various principals’ wagons,
five are smaller but more luxurious and elaborately
which serve not only as their transports but their homes.
decorated. They each have the name of their resident
They come painted in bright colors and have wooden
painted across their sides in bright letters: Thalmike,
walls and roofs, complete with shingles, like cabins on
Belleri, Mouna, Ama and Johanna.
wheels. The rest of the company—which includes drivers,
assistants, cooks and such—ride on the smaller wagons and
sleep in the large tent when they make camp.
How much access the heroes have to various places in
If the heroes are thorough in their investigation, they
the fenced-off area behind the arena depends on when
should learn—both here and in the following section—
they enter it and how. If one of them won the open slot
that each of the principals of GladCon had the motive,
in the tournament, the people there mostly ignore the
means and opportunity to murder Thalmike. The only
party—at least until they try to enter one of the wagons.
question is: who actually did it?

GM NOTE: JUST ONE MORE THING… check, provided the party’s snooping isn’t hindered
There are a number of NPCs the heroes can speak to by other NPCs. These checks are made with
and locations they can visit in any order they please advantage if the party has some idea what they’re
in order to suss out what happened to Thalmike. looking for, and rumors they uncover while
As the heroes explore, they are bound to run into interviewing one NPC should give them a good idea
the primary suspects. These suspects have had their of what to look for while investigating another.
thoughts divided up into three different categories.
And then there’s the proof... Assuming they are asked the right questions,
each NPC freely gives up the things they Know
Know. These are things an NPC is certain of, either and Think, but the distinction between those two
about themselves and about the current situation. categories is important—some people think things
Something an NPC knows should be held as fact that aren’t necessarily true. It’s harder to get NPCs
by the GM. Whether players choose to believe this to admit what they Hide. A high (DC 20) Charisma
information is up to them. or Intimidation check might convince some of
Think. This is information an NPC believes or has them to fess up, but to really corner them, the party
speculated about the other suspects. Sometimes might want to gather evidence first.
speculation is as good as the truth, but a DC 13 Evidence can be used to confront a corresponding
Wisdom (Insight) check on anything an NPC thinks NPC and force them to confess what they Hide,
would reveal it’s an opinion rather than fact. And lowering the DC associated with that check to 12.
opinions can be self-serving or self-deceiving. Exposed NPCs continue to make excuses and claim
Hide. Every NPC has something they’re keeping to they are not the murderer, but these confrontations
themselves, for reasons that are their own (namely, can create a great deal of suspicion.
these facts might make them look guilty). The things If this formula starts to get stale, throw a couple
an NPC hides should be considered fact by the GM of extra checks in to keep the players on their
and are only be revealed to the party if they ask the toes. Encourage the heroes to distract NPCs while
right questions or put various pieces together during other members of the party snoop through their
their investigation. things. Or maybe certain gruffer NPCs only feel
Evidence. Every suspect has at least one item or bit comfortable giving up all they Know after a bit of
of intel that speaks to possible motives for killing persuasion or a bribe.
Thalmike that can be uncovered with a DC 15 Once the heroes investigate enough to feel they
Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) have found their culprit, you can move to Part 4.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 239

 One-Shot Adventures

Thalmor Dutgek • When Fortuna finally kicked them out, they all
Thalmor (and his mother Belleri) can be found hanging staggered back to the arena together. Or at least that’s
around their wagon, just outside the fenced-off arena how she remembers it. The end of the evening is a
grounds. Thalmor is happy to see the party. Belleri is little fuzzy.
decidedly less thrilled. • With a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight)
check, a member of the party notices that Belleri is
Thalmor Knows particularly sad. If they ask why, she sighs and reveals
• Something has been wrong with his parents for her feelings:
a while. They fight all the time, and not just in the
arena for the crowds. “I met Thalmike on the gladiator circuit and instantly
• His mother moved out of their wagon and into one fell for him. I had harbored hopes of becoming an
of her own a few weeks ago, leaving Thalmor to stay adventurer like him, but he convinced me that was
with his father. a fool’s game when there was far easier money to be
• The night of the murder, Thalmor didn’t hear made performing as a gladiator. He took me under his
anything happen. He went to sleep by himself, which wing and trained me. He set my heart on fire. Taught
was pretty standard for him, as his parents often me how to dodge, to lean into a blow. And then…he
wind up at local inns late into the night, hyping their taught me what it feels like to have your heart ripped
upcoming matches. out of your chest. I should have seen it coming.”
Thalmor Thinks
• He loves his mother and staunchly defends her from Belleri Thinks
any accusations. While she might have split from her • Thalmike was a terrible father and scoundrel,
father, she would never have killed him. Not like that. always stepping out on her. She’s happy to have
• He heard his mom screaming about “making eyes at Thalmor back in her custody.
Mouna,” but he doesn’t understand what that means. • Thalmor is a kind but temperamental boy. His
• His Uncle Ama is a fun pal who always brings him father taught him how to let his emotions loose in the
neat presents. Ama and Thalmike got along really well. gladiatorial ring.
• Johanna used to be a great gladiator. She helps him • Thalmike and Ama had a close relationship, forged
with his sparring practice sometimes. from their old adventuring days. Belleri always gave
• It’s odd how the nice lady who runs the Bliv is them space to revel in nostalgia, but never really
always jotting down stuff in her notebook—and not enjoyed it.
just for orders. • Thalmike was cheating on her with his old
adventuring pal Mouna.
Thalmor Hides • While they were setting up the arena for GladCon,
• Thalmor is furious with his parents for splitting up. Belleri saw Johanna and Thalmike get into a
The other gladiators have seen him throwing fits. shouting match. She’s not sure what it was about.
• Thalmike was up to something with Fortuna. Not
Evidence an affair—Fortuna wasn’t his type—but they were
• Thalmor keeps a doodling journal in Belleri’s meeting privately in the Bliv after close.
wagon. It contains a dozen or so childish drawings of
Thalmike with his eyes crossed out. Belleri Hides
• She was planning on taking Thalmor and leaving
Belleri Dutgek Thalmike behind once GladCon ended. She told
Thalmike as much the night he was murdered.
Belleri is leaning against her wagon, staring off at
the horizon as she sharpens her axe. She seems lost Evidence
in thought, barely noticing your approach. When she • Belleri still has a partially packed bag stuffed
does see you, she turns quickly, eyes wide. “So my boy beneath her bed in her wagon.
roped you into this. Well then, what do you want?”
Mouna Strongskull
Mouna can be found just inside the arena, sitting on
Belleri Knows a bench and polishing her sword. She seems annoyed
• She was asleep in her wagon when Thalmike’s body and on edge, perhaps a bit hungover. When the heroes
was discovered. approach, she grunts out, “Make it quick, I got steel to
• She and the rest of the gladiators—including polish. When the blade is clean, you can see the new
Thalmike—had been at the Oblivious Owlbear into blood better. Crowd loves it.”
the wee hours the night before.
Mouna Knows Thalmike—had been at the Oblivious Owlbear into
• She has been a part of GladCon since Johanna the wee hours the night before the murder.
started it. In fact, she was a member of Thalmike’s • When Fortuna kicked them out, they all staggered
original adventuring party. back to the arena together. After a bit of drunken
• Mouna and Thalmike had a torrid affair back in sword practice, most of them stumbled back to their
their old adventuring days, but they’ve been just tents. He recalls that Belleri, Johanna and Thalmike
friends for many years now, a fact hammered home were still in the arena when he left. He might have
after Thalmike got married. seen Mouna and Fortuna in the dark on his way
• She and the rest of the gladiators—including home, but he’s not sure.
Thalmike—were at the Oblivious Owlbear into the
wee hours the night before the murder. Ama Thinks
• She left the party early, returning to her tent to rest • He openly praises Thalmike as a fellow competitor
up for the tournament. and friend, but it doesn’t take an Insight check to
recognize that he doesn’t really mean it.
Mouna Thinks • Thalmor is a brat. “That kid’s always crying or
• She no longer has any feelings for Thalmike beyond moaning about something or other.”
friendship, although she seems more moved by his • Belleri is a fine woman. He finds it hard to stand by
demise than anyone other than Thalmor. knowing how Thalmike treated her.
• Thalmor is a little scamp. She likes to help him with • Mouna and Thalmike had been close for a long
his sword practice. time, and he’s heard rumors of some sort of treasure
• Belleri is acting suspicious. A couple of days ago she the two tucked away together when their adventuring
saw Belleri packing a bag like she was getting ready days ended.
to make a quick escape. • Fortuna is a fantastic bartender but not much else.
• Ama is an idiot. He always thought he was hot stuff, He’s not a fan of gambling.
but he was never half the fighter Thalmike was. • Johanna is a consummate businesswoman, if a bit
• Fortuna is a crooked bookie, rigging the fights and stern. She doesn’t like to have her bottom line messed
the odds in her own favor (she has no proof, just a with, and she works her people hard.
sneaking suspicion after losing too many bets).
• Johanna had been upset with Thalmike lately. She Ama Hides
saw them arguing after practice matches. • He was wildly jealous of Thalmike’s place in the
spotlight.
Mouna Hides
• She didn’t go to sleep after leaving the party. Instead, Evidence
she practiced her sword skills outside the arena. • There’s a scroll hidden in one of Ama’s backup
• Mouna and Thalmike’s adventuring party buried combat boots set by the edge of the arena. It shows
the bulk of their last dungeon haul and made a pact sketches for a new gladiator costume, one fit for the
that the last one of them alive could claim it all. star of the show. A handwritten note says “Once Thal’s
out of the picture.” It’s Johanna’s handwriting, which
Evidence would be revealed if the note were compared to other
• The adventurers’ treasure pact is written on a scroll items in her office.
in a small chest in the footlocker by her bed.
Johanna Welkerson
Ama Hollowhoof Johanna can be found in her office—a small tent that
Ama can always be found practicing in the arena, sits smack dab in the middle of the great communal tent
slashing up training dummies, trying to improve his in the center of the wagons. She is receptive to visitors,
skills. The heroes can hear his exertion long before they so a simple knock on the tent flap grants the heroes a
spot him. When they approach, he forces a practiced meeting, which starts with a “How do ya do, strangers?
smile on his face. Long time no see! Get yer butts in here!”
“Traveling spectators, I presume? Is there anything I
may assist you with?” Johanna Knows
• She didn’t start out as an adventurer. She began
Ama Knows fighting for her life in a lethal arena, the kind where
• He was the first person to join Johanna’s only the winners walked away. Her skills brought her
gladiatorial company. The first several GladCons to the top, but she knew that her strength and skill
featured the two of them battling each other and could only hold out so long. To save her own life, she
anyone who dared to challenge them. created GladCon so she could make a living from her
• He and the rest of the gladiators—including skills without mortal danger to her life or any of the

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 241

 One-Shot Adventures

other gladiators who joined her. Fortuna Thinks

• Johanna was not at the Bliv the night Thalmike • Thalmike could be difficult to work with, but he was
was killed. She was alone in her office preparing a great fighter and gladiator—one of the best she’s
for the next day’s festivities. She realizes no one can ever seen.
corroborate this. • Thalmor is a good kid, if a bit precious. She was
• From inside her office, she saw Thalmike, Belleri, worried about his home situation, what with his
Mouna, Ama, and Fortuna walking back and forth parents having recently separated.
between the arena and the campground that night, • Belleri is a good mother and a mid-tier fighter. A
but she can’t remember what order they passed by in fine drinking friend, but not the kind of person she’d
or how many times each one passed by. put money on.
• Mouna is a great fighter, but Fortuna doesn’t spare
Johanna Thinks her much thought beyond that.
• Thalmike is awful, but she won’t say it outright. She • Ama is stuck up. Fortuna’s seen him drunk enough
deflects any questions about him, saying, “I have no to claim he could whip Thalmike in a fair match, but
wish to speak ill of the dead.” he’s only fooling himself.
• Thalmor is a good boy who always volunteers to • Johanna is grouchy and regularly harasses Fortuna
help set up the arena. over her bookmaking business. Fortuna suspects
• Belleri is a wonderful gladiator and mother, despite Johanna might have killed Thalmike, though she
her taste in men. doesn’t know quite why.
• Mouna’s a fine performer, but no friend. She and
Thalmike were always meeting in private. They had Fortuna Hides
to be up to no good. • She was overinvested in bets against Thalmike in this
• Ama and Thalmike’s performative friendship in the year’s GladCon. Now that he’s dead, her finances are
ring and out was not as real as it seemed. safe.
• Fortuna’s betting pool is a leech on her business.
She suspects Fortuna had something to do with Evidence
Thalmike’s murder, but has no proof. • Fortuna keeps track of the GladCon betting pool in
a little brown notebook she hides behind the bar in
Johanna Hides the Bliv. It would show her bookings are firmly in the
• She was fed up with Thalmike. She’d been black now that Thalmike is no longer competing.
considering removing him from the company—by
any means necessary. GM NOTE: INVESTIGATING THE BODY
The party can ask NPCs in the GladCon grounds
Evidence about Thalmike, but the only evidence the party
• A draft for a poster promoting next year’s GladCon is getting from Thalmike himself is what they can
is stuffed inside Johanna’s desk. Thalmike is not discern from his corpse. The body is tucked away
included on the roster. on the floor of Thalmike’s old wagon. Any of the
suspects can point the heroes toward it.
Fortuna Littlespark If they inspect Thalmike’s body, a successful
Fortuna can always be found in the Bliv. She’s wiping DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) or Intelligence
down the bar when the heroes enter, and her eyes flash (Investigation) check reveals he was stabbed in
with recognition: “Aye! You lot again. Anything I can the back once. The blade slipped between his ribs
help you with?” and found his heart. With this information in
hand, any PC with the Criminal background or of
Fortuna Knows the Rogue class could hazard an educated guess
• She makes the most money off GladCon every that this was the act of a trained killer who knew
year—and not just from the people who patronize her exactly how and where to strike.
inn throughout the event. The murder weapon was found near
• She earns a tidy sum as the most trusted bookmaker Thalmike’s body and currently lies next to his
in the region. More money passes through her hands corpse. Any of the other gladiators—including
due to betting on the tournament than it does for Johanna—can identify it as one of the weapons
everything else she does all year. used in the arena battles for various tricks and
• She and all the gladiators—including Thalmike— stunts. The heroes themselves can identify it
were at the Oblivious Owlbear into the wee hours the as such with a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check.
night before the murder. Thalmor and Belleri know this knife was a
• When the rest of the gladiators stumbled out into favorite of Thalmike’s from his adventuring days.
the night, she stayed behind to lock up. She claims
she spent the rest of the night sleeping at the Bliv.
Part 4: Knives Out Ama’s Motive
Once the heroes have fully investigated GladCon, the Ama always respected Thalmike’s prowess in the arena,
murder and all the people potentially involved, it’s but the reverse wasn’t true at all. Soon after he joined
time for them to think hard about what they’ve learned the company, Thalmike shoved Ama aside. Ama has
and what they can do about it. They can sort this out often felt that if Thalmike left the company, he would
wherever they please, but if they’re looking for a good be able to resume his role as the center of the company’s
spot they could do a lot worse than the Oblivious attention. He hoped that might finally happen when
Owlbear—at least they serve ale. Thalmike and Belleri split up, but when neither left the
company, those hopes were dashed.
Ama dutifully played the role Johanna had conceived
GM NOTE: AND THE KILLER IS… for him, of Thalmike’s best friend, at least when they
were in the arena. Over time, their real-life friendship
This mystery has intentionally been set up so turned sour. When Ama got wind Belleri was leaving
that any one of the major suspects could have Thalmike, he decided it was time to eliminate his old
committed Thalmike’s murder. It’s up to the GM friend and reclaim his place as the company’s leading
to pick one of them as the killer, either based on man.
what you think would be the most fun outcome
for your party or on whomever the party suspects Johanna’s Motive
most (players will love to think they solved the After bringing Thalmike into the fold, Johanna retired
mystery, even if you know the truth). from the arena—or at least from fighting in it. She was
Don’t want to choose? Roll on the table below happy to hand over the spotlight to a new generation
to name the criminal, then read on to find out and set herself up as the master of ceremonies instead.
more about the killer’s motive. She often marveled at how everything went so well over
the years—and how Thalmike seemed determined to
1d20 The Murderer screw it all up.
1-3 Belleri Dutgek The affairs, the way he lorded his fame over his peers,
4-6 Mouna Strongskull the way he disrespected his wife. It was all destined
7-9 Ama Hollowhoof to come crashing down on him sooner or later, and
10-13 Johanna Welkerson Johanna had begun to fight with him about this. If he
hadn’t been GladCon’s biggest star, she would have
14-15 Fortuna Littlespark
sent him packing a long time ago. She finally got sick of
16-19 All of the above having to deal with it all and decided to make a clean
20 Thalmor Dutgek and permanent break with him the best way she knew
how: stabbing him in the back.
Belleri’s Motive
Thalmike’s wife finally got tired of him cheating on her. Fortuna’s Motive
When she threatened to leave him, he forcibly took Fortuna prefers stability when it comes to GladCon—or
custody of Thalmor and told her if she tried to escape at least unpredictability that she could orchestrate.
the company, he’d kill their son. She saw no other choice It helps her set the odds for any kinds of bets made
than to kill Thalmike first. on the event, and to make sure that she nets herself
a nice profit. The untimely death of Thalmike might
Mouna’s Motive cost Fortuna a small fortune in potential profits lost.
When word got out the only other surviving member of Of course, if she’d made a mistake in calculating the
their old adventuring party had been robbed and killed, odds this year and wanted to tip the scales back into her
Mouna saw her chance. She proposed to Thalmike favor, removing Thalmike from the tournament would
that they abandon the company—and his wicked wife be a quick way to manage it.
and child—as soon as they reached the right spot on Things have been a lot harder in Tychinesa than it
the circuit, go claim the remaining treasure from their would seem. Fortuna decided to make up for this by
adventuring days and retire on a secluded beach. When giving people juicy odds on Thalmike winning GladCon
he rejected her plan and her advances, she decided to and guaranteeing her profits by paying Thalmike a hefty
take him out to grab the loot herself. fee to take a fall in the final match. After Thalmike and
Belleri split, though, Thalmike couldn’t bear the thought
of disappointing Thalmor, so he told Fortuna the deal
was off. Unwilling to soak up the losses from his change
of heart, she had no choice but to arrange for all the bets
to be called off—via Thalmike’s murder.

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 One-Shot Adventures

All of the Above Part 5: The Killer Revealed

For all of the above reasons, all of Thalmike’s partners Once the party has chosen who they believe is the
in the company, plus Fortuna, had a reason to want him killer, the next phase of this adventure begins with a
dead—and they all knew it. They conspired to murder confrontation. At GM discretion, augment the flavor
him and swore to never tell another soul of their crime. text below as needed when the party comes face to face
The moment one of them is credibly accused of the with the person (or persons) they believe to be guilty.
murder, though, the accused will crack and reveal all of When the party figure out who the killer is and go to
the others were involved too. confront them (unless it’s Thalmor), they are still in for
This is the most dangerous result for the heroes. a surprise. If they have somehow managed to contain
If there’s just one killer, the other suspects can band the killer before confronting them, the killer laughs and
together with the heroes to help capture them and tells them to go to the arena to find something more
make them pay. At the very least, they can stay out of pressing than justice for Thalmike. If the party hasn’t
the heroes’ way. But if all the suspects are in on it, they managed to contain the killer, when they go to confront
would attempt to fight the party at once, desperate them, they discover the killer has captured Thalmor and
to cover up any loose ends before their lives and is holding the boy hostage in the middle of the arena,
reputations are destroyed. bound, gagged and tied to a stake.
Thalmor’s Motive
This is the least likely and darkest of the possibilities. The simple suspect you knew is gone. In their place
Thalmor didn’t want his family to break up, and he knew stands a cold-eyed maniac pressing a knife to
his father was threatening his mother. When he saw the Thalmor’s throat. The boy is bound, gagged and tied
chance, Thalmor used his martial training—everything up to a post in the center of the arena.
he’d learned from his father and the others—to take down Sweat runs down the killer’s face. They know that
a target more than twice his size. this is their last stand. They turn to face you and
Unfortunately, Thalmor could see the suspicion in his scream, “Come get me!”
mother’s eyes every time he looked at her. He brought
the party in to solve the murder in the hopes that they
could pin the killing on someone else, thereby clearing In addition to kidnapping Thalmor—unbeknownst to
his name. the heroes—the killer has engaged a number of secret
If this is the result, skip the final part of the adventure. traps all around the arena’s floor. These traps are tied
Instead, the heroes and Belleri must figure out what to to pressure plates, each 5 feet by 5 feet. They’re often
do with Thalmor now that they know the truth. sprung in the middle of tournament matches to keep
the battles exciting and surprising, but the killer has
repurposed them as a means of defense. The killer
knows where the traps are, but the party does not. These
traps can be located with a successful DC 15 Wisdom
(Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check (or by
stepping on them, triggering the trap).
The killer doesn’t expect to survive this final
confrontation, but they’re racked with guilt over what
they did and are ready to meet their fate. They just want
to go out the way they always hoped to: in a blaze of
glory, battling in the arena.
For the traps and hazards involved, roll on the table
at right four times and place them in random areas on
the arena map. The arena is a 100-foot-square stage
with 8-foot walls. During this climactic confrontation,
the killer tries to force or lure the heroes into entering
a trapped area. As soon as a trap goes off, the killer
pounces on the nearest injured hero to try to finish them
off before moving on to the other heroes.
1d20 Trap
1-5 Poison Darts
6-10 Ensnaring Stones
11-15 Spike Pit
16-20 Fire Plate
Poison Darts Fire Plate
When a creature steps on a hidden pressure plate, The trap activates when more than 20 pounds of weight
poison‑tipped darts shoot from underneath. is placed on the pressure plate, causing the entire tile
The trap activates when more than 20 pounds of weight and every tile touching it on four sides to release a gout
is placed on the pressure plate, releasing four darts. of flame. Any creature on an affected tile must make
Each dart makes a ranged attack with a +8 bonus a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 11 (2d10) fire
against a random target within 10 feet of the pressure damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a
plate (vision is irrelevant to this attack roll). If there successful one.
are no targets in the area, the darts don’t hit anything. A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or
A target that is hit takes 2 (1d4) piercing damage and Wisdom (Perception) check would reveal a series of
must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, scorch marks that form a vague 15-foot X centered on
taking 11 (2d10) poison damage on a failed save or half the triggering tile. A spell or other effect that can sense
as much damage on a success. This trap resets after the presence of magic, such as detect magic, reveals an
activation. It has 20 total darts. aura of evocation magic around the statue.
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
check reveals the presence of the pressure plate from
variations in the mortar and stone used to create it, GM NOTE: BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME
compared to the surrounding floor. Wedging an iron If the party pursues a suspect that isn’t the killer
spike or other object under the pressure plate prevents as selected by the table or the GM, the real killer
the trap from activating. Stuffing the tiny dart holes will only reveal themselves at GM discretion.
with cloth or wax prevents the darts from launching. Perhaps not at all. The accused will deny their
guilt in as many ways as they can, but will
Ensnaring Stones defend themselves and their honor to the death
This trap uses a pressure plate that activates when if the accusations continue, at which point the
more than 20 pounds of weight is placed upon it. Once adventure will conclude.
triggered, the stone magically transforms into a simple
net that surges upward 10 feet off the ground. Any
creature within 10 feet of the trap once triggered must
succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to dodge The Aftermath
out of the way of the rising net. On a failed save, they When the battle is over, if the killer remains alive, they
are restrained 10 feet above the ground. A creature can can confirm for the heroes why they killed Thalmike.
use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing Otherwise, any of the other suspects who weren’t
itself or another creature within its reach on a success. involved in the murder can help them fill in the gaps in
The net has AC 10 and 20 hit points. Dealing 5 slashing their knowledge.
damage to the net destroys a 5-foot-square section of The guiltless survivors try to thank the heroes for
it, freeing any creatures trapped within. Casting dispel their help, but it seems clear that the revelation of
magic would immediately dismiss the trap. this betrayal is doomed to shatter the already battered
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) gladiator company. Until this point, many of them had
check reveals the presence of the pressure plate from tried to tell themselves that Thalmike had been killed in
variations in the mortar and stone used to create it, a robbery gone wrong and that his killer would never be
compared to the surrounding floor. found. Now they must reckon with the knowledge that
this was not a random murder and figure out what that
Spike Pit means for each of them.
The stonework in this portion of the arena is illusory, No matter what, Thalmor thanks the heroes for their
hiding a 20-foot-deep pit trap with sharpened wooden help (even if he turned out to be the killer). Now that
spikes at the bottom. A creature falling into the pit takes the truth has been revealed, he can hope to move on
5 (1d10) piercing damage from the spikes in addition to from these horrors and do his best to start life anew.
any falling damage. Climbing out of the pit requires a
successful DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check.
A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or
Wisdom (Perception) check would reveal the illusory
tile doesn’t look quite like the rest in the arena.

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 One-Shot Adventures

NPCs Mouna Strongskull

The victim’s old flame and number one rival, Mouna
These NPCs are all suspects in the murder of beloved
(but also somewhat despised) gladiator Thalmike Strongskull is a powerful human gladiator with a neck
Dutgek. Unless otherwise noted, their stat blocks are at as thick as her thighs (which are pretty thick).
GM discretion. Mouna wields a greataxe and wears an armored
breastplate. She has an almost terrifying laugh.
Thalmor Dutgek
The son of a murdered gladiator, Thalmor is an Mouna Strongskull
impressionable boy of about 8 years old. He knows a Medium humanoid (human)
handful of rudimentary combat skills, but ultimately
he’s a little kid. The only scenario in which you Armor Class 16
Hit Points 77 (8d12 + 23)
need to be concerned about Thalmor’s stats is if he’s Speed 40 ft.
somehow injured in the hostage situation or if the party
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
determines he’s the murderer and decides to attack. He
uses the scout stat block. Thalmor has a low AC and low 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 9 (-1)
hp, but if he hits 0 hp, he doesn’t immediately die. Make Saving Throws Strength +7, Constitution +5
death saving throws for Thalmor as if he were a PC with Skills Intimidation +2, Perception +4
no Constitution modifiers. Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 7 (3,900 XP)
Belleri Dutgek
An elven woman who now serves as a single mother Grappler. Mouna has advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to
following the death of her ex, Thalmike, Belleri is a both initiate and resist a grapple.
Rage (4/long rest). As a bonus action, Mouna can enter a rage
brutal lady whose lithe frame belies her ability within state for up to 1 minute. In this state, she is resistant to all
the arena. She is fierce, forceful and full of pride in her non-magical damage and her weapon attacks deal an extra +2
son (even if he does sneak off every now and again). damage.
Belleri wields a greatsword and shield and Frenzy Attack. While in a rage, Mouna can make a single melee
wears chain mail. She doesn’t take kindly to being attack as a bonus action on each of her turns.
underestimated or underappreciated.
Actions
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage.
Belleri Dutgek
Medium humanoid (elf)

Armor Class 18
Hit Points 60 (7d10 + 25)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 9 (-1) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Strength +5, Constitution +5

Skills Acrobatics +5, Athletics +5, Perception +4, Sleight of Hand
+5, Survival +4, Disadvantage on Stealth (while wielding shield)
Senses passive Perception 14, darkvision 60 ft.
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Grappler. Belleri has advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to

both initiate and resist a grapple.
Extra Attack. Belleri can make two attacks whenever she takes the
Attack action.
Action Surge (1/short rest). Belleri gains the ability to take an
additional action on her turn.

Actions
Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
target. Hit: 8 (2d6 + 1) slashing damage.
Ama Hollowhoof Johanna Welkerson
A dwarven gladiator with the charm of a leading man GladCon’s master of ceremonies, Johanna is also an
but the plight of second fiddle, Ama was the victim’s tag- ex-gladiator who knows her way around a sword and
team buddy in the arena. shield. Or bow. Or spear. Or whips. Or a flail. She’s
Mouna wields a shortsword and wears a set of scale mail. really good.

Ama Hollowhoof Johanna Welkerson

Medium humanoid (dwarf) Medium humanoid (half-orc)

Armor Class 16 Armor Class 19

Hit Points 64 (6d10 + 29) Hit Points 68 (7d12 + 23)
Speed 25 ft. Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)

Saving Throws +6 Strength, +6 Constitution Saving Throws +6 Strength, +5 Constitution

Skills Perception +4, Survival +4 Skills Intimidation +3, Perception +4
Senses passive Perception 14 Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Dwarvish Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Spinning Strike. Ama wields only a single shortsword, but he is Rage (4/long rest). As a bonus action, Johanna can enter a
supremely quick with it, whirling like a top to strike. He can make rage state for up to 1 minute. In this state, she is resistant to all
three Attack actions with his shortsword on each of his turns. non-magical damage and her weapon attacks deal an extra +2 to
damage.
Trip Attack (3/long rest). As part of an attack, Johanna can add
Actions 1d8 to the attack roll. If the attack hits, the target must succeed
on a DC 16 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the target is
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
knocked prone.
Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage.

Fortuna Littlespark
Actions
Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7
A halfling innkeeper in town, Fortuna is the owner of (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
the Oblivious Owlbear. In addition to the money made
from the influx of customers during the gladiators’
visits to town, Fortuna also gains quite a bit of cash as a
bookie managing bets on the fights on the side. Fortuna
is a civilian, entirely untrained in combat.
If she’s the killer, she takes Thalmor hostage, but only
so that she can try to escape. She attempts to flee the
arena as soon as the first trap goes off. If forced into
open combat, she immediately surrenders.
She uses the commoner stat block, with the following
added feature:

• Smooth Criminal: Fortuna has a +7 Charisma

(Deception) bonus and a +10 Dexterity (Sleight of
Hand) bonus. She makes checks related to either
skill at advantage.

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 One-Shot Adventures

Animated
Defense
The party must come to the aid of a small town whose common
folk are on the run from their seemingly sentient common items.
An Adventure by Jim Davis, Suitable for Levels 2–6

S
ome weeks ago, the eccentric transmuter village. The townsfolk are poorly equipped to handle
Nimbus Goldenhand went missing, leaving his emergencies and expect the noble’s well-liked bailiff,
tower empty. Gentry Thorne, his resentful and Axel Cobblepot, to see to the security of the village.
indebted apprentice, robbed the tower with the
aid of two dwarven thieves from Tradecross, the nearby GM NOTE: PRE-ADVENTURE TIMELINE
town. Successful, the trio went their separate ways, but For the most part, the timing of background
they weren’t the only locals to rob the tower. Now the events isn’t crucial to playing the adventure,
tower’s magical defenses are aggressively active: banks but GMs will find having a solid grasp of what
of mist billow out from it, animating nearby objects happened when is helpful as the players begin
that awaken to defend the wizard’s interests. The village investigating the cause of the mists. To help with
leaders beseech the party to investigate the source of that, here’s a quick summary of the adventure
the mists as bizarre rumors of walking cottages and background presented as a timeline of events.
phalanxes of marching farm tools grow increasingly 1 month ago: Nimbus Goldenhand leaves his
frequent. tower unexpectedly, without telling anyone. Gentry
Thorne, his too-young-to-be-bald-but-thems-the-
Adventure Location breaks assistant, finds out two days later and is
Tradecross is a large, prosperous village that sits at the immediately suspicious.
intersection of two trade routes running through the 2 weeks ago: After weeks of investigation and
farmland provinces of the realm. Given its location, the waiting, Gentry concludes Nimbus will be gone
village offers travelers goods and services normally only indefinitely and starts planning the robbery.
found in larger towns. Tradecross’s most notable building 1 week ago: Gentry meets with the Stone siblings,
is an imposing stone tower, the remains of an old and the three rob Nimbus’s tower. Elspeth
windmill converted into a tavern, which dominates the overhears part of their plans.
low hill south of the crossroads. Surrounding Tradecross 1 day ago: Elspeth waits almost a week before
are miles of rich farmland set amid gentle hills dotted she enters the tower and sets off the alarm
with hamlets connected by meandering footpaths. glyphs. The tower’s defenses activate. Gentry
Wildflower meadows and dense woods separate the and Grundle get into an argument over the
nearby settlements and provide plenty of hiding spaces correct pronunciation of the stolen spellbook’s
for other creatures who call the region home. password. Gentry mispronounces the password
The inhabitants of Tradecross, mostly humans, and is petrified. The Stone siblings take refuge
halflings, dwarves and half-elves, tend to be more in their basement and are continually assailed by
cosmopolitan than most villagers and are used to seeing animated versions of their stuff.
all sorts of odd travelers from afar. The villagers have Today: Refugees from outlying farms arrive in
enjoyed many years of peace and in that time have Tradecross with stories of a strange mist that
become complacent with regard to their own defense. causes tools and buildings to animate.
Furthermore, the ruling noble is an absentee landlord
who keeps a minimal staff on his estate near the
Setting Up GM NOTE: ANIMATING MISTS
This adventure features several NPCs, detailed starting
Nimbus’s tower’s primary defense is a magic mist
on pg. 262. Having a sense of who these individuals are,
that animates unoccupied non-magical structures
what the party might be able to learn from them and
and unattended non-magical items and compels
how each plays into the story that will unfold is a good
them to act in defense of the tower.
idea, but much of the important information is outlined
In a chamber underneath the tower, an intricate
within each section of the adventure as you progress.
arrangement of arcane glyphs, magical liquids
There are also quite a few animated objects listed
and precious metals forms the magic battery
throughout the adventure, a result of the strange mists
which powers the mists. The mists originate
emanating from Nimbus’s tower. The mists, and their
from this device, spreading out from the tower in
effect on normal objects, are outlined on this page.
swirling banks of silvery fog flecked with sparks
The adventure begins with the party’s arrival
of multicolored light. The banks of mist emerge
in Tradecross. How they ended up here is at GM
sporadically and advance at an uneven pace.
discretion, but here are some suggestions for hooks to
At the start of the adventure, the mists have
get the party involved:
engulfed only a small number of farmsteads but
Just Passing Through. The party is traveling
as they spread, they will reach Tradecross and the
to some other place along a road that passes through
stonework of Mill Hill Tavern, adding the many
Tradecross. Travelers they meet while on the road
objects found there to the tower’s defenses.
inform them of the refugees arriving in the village and
Objects animate 1 minute after the mist enters
the rumors about animated farm tools wandering the
an object or structure’s space. The mist has no
countryside. Optionally, the characters’ unattended
effect on natural objects—only crafted ones. An
belongings wander off during a misty night, leaving a trail
animated object removed from the mist reverts to
toward the tower. This is the default assumption of the
its inanimate form 1 round after leaving the mist.
adventure.
Additionally, the mists provide light
Hometown Heroes. One or more of the party calls
obscurement and limit visibility to a maximum of
Tradecross and its surrounding farmland home and
100 feet.
their neighbors encourage them to use their adventurous
An item is unattended if it isn’t being worn,
talents to investigate the mists. If using this hook, give the
held, carried or used by an intelligent creature.
player(s) a summary of Tradecross and one or more of the
Intelligent creatures in an area of the mist can
following pieces of background information (which could
safely wear clothes and use items so long as those
also be discovered by other PCs through conversation-
objects are on their person or held in hand. If a
based encounters):
creature stops attending to a non-magical item
while in an area of mist, they have 1 minute to
• The eccentric wizard Nimbus Goldenhand lives in
retrieve the item before it animates.
a secluded tower on a forested hill a few miles north
Most objects animated by the mists march
of the village.
slowly toward the tower by the most convenient
• Nimbus’s apprentice is a regular at Mill Hill
route and add their services to the tower’s
Tavern but hasn’t been seen all week.
fortifications. They are indifferent to creatures
• There are rumors that several locals recently broke
that leave them alone but will defend themselves
into the wizard’s tower and stole valuable magic
if stopped or interfered with. Other objects patrol
items.
an ever-widening area around the tower and
• Travelers report that a belligerent dwarf bandit is
are hostile to humanoids and other intelligent
robbing folks on the road.
creatures. Objects that intelligent creatures
• Farmers claim there’s a mist coming down from
regularly handled before becoming animated
the hills that’s causing their farm tools to sprout legs
(tools, utensils, doors, clothing, etc.) tend to be
and run away.
more intelligent themselves and understand
Common but cannot speak it. Some, however,
Favor for a Friend. The mentor of one of the PCs
possess the ability to write if they have a pointy
(preferably a bard, sorcerer or wizard) is a friend of
end and fresh mud or dirt (or, gods forbid, blood).
Nimbus Goldenhand who promised to check in on
Unless otherwise noted, animated objects use
Nimbus’s home while he’s away. The mentor asks the PC
the homunculus stat block without a fly speed.
to stop by the tower and make sure everything is in order.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 249

 One-Shot Adventures

Part 1: Welcome to Tradecross Town Square

Tradecross The tiny town of Tradecross (or big village, depending on
whom you ask) is under attack! Since most folks would
The late-morning sun shines brightly as the smell of find themselves at Mill Hill Tavern before the week is
wildflowers gives way to the malodorous scents of out anyway, that’s where everyone for miles around has
Tradecross’s crowded stables and the unmistakable gathered. There’s only one problem: it’s crowded and
smell of smoke. The oversized village straddles starting to fill with smoke (OK, two problems).
the intersection of two major roads, its south end
dominated by an imposing stone tower and its north A Simple (Crowded) Square
end stretched out along the paved road. There is The buildings in the town square are (clockwise from top
much commotion today as concerned farmers and left) a general store, a stable and smiths, a bonfire the
their families stream in from the north and west, bailiff ’s office and Mill Hill Tavern, a converted windmill
seeking shelter. You can see a man who seems like a that serves as the area’s best/only inn. This area is typically
local bailiff and his underlings working to maintain only populated by a few folks on their way somewhere
order while a tavern owner makes room for these new else, but today, at GM discretion, it’s positively packed
arrivals, who are all crowding around the enormous with panicked farmers and harried housewives. The
stone building—Mill Hill Tavern. For reasons you can’t entire town square is difficult terrain, but at the start of
immediately ascertain, the bailiff’s men are collecting their turn as a free action a creature can make a DC 12
the belongings of most of these folks and tossing them Strength (Athletics), Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Charisma
into an enormous burn pile, with thick black smoke (Intimidation, Persuasion) check to shift the crowd in
billowing upward into the clear blue sky. Between a way that allows for the creature to utilize their full
you and this unfolding scene, making its way across movement unimpeded following a successful shove, skip
the road ahead, you see a common pitchfork—its or shout.
tines shifting in the dirt like four tiny feet—running
as swiftly as an animated farmer’s tool can toward a Wagon of Whoa
second tower in the distance to the north.
Those who live on the outskirts of Tradecross have
journeyed for miles seeking shelter here. And they brought
As detailed, animating mists have engulfed Nimbus’s their stuff. The wagon in the center of the square is packed
tower and the outlying farmsteads. Refugees from the with items that could spring to life at any time. In addition
affected region heading to Mill Hill Tavern are a frequent to 2d4 animated objects, roll 1d4 at the start of each round.
sight on the road north of Tradecross. Characters who On a 1, another animated object springs out of this wagon
observe the forested hills to the north for at least 10 unless every item in the wagon is secured or on fire at GM
minutes can catch a glimpse of the shimmering mist with discretion.
a DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check.
If players choose to interact with the pitchfork, it will Flames...On the Side of Your Face
ignore them, hoping to make its way to Nimbus’s tower. A bonfire built in the center of the square is in danger of
If they halt its progress in any way, it will attack. Upon getting out of control now that it’s not being tended to.
defeat, move to the flavor text below. Any creature that starts its turn in an area that is actively
If players ignore the pitchfork or seem more invested in burning must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw
the growing commotion at Mill Hill Tavern, move to the or suffer 4 (1d8) damage. On initiative count 20, if a
flavor text below. creature has not used its action focusing on controlling
the blaze, roll 1d6 and announce the result below.

Screams erupt from the small crowd 100 feet ahead 1d6 The bonfire...
as you near the tavern and you watch the group
1-2 ...expands 5 feet in all directions.
suddenly scatter, as a wagon full of material goods
...spawns a flaming animated object. The
bursts to life. Rakes and clothes trunks, a bevy of
object uses its full movement to sprint toward
barrels, a music box and a rogue umbrella fly out of
the nearest building. If the object reaches a
the wagon and start swarming around the gathered 3-4
building, the building will also catch fire in
crowd. “Hold fast, fellas!” bellows the bailiff. “And for
1d4 turns unless a creature uses its action to
gods’ sake, hold on to your own gear!”
douse the flames (at GM discretion).
...expels black smoke. The area within 20 feet
of the bonfire is heavily obscured but can be
5-6
dispersed, as in the fog cloud spell. This smoke
lingers for 2 rounds at GM discretion.
250 The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables
The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 9
 One-Shot Adventures

A few animated objects are menacing this group of

townsfolk and the bailiff ’s deputies. The bailiff ’s main You are approached by a handsome halfling with a
goal is to keep everyone safe, and if he sees a group of gap between his bottom front teeth, the one who was
adventurers he’s likely to shout for their aid if the party shouting orders earlier from the saddle of his sturdy
isn’t already jumping into action. It should be clear to pony. “You lot handled yourselves well enough back
the party that the main ways they can be effective in this there—how would you like to make a little coin?”
fight are:

• Directing individuals inside Mill Hill Tavern as So long as the party speaks honestly and respectfully,
quickly as possible Axel will freely share information and request their help
• Keeping the fire from spreading now that the once he’s certain they aren’t trying to take advantage
deputies are occupied fighting animated objects of the situation. If Axel suspects the party of malicious
• Fight the animated objects intent, or if it is revealed the party intentionally harmed
any of the citizens in the area, he asks them to be on their
It should also be clear that there’s a bit of mist in the way and won’t share any information. Axel has advantage
air, and any time it flows over a man-made object roll on any ability checks made to determine motivation or
1d6. On a 1 or 2 the object will come to life. intent, such as Wisdom (Insight) checks.
If the party is successful in dealing with the initial In general, Axel doesn’t have the deepest of pockets, but
attack involving the swarms of animated objects, they his word in the region is as good as gold. Getting in his
will have caught the eye of Bailiff Axel Cobblepot, good graces could prove useful to any enterprising group
who will approach them to have a word once the dust of adventurers.
settles.

GM NOTE: CROWDED STREETS into the hills. Some folks report they were
Farmers and other rural folk began arriving attacked by their tools when they tried to stop
shortly before dawn and their numbers have them. Villagers respond to any inquiries about
grown steadily since. They crowd the streets of the commotion by telling the party to seek out
the village, making their way toward Mill Hill or the bailiff.
gathering in large groups anywhere there is room.
If the party asks one of them why they’re here, If the party wants to interview more villagers,
have the character asking make a DC 12 Charisma they can learn one or more of the following
(Persuasion) check. On a failure, they refuse to details with a successful DC 12 Intelligence
answer, claiming they need to make it to Mill Hill (Investigation), Wisdom (Insight), Charisma
and can’t talk. On a success, a refugee farmer will (Intimidation) or Charisma (Persuasion) check,
tell the character a variation of the same story as player’s choice.
summarized below. Bailiff Axel Cobblepot has his hands full on this
• At some point during the last 24 hours, an one, as Mill Hill can’t hold the entire countryside and
unnatural mist engulfed the area the farmer the number of arrivals keeps increasing by the hour.
was in. There’s growing concern about the refugees’ tales
• The mist shimmered with multicolored lights of the strange mist and the recent rumors regarding
and seemed to move with a will of its own—it a theft from the local wizard’s tower. Some villagers
can seep in under doors, down chimneys and speculate the two events are connected.
through cracked windows. It’s been weeks since anyone heard from Nimbus
• The mist was difficult but not impossible to Goldenhand, a local gnome transmuter, and rumors
see through. persist that Gentry Thorne, his human apprentice,
• Shortly after the mist arrived, they heard robbed the tower recently. Gentry, a regular at Mill
creaks, groans, clanging and rustling as if there Hill, hasn’t been seen in a week either, but he might
was a lot of movement. know what is going on.
• People outside saw their barns, sheds and Nimbus Goldenhand’s tower is somewhere in the
cottages walk away on newly sprouted legs. forested hills to the northwest of Tradecross, just
Nearly everyone says they witnessed farm follow the dirt path that branches off the main road.
tools and household items marching into the Hilde Mundle, the owner of Mill Hill Tavern,
forested hills nearby. offered her spacious establishment as shelter for
• Newer arrivals bring news of organized the incoming refugees. She and her small staff are
patrols of farm tools along the roads leading working to get the place organized.
 After sizing them up, Axel would reveal the following
information at GM discretion:
Part 2: A Little Bit of
Petty Larceny
• The situation in Tradecross is dire. The refugees
are taking shelter in Mill Hill Tavern and the regular The party is welcome to explore the vicinity and ask
business of the village has ground to a halt. Most questions of the refugees. If they make their way inside
inhabitants are staying inside. Mill Hill Tavern they’ll see the owner, Hilde Mundle,
• Fights are breaking out around the village and who is arguing with Elspeth Arcade, a young tiefling
locals are starting to worry about looters. (and aspiring mage) in her employ. If the party does
• There’s no one available to investigate the mists and not want to explore the area and instead wants to head
get to the bottom of the problem; the bailiff is bound straight to Nimbus’s tower, the following argument
by his duties to stay in the village. should take place outside the tavern, at GM discretion.
• Most of the refugees seem to be in agreement that
the mists are emanating from a tower belonging to
an eccentric wizard named Nimbus Goldenhand. You see a human woman in a plain blue dress
• Axel would appeal to the party members’ marked with splotches of flour, in a somewhat hushed
compassion and sense of duty in his request for conversation with a young tiefling girl who keeps
help, but is authorized to deputize others to the tune flicking her wrist, a little bit of frost forming on her
of 100 gp per party member—assuming the city fingertips with each motion, as if she’s conjuring the
treasure box hasn’t sprung to life and run away with ice just to feel it melt. “I don’t want you getting into
all the gold. trouble with the bailiff, Elspeth,” says the woman.
“Just keep it to yourself, and let the deputies sort it
If the party accepts, Axel smiles and shares the out. Think about your future.”
following information along with anything not revealed
previously in conversation with Tradecross villagers:
If the party chooses to question Hilde or Elspeth, they
• Based on what he’s learned, Axel thinks it best will learn the following information at GM discretion:
to have the villagers toss all their furniture and
belongings into the street and stay inside their Hilde Mundle
homes. That’s his next move once the refugees are Hilde is an industrious human who has run the tavern for
organized at Mill Hill. more than a decade. Normally cheerful and poised, she’s
• Axel is at a loss on where to start the investigation. tired and preparing herself for the worst while hoping for
He thinks it’s odd that Nimbus the wizard as well as the best.
his assistant Gentry are both missing, but the affairs
of wizards are not his business. • Hilde is concerned about Elspeth, who was on
• Elspeth Arcade, a young tiefling, has a bit of a edge and distracted the night before and has been
knack for the arcane. But she tries to keep it hidden. especially paranoid since reports of the mist first
Maybe she knows something about the mists. She arrived.
works in Mill Hill Tavern. • Hilde cares for the girl greatly and knows she’s
been saving up quite a bit of coin to pay her way
into the mage’s college in the big city.
• Hilde doesn’t know much about the mist, only
what she’s heard: That it seems to be transforming
folks’ belongings into dangerous objects with minds
of their own.
• None of this bodes well for business. Hilde’s
mostly resigned herself to turning the tavern into
a makeshift shelter for refugees but knows there’s
not enough room for everyone in the surrounding
countryside.

Hilde is a buttoned-up woman whose big heart is

one of the reasons she has so many regulars. She is
warm, caring and willing to do anything she can to help
those she cares about. That includes lying to strangers.
At GM discretion, a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check
would reveal Hilde is hiding a bit of intel. She would

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 One-Shot Adventures

reveal the following with a successful DC 16 Charisma for clues to where they went, and if the party is
(Intimidation or Persuasion) check: planning to check out Nimbus’s tower, the Stones’
place is a stone’s throw away.
• Hilde suspects Elspeth might have been messing
around inside Nimbus’s tower because this morning A DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check will reveal Elspeth
she showed up for work carrying a bag that shouts knows more than she’s letting on. She could be compelled
“If found, return to Nimbus Goldenhand” every to share the following information with a successful DC
time you pick it up. 12 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) check.
• The bag is hidden behind the bar, wrapped in
another bag (to keep it quiet) and tied to a hook (in • Elspeth snuck into Nimbus’s tower last night,
case it comes to life). mostly out of curiosity, but also because she thought
if she could find something of value—something
Elspeth Arcade small—she could sell it and pay her way through
Elspeth is an energetic young tiefling who’s worked at mage college.
Mill Hill for years. Elspeth’s eyes gleam red in firelight • Elspeth assumed Gentry and the Stone siblings
and she wears her black hair in a single long braid. A DC had disabled all the tower’s defenses. She now
15 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) realizes she was very, very wrong.
check would reveal her braid looks as if it was freshly cut • She was in Nimbus’s tower when she saw a mist
at the end. billowing out of a clockwork dragon’s head in the
A curious person, she overheard Gentry Thorne and courtyard. She saw it moments after she grabbed
two dwarves—the Stone siblings—planning a theft about a small satchel. The mist animated several objects
a week ago. However, she unknowingly missed the part inside the courtyard and she ran as fast as she
where the trio went over the tower’s defenses. could—but not before a pair of animated shears
Elspeth is clearly nervous; she stutters and has trouble snipped off a portion of her braid.
paying attention. • She doesn’t want to tell the bailiff, Axel Cobblepot,
Thinking the tower’s defenses were inactive, she snuck because she doesn’t want to go to jail—or worse.
into Nimbus’s tower last night, took a handful of minor She just wanted to see what it was like inside a real
valuables and inadvertently activated the tower’s magical wizard’s tower. She’s very sorry. All of this is true.
defenses. Terrified of being cursed, Elspeth immediately • Elspeth thinks she knows how to stop the mists
fled back to Tradecross and has been on edge ever since. but doesn’t dare go back into the tower. She has
Elspeth knows some information that she will happily created a spell scroll—a version of the dispel magic
reveal to the party. She also knows more than she’s letting spell—that she will give the party if they are willing
on. She would only reveal self-incriminating information to try to stop things from getting worse.
at GM discretion:
If the party is able to get Elspeth to open up about her
• Gentry Thorne, Fundra Stone and Grundle foray into petty larceny, she will reveal that she pinched
Stone broke into Nimbus’s tower using Gentry’s a bag that seems to be bottomless—a handy haversack
knowledge of its defenses. All three are regulars at filled with random spell scrolls. This is the bag Hilde
Mill Hill and the Stone siblings have a reputation knows about.
for being troublemakers. If the party is unable to get Elspeth or Hilde to
• Gentry convinced the Stone siblings to help him reveal the location of the bag, it could be found by
break into the tower while his master was away and searching the bar with a successful DC 15 Intelligence
they agreed to split the take three ways. (Investigation) check.
• Gentry was very specific about what he wanted
from the tower—Nimbus’s master spellbook. Gentry
spoke at length about all the valuable knowledge
it contained: the spells, magic item recipes and
command words Nimbus uses.
• Assuming the animated objects are a spell effect
conjured by Nimbus, his spellbook likely has a
passphrase or code word or magical incantation
listed within it to shut off. If the party can find
Gentry, they can find the spellbook.
• The Stone siblings live up the road from here, on
the way to Nimbus’s tower. No one has seen them or
Gentry for a week, so they likely left town. But their
place is close enough that it could be investigated
 GM NOTE: NIMBUS’S SCROLL BAG
Part 3: Into the Mists
The contents of the scroll bag are a good way to
customize the adventure for your group. Because GM NOTE: A CONTINUAL THREAT
scrolls are single-use, they’re not likely to unbalance
The mists engulf the countryside to within a
a game for long and many spells appear on multiple
stone’s throw of Tradecross’s northern boundary.
class spell lists, making it easier to include a few
Numerous farmsteads, barns, sheds and miles
useful and interesting spells. For instance, including
and miles of fencing get up and make their way
a scroll of greater restoration gives the party the
towards Nimbus’s tower, where they rebuild
exact spell they need to restore Gentry (more on
themselves into palisades, barricades, reinforced
that later) and giving them scrolls allowing them
trenches and all manner of crude war machines.
to cast spider climb, shatter, levitate, knock, dispel
More mobile objects patrol the main road.
magic, passwall or move earth will be very useful in
Players should consider what gear their
investigating Nimbus’s tower.
characters are bringing into the mists and specify
You can choose which spell scrolls to include
which items they are actively interacting with,
or roll on the table on pg. 153 to select them at
as well as how they’d like to proceed along the
random.
road: stealthily or with a bit of outward swagger.
If the party doesn’t acquire this item but you’d
Depending on your party’s level, you may want
like to ensure they have it, a deputy could find
to impose a random encounter involving a group
it behind the bar and present it to Axel—who
of animated objects upon them to keep the party
would then grant the party access to it during
engaged—or allow them to pass through this area
the course of their investigation (he’s a simple
unharassed, describing animated objects making
man and wouldn’t know how to use a spell scroll
their way to the tower to defend it rather than
for anything other than keeping his shirt clean
bothering with going on offense.
during a feast).

If the party, for whatever reason, has no sense of

The mists are pervasive north of Tradecross. Weak
what’s happening or no leads to go on, one of Axel’s
sunlight diffuses through a shimmering haze flecked
bailiffs could arrive on horseback and proclaim he saw
with flashing sparks of multicolored light and
animated objects gathering around Nimbus’s tower.
interspersed with banks of thicker mist. In the haze
They seemed angry and aggressive, as if guarding the
hides nearby farmland and the hills just beyond,
place to prevent any intruders.
flashes of light revealing momentary silhouettes
With this information in hand, the party is ready to
of lumbering grain silos, rolling water wheels and
progress forward to the next phase of the adventure.
slithering fence serpents moving across abandoned
fields. Along the north road, fleeing families emerge
like apparitions from the eerie twinkling fog.

Following Elspeth’s directions, a character can locate the

Stone residence by heading north along the road heading
out of Tradecross and making a successful DC 11 Wisdom
(Survival) check. If the party chose to skip speaking with
Elspeth, you can bring their attention to the small home
off the side of the road and offer clues that it’s worth
investigating (while augmenting the flavor text) at your
discretion.

A somewhat rundown single-story abode set off the

main road and into the woods matches the description
of the Stone residence given to you by Elspeth. As you
approach, there don’t appear to be signs of anyone
hanging out inside. It’s particularly quiet.

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 One-Shot Adventures

The door is locked but can be picked with a successful

DC 12 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check. If the party goes GM NOTE: NIMBUS’S SPELLBOOK
around the back, they’ll see one of the windows has A weighty tome of spells, magic lore, alchemical
been shattered and dark feathers and a little blood are secrets and more, this spellbook is already
scattered near the broken glass. If no one in the party is unlocked, a small silver key still in the lock. If
particularly good at picking locks, or they don’t find the handled by someone other than Nimbus, the
open window, other means of entry are at GM discretion. spellbook automatically opens its front cover to
Once the party has gained access to the home, read the reveal the following message:
following flavor text:
“Kindly speak the passphrase if you wish to read
one of my humble spells. If we are friends, you
As you enter, you see signs of a struggle as well as a know the phrase. If we are not, then I wish for you
statue of a human situated behind a simple table, one the patience of a gargoyle.”
of its arms outstretched in a pose that suggests they
were scared of something in the house. Any creature that tries to read, copy or cast a
spell from the spellbook causes a max hit point
cockatrice to appear in an unoccupied space
This is the petrified, still bald and still heavy-ey form within 5 feet of the speaker and immediately
of Gentry Thorne, a fact that can be ascertained with a make a bite attack with advantage against them.
quick DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana or Investigation) check The DC for this attack is 17 and targets petrified
or Wisdom (Perception) check. The check will also reveal by the cockatrice remain petrified until restored
that beneath Gentry’s arm is a book that does not appear by magic. Reading information other than a spell
to be frozen in stone. Unfortunately, he was gripping it does not summon the cockatrice.
pretty tightly when he transformed and getting it from The spellbook functions as a key to the tower’s
his petrified grasp will take some work. defenses and contains the command words which
There are several ways to recover Nimbus’s spellbook will stop the mists.
from the petrified Gentry, most of which involve
reversing the petrification and taking the spellbook
before Gentry can recover. At GM discretion, characters Gentry Thorne,
proficient in arcana or alchemist’s supplies know one or the Petrified Apprentice
more possible solutions: In the event of Gentry Stone becoming unpetrified,
he is sullen and petulant but won’t immediately try to
• Using fresh cockatrice or basilisk innards, a flee. In conversation, Gentry squints and fidgets as if in
character proficient in alchemist’s supplies can spend discomfort. Gentry has a scar on his neck from an acid
an hour of light activity crafting a watery paste that burn he received some months ago.
will restore Gentry as per the greater restoration If questioned, Gentry would be relatively tight-lipped
spell (the cockatrice that caused Gentry to turn into a but if pressed would reveal he stole from Nimbus because
statue is in the woods beyond the house in relatively he’s resentful of Nimbus’s talent and his own lack of
poor health after cutting itself on the way out the progress and owes hefty bar tabs to Grundle Stone. He
back window). arranged and coordinated the theft. He doesn’t know
• Same as above but using other alchemical reagents where Nimbus is; as far as Gentry knows, he’s been
for the ingredients, such as those found in the missing for weeks. Gentry doesn’t know anything about
alchemy lab of Nimbus’s tower. the mists and is terrified of them once he learns about
• Use a scroll of greater restoration from Nimbus’s them. He confirms the spellbook has not just spells but
scroll bag to reverse the petrification. also command words.
• It is possible to break off the spellbook, and Gentry’s
left hand along with it, with a successful DC 15
Strength (Athletics) check. Doing so breaks the
spellbook away from the statue but also breaks off its
left hand. Unless the hand is reattached to the statue
in some way (at GM discretion), should Gentry be
restored he would be missing his left hand. Otherwise,
Gentry comes back without a left hand.

However they end up getting the spellbook out of

Gentry’s grasp, the party will be glad to have it when they
make their way to Nimbus’s tower.
 GM NOTE: FUNDRA AND GRUNDLE
Part 4: The Tower and
STONE, THE BIG BAD BANDITS Its Defenders
Nimbus built his home in the forested hills northwest
(OPTIONAL ENCOUNTER)
of Tradecross because they offered him the solitude he
If you want to add an encounter to this adventure, prefers when engaged in magical research yet were close
you could include an encounter within this enough to the village that Nimbus was never far from
location by revealing the whereabouts of Fundra civilization. While not as frequent a visitor to Tradecross
and Grundle, the hidden Stone siblings. as Gentry, Nimbus is well-known in the village and many
With a successful DC 16 Intelligence inhabitants, Axel and Hilde included, would have been
(Investigation) or Wisdom (Perception) check, able to give directions to his tower. In its current state, it’s
a detail-oriented or highly perceptive character also difficult to miss.
might notice that the floorboards are a bit out of If the party leaves Tradecross following directions,
line in an area not far from the main entrance then it takes them about two hours of walking to reach
to the house, in an outline that suggests they Nimbus’s tower. If the characters stopped at the Stone
could be part of a secret door to the basement. residence first, the tower is another 30 minutes beyond
Listening to the floor would reveal sounds of heavy that. Without directions, it takes a successful DC 12
breathing and shushing followed by a cry of “The Wisdom (Perception) or Wisdom (Survival) check to find
fancy flatware! It’s moving again!” the dirt road that leads to the tower.
This basement door is barricaded but could
be opened with a successful DC 17 Strength
(Athletics) check or another solution at GM The dirt road splits off from the main road and is little
discretion. Upon opening the door, the party more than a cart trail. There are numerous fresh tracks
would encounter a bruised and battered Fundra from the steady stream of animated objects that
and Grundle Stone, who rush out of the basement, have passed this way recently. Along the way up the
fending off an attack by a swarm of cutlery (use road, you see several clearings where the homesteads
swarm of rats stat block) who want to take back of settlers and farmers once stood. Breaking the
the magic items they stole. treeline—shrouded in mist and swarming with little
Fundra wears gauntlets of ogre power and clouds of animated cutlery and collected clutter—is
boots of striding and springing, her take from Nimbus’s tower.
the break-in. Fundra is weary from fending off
attacks by salad forks and carving knives and has
very little fight left in her. As she collapses, she
begs the party to save her from the oncoming
GM NOTE: ANOTHER WAY IN
swarm of cutlery that is right behind her. Grundle
just wants all of this to be over, feeling as if he is As they get closer to the top of the hill, characters
in way over his head. with a passive Perception score of 15 or higher
If you’d prefer to give your players even more notice cockatrice tracks along the dirt road and
of a challenge, don’t reduce the Stone siblings’ heading into the cockatrice-infested forest.
stat blocks or have them exit the basement. They Characters who wish to follow these tracks must
would wait for the party to come to them and then make a DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or
fight with all they can in order to avoid capture. Wisdom (Survival) check. On a success, they find
that the tracks lead to a cave mouth overgrown
with vegetation about a hundred feet down the hill
Whether the party is able to bring Gentry back to from Nimbus’s tower. This cave leads to the rooms
his more mobile state or not, the main purpose of their beneath the tower as detailed later in this section.
stopover in this space is to give them a chance to claim
Nimbus’s spellbook. If they are unable to grab it (or
simply uninterested), the next phase of the adventure As the party approaches the tower, you can use the
begins when they make their way toward Nimbus’s tower. flavor text that starts the next page to further establish
the scene.

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 One-Shot Adventures

attackers below or have the palisade launch them at

Nimbus’s tower sits on a rocky promontory in a small, targets up to 30 feet away. Creatures and objects in a
isolated clearing of the rugged, forested hills that rise 5-foot radius must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving
out of the rolling farmland to the south. A high-walled throw or take 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its
rectangular mansion made from blue-veined marble turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action
and rosy granite, with a gold-plated lead tile roof and a to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.
circular tower rising from the center. Makeshift Ballista. A crude light ballista mounted
Surrounding the building are crude fortifications above the front door of Nimbus’s home fires on anyone
constructed from the sheds, barns and cottages of the who assaults the fortifications (Ranged Weapon Attack,
farms, bristling with what appear to be makeshift siege one target. +4 to hit, range 100/400. Hit: 5 (1d10)
engines mounted atop the walls. A large oak door is the piercing damage).
only obvious means of gaining entry, and it’s blocked Missile Barrage. Defending objects hurl themselves in
by a few animated barricades. The mist hangs heavy in a volley of screaming, semi-deadly missiles at creatures
the air here, its polychromatic lights bathing the tower attacking the wall (Ranged Weapon Attack. Multiple
and encircling palisade in eerie light. targets within 10 feet of the wall. +3 to hit. Hit: 1 (1d4 + 1)
bludgeoning damage).
Patrolling Objects. Organized squads of improvised
weapons patrol the surrounding hillside, garrison the
GM NOTE: GETTING INSIDE THE TOWER palisade and repel intruders. For these, use the swarm of
There are many possible ways the party could rats stat block with creature type changed to construct.
get inside the tower, and since it’s difficult to
know which your party will choose, for this next Interacting With the Objects
portion of the adventure many aspects are at GM The objects defending the tower are impulsive,
discretion. Detailed below are some of the most enthusiastic and prone to overreaction. They adopt an
likely means to gain entry. extreme version of the same attitude as the creatures
• Frontal assault—breach the fortifications, they interact with. For example, they respond to mild
drive back the defenders, and break through threats with disproportionate aggression. Interactions
the front door. with them can easily lead to combat due to their
• Negotiate entry through a Charisma-based demeanor, but this also means non-threatening gestures
encounter. or diplomatic proposals are more impactful as well. Any
• Locate the hidden cave entrance one hundred ability checks made to reach a diplomatic or non-violent
feet down the east side of the hill (pg. 259). resolution are made with advantage.

The objects want:

Fortifications • All non-consumable magic items stolen from the
The tower’s exterior bristles with defensive field tower returned at once.
fortifications manned by newly sentient objects eager • To be left alone by people, who in general have used
to fulfill their duty. Objects defending the tower act on them without a care for the objects’ own well-being.
initiative count 10 and 5, losing any ties.
The patrolling objects are hostile to living creatures but If the party shows any of the objects the stolen magic
not aggressive. When the party approaches, a cadre of items or spellbook, the palisade wall makes a temporary
objects will spell out the words “HALT” and “BUZZ OFF” opening for them to enter through and a patrol escorts
and “WE’RE WARNING YOU”, giving the party 1 minute the party to the front door.
to leave the area before sending out four patrols (use the None of the objects outside of the tower, save for the
swarm of rats stat block) to drive away the party. front door, know anything about the mists other than a
Palisade. 1d4 + 1 15-foot tall reinforced wooden walls vague idea that the mists are beneficial to them. None of
that encircle the tower, at GM discretion. A palisade the objects are aware that the mists are what grant them
has AC 15, 25 hit points per 5-foot section, resistance to sentience.
piercing damage and immunity to poison and psychic
damage. Fighting platforms near the top of the wall give The Front Door
defending creatures half cover and grant advantage on The bright red door, Oaken Stoutheart (stone golem, 0
ranged attack rolls against targets below the platform. movement speed ), is bold, intelligent and, thanks to a
Barricade. One or two 10-foot long stone and wood highly polished, animated bronze door knocker shaped
barricades are placed between the palisades and the tower. like a high-combed cockatrice, understands and speaks
They provide three-quarters cover for defending creatures. Common. Oaken remembers who the thieves are, though
Cask of Alchemist’s Fire. A dozen small, mobile he doesn’t know the Stone siblings, and is eager to hear
barrels of combustible fluid will either leap down on any news of their fate. Returning the stolen magic items
to Oaken greatly pleases the door, who will let the party Tower Interior
inside if they ask. The eccentric Nimbus decorated his home in bold
colors and exuberant grandeur. Every surface is adorned
Stained Glass Windows with intricate ornamentation and flamboyant detail—
The tower’s windows are on the east wall, about 25 feet allegorical relief carvings, soothingly patterned mosaic
above the ground. Each magically reinforced window tile, lush carpets and sumptuous furnishings. The interior
has AC 15, 8 hit points, immunity to poison and psychic is a riot of activity as housewares, tools, instruments,
damage and a damage threshold of 5. There is a small curios, art pieces, utensils and furniture rush from
ledge on the outside, and the window is wide enough for room to room, arguing, wrestling and playing. Oaken
a medium-sized humanoid to squeeze through. announces the party when they enter and the objects
inside the house are friendly for the next 10 minutes.

Routes to the Mist Room A staircase, the same from Route 1, leading down to
There are three routes through the tower to the room the mist room (pg. 260) is accessible here.
that powers the mists. Each one presents its own
obstacles and challenges. Note: Rooms and floors not Route 3: Through the Caves
listed here may exist, but are at GM discretion. This route takes the party from the cave entrance
further down the hill through either the cockatrice
Route 1: Through the Front Door caves or the glassblowing furnace, into the alchemy
This route takes the party from the front door, by lab, and then the mist room. It is the shortest
whatever means of entry, into the grand foyer, through route but also the hardest to find and is guarded by
the dining hall and then down into the mist room. Nimbus’s favorite pet basilisk.
There is a connection with Route 2 from the dining hall At the back of the cave is a tunnel that winds its
to the private lounge. Route 1 is the easiest to access way 50 feet into the hill before splitting. At the fork,
but takes the party through the dining hall where the chained to a stout ring set in the cave wall facing the
majority of the rowdy household objects congregate. tunnel, is a sleeping basilisk. The basilisk is used to
The couches and chairs of the house have put Nimbus doting on it and feeding it treats, but with
Nimbus’s familiar, a house cat named Zenobia, on trial Gentry gone no one has fed it in a week and it’s weak
in the dining hall for crimes against fabric. There are and hungry. The basilisk will love anyone who feeds
whispers among the more expensive curios witnessing it fresh meat and is domesticated enough that it will
the sham trial that after the fountain renders its verdict, avert its gaze while they do so.
the velveteen chaise lounge is going to lead a violent The left tunnel heads to the glass furnace where
uprising against all felines. The objects here will not Nimbus makes his own potion bottles out of specially
tolerate the party’s presence for very long. selected sand. A magmin lives in the furnace and can
Quite a lot of mist is seeping out from under a cause it to belch out globs of molten glass. Beyond the
doorway in the dining hall in this space, and any furnace is a door leading to the alchemy lab.
member of the party who investigates would likely The right tunnel leads to the cave where Nimbus
understand it to lead to the source. This door leads to a raises bespoke breeds of cockatrice—songbird
mist-filled staircase, which would take the party to the cockatrice, peacockatrice, turkey cockatrice, etc.
mist room (pg. 260). The cages are open and empty, but there is a chance
that one or two of the curious bird-lizards is poking
Route 2: Through a Window around for food, at GM discretion. At the back of this
This route takes the party from one of the east windows cave is another door which leads to the alchemy lab.
into Nimbus’s private lounge, through his bedroom The equipment in the alchemy lab is animated and
into his library and down a spiral staircase into the mist very dangerous: gray ooze lurks in a ceramic tub
room. There is a connection with Route 1, in that the of failed potions and the distilling apparatus sprays
stairs can be accessed from the dining hall. Nimbus’s acid while empty glass vials pelt the party, at GM
personal quarters are filled with all sorts of dangerous discretion. Some of the potions in this room have
curios to deter intruders: rugs of smothering, healing properties, however. At GM discretion, an
animated armor, taxidermied monsters and a stuffed animated potion of healing could choose to “attack” a
young blue dragon’s head on the door above his party member by slinging its contents at them, healing
bedroom that can use its breath weapon. The doors in 7 (2d4 + 2) hit points instead of dealing acid damage.
this part of the house are all concealed and guarded by Within the lab is a staircase that leads upward—
animated trophies of Nimbus’s prior adventures. directly into the mist room (pg. 260).

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The Mist Room Part 5: Into the Mist Room

Nimbus Goldenhand created a vapor delivery system for However the party makes their way into the tower,
an advanced version of the animated objects spell. It’s once they find an entrance to the mist room, read the
highly effective, if somewhat out of control. following flavor text.

Stopping the Mist

In the center of the room, you see a complex apparatus
There are several ways the party can stop the mist. Here of curving glass pipes reinforced with precious metals
are the most likely solutions to try: circulating in a mixture of bubbling magical liquids and
alchemically-infused gases that seem to both generate
• Speak the deactivation command phrase (“Sorry you and sustain the mists. Four arcane glyphs are carved
mist me!”) from Nimbus’s spell book into the floor around the apparatus, a sort of battery,
• A scroll of dispel magic given to them by Elspeth. and pulse with elemental power. Inside the central
This scroll requires three successful Intelligence prism chamber, shimmering mists swirl as they make
(Arcana) checks to activate. The first check is their way from the apparatus through a series of pipes
deciphering the sigils on the scroll (DC 12). The that likely run throughout the tower to the outside.
second is reading the first half of the scroll, which helps
designate a specific magical effect to dispel (DC 13).
The final check is reading the scroll itself in order
to cast the spell (DC 15). These checks must be made Part 6: Conclusion
in order, but can be made by any creature that has Depending on how the party fares within the tower
succeeded on the first check. and whether or not they were able to destroy the device
• Break the apparatus or disfigure the arcane glyphs. that powers the mists, they would be met with a sudden
surge of arcane energy while trying to battle the objects
It takes 1 minute for the mists to completely recede and within the tower. If things are going in their favor, this
their effects to end once the apparatus powering them is arrival can occur the moment victory is assured. If
deactivated. If the mists are dispelled or commanded to things are going poorly, especially if it looks like a TPK
stop via Nimbus’s book, their effects end immediately. is in order, the surge of arcane energy would herald the
arrival of the master of this house.
Breaking the Apparatus
Breaking the device will stop the mists, but it also runs There is an eruption of arcane energy on the ceiling
the risk of causing a dangerous mishap. The three glass above you, and from out of it tumbles a weathered
parts of the apparatus have AC 11, 10 hit points and wizard, his robes bleached by the sun, his skin a radiant
immunity to poison and psychic damage. The metal copper (and in some spots a painful-looking red). “Can’t
part has AC 17, 20 hit points and immunity to poison a busy wizard get a few weeks to himself to relax by
and psychic damage. The apparatus has a total of 50 the beach without a bunch of meddlers managing to
hit points. Once damaged, it must be rendered inert in motivate his mage’s tower to maximum magnitudes
60 seconds, or it will explode, delivering 50 (10d10) fire of marching mechanisms made by magical means?”
damage to every creature within 60 feet. With a wave of his hands, he dismisses any remaining
animated objects, then turns to you all and says, “Did
Object Retaliation any of you bother to knock?”
Once the party interacts with the apparatus, the
animated objects try to stop the party from turning
off the mists. The party will have to fight off waves of This is the wizard known as Nimbus Goldenhand. At
attacks from animated objects while they stop the mists GM discretion, he will save the lives of any downed
and wait for them to recede. The first wave of animated heroes before determining what they’re doing in his
objects and/or swirling broken glass from the apparatus tower. If the party is able to explain to Nimbus what
(2 swarms of wasps) appears one round after the party happened and how they’ve been of service, he would
first interacts with the apparatus. Two rounds later, one offer to let them keep his bag of spell scrolls or purchase
suit of animated armor appears and attacks the party. them for 100 gp each at GM discretion. If the party
Two rounds later, 2d4 steam mephits burst from within mentions Elspeth is the one who set off the mists,
the apparatus and attack any creature or animated object but also the one who ascertained a way to stop them,
nearest them. Nimbus would tell them to let her know she should
It takes 1 minute for the mists to dissipate once the drop by to see him as he’d be interested in gaining a new
apparatus is disabled/dispelled. With the mists gone, the apprentice, as it seems Gentry can no longer be trusted.
objects become inert after 10 rounds per initiative. They
also become inert if reduced to 0 hit points.
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NPCs Hilde Mundle (female human)

Hilde is the owner of Mill Hill Tavern. She’s currently
Here are summaries of the adventure’s principal NPCs:
the thieving apprentice, his two accomplices and three working alongside Axel to manage the influx of refugees
locals with information the party will need to stop and keep everyone in the tavern calm until help arrives.
the mist. GMs can find further role-playing notes and She is a commoner and bakes very good bread. She
details on an NPC’s current state in their encounters or worries mostly about Elspeth, whom she has been
scene descriptions. helping save money to attend mage’s college.

Axel Cobblepot (male halfling) Elspeth Arcade (female tiefling)

Axel is the competent bailiff for the absentee landlord Elspeth works at Mill Hill Tavern where she overheard
noble of Tradecross. He’s the closest thing the village Gentry and the Stone siblings planning their theft. She
has to an official leader, but he’s dealing with a problem snuck into Nimbus’s tower later and took some minor
beyond his capabilities. Part of him wants to flee the valuables but dropped most of the items and fled after
town on the back of his pony, Festivus, and explore the setting off an alarm glyph. Elspeth has been on edge
surrounding countryside, but he knows if he leaves he’ll ever since. She suspects the mist emanating from the
never have a chance to woo Hilde Mundle, whom he tower is what’s animating the objects around town and
believes bakes the best bread in the realm. can offer the party access to a dispel magic scroll that
might help them shut it down. She uses the cult fanatic
stat block but is chaotic good.
Axel Cobblepot
Small halfling, lawful good Gentry Thorne (male human)
Gentry, with thick dark eyebrows, a young face and a
Armor Class 16 (chain shirt, shield)
Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 10)
shiny bald head, is the underachieving apprentice of
Speed 25 ft. (mounted 50 ft.) Nimbus Goldenhand. He saw an opportunity to take
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA what he most desired when Nimbus disappeared and
enlisted the aid of two outcast dwarves to help him with
14 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0)
the theft. In recent months, Gentry has spent more and
Skills Perception +2 more of his time with the rougher patrons of Mill Hill
Senses passive Perception 12 Tavern, racking up debts and ruining what was left of
Languages Common, Halfling
his reputation. Gentry saw an opportunity when his
Who You Callin’ Shortarse? If mounted on his pony, Festivus, master disappeared and wrangled his debtor, an outcast
Axel attacks with advantage. He also gains an extra attack. dwarf, to help him with the theft.
Chaaaaaaarge. If Axel is mounted on Festivus when he takes the
Attack action, he can use half or more of his movement as part of
an attack. On a hit, the target must make a DC 15 Strength saving Gentry Thorne
throw. On a failed save, the target is knocked prone. Male human, chaotic neutral

Actions STR
10 (0)
DEX
10 (0)
CON
10 (0)
INT
14 (+2)
WIS
10 (0)
CHA
10 (0)
Spear (two-handed). Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one target. Skills Arcana +4, Deception +2
Hit: (1d8 + 2) piercing damage. Spellcasting Gentry is a 1st-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability
Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. is Intelligence (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). Gentry
Hit: (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. has the following wizard spells prepared:
Spear. Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 20/60 ft., one
target. Hit: (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Cantrips (at will): acid splash, light, mage hand
1st level (3 slots): expeditious retreat, fog cloud, grease

Bonus Action
Rallying Cry (1/short rest). As a bonus action, Axel can rally his
allies. Any ally within 30 feet of Axel when he makes a rallying cry
can use their reaction to make a single attack.
Fundra Stone (female dwarf bandit)
Fundra is a jovial prankster whose love of pushing
limits and tormenting others with cruel tricks makes
her popular with the local backcountry ruffians and
scofflaws. Having lived the life of a wandering outcast,
Fundra now aspires to raise a war band of other outcast
dwarves and wage war on her former home. Fundra
joined her brother because she believed the tower
contained magic items that would aid in her revenge.
In conversation, Fundra is argumentative and laughs
loudly at inappropriate times. Fundra uses the bandit
stat block, but also has gauntlets of ogre kind and boots
of striding and springing.

Grundle Stone (male dwarf scout)

Grundle is a cold-hearted con artist with dreams of
ingratiating himself among the mercantile elite of the
nearby city and using his influence to cut off trade
with the dwarves who exiled his family. He’s smarmy,
clever and easily annoyed by people he sees as too
dim-witted to keep up with him. Grundle jumped at
the chance to rob the wizard’s tower as he knows that
wealthy merchants will pay a premium for choice magic
items. In conversation, Grundle is irritable and uses a
deliberately slow and formal manner of speech. Grundle
uses the scout stat block.

Nimbus Goldenhand
An eccentric mage of impossible-to-ascertain power,
Nimbus functions as a driver of plot in this adventure
as well as a last-minute failsafe should things go awry.
His stat block is at GM discretion and could range from
mage to archmage to ancient gold dragon in disguise,
depending on your party’s desires to try to fight him.

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Things Are Not

What They Seem
Chance heroics and royal requests send the party
searching for stolen relics. As they chase their quarry,
they must overcome a dangerous fiend intent on
selling their souls to the highest bidder.
An Adventure Suitable for Levels 8-12

Adventure Location Setting Up

This adventure unfolds in the great city of Hal’Mostafan What has brought your party to this grand but strange
(or a large city with a nearby cave system in an ongoing place (or a city like it)? That’s up to you and your
campaign at GM discretion) and the surrounding players to determine. If running this adventure as
countryside. Hal’Mostafan is a sprawling metropolis part of an established campaign, Hal’Mostafan could
built around an abundant oasis, the last bit of serve as a meaningful stopover between other story
civilization on the edges of a desert wasteland. arcs. Perhaps the party has a contact in Hal’Mostafan
This city of twisting alleyways, towering domed that reached out to them about a problem or a job or
buildings and boisterous markets is a nexus for peoples perhaps the party has fallen victim to the lure of the
of all races and creeds, drawing in dangerous, scofflaws ancient treasure and gold rumored to exist within the
and learned scholars in equal measure. In the shade of city limits, in the tunnels beneath it or abandoned areas
stacked tenement buildings, one can find signs of an beyond it (alternatively, you could sub in a city with
ancient arcane civilization, stolen black market goods, which the party is already familiar, though you’ll need
beneficial healers and vicious cutthroats. to make a few adjustments to the adventure’s NPCs
Ruled for nearly four centuries by the great Surdan- to accommodate since some of the adventure is tied
Nedala family, Hal’Mostafan is a hub of trade, gossip, to area leadership). If you are running this adventure
rumor and legend. Many times the fortunes of the for a new party, determine each player’s individual
Surdan-Nedala family have waxed and waned, but it reason for being in Hal’Mostafan. Whether arriving as
is known throughout much of the world that the city’s an established party or starting their first adventure
vaults hold great wealth, ancient treasures and priceless together here, the action of this story begins at the city’s
artifacts. Many would-be thieves and scoundrels have main gate just before sundown as the light quickly fades
found themselves subject to the swift justice imposed in the surrounding desert. Why the party is there and
by the Surdan-Nedala family and their Royal Court. how they arrive is at GM discretion.
Countless explorers and adventurers have made the This adventure features a few primary NPCs, including
journey to Hal’Mostafan, lured by the promises of aged Detric Lowe (pg. 278), a local merchant; the Lord
crypts and ruined temples far out into the sands of the Magistrate Akronis Mestica (pg. 279), the chief justice
Tarranath Expanse. It is a city of promise and of last of Hal’Mostafan’s royal court; and Tamaka Brambushali
resorts. (pg. 278), a grizzled black market merchant with a
devious secret. Any other NPCs are at GM discretion.
The adventure begins with an attempted robbery
Part 1: A Chance Encounter
outside the city’s main gate. Crowds in the streets
of Hal’Mostafan thin rapidly as night falls. With the
A strong breeze carries the night’s chill and swirling
baking presence of the burning sun gone, the night
loose sand across the near-deserted flagstone street.
air carries a chill that contrasts with the still-warm
The large boulevard is divided by carefully tended
flagstones of the main thoroughfare. The growing
gardens of arching palm trees and vibrant, flowering
darkness finds our heroes entering the city through one
cacti. A commotion rides the breeze, a sound that
of its main gates.
approaches rapidly from behind you. Turning, you see
a mousy man with a sizable leather sack clutched to
GM NOTE: READ THE ADVENTURE TITLE
his chest burst from a side street, running as fast as
It is important for you as the GM to know from his stubby legs can carry him. A look of sheer terror
the very beginning of this adventure that the Lord is plastered on his face and his feet slam against the
Magistrate and Brambushali, both literal and flagstones with an irregular beat. He turns, a gasp of
figurative fiends, are in league with one another surprise escaping his lips in a ragged pant as he sees
to identify, capture, control and sell the souls you, and changes course in your direction. As he does,
of powerful adventurers to the highest bidder. almost a dozen large men, all dressed in loose-fitting
Using magical soul-rending collars, formed in the black clothing, weapons held low at their sides,
lowest layers of the abyss, these fiends control and emerge from the same side street onto the boulevard
command their prisoners to do their bidding. The behind him. “Help! Oh please help me,” the man cries
captured champions are then sold to unscrupulous as he rushes toward you. Roll initiative.
and dangerous people for exceptionally high prices.
The job being offered by the Lord Magistrate is
simply a ruse to fool the heroes into journeying into The man running for his life is a jewel merchant by the
the desert to Brambushali’s black market bazaar. name of Detric Lowe. Lowe, a high-ranking member of
The Lord Magistrate Mestica and Brambushali the Jeweler’s Guild in Hal’Mostafan, was closing up shop
are shapeshifters who will only reveal themselves when he was assailed by his current pursuers. Hoping to
in moments of most dire need. It will be up to the make it to an area of town where there are guards, he fled
party to follow the clues presented, find the black with a special order for a very important customer, the
market bazaar, escape with their lives (hopefully Lord Magistrate Mestica. Use the map on pg. 266.
with the evidence of the Lord Magistrate’s Lowe is being pursued by a group of 10 men, clearly led
collusion with Brambushali) and return to seek by a large, burly specimen who initially keeps toward the
justice or their revenge against the fiend posing as back. This group is composed of eight thugs, one bandit
the Lord Magistrate. captain and one assassin, all of whom attack the party
on sight, assuming the PCs intend to keep them from
their quarry.

GM NOTE: TRACKING MORALE

These bruisers are after the merchandise Lowe
carries but aren’t too keen to lose their lives over
a score—no matter how large it may be. Should
more than half of the group of would-be thieves
fall to the party, the rest would attempt to flee
into the shadowy streets.

With the bandits subdued, dead or fleeing, the party

can turn their attention to Lowe, who would introduce
himself if he hasn’t already, at GM discretion.

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The Gates of Hal’Mostafan Part 2: A Better Offer

The entryway to this lavish jewel in the desert waste is
indicative of the treasures that lie within. It is the perfect “Running from would-be thieves is seen as a rite of
spot for a stroll, particularly if you’re hoping to have your passage in this city, but this cannot be a coincidence,
pockets picked by enterprising thieves. my friends. This order,” Lowe says while patting the
leather sack, “is destined for the Lord Magistrate
Mestica. Perhaps they do not want it delivered. I will
Decorative Boulevard happily pay you 100 gold pieces for helping me just
The landscaping of the city street showcases that for those now, but how would you like to earn a little more gold
with enough wealth, anything is possible—even growing escorting me to the Royal Court? It would not be much,
decorative plants in the arid desert. The large planters but I should like to present you to the Lord Magistrate
lining the main thoroughfare are 5 feet tall and hold as heroes of the hour. Perhaps he would recognize you
fragrant juicy palms and prickly cacti that extend upward with some award for your service to the crown.”
30 feet, obscuring the view of those on either side.

Prickly Cacti. These cacti are suitable for half cover from Lowe also has the following information regarding a
melee and ranged attacks, but a creature that comes into recent event in Hal’Mostafan, which he can provide at
contact with these cacti suffers 3 (1d6) piercing damage. GM discretion:
A creature that suffers this damage twice in one day must
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed • Three days ago, the city guard was all abuzz over an
save, they scream out an exclamation of pain (e.g., “OUCH, event that occurred at the city vaults. The powers
son of a...”), revealing their position to any individuals that be are trying to keep it quiet, but the rumor on
within 60 feet. the street is one of the royal vaults was broken into
and ransacked.
Juicy Palm Trees. These trees offer half cover to any • Lowe spoke with the Lord Magistrate yesterday
creatures attempting to avoid melee damage and three- afternoon regarding this special order and the Lord
quarter cover from ranged attacks. Creatures attempting Magistrate let slip that he was surreptitiously
to hide in these trees gain +2 to Dexterity (Stealth) checks looking for skilled individuals for an important task
for the duration (assuming they can avoid the cacti). The and that he was willing to pay handsomely.
juicy palm’s leaves contain a sap-like substance that is toxic • It follows that these two facts are related, but only
if it comes into contact with exposed skin (or through an the Lord Magistrate could say for certain.
injury). A creature exposed to juicy palm poison in this
way must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or The party will find Lowe is a garrulous individual
suffer 9 (2d8) poison damage. who will talk their ears off the entire way to the Royal
A creature would know juicy palm trees contain this Complex where the high seat of the Royal Court is
toxic sap with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Nature) check. located.
If any member of the party tries to get a read on
From Bad to Worse Lowe, a Wisdom (Insight) check might reveal more
information:
At GM discretion, roll 1d4 on the table below to
determine how the encounter at this location escalates. • A DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals Lowe is
Mild Complications honest in his intentions. He wishes to introduce
the party to the Lord Magistrate out of gratitude for
1d4 The party discovers...
the party’s help.
1 ...one of the bandits can cast polymorph once • A character that succeeds on a DC 25
per day (DC 16). Wisdom (Insight) check would infer that ambition
...the bandit captain never goes anywhere colors Lowe’s intentions. He is genuine, but it would
2 without his trusty owlbear mount, which is just be disingenuous to suggest he doesn’t have an
a few steps behind him. ulterior motive: The Magistrate is looking for heroes.
...one of the bandits has the ability to Lowe thinks he’s found some. Hopefully, there will be
immediately attune to any magical item, and a reward for this introduction.
3
he’s very, very strong (+8 on checks to rip a
weapon or item out of another creature’s hands).
...one of the bandits can cast any 1st-level spell,
4
but doing so causes a wild magic surge (pg. 176).

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Lowe leads you past an outer wall where the guards Less than a minute later you hear the clicking sound
barely give you a passing glance, nodding to the of heeled shoes on the marble floors. The door across
diminutive merchant as they wave you through the sitting room opens, revealing a tall regal figure of
the gate. The Royal Complex is a stunning, awe- muscular build with a shaven bald pate that gleams
inspiring building. Alabaster stone trimmed in gold as if recently oiled. A neatly trimmed beard adds to
and silver with burnished golden domes. Towering the angular nature of his jawline. He wears robes of
minarets topped with the royal seal—a golden deep purple lined in shining gold and silver thread
hawk imposed over the rising sun—ring the central and an ornate platinum circlet around his brow over
courtyard. piercing gray-blue eyes reminiscent of thunderheads.
He sweeps into the room and sits down on one of the
divans on the opposite side of the room. He settles in,
As Lowe leads the party across the grand central then speaks in a low, rumbling voice: “I am told you
courtyard and into the complex of the Royal Palace, are quite the capable group of individuals. Perhaps
astute party members might notice the following things you would be interested in turning your skills against
at GM discretion: something other than simple bandits. I can make you
a very lucrative offer for your assistance in a matter of
• Guards carrying polearms and wicked-looking great importance to the crown.”
curved swords are everywhere, standing guard at the
entrances of buildings and walking the interior
perimeter of the complex. This is the Lord Magistrate Akronis Mestica. He sits as
• Soldiers in light armor patrol the grounds with the highest judge in the royal court and he has a problem.
large guard drakes, their draconic eyes scanning for He will provide the party the following information:
signs of trouble as their tongues flick out to taste the
air, as if gathering further clues. • He will immediately offer to pay the party 500 gp
• Guards, armed with heavy crossbows, also march for assisting Lowe and protecting his merchandise.
along the walls high above the courtyard grounds The Lord Magistrate commends the party for their
• To the side of the courtyard, three wide-eyed swift action and tells them he has already dispatched
individuals in mage’s robes stare at a silvery rippling royal guards to the site of the assault to deal with any
surface as it resolves into an image of the eastern side bodies left behind and/or to start tracking the
of the city, an arcane surveillance system that allows remaining would-be thieves.
them to view vast portions of the area at a time. • Three days ago, several priceless heirlooms
belonging to the Surdan-Nedala family were stolen
The halls of the Royal Complex are a warren of from the royal vaults. He describes the items as a
libraries, records rooms and sitting rooms—further blood-red ruby the size of a chicken egg engraved
exploration is possible, but details are at GM discretion. with the royal crest and inlaid in gold, a platinum
scepter topped with a piece of star metal and an
ancient book made of gold that documents the
Lowe leads you to the basement level of the building lineage of the Surdan-Nedalas back to their earliest
and into a small antechamber. He knocks on a door ancestors.
on the other side of this room, and a gruff-looking • It is unknown how the theft occurred and there are
guard allows him to pass through. “Just one moment,” no other items missing.
Lowe calls back to you, before stepping through the • The day after the break-in at the vaults, the royal
door. You are left to wait in a modest-sized but lavishly guard captured a thief named Nedrin Al’Mirrant,
appointed sitting room, which features plush couches who claimed he heard the items in question were
and overstuffed cushions as well as a small sideboard going to be sold in two days’ time at an auction at
containing two crystal decanters, both covered in a hidden black market bazaar. The thief claimed not
condensation. One appears to contain chilled red wine, to know the location of the bazaar.
the other water and sliced cucumber.
The Lord Magistrate is willing to offer the party a sum
of 7,000 gp to track down and return the artifacts.
A perceptive character can just make out low voices If the party seems uncertain as to whether or not
with a DC 14 Wisdom (Perception) check, coming from they wish to get involved, at GM discretion the Lord
the room into which Lowe disappeared, where phrases Magistrate will offer up to an additional 3,000 gp as well
like “Heroes, eh?” and “They look very powerful” are as access to one magical item of very rare or lesser value
heard among muffled chatter. to sweeten the deal to get them to take the job.
 GM NOTE: THE TALE OF TWO MAGISTRATES
Part 3: A Body of Evidence
The party, at the Lord Magistrate’s urging, will be led
At this point in the adventure your party should across the Royal Complex to the Royal Prison by a pair
have no reason to question the Lord Magistrate’s of guards. Once inside they are taken to a room on the
actions. They have no way of knowing the lower level of the structure.
real Lord Magistrate has been replaced by
a shapeshifting demon intent on collecting
powerful adventurers’ souls to sell to the highest You are shown into a large rectangular room with
bidder. The fiend has no intentions of paying several stone slab tables running down its center.
the party because he does not expect them to The air is musty and carries whiffs of ammonia and
return to Hal’Mostafan after they journey into necrosis. Lying on one of the stone slabs, as if left out for
the desert. When role-playing Akronis Mestica, a purpose, is a body-shaped form covered with a white
remember that he is sure of purpose, does not sheet that is stained with blood in several places. The
embellish or exaggerate and sticks to the facts of guards who led you here step outside of the room and
what happened. He wants the party to accept the close the door. You can hear them taking up positions
mission, but do not make him seem overeager, on either side of the door. Next to the body, on a small
for that might tip off his true intentions. He also tray labeled “Al’Mirrant” are a pair of items that appear
has an innate ability to shroud himself in an to be personal items taken from the body.
effect that duplicates the magic aura spell. This
allows him to hide his true nature even from a
paladin’s Divine Sense ability or from spells like Removing the sheet, the party will immediately be
detect evil and good. Even still, he’d likely keep able to tell the following things about the body of Nedrin
at least 60 feet between himself and the party to Al’Mirrant:
stay on the safe side.
• He has dark eyes, dark hair, a neat beard braided at
Once the party accepts the job the Lord Magistrate will the chin and sun-kissed, almost bronze skin.
provide the following information: • He still wears the clothing of a resident of
Hal’Mostafan, with loose breeches and a tunic of
• Al’Mirrant, the thief who revealed the intel about light colors, as well as a sweeping cloak of loose fabric
the black market bazaar, was killed when he draped about his body to protect it from the sun.
attempted to escape from the Royal Prison. However, • He bears several wounds on his forearms and
the Lord Magistrate would give the party leave to hands, as well as a large slash on the lower right side
inspect the thief ’s body for any clues. of his abdomen.
• The Lord Magistrate offers to provide the party • The items on the tray are a blank piece of
with any assistance they may need in the course of parchment that has a small amount of Al’Mirrant’s
their investigation. blood on it and a large, plain-looking metal key.

Taking a closer look at Al’Mirrant’s body will reveal the

following information to the party at GM discretion:

• A successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check

would reveal the cause of death was related to loss of
blood associated with the wound in Al’Mirrant’s side.
• A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
check would reveal that on the inside of his left bicep
there is a tattoo of a stylized tiger’s head.
• A successful DC 18 Intelligence (Investigation)
check would reveal a coin inside a small concealed
pouch in his left pants pocket. One side of the
coin is engraved with the same stylized tiger’s head as
Al’Mirrant’s tattoo. The other side, engraved in
infernal, is the phrase “The blood of sacrifice will
show the way.”

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GM NOTE: THE HELPFUL

Part 4: Into the Desert
Journeying in the desert is a dangerous affair and the
LORD MAGISTRATE party will experience some of those desert hazards as
Because the Lord Magistrate wants the party to go they make their way from Hal’Mostafan to the canyon
into the desert to the bazaar, he will be helpful in depicted on the strange map they found.
interpreting any of the clues that the party might A journey of 4½ miles in the desert will take the party
find (as detailed above and on the next page) and a little over two hours to make. Traveling during the
could point out any they’ve missed. He understands day is difficult due to the heat. For each hour the party
infernal so he is able to translate the coin if travels under the burning sun they must roll a DC 13
necessary. He would point out the tiger’s head on Constitution saving throw or gain a level of exhaustion
the corner of the parchment if the party misses it from the extreme heat.
and can provide hints as to how to reveal the map if The party will experience a random encounter
they do not find the coin on Al’Mirrant’s body. approximately halfway through their journey. Refer to
the Desert Random Encounter tables on pg. 86 of this
While inspecting the items on the tray the party can book. After the encounter unfolds, the next phase of
learn the following information: this adventure is the party’s arrival at their intended
destination as dictated by the map they found in Part 3.
• A successful DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation)
check will reveal there is a small etching of a stylized GM NOTE: OTHER ENVIRONMENTS
tiger’s head on the metal key just behind the key’s AND TIME CONSTRAINTS
teeth. If you have set this adventure in a different
• A successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) environment than the great desert of the
or Wisdom (Perception) check will reveal a tiny, Tarranath Expanse, this book includes random
faint tiger’s head on the bottom right-hand corner of encounter tables that would be appropriate
the map that seems to have come into view following for your setting. Additionally, this encounter is
contact with trace amounts of Al’Mirrant’s blood. not necessary for the plot of this adventure to
progress. If you are running short on time during
Applying a total of 5 hit points worth of blood to the your session, this random encounter can be left
parchment will cause an intricate map to start forming out at your discretion. Sometimes the desert isn’t
out from where the blood droplets fell. The map will as unforgiving as legend would have travelers
detail a path through the city’s northern gate into the believe.
desert to a deep and craggy canyon about four miles
outside of Hal’Mostafan. The map will show a doorway
at the end of the canyon that is marked with the same
stylized tiger’s head that is on the key, the coin and the
corner of the map. The party should get the sense this is
the route to the black market bazaar.
Part 5: Behold the Bazaar! GM NOTE: A HAVEN OF
CRIME AND BRUTALITY
After hours of travel, you near the point detailed on As you describe this area, feel free to add detail
the map and find yourselves at the entrance to a small that makes it clear to the party that the normal
slot canyon that sinks into the desert floor. It’s several rules and laws of society do not apply here.
degrees cooler in the shade created by its walls and Perhaps a petty argument about fruit ends with
it doesn’t take long for you to reach the terminus of a freshly killed body adorning the dusty cavern
this gap in the landscape. Looking around, you see a floor. Or a wagon full of merfolk tails on ice is
stylized tiger’s head, about 9 inches across, carved into being kept cool by a gruff-looking half-ogre who
the wall at the very back of the shaded gorge. Inside the can cast ray of frost. In short, try to convey—
tiger’s open mouth is a large keyhole. within the bounds of the agreed-upon limits of
your table—that this place is very dangerous, the
law is a ghost in another plane, and actions have
It should be clear to the party the key they recovered brutal, perhaps fatal, consequences.
from Al’Mirrant fits in this keyhole. When they insert the
key and turn it read the following text: Despite the danger here the marketplace is full of
interesting things that a party may want to purchase:
strange spell components, alchemical tinctures,
As the key clicks in the lock, an archway of pure equipment, jewels and magic items. Anything and
darkness spirals open on the rock wall next to the everything the party might want is available for
keyhole. purchase, however, the merchants do not accept gold
in trade for items of value. The merchants of the black
market bazaar trade in souls, memories, blood and
Nothing can see through the darkness of the archway items with special significance. If the party wishes to
and the party is effectively blinded to anything on the procure normal equipment they can use gold and silver,
other side. Connections with familiars will be severed as but for magic items, potions, treasures or fanciful art,
soon as they pass through and any sort of magical means something much more personal must be offered. The
of remote viewing will be blocked. All they can do is step more creative, detrimental and permanent it is for the
through to see what is on the other side. party the better. It should feel like a marketplace run
When your party members step through the arch of by fiends and devils (because, as the party will soon
darkness, they will immediately find themselves looking discover, it is).
into a large cavern—the home of the black market bazaar.
GM NOTE: MAGICAL ITEMS
IN THE BLACK MARKET BAZAAR
Suddenly, the tunnel opens out into a wide cavern Due to the inherent value of their wares, these
strewn with market stalls and wagons full of goods. clandestine merchants go to great lengths to secure
Light pours into this vast cathedral-like chamber their items. Each of the carts, wagons and stalls
through a hole in the ceiling at the far northern end is guarded by large humanoids bristling with
of the cavern. Just below the hole is a sloping raised weapons. Some may place magical protections,
section of rock festooned with a carpet of vibrant red. such as glyphs of warding, on their merchandise.
A lone lectern sits in the center of the raised area and Stealing them could have disastrous consequences,
behind the lectern, stretched out on a wooden frame, is at GM discretion.
a large flag bearing the image of a stylized tiger’s head Should a player purchase a magic item from the
embroidered in gold thread. black market bazaar, roll a d100. On a result of 45
All of the people milling in the market, a mix of or better, the merchant has placed an enchantment
races and species, are hard-looking folk, bristling on the item that allows them to locate the item at
with weapons, adorned with tattoos and piercings any time at any distance in addition to the ability
and covered in scars. It doesn’t take a Perception to eavesdrop on any conversations made in the
check to recognize this is a place that exists outside presence of the item.
the realm of law.

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 One-Shot Adventures

After the party has been in the black market bazaar for
enough time to allow them to explore the wares available, Suddenly, you find yourselves ringed by the crowd
a gong starts to ring through the spacious cavern. on all sides as Brambushali’s gaze falls to you. “It
was so kind of you to join us, heroes!” they say with a
sneer that pulls their features into a feral expression.
A low-pitched gong rings out through the bazaar and Brambushali grins at the crowd and says, “Once they
the crowd, almost in unison, begins to move toward the are secure, we shall start the bidding! Get them, my
raised area at the northern end of the cavern. Moving darlings!”
toward the dais, you can see on the other side is an Brambushali raises a heavy gold collar, and from
ornate wagon pulled by a massive pair of metallic- two dimensional rifts, demonic forms appear and
looking gorgons. streak toward you.
A thin and wiry individual, wearing robes of crimson
trimmed with gold in intricate patterns at the hems
and cuffs, steps out onto the dais and approaches the Brambushali is a shapeshifted rakshasa who has
lectern. This figure, brushes sleek silvery hair from their summoned two bearded devils to assist them in taking
face and regards the crowd with overly large eyes before control of the party. These creatures would fight to the
shouting, “My friends! My friends! Welcome, welcome. death. The map on pg. 274 should prove useful during
I am Tamaka Brambushali, as some of you know. I hope this encounter. Brambushali’s stat block can be found on
you have found all you were looking for among the pg. 278 of this book. The crowd of onlookers participates
wagons. But I know why you are all really here!” Their in the fight, acting as a lair action which occurs on
voice increases in volume and intensity and you can feel initiative count 10, as outlined on pg. 275.
the energy in the crowd around you shifting. “You are Brambushali is a cunning fighter who would use the
here for the main event! The Heroes Auction!” The crowd crowd to their advantage. They also aren’t afraid to avail
around you begins to applaud and cheer. themselves of the Dominion Collars they have planned to
use to secure the party into their service and would have
access to 1d4 of them at GM discretion. If Brambushali
As this goes on a character with a passive Perception has more than one collar, their first instinct would be to
of 17 or better will realize the crowds have subtly moved get a powerful spellcaster under control, followed by the
and shifted to put the party near to the front of the dais. member of the party that seems capable of dealing the
Anyone with a passive Insight of 14 or better starts to most weapon-based damage, at GM discretion. If both
feel an intense feeling of greed and hunger from the these attempts are successful, Brambushali would work
surrounding crowd. to subdue the other members of the party by using their
allies against them, as the situation allows.

GM NOTE: RELUCTANT HEROES

Should your party be in a position where they GM NOTE: GETTING HAIRY
are trying to hang back away from the stage This may be a difficult fight for the party.
where the auction is taking place, the crowd will Brambushali’s goal is to take the party alive.
coalesce and dozens of individuals will push the If the party is felled by Brambushali and their
party up toward the dais. A character can roll a demons, you can include scenes of the party in
DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check to resist this captivity and their attempts to escape; however,
pressure from the crowd, but that would mean that is outside the scope of this adventure and
they are separated from the rest of the party if would constitute a failure to succeed in this
(read: when) a fight breaks out. Any character particular quest.
separated from the party in this fashion must
spend their action in the first round of combat
navigating through the crowd if they want to
rejoin their companions.
Part 6: Horrible If the party elects to search the wagon they will find
it is locked but not trapped. The lock requires a DC 20
Discoveries & Hasty Thieves’ Tools check to pick, or it can be opened using the
Departures key on Brambushali’s body. If the party opens the wagon,
read the following:

As Brambushali falls, they morph and change into a

An eye-popping array of color meets your eyes as you
tiger-like humanoid with a powerful build, their palms
open the door into this large wagon, which seems
where the backs of their hands should be, their fingers
larger on the interior than its exterior would suggest.
malformed and bent backward.
Hundreds of shelves, nooks and crannies hold items
and curios from this realm and those beyond it.
Books, scrolls and papers litter the counters and
If the party is able to beat Brambushali and their
table inside. A small bedroom with a narrow but
demonic allies, the crowd retreats, securing their own
comfortable-looking bed is also inside.
wagons and merchandise so they can begin to flee the
cavern. In the chaos, the party is left much to their own
devices. If they search Brambushali’s body, they will find
The party finds the following, at GM discretion:
the following items:
• A DC 14 Intelligence (Investigation) check reveals
• A large golden key, the head of which is fashioned
a small chest containing 500 gp, a blood-red ruby
into a stylized tiger’s head. This key will open the
the size of a chicken egg engraved with the royal
door to Brambushali’s wagon, the ornate one parked
crest and inlaid in gold, a platinum scepter topped
behind the raised dais.
with a piece of star metal and an ancient book made
• A large leather satchel that has a pouch containing
of gold. These are the items the Lord Magistrate
one large black pearl worth 550 gp, as well as 256
Mestica sent the party to find.
gp, 102 sp and 57 cp. The satchel also holds a
• Success on a DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation)
number of metal collars equal to the number of
check will reveal documents and letters among the
characters in the party, inscribed with runes, with
papers in the wagon suggesting the Lord Magistrate
a silver chain that leads to a bracer inscribed with
was in collusion with Brambushali. One letter even
runes. These items are Dominion Collars used to
mentions the party and that they are on their way
control other people.
to the black market bazaar. This letter is signed
“Lord Magistrate Akronis Mestica.” In a nook over
the head of the bed in the back of the wagon,
GM NOTE: DOMINION COLLARS the party also finds a large bell-shaped jar full of a
These rare magical devices are designed to contain, putrid-looking green fluid. Floating in the fluid is
control and otherwise bind the souls of people with the preserved, severed head of someone who looks
exceptional abilities and great magical prowess. an awful lot like Lord Magistrate Akronis Mestica.
A humanoid placed in one of these collars is
incapacitated and cannot move more than 5 feet After giving the party an appropriate amount of time to
away from the bracer that is paired to that collar. search the wagon, read the following:
If a creature dons the bracer, they can control the
person trapped in the collar as if they have cast
the dominate person spell. On a successful DC 17 Shrieks and devilish wails split the air and echo around
Wisdom saving throw, the creature in the collar the cavern. The footfalls of what sounds like dozens
is still incapacitated but the effects of dominate of creatures cascade out of the surrounding tunnels,
person are suppressed for 1 minute. These devices and you can hear the flapping of wings beating the air
are evil. A person of good alignment who dons the outside the hole above the dais. In the distance, in the
manacle suffers 7 (2d6) necrotic damage for every darkness, dozens of pairs of glowing eyes steadily move
minute they wear it. Casting dispel magic against a toward you.
5th-level spell or dispel evil and good on the collar
will allow a creature other than the one who put the
collar on to remove them.

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 One-Shot Adventures

• This is designed to be a chase encounter, so

The Black Market Bazaar roll for initiative as if this were a fight. The demons
chasing the party have 30 feet of movement and an
A home to scoundrels, scallywags and soul-stealing
effective Constitution modifier of +3 for the
salesmen, the black market bazaar has a little bit of
purposes of determining how many times they
everything—including near-death experiences. Will the
can dash during the course of the chase. The party
party make it out without losing their souls?
must cover a distance of 250 feet to escape to the
place where they entered the bazaar. If you would
Ravines and Ruthlessness like to add complications to your chase encounter
as your party flees this demonic horde bent on
The market is surrounded by sweeping rock walls that are
revenge for Brambushali’s death, refer to the
difficult to climb (DC 20) and the market itself pins in the
Chase Complications tables starting on pg. 106.
party, as the large gathered crowd and the tents and stalls
make movement through this area difficult. The entire
map (except the stage) is considered difficult terrain.
GM NOTE: TO STOP IS TO DIE
Magical Market Stalls. The party is now in a fight for Try to make it clear through your description of
their lives, so the rules governing pricing and the fair trade the devilish wave that is descending on the party
of goods are likely out the window. If a PC wants to search that this is likely a fight they cannot win, as the
the market stalls for useful items, roll on the table on pg. whole market begins to turn on them. Describe
210 to determine what they find with a successful DC 15 bone devils and battalions of tiny imps surging
Intelligence (Investigation) check. If they fail this check, forward to meet them. If they stop to fight, have
they still find the item, but it’s cursed (as in the table on pg. them engage with several imps and a bone devil,
184), effective immediately. but constantly up the threat of this encounter by
detailing the presence of the other devils that may
Gorgon Team. The gorgons attached to the wagon are be cutting off their escape routes.
trained, but not immune to fear or charm, and could easily
cause more chaos if provoked.
If the party is successful in making it back to where they
Dominion Collars. Brambushali will attempt to use the entered the black market bazaar, they would find they are
Dominion Collars in their possession on the party. Should safe beyond the expanse of magical darkness they walked
a PC attempt to turn these collars around on Brambushali through on their way in. The chase is at an end.
(either by putting one on them or by a member of the
crowd or a devil attacking them), roll 1d20. On a roll of 16
or higher, the collar is effective.

A Hostile Crowd Tamaka,

At GM discretion, the crowd at the black market bazaar An opportunity has
presented itself and another
assists Brambushali as a lair action. On initiative count
10, select one of the following effects. You cannot use the

group is on their way. Take

same effect two rounds in a row:
• The crowd reaches out to grapple and restrain
a single creature. The target must succeed on a DC care, they seem capable. But
should fetch a high price.
16 Strength or Dexterity saving throw. On a failed
save, the target is grappled and restrained until

Don’t lose your nerve. Your

another Lair Action is taken. A creature can repeat
this save at the end of their turn.

take will be as before.

• The crowd surges with excitement and attempts
to push one creature off of its feet. The affected
creature must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw
or be knocked prone.
• The crowd gets overeager and swings out with
—Mestica
clubs in an attempt to hit one creature and knock it
unconscious. The target of this Lair Action must
succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 9
(2d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage and be incapacitated
until the end of their next turn.

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 One-Shot Adventures

Part 7: A Reckoning Evidence They Can’t Deny

There are many ways your party could approach the next If the party finds the severed head of the real Lord
part of this adventure, and they are largely dependent Akronis Mestica and presents this to the guards (or any
on what they found inside Brambushali’s wagon. There other individual with authority here, at GM discretion)
are two main possibilities, though others may exist upon their approach to the Royal Complex, the guards
depending on how the events play out at your table. will immediately side with the party. They will not be on
board with killing the Lord Magistrate outright, as they
A Job Completed would want him detained for questioning.
If your party only located the items they were sent to The captain of the guard, Meralal Halra (who uses a
retrieve by the Lord Magistrate Mestica, they can return gladiator stat block) and four guards will accompany the
those items to Hal’Mostafan and claim the reward the party to the High Court Room. Halra informs the Lord
Lord Magistrate promised. They are immediately shown Magistrate he is under arrest for suspicion of murder.
to the Lord Magistrate’s High Court Room and he enters Read the following:
the room shortly thereafter, reclaims the lost treasures,
pays the party the agreed price and thanks them for their
service to the crown. For a moment, the Lord Magistrate Mestica simply
stares at you, the guards and the jar containing the
severed head. He smiles, a smile that contains too
“Your tale is harrowing indeed, my friends. It is good many sharp pointed teeth, and screams in a voice that
that you escaped with your lives and with the treasures is several octaves too high, “You were not meant to
the crown so ardently wished to reclaim. I will look into leave that canyon with your autonomy. You may have
this matter immediately and send a battalion of guards destroyed my operation here, but you shall never find
to investigate this devilish bazaar.” He makes some the others! And you’ll never sleep a restful night again,
imperious gestures and several guards go running for you will know that I am coming for revenge.”
from the room, ostensibly to make preparations to
move on the bazaar in force. The Lord Magistrate
continues as he hands over a small ornate chest that As his piercing cries reach a crescendo, the form
clinks with heavy coins, “Your well-earned reward. I of the Lord Magistrate morphs and grows into a large
have included an additional sum of 1500 gold pieces demonic figure. Great wings extend from his shoulders
for the information you bring about this horrid market and curving horns grow from his bald head. A sinuous
operating in our own backyard. Your service to the tail tipped with a vicious barb whips out behind him, and
crown will not be forgotten.” With that, he sweeps from he vanishes into a dark rift behind him.
the room and out of sight. The fiendish creature posing as the Lord Magistrate
knows the jig is up and does not want to risk defeat at
the party’s hands, especially as more guards rush into the
The party is led from the Royal Complex by the Captain room to assist. He knows when he is beaten and resolves
of the Guards, Meralal Halra, who leaves you at the gates, to make trouble for the party later on down the line. He is
ending the adventure. meant to escape. His innate ability to plane shift is not a
spell so it cannot be affected by counterspell.

GM NOTE: AN EPIC COMBAT

If you want to have this encounter with the
Lord Magistrate be an epic fight his stat block is
included on pg. 279. Just be cognizant of your
party’s current status, because this could be a
deadly fight after dealing with Brambushali at the
bazaar. Still—if the party wants a fight, you could
give them one.
With the disappearance of the Lord Magistrate Mestica,
Captain Halra, wide-eyed and shaking, will say the
following:

“Words cannot express my gratitude. The court of the

Surdan-Nedala will forever be in your debt. In payment
for your services to the crown, I award you double what
the treacherous Lord Magistrate promised you. Not
only did you recover items precious to the royal family,
but you have uncovered this horrid plot against the
people under their rule. In addition to this money, I
offer you my service. I grant you the ability to call on me
and my soldiers in your hour of need, and your request
will be fulfilled. Go with the gratitude of the crown, my
friends.”

With that, Captain Halra will pay the party double

the amount they were promised and commend each
of the party members for their service and hand them
a small flute. Halra would explain that when played,
this flute will magically teleport her and 2d8+2 of her
guard (bandit captains) to the party’s aid. Once used in
this manner, the flute will crumble into dust and Halra
and her soldiers will teleport back from whence they
came.

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 One-Shot Adventures

NPCs Tamaka Brambushali

These character descriptions and stat blocks should A dangerous, despicable fiend, Tamaka Brambushali is a
come in handy during the course of this adventure. shapeshifting rakshasa with charm (and sorcery points)
to spare. They are the grand auctioneer for the souls of
Detric Lowe captured adventurers at the black market bazaar and
A loquacious, short and self-interested merchant who plans to trap the party in order to sell them to the highest
knows the Lord Magistrate is on the hunt for heroes, bidder.
Detric Lowe may not seem trustworthy, but that’s only
because he’s in sales. At GM discretion, Lowe has the
statistics of a commoner, with the following additional
feature:

Why Would I Lie? Detric Lowe has +10 on all Charisma

(Deception; Persuasion) checks, which he rolls with
advantage when telling some (but not all) of the truth.

Tamaka Brambushali Brambushali has 11 sorcery points that can be used in

Medium fiend, lawful evil the following ways:

Armor Class 19 Distant Spell. When they cast a spell that has a range greater
Hit Points 110 (13d8 + 52) than 5 feet, Brambushali can spend 1 sorcery point to double the
Speed 40 ft. range of the spell. When they cast a spell with the range of touch,
they can spend 1 sorcery point to make the range of the spell 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Heightened Spell. When they cast a spell that forces a creature to
14 (+2) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) make a saving throw to resist its effects, Brambushali can spend
3 sorcery points to give one target of the spell disadvantage on its
Skills Deception +10, Insight +8 first saving throw made against the spell.
Damage Vulnerabilities piercing from magic weapons Quickened Spell. When they cast a spell that has a casting time
wielded by good creatures of 1 action, Brambushali can spend 2 sorcery points to change
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing and the casting time to 1 bonus action for that casting.
slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 Spellcasting. Brambushali is an 11th-level spellcaster.
Languages Common, Infernal
Their spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18,
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)
+10 to hit with spell attacks). Brambushali has the
Limited Magic Immunity. Brambushali can’t be affected following Sorcerer spells prepared:
or detected by spells of 6th level or lower unless they wish to be.
They have advantage on saving throws against all other spells and Cantrips (at will): chill touch, firebolt, message, prestidigitation,
magical effects. shocking grasp, true strike
Steeped in Shadow. Brambushali innately knows the darkness 1st Level (4 slots): fog cloud, magic missile, shield
spell. In addition, they can cast it by spending 2 sorcery points or 2nd Level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, blur, scorching ray
by expending a spell slot. If they cast the spell with sorcery points, 3rd Level (3 slots): fear, lightning bolt
they can see through the darkness created by the spell. 4th Level (3 slots): dimension door, wall of fire
Innate Spellcasting. Brambushali’s innate spellcasting 5th Level (2 slots): hold monster
ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). 6th Level (1 slot): eyebite
They can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material
components: Actions
Multiattack. Brambushali makes two claw attacks.
At will: detect thoughts, disguise self, mage hand, minor illusion Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
3/long rest: charm person, detect magic, invisibility, Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage and the target is cursed if it is
major image, suggestion a creature. The magical curse takes effect whenever the target
1/long rest: dominate person, fly, plane shift, true seeing takes a short or long rest, filling the target’s thoughts with horrible
images and dreams. The cursed target gains no benefit from
Metamagic. Brambushali is a skilled sorcerer who is finishing a short or long rest. The curse lasts until it is lifted by a
able to shape and change their magic to suit their needs. remove curse spell or similar magic.
Lord Magistrate Akronis Mestica know is the Lord Magistrate was murdered not long ago
Residents of the city of Hal’Mostafan know the Lord and has been replaced by a shapeshifting fiend who is
Magistrate to be a decisive and direct man who metes quite good at impersonating his predecessor.
out justice on behalf of the monarchy. What they do not

Lord Magistrate Akronis Mestica Expertly Hidden. The Lord Magistrate has the innate ability to
shield his true nature from those around him, friend or foe. He is
Large fiend, lawful evil constantly under an effect that duplicates the spell magic aura.
Deft Escape (1/long rest). The Lord Magistrate has the innate
Armor Class 19 ability to instantly teleport to a plane of his choosing. This is not a
Hit Points 189 (18d10 + 90) spell, and cannot be countered by traditional means.
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Actions
Multiattack. The Lord Magistrate makes three melee attacks: two
21 (+5) 17 (+3) 21 (+5) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 17 (+3)
with his fork and one with his tail. He can use Hurl Flame in place
Saving Throws STR +10, DEX +7, WIS +7, CHA +7 of any melee attack.
Skills Stealth +8, Deception +8 Fork. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing and Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing and 7 (2d6) fire damage.
slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Damage Immunities fire, poison Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage. If the target is a creature
Condition Immunities poisoned other than an undead or a construct, it must succeed on a DC 17
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 13 Constitution saving throw or lose 10 (3d6) hit points at the start
Languages Infernal, Telepathy 120 ft.
of each of its turns due to an infernal wound. Each time the devil
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)
hits the wounded target with this attack, the damage dealt by the
Devil’s Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the Lord wound increases by 10 (3d6). Any creature can take an action to
Magistrate’s darkvision. stanch the wound with a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine)
Magical Resistance. The devil has advantage on saving throws check. The wound also closes if the target receives magical healing.
against spells and other magical effects. Hurl Flame. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 150 ft., one
Silvered Tongue. The Lord Magistrate is a practiced speaker and target. Hit: 14 (4d6) fire damage. If the target is a flammable
has advantage on all Charisma checks. object that isn’t being worn or carried, it also catches fire.
Infernal Healing. The Lord Magistrate is fueled by the victims Howling Vengeance (recharge 6). The Lord Magistrate Mestica
of his Infernal Wounds. Any time a creature takes damage at the howls in vengeful fury and selects a point within 60 feet. A
start of its turn from the ongoing effect of the Lord Magistrate’s tail howling inferno of screams and flame erupts from that point in a
attack, he regains hit points equal to half of the damage inflicted. 10-foot radius. Every creature in that area of effect must succeed
Shapeshifter. The Lord Magistrate can use an action to magically on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or suffer 22 (5d8) thunder
polymorph into a Medium humanoid, or back into his true form. damage and 22 (5d8) fire damage and be knocked prone. On a
His statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment he is successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and is not
wearing or carrying is also transformed. He reverts to his true knocked prone.
form if he dies.

Captain Halra
A broad-shouldered, scar-covered and dutiful leader of
the city guard in Hal’Mostafan, Captain Halra is devoted
to the protection of the wishes of the royal family, but
also has a sense of morality that extends beyond the
monarchy. She uses gladiator statistics, but also has the
following feature:

Blood Drive (1/long rest). Captain Halra can use a

bonus action to cut into her own skin, spilling a fair
amount of blood and reducing her current hit points
by half. This act immediately grants her four actions, in
addition to her standard action, for one turn.

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 279

 Index

A environmental hazards, 133 farriers and stable masters, 66

aerial environments, chase complications, 115 random encounters, 86–87 fishmongers and netmakers, 65
ancestries, 35 wonders of the world/points of interest, 17 glassblowers and glaziers, 65
Animated Defense, 248–263 difficulty and damage, 132 guild story hooks, 66
adventure location, 248 diseases, 143–144 incursions, 66
setting up, 249 divine blessings, 182 influential guilds, 63
NPCs, 262–263 divine domains, 10 innkeepers and bartenders, 63
Part 1: Welcome to Tradecross, 250–253 divine influence, 12 jewelers, 65
Part 2: A Little Bit of Petty Larceny, 253–255 divine status, 10–11 mariners and sailors, 65
Part 3: Into the Mists, 255–257 dreams, 194–195 material shortages, 66
Part 4: The Tower and Its Defenders, 257–261 druidic focus, 203 miners, 64
Part 5: Into the Mist Room, 261 organizational structure, 62
Part 6: Conclusion, 261 E performers, 65
anti-magic mist, 145 economy creation, 40–44 potionmakers, 64
arcana well, 145 taxes, 40–41 power struggles, 66
arcane focus, 202 trade, 42–44 printers, 65
architecture, 36–38 wealth and poverty, 40 shipwrights, 65
adding details, 38 elemental cyclone, 146 stonemasons, 63
arctic, 38 ensnaring double, 148 strikes, 66
coastal, 38 environmental hazards, 130–142 tailors, 64
construction material, 36 arctic, 130–131 tanners and leatherworkers, 64
construction style, 37 coastal, 132 vintners, distillers and brewers, 66
decoration style, 37 desert, 133 watchmen, 64
desert, 38 grasslands, 136 wheelwrights, wagon builders and
jungle, 37 hills, 138 teamsters, 63
roofing material, 36 jungle, 135
temperate region, 37 mountains, 137 H
arctic swamps, 139 hags and their lairs, 220
architecture, 38 temperate forest, 134 hallucinations, 225
environmental hazards, 130–131 underground, 140 heists, 116
random encounters, 82–83 underwater, 141 heraldry and crests, 204–205
wonders of the world/points of interest, 18 urban, 142 hidden societies, 71
art objects, 208–209 environments, 14–15 hills
atmosphere enhancement, 222 environmental hazards, 138
F random encounters, 96–97
B forest (temperate) wonders of the world/points of interest, 19
ballads, ditties and songs, 211–212 environmental hazards, 134 hollow field, 148
beliefs, 48–49 random encounters, 88–89 holy quests, 118
black market bazaar, 275 wonders of the world/points of interest, 15 holy symbols, 203
blighted creep vine, 145 fortune tellers, 197
books I
book titles, 207 G inns and taverns, 52–61
contents of an ancient grimoire, 206 gelatinous cubes, 222 items with personality
boons, 183 ghosts, 228 evil sentient magic item personalities, 169
bounty hunts, 117 giant’s backpack, 223 good sentient magic item personalities, 168
businesses, 50 globe of darkness, 148 object occupants (dead), 170
gnomish inventors, 224 object occupants (living), 171
C government, 22–30
charms, 186–188 aristocracy, 25–26 J
chase complications, 106–115 authoritarian, 22–23 jungle
city shape, 34 communalism, 27–28 architecture, 37
clandestine government groups, 73 democracy, 23–24 environmental hazards, 135
clubs and vices, 73 dictatorship, 28–29 random encounters, 90–91
coastal region monarchy, 24 wonders of the world/points of interest, 16
architecture, 38 oligarchy, 25
environmental hazards, 132 puppet government, 30 L
random encounters, 84–85 theocracy, 26–27 languages, 35
contentment and discord, 41 tribalism, 27 lawful good vs. lawful not-so-good, 13
constellations, 196–197 unique government agencies, 30 leaders
crime and punishment, 47 utopian, 29 aristocracy, 25–26
criminal acts, unintended, 215 government agencies, 30 authoritarian, 23
criminal organizations, 72 grasslands communalism, 27–28
cuisine, 68–70 environmental hazards, 136 democracy, 23–24
curses, 184–185 random encounters, 92–93 dictatorship, 28–29
customs, laws and their consequences, 46–47 wonders of the world/points of interest, 18 monarchy, 24
strange and unique customs, 46 gravestones, 228–229 oligarchy, 25
strange and unique laws, 47 gravity reversal, 145 puppet government, 30
strange and unique punishments, 47 guilds and unions, 62–66 theocracy, 26–27
adventurers, 63 tribalism, 27
D apothecaries, herbalists and physicians, 65 utopian, 29
defenses, 34 armorers and weapon makers, 64 local color, 68–79
deity alignment, 10 blacksmiths, 64 city conflicts, 78–79
demonic demands, 223 butchers and hunters, 66 city secrets, 78
dense wilds, chase complications, 110–111 carpenters, 63 points of interest, 70–71
desert chandlers and lamplighters, 66 random organization generator, 74–77
architecture, 38 cooks, 64 the underbelly, 71–73
 unique local cuisine, 68–70 thorp, 32 T
location upkeep, 210 village, 32 Tables, see complete index on pg. 282
lycanthropes, 73 portals to the unknown, 226–227 taverns
potions ballads, ditties and songs, 211–212
M beneficial, 158–162 Oblivious Owlbear, 234
maddening mists, 148 detrimental, 162–166 one good time too many, 214–215
magic mixed potion interactions, 167 specialty brews and cocktails, 213–214
common magic items, 188–192 prismatic spiral, 149 tavern, inn or club generator, 52–61
defining, 12-13 prisoners, 171 teleportation, 172–174
gifts and curses, 182–192 prophecy, 196–197 temperate forest
items with personality, 168–171 protection missions, 116–117 environmental hazards, 134
positive and negative potions, 158–167 random encounters, 88–89
spell scrolls, 153–157 R wonders of the world/points of interest, 15
status of, 13 random encounters, 81–105 temperate region, architecture, 37
teleportation gone wrong, 172–174 arctic, 82–83 temples, 49
transmuted damage types, 157 coastal, 84–85 temporal distortion, 148
variant wild magic, 176–179 deserts, 86–87 tendrils of gloom, 145
magical hazards, 145–149 grasslands, 92–93 Things Are Not What They Seem, 264–279
massive calamity, 12 hills, 96–97 adventure location, 264
messenger missions, 118 jungles, 90–91 setting up, 264–265
mortal invention, 13 mountains, 94–95 NPCs, 278–279
mountains swamps, 98–99 Part 1: A Chance Encounter, 265–267
environmental hazards, 137 temperate forests, 88–89 Part 2: A Better Offer, 267–269
random encounters, 94–95 underground, 100–101 Part 3: A Body of Evidence, 269–270
wonders of the world/points of interest, 16 underwater, 102–103 Part 4: Into the Desert, 270
mutations, 200–201 urban, 104–105 Part 5: Behold the Bazaar!, 271–272
mysterious capers, 118 reality rift, 146 Part 6: Horrible Discoveries and Hasty
mystic doorway, 148 realm building, 20–21 Departures, 273–275
myths and legends, 48–49 reincarnation, 198–199 Part 7: A Reckoning, 276–277
religion trade, 42-44
N cults, 72 alcohols, 44
natural source, 13 myths and legends, 48 armaments, 44
necrotic flares, 148 temples, 49 building materials, 44
Never Tell Me the Odds, 232–247 rescue missions, 117 gems, 43
adventure location, 232 rumors, 219 grains and produce, 44
setting up, 232–233 livestock, 43
NPCs, 246–247 S magic items, 44
Part 1: You’re My Only Hope, 233–234 scientific study, 13 minerals and ores, 44
Part 2: The Scene of the Crime, 234–237 secret societies, 72 precious metals, 43
Part 3: The Game is Afoot, 239–242 sewers, chase complications, 108 resources, 42
Part 4: Knives Out, 243–244 ships and shipwrecks scrolls and books, 44
Part 5: The Killer Revealed, 244 ship name generator, 216–217 transpositioning pulses, 145
the aftermath, 245 strange things in a shipwreck, 216 travel complications, 150–151
nomads and malcontents, 20 side quests, 116–118 by air, 151
skill challenges, 120–129 by land, 150
O charisma, 128–129 by sea, 150
one-shot adventures, 230–234 constitution, 123–124 treasure hunts, 117
Animated Defense, 248–263 dexterity, 121–123
Never Tell Me the Odds, 232–247 intelligence, 125–126 U
Things Are Not What They Seem, 264–279 strength, 120–121 underground
open wilds, chase complications, 109–110 wisdom, 126–128 chase complications, 112
outliers, nomads and malcontents, 20 soothsayers, 197 environmental hazards, 140
outsiders and outcasts, 72 spell globes, 148 random encounters, 100–101
spell scrolls underwater
P 1st-level, 153–154 chase complications, 113
Pangaea panacea, 14 2nd-level, 154 environmental hazards, 141
pantheon building, 10–11 3rd-level, 154–155 random encounters, 102–103
pickpocketing, 180–181 4th-level, 155 underworld elements, 71
planet building, 14–29 5th-level, 155 urban areas
players 6th-level, 155–156 chase complications, 107–108
agency of, 172 7th-level, 156 environmental hazards, 142
non-responsibility for death of, 7 8th-level, 156 random encounters, 104–105
unpredictability of, 81 9th-level, 156 useless junk, 226
polymorphic fog, 147 cantrip level, 153
population building, 34–38 levels, 153 V
population type, 32–33 transmuted damage types, 157 variant rules, 167, 198
and guild density, 62 unexpected results, 156–157 void wall, 148
hamlet, 32 spellbooks, 202
large city, 33 swamp and marshlands W
large town, 32 environmental hazards, 139 wares not necessarily legal, 210
mega-city, 33 random encounters, 98–99 water environments, chase complications,
metropolis, 33 wonders of the world/points of interest, 17 113–114
settlement, 32 weirdos, hermits and wanderers, 218–219
small city, 32 wild magic area, 148
small town, 32 wonders of the world/points of interest, 15–19
and temple volume, 49

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 281

 Index of Tables

A D cooks guild names, 64

additional languages, 35 deity alignment, 10 farriers and stable masters guild names, 66
Animated Defense: the bonfire, 250 demonic demands, 223 fishmongers and netmakers guild names, 65
anxiety-inducing and creepy occurrences, 222 determined domain(s), 10 glassblowers and glaziers guild names, 65
arcane focus appearance, 202 diseases, 143–144 influential guilds, 63
architecture, 36–38 divine blessings, 182 innkeepers and bartenders guild names, 63
arctic features, 38 divine influence details, 12 jewelers guild names, 65
coastal features, 38 divine status, 10–11 mariners and sailors guild names, 65
decoration style, 37 dreams, 194–195 miners guild names, 64
desert features, 38 nightmarish, 194 organizational structure, 62
jungle features, 37 pleasant, 195 performers guild names, 65
predominant construction material, 36 drink name generator, 213–214 potionmakers guild names, 64
predominant roofing material, 36 druidic focus appearance, 203 printers guild names, 65
residential construction style, 37 shipwrights guild names, 65
temperate region features, 37 E stonemasons guild names, 63
art objects, 208–209 economy, 40–44 story hooks, 66
values, 209 method of tax collection, 41 tailors guild names, 64
status of the city treasury, 41 tanners and leatherworkers guild names, 64
B tax rates, 41 vintners, distillers and brewers guild
ballads, ditties and songs, 211–212 wealth and poverty, 40 names, 66
books environmental hazards watchmen guild names, 64
book titles, 207 arctic, 130–131 wheelwrights, wagon builders and teamsters
contents of an ancient grimoire, 206 coastal, 132 guild names, 63
boons, 183 desert, 133
grasslands, 136 H
C hills, 138 hallucinations, 225
charms, 186–188 jungle, 135 heraldry and crests, 204–205
chase complications mountains, 137 holy symbol appearance, 203
aerial flying, 115 swamps, 139
aerial on flying mount, 115 temperate forest, 134 L
dense wilds on foot, 110 underground, 140 local businesses, 50
dense wilds mounted, 111 underwater, 141 local legends and myths, 48
dense wilds in vehicle, 111 urban, 142 location upkeep, 210
in water mounted, 113 environments, 14–19
on the water swimming, 114 arctic, 18 M
on the water in vehicle, 114 desert, 17 magical hazards, 145–149
open wilds on foot, 109 grasslands, 18 elemental cyclone, 146
open wilds mounted, 109 hills, 19 polymorphic fog, 147
open wilds in vehicle, 110 jungle, 16 prismatic spiral, 149
sewers on foot, 108 mountain, 16 reality rift results, 146
urban in vehicle, 108 swamp and marshlands, 17 massive calamity details, 12
underground on foot, 112 temperate forest, 15 mortal invention/scientific study details, 13
underground mounted, 112 evil temples
underwater swimming, 113 alignment, 49 N
urban on foot, 107 domains, 49 natural source details, 13
urban mounted, 107 Never Tell Me the Odds
cities F the murderer, 243
ancestry makeup, 35 food at the Oblivious Owlbear, 234 trap, 244–245
conflicts wheel of fortune and death, 238
major, 78 G notable and unique defenses, 34
minor, 79 ghosts, unfinished business, 228 NPC primary motivation, 219
points of interest, 71 gizmos and trinkets in a gnomish workshop, 224
shape, 34 government O
city underbelly aristocracy leaders, 26 one good time too many, 214–215
clandestine government groups, 73 authoritarian leaders, 23
clubs and vices, 73 communalism leaders, 28 P
criminal organizations, 72 democracy leaders, 24 personalities in items, 168–171
lycanthropes, 73 dictatorship leaders, 29 evil sentient magic items, 169
outsiders and outcasts, 72 monarchy leaders, 24 good sentient magic items, 168
religious cults, 72 oligarchy leaders, 25 object occupants (dead), 170
secret societies, 72 puppet government, 30 object occupants (living), 171
underworld elements and hidden societies, 71 theocracy leaders, 27 pickpocketing results, 180–181
common magic items, 189–192 tribalism leaders, 27 population centers, 32
constellations and heavenly portents, 196–197 unique government agencies, 30 potions
contents of a gelatinous cube, 222 utopian leaders, 29 beneficial potions and elixirs, 158–162
continental configurations, 14 gravestone markers, 228–229 detrimental potions and poisons, 162–166
countries gross stuff in a hag’s lair, 220 mixed potion interactions, 167
configuration, 20 guilds and unions, 62–66 types, 158
and conflicts, 21 adventurers guild names, 63
status, 20–21 apothecaries, herbalists and physicians
curses, 184–185 guild names, 65
armorers and weapon makers guild names, 64
blacksmiths guild names, 64
butchers and hunters guild names, 66
carpenters guild names, 63
chandlers and lamplighters guild names, 66
 scrolls and books, 44
R S trade relations, 42
random encounters ship name generator, 216–217 travel complications
arctic side quests by air, 151
levels 1–4, 82 bounty hunts, 117 by land, 150
levels 5–10, 82 heists, 116 by sea, 150
levels 11–16, 83 holy quests, 118 type of government, 22
levels 17–20, 83 messenger missions, 118
coastal mysterious capers, 118 U
levels 1–4, 84 protection missions, 116–117 uncommon ancestry, 35
levels 5–10, 84 rescue missions, 117 unfinished business (ghosts), 228
levels 11–16, 85 treasure hunts, 117 unintended criminal acts, 215
levels 17–20, 85 types, 116 unique local cuisine/techniques, 68–70
deserts skill challenges, 120–129
levels 1–4, 86 charisma, 128–129 V
levels 5–10, 86 constitution, 123–124 variant wild magic, 176–179
levels 11–16, 87 dexterity, 121–123
levels 17–20, 87 intelligence, 125–126 W
grasslands strength, 120–121 war, 21
levels 1–4, 92 wisdom, 126–128 weirdos, hermits and wanderers, 218–219
levels 5–10, 92 source of arcane power, 12 what do the bones say?, 197
levels 11–16, 93 special items not displayed for sale, 210 what in the world is this stuff?, 226
levels 17–20, 93 spell scrolls: where did that come from?, 226–227
hills level, 153
levels 1–4, 96 cantrip level, 153
levels 5–10, 96 1st-level, 153–154
levels 11–16, 97 2nd-level, 154
levels 17–20, 97 3rd-level, 154–155
jungles 4th-level, 155
levels 1–4, 90 5th-level, 155
levels 5–10, 90 6th-level, 155–156
levels 11–16, 91 7th-level, 156
levels 17–20, 91 8th-level, 156
mountains 9th-level, 156
levels 1–4, 94 transmuted damage types, 157
levels 5–10, 94 unexpected results, 156–157
levels 11–16, 95 spellbook appearance, 202
levels 17–20, 95 status of magic, 13
swamps strange and unique customs, 46
levels 1–4, 98 strange and unique laws, 47
levels 5–10, 98 strange and unique punishments, 47
levels 11–16, 99 strange mutations, 200–201
levels 17–20, 99 strange things in a shipwreck, 216
temperate forests
levels 1–4, 88 T
levels 5–10, 88–89 tavern, inn or club, 52–61
levels 11–16, 89 complications, 53–61
levels 17–20, 89 description, 53–61
underground first name/last name, 52–53
levels 1–4, 100 marketing hook, 53–61
levels 5–10, 100–101 regulars, 53–61
levels 11–16, 101 teleportation mishaps, 172–174
levels 17–20, 101 elemental excursion, 173
underwater it wasn’t like that before, 172
levels 1–4, 102 karmic infusion, 174
levels 5–10, 102 warping exposure, 174
levels 11–16, 103 temple alignment, 49
levels 17–20, 103 Things Are Not What They Seem:
urban mild complications, 267
levels 1–4, 104 things you definitely shouldn’t touch, 221
levels 5–10, 104 things you might find in a giant’s
levels 11–16, 105 backpack, 223
levels 17–20, 105 trade, 42–44
random organization generator alcohols, 44
boring part of name, 74 armaments, 44
exciting name part 1, 75–77 building materials, 44
exciting name part 2, 75–77 gems, 43
goals, 75–77 grains and produce, 44
leadership, 75–77 livestock, 43
reincarnation results and unexpected side magic item type, 44
effects, 198–199 minerals and ores, 44
rumors on the street, 219 precious metals, 43
resources, 42

The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 283

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The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random

Tables, Copyright 2023, Topix Media Lab. Authors: Ben
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The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables 285

 Acknowledgments
I ENJOYED CREATING THIS BOOK, BUT IT HAS IN NO WAY BEEN A ONE-MAN SHOW.
Numerous people worked to bring this title to life and there are not enough words, put in any
combination, that can adequately express how much I appreciate their efforts.

To the wonderful staff at Media Lab Books, but in particular Jeff Ashworth, Phil Sexton, Tim Baker,
Courtney Kerrigan, Tara Sherman, Madeline Raynor, Glen Karpowich and Nancy Puskuldjian: Without
your work, this book would still be a jumble of random information in my head. Your willingness to
work with me on my first solo project in this series is a gift I will forever treasure. Jeff, your guidance on
this project was absolutely invaluable. Phil, your invitation to author this book and your belief in me is
something I will never forget. Thank you so much for your time and unflinching support. To all of you, if
we are ever in a position to share a drink, in this realm or another, the first few rounds are on me.

Special thanks to Robbie Daymond who took the time to write the foreword to this book. Thank you for
your kind words!

To one-shot creators Matt, Marty and Nick Forbeck (Never Tell Me The Odds) and Jim Davis (Animated
Defense), whose creations provided wonderful additions to this title: I look forward to running your
adventures at my home. The twists and turns of the stories you have created were masterfully crafted and
a ton of fun to read.

To illustrators Jasmine Kalle, Doug Kovacs, and Chris Seaman. Your wonderful art breathes a life
and soul into the text in a way I never could. Thank you for providing such beautiful fuel for our
imaginations.

To my gaming groups: Each person I have ever shared a table with has shaped, influenced and inspired
me. Your imaginative characters, wonderful plot lines and moments of creative spontaneity remind me
on a weekly basis why this game is so awesome.

To my parents: From the moment I picked up my first fantasy novel in third grade, I knew writing was
something I wanted to do. You encouraged me to imagine beyond the boundaries of convention—to live
large and dream big—every step of the way. I wouldn’t have done this without you.

Finally, to my wonderful, patient, accommodating wife and children, your willingness to allow me to
escape into a world behind the keyboard to pursue this dream has been incredible: Your unrelenting
support means more to me than you could possibly know. Your brilliant ideas, gentle suggestions and
honest critiques made this book what it is. In the moments when I felt inadequate and frustrated, you
helped remind me they were just words and even though words are hard, putting them on the page was
all that it took to make something awesome. Thank you so much for allowing me to chase this childhood
fancy. Thank you for being my ride-or-die companions through this life, the greatest of adventures and
the most wonderful of stories.
 Media Lab Books
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ISBN-13: 978-1-956403-25-1
ISBN-10: 1-956403-25-6

CEO Tony Romando

Vice President & Publisher Phil Sexton Chief Content Officer Jeff Ashworth
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Cover: Shutterstock
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1C-B23-1
 Your GMs
BEN EGLOFF brings more than 30 years of nerdy MARTY FORBECK is a writer and game designer.
obsession to bear in The Game Master’s Book of He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–
Astonishing Random Tables. Having provided content Madison in spring 2020 with a degree in creative
for both the Game Master’s Book of Non-Player writing. Since then, he has worked on multiple projects
Characters and The Game Master’s Book of Traps, in the Shotguns & Sorcery line. He lives in Appleton,
Puzzles and Dungeons, he couldn’t be happier to have WI, with his wife, Laura.
the opportunity to author this most recent addition to
a wonderful series. A chronicler of the weird and the
wacky, Ben spends the majority of his time writing NICHOLAS J. FORBECK is a lifelong gamer and
about the world around him. When he isn’t writing, he writer. This is his first published work as a game
enjoys spending his time playing make-believe in the designer. He lives in Beloit, WI, with his parents and is
far-flung worlds of magic, fantasy and science fiction a core member of Matt’s rotating cast of children.
through a variety of different TTRPGs, board games
and video games. Ben lives in the glorious Midwest
with his wife, Mandy; his two boys; two insane dogs; JIM DAVIS is a cofounder of Web DM, a YouTube
and a cat that believes it is the deity of the realm (and channel dedicated to helping Game Masters expand
to be fair, it pretty much is). the possibilities of their games and inspiring game
groups to embrace player-driven, open-world
campaigns.
ROBBIE DAYMOND is a talented and prolific voice
actor whose credits include Spider-Man/Peter Parker
in Marvel’s Spider-Man, Tuxedo Mask in Sailor Moon, DOUG KOVACS received a BA from Columbia
Prompto in Final Fantasy XV, Akechi in Persona 5, College Chicago and has created illustrations for
Megumi Fushiguro in Jujutsu Kaisen, Jesse in Infinity a variety of projects including role-playing games
Train and countless others. In the TTRPG space, he is (Wizards of the Coast, Goodman Games and more),
perhaps best known for portraying fan-favorite Dorian collectible trading cards, T-shirts, murals, concept art
Storm, a recurring character on the enormously popular and more. He lives in Chicago.
live-play streaming series Critical Role. Robbie resides
in Los Angeles with his wife and children.
JASMINE KALLE is an RPG fanatic currently living
in Queensland, Australia. This is her fourth time
MATT FORBECK is an award-winning and New York supplying maps for the Game Master series.
Times-bestselling author and game designer with more
than 30 novels and countless games published to date.
His projects have won a Peabody Award, a Scribe Award, CHRIS SEAMAN has been a freelance illustrator in
10 ENNIEs and 17 Origins Awards. He also runs the hobby games for more than 20 years. His work can be
Diana Jones Award Foundation. His latest work includes seen in such properties as Skylanders, Dungeons &
Hard West 2, Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus, the Marvel Dragons, Kaijudo: Duel Masters, World of Warcraft,
Multiverse Role-Playing Game and the Shotguns & Harry Potter, Hearthstone, Pathfinder and Magic:
Sorcery 5E Sourcebook based on his novels. He lives in The Gathering. He is a contributor to ImagineFX
Beloit, WI, with his wife and a rotating cast of college- and 3D Total magazines. He continues to add to his
age children. Check out forbeck.com. Cameo Creeps collection, personal and commissioned
projects and exhibits around the U.S.
 EMBRACE THE GODS
OF CHAOS AND LET
THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
THE THRILL OF A WELL-EXECUTED ENCOUNTER, the curiosity inspired by a realm rich with lore and intrigue, the
heights of drama, the depths of comedy, the triumph of a critical hit and the tragedy of its opposite—these are the
moments all Game Masters strive to create. Delivering for your players each time you run a session can take hours
of planning. Or, if you use this book, a minute or two. While The Game Master’s Book of Astonishing Random Tables is
not a wondrous item, you’d be forgiven for assuming it has magical properties. That’s because within these pages
are countless adventure hooks—side quests and travel complications and chase sequences and skill challenges and
other encounters suitable for any environment. And that’s just one section.

WITH THIS BOOK BY YOUR SIDE, you can develop an entire campaign setting, its pantheon, its
various continental forms and the proclivities of its population. From the big questions (“Where does
magic come from?,” “Who’s in charge?,” “Why are we at war with our neighbors?”) down to the most
minute details (“Can my party avoid paying property taxes on their new keep if it’s actually an instant
fortress?”), this book’s tables have you covered. Develop a rich tapestry of trade and commerce by
randomizing your realm’s economy or find out who’s really pulling the strings by rolling on the Puppet
Government table. Want more ideas? How about a table of curses or dreams or wild magic results or
spell scroll side effects or a random potion generator or a list of things your party shouldn’t touch (but
probably will)? All those and much, much more are waiting within. So relax, unwind and unleash the
unknown. By letting this book spark your creativity and set the stage for each session, you can focus
on the important things (like how to properly destroy that instant fortress).

INCLUDES

Setting-specific Compelling 3 one-shot

encounter tables to illustrations and maps adventures suitable
challenge your party to inspire you further for any setting

Compatible With Your Favorite $ 24.99 U.S.

5th Edition Fantasy Tabletop RPGs! $ 32.50 CAN
$24.99
@GameMaster_5e ISBN 978-1-956403-25-1
52499>

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