Non-combat random encounters

[Miz_Liz]

Hi all,

Something that truly aggravates me about some of the DMs I've played with is it seems like the only random events we ever get whilst travelling are combat. As such I am making a giant list of non-combat random encounters, and would love some comments/criticism and of course, additions. I'm currently at 50 neutral (could be good or bad, or have no real affect) and 50 good right now, and Ideally I'd like to get it up to 100 of each.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pZPC4XAU3bpGIsPby3F0mpqsvKDNJW3zPC6J_Sutpuc/edit?usp=sharing

NOTE: The laughing Dragon and Gaston encounters are run-ins with recurring NPCs in my current campaign. They have their own little story arcs, and you can just ignore them.

NOTE #2: I take no credit for about 80% of these. They were found and scrounged from other random encounter charts. I just wanted to put them all in one bigger list.

[Resileaf]

That's very good. Lots of good ideas that can be used to make a campaign more interesting.
Thanks for sharing!

[DeTess]

Our DM uses non-combat random encounters with some regularity. There are two that immediately stand out in my memory:

1. The hilariously incompetent Goblin Highwayman. Walked out onto the road in front of us, told us to surrender our goods, or else, and had absolutely nothing to back it up with. He had quite a sob-story after the Paladin of conquest was done with intimidating him into submission.

2. A longboat somewhere it really wasn't supposed to be (in our case it was on a mountain-top, but any place significantly away from the sea can work). It was just there, looking old, and mostly robbed empty already, though there where some mysterious documents we couldn't translate at the time that might have hinted towards why and how it had ended up there.

[Miz_Liz]

That's very good. Lots of good ideas that can be used to make a campaign more interesting.
Thanks for sharing!

Thank you! I've been working on it for a while haha.


Our DM uses non-combat random encounters with some regularity. There are two that immediately stand out in my memory:

*Snip*

Thanks! I'll definitely be adding both of these.

[Unoriginal]

That's a nice list, though I won't say some of them left me going "well ok, then", if you know what I mean.

The video game "Hand of Fate" and its sequel "Hand of Fate II" are basically made of random encounters like that. Saddly I don't think said encounters on a convenient list. But in any case let's plays of those games are great for inspiration in this domain.

Is Gaston based on "Beauty and the Beast" Gaston?

[Miz_Liz]

That's a nice list, though I won't say some of them left me going "well ok, then", if you know what I mean.

The video game "Hand of Fate" and its sequel "Hand of Fate II" are basically made of random encounters like that. Saddly I don't think said encounters on a convenient list. But in any case let's plays of those games are great for inspiration in this domain.

Is Gaston based on "Beauty and the Beast" Gaston?

I'll look into those games.

Ha ha no, his full name is Gaston the Gambler. Every time he shows up he challenges the players to some sort of game. If/when they meet him ten times, he'll reveal himself to be a fey lord cruising the material plane looking for fun. They amused him so much he'll grant each of them a free feat as a boon.

[Unoriginal]

I'll look into those games.

Turns out at least the wiki for the second opus is well-filled, at least in the Encounter listing:

http://hand-of-fate-2.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Encounters

They're pretty awesome, you could probably use a few with only slight modifications.

Though the wiki is still isn't completed, and it's worth to watch a few rounds of this game to see how it goes.